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How to advance to level 3 without lifting a finger. Almost.

SamuelVargSamuelVarg Member Posts: 598
in Archive (General Discussion)
If you aren't a big fan of dying from a well placed arrow now and then you can advance your party to level 3 fairly easy. Just head to the basilisk area east of Beregost and talk to Corax the ghoul. Let him take the lead and follow with one or two archers to assist him from a safe distans. He can then attack a bunch of basilisks and get you a good number of XP without endangering your party. Just remember to have your cleric heal him when he becomes to wounded.
I tried this and toke out the whole area rather easy.

Ignore this if you find this to cheesy.
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Comments

  • KilivitzKilivitz Member Posts: 1,459
    When you say "the whole area" you mean even...

    the mad gnome illusionist who collects petrified adventurers? I imagine he could take out a level 1 group somewhat easily.
  • SamuelVargSamuelVarg Member Posts: 598
    Kilivitz said:

    When you say "the whole area" you mean even...

    the mad gnome illusionist who collects petrified adventurers? I imagine he could take out a level 1 group somewhat easily.
    Imoen with a speed potion and Corax takes him easy.

  • SamuelVargSamuelVarg Member Posts: 598
    Samus said:

    I would advise anyone new to the game not to try this, the dire charm on Corax does not last forever, and Corax by himself cannot take out all the Basilisks and other enemies in that area without being spelled up and healed...

    Agree. This tip is more for experienced players who want to RPG without the fear of dying from a lucky skeleton.

  • ChildofBhaal599ChildofBhaal599 Member Posts: 1,781
    I have been using this in the random game thread. You can easily get level 4 or even 5 doing it. The illusionist I find quite easy because I interrupt him. The party of adventurers is not so easy. Also, corax doesn't usually get hurt unless something like gnolls show up. He can hold enemies too! It is a good no reload strategy, but I don't use it in role play games because I shouldn't know they are there, so I hit it when I clear all of the wilderness areas before baldurs gate.
  • smeagolheartsmeagolheart Member Posts: 7,963
    Korax can paralyze the gnome illusionist
  • amftronamftron Member Posts: 109
    Or you could just kill Firebead....
  • ajwzajwz Member Posts: 4,122
    The funny thing is; if the basilisk AI wasn't so stupid and they actually decided to start attacking in melee, they could take Korax out in a couple of swipes.
  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    Ummmm what are you guys talking about. This tactic is dead easy, I have literally never had problems.

    1. The Dire Charm on Korax lasts pretty long.
    2. The Basilisks are too damn stupid to attack Korax with melee, nine times out of ten.
    3. Korax can and will paralyze everything.
  • WowoWowo Member Posts: 2,064
    I do this even with SCS installed which includes an "improved basilisk" component. Basically just have to wait until the basilisks are paralysed before shooting them.

    Mutamin is a bit tougher but between interrupts and paralyse he seems to go down more often than not.

    The order I do them in is:
    2 NE of Shar-Teel
    1 South of Mutamin
    3 South of adventuring party
    1 East of Mutamin
    Mutamin and Co

    If you do this solo you can hit level 5 which lets you pick up NPCs at level 5-6.

    If you do this duo you can hit level 5-6 by killing Shoal the Nereid and a few Sirines.

    In a full party it'll take every one up to level 3-4 depending on class (good for a full custom play through).
  • the_spyderthe_spyder Member Posts: 5,018
    Yeah, what the OP suggests is a neat trick, but definitely not for a beginner. Personally, I can usually reach 2nd level fairly easily simply by doing the quests available between FAI and Nashkal. I then head to Gnoll Stronghold. Then I gather up enough Pro from Pet spells and go take out the Basilisks, bringing me up to about 4th. It isn't quite as 'one stop shopping' as the OP, but it is safer and probably easier for a noob to do.
  • KatermeisterKatermeister Member Posts: 28
    Grab a cleric with command and kill ankhegs N of FAI if you want exp.
  • morehousemorehouse Member Posts: 20
    I play exclusively no-reload and dont like to mess around with the basilisk area right away. I find that attempting to save melincamp (good XP if it works) and finding commander brage are two quick ways to get started.
  • KidCarnivalKidCarnival Member Posts: 3,747
    Korax will usually be charmed long enough to take out the Mutamin basilisks, but he either dies or turns hostile before you reach the southern edge basilisks. They are quite close to the adventurer group and even if you get Korax down the map that far, the group will easily kill him (and likely a level 1 party). They also cast Horror, and if you haven't killed the basilisks south of them, there is a very good chance NPCs will run into them. So, "entire map" is certainly not a good plan for a level 1 party.
  • ChildofBhaal599ChildofBhaal599 Member Posts: 1,781
    KidCarnival said:

    Korax will usually be charmed long enough to take out the Mutamin basilisks, but he either dies or turns hostile before you reach the southern edge basilisks. They are quite close to the adventurer group and even if you get Korax down the map that far, the group will easily kill him (and likely a level 1 party). They also cast Horror, and if you haven't killed the basilisks south of them, there is a very good chance NPCs will run into them. So, "entire map" is certainly not a good plan for a level 1 party.

    that is why you start south where there are only stupid basilisks who continue to petrify for nothing. ignore the adventures and head to the gnome. if korax is still alive, you could try to use him on the adventures, but if i am alone i would ignore them.
  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    KidCarnival said:

    Korax will usually be charmed long enough to take out the Mutamin basilisks, but he either dies or turns hostile before you reach the southern edge basilisks.

    Okay no offense but you guys must play REALLY slow. I've only ever taken long enough ONCE (out of like, 20 or so times) that Korax turned on me. I get all the Basilisks, + Mutamin, every time. What are you guys doing to take so long?
  • Maelora69Maelora69 Member Posts: 75
    If you don't know where they are, then his dire charm can run out. If you know where all 8 are and the 2 greater ones, it's pretty easy (assuming you're not RP it and go straight there).

    This area always seemed deliberately easy to me; it's like the devs are saying 'here's 20,000 free XP if you know what you're doing'. It's easy even without Korax - Protection from Petrification is a 1st level spell, or you can get Mirror Eyes potions from Thalantyr.

    Then conversely there's areas like Firewine Bridge, where the rewards are way smaller than the risk involved...
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,675
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  • SamuelVargSamuelVarg Member Posts: 598
    Samus said:

    Come to think of it, even with this method, you technically have to lift a finger...

    Almost.
  • KidCarnivalKidCarnival Member Posts: 3,747
    Quartz said:

    What are you guys doing to take so long?

    Roleplaying. If I metagame and just go basilisk hunting, I don't bother with Korax; I get Protection from Petrification, slap it on my melees and bam. But there is no way charname would exactly know where the southern basilisks are; there are no statues lining the way. Just exploring the map, there is a good chance Korax and the party will first run into the adventurers and then the remaining basilisks.

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,675
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  • srvksrvk Member Posts: 65
    I take out the innkeepers of the Friendly Arm Inn with Imoen's wand of magic missile. The only thing to notice is that you must time your attacks with their spellcasting. They give about 2000xp each
  • smeagolheartsmeagolheart Member Posts: 7,963
    srvk said:

    I take out the innkeepers of the Friendly Arm Inn with Imoen's wand of magic missile. The only thing to notice is that you must time your attacks with their spellcasting. They give about 2000xp each

    The inn must not be open to you because you don'ta behavea yourself

  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    edited April 2013
    @Maelora69
    Maelora69 said:

    This area always seemed deliberately easy to me; it's like the devs are saying 'here's 20,000 free XP if you know what you're doing'. It's easy even without Korax - Protection from Petrification is a 1st level spell, or you can get Mirror Eyes potions from Thalantyr.

    Disagree. In Vanilla Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast, Protection from Petrification is a 2nd level spell. It was changed (aptly, I might add) to Level 1 when Baldur's Gate II was released. (The other spell like this is Detect Evil, I believe) Secondly, the Potion of Mirrored Eyes has an absolutely pathetic duration.

    As far as the "well the area takes me long because I'm role-playing" comments, okay, fair enough then. Honestly though, chances are you shouldn't be exploring that map at Level 1 if you're role-playing ... which is exactly what this thread is about. This thread is about a meta-game tactic.
  • SamuelVargSamuelVarg Member Posts: 598
    Djimmy said:


    Edit: ...and now when I checked, these are "agree"s not "like"s

    Then it's OK.



  • KidCarnivalKidCarnival Member Posts: 3,747
    Why "shouldn't" I explore that map if I roleplay? Maybe charname thinks it's smarter to find an alternative route to Nashkel. Assassins being after him/her and all...
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