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Tactics for fighting in close tight quarters?

Back before I got Enhanced Edition I pretty much always just played BG2 (the improvements were just so far above and beyond) and one nice thing BG2 does is it really widened out the corridors and pathways in dungeons.

Going back and playing BG1 again though I'm reminded how terribly cramped and narrow some of these dungeons are, Ulcaster & Firewine being absolutely awful to try and move through, let alone fight in.

So I'm just asking some of you more seasoned vets what advice you have for getting through this? Any specific party formations? Do you move each member individually? What's the best way to manage your way around in these tiny dungeon hallways?

Comments

  • moody_magemoody_mage Member Posts: 2,054
    edited January 2014
    For those horrifically annoying areas I tend I use a single party member, however if I need to use them all I put the tank/trap detector at the front and single file everyone else behind with ranged weapons.

    No real easy method, I always hate those places, especially Firewine.
    jackjack
  • MitchforkMitchfork Member Posts: 390
    I don't even run Firewine anymore. I pop down to kill the Ogre Mage and his group and totally ignore the rest of the dungeon. Ulcaster is probably going to get the same fate this run as well.

    The party formation that's a bunch of arrows is... okay for dungeons. You usually won't bump into your party members, but you tend to get really spaced out which can be a problem if you run into an enemy. The only other one that I know to recommend is the "diagonal 2x6" one (I seriously have no idea what to call this) where it shifts one of your columns tighter and diagonal to the other. You can usually fit your entire formation into a corridor this way, but the pathfinding still sucks.
    CorvinoatcDavejackjack
  • victory_rosevictory_rose Member Posts: 72
    Ulcaster is rather easy, because it only has specific points where wolfs and spiders spawn (and, I believe, never more than two at a time). So scouting ahead with one or two tanky members and having the others follow gets you through that one easily.

    Firewine is a bit more tricky - I mostly move my thief around to detect traps, sometimes followed by the most hardy tank to step in when meeting monsters. My impression though is that the respawning in Firewine is much slower/less in the EE version than in the vanilla version, so there are really only a couple of spots where you'll be swarmed by kobolds, and if the group is there (with the tanky characters most in the open and the more squishy ones in a corner or out of the way), it's not so hard. Clearing a path to the Gullywine temple entrance early is also advisable, just in case you need to heal up. When navigating through the corridors, I find it best to move, at most, three characters at a time, preferably leading with a tanky one, and having another tanky one in the rear for surprise spawns.

    Generally, in both the EE versions, the AI is kind of crappy and you have to watch (certain) characters like a hawk in case they give up going the way you intend them to go, and try a different, and sometimes disastrous route instead. Have had quite a few "Arrrrgh" moments because of that (it's more often than not your mage/thief/Rasaad character who does this, i.e. someone extra squishy who can't very well survive a surprise attack). :)
  • mumumomomumumomo Member Posts: 635
    The terrible pathfinding and AI is the main reason for which i play solo almost exclusively.
    Even in a group, for the tight dungeons, either i skip them or i take 1-2 characters to clear the dungeon.
  • CandleBesideCandleBeside Member Posts: 38
    I do it like @decado. The narrow corridors are almost made for a scout, and if some meters are clean or safe the others can follow.
    The pathfinding AI is sometimes bad, but if you keep the distances not too long its no problem I think.
    I didn't like those narrow dungeons either when I was playing vanilly BG, but now I see them more of a competition, cause in real life they would also be hard to handle.
  • abacusabacus Member Posts: 1,307
    'Pause on enemy sighting' is handy for those times when a squishy does head the wrong way. Gives you a better chance of running to safety or quick-buffing.
    Rasaad is worst because of movement speed.

    Generally I use the 2x3(offset) ,::' formation, click&hold left-and-right to swivel party into alignment with corridors.
  • AranthysAranthys Member Posts: 722
    Equip a single party member with every important item.
    Boost that single party member with potion of haste, strength potion, whatever
    Rampage through the dungeon

    Both these dungeons are pretty easy, and the only danger comes from traps.
  • atcDaveatcDave Member Posts: 2,146
    I most often send out a scouting team; my best warrior and my thief. Those two can clear most of the BG dungeons without additional help. The rest of the team stays behind and plays Monopoly.
    jackjack
  • HeindrichHeindrich Member, Moderator Posts: 2,959
    I did those 'tedious dungeons' with a 'bow team' of Khalid, Minsc, Charname (F/M) and Imoen. Imoen of course also dealt with the traps. Jaheira and Dynaheir stood at the entrance and chatted about whatever strong independent gals talk about.

    The narrow corridors works against enemies as much as my party, forcing them to come at your through choke points, and 4 bows brings down most foes pretty quickly, and if they closed for melee, Khalid, Charname and Minsc can certainly handle themselves fine in a scrap.
  • BigfishBigfish Member Posts: 367
    I usually buff 1 guy, them some heal pots, and let that one go to town. Even shandelar's island, I give one person a scroll of magic protection and just mow through the place. Definitely glad they knocked that stuff off at 2.
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