Daystar + playing fair

Comments

• Arunsun Member Posts: 1,592

  May 2015

  1. Try and install Sword Coast Stratagems. That's the best way to improve difficulty.
  2. Daystar is not OP. And Kangaxx will still prove to be a tough fight unless you are using a berserker. And if you install SCS, it won't be easy even with a berserker

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• Lord_Tansheron Member Posts: 4,211

  May 2015

  I can only second the suggestions and STRONGLY recommend you install SCS. It really is the quintessential mod for people who've gotten used to kicking the vanilla game's behind and are looking for a new challenge.
  
  As for Daystar, it is certainly quite the powerful weapon, especially that early on. It goes through undead like a blowtorch through butter, and without mods it is ludicrously easy to obtain. Whether or not it is "broken" depends on your perspective, there are definitely some items that are quite a bit above the usual power level at their respective point in the game and Daystar is among them.
  
  Using SCS can fix that issue as well, by the way. Not only does it make the entire game harder, meaning even powerful items may not be overpowered, but it also adds a few tweaks that make things like the Daystar smash-and-grab a much greater challenge. Give it a try!

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• semiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903

  May 2015

  Install SCS. It is indeed the best way to improve the game difficulty, and it's highly customizable. You might also consider installing Spell Revisions and/or Item Revisions, which make the game much more balanced, and are compatible with SCS.
  
  Daystar has never been OP. It's an excellent sword, but not so crazy overpowered as the more famous Celestial Fury or Carsomyr. Unfortunately, in SCS2, as I recall, the Lich who guards the sword is much tougher (it will dispel Protection from Undead, and will conjure demons which can see through it), and you can't flee the fight. You'll still have an excellent sword in the form of Namarra.
  
  Also, Daystar will not make any Liches easy. Its Sunray effect only kills undead on a failed save vs. spell, and Liches have a save vs. spell of 1, guaranteeing a successful save. Nor can you lower a Lich's saves with Greater Malison or Doom, due to their spell level immunities.

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• SnesleyWipes Member Posts: 12

  May 2015

  SCS sounds interesting - will it screw anything up if I install mid game?
  
  I'm not thaaat good at this game. Hopefully this won't be too hardcore for me!

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• semiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903

  May 2015

  I believe SCS can be installed in the middle of a game safely.
  
  It won't be too hardcore unless you install it that way. The SCS installer will ask you which parts you want to install, and you can pick which ones you want. If you don't want to deal with an especially difficult component (like the improved vampires component), you can just choose not to install it, and the rest of the mod will work just fine. Depending on your install options, it can be insanely difficult, or it can be just a mild increase in difficulty.
  
  Either way, I'd recommend it. The game is more fun with SCS installed--the enemies' behavior is more intelligent and more interesting than in vanilla.

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• Lord_Tansheron Member Posts: 4,211

  May 2015

  Don't be afraid to have yourself challenged. Beating your head against the wall can be a welcome change in the Age of Brogamers!

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• Skatan Member, Moderator Posts: 5,352

  May 2015

  SnesleyWipes said:

  
  1. What will make this game a fairer fight?
  2. Is the Daystar going to be OP? Will Kangaax die really easily now?
  
  

  1:
  You can self-gimp your resting: no resting unless spells emptied and/or fatigued. No resting inside dungeons etc. This will force you to think before you unleash your full spellbook on a band of kobolds. You might just need that certain spell in the next fight. You need to reserve spell slots for healing since you can't just sleep whenever you have been hit. I use this "rule" most of the times. It just make the game a little more "RP" imho.
  
  You can avoid metagaming, meaning do not empty and fill your spell book with just the right spells for that special next fight and equip those particular weapons before opening a certain door etc. Fill your spell slots with a variaty of spells for versatility, just like you would have done if it was real life. One remove paralysis, one remove poison, one remove fear, one protection from petrification etc etc. You never know when you'll end up fighting a basilisk
  
  No stealing! Pickpocketing is way, way to good and easy. First steal potions of master thievery, then gulp'em, then steal everything in the entire city of Athkatla, then sell everything to the fence, then buy all über gear from the special vendors.. do this if you want to powergame, solo or ruin your experience. Avoid it and you will have a much better power-curve, not becoming too powerful too early.
  
  Avoid smash and grabs, like the one you mentioned yourself. There are other's as well, but if you avoid those and pick quests on random (or RP what your char would actually have chosen to do) instead of basing them on the known rewards, you will get a greater challange. Running and getting Belm immediately is of course amazing for jaheira or a scimitar CHARNAME, but avoid it and it will feel much mre rewarding once you get it, after struggling with less good items for some time.
  
  This is completely excluding mods and relies only on you discipline. You can enforce them throughout or you could exclude one or two particular things you really want to do. I try to do this for most of my playthrough, but then again, I don't play for challenge, I play mostly for character development (trying out builds, PvE or PvM as it's called for some games).
  
  2: Was answered above already.
  
  GLHF

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