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Does anyone else dislike TotSC?

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  • BelgarathMTHBelgarathMTH Member Posts: 5,653
    Count me as one who also dislikes TotSC. I was just comparing it over in the IWD forum to IWD/HoW/TotL. I only do parts of Durlag's Tower, Ice Island, and Werewolf Island, none of which I enjoy very much, when I want to start BG2 with an xp bonus.

    It all just winds up being a big distraction from the urgency and forward motion of the main plot. If BG1 were a movie, most of that TotSC material would deserve winding up on the cutting room floor - it creates bad pacing for the story, tending to kill the interest of the audience.
  • BlucherBlucher Member Posts: 110
    I dunno. I think TotSC is pretty much the perfect expansion: fun, optional, challenging, interesting, and well made.

    I've never felt the urgency of plot in either BG1 or BG2. Though in BG2, I do tend to rush to Imoen ASAP, but after that I dither and do as much as I can before moving on.

    I'm usually done with the TotSC content (and just about everything else for that matter) by the time I go back to Candlekeep. I rush Candlekeep-Undercellar-Undercity at the very end of a run so to start on BG2.
    atcDaveSmilingSwordJuliusBorisov
  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    Durlag's Tower is the best dungeon in the series, for reasons already mentioned. I'm sure Watcher's Keep is the meta-gamer's favorite dungeon, but Durlag's Tower is the role-player's favorite dungeon.*



    *I mean most meta-gamers and most role-players. Please don't over-analyze.
    rorikonblackchimesJuliusBorisov
  • DragonKingDragonKing Member Posts: 1,977
    edited July 2015
    I prefer the island to the tower... I can only dungeon crawl so much before getting bored. I prefer to explore, meeting new people and hearing their story And the island gave me that. I didn't like how it ended though, I was more then willing to help them before they... Well I guess I'll avoid the spoiler.

    I did like durlag's tower, don't get me wrong, some good fights, but I did both lose to end game so I needed neither the items or XP, and I was was playing sorcerer so I didn't need the spells. It did have a nice story.

    Rephrasing, they don't really possess anything that would make me replay them unless I go to see if anything happens differently class wise. Like if I run around the island as a werewolf using the shapeshifter kit, or just play a mage and take durlag's tower..

    Ulcaster school was a big disappointment for me. As a spellcaster in no matter what game I play, I was expecting to see a lot of spells, and wizard stories nope!
  • GenryuGenryu Member Posts: 372
    edited July 2015
    I always loved the werewolf island, it was my favorite part of TotSC by far. It just struck of chord with me, I really enjoyed the storyline, the new area and the history behind...

    [Spoiler]Balduran's final voyage[/spoiler]

    And did I mention Wanev is awesome! "Back doggies! Bad doggies! Shoo, Shoo!"

    I agree that the Karoug fight can be brutally tough, especially if it is your first encountering him. However once you have played through the game a couple of times and know what to expect, and what to prepare for he shouldn't be that big a deal for those playing with a balanced party.
    atcDave[Deleted User]rorikonJuliusBorisov
  • ajwzajwz Member Posts: 4,122
    The thing I don't like about werewolf island is it's lack of rewards
    I also dont like the ice caverns, because the quest is often forced on an unsuspecting party

    Durlags tower is pretty great though
    [Deleted User]
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    I greatly prefer Balduran's isle over Durlag's, if only because the latter feels slow and tedious. And Karoug is much more fun to fight than Aec
    *cough* kite stupid slow demon for days with superbuffed fighters cutting down hilariously high hit point meatbags and reload whenever death gazed *cough*
    [Deleted User]
  • FrancoisFrancois Member Posts: 452
    I don't like it much overall. Werewolf Island was small and underwhelming. You make a long boat trip for a tiny quest that can be completed in less than an hour. Durlag's Tower is more interesting but gets long and tedious. They should have distributed the effort more evenly between the two quests.
    ajwz said:

    The thing I don't like about werewolf island is it's lack of rewards

    But what about the butter knife?!?


    [Deleted User]
  • GrumGrum Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,100
    I really wish that Balduran's Isle let you stay a werewolf. Once a day shapeshift, get full werewolf perks.

    Now that would have made the trip worth it!
    Silverstar[Deleted User]
  • Abi_DalzimAbi_Dalzim Member Posts: 1,428
    Both Balduran's island and Durlag's Tower have great atmosphere, but I still prefer the latter for its better rewards. Thankfully, I never had to tackle Karoug before EE, and therefore knew what I was getting into well in advance. Actually, on my last swing through that part of the game, my thief-heavy party took him down by planting a whole bunch of traps on the first floor of the ship, going back and forth between the upper levels to take out the minions, and then luring Karoug down to the first floor to die. Good times, good times.
    [Deleted User]JuliusBorisov
  • JaceJace Member Posts: 193
    I think the Werewolf Island was very atmospheric and mysterious the first time, a what-the-heck-is-going-on type of feeling, but after that, it wasn't so cool anymore. Durlag's Tower has been a positively staple experience no matter how many times I've done it.

    Both Balduran's island and Durlag's Tower have great atmosphere, but I still prefer the latter for its better rewards. Thankfully, I never had to tackle Karoug before EE, and therefore knew what I was getting into well in advance. Actually, on my last swing through that part of the game, my thief-heavy party took him down by planting a whole bunch of traps on the first floor of the ship, going back and forth between the upper levels to take out the minions, and then luring Karoug down to the first floor to die. Good times, good times.

    Karoug makes for some interesting tactics if you don't have silver/cold iron weapons. I once lured him in a very tight corner and angled a Lightning Bolt that bounced back and forth 12+ times. He died almost instantly.
    [Deleted User]
  • FrozenCellsFrozenCells Member Posts: 385
    I just sailed through Durlag's Tower in one brutally efficient sitting and I feel great :p The TotSC stuff doesn't fit in all that well with the rest of the game but in a way I find the storytelling and challenges to be more compelling than the original content.
    [Deleted User]JuliusBorisov
  • AlexisisinneedAlexisisinneed Member Posts: 470
    I actually love the werewolf island. There's a nice sense of despair in the air and you can woo an werewolf too. I'm not fond of the ice caves because its corridors and it's rather bland story. I love the lore of durlags tower and it's final fight, but for the love of god I hate hate hate hate hate hate the tedious boring puzzles. It just gets worse and worse every playthrough, but the loot. The glorious loot.
    [Deleted User]JuliusBorisov
  • necaradan666necaradan666 Member Posts: 9
    I like to go to werewolf island after Candlekeep, to keep a low profile for a while after what happened to the Iron Throne leaders, then coming back to find Sarevok entrenched in BG.
    atcDave[Deleted User]HudzyJuliusBorisov
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