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The Tale of the Totemic Druid

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  • JuliusBorisovJuliusBorisov Member, Administrator, Moderator, Developer Posts: 22,713
    No, this setup doesn't include Ascension.

    I'm excited just as you, kind followers of Yahiko, but I'm standing on the ground and think it will hardly happen that Yahiko manages to do it.

    As for the Melissan confrontation, right now I simply don't imagine how to beat her. I'm open to any ideas people can provide. I've read through the bioware forum with @Alesia_BH saying there she doesn't know a about a successful finished solo with a druid. @Enuhal has come to a conclusion that it's impossible to beat Mel with a totemic druid on a no-reload run. And as I've figured out, @Enuhal, whose totemic druid had been killed in the last battel, had played without the SCS mod.

    I'm laughing at a youtube video at the request "solo totemic druid against Melissan". It's a combination of successful Harm spells. In order to do it without reloading, you need several attempts. Add the need to cast Magic Resistance first and it's obvious Yahiko will run out of spells. The helmet of Simulacrum has one use.

    Yahiko constantly creates +5 darts with the cloak, which in my setup don't vanish if they're put into a container. There're about 100 of them already.
    lolienBelgarathMTHCrevsDaak
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    You might bend the rules a bit if the situation looks hopeless. Buy some pricy mage scrolls, if you can, and use the potion swap glitch to cast them. Simulacrum, Wish, PFMW, Tenser's Transformation, and Spell Immunity could make a big difference. But your strategy would likely have to be overhauled completely if you were to do so--it would warrant a lot of extra planning.

    Other than that, it's hard for me to think of any good trump cards you might use. Potions of Absorption might hold off Melissan's allies if not Melissan herself. Potions of Magic Protection/Shielding could stop some big spells. A Protection from Magic scroll, as always, can shut down an enemy's spell casting. Slayer form might have some role to play. The Staff of Fire/Woodlands can add a whole bunch of extra summons. You should have enough Oils of Speed to outrun everything. A sling should out range Mel's darts, enabling kiting. And if all else fails, you can try to land a Harm spell. It's completely unreliable, but a 0.5% chance of success might well be your best shot.
    JuliusBorisovlolien
  • JuliusBorisovJuliusBorisov Member, Administrator, Moderator, Developer Posts: 22,713
    0.5% chance is probably the best illustration of the situation.

    The potion swapping is not possible in the EE :)
    semiticgoddesslolienCrevsDaak
  • Alesia_BHAlesia_BH Member Posts: 759
    edited September 2015
    Congrats on taking down Abazigal, Bengoshi!

    Best,

    A.


    Btw. If you'd like to transition to an Ascension install, you should do so prior to Balthazar. You'd need to setup a fresh install, I believe. Of course, using Ascension may not be the best move, depending on your experience with the two endings: the devil you know, and all.
    lolienJuliusBorisovCrevsDaak
  • JuliusBorisovJuliusBorisov Member, Administrator, Moderator, Developer Posts: 22,713
    I've followed your advice and installed Ascension from the BP. It took 10 minutes! And I've read numerous comments on this forum about how it's hard to install the Ascension mod on BG2EE ;) It turned out to be VERY simple!
    lolienBlackravenCrevsDaak
  • BlackravenBlackraven Member Posts: 3,486
    @bengoshi, did you install SCS on top of it? If not, Ascension will run BP scripts rather than SCS scripts I think.
    JuliusBorisov
  • Alesia_BHAlesia_BH Member Posts: 759
    edited September 2015

    @bengoshi, did you install SCS on top of it? If not, Ascension will run BP scripts rather than SCS scripts I think.

    Yes. SCS needs to be installed over Ascension to get the SCS scripts. This is especially critical when using BP Ascension in EE, since the BP scripts don't behave properly in EE.

    Also, if you are using a recent version of SCS (v24-v30) bear in mind that there are two significant bugs in SCS/Ascension. One breaks the version of Irenicus that appears at the Throne, causing his AoE spells to do no damage. The other causes additional demons to appear alongside the Fallen Solars. In Ascension, the fallen solars should spawn in alone. Fixes can be found here.

    http://forum.bioware.com/topic/560248-the-adventurers-lounge-guidance-and-support-for-no-reload-challengers-newbie-or-veteran/?p=19564149

    Good luck! I really hope this works out. It won't be easy, but it should be possible if you can figure out a way to deal with Illasera and the Fallen Solars.

    Best,

    A.
    Post edited by Alesia_BH on
    JuliusBorisovlolienCrevsDaak
  • JuliusBorisovJuliusBorisov Member, Administrator, Moderator, Developer Posts: 22,713
    An awesome thread, @Alesia_BH ! We need the same on this forum. Maybe @Ygramul can include it (in a form of links to different posts from that thread) into his OP in the no-reload thread.
    lolien
  • YgramulYgramul Member Posts: 1,059
    bengoshi said:

    An awesome thread, @Alesia_BH ! We need the same on this forum. Maybe @Ygramul can include it (in a form of links to different posts from that thread) into his OP in the no-reload thread.

    I think that is an excellent idea.

    I will modify the original post in the no-reload thread, hoping @Alesia_BH would not mind the sharing of it.
    JuliusBorisovlolienCrevsDaak
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    Focus is the Ascension ability that grants immunity to Time Stop. Lasts 5 rounds, can be cast every 10 rounds.

    Earth Elemental form has 2 base APR with I think 2d10+10 damage per hit. Oil of Speed, Belm, for 4 APR, or about 80 damage per round. It should be possible to slay a Fallen Solar during Time Stop in elemental form, especially with the Ring of Gaxx or Amulet of Cheetah Speed for IH.

    Any thoughts?
    BlackravenJuliusBorisovGoturalCrevsDaak
  • SkatanSkatan Member, Moderator Posts: 5,352
    I will join in the well-earned praise and tell you @bengoshi, that I think this run is nothing short of triumphant. Sure, the glory would be endless if you had managed all the way through, but what you did is awe-inspiring!

    I'm no expert at all, not near the level of knowledge you have. The few hours I have to play nowadays is mostly spent on casual playthroughs, but I truly enjoy reading these kind of epic explorations into the deep mechanics of the game, where you have to analyze and prepare for each battle as death is but a failed saving through away.

    Cheers and congrats!
    lolienJuliusBorisovGoturalCrevsDaak
  • lolienlolien Member, Moderator, Translator (NDA) Posts: 3,108
    Thanks for this insightful run bengoshi. You and the writers in @Ygramul 's no reload thread give me feel like doing no-reload and SCS run in the future.
    JuliusBorisovYgramulGoturalCrevsDaak
  • sluckerssluckers Member Posts: 280
    Tiny bit of thread necromancy here, but...

    This thread has become a vital resource for me. Thanks Bengoshi.

    I really needed a break from my spell caster run, as the tedium of arcane casters was beginning to wear on me. A solo fighter was proving a bit boring without party mates to co-ordinate with, so I resurrected my Totemic Druid for a shot at SCS BG2. This class is quickly becoming a favourite for me. Arcane summons simply pale in comparison to the druid's, I feel, and the druid's spirit animals and superior elementals make a solo run feel less lonely.

    I have embarked on a few firsts due to the info I've gleaned from your very helpful playthrough. Of particular note is the Helm of Vailor, which I had never before used. It's proven vital for summoning creatures during the initial stages of many areas, so as to pace my druid and not exhaust my supply of minions before the usual end-fights.

    I am a bit worried about throne of bhaal, but that's far away at this point. I have a feeling I'll be checking in here often, as threads like this prove far more informative than the actual game.
    lolienJuliusBorisovSkatan
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    It should work exactly like that. Pixie Dust will turn your summons invisible, and they will break their invisibility before you do, ensuring that enemy Beholders target them instead of you. SCS Beholders besides Hive Mothers don't see through invisibility.
    sluckersJuliusBorisovlolienCrevsDaak
  • sluckerssluckers Member Posts: 280
    That's good news. Means that the Beholder lair should be a walk in the park on a nice sunny day... on October 4th, 1993 in Mogadishu.

    [Half-hearted huzzah]
    JuliusBorisovlolienCrevsDaak
  • JuliusBorisovJuliusBorisov Member, Administrator, Moderator, Developer Posts: 22,713
    edited October 2015
    Yahiko always had one or two Pixie Dust spells ready because except for the ring of improved invisibility and potions he didn't had anything to become invisible.

    Also, only with the Deva Yahiko could deal with beholders more or less safely, because all other summons were killed in seconds by these creatures.
    lolienCrevsDaak
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