@lunar@Iroumen: Karun definitely does not have the Red Soul kit. I don't even have an actual Red Soul kit; I applied the effects via a custom item. The item imposes a 50% duration penalty via opcode 99 and adds 100% to all forms of non-physical damage using the EE-exclusive opcode 332. My best guess is that Ascension grants Lower Fire Resistance to one of the enemies, and the Planetar failed its save against Lower Fire Resistance twice.
We venture into the forest of wyrms and encounter some spiders here and there. Nothing too fancy that cannot be killed with fireballs or writting fog. What I did like is that inside a cave on the way out you will encounter a huge rhinobeetle. M'khiin mentions that you can do something with spider eggs, but we just killed it easily (I was trying to figure it out but everything went hostile so I had to let that be).
Some ways uphill we enter a cave where we see a sleeping dragon.
Being not very well prepared we let sleeping dragons lie and retreat for another day. We explore the rest of the forest and fight some hill giants. Now this is one of those moments where Melissa shines with polymorph other, but the best part is that the squirrel is then immediately killed by Corwin and M'khiin. I was amazed by that seemingly well-timed cooperation.
An on-hit effect you mean or hidden in some spell?
You mean Lower Fire Resistance? Lower Fire Resistance is an area-effect spell, normally only used by Firkraag. In Tactics and/or Ascension, Fire Giants use it as well. Apparently there are some other enemies that use it, but I'm not sure exactly who. It lowers fire resistance by 50% for 6 rounds on a failed save vs. spell at -3, and stacks. It bypasses magic resistance and spell protections, so only your saving throws can block it.
Yes that one. In improved anvil it is sometimes (for other elements) an on-hit effect even. That is why I was asking. On-hit is blocked with AC or weapon immunity. The spell with saves.
Next up is Yaga-Shura. With Edwin gone, Aerie no longer has to live in the shadow of her fellow Red Soul. She doesn't have many spell slots, but she has strong options.
I have no other screenshots from that battle. Normally I bait the enemy cleric and mage with a Planetar, but it's a minor fight anyway without much strategy needed.
Poppy's items and Barbarian resistances make her a fantastic tank, with Roranach's Horn making her flat-out immune to crushing damage, but some Fire Giants use axes, leaving her vulnerable.
If she dual-wields the Flail of Ages and Foebane, she can overcome the Fire Giants all on her own, as Foebane heals her 4 HP per hit. That builds up over time. I stole the idea from another player, I think @Alesia_BH, who pointed out that 4 HP per hit makes a big difference with a fully-buffed Barbarian who only takes a few points of damage from enemy hits.
Other cool stuff includes Sarevok slaying those pesky SCS Efreet with the Wave Blade...
...Blueberry's Web Tangle disabling a lich despite its spell level immunities...
I overestimate Poppy's tanking abilities at one point, but we have a stellar rescue option on hand.
Unfortunately, that rescue option isn't always there. Especially not when it comes to Laosha, whose psionic abilities leave him paused (a special disabling opcode used only in spells like Agannazar's Scorcher and Color Spray) and unable to run away or heal himself. Combine that with his terrible AC, low HP, and total lack of resistances or Stoneskins, and he's pretty much helpless.
Notice the attack roll. The pause opcode holds the target in place, but it doesn't render them helpless, which means it won't trigger "Helpless" contingencies and it won't grant attackers automatic hits. Also, the pause opcode prevents your aura timer from clearing, which means that after waiting out Domination's 9-second pause effect, you still have to wait another 6 seconds before using another spell or item.
Domination unfortunately only charms one enemy, though--Laosha's killer, whom Imoen blinded moments before he succumbed to the charm effect.
Blueberry isn't particularly tanky quite yet, but that's why we have Planetars, Mass Cure, and Mass Raise Dead.
Berenn, the Fire Giant mage, gets crippled by Holy Word. Brimstone, the Ascension-only red dragon that joins the fight, fails to harm the party with its breath weapon.
As devastating as that breath weapon is--it deals crazy damage, it comes after Lower Fire Resistance, it bypasses MR and spell protections, and even the Cloak of Mirroring can't stop it--it just plain looks stupid.
We debuff Brimstone a bit, but we're not relying on Feeblemind here. We just whomp it to death, surviving its attacks and its breath weapon thanks to our resistances.
I remember getting a character chunked by a petrification trap in this dungeon in my last successful no-reload run. I step more carefully this time and disarm the traps before running around.
I only have one screenshot of the fight with Nyalee. Druids don't have PFMW, which means they're kind of helpless.
All I remember is that we focused all of our attention on slaying Nyalee as quickly as possible, to prevent her from summoning clones of our party. We only had to fight one clone, a fully-equipped Poppy.
Time to topple Yaga-Shura. Imoen summons an extra-long-lasting Planetar via her extra-long-lasting Project Image clone.
Blueberry demonstrates once again that my Phase Spider kit just isn't as strong as it's supposed to be.
Also, he has a special spell that works a bit like a weakened Comet with extra crushing damage.
Under heavy pressure, we retreat to the bridge until Aerie's aura is clear enough to cast Mass Cure.
Poppy lobs a rock at Yaga-Shura. He runs away like the pitiful sissy he is.
Yaga-Shura is actually by far the strongest Bhaalspawn if you think about it. Aside from invulnerability that almost no one can remove, he also has the biggest army compared to the rest of the Five.
Yaga-Shura doesn't return for a long time. To conserve our resources, I have Imoen's clone use the Staff of Domination to charm Yaga-Shura's goons. It's basically a Domination spell without a save. The staff doesn't recharge, but it has 21 base charges and even SCS clones can use it. Charming the soldiers decreases pressure on us while giving us a light buffer against the remaining enemies.
Our charm victims don't absorb all the pressure, though, and we still have to deal with mages that have spell protections to block Domination.
The enemy can't do much damage to us, but Aerie's buffs are short-lived and we're running out of time. When Imoen loses her clone to True Sight, she brings out a new one, with better buffs.
Yaga-Shura finally appears, but now we have multiple demons on us as well.
The Cornugon uses its poison against our charm victims, while the Bone Golem unleashes a Cone of Cold. Meanwhile, Yaga-Shura bashes Sarevok, who has no Hardiness active.
We need to recover. Luckily, we have gobs of healing spells.
More enemies appear. The mage that summoned those demons is still at work.
Blueberry throws out a Web spell, hoping to disable the Planetar despite its MR. She gets one Web off the ground, but not her second one. Her AC just isn't good enough.
Our Planetar bails her out. We increase the pressure, focusing Poppy's efforts on the Fallen Planetar and using Aerie to weaken the rest of the enemy horde.
With the Fallen Planetar gone, we can focus a little more on Yaga-Shura. Laosha's Domination makes a tiny dent in the enemy ranks. Yaga-Shura's guards have some odd dialog lines.
That's something I'd expect an extraplanar critter to say, not some human fighter. Anyway, Imoen's clone gets spooked by something and Aerie chases after it. That clone has a lot of good spells on it. Before Aerie can restore its morale, however another Fallen Planetar enters the scene--and her Remove Fear bounces right off Imoen's clone's SI: Abjuration spell.
That reminds me that Aerie has run out of her own SI: Abjuration spell, and that nearby mage likely has Breach or Remove Magic on hand. I have Aerie restore it while the Planetar goes after Laosha.
Aerie loses her SI: Abjuration as soon as she gets it. Laosha leads the Planetar over to Poppy, who can kill it. Imoen's clone recovers from the fear effect and buffs the party with Mass Invisibility before Poppy puts down the Planetar.
Finally we're free to tackle Yaga-Shura without Fallen Planetars running around where they can chunk Aerie. Yaga-Shura doesn't put up much of a fight, which isn't surprising. For the past few rounds, I haven't even noticed him--I've just been paying attention to the Fallen Planetars.
Finally, we'll be able to enter Sendai's Enclave, slay Odamaron, and forge the Soul Reaver +6, which I keep calling the Unholy Reaver +6 for some reason. That's going to be fun, and wildly unnecessary by this point.
We sail through the Oasis and collect more loot that any adventurer could possibly need. It's not ToB if you don't have enough gold to pay Waukeen for a roll in the hay.
Most of Sendai's dungeon is a string of moderate-intensity battles that you can resolve with Improved Haste and Hardiness, Dragon's Breath, or in our case, Fire Storm from Aerie.
Odamaron is different, with three high-level undead mages attacking at once. Imoen decides to make use of her Green Soul kit and her 7 thief levels.
If I had given Imoen the Staff of the Magi to remove those Stoneskins instantly, he'd be dead by now.
This was a very long battle, but it looks like our strategy boiled down to chain-casting Holy Word from our Planetar and Aerie. We didn't catch all three enemies in each casting but those Holy Word spells amounted to 20 rounds of 100% spell failure, so it's no surprise that we lived long enough to see the end of Odamaron's buffs.
His Apprentice survives, but we have two mages with all the debuffers we need.
With the Heart of the Damned, Cespenar forges a new Soul Reaver for us.
That's exactly as overpowered as it looks. Enemies from here on out basically only ever use PFMW instead of Improved Mantle, and therefore need to be debuffed or waited out, but it's still a big sword.
I think Diaytha is normally a tough enemy. I don't remember having much trouble with her, though. Certainly not in this run.
Moving right along, Poppy kills Captain Egeissag with a single HLA, and it's not Greater Whirlwind Attack. Poppy stops to chat with the Beholder from City Sushi, and ends up telling her life story in the process.
All that's left before Sendai herself are some Mind Flayers. The fight wasn't that interesting, though; we just beat them up. A lot of fights in ToB end up being resolved by very simple tactics.
We do the second Pocket Plane challenge for a little more XP. Finally, we enter Sendai's chamber, facing a team of the strongest drow in the saga.
Ascension Sendai is a long and intense battle with lots of heavily buffed Sendai clones and respawning drow Kensais and mages with MR upwards of 80. The spellcasters' buffs drag out the fight, giving the murderously efficient Kensais plenty of time to eat through Stoneskins and HP. The real danger here does not come from disablers or debuffers; it comes from pure physical damage (unfortunately, mostly slashing damage), and no amount of AC will hold off those Kensais for long.
The first clone appears. With the Unholy Reaver +6 to dispel any defenses, the statue doesn't last long.
I use "clone" and "statue" interchangeably regarding Sendai's copies.
Sendai's first spellcaster clone comes out and the battle truly begins. Spell Immunity ignores aura, which helps Imoen get her clone fully protected on the round it arrives. She uses PFMW instead of Stoneskin, as it will keep her safe far longer in a fight like this.
Sendai's clone is too well-defended right now, so we turn our attention to the other drow. Imoen's Chain Contingency comes out.
Those spells were chosen to reduce enemy pressure. Mass Invisibility will keep spells off our back, the Magical Sword will distract the drow, and Teleport Field will frustrate the Kensai's attacks.
Laosha is having trouble removing Sendai's illusions. I think an EE update changed how Detect Illusions worked somehow; I've been seeing it fail a lot lately despite having 100 in the skill. Instead, we use a Planetar to inflict deafness on the enemy.
MR can block it, but we don't have any other options if Sendai is invisible and we can't remove it.
AC is no help at all against the drow Kensais. Resistances are.
Unable to touch the spellcaster clones, we turn to easier targets: the normal drow spellcasters and the fighter-type clones.
It's always hard to set priorities in this fight, because there are so many different threats active at once. Laosha nearly dies due to the pause effect of Domination, but a Planetar rescues him. Meanwhile, Sarevok starts debuffing the enemy and Aerie finds a use for her damage spells against our highly magic-resistant foes.
We have a breakthrough: a Sendai clone has failed a save against Domination.
This fight was just as complicated as it looks. Lots of details are lost in the fog of war. Unless you have a very small party, you generally won't have a very good grasp of what's happening in this fight. Without clear information on whose aura is clear and which enemies have what defenses, a lot depends on the raw strength of your party.
Mass Invisibility has one critical drawback: it prevents you from casting spells on your own party. Only Planetars and Devas can do that. Instead, we need to use Mass Cure and Mass Raise Dead to heal the party if potions aren't enough.
Laosha charms another enemy, but this one is just a normal drow cleric (not a Sendai clone) with mostly useless spell picks. One of the clones' PFMW wears off, allowing Sarevok to debuff it. One Sendai clone goes down shortly--but the scene is so chaotic I can't even tell if it's the same clone Sarevok was targeting!
Sendai disrupts one of Aerie's spells, but not with a particularly impressive spell.
As a cleric/mage, Aerie doesn't have the spell slots to memorize spell turning or deflection buffs, or MGOI. Her only spell protections are Spell Shield and SI: Abjuration, to block Breach and Remove Magic.
I have our Sendai clone start using HLAs on its former allies, but it flickers red before Comet hits, so our party suffers the blow instead of the enemy. Luckily for us, we have the buffs to resist it.
We apply more melee pressure, score another dispel with the Unholy Reaver, and land a lucky vorpal strike.
I struggle to keep all our characters active despite the chaos. It's not always clear when an opportunity arises, since the enemies have different PFMW timers going on.
Imoen's Pierce Shield strikes, taking down Spell Shield and making an opening.
Laosha keeps taking heavy damage because of the pause effects of the Seducer kit. He can't heal himself; he needs to turn invisible to stay alive.
Invisibility is very useful in this fight if things go wrong. None of the enemies can see through invisibility without divination spells.
Our Planetar rescues Laosha (it's not bothered by his invisibility) while Blueberry discovers that Lightning Reflexes is still not enough to keep her safe.
AC does play a role in ToB; it's just that most character builds can't rely on it. Blueberry doesn't have Hardiness because I'm not sure if I want the Phase Spider kit to use the normal Hardiness ability, or get a permanent +15% physical damage resistance HLA, selectable twice.
Imoen, with her Green Soul kit, has been safe and sound behind PFMW. Aerie, our Red Soul, only has Stoneskins, and those don't last long against the drow Kensais, who dual-wield katanas.
Of course, I can always just have Aerie's re-equip the Staff of the Magi, but that requires me to pay attention, and there are so many other things to watch in this fight--more than I can describe in the screenshots I saved.
We keep up the pace. I make sure everyone is drinking potions whenever they have a moment to spare, restoring minor buffs like Barbarian Rage, haul over the Planetar if somebody is in trouble, and have Imoen's clone re-cast PFMW when it finally runs out after 8 rounds. Between Sarevok and Poppy, we have enough damage output to bring down the clones, and with Teleport Field and Hardiness, we can tough out the enemies' attacks.
Finally, the last of the clones fall, and Sendai herself comes out to play.
Sendai is very evasive, using illusion magic and Dimension Door to escape pressure. Combined with her MR and cleric and mage buffs, she is very hard to damage.
She has no Fire Shield, which means no immunity to Insect Plague, but she makes her save vs. breath both time our Planetar tries to shut down her spellcasting. While Sendai is invisible and immune to magical weapons, I turn my attention to the Fallen Deva and remaining drow instead. Blueberry, with her nonmagical natural weapon, attacks Sendai by herself in the hopes of poisoning her.
Laosha got hit by Implosion, but the Ring of Free Action kept him from getting paralyzed and his fire resistance kept him alive. Without any Heal spells left, our Planetar just hides Laosha instead to give him time to drink potions.
Sendai has another PFMW spell ready for when her current one vanishes, but Blueberry manages to break through her Stoneskins, allowing Sarevok and Poppy to attack with Firetooth and the Sling of Everard, equipping normal ammunition to do so.
She tries to escape, but Dimension Door won't do much good against missile weapons.
Imoen's Project Image clone tries to debuff the mage version of Draconis, but Draconis ends up failing a save against Domination. We take full advantage of his powers.
We wear down the Invisible Stalkers a little and Draconis shrugs off Domination. But by now, his PFMW has worn off. Laosha reveals him and our Planetar debuffs him.
But a Spell Trigger bails him out at the last moment.
He gets Time Stop off the ground... and then somehow uses another Spell Trigger.
He Breaches Aerie, disables Blueberry, and then casts Wish, debuffing our whole party.
We have trouble curing Blueberry's stun effect, but Sarevok fixes it with the Unholy Reaver.
Despite being debuffed, our party is still functional. We tear through Draconis' Stoneskins using nonmagical ammunition to bypass PFMW.
Soon, Draconis switches to his dragon form and turns invisible. We brace ourselves and have Laosha attempt to charm the dragon.
Our Planetar died after Draconis changed form, so Imoen brings it back via a new clone and buffs the party with Mass Invisibility during Time Stop.
Time Stop eliminated Draconis' PFMW. We tackle him and force a Heal spell.
Laosha helps out with blind traps (Imoen cast PW: Blind on him during the Time Stop), but then Draconis vanishes again.
Without Heal, though, Draconis doesn't have many options left. Once he breaks invisibility, we pounce.
One down, more to go.
We attack Anadramatis right off the bat, since it drops Yellow Dragon Scales that make excellent armor (50% resistance to piercing and missile damage). Anna Wish-Breaches us just like Draconis did.
But Anna's not a threat at all. Apparently there's a bug: she doesn't have any weapon equipped.
Imoen debuffs Anna during Time Stop, opening up the dragon for spell damage from Aerie. Anna reminds us that she still has a wicked breath weapon.
The dragon restores its defenses. Poppy prepares for a longer fight, using one of Ascension's special Bhaalspawn powers you get from the Pocket Plane challenges.
Poppy is blind, which means her visual range is too short to attack the dragon. Aerie cures the blindness with Neutralize Poison.
As hard as Anna fights, this battle was a foregone conclusion. With Poppy's resistances at 80% and her HP over 200, she could slay the dragon even without the party's help. We forge the Yellow Dragon Armor, but don't equip it; our existing armor set is fine for now.
Ascension takes the rope away from Balthazar's monk and gives it to the innkeeper at Amkethran. We have to leave before completing Abazigal's lair.
Why does it do this? So it can send MORE dragons after us.
This is another fight that Poppy could handle on her own...
...but just for fun, I bring out the scorcher loop. The Red Soul kit and Green Soul kit affect the damage.
It doesn't last long; Imoen's Project Image clone gets destroyed by one of the black dragons' breath weapons. It deals acid damage, and I failed to buff the clone properly. Luckily, Imoen herself is immune to acid.
I know how this is going to play out anyway. I send Laosha and our mages to the south to prepare for the next phase of combat, and right before we finish off the second dragon, Poppy braces herself once more.
We have a third dragon to deal with. This one deals poison damage. But Sarevok has the Ring of Gaxx, Poppy has the Amulet of Ilmater (an Item Upgrade thingy), and Blueberry is a Phase Spider. The breath weapon does nothing to them.
Poppy switches between the Answerer +4 and Foebane. The Answerer lowers the dragon's MR, allowing Poppy to benefit from Foebane's Larloch's Minor Drain effect. Ihy'nassendra proves sturdy, healing herself twice. Meanwhile, to the south, Imoen restores her clone so we can bring back our slain Planetar.
Imoen's clone has no immunity to poison, but her Planetar can heal her. Ithy'nassendra is out of options. We bring down the third dragon.
The fourth and final dragon appears, Carnifex. But he's no more dangerous than the other ones. Not to Poppy.
Carnifex has the most HP, but since he's a red dragon, his breath weapon is much easier to resist. Unfortunately, our fighters have no SI: Abjuration, which means they only have items to block the damage.
We recover with potions, lower the dragon's MR with Pierce Shield, and tack on the damage.
That's it. The quadruple dragon ambush of Ascension. That gave me so much trouble in my first no-reload run, when we arrived with unbuffed spellcasters and were caught off-guard. Not anymore.
I forgot: there's one other dragon before Abazigal. It's Fll'Yissetat, another poison dragon with the ugliest-sounding name of all the BG dragons. Once Imoen lowered the dragon's MR with Pierce Shield, this is basically how it went down:
Ascension adds an extra dragon, Tamah, to the battle against Abazigal, plus a few little drakes for flavor at the beginning. Beyond some mage spells and unique breath weapons, they're nothing special.
Done. I buff up Imoen's Project Image clone and send out our fighters to engage with Tamah, the purple dragon whose breath weapon deals crushing damage.
We lower Tamah's MR, but it proves unnecessary. She didn't have the HP to survive long anyway.
We knock Abazigal around. He arrives without mage buffs--I thought he was a fighter/mage in his first form here--so he's not very tough. Soon, he transforms.
Abazigal starts out with strong defenses, though his PFMW is partly wasted because he knocks you away before you can actually attack him.
It's not entirely a bad move, though; Ascension Anadramatis will give you an amulet that blocks wing buffet, if you spare the dragon.
I lost track of Imoen's clone, so I select everyone on the map and then un-select everyone in view before calling the rest over. Imoen's clone returns.
The Imoen mentioned in the dialog box is a clone of a clone: the Project Image clone's Mislead clone. I didn't notice this at the time, but Tamah has come back despite her body clearly lying on the ground, and she's tearing apart that Mislead clone offscreen.
I have the Project Image clone start debuffing Abazigal while our fighters keep him occupied.
Then I see something unusual, and I finally realize that Tamah is back.
For some reason she has psionic powers. Imoen's clone fails its save.
That clone is really important. We need it back, or we'll be substantially weaker than we should be.
Aerie restores her SI: Abjuration before Abazigal tries Remove Magic on her as well. Abazigal hurls a heavy disabler at us.
That could have proved devastating, as there is no cure for sleep without the Priest of Tyr kit or Spell Revision's Break Enchantment spell. But our fighters have strong saves vs. death, and our spellcasters have Chaotic Commands active. We stay conscious.
Laosha finally joins the fight. Hopefully we can charm Abazigal.
We really need that clone back. Aerie tries to cure its stun effect... but it doesn't work.
Remove Paralysis is an abjuration spell. Imoen's clone is buffed with a long-lasting SI: Abjuration spell, so Remove Paralysis can't free it.
Tamah enters the field, focusing on Imoen's helpless clone, and Abazigal blasts us. Some of us get hit harder than others.
Abazigal's spells and attacks knock out several of our party members. Sarevok quickly approaches death, and our Planetar isn't there to heal him.
Aerie's Skull Trap falls flat. But we're in luck: Abazigal didn't put enough pressure on Sarevok. Our Planetar wakes up and saves him.
We have two dragons on top of us and one Earthquake beneath us. Without Hardiness, we'd be in big trouble.
Abazigal adds another Earthquake. Tamah, approaching death, makes her escape.
Laosha and Aerie stay active, contributing a Charm spell and an Efreeti to the fight. Every little bit can make the difference.
Tamah appears, but she has not healed herself. That was a mistake.
I'm not sure if Tamah is supposed to come back to life, but it doesn't matter now. I don't mind bugs that don't break quests.
Sarevok is unconscious and Abazigal has learned his lesson. He attacks Sarevok while Sarevok is down--but this time, the Planetar is already awake, and can rescue him sooner.
We suffer another setback: Poppy gets blinded. But then we see it doesn't matter.
Laosha charmed Abazigal. He has a lot of spells we can use. He flickers red, but opcode 241 resets the charm effect right afterwards. Aerie's Horrid Wilting is timed just right, but it doesn't get past Abazigal's MR.
I have Abazigal cast Maze on himself before realizing that was a bad idea. Maze would deplete the duration of Charm. Fortunately, Abazigal is already immune to such nonsense.
Contrary to the dialog box, Imoen's Project Image spell is not over. Those warnings are triggered via delayed strings, but Imoen's Green Soul kit doesn't affect durations that are flagged as "delayed." This means Melf's Acid Arrows and Khelben's Warding Whip behaves normally. It also means those buff duration warnings are inaccurate for both of our mages.
Imoen's Project Image is only halfway over. It'll be another 20 rounds before she can cast it again.
Abazigal fights back against the charm effect. The control creature opcode, opcode 241, doesn't change scripts, so Abazigal feels perfectly fine blasting us with his breath weapon.
But the projectile is party-friendly, so it does nothing. Abazigal remains charmed and won't fight back when we attack him.
Abazigal has some pretty nasty spells, so I figure we should expend them before he regains his senses. I cast Imprisonment on Imoen's clone. For a moment, I wonder if I made a mistake, since I'm not sure it would free Imoen from Project Image's disabling effect, but the spell fails anyway due to Imoen's Green Soul-boosted SI: Abjuration spell.
We cure Poppy's blindness and start smashing Abazigal. Laosha's psionics keep Abazigal from responding. [spoiler]
We can't debuff him while he's friendly, unfortunately, since Pierce Shield and other SCS debuffers don't affect allies. Finally, I send him off to the west before Charm expires. He turns his wrath against the Frost Salamanders we've been avoiding.
When he returns, he finds us without Hardiness. Our front line gets battered.
Poppy is unconscious. How? Her saves are incredible. I double-check them.
Considering all the save-boosting items Poppy has, it seems that the Greater Malison spell Abazigal has been using stacks.
Imoen's Project Image is over. She summons a new clone and tries to haul out a new Planetar. It fails.
Laosha gets wrecked by another breath weapon. Imoen's clone, with its 4-round Improved Alacrity spell, starts emptying its spell book.
Abazigal is almost dead. Poppy uses some innate abilities she's been saving to solidify our advantage.
Abazigal just won't die. Aerie tries blasting him with Skull Trap.
I'm starting to think we have a bug on our hands. I shoo the rest of the party away and have Poppy engage Abazigal on her own. Switching between the Answerer and Foebane to sap Abazigal's HP and fortify her own, she grinds away at the dragon. He struggles to harm her.
She starts to run out of Hardiness spells. After maybe two minutes of this, I decide that Abazigal's death dialog is broken. I can deal with bugs, but not if they make the game unplayable.
I have no patience to beat him twice. The battle wasn't hard, but it was definitely long. I reload and smash Abazigal with CTRL-Y. This time, he goes down. I throw away a bunch of potions, since I drank a few during the previous battle. We have plenty more.
Balthazar is next. Poppy is Chaotic Evil and has low base CHA, so her high reputation won't be enough to convince Balthazar to join us. We'll have to put him down.
My screenshots for the Balthazar fight are boring, as was the fight itself. We smashed him in the face until he died. Same goes for the Chosen of Cyric fight. What danger are backstabbing thieves when Charname is a Barbarian?
The Ravager was kind of fun. I love its attack line.
Blueberry fails a save against the Ravager's attack and gets knocked unconscious. She gets closer and closer to death, until finally Imoen's clone brings out the Planetar to heal Blueberry. Along the way, Aerie starts blasting the enemy with Horrid Wilting.
All those attacks gave Blueberry some pretty excellent bonuses from Lightning Reflexes.
But in the end, the Ravager fell to our Red Soul, Aerie.
Because I've been choosing rude and evil-sounding dialog options when talking with the Solar, Poppy gets the final evil-aligned Ascension Pocket Plane bonus: an extra 25% resistance to physical damage. When she uses Hardiness, she is completely immune to physical damage.
I still haven't completed Watcher's Keep, but I don't want to go now. The tension is too much. I have to finish this run. There is only one fight left in this run. Melissan.
But she will not be alone. Sendai, Abazigal, Gromnir, Illasera, Yaga-Shura, and Balthazar will all be there to aid her at the same time.
The Throne of Bhaal fight in Ascension is the longest and hardest in the saga by far. The fight has six separate stages and the enemies have high MR, multiple immunities, high-level spells, and strong stats across the board.
In the first phase, you lose control of Imoen. She changes into the Slayer and attacks your party.
She will eventually return to her normal form, but if she dies before then, you don't get her back--she is gone forever.
Notice the Fallen Solar to the left. On Insane mode, you fight two such critters. They use +5 arrows that deal nonmagical magic damage, dispel magic as a level 22 caster, remove spell protections, illusionary protections, and specific protections without a save (85% chance), and can land a vorpal strike (15% chance) on a failed save vs. death at -2.
Irenicus is not messing around. His defenses are ironclad. [spoiler]
Aerie casts PFMW to block the Fallen Solar's arrows, but she fails to bring up SI: Abjuration. I was not expecting the Fallen Solar to use Remove Magic.
Poppy is engaging Bodhi because Barbarian Rage grants her immunity to level drain, and Bodhi drains 5 levels per hit. Poppy has the upgraded Flail of Ages to help her out.
Blueberry and Sarevok are dealing with the Fallen Solar, which I'm sure will give us lots of grief if we don't bring it down quickly.
Irenicus is beyond our reach. We can't stop his spells, and he has all the powers he had at the Tree of Life.
Laosha takes control of Bodhi and one of Jon-bon's clones. Bodhi will be a strong asset for the next several rounds.
Aerie isn't having such great luck. She barely survives Irenicus' Comet.
Sarevok is doing better. We land a lucky Deathbringer Assault against the Fallen Solar. [spoiler]
Not enough to kill, though it won't be much longer before it croaks. As the Fallen Solar goes down, Irenicus renews his defenses and prepares to destroy us.
We switch to nonmagical ammo with the Sling of Everard and Firetooth. We break through Jon-bon's Stoneskins, but it's not enough to stop Irenicus' spellcasting--certainly not with Improved Alacrity active.
But Irenicus is trying to slay our fighters, and Horrid Wilting isn't enough. IA runs out and Irenicus is vulnerable. A PFMW contingency doesn't help him.
Bodhi finally turns on us and Laosha loses a bunch of levels he doesn't need anyway. Poppy cracks open Bodhi's skull.
Imoen returns to normal and rejoins the party. Irenicus spends the rest of his life running away from us.
This is just the beginning. We have three more little fights before things get nasty.
Well I've started a new playthrough. Aside from minor quality of life tweaks/enhancements, the noteworthy mods include IWDification, Item Revisions, Spell Revisions, Rogue Rebalancing, Tweaks, Ascension, SCS, and I'm giving the new, rewritten Imoen Romance mod a try. Playing on Insane but without the extra damage. Getting hit for 60 points by lowly muggers seems a bit much...
Enter Jak MacLeighn, a kickass Halfling Cleric/Thief! I certainly don't have time for a full run starting in BG1 so I just gave him a bump to his XP, the two Wis and one Dex tome to start, and set off on my adventure. I had little trouble clearing the improved SCS Chateau Irenicus alongside Imoen. I picked up a Dagger of Venom +2 along the way, and cleared the Circus.
I picked up Yoshi at the Copper Coronet and then completed the story arc there. We had a bit more trouble clearing both the Sewers and the Slaver Compound, but we got it done. Neither of use were feeling very beefy though, so I decided to pick up a front liner. Sir Anomen joined the band of no good thieves! Let's just say that he thinks he can keep us under control and out of trouble for RP purposes. I mean, I do have a pretty darn high Charisma, so I can charm pretty much anyone into believing what I say
We visited the Docks next, and swung by to see Renal Bloodscalp on Yoshi's suggestion. RR adds a lot of pretty sweet items to the game, and I actually found a second Dagger of Venom +2 for sale at the fence on the main floor. IR adjusts THAC0 bonuses for both MH and OH weapons, meaning that by dual-wielding daggers Jak actually suffers no penalties!
We received our first assignment from Maevar and headed off to the Temple district. Along the way we were ambushed by Suna Seni's gang, and without buffs they quickly chewed up Anomen and Yoshi. Jak cast a Sanctuary to escape a quick death.
Anomen and Yoshi needed to be avenged...
I found a quiet corner to patch up my wounds. Once my health was in a safe spot, I began buffing. Bless, Chant, Divine Power, DUHM, Recitation, and Righteous Fury. To top off the OPness I gulped an Oil of Speed.
Those poor fools never saw me coming. They got hit by a freight train of righteous fury!
What I'd really like is to have a front liner that fits into the original concept of having a "rogueish" only party...if I extend that out to anyone that has rogue skills, I could include Valygar and Rasaad due to their stealth. Myself, Imoen, Haer Dalis, Valygar, Rasaad...and even though he doesn't fit the theme I just can't pass up my brother come TOB. Gotta keep the family together! I'm just wondering if I keep it at 5 for SOA or pick up someone else to dump at the end. Thoughts?
@Pteran: I'd recommend a full party of 6 no matter the circumstances. There's a lot more variety to gameplay and your group will be stronger in the end. Having a smaller party will give you higher levels, but there's almost no situation in which an extra level is worth more than an extra character, and all the HP and APR and spells that it brings.
We prepare for the next phase, when the Five plus Balthazar attack us in concert. First, Aerie uses Wondrous Recall to memorize a Restoration spell for Laosha.
With Laosha's skills back to their normal levels, he can seed the next battleground with traps. Imoen prepares a clone so we can use a Planetar in the next fight.
Then we discover that a Project Image clone can be neutralized with a single spell, even if it is buffed with SI: Abjuration and SI: Divination.
It's a minor concern here, but it could prove life-saving in the future. Aerie destroys the enemy with magic damage.
She does it again in the next fight, though some of her magic isn't very safe.
These fights are actually a boon to the party. Every time you defeat each pack of demons and activate the energy pool a second time, you get a special ability and the entire party is rested.
None of the fights are very draining, which means your best bet is to use your best summoning spells and other per-day items and spells before activating the pools. Summon a Planetar and some Elemental Princes, lay all your traps, cast all of your buffs, use Vhailor's Helm, and throw around some Skull Traps and Delayed Blast Fireballs before activating the final energy pool. That way, you will engage the Five with the party fully buffed and fully rested.
The most important special ability that the energy pools give you is Focus. Focus grants you immunity to Time Stop, and is one of the few ways you can survive Melissan's brutal Time Stop+Teleport Without Error+Greater Whirlwind Attack combos.
Notice the Fallen Solar to the left. On Insane mode, you fight two such critters. They use +5 arrows that deal nonmagical magic damage, dispel magic as a level 22 caster, remove spell protections, illusionary protections, and specific protections without a save (85% chance), and can land a vorpal strike (15% chance) on a failed save vs. death at -2.
Actually, there are two Fallen Solars even on Core mode. And (iirc, I might be wrong here) on Insane there are a couple of Demons on top of that.
@Serg_BlackStrider: Odd. I've been playing on Core for the duration. Well, it's a minor skirmish anyway for this party. Maybe I'll crank up the difficulty in a later run, just to see.
We prepare for the last battle of the saga. With three energy pools yet to be activated, we can rest three times without even using Wish (which I don't use due to Wish's low reliability given our limited spell slots). I will extract every ounce of power I can from those rests.
First, we eliminate our damaged summons to replace them with new ones. Blackraven's install removes the limit on traps, but the limit on summons remains. I want our summons in top condition. I also have our Planetar hurl out some Symbol spells to the north in case our enemies attempt to flee.
Mass Invisibility prevents us from buffing the party. We have to wait out the duration before proceeding.
Those are Potions of Invulnerability our warriors are drinking. They're very likely to be dispelled--potions count as level 10 spells for the purposes of dispel magic--but I have far more than we need, and they have no other buffs to cast. Also notice Blueberry's Mirror Image. I haven't used Ilbratha in ages, but every little bit counts.
I even cast short-duration buffs like Spell Immunity. Aerie might lose hers moments after combat begins, but those energy pools rest the party three times, so why not?
At first I planned on using only the normal 7 traps. But Laosha wasn't doing anything, so I had him set some more--15 in total by the end. These are normal traps, however; Seducers don't get trap HLAs.
We keep going. We activate everything we possibly can.
Finally, we activate the very last pool. In moments, Melissan will appear and summon Balthazar and the Five to attack us.
Melissan tries to split up our party, asking Sarevok to join her. He points out he's bound by a geas to serve me...
...but when Melissan offers to lift it, Poppy can't convince him to stay.
We begin the fight at a significant handicap. But then, so does the enemy.
I proceed with my original plan. Sendai is a beast, but I have a secret weapon. I send over Laosha to dispel her illusionary protections.
Then he nails her with a Protection from Magic scroll. I can safely ignore Sendai for as long as I want; she is helpless. And I still have a Protection from Magic scroll left! I've been saving both for the entire game; I've never needed them before.
Melissan notices Illasera and Abazigal have fallen, so she joins the fray.
I focus my attention on Balthazar and Sarevok, the most vulnerable enemies on the map.
Notice that Laosha, just south of Melissan, is wearing green plate mail. What gives? That's the Gorgon Plate, which gives a massive -6 AC bonus vs. slashing damage, making it the best armor to prevent slashing attacks. In Ascension, Melissan's spear does slashing damage, so that armor is quite useful. Unfortunately, Poppy cannot wear it, as she is a Barbarian.
Also notice that Balthazar is taking almost no damage from Poppy's flails. He used his Flip Resistances ability, which switches his magic resistance to physical damage resistance. Our Planetar punishes the trick with a Flame Arrow, taking advantage of Balthazar's lowered MR.
Sendai's Fallen Deva, conjured via a Chain Contingency, comes after us. Yaga-Shura won't be far behind. Blueberry gets in trouble: Balthazar stuns her.
I decide to leave Sarevok alone and concentrate on Balthazar instead. After all, Sarevok isn't even using his old equipment. In fact, he's got a nonmagical weapon!
Laosha evades the Fallen Deva, but Melissan takes its place. Laosha can't get away from her. We use one of our limited PFMW scrolls to give him space to use his psionic spells without getting torn to pieces.
Balthazar hurls Blueberry across the map. Apparently he has Smite active. Poppy and our Planetar give chase, lest he stomp our poor spider to death.
Laosha uses his temporary invincibility to cast Domination, which can be suicidal given its 9-second pause effect. Aerie throws out Horrid Wilting and bypasses the enemy's MR. The effect is devastating.
As always, the Red Soul kit comes at a cost. She has no PFMW active. Thankfully, Melissan's spear in Ascension isn't quite as brutal as in vanilla--if my memory is correct, it inflicted disease with no saving throw. Here, it just deals cold damage, imposes save penalties, and has a 15% chance of stunning the target for 15 seconds on a failed save vs. petrification at -2.
Sarevok joins in, inflicting magic damage on Aerie. Apparently Sarevok is attacking with a special variant of the Sword of Chaos, but the item file (looking at it now) shows that it's erroneously flagged as nonmagical despite having an enchantment of 5.
That Breach is wasted on Imoen; she has SI: Abjuration active.
Sarevok and Melissan break through Aerie's Stoneskins, forcing her to use one of her few PFMW spells. Balthazar went invisible earlier, so Poppy, our Planetar, and Blueberry, who has recovered from Smite's stun effect, hurry down to kill our traitorous brother.
Yaga-Shura tosses a Lava Bomb over his shoulder. Just as it hits, I notice that Sarevok has suddenly turned friendly. Domination worked!
I turn him against Melissan, even though his attacks are worthless. Maybe she'll snuff him in retaliation.
Melissan doesn't take the bait, chasing Blueberry instead. I have Sarevok shift gears and try to pester Yaga-Shura while Blueberry tries to escape Melissan's impressive reach.
Melissan changes her mind! She attacks Imoen instead, wasting her attacks on Imoen's PFMW spell. Blueberry starts casting Hardiness while Poppy joins the fight against Yaga-Shura.
Yaga-Shura takes aim at Sarevok's broken frame. Aerie casts Mass Cure--not to heal Sarevok, but to keep Blueberry's HP up. I know Phase Spiders can die in seconds if they're not taken care of.
Balthazar is back, taking aim at Blueberry though I fail to notice at first. I have Poppy renew her defenses, and make Sarevok waste one of his HLAs. Aerie heals Sarevok as well as Blueberry, but it's not enough to keep Yaga-Shura from pulverizing our brother.
Melissan is down! Whenever her allies drop, she gets knocked out for a moment and suffers 100 damage. Much fun.
Better yet, we have an opening.
Balthazar's MR is down, and Aerie is just a few steps away. We blast him with Skull Trap... only to see him scurry away, chasing Poppy, whom he knocked aside with another Smite effect. Even more disappointing is Yaga-Shura's inexplicable immunity to magic damage.
Poppy returns the favor to Balthazar, slamming him to the edge of the map with Smite and hurling bullets at him while he's out. Melissan activates Greater Whirlwind Attack, and destroys our Planetar before it can use its instant-casting Heal spell to recover.
Laosha has recovered his Domination ability and tries to charm Melissan and Yaga-Shura. Far up north, Imoen casts Project Image at a safe distance so she can bring out a new Planetar.
But SI: Abjuration and SI: Divination apparently aren't enough to keep her clone alive. It seems that Imoen herself also needs SI: Divination if she's within range of True Sight.
Laosha's PFMW is long gone by now. Melissan takes advantage of his vulnerability. I wasn't expecting her to go so far out of her way to pounce on him.
Teleport Field would be my normal rescue option for this situation. But Melissan is immune. I have Aerie try to rescue Laosha with the Rod of Resurrection.
It works!
Laosha is injured, but he breaks free of the pause effect and makes his getaway. Far to the west, Poppy is pummeling Balthazar, who has been stubbornly refusing to die.
Blueberry, holding off Yaga-Shura, discovers that he can drain Strength and slow his victims as well.
She has to switch from the Girdle of Bluntness to the Girdle of Stone Giant Strength, lest Yaga-Shura trap her. While Blueberry and Laosha run for their lives, Poppy slays Balthazar, injuring Melissan and knocking her out once more.
We need a new Planetar to keep our party healed and safe. Imoen casts Project Image again, but this time she doesn't bother with SI: Divination or SI: Abjuration. She just hauls out the Planetar instead, ensuring that we get it up and running before True Seeing robs us of another Project Image clone.
Melissan goes after Poppy--a bad move on her part, considering Poppy is our most durable party member. Melissan's absence ensures that Laosha survives long enough to leap into our Planetar's arms.
Only Yaga-Shura and Sendai remain. I need Poppy to help bring down Yaga-Shura, which means luring Melissan back to the rest of the group. Melissan rejoins us on the main platform and blasts us with Unleash.
Aerie's Improved Haste spell is not there to improve our damage output; it's to keep Blueberry alive. Blueberry's THAC0 is barely below zero due to the Phase Spider's low proficiency limits and -5 penalty to hit and damage when not using its natural weapon; she's barely dealing any damage to begin with. That slow effect was keeping Blueberry from running, but more importantly, it cut Blueberry's potions per round in half, and increased the chance that her Hardiness spell or a healing spell would get disrupted.
On the plus side, Blueberry's recent beatings have given her excellent Lightning Reflexes bonuses. Melissan actually has trouble hitting her.
She's still vulnerable, but at least now she can drink a potion every round to save herself...
...at least, until she gets disabled.
We have a bigger problem. Melissan begins to cast Time Stop.
That's what Focus is for! I have Poppy cast it.
But Melissan beats the casting time.
We're in big trouble. Melissan gets 3 rounds of automatic attacks. She gets to work.
But she doesn't fuss with Poppy at all.
Apparently Poppy's slashing resistance is at 105 thanks to her Barbarian kit bonuses, the Defender of Easthaven, Hardiness, and the evil-aligned Ascension bonus from slaying the Ravager. Melissan knew not to bother attacking Poppy.
Blueberry's death is merely a temporary setback. Yaga-Shura is already nearly dead. We take him down and bring back Blueberry while Melissan is stunned from the loss of Yaga-Shura.
Melissan's only remaining ally is Sendai, who is utterly defenseless. We crush the drow and Melissan hits the floor. While she's down, Imoen begins casting Improved Alacrity to lower Melissan's MR.
The crash was unfortunate, but it won't be hard to get back to where we were. Still, I have no patience to re-do the battle.
In these situations I prefer to replicate the event instead. First, I destroy everything on the map that did not make it to Sendai's death, including my own summons.
Melissan declares the final phase open. She gates in some of her buddies and restores her defenses. Right before combat begins, I remember to remove Blueberry's armor, since she was unable to re-equip it after she died.
Doesn't that still leave us with more scrolls and potions than we're supposed to have, if I had fought through the battle again normally? Yes, but I won't be needing them anyway.
Doesn't that still leave us with longer buff durations than we're supposed to have? Yes, but it won't matter. Melissan will be dead long before any of our buffs start running out, and even if my spellcasters actually get chunked midway through the fight, it won't save Melissan from her fate. Melissan's only hope was the Five. With them gone, she is doomed.
Poppy is the beginning and the end of this fight. She always has been.
We slaughter her friends. She tries to kill our Planetar, but it survives the beating, though just barely.
Melissan goes after our spellcasters and Laosha. They flee to the north, triggering Symbol spells that we lost in the previous fight, but which cannot affect any of us anyway.
We take our positions. Aerie casts PFMW, though it only lasts 2 rounds, so we can stop running.
We start pummeling her with Pierce Shield spells and Pierce Magic charges from the Wand of Spell Striking, lowering Melissan's MR.
Then, she turns friendly. Laosha's Domination worked!
This really isn't very useful to us, to be honest. Pierce Shield can't touch Melissan while she's friendly.
Still, she flickers red now and then, so magic attacks have a chance of making contact. After Melissan restores her Spell Trap and Absolute Immunity spells, we manage to debuff her.
Notice that our Planetar needs to roll a 20 to hit Melissan. Planetars can't deal with everything; their THAC0 isn't strong enough.
We waste more Pierce Shield spells, and end up using the charm effect simply to break down her Stoneskins without retaliation.
I consider waiting out Domination instead, but it doesn't matter. Almost nothing matters by this point. I just want to make our victory as crushing as I possibly can.
How do I do that? I nail Melissan with Greater Malison and start emptying the Wand of Paralyzation on her.
She makes her saves a few times, but it can't last forever. We paralyze Melissan with the one wand I always forget to use.
Even after she's stunned, I use the wand again and again, just because I can. She is helpless.
Eventually I set aside the wand, but I don't relent. We keep attacking her until finally the Solar says we've made our point. Melissan demands to keep fighting. She lost long ago.
I planned on having Poppy become a god, if only to give Cyric somebody to play with. But I have grown weary of this run, and so I choose mortality, so that Poppy's struggles may come to an end.
Our experience in ToB essentially confirms the conclusions I drew after completing SoA.
Green Souls are indeed stronger than Red Souls. Buffing spells and disablers are more impactful than spell damage overall. Still, the difference isn't that extreme, and both kits are quite balanced, as duration and damage are about equally important for mages. If we extended the Green Soul kit's disadvantages to decrease weapon damage as well as spell damage, then the kit would also be rather balanced for multi-classed and dual-classed mages (balancing the Red Soul kit for multi-classes would be more complicated). Ironically, the most balanced kits I've ever designed are those with the fewest features.
The Phase Spider kit isn't as strong as it should be. Fighter kits are very reliant on the strength of their weapons, and Phase Spiders are terrible with weapons. I need to strengthen their speed and durability as well as their damage output. Blueberry consistently underperformed Poppy, Keldorn, and Sarevok in the later stages of the game, as their weapons improved while Blueberry's natural weapon stayed stagnant.
The most powerful kit, however, was always our Barbarian, Poppy. I must reverse my verdict on Berserkers and Barbarians: although Berserkers have the distinct advantage of being able to dual-class to mages, the Barbarian scales better at higher levels. Damage resistances matter more as the enemy gets better APR and THAC0, while the Barbarian's rage ability's weaker duration matters less as it gains more castings and its saving throws improve. The Berserker's advantage is likely more limited to early SoA and all of BG1, when those factors have not come into effect (and when that extra 15 HP and extra few rounds of immunities are so much stronger).
With 105% physical damage resistance under Hardiness (which Poppy could have active for 70 rounds), subzero saving throws, and strong damage output with a variety of weapons, Poppy likely could have soloed most of the Ascension battle had her companions fallen earlier on.
That long-running sense of invincibility took a lot of the drama out of the game. She never seemed to be in any danger, and I seldom had to develop any new strategies or contingency plans for dealing with bad situations.
It may be time to start degrading my party's power. Knowing that Melissan is powerless to stop you does not make for very exciting or insightful gameplay.
Finally I'm caught up with that run. I have another run, but I won't be posting screenshots because I'm lazy.
The other one is a solo Legacy of Bhaal mode run with an Illusionist/Thief. I actually quit shortly after hitting 6 million XP and have no plans for continuing, as the rest of the game (which would take a very long time) would boil down to (1) waiting for my Planetar to kill everything, (2) using Time Trap and an Enchanted Weapon-boosted Chaos Blade or Mind Flayer form to kill enemies using stat drain, or (3) having Project Image clones cast Improved Alacrity followed by Power Word: Blind on self and a long string of Spike Traps, to deal with enemies I didn't want to kill with stat drain. Without an XP cap and with a max level of 50, it would indeed be possible to memorize enough Spike Traps to kill even SCS dragons in LoB (though just barely).
Our Illusionist/Thief was Viora. Getting her to 6 million XP was quite the chore, but since I finally enabled the full XP bonuses of LoB mode (previously I only enabled bonus XP for kills; not for quests), it made the process a lot faster. Important details of the run:
1. Viora memorized lots of monster summoning spells in Chateau Irenicus--not to fight the enemy, but to distract them. This, combined with a Blindness spell against a mephit, allowed her to sneak away from the enemies. Getting through LoB Chateau Irenicus as a solo character at 89,000 XP is most practical using stealth; the limited rests impose big limits on actually fighting the enemy. I got lucky in the Mephit Portal room, summoning three monsters with Monster Summoning I when I might have only gotten one.
2. Due to having LoB bonuses for quest XP and opening locks and disarming traps, we could gain levels much faster in Athkatla without having to deal with many tough monsters.
3. We relied heavily on summoning spells in Athkatla, but had to nab the Efreeti Bottle in order to have a summons that could help us in the Temple Ruins (the Efreeti uses a magical weapon; ogrillons and kobold summons do not). The Non-Detection spell helped us stay hidden, though Oracle apparently dispels it (without revealing the character, however, much like a Spell Shield for divination magic).
4. Viora only had to make one save vs. spell against a triple Chaos Spell Trigger when she was fleeing from a Temple Ruins lich. SCS mages apparently do not know that putting the same spell in a sequencer or trigger does not force multiple saving throws.
5. I used the Fireball trap trick to kill Rayic Gethras, which I'd never tried before. You repeatedly trigger one of the traps near Ray-Ray, hurling multiple Fireballs at both of you. If you're immune to fire, you can Fireball Ray-Ray to death in safety.
6. Protection from Normal Weapons and Protection from Normal Missiles allowed me to tank the enemies in the slaver compound despite their huge collective APR, giving me enough time to slay them with the spider form attack from Polymorph Self, which deals 18 poison damage per hit over 6 rounds. Protection from Normal Weapons and spider form also helped me take down Pai'Na. Her spiders have the deadliest poison in the game, dealing 150 damage in 30 seconds on normal, or 300 in LoB mode, but are constrained by their poor THAC0 and 1 APR. LoB, of course, doubles that APR and makes them last much, much longer. A Protection from Poison scroll would also have been a good idea, but immunity to normal weapons also works.
7. For the first time ever, I actually used Mislead for something besides stacking bard songs or endless backstabs. I had heard that sending your Mislead clone away from the enemy's field of vision would render enemies unable to target you, but had never tried it before. Apparently it works very well, though it only lasts so long in LoB mode when fights drag on for turns and turns. Now and then I brought my Mislead clone into view so the enemy could try to reveal me. Mislead gave me the attack power I needed to slay enemies immune to the spider form's poison damage, as I could backstab in Flind form. It was also very useful against Mae'Var.
8. Once I got Use Any Item and a Time Trap, I went to snatch the Chaos Blade from Haer'dalis. Rather than fight through the Planar Prison to get the thing, I just killed Haer'dalis himself. I thought I could use the Chaos Blade with UAI because it lacks the "restrict item" opcode, but apparently there's some other hardcoded thing that makes it unavailable. So, I created a custom duplicate that Viora could use, simulating having whatever mod makes NPC-only items usable with UAI in EE.
9. The Chaos Blade let me slay enemies using DEX drain. It was my only way of dealing with enemies who were immune to both poison and backstabs (like golems).
10. I got the Staff of Thunder and Lightning from the druid grove questline and used its lightning bolts via a Vhailor's Helm simulacrum. It was really helpful, until I realized (correctly?) that I shouldn't have gotten that staff, as I killed Faldorn with CTRL-Y to simulate having Cernd do it for me.
11. Time Traps also let me deal tremendous amounts of poison damage without fear of retribution. Each Time Trap would grant about 144 poison damage with Improved Haste active.
12. I used a Protection from Undead scroll to get past the liches of the Temple Ruins (I still nearly died to a Horrid Wilting spell, though) and summoned a Nabassu to weaken the Shade Lord, whom I eventually killed with Pierce Magic, Lower Resistance, and the Wand of Fire I got from Rayic Gethras' place.
13. I used Summon Fiend and Mislead to slay Shadow Thieves until I finally got Summon Planetar, which trashed Aran Linvail and Mencar Pebblecrusher's group.
I never got around to using the blind thief trick, despite having a fun plan for it, because I hit a base save vs. spell of 1 very early, making Viora immune to Blindness. Normally, the blind thief trick is only really viable in a party, because a solo character is starved of information when he or she is blind, but by casting Non-Detection on my cat familiar, I could have a safely invisible Wizard Eye active whenever I wanted.
I just tried to start a new LoB mode run and it failed somehow. None of the enemies had the bonus HP, nor did they give extra XP, even though LoB mode successfully boosted trap and lock XP. I didn't even change any settings from the previous LoB mode run.
I just tried a poverty run and it was going great until the Planar Sphere. All our party members save our sorcerer and Valygar died against Lavok (I thought Fire Seeds would break through his Stoneskins and wasted a lot of time) and we had to fight the tanar'ri without any Chaotic Commands or Free Action spells to block Death Gaze, or even Improved Invisibility. All we had was Valygar's Barkskin to boost Charname's save vs. death.
I had a solid strategy: I would use Valygar as a tank to absorb Death Gaze and lure the demon over to the bridge leading to the sphere, where some very precisely placed Skull Traps (6 of them; I didn't rest to get more) would soften him up for further Skull Traps and Cone of Cold spells. But the demon survived while Valygar perished, and the demon managed to get in a Death Gaze. Charname failed her save and her Mirror Image spells and Stoneskins weren't enough to keep her alive. A pre-cast PFMW spell would have worked wonders.
I'd like to do another poverty run, but this one was very specially designed. I had a caster-based party, taking advantage of the fact that NPCs come with higher-level spells already scribed (Jan has Project Image; Edwin has Power Word: Blind). This allowed me to have lots of arcane magic without needing scrolls, though it meant Edwin had no Stoneskin and neither he nor Jan had Spell Immunity (and none of the NPCs get PFMW). I even had big plans for ToB: Jan could give us potions with Alchemy and could lay Spike Traps mid-combat thanks to Edwin's PW: Blind, Jaheira could tank in Earth Elemental form with Hardiness for 90% damage resistance, and if we got Nalia in ToB instead of SoA, she'd have lots of high-level spells already scribed.
I might continue it as a minimal reload run, but it's very sad that it couldn't go on as a no-reload (I don't have the patience to restart). I was having a lot of fun with those characters. Losing spell picks forced me to rely on a more limited selection of spells.
I died once again in the minimal reload poverty run, slain by a surprise Prismatic Spray from Gaius (I assumed it was a summoning spell and didn't find it necessary to run away). I don't think I'll continue anymore.
Our Charname was a sorcerer named Espellier, though I didn't much like the idea of a sorcerer in a poverty run (it's the standard character for such a run). Nothing too unusual about her spell picks, aside from picking up Cone of Cold as my second level 5 spell. Now that Sunfire doesn't bypass MR in EE, it's not necessarily the best damage spell, and loot destruction from cold damage is irrelevant in poverty runs. Plus, few SCS mages come buffed against cold damage.
Without weapons, Polymorph Self was one of the few means of dealing damage to opponents with spell protections and MR. The spider form's natural attack poisons the target without a save (18 damage over 36 seconds), and was crucial to our success on multiple occasions. Against normal enemies, Web and Skull Trap were enough to disable and destroy them. Against mages with MGOI, we had to use Greater Malison, Chaos, Cone of Cold, and spider form. Against mages with PFMW, we had no real offensive options, and had to wait out their buffs instead.
We were extremely vulnerable throughout the run. Without items to boost our AC and saves, we had to rely on Improved Invisibility and similar spells to stay afloat. Without any healing potions until Jan gathered enough XP to use Alchemy, we had almost no safeguards against bad luck, and Mass Cure (the only healing spell that could bypass our invisibility and spell protections) took up the same spell slots as Chaotic Commands, Insect Plague, Ironskins, and Greater Command.
Our options were extremely limited in general. Putting aside the lack of weapons and potions and armor and everything else, Edwin, Aerie, and Jan are all void of any magic attacks. No Spell Thrust, Secret Word, Breach, Pierce Magic, Ruby Ray of Reversal, Warding Whip, or Pierce Shield. Aerie was the only one with Spell Immunity, so our buffs were always vulnerable to Remove Magic.
I'm sure it's feasible to do a no-reload SCS poverty run using NPC mages, but it vastly weakens the party, as NPC mages don't get the best spell picks for SCS (namely, Spell Immunity, PFMW, debuffers, and almost all high-level spells).
Nitty-gritty details of the run:
1. I used Minsc and his stealth to activate the Sewage Golem, saving us lots of HP from fighting through Duergar. He was able to hide around a corner before getting killed by the Mineral Mephit nearby, but we didn't really need him to begin with. He went on to take down one of the Duergar in the corridor north of the Otyugh room before getting himself killed (without any items, he's got 9 AC, after all). 2. We ignored Ilyich and instead moved on to the Mephit Portal room. Yoshimo's traps all failed, so we used him as a decoy while Jaheira and a summoned Worg from Imoen destroyed the Mephit Portals. We snuck through the rest of the dungeon. 3. We ditched Yoshimo and picked up Aerie and Jan. Espellier's Webs disabled most of the enemies while Jan poisoned Suna Seni in spider form and Jaheira zapped her with Call Lightning. 4. Once Jaheira hit level 9, I raised Minsc from the dead and booted him from the party. As usual, I killed Prebek and Sanasha with spider form. I also used Insect Plague, as PB and Sasha are one of the few SCS mages that never buff with Fire Shields. After Xzar's quest, Jaheira's questline triggered and we had to visit the Harper Hold. But we weren't prepared for a fight with Galvarey, so we entered while invisible and fled the place after the dialogue, before the fight could begin. 5. To complete Mae'Var's questline, we had to deal with Rayic Gethras and also enter the Sea's Bounty Tavern. I re-used the Fireball trap trick on Ray-Ray (Espellier had the Protection from Fire spell to buff the party, though this was mostly for Comets and Dragon's Breath spells) and killed Jaheira before entering the tavern to avoid triggering the Baron Ployer questline, which is an irritating mess. 6. After getting Edwin, we tackled Mae'Var. Edwin nearly got slain by backstabs due to not having Stoneskin (a major weakness due to our lack of items, including scrolls), while Jan died to backstabs despite having Stoneskin due to poor luck. Mavis failed a save against Chaos and lost his spells for a few rounds before succumbing to Edwin's poison (Edwin also comes with Polymorph Self in his spellbook). 7. With both Jan and Jaheira dead and Aerie still at cleric level 8, we couldn't raise any of our party members and had to gather XP with only three characters. We used Animate Dead, Skull Trap, Spiritual Weapon, and Magic Missile to fight our way through the Temple Ruins, though Espellier nearly died to a Shadow Fiend before Aerie rescued her from paralysis with Free Action. We also had to flee from a Bone Golem twice when we lacked the physical damage output to handle them. 8. We disabled the Shade Lord and his cronies with Web and blasted them all with Skull Trap, using Aerie, under the effects of MGOI, as our tank. We slew the Shade Lord himself with Spiritual Weapon, Minute Meteors, and Edwin's Fireballs while he was webbed. 9. Aerie hit level 9 and raised both Jan and Jaheira. Jaheira told us to return to the Harper Hold, since we apparently do need to kill Galvarey. I bent the rules of the poverty run and spent 5000 gold to buy a magic license to give us a few extra rounds of buff duration before the fight with Galvarey (otherwise we'd have to buff at Ray-Ray's house and run over to the Harper Hold, costing us several seconds). We disabled some of the Harpers with Chaos, poisoned both mages, blasted a Kensai and a thief with Cone of Cold, and then failed three saves against Chaos, leaving only Jan and Edwin still functioning. While both sides were confused, Edwin killed the Kensai with a Flame Arrow and Jan kept poisoning the enemy mages while Edwin tacked on spell damage to Galvarey and the other fighters. 10. We killed Amalas and the Copper Coronet slavers using Cone of Cold and Fireball, but failed to bring down the Trolls in the Druid Grove with the same strategy. Webs and Skull Trap were enough to kill the druids, however, and let us complete the Trademeet questline. 11. When we got back to Trademeet, however, Reviane and the other Harpers ambushed us. We turned invisible and ran. Reviane sees through invisibility, but her followers cannot, so invisibility let us kill Reviane with spell damage as we fled. We could then fight her allies when their buffs had worn off. 12. Espellier nearly died to a critical hit from a Watcher's Keep Troll, but slipped away at the last moment. The last bit of XP brought Edwin to level 12, allowing him to wipe out the De'Arnise Hold Trolls with Death Spell. We stopped short of killing TorGal, as I wasn't sure if we could handle him. 13. Moving on to the Windspear Hills, we walked around the trigger for the vampire spawns and killed Samia et al with Web and Chain Lightning. Without any weapons, we had to use Greater Malison and Hold Monster to kill the Greater Wolfweres over multiple rests, as otherwise their regeneration was too strong to overcome. Conster died to Jan's traps, which was a tad disappointing. Naturally, we left Firkraag well alone. 14. I accidentally entered the Graveyard District without killing Edwin. The moment we entered the area, he asked us to grab the Nether scroll. I don't know if he leaves the party if you put it off forever, so I had to fight Nevaziah. To overcome Nevaziah's numerous damage spells, I brought Korgan into the party, buffed him with Protection from Fire, and used him as a tank to absorb some of the lich's spells, alongside some cheap summons. Despite a Heal from Jaheira and no Remove Magic from Nevaziah to render him vulnerable to Incendiary Cloud, Korgan still couldn't survive the lich's spells, because I accidentally tried to use Enrage while Korgan was fatigued. The net result? Korgan failed a save against Dragon Fear and couldn't run away to our Nymphs for a Mass Cure to save his life. Once Nevaziah's spells finally ran out, we just had to whomp on him until he expired. Getting close to him imposes cumulative THAC0 penalties, so you need critical hits unless you have very tough fighters in the group. 15. I added Valygar to the group and entered the Planar Sphere. We killed Mogadish with a scorcher loop and some Magic Missiles (Aerie and Edwin both come with Minor Spell Turning, and Espellier provided the Agannazar's Scorcher and Protection from Fire spells), while Kayardi failed a save against Hold Monster. 16. Lavok was much tougher. Espellier's Cone of Cold spells disrupted some of Lavok's spells, but they quickly ran out. We baited him with summons, but those ran low as well. Finally, we broke out some Fire Seeds we had been saving (everyone in the party had 20; they persist after the duration if you drop them on the ground) and attacked Lavok, but failed to do any damage due to his immunity to fire. We might have broken through his Stoneskin, but Fire Seeds don't do any physical damage, which means we couldn't deal any real damage to disrupt his spells. Lavok killed Aerie with Horrid Wilting, Jan with Sphere of Chaos, Edwin with another Horrid Wilting, and Jaheira with Flame Arrow. Only after all that did his weapon immunity buffs run out. Espellier could then slay him with Minute Meteors. 17. Without either Jaheira or Aerie, we couldn't cast Harper's Call or Raise Dead. We'd have to complete the quest with Espellier and Valygar alone. The only thing we could do to block the Tanar'ri's Death Gaze was Barkskin to improve our saves vs. death, and our only means of killing the demon were Skull Traps and Cones of Cold. I tried to lure the demon into a set of 6 Skull Traps, but it survived them and paralyzed Espellier. It killed her right before Death Gaze expired. PFMW could have saved her, but I didn't think to cast it. 18. The next time around, I laid even more Skull Traps out, but it still didn't kill the Tanar'ri, and Espellier failed another save against Death Gaze. Finally I discovered that the bridge to the sphere was a convenient choke point. I lured the demon in and hurled Skull Traps and Cones of Cold at it. It successfully paralyzed Espellier several times, but could not get close enough to hit her. The demon expired right before Espellier ran out of spells. She cast Invisibility and walked right past Tolgerias and all the other enemies of the area, activating the sphere's engine alone. 19. To get back our party members without using a temple, we had to boot Valygar from the party and recruit Viconia to raise everybody instead. We finally took down the Shadow Thieves using Chaos and damage spells, and Aran Linvail himself failed a save against Hold Monster. 20. We were making excellent progress against Draug Fea et al when Espellier failed a save against Prismatic Spray. I decided to call it quits.
Ok, after an infinite number of undocumented starts both in BG1 and BG2, after several diversions with other games, "the no-reload Baldur's Gate gods" inside me called and I answered. The idea of a new run is based on 4 things:
1) first and foremost, I have never completed a trilogy no-reload run; 2) I've got so used to multiclass combinations that nearly have forgotten how singleclass feel in-game; 3) In all my runs I've never skipped resurrection of companions, so that closer to mid BG1, the number of resurrections has always hit 10 or 15 times, too much to my taste; 4) SoD... the time has come to try no-reloading it.
The 5th secret reason - it's time to support semiticgod's efforts in this thread).
One additional factor - I would like to see how a nerfed version of an Assassin post 2.0 feels in-game.
Basing my intents on these factors, I've given a go to a trilogy no-reload run with 5 generated party members and 1 slot for NPCs. A death for a generated party member will mean a need to create the character anew, without experience (@semiticgod style). A death for an NPC will mean a need to get a new NPC (with the preference for singleclass NPCs).
The WeiDU log (no improved shapeshifting but pre-battle casting is enabled, at least in BG1):
// Log of Currently Installed WeiDU Mods // The top of the file is the 'oldest' mod // ~TP2_File~ #language_number #component_number // [Subcomponent Name -> ] Component Name [ : Version] ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #1000 // Initialise mod (all other components require this): v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #1910 // Protection from Normal Missiles also blocks Arrows of Fire/Cold/Acid and similar projectiles without pluses: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2010 // More consistent Breach spell (always affects liches and rakshasas; doesn't penetrate Spell Turning): v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2020 // Antimagic attacks penetrate improved invisibility: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2030 // Iron Skins behaves like Stoneskin (can be brought down by Breach): v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2120 // Slightly weaken insect plague spells, and let fire shields block them: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2150 // Make spell sequencers, spell triggers, and contingencies learnable by all mages: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #3010 // Replace +1 arrows with nonmagical "fine" ones: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #3030 // Re-introduce potions of extra-healing: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4000 // Faster Bears: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4010 // Grant large, flying, non-solid or similar creatures protection from Web and Entangle: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4030 // Improved shapeshifting: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4040 // Make party members less likely to die irreversibly: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4110 // Allow NPC pairs to separate: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4120 // NPCs go to inns: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4130 // Move NPCs to more convenient locations: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5050 // Stackable ankheg shells, winterwolf pelts and wyvern heads: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5060 // Ensure Shar-Teel doesn't die in the original challenge: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5900 // Initialise AI components (required for all tactical and AI components): v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6000 // Smarter general AI: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6010 // Better calls for help: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6030 // Smarter Mages -> Mages cast some short-duration spells instantly at start of combat, to simulate pre-battle casting: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6040 // Smarter Priests -> Priests cast some short-duration spells instantly at start of combat, to simulate pre-battle casting: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6102 // Potions for NPCs -> Half the potions dropped by slain enemies break and are lost: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6200 // Improved Spiders: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6300 // Smarter sirines and dryads: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6310 // Slightly harder carrion crawlers: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6320 // Smarter basilisks: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7000 // Improved doppelgangers: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7010 // Tougher Black Talons and Iron Throne guards: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7020 // Improved deployment for parties of assassins: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7030 // Dark Side-based kobold upgrade: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7040 // Relocated bounty hunters: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7050 // Improved Ulcaster: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7060 // Improved Balduran's Isle: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7070 // Improved Durlag's Tower: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7080 // Improved Demon Cultists: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7090 // Improved Cloakwood Druids: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7100 // Improved Bassilus: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7110 // Improved Drasus party: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7130 // Improved Red Wizards: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7140 // Improved Undercity party: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7200 // Tougher chapter-two end battle: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7210 // Tougher chapter-three end battle: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7220 // Tougher chapter-four end battle: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7230 // Tougher chapter-five end battle: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7250 // Improved final battle: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7900 // Improved minor encounters: v30 ~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #50 // Avatar Morphing Script: Beta 4 ~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #60 // Weapon Animation Tweaks: Beta 4 ~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #100 // Commoners Use Drab Colors: Beta 4 ~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #110 // Icon Improvements: Beta 4 ~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #182 // Unique Containers -> Unique icons and names: Beta 4 ~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #190 // Use Character Colors Instead of Item Colors -> For all shields and helmets: Beta 4 ~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1080 // Add Bags of Holding: Beta 4 ~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2090 // Change Experience Point Cap -> Remove Experience Cap: Beta 4 ~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2192 // Limit Ability of Storekeepers to Identify Items -> Hybrid of Both Methods: Beta 4 ~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2360 // Remove Racial Restrictions for Single Classes: Beta 4 ~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2380 // Remove Racial Restrictions for Kits: Beta 4 ~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3200 // Sellable Items (Icelus): Beta 4
Meet the crew (non min-maxed):
Mortuus, an elf sorcerer (12-14-16-18-16) Woden, a dwarven defender (18/89-15-19-12-9-7) Uzume, a halfling priest of Tyr (10-19-10-16-18-14) Karasu no Yoru, an elf assassin (14-19-12-14-9-16) Yahiko, a half-elf totemic druid (yes, Yahiko!) (13-9-13-12-18-15)
We breezed through Candlekeep.
Upon arriving to Beregost, we dealt with Karlat.
Helping Viconia brought an armour for out tank.
After that we helped Neera to defeat a bunch of thayan mercenaries. Their wizard failed his saving throw against Command which basically granted a victory to us.
Neera will use only wands (there're plenty of them in BG1) and Identify spell - no risks taken in a no-reload game.
We found Whistling sword for our thief to improve his backstabs.
Poison from our assassin blocked first Bassilus' castings, then we managed to command and blind him. He didn't resist long.
The first level up became available - Karasu got 4/6 hps.
Melicamp was lucky this time and survived the Antichickenator spell, which brought the second level up - Uzume got 4/8 hps.
Upon reporting to Kelddath Ormlyr about Bassilus, Yahiko and Woden reached their second levels (6/8 and 12/17 hps respectively).
With the generous reward from Kelddath Ormlyr, we bought our first solid equipment - a full plate, a short bow +1, a sling +1 and 10 arrows of Biting.
Time came to visit the Friendly Arm Inn. A fetishist ogre was taken down thanks to Command and Blindness.
As soon as Tarnesh finished talking, Uzume began casting Command, while Yahiko called to summon a spirit snake.
Tarnesh failed his saving throw against Command, and then the poison by Karasu finished his life.
We dealt with hobgoblins who had stolen the Joia's ring. One of hobgoblins carried a rare bolt (bolt of polymorphing), more precious than the ring.
Then we cleared the Landrin's house in Beregost from spiders. Karasu got the 3rd level (5/6 hps) and Mortuus also got an upgrade (4/6 hps).
As you see, I didn't want to follow the general basilisk route to gather XP. Instead, I concentrated on areas related to those the party had visited because of the quests gained.
For the next step, we defeated the half-ogres as Bjornin had asked us. Uzume reached the 3rd level (7/8 hps).
When we reached Nashkel and wanted to rest in a tavern, we had to fight an assassin instead. Neira couldn't save against Command, then Mortuus blinded her, and even held Woden was not in danger after that.
We visited Nashkel carnival, and in one of tents a thief managed to pickpocket us. We were fast enough not to let him disappear without consequencies.
In another tent, we found a male mage threatening to a woman wizard. We insulted him to save the woman and dispatched the tyrant. Silence from Uzume helped here to stop any casting of this mage.
Neera levelled up, getting 4/4 hps.
When we travelled to the Nashkel Mines, we were ambushed by a bunch of bandits. Two of them nearly ended this run prematurely, as Mortuus was hit at 9 of his overall 10 hps.
Still, the sorcerer survived, and the bandits paid their price.
Not far away from the Mines entrance, we decided to help a local skulptor, Prism, and protected him from a bounty hunter. Greywolf failed his saving throw against Spook, and then Uzume managed to Command him. Later he was blinded and poisoned.
Prism was very grateful to us but unfortunately died from exhaustion. Because of the reward, Yahiko and Woden reached the 3rd level (getting 5/8 and 17/17 hps respectively). Although Woden is a dwarven defender, he will still specialize in flails taking SoA in mind.
With a full-plate and a large shield +1 Woden was an excellent tank against hordes of kobolds in the mines (even with his 15 DEX). He activated Defensive Stance when surrounded by enemies.
The fight against Mulahey started as usual, but the half-orc resisted against Blindness and Command. Neera used Necklace of Missiles against arriving kobolds and skeletons. After that she even managed to interrupt Mulahey's casting. At last, Mulahey didn't save against Command and asked for surrender. We refused, and the fight resumed. Mulahey saved against Hold Person, while kobolds didn't. After several attempts, Mortuus blinded the half-orc, then Karasu poisoned him, and the battle was won.
Comments
Some ways uphill we enter a cave where we see a sleeping dragon.
Being not very well prepared we let sleeping dragons lie and retreat for another day. We explore the rest of the forest and fight some hill giants. Now this is one of those moments where Melissa shines with polymorph other, but the best part is that the squirrel is then immediately killed by Corwin and M'khiin. I was amazed by that seemingly well-timed cooperation.
(Edit ac not thac0)
I have no other screenshots from that battle. Normally I bait the enemy cleric and mage with a Planetar, but it's a minor fight anyway without much strategy needed.
Poppy's items and Barbarian resistances make her a fantastic tank, with Roranach's Horn making her flat-out immune to crushing damage, but some Fire Giants use axes, leaving her vulnerable.
If she dual-wields the Flail of Ages and Foebane, she can overcome the Fire Giants all on her own, as Foebane heals her 4 HP per hit. That builds up over time. I stole the idea from another player, I think @Alesia_BH, who pointed out that 4 HP per hit makes a big difference with a fully-buffed Barbarian who only takes a few points of damage from enemy hits.
Other cool stuff includes Sarevok slaying those pesky SCS Efreet with the Wave Blade...
...Blueberry's Web Tangle disabling a lich despite its spell level immunities...
I overestimate Poppy's tanking abilities at one point, but we have a stellar rescue option on hand.
Unfortunately, that rescue option isn't always there. Especially not when it comes to Laosha, whose psionic abilities leave him paused (a special disabling opcode used only in spells like Agannazar's Scorcher and Color Spray) and unable to run away or heal himself. Combine that with his terrible AC, low HP, and total lack of resistances or Stoneskins, and he's pretty much helpless.
Notice the attack roll. The pause opcode holds the target in place, but it doesn't render them helpless, which means it won't trigger "Helpless" contingencies and it won't grant attackers automatic hits. Also, the pause opcode prevents your aura timer from clearing, which means that after waiting out Domination's 9-second pause effect, you still have to wait another 6 seconds before using another spell or item.
Domination unfortunately only charms one enemy, though--Laosha's killer, whom Imoen blinded moments before he succumbed to the charm effect.
Blueberry isn't particularly tanky quite yet, but that's why we have Planetars, Mass Cure, and Mass Raise Dead.
Berenn, the Fire Giant mage, gets crippled by Holy Word. Brimstone, the Ascension-only red dragon that joins the fight, fails to harm the party with its breath weapon.
As devastating as that breath weapon is--it deals crazy damage, it comes after Lower Fire Resistance, it bypasses MR and spell protections, and even the Cloak of Mirroring can't stop it--it just plain looks stupid.
We debuff Brimstone a bit, but we're not relying on Feeblemind here. We just whomp it to death, surviving its attacks and its breath weapon thanks to our resistances.
I remember getting a character chunked by a petrification trap in this dungeon in my last successful no-reload run. I step more carefully this time and disarm the traps before running around.
I only have one screenshot of the fight with Nyalee. Druids don't have PFMW, which means they're kind of helpless.
All I remember is that we focused all of our attention on slaying Nyalee as quickly as possible, to prevent her from summoning clones of our party. We only had to fight one clone, a fully-equipped Poppy.
Time to topple Yaga-Shura. Imoen summons an extra-long-lasting Planetar via her extra-long-lasting Project Image clone.
Blueberry demonstrates once again that my Phase Spider kit just isn't as strong as it's supposed to be.
Also, he has a special spell that works a bit like a weakened Comet with extra crushing damage.
Under heavy pressure, we retreat to the bridge until Aerie's aura is clear enough to cast Mass Cure.
Poppy lobs a rock at Yaga-Shura. He runs away like the pitiful sissy he is.
Yaga-Shura is actually by far the strongest Bhaalspawn if you think about it. Aside from invulnerability that almost no one can remove, he also has the biggest army compared to the rest of the Five.
Yaga-Shura doesn't return for a long time. To conserve our resources, I have Imoen's clone use the Staff of Domination to charm Yaga-Shura's goons. It's basically a Domination spell without a save. The staff doesn't recharge, but it has 21 base charges and even SCS clones can use it. Charming the soldiers decreases pressure on us while giving us a light buffer against the remaining enemies.
Our charm victims don't absorb all the pressure, though, and we still have to deal with mages that have spell protections to block Domination.
The enemy can't do much damage to us, but Aerie's buffs are short-lived and we're running out of time. When Imoen loses her clone to True Sight, she brings out a new one, with better buffs.
Yaga-Shura finally appears, but now we have multiple demons on us as well.
The Cornugon uses its poison against our charm victims, while the Bone Golem unleashes a Cone of Cold. Meanwhile, Yaga-Shura bashes Sarevok, who has no Hardiness active.
We need to recover. Luckily, we have gobs of healing spells.
More enemies appear. The mage that summoned those demons is still at work.
Blueberry throws out a Web spell, hoping to disable the Planetar despite its MR. She gets one Web off the ground, but not her second one. Her AC just isn't good enough.
Our Planetar bails her out. We increase the pressure, focusing Poppy's efforts on the Fallen Planetar and using Aerie to weaken the rest of the enemy horde.
With the Fallen Planetar gone, we can focus a little more on Yaga-Shura. Laosha's Domination makes a tiny dent in the enemy ranks. Yaga-Shura's guards have some odd dialog lines.
That's something I'd expect an extraplanar critter to say, not some human fighter. Anyway, Imoen's clone gets spooked by something and Aerie chases after it. That clone has a lot of good spells on it. Before Aerie can restore its morale, however another Fallen Planetar enters the scene--and her Remove Fear bounces right off Imoen's clone's SI: Abjuration spell.
That reminds me that Aerie has run out of her own SI: Abjuration spell, and that nearby mage likely has Breach or Remove Magic on hand. I have Aerie restore it while the Planetar goes after Laosha.
Aerie loses her SI: Abjuration as soon as she gets it. Laosha leads the Planetar over to Poppy, who can kill it. Imoen's clone recovers from the fear effect and buffs the party with Mass Invisibility before Poppy puts down the Planetar.
Finally we're free to tackle Yaga-Shura without Fallen Planetars running around where they can chunk Aerie. Yaga-Shura doesn't put up much of a fight, which isn't surprising. For the past few rounds, I haven't even noticed him--I've just been paying attention to the Fallen Planetars.
Finally, we'll be able to enter Sendai's Enclave, slay Odamaron, and forge the Soul Reaver +6, which I keep calling the Unholy Reaver +6 for some reason. That's going to be fun, and wildly unnecessary by this point.
Most of Sendai's dungeon is a string of moderate-intensity battles that you can resolve with Improved Haste and Hardiness, Dragon's Breath, or in our case, Fire Storm from Aerie.
Odamaron is different, with three high-level undead mages attacking at once. Imoen decides to make use of her Green Soul kit and her 7 thief levels.
If I had given Imoen the Staff of the Magi to remove those Stoneskins instantly, he'd be dead by now.
This was a very long battle, but it looks like our strategy boiled down to chain-casting Holy Word from our Planetar and Aerie. We didn't catch all three enemies in each casting but those Holy Word spells amounted to 20 rounds of 100% spell failure, so it's no surprise that we lived long enough to see the end of Odamaron's buffs.
His Apprentice survives, but we have two mages with all the debuffers we need.
With the Heart of the Damned, Cespenar forges a new Soul Reaver for us.
That's exactly as overpowered as it looks. Enemies from here on out basically only ever use PFMW instead of Improved Mantle, and therefore need to be debuffed or waited out, but it's still a big sword.
I think Diaytha is normally a tough enemy. I don't remember having much trouble with her, though. Certainly not in this run.
Moving right along, Poppy kills Captain Egeissag with a single HLA, and it's not Greater Whirlwind Attack. Poppy stops to chat with the Beholder from City Sushi, and ends up telling her life story in the process.
All that's left before Sendai herself are some Mind Flayers. The fight wasn't that interesting, though; we just beat them up. A lot of fights in ToB end up being resolved by very simple tactics.
We do the second Pocket Plane challenge for a little more XP. Finally, we enter Sendai's chamber, facing a team of the strongest drow in the saga.
The first clone appears. With the Unholy Reaver +6 to dispel any defenses, the statue doesn't last long.
I use "clone" and "statue" interchangeably regarding Sendai's copies.
Sendai's first spellcaster clone comes out and the battle truly begins. Spell Immunity ignores aura, which helps Imoen get her clone fully protected on the round it arrives. She uses PFMW instead of Stoneskin, as it will keep her safe far longer in a fight like this.
Sendai's clone is too well-defended right now, so we turn our attention to the other drow. Imoen's Chain Contingency comes out.
Those spells were chosen to reduce enemy pressure. Mass Invisibility will keep spells off our back, the Magical Sword will distract the drow, and Teleport Field will frustrate the Kensai's attacks.
Laosha is having trouble removing Sendai's illusions. I think an EE update changed how Detect Illusions worked somehow; I've been seeing it fail a lot lately despite having 100 in the skill. Instead, we use a Planetar to inflict deafness on the enemy.
MR can block it, but we don't have any other options if Sendai is invisible and we can't remove it.
AC is no help at all against the drow Kensais. Resistances are.
Unable to touch the spellcaster clones, we turn to easier targets: the normal drow spellcasters and the fighter-type clones.
It's always hard to set priorities in this fight, because there are so many different threats active at once. Laosha nearly dies due to the pause effect of Domination, but a Planetar rescues him. Meanwhile, Sarevok starts debuffing the enemy and Aerie finds a use for her damage spells against our highly magic-resistant foes.
We have a breakthrough: a Sendai clone has failed a save against Domination.
This fight was just as complicated as it looks. Lots of details are lost in the fog of war. Unless you have a very small party, you generally won't have a very good grasp of what's happening in this fight. Without clear information on whose aura is clear and which enemies have what defenses, a lot depends on the raw strength of your party.
Mass Invisibility has one critical drawback: it prevents you from casting spells on your own party. Only Planetars and Devas can do that. Instead, we need to use Mass Cure and Mass Raise Dead to heal the party if potions aren't enough.
Laosha charms another enemy, but this one is just a normal drow cleric (not a Sendai clone) with mostly useless spell picks. One of the clones' PFMW wears off, allowing Sarevok to debuff it. One Sendai clone goes down shortly--but the scene is so chaotic I can't even tell if it's the same clone Sarevok was targeting!
Sendai disrupts one of Aerie's spells, but not with a particularly impressive spell.
As a cleric/mage, Aerie doesn't have the spell slots to memorize spell turning or deflection buffs, or MGOI. Her only spell protections are Spell Shield and SI: Abjuration, to block Breach and Remove Magic.
I have our Sendai clone start using HLAs on its former allies, but it flickers red before Comet hits, so our party suffers the blow instead of the enemy. Luckily for us, we have the buffs to resist it.
We apply more melee pressure, score another dispel with the Unholy Reaver, and land a lucky vorpal strike.
I struggle to keep all our characters active despite the chaos. It's not always clear when an opportunity arises, since the enemies have different PFMW timers going on.
Imoen's Pierce Shield strikes, taking down Spell Shield and making an opening.
Laosha keeps taking heavy damage because of the pause effects of the Seducer kit. He can't heal himself; he needs to turn invisible to stay alive.
Invisibility is very useful in this fight if things go wrong. None of the enemies can see through invisibility without divination spells.
Our Planetar rescues Laosha (it's not bothered by his invisibility) while Blueberry discovers that Lightning Reflexes is still not enough to keep her safe.
AC does play a role in ToB; it's just that most character builds can't rely on it. Blueberry doesn't have Hardiness because I'm not sure if I want the Phase Spider kit to use the normal Hardiness ability, or get a permanent +15% physical damage resistance HLA, selectable twice.
Imoen, with her Green Soul kit, has been safe and sound behind PFMW. Aerie, our Red Soul, only has Stoneskins, and those don't last long against the drow Kensais, who dual-wield katanas.
Of course, I can always just have Aerie's re-equip the Staff of the Magi, but that requires me to pay attention, and there are so many other things to watch in this fight--more than I can describe in the screenshots I saved.
We keep up the pace. I make sure everyone is drinking potions whenever they have a moment to spare, restoring minor buffs like Barbarian Rage, haul over the Planetar if somebody is in trouble, and have Imoen's clone re-cast PFMW when it finally runs out after 8 rounds. Between Sarevok and Poppy, we have enough damage output to bring down the clones, and with Teleport Field and Hardiness, we can tough out the enemies' attacks.
Finally, the last of the clones fall, and Sendai herself comes out to play.
Sendai is very evasive, using illusion magic and Dimension Door to escape pressure. Combined with her MR and cleric and mage buffs, she is very hard to damage.
She has no Fire Shield, which means no immunity to Insect Plague, but she makes her save vs. breath both time our Planetar tries to shut down her spellcasting. While Sendai is invisible and immune to magical weapons, I turn my attention to the Fallen Deva and remaining drow instead. Blueberry, with her nonmagical natural weapon, attacks Sendai by herself in the hopes of poisoning her.
Laosha got hit by Implosion, but the Ring of Free Action kept him from getting paralyzed and his fire resistance kept him alive. Without any Heal spells left, our Planetar just hides Laosha instead to give him time to drink potions.
Sendai has another PFMW spell ready for when her current one vanishes, but Blueberry manages to break through her Stoneskins, allowing Sarevok and Poppy to attack with Firetooth and the Sling of Everard, equipping normal ammunition to do so.
She tries to escape, but Dimension Door won't do much good against missile weapons.
One more gigantic battle complete.
Imoen's Project Image clone tries to debuff the mage version of Draconis, but Draconis ends up failing a save against Domination. We take full advantage of his powers.
We wear down the Invisible Stalkers a little and Draconis shrugs off Domination. But by now, his PFMW has worn off. Laosha reveals him and our Planetar debuffs him.
But a Spell Trigger bails him out at the last moment.
He gets Time Stop off the ground... and then somehow uses another Spell Trigger.
He Breaches Aerie, disables Blueberry, and then casts Wish, debuffing our whole party.
We have trouble curing Blueberry's stun effect, but Sarevok fixes it with the Unholy Reaver.
Despite being debuffed, our party is still functional. We tear through Draconis' Stoneskins using nonmagical ammunition to bypass PFMW.
Soon, Draconis switches to his dragon form and turns invisible. We brace ourselves and have Laosha attempt to charm the dragon.
Our Planetar died after Draconis changed form, so Imoen brings it back via a new clone and buffs the party with Mass Invisibility during Time Stop.
Time Stop eliminated Draconis' PFMW. We tackle him and force a Heal spell.
Laosha helps out with blind traps (Imoen cast PW: Blind on him during the Time Stop), but then Draconis vanishes again.
Without Heal, though, Draconis doesn't have many options left. Once he breaks invisibility, we pounce.
One down, more to go.
We attack Anadramatis right off the bat, since it drops Yellow Dragon Scales that make excellent armor (50% resistance to piercing and missile damage). Anna Wish-Breaches us just like Draconis did.
But Anna's not a threat at all. Apparently there's a bug: she doesn't have any weapon equipped.
Imoen debuffs Anna during Time Stop, opening up the dragon for spell damage from Aerie. Anna reminds us that she still has a wicked breath weapon.
The dragon restores its defenses. Poppy prepares for a longer fight, using one of Ascension's special Bhaalspawn powers you get from the Pocket Plane challenges.
Poppy is blind, which means her visual range is too short to attack the dragon. Aerie cures the blindness with Neutralize Poison.
As hard as Anna fights, this battle was a foregone conclusion. With Poppy's resistances at 80% and her HP over 200, she could slay the dragon even without the party's help. We forge the Yellow Dragon Armor, but don't equip it; our existing armor set is fine for now.
Ascension takes the rope away from Balthazar's monk and gives it to the innkeeper at Amkethran. We have to leave before completing Abazigal's lair.
Why does it do this? So it can send MORE dragons after us.
This is another fight that Poppy could handle on her own...
...but just for fun, I bring out the scorcher loop. The Red Soul kit and Green Soul kit affect the damage.
It doesn't last long; Imoen's Project Image clone gets destroyed by one of the black dragons' breath weapons. It deals acid damage, and I failed to buff the clone properly. Luckily, Imoen herself is immune to acid.
I know how this is going to play out anyway. I send Laosha and our mages to the south to prepare for the next phase of combat, and right before we finish off the second dragon, Poppy braces herself once more.
We have a third dragon to deal with. This one deals poison damage. But Sarevok has the Ring of Gaxx, Poppy has the Amulet of Ilmater (an Item Upgrade thingy), and Blueberry is a Phase Spider. The breath weapon does nothing to them.
Poppy switches between the Answerer +4 and Foebane. The Answerer lowers the dragon's MR, allowing Poppy to benefit from Foebane's Larloch's Minor Drain effect. Ihy'nassendra proves sturdy, healing herself twice. Meanwhile, to the south, Imoen restores her clone so we can bring back our slain Planetar.
Imoen's clone has no immunity to poison, but her Planetar can heal her. Ithy'nassendra is out of options. We bring down the third dragon.
The fourth and final dragon appears, Carnifex. But he's no more dangerous than the other ones. Not to Poppy.
Carnifex has the most HP, but since he's a red dragon, his breath weapon is much easier to resist. Unfortunately, our fighters have no SI: Abjuration, which means they only have items to block the damage.
We recover with potions, lower the dragon's MR with Pierce Shield, and tack on the damage.
That's it. The quadruple dragon ambush of Ascension. That gave me so much trouble in my first no-reload run, when we arrived with unbuffed spellcasters and were caught off-guard. Not anymore.
Abazigal awaits.
Done. I buff up Imoen's Project Image clone and send out our fighters to engage with Tamah, the purple dragon whose breath weapon deals crushing damage.
We lower Tamah's MR, but it proves unnecessary. She didn't have the HP to survive long anyway.
We knock Abazigal around. He arrives without mage buffs--I thought he was a fighter/mage in his first form here--so he's not very tough. Soon, he transforms.
Abazigal starts out with strong defenses, though his PFMW is partly wasted because he knocks you away before you can actually attack him.
It's not entirely a bad move, though; Ascension Anadramatis will give you an amulet that blocks wing buffet, if you spare the dragon.
I lost track of Imoen's clone, so I select everyone on the map and then un-select everyone in view before calling the rest over. Imoen's clone returns.
The Imoen mentioned in the dialog box is a clone of a clone: the Project Image clone's Mislead clone. I didn't notice this at the time, but Tamah has come back despite her body clearly lying on the ground, and she's tearing apart that Mislead clone offscreen.
I have the Project Image clone start debuffing Abazigal while our fighters keep him occupied.
Then I see something unusual, and I finally realize that Tamah is back.
For some reason she has psionic powers. Imoen's clone fails its save.
That clone is really important. We need it back, or we'll be substantially weaker than we should be.
Aerie restores her SI: Abjuration before Abazigal tries Remove Magic on her as well. Abazigal hurls a heavy disabler at us.
That could have proved devastating, as there is no cure for sleep without the Priest of Tyr kit or Spell Revision's Break Enchantment spell. But our fighters have strong saves vs. death, and our spellcasters have Chaotic Commands active. We stay conscious.
Laosha finally joins the fight. Hopefully we can charm Abazigal.
We really need that clone back. Aerie tries to cure its stun effect... but it doesn't work.
Remove Paralysis is an abjuration spell. Imoen's clone is buffed with a long-lasting SI: Abjuration spell, so Remove Paralysis can't free it.
Tamah enters the field, focusing on Imoen's helpless clone, and Abazigal blasts us. Some of us get hit harder than others.
Abazigal's spells and attacks knock out several of our party members. Sarevok quickly approaches death, and our Planetar isn't there to heal him.
Aerie's Skull Trap falls flat. But we're in luck: Abazigal didn't put enough pressure on Sarevok. Our Planetar wakes up and saves him.
We have two dragons on top of us and one Earthquake beneath us. Without Hardiness, we'd be in big trouble.
Abazigal adds another Earthquake. Tamah, approaching death, makes her escape.
Laosha and Aerie stay active, contributing a Charm spell and an Efreeti to the fight. Every little bit can make the difference.
Tamah appears, but she has not healed herself. That was a mistake.
I'm not sure if Tamah is supposed to come back to life, but it doesn't matter now. I don't mind bugs that don't break quests.
Sarevok is unconscious and Abazigal has learned his lesson. He attacks Sarevok while Sarevok is down--but this time, the Planetar is already awake, and can rescue him sooner.
We suffer another setback: Poppy gets blinded. But then we see it doesn't matter.
Laosha charmed Abazigal. He has a lot of spells we can use. He flickers red, but opcode 241 resets the charm effect right afterwards. Aerie's Horrid Wilting is timed just right, but it doesn't get past Abazigal's MR.
I have Abazigal cast Maze on himself before realizing that was a bad idea. Maze would deplete the duration of Charm. Fortunately, Abazigal is already immune to such nonsense.
Contrary to the dialog box, Imoen's Project Image spell is not over. Those warnings are triggered via delayed strings, but Imoen's Green Soul kit doesn't affect durations that are flagged as "delayed." This means Melf's Acid Arrows and Khelben's Warding Whip behaves normally. It also means those buff duration warnings are inaccurate for both of our mages.
Imoen's Project Image is only halfway over. It'll be another 20 rounds before she can cast it again.
Abazigal fights back against the charm effect. The control creature opcode, opcode 241, doesn't change scripts, so Abazigal feels perfectly fine blasting us with his breath weapon.
But the projectile is party-friendly, so it does nothing. Abazigal remains charmed and won't fight back when we attack him.
Abazigal has some pretty nasty spells, so I figure we should expend them before he regains his senses. I cast Imprisonment on Imoen's clone. For a moment, I wonder if I made a mistake, since I'm not sure it would free Imoen from Project Image's disabling effect, but the spell fails anyway due to Imoen's Green Soul-boosted SI: Abjuration spell.
We cure Poppy's blindness and start smashing Abazigal. Laosha's psionics keep Abazigal from responding.
[spoiler]
We can't debuff him while he's friendly, unfortunately, since Pierce Shield and other SCS debuffers don't affect allies. Finally, I send him off to the west before Charm expires. He turns his wrath against the Frost Salamanders we've been avoiding.
When he returns, he finds us without Hardiness. Our front line gets battered.
Poppy is unconscious. How? Her saves are incredible. I double-check them.
Considering all the save-boosting items Poppy has, it seems that the Greater Malison spell Abazigal has been using stacks.
Imoen's Project Image is over. She summons a new clone and tries to haul out a new Planetar. It fails.
Laosha gets wrecked by another breath weapon. Imoen's clone, with its 4-round Improved Alacrity spell, starts emptying its spell book.
Abazigal is almost dead. Poppy uses some innate abilities she's been saving to solidify our advantage.
Abazigal just won't die. Aerie tries blasting him with Skull Trap.
I'm starting to think we have a bug on our hands. I shoo the rest of the party away and have Poppy engage Abazigal on her own. Switching between the Answerer and Foebane to sap Abazigal's HP and fortify her own, she grinds away at the dragon. He struggles to harm her.
She starts to run out of Hardiness spells. After maybe two minutes of this, I decide that Abazigal's death dialog is broken. I can deal with bugs, but not if they make the game unplayable.
I have no patience to beat him twice. The battle wasn't hard, but it was definitely long. I reload and smash Abazigal with CTRL-Y. This time, he goes down. I throw away a bunch of potions, since I drank a few during the previous battle. We have plenty more.
Balthazar is next. Poppy is Chaotic Evil and has low base CHA, so her high reputation won't be enough to convince Balthazar to join us. We'll have to put him down.
The Ravager was kind of fun. I love its attack line.
Blueberry fails a save against the Ravager's attack and gets knocked unconscious. She gets closer and closer to death, until finally Imoen's clone brings out the Planetar to heal Blueberry. Along the way, Aerie starts blasting the enemy with Horrid Wilting.
All those attacks gave Blueberry some pretty excellent bonuses from Lightning Reflexes.
But in the end, the Ravager fell to our Red Soul, Aerie.
Because I've been choosing rude and evil-sounding dialog options when talking with the Solar, Poppy gets the final evil-aligned Ascension Pocket Plane bonus: an extra 25% resistance to physical damage. When she uses Hardiness, she is completely immune to physical damage.
I still haven't completed Watcher's Keep, but I don't want to go now. The tension is too much. I have to finish this run. There is only one fight left in this run. Melissan.
But she will not be alone. Sendai, Abazigal, Gromnir, Illasera, Yaga-Shura, and Balthazar will all be there to aid her at the same time.
In the first phase, you lose control of Imoen. She changes into the Slayer and attacks your party.
She will eventually return to her normal form, but if she dies before then, you don't get her back--she is gone forever.
Notice the Fallen Solar to the left. On Insane mode, you fight two such critters. They use +5 arrows that deal nonmagical magic damage, dispel magic as a level 22 caster, remove spell protections, illusionary protections, and specific protections without a save (85% chance), and can land a vorpal strike (15% chance) on a failed save vs. death at -2.
Irenicus is not messing around. His defenses are ironclad.
[spoiler]
Aerie casts PFMW to block the Fallen Solar's arrows, but she fails to bring up SI: Abjuration. I was not expecting the Fallen Solar to use Remove Magic.
Poppy is engaging Bodhi because Barbarian Rage grants her immunity to level drain, and Bodhi drains 5 levels per hit. Poppy has the upgraded Flail of Ages to help her out.
Blueberry and Sarevok are dealing with the Fallen Solar, which I'm sure will give us lots of grief if we don't bring it down quickly.
Irenicus is beyond our reach. We can't stop his spells, and he has all the powers he had at the Tree of Life.
Laosha takes control of Bodhi and one of Jon-bon's clones. Bodhi will be a strong asset for the next several rounds.
Aerie isn't having such great luck. She barely survives Irenicus' Comet.
Sarevok is doing better. We land a lucky Deathbringer Assault against the Fallen Solar.
[spoiler]
Not enough to kill, though it won't be much longer before it croaks. As the Fallen Solar goes down, Irenicus renews his defenses and prepares to destroy us.
We switch to nonmagical ammo with the Sling of Everard and Firetooth. We break through Jon-bon's Stoneskins, but it's not enough to stop Irenicus' spellcasting--certainly not with Improved Alacrity active.
But Irenicus is trying to slay our fighters, and Horrid Wilting isn't enough. IA runs out and Irenicus is vulnerable. A PFMW contingency doesn't help him.
Bodhi finally turns on us and Laosha loses a bunch of levels he doesn't need anyway. Poppy cracks open Bodhi's skull.
Imoen returns to normal and rejoins the party. Irenicus spends the rest of his life running away from us.
This is just the beginning. We have three more little fights before things get nasty.
Enter Jak MacLeighn, a kickass Halfling Cleric/Thief! I certainly don't have time for a full run starting in BG1 so I just gave him a bump to his XP, the two Wis and one Dex tome to start, and set off on my adventure. I had little trouble clearing the improved SCS Chateau Irenicus alongside Imoen. I picked up a Dagger of Venom +2 along the way, and cleared the Circus.
I picked up Yoshi at the Copper Coronet and then completed the story arc there. We had a bit more trouble clearing both the Sewers and the Slaver Compound, but we got it done. Neither of use were feeling very beefy though, so I decided to pick up a front liner. Sir Anomen joined the band of no good thieves! Let's just say that he thinks he can keep us under control and out of trouble for RP purposes. I mean, I do have a pretty darn high Charisma, so I can charm pretty much anyone into believing what I say
We visited the Docks next, and swung by to see Renal Bloodscalp on Yoshi's suggestion. RR adds a lot of pretty sweet items to the game, and I actually found a second Dagger of Venom +2 for sale at the fence on the main floor. IR adjusts THAC0 bonuses for both MH and OH weapons, meaning that by dual-wielding daggers Jak actually suffers no penalties!
We received our first assignment from Maevar and headed off to the Temple district. Along the way we were ambushed by Suna Seni's gang, and without buffs they quickly chewed up Anomen and Yoshi. Jak cast a Sanctuary to escape a quick death.
Anomen and Yoshi needed to be avenged...
I found a quiet corner to patch up my wounds. Once my health was in a safe spot, I began buffing. Bless, Chant, Divine Power, DUHM, Recitation, and Righteous Fury. To top off the OPness I gulped an Oil of Speed.
Those poor fools never saw me coming. They got hit by a freight train of righteous fury!
What I'd really like is to have a front liner that fits into the original concept of having a "rogueish" only party...if I extend that out to anyone that has rogue skills, I could include Valygar and Rasaad due to their stealth. Myself, Imoen, Haer Dalis, Valygar, Rasaad...and even though he doesn't fit the theme I just can't pass up my brother come TOB. Gotta keep the family together! I'm just wondering if I keep it at 5 for SOA or pick up someone else to dump at the end. Thoughts?
We prepare for the next phase, when the Five plus Balthazar attack us in concert. First, Aerie uses Wondrous Recall to memorize a Restoration spell for Laosha.
With Laosha's skills back to their normal levels, he can seed the next battleground with traps. Imoen prepares a clone so we can use a Planetar in the next fight.
Then we discover that a Project Image clone can be neutralized with a single spell, even if it is buffed with SI: Abjuration and SI: Divination.
It's a minor concern here, but it could prove life-saving in the future. Aerie destroys the enemy with magic damage.
She does it again in the next fight, though some of her magic isn't very safe.
These fights are actually a boon to the party. Every time you defeat each pack of demons and activate the energy pool a second time, you get a special ability and the entire party is rested.
None of the fights are very draining, which means your best bet is to use your best summoning spells and other per-day items and spells before activating the pools. Summon a Planetar and some Elemental Princes, lay all your traps, cast all of your buffs, use Vhailor's Helm, and throw around some Skull Traps and Delayed Blast Fireballs before activating the final energy pool. That way, you will engage the Five with the party fully buffed and fully rested.
The most important special ability that the energy pools give you is Focus. Focus grants you immunity to Time Stop, and is one of the few ways you can survive Melissan's brutal Time Stop+Teleport Without Error+Greater Whirlwind Attack combos.
Great run btw! All the best in the final fight!
By the way, I saw that the game actually gives you a lot of informations about spells and so on. Is that a mod in particular?
Like "jon irenicus is casting an evocation spell"
or "the spell will expire in 10 seconds"
and so on.
First, we eliminate our damaged summons to replace them with new ones. Blackraven's install removes the limit on traps, but the limit on summons remains. I want our summons in top condition. I also have our Planetar hurl out some Symbol spells to the north in case our enemies attempt to flee.
Mass Invisibility prevents us from buffing the party. We have to wait out the duration before proceeding.
Those are Potions of Invulnerability our warriors are drinking. They're very likely to be dispelled--potions count as level 10 spells for the purposes of dispel magic--but I have far more than we need, and they have no other buffs to cast. Also notice Blueberry's Mirror Image. I haven't used Ilbratha in ages, but every little bit counts.
I even cast short-duration buffs like Spell Immunity. Aerie might lose hers moments after combat begins, but those energy pools rest the party three times, so why not?
At first I planned on using only the normal 7 traps. But Laosha wasn't doing anything, so I had him set some more--15 in total by the end. These are normal traps, however; Seducers don't get trap HLAs.
We keep going. We activate everything we possibly can.
Finally, we activate the very last pool. In moments, Melissan will appear and summon Balthazar and the Five to attack us.
The circus now truly begins.
...but when Melissan offers to lift it, Poppy can't convince him to stay.
We begin the fight at a significant handicap. But then, so does the enemy.
I proceed with my original plan. Sendai is a beast, but I have a secret weapon. I send over Laosha to dispel her illusionary protections.
Then he nails her with a Protection from Magic scroll. I can safely ignore Sendai for as long as I want; she is helpless. And I still have a Protection from Magic scroll left! I've been saving both for the entire game; I've never needed them before.
Melissan notices Illasera and Abazigal have fallen, so she joins the fray.
I focus my attention on Balthazar and Sarevok, the most vulnerable enemies on the map.
Notice that Laosha, just south of Melissan, is wearing green plate mail. What gives? That's the Gorgon Plate, which gives a massive -6 AC bonus vs. slashing damage, making it the best armor to prevent slashing attacks. In Ascension, Melissan's spear does slashing damage, so that armor is quite useful. Unfortunately, Poppy cannot wear it, as she is a Barbarian.
Also notice that Balthazar is taking almost no damage from Poppy's flails. He used his Flip Resistances ability, which switches his magic resistance to physical damage resistance. Our Planetar punishes the trick with a Flame Arrow, taking advantage of Balthazar's lowered MR.
Sendai's Fallen Deva, conjured via a Chain Contingency, comes after us. Yaga-Shura won't be far behind. Blueberry gets in trouble: Balthazar stuns her.
I decide to leave Sarevok alone and concentrate on Balthazar instead. After all, Sarevok isn't even using his old equipment. In fact, he's got a nonmagical weapon!
Laosha evades the Fallen Deva, but Melissan takes its place. Laosha can't get away from her. We use one of our limited PFMW scrolls to give him space to use his psionic spells without getting torn to pieces.
Balthazar hurls Blueberry across the map. Apparently he has Smite active. Poppy and our Planetar give chase, lest he stomp our poor spider to death.
Laosha uses his temporary invincibility to cast Domination, which can be suicidal given its 9-second pause effect. Aerie throws out Horrid Wilting and bypasses the enemy's MR. The effect is devastating.
As always, the Red Soul kit comes at a cost. She has no PFMW active. Thankfully, Melissan's spear in Ascension isn't quite as brutal as in vanilla--if my memory is correct, it inflicted disease with no saving throw. Here, it just deals cold damage, imposes save penalties, and has a 15% chance of stunning the target for 15 seconds on a failed save vs. petrification at -2.
Sarevok joins in, inflicting magic damage on Aerie. Apparently Sarevok is attacking with a special variant of the Sword of Chaos, but the item file (looking at it now) shows that it's erroneously flagged as nonmagical despite having an enchantment of 5.
That Breach is wasted on Imoen; she has SI: Abjuration active.
Sarevok and Melissan break through Aerie's Stoneskins, forcing her to use one of her few PFMW spells. Balthazar went invisible earlier, so Poppy, our Planetar, and Blueberry, who has recovered from Smite's stun effect, hurry down to kill our traitorous brother.
Yaga-Shura tosses a Lava Bomb over his shoulder. Just as it hits, I notice that Sarevok has suddenly turned friendly. Domination worked!
I turn him against Melissan, even though his attacks are worthless. Maybe she'll snuff him in retaliation.
Melissan doesn't take the bait, chasing Blueberry instead. I have Sarevok shift gears and try to pester Yaga-Shura while Blueberry tries to escape Melissan's impressive reach.
Melissan changes her mind! She attacks Imoen instead, wasting her attacks on Imoen's PFMW spell. Blueberry starts casting Hardiness while Poppy joins the fight against Yaga-Shura.
Yaga-Shura takes aim at Sarevok's broken frame. Aerie casts Mass Cure--not to heal Sarevok, but to keep Blueberry's HP up. I know Phase Spiders can die in seconds if they're not taken care of.
Balthazar is back, taking aim at Blueberry though I fail to notice at first. I have Poppy renew her defenses, and make Sarevok waste one of his HLAs. Aerie heals Sarevok as well as Blueberry, but it's not enough to keep Yaga-Shura from pulverizing our brother.
Melissan is down! Whenever her allies drop, she gets knocked out for a moment and suffers 100 damage. Much fun.
Better yet, we have an opening.
Balthazar's MR is down, and Aerie is just a few steps away. We blast him with Skull Trap... only to see him scurry away, chasing Poppy, whom he knocked aside with another Smite effect. Even more disappointing is Yaga-Shura's inexplicable immunity to magic damage.
Poppy returns the favor to Balthazar, slamming him to the edge of the map with Smite and hurling bullets at him while he's out. Melissan activates Greater Whirlwind Attack, and destroys our Planetar before it can use its instant-casting Heal spell to recover.
Laosha has recovered his Domination ability and tries to charm Melissan and Yaga-Shura. Far up north, Imoen casts Project Image at a safe distance so she can bring out a new Planetar.
But SI: Abjuration and SI: Divination apparently aren't enough to keep her clone alive. It seems that Imoen herself also needs SI: Divination if she's within range of True Sight.
Laosha's PFMW is long gone by now. Melissan takes advantage of his vulnerability. I wasn't expecting her to go so far out of her way to pounce on him.
Teleport Field would be my normal rescue option for this situation. But Melissan is immune. I have Aerie try to rescue Laosha with the Rod of Resurrection.
It works!
Laosha is injured, but he breaks free of the pause effect and makes his getaway. Far to the west, Poppy is pummeling Balthazar, who has been stubbornly refusing to die.
Blueberry, holding off Yaga-Shura, discovers that he can drain Strength and slow his victims as well.
She has to switch from the Girdle of Bluntness to the Girdle of Stone Giant Strength, lest Yaga-Shura trap her. While Blueberry and Laosha run for their lives, Poppy slays Balthazar, injuring Melissan and knocking her out once more.
We need a new Planetar to keep our party healed and safe. Imoen casts Project Image again, but this time she doesn't bother with SI: Divination or SI: Abjuration. She just hauls out the Planetar instead, ensuring that we get it up and running before True Seeing robs us of another Project Image clone.
Melissan goes after Poppy--a bad move on her part, considering Poppy is our most durable party member. Melissan's absence ensures that Laosha survives long enough to leap into our Planetar's arms.
Only Yaga-Shura and Sendai remain. I need Poppy to help bring down Yaga-Shura, which means luring Melissan back to the rest of the group. Melissan rejoins us on the main platform and blasts us with Unleash.
Aerie's Improved Haste spell is not there to improve our damage output; it's to keep Blueberry alive. Blueberry's THAC0 is barely below zero due to the Phase Spider's low proficiency limits and -5 penalty to hit and damage when not using its natural weapon; she's barely dealing any damage to begin with. That slow effect was keeping Blueberry from running, but more importantly, it cut Blueberry's potions per round in half, and increased the chance that her Hardiness spell or a healing spell would get disrupted.
On the plus side, Blueberry's recent beatings have given her excellent Lightning Reflexes bonuses. Melissan actually has trouble hitting her.
She's still vulnerable, but at least now she can drink a potion every round to save herself...
...at least, until she gets disabled.
We have a bigger problem. Melissan begins to cast Time Stop.
That's what Focus is for! I have Poppy cast it.
But Melissan beats the casting time.
We're in big trouble. Melissan gets 3 rounds of automatic attacks. She gets to work.
But she doesn't fuss with Poppy at all.
Apparently Poppy's slashing resistance is at 105 thanks to her Barbarian kit bonuses, the Defender of Easthaven, Hardiness, and the evil-aligned Ascension bonus from slaying the Ravager. Melissan knew not to bother attacking Poppy.
Blueberry's death is merely a temporary setback. Yaga-Shura is already nearly dead. We take him down and bring back Blueberry while Melissan is stunned from the loss of Yaga-Shura.
Melissan's only remaining ally is Sendai, who is utterly defenseless. We crush the drow and Melissan hits the floor. While she's down, Imoen begins casting Improved Alacrity to lower Melissan's MR.
Then this happens.
In these situations I prefer to replicate the event instead. First, I destroy everything on the map that did not make it to Sendai's death, including my own summons.
Melissan declares the final phase open. She gates in some of her buddies and restores her defenses. Right before combat begins, I remember to remove Blueberry's armor, since she was unable to re-equip it after she died.
Doesn't that still leave us with more scrolls and potions than we're supposed to have, if I had fought through the battle again normally? Yes, but I won't be needing them anyway.
Doesn't that still leave us with longer buff durations than we're supposed to have? Yes, but it won't matter. Melissan will be dead long before any of our buffs start running out, and even if my spellcasters actually get chunked midway through the fight, it won't save Melissan from her fate. Melissan's only hope was the Five. With them gone, she is doomed.
Poppy is the beginning and the end of this fight. She always has been.
We slaughter her friends. She tries to kill our Planetar, but it survives the beating, though just barely.
Melissan goes after our spellcasters and Laosha. They flee to the north, triggering Symbol spells that we lost in the previous fight, but which cannot affect any of us anyway.
We take our positions. Aerie casts PFMW, though it only lasts 2 rounds, so we can stop running.
We start pummeling her with Pierce Shield spells and Pierce Magic charges from the Wand of Spell Striking, lowering Melissan's MR.
Then, she turns friendly. Laosha's Domination worked!
This really isn't very useful to us, to be honest. Pierce Shield can't touch Melissan while she's friendly.
Still, she flickers red now and then, so magic attacks have a chance of making contact. After Melissan restores her Spell Trap and Absolute Immunity spells, we manage to debuff her.
Notice that our Planetar needs to roll a 20 to hit Melissan. Planetars can't deal with everything; their THAC0 isn't strong enough.
We waste more Pierce Shield spells, and end up using the charm effect simply to break down her Stoneskins without retaliation.
I consider waiting out Domination instead, but it doesn't matter. Almost nothing matters by this point. I just want to make our victory as crushing as I possibly can.
How do I do that? I nail Melissan with Greater Malison and start emptying the Wand of Paralyzation on her.
She makes her saves a few times, but it can't last forever. We paralyze Melissan with the one wand I always forget to use.
Even after she's stunned, I use the wand again and again, just because I can. She is helpless.
Eventually I set aside the wand, but I don't relent. We keep attacking her until finally the Solar says we've made our point. Melissan demands to keep fighting. She lost long ago.
I planned on having Poppy become a god, if only to give Cyric somebody to play with. But I have grown weary of this run, and so I choose mortality, so that Poppy's struggles may come to an end.
Victory.
Green Souls are indeed stronger than Red Souls. Buffing spells and disablers are more impactful than spell damage overall. Still, the difference isn't that extreme, and both kits are quite balanced, as duration and damage are about equally important for mages. If we extended the Green Soul kit's disadvantages to decrease weapon damage as well as spell damage, then the kit would also be rather balanced for multi-classed and dual-classed mages (balancing the Red Soul kit for multi-classes would be more complicated). Ironically, the most balanced kits I've ever designed are those with the fewest features.
The Phase Spider kit isn't as strong as it should be. Fighter kits are very reliant on the strength of their weapons, and Phase Spiders are terrible with weapons. I need to strengthen their speed and durability as well as their damage output. Blueberry consistently underperformed Poppy, Keldorn, and Sarevok in the later stages of the game, as their weapons improved while Blueberry's natural weapon stayed stagnant.
The most powerful kit, however, was always our Barbarian, Poppy. I must reverse my verdict on Berserkers and Barbarians: although Berserkers have the distinct advantage of being able to dual-class to mages, the Barbarian scales better at higher levels. Damage resistances matter more as the enemy gets better APR and THAC0, while the Barbarian's rage ability's weaker duration matters less as it gains more castings and its saving throws improve. The Berserker's advantage is likely more limited to early SoA and all of BG1, when those factors have not come into effect (and when that extra 15 HP and extra few rounds of immunities are so much stronger).
With 105% physical damage resistance under Hardiness (which Poppy could have active for 70 rounds), subzero saving throws, and strong damage output with a variety of weapons, Poppy likely could have soloed most of the Ascension battle had her companions fallen earlier on.
That long-running sense of invincibility took a lot of the drama out of the game. She never seemed to be in any danger, and I seldom had to develop any new strategies or contingency plans for dealing with bad situations.
It may be time to start degrading my party's power. Knowing that Melissan is powerless to stop you does not make for very exciting or insightful gameplay.
The other one is a solo Legacy of Bhaal mode run with an Illusionist/Thief. I actually quit shortly after hitting 6 million XP and have no plans for continuing, as the rest of the game (which would take a very long time) would boil down to (1) waiting for my Planetar to kill everything, (2) using Time Trap and an Enchanted Weapon-boosted Chaos Blade or Mind Flayer form to kill enemies using stat drain, or (3) having Project Image clones cast Improved Alacrity followed by Power Word: Blind on self and a long string of Spike Traps, to deal with enemies I didn't want to kill with stat drain. Without an XP cap and with a max level of 50, it would indeed be possible to memorize enough Spike Traps to kill even SCS dragons in LoB (though just barely).
Our Illusionist/Thief was Viora. Getting her to 6 million XP was quite the chore, but since I finally enabled the full XP bonuses of LoB mode (previously I only enabled bonus XP for kills; not for quests), it made the process a lot faster. Important details of the run:
1. Viora memorized lots of monster summoning spells in Chateau Irenicus--not to fight the enemy, but to distract them. This, combined with a Blindness spell against a mephit, allowed her to sneak away from the enemies. Getting through LoB Chateau Irenicus as a solo character at 89,000 XP is most practical using stealth; the limited rests impose big limits on actually fighting the enemy. I got lucky in the Mephit Portal room, summoning three monsters with Monster Summoning I when I might have only gotten one.
2. Due to having LoB bonuses for quest XP and opening locks and disarming traps, we could gain levels much faster in Athkatla without having to deal with many tough monsters.
3. We relied heavily on summoning spells in Athkatla, but had to nab the Efreeti Bottle in order to have a summons that could help us in the Temple Ruins (the Efreeti uses a magical weapon; ogrillons and kobold summons do not). The Non-Detection spell helped us stay hidden, though Oracle apparently dispels it (without revealing the character, however, much like a Spell Shield for divination magic).
4. Viora only had to make one save vs. spell against a triple Chaos Spell Trigger when she was fleeing from a Temple Ruins lich. SCS mages apparently do not know that putting the same spell in a sequencer or trigger does not force multiple saving throws.
5. I used the Fireball trap trick to kill Rayic Gethras, which I'd never tried before. You repeatedly trigger one of the traps near Ray-Ray, hurling multiple Fireballs at both of you. If you're immune to fire, you can Fireball Ray-Ray to death in safety.
6. Protection from Normal Weapons and Protection from Normal Missiles allowed me to tank the enemies in the slaver compound despite their huge collective APR, giving me enough time to slay them with the spider form attack from Polymorph Self, which deals 18 poison damage per hit over 6 rounds. Protection from Normal Weapons and spider form also helped me take down Pai'Na. Her spiders have the deadliest poison in the game, dealing 150 damage in 30 seconds on normal, or 300 in LoB mode, but are constrained by their poor THAC0 and 1 APR. LoB, of course, doubles that APR and makes them last much, much longer. A Protection from Poison scroll would also have been a good idea, but immunity to normal weapons also works.
7. For the first time ever, I actually used Mislead for something besides stacking bard songs or endless backstabs. I had heard that sending your Mislead clone away from the enemy's field of vision would render enemies unable to target you, but had never tried it before. Apparently it works very well, though it only lasts so long in LoB mode when fights drag on for turns and turns. Now and then I brought my Mislead clone into view so the enemy could try to reveal me. Mislead gave me the attack power I needed to slay enemies immune to the spider form's poison damage, as I could backstab in Flind form. It was also very useful against Mae'Var.
8. Once I got Use Any Item and a Time Trap, I went to snatch the Chaos Blade from Haer'dalis. Rather than fight through the Planar Prison to get the thing, I just killed Haer'dalis himself. I thought I could use the Chaos Blade with UAI because it lacks the "restrict item" opcode, but apparently there's some other hardcoded thing that makes it unavailable. So, I created a custom duplicate that Viora could use, simulating having whatever mod makes NPC-only items usable with UAI in EE.
9. The Chaos Blade let me slay enemies using DEX drain. It was my only way of dealing with enemies who were immune to both poison and backstabs (like golems).
10. I got the Staff of Thunder and Lightning from the druid grove questline and used its lightning bolts via a Vhailor's Helm simulacrum. It was really helpful, until I realized (correctly?) that I shouldn't have gotten that staff, as I killed Faldorn with CTRL-Y to simulate having Cernd do it for me.
11. Time Traps also let me deal tremendous amounts of poison damage without fear of retribution. Each Time Trap would grant about 144 poison damage with Improved Haste active.
12. I used a Protection from Undead scroll to get past the liches of the Temple Ruins (I still nearly died to a Horrid Wilting spell, though) and summoned a Nabassu to weaken the Shade Lord, whom I eventually killed with Pierce Magic, Lower Resistance, and the Wand of Fire I got from Rayic Gethras' place.
13. I used Summon Fiend and Mislead to slay Shadow Thieves until I finally got Summon Planetar, which trashed Aran Linvail and Mencar Pebblecrusher's group.
I never got around to using the blind thief trick, despite having a fun plan for it, because I hit a base save vs. spell of 1 very early, making Viora immune to Blindness. Normally, the blind thief trick is only really viable in a party, because a solo character is starved of information when he or she is blind, but by casting Non-Detection on my cat familiar, I could have a safely invisible Wizard Eye active whenever I wanted.
I had a solid strategy: I would use Valygar as a tank to absorb Death Gaze and lure the demon over to the bridge leading to the sphere, where some very precisely placed Skull Traps (6 of them; I didn't rest to get more) would soften him up for further Skull Traps and Cone of Cold spells. But the demon survived while Valygar perished, and the demon managed to get in a Death Gaze. Charname failed her save and her Mirror Image spells and Stoneskins weren't enough to keep her alive. A pre-cast PFMW spell would have worked wonders.
I'd like to do another poverty run, but this one was very specially designed. I had a caster-based party, taking advantage of the fact that NPCs come with higher-level spells already scribed (Jan has Project Image; Edwin has Power Word: Blind). This allowed me to have lots of arcane magic without needing scrolls, though it meant Edwin had no Stoneskin and neither he nor Jan had Spell Immunity (and none of the NPCs get PFMW). I even had big plans for ToB: Jan could give us potions with Alchemy and could lay Spike Traps mid-combat thanks to Edwin's PW: Blind, Jaheira could tank in Earth Elemental form with Hardiness for 90% damage resistance, and if we got Nalia in ToB instead of SoA, she'd have lots of high-level spells already scribed.
I might continue it as a minimal reload run, but it's very sad that it couldn't go on as a no-reload (I don't have the patience to restart). I was having a lot of fun with those characters. Losing spell picks forced me to rely on a more limited selection of spells.
Our Charname was a sorcerer named Espellier, though I didn't much like the idea of a sorcerer in a poverty run (it's the standard character for such a run). Nothing too unusual about her spell picks, aside from picking up Cone of Cold as my second level 5 spell. Now that Sunfire doesn't bypass MR in EE, it's not necessarily the best damage spell, and loot destruction from cold damage is irrelevant in poverty runs. Plus, few SCS mages come buffed against cold damage.
Without weapons, Polymorph Self was one of the few means of dealing damage to opponents with spell protections and MR. The spider form's natural attack poisons the target without a save (18 damage over 36 seconds), and was crucial to our success on multiple occasions. Against normal enemies, Web and Skull Trap were enough to disable and destroy them. Against mages with MGOI, we had to use Greater Malison, Chaos, Cone of Cold, and spider form. Against mages with PFMW, we had no real offensive options, and had to wait out their buffs instead.
We were extremely vulnerable throughout the run. Without items to boost our AC and saves, we had to rely on Improved Invisibility and similar spells to stay afloat. Without any healing potions until Jan gathered enough XP to use Alchemy, we had almost no safeguards against bad luck, and Mass Cure (the only healing spell that could bypass our invisibility and spell protections) took up the same spell slots as Chaotic Commands, Insect Plague, Ironskins, and Greater Command.
Our options were extremely limited in general. Putting aside the lack of weapons and potions and armor and everything else, Edwin, Aerie, and Jan are all void of any magic attacks. No Spell Thrust, Secret Word, Breach, Pierce Magic, Ruby Ray of Reversal, Warding Whip, or Pierce Shield. Aerie was the only one with Spell Immunity, so our buffs were always vulnerable to Remove Magic.
I'm sure it's feasible to do a no-reload SCS poverty run using NPC mages, but it vastly weakens the party, as NPC mages don't get the best spell picks for SCS (namely, Spell Immunity, PFMW, debuffers, and almost all high-level spells).
Nitty-gritty details of the run:
1. I used Minsc and his stealth to activate the Sewage Golem, saving us lots of HP from fighting through Duergar. He was able to hide around a corner before getting killed by the Mineral Mephit nearby, but we didn't really need him to begin with. He went on to take down one of the Duergar in the corridor north of the Otyugh room before getting himself killed (without any items, he's got 9 AC, after all).
2. We ignored Ilyich and instead moved on to the Mephit Portal room. Yoshimo's traps all failed, so we used him as a decoy while Jaheira and a summoned Worg from Imoen destroyed the Mephit Portals. We snuck through the rest of the dungeon.
3. We ditched Yoshimo and picked up Aerie and Jan. Espellier's Webs disabled most of the enemies while Jan poisoned Suna Seni in spider form and Jaheira zapped her with Call Lightning.
4. Once Jaheira hit level 9, I raised Minsc from the dead and booted him from the party. As usual, I killed Prebek and Sanasha with spider form. I also used Insect Plague, as PB and Sasha are one of the few SCS mages that never buff with Fire Shields. After Xzar's quest, Jaheira's questline triggered and we had to visit the Harper Hold. But we weren't prepared for a fight with Galvarey, so we entered while invisible and fled the place after the dialogue, before the fight could begin.
5. To complete Mae'Var's questline, we had to deal with Rayic Gethras and also enter the Sea's Bounty Tavern. I re-used the Fireball trap trick on Ray-Ray (Espellier had the Protection from Fire spell to buff the party, though this was mostly for Comets and Dragon's Breath spells) and killed Jaheira before entering the tavern to avoid triggering the Baron Ployer questline, which is an irritating mess.
6. After getting Edwin, we tackled Mae'Var. Edwin nearly got slain by backstabs due to not having Stoneskin (a major weakness due to our lack of items, including scrolls), while Jan died to backstabs despite having Stoneskin due to poor luck. Mavis failed a save against Chaos and lost his spells for a few rounds before succumbing to Edwin's poison (Edwin also comes with Polymorph Self in his spellbook).
7. With both Jan and Jaheira dead and Aerie still at cleric level 8, we couldn't raise any of our party members and had to gather XP with only three characters. We used Animate Dead, Skull Trap, Spiritual Weapon, and Magic Missile to fight our way through the Temple Ruins, though Espellier nearly died to a Shadow Fiend before Aerie rescued her from paralysis with Free Action. We also had to flee from a Bone Golem twice when we lacked the physical damage output to handle them.
8. We disabled the Shade Lord and his cronies with Web and blasted them all with Skull Trap, using Aerie, under the effects of MGOI, as our tank. We slew the Shade Lord himself with Spiritual Weapon, Minute Meteors, and Edwin's Fireballs while he was webbed.
9. Aerie hit level 9 and raised both Jan and Jaheira. Jaheira told us to return to the Harper Hold, since we apparently do need to kill Galvarey. I bent the rules of the poverty run and spent 5000 gold to buy a magic license to give us a few extra rounds of buff duration before the fight with Galvarey (otherwise we'd have to buff at Ray-Ray's house and run over to the Harper Hold, costing us several seconds). We disabled some of the Harpers with Chaos, poisoned both mages, blasted a Kensai and a thief with Cone of Cold, and then failed three saves against Chaos, leaving only Jan and Edwin still functioning. While both sides were confused, Edwin killed the Kensai with a Flame Arrow and Jan kept poisoning the enemy mages while Edwin tacked on spell damage to Galvarey and the other fighters.
10. We killed Amalas and the Copper Coronet slavers using Cone of Cold and Fireball, but failed to bring down the Trolls in the Druid Grove with the same strategy. Webs and Skull Trap were enough to kill the druids, however, and let us complete the Trademeet questline.
11. When we got back to Trademeet, however, Reviane and the other Harpers ambushed us. We turned invisible and ran. Reviane sees through invisibility, but her followers cannot, so invisibility let us kill Reviane with spell damage as we fled. We could then fight her allies when their buffs had worn off.
12. Espellier nearly died to a critical hit from a Watcher's Keep Troll, but slipped away at the last moment. The last bit of XP brought Edwin to level 12, allowing him to wipe out the De'Arnise Hold Trolls with Death Spell. We stopped short of killing TorGal, as I wasn't sure if we could handle him.
13. Moving on to the Windspear Hills, we walked around the trigger for the vampire spawns and killed Samia et al with Web and Chain Lightning. Without any weapons, we had to use Greater Malison and Hold Monster to kill the Greater Wolfweres over multiple rests, as otherwise their regeneration was too strong to overcome. Conster died to Jan's traps, which was a tad disappointing. Naturally, we left Firkraag well alone.
14. I accidentally entered the Graveyard District without killing Edwin. The moment we entered the area, he asked us to grab the Nether scroll. I don't know if he leaves the party if you put it off forever, so I had to fight Nevaziah. To overcome Nevaziah's numerous damage spells, I brought Korgan into the party, buffed him with Protection from Fire, and used him as a tank to absorb some of the lich's spells, alongside some cheap summons. Despite a Heal from Jaheira and no Remove Magic from Nevaziah to render him vulnerable to Incendiary Cloud, Korgan still couldn't survive the lich's spells, because I accidentally tried to use Enrage while Korgan was fatigued. The net result? Korgan failed a save against Dragon Fear and couldn't run away to our Nymphs for a Mass Cure to save his life. Once Nevaziah's spells finally ran out, we just had to whomp on him until he expired. Getting close to him imposes cumulative THAC0 penalties, so you need critical hits unless you have very tough fighters in the group.
15. I added Valygar to the group and entered the Planar Sphere. We killed Mogadish with a scorcher loop and some Magic Missiles (Aerie and Edwin both come with Minor Spell Turning, and Espellier provided the Agannazar's Scorcher and Protection from Fire spells), while Kayardi failed a save against Hold Monster.
16. Lavok was much tougher. Espellier's Cone of Cold spells disrupted some of Lavok's spells, but they quickly ran out. We baited him with summons, but those ran low as well. Finally, we broke out some Fire Seeds we had been saving (everyone in the party had 20; they persist after the duration if you drop them on the ground) and attacked Lavok, but failed to do any damage due to his immunity to fire. We might have broken through his Stoneskin, but Fire Seeds don't do any physical damage, which means we couldn't deal any real damage to disrupt his spells. Lavok killed Aerie with Horrid Wilting, Jan with Sphere of Chaos, Edwin with another Horrid Wilting, and Jaheira with Flame Arrow. Only after all that did his weapon immunity buffs run out. Espellier could then slay him with Minute Meteors.
17. Without either Jaheira or Aerie, we couldn't cast Harper's Call or Raise Dead. We'd have to complete the quest with Espellier and Valygar alone. The only thing we could do to block the Tanar'ri's Death Gaze was Barkskin to improve our saves vs. death, and our only means of killing the demon were Skull Traps and Cones of Cold. I tried to lure the demon into a set of 6 Skull Traps, but it survived them and paralyzed Espellier. It killed her right before Death Gaze expired. PFMW could have saved her, but I didn't think to cast it.
18. The next time around, I laid even more Skull Traps out, but it still didn't kill the Tanar'ri, and Espellier failed another save against Death Gaze. Finally I discovered that the bridge to the sphere was a convenient choke point. I lured the demon in and hurled Skull Traps and Cones of Cold at it. It successfully paralyzed Espellier several times, but could not get close enough to hit her. The demon expired right before Espellier ran out of spells. She cast Invisibility and walked right past Tolgerias and all the other enemies of the area, activating the sphere's engine alone.
19. To get back our party members without using a temple, we had to boot Valygar from the party and recruit Viconia to raise everybody instead. We finally took down the Shadow Thieves using Chaos and damage spells, and Aran Linvail himself failed a save against Hold Monster.
20. We were making excellent progress against Draug Fea et al when Espellier failed a save against Prismatic Spray. I decided to call it quits.
1) first and foremost, I have never completed a trilogy no-reload run;
2) I've got so used to multiclass combinations that nearly have forgotten how singleclass feel in-game;
3) In all my runs I've never skipped resurrection of companions, so that closer to mid BG1, the number of resurrections has always hit 10 or 15 times, too much to my taste;
4) SoD... the time has come to try no-reloading it.
The 5th secret reason - it's time to support semiticgod's efforts in this thread).
One additional factor - I would like to see how a nerfed version of an Assassin post 2.0 feels in-game.
Basing my intents on these factors, I've given a go to a trilogy no-reload run with 5 generated party members and 1 slot for NPCs. A death for a generated party member will mean a need to create the character anew, without experience (@semiticgod style). A death for an NPC will mean a need to get a new NPC (with the preference for singleclass NPCs).
The WeiDU log (no improved shapeshifting but pre-battle casting is enabled, at least in BG1):
// Log of Currently Installed WeiDU Mods
// The top of the file is the 'oldest' mod
// ~TP2_File~ #language_number #component_number // [Subcomponent Name -> ] Component Name [ : Version]
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #1000 // Initialise mod (all other components require this): v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #1910 // Protection from Normal Missiles also blocks Arrows of Fire/Cold/Acid and similar projectiles without pluses: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2010 // More consistent Breach spell (always affects liches and rakshasas; doesn't penetrate Spell Turning): v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2020 // Antimagic attacks penetrate improved invisibility: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2030 // Iron Skins behaves like Stoneskin (can be brought down by Breach): v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2120 // Slightly weaken insect plague spells, and let fire shields block them: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2150 // Make spell sequencers, spell triggers, and contingencies learnable by all mages: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #3010 // Replace +1 arrows with nonmagical "fine" ones: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #3030 // Re-introduce potions of extra-healing: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4000 // Faster Bears: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4010 // Grant large, flying, non-solid or similar creatures protection from Web and Entangle: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4030 // Improved shapeshifting: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4040 // Make party members less likely to die irreversibly: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4110 // Allow NPC pairs to separate: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4120 // NPCs go to inns: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4130 // Move NPCs to more convenient locations: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5050 // Stackable ankheg shells, winterwolf pelts and wyvern heads: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5060 // Ensure Shar-Teel doesn't die in the original challenge: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5900 // Initialise AI components (required for all tactical and AI components): v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6000 // Smarter general AI: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6010 // Better calls for help: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6030 // Smarter Mages -> Mages cast some short-duration spells instantly at start of combat, to simulate pre-battle casting: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6040 // Smarter Priests -> Priests cast some short-duration spells instantly at start of combat, to simulate pre-battle casting: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6102 // Potions for NPCs -> Half the potions dropped by slain enemies break and are lost: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6200 // Improved Spiders: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6300 // Smarter sirines and dryads: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6310 // Slightly harder carrion crawlers: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6320 // Smarter basilisks: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7000 // Improved doppelgangers: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7010 // Tougher Black Talons and Iron Throne guards: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7020 // Improved deployment for parties of assassins: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7030 // Dark Side-based kobold upgrade: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7040 // Relocated bounty hunters: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7050 // Improved Ulcaster: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7060 // Improved Balduran's Isle: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7070 // Improved Durlag's Tower: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7080 // Improved Demon Cultists: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7090 // Improved Cloakwood Druids: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7100 // Improved Bassilus: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7110 // Improved Drasus party: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7130 // Improved Red Wizards: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7140 // Improved Undercity party: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7200 // Tougher chapter-two end battle: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7210 // Tougher chapter-three end battle: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7220 // Tougher chapter-four end battle: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7230 // Tougher chapter-five end battle: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7250 // Improved final battle: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7900 // Improved minor encounters: v30
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #50 // Avatar Morphing Script: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #60 // Weapon Animation Tweaks: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #100 // Commoners Use Drab Colors: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #110 // Icon Improvements: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #182 // Unique Containers -> Unique icons and names: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #190 // Use Character Colors Instead of Item Colors -> For all shields and helmets: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1080 // Add Bags of Holding: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2090 // Change Experience Point Cap -> Remove Experience Cap: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2192 // Limit Ability of Storekeepers to Identify Items -> Hybrid of Both Methods: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2360 // Remove Racial Restrictions for Single Classes: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2380 // Remove Racial Restrictions for Kits: Beta 4
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3200 // Sellable Items (Icelus): Beta 4
Meet the crew (non min-maxed):
Mortuus, an elf sorcerer (12-14-16-18-16)
Woden, a dwarven defender (18/89-15-19-12-9-7)
Uzume, a halfling priest of Tyr (10-19-10-16-18-14)
Karasu no Yoru, an elf assassin (14-19-12-14-9-16)
Yahiko, a half-elf totemic druid (yes, Yahiko!) (13-9-13-12-18-15)
We breezed through Candlekeep.
Upon arriving to Beregost, we dealt with Karlat.
Helping Viconia brought an armour for out tank.
After that we helped Neera to defeat a bunch of thayan mercenaries. Their wizard failed his saving throw against Command which basically granted a victory to us.
Neera will use only wands (there're plenty of them in BG1) and Identify spell - no risks taken in a no-reload game.
We found Whistling sword for our thief to improve his backstabs.
Poison from our assassin blocked first Bassilus' castings, then we managed to command and blind him. He didn't resist long.
The first level up became available - Karasu got 4/6 hps.
Melicamp was lucky this time and survived the Antichickenator spell, which brought the second level up - Uzume got 4/8 hps.
Upon reporting to Kelddath Ormlyr about Bassilus, Yahiko and Woden reached their second levels (6/8 and 12/17 hps respectively).
With the generous reward from Kelddath Ormlyr, we bought our first solid equipment - a full plate, a short bow +1, a sling +1 and 10 arrows of Biting.
Time came to visit the Friendly Arm Inn. A fetishist ogre was taken down thanks to Command and Blindness.
As soon as Tarnesh finished talking, Uzume began casting Command, while Yahiko called to summon a spirit snake.
Tarnesh failed his saving throw against Command, and then the poison by Karasu finished his life.
We dealt with hobgoblins who had stolen the Joia's ring. One of hobgoblins carried a rare bolt (bolt of polymorphing), more precious than the ring.
Then we cleared the Landrin's house in Beregost from spiders. Karasu got the 3rd level (5/6 hps) and Mortuus also got an upgrade (4/6 hps).
As you see, I didn't want to follow the general basilisk route to gather XP. Instead, I concentrated on areas related to those the party had visited because of the quests gained.
For the next step, we defeated the half-ogres as Bjornin had asked us. Uzume reached the 3rd level (7/8 hps).
When we reached Nashkel and wanted to rest in a tavern, we had to fight an assassin instead. Neira couldn't save against Command, then Mortuus blinded her, and even held Woden was not in danger after that.
We visited Nashkel carnival, and in one of tents a thief managed to pickpocket us. We were fast enough not to let him disappear without consequencies.
In another tent, we found a male mage threatening to a woman wizard. We insulted him to save the woman and dispatched the tyrant. Silence from Uzume helped here to stop any casting of this mage.
Neera levelled up, getting 4/4 hps.
When we travelled to the Nashkel Mines, we were ambushed by a bunch of bandits. Two of them nearly ended this run prematurely, as Mortuus was hit at 9 of his overall 10 hps.
Still, the sorcerer survived, and the bandits paid their price.
Not far away from the Mines entrance, we decided to help a local skulptor, Prism, and protected him from a bounty hunter. Greywolf failed his saving throw against Spook, and then Uzume managed to Command him. Later he was blinded and poisoned.
Prism was very grateful to us but unfortunately died from exhaustion. Because of the reward, Yahiko and Woden reached the 3rd level (getting 5/8 and 17/17 hps respectively). Although Woden is a dwarven defender, he will still specialize in flails taking SoA in mind.
With a full-plate and a large shield +1 Woden was an excellent tank against hordes of kobolds in the mines (even with his 15 DEX). He activated Defensive Stance when surrounded by enemies.
The fight against Mulahey started as usual, but the half-orc resisted against Blindness and Command. Neera used Necklace of Missiles against arriving kobolds and skeletons. After that she even managed to interrupt Mulahey's casting. At last, Mulahey didn't save against Command and asked for surrender. We refused, and the fight resumed. Mulahey saved against Hold Person, while kobolds didn't. After several attempts, Mortuus blinded the half-orc, then Karasu poisoned him, and the battle was won.