There is a trick whereby you can attack and kill people in Candlekeep and then walk up to Gorion without him killing you outright. You need to be a cleric for this to work.
Of course you can't speak to him - and he will kill you once the Sanctuary spell wears off...
If you murder Imoen, she will briefly turn up after the ambush and speak the line "Heya, it's me Imoen" - and then disappear as if she suddenly remembered she was dead.
If you kill Firebead, he won't be present in Beregost.
I haven't checked if all of Candlekeep is hostile in Chapter 6 if you start out the game this way.
Bioware team dedicated a moment to players such as yourself.
FTFY.
That itself is a fact worthy of this thread, since so many people seem to be mistaken: the Baldur's Gate series was made by Bioware, not Black Isle. BIS did IWD and PS:T.
Bioware team dedicated a moment to players such as yourself.
FTFY.
That itself is a fact worthy of this thread, since so many people seem to be mistaken: the Baldur's Gate series was made by Bioware, not Black Isle. BIS did IWD and PS:T.
Yes, I know. What you don't know (probably) is that back then Bioware forums where non-existant in regard to BG2. The gaming community concentrated on 2 boards, those of Interplay and Black Isle Studios. The Bondari reloads moment was made after way too many similar threads were made about the same subject, how to ruin your game. It was basically a slap in the face of those players. Back then BIS gathered all of the IE games community.
Even more so, there are some hidden jokes the developers played on active members of BIS community like the NPC party you can fight in level 2 from Den of the Seven Vales. Those 5 NPCs had their names taken directly from members of BIS community.
Bioware team dedicated a moment to players such as yourself.
FTFY.
That itself is a fact worthy of this thread, since so many people seem to be mistaken: the Baldur's Gate series was made by Bioware, not Black Isle. BIS did IWD and PS:T.
Yes, I know. What you don't know (probably) is that back then Bioware forums where non-existant in regard to BG2...
My mistake. I was active in the BIS boards but never participated in the no-reload threads, so I mistakenly assumed you were one of the many folks referring to BG as a Black Isle game. Sorry, didn't realize it was a forum reference.
Kai's bonuses depend on your base weapon damage dice. A 1d4 roll, for example, deals 2.5 damage on average. A maximum roll does 4, which is 1.5 higher than the average. It applies for 10 seconds, which means it will affect up to two whole rounds of attacks depending on your speed factor.
These are the real damage bonuses that you will get from Kai for each type of dice roll:
Darts (only usable if you're a Kensai/Thief): 1d3 Kai: +1 damage
Daggers: 1d4 Kai: +1.5 damage
War hammers: 1d4+1 Kai: +1.5 damage
Short swords, spears, staffs: 1d6 Kai: +2.5 damage
Flails, maces: 1d6+1 Kai: +2.5 damage
Bastard swords (depends on game version), Firetooth +3 (not to be confused with the +4 crossbow), Crom Faeyr: 2d4 Kai: +3 damage
Assuming you land every hit, which is only guaranteed midway through BG2:
1. In BG1, a level 7 Kensai using Varscona will have 2 attacks per round and will therefore deal about 13.5-18 more damage from a single use of Kai. With Haste, Kai should deal 18-22.5 more damage.
2. In SoD, a level 9 Kensai using the Crimson Blade will have 2.5 attacks per round and will therefore deal 18-22.5 more damage, or maybe 27 when hasted.
3. In BG2, a level 13 Kensai dual-wielding Belm and Celestial Fury will have 5 attacks per round and will therefore deal 43 more damage, or maybe 86 with Improved Haste.
4. In ToB, a level 20+ Kensai who switches to the Flail of Ages +5 and Belm will deal 38 more damage, or 76 under Improved Haste.
Kai is a minor boost until you get speed weapons in BG2.
So as a comparison, a Berserker (assuming all attacks hit) deals a constant +20 damage per APR for the duration of Rage. This means that at 5 APR they are dealing an additional 100 damage.
Keep in mind that at lower levels, when you are NOT likely to hit every time, the +2 THAC0 of Rage means that the advantage of Rage over Kai is even greater.
Yes, though Kensais do get +2 to hit and damage, the same as the benefits of rage, as a constant effect by level 6, and the advantage grows from there. Kensais have superior damage output once they hit level 6.
That said, I do consider Berserkers to have an extremely hefty advantage over Kensais at every stage of the saga. Berserker immunities will block virtually every disabler in existence, and disablers are far more likely to kill you than having slightly lower damage output--not to mention the Berserker's ability to use Arrows of Dispelling and Arrows of Detonation.
My very first post here was about how the music in Brynnlaw is originally from Henry Purcell's opera The Fairy Queen. But I just realized that so is one of the tavern tracks. I've never listened to the whole opera, so maybe there's more.
So as a comparison, a Berserker (assuming all attacks hit) deals a constant +20 damage per APR for the duration of Rage. This means that at 5 APR they are dealing an additional 100 damage.
I'm not sure this is a fair comparison. You're counting the full benefits of rage over 10 rounds against a single kai over less than 2 rounds. If you allow for several kais to be cast over the same period then the equation looks a bit different. Having said that I agree that rage is much better - though as @semiticgod said that's for its defensive benefits rather than offensive.
Just on the offensive benefits though kai is also a lot more useful than a straight damage calculation would suggest - because you can predict very closely how much damage you will do in a given time, which is a great help in many battles. That's perhaps most obviously an advantage for kensai thieves, but is also important for the pure kensai.
Now, another what you don't know. Although, this only works in the original non-baldurized IWD1.
Dual-wield. This was poorly implemented, as a character would only get an extra attack if there was no shield in the off hand. However, while many people understood that you get an extra attack if you use let's say a long sword or a mace, most of them didn't realize that this extra attack was granted simply if the character had no shield. In other words, if you use a 2H sword, you'd also get an extra attack.
It made it possible for the ranger to become an awesome tank so long as she/he uses a 2H sword or a 2h axe, a spear, a quarterstaff or a halberd.
Obviously, in EE this has been fixed, but only by using the BG2 engine, which once again leads me to believe no touching of the source code was made.
And another. One of the most underrated spells in your repertoire. Shocking Grasp.
This spell is level 1 and it has 3 major advantages.
- It always hits. When an enemy gets near your mage/bard, hit it with a shocking grasp. There's no saving throw, although it might be some magic resistance. - Is a Level 1 spell and as such, at medium and high levels is amazingly efficient. Especially for the bard. - Its damage is without a cap. Once again at medium and high levels is amazing.
I could add a 4th. It deals electricity damage. In all IE games almost 90% of the enemies have lousy electricity resistance. You can find plenty of enemies with some resistance from fire, cold or acid, but not from electricity.
And of course, there's a small less known exploit, available only in BG1 (before TuTu or EE) and IWD1. Despite being a touch spell you could hit with it at a medium distance.
If you kill Firebead, he won't be present in Beregost.
I haven't checked if all of Candlekeep is hostile in Chapter 6 if you start out the game this way.
In my set-up prior to EE, if you killed Firebead in Candlekeep you could kill him again in Beregost. I assumed that this was because he was so near to the Temple that resurrecting him was a piece of cake.
With SoD installed, killing Firebead results in death.
In my set-up prior to EE Candlekeep forgets your transgressions in Chapter 1, but you need to leave Candlekeep first. For most characters, that is impossible if Gorion is hostile.
Since Kaishas is only immune to normal weapons any one of her Loup Garou allies (who are immune to non-cold iron weapons) would kill her very quickly in a fight. Especially since their claws hit as though they are +1 weapons.
After killing the Beastmaster in the Copper Coronet, when you take his key back to the cells to free the slaves, you should wait until last before freeing Hendak. When you free him, you receive 7,500 XP and all the slaves are freed. But if you first open the two other cells and speak to the children inside, you get 2,500 XP for each, plus the 7,500 XP you then get for freeing Hendak.
Methild's Harp from the mind flayer city is one of the only things that can cure stun in the entire game. It can be used three times per day and, unlike other cures, it will not be blocked by invisibility or spell protections of any kind.
In Siege of Dragonspear you can find a "Tome of Ancient Knowledge."
This massive, leatherbound tome is written in some ancient, unknown language beyond your ability to decipher.
Inscribed on a small, weathered piece of parchment pressed inside the front cover are words that are at least comprehensible, if not necessarily helpful: "Sometimes it is wise to think backwards."
This is a reference to the very old adventure game King's Quest. In a witch's house you find a note on a table that says "Sometimes it is wise to think backwards" with no context as to its importance. Later on you encounter a strange man who asks you to guess his name. If you answer "Rumpelstiltskin," he says you are close but not quite right. If you think backwards and answer "Nikstlitslepmur," you are still wrong! Instead, you must answer the name Rumpelstiltskin in a reverse alphabet, where a is z, b is y, c is x, and so on. This puzzle was so cryptic that in a later version of the game the name was changed to just "Nikstlitslepmur."
There's a hidden NPC used by the development team for debugging the game. The name of the NPC is Winona.
The part of the dialog is quite funny: State 1: Hello. I'm Winona, your fairy godmother. How can I assist you? Be careful how you use me. The results may be... unpleasant if you are not careful. Response 1: I need to get Tuff. Response 2: It's all about the Benjamins, baby. Lay some a' that smoov gold on me. Response 3: I'm having a personality crisis. Please change my alignment. Response 4: I have decided to seek new and exciting employment opportunities. Please change my class. Response 5: I'm a race traitor (like Finegan in AvP). Please change my race. Response 6: Genetically engineer me, Winona. Response 7: I'm a warrior. Make me a tough dude and give me rad equipment. Response 8: I'm a thief. Please give me all the nifty thiefly stuff. Also, give me lots of XP. Response 9: I'm a mage. I'm pretty wussy, so I need you to give me lots of XP and cool shit. Response 10: I'm a cleric. Gimme lots o' holy stuff and a whole bunch of XP. Response 11: Make me a woman. Response 12: Make me a man.
Now for some cut content.
Remember Noober in BG1? Aparently, initially in IWD you should have been able to pester Erevain with such questions: State 1: Ooooh! Ooooh! An elf! Are you a Bladesinger? Can you wield two weapons at the same time? Can you dodge Fireballs and sleep upside-down in trees? Ooooh! Ooooh! Tell me you can! Response: GRRRRR. NO! NO! NO! NOOOOOO! Why does everyone keep asking me that?! State 2: Sorry we upset you Mr. Garbage Can. We just want to ask you, is that your natural stench we smell or did you make a mess in your armor because our weapons scared you?
In Siege of Dragonspear you can find a "Tome of Ancient Knowledge."
This massive, leatherbound tome is written in some ancient, unknown language beyond your ability to decipher.
Inscribed on a small, weathered piece of parchment pressed inside the front cover are words that are at least comprehensible, if not necessarily helpful: "Sometimes it is wise to think backwards."
It actually helps you to work out the order of solving a puzzle. Instead of spring, summer, autumn, winter, it is the reverse.
It appears that Use Any Item can once again allow thieves and bards to use NPC-only items like Jan's flashers. I noticed it in my heavily modded EET install and just tested it in my unmodded EE install.
It appears that Use Any Item can once again allow thieves and bards to use NPC-only items like Jan's flashers. I noticed it in my heavily modded EET install and just tested it in my unmodded EE install.
The big question is: Should that be possible or not. IMO that should be the decision of the player.
Comments
Of course you can't speak to him - and he will kill you once the Sanctuary spell wears off...
(I was a bit bored...)
If you murder Imoen, she will briefly turn up after the ambush and speak the line "Heya, it's me Imoen" - and then disappear as if she suddenly remembered she was dead.
If you kill Firebead, he won't be present in Beregost.
I haven't checked if all of Candlekeep is hostile in Chapter 6 if you start out the game this way.
BIS team dedicated a moment to players such as yourself.
It is called, "Bondari reloads..."
That itself is a fact worthy of this thread, since so many people seem to be mistaken: the Baldur's Gate series was made by Bioware, not Black Isle. BIS did IWD and PS:T.
It was basically a slap in the face of those players. Back then BIS gathered all of the IE games community.
Even more so, there are some hidden jokes the developers played on active members of BIS community like the NPC party you can fight in level 2 from Den of the Seven Vales. Those 5 NPCs had their names taken directly from members of BIS community.
These are the real damage bonuses that you will get from Kai for each type of dice roll:
Darts (only usable if you're a Kensai/Thief): 1d3
Kai: +1 damage
Daggers: 1d4
Kai: +1.5 damage
War hammers: 1d4+1
Kai: +1.5 damage
Short swords, spears, staffs: 1d6
Kai: +2.5 damage
Flails, maces: 1d6+1
Kai: +2.5 damage
Bastard swords (depends on game version), Firetooth +3 (not to be confused with the +4 crossbow), Crom Faeyr: 2d4
Kai: +3 damage
Longswords, axes: 1d8
Kai: +3.5 damage
Katanas, two-handed swords, halberds: 1d10
Kai: +4.5 damage
Two-handed axes (IWD only): 1d12
Kai: +5.5 damage
Assuming you land every hit, which is only guaranteed midway through BG2:
1. In BG1, a level 7 Kensai using Varscona will have 2 attacks per round and will therefore deal about 13.5-18 more damage from a single use of Kai. With Haste, Kai should deal 18-22.5 more damage.
2. In SoD, a level 9 Kensai using the Crimson Blade will have 2.5 attacks per round and will therefore deal 18-22.5 more damage, or maybe 27 when hasted.
3. In BG2, a level 13 Kensai dual-wielding Belm and Celestial Fury will have 5 attacks per round and will therefore deal 43 more damage, or maybe 86 with Improved Haste.
4. In ToB, a level 20+ Kensai who switches to the Flail of Ages +5 and Belm will deal 38 more damage, or 76 under Improved Haste.
Kai is a minor boost until you get speed weapons in BG2.
Keep in mind that at lower levels, when you are NOT likely to hit every time, the +2 THAC0 of Rage means that the advantage of Rage over Kai is even greater.
That said, I do consider Berserkers to have an extremely hefty advantage over Kensais at every stage of the saga. Berserker immunities will block virtually every disabler in existence, and disablers are far more likely to kill you than having slightly lower damage output--not to mention the Berserker's ability to use Arrows of Dispelling and Arrows of Detonation.
28:20 - Tavern theme
30:15 - Brynnlaw
Just on the offensive benefits though kai is also a lot more useful than a straight damage calculation would suggest - because you can predict very closely how much damage you will do in a given time, which is a great help in many battles. That's perhaps most obviously an advantage for kensai thieves, but is also important for the pure kensai.
Once you have liberated and taken over the keep, you will find a bunch of fresh graves. Apparently the remaining or new servants have buried the dead.
Dual-wield. This was poorly implemented, as a character would only get an extra attack if there was no shield in the off hand. However, while many people understood that you get an extra attack if you use let's say a long sword or a mace, most of them didn't realize that this extra attack was granted simply if the character had no shield. In other words, if you use a 2H sword, you'd also get an extra attack.
It made it possible for the ranger to become an awesome tank so long as she/he uses a 2H sword or a 2h axe, a spear, a quarterstaff or a halberd.
Obviously, in EE this has been fixed, but only by using the BG2 engine, which once again leads me to believe no touching of the source code was made.
This spell is level 1 and it has 3 major advantages.
- It always hits. When an enemy gets near your mage/bard, hit it with a shocking grasp. There's no saving throw, although it might be some magic resistance.
- Is a Level 1 spell and as such, at medium and high levels is amazingly efficient. Especially for the bard.
- Its damage is without a cap. Once again at medium and high levels is amazing.
I could add a 4th. It deals electricity damage. In all IE games almost 90% of the enemies have lousy electricity resistance. You can find plenty of enemies with some resistance from fire, cold or acid, but not from electricity.
And of course, there's a small less known exploit, available only in BG1 (before TuTu or EE) and IWD1. Despite being a touch spell you could hit with it at a medium distance.
With SoD installed, killing Firebead results in death.
In my set-up prior to EE Candlekeep forgets your transgressions in Chapter 1, but you need to leave Candlekeep first. For most characters, that is impossible if Gorion is hostile.
Inscribed on a small, weathered piece of parchment pressed inside the front cover are words that are at least comprehensible, if not necessarily helpful: "Sometimes it is wise to think backwards."
This is a reference to the very old adventure game King's Quest. In a witch's house you find a note on a table that says "Sometimes it is wise to think backwards" with no context as to its importance. Later on you encounter a strange man who asks you to guess his name. If you answer "Rumpelstiltskin," he says you are close but not quite right. If you think backwards and answer "Nikstlitslepmur," you are still wrong! Instead, you must answer the name Rumpelstiltskin in a reverse alphabet, where a is z, b is y, c is x, and so on. This puzzle was so cryptic that in a later version of the game the name was changed to just "Nikstlitslepmur."
There's a hidden NPC used by the development team for debugging the game. The name of the NPC is Winona.
The part of the dialog is quite funny:
State 1: Hello. I'm Winona, your fairy godmother. How can I assist you? Be careful how you use me. The results may be... unpleasant if you are not careful.
Response 1: I need to get Tuff.
Response 2: It's all about the Benjamins, baby. Lay some a' that smoov gold on me.
Response 3: I'm having a personality crisis. Please change my alignment.
Response 4: I have decided to seek new and exciting employment opportunities. Please change my class.
Response 5: I'm a race traitor (like Finegan in AvP). Please change my race.
Response 6: Genetically engineer me, Winona.
Response 7: I'm a warrior. Make me a tough dude and give me rad equipment.
Response 8: I'm a thief. Please give me all the nifty thiefly stuff. Also, give me lots of XP.
Response 9: I'm a mage. I'm pretty wussy, so I need you to give me lots of XP and cool shit.
Response 10: I'm a cleric. Gimme lots o' holy stuff and a whole bunch of XP.
Response 11: Make me a woman.
Response 12: Make me a man.
Now for some cut content.
Remember Noober in BG1? Aparently, initially in IWD you should have been able to pester Erevain with such questions:
State 1: Ooooh! Ooooh! An elf! Are you a Bladesinger? Can you wield two weapons at the same time? Can you dodge Fireballs and sleep upside-down in trees? Ooooh! Ooooh! Tell me you can!
Response: GRRRRR. NO! NO! NO! NOOOOOO! Why does everyone keep asking me that?!
State 2: Sorry we upset you Mr. Garbage Can. We just want to ask you, is that your natural stench we smell or did you make a mess in your armor because our weapons scared you?
Otoh, if you hit one of the cows in Kuldahar, it says:
Ouch. I mean moooo.