16394 replies to this topic

[Blackraven]

Grond0, doing well and you're very speedy. Best of luck.

Do you have anything to comment on the following issue?

***
At the Temple of Helm I spent 800 gold raising Shar-Teel, for nothing. She was just standing there in a vegetative state, unable to move, speak or even blink her eyes when I asked her to. Boy was I stung. I spent a lot of money on her, and besides to be honest, in those few days we spent together I had really grown to appreciate her.



NOTE: very annoying. If she was perma-dead, why was her portrait still there? Is this a bug that I should be allowed to repair in Shadowkeeper?

[corey_russell]

Looks like a bug to me Blackraven - check shadowkeeper, she may have strange stats (feedlemind or what not)

[Blackraven]

Hey Corey, I think you're right. She got almost all detrimental state flags highlighted, i.e. all deaths (acid, exploding, flame, frozen, etc.) plus other negative effects such as feebleminded, immobile, panic... Seems a bit too much to attribute to a few kobold arrows, no?

I've been going through my weidu-log, and found the following entry:

SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #4050 // Make party members less likely to die irreversibly: v21

Could this have something to do with it? Either way, I didn't install this component to get vegetative NPC instead of permanent deaths. I'm going to uncheck the state flags in Shadowkeeper, raise Shar-Teel and continue with her.
If anyone has a compelling argument as to why Shar-Teel should be considered permamently dead, I'll ditch her.

[Aasim]

Hey Corey, I think you're right. She got almost all detrimental state flags highlighted, i.e. all deaths (acid, exploding, flame, frozen, etc.) plus other negative effects such as feebleminded, immobile, panic... Seems a bit too much to attribute to a few kobold arrows, no?

I've been going through my weidu-log, and found the following entry:

SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #4050 // Make party members less likely to die irreversibly: v21

Could this have something to do with it? Either way, I didn't install this component to get vegetative NPC instead of permanent deaths. I'm going to uncheck the state flags in Shadowkeeper, raise Shar-Teel and continue with her.
If anyone has a compelling argument as to why Shar-Teel should be considered permamently dead, I'll ditch her.

Hardly SCS imo. I don't use that particular tweak (chunking is a part of the game as well ). Note that the more mods (especially of "questionable quality" like NtotSC/DSoTSC you have, chances of buggy game rise drastically). Btw, if you think Chainmail of Firewine is powerful, wait 'till you kill some Cloakwood Druids...and check out their gear.   

[Charlestonian Knight Templar]

If anyone has a compelling argument as to why Shar-Teel should be considered permamently dead, I'll ditch her.

I'm no expert, but if she wasn't permanently chunked, and you have true feelings for the amazon, I see no reason you shouldn't be able to 'fix her' if you have those skills, which I don't.

 

Of course, if you really loved her you'd take her home and care for her even if she is a bedridden 'vegetative NPC ' state.

 

Personally, I think you just want some, 'some MORE good fun together.'  lol  CKT

[Blackraven]

@ Aasim,
- Yes I kind of remember some of the gear in Cloakwood. The archdruid? A really good suit of leather or studded leather, plus the staff that does like 5 or 6d6 extra electrical damage... Would you don an AC1 chainmail of the firwine on your BG1 thief though? I'd consider it if I could oblige myself to use it throughout the entire game up until TOB. Making it something like charname's personal armor (similar to that of Valygar and Keldorn).
- You say hardly SCS, and I'd be surprised as well, because it itsn't known to be buggy. But I've also experienced before that free action doesn't protect against stun in my game in spite of me having installed the SCS component that supposedly does confer such protection.
BTW the first component doesn't make chunking impossible, simply less likely.

@CKT
- Not sure yet whether I love her, we only just met really, but yeah I dig her enough to have her along for some more (fun) time

[Aasim]

@Blackraven

Per your question, would I don AC 1 on a BG1 thief.....yes, I would, if I was to face some battles in NToTSC (I'd equip even a -6 full plate, for what it's worth to you ). Don't worry about OP equipment, you have people here playing vanilla game, slightly modded, largely modded, megamoded.  

Afaik SCS doesn't have "Free action protects agains Stun" component, that's Fixpack thingie. 

From forums, "chunk protection" should be at least fairly reliable against fire, which is the most common chunking death. Again, I don't use this particular component so can't speak from experience. If the character portrait can still be seen (which it can, unlike what happens when someone explodes) I'd vote revive her, yes, even if it means using Shadowkeeper.

I took a peek into SCS script which deals with this. It uses opcode 295:

#295 (0x295) Graphics: Disable Permanent Death [295]
Parameter #1: Undefined
Parameter #2: Constant Value
Description:

This targeted creature(s) will never suffer a permanent death (and will therefore always remain resurrectable) - exceptions include petrification and freeze-death. 

[Blackraven]

[I've decided to correct the apparent bug in shadowkeeper and to raise Shar-Teel.]

In the Temple of Helm I paid Nalin 800 gold to raise Shar-Teel. "Men are pathetic" was the first thing she said. You're welcome darling...
We rested in the Nashkell inn, and I took the time to read the letters I found in the orc priest's den, and they speak of a Tranzig who's to be found in Feldepost's inn. So we travel toward Beregost. First we visit Thalantyr to have him take a look at the toxic liquid I found as well as identify numerous enchanted items I had taken from the mines, the burial mounds and from Nimbul. In Beregost a Flaming Fist officer offered us 50 gold for every bandit scalp we would give her. I'm not inclined to work for that corrupt lot, but the money might come in handy.
We went to Feldepost's to see if this Tranzig figure was still there. We found him upstairs. I entered his room, leaving Shar-Teel hidden in the shadows in the hallway. Told him to spill his guts. He thought he could frighten me by telling me he was a mage, but when I replied that I'm not necessarily afraid of mages, he turned hostile. His first move was to go invisible, which prompted me to leave to room and summon a skeleton. I really don't like it when my opponent has the initiative, let him dance with my skeleton. He became visible when he started casting a spell to against my skeleton. Shar-Teel seized the moment. She entered silently, manoeuvered herself behind Tranzig and killed him with a single backstab. She got blinded in the process though, because Tranzig just managed to complete his casting of a glitterdust spell. The temporary blindness was of little consequence, as Shar-Teel and I were going to rest anyway.



Tranzig was carrying a letter about secret activities in Larswood and Peldvale, northeast from here, by the same organization that was apparently behind the atrocities in the Nashkell mines. I don't think I can be arsed to go there and solve those problems. Let the Fist take care of those things. I'd rather figure out why there's a price on my head. Unless.. unless there's a relation between this secret organization and my predicament. Can't see how though.

....

Well rested, Shar and I step outside Feldepost's. Someone has traced me here, a stranger. This doesn't feel right. I'm putting away my journal. I'm going to act the innocuous litle halfling. Cyric guide me, and Shar-Teel.



NOTE: this is in my experience the hardest fight in SCS BG1. Teyl's going to try and beat Molkar's gang, but he's aware that he might be no match for them, with only Shar-Teel to aid him. He will keep an eye out for a possible escape route.

[Blackraven]

We fought and we prevailed. Cyric is with me.
As soon as we'd done talking a fight ensued between Molkar's gang of four, and us. Shar-Teel softened up Molkar with a well-placed backstab, whereas I occupied myself with their mage, a gnome name Halacan. I tipped my frost dart in my poison and scored various poisonous hits, preventing the illusionist from casting any potentially devastating spells.



While I kept launching my dart at the gnome, I saw in a flash that Shar-Teel was beleaguered by not only Molkar but also two of his henchmen, a cleric named Drakar and a hard-hitting dwarf, Morvin. I shouted at her that she had to run, get herself into safety, and let me take over for a while. And so she did. (Both of us had taken a potion of speed when our confrontation with Molkar and co began.)
The gnome fell before the rest could close in on me, so I sped away, in order to keep a distance and continue launching my poisoned dart. I picked Molkar as my target, since he was already injured after Shar-Teel's backstab. Besides his resistance against poison was likely to be less than that of the dwarf. My strategy worked, I managed to slow and to poison Molkar, until he fell too.



I was now up against the remaining two, Drakar the cleric, and Morvin the warrior. Drakar cast a hold spell on me, but to no effect, as my ring of free action protects against movement hampering spells. In response I managed to silence the priest, who then had to resort to melee combat.



When both Drakar and Morvin closed in on me I cast a hold person on both. It held Drakar, but not Morvin. In the distance I saw Shar-Teel approach from behind our enemies. Hidden she seized the opoortunity to stab Drakar, while I occupied Morvin.



With a second backstab she finished him off.



[Drakar's death made Teyl reach level 7 as a cleric, and with that a second poison weapon ability as well as a dread blast as a special ability.] That left only Morvin, the toughest of the lot, between us. I weakened him (though only marginally) with my dread blast ability, and later with my newly poisone frost dart.



Both Shar-Teel and I tried to surprise Morvin with sneak attacks from the shadows. It took two succesful backstabs by Shar-Teel to fell the hardy dwarf.



Time to gather their loot, and see if they have anything interesting or useful for us....

[Blackraven]

Aasim, sorry, you're right, it's fixpack... Thanks for your view, and the info.
Anyway off to work for now.

[Grond0]

Rifft - dwarven swashbuckler (update 2 - hanging from the ropes)

 

Rifft has just arrived in the City, though not having had as successful a journey as I wanted.

 

Tranzig was stealth shot and Rifft moved on to the bandit camp.  That's not easy to avoid damage due to the large number of archers that move around.  However, Rifft eventually cleared the area around the main tent and then popped in and out stealth shooting.  Venkt followed him out at one point, but he successfully hid and soon made the mage pay with a critical.  

The remaining enemies all fell without any fuss.

 

Having got past that hurdle without damage I unfortunately made a mistake in the Cloakwood.  In theory it should be easy to draw the ettercaps away from their web traps and hide, but the nasty habit of spiders reappearing in locations passed through seconds earlier makes that problematic.  Instead Rifft tried to use persistence of stealth to find a second web trap by the ettercaps after disarming the first.  Failing in that I intended to save on an invisibility potion by just running round until the trap was located, but one of the ettercaps proved to have longer arms than I expected!  

A couple of seconds later and Rifft found the web trap and progressed on his way through the Cloakwood to the mine.

 

At the mine 3 fireballs accounted for the casters and a succession of stealth shots finished off Genthore.  As Rifft had already taken damage I wasn't too bothered about Drasus starting to chase him and Rifft managed to finish him off with a fiery breath before he could attack anyway.

 

Killing a couple of ghasts on the way down to Daveorn got Rifft to level 7, but otherwise he just sneaked past everything.  Daveorn's guard was stealth-stabbed using the little partition wall to hide.  After disarming the traps Rifft attacked Daveorn to draw him into a side room.  He then went to stealth-stab the mustard jelly to death while waiting for Daveorn's protection from normal missiles to expire - that made the mage an easy victim.

 

 

Successfully restoring Melicamp led off a number of reputation quests to get that up to 20 (now Rifft has got both horror abilities).  Helping Ardrouine achieved that and Rifft stayed in the area to kill the sirines, using potion of clarity for protection (no longer trying to avoid damage, so he just meleed them).  To avoid the danger of a critical Rifft used one of the sirine bows to shoot some +1 arrows at the golems (level 9).  Robbing the ankhegs meant Rifft visited Ulgoth's Beard with about 82k gold - plenty for the ring, cloak and amulet there before going to get the light crossbow of speed, shadow armour and the Claw of Kazgoroth.

[Grond0]

Rifft - dwarven swashbuckler (update 3 - stealing the ropes)

 

Did the normal things in the City without any problems - picking up the tomes & Helm of Balduran and sneaking into the Iron Throne.  Marek and Ramzith both got poisoned by bolts of biting, while Jalantha died in a potion of firebreath.

 

After a sneaky trip to Durlag's Tower to get the tome there (using green amulet as the trap can't be disarmed) Rifft reported for duty at Candlekeep.  He was successful there in disarming all the traps and looting the tombs just using stealth and then sneaked out.

 

Back in the City Slythe was stealth shot (starting with a dispelling arrow).

 

At the palace Rifft dispelled one of the dopplegangers as they changed and then tried a horror, but all of them saved.  Both dopplegangers attacking Belt were dispelled before he tried another horror - all saved again!  However, 3 of them were chasing Rifft, so I thought it was worth sticking around for a while to see how things went - firing the odd bolt of lightning to support the dukes while Rifft was running round.  Liia died just before her attacker, but Belt never appeared to be in danger.  Rifft got his last level there, but that was another minimum - after a very good start he's ended up with rather below average HPs.

 

Rifft went invisibly through the maze, removing the traps on the way, and on into the temple.  After disarming the lightning traps Rifft pulled Sarevok out with a dispelling arrow and then used stealth stabs on him while running round the pillars.  The big man was helpless and after 3 or 4 minutes of chasing shadows he had had enough.

 

That was a pretty clean run.  Rifft never took significant damage or had to make a saving throw, though it was a pity I couldn't manage my target of taking no damage at all.

[corey_russell]

Grats Grond0! Best of luck in Amn...

[Blackraven]

Well done Grond0! An almost no-hit nor-reload. Great effort!

[Blackraven]

The past two or three days Shar-Teel and I spent travelling to different temples and vendors to acquire haling potions as we only had 3 left. Upon arrival in Nashkell, our first destination, to see if Nalin had any for sale, we were ambushed by four amazons sent by someone for my head. We were ill-prepared for this fight, still low on healing potions and moreover Shar-Teel was fatigued. She intended a backstab on their leader Lamalha but failed. Their priestess then successfully cast a Hold Person on her. Though I tried to distract the lot from Shar-Teel, one the women refused to lose her focus on her. My companion fell soon after. Apparently Lamalha's a priestess as well, as she also started casting Hold Person on me. My expensive ring of free action has been worth every penny I spent on it.



I ran and hid. The cover of the night was my friend although my enemies too had two assassins well versed in hit and fade tactics. [Besides they were so annoyingly scripted that when I was stealthed, they still came walking up to me like magnets, albeit without attacking.] I crossed the northern bridge, entering the town, where Amnish soldiers saw my plight and came to my aid. With the soldiers to distract them, it was easier for me to hide and return for sneak attacks from behind. With my poison weapon I managed to hurt them well, and in the end I prevailed.





I carried Shar-Teel and her gear to the Temple of Helm, where Nalin raised her. [No bug this time.] When we'd recovered we decided to try and use the scroll that Charleston Nib gave us, which supposedly gives access to a dungeon. Access we gained, but once inside I wasn't necessarily pleased. I entered the first chamber alone, hidden in shadows, and came upon an overwhelming amount of "Juju-Zombies" and two vampiric wolves and the terrible thing was, that when I looked behind, the exit was blocked by three of them. I feared I had nowhere to go when I discerned a stairway leading to a lower area. I immediately descended, aware that I wasn't going to be able to keep up my stealth in the zombie chamber. [I overwrote my screenshot, so no pic here.] Downstairs the sight didn't get much prettier. At least five vampires roaming a circular hallway with five separate chambers inside the circle. I moved to a shadowed wall, hid myself and downed a potion of speed, which in combination with my speed boots would make me difficult to catch, and two potions of master thievery to be able to open any locks. [Teyl hasn't spent a single skillpoint outside stealth and set traps.] Picking and looting a locked chest in front of three vampires went remarkably well. I also managed to run, but it took a potion of invisibility to get me into safety. I would have never undertaken this bold venture if it weren't for my helm of charm protection which wards off the vampires' domination attacks.



There was yet another stairway leading further down. Confident thanks to my invisibility potion I went down the stairs. The room I entered contained four or five sword and (astral) phase spiders, as well as an altar. Still invisible I checked out the altar and found an enchanted elven bow and an equally enchanted piece of elven chainmail. I picked them up, but not without betraying my presence. So I quaffed a second potion of invisibility, and made my way upstairs, to the first room, with the zombies and vampiric wolves.I saw that SHar-Teel had sneaked in, and at my sign we assaulted the zombies that were blicking the door. When the first fell, we found our way out. But the zombies and wolves followed us outside. There we committed a grave mistake in deciding to fight the lot, neither Shar-Teel nor I was aware of the vampiric wolves' paralyzing attack, until it was to late for Shar-Teel (who unlike me doesn't own a ring of free action). There was nothing I could do for her, so she fell for the second time in a few days.



With three divine traps, and backstabs I managed to kill my pursuers. (I wasn't impressed with the damage output of my traps though, I shall have to train more.)

I travelled with Shar-Teel's remains to the Temple of Lathander in Beregost. This time I bought a scroll of raise dead, and saw my companion raised for the third time. I asked whether she still stood by her pledge to aid me in my travels, but she snapped at me that I needn't b pretentious, that she'd been of good use to me, and will remin to be so. Thinking of my encounter with Molkar and his gang, I think she may be right.

[Blackraven]

Travelling North from Keldath's Temple we reached the Larswood, which indeed showed great bandit activity. As they operated in small groups, Shar-Teel and I had little difficulty taking them on, using either backstabs or our ranged weaponry. We also had to deal with better equipped and better disciplined Black Talon Elite fighters, but they fell just the same.
Interestingly we met two feuding druids, who turned against us. First one, later the other. They are no more.
As we proceeded northward, entering Peldvale, we were confronted with more bandits and Black Talons, none of whom managed to impress us. Confident that we could stand against them if necessary, we feigned interest in joing the bandits, to see what's going on in their organization. We were brought to their camp, where a fierceful half-ogre, apparently their leader, challenged us in order to gauge our fighting prowess. I slew him with my poisoned frost dart [which made Teyl reach level 8 as a thief; a level 7/8 cleric thief, he has now almost reached the original XP cap]. Curiously a witness didn't really respond to this display of power and the fact that they were now without their leader.



As the camp remained disturbingly quiet, at nightfall we decided to explore the camp a bit more. Maybe the ogre wasn't anyone of importance. We sneaked around and came upon a big tent, which we gathered had to be place where the leaders of the organization were to be found. We entered stealthily and counted ten people, one of them a mage, the others fighters equipped with both swords and bows. I hinted at Shar-Teel to get behind the mage and take thim down, preferably with one hit. Unfortunately, she didn't make it that far. She got caught. We both tried to take down the mage anyway, Shar-Teel with her bow and I with my poisoned dart. However the mage had already protected himself with a previously cast mirror image and ghost armor, so we weren't very succesful. Shar-Teel got in one good hit, and I did some minor poison damage, not enough for the kill. As I was getting hit by arrow after arrow, I quaffed one of only two invisibility potions I had with me. Pretty much at the same time the mage managed to charm Shar-Teel. With Shar-Teel on their side, all the bandits walked toward me as if I were sanctuaried rather than invisible.



[This is really annoying: enemies just keep on following you around and if you're unlucky as I was in this case, they swarm you, and you've got no place to go.]

Completely stuck but safe from any harm for as long as the invisibilty would last, I quaffed healing potion after healing potion until I was completely healed. When the charm spell wore off, Shar-Teel, unable to see me, threw a potion of explosions in our direction, killing off the mage and one bandit, and injuring all the others. Luckily I had already restored my health, so I survived that attack relatively unscathed.



The bandits retalliated against Shar-Teel's assault. And unable to quaff a healing potion she was vulnerable to the bandits' ranged attacks, and fell. I was still surrounded by seven fighters, with nowhere to go. I cast holy power while still invisible (this increased my resilience and my fighting prowess), and threw another potion of explosions right on the ground. The explosion killed two more bandits, just enough for me to set myself free. There were now five of them still alive.



My Cyric-given Holy Power helped me slay one more bandit, but again I saw my health deplete rapidly due to the remaining bandits' rain of arrows hitting me. I moved to the other side of the tent, and drank my last potion of invisibility.



Once more the bandits came to me as moths to a lantern. This time however I made sure no to get surrounded by them, I kept moving an healing myself with potions until my health was restored. Then I drank a potion od speed so that I could distance myself easier from the group, especially since one of them, a man named Raemon had done the same. When they were grouped together, and I at a safe distance, I threw another potion of explosions (my last). Disturbingly all four survived the explosion, and I was visible again without any means to hide (except for a Sanctuary if I were lucky to cast it without getting interrupted). The tides turned when I managed to charm their stongest, the aforementioned Raemon, with Lord Foreshadow's ring of human influence.



My new friend in close combat, and I at range with my newly poisoned frost dart, managed to kill of the other three bandits. And then it was between Raemon and me. "Well, I didn't know you had it in you, guess I'll have to do the dirty work myself," he said confidently.
"I am death, come for thee," I replied, "Surrender, and thy passage shall be quicker." (I had picked that up from an assassin in Nashkel.) His bow was no match for my poisoned dart, and so he at last he too fell.



I spoke with a pacific roguish type, apparently a captive. He told me that the organization I'd been dealing with in Nashkell and also here in this Bandit Camp is the Iron Throne, active in the Cloakwood.
On my way out, I noticed that the entire camp had gone hostile. I managed to take down the Black Talon leader with three divine traps and two backstabs with my spirit longsword, but then I decided to flee from the multitude of dangerous archers, heading toward the Friendly Arm Inn, for some well-deserved rest...

[Charlestonian Knight Templar]

Key Event:  Praise Asmodeus! He brought me victory over another assassin as I entered the Nashkel Inn. I cast my Aura of Despair, Doom & Harm before charging in to destroy my enemy. She was casting a spell & wearing Armor of Missile Attraction +2 (sucks to be her). My Berserker went Beserk & my Herald, Bard & Sage cast a Magic Missile before switching to Arrows of Ice (which are especially effective against Armor of Missile Attraction +2. When I touched her w/Harm it finished her off. I do have to say that have assembled a superior group of followers who performed well these last few days.  I think I’ll keep them close. Still, I give the glory to Asmodeus alone & have no doubt that the cursed armor came to my attacker by his diabolical hand.

 

 

 

ASMODEUS CURSED MY OPPONENT W/ARMOR OF MISSILE ATTRACTION - IT'S GREAT TO HAVE A LORD IN LOW PLACES...NINE LEVEL DEEP IN NESSUS!

 

After beating her like a mangy dog, I went to Temple of Helm. Finally at least, I can get away from that hypocrite Ormlyr & his Temple of the Morning – still Helm is not a friend of my lord either. I bought 16 Potions of Healing for my needs as necessary. I decided to look around, become familiar w/the town. My Herald, Bard & Sage approached a warrior in Plate Mail who was talking to a hamster & asking us to come help him rescue someone named Dynahier. I guess he didn’t like the response, “It’s not my problem…” & went off swinging a Two-Handed Sword. I cast Poisoned Weapon while My Berserker attacked flingin’ axes everywhere like a maniac. My Herald, Bard & Sage cast a Magic Missile then pulled out his Short Bow. We killed the guy & I claimed my fifth set of extra Plate Mail, grabbed a Two-Handed Sword & a good Helm. I’ve been in town only a short time & killed two people. Asmodeus has to be proud & will certainly increase my power soon. 

 

I tried to find those worms Montaron & Xzar in town but couldn’t find hide not hair of them. Even checked the Belching Dragon where I thought I’d find them wasting time instead of being productive. I get the sense they’re worm food now. Shouldn’t go bailing on your lord, especially one that serves Asmodeus. Serve them right my lord teleported an Erinyes to the Material plane to assassinate them as soon as they got out of my sight. Ha! I know he favors me & their slight is to their detriment, however he paid them their dues for leaving my service.

 

To show me his favor, he placed a Conjurer just outside the door of the Belching Dragon when I had just decided I’d have to work w/o a mage. What’s better I sense he is of the only true alignment. I’ll check that out later when I’m able but until now I’ve got a  Conjurer, although it appears I am going to have to assert my authority forcefully to get him to realize where he stands here in my company.

 

Treasure of Note: Armor of Missile Attraction +2 (sold); Helm of Infravision (sold); Pearl (sold); Ring of Energy (Edwin)

 

 Current Disposition:  Resting @ the Nashkel Inn

 

Next Steps: I’m lead to the Carnival just outside of Nashkel

 

Level Up: None; Edwin joined as a Mage/Conjurer/4

 

Current Party: (Reputation: 6 (+1*) (Disliked) *Returned 200gp to Oublek who mistaked me for someone named Greywolf)

Mordred:  Fighter (Blk Gd)/4; Plate Mail w/Lg Shld, +1 B/Swd**, Flail* (SSS**)             

Kagain: Fighter (Bkr)/4; Splint Mail w/B/Axe*** & T/Axe**

Eldoth: Bard/5; Chain Mail, Sh/Bow* & Brazers of Archery, Dgr* (Armor, Sleep, Mirror Image)

Edwin: Mage(Cjr/4)

 

Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); MegaModKits v1.01L; level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)

 

Reloads: 0

[corey_russell]

CoreTalos the Priest of Talos with Random Party - Update 10

Traveling with: Paja (berserker), Misty (Kensai), Hanna (sorcerer)

 

Just a quick note, CoreTalos and gang have reached their level caps and finished what chapter 5 tasks they will do. Iron Throne 5th floor was soloed by Paja using a pro magic scroll and a ton of potions. We are about to report to Duke Eltan and be sent to Candlekeep. Incidentally, this is the farthest I have made it with ANY random party. I need to take care of these guys....

 

There were some dicey battles though. In particular, we nearly fell to the 5 ogre mages - we gulped a ton of potions, and without Hanna's monster summoning wand, we may have been finished. But thanks to Hanna's help, no one died...also a little problem against the Mountain Maulers - our fireballs dropped our reputation to 10 - oops. (we were at 20).

[Charlestonian Knight Templar]

I, Black Guard of Asmodeus, was next led from Nessus east of Nashkel, to a carnival outside of town. There promised to be vendors of every type here & I wanted to know what they offered. I have little use for frivolity but information I can use & the gossip here is likely to yield just that. Typically, I don’t march straight to my destination but reconnoiter in a clockwise motion, always preferring left, & work my way to my objective. I destroy everything in my path as I do so – once again it’s the wisdom of Asmodeus guiding me to ensure that once I do reach my objective, I will not be surprised by something or someone that was residing nearby. 

 

I headed us north until we started to head into the Lonely Peaks & then I turned us east. As we crossed east to west north of the actual carnival we obliterated a band of Kobolds w/the usual short swords & a few gold coins each; danced w/ a couple of Ogres until we separated & killed them yielding Two-handed Swords & then ran into yet another, & then still another similar band of Kobolds which we dispatched. My Mage/Bard & Sage tells me they are all from the same warband based on their distinctive colors. I turned us south again after we reached the trails that led toward the Valley of the Tombs.  I turned west again from there & headed back in the direction of Nashkel where my Herald, Bard & Sage spoke w/some vendors. I decided to add an Illusionist that was travelling alone. I like the idea of multiple mages w/different spell types keeping my foes off balance.

 

Key Event:  On entering one tent, I stumbled on two mages, one threatening to kill the other. I don’t even recall what my Berserker said, but in an instant the second mage was dead & the first attacked. My Berserker want berserk & started swingin’ his dual-Battle Axes but was hit once, maybe twice, w/Melf’s Acid Arrow. My Conjuror cast Melf’s Acid Arrow, Power Word Sleep & Larloch’s Minor Drain before casting Armor on himself & attacking w/his staff. My Illusionist cast Blindness, successfully blinding my opponent & then started flinging Sling Stones @ him. My Bard, Herald & Sage cast Magic Missile & then Armor on himself & then started popping off his Poison Arrows. In the meantime I cast Aura of Despair, Doom, Larloch’s Minor Drain & then Harm which all found their mark. At one point, my Berserker, was taking serious damage from Melf’s Acid Arrow so as I approached to attack w/my Harm spell I handed him one of my Elixir’s of Health & that stopped his decent - can't afford to lose my Lieutenant. By now, my servants were wailing away on him but it seems one of my Bard, Herald & Sage’s Poison Arrows finished the deed.

 

 

GOOD OLE FASHIONED SOUTHERN FAERUN BUTT-KICKIN!

 

I followed that up w/ a masterful stroke against a Rogue calling himself Vitiare who tried to steal gold from my company. Instantly, everyone reacted to stop him. My Bard, Herald & Sage fired one of his Poison Arrows straight into his shoulder just above his heart where the poison dripped quickly into his bloodstream; My Illusionist whipped a Sling stone square into Vitiare’s left eye socket & as the ‘Master Thief’ reeled my Berserker sliced him with a Battle Axe straight through his right shoulder into his chest. One ‘Master Thief’ less in the realms.

 

 

MASTER THIEF MY ACHIN' BUTT!

 

 

I sense Asmodeus, my lord requiring my name of me. No longer an I Mordred. I am The Black Guard of Asmodeus! My Bard, Herald & Sage is my Herald & spokesman & is sworn to protect my identity. 

 

Treasure of Note: Potion of Heroism, Absorption (Black Guard of Asmodeus), Agility (Berserker), Master Thievery (Bard, Herald & Sage); Knaves Robe (Conjuror); Mage Robe of Electrical Resistance (Illusionist)

 

 Current Disposition: Camping & resupplying @ the Nashkel Carnival

 

Next Steps: I, Black Guard of Asmodeus, am led west of Nashkel TBD

 

Level Up: None; Quayle joined @ Mage/Illusionist/4

 

Current Party: (Reputation: 6 - Disliked)

Black Guard of Asmodeus:  Fighter (Blk Gd)/4; Plate Mail w/Lg Shld, +1 B/Swd**, Flail* (SSS**)             

Kagain: Fighter (Bkr)/4; Splint Mail w/B/Axe*** & T/Axe**

Eldoth: Bard/5; Chain Mail, Sh/Bow* & Brazers of Archery, Dgr* (Arm,Slp,MM,Mir Img)

Edwin: Mage(Cjr/4); Knaves Rove & Q/Staff* (Arm, Grease x2, Ch Per,Lar MD,MelfAA x2,PW Slp,Web)

Quayle: Mage(Ill/4); Mage Rove of FR, Slg* & Dgr (Ref Img, Blind x2,MM,Blur,Inv,Mir Img)

 

Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); MegaModKits v1.01L; level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)

 

Reloads: 0

[Charlestonian Knight Templar]

I have a question. M<y Bard has the 'Thieving' ability on his quick actions bar but what can he do as a thief. Obviously he is able to do somethings b/c when I put a Potion of Master Thievery in his pack it isn't dulled out but, then again, if I try to get him to open a lock, it doesn't appear he can do so.  His KIT description doesn't provide a clue & neither does the information in his character record. CKT

[Aasim]

I have a question. M<y Bard has the 'Thieving' ability on his quick actions bar but what can he do as a thief. Obviously he is able to do somethings b/c when I put a Potion of Master Thievery in his pack it isn't dulled out but, then again, if I try to get him to open a lock, it doesn't appear he can do so.  His KIT description doesn't provide a clue & neither does the information in his character record. CKT

He can pickpocket. Nice run CKT, keep up the good work!

[corey_russell]

CoreTalos the Priest of Talos and his random party - FINAL BG 1 Update!

Traveling with: Paja (berserker), Misty (Kensai), Hanna (Sorcerer)

 

There isn't much to talk about in chapter 6, as we avoided all encounters except Shistal. We opened two crypts with knock, but apparently strong locks knock can't get, as knock failed to open the crypt with the strength. So I tried to go invisible, but had no invisibilities since I wasted my level 2 spells trying to open the crypt - but when I rested the game crashed...grrr...

 

So did almost the same thing, except ignoring the 3rd crypt. We went invisible out of the crypts (Paja had use a pro-magic scroll to trip traps)

 

In Chapter 7, we traveled via the sewers...lots of buffs for all 3 fights (Cynthandria, Slythe, Duchal Palace), and a clean success at each one.

 

Paja lead the way in the thieve's maze (invisible), party was invisible as well and we made it to the Temple of Bhaal where Sarevok was hiding.

 

Strategy for Sarevok? I realized I forgot buy monster summoning wands - hmm oops. I wasn't sure how to keep the party alive if we all engaged. So instead, the party stayed invisible and didn't even buff. Instead, Paja buffed to the hilt, I gave her our best equipment, and after buffs she was an incredible -17 AC vs. slashing..even Sarevok is going to miss some on that.

 

So Paja pulls and dispels Sarevok's haste with her first arrow, nice shot! She backs up, dons her shield, and starts slashing at Sarevok. She is to the left, the party is to the right, so as not to get hit accidentally by Angelo's arrows of detonation. As expected, Paja didn't get very far when Someone (Semaj I think) dispelled all her buffs...all of Sarevok's friends are helping him...I expected this, and had Paja gulp an invis potion.

She went away and rebuffed with almost the exact same buffs as first time, except putting in enrage this time, and she charged Sarevok - she ignored Sarevok's friends and yes Paja slays Sarevok, taking very little damage herself.

 

Entire party moving to BG 2. The plan is to keep this party for entire trilogy unless a party member gets chunked, then we will open up NPC recruiting. This is my FIRST successful random party no-reload for BG 1.

[Aasim]

Congratulations Corey!

[corey_russell]

Thanks Aasim! It's nice to finally succeed at a random party...I think being 4 man party made a big difference since we leveled faster...at low levels, my random parties are so vulnerable with their less than optimum CON.

[Blackraven]

Yes Corey, good job!!