A quick note about Yeenter's run:
The foray into Durlag's Tower is currently on hold. I'm currently looking to see if I can find a suitable thief replacement. If not, then I will abort the foray into Durlag's. Reason why is Imoen got chunked by a repeating fireball trap that she could not detect with her 100% skill in trap detection.
The run continues...
Ouch Corey, poor Imoen. I can't remember that trap being undetectable and undisarmable. Thief NPCs abound in BG1, so you needn't drop Durlag's Tower. Having said that survival is pretty solid reason to move on. Would be cool to have yet another Charname in Amn, along with Lord Gawain, Impish Face, Aphril and Adara, Grond0's Dwarves, Gate's Assassin, and my Glorydd.
Yeenter update:
Permanently gone/dead: Xzar, Montaron, Kagain, Khalid, Jaheira, Yeslick, Imoen, Viconia
Of the remaining thieves (Coran, Alora, Tiax, Safana), their trap detection scores really stink. In fact, all of them are 20% except Tiax who was 50%. Tiax's find trap spell can make up the difference - or so I thought. So we venture into Durlag's again, and Tiax finds a trap. So far, so good. Tiax tries to disarm it - it fails and it goes off. It sets off a lightning bolt in tight quarters - the bolt CHUNKS Viconia!
Going to forget about Durlag's this run, and work on the main story line. Incidentally, it doesn't matter that Viconia got chunked, as I am not resurrecting anyone this run.
A bit ruff on the girls but nice to see you having a go at it corey_russell. 
Well done, Blackraven! Stay focused in Amn!
@Corey: yeah, Durlag's is dangerous place. Glad it wasn't Yeenter to be chunked there.
A quick note about Yeenter's run:
The foray into Durlag's Tower is currently on hold. I'm currently looking to see if I can find a suitable thief replacement. If not, then I will abort the foray into Durlag's. Reason why is Imoen got chunked by a repeating fireball trap that she could not detect with her 100% skill in trap detection.
The run continues...
That particular trap is one to be either avoided or used. I have NEVER disarmed it!
I think that it is the worst in the game. However, if you have oil of speed you can run through it and not get burnt. However, any enemies following you will! It can therefore be quite useful.
Doing Durlag's with a party is more difficult than doing it with a solo thief or thief/mage as you can't use the techniques that I mentioned in an earlier post.
If you are soling, your thieving attributes soar!
I'll be careful as I can - but that won't prepare me for the unknown. With Dogdancing, I have been on the lower levels before, but never the chessboard or beyond. But like I said earlier, there's no time like the present to learn.
If you make it that far, you want loads of potions of oil of fire, explosions, wands of fire, necklace of missiles.
I also have no qualms about buffing before the battle. You are not buffing for the chessboard, but to defeat the enemies in the last room aren't you? 
The chessboard is buggy in my installation, (Game crashes) so I currently don't get that far.
A quick note about Yeenter and gang (Minsc, Coran, Tiax, Dynaheir, Xan) - most of Chapter 5 complete. Tomes obtained, a few upgrades, including helm of balduran and the large shield with +4 vs. missiles for Yeenter, as well as Razamith's protection +2 ring. Coran's archery has been very helpful. His triple backstab of Marek was also helpful. I'm interested in just getting into Amn, so not everything in the Big City will be done. Traps are a problem, so we will use a protection from magic scroll to trip the traps in Candlekeep and also the Thieve's Maze, if we make it that far.
Next session will deal with the Iron Throne.
Going to forget about Durlag's this run, and work on the main story line. Incidentally, it doesn't matter that Viconia got chunked, as I am not resurrecting anyone this run.
Sorry to see traps causing Yeenter grief. As you've noticed you really need high thieving scores if you're looking to disarm traps in the lower reaches. Alternatively putting PFM on a fighter and using them to blaze a trail (apart from the rest of the party) will help a lot. There are quite a few repeating traps, but not many of them are as nasty as the fireball one that got Imoen.
Sorry to see traps causing Yeenter grief. As you've noticed you really need high thieving scores if you're looking to disarm traps in the lower reaches. Alternatively putting PFM on a fighter and using them to blaze a trail (apart from the rest of the party) will help a lot. There are quite a few repeating traps, but not many of them are as nasty as the fireball one that got Imoen.
Grond0 - if I do that, I don't be able to set off the traps on the chests. Remember I am playing vanilla BG 1. This means absolutely NO potions can be used while the PfM is active, so I can't use a storm giant potion to bash chests and set off traps on said chests. Instead, should use green scrolls vs. fire and lightning which in turn would allow a strength potion to be active at the same time. As for high thieving scroes, Imoen had 100/100 in locks/traps - since that wasn't high enough, how high did it need to be?
The purpose of the PfM is to clear a path for the others. Someone else can use potions to boost either strength or thief skills to allow them to open chests (a lot of which won't be openable with strength 24 anyway.
I have a feeling that the trap that got Imoen may be like the one guarding the wisdom tome, i.e. not removable by a thief. You can just be careful to avoid it though - there's no need to go through that passage at all. As Wise said earlier that trap can also be helpful to kill a lot of enemies if a protected character runs them through it a few times.
The purpose of the PfM is to clear a path for the others. Someone else can use potions to boost either strength or thief skills to allow them to open chests (a lot of which won't be openable with strength 24 anyway.
I have a feeling that the trap that got Imoen may be like the one guarding the wisdom tome, i.e. not removable by a thief. You can just be careful to avoid it though - there's no need to go through that passage at all. As Wise said earlier that trap can also be helpful to kill a lot of enemies if a protected character runs them through it a few times.
I understand the Pfm would be to clear a path. However, there's big problems with your plan. The trap that killed Viconia, for example, was on a chest. So someone with big strength bashes the chest and sends the lightning bolt flying around the small room - but that person isn't protected by the PfM! So they would die...
As for the trap that killed Imoen - No, the trap was no where near the wisdom tome, that trap is on the Pride level. It's true I can go around it, that's what I need to do next time.
EDIT: Hmm, I guess I could have the STR 24 guy bash, walk away and let the PfM guy do the looting and setting off the trap - that might work.
I was saying the trap that got Imoen is like the one near the wisdom tome - like as in can't be disarmed.
And yes I would expect the character with high strength (or more likely a thief) to unlock containers, but use the protected character to actually open them.
I was saying the trap that got Imoen is like the one near the wisdom tome - like as in can't be disarmed.
And yes I would expect the character with high strength (or more likely a thief) to unlock containers, but use the protected character to actually open them.
Thanks for the clarification. And just so you know, I have de-trapped the trap by the wisdom tome before. I think I've detrapped that fireball trap that Imoen died too before too - I want to say I did cleric find traps spell to find it and a thief with higher score than 100 (Potions probably) in find traps to disarm it.
Thanks for the clarification. And just so you know, I have de-trapped the trap by the wisdom tome before. I think I've detrapped that fireball trap that Imoen died too before too - I want to say I did cleric find traps spell to find it and a thief with higher score than 100 (Potions probably) in find traps to disarm it.
I agree that on occasion it can be disarmed, but it's temperamental. I've done multiple tests on it and regularly failed to disarm it despite having find traps skills of around 250 ...
Quick update about Yeenter the Dwarf:
Yeenter and gang (Minsc, Coran, Tiax, Dynaheir, Xan) have successfully negotiated Chapters 5 and 6. Yeenter soloed the Iron Throne party at the 5th floor of the Iron Throne HQ using simply a protection from magic scroll. He took some damage but got the job done.
The party then went to Candlekeep. We left the Iron Throne leaders alone. Since neither thief had any good trap scores, we didn't even bother. Minsc just used a protection from magic scroll and set them off. Yeenter used a STR 24 potion to bash the crypts open. Yeenter then used a potion of absorption and a green scroll of poison protection vs.the phase spiders. Tiax nearly died from a phase spider - he had to go into his inventory (which unpauses) and use the potion before he snuffed it - he got it done though.
We were carrying a ton of potions and scrolls - good thing as we used quite a few. Versus the annoying skeletons in the next area, Dynaheir fired many fireballs at them while the party worked on the dopplegangers. We decided not to bother with the ghasts, we were sure not to have the room to loot them. We don't care about experience either, since Yeenter is level 7, we are pretty sure we can get the job done no matter what.
For Prat and gang, Minsc gulped many potions and some green scrolls to protect himself then unloaded arrows of detonation - this was effective. Minsc and Yeenter then used protection from poison scrolls and cleaned out the spiders - they didn't care about the traps since they both have free action.
Last bit, a protection from petrification spell was all that was needed for Yeenter to wipe out the basilisks.
Time for Chapter 7 - the party is just about the encounter Slythe.
Best of luck with the endgame Corey!
bgee run update 1.4,
It wasn't long before we grabbed the tome of wisdom (Imoen gets better use out of it) and we zapped the Tranzg wizard still for judgement… sure enough he was evil. Imoen dropped two 'web's at the main bandit tent then dispatched the head guard with her 'call lightning'… we then mopped up with fireballs which almost caused a morale dilemma once we entered the tent.
I got careless with my "Necklace of Missiles" and almost killed a bystander but we managed to avoid becoming murderers by paralysing him instead… he still remains hostile to us if we ever go back but he'll live!
Yeenter the Dwarven Fighter - FINAL Update!
Traveling with: Minsc, Coran, Tiax, Dynaheir, Xan
Permanently gone/dead: Xzar, Montaron, Kagain, Imoen, Viconia, Yeslick, Jaheira, Khalid
The party first has a little talk with Slythe - direct attack plus a few wand of heavens shots made him unable to survive - we just left Krystin alone.
We then go to the Duchal Palace - we had some summons assisting, hasted, and Xan helped a lot by slowing the dopes - Minsc and Yeenter go into melee buffed by a STR 23 potion - success!
We then press into the maze - no problems here. Yeenter soloed the skeletal warriors, using Prat's throwing axe plus protected by protection from cold scroll. We used a last protection from magic scroll on Minsc so he could set off the traps in the way.
We finally make it to the Undercity and have to battle a lot of ghouls. I tried the BGT trick of sending skeletons to the Undercity party to try to cause the enemies to kill the leader - but that doesn't appear to happen in the vanilla game. So we did a few buffs and did a straight up battle - threw a lot of fireballs, then ranged/melee was enough to finish the survivors.
Just before entering Sarevok's lair, this is Yeenter's character sheet.
We did what summons we could then Xan crept up the left side and fired off a dispel magic. This probably got rid of Sarevok's haste (good thing, as we didn't get any dispelling arrows) - but he was seen! He tried to cast a skull trap - it might have gone off but then he went unconscious to a stinking cloud trap/contingency (not sure which) - he also got chunked. Am still amazed he made it so far without a single death, it's a record for Xan for me.
Semaj shows up first - we concentrate on him. Yeenter will use his throwing axe for the whole fight unless he needs to go into melee. Semaj doesn't last too long - I am sure Coran's arrows are hurting the enemies bad. Tazok is next to fall to concentrated fire - we still have a few skeletons left keeping Sarevok busy. Angelo is nowhere to be seen - he might have been killed by Xan's skull trap (though I doubt it), but regardless he isn't in the picture.
The party does what few spells are left, and Coran/Tiax/Yeenter continue their ranged attacks vs. Sarevok for a few more rounds - skeletons are almost gone and Sarevok falls!
No screenshots - I was playing in the dark (wife sleeping), and I thought I had pressed the screen shot key, but apparently I didnt...
In any case Yeenter will continue to Amn. He will play with the same restriction as this run - he believes Faerun is Hell, so if any NPC dies in Amn they will stay dead. There are lots of NPCs in BG 1 (25 I think), but only 16 in Amn - let's see how many companions survive the adventure.
bgee run update 1.5,
sidetracked;
I returned to the fai to rest up before tackling the forest and noticed a somewhat shy young lass waving at me from the corner… one thing leads to another and before I know it we are in the most dangerous arcane battle of our lives so far.
Imoen fired off a 'web' at the start which proved decisive as the battle raged but when the smoke cleared we had victory despite the enclosed area… mostly because wands don't need a wild magic test.
p.s. On the way to this battle some amazons tried to way-lay us… BIG mistake on their part!
Yeenter the Dwarven Fighter - FINAL Update!
Traveling with: Minsc, Coran, Tiax, Dynaheir, Xan
Permanently gone/dead: Xzar, Montaron, Kagain, Imoen, Viconia, Yeslick, Jaheira, Khalid
snip...
In any case Yeenter will continue to Amn. He will play with the same restriction as this run - he believes Faerun is Hell, so if any NPC dies in Amn they will stay dead. There are lots of NPCs in BG 1 (25 I think), but only 16 in Amn - let's see how many companions survive the adventure.
Well done... so say Jaheira is dead and can't play in your bg2 run or only can't play if she dies in that?
Well done... so say Jaheira is dead and can't play in your bg2 run or only can't play if she dies in that?
Well Jaheira didn't die - note the line reads (gone/dead) - Jaheira and Khalid were gone because they disappear if you solve the Nashkel Mines without them, which is what I did. So yes I can use in BG 2.
Best of luck in Athkatla Corey - look after those NPCs!
Thanks guys! I will try to keep my NPCs alive, but beholders/mindflayers especially will make that a challenge. Vampires can sometimes kill my party members too. I tried to make Yeenter as tough as I can, in case he has to solo Melissan at the end.
Congrats Corey! Keep it up in Amn.
With the foes you mentioned I think your strategy (and mine, I use it often myself) of soloing with a well-prepared character should help.
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