16394 replies to this topic

[Grond0]

corey_russell wrote...

Boo - that's not fair (that you got that far and can't finish it one way or another). I never have that kind of problem though I play unmodded which I guess is not much help to you.

That's the answer - get Boo to help.

Congrats on finishing with Coltan - best of luck for his continuing adventures in BG2.

[corey_russell]

Thanks - he will need it. With his low HP, I get the feeling that either power word:kill or ADHW is going to end his run. We will have to see. My PC has never been a bounty hunter so thsi is something new. The reason why was until Coltan none of my thieves made it out of BG 1 - heh actually before Coltan none of my thieves ever even made it to the Bandit Camp. I am thinking the extra DEX helped him as he had more points to distribute.

[QED]

Grond0 wrote...
Edit3: drat - Semaj and Tazok are down, but the others won't appear - this seems to be a perennial bug with my installations.  I did CLUA them in on a previous occasion, but that wasn't very satisfying, so I think I'll just leave this game here (I knew something had to go wrong!).

I've been retrying the battle with Sarevok in order to find a reliable way to kill him, and similar issues have plagued my game as well. Randomly, some of Sarevok's henchmen simply won't show for battle. It hasn't bothered me that much because it doesn't have much of an effect on the outcome of the battle. Sarevok and Semaj always show, and they are the only threat. I'm playing Easytutu with ToTSC and tutufix. 

Also, is there any chance of the Cleric spell dispel magic actually removing Sarevok's haste? I know dispelling arrows can, but so far I the spell has proven ineffective.

[AnonymousHero]

QED wrote...
Also, is there any chance of the Cleric spell dispel magic actually removing Sarevok's haste?

In my game installation it can. IIRC it only required two or three attempts, but of course you'll need some way to be able to actually finish casting it before he gets to you. (I used potions of invisibility and cast it from just outside his vision range.)

(I don't know for sure, but I think SCS may alter the Dispel Magic behavior even when not using TobEx.)

[Grond0]

There was a bug in the implementation of dispel magic in vanilla, so that there was virtually no chance of dispelling a spell by someone of higher level than your caster (should just reduce your chance by 10% per level). There is a fix for this in various mods - including ToBEx (which is packaged with SCS) and spell revisions, so you could make sure you've got the fix installed and then experiment (or perhaps look at the coding to see what level the original spell on him was if that's your cup of tea).

[touch_of_the_void]

I've been busy recently and haven't made much progress. I don't feel like doing Bandit Camp right now so I've been picking up bits and pieces - Gauntlets of Weapon Expertise, treasure from the Valley of the Tombs and other stuff. I think I'm going to buy Tanarakt the Claw of Kazgaroth as well.

I completely forgot about the slime wizard in the tombs area; he pre-buffed with Improved Invisibility which of course foils most of our spells but fortunately I had the presence of mind to take an Invisibility Purge on one of my druids and he was then one-shotted with Call Lightning. I guess I could have zapped him with the Wand of the Heavens when he was still invisible but I feel this is an exploit. Flame Blade took out the Mustard Jellies.

[Grond0]

I just did a fresh installation with different mods and ran a test character through the game. Actually did this twice - first with just BGT installed to check that worked OK and then with a full mod list. Everything seemed to work perfectly until the final battle when, once more, only Tazok and Semaj appeared. Even cast true sight to make 100% sure the others were not just hiding. Looks like I'm just not going to be able to use the improved final battle component of SCS.

[Shadow_Leech07]

Megan the Elven Ranger

A little background, I had increased my game speed so it took sometime to get use to. In one of my runs Greywolf literally disappeared on me, I ended up scrapping the game, another time I misclicked the Prism dialogue, and just set aside the game. But now we start with Megan the elven ranger who has two pips in large swords and bows.

Strength 18/85 Dex 19 Con 17 Int 10 Wis 15 Char 10

Incidently I chose elf due to their long sword and bow bonuses. I suppose the character will run similarly to an archer, just without the additional bonuses which archers gain. As usual will be played on hard. I'm actually well into the game so I'll draw down the speed when I reach the major fights later on.

[The Fred]

Grond0 wrote...

There was a bug in the implementation of dispel magic in vanilla, so that there was virtually no chance of dispelling a spell by someone of higher level than your caster (should just reduce your chance by 10% per level).

Really? I haven't actually used Dispel Magic that much, but in my experience it just removes EVERYTHING. I've used it on higher-level foes a lot too, though admittedly people like Daevorn actually get initial buffs from special items, not cast by themselves. Still, I'm sure I've gotten people's Shadow Doors and things with it down regularly.

[Grond0]

There were some spells that were automatically affected by dispel magic, i.e. they did not do the normal % chance check. Mirror image was certainly in this category, but perhaps other illusion spells such as shadow door were as well. I'm not sure how you would have been successful in removing other defensive spells with a cast dispel magic if you're running vanilla (arrows / bolts of dispelling work differently).

[touch_of_the_void]

In vanilla BG1, I believe Dispel Magic did just dispel everything.

In vanilla BG2 (and TuTu / BGT), it suffers from the issue Grond0 mentions, namely that spells cast by higher level characters are never removed by Dispel Magic cast by lower level casters. Mirror Image is the only exception to this as far as I'm aware - Mirror Image was erroneously always dispelled irrespective of relative caster levels.

[BelgarathMTH]

Does BG Fixes repair the Dispel Magic issue?

[Grond0]

touch_of_the_void wrote...

In vanilla BG1, I believe Dispel Magic did just dispel everything.

In vanilla BG2 (and TuTu / BGT), it suffers from the issue Grond0 mentions, namely that spells cast by higher level characters are never removed by Dispel Magic cast by lower level casters. Mirror Image is the only exception to this as far as I'm aware - Mirror Image was erroneously always dispelled irrespective of relative caster levels.

Thanks for the clarification.  It's been so long since I played BG1 other than through the BG2 engine that I was forgetting the difference.

[Gate70]

George the human kensai escaped from Irenicus, sorted out the circus tent and Copper Coronet before dying in the slaves HQ. So back with Koll, LG male half-orc kensai.

Str 19
Dex 18
Con 19
Int 11
Wis 9
Cha 9

** 2HS, ** 2 handed weapon style, 15hp

Gorion would be proud. I've helped Marl, Noober (level 2, 21hp), Brage (consider equipping the unidentified berserking sword but not today) and Mirianne. Joia is next (level 3, 36hp) then Arghain (equip unidentified 2HS +1).

Caldo and Krumm discover the meaning of kai.


A quicker lesson for Gnarl and Hairtooth.


I try my luck against Greywolf. After two painful hits I decide I will hunt him down later.

[Grond0]

Hope Koll gets straight through and enjoys a longer run in BG2.

[Vaclavc]

Good luck with Koll, Gate70.



After short pause, I am here with another brief update on soloing elven Fighter / Mage / Thief Syroluin:
On behalf of duke Eltan, Syroluin revisited his former home in Candlekeep.



Though he did not kill leaders of the Iron Throne, he was falsely accused of their murder and imprisoned. Tethoril teleported him near the entrance to the catacombs. Syroluin looted all the tombs, and found tomes increasing wisdom and strength.
He killed false Elminster and other doppelgangers and invisible sneaked around remaining enemies.


He is currently on the way back to Baldur’s Gate.

V

[Gate70]

I wish.

Koll, LG male half-orc kensai.

Melicamp is travelling with me. Together we deal with a belted ogre, two dread wolves (level 4, 42hp), (Bjornin's) four half-ogres, kill two gnolls while Drizzt splats the rest and then we get him successfully restored.

I grab a short sword (Perdue's), then fight with Karlat. He hits me several times dropping my health to about half. I'm sure I can take one more hit, so continue. Then he criticals me and the lack of helmet makes this a fatal blow.

So on to Bnud, halfling male kensai with portrait of Monty.

Str 17
Dex 19
Con 18
Int 12
Wis 9
Cha 9

** B sword, ** single weapon style.

Edited by Gate70, 17 July 2011 - 12:21 PM.

[Grond0]

Sorry to put the mockers on you Gate70 - best of luck this time.
I've spent a while doing (another) reinstallation.  This time I have not installed the improved final battle component of SCS, so I hope I will be able to complete the game properly this time.  I've also added back in some quest mods to freshen things up a bit.  Mods now included are:
BG2 Fixpack
BGT
Dark Horizons
Dark Side of the Sword Coast
Northern Tales of the Sword Coast
The Secret of Bone Hill
BG1 Mini-quests and encounters
The Grey Clan
BG1 NPC Project
BG1 UB
CoM Encounters
BG2 UB
SCS
Solaufein
G3 anniversary
BGT Tweak Pack
Turambar Fixes and Tweaks
SCS II
BG2 Tweak Pack
Item Pack
aTweaks
Ding0's Experience Fixer
Worldmap
Widescreen Mod
Generalised Biffing

My new character is Grunt - a human barbarian:


So far he's completed Candlekeep - discovering in the process that barbarian rage helps to open a chest with a nice gem in.  Then on to the crossroads - the caravan bandits were picked off with his sling, before an enraged critical one-shotted the leader.  Now at the Friendly Arm, where Tarnesh was also attacked under protection of rage - that helped Grunt shrug off a sleep and horror, while chipping away mirror image before another critical finished the job.

Edit: at Beregost, talked to Marl, killed Algernon for his cloak, got a book for Firebead, and convinced some guards from the Lathander temple to kill Silke.  Most of the guards were killed in turn by spiders, but luckily bequeathed their equipment to Grunt.  Also doubled the slime population in the town and dealt with Karlat.

On the road south an alliance of guards and ogrillons accounted for Tristan and Isolde and helped save Viconia, before fighting among themselves; then Lord Foreshadow provided Grunt with a much-needed ring.  Just arrived in Nashkel.

Edited by Grond0, 17 July 2011 - 03:41 PM.

[Enuhal]

Entering the challenge with Kroas Lautenspieler (which you'd propably translate to Kroas the Lutenist), a neutral good half-elven Skald, with the following stats:
10/18/16/18/8/18
He is proficient with shortbows and crossbows.

My current installation includes BGT, SCS (with all the difficulty improving components installed, with the exception of prebuffing mages and clerics (but they do have BG2 spells), HardTimes and ItemRandomiser. Since this is only my second time trying to play with SCS, HardTimes and ItemRandomiser, this run will most likely be not very successful, but I shall try my best. I am playing on core rules, but I'll maximize the hp gained per level.

Kroas started his adventure in Candlekeep, were he delivered 20 bolts to Fuller (getting a Dagger +1), brought Hull his sword, got a free healing potion, fought some rats, gave Dreppin an antidote, delivered a book to Phlydia and brought Firebead a scroll from Tethtoril. With all the money, he could afford a crossbow and some bolts (for those who have never played HardTimes: All the prices are significantly increased), using them to take out both Shank and Carbos with a single bolt (the battlesong stays active for the remainder of the round, so you can get one shot with the +2 thac0-bonus).

Kroas talked to Gorion and they both left the fortress. However, they got ambushed, and Gorion was murdered right in front of the scared Kroas by a mysterious armored figure.
The next morning, Imoen, who admitted having followed the two, joined the Skald. Together, they returned to bury Gorion's body and look at the letter from "E" he had with him. Learning about Khalid and Jaheira at the FAI, they decided to go east, where they met Montaron and Xzar who joined their party. Also, in the next area, a strange fellow called Eldoth accepted to accompany the group.

Montaron, a masterful assassin, successfully backstabbed the evil mage Tarnesh. Kroas decided to part ways with Montaron, Xzar and Eldoth at the FAI, instead asking Jaheira and Khalid to join his party. The Skald also accepted a quest to free a house in Beregost from some spiders, and got 6 antidotes from Landrin to ensure his success. After fighting some Hobgoblins, Kroas delivered a flamedance ring to Joia. On Jaheira's bidding, the group travelled south to investigate the iron mines in Nashkell. However, they soon had to deal with a very dangerous dire wolf (after killing a regular wolf and a xvart), but they managed to flee to Beregost.

There, Kroas visited the local inns to pick up some rumors, accept some quests (Bjornin, Gurke) and play some songs of his own to earn some pieces of copper. After nightfall, the group found Landrins house, and they killed the giant spiders. Kroas also calmed Marl and brought a book to Firebead. Kroas reached level 2.

Imoen managed to sneak into a big estate, where she stole an invisibilty potion and a wand of lightning.

The group travelled further to the south, fighting two ogrillions with a letter and a rather big Hobgoblin group. At Nashkell, Kroas talked to the mayor and Oublek, explaining that he, in fact, was not the famous bounty hunter Greywolf.

Far more interesting was the Nashkell Carnival. Here, Kroas saved the priestress Branwen with a stone to flesh scroll he bought from the temple of helm, and both she and an annoying gnome called Quayle are now travelling with the Skald.

In one of the tents, the group tried to save Bentha from getting killed by the powerful wizard Zordral. Branwen used her "remove fear"-spell, Quayle tried to command the mage, but failed. Subsequently, he used both his magic missle spells, while the group was attacking Zordral with bullets, arrows and swords. He managed to use two vampiric touch spells - but needed two of them to kill a 6 hp-Quayle. Bad for him: Even though he managed to stun and wound Jaheira with Ghoul Touch, he was killed a few seconds after this screenshot, providing level 2 for Imoen.

In Nashkell, the group raised Quayle from the dead before resting (Branwen learned 2 command spells and 1 remove fear, Quayle still only has 1 command and 2 magic missles, Jaheira has 1 cure light wounds and two entangle, Kroas has one sleep - found the scroll with one of the ogrillions). Meanwhile, Imoen robbed another estate, acquiring another invisibilty potion.

After resting, they entered the tavern, where another bounty hunter, Neira, attempted to kill them. She failed due to Branwens very successful command spell.

Next time, I'll try to return some quests and go start monster hunting in the areas around Beregost and Nashkell.

Edited by Enuhal, 17 July 2011 - 05:52 PM.

[Gate70]

Good luck both. Interesting to see a human barbarian (I usually go dwarf or half-orc). Also been a long time (that I remember anyway) since a skald was run so will enjoy reading that.

Given up on my halfling kensai, thinking about a stalker.

Edited by Gate70, 17 July 2011 - 06:30 PM.

[corey_russell]

Entering the challenge with Lotan the Human fighter to be dualed in BG 2 (provided I make it that far of course).

My family wanted to be part of my adventure, so I am starting with 3 other friends, who provided they don't get chunked I intend to take to BG 2.  Here are their character sheets:

Lotan's character sheet
Joshua's Character Sheet
Hanna's Character Sheet
Paja's character sheet

The only NPC we intend to take during the journey is Yeslick (to help with looting, to be booted when his quest is done).

EDiT:
Er forgot to mention my setup. here it is:

Vanilla BG 1
TotSC
Official TotSC patch
No Mods
Core Rules (including on spell memorization and level ups)

Edited by corey_russell, 18 July 2011 - 04:08 PM.

[BelgarathMTH]

Wow, Corey, two challenges at once?

Your whole family? AWWW. You're all adorable!

How are you doing this, with a LAN?

You know that the Ashes to Embers mod would allow your daughter/priestess to use a sword like she's posing with there, right?

Edited by BelgarathMTH, 17 July 2011 - 11:31 PM.

[amanasleep]

Gate70 wrote...

Good luck both. Interesting to see a human barbarian (I usually go dwarf or half-orc). Also been a long time (that I remember anyway) since a skald was run so will enjoy reading that.

Given up on my halfling kensai, thinking about a stalker.

I'd love to see a Stalker run.

[corey_russell]

BelgarathMTH wrote...

Wow, Corey, two challenges at once?

Your whole family? AWWW. You're all adorable!

How are you doing this, with a LAN?

You know that the Ashes to Embers mod would allow your daughter/priestess to use a sword like she's posing with there, right?

I thought I was clear, but guess not. Let me clear a few things up for you.
1) No, not doing two challenges at once, Lotan has been killed. His purpose was trilogy no-reload. He failed, so trying again with this party.
2) The family is NOT playing - they just want to be part of the party, they want to SEE themselves as I adventure. They want to be vicarious I guess is the word.
3) I'm not too concerned with the eqiupment the family shows in the pictures, just wanted to update them (my last pictures I made of them for BG are very old).

[Grond0]

Gate70 wrote...

Good luck both. Interesting to see a human barbarian (I usually go dwarf or half-orc). Also been a long time (that I remember anyway) since a skald was run so will enjoy reading that.

I did start a half-orc a while ago, but he didn't last long.  A human is obviously not so well equipped as a barbarian, but I was leaving open the possibility for dualling to a thief in BG2 in case I didn't like his style.

@Enuhal - best of luck with the skald.  A party inspired by him should be able to do some serious damage.

@Corey - glad / sorry to see you back (guess you were right about the power work kill vulnerability).  Hope your family get a (vicarious) victory.