15228 replies to this topic

[Epsil0]

It's not the Horn of Silence that I'm using, but the Namarra longsword found on the Crypt King in the Graveyard district: it comes with 3 Silence 15' radius per day, and I'm... almost certain it's still casting as a level 2 AoE spell and is thus blocked by MGoI. How do the Globes work for item abilities that aren't casting spells, anyways? Is there a spell level attached anyways to see whether it bypasses spell defenses?

[Grimwald the Wise]

I think that this depends on your set-up. When I installed SCS there was a question, "Do you want spells from wands to be cast at caster's level?" or something like that. If you say yes then wands (and presumably other items too) should cast spells at the caster's level. If you say no, then they will cast at some other level. (I don't know what level).

[corey_russell]

Ruzzel the illusionist and his band of 3 mages, thief/mage and berserker update:

 

The band traveled to the grove to do battle with enemies there. Spiders and Trolls weren't too much trouble, though we definitely used spells to speed up kills on the trolls. We used area effects on the 1st group of druids, and spammed Namuraa silence ability on the 2nd. Third group hurt tank bad with their call lightnings, but otherwise they went down. Tank soloed the spore colones, though we did use a cloudkill to speed things up. Finally we watched Cernd tear up Faldhorn.

 

Mayor of Trademeet was happy with our results and rewarded us handsomely (though we didn't tell him Cernd was the real hero). We almost immediately used the new funds to put them back into the Trademeet economy, buying Tasheron's bow (mainly for another +3 range weapon) and lots of spells we found at the merchant near the north part of town. We helped Tiris and his lover, Raisa, without too much difficulty.

 

Our reputation still is not max (15), so wondered if we should do the Trademeet Family quest the "good" way - but I remembered about the elven chain and thought it might be useful, so we obtained the circlet and handed it to the Luraxxol family. We weren't expecting trouble (character-wise, we are just trying to get our reward), but we did lay down 3 snares and did mirror image.

 

The battle then commenced! The guards went down easily enough, snares and magic missiles were too much. The two mages were, on the other hand, completely different story. Both mages had spell turnings (we didn't have MMM equipped), so I thought melee would be enough - well I was wrong. Tank and Stealer were killed - Blaster and Disabler were then both stunned. It was up to Exploder and Ruzzel to do what they could to win the fight. Exploder tried a skull trap to help, while Ruzzel kept swinging his sling, not having any spell deflection removal memorized himself. Eventually the enemies killed themselves - fireball maybe.

 

It's one of the bloodiest battles we have to date in BG 2. What counts is we are still going. After this battle and memorizing spells we recently purchased, the mages and Ruzzel were able to get to level 13 - we have a dizzying amount of spells available now. It's starting to get difficult to remember who can do what, as there's necessarily some overlap by this point.

 

We will leave Trademeet next session.

[Alesia_BH]

It's not the Horn of Silence that I'm using, but the Namarra longsword found on the Crypt King in the Graveyard district: it comes with 3 Silence 15' radius per day, and I'm... almost certain it's still casting as a level 2 AoE spell and is thus blocked by MGoI.

 

The Namarra silence effect works like the level 2 priest spell Silence 15' Radius: it has a power level set to 2 and offers a save v spells at -5.

 

The Horn of Silence is different. It has a power level set to 0 and offers an unmodified save v breath to avoid.

 

MGoI blocks spells with power levels set to 1, 2 or 3. Consequently, it will block Namarra's silence effect but not the Horn of Silence

 

How do the Globes work for item abilities that aren't casting spells, anyways? Is there a spell level attached anyways to see whether it bypasses spell defenses?

 

It varies. The G3 fixpack has done some cleaning up here over the years.

 

Item based magical abilities, whether limited charge or on hit, have a power level field just like spells. Sometimes item abilities that are similar to spells will have their power level set to the same level as the comparable spell. At other times, they will have a power level set to 0, allowing them to bypass spell protections like MGoI, which work via power level immunity.

 

In general, if the item descripton says "Casts spell X, Y times per day" or something like that, it probably has the same power level setting as spell X. If not, there is a good chance that the ability's power level is set to 0. In no reload play it is best not to assume, however. The Short Sword of the Mask, for example, used to have its entangle on hit effect set to power level 1 like the priest spell Entangle. As a consequence, it would bounce off Spell Turning, which could be unpleasant for a backstabbing thief hoping to flee back to the shadows. The G3 Fixpack addressed the Short Sword of the Mask issue and now the power level is set to 0, but there may be analogous surprises within the game world. Testing the mechanics of unfamiliar item abilities out of combat isn't a bad idea.

 

 

I think that this depends on your set-up. When I installed SCS there was a question, "Do you want spells from wands to be cast at caster's level?" or something like that. If you say yes then wands (and presumably other items too) should cast spells at the caster's level. If you say no, then they will cast at some other level. (I don't know what level).

 

We need to distinguish between the power level of a spell and the effective caster's level. Take Magic Missile, for example. It's a level 1 spell. It has a power level set to 1. That said, the number of missiles varies as a function of the caster's level, maxing out at 5 at L9. Now, will a Magic Missle cast by a L9 wizard have a power level of 9? A power level of 5? No. The level of the caster has no effect on the power level. It just influences those aspect of the spell which vary as a function of caster level.

 

Spells like MGoI work by granting immunity to spells with a certain power level. That variable -not the caster level- is what determines whether the spell will be blocked or not. So, MGoI will block a magic missle from a level 30 mage just as it will block a magic missle from a level 1 mage: irrepspective of the caster's level the power level is still 1 and MGoI blocks spells with power level 1.

 

FYI: In the vanilla game, item based spell effects (including those from scrolls and potions) typically had their casting level set to 10.

 

Best,

 

A.

[Grond0]

Dylan - dwarf swashbuckler (update 1)

 

Work commitments have delayed Dylan's progress from BG1, but he did manage to make a start on BG2 this morning.

 

No chances were taken in the dungeon:

- he stealthed through to find the sewage golem and then used a couple of traps and horror to kill the mephit before pickpocketing the key from the golem.

Spoiler

- he just killed a few duergar on the way to pick up the Claw of Kazgaroth and the portal key.  He then went immediately to the portal before the clay golem guards could arrive to intercept him.

- at the mephit portals one horror affected the smoke and ice mephits and a second the magma and radiant mephits.  

Spoiler

Without aTweaks in this installation the radiant mephit is the only real danger and Dylan had plenty of time to destroy that portal while the mephits were running scared.

- he then stealthed past the assassins at the exit, by-passing the wand traps entirely.

 

He quickly stealthed through the circus to put an end to Kalah before going to report to Gaelan Bayle.  

Spoiler

Some thieving potions from Arledrian allowed him to use Jayes to steal and sell items to generate effectively unlimited funds and Dylan acquired all the equipment from the Promenade he might want to use in future.

 

While travelling to the Bridge District he came across the Suna Seni ambush and used horror and traps to cut down a couple of them.  He stayed at the north end of the area to try and prevent the mage activating and a potion of firebreath killed Eldarin and one invisible thief - though not before he had backstabbed Dylan.  Once he had killed Suna Seni to get Arbane he left the other thief and the mage alone.

Spoiler

 

He picked up the Berserker Horn and added some potions from Mrs Cragmoon and more from Roger before going to the Graveyard.  The fact that enemies run away when attacked meant that a scroll of PfU was not particularly efficient there, but two of them along with 2 potions of speed and one of power cleared the tombs (level 12).  Downstairs, traps were set for Pai'Na and her spiders.  

Spoiler

The few spiders that survived those were all scared along with Pai'Na and soon cut down.  

Spoiler

A ioun stone, Kitthix and a spell immunity scroll were all welcome additions from that encounter.

 

Dylan will be continuing to gather equipment next time.

 

[Grond0]

Gate70/Grond0 multiplayer attempt 79 - (update 1)

Risqe, elf wild mage (Grond0) & Pallor, half-elf fighter/mage (Gate70)

 

It didn't take this pair long to finish off Sarevok today, allowing them a bit of time to make a start on BG2.

 

They had no trouble completing the dungeon, although Risqe only remembered late on to pick up her familiar.  Pallor got a well-timed magic missile in to polish off Ulvaryl before she could flap away.

Spoiler

 

The circus was restored to rights before they moved on to the Slums to report to Gaelan Bayle.  They then helped Hendak take over the Copper Coronet: the Beastmaster could have been given a lingering death after he was stunned by a chromatic orb while in a cloudkill

Spoiler

- but Pallor took pity on him and gave him a quick death with a fireball.

 

The Suna Seni ambush was deliberately sought - and was immediately in trouble when the mage's mirrors failed to protect him from a skull trap.

Spoiler

 

The duo have just arrived at Watcher's Keep in search of a potion case.

 

Stats (cont. from BG1):

Risqe, wild mage 10, 51 HPs (incl. 12 from familiar, -9 from Claw), 140 kills

Pallor, fighter 8 / mage 9, 82 (incl. 5 from Helm) HPs, 342 kills, 0 deaths

[Grond0]

Quad multiplayer attempt 2 - (8th and final session)

Grond0, Dogdancing, corey_russell, Gate70

 

Today's session saw the Quad looking good - right up until things turned rotten!

 

The vampire guild was overcome easily enough with Tanova dying in a sunray and Bodhi proving unable to shrug off a backstab.

 

Sir Sarles was fobbed off with some fake illithium, while the real thing went to upgrade the MoD.  Avenger was also glad to track down the Paladin Bracers in Sister Garlena's stock before the Quad took ship for Brynnlaw.

 

Perth was given a fair chance when Avenger talked to him, but his immediate buffs were not up to an attack by Carsomyr followed by a 120 HP backstab from Static.

 

In Spellhold a bit of time was spent getting the Ring of Regeneration before Static went to read the book with a view to getting a Ring of Free Action.  All went well until the mind flayer appeared.  It managed the devastating combination of dominating Avenger and then almost immediately stunning Static.  What was a bit ironic about that is that one of Corey's favourite bits of equipment is the Helm of Charm Protection and he'd been wearing that for nearly all the game - until arriving in Spellhold!

 

With Avenger no longer an enemy the flayer got out its tentacles and headed for Static to enjoy its feast.  Carthus was the only one in position to intervene quickly and he activated a stunning blow and pummelled the flayer.  With intelligence drained from 16 down to 6, Static could only survive one more hit, but the flayer was badly injured and not likely to survive much longer.  It was thus a race to see whether Carthus would have time to kill the flayer.  Did he manage it?

Spoiler

Yes he did

but not before Static was already dead .

[Charlestonian Knight Templar]

1821 Eliasias, 1369:  It’s been more than two months since I last had a chance to place quill to parchment. I’d assured Valygar that I’d help him w/his situation but then dismissed him to take Tyris into my Lance to keep it @ five. However, I’d given my word & a Knights word is his bond, especially one that has been blessed to become a Lord.  I found him back @ his cabin & gave Minsc & Boo a vacation. The trip to Athkatla was uneventful & we stopped to upgrade Valygar’s arms to a doubly blessed Samurai Sword in his lead sword hand. We were able to enter this massive sphere w/Valygar in our company but that’s where the ‘easy ended’.  First up we found a room w/treasure chests & a Stone Golem which we pummeled directly, although Yoshimo could only get one of three treasure chests open.

 

We ran into another group of adventurers but they just seemed to have given up hope of going on.  They did tell us that once we entered this room we were locked in the Sphere.  They also gave us an idea of what to expect beyond a door to the west of the entrance door but didn’t offer to join me.  In this case I could’a used the help. The first gauntlet in this place was against a bunch of cannibalistic Halving’s, replete w/dangerous arcane & divine spellcasters. After easily working through a Skeleton Warrior & five Halving Warriors we encountered a Halving Warrior/Mage who’d animated two Skeleton Warriors. We tore up the Skeleton Warriors but they were a nuisance & by the time they were down, we just couldn’t land a blow on the Warrior/Mage. When we finally did kill him, Anomen, my priest & the only one of us that can Raise Dead had been so badly hurt that he slipped into unconsciousness. Considering that I could no longer get us out of the sphere, we would have to forge on w/o him, so I laid him in a little hut in the caverns that I guess the Halving’s used. A little further on in this cavernous corridor we met a really tough Halving Warrior w/three of the standard Halving Warriors, two Sword Spiders & two Ettercaps but we got thru them w/little difficulty. The difficulty was yet to come.  In the next room was a weird machine w/what appeared to be a partial golem in a tank of liquid. There was a table nearby w/an arm (obviously required for the golem) & a book on how to make a golem written in the common tongue.  I had the arm attached figuring the golem was useless w/o a head.  Next, I had Yoshimo open the door to the right. He was using his Find/Remove Traps so he travelled the short distance in the vomitorium to the next door but tripped a trap & was instantly knocked completely unconscious.  I went & retrieved him & carried him off to a tent in the caverns where I’d laid Anomen. The door he was about to open wouldn’t open anyway so I turned us to a door to the north, now down two key members of my Lance. I opened the door & Holy Smoke!  At first there were just two Halving Warriors which I drew into the room, slammed the door behind (one of my favorite tactics to separate & destroy enemies piecemeal). We smashed them quickly.  But then the scite hit the fan in a big way.  I could hear spell casters incanting from behind the door so I let them do their thing…& waited & waited & waited until they were quiet & it had been what I figured was sufficient time to let their spells wear off (another favorite tactic).  But then I opened the door intent on letting them begin another spell before slamming the door on them again. Didn’t work as they barged in…a Halving Mage & Halving Cleric who soon summoned a Skeleton Warrior & Sword Spider.  They kicked our arse’s. First of all, trying to figure out which spell caster was vulnerable to attack, dealing w/a Skeleton Warrior & then a Sword Spider was confusing. We couldn’t focus on killing the latter two w/o trying to disrupt spells from the former.  I decided to have us back into the cavernous area to spread them out & buy time but I didn’t move fast enough & soon Tyris was down – the 3^rd, & most important person, in my heart if not my Lance.  But I had no time to dwell on that now.  As we withdrew we were able to destroy the Skeleton Warrior & the Sword Spider.  Continuing to buy space & time we literally drew them all the way back thru the room w/the other adventurers (who offered no assistance) until we were in the very first room we’d entered when we came into the sphere. I had the door slammed but they came thru.  Luckily for us, by then, they’d spent their best spells & we were able to cut them down.  After finishing them & collecting their belongings, I brought Tyris & laid her in the same tent as Anomen & Yoshimo. I thank, Helm maybe, that she can be revived, all of them but especially her. 

 

Down to just Auren, my best warrior & Valygar, who has shone quickly that those people in Kara-Tur are in good hands w/Samurai Warriors guarding their lands – much like Paladin’s here in Faerun.  Still, there were only three of us left, none of us spellcasters, & we haven’t gotten very far @ all. 

 

We’d been finding coal along the way & entered a furnace room.  Reading the golem making book made me decide to stoke the furnaces – after all the golem still had no head. The book said something about powering up the golem machine so I was just seeing where this would lead. Each time we fired one up one of the furnaces, we were attacked by a Fire Elemental but the three of us dealt w/them easily & then the two Stone Golems we found in the next room.  There we found the golem’s head. We were stuck & couldn’t go anywhere b/c we’d opened all the doors that would open.  The only other one was the one we tried & couldn’t open. So…I attached the Golem’s Head & released him thinking he might be the answer to where we go next & hoping that it wasn’t going to end in another arse whooping. Luckily he wasn’t after us but an ‘intruder he detected’.  He tore thru the door aforementioned (that Yoshimo couldn’t open) & flew thru rooms & halls into another cavernous type room where he went after a Giant Elder Orb.  We decided it was in our interest to help him so we did – the last thing we wanted was to fight them both.  He killed the Elder Orb & then just stood there so we moved on as he said there were evidently no more ‘intruder’s’. 

GOLEM & THE ELDER ORB

From there we went down some stairs to a door that led us directly to Lavok but I backed out before he saw me. This, I knew would take lots of patience since there wasn’t any kind of spell caster amongst the three of us. We did, however, have a Book of Infinite Spells that Tyris had been carrying (can’t remember where she picked it up).  It was useable by any of the three of us so that would be helpful.  I decided to go in, leaving the others behind in the hallway. I crept out in the room but after a few steps he challenged me. I let him start to incant & then moved quickly back & shut the door (Note: since the user interface let’s one know the spells being cast if you’re not too far away, I pretend that, even though we’re not spell casters, we can pick out words & phrases having travelled w/so many spell casters & having fought so many others. So, we can make out some spells & make a pretty well educated guess at others by listening to the incantations. I watch & count these closely as they use their spells – kinda like ‘counting cards’ in poker.  Sometimes if you ‘go upstairs or into another area completely you can no longer hear the words & phrases, thus you can’t have any idea what they’ve cast).  We knew he was casting protection & summoning spells so Auren opened the door & I used the Book of Infinite Spells which cast a Fireball that seemed to have little effect. Then we waited & waited, taunted & taunted & regressed & gained time & space (Note: At least real world 30-40 minutes of cat & mouse). Even so, his spells were penetrating the doorway @ times & we’d try to get back up the stairs but, alas, he caught Auren & Valygar in one fell swoop w/Abi Dalzim’s Horrid Wilting. I was alone now & carried them through the empty hall & laid them in the tent w/the others. Lavok didn’t follow me.  I gathered every Potion of Extra Healing, Potion of Healing, Elixir of Health & Antidote from everyone. I grabbed Auren’s non-enchanted Longsword, Dadrek, Anomen’s Doubly Enchanted Warhammer & Valygar’s Doubly Enchanted Samurai Sword, none of which I’m proficient w/.  It seems there’s a lot of use by enemy casters of Protection from Magic Weapons so for now I grabbed Auren’s but afterword were’ all going to have a non-magical weapon in addition to our enchanted ones. For now all I have is Auren’s.  Back to the door, hoping Lavok had not burst through like the Halving Mages & Wizards did.  He’d not & all was silent so I opened the door & let him see me & rile him up again.  I’d not rested so neither had he & I knew that. The spells he’s cast were gone unless he had duplicates.  I was wary of him until after a while I realized he was casting Chromatic Orb back to back & Magic Missiles in between. Then I allowed him his spells, quaffed a potion equivalent to my damage…then came back again for more.  Finally he was out of spells &, exacerbated, he came @ me w/his staff. I couldn’t hit him w/my enchanted Bastard Sword or Auren’s Dadrek. So I switched to my Acid Headed Flail of the Ages. But…though the flail didn’t damage him, the acid did. And so I hit him & once I knew it was causing even minimal damage I kept it up as minimal damage is better than none. I hit him probably 20 times while his staff was useless against my armor. And then, I landed a solid blow & knew his Protection from Magic Weapons (& Normal) Weapons was spent. Then I dropped the Flail on the floor & drew my Bastard Sword +1 to bring my Grand Mastery to bear. Blow after blow landed until he begged me to let him live. He said his body & mind had been taken prisoner during one of his extra planetary excursion & that he has been thus for thousands of years. He begged me to find the heart of a demon & put it in the Engine Room. He said the sphere left Faerun as soon as we entered it & were now in the abyss.  He told me if I could find the heart of a demon it would allow the sphere to return to Faerun. The door I originally came in would be where I’d find the demon.  I went, believing Lavok’s story, through the door & suddenly found myself alone, all alone, somewhere in the 666 layers of the abyss.  I rested (& lost a lot of good armor & equipment that I’d neglected to secure, e.g. Night’s Gift +5).

 

I ventured out from the doorway in the most desolate place I could have imagined & I actually prayed not to get trapped here. Luckily I could come & go.  On my first foray I ran directly into a Salamander, a Quasit & two Imps which I dealt w/easily enough but learned that Quasit & Imp might be the weakest of demons & devils but they can still deal out damage. I found it interesting that this demon had enslaved some Imps as servants, Imps being devils & Corrupters, almost always in service ultimately to an Arch-Devil.  Anyway, I was a little beat up so I tried to rest again & was attacked by a Maurezhi, they look like Ghasts but they are much more powerful as they are nasty, but lesser,  Tanar’ri.   After I killed him, I finally got a few hours rest before jaunting out & up a hill to the north. I didn’t have to go far before I found a Demon like Aec’Letec, a Chasme of the Tanar’ri race of Demons.  I don’t think this one was quite as powerful as Aec’Letec but it gave me hell (ironic choice of words, huh?) sending three Imps; two Quasits & two Fire Mephit’s after me. I retrograded out of eyesight of the Chasme but got surrounded & was taking fire damage from the Fire Mephits, the claws & fangs of the Quasits w/cause a burning itch w/each hit & the & the barbed tails of the Imps. Slowly, one by one, I killed them off w/a couple of blows each but I admit I was nervous.  I was beaten up pretty good but once they were dead I was able to rest unmolested.  The Chasme didn’t come after me so after a few hours, I was ready to go find it (Chasme, unlike many demons, are neither male nor female...they’re very much like a fly).  I moved back to where it’d had been & there it was as if it had never moved.  It cast something @ me but it did nothing so I just attacked full bore to see if I could land a hit…& I did, a big one, & another w/a miss or two in between. The Chasme lashed out & landed some vicious bites & claws. Every time I hit him I did significant damage & I could see it was hurting the demon but I as bleeding profusely too. There was no way I could disengage & try to escape now lest he finish me off w/a spell before I could get out of sight.  So I just had to quaff Potions of Healing whenever I felt I was getting to where one more attack could end me. It was a race to see which one of us would kill the other first. Thankfully, I finally killed the thing & got the heart I needed. Getting to the Engine Room was harder than killing the Chasme.  

KILLING A CHASME TANAR'RI SINGLE HANDIDLY! 

I went back to Lavok thinking the engine room was in one of those other doors there but he could only say hurry & couldn’t tell me where.  I went up one set of stairs & found a forest w/an open grove w/two huge mushrooms & a bunch of tangled brambles. I was stupid & cut down the non-threatening mushroom directly in front of me & suddenly I was in deep crappe. The mushrooms were two Spore Colonies & they start pumping out Myconids two @ a time until there were 24 in all.  The Spore Colonies also released spores in the air that caused me confusion so I couldn’t think straight but luckily I kept fighting even so & knocking out one of them every two or three blows. I’d come in & out of my confused state & @ times I was completely surrounded & being attacked by 12-15 @ once.  Somehow I killed them all off & the confusion wore off & I went after the two Spore Colonies which were no longer pumping out Myconids. I destroyed them.  I left that place & went back down into the room where Lavok lay. There was another staircase to a triangular shaped room that contained four Lizard Men that I easily defeated.  But I still hadn’t found the Engine Room.

TOUGH MUSHROOMS?

Key Event:  I backtracked to a room w/Runes on the floor.  We’d passed over these when following the Guardian Golem on the way to his defeating the Elder Orb.  There was a door there but it wouldn’t open.  I started messing w/the Runes figuring a wrong move would get me blasted & I was right.  I touched the north. Rune (one of four Runes) & got a feeling I’d done something right, then the south Rune (still right) before getting hit w/a Flame Strike when I touched the east Rune.  So I did it again after quaffing a Potion of Healing.  Having gotten the first two right, I figured this time I’d touch the west Rune 3^rd & the east Rune fourth.  Got it & the door opened.  Down the stairs I found a huge room & as I walked in slowly, I saw Tolgerias, the same Wizard I’d talked w/in the Government District who asked me to find Valygar.  He started incanting & I started backtracking into the door.  I figured, correctly, that it would be a long struggle, me having to avoid getting blasted completely off the face of Toril.  The same tactics I used w/Lavok were all I had, except there was no door to close but I could get up to the top of the stairs but then I couldn’t hear his incantations.  I’d stay up there for a while & then creep back down the stairs, as best one can in Full Plate Armor.  I’d let him see me & then back off & wait for the spell but he didn’t follow me to the doorway @ first so I was able to be out of sight.  He’d get me w/spells & cause damage but I was using Potions of Extra healing, Elixirs of Health & Potions of Healing to heal as much as I thought I could get by with but I was down to less than ten healing potions total.  I can’t remember every detail of this fight – I think he sent a couple of Skeleton Warrior’s after me but I dealt w/them quickly.  I do remember him summoning one or two Horned Devils (also called Malebranch) or, as I learned since I left the Sphere, nowadays they’re more commonly called Cornugon. Whatever you call them, I beat both of them easily enough.  It was @ this point that I realized there was another mage as she rounded the doorway & came after me.  I don’t remember the specifics but I must have dodged her by ascending the steps. I just know I killed her & realized Tolgerias was behind me when I did. I activated my Ring of Invisibility & bypassed him into the room & was able to scout the rest of the room, noting a door to the west & another to the north.  I finally closed on him as it was obvious he didn’t have the ability to Detect Invisibility.  I attacked him from behind but it was ineffective. Having lost my invisibility, he popped me w/a Magic Missile & a couple of Chromatic Orbs & then I knew it was close to over – just a matter of time.  I moved back through the door into the hall leading to the stairs where he followed me & started striking @ me w/his staff but couldn’t hit me.  As with Lavok, I decided to try the Acid Headed Flail & it started causing him acid damage.  But once the Flail connected w/its full blow I swapped to my Grand Mastery Weapon, Bastard Sword +1 & quickly hacked him to pieces.  The two doors led to an Ice Room & a Flame Room.  In the former I killed a Snow Troll, an Ice Salamander & an Ice Mephit. In the latter a Greater Fire Elemental, a Salamander, two Fire & one Magma Mephits & a really tough Efreeti.  Each room had another door in it & both led to the engine room I’d been trying to find.  It wasn’t hard to find the location to place the Demon Heart but I was chased by three or four Golem’s - I chose not to fight.  I felt like I was too close to getting out of here & rescuing my Lance.

DEFEATING TOLGERIAS!

I returned to Lavok after leaving the engine room. Lavok was almost dead & wanted one more time to see the Faerun sky again. I agreed to carry him out on the buttress & he died peacefully. 

 

After that, I had a lot to do, beginning w/finding the nearest Temple of Helm so I could get Anomen Raised from the Dead. Then it was back to The Inn of Seven Vales for a few days rest while Anomen brought the rest of us back…starting w/Tyris.  Once everyone was back & I distributed what I’d been able to bring back w/me, we needed to return & claim what else we could find & dig into a couple of chests Yoshimo couldn’t open. That ended up costing of nearly 2000gp in Potions of Master Thievery & Power before we could get into them. While going back & forth selling loot, buying replacement weapons & armor, etc., we were attacked by a Bandit Mage, a Bandit Cleric & two or more Bandits. We beat ‘em down but I’ve a good mind to stop fooling w/them & just move on – they’re all over the city but they’ve little treasure to be such a pain in the arse. 

 

I realized now that while in the Sphere it had been over two months …& we’d travelled from the Prime Material Plane to the Abyss & back. 

 

Treasure of Note: (Purse = 575 gp) Armor/Weapons: Mace (Mauler’s Arm +2); Long Sword (Ras +2); 30 Arrows +2 (sold); Battle Axe +2 (Sold); Ninja-To +1 (sold); Leather Armor (+2) (sold); Jewelry/Gold: 350gp; Gem (Unidentified; Rings of Acuity (Tyris), Fire Control (Tyris), Ram (Anomen); Potions: 2 x Potion of Superior Healing; three Potion of Extra Healing; (General Purpose Use);  two Potions of Invisibility; Scrolls: Wands:

 

Current Disposition:  At this time, we’re all in the Inn of the Seven Vales, resting after a few days of running around trying to get ready to adventure out again.

 

Next Steps: The adventurer’s we came across in the Sphere were from another plane apparently. I told them I’d try to find a way to get them home.  The only thing I can think of to try to contact someone in the Cowled Wizards who might know how, & be willing, to help them. Selfishly, I am worried that this might unlock the secret for how Tyris can return to her home plane…& that she’d take it. Definite insecurity on my part.  I said earlier, Tryis is the most important person in my Lance.  She’s more than that.  She said she loved me today…after the night after we became lovers.   I love her too.  I want to think her love would keep her here w/me but, then again, everything she has ever known before she joined me is there.  

MOVING ON FROM BRANWEN...

Level Up:

·         Lord Gawain: I don’t know where it happened but my skills have advanced me to Lord/11^th Level (Fighter/11). 

·         After he was revived & healed Valygar also advanced to Shôgun/10^th Level (Samurai/10). Were he in Kara-Tur he’d be a Lord in his culture except that what we call a Lord here is called a Shôgun in Kara-Tur. 

·         Yoshimo also advanced in skill to what would be called a Kage/13^th Level (Ninja/13) were he home in Kara-Tur. In his case rather than being a Shogun (nobility), Yoshimo would likely be the head of a village (peasant) but the villages most powerful Ninja. He would meet, when necessary w/other Kage in Kage Summit’s when necessary.

 

Current Party (In Order of March): (Reputation: 13 – Popular)

·         Gawain: Ftr/10, (HP105); Full Plate Mail w/Large Shield, Helm of Balduran, Ring of Protection +2, Ring of Invisibility & Girdle of Bluntness, Cloak of Reflection & Periapt of Proof Against Poison ; Bastard Sword +1*****, Flail of the Ages (Acid); Bastard Sword***** (Bone Golem)(1)

·         Auren Aseph: Ftr (Apprentice//10), (HP71  ); Studded Leather +2  w/ Long Sword (Ras +2)***** (SWS**); (Shade Lord)(SCS Ease of Use, Setting 1)(2)

·         Yoshimo: Thief (Ninja/12), HP68; Studded Leather +2, Boots of Stealth, Cloak of the Sewers & Pale Green Ioun Stone w/Katana***, Darts +2/1*;(Del)(Thief Aggressive)(6)

·         Anomen: Ftr/Watcher of Helm//9/9, (HP55); Plate Mail w Large Shield & Amulet of Power; Mace (Mauler’s Arm +2)***, Hammer of Thunderbolts +3**, Warhammer**, (SSS**); (Greater Fire Elemental)(Cleric Aggressive)(3)

·         Tyris Flare: Fighter (Amazon/9)//Mage [Fire Only]/10; HP40; Tyris’ Leather Armor, Cloak of Protection +1, Buckler +1; Rings of Acuity, Fire Control; Sling +2**; Spear +2** Spear**; (Skeleton Warrior)(Mage Aggressive)(4)

·         Valygar: Samurai (Ranger/10); Studded Leather +2  w/Scimitar +2 (Rashad’s Talon +2)*****, Scimitar +1*****, Scimitar*****; (Stone Golem)(SCS Ease of Use AI, Setting 1)(5)

 

Mods Used: BG2 FixPack _v10; Amber_v4; Auren Aseph_v9; Sarah_v4; Haldimir_v2; : Tyris Flare_v6; Gavin_v20 & Hotfix;  scs-v30 (- Tactical Challenges); MegaModKits v1.01L (Anti-Paladin, Charming Rogue, Priest of Sylvanus, Bladesinger, Amazon, Apprentice, Ninja, Samurai); Divine Remix_v8 (Nightcloak of Shar, Holy Strategist of the Red Knight, Batleguard of Tempus, Strifeleader of Cyric, Bowslinger, Forest Runner, Wilderness Runner) ; Rogue Rebalancing; bg2_tweaks-v16; Item Randomizer-v6.8; level1npcs-v1.9

 

Blue Font: New information;

Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)

(Best kill)(Current AI)(Chain of Command)

* Name Levels are ancient, AD&D titles that used to represent each new level in a class

[corey_russell]

@CKT: Great escapes there! Keep up the good work!

[Charlestonian Knight Templar]

@CKT: Great escapes there! Keep up the good work!

Thanks C_R:  That means a lot.  Thought I'd blown it for sure.

[corey_russell]

Oops! (post has been moved to BG 1 thread where it belongs)

[Serg BlackStrider]

The Shorties Rule Supreme! All the best and safe travels for (S)Quad, friends! (Wrong thread though, but does that matter, eh?  )

 

@CKT: glad you made it through that damned Sphere! Keep it up and stay focused!

[corey_russell]

@Grond0, @Dogdancing, @Gate70: Hey guys just realized something -- maybe the monks should have tried quivering palm to kill the mind flayer outright?

[Gate70]

My aura was dirty despite the screenshot "evidence" as I'd selected a stunning blow when the flayer turned up.

 

Wewa may have been better to attack without a special ability so no time was wasted. Auto-pause: spell cast might be worth enabling if we get in a similar pickle, think that works for abilities too.

[Grimwald the Wise]

Entertaining read CKT. Well done.

[Grond0]

Gate70/Grond0 multiplayer attempt 79 - (update 2)

Risqe, elf wild mage (Grond0) & Pallor, half-elf fighter/mage (Gate70)

 

The duo started their session at Watcher's Keep.  There were no vampiric wraiths there, so it should have been easy to loot the top floor.  The guardian golems were killed by the Crimson Dart, although one of them did injure Pallor quite severely while he was running it round and he let Risqe lure the second into an impassable doorway to finish it off.  There was though a potential major problem when both characters were incapacitated by a stinking cloud from the ooze mephit.  Fortunately, the last green slime alive seemed to be stuck in a corner and wasn't able to attack Pallor while he was down.

Spoiler

 

Travelling back to Athkatla Risqe used a chaos spell to break the back of the Renfeld ambush.  That did result in one of the thugs actually attacking Renfeld, but fortunately he had clearly not been quite so damaged by his injuries as he claimed and he survived.

Spoiler

Pallor took advantage of Officer Dirth to improve the armour he sometimes wears before going to call on Prebek.  He died before he could react and Sanasha didn't survive long after that.  She did though manage to confuse Pallor.  Neither character has got around to learning stoneskin yet, so Risqe ran out of the house rather than allow her companion to cut her down.

Spoiler

 

After looting the harpers the duo moved on to Mae'Var's tasks.  In Rayic's house a first use of the flesh golem helped defeat it's stone cousins.  Then Pallor sneaked upstairs and produced some summons to attract Rayic's best spells, before moving in himself for the kill.  

Spoiler

Risqe had tried to help out with a chaos, only to give up in disgust when Rayic saved with a throw of -3!

Spoiler

Mae'Var himself didn't last long.  

Spoiler

His cleric did manage to silence Pallor - unfortunately not until after he had opened the combat with a fireball that caught an imprisoned slave, trashing our reputation.

 

Gaelan Bayle was paid immediately before Sansuki appealed for help.  The Cowled Wizards are still controlling the streets of Athkatla and this pairing were not yet really set up for vampire fighting even if they had been free to cast spells - so they just ran away.

 

After picking up goodies from Aran Linvail the final action of the session was to go and call on Pai'Na.  She fell quickly - providing Risqe with a ioun stone to make the odd attack on her somewhat less dangerous.

Spoiler

 

Stats (cont. from BG1):

Risqe, wild mage 11, 57 HPs (incl. 12 from familiar, 5 from ioun stone, -9 from Claw), 169 kills

Pallor, fighter 9 / mage 10, 88 (incl. 5 from Helm) HPs, 408 kills, 0 deaths

[Golden28]

Hey guys,

 

A little request. Please state, what is your opinion on this topic?:

 

I've been playing my new Eren a lot because I wanted to get up to Irenicus and take revenge for him crushing me last time. So I was hyped, buffed fully and started the fight with greater malison from Jan, chaos from Imoen and insect plague from Jaheira to completely shut off his summons so I could focus him and his planetar down.

 

Well... the insect plague hit Irenicus BEFORE his protections triggered...

 

That means 100% spell failure...

And damage over time...

 

So the fight was laughably easy, once the copies were gone Eren got him down with regular throwing axes..

 

I was kinda baffled and read on the SCS page that insect plague was nerfed making blue shields destroy the insects, which he had on him all the time. But I didnt install this option because I'd rather not nerf druids who I think are underpowered compared to mages and because I only have jaheira to cast it, so Id figure she would either die (-10 hp is chunk in my game) and thats it for plagues or I would let her tag along JUST for this spell. So in short, I wouldnt nerf it because I felt SCS was being hard enough with improved everything and with everything I did nerf already...

 

But because the fight was over so quickly in was a huge anticlimax, so I decided to reload and see what would happen if I couldnt get plague to stick on Irenicus.

 

I tried 2 more times for test reasons. The conclusion is:

 

- Once he casts dark planetar theres nothing my team can do. It is immune to all we have (installed 'take all gear - option' remember?) and spams vorpal hits, insect plagues and firestorms.

- Irenicus has a mage lvl 30 spelllist so its endless protections like pro:MW, absolute immunity or improved (as per scs) mantles.  

 

So 2 times it was the exact same sequence:

-I DONT cast insect plague,

-I slowly kill copies,

-he casts dark planetar,

-we run and run and run until summoning time runs out but it doesnt,

-all my men get insect plagued or power word stunned and we die.

 

What do you guys think? I mean is insect plague THAT op or is the game just so that without huge luck with dispells or a 20+ level mage (multi-class like Alesia demonstrated) there is just nothing I can do against this bossfight with planetar, at least with take all gear option installed?

 

Im kinda in doubt about continuing this run..

 

Thanks and cheers!

 

GL28

[Blackraven]

What do you guys think? I mean is insect plague THAT op or is the game just so that without huge luck with dispells or a 20+ level mage (multi-class like Alesia demonstrated) there is just nothing I can do a!ainst this bossfight with planetar, at least with take all gear option installed?

Hey Golden! It's nice to see you do very well. Like me, and several other players here, you choose to mod your game in such a way that it becomes a lot more difficult than the vanilla version of the game. In some cases this means having fewer ways to prevail in particular battles than you'd normally have. As to your specific question, I wouldn't consider Insect Plague "THAT op" as you call it but rather the 'take all gear in Spellhold' SCS component very underpowering, except for Sorcerers and maybe pure casters in general. Also, you're playing with a full party, so you're relatively low level and you won't have HLAs to counter Jon boy's Planetar.

You used one of very few available tactics to decide a hard battle in your favor. I can't see why you wouldn't want to further your good progress with your current Eren.

Fyi, I have the same component installed in my current setup, but in a toned down version that should allow Charname and co to get their gear back before that battle. Maybe that's something you could consider as well for a new playthrough. 

CKT, your latest update was fantastic! When I saw a lone SIr Gawain stunned and at near death status, I feared that was the end of him. I also really like how you're securing a certain continuity in your story-telling in spite of the fact that BG1 and SoA have quite a different feel (withe the former offering a more medieval and relatively low magic setting, and the latter being more science-fictionish and with lots of magic).
 

[Aasim]

@ Golden

Do as you see fit - nobody here will scold you for *not* nerfing Insect Plague. Fwiw, I never install the option that my gear gets stolen in Spellhold.  

 

Edit:

Eh, per Insects, don't worry about even vanilla version being OP with SCS - if SCS mages detect spell failure, they'll attempt to run from you, and won't waste time on futile attempts to cast spells if they're suffering 100% spell failure. It will buy you time (and mages will still be able to use Contingencies, Triggers and the like).

I'd vote that you continue your game.

[Alesia_BH]

Congrats on beating Jon-Jon Golden!

 

I agree with others that you should do whatever feels right to you.

 

I don't have the gear theft option installed. And while I acknowledge that it has a certain logic to it within the gameworld, I don't expect to install it anytime soon

 

 

- Once he casts dark planetar theres nothing my team can do. It is immune to all we have (installed 'take all gear - option' remember?)

 

If you intend to continue using the gear theft component, you may want to take a look at the L4 mage spell Enchanted Weapon. A casting will create an undispellable +3 weapon that can be used by anyone. The weapon may be either a mace, an axe, a long sword, or a short sword: the caster decides. Importantly, weapons created via Enchanted Weapon last one day so they'll remain after a standard rest. You can have your mages equip the party and then let them rest to reload their own spell books.

 

If you'd also like to equip one of your warriors with quality armor in Spellhold post gear theft, remember that Lady Yuth has a Limited Wish scroll. Limited Wish: I wish for a powerful magical item (on time wish) will create a set of Full Plate +2. That would be an option if one of your mages has an L7 slot.

 

Best,

 

A.

[Golden28]

Hey guys,

 

As per my last post, I've decided to continue the run. For the following reasons:

- Previous reasons stated by myself in the post: the underpowerdness of druids and the 'take all items at capture' mod option making it a balanced challenge already;

- The game with scs cheats.. I mean look at all the rediculous contingencies and HLA's. I feel Im allowed a legit albeit powerful spell; 

- Awesome encouragement from Blackraven, Aasim and Alesia, telling me it is within legit SCS boundaries to use this spell at this stage and telling me SCS AI already tries to handle spell failure.

 

Lets just say Irenicus wasnt ready for the force of nature .

 

Now I'm motivated to report on my progress:

 

Eren, last child BG2 EPISODE 1:

 

I like the first few hours of BG2 because everything we do and have feels underpowered with huge challenge, but there are a lot more tactics possible than bg1. 

 

Suna Seni, the first real threat. Her mage looks to be very smart at first: Jaheira tries to one or two-shot the gang with a firebreath potion, but the mage weakens her with an enfeeblement spell, making her unable to move because of her plate mail. But then as per enemy AI, she still WALKS into the beam of fire, omg..

 

Next are some minor quests, like the thieves quests, getting the talking sword, etc.

The sewers with Haegan turns into a slaughterhouse because of the 'hold' spell . 

 

We rescue a particularly goodlooking drow. No shes available in TOB (I installed this option: npcs only available in TOB if you meet them in bg2).

 

We do trademeet. Cernd doesnt falter. 

 

Once back we do shopping, Anomen and Keldorn's quest, etc. 

 

Mencar and crew. We one shot the mage with a backstab, then go to town with invisibility potions. Brennan dies.

 

They put up a good fight though, minor sequencered magic missles from the familiar and hardhitting fighters.

Mencar gets 97.

 

And another 102.. The bastard yet lives! Tough s.o.a.b. 

 

Another party.. Gaius gets 95..

 

We finish Bodhi within a minute or so, because Eren is able to one shot the fleeing vampire (the one that taunts you at the beginning) with azuredge while still blue circled, so we can immidiately pierce two vampires' hearts, making Bodhi appear. 

 

I dont bother with any of the other big quests. I've no legendary hammer to collect. Besides, items are no use in spellhold -> They get taken! I just want to kill that bastard Irenicus. My crew are already around level 13ish, so we head for Brynnlaw.

 

We run straight to the mistreated prostitute without fighting a single guard (they dont follow you) and one-shot lady Galvana the whoremadam. Her mage has his back to the wall so he manages to summon an efreeti who lands a massive fireball. We gulp and focus the efreeti, and then the mage down in a few seconds. 

 

Perth + 112 damage = splath.

 

In spellhold everything goes fine. But the wandering horror has an aura of fear?- Keldorn and Anomen's morals break for some reason.. And he's immune to normal weapons. Not to magic and not to Jaheira's bear form though. 

 

Mummy hits pretty hard!

 

This time we get the Yuan ti. All of them. Courtesy to Keldorn (dispel).

 

A finger of death gets Jaheira. Anomen resurrects.

 

The time is now! Here we come, Irenicus you angel summoning cheapskate! Unlike last time, we buff fully (which is more realistic I think).

 

As stated in the discussion-post, we immidiately land an insect plague through all of Irenicus' defences. 

 

The copies get chaos' and slaughtered. Jon walks around impotently. He has 100% spellfailure (minus triggered spells) and cant go anywhere, really. 

 

Eren slays a (friendly summoned) Glabrezu, dealing a nice 50 damage crit.

 

Somehow Keldorn and Imoen get confused.. They are left alone though so we can heal a bit and finally strike Jon down. 

 

The 'murderers' fall even without true sight and here we save the game.

 

This is the farthest an Eren has ever come. I hope I can continue this run all the way to TOB. If you guys have any tips (I've never gotton past Irenicus with SCS installed), feel free to post them! (without spoiling too much though ) 

 

Cheers!

[Golden28]

Wow so far have faced improved shauhagin and gythyanki, holy cr*p..  strong..

 

I also got rid of Jan to be a 5 man party, less micromanagement. Also, Jan has a habit of completely killing the suspense with some or other random nonsense .. 

 

Cheers!

[Grond0]

Nice to see Eren still backstabbing away Golden - good luck in the Underdark.  

[Golden28]

Eren, last child BG2 Episode 2

 

The first fight on the ship with the improved gythianki is dangerous.. It is supposed to be a cutscene fight but we almost end up dying because their warriors insta-maze (non-save) our three fighters and/or stun the rest (kinda op if you ask me).

 

We survive though. We go get the tooth for the Shauhagin as we are wounded and do not want to fight much now.

First trap.. Ok we got the clue..

 

After Keldorn convinces the beholder to give us the tooth (high charisma checks usually work from BASE only, items do not help then I noticed), we kill some rebels.

We find out free action doesnt prevent stun.. Luckely we're able to dispel with the inquisitor otherwise it wouldve been bye bye for Eren. On the internet it says that chaotic command DOES protect against stun, but by crossbow bolt this is kinda weird I think.. Ohwell..

 

We get through the stunning bolts and into the underdark. First party is immidiately dangerous.

Confused Keldorn starts shooting the duergar who go hostile and have to die..

 

The Balor is very dangerous. It vorpals (but luckely not chunks Jaheira ..)

 

We get him with pokes from our +3 weapons and here the aerial servant deals a 60 damage crit, killing it.

 

I thought the powerful spellcaster the duergar spoke of was in the prison in the middle of the map, or at least some other grateful creature, instead it is a level 100000 lich that instacasts an old foe.. A dark planatar..

 

But now we have full gear so we can kill it. While the lich obliterates our skeleton warriors, our combined might gets the planetar to badly injured. 

 

Then it instaheals...

 

Again... 

 

And Again...

 

Yeah....................

 

Goodbye! We throw all our summon fodder at him who all get vorpalled and run all the way to the right of the map. There we run into a huge party of Kuo Tao.. Damn!

We run all the way back to the bottom left corner (we do a lot of running this episode haha). But then the lich comes after us as well!

 

Then it starts casting while targetting Imoen. I make her quaff a healing potion, then the spell resolves..

 

Nothing I can do... 129 damage total is a -94 chunk, he he.. :/

 

Im thinking of heading for Adalon and resting up as we are all but spend, but then the lich will also have rested and regained all his spells, and we have plenty of business in these areas. Conclusion: It has to die. I look for a pro: undead scroll but have none. 

 

Keldorn keeps interrupting it with lighting damage from the bolts, although lich is in fact immune to it. A dragons breath is quickly cast on Keldorn.. Seems he had some gas left ..

 

It deels zero damage because somehow double hasted Keldorn can outrun it!

 

When the lightning bolts run out I bring in Anomen invisible from the other side of the bridge. His invisibility gets dispelled by a teleported drow war party by a drow cleric stating: "I'm am a servant of the gods, you cannot hide from me", or something like that.. Party and Anomen immidiately re gulp invis potions.

Fatigued Anomen makes it to the weary lich and finally destroys it.... Jeez..

 

We sneak past the war party to Adalon and go drow. Returning to the bridge, the party is still hostile so we start to work on them. First some backstabs.

 

Then summons + old fashioned dps. They all fall, we don some of their gear, and head for the city.

 

Now that Imoen is dead we have no arcane caster! I was thinking of installing the Solaufein mod from Weimer but I read it isnt quite up to date with enhanced edition, usually resulting in game breaking bugs. I dont want to risk that, so I probably have to just do without a mage . 

 

That means I got to be REALLY careful..

 

Cheers!

[Grond0]

Gate70/Grond0 multiplayer attempt 79 - (update 3)

Risqe, elf wild mage (Grond0) & Pallor, half-elf fighter/mage (Gate70)

 

A short session yesterday started with some ambushing orogs finding Pallor's plate armour too difficult to hit.  Moving on to the Bridge District the duo picked up the berserker horn and taught the kidnappers their final lesson.  Pallor might have been forced to resort to a healing potion there if Kitthix had not successfully webbed both of them.

Spoiler

 

The bulk of the session was spent in search of the Ring of Gaxx:

- when opening up the Temple sewers to get access to the lich through there Risqe's attempt to cloudkill some kobolds only produced a nabassu.  

Spoiler

Risqe retreated slightly to stay out of the demon's sight, but that only resulted in a conflict with some kobolds that had just appeared on the encounter spot behind him.  Risqe took some damage there before they were dealt with and Pallor then went to finish the demon off along with the rakshasa.

Spoiler

- there was a potentially nasty moment on the way to talk to Gaal when an ooze mephit apparently heard the noise of a battle with some ettercaps. Fortunately, by the time it arrived the ettercaps were all dead and Pallor was able to get out of the cloud and finish it off.  He did have to waste a healing potion though as a result of Risqe taking a nap in the cloud and being unable to cure the poison inflicted by the last ettercap.

Spoiler

- after buying PfU scrolls and a potion of storm giant strength, the duo opened up access to the other Bridge and City Gates liches before returning to the temple sewers.  A potion of speed helped finish off the lich there quickly, but there was a short delay when another ooze mephit appeared outside.  It's cloud overtook the duo just before they could exit the area,

Spoiler

but the mephit chose to attack Pallor and didn't do much damage before he woke up and responded violently.

- after running away from an ambush and dealing with the other liches Pallor used the giant strength potion to knock down Kangaxx's door - we've still not sorted out the Cowled Wizards to allow spells to be cast in the city.  That potion also speeded up slightly killing off the demi-lich to get its ring.

Spoiler

 

Stats (cont. from BG1):

Risqe, wild mage 12, 58 HPs (incl. 12 from familiar, 5 from ioun stone, -9 from Claw), 187 kills

Pallor, fighter 9 / mage 11, 89 (incl. 5 from Helm) HPs, 443 kills, 0 deaths