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[Alesia_BH]

Arkona, Halfling Barbarian: Melissan and the Five

 

By now, everyone knows how this ended. Melissan had a bad day: a very, very bad day.

 

But the details matter- the details are interesting. Unfortunately, this post will be light on details at first due to RL constraints. I'm tired. It's time for me to go to bed. And yet I promised myself I'd finish covering Arkona's run this evening.

 

My intention is to dart through this now and then, hopefully, fill in some of the details tomorrow or the day after. Forgive my haste. It shouldn't detract from Arkona's accomplishment.

 

The Plan: Stay ranged, wield Seeking and the Reflex. Maintain 100% resistance to fire. Counter remove by rebuffing and conserve HLAs for the finish. Once Sendai's book is drained, go on the offensive. Bring Yaga-Shura to at least badly injured using Darts of Stunning and the Asp's Nest, and then finish Sendai to trigger Mel's arrival. Once Melissan arrives, stay close to her. Maintain a clear aura. Listen to her everyone word. When she says "praeses" use Focus. Once the Time Stop begins, set aside the Reflex, put Belm in the offhand and finish Illasera.

 

Next, take down the two remaining weak links: Gromnir and Sarevok. Finally, finish Abazigal with Arrows of Dispelling->Sling of Seeking and Yaga-Shura with Darts of Stunning->Foebane + Belm.

 

in the final showdown with Mel use the Potions of Magic Shielding that you've been saving to counteract Mel's save lowering on hit effect. Use the Defender + Hardiness + 100% cold resistance to cushion melee and Bone Blade damage. Use healers to counter damage so that PW:K range is never reached. At the same time, be careful to avoid being caught in a Time Stop. Use proximity, round counting, and savvy timing to insure that Melissan will never get a chance to execute Time Stop melee. Maintain distance until an opening emerges and then launch a full on melee assault with Ages in the main. Use your HLAs. Done't hold back. Finish as quickly as possible, while keeping an eye on your saves.

 

Execution: Everything went according to plan. Arkona was never really in danger here, although she did take some damage in the endgame.

 

Here we see the typical Balthazar allied opening: Sendai, Yaga Shura and Sarevok to the west.

 

Abazigal, Illaera, and Gromnir to the east.

 

 

In the opening rounds, Arkona spent most of her time on the move while Sendai expended her high level spells.

 

A Remove was immediately countered with an Oil of Speed followed by a Potion of Fire Resistance.

 

Rage, which can't be dispelled, was precast before a Malison hit to insure that Sendai wouldn't have a window to use a disabler.

 

The two rounds it took for Arkona to rebuild her buffs gave Yaga-Shura an opportunity to launch a lava bomb. Arkona reluctantly took the damage, but she was also sure to position herself so that Yaga's allies would take some of the heat too.

 

Now that Sendai's book was tapped, it was time to go on the offensive. Dart of Stunning->Asp's Nest for Yaga.

 

Ok. He'd down to badly injured. Time to finish Sendai.

 

Here's Mel. Let's get on Illasera's case.

 

Mel says "praeses" we say Focus.

 

Down with Illasera.

 

And Gromnir, too.

 

Let's put a little pressure on Abazigal.

 

We're nearing the end now, we can bring out HLAs into play. Hardiness to cushion Bone Blades damage.

 

Sarevok falls.

 

Yaga is stunned.

 

A devastating Seeking blow finishes Abazigal.

 

The stunned Yaga falls.

 

Time for Mel. Buff those saves.

 

Layer in some cold resistance and wait for a window.

 

An injudicious Taint of the Slayer cast granted Arkona the window she sought. Ages Whirlwinds.

 

Down to badly injured, Melissan knocked Arkona back and healed herself with Divine Cleansing.

 

We needed another window. It came, but a last second Absolute Immunity cast kept Mel in the action for a few more rounds.

 

Last window. Time to bring the Improved Haste Critical Strikes.

 

We win! Melissan is defeated!

 

Fin!

 

I'll try to tack on more detail tomorrow. For now, I'll just note that I'm proud of Arkona. This run began as an install test, but over time it evolved into a proper run. And in fact, it ended up being one of my more satisfying runs. Arkona's run represents the first SCS Watcher's Keep solo in the challenge's history, the first solo with the Improved Enclaves, and my first run with a warrior. Earlier I said that I felt that Arkona shouldn't be consider for the Hall on the basis of this run, but I think, in the end, she deserves it. This was ultimately a worthy run, I believe. What does everyone else think?

 

Anyhoo. Thanks to everyone who took an interest in Arkona's run. Sorry for the shoddy final post. I really am sleepy! I'll try to add more detail tomorrow. Ask if you have questions.

 

Best,

 

A.

 

Btw. For those who don't play Ascension, here's Balthazar's final dialogue and epilogue. I think it's well done. Spoiler alert!

 

Balthazar's advice

 

Spoiler

 

Balthazar's epilogue

 

Spoiler

[Blackraven]

Congratulations (finally), Alesia, on a great run!
Sleep tight, and as far as I'm concerned, Arkona is welcome to a nice spot in the Hall of Heroes

[corey_russell]

Arkona has been entered in the Hall of Hereos!

 

Congratulations Alesia.

[Grond0]

I'll just note that I'm proud of Arkona.

As are we all. .

 

 

What does everyone else think?

Impressed, nay awestruck, with just a tinge of green jealousy .

[Serg BlackStrider]

Fantastic run, Alesia! Arkona deserved her place in Hall of Heroes absolutely and unconditionally. Congratulations!

[Dyara]

Congratulations ... 

[Golden28]

Im back guys, having done the Pekingexpress with my fiancee. It was amazing!

 

I started an Alexander run and am already halfway bg1. I rolled regular hp (random) and am planning to do a bit more solo this time, al they way trying to be as quick and efficient as possible. 

 

Furthermore:

 

Amazing, Alesia, such skill . Congrats on the succesful run!

 

 

Now I'm rooting for my old friend Blackravane and Bart!!!

 

Cheers!

[Blackraven]

Hey Golden! Glad you had a great trip! Good to see you back, and thanks for your support

 

Bartholomew, 7th BG2 update

Ok, so Bart's run has been made more challenging by the game. I thought I had been clever by soloing the Gnome during the first quests, and gradually forming a party, so that he and his friends would end up with a bit of a HLA headstart in SoA. However the game has clearly responded: 'Nope, not going to happen! You're going to respect the SoA level cap. It was once created for a reason.'

So yes, I'm going to continue SoA with the SoA level cap in tact. Interestingly, XP accrues beyond the level cap as long as I don't end a playing sessions. When I load, XP is reset. In other words Bart and the others might gain enough XP in one longer session to get a level up (with all the benefits, including a HLA) before XP will be lowered to the SoA cap in the next session. The level obtained is then not lost. This has already happened once with Bart, when he secured UAI during my last session. It might happen again for Bart if he gets enough XP in a long session for his next Cleric level up.

Anyway let me first report his last adventure. Valygar the Stalker was in the party to help the team slay the Necromancer Lavok, Valygar's evil forfather who had unnaturally extended his life with many centuries by taking the bodies of his relatives. The Planar Sphere took off to an unknown destination when they entered it. 

Sadly Valygar's stay with the party would be a very short one, as tragedy befell him. The party were battling a number of hardy Wild Halfling warriors when suddenly Halfling priests and even a mage, a very rare phenomenon, joined the fight. The Priest Commanded Valygar to Sleep before the wizard detected the hidden Stalker's whereabouts with an Oracle. The Mage also Symbol: Stunned Mazzy without having even seen her, before she could put away her bow and take her Sword of Arvoreen.

Spoiler

She was made invisible by Aerie.

Thus the party was without its warriors. Valygar's health was gradually brought down to Near Death, when one Halfling (Entu) thought it was time for a more forceful assault. A 'ballistic attack' for 35 damage meant that Valygar was chunked,

Spoiler

leaving the companions devastated. Valygar had only recently joined their ranks, but he had been a good man. (I'd had a long spell with no deaths. In fact only Aerie had died once, to a Lich, after a roleplayed supposition on her and Bart's part that the coast was clear in the Temple Ruins. This was painful, especially because I had decided I was going to keep Valygar on board.)

The Halfling priest had also summoned an Aerial Servant, a dangerous foe whose mere presence made Aerie and Jan keep a low profile. (Should their Stoneskins get dispelled, two hits from an Aerial Servant would be enough to kill them.) Bart applied an oil of speed, buffed with HP/DUHM/RM and avenged Valygar.

Spoiler

When Mazzy regained control of herself, she dispelled the Mage's buffs, and started pelting him, until he PW:Blinded her. That didn't matter though, as Aerie fried the wizard with a WoF charge.

Spoiler

Bart contined his crusade against the wild Halflings, taking advantage of his superior movement speed for sneak attacks. There was one potentially dicey moment when the Gnome, already Doomed by a priest, barely manage to cast Remove Fear on himself when a Cloak of Fear came his way.

Spoiler

When the four thought themselves safe from Wild Halfling violence, Bart scouted two more warriors and two more wizards. He knocked the Halflings back (one of them even unconscious) with a Divine Wrath and then retreated.

Spoiler

He took out the warriors as soon as they came for him. When one of the wizards arrived as well, he positioned himself behind the wizard, had Mazzy engage her in melee combat and Jan Breach her, and then finished her with a backstab.

Spoiler

The last Mage faced an Aerie, buffed - almost Alesia_BH style - with Spell Immunities (Abjuration and Alteration for a possible RRR), Chaotic Commands, Free Action, Death Ward (I remember Necre felling a no-reload Wizard Slayer of mine with a FoD), Shield and Spell Shield. The Halfling Mage was Improved Invisible, and Spell Shielded as well, but Jan's DI and Aerie and Jan's debuffers stripped the wizard of his protections, allowing Bart to land another fatal backstab.

Spoiler

 

With this, the most spectacular battles the companions would fight in the Sphere had ended. Several Golems, in the main area and in the power core, were dispatched by Aerial Servants.

Spoiler

The party ran into Tolgerias. Bart backstabbed him while he was blue-circled.

(I normally don't do this, but assaults on both Tolgerias with whom the companions had beef due to Bart's failed pickpocketing attempts at the Council of Six Building, and Lavok whose wickedness had been explained to them in detail by Valygar, seemed legit in the RP context of this run. On the flipside, I've also exposed myself to threats where my metagame knowledge said 'danger' but Bart and friends couldn't know, for example with the Lich in the Temple Ruins, or with Tanova, who was the first spell casting Vampire the companions met.)

 

Bart's backstab didn't kill the wizard but forced him into a defensive stance. The companions waited out a Gelugon, and the duration of some of Tolgerias' spells, before repeated Breaches by Jan and Aerie made him vulnerable to Mazzy's attacks.

Spoiler

A second Mage wasn't as well-protected. She was no threat even though she forced Bart to cast Chaotic Commands when she sent a Chaos his way.

Spoiler

An Aerial Servant and Mazzy finished her.

 

Ice and fire rooms required mostly physical force. Against the cold creatures Mazzy and Aerial Servants did most of the work. Bart helped with Holy Smites.

Spoiler

Potions and items that protected from fire damage helped Bart and Mazzy prevail over the creatures from the fire room, including an elusive Noble Efreeti.

Spoiler

Given Lavok's history, Bart had no reservations about doing this:

Spoiler

When Lavok proved reasonable and begged the companions to manoever the Sphere back to Athkatla. The friends had to slay a Demon and throw its heart into the power core.

 

Mazzy was lightly buffed (frost giant strength, fire, speed, PfE), Bart heavily (speed, death ward, chaotic commands, free action, fire, HP/RM/DUHM, Shield of the Archons), and the two were accompanied by three Aerial Servants as they went Demon hunting.
Lea'liyil, a Marilith, was the toughest and the first of the Demons they encountered. Mazzy and the Aerials managed to slay it just as a Nabassu arrived at the scene.

Spoiler

(I really like the cocky dialog options here, so I included them.)

Mazzy finished the Nabassu, and Bart (Detecting Illusions while fighting) sent a plane-shfting Glabrezu back to the abyss.

Spoiler

 

Lavok was brought outside, and died under the sky of Athkatla.

Spoiler

The level-up you can see in the screenshot brought Bart to Thief level 17 (1.54 million XP). UAI was picked as a HLA. Jan gave Bart his Adventurer Wear and AC3 Bracers. In turn he received Aerie's Robe of Vecna for the time being, while the Elf donned a Robe of the Good Archmagi as improved by Cromwell (Item Upgrades). Btw Jan's armor was also slightly upgraded by priests of Gond, as part of his quest. The upgraded armor gave 20% magic damage resistance in addition to its original protections.

I'm somewhat worried about the SoA level cap. I'm playing with improved staying power for dragons. Firkraag for example has 552 base HPs. (WIS drain with Kachiko's Wakizashi might be the way to go should I want to obtain Carsomyr.) Improved Bodhi is scary, and I can't see the Shattered Irenicus fight happen in this setup. This is all speculation though. Who knows how far Bartholomew will get?

[Alesia_BH]

@Corey. We should add ATweaks to Arkona's list of notable mods. 

 

Thanks!

 

A.

[Grimwald the Wise]

I have at last found some information about Grothgar. It is a dragon from Deeper Shadows of Amn.

 

For those who might be interested, here is what I found:

 

Grothgar the Red dragon.

This is a dragon I made to make the game a little more interesting. He has more Hp
than a normal dragon and uses some interesting spells. He is also smarter than a
normal dragon and much more. It is a fun fight in my opinion, better than the other
dragons in SOA no doubt about it .

To include in game just unzip all files to your bg2 soa/tob override directory. If
you want the custom loot he carries you will need the IEES or ISSP availiable from
Team Bg at www.teambg.com.

Files included:

Grothgar.cre (His creature file.), Grothgar.bcs (His script.), GrothGar.iap
(You only need to import the IAP if you want his custom loot.), DragClck.itm
(His dragon immunities.), AR1402.bcs. (the script to spawn him.), KRWYVERN.cre a
helper for him, KRWYVERN2.cre, second helper. KRWYVERN.bcs, the helpers' script.
SPWI445 (a custom dimsional door spell that allows the cre some time to heal).
SPELL.ids. The list of spells the game uses to allow scripts to use in game spells.

Location in game:

You can find him in the lair of one of the dragons in SOA after you have killed it,
(Shadow Dragon's lair) a little over a day later.

BTW hes immune to the ctrl y cheat also. : )

Now Updated with a much improved script, with less cheese and using Xyx Beholder's
priority targeting, and cast and attack.

[corey_russell]

@Corey. We should add ATweaks to Arkona's list of notable mods. 

 

Thanks!

 

A.

Done. I also added a special note that your run was the first solo of SCS Watcher's Keep for no-reload.

[Blackraven]

Bartholomew, a quick 7th BG2 update

Word of Bart running his own guildhouse had reached Baldur's Gate. Several friends and acquaintances such as Narlen Darkwalk, Rededge, and Black Lily preferred working under the affable Gnome to serving that conniving Alatos Thuibuld. However, on their journey south the rogues got waylaid by a band of Orcs and kept as hostages in a cave just outside Athkatla. Narlen was the only one to reach Athkatla. He traveled with Bart & Co to the location of the ambush.
The companions dispatched several Orcs and Wyverns guarding the entrance to the cave, and looked at each other in disbelief when a near fatally injured Narlen Darkwalk entered the cave without waiting for any healing. Inside the cave there were more Orcs and Orogs, including casters. Aerie and Jan each dropped a Teleport Field around Narlen, and Bart proceeded to heal his old friend (twice).

Spoiler

Note in the portraits that the companions had buffed extensively. The casters' buffs were also hard if not impossible to dispel.

Mazzy and Bart, dualwielding the FoA and the DoE (one of my preferred combos, made viable by Rogue Rebalancing TWF specialization for Thieves and Bards), engaged a small group of warriors that included the bandit leader, Gruuk the Hairy. Aerie successfully dispatched some of the weaker Orc Archers with WoF scorchers.

Spoiler

Mazzy dispelled an Orc Mage's improved invisibility with one of her arrows of dispelling and slew the monsters with elemental arrows. The Baldur's Gate thieves then joined the battle and helped the party overcome Gruuk, and Orc Priest and some lesser foes.

Spoiler

At the end of the day there were no casualties. Bart and his company went to his guildhouse, where they agreed Lily Black would work as his treasurer and fence, and Narlen would instruct the other men from Baldur's Gate in burgling jobs.

Spoiler

Bart was most pleased with this arrangement. Not only did he expect overflowing coffers, he also felt more secure in his position as guild manager now that he knew himself surrounded by loyal friends. He could even go after Imoen and Irenicus, he expected, and trust that in the meantime his guild would continue to operate as it should in Narlen's and Lily's competent hands.

 

Before returning to Aran Linvail to arrange their departure, the companions first paid a visit to the Bridge District, where a Rogue Stone saw them enter a derelict building that looked very different on the inside than they expected. They sensed danger, so Bart and Jan placed several snares a few steps in front of them. And Aerie cast six Skull Traps, an example that Bart followed: he cast two more from scroll.

Spoiler

Ok, ok, I admit this part wasn't roleplayed; Blackraven and Bart meant business here. With the SoA XP cap pretty much in tact, with a bit of temporary flexibility as explained in my previous update, the companions might only expect one (single class Mazzy) or maybe two (the multiclass characters Bart, Jan, Aerie) HLAs, and fewer spells than foreseen. I reckoned a good dispelling weapon might save up some spell slots for Jan and Aerie. Apart from that, the SotM is just a beautiful weapon for Bart, and generally a favorite for my rogues.

 

When the intrepd Gnome scouted the room that lay before him, a Lich appeared and told him he would pay with his life for his intrusion. Moments later that same Lich lay dead upon the ground,

Spoiler

and so did a Beholder.

Spoiler

A hasted warrior was dispelled and slain by Mazzy.

Spoiler

The Halfling warrior also dispatched a Vampiress and the latter's Giant Rats.

Spoiler

A pack of Wand of Summoning Gnoll Elites, sent in one after the other saw a female mage waste a number of her spells, until she started gating in fiends, no less than three Gelugons. There were two problems with the Gelugons. First of all they were interested in one person and one person only: Bart. Secondly, while Bart had had the presence of mind to protect himself and his companions from Fear, the same did not go for the Gnoll Elites; the critters panicked and caused the wizard to discover the companions after Mazzy slew the first Gelugon but before they had the time to prepare themselves for her.

Spoiler

Bart shrugged off a PW: Silence and a Symbol Stun cast by the wizard while he was playing catch me if you can with the Gelugons. Mazzy kept on hitting the two remaining fiends, and would eventually slay the both of them. In the meantime Jan and Aerie could do little against the mage as she had protected herself with Absolute Immunity.

Spoiler

The mage then wished for the companions' defenses to be utterly destroyed, which was kind of a waste considering the quartet's minimal buffs.

Spoiler

Jan summoned a couple of Hobgoblins as an Efreeti that the mage had previously summoned joined the fray. Meanwhile the mage Breached Aerie and protected herself with an Improved Mantle. Mazzy quaffed a potion of magic shielding (and later one of fire protection), and engaged the Efreeti.

Spoiler

The other companions went invisible and distanced themselves from the two foes, but the mage dispelled their invisibilities with an Oracle (even Bart's stealth as he had forgotten to don the Cloak of Non-Detection). She then dealt Bart some electricity damage with Chain Lightning and a Lightning Bolt.

Spoiler

Bart wasn't really impressed with those spells and suspecting the wizard had used up her best spells, he got a bit cocky. He decided to attack the female, and indeed landed a couple of hits, slow and slightly injuring her with his FoA.

Spoiler

Mazzy repeatedly failed to kill the Efreeti before it took its gaseous form, but eventually the creature was unsummoned. She didn't hesitate to use an arrow of dispelling or two to get strip the mage of her protections, and with Bart and Jan, she finished the woman.

Spoiler

Jan and Mazzy got a level-up beyond the SoA cap here. Jan picked UAI (perhaps not the best choice, but at least it allowed him to use a Robe of the Evil Archmagi as improved by Cromwell), and was enthusiastic about being able to cast his first level 7 spells. Mazzy picked the Whirlwild Attack HLA.
The Staff of the Magi became Bart's weapon of choice, alternated with his Flails and his backstab Staves. The companions got some items forged at Cromwell's, and had Maheer upgrade their Horn of Walhalla twice, before they reported back to Aran Linvail and prepared for their journey to Spellhold.

I'll post the four's character records and inventory screens for an impression of their stats (relevant only in Mazzy's and Aerie's case) and their gear. 

Mazzy:

Spoiler

She has the following mod items: Sarevok's Ring of Protection (BGT Tweaks), upgraded Sword of Arvoreen (Item Upgrades), Girdle of Glory (Item Upgrades: combines the Bluntness/Piercing/Slashing Girdles).

 

Bartholomew:

Spoiler

Bart uses the following mod items: Jan's Upgraded Adventurer Wear which gives an extra +20% magic damage resistance (Jan's Extended Quest), Ring of Regeneration +2 (Item Upgrades), Semaj's Cloak (which Blurs the wearer, BGT Tweaks).

 

Aerie:

Spoiler

Aerie uses one mod item: Citadel Helmet (combination of Helmets of Defense and Charm Protection, Item Upgrades).

 

Jan:

Spoiler

Jan uses the following mod items: Citadel Helmet (same as Aerie), Returning Frost Dart +1 (Rogue Rebalancing), Improved Robe of the Evil Archmagi (Item Upgrades), and Holy Buckler of Amaunator +2 (which gives NPP and False Dawn twice/day, Item Upgrades).

[corey_russell]

@Blackraven: Grats on taking down the Twisted Rune. I noticed you say the SotM is your favorite Rogue weapon. In vanilla, you can't backstab with it, as you can only backstab with rogue usable weapons (and the game considers a mage-only staff not rogue usable). That's cool for you that you can use it that way.

 

Does SotM invisibility + cloak of non-detection foil true sight in your install? or does that protection only apply to Hide in Shadows?

 

Corey

[Blackraven]

Hey Corey, SotM-backstabs in my install don't get the backstab damage multiplier, for the same reason you mentioned (it being a non-thief weapon). However, its dispel on hit (usually followed by unequipping and re-equipping the staff for invisibility) has proven invaluable in solo runs. Exhausting enemy buffs shortens battles and preserves expendables that would otherwise be necessary for increased staying power.

Of course my current run isn't solo, and includes two mage companions who can dispel as well, so the SotM isn't as crucial this time. On the other hand, like I said in my post, the XP cap of circa 3 million means my mages (both multiclasses) don't have loads of spells.

 

As to your second question, I don't know. Afaik only Stealth with Non-Detection foils True Sight, but this is the first time I've actually secured the SotM in my current install. I'll have to test this. 

[Grond0]

Gate70/Grond0 multiplayer attempt 83 - (update 8)

Pasha, half-elf druid (Grond0) & Rholfre, half-elf dragon disciple (Gate70)

 

A decent session this afternoon saw Irenicus running for the first time.

 

Starting in Spellhold they had few problems fighting their way out.  The lich there failed to deal with a series of summons backed up by a Creeping Doom.  

Spoiler

They didn't have any summons left by the time they got to the beholder, but Shield of the Archon's this time seemed to persist even after an anti-magic ray.  

Spoiler

The Slayer attempted to attack Rholfre when vampires proved too quick for it, but it couldn't track her after she equipped her staff.  There was a spot of comedy with the rooms secured by paintings: I'm used to Gate70s characters being able to attack inhabitants through the doors, but this time the planetar had learned the same trick.  

Spoiler

The only problem in the area was when Rholfre accidentally followed a planetar to attack a gauth and was rapidly paralysed and taken down to single figure HPs - fortunately the gauth then switched its attack to Pasha.

Spoiler

 

Jon Boy went down fairly quickly after being afflicted with a Creeping Doom.  

Spoiler

However, the fight wasn't over even after he left as Rholfre's planetar had decided to go hostile for some reason and Rholfre herself had been put out of action by a symbol stun.  Pasha managed to lead the planetar round the block - bumping past the invisible murderers as they arrived - giving Rholfre time to recover.

 

the duo took ship with Saemon and ended up in Fish City.  In a Tale of Two Cloaks Pasha convinced the Spectator to give up one of them, while a first outing for an elemental prince recovered the other.  

Spoiler

The king was killed before he had a chance to talk - which annoyed the prince, so he had to be killed as well.

Spoiler

 

In the Underdark there was a bit of a struggle to get past the drow - Rholfre running around quite a long way while finishing off some of their pet nishruu.  The balor was much easier as it attacked a mordy sword.  

Spoiler

The giant soul gem was cleared - again that took a little while after another planetar went hostile after being attacked by the berserk warrior (which really does go berserk in this installation).  The final bit of work was sorting out Vithal - he was inconvenienced by being blinded by Nature's Beauty before the insects and summons joined in for a good feast.

Spoiler

 

Stats:

Pasha, druid 20, 75 HPs (incl. 5 from Helm), 333 kills

Rholfre, dragon disciple 20, 77 HPs (incl. 7 from ioun stone), 651 kills, 3 deaths (+1 in BG1)

[Serg BlackStrider]

Update of Impish Face & Co.

 

In the North Forest we saved a merchant from an imminent death and were pleasantly surprised with item found in his stock:

 

Spoiler

 

So Impish Face now has his favorite weapon fully upgraded, yay! No one in the area could stop him. With area secured we headed into the famous Watcher's Keep. Sister Garlena has very limited stock so without further delays we entered the Keep itself. Level one was quite uneventful (found  Heart of the Damned as a random loot). To fight the Statues I usually place my team in the kitchen room but now I've thought it might be perfect death-trap so we had settled in the *Demogorgon* room this time. Nalia placed the bell and candle onto altar and activated first four guardians - two clerics and two fighters - who were dispatched with ease (Impish Face tanked while Mazzy supported with Gesen) and dropped Rod of Reversal. 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

Performed the Ritual and activated the rest of the guardians. They were not much tougher. Impish Face tanked again vs one of the mages (who ran True Sight and was main nuisance as a result) while Nalia was busy with another one (violet on the screens) working on his spell protections - Spell Thrust for Spell Shield followed with RRR and Khelben's. 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

The Mage hit Nalia with Spell Strike but she had Spell Shield on guard. He followed with summoning Efreeti but Mazzy, even un-proficient with halberds, Wave-ed him in one hit. The Statues began to die already. 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

The *violet* Mage cast Time Stop but spent it absolutely incompetently - loosing his spell protections under Khelben's and erecting Absolute Immunity only. As soon as time resumed the *true sight-ing* Mage fell (FoA +5 hit right through his Improved Mantle) followed by other *melee* ones. 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

With *violet* Mages spell protections removed already Viconia stepped in to reveal him so he was Breach-ed. He fired ProMW but that doesn't save him vs Flame Strikes. He desperately erected Fire Shield Blue/Red and Stoneskins but sans-Shield they are useless vs MM. The way to level two is clear.

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

I'm quite satisfied with that battle. No summons were used and all went quite smooth overall. As it should be.

 

Level two was even more uneventful but with some very nice loot anyway. Vs Chromatic Demon we had all needed resources to deal with so no problems. He managed to Acid Blob Imoen pretty hard but her Contingency 50% Health -> Protection from Magic Weapons fired just in time to keep her safe vs further attacks. We found Paladin's Bracers, Ring of Anti-Venom, Fflar's Scabbard, Serpent Shaft, Lavender Ioun Stone across the level and Chromatic Demon himself dropped Darksteel Shield +4, Montolio's Clasp and Axe of the Unyielding +3:

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So far so good, but now the tricky part begins - Demon's Maze, whoooaaa...!

 

to be continued...

[Alesia_BH]

Nice work in Watcher's Keep, Serg!

 

I like the way you handled the Statue battles. 

 

And thanks for the shots of the Chromatic Demon.

 

Best,

 

A.

[Blackraven]

Bartholomew, 7th & final BG2 update

Bart and his friends reached Spellhold in good order, if accompanied by Bodhi's friends. Mazzy slew the Vampires in Brynnlaw. Enemies there were no problem except for Galvena's lackey. His Sequencered Flame Arrow wounded Bart severely. Bart soloed Perth using the SotM with its invisibility at will and dispels.

In Spellhold, the friends were without equipment. (First time for me.) The first two levels went pretty well, thanks mostly to rests while invisible (so that Bodhi and vampires, who in my install appear each time one rests, couldn't do anything), and to Bart's Diva as per the P&P Celestials mod. That mod has the priest gate one of three types of the Divas. The Movanic Deva that Bart got, had a summon Planetar innate (with a 30% chance of successful gating). Bart was lucky and got the Planetar. I'm not sure if it's as good as Mage Planetars, but it was good anyway. It fell against the Lich but only after soaking up a lot of spells. Bart and Aerie summoned Skeletons to make the Lich waste Death Spells, before Aerial Servants killed the Lich.

On the third level, Bart faced Bodhi again, and transformed unwillingly into the Slayer. Bodhi and the Vampires technically killed him, but he stayed at 1 HP until he took his normal shape again. Surrounded by Giant Rats and Vampires, casting a spell like Sanctuary wasn't an option, nor was running away. All he could do was quaff a minor healing potion, which proved insufficient.

Spoiler

I didn't know such a death was possible and honestly I wish it weren't. I think it's lame.

[Serg BlackStrider]

Oh no, Blackraven! I also didn't expected that Slayer-mode PC could be killed in that encounter...

Beautiful run nonetheless!

[corey_russell]

@Blackraven - I thought that fight was just "academic". Wasn't Bodhi just to notice your slayer change and retreat? If that's not the case for your install, you party needs to be nearby I would say. I don't see them in the screenshot. I did not know someone could actually die in your encounter - a SCS change? Maybe Alesia can comment.

[Alesia_BH]

I didn't know such a death was possible and honestly I wish it weren't. I think it's lame.

 

Maybe Alesia can comment.

 

Condolence, Blackraven.

 

I've never witnessed a death there, but I've seen my PCs take damage in that encounter, and I've long feared that a death could occur. I always buff up my characters before the transformation (everything but Haste, due to the Bats).

 

I'm not 100% sure which buffs carry over to the Slayer form.

 

Best,

 

A.

 

 

[Grond0]

Hard luck Blackraven.  I think the developer intention was that fight should not prove fatal - in vanilla the vampires are scripted to run away before the slayer change ends and therefore the 1 HP protection you refer to would successfully prevent a death (even though it is common for the vampires to do damage before running away).  I presume that the mod changes you have led to the vampires hanging around to get a proper drink ...

[Blackraven]

I wonder what triggers (or is supposed to trigger) Bodhi's interjection and her flight back to Irenicus. If it's a timer, then Bart must fallen due to a bug because Bodhi was still around when Slayer Change expired. In my experience Bodhi never sticks around for such a long time. If the trigger is a minimum current HP pool for Charname then it was salso a bug, since Slayer Bart was down to 1 HP. If however Bodhi's script triggers only after she suffered a given amount of damage, then Bart may have been legally killed. I don't know how much damage Slayer Bart had dealt her, and whether that was supposed to be enough.

 

Anyway, I think I'm taking a break for a few months, unless I come up with something that interests me. This hasn't been my first enjoyable run that came to an end due to questionable game mechanics, and that's just not a lot of fun.

[Blackraven]

Hard luck Blackraven.  I think the developer intention was that fight should not prove fatal - in vanilla the vampires are scripted to run away before the slayer change ends and therefore the 1 HP protection you refer to would successfully prevent a death (even though it is common for the vampires to do damage before running away).  I presume that the mod changes you have led to the vampires hanging around to get a proper drink ...

 

I'm used to the normal Vampires hanging around. It was Bodhi's prolonged company that surprised me, and that compromised Bart's health the most.

Anyway thanks all for your commiserations.

[corey_russell]

In vanilla, it's always worked like this for me:

1) Bodhi makes her speech

2) PC changes into the slayer

3) PC takes a couple of swings at enemies, enemies take a couple of swings at PC

4) Bodhi remarks, PC what have you become?

5) Bodhi AND her MINIONS leave

 

Therefore, if Blackraven was running vanilla, his death would definitely be a bug. 

 

But Blackraven was running SCS, so the question is what's supposed to happen with that. Perhaps a post in SCS forum can answer that.