15232 réponses à ce sujet

[Alesia_BH]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Wierdo.

With Ashoka, I made a deliberate decision to eschew the battle's safe solution in the interest of getting a good fight. I don't regret that choice.

What I regret is freaking and using her Aura at the wrong time...

Wierdo wrote...
Do whatever you need to do to win.

I may. I'm not sure. I play with a lot of restrictions in the interest of maintaining balance. The hidey-hole is something I let my Avenger Druid, Aliana, use, but I'm afraid it would feel a little dirty with Alessandra. I've done Trilogy No Reloads before, and I don't feel a pressing need to do so again immediately: I'm just having fun. If the story ends at The Throne, that's nice. If it ends in Abazigal's Lair, that's not such a terrible thing.

I'd like to have a chance to experiment with methods solo warriors can use to reliably finish SCS-Ascension Mel. That's the main reason why I'm considering taking the gloves off against Abby. We'll see.

Best,

A.

Modifié par Alesia_BH, 15 décembre 2011 - 03:51 .

[corey_russell]

I for one am wishing you luck with Abby, Alesia. I feel a little embarrassed that your solo paladin is doing better than my group of paladins did, but c'est la vie I guess. Well they did get past Abby, but you are using difficulty mods and so far your fights have seemed cleaner.

[Alesia_BH]

corey_russell wrote...
I for one am wishing you luck with Abby, Alesia.

Thanks. 

I feel a little embarrassed that your solo paladin is doing better than my group of paladins did, but c'est la vie I guess

If it makes you feel better, I'm terrible at chess.

More seriously, there is no need to be embarrased. Once upon a time, I had absolutely zero clue how to play BG (I distinctly remember trying to stab trolls to death with an unbuffed Diviner as a matter of fact...). But then I decided to learn the game and over time I became better. I still have a lot left to learn, but I can do a far more in the game world now then I could dream of in the past.

If you'd like to do more in the BG world, I'm sure you're capable. And maybe you'll laugh about the things you used to do as well (though probably not as hard as I laugh when I think about my poor Diviner...).

Cheers,

A.

[corey_russell]

You're probably right Alesia. I can remember a classic error I would do is cast an AoE that caught myself or party members in the blast. At least 3 no-reloads of mine have ended to badly aimed AoE by Imoen, and one in the not-too-distant past.

I also remember my first BG 2 character EVER - a strong paladin (don't even think he was kitted, as he was imported from BG 1 and knew nothing about the kits at the time). He was a juggernaut of destruction and tanked great (using a strategy of "taking hits" then potioning -- wasn't much on defense that first run, not even stoneskins) - until he hit the Underdark and then found out that against mindlflayers 4 INT is actually a liability.

It was actually pretty amusing, just got from the shark city and saw a new enemy was thinking "we'll get him" and was then shocked when my character with all his HP was one-shotted..bit a of a wake-up call.

EDIT:
In that same run, I also remember fighting the illithids City (I hadn't a clue on how important chaotic commands was at  that time) - to be successful, I ended up having a party member invisible and with the AI off block the doors, so that we could shoot them without them being able to get into melee range, while Minsc used his bow and cut them up. A bit cheesy, but at the time was the only way to make progress, as my magic wasn't very effective that run.

Never did finish that run though, the hard drive died when I was in Suldanessar.

Modifié par corey_russell, 15 décembre 2011 - 05:27 .

[Incantatar]

Strg-R on Bhaal and beating him down again does not work.

My savegame: http://www.filedropp...888897-bhaalbug
Any ideas? I'll post this at the Fixpack forum i guess.


Edit: I replayed it with an older save and everything worked normally.

Modifié par Incantatar, 15 décembre 2011 - 07:33 .

[Serg BlackStrider]

Update of BlackStrider & Co (Final)...


Well... Band failed their quest...Baltazar was simple - pure melee and he doesn't last long. As well as Ravager - Mordy occupied Bone Blades whilst Planetar and the Band concentrated on Ravager himself. Couple of Pierce Shields and ADHW finished him:



The first two stages vs Melissan also went smooth - we concentrated on her ignoring minions. She doesn't last long. The third one was a TOTAL MESS... First she killed Viconia, then Mazzy was Mazed (Chaotic Commands expired atm). Then fell Nalia and Imoen. Then Jaheira... I've resurrected them... and not once but without armors they doesn't last long. And Melissan called her minions constantly. When Mazzy recovered from the Maze Melissan Time Stoped and chunked her... At the moment there were horde... no - HORDE of minions (Slayer Shadows, Bone Fiends, Mariliths...). Finaly only BlackStrider and his trusted Imoen remained on battlefield. Played-out, lacking offensive spells and summons and having a billow of enemies on their heels... Slayer Shadows surrounded and tore up Imoen. BlackStrider stayed alone... His final thoughts were about his friends and horrific end he brought them onto...that grieved him to the very heart...
No more words...
The End...  

Modifié par Serg BlackStrider, 15 décembre 2011 - 09:26 .

[Gate70]

Condolences Serg.

[corey_russell]

Sorry to hear about the defeat, Serg-- you're in good company, however. Both Yeroc (my fighter dualed to thief) and also Corey the inquisitor (my all paladin band) got that far and died to the same battle. The slayer shadows are vicious, and certainly doesn't help she can summon and what seems like an endless amount of summons..

[Alesia_BH]

Serg BlackStrider wrote...
BlackStrider stayed alone... His final thoughts were about his friends and horrific end he brought them onto...that grieved him to the very heart...
No more words...
The End...  

Condolences.
It was a wonderful run nonetheless. I hope you enjoyed it. 

Best,

A.

[Wierdo]

@Serg

Ai Ai Ai! Very sorry to hear about Blackstrider's demise at he doorstep to godhood. Your final fight sounded messy. I guess that they never intended it to be easy.

Even so, Blackstrider's stories will be told in the Copper Coronet for a great many years.

Slightly cheesy-smelling metagaming knowledge: Before tapping the last pool of essence, it is a good idea to buff and summon as much as possible, as the pools will recharge your group & their spells etc (= rest). If you have thief traps at your disposal, use them liberally wherever you think best.

Best of luck for your next run.

[Alesia_BH]

corey_russell wrote...
(I) wasn't much on defense that first run, not even stoneskins)

Yeah. It took me a while to internalize the importance of defense as well. Getting it down is key though.

Solo modded play greatly accelerated the process of learning for me. When my Sorceress, Alanis, did her Insane Ascension solo, she had to face Mel, Abazgial, Yaga-Shura, Sendai, Gromnir, Sarevok, 2 Fallen Solars, and a veritable army of demons (dozens at a time, infinitely respawning) all at the same time with everyone doing double damage. She was a level 24. When you are facing that kind of ugly, you get nudged pretty hard into taking a comprehensive approach to defense.

Anyhoo. Best of luck with your C/M run! Have fun, and feel free to experiment.

Best,

A.

  

[corey_russell]

Alesia_BH wrote...

corey_russell wrote...
(I) wasn't much on defense that first run, not even stoneskins)

Yeah. It took me a while to internalize the importance of defense as well. Getting it down is key though.

Agreed. Once I learned what buffs protected against what attack, I did much better with my BG 2 no-reloads. Especially against save or die type spells, like disintegrate, petrification.

Alesia_BH wrote...
Anyhoo. Best of luck with your C/M run! Have fun, and feel free to experiment.

Thanks. I will be able to do things with this party that won't necessarily translate to future runs (e.g., in the future, I won't have both 5 divine and 5 arcane casters at once). However when I am finished, perhaps I will be able to play Aerie better. If she had a lot of defensive buffs memorized, she can actually get into the thick of it. I usually keep her in the back, though as that process is rather laborious, not to mention she's easy to be chunked (which in fact she has been chunked in my runs many times) - nevertheless it's an option, and as you've said before, knowing your options increases flexibility.

Modifié par corey_russell, 16 décembre 2011 - 04:02 .

[Alesia_BH]

corey_russell wrote...
 However when I am finished, perhaps I will be able to play Aerie better. If she had a lot of defensive buffs memorized, she can actually get into the thick of it. I usually keep her in the back, though as that process is rather laborious, not to mention she's easy to be chunked (which in fact she has been chunked in my runs many times) - nevertheless it's an option, and as you've said before, knowing your options increases flexibility.

I definitely concur that Aerie can be a phenomenal tank. With a fully buffed Aeris (buffs locked in with Spell Immunities). I'd routinely have her stroll up to vanilla Dragons, for example, and let her beat the frack out of them with no risk to her.

The basics here are SI:A+SI:D+II+Spell Shield+MI+Blur+Stoneskins+ProMW (repteatedly refreshed from her book with an additional one taken through Contingency: See Enemy) + Specific Protections (chosen based on the foe, comprehensive coverage possible) + FireShield: Red +Fire Shield: Blue + Blade Barrier + Improved Haste + Holy Triumvirate (Holy Power->Righteous Magic-> Draw on Holy Might). Running it all through Polymorph Self lets you get a high APR as well if you like (up to 8). Duration needn't be a problem if you are careful with your casting order and Trigger/Sequencer loading).

And just so it is clear how this works, the II prevents spell targetting (including Breach and such). The SI:D and SI:A prevents II from being removed. Together, they can prevent debuffing in almost all vanilla encounters (SCS and IA require a different approach however). The rare targetted debuff abilities the can penetrate II (Anti-Magic Ray for example) can be caught with the Spell Shield. With targetting shut down, AoE spells (including disablers) are the only potential magical threat. Those can all be foiled with the Mirror Images and Specific Protections. In sum, magic is not dangerous to a well buffed C/M in vanilla. As for weapons, ProMW handles the magical ones. Pre upgraded Bladeslinger, there is an opening for normal weapon wielders however, high APR, low THAC0 normal weapon wielders are pretty rare and they'd still have to get through the Stoneskins and Mirror Images while facing a potentially rock bottom AC. They just become priority targets if they are on the field with magical weapon wielders and if you are just facing normal weapon wielders (like a Rhakshasa crew), then the ProMW can be swapped for Protection from Normal Weapons.  All in all, she can be untouchable and simultaneously deadly.

I don't always use Aerie that way. When seting up C/M books, I either go "heavy" or "light" (with heavy being the invulnerable tank and light being the equally invulnerable ranged Reflection Shielded blaster in a multi-layer Telefield). They're both fun. 

Best,

A. 

Modifié par Alesia_BH, 16 décembre 2011 - 05:08 .

[corey_russell]

Cody and his band of cleric/mages continue their adventures...

The party met a hostile party in a warehouse in the bridge district. The enemy mage was killed by a magic missile volley from everyone but Hanna, who engaged the nearest melee. Then the enemy cleric got hit with some missiles and blinded, next enemies got slowed and blinded by glitterdust, and it was a clean fight. And this despite most of our defensive buffs but stoneskin were already exhausted.

We headed to D'arnise Keep - this was one of the smoothest take downs of the Keep ever. But I am getting ahead of mysellf - first we got ambushed. We were unbuffed of course, so took more damage than usual, including Aerie killed by a lightning bolt - we emptied our spell books, but we successfully took down the enemeies. As for the Keep, no one ever got in danger of dieing, only had to potion maybe 3 times in the entire place. Our leading party members had -6 and -5 AC which is comparable to Minsc and such when I have a more balanced group. With MMMs, slows, blinds, and defenisive buffs, the trolls just couldn't do much.

For the Yuan-Ti mage in the 2nd floor, we used blessed/chanted skeletons (5).

Glaicas of course had zero chance of taking anyone of us down -- our opening was 2 dooms plus 3 hold persons, you can guess how it ended.

Golems were very smoothly taken down as well. The iron golem got to near death with two waves of MMMs, but we ran out of caps. Hanna then did maximum anti-melee buffs and walked up and used the FoA to finish the golem. This taught me though, I need anti-golem spell active. Therefore, had Joshua memorize polymporh self so he can use Flind Form when we need it.

4/5 of the Umber Hulks were taken down by cloudkills, so we only had to melee 1.

Time for Torgal, we tried to do some area effects but Cody messed up the timing trying to do a skull trap. So the enemies quickly got up to the party's position. However, we did max buffs like blur, mirror image and stoneskin, as well as did things like slow, glitterdust and holy smites and MMM. It was going well as you see below:

Torgal fell shortly after that. We reported our success to Nalia, putting the party at level 9 cleric/level 11 mage (I didn't realize clerics level so slowly).

[Incantatar]

Pzyas, human Conjurer lvl 11-13

Chapter 2
The party went to the Copper Coronet and fought the slave trade ring and found a powerful two handed sword. They decided to help Nalia but on the way they had two encounters, first slave traders again

then a poisoned harper. They returned him and got mixed up in a harper scheme. Yoshimo insisted on speaking with Renal Bloodscalp, so they helped him and destroyed Maevar's guild in the process.


Jaheira had a visit of some mages who cursed her. The party found them later and payed them to curse the employer himself. The cowled wizards seem to be outside the law in this land. In the Government District they swapped Aerie with Viconia, since the former is obviously unfit for the adventurous lifestyle. Viconia was almost immediately let go, since she did not like at all that the party had a good reputation and wanted to keep it on that path.

They visited the temple district and heard of a cult of the eyeless. The helm priest talked of a paladin, which would make a very good addition to the party, Pzyas felt. So they recruited Keldorn after killing a Rakshasa (Sewers are strange indeed. First ogre mages and sewerfolk now Rakshasas) and convinced him of more pressing quests than the cult. On the way back to the surface they stumbled upon a gang of unfriendly adventurers with high class equipment. With almost no prior defense the party had a hard fight. Disabling spells, summons and a short tactical retreat to the west won the battle finally. But wounded.



The party could now go and finally help Nalia. They let her join and freed the keep of trolls and other monsters. The FoA was forged, truly a powerful weapon - no one was proficient in. (Day 6)



        
After the return to Athkatla the party helped a ghost and a little girl in the graveyard and found out who was burying people alive. They exposed Reijek in the Bridge District.
They fought the fallen Paladins, freed HaerDalis by fighting Merkrath.

After which they brought fake Illithium to Sarles and regained a ring for the church of Lathander.

The Trademeet problems were solved.





The shadow dragon near the Umar Hills was brought to justice as well as the Shade Lord. (Day 18)



In the battle against the Shade Lord Nalia died mysteriously (i have no idea why, she was fully healed and at the back of the party) and transformed to a shadow, meaning permanent death. The party mourned and layed flowers at her statue in Trademeet



 Meanwhile Anomen became a knight in the Order of the Radiant Heart and the grop and Jaheira had some trouble with the harpers.


The party finally decided to give Gealen Bale 15k gold.

[Serg BlackStrider]

Thank you, friends, for all of your kind words, it helps...
And yes, I've enjoyed the run. Sometimes 'twas easy, sometimes not so. I like my character and Band members, that's why their demise hurts that hard - it's role playing game after all and deep plunge into the characters and story is being implied. Well, the life is going on and soon I'll enter the new char in the challenge. For now - best of luck to all of you, friends. Stay tuned!

[Gate70]

Wierdo wrote...
Before tapping the last pool of essence, it is a good idea to buff and summon as much as possible, as the pools will recharge your group & their spells etc (= rest).

Is that true in the standard game or is it added via a mod. I don't think I've been that far in the game for a couple of years (insane solo Ascension challenge where I gave up with a monk from memory).

[Serg BlackStrider]

Gate70 wrote...

Wierdo wrote...
Before tapping the last pool of essence, it is a good idea to buff and summon as much as possible, as the pools will recharge your group & their spells etc (= rest).

Is that true in the standard game or is it added via a mod. I don't think I've been that far in the game for a couple of years (insane solo Ascension challenge where I gave up with a monk from memory).

I don't think it's true in vanilla. At least I never experienced such behaviour in my numerous runs.

Modifié par Serg BlackStrider, 16 décembre 2011 - 06:11 .

[Vaclavc]

Serg, I am very sorry to hear that. But losing in battle with Amelyssan is no shame.
V

[AnonymousHero]

Alesia_BH wrote...
(lots of great buffing advice snipped)

Duration needn't be a problem if you are careful with your casting order and Trigger/Sequencer loading).

I feel one of the hugely underestimated aspects of BG is that you can actually script your way out of all this buffing. (Buffing "manually" is fine, but it does tend to get extremely tedious after a while, especially on C/M's who have such a huge amount of buffs available.)

Frabjous had a very concise post on this on the old forums; I think it was in his "no pausing" challenge if anyone wants to try to dig it up on archive.org. It's really pretty simple to set this up if you know how -- I think I can post a little HOWTO tommorow. (I'll just copy Frab's post if I can find it, but it shouldn't be too difficult to type something up if I can't.)

Modifié par AnonymousHero, 16 décembre 2011 - 06:35 .

[Serg BlackStrider]

Thanks, V! And I wish you and all others to give her what she deserves.

[Alesia_BH]

AnonymousHero wrote...
I feel one of the hugely underestimated aspects of BG is that you can actually script your way out of all this buffing.

I'm aware. I've never had any interest personally (I actualy enjoy the buffing) but I can see why that might appeal to some. I'm sure others would appreciate a post.

Best,

A


Btw. One caveat, auto-buff scripts can create balancing issues via effective duration and, if used in battle, elimination of interruption risk. Some variants I've seen are like supped up free Improved Alacrities. That's something to watch out for.

Modifié par Alesia_BH, 16 décembre 2011 - 11:33 .

[AnonymousHero]

Alesia_BH wrote...

AnonymousHero wrote...
I feel one of the hugely underestimated aspects of BG is that you can actually script your way out of all this buffing.

I'm aware. I've never had any interest personally (I actualy enjoy the buffing) but I can see why that might appeal to some. I'm sure others would appreciate a post.

Yes, but then we've already estalished that you're a ROBOT! ROBOT! ROBOT!

(or something)

Alesia_BH wrote...
Btw. One caveat, auto-buff scripts can create balancing issues via effective duration and if used in battle, elimination of interruption. Some variants I've seen are like souped up free Improved Alacrities. That's something to watch out for.

I'm not sure what you're talking about, but I wasn't talking about "perma-alacrity" buffing or anything. Just normal "the computer can press keys more reliably and less boringly than you" buffing.

EDIT: This *was* meant as a joke... if it wasn't perceived as one, let me know. Sometimes I can't tell (honestly!).

Modifié par AnonymousHero, 16 décembre 2011 - 11:36 .

[Alesia_BH]

AnonymousHero wrote...
Yes, but then we've already estalished that you're a ROBOT! ROBOT! ROBOT!

I'm not sure what you're talking about, but I wasn't talking about "perma-alacrity" buffing or anything. Just normal "the computer can press keys more reliably and less boringly than you" buffing.

Understood. In some variants, all the buffs instantly take effect when the script is triggered via key press. In these cases, simultaneous layering increases full buff time and the instant effect removes the interruption windows that foes might otherwise have.

[Incantatar]

Alesia_BH wrote...

Understood. In some variants, all the buffs instantly take effect when the script is triggered via key press. In these cases, simultaneous layering increases full buff time and the instant effect removes the interruption windows that foes might otherwise have.

Yes with instant casting, ForceSpellRES("WESALAC",Myself) It can and should be added in the script that no enemies can be near and that it only involves long duration spells.
I wrote a lengthy buffing script for my solo mages but it applies really only to Spell Revisions where most buffs have a duration of at least 50 rounds.
Using it with short duration buffs is not ok imo, but i  think it's borderline when the AI does the same (SCS full auto buff). Certainly a reason why i'm not a big fan of the full prebuff option.