15231 réponses à ce sujet

[Alesia_BH]

Condolences, Aasim. It was an interesting run nonetheless.

 

If it's any consolation, vengeance has been meted.

 

Best,

 

A.

[Serg BlackStrider]

Ho there, friends! Lot of events happened here (and in BG1 part) in just few days, that's great! My condolences to the fallen, congrats to the victorious ones and all the best wishes to still running wild!

 

Just quick note of Impish Face & Co. They defeated Jon and his minions in Hell (Mazzy claimed the final hit). It was quite intense battle with lots of events to share but I'll be able to post the details only tomorrow.

 

 

Till then keep rocking everyone!

[Alesia_BH]

Aphril, Elven Sorcerer: Bodhi's Lair 

 

Aphril has defeated Bodhi. Jonicus's days are numbered.

 

I'll cover this quickly since I have to get going. I may edit and add more content later, if I find the time.

 

Anyhoo. Level 1. I usually eschew summons aside for specific limited tactical uses. But it sure is nice to have a Deva in Bodhi's Lair.

 

Call me a spaz, but the vampy rats really freak me out. I admit that double Dragon's Breaths may have been excessive though.

 

In my games, Drizzt's party usually gets slaughtered by the SCS vamps. This time they didn't. This time they survived. Catti Brie was all: It sure was nice of you to bring a Deva to Bodhi's Lair. 

 

Whatever allies survive the blood bath ambush are usually killed by Tanova. Arkanis was all: It sure was nice of you to bring a sorcerer with Power Word: Blind and Imprisonment to Bodhi's Lair.

 

Ok. So: Bodhi herself.

 

There's one thing that makes this fight challenging for casters: Bodhi's Cloud of Bats. It is power level 0. It is school-less. It offers no save. It's AoE. It causes casting failure, and on insane it does enough damage to wipe out your party. It's nasty: truly nasty. Fortunately, there's an app for that. It's called Cloak of the Sewers: Rat.

 

With the Rat Form's 90% physical resistance (>100% with AoF or the Defender), Aerie was well positioned to survive the batty-wats. And even though Aerie was running ProMW, Bodhi couldn't resist the urge to follow. She followed straight to the waiting Aphril. No rat stew for you Bodhi: just a whole lot of pain.

 

Imoen's turn.

 

And finally Adara's

 

The Lanthorn is ours. Suldanessellar awaits.

 

Best,

 

A.

 

Aerie, L16/14 C/M: Kills- 415; XP Value- 26%; Most Powerful Vanquished- Hive Mother; Favorite Spell- Holy Smite; Favorite Weapon- Flail of Ages

 

Imoen, L7/17 T->M: Kills- 69; XP Value- 8%; Most Powerful Vanquished- Kangaxx the Demi-Lich; Favorite Spell- Stoneskins; Favorite Weapon- Melf's Minute Meteors

 

Adara, L19 Sorcerer: Kills- 413; XP Value- 32%; Most Powerful Vanquished- Bodhi; Favorite Spell- Invisibility; Favorite Weapon- Melf's Minute Meteors

 

Aphril, L19 Sorcerer: Kills- 421; XP Value- 31%; Most Powerful Vanquished: Firkraag; Favorite Spell- Invisibility; Favorite Weapon- Melf's Minute Meteors

[Alesia_BH]

Congrats, Serg!

 

I'm looking forward to your full post!

 

Best,

 

A.

[Aasim]

Rat Form's 90% physical resistance 

That's a cool item...

[Alesia_BH]

That's a cool item...

 

 

I'm usually reluctant to use it, but against Bodhi's Cloud of Bats, playing on insane, it's just the thing.

 

The bats are unstoppable, they target through II, and on insane they'd do a ridiculous amount of damage without resistances. It was either Cloak of the Sewers: Rat or Defender + AoF + Wish: Hardiness and I really didn't want to go through the ordeal of buffing->Wishing, buffing->Wishing, buffing-> Wishing until we got everything setup the way we wanted. One can only assume that the rat was designed for rare occasions like this. We used it. We'll probably never use it again.

 

On Core there would have been no need.

 

Best,

 

A.

[Aasim]

I never really bothered with Sewers cloak transformations, with or w/o IR, but I'm glad it has it's uses.  I'd probably sacrifice Imoen or something...

[Blackraven]

Congrats Serg on completing part 2 of the trilogy! Looking forward to your battle report. 
Grond0 and Aasim sorry about your respective wrecking crews
Nice stuff Alesia. I do like the cloak of the sewers. I think I once endured a gated demon with it.

[Alesia_BH]

I never really bothered with Sewers cloak transformations, with or w/o IR, but I'm glad it has it's uses.  I'd probably sacrifice Imoen or something...

 

Yeah. The Cloak of the Sewers isn't that useful, really. The rat can come in handy on occasion, but it can feel broken if over used.

 

My Transmuter, Alastria, used the Cloak of the Sewers: Mustard Jelly against Improved Illasera in her Ascension solo. I've never really used it aside from that.

 

The Troll is kind of nice, although I haven't used it. 

 

 I'd probably sacrifice Imoen or something... 

 

That wasn't an option. I don't like letting my characters get hurt, let alone die. 

 

For me, the only debate was whether to let Aerie cast AoF so that she'd be immune to physical damage. I wasn't sure I wanted to let Bodhi injure her at all. Ultimately, I decided to give Bodhi a window to do a little damage. Kudos to her. Few have injured the Tank of Doom in this run.

 

Best,

 

A.

[Alesia_BH]

Nice stuff Alesia.

 

Thanks!

 

I do like the cloak of the sewers. I think I once endured a gated demon with it.

 

 

Congrats!

 

I can recall two prior memorable uses of the Rat form in my runs.

 

My Stalker, Ashoka, flipped a Vhailor Simmy into rat form, running AoF, to aid in the rescue Denim in Suldanessellar. The Simmy AoF Rat broke invisibility with a Smite on the lead rhakshasa. Simmy AoF Rat Ashoka then tanked the rhaks while Ashoka went to work. It was pretty hilarious.

 

My Bounty Hunter, Alesia, used it to survive a massive Demon/Planetar/Deva assault in Sendai's enclave. That was satisfying.

 

That's basically how I like using the Rat: very rare, very occasional use either for humor value or to pull off an improbable victory. It's a once an Adventure move, not a once a battle move. It's fun like that. It could be unfun if over-used, I'd imagine.

 

Best,

 

A.

[Aasim]

My Bounty Hunter, Alesia, used it to survive a massive Demon/Planetar/Deva assault in Sendai's enclave. That was satisfying.

So this physical resistance is vs all types of physical damage, or only piercing?

[Blackraven]

So this physical resistance is vs all types of physical damage, or only piercing?

Everything.
 

My Transmuter, Alastria, used the Cloak of the Sewers: Mustard Jelly against Improved Illasera in her Ascension solo. I've never really used it aside from that.

I can't remember that form's characteristics. I thought it was very weak compared the spell Polymorph Self: Mustard Jelly.

[Alesia_BH]

I can't remember that form's characteristics. I thought it was very weak compared the spell Polymorph Self: Mustard Jelly.

 

It is much weaker overall, but it has better missile damage resistance.

 

There's very little reason to use it.

 

Best,

 

A.

 

Btw. So you know, the plan for that fight had been to fire up a multilayer Teleport Field, load it with Limited Wish Bunny Rabbits, and then park Jellied 100% missile resistant Transmuter Alastria in the Telefield with Chain: See Enemy- PI + Simulacrum. Once the Chain fired, the illusions shapeshifted into Shapechange: Iron Golem form and beat Illasera to death (NW: Shapeshifted PI can make physical attacks).  

 

It was pretty cool. Illasera approached to find a mustard jelly surrounded by bunny rabbits in a Teleport Field, only to be killed by illusionary Iron Golems. Neat.

[Aasim]

Everything.

That's one resilient rat.

[Alesia_BH]

That's one resilient rat.

 

Yeah. It's kind of hilarious. 

 

But it only lasts one turn, its slow, and it has a lousy AC. It's also vulnerable to magic and can't really do any damage, unless you do something cheesy to get rid of the paws. 

 

It can get you out of tight spots though.

 

Best,

 

A.

[Alesia_BH]

Good New and Bad News

 

Good News: Jonicus's days are numbered. Aphril approaches.

 

Bad New: Aerie lost another race.

 

Spoiler

 

I'll post on Suldanessellar and Tree Jon relatively soon. I'm hoping to fight Ire in Hell later this evening.

 

Best,

 

A.

[Alesia_BH]

Quick Note on Aphril's Game

 

Who's buying the first round at the Tankard Tree, Serg? 

 

I'll post on the fight tomorrow.

 

Best,

 

A.

[Serg BlackStrider]

Who's buying the first round at the Tankard Tree, Serg? 

 

 

Ladies first! 

There are Ilasera and 1st Pocket Plane challenge ahead still but if we'll arrive there first then best drinks and minstrels are all in your Crew's disposal. 

[Serg BlackStrider]

Update of Impish Face & Co (or Jon boy, why don't you just die!?)

 

Impish Face passed through the Hell trials following good path (this should be obvious to anyone who followed his run) and Crew made their preparations to the final show. Buffs as usual but I completely forgot about Spell Deflection/Turning on our mages which proved costly later  . A pack of Greater Elementals were placed SE and Skelly Warrior near the Gate. Thanks to Aasim they behave properly now (at least they don't went hostile out of line of sight anymore) and while Wisp already shipped a new version of aTweaks with proper fix I'm reluctant to install a new version in the middle of the run with Randomizer last in mod list so just went on with Aasim's fix (thanks again for it!). 

Once Jon brought his minions on the stage the Crew withdraw SE and because of Viconia was targeted with Jon's Remove she run further away and stayed there most of time supplying summons (Skelly Warriors and Aerial Servants).

We observed Jon's buffs - Spell Trap, GoI, Immunity: Divination. And no Spell Shield.

 

Spoiler

 

 

This should be easy: RRR>Khelben's. Nalia cast the first spell while Glabrezu got rid of out Mass Invisibility and all Fiends gated in the reinforcement.

 

Spoiler

 

 

Impish Face, Jaheira and Mazzy attacked Balors (first I forgot they are immune to +2 and lower weapons but then gave Jaheira Sling of Everard, Impish Face - Azuredge and Mazzy - Rifthome Axe +3). Nalia began to cast Khelben's but Jon & Co got rid of our Fire and Air Elementals and one of Glabrezu Stunned Nalia.

 

Spoiler

 

 

Her Chain Contingency:Helpless>Project Image/Mass Invisibility/Immunity: Divination fired while Imoen gated in a Planetar and Viconia began to cast Remove Paralysis (an area of effect, not needed to target fortunately).

 

Spoiler

 

At the moment the reinforcement of 4 Succubus and 2 Nabassu arrived, our warriors activated Greater Deathblow. As is turned out initial Glabrezu are immune to it but Succubus and Nabassu are not so they were quickly nixed not doing any harm. But Jon called for his own Fallen Planetar...

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nalia's invisibility doesn't fool Balors so they swarmed her along with one of Glabrezu. Her Contingency:50% HP>ProMW fired just in time to save her from imminent death.

 

Spoiler

 

We killed Glabrezu, then one of Balors but at the moment Fallen Planetar shredded our one with cheezy mutliple Globe of Blades hits.

 

Spoiler

 

 

Jaheira called for a Shambling Mound from the staff and that move saved her form certain death (or even possible chunk) as Jon cast his first Time Stop and assaulted first the Shambling Mound and then Jaheira. When time resumed she escaped with 14 hp left. Meanwhile one survived Glabrezu gated in yet another Balor... Our second Planetar nixed it while Imoen, as a target of Fallen Planetar, cast ProMW to tank it:

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

Jon cast his second Time Stop, DDoored to Imoen, cast Breach on her but then wasted several precious seconds to decide whom to punish. He choose Mazzy but fortunately those wasted seconds saved her life (though just barely...)

 

Spoiler

 

 

Aerial Servant killed third Balor (vicious warrior, and you might need to fight it in BG1 with aTweaks installed... whooaaa!) while Imoen was Breached (sans Spell Deflection/Turning in pre-buffs, remember?) and PW:Stunned. Nalia with Improved Invisibility on the rescue!

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

Finally (finally!!!) the Fallen Planetar fell one last time and Jon is all alone. Without his see-though-invisibility minions his time is running out fast. He managed to dispel Nalia's protections with SI:A on (see picture, and I checked her record when Remove Magic flied towards her - possible glitch) and then killed her with triple Flame Arrow Sequencer (again an oversight from me to not prebuff her with Spell Deflection/Turning and/or just re-equip Staff of the Magi...) and hit Impish Face with Melf's Acid Arrow *2 Minor Sequencer but that was irrelevant. It's was just an agony. Horrid (Wiltings), vicious (hasted tenser-ed melee) and disgusting (the very outlook of Slayer form) but agony nonetheless. We fear him no more. 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

Hell (true fiery Hell and eternal torment) awaits thee, Jon boy... Pity on you...

 

 

 

Curent Crew state (The Grove of  the Ancients.)

 

Impish Face: Fighter (16) / Illusionist (15), 922 kills (Firkraag);

Jaheira: Fighter (15) / Druid (14), 320 kills (Nizidramanii'yt); 4 revival

Nalia: Swashbuckler (5) / Mage (20), 196 kills (Unseeing Eye); 1 revival

Viconia: Cleric (25), 57 kills (Gelugon); 3 revival

Mazzy: Fighter (23), 325 kills (Kangaxx the Demi-Lich); 1 revival

Imoen: Thief (7) / Mage (18), 39 kills (Ulitharid); 2 revival.

 

to be continued...

[Alesia_BH]

Nice work, Serg!

 

Best of luck with Illasera!

 

A.

[Golden28]

Nice upload Serg.

 

Cheers!

[Aasim]

Great stuff Serg! 

[Alesia_BH]

Aphril, Elven Sorcerer: Suldanessellar (or The Suldanessellar Paradox)

 

Question. How many of you do all the Chapter 2 Stronghold Quests? Raise you hands.

 

Ok. I can't see your hands. No one can see your hands: this is a message board. But I can feel your hands. A lot of us do all the Stronghold Quests, right?

 

What about the Chapter 6 side quests? Guarded Compound? Kangaxx? Twisted Rune? How many of us do all those? Still a lot of hands, right?

 

And why do we do all the quests -why do we do all the quests in every run? Not for the challenge, I hope. Because that doesn't work. 

 

Aphril's run is essentially an SCS reboot of my first Trilogy No Reload, completed with a sorcerer named Alanis. Alanis fought as hard as Aphril, she played with fewer restrictions, and she faced the lesser Questpack AI. And yet Alanis's run was harder: much harder than Aphril's.

 

Why? Alanis's run was harder because Alanis didn't do all the quests. Alanis had fewer items, fewer resources, and fewer levels. She arrived in Suldanessellar at SoA levels, not ToB levels. She found challenge, because she ran away from challenges. That's the Suldanessellar Paradox: the more challenges we seek, the less challenge we find. Quests bring levels, levels bring ease. Nowhere is that clearer than in Suldanessellar. Alanis fought through Suldanesselar. Aphril breezed through. I'd like to change that going forward. I'm not sure how.

 

Anyhoo: to the combat, or what combat there was. Quick coverage.

 

Hard as Steel

 

Those big old golems are hard: hard as rock, hard as iron. But Aerie is hard as steel. Aerie tanked the golems, with ranged support from Aphril and Adara. Imoen supplied some Mordies.

 

Spoiler

 

Raama Latta Ding Dong

 

With a mage on the horizon, the team amped up its buffs. Running Improved Alacrity, Aphril took down Raamilat and his pet within a round. LR x3 Trigger->MMs + MAA+ Skull Traps for the Nabassu. Ruby Ray x 3-> LR x 2-> Skull Traps x 3-> Wilting x 2 for Raamilat. Imoen finished with PW:S->MMM.

 

Spoiler

 

But It's a Really Nice Belt 

 

Denim loves it when a high level mage walks through the door to save her. Four is even better. Wilting Chains killed all but Adsaan. 

 

Spoiler

 

Adara, eager to contribute, quickly Imprisoned Adsaan, ending the threat to Denim.

 

Spoiler

 

Denim was grateful, as was the party, but then Aerie said: "Did you notice something about that rakshasa? He had a really nice belt. I'd like to have that."  Aerie always gets her way.

 

Spoiler

 

Aerie Never Gets Her Way

 

At least not in dragon fights. Aphril always kills the dragons before Aerie can do any Harm.

 

Spoiler

 

Sorry Adara: You're a little late.

 

Spoiler

 

Standard buffs were used here, with the additional of Protection from Acid all around.

 

Door #1

 

The biggest disappointment of the adventure -nay, of my life- occurred when I discovered this hidey-hole for the first time in forever...

 

Spoiler

 

only to find a silver necklace. Total jip.

 

Spoiler

 

Somebody Give the God a Little Help, Mkay? 

 

Once again, I made the mistake of counting on Rillifane, only to see one of Sunner's buffs, GoI, I believe, foil the Leaflord's instakill. Worse still, Rillifane is too dumb to switch targets. He'll just Spell Ineffective all over Suneer while the demons run amock. I kind of assumed that would be fixed in v30. It should be fixed in v31. 

 

Spoiler

 

Aerie was dispelled and forced to quaff a Potion of Invisibility because her SI:A, which had been cast prior to the rhakshasa fights, ran out. I probably should have refreshed it before heading in, but I expected Rillifane to do his job this time. Never again will I rely on a god.

 

You Forgot Something (Again)

 

Ok. Time for an epic showdown. Place your bets everyone.

 

Spoiler

 

What is it with Jonicus and Protection from Fire? I mean, come on: He's supposed to be an uber-arcanist and yet he always forgets a bread and butter protection spell. Pull a Sunfire Trigger, and he's dead. I had been hoping that would change in v30. Guess not.

 

 

 

Just one more stop: Hell.

 

Best,

 

A.

[Alesia_BH]

Aphril, Elven Sorcerer: Irenicus in Hell (or Jon Boy, Why Did You Just Die?)

 

I wish I had something to share that could match the drama of Serg's final battle. Sadly, I don't. Aphril destroyed Slayer Jon within one round. It was the quickest Jon-Jon fight that I've ever seen.

 

Part of that was my fault. As a matter of style, and as a restriction, I usually kill the demons before I attack Jon. That gives Jon a chance to act, to execute his script, to show what he can do. This time, for whatever reason, I went straight for Jon. That definitely sped things up.

 

Part of the blame here lies with Jon-Jon though. Jon-Jon's buffs are randomized, his script is randomized. Some times, randomly, you get a more challenging Jon. Impish Face got a good Jon. We got a bad Jon.

 

First, the buffs. The buffs for this fight were the party standards with minor adjustments, including Hit: ProMW Contingencies all around.

 

Aphril: Stoneskin, Protection from Cold, Protection from Fire, Protection from Lightning, Protection from Magic Energy, Protection from Evil, Chaotic Commands, Resist Fear, Pro Pet, Death Ward, Spirit Armor, Spell Shield, Spell Deflection, Spell Trap, Blur, Mirror Image, Haste, Protection from Energy, Improved Invisibility, Globe of Invulnerability, Spell Immunity: Abjuration, Spell Immunity: Divination

Adara: Stoneskin, Protection from Cold, Protection from Fire, Protection from Magic Energy, Protection from Evil, Chaotic Commands, Resist Fear, Pro Pet, Death Ward, Spirit Armor, Spell Shield, Spell Turning, Blur, Mirror Image, Haste, True Sight, Improved Invisibility, Globe of Invulnerability, Spell Immunity: Abjuration, Spell Immunity: Divination

 

Aerie: Stoneskin, Protection from Cold, Protection from Fire, Protection from Lightning, Protection from Magic Energy, Protection from Evil, Chaotic Commands, Resist Fear, Pro Pet, Death Ward, Spirit Armor, Spell Shield, Spell Deflection, Spell Turning, Blur, Mirror Image, Haste, Improved Invisibility, Globe of Invulnerability, Spell Immunity: Abjuration, Spell Immunity: Divination

 

Imoen:  Stoneskin, Protection from Cold, Protection from Fire,  Protection from Lightning, Protection from Magic Energy, Protection from Evil, Chaotic Commands, Resist Fear, Pro Pet, Death Ward, Pro Pet, Spirit Armor, Spell Shield, Spell Deflection, Blur, Mirror Image, Haste, Improved Invisibility, Globe of Invulnerability, Spell Immunity: Abjuration, Spell Immunity: Divination

 

Our Jon ran SI:A, Spell Trap, and some combat protections. That was basically it. Once Aphril saw his buff list, she instructed her team to pop off some ProMWs, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. She knew she had this. Jon wouldn't last a round.

 

Aphril- Improved Alacrity

 

Spoiler

 

Jon- Spellstrike: Aerie (caught by Aerie's Spell Shield)

 

Spoiler

 

And that was basically it. With Jon revealed, with a clouded aura. And with Aphril running Improved Alacrity. And with everyone on Aphril's team full buffed ProMW, Jon had no hope: no chance of doing harm, let alone prevailing.

 

Spoiler

 

Down go the buffs (Ruby Ray x 2). And down goes the magic resistance (LR x3 Trigger). 

 

Spoiler

 

Down goes the Jon. We barely moved.

 

Spoiler

 

Victory.

 

Spoiler

 

Looking forward to ToB.

 

Best,

 

A.

 

 

Aerie the Avariel Tank of Doom, L17/15 C/M: Kills- 424; XP Value- 26%; Most Powerful Vanquished- Hive Mother; Favorite Spell- Holy Smite; Favorite Weapon- Flail of Ages

 

Imoen the Quick, L7/18 T->M: Kills- 71; XP Value- 8%; Most Powerful Vanquished- Kangaxx the Demi-Lich; Favorite Spell- Stoneskins; Favorite Weapon- Melf's Minute Meteors

 

Adara the Bold, L20 Sorcerer: Kills- 428; XP Value- 31%; Most Powerful Vanquished- Bodhi; Favorite Spell- Invisibility; Favorite Weapon- Melf's Minute Meteors

 

Aphril the Almost Famous, L20 Sorcerer: Kills- 442; XP Value- 33%; Most Powerful Vanquished: Firkraag; Favorite Spell- Invisibility; Favorite Weapon- Melf's Minute Meteors

 

Btw. Note that Aphril, Adara, and Aerie had nearly identical XP percentages throughout most of SoA. Now that Aphril has Improved Alacrity to pair with Vecna, she is pulling away. The gap will grow from here on out. The numbers will readily demonstrates the game distorting impact of Vecna + Improved Alacrity. I'm definitely nerfing Vecna in upcoming runs. 

[Grond0]

So the Slayer gave a sigh of relief as his doppleganger is sent to hell by Impish Face.  At least I won't have to face anyone as vicious as that party for a while he thought - let me just check though who's due in next ... oh b*****

 

Well done Serg & Alesia - have a good time in ToB .