Baldur's Gate 1 No-Reload Challenge
#2501
Posté 09 août 2011 - 01:55
#2502
Posté 09 août 2011 - 02:04
… @ Grond0 no it’s not needed to win.
I’m re-entering the challenge with Spence Glitterhelm…

This run will be a basic SCS install & the Randomiser.
Alone in the wilds;
Still life goes on, at least it will if I can get out of these woods without getting my throat slit, I’m no coward but I know my limitations & standing out in the open yelling “HERE I AM, come get me” never really appealed… no I’m that guy who'd setup the noise trap you tripped over on the way home to your pretty young wife. In fairness at least 10% of the unease I have right now is for my deceased foster parent… Gorion was an agreeable old sport.
// Log of Currently Installed WeiDU Mods
// The top of the file is the 'oldest' mod
// ~TP2_File~ #language_number #component_number // [Subcomponent Name -> ] Component Name [ : Version]
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #10 // Initialise (required by almost all other mod components): v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #1001 // Make Protection from Normal Missiles block magical missiles -> Only +1 and better missiles penetrate Protection from Normal Missiles, and +1 missiles are replaced by nonmagical Masterwork versions: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #1010 // More consistent Breach spell (doesn't penetrate Spell Turning): v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #1021 // Antimagic attacks penetrate improved invisibility -> All spells that bring down spell protections get areas of effect: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #1030 // Iron Skins behaves like Stoneskin (can be brought down by Breach): v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #1070 // Make spell sequencers, spell triggers, and contingencies learnable by all mages: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #2000 // Make elemental arrows more like their BG2 counterparts: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #2010 // Replace many magic weapons with fine ones -> Fine weapons are affected by the iron crisis: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #2020 // Re-introduce potions of extra-healing: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #3001 // Standardise spells: BG1 vs BG2 -> Introduce BG2 spell scrolls into BG1: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #3030 // Allow NPC pairs to separate: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #3040 // NPCs go to inns: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #3110 // More realistic wolves and wild dogsS: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #4000 // Skip Candlekeep: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #4020 // Stackable ankheg shells, winterwolf pelts and wyvern heads: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #4030 // Move Boo out of quick access and into Minsc's pack: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #4040 // Ensure Shar-Teel doesn't die in the original challenge: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5000 // Smarter general AI: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5010 // Better calls for help: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5022 // Potions for NPCs -> Half the potions dropped by slain enemies break and are lost: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5031 // Smarter mages -> Mages use spells from BG1 and BG2; mages do not pre-buff: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5041 // Smarter priests -> Priests use spells from BG1 and BG2; priests do not pre-buff: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5050 // Smarter deployment: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5070 // Smarter sirines and dryads: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5080 // Slightly harder carrion crawlers: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5090 // Smarter basilisks: v19
~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6030 // Dark Side-based kobold upgrade: v19
~RANDOMISER/RANDOMISER.TP2~ #0 #500 // Randomly replace the WIS tome normally found in TotSC with one of the 6 available types: v6.6
~RANDOMISER/RANDOMISER.TP2~ #0 #510 // Randomly not randomise items: v6.6
~RANDOMISER/RANDOMISER.TP2~ #0 #530 // Randomise scrolls: v6.6
~RANDOMISER/RANDOMISER.TP2~ #0 #570 // Randomise the appearance of cursed items: v6.6
~RANDOMISER/RANDOMISER.TP2~ #0 #1100 // Randomise items -> Mode 1: Randomise with in-game scripts. No items are lost: v6.6
~RANDOMISER/RANDOMISER.TP2~ #0 #10100 // Remove Protection from Undead scrolls from stores -> All scrolls from all stores: v6.6
Modifié par ussnorway, 09 août 2011 - 04:22 .
#2503
Posté 09 août 2011 - 05:21
Grond0 wrote...
Good question. I wasn't sure whether this was a required bit of the storyline, but if it's not perhaps I'll give it a miss next time.
It's definitely not required, despite the dialog you find everywhere.. I usually don't rescue him when my party is max experience.
@USSNorway - those are some pretty strange stats, what did you do, take the first roll you got? Random? Heck, I don't even let my mages get 7 STR (9 is as low as I will go). Good luck though. I will be VERY impressed if this guy can get all the way to Melissan and take her down.
Modifié par corey_russell, 09 août 2011 - 05:26 .
#2504
Posté 09 août 2011 - 06:00
Well I picked up Melicamp and headed to High Hedge. But I got ambushed by a ghast and 2 ogrillions. This ghast was like superman, I couldn't hit it with melee or ranged at all. I thought my -4 AC would protect me but it didn't. I got held, and that was that.
I should have either ran, or taken off my armor and blinded the ghast, then it couldn't have hurt me. Live and learn I guess.
#2505
Posté 09 août 2011 - 06:25
Intend to do a trilogy no-reload. Will attempt to solo BG 1 & 2 with this character.
I will use long swords this time, USSNorway (I read the description for elves a bit more carefully this time). Racial enemy is ghoul.
Standard setup, Vanilla BG 1, TotSC and official patch, Core Rules at all times.
Modifié par corey_russell, 09 août 2011 - 06:26 .
#2506
Posté 09 août 2011 - 07:31
p.s.
LUCK!
#2507
Posté 09 août 2011 - 07:40
#2508
Posté 09 août 2011 - 09:32
Hope to see you soon.BomimoDK wrote...
I miss playing this. Alas, my last BGT install failed and i just gave up... I feel like trying again this afternoon.
I've got a new replacement wizard slayer well underway.

I'm confident enough of my strategy now that she is going to the Nashkel mines at level 7 rather than waiting for the cap at 8. I've also saved quite a bit of real time to date by not bothering to pick up treasure from minor encounters (with so little to buy for a wizard slayer funds are not much of a constraint anyway).
No particular alarms to date. One interesting encounter was getting the spider quest from Landrin:

He gave his stock of antidotes to Charmaine. Normally these are hard to get - needing an 18 charisma character - but Charmaine's charisma was only 3. My hypothesis is that this was an example of scores wrapping round - in BG2 it is fairly easy to get thief scores above the maximum 255 so that they start again. I suspect that Charmaine's combination of poor charisma and reputation of 6 may have made her reaction adjustment so bad it became good!
Edit: safely through the mines without any trouble, although had to husband my stock of throwing knives carefully as only brought about 240 to start with.
Edit2: first close escape against Nimbul - I thought his spells had been closed off by wizard slayer spell failure ability and let the horn protection drop, but Nimbul managed to cast a chromatic orb that could have ended the run. For the second game in a row the amazons were waiting in ambush at the Friendly Arm Inn, but only managed to donate their equipment - pity Charmaine is not using non-vanilla items!
Bandit camp was again straightforward. On finishing that was ambushed by Molkar at the Beregost temple. This was by far the longest fight in the game to date as it is very difficult to get space to throw daggers at the ambushers and they are not easy to hit either. Eventually, with only Molkar left, Charmaine drew him into the temple and got some healing from the priest during the fight to make it safe to finish him off with her poisoned dagger.
Edit3: just got killed in the Cloakwood. In attempting to get Spider's Bane I thought I had successfully isolated the first giant spider from the nest. However, it managed to web Charmaine and then, at exactly the moment it attacked, 2 phase spiders teleported in
Modifié par Grond0, 09 août 2011 - 01:42 .
#2509
Posté 09 août 2011 - 08:26
Desreta and Vay-ya can't cope with hasted buffs. We rest in the sewers then run into ratchild. He attacks and Quayle is unable to escape. I'm still slowed from a mustard jelly attack and by the time I arrive ratchild has held Yeslick so although we are victorious I have to pay two fees at a nearby temple.
On our return to the sewers we deal with Schlumpscha and an ogre mage, deal with Ragefast and Ramazith then obtain the cloak and helm of Balduran. Tiax sancturies his way in and out of Ramaziths tower to fetch me a tome of intelligence.
We refuse to hand over a tome of wisdom to the Water Queen, choosing to kill her instead and return the body of a child to his father. Next, we deal with Jardak and his butler and then we hit the Iron Throne HQ, buffed.

Web and holy smite are our first spells.

More holy smites are helped with silence, hold and entangle. Gardush is last, Viconia commanding him twice.

Duke Eltan sends us to Candlekeep.
(no sign of party conflict, Quayle and Tiax have had no banter so far).
#2510
Posté 10 août 2011 - 12:47
Callon continuing to explore the sword coast. He cleared the Bassilus area except for Bassilus himself, no hold person defense yet. High Hedge also cleared.
Next was Drizzt area. He met 3 bandits there, but Callon had the sense to have a wardog (charmed) in front, and the wardog absorbed the horror, while Callon cut down the mage with his bow. He got poisoned but no problem, as Callon had antidotes equipped for just such an occurence. Success!
With all the loot, headed back to Nashkel and got an Ogre Mage and ogrillion ambush. Callon pumped the Ogre Mage with a lot of arrows, pretty sure the ogre mage was almost dead, maybe just one more hit. But then the Ogre Mage fired a ligthning bolt, dropping Callon to 20% health. Callon backed straight up with the idea of using a heal potion. But should have backed up and right or left, as the bolt richoted off the wall and slammed into Callon once more and finished him (as well as the Ogre Mage and Ogrillion). RIP Callon.
Back to the drawing board...this solo stuff tough. USSNorway you say soloing is easier, but so far not finding that the case. Maybe solo is easier with BG 2 engine, but sure doesn't feel like that using BG 1 engine.
Callon was level 4 when he bit it, not far from level 5.
#2511
Posté 10 août 2011 - 04:51
#2512
Posté 10 août 2011 - 05:00
Stick with itcorey_russell wrote...
Back to the drawing board...this solo stuff tough. USSNorway you say soloing is easier, but so far not finding that the case. Maybe solo is easier with BG 2 engine, but sure doesn't feel like that using BG 1 engine.
I've started a new wizard slayer - here's his current status. To get things moving even quicker he took on some sirenes early - this was something of a risk as their touch confuses in hand-to-hand, while their arrows of biting can be painful at distance. Perseus got away with it, though he was confused twice. On both occasions that was done by the last of 3 sirenes - confusion is less of a problem with sirenes than most things because they are vulnerable in hand to hand and do little damage themselves and a fighter thus has a very good chance of killing them even while confused (just need to make sure there's nothing else around to intervene).
#2513
Posté 10 août 2011 - 06:10
ussnorway wrote...
You didn’t need to have engaged that mage; you could have just sheathed or run away. The mentality between normal and no-reload is completely different as you know & I find the same thing is true with solo play, you have to pick the battles you can win especially when it comes to mages.
Couple notes on your points:
1) I had full plate equipped no stealth. I would have to change armor (which I could do, which also in my setup unpauses the game) but an ogrilion was approaching and the ogre mage just did one buff before engaging. Not sure I could have stealthed is all I am saying
2) Running away - for sure I could have done this as the ogre mage did not open with lightning bolt, just magic missiles. Would have to potion once or twice but there was no reason I couldn't do it.
3) Pick the battles - that's just it, with a party I have a really good feel which battles I can and cannot win, that "sense" is no where near that good for solo characters for me, at least at this time.
4) I almost kiled the ogre mage as it was, I just had to back off at an angle to dodge the lightning bolt bounce-back. In fact the ogre mage had stopped casting spells and was approaching to melee, and my character was really good at that.
#2514
Posté 10 août 2011 - 06:22
Grond0 wrote...
Stick with itcorey_russell wrote...
Back to the drawing board...this solo stuff tough. USSNorway you say soloing is easier, but so far not finding that the case. Maybe solo is easier with BG 2 engine, but sure doesn't feel like that using BG 1 engine.. Maybe you should consider doing a bit more XP farming at the start of the game. For instance there's lots of easy XP around Beregost and Shoal the Nereid is worth something like 5,000 XP, but has no distance attack.
I've started a new wizard slayer - here's his current status. To get things moving even quicker he took on some sirenes early - this was something of a risk as their touch confuses in hand-to-hand, while their arrows of biting can be painful at distance. Perseus got away with it, though he was confused twice. On both occasions that was done by the last of 3 sirenes - confusion is less of a problem with sirenes than most things because they are vulnerable in hand to hand and do little damage themselves and a fighter thus has a very good chance of killing them even while confused (just need to make sure there's nothing else around to intervene).
I do intend to stick with it. It seems I have the party no-reload mastered, so solo seems like the next step up. Like I told you before, I am expecting lots of restarts as I start picking up the basics of solo play. Fortunately I have an inkling of what to do since I have soloed both BG 1 and BG 2 before, but now am learning the fine points to make it the entire way without reloads.
By the way, Grond0 I admire the tenacity you are showing by starting your 4th? 5th? wizard slayer. You find the class interesting? Or is their challenge fun? Nice stats by the way, and I notice you are a human, are you dualing in BG 2?
And I do "farm" experience as you stated, though no one did Shoal except my F/M since he could do with 100% safety with his blindness spell. I regularly calm Marl down and kill him afterwards, as an example. : ) In the past few runs anyways...
#2515
Posté 10 août 2011 - 06:35
Like before, the plan is to solo BG 1 and possibly BG 2. Will take party in ToB if I get that far. I waited to submit this challenge until if felt more reasonable he would make it. He's level 4 with 49 HP so that's a good start.
Noywad's current character sheet
Noywad's equipment and configuration
** Axes
** missile weapons
* short sword
(about short sword - I think I vaguely was thinking that the +2 short sword you get in Bassilus area could be used against Doomsayer, since the +2 axe isn't until I get to Baldur's Gate. But since I am soloing experience probably isn't going to be that much of an issue and I know I want to use arrows of detonation, so maybe bow was better but oh well)
Going to use sling so that I can have ranged weapon while shield is equipped. Yeah know darts is more APR but I prefer the greater range. Lots of weaker enemies have been slain with a single bullet. It's still pretty early in the game, don't even have the road areas cleared yet.
The elves I tried both had inferior HP, so picked dwarf this time both for his HP and better saves. Also, I have tons of experiene playing a fighter, so that will serve me in good stead. I think I have been a fighter more than any other class.
SETUP:
Vanilla BG 1
TotSC
Official TotSC patch
Core Rules at all times
"gore" on -- main impact of this is that it's possible I could lose equipment from enemies.
Modifié par corey_russell, 10 août 2011 - 06:39 .
#2516
Posté 10 août 2011 - 07:41
I think this is the 5th - 4th in the recent past and 1 a while ago. It's more a feeling of not leaving something incomplete that keeps me going (I'm back to work next week and would like to get one more go at BG2 before then). I've felt that my last 3 attempts have all had quite a good chance of success and the last 2 I think have been unlucky to be killed - so perhaps the luck will go my way this timecorey_russell wrote...
By the way, Grond0 I admire the tenacity you are showing by starting your 4th? 5th? wizard slayer. You find the class interesting? Or is their challenge fun? Nice stats by the way, and I notice you are a human, are you dualing in BG 2?
I was thinking of dualling to a thief. The alternative would be to take a party - I don't think a wizard slayer would last very long on his own in BG2 - but I would probably stay solo.
Perseus is approaching the Cloakwood mines now and has just reached his XP cap. In the spider encounter 2 giant spiders ganged up on him, but fortunately they don't seem to re-cast web until the previous one has worn off. They did successfully web him at the start and once more later, but he took an extra-healing potion in between and was never more than about 40 HP down.
Edit: safely through the mines and off to Baldur's Gate.
Edit2: picked up the tomes, Balduran's helm and eagle bow. Used protection from magic scroll in the Iron Throne and protection from undead going up Ramazith's tower. Now at Candlekeep.
Edit3: again a bit unlucky, but just died against Slythe. The plan was to try and kill him quickly before he went invisible and backstabbed. This nearly worked - Slythe was at nearly dead and Perseus missed 3 times in a row when one more hit would almost certainly have killed him. While Perseus was missing Slythe hit with a backstab that put Perseus into danger. He took an extra-healing potion, but Slythe immediately took another invisibility potion and a further backstab was too much for Perseus.
Modifié par Grond0, 10 août 2011 - 03:18 .
#2517
Posté 10 août 2011 - 03:39
In another raid to Durlag’s tower, Lokuryn enterd fisrt underground level. He killed phase spider, three greater Doppelgangers and several undead. Then, he returned to Nashkel to sell loot.
Lokuryn also visited Swotrd Coast countryside. He cleared lighthouse area from Sirines (using Potion of Clarity, Oil of Speed and Acid arrowas) and looted cave with Flesh golems (he killed them using Arrows of biting he took from Sirines’ bodies).
South of Lighthouse, Lokuryn obtained statue of Kozah and defeated Doomsayer (he took about 25 hits from Wand of magic missiles).
Next, Lokuryn traveled all the way south, clearing areas one by one. In Gnoll Fortress, he saved Dynaheir and took her to Nashkel.
Finally, Lokuryn decided to visit Nashkel mines. He found lair of Mulahey and killed him with darts of Wounding (great against spellcasters).

Consequently, he had to kill Nimbul (Arrows of biting) and defeated Tranzig (backstab).

His next stop was Bandit camp. Lokuryn killed both Ardenor Crush and Taugosz Khosann, entered Tazok’s tent and killed guards using Wand of Sleep and arrows of biting.

Lokuryn is currently level 9 thief with meager 50HP.
V
#2518
Posté 10 août 2011 - 04:55
#2519
Posté 10 août 2011 - 05:29
#2520
Posté 10 août 2011 - 08:55

This was a good roll - including the tomes will allow her to get 19s for everything except charisma to take into BG2 and the exceptional strength will make gameplay a bit easier in BG1. Partly to try and avoid losing her and partly due to this being a final attempt I've been making this run a zero-risk affair (no saves vs spells required or low hits to date). Summary of explorations to date (normally doing all encounters in an area, though a few exceptions are noted below):
- Candlekeep (killed Firebead - level 2).
- High Hedge.
- Beregost (various tasks - level 3 + 4).
- Crossroads
- Friendly Arm Inn
- Nashkel
- Basillus area (level 5 - left Basillus alone)
- Drizzt area
- Sendai area
- Waterfall area
- Gnoll stronghold (just for tome)
- Samuel area
- Firewine Bridge (just took scroll of magic protection from Bentan)
- Firewine Plains (level 6)
-Valley of tombs (used scroll of protection from undead to avoid potential problems with ghasts in tomb)
- Durlag's Tower (just for tome)
- Ankheg area
- Bridge area (level 7)
Next stop will be the Nashkel mines.
#2521
Posté 10 août 2011 - 09:21
Easy. Learn to run away when it starts going wrong as you only need 100k xp out of 1m+. Stay away from anything that holds, charms, poisons, poos in the woods, shoots arrows, casts spells....or breathescorey_russell wrote...
3) Pick the battles - that's just it, with a party I have a really good feel which battles I can and cannot win, that "sense" is no where near that good for solo characters for me, at least at this time.
I never played solo, had a real grip of the party game (you know, just careless deaths, I could have avoided them all, honest). So here are my thoughts based on a few painful solo lessons that forced me to up my game but still allowed me to cowboy it with a party when I wanted.
Think about every enemy. What spells do they cast. I realised I didn't know this in party play as I'd just unload some serious clobbering and disrupt them more often than not. I've played BG since launch (**EDIT - WHAT A LIFE IT HAS BEEN) so how come I was so lazy with my play style to not appreciate some of the finer points?
Drink the potions. Not needed in a party game so I never bothered. This strategy = dead soloist and only having one gulper means there are just about enough potions. Same for the green protection scrolls.
Play to the characters strengths. Vanilla cleric should have 30+ skeleton friends. Thief should be in the shadows all the time. Ranger should be in the shadows while a charmed bear/wolf/squirrel(?) attacks. Fighter/paladin should buff against any spell caster. I can't comment on solo druid (animal summons have to be timed better than skeletons), mage (debilitating spells) or bard (wands?)
Modifié par Gate70, 10 août 2011 - 09:24 .
#2522
Posté 10 août 2011 - 10:17
But in any case, yes will definitely be using potions/scrolls for the tougher fights. In a party, I pretty much never get the nymph's cloak (unless Garrick is in the group, he can be a pretty good pickpocket with a few levels under his belt), but thinking real hard about getting that this run.
#2523
Posté 10 août 2011 - 10:58
Did you buy that full plate - just thinking the greenstone amulet and free ankheg plate would be my preference, the armour class difference of 1 isn't critical until you reach Taugosz. The amulet is good value and I managed a run with four charges recently (took a few too many risks though).
I haven't tried it but apparently Dushai has a ring of freedom which can help certain encounters (I never remember which thanks to swapping between vanilla, BGT & Tutu then modding them).
BTW, good choice with sling in single player vanilla with 20's stacking.
Modifié par Gate70, 10 août 2011 - 10:59 .
#2524
Posté 10 août 2011 - 11:13
Yes bought the full plate - the extra defense to slashing and piercing is quite helpful. In my install I can't equip ring of protection +1 with ankheg armor but I CAN with full plate. I want all the bonuses to my saves as I can.
Thanks I thought the sling was a good choice too. Like I said, lots of the weaker enemies get killed with a single bullet.
#2525
Posté 10 août 2011 - 11:36
Even with the full plate additional bonus' I'd have skimped until I could get a free set. Still, if you can get the amulet that'll be enough. Brage is 1000gp if you haven't helped him already.
Sling of seeking in BG2 is lining up I guess.
--
Ryssowaun, LN male dwarf priest of Helm. Resting lots to use seeking sword wherever possible.
I grab a ring from Koveras (what a noob, he's spelt his name backwards. Nuawossyr? haha. He could have at least anagram'd it).
Rieltar fails to see his companions thrice doomed and held.

We're locked up for this, only for Tethtoril to release us into the catacombs. Tiax almost causes a riot when he retrieves a dusty tome and Quayle finally deigns to identify something. A tome of wisdom, we all want it. Mine.
He does the same with a tome of exercise (great little thief apart from the thieving slot being on the special abilities slot; such a pity it can't be swapped with something like turn undead).
Modifié par Gate70, 10 août 2011 - 11:47 .





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