16384 réponses à ce sujet

[Blackraven]

I doubt it unless Grynne is able to use rings ...  If you've got improved SCS spiders installed they are probably the biggest challenge you face.  You'll either need to be pretty lucky to survive Cloakwood ambushes or go and get Spiders' Bane - which itself is a pretty difficult task.

 

aVenger's WS cannot wear Ring of Free Action, I'm afraid. You can use Potions of Magic Shielding if you have any instead.

You're rightof course, I realized this morning when I woke up. I'd forgotten. It's interesting to see how Grynne is not able to do quests and use things I'd normally take for granted.
Potions of Magic Shielding only protect against magic damage. I have one of those, but it's the status effects I'm most wary of. For those effects scrolls of Protection from Magic, and potions of Magic Blocking and Magic Protection are more useful. But these are scarce. The surgeon, Hafiz, and iirc one of the chests in the bandit camp are musts.

[Aasim]

Potions of Magic Shielding only protect against magic damage.

Doesn't it also make you roll all saves automatically as well?

[Blackraven]

Doesn't it also make you roll all saves automatically as well?

Aasim you're right. After all those years I've come to rely too much on my memory, instead of looking things up. Thanks. They're more useful than I'd thought (even if they only last for a short while).

***
Grynne travelled to the southernmost area (called Dragon's Reach, according to my map), where she spoke with Hafiz for a scroll of Protection from Magic. She also brought Samuel the deserter to Gellana Mirrorshade. From the FAI she made her way to the northen Sword Coast and took down Shoal the Nereid with her throwing axes. This was relatively safe since her beguiling aura (aTweaks) doesn't affect female characters. The Water Weird she had summoned was more difficult to deal with: it would only suffer 1 dmg per hit and it would follow her around over the entire map. Meanwhile she took on the (half-)ogres and ogrillons, often in melee without much difficulty. She reunited the Mad Arcand with his ring and she spoke with the Surgeon for his scroll of Protection from Magic.

After that, Grynne returned to the High Hedge, and for 4000 GP she had Thalantyr make the Sword of Rage for her out of Brage's cursed berserking sword, two scrolls of Remove Curse and two Scrolls of Horror. Importantly the sword gives the wielder the ability to enrage once per day.

[Having no idea what kind of rage the sword gives, I decided to simply try it out.] Grynne travelled to the Red Canyons, where she was told she would find Bassilus the mad cleric. She approached him with the Sword of Chaos equipped, and when he turned hostile, she activated the sword's rage ability. Bassilus' spells (2x Hold Person) were useless against Grynne. With her axe she slaughtered the priest, and after she was done also the three hobgoblins (Malkax etc).

[The rage ability turns out to be the same as the Berserker's rage, including its 15 dmg and its fatigue effect once the state ends. I used it to slay Neira in Nashkel as well, but I won't be using it all the time. I think I'm going to force myself to use the expendables first: potions of magic blosking/protection/shielding and scrolls of protection from magic. If I run out of expendables I may rely on the sword. Especially if I continue to solo I might have to in order for the game to advance.]

Grynne's weapon of choice remained to be the battle axe, even though her weapons kept shattering, at one point even twice in one of the Cloudpeaks areas. [Hard Times is really giving Grynne a hard time with her unenchanted axes.]

In the aforementioned areas she dispatched Sendai & Co, though not without taking a number of ranged hits from Delgod and Alexander. She also took on Zal and Vax, first the meleer whom she lured away from his companion, then the dart thrower whom she had to rush with her stylish boots of the cheetah so that he wouldn't be able to stun her with his darts of stunning. When he fell she found the Boots of Speed on him. Grynne reunited Albert with Rufie and Drienne with Pixie. She also protected the Dryad of the Cloudpeaks from Krumm and Caldo. She then travelled to the Friendly Arm Inn where she bought 5 more axes from Bentley, and for about 8000 gold various antidotes and a pair of Gnomish Boots from Gellana.

The investment she did at Gellana's would only serve one purpose: help Grynne obtain the Spiders' Bane. [In my game setup all Cloakwood areas except the Mines area are accessible before Chapter 4.] In Cloakwood one she didn't do any quests. She simply went northward along the area border, to unlock Cloakwood 2. There she was immediately greeted by four Phase Spiders that came teleporting in when she arrived. She killed them but was poisoned more once which slightly injured her. She didn't take an antidote though.

On her way toward the spiders' den, she got more serious opposition from Ettercaps that poisoned her multiple times. She managed to slay them all, but it took her an antidote and four healing potions to moe or less restore her health.

The den was tackled by entering and leaving and thus luring the creature outside in tolerably manageable groups, until only Centeol remained.

***

Without the gnomish boots (an item from Aurora's shoes and boots), Grynne would have probably never obtained the Spiders' Bane unless - as I assume - the green Protection from Magic scrolls protect against the web traps, in which case I would have probably sacrificed one for permanent Free Action.

[Aasim]

green Protection from Magic scrolls protect against the web traps, in which case I would have probably sacrificed one for permanent Free Action.

I wouldn't count on it. I remember once using it to protect myself vs basilisk gaze....it doesn't.

[Blackraven]

I wouldn't count on it. I remember once using it to protect myself vs basilisk gaze....it doesn't.

Hmm I also didn't count on it hence my use of the gnomish boots (which protect against web, entangle and grease but not hold or stun). I should have checked this in an experimental break within my run, just to know. If the scroll doesn't work then a solo'ing unmodded WS without said boots can only get Spiders' Bane with exact knowledge of the locations of the web traps, or with a lot of luck as Grond0 said.
Of course one could use protection from poison, but the spiders and ettercaps can still deal serious damage to a webbed character.

***

Owning scrolls, potions and two weapons (Spiders' Bane and the Sword of Rage) that would offer her protection against mind and movement affecting magic, Grynne felt confident enough to investigate the Nashkel mines and confront any opposition if necessary. She breezed through the first two levels, slaying many kobolds and suffering little damage. On the third level, where she tripped two traps on a bridge and where the opposition increased, she did start to notice her wounds so before entering the final area toward the exit to the 4th level she restored her health with potions.
This turned out to be a very wise decision. When she spotted a kobold shaman she equipped Spiders' Bane to protect herself against a possible Hold spell. The kobold priest took her by surprise however with an arcane spell: Horror. It had her run in panic in all directions, triggering three traps near the level exit and suffering poison damage from the kobold chieftain's arrows. The kobolds were too few and too weak to bring her down, even with the help of two summoned ogrillons, but they would have succeeded, had she not restored her health a moment earlier.




[/spoiler]

After she slew the shaman, the chieftain and a few remaining kobolds, she descended to the fourth and final level. There she had to kill more kobolds before she could confront their leader Mulahey in his lair. The priest looked like a possibly dangerous foe who might have more tricks up his sleeve than a few Hold spells that Spiders' Bane would protect her against. So she quaffed her only potion of magic blocking, and was later grateful for it, when the priest's Mental Domination spell failed to affect her. He summoned about ten kobolds and six skeletons, but Grynne wouldn't let that distract her. She focused her efforts on Mulahey alone and after a number of good hits (including a critical), had him beg on his knees for mercy. Grynne granted it to him in the form of a single clean stroke of her axe that beheaded her foe.



She struck down Mulahey's summons, and then looted the priest's body and a chest. She found some vaulable loot but nothing she had any use for (Golden Girdle, Varscona). With Mulahey's prisoner Xan she returned to the surface where the two parted ways. She met Narcillicus, who asked her to witness a wicked arcane trick that involved summoning and controlling slimes and jellies. She told him she would have nothing of it. He tried to get away but two of her throwing axes did him in.



In the area she also slew various undead, but not the revenant. She chose to give him the dagger he so much longed for. Reporting to Berrun Ghastkill in Nashkel helped her get to level 8, her final level in the game, and gain a second shatter magic ability (which allows her to strip a wizards' magical protections with the hits of her weapon). She decided to use that ability against stoneskinned and mirror imaged Nimbul after a succesfully cast Feeblemind on her had worn off. The assassin fell soon after to her throwing axes.




She travelled to Beregost where she slew another mage, Tranzig, at Feldepost's Inn. He tried to cast Slow, Blindness and one other spell on her, but she fled downstairs each time he was in the middle of casting. He then tried to take her on in melee combat, and fell.
A more challenging encounter took place on her way to Larswood. She got waylaid by enemies: Molkar and his gang of bounty hunters. [This was the first time I actually got waylaid by them in a transition area.] The bounty hunters were aided by a ghoul, many gibberlings and at least seven skeletons.



Her first target was Halacan, a gnomish wizard. She thought she hit twice with her throwing axes or maybe thrice. Either way it was enough for her to neutralize him. All his attempts at casting spells failed, so he resorted to pursuing her.




This didn't mean that all danger was out of the way. The meleers were unable to catch up with Grynne thanks to her Boots of Speed, but Drakar cast Hold Person at her a few times, forcing her to switch from her throwing axes to Spiders' Bane every time Drakar's spells came her way. The only foes that were actually dealing damage, were the skeletons, so she took them down first, as well as the other monsters. This created the space she needed to best the bounty hunters with her throwing axes. On their bodies she didn't find any remarkable loot except for a second pair of gnomish boots and a svirfneblin pickaxe on Halacan. The good thing was that she now owned an enchanted axe that was less likely to shatter, but unfortunately it deals piercing damage rather than slashing damage, which is likely to make it less effective against well-armored foes.



In the Larswood she slew about ten bandits, ignored a druid who accused her of having killed one of his fellow druids, and pushed on for Peldvale. In the Peldvale area Grynne spoke with Raiken and convinced him to have her join the bandits. She was brought to the bandit camp, where Tazok demanded her to show him her fighting prowess. She proceeded to surpass all his expectations, taking the half-ogre's wretched life with her throwing axes.

 

She looted the bandit camp as far as her lock bashing skill allowed her to, drank a potion of magic protection, put on her Boots of Avoidance (she had found those on Nimbul and considered it wise to use them, taking into account the huge number of archers in the Camp). She then entered Tazok's tent. Venkt the mage was mirror imaged, but Grynne managed to hurt him regardless and killed him in two hits. After that she took on he other bandits, all of them archers, one by one, starting with the neared foes. However their most dangerous archer was Raemon. He poisoned her with his arrows. So after she had slain a few of the bandits she focused on him. He fell easily bacause he seemed to be stuck where he was, unable to move in any direction. The remaining foes fell soon after.

She was somewhat injured so she decided to heal herself with her innate abilities and with potions. She then spoke to Ender Sai, and looted the bodies and the chests in the tent. There was little of interest except an enchanted bow and an enchanted sling she would get identified and probably sell later on. A lighting trap injured her again (39 damage in total). She drank all her healing potions, and then stepped outside the tent. The resistance she met there was overwhelming. In her stubbornness she kept on fighting Taugosz the Black Talon leader for his Full Plate even while she was getting hit by arrows, including arrows of biting and cold arrows, flying in from all directions. She got Taugosz at near death status, but not before she was on the brink of dying herself. Eventually she had the presence of mind to run from her many attackers, to the relative safety of the FAI, where she will rest and replenish her stock of healing potions before tackling the Cloakwoods.

[Grond0]

 

Glad to see Grynne's stubborness gave way to caution just in time Blackraven!

 

 

Hmm I also didn't count on it hence my use of the gnomish boots (which protect against web, entangle and grease but not hold or stun). I should have checked this in an experimental break within my run, just to know. If the scroll doesn't work then a solo'ing unmodded WS without said boots can only get Spiders' Bane with exact knowledge of the locations of the web traps, or with a lot of luck as Grond0 said.
Of course one could use protection from poison, but the spiders and ettercaps can still deal serious damage to a webbed character.

The enemies around the web traps can be drawn away for disposal without triggering them.  When I've tried a wizard slayer in the past it's the web ability of the SCS spiders that was far more difficult to deal with.  A green scroll of protection from magic doesn't help against these as their attack is coded as natural rather than magical (as with basilisk gaze); coding for web traps seems inconsistent - some of them are treated as magical (like the one in Candlekeep catacombs), but not all of them are.  The only thing in the game I was playing that could protect against web was Spiders Bane - which could only be got by defeating numerous spiders!  Using a green scroll of protection from poison and running as soon as showing yourself in Centeol's lair stretched out the pursuers and gave me a decent chance of success.  In your installation you've got rather more options - the automatic saving throw from potions of magic shielding would work fine even if you didn't have the gnomish boots. 

[Epsil0]

So... I'm not sure whether I should continue or not. I started the Baldur's gate quests, starting with the poisoning, and ran into issues. As in that I attempted to pickpocket Lothander, he turned hostile, and there's no way to spawn Marek without him being alive and completing his quest... I ended up calling shenanigans and using the console to respawn him - I dropped all the gear he did so I didn't benefit whatsoever from this, and as an odd side-effect I didn't end up gaining the 10k experience from getting the antidote, so the sum of all this was technically negative for me. I'm still not sure though, since I would've died after my initial mistake. But as it's noted on other forums, the poisoning is a very strange quest for an evil character, since Marek literally doesn't exist unless you help Lothander, and if you decide to off one of the assassins that poisoned you... Then, um. You're screwed by script.

 

Is there any consensus on this?

[Grond0]

Regrettably you're, um, screwed .  There are lots of ways to die in a no-reload and annoying required characters is not an uncommon one.  I remember one good death I had where I accidentally told the guard in the palace I didn't need an invitation - bad idea!

 

Incidentally, annoying Lothander and/or Marek does not necessarily equate to death.  You have 10 days to complete the poison quest and you don't need anything like as much as that to complete the game by killing Sarevok ...

[Epsil0]

Well, I messed up a second time and tripped the repeating Flame Strike trap in Baldurun's ship twice, so it's a non-issue now anyways.

Time to pick something new to play... Some sort of arcane spell caster or a rogue this time, I think.

[corey_russell]

Many portions of the game result in scripted death, BG 1 has a few, death by poison, if quest not done within 10 days, but Grond0 is right you can just beat the game before you run out of time, palace has scripted deaths for lots of scenarios (not saving dukes, insufficient evidence vs. Sarevok, saying you don;t need invitations, etc.) Also, in Candlekeep if you tell the Warden you won't be arrested by the likes of him, you get a scripted death there too.

 

BG 2 has a few also. If you attempt to take the rod out of the sewers, you die. If you attempt to escape the mind flayers before the Githyanki distract them, scripted death too.

 

So if you're trying a no-reload, you just have to learn these things, as the no-reload rules don't care about how you die, if you do, that's it (unless bug, but scripted deaths aren't bugs but by design).

[Blackraven]

@Grond0, I agree the traps in Cloakwood 2 could be avoided with metagame knowledge, that I don't possess by the way (or maybe with a walkthrough). But I think that charname is toast once spotted by an SCS Giant Spider.

@Epsil0. I think it's a shame the flamestrike traps did you in. It would have been a cool challenge to complete the game within ten days

@Corey, interesting, I didn't know about these scripted deaths in BG2. Had never tried those things. I do know that another scripted death occurs if you say in BG1 you won't work for Eltan any longer when he wants to send you to Candlekeep.
 

[Grond0]

Gate70/Grond0 multiplayer attempt 44 - (1st and final update)
Boon, dwarven priest of Lathander (Grond0) & Blaek, human beastmaster (Gate70)
 

Our bad day continued with this pairing taking an early bath.  They had gone early to the basilisk area to get some easy XP.  Blaek started being chased by a basilisk and Boon hurriedly withdrew a bit to avoid becoming a target - attracting the attentions of some gnolls.  They really shouldn't have been an issue as there was plenty of space available to play in, but the gnolls struck from longer range than expected and Boon keeled over.  It didn't help that I had forgotten to equip him with a helmet - that meant his 19 HPs at level 3 could disappear to a single critical hit from the gnolls.

 

There had been a couple of warning glitches at the start of the run showing lag type behaviour.  Here's a screenshot Gate70 took in Candlekeep showing Boon carrying out a remarkable amount of actions while the game was supposedly paused.

 

[Grond0]

Gate70/Grond0 multiplayer attempt 45 - (update 1)
Caddy, human paladin (Grond0) & Xzur, human necromancer (Gate70)
 

Our third attempt for the day is still going, though not with any particular conviction.

 

Shoal and the basilisks have provided most of the XP to date to get both characters up to level 5.  The intention was for Xzur to use stinking cloud to pacify Kirian & co, but Caddy accidentally got too close to Kirian and activated them early.  They were still finished off eventually, though a number of healing potions were needed to offset Kirian's spells and Caddy relied a couple of times on a wand of magic missiles to disrupt Peter's attempts to cast hold person.

 

After the basilisks they travelled north to the FAI to get the Ring of Wizardry, picking up the ogre belt on the way.  Caddy made yet another mistake there, when failing to get the pantaloons from the nobleman.  On the way south an ambush triggered.  It didn't look too threatening initially, but Xzur was a bit slow to move and his 19 HPs proved inadequate to fend off a couple of hits.

 

Stats:

Caddy, paladin 5, 50 HPs, 43 kills
Xzur, necromancer 5, 19 HPs, 6 kills, 1 death

[Gate70]

Saving the dukes but not having the evidence to hand is also a death scenario (I've had a party member die in the coronation, protagonist always has it now!)

 

Another one in Spellhold if you go visit Irenicus before killing Lonk the Sane.

[Blackraven]

@Grond0 and @Gate70, those multiplayer runs look like a lot of fun. I guess you need to use the exact same mod setup for them (or not use any mods at all). Some combinations fare much better than others. I was sorry to see your rogues fall (all the way in ToB).
@Gate70, yep, those are both insta-death moments I've suffered as well

Inbetween visits to the FAI, the Temple of Lathander near Beregost and the High Hedge, Grynne got waylaid by Lamalha, Maneira, Telka and Zeela (again in a transition area, just as with Molkar & co). She equipped Spiders' Bane to protect herself from the two Clerics' inevitable Hold Person spells. She didn't take any other measures against possibly fatal spells and therefore had to count herself very lucky when she saved against a Rigid Thinking she didn't see coming. [This was the first time she unwillingly relied on a save. Rigid Thinking lasts one turn which would have been enough for her foes to kill her, especially if the presence of Kobolds and Worgs is taken into account. I was relieved but not happy with this.]
Grynne had the most difficulty with the thieves' missile attcks, so she killed Maneira ad Telka first with her throwing axes. Lamalha and Zeela were easily dealt with once they had run out of spells. They too fell to Grynne's throwing axes.

She picked up what loot she thought would be valuable, and left the kobolds. On one of the fallen amazons she found a potion of magic blocking, which for many adventurers won't be anything special, but for Grynne it was a great prize. At Thalantyr's she got some loot identified and sold it. From the proceeds she bought lots of healing potions (up to 30) and elixers of health (15) from different vendors. At the Naskel Carnival she bought a potion of magic shielding, which would have her succesfully save against all spells cast at her during three turns.

Thus prepared for whatever was waiting for her she travelled to the Cloakwoods, in search of an Iron Throne Base. She had already unlocked the Cloakwood 3 area (on her expedition for the Spiders' Bane in Cloakwood 2), so that's where she went. She kept a low profile and spoke with no one but Laskal, a druid who gave her a potion of invulnerability (she had no use for) after she explained to him that she was a sworn enemy of the Iron Throne. Her strategy in Cloakwood 4 wasn't supposed to be any different: simply to rush through it without attracting any unwanted attention to herself. However she ran into a Hamadryad who immediately cast a Charm in Grynne's direction. Grynne didn't hesitate for one second and quaffed the potion of magic blocking before the spell would hit her. After it, slaying both the wicked Hamadryad and her aggressive animal companions was a piece of cake.

There was also a guard who, before she slew him, told her the location of the Iron Throne base. So that's where she headed. On her way, she passed by a cave with traces of blood outside it, but wouldn't be distracted from her mission, and pushed on for the Iron Throne base.

Upon arrival at the Iron Throne base, another mine just as in Nashkel, she dealt with a number of guards and then ran into two assassins, both of them warriors. One of them presented himself as Drasus, a name that didn't ring a bell to her. She retreated toward a narrow bridge she had crossed moments before, so that the two warriors would have difficulty engaging her at the same time. This turned out to be a flawed strategy as one of them was a melee fighter whereas the other attacked with throwing axes, a rare fighting style Grynne couldn't but appreciate of course. The warrior with the throwing axes, Genthore, was dealing somewhat serious damage when seemingly out of thin air two wizards appeared and came to the warriors' aid. She drank the potion of magic shielding she had bought at the Nashkel Carnival in order to succesfully save against all spells cast in her direction. This didn't help her against the wizards' Melf's Minute Meteors though, nor against Genthore's throwing axes. Besides, the mages had summoned various monsters that although not necessarily dangerous would limit her movement options. She fled back into the woods until she was sure she was by herself, and rested.

When she returned she was fortunate enough to encounter only the fighters; the mages were gone. She engaged the fighters in the area before the narrow bridge. She soon had the upper hand against Drasus and thought she wouldn't take long in taking the both of them down, but a Black Talon Elite with arrows of ice complicated things a bit. The damage he inflicted was so grave, that after slaying Drasus she decided to take the Black Talon down first. After that, Genthore did indeed not last long against Grynne.

As she continued her way toward the mine entrance she was confronted by the mages again, but this time rather than using a potion she used one of her two scrolls of protection from magic. She rushed past the wizards, and entered the mine. She didn't want to waste her precious scroll on the two despicable but inconsequential assassin mages. At the first level of the mine she got immediately attacked by various guards. Again, rather than taking them on she rushed on in search of the operation's leader. A slave told her this leader was to be found on the fourth level. He gave her directions and asked her to bring a key to unlock a giant mine plug with which the mine could be flooded. As Grynne said goodbye to the slave many of the guards had caught up with her, but she literally zigzagged her way through the mass and pushed on for the next level. There some fighting was inevitable, as a group of guards managed to surround her in one of the corridors, leaving her no escape route. This was more annoying than frightening to her. She had little to fear from the guards, but simply felt that fighting them was a waste of time.

Once she had taken them all down she bashed the lock of a prison where she found (and freed) Rill, another slave. He asked her for 100 gold so that he could bribe a few guards and thus ensure the slaves' safety once the mine was to be flooded. [There was no time to speak with Yeslick, as yet another group of guards came running toward the cells, but to Grynne Yeslick was simply one the slaves/prisoners that Rill was going to save.] She descended yet another level, and ran past a huge hole in the ground, toward the area exit. There were many Hobgoblins she hoped would follow her down the next and final level. [Hobgoblins were relatively weak and could actually get in the way of the more resilient human guards that would no doubt come for her below.]

On the fourth level she rushed toward the leader, Davaeorn, triggering various traps that wouldn't affect her (protected as she was against magic) but her pursuers. She found him with two Battle Horrors by his side, but before she could attack he dimension doored to the second chamber on the right (seen from the entrance to the area). Grynne followed and wanted to slay the mage as quickly as possible, while her pursuers would be stuck in the Stinking Cloud/Web mess the triggered traps had caused. But Davaeron had various protections on, including a Mirror Image, a Minor Globe of Invulnerability and Stoneskin, and he also used Contingencies and Spell Triggers to renew any expired protections. All in all she had difficulty hitting him. Her foe did her a favour by casting Sunfire, which severly injured the Batlle Horrors and killed one or two guards. Grynne then killed the Battle Horrors but much to her displeasure, a horde of guards then came to Davaeorn's aid.

Some of the guards followed her. They found their deaths when they fought her.

Most guards however stayed right by Davaeorn's side, effectively forming a human wall around him. She tried to lure some of the guards toward her, but with every approach she was first greeted with with a rain of arrows (that dealt some serious damage). Then some would come up to her to fight her in melee, but as soon as she retreated further to prevent the archers from hitting her, the meleers would return to Davaeorn. The advantage of this was that she could restore her health without anyone bothering her. The drawback was that it was impossible to reach Davaeorn without taking on the minions first.

I think that the guards who did follow Grynne had been following her before, on the third level. The guards that remained by Davaeorn's side seem to have been triggered by the game after I killed the Battle Horrors. This was new to me, on my first SCS v28 playthrough.

Unable to lure the guards (or at least some of them) toward her, she decided to try and take on Davaeorn from a distance. For that purpose she activated her Shatter Magic ability (which has the Wizard Slayer remove one combat protection and one specific protection from the targeted mage with each successful hit). She thus managed to strip the cowardly wizard of his protections and kill him in a few hits with her throwing axes.

The guards were apparently very upset by this turn of events. They all fled the scene, allowing Grynne to loot Davaeorn's body, slay Stephane, and take some more loot from Davaeorn's chests. A suit of of what turned out to be full plate mail +1 was her biggest reward. [Thank you Item Randomiser!]

Grynne returned to the first level with Davaeorn's key, flooded the mine and left together with the slaves to the surface. When she wanted to leave the area she ran into the two mages again, Kysus and Rezdan. Unwilling to take any risks with the miscreants, she quaffed a potion of magic blocking to see how they'd fare against her without their tricks (her green scroll-based protection from magic had expired). She took on Rezdan first. He was stoneskinned which prevented her from injuring him. However her 'hits' did inflict the cumulative spellcasting penalty, so that he wouldn't cast any more spells before Grynne would inevitably slay him.

Kyus managed to create a teleport field, which complicated a melee fight, but Grynne finished him off with her throwing axes.

After this successful operation Grynne moved to Baldur's Gate where she's currently hunting down evil wizards, with relative success. For a priest she met at the Sorcerous Sundries, Ordulinian, she slew two feuding mages: Arkion and Nemphre. (Strictly speaking, Ordulinian asked Grynne not to kill them but to retrieve two items from the wizards, a ring and a necklace they had stolen from eachother. However both were less than cooperative, and Grynne needed little excuse to fell the perfidious humans.) In the Low Lantern she took on Desreta (a Fighter/Thief and Vay-Ya (a FIghter/Mage), but the latter succesfully eluded Grynne with a Shadow Door. She fared better against Yago, also in the Low Lantern, whom she slew with a critical hit for a woman named Brielbara.

When she heard rumours of a nobleman who collected eerily realistic looking statues, she decided to go over and take a look at this nobleman's manor. What she found weren't statues but petrified people. From her last gold she bough scrolls of Stone to Flesh at the Lady's Temple, and used them on the "statues". One the people mentioned two wizards who might have been responsible for his plight. Grynne will have to seek out these sorcerers. When she turned the last statue to flesh she asked the man in question whether he had any payment for her. After all she had just saved their lives and it had cost her hundreds of gold in scrolls. [Grynne was very low on gold this run, I think because she's done everything solo and has skipped many encounters. Besides sometimes she would "burn" rather than sell particularly dangerous items usable by mages. And she's spent a lot of gold on potions.] The man put up a fight but was no match for Grynne. On his remains she found a cryptical letter mentioning a helm and a cloak, and a woman named Quenash. Her next plan is to seek out Degrodel and Ramazith and check if they're indeed the treacherous sorcerers the man she saved seemed to suggest they are, and to find this Quenash for more information. The letter speaks of a fallen angel, whatever that might mean.

 

[Grond0]

 

@Grond0 and @Gate70, those multiplayer runs look like a lot of fun. I guess you need to use the exact same mod setup for them (or not use any mods at all). Some combinations fare much better than others. I was sorry to see your rogues fall (all the way in ToB).
@Gate70, yep, those are both insta-death moments I've suffered as well .

You do need to use essentially the same setup, yes.  As far as our combinations go the characters are much less an issue than our play - pretty much all deaths in the game now are down to mistakes of one sort or another.  We're quite compatible in the way we play the game in that we both find it hard to avoid taking risks .

 

A couple of other scripted deaths that come to mind are if you're not polite when speaking to Mae'Var and when captured by the Flaming Fist in Baldur's Gate.

[Grond0]

Emmental - elven wild mage (update 1)

 

I had a bit of a problem with a registry conflict in changing my installation, but hopefully it's now functioning properly.  The main change is reverting back to SCS v21, though there are a few others as well.  However, there is a clear sense of continuity in the character class being attempted!  Although I have had high level wild mage characters I've never got around to exploiting their abilities - perhaps Emmental will be the one to try this.  

 

He started his journey by avoiding Shoal (upgraded by aTweaks PnP elementals) and heading straight to Beregost.  The old invisible blocking familiar got a workout against spiders and Karlat there, allowing Emmental to get his first extra level (+4 HPs).

 

Heading south, darts took out Mirianne's ogrillons, while the fairy dragon used mirror image to tank the hobgoblin archer long enough for Emmental to collect Zhurlong's boots.

 

Typically with my characters I manipulate reputation in order to get at least one horror ability (slow poison being of very little benefit to a solo character) and do very little shopping until reputation is up to 20.  However, this does make game play somewhat harder in BG1 and Emmental won't be bothering with that.  She therefore used the ankheg armour to finance the purchase of the wand of sleep at High Hedge along with an infravision ioun stone that some mod has added.  Unfortunately, I immediately sold those back to Thalantyr accidentally when thinking I'd come out of the shop into my inventory screen!  Selling everything else picked up to date allowed Emmental to get the ioun stone back, but the wand of sleep looks like it's gone for good. 

 

Returning goods to Mirianne and Zhurlong has just got Emmental to level 3 (+3 HPs).

 

Here's my Weidu log in case that's of interest to anyone.

// 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]

~TOBEX/TOBEX.TP2~ #0 #100 // TobEx - Core: Beta 0025

~TOBEX/TOBEX.TP2~ #0 #111 // Disable Silence On Charm: Beta 0025

~TOBEX/TOBEX.TP2~ #0 #113 // Remain Hidden On Pickpocket Success [C]: Beta 0025

~TOBEX/TOBEX.TP2~ #0 #114 // Rest Spawns Advance Time: Beta 0025

~TOBEX/TOBEX.TP2~ #0 #123 // Enable Auto-Pause On All Screens: Beta 0025

~TOBEX/TOBEX.TP2~ #0 #124 // Make All Attack Animations Genuine Attacks: Beta 0025

~SETUP-ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #0 // Ascension v1.41 (requires ToB)

~SETUP-ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #1 // Tougher Abazigal (optional, requires ToB)

~SETUP-ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #2 // Original Tougher Demogorgon (optional, requires ToB)

~SETUP-ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #3 // Tougher Gromnir (optional, requires ToB)

~SETUP-ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #4 // Tougher Illasera (optional, requires ToB)

~SETUP-ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #5 // Tougher Yaga-Shura (optional, requires ToB)

~BG2FIXPACK/SETUP-BG2FIXPACK.TP2~ #0 #0 // BG2 Fixpack - Core Fixes: v10

~BG2FIXPACK/SETUP-BG2FIXPACK.TP2~ #0 #3 // BETA Core Fixes (please check the readme!): v10

~BG2FIXPACK/SETUP-BG2FIXPACK.TP2~ #0 #100 // Party Gets XP for Sending Keldorn to Reconcile With Maria: v10

~BG2FIXPACK/SETUP-BG2FIXPACK.TP2~ #0 #103 // Mixed-Use Dagger Fixes: v10

~BG2FIXPACK/SETUP-BG2FIXPACK.TP2~ #0 #104 // Ghreyfain's Holy Symbol Fixes: v10

~BG2FIXPACK/SETUP-BG2FIXPACK.TP2~ #0 #106 // Giants Receive Penalties When Attacking Halflings,   Dwarves, and Gnomes: v10

~BG2FIXPACK/SETUP-BG2FIXPACK.TP2~ #0 #107 // Remove Dual-Classing Restriction from Archers   and Stalkers: v10

~BG2FIXPACK/SETUP-BG2FIXPACK.TP2~ #0 #110 // Additional Script Fixes: v10

~BG2FIXPACK/SETUP-BG2FIXPACK.TP2~ #0 #111 // Bard Song Fixes: v10

~BG2FIXPACK/SETUP-BG2FIXPACK.TP2~ #0 #112 // Wizard Slayers Cause Miscast Magic on Ranged Attacks: v10

~BG2FIXPACK/SETUP-BG2FIXPACK.TP2~ #0 #113 // Additional Alignment Fixes: v10

~BG2FIXPACK/SETUP-BG2FIXPACK.TP2~ #0 #114 // Change Free Action to Protect Against Stun: v10

~BG2FIXPACK/SETUP-BG2FIXPACK.TP2~ #0 #115 // Paws from Shapeshifting Can Not Be Dispelled: v10

~SETUP-OVERSIGHT.TP2~ #0 #0 // Tougher Sendai (ToB Required): 13

~SETUP-BGT.TP2~ #0 #0 // Baldur's Gate Trilogy - Core: 1.18 (28 Apr 13)

~SETUP-TGC1E.TP2~ #0 #0 // The Grey Clan Episode One: In Candlelight, BGT-WeiDU edition v1.8 -> Normal edition

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #0 // The BG1 NPC Project: Required Modifications: v20

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #1 // The BG1 NPC Project: Banters, Quests, and Interjections: v20

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #2 // The BG1 NPC Project: Give Edwin his BG2 portrait: v20

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #3 // The BG1 NPC Project: Give Imoen her BG2 portrait: v20

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #4 // The BG1 NPC Project: Give Jaheira her BG2 portrait: v20

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #5 // The BG1 NPC Project: Give Minsc his BG2 portrait: v20

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #6 // The BG1 NPC Project: Give Viconia her BG2 portrait: v20

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #7 // The BG1 NPC Project: Kivan's "Kivan and Deheriana Companions" portrait: v20

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #8 // The BG1 NPC Project: Add Non-Joinable NPC portraits to quests and dialogues: v20

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #9 // The BG1 NPC Project: Ajantis Romance Core (teen content): v20

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #10 // The BG1 NPC Project: Branwen's Romance Core (teen content): v20

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #11 // The BG1 NPC Project: Coran's Romance Core (adult content): v20

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #12 // The BG1 NPC Project: Dynaheir's Romance Core (teen content): v20

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #13 // The BG1 NPC Project: Shar-Teel Relationship Core (adult content): v20

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #14 // The BG1 NPC Project: Xan's Romance Core (teen content): v20

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #15 // The BG1 NPC Project: Female Romance Challenges, Ajantis vs Xan vs Coran: v20

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #18 // The BG1 NPC Project: Alora's Starting Location -> Alora Starts in Gullykin: v20

~BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #27 // The BG1 NPC Project: Bardic Reputation Adjustment: v20

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #0 // Ice Island Level Two Restoration: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #1 // The Mysterious Vial: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #2 // Additional Elminster Encounter: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #3 // Angelo Notices Shar-teel: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #8 // Safana the Flirt: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #9 // Appropriate Albert and Rufie Reward: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #10 // Place Entar Silvershield in His Home: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #11 // Scar and the Sashenstar's Daughter: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #12 // Quoningar, the Cleric: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #13 // Shilo Chen and the Ogre-Magi: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #14 // Edie, the Merchant League Applicant: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #15 // Flaming Fist Mercenary Reinforcements: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #16 // Creature Corrections: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #17 // Creature Restorations: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #18 // Creature Name Restorations: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #19 // Minor Dialogue Restorations: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #20 // Audio Restorations: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #21 // Store, Tavern and Inn Fixes and Restorations: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #22 // Item Corrections and Restorations: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #23 // Area Corrections and Restorations: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #24 // Permanent Corpses: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #26 // The Original Saga Music Playlist Corrections: v13_120121

~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #27 // Sarevok's Diary Corrections: v13_120121

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #0 // The Kidnapping of Boo by Cliffette: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #1 // The Suna Seni/Valygar Relationship: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #2 // Kalah and What He Was Promised: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #3 // "Cat and Mouse" (Bodhi hunts you in Spellhold) by Ghreyfain: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #4 // Gorje Hilldark and the Extended Illithium Quest: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #5 // The Pai'Na/Spider's Bane Quest: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #6 // Restored Crooked Crane Inn: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #7 // Restored Encounters: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #8 // Artemis Entreri in Bodhi's Lair: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #9 // Corrected "Xzar's Creations": v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #10 // Restored Hell Minions, by SimDing0: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #12 // Item Restorations: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #15 // NPC Portrait Restorations: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #16 // Corrected BAMs and Scripts: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #17 // Corrected Character Names and Biographies: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #18 // Restored Minor Dialogs: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #19 // Restored Bhaalspawn Powers, by David Gaider: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #20 // Extended ToB Item Descriptions: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #21 // Throne of Bhaal Minor Restorations: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #22 // Justifier Kit: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #23 // Feralan Kit: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #24 // Sarevok's Remorse: v24

~SETUP-UB.TP2~ #0 #25 // The Murder of Acton Balthis, by Kulyok: v24

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #10 // Initialise (required by almost all other mod components): v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #1010 // More consistent Breach spell (doesn't penetrate Spell Turning): v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #1019 // Antimagic attacks penetrate improved invisibility -> Antimagic spells remain single-target, but affect the target creature whether or not it is invisible (default option): v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #1030 // Iron Skins behaves like Stoneskin (can be brought down by Breach): v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #1070 // Make spell sequencers, spell triggers, and contingencies learnable by all mages: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #2000 // Make elemental arrows more like their BG2 counterparts: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #2020 // Re-introduce potions of extra-healing: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #3001 // Standardise spells: BG1 vs BG2 -> Introduce BG2 spell scrolls into BG1: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #3050 // Better NPC management: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #3060 // Allow Yeslick to use axes: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #3070 // Move NPCs to more convenient locations: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #3080 // Improved shapeshifting: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #3090 // Prevent party members from dying irreversibly: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #4020 // Stackable ankheg shells, winterwolf pelts and wyvern heads: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #4030 // Move Boo out of quick access and into Minsc's pack: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #4050 // Ease-of-use player AI: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5000 // Smarter general AI: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5010 // Better calls for help: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5015 // More sensible choices of weapon proficiencies and kits for fighters (also fixes some errors in fighter stats): v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5022 // Potions for NPCs -> Half the potions dropped by slain enemies break and are lost: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5031 // Smarter mages -> Mages use spells from BG1 and BG2; mages do not pre-buff: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5041 // Smarter priests -> Priests use spells from BG1 and BG2; priests do not pre-buff: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5050 // Smarter deployment: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5070 // Smarter sirines and dryads: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5080 // Slightly harder carrion crawlers: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #5090 // Smarter basilisks: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6000 // Improved doppelgangers: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6005 // Harder giant and phase spiders: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6010 // Tougher Black Talons and Iron Throne guards: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6020 // Improved deployment for parties of assassins: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6030 // Dark Side-based kobold upgrade: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6040 // Relocated bounty hunters: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6050 // Improved Ulcaster: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6060 // Improved Balduran's Isle: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6070 // Improved Durlag's Tower: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6080 // Improved Demon Cultists: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6090 // Improved Cloakwood Druids: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6100 // Improved Bassilus: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6110 // Improved Drasus party: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6120 // Improved Red Wizards: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6130 // Improved Undercity party: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6140 // Improved minor encounters: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6150 // Tougher chapter-two end battle: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6160 // Tougher chapter-three end battle: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6170 // Tougher chapter-four end battle: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6180 // Tougher chapter-five end battle: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6190 // Tougher chapter-six end battle: v21

~SETUP-SCS.TP2~ #0 #6200 // Improved final battle: v21

~SETUP-OVERSIGHT.TP2~ #0 #6 // Monk High Level Abilities: 13

~SETUP-SOLAUFEIN.TP2~ #0 #0 // Solaufein Romance for Baldur's Gate II (SoA & ToB)

~SETUP-BGTTWEAK.TP2~ #0 #100 // Eldoth reminds of Skie's ransom: 11 (5 Feb 12)

~SETUP-BGTTWEAK.TP2~ #0 #400 // Add Semaj's Cloak and Upgraded Koveras' Ring of Protection: 11 (5 Feb 12)

~SETUP-BGTTWEAK.TP2~ #0 #1000 // Bags of the Sword Coast: 11 (5 Feb 12)

~SETUP-BGTTWEAK.TP2~ #0 #1101 // Altered spawns -> TuTu-style levelled spawns: 11 (5 Feb 12)

~SETUP-BGTTWEAK.TP2~ #0 #1800 // Import more NPCs into Shadow of Amn: Alora: 11 (5 Feb 12)

~SETUP-BGTTWEAK.TP2~ #0 #1801 // Import more NPCs into Shadow of Amn: Branwen: 11 (5 Feb 12)

~SETUP-BGTTWEAK.TP2~ #0 #1802 // Import more NPCs into Shadow of Amn: Eldoth: 11 (5 Feb 12)

~SETUP-BGTTWEAK.TP2~ #0 #1803 // Import more NPCs into Shadow of Amn: Kagain: 11 (5 Feb 12)

~SETUP-BGTTWEAK.TP2~ #0 #1804 // Import more NPCs into Shadow of Amn: Kivan: 11 (5 Feb 12)

~SETUP-BGTTWEAK.TP2~ #0 #1805 // Import more NPCs into Shadow of Amn: Sharteel: 11 (5 Feb 12)

~SETUP-BGTTWEAK.TP2~ #0 #1806 // Import more NPCs into Shadow of Amn: Skie: 11 (5 Feb 12)

~SETUP-BGTTWEAK.TP2~ #0 #1807 // Import more NPCs into Shadow of Amn: Xan: 11 (5 Feb 12)

~SETUP-BGTTWEAK.TP2~ #0 #1808 // Import more NPCs into Shadow of Amn: Yeslick: 11 (5 Feb 12)

~SETUP-BGTTWEAK.TP2~ #0 #2100 // Exotic Weapons For Taerom: 11 (5 Feb 12)

~SETUP-TURAMBAR_FIXES_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #12 // Inactive creatures fix: v1.8.1

~SETUP-TURAMBAR_FIXES_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #13 // Gerde's quest and other related fixes: v1.8.1

~SETUP-TURAMBAR_FIXES_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #15 // Creature fixes: v1.8.1

~SETUP-TURAMBAR_FIXES_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2000 // Give all skeleton warriors the same immunities -> BG2 immunities (suggested!): v1.8.1

~SETUP-TURAMBAR_FIXES_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2005 // Helmet of alignment change: v1.8.1

~SETUP-TURAMBAR_FIXES_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2010 // Enhanced Nalia's ring: v1.8.1

~SETUP-TURAMBAR_FIXES_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2023 // Cespenar can improve the Daystar with the Tyr's Eye: v1.8.1

~SETUP-TURAMBAR_FIXES_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2045 // Enable bard class for elves: v1.8.1

~SETUP-TURAMBAR_FIXES_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2047 // Allow blades to use Defensive Spin under Free Action: v1.8.1

~SETUP-TURAMBAR_FIXES_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2052 // Dragons are not immune to backstabbing: v1.8.1

~SETUP-TURAMBAR_FIXES_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #4000 // Amazon kit (needed for Shar Teel): v1.8.1

~SETUP-TURAMBAR_FIXES_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #4010 // Priest of Shar (needed for Viconia): v1.8.1

~SETUP-TURAMBAR_FIXES_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #4020 // Priest of Tempus (needed for Branwen): v1.8.1

~SETUP-TURAMBAR_FIXES_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #4030 // Bladesinger(needed for Keiria): v1.8.1

~SETUP-TURAMBAR_FIXES_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #5001 // Kit for Shar Teel -> Amazon: v1.8.1

~SETUP-TURAMBAR_FIXES_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #5005 // Priest of Shar kit for Viconia: v1.8.1

~SETUP-TURAMBAR_FIXES_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #5006 // Priest of Tempus kit for Branwen: v1.8.1

~SETUP-TURAMBAR_FIXES_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #5007 // Avenger kit for Faldorn: v1.8.1

~SETUP-TURAMBAR_FIXES_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #5013 // Jester kit for Eldoth Kron: v1.8.1

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #1000 // Initialise mod (all other components require this): v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #2070 // Blade Barrier and Globe of Blades only affect hostile creatures: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #2080 // Cap damage done by Skull Trap at 12d6: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #2090 // Make Power-Word: Blind single-target: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #2140 // Slightly increase the power of Mantle, Improved Mantle, and Absolute Immunity: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #2160 // Add an extra copy of some hard-to-find spell scrolls: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #2170 // True Sight/True Seeing spells protect from magical blindness: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #3540 // Grant large, flying, non-solid or similar creatures protection from Web and Entangle: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #4010 // Make Freedom scrolls available earlier: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #4030 // Retrieve Dropped Items from Hell: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #4100 // Treat mages' and priests' High-Level Abilities as innate abilities rather than memorisable spells (each may be taken only once): v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #5010 // Remove animation from the Cloak of Mirroring (leave it for other spells and effects that use the same graphic): v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #5030 // Remove the blur graphic effect from the Displacer Cloak: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6000 // Smarter general AI: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6010 // Better calls for help: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6022 // Potions for NPCs -> Half the potions dropped by slain enemies break and are lost: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6035 // Improved golems: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6050 // Improved fiends -> Fiends have fast, uninterruptable innate magic: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6060 // Smarter genies -> Genies have fast, uninterruptable innate magic: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6080 // Smarter celestials -> Celestials have fast, uninterruptable innate magic: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6095 // Standardise dragon immunities: dragons in Shadows of Amn get the same immunities to vorpal attacks (etc) as their Throne of Bhaal cousins: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6101 // Smarter dragons -> Dragons cast spells like normal wizards: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6108 // Enemy mages (and Elder Orbs) use Simulacrum and Project Image spells (this component will have no effect unless you install Smarter Mages or Smarter Beholders): v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6113 // Smarter beholders -> Don't give beholder rays any chance of burning through spell protections; beholder antimagic removes defences and prevents casting but does not block harmful spells (original game behaviour): v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6122 // Smarter mind flayers -> Illithids have enhanced damage resistance; Illithids cannot see invisible enemies: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6130 // Improved Vampires: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6135 // Smarter githyanki: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6136 // Add high-level abilities (HLAs) to ToB mages -> Only selected ToB mages get HLAs: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6138 // Add high-level abilities (HLAs) to SoA mages -> Only selected SoA mages get HLAs: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6151 // Smarter Mages -> Mages only cast short-duration spells instantly at start of combat if they are created in sight of the PC: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6160 // Add high-level abilities (HLAs) to ToB priests -> Only selected ToB priests get HLAs: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6170 // Add high-level abilities (HLAs) to SoA priests -> Only selected SoA priests get HLAs: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6181 // Smarter Priests -> Priests only cast short-duration spells instantly at start of combat if they are created in sight of the PC: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6210 // Smarter Illasera: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6220 // Smarter Yaga-Shura: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6230 // Smarter Abazigal: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6240 // Smarter Gromnir: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6250 // Smarter Melissan: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6260 // Give Ascension demons SCSII scripts and abilities: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6270 // Give Ascension versions of Irenicus and Sendai SCSII scripts and abilities: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #6900 // Make the starting dungeon slightly harder: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7000 // Improved Shade Lord: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7010 // Spellcasting Demiliches: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7020 // More resilient trolls: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7030 // Increase difficulty of level-dependent monster groupings -> Mildly increased difficulty: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7040 // Improved Random Encounters: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7050 // Improved de'Arnise Keep ("Tactics Remix") -> Spirit trolls have the same powers as in the original game: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7060 // Slightly improved Faldorn: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7065 // Improved Unseeing Eye: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7070 // Improved Bodhi (Tactics Remix) -> "Toned-down" version of the original Tactics Improved Bodhi, with SCSII scripting: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7078 // Improved battle with Irenicus in Spellhold: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7080 // Improved Sahuagin: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7090 // Improved Beholder hive (adapted from Quest Pack): v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7100 // Prevent resting in the Illithid city: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7111 // Slightly Improved Drow -> Leave Ust Natha's defences alone: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7120 // Slightly Improved Watcher's Keep: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7126 // Improved Irenicus in Hell (Tactics remix) -> Tactics-SCSII hybrid: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7130 // Improved Fire Giant temple: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7140 // Enhanced Sendai's Enclave: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7150 // Improved Abazigal's Lair: v21

~SCSII/SETUP-SCSII.TP2~ #0 #7160 // Improved Minor Encounters: v21

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #10 // Remove Helmet Animations: v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #110 // Icon Improvements: v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #130 // Force All Dialogue to Pause Game: v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #140 // Fix Boo's Squeak: v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1040 // Improved Athkatlan City Guard: v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1080 // Add Bags of Holding: v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1090 // Exotic Item Pack: v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1120 // Stores Sell Higher Stacks of Items: v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1220 // Allow Cromwell to Upgrade Watcher's Keep Items: v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2140 // Expanded Dual-Class Options: v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3080 // Unlimited Ammo Stacking: v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3090 // Unlimited Gem and Jewelry Stacking: v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3100 // Unlimited Potion Stacking: v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3110 // Unlimited Scroll Stacking: v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #4000 // Adjust Evil joinable NPC reaction rolls: v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #4010 // Improved Fate Spirit Summoning: v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #4031 // Consistent Stats: Edwin -> Use BG2 Values: v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #4041 // Consistent Stats: Jaheira -> Use BG2 Values: v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #4061 // Consistent Stats: Minsc -> Use BG2 Values: v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #4071 // Consistent Stats: Viconia -> Use BG2 Values: v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #4080 // Make Khalid a Fighter-Mage (Domi): v14

~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #4090 // Make Montaron an Assassin (Andyr): v14

~SETUP-ITEM_PACK.TP2~ #0 #0 // Item Pack: v1.8

~SETUP-ITEM_PACK.TP2~ #0 #1 // Extra Items: v1.8

~SETUP-ITEM_PACK.TP2~ #0 #2 // Tweaked Items: v1.8

~SETUP-ITEM_PACK.TP2~ #0 #3 // Convenient Free Action Items: v1.8

~SETUP-ITEM_PACK.TP2~ #0 #4 // More Distinguishable Items: v1.8

~SETUP-ITEM_PACK.TP2~ #0 #5 // Familiar Faces: v1.8

~SETUP-ITEM_PACK.TP2~ #0 #6 // More Work for Cromwell: v1.8

~SETUP-ITEM_PACK.TP2~ #0 #7 // Pocket Store: v1.8

~SETUP-ITEM_PACK.TP2~ #0 #8 // Item Pack for Tutu/BGT: v1.8

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #100 // Restore innate infravision to Half-Orc characters: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #101 // Prevent skeletal and incorporeal undead from being affected by Illithids' Devour Brain attack: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #102 // Change Spiritual Hammer into a ranged force weapon: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #103 // Allow Dispel/Remove Magic to take down Globes of Invulnerability: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #104 // PnP Color Spray: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #105 // PnP Dimension Door: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #110 // Magical arrows and bolts deal bonus damage equal to their enchantment level: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #120 // Restore innate disease immunity to Paladins: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #125 // Rangers' Animal Empathy improves with experience: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #130 // Additional racial traits for Dwarves: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #140 // Additional racial traits for Gnomes: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #160 // PnP Undead: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #180 // PnP Mephits: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #185 // PnP Fey creatures: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #186 // Revised Call Woodland Beings spell: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #190 // PnP Elementals: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #200 // Allow Breach to take down Stoneskin effects applied by items: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #201 // Instant casting for warrior innates: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #241 // Revised Bhaalpowers -> Only standardize the Bhaalpowers' casting time: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #218 // Regain Bhaalpowers in ToB: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #203 // Make druidic shapeshifting uninterruptable: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #204 // Prevent Mislead clones from singing Bard songs: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #205 // Prevent Project Image and Simulacrum clones from using quickslot items: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #211 // Make Death Ward protect against Vorpal Hits: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #210 // Restore the Dispel Magic vulnerability to Nishruu and Hakeashars: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #212 // Make alignment detection spells more accurate: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #213 // Expanded saving throw bonus tables for Dwarves, Gnomes and Halflings: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #217 // Bard songs break invisibility -> All Bard songs break invisibility: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #261 // Altered XP rewards from locks, traps and scrolls -> Improved (lowered) XP rewards from locks, traps and scrolls: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #270 // Unbiased quest rewards: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #220 // Simple Thief script: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #230 // Simple Bard script: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #239 // Simple Cleric/Paladin script: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #302 // Change the appearance of the Robe of Vecna: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #310 // Distinctive creature coloring: v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #500 // Slightly expanded storage capacity for containers -> Use the recommended storage capacity value (999): v4.23

~ATWEAKS/SETUP-ATWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #510 // Expanded temple services: v4.23

~GENERALIZED_BIFFING/GENERALIZED_BIFFING.TP2~ #0 #0 // Generalized Biffing: v2.2

~WIDESCREEN/WIDESCREEN.TP2~ #0 #0 // Widescreen Mod -> for the original Infinity Engine (CHOOSE THIS!): Widescreen Mod v3.02

 

[Aasim]

Safe travels Grond0! It's a very challenging setup for a solo WM.  

[Grond0]

Thanks Aasim - so far, so good.

 

Emmental - elven wild mage (update 2)

 

Tried to save Arabelle, but that wasn't easy using a non-proficient sling and Arabelle didn't make it. Emmental was more successful with Meilum - a couple of wand of frost blasts softening him up for a finish with darts.

 

Took Samuel back to the FAI and picked up various treasures invisibly from the Valley of the Tombs. The familiar timed its invisibility well in the ghast tomb, but there was time to notice that the ghasts were moving far more quickly than I'm used to (presumably as a result of an aTweaks upgrade for undead), so they may not be the easy kills they normally are in the open.

 

Robbed the ankheg nest: returning Farmer Brun's son got Emmental to level 4 (+5 HPs).  

 

Back in the south Emmental worked his way through the Cloudpeaks, starting off at the Nashkel mine with a couple of frosty blasts to soften up Greywolf.  Sendai took one frost blast and Vax was finished off with a scorcher, but generally progress was just by dart.

 

Helping Charleston Nib got Emmental to level 5 (+3 HPs) and escorting Brage back to the temple got her to reputation 20.  She bought some magic darts and used those on some golems guarding a pirate treasure (after avoiding the sirines).

 

Emmental's first fireball accounted for Jemby to get her robe of fire resistance.  That and his ring, together with a (probably unneeded) green scroll, were used to rob Ulcaster.

 

He bought everything desired at Ulgoth's Beard, before adding the Robe of the Good Archmagi at High Hedge.  Then moved on to Durlag's Tower.  Some frosty blasts on a couple of battle horrors got him to level 6 (+3 HPs).

 

After a trip to the FAI to use a fireball on Tarnesh, return Landrin's goods and pick up some pantaloons, Emmental went to the basilisk area - his final target before commencing his assault on the main quest.  The lesser basilisks switched to melee almost immediately after failing with an initial gaze attack (though the greater ones didn't).  That meant there was plenty of running round required, but the green scroll lasts a long time and Emmental had no trouble in darting all the separated basilisks (level 7 - +4 HPs).

 

Korax was then recruited, but he missed Mutamin with an initial attack and died of a single lot of magic missiles (seeming to have fewer HPs than I expected).  A first use of the wand of monster summoning produced some hobgoblins and a couple of poisoned arrows was enough to kill Mutamin even though the hobgoblins all lay down for a nap.  For the party, some ogres assaulted Kirian, while Emmental successfully used the wand of paralysation for the first time on Baerin.  He died, as did Kirian, though a couple of the ogres went to sleep.  The final one was supposed to attack Peter, but I realised later that it had switched Lindin - as a result the wand of frost killed him (destroying his items).  The Green Amulet protected Emmental while he and the familiar finished off Peter.

 

The loot from that area enabled Emmental to buy the Claw & Horn of Kazgororth and a couple of potions of magic blocking.  He's just travelled safely to the Nashkel Mine.

[Grond0]

Emmental - elven wild mage (update 3)

 

Emmental has continued to make decent progress and has just arrived in Baldur's Gate.  He travelled through the Nashkel mine invisibly, other than clearing the kobold roadblock (immediately running back to where the familiar was casting invisibility again).  In Mulahey's cave some summoned wolves killed the kobold elites before doing the same to Mulahey (while Emmental stayed well out of sight).

 

Back in Nashkel Nimbul saved against the first round of scorching damage, but didn't have a chance to put up mirror images before being decked by the Martial Staff.  Neira failed to survive a second round of scorcher damage before Emmental moved on to confront Tranzig.  He proved more resistant to fire - taking 2 scorchers and still not dying, but he was scared and was soon finished off.

 

At the bandit camp Emmental used a green scroll to top up the lightning protection offered by his boots and then took the potion of magic blocking before opening the chest and using his invisibility ring for the first time.  I nearly got caught out there though as I was expecting a text message to report when Emmental was invisible.  None appeared and, as a result, he was a bit slow moving away and nearly got trapped by the bandits who immediately started trying to surround him when he went invisible.

 

Back at the FAI Emmental rested, only to wake up to find himself under attack by the amazons.  He immediately left the area before returning invisibly.  Some hobgoblins provided a distration while Lamalha and Zeela were killed, but the thieves never made an appearance and Emmental traveled on to the Cloakwood.  There were no problems in resting there so Emmental was able to safely traverse it while invisible.

 

At the mine Emmental's opening 2 fireballs failed to kill anyone and Drasus, scouting round, got into sight range of him.  Some summoned ogres along with a few wand magic missiles were just enough to kill him before Emmental went invisible to avoid the others who had turned up.  Some more ogres provided a bit of protection while Emmental used a fireball and then a magic missile to kill Rezdan.  The latter was perfectly timed, being launched an instant before Rezdan got his shield in place.  Genthore killed the ogres before dying to a scorcher.  Kysus had gone invisible and moved away somewhere out of the action, so Emmental successfully rested.  On waking up he was greeted by a message that Kysus had cast shadow door, so immediately produced some hobgoblins.  Kysus initially ignored those to try a chaos on Emmental (which bounced off the Green Amulet).  Emmental ran away briefly, before incautiously coming back and taking a flame arrow for his pains.  Down to 14 HPs he couldn't afford any more damage, so after Kysus had killed the hobgoblins he took a potion of magic blocking and destroyed a wand of fire by using its last 2 scorchers on the mage (level 8 - +6 HPs).

 

He had another wand of fire, but was down to the last charge of the wand of monster summoning, which was essential.  So he travelled back to High Hedge to get that recharged.  Back at the mine he made his way invisibly down to Daveorn.  He took a safety first approach there by using a protection from magic scroll.  The battle horrors were frosted before a combination of frost and magic missiles wore Daveorn down for a staff finish.  Some summoned gnolls then distracted the mustard jelly while Emmental beat it up.

[Charlestonian Knight Templar]

I went to Nashkel to find out what the circumstances there were. The road south from Beregost to Nashkel brought was frought w/battle & a run-in w/three Flaming Fist Mercenaries that Kagain talked us through w/o incident. Just as I was leaving North Nashkel Road, my benefactor, gifted me w/Ring of Human Influence to raise my charisma. Once in Nashkel, I found out it the mayor wanted me to do a ‘dungeon crawl’ to discover the mystery behind tainted ore coming from the Mines. I decided that the mines could wait while we tracked down Kagain’s caravan.

 

Key Event: I decided to rest in Nashkel. Once again, walking into an Inn led me face to face w/an Assassin, this one a Cleric. My subordinates were ineffective & the battle took a long time as I stood safely off to the side evaluating their abilities to fight w/o me to hold their hands. She kept trying to get off spells but luckily only one of the first three was effective, that one, ‘Entangle’. That gummed the works. I stepped out of the snares but Kagain, Montaron & Eldoth were all tangled up & swinging their weapons wildly… but so was she. That idiot, Xzar, was safe & then walked right into the entanglement.  She turned on him b/c he’d frozen her butt off once w/a Chill Touch. Whatever the case, she killed him just before the Entanglement wore off – then I moved in & killed her myself.

 

 

I went to Nashkel to find out what the circumstances there were. The road south from Beregost to Nashkel brought was frought w/battle & a run-in w/three Flaming Fist Mercenaries that Kagain talked us through w/o incident. Just as I was leaving North Nashkel Road, my benefactor, gifted me w/Ring of Human Influence to raise my charisma. Once in Nashkel, I found out it the mayor wanted me to do a ‘dungeon crawl’ to discover the mystery behind tainted ore coming from the Mines. I decided that the mines could wait while we tracked down Kagain’s caravan.

 

Key Event: I decided to rest in Nashkel. Once again, walking into an Inn led me face to face w/an Assassin, this one a Cleric. My subordinates were ineffective & the battle took a long time as I stood safely off to the side evaluating their abilities to fight w/o me to hold their hands. She kept trying to get off spells but luckily only one of the first three was effective, that one, ‘Entangle’. That gummed the works. I stepped out of the snares but Kagain, Montaron & Eldoth were all tangled up & swinging their weapons wildly… but so was she. That idiot, Xzar, was safe & then walked right into the entanglement.  She turned on him b/c he’d frozen her butt off once w/a Chill Touch. Whatever the case, she killed him just before the Entanglement wore off – then I moved in & killed her myself.

 

 

STANDING OVER THE CLERIC ASSASSIN'S CARCASS. 

 

That night I dreamed a weird dream, something that gave me power but not from my earlier visitors…I know that b/c the first of my original visitors came to me as soon as the first dream ended, assuring me that this new power was for my benefit…to help empower me for the grander purpose her master’s master has for me. Once again, whatever I serve moves me like a pawn on a chessboard.

In the morning, I looked around Nashkel a bit & got into a brawl w/some goon & his hamster who we killed easily. Then I met & added another mage, a Conjuror, Edwin to round my subordinates out @ six.

 

I returned us to Beresost, rested & then led us north back to the Coast Way in search of Kagain’s caravan. He told me that he’d directed them to stay east of the road & so that’s where we looked. We ran into Xvarts twice during the first pass, the first time costing me that stupid assassin but I pressed on. Finally after running over some Diseased Gibberling’s & camping, the five of us found the caravan. There were four bandits but they didn’t see us @ first. I backed off & had Edwin cast Grease amongst them to keep them in place. Then Kagain & Eldoth attack them w/ranged weapons. Kagain ended up taking a hit from the bandit leader & had to back off – he should’a taken a Potion of Healing b/c his Enrage wore off & he assumed room temperature. Still, we’d worn them down I finally moved in to kill the bandit leader. 

 

Treasure of Note: Rings: Lord Foreshadow’s Ring of Human Influence, Protection +1 (Me); Helm of Infravision (Sold)

 

Current Disposition: Resting @ the Red Sheaf in Beregost.   

Next Steps: Heading to Nashkel to investigate the mines.

Level Up: Eldoth, my Bard is more talented & his Guild promoted him to Lyrist (Bard/2)

 

Current Party: (Reputation: 8 - Disliked)
Ironside: Fighter/Anti-Paladin//1, Splint Mail (Large Shield) w/Bastard Sword** (THWS**); Powers:

                Cause Critical Wounds, Withering Touch, Dolores Decay

Kagain: Fighter/Berserker w/Chain Mail, Battle/Throwing Axe**(TWS**)

Eldoth: Bard//1, Chain Mail w/Short Bow* & Dagger*

Montaron: Assassin//1, Studded Leather w/Short Sword

Xzar: Mage/Necromancer w/Dagger; Spells: Chill Touch x2

Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)

 

[Charlestonian Knight Templar]

IRONSIDE THE ANTI-PALADIN @ LEVEL 2.

 

Only two things seemed to be calling me & to hunt down a fugitive Captain of the local Amnish Guard. I decided on the mines which I headed to fore with. Externally the mines yielded little of inersest, save a bounty hunter named Greywolf who was hunting a fugitive from Nashkel. We took care of both of them & got to emeralds & an enchanted battle axe for our troubles. The mines themselves were four levels deep w/a multi-caverned cave on the deepest floor. The first two layers were of little challenge as they were full of Kobolds but only a single Kobolds or a group of three or four tops. Easy picken’s but not much treasure either. During the dungeon crawl thru the mines, I had to pull us out to unload supplies about three times & about the same number to resurrect my front line guys, Kagain, Montaron & Eldoth each @ one time or another. Our low experience here makes this mine a challenge.

 

The third level turned up the heat a bit as there were many more Kobolds, a couple of Huge Spiders & a Ghoul. We did pretty well w/our limited skills, armor & ability to sustain damage. Sill led us through & after a trip to Nashkel again, I returned ready to descend another level which I didn’t know was the deepest @ he time. Once on the fourth level, we mowed down three Kobold Commando’s, a Ghoul & a couple of Grey Oozes but once again took a loss, Kagain. I didn’t feel ready for any more combat w/out his dual axes @ my side. So I returned again to have him raised by the only temple available.

 

Key Event: Returning from that I led us into the cave on the fourth floor & immediately ran into more Kobolds that we dusted off quickly. It wasn’t until the last room, a sort of throne room in the mines, set up by the evil Half-Orc Cleric Mulahay. He darted for the doorway & summoned a pant load of Kobolds & skeletons. Eldoth took care of the Kobolds w/a Sleep spell so we could focus on the obvious cleric. He fought hard, using a Spiritual Hammer, a Hold person to great effect. I still l lost my wimpy assassin but got the job done when Mulahey tried to escape the cave. We caught him at the entrance & finished him.

 

 

Only two things seemed to be calling me & to hunt down a fugitive Captain of the local Amnish Guard. I decided on the mines which I headed to fore with. Externally the mines yielded little of inersest, save a bounty hunter named Greywolf who was hunting a fugitive from Nashkel. We took care of both of them & got to emeralds & an enchanted battle axe for our troubles. The mines themselves were four levels deep w/a multi-caverned cave on the deepest floor. The first two layers were of little challenge as they were full of Kobolds but only a single Kobolds or a group of three or four tops. Easy picken’s but not much treasure either. During the dungeon crawl thru the mines, I had to pull us out to unload supplies about three times & about the same number to resurrect my front line guys, Kagain, Montaron & Eldoth each @ one time or another. Our low experience here makes this mine a challenge.

 

The third level turned up the heat a bit as there were many more Kobolds, a couple of Huge Spiders & a Ghoul. We did pretty well w/our limited skills, armor & ability to sustain damage. Sill led us through & after a trip to Nashkel again, I returned ready to descend another level which I didn’t know was the deepest @ he time. Once on the fourth level, we mowed down three Kobold Commando’s, a Ghoul & a couple of Grey Oozes but once again took a loss, Kagain. I didn’t feel ready for any more combat w/out his dual axes @ my side. So I returned again to have him raised by the only temple available.

 

Key Event: Returning from that I led us into the cave on the fourth floor & immediately ran into more Kobolds that we dusted off quickly. It wasn’t until the last room, a sort of throne room in the mines, set up by the evil Half-Orc Cleric Mulahay. He darted for the doorway & summoned a pant load of Kobolds & skeletons. Eldoth took care of the Kobolds w/a Sleep spell so we could focus on the obvious cleric. He fought hard, using a Spiritual Hammer, a Hold person to great effect. I still l lost my wimpy assassin but got the job done when Mulahey tried to escape the cave. We caught him at the entrance & finished him.

 

 

KILLING THE SO CALLED MASTER OF THE MINES, MULUHAY, THE HALF-ORC.

 

I still stood two more challenges after looting his treasure chest, when we were attacked by an assassin, a mage/Thief maybe outside the Nashkel Inn as we were returning for some rest. I pulled us back in our weakened position & the Amnish Guards killed him but we got to loot all the carcasses!!! I then followed four leads, 1) took a sample of the mineral ore to the Thunderhammer Smithy in Beregost, 2) took a vial of the compound being used to ruin the ore to Thalantyr in High hedge, 3) met w/the Flaming Fist Captain in the Jovial Juggler who asked for my help (I’m bleding right in & my rep is 10 – average. Finally, I tracked down a man listed in mage named Tranzig in Beregost who was a middle man between the bandits ab activities in Amn, He’s dead after arguing wme but I got the info I needed.

 

 

I LET THE AMNISH GUARD DEAL W/THIS ASSASSIN, A MAGE/THIEF MAYBE. THEY DID @ GREAT COST & i GOT THE SPOILS.

 

TAKING OUT THE WIZARD MIDDLE MAN BETWEEN THE BANDITS AND THE MINING OPERATION. 

 

Treasure of Note: Boots of Avoidance (Me); Bracers of Archery (Eldoth); Short Sword +1 (Montaron)

 

Current Disposition: Resting @ the Red Sheaf in Beregost.   

Next Steps: I need to sleep and dream on this. I want to go after these bandits, but I feel pulled to hunt Edwin’s witch too.   

Level Up: My benefactor granted to me the power of Miscreant (Anti-Paladin/4); Motaron’s Asaasin Guild sent word that he is now a Rutterkin (Assassin/2); Kagain’s Dwarver Berserker leadership promoted him to Berserker/2 & the Red Wizards have increased Edwin to a Conjurer/2.  Afterward, Eldoth’s guild increased his stature to Sonnatteer (Bard/3) & finally we heard from Xzar Guild & he too is now granted the power of a Necromancer/3)

 

Current Party: (Reputation: 10 - Average)
Ironside: Fighter/Anti-Paladin//2, Splint Mail (Large Shield) w/Bastard Sword** (THWS**); Powers:

                Cause Critical Wounds, Withering Touch, Dolores Decay, Cure Lt Wds

Kagain: Fighter/Berserker//2 w/Chain Mail, Battle/Throwing Axe**(TWS**)

Eldoth: Bard//3, Chain Mail w/Short Bow* & Dagger*

Montaron: Assassin//2, Studded Leather w/Short Sword

Xzar: Mage/Necromancer//2 w/Dagger; Spells: Chill Touch x3

Edwin: Mage/Conjurer//2 w/Qtr Staff; Spells: Armor, Grease x3)

Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
 

 

 

[Grond0]

Emmental - elven wild mage (update 4)

 

In the City Emmental picked up the dexterity tome and bought a few potions.  Then she did the Poison quest.  Jalantha failed to save against the wand of paralysation, enabling Emmental to use the wisdom tome.  He also investigated the Iron Throne invisibly before moving on to confront Marek.  He struck home with a couple of MMMs before disappearing down the throats of some wolves.

 

An opening dart of wounding poisoned Ramazith and he failed to finish a spell before a gnoll finished him.  That got Emmental to level 9 - his second successive maximum 6 HPs meaning his 52 HPs are back up to only 2 below average. He used familiar invisibility to get up the tower, then greedily used a knock scroll to loot that before activating his ring to get down again.

 

Duke Eltan gave him a book to get into Candlekeep and Emmental soon arrived invisible to put that to use.  In the catacombs he used a protection from magic scroll along with violet & fortitude potions to loot the tomes.

 

I was originally intending to just leave invisibly, but decided to have a go at Prat's party to get their scrolls.  That didn't prove easy.  Initial summons did manage to kill Bor, but Emmental then took a couple of nasty MMM hits from Sakul before using a potion of invisibility.  He waited out initial mage buffs before generating a couple of lots of gnolls and sending them off to be slaughtered, only to find Sakul dimension dooring in next to him.  He used another invisibility potion to counter that and then one of regeneration before producing further summons. They were finally starting to make some progress against Prat and the one remaining air elemental when 3 phase spiders teleported next to Emmental.  With no space to avoid them without showing himself to one of the party, Emmental had to use yet another invisibility potion.  His potion of fortitude also expired here and he had no replacement - with only 9 HPs he was thus liable to be killed by any sort of damage and I decided it was time to beat an ignominious retreat.

[Blackraven]

 

 

Glad to see Grynne's stubborness gave way to caution just in time Blackraven!

 

The enemies around the web traps can be drawn away for disposal without triggering them.  When I've tried a wizard slayer in the past it's the web ability of the SCS spiders that was far more difficult to deal with.  A green scroll of protection from magic doesn't help against these as their attack is coded as natural rather than magical (as with basilisk gaze); coding for web traps seems inconsistent - some of them are treated as magical (like the one in Candlekeep catacombs), but not all of them are.  The only thing in the game I was playing that could protect against web was Spiders Bane - which could only be got by defeating numerous spiders!  Using a green scroll of protection from poison and running as soon as showing yourself in Centeol's lair stretched out the pursuers and gave me a decent chance of success.  In your installation you've got rather more options - the automatic saving throw from potions of magic shielding would work fine even if you didn't have the gnomish boots. 

 

You're right about the Potions of Magic Shielding, though one would have to be very careful with the limited duration. I think you didn't play SCS correct? Meaning you had no web casting Giant Spiders, only Poison? I'd consider it suicide to try and have an unmodded WS go after Spiders' Bane in an SCS run.

 

You do need to use essentially the same setup, yes.  As far as our combinations go the characters are much less an issue than our play - pretty much all deaths in the game now are down to mistakes of one sort or another.  We're quite compatible in the way we play the game in that we both find it hard to avoid taking risks .

 

A couple of other scripted deaths that come to mind are if you're not polite when speaking to Mae'Var and when captured by the Flaming Fist in Baldur's Gate.

Haha, very compatible I'm the same. I wonder how it would be if you play with a very cautious type of player. Lots of discussion I reckon.

Anyway I'm glad to see Emmental do well. His names reeks of cheese, but your game setup doesn't by any means.... Good luck with him!

@CKT, good stuff as always. Will your mistress approve of Viconia joining your party you reckon? Or do you consider going on without a cleric? Did Nimbul actually fight the Fist? In my games he normally ignores them...

***

Grynne visited many inns and taverns in various parts of town to inquire about the three names she's after: Quenash, Ramazith and Degrodel.
In the Southwest of town she found Ye Olde Inn infested with slimes, a courtesy of Ramazith she was told. She killed the slimes, but couldn't prevent a number of casualties. With this display of his wickedness Ramazith had now climbed to the number one spot on Grynne's personal hitlist.
At the Blushing Mermaid she had to slay a bounty hunting ogre who was after her. The ogre was strong, but so was Grynne. And she was faster. From the innkeep she learned that Ramazith resided in a tower to the west, and that Quenash was a harlot who was working in the Undercellars that were accessible from one of the inn's backdoors for a 10 GP fee. To her embarrassment she was barely able cough up that amount, but she considered it an investment that might pay off well. This "fallen angel" might possess or at least know about the helm and the cloak Vail (the petrified man she had turned to flesh at Felonius Gist's manor) had mentioned in his letter. Greed had never been a motivation for Grynne, something that had now become manifest in her lack of coin. She said to herself that she would continue to rid the realms of the presence of foul magic for no fee, as she considered this a sacred duty of hers. But for her many other good deeds she would start exacting payment and she would begin with Vail (whom she'd killed when he had attacked her, so he had no more use for his belongings anyway). She had been risking her neck for others on a voluntary basis for too long.
However, when confronted with the letter, Quenash rudely told Grynne to leave her be, but she failed to hide from Grynne's eyes a lush cloak with what appeared to be intricate silvery runic symbols woven into it. Grynne realized that this had to be Vail's cloak. She wouldn't murder the courtesan for it though, so she left the premises none the richer.
Outside the Blushing Mermaid she walked to the west and observed a huge spiralling tower. When she asked a bystander whose residence this was, the stranger confirmed that it was Ramazith's home. She tried to get in, but the door was locked and Grynne failed to bash the lock in spite of her impressive strength. Shortly after that, she came upon a much smaller tower, where another heinous magic user resided according to a noblewoman that had come up to her. A wizard that kept a Nymph as his captive. Most likely for some foul experiment or other, Grynne reckoned. Again it was an unforceably locked door that denied Grynne access, much to her annoyance. She realized she was in need of a competent thief, but Grynne had always worked alone and never made any close friends that would accompany her, except for one old friend... But she would have to travel back to Candlekeep for her. Before doing so she retrieved the corpse of a little boy for his father, a Tymoran priest by the name of Tremain Belde'ar, from the ****** Queen Temple in the Docks District. The high priestess had demanded 2000 gold, an outrageous amount. When Grynne had pressed on, the priestess had gotten angry and started casting a spell. Grynne never waited to see what spell. She attacked the priestess and finished her off in little time. On her victim's body she had found a curious Geas Removal Scroll and the boy's corpse. Tremain rewarded Grynne with some gold and with the beautiful Shield of the Falling Stars (Large Shield +1, +4 vs missiles). A kind man, and one who was actually grateful and generous for a change.
Grynne travelled back to Candlekeep, to look for Imoen. When the Gatekeeper brought Imoen to her, her friend proved more than willing to join Grynne, and Grynne was pleased to find out that Imoen hadn't been idle. Ever since Gorion's demise and Grynne's departure, things had been different for Imoen. She had enjoyed more leeway from Winthrop and was actually allowed to leave Candlekeep and return whenever she wished. Grynne had been lucky to find her. This somewhat puzzled Grynne, why was Imoen, unlike Grynne, allowed to enter and leave Candlekeep whenever she pleased? Anyway, Grynne gave Imoen some gear she might have use for (Varscona, Gauntlets of Weapon Expertise, Golden Girdle and a Cloak of Non-Detection Grynne had been rewarded by Ordulinian), and then the duo set out to Baldur's Gate. On the road the old friends updated each other on what they had been up to.

In Baldur's Gate Imoen told Grynne to buy a number of potions of master thievery for her, should they have to deal with particularly difficult locks or should she need to pickpocket anybody, a skill she hadn't been training much. At the Undercellars Grynne saw how Imoen quaffed three potions of master thievery, approached Quenash from the back, snatched the cloak from her victim's shoulders and ran off before Quenash could even notice who just robbed her. Grynne smirked and walked away as if nothing had happened.
Imoen proved her worth twice in their dealings with Ramazith. First, she deftly picked the lock on his door that Grynne had damaged before. Second, and more important, she sacrificed her life for Grynne. When they had entered the tower and demanded an explanation from the wizard for his actions, he had been less than willing to answer. Battle ensued. The wizard would cast numerous protections including Shield, Ghost Armor, a Globe of Invulnerability, Improved Invisibility and Stoneskin. Grynne failed to hit him or inflict the spellfailure penalty on the mage, even after she activated her Shatter Magic ability. Ramazith counterattacked with a Chromatic Orb that stunned Grynne before she could step outside. (The 'door trick' she had used before, wasn't as reliable as she had hoped.) She watched how Imoen switched her bow for her longsword and bravely engaged the powerful wizard in melee. Her bravery didn't pay off for her though. Even her enchanted sword's cold damage wouldn't hurt or disrupt the mage. Grynne witnessed how Ramazith used his Melf's Minute Meteors to finish Imoen off. After that he focused on Grynne using more meteors and his staff with which he dealt disturbingly high damage (between 5 and 15 per hit, and many hits he scored). Grynne was at the point of dying, fully aware of her plight but feeling powerless as never before, when the stun wore off. She ran outside, bought three healing potions at the neighbouring Temple of Helm and returned to exact justice on the perfidious wizard. He had a few more spells he would cast, but she made sure to stay right by the door, engaging her opponent with her throwing axes rather than her enchanted pickaxe. This strategy worked. Some of the mage's protections had worn off, allowing her to kill him with a few good hits with her axes.

Grynne was moved by Imoen's self-sacrifice and didn't hesitate to get her dear friend raised at the Temple of Helm. Together they looted Ramazith's tower. Grynne paved the way, killing various monsters (except a group of ghasts that they sped past to avoid their holding attacks). They got Quenash's cloak identified: the marvelous Cloak of Balduran, one of few enchanted items Grynne could use. The duo then took some well-deserved time off at an Inn called the Helm & Cloak. In the inn they befriended a group of adventurers led by Gorpel Hind. They shared a few drinks and tales before they retreated to their rooms to rest. It wasn't until the next morning that Grynne connected the name of the inn with a fragment of Vail's letter ("My helm I will trust only on my guile in hiding it. It's a building where people rest and that might as well have been named for it"). She was rewarded for her presence of mind with the Helm of Balduran she found hidden in one of the rooms.
The next day Grynne got unwillingly involved in a dust-up with another adventuring party. She told Imoen to keep her distance, and quaffed a Potion of Magic Protection when she spotted two spellcasters. The potion's 50% MR combined with Grynne's currently 26% innate MR and the Cloak of Balduran's 25% MR, gave her a total of 101% MR. She fearlessly waded into battle all by herself, but saw how Gorpel Hind and his party backed her. Grynne was very pleased with this band of honourable adventurers, all of them honest warriors that relied on true steel rather than magic trickery to make the Sword Coast a better place. Their foes were slain without any casualties on Grynne's side (though she did have to suffer a vicious backstab from a halfling thief).

She proposed Gorpel that she and Imoen join their forces at least in Baldur's Gate, but was sad to learn that he and his gang had business elsewhere. They said goodbye, and Grynne and Imoen went to Ragefast's home. Again Imoen had no difficulty unlocking the wizard's door. Inside they learnt that the rumours about the mage had been right. Grynne told Ragefast to release the Nymph or suffer the consequences. He wouldn't be swayed. Grynne started throwing axes and after two hits grew confident that their opponent would soon fall without being able to successfully cast any more spells. Her confidence turned to be out of place: the wizard somehow enfeebled her. The full plate weighed her down in a way it had never done before, but she kept trying with all her might to hit him with her throwing axes. Though their damage was less than normal, the axes did their work and felled the wizard.

Still in desperate need for gold, maybe even more so now that Imoen was going to stay by Grynne's side, they sold some of their loot at the Sorcerous Sundries, including even items for wizards Grynne would normally burn. So dire did she consider their need. They also decided to offer their services at the larger estates, hoping some nobles would employ them and pay them well. It was thus that they found Degrodel the mage albeit not after Grynne had slain three invisible stalkers and three helmed horrors who were roaming about the place and attacked her on sight. She took them on three at a time and was pleased to see herself have the upper hand against these formidable fighting creatures. Degrodel himself went invisible, but Imoen's Detect Illusions ability (at 100%) dispelled the invisibility, allowing Grynne to neutralize and slay the mage with her spellfailure-causing throwing axes. All in all he was a much easier target than Ramazith and Ragefast had been.

For Scar Grynne and Imoen cleansed the Seven Suns of its doppelganger presence and got rewarded handsomely with 2000 GP she would invest in protective potions at the Sorcerous Sundries. Imoen surprised Grynne with a Manual of Quickness of Action she had managed to loot from a chest in the Seven Suns. Grynne read it eagerly to improve her finesse and agility in battle.

[Grond0]

You're right about the Potions of Magic Shielding, though one would have to be very careful with the limited duration. I think you didn't play SCS correct? Meaning you had no web casting Giant Spiders, only Poison? I'd consider it suicide to try and have an unmodded WS go after Spiders' Bane in an SCS run.

I was indeed playing with SCS improved spiders.  That's why it was necessary to run as soon as seeing a group of spiders.  The sword spiders and phase spiders use their movement advantage to join you at the edge of the map well before the giant spiders arrive - giving an opportunity to kill them before being webbed.  Over that long a distance there's also a chance that some of the pursuers will lose lock - providing the opportunity to kill them in sections.  Giant spiders on their own don't do much damage in melee, so a WS protected from poison is likely to be able to kill them even if he's webbed.

 

I used those sorts of tactics in a number of runs - refining exactly where to move in the process.  I certainly agree that is one of the most dangerous encounters in the game for a WS, but I probably got it up to around 60-70% chance of success.  That's a significantly better chance than ignoring Spiders Bane and just hoping to be lucky to survive the spider ambushes on the way through the Cloakwood.