16384 réponses à ce sujet

[corey_russell]

@Alesia: I've thought about the solo shapeshifter before (and solo druids, in general). But the shapeshifter's low APR, no armor, their "advantage" not being much use that I can see, and poor saves (must be elf

human/half-elf in vanilla game), can't use fighter potions, and lastly some of a druids best spells are long to cast (call lightning good example), which if solo means you just get interrupted (I've tried). Sure you could try to run and shoot, but that's isn't using the shapeshifter's advantage and that would be a very, very long run - few would have the patience for that. I consider myself pretty patient, but a shapeshifter would progress too slowly for me to bear.

 

On the other hand, druids make excellent support characters for a party - their spells are very useful in ToB in particular. Of my many trilogy runs, of the runs that made it to Melissan, all my parties had either paladins or druids in them save one (the all fighter party).

[Blackraven]

I usually abandon or consciously endanger runs after I get bored, and then restart. This applies mostly to BG1 though.
I've only started doing no-reload runs a bit more than a year ago. During this period I've seen my relative command over the game expand gradually from most of BG1 to much of SoA, though there are still many pitfalls for me. Therefore, late SoA and ToB are generally too exciting for me to lose interest. Nevertheless, it happened to me with my Wizard Slayer even after a break.

 

I'm at the point where, with the majority of classes I'd want to play, the only real threats are Abazigal, Mel, and perhaps the first two Pocket Plane challenges.

Which classes you'd want to play (or maybe wouldn't want to play) fall outside that majority?

[corey_russell]

@Blackraven: Ironically, if I get burned out during a run, it's almost always in SoA. I find BG 1 (especially vanilla) exciting - you never know when one of your party members get held by a ghoul/ghast, or your poor mages/thieves get shot up in a bandit ambush. One ambush in vanilla that I don't get in EasyTutu is the 12 archer/4 worg ambush - it felt so good to win that one, especially if the party was poorly equipped/low levels. It did mean my mages died if they couldn't get invisibility off on themselves. Poor Imoen often gets cut down in that too.

 

Also in BG 1, even when fighting weaker enemies, they can get lucky and get 2-3 criticals in row - suddenly your tank's down and now your party scrambles to recover and survive. You just don't get that in BG 2 if your tank is properly protected. (harder to protect tank at first, takes time for gold and less potions/spells can be used for the tank).

[Alesia_BH]

 

Which classes you'd want to play (or maybe wouldn't want to play) fall outside that majority?

 

The character I'd like to play, but would have difficulty with is my transmuter, Alastria. And when I say Alastria, I don't mean my abjuration spell wielding melee sorcerer, Alastria, but rather the original transmuter kit Alastria from the old forums. Transmuter Alastria soloed a Questpack/Tactics (parts)/Ascension install, with reloads, years ago. She'd have a rough time solo no reloading SCS/Ascension, I suspect.

 

Best,

 

A.

[Alesia_BH]

@Alesia: I've thought about the solo shapeshifter before (and solo druids, in general). But the shapeshifter's low APR, no armor, their "advantage" not being much use that I can see, and poor saves (must be elf

human/half-elf in vanilla game), can't use fighter potions, and lastly some of a druids best spells are long to cast (call lightning good example), which if solo means you just get interrupted (I've tried). Sure you could try to run and shoot, but that's isn't using the shapeshifter's advantage and that would be a very, very long run - few would have the patience for that. I consider myself pretty patient, but a shapeshifter would progress too slowly for me to bear.

 

I soloed an avenger druid, Aliana, in a Questpack/Ascension install in the pre-SCS days, back when the original Ascension solo challenge was active. In BG, she was pretty powerful. The same held in SoA, surprisingly, due to the spider form amongst other things. The avenger spider isn't as powerful as the Polymorph Self spider, but it can be deadly when properly buffed.

 

In ToB/Ascension, including Watcher's Keep, she had to streamline her spell book and load it with fast casting spells. She was basically a slinger/dart tosser by the endgame, although she did actually manage to execute Web x X->Shapeshift Spider briefly against the 5 at the Throne. Druidic resistances are helpful in ToB.

 

In ToB/Ascension, her biggest problem was her inability to use small shields. If an avenger could wield the Reflex, I'd enter Aliana in the no reload challenge. I did, in fact, complete BG1 with Aliana in this thread sometime ago, but I retired her instead of sending her to Amn because I felt the absolute best case scenario for her would be to make it to the irenicus/Bodhi/Fallen Solar fight, where she would almost certainly get jacked by a Fallen Solar arrow.

 

I suspect a shapeshifter would be harder than an avenger- especially in ToB.

 

Best,

 

A.   

 

 

Btw. Aliana's final BG1 NR battle can be found here: http://forum.bioware...llenge/page-247

[Grond0]

Pelz - half-elf shapeshifter (update 1)

 

By (slightly) popular demand, I've rolled up another shapeshifter.  I'll do my best to keep them safe through BG1 to see how they fare in SoA (that should be no problem due to the availability of druidic summons).

 

[Blackraven]

@Corey, generally I do finish BG1 with characters I don't really 'feel' but don't take them into Amn (have fairly recently done that with an SCS rebalanced Shapeshifter that felt overpowered, and with a Dwarven Fighter/Thief other than Glorydd). Once I've got a character going in SoA I'm less likely to retire them.

I agree that BG1 can be very brutal and thus exciting, especially for a party...

@Alesia, no Abjuration spells hurts a lot for a solo mage, I agree. I like the idea of soloing a specialist mage through the trilogy. No one has ever done it successfully on these forums. (not counting Grond0's Wild Mage since they have no barred spell school).

@Grond0, nice! Hilaruous portrait btw. Best of luck! 

[Alesia_BH]

@Alesia, no Abjuration spells hurts a lot for a solo mage, I agree. I like the idea of soloing a specialist mage through the trilogy. No one has ever done it successfully on these forums. (not counting Grond0's Wild Mage since they have no barred spell school).

 

We've only had two single class arcane casters: Grond0's Hale and my Alanis. Grond0's Hale was the only solo: Alanis partied with Imoen, Aerie, and Nalia.

 

Invokers and conjurers are fine. An illusionist would be okay, too.

 

(My choice would be an Invoker. Greater Malison is the only Enchantment spell that I really care for. I'm not overly fond of disablers, and the ones I do like aren't in the Enchantment school.)

 

Best,

 

A.

[Alesia_BH]

Hurray for Wolfred!

[corey_russell]

We've only had two single class arcane casters: Grond0's Hale and my Alanis. Grond0's Hale was the only solo: Alanis partied with Imoen, Aerie, and Nalia.

 

Invokers and conjurers are fine. An illusionist would be okay, too.

 

(My choice would be an Invoker. Greater Malison is the only Enchantment spell that I really care for. I'm not overly fond of disablers, and the ones I do like aren't in the Enchantment school.)

 

Best,

 

A.

Hmm, am I missing something? Alesia, didn't you get a solo jester success? A bard is a single class arcane caster right? Aren't there sorcerer successes too? Or you just talking about mages/mage kits (I suppose wild mage is a sort-of mage kit.)

[corey_russell]

Best of luck with Wolfred, Grond0! What's the best thing about the Werewolf form? Is there a particular stat of the Werewolf that is good? Any special resistances? Abilities? I almost never use that for Cernd, except when he's in melee and doesn't have a good spell to cast, but maybe I will if I can understand this form better.

[Alesia_BH]

Hmm, am I missing something? Alesia, didn't you get a solo jester success? A bard is a single class arcane caster right? Aren't there sorcerer successes too? Or you just talking about mages/mage kits (I suppose wild mage is a sort-of mage kit.)

 

I wasn't counting bards. They're single class, and they cast arcane spells, but they play more like F/Ms than mages. I meant sorcerers/mages.

 

There was one sorcerer: Alanis. Hale is the only single class mage.

 

Best,

A.

[corey_russell]

I wasn't counting bards. They're single class, and they cast arcane spells, but they play more like F/Ms than mages. I meant sorcerers/mages.

 

There was one sorcerer: Alanis. Hale is the only single class mage.

 

Best,

A.

Perhaps we can change that then, soon. I've already decided that my next run I will do, when Corerage III finishes one way or another, my PC will be a mage. I've tried solo mages - hated it. So instead, will put the mage in a rather strange party - he will have 4 other mages (non-kitted) and a berserker with him. Just because there's certain traps in BG 2 I hate dealing with (when I am using a party), one of the other mages will be a mage/thief.

[Grond0]

Best of luck with Wolfred, Grond0! What's the best thing about the Werewolf form? Is there a particular stat of the Werewolf that is good? Any special resistances? Abilities? I almost never use that for Cernd, except when he's in melee and doesn't have a good spell to cast, but maybe I will if I can understand this form better.

The basic werewolf has got strength 19, which allows them to hit quite hard as well as open more containers.  They also have 2 APR, which is pretty decent for BG1 even if not great later in BG2.  AC is -2, which is not bad against most early enemies and they've got 20% MR as a little bonus.  The form gets an upgrade at level 13.

 

In relation to mage solos, the wild mage is a bit of an oddity.  At low and mid-levels they require a lot of work (or a lot of luck) to keep safe, but at high levels they can both be safe and have considerably more ammunition than any other type of mage - hence I suspect actually completing the trilogy is probably rather easier for them.

[Grond0]

Gate70/Grond0 multiplayer attempt 74 - (update 2)

Lug, dwarf kensai (Grond0) & Slug, dwarf kensai (Gate70)

 

Lug & Slug, AKA the Thug Twins, started off today by working around the Sword Coast concentrating on reputation quests.  There was one close call there when they were ambushed by a winter wolf while Slug was already badly wounded.  As a precaution he took a healing potion while waiting for Lug to exit the area (lag had meant Lug hadn't realised Slug had moved seconds earlier!).  That proved a good decision as a breath from the wolf as they were leaving left him with just 7 HPs on arrival at the other end.

 

With reputation at 19 they went to clear the ankheg nest, but Farmer Brun didn't appear to recognise the acid-burned body they offered him so the final reputation point was obtained by heading south again to sort out Bjornin's gnolls.

 

After shopping at Ulgoth's Beard they went to the lighthouse area where Slug used a potion of clarity to tank the sirines.  A joint assault then successfully killed the golems - Slug doing some sterling work there with a non-proficient +1 dagger.  As a reward they went next to Bassilus to provide him with a greatly improved hammer.

 

They returned to the basilisk area to find the rest of Kirian's group.  Peter once more managed to hold Slug there, but by the time the spell activated all of the group were dead and in no condition to take advantage.

 

The Nashkel mine was redecorated as a result of Slug leaving a trail of chunked kobolds behind him.  Mulahey didn't offer much more resistance when they arrived at his cave, while the amazons were also helpless under assault from Slug protected by the Greenstone Amulet.

 

Nimbul had a partial success by scaring Slug, even though he didn't live to enjoy it.  Even so he did better than Tranzig.

 

At the bandit camp Slug was well protected against missiles by boots and cloak and rapidly cut his way through to Taugosz - before rapidly retreating after being hit by a critical.  Taugosz didn't last long against Lug's throwing axes though and after a rest the duo entered the main tent.  Despite taking a stone form potion to improve his saving throw, Slug still got scared again there, but Lug was protected by the amulet and was able to finish the opposition off.

 

A potion of freedom allowed an easy passage through the Cloakwood web traps to the mine.  An opening assault there saw the mages taken down, but Slug was badly damaged in the process.  Lug then tried a throwing axe competition with Genthore, but took quite a bit of damage and made a run for it.  Meanwhile Slug was being chased round and round by Drasus, but making a very impressive job of attacking him periodically taking advantage of his superior weapon speed (not easy without any use of the pause key).  With Drasus dead a combined assault on Genthore quickly killed him before the duo rested to heal. 

 

In the mine they worked their way down to Davaeorn's level with the minimum amount of fighting possible.  The battle horrors were potentially a serious obstacle, but the kensais performed well against them - killing both without any need for healing.  Slug then used a potion of magic blocking to go and attack Davaeorn - he clearly saw the writing on the wall and committed suicide by bouncing lightning bolt.

 

The Twins have arrived in Baldur's Gate ready for the final stages of their BG1 adventures.

 

Stats:

Lug, kensai 7, 81 HPs, 148 kills

Slug, kensai 7, 88 HPs, 165 kills, 1 death

[Alesia_BH]

In relation to mage solos, the wild mage is a bit of an oddity.  At low and mid-levels they require a lot of work (or a lot of luck) to keep safe, but at high levels they can both be safe and have considerably more ammunition than any other type of mage - hence I suspect actually completing the trilogy is probably rather easier for them.

 

I've never played a high level wild mage -and probably never will- but in theory they should be outstanding.

 

I don't think the comparative dearth of mage successes should be taken as an indication of difficulty. I think it has more to do with actual difficulty relative to perceived difficulty. Players tend to view completing the challenge with a lesser class as a greater accomplishment, leading to a preference for "suboptimal" characters. Mages have a reputation for being overpowered, and as a consequence may receive less play than they might otherwise.

 

At the same time, mages, despite their reputation for power, have a narrow margin for error in certain circumstances. Therefore those mage runs that get started tend not to be completed.

 

I think that also explains why we haven't had any kensai->mages: they have a reputation for power, but are actually moderately high risk in some installs, such as mine.

 

Best,

 

A.

[corey_russell]

I've never played a high level wild mage -and probably never will- but in theory they should be outstanding.

 

I don't think the comparative dearth of mage successes should be taken as an indication of difficulty. I think it has more to do with actual difficulty relative to perceived difficulties. Players tend to view completing the challenge with a lesser class as a greater accomplishment, leading to a preference for "suboptimal" characters. Mages have a reputation for being overpowered, and as a consequence may receive less play than they might otherwise.

 

At the same time, mages, despite their reputation for power, have a narrow margin for error in certain circumstances. Therefore those mage runs that get started tend not to be completed.

 

I think that also explains why we haven't had any kensai->mages: they have a reputation for power, but are actually moderately high risk in some installs, such as mine.

 

Best,

 

A.

 

Or it might have to do with this: an unbuffed warrior can be pretty powerful, but an unbuffed mage is a sitting duck, even a high level one. Both BG 1 and BG 2 force encounters where the player Mage PC starts the battle unbuffed - if he/she doesn't respond exactly right, the PC can be become quite dead. Most of my mages died in BG 1, they didn't even make it to BG 2, I've tried a few over the years.

[Alesia_BH]

Or it might have to do with this: an unbuffed warrior can be pretty powerful, but an unbuffed mage is a sitting duck, even a high level one. Both BG 1 and BG 2 force encounters where the player Mage PC starts the battle unbuffed - if he/she doesn't respond exactly right, the PC can be become quite dead. Most of my mages died in BG 1, they didn't even make it to BG 2, I've tried a few over the years.

 

That's part of it. That's partly what I meant when I said that they have a narrow margin for error in certain circumstances.

 

Early risks are manageable though. I don't have trouble getting mages though BG1. I can do so with a high success rate. In BG2, I find there's little to worry about up until the endgame with any arcane character, aside from the problematic specialist mages. As mentioned earlier, I find abjuration + alteration + illusion to essentially be a free pass through SoA. The biggest danger in SoA is boredom.

 

For me, the narrow margin for error is mostly an issue in the final Ascension battle. That's why I haven't played many single class arcane casters. I can breeze through almost the entire adventure with them, but if my timing is off at the Throne -meaning one injudicious use of aura- I can fall.

 

After Alicia fell at the Throne due to an ill conceived opening, I experimented with battle strategies. I ended up working out a sound one. She completed the battle multiple times, including a couple on insane. Were I to run a solo sorcerer again, success would be likely.

 

As for non-problematic mages (especially invokers and conjurers), my only concern would be managing my 7s and 9s. In particular, figuring out how many slots to allocate to Wish and Projected Image.

 

It differs from player to player, of course. I spend far more time buffing than I do fighting with my arcane characters. I suspect that a lot of players would rather pull out their fingernails then play the way I do. Players with less patience for buffing might find playing a mage dicier.

 

Best,

 

A.

[Alesia_BH]

Perhaps we can change that then, soon. I've already decided that my next run I will do, when Corerage III finishes one way or another, my PC will be a mage. I've tried solo mages - hated it. So instead, will put the mage in a rather strange party - he will have 4 other mages (non-kitted) and a berserker with him. Just because there's certain traps in BG 2 I hate dealing with (when I am using a party), one of the other mages will be a mage/thief.

 

Sounds fun! My first trilogy no reload was with a sorcerer, Alanis, who was accompanied by Aerie, Nalia, and Imoen. They'd basically buff to the max, fire up a multilayer Teleport Field, and then blast away. It was a lot of fun. The party sustained no injuries throughout most of ToB/Ascension.

 

That was definitely one of my most enjoyable play-throughs. I hope it works out for you!

 

Best,

 

A. 

[Matuse73]

My biggest problem is really just the slog of BG1. Aside from unlucky crits right at the very start, there's really nothing in the game that can seriously threaten me. Which is unlike BG2, where Charname seems to die when blinked at harshly. My biggest challenge is juggling XP levels for things like Imoen's dual classing so I have someone who can open chests in the Mines without resting 20 times for Knocks. I've kind of gotten to the point where I feel like using the console to max out XP and control-J to skip around areas to get them over and done with as soon as possible for the handful of key items needed. Where BG2 is about advancing the plot and getting the key items you need, BG1 is more about XP grinding, and that just doesn't do it for me anymore.

[corey_russell]

Corerage III the berserk, enraged half-orc - FINAL Update!

 

Corerage III Journal - Penned by Angelo

 

I found the half-breed's journal - I decided to write in it - maybe some historian will find it someday. So okay the half-breed, ugly as hell, managed to thwart my master's plans - somehow the half-breed saved both dukes with his sword alone. The half-breed, Corerage III he calls himself, then somehow made it past the maze. Then he got to the Temple and fired a dispelling arrow, but it failed to connect. The coward then tried to run to the entrance, but we followed him and attacked him - Semaj was a bit frustrated, as is was obvious the half-breed had a protection from magic scroll active. Corerage III did manage to dispel my master's haste, but not before my master got a huge hit in while Corerage III's bow was equipped. Then the half-breed equipped some sword I have never seen before and attacked Sarevok. By then I noticed something - my arrows are connecting! {corey_russell forgot that he planned to use boots of avoidance to negate Angelo's attacks} Not only that the fool didn't even have full fire resistance, so my arrows were hurting him when they exploded {Corey_Russell also forgot to get a fire resistance potion, so Corerage III resistance to fire during the fight was 60%. Solo play is so unforgiving} Sure enough my master slew the half-orc before the half-orc could do the same to my master. This death put Sarevok in a slightly better mood, I hope it lasts. But at least I can feel good about the fact I lived longer the half-orc which caused us so many problems.

[Blackraven]

My biggest problem is really just the slog of BG1. Aside from unlucky crits right at the very start, there's really nothing in the game that can seriously threaten me. 

What about the Ducal Palace?

Also, depending on class/kit/stats, certain encounters can still be quite difficult. Think fighting Davaeorn with a low INT (solo) character who can't cast PfMagic on themselves due to their low INT, or exploring Cloakwood 2 with a Wizard Slayer that can't quaff potions. 

 

@Corey, condolences. I really liked Corerage III! 

[corey_russell]

What about the Ducal Palace?

Also, depending on class/kit/stats, certain encounters can still be quite difficult. Think fighting Davaeorn with a low INT (solo) character who can't cast PfMagic on themselves due to their low INT, or exploring Cloakwood 2 with a Wizard Slayer that can't quaff potions. 

 

@Corey, condolences. I really liked Corerage III! 

Thanks! I liked him too. I may restart him someday, but time to work on my mage run...

[Blackraven]

Thanks! I liked him too. I may restart him someday, but time to work on my mage run...

 

Which sounds like a lot of fun as well, based on what you wrote earlier. Looking forward to your first installment.

I've got the itch to start with a caster character as well, but not because I've tired of Glorydd.

[Alesia_BH]

My biggest problem is really just the slog of BG1. Aside from unlucky crits right at the very start, there's really nothing in the game that can seriously threaten me.

 

I think it's hilarious that we're all here having goofy fun, and at the same time we all have our little hidden miseries that are coming to the surface today.

 

A summary:

 

Alesia: "I spend so much time buffing, when I could be watching Love Boat."

 

Grond0: "I have to court death or I don't feel alive."

 

Corey: "The bandits kill my solo mages, and I hate it!"

 

Matuse: "I'm just too awesome and nothing can stop me!"

 

Anyone else want to share their hidden woes- join in on the catharsis?

 

Best,

 

A.

 

Btw. Bummer about Corerage, Corey.