46 réponses à ce sujet

[ncknck]

Shadowkeeper Imoen to exp of your party. No more problem. Else she has really low exp. Either 400k, or 1200k.

[faeriehunter]

Seeing that this thread was first made 14 days ago, my responses may come too late to matter, but anyway..

ncknck wrote...

Shadowkeeper Imoen to exp of your party. No more problem. Else she has really low exp. Either 400k, or 1200k.

Son of Imoen stated in a previous post that the average of the party's class levels is 11 right before setting sail towards Spellhold. Since Imoen is at least a level 11 wizard when found, she isn't going to be far behind the rest of the party, so I see no reason to raise her exp with Shadowkeeper.

As for leaving someone behind in a bad place, no spoilers are necessary to deduce that this will likely happen. The main character expects to find Imoen in Spellhold, a prison for wizards that has a bad reputation and is difficult to get to. Unfortunately a party in Baldur's Gate 2 can never have more than six characters at once, so should Imoen indeed be in Spellhold and get rescued there by a full party, someone would have to be left behind in place of Imoen.

About +4 weapons, those aren't a pre-requisite. The Lich encountered beyond the secret door in that inn in Athkatla is a fluke, and while a good strategy or dumb luck may defeat it at level 11, Liches are meant to be taken on at higher levels. An average party level of 11 is somewhat low for Spellhold and beyond by the way, but it should be doable.

Son of Imoen, there is something else you might want to know. Somewhere in chapter 4 you'll get the choice to leave the current area either via ship or via a magic portal. I recommend taking the ship. I'd explain why, but it might be considered a spoiler for someone who hasn't reached chapter 5 yet.

Modifié par faeriehunter, 23 septembre 2011 - 09:14 .

[ncknck]

Depends, level 11 is up to 1200k exp, and there is some heavy exp still ahead, iirc party gets +81k/char exp just for entering new chapter. Party would have about 1200k exp, vs Imoen 400k, thats quite a difference. I have yet to play a party which wouldnt completely outclass Imoen at that time, maybe i am just unlucky.

[Son of Imoen]

Thanks for your replies. I decided to leave Keto behind. Haven't got far into Brynnlaw yet. I got stuck trying to defeat Perth the Adept (SCS II improved mages pre-cast style) - he proved too difficult for me, as I couldn't dispel his protections faster than he put them up. Xan and Aerie ran out of Spell Thrust, Secret Word and Breach too quickly. Maybe I should have Xan learn Pierce Magic (he has three 6th level slots, only used for protections now - and have him scribe the scroll again for Imoen - right now I'm saving up most scrolls for her). My guess is with Pierce Magic the battle will be easier?

faeriehunter wrote...
An average party level of 11 is somewhat low for Spellhold and beyond by the way, but it should be doable.

Maybe I should reload and postpone chapter 4. If battles are as hard against Perth the Adept or harder. Right now I suffer from triple penalties: unfamiliarity with higher level battles and spells (it's my first runthrough of SOA that got this far), SCSII with mages and priest pre-casting (was doable in chapter 1-3, but battles get increasingly difficult) and, as you mention, being a bit too low-level for this chapter on top of that.

Getting back to the question I started this topic with, if I reload and do some other quests first, Imoen might be the level 13-version by the time I reach her.

Modifié par Son of Imoen, 24 septembre 2011 - 09:49 .

[Humanoid_Taifun]

Son of Imoen wrote...
I got stuck trying to defeat Perth the Adept (SCS II improved mages pre-cast style)

You do not actually need to defeat him (though he might be good practise).
Have you saved the damsel in distress in the brothel already? If you ask her for help, she may point you to the pirate captain (otherwise you'll need to deal with the guard), whom you can convince (if your charisma is good enough) that you should be sent to Spellhold the usual way (and for usual reasons).

[Son of Imoen]

faeriehunter wrote...

Seeing that this thread was first made 14 days ago, my responses may come too late to matter, but anyway..

Your answer is not too late, I didn't make much progress yet, getting stucked on Perth the Adept.

ncknck wrote...

Depends, level 11 is up to 1200k exp, and
there is some heavy exp still ahead, iirc party gets +81k/char exp just
for entering new chapter. Party would have about 1200k exp, vs Imoen
400k, thats quite a difference. I have yet to play a party which wouldnt
completely outclass Imoen at that time, maybe i am just
unlucky.

The conclusion reached on the first page, if it is the right one, is Imoen will have level 13 if the average level of the party is 13 or above. Might take some time with multi- and dual-class characters, but it is what I'm hoping for if I postpone.

[Son of Imoen]

Humanoid_Taifun wrote...
You do not actually need to defeat him (though he might be good practise).
Have you saved the damsel in distress in the brothel already? If you ask her for help, she may point you to the pirate captain (otherwise you'll need to deal with the guard), whom you can convince (if your charisma is good enough) that you should be sent to Spellhold the usual way (and for usual reasons).

I did rescue the damsel in damstress, However (I don't know if I'm right of course) getting entrance with a wardstone as if I'm working there seems beter than be taking as an inmate - inmate's will lose their possesions, and workers keep them, my logical mind tells me. Which gives a better starting position if I gain access by defeating Perth.

Modifié par Son of Imoen, 24 septembre 2011 - 10:11 .

[ncknck]

The conclusion reached on the first page, if it is the right one, is Imoen will have level 13 if the average level of the party is 13 or above. Might take some time with multi- and dual-class characters, but it is what I'm hoping for if I postpone.

It is difficult to achieve. If you postpone party will shoot over 2000k. Imoen really has some crappy default exp values. She was supposed to be killed originally. Playing with lowlevel is not really different, you get better exp in Spellhold and catch up.

I would actually dump Amber or Xan, Imoen can double any of them, and keep the bard, song is pretty good. Depends on who your main caster is, if its Aerie, dump Xan, if its Xan, dump Amber. Problem is there is only one set of good mage gear in the game.

Modifié par ncknck, 24 septembre 2011 - 10:48 .

[Humanoid_Taifun]

ncknck wrote...
I would actually dump Amber
or Xan, Imoen can double any of them, and keep the bard, song is pretty
good. Depends on who your main caster is, if its Aerie, dump Xan, if
its Xan, dump Amber. Problem is there is only one set of good mage gear
in the game.

It would depend what kind of Xan she installed, would it not? I usually go with the Fighter/Mage Xan, because I figure a Moonblade should be used by somebody who has been trained in the use of blades.

Son of Imoen wrote...
However (I don't know if I'm right of course) getting entrance with a wardstone as if I'm working there seems beter than be taking as an inmate - inmate's will lose their possesions, and workers keep them, my logical mind tells me. Which gives a better starting position if I gain access by defeating Perth.

No possessions are surrendered,
[Half Spoiler (explanation without any names or anything):]





thanks to a certain hunter who takes extra pleasure in going after opponents when they are at full strength.

[ncknck]

he said enchanter on the first page. Ftr/Mag Xan is probably fun hehe.

Oh and that guy:
surrendering is fun
killing means no need for backtracking, or even missing of the spellhold entrance, xp xp xpxpxpxpxpxpxpxpxpxp

[Humanoid_Taifun]

I believe you actually get more XP by going the bloodless way (of course, first killing Perth and the talking to the pirate captain gives you even more*).

* and is even roleplayable because 1) you want to get in low-profile so as not to start a battle immediately and 2) you want an exit strategy and maybe you will need the key stone for that.

[Son of Imoen]

Pff, metagaming the lot after I've been through there and know what's coming would be easier. But after having spoiled a lot of my first BG 1 run, I intend to do this without resorting to walkthroughs. One thing I do want to try, is if battling Perth is made easier if I have Xan memorize several Pierce Magic spells instead of using all his three 6th level slots for prot from magic weapons and prot from magic energy.

My strategy depends a lot on having both Aerie and Xan stripping the mages of protections, something a Bard isn't good at (dutchism?), and Amber has more interesting banter and talks a lot more with Charname herself, so Keto remains the one to stay behind.

Humanoid_Taifun wrote...
It would depend what kind of Xan she installed, would it not? I usually go with the Fighter/Mage Xan, because I figure a Moonblade should be used by somebody who has been trained in the use of blades.

[spoiler?]Son of Imoen is a male .

Xan is an enchanter in my install, just like the original. He's fun as a fighter-mage though in one of my current Tutu-runs.

[Son of Imoen]

P.S.: topic won't go stale soon, I doubt if I have the energy to play all the way to entering Spellhold soon, [off-topic]fighting government cuts on health cuts (such as a march against this policy this monday in The Hague), takes up a lot of my precious energy.[/off-topic]

[Son of Imoen]

Well, I tried getting after Perth again with 3xPierce Magic memorized, but I can't even cast the spell (spell canceled: cannot target invisible or shielded creatures). So I keep on spamming Secret Word's which, with SCSII older version, have a small area of effect and can get through to the invisible creatures. But he keeps refreshing PfMW and IM, so my fighters can't damage him and even though I didn't run out of spells this time, one after the other my characters fell, Keldorn to Prismatic Spray, there was a *edit* Power Word - Kill and it didn't help having my main character stunned or in chaos.

Even when not stunned: there's not much a ranger-cleric can do against a protected mage, or is there? Both my RC's Insect Plague and Keldorn's Dispel Magic got a 'Perth: spell ineffective' message.

Any help? I'll be checking out the captain meanwhile.

Modifié par Son of Imoen, 25 septembre 2011 - 05:41 .

[ncknck]

Dont know about SCS, but usually its 1.spell thrust, 2.breach. 3. hack away.


pfmw is countered by hitting him with a plain non magic weapon. Its a good idea to carry them on all fighters even in vanilla game.

Modifié par ncknck, 25 septembre 2011 - 05:16 .

[Son of Imoen]

ncknck wrote...

Dont know about SCS, but usually its 1.spell thrust, 2.breach. 3. hack away.


pfmw is countered by hitting him with a plain non magic weapon. Its a good idea to carry them on all fighters even in vanilla game.

I do, but either it was Improved Mantle that stopped it, or do the 'excellent' weapons that replaced many +1 weapon with the SCSII Tweak as magic weapons as well (I ask people who do know SCS)?.

[ncknck]

or stoneskin

[Matuse]

A copy/paste of my note to myself about Imoen:

When you finally meet up with Imoen in spellhold, she spawns at one of 2 levels. If you wish
to keep her as a permenant party member, it's a good idea to bring along a bunch of spell scrolls
for her to learn from. You can save yourself some inventory space by knowing what not to take.
She returns to the party with the following spellbook:
L1: Armor, Chromatic Orb, Identify, Magic Missile
L2: Melf's Acid Arrow, Mirror Image, Stinking Cloud, Strength, Web
L3: Fireball, Haste, Lightning Bolt, Monster Summoning I, Remove Magic
L4: Fireshield Blue, Fireshield Red, Improved Invisibility, Minor Globe of Invulnerability, Stoneskin
L5: Breach, Chaos, Domination, Monster Summoning III, Shadow Door
L6: Chain Lightning, Contingency, Mislead
She can show up at either level 11 or level 13 (The level 13 version has the same known spells, but a few
extra slots), depending on the level of your party when you find her. For best results, try to time your
experience so that you'll be in the vicinity of one of those two levels.

[Son of Imoen]

[for those reading along - it gets a little bit spoilerish]






Finally made it into Spellhold yesterday (didn't manage to battle Perth, but the Blade of Roses gave Keldorn enough charisma for convincing the pirate captain - I kept on reloading and fumbling through dialogue options untill I realized - by consulting a walkthrough - it's a CHA check). The thing that surprised me is how little you have to do battle to finally get Imoen back in your party - only your arrival at the docks of Brynnlaw, the "Festhall" and the dream, plus some minor pirates -. Having enough 'firepower' to get to Imoen is less of an issue then the question 'how much firepower with Imoen'. I'll do some rethinking on the party-makeup that I want (Xan didn't fulfill his announcement to leave, at least not yet, so I have 3 mages now) and perhaps a reload - I realize now it doesn't take that much time from the moment you report to Aran Linvail (siding with the Shadow Thieves) - only an a.w.f.u.l. a.m.o.u.n.t. o.f. c.u.t.s.c.e.n.e.s. to watch before you're reunited with Imoen.

edit: the colloquial word for what the Festhall actually is, isn't accepted by Bioware, at least not by it's forum:  ****house is what I get. LOL. And it's a five letter word for Bhaal's sake.

Modifié par Son of Imoen, 26 septembre 2011 - 03:29 .

[Humanoid_Taifun]

1) If you side with the vampires, there is no battle at the docks.
2) You do not need to fight your way through the brothel. Even if you do, you can drug most opponents into a helpless state before cutting their throats (or just leave them snoring around, if you aren't into free XP)
3) It's actually quite easy to convince the pirate captain if you have either Yoshimo or Minsc with you.
4) Nothing wrong with more mages - so long as everybody gets the essential defensive spells.

[Son of Imoen]

Well, Perth the Adept was easily defeated once I installed the Smarter Mages-component from SCS II without the pre-casting. For a first runthrough of BGII, the last element just makes it too difficult. Feel more confident now about getting to grips with Irenicus.

Did it the H_T -way this time: battle Perth for the Wardstone and then pretend to be mad.

Modifié par Son of Imoen, 02 octobre 2011 - 12:54 .

[Son of Imoen]

Gate70 wrote...
For reference in future runs; Sir Sarles may not like the fake illithium but he's not the ultimate sponsor. The temple may actually prefer something a little more tarnished and the sculptor wouldn't know this (n.b. you have to only have the fake stuff otherwise he grabs the real deal regardless).

Kicking up this old thread, I want to thank you for this hint. I was baffled when Sir Sarles got angry for being given fake ore, but later I saw what you meant, when the Helmites were pleased after all. And CHARNAME (another one following Faihra on the heels, that now started chapter 3) isn't even religious.

Modifié par Son of Imoen, 18 octobre 2011 - 11:11 .