84 réponses à ce sujet

[Humanoid_Taifun]

Goph wrote...

I'm about halfway through this run, and Mazzy seems like dead weight. Plus, she's competing with Nalia for arrows.

Spotted your problem right here.
Mazzy should not be using a bow unless you are using mods.
(Cross) Bow damage is ridiculously nerfed in BG2, to the point where I have described it as caressing rather than attacking the enemy.
The easiest and purest way of making her effective with such weapons would be to change her class to ranger (archer). That way, at least she'd get some damage bonus on every attack. She'd still deal less damage than your other characters, but at least you'd notice the difference between her attacking an enemy and just standing around (besides the visuals and the waste of ammo, I mean).
Besides that, there is the aTweaks mod which offers to give you a +3 on damage with arrows +3. This isn't very much, mind you, and even with a top level archer and this mod component, her damage would still rest below what people could do in melee (but maybe that's alright, seeing as she doesn't need to run up to every opponent to start damaging them).
The other option is the Item Revisions mod, which besides restoring the missing damage bonus of your missiles also restores the missing damage bonus on the bows themselves, so using a bow +5 with arrows +3 gives you a +8 on damage, which, combined with the archer bonuses, slowly starts to become some impressive damage. (at top archer level a +17 on your damage is almost comparable to the +27 that a kensai could get, theoretically even in ranged combat, with throwing axes).

If you are not fixated on bows, you could also try throwing axes, which have the advantage of using your strength damage bonus, or the Sling of Seeking, which does the same thing and also has missiles with noteworthy enchantment. Of course, neither of these weapons are known to Mazzy, so you'd have to cheat anyway.
If you don't want to do that, because you see her as an archer, I can only suggest that you give up on her making an actual contribution to your fights.

Also, Keldorn keeps dying, strangely . . .

Please, elaborate.

[Goph]

I just mean he keeps dying, and it's strange, not that he's dying in new and unusual ways or anything. I suppose half a game isn't really a big enough sample to identify it as a problem, especially given the infrequency with with characters die, but it seems like if someone dies in combat, it's usually him. It's not really a big deal, and it's not like he dies in every major fight, I just expected him to be more tankish.

I think I'll probably just drop Mazzy, or at least not use her in the future. I don't really need more melee, so if I can't make her an effective archer she's not worth keeping.

[ncknck]

He will continue to be a liability even in tob, he is just not a tank, his dex suck(unlike mazzy's), his saves suck(unlike mazzy's) he is not gonna use a shield (unlike mazzy) = death. Same applies to Valygar, but your probably using him as a hit and run scout, and to your main char, but he is probably so loaded with uber items, he can handle it. Keldorn is just the first in a row to get it.

Modifié par ncknck, 26 septembre 2011 - 01:07 .

[Goph]

Valygar's great in melee -- he's my favorite NPC, if you don't count Imoen. Keldorn's dex is unfortunate, but it's easily remedied with bracers . . .

[AnonymousHero]

ncknck wrote...

He will continue to be a liability even in tob, he is just not a tank, his dex suck(unlike mazzy's), his saves suck(unlike mazzy's) he is not gonna use a shield (unlike mazzy) = death. Same applies to Valygar, but your probably using him as a hit and run scout, and to your main char, but he is probably so loaded with uber items, he can handle it. Keldorn is just the first in a row to get it.

Unless you can get crazy low AC (-20 or so) or PfMW/Mantle/Mirror Images/Stoneskin/etc, you shouldn't be using it to tank with in ToB. You should be using Hardiness and items which grant physical resistance (chief of which is the Defender of Easthaven).

[ncknck]

AnonymousHero wrote...

Unless you can get crazy low AC (-20 or so) or PfMW/Mantle/Mirror Images/Stoneskin/etc, you shouldn't be using it to tank with in ToB. You should be using Hardiness and items which grant physical resistance (chief of which is the Defender of Easthaven).

Thats right. There is no point in equipping for mediocre AC. Either all the way or nothing.

Modifié par ncknck, 26 septembre 2011 - 06:23 .

[Goph]

This thread isn't in ToB, just for the record . . .

[AnonymousHero]

EDIT: Blah. No need to derail this thread.

Modifié par AnonymousHero, 26 septembre 2011 - 07:00 .

[ncknck]

Goph wrote...

This thread isn't in ToB, just for the record . . .

Doesnt matter, if i recall correctly AC can be maxed as soon as in Underdark.

[Goph]

I wasn't complaining. There's no reason several conversations can't be had in the same thread, I just wanted to clarify what was immediately helpful and what wasn't. More is always better . . .

[jaxsbudgie]

Why not just use Shadow Keeper to alter Mazzy's proficiencies from shortbow to shortswords. Then give her points in two weapon fighting and she should be getting a wealth of attacks per round provided you give her that shortsword that grants an extra 1/2 attack per round.
Personally I've never used Mazzy, but I can imagine her being fairly good up front wielding two shortswords.

[Humanoid_Taifun]

The Gauntlets of Dexterity would take care of Keldorn's mediocre Dex score, but actually I don't really believe that these few points of AC are supposed to be the sole reason he continuously drops dead. Maybe the problem really is that he is normally the first to come into reach and sight of the enemy thus taking the full force of their offense.

[Bobfly]

The first seen = most attacked thing makes lots of sense.

Have you tried just pulling him back off the front line when he gets very injured?
If I'm insulting your intelligence here, I apologize. Just trying to cover all the angles )

Modifié par Bobfly, 26 septembre 2011 - 04:16 .

[Goph]

My PC is usually the first to be seen and the first in the fight (he has the boots of speed so he tends to get a little ahead of everybody else. I keep Keldorn in the second row since he can hit from there with his 2H sword . . .

[Humanoid_Taifun]

Then what is killing him? He's obviously getting attacked by somebody.

[Goph]

Well, sometimes enemies spill over the edges of the front line. He's been dying less since ch2, but then nobody else is dying anymore either, so I still think he's my easiest guy to kill . . .

EDIT: An unrelated question, but how do solo players handle the absence of theiving skills?  I've been thinking of dropping Nalia next time through as well, though I'm not sure on that yet . . .

Modifié par Goph, 28 septembre 2011 - 03:19 .

[Humanoid_Taifun]

Some traps you can avoid, others you have to trigger. If you know what the trap does (a lot of playthroughs or reloads required I guess), you can protect yourself against pretty much everything. Locks need to be bashed, Knocked or ignored.

Modifié par Humanoid_Taifun, 28 septembre 2011 - 03:34 .

[Goph]

I was afraid that was the case with the traps. Is there a secret to bashing locks? It seldom works for me, even with high strength characters. Does it matter what type weapon you use (enchantments, blunt vs. slashing, etc.)? I would hate to miss out on all that lock picking and trap finding xp. I'll probably keep Nalia around for at least one more run . . .

Also, I feel obliged to mention that Keldorn just died again in the maze beneath Spellhold, where your party gets split into two groups each facing Umber Hulks. PC/Mazzy/Aerie finished their group no trouble, but Valygar/Imoen/Keldorn just couldn't quite get it done before Keldorn slipped away. It had been a really long time since anyone died, and as Bobfly pointed out it wouldn't have been any trouble to move him away from the fight and keep him alive, I just thought it was funny that right after I said no one had died in a while Keldorn got killed again. I swear he's cursed. Love that True Sight though, and the Holy Avenger makes Lich battles a joke -- he's definitely a keeper, death-prone or no . . .

[Humanoid_Taifun]

Goph wrote...

I was afraid that was the case with the traps. Is there a secret to bashing locks? It seldom works for me, even with high strength characters. Does it matter what type weapon you use (enchantments, blunt vs. slashing, etc.)? I would hate to miss out on all that lock picking and trap finding xp. I'll probably keep Nalia around for at least one more run . . .

With all the extra XP from soloing, I don't think you'll really miss the XP bonuses for traps and locks.
What's the secret to bashing open locks? Repeated attempts and, of course, higher strength scores. DUHM, later Crom Faeyr or the Slayer, potions, there are a number of options for raising your strength score.

[Grond0]

The manual tells you what thief open locks % each strength score is equal to. There is also a random factor applied to thief attempts and bashing locks, but it is quite small so there are plenty of locks that cannot be bashed even by a character with 25 strength. Unless you know that a lock can be opened at a particular strength score it's probably not worth trying more than 4 or 5 times.

[AnonymousHero]

Goph wrote...
EDIT: An unrelated question, but how do solo players handle the absence of theiving skills?  I've been thinking of dropping Nalia next time through as well, though I'm not sure on that yet . . .

You basically have to remember (roughly) where they are and have a character who's able to buff appropriately to counter whatever's thrown at you. AFAICT mages, bards, druids and clerics can avoid all traps without difficulty. They have resistance spells to counter elemental damage and Shield of the Archons/Spell Deflection for the spell effect traps (maze, imprisonment, charm, etc.). There are a few traps which are Area of Effect and Save-or-Else and which aren't foiled by Spell Deflection (Prismatic Spray at the slaver compound comes to mind). I can't remember if those can be foiled by Spell Immunity, but you can always get your saves into the negatives for those situations.

Or, you can just install the "No Traps/Locks" cheat from G3 Tweak pack. That's what I do. (I can't stand the trap mechanic, even when playing a thief. To me it only serves to slow the game down pointlessly.)

[AnonymousHero]

Grond0 wrote...
Unless you know that a lock can be opened at a particular strength score it's probably not worth trying more than 4 or 5 times.

I'd say 10-20 times. It's quick to do, and you've reduced the chance of a false negative drastically. (Especially if you're considering using a rare STR potion just to bash the lock!)

[Goph]

Alright. No Saemon glitches this time so I finally got to see the underwater city, and I've got to say, the Cloak of Mirroring graphic is pretty damn annoying . . .

[Grond0]

I think there are several mods that remove this (and similar) animations, e.g. SCSII.

[Gorthaur X]

IIRC, 1pp also changes that animation into something more aesthetically pleasant.