301 réponses à ce sujet

[Gate70]

Hope you feel better soon.

Looking forward to some alternate updates as I'm going to need all the sneaky underhanded game engine abuse there is - e.g. nipping in and out of a room to avoid spells (textbook Grond0101 ).

[Gate70]

Melissan bursts in and surveys the carnage. I know what she's thinking (all this blood and guts but no loot) so I keep my Bag of Holding out of sight and leave quietly. I grab a few items from Lazarus - a ring of fire protection and some scrolls just in case I need them. Cespenar is waiting at the Pocket Plane and improves my Cloak of Protection +2. 20000gp later I'm not sure I really needed it but too late now (and it looks more monkly to my untrained eye). I need to take care of my last 24849gp though.

The Marching Mountains is crawling with Yaga Shura soldiers so I cast Hardiness and start piling up the bodies. Karthis al-Hezzar is desperate to make a deal with me but I want to loot the area first. Two Fire Giants cast Hardiness and Enrage but it turns out that stones in the water and stones in the air are bad for their health (screenshot edited just as second giant dies - saves time all round).


I clear the area of soldiers and my magic resistance helps against a mage, then I pebble-dash two more Fire Giants. Cheap - but effective.

Reloads : 13
Illasera - 6.
Kiser Jhaeri - 1.
Saradush Prison - 4.
Gromnir - 2.

[Grond0]

Hope you feel better soon Alesia. Escal's progress was delayed a bit yesterday by something called the Ryder Cup, but he should start again soon. He's currently level 7 and at the Cloakwood Mine having just obtained boots of speed.

@Gate70 - I must admit that engine abuse is much to be preferred to PC abuse, though I seem to get plenty of that as well!

[Gate70]

I turn my map the right way up - this is not the Marching Mountains, I've been in the North Forest all this time. Oh well, at least nobody knows (shhhhhhh!)

I have a choice of the Marching Mountains, a Siege Camp and the Forest of Mir to choose from. I'm dreading Mir, so decide to try there first with a scroll of protection from undead - it won't help will it?

"Gorion" teaches me a few lessons and I am fool enough to fall for them. Then I am attacked so use the cloak II and nothing chases me (although it might just have taken a round for them to notice the scroll) so I remove my attackers one by one. Most turn invisible or run when injured but the Master Wraith is chunked - even his blue fireshield causes no injuries. Soon only the two invisible vampiric wraiths are left and I leave them alone.

I move on to the skeleton party and start on them - they wander around aimlessly meaning it takes a while to destroy them all and I have to hide from two Mordenkainen's Swords.  After that two groups of undead mummies and ghasts are felled and I gain another GWW ability before talking to Nyalee. I head to the Marching Mountains before resting in my pocket plane.

The protection from undead scroll and possibly the improved invisibility turned that from my expectation (total nightmare) to a 5-10 minute no-risk XP farm. For a character without NPP this has to be the way to go, and even with it I can't see why a scroll wouldn't be used (other than to make it more of a challenge).

Reloads : 13
Illasera - 6.
Kiser Jhaeri - 1.
Saradush Prison - 4.
Gromnir - 2.

[ussnorway]

Update;
Casta  has started her bg2 run (vanillia) and hopes to begin Tob by the weekend... she will have to pick her fights.



No deaths so far.

[Grond0]

This version of Escal has safely negotiated BG1 and should start his journey in Amn tonight - I feel pretty comfortable with the progress of this incarnation so far.  I do feel a bit bad that he's got so many HPs (both previous versions had significantly less than average), when arguably I should have just been reloading the original version.  However, I think I can live with it!

[Gate70]

A Fire Giant at the Marching Mountains gets Hardiness, GWW and three more hits to kill. Lay on hands and a potion of healing are required before a second Fire Giant fails to save my third hit with Quivering Palm. Chinchilla the rabbit survives a GWW to transform into a werewolf - chunked with a second GWW. Troop the Brave takes a few hits then decides it is time to leave. Merlinious survives an entire WW and vanishes before my Quivering Palm can connect and the fourth Bhaalspawn leaves unscathed.

Two Burning Men cover me in Cinder Showers and I panic. A Fire Giant attacks but my running scared keeps me safe until I recover. I kill the Fire Giant, and then the two Burning Men before entering the lair of Yaga Shura. I use all my abilities, hide repeatedly and glug a dozen or so healing potions to defeat the group of Fire Giants inside without leaving (quite tough, even with 3 GWW, WW, Hardiness, QP and Stunning Blows because every third or fourth hide failed and the Elite Fire Giants liked their Oils of Speed).

Reloads : 13
Illasera - 6.
Kiser Jhaeri - 1.
Saradush Prison - 4.
Gromnir - 2.

[Grond0]

Sounds like your HLAs are starting to make things easier for you Gate.

Escal had his first death in the orog ambush. I thought the mage there wouldn't be able to hurt him while raged, but apparently no-one told him that chromatic orb has +6 to saving throw and Escal turned to stone (none of my mods should have affected the spell).

On the plus side I can now stop worrying about trying to keep him alive and concentrate on gathering equipment for ToB.

[Alesia_BH]

Grond0 wrote...
On the plus side I can now stop worrying about trying to keep him alive and concentrate on gathering equipment for ToB.

Yup. You can feel free to gather items.

The other thing is that you needn't take the safe route everytime, you can experiment.

I love No Reload play, but I also enjoy the comparative freedom that challenges like this grant.

Modifié par Alesia_BH, 03 octobre 2012 - 12:47 .

[Gate70]

Being familiar with ToB really helps as a decent shopping list can be compiled. I'm at the stage where I may be facing fire trolls and have nothing that will kill them. I may have to console in the Blackblood club if I can't find anything suitable.

Dagger of the Star +5's electrical damage might work.
Usuno's Blade only has a 10% chance of electrical damage so far less effective.
Spectral Brand cold damage might work but that's a long way into Watchers Keep.

[Gate70]

Three more Fire Giants and two Elites take about 20 minutes until the last is almost dead (and the game crashes). I decide to HLA-overload-rest them to make up time. One Fire Giant is down (and the game crashes again). Third time lucky.

I return to Saradush (can't get to Watchers Keep so the Fire Trolls are going to be troublesome : EDIT - yes I can, going there now) and buy all 11 potions of Mind Focusing from the temple. Lazarus Librarus next, 2 acid protection scrolls (Draconis) and 2 electric protection scrolls (Abazigal). Protection from Undead (just in case). 2 Protection from Fire (remains of Yaga Shura lair). Potions of Heroism and Strength too. I have spare cash so might as well take everything I want in case Saradush falls.

Nothing that will deal with Fire Trolls though. I'll see if I can continue without killing them.

Reloads : 13
Illasera - 6.
Kiser Jhaeri - 1.
Saradush Prison - 4.
Gromnir - 2.

Modifié par Gate70, 03 octobre 2012 - 05:51 .

[Gate70]

I head to Watchers Keep - must be mad. GWW takes care of two vampiric mists and two poison mists but I have to shut a door on some trolls after looting their room (no fire to kill them, trolls are going to be a major problem). A pack of Shadow Fiends drain me down to level 22, and after being restored a trap drains me again so Sister Garlena gets another 500gp. Four Statues attack me (another 8 are waiting) so after dealing with them I portal rest and deal with two guardian golems and a lich of a priest. I get the ritual correct on the second attempt (sigh) and have to fight the eight statues.

One is down under WW but I have to run and hide. A second (shooting arrows) succumbs to GWW but a remove magic de-buffs me - which means I'll just hit & run instead of slugging it out. I've hidden behind a pillar and move away to heal, and write in my journal while waiting for their buffs to reduce a bit. A third is waiting behind the pillar so I GWW it then hide from two Mordenkainen's Swords that are immune to my fists (after knocking two trolls unconscious - this is going to be irritating, game saved).

I kill another statue but the golem statue hits me and after inspecting the damage decide I can easily take another hit - wrong. Reload14 (a bit of a wimpy one if I'm honest). I glug Mind Focusing, Frost Giant and Regeneration potions before GWW'ing the earlier statue, golem statue and a third statue (one of them landing a critical 66 damage - I thought that was a good hit for a monk).


The Hobgoblin statue takes four hits then I only have the caster statue left. A few hits and I can move on to the next level where a chromatic demon wants to make a deal. I head through a door and sigh as a pack of desert trolls swarm me - no way to kill them either but I have a plan (learnt from the multiplayer run a couple of days ago). A Ruhk is left alone and kills the trolls for me with poisonous clouds and fire. When the trolls are dead I kill the ruhk, glug a potion of regeneration and use a scroll of protection from electricity. I check - only 50% (close call) so use a second scroll to get to 100% resistance. Two GWW's remove two greater air elementals but a guardian of air has joined two lesser elementals. Quivering Palm is ineffective (some saved, others not so immune) but fists +3 are not.


(The game is freezing for tens of seconds at a time here, was lagging in Yaga Shura's lair but this is worse). I greatly increase the airflow and open another door. A group of kuo-toa almost kill me (not sure how, just suddenly went from OK to red portrait so might have taken trap damage too) so I retreat through the air chamber and glug a potion. I need a second potion as the fight resumes but soon only their mage is left and my magic resistance is better than his buffs. I open the next door and kill a few slimes before a huge snake attacks. It bites me so I stun it, and keep it stunned until dead (had 7 Stunning Blows and nothing else left; used 2 of the 7).


A group of spiders precede two ice mists and an ice golem (which hits hard but is easy for me to hit). The final entrance area contains mists and horrors, and opening the ice chamber door frees a third ice mist. My final task is to open a door to the fire chamber. With four greater fire elementals frozen solid I kill the fire giant and my job is almost done. I decide to rest (lose strength and dexterity buffs but HLA's will be essential next. I add Mind Focusing, Cloud Giant Strength and Heroism, Improved Invisibility, Kitthix, Berserk Warrior and Hardiness. (Thought this next bit would be a fail - but determined to find out the hard way).

The chromatic demon decides to start with me, so I GWW him. 2 GWW's barely injure him while I have to run. I glug potions including a second Mind Focusing. A third GWW injures him and I glug another healing potion. GWW 4 keeps him injured, another potion of healing then GWW 5 (badly injured) and 6 together followed by two potions, my second Hardiness and a remaining WW. He's still badly injured so I glug another potion and use my fists (near death). Another glug and fists again. Yet another potion and fists, then another potion - not needed but my aura was clear and felt best to keep healthy and fighting before Hardiness expired. A few more hits and I reach level 29 (Think it is 7 GWW's, 2 Hardinesses and 1 WW).


Reloads : 14
Illasera - 6.
Kiser Jhaeri - 1.
Saradush Prison - 4.
Gromnir - 2.
Watchers Keep level 1 statues - 1

Modifié par Gate70, 03 octobre 2012 - 08:45 .

[Grond0]

I'd already decided that Escal was going to jump straight to ToB once I'd got desired equipment.  That decision was reinforced when I discovered a major bug in the game while killing the shade lord - that failed to trigger the area transition.  That was clearly not a one-off as there was a similar issue with the liches in Athkatla - the game refusing to count them as dead for the purpose of reopening the magic barrier at the City Gates or allowing Kangaxx's body parts to be picked up.  I didn't have any problems with BG1, so I suspect the bug only affects scripted undead.  Let's hope there's no similar problems in ToB.

As I'd already done the hard work with the liches (using scrolls of protection from magic) I consoled in the ring of Gaxx.  The other items in inventory were all genuinely obtained, although Cloak of Balduran and Tymora's Gift (belt with +3 to luck, +10% MR) are enabled / added by mods.

[The Potty 1]

Alesia_BH wrote...

@ Potty1. It would be wonderful to have you! (So everyone knows, Potty1 was one of the participants in the original Ascension Solo Challenge on the old forums). Best of luck with your run. Let us know when your Kensai->Mage is ready to start ToB.

What Alesia didn't mention was that while she was blowing through tactics/ascension on insane with a level 23 sorceror, I managed it on core with a level 40/40 cleric/mage, and then again on easy with a level 40 barbarian. I couldn't cut it on easy with a level 13>39 kensai>thief. The only way I managed it was through being massively overpowered, whereas Alesia can probably figure out how to make a potion of infravision overpowered.

In any case, I'd always felt that my barbarian had the potential to complete this on core rules. So, following Gate70's lead, I rolled a new barbarian in ToB. My previous one was a half-orc, and ran through SoA & ToB with the classic evil group, along with Valen. This one is dwarven to get the 'short' save bonusses. I will introduce you formally once I get through the Illasera fight. I breezed through the four reavers without Illasera noticing, apart from one arrow which seemed to drop my hitpoints by half. I'm cautiously optimistic, as I can probably close to melee range before she gets two shots off, and if the ring of invisibility fools her she may not even get one.

I did cheat in the defender of Easthaven, because it's the definitive barbarian off-hand weapon. I'm pretty sure my previous barbie used blackrazor, and easthaven off. This barbie is using the FoA and belm off, as the extra attack seemed more useful against the Reavers. If people feel I shouldn't get easthaven I will drop it.

I would suggest that people starting in ToB be allowed to cheat in a single item of their choosing that they would have collected in SoA. This should perhaps exclude the ring of gaxx as I don't believe I would be able to aquire this with this (or any other) character while using the scs2 mod. The SotM may fall under this rule too, I haven't taken on the twisted rune for a while either. Another item we should perhaps be allowed is the Amulet of power, as you can't actually avoid getting it in SoA. On the other hand I'm not sure barbies can even use it, and I can rage to avoid level drain, so it's no biggie.

[Gate70]

Good luck to you both.

Session 1.
I can do nothing with Yakman or with an inscription on a huge stone, nor indeed with Tahazzer. My first GWW deals with him.


I use my speed to run and glug between GWW stands. My second GWW removes two glabrezu, my third the remaining glabrezu and a Yochlol (level up, GWW) while my fourth sees the succubus, Maurezhi and a spider dropped. I slow down and clear the remaining enemies at a more relaxed pace but the quasits prove difficult to attack before turning invisible (and after 2-3 minutes the game crashes - grrr).

I clear the area again but have been level drained, so use one of my three restoration scrolls before plane-resting. The next area has two cornugons, a velithuru and a pit fiend, so I plane-rest after defeating them. A succubus offers to help me through the next area and a fight erupts when I decline. I have to use a second restoration scroll after clearing the area and am getting worried as there is now only one left. Ka'rashur is willing to talk so I hand over the heart of Tahazzar and leave without a fight. Two Glabrezu and their summons are next , then a group of tieflings. I call it a night.

Session 2.
I've got the "improved Fire Giant Temple" component of SCS, just wondering if there are any trolls in there and if I'm wasting my time in the Keep. Never mind, I'm almost there and it's not as if a demi-lich will have found the dagger (hmm, rethink required - and hope for a good deck of cards).

I continue, buffing for Demon Knights and a cambion. I kill two before three more stun and kill me. Reload15, I add a potion of invulnerability and defeat them - but am drained to level 25 so use my final scroll of restoration.

I head north again and only have to face a Demon Wraith - his minions are dead already, but instead he summons a group of slave wraiths. I am badly wounded while he casts a series of immunities so I glug some potions then use a series of GWW's once he uses Stoneskin. I take an early level drain to 28 and have to live with it.


Aesgareth is friendly and I decide to play his game of cards . I draw Strife and am slowed, he draws Triumph and has to battle a group of fighters. My card is higher and I have the Spectral Brand sword - a good result and I wouldn't have known if he'd told me I'd lost, so a good sport.

Next I draw Strength (reduced to 6), and he Defiance (flamestrike). I win again and take a scroll I don't wish for.

Finally I draw Emperor (permanent mind shield, not sure what that adds to monk immunities), he draws Wheel (unknown effect) and wins his escape. Eventually I find my way outside where Sister Garlene sorts my ailments as I purchase five more restoration scrolls and a few potions. I turn to leave but something tells me I'm almost at the machine of Lum the Mad...

Reloads : 15.
Illasera - 6.
Kiser Jhaeri - 1.
Saradush Prison - 4.
Gromnir - 2.
Watchers Keep level 1 statues - 1.
Watchers Keep level 3 Demon Knights - 1.

[Gate70]

Some time earlier (mephit tree) this happened but Veyal didn't want to mention it until finding a cure (resting).


I fight off four illithid but a quartet of killer mimics hold me. (Reload16 so) Kitthix and the Berserk Warrior can run a distraction as I kill the mimics with two GWW's. A few other creatures are killed and then more trolls - for which the Spectral Brand sword is no good. I try to hide from them but run into shadows, and they follow me even when invisible. I soon shut them in a side room and hide from the trolls.

A Gith encampment is next. A Gish and warriors get the better of me (chromatic orb insta-kill, Reload17) so I add a potion of invulnerability and clear the area. A scroll of protection from undead and three GWW's sees a demi-lich destroyed with ease then a scroll and potion of fire protection sees Saladrax the red dragon up against Improved Invisibility, Hardiness and GWW. He casts PfMW so I switch to a plain katana but he is hitting me easily and I have to run. I heal and return, then have to run again, and he removes magic before adding Greater Malison and a breath attack (50 something plus 40 something). Ouch (3/120hp before glugging).


I use a second scroll to get back to 90% fire resistance and glug some healing potions. That is removed too and I'm struggling. My Spectral Blade summon occupies him for a while but is buffetted then unsummoned. Kitthix and the Berserk Warrior are both flame-grilled so I pop to my pocket plane and retreive my last three potions of fire resistance. I glug one and try a Quivering Palm but Saladrax saves each time and despite Hardiness I have to retreat. He Stoneskins so I fire some bullets. His breach fails to dispel the fire protection so I melee but get repeatedly buffeted with Melf's Acid Arrows and Magic Missiles too. I heal somewhat then melee again, healing entirely with his next breath (not sure why but I'm 127% resistant so maybe only one of the scroll/potion was dispelled earlier).

He seems to have run out of spells and a bullet or two wound him so I heal further with his breath while using GWW and blue bullets. A stoneskin is followed by PfMW so I stop for a while then start again. He is almost dead but my fire resistance has dropped to 90% and my GWW's are running out. My penultimate GWW defeats him (should really have left him as the resource requirements and cheese outweigh the benefits, but confirms I could be stuffed against Draconis and what follows between him and Abazigal).

The illithid encampment entrance is almost a death trap, getting drained to level 32 and down to single figure hit points before I run. I have to run from the shadows I sneaked past to get in and recover in my pocket plane without a restoration scroll. I kill a few of the shadows on my return but am surrounded by trolls. Two are on the floor so I grab sunstone bullets and prepare to GWW (but the game crashes).

I clear the outside area of shadows, and then the inside before using a restoration scroll and plane-resting. Sarevok suggests I check for a decent weapon on old acquaintances (all NPC's summoned) but none of them have the likes of Blackblood.

Back at the illithid lair a trap level drains me (gah), and I am stunned for Reload 18 by an ulitharid. I fall for the same trap again (seemed unfair to metagame so use a scroll of restoration and beat the flayers at the second attempt (save vs spells 2, so must have rolled a 1 last time). Two vampiric illithid later I have cleared their lair. I light six fires and go to deal with Rock and Garock but my second GWW is interrupted so I run. Two more GWW's are required to stop Rock glugging all his potions then the minions are removed. Garock is treated to a Stunning Blow followed by a Quivering Palm but he saves them all. I kick and punch him to pieces instead then contemplate which of the containers will level drain me (why it's the one on the left with the mallet - gah). This time I use the exit to see Sister Garlena - why didn't I do that before?

After removing Carston from the machine I fiddle (all benefits in sequence, stats now as below, magic resistance 93% and no need for the strength girdle but no other girdle to wear).


Reloads : 18.
Illasera - 6.
Kiser Jhaeri - 1.
Saradush Prison - 4.
Gromnir - 2.
Watchers Keep level 1 statues - 1.
Watchers Keep level 3 Demon Knights - 1.
Watchers Keep level 4 killer mimics - 1.
Watchers Keep level 4 Gith - 1.
Watchers Keep level 4 Ulitharid - 1.

[Alesia_BH]

Hi all.

Abigail apologizes for being late to the party. Despite all her heroism, the fact of the matter is she is dependent on silly little me, and since I haven't been well, she hasn't made progress.

I'll let you all know when she's ready to start ToB. In the meantime, best wishes!

@Grond0- Good to see Escal ready to take on ToB.

@Gate70- Nice progress.Looking forward to a victory over Tougher Demogorgon.

@Potty1- Best of luck with your Barbie. Consoling The Defender makes sense. I'm not inclined to console items personally, but I can definitely see how permitting it can serve the needs of players- especially those who don't have the time or inclination to run through SoA. Once again, I'd just encourage disclosure: if you console something, let us know.

Modifié par Alesia_BH, 04 octobre 2012 - 11:37 .

[Gate70]

Sorry to hear you're still not well. I wasn't intending doing any more in Watchers Keep. I don't need to as I have the equipment I wanted, but more to the point there are some battles that a monk could really struggle with - using scrolls and potions that are needed for the main plot. The pillars, the final seal and demogorgon also all have level drains and I can't find a way to avoid that. I may go back with a save game once I've had a go against Melissan.

As I depart I flick through Elminster's Ecologies and confirm that Fire Trolls don't like cold damage so Spectral Brand looks like a solid option (with cold damage each hit). I sort out my gear and return to Saradush, purchasing everything I require from the temple and Lazarus Librarus. My final task is to purchase a rod of resurrection from Karthis al-Hezzar and raise the father of a grieving child (before leaving them to their fate). 10000gp wasted I hear you say but it's only money.

The lair of Yaga Shura beckons once more, and I immediately grab a fiery girdle (strength boosted from 19 to 22). GWW Spectral Brand soon has the Fire Trolls iced (still a pain to have to move away so they collapse as it wastes part of each GWW). One side of the remaining two rooms is cleared of the usual enemies but the other side contains a fire lich (can't remember that being normal) so I move away as it casts Timestop. I endure a second Timestop and several PfMW's before eventually treating it to a pair of GWW's. Two Burning Men and two Greater Fire Elementals are the final barrier to a large stairway and the inner sanctum.

Once inside I Hardiness GWW two Fire Giants. Two more then I locate Beren - and Brimstone. Oh (forgot about the mention of a dragon in the improved lair). Still, it can't be as painful as Saladrax and 3hp left can it?


I hit his/her stoneskins a couple of times then take a huge fireball (3/116hp - I seem to like 3hp). I run though an arch and consider my options. My fire resistance has been reduced and is only 15% even with a ring so I wait for that to wear off and try again. My Magic Resistance stops several Melf's Acid Arrows, then I kill a few more Fire Giants including Beren. Brimstone is double-stunned but I realise that I can't rely on such tactics as the stuns do nothing (except make great screenshots in my opinion).


I decide to glug a potion of fire resistance to aid my hit and run efforts. Almost immediately I am breached, this is not a stupid dragon and I might as well throw my potions away (I just did with that one anyway). A few hits later though and I am through the stoneskins. Two consecutive hits are given without retaliation then I am buffetted into the wall and almost killed (3hp yet again, talk about cutting it fine). A few more hits and the dragon is almost dead but I hear a noise and as expected my next hit bounces off an un-announced stoneskin.  

I hit Brimstone a few times and consider a GWW but staying after one hit is asking to be flame buffeted and my GWW's will go to waste in melee. I decide to GWW with my sling to remove the stoneskins then return for hit and run, but the GWW has started to injure the dragon again. I expect it to survive but that isn't the case and I find myself wanting to roll back time and finish with a punch.


I quite liked the intelligent dragon de-buffs - it is more realistic I guess to have to hit and run from something that big and tough. I must have glugged 20-40 potions of extra healing (conserving superiors, only glugged 2-3 since Illasera). Feeling very concerned about later battles - nowhere to hide against Draconis and already thinking about the hidey-hole Alesia makes regular use of against Abazigal and Tamah. Plus I've heard the other(yellow?) dragon is in a cave hardly any bigger than he is....? Gulp.

Reloads : 18.
Illasera - 6.
Kiser Jhaeri - 1.
Saradush Prison - 4.
Gromnir - 2.
Watchers Keep level 1 statues - 1.
Watchers Keep level 3 Demon Knights - 1.
Watchers Keep level 4 killer mimics - 1.
Watchers Keep level 4 Gith - 1.
Watchers Keep level 4 Ulitharid - 1.

[Alesia_BH]

Gate70 wrote...
Sorry to hear you're still not well. I wasn't intending doing any more in Watchers Keep.

Understood. If you swing by there later, I'll be interested.

Feeling very concerned about later battles - nowhere to hide against Draconis and already thinking about the hidey-hole Alesia makes regular use of against Abazigal and Tamah. Plus I've heard the other(yellow?) dragon is in a cave hardly any bigger than he is....? Gulp.

Yes. And don't forget the quadruple dragon battle...

I think you should expect to get thrashed in Abazigal's Lair (Sendai's too). It will probably take some persistance and experimentation to make it through. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see the reload count more than double before both are finished.

Abigail is rooting for you. 

Modifié par Alesia_BH, 05 octobre 2012 - 05:32 .

[The Potty 1]

To start, introductions.



The name is a naff play on 8 bits to a byte, because I was thinking along the lines of some sort of knee-bighter pun. Yup sorry it's pathetic and possibly even offensive. However are his saving throws not a thing of beauty?

Weapon proficiencies are somewhat erratic, flails and dual-wielding are solid, but 2* in hammers .. probably thinking about runehammer. Axes are ok because I'll probably use unyielding off for the regeneration, and long swords is never wasted. Daggers I was probably thinking of the firetooth dagger sold in ust natha for ranged fighting, so that was a dud.



The starting gear is solid, with some glaring ommissions that I would never leave SoA without. Where is the Amulet of power, the +2 ring, the improved mace of disruption, and about 50 potions of extra healing? Perhaps mages get a different bag, with some gauntlets and a robe, although in truth mages are pretty shafted by Illasera's dispelling arrows whatever they're wearing.



In any case Illasera presented no challenge whatsoever, I killed her on the first try without having to use a single enrage, rock to her scissors. Now on to the paper.

Modifié par The Potty 1, 05 octobre 2012 - 09:14 .

[The Potty 1]

Paper came soon enough. The next fight in fact, the first challenge in the pocket plane.

I dispatched the first wave as expected, then died twice to the drow warrior / priestess wave. No worries, I tried killing the archers in the first wave but leaving the doppelgangers. I headed to the very top of the area, and the doppelgangers formed a protective barrier against the drow, so I could engage the drow one or at worst two at a time.



Worked OK, I had to turn into the slayer, which gives you a full heal, and then back, for another full heal, but I got to the third wave in good shape. This went pear shaped immediately, Bhodi is really fast and drains 5 levels a hit, so before I even considered enraging I was level 8, and then dead.

I tried again a couple of times, but Bhodi & Sarevok in the third wave easily kill me before Irenecus could even consider bringing out the big guns. My rage doesn't last long enough to kill Bhodi, who regenerates something fierce.

I fine tuned the second wave extensively. If you have to choose between a drow fighter or priestess, kill the fighter, because they hit harder, and killing a priestess seems to spawn in an invisible stalker. Always leave one fighter till last, because killing him initiates the third wave. Before you kill the last fighter, clean up the stalkers and doppelgangers, then run and heal.

Eventually last night I threw in the towel. Yup, I was officially out of the game.

This morning I decided to stop wining and have one more try, with extra cheese. Specifically, I bumped my XP up to 3M in shadowkeeper, and added the improved mace of disruption, the belt of inertial barrier, and 20 potions of healing.
3M XP gave me my first HLA, and obviously I took hardiness.



Bhodi was still no pushover, she is immune to the iMoD's disruption effect, but the hardiness carried me through, and wore off just before she dropped. I was so stoked I forgot to get a screenshot. Sarevok didn't have her speed, so I ran and healed for a bit. Irenecus had started dropping ADHW's on me, but I managed to avoid several entirely by running like a maniac, and the others were diluted by the belt. Once Irenecus started on finger of deaths and flame arrows, I finished off Sarevok, and by the time Irenecus dropped he was casting chromatic orbs.



So here's my hacked character record. This was profoundly unsatisfying. Gate70, you admitted to having problems with level drain, so I have to ask, how did your monk take out Bhodi? You didn't even mention this fight. Is this component perhaps modified by Tactics, or optional in SCS2?

Finally, what gear of the stuff I've cheated in should I keep, and what should I sell? I'm afraid I will sell it rather than drop it, because I have about 350 gold.

[Alesia_BH]

Glad to see you're still active Potty1.

The changes to that fight come from SCS. I find it to be one of the trickier ToB Battles actually- a few of my No Reload Challengers had close calls there. I'm happy 8-Bit made it through.

As for the console use, the things you've done (boosting exp, adding The Defender, iMoD, BoIB and 20 PoEH) just bring your character closer -while still far from- where he would have been had he completed SoA. To that extent, it hasn't trivialized the challenge you are facing to my mind: 8-Bit still has a harder road ahead of him than the average SoA import.

As for whether you should keep the items, I suppose that is best left to your conscience: do what you'll find most satisfying.

For everyone's reference, just be sure there is a clear log of all console use. Is this log complete?

Consoled: ~400k Experience, Defender of Easthaven, Improved Mace of Disruption, Belt of Inertial Barrier, 20 Potions of Extra Healing.

Modifié par Alesia_BH, 05 octobre 2012 - 01:43 .

[The Potty 1]

Nope add the ring of defence +2 and the amulet of power. He cannot use the amulet so it's just extra cash, which you'll have to pry from my cold dead fingers 

EDIT OK I'll probably drop the iMoD, if Gate70 can get to level 37 without any method of level drain protection, then my barbie with innate if temporary resistance should man .. dwarf up.

Modifié par The Potty 1, 05 octobre 2012 - 12:48 .

[Grond0]

Just to note I'm not going to continue Escal in this for the moment. There seem to be several problems with my installation and I don't really feel motivated to try and play through them. Best of luck to those hardier souls making good progress.

[Alesia_BH]

That's a shame Grond0.

Feel free to join back in when you have everything squared away!