First IA experience, Thoughts from a new player, and some (hopefully) constructive criticis Options

[Zarion]

I just found this mod a few weeks ago, and I've been playing this mod for about a week. In my current game I've just left the Underdark with my Evil Party (m/f, Korgan, Edwin, Viconia and Valen(without her lvldrain)) everyone have at least 4-5 high-level abilities and so far I've enjoyed the mod. The scripts are well done and make most battles more challenging. The upgrades are really cool, and the components from “harder” enemies makes them seem deserved.

But even though I like the mod I won't be using it after I'm done with this run-through. This is mainly due to the way you have made the enemies more challenging. You seem to have taken the use of resistances to the hearth, and that is ofcause one way of making the game harder, but I must admit I dislike it. At the moment the only spells Edwin and Viconia gets to cast are “pre-battle-buffs” and dispel effects since almost every (challenging) enemy I'm meeting are very resistant, not only to magic, but to most elemental and magical damage as well. For me that drastically cuts down on the “fun”, since it takes away the “group feel” where every class is needed to win a battle and have something to do during the battle... other then standing in a corner hiding so they won't die.

My suggestions to improve the feeling of the mod is to cut down on some of the 100% resistances this mod adds especially on “none-boss-fights” (ie insane dwarf, Firkraag-party ect.) and give them 75% resistances if you still want them to be “hard” or perhaps 50% with one or two 100% so the player have to try a bit before finding the right type of magic. Another way to do it could be to build up the resistances though the use of “forcecast” scripts on certain hp percentages. Ie; the opponent starts with 25% resistances to none melee damage, and then builds up to 50% at 75% hp and so forth.

The constant use of regeneration also bugs me a bit, especially in groupbattles where you it foceres you to focus on one target at a time, but it keeps the pressure on the player, since it means no more running out of combat to get healed, and that is a good thing .

Well, I think that is about all I have to say, unless I find anything to add at a later time , thanks for the mod, and all the hard work put into it.

[luan]

Made it down to level 4 in WK. It might be something to consider to block off access to WK until chapter 6.

I'm accumulating experience at a tremendous rate with relative ease. My characters are around 3.3m a piece, grabbing their first HLAs... and have yet to pay Gaelan! I also now realize just how sickly strong a Swashbuckler is with UAI. I'm running around with a huge damage bonus, permanent 8 attacks a turn via the improved boots of haste, -24ac, and extremely low saving throws... and nearly 50% physical damage resistance from the monk amulet and Jan's armor...

Overpowered!!!

Anyhow, a comment on the Supreme Leader encounter. I think repositioning him further back from the door towards the center of the room would be wise. As it is, the door often obstructs targeting. Additionally, the summons + golems create a chokepoint such that subsequent summons are unreachable and multiply exponentially without any option for recourse.

When I did coerce him to chase me to the center of room, the encounter was much more fluid to execute. However, if he decides to stay near the door, it's pretty much impossible.

Excuse if below is just a bug, but the Mlar and Hr'a'cknir were not triggering hostility when they spawned and remained neutral. This would render them immune to AOE spells and prevented me from reading their condition (injured/near death).

This post has been edited by luan: May 16 2007, 08:31 AM

[thetruth]

Made it down to level 4 in WK. It might be something to consider to block off access to WK until chapter 6.

I'm accumulating experience at a tremendous rate with relative ease. My characters are around 3.3m a piece, grabbing their first HLAs... and have yet to pay Gaelan! I also now realize just how sickly strong a Swashbuckler is with UAI. I'm running around with a huge damage bonus, permanent 8 attacks a turn via the improved boots of haste, -24ac, and extremely low saving throws... and nearly 50% physical damage resistance from the monk amulet and Jan's armor...

Overpowered!!!

Yes a Swashbuckler with those items is indeed overpowered.
But if you think that it unbalances your game you could not use them .

Usually players complain about the difficulty of IA, so Sikret has done well to leave these options for those players.
The same is true for W.Keep. If you do it in ToB you will have a much more challenging SoA part.