Yet another new guy at IA Options

[(Ø=M)^42]

Hello everyone.
I've finally managed to outsmart my evil email spamfilter, and thus completed my registration here. I'm very interested in IA, but I'm not sure I'm fit for it yet. I've never modded bg more than using tutu, so I don't have any experience of improved encounters. When I fight mages, I throw on some Breach and other similar spells, send fighters on and hope I kill them. From what I've read, IA mages will be just a tidbit harder to kill, using SI:abjuration and massive protections. I'm mostly wondering if there's any point in trying if I'm not sufficiently skilled in tactical bg fighting. Reloading a few times to polish a way to do a battle is of course ok, but really banging my head on a wall would drain the fun quite fast.

Due to that concern, I've also tried to get some ideas to help me out. I'd consider playing on a quite easy difficulty setting, and possibly using multiplayer, to get more powerful characters like kensai, ranger/cleric, swashbuckler, sorcerer and so on. I do view myself as a skilled gamer, but I'm just not fully attuned to bg. Hmm.. getting messy. Well, what I'm asking for is mostly tips for a newbie at IA, stuff like suggested group setup, anything similar to smart moves like having lots of Ruby Rays memorized. Maybe even a suggestion for good starting quests.

Big hugs and love goes out to everyone for helping me get into IA <3

Øystein

Edit: For what it's worth, I used Marvin^42 on SP, since that forum didn't allow for one or more of the characters in this name

This post has been edited by (Ø=M)^42: Jun 21 2007, 05:49 PM

[leonidas]

Well personally, I played tactics before IA, and I think that helped ease me into the whole tactical improvement mod scene (all 2 mods of it; IA is much better by the way).

And ofc, before sikret berates me, IA is much more than just a difficulty enhancing mod now (although it is insanely tough in places).

Imo, you can either play an easier mod like tactics beforehand, or if you haven't got time to burn there are a few things I'd recommend:-

1. Bring a kensai and make your pc a fighter/mage or a vagrant (they get....ahem....some bonuses).
2 Take a full class cleric, either anomen or one you've made yourself (IA becomes exponentially tougher the lower level your cleric is).
3. You can stick yoshimo in charge of your party so you get anomen at level 11 straight from the start of the game.
4. Do the thieves guild quest first, then the fallen paladins, then the bridge district murders, harper's hold, then do the quests aran linvail gives you (don't go to spellhold though!)
5. Don't bother with a thief, take keldorn or another fighter and cast knock on everything. Keldorn's dispel magic is mighty beyond belief.
6. Make your party good-aligned.
7. Don't memorise any level 6 spells except imp haste. Or any level 5 cleric spell apart from chaotic commands.
8. Assign a key to "quick load".


Alright, don't want to give out all the tips myself That should get you started though.