Geh4th's v5.0 game thread, progress, trouble, questions, requests for advice, etc Options

[geh4th]

This thread will document my experiences with my first serious attempt with IA v5.0. This is the first IA version I've played and I'm still fairly new to the mod; comments from others regarding my decisions, progress and problems are welcome.

I did a fairly short initial trial with 5.0 using a Vagrant and all-bioware NPC’s, but decided early on that I’d already seen/heard most of the NPC banter ad nauseum and frankly, it was getting old after many games of BG2. I decided to restart and customize a party to what I wanted to use and just pay attention to the business of campaigning.

As a result, I created 4 characters on multiplayer as the core of my group:

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1) Human Vagrant protagonist
Weapons: 2-wpn combat x3, longsword x2, flail, club, longbow
L9 will be flail again unless I've somehow found a better weapon than the FoA by then. Not bloody likely I figure.

Notes: This is the same protagonist I was using with the previous game; I want to play out the Vagrant to see those new quests. Next game I'll do a mage type.
Ability score note: I legitimately rolled an 18/00 strength with this PC. First time I've ever done that in many years of roleplaying. I nearly fell out of my chair
I took club because based on my earlier experience, those seemed to be a very prevalent decent quality weapon available early. Flail is obviously for the FoA and the late-game goodies that become available. I'm also looking to get at least one * in Axe soon (probably L12, but depends on what weapons I come up with, too.)

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2) Dwarven Fighter/Thief
Weapons: Warhammer x2, Shortsword x2, Axe x2

I wanted a decent thief that continues to level in the profession throughout ToB. His next 3 weapons picks are going to be in dual-wielding.
With a 19 constitution, this PC is a surprisingly good tank, particularly if before the tougher battles I have him don 'real' armor. With the Dwarven Thrower hammer, he's tremendously effective early in the game and I don't expect that to change.

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3) Human Ranger, Dualled to cleric immediately.
Weapons: 2-wpn combat style x3, Flail x2, Club x2, Hammer
As Cleric: Quarterstaff, Sling; mace at L4. Will take Quarterstaff again at L8 (there's some decent +3 staves available early.)
I love this class combination for a PC. Ranger abilities, Cleric spells and Druid Spells. Beats the heck out of Anomen if you ask me, despite the 4* he has in flail. I'm not a fan of going beyond 2* in a weapon anyhow, IMO the return is simply not worth the investment. And while it's not all that relevant for a cleric (who can't use slashing/piercing weapons) I think that it's foolish to over-specialize in one weapon class in a mod that encourages weapon diversity because of monster resistances to damage type.
The reason I dualled right away was to get the extra weapon proficiency at L8 cleric. I'm not sure if this is prudent since I'm 'wasting' about 15,000 xp's, but it seemed a reasonable goal. It also means she will regain her Ranger abilities relatively fast.

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4) Human Beserker
Weapons: 2-handed weapon style x2, 2-handed sword x2, Halberd x2.
My intent is for this PC to dual to mage at level 9. As a mage she'll take Quarterstaff (L1) + Dart (L6), then at L12 Quarterstaff again.
She's my 2-handed weapon specialist, needless to say.

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My last two spots will be BioWare NPC's that will vary initially as I do quests, but I'm a bit undecided on which two to carry into the late game. I'm fascinated by the Auramaster (Cernd, specifically) thanks to the class' incredible number and versatility of spells. Cernd is a bit lacking statistically (If only he had an 18 dex!) but his items upgrades look really cool - not to mention a few other druid-specific items available both from IA and vanilla SoA/ToB.

Imoen will ultimately be my last NPC once I get to her. I've read some game reports and realize that she's very powerful later in the game. Besides, she's been there from the start (of BG1) and I consider her essential to the story. Otherwise, what's the point?

This gives me 4 "tanks" (Vagrant, Fighter/Thief, Beserker/Mage, Ranger/Cleric) and 2 pure spellcasters (Auramaster, Sorcerer.) If this seems out of balance for IA, or if there's any obvious flaws that I'm overlooking, I invite anyone to comment on it. Do I have enough pure fighter firepower (i.e. will they be good enough later in the game)? Do I have enough arcane firepower? Is 2 divine casters too much (despite Cernd's arcane abilities)? If so, who would I replace Cernd with? Valygar? Haer'Dalis? Another custom PC? Someone else?

Thanks in advance for any input. I look forward to sharing my experiences just as others of you already have.


geh4th (maybe I'll invent a cool name for myself someday.)

[Ryel ril Ers]

1)If you start another game there are very high risk to cancel it permanently. I do it sometimes and i abandon it sadly.
2)The skald not enough strong to anvil. They cant fight enough well, and you waste a character slot to a character who singing in the 80% of the game, and sometimes throw a spell. The main problem of the skald is he cannot dual wield, and has only one attack. The worst thing is that the HLA improved bard song more effective than the skald song, and any bard can learn it. Their maximum effective attack per round is 4 (with belm and improved haste)
The blade is more effective than the skald. Their lore are not as good but enough, and much better than the mages, they do the pickpocket better. They reach the 100% early so you can earn some bonus money from athakala without thiving potion. They can learn dual weapon style with *** and so they can attack more per round. Their spins are very good and add good AC or max damage and thac0. They need some babysitting but after a small time they are very good subtite of a fighter/mage.
3)Don't alter Imoen class she is not bard. If you want a bard pick up Haer'Dalis
4)Advise: change your PC to Conjurer or Necromancer because the sorcerer has smaller chance to forge memori of apprenti, change your f/m to gnome F/I, F/M/C or Haer'Dalis or a custom skald if you want it all price. Use Imoen as sorcerer. In this way you cannot use game editor so you won't become cheater.

[geh4th]

"3)Don't alter Imoen class she is not bard. If you want a bard pick up Haer'Dalis."



Well, she's not a Sorcerer, either. Technically.

And frankly, I have no use for Haer'Dalis. IMO he's annoying and just about the worst NPC in the game, despite his nice personal sword.

I mean really, can changing Imoen's class be considered "cheating" when Sikret has already done it? That is, as long as it doesn't BREAK anything within the mechanics of BG2 or IA, which is what I'm really looking to know. Changing Valygar or Keldorn to some other class would screw up their personal items. Imoen's actual profession doesn't appear to be central to the story or to game mechanics unless there's something I don't yet know.

I suspect that Imoen became a sorcerer primarily because SoA doesn't have one outside of NPC Mods. I also gather that Sikret doesn't have much use (personally) for thief/mages. IA has made thieves considerably less useful, so it was a natural development to change Immy to a Sorcerer. I further suspect that Bards will lose all their appeal with the planned v6.0 changes. Just how much appeal they've ever had is a matter for debate. I know if they don't get 6th level spells, I'll never use one, as a marginal class becomes basically useless with that change. Taking away THE most important spells from a class that's effectiveness is already in question - as you've pointed out - can't be anything but a negative for that class. Just my opinion, of course.

My own reasoning for wanting a bard was:
1) Spells to 8th level (eventually) makes her a decent backup mage-type, particularly as a dispeller.
2) That wonderful armor that gives more spells and permanent improved alacrity. I don't know how hard it is to get, but it's very appealing.
3) Levelling faster, which means that someone might actually be effective in casting remove magic on some of these bad guys. I know Keldorn can do his dispels at (nerfed) higher levels, but I don't have room for Keldorn because of other priorities.
4) A Bard always has something useful to do. If not casting, singing. If needed, she can fight. Sure, she wouldn't have the extra attacks per round, but (as a Skald) can learn any weapon, and has a built-in +1 to hit/+1 damage. This means the Skald is "almost specialized" in any weapon by merely being proficient.
5) UAI and the Enhanced Bard song: even for a Skald, the Enhanced song is well worth the HLA pick. It's not as much of a jump but it's considerably better anyhow. As for UAI, being able to use nearly any non-personalized item is rather big if you ask me.

I think I understand the disadvantages: fighting with weak HP totals (my biggest gripe about Haer'Dalis) makes her totally dependant on magical protection, less attacks per round, etc etc. The offensive spin is about the only thing a Blade has going for it over a Skald, with the bonuses and the one extra attack. IA's monsters probably wouldn't even be slowed down by a blade doing a defensive spin. Maybe I'm wrong.

[Marceror]

I mean really, can changing Imoen's class be considered "cheating" when Sikret has already done it? That is, as long as it doesn't BREAK anything within the mechanics of BG2 or IA, which is what I'm really looking to know. Changing Valygar or Keldorn to some other class would screw up their personal items. Imoen's actual profession doesn't appear to be central to the story or to game mechanics unless there's something I don't yet know.

As far as I'm concerned, being able to change an NPC's class is an earned right for seasoned BG players. Anyone who tries to claim this is cheating, is misguided in my opinion. Of course, as you point out, you need to make sure you're not breaking the game in some way by doing so. Ultimately, a player making such a change is little different than a modder making such a change, although the method of getting there tends to be different. Neither, in my opinion, are "cheating" by taking some liberties with character classes. You could accomplish basically the same thing by creating multiplayer characters, but of course this means that you miss out on the company of your beloved Bioware NPCs.

At the end of the day, you should create the party that you want, and if you can accomplish this with Bioware NPCs, perhaps with a little surgery, go for it.

This post has been edited by Marceror: Aug 5 2008, 04:02 PM