V7 run, after loooong break Options

[Shadan]

So, I will try to write my experiences with the game after a very long break from BG2.
No mods. only EoU, IA and IA Tweaks.


Started with:
Avanger prot: club**, dual w*, and then scimitar *
Custom RB: Flail ***, dual w***
Half-orc kensai: 2Hsowrd****, 2HW**

In Irenicus dungeon I relearned to handle the game... Traps and locks caused a problem, then I went for Yoshi (swapped Jaheira out), and was surprised when he didn't find traps also. Well, then I realized trap finding is a clickable skill...
Since I played DnD 2e since 1989 for more than 10+ years, then came v3.0, v3.5, Pathfinder etc., so I remember on spells quite good, but I was surprised when MAA DoT was not applied. Then I realized spells are changed in IA quite a lot, so I had to relearn them again.
Lesser elementals caused me a problem, I was not able to damage them with weapons. Imoen's spells were not enough to kill all 3 of them. At end I realized maybe summons can help, rested and bears + clan member killed them very fast.
I was a bit afraid of Ilyich, because I remember on my first IA game, when he killed my protagonist several times and I was hardly able to kill him. Now he was walk in the park. However my tactical skills in this game still abysmal.
PC used Str, 3 Wis and Cha tomes. RB used Con tome.

After the dungeon, I picked Sibel. Suddenly after an IRL memory flash I remembered that donation in temple is good in IA. So after a several tries and forum search I donated 4600 gold to get 3 reputations.

Then I did Circus, recruited Aerie. Moved to Slums. Killed annoying guy in Copper Coronet. Recruited Nalia as F->M (swapped out Minsc), recruited Anomen, Korgan and Hexxat. Leveled up Hexxat, increasing her PP skill in hope maybe later I can try some pick pocket things with her. Nalia used Int tome. Got Windspear Hills map. Then Bridge to trigger Neera. Government to get Umar map. Gate to get Trademeet quest.

Wild Forest. Swapped Nalia to Neera. Well, 2 ogres from polymorph trap used hardiness and GWW... Was a big surprise and a big death. Killed them on 2nd try.
Anyway I did 2 minor quests in Hidden Refugee, and left to Umar Hills.

A question: Shall I pay for Cowled Wizards later? I remember that in first BG2 runs, I've never payed, just killed them. But in IA maybe it is too much hindrace to skip arcane magic in the town.

This post has been edited by Shadan: Dec 21 2024, 11:26 PM

[Shadan]

I continue to play after a few days xmas break.
My progression so far (not in this exact order):

Umar Hills, except Temple Ruins.
Full Trademeet, except Founder quest.
Druid stronghold and 1st quest.
Suna Senai: It was a bit hard, because that mage is untouchable. I killed cleric fast, Gr. Command and Emotion took care of Suna and others. Than I endured that mage until his protections was faded. Confusion, Chaos etc. was a bit hard and messy.
Bridge District murder
Fallen Paladins
Copper Coronet backroom including Beastmaster.
Payed to Gaelan Bayne
Maevar quest line, refused stronghold to get +3 piercing.
Temple Sewers (exc. adventurer party, but including horrid rakshasa). To tell the truth I kited here quite long. I kited him while his Abs. Imm. was up, and tried to run away from Abi-Dalzim, so only 1, max. 2 character was hit by that nasty spell.
Graveyard quests (Tirdir, Wellyn, Risa)
Cult of Eyeless: It was hard. I was not able to find any good solution for multiple gauths and they have incredible DPS on this level. Unseeing Eye was hard also. 4 good melee chars, clan hunter, mountain bears and fire elemental, all buffed. Breach on UE, while Neera kept him busy with spell protections, like Spell Imm, Minor Globe etc. UE had an urgent surge to cast RRR and similar spells on Neera. Melees was able to distrupt his spellcasting several times, so no Abi-Dalzim. However that 90% resistance to all was a bit hard...

Finally Sibel got her thieving skills back. So I went to De'Arnise Keep, and swapped Yoshi to Nalia. Cleared 1st floor, but vengeance trolls were too hard. I went back to BG and started minor companion quests. Swapped Nalia to Hexxat and started her quest. After I did all unmodded and doable companion quests, I will get back Nalia.

My concern now is the weapon distribution:
Avanger PC will use clubs dual wielded, spears as piercing.
Sibel: her own club, hammers (Crom), maces. As a piercing or slashing I don't have a clue...
Both of them are using shield atm. for better tanking.

RB: clearly flails and axes.
Kensai: staves, halberds, 2handed swords. Now she is using 2Hsword.
Nalia: I am planning to use 2handed weapons with her. Staves and whatever.
Neera. Not really important.

I am thinking that I don't have a good long sword user and Crom is not the best at Sibel, maybe. Plus 2 fighters with 2 handed weapons maybe a bit too much, one could be enough, and kensai could be a dual wielder. I don' know.