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]

So my progress report after a long agony with ranger SH:

Borinall: Easy on this level.
Pirates in the Dock
SPOILER!

(I used the hit and run here. Killed pirates within a moments. Then moved out of LOS of coordinator, except mages under SI: Abj. When he started to cast, ran in, landed some hit, moved out again. When he started to cast again, ran in and killed him. All scrolls were looted, because he casted only True Seeing and RRR)

Limited Wish: Was easy. I thought it is improved.
Trademeet Críyot: I didn't have Creeping Doom yet, so I just went in with max buffs, and hit as hard I could.

Screaming Statue: I did all waves within Impr. haste duration. At first look Master Vampire was a bit scary, but he died quite fast. Used up 2 giant str. potions.
My party has an enormous melee power: 4 Improved Haste + RB inner IH.
Avanger 6 apr (gloves + stance), 24 Str with DUHM
Sibel 6 apr, 25 Str with DUHM and Right. Magic.
RB: 8 apr. 24 Str with Phosphorous
Kensai: 6 apr 19 Str, sometimes I drink giant str. potion.
Nalia: 6 apr, 20 Str with Gian Strentgh spell, or more with potion.

Whole Bodhi's lair: I thought it is much harder, but it was very easy, seems not improved at all. Next time I will do it much early since great chunk of XP is there.
Squirreled away: Was easy in Ch3 part. I suppose it will be much harder later.

Buried ambitions: Those werewolves cause a bit problem. Stun, fear when Resist Fear expired and the run away at low HP. So it took like 4 tries to beat them.

I hope I did all unmodded SH quests:
- Thief SH refused
- Bard SH finished and sold.
- Cleric SH finished.
- Ranger SH: vanilla content finished. Umar was a bit surprise and at 1st try without buffs I died. But went back and buffed up correctly, so no golems were summoned, because both Umar and Imp died before that.
- Wizard SH: Ring of Wizardry forged. Vanilla SH content finished.
- Druid: Vanilla content finished. Chaos is destroyed.
- Paladin: Haven't finished Firkraag's lair yet.

As far as I see only Shadow Dragon left, and I am ready to move to Spellhold. Maybe I kill dragon today, and will start Spellhold tomorrow.