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]

You could do fighter stronhold before spellhold if you havent done it yet.

I did few quests there, but stopped one quest before Roenall. I remember, I had a problems with that when that was the next before Spellhold. and some timer ran out when I came back in Ch6.

SPOILER!

Gaal, Torgal, Priest of Cyric, Slaver Ship

Well I hope it is at Gaal, because I've killed Torgal and cleared Slaver Ship. I don't know where is Priest of Cyric. It he is et Theshal, I haven't killed him also.

I did Brynnlaw and most of the Spellhold. Brynnlaw is nothing special.

Spellhold:

Spiders: Easy.
Elemental golem: Suprised first, reload, rest, buff, forgot elemental damage. Reload, medium hard fight, killed all golems with 2 Fire Giant Str potion used.
SPOILER!

Later I've found out, I could farm a little XP and loot, I I wait EG summons all 6 minor golems. Maybe at next EG's I will do that.

Shade Lich: This was hard, mostly because party was tired out of buffs and I Didn't want rest. Sibel tanked the lich until he was out of PfMW.
Kobolds: Easy on my level and with my strong party.
Tome: Easy also.
Cat: Was easy, but Librarian surprised me. I was not prepared for her, but I killed him as I did with shade lich: Sibel tanked him for a looong time.
Vampire lord: Easy, killed him very fast. Breach helped.

Then Mithril golem: well this was hard....

SPOILER!

I don't have any good high level summon. So I summoned clan hunter + 4 mountain bears. Buffed to max. death ward on summons. 3 Cloud Giant Str. and 2 Invu potions used.
4 bears were the first who engaged with golem, then Sibel. Bears soaked the first 2 rounds of MG. Avanger engaged next. RB and kensai summoned Joloon and spider as a bit more distraction.
Spell trigger 3 Lower Res, Nalia casted the 4th. Then I've tried the following spells:
Sequencer: Gr. Malison + 2 Slow. Gr. Mallison was applied, but I am unsure of Slow. I've casted 2 more Slow, and sometimes there was a save message sometimes there wasn't. But apr of MG seemingly didn't changed.
Minor Seq: 2 Ray of Enf. One save message, other applied I think, but damage of MG wasn't lowered.
Doom: I am unsure.
Polymorph: No effect.
Web: No effect.

After this it was only a hack and slash. I have great melee power, Nalia with Rod of Smiting.
I wanted to tank with Sibel: AC-20 + belt-4 vs. crushing, -4 Shield of Archon (too pity a level 7 spell, not so long duration and easily can be dispelled), -4 Impr. Invis, -2 Def. Harmony. She was able to avoid few hits, but soon 1 hit landed, and whole buffs went to the hell... Well, Impr. Inv. stayed on, so I was not able to cast Heal with avanger on Sibel. And bleed prevented her to cast Gr. Resto. Also MG changed target frequently, targeted even those who stood a little bit behind, like kensai and avanger. So I am unsure, how was able others to tank him perfectly. But, my party's great melee power killed him reasonable fast. All melees were under bleed effect, so I was not able to heal from spells, I had to drink some Extrahealing portions after the fight. Golden Cat Figurine saved my kensai in the fight.

I am a bit clueless about Spellhold. My next party will be weaker I think than the current one. I have 3 options regarding Spellhold:
1. I go to Spellhold before the XP limit of improved version. I Don't like this, because I have to skip few fights which are challenge and enjoying in CH3, but easy and a bit boring in Ch6.
2. I go to improved Spellhold, which will be a bit hard to a weaker party, and I will suffer there.
3. Apply IE Tweaks no improved Spellhold, but in this case, maybe Spellhold will be a bit too easy as it was now with this party.

I have to consider this.


This post has been edited by Shadan: Jan 14 2025, 02:21 AM