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]

Nowadays I have a little less time to play, and I have to admit I am stucked at dracolich...

But first my progression:

- The whole drow city: Was easy, but I've enjoyed House Jae'llat. It was refreshing when main concern was not a mage/lich etc. Just lof of fighters and clerics. I have to replay the whole city, first I've missed the 3rd colour quest, because I roleplayed in a certain situation.
- Kou-toan caverns: Not too difficult, however Prince fight was enjoying. Not too easy, but not too hard. Skipped Demon Knights, I wanted 1 HLAs before I try this fight. I thought I will do after I finish noble blood quest, dracolich and leave drow city.
- Mind Flayer caverns: Well, Elder Brain was a bit pain. I wanted to farm out 6 golems from Elemental golem, but I was not successfull. Mindflayers died very fast, also brain golems. But somehow the elemental golem always killed one of my character. Either because I was out of Ironskins and bad timed heal, or because of failed save against Elder's brain stun. At end I abandoned this concept, and killed EG after 2 golems. At very end kensai died (1st death in my current play), but I didn't want to replay the whole fight again. I had 10+ tries on this already. I am sure, I can do it without a death, but I had no patience to do it again. 1 Raise Dead scroll, loot and I left those filthy tunnels.
- Beholder Tunnels: Elder orb was easy. The only concern to avoid or survive that nasty 3 ADHW Chaint Cont. Ancient golem was there again, but I was able to skip him. Beholders near the AG saw me, and came after me, but golem didn't, luckily... So I was able to reach the stairs to...

... Deeper than Underdark: Well, it is remarkable quest, because as soon as I entered I remembered from my former plays 15 years ago. But I have to admit my tactical skill is not same as it was before... I was not able to kill dracolich from appr. 20 tries. My tactic is below:

SPOILER!

- Avanger PC went down the stairs and summoned smilodon. Others stayed at entrance to avoid Gr. Silence, and started to buff.
- RB moved to Dracolich after 1st silence and helped PC in tank duty.
- PC was near to dracolich all time, summoned a clan hunter, but he was useless otherwise because of silence. He just poked the PfMW with staff.
- Mages (Nalia and Neera) casted Remove Fear and Limited Wisd (prot. from leveldrain which was dispelled by dragon from 2-3 chars) then they buffed themselves with spell protections (SI:A, GoI, Spell Turning). My idea was to keep dracolich busy for short time to remove these, while they are renewing them as needed. Nalia always was silenced very fast, but Neera was able to avoid silence and recast several spell protections.
- Kensai stayed away, she doesn't have any type of protection exc. 1 Hardiness. So she just summoned from items (lion, spider, efreeti, berzerker).
- Sibel Prot. from Evil 10', then Death Ward on Nalia and Neera. She moved nearer occasionally to cast ZoSA (remove Death Fog), but mainly summoned bears and Gr. Resto from far.
- Beside durable summons (Clan hunter and smilodon), I've tried to keep other summons (item summons, bears etc.) 1 or max. 2 at the same time, to keep dracolich casting Death Spells.

But Gr. Silence + leveldrain + Gr. Doom + wail always killed 1-2 characters, sometimes my PC. I've tried to use Potion of Magic Shielding, to avoid this, but I didn't want to use up too much, because I remember it is very useful in later game also. And if I didn't time it precisely just before the wail, dracolich always dispelled it.
And it seems dracolich is never out ot PfMW... So I am a stucked and a bit clueless.

My first HLA's:
PC: smilodon
Sibel: She haven't got HLA yet.
RB and Kensai: Hardiness
Nalia: 6th level slot
Neera: Alacrity (However she was not able to use this, because any notable enemy are immune to everything, so there was not a chance to use it offensively. As a defensive use I wanted to use it in dracolich fight, to buff up IHs very fast when dracolich is out of PfMW or near out of it, but seemingly he has plentiful of that nasty defensive spell.)

This post has been edited by Shadan: Jan 27 2025, 03:48 PM