My experiences with IA and Auramaster Options

[Sikret]

Hasn't IA changed the option of reloading if they die making them die after each reload? Or is it first in 4,3?

It's in v4.3.

Moreover, their chance of success will depend on the sort of mage your protagonist is, a pure mage will have much better chances than an F/M (or an M/T) to have the robe. A C/M or a sorcerer will have better chances than the F/M but still less chance than a pure mage. And as you mentioned, reloading the game will not change the result if they fail the first time.

[Shadan]

I have a F/I, but I am still playing 4.2. Imho it would be better if Memory of Apprenty would be pure mage/sorcerer item then. So at least I wouldn't mind if my entire game is unlucky. Anyway, thanks for the info.
Do you plan in 4.3 similar with rangers and FoDaW? I am planning to do an 5 man run in 4.3 mazbe, with a ranger9 > cleric protagonist. I hope he cen do imporved ranger stronghold quests as well he can use FoDW.

[Sikret]

FoD&W will be usable by single class rangers (not R/Cs).

All rangers (even R/Cs) can play the expanded ranger stronghold and the big quest (= The Mystery of the Shimmering Light); however, the other quest (= The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) is only for Vagrants (it's about helping a community of swanmays).

[Shadan]

Thanks for answer! To tell the truth I planned to play with Vagrant in my 5 man IA, but after a couple of played day in IA4.2 I am dubious. I always cast all elemental resistance spell before important fights, so it is not crucial advantage, but clearly not useless. However I found summoned mobs not too useful in IA. They can be used only as very very short diversion till 1st Death Spell, or max. 2 rounds hit. They are not good damage dealers in IA improved fights, and when I need summoning there a plenty of them in mage and clerics repertoir. Vagrant not the best damage dealer and clearly not IA tank. Maybe those swanmays usefull, but I don't know yet. Anyway new quest and FoDW is nice and tainting.

If I play Vagrant, may planned party:

elf Vagrant - dual flails, clubs (Imho adding halflings as playable race for Vagrant would make him more interesting. I surely would play with him then. And to be a friend of swanmays is not too far from halflings.)
gnome F/I - halberds, staffs, maybe dual short swords
human swashbuckler 10 > cleric - dual maces, hammers (if it is possible to give 2nd kit by SK, then maybe priest of Lathander)
open spot (blade, riskbreaker, somekind of barbarian etc.) - dual long swords, bastard swords (I would like a 2nd tank here, since imho 2 tank is crucial in IA. And tank needs Stoneskin/Ironskin, PoMW, illusions or big melee mitigation, since AC is far from enough in IA. I don't know yet if JotD protective spell proc is enough for a pure fighters to be tank or no, but anyway this sword is available only after many many hard IA battles. And sadly SI: abjuration is important also for tanks, against nasty dispels, and you can use you dispels also.)

[Sikret]

Swanmays are useful allies (they are immune to death spell too). The greater swanmays are even more helpful and the swanmay queen is very powerful indeed and can be of great help even in IA's most difficult battles (she is more powerful than a planetar).

BTW, why do you plan to play an "elf" vagrant? Don't you want him/her to have 19 constitution?

[Shadan]

Hmm, I didnt realized this. Imho +1 THACO with swords is better than +1 Con (which means 9 HP overall), but I forgot he won't use swords. Anyway I would prefer halfling or gnome vagrant.
Also I have doubts about Riskbreaker also. While I understand why armors and bracers forbidden for him, but I don't like they cannot wear helmets and "non bracers gauntlets". I like to equip my chars, and when one of may char has 3 unused slots, well that makes me unhappy. Yes, they can wear Ioun stones, but stone can be used on my mage also who cannot wear any other helm also. So this is contra. My pro is the new kit, new ablities...
Another question: If I use SK to make my starting characters more perfect for me (not all 18ish, just skip strength rerolling forever, or make a 2nd kit etc.) will this cause some problems with IA and and item randomization?

[Shaitan]

I don't think Sk will cause such problems. BTW you can't creat the 2nd kit with SK, due to engine limitations

[lroumen]

If you have an Elf Vagrant you can still have 18 constitution... There's not much difference between 18 and 19 is there?

[Shadan]

Iroumen: Difference is exactly 9 HP, since warriors get +4 HP on first 9 lvl with 18 Con, and +5 with 19 Con. Anyway, I would like halfling vagrant protagonist. I am playing now with gnome protagonist, and the only shorter race is the halfling. It would be so much fun for me...

Sikret: I just cleared Bodhi's Lair and it was so crap easy, so it is not fun anymore. OK, maybe I was a bit high lvl to there cause of lot of IA fights what I made earlier. Why don't you make some improvements there? Not too hard encounters, just a bit more enjoyable Bodhi's Lair.

Also you are removing inbalanced spells from the game (Simulacrum, PI) or limits them (Skull Trap, Insect Plague, Miscast Magic, Summon Insect etc.). Why don't you make some really really crap spell a bit better. I don't mention spells like Chill Touch here, since low level spells don't count in ToB, but there are some really weak high level spell also. For example I maybe miss sthing, but don't understand how can be Storm of Vengeance lvl 10 spell? OK, it kills enemies below lvl 8, but those enemies is max. 1 round when I have HLAs... And that 3D6 damage with 3 rounds duration is nothing. Even Firestorm and Incendiary Cloud much better and they are lower lvl spell. And surely I can mention some other really weak spells.

Question: While I was very experienced AD&D 2nd edition players some years ago (now I am playing D&D 3 and 3.5 in PnP), I haven't understood what exactly mean those number at hit rolls in BG. Now seems I need to know to calculate probably AC and THACO at enemies. So when I see for example 10+6=16 Miss. 10 is a natural roll, but what is that +6? If I have -10 AC, this roll means, my enemy has THACO 7 or worth, right? Also similarly at my chars I see this roll+x number.

Progress report: I reached Marvella's last challenge in mage stronghold. Well all those Marvella's challange were great, but this ending is so fun and so good fight... I LIKE it. Anyway, I skipped the fight for a while. Elemental golem is not an enemy for me, I usually kill them very slowly to get out max. summoned coin and gem golems. But that rakshasa sthing summons horrid rakshasas also. And that greater Marileth and with her Abyssal Consorts not an easy enemies for me also, even I killed one trio of them in former Marvella's quest. My decision was to get 1-2 more lvl in a bit easier quests, fights, and I will come back later just before I want to go to Spellhold. Probably I will spare 1-2 hours try if I am a bit higher lvl. And I haven't decided which kill order is the best for them.

This post has been edited by shadan: Aug 22 2007, 01:57 PM

[Sikret]

Iroumen: Difference is exactly 9 HP, since warriors get +4 HP on first 9 lvl with 18 Con, and +5 with 19 Con.

Plus, there are a couple of items in v4.3 which require 19 CON to be used.

Anyway, I would like halfling vagrant protagonist. I am playing now with gnome protagonist, and the only shorter race is the halfling. It would be so much fun for me...

Only humans, elves and half elves can be rangers and vagrant is a ranger kit after all.

Sikret: I just cleared Bodhi's Lair and it was so crap easy, so it is not fun anymore. OK, maybe I was a bit high lvl to there cause of lot of IA fights what I made earlier. Why don't you make some improvements there? Not too hard encounters, just a bit more enjoyable Bodhi's Lair.

Will do in IA v5.

Also you are removing inbalanced spells from the game (Simulacrum, PI) or limits them (Skull Trap, Insect Plague, Miscast Magic, Summon Insect etc.). Why don't you make some really really crap spell a bit better. I don't mention spells like Chill Touch here, since low level spells don't count in ToB, but there are some really weak high level spell also. For example I maybe miss sthing, but don't understand how can be Storm of Vengeance lvl 10 spell?

SoV is good to interrupt enemy sepallcasters (specially when used against a bunch of them).

Question: While I was very experienced AD&D 2nd edition players some years ago (now I am playing D&D 3 and 3.5 in PnP), I have understood what exactly mean those number at hit rolls in BG. Now seems I need to know to calculate probably AC and THACO at enemies. So when I see for example 10+6=16 Miss. 10 is a natural roll, but what is that +6?

It's your "to hit" bonus.

[Shadan]

Question: While I was very experienced AD&D 2nd edition players some years ago (now I am playing D&D 3 and 3.5 in PnP), I haven't understood what exactly mean those number at hit rolls in BG. Now seems I need to know to calculate probably AC and THACO at enemies. So when I see for example 10+6=16 Miss. 10 is a natural roll, but what is that +6?

It's your "to hit" bonus.

OK, when I read in my character sheet THACO: 1 that is included weaponstyle bonuses, kit bonuses, strength bonuses. If I roll 6, then I hit -5 AC. These plus numbers after hit roll means other modifiers? Just because if I cast any to hit bonus spell (like Bless for example), my THACO changes on character sheet. So if I understand correctly: 10+6 means, I rolled natural 10, which is compared only to my base THACO, and all bonuses (strength, kit, style, spell etc.) added to this later with this +number?

[lroumen]

I checked the tables. 19 constitution indeed only provide 9hp at the end... that's not spectacularly much but all bits help.

It also doesn't seem to provide any saving throw bonuses or regeneration. Regeneration would have been nice, but that kicks in at constitution of 20 (1hp/6turns, 21con=1hp/5turns, etcetera, finally 25con=1hp/1turn). Only a dwarven vagrant would be able to get that, but ranger classes are restricted to humans, half-elves and elves.
Elven vagrants can get 19 dexterity, but as far as I understood, vagrants are not proficient with ranged weapons so that doesn't provide many bonuses either.

I guess in the end it doesn't really matter much which of the races you pick for a vagrant.


EDIT: just read. 19 constitution to use certain items... that's quite interesting

This post has been edited by lroumen: Aug 22 2007, 02:31 PM

[Sikret]

When you start with a 19 CON, you are closer to 20 compared to when you start the game with an 18 CON. The Machine in the 4th level of WK can add one point of CON to your character. I don't remember if there is any other way to add to your CON in the game. There is no item with CON anymore. All items which used to add constitution bonus are tweaked to add max hp bonus instead (to block the exploit of equipping and unequipping them to heal the character's wounds).

[Shaitan]

What about the Hell bonuses? Aren't there a bonus to get to CON?

[lroumen]

You can get +2 con on the evil path for the test of fear iirc.

[Sikret]

I don't remember accurately at this moment, but I guess one of the evil paths at the hell does grant CON bonus. Even if so, the evil lines are not for rangers, eh? (and it's the end of SOA; too late to enjoy the additional CON)

EDIT: Iroumen confirmed what I was vaguely remembering (I never play evil protagonists).

This post has been edited by Sikret: Aug 22 2007, 03:23 PM

[lroumen]

I played one evil character once and what do you know... her reputation was still not below 15 at the end of the game. I'm not really cut out for evil deeds.

[Shadan]

Firkraag and shadow dragon was supringsingly easy, but I had appr. 2,8 million XP per characters when I fought with them. Also those 3 liches and demilich was very easy with 3 million XP in my party. I just went in with my 3 improved hasted melee, and they tore them apart before my 3rd Ruby landed. Demilich was easy also with Carsomyr, Mace of Distruption +2 and Greater Entropy +5. Sadly my PC was not able to damage him, since he has only FoA +3. But he had some SI: Abj. and demilich casted 3 Ruby on my PC, after the 3rd he was dead.
I am now at front of Twisted Rune, and after that only post Firkraag quest, Roenall, Marvella's last challenge, Chromatic Demon (WK2), Spider Queen (WK1) left, and I can go to Spellhold.

Hmm, just found in readme:
- Guarded Ashideena

What is this, and where is it? I havent found this event in Temple District or in the sewers.

This post has been edited by shadan: Aug 23 2007, 12:41 PM

[Shaitan]

Warhammer from BG1 found near the tempel of Amaunator. It's needed for Hammer of Thor I think

[Shadan]

Do you mean that trapped safe after the bridge, just before the temple of lost one? There were some improved spiders, weren't they? Hmm, then I didn't realize that it is an upgrade component.