V7 run, after loooong break Options

[Shadan]

Ah and another question:
I have halberd +2, but Cromwell doesn't give the option to enchant it to +3. I can enchant staff+2 and spear+2 for example, but not the halberd. Halberd+3 recipe is in the coument. Is it a bug or I am missing something?

[critto]

I have halberd +2, but Cromwell doesn't give the option to enchant it to +3. I can enchant staff+2 and spear+2 for example, but not the halberd. Halberd+3 recipe is in the coument. Is it a bug or I am missing something?

Yeah, there's a bit of a confusion about that. You have Halberd +2 and then you have Suryris's Blade +2, which is also a +2 halberd. You need the latter. I think it was renamed in the EE.

[Shadan]

Ah, that is the reason. Thanks!

My progress:
Killed all cowled wizards. Zallanora was a bit challenging, a very loooong fight. I hoped he will drop Scroll of Memory Boosting, but he didn't drop any important loot.

Questions:
- I've installed IA Tweaks so there should be a quest in mage and ranger stronghold. In the ranger one I am getting potions and scrolls, but no quest. As far as I remember, mage one should give gems, but there is neither gems nor quest in Planar Sphere. When does these quests start, or how to trigger them?
- Another content what I am missing:
Ancient Priest (chapter 6; previously from The Four mod)
Where should he be?

Content left in Ch6 as far as I know:
- Mage SH IA quest
- Ranger SH IA quest
- Ancient Priest
- Lich in the wall
- Kangaxx (lich and demilich)
- Sewer party
- Ancient Lich at the Slavers' Compound
- Teshal
- Post-Firkraag Adventures
- Ancient Mage in Troll Mound
- Fighter SH and Roenall
- Ancient Golem
- WK 2nd and 3rd level

[critto]

For the ranger quest AFAIR you need to do the first quest of Lady Vanya then go to your cabin to meet Delon (there's a thread attached here on the forum with the walkthrough).

The mage stronghold gives scrolls, they should spawn in Lavok's chamber (there's a container). The quests should begin with appearance of Marvella. I think it happens on timer some time after Lavok's quest is over (one week).

But I don't know if these components still work properly in v7.

For the ancient priest, look around in Planar Sphere.

Content left in Ch6 as far as I know:

There's a section in the readme that lists all the adventures. You can check there to be sure.

[Shadan]

My progress:

1. I've found Marvella in the Sphere. Killed steam elemental. I've killed Ancient Priest. Loot was a bit disappointing here. Postponed the quest from Marvella.

2. Lich in the wall was a grave lich. Very hard fight, because small room, no place to hide. Silence, Vocalize didn't help. Grave lich is too high level to dispel even with Neera lucky +5 level casting. So I had to endure his all repertoire. It was trange when my party was silenced Neera and Nalai was not able to use quick slot items (like potions) while other 4 characters could use it freely.

3. Kangaxx: Was a Shade Lich. so he died very fast... again...

4. Sewer party: Was easy, and I've found illithid compound behind them. I didn't remember that.

5. Illithid compound: Alhoon + Gr. EG was not an easy fight... I wondered Gr. EG didn't summon Amber Golems just Gems and Coins. Loot was incredible: Robe of Vecna. It is so good on Neera... +3 casting speed (with amulet) during IA, priceless... And the fruit on the cake: Mass Stoneskin wild surge was a great and funny thing.

6. Teshal + Shade Lich: Easy.

7. Lady Vanya's 1st quest: It was very good fight against those assasins.
SPOILER!

Protagonist went in and kited for a few secs to eat 1st Remove Magic. Then the whole party joined to the fun. 2 Chain Cont: 3 ADHW, 2 Spell Trigger: 3 CH.L. Neera during IA 2 Dragon Breath = most assasins dead. Guildmaster and elite was killed my melee squad. 1 coordinator was dispelled and killed during AoE triggers, but I was not able to dispel the 2nd one, so he remained as last enemy. Very enjoyable fight.

8. Guarded Compound:
- Party on 2nd floor: As fas as I remember formerly I just stood near the stairs to avoid dispel+hold traps. It was hard, since I was not able to move to priest and mage, 1st I had to find and disable traps. Now I did a different method: just run in, triggered the traps. Hold was not problem, I have Word of Wisdom on avanger and Sibel also. I just endured the dispel, did fast rebuff with contingencies and triggers, and IA from Neera. The fight was good, and not too easy not too hard.
- Shade lich and Vampire Lord: I've killed vampire fast, then waited 3 skelly grandlord waves.
- Gr. EG surprised me. And this one summoned Amber golems. This is what I've remembered. But it seems chunk of amber is not fix drop from Amber Golems, since I've killed 3 or 4 and I've found only 2 chunks. Fight was much easier than in Illithid Compound. No alhoon, bigger space to fight.

9. Ancient Mage in Troll Mound: Was fun.

10. WK 2nd level: Chromatic demon was a bit easy.

Several questions and observations:

- I've got error message "too many summons" when I summoned Planetar. It was my 3rd summon (clan hunter, Greater Deva). Since I remember I had a problem with summing limit in former V5 or V6 game, I did several experiments. I was able to summon 7 summons: clan hunter, smilodon, deva, planetar, Kitthix, lion, efreeti. I've got error message et 8th summon. 2 of them above is not counted as summon?
Also I've got this error message again with Planetar and 3 summons during one of my fight preparation. I reloaded and summoned Planetar before Deva, and this time there was not any error massage. I was able to summon even a smilodon after them.

- I've checked the recipes at the new Lady smith. It seems Hammer of Thor is very suboptimal now. 8 chunks of amber means +4 recipes at Lady smith and those +4 forge gives much more power than the minimal upgrade what Hammer of Thor gives compared to Crom. Too sad, because Hammer was so good feeling to forge and wield. However the name (Thor) is not in Forgotten Realms pantheon.

- What are the possible locations of Staff of Striking? I am missing it to forge Staff of Strenght and only minimal content left in Ch6. I am worried about selling it earlier accidentally.

- I was very sad to see Nalia is not able to use The Truth. She has the worst weapons in my party.

- Will Sibel's quest continue? As far as I see I am missing Empty Flask of Andrias Amberville.

This post has been edited by Shadan: Feb 11 2025, 07:34 PM

[SparrowJacek]

Great progress! It's fun reading your notes and seeing how you enjoy the mod, so good luck with the rest of the playthrough!

I wondered Gr. EG didn't summon Amber Golems just Gems and Coins.

There are a few different GEGs in the game, some summon Ambers and some do not.

But it seems chunk of amber is not fix drop from Amber Golems, since I've killed 3 or 4 and I've found only 2 chunks.

If I remember correctly, v7 or Sibel Mod gives 2 chunks to GEG's inventory and removes them from summoned Amber Golems. It's kinda similar for Ultra Golems too.

- I've got error message "too many summons" when I summoned Planetar. It was my 3rd summon (clan hunter, Greater Deva). Since I remember I had a problem with summing limit in former V5 or V6 game, I did several experiments. I was able to summon 7 summons: clan hunter, smilodon, deva, planetar, Kitthix, lion, efreeti. I've got error message et 8th summon. 2 of them above is not counted as summon?

There are a few things at play here, so:
- you can have only 1 celestial summon at the same time, so summoning, this means only 1 creature of type Deva/Planetar/Archdeva
- you can only have 5 summons with gender set to SUMMONED in your party, in general those are the creatures that die to Death Spell or Cloudkill (or was it the other cloud spell?)
- here is some more info https://gibberlings3.github.io/iesdp/files/...ee/summlimt.htm
- many powerful summons, like Smilodon, Noble Spider, Noble Djinni, Swanmays, Elemental Princes don't count towards summon limit (their gender =/=SUMMONED), so they're not susceptible to Death Spell and you can control as many of them as you want, so a party of 6 high level Vagrants can command an army of 30 Swanmays
- it's all a bit convoluted and a bit buggy, but most of those rules should always apply

- What are the possible locations of Staff of Striking? I am missing it to forge Staff of Strenght and only minimal content left in Ch6. I am worried about selling it earlier accidentally.

Staff of Strength +4 can be forged in chapter 3, there are no randomised items involved you can buy the Staff of Striking in Trademeet if you've dealth with the Dao Djinnis.

This post has been edited by SparrowJacek: Feb 11 2025, 07:33 PM

[DequNew]

- Will Sibel's quest continue? As far as I see I am missing Empty Flask of Andrias Amberville.

Yes, just visit:
SPOILER!

Copper Coronet, Copper Coronet Sewers (2 separate times) and then There is Amber Golem invasion (not sure when it triggered). Then in TOB there is grand final most epic fight end of sibel quest

[Shadan]

Great progress! It's fun reading your notes and seeing how you enjoy the mod, so good luck with the rest of the playthrough! smile.gif

Thanks!

you can buy the Staff of Striking in Trademeet if you've dealth with the Dao Djinnis.

Ah, I remembered I saw Staff of Striking earlier in the game, just I thought I sold it, and I was not able to find at vendors among my selled items.
So I went to Trademeet, bought it, forged the staff, but sadly I am out of money and Permanency scrolls, so I was not able to improve it. I forged Prot. ring +3, because I saw it can be forged in SoA only, and I will need one for Gaxx ring. But I am thinking on Prot. ring +4 also. I don't have money, but maybe other forges are available in ToB also, so my last money should be spent on several +3 rings to forge +4 ones later in ToB. However that is lot of money, and maybe other forges are more useful. I don't know.

About summons: Then I've cheated, because I was able to summon Greater Deva after Planetar was summoned. Rest of the game I will not use them simultaneously. Otherwise I used only max 5 summons until now, I maybe will use more after this.

My progress:
Finished Wk 3rd level. Fight was quite easy there exc. Green Dragon. When I've checked the fight, it seemed as easy, no summons, just kill the dragon. But that cowardly silences crossed my plans. In Dracolich fight, after he casted silence, there was a time gap while he didn't cast another, so I had time to move in with casters and cast several spells. But this coward Green casted 2 silences in a raw. I moved in after 1st with mages and Sibel, so they've got silenced. So I lost the fight. Next time I was more careful. Just moved in when dragon started to cast, cast one spell (Pierce Magic, Breach, ZoSA etc.) then move out immediately. So dragon was breached several times, and he died at end.
I leave remaining WK leveles for ToB.

[SparrowJacek]

I forged Prot. ring +3, because I saw it can be forged in SoA only

I don't think it's true, where did you read that?

About summons: Then I've cheated, because I was able to summon Greater Deva after Planetar was summoned. Rest of the game I will not use them simultaneously. Otherwise I used only max 5 summons until now, I maybe will use more after this.

Don't worry, if the game allows you to have more summons and they really help you win battles, then don't hesitate to use them I see now, that our implementation of Archdeva doesn't count towards CELESTIAL limit, as only specific .cre filenames are taken into account, so it seems that having a Deva and an Archdeva is not a bug and it's definitely not a cheat! What I don't understand is that if you summoned a Planetar after an Archdeva, you got that "summon limit" message... hmm...

EDIT: My initial tests show that Deva=>Archdeva is OK, but Archdeva=>Deva is not possible. Weird.

cast one spell (Pierce Magic, Breach, ZoSA etc.)

ZoSA actually works on the whole area, so you don't need to be close to the cloud to remove it

This post has been edited by SparrowJacek: Feb 12 2025, 09:42 PM

[Shadan]

I don't think it's true, where did you read that?

Well, I would swear I read in item description on net. Now I've checked it and I certainly missed it with cloak +3:

Main ingredients:
Two Cloaks Of Protection +2
60,000 gp
(Cromwell only)

Well, it seems I have to reload before my last forges.

ZoSA actually works on the whole area, so you don't need to be close to the cloud to remove it

Yes, I knew it works from far, but I thought at least line of sight is needed. I just moved in to line of sight of dragon.

[DequNew]

I don't think it's true, where did you read that?

Well, I would swear I read in item description on net. Now I've checked it and I certainly missed it with cloak +3:

Better not to craft any Cloak +3. +3 Cloak are counted magical items so cannot use Ring +4 same time.

You get most protection value by crafting and using:
1 Ring of Protection +2
1 Ring of Protection +4
1 Cloak of Protection +2
Total +8 AC and saves.

[Shadan]

Better not to craft any Cloak +3. +3 Cloak are counted magical items so cannot use Ring +4 same time.

Thanks! I didn't remember there are items that cannot be used same time...

My progress:

Easy fights on this level:
- Marvella's quest: The Mystery of the Jewel Casket.
- Ancient golem in Beholder Tunnels.
- Roenall in fighter stronghold.
- Lady Vanya's 2nd quest, aka viper queen.

Intersting fights:
- Treasure in the Ice
That repeating slow effect made this fight harder and interesting. I've casted like 15 IH in this with with 2 mages under IH.

- Does Marvella always say the truth?
I was not hard just Pasah died in 1st attempt. I don't know if he is willing to help later in EDE, I remember he helped me in necro playthrough and was a valuable help there. So I did the fight again, this time clan hunter casted Regen in him at start of the fight, and protagonist saved him with Natural Restoral.

Btw, I was not able to find any desciption of Natural Restoral, so I don't know what does it exactly. Item discription of Avenger's Dream doesn't write this. As far as I remember it is a druid HLA, but I don't remember if I saw this amung my avanger's HLA selection. I haven't find it in auramaster description also.

- Sibel's qust: Undead invasion.
SPOILER!

- I went to Copper Coronet sewers 2 times, and 2nd time I've found Reginald's ghost there, and lot of undeads suprised me. The second try was easy: 6 ADHW, 6 ChL, 2 Word of Wisdom, 1 Greater Resto + melee power. Bit I haven't seen any sign how Sibel's quest will continue, or how to trigger Amber Golem invasion.

SPOILER!

Copper Coronet, Copper Coronet Sewers (2 separate times) and then There is Amber Golem invasion (not sure when it triggered). Then in TOB there is grand final most epic fight end of sibel quest

Sadly The mystery of the Shimmering Light doesn't started. Maybe beacuse of my former fumbling with ranger SH quests. I've visited cabin after Lady Vanya's assassin quest and also after viper queen quest, Probably I will see this only in my next playthrough, which I am planning to do after this one finshed, and maybe after 1-2 month break.

Ancient Lich at the Slavers' Compound (previously from The Four mod)
It was the shade lich and vampire lord, wasn't it? Because I went back to compound and haven't found anything there.

Crafter some great gears:
Neera's Careless Wish
Fruitful Attempt
Adamantite Staff of Strength +5

These items like Fruitful Attmept makes me wonder if I should do Sibel's quest again in my next playtrhough deaspite I am not planning Sibel in my next party...

This post has been edited by Shadan: Feb 14 2025, 06:16 PM

[DequNew]

Sadly The mystery of the Shimmering Light doesn't started. Maybe beacuse of my former fumbling with ranger SH quests. I've visited cabin after Lady Vanya's assassin quest and also after viper queen quest, Probably I will see this only in my next playthrough, which I am planning to do after this one finshed, and maybe after 1-2 month break.

You could try using CreateCreature("S!Swanme") to start this quest. Might not work but worth to try.

[Shadan]

C:CreateCreature("S!Swanme") command worked, but this starts The Good, The Bad & the Ugly, not the 1st quest The mystery of the Shimmering Light.

This post has been edited by Shadan: Feb 15 2025, 06:32 PM

[DequNew]

Hmm ye my bad, I remember wrong. Maybe it was Delon who could start shimmering light quest.
Try C:CreateCreature("DELON") while inside cabin and game paused.

[Shadan]

I cannot go into cabin, door is barred.

[Shadan]

I've finished SoA. Ch7 was easy, party is too powerful. Hardest fight was Green dragon, mostly because of silence. Those Hardwood golems hit like a truck... and even golem specific spells don't affect them. Irenicus at Tree was quite easy, last fight in Hell was complex, but easy. My party is too strong compared to end of SoA, so I've made a few mistakes in this fight, and despite of this there were no chance to loose fight, or any character to die.

My party at end of SoA:
Avanger: 6.730.000 XP lvl 27, Improved Silent Hunt +5, Corrosive Lance +5, +2 casting speed bonus, 13% XP value in party, hardest enemy killed: Shadow dragon (Nizzi...)
Sibel: Swashi 9, Cleric 30, King of Clubs + Crom Faeyr, +6 casting speed bonus, 18%, Dracolich
RB: lvl 28. Hammer Axe+5/Foa+4 + Phosphorous, 34%, Spider Queen
Kensai: lvl 28, Adam. Staff of Str. +5, Poseidon's Wrath +5, 24%. Gr. El. Golem
Nalia: Fighter 9, Mage 24, Pedidan+3/Rimed Club+4 + Water's Edge +4, +2 casting speed bonus, 7% Green Wyrm
Neera: Wild Mage 24, +2 casting speed bonus, 1% Gem Golem

My analysis:

Avanger: Very strong class, thanks to spec. abilities and powerful druid items. Not too overpowered btw.

Sibel: Too overpowered mostly because of insane items. Come on, that +5 club in Ch3... and she got even an armor in Ch3. That gift... +5 THACO, +1 apr, 10% phys resist... Best non forged gloves is +1 THACO and +2 damage, nowhere near to Howard's Gift... +6 casting speed bonus from items, could be +7 if I wouldn't use ring with avanger. +1 from Foreknowledge. Insanely powerful. I know, cleric spellc has awful casting times, lets check the worst cleric spelllevel, the lvl SIX:
- summons are week except very early game, but in Ch 1-2, first half of Ch3 you don't have many lvl 6 slots.
- no good buff spell
- damage spells here are awful, long casting speed, low damage, and even mediocre enemies are immune to them
- Heal the only somewhat usfeful spell, but it has 9 casting time, which makes it hard to use it in battle. Mostly it is interrupted. I used it very rarely.
All in all whole lvl 6 cleric spells are garbage, I haven't used them at all in 75% of SoA.
When Sibel got 7 casting speed bonus in endgame Heal became useable. But the solution is not this, not to give incredible items to 1 NPC. The solution is reevaluate cleric spells, especially the casting times, and tone down Sibel's items a bit.

RB and Kensai: RB is much better than Kensai. Kensai got Ghost armor before most figths, and both used Potion of Invuln. before most important fights. RB is more protected and Hard hit compensate the Kensai's damage bonus. Yes, RB has 24 Str after I've forged Phophorous, while Kensai had only 19 Str, but before important fights, Kensai got Giant Strenght buff. And yes, 2weapon styles are much better than 2hander style. But overall, RB is the best fighter kit in the game.

Nalia: She was week. Low spell numbers until forge. No Limited Wish and Wish. Long Sword is the worst weapon choice in SoA. I used mostly Black Blade of Disaster in the Ch5-7, and for that you don't need long sword proficiceny. It would be better if I would use Kensai as dual wielder and Nalia as 2hander. But it could be hard to find good blunt weapon for a 3rd dual wielder. Optimally it would be like this: Sibel - club, RB - flail, axe, Kensai - hammer, scimitar, Nalia - staff, halberd.

Neera: Sorcerer Neera is better. Yes, with wild mage you can do crazy things sometimes, but also fumbling sometimes. Nahal's RD was quite good from Ch5-6, but early game was painful. She missed some important spells when they were mosty needed. I think sorcerer is better, especially if you have a 2nd mage. But overall she was quite good character in the party.

ToB next, but I will play more slowly there, because I have less time.

This post has been edited by Shadan: Feb 24 2025, 03:20 AM

[Shadan]

I've started ToB. I've changed weapon prof. at Nalia and Kensai. Mosly because I want to compare RB and Keansai in TOB, both as dual wielder.

RB has now: 5* in axe and flail, 3* in 2weapon.
She is using RB axe + Phophorous+4
25 Str, 9 apr with IH

Kensai: 5* in scimitar and flail, 3* in 2weapon.
She is using FoA+4 + Water's Edge +4
19 Str (24 with Giant Strength buff), 10 apr with IH

So RB has less apr, but higher Str and better main hand weapon.

Nalia: 5* in staff and halberd, * in 2handers.
She is using Ad. Staff of Str. +4, Poseidon + 5
22 Str (24 with Giant Strength buff), 6 apr with IH

I've killed Illasera. Was not too hard, but welcome surprise with skellie grandlords. I didn't understand why I was not able to Breach the mage reaver here. He had 3 layers of spell prot. (ST, GoI, SI: Abj), casted 4 RRR on him during Alacrity, and no message for Breach, he still was immune to attacks. Strange. I've casted more RRRs, Secret Words and more Breach, still I don't know if their IA was over or I breached him, but he died at end.

[pekkae]

Well, great progress!

ToB doesn't have that many tough fights. For me, the Yaga-Shura fight is nice, so is Sendai.

The rest are quite straightforward.

ToB part could use a judgement day - esque fight (or two) somewhere.

This post has been edited by pekkae: Mar 4 2025, 12:47 PM

[Shadan]

I've just realized I've missed Girdle of Fortitude in SoA. Any chance to find it in ToB, or I completely overlooked it in SoA?

This post has been edited by Shadan: Mar 4 2025, 09:01 PM