Just install your BG2 to some directory that is not affect by Windows's file protection system. I.e., do not install into Program Files. Instead, use something like a custom "Games" folder or suchlike. Better yet, use a different partition, the one that doesn't have OS installed on it.

I did that and everything seems to be the same as I remembered on my old computer, just getting alot more waylaid by bandits this time... I remember after Suna and Rylock encounters there would usually be a slaver encounter followed by a maximum of two bandit encounters, and then no more, but this time I've gotten 4th bandit encounter in a row. Is this normal?

Probably, yes. It is definitely not connected with a way your game is installed.

Just for information, it happenend to me at least once (checked journal on forum) to have 3 ambush in a row without possibility to rest between them (meaning exiting from one ambush I dived into next one without transit through city area), so.....

Necro protagonist. I have the container in the Sphere that gives me scrolls each week, but cannot find the guy who, in vanilla, would give me potions. Is he gone in IA?

With Necro protag, forging robe of the apprentice makes you fail saving all apprentices (since to save them and later get potions all 3 have to remain alive, meaning asking for nothing to be forged in the end) so you don't have vanilla potions. (anyway scrolls are by far more useful)

If you want potions, you have to fullfill quest with another protag.

Ah, I did not realize that. I thought you only needed one apprentice to survive.

Thank you!

Grandfather of Rune Assassins... is he available to a Necro protagonist?

Nope, it's a vagrant-specific quest.

Got it, thanks! And realized where an item I thought he had, was instead.

I had no idea where to put it, since it won't be probably implemented in IA7 and I don't want to forget it before I can suggest that thing. This should probably be a part of Bard's improved stronghold, but not necessarily, and here's the thing:
(I'll make it a question, so it fits the topic)
Could there be an item made of Lilarcor(since it can talk) and some other components, that could be used only by Bards, and could sing, which would have some other bonuses than bard's song, and would benefit the party as long as the bard uses this item(and has some area of effect ofc.)?

Yes, it's all doable, just a matter of implementation.

The spell flesh to stone can be cast on golems,(after lower resistance& malison )they just turn into stone while you can later use stone to flesh scroll on them to turn them back with 1hp left thus get double exp。I wonder is this intended or just a bug?

That's probably a bug, and doesn't make much sense anyway. We'll check this out when we get the chance for IAv7.

Guys does anybody know where the spell shield scroll(s) drops in SoA? I think I may have misplaced one.

Hi,

For sure one you can get in SoA is owned by SPOILER!
Long long time since I played, so not sure another is available in SoA (One more at least can be found on ToB, don't remeber where exactly SPOILER!

Thanks. Fortunately I haven't reached that far in WK-lvl 3 and beyond will happen in ToB-so I missed nothing after all

Hi again
I've just started a new run with necro party(nec R/C(multi) RB monk skald and Cernd), and have some questions about expanded mage stronghold:

1. There are many threads about the old ones fight, and how hard it is... do I need to have memory of apprenti to trigger it? Since it's probably SoA content, and Vecna is sometimes in ancient dragon's lair if I recollect correctly

2. Will I know that I follow the RIGHT PATH till the end of all quests? For example this quest about colors in underdark, I had no idea about the fact that I need to choose right dialogue options, so after some hours of playing found out that I couldn't finish the quest(and had no saves before that talk). I don't want to miss all this great and probably immensely rewarding new stuff (in Vagrant run I had no problems whatsoever in this matter, went straight to the final bosses)


And since I have a monk in my party, and don't remember some things from Vagrant run:
Where can I find 3 Bluestone Necklaces? (needed to improve monk's amulet)


One more thing: is the mod still in development? Sikret was not active for quite a long time...

Is IA 7 in development still?

No, but you do need to be in chapter six in order to trigger the fight. I think you ought to have the Cloak of Protection dropped by the Librarian in the Asylum for you to draw the attention of the Old one, and also to have completed the last of Marvella's tasks (battling her minions) and Pasha should be alive. If Pasha dies, or you haven't completed all of Marvella's tasks yet, or you haven't obtained the cloak from the librarian then you cannot trigger this fight.

2. No, you just have to replay them over and over if you get something wrong. Probably Ammar's quest is the only one which has such a misshap though, the other will pretty much give you over and over the same dialogue options. Except for the Ruby of the Gods location, you pretty much don't get any indications on where is it.

I've found two bluestone necklaces. One is on lady Galvena in Brynnlaw, the second is either on Rock or Garock (lvl 4 Watcher's keep). The third necklace's location is unfamiliar to me and it's more likely a drop from a powerful enemy, but in order to get it you need to have a Monk in your party. The fact that the amulet is so weak and comes so late in the game (after the Supreme Gith Leader, wtf) tells me that the third necklace may very well be in the ToB part of the game.

> Is IA 7 in development still?
It's on hold right now, I'm afraid, due to RL issues. We might continue if someone expresses desire to contribute some efforts in development (implementation, primarily).

It was in development for so long, so much effort was put in it, and now it's on hold? Sad, some months ago Sikret was sure that it'd be finished in 2014, so not much work was left to do then...

Well, I wish I had better news for you, but it is what it is. Indeed, lots of stuff has been done already. When time allows we'll get back to it.

Hi, I have a question:
I've done all Marvella's quests(I mean she disappeared and we fought with Pasha against golem rakshasa and marilith). How do I trigger quests that are still left to do? And all my decisions made my reputation grow, so that was the proper way to finish them, right?(No demon fight in casket quest, no Pasha killing)

EDIT: sorry for that, first question was answered after 3 grave liches were dead.

Was there always a reputation loss of 1 when attacking Rayic Gethras for Edwin? Is there a way to avoid that? Sry, cant remember...

Yes, there was and the only way to avoid is not to attack him I don't think it's that big of a problem, you'll get plenty of reputation in the early-to-mid game.

Thanks critto.

Another one:


This is only based on XP not on time, is it? Are there other time critical events? So, i can rest like i wish (for example to finish the Harper Hold quest line) ?

The condition to trigger Improved Spellhold is: PC level 15 or higher, PC xp 2 350 000 or higher, prior talking to Imoen in Spellhold. So no time constraints whatsoever, you can rest for a 10 000 days in Athkatla without any penalty.

I always wondered if the game timer progressed past 3 digits in time. Most I've ever gotten to is around 250 days in SoA...

Again some questions and notes:

Vampires can dispell Negative Plane Protection. Ok. Is it intended that also Vampiric Mists can do the same?

The mountain bears are some powerful summons but their behaviour is annoying. Its almost impossible to give them proper orders when no enemy is in sight. They always want to huddle up with PC. Combined with the poor pathfinding in BG2ee and a tight corridor... Should it be like this?

Im a bit confused about the rage ability of my custom B9/M. Rage adds 15HP to current score and also adds 15HP to Max HP. When calming down B9/M Max HP is reduced by 15 but no penalty to actual score...

Yes on vampires.

And yes on mountain bears. That's a part of the summons' AI which kinda gets worse with the EE's poor path finding. I'll see what I can do but no hard promises for 6.2.

As for the rage, this needs some investigation.

Sikret's improved summons behavior can definitely use some serious polishing, since it's hardly intelligent from a player's perspective. It's really nice that IA v6 summons can for example follow PC when he/she enters another dungeon level, but this can be done even with vanilla summons' behavior - just let those summons attack a party member, then they will follow up/down. Not to mention that many times one doesn't really want for summons to actually follow him/her wherever he/she goes or bump into him/her the whole time. This also causes some strange summons behavior in certain outdoor areas, when two or more summons may get *stuck* together - i.e. they actually occupy the same or very close map coordinates, as a result they cannot move. This is all vanilla ToB we're talking, not EE, so no one blames poor pathfinding here. It's also stupid that improved summons will switch targets if their melee weapon is ineffective. Or cast useless spells. Greater Djinni loves summoning a Djinni, Noble spider loves gating in sword spiders, which are most of the time extremely useless, even dangerous for certain tactics, occupy valuable space (usually next to a monster which the party wants to clubber), and take out valuable slots from the 5-summon limit, for example can mess up Wishing or Limited Wishing during combat (btw, those Djinns from these two spells should also not fall into the 5-summon category).

All in all, I find the regular (vanilla) summons behavior to be far more intelligent and reliable. By the way, Improved summons behavior also is far from perfect. A Greater Djinni will always bump into PC and refuse to stay away even for a while...until buffeted by a dragon, in which case there is a great chance that the Greater Djinni will stay in a faraway place of the dragon's lair until the end of combat or until by some chance a party member enters its field of vision. Veeeeeery intelligent. Observed such Greater Djinni/Noble Spider behavior in battles with Traxi and Nizi. You know, sometimes multiple greater djinni summoning has its other uses too...like checking strange summons behavior in different circumstances.

Berserker-Mage's Rage ability will actually eat away a Mirror Image or a Stoneskin, if you activated it with these two spells running. And the character will suffer no HP loss, yes.

Thanks. Didn't know about that.

Why not turning off the AI (lantern symbol) => full control over summons?

Got caught in the Unseeing Eye area. Didn't know that the way back upwards is blocked even between the Screaming Statue waves. So, i guess that i have to deal with the 2nd and 3rd wave...

Is there something similar to

implemented or can i rest between the waves without any penalty?

You mustn't rest if you want the treasures. That's the challenge

Well done !!!
They are fearsome now, at least for me
Although, it feels a bit that the dispelling probability of NPP is at 100%...

In PnP, the spell lasts for much longer, it's level 3, and any negative energy attack removes it. In Anvil, Vampires remove all specific protections.
Vampires in PnP have nothing to do with BG2 or Anvil.

I'm in chapter 3, still in Athkatla, and the party is around 1Mio XP. I'm in need of more +3 weapons. Already have Beastmaster's +3 club, Renal's short sword +3, FoA +3 and Lilarcor +3.
Before leaving to spellhold, i would like to have
1. bastard sword +3. Tried to go for Foebane +3, but the guardian of the bell is tough and the fire room (where the tinderbox is used) is also heavily guarded ( 2 coin + 2gem + greater bone golems + 2 or 3 eminent vampires and some mists)
2. halberd +3 (don't want to buy the Harmonium Halberd) Planning to upgrade my halberd +2 as soon as i find my first Permanency Scroll. Hopefully, Conster is going to drop one...

Is there an easier way to get these two weapons? Some hints are appreciated.

I think Foebane is moved (I forget to where, so at least no spoilers) :-)

Halberd +3 is in a quest that you cannot do until after spellhold. Harmonium is a decent buy if you really need it, but I think four characters with +3 weapons is probably sufficient.

Pirate Captain in the Hidden Pirate Hideout at the Docks tavern have a +2 sword, you can upgrade it with a permanency scroll.

Same thing for the halberd (you can upgrade a +2). There's also:

SPOILER!

Yes, might be. But i like to have weapons my fighters are proficient with, so that i can hit something and have enough APR ;-)

Also have Frostreaver+3, forgot about that one.


So, let's go to the pirate hideout and kick the coordinator's a** :-) Thanks critto.

Do i need to worry about Permanency Scrolls or are there plenty to find?

Five are available in ch3. Seven in ch4-ch5, two of which are quest-based (a new quest in underdark and sahuagin city, depends on whom you side with) and two more depend on certain characters present in the party (1 for cernd, 1 for swash, sort of like a bonus). Three more in ch6, and three in WK. 10 in ToB.

Thanks, good to know :-)

Are there two +3 Morning Stars available in ch3 or do i need to forge them?

You need to forge them.

There is one actually, can be found on Limak, the Mastermind. That of course requires the Memory of the Apprenti robe to be forged in chapter 3, which may be impossible if the Vecna robe is randomized on the Ancient Dragon or even on Layene.

Edit: Conster doesn't have a Permanency scroll, he has a Manual of Elaboration. Same goes for the Shade Lord. Permanency scroll available locations in chapters 2 and 3:

SPOILER!

I meant in CH3.

Me too. Vecna found in chapter 3 (kaol, illithid mage, or even twisted rune), forged Robe of the Apprenti in cha 3 (Planar Sphere), forged Memory of the Apprenti, 1 day later Limak appears.

OK, let me clarify. I meant in ch3 when played by a normal person who attempts his first v6 run with a full party, not a someone who's played the game a gazillion times and knows every tactic in the book, both honest and questionable

And yeah, I am gonna go as far as to claim that it's not possible to win Twisted Rune in ch3 with a normal party (meaning no cheats, cheese, artificial level ups via exploits; just a simple 13-14th level party). Not sure about Limak, but he's going to be a pain in the backside too, that's for sure. And since you're fighting him in the city, there's a possibility of having Cowled Wizards join the party, which is an improved encounter by itself, to be tackled with a low-level party as well.

On Core difficulty, with reloads, both Samia's and Alhoon's groups are quite doable, even without so much practice, with honest tactics and 14-15th level party. Twisted rune can be done but with tons of reloads. Limak the Mastermind may look powerful, but he's solo. The Cowled wizards tax can either be paid, or in the case of no-spells-yet-cast in the city limits - a Cowled Wizard will indeed appear in Limak's fight, but only to give a warning. Once Limak's Immunity:Divination wanes it's easy enough to defeat him, and he can be kept occupied by a single hasted powerful summon like even a Skeleton Warrior, guided under Farsight - both spells won't trigger Cowled Wizard response since they're divine spells as well as arcane. OK so he probably has a couple of Death Spells, make that a bunch of hasted Skeleton Warriors.

Limak can also be taken out very quickly by loading a Chain Contingency (from the Limited Wish spell) with a couple (or even one) Khelben's Warding Whip spell(s), shot at the right time.

After my current run, if you want, I will try to make videos of these particular fights with 13-14 level party. On Core, with sound strategies.

By all means, please do. I am quite interested. Although, personally, I don't like the Farsight tactic.