I finished TS (again),until the end of SOAm and find the most brutal, mega-killer party

Used mods

Bdash-Weidu 1.6
TS 6.11
Dungeon-be-Gone
Some Easy-of-Use
Tactics
Ascension
Item-Upgrade
Tower of Deception


Shortcuts
EA Easy Anvil (Tactics+Ascension+ItemUprgade)
TS Tortured Souls
ThS Thieving Skills
WS Weapon Skills
HLA High level Ability

The NPC-s


In a normal BG game is the most required to gather the following classes together: 4 fighter, 2 cleric, 2 mage, 1 thief.
But in TS, these numbers ar modified to 3 mage, because in the main quest you hasn't Imoen yet, and Kachiko is abducted.

Yoshimo (Bounty Hunter 1 thief
Reasons (Other then key mod NPC)
One of the greatest thief in the game, with very good thieving skills. With a nasty tactic, he is lethal.
How use him: Set traps, set traps, and set more traps, and when the traps are gone, shoot him with crossbow
How can be used, but not recommened: Backstab and Assassinate. YOshimo maybe can do some good damage with backstab, but because with his bad AC, it Isn't recommened
Preferred Skills, and HLA-s: Crossbow as WS, Set Traps (until 120), then Det. Illusion as ThS, and Use Any Item, and SET SPECIAL TRAPS as HLA-s.
Preferred Equipment: Light Crossbow of Speed (the fastest crossbow in the game, and Yoshi must be FAST), Ibaratha (It's Additional mirror image could be lifesaver against an unwaited attack), Shadow Dragon Scale (best studded in SOA)Boots of Stealth, Mercykiller Ring, Ring of Niri Alud (TS)(to Improve ThS-s)

Kachiko (Kensai-Mage 1 fighter-1 mage
Reasons
High Supreme tank-Ultimate Fighter With her Stoneskin,Blur, Mirror Image and Spell Immunity spells, and the Dak'kon Blade(s) she is almost invulnerable in the early of the game, even against those smarter chain contingency-3 Abu Dalzim liches..., and when she get Tenser, she would be unstoppable, with her assistant. She died only one battle, before a reload (in the improved small Theeth path against THREE Smarter Dragons... (EA)).
Recommened Spells: Shield (against those Mirror Image killer Magic Missiles),Blur,Mirror Image,Prot Fire, Prot Cold, Minor Sequencer, Stoneskin, FireShield (B,R), Spell Immunity,Spell Shield, TENSER, Prot Mag Weapon, Mantle, Mass Invisibility, Spell Sequencer, Improved Mantle Spell Trigger, Absolute Immunity, Chain COntingency, Time Stop
Recommened Skills: Katana
Recommened Equipment:2 Dak'Kon Blade (TS)(-6, -8 AC, from both, and plus 25-30 level spellz...), Robe of Armory (AC 1 Robe, with some Weapon Resistance), Ulcaster Academy Ring (Many more Spells) Girdle of Glory (EA)(-3 AC), Pale Green Ioun Stone, and Giant Strength potions

Sime (Stalker-Cleric 1 fighter-1 cleric
Reasons
Perfect Support Melee Fighter-Tank. She has Skin, so she is not so easily vulnerable, but not so protected as Kachiko, But she has many Healing powers, and some good offensive spells, and with her equipment she is the ultimate undeadkiller. And if you not fighting with undeads, she can use other good weapons as well.
Oh, and also she is the PC-s romantic interest, with her very-very nice romance
Recommened Spells: Armor of Faith, Sanctuary, DHM, Chant, Res Fire/Cold, Prot Fire, Cure Disease (This is your best friend in EA, when you are going against undeads), Prot Evil 10 Rad.,Death Ward, HOly Power, IronSKin,Righteous Magic, Chaotic COmmands,Blade Barrier, Regenerate, Shield of Archons
Recommened Skills: Hammer
Recommened Equipment:Selune's Promise(TS)-Mace of Disruption +5 against undeads, Flail of Ages-Crom against non-undeads, and Sentinel Shield if you are not like dualwield. Ring of Holiness II (TS)(+Ironskin,Blade Barrier,Regeneration), Boots of FOrgotten Ones (TS)(speed, and + Armor of Faith, DHM, and Cure Disease), Belt of Internal Barrier (If you wouldn't lose Sime against some nasty mages), 2 Ring of Preservation +2 (EA)(Good prot-regenerate rings)

PC(Elven Fighter Mage 1 fighter-1 mage)
Reasons
Perfect Archer, better even as Elven archer-Ranger. With his/her bow (comp bow of defender +4) has naturally 5 attacks/round (4+0,5(level)+0,5(specialized longbow), and (s)he can reach very easy the ultimate 10 attacks/round with her Improved haste spells and abilities, which (s)he has a lot, and (s)he as an elf has bonus to THACO to bows, and longswords, which are many useful, and also as a mage can have from apperentice a ring of wizardry, which means an extra improved haste
Recommened Spells: Shield (against those Mirror Image killer Magic Missiles),Blur,Mirror Image,Prot Fire, Prot Cold, Minor Sequencer, Stoneskin, Shadow door, Spell Immunity,Spell Shield, Improved Haste, Mislead, Mantle, Mass Invisibility, Spell Sequencer, Improved Mantle Spell Trigger, Absolute Immunity, Chain COntingency (TimeStop)
Recommened Skills: To Start longbow 2*, Long Sword 2*, and Single Weapon Style 2*, then Two Weapon Style
Recommened Equipment: COMPOSITED LONG BOW +4 DEFENDER (TS), Kiss the Gloomfrost (TS)(additional elemental resist, and damage, +1 storm shield), Sunblade Daystar +4 (EA)(2 Sunray), Helm of Balduran, Ring of Gaxx (+3 Imp Haste), Bracers of Blind Strike (+1 Imp Haste), Amulet of Ilmater (EA)(one heal just in case), Sorcerian RIng (EA)(+1 spell/lvl from lvl 1-7)

Jaheira (fighter-Druid) or Anomen (dualclassed fighter-Cleric) 1 fighter, 1 cleric)
Reasons
I need a good Healer, who can protect him/herself, and can stay behind the Melee Fighters I Prefer Jaheira, because she is better shooter with her (EA) throwing spear, than Anomen with Sling of Everard, and Jaheira has also "skin". Anomen has Blade Barrier, Right. Magic, Holy Power, but I need a shooter, and not another melee fighter. But the true reason is, that with Jaheira, at her quest, I can get another Ring of Wizardry, which can be lifesaver with 3 mage.
Recommened Spells: Armor of Faith, Bless, Cure Wounds (Light, Medium, Serious)Res Fire/Cold, Res Fire, Cure Disease, Death Ward, Ironskin, Insect Plague, HEAL, Conjure Elementals
Recommened Skills: SPEAR, and if you has WS points, then Two Handed Weapon Style
Recommened Equipment: Throwing Impaler +4 (EA), Helm of Brillance, Plate of Balduran

Immy (dulaclassed thief-mage 1 mage-1 thief
Reasons
I need a good mage, who can disable the opponents defenses, so Kachiko and the PC can owerhelmed the opponent, and cast some nasty spells as well. She is the perfect to that role. With her sequencered spells Minor 2 Mag Missile, Sequencer 3 spider spawn, or 3 flame arrow, Trigger 3 Animate Dead, or 3 chain lightning, chain contingency 3 abu-dalzim she can make some serious damage to the opponents
Recommened Spells: Secret Word, Breach, Spell Immunity, Spell Shield, Animate Dead, Flame Arrow, Chain Lightning, Stoneskin, SPider Spawn, Ruby Ray, Khelbens Whip,Pierce Magic, Pierce Shield, Abu Dalzim, Spell Strike, Chain Contingency, Spell Trigger, Spell Sequencer, Minor Sequencer, Spell Trap, Time Stop
Recommened skills:-
Recommened Equipment: Staff of Magi, Short bow of Ghesen, Edion's RIng of Wizardry (TS)(Doubles lvl 5 spell, and with that Immy can have Animate dead, a lot.), Ring of Wizardry. Improved Khittix Figurine




So This is the party, I haven't found any incompatibility, but I have a little spoilerish question. The Ring of Wizardry II is XP, or levelrelated as Dak'Kon Blade, or accessable/buyable? If the 2nd, on which map? I don't need any precise location, to rush the surprise, but a little help would be fine, how to plane TOB

trufa, thanks a lot for this very nice review/guide/report. I'm currently abroad and have some time to play and mod. So, I'm also testing and improving TS now along with Keldorn's modding.

While Tactics+Ascension can (to some extent) offer an easier version of tactical challenges Improved Anvil adds to the game, they will not offer or compensate the big number of new quests and additional encounters IA offers. Hence, the difference between "Improved Anvil" (on one hand) and the "Tactic+Ascension+ItemUpgrade" combo (on the other hand) is not merely that the former is more difficult than the latter. The main difference lies behind the huge amount of new content and additional quests IA adds to your game.

Yes Sikret I know that, but woth some Tougher Anvil Battle, my brain almost exploded (As to the Slaves, in Illithid City), and that wouldn't be nice, and i will save my Keyboard, and monitor from unneccessary damages, which causes IA by me, but it isn't your fault, it is my inpaciance, and before that, i played with my favourite PC (Really Hot fem Kensai-Druid), and she will always Imroved Staff of Woodlands, which is in EA(ItemUpgrade)



Ps.: Pls Vlad or Sikret put this post in one Anvil topic, because i can't choose oe of them into which one should put it.