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.

Good luck! I found with Sibel game is more easy than it had ever been.

For all pickpocket targets I made list In questions post threads. There are not many left, most are removed.

Do not pay wizards. After casting arcana spells 5 times and kill spawned wizards there is lich wizards Zallanora encounter.

Allright

Godspeed!



I don't ever pay'em these days. The Zallanora fight is quite fun. Plus one can always prebuff indoors when needed.

Thanks.

Finished Umar Hills minor quests. Recruited Valygar.
Finished Trademeet animal quest, rakshasa quest, 1st druid stronghold quest.
Druid grove was not a problem neither the genie quest. I had a fade memory about rakshasa fight, so I had Zone of Sweet Air, but Absolute Imm. surpised me. But 2 bears, clan hunter, 4 melees + Yoshi, I switched target, endured AI, and killed them fast, when AI ended. Neera just watched the fight. Faldorn was easy also, at 1st attempt I was suprised whenI was naked without equipment, but I did it on second try. However the werewolves surprised me, when I left the Grove. They were hard, so I needed like 5 tries to beat them. Main problem was (beside their incredible DPS), when they were near death, they started to run away and with their insane regen, they regenerated to half HP back easily within a seconds. At least 5-6 times in one fight...
Another surprise was the noble troll at troll mound... I realized after 3-4 tries, that I am not able to damage him. Then I searched the forum and saw that this is a late SOA challange. Happily I didn't try Temple Ruins at Umar, because I remembered it is not a beginner fight.
Founder of Trademeet was similar to noble troll. I thought, there are several skellies in this quest, and bum, no arcane magic, half party dead within a seconds. So I did Schwarzie move: I'll b back... and left the crypt.
Delivered some beer to Refuge Hideout, then moved to Bridge District to solve the murder. I hope, that is doable on my level.
I am eagerly waiting for Sibel get back her thieving skills, then I can swap out Yorhi. He is quiet useless beside traps and locks.

That's quite strange that it happened. Did they get frightened?

Np!

I had this a lot when starting. And to me, it was somewhat discouraging. Might I suggest a simple solution, as there's multiple journals available so have a look at the numerous journals around & where/when they initiate a specific fight, that should help quite a lot with pacing of the fights & even strategies.

Founder is quite tough but there's ofc a few tricks that help, a lot.

And if you run into a wall, just ask away - there's a lot of helpful experience here @ the forum.



You didn't switch Yoshi to a Kensai or so? I always found it useful to drag him to Brynnlaw, because SPOILER!

No horror or any fear effect. Just low HP.



Yes, I constantly checking journals here. I wrote also 2-3 journals 15 years ago. And no, it doesn't discourage me, as I played IA from 3.2 to 6.0 at least 5 times. Just it was so long ago, I am getting too old, and hard to remember things 14-15 years before.



No, I didn't. To tell the truth I don't really like swapping the party. I like to get my final party asap, then just swap out 1-1 member for a short time to do NPC spec. quests. And since I have Sibel, I don't want to keep Yoshi too long.

Question: Why does some ppl refuse thief stronghold? I remember I did it also,. but I don't remember why...

I think the main reason is that you get the Short Sword of Backstabbing +3, which is a good weapon against enemies that are vulnerable to piercing damage. I've never really accepted the stronghold, so it's hard for me to tell any other reasons

I think the rewards for that particul stronghold are not very good and one is better off with the sword.

Thanks!

Also I am very dissatisfied with Neera as a a wild mage. I feel sorcerer would be much useful. As sorcerer she should have optimized spells (I am afraid of buying scrolls because they are expensive and money is tight), more casts and could cast whatever is needed. As a wild mage it caused me several reload because of wild surges...
Will she be better in middle and late game compared to sorcerer or a specialist mage?

By accepting you get around 40k+ gold (or bit more with one trick if not fixed). Refusing option is short sword +3, which is useful for piercing damage dealer vs coin golems, but you can get more of those much later.
So it is either:
1. much earlier +3 piercing weapon (refusing guild) or
2. 40k+ gold (accepting guild). If thinking long term, I usually take guild and finish its quests.

Hi Shadan!

Wild Surge table is revised in v7. So yes, she will become much better soon.

Thanks Sikret!

Great moments in IA when memories comes back... I started to free the slaves in CC. I didn't remember on it at all, so I did usual buff, killed guards, then started exploration of area. Suddenly I met with a familiar face: Beastmaster. And I immidiately remembered on him... he will precast Ironskin and similar defenses and his most dangerous weapon is to cast Creeping Doom. Protagonist countered its casting with minor drain. And this was a great moment of Neera, he casted remove magic with +3 levels. Bye bye Ironskin and other protections, dead beastmaster.

I killed Dorn. He seemed to be very evil and 2 repu is too much for him. Do you guys usually recruit him?

Dorn Questline gives some decent experience and there are much more reputation gain to loses so in long run it won't matter. Last quest of Dorn Questline there is also useful mask Visage for Breathe Acid ability (aoe acid + save vs. Death at -4 or fall unconscious for 2rounds), but there were some restriction of its use, evil or something only can use. I remember it was handy to disrupt casting and it + Horn of blasting strike into enemy crowd before rushing in was decent tactic.

Thanks! Maybe next time, however I don't like to do evil things with non evil party, and nowadays I don't play any evil. But I did Edwin's quests in maevar line, I thought it is not a problem for KN character, and I needed the XP.

Qustion: I pkayed Gaelan. I have some money. Is there any item what should I buy in CH3? I forged ankheg armor, but is was pointless. I thought, maybe Sibvel could use it, but her armor seems better, however worse AC.

There wer some great moments with Neera... When she casted double level remove magic from Nahal, sadly wizard was even higher than double level. But she casted 3 SI: Nec from Nahal.

Most people (me included) tend to forge Phosphorus +4 before going to Spellhold and you need to buy one mace from Trademeet or from Copper Coronet for that if I remember correctly. Other than that, a scroll of Limited Wish is a good choice, maybe Martial Staff +3.

And you could forge an Improved Ankheg armor, but Tabitha's Hide is required for that and it's better used for Thistledown Gloves since you have an Avenger protagonist.

There are some useful early +3 weapons sold in Trademeet after you liberate the grove, those are a good investment.

Sibel armor will get free upgrade when you proceed her questline, but I suggest to have secondary armor for her just in special cases (full plate mail or some) vs slashing dmg.

Focus getting +3 weapons for everyone and buy belt vs crushing dmg from temple and get belt vs slashing dmg from planarsphere quest.
Here are few easy to get:
Dwarven Thrower +3 (crushing/missile type)
Flail of Ages +3 (crushing)
Spear of Kuldahar +3 (piercing)
Cleric's Staff +3 / Martial Staff +3 (Crushing)
Forstreaver +3 (Slashing)
Lilarcor +3 (Slashing)
Maybe few more other.

The Improved Ankheg Plate can be improved further in later stages of the game, but yes it is a choice where and how to use Tabitha's Hide:

And again: