53 replies to this topic

[kreso]

Use Pro Magic scroll, Rage, or SI:Abjuration. It's Ascension where he casts it (Abazigal or Tamah, not Draconis).

[Echo]

Hmm, I don't know, did I get to ToB in a modded game? I don't think so. I think each time something got broken in SoA/I rushed through cause of some romance and Irenicus got me I remember though last time I played, I actually had to use spells like Breach or Lower Immunity and all In vanilla game I just took whatever dealt most damage+some defensive buffs and rolled with it. Not even chaotic commands xD I had no idea you could protect yourself from imprisonment, I never really needed to

Edited by Echo, 30 December 2014 - 02:21 PM.

[kreso]

Hmm, I don't know, did I get to ToB in a modded game? I don't think so. I think each time something got broken in SoA/I rushed through cause of some romance and Irenicus got me I remember though last time I played, I actually had to use spells like Breach or Lower Immunity and all In vanilla game I just took whatever dealt most damage+some defensive buffs and rolled with it. Not even chaotic commands xD I had no idea you could protect yourself from imprisonment, I never really needed to

You never fought vanilla Kangaxx???

[TDouglas]

Just a sidenote here ... you asked about transitioning to bg2 from bg1? Assuming you have bgt installed (sounds like you do) you get a (annoying) cutscene and end up in the dungeon exactly as if you'd created a new character there. BGT's annoying in that respect ... the cutscene doesn't show who's actually in your party at the time ... just the party specified by Black Isle (immersion breaking, to say the least). Once in the dungeon, Minsc and Jaheria are in their cells as always (whether they were in your bg1 party or not) and imoen "rescues" you (even if you kill her in bg1). Point is: nothing you do in bg1 matters for the transition, so don't sweat it You need some mods installed to keep your bg1 loot of course As for the debate between BP and SCS, I find SCS to be a LOT more resource intensive ... unless you're playing on a fairly powerful computer it's not recommended. BP doesn't screw with system resources that badly, and has some neat new quests to add as well ("The Ritual" comes to mind, but there are many others as well). Personally, I've had more problems with SCS than with BP (just saying). The mod "The Vault" is better (IMO) if you use the original version ... too many changes have been made to the newest revision and they don't make any sense As you've discovered the hard way, in the new version you can't get the vampires revenge until you complete Duke Eltans request (which means you have to carry Kozahs idol and the ancient armor around with you the entire game untill that point ... kinda silly if you ask me). The original mod doesn't require that, so is the one I go with myself I use the overpowered items option with the Stuff of the Magi mod myself, but also choose the option to allow creatures to use the items against you (makes for some interesting battles ). One warning tho ... if you install Secrets of Bonehill mod, you need to use NI or SK to edit BHBBOB.CRE and either remove or replace the Staff of the Magi ... otherwise, you can't see (or interact) with him One bonus of SCS is the componet "Remove the Invisibility Power of the Staff of the Magi", which removes that problem Hope some of this helps

[Echo]

@Kreso

 

I did, longish time ago. I found some way around that, but I don't remember it well enough to tell you I'm a genius of obscure cheese when it comes to BG xD

 

@TDouglas

 

Thanks a lot for telling me how the transition works like I'll have no qualms doing a fresh install then and just exporting my characters and importing to the new game. The only issue might be "Learn through use" mod, but I'll just hit some beggars once or twice to get the proper variable going and then SK it to the value I had at the end of BG1

 

I'm a graphic designer (let's say), so my computer is good enough to run anything BG has to offer, I'd say, as long as the engine itself allows it. And yea, I still have that stupid idol with me, and the armor. I'm glad some mod added a bag of holding to Davaeorn, but I had enough issues finding someone to carry that crap through half the game haha. Then again, I could just trash it. It's not like I NEED that sword, it's just the completionist in me that made me keep the junk.

 

I generally try to avoid old versions of mods though. Even if new ones do some silly things, they tend to be more stable and less buggy all the same, and it's more important. I probably ticked some option that removes overpowered items (I recall there was one), but I also installed the Stuff of the Magi mod, because it said it's put in some specially picked enemies. Which is fun. I don't mind some 4 items put in powerful hands to surprise me when I get it. I'll take anything that will surprise me in this game nowadays But I mean, legitimately surprise me, not be 40 magical arrows on every gnoll or something xD That's no good.

 

Hmm... I'll tick that invisibility option when I redo the install then. I assume it makes someone permanently invisible? I don't want to check the readme because I know the locations of the items are listed there and I want no spoilers xD

[Crevs Daak]

About no-reload and game balancing: I try to keep my game as balanced as possible, while giving myself liberties like using the Multikit mod (some are pure win (Kensai/Conjurer/Assassin, actually SCS was only partially installed in that playthrough, and I had no more mods than aTweaks, SCS the Fixpack and Ascension) but others are a bit sucky (Wizard Slayer/Enchanter/Sharpshooter, which is my RP choice for my next playthrough which will take place when my current PC dies and I build another install) or just give you the wrong proficiencies (because Multikit defaults to the mod restrictive one which sometimes is pretty bothering and makes you edit the tables manually to change it), Then I removed or toned down stupidly overpowered items like the Cloak of Mirroring, and edit mod creatures (specifically those from Tactics.... Grrr...) to play fair and leave out unique items duplicates (even if undroppable...), and by the way assign them a semi-custom SCS script (get melee part, paste with mage part and a bit of ranged part and done! xD) so they're still formidable opponents (I did that to the Acid Kensai from Tactics) but don't cheese in a way not even I could (well, if I put myself limits... Because some time ago I used to get infinite gems via potion-swapping and bought Balduran's Sword/Shield/Armor right form the start of the game, LOL). I also sometimes skip Use Any Item, because, seriously, CE F/T with Carsomyr+6? WTF! I also use a level-adder WeiDU script so enemies aren't so low level (applies most to BG1, might try using it twice in BG2 next time), and I heavily rely on DEFJAM (Ding0's XP lower-er) to solo both BG1 and BG2 up to ToB without reaching level 50 on all classes.

genius of obscure cheese when it comes to BG xD

I was a terrible bug-exploiting potion-swapper über-cheesemen, until I realized that no-reload is much better (that K/C/A run was my first no-reload IIRC), and that installing the G3 Fixpack (I played BG2 vanilla + SCS and Ascension until then, then I started using more mods) isn't as bad as I had thought (even if Arbane+2 doesn't protect anymore from Stun that way ) Now, while I don't role-play a lot, I do role-play a bit, and use all imaginable tactics that aren't WAAAY cheesy (4 Project Image(s) with (a keymapped and not even memorized) Chain Contingency are something WAAAY cheesy, other stuff is mostly OK) to beat some enemies (I mean enemies like the Final ToB Battle with Ascension and Improved Irenicues in Hell/Improved Bodhi with Tactics), then I just use normal kiting (since I play solo and rarely choose a Fighter/Paladin/Ranger in BG1 (too easy), which is where most of the kiting happens), permanent buffs like Stoneskin and lots of precaution (and I only play when I'm in the mood for, which means the last time I opened BGT was on Septemeber... Too much modding      ).

[Echo]

Ha, by master of obscure cheese I didn't mean bug-abuser though More like hiding places, throwing clouds out of vision, using invisibility to wait out some buffs, sending waves of summons one-by-one to bait some pesky fireballs and stuff like that. I never did any sort of gold cheats or spell cheats. That's no fun for me Why play if I can win everything right after leaving Irenicus' Dungeon cause I got bajillion of gold, best items, and a 1-button winnage? Pf

 

How do you remove duplicates of unique items? If that's easy, that's one thing I'd do.

[The Imp]

How do you remove duplicates of unique items? If that's easy, that's one thing I'd do.

From party, Shadowkeeper, from enemies Near Inf-näh that bad, DLTCEP. OR the bag of holding on the donkey, it can fix everything.

Kensai/Conjurer/Assassin... solo

But if you look at it, you are not actually soloing the game if you use a custom triple kitted char , what you are doing is you have less hitpoints and attacks per round, but all your spells and potions are mass versions, and that can save you from a lots of things, and the AIs general behavior also changes when you only go "solo", cause there can be less monsters etc.
Not that the party that I intent to build isn't any less inclined to be a cheese cake runner...

Edited by The Imp, 31 December 2014 - 05:37 AM.

[Echo]

Bag of holding on the donkey? I've noticed that mod before, but what do you mean? Does it eat your crap duplicate or not (hence solving all such issues)? xD From the party I can just drop stuff down, but that's not the point. I mean like, in BG1 so far I've found about 20 "Varscona +2" swords, two Shadow Armors, duplicates of some druidic maces and goodies like that that were probably not meant to be found again and again Same with "Mail of the Dead +2" that just keeps popping up all over.

 

Party-building wise my biggest beef is always Imoen, classes and kits are way down on the issue list I mean, do I play with 5 party members through 3/4th of the game? Do I keep dragging some n00b along and keep replacing him/her with another temporary n00b? WHAT DO. I never know. I think last time I played with a party of 5. Which isn't as fun as party of 6. But this game has me in some quasi-roleplaying vice, and I don't know if I could tell Imoen to go on her merry way and still enjoy the rest of it xD #girlproblems

Edited by Echo, 31 December 2014 - 06:23 AM.

[The Imp]

Bag of holding on the donkey? I've noticed that mod before, but what do you mean?

Well you talk to the ass , and put all the extra/OP items in to it(the store, duh) and then just never take them back. As they smell quite bad, as you want to avoid the smell of cheese. Yes, the deplorable word was intentionally picked !

Party-building wise my biggest beef is always Imoen, classes and kits are way down on the issue list

Erhm, what ? The Level 1 NPCs mods Imoen component is made for the solution of the Imoen issue, well that and the Imprisonment spell just before the last encounter of the game, as you don't want your sister to kill you, as you both have the potential to ascend to godhood, and you can't have rivals, or the whole thing would be a bloody mess. Yeah, and Yoshimo is ~non-mage Imoen, and she inherits the XP. Or you could just make them both be switch bards...

Edited by The Imp, 31 December 2014 - 08:00 AM.

[Echo]

No no, I mean I do everything before Spellhold, and only then set out leaving the most bitchy tasks only And so I always have to have some character I'll later have to kick out/go as 5. And I so don't have the heart to let poor Yoshimo die. I remember my tears first time I played I tell him to leave me be and imagine he'll live happily ever after. It's not a matter of technicalties. Every now and then I like to even up party's XP by SK anyway taking a medium. But I would like very much to have a complete party from the get go

 

When I wanted Xan in BG1 to complete my setup I tried to rush Nashkel mines right away. The Duergar welcome party made me sad xD I didn't want the 'standard' team this time, so I took only Imoen from that (cause who can say no to those eyes). But damn, did I make a mistake taking Branwen... I think she will be scraping Anomen's heels in the line of my hated NPCs. I thought she was more for me before

Edited by Echo, 31 December 2014 - 12:12 PM.

[The Imp]

I think that you might be too particular about the exact amount of XP... cause the character 1 will get a bit more than the char 6 cause the XP from monsters doesn't split to 6 as nicely as it could, so the first one ends up to get more. There's a ToBEx fix for some of that, in a round about way. The Level 1 NPCs mods XP script should allow the joining to be quite equal, specifically with the enhanced script... but you'll still might end up a head of the pack, but really a few k's of added XP shouldn't be a problem on high levels where it takes ~100k per level and more to level up.

[Echo]

What I meant is, I take char 1 XP, add char 2 XP, add char 3-6 XP, then divide by 6 and give everyone equal Every chapter or so is plenty sufficient for nobody to fall behind, even with some unfortunate deaths. XP was never an issue for me, I cheat with SK when it feels good Long live single player games.

[Crevs Daak]

Kensai/Conjurer/Assassin... solo

But if you look at it, you are not actually soloing the game if you use a custom triple kitted char , what you are doing is you have less hitpoints and attacks per round, but all your spells and potions are mass versions, and that can save you from a lots of things, and the AIs general behavior also changes when you only go "solo", cause there can be less monsters etc.
Not that the party that I intent to build isn't any less inclined to be a cheese cake runner...
 

My install is set to give only 67% of the XP, and enemies have an of average of 3.33334 extra levels in BG1, 5.66667 in BG2, besides scripts are edited to always spawn the major number of creatures when PLayer1 is past level 5 (because 4 Bandits (that are about level 7 in my install...) in BG are too-deadly for a level 1 character), and I use The Bigg Tweaks' component to simulate Insane difficulty while playing on Core Rules (I find that enemies dealing more damage as increasing difficulty lame). But yes, you're completely right when it comes to solo-runs balance.