As soon as I read the name of the thread the word "FIREWINE" rang out in my head... Kobolds should never be able to cause so much pain. Though beneath Candlekeep comes as an easy second... until I figured out how to throw fireballs directly at.. erm.. ::doesn't feel like throwing out a spoiler:: The people who talk to you near the end.

That's so true. However, I was forced to take down Tarnesh my first time through the game. I remember at least 10 reloads, mostly because I had a big problem with Xzar: I couldn't figure out how to change the spells he had memorized. So I was stuck with using Larloch's Minor Drain on Tarnesh, making it very un-useful.

You know, I never had a real problem with Tarnesh.. He killed me maybe twice out of the ten or eleven times I played the game. I had Immy equip a bow, purchased from Winthrop's, and fire away... and I would cast Magic Missile or another spell and disrupt him. If I wasn't a spellcaster, I'd fill him up with arrows, too. Am I alone in never having had a problem with him?

The bad part about him is not his mirror image. It is his horror spell (rendering your party helpless, considering how bad your saving throws are at that point) and his overpowered magic missile. Maybe you were lucky in getting a hit in with an arrow to disrupt his casting, but otherwise he will tear you up. That's how I beat him this last time; I shot like crazy with bow, and prayed to whichever deity/entity was watching that I managed to disrupt his spells.

Aaaaaaaaaack! I totally misfired there. I thought Tarnesh was someone else.. It's been a looooong time since I played that game... Do forgive me ::bows::

Actually I have defeated Tarnesh 4 times (TotSC Paladin + Imo (lvl 1 both), TotSC Mage/Fighter/Thief + Imo (lvl 1 both), TotSC Multi 6 different chars, all lvl 1 and finally DSotSC Mage/Fighter/Thief + Imo (lvl 1 both)). Only one time I had to reload, because he killed one of my party members.

I mostly let Imo fire away with a bow, while my fighter hacks away with a sword - no problem until now. Guess I have been lucky [img]smile.gif[/img]

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Insane

I never really liked Ulcaster. Dont know why but that whole area just sorta didnt agree with me.

Not to mention how helpful the guards are... :D

I really don't enjoy Firewine, and I am starting to get very bored with the Nashkel Mine.... I do like the gnoll stronghold though... it's such a fun chunk-fest!!! :D

Cheers,

Moiraine Sedai

i hear you on the firewine dungeon spawning but in many respects it feels more realistic - the idea that you can enter some populous monsters' home and pick them off small groups at a time isn't the best - unless you were very sneaky your first encounter would result in alarms and massed charges and or barricades and ambushes - the firewine spawning is the closest there is to this i reckon (BG2 has a few ambushes and spawns-in-sight that really add)

back on topic i think my least favourite area in one respect is baldur's gate itself - and that is in the travelling between map ares, especially that triangular bit between the walls near the gate and the pub that has exits in different maps (or similar) - arrrghhh!!!

I must also concede to the fire-laden insanities cauased by respawning kobolds in the Firewine dungeon - I have treated Kobold Commandoes with some respect ever since. I recall splitting my party into about three groups last time, and summoning alot of skeletons for protection. Then its a case of slow progression with your thief and main fighters, praying to Tymora that you won't miss a trap or have to reload your quicksave and in so doing, gate in some more yipping fire-wielding kangaroo-dogs. :D

Sometimes on a par for difficulty but not quite since your party is just that much tougher by the time you get to it, are the thief warrens. I always dread one particular fight with about two or three of those skeleton warriors, who screech "dieeeee!" and are armed to the teeth with cold/fire arrows. Traps also abound to prevent you rushing them.

Finally, although I only did it the one time, a section in Durlag's basement level 2 or 3 deserves a special mention for annoyance. Its in a sewerage/slime area south of the fireball trap room. There lurks some uber-ghouls who aren't all that nasty despite their frequency. However, there are also several dire specimens of uber-invisible stalkers of a particular name (riki-something....anyone? They're not in my monsters manual) I reloaded an awful alot of times here, falling victims to their completely invisible backstabs. No doubt it would have been that much more easier if I'd had anti-invisibility spells. I killed one or two of them with freakish critical hits, but they killed me more and eventually I simply settled upon a complete avoidance of the area. [img]smile.gif[/img]

P.S: Nice to see you back Moiraine!