You have a *very* strange bug, I'd say. [img]smile.gif[/img] Not sure if it can be tracked down, but what other MOD's do you have installed & in what order?

Every once in a while I'll get something weird like this (for example, in my current setup, I can only do the first duel in the tavern in the Underdark - even after the fight the guy says "Don't speak to me now - wait til the fight's over" or something like that & won't let me accept the next challenge). A re-install generally does the trick, but that's always a last resort.

- Imrahil

Are you running the multiple strongholds mod? In my experience it makes your PC fight Faldorn even if they arn't a Druid. You mentioned before that you had installed all of the Ease of Use mods, so I suspect that this is your problem.

[ 07-30-2004, 10:04 AM: Message edited by: Seraph ]

Are you running the multiple strongholds mod? In my experience it makes your PC fight Faldorn even if they arn't a Druid. You mentioned before that you had installed all of the Ease of Use mods, so I suspect that this is your problem. </font>[/QUOTE]<font color=plum>Ahaaaaa...I never thought about that. I have no desire for the Druid Grove, so I didn't think about earning it as a stronghold.

Hmmmmm....I may go back and un-install it for this encounter anyway. Then again, I had a very profitable visit to some of the local merchants last night and spent a long time acquiring my goods (because I was too stingy to use more than 1 potion of Master Thievery to boost my Pick Pockets. Still, it might be worth it to get the extra XP from Faldorn. Then again, if I just stand on the sidelines and let Cernd challenge her on his own, I doubt I will get any more XP than I did the first time through.

Oddly enough, though, after "killing" Faldorn, the game did not give me the option to become the new protector of the Grove - so I'm not sure it even offered me that stronghold. I do know that - even with multi-strongholds installed - gaining each one is not automatic. The first character I played under the Ease-of-Use Mod was my assassin. When we cleared De'Arnise Keep, Nalia explained the trouble she was having with this unwanted suitor. Being an assassin, I offered to permanently remove the fellow so that he wouldn't be any more trouble. She rejected my offer and also retracted her offer to have me run the keep (since my answer positivily identified me as an assassin. A second attempt - and a different dialogue choice - resulted in my assassin gaining the Keep.

So the dialogue options DO matter, and the Druid Grove may not be offered to non-druids even with Multiple Stronghold installed.

Oh well, last night was just too profitable to go back and re-do for my bard. I'll just remember to UN-Install the Multiple Stronghold when my next party comes to Trademeet. ;) </font>

EOU Multi-Stronghold componant caused my main chr (non-Druid) to be the only one able to fight Tactics Faldorn. Consequently my choices were either:
1) Uninstall Tactics Druids Grove
2) Uninstall EOU Multi Stronghold and bring Cernd
3) Various Cheese vs. Faldorn
4) Cntrl-Y vs. Faldorn
5) Leave her alone and come back later for her

I believe I did gain the Grove as a stronghold after killing Faldorn with method 3 or 4, but ultimately reloaded outside Faldorn's, and went with method 5.

Retreating to one of my several-other strongholds to regain strength and claim the Druid Grove later (maybe last thing before going to the endgame chapters).

That would seem to explain it. [img]smile.gif[/img] About getting the Grove as a stronghold, though, if you are a Druid (or if the game considers you to be a Druid with Multi-Stronghold), you don't get it after beating Faldorn. You have to speak to the Challenge Master (the guy standing where Faldorn was standing) afterwards & fight another Druid (who will seem like Neeber by comparison). You also have to be high enough level (14? or 15? can't recall), but I'm not sure how Multi-Stronghold will affect that requirement.

One thing to be aware of, though, is that when you acquire the Druid stronghold, your class description will be overwritten with the title Great Druid (there's a line in the Affects tab of ShadowKeeper you can delete to get rid of it, but I can't remember which one at the moment). No effect on the game itself, & you'd still be considered a Bard for all game purposes, but your character screen will say Great Druid instead of Skald.

- Imrahil

Yeah, I wasn't exactly expecting reports of people beating Faldorn honorably. And about that Kensai(12)->Druid who claimed to have managed to pull it off without cheese: The first time I fought Improved Faldorn, I picked up the staff, hit her with it, and got "Weapon Ineffective." And the last time I fought her, I couldn't even find the staff at all. I did like the guy mentioned and tried leading the Dread Wolves (not Spirit Animals, sorry, my bad) around, but no "Item here" pointer could I find. </font>[/QUOTE]Well, I did the battle as I mentioned earlier and I never had problems hitting Faldorn with any weapon. I am certain that she does not have a permanent mantle (I have done only once with the Kensai->druid with the quarterstaff, but plenty of times with Jaheira in the party using Belm (+2 scimitar) and no other cheats).

....hmmmm, then I can only ask how many times you've been able to beat Improved Faldorn with a Normal Quarterstaff that you found in the pit, and when that was. You see, I have found Faldorn to be immune to all weapons of less than +3 enchantment, every single time I've tangled with her. So you may have downloaded a slightly earlier version of Improved Faldorn, and then Weimer may have given her the Mantle without bother to change the Tactics Version number.

Or it may simply be a difference between my computer and somebody else's. It's certainly happened often enough before.

Maidros, welcome to the IW forum! I see this is only your second post here.

Perhaps Maidros did not realize this thread is discussing Improved Faldorn from the Tactics mod v20?

....hmmmm, then I can only ask how many times you've been able to beat Improved Faldorn with a Normal Quarterstaff that you found in the pit, and when that was. You see, I have found Faldorn to be immune to all weapons of less than +3 enchantment, every single time I've tangled with her. So you may have downloaded a slightly earlier version of Improved Faldorn, and then Weimer may have given her the Mantle without bother to change the Tactics Version number.

Or it may simply be a difference between my computer and somebody else's. It's certainly happened often enough before. </font>[/QUOTE]I did the kensai->druid thing in version 19, but I have done the battle with only belm even in version 20. I am pretty positive she does not have a permanent mantle (checked in NI as well, it does not show up). Are you certain that it is a permanent mantle? I usually spend the first few rounds summoning fodder, so if it is a normal mantle, it might have gone by the time I tangled with her in melee combat.

Thanks for the welcome.