I didn't play BG2 for a couple of months but here I am again having fun with a solo assassin and another game with full party (PC-Swashbuckler, Jaheira, Minsc, Kelsey, Solaufein and Imoen).

I thinking about trying to beat the game with a no reloads play. I once came very far - did all quests + underdark + WK but died to "insane" damaging poison cloud from poison encounter. I played as a sorcerer and had modified party with me (Jaheira - R/C, Nalia - F/M, ...). Oh, but I didn't do Ilyich that time. It seemed too crazy to go for a no reloads.

But now the Tactics Mod is a little different and I feel there is a chance to do it. And I want to play with original characters not modified ones.

Since I will be playing on insane I believe that my tanks need to be under the protection of stoneskin (ironskin) otherwise it's pretty soon over. Many foes hit for 60-70 dmg. Only "fighters" in the game with that protection are Jaheira and Haer'Dalis so that's OK. I'm not taking Sola because some of his fights are really difficult.

I might take Kelsey but he doesn't have even the most basic defensive spell - Mirror Image. That sucks. I'm not sure about Tashia ...

I'm also taking Anomen for all the protection - especially Chaotic Commands. :D He'll stay back and sling away. ;) (hmm, Viconia with MR?)

Since PC is the most vital part of the party and must not die (others can be raised) he must be very well protected and not in the first battle lines.
So maybe sorcerer, maybe fighter/mage multi or maybe fighter/thief multi.
F/T with UAI can use SoTM, Carsomyr, ...
F/M is a little more risky but a great tank. With Time stop and fighter abilities ... :D

M/T is also an option but for that I can take Jan.

And one more thing - I don't want two same classes or kits in the party. So if PC is sorc that means no Kelsey or Tashia.

So: PC - ?
Jaheira (F/D)
Haer'Dalis (Blade)
Anomen (F/C dual)
Tashia ?
???

I was thinking maybe Valygar or Keldorn. Keldorn for Carso and his inquisitor abilities and Valygar for ranged support and his upgraded armor is very good.
He can also protect well with AoF + DoE + Hardiness (85% physical res.) He can scout and backstab too.

I'm playing with TOB, Item Upgrade, Tactics + Ascension.
And I believe that in this case everything is allowed - Cloak of Cheese, Green Scrolls, Bloodbane, ... Do you share the same opinion ?

Any cool suggestions ?

I think you should equip Anomen with Crom Faeyr instead of a sling. He's actually a really good tank since he can also cast cleric spells.

Anoman can be excellent with that sling form the Copper Coronot that adds the strength bonus to damage. Then again in my party he also had Crom Faeyar and was a good tank, but I tend to agree with Leslie(you play on insane don't you?) with tactics etc on insane and no reloads Anomen would die pretty quickly in melee combat especially without the gauntlets of dexterity...

Maybe he could use a sling until you get the gauntlets and a good shield, then he would be a better tank but maybe using the sling would be the best bet IMO.

Glad to see someone taking Haer'Dalis, he's one of my favorites, though I worry about his low hit points in a no reloads game. If someone does manage to break through his defenses he'll die pretty quick very annoying if your playing a no-reloads game. I hope you'll have a rod of resurection handy :D

The rest of your party looks good to me, when you say you don't want two classes the same does that mean no other cleric? I think Aerie as a cleric/mage would be an excellent addition. She fits what you wanted protection wise (stoneskin etc) and an other half cleric would really help in a no reloads game for (death wards on characters, more healing, more chaotic commands etc).

I'm not sure what class the PC should be maybe F/M.

EDIT:Hmm I forgot you'll need a thief Jan seems to fit the bill...

[ 05-15-2004, 02:41 PM: Message edited by: Zarr ]

The idea that I like most is:

PC - Sorcerer
Jaheira
Haer'Dalis
Anomen
Jan (Spike traps :D )
Keldorn

A fighter/theif is a strong character.I didnt reload when soling one until Chap.6 when kangaax cast maze on me.Damn that spell.

Remember, a no reloads game might just mean that you don't get to use the party you intend on using.

My advice for the protagonist would be to play either a Paladin, a dwarf, or a gnome. All three get big bonuses on saving throws, which is very important.

I'd suggest making the PC a pure theif, or an assasin, hide in shadow's + cloak of non detection make's you invisible to most creature's, so just going for realy high stealth stat's and detect invisible.. mean's do you don't have to wast mage spell's trying to get rid of nasty Spell imunity devination+ illision spells..


If your doing a no reload's game I'd suggest mostly though don't try and do everything, just finish the game, then branch out onto the harder side quest's, like killing dragons and so on..

Yes I agree, and Spike traps rule. :D
But in a no reloads game defense is crucial. How do I protect him?
Physical res. - Doe + Jan's Armor + Hardiness - 85%
Magical - Carso + Cloak of Balduran + Gaxx + Amulet - 95% MR
Sounds OK. But can't do both.
He is also one of the best characters for Ilyich party. Stealth and high traps skills are very good.

Good advice, it's just that I don't want to rely on saving throws, because I don't want to rely on luck when playing a no reloads game.
I want to protect against spells, physical damage and dispelling.

[ 05-16-2004, 08:09 AM: Message edited by: Leslie ]

Not quite, but you can come close. Dual DoE and Mini-Carsomyr (you know the one I'm talking about.) Your MR won't be as high, but it'll still be up there.

[ 05-16-2004, 01:17 PM: Message edited by: True_Moose ]

I can get to 100% MR just before the final fight with Jon:

25% - Cloak of Balduran
20% - Human Flesh Armor
20% - Purifier (SOA)
10% - Gaxx
10% - Kaligun's amulet
5% - TMOLTM
10% - Hell bonus
---------
100% MR

But I need to survive the fights for ring, armor and cloak too. :mad:

which mod implements the cloak of balduran?
maybe it's in the original game but as far as i know it isen't, it would be a shame to miss out on this kind of equipment due to poor scouting [img]smile.gif[/img]

Tactics, specifically the Lich in the Docks component.

[ 05-16-2004, 10:46 PM: Message edited by: True_Moose ]

I've tried some NRL parties and didn't get as far as you but I regularly went through Illyich without reloading. You shouldn't have any problems. That was with v17. I do think that they are a tad harder with the newest Tactics, however. Before you could seperate the group and close them into rooms as well as the Shadow Thieves, now you can't. And it's hard to save against the duergar mage's confusion so have a weak summon or two available to soak it up.

The next time I try, hopefully after I beat IWD2, I think I might uninstall the poison based encounter. That one is just mad cheesy, and the hardest thing is that you don't really have too many cheese options yourself here.

For your PC have you ever considered a skald? I thought about it and might try it. You get the needed mage protection spells and you can protect/buff the entire party with the bard song and stay out of harms way mostly. It doesn't fit the "best defense is a good offense" theory that I think you need for NRL but it might work.

Have fun. Oh yeah, don't forget about the improved demons in the new tactics.

Those wands and thieves who chunkified my party seemed too much at that time. And about these duergar mages - I just let them see me and when they start casting a spell I go behind the wall and hide in shadows and their spell is cancelled. That's why it's very good to have a thief with a high HiS and MS.

Yes, poison really kicked me - and I still haven't found any 100% protection against it.
Spell Immunity doesn't work (I tried all of them :mad: ), Cloak of Cheese doesn't work, Gaxx doesn't work, the only thing that works but not 100% is Mirror Image - and of course running away from that cloud. You can protect agains psionics (Cha. Commands) and Bloodbane (PFMW) but not against poison.

I once tried a skald but his range when singing is pathetic. You must be very very close to your party members to have any effect.

One of my NRP RIP parties had a Blade a PC, but I believe that Chain Contingency is a must in a NRP game. You can cast 3 defensive spells at the same time. ;)