It is an awesome staff for a spellcaster.

Location Spoiler and Info
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Unfortunately, it seems very munchkin. I mean, put it in your mage/sorcerors weapon slot, and any time you hit the F2/3 key, you become invisible and protected from evil. With the cloak of non-detection, the only threat in the game are from monsters like shadow beasts which can see invisible.

Problem is, now that I know how to acquire it, I've reached a dilemma. Do I purposefully ignore its availability and handicap my spellcaster (I've actually tried soloing with a couple types, and the Staff seems so cheesy) intentionally, or embrace its power and munchkinize? I find it hard to believe that with a Staff of Cloudkill, one scroll of both Protection from Magic and Undead, you can kill a beholder, Lich, Vampire, high-level mage, and a powerful fighter and obtain the most useful item in the game!

What are your thoughts on this subject? Was its inclusion a bad idea? I mean, the Bladesinger Chain doesn't come until nearly the very end of the game, so I am just wondering if perhaps the Staff being made available right at the start (I can usually acquire it by the 8th day of game time) is poor balancing?

Where is this staff you speak of?

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Nice one fella!!

Well I'm kind of an AD&D newbie, and for me, acquiring the Staff was the hardest battle in the game, and I even waited till my XP was into the end of chapter 3, after about 100 days... so I sort of felt ENTITLED to such a powerful item. So I'm happy the Staff is in the game, I would have had a harder time without it. But maybe later when I get more experienced I might think about blowing off the Staff just for the challenge... it's just that right now I'm still a putz - even soloing is over my head at present.
So I think it was fine to put it into the game, one doesn't HAVE to use it.
If you feel the Staff makes things too easy, why not just sell it - maybe your mage has a problem with any item that can cast a lightning-type spell... Or is there a way to adjust the Staff's abilities with one of the editing utilities?

BTW thanks for the combat tip - definitely WILL be employing that strategy next time around http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...es/biggrin.gif

You have to fight the Twisted Rune.

The following link has a map, the door is located at the green '6'. There are two doors there, the Twisted Rune door is the one facing the sea.

Bridge District

PS: You need a Rogue Stone.

I've actually never used it myself. I am really dipping into
the spellcasting side of the game now. Not quite solo, taking
a fighter (V.S.) and sorcerer through. I plan on cheesing out
the rest of the way..http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...miles/hihi.gifhttp://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...miles/hihi.gif As soon as I get my hands
on it, I might drop the fighter and try to continue solo.
I just saved up and bought the Robe of Vecna. That's almost
unfair.

I haven't actually finished BG2 yet, so maybe I'll start a new Sorcerer and go solo. At least then I can justify the usage, right?? http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...miles/wink.gif

Maybe I'll write up a guide...

Ahem, would you mind editing and adding *spoiler* to your post.


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http://www.ranchoweb.com/images/bg2guy/drow2.gif http://www.tgeweb.com/ironworks/bald...works_018L.jpg

Those who watch their backs meet death from the front- Dreamer128 Demonslayer of the OHF.

Paladin of the order, first bodyguard of Lady Lioness and defender of Castle Kerhelm

? However, that is the only way people will discover the Twisted Rune, short of blind luck.

Spoiler...
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Not true, you'll meet Twisted Rune "personnel" during the Skinner Murder's quest in the tanner's basement. However, I have not found any dialogue options or quests that point to the Staff of the Magi battle or that even reference Shandalar the Lich. Perhaps it was something that was supposed to be scripted, but that the BG programmers never got around to or considered extraneous. Or maybe they just figured most player would explore every building? Who knows.

Dude, there's nothing cheeseball about the Staff of the Magi at all. For two reasons:

1) it's an awesome item from p'n'p D&D, and one that i was totally psyched they chose to include in BG2. your mage, whoever that may be, BECOMES an archmage in BG2/ToB.....what more suitable staff for a badass magic-user than the legendary one!

2) the Twisted Rune fight is DAMN hard! it's not like the staff is just sitting in some location, up for grabs. besides, after your guys reach the level where they're able to handle that fight and get the staff, having one mage be able to trigger an invisibility (not improved, mind you) at will is really not that much of a cheesy, or over-powerful thing.