Anyone remember old BH? Anyway, I've long considered my stealth abilities to be underdeveloped and generally inadequate. So supposing, I decided to create a single class thief and have him mooch around the Sword Coast for a while until he was around 4^th or 5^th level. The character's running around on his own (which meant legging it from Imoen but I'm sure she'll forgive me) trying to raise his XP. This post contains some of the things I've got up to whilst entertaining this idea. Where does Benny Hill come into it? Read on...

Wolves are a character's natural enemey, we all know this. Quite frankly, they're bl**dy evil, but I got passed the one in the "crop circles" map. Okay I said, on to the Friendly Arm Inn, for some nice XP, and a test of abilities against that wretched mage. Ggrrrr! Imagine my surprise when I remember the s*dding ogre near the trashed wagons. In he comes crashing around, stomp-stomp-stomp. No problem I say, hit-and-run with the short bow.

SPLUT!

Reload and try again.

SPLUT! Etc, etc, etc. Damn it.

Feeling the frustration, I decided that this tactic was the best method at the time, and that I had to make it work. So off I go, with a large and irate ogre in tow, and I stumble upon the wagons. Ha ha, I say, maybe he'll get confused and forget which way to go (okay I know that's a cheap way to abuse the AI's stupidity but I was annoyed by now). So around the wagons go I. Around the wagons goes the ogre. Back the other way go I. Back the other way goes the ogre. B*gger! He's started to anticipate and double-back! No problem, I'll just have to take pot-shots on this merry-go-round we're on. So imagine the scene, Shady, my character, and this ogre, chasing each other backwards and forwards around this wagon train, until he final gets the message and collapses (rather poignantly I thought) with a look that can only be described as exasperation on his face. Hooray!

Then a kobold shot me and I died.

LOL! [img]smile.gif[/img] I can just imagine the look on your face when that happened - unless you managed a save before that.

Hm, it might work to bring Imoen to this ogre, and fire off a few arrows. And then when the annoying monster is soon to die, remove imoen from your party, and finish him off yourselfe [img]smile.gif[/img] )

Oh the irony....it makes a man want to SCREEEEEEEEEEEAM

THAT's funny. Was the Benny Hill music playing in the background? You know, the score played at the end of the show when he's running around? Har.
Did you continuously slap the back of the ogre's head and kick him on the bottom?

It was playing - well, I was humming it at least - and I continued the "chasing" theme later on. I'd reloaded after the last debacle, and gave the ogre a good slapping. My next task was to smack that kobold in the face! That'll learn 'im.

Now I've saved and things should be back on track. I've used both potions of healing that I brought with me from Candlekeep by now, and was a little concerned with the state of my character's health. Which would be 1 HP. No problem say I, just be careful and run faster than them.

Off I go, keeping a wary eye out, and creeping about the forest (feeling very stealthy despite being cr*p at that skill). No problems so fa...

BAM!

Right into another effing, bl**dy wolf! I leg it and the wolf follows me. I make it to the wagons, diving into and out of the trees. The chase begins, and keeps on before I finally had had enough. Shady stops, turns and thwacks the wretched thing with a critical on the head. Ha ha, I say, come here and take it like a man! So there I am, a little elven thief chasing this bl**dy great big wolf around, using language that would make a docker blush at fifty paces, and laying about trees, rocks, wolves, gibberlings...anything that got in the way...until I stop, wait for the red mist to clear and look around at a completely empty map area. All enemies in site laying sprawled about the field. :D

Surveying the scene of carnage around me, Shady skips off through the leafy glades to the Friendly Arm. Still with 1 HP intact.

Only to face the wizard....so (and who didn't see this coming)...Yoooou're off to see the wizard (EVERYBODY SING)...The wonderful wizard at the Friendly Arm Inn.

Speaking of wizards, Shady (the now seasoned campaigner of malodious hobgoblin pleasantries) finally makes it to Beregost. Spotting Garrick, Shady sees a chance to make a quick few hundred gold. 'Of course I'll protect you madam. Have no fear.' (Stitch this love! The damnable witch.)

ZAP

She goes into improved invisibility, in record time I might add, and lays a massive lightning bolt on Shady. All I can do is reload and try again.

ZAP

Grrrr! I'll get you if it's the last thing I do. I can't hit Silke, or disrupt her with arrows quickly enough, and Shady is getting blasted all the time. So, thinking up a cunning plan, Shady legs it to the stairs of the Red Sheaf, firing his bow as he runs. On goes the invisibility, out comes the lightning bolt. Shady gets walloped for some lethal damage, leaving a
mere 3 HP left, but the lightning bolt switches back hitting Silke for 17 points herself. Shady is firing all the time, hitting with a couple of arrows, as the lightning bolt rebounds, striking Silke, killing her outright, and leaving Shady just enough time to get out of the way and watch it expire against the walls of the tavern. Victory!

[ 09-25-2002, 06:17 PM: Message edited by: Lord Brass ]

I am currently soloing a thief too, Lord Brass, and I've got some tips that I've found really useful, if you'd hear them. Firstly, always ensure you have lots of different potions in your inventory. Oils of speed, potions of healing, antidotes, potions of master thievery and potions of invisibility are crucial to the solo rogue. Second, whenever you can, buy magical arrows - arrows of ice, fire, and biting are best. Your encounter with Silke would have lasted all of about four seconds if you'd had a few arrows of biting in your quiver. Also, just remember to get the best possible equipment for Shady. You don't have any other party members to worry about, so buy the best there is! Shadow Armour, Short Bow +1 etc... these things will make your life a lot easier. Lastly, because you're not the best of fighters, think stealthily. Could you get past a certain (tough) monster without fighting it? Stick to the shadows a lot and use invisibility potions when the going gets tough.

These are just a few observations, you probably know most of them already though [img]smile.gif[/img]

Hey Lord Brass, here's a question for you and the others:
How come whenever I go to cast Lightning Bolt or Fireball, the cast time is by the books, but when the MONSTERS cast them, it's instantaneous? [img]graemlins/uhoh1.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/uhoh2.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/1ponder.gif[/img]
And why can't the bad guys figure out that lightning bolts reflect? [img]graemlins/1ponder.gif[/img]

I've never tried to solo through the game, but now you guys are making me consider it. And with winter just around the corner.... :D