Whew! SoA Solo No Reloads Rambling.

[Raistlin Majere]

FINALLY!!!! it took a LONG time(more than i usually have patiance for), but i did it! improved Ilyich and co. fell before my might. sheesh that was hard! nothing like my run through using core rules. whooey, had to run a long time when killing Ilyich, he just wouldnt die! the monk was the second hardest(damn those potions ), than the crossbow woman. oh god, the relief! one of the hardest battles behind, ill set my course towards the mysteries of athkatla(wish me luck)

[Xen]

Good luck Raistlin Majere

[ 06-20-2003, 09:44 AM: Message edited by: Xen ]

[Rataxes]

Yep - it confers immunity to the entire spell. Hypothesis: Weimer was too lazy to create a new spell, so he used a variant of Teleport Field. All in good spirit, Westley, of course. [img]smile.gif[/img] By the way - the "canon" game does that a lot, too.

Ahh, then that does, of course, make it extremely useful, even for a ranged fighter/spellcaster.

Spirit Animals are quite tough: Base AC 2 to AC -1, 45 to 96 HP, Base THAC0 8-10, STR 16-19, DEX 14-20, 2 to 3 attacks, immune to panic, poison, sleep, petrification, confusion, charm, hold, stun, slaying (which makes the excellent spell soakers), and they use special attacks (poison, level drain, etc). Having a Totemic Druid instead of Korgan means more Death Wards, more Chaotic Commands, more Insect Plague, more Nature's Beauty, more Creeping Doom, etc, etc... oh, and Elemental Princes are lovely. On the other hand, I'm losing one ranged-attacker/potnetial tank. 4 frontliners is still quite a beefy team, though. What do you think?

They do look like quite the spell absorbers. More Deathwards and CC's are of course nice, though those are the kind of spells that last all day long. IP/CD I don't care much for, they're primarily mage killers, and any mage you can't dispose of with Imp Invisibility, will likely not be vulnerable to IP either. NB and EP though, yes those certainly are nice. Though I don't see why you have a problem with Bloodbane if you can use Nature's Beauty, it's easily as broken With this input, sure a Totemic druid looks like a worthy replacement for Korgan [img]smile.gif[/img] I don't really think either alternative is stronger than the other, though the fighter-fanatic in me would probably choose Korgan anyway.

Crom it is, then?

Yep. Unless your 4-5 fighters will need the extra STR items, shouldn't be the case though I think.

I can use the Blade of Searing, I guess. Or Jhor. Not over-the-top powerful weapons, but not too shabby, either. Oh! I can use Sanchuudoku! Imoen can settle for Fury and Kundane for time being.

Kundane is probably a hell of a lot better than Sanchuu at that point, ApR is king. Blade of Searing is IMHO vastly superior to Jhor due to it's elemental damage.

Heh. Actually, I'm going with Throwing Axes because Throwing Spears are too much, even for me. Really - Bloodbane is absurd. And K'log is really underrated - it's a Fury-like ranged weapon. Heck, it's a ranged weapon with STR bonus, which is already damn decent.

Sure is, sure is, sure is. Btw, don't you agree that the Poison of Bloodbane is more wicked than the -4 Stun? Sure the latter is good, but I was able to stunlock the Ascension Big Boss with the constant poison attacks, I don't think that can be beaten [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Rataxes]

Originally posted by Raistlin Majere: THIS IS NOT FUNNY!!!!!!! after reading this post among others, decided to try a F/M/T solo/insane/tactics etc. etc., you know the drill. im not quite ready for a no-reload game yet(only played tactics/ascension once), and im having quite enough *fun* with a regular solo. the thing is, i finally got past improved otyugh(god bless you Rataxes ), but now the combat wont go off! no quick-saving or resting [img]graemlins/crying.gif[/img] !!! oh well, i quess ill do it again then...it wasnt that hard edit: YES!! apparently the combat mode doesnt go off before killing the sewage eater. man, this is much more satisfying than regular gameplay...

The Greater Otuygh is a bastard isn't he? Dolorious Decay is as annoying as they come.

[Xen]

I have a good recepie versus improved Otuygh. Cast DUHM,drink oil of speed,hide in shadows,backstabb him and immediatly cast Vampiric Touc as your Bhaalpower. This has always wokred for me.

[ 06-20-2003, 11:16 AM: Message edited by: Xen ]

[Alson]

Originally posted by Jim: It's definately worth a go. The concept of going back to using spells such as grease and colour spray after having time stop and IA is quite amusing, but I enjoy the challenge of low powered classes. I think Amazon will ship to Israel, and they definately have BG1 and ToTSC as a double pack in stock.

Thanks - I'll remember that. Now all I have to do is quit playing BG2.

Yes, I forgot about that little extra point you can pick up, although I'm planning on staying "good", and obtaining 25 requires a little evil intervention .

Hmm? What "evil intervention"? As far as I know, there are 3 tomes of wisdom in BG1 - that gives us 21. The good way in the Wrath test grants an extra point (= 22), TMoltM is another one (= 23), Hrothgar and the Ioun Stone together will make that a lovely 25. And that's without the DoMT!

[Xen]

DoTM?What is this?

[Jim]

Originally posted by Alson: Now all I have to do is quit playing BG2.

Harder than it sounds

Hmm? What "evil intervention"? As far as I know, there are 3 tomes of wisdom in BG1 - that gives us 21. The good way in the Wrath test grants an extra point (= 22), TMoltM is another one (= 23), Hrothgar and the Ioun Stone together will make that a lovely 25. And that's without the DoMT!

Ah! When I specified 24 earlier, I was refering to natural wisdom. Then I realised that it was possible to ledgitamely get a natural wisdom on 25 by the end of ToB. As for using the Silver Ioun Stone, there are far better helms for cleric/mage to use (helm of Balduran, Circlet of Netheril spring to mind).

I got the 25 WIS as follows (very similar to your method):

18 starting WIS for BG1
+3 from tomes (21)
+1 from giving in to the taint when battling Wraith Sarevok (22 - hence the evil intervention)
+1 from the Bhaal Tear from this test (23)
+1 from the DoMT (Deck of Many Things Xen, 24)
+1 from the MoLTM (25).

A 25 WIS should net me some pretty impressive bonus spell slots (including 7th level ones Makes up for the slower level progression due to the multi class).

[Xen]

[quote]Originally posted by Jim:

Originally posted by Alson: Now all I have to do is quit playing BG2.

Harder than it sounds

+1 from the DoMT (Deck of Many Things Xen, 24) A 25 WIS should net me some pretty impressive bonus spell slots (including 7th level ones Makes up for the slower level progression due to the multi class).

Thanks Jim. And if you are a Cleric/Mage you have much better Wish(ToB Spell) options.

[Alson]

Originally posted by Rataxes: They do look like quite the spell absorbers. More Deathwards and CC's are of course nice, though those are the kind of spells that last all day long.

Yes - the problem is that if the Ranger/Cleric is the only priest in the party, enough Chaotic Commands & Death Wards for the entire party probably means no Ironskins & Nymphs. For that reason alone, I think I'll take the Totemic.

IP/CD I don't care much for, they're primarily mage killers, and any mage you can't dispose of with Imp Invisibility, will likely not be vulnerable to IP either.

Insect Plague is definitely Anti-Magery, I'll agree... but it has the advantage of not being vulnerable to the quite-common True Sight. It's blocked by Magic Resistance, though.

Creeping Doom is a different story, though. It's really an underrated spell - it deals decent damage over time, causes fear and spell disruption, and is party friendly. Insect Plague also tends to last longer than most battles. [img]smile.gif[/img]

NB and EP though, yes those certainly are nice. Though I don't see why you have a problem with Bloodbane if you can use Nature's Beauty, it's easily as broken

Nature's Beauty is only really cheesy if you're using it "cheesily" - that is, exploit the fact that it does not break invisibility (which is absurd, considering the idea is that enemies actually *see* the caster ). Otherwise, it's just another super-powerful spell.

With this input, sure a Totemic druid looks like a worthy replacement for Korgan [img]smile.gif[/img]

Thanks - I think I'll go with the Totemic, then.

I don't really think either alternative is stronger than the other, though the fighter-fanatic in me would probably choose Korgan anyway.

I was thinking of choosing Weimer's (Re/Un)balanced Shapershifter, instead... but just like Bloodbane - too rich for my blood (excuse the pun).

Kundane is probably a hell of a lot better than Sanchuu at that point, ApR is king. Blade of Searing is IMHO vastly superior to Jhor due to it's elemental damage.

Fury + Kundane & Sanchu + Easthaven it is, then.

Sure is, sure is, sure is. Btw, don't you agree that the Poison of Bloodbane is more wicked than the -4 Stun? Sure the latter is good, but I was able to stunlock the Ascension Big Boss with the constant poison attacks, I don't think that can be beaten [img]smile.gif[/img]

Definitely. If a weapon can do *this* (stunlock) to *that* (you know)... I think it really is a bad sign, and everyone who read the debates between SixOfSpades and I will tell you I'm no purist.