Favorite/Least Favorite Area or Challenge in Durlag's Tower (SPOILERS)

[Nerull]

Well, not seeing too much activity out here lately, so thought I would just ask about this one. I just finished Durlag's Tower with a solo sorcerer, and it really forced me to have to use some tactics (and forced a lot of curses from me, especially regarding the traps). So I just thought that I would ask the following:

• Your favorite area of Durlag's Tower: mine has to be the one with the Greater Wyverns. Tough fighting, but you can add the charmed warriors to help out. No traps, but no cake walk, either. A good break from the trap-laden areas of the game. Second area(s) would be the riddle rooms on the last level before the Demonknight. Really tests your knowledge of the story behind the tower, and really adds to the flavor of the place.
• Least favorite area of Durlag's Tower: The trap laden torture chamber (in fact, that entire level just annoys me). The double traps (dispel magic followed by damage) really tick me off.
• Most difficult area of Durlag's Tower: probably the four wardens guarding the way to the lower reaches (Pride, Love, etc.). Real pain in the butt. Second would be those four elemental rooms (Ooze, Cold, etc.), with the chessboard included.

Just curious!

[Armen]

i've just finished durlag's for the first time with a solo fighter/thief who i reckon is about the easiest character to do it with

i think my least favourite aspect was the going round and round the levels after you've cleared them trying to find what you've missed

the stone golem level is a good one - the first golem gave me an option to face the questions later so i cleared the whole level before going back to him - it was only retracing my steps a few times and happening to spot the spell cursor that showed me the way

i guess i'd have liked the puzzles to be harder but have more 'ah-hah!' about them if you see what i mean - i'm not sure how and why i 'solved' some of them except for just doing everything - and you're never sure which wardstones are doing what . . . i liked it though, don't get me wrong - maybe i shold give them the benefit of the doubt and say that i wasn't supposed to get it

i think i found the pools of slime area the most atmospheric - very gloopy [img]smile.gif[/img]

[pritchke]

Originally posted by Nerull: Well, not seeing too much activity out here lately, so thought I would just ask about this one. I just finished Durlag's Tower with a solo sorcerer, and it really forced me to have to use some tactics (and forced a lot of curses from me, especially regarding the traps). So I just thought that I would ask the following: Your favorite area of Durlag's Tower: mine has to be the one with the Greater Wyverns. Tough fighting, but you can add the charmed warriors to help out. No traps, but no cake walk, either. A good break from the trap-laden areas of the game. Second area(s) would be the riddle rooms on the last level before the Demonknight. Really tests your knowledge of the story behind the tower, and really adds to the flavor of the place. Least favorite area of Durlag's Tower: The trap laden torture chamber (in fact, that entire level just annoys me). The double traps (dispel magic followed by damage) really tick me off. Most difficult area of Durlag's Tower: probably the four wardens guarding the way to the lower reaches (Pride, Love, etc.). Real pain in the butt. Second would be those four elemental rooms (Ooze, Cold, etc.), with the chessboard included. Just curious!

I would have to agree!! Overall a good dungeon crawl.

[Lord]

I got ToTSC a few months ago and I still haven't gotten to the ToTSC parts since I haven't played in a while! I've gotta get to Durlag's Tower soon

[Jerr Conner]

I never minded Durlag's Tower.

What I hated was the Demon in that town who gets the Soultake Dagger.

[Nerull]

Originally posted by Jerr Conner: I never minded Durlag's Tower. What I hated was the Demon in that town who gets the Soultake Dagger.

LOL, he is a pain isn't he? Free Action saves your bacon (along with some area effect damage spells and some invisibility).

[CerebroDragon]

My memories of Durlag's Tower are profoundly positive - I actually enjoyed it alot more than Wathcher's Keep to be honest. Although it can be laborious and slow going it rewards you very well with its atmosphere, story and items.
It could also be something about the sweet-spot in experience levels that my party had at the time I when I first completed it.

I know I mentioned them in your other topic about annoying creatures Nerull, but those invisible assasinatory killers in the third or so basement level of Durlag's Tower would probably still get my vote for least favourite challenge. Ashirikuru I think they're called. Mostly because I never killed all of them and had to reload so many times, I eventually decided to avoid a major part of the area.
Hope I never missed too many items or anything.

Being an avid chessplayer, I loved the chessboard sequence for its concept alone, and greeted the challenge with feverish glee. Otherwise, the way the story of Durlag is intertwined with the riddles was also a definite favourite theme for me. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Nerull]

Originally posted by CerebroDragon: My memories of Durlag's Tower are profoundly positive - I actually enjoyed it alot more than Wathcher's Keep to be honest. Although it can be laborious and slow going it rewards you very well with its atmosphere, story and items. It could also be something about the sweet-spot in experience levels that my party had at the time I when I first completed it. I know I mentioned them in your other topic about annoying creatures Nerull, but those invisible assasinatory killers in the third or so basement level of Durlag's Tower would probably still get my vote for least favourite challenge. Ashirikuru I think they're called. Mostly because I never killed all of them and had to reload so many times, I eventually decided to avoid a major part of the area. Hope I never missed too many items or anything. Being an avid chessplayer, I loved the chessboard sequence for its concept alone, and greeted the challenge with feverish glee. Otherwise, the way the story of Durlag is intertwined with the riddles was also a definite favourite theme for me. [img]smile.gif[/img]

LOL...those damn invisible pains in the butt finally met their match in my recent game. I also skipped them when I played through every other time. This time, I was soloing a sorcerer. Mirror Image + Stoneskin + good AC = their backstabs doing pretty much squat to me. Wait for them to backstab, hit them with a magic missile. Only took two castings apiece to take them out. After avoiding them like the plague in every other game, it felt soooo good!

Oh, and my guy was level 12. Level 12 = Death Spell. Chessboard was hilarious. See the pawns, cast Death Spell, watch pawns die. Here comes the king, all by himself. Greater Malison + 3 castings of Chromatic Orb = Dead King. I actually had a worse time of things in the skeleton room (where they all have special arrows, including arrows of dispelling, and attack in groups). The torture room sucked so bad, because it dispels your spells, then nails you with multiple trap damage.

However, Durlag's Tower has my vote as the best dungeon in BG1, SoA, or ToB. It truly has a great story behind it, great atmosphere, etc. Also extremely challenging, but not in an overly cheesy way (even the cheesiest of traps have a reason for being there). Great overall dungeon.