SoA - Ilyich Mod - Chateau Irenicus - Help

[Dakkon Darkblade]

Spoiler maybe? Just in case...
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*just dies* Okay, I downloaded the Ilyich mod because indeed I wanted something new on my agenda for that annoying trek through the first dungeon in the game - where you're left when Irenicus is attacked by Shadow Thieves.

I do have the Solaufein Mod, but I wanted something else besides that... so I downloaded this, because in my mind it makes sense - don't we all agree that Irenicus wouldn't have hired that many stupid lackeys to keep his place secret, safe, and secure? So yeah, that Mod, available at Weimer's site, is very very hard.

I'm never the type to give up, in fact I'm known for my persistance... but I'm not opposed to asking for help or tips for this battle. I've imported from BG1: ToSC with full experience... have 4 characters that are my own (and powerful, a wild mage, a true class half-elf bard, a berserking dwarf, and a halfling assassin)... plus Jaheira and Minsc. The little Duergar, first off, are annoying to begin with... they seem to have an exhorbent amount of life... ugh... I can kill them, if I wasn't distracted by the Neophyte Tanar'ri thing, and the Jailkeep golem (who is magic resistant and can only be hit by magic weapons). I can take down several of the Duergar, and even I think one time both the Jailkeep Golem and that Demon, at least a few of them all every time... but... anyone who knows this mod knows there's that annoying Zhivago, who casts Fallen Deva or Planetar or whatever... *dies again* SUPPOSEDLY, you are supposed to keep hitting Zhivago while he tries casting it... and normally I can disrupt up to even 2 castings of this spell (which normally makes him run at you)... but then if you ever turn your eye off him, he will sit there and cast it again! Gah... there's no chance to kill something like that, obviously. What I've been trying to do is incapacitate them before the fight, sending things like Chaos, Emotion, Confusion, Glitterdust, and other stuff, in there while I stand back cheaply.

How best should I proceed to kill them all? I know people have beaten it, and I want to too... I don't want to be one of the people who uninstalls it before beating it at least once. I want to win that battle at least once, possibly deciding after I know I can, before I might uninstall it anyway (since it's a lot of experience to gain early on). Help?

[ 10-23-2002, 05:34 AM: Message edited by: Dakkon Darkblade ]

[LennonCook]

Think about it this way: The only weapon you can get this early to hurt the Fallen Deva is the Sword of Chaos +2.
So, you have to stop that Deva being summoned. And at the same time avoid the Ta'anari advancing on you with it`s Paralitic Gaze.
Unless you can get that Sword of Chaos.

To get the Sword of Chaos +2 involves sneaking past these guys, not letting the demon into sight (because it can see invisibled creatures), and getting all the way past them... 3 times.

The guy who wrote this mod *HAS* to be insane. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Dakkon Darkblade]

Indeed he just might be [img]smile.gif[/img]

OKay, sorry, I looked it up... it's a Neophyte Glabrezu, not Tannar'ri, I knew that was wrong. It basically just walks around and takes a while to kill, also scratching you with it's claws... it's not a real big deal since it doesn't have that kind of gaze that's involved, the paralytic one. It just... occupies and hurts my guys, pretty much.

Now, about sneaking past to get the Sword of Chaos +2, I think Zhivago the Duergar loves to cast True Sight or whatever if you try it... they can sense you those annoying little guys. So... without a cloak of non-detection, or the spell, non-detection I'm kinda screwed with that. People -have- done that though, some succesful, some unsuccessful, and if I were to do it I'd have to give it to Minsc. Unfortunately, I do believe that place to go to get it, past them all, is a party required map-change, so I wouldn't be able to just take my assassin and waltz on through.

It's good to know that about the Deva though, I will think more upon it. Anyone who knows this mod, and has chosen to actually talk to Ilyich now, will find it's rather funny what they say (suboptimal battle tactics mentioned from Ilyich himself about himself and his people, doing checks to see if you have all the +1 weapons you get, and then making fun of those too...>.<).

Help still appreciated from anyone if anyone has any ideas, especially if you've played it and maybe even have beaten this thing.

[daan]

Just a thought,.. but i believe there are allways Tips and Hints, as well as stories of people who did it included in the read-me.
Not sure though

[Dakkon Darkblade]

Indeed there are tips and hints in the Readme, but nothing really what I'm looking for. What I've learned from said readme, is what I've been covering here, as well as seeing it on the site itself about people praising him for the good fight and all, saying how hard it was. They try several different actions in the readme, in fact many of them giving up, but there is one thing I haven't tried yet, which I will shortly, and that is going through the rest of the dungeon before you get to it... or rather, coming back for it when you're more ready or something.

You can find more items that way and all, I just never do that... that will be a last resort if I can't find a way to take them without skipping them for now.

[daan]

*SPOILER* Walkthrough by DavideCarta - Ilyich
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>General
Remember that Cesar has said: "Dividi et Impera" (Divide and Rule)
Watch your footsteps, the floor is trapped.
Remember pick up every scroll and not scribe them in your spell book and to save
more and more and more...
Remember that the mail of the death is the last thing you will get! So the best
armor is the plain splint mail.
Remember to use tab to see all the box, there is too much and all is useful. If
you have just played it, you will notice that there are some new treasures.
Make economy of your spell, resting is dangerous, and save before resting.

>Rune Assassins
Haste your group and stone skin Imoen. Attack first with Imoen and then with the
others. Normally the assassin will backstab Imoen. This works better if your
main hero is fighter, a monk or, even better, some kind of dual wielding horror
with 19 strength. If you are quick you can defeat even two assassins before to
lose the spell bonuses.
Use some summoned monsters as dead meat and attack from far away with arrows and
spells, use only quick ones. You can even use one or two traps for extra
firepower.
Use both tactics before (is not the best choice because requires too much spells,
except when you must face two assassins at the same time)
Use detect invisibility or similar spell fro find him before he can backstab
Someone Use area effect spells (fireballs, webs, entangles.. ) to weak them and
then pray you can destroy the remains (normally the only choice left when you are
dreaming for recharge you spell book and them awoke you).

>The monster in the center of level 1
Use hold animals of Jaheira (the best if works) or web or entangle. Try to avoid
melee fights, the
monster is dangerous only if he hurts causing disease, especially if you haven't
a cure disease learned.

>lesser golems
Attack with Jaheria (staff+1) Minsc (mace or better mace+3, if you have enchanted
weapon spell) Imoen (staff) eventually a cleric or a fighter (hammer).
Before attack you can cast haste if you have one ready. With golem traps and
most spells are useless.

>The mephitis of the portals
Ok, Mephitis are weak, but now they are doubled!
Haste your group, stoneskin and mirror image everyone you can then make the
thieves invisible. Focus the attack on the cages, attack them with the warriors
and the invisible thieves. Use the stoneskinned mages as target for the other
mephitis. When you have destroyed the cages, kill the mephitis.
An other solution is send some invisible characters inside and use them for kill
the cages.
Use summoned creatures as dead meat as your party destroy the mephitis cages.
Could be a little problematic if you summoned servants make you impossible to
move.

>Pick the sword+2 and kill the cambion
After you have killed the demon and the cleric you can use mass invisibility to
move safely thought the enemies if your PC is a mage. And use the +2 sword
against the remaining enemies.
You can also use sanctuary, invisibility and hide in shadows if you have enogh
spells for make invisible all the party.
Remember to turn off the IA or it can became a bloody carnage.

>Kill the vampire
Use Jaheira morphed so she has a +2 or +3 weapon. If you have the enchanted
weapon spell give some maces to Minsc so he can dual wield them, or you can give
him the sword +2.
The mages like Imoen can hurt it with direct damage spells.

>The colne
The cone is mirror imaged and has spell turning. The best thing is attack the
clone with your fighters.

>Cast area spells against Ilych
Cast a summoning spell and send the summoned gratures to die, follow them with
the mage and cast the area spell off screen. Then go away. If you are lucky the
ememies think that the summoned monsters had casted the spells.

>Glabezu
Use three or fuor traps then finish him with magic missles, better if the mage is
stoneskinedd, even better if you have two mages

>Zivago
He has a +2 full palate so use mages with melf’s acid arrow, fire arrow and magic
missles.
Lanunch stone skin and/or mirror image on you mage/mages, haste them and then
deal whit him,
the rest of the group shuold be far away.
Before engage him with Yoshimo and eventually with an other thief you can even
create a trap
for him. I have conuted two fallen deva, but I have killed him quickly so the can
be more.
When Zivago dies you can use with more tranqullity invisible characters.

>Deva
Cast haste and "run like hell" is the best way to avoid her. But normali you can
escape even
if you are not hasted. Wait till she is unsummoned and return to finish Zivago.
There are only
few things that can harm the deva, one of these are traps, but is better don't
try to get ridd
of her using violence.

>Golem
Remember that you cannot kill the golem with the spells and the traps, if yoy
have casted area
spells or you have make a trap for the ememy party now he is still uninjured.
Cast on Jhaeira armor of faith and attack whit the staff+1, is better if she is
hasted.
Is better attack with more than a warrior even if only one can harm the golem, so
he woudn’t damage
only one person, also you can use summoned creatures. Remember to retire the
damaged fighters
and heal them with spells and potions, then bring them back. If you have the
enchanted weapon spell,
give one or two maces+3 to Minsc.

>Ilyich.
Cast every blessing spell that you can, protect the mages with stoneskinn and/or
mirror images and cast haste. If you can try to backstab him. Then you can hit
him with whatever you have, especialy Melf’s minute meteor, if you have it, or
make run him in a trap. It is pratically impossible avoid is ice rage. and even
try to dispell it if you haven't an inquisitor in you party. So is importat fight
him when he is alone.

>Kamazow
You can do as for Ilyich, only the backstab will be a very difficult,
fortunately, this monster should be the worst in the melee combat. At the
beginning use mirror imaged and stone shinned mages as false target, run in the
melee as quick as possible and then retire the mages.

>Rasputin.
I think that he has the worst AC in the game, but watch out his stunning blow.
Start backstabbing him and try ranged attacs. Use summoned monsters as false
target. With him is better use the traditional weapons instead of the spells.

>Others
The other creatures aren’t problematic (for now), so try to don’t use spells
while you fight them.

Prologue: what role should I play?
____________________________

Answer, the role that you like more, if it is you first time try with a warrior
or a cleric, they are
normally easier, but every class ha pro and con.

> Mages and sorcerors: useful because you can have you can choose your spells,
and extra spells are only useful. With two mages you need to rest less. Is
difficult at beginning because you have no spell memorized but useful for defeat
the strongest monsters.
> Clerics: you haven't a cleric at the beginning of the game, only an half druid,
so can be useful if you want fill any hole in your group. Sanctuary is very
useful to scout the area near iliych, now that the cleric has true seeing.
> Thieves: useful expecialy if you give the a great set traps skill, the only
thing that all the others thief in the doungeon does in a very poor way.
> Warriors and barbarians: they have high hp, low thac0, and they are strong.
Expecially in the beginning they are very useful for kill the assasins. They are
also useful if you are awaken by assassin durning you sleep and have no haste
ready.
> Bards while plain bards can be of little use, to less spells, if you have the
lich-bard kit, both shade and elemental lich are very interesting. You can
download the kit from teambg.com, cliking on costum files form the menu. Don't be
afraid to insatall it over other things it will be compatible with every other
kit or rule modification previously installed.
>Paldins
Pladins can be useful especially the inquisitor with is displell magic, but I
perfer the plain warrios that can have five stars on a weapon at the beginnning
of the game.
>Rangers
There is just minsc so in a short view ottic a second ranger can be a little
useless.
>Druid
Jhaeria works fine and is also half fighter, thing that i think is best of a
plain druid. As for the ranger pick up only if you like the class.
>Monk even if a t the beginning of the game isn't at is top, it is quick enough
for fight the hasted assassins his hands as an average damage of 8-9 if you have
a good strenght and can heal itsefl once day. Also it not depnds from weapons.
the only weak point is his horrble ac at this point of the game.

If you want only beat Iliych and then stop the game the best choice probably are
in the order: M/T, M/C, F/M/T and lich.
If you have done BG1 is better that you import your character, so he will have
161000 XP and probably stats near 95-98 without the need of cheating, you
remember the 8 books, yea?

But my favorite is:
Make you NPC assassin with an high set trap and place it in Chateau Irenicus,
while you use as PC a cleric/mage with wis 21.

Chapter 1 the road to Ilyich
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Remember before rest save the game, if you don’t want bad surprises.

Let’s start! Pick up Jaheira, Imoen and Minsc, for have Minsc you must insult
him till he break the prison, for have Jaheria you should pick the key in the
golem room.
Take all the possible from the jailkeep golem room (the door on the north).
Remember the healing potions and the dagger+1 in the trapped paint. You can give
a great sword or two maces to Minsc (when you find the second).
One of the best thing is equip Minsc with the splint mail and you or Jaheira
with the chain mail. Cast immediately armor on Imoen, or she could is the first
to fall when you find the assassins.
Go to the Djini room, this part is the same of the old mode. Before to exit from
this room make sure to save the game, now begins the fun!
The next treat will be a rune assassin. I think that the best strategy is haste
your group and stoneskin Imoen. The vampire touch of the Bhaal spawn is a
secure hit plus extra life and normally the assassin don’t disrupt it.
Try to don’t let him drink his damned healing potion, we need it. With a fighter
as PC is more simple kill the assassin before he can heal himself.
Invisibility don’t work well with the rune assassins.
You should find the assassin (he is only one) an easy enemy, if you have a little
of care.

Continue and for now ignore the doors for now, you will meet an other assassin,
you should have Imoen still stoneskinned and the party hasted. This time use some
spells like magic arrow and melf’s arrow and vampiric thouch to make more damage.
Open the door talk with Reliev and pick up the activation stone and the
batteries.
You can say no at the last question of Reliev and see the strange behavior of
Imoen, you will have the bbateries in any case.
Return to you steps and go to the left, in laboratory with the glass, kill the
mephitis and pick up the staff +1 (in a trapped box) and the short bow for Imoen.
I prefer give Jaheira the shield plus Scimitar because she has 2 stars in
scimitar and the sword and shield style.
Now go in the first room to the right. in the blind golem room, there is an other
mephit, this one has color spray, take care that he don’t put to sleep all you
guys. Take all you can, there is a fire arrow scroll and a long sword +1 just
identified, so you wouldn’t see classic blue. I have picked up the scimitar and
the medium shield for Jaheria.
Say to the golem to perform his duty, and give him the stone, the go with him.
In the central room there is a monster. I you haven’t used before use hold
monster on it.
It is weak unless you don’t let him cast disease. One of the box is trapped.
Search the boxes for some useful items, like an other splint mail. Pick up the
potion of speed and give it to Minsc. The go up on the stairs to the Irenicus’
room. You should find the goblins pathetical. In the new room pay attention,
there are traps everywhere.
Pick up the helm of Balduran, the necklage and the statue, for open the hair
pocketplane, then go to talk to the dryads and go in the room near to the garden.
Pay attention, immediately after the door there are three traps and all the boxes
are trapped.
Pick up the key for the mirror and return in the Irenicus room. Here now there
are two clay golems. You should use to hit them only bludgeon weapons like
hammers, maces, staffs and so on. They hit hard even if they aren’t a great
threat. Here isn’t required other particular strategies, only don’t use spells,
we need the last that you have for an assassin.

Save. This point is a little difficult.

Go to the mirror room. Before enter cast in the room monster summoning I and
drink the speed potion with Minsc or with you warrior, if you are a fighter. Then
attack the rune assassin. There are two vases, one has a fireball scroll. Time to
rest. Remember to check the spell book first, Jaheira has some white spot, and
rip all the spell you think are useless for you. I rip Imoen strength, Jaheira
call lighting and barkskin.
If you have a mage that has magic weapon learn it to give magical maces to Minsc.
Very useful against assasins is melf’s minutes meteors. Now click on the mirror
to go on level 2.

Pick up Yoshimo and go to chamber whit the mephitis, destroy first the mephitis
in the cages if don’t want fight an endless number of them. After a portal is
death it cast malison. Serach all the containes.
Go in the clonation room (the left door) and get rid of the colone. There is a
scroll. Open the other door. You will find a thief that fight with a mephit. This
fight is simple.
After there is an other mephit. Before fight him haste your group because near to
him there is a rune assassin. After there is a door, open it and be careful
because on the bridge there is a trap.
Open the other door and you will find a large room where a thief dye killed by a
traps.
This room is full of traps and you cannot disarm them so be careful. Firs kill
the evil drawers with ranged weapon.
Once you have killed the two enemy say to Yoshimo to search for traps and move
him as near as possible to the wall. Don’t try to disarm the traps. Move him near
to the columns and click on them if you have the keys, the traps will disarm and
you gain a wand with only one charge.
Now you ca go to the statue to take the +1 ring and open the left door for kill a
vampire, remember first to transform Jaheira in a bear (you nees at least +2
weapon for kill vampires).
There are three corridor to the right, the first from bottom is the exit, don’t
take it, the second goes to a room with a doppelganger. Search for traps, then
agree to free him and when you have freed him say him that you will kill him.
The third corridor brings to a blacksmith guarded by a rune assassin and evil
drawers. Search for traps and pick up all you think is useful.
Ok time to return at level 1, were we have killed the last rune assassin, there
are two more here, one in the corridor and one in the library, use haste to
defeat them. Pick up every potion in the library.
The upper exit of the library bring to the Ilyich guys.

Chapter 2: how to beat Ilyich version 4.
____________________________

First, before start close all the doors of the level. A closed door is you last
defence against overwhelming enemies. The only useful weapon is the staff+1, give
it to Jaheira.
The Ilyich guys have a very fine dialogue but if you heard they words probably
you will dye soon, so my tactic is to stay as far as possible from that guys.
Disable all the IA. Or you have an IA made especially for the situation or is
better prevent that some one does for error something that you can regret.
Ok save, then rest and prepare your spells. The first guy that you should face is
Neophyte Glabrezu. Your weapon are useless against him, but you can use traps and
the face it with the mages.
You need all the magic missiles that you can learn. They are one of the little
thing that can hurt the demon, and are useful against every of the other enemy
that cannot be hitten easily with weapons.
You need at least one haste, be carful using the area effect spells if you don’t
want see all them charge you. Invest on monster summoning 1 and possibly 2.
If you have it learn also magic weapon. Stone skin and mirror images are good for
defense.
If you have a cleric learn sanctuary, better if you use even three. Learn the
summoning of Jaheira. Other good priest spells are chant, and defensive armony.
Glabezu can see you even if you are invisible, and also the fallen deva, but the
other bad boys fortunately cannot.
This is the weakness of Glabezu, he will attack any invisible enemy while the
drawers stay in they position.
So we must prepare a trap for Glabezu out of the sight of his friends and let him
dye miserably.
You need to place in the corridor all the traps that are possible, seven traps
the (maximun allowed), for kill him. The better place is (1160,155), you can type
X for see the coodinates.
This can take some days using Yoshimo and Imoen, if you have another thief with a
more high set trap it can be done in two days resting one time. When you finish
the traps aviable rest and day after set more. They will not disappear.
If you place four traps with two (rarely three) magic missles you cann kill it.
Be careful that the enemy don’t see you, and that a character can move through
the traps.
Take Imoen near (836,391). Retire you party, except Imoen, any other mage, and an
invisible character, the better is a cleric whit sanctuary, but if you are quick
even a thief will work.
Bring the invisible character to Grabezu and be sure that Grabezu follow him, but
if it hidden in shadows or affected by invisibility you should pay attention at
the true seeing of Kamazov.
If Grabezu survive to the traps cast haste and then magic missles avoiding his
attacs.
Note: the traps can hit a fallen deva but probably the better thing you can do if
you see one is haste the party and run away until you receive the message that
she is disappeared.
Time to save and then set more traps. When the corridor in full for the second
time return in the library.
Then you can try to weak the remaining monsters using area effect spells, see the
strategies for this.
Summon some monsters and bring them to the point where there should be the bad
boys. The monsters are useful for make them waste some spells and bring the enemy
to your traps. They also should isolate some members from the others.
This work at his best only if you can control the actions of the monster with an
invisible character.
You should do the same thing more times every time set the traps more distant.
If you have a cleric use sanctuary, else use an hasted invisible thief or mage
and run away every time you see that the cleric cast true seeing. When you
isolate one man enough you will kill it.
Before of engage an enemy make sure that the traps have damaged enough him.
Some times after being hitten by a trap Ilyich try to find you. In this case you
must cast haste and run away till you find a room with more than one exit with
all the access closed by doors.
see the strategies for the best way to get rid of every monster. You can get rid
of two monster conteporarely, but with three or more at the same time it is very
difficuld so don't do it.

You can even use only traps for kill all, except the golem, but if you abuse of
them then you should several times away from all the raged survivors.

Estimated time 1h:30m for defeat Ilyich + 1h for the rest of the level.

Loot the corpse and then continue to find the door that bring in the air pocket
plane and the room of the cambion. In the second floor there is the exit.
Remember to return the Archons to the dryads for have the experience.
The exit is guarde by a mage thief and two thief.

[Dakkon Darkblade]

Well I beat it, yay for me... lol

I did a couple of the little tricks, and I didn't even rest but ONE time, not the many times like some of the walkthroughs say to. Basically, I set four traps back behind a wall, near the bookshelves and all, keeping most of my guys there. I didn't realize it, but they were right about the whole invisibility thing with the Neophyte Glabrezu... I walked up hidden in shadows, and two things happened - one, the Glabrezu dimension doored toward me, and Zhivago used his true sight (which used it up, mwahaha).

So the Glabrezu comes after me, and I don't get hit with the true sight... I walk the baby back into my traps, and surprisingly, killed him with them! It said you needed like 7, or 4 with magic missiles, I didn't need them [img]smile.gif[/img]

Next, I appeared for a second in front of the Jailkeep golem, or in its line of sight, and then ran back again. What did I do? Well, what spell can hit anything? Melf's Minute Meteors... I had my bard and Wild mage with them. What I did was kept him busy (with my mage no less, had him mirror imaged and stoneskin'd), and kept pelting him. I had an extra one so I cast it upon my bard again... kept throwing... and then finally ran out so I think I turned to having to cast a Dweomer spell (or just a spell that surged randomly)... which wild surged badly. What did it do? Well... suddenly I had to deal with the jailkeep golem, and ALSO a real Tannar'ri now... lol. I was worried for a minute, but I killed that too, mwahaha.

Oh, and the Fallen Deva was summoned when I went to get the Jailkeep Golem, and I just waited until it finally unsummoned... then I was free. I walked my thief up, hidden in shadows, to just before I could see the new four, which were closer... and set down a spear as a marker point. I walked my Wild Mage up then and also a Nymph (Woodland beings), and maybe my bard, casting area affect spells on them (Chaos, Glitterdust, Confusion, Horror, stuff like that). I think I panic'd one or two, and confused one or two, and they started beating on one another... eventually the panic'd ones came up after me, randomly, and I did what my tactic was for Zhivago: cast Magic Missle against him while he was trying to cast his first spell. Immediately followed that with an Insect Swarm, puts him out for spellcasting for a while... I focus on the other guys for a while... also poisoning as many as I can with my arrow launching Assassin, mwahaha... eventually bringing them all down, little Duergar bodies lying at my feet... two demons having been slain, and also a jailkeep golem. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Ta-da, and I didn't even go to any other level of the dungeon.

[White Lancer]

Originally posted by Dakkon Darkblade: without a cloak of non-detection, or the spell, non-detection I'm kinda screwed with that.

There is a scroll of non-detection on the first floor of irenicus' dungeon, you could use that.

[daan]

Nice 1 !
[img]graemlins/shine.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/happydance.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/1djsmile.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/happydance.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/shine.gif[/img]