I don't expect this to be easy.

[Butterfingers]

But I have an Enchanter ready to be imported from Baldur's Gate. (I have one of each school of mages actually.)

After the wretched failure of my Avenger, I am ready to pick up the gauntlet and accept the challenge.

Ok. No Evocations. There is going to be a slight lack in direct damage spells. No Magic Missle, no Chromatic Orb, and, no Melf's Minute Meteors. Just for starters. However, there will be plenty of Necromantic spells. So, Skull Traps and ADHW will hopefully be a saving grace.

I do not have the Bonus Merchants, so, no way of getting them working. So no comments about how I need the Robe of Venca or such and such an item. I have other problems as well, like the fact that Nishruu's still eat items in my version, and, there is no way to make most of the Baldurdash fixes work as they do not come in a Mac friendly format. I can't wear Ioun stones on my mages either. I am running basically, a stock game with only the official patch, nothing more, no cheats enabled or anything special, I would like some tips on how to survive with what I have, not endless ideas on stuff I don't have.

What I would like, if possible, is the opinions from the really canny folks on this board on just how bad this will be. I am well skilled in spell use from PnP, and, I find many of my tactics still apply. I am looking for a challenge, and, relish the idea of having problems, like for example, being scared spitless of Nishruus because they can eat every single item I own. It adds spice. (And, technically, the Baldurdash fixpack IS wrong. Nishruus and other magic eaters DO eat items. It was meant to be this way. Warriors wet their pants at the sight of Rust Monsters, Mages wet their pants at magic eaters. It's only fair.)

I do not plan on using an exp cap remover, or, cheating or modifying the game in any way. So I will need tactics and ideas that hold within the bounds of what I can do.

How bad will the loss of Evocations hurt me? Mainly, from the top of my noggin the most painful loss will be sequencers and triggers. I am not sure how to play around this for sure, as I know there will be tight moments when I will want to unleash a flurry of spells, but, can't. Cloudkill and Deathfog are two highly valuable spells to me. It's gonna hurt. I already know I am going to have to play a very defensive game. Lack of common direct damage spells seems bad, but, I am sure there are ways around it.

I already know that I will have to use the power of cheese. Project Image is already on the drawing board, and, I will, if I have to, bring down my enemies with sheer overwhelming numbers. I know I will have to rely a great deal on summons and conjured critters to apply much needed damage. So far, my main plan is to stay as far away as I can and rain death and destruction from afar, using Wizard Eye and summoned mobs.

My Enchanter's stats after BG1.
Str 16.
Dex 20.
Con 16.
Int 19.
Wis. 10.
Chr 19.

He might stay on the Good Path, or, he might become Utterly Evil. I could have him fail his tests in Hell just for kicks.

So. Cut me in... How bad will this be?

[Tom-Slayer]

If you want ur game fixed maybe uninstaling the patches and game or reinstalling them would work? Do you have the full game installed? maybe thats y ? dont try what say just cus i said it i mean i wouldnt go through the game with the character described, but dont make any rash decisions just cus of what i said.

[Mirac Honorguard]

Well, I really liked to help you, but I think you more an expert on it then I am. Maybe if you could come up with some concrete questions I might be able to assist. (btw, its been long since I played SoA)

[Alson]

You'll be fine. [img]smile.gif[/img] From your various threads and posts, i'm under the impression that you're an experienced gamer - and since you already know the spell system in and out from PnP (although it's not exactly like BG2's system) - you should encounter no difficulties whatsoever. [img]smile.gif[/img]

The Enchanter isn't really the toughest Mage to play. You have quite everything you need - Stoneskin, Summons, Clones. That should suffice for you to waltz through the game.

Early Game
-----------
In early game, count on the Wand of Monster Summoning and/or the Wand of Cloudkill. Yes, you can use the Wand of Cloudkill. Huzzah. [img]tongue.gif[/img] Selling all the loot from Chateau Irenicus and the Circus will grant you enough money to purchase one of the two - depending on your playing style. The wands, in conjunction with Spider Spawn, Slow, Greater Malison and Emotion should easily solve all the early quest for you until you're level 14.

Early-Mid Game
---------
Thou shall bow before the might of the Projected Ones. [img]tongue.gif[/img]
Just one more level, and you're already...

Mid-Late Game
-------------
...level 15. Congratulations - you may now summon your first Skeleton Warrior. I assume their powers are well known to you. They only serve a sole purpose, though - which is to bring you to level 16. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Late Game
------------
With Skeleton Warriors, Mislead, Project Image and, now, Abi Dalzim's Horrid Wiltings, the rest of the game should be a cakewalk. Ireni-who?!

And i don't really need to help you weaponry wise... Right?

Have fun, and good luck! [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Eternal]

''being scared spitless of Nishruus because they can eat every single item I own.''

ok now hold up....... are you saying nishruus can eat all my magical items???
i tought they could only drain the spells i had memorised and wands

they cant eat my ring of wizardry or meta spell amulet .....can they?

[Butterfingers]

Yes. Nishruus were meant to eat items. The Baldurdash patch fixes this.

As I mentioned, Magic Eaters and Rust Monsters are probably the most annoying monsters in the D&D world. Rust Monsters cause weapons and armor, even highly enchanted weapons and armor to rust, crumble, and turn to dust. Imagine if your Paladin's Holy Avenger suddenly turned to rust dust [img]tongue.gif[/img]

My Enchanter made it out of Jonny's Funhouse this morning. It has actually been a rough going, this is my first shot at any sort of trying the game on hard. (Soon to be insane I hope) Hit point rolls after importing were disapointing. He has an amazing 34 hit points. Ugh. I actually find my self using the level 1 spell Armor because I have to get up close and personal in battle. Burning Hands does decent damage, fries goblins up right crispy. Spook has saved my sorry butt more times then I can count already. Managed to Dire Charm that silly dwarf whose name escapes me at the moment, he took out quite a few of his cronies for me.

After escaping and selling off much of everything, except for one thing. The Wand of Cloudkill with one charge. Going to need this, don't mind dusting it. I can get another soon enough. What I did with my starting funds was buy a Protection of Magic Scroll and a Rogue Stone from Gorch. Also a few other minor trinkets. I fudged a little tiny bit and in exchange for saving Jan from the Amn Taxation and Revenue, I had him pick pocket a certian mage for a very special ring I will be needing. Then I sent him home with a few minor gemstones I had so he could feed his family. [img]smile.gif[/img] I am pretty sure you can guess what I am about to try and pull off. I covet THE STAFF!!

[Raistlin Majere]

Originally posted by Eternal: ''being scared spitless of Nishruus because they can eat every single item I own.'' ok now hold up....... are you saying nishruus can eat all my magical items??? i tought they could only drain the spells i had memorised and wands they cant eat my ring of wizardry or meta spell amulet .....can they?

in the vanilla SoA, yes they can. i remember losing the De'arnise ring from Nalia. that sucked, cause i didnt know what had happened. then some drow summoned another nishruu and i lost my boots of speed(well, one of them atleast)and belt of interial barrier . at that point i really got pissed off cause i still didnt know what was making them dissapear. then i happened to stumble upon it here at the forum.

[Butterfingers]

Oh yes, forget to mention, got really really lucky in Jon's Funhouse. Found two scrolls worth having. Wyvern Call and Death Spell. Wyvern Call was dropped by a Goblin. Death Spell came from the bookshelf where there is usually a cursed scroll of some sort.

[Dundee Slaytern]

Nishruus are not meant to eat magical items. The guy who made the Baldurdash Fixpack is one of the game designers, and whatever is in the Fixpack, is what the Official Patch fail to fix.

To play without the Fixpack, is to play a crippled game. What Nishruus were meant to do is to drain magical items of their charges, not wholesale destroy any one of them. One weird bug that resulted from item consumption was that sometimes an item gets thousands of charges because the numbers roll over as the Nishruu happily "drain" it.

Nishruus cannot be compared to Rust Monsters, as they do not serve similar purposes.

As for how your Enchanter will fare; quite well in my opinion, since... you are not playing a modded game.

Once you get the Staff of all Staffs, the game difficulty takes a nose dive. Are you familiar with all the things that clones can do? Alson's Spell Reference Website will prove an invaluble read.

It will not be a cakewalk compared to a Generalist Mage, but because you still have access to Illusion spells, you will encounter little difficulty. Truth be told, I cannot think of any non-modded enemy that will pose a serious problem for your Enchanter.

To deal with Critical Hits, get the King of Strolm Mask( Windspear Hills).
Rings I recommend will be the Ring of Acuity and Ring of Wizardry( Planar Sphere( Quest, Stronghold Quest))( Ring of Gaxx is another option).
For Robes, a Robe of ArchMagi.
Staff of Magi and the +4 enchanted sling found in the Cult of the Unseeing Eye Quest( +3 enchanted sling can be found in the Umar Hills Quest).
Hoard Sunstone Bullets, they are +4 enchanted.
Boots of Speed are the best of course, for hit&run spellcasting.
Amulet of Power needs no explanation
Belt of Inertial Barrier( keep a STR girdle too).
Cloak of Protection +2( Cloak of the Sewers until you get the CoP +2)
Bracers of Defence AC 3

[Raistlin Majere]

Originally posted by Dundee Slaytern: Nishruus are not meant to eat magical items. The guy who made the Baldurdash Fixpack is one of the game designers, and whatever is in the Fixpack, is what the Official Patch fail to fix. To play without the Fixpack, is to play a crippled game. What Nishruus were meant to do is to drain magical items of their charges, not wholesale destroy any one of them. One weird bug that resulted from item consumption was that sometimes an item gets thousands of charges because the numbers roll over as the Nishruu happily "drain" it. Nishruus cannot be compared to Rust Monsters, as they do not serve similar purposes. As for how your Enchanter will fare; quite well in my opinion, since... you are not playing a modded game. Once you get the Staff of all Staffs, the game difficulty takes a nose dive. Are you familiar with all the things that clones can do? Alson's Spell Reference Website will prove an invaluble read. It will not be a cakewalk compared to a Generalist Mage, but because you still have access to Illusion spells, you will encounter little difficulty. Truth be told, I cannot think of any non-modded enemy that will pose a serious problem for your Enchanter. To deal with Critical Hits, get the King of Strolm Mask( Windspear Hills). Rings I recommend will be the Ring of Acuity and Ring of Wizardry( Planar Sphere( Quest, Stronghold Quest))( Ring of Gaxx is another option). For Robes, a Robe of ArchMagi. Staff of Magi and the +4 enchanted sling found in the Cult of the Unseeing Eye Quest( +3 enchanted sling can be found in the Umar Hills Quest). Hoard Sunstone Bullets, they are +4 enchanted. Boots of Speed are the best of course, for hit&run spellcasting. Amulet of Power needs no explanation Belt of Inertial Barrier( keep a STR girdle too). Cloak of Protection +2( Cloak of the Sewers until you get the CoP +2) Bracers of Defence AC 3

Until you get Staff of Magi, the staff of rhynn will do nicely, and if, for some reason, you cant afford it, you can get a clerics staff(+3) from the druid grove.

Edit: Dundee, dont you get that sling from the beholder city, cant remember for sure though.

[ 01-19-2003, 12:47 PM: Message edited by: Raistlin Majere ]