The balduran set

[Cristian]

i like the balduran set nice armor good sword and nice shield that deflects beholder rays=) the sword is a long sword by the way and im wondering wich of the evil npcs can best use the balduran set im playing an evil party.

[Cristian]

would like an answer....

[Annatar]

Korgan as tank should fit in the Balduran Armor, added up with the Shield, Sword & Helmet of Balduran... would give yourself a Balduran Wannabe ... the Balduran Armor is pretty good (rather expensive though).

What party do you have (evil okay.. but all the evil NPCS included?)

[add] Don't forget the Cloak of Balduran... (Erm.. install tactics )

[add2] None of the Evil NPCS are trained in the use of longswords with shields IIRC... maybe your Prot. is a longsword shielded hippy... I don't know [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 03-19-2003, 02:43 PM: Message edited by: Annatar ]

[Thorfinn]

I didn't reply, simply because I think the set is junk. I guess if Balduran is your hero, you could, but you are probably better off generating your own character. I have no idea how he became legendary if that was all the better stuff he had. The lore is good, I guess (that is the sword, right?) but giving a characters who can wear platemail a 10 point bonus means they are not as good as a bare-nekkid mage. The shield is fine, though it makes defeating the beholderkin trivial, even if you have improved beholders, as long as you leave the rest of the party way behind, and go on a killing spree all on your lonesome.

[EDIT]

[add] Don't forget the Cloak of Balduran... (Erm.. install tactics )

Really? I thought I had played nearly all the Tactics mods now, but I must have missed it... Or is it towards the end of the game?
[/EDIT]

[ 03-19-2003, 03:37 PM: Message edited by: Thorfinn ]

[Annatar]

IIRC... With Tactics Installed (WeiDU) *There's a She-Lich (Not Mr.Kangaxx) located in the Docks District that drops this particular cloak as loot.*

[Thorfinn]

Oh. Tried that one once with a fairly low level group, didn't quite beat it, though we should have(she died just before my protagonist did), and decided to come back later, rather than do a reload to see if the random factors aligned this time...

[ 03-19-2003, 04:13 PM: Message edited by: Thorfinn ]

[Trau]

I remember seeing the Cloak of Balduran but I forget where...Anyone?

[Lord Demerol]

IIRC, the Cloak of Balduran can be found in the Gebhard Blucher's "Lich in the Docks" (Tactics Mod).

[SixOfSpades]

Originally posted by Thorfinn: I didn't reply, simply because I think the set is junk.[/EDIT]

(wonders if Thorfinn's Jansen Spectroscopes are calibrated correctly)

Sure, the Plate and the Sword are largely worthless. The Plate's +4 to hitpoints and trivial CHA boost don't come anywhere near justifying the huge cost. The Sword is the only way a low-level Wizard Slayer can get a decent MR, and is helpful when Identifying stuff (it gives +10 to Lore, not +10%), but it's still only +2 enchanted, and also not worth the money.

The Shield is problematic--sure, it's powerful, but so obscenely powerful that most people refuse to use it. Also, there's the fact that it has no logical connection with Balduran whatsoever! Balduran was a sea captain (a Dwarf, I think) and immensely successful merchant and possibly a bit of a pirate as well. What the hell would he want with an Anti-Beholder item as his personal Shield? If *I* was in charge, I'd slap the "reflects Beholder rays" onto some other piece of protective gear, and make the Shield of Balduran into something a seafaring Fighter would actually want.

Junk? Junk, you say? And how exactly do you plan to argue that the Helm of Balduran is not the best damn helmet in the game, all the way through Throne of Bhaal? Sure, it doesn't cast Simulacrum, and it doesn't give Elemental Resistances....but -1 to THAC0, AC, and Saving Throws is pretty dang nifty. And the Cloak is nothing to sniff at either: Most people value the Cloak of the Sewers just for the -1 AC bonus, which stacks with magical Rings or Armor. How do you think they'd like the -1 to Saving Throws and +25% MR? Hmmmm?

I also happen to be designing Boots of Balduran and a Belt of Balduran. Collect the whole set and be swarmed by admiring groupies as you promenade through the Government District!

[Ulgoth's Beard Trimmer]

Originally posted by SixOfSpades: I also happen to be designing Boots of Balduran and a Belt of Balduran. Collect the whole set and be swarmed by admiring groupies as you promenade through the Government District![/QB]

Now that's funny!