I recently learned of the Order of the Stick strip through this forum and loved it. Now I have this obsession to have a run through the game as Belkar the Chaotic Evil ranger. He will be a halfling ranger, dual wileding daggers. Any suggestions on stats?
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Meet Belkar Bitterleaf, Sexy Shoeless God of War
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What enemy scares you the most?
Throughout the series, which enemy chills your bones? Maybe it's because you always seem to have trouble beating them, because the first time you faced them they took you by surprise, because they're so hideous, or maybe you just have a phobia.
For me, it's the Illithid. They suck your brain out, their design is horrifying, and they're pretty hard to beat (at least for me). They just... give me the creeps.
For me, it's the Illithid. They suck your brain out, their design is horrifying, and they're pretty hard to beat (at least for me). They just... give me the creeps.
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Some Serious love on the artwork coming out of beamdog
I dont know where these guys get their goods but the cut scene changes (love em) the art work accompanying these games in ads and in the games themselves hold up so well. They capture that artistic style of the infinity engine how you feel like your characters are moving, living, breathing, parts of a great painting. I dont know if they get the stuff from DnD or what but it's great. here's some serious love coming at ya.
When I saw that beholder picture on the website for the first time I almost ducked under my desk out of fear. Thing looks spot on.
When I saw that beholder picture on the website for the first time I almost ducked under my desk out of fear. Thing looks spot on.
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Favorite personal quest?
Just wondering what everyone's favorite personal quest is and why. Some NPCs like Viconia and Haer'dalis had planned ones, I think, but were cut, so I think they're the only two that don't have one. Valygar and Minsc have theirs restored by Unfinished Business, and both are probably my favorites.
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NPC alignments that you disagree with
Recently, there was a discussion over whether Neera really should be a CG rather than CN alignment - I was in the extreme minority that supported the CG argument. What are some instances in which you feel that another alignment would've been more appropriate for an NPC?
Here's my list:
(please note that the NPC's actual alignment is in parentheses, as a reference for everyone).
Garrick (CN) - This is the one that I probably most disagree with - IMHO, he's clearly NG. According to his bio, he was a member of a bardic troupe, but split with them once he realized that their activities were actually a front for thievery. He also condemns Silke once he realizes what her true intentions are (she will even make a comment about his "altruism"), and he'll condemn you too if you assist her. He also tries to steer Skie away from the ultra sleezy Eldoth.
Coran (CG) - He's a career thief, thrill-seeker, philanderer, and worst of all, a deadbeat dad - IMO, he's the epitome of CN.
Minsc (NG in BG1, CG in BG2) - I can't really see Minsc as being NG in BG1 - he's at least CG, if not CN IMO. His bio states that he's "too willing to indulge his berserker nature," and he'll try to kill your party if you either decline to help him rescue Dynaheir or don't go after her quick enough. His unpredictable nature is somewhat toned down in BG2, and the change to CG alignment is better suited for him IMO.
Alora (CG) - Her voice lines may be CG, but her background as a rabid klepto is more in keeping with CN IMO.
Jaheira (TN) - I know that she's forced to be TN by her class, but I think the consensus opinion of her is that she's really NG at heart, especially in BG2.
Safana (CN) and Viconia (NE) - I've always felt that these two should've switched alignments. Safana is almost Kagain-ish in her obsession with wealth, and always seemed to me like the kind of person who would backstab you at any moment for some quick coin (and indeed, that's basically what she does in BG2 - albeit I'm willing to overlook that due to the generally poor transition between the two games). While Viconia can be cold-hearted, b!tchy, and even a bit creepy (much more so in BG2 than in BG1), I always felt a greater sense of loyalty from her toward my party, and she even tries to defuse the rising tensions between her and Kivan (which Kivan instigates). It seems to me that Safana is always scheming to get-rich-quick, whereas Viconia just wants to be left to herself.
Edwin (LE) - While he's clearly evil, I never understood why he was considered lawful evil. When you first meet him in BG1, he's on a covert mission to murder someone, and in BG2 he's working alongside the Shadow Thieves - these are distinctly non-lawful activities IMO.
Branwen (TN) - Like Jaheira, I'd always felt that she's basically NG at heart, based largely on the backstory of how she ended up turned to stone - although admittedly, that was before IWD:EE gave me a better understanding of what it means to be a priest(ess) of Tempus.
Your thoughts?
Here's my list:
(please note that the NPC's actual alignment is in parentheses, as a reference for everyone).
Garrick (CN) - This is the one that I probably most disagree with - IMHO, he's clearly NG. According to his bio, he was a member of a bardic troupe, but split with them once he realized that their activities were actually a front for thievery. He also condemns Silke once he realizes what her true intentions are (she will even make a comment about his "altruism"), and he'll condemn you too if you assist her. He also tries to steer Skie away from the ultra sleezy Eldoth.
Coran (CG) - He's a career thief, thrill-seeker, philanderer, and worst of all, a deadbeat dad - IMO, he's the epitome of CN.
Minsc (NG in BG1, CG in BG2) - I can't really see Minsc as being NG in BG1 - he's at least CG, if not CN IMO. His bio states that he's "too willing to indulge his berserker nature," and he'll try to kill your party if you either decline to help him rescue Dynaheir or don't go after her quick enough. His unpredictable nature is somewhat toned down in BG2, and the change to CG alignment is better suited for him IMO.
Alora (CG) - Her voice lines may be CG, but her background as a rabid klepto is more in keeping with CN IMO.
Jaheira (TN) - I know that she's forced to be TN by her class, but I think the consensus opinion of her is that she's really NG at heart, especially in BG2.
Safana (CN) and Viconia (NE) - I've always felt that these two should've switched alignments. Safana is almost Kagain-ish in her obsession with wealth, and always seemed to me like the kind of person who would backstab you at any moment for some quick coin (and indeed, that's basically what she does in BG2 - albeit I'm willing to overlook that due to the generally poor transition between the two games). While Viconia can be cold-hearted, b!tchy, and even a bit creepy (much more so in BG2 than in BG1), I always felt a greater sense of loyalty from her toward my party, and she even tries to defuse the rising tensions between her and Kivan (which Kivan instigates). It seems to me that Safana is always scheming to get-rich-quick, whereas Viconia just wants to be left to herself.
Edwin (LE) - While he's clearly evil, I never understood why he was considered lawful evil. When you first meet him in BG1, he's on a covert mission to murder someone, and in BG2 he's working alongside the Shadow Thieves - these are distinctly non-lawful activities IMO.
Branwen (TN) - Like Jaheira, I'd always felt that she's basically NG at heart, based largely on the backstory of how she ended up turned to stone - although admittedly, that was before IWD:EE gave me a better understanding of what it means to be a priest(ess) of Tempus.
Your thoughts?
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Recommended thief progression
How do you assign thief points and on what type of thief e.g Fighter/thief?
On my first thief I would put most on open locks at level 2 I would put most on find traps. For a second thief would put all on stealth until they reach 100.
On my first thief I would put most on open locks at level 2 I would put most on find traps. For a second thief would put all on stealth until they reach 100.
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Party composition question - should I go for Rasaad, Branwen, and/or Edwin ?
I currently have the following party :
me (Elven Archer)
Imoen
Khalid
Jaheira
Kivan
Neera
At this point, I have Kivan up front with his halberd helping out with Jaheira and Khalid (mainly because Jaheira seems to really suck as a fighter, using a club)
I have Imoen and myself providing missile fire. Myself, longbow, Imoen, shortbow.
At the point in the game I am approaching (pre-Nashkel Mine), I am wondering if I should pick up Rasaad, and replace Kivan with him, or, replace Jaheira with Branwen, then bring in Rasaad to replace the departing Khalid. Also is Neera worth replacing with Edwin and would he get any aggro from Jaheira ?
Thanks !
me (Elven Archer)
Imoen
Khalid
Jaheira
Kivan
Neera
At this point, I have Kivan up front with his halberd helping out with Jaheira and Khalid (mainly because Jaheira seems to really suck as a fighter, using a club)
I have Imoen and myself providing missile fire. Myself, longbow, Imoen, shortbow.
At the point in the game I am approaching (pre-Nashkel Mine), I am wondering if I should pick up Rasaad, and replace Kivan with him, or, replace Jaheira with Branwen, then bring in Rasaad to replace the departing Khalid. Also is Neera worth replacing with Edwin and would he get any aggro from Jaheira ?
Thanks !
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draw upon forum's might
hello, everyone!
I'm planning a no-reload rp-heavy run of BG2 with a 5e Fey Blade Warlock (actually a dragon disciple modded into one as much as EEkeeper can manage) charname... the idea is that is patron was the being that granted an improved invisibility spell and saved his skin from Sarevok's ambush (along with Gorion sacrifice, obviously).
Other rules of the run are:
- minimal and 'appearance consistent' equipment (colour match, story related etc.)
- 'unique' spells (only one arcane caster will ever get that particular spell)
- no more than 1 summon at a time
- a few npc will get more experience via EEkeeper when recruited to reflect their backstory, and I will mod their proficiency points accordingly (aka, Anomen will still get his pips in spear but not both mace and war hammer)
- quest line will follow story line, no 'item fishing'
- permadeath allowed if meaningful rp-wise (aka, Imoen can get chunked by a dragon not by random thief no.1037)
So, why am I boring you with this?
because I need your help!
the pieces I'm missing to start this run as intended are charname's pact items:
Blade of (EEkeeper in game at character level 3)
[Embarl's Dagger look]
Description: This weapon is attuned to Charname's blood, and only he may use it. The blade is made of an unknown dark metal, but with silvery edges.
Type: dagger
THACO: +1 (strikes as a +5)
Damage: 1d6+1 slashing (melee) or 1d6+1 piercing (ranged)
Special: this weapon counts as silvered, and does double damage agains lychantropes
Equipped Abilities: 1 extra attack per round, +10% chance of a critical hit
Charge abilities: Shield (as per the level 1 spell), three times a day
Armour of Fey Majesty (EEkeeper in game at character level 7)
[Bladesinger Chain look]
Description: This armour is attuned to Charname's blood, and only he may use it. More a suit than anything else, this simple but fine cloth partially sheds any kind of physical damage that may hit his wearer.
AC: 7 (4 missile)
Equipped Abilities: 25% physical damage resistance, Non-detenction
Boots of the Feywild (EEkeeper in game at character level 12)
[Boots of Elvenkind look]
Description: This item is attuned to Charname's blood, and only he may use it. These are just as comfortable as the look...
Equipped Abilities: AC bonus 2, Free Action
Gloves of Eldritch Admixture (EEkeeper in game at character level 20)
[Wondrous Gloves look]
Description: This item is attuned to Charname's blood, and only he may use it. These slick gloves provide for any kind of material component needed for arcane magics, and help the wearer by quickening his casting process.
Equipped abilities: Improve Casting Speed by 4
Now, since my game runs on Mac and I haven't the faintest idea if I can even get Near infinity to work... would any of you amazing people be so kind as to help a fellow out?![:)]( ":)")
I'm planning a no-reload rp-heavy run of BG2 with a 5e Fey Blade Warlock (actually a dragon disciple modded into one as much as EEkeeper can manage) charname... the idea is that is patron was the being that granted an improved invisibility spell and saved his skin from Sarevok's ambush (along with Gorion sacrifice, obviously).
Other rules of the run are:
- minimal and 'appearance consistent' equipment (colour match, story related etc.)
- 'unique' spells (only one arcane caster will ever get that particular spell)
- no more than 1 summon at a time
- a few npc will get more experience via EEkeeper when recruited to reflect their backstory, and I will mod their proficiency points accordingly (aka, Anomen will still get his pips in spear but not both mace and war hammer)
- quest line will follow story line, no 'item fishing'
- permadeath allowed if meaningful rp-wise (aka, Imoen can get chunked by a dragon not by random thief no.1037)
So, why am I boring you with this?
because I need your help!
the pieces I'm missing to start this run as intended are charname's pact items:
Blade of (EEkeeper in game at character level 3)
[Embarl's Dagger look]
Description: This weapon is attuned to Charname's blood, and only he may use it. The blade is made of an unknown dark metal, but with silvery edges.
Type: dagger
THACO: +1 (strikes as a +5)
Damage: 1d6+1 slashing (melee) or 1d6+1 piercing (ranged)
Special: this weapon counts as silvered, and does double damage agains lychantropes
Equipped Abilities: 1 extra attack per round, +10% chance of a critical hit
Charge abilities: Shield (as per the level 1 spell), three times a day
Armour of Fey Majesty (EEkeeper in game at character level 7)
[Bladesinger Chain look]
Description: This armour is attuned to Charname's blood, and only he may use it. More a suit than anything else, this simple but fine cloth partially sheds any kind of physical damage that may hit his wearer.
AC: 7 (4 missile)
Equipped Abilities: 25% physical damage resistance, Non-detenction
Boots of the Feywild (EEkeeper in game at character level 12)
[Boots of Elvenkind look]
Description: This item is attuned to Charname's blood, and only he may use it. These are just as comfortable as the look...
Equipped Abilities: AC bonus 2, Free Action
Gloves of Eldritch Admixture (EEkeeper in game at character level 20)
[Wondrous Gloves look]
Description: This item is attuned to Charname's blood, and only he may use it. These slick gloves provide for any kind of material component needed for arcane magics, and help the wearer by quickening his casting process.
Equipped abilities: Improve Casting Speed by 4
Now, since my game runs on Mac and I haven't the faintest idea if I can even get Near infinity to work... would any of you amazing people be so kind as to help a fellow out?
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Stats from a roleplaying perspective.
Hello once again GD! I'm currently playing through IWD:EE using the wonderful tome and blood mod and when I was making my characters it got me thinking. What do the stats actually mean? My knowledge of D&D in general comes from 3.5, Pathfinder, and 5th edition and there it makes sense. Such as 10 is average, 12 is slightly above average, 14 is good, 16 is great, and 18 is you're a god among men in that stat.
At least that's how I think it is. I may be wrong. Can the same logic be applied to 2nd edition games? I'll use one of my favorite characters, my gnome sylvan sorcereress (It's a fae themed sorcerer introduced in tome and blood) as an example.
I heavily dislike rolling for stats as I usually have a set way I want my character to RP out.
She'd have 10 in strength because while she's not typically weak she's not strong either (average).
She'd have a 14 in dex as she is generally quick on her feet.
10 in Constitution because again she can take a hit but isn't particularly resilient.
16 in intelligence as she had proper schooling and is quite intelligent when it comes to book smarts.
8 wisdom, she might be intelligent but is incredibly oblivious to the world around her. Sort of "In her own little world" situation going on.
18 charisma. Using her adorable personality and charm she can be very convincing and persuasive.
So out of this she only has reduced store prices and and increased lore from her int but then decreased by her low wisdom.
Is this sort of character set up without any particular bonuses or minuses viable and do they make sense from a roleplaying standpoint? When I see characters with more than one 18 I cringe as I feel like they are too perfect.
Also, maybe sorcerer is a bad choice because their spells don't really scale off a certain stat like other casters do but I think you guys get the gist of what I mean.
So I guess to rap things up
TL;DR
Is having 3+ stats in the 16-18 range normal for a character and does the game expect you to be like this or is it more to be a mix of average and slightly high numbers with maybe one or two high stats? Also, can we say that 10 is average, 12 is above average, 14 is good, 16 is great, and 18 is perfect or does 2nd edition scale differently?
At least that's how I think it is. I may be wrong. Can the same logic be applied to 2nd edition games? I'll use one of my favorite characters, my gnome sylvan sorcereress (It's a fae themed sorcerer introduced in tome and blood) as an example.
I heavily dislike rolling for stats as I usually have a set way I want my character to RP out.
She'd have 10 in strength because while she's not typically weak she's not strong either (average).
She'd have a 14 in dex as she is generally quick on her feet.
10 in Constitution because again she can take a hit but isn't particularly resilient.
16 in intelligence as she had proper schooling and is quite intelligent when it comes to book smarts.
8 wisdom, she might be intelligent but is incredibly oblivious to the world around her. Sort of "In her own little world" situation going on.
18 charisma. Using her adorable personality and charm she can be very convincing and persuasive.
So out of this she only has reduced store prices and and increased lore from her int but then decreased by her low wisdom.
Is this sort of character set up without any particular bonuses or minuses viable and do they make sense from a roleplaying standpoint? When I see characters with more than one 18 I cringe as I feel like they are too perfect.
Also, maybe sorcerer is a bad choice because their spells don't really scale off a certain stat like other casters do but I think you guys get the gist of what I mean.
So I guess to rap things up
TL;DR
Is having 3+ stats in the 16-18 range normal for a character and does the game expect you to be like this or is it more to be a mix of average and slightly high numbers with maybe one or two high stats? Also, can we say that 10 is average, 12 is above average, 14 is good, 16 is great, and 18 is perfect or does 2nd edition scale differently?
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Anyone that makes videos for BG?
Well. The title says it all. I just wanted to know if there was anyone that makes videos for any of the Baldur's Gate series(PC,EE,SoA,ToB). An advertisement. It's an old game, so I don't think there is anyone that makes videos currently on youtube or any other channels, but if you know someone. Comment it here. ;D
Thanks,
Notis
Thanks,
Notis
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Recommend your favourite YouTube "Lets Plays"
So, given that I still bounce through these games like a bearing in a pinball machine - chaotic good is not just an alignment it's a way for life - and even my best attempts to add some method into my madness quickly go awry, I'm looking for your recommendations for your favourite play-throughs. Especially good are those players with excellent tactics, good instructive commentary for their playing choices and of course funny commentary... Recommend away!
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Ravager
I have killed him and I have cleared all the other rooms prior to this battle and when i leave its not triggering and I do not know how to the EE cheat console works to get to the final area am I doing something wrong is there a way to trigger it without cheating like a file or something i am doing wrong any help with be glorious.
Rangers and Hamsters for Everyone.
Rangers and Hamsters for Everyone.
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BG2 Solo SCS Spell Guide
BG2 Solo SCS Spell Guide
Introduction
Spell guides: there are dozens already out there and while everybody's opinions differ, we all know that Magic Missile, Mirror Image, Skull Trap, Stoneskin, Breach, Protection From Magical Weapons, Project Image, Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting and Time Stop are all you need, right?
Trouble is that nearly all the spell guides already written are for the vanilla game, where indeed a handful of powerful spells are all you need to conquer everything. See a mage? Breach him. Melee opponents getting to you? Stoneskin. Want to kill a bunch of enemies? Horrid Wilting. And so on.
When I first started playing with SCS I was amazed at the additional complexity of the AI. In particular the improved mages were remarkable. In the vanilla game I had never blinked at seeing a Yuan-ti mage. Now with SCS they were an utter nightmare, they hung around for ages, dispelled all my protections, and peppered me with Magic Missiles. The game had changed and the old tricks no longer worked.
At first I had no idea how to get through layers of magical defences. Then I read through the spell descriptions and gradually began to work it out. So I need a Secret Word to get rid of that. But first a Spell Thrust to remove this. And only then can I Breach. Do I have a Secret Word and Spell Thrust? Of course not. Who in the vanilla game even looked at those spells, let alone memorise them?
For the last few years I have exclusively played solo no reload. Party games no longer appeal to me, I know the companions, I love the roleplaying, the story is great. But I've already been there and now the challenge I'm interested in is the strategic combat aspect: to fight the full array of BG2 opponents at their utmost power, with their AI enhanced by SCS. And to do it without any kind of cheesy tactics or crutches, and most importantly, with just the one life. To survive everything they can throw at me and to find a way around it and ultimately to have the Bhaalspawn prevail.
I have lost count of the number of no-reload SCS games I have played. Most fail quickly (damn you Dire Charm!); some last longer (how the %*$! am I supposed to deal with the Shade Lord's aura?!). Some get very far and then succumb to restart-itis (Okay I'm in Suldanessellar but how cool would a Berserker-Assassin with Swashbuckler AC bonus but no armour and no traps be?).
One thing I've realised from my experience is that while all kinds of classes and combinations can do well if utilised intelligently, mage types have a far better chance of survival than any other class. Moreover, the sheer complexity of arcane magic adds a huge amount to the strategic element of the game. If you're ever going to beat a no-reload SCS, you need to understand the magic system.
I decided to write this spell guide from a specific perspective. This is not a vanilla BG2 spell guide, nor is it a guide for party play. This guide is for a solo character with SCS. My explanations and ratings for each arcane spell below are based on my experience playing the game under no-reload conditions. Naturally if you play with reloads, you might not weight so heavily towards some defensive spells that I rate highly. I should also add that I play with Item Randomiser, which I think is a wonderful mod which makes every game different. As such, I have not assumed that you will have specific equipment that would otherwise be easily or quickly obtainable and which would make certain spells obsolete.
Finally I should point out that this guide is written for BG2, ie SoA and ToB. If you're playing from BG1 then bear in mind that while the majority of the guidance and explanation is still relevant, some of the nuances are different. For example spells like Sleep are very useful in BG1 and totally useless in BG2, so the rating below would not be applicable for the BG1 portion of the game.
Two Types of Casters
In the descriptions below I make reference to two types of casters: pure spellcasters and fighter-types.
Pure spellcasters are those classes that rely almost exclusively on magic. These include single class mages, sorcerers, cleric/mages and most types of thief/mages. Pure spellcasters have to use spells to cover all functions: summoning, damage, defence, debuffing, crowd control etc. They therefore require a wide ranging spellbook and do not get too much mileage from spells that enhance combat prowess.
Fighter-types are those classes for whom magic complements their weapon skills. These include the various types of fighter/mages and swashbuckler/mages. Fighter-types have slightly different requirements from their spellbook: they do not need magic for their damage output, they can use their weapons and thereby get by with fewer damaging and summoning spells. Fighter types can instead concentrate on defensive spells as well as debuffing and crowd control. They are especially interested in spells that enhance combat capability.
While the value and utility of most spells are similar for spellcasters and fighter-types, certain spells have nuances that favour one type more than the other. I have noted these where applicable. Likewise some spells get a higher rating for one type over the other.
Explanation of Ratings
I have rated each spell out of 5, with 1 the lowest rating and 5 the highest. Below is an explanation of what each rating means.
1: These spells are either useless or of such limited utility that you will hardly ever need them. You will pretty much never need to memorise these spells.
2: These spells are of limited utility. They have some value and may be helpful in certain situations or for a specialised strategy. But on the whole they are not spells you will use regularly. You will rarely need to memorise these spells.
3: These are solid spells that will serve you well. You will likely use these spells regularly and they will be an important part of your spellbook. You will memorise these spells frequently.
4: These are strong spells and will form a key part of your regular strategy. You will be using these spells in any tough encounter and will memorise them on an everyday basis.
5: These spells are essential for your character to thrive and survive. These are the spells around which you will form entire strategies. You will need to prioritise these spells and ensure you never leave base without them.
Introduction
Spell guides: there are dozens already out there and while everybody's opinions differ, we all know that Magic Missile, Mirror Image, Skull Trap, Stoneskin, Breach, Protection From Magical Weapons, Project Image, Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting and Time Stop are all you need, right?
Trouble is that nearly all the spell guides already written are for the vanilla game, where indeed a handful of powerful spells are all you need to conquer everything. See a mage? Breach him. Melee opponents getting to you? Stoneskin. Want to kill a bunch of enemies? Horrid Wilting. And so on.
When I first started playing with SCS I was amazed at the additional complexity of the AI. In particular the improved mages were remarkable. In the vanilla game I had never blinked at seeing a Yuan-ti mage. Now with SCS they were an utter nightmare, they hung around for ages, dispelled all my protections, and peppered me with Magic Missiles. The game had changed and the old tricks no longer worked.
At first I had no idea how to get through layers of magical defences. Then I read through the spell descriptions and gradually began to work it out. So I need a Secret Word to get rid of that. But first a Spell Thrust to remove this. And only then can I Breach. Do I have a Secret Word and Spell Thrust? Of course not. Who in the vanilla game even looked at those spells, let alone memorise them?
For the last few years I have exclusively played solo no reload. Party games no longer appeal to me, I know the companions, I love the roleplaying, the story is great. But I've already been there and now the challenge I'm interested in is the strategic combat aspect: to fight the full array of BG2 opponents at their utmost power, with their AI enhanced by SCS. And to do it without any kind of cheesy tactics or crutches, and most importantly, with just the one life. To survive everything they can throw at me and to find a way around it and ultimately to have the Bhaalspawn prevail.
I have lost count of the number of no-reload SCS games I have played. Most fail quickly (damn you Dire Charm!); some last longer (how the %*$! am I supposed to deal with the Shade Lord's aura?!). Some get very far and then succumb to restart-itis (Okay I'm in Suldanessellar but how cool would a Berserker-Assassin with Swashbuckler AC bonus but no armour and no traps be?).
One thing I've realised from my experience is that while all kinds of classes and combinations can do well if utilised intelligently, mage types have a far better chance of survival than any other class. Moreover, the sheer complexity of arcane magic adds a huge amount to the strategic element of the game. If you're ever going to beat a no-reload SCS, you need to understand the magic system.
I decided to write this spell guide from a specific perspective. This is not a vanilla BG2 spell guide, nor is it a guide for party play. This guide is for a solo character with SCS. My explanations and ratings for each arcane spell below are based on my experience playing the game under no-reload conditions. Naturally if you play with reloads, you might not weight so heavily towards some defensive spells that I rate highly. I should also add that I play with Item Randomiser, which I think is a wonderful mod which makes every game different. As such, I have not assumed that you will have specific equipment that would otherwise be easily or quickly obtainable and which would make certain spells obsolete.
Finally I should point out that this guide is written for BG2, ie SoA and ToB. If you're playing from BG1 then bear in mind that while the majority of the guidance and explanation is still relevant, some of the nuances are different. For example spells like Sleep are very useful in BG1 and totally useless in BG2, so the rating below would not be applicable for the BG1 portion of the game.
Two Types of Casters
In the descriptions below I make reference to two types of casters: pure spellcasters and fighter-types.
Pure spellcasters are those classes that rely almost exclusively on magic. These include single class mages, sorcerers, cleric/mages and most types of thief/mages. Pure spellcasters have to use spells to cover all functions: summoning, damage, defence, debuffing, crowd control etc. They therefore require a wide ranging spellbook and do not get too much mileage from spells that enhance combat prowess.
Fighter-types are those classes for whom magic complements their weapon skills. These include the various types of fighter/mages and swashbuckler/mages. Fighter-types have slightly different requirements from their spellbook: they do not need magic for their damage output, they can use their weapons and thereby get by with fewer damaging and summoning spells. Fighter types can instead concentrate on defensive spells as well as debuffing and crowd control. They are especially interested in spells that enhance combat capability.
While the value and utility of most spells are similar for spellcasters and fighter-types, certain spells have nuances that favour one type more than the other. I have noted these where applicable. Likewise some spells get a higher rating for one type over the other.
Explanation of Ratings
I have rated each spell out of 5, with 1 the lowest rating and 5 the highest. Below is an explanation of what each rating means.
1: These spells are either useless or of such limited utility that you will hardly ever need them. You will pretty much never need to memorise these spells.
2: These spells are of limited utility. They have some value and may be helpful in certain situations or for a specialised strategy. But on the whole they are not spells you will use regularly. You will rarely need to memorise these spells.
3: These are solid spells that will serve you well. You will likely use these spells regularly and they will be an important part of your spellbook. You will memorise these spells frequently.
4: These are strong spells and will form a key part of your regular strategy. You will be using these spells in any tough encounter and will memorise them on an everyday basis.
5: These spells are essential for your character to thrive and survive. These are the spells around which you will form entire strategies. You will need to prioritise these spells and ensure you never leave base without them.
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Elmister is a jerk!
With reference to Volo's guide to the Sword Coast and other BG manuals:
Imagine coming across a Lonely Planet guide book that someone had annotated with their own comments in the way the Elmister annotated Volo's works.
You would think they were a right nob!
He sighs in exasperation and repeatedly belittles the author for what he considers innacuracies or subjective opinions rather than fact. He even slates Volo for no real reason, when Volo's comments are accurate and unbiased.
Well go and write your own guide book you pointy-hat-wearing, pipe-smoking jerk!
Imagine coming across a Lonely Planet guide book that someone had annotated with their own comments in the way the Elmister annotated Volo's works.
You would think they were a right nob!
He sighs in exasperation and repeatedly belittles the author for what he considers innacuracies or subjective opinions rather than fact. He even slates Volo for no real reason, when Volo's comments are accurate and unbiased.
Well go and write your own guide book you pointy-hat-wearing, pipe-smoking jerk!
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Official Beamdog contest: write a review of Beamdog or their products to get a prize
Hear, hear!
Beamdog has started a contest with three prizes available:
a Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition t-shirt,
a copy of the new Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set,
a copy of The Crystal Shard by R.A. Salvatore.
The contest runs from January 13, 2015 until midnight (MST) January 22, 2015.
Our favourite Beamdog bard, @Amber_Scott , says that they Beamdog will randomly select three winners from the entrants and all we have to do is to write a review of Beamdog company or one of their products.
The review doesn’t have to be positive - it has to be honest.
Leave a review on Beamdog Facebook Page or on
Steam for one of their games (BG:EE, BG2:EE or IWD:EE). Then email a link to your review to alex@beamdog.com. Reviews must be dated January 13, 2015 or later in order to qualify.
You can leave a review on a different site, like the App Store, that’s fine too. Just email Beamdog a link or screencap to enter.
All details here: http://www.beamdog.com/beamblog
Beamdog has started a contest with three prizes available:
a Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition t-shirt,
a copy of the new Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set,
a copy of The Crystal Shard by R.A. Salvatore.
The contest runs from January 13, 2015 until midnight (MST) January 22, 2015.
Our favourite Beamdog bard, @Amber_Scott , says that they Beamdog will randomly select three winners from the entrants and all we have to do is to write a review of Beamdog company or one of their products.
The review doesn’t have to be positive - it has to be honest.
Leave a review on Beamdog Facebook Page or on
Steam for one of their games (BG:EE, BG2:EE or IWD:EE). Then email a link to your review to alex@beamdog.com. Reviews must be dated January 13, 2015 or later in order to qualify.
You can leave a review on a different site, like the App Store, that’s fine too. Just email Beamdog a link or screencap to enter.
All details here: http://www.beamdog.com/beamblog
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The (solo no-reload) adventures of Norgath, dwarven Bounty Hunter of Candlekeep
With @semiticgod's exciting Spiders hunting after Melissan, @OlvynChuru's Jester continuing his pacifist mass murdering ways, and @bengoshi's archdruid Yahiko still going strong, I felt the need to try my hand again at an ambitious solo adventure. My other, more roleplayed run with a custom party is still in progress (and will be updated sometime soon I hope). In order not to confuse both journals, I decided to make a separate thread for this run. Besides, who knows what good not journaling the current run in a thread called We're All Doomed might do. ![;)]( ";)")
Here is Norgath:[spoiler]![image]()
[/spoiler]As I said, this is going to be an ambitious run, i.e. one that includes metagamimg. However, whether I want it or not, I always incorporate some roleplaying in my gaming, so it would be foolish to expect myself to behave differently this time. I have particular difficulty doing evil things with good characters, much more so than doing good things with evil characters. Therefore Norgath's Lawful Evil alignment is convenient. It allows him to do evil things (such as the Assassinations mod quests in BG2). At the same time his lawfulness and his calculating mind (note the excellent mental stats) ensure that his good actions make some sense to me as well. The physical stats are optimized for survivability purposes, with 19 CON, 20 with the Tome, minimizing the penalty to saves vs death when the Claw of Kazgaroth is equipped. CHA is a bit of a dumpstat, though I could have gone all the way to 2, and optimize INT and WIS. With 7 CHA (after the Tome), Norgath will just be an almost stereotypical blunt, surly Dwarf.
The most important mods I'm playing with are Ascension, QuestPack with its revised Hell Trials, Song & Silence, Rogue Rebalancing, SCS I and II (v21), Wheels of Prophecy, and aTweaks. Besides those, Thalatntyr's Item Upgrade in BG1 and Weimer's Item Upgrade in BG2 allow Norgath to get some items upgraded by Thalantyr and Cromwell respectively. Assassinations, Back to Brynnlaw, and Sellswords offer a couple of new adventures in SoA. Finally, I'm using a number of tweaks from BG2Tweaks and BGTTweaks that facilitate different aspects of gameplay. Most consequential are the Un-Nerfed Thac0 table, maximum HP at level up (but also max HP for all enemies), and importation of gear from BG1 into Irenicus' Dungeon.
Here is Norgath:[spoiler]
[/spoiler]As I said, this is going to be an ambitious run, i.e. one that includes metagamimg. However, whether I want it or not, I always incorporate some roleplaying in my gaming, so it would be foolish to expect myself to behave differently this time. I have particular difficulty doing evil things with good characters, much more so than doing good things with evil characters. Therefore Norgath's Lawful Evil alignment is convenient. It allows him to do evil things (such as the Assassinations mod quests in BG2). At the same time his lawfulness and his calculating mind (note the excellent mental stats) ensure that his good actions make some sense to me as well. The physical stats are optimized for survivability purposes, with 19 CON, 20 with the Tome, minimizing the penalty to saves vs death when the Claw of Kazgaroth is equipped. CHA is a bit of a dumpstat, though I could have gone all the way to 2, and optimize INT and WIS. With 7 CHA (after the Tome), Norgath will just be an almost stereotypical blunt, surly Dwarf.The most important mods I'm playing with are Ascension, QuestPack with its revised Hell Trials, Song & Silence, Rogue Rebalancing, SCS I and II (v21), Wheels of Prophecy, and aTweaks. Besides those, Thalatntyr's Item Upgrade in BG1 and Weimer's Item Upgrade in BG2 allow Norgath to get some items upgraded by Thalantyr and Cromwell respectively. Assassinations, Back to Brynnlaw, and Sellswords offer a couple of new adventures in SoA. Finally, I'm using a number of tweaks from BG2Tweaks and BGTTweaks that facilitate different aspects of gameplay. Most consequential are the Un-Nerfed Thac0 table, maximum HP at level up (but also max HP for all enemies), and importation of gear from BG1 into Irenicus' Dungeon.
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Portraits for Baldur's Gate from Dragon Age: Inquisition
You all possibly know my love for portraits that can be used in BG (and IWD).
Recently, I've been quite sucked into Dragon Age: Inquisition. There can be many opinions on whether that game is good or bad but I think that the artwork and the characters' design in DAI are top notch.
Here I present you the portrats of DAI companions in the suitable format for BG (210x330 pixels, 24-bit BMP)
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Recently, I've been quite sucked into Dragon Age: Inquisition. There can be many opinions on whether that game is good or bad but I think that the artwork and the characters' design in DAI are top notch.
Here I present you the portrats of DAI companions in the suitable format for BG (210x330 pixels, 24-bit BMP)
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Custom PC & NPC Portraits
Building on the original thread, started by @Syntia13, this is intended to be a hub to share alternate, fan-made portraits for the enhanced editions of the series. In order to keep the thread running and make it a comprehensive source for portraits, please abide by the site rules and a few guidelines:
2: Do not share images for which you have not received permission from the artists, when possible.* This is particularly true of art from DeviantArt, which hosts many artists who do not want their work shared elsewhere.
3: If you request that a portrait be made, recognize that the artists in this forum do this simply because they enjoy contributing to the community. Be patient, be respectful and say thank you.
4: Be supportive! Many of the artists here are just beginning to learn how to make portraits. Be positive and constructive in your comments, and avoid pointless negativity.
5: If you are making and posting portraits, state who you used as a model (if applicable), either here or on your website. Understand that this still does not make the likeness your property, and be prepared to remove the image if so requested by the copyright holder.
*Understandably, the source of some older portraits is unknown. If in doubt, go to Google Images and drag the portrait to the search bar. You may find the artist or source through that method. Again refer to Rule 1.
To use custom portraits for your PC:
1: Navigate to your Baldur's Gate directory in (My) Documents.
2: Drop the custom portraits into the Portraits folder.
3: In the game, select Custom when choosing a portrait and select the medium and small sizes. Alternately, if you have already begun your game, select Customize/Appearance from the character sheet.
To use custom portraits for NPCs:
1: Rename the portrait files to match the NPC whose portraits you want to replace. For example, Jaheira's portraits are named JaheiraL, JaheiraM and JaheiraS. There are some portraits in BG1 that do not conform to this, and those in BG2 have their own naming format. Consult this site.
2: Place the portraits in your override folder, located in the directory where you installed the game.
*Note that after the latest patch, the games allow a single large portrait size to be automatically adjusted to the proper sizes. I currently do not recommend this, as it causes pixelation in the small 54x84 version.
@artastrophe: http://artastrophe.deviantart.com/
@Coutelier: http://coutelier.deviantart.com/
@Enkida: http://enkida.deviantart.com/
@Isandir: http://isandir.com
@jakaminski: http://jakaminski.deviantart.com/gallery/
Neunerx: http://neunerx.deviantart.com/gallery/
@Nixxi: http://nixxical.deviantart.com/
@Peachplums: http://peachplums.deviantart.com/
@Syntia13: http://syntia13.deviantart.com/
Suggest others whose portrait sites you are familiar with!
Thread Rules
1: Respect artists' creations and their right to them. If portrait-makers ask that you not edit their work, don't. If a mistake is made, simply edit your post to remove the image, apologize, forgive and forget.2: Do not share images for which you have not received permission from the artists, when possible.* This is particularly true of art from DeviantArt, which hosts many artists who do not want their work shared elsewhere.
3: If you request that a portrait be made, recognize that the artists in this forum do this simply because they enjoy contributing to the community. Be patient, be respectful and say thank you.
4: Be supportive! Many of the artists here are just beginning to learn how to make portraits. Be positive and constructive in your comments, and avoid pointless negativity.
5: If you are making and posting portraits, state who you used as a model (if applicable), either here or on your website. Understand that this still does not make the likeness your property, and be prepared to remove the image if so requested by the copyright holder.
*Understandably, the source of some older portraits is unknown. If in doubt, go to Google Images and drag the portrait to the search bar. You may find the artist or source through that method. Again refer to Rule 1.
Guide to Using Custom Portraits
Portraits in the enhanced editions use three images in bitmap (.bmp) format, the largest of which is only shown during the epilogue in Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal. The three sizes are 210x330, 169x266 (displayed in the character sheet) and 54x84 (displayed on the right UI bar).*To use custom portraits for your PC:
1: Navigate to your Baldur's Gate directory in (My) Documents.
2: Drop the custom portraits into the Portraits folder.
3: In the game, select Custom when choosing a portrait and select the medium and small sizes. Alternately, if you have already begun your game, select Customize/Appearance from the character sheet.
To use custom portraits for NPCs:
1: Rename the portrait files to match the NPC whose portraits you want to replace. For example, Jaheira's portraits are named JaheiraL, JaheiraM and JaheiraS. There are some portraits in BG1 that do not conform to this, and those in BG2 have their own naming format. Consult this site.
2: Place the portraits in your override folder, located in the directory where you installed the game.
*Note that after the latest patch, the games allow a single large portrait size to be automatically adjusted to the proper sizes. I currently do not recommend this, as it causes pixelation in the small 54x84 version.
Artist Links
If you like the portraits you see here or at any of the sites below, leave a comment here or on the artist's website. We love making portraits, and we love hearing how you connect to them through the game.@artastrophe: http://artastrophe.deviantart.com/
@Coutelier: http://coutelier.deviantart.com/
@Enkida: http://enkida.deviantart.com/
@Isandir: http://isandir.com
@jakaminski: http://jakaminski.deviantart.com/gallery/
Neunerx: http://neunerx.deviantart.com/gallery/
@Nixxi: http://nixxical.deviantart.com/
@Peachplums: http://peachplums.deviantart.com/
@Syntia13: http://syntia13.deviantart.com/
Suggest others whose portrait sites you are familiar with!
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Um, I just killed Tazok in the bandit camp
As my party was strolling through Peldvale, we came across Raiken and his band of unmerry men. Following Drizzt's advice from earlier in the game, my barbarian leader, Alandra, decided to use guile and intimidation to infiltrate the bandits, rather than attack head-on.
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Soon afterward, we arrived at the bandit camp. When Tazok questioned Alandra as to her motives, Raiken inexplicably interrupted and threatened to "bruise" Tazok - who then even more inexplicably responded by attacking Alandra rather than Raiken.
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Being adept with ranged weapons, my party quickly pelted Tazok with a variety of arrows, bullets, and darts, but Tazok continued to press forward.
![image]()
As Tazok walked up to Dorn, I figured that he was about to initiate his dialogue welcoming my party into the camp. But instead, he clubbed Dorn for 12 points of damage! (fortunately, Viconia was standing nearby to heal him) So my party continued to wail away at him.
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By now, both Dorn and my barbarian were standing toe-to-toe with Tazok and clobbering him with all of their collective might, but still Tazok stubbornly refused to welcome them into the camp. Then finally, an arrow by Kivan (fittingly, given his backstory) dealt a fatal blow to Tazok. Curiously, no one in the camp really seemed to mind that their leader had just been slain, and continued to stand about as though nothing had happened.
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The moral of the story?
![image]()
Soon afterward, we arrived at the bandit camp. When Tazok questioned Alandra as to her motives, Raiken inexplicably interrupted and threatened to "bruise" Tazok - who then even more inexplicably responded by attacking Alandra rather than Raiken.
Being adept with ranged weapons, my party quickly pelted Tazok with a variety of arrows, bullets, and darts, but Tazok continued to press forward.
As Tazok walked up to Dorn, I figured that he was about to initiate his dialogue welcoming my party into the camp. But instead, he clubbed Dorn for 12 points of damage! (fortunately, Viconia was standing nearby to heal him) So my party continued to wail away at him.
By now, both Dorn and my barbarian were standing toe-to-toe with Tazok and clobbering him with all of their collective might, but still Tazok stubbornly refused to welcome them into the camp. Then finally, an arrow by Kivan (fittingly, given his backstory) dealt a fatal blow to Tazok. Curiously, no one in the camp really seemed to mind that their leader had just been slain, and continued to stand about as though nothing had happened.
The moral of the story?
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Lawful Good:Why all the flack?
Why so many gamers are mean spirited and mocks lawful good characters?
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