Increasing the challenge without mods.

[foot]

I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to BG2, so I only install addons which modify cosmetic details, and stick to the core rules difficulty. The unmodded game is too easy after playing through it numerous times so I try to come up with ways to make it more challenging.

The most enjoyable was a group that only used non-enchanted items (ie. normal weapons and armour), which forced me to use otherwise useless spells like Enchanted Weapon. Also did a few solos but they get boring fast. I prefer full parties so they level slower and there is lots of party banter (that also means no MP parties).

I've been trying to come up with some new, fun ideas but have been largely unsuccessful. Tried a group of pacifists that used spells to turn monsters on each other and used lots of summons to do the killing for them, but it got really annoying, really fast .

Could really use some fresh ideas.

[Pellinore]

You may try creating a party with average stats rather than superhuman stats like most people do. I did this once and had a pretty hard time.

[Saros]

There are a few challenges that might interest you:

Soloing the vanilla game on Insane, and with no-reloads, with a very limited class: the Beast Master, the Wizard Slayer or the Transmuter, also the Abjurer seem like a lot of challenge due to their restrictions. Probably the most difficult will be the Wizard Slayer.

Playing the game with No Items or gold(only quest items which are absolutely needed for different quest completion are allowed: certain keys, hearts, etc.). No scrolls too.

Creating a normal 6-person party: normal, meaning, what stats you get on the first roll, you oughtta keep, with no +/- modding.

Limiting yourself on cheesy tactics like shooting AoE spells at enemies from a distance, for instance(although I myself cannot do it).

[foot]

As I said, I'm a purist, so I stick to the core rules. And soloing bores me rather quickly because of the fast leveling and, well, because of the loneliness . I really enjoy a full group of NPCs. And yes, that makes increasing the challenge more difficult because all the NPCs are rather good.

I only roll 3 times for my PC, so no uber stats for him .

[drktmplar]

What does "MP party" mean?

Have you thought of resting only at night time or when your characters would rightfully be completely exhausted?

No reloads sounds good.

Another idea: If you are learning or are fair at a foreign language, you may want to replay the saga in that language! That may spice things up a bit, on top of other things to make the game more difficult.

[foot]

MP = multiplayer. In other words, a party comprised of characters created by me.

Anyway, I settled on another no-magic-items party, but this time, with no tanks. So it's me (sorcerer), Aerie, Jan, Viconia, Cernd, and Haer'dalis (which will be replaced with Imoen). I know that blades can be decent meatshields with defensive spin, but I'm using him as a caster only. Cernd can tank a bit in wereform, but as soon as his ironskins wear off he dies in like 3 hits .

It's really not easy at all, so I'm really enjoying it. Probably won't get as far as my other no-magic-items party (got stuck at the ravager), but it's the journey that matters.

[drktmplar]

Ouch, sounds pretty tough. Good luck with the Ravager this time around.

You might consider bringing a party with you, but soloing otherwise, meaning you have six people in the group, but you just fight with one character. That'd be *really* tough, I think. Impossible, even?

[Celacena]

what about using some old PnP characters?

I used the stats from a couple of old PnP characters and gave them the same proficiencies to start with.

I then Role-Played them how those characters used to behave, irrespective of how I'd usually play the game.