tips on beating SoA

corsair · Post by **corsair** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 6:38 am

A few years back, when i was but a lad of 12 or so, I bought BG2:SoA. I thought it was the greatest thing that ever happened to me. Sadly, i have never completed this epic quest and I am now 16

. I enjoy playing the game, but i find myself loosing interest after getting so far. I also borrowed ToB from a friend, thinking that i could finish that because it was much shorter than SoA, but alas, I stopped playing at Abazigal's enclave. I was just wondering if you great gamers could tell me a way to not loose interest halfway through the game. Thanx.

Sytze · Post by **Sytze** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 7:52 am

1 Word: IMAGINATION

Place yourself in the maincharacter...think that you are him, venturing through epic questst.

If that doest help.....then I got a question:
Is the game to easy for you??
Do you feel as if something is missing in the game??

Edit: And welcome to the gamebanshee forums

corsair · Post by **corsair** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 8:19 am

not to easy

Its not that the game is easy, by no means so. I struggle with it on the easy setting because of all the frickin mages casting protective spells on themselves. I think the problem is is that i dont put myself in the maincharacters persona. Im gonna try that so, thanx for the advice. If anyone else has anymore advice, feel free to post. Thanx

Sytze · Post by **Sytze** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 12:09 pm

Which NPC's are you taking along and what character are you playing by the way??

corsair · Post by **corsair** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 1:05 pm

Well, ive tried just about every class, and taken along every NPC. When I get my discs back from my friend, i was planning on starting a new game as a Lawful Good Elven Archer and taking along Keldorn, Anomen, Nalia, Minsc, and Imoen (while shes not around im gonna use Valygar)

corsair · Post by **corsair** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 1:08 pm

oh yeah, in ToB im gonna replace Minsc with Sarevok

Venge · Post by **Venge** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 2:00 pm

I have not completed as much of the game as you have, but I find I restart the game constantly because I feel there may be a better way/class/race or whatever to try.
Kind of a 'grass is greener' syndrome.

Necrotaur · Post by **Necrotaur** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 2:39 pm

Re: not to easy

Originally posted by corsair
I struggle with it on the easy setting because of all the frickin mages casting protective spells on themselves.

Spend some time reading the spell descriptions, especially the spells that are designed for defeating spell protections. Having your mage learn Breach, Remove Magic, and Spellstrike (among others) can save you a lot of trouble.

One of the mage spells that works the best for me in a large group fight is Confusion, which oftentimes can remove half your opponents from the battle.

Ron_Lugge · Post by **Ron_Lugge** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 4:08 pm

Originally posted by Venge
I have not completed as much of the game as you have, but I find I restart the game constantly because I feel there may be a better way/class/race or whatever to try.
Kind of a 'grass is greener' syndrome.

You too!?

One of the mage spells that works the best for me in a large group fight is Confusion, which oftentimes can remove half your opponents from the battle.

IMHO, thats probably the most common newbie mistake - ignoring the disabling / summoning spells in favor of "more powerful" damage spells. Early on, one horror can often do more damage than five melf's arrows!

corsair · Post by **corsair** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 5:44 pm

Yes, i do think i suffer from the "grass is greener" syndrome. I find myself starting out w/a certain class/race and then thinking "wouldnt it be great if I was a..." You get the idea. THats why next time i play im gonna stick with my choice no matter what and try to not think "wouldnt that be cooler" I also looked at my manual and relized i was so stupid as to not get the right spells. I would forget about breach and spells like that and memorize a bazillion magic missles and such. Thanx again for the advice.

Arch_Angel · Post by **Arch_Angel** » Sun Aug 31, 2003 3:36 am

Pretty much all I can do is reiterate what's already been said. Make sure you finish the game with one combo before starting again, no matter how much you want to restart

I'm willing to bet one of the reasons you keep getting bored is because you keep playing the same parts of the game over and over! Finish doing it one way, pay attention to the dialogue stick to roleplaying your character. Then when you do start again, you can take a completely different path

The game is meant to be roleplayed (or at least this is the way you will get the most enjoyment & replayability from it), powergaming will get you tired of the whole thing very fast. Once you've finished doing the game a with a 6 player party (maybe you could do both the good and evil paths?) you may want to do it solo or download new NPC's & mods to help enhance gameplay

I just finished both SOA and TOB today and the first thing I did was go back to the start and create a new character party lol. I'm an addict

It's a fantastic game, you've just gotta find your particular niche within it.

corsair · Post by **corsair** » Sun Aug 31, 2003 6:14 am

Thanx fur the advice, its greatly appreciated

Idioteque · Post by **Idioteque** » Sun Aug 31, 2003 2:32 pm

Re: not to easy

Originally posted by corsair
Its not that the game is easy, by no means so. I struggle with it on the easy setting

I've found that the game is easier on the normal setting because when you play on easy you only get half the experience points for everything and while your enemies are weaker so are you because it takes twice as long to level up.

boo's daddy · Post by **boo's daddy** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 4:55 am

Originally posted by Arch_Angel
Make sure you finish the game with one combo before starting again, no matter how much you want to restart

I would agree with that. It took me nearly a year (real world time) to finish it, mainly because I don't play games that much. I would go for months without touching it. But if I hadn't followed through with one character I would never have come back to it. I think you'd miss out on the sense that there's a huge game world to explore, endless possibilities and dozens of ways to solve a particular problem.

One other suggestion regarding spoilers. The clue's in the name: don't read 'em!

And how many computer games make it so easy to pick up where you left off, play for 20 mins or so, then leave it again?

Have fun

cheers

mjcw · Post by **mjcw** » Thu Sep 04, 2003 3:33 am

There is a very nifty programme called Shadow Keeper, which alows you to change your character <i>completely</i>. Hopefully, this can keep you inspired with different classes and races and all that and keep the same game!

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 4:00 am

Originally posted by Venge
I have not completed as much of the game as you have, but I find I restart the game constantly because I feel there may be a better way/class/race or whatever to try.
Kind of a 'grass is greener' syndrome.

Wohooo - not only me that does this.

Have only complete SoA twice and ToB once, but have restarted the game and played through chapter 2-3 so often that I basically can remember all the things in it.

I always find myself wanting to restart (only things that stops me is Irenicus' dungeon

) and creating other characters.
Have just retaken BG2 up again, this time running a dual game with a pally muncher (cavalier w. Holy Avenger) and a swarshbuckler 10 dualed to mage (currently 11 or so).

But everytime I load up BG I get the urge to create another character

Galuf the Dwarf · Post by **Galuf the Dwarf** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 12:18 pm

Not too bad of an idea, corsair.

Originally posted by corsair
Well, ive tried just about every class, and taken along every NPC. When I get my discs back from my friend, i was planning on starting a new game as a Lawful Good Elven Archer and taking along Keldorn, Anomen, Nalia, Minsc, and Imoen (while shes not around im gonna use Valygar)

Hmmm.... You sound like you know what you're doing.

You sound like you'd be off to a good start, and the part sounds like it would work in in the long run. Still, I would advice some changes if you think they would work for you. You appear to be going for a Good-Aligned Party, so I was just thinking of this. Also, I hope you've been through enough of the game, but if not...

MINOR
S

P

O

I

L

E

R
S ABOUND

1) Switch Nalia for Aerie if you think you'll need another healer, along with someone with likewise Mage capabilities. (In case you think Anomen might get overworked with doing healing/buffs). You might also want to switch Valygar with Yoshimo for chpts. 2 & 3 in that case, because from what I remember Nalia's thieving skills being, they seemed rather disappointing (her spellcasting's the big thing; Imoen will be able take care of traps & locks practically as well as ol' Yoshi).

2) Keldorn, Minsc, and Valygar sound like your melee fighters. 2 of those three may be sufficient (especially if the ones you keep are buffed with the right items to take care of some stats that could be better), along w/ your Archer to supply ranged support w/ a bow (and a melee weapon to defend themself with).

You seem to be pretty well set on your layout. I might advise a little something else early on, mainly in the line of a thief. Good luck.

Jess · Post by **Jess** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 12:55 pm

Sometimes I just sit there and create characters

I know just how you feel, I've had this thing for years and I've never finished! I've got halfway through Suldanesselar so many times... I get bored or distracted or want to play with a new character and I leave for a few months, then start all over again. I'm gonna finish it this time though. I swear.
To be honest, if you aren't that into the NPCs, I'm finding a created party of 5 better, because I get to be lots of things at once

And multi-stronghold installed, of course.

Ron_Lugge · Post by **Ron_Lugge** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 5:14 pm

One of my favorite ways of dealing with the "new char" syndrome is to create a new char and import it in MP with the appropriate XP (whatever my old char had) and decent equipment (Get rid of what my old char had, and give the new char equipment I could have at this point in the game if I hadn't sold it - equipment other party chars have is off-limits however). Sometimes I might move around some party proficiency poitns (e. g. having given minsc or Anomen points in flail).