Old habits die hard. My little intro and Q

[Rypien]

G'day guys.

I'm an old BGI player who enjoyed my numerous trips through it and TOSC when they were first released). Played BGII SoA through a couple of times but never got around to starting ToB. Its been sitting unused for quite a while, and its time to give it a go.

Unfortunately i lost many of my old BG1 characters, and only have low level versions of my BGII PC's. Even so, i'm looking forward to the challenge of ToB (and even revisiting SoA for that matter).

Will probably play through with a party of 4 of my own imported PC's with two slots open for NPC's to join at various times. These 4 were my first multiplayer BGI characters -

Rypien - HalfElf - Fighter/Theif
Gladiator - Human - Fighter
Zorak GodsBane - Human - Cleric
Olbaid - Human - Necro

I never considered kits or dual classing when i played SoA, but will definately consider dual classing with ToB. Might even create some new characters for a second run though. Some of the CLASS/KIT guides around on the web are true works of art and have stirred my interest. Anyone for a Wizard Slayer / Mage

Really looking forward to this. Been a while but great games never die. Time to finish the Saga that i began all those years ago ....

btw - i'm getting a grid type outline with my ToB game. Don't remember this last time i had it all loaded on. None of my other games have this trouble. i'm runing XP Home, GeForce 6800 gfx card. Any Ideas? I've tried a few things in the options but no luck.

cheers

[Cuchulain82]

Re: Wizard Slayer/Mage

Have you looked at this thread yet? It is from the SOA forum.

As far as kits/classes go, if you like powergaming, I cannot reccomend a dual-class Fighter-Theif strongly enough. Choose a fighter kit that you like (it really doesn't matter because of Use Any Item) and you have a killing machine. If you like the Kensai, you can backstab (or use assination) with staves and kai strike and you are doing well over 100 dmg every time. If you want a wizard slayer focus on 2 handed swords and use Carsomyr (very minor spoiler- it is upgradable in TOB) and you will be a mage destroyer. Or be a Berzerker who dual weilds the Axe of the Unyeilding and Crom Faer- your stats will be unbeliveable and you will be immune to almost all spells while raging. The possibilities are huge and really depend upon you as a player.

The really nice thing about a dual F/T is that you have a tough character with interesting abilities who can make use of all the items in the game. The character manages to be fun and powerful at the same time.

I also really like Ranger-Clerics and Berzerker-Clerics. I don't like magic users very much, but someone else here will.

[Rypien]

Thanks for the link mate

I've always had a major interest in character ideas and development. I've used alot of paper lately printing out various class/kit guides. Ones by Dan Simpson and Riverwind are great.

I can feel a bit of anticipation creeping in as i get ready to start ToB for the first time. Watchers Keep virgin . I remember my first go through Durlags Tower in BG1 and this will be the same methinks (but a bit harder )

[FireLighter]

Re: a bit harder --- spoiler is in black incase you do not want to read.

Hehe... a 'bit' is a little underestimation when you get to the harder parts. Trying not to spoil anything seeing as you have not played ToB yet . Also, you will be impressed, they have gone all out and have added an entire new area that I'm sure you have heard about but have never played in with the baldurs gate trilogy along with many new creatures (spoiler highlight to read) Bhaalspawn are the main fights in this game, yes, there are TONS emerging and they just get harder as you go along. Also you fight such creatures as dragons (not really new) and fire giants which dish out large amounts of damage because of their high strength. Just to tell you, this spoiler is not giving away the ending or anything, it is about the very near beginning.

[imyril]

Just a Luddite

Also, you will be impressed,

I dunno... I'm doing much the same thing at present - I started out in BG1 and ran through TOTSC (I had never previously completed either, something always came up!) and really enjoyed Durlag's Tower and the final battles. I've gone on to BG2 (I had previously completed SOA, so I went all out to do every side quest this time) and it was even better, very rewarding.

But TOB feels like a letdown. Maybe I've played too much story back to back (not that I'm spending my life doing this - it's take me about 6 months so far!), but TOB feels very forced. In RP or LARP I would scream "railroading" - in a pc game you expect to be pointed in a particular direction, but this is like being herded. Most of the screens/maps so far are not full screen and have little or nothing but the key encounter required to further the plot, and it seems to lack the sizzle of the previous games.

Am I just burnt out? I'm tempted to go load a bunch of mods and packs and start SOA again because I enjoyed it so much, so it doesn't feel like it

[VonDondu]

[QUOTE=imyril]TOB feels very forced. In RP or LARP I would scream "railroading" - in a pc game you expect to be pointed in a particular direction, but this is like being herded...[/QUOTE]
I wouldn't say that TOB is "forced" or say I feel like I'm being "railroaded" or "herded". But I would definitely say that TOB is "linear" in the sense that the action is more like a straight line than a branching tree. On the positive side, you can choose the order in which you fight two of your foes; you can choose between two different routes to reach one of them; you can choose which items you want Cespanar to upgrade (you can't have all of them); you can visit Watcher's Keep when you feel like it; you are free to choose your own party members, and they are easily accessible; and when asked what your purpose is, you can choose the best response that fits your goals (although it doesn't make any difference what you say). Maybe it could have been better, but it could have been worse. Personally, I think the main problem is that BG1 and SOA felt so open-ended in comparison to TOB, and that's what you're used to. But your point is well-taken.

[imyril]

linear

You know, that's exactly it.

*laughter*

Funny, it never bothers me in IWD because I know that's just hack and slash - but in BG I'm so used to feelign like I have a measure of control over my day to day (if not my destiny) it really rubbed me up the wrong way.

Maybe I'll tackle TOB as a standalone rather than importing my BG character and see if I take to it.

[Thrifalas]

[QUOTE=Cuchulain82]
As far as kits/classes go, if you like powergaming, I cannot reccomend a dual-class Fighter-Theif strongly enough. Choose a fighter kit that you like (it really doesn't matter because of Use Any Item) and you have a killing machine. If you like the Kensai, you can backstab (or use assination) with staves and kai strike and you are doing well over 100 dmg every time. If you want a wizard slayer focus on 2 handed swords and use Carsomyr (very minor spoiler- it is upgradable in TOB) and you will be a mage destroyer. Or be a Berzerker who dual weilds the Axe of the Unyeilding and Crom Faer- your stats will be unbeliveable and you will be immune to almost all spells while raging. The possibilities are huge and really depend upon you as a player.
[/QUOTE]

You didn't mention the possibillity of becomming immortal, as well. And well, with Immortal I'm saying 85% magic res (higher if wiz slayer), ac of about -25 and regenerating 6hp each sec. Well, Melissan and the Ravager might be able to hurt you, but with greater whirlwind, 24str and Carsomyr, you're able to hurt them more. By a lot.

For those who like to wield Crom Fayer, try the belt that gives you 22str and then the bonus from SoA, and you have 24 without wielding a weapon.

Anyway, I really recommend you the fighter/thief as well. There is many classes that can become outrageous overpowered, but the fighter/thief is the easiest to play. Just klick the attack button, and you're already a winner.