Faced with a decision

ZachL · Post by **ZachL** » Sun Jul 08, 2001 6:11 pm

I am faced with a decision - I have a good amount of money (31600 gp) and I am currently at the Copper Cornet. You can subtract 15,000 from that number for the Imoen fee, leaving me with 16,000. That gives me quite a bit of cash. Here are my options(you may think of more):
(a)Get myself some nice goods at the Copper Cornet and the Adventurer's mart
(b)Get myself a magic license for Athkatla (5000 gp)and buy some stuff with the rest of the cash
(c)Save my money for later things
It should also be known that I have a party containing a fighter player who likes two handed swords a lot, Minsc, Jaheira, Korgan, Nalia, and Aerie. Also, my characters just beat the DeArnise Hold quest and plan to pursue the book of Kaza quest next.
Thanks for the advice,
Horatio

dionysus · Post by **dionysus** » Sun Jul 08, 2001 6:23 pm

My Opinion:

Spend all the money <including the money for imoen> and buy tons of stuff. Then, do more quests to get more money. You'll probably want to do as many of the quests as possible before heading to Spell Hold to rescue Imoen.

Happy adventuring.

Dionysus.

Weasel · Post by **Weasel** » Sun Jul 08, 2001 6:35 pm

(b)Get myself a magic license for Athkatla (5000 gp)

IMO from a roleplaying point..I wouldn't pay them. Charging you money for something they do. Where's the proof they paid for a permit?

ZachL · Post by **ZachL** » Sun Jul 08, 2001 6:42 pm

Any good weapons that won't eat up my budget?

fable · Post by **fable** » Sun Jul 08, 2001 7:10 pm

Get the license. If you go with the thieves, Bodhi's vampires will attack you after dark. Even if you don't, you may be attacked in various city locations by bands, and it will help to be able to cast spells.

Then spend the remainder on some good items. Don't neglect Deidre over in the Adventurer's Mart.

ZachL · Post by **ZachL** » Sun Jul 08, 2001 7:27 pm

What are the best items from Diedre? So far items that I found interesting were:
The Plate of Balduran - way too much money!
Giant Hair Crossbow - in the Copper Coronet, it seems nice...
Anything else? I only have about 17,000 to spend at this point, 12,000 if I buy the License.
Horatio

ZachL · Post by **ZachL** » Sun Jul 08, 2001 10:08 pm

I remember, there is a guy in Gaelan's house that is selling these glasses of identification...it seems like a very useful thing to go, and should almost pay for itself monetarily, and in use..think its worth the 2000 gp?
Horatio

ZachL · Post by **ZachL** » Sun Jul 08, 2001 10:16 pm

Oh yeah I also saw this sweet sounding ring, the ring of energy..it seems to do a lot of damage, a good backup for mages in a long battle where they are out of magic missle or other damage spells...But I don't think I understand the damage system, what does 2d4 damage mean? Or 8d6? Well thanks for info,
Horatio

cheesemage · Post by **cheesemage** » Sun Jul 08, 2001 10:20 pm

get the glasses
do you have lilacor?
buy weapons that benefit your pc being that he can deal out the most damage
now dont buy the liscene if you want some easy exp when get a little higher in levels after your done with this and get the items you want i suggest you either do one of these quests or both but be warned these are pretty hard
1.go to the guarded compound in the temple district
2.go the building by dulsars in go to the door facing the water and make sure you have a rougue stone
these fights are really hard and i suggest you should be like level 12 or so

ZachL · Post by **ZachL** » Sun Jul 08, 2001 10:30 pm

My characters have an average level of 9, and yes I have Lilarcor. Minsc is currently wielding the Sword of Chaos, its +2 two handed and life steals 1 point per hit. I think I will get the glasses but I still can't decide what goodies to get with my now 22,000 cash! Help!
Horatio

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Sun Jul 08, 2001 11:05 pm

Get the Glasses of Identification. They are one of the most useful items in the game.

Don't get the permit. Make sure you have the Boots of Speed and a (fully charged) Wand of Cloudkill. Unless you're playing a Lawful Good character, here's how you get around bribing the Cowled Wizards:

Find a secluded spot somewhere in the game where you will be able to drop a bunch of area-effect spells without the possibility of killing any bystanders (and thus harming your reputation). There are a couple of corners in the Bridge District which work nicely.

Go there and cast a spell. One of the Cowled Wizards will appear and warn you not to practice magic in Athkatla or face sanctions. As soon as he leaves, make a face and go, "Thbbbtttpttttt!"

Move all of your party except your mage (who is now wearing the aforementioned boots and holding the wand). Cast another spell. Drop Cloudkill on your previous location. Leave the area.

Cowled Wizards will show up. They will get gassed. They die. If you don't have a Wand of Cloudkill, Fog of Death and Incendiary Cloud work too. Repeat the steps six or seven times until they stop showing up.

The first batches who will show up will be low-level flunkies. Gradually, the Cowled Wizards will send out their big guns. Since they show up where the spell was cast and you moved out of their fog of war, voila! they just stand there and breathe the gas.

Yes, this is a cheesy way to get around paying the bribe. But 1) you save the $$$, 2) you avoid the corrupt system, and 3) you help cleanse the system of the nogoodniks among the Cowled Wizards. Plus you get to loot their stuff and receive XP for killing them.

ZachL · Post by **ZachL** » Sun Jul 08, 2001 11:22 pm

Well my character is Lawful Good so...

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Sun Jul 08, 2001 11:42 pm

Is that a truly Lawful Good or pragmatic Lawful Good. Work with me here.

XP
Stuff
Save $$$
Kill Cowled Wizards (they kidnapped Imoen)
Avoid the bribe (which is by definition illegal)
XP
Stuff

[ 07-09-2001: Message edited by: HighLordDave ]

Mr Snow · Post by **Mr Snow** » Sun Jul 08, 2001 11:58 pm

Originally posted by Horatio_Ironfist:
But I don't think I understand the damage system, what does 2d4 damage mean? Or 8d6? Well thanks for info,
Horatio

"D" in 2D4 (8D8, 4D6 or whatever) stands for Die (Ie dice).
Which basically that means if a spell does 6D10, then the damage equates to the addition of 6 rolls of a 10 sided dice (or die, whatever), so from an amount from 6 to 60. And 4D4 would be four rolls of a 4-sided dice, ie 4-16 points damage.

fable · Post by **fable** » Sun Jul 08, 2001 11:58 pm

You don't have the Glasses of Identification, yet? A must-have. Get 'em, and get a license.

ZachL · Post by **ZachL** » Mon Jul 09, 2001 12:15 am

hehe truly lawful good.....and fable you say I should get the license?
Horatio

rarsus · Post by **rarsus** » Mon Jul 09, 2001 12:35 am

Originally posted by HighLordDave:
Is that a truly Lawful Good or pragmatic Lawful Good. Work with me here.

XP
Stuff
Save $$$
Kill Cowled Wizards (they kidnapped Imoen)
Avoid the bribe (which is by definition illegal)
XP
Stuff

[ 07-09-2001: Message edited by: HighLordDave ]

Is there such thing as pragmatic lawful Good? Isn't that called chaotic good

Furthermore, if you are lawfull good, it should not seem that the cowled wizards 'kidnapped' Imoen, but they just arrested her on charges of violating the restrictions on magic use (she DID cast a MM at J.I. even when J.I. did not harm your party in any way when escaping from his prison.)

The lawful good way to handle the situation was, ofcourse, run to the local authorities and file a complaint at J.I. for kidnapping.

Radek · Post by **Radek** » Mon Jul 09, 2001 2:47 am

1. You can count on gaining 15000 gp after completing the de'Arnise Keep. Therefore, do not feel confined by the Galean's request.
2. I suppose you have Nalia in your party alerady (you are in CC - and Nalia will actively search for you there). Thus, you must go in the de'Arnise Keep now (otherwise, Nalia will leave). This confines your possibility to buy intems a bit.
a) Buy Glasses of Identification at Galean IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO WORK WITH BODHI. You must have been given the offer because of the amount of gold you have. Now, if you enter the Galean's house then you will be supposed to reject the offer and you will work with Aran Linvail automatically.
b) Buy Sling of Everard in CC. You will appreciate the sling when you will fight the Iron Golem in the Keep.
c) If you have an axe fighter in your company then consider Azuredge (also in CC). Azuredge is a perpetual throwing axe that should be able to hit the golem, too. I have no experience with it.

PDF · Post by **PDF** » Mon Jul 09, 2001 3:31 am

I did (B)- licence + stuff- and still think I was right to

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Mon Jul 09, 2001 5:45 am

Originally posted by Ash:
Is there such thing as pragmatic lawful Good? Isn't that called chaotic good

Furthermore, if you are lawfull good, it should not seem that the cowled wizards 'kidnapped' Imoen, but they just arrested her on charges of violating the restrictions on magic use (she DID cast a MM at J.I. even when J.I. did not harm your party in any way when escaping from his prison.)

The lawful good way to handle the situation was, ofcourse, run to the local authorities and file a complaint at J.I. for kidnapping.

Of course there is a pragmatic Lawful Good. When the Nazis overran most of Europe, there were good, law-abiding citizens in France, Norway, Denmark, Poland and even Germany engaged in terrorist, ahem, partisan activity.

If a Lawful Good person views those who make the laws as usurpers or as unfit to rule, then they can rationalise putting themselves outside the bounds of a corrupt regime. Our own country was founded on those same principles which led to an armed insurrection. So if your character views the Cowled Wizards as an evil entity and the government of Athkatla as their kowtowing puppets, then a Lawful Good character would be well within their alignment in killing them whenever they could get away with it.

Lawful Good does not necessarily mean that the character won't take a little bit of license with the law, especially in its grey areas. A paladin can engage in the good cop/bad cop routine and still be within the bounds of his alignment. However, a paladin cannot engage in bad cop/worse cop as a Chaotic Good character might.