GameBanshee Forums

Any Mods... Possible Minor Spoiler(s)

... that address the unfinished ending of Nalia's keep? (who Torgal(sp) worked for)

-SA

Im not big on mods besides NPC mods, but have you checked the sticky well balanced mods. That is the best chance of finding a mod that does that.

Yeah, just reread it to make sure and only mention i can see is the improved version in tactics, which I think I will download for a new challenge. Though may turn off it it requires too much cheese...

-SA

Nalia's Romance probably addresses it, but that's an old one I've not tried.
The upcoming D'Arness romance will certainly address it, and Unfinished Business might...

Just installed tactics yesterday, having second thoughts... Anyone actually use it? As the whole reason I am playing a druid is so that I don't power game, does tactics force you to?

-SA

If you don't know how to use battle tactics decently, yes it does.

Otherwise, definitely not.

If you want, I can post a list of the components I think are doable, and which I think are quite hard, even with a strong party backing you up.

Please do, i already have turned off improved druids as the previous notes on that area say it is a bit unbalanced and I can't afford to skip it as it will be my stronghold... I am fairly good at figuring out the proper course of action, I don't mind a challenge but don't want to use a tactic that feels too cheesy... (for me it takes any sense of satisfaction out of a victory)

-SA

Edit-

For example I want to avoid buying the shield of balduran for the beholders, vailor's helm (just to name a few) as well I don't intend to acquire a mage until after spellhold.

No mage until you reach spellhold? Talk about crippling yourself, perhaps a bit too much, if you play tactics. You might want to get Immie as soon as possible, in that case.

As for the different components, I'll list them and grade them either a 1, 2, or 3. 1 being doable, 3 being quite hard.

****

Improved Ilyich: 2. Quite hard, yet with the proper tactics, and enough patience, you can pull it off. And with patience I don't mean enough reloads, but venturing through the dungeon one step at the time.

The Ritual: 1. Really fun challenge, very balanced.

Improved TorGal and De'Arnisse Keep: 1. Very fun as well. Don't expect to walk in with a low level party like you used to, though. Spirit trolls can be a pain in the ass, but it gets challenging when you reach Torgal.

Improved Sahuagin City: 3. Unless you have loads of scrolls with Prot. from Magic Weapons or a few Reflection Shields +1 with you, this is near undoable.

Improved Bodhi: 2. Fun! Bodhi has become a challenge for a decent party who did a few Chapter 2 quests. Not for the people who rush to Spellhold, though.

Improved Irenicus: 1. Even more fun! Best battle I have ever experienced, probably due to the time the battle takes. Requires, like almost every other encounter, the use of nifty tactics, though.

Improved Guarded Compound in the Temple District: 1.

Improved Twisted Rune: 1.

"Kuroisan", the Acid Kensai: 1.

"Red Badge" Poison-Based Encounter: 1.

Gebhard Blucher's Improved Mae'Var: 1.

Gebhard Blucher's Lich in the Docks: 1. Perfect opportunity for a high level NPC to test his skills against a Lich that uses smart casting tactics. Perfect mage challenge for a 1v1 fight.

Gebhard Blucher's Improved Demon Knights: 1.

Kensai Ryu's Tougher Kangaxx and Guardians: 2. Tough one, really tough. Don't face these guys unless you're almost ready to head to Suldanessalar. If you're ready to face them, though, this is one heck of a funny encounter. I love sending in two mages, buffed to the max, with a Shapechange spell active. Once they took the hardest punch, the fun can start by sending in all your characters. Kangaxx has been slightly improved as well, but not so it makes him unbeatable.

Kensai Ryu's Gnome Fighter/Illusionst in the Docks: 1.

Kensai Ryu's Improved Crypt King: 1. I'd give this one a zero if I could go lower.

Ishan's "Always Toughest Random Spawns in Dungeons", Gebhard Blucher's Random City Encounters and Kensai Ryu's Random Wilderness Encounters: 1.

Improved Undead: 2. Especially hard for low-level groups, or those without a cleric.

Improved Golems: 1.

Gebhard Blucher's Improved Mind Flayers: 2-3. Major improvement! I found the original Mindflayers to be a walk in the park, but these guys are so much stronger (that's why I incline towards a 3). Takes some time to figure out how to beat them without cheese, but makes you feel proud of yourself afterwards (since it's doable, I'm also inclined to rate it a 2).

Smarter Dragons: 1.

Smarter Beholders: 1-2. I don't use the Shield of Balduran, and Beholders are almost always giving me a hard time, so I'm inclined to rate them a 2.

Kensai Ryu's Smarter Vampires: 1.

Slightly Smarter Mages and Liches: 3. Not my thing. This is the only component I do not always install. First reason is that every mage suddenly starts casting spells (contingencies above all). Even Ribald or the Harper door guard. That annoyed me to no end. Second reason is that it makes you think twice before engaging every singly party with a mage. Fighting Liches early on becomes a definite no-no. Consequently, this makes it hard to finish certain quests (Umar Hills, to name one).

Kensai Ryu's Improved Copper Coronet: 1. Fun! Still doable with a low-level party, but at least it spices things up a bit.

SimDing0's Improved Oasis (ToB Required): 1. It's ToB. Everything is doable there.

Mike Barnes' Improved Small Teeth Pass: 1-2. Not for the faint of heart. Unlucky when you land near a dragon upon entering the area (reason for the 2), but if you use proper tactics, still doable (therefore a 1). Besides, by now you should be quite proficient at killing dragons.

Mike Barnes' Improved North Forest: 1.

Mike Barnes' Marching Mountains : 1.

Slightly Tougher Demons: 3. No fun. Doing a 999 hp of poison damage sucks. Besides, an enemy that goes invisibly every millisecond is just a no-go. You could use summons, but they barely last long enough for your party to kill the Demon. I keep installing this, though. I love testing the lethalness and swiftness of my party.

Tougher Druid Grove: ?. Earlier version: 3. Only Cernd in his Greater Werewolf form from the Ease-of-use mod, combined with every cheese I knew of, could defeat Faldorn. In the latest version, however, Faldorn has been tweaked. I haven't challenged her since, but if I look at the changes they made, I'd give this encounter a 2.

Tougher Fire Giants: 2. Perhaps I was a bit presumptuous when I said that everything in ToB was a walk in the park. Even at your highest levels, these guys pose a threat to your party. Prepare for heavy tactics using, a lot of resting and using potions!

****

Hope this helps. I’ve enjoyed tactics immensely, and still do. Some encounters might be a bit too hard, but as I enjoy a challenge, I install them anyway and try to think of better tactics to beat those encounters.

Thanks for the fantastic critique! On small question how do I uninstall certain areas, as I want to ease into it... I know that not having a mage will cripple me, I think I will just wait to pick one up until I finish doing the city quests, though I like the idea i can't have my elementals hasted and thus are not the killing machines they could be...

-SA

Thank you for your kind words.

However, I did not quite understand your question. What do you mean with, 'how do I install certain areas?'
If you install the mod, it will make all the changes for you.

At any rate, I'd be fairly interested with what kind of PC and party you are planning to tackle improved Shadows of Amn.

[QUOTE=Sytze]Thank you for your kind words.

However, I did not quite understand your question. What do you mean with, 'how do I install certain areas?'
If you install the mod, it will make all the changes for you.

At any rate, I'd be fairly interested with what kind of PC and party you are planning to tackle improved Shadows of Amn.[/QUOTE]
He said uninstall

The party I have so far is myself 12(almost 13) Avenger Druid stats (str 11, dex 19, con 17, int 10, wis 21, cha 18, rolled naturally but obviously with the +/-, and adjusted as i had gone through bg1. Which I did with with a R/C but didn't feel like being too overpowered.) Jahera 9f/12d, minsc 9r.

I have just beaten the npc in valygars house, the "improved" mae'var what was improved about him? (still just as easy as before just added an imp and a warning about no retreat?) I noticed that taking down mages requires a lot more resources.

I got a fright when the beholders spawned in the sewers and tore me to shreds... I bought the shield of cheese (just in case) as I plan do the cult of the unseeing eye next. I haven't left the city as of yet, but have finished the majority of the quests in the city. I will save the guarded coompound and other more battle type areas until just before spellhold.

My party will look like this after spellhold,

Avenger PC
Jahiera
Minsc
Valygar
Imoen (if I buckle and can't do a certain part, will pick up Jan...)
TOB-the person who won't die...that halbred is just silly

-SA

(any comments would be welcomed. I am leaning to uninstall beholders/improved demons/ maybe mages as this time around I will be lacking any arcane magic until after spell hold, and usually since jahiera's rommance takes so long i usually do all quests before spellhold...)

Uninstall. Two letters that make such a huge difference to the question...

Well, then, if you want to uninstall certain areas (by that I assume you mean certain components), you simply need to read the ReadMe. Run the exe file with which you installed the game, and choose the components you wish to uninstall, reinstall, or simply wish to leave alone.

If I were you, I'd uninstall slightly smarter mages/liches and improved demons for the reasons mentioned in my previous post. Just keep smarter beholders installed, and try fighting them with and without the shield of cheese. You'll only grow stronger through the experience.

As for your party, I'd really add another mage if I were you. Two druids and two rangers are a bit of an overkill. Tactics really forces you to, literally, use every tactic available in the game. I'm not saying it's undoable, but as you are a first time tactics user, you might want to get a more balanced party (thief and mage).
You could of course use a summoned army almost every encounter, but your enemies won't shun their occasional death spell. Trust me. I am surprised you were able to beat Mae'var so easily. His thieves, and himself as well, actually, annoy me quite a bit at times. However, by having True Sight and the option to protect yourself with Iron Skin at your disposal, I'm guessing you got through fairly unscratched. Seeing as I play an Archer-Thief almost every game and don’t always have True Sight available, things can get quite difficult.

Yeah, i think I will take your advice, i find that having a few insect swarms and iron skin takes out most mages and thieves easily as well as being able to switch to non-magical weapons quickly. Two rangers fits with my woodsy theme, and but it also allows me to duelwield earlier, I also reorganized Jaherias proficiences to fit better what she had in bg 1... I can see where the two druids will tax me later, but I won't abandon my theme ... I will attempt the sewers with the trio, i will just have to adjust my 'tactics'

If it doesn't go well i will probably pick up jan and see how it goes... I miss haste...

Thanks for your advice,

-SA

Mheh, I didn't realize you were playing a themed party. By all means, play as you like. In my experience, a themed party is the most fun to play.
Concerning a druid's capabilities, two simultaneous launched Insect Plagues wreck havoc on any party. Now, if you only had a Greater Malison to use them to greater efficiency... (sorry, couldn't resist )

I know it kills me as well but i like the idea of slightly gimping myself... though that depends on how much i can do without argueable the most versatile class (mage) as well as a thief, or even any cleric abilities!

If I am not mistaken I am going to label you a "mage pusher" I will not give into peer pressure! (well that depends on how far I get)

-SA

[QUOTE=southafrica]If I am not mistaken I am going to label you a "mage pusher" I will not give into peer pressure! (well that depends on how far I get)[/QUOTE]
Actually, the mage is my least favorite class (that's probably because the majority favours them and because they’re simply so damn powerful).

That said, I tend to raise the bar for myself with every game, or it will quickly bore me. Therefore mages are simply a necessity for my party.

Nowadays, I play BG: SoA with almost every battle-enhancing, banter-extending Mod out there. My ultimate goal is to finish SoA just ones without dying or reloading. I've made it as far as the Underdark, but after that, the encounters become very chaotic and one unlucky hit can mess everything up (yes, I quit after dying :roll eyes: ). That's why I'm searching for the most balanced party out there. Currently that includes my PC as an Archer-Thief or Swashbuckler-Fighter, Jaheira, Yoshimo (Imoen), Kelsey, Anomen and Minsc. Clerics and Mages became indispensable for me, thieves already were. I cannot live without Breach, Slow, Teleport Field, Holy Smite and especially Chaotic Commands: the most important spell in my spellbook! It's a shame Imoen is joining the party so late, because I sometimes switch Minsc for Dalis, another marvelous character, just because I need more mage spells.

Ahh, you are far too hardcore for me... I will let you know how it goes... I will do my best not to either take a mage/thief or either remove some of the more difficult tactic areas... As I am really enjoying my them, and might even pick up cernd... until tob (he has a child afterall)

Goodluck on you not dying!

-SA