Are there no challenges left to this game?

Baldursgate Fan · Post by **Baldursgate Fan** » Sun Aug 19, 2001 10:28 pm

Some have played solo on insane difficulty, some have handicapped themselves with the worst class/kit (Wizard Slayer), some have downloaded David Gaidar's enhanced improvements (eg Demogorgon), some absolutely abhor cheese and played without it.
They have all successfully completed the games one way or another from BG1, TotSC, BG2 and ToB.
Question is: any other way to make the game more challenging?

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 12:03 am

Try roleplaying instead instead of powerplaying for a change. Choose NPCs whose personality you like instead of necessarily "the best ones". Equip them with armor and weapons that make sense intead of having all dual wielding the most extreme combos. Don't cheat or use cheese tactics. Play with finesse: Disarm traps instead of running over them. Scout areas before walking right into them. Backstab and lay own traps. Try using so many different spells as possible instead of always the same ones. Stick with your alignement when you play but don't hesitate mixing the party, that makes for funny dialogues.

Maharlika · Post by **Maharlika** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 12:42 am

Nice one, Astafas!

Hey BF, want REAL challenge? Try setting up an all-human party capable of dual classing then have all of them dual class IMMEDIATELY. That way you all start at level one.

Seriously, try it. I'm about to try it too for the challenge --- though I doubt that I would survive long...

LINKiN · Post by **LINKiN** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 12:56 am

Has anyone gone solo thourgh BG TOB, just finshed it with using Me and sarevok. I think soloing TOB would be pretty hard.

tlibro · Post by **tlibro** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 1:56 am

Originally posted by LINKiN:
Has anyone gone solo thourgh BG TOB, just finshed it with using Me and sarevok. I think soloing TOB would be pretty hard.

Check out this link for a solo bard all the way through TOB... [url="http://www.gamebanshee.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=004726"]http://www.gamebanshee.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=004726[/url]

Baldursgate Fan · Post by **Baldursgate Fan** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 6:54 am

Thanks for all the tips.

I am getting beaten real bad with my solo Monksy in ToB.

There must be someone somewhere who has done this before. But then again, I'll have to do it my way.

Challenges are meant to be eaten for breakfast

reedimus · Post by **reedimus** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 7:12 am

After you have done everything you can do to make BG2 harder and it still isn't hard enough....play icewind dale. I don't think BG2 is supposed to be a hard game. Icewind dale on the other hand will hand your ass to you if you try to solo it on heart of fury while roleplaying, etc.

Doltan · Post by **Doltan** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 7:21 am

Soloing TOB with an gnome illusionist/thief, who started TOB at ~4 million exp after going through SOA, was very easy. I would say that it was easier than the game where I started a new PC (2.5 million exp?) with a group of six and just the equipment they give you.

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 8:03 am

Originally posted by reedimus:
Icewind dale on the other hand will hand your ass to you if you try to solo it on heart of fury while roleplaying, etc.

Heh, I had my ass handed to me trying to solo without playing Heart of Fury mode.

Nightmare · Post by **Nightmare** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 8:43 am

Too bad you can't solo on HoF mode in the BG series.

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 8:58 am

Originally posted by Maharlika:
want REAL challenge? Try setting up an all-human party capable of dual classing then have all of them dual class IMMEDIATELY. That way you all start at level one.

If the pro is a Mage, his/her familiar will clear the house! These guys may start as level 1, but they'll skyrocket in levels and quickly regain their inactive class. Then you have six Kensai/Mages and Ranger/Clerics. Gone is any challenge whatsoever.

THE JAKER · Post by **THE JAKER** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 11:02 am

I play blindfolded.

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 11:14 am

Originally posted by Astafas:
Stick with your alignement when you play but don't hesitate mixing the party, that makes for funny dialogues.

I once heard (so don't take it as gospel

) that if your party is not functioning as a unit and is bickering with each other then it can impair your teams efficency. Having Chaotic Evil Charachters with Lawful Good creates a frisson making your party worse in battle.

Any truth in it do you think?

spork · Post by **spork** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 11:27 am

I have a feeling we're not far from seeing some enhanced enemy AI patches from some volunteers on bwscript. Anyway, agree with the original posting that BG2 and ToB have both been beaten with every possible handicap, but not with ALL of the possible handicaps in combination. For example, as far as I know, no one has soloed through without using cheese, not even Two.

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 11:29 am

Hmm... That would something to see... Soloing with no cheese...

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 11:31 am

From the start of BG1?

What class would one play as?

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 11:56 am

interesting question. I'd probaly go Fighter/Cleric. Mostly cause I think I'd need the armour class...

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 12:00 pm

Fighter/Cleric is probably my favourite class in BG1, it is so versatile and useful. OK so would you carry on with that character in BG2 or ocnvert him to a more 'pure' class?

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 2:18 pm

Originally posted by Mr Sleep:
I once heard (so don't take it as gospel ) that if your party is not functioning as a unit and is bickering with each other then it can impair your teams efficency. Having Chaotic Evil Charachters with Lawful Good creates a frisson making your party worse in battle.

Any truth in it do you think?

You mean when it comes to roleplaying? Maybe an all good aligned party would work better than a mixed one. And an all evil aligned party probably would have more problems than the mixed one. But I have never seen this in the game, apart from certain NPC fights with which I know you're already familiar. And, of course, some NPCs may leave with the wrong rep (in SoA). So no loss of efficency as far as I know. And why should there be - all NPCs are (more or less at least, perhaps with the exception of a certain thief) working towards a common goal.

Doltan · Post by **Doltan** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 2:23 pm

Originally posted by spork:
For example, as far as I know, no one has soloed through without using cheese, not even Two.

I've solo'ed twice where the only knowing use of cheese I've done was the steal/sell infinite money cheat. With only slightly more work, I could have done it without that cheese, so it is definitely possible. I'm kind of against cheese because I like the roleplaying perspective.