Volourn's Wowwy Journey With NWN2:Spoiler Edition

[alanschu]

I'll make sure to give it a try.

[Wistrik]

Heavy ally spoilers below. I didn't want to use spoiler tags in this thread so that's your only warning. ^_^

 

I tried the druids and Wendersnaven, here are my results, even with super high dialog skills (not mine, my character's) "

 

The Druid Circle was corrupt, and the only good druid remaining was trapped in a 'tree cage'. I used my influence with Elanee to help her see their corruption and in the end they attacked us. We freed the uncorrupted druid and he thanked us, but also refused to get involved with the city-dwellers' war.

 

We brought Grobnar along and talked to the gnomes in that northern town (I forget the name already) and they led us to a new area where Wendersnaven might be found. All we found was a dead bard who had a unique book on his corpse, and then we were attacked by orcs. Grobnar acted like he found an invisible music instrument, and I played along with his silliness just in case it was real. It wasn't.

 

Finally, according to the experience reward tables, you can only get an XP reward for having up to two allies. There is no reward for having more than two allies. In my experience, there were no more than two allies. (Ironfist Clan and Lizardfolk)

 

I'd like to be proven wrong on this, but I don't know if that'll happen. I hunted high and low for allies.

 

As for your allies' presence...

 

The lizard folk send one representative who hides out in the coolness of your stronghold's 'basement'. You can't have a meaningful discussion with this creature. During the siege, there's a point where you can select the lizard folk to help you with a battle.

 

The Ironfist Clan send no representatives, since you've already got Khelgar. However, they are selectable for all battles in the siege, and are quite tough.

 

The giant spider doesn't really count as an ally as far as the battle goes, but she'll spin you a magical cloak if you give her some time beforehand.

 

I wasn't able to finish the repairs on the blade golem (missing some sort of glowing liquid I could never find) so it wasn't present for any battles. I found the iron alloy with runes on it, and the Tome of Ilthazar (sp) and had Grobnar do what he could, but I don't think I got it working completely. At least the game gave no feedback to make me feel like I had.

 

I had one less sargeant than was possible, but I don't know if he would have helped much. My troops already had great training thanks to Katriona and Light of Heaven. I wasn't in the habit of hiring mercenaries (I refused a prior group) so it didn't make sense to me to pay this guy to work for me either. Things were very peaceful at my keep until the battle. Bishop made the usual nuisance of himself, which is about all he's good for. (I may edit the campaign just to get rid of him, he annoys me that much.)

 

I'm speeding my way to the stronghold in my second game, and I'm looking forward to another glorious victory. Except for contrived situations and dialogs, bad guys never have a chance against me.

[Volourn]

The dwarves do send a representative. He's haning out in the inn. I believe he's Khelgar's buddy - the dwarf who is actually nice to Khelgar who you first when you rescued him from that cage.

 

That stupid cloak the spider weaved was plain retarded. Worst. cloak. ever.

 

Light of Heaven no longer exists in my game. I met her in NW for the first battle, and then she vanished into thin air.

 

The invisible musical instrument does exist. It has some neato powers; but not completely special.

 

 

P.S. If I could swear on these baords without being banned; I would completely DESTROY those who are breaking thread rules!

[Wistrik]

Sorry, wouldn't let me edit my post so I figured someone would correct the info. I'd forgotten about the dwarf in the Inn, and I never got the cloak (was in a hurry).

 

Light of Heaven was in Port Llast (near the northern worldlink) after NW, and then at Crossroads Keep (farmland portion, on the main trail). Bummer if she disappeared on you, she's a good sargeant for training and whatnot. Her twin sister Joy, the dancer in NW you can hire, mentions not having seen Light for some time, but unfortunately I couldn't find a way to reunite them for a visit. Light of Heaven disappeared after I beat her the final time and the only way I knew she was still around was by Kana's updates. Seems rather odd, or maybe I missed looking somewhere. By then I was anxious to start the plot moving again.

Edited November 16, 2006 by Wistrik

[Volourn]

I have Joy. I looked at Port Llast completely following the Advisor's clues that she likes to spend time in NWN 9where I first found her), and PL. I even went back to NW to make sure she didn't sneka back in. Heh. Darn. She's the only Seargant I'm missing. Ah well. 'Tis is lfie. Comapred to a few other bugs; this one is not as special as it won't effect the actual game too much just the Keep stuff.

[Spider]

I wasn't able to finish the repairs on the blade golem (missing some sort of glowing liquid I could never find) so it wasn't present for any battles. I found the iron alloy with runes on it, and the Tome of Ilthazar (sp) and had Grobnar do what he could, but I don't think I got it working completely. At least the game gave no feedback to make me feel like I had.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The liquid is found in the glowstone cave if you have Grobnar with you. The Golem is a party member though, not something that is an extra ally in a battle.

 

As for the keep stuff, I'm not sure that there is really any point to it. Other than the XP. I mean it's fun and all, but will the game play differently if your keep sucks? You still have to take care of business yourself. I think I'll ha to try and go through it one playthrough and just completely ignore the keep to see what happens.

[Wistrik]

Thanks Spider. I didn't have Grobnar with me the first time in the glowstone cave so I completely missed it.

 

If you ignore the keep, some things will be different for sure:

 

- Your Graycloaks will have shoddy weapons and armor.

- They will do poorly at special assignments, if you bother with that.

- They will be next to useless in the events leading up to, and including the siege.

 

Most of the options seem geared toward Keep income generation, and may determine total XP gain in the end. The quality of the Graycloaks seemed to have the biggest bearing on the actual fighting, though the strength of the outer wall may have contributed to an easier time versus the siege engines, and may have made it possible for the battle magi to survive longer.

 

Since the keep was able to grow, for the most part, by my entering and leaving through a doorway, I was able to progress rather quickly in my preparations.

 

Anyway, I'm looking forward to what you experience by ignoring the keep. I don't think that's something I could ever do.

[alanschu]

I wonder if you'll skip a lot of the fights, since there wouldn't be any need to bring siege towers to the wall and whatnot.

[Spider]

Thanks Spider. I didn't have Grobnar with me the first time in the glowstone cave so I completely missed it.

 

If you ignore the keep, some things will be different for sure:

 

- Your Graycloaks will have shoddy weapons and armor.

- They will do poorly at special assignments, if you bother with that.

- They will be next to useless in the events leading up to, and including the siege.

 

Most of the options seem geared toward Keep income generation, and may determine total XP gain in the end. The quality of the Graycloaks seemed to have the biggest bearing on the actual fighting, though the strength of the outer wall may have contributed to an easier time versus the siege engines, and may have made it possible for the battle magi to survive longer.

 

Since the keep was able to grow, for the most part, by my entering and leaving through a doorway, I was able to progress rather quickly in my preparations.

 

Anyway, I'm looking forward to what you experience by ignoring the keep. I don't think that's something I could ever do.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Have you actually tried? But my point is that it wasn't exactly anything particularly difficult about defending the keep anyway. The Greycloaks did about bugger all during it all, my characters could easily have taken care of by themselves. Besides, if you have the alliance with the dwarves you can get Dwarven fighters (or Lizardmen) instead, so no need for Greycloaks at all.

 

Building up the keep did net 2000 xp at the beginning of the siege, as did having two alliances.

 

Ignoring the keep will have to wait for a third playthrough though, since my current character has gotten too far with it as is. Not sure when that'll be happening. But it will be interesting.

[alanschu]

I did notice that doing a better job of dealing with bandits resulted in neighbours requesting my help.

[Spider]

I didn't patrol the roads much. Or at all, actually. My character had strong allegiances to the Shadow Thieves and they said not to.

 

The surrounding lands, on the other hand, were extremely safe. But no one ever came to me requesting help.

[alanschu]

I put the men on surrounding lands, and my sergeant (Katriona) on guarding the roads, and they had both hit 'Low' when some neighbouring town commented that bandit raids were getting worse, and he was asking for help.

 

Given I was a Paladin this time around, and a good guy, I dispatched half o my garrison there to help him out. He was QUITE grateful (and Kana thought I was insane). But I figure if I can inflict hard justice against the bandits, there will be more deterrence. And a dead bandit, is a bandit that will rob no more. I recently put merchant tithing to low (from none), and peasant tithing is still low as well. My men are back, but I've now "exhausted" them, which it seems is just a catch that now says "Go play the story and come back later."

[Dark_Raven]

I spent a lot of time at the keep upgrading the areas around it and the inner workins as well as defense. I need to concentrate on the soldiers though. I don't know you are suppose to get them better weapons.

[alanschu]

You need to find the ore. I'm not sure, but I think you need to talk to the dude at Old Owl Keep or whatever, and he'll let you know about finding ore, because my first playthrough I only found ONE ore, but on my second, I found tons of ore before I even had Crossroad Keep.

[Dark_Raven]

I found some ore veins under Ember. I clicked them and they did nothing.

[Tigranes]

You don't lcick on them, you have to walk into them. It doesnt work half the time because the trigger area is extremely small. Make sure you just keep walking over it from all sorts of angles until you get the yellow message on the chatbox.

 

There are veins all over the place; the orc clans near Old Owl Well, the Ironfist stronghold when you first clear it out, Ember well, Duskwood-Ember goblin/spider caves, Fire Giant mountain, Dragon's lair, etc.

[Wistrik]

You can have two miners, Pentin from Old Owl Well, and a woman from the inn in Port Llast. She'll manage the financial side of the mining. To upgrade your soldiers' equipment, you need to find an armorer and weaponsmith who'll come to the keep. Once you have them, talk to them about upgrading equipment. This is tied directly to how much ore you find, so keep looking. I usually have five or six ore deposits discovered by the time I'm done rescuing the emissary near Old Owl Well. Several more appear later. (Edit: I just click on the ore and it always works (you get 50 XP if it works), except for the bugged one in the bottom of Logram's caves.)

 

At some point a mysterious/quiet merchant will visit you and ask to set up shop, no questions asked. As Torio will indicate, if you show her mercy, you have the option of setting the guard tower up for him. (He'll establish a gambling joint.) When you save the drow woman from the fire giants, you have the option of sending her to work for this gambler. If you don't set aside the guard tower for him, she'll end up running a shop in the merchant building (if you've rebuilt it). That building is also where Deekin ends up if you invite him.

 

The other options for the guard tower are an archmage, who none of the good members of my party recommended, and the Neverwinter Nine, who use it as a field office (complete with a shop).

 

Hope that made sense, I'm falling asleep.

Edited November 17, 2006 by Wistrik

[Dark_Raven]

Delays, delays, delays! I am almost ready to start Act 3 and now I must go back and get this stuff since I know the seige is in Act 3. I hate leaving loose ends.

[alanschu]

I'm pretty sure you're screwed, because some of the ore is in areas from Act 1. In any case, it doesn't really matter. I did it all without any weapon upgrades myself.

[Darque]

There's more than enough ore in chapter 2 and 3 to get things done.

 

I had my people maxed in chapter 2, and still found about 6 more ore hordes afterwards.

[alanschu]

Okay, well do that then. But my statement still stands

 

 

I guess they're probably more effective patrollers with the uber-gear though.

[Wistrik]

Yeah you'll finish the preparation with everything maxed out and have four extra ore deposits if you find them all.

 

Kana mentions how well your forces handle themselves and attributes it to training and equipment, if they're well equipped.

[Darque]

They're tougher in the siege I'm guessing.

 

There's 3 in the mountains, 1 with the heart, 1 in the ambush, and a couple more.

 

I think I had only found 6 (from chapter one) when I had them maxed out.

[Dark_Raven]

The more I think about this the more I am getting pissed off. Why the hell wasn't this mentioned before some where in the game? The stupid guide book made no mention of this. :angry:

[Darque]

Your weaponsmith and Armorer tell you this.

 

As well as your miner and ore distributor.