Ironman: Watcher's Keep

[HoonDing]

I hope somebody brought Protection from Undead scrolls. Isn't there a demilich somewhere?

Edited August 29, 2010 by virumor

[aVENGER]

aVENGER hello and big respect, it's your mod I've got installed. Thanks for your hard work.

 

Glad you liked it.

 

aTweaks is my second mod though, i.e. separate from Rogue Rebalancing. It's basically a tiny tweak pack which aims to bring various aspects of BG2 closer to PnP.

[Monte Carlo]

I hope somebody brought Protection from Undead scrolls. Isn't there a demilich somewhere?

 

The way I made my party was via BG2 not ToB. Mainly because I wanted to go to the adventurer's mart, Shadowkeeper gives you 9999 scrolls / potions etc when you assign them to inventory.

 

So we have 2 protection from undead scrolls, no daystar, no throwing axe of undead killing (etc). But we do have The Mace of Disruption +2. Serrano has it, although his THACO is not that great.

 

OTOH, Hurlshot has 25 STR courtesy of the Hammer of Twinkiness and, hasted, goes through anything, demi-lich or not, like a hot bayonet through butter. Massive lulz when, going through the slums to unlock the map for WK those two eedjits outside the Copper Coronet wanted a fight. Hurlie chunked them in about 0.5 seconds.

[Hurlshort]

That sounds like me. Did I recite verses from MC Hammer while I worked?

 

"We've got to pray to Tempus just to make it today!"

[Shryke]

The party is rolled up, the multi-classed characters are in the mid-teens and the fighters 19th level, the assassin is 23rd level.

 

So everybody is just about one level away from special high level abilities. I have given each character the sort of kit you might expect at the start of ToB, but not too much, for example Shryke starts with the Warblade +4 and the Harmonium Halberd from Planescape. He's wearing the enhanced human flesh armour and looks pretty badass, although so does Tigranes who has Celestial Fury +3, the Rogue's Ward buckler and shadow armour. And a returning dart. You gotta have one of those.

 

I'll post screenies, everybody is currently standing outside the Watcher's Keep wondering who's gonna die first.

 

eeeeeewwww

what's the enhanced version like?

[I want teh kotor 3]

When you have a spot I volunteer to be either a fighter or a sorcerer (or both, if that you-can-cast-spells armor is as epic as it seems).

[Pidesco]

Human Kensai, for me.

[Hassat Hunter]

Man, you guys are insane. I find WK hard enough without making it even harder. Then again, not really good in high-level D&D as the BG's throw at you.

 

Considering you're not allowed PC Rakshasa's () I suppose fighter here.

[Monte Carlo]

I'm going to start imminently, trust me this party will breeze through the first two levels and have a tolerable time on the third.

 

But the way it's currently modded and configured the last two are going to be murderous.

[Gfted1]

Man, you guys are insane. I find WK hard enough without making it even harder. Then again, not really good in high-level D&D as the BG's throw at you.

 

Considering you're not allowed PC Rakshasa's () I suppose fighter here.

 

The hardest battle for me in the entire tower was the room just before you decend into Demogorgons level. I must have replayed that battle 10 times.

[Monte Carlo]

Reserve List

 

Walsingham: Halfling Chaotic Neutral Fighter (Berserker kit, I like the idea of berserk midgets), two-weapon style, GM in short swords.

 

I want teh kotor... : Elven Fighter Mage (nearest thing to fighter / sorcerer) with the +5 bladesinger chain of awesomeness and maybe a groovy bow for some archery akshun

 

Hassat Hunter: Dwarven wizard slayer, hey why not?

 

Pidesco: Human Kensai, they always die quickly so LOL.

 

The next volunteers need to be clerics / druids / thieves or any iteration thereof* (Gygaxian syntax or what?)

[WorstUsernameEver]

Since I don't remember the rules of the 2nd ed. very well, I'd refrain from actually volunteering but if you really really really need another one than feel free to use me (......) as a human cleric (or a cleric kit, though I don't remember if there were any).

[Enoch]

Playing BG2 without a Druid? I guess Watchers' Keep is less mage-battle-intense than basic SOA, but the most essential spell to use against any enemy spellcasters is the Druid-only 5th Level "Insect Plague." AoE disruption of all enemy spellcasting, regardless of most protection spells, magic resistence, or invisibility. (Hint: target your own charging fighters to get past Improved Invisibility problems-- they won't be affected, but every enemy within 15' of them will.) Once they aren't casting anymore, you can just wail on them until the protection spells wear off.

[Monte Carlo]

^ You learn something new every day: I didn't know the target your own fighters trick.

 

I usually have Jaheira in my party and use this spell as an opening gambit all the time - it will be interesting to see how we do without it.

 

The party have finished level 1 and are now negotiating with the chromatic demon on level 2. Will post pics later.

[Monte Carlo]

...but the most essential spell to use against any enemy spellcasters is the Druid-only 5th Level "Insect Plague."

 

[pedant]Ranger/Clerics get it too, they access all druid spells which is why it is so twinky.[/pedant]

Edited August 30, 2010 by Monte Carlo

[HoonDing]

Was the Greater Deathblow glitch ever fixed? IIRC activating Greater deathblow (which kills everything with less than 12 HD in one blow) on a fighter, then shooting an explosive arrow into a group of illithids/demons/beholders would kill them all on the spot.

 

Almost all enemies save dragons & bosses have less than 12 HD, so in any case Greater deathblow >>> Greater whirlwind. R00fles!

Edited August 30, 2010 by virumor

[Tigranes]

I seem to remember Insect Plague becoming less useful after late SOA, because casters get their spell shields up or make saves.

[HoonDing]

That's where Creeping doom comes in. As long as the mage isn't directly targeted, it should always work. Creeping doom even neutralizes Draconis.

[Nepenthe]

...but the most essential spell to use against any enemy spellcasters is the Druid-only 5th Level "Insect Plague."

 

[pedant]Ranger/Clerics get it too, they access all druid spells which is why it is so twinky.[/pedant]

Am I remembering right that in addition to ranger/clerics, also dualing a spellcasting ranger into cleric gave them access to both spell lists? IIRC I had a PC with that combo + flail of ages + crom faeyr... Now THAT was twinky.

[Shryke]

it's better with flail of ages + defender of easthaven

 

25 strength is easy to get with DUHM

[Nepenthe]

it's better with flail of ages + defender of easthaven

 

25 strength is easy to get with DUHM

 

Pretty sure I never used defender of easthaven.

 

Looking at the stats on gamebanshee, still not sure why I should.

[HoonDing]

Why not cheese the entire Keep with 6 sorcerers?

[Monte Carlo]

One sorcerer is enough. I've got a photobucket account set up, will put the pics on a memory stick later and try to upload them tomorrow.

 

Hurlie has in excess of 50% of total kills on the first level (Ftr 14 / cleric 14). 250 HP, 25 STR, lots of buffing spells. I honestly think he could solo it.

 

OTOH, Tigranes' thief is very useful and the Arcane Howitzer that is Oner is useful. The others are kind of taking a back seat at the moment but they will come in useful on the next level.

[Shryke]

it's better with flail of ages + defender of easthaven

 

25 strength is easy to get with DUHM

 

Pretty sure I never used defender of easthaven.

 

Looking at the stats on gamebanshee, still not sure why I should.

 

because if you add the hardiness HLA, you get pretty darn good resistance to physical attacks

[Monte Carlo]

OK meet our intrepid adventurers...

 

1. What do you get if the Child of Bhaal decides to worship a battle-crazy god of war? Hurlshot, that's who. A dwarf who drinks napalm for breakfast and breaks rocks with his forehead for fun, he is a one-dwarf army and the undisputed battering ram of his group.

 

 

2. His sidekick is the murderous halfling called Tigranes, who notices that where Hurlie goes, blood and gold follows. His hobbies include pulling the wings off flies and collecting knives. Nice.

 

 

3. The sociopathic howitzer-on-legs they called Oner thinks he is the Child of Bhaal. He likes timestop because it allows him to wander around and enjoy the world he has created. Before blowing it up.

 

 

4. Sorophx, an elf so evil that he was chucked out of the Zhentarim for unusual cruelty, believes that when Hurlshot dies his Bhaal-essence will spark an insane war that will... amuse him.

 

 

5. Serrano is in the wrong adventuring party, but his good-aligned one died because the girly paladin kept giving all their treasure away. Serrano's secret? HE WISHES HE WAS A RED WIZARD. He has sleepless nights about this.

 

 

6. Lastly, the 8' tall avatar of ferocious hatred they call Shryke. Shryke is biding his time, and as you will see takes a while before he unleashes his full potential. In the meanwhile he wonders which of his comrades will die first so he can flay them and make an amusing hat out of their flesh (mwuahahahahahaaa etc).

 

 

And here they are at the start of their adventure at Watcher's Keep...