Ironman: Icewind Dale II

[Tigranes]

I forgot I still had one more to go - the very final update! I am now playing BG trilogy packed with about 70 mods, but I won't be LP'ing that one. Pity - after you LP for a while you get that ingrained into your brain and you get excited about sharing, say, a level 2 party's struggle against 50 gibberlings (literally). And I'm doing this on dialup internet, grah.

 

Last we left it we were halfway through the various convoluted questlines of the Severed Hand,wreaking havoc before Isair and Madae return. The war and officer towers are filled with rooms of blissfully unaware enemies, waiting to be AOE spam'd. Now that both mkreku and Chris Avellone can cast Horrid Wilting it truly is devastating - read those damage numbers, esp. on Fort Save fails.

 

I don't know why the IWD Horrid Wilting graphic shows a skeletal fish swimming across the middle, but it sure does make a statement. Don't eat fish.

 

At any rate, it gives us an excuse to enjoy all our big spells ere the end. The only room that gave any trouble was this one, where Feargus (not me, oh no) mistook the robed fellows for unbuffed mages, but they all turned out to be monks with reflex saves from hell and the big boss with Quivering Palm strikes. As you can see we only bothered with a blizzard...

 

...and we pay dearly for our error. Raising dead is no real trouble now as we swim in money, but it is annoying re-equipping bloody everyone, I can't believe with about 3000 mods out there nobody's made an automation script for this.

 

After much Macguffin fetching we begin the rite. Basically Xvim, son of Bane and a God himself, is worshipped round here and the Severed Hand, an Elven stronghold centuries ago, has been defiled - purification should weaken the enemy. Iyachtu Xvim, presumably some earthly avatar of his, comes to stop us, but we're well prepared with summons and pre-set skull traps (although the one on the bottom left failed to fire).

 

Mordekainen's Sword is awesome for damaging enemies that have good DR...

 

..and our preparation pays off in the end, though Wals had to use all 3 Heals. (We're level 18 or 19 by now, I forget which.)

 

Ain't that fancy, fellas.

 

On another tower, the diminutive Captain Pudu does the shorties world round proud with his sleek womanising. Pity we won't let him live long enough to enjoy the fruits of his loins... uh, the loin-fruits of his labours?

 

And finally we are ready. Stocking up on hundreds of +5 bolts & arrows, we stoneskin everyone and interrupt the diplomatic party from the dragonkin, whom the Legion hope to ally with.

[Tigranes]

This is a very difficult fight because they have too many spellcasters to disrupt at once, and dragonkin pack a punch. Fortunately, if you've noticed, we entered with Mass Invisiblity pre-cast and we are able to relocate the party to a better position, then open with Horrid Wiltings. After that it's a quick rest, re-stoneskin, re-mass invisibility and off to see Isair and Madae.

 

This is not an easy battle. In the first couple of times I played IWD2 it was literally impossible to beat them with my party because I could hardly hit them or damage them - you need a halfway decent party and some good tactical use of your resources. Now, IWD2 always talks to your invisible party members, so don't mind me if I will take advantage of it for once... our stoned, invisible party discusses Isair's facial complexion. We recommend mud-packs, twice a day.

 

Once again we can reposition our party so we're not surrounded by our enemies, and most importantly, Ormis Dohor's monks will be able to distract some of them. Isair ends up coming over, but Madae's out of it for now. We summon monsters and begin (the beetles are the enemy, though).

 

Feargus is sent on a sneak mission to kill the enemy summoner before he makes too much fondue for the cauldron, but ends up needing half the party to assist. Meanwhile we keep summoning and pushing them towards Isair, trying to keep the party members out of harm's way. This works pretty well: Madae comes over eventually, but by that point we've dispelled Isair and get his HP down.

 

....aaaand it only takes one of them on low HP to end the first phase of the battle, as they retreat. Doing pretty well so far.

 

We can't rest between phases, but we heal up, use up nearly every buff potion we have left, and go for it. We again form a tight pack on the bridge. Our aim is to dispel Isair/Madae then get summons to keep them away while the other goons go down, and hopefully get in some Lower Resistance & Malison to soften them up as well.

 

Unfortunately, Madae punches through our front and starts doing some nasty things to Chris Avellone. We concentrate on getting the goons down, and stick Wals on Heal Duty next to MCA.

 

It works pretty well - after all we have 3 heals memorised and about 4 heal scrolls saved up. So I send the rest of the party to pound on Isair.

 

Eventually Madae attacks Wals instead, who has to scramble away to try and stay alive, but Isair can't keep up with Monty, Grommy, Mkreku and Feargus pounding away. I didn't realise, but apparently you only need to take one down here too - and so...

 

We are victorious. No casualties? I'm a little disappointed, villains.

[Tigranes]

And so, gentlemen, we have survived Icewind Dale 2 Ironman, and the legendary Obsidianites II will all live to see another day. It is a grand, grand moment. A single tear rolls down Feargus' cheek. It was a bit easier than we had anticipated in the last few sessions, but I think it's because IWD2 gives you so many magic items and so much XP that, near the end, you quickly accumulate some crazy +4 +5 weapons and highest level spells - without Mordekainen's Sword, Horrid Wilting and Mass Invisibility I'm not sure if we'd have survived the last two battles.

 

To end, let us tally up the murders. Monte Carlo Junior managed a respectable 622, though it couldn't match the father's 689 in IWD1. I wonder if IWD2 actually has less enemies? It sure doesn't feel that way.

 

Indeed, Grommy stops at a disappointing 350, as opposed to Magical Volo's 467. I think he ended up not as effective as I'd have liked all throughout, a little bit too death-prone... but of course, he did singlehandedly save us from a premature party wipe in the Underdark.

 

Surprisingly, Chris Avellone is third, at 244 - better than Numbers' 233 in IWD1. I think this proves the effectiveness of AOE spells and such in this particular party.

 

Feargus is just two behind Purkake's 226.

 

Mkreku II died a lot less and did a lot more for the party this time round - but at 222, his kill count is in fact half of Mkreku Senior, who clocked 455. To be fair, though, Mkreku II's real contribution was in his several dozen hastes and stoneskins.

 

And finally, you just can't cheat blood - as Walsingham Senior came last at 115, so does Walsingham Junior, though at a much more respectable 212. I attribute this to Call Lightning and Static Charge.

 

And there you have it folks - the Ironman LP for IWD and IWD2 has come to end, after approx. 660 screenshots' worth of fun. Let it never be said that I have not done my part for the community. Actually, it's been pretty fun, and I might come back and do more later - a while later. I hope some of the other LPs can continue, though, I think we got some great ones in us.

[Oner]

Wohoo, booze time for Obsidianites II!

 

Also, stoned party, hehe.

[HoonDing]

Many enemies near the end use cleric spells that only work against good party members, like Blasphemy and Unholy blight. An all-evil or all-neutral party has, ironically, a much easier time in the end.

Edited September 23, 2010 by virumor

[Nightshape]

Great job tig.