1. SPS Accounts:
    Do you find yourself coming back time after time? Do you appreciate the ongoing hard work to keep this community focused and successful in its mission? Please consider supporting us by upgrading to an SPS Account. Besides the warm and fuzzy feeling that comes from supporting a good cause, you'll also get a significant number of ever-expanding perks and benefits on the site and the forums. Click here to find out more.
    Dismiss Notice
Dismiss Notice
You are currently viewing Boards o' Magick as a guest, but you can register an account here. Registration is fast, easy and free. Once registered you will have access to search the forums, create and respond to threads, PM other members, upload screenshots and access many other features unavailable to guests.

BoM cultivates a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. We have been aiming for quality over quantity with our forums from their inception, and believe that this distinction is truly tangible and valued by our members. We'd love to have you join us today!

(If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you've forgotten your username or password, click here.)

Challenging mods. Did I miss something?

Discussion in 'BG2: Throne of Bhaal (Classic)' started by thetruth, Feb 11, 2006.

  1. thetruth Gems: 11/31
    Latest gem: Bloodstone


    Veteran

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2005
    Messages:
    418
    Likes Received:
    3
    [​IMG] Are there any other mods out there that add difficulty to the game?
    I have the following installed:

    1)Tactics
    2)Improved Battles
    3)Deeper Shadows Of Amn
    4)Ascension
    5)Oversight Mod
    6)Planar Sphere Mod
    7)Improved Asylum
    8)Solaufein Mod
    9)Ease Of Use (only the Multiple Strongholds component)
    10)Super Firkraag
    11)G3 Tweaks (the Maximum HP Creatures component)
    12)Simding0's Experience Fixer (DEF JAM)
    13)Mix-Mod (the Tougher Enemies component)

    [ April 16, 2006, 15:40: Message edited by: thetruth ]
     
  2. Aahz Gems: 7/31
    Latest gem: Tchazar


    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2004
    Messages:
    208
    Likes Received:
    0
    What now, thetruth? Solo mage that's not allowed to cast spells? :D

    I think you pretty much have all of them. The only thing I can think of is a mod that allows you to reduce the amount of experience you get for quests based on percentage. That would make things harder in a way but you'd still eventually max out your party and then you're back to normal, I suppose. What are you playing in this run-through?
     
  3. thetruth Gems: 11/31
    Latest gem: Bloodstone


    Veteran

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2005
    Messages:
    418
    Likes Received:
    3
    Hehe.That would be interesting :D

    I haven't decided yet what to do in my next game.

    :idea: Maybe a priest of Lathander solo.
    But I already know that he will not be able to defeat the final battle on insane.
     
  4. Aahz Gems: 7/31
    Latest gem: Tchazar


    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2004
    Messages:
    208
    Likes Received:
    0
    Yes, as much as I like clerics, I can't imagine one being able to fare very well against a modded game of that nature. You could try it with some sort of thief class, perhaps. A multi-class would likely be too powerful (except perhaps cleric/thief?) but a Bounty Hunter would have quite a fun time with a solo run, I'd imagine.
     
  5. thetruth Gems: 11/31
    Latest gem: Bloodstone


    Veteran

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2005
    Messages:
    418
    Likes Received:
    3
    I think I will try the priest of Lathander.
    Looking at his spells, Righteous magic+Energy blades make him an excellent fighter,Shield of the archons can protect him even from imprisonment and harm can always be useful.
    And finally I want to see Kangaxx turned :D
    Anyway if I decided to play a thief, I would choose an assassin,although he would have to act like a mage,after UAI, if he wants to survive the hard battles.Bounty hunter would have to use his traps and I don't like traps a lot.
     
  6. Aahz Gems: 7/31
    Latest gem: Tchazar


    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2004
    Messages:
    208
    Likes Received:
    0
    My main question concerning the Priest of Lathander is will you have enough Energy Blades to take out Melissan and friends? That seems like a lot of blades to me. If I remember correctly, Shield of the Archons is a seventh level spell. That's at least one less Energy Blade right there. I'd at least check the average damage of as many blades as you can manage and see if it will be enough to finish the five.

    Harm is useful, yes, but then only if you can hit with it. Since I haven't used it much, I'll pose a question rather than an answer: what can stop Harm? Will you be able to use it on the five and then kill one of them to make Melissan appear? If so, it obviously vastly reduces the number of Energy Blades you'll have to use. I know you know all of this, having done it with your Fighter, but these are things to think about, no less. If magic resistance stops Harm, you might have to resort to using the spell Magic Resistance to lower it to 40% and take your chances. The good thing is, you can ues it on Improved Invisible creatures (I think) since it's an attack. If you use Harm while you have Energy Blades equipped, will you go back to energy blades or your other weapons after you use Harm? Harm + FoA is an instant kill (or so I've heard reported) so that can be useful against those vulnerable to the elemental damage but against the five you won't want to kill one right away so you'll have to find another way. Heh, talking about it makes me want to try.

    What do you think you'll do in the lower levels? Once you get level six spells, things will go much more smoothly I believe with Aerial Servants. Until then, it will be quite a struggle.

    Out of curiosity, why do you dislike traps? Personally, I think an assassin would have an abysmal time trying to solo those mods but a Bounty Hunter could feasibly do it. Sounds like a good run-through, nonetheless. Keep us updated.
     
  7. thetruth Gems: 11/31
    Latest gem: Bloodstone


    Veteran

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2005
    Messages:
    418
    Likes Received:
    3
    I have already started my game playing with the above mods and on insane.I have created a chaotic good priest of Lathander.His stats (after a virtual-cheesy trip through BG1 for the tomes):
    STR:19
    DEX: 19
    CON: 19
    INT: 11
    WIS: 21
    CHA: 12

    My first impression is very positive.The battle with improved Ilyich was much easier than that with my fighter and my cleric is now in ch.2.


    If I play on core rules I think yes.Ascension final battle is doable on core.
    But since I started playing on insane (and I don't intend lower the diff.) I am 99% sure that the final battle is not doable with a non mage class on insane.Read this post to see what I mean.

    Clerics gain extra spells if they have high WIS.If I am not wrong a cleric with 21 WIS,at the EXP-cap and with his holy symbol will have at least 8 7-level spells.For the Ascension final battle on core, I think that they are enough for the 5 and Melissan.Yagashura can always be harmed (at least I hope).


    - Magic resistance (but not improved Sendai's cheesy harm)
    - Spell trap
    - Shield of the Archons
    - SI: Necromancy
    - Prot.f.magic scroll


    The priest of Lathander with his boon (+1 attack/round) is a decent fighter even on lower levels.Spells like hold person,domination,and the skeleton warriors are very useful in the early game.I plan doing the easier quests first for fast EXP. and then as you said aerial servants and the ''big'' skel.warriors will make the game much easier.Clerics level up quickly.Oh and I will leave every undead in the game for later.I will have to turn many things then :D


    I don't know.I just never liked them even if they are used in the right way (without using preknowledge).
     
  8. Aahz Gems: 7/31
    Latest gem: Tchazar


    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2004
    Messages:
    208
    Likes Received:
    0
    Heh, I also started a Chaotic Good Human Lathander Priest with a virtual-trip through BG1. I am so addicted to Dungeon-Be-Gone that I can't do Illych but it's not difficult so far. Of course, I've only played for about thirty minutes. :)

    Yeah, the insane Ascension battle looks rather difficult, to say the least. I don't know how you'd kill so many demons (or survive them besides) without a mage. Harm should take care of the Five if you use the Magic Resistance spell. Keep the updates coming. Sounds like it will be a fun run-through.
     
  9. Anjo Gems: 6/31
    Latest gem: Jasper


    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2005
    Messages:
    153
    Likes Received:
    0
    Would you mind reporting here how your priest is advancing, please?

    You know thetruth, I was holding breath when I waited updates for your fighter's truly epic journey against cheesy opponents in Faerun.

    Edit: Oops! Aahz beat me for requesting updates :D
     
  10. Aahz Gems: 7/31
    Latest gem: Tchazar


    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2004
    Messages:
    208
    Likes Received:
    0
    Heh, we need a petition to be sure he does it. ;)
     
  11. Anjo Gems: 6/31
    Latest gem: Jasper


    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2005
    Messages:
    153
    Likes Received:
    0
    Petition indeed! :D
    How could he refuse after that?
     
  12. CamDawg

    CamDawg The gaze of the Wolf reaches into our soul Veteran

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2003
    Messages:
    1,116
    Likes Received:
    11
    One more mod: G3 Tweaks. Specifically, the Maximum HP Creatures component can be applied only to non-party members. It goes through and calculates what a creature's maximum HP should be based on its class and/or HD. If it's higher than its current HP, it gets adjusted upwards.
     
  13. abel Gems: 1/31
    Latest gem: Turquoise


    Joined:
    Dec 23, 2005
    Messages:
    15
    Likes Received:
    0
    The improved shadow thieves component of the rogue rebalancing is much harder than tactic's chp3 bodhi.
     
  14. angryguy Gems: 7/31
    Latest gem: Tchazar


    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2004
    Messages:
    239
    Likes Received:
    0
    Get Simding0s "DEF JAM" from pocketplane.net, since you seem so hardcore. It is the experience fixer that aahz alluded to. You can reduce all XP to fractions of their original values, as low as 10% I believe. Tactics is for wimps, try taking on the game at level 9.
     
  15. Silverstar Gems: 31/31
    Latest gem: Rogue Stone


    Veteran

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2005
    Messages:
    4,050
    Likes Received:
    17
    Gender:
    Male
    I have (in addition to all mentioned by the truth)Both Rebalanced Rogues and G3 tweak which allows max HP for enemies. Heh taking Aran was actually harder than Bodhi and her friends. :thumb:

    Harm is uber powerful, it will be of great use against Imp. Yaga Shura. YS has no MR, but he is very resistant to everything except cold, and he has huge HP. A harm attack then a wand of magic missile will immediately finish him! That is, if you can hit him, I don'T know his AC but I guess it is good, so better buff yourself alot!

    I find Aerial Servants capable of quite a punch, it is strange, they do massive damage for some reason. (20-30 damage per hit?)

    Energy Blades are affected by MR yes? Am I worng? Than I guess it is not reliable against the final battle. Can someone confirm this?

    I hate the things which reduce XP gain and/or inflict an XP/level cap for certain chapters. Nuff I say.

    BTW, the truth gives link of a post of mine, I feel like flattered! :grin:
     
  16. Aahz Gems: 7/31
    Latest gem: Tchazar


    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2004
    Messages:
    208
    Likes Received:
    0
    I don't believe Magic Resistance effects Energy Blades. Since they are weapons rather than magical spells, they work just like Melf's Minute Meteors which I know are unaffected.

    I thought Aran, even in the unmodded game, was harder than Bodhi. Vampires are cake with any form of level drain protection. Unless you have Improved Bodhi and nothing to help out Aran, I'd assume he'd be much more powerful.
     
  17. Silverstar Gems: 31/31
    Latest gem: Rogue Stone


    Veteran

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2005
    Messages:
    4,050
    Likes Received:
    17
    Gender:
    Male
    But I remember that when I threw EBlades on MR enemies, they did not suffer the electrical damage but MRed it. They did take the normal damage though IIRC. Care to check it?
     
  18. Aahz Gems: 7/31
    Latest gem: Tchazar


    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2004
    Messages:
    208
    Likes Received:
    0
    I'll check later tonight when I play. Are you sure they didn't resist it from Protection from Lightning or Electricity or whatever? That often happens with Melf's Minute Meteors where they resist the fire portion; Smarter Mages often cast those various protection spells.
     
  19. thetruth Gems: 11/31
    Latest gem: Bloodstone


    Veteran

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2005
    Messages:
    418
    Likes Received:
    3
    Thanks for the mods suggestions.I will probably install that component from G3 Tweaks as well as Simding0s DEF JAM in my next game.
    I have the rogue rebalancing mod but since I play a good character I didn't install it.I can't immagine a Priest of Lathander siding with Bodhi :D


    Indeed I can't :) .I will report anything of interest happening to my cleric.


    Yes.Silverstar is right.An energy blade does 1D4+5 missile damage + 1D10 electrical damage.But the electrical damage gets blocked by MR.Although I don't understand why.For example,then the electrical damage from the Flail o.A. should get blocked by MR too.But it doesn't happen.
     
  20. Aahz Gems: 7/31
    Latest gem: Tchazar


    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2004
    Messages:
    208
    Likes Received:
    0
    Interesting. Well, assuming Harm can work on the Five, you should have enough blades with just the missile damage. It will be a challenge though, no doubt.
     
Sorcerer's Place is a project run entirely by fans and for fans. Maintaining Sorcerer's Place and a stable environment for all our hosted sites requires a substantial amount of our time and funds on a regular basis, so please consider supporting us to keep the site up & running smoothly. Thank you!

Sorcerers.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products on amazon.com, amazon.ca and amazon.co.uk. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.