Looking for a great BGII challenge.

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Am I better off installing something like Improved Anvil, or going for Ascension/ Tactics/ Item Upgrade (insert mods here)?

TIA

 

For myself, if I'm looking for challenge, I prefer to place restrictions on what I can do, rather than look to mods that give enemies arbitrary resistances to virtually everything, undisruptable spellcasting, 6-spell triggers, and the like, which is apparently what both Tactics and Improved Anvil do.

 

Mind you, my desk has the faint shape of my head on it now.

If you're looking for a good challenge without going overboard, I highly recommend Sword Coast Stratagems II if you don't mind breaking out sobbing in frustration when fighting mages, dragons or liches at low levels.

It's essentially an AI-only mod, but the targetting, spell buffing, deployment and spell choice is not only brilliant, but also fairly challenging in its own right.

 

The description is very convincing on that page. This may be the way to go.

 

I don't know Tactics, but what Truper said about Improved Anvil isn't entirely true. Or, at least, he didn't add that all improvements of IA are justified (they are logical, for example should a Supreme Golem have low resistances?). Also, beside the proper resistances, Improved Anvil introduces highly improved AI as well (so it's not only the feature of Sword Coast Stratagems II). I'm not trying to convince you Klorox though (it's totally up to you what you play), these corrections/additions were needed just to avoid that some players imagine an incorrect picture about Improved Anvil (it has happened before). Also, it's important to note that Improved Anvil adds lots of content (so it's not a "difficulty enhancing mod", rather a "brand-new world with new playing dimensions, new conventions and rules").

 

These statements are not true about Improved Anvil. For example, you can't find even one single enemy mage in the mod who has illegal number of triggers. In fact, the mod is strictly "anti-cheese" and has deprived both players and enemies from many known cheesy methods. (The resistances some enemies have are also all well-justified and the argument for them can be found in the mod's F.A.Q.)

Improved Anvil is bugfree and non-cheesy; and also adds lots of new quests as well as a unique item randomizer to the game.

For more information (as well as replies to all baseless claims about the mod) see the mod's F.A.Q. as well the Readme and the attached files to it.

 

On a side note, I hope some of you have read SixOfSpades old review of Tactics. I found that very funny.

Havent played IA, but I only use a few modules of Tactics - I like to be challenged, not irritated.

 

I would second the recommendation for SCS II. Improves the difficulty without making powergaming necessary.

You should know by now that those words are actually a Summon Baronius and Sikret incantation. A reliable one at that.

Improved Anvil is a challenge (and a competantly made one), although its 'non-cheesy' status is questionable. I should probably note that last sentence was not an invitation for the B&S team to derail this thread arguing the opposite. Suffice to say that people can have different opinions of what IA does.

Additionally, IA makes quite a few tweaks to the game, so I would strongly recommend an in-depth reading of the documentation should you decide to go that route.

As did I. 'Twas well done.

 

It's really time to grow up for some people. Read your words again "people can have different opinions...". Sikret and myself has as much right to post our viewpoint in threads where there is a question about Improved Anvil as anyone. Especially after considering the fact that some information was spread about IA (by certain modders, but this isn't the subject of this topic so that's all I've said) which we believe to be fully incorrect.

If someone tells he or she believes this or that about IA, we have as much right to react as you or anyone else. Improved Anvil has thousands of players, and we feel it's necessary to keep them informed. Accept that it's only your opinion e.g. that the "non-cheesiness" is questionable (and of those who agree with you), and others are free to believe and fully express that they think your statement is incorrect.

So I sincerely ask you to forget this baseless "modders somehow have less right to make corrections regarding their mod" approach, as well as your moderator ambitions in deciding what "derailing" a thread is. Improved Anvil and all words that have been told here so far about it are perfectly on-topic I believe. (On a side note, it wasn't Sikret or me who first mentioned IA in this topic, so it wasn't an advertisement, and in a thread about "BG2 challenge", it would have naturally been mentioned sooner or later anyway). As for filling the thread with too much IA information, it won't happen (unless players ask for more info but they have other sources anyway), because this isn't a technical descussion of IA's solutions where modders argue, this is a general gaming thread as far as I can see. If a matter is brought up about IA or a question is stated, we react if needed; if not brought up, then we don't.

So, to sum up, it's really time for you (and some modders) to understand that authors have as much right to react as anyone else, and to understand that people can freely challenge and correct statements that they believe to be incorrect about their intellectual work. Time to forget the "I am always right" attitude too. Freedom of speech isn't about that.

Thank you for your understanding.

 

It was not those two words, but the misinforming statements (such as mages having illegal number of spell triggers) which summoned us . Most of the times, I don't show any reaction to that kind of false claims, but sometimes I do .

This is true. However, one may be careful not to confuse between a negative opinion about something (on one hand) and a plainly false statement about it (on the other). For example, trying to discourage a player from playing a mod by making a clearly false claim (such as mages have illegal number of spell tirggers) can hardly be called just an "opinion". It's either a deliberate lie or at best a statement based on complete ignorance.

Good advice, this one.

 

I was going to reply to some of Baronius' 'comments', but thankfully Tal posted in time to bring me back to my senses.

Instead I will emphasise that IA may be worth a look. I currently have two BG II installs (got lots of spare hard drive space): one uses IA (which I am currently enjoying) and the other uses SCS and more mod NPCs (for when I feel like just relaxing).

 

So, about Tactical Challenges...

How do you guys decide what is in your limits? I've been playing BGII for years, but I still am not keen to try the more difficult mods. I mean, I use a few tactical mods (some components from Tactics, some from Improved Battles), but nothing like Improved Ilyich. I guess I like having a slight edge over my opponents. I also hate it when its obvious when my opponents play by different rules to me (eg I dont break the game rules to play, I dont like it when AI does either).

I also got thinking, I have tried a few of the tougher challenges, and I find some of them impossible. What do you guys think separates an experienced player (like myself) from someone who plays IA/Tactics on Insane and finds it easy? Excessive preparation and planning?

Sometimes I think BGII/IWD is actually a Role playing strategy game.

 

A few comments about IA (based on v4.2, as I haven’t played the latest version):

1. Because of its level of difficulty, you’ll need to be prepared for lots of reloads, particularly early in the game. This is due both to the fact that low-level parties are very weak in IA, and the fact that you need to get used to the “flavor” of the mod’s battles. I didn’t experience this to the same extent with Tactics (other than perhaps Improved Illyich and Improved Irenicus) or Ascension (aside from the final battle). I don’t know about SCSII because I haven’t tried it yet.
2. The new items that can be forged can help offset (but by no means come close to removing) the difficulty (but these items are very expensive).
3. There is a lot of new content, which is a welcome addition.
4. The mod contains code which makes your computer leak radiation and give you cancer.

Edit: @ Proteus za:

Particularly with IA, it's about patience (lots of patience), observation of enemy tactics (including careful reading the feedback section at the bottom of the screen), planning, an intimate knowledge of the game's spells, and an acceptance that tactics that used to work in a non-IA game won't necessarily work here (I assume many of these points also apply to SCSII).

 

That's outdated now, I believe. Last I heard, Sikret upgraded and v5 contains secret code that turns your computer into a potential nuclear bomb. It is rumoured that if you complete IA on insane then you can join his scheme to hold the civilised nations to ransom.

Mods containing Detectable Stats are part of a governmental counter-plot, which is why they incompatible.

@ Proteus:

What Splunge said is correct. Additionally, reading through the less spoiler-ish part of the mod's forum can give you a general idea of the path to take.

 

No mod is impossible to beat, you just need to find the proper tactics and 'Achille's heel' of the enemies. Oh and you may need luck (good dice rolls) in particularly tough battles as well. (still I can not think Irenicus Dungeon without Improved Ilych&co and hostile Fallen Devas! )

As for IA, well, my opinion may be a little biased as I am a fan of the mod, but I will do my best to stay neutral. You won't be able to see comments like 'this mod rules!' 'this is the best mod ever!' etc, I promise.

Anyway, I would say it is a very well made mod, not only a difficulty increasing or item upgrade mod, but both of them and much more! It fixes so many things in the game that the list is way too long to post here. It also introduces tons of new material to the game, items, monsters, even areas and quests! Some spells are also tweaked to further the need of strategical planning. All in all, it turns old BG2 into an all new game and is very much fun to play even if you lose and load the same battle for the tenth time.

I want to try SCS II too, maybe in my next game. I absolutely loved the SCS for TuTu, so I have very high expectations on this one. It is entirely incompatible with IA though, (and quite naturally so!) I will miss the IA's fixes&tweaks and item recipes, BUT, SCS II also changes most of the spells and items and the changes and tweaks the mod implements sound interesting IMHO. I will try it next, sure enough.

IA is somewhat supposed to be more difficult, but it also introduces very powerful items, though they are extremely costly and difficult to forge.

Also IA tends to award players with tons of bonus XP (tougher enemies of the mod gives out 100K or more XP when 'finally' killed) so you can reach uber high lvls fast enough, though it also changes the XP-lvl up table of all classes, so some balance is restored here.

This shows that IA is a well made mod, which does its best to stay balanced in all respects, IMHO. It is also constantly being developed by Sikret who is happy and enthusiastic to include fellow player's ideas in the next versions of the game.

However, I noticed it is also about highest levels and more and more powerful items&spells in an IA game if you wish to survive. Which is natural in a game as you approach the climax, BUT, the emphasis on the 'power' is much more important in an IA game, especially at later stages.

Why, I know my IA party at the start of ToB was ten times more powerful than my very first party at the end of ToB in a vanilla game, with higher lvls and much better equipment. My fresh-ToB IA party could easily crush my poor, vanilla end-game party without breaking a sweat, for instance. (but don't get me wrong, the game is still more difficult in an IA game, ofcourse.)

I do not know about SCS II, but if you do not want to enjoy god-like lvls, equipment and power, posessed by both your party and enemies, then IA may not be the best mod for you.

 

They apply up to a point to SCS II, but it's a bit more forgiving, I think (and certainly easier). I'd hope that an experienced player won't have to reload too often and that mostly you're seeing enemies from the old game using their standard powers, just using them more effectively.

I also think (as a point of interest) that it makes a lot of difference to play combats slowly. I almost always play BG with my wife and we normally talk lots about battles while we're having them... the few times I've played by myself, I've often been surprised by how quickly a battle has spiralled out of control because I was going too quick and not concentrating.

SCS II is much lower key in this regard (for better or for worse). It's mostly about more intelligent opponents, not more powerful ones (I bend this a bit by ToB) and it doesn't provide any new magic items for the party.

 

I didnt install the mod in my past play throughs, because the name made me think it was a mod for BG1 + Tales of the Sword Coast!

but now I will try it out.

Any known incompatibilities? I dont have any mods which make major changes.

 

Sikret - I read through the IA readme, and I had some questions.

First, I commend you on the amount of work in this mod - it is a total conversion, its a whole new game.

Anyway, my questions are thus:

Why arent kensai/mages allowed to wear robes anymore?

And surely by denying good characters the ability to use Blackrazor, you force them into choosing the good path. In other words, you constrain a good characters role playing, while evil characters suffer no such limits.