Q: Fastest time through BG2?

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Earl Grey you used some extreme cheesy tactics. Good work!
It's part of the challenge.

[Quote:]Potions for invisibility is one way of doing it, the disadvantage is that it's another thing you have to stock up on. That's why getting Staff of the Magi is so good.[/Quote]
You are right, BUT it does not weaken my point why I didn't want thief.

I think it's a shame how BGII handles time, maybe BG1 is more challenging to see individual skills in the speedster mission.

Is normal the lowest level or the 2nd?

 

@StressedE
I don't understand what you mean by "how BG2 handles time". Please explain.

How's it going with your Barbarian? What items are you going for? What stats?

Novice is the easiest.
Core Rules is just above Normal.

I just (re)discovered that monsters on normal do 3/4 damage. Didn't it use to be that they did full damage on normal?
The only reason I play on Normal is so I'm not tempted to reload because of a crappy HP roll when going up a level. But monsters not doing exactly the damage they are supposed to just plain stinks.

One very useful tactic on day 0 was using a Wand of Monster Summoning a lot.
Another great wand is Wand of Resurrection. Use it to get full heal when in critical need.

 

Possible spoilers in this post, all the way up to the end of SoA

I just finished with my barbarian.
His name was Speedster

9days 19hrs no kidding
I was still on 18 hrs when I attacked sarevok in hell, he was my last hell mission.

Here are my final stats:

str 22(originally 19)
dex 18
con 21(originally 19)
int 3 (originally 4)
wis 18
cha 3

He is not a role playing character I know.
I wanted a powerfull fighter with a as high as possible magic defence

Armor:
Crimson chain +5 (AC0)
reflection shield +1
Helm of balduran
Cloak of the sewers
Ring of gaxx
Girdle of bluntness
Necklace of form stability
Boots of speed

Weapons:
Sling +5
Black Razor (earlier in the game adjatha the drinker)
Daystar
Cutthroat

As you can see I couldn't find a second ring to wear. ring of human influence doesn't really help in the speedster mission. I should have gone for the regeneration ring, but at that time I didn't know I had spare time in spellhold
Reflection shield might not be the best shield available I could have gone for fortress or even sentinel wouldn't matter for the time limit, but I have fallen in love with that shield. I just love it!

"how BG2 handles time". I mean the skipping until a certain point in time.

If you start a serious race among various people and the all know quite well how the game works. They will all reach athkalla in 7hrs They will all reach spellhold in 8 days From there my fastest time back to athkalla is: 8 days and 18 hrs IIRC, but there it starts over again. They will all reach the graveyard in 9 days, because the clock is forwarded to that point (this is the only one you didn't mention, but nice to know you can take a bit of extra time for either spellhold or underdark or athkalla), because of all this clock forwarding the times are all buffered, differences in times are automatically reduced. The only challenge is getting the best time from bhodies second encounter on.

Hehe, the tips are a bit late I read them after I finished, but the resurrection rod is indeed amazing. I used 8 charges. I still think 18hrs should be possible... I need to speed up those fights they don't die fast enough. Either that, or I need someone with a faster movement rate, ideas?

Here are my last few hours in time spent:
up till graveyard 2nd time was 9 days.
16:00 => I was standing at the gate of the tree city at
17:00 => Black dragon + parasites
18:00 => Irenicus + 1st part of hell
19:00 => last 2 fights in hell

If anyone needs more info or savegames just ask, I'm gonna look at the earl savegames now

[edit:] I forgot subquests;
circus (needed ring for cheaper items)
sewer riddle (everybody loves lilacor)
kangaxx (ring ring ring)
planar prison (the weapon be4 razor + speed boots)
hendak + ALL slaves (money money money, it's a rich mans world)
Fallen paladins (got back to athkalla early had to do something)

[edit2:] I made a little comparison
<= is Bobs => is Speedster
This is the situation right after we arrive in hell, with a little sleep to make sure no potions are active

AC -8 -10
HP 97 179
THAC0 0 -5
ROF 2 3

Bobs has 25% magic res compared to my 10
but I have 15% res to slashing,crushing and piercing
Bobs can cast spells like stoneskin to buff up, but considering neither of us rested these are one time shots. Nonetheless worth mentioning, because it might just be that lil extra power you need. His max spell level is 6. He also has thieving skills which I haven't.
Saving throws these surpised me. Bobs has 5x -5, I have 4x -3, 1x -8.
That's pretty much it

[This message has been edited by StressedE (edited January 15, 2002).]

 

Very impressive StressedE!

I suspected but didn't check out the 9 days 0 hours time barrier. Maybe I'll redo the last part because as you might notice if you look at my saves I didn't rush the last part as much as was possible.
Does the Barbarians extra speed give any shorter regular travel times?

Have to ponder your latest post - which was great! - and respond more later.

 

[qoute:]Does the Barbarians extra speed give any shorter regular travel times?[/quote]
I strongly doubt it, that would mean boots of speed would halve the travelling time

@Earl I have a couple of questions/remarks for you:

1. I have to admit it is quite an advantage you can wear the anti level drain amulet. I have called all 3 groups in my aid vs bodhi.

2. Wouldn't a helm of charm protection been more usefull for your character?

3. Why con only 16?

4. Why are you not wearing a cloak?

5. Why buy shield of Balduran? IMO it's the worst shield in the game. the -1 strength penalty just aint worth it

6. I was rather amazed at your 3 scroll cases and the ammount of scrolls you have in them

7. Why do you have darts and no proficiencies in darts?

8. I might just be crazy enough to try and beat my own time.

9. we could continue this on the ToB forum, although I never go there because I am affraid of ToB spoilers and here I always see Blackthorne TA waving a no no finger to people who put ToB spoilers here I's so good to have him around.



[This message has been edited by StressedE (edited January 16, 2002).]

 

1. I normally don't call on the Order because one of them uses that darn sword which might cause a fireball with annoying effects.

2. Bobs is an elf and they are resistant to charm.

3. Con 16 because mc fighters don't get bonus for more than that.

4. I wasn't wearing a cloak? Hmm, that surprises me too. Didn't take time to get a useful one perhaps.

5. Got Shield of Balduran as an insurance in case I'd need it. Since money was no problem I bought it.

6. I'm a scroll junkie! I guess, all those scrolls is another case of my "better safe than sorry" attitude.

7. I dunno, quite odd that.

8. Think you can shave it down to 9 days 17 hours?

9. I'm right now playing a standard party in SoA - Sorcerer, Jaheira, Aerie, Imoen, Keldorn and Valygar - which will enter ToB today. Taking my time and enjoying everything so no more soloing for the moment.

 

9 days and 17 hours, Earl Grey?! You'll have to shave it as clean as an elven arse then

I suggest lots of speedy potions.

 

3. Ohw really? mc fighters don't get bonus for more than that? I didn't know.

4. Cloak is easy to get all you had to do is go down the sewers and kill the guy in the middle of kobold slaughter heaven.

8. I'm working on it. I realized I was being rather inefficient. I had a barbarian with a weapon and a shield while my goal was the fastest time. Now my new character for the challenge is wearing two weapons. That oughtto give me some speed.
Her class is wizard slayer, so those wizards cant keep on casting stoneskins. I noticed the game is generally easier with wizard slayer.
Also I noticed a rather remarkable change in tactics. Instead of luring the fighters away from the wizards with the barbarian to crush them one by one I now Charge in and disable the wizard Immediately finishing the remaining minor threats afterwords.

9. Good luck with your party you'll hear from me when I finish probably tomorrow.

@archangel wizard slayer can't use speedy potions

 

@ArchAngel
Now, who is it that keeps saying that? Some innkeeper, is it?

@StressedE
No Oil of Speed will make the first day a bit more exciting for you!

How will you handle invisibility? Buy all the Rings of Air Control you can at Adventurer's Mart?

The idea behind dual wielding in this particular case is a good one. I think I'll dual wield if I do another solo speed character. Stalker perhaps?
What weapon will you use in your off hand? Kundane might be convenient since you get another attack.

 

Stalker would be an ideal speed solo with the stealth and backstab.

But what about the Jester? C'mon, isn't someone tough enough to attempt a speed solo with a Jester? I may have to do it myself, after I finish my solo blade of course..

Just look at this good stuff:

* Use of wands, scrolls, any mage item
* Song confuses enemies, less combat
* Mage spells, in case you need em
* Can pick pockets to amass gold quickly

Please, someone take on this challenge!

 

Wizard slayer can't wear magical rings either. I chose long sword as main weapon. There are enough good long swords to dual weild. Be4 I got to hell use adjatha the drinker and sword of balduran. extra 10%MR is really usefull and the immunity to domination and charm is great. In hell you can dual the black razor and the drinker.

I got it down to 18hrs, but 17...
My wizard slayer can't physically make that. she just doesn't run fast enough



[This message has been edited by StressedE (edited January 18, 2002).]

 

Hmm, I've never tried this but I suppose I may have a tip: To get $15000, do the Circus Quest (aroud 750) and then free Hendak (another 7??, and he has emeralds and diamonds on him.

 

I wasn't going for a record, but by doing the minimum amount in chapters 2 and 3 to get the gold for chapters 4 and 5, I left the underdark in under 30 days, then did most of the quests (probably most of the game!) in chapter 6.

I just did the Copper Coronet/slaves quest, Lilacor sword quest (in parallel with slaves), Jaheira's curse quest and all the thieves quests (to eventually get the guild an lots of money) in chapter 2/3 then it was off to spellhold!

The good thing is in those quests you don't need to be particularly powerful, and by the time you come back from spellhold and the underdark, Kangaxx, the Dragons and the other stronger monsters are easier to deal with.