Baldur's Gate Trilogy No Reloads Run

[WiseGrimwald]

I have just made a fresh installation. Eventually the intention is to have a lot more mods including EET. However, some of the mods that I have installed are new to me so I am currently investigating them and making sure that the installation is OK so far before adding more mods. So far I discovered that Finch's glasses weren't working. Xzarloxara however was most helpful and they now work. .

In Candlekeep I Helmuth together with Tyrus performed a few minor tasks before being assaulted by assassins. We were therefore only too pleased to flee Candlekeep only to be attacked outside by yet more dangerous foes. Gorion was slain and we therefore had to find our own path.


The changes that I had made to Shank and Carbos which made them more powerful unbalanced the game too much in my favour. Now Shank and Carbos have plate armour. I don't know if it is mods that have changed things, but they are now fighters. Since plate is fairly common it doesn't affect the balance. I gave them +1 weapons rather than the rubbish daggers that were initially provided. Again +1 weapons are common enough. I am wanting the installation to work with any party and that seems about right. A mage, thief or fighter might struggle with them which was the general idea. I will test a thief against them to see how it works before setting off with Helmuth and Tyrus again.
I did the test. A fighter/thief using a katana survived, but a pure thief also using a katana didn't. That seems pretty balanced to me so I will now carry on.
I've always felt that Candlekeep should be a challenge too.
The reasons for the mods that skip it is that once you are familiar with the game, Candlekeep is too easy.
With my set-up it isn't. However,it is still straightforward with clerics as they can use command.

 

[Urdnot_Wrex]

Glad to see you solved all the issues and made your install work at last! Good luck!

 

[Antimatter]

What happened to the Xan playthrough, though? Is it doomed yet?

 

[mlnevese]

What happened to the Xan playthrough, though? Is it doomed yet?

Xan was born doomed...

 

[WiseGrimwald]

I sadly found that Xan was overpowered so he died in the recycle bin. I suppose that I should have found a better way to let him be absorbed into his moonblade but didn't.

 

[WiseGrimwald]

Journal of Helmuth and his ally Tyrus

After Gorion's death Imoen joined us and together we were able to defeat the mage Tarnesh who also attacked us. We proceeded north kiling hpbgoblins, Sonner and an ankheg. In the process Tenya, another neutral cleric joined us. We then headed south to Nashkel, Imoen doing a lot of thieving in Beregost on the way. A ring boosted my charisma as did a cloak that Imoen purloined in Beregost. Imoen surprised me with her comment regarding Noober in Nashkel. At the Carnival we rescued Bentha from Zordral, Imoen ensuring that we received a good reward by pickpocketting Bentha as she left. Aerie then identified our items. Heading south, we killed Zargos Flintblade who bore a superb axe which none of us can use. Heading west we reunited Albert and Rufie, killed Vax and Zal, and helped a dryad. We killed a winter wolf and Ingot before heading for the Gnoll Fortress where we killed Hairtooth before killing a goblin Shaman, leutenant and some goblin minions. This left us so badly injured that we retired to the Carnival to recover. The shaman brought me within a hair's breadth of death.

 

[Antimatter]

Uh-oh! 1 HP and the Melf's Arrow. It's fortunate Helmuth survived!

 

[WiseGrimwald]

Uh-oh! 1 HP and the Melf's Arrow. It's fortunate Helmuth survived!

It is indeed. I was't expecting those enemies otherwise I would have been better prepared. That's the advantage of mods. You get surprises from time to time, some good, some bad.
Journal of Helmuth and his ally Tyrus
After taking Samuel to the FAI we left Imoen there. She's far too much of a goody-goody for our liking and her thieving abilities aren't currently needed.
East of Beregost we took on a pack of wolves, summoned skeletons being used to make the Vampiric Wolves less dangerous as so far we have no protection from hold!

We returned to Beregost for rest and whilst there killed the spiders. We then took on Bassilus and Zargal quite successfully and then north of Beregost an ogre with a belt fetish.

We killed Greywolf whilst heading south to spend the gold acquired through killing Bassilus. We now have a scroll that should protect us if we take on basilisks and the like. There is a necklace available which I would also like to acquire but currently gold is in short supply as we also bought good quality armour in Beregost. (Ankheg Plate and a +3 shield.) The shield was a good surprise.

Heading East from the mines we killed a Revenant before heading North where we were joined by Gavin, Xzar and Montaron.

Montaron proved his worth as a pickpocketer in Ulgoth's Beard. He acquired a ring to protect it's wearer from hold, several scrolls and potions, and also acquired a good hammer for Gavin. We lost a point of reputation when he picked up a pearl that wasn't even locked up. I thought that a little unfair.

After being asked to deal with Mutamin, we left Montaron in a small temple next to the Temple of Lathander.

A scroll together with summoned skeletons helped us to deal with basilisks, medusae and Mutamin himself.

We then headed south where Dorn joined us. We then left Xzar with Aerie before heading to the Firewine Ruins where Tenya learnt how to use her bowl.

 

[WiseGrimwald]

Journal of Helmuth and his ally Tyrus

We returned to Aerie at the Carnival and left Xzar with her. I do hope that they get on well together.

Having found the location of the Firewine Ruins at last we were able to help her find out how to use her bowl. Whilst doing that we also acquired a useful halberd that Tenya is able to use. (The last time that I played the Tenya mod it was buggy and unusable) Upon returning to Beregost we were able to find out how to enter Lady Valeria's dwelling. As a result she ended up dead. Having fulfilled Gavin's quests we bade him farewell. Having rescued Neera we agreed to go in search of Adoy. We killed those wanting to "investigate" her and were given a useful belt as a reward. We then bade Neera farewell. Living with her is far too dangerous!
The party is now composed of Neutral Clerics and as a result there is little friction between us.
We travelled to the coast where a bsirine attacked us when we attempted to rest. Fortunately I had purchased a Helm of Charm Protection and so we killed her easily.

Safana joined us before we took on more Sirines. Sadly she was charmed and poisoned before we defeated them. This resulted in her death.

It was a while before we could raise her as the Temple charged all of 800gp. She was actually peeved that it had taken so long!!

After fighting our way through the Nashkel Mines we invited Xan to join the party.

Afterwards we took on and defeated a party of Amazons.

We were also forced into fighting Narcillicus.

Upon returning to Nashkel, the mayor rewarded us handsomely. Xan used charm to persuade Oublek to fight on our side against Nimbul who used spells on Oublek rather than us. This was beneficial in several ways. Firstly he died a hero and the town suported his family after his death; secondly we recovered the emeralds and thirdly we survived the battle against Nimbul with no wounds.

We then went to Beregost where we were rewarded by Vai for our bandit scalps. We also came across Bertram who somehow survived our previous conflict. Not having any allies this time he fell quickly.

To the North Necardian et al also fell, this time by walking into Glyphs of Warding. An easy battle.

 

[Urdnot_Wrex]

Hoping that Aerie and Xzar get on well together? You have a very interesting sense of humor .

 

[WiseGrimwald]

While awaiting a new hard drive I thought that I would knock together some portraits and create some new characters for future use. Here are a couple that I have made so far.

 

[WiseGrimwald]

Hoping that Aerie and Xzar get on well together? You have a very interesting sense of humor .

Having Aerie and Korgan together in the party was quite interesting to say the least.
A bit 50 shadesish.

 

[WiseGrimwald]

Just had my best Paladin roll since EE came on the scene.

 

[mlnevese]

Just had my best Paladin roll since EE came on the scene.

This one will be nice after you use all the books

 

[O_Bruce]

I only want to notice that your characters have a rather interesting reputation

 

[Urdnot_Wrex]

I only want to notice that your characters have a rather interesting reputation

I'm trying very hard to imagine a lawful good half-orc barbarian . Like Ajantis on steroids?

 

[mlnevese]

I like to play the unexpected character... the Lawful Good Orc, the Chaotic Evil Aasimar, etc

 

[WiseGrimwald]

I only want to notice that your characters have a rather interesting reputation

The reputation comes from a mod. It becomes Adventurer after it is raised two points.

 

[WiseGrimwald]

I must admit that it came as a surprise that Lawful Good Half-orc Barbarian came up as an option. Lawful Good Half-orc Berserker doesn't.

I suppose that it is the fact that he is a HALF-Orc that allows this. I did meet a very personable half-orc when playing the game. His lines have changed slightly since the last time that we met. I do wish that he were joinable. Perhaps I'll have to learn to do more modding than just making a couple of tweaks with EE Keeper.

When I got to Safana she wouldn't join the party. (Nothing to with Christmas parties at No. 10) It seems that Safana discriminates against women largely because she wants an improper relationship with her prospective leader. Somebody ought to give her the talk on interpersonal relationships in the workplace.

I have therefore given my Cavalier a sex-change. I realised afterwards that I could have used a belt, but the female version had been overwritten. The portrait is from the web, but with an added background from a photo that I took last week. (Used earlier on this page) I got another good roll for his henchwoman who is intending to dual to cleric. I have now installed the kittomes mod which will enable her to dual to Priest of Helm.

The reason for the good rolls is that I have time to do them since the new hard drive won't arrive until Tuesday. Portraits and Chr files will then be copied and pasted across after installation.

.

 

[WiseGrimwald]

Just wondering what your thoughts are concerning when to dual Helma. Level 3, Level 6 or something else. She is now level 3 with *** in war hammers and ** in sword and shield.