EET trilogy mod setup - brainstorming

[Cahir]

There is a recurring thought that is sneaking into my mind to prepare a EET install and play the full BG trilogy as my proper farewell to the franchise. Initial thought was to install a large chunk of mods, including tweaks and gameplay changing mods, just to experience as much as possible during my last run. But with time the idea has changed. I realized I played this game so long ago, that (except BGEE), I don't remember many details, and, as another shocking realization, I didn't even finish BG2EE, not to mention SoD! So, the new idea is to make this installation tight, installing significantly smaller number of mods.

There are a couple of rules that I'll be following, while picking up mods for my run:

• Needs to have Polish translation - when I planned to have big installation, I knew it had to be English playthrough, but Polish version brings a *heavy* nostalgia package, I simply can't ignore. This will limit my choice of mods, of course, but that's all right, there are still plenty of mods to chose from.
• Story-based mods needs to blend in Forgotten Realms lore seamlessly - I'm a huge (maybe today a bit less, but still) FR nerd and mods that offer stories completely detached from BG story or FR lore would break immersion for me. I consider only some Lava's and Jastey's mods, as I find them the most polished. Not all Lava's mods are totally lore friendly, but I think newer mods are. Unfortunately, practically no NPC mod (except Xan BG2, I think) was translated to Polish, so these are out of the pool. Same with banter adding mods (except BG1 NPC Project).
• Strong immersion - there are few mods that add to the immersion, I'd like to try. Something that makes the game even more role playing.
• Sword Coast Stratagems and Ascension - I'm not a good strategist, I often lack of patience for micromanaging, and I'm a guy who appreciates the story above all and treats gameplay as something which first priority is to not get in a way of enjoying the story. But I don't live under the rock and know, that SCS is a must. So, it will be a core of this installation. As for Ascension, I'm still undecided. I wish it could be split by components, one that adds the story related content and second that adds the tougher final battle. For now, it's all or nothing, as I understand (unless it has changed at some point, and I'm not aware). Because I suck in higher difficulty settings, I also consider installing some AI script mod, that will help keep my protections at hand (like Enhanced Powergaming Scripts, which I tested last year on IWDEE).

I'll be listing the mods I consider installing in following posts later, and I'll appreciate your feedback, if anyone played them and can recommend them or not.

This is still just a brainstorming phase. I'll still have quite a few games to play, so this EET install may take a while, but in any case I'd like to gather some intel before I'll spend my time of preparing it.

 

[alice_ashpool]

Assassinations has polish translation: https://www.pocketplane.net/assassinations/

if you ever wanted to actually do, like, bhaalspawn things - he was the lord of murder after all.

 

[Cahir]

Assassinations has polish translation: https://www.pocketplane.net/assassinations/

if you ever wanted to actually do, like, bhaalspawn things - he was the lord of murder after all.

Yes, Assassinations is among the few story content adding mods I consider installing.

So, here are the three of the core mods that I consider installing:

Enhanced Edition Trilogy - it's the whole point of my run. One consistent BG trilogy experience.
Sword Coast Stratagems - no-brainer, especially that I can now change difficulty using in game slider. That's a game changer for me when it comes to SCS.
Ascension - here I have some doubts. I appreciate the part of the mod that expands the ending from a story perspective, but I'm afraid that the final fight difficulty increase may prove too much of a challenge to me, especially in conjunction with SCS. I don't want to bang into a wall during the last fight of the game.

BGEE Quest mods:

Shades of the Sword Coast - from what I read, it's one of the best mods from Lava Del'Vortel and a must for many players. Fits the base game and the lore seamlessly, too.
Baldur's Gate Quests and Encounters - I remember playing it in the old days of classic BG and I loved it.
Lure of Sirine's Call - heard only good things about this one, too.
The BG1 NPC Project - yes, it's uneven, there are some NPCs with very good writing and some with worse writing, but it's the best we have to spice up almost mute BG1 NPCs.

BG2EE Quest Mods:

Southern Edge - I trust my mate, Lava, completely, and I know for a fact his writing improved greatly in time, so I plan to include the whole Athkatlan Ground series to my run (I think all of them were translated to Polish).
Tangled Oak Isle - same as above, it's a part of Athkatlan Ground series.
Bridge's Block - same as above
Ooze's Lounge - the same
Alabaster Sands - the same, it's the last mod of Athkatlan Ground series so far.
Assassinations - heard it's a great mod too, confirmed also by Alice.
Alternatives - again, read some good things about it.
Back to Brynnlaw - fits perfectly to the story, so I heard.
The Sellswords- here, I have some doubts. I love Jarlaxle and Kimmuriel (two drows known from R.A Salvatore's books, that are in the mod), but I heard it's too much XP packed and a bit unbalanced. Would love to hear opinions from forum members who have played it.

That would be it for the quest mods. If you have any more suggestions and feedback about mods I listed, I'm all ears.

I'll cover other mod categories later, in a separate post.

 

[alice_ashpool]

Have a look at Wheels of Prophecy if you are interested: https://www.gibberlings3.net/mods/quests/wheels/

I know it's not not got a polish translation but it's made by David Wallace of SCS fame, and it was written to go hand in had with Ascension. if you want more RP opportunities in ToB it's a good shout.

---

On the subject of mods which add (lots of) additional XP - that can strongly distort your experience with the game imo, but if you're not "challenge orientated" then being somewhat OP has its own Roleplay flavour!

 

[Cahir]

Have a look at Wheels of Prophecy if you are interested: https://www.gibberlings3.net/mods/quests/wheels/

I know it's not not got a polish translation but it's made by David Wallace of SCS fame, and it was written to go hand in had with Ascension. if you want more RP opportunities in ToB it's a good shout.

I thought about Wheels of Prophecy, but from what I understand the current version have some bugs, and even David himself would not recommend using it at the moment.

 

[Cahir]

I know it's not not got a polish translation

Actually, it does have Polish translation, but it has not been sent to David to include in the original mod package.