This guide is set at a width of 72 characters. For ease of use, make sure your browser is displaying all the numbers on the line below. 123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012 o======================================================================o | | | Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition | | | o======================================================================o "Beating Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition in 627 Easy Steps!" Version 1.07 Written by: Nathan Garvin (Haeravon) Edited by: Lee Kadel (original guide v1.04) Wim Vlayen (aka Zenryo) (Enhanced Edition guide v1.02) Email: Theendbringer (at) Hotmail (dot) com If you're going to email me about this guide, make sure you put "BALDURS GATE" in the title, or I'll probably end up deleting it as junk. It would also be nice if you put "ENHANCED EDITION" somewhere in your title, too, so I can tell which guide you're talking about. Guide Information <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This FAQ was made in Notepad, and is best viewed in a simple text editor. The default text is Lucida Console at size 10 font, but any fixed-width font will work... if not with the intended aesthetics intact. Note that this is an incredibly large FAQ, and depending on your computer, internet speed, and the restlessness of computer gremlins, you may have to refresh this file several times to get the whole thing to load. Look for the ***END OF FILE*** line at the bottom to ensure you've got the whole thing. Legal <----------------------------------------------------------------------> I have no affiliation with Bioware, Black Isle, Interplay, Atari, Wizards of the Coast, Beamdog, Overhaul Games or any other parties involved with this game. This is a not-for-profit fan-made guide. If you wish to post, mirror, or quote this guide, feel free to do so. Credit would make me happy, an email would make me feel good. Let your conscience be your guide, just like all good people. HaeravonFAQs on Facebook <----------------------------------------------------------------------> If you liked this FAQ, if you like talking about video games, if you think sunshine was for people who were born before they had the good sense to invent pixels, then you're not alone. Check out my Facebook page at (www.facebook.com/HaeravonFAQs) for mindless video game chatter, information about updates and upcoming FAQs, or for just a more direct connection to yours truly, so you can tell me in person about all the mistakes, typos, and other imperfections you've found. HaeravonFAQs on Youtube <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Text just doesn't cut it for you? You ever wish you could watch Haeravon play, and hear his soothing voice as he enlightened you with gaming wisdom? Your wish has been granted. Check out the HaeravonFAQs Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/HaeravonFAQs for video walkthroughs and gameplay videos. Table of Contents o======================================================================o >>>>>>>>>>>>>>GAMEPLAY INFORMATION<<<<<<<<<<<<<< I. Introduction {INT001} 1. HaeravonFAQS on Youtube {INT002} 2. Using this FAQ {INT003} 3. Continuity {INT004} 4. Items {INT005} 5. Rewards {INT006} 6. Traps {INT007} 7. Active Pause {INT008} 8. Difficulty Settings {INT009} 9. Enhanced Edition Notes {INT010} II. 2nd Edition Dungeon and Dragons Mechanics (character Creation) {DND001} 1. Composition {DND002} 2. Gender {DND003} 3. Race {DND004} 3.1 Class Restrictions by Race{DND005} 3.2 Human {DND006} 3.3 Elf {DND007} 3.4 Half-Elf {DND008} 3.5 Gnome {DND009} 3.6 Halfling {DND010} 3.7 Dwarf {DND011} 3.8 Half-Orc {DND012} 4. Class {DND013} 4.1 Dual-Classing {DND014} 4.2 Multi-Classing {DND015| 4.3 Dual-and-Multi-Classing {DND016} in Baldur's Gate 2 4.4 Class Kits {DND017} 4.5 Barbarian {DND018} 4.5 Bard {DND019} 4.6 Blade {DND020} 4.7 Jester {DND021} 4.8 Skald {DND022} 4.9 Cleric {DND023} 4.10 Priest of Talos {DND024} 4.11 Priest of Helm {DND025} 4.12 Priest of Lathander {DND026} 4.13 Cleric/Ranger {DND027} 4.14 Druid {DND028} 4.15 Totemic Druid {DND029} 4.16 Shapeshifter {DND030} 4.17 Avenger {DND031} 4.18 Fighter {DND032} 4.19 Berserker {DND033} 4.20 Wizard Slayer {DND034} 4.21 Kensai {DND035} 4.22 Dwarven Defender {DND036} 4.23 Fighter/Cleric {DND037} 4.24 Fighter/Druid {DND038} 4.25 Fighter/Mage {DND039} 4.26 Fighter/Mage/Cleric {DND040} 4.27 Fighter/Mage/Thief {DND041} 4.28 Fighter/Thief {DND042} 4.29 Mage {DND043} 4.30 Mage/Cleric {DND044} 4.31 Mage/Thief {DND045} 4.32 Monk {DND046} 4.33 Dark Moon Monk {DND047} 4.34 Sun Soul Monk {DND048} 4.35 Paladin {DND049} 4.36 Cavalier {DND050} 4.37 Inquisitor {DND051} 4.38 Undead Hunter {DND052} 4.39 Blackguard {DND053} 4.40 Ranger {DND054} 4.41 Archer {DND055} 4.42 Stalker {DND056} 4.43 Beast Master {DND057} 4.44 Sorcerer {DND058} 4.45 Dragon Disciple {DND059} 4.46 Thief {DND060} 4.47 Assassin {DND061} 4.48 Bounty Hunter {DND062} 4.49 Swashbuckler {DND063} 4.50 Shadowdancer {DND064} 4.51 Thief/Cleric {DND065} 4.52 Wild Mage {DND066} 4.53 Wild Surge Table {DND067} 5. Alignment {DND068} 5.1 Reputation Effects {DND069} 6. Abilities {DND070} 6.1 Strength {DND071} 6.2 Dexterity {DND072} 6.3 Constitution {DND073} 6.4 Intelligence {DND074} 6.5 Wisdom {DND075} 6.6 Charisma {DND076} 6.7 Tomes {DND077} 6.8 Suggested Abilities {DND078} by Class 7. Proficiencies {DND079} 7.1 Weapon Proficiencies {DND080} by Class/Level 7.2 Weapon Class Perks by Rank{DND081} 7.3 Fighting Style Perks by {DND082} Rank 7.4 Proficiency Selection by {DND083} Class 8. Thieving Abilities {DND084} 8.1 Pick Pockets {DND085} 8.2 Open Locks {DND086} 8.3 Find Traps {DND087} 8.4 Move Silently/Hide In {DND088} Shadows 8.5 Detect Illusion {DND089} 8.6 Set Traps {DND090} 9. Hit points {DND091} 10. THAC0 and Armor Class {DND092} 10.1 THAC0 by Class/Level {DND093} 10.2 Armor Class Modifiers {DND094} by Weapon Type 11. Saving Throws {DND095} 12. Spells {DND096} 13. Lore {DND097} 13.1 Lore by Class/Level {DND098} 14. Experience Points (EXP Cap) {DND099} 15. My Protagonists {DND100} 15.1 The Fighter/Mage {DND101} 15.2 The Fighter/Mage/Thief {DND102} 15.3 The Benchmark {DND103} III. Characters {CHR001} 1. Note about Character Quests {CHR002} 2. Character Stats {CHR003} 3. Ajantis {CHR004} 4. Alora {CHR005} 5. Baeloth {CHR006} 6. Branwen {CHR007} 7. Coran {CHR008} 8. Dorn {CHR009} 9. Dynaheir {CHR010} 10. Edwin {CHR011} 11. Eldoth {CHR012} 12. Faldorn {CHR013} 13. Garrick {CHR014} 14. Imoen {CHR015} 15. Jaheira {CHR016} 16. Kagain {CHR017} 17. Khalid {CHR018} 18. Kivan {CHR019} 19. Minsc {CHR020} 20. Montaron {CHR021} 21. Neera {CHR022} 22. Quayle {CHR023} 23. Rasaad {CHR024} 24. Safana {CHR025} 25. Shar-teel {CHR026} 26. Skie {CHR027} 27. Tiax {CHR028} 28. Viconia {CHR029} 29. Xan {CHR030} 30. Xzar {CHR031} 31. Yeslick {CHR032} 32. Table of Character {CHR033} Attributes 33. Chart of Characters by Role {CHR034} 34. Suggested Parties by Role {CHR035} IV. Spell Tactics {SPT001} 1. Healing Spells {SPT002} 2. 1st Level Cleric Spells {SPT003} 3. 2nd Level Cleric Spells {SPT004} 4. 3rd Level Cleric Spells {SPT005} 5. 4th Level Cleric Spells {SPT006} 6. 1st Level Druid Spells {SPT007} 7. 2nd Level Druid Spells {SPT008} 8. 3rd Level Druid Spells {SPT009} 9. 4th Level Druid Spells {SPT010} 10. 5th Level Druid Spells {SPT011} 11. 1st Level Arcane Spells {SPT012} 12. 2nd Level Arcane Spells {SPT013} 13. 3rd Level Arcane Spells {SPT014} 14. 4th Level Arcane Spells {SPT015} 15. 5th Level Arcane Spells {SPT016} V. Map {MAP001} VI. General Tips {TIP001} >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>MAIN WALKTHROUGH<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< VII. Prologue 1. Sequence #1 {WLK001} Leaving Candlekeep (15 Steps) VIII. Chapter 1 1. Sequence #1 {WLK002} Friendly Arm Inn (17 Steps) 2. Sequence #2 {WLK003} Beregost (23 Steps) 3. Sequence #3 {WLK004} Party-Building (9 Steps) 4. Sequence #4 {WLK005} High Hedge and En Route to Nashkel (10 Steps) IX. Chapter 2 1. Sequence #1 {WLK006} Nashkel and the Carnival (21 Steps) 2. Sequence #2 {WLK007} The Gnoll Stronghold Expedition (15 Steps) 4. Sequence #3 {WLK008} South-Western Areas (10 Steps) 5. Sequence #4 {WLK009} Northern Areas (10 Steps) 6. Sequence #5 {WLK010} Middle Areas (9 Steps) 7. Sequence #6 {WLK011} Temple Area and the Nashkel Mines (exterior) (12 Steps) [PARTY STATS: NASHKEL MINES] 8. Sequence #7 {WLK012} Nashkel Mines (interior) (21 Steps) X. Chapter 3 1. Sequence #1 {WLK013} Back to Beregost (13 Steps) 2. Sequence #2 {WLK014} Western Areas and the Northern Farmhouse (27 Steps) 3. Sequence #3 {WLK015} Tranzig and the North-Eastern Areas (17 Steps) 4. Sequence #4 {WLK016} Bandit Camp (11 Steps) XI. Chapter 4 1. Sequence #1 {WLK017} South-Eastern Areas (20 Steps) 2. Sequence #2 {WLK018} Cloakwood Forest (22 Steps) 3. Sequence #3 {WLK019} Cloakwood Mines (21 Steps) [PARTY STATS: CLOAKWOOD MINES] XII. Chapter 5 1. Sequence #1 {WLK020} Foiling the Throne's Assassination Attempt (33 Steps) 2. Sequence #2 {WLK021} Baldur's Gate: Eastern and South-Eastern Areas (20 Steps) 3. Sequence #3 {WLK022} Baldur's Gate: Southern, Northern, and Western Areas (26 Steps) 4. Sequence #4 {WLK023} Baldur's Gate: South-Western North-Western Areas (28 Steps) 5. Sequence #4 {WLK024} Baldur's Gate: Balduran's Gear and the Iron Throne Headquarters (17 Steps) XIII. Chapter 6 1. Sequence #1 {WLK025} Return to Candlekeep (9 Steps) 2. Sequence #2 {WLK026} Candlekeep Catacombs (14 Steps) 3. Sequence #3 {WLK027} Enhanced Edition Character Quests (28 Steps) [PARTY STATS: TALES OF THE SWORD COAST] XIV. Tales of the Sword Coast 1. Sequence #1 {WLK028} Ulgoth's Beard, Shandolar's Request (13 Steps) 2. Sequence #2 {WLK029} To Durlag's Tower and the Upper Levels (14 Steps) 3. Sequence #3 {WLK030} Durlag's Tower, First Lower Level (14 Steps) 4. Sequence #4 {WLK031} Durlag's Tower, Second Lower Level (10 Steps) 5. Sequence #5 {WLK032} Durlag's Tower, Third Lower Level (11 Steps) 6. Sequence #6 {WLK033} Durlag's Tower, Fourth Lower Level (13 Steps) 7. Sequence #7 {WLK034} Cult of Aec'Letec (6 Steps) 8. Sequence #8 {WLK035} Balduran's Isle (30 Steps) XV. Chapter 7 1. Sequence #1 Thwarting Sarevok {WLK036} (18 Steps) 2. Sequence #2 The Endgame {WLK037} (20 Steps) [PARTY STATS: FINAL] Total Walkthrough: 624 Steps >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>VIDEOS<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< XVI. Walkthrough Videos 1. Stinking Cloud Ambush {VID001} (Good Party) 2. Sarevok's Acolytes Fight {VID002} (Good Party) 3. Sarevok's Acolytes Fight {VID003} (Evil Party) 4. Warder Fight {VID004} (Evil Party) 5. Chess Fight (Evil Party) {VID005} 6. Demon Knight Fight {VID006} (Good Party) 7. Aec'Letec Fight (Good Party) {VID007} 8. Sarevok Fight (Good Party) {VID008} >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>MISCELLANEOUS<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< XVII. Items {ITM001} 1. Finding Recorded Items in {ITM002} the Walkthrough 2. Item List {ITM003} 3. Item Description {ITM004} XVIII. Experience List {EXP001} XIX. List of Mage Spells {SPL001} 1. 1st-Level Mage Spells {SPL002} 2. 2nd-Level Mage Spells {SPL003} 3. 3rd-Level Mage Spells {SPL004} 4. 4th-Level Mage Spells {SPL005} 5. 5th-Level Mage Spells {SPL006} XX. Updates/Thanks {UPD001} *Note: When searching for items in the FAQ, be sure to include the {} brackets. When I reference other parts of the FAQ outside of the index, I put them in [] brackets, so as to make general searches using the index more efficient. For example, when I refer to later parts of the Walkthrough in the Walkthrough, I'll refer to those referred sections as [WLK###], when it should be understood to search for {WLK###}. This is an organizational scheme used to prevent you from having to scroll through several referential brackets in order to find what you're looking for, as I reference other parts of the FAQ much more frequently in this guide than I do in other FAQs I have written. o======================================================================o | | | Introduction {INT001} | | | o======================================================================o Welcome to the HaeravonFAQs guide "Beating Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition in 627 Steps" of varying length, complexity, and importance! I love the Baldur's Gate games, I won't even try to hide it. So when I heard there was an Enhanced Edition being made... well, I approached it with a bit of skepticism. Mostly because I'm a pessimist, not because I'm a classics snob. A rebirth of the Fallout franchise was something I warmly embraced, certainly something similar for Baldur's Gate would have potential, right? Sure, but this isn't a remake. It's a slight improvement, better menus to take some of the age off and a bunch of minor tweaks (many of which have already appeared in fan-made mods). Essentially, this game takes the original Baldur's Gate and freshens it up a bit. The biggest changes? They made the Baldur's Gate 1 rules match the Baldur's Gate 2 system... again, something already done. Still, I am giddy. I didn't start writing FAQs until a few years ago, and I devoted no small amount of time to the games I loved most of all-the Baldur's Gate saga. The Enhanced Edition is the closest thing to being able to go back in time and write about this game when it's fresh. For that alone, the Enhanced Edition was worth the $20 download-my first ever digital purchase. I know, I know, I'm a dinosaur. Anyways, this guide is built right on top of my old Baldur's Gate guide, with changes made wherever necessary. Call it lazy or resourceful as you wish-my organizational schemes work for me and-if feedback is any indication- it works for most of my readers, too. Why fix what's not broken? Most of all, have fun and enjoy a slightly improved and expanded version of one of the best RPGs ever made. HaeravonFAQs on Youtube {INT002} o======================================================================o In the beginning of June, 2013, I was finally able to scrape enough money together to get a good game-capture device. Later that month, I began my much dreamed-of venture into making gameplay videos. I intend for the videos on HaeravonFAQs to enhance-not replace-the text-based guides you all know and love. Starting 6/29/2013, I began shooting videos based off of saves I had made when I wrote this guide, showing the tactics contained in this guide. The links to the videos can be found throughout the guide, and will be added as they are uploaded, instead of in one massive version update-my usual way of doing things. You can find the videos as you play the game and read the guide, or you can search for them with the search tags [VID###]. For more videos, visit (http://www.youtube.com/user/HaeravonFAQs). If you want to have access to all our gameplay videos, pictures, and, yes, guides, all on one site, visit www.haeravon.com. Using this FAQ {INT003} o======================================================================o Below I will list some of my quirks, organizational methods, and various other tidbits that will help you navigate this guide. For starters, during the main FAQ I'll break up the various chapters and organizational components of the guide with a large heading: o======================================================================o | | | Large Heading | | | o======================================================================o During the FAQ, I'll break up different areas with a thick line: Thick line o======================================================================o Multiple parts of a mission in the same area will be broken up with a thin line. This breaks up the missions into a series of steps, and limits how much unbroken text you'll have to read at once. Nobody likes wordiness: Thin line <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Of course, I reserve the right to break my own rules during the FAQ... mostly due to being scatter-brained and working on the FAQ in shifts over the course of time. Life and all. So cut me some slack. Besides, this organizational scheme is mostly for consistency and ease-of-use. Sequence of Events <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Unlike some of my other guides, this FAQ does hold your hand through the game. As I go through areas I will list what I do sequentially. To help streamline the guide and make your life easier, I've included a list of steps at the beginning of each section, so you can see in what order I am about to do things. Each different Sequence of Events is separated by a large heading, while each step is divided by a thick line (if we travel to a different area) or a thin line (if we don't.) Continuity {INT004} o======================================================================o One of the things to keep in mind about Baldur's Gate is... Baldur's Gate 2. I keep this in the back of my mind every time I play the game, since it seems like a waste to go through the game and NOT continue with my character onto the sequel. Since the first game was made to resemble the second game more in the Enhanced Edition, we can assume the Enhanced Edition of the second game will be... less changed. After all, why change the first game to match the second if you're going to change the second game-hence reintroducing the original mis-match you were presumably trying to remove in the first place? With that in mind, building our protagonist with the sequel in mind makes even more sense in the Enhanced Edition than it did in the original game. If you don't plan to follow through to the Enhanced Edition of the second game, this might not be the right guide for you, as my suggestions for the protagonist's race, class, and proficiency allocations are made with the sequel in mind. Items {INT005} o======================================================================o I'll list items found in containers-bookshelves, chests, environmental bodies, etc. in the ***ITEMS*** category, I'll also list the (x=, x=) coordinates the container is found at. The container could be quite large, but I try to find areas in the 100s or at least the 10s if possible. For example, I won't give you (x=1996, y=217) when I could give the coordinates (x=2000, y=200). Rewards {INT006} o======================================================================o When you complete a quest, or otherwise gain some story award, I will list it in the ***REWARDS*** section in the appropriate step in the FAQ. I won't go out of my way to label the start and end of quests, as some quests have long stretches of game in between their assignment and completion. I will tell you to go activate the quest (even if you don't need to activate it to complete), but I typically include the reward upon the quests conclusion, occasionally requiring you to go back to the assigner on your own. Traps {INT007} o======================================================================o I list the location of traps in a section similar to the items section. Except it's wisely called ***TRAPS***. I didn't bother recording what sort of trap it was, I intended to disarm traps I come across, and frankly, it's just too much of a bother determining the sort of trap. If you think you can figure out how to use traps to cause collateral damage, that's fine with me, I'll point as many out to you as I found. Active Pause {INT008} o======================================================================o You can pause the game any time by pressing the 'space bar' button. In the original game, the game would not remained paused in your inventory screen (which was just Bioware's idea of being hardasses.) In the Enhanced Edition, they rightfully allowed the game to remained paused in your inventory screen (like in Baldur's Gate 2). Anyways, you'll use this option often to reorganize during battles, select new targets... you know, make tactical decisions. It's not just helpful, it's vital. If you plan to play any other old school Black Isle games, like Planescape or Icewind Dale, they'll also use the same system. Difficulty Settings {INT009} o======================================================================o The game always had difficulty settings, so why bother mentioning it for the Enhanced Edition? Well... because they might actually be worth toggling every so often now. There are five difficulty settings as follows: INSANE (far right): Hit Point rolls are random, characters can permanently die, scribing spells can fail, enemies do 200% normal damage. HARD (middle-right): Hit Point rolls are random, characters can permanently die, scribing spells can fail, enemies do 150% normal damage. CORE RULES (middle): Normal rules. Hit Point rolls are random, characters can permanently die, scribing spells can fail, enemies do 100% normal damage. NORMAL (middle-left): All Hit Point rolls are maxed, characters cannot permanently die, all spells are automatically learned, enemies do 75% normal damage. NOVICE (far left): All Hit Point rolls are maxed, characters cannot permanently die, all spells are automatically learned, enemies do 50% normal damage. My suggestion? Play the game under CORE RULES, but when you level up or scribe scrolls, switch to NORMAL. Look, I don't know about you, but in the original game I always save/loaded to get maximum Hit Points per level and to ensure I always succeeded at scribing scrolls. Manipulating the difficulty settings just saves time, and life is too short (as is my patience) to waste it save/loading Baldur's Gate. Enhanced Edition Notes {INT010} o======================================================================o I will admit, I am too much of a fan to resist pointing out story/event changes throughout the guide as I notice them. These changes (usually inconsequential stuff) will be noted under the ***ENHANCED EDITION*** heading. This is just me showing off what knowledge I have of the game and is entirely useless fluff... But, it interests me, so it's in there. It may contain spoilers (although I've tried to keep them fairly minor) but if you want to play it safe, just ignore them. I've also started to use them to discuss various changes between Enhanced Edition patches, as well. o======================================================================o | | | 2nd Edition Dungeons and Dragons Mechanics | | (Character Creation) {DND001} | o======================================================================o Below are some suggestions for character creation in Baldur's Gate, Along with a number of tables, charts, and rules used by the game. My character's advancement through the game and its sequel greatly affects my choices... along with a good bit of aesthetic prejudice and personal opinions. Either blindly follow my lead or read up on the section below and make your own choices. I'll give opinions and brute facts, but I won't be rating anything. Feel free to make you own-informed-decisions. Composition {DND002} o======================================================================o Unlike in Icewind Dale, you only create one character-the protagonist. This means your character will need some help on their journey through Baldur's Gate. In any Dungeons and Dragons game you need a Cleric, Fighter, Mage, and a Thief, the four 'base' classes. No matter what character you make, you NEED one representative of each of those four base classes in your party. A party without a front line, spell buffs, healing, and trap finding is a party that is probably losing. Gender {DND003} o======================================================================o Gender only matters when it comes to romancing various potential party members... and even then, only in the sequel. It might change a few bits of dialogue here and there (mostly gender-based pronouns, or maybe a bit of abortive flirting/womanizing, but nothing serious). Since romances are the big deal with gender, then, I'll include a list of romancable allies, and some gender/alignment information about said allies, so you can plan ahead... you know, in case you want to go after a specific paramour. Just keep in mind that most characters in the sequel are heterosexual (with the notable exception of Hexxat), so pick the opposite gender if you want magic to happen. I'll freely admit I haven't done enough research to know everybody's racial qualms-I tend to play either an Elf or Half-Elf for multi-classing purposes, so I can't promise that, say, Dorn will go after a Gnomish protagonist, or something strange like that. Also, alignment may or may not come into play-Anomen and Viconia can both have their alignment swayed by a combination of banter and quest choices, but there's no guarantee that Dorn'll put up with a good-aligned protagonist. Again, I've been lazy and haven't thoroughly explored all the romantic options with all the possible race/alignment combinations. I have a good party and an evil party, and I avoided mixing and matching alignments as much as possible. Aerie (Female) Lawful Good, Elf Anomen (Male) Dorn (Male) Neutral Evil, Half-Orc Hexxat (Female) Neutral Evil, Human (will not romance males!) Jaheira (Female) Neutral, Half-Elf Neera (Female) Chaotic Neutral, Half-Elf Rasaad (Male) Lawful Good, Human Viconia (Female) Neutral Evil, Elf (will not romance Elves!) Race {DND004} o======================================================================o There are more pronounced differences between the races in the Enhanced Edition, but the big restrictions are still what they were in the original. Humans can dual-class, everybody else cannot. All the other races can multi-class (to varying degrees), but Humans cannot. I STRONGLY advocate either dual-classing as a Human, or multi-classing. Class restriction by race are shown on the table below. Class Restrictions by Race {DND005} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> |Human | |Elf | | |Half-Elf | | | |Gnome* | | | | |Halfling | | | | | |Dwarf | | | | | | |Half-Orc o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Barbarian | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Bard | x | | x | | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Cleric | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Cleric/Mage | d | | x | x | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Cleric/Ranger | d | | x | | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Cleric/Thief | d | | | x | | | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Druid | x | | x | | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Fighter | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Fighter/Cleric | d | | x | x | | x | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Fighter/Druid | d | | x | | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Fighter/Mage | d | x | x | x | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Fighter/Mage/Cleric | | | x | | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Fighter/Mage/Thief | | x | x | | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Fighter/Thief | d | x | x | x | x | x | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Mage | x | x | x | x | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Mage (Abjurer) | x | | | | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Mage (Conjurer) | x | | x | | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Mage (Diviner) | x | x | x | | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Mage (Enchanter) | x | x | x | | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Mage (Illusionist) | x | | | x | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Mage (Invoker) | x | | | | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Mage (Necromancer) | x | | | | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Mage (Transmuter) | x | | x | | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Mage/Thief | d | x | x | x | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Monk | x | | | | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Paladin | x | | | | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Ranger | x | x | x | | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Sorcerer | x | x | x | | | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Thief | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o * = Instead of a Mage, they are always an Illusionist. x = Race/Class combo is allowed. d = Can dual class, not multi-class. Human {DND006} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Humans are the vanilla race of the fantasy genre. I'll bet most of my readers are Human (the rest are whatever race Anne Coulter belongs to- the reptilians), which begs the question... why play it? Doesn't it just inject a bit of mundanity into a fantasy setting? And why would you do that? Whatever, the only thing special about Humans is that they can (and should) dual-class. Oh, and they can be every class in the game. So if you're really hard up for a Monk, Paladin, or some types of specialist Mage... well... this is your only option. Humans have the following traits: --> Thief Skills: +15% Pick Pockets, +10% Open Locks, +5% Find Traps, +10% Move Silently, +5% Hide in Shadows. Elf {DND007} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Everybody hates Elves these days. Probably because of Orlando Bloom. Anyways, Elves are a staple of the fantasy genre. Without giving anything away, playing an Elf adds a bit of... tension... with the antagonist of the sequel (to which there is as of yet no Enhanced Edition for). At least, it does in my mind, which is what matters. Elves have some solid multi-class options, and are decent characters all around. The Dexterity bonus is nice... but it's not nearly as helpful as the Constitution bonus is harmful. Still, considering all the stat boosts you'll find in the game, it's not a big deal. Elves have the following traits: --> 90% resistance against charm and sleep magics. --> Infravision. --> +1 THAC0 bonus with bows, short swords, and long swords. --> Thief Skills: +20% Pick Pockets, +5% Open Locks, +5% Find Traps, +15% Move Silently, +15% Hide in Shadows. --> +1 Dexterity, -1 Constitution. Half-Elf {DND008} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> The bastard off-spring created by Humans and Elves... nobody seems to care that an Elf boning a Human is just kind of... weird. I mean, how much older is the Elf, on average? It would make for great a fantasy Maury show... They've got a few bonuses that Humans don't have-stuff you won't really miss-but they trade the ability to dual-class for the most extensive multi-class options in the game. They're a great choice for any protagonist. Half-Elves have the following traits: --> 30% resistance against charm and sleep magics. --> Infravision. --> Thief Skills: +25% Pick Pockets, +10% Open Locks, +5% Find Traps, +10% Move Silently, +10% Hide in Shadows. Gnome {DND009} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Gnomes are retarded and everybody should hate them. They're nothing but incompetent Dwarves without any of the cool Dwarfiness. Gnomes have one advantage over Dwarves-they can become Mages. But... since they default to Illusionists, it's not so great of a bonus. Gnomes have the following traits: --> +2 bonus to Saving Throws vs. Rod/Staff/Wand and vs. Spell with additional bonuses based on Constitution. --> Infravision. --> Thief Skills: +15% Pick Pockets, +15% Open Locks, +15% Find Traps, +15% Move Silently, +10% Hide in Shadows, +10% Detect Illusion, +5% Set Traps. --> +1 Intelligence, -1 Wisdom. Halfling {DND010} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> If you wanted my opinion on Halfings... well... look at my opinion about Gnomes. It's not a short person thing, I'm not too tall myself, but... their class options suck and their racial traits just aren't very good. Honestly, I've always hated Halflings. They seem like a waste of a race, and in my gaming sessions, I've never been able to find a use for them. What are they, always? Wandering thieves and pranksters. Almost without variation. Who always plays them? The annoying kid who just wanted to be a pain in the ass and slow things down. Halflings have the following traits: --> +2 bonus to Saving Throws vs. Paralyzation/Poison/Death, vs Rod/Staff/Wand, and vs. Spell, with additional bonuses based on Constitution. --> +1 THAC0 bonus with slings. --> Thief Skills: +20% Pick Pockets, +15% Open Locks, +10% Find Traps, +20% Move Silently, +20% Hide in Shadows. --> +1 Dexterity, -1 Strength, -1 Wisdom. Dwarf {DND011} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Now Dwarves are where it's at. Who doesn't love Dwarves? They're always awesome. Nothing's better than a heavily-armed, ill-tempered, hairy, drunk demi-human. Fortunately for you, the game does a decent job in supplying you Dwarves to tag along with-leave the Dwarfing to your allies and pick stronger multi-or-dual-class options, instead. Dwarves have the following traits: --> +2 bonus to Saving Throws vs. Paralyzation/Poison/Death, vs. Rod/Staff/Wand, and vs. Spell, with additional bonuses based on Constitution. --> Infravision. --> Thief Skills: +15% Pick Pockets, +20% Open Locks, +20% Find Traps, +10% Move Silently, +5% Hide in Shadows, +5% Detect Illusion, +10% Set Traps. --> +1 Constitution, -1 Dexterity, -2 Charisma. Half-Orc {DND012} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Not much to say about this class-they have the same appeal as Dwarves in my book. Fugly warriors that almost always seem to fall into a well- trod stereotype. In this, they excel, and if you plan to make any single-class warrior type, go with a Half-Orc. You won't miss that Intelligence. Half-Orcs have the following traits: --> +1 Strength, +1 Constitution, -2 Intelligence. --> Thief Skills: +15% Pick Pockets, +10% Open Locks, +5% Find Traps, +10% Move Silently, +5% Hide in Shadows. Class {DND013} o======================================================================o Since you can recruit a character that pretty much covers whatever you may lack, you have the freedom to create a character that plays how you want (at least in this game, Baldur's Gate 2 isn't nearly as nice in that regards). Versatility and power are my goals in character creation, and that pretty much cries out for dual-or-multi classing. Also, if the developers were so kind as to provide you with a recruitable ally with their own unique voice, portrait, history, and statistics, why bother making a similar character? Since dual-or-multi class characters are invariably stronger in Baldur's Gate 2, they are what I suggest. You simply get stronger, more versatile characters if you dual-or-multi- class. A Fighter/Mage is arguably the strongest class in the game by the end of Baldur's Gate 2, and with all the new defensive spells from the sequel fleshing out the spellbooks of the Enhanced Edition, they're stronger than ever in the first game. (Stoneskin, anybody?) Magic in Baldur's Gate is incredibly important and deep, and controlling a protagonist who cannot cast spells seems rather... blasphemous. And if you can destroy any foe in melee combat as well, all the better. Alternatively there's the Fighter/Mage/Thief, who isn't as much of a Fighter or Mage, but you don't have to rely upon a recruitable Thief to do your trapfinding. There's also the Fighter/Cleric, but the spell buffs a Mage can cast are more powerful, and a Mage won't be limited to blunt weapons like a Cleric. If you're at all interested in making a Fighter/Cleric, try a Ranger/Cleric instead. Pretty much the same thing in terms of weapon selection, and Hit Points, but they'll also get Druidic spells, in addition to their Clerical spells. This means Insect Plague, Elemental Summoning, and Iron Skins in the sequel... it's something to get excited about, trust me. I've never played as a Fighter/Mage/Cleric, but... it certainly sounds interesting. In the end I feel a Fighter/Mage is a great protagonist, a great play, and certainly a good choice to write a guide around. For the evil party play-through (Version 1.02 of the original guide) I created a Fighter/Mage/Thief so I could use many of the strategies with which I am familiar, but also because of how desperately the evil party needs a Thief in Baldur's Gate 2. My girlfriend's choice was much the same, except she used a Fighter as her protagonist and created a Fighter/Mage/Thief sidekick in the sequel to overcome the crippling Thief-shortage. It might be cheap, but it's better than dragging around Haer'Dalis. Dual-Classing {DND014} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> To dual-class you must be a Human, and you must be at least 2nd level in the class you started out as to dual-class. You must have a 15 in the prime requisites of your current class, and 17 in the prime requisites of the class you want to change to. The prime requisites for each of the potential dual-class combos are listed below: Cleric: Wisdom Druid: Wisdom, Charisma Fighter: Strength Mage: Intelligence Ranger: Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom Thief: Dexterity Once you dual-class the experience of your previous class will be capped at the minimum required to meet the last level you attained, and it will go inactive. You can no longer gain levels in this class, or use any of the class abilities. The only thing you keep from that class are the Hit Points, you temporarily lose weapon and armor proficiencies, skills, spells, THAC0, and even saves. You now begin advancing as your second class, following all its rules. You pick new proficiencies, and spells or thief abilities, if applicable. For example, if you were a Fighter and dual-classed into a Mage, you would be bound by the weapon and armor restrictions of the Mage. You'd have the saves, THAC0, proficiencies, and spells of a 1st level Mage, but you'd have your Fighter Hit Points. Once your level in your new class exceeds your level in your old class, your old class becomes active again. You cannot gain experience in your old class, but you gain back any previously attained abilities, weapon and armor proficiencies, skills, spells, THAC0, and saves, if they are better than what you have now. Keep in mind that proficiencies are not cumulative. For example, take the following case. Start out with a level one Fighter and you'll get four weapon proficiencies to spend-you can spend up to two points (become Specialized) in any one weapon class or fighting style. Let's say the proficiencies were allocated as follows: Long Sword ++ Two-Weapon Style ++ At level two, the character dual-classes to a Thief. They temporarily lose those proficiencies, but being a brand-spanking almost new Thief, they get two points to distribute. Let's say it goes as follows: Katana + Short Sword + Once the newly dualed Thief becomes level three, they'll get their Fighter stats back... at least until their Thief THAC0 and Saving Throws surpass whatever their Fighter level gave. Their proficiencies now look like this: Katana + Long Sword ++ Short Sword + Two-Weapon Style ++ So, when dual-classing, do NOT overlap proficiencies. Any overlap results in wasted points. On the other hand, one of the bonuses you will retain while dual-classing is Weapon Proficiency progression-a Fighter/Thief dual-class will, for example, still be able to attain Grand Mastery, a Ranger/Cleric can attain Specialization, and so on. A good tactic is to start out as a Thief and gain their Find Traps skill, get it as high as you need, and then dual-class into something more useful, like a Fighter or Mage. This gets you the essential Thief skill without having to waste an entire character on a class that, frankly, isn't great on its own. Another option is to make a Fighter, get up to a high level and attain its high Hit Points, THAC0, and maybe even Grand Mastery, then dual-class into something else to retain those excellent combat stats to make a more 'hardy' version of that class. The experience gained by the first class does count towards your total experience, and hence towards the experience cap. If you dual-class a character, be sure to dual class early enough so you have enough experience left to exceed your previous classes' level with your new class. If you never exceed your first class with your second, it will never become active, making the whole process a waste and stunting your character. This is obviously more of a preparatory tactic for the sequel, as you will not gain enough experience to get the most out of dual-classing for some combos in the first game. If you want to make a dual-class Fighter or an Assassin/Fighter, you'll have to play through this game as a single-classed character. For characters like Imoen, dual class away, but for your main character I do not suggest dual-classing until the sequel. Multi-Classing {DND015} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Mutli-classing is a bit simpler than dual-classing. Most races besides human can multi-class into something, but half-elves are by far the most versatile multi-classers. Whereas dual-classing means dropping one class in favor of another, only to gain the benefits of the previous class back after you exceed its level with the second class, multi- classing means pursuing both classes simultaneously. You get the better choice of THAC0 and saves between the classes, meaning a Fighter/Mage would use their better Fighter THAC0 instead of their worse Mage THAC0 or some composite. Hit points, however, are a composite, essentially halving the dice rolls of both classes and giving them to you. If a Fighter/Thief levels up in both classes, they get a maximum of eight hitpoints (10 + 6 = 16/8 = 8.) Note, however, that if you are a Fighter multi-class, you get the highest benefit of your Constitution, meaning a Fighter/Cleric with a Constitution score of 18 would get a +4 bonus to their Hit Points per composite level, instead of only +2 as a single- classed Cleric would. Experience is split evenly between the two classes, which can level up independently. This results in a slower rate of leveling than a single- classed character. Multi-classed characters typically make up for it with versatility, being able to effectively combine multiple class abilities to maximum effect. After all, a Thief who can hide in shadows and backstab with a Fighter's THAC0 and higher weapon proficiencies is better than just a Thief, and a Fighter who can use Mage spells to spell buff themselves with Mirror Image, Haste, and Improved Invisibility will be MUCH more effective than just a Fighter. The big consideration for a multi-classed character is the fact that they will not be able to progress as far as a single-classed character under the experience cap. This isn't a big deal in this game, where a Fighter/Mage can hit level 7/7, while a normal Fighter and Mage can only hit levels 8 and 9, respectively. In the sequel, however, it'll cost you major levels, which is worth the tradeoff (by the end of TOB you'll hit level 24/20 as a Fighter/Mage, which really gets you the best of both classes.) The only thing to worry about is that you won't have access to as many epic feats in the sequel... but again, this is a minor concern, especially in this game. And unless you triple-class, it won't even be that big of a deal. Multi-classed characters must abide by the restrictions of BOTH classes. A Fighter/Mage could wear Fighter armor, but not cast spells while so doing. A Fighter/Cleric could not use swords or bows. A Thief/Cleric could sneak, but not in heavy armor, and so on. Dual-and-Multi-Classing in Baldur's Gate 2 {DND016} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> There is one significant advantage to multi-classing over dual-classing in Baldur's Gate 2, namely in the selection of Epic Level Feats. Upon reaching a certain experience threshold (and every level thereafter) you'll get to pick a feat, many of which are phenomenally strong. If you dual-class, you'll never again level up with your dormant class, meaning you'll never get these feats. A dual-class Fighter/Thief might have all the perks of a Fighter, and unimpeded progression in thieving skills as well, but they will never get the Epic Fighter feats. A multi-classed Fighter/Thief will, however. This is something to keep in mind for later, if you plan on making a character that imports to the sequel. Consider yourself duly warned-if your 'uber' Fighter/Thief dual-classer turns out to be a sissy late in the sequel because you can't get Greater Whirlwind Attack(s)... it's on you. Class Kits {DND017} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> In Baldur's Gate most single-classes have 'kits' which are basically variants of the normal class. These include everything from shape shifting Druids, combat-focused Bards, Paladins skilled at thwarting Mages, sword saint Fighters, and Rangers who are truly dedicated archers. For the most part the kit functions like the normal class, with a few advantages and disadvantages thrown in. Note that you cannot multi-class with a kit, but you can start out with a kit or specialization and then dual class into a class without a kit or specialization. o==========================o |Barbarian | {DND018} o==========================o CLASS FEATURES: --> May not wear armor heavier than splint mail. --> May not exceed Specialization (two slots) with any weapon class. --> May achieve Specialization (two slots) in any fighting style and allocate three slots in Two-Weapon Style. --> Moves 2 points faster than other characters. --> Immune to Backstab. --> May use the Rage ability once per day every 4 levels (starts at 1st level with one use). RAGE: The enraged status lasts for five rounds and provides a +4 bonus to Strength and Constitution, a -2 penalty to Armor Class and a +2 bonus to Saving Throws vs. Spell, as well as immunity to all Charm, Hold, Fear, Maze, Stun, Sleep, Confusion, and Level Drain spells. --> 11th level: Gains 10% resistance to crushing, slashing, piercing, and missile damage. An additional 5% is gained at level 15 and 19. --> Hit Dice: d12 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> A Barbarian certainly looks like a viable choice for any warrior, but keep in mind that they aren't great on defense, as they can't use the heaviest armor in the game. It doesn't help that one of their key abilities actually lowers their Armor Class further, so don't rely on them to 'hold the line', although the extra Hit Points gained from raging will certainly help, even more so considering that Overhaul Games had to good sense to actually give them the d12 Hit Dice they were supposed to have had in the original Baldur's Gate 2. Their rage ability raises their Strength and Constitution by 4 points, which is HUGE, but since it lasts only five rounds... well... you'll need to burn through a lot of them just to finish a fight, while a normal Fighter could do just fine with potions of giant Strength, and later on in a sequel that Strength superiority will be rendered less impressive. Girdles of Giant Strength means any Fighter can enjoy being part of the high-Strength club... all the time... with no fatigue. All things considered, it might be better to just get a Fighter with Grand Mastery. They keep those combat bonuses all the time, and can wear heavier armor. Unless you're really into role-playing a baba, I can't really recommend them over a Fighter, even though they move faster and gain some resistances to slashing, piercing, crushing, and missile damage. Of course, if you're patient and you get your hands on some sweet White Dragon Scale armor in the sequel, those Armor Class woes will become a thing of the past... Barbarian Level EXP HP <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 1 n/a 1d12 2 2,000 2d12 3 4,000 3d12 4 8,000 4d12 5 16,000 5d12 6 32,000 6d12 7 64,000 7d12 8 125,000 8d12 o==========================o |Bard | {DND019} o==========================o CLASS FEATURES: --> May not wear armor heavier than chain mail. (Spells canont be cast while wearing armor.) --> May not equip shields larger than bucklers. --> May only become Proficient (one slot) in any weapon class. --> May only become Proficient (one slot) in any fighting style. --> Thieving abilities: Pick Pockets. --> Increased Lore score. --> May cast arcane spells starting at 2nd level. --> May use Bard Song ability. While active, the Bard Song has the following effects: Restore Morale to its average value Remove Fear Protection From Fear --> Alignment restricted to any neutral. --> Hit die: d6 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Bards are rogues with a flair for the dramatic. They sing, they dance, they cast spells... they just aren't as good at the whole Thiefy thing. Not being a self-contained game anymore, Bards are no longer even worth a glance in the first Baldur's Gate. Their fighting abilities are sub-par, and their spells will become limited in the sequel. Granted, they'll get a good number of great spells, but when you compare them to a Fighter/Mage or Fighter/Mage/Thief, they're woefully under-powered. Even with their best Bard Songs in the sequel, their effects fail to compare to the devastation a Fighter/Mage can bring about. In the first game, however, their Bard Song is laughably the equivalent of a 1st-level Cleric spell. Bard Level EXP HP Spells Pick Pockets <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 1 n/a 1d6 40% 2 1,250 2d6 1 45% 3 2,500 3d6 2 50% 4 5,000 4d6 2/1 55% 5 10,000 5d6 3/1 60% 6 20,000 6d6 3/2 65% 7 40,000 7d6 3/2/1 70% 8 70,000 8d6 3/3/1 75% 9 110,000 9d6 3/3/2 80% 10 160,000 9d6+2 3/3/2/1 85% Blade {DND020} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> A Blade might seem like a good idea on paper, as it gets Offensive Spin and Defensive Spin abilities... but let's look at them critically. Offensive Spin doesn't stack with Haste, so it's really only giving you a +2 bonus to attack and damage, which will not make a you a competitive front-liner, even if the max damage is nice. Defensive Spin might not go past a +10 bonus, but for a Bard that's still a pretty hefty benefit. As for the 'disadvantages' Pick Pockets can be raised with potions, and won't be a huge issue, and Lore is pretty useless anyways. Just keep in mind that these benefits are largely going to be redundant by the time you get deep into the sequel. Defensively, you're fine, but you'll never be able to compete with a Fighter's THAC0 (single, dual, or multi- classed), and lacking Greater Whirlwind... well, it's not much of an offensive character after long. Don't get me wrong, this class is wretchedly powerful in the first game-when Fighters haven't really broken away from pretenders with their THAC0s yet, and when that bonus to Armor Class will be an absolute game-breaker, but in the sequel, they'll lose most of their bite. Advantages: --> May play 3 slots in Two-Weapon Style. --> May use the Offensive Spin and Defensive Spin abilities once per day per 4 levels. OFFENSIVE SPIN: During the next 24 seconds, the Blade's movement rate doubles and she gains a +2 bonus to hit and damage rolls as well as an extra attack per round. All attacks deal maximum damage for the duration. Offensive spin may not be used in conjunction with the Haste or Improved Haste spells. DEFENSIVE SPIN: During the next 24 seconds, the Blade is rooted to the spot and gains a +1 bonus to Armor Class per level, up to a maximum of +10. Disadvantages: --> Only has one half normal Lore value. --> Only has one half normal Pick Pockets score. Jester {DND021} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> The Jester has been improved somewhat in recent patches, but still suffers from a number of problems. First, Bards aren't terribly hardy, and forcing them to be within 30 feet of foes is just asking for trouble. Instead of forcing a save at +4 for their confusion effect (as they used to), they now do so at a +2, and as they level up they apply additional effects to their song. Confusion and Slow are pretty good effects, but even at a +2 bonus, I'd rather just use the arcane spell, both of which impose a penalty to saves, instead of a wussy +2 version. Their 20th level bonus is just absurd-knocking a foe unconcious entirely renders the confusion and slow useless, so why bother? Confusion might be a good ability to affect foes with early on, especially when saves are generally high, but later in the game any Mage will debilitate foes better. Heck, by that time I'd rather have the Jester itself doing better things. The Slow by 15th level is too little, too late. If you must play a bard, you'd be better off with a Skald or a Blade. Advantages: --> Jester's song does not help allies. Instead, every opponent within 30 feet must save once per round to avoid falling under its effects: 1st level: Enemies must save vs. Spell with a +2 bonus or be be confused 15th level: Enemies must save vs. Spell with a +2 bonus or be confused, and must save vs. Spell or be slowed. 20th level: Enemies must save vs. Spell with a +2 bonus or be confused, must save vs. Spell at +2 or be knocked unconsious, and must save vs. Spell or be slowed. Disadvantages: --> None. Skald {DND022} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Now if you want a melee handy Bard, this is the way to go. +1 to hit and damage all the time beats a Blade's offering. And what about their Bard song? Those bonuses are absolutely awesome! I mean, you can't get the really, really good bonuses in this game, but even the lower-level version is pretty damn good. As for their disadvantage? Pick pockets is useless anyways, so don't worry about having a low value there. You can always use potions when you need to. Overall, this is probably the best Bard kit... in the long run. Advantages: --> +1 to hit and +1 to damage rolls. --> The Skald's song is different from the typical Bard's and varies with level: 1st: Grants allies a +2 to hit and damage rolls, and a +2 bonus to AC. 15th: Grants allies a +4 to hit and damage rolls, a +4 bonus to AC, and immunity to fear. 20th: Grants allies a +4 to hit and damage rolls, a +4 bonus to AC, and immunity to fear, stun, and confusion. Disadvantages: --> Only has one quarter the normal Pick Pockets score. o==========================o |Cleric | {DND023} o==========================o CLASS FEATURES: --> May wear helmets. --> May wear any armor. --> May only use non-bladed, non-piercing weapons (war hammer, club, flail, mace, quarterstaff, sling). --> May only become Proficient (one slot) in any weapon class. --> May only become Proficient (on slot) in any weapon fight style. --> May Turn Undead. --> May cast priest spells. --> Hit Die: d8 Prime Requisite for Dual-Classing: Wisdom <----------------------------------------------------------------------> The Cleric is a spell caster who is more melee-capable, with mostly defensive, healing, and status-affecting spells. They might not have the sheer versatility of a Mage, but they've got a number of great spells, especially in the sequel. And of course, if you want to have healing power at your fingertips, this is the best way to get it. On the other hand, the developers give you plenty of recruitable Clerics to choose from, and there's not much you'll gain by making your own single- classed Cleric compared to what your allies can provide. If you make a multi-classed Fighter/Cleric, however... ugh... you know, Jaheira and Anomen will do a fine job with that, and Viconia is a great single- classed Cleric. You don't really need to make yourself a Cleric. If you do, however, just don't forget that Clerics are restricted to blunt weapons, so don't expect to dual-or-multi-class into a bow-wielding sword-swinging Fighter type with Cleric spells. Clerics can turn undead, which is useful in... well, making undead flee. But the undead this works on are so weak, it's more of a chore to have to chase them down than to simply kill them, and it likely won't work on more powerful undead, so I can't recommend using it often. Cleric Level EXP HP Spells <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 1 n/a 1d8 1 2 1,500 2d8 2 3 3,000 3d8 2/1 4 6,000 4d8 3/2 5 13,000 5d8 3/3/1 6 27,500 6d8 3/3/2 7 55,000 7d8 3/3/2/1 8 110,000 8d8 3/3/3/2 Priest of Talos {DND024} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Lightning Bolt isn't a great spell, but Storm Shield provide some interesting bonuses to your resistances, at least. Once per day per ten levels of the caster means... once... but at least it lasts a long time. Advantages: --> May cast Lightning bolt once per day per 5 levels of the caster (starts at 1st level with one use.) --> May cast 'Storm Shield' once per day per 10 levels of the caster (starts at 1st level with one use), as detailed below. STORM SHIELD: This spell lasts 1 round per level of the caster. It protects the caster from lightning, fire, cold, and normal missiles. Disadvantages: --> Alignment restricted to evil. Priest of Helm {DND025} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> The Priest of Helm may be the best variant, especially for evil parties. Having some extra True Sight spells cannot be underestimated. Seeking Sword is a little lame, but it does give you a +4 weapon, allowing you to strike foes that require highly enchanted weapons... mostly a sequel concern. Its damage doesn't stand up, but it does give you three attacks per round, even though it takes away your ability to cast spells for its duration, which blows. Alright, it's really all about the True Sight, but dammit, that spell is good enough that it's worth it. It's like having a Cleric with an extra 5th-level spell slot per five levels! Advantages: --> May cast True Sight once per day per 5 levels (starts at 1st level with one use). --> May cast Seeking Sword once per day per 10 levels (starts at 1st level with one use), as detailed below. SEEKING SWORD: This spell creates a sword in the Cleric's hand (that cannot be dropped or unequipped). The sword is +4 for purposes of determining what it can hit (but this bonus does not apply to attack or damage rolls), and it deals out 2d4 damage to any target it hits. The weapon sets the number of attacks of the Cleric to 3. It lasts for 1 round per level of the caster. When equipped the wielder cannot cast further spells. Disadvantages: --> Alignment restricted to neutral. Priest of Lathander {DND026} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Another good Cleric kit, if you really don't like undead, this is worth a glance. Hold Undead is decent at stopping some undead, but it probably won't work terribly often. The Boon of Lathander, however, is a very nice ability, making the Cleric more potent for its fairly lengthy duration. There are few enough good ways to make yourself immune to level drain, and while you won't need the protection in the first game, there are plenty of level-draining foes in the sequel. Still, if push comes to shove, I'd rather have the True Sight the Priest of Helm gets, than immunity to level drain. Advantages: --> May cast Hold Undead once per day for every 5 levels of the caster (starts at 1st level with one use). --> May cast Boon of Lathander for every 10 levels of the caster, (starts at 1st level with one use), as detailed below. BOON OF LATHANDER: This spell lasts for 1 round per level of the caster. It gives the caster a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls, a +1 bonus to all Saving Throws, and 1 extra attack per round. It also protects the recipient from level drain. Disadvantages: --> Alignment restricted to good. o==========================o |Cleric/Ranger | {DND027} o==========================o Thanks to some wise advice I received from my readers, my eyes were opened to the merits of this class. To be fair, they're not readily apparent through much of the first game, but in the sequel, this multi- class combination really becomes something special. Why, then, mention it here? Well, this guide is all about continuity, and really, in Baldur's Gate 1, none of the multi-class combos fully come into their own (even my beloved Fighter/Mage). If you want a great character for the first game only... well, then just play a Fighter and muscle through everything. Or a Blade. Anyways, the big draw of a Cleric/Ranger over the superficially similar Fighter/Cleric is a simple matter of spell selection. They'll both get Clerical spells, obviously, but the Ranger/Cleric will also get Druidic spells (thanks to their Ranger levels). Mind you, you won't get two separate spellbooks for Cleric and Druid spells, instead you'll get Druidic spells mixed in with your Cleric spells... meaning you get extra spell-selection (if not extra spell memorization) with absolutely no downside. Other than that... well, the Fighter/Cleric has the same weapon selection, same weapon proficiency limitations, same Hit Points... and no ability to sneak about (for what good that does, without a backstab), so why not just play a Cleric/Ranger instead? o==========================o |Druid | {DND028} o==========================o CLASS FEATURES: --> May not wear armor heavier than studded leather. --> May not equip shields larger than bucklers. --> May only use the following weapons: scimitar, dagger, club, spear, quarterstaff, dart, sling. --> May only become proficient (one slot) in any weapon class. --> May only become proficient (one slot) in any fighting style. --> May cast druidic spells. --> 7th level: May Shapeshift into a wolf, black bear, or brown bear once per day. --> 15th level: Becomes immune to poison. --> 18th level: Gains 10% resistance to cold, fire, electricity and acid, gains a further 10% resistance at levels 21 and 24. --> Alignment resticted to true neutral. --> Hit Die: d8 Prime Requisite for Dual-Classing: Wisdom, Charisma <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Druids are a lot like Clerics, but instead of worshiping gods they are typically animists and get their power from nature itself. How does that matter? It doesn't really. Their spells are more nature-focused... why this doesn't allow them to have Protection from Evil 10' Radius or Hold Person is beyond me, but they still have a good selection of spells none-the-less. In addition, they aren't afraid to use edged or piercing weapons. Unfortunately, they don't like metal, so they can't use heavy armor, most shields, or many of the better weapons that Clerics can. Let's face it, a morning star or mace is better than a dagger any day. In all, they won't be as well protected as a Cleric, and frankly, the Cleric has the edge on them in spells. Druids can't turn undead, but they can shapechange in later levels. This allows them to change into a brown bear, black bear, or wolf... although I can't think of a single instance in when this is useful. In the sequel they become even more poorly matched when compared to a Cleric, as their Armor Class woes become severe. A Cleric isn't a good type of character to get into combat with in the first place, but at least Clerics have armor to keep themselves alive. If you MUST play a Druid, make a Fighter/Druid. This eliminates the armor problem. And shield problem. And melee incompetence problem... But you already have Jaheira, so... why bother? Druid Level EXP HP Spells <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 1 n/a 1d8 1 2 2,000 2d8 2 3 4,000 3d8 2/1 4 7,500 4d8 3/2 5 12,500 5d8 3/3/1 6 20,000 6d8 3/3/2 7 35,000 7d8 3/3/2/1 8 60,000 8d8 3/3/3/2 9 90,000 9d8 4/4/3/2/1 10 125,000 9d8+2 4/4/3/3/2 Totemic Druid {DND029} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You can summon weak monsters, but you can't shapeshift into weak monsters. Huzzah. Advantages: --> May summon a special spirit animal (spirit bear, spirit wolf, spirit lion, spirit snake) once per day ever 5 levels. The Totemic Druid can call a 1 HD animal at level 1, a 3 HD animal at level 3, a 5 HD animal aat level 5, a 7 HD animal at level 10, and a 10 HD animal at level 10. Disadvantages: --> Cannot Shapeshift. Shapeshifter {DND030} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You can become a Werewolf, and eventually a Greater Werewolf (at least in the sequel), which is... well... everything to this kit. Unfortunately in the original Baldur's Gate 2 this class was nerfed-the Werewolf you got was nowhere near where it should have been... even still, if it wasn't nerfed, it was nowhere near as strong as it should have been. Now we have the Enhanced Edition, so the big question for this kit is... does it work now? I have no idea, honestly, there's no (legitimate) way to test the Greater Werewolf in the Enhanced Edition. But I can-and did-do some testing of the normal Werewolf, and from what I've seen... the answer appears to be no. The Werewolf shapeshift raises... no... not raises... SETS your Strength to 19, Dexterity to 16, and Constitution to 15. The problem here, of course, is that you can-and should-start with higher values in at least Dexterity and Constitution. Also, any character can easily get the Tome of Gainful Exercise in this game and raise their Strength by one point permanently. That 19 Strength looks less wonderful when you realize ANY character starting with an 18 Strength can-and should-end up with a 19 by the end of the game. And they don't have to Shapeshift to get it. Otherwise, the Shapeshift sets your Armor Class to one (-1 with the 16 Dexterity), gives you two attacks per round, and 20% magic resistance. As far as I can tell, that's all you get. No immunity to non-magical weapons, nothing. As you can plainly see, this class will be out-performed by any well-rolled 2nd level Fighter wearing Plate Mail Armor, and as our hypothetical Shapeshifter as their superior Fighter pal level, this potency gap will only widen. This class was a load of crap in Baldur's Gate 2, and it's a load of crap in the Enhanced Edition. Really, Overhaul Games? The Baldur's Gate 2 Tweak Pack fixed this and you couldn't/wouldn't? Maybe the Werewolf/Greater Werewolf shapeshift in Baldur's Gate 2 wasn't nerfed... maybe it was canon. It was SUPPOSED to suck, sure. But a Werewolf that isn't immune to non-magical weapons? No regeneration of any kind? Why is the Shapeshifter's Werewolf/Greater Werewolf transformation weaker than any actual Werewolf/Greater Werewolf monster in the game? It makes NO sense. Advantages: --> May shapeshift into the form of a Werewolf once per day for every 2 levels (starts at 1st level with one use). --> At 13th level gains the ability to change into a Greater Werewolf once per day. Disadvantages: --> May not wear any armor. --> No other shapeshifting abilities due to the effort required in maintaining balance in his primary forms. Avenger {DND031} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Well, I'll admit that Improved Invisibility, Chaos, and Chain Lightning are all good additions, but the shapechanges are worthless. And losing the Strength and Constitution? The Constitution isn't bad for a single- classed Druid as they can't exceed a +2 bonus at 16 anyways, but the Strength? That hurts. It's not a like a Druid was going to be very strong anyways, so the loss of one point of to hit and damage isn't very severe, and nothing a Giant Strength item can't fix. Losing access to Studded Leather Armor is... well... annoying, but there's not a huge difference between one sucky suit of armor and the next anyways. It's rather hard to critique this kit at all, given the whole feeling of 'who cares' when talking about the Druid in general... Still, while the 4th, 5th, and 6th level all spells are decent, Improved Invisibility can be obtained other ways (at least in the sequel, where it counts), Chaos will have to compete with Insect Plague, and Chain Lightning is a mediocre damage-dealer. At the end of the day, you're probably better off being able to wear better armor than being able to cast Improved Invisibility, which is easily duplicated and will be just as easily removed by over-zealous foes using True Sight. Lastly, there are plenty of Mages to cast Chaos-but only Druids can cast Insect Plague, so why not stick to what they're good at? This class is essentially a dubious defensive trade-off in return for a spell you won't need to memorize and an okay damage-dealer. It has its good points, sure, and is clearly the least-offensive Druid kit... but at the end of the day you're still stuck with playing a Druid. Advantages: --> May shapechange into the form of a sword spider, baby wyvern, and fire salamander besides the normal shapeshifting abilities. --> Six mage spells are added to his repertoire, all the way up to 6th level. These are listed below: 1st level: Chromatic Orb. 2nd level: Web. 3rd level: Lightning Bolt. 4th level: Improved Invisibility. 5th level: Chaos. 6th level: Chain Lightning. Disadvantages: --> May not wear heavier armor than leather. --> Incurs a -2 penalty to Strength and Constitution. o==========================o |Fighter | {DND032} o==========================o CLASS FEATURES: --> May wear helmets. --> May wear any armor and use any weapon. --> May achieve Grand Mastery (five slots) with any weapon class. --> May achieve Specialization (two slots) in any fighting style and allocate three slots in Two-Weapon Style. --> Hit Die: d10 Prime Requisite for Dual-Classing: Strength <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Making your own Fighter is the easy choice for the first game, and frankly having a Fighter with 18(xx) Strength, 18 Dexterity, and 18 Constitution will allow you to muscle through this game, especially if you attain High Mastery in a weapon. If you want to go through the game with a Fighter, you can... and should... consider dual-classing... after you hit 9th level and get Grand Mastery, anyways. And that's really what this class is best at. On its own, it's rather one dimensional-even if it's really, really good at that dimension! But as a multi-or-dual- class option, it's wonderful. Make a dual-or-multi-classed Fighter/Mage and enjoy (most) of the awesome melee power and survivability of a Fighter... and cast spells to enhance that power! Make a Fighter/Thief to obtain a more sturdy, melee-competent Thief. It's a great class when it plays with others, and since the game gives you plenty of good, stale, single-classed Fighters, why over-saturate the market when you can make something better? Dual-or-multi-classing a Fighter/Mage or Fighter/Thief or Fighter/Cleric will give you the best results. Just remember, dual-classers, the best benefits of a Fighter are their low THAC0, high Hit Points, and the ability to Grand Master. Most of which can be obtained by level nine, which is the ideal time to dual-class from a Fighter. For multi-classers... well, you get to keep that awesome THAC0 until you cap at level 20, and those great Hit Points dilute whatever crappy Hit Points your second (and possibly, third) class gives you. Best of all, you'll get the Fighter high-level abilities in the sequel... which means Greater whirlwind Attack. These are, of course, all considerations for the sequel. In the first game, if you plan to dual-class you'll ideally do so next game, playing the entirety of Baldur's Gate through with a single-classed Fighter. Fighter Level EXP HP <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 1 n/a 1d10 2 2,000 2d10 3 4,000 3d10 4 8,000 4d10 5 16,000 5d10 6 32,000 6d10 7 64,000 7d10 8 125,000 8d10 Berserker {DND033} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> If you want to be like your pal Minsc, this is the way to go. Rage is a decent ability that gives you a bonus to hit and damage, but imposes an Armor Class penalty. One turn is a fairly long time, and since you get many of them, you'll be able to keep yourself juiced up. I think every Fighter should have a ranged option, however, and not being able to specialize in ranged weapons... well, you could always use a Throwing Axe or something similar. It's a decent kit, although even with Korgan (a Berserker in the sequel) I hardly ever used the abilities it provides. Again, not because it's not good, but because I was wary of the Hit Point loss at the end. I never felt it absolutely necessary to have those bonuses at the potential risk of having a character come down from Rage and die. Also note the penalties after you exit Rage-it's not a free ride. Still, all things considered it adds a little extra potential to the Fighter with no significant downsides. I give it a pass, especially since the list of immunities while enraged has increased a good deal in the Enhanced Edition. Immunity to imprisonment, stun, and level drain? Yes please. I can already think of several places where that would come in very hand in the sequel... Since this class makes a great single-class option, it should be no surprise that it would also make a great dual-class base. A Berserker/Thief, Berserker/Mage, or Berserker/Cleric certainly wouldn't be hurt by the ability to Rage. Note that you gain 15 'temporary' Hit Points when you use enrage. Temporary is not the same as free. If you lose any of these Hit Points, you'll suffer when you come out of Rage, this just allows you to weather a little more damage before you die while in Rage. Be sure to have a Cleric handy to heal a Rage-using Berserker if their Hit Points are low. Nothing sucks more than having a character fall over dead after winning a tough fight. Right Aec'Letec? Asshole. Advantages: --> May use Rage ability once per day every four levels. RAGE: The enraged state lasts for 1 turn. While enraged, a Berserker gains a bonus of +2 to his attack and damage rolls as well as his Armor Class, and becomes immune to charm, confusion, fear, feeblemind, hold, maze, imprisonment, level drain, maze, stun, and sleep. The Berserker also gains 15 temporary Hit Points which are taken away at the end of his berserk spree, possibly killing him. Disadvantages: --> Becomes winded after berserking: -2 penalty to Armor Class, to-hit rolls and damage rolls. --> May not Specialize in ranged weapons. Wizard Slayer {DND034} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> The Wizard Slayer is good against spell casters, but weak against everything else. Their lack of the ability to use any magical equipment save weapons and armor might actually make them more vulnerable to Mages than a straight Fighter! And they do mean ANY magical items except armor. Fortunately this allows them to wear Helmets and use Shields, but no Cloaks, Rings, Bracers, Girdles or Necklaces. Honestly, an Inquisitor Paladin kit is a MUCH better Mage-killer than this class could ever aspire to be. Being able to drop a True Sight or Dispel Magic at will absolutely confounds most Mages, especially with their quick cast times. If you want a Mage-buster, do that instead. The Inquisitor suffers no significant drawbacks and gets-for my money-better abilities in return. Advantages: --> Each successful hit bestows a 10% cumulative chance of spell failure on the target. --> 1% Magic Resistance per level. Disadvantages: --> May not use any magic items except for weapons and armor. Kensai {DND035} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Again, I prefer all my characters to have a ranged option, and this class takes some of the better options away from my characters. Granted a Two Weapon Style Fighter will probably not use a ranged weapon very much, but there are more severe problems than that. A +2 bonus to Armor Class does not counter the lack of wearing any armor at all, and the fact that you can't wear gauntlets or bracers means you can't even shore up your defenses with Bracers of Defense. Sure, there are plenty of items that increase your Armor Class marginally, but the Kensai is going to be chewed up in combat nonetheless. Its bonuses are good, but in my mind I just don't think the bonuses to hit and damage and a few rounds of the 'kai' ability make up for the total lack of armor. And of course, if you're throwing every scrap of Armor Class lowering gear on the Kensai, every other character who needs it will suffer, too. They just drag the whole party down with their suck. I almost hate to say it, but the Berserker, Inquisitor, or even a plain Fighter will be stronger, all things considered. In fact, I'd even rather play a Skald through both games than play a Kensai. At least the Skald could temper their inferior offense with magic and a great Bard Song. But wait... maybe I'm missing something... right, this is the Enhanced Edition! One of the big draws of any Fighter is their ability to dual-class, right? But in the original guides, I wanted continuity, which meant I couldn't (for obvious reasons) start as a Kensai in Baldur's Gate 1, then dual-class in Baldur's Gate 2. Of course, I could have made my own Kensai in Baldur's Gate 2 and dual-classed... but what fun is that? I wanted to go through BOTH games with the SAME character. Now you can have your Kensai and eat it too. If you were thinking about dual-classing with a Fighter as your base class, it might not be a terrible idea to get some of those Kensai bonuses. A Kensai/Mage or Kensai/Thief isn't a terrible idea, and in the sequel you can cover up your Armor Class woes a bit by getting some of the superior Bracers of Defense the game offers. I still don't find the dual-class option nearly as appealing as a multi-class one, but the bonuses gained by a Kensai will make a superior character base to dual with. After all, a dual-class Kensai/Mage will have defensive buffs to help them out, and a dual-class Kensai/Thief shouldn't be expected to hold the line anyways. A single-class Kensai, however, is garbage. Note that the Kensai's armor exemption really does mean ALL armor, even armor which isn't encumbering enough to block spells such as Bladesinger Chain (a great suit of armor in the sequel). There is one exception though... the Big Metal Unit near the end of the sequel, which will bestow upon the character a phenomenal armor class, if you can make it to the end of Throne of Bhaal, anyways. By then you're pretty much done with the game though. Advantages: --> +2 bonus to Armor Class. --> +1 to hit and damage rolls every 3 levels. --> -1 bonus to Speed Factor every 4 levels. --> May use the Kai ability once per day ever 4 level (starting at 1st level with one use). KAI: All successful attacks within the next 10 seconds deal maximum damage. Disadvantages: --> May not wear any armor. --> May not use missile weapons. --> May not wear gauntlets or bracers. Dwarven Defender {DND036} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> The only class the Human can't play, the Dwarven Defender, as its name subtly implies, requires a Dwarven protagonist. As you might expect, this class is all about fitting into cliches and defense. What do Dwarves fight with? Axes and War Hammers. So what are the only two weapons the Dwarven Defender can attain High Mastery (four ranks) with? Axes and War Hammers, of course. Fair enough, one of the best weapons in the game is a War Hammer, which can be obtained almost right out of Candlekeep, and whilest good magical axes are scarce, they're not non-existent. Not being able to Grand Master in any weapons might hurt in the long-run (and when it comes to character creation, this is a long-run kind of guide), but many other classes get away with worse restrictions-it all depends on what other abilities they bring to the table. On this account the Dwarven Defender does alright. Their Defensive Stance seems great-the 50% resistance to physical damage, especially, but one turn is ten rounds, which isn't the longest period of time, especially when they're moving at half speed. Also, mind that the resistance is to 'physical damage'. This will not help a bit against spells, which will be much more of a concern in the sequel, but at least they throw in a +2 bonus to Saving Throws, whatever small measure that is. I'm also concerned about the movement speed issue, which might make tactical withdrawals (not retreats!) for healing less likely to end in preserving the life of the Dwarven Defender... an ironic disadvantage, to be sure. More mouth-watering to gamers will be the brute 5% damage reduction gain every 5th level (maximum 20% at 20th level) and the d12 Hit Dice per level... but wait... this sounds awfully familiar, doesn't it? Pretty much identical bonuses to what the Barbarian gets. Good thing the Dwarven Defender has better proficiency selection and can wear heavier armor, making them the superior choice in my book. The Dwarven Defender might be one of those rare kits which is actually better than the base class-but it still pales in comparison with some of the better dual-and-multi-class combinations out there. Surely no character who can cast Stoneskin will care a bit about any of the Dwarven Defender's resistances. Advantages: --> May use Defensive Stance once per day every 4 levels (starts at 1st level with one use). DEFENSIVE STANCE: For 1 turn, the Dwarven Defender gains +50% resistance to all forms of physical damage, a +2 bonus to Saving Throws, and a 50% movement rate penalty. --> Gains 5% resistance to crushing, slashing, piercing, and missile damage every 5 levels to a maximum of 20% at level 20. --> Hit Dice: d12 Disadvantages: --> Race restricted to Dwarf. --> May not exceed High Mastery (four slots) in axes and war hammers. --> May not exceed Specialization (two slots) in any other weapon. o==========================o |Fighter/Cleric | {DND037} o==========================o <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You'll have a better Fighter than a straight Cleric, or a weaker Fighter with Clerical spells, depending on how you view it. I always thought a Fighter/Druid was a more interesting concept, as it fixed the problems inherent with the latter class. Still, a more powerful Cleric is a real good thing, this is almost as good as a straight Fighter and with a good selection of Cleric spells to boot. Ultimately the Fighter/Mage is stronger due to its defensive spells, but this is no slouch of a multi- class either. For a more battle-hardened dual-class option, consider a Berserker/Cleric. It's as close as you can get to a barbarian war- priest, and all things considered, probably wouldn't make a terribly play. o==========================o |Fighter/Druid | {DND038} o==========================o This combination works almost exactly like the Fighter/Cleric, except that you will of course have Druid spells instead of Clerical ones, and you will have the Druid weapon selection, which includes Scimitars, but doesn't allow War Hammers, Maces, and Flails. The game provides you with a perfectly fine recruitable Fighter/Druid in Jaheira, so I don't know why you'd ever need to make your own. o==========================o |Fighter/Mage | {DND039} o==========================o <----------------------------------------------------------------------> My favorite class, and possibly the strongest in the game... at least, by the time you make it into the sequel. You can't wear armor and cast spells at the same time, but that's hardly an issue in this game, where you have many ways to improve your Armor Class without having to wear armor. Bracers of Defense are one obvious way, while Robes of the Archmagi will give you the same protection as Chain Mail. Although this won't be enough to make you terribly safe on the front lines, that's where the Mage comes in. Pop on defensive spells like Blur, Mirror Image, Stoneskin, and Improved Invisibility and you've got defensive protection a Fighter can only dream of-shiny armor be damned. Normally the poor Fighter/Mage would have to wait until Baldur's Gate 2 to come into their own, but the expanded spells of the Enhanced Edition allows this class to start making a good show for themselves later in the first game. It's really all about Stoneskin, folks. On a Mage, it keeps them safe, on a Mage with serious melee competency, it turns them into juggernauts. Normally I'd suggest using the Fighter/Mage mostly as an archer in the first game... but with the Enhanced Edition, we can't respec when we move to the sequel. That means we need to have our proficiencies good to go for Baldur's Gate 2 in Baldur's Gate 1. For me, this always means investing in the Two-Weapon Style. Depending on your tastes, Katanas, Flails, Long Swords, and Axes all make great showings in the sequel. In the first game, however, I advocate Flails-not just because few other characters will compete with them, nor because we can purchase a +2 specimen, but because we can score an awesome Flail in the sequel fairly early in the game. Once again, Fighter/Mages really come into their own in the sequel. I know I've said that several times, but it should be stressed-delayed gratification in this game will lead to a super-tank character that can soak up magic or melee attacks with the right spells memorized, and retort with a devastating Time Stop/Greater Whirlwind combo. Since dual-class options won't be able to get warrior high-level abilities (Greater Whirlwind), I don't suggest them. The Kensai can keep their bonuses to attack and damage, I'd rather have the Time Stop/Greater Whirlwind combo... unless you think a few points of damage, a +2 bonus to Armor Class, and the Kai ability will be able to compete with ten free attacks per round against a helpless foe, thanks to the aforementioned Greater Whirlwind/Time Stop combo. o==========================o |Fighter/Mage/Cleric | {DND040} o==========================o <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Ah, the triple-classer. In the sequel you'll get to pretty high levels with all three classes, meaning you won't start to feel the hurt of your choice too much. Sure, it's going to be hell getting this class up and running (you'll be level one still when most of your buddies are hitting level three and four) but when you start casting third level Mage and Cleric spells, everything is forgiven. Also note that because of the Cleric you won't be much of an archer, as you'll be regulated to slings which... are not very good. This class might be an example of just too many options, not enough rounds. You'll be able to spell buff pretty well, but in combat you can still only take one action a round. That's one Mage spell, one Cleric spell, or one attack. Having all that versatility in one character doesn't really mean much if you can't bring it to bear. The most crippling thing this, and all triple-classed characters will suffer is the fact that they won't get many epic feats in the sequel. Not legitimately, anyways. o==========================o |Fighter/Mage/Thief | {DND041} o==========================o <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This class suffers from many of the problems the Fighter/Mage/Cleric suffers from, but in a lesser degree. Firstly, most Thief skills are useful out of combat, or as telling first strikes. It's not another host of spells you're trying to cast in a finite window of time, meaning the Thief actually enhances the Fighter and the Mage. Also, the Thief is capable of using a much greater selection of weapons than the Cleric, allowing you to diversify your weapons and tactics much more. A Fighter/Mage/Thief in essence works like a combination of the Fighter/Mage and Fighter/Thief. All in all, it's a slightly toned-down Fighter/Mage, with Thieving abilities thrown in-great for a suffering evil party! Plus, you'll have the option to jump on other spell-casters with pre-emptive backstabs, whereas the Fighter/Mage cannot. While the Fighter/Mage is arguably more destructive in the long run (at least in the sequel) the Fighter/Mage/Thief will be more versatile. Even though it's difficult to get this class off the ground-a Fighter protagonist with 18 Constitution and 4,000 experience can get up to 42 Hit Points, but a Fighter/Mage/Thief with the same Constitution and experience will have a pathetic 11 Hit Points-I still think it's the best evil character to take through both games. o==========================o |Fighter/Thief | {DND042} o==========================o <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This class easily matches a Ranger's skill with weapons while having the same quirks. Some important differences remain, a Fighter/Thief can disable traps and backstab, while a Ranger cannot. This makes a Fighter/Thief in my eyes a good bit more powerful than a Ranger. Sure, the Ranger will have higher Hit Points and some minor Druid spells, but a Fighter/Thief is just as good in combat, especially since they can backstab. Things only get better for the Fighter/Thief in Baldur's Gate 2 as their backstab reaches a mighty x5 and a deeper melee system allows them to abuse it to its fullest advantage. If you were thinking of making a Thief, go with a Fighter/Thief instead. You'll get a much more potent character out of it. Hell, if you were thinking of playing a Ranger, give the Fighter/Thief a look. Then you don't have to bring around a Thief at all! In the Enhanced Edition, this class becomes even more interesting as a dual-class option. You only need so many levels of Thief-eventually you'll be able to do all the Thiefy stuff you need, which really means Find Traps. Afterwards, the class is kind of a waste. But since we can use class kits in the first game and take the same character to the sequel, the option to make an Assassin/Fighter dual- class is now open to us. This far superior to making a Fighter/Thief dual. The Assassin gets a nice attack and damage bonus and-if you level up high enough-an absurd x7 backstab multiplier! Once you get that multiplier, dual-class to a Fighter and you'll get better armor options, proficiency options, and best of all-warrior high level abilities. Just think of a character with Greater Whirlwind, a x7 backstab multiplier, and Grand Mastery. The only downsides? You'd have to play through all of Baldur's Gate 1 as a single-class Assassin, and your Hit Points would be fairly sucky for a character meant for combat. o==========================o |Mage | {DND043} o==========================o CLASS FEATURES: --> May not wear any armor. --> May only use the following weapons: dagger, quarterstaff, dart, sling. --> May only become Proficient (one slot) in any weapon class. --> May only become Proficient (one slot) in any fighting style. --> May cast arcane spells. --> Hit Die: d4 Prime Requisite for Dual-Classing: Intelligence <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Ah, the Mage... a versatile spell caster, your proverbial glass cannon. They can't wear armor, and they have access to a poor selection of weapons. On the other hand, they don't really need them. As long as you can keep them from getting hurt, they can lay waste to your enemies with their spells. Anything from damaging spells like Fireballs, to support spells like Haste, or simple fight-winners, like Confusion and Chaos, it's the Mage's domain. A single-classed Mage is somewhat vulnerable, but a combination Fighter/Mage is strong in melee and in magic! Also, the fact that Edwin pretty much dominates the Mage field means you just don't need a single-classed Mage. Dual-or-multi-class for extra durability and versatility. If you specialize in a spell school, you will gain an extra spell per spell level. The down side? You have a prohibited school which opposes your chosen school, and you can't cast spell from the prohibited school. This can be almost painless (Conjurer), painful but survivable (Enchanter), or downright decimating (Invoker). Below is a list of the Mage schools and their prohibited school(s). Needless to say, if you have a choice in the matter Conjurer is the way to go. The Wild Mage will be mentioned in their own class section, later [DND065], since they... well, they're different enough to deserve their own section. Specialist School Opposition School <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Abjurer Abjuration Alteration Conjurer Conjuration/Summoning Divination Diviner Divination Conjuration Enchanter Enchantment/Charm Invocation Illusionist Illusion Necromancy Invoker Invocation Enchantment Necromancer Necromancy Illusion Transmuter Alteration Abjuration Mage Level EXP HP Spells <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 1 n/a 1d4 1 2 2,500 2d4 2 3 5,000 3d4 2/1 4 10,000 4d4 3/2 5 20,000 5d4 4/2/1 6 40,000 6d4 4/2/2 7 60,000 7d4 4/3/2/1 8 90,000 8d4 4/3/3/2 9 135,000 9d4 4/3/3/2/1 o==========================o |Mage/Cleric | {DND044} o==========================o <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This class suffers from the same 'too many options, not enough time to make full use of them' problem the Fighter/Mage/Cleric suffers from, but frankly the Fighter seemed like more of a problem than a boon anyways. It'll slow down progression in exchange for heavy armor (which the Cleric already provides) a few Hit Points, a small increase to THAC0, and weapon specialization. Sure, a Mage/Cleric won't be much of a warrior... but what the do you have two spell classes for if you want to be a warrior?! If you must cast both types of spells with one character, this is probably the best way to do so. o==========================o |Mage/Thief | {DND045} o==========================o <----------------------------------------------------------------------> I find it hard to imagine any case in which a Mage/Thief would be particularly useful, especially compared to a Fighter/Mage or Fighter/Thief. Being able to use Bows is fine and all, but Mages should have something better to do in most fights than shoot things. And you never need to hide if you have Invisibility. Imoen has it right, this is best done as a dual-class option for the sake of versatility. There's nothing wrong with getting a Mage with some Thief abilities, especially since you get plenty of ranks into Find Traps while sacrificing no potential Mage levels. Frankly, if you're even going to bother making a Mage as your main character, I'd suggest doing this. At least then you can dispense with having a Thief altogether... And you'd have extra Hit Points and THAC0 to boot. You lose nothing and gain a great deal. o==========================o |Monk | {DND046} o==========================o CLASS FEATURES: --> May not wear any armor. --> May only use weapons available to the Thief class (except two- handed). --> May only become Proficient (one slot) in any weapon class. --> May only become Proficient (one slot) in Single Weapon Style and may not put slots into any other style. --> Moves 2 points faster than other characters. Movement rate further improves by 1 every 5 levels. --> May make 1 unarmed attack per round. An additional 1/2 attack per round is gained every 3 levels. Damage dealt by unarmed attacks increases with level as follows: Level 1-2: 1d6 Level 3-5: 1d8 Level 6-8: 1d10 Level 9-14: 1d12 Level 15+: 1d20 --> At level 9, unarmed attacks are treated as a +1 magical weapon and gain a +1 bonus to hit and damage rolls. This enchantment improves to +2 at level 12, +3 at level 15, and +4 at level 25. --> Receives a +2 bonus to Saving Throws vs. Spell. --> Deflect Missiles: +1 bonus to AC vs. missile attacks every 3 levels. --> Starts with an Armor Class of 9 at 1st level and gains an additional +1 bonus every 2 levels. --> May use Stunning Blow ability once per day every 4 levels. STUNNING BLOW: All successful attacks within the next round force the victim to save or be stunned. This special ability automatically modifies normal attacks, no targeting needs to be done. --> 5th level: Becomes immune to all diseases and cannot be slowed or hasted. --> 7th level: May use Lay on Hands ability to heal 2 Hit Points per level. --> 8th level: Gains a -1 bonus to Speed Factor. --> 9th level: Gains a +1 bonus to all Saving Throws and becomes immune to Charm. --> 11th level: Becomes immune to poison. --> 12th level: Gains another -1 bonus to Speed Factory. --> 13th level: May use the Quivering Palm ability once per day. QUIVERING PALM: The next successful attack forces the opponent to save or die. This special ability automatically modifies normal attacks, no targeting needs to be done. --> 14th level: Gains 3% Magic Resistance per level (starting with 42% at 14th level). --> 20th level: Becomes immune to non-magical weapons. --> Alignment restricted to lawful. --> Hit Die: d8 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Ah, the Monk. There's nothing that frees a player from thought quite as much as this class. They're easy to roll up and they can only be Humans, which is easily the white-bread choice of the game. They don't require a big investment of equipment, and there are no choices to make as to how they progress. They simply go around pummeling everything with their fists, and at this they excel. The one problem is the fact that they can never control the upgrades to their unarmed attacks. They gain damage, Armor Class, speed, magical enhancement bonuses, and other benefits as they level, but this will typically place them well behind every warrior in the party. For example, your unarmed attacks won't count as magical weapons of any kind until level nine, whereas most of our warriors will have a magical weapon by level three or four. It doesn't really get any better in the sequel, either, as you can't even hit anything that requires a +4 or better weapon until level 25. That's a HUGE handicap, and although you can learn to use Thief weapons, a Monk won't be much better at fighting with them than a single-classed Thief, and that's not what you played a Monk for, is it? As for armor, the Monk can't wear a bit of it-not even a helmet, and not being protected from critical hits is something that you'll rue early and often. Again, they improve over time, but even with a high Dexterity, they'll compare poorly with a warrior boasting Plate Mail Armor and a shield. It's another class that doesn't shine until late in the sequel. If you can hang on, however, you'll get a pretty potent-if mindless-character. At 20th level they'll have a base Armor Class of -1. With a good Dexterity score and some protection items, this could potentially take their Armor Class very low. Add that to the fact that they get +1 to all saves, +2 to saves versus spells, and up to 78% magic resistance and you have a very good defensive character (mediocre Hit Points not withstanding). On top of this they gain extra bonuses against missiles, up to a presumed +6 to Armor Class at level 18. They can't be hasted, however, but with their speed and high number of attacks they'll be hitting more often than most anybody else anyways. Oh, yeah, and a Monk gains access to warrior feats, meaning they get Whirlwind Attack. This is a good thing. Last and not least, Monks can sneak. Sure, they can Find Traps, but they can't do anything about them, which makes me wonder... why bother spending points in it? They're a poor choice of character in the first game, but if you can persist... By about level 12 they're nearly as powerful as a decently equipped warrior of the same level, but not before. Monk Level EXP HP <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 1 n/a 1d8 2 1,500 2d8 3 3,000 3d8 4 6,000 4d8 5 13,000 5d8 6 27,500 6d8 7 55,000 7d8 8 110,000 8d8 Dark Moon Monk {DND047} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Once upon a time, just having the Monk was good enough... then Overhaul Games had to add new classes, force me to stir from my lair, and comment on two more freakin' Monk kits... *sigh*... okay, let's get this over with... The changes aren't very big, essentially you're restricted to one set alignment (Lawful Evil) and you trade your unimpressive Lay On Hands and Stunning Blow abilities for a bunch of low-level spell-like abilities. Since these include Blur and Blindness, however, it's not really a bad trade-off. Sure, Frozen Fist probably isn't as good Stunning Blow (although with no save penalty, it'll rarely be a primary debilitation attack in the sequel) but you can't poo-poo Blur and Mirror Image. Once those become obsolete in the sequel (dispelled at every turn by True Sight and easily replicated by items)... well, you're giving up Stunning Blow and Lay on Hands for two points of cold damage per attack for one round per level. Trying to decide what's better, when paired with Greater Whirlwind... stunning, or extra cold damage... Eh. It's really a wash. Advantages: --> Perception: +2 bonus to Saving Throws vs. Illusion spells. --> May cast Frozen Fist once per day ever four levels (starts at 1st level with one use). FROZEN FIST: When this ability is activated, the Dark Moon Monk's fists are wreathed in a frosty shell. For one round per level, the Dark Moon Monk's unarmed attacks deal an additional 2 cold damage per successful attack. --> 1st level: May cast Blindness once per day. --> 3rd level: May cast Blur once per day. --> 7th level: May cast Vampiric Touch once per day. --> 11th level: May cast Mirror Image once per day. Disadvantages: --> Alignment restricted to lawful evil. --> May not use Lay on Hands ability. --> May not use Stunning Blow ability. Sun Soul Monk {DND048} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> I really want to call this class a piece of shit, and settle into redundant mockery... but, you know what? It's actually pretty good. I know, I'm shocked, too. It trades off Stunning Blow and Quivering Palm in return for a bunch of flamey-sunny abilities, which are probably worth the trade off... you know, since neither Quivering Palm nor Stunning Blow have Save penalties. The staple ability is, in my eyes, Flaming Fists, which adds 2d6 fire damage to the Monk's attacks, and once leveled, lasts for several rounds. Far more reliable than Stunning Blow. Granted, this doesn't come into play until the sequel (since it only lasts a round in the first game) but... well, that's what this guide is all about, really-not what works best in this game, but what'll work best throughout the whole saga. They also have a Sun Soulray (low damage attack), Greater Sun (Fireshield (Red)), and Sun Soulbeam, an area-of-effect, moderately damaging attack that for some stupid reason must succeed at an attack roll. Sure, the abilities aren't overwhelming, and it's debatable whether it's better than the Monk... but it's less useless than the Dark Moon Monk. At the very least, the Sun Soul Monk was designed with abilities that extend past 11th level. Advantages: --> 2nd level: May cast Sun Soulray once per day. SUN SOULRAY: The Sun Soul Monk projects a blast of light from her open palm, dealing 1d8 damage every 2 levels to a maximum of 5d8. This ability does an additional 6 damage vs. undead. --> 5th level: May cast Flaming Fists once per day. FLAMING FISTS: The Sun Soul Monk channels her inner light into her unarmed attacks, turning her fists into flaming weapons that deal an additional 2d6 fire damage per hit for the next round. The duration increases to 2 rounds at level 9, 3 rounds at level 12, 4 rounds at level 15, and 5 rounds at level 25. This special ability automatically modifies normal attacks. No weapon-switching needs to be done. --> 6th level: Gains an additional use of Sun Soulray. --> 8th level: May cast Greater Sun once per day. GREATER SUN: The Sun Soul Monk wreathes herself in flames that act as a Fireshield (Red), granting the Monk 50% Fire Resistance and protecting her from attacks made within a 5-ft. radius. An opponent that hits the Monk with any weapons or spells within this radius suffers 1d8+2 points of fire damage. --> 10th level: Gains an additional use of Sun Soulray. --> 13th level: May cast Soul Sunbeam once per day. SUN SOULBEAM: The Sun Soul Monk emits a dazzling burst of light that strikes at all other creatures within a 30-ft. radius. The Sun Soulbeam does not automatically hit all targets, but makes a melee attack using the Monk's current THAC0 (+3 to hit vs. undead). Struck creatures suffer 9d6 points of damage (9d6+3 if undead), unless they save vs. Spell for half. In addition, all creatures except the Monk must save vs. Spell or be blinded for 10 turns. --> 15th level: Gains an additional use of Sun Soulray. Disadvantages: --> Alignment restricted to lawful good. --> May not use Stunning Blow ability. --> May not use Quivering Palm ability. o==========================o |Paladin | {DND049} o==========================o CLASS FEATURES: --> May wear helmets. --> May wear any armor and use any weapon. --> May not exceed Specialization (two slots) in any weapon class. --> May achieve Specialization (two slots) in any fighting style and allocate three slots in Two Weapon Style. --> May use Lay on Hands ability once per day to heal a target for 2 Hit Points per level of the Paladin. --> May cast Detect Evil once per day per level (starts at 1st level with 3 uses). --> May cast Protection from Evil once per day per level (starts at 1st level with one use). --> May Turn Undead as a Cleric two levels lower, starting at level 3. --> May cast priest spells starting at level 9. --> Receives a +2 bonus to all Saving Throws. --> Alignment restricted to lawful good. --> Hit Die: d10 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Paladins are holy warriors, and as such they gain a slew of abilities to help them combat evil. They aren't as combat savvy as Fighters, only being able to buy two ranks in any weapon proficiency, and they cannot multi-or-dual-class. In exchange you'll get the ability to Lay on Hands (heal a character 2 Hit Points per level), Detect Evil (useful for telling which NPCs are bad or not and detecting enemies on the map before you even scout), Protection From Evil, and they can Turn Undead as if they were a Cleric two levels lower than their Paladin level. Paladins also make great party leaders due to their high minimum Charisma (17). In the first game, you'll get Ajantis to fill the Paladin-shaped hole in your good party, and in the second game you'll get Keldorn, who is kind enough to come with the best Paladin-kit in the game... which begs the question why would you ever really need to make your own Paladin? Paladin Level EXP HP Spells <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 1 n/a 1d10 2 2,250 2d10 3 4,500 3d10 4 9,000 4d10 5 18,000 5d10 6 36,000 6d10 7 75,000 7d10 8 150,000 8d10 Cavalier {DND050} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This is a pretty nice kit, even given the lack of missile weapons. Having immunity to fear, charm, and poison are all very nice perks, and getting a +3 bonus to hit versus Demons and Dragons is great too. Sure, demons and dragons are very rare in the first game, but in the second... well, the former are fairly common and both are dangerous enough to make you cherish any bonuses you might have against them. Having Remove Fear once per day per level essentially means that at any time this character can get your party back in line, which is almost as good as having a party that's immune to fear as well! It certainly means that your Clerics and Mages don't have to focus so much on keeping fear effects subdued. A very nice kit indeed. Advantages: --> +3 bonus to hit and damage rolls against all fiendish and draconic creatures. --> May cast Remove Fear once per day per level. --> Immune to charm, fear, poison, and morale failure. --> 20% resistance to fire and acid. Disadvantages: --> May not use missile weapons. Inquisitor {DND051} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This is probably the best kit in the game, and certainly the best of the Paladin kits, even though the other three aren't bad (somebody loved the Paladin!) Being able to cast Dispel Magic at TWICE your Paladin level means Inquisitors will rip through spell defenses, and will be able to do it often. True Sight is a fairly high level debuff, and a very good one. No more can creatures get away with Improved Invisibility, Shadow Door, Mirror Image, or anything of the sort, although they will try. This frees up spell casters to prepare other spells. The disadvantages might seem bad, but you can get plenty of healing elsewhere without Lay on Hands, and the Turn Undead and Paladin priest spells are both weak anyways. Would you trade a handful of low level Priest spells for two very powerful, very useful, mid-level spells? I would. This is Keldorn's class-a party member in the sequel-and it's one of the reasons he's so good. Since you're going to get such an awesome Inquisitor in the second game, why bother making one of your own? Advantages: --> May cast Dispel Magic once per day per 4 levels (starts at 1st level with one use). The spell is cast at Speed Factor 1 and acts at twice the Inquisitor's character level. --> May cast True Sight once per day per 4 levels (starts at 1st level with one use). --> Immune to hold and charm. Disadvantages: --> May not Turn Undead. --> May not use Lay on Hands ability. --> May not cast priest spells. Undead Hunter {DND052} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Being immune to level drain is nice, but there are spells that do the same... granted, there are spells that do the same things that the other kits do... but +3 to attack and damage versus undead can't compete with the massive debuffs that the Inquisitor has, nor the slew of resistances that the Cavalier has. And what's the strongest undead anyways? A Lich. +3 to attack and damage isn't going to help you kill a Lich as much as disabling its defensive spells will. Frankly, the Inquisitor is a better Undead Hunter than the Undead Hunter when it comes to big game hunting! The Undead Hunter will, however, excel against Vampires. Neither of these creatures are really too much of a concern in the first game, however. It's all about the sequel, folks! In case that somehow hasn't sunk in yet... Advantages: --> +3 bonus to hit and +3 to damage rolls against undead creatures. --> Immune to hold and level drain. Disadvantages: --> May not use Lay on Hands ability. Blackguard {DND053} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Holy crap! A new kit! The Blackguard is actually a pretty decent kit, taking the Undead Hunter's nice immunity level drain and adding the Cavalier's immunity to fear. They also have the ability to steal health from foes-similar to the Lay on Hands ability... but evil! Yeah, it's pretty uninspiring, especially since it allows a Save vs. Spell at no save to negate it. Poison weapon really just deals an extra twelve damage-again, making it a lack-luster bonus. On the other hand, the Aura of Despair ability can get pretty damn good-essentially acting like the Skald's Bard Song... but in reverse. All in all, it's an interesting possibility for the evil party, with a good pair of immunities and a wonderful debuff. Does this class compare to an Inquisitor? No, it doesn't, but that's not really fair. Advantages: --> Immune to level drain and fear. --> May Rebuke Undead as Paladin of the same level. --> May use Absorb Health ability once per day. ABSORB HEALTH: Deals 2 points of damage per level to an enemy, healing the Blackguard the same number of Hit Points. A successful Saving Throw vs. Spell negates the effect. --> May use Poison Weapon ability once per day every 5 level (starting at 1st level with one use). POISON WEAPON: Each successful hit within the next round will inject poison into the target, dealing an extra 2 points of damage per second with no Saving Throw (for a total of 12 points of damage). Moreover, if the target fails a Saving Throw vs. Poison, he will suffer 1 additional point of damage per round for 4 rounds thereafter. --> May use Aura of Despair ability once per day starting at 3rd level, with effects that improve based on level: 3rd level: Bestows nearby enemies with a -1 penalty to hit and damage rolls and a -1 penalty to Armor Class. 6th level: Bestows nearby enemies with a -2 penalty to hit and damage rolls and a -2 penalty to Armor Class. 15th level: Bestows nearby enemies with a -4 penalty to hit and damage rolls and a -4 penalty to Armor Class, causes Fear in enemies of level 8 or below. 20th level: Bestows nearby enemies with a -4 penalty to hit and damage rolls and a -4 penalty to Armor Class, causes Fear in enemies of level 18 or below. Disadvantages: --> Alignment restricted to evil. --> May not cast Detect Evil. --> May not cast Protection from Evil. --> May not use Lay on Hands ability. o==========================o |Ranger | {DND054} o==========================o CLASS FEATURES: --> May wear helmets. --> May wear any armor and use any weapon. --> May not exceed Specialization (two slots) in any weapon class. --> May achieve Specialization (two slots) in any fighting style. --> Begins Specialized (two slots) in Two-Weapon Style and may place a third slot into it. --> May select a racial enemy, which grants a +4 bonus to hit and damage rolls against the selected enemy race. --> May use Charm Animal ability once per day every 2 levels (starts at 1st level with one use). --> May Hide in Shadows while wearing no armor, leather armor, or studded leather armor. --> May cast druidic spells starting at level 8. --> Alignment restricted to good. --> Hit Die: d10 Prime Requisites for Dual-Classing: Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Rangers are defenders of the wilderness, hunters, scouts, and outdoorsmen. They can only get two ranks in a weapon proficiency, but in compensation they can use stealth, charm animals, and eventually cast Druid spells. The stealth ability can only be used in light armor, Leather, Studded Leather, or Hide, but it makes them invaluable for scouting ahead of the party. Being strong enough to fight their way out of trouble helps too. The charm animal ability sucks, but once in a while if you want to play with it and charm a bear or something... eh... they'll still turn hostile on you when it's over, so why bother? The Druid spells are a long time in coming, but it's somewhat nice to be able to cast Cure Light Wounds or Entangle, although the level cap in Baldur's Gate doesn't really allow this feature to pan out. Note: My fear-mongering in the earlier versions of the guide was fortunately unfounded. You are able to change your favored enemy in the second game, which has a different and much expanded selection of racial enemies than the first game. So, don't worry about the long-term too much when picking a favored enemy-pick what works for this game. Ogres, Giant Spiders, and Skeletons are all somewhat common-and dangerous-enough to warrant a pick. Ranger Level EXP HP Spells Stealth <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 1 n/a 1d10 15% 2 2,250 2d10 20% 3 4,500 3d10 27% 4 9,000 4d10 33% 5 18,000 5d10 40% 6 36,000 6d10 47% 7 75,000 7d10 55% 8 150,000 8d10 1 62% Archer {WLK055} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Now this is a kit. Take something and do it VERY well. The bonuses to hit and damage with arrows get pretty damn good-It's essentially the ranged version of a Kensai-but without being quite as hampered by a lack of armor. Somebody who is specialized in bows to that extent isn't going to want to use metal armor anyways, and besides, you're a Ranger, you want to be able to sneak. The lack of proficiency with melee weapons hurts though, as that costs us half an attack if we ever need to get into melee. Keep in mind one tiny little problem. There are no +4 Arrows, so you'll never be able to hit anything that requires a +4 or better weapon to hit with your bow. Also, +3 Arrows aren't unlimited. The best unlimited ammo you get are +2 Arrows. This isn't much of a problem in the first game, as +2 Arrows are fine and you can get plenty of them... or at least enough to use on the fights that matter. In the sequel, however, many foes won't be bothered by +2 weapons. In big fights against powerful enemies, your Archer isn't going to be able to contribute, at least not against the main event. Balors, Greater Wolfweres, Greater Mummies, Pit Fiends, and some Vampires will all be out of your league. There are a few exceptions, however-there are two Short Bows in the sequel that generate their own ammo-Tansheron's Bow +3 and the Gesen Bow +4. Obviously the latter is superior, providing unlimited ammo that counts as +4 for determining what it can hit. Also, since this class improves all missile weapons, you could always use a Sling or throwing weapon instead. In the latter case, there are plenty of good throwing Axes throughout both games, even a +4 specimen in Throne of Bhaal. The only problem? You will only be able to become proficient with throwing weapons, and you will not attack particularly fast with them... at least, not compared to bows. Still, as an anodyne for our suffering Overhaul Games decided to fix the Called Shot ability-it's now cumulative, meaning the higher you level the more your arrows do. Previously the Called Shot ability only did whatever your level plateau indicated, instead of keeping the bonuses you had at lower levels. It's a big improvement. If you're planning on making an Archer, I'd suggest obtaining High Mastery in Shortbows and sticking with that as your main weapon. Longbows are slightly stronger in the first game, and you can get superior versions sooner, but the difference between the best Shortbow in the game (Protector of the Dryads +2) and the best Longbows (Composite Longbow +1/The Dead Shot +2) is merely one point of damage or THAC0, respectively. In the sequel, however, it's hardly even a contest-there are two Shortbows that generate their own ammunition, and hence, can damage creatures no Longbow can. The best Shortbow specimen-the Gesen Bow, out-damages everything else, in any event. Since you're a very focused warrior class, you could just strive to Grandmaster in both of them (not like you need more than one or two melee weapons, which you'll rarely use anyways), but Shortbow is king. Advantages: --> +1 to hit and damage rolls with any missile weapon for every 3 levels. --> May achieve Grandmastery (5 slots) in longbows, shortbows, and crossbows. --> May use Called Shot ability once per day every 4 levels. CALLED SHOT: All successful ranged attacks within the next 10 seconds have the following cumulative effects besides normal damage, according to the level of the Archer: 4th level: -1 penalty to target's THAC0. 8th level: -1 penalty to target's Saving Throws vs. Spell. 12th level: -1 penalty to the target's Strength score. 16th level: +2 bonus to damage roll. Disadvantages: --> May not wear any metal armor. --> May only become proficient (one slot) with melee weapons. --> May not use Charm Animal ability. Stalker {DND056} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> The 'may not wear armor greater than studded leather' disadvantage isn't too bad, as that's the highest grade of armor I tend to throw on a Ranger anyways, so let's look at the advantages. +20% to Stealth is nice, but there's always a chance of failure, and considering how many levels you can get... well... any Ranger is going to be good at stealth, eventually, making the bonus Stealth incredibly short-sighted. The backstab modifier is very nice, as it allows a Ranger to play like a Thief. Haste is a good spell for any character to have, and Minor Spell Deflection might come in handy. It won't save the Ranger from Imprisonment or Horrid Wilting, but it will stop Disintegrate and Finger of Death, and a whole host of other annoying low level spells (like Charm, Chaos, and Hold Person). This kit might just be better than the normal Ranger, but it's really just a poor substitute for a Fighter/Mage or Fighter/Thief, both of which will be far, far superior. Advantages: --> +20% to Move Silently and Hide in Shadows. --> May use Backstab ability, although for a lower damage multiplier than Thieves: Level 1-8: x2 Level 9-16: x3 Level 17+: x4 --> 12th Level: May memorize 3 Mage spells: Haste, Protection From Normal Missiles and Minor Spell Deflection. Disadvantages: --> May not wear armor heavier than studded leather. Beast Master {DND057} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> And again with the suck. Who wants to play a Ranger that is more like a Druid? Druids suck, and Animal Summoning sucks. Don't even give this kit a glance, it's not worth your attention. Advantages: --> +15% to Move Silently and Hide in Shadows. --> May use Find Familiar ability to summon a Psuedo Dragon (if lawful or neutral good) or Fairy Dragon (if chaotic good) companion. --> 8th level: May cast Animal Summoning I --> 10th level: May cast Animal Summoning II. --> 12th level: May cast Animal Summoning III. Disadvantages: --> May not use any metal weapons (for example: swords, halberds, war hammers, or morning stars). --> May not wear armor heavier than studded leather. o==========================o |Sorcerer | {DND058} o==========================o CLASS FEATURES: --> May not wear any armor. --> May only use the following weapons: dagger, quarterstaff, dart, sling. --> May only become Proficient (one slot) in any weapon class. --> May not place any slots in any fighting style. --> May cast arcane spells. --> May not scribe spells into their spellbooks as Mages do. Instead, Sorcerers learn a small number of spells at each level, which they can cast daily without memorization. --> Hit Die: d4 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> If you're familiar with 3rd Edition Sorcerers, you'll be familiar with this-Bioware's attempt to introduce a 3rd Edition class into a 2nd Edition game. Sorcerers function like Mages, except they can only know a handful of spells, from which they can cast any of their known spells without having to memorize them, although they are still limited to a maximum number of spells per day. Ultimately a Sorcerer can know only several spells of each spell level, and for many spell levels that's fine. Chances are you won't find too many more 9th level spells, at least not ones you'll use often. On the other hand this takes down their tactical flexibility a great deal. You either know the spell, or you don't, there's no learning it from a scroll or preparing it for a big fight when needed. They do get one more spell per day per spell level than a normal Mage, but what do they have that Edwin doesn't have? He gets two spells per day per spell level over a normal Mage AND has tactical flexibility. On the other hand, when you get right down to it, there are only a handful of spells each level that get used frequently, and not having to choose the exact number of each to prepare can be helpful. Sorcerer Level EXP HP Spells (Known) Spells (Cast) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 1 n/a 1d4 2 3 2 2,500 2d4 2 4 3 5,000 3d4 3 5 4 10,000 4d4 3/1 6/3 5 20,000 5d4 4/2 6/4 6 40,000 6d4 4/2/1 6/5/3 7 60,000 7d4 5/3/2 6/6/4 8 90,000 8d4 5/3/2/1 6/6/5/3 9 135,000 9d4 5/4/3/2 6/6/6/4 Dragon Disciple {DND059} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Oh my... where to even begin? Well, let's start out with the obvious. What is the primary role of a Sorcerer? Casting spells. What's their biggest limitation? The number of spells per level they know. If there is any one problem with the Sorcerer, it's that their spells per day limit their tactical flexibility... at least in the sequel. Their biggest perk is the ability to be able to cast any of their known spells at will, up until their number of spells castable per level per day. So, any class kit that proposes to reduce the number of spells the Sorcerer can know absolutely must provide outstanding benefits to compensate... preferably ones that amplify in other ways the magical prowess of the class. Is that the case, then, with the Dragon Disciple? Of course not. What do you get in return for shearing off one spell known per day? In the first game you'll get up to 50% Fire Resistance, a once-per-day 5d8 breath weapon, and a +1 bonus to Armor Class and Constitution. By Baldur's Gate 2 this can increase to 100% Fire Resistance, +4 Armor Class, +2 Constitution, and an 8d8 breath weapon. First, you can get Fire Resistance from all sorts of sources, but since we're talking about Sorcerers, let's assume they could get them from spells-spells they would have the flexibility to learn if you had just picked a normal Sorcerer, or better yet, a REAL Mage. Armor Class shouldn't be very important for a Mage, who belongs out of melee combat... but it can also be improved by spells... again, more spells known, more defensive spells available. Third, why the hell do you need the Constitution bonus? Start out with a sixteen, the Sorcerer can't get more than +2 Hit Points per level anyways. Lastly... a once per day 8d8 damage breath weapon? Fireball will deal comparable damage, why not use that? Not saying it's not beneficial, but is it really worth the loss of spells? Heck, in the sequel you'll get a book that will allow you to cast a Fireball once per day (amongst other spells), and that item is rarely useful, so how often do you think you'll need to call upon your inferior breath weapon? The best perk this class adds is the superior d6 Hit Dice. 18 extra Hit Points is not bogus, but the rest of this class's perks are replacable with spells... spells you would know if you weren't this class! Worse still, almost all the bonuses of this class are defensive, and defensive boosts that a Mage doesn't really need. I say, just be a normal Sorceror, or better yet, a Specialist Mage, or best of all, just recruit Edwin. Advantages: --> 1st level: +1 bonus to AC. --> 3rd level: May use Breath Weapon once per day. BREATH WEAPON: The Dragon Disciple breathes a gout of flame up to 30 ft. long, inflicting 3d8 points of fire damage on all creatures caught within the 140 degree cone. --> 4th level: Gains 25% innate Fire Resistance. --> 5th level: +1 bonus to AC and Constitution. --> 6th level: Breath Weapon damage increases to 4d8. --> 8th level: Innate Fire Resistance rises to 50%. --> 9th level: Breath Weapon damage increases to 5d8. --> 10th level: +1 bonus to AC. --> 12th level: Innate Fire Resistance rises to 75%. --> 12th level: Breath Weapon damage increases to 6d8. --> 15th level: +1 bonus to AC and Constitution. --> 15th level: Breath Weapon damage increases to 7d8. --> 16th level: Innate Fire Resistance rises to 100%. --> 18th level: Breath Weapon damage increases to 8d8. --> 20th level: +1 bonus to AC. --> Hit Dice: d6 Disadvantages: --> May cast one fewer spell per level per day. o==========================o |Thief | {DND060} o==========================o CLASS FEATURES: --> May not wear armor heavier than studded leather. --> May not equip shields larger than bucklers. --> May only use the following weapons: long sword, short sword, katana, scimitar, dagger, club, quarterstaff, crossbow, shortbow, dart, sling. --> May only become Proficient (one slot) in any weapon class. --> May only become Proficient (one slot) in any fighting style. --> May distribute 25 points per level (40 at level 1) in thieving abilities: Open Locks, Pick Pockets, Find/Disarm Traps, Move Silently, Hide in Shadows, Detect Illusions, Set Traps. --> May use Set Snare ability once per day every 5 levels (starts at 1st level with one use). 1st Level: Deals 2d8+5 missile damage. 11th Level: Deals 2d8+5 missile damage and additional deals 2d6 poison damager per round for the next 3 rounds. 16th Level: Deals 3d8+5 missile damage and 4d8+2 fire damage. 21st Level: Deals 3d8+5 missile damage and 20 poison damage with no save, slays target if a Save vs. Death with a +4 bonus is failed. --> May use Backstab ability for increased damage. Level 1-4: x2 Level 5-8: x3 Level 9-12: x4 Level 13+: x5 --> Hit Die: d6 Prime Requisites for Dual-Classing: Dexterity <----------------------------------------------------------------------> The Thief isn't as combat savvy as the Fighter, and they don't have spells like the Cleric or the Mage. What's the draw then? Their thieving abilities. These allow them to pick pockets, find and disarm traps, open locked objects, hide from enemies, set snares, and detect illusions. Of these skills, one is essential, so some character or another with thieving abilities is required in any party. As for combat, they can only wear the lightest armors, but they do have access to a variety of weapons. Most importantly, as they gain levels they get the ability to backstab for varying degrees of bonus damage. If they are hidden and attack an enemy they multiply the damage they deal by their back stab modifier. They are a waste of a class on their own, but it is a great dual-or-multi-class option, as it gives any class the ability to be more lethal by backstabbing... and if you make your own, you don't have to drag around a useless character to do the thieving for you. A Fighter/Thief is a potent combination, and so is a Fighter/Mage/Thief. Tables that show how Dexterity and Race affects Thieving abilities can be found at [DND082]. Thief Level EXP HP Backstab Multiplier <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 1 n/a 1d6 x2 2 1,250 2d6 x2 3 2,500 3d6 x2 4 5,000 4d6 x2 5 10,000 5d6 x3 6 20,000 6d6 x3 7 40,000 7d6 x3 8 70,000 8d6 x3 9 110,000 9d6 x4 10 160,000 9d6+2 x4 Assassin {DND061} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You'll be slower with your Thief skills progression, but that seems a worthy trade for the x7 backstab multiplier! +1 to hit and damage is nice too, but it's totally out-shadowed by the backstab. This is a great class to dual-class into a Fighter with. Get your Thief skills in place and enjoy your bonus THAC0, damage, and backstab multiplier. There is nothing preventing you from poisoning your weapon before you backstab, either, although the poison is by itself fairly weak, any little bit helps, especially with such a resounding first strike. The only problem is you need to make it fairly far as a Thief to get that juicy x7 multiplier. Spending the entirety of the first game as a Thief isn't really my idea of a good time... but getting an Assassin/Fighter dual-class in the sequel certainly does. This Thief kit is by far the best of the bunch. Advantages: --> +1 bonus to hit and damage rolls. --> Backstab ability reaches x7 multiplier instead of capping at x5. (Note: This cap is not reached until higher level, which can be attained in Baldur's Gate II.) --> May use Poison Weapon ability once per day ever 4 levels. POISON WEAPON: Each successful hit within the next round will inject poison into the target, dealing an extra 2 points of damage per second with no Saving Throw (for a total of 12 points of damage). Moreover, if the target fails a Saving Throw vs. Poison, he will suffer 1 additional point of damage per round for 4 rounds thereafter. Disadvantages: --> May only distribute 15 skill points per level among thieving skills. Bounty Hunter {DND062} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Some changes were made to this kit in recent patches, so let's take a look... the first two traps are somewhat decent, although you should note that you'll only get the first one in this game. 3d8+5 damage and Slow isn't terrible, but it's nothing to go crazy over, either. After that, though, the traps just get worse. I'd rather have the slow at a -4 Save than Hold at -1-a slowed enemy is so crippled they might as well be defenseless. By level 16, this class is a joke. Otiluke's Resilient Sphere just removes a foe from combat for a short while, and Maze? Pretty much the same thing, for a period of time that varies based on Intelligence. Is this kit supposed to compare in any way to the Assassin, Swashbuckler, or Shadowdancer? Because it fails. I can't see how any of these would be terribly useful against most foes in Baldur's Gate 2, and getting sixteen levels in a class just so you can use a less reliable version of Otiluke's Reslient Sphere-a 4th level Mage spell-just seems incredibly stupid. Hell, I'd rather have the normal Thief's 21st level trap than the Bounty Hunter's; 3d8+25 damage with Save vs. Death or die is much better than freakin' Maze. Point is, this kit is full of suck. Someone, somewhere, is laughing at if you if you pick this kit. Advantages: --> +15% bonus to Set Traps. --> May luse Set Special Snare ability once per day every 5 levels (starts at 1st level with one use) in addition to the normal Thief's Set Snare. SET SPECIAL SNARE: Set a trap in the chosen location when no hostile creatures are in sight. Traps grow more powerful with the Bounty Hunter's level and can only be triggered by enemies. 1st level: Deals 3d8+5 missile damage and slows target for 5 rounds is a Save vs. Spell with a -4 penalty is failed. 11th Level: Deals 4d8+5 missile damage and holds target for 5 rounds if a Save vs. Spell with a -1 penalty is failed. 16th Level: The trap erects an Otiluke's Resilient Sphere around the target for 7 rounds if a Saving Throw is failed. 21st Level: The trap mazes the target. Disadvantages: --> May only distribute 20 skill points per level among thieving skills. Swashbuckler {DND063} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This is at least a legitimate attempt to make a character who is not a Fighter actually able to fight. The bonus to Armor Class, attack and damage are both pretty good, and almost overcome the Thief's lackluster THAC0 and armor selection. The ability to Specialize in weapons is also a very welcome bonus, especially in the Two Weapon Style. The only down sides are the fact that the Thief loses the backstab ability, and for all its trying, a Fighter it is not. Namely they're still losing sorely in the Hit Point department. This makes me wonder one thing. Why not make a Fighter/Thief instead of a Swashbuckler? You'll have the better THAC0 of a Fighter, better Hit Points than a Thief, the ability to Specialize in weapons, including all the Fighter weapons, and you get to keep your backstab. It's a nice offer, but frankly dual-and-multi- classing still wins. Advantages: --> +1 bonus to Armor Class at 1st level, plus an additional +1 bonus every 5 levels. --> +1 bonus to hit and damage rolls every 5 levels. --> May Specialize (two slots) in any melee weapon available to Thieves. --> May place 3 slots into Two-Weapon Style. Disadvantages: --> May not use Backstab ability. Shadowdancer {DND064} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> The Shadowdancer once had its merits, but I now consider well and truly nerfed by Overhaul Games. First, however, let me just point out that I consider it a waste to make a single-classed Thief for any reason, no matter what the kit. The point of having a Thief is, first and foremost, to get that necessary Find Traps skill into your party. Fortunately, you can multi-class and dual-class to make the best of having a Thief. Not that a Thief is terrible, but a Fighter/Thief or Mage/Thief (or best yet, a Fighter/Mage/Thief!) is much better than a single-classed Thief. The draw of mixing a Shadowdancer into a dual-classed kit is, of course, its superior back-stabbing abilities, thanks to its Hide in Plain Sight ability-so good it had to be ripped out of 3rd Edition (except for the Assassin and Ranger, who just get screwed here). What does it do? Lets you hide... in plain sight! Normally if a foe spots you, you can't hide. I know, this ability is a little lame because you can always run around a corner or cast invisibility... so a multi-class Thief who can cast Mage spells need not worry, nor does any Thief equipped with The Paws of the Cheetah, and ignoring the fact that invisibility items are common as dirt in the sequel, it's a good ability. They also get Shadowstep once for every five levels, which acts like a non-combative Time Stop, allowing you to move for one round while everything else is frozen... which is actually a pretty good tactical ability. Need to get behind that Mage in the midst of a group of guards before they can expose your invisibility, and want to get back out in one piece after attacking? Here you go. The downsides to this kit always limited the benefits, but less so before than now. The folks at Overhaul Games apparently realized that a Shadowdancer with good Hide in Shadows and Move Silenty could essentially backstab foes at will thanks to Hide in Plain sight, and responded with putting a cooldown time (about one round) on the Stealth skill after using Backstab. Worse still, they nerfed the Shadowdancer's short-term Backstab multiplier in favor of long-term gains, which is not what we want as a potential dual-class. Previously you could obtain a x3 multiplier by the time you hit 9th level, but the same bonus now requires an 18th level Shadowdancer. You'd have to exceed that level with a second class to get your original bonuses back, and that is simply impractical, even if you're rather power-gamey (by comparison, an Assassin would enjoy a x7 backstab at a lower level, plus a flat +1 bonus to attack and damage). Put those two together and you've got a class that can't quite backstab with impunity, and doesn't even recieve a backstab damage bonus until 9th level-damn near the end of the game. Advantages: --> +10% bonus to Hide in Shadows and Move Silently. --> Hide in Plain Sight: A Shadowdancer may Hide in Shadows even while being observed. --> May cast Shadowstep once per day every 5 levels. SHADOWSTEP: Step into the Shadow Plane and move for 7 seconds while others are frozen in time. The Shadowdancer cannot attack or cast spells while in the Shadow Plane: --> Slippery Mind: +1 bonus to Saving Throws. Disadvantages: --> Alignment restricted to any non-lawful. --> May use Backstab ability, although for a lower damage mutliplier than Thieves: Level 1-8: x1 (no multiplier) Level 9-17: x2 Level 18-24: x3 Level 25+ x4 --> May only distribute 20 skill points per level (30 at level 1) among thieving skills. --> May not use Set Snare ability. o==========================o |Thief/Cleric | {DND065} o==========================o <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Well, might as well mention it eh? The Thief/Cleric is an odd, and at odds character. You won't be wearing any heavy armor if you want to keep your Thief skills, but you can certainly wear light armor with no problem. Of course, you're stuck with the Cleric's selection of weapons, but you'll be able to use all the Thief skills, including backstab. Honestly the Mage spells seem a better fit for a Thief, which is more of a 'stay back out of the way' kind of class, as opposed to the Cleric, which is often a decently armored character who can stand up in combat. This might be an interesting dual-class, provided you don't care that your Cleric won't be as tough as if you had dual-classed with a Fighter. o==========================o |Wild Mage | {DND066} o==========================o CLASS FEATURES: --> May memorize one additional spell per level. --> May cast the 1st level spell Nahal's Reckless Dweomer. --> May cast the 2nd level spell Chaos Shield (included in spellbook for free). --> May cast the 7th level spell Improved Chaos Shield (included in spellbook for free). --> Upon casting a spell, there is a 5% chance of incurring in a Wild Surge. WILD SURGE: A Wild Surge generates a completely random magical effect from the spell being cast. Its effects may be either beneficial or detrimental to the Wild Mage and her allies. --> Casting level varies slightly whenever she casts a spell-- anywhere between five levels lower and five levels higher than the WildMage's true level. --> Hit Die: d4 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You take a normal specialist Mage, remove their prohibited school, and add massive randomness to everything they do, and you've got the Wild Mage. I know that when I cast spells, I always find myself wistfully wishing that I had a chance to change my gender or cast a Fireball on myself. Seriously though, the odds of having Wild Magic doing something beneficial actually isn't that low. Having it do the RIGHT beneficial thing to the right target, however, is rather uncommon. You're essentially trading the known penalty of a prohibited spell school for the random 5% chance to... well... check out the table below [DND067]. Suffice to say, I don't find randomness helpful when it comes to my Mages. We already have to deal with targeting, Magic Resistance, Saving Throws, and the possibility of getting interrupted by damage. Magic is busy enough already. On top of that, every spell they DO successfully cast without triggering a Magic Surge also fluctuates by up to five levels (plus or minus) the caster's level. At level one, this doesn't matter much-you really only stand to gain, but as you level up, this adds serious uncertainty to the duration and damage of many spells. All in all, what does a Wild Mage have over a Conjurer? Identify, True Sight, and massive randomness to everything they do, that's what. Wild Mage Level EXP HP Spells <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 1 n/a 1d4 1 2 2,500 2d4 2 3 5,000 3d4 2/1 4 10,000 4d4 3/2 5 20,000 5d4 4/2/1 6 40,000 6d4 4/2/2 7 60,000 7d4 4/3/2/1 8 90,000 8d4 4/3/3/2 9 135,000 9d4 4/3/3/2/1 Wild Surge Table {DND067} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This table was taken straight from the Throne of Bhaal manual. I have no idea whether it still holds true, or whether Overhaul Games... well, overhauled this list. Even if they did, this'll at least give you some idea of what can happen when you get a Wild Surge. o====o=================================================================o |Roll| Wild Surge Effect | o====o=================================================================o | 1 | Repulsion field centred on the caster | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 2 | Wild color changes upon the caster | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 3 | Squirrels appear around caster | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 4 | The caster becomes itchy | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 5 | The caster glows | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 6 | A fireball centres on the caster | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 7 | The caster’s sex is changed | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 8 | The caster’s colour changes | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 9 | Every one in the area changes direction | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 10 | Explosion centred on caster | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 11 | Entangle spell centred on target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 12 | Slow spell centred on target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 13 | Target polymorphed into a wolf | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 14 | Caster held | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 15 | Caster hasted | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 16 | Caster changed into a squirrel | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 17 | 20% party gold destroyed | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 18 | Target weakened | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 19 | Sunfire spell centred on caster | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 20 | Movement rate lowered on target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 21 | Fireball centred on caster | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 22 | Caster held as per the spell Hold Person | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 23 | Fear spell centred on target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 24 | Roll twice more. Both effects apply | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 25 | Entire area explored | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 26 | Globe of invulnerability centred on target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 27 | Silence 15 foot radius centred on caster | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 28 | Caster dizzy | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 29 | Target invisible | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 30 | Pretty sparkles! No other effect | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 31 | Caster is spell’s target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 32 | Caster becomes invisible | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 33 | Colour spray from caster | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 34 | Birds appear around the caster | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 35 | Fireball centred on caster. No damage done | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 36 | Gems created on caster | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 37 | Combat music starts | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 38 | Goodberries created on caster | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 39 | Fireball flies toward target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 40 | Charges drained on area effect around target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 41 | Random treasure created on caster | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 42 | Caster is combat ready (+2 THACO +2 Damage) | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 43 | Teleport field spell centred on caster | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 44 | Teleport field spell centred on target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 45 | Area effect hiccups centred on target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 46 | All doors in area of effect open. If there are no doors, then | | | roll twice and use both effects | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 47 | Caster polymorphs into wolf | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 48 | Change target randomly | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 49 | Caster recuperates as if he rested | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 50 | Monsters summoned by target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 51 | Start snowing if outside, otherwise roll twice more | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 52 | Loud noise. Target must save or be stunned | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 53 | Target’s hit points doubled | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 54 | Summon demon to attack target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 55 | Spell fired but with squealing noise | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 56 | Spell goes off but duration is halved | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 57 | Strange visual effect, but the spell fizzles | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 58 | Projectile speed halved | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 59 | All weapons in the area glow | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 60 | No saving throw is allowed against the spell | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 61 | Target is held as per the Hold Person spell | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 62 | Detect magic spell centred on target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 63 | Roll 4 more times. All effects happen | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 64 | Slow spell centred on target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 65 | Instead of the chosen spell, a different spell of the same level| | | goes off | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 66 | Lightning bolt spell cast at target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 67 | Target strengthened | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 68 | Heal centred on the target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 69 | Entangle target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 70 | Caster weakened | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 71 | Fireball spell centred on target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 72 | Flesh to stone on target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 73 | Spell fired. Caster also recuperated as if rested | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 74 | Heal spell centred on caster | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 75 | Target dizzy | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 76 | Sunfire centred on target (caster unaffected) | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 77 | Target held | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 78 | Target blinded | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 79 | Target charmed | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 80 | Gems created on target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 81 | Target’s movement rate reduced | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 82 | Random treasure created on target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 83 | Target polymorphed into squirrel | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 84 | Silence 15 foot radius centred on target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 85 | Target’s sex changed | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 86 | Fake explosion (no damage) centred on target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 87 | Cow falls from sky on the target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 88 | Target dizzy | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 89 | Spell has 60 foot radius at target (change projectile) | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 90 | Stinking Cloud centered on target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 91 | Target itchy | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 92 | Casters hit points doubled | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 93 | Target held | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 94 | Target hastened | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 95 | Destroy 20% gold on target | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 96 | Spell casts at double effectiveness | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 97 | Spell cast, -4 to target’s saving throw | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 98 | Target’s colour changed | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 99 | Spell cast at double level | |----|-----------------------------------------------------------------| |100 | Spell casts normally | o====o=================================================================o Alignment {DND068} o======================================================================o The alignment of your protagonist only matters so much in the first game. In the sequel the allies you choose will react to your alignment more, so you should try to choose party members who have an alignment similar to yours. Where alignment really matters is between your allies. Evil characters will react poorly to good characters, and vise-verse, and in some instances violence may erupt between two party members. This is less of a problem in the first game than in the sequel, but spare yourself the aggravation and choose party members of like alignment. If your protagonist is good-aligned, choose good or neutral allies. If your protagonist is evil-aligned, choose evil or neutral allies. If your protagonist is neutral, pick either good, or evil allies, but not both. Another reason for having some continuity of alignment within your party is your reputation. Good characters will be happy with a high reputation and unhappy with a low reputation, while evil characters will be happy with a low reputation and unhappy with a high reputation. At a neutral reputation, nobody is happy. If your reputation gets too high (19+), your evil characters will disband. If your reputation gets too low (2-) your good characters will disband. If you kick characters out of your party while they're unhappy with your reputation (they have not yet disbanded voluntarily, but you are within a few points of that mark, an 18 reputation for an evil character, for example) they will express their disgust with your behavior and will leave forever. Since a high reputation will earn you discounts at shops, it's always a good idea to keep your alignment in the teens, at least. Discounts are good, and you can't really afford to be pure 'evil' anyways, as a reputation of 1 will earn you some pretty serious harassment by groups of Flaming Fist Enforcers. That's right, even evil characters will want to keep their reputation reasonable... fairly high, even, for the purpose of purchasing items. Speaking of reputation and alignment, your starting reputation varies depending upon your protagonist's alignment, as follows: o===============o===============o | Alignment | Starting | | | Reputation | o===============o===============o | Lawful Good | 12 | |---------------|---------------| | Neutral Good | 11 | |---------------|---------------| | Chaotic Good | 11 | |---------------|---------------| |Lawful Neutral | 10 | |---------------|---------------| | True Neutral | 10 | |---------------|---------------| |Chaotic Neutral| 10 | |---------------|---------------| | Lawful Evil | 9 | |---------------|---------------| | Neutral Evil | 9 | |---------------|---------------| | Chaotic Evil | 8 | o===============o===============o Reputation Effects {DND069} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Despite the fact that the manual that come with the Enhanced Edition has the Baldur's Gate 2 reputation table in it, the game actually follows the values for the original game, below. Which is good, because it's a whole lot cheaper in the first game. o==========o=========o=================o===============================o |Reputation|Item Cost|Donation Required| Additional Effects | |----------|---------|-----------------|-------------------------------o | 20 | -50% | --- | +4 Reaction Adjustment | | 19 | -40% | --- | +3 Reaction Adjustment | | 18 | -30% | --- | +3 Reaction Adjustment | | 17 | -20% | 500 | +2 Reaction Adjustment | | 16 | -10% | 400 | +2 Reaction Adjustment | | 15 | -10% | 300 | +1 Reaction Adjustment | | 14 | base | 300 | +1 Reaction Adjustment | | 13 | base | 200 | N/A | | 12 | base | 200 | N/A | | 11 | base | 100 | N/A | | 10 | base | 100 | N/A | | 9 | +10% | 100 | N/A | | 8 | +20% | 100 | N/A | | 7 | +20% | 100 | -1 Reaction Adjustment | | 6 | +30% | 200 | -2 Reaction Adjustment | | 5 | +40% | 200 | -3 Reaction Adjustment* | | 4 | +50% | 200 | -4 Reaction Adjustment* | | 3 | +100% | 300 | -5 Reaction Adjustment* | | 2 |will not | 400 | -6 Reaction Adjustment* | | 1 | sell | 500 | -7 Reaction Adjustment* | o==========o=========o=================o===============================o *Indicates that at this reputation you may get attacked by a group of Flaming Fist mercenaries when entering a new area. Item Cost: The rate of increase or decrease of the cost of items in a store. It's funny, you'd think morally dubious merchants would reward a low reputation... In any event, the principle is simple-the higher your reputation the cheaper things will be. Donation Required: Give money to churches, and your reputation increases. Why we assume that churches morally benefit humanity, I will never be able to understand. It reminds me of watching the 700 Club when I was bored, listening to these predators telling desperately poor people that they can afford to give money to 'Jesus'... anyways, in a world with good and evil deities (as opposed to reality, which just has evil ones) wouldn't giving money to an evil diety like Umberlee lower your reputation? Evidently not. Even if you give money to sexist, jealous, petty gods who delight in killing humans, your reputation improves. Talk about art imitating reality... Abilities {DND070} o======================================================================o Your abilities define what your character is good at. I prefer to call them attributes, so if I mess up and refer to them as attributes later, well, I'm talking about abilities. You have six abilities, and you can re-roll them until you get what you want... or close to it. Take advantage of it, get comfortable, and get rolling. Before that, let me explain them a bit, so you know what to shoot for. Strength {DND071} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Strength is important for many reasons-obvious reasons. The stronger you are, the more likely you are to deal effective blows, and the more damage you deal in combat. To hit and damage bonuses are good things, and higher carry weight can reduce annoying trips back to town. Also, your Strength limits what arms and armor you can equip. For that reason any and all characters who wish to compete in melee should strive for an 18 Strength. Period. Mages can afford to use this as a dump-stat, but even Thieves and Bards are going to want to have enough Strength to wear some armor, wield swords and bows, and whatnot. Warrior types (Barbarians, Fighters, Paladins, Rangers, single, multi, or dual-classed) will automatically get exceptional Strength if they start out with a Strength score of 18. This is a randomly generated percentile from 1-100, commonly known as exceptional Strength. While it becomes moot when you get the Manual of Gainful Exercise (thus bypassing exceptional Strength altogether an boosting your Strength by a point-ideally from 18 to 19), for single-classed warriors starting out with a high exceptional Strength should be something to shoot for. I mean, a Fighter only needs three attributes at 18, which is easy enough to do. For multi-classed Warrior, however, don't sweat the exceptional Strength percentile. It's more important to get 18's in your Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, and whatever other attribute your class would be aided by (Intelligence for Fighter/Mages, Wisdom for Fighter/Clerics, etc.). o========o=====o======o======o=====o | Score |THAC0|Damage|Weight|Bash%| o========o=====o======o======o=====o | 3 | -3 | -1 | 5 | 3 | | 4 | -2 | -1 | 15 | 4 | | 5 | -2 | -1 | 15 | 4 | | 6 | -1 | 0 | 30 | 6 | | 7 | -1 | 0 | 30 | 6 | | 8 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 8 | | 9 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 8 | | 10 | 0 | 0 | 70 | 10 | | 11 | 0 | 0 | 70 | 10 | | 12 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 12 | | 13 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 12 | | 14 | 0 | 0 | 120 | 14 | | 15 | 0 | 0 | 120 | 14 | | 16 | 0 | +1 | 150 | 16 | | 17 | +1 | +1 | 170 | 18 | | 18 | +1 | +2 | 200 | 20 | |18/01-50| +1 | +3 | 220 | 25 | |18/51-75| +2 | +3 | 250 | 30 | |18/76-90| +2 | +4 | 280 | 35 | |18/91-99| +2 | +5 | 320 | 40 | | 18/00 | +3 | +6 | 400 | 45 | | 19 | +3 | +7 | 500 | 50 | | 20 | +3 | +8 | 600 | 55 | | 21 | +4 | +9 | 700 | 60 | | 22 | +4 | +10 | 800 | 65 | | 23 | +5 | +11 | 1000 | 70 | | 24 | +6 | +12 | 1200 | 75 | | 25 | +7 | +14 | 1600 | 80 | o========o=====o======o======o=====o Dexterity {DND072} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This affects your Armor Class and your THAC0 adjustment for missile weapons. EVERY character should get an 18 Dexterity for the wonderful -4 Armor Class modifier. Period. Anybody else find it odd that the highest bonus a PC can legitimately have (18, -4) is only two points of Armor Class shy of the Armor Class bonus gained by the fastest critters in 2nd Edition (25, -6)? Ah, 2nd Edition was funny... o=======o=======o=======o | Score |Missile| Armor | | |Adjust.| Class | o=======o=======o=======o | 0 | -20 | +5 | | 1 | -6 | +5 | | 2 | -4 | +5 | | 3 | -3 | +4 | | 4 | -2 | +3 | | 5 | -1 | +2 | | 6 | 0 | +1 | | 7 | 0 | 0 | | 8 | 0 | 0 | | 9 | 0 | 0 | | 10 | 0 | 0 | | 11 | 0 | 0 | | 12 | 0 | 0 | | 13 | 0 | 0 | | 14 | 0 | 0 | | 15 | 0 | -1 | | 16 | +1 | -2 | | 17 | +2 | -3 | | 18 | +2 | -4 | | 19 | +3 | -4 | | 20 | +3 | -4 | | 21 | +4 | -5 | | 22 | +4 | -5 | | 23 | +4 | -5 | | 24 | +5 | -6 | | 25 | +5 | -6 | o=======o=======o=======o Note: Your Dexterity will also affect your Thief abilities... if you have any, of course. See [DND083] for more information. Constitution {DND073} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This attribute gives you Hit Points. Hit points are good. At 16, you gain a +2 bonus to Hit Points gained per level, which for non-warriors is the highest bonus possible. The number to the right lists the bonus for warriors (Fighters, Paladins, Rangers, and their kits), which is +4 at 18. All warriors should have an 18 Constitution, but non-warriors only really need a 15. Once they get the Manual of Gainful exercise, they'll raise to 16, and be good to go. o=======o===============o=======o | Score |Hit Points per |Regen. | | | Level | Rate | o=======o===============o=======o | 1 | -3 | 0 | | 2 | -2 | 0 | | 3 | -2 | 0 | | 4 | -1 | 0 | | 5 | -1 | 0 | | 6 | -1 | 0 | | 7 | 0 | 0 | | 8 | 0 | 0 | | 9 | 0 | 0 | | 10 | 0 | 0 | | 11 | 0 | 0 | | 12 | 0 | 0 | | 13 | 0 | 0 | | 14 | 0 | 0 | | 15 | +1 | 0 | | 16 | +2 | 0 | | 17 | +2/+3 | 0 | | 18 | +2/+4 | 0 | | 19 | +2/+5 | 0 | | 20 | +2/+5 | 60 | | 21 | +2/+6 | 50 | | 22 | +2/+6 | 40 | | 23 | +2/+6 | 30 | | 24 | +2/+7 | 20 | | 25 | +2/+7 | 10 | o=======o===============o=======o Note: In the Regeneration Rate column, what the hell do those numbers mean? Well, they're a measure of the time it takes to regenerate a lost Hit Point.. but not REAL time, no, that would be too simple-it's the number of game-time seconds it takes to regenerate a lost Hit Point. So for a Constitution score of 20, it takes 60 seconds-one minute-of game-time to recover one Hit Point. One minute of game-time is 2.5 seconds of real time, so our rate of time-lapse difference is 60/2.5 = 24:1. This makes sense, doesn't it? It means that one hour spent playing in real-time is one day of game-time. So divide all those numbers by 24, and that's how many real-time seconds it takes to recover a lost Hit Point. Intelligence {DND074} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> If you're a Mage, get an 18, if not, it's a dump stat. By 'dump stat', I mean lower it to 10 or so to put the excess points in other attributes you actually need. 'Max Spell Level' refers to the highest level of spell you'll be able to cast if you're a Mage. Note that if you're a triple class Mage, you only need a 15 Intelligence as you'll never be able to memorize 9th level spells anyways (the tome will raise your intelligence high enough to cast 8th level spells.) 'Max Spells per Spell Level' is the maximum number of different spells you can have in your spell book per level. This will never be a deciding factor as you can simply drink a potion to temporarily allow you to scribe more spells than your spells per level allowance. In fact, you can just use potions in a timely manner to scribe all the spells you wish, allowing you to have as low of an Intelligence as you please regardless of your natural 'Max Spell Levle or 'Max Spells per Spell Level'. Still, it's just more convenient to have the natural Intelligence instead of having to rely on potions all the time and scribing spells all at once. If you fail at scribing a scroll, simply reload until you succeed. Lore is your ability to identify magical items. You'll legitimately never get high enough to identify everything, so you'll always need the Identify spell, making lore a non-issue. o=======o=======o=======o===============o=======o | | Learn | Max |Max Spells per | | | Score | Spell | Spell | Spell Level | Lore | | |Chance | Level | | | o=======o=======o=======o===============o=======o | 0 | 0% | - | - | -20 | | 1 | 0% | - | - | -20 | | 2 | 0% | - | - | -20 | | 3 | 0% | - | - | -20 | | 4 | 0% | - | - | -20 | | 5 | 0% | - | - | -20 | | 6 | 0% | - | - | -20 | | 7 | 0% | - | - | -10 | | 8 | 0% | - | - | -10 | | 9 | 0% | 4th | 6 | -10 | | 10 | 35% | 5th | 7 | 0 | | 11 | 40% | 5th | 7 | 0 | | 12 | 45% | 6th | 7 | 0 | | 13 | 50% | 6th | 9 | 0 | | 14 | 55% | 7th | 9 | 0 | | 15 | 60% | 7th | 11 | +3 | | 16 | 65% | 8th | 11 | +5 | | 17 | 75% | 8th | 14 | +7 | | 18 | 85% | 9th | 18 | +10 | | 19 | 95% | 9th | All | +12 | | 20 | 96% | 9th | All | +15 | | 21 | 97% | 9th | All | +20 | | 22 | 98% | 9th | All | +25 | | 23 | 99% | 9th | All | +30 | | 24 | 100% | 9th | All | +35 | | 25 | 100% | 9th | All | +40 | o=======o=======o=======o===============o=======o Wisdom {DND075} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> If you're a Cleric or a Druid, you want an 18. If you're a Mage, you might want at least a 14 to use the Wish spell effectively in Baldur's Gate 2. Otherwise, it's a dump stat. For Clerics and Druids you don't have a spell level maximum for a low Wisdom in 2nd Edition, but higher Wisdom nets you bonus spells. Definitely a draw for single class characters, but if you simply cannot spread your points out enough to get a great Wisdom, it's not that big of a deal. And keep in mind, there are three tomes in the game that add a 1 point bonus to this stat. The bonus spells are listed by level, at 17 you'd get 2 first level spells, 2 second level spells, and 1 third level spell. o=======o===============o=======o | Score | Bonus Spells | Lore | o=======o===============o=======o | 3 |- | -20 | | 4 |- | -20 | | 5 |- | -20 | | 6 |- | -20 | | 7 |- | -10 | | 8 |- | -10 | | 9 |0 | -10 | | 10 |0 | 0 | | 11 |0 | 0 | | 12 |0 | 0 | | 13 |1 | 0 | | 14 |2 | 0 | | 15 |2/1 | +3 | | 16 |2/2 | +5 | | 17 |2/2/1 | +7 | | 18 |2/2/1/1 | +10 | | 19 |3/2/1/2 | +12 | | 20 |3/3/1/3 | +15 | | 21 |3/3/2/3/1 | +20 | | 22 |3/3/2/4/2 | +25 | | 23 |3/3/2/4/4 | +30 | | 24 |3/3/2/4/4/2 | +35 | | 25 |3/3/2/4/4/3/1 | +40 | o=======o===============o=======o Charisma {DND076} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charisma affects NPC reactions to you and determines shop prices. Rarely you'll get a better reward for having a higher Charisma. It's a dump stat for everybody except Bards, who should get an 18 in it, and Paladins, who don't really have much of a choice when it comes to Charisma. To get the best discounts, make sure to have your character with the highest Charisma as party leader when interacting with the shopkeeper. o========o========o | Score |Reaction| o========o========o | 3 | -5 | | 4 | -4 | | 5 | -3 | | 6 | -2 | | 7 | -1 | | 8 | 0 | | 9 | 0 | | 10 | 0 | | 11 | 0 | | 12 | 0 | | 13 | +1 | | 14 | +2 | | 15 | +3 | | 16 | +4 | | 17 | +4 | | 18 | +5 | | 19 | +8 | | 20 | +9 | | 21 | +10 | | 22 | +11 | | 23 | +12 | | 24 | +13 | | 25 | +14 | o========o========o Tomes {DND077} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Now that you should know more or less what you're shooting for, keep in mind that there are tomes that add 1 to an attribute throughout the game. There is one for each attribute except Wisdom... there are about three of those tomes in the game. Give every tome you find to your protagonist, since they're the only ones who will get to take the bonuses with them into the sequel. Suggested Abilities by Class {DND078} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Below are the starting abilities I would suggest rolling for each class at a minimum, ignoring racial modifiers and class modifiers. All classes include their kits-an Inquisitor needs the same abilities as a Paladin, a Skald needs the same abilities as a Bard, etc. This list is not set in stone-especially for dual-class combos. An Assassin/Fighter, for example, need not worry about warrior-esque Constitution (17+) if they plan to gain more than ten levels as an Assassin, early dual-classing Mages need not worry about high Intelligence, etc. Note that it is possible-but extremely time-consuming-to surpass even some of the tougher suggestions here-I've rolled up a Fighter/Mage with the suggested stats below plus four points to spare before. Three 18's is easily attainable if you roll a bit, four 18's is difficult-but possible if you're willing to spend... an hour or so. Anything more, and... good luck. I know, I know, who wants to spend all day rolling up a character? But if you plan to play both Baldur's Gate games with one character, that's a lot of time in itself... might as well make sure you've got a character who's up to snuff before you start, I say. On the plus side, the Enhanced Edition added the ability to see the total of your rolls, which makes creating a strong character much less annoying. I mean, before you'd have to scan the scores and do a mental count... now you can just look at the total. Most rolls will hit the high 70s to low 80s range. With patience, you can hit the low 90s... which is enough for most builds. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Barbarian 18(91+) 18 18 10~ 10~ 10~ Bard 10~ 18 15 13~ 10~ 18 Cleric 18 18 15 10~ 18 10~ Cleric/Mage 18 18 15 18 18 10~ Cleric/Ranger 18(xx) 18 18 10~ 18~ 10~ Cleric/Thief 18 18 15 10~ 18 10~ Druid 18 18 15 10~ 18 15~ Fighter 18(91+) 18 18 10~ 10~ 10~ Fighter/Cleric 18(xx) 18 18 10~ 18 10~ Fighter/Druid 18(xx) 18 18 10~ 18 15~ Fighter/Mage 18(xx) 18 18 18 10~ 10~ Fighter/Mage/Cleric 18(xx) 18 18 18 10~ 10~ Fighter/Mage/Thief 18(xx) 18 18 18 10~ 10~ Fighter/Thief 18(91+) 18 18 10~ 10~ 10~ Mage 10~ 18 15 18 10~ 10~ Mage/Thief 10~ 18 15 18 10~ 10~ Monk 18 18 15 10~ 10~ 10~ Paladin 18(91+) 18 18 10~ 13~ 17~ Ranger 18(91+) 18 18 10~ 14~ 10~ Sorcerer 10~ 18 15 18 10~ 10~ Thief 10~ 18 15 10~ 10~ 10~ Wild Mage 10~ 18 16 18 10~ 10~ Proficiencies {DND079} o======================================================================o You have a selection of weapon proficiencies to choose from, which has been greatly expanded from the original game. By expanded I of course mean separated, so you simply need more points now to achieve the same thing. For example, Large Swords has been broken up into Two Handed Sword, Long Swords, Scimitars, and Bastard Swords. In addition there's also a variety of fighting styles, which give bonuses to you depending on how you fight. It's one thing to know how to use a long sword, and another thing to wield it alone, paired with a shield, or with an off-hand weapon. You earn proficiencies as you level up, at varying rates depending upon your class. Also, different classes can allocate these proficiencies into different weapon classes and fighting styles (and in different amounts) depending on their class. Weapon Proficiencies by Class/Level {DND080} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> LEVEL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Warrior 4 - 1 - - 1 - - 1 - - 1 ..+1/3 levels Wizard 1 - - - - 1 - - - - - 1 ..+1/6 levels Priest 2 - - 1 - - - 1 - - - 1 ..+1/4 levels Rogue 2 - - 1 - - - 1 - - - 1 ..+1/4 levels --> Warrior includes Barbarians, Paladins and Rangers. --> Wizard includes Sorcerers. --> Priest includes Druids and Monks. --> Rogue includes Bards Weapon Class Perks by Rank {DND081} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> These are the bonuses you gain by spending proficiency ranks in a weapon type, taken straight from the screen. o===============o=======o=======o=======o===============o==============o | Level | Ranks |To Hit |Damage | Attacks/Round | Speed Factor | o===============o=======o=======o=======o===============o==============o | Proficient | 1 | +0 | +0 | 1 | +0 | |---------------|-------|-------|-------|---------------|--------------| | Specialized | 2 | +1 | +2 | 3/2 | +0 | |---------------|-------|-------|-------|---------------|--------------| | Master | 3 | +3 | +3 | 3/2 | +0 | |---------------|-------|-------|-------|---------------|--------------| | High Master | 4 | +3 | +4 | 3/2 | +1 | |---------------|-------|-------|-------|---------------|--------------| | Grand Master | 5 | +3 | +5 | 2 | +3 | o===============o=======o=======o=======o===============o==============o --> Bards, Clerics, Druids, Mages, Monks and Thieves can only reach the rank of Proficient. --> Single-or-dual-classed Fighters can reach the rank of Grand Master. --> Multi-classed Fighters and Rangers, and single-classed Barbarians, Paladins, and Rangers can reach the rank of Specialized. --> Non-warriors (Barbarians, Fighters, Paladins, Rangers, multi, single, or dual-classed) do not gain bonus attacks per round, according to the game text. Of course... outside of the afore- mentioned warriors, only the Swashbuckler (Thief kit) can become Specialized in a weapon class, so it's mostly a moot point, anyways. Fighting Style Perks by Rank {DND082} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Of course, there's more to proficiencies than just the weapon classes- there's also fighting styles! They don't give stock bonuses like weapon class proficiencies, and they aren't weapon specific-instead, they potentially affect bonuses derived from fighting with a variety of weapons. Here it doesn't matter what you use, so much as how you use it. All fighting styles have two ranks, save Two-Weapon Style, which has three ranks. In the case of the latter, you're not gaining bonuses so much as you're eliminating penalties-being able to fight with two weapons simultaneously is enough of a benefit. Two-Handed: This fighting style allows the character to use a two-handed ----------- weapon and receive special bonuses. Proficient (1 rank): The wielder gets a +1 bonus to damage rolls, a -2 bonus to Speed Factor, and the ability to score critical hits on a roll of 19 or 20 (instead of just 20) when using a two-handed weapon. Specialized (2 ranks): The wielder gets a further -2 bonus to Speed Factor. Sword and Shield: Anyone can pick up a shield and get its basic ----------------- protection bonuses, but by spending slots on this fighting style, an adventurer can maximize the benefits received. Proficient (1 rank): The wielder gets a -2 bonus to AC against missile weapons. Specialized (2 ranks): The wielder gets a -4 bonus to AC against missile weapons. Single-Weapon: This fighting style is for characters who do not wish to -------------- use a shield but want some bonuses when using a one- handed weapon. Proficient (1 rank): The wielder gets a -1 bonus to AC and inflicts critical damage on an attack roll of 19 or 20. Specailized (2 ranks): The wielder gets a -2 bonus to AC and inflicts critical damage on an attack roll of 19 or 20. Two-Weapon: This fighting style allows the character to use two weapons ----------- at the same time with fewer penalties. A character wielding two weapons without a slot in this fighter style would incur a -4 penalty to attack rolls with the main weapon and a -8 penalty with the off-hand weapon. Proficient (1 rank): The wielder's penalties are reduced to -2 with the main weapon an -6 with the off-hand weapon. Specialized (2 ranks): The wielder's penalties are reduced to 0 with the main weapon and -4 with the off-hand weapon. Master (3 ranks): The wielder's penalties are reduced to 0 with the main weapon and -2 with the off-hand weapon. Proficiency Selection by Class {DND083} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Below you'll find listed the different weapon types in the Enhanced Edition of Baldur's Gate, and the classes who can use them. Remember that in the case of multi-and-dual-classed characters, weapon proficiencies are additive-you get the best selections of all your classes... unless you're a Cleric or a Druid, then it's restrictive. A Fighter/Mage gets all the proficiency options of a Fighter. A Fighter/Druid is restricted to using Druid-allowed weapons. |Barbarian | |Bard | | |Cleric | | | |Druid | | | | |Fighter | | | | | |Mage | | | | | | |Monk | | | | | | | |Paladin | | | | | | | | |Ranger | | | | | | | | | |Sorcerer | | | | | | | | | | |Thief | | | | | | | | | | | | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Bastard Sword | x | x | | | x | | | x | x | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Long Sword | x | x | | | x | | x | x | x | | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Short Sword | x | x | | | x | | x | x | x | | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Axe | x | x | | | x | | | x | x | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Two-Handed Sword | x | x | | | x | | | x | x | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Katana | x | x | | | x | | x | x | x | | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Scimitar, etc. | x | x | | x | x | | x | x | x | | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Dagger | x | x | | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| War Hammer | x | x | x | | x | | | x | x | | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Club | x | x | x | x | x | | x | x | x | | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Spear | x | x | | x | x | | | x | x | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Halberd | x | x | | | x | | | x | x | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Flail | x | x | x | | x | | | x | x | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Mace | x | x | x | | x | | | x | x | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Quarterstaff | x | x | x | x | x | x | | x | x | x | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Crossbow | x | x | | | x | | | x | x | | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Longbow | x | x | | | x | | | x | x | | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Shortbow | x | x | | | x | | | x | x | | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Dart | x | x | | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Sling | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Two-Handed Weapon Style | x | x | x | x | x | x | | x | x | x | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Sword and Shield Style | x | x | x | x | x | x | | x | x | x | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Single-Weapon Style | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Two-Weapon Style | x | x | x | x | x | x | | x | x | x | x | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o --> The Blade (Bard kit) can Master (three ranks) in the Two-Weapon fighting style. --> The Kensai (Fighter kit) cannot allocate any ranks into missile weapons of any kind-crossbow, longbow, shortbow, dart, or sling, nor can they put any ranks into the Sword and Shield fighting style. --> The Berserker (Fighter kit) can only become Proficient (one rank) in missile weapons-crossbow, longbow, shortbow, dart, or sling. --> The Dwarven Defender (Fighter Kit) can attain High Mastery (four ranks) in Axes and War Hammers. --> The Dwarven Defender (Fighter Kit) cannot rise above the level of Specialized (two ranks) in any weapon class save Axes and War Hammers. --> The Cavalier (Paladin kit) cannot allocate any ranks into missile weapons of any kind-crossbow, longbow, shortbow, dart, or sling. --> The Ranger (and Ranger kits) can Master (three ranks) in the Two-Weapon fighting style, and automatically start out Specialized (two ranks) in the Two-Weapon fighting style. --> The Archer (Ranger kit) cannot rise above the level of Proficient (one rank) in any melee weapon class. --> The Archer (Ranger kit) can attain the rank of Grand Mastery (five ranks) in missile weapons. --> The Beast Master (Ranger kit) cannot allocate any ranks into any metal weapons. They can only allocate ranks into the following weapon classes: club, quarterstaff, crossbow, longbow, shortbow, dart, sling, and the fighting styles. --> The Swashbuckler (Thief kit) can Specialize in all the weapon classes a Thief can allocate ranks into, and they can attain Mastery (three ranks) in the Two-Weapon fighting style. Thieving Abilities {DND084} o======================================================================o In case you're wondering where to allocate your Thief ability points, I'll cover that here. In general though, you'll want to shoot for Find Traps. Once you have 100% Find Traps, you can move onto other things. Find Traps is the only thing that Thieves can do that a spell cannot. Below are tables detailing how a character's race and Dexterity affects their Thief skills. |Pick Pockets | |Open Locks | | |Find Traps | | | |Move Silently | | | | |Hide in Shadows | | | | | |Detect Illusion o=============o | | | | | |Set Traps | Race | | | | | | | | o=============o=====o=====o=====o=====o=====o=====o=====o Human | +15 | +10 | +5 | +10 | +5 | 0 | 0 | <-------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| Dwarf | +15 | +20 | +20 | +10 | +5 | +5 | +10 | <-------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| Elf | +20 | +5 | +5 | +25 | +15 | 0 | 0 | <-------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| Gnome | +15 | +15 | +15 | +15 | +10 | +10 | +5 | <-------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| Half-Elf | +25 | +10 | +5 | +10 | +10 | 0 | 0 | <-------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| Halfling | +20 | +15 | +10 | +20 | +20 | 0 | 0 | <-------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| Half-Orc | +15 | +10 | +5 | +10 | +5 | 0 | 0 | <-------------o=====o=====o=====o=====o=====o=====o=====o |Pick Pockets | |Open Locks | | |Find Traps | | | |Move Silently | | | | |Hide in Shadows | | | | | |Detect Illusion | | | | | | |Set Traps | | | | | | | | o=========o=====o=====o=====o=====o=====o=====o=====o 9 | -15 | -10 | -10 | -20 | -10 | - | -10 | <---------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| 10 | -10 | -5 | -10 | -15 | -5 | - | -10 | <---------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| 11 | -5 | - | -5 | -10 | - | - | -5 | <---------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| 12 | - | - | - | -5 | - | - | - | <---------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| 13-15 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | <---------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| 16 | - | +5 | - | - | - | - | - | <---------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| 17 | +5 | +10 | - | +5 | +5 | - | - | <---------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| 18 | +10 | +15 | +5 | +10 | +10 | - | +5 | <---------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| 19 | +15 | +20 | +10 | +15 | +15 | - | +10 | <---------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| 20 | +20 | +25 | +15 | +18 | +18 | - | +15 | <---------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| 21 | +25 | +30 | +20 | +20 | +20 | - | +20 | <---------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| 22 | +30 | +35 | +25 | +23 | +23 | - | +25 | <---------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| 23 | +35 | +40 | +30 | +25 | +25 | - | +30 | <---------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| 24 | +40 | +45 | +35 | +40 | +30 | - | +35 | <---------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| 25 | +45 | +50 | +40 | +35 | +35 | - | +40 | <---------o=====o=====o=====o=====o=====o=====o=====o Pick Pockets {DND085} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> There aren't too many items you'll want to pick pocket in this game, and of course, you can always pop potions for when you really need to steal something. Also, Find Traps is essential and Hide in Shadows/Move Silently helps with combat, so Pick Pockets should take a back seat to those three. Plus, you can always just pick up an ally with good Pick Pockets (Garrick, Eldoth, Alora) and have them go around doing your dirty work for you. It's worth noting that in the patched version of the Enhanced Edition items have a steal difficulty based, presumably, on their value. If the difficulty of the item is too far above your Pick Pockets skill you'll get the text: "The target has no items that can be stolen by a cut purse of your skill." In the original game (and in earlier versions of the Enhanced Edition) you could typically just reload until you were successful, making tedium the only reason for you to ever throw points into this skill. Still, there's precious little that needs to be stolen. The target number that allows you to steal pretty much any item in the game (albeit, if you're patient enough to reload) is 50. Anything lower than this will limit your thieving options. Open Locks {DND086} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You can use Open Locks to.. well.. open locks. Of course, once you get the knock spell you won't need this anymore. Sure, it's nice to have a Thief who can pick locks without having to use up 2nd-level spell slots, but it's not essential. You can ignore this skill unless you are just overflowing with points to spend. Here's some information from contributor Jeff about the Open Locks skill, as it pertains to your Open Locks skill score and the difficulty of each lock: "...the lockpick skill can be no more than 5 points lower than the threshold to be successful. If after 5 attempts at failing to open the lock, it never will at that skill level." Find Traps {DND087} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This is the essential Thief skill. Clerics can find traps with a spell, but they can't disarm them. To safely eliminate traps, you need a Thief with this skill, and traps can be a problem in this game. In fact, this skill is really the reason you need a Thief in your party at all. No matter who you have, get their Find Traps to 100% before you do anything else. Move Silently/Hide in Shadows {DND088} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> These skills work together to serve the same purpose-to keep enemies from detecting you. In the original game, these skills were lumped up into one skill, 'Stealth'. In Baldur's Gate 2 the skills were split to make you waste extra points, and so the Enhanced Edition follows suit. Still, they're practically the same thing-getting one is a waste of time, so they'll be discussed in tandem. If you enter into Stealth mode, you can move about undetected by foes and, if you're a Thief, backstab enemies for heavy damage. This is pretty much the one combat upside to being a Thief, and it's deceptively good. Seriously, if you have a Thief with a good strength score, a magic weapon, and a good backstab multiplier, you could end up doing well over 40 damage in a hit. Considering that the most powerful enemies in this game will be lucky to push 100 Hit Points, that's good stuff. For a combat-focused Thief, this should be a priority.. after Find Traps. Sneaking does help, and you'll find a number of items that improve this skill throughout the game, so you probably only need 70 points or so in these skills. Detect Illusion {DND089} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You can use this ability to dispel illusions as if you were using True Sight. To activate it, just detect traps and if your score is high enough those bad illusions will vanish. Of course, we have many characters who can use True Sight, and while you're busy detecting illusions, you can't attack. Set Traps {DND090} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This ability allows you to.. wait for it.. set traps. Traps are static and can't be set during combat, which vastly limits their effectiveness. I assume this score makes you more likely to succeed at setting your traps, but honestly, I don't care enough to play around with it. Most traps deal 2d8+5/3d8+5 damage, which is fair enough, but for all the trouble it takes to set a trap and lure a foe onto it, you're probably better off just using a bow. Hit points {DND091} o======================================================================o You run out of Hit Points, and you die. These are important. Multi-classing averages your Hit Points/level across your classes. For example, take the Fighter/Mage: Fighter (Hit Die: d10) + Mage (Hit Die: d4) = 14 Hit Points per Level: 14/Number of Classes: 2 = 7 Therefore the Fighter/Mage would have a maximum of 7 Hit Points per level, or 5 for each Fighter level and 2 for each Mage level... plus any relevant Constitution bonuses. A multi-classed character will still get bonus Hit Points for having a Fighter class and a high Constitution, but a dual-class character can start out 9 levels of Fighter, get all 9d10+36 Hit Points,and dual-class into something else. This is in every way favorable. And don't accept crappy Hit Point rolls upon leveling up, especially not on your main character (these stats will carry over into the sequel, you know!) You should get max Hit Points each level... and good news! You no longer have to waste forever save/loading to get your awesome Hit Points! Just set the difficulty slider to 'NORMAL' temporarily to ensure you gain max Hit Points when leveling up. Face it, we're going to save/load until we get it anyways, why waste time? THAC0 and Armor Class {DND092} o======================================================================o THAC0 is an acronym for 'To Hit Armor Class 0'. This is the roll on a d20 (a 20 sided dice) that you'd need to hit somebody with an Armor Class of 0. Statistically, each point is a 5% chance to hit Armor Class 0, and a roll of 20 is ALWAYS a hit, and a roll of 1 is ALWAYS a miss, regardless of your THAC0/their Armor Class. Fighters get a lower THAC0 quicker (hence a better chance to hit) than other classes, and Mages have the worst THAC0 progression. A lower THAC0 and lower Armor Class are better-which seems counter intuitive, but that's 2nd Edition for you. (Nostalgia for a moment here.) Having a negative Armor Class essentially raises the enemies' THAC0. For instance, my Paladin has a base THAC0 of 5 (-2 with all her proficiencies, Strength, the bonus on the weapon, etc), and my Ranger/Cleric has an Armor Class of -13. My Paladin would need an 11 on a d20 to hit her (-2 +13 = 11). That's a 55% chance to miss-a 45% chance to hit. So, for a general rule, lower THAC0 and lower Armor Class are good. Unless the enemy has them. Then it's not so good. THAC0 by Class/Level* {DND093} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> *This is taken straight from the 2nd Edition Dungeons and Dragon's Players Handbook. LEVEL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Warrior 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Wizard 20 20 20 19 19 19 18 18 18 17 17 17 16 16 16 15 15 15 14 14 Priest 20 20 20 18 18 18 16 16 16 14 14 14 12 12 12 10 10 10 8 8 Rogue 20 20 19 19 18 18 17 17 16 16 15 15 14 14 13 13 12 12 11 11 --> Warrior includes Barbarians, Paladins and Rangers. --> Wizard includes Sorcerers. --> Priest includes Druids and Monks. --> Rogue includes Bards Multi-class characters use the best THAC0 progression of either of their classes-Fighter/Mages use the Fighter's THAC0 progression, and Cleric/Thieves use the Thieves' THAC0 progression. Dual-class characters use the THAC0 of their active class if they haven't regained their bonuses from the previous (inactive class). If they have, they use whichever gives them the best THAC0. Armor Class Modifiers by Weapon Type {DND094} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Different armor types are strong against different attack types. It might seem like information overload, but keep it in mind when picking between various types of armor. A suit of Leather Armor +3 versus a suit of Studded Leather Armor +2 might both give the same Armor Class, but because of the modifiers the Studded Leather is by far the better choice. It comes up. o===============o===============o===============o===============o | Armor | Slashing | Piercing | Bludgeoning | o===============o===============o===============o===============o | Leather Armor | 0 | +2 | 0 | |---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| |Studded Leather| -2 | -1 | 0 | |---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| | Chain Mail | -2 | 0 | +2 | |---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| | Splint Mail | 0 | -1 | -2 | |---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| | Plate Mail | -3 | 0 | 0 | |---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| | Full Plate | -4 | -3 | 0 | o===============o===============o===============o===============o Saving Throws {DND095} o======================================================================o There are some things that speed and armor just can't protect against. This typically means magic, in some form or another, and really, a Fireball doesn't care about your Plate Mail Armor. An enchantment can't be blocked by a shield, and being fleet of foot won't stop a Lich from using vile necromancy to rip the soul from your body. Nope, for that, we resort to Saving Throws, needlessly sorted into five categories that aren't always as self-explanatory as they seem to be. When your character is forced to making a saving throw check against something, they 'roll' a d20 and must exceed their Saving Throw. So like Armor Class, the lower the better. Paralysis/Poison/Death |Rod/Staff/Wand | |Petrification/Polymorph | | |Breath Weapon | | | |Spells Warrior o=======o=======o=======o=======o=======o Level 1-2 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 17 | Level 3-4 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 16 | Level 5-6 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Level 7-8 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Level 9-10 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 11 | Level 11-12 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 10 | Level 13-14 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 8 | Level 15-16 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 7 | Level 17+ | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | Wizard |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------| Level 1-5 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 12 | Level 6-10 | 13 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 10 | Level 11-15 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 8 | Level 16-20 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 6 | Level 21+ | 8 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 4 | Priest |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------| Level 1-3 | 10 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 15 | Level 4-6 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 14 | Level 7-9 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 12 | Level 10-12 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 11 | Level 13-15 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 10 | Level 16-18 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 9 | Level 19+ | 2 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 7 | Rogue |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------| Level 1-4 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 15 | Level 5-8 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 13 | Level 9-12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 11 | Level 13-16 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 9 | Level 17-20 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 7 | Level 21 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 5 | Monk |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------| Level 1-3 | 10 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 13 | Level 4-6 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 12 | Level 7-8 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 10 | Level 9 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 9 | Level 11-12 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 8 | Level 13-15 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 7 | Level 16-18 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | Level 19+ | 1 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 4 | o=======o=======o=======o=======o=======o --> Priest includes Druids. --> Rogue includes Bards. --> Warrior includes Barbarians, Paladins, and Rangers. Note: Multi-classed characters take the lowest Saving Throws offered by any of their classes. For example, a high level Fighter/Mage uses the better Fighter Saving Throws versus Paralysis/Poison/Death, and the better Mage Saving Throws versus Rod/Staff/Wand. Spells {DND096} o======================================================================o If you're a Mage or Bard, you'll get to choose two 1st level spells you know. I tend to pick sleep and identify. You never know when this game is going to be picky and not drop identify scrolls in a timely manner, and sleep is a great spell for clearing out masses of annoying weak enemies. Next you get to choose one spell to have memorized at the get go. I choose sleep. Lore {DND097} o======================================================================o Lore is a minor statistic that rates your ability to identify unknown magical items. Bards have the best lore, but the identify spell is the great equalizer. So long as you get a high enough lore on a character to identify minor items that you receive a lot of (such as ammunition) you're fine. Lore by Class/Level {DND098} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Everybody Else 1 Lore/Level Mage 3 Lore/Level Thief 3 Lore/Level Bard 10 Lore/Level --> The Blade (Bard kit) only receives half the normal Lore per level. Experience Points (EXP Cap) {DND099} o======================================================================o You kill things, you complete quests, you earn Experience Points. You gain Experience Points, you Level up, you gain Levels, you get stronger, you can kill more stuff. Fun. In Baldur's Gate you could get up to 89,000 experience points. With Tales of the Sword Coast you can get up to 161,000 Experience Points, a total cap that is split between all your classes, single, dual, or multi. The Enhanced Edition has kept the original Tales of the Sword Coast experience cap. If you're single-or- multi classed, this just limits your total level. For dual-classed characters, you must choose the opportune time to switch in order to gain enough experience to become a higher level in your second class than in your first, thus unlocking all your previous classes abilities. This means, in practice, playing a single-classed character throughout the first game in order to make a potent dual-class in the second game. Keep in mind that when you are multi-classing, you will progress in levels very slowly. If you get, say, 240 experience for smacking an Ogre around, only half of that will go to each of your classes. So if you were a Fighter/Mage, you'd get 120 in Fighter, and 120 in Mage. If you were a Fighter/Mage/Thief, only a third of that would go into each class, or 80 experience points. Now if you have a six person party, you have to divide that amongst each member. For that ogre, a Fighter/Mage would get 20 experience points in each class... that's one hundred Ogres to increase from Level 1 to Level 2. It may seem tedious... but I find Baldur's Gate to be a very well-balanced game. So what if it takes hours to level up? You'll be too busy exploring, gathering loot, and making gold to worry. Besides... you'll only reach level 7/7 as a Fighter/Mage anyways... Don't rush it, enjoy the ride. Below is a table listing the experience caps for the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition and Baldur's Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal (also the presumed experience cap for Baldur's Gate 2: Enhanced Edition) just so you know what to look out for in the immediate and far-distant future. o===================o===================o | Baldur's Gate | Baldur's Gate 2 | | Enhanced Edition | Enhanced Edition | o===================o===================o Barbarian | 8 | 40 | |-------------------|-------------------| Bard | 10 | 40 | |-------------------|-------------------| Cleric | 8 | 40 | |-------------------|-------------------| Cleric/Mage | 7/7 | 25/20 | |-------------------|-------------------| Cleric/Ranger | 7/7 | 25/21 | |-------------------|-------------------| Cleric/Thief | 7/8 | 25/28 | |-------------------|-------------------| Druid | 10 | 31 | |-------------------|-------------------| Fighter | 8 | 40 | |-------------------|-------------------| Fighter/Cleric | 7/7 | 24/25 | |-------------------|-------------------| Fighter/Druid | 7/8 | 24/21 | |-------------------|-------------------| Fighter/Mage | 7/7 | 24/20 | |-------------------|-------------------| Fighter/Mage/Cleric | 6/6/6 | 18/17/19 | |-------------------|-------------------| Fighter/Mage/Thief | 6/6/7 | 18/17/22 | |-------------------|-------------------| Fighter/Thief | 7/8 | 24/28 | |-------------------|-------------------| Mage | 9 | 31 | |-------------------|-------------------| Mage/Thief | 7/8 | 20/28 | |-------------------|-------------------| Monk | 8 | 40 | |-------------------|-------------------| Paladin | 8 | 40 | |-------------------|-------------------| Ranger | 8 | 40 | |-------------------|-------------------| Sorcerer | 9 | 31 | |-------------------|-------------------| Thief | 10 | 40 | |-------------------|-------------------| Wild Mage | 9 | 31 | o===================o===================o My Protagonists {DND100} o======================================================================o I've played this game quite a few times, and have had many protagonists over the years... but for these guides I've focused on the strongest, most power-gamey characters out there, characters who are individually powerful, unique, and fit well into various party setups. I first built this guide around a Fighter/Mage protagonist leading a good party, but later added information for you evil folks out there. The evil party was, by necessity, led by a Fighter/Mage/Thief protagonist. For the Enhanced Edition, I've recreated the previous two characters. The Fighter/Mage {DND101} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Fighter/Mage Half-Elf, Male True Neutral Strength: 18/74 (19) Dexterity: 18 (19) Constitution: 18 (19) Intelligence: 18 (19) Wisdom: 10 (13) Charisma: 10 (11) Starting Proficiencies: Flail: ++ Two-Weapon Style: ++ Overview: --------- At the end of the second game, the Fighter/Mage is arguably the strongest character there is. I don't argue it, but I'm sure somebody might. As far as I'm concerned, it's as strong of a protagonist as you can get. Unfortunately, this class doesn't become quite so strong in the first game, but it's a sacrifice worth making. Their Armor Class won't get very low in the first game, but their spell-buffs will, to a degree, make up for it. Since this is your protagonist-the only character whose creation you get to determine-you might as well make sure they've got the best possible attributes. An 18 Strength now (regardless of the exceptional Strength percentile) will pay off greatly when you get the Manual of Gainful Exercise, while the high Constitution and Dexterity are both rather mandatory for a warrior who can't rely on armor for protection. A high Intelligence will save you trouble, although you can make up for it with Potions of Genius. I find it simpler to just start out with an 18. How to Use the Fighter/Mage Effectively: ---------------------------------------- The original Baldur's Gate was a bit different than Baldur's Gate 2, but since the Enhanced Edition came along, the two games have had a meeting of the minds... or rather, of the proficiencies. In the original Baldur's Gate my Fighter/Mage specialized in Bows and Large Swords, and was pretty much an archer throughout the entire first game. In the second game, I was able to respec, and he invested in the Two- Weapon Style. Since the Enhanced Edition put Baldur's Gate 2 rules into Baldur's Gate 1 we (presumably) won't have the option to respec, so we'll need to start out with our Baldur's Gate 2 style builds in the first game. Two of the most powerful one-handed weapons in the second game are a Flail and an Axe, and in a show of shameless favoritism I plan to give both to my protagonist. Therefore for the first game, he starts out Specialized in Flails and in the Two-Weapon Style. As he gains levels, he'll Master (three ranks) in the Two-Weapon Style, then become Proficient (one rank) in Katanas, in preparation for Baldur's Gate 2. Yes, I said Katanas. One of the best weapons in the early part of the second game is a Katana. It isn't until Throne of Bhaal that we'll get rid of our Katana and finally dual-wield our ultimate Axe/Flail combo. His Hit Points will be passable, compared to most Baldur's Gate 1 warriors, and really, with his Strength and the lack of Grand Mastery in the first game, his THAC0 shouldn't be too far behind either. Where he suffers is the Armor Class, which will be... mediocre, at best. He'll need to be protected with spells such as Blur, Mirror Image, and Improved Invisibility before he goes off into melee combat, which will mostly make up the difference. Spell-buff and treat him as a normal Fighter and he should do fine in the first game, even if he does have to wait until the second game to become an outright phenom. I start my Fighter/Mage out as a True Neutral character... simply so they can wear Robes of the Neutral Archmagi. The Fighter/Mage/Thief {DND102} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Fighter/Mage/Thief Elf, Female Neutral Evil Strength: 18/44 (19) Dexterity: 19 (20) Constitution: 17 (18) Intelligence: 18 (19) Wisdom: 10 (13) Charisma: 10 (11) Starting Proficiencies: Long Sword: ++ Two-Weapon Style: ++ Overview: --------- Despite being less potent than the Fighter/Mage, my evil protagonist takes on another class... mostly by brute necessity. The Thieves you can recruit in the sequel are just... not up to snuff... so inferior, in fact, that I feel the strongest party is to give up the Fighter/Mage in favor of a Fighter/Mage/Thief. Other than that... her attributes do not need to vary from my Fighter/Mage's. An 18 Strength is mandatory, because you'll be able to raise it to 19 with a tome (a monstrous upgrade in terms of to hit and damage rolls), and her Dexterity and Constitution need to be high to counter her slow growth and inability to wear heavy armor. How to Use the Fighter/Mage/Thief Effectively: ---------------------------------------------- Focus on Find Traps until you get 100, then switch to Move Silently and Hide in Shadows. As for proficiencies... she's very similar to my Fighter/Mage, save she'll use Long Swords in favor of Axes or Flails. Start her out Specialized in Long Swords and the Two-Weapon Style, then attain Mastery (three ranks) in Two-Weapon Style. She'll finish off by becoming Proficient in Katanas, in anticipation of the sequel. You could also Specialize in Daggers instead of Long Swords, if such a thing catches your fancy-there are plenty of great Daggers in Baldur's Gate, and the Dagger of the Stars +5 in Baldur's Gate 2 is nothing short of the ultimate backstabbing weapon, and there are several good Daggers in Shadows of Amn to tide you over in the meantime. I personally prefer the higher damage range of Long Swords over Daggers. She, too, requires spell-buffing before heading into combat, and due to her slow growth she should probably be considered more of a secondary warrior than a true front-liner. Avoid having her go one-on-one with strong enemies... unless she can start out with a backstab, at which she will excel (a 19 Strength backstab is a thing of beauty). The Benchmark {DND103} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Anyways, if you think the stats on my protagonists are a little high, take a cue from the Bioware staff. Their ship-in protagonist in the 'Mission Pack' save that came with the Tales of the Sword Coast expansion (for those of you who are too lazy to want to play through the main game...) had the following stats: Strength: 18/90 Dexterity: 19 Constitution: 19 Intelligence: 7 Wisdom: 6 Charisma: 18 Obviously they're taking into consideration the fact that you won't be able to get many of the stat-raising tomes, but they're still assuming some pretty high base stats! (Also note that every party member in the mission pack save is a sequel character..) Now that that's all out of the way, let's get gaming!... Or read up on the recruitable characters in the game, but you can do that a little later... you know, after the Prologue. o======================================================================o | | | Characters {CHR001} | | | o======================================================================o Allies come in all shapes and sizes, and fill a variety of roles. Many of them can't be found until later in the game, which effectively makes them all but useless. Still, you've got more characters to choose from than you can fit into a party. Who should you pick, and which is the best? These are hard questions to answer. Frankly, your main character's class will help determine who you should travel with, and who you should leave behind. If you make a Paladin, you certainly won't need Ajantis, and if you make a character who has Thief levels, you won't need to even consider Imoen, Montaron, or Safana. Also, life will be easier if all the characters you choose are of the same alignment.. or are at least relatively close. Always remember that you need at least one Thief, one Cleric, and one Mage. The rest should be warriors of some sort, at least dual-or-multi-classed. In the recruitable section, 'Early' indicates characters that can be recruited before the Nashkel Mines. 'Mid' indicates characters that can be recruited sometime after the Nashkel Mines, but before Baldur's Gate. 'Late' indicates characters that can be recruited after Baldur's Gate. As a point of practice, a character that can't be recruited until the middle of the game has little chance of being useful by the time you reach them (at least, not without editing their Hit Points with a mod of some sort), and one that cannot be recruited until late is basically a moot character. You'll notice that all the sequel characters are ones you can recruit BEFORE the Nashkel Mines. This probably isn't a coincidence. Why does when you can recruit them matter? Because the computer is stupid when it comes to allocating proficiencies, skill points, and accepting Hit Points rolls. The longer you wait to recruit a character, the higher their level will be. The higher their level is, the more likely they are to have accepted stupid levels. Most characters have several 'versions' they can be-they don't scale to match your experience exactly, and there's not a level for every possible ally. I have included every instance of each character that it is possible to recruit-according to Infinity Explorer, but my description will be based on the assumption that you get them at the lowest possible level- with bias towards the difficulty of actually doing this, as is appropriate. Note about Character Quests {CHR002} o======================================================================o Many of the characters you can recruit have quests they want you to see to before you've 'secured' them. If you mess around too long, they'll leave to go find somebody more willing to see to their quests, but after you've completed their quests, they're generally yours for the rest of the game. Many of these are very simple-go to a certain area, talk to somebody, and so forth. Kagain, Edwin and Minsc are some (but not all) examples. These quests should be resolved immediately after recruiting them, and whatever you do, do not disband them from the party before completing their quest-it tends to make them pester you ceaselessly until you add them again, and just causes all kinds of glitches, in general. I had a note about this behavior under Yeslick's character entry, but an e-mail from Lee revealed that he had the same issue with Kagain-and I doubt it's just a Dwarf thing. So, I'm posting an official warning here under its own heading to let you know not to disband characters without completing their specific quests. The new characters in the Enhanced Edition-Dorn, Neera, Rasaad-all have more complicated quests to deal with, but they seem much more willing to work around your schedule than the original Baldur's Gate characters are. Character Stats {CHR003} o======================================================================o In version 1.04 I dutifully mined Infinity Explorer for the various character stats at each level they can be recruited, thanks to some prompting from Misty Mouse which suggested that I was selling a few characters short-namely Coran and Yeslick. Imagine my delight after just posting v1.04 to find out the Enhanced Edition was out, all the characters have new stats, and Infinity Explorer isn't an option. Yeah, it's a pain, but good news! They seem to have kept most of the characters exactly as they were-Edwin still gets one extra spell per level (probably due to his amulet), Kagain still has an absurd 20 Constitution, and Coran still has an equally silly 20 Dexterity and Mastery (three ranks) in Longbows. Good on Overhaul Games, for keeping our beloved Baldur's Gate characters the way we loved them. This section was originally added to show just how character degenerated due to crappy Hit Point rolls, proficiency selections, and skill point allocations if you waited to recruit them (and hence allowed the computer to level them up). Most of these numbers still stand-the characters still level up the same way-same Hit Points, same versions of all the characters. Of course, one little rub-the proficiencies and Thief Abilities have changed in the Enhanced Edition. I have re-recruited (in various plays) all the characters in the game at the lowest possible level, and again at the highest in order to try and re-record the Enhanced Edition stats of these characters. Still, there was some guess-work and conjecture done for some characters, so if anybody out there notices something I got wrong (a proficiency out of place in a level four variant, for example) let me know. Ajantis {CHR004} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Early Max Hit points per Level: 12 Male, Human, Paladin, Lawful Good Str 17, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 17 Paladin 2 Experience: 2263 Hit Points: 20 Bastard Sword ++ Two-Handed Sword + Longbow + ---or--- Paladin 4 Experience: 9026 Hit Points: 32 Bastard Sword ++ Two-Handed Sword ++ Longbow + ---or--- Paladin 6 Experience: 37129 Hit Points: 45 Bastard Sword ++ Two-Handed Sword ++ Longbow + Two-Handed Weapon Style + Overview: --------- He's got a decent Strength and Constitution, and a Dexterity that just begs for The Brawling Hands. Unfortunately, there are a lot of potential Fighters that need those gauntlets, so competition is rather stiff. To his credit however, Ajantis does have a high Charisma, which makes him recommendable as a party leader (especially if you throw on Algernon's Cloak). He also has access to several Paladin abilities, namely Lay on Hands, which allows him to heal once on rest shifts. Unfortunately, he starts to turn sour very quickly if you leave him to his own devices. If you somehow can't manage to get the level two version-you might as well just leave him behind to become Ankheg food. His level two Hit Points (20 out of a possible 24) are... manageable, but by level four he's got 32 out of 48 possible Hit Points, which is just unacceptable. By level six, he's thoroughly ruined as a front-line warrior. How to Use Ajantis Effectively: ------------------------------- Ajantis is another self-explanatory character. He starts out Specialized in Bastard Swords, which... are okay. He also naturally inclines towards Two-Handed Swords if you don't recruit him early, and it's actually not a bad idea. Either specialize in Two-Handed Weapon Style and keep a Longbow equipped as a ranged option, or Specialize (two ranks) in Longswords (which are superior to Bastard Swords) and switch between the two one-handed weapon types as the situation demands. In the latter scenario, the defensive bonuses of having a shield compensate for the lower stopping power of one-handed swords and the lack of a ranged option. Recruiting Ajantis: ------------------- Ajantis (x=1570, y=3130) is in the farm area north of the Friendly Arm Inn (AR1400). Don't provoke him and ask him to join your party and you're good to go. Also, avoid the Ankhegs in this area if you're lower level-they can be harsh. Alora {CHR005} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Late Max Hit points per Level: 6 Female, Halfling, Thief, Chaotic Good Str 8, Dex 19, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 7, Cha 10 Thief 4 Experience: 5012 Hit Points: 14 Dagger + Shortbow + Two-Weapon Style + ---or--- Thief 6 Experience: 20115 Hit Points: 19 Dagger + Shortbow + Two-Weapon Style + Overview: --------- Alora has one great attribute-her Dexterity, and for a Thief, isn't that what it's really all about? Sure, since Dexterity is a slow-progressing attribute, she's not much better off than all those other Thieves with an 18, but she's got enough Dexterity that she'll get a good Armor Class bonus and she'll be able to contribute with Short Bows. Unfortunately, by the time you have access to Alora, your need for a Thief has long since required you to recruit another. She's also a perfect example of why late-game allies just don't work. When recruited in my playthrough she was already level six, and the computer had wisely accepted 19 Hit Points (out of a possible 36) and had allocated most of her Thief skill points into Pick Pockets and Open Locks. What good is a level six Thief with 19 Hit Points and a Find Traps score of 50? How strong are Imoen, Safana, Montaron, or Coran by now in comparison? Characters you can reach in the Cloakwood Forest are passable-if you hurry and maintain as low of a level as possible through the Bandit Camp and the Nashkel Mines, but you'd be incredibly hard-pressed to fight your way through those two locations AND the Cloakwood Forest AND the Cloakwood Mines and remain less than level three or four. And by that time the damage has largely been done. I'd also like to point out that the average Hit Points on die for a level six Thief (granting max Hit Point rolls at level one, which the game does) is 23, meaning that Alora is, at level six, somewhat behind average, and certainly behind the decent rolls we're looking for. Of course, I might be missing her point entirely-at least according to Misty Mouse: "Alora has 100% pick pocketing when you recruit her later in the game. [Edit: 110% in the Enhanced Edition] I always end up recruiting her temporarily and taking a journey around the world to pick pocket everyone worth pick pocketing before sending her home again. No need to waste my thief's valuable thief skills on pick pocketing. Plus, Alora isn't really suited to fighting." On the latter part, I couldn't agree more, and when you put it like that... sure, why not recruit Alora late-game and take her around stealing all the crap you couldn't steal earlier? Simpler than just using Knock on every obstinate chest, right? I'll concede, she isn't useless... at least, if you never consider her a potential long-term party candidate. How to Use Alora Effectively: ----------------------------- Keep her out of combat. In fact, keep her out of any party that might one day see combat. She's really not meant for it. Like Misty Mouse suggested, she's here for one reason-to steal crap we might not have been able to steal earlier. If you insist on taking her into battle... well, use her as an archer and hope nothing retaliates. When she hits level eight and gains the one proficiency point you can control... it doesn't matter, why not try Short Swords, for kicks? Recruiting Alora: ----------------- Alora is in the High House (AR0130), which is located in the eastern district of Baldur's Gate (AR0600). She'll only be there are night, and the ideal time to meet/recruit her is during the quest to steal the telescope interred therein for Brevlik. Join her heist and when the deed is done, she'll want to join up permanent-like. Baeloth {CHR006} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Mid Max Hit Points per Level: 6 Male, Elf, Sorcerer, Chaotic Evil Str 12, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 19, Wis 12, Cha 16 Sorcerer 6 Experience: 40000 Hit Points: 36 Quarterstaff + Dart + Overview -------- Ah, Baeloth... he is for Mages what Dorn is for warriors in the Enhanced Edition. Somebody really liked the evil party, no? Anyways, if you played with the Black Pits part of the Enhanced Edition, you'll know who Baeloth is. If not... then all you need to know is that he's the closest thing to competition Edwin has in the Mage department, which is praise indeed. Fist, look at his attributes. His Dexterity is just one point shy of giving him any bonuses, but he gets the max potential Hit Point benefit from his Constitution, and his Intelligence is a whopping 19... which is utterly useless, considering he's a Sorcerer. If you don't know what a Sorcerer is, look at the class descriptions. In brief, they only know a few spells per level, but don't have to memorize any. Of their daily allotment of spells they can cast any number of their known spells... but they cannot scribe new spells from scrolls. So, you have to sacrifice potential tactical flexibility of one sort (being able to cast many, many more spells) as a Mage for tactical flexibility of another sort (not having to memorize specific spells in specific quantities) as a Sorcerer. Honestly, there are only so many great spells per level that a Sorcerer isn't a terrible class... but it all really depends on what spells one knows, right? That being the case, let's look at Baeloth, shall we? 1st-Level: Burning Hands, Chromatic Orb, Identify, Larloch's Minor Drain, Magic Missile, Shield, Spook 2nd-Level: Detect Invisibility, Melf's Acid arrow, Mirror Image, Ray of Enfeeblement, Web 3rd-Level: Dire Charm, Dispel Magic, Fireball, Haste He's got a good spellbook there, with only a few exceptions. He doesn't have Sleep, Blur, Knock, or Stinking Cloud, which I'm not happy to lose, but on the other hand... by the time you can get Baeloth, you probably won't need Sleep... ever again. As for Blur, Knock and Stinking Cloud... well, I always play a Mage multi-class protagonist, so they can provide Knock and Stinking Cloud as necessary. On that note, Stinking Cloud is becoming less useful by the time you get Baeloth, and my evil protagonist-a Fighter/Mage/Thief-can just pick locks. So, long story short, he has some holes in his spellbook, but they're not critical spells, for the most part, and can be managed. Now for a few... mostly minor... gripes. His spell progression is rather stunted, being a Sorcerer and all. He will never get 5th-level spells in Baldur's Gate due to the level cap, which means no Chaos. No big deal, Confusion is nearly as good. Other than that, he is Proficient in Darts instead of Slings. Again, a minor gripe, you can always load up on Darts as easily as Bullets, but a Sling +1 can fire any bullets (enchanted or not) and gain THAC0 and damage bonuses, whereas if you want something comparable with Darts, you'll just have to spring for Darts +1. Finally for a massive positive-as a Dark Elf, Baeloth has a flat 50% Magic Resistance, same as Viconia. This is a massive boost to his defenses, something Edwin just has no counter for. So... honestly, I find Edwin and Baeloth to be evenly matched, for the most part. Edwin will have a more versatile spellbook and a stupendous number of spells he can memorize per day, while Baeloth will... have a more limited spell selection, but he needs not prepare ahead of time, and he will have a stunted progression. Slings versus Darts is almost a non-issue, and Baeloth's 50% Magic Resistance is truly great. How to Use Baeloth Effectively: ------------------------------- He's good to go from the moment you get him, really. His proficiencies are already set, and they're passable. He comes with a Quarterstaff +1 which you will probably never use, just buy him some Darts and he's ready to go. He also starts out with a Robe of the Evil Archmagi, which is fantastic. When he levels up, he'll get some extra 3rd-Level spells. Consider getting Slow, which will be an invaluable addition to his arsenal. As for 4th-Level spells, you can't go wrong with Stoneskin and Confusion. Recruiting Baeloth: ------------------- Baeloth is an odd duck, as far as recruiting goes. He appears in Larswood (AR2900), near the Gibberling tower in the south-center part of the map. He will, however, only appear under certain circumstances, which I will admit I haven't fully figured out yet. There seems to be an experience requirement for getting him to join-which only makes sense, he always seems to show up as a 6th-level Sorcerer. I was able to recruit him with a party that had about 30,000 experience per character, and another with around 50,000 experience. Alignment doesn't seem to matter (I had a full evil party, and a party that was mostly good, with evil and neutral protagonists respectively). Reputation doesn't seem to matter, either, as I had a reputation of four in the former, and an 18 in the latter. One was in chapter 2, the other was in chapter 3. On the other hand, the good party which I wrote this guide around wasn't able to get him to appear at all-not at a low level, not with an average of 36,000 experience, and not even when max level. At none of the safety saves was my good party able to induce him to appear. Never. Anyways, when he did appear, he did so under the circumstances mentioned above. I suggest not bothering until you have a 6th-level character of some class or another. When he arrives, allow him to tag along and... well, don't attack him. He's more than happy to team up with you. Also, just because I saw some people were having some trouble finding him again after kicking him out of the party, when you disband him he'll head to the Friendly Arm Inn area (AR2300). He won't head inside, however, rather, he waits around outside of the walls, on the eastern side of the level, at (x=4720, y=3050). Branwen {CHR007} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Early Max Hit points per Level: 9 Female, Human, Cleric, True Neutral Str 13, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 9, Wis 16, Cha 13 Cleric 2 Experience: 1545 Hit Points: 17 War Hammer + Sling + ---or--- Cleric 5 Experience: 14045 Hit Points: 38 War Hammer + Flail + Sling + Overview: --------- Branwen, a war-priest from the Norheim isles. She's neutral, so she can fit into any party, and I've played through with her, she's really not bad. Of course, she doesn't edge out either Jaheira or Viconia. In fact, I feel she's patently inferior to Viconia, seeing as how Viconia has both a better Dexterity and Magic Resistance, which means she's better than Branwen defensively. With a Cleric, we want defense, defense is good. If you can't keep your Cleric alive, you can't use your Cleric to keep your other characters alive, no? The extra Hit Point a level is nice, as are the extra spells, but if push came to shove, I'd still take Viconia. Also bear in mind that Branwen's Strength score is just low enough to cause problems-not being able to strap on a Large Shield is kinda sucky, really. Branwen comes in two flavors-good, and still good. When you first recruit her at level two, she'll be a mere one Hit Point off her maximum. If you wait until she's level five, she'll be a whopping... two Hit Points off maximum. No big deal. How to Use Branwen Effectively: ------------------------------- First, the proficiencies-she comes Proficient in War Hammers and Slings. Ashideena +2 and a ranged option-she's good to go as soon as you get her. With her level four and eight proficiencies... get one rank into Maces if you anticipate using The Stupefier +1, and then get her Proficient in the Sword and Shield Style to increase her Armor Class bonuses versus Missile Weapons. Now, for how sub-par Strength... as a single-classed Cleric she's just not worth the Hands of Takkok, so what to do? Well... you'll just have to make do. Have her wear Medium Shields and don some Ankheg Plate Mail and she'll be decent in the Armor Class department. Recruiting Branwen: ------------------- Branwen is in the Nashkel Carnival area (AR4900) and has been turned to stone (x=3250, y=2890) by a wizard named Tranzig. An opportunistic evil Halfling is selling a scroll to turn her back for 500 gold, but I prefer to steal it. Cheaters never prosper.. unless they are me, of course. When you turn her back to flesh, she'll offer to join your party. Coran {CHR008} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Mid Max Hit points per Level: 8 Male, Elf, Fighter/Thief, Chaotic Good Str 14, Dex 20, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 9, Cha 16 Fighter 3/Thief 3 Experience: 4063/4063 Hit Points: 27 Long Sword ++ Longbow +++ ---or--- Fighter 5/Thief 5 Experience: 16762/16762 Hit Points: 39 Long Sword ++ Longbow +++ Overview: --------- Coran is a pretty good character for his role. He's a Thief, which fulfills a need you might have, and he's also a Fighter. Frankly though, with his Strength (which is just low enough to avoid any bonuses) and his need to remain in light armor he's best used as an archer-which is what he claims to be. In that, he excels. Notice the 20 Dexterity? He starts out with Mastery in Longbows (which technically isn't possible for a multi-class character), and a respectable two ranks in Long Swords. There are only three gripes I have about him: 1) He's not a sequel character, which I'm sure matters to somebody other than me. 2) His starting skills aren't great-not a single point spent in Find Traps. 3) You can't recruit him until you gain access to the Cloakwood Forest, making him a mid-game character. Now to refute all my points: 1) Who cares? 2) If you get him at level three, you will be able to get his Find Traps up to snuff, and also-he replaces Minsc in the Good party, not Imoen. Let Imoen continue to be your trap-finder, and enjoy Coran's archery. 3) Even at level five, his Hit Points are only a single point off maximum, so it never really matters WHEN you recruit him... but at level three, his Hit Points are maximum, and we all would love to get that extra Hit Point, wouldn't we? He's probably the best archer in the game, although for my money Kivan makes a superior all-round support Fighter. How to Use Coran Effectively: ----------------------------- Recruit him and put a Longbow in his hands. Seriously, there's nothing to this guy. As long as he's shooting at things, he's doing alright. Once he hits level six... it doesn't really matter where you put that proficiency. He doesn't belong in melee, he'll already be a candidate for a few good Long Swords and every good Longbow, and he's not going to transfer to the sequel. It's really a moot proficiency. Perhaps get a rank into Single-Weapon Style? Recruiting Coran: ----------------- You can find Coran in the first part of the Cloakwood Forest (AR2200) on a bridge in the north-western corner of the map (x=1520, y=700). He wants help ridding the Cloakwood Forest of a wyvern nest, which is fine, since we intend to kill as many wyverns as we can find. All you need to do to satisfy (and secure) Coran is kill any old Wyvern and bring its head to Kelddath Ormlyr, who resides at the Song of the Morning Temple in the Temple area east of Beregost (AR3400). Dorn {CHR009} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Early Max Hit Points per Level: 10 Male, Half-Orc, Blackguard, Neutral Evil Str 19, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 16 Blackguard 1 Experience: 0 Hit Points: 10 Two-Handed Sword ++ Two-Handed Weapon Style ++ ---or--- Blackguard 2 Experience: 2250 Hit Points: 17 Two-Handed Sword ++ Two-Handed Weapon Style ++ Overview: --------- What's there to really say about Dorn? Look at his stats, he's freakin' awesome. Yeah, they're milking that Half-Orc thing with the 19 Strength, and I say let 'em. His Strength is absolutely phenomenal-it's hard to stress the difference between 18(xx) Strength and pure, honest, not retarded exceptional numbers 19 Strength. Actually, no it's not... Shar-Teel's 18(53) Strength gives her a +2 bonus to hit and a +3 bonus to damage. Dorn's 19 Strength gives a +3 bonus to hit, and a +7 bonus to damage. And he doesn't have to resort to sharing Long Swords or using pussy Daggers, either. The fact that he'll get a +2 bonus to Armor Class from his Dexterity is just icing on the awesome cake, and his useless Constitution is forgivable. Last but not least, his 16 Charisma means the evil party finally has an obvious leader-a strong, well-armored, alpha-warrior that's also pretty. Sit down, Viconia, Dorn'll be leading the way from now on. As far as his class goes... the Blackguard isn't a terrible kit. Dorn is an excellent addition to any evil party. He does have one weakness, however-his Hit Points are less than desirable for a front-line warrior, much less a party leader. He gets no bonuses from Constitution. With perfect rolls, he'll max out at 80 Hit Points, compared to Jaheira's 89, Ajantis' 92, and Kagain's whopping 120... putting him dead last in Hit Points among the Enhanced Edition front-liners I use. At level one, you'll really need to go out of your way to keep him protected, as absurd as it seems, because one bad hit from a Gnoll's halberd will do him in outright. Still, in spite of this weakness, his offensive powers make him a more than worthy replacement for Shar-Teel, who's not exactly stellar in the Hit Point department herself. If Edwin's a glass cannon, Dorn's a paper tiger... and that's just fine. We've got Kagain for defense, and Jaheira and Viconia to patch people up. How to Use Dorn Effectively: ---------------------------- He's as simple as pie-he starts out Specialized in Two-Handed Swords and in the Two-Handed Weapon Style. He also comes with an enchanted, soul-stealing Two-Handed Sword. Can you figure out what to do? If not, smack yourself twenty times and try again. Still, he's got a lot of leveling to do, and we'll need to put those proficiencies somewhere... at levels three and six get him Proficient and Specialized (respectively) in Crossbows-this will let him contribute in ranged combat. I know, bows are better... but PRETEND he'll get exported into the sequel, where he'll definitely want to know his way around a Crossbow. Other than that-strap some heavy armor on him and let him destroy everything in his way. He needs neither the Hands of Takkok nor The Brawling Hands. Recruiting Dorn: ---------------- You'll find Dorn in the Friendly Arm Inn (x=1120, y=720), doubtlessly up to no good. When you talk to him, he'll 'mistake' you for a waiter, then dismiss you, and will respond to further conversation attempts with threats. When you try to go to the Nashkel Mines, however, you'll run into some bandits, led by Senjak and Dorotea. Dorn shows up and a fight ensues. Afterwards, ask Dorn to join up and he will. Dynaheir {CHR010} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Early Max Hit points per Level: 6 Female, Human, Invoker, Lawful Good Str 11, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 17, Wis 15, Cha 12 Invoker 1 Experience: 452 Hit Points: 6 Sling + ---or--- Invoker 2 Experience: 2638 Hit Points: 11 Sling + ---or--- Invoker 4 Experience: 11003 Hit Points: 21 Sling + ---or--- Invoker 6 Experience: 40653 Hit Points: 31 Quarterstaff + Missile Weapons + Overview: --------- Dynaheir has... a decent Intelligence, and a good Constitution, but as a specialist Mage, she does have an inevitable downside-she has an opposition school from which she can cast no spells. The severity of this impediment, then, depends upon what spells she loses as a consequence. The bad news is that she loses access to Enchantment/Charm spells, many of which are very good. The good news is she no longer also loses access to Conjuration/Summoning, as Invokers did in the original game. Losing access to Sleep renders her all but useless until 3rd level, and not being able to cast Hold Person, Hold Monster, and Greater Malison are unfortunate, while lacking Confusion and Chaos really sucks. Still, without the additional prohibition of Conjuration/Summoning spells, I hate to say it, Dynaheir is no longer so useless as to avoid being considered a potential party member. I still prefer Imoen for her versatility, but she's not going to be as powerful as a Mage as Dynaheir, since she can no longer dual-class herself into a Conjurer, but Dynaheir is, at least, superior to Neera. Dynaheir doesn't go quite as astray statistically as some other characters do. At level two she's only down one Hit Point, by level four she's down three, and by level six she's missing five-but she's an early character, so you should have no trouble recruiting her before level two or four, by the latest. How to Use Dynaheir Effectively: -------------------------------- She already starts out Proficient in Slings, which is good, because with her limited spell-book, she'll be using her Sling a bit in the early-going. Get her a rank into Quarterstaves later and you're good to go. Recruiting Dynaheir: -------------------- You can find Dynaheir in the Gnoll Stronghold (AR5100), in one of the holding pits at (x=2530, y=1450). The Gnoll Stronghold is in the south- western corner of the world map, so she requires a bit of exploring to reach. Recruiting both Edwin and Minsc require finding her, so she's somewhat important... but not in the good way. Edwin (Sequel character) {CHR011} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Early Max Hit points per Level: 6 Male, Human, Conjurer, Lawful Evil Str 9, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 9, Cha 10 Conjurer 1 Experience: 342 Hit Points: 6 Quarterstaff + ---or--- Conjurer 2 Experience: 2819 Hit Points: 10 Quarterstaff + ---or--- Conjurer 4 Experience: 10984 Hit Points: 17 Quarterstaff + ---or--- Conjurer 6 Experience: 41752 Hit Points: 27 Quarterstaff + Sling + Overview: --------- He's not strong, fast, wise or pretty. He's a glass cannon. That's right, with an 18 Intelligence and the maximum useful Constitution, Edwin seems to be in a good place to let loose magic. His Armor Class isn't all that important, since your job is to keep him AWAY from combat. Any time he's getting attacked in melee or at range is a time you failed to use him right. Spells are another story, and more Hit Points will help weather the odd enemy reprisal. Did I mention he gets two additional spells per level and is the most useful specialist class, the Conjurer? The only useful spells he can't cast are Identify and (in the sequel) True Sight. All those factors make him the most powerful spell caster in the game, bar none. Even if you made your own Conjurer protagonist, it would be your end-of-chapter abilities versus his extra spell per spell level. Not a good trade. You must take him to the Gnoll Stronghold fairly expediently after finding him, and his quest directly opposes Minsc's. Do Edwin's job for him, and he's yours for the rest of the game. Oh, and be sure to recruit him early-he starts to suck in the Hit Point department if you leave him to his own devices. How to Use Edwin Effectively: ----------------------------- You'll want to get him ranks in Slings so he can make ranged attacks should he ever run out of spells. This will... take him a while, but once it's done you can just have him chuck Bullets at less threatening foes, and rely on his enormous spell arsenal for anything that might be somewhat threatening. He's just the best Mage in the game, hands down. Recruiting Edwin: ----------------- Edwin is in Nashkel (AR4800), standing on the bridge that runs over the river separating the map in half (x=2870, y=2950). You'll have to agree to hunt down and kill the witch Dynaheir to get him to join you, and actually go through with it to keep him. Obviously this won't make him friends with Minsc, so you need to choose one or the other... or just go kill Dynaheir with Edwin, after which Minsc is distraught, but he doesn't seem to know that YOU were the ones who killed her. Eldoth {CHR012} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Mid Max Hit points per Level: 7 Male, Human, Bard, Neutral Evil Str 16, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 16 Bard 3 Experience: 2526 Hit Points: 15 Scimitar + Longbow + ---or--- Bard 5 Experience: 10126 Hit Points: 24 Scimitar + Spear + Longbow + Overview: --------- Eldoth isn't one of my recommended characters, although you could technically reach him somewhat quickly. This is a case, however, where it's really not worth it. He will get a bonus to his Hit Points, and will do well in combat due to his Strength... except for the fact that seven Hit Points a level does not a killer make, and a Bard doesn't have a great THAC0 progression. Garrick will make a better archer/support character, which is really what a Bard should be, and you can get him much earlier. If you just have to have a Bard, take Garrick. Eldoth starts out somewhat shy of Hit Points (having 15 out of a possible 21 at third level) and by level five he's down to 24 out of a possible 35. Neither of which are really acceptable losses for a character whose maximum Hit Points are 65 before starting out sans six Hit Points. Perhaps the only interesting thing about Eldoth is that you'll need him to recruit Skie... who sucks in her own right. Ah well... How to Use Eldoth Effectively: ------------------------------ Use him as... a rather poor archer with his proficiency in Longbows, but aim to pick up proficiency in Two-Handed Swords so he can participate in melee... Using a Two-Handed Sword... So he can attack from behind other, better warriors. Oh, he'll also be able to cast support spells, provide you nanny him when he tries to scribe, as his Intelligence is laughable. Recruiting Eldoth: ------------------ You can find Eldoth in the third area of the Cloakwood Forest (AR1600) at (x=3180, y=3500). He wants your help to 'abduct' his lover Skie from her house in Baldur's Gate, then ransom her father, Entar Silvershield. He will, however, wait around for you to finish your quests before tackling his. If he only knew what he was getting himself into, eh? Faldorn {CHR013} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Mid Max Hit points per Level: 8 Female, Human, Druid, True Neutral Str 12, Dex 15, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 15 Druid 3 Experience: 4097 Hit Points: 16 Club + Dart + ---or--- Druid 5 Experience: 13197 Hit Points: 22 Club + Spear + Dart + Overview: --------- Ookay... well, let's get it out there, Faldorn sucks. She doesn't have the Hit Points or the Strength of Jaheira, paltry as it is, and her tiny bonus to Armor Class is a poor compensation. Jaheira can wear much better armor and will survive in melee combat much longer as a result. Not only that, she'll get more points to spend in her proficiencies and she'll have a better THAC0. What does Faldorn have over Jaheira besides the one point of Armor Class that is rendered negligible because of Jaheira's better armor? Well, she can cast a few more spells. She has one-and only one-redeeming quality-as a single-classed Druid she'll get access to 5th-level spells, which multi-classed Jaheira will not (in this game). This means Faldorn can cast Insect Plague-the almighty slayer of nearly everything in Shadows of Amn. But this isn't Shadows of Amn. Simply put, there just aren't any fights so challenging as to require Insect Plague. Not when Sleep and Stinking Cloud are capable of doing the job just as well. And the few fights where Insect Plague might come in handy where other spells won't suffice? Well... those foes tend to be singularly powerful with quite hefty Magic Resistances. Besides, even with Insect Plague Faldorn is a one-trick pony, since she's useless in combat. If you want a Druid, take Jaheira-you'll also get a competent Fighter. The earliest you can recruit her is when she's level three-by then, she's already lost a third of her possible Hit Points at that level. By 5th level, she's boasting a mere 22 out of 40 potential Hit Points. They took perhaps one of the worst classes in the game, and gave you a version that is always doomed to having crappy Hit Points. Wonderful. She's a big bag of suck and liabilities. My mother told me "If you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything at all." She also told me that I was Catholic, and she sure got that wrong. So let me reiterate: Faldorn sucks. Sucks. Sucks. Sucks. Blows. Sucks. How to Use Faldorn Effectively: ------------------------------- You really can't, she just sucks... but we'll humor (humour, for my British friends-or as I like to call them, Englishly-challenged) ourselves by pretending she's not as horrible as she is. She'll come Proficient in... Clubs and Darts. Oh yeah, things are looking up. Get her Proficient in Slings, as she has no business being in melee combat, then... well, make a bad compromise. Either have her become Proficient in Daggers and make a poor-man's imitation of Jaheira, or get Spears so she has some reach. Recruiting Faldorn: ------------------- You can find Faldorn in the third Cloakwood Forest area (AR1600) by some stone henges and an obelisk (x=650, y=2280). She wants to cleanse the forest of its Iron Throne infestation, which naturally aligns her with your current goals. Garrick {CHR014} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Early Max Hit points per Level: 6 Male, Human, Bard, Chaotic Neutral Str 14, Dex 16, Con 9, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 15 Bard 1 Experience: 76 Hit Points: 6 Short Sword + Crossbow + ---or--- Bard 2 Experience: 1270 Hit Points: 10 Short Sword + Crossbow + ---or--- Bard 4 Experience: 5089 Hit Points: 15 Short Sword + Crossbow + Shortbow + ---or--- Bard 6 Experience: 21121 Hit Points: 20 Short Sword + Crossbow + Shortbow + Overview: --------- Garrick is... well, a support character. His Dexterity is good enough that he can be a decent archer. He won't be sturdy, he won't satisfy your thieving needs, but he can shoot at bad guys from a distance and cast support spells. So... if you have an extra party slot and want another support character-and solely a support character-you can take Garrick along to take up space. You must be sure to get him early, however, as his Hit Points become unacceptable by the time he hits level four (15 out of 24), and by level six he's thoroughly ruined (20 out of 36). It shouldn't be too hard to get to Beregost in a timely fashion, however. How to Use Garrick Effectively: ------------------------------- He starts out proficient with Crossbows, which... are inferior to bows. Still, they're usable until he hits level four and you can become Proficient in Longbows. Afterwards, consider getting a rank into Two-Handed Swords or Halberds so he can contribute in melee, as well. He can also cast support spells, but like Eldoth, his Intelligence is wretched. You'll want to consider setting the difficulty down to 'NORMAL' when you want to scribe spells, as what this game calls a 55% chance to learn spells is really code for 100% chance to get frustrated. Recruiting Garrick: ------------------- You can find Garrick in Beregost (AR3300), hanging out in front of the Burning Wizard. If you kill Silke, he'll offer to join you afterwards. Imoen (Sequel character) {CHR015} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Early Max Hit points per Level: 8 Female, Human, Thief, Neutral Good Str 9, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 17, Wis 11, Cha 16 Thief 1 Experience: 76 Hit Points: 8 Short Sword + Shortbow + ---or--- Thief 2 Experience: 1304 Hit Points: 14 Short Sword + Shortbow + ---or--- Thief 4 Experience: 5124 Hit Points: 29 Short Sword + Quarterstaff + Shortbow + ---or--- Thief 6 Experience: 20636 Hit Points: 43 Short Sword + Quarterstaff + Shortbow + Overview: --------- Imoen has pretty damn good Thief attributes, with a high Dexterity and the highest useful Constitution score. Her Strength means she should be restricted to archery, but that's not much of a loss. Her Thief abilities also progress handily, too. If you somehow get her late in the game (the only way this could happen is on a subsequent playthrough) she'll automatically get a Find Traps score of 100. Best of all, she only loses five Hit Points over the same number of levels. Sadly, everything isn't all sunshine and rainbows for Imoen-due to the mechanics of Baldur's Gate 2 rules which allow you to dual-class from- but not into-any class, she can no longer become a Thief/Conjurer. She will instead have to settle for being a Thief/Mage. She was destined to become on in the sequel anyways, but it's a little sad to see her nerfed in the first game, too. Still, since I'd rather have a Fighter/Mage protagonist rather than some Thief dual-or-multi-class, I keep Imoen in the good party as my Mage of choice. Her inevitable inclusion into my Baldur's Gate 2 good party gives her some leverage as well. How to Use Imoen Effectively: ----------------------------- The most common strategy with Imoen (and there's a reason it's so prevalent) is to turn her into a dual-class Mage after she gains enough points into Find Traps. Her 17 Intelligence has to be there for a reason, right? Even the tutorial for the Enhanced Edition has Imoen dual-classed into a Thief/Mage! It's just the way Imoen was meant to be. For a good-aligned party, she'll provide the bare bones thieving you need, and can become a good wizard to boot. Convert her to a Mage when she hits level 6 as a Thief and she'll finish the game as a level 6 Thief/level 9 Mage without wasting a single level. Dump all her points into Find Traps until it's 100%, then put the rest into... well, either Move Silently/Hide in Shadows or Open Locks. She won't ever be a great sneaker, but it could help getting the drop on bad guys from time to time. When she needs to pick pockets, you'll have potions to help with that. She comes Proficient in Shortbows and Short Swords, but you may want to add another good weapon before she dual-classes... Long Swords or Scimitars, for example. Not like it matters, she'll probably never be used to backstab after she dual-class. As for after she dual-classes, well... her proficiencies really don't matter much. The whole goal is to get back her Thief levels so she can return to shooting things with her bow. In the meantime, start out with Slings so she can have some ranged presence in those awkward first Mage levels. Now, you might be wondering... why are there four different level versions of Imoen? Doesn't she join you right after Candlekeep, at the beginning of the game? Sure she does, but if you replay the game with an old character (that 'export' button isn't just for decoration, you know!) you could potentially start with a high level character.. and hence, get a high-level Imoen. I won't even bother to discuss it here-if you want to replay the game multiple times with the same character, that's on you. This guide is for a single playthrough with a fresh protagonist. Recruiting Imoen: ----------------- Imoen will join your party automatically after leaving Candlekeep, at the start of Chapter 1. Jaheira (Sequel character) {CHR016} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Early Max Hit points per Level: 12 Female, Half-elf, Fighter/Druid, True Neutral Str 15, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 15 Fighter 1/Druid 1 Experience: 1786/1786 Hit Points: 12 Club ++ Quarterstaff + Sling + ---or--- Fighter 2/Druid 2 Experience: 2258/2258 Hit Points: 16 Club ++ Quarterstaff + Sling + ---or--- Fighter 4/Druid 4 Experience: 8082/8082 Hit Points: 30 Scimitar, etc. + Club ++ Quarterstaff + Sling + ---or--- Fighter 5/Druid 6 Experience: 20825/20825 Hit Points: 40 Scimitar, etc + Club ++ Quarterstaff + Sling + Overview: --------- Jaheira... ahh.. Well, let's start off with the obvious, her abilities just aren't good. Her Strength is just shy of giving her any bonuses, and so is her Dexterity. Her Constitution is good, but that's about it. Her Strength is at least good enough for her to wear the heavier suits of armor in the game, however. She does get better in the sequel, but even in this game, I still keep her with nearly every party I have. Why? Because if you don't compare her to a Fighter/Cleric, or a Fighter in general, and compare her to a Cleric instead, you'll find that she does fine in this game. She'll end up with more Hit Points and a better THAC0, which justifies her cruddy Dexterity. She'll also get 4th level spells just like any of the single-classed Clerics, so you're not really missing out on anything with Jaheira. She can also become Specialized (two ranks) with weapons, which beats a Cleric's Proficiency (one rank) any day. All in all she pans out as a slightly more melee competent Cleric. In the sequel, when you have access to powerful Scimitars and Girdles of Giant Strength, and she gains access to a whopping amount of spell power, all is forgiven. Let's not neglect continuity here, folks. Also notice her neutral alignment. She can fit into any party. She's another character you really have to get to early, as her Hit Points will go wrong real fast. If you get her level one version, she'll come with maximum Hit Points, but if you wait until she's level two, she'll accept... you know, I don't even know HOW she ends up with only four Hit Points out of a level. In any event, 16 Hit Points out of a possible 24 is awful for a character who, 1000 experience ago, showed some potential. How to Use Jaheira Effectively: ------------------------------- Get two ranks in Daggers so she can use the Dagger of Venom +2. She could use Rashad's Talon +2 (which can now be obtained in the Cloakwood Forest, instead of in Durlag's Tower) but the Dagger of Venom +2 will still come sooner, and all in all, it's probably better than Rashad's Talon +2. In the meantime, she'll just have to use Quarterstaves. Recruiting Jaheira: ------------------- Jaheira waits in the Friendly Arm Inn (AR2301), and will offer to join your party when you talk to her. She's at about (x=300, y=710), and is standing near Khalid. Unfortunately Khalid insists on accompanying his wife, so they're a package deal.. unless something.. unfortunate.. were to befall Khalid. Kagain {CHR017} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Early Max Hit points per Level: 15 Male, Dwarf, Fighter, Lawful Evil Str 16, Dex 12, Con 20, Int 15, Wis 11, Cha 8 Fighter 1 Experience: 116 Hit Points: 15 Axe ++ Flail + Crossbow + ---or--- Fighter 2 Experience: 2019 Hit Points: 25 Axe ++ Flail + Crossbow + ---or--- Fighter 4 Experience: 8232 Hit Points: 43 Axe +++ Flail + Crossbow + ---or--- Fighter 6 Experience: 33839 Hit Points: 60 Axe ++++ Flail + Crossbow + Overview: --------- His Strength is pretty crummy for a Fighter, and if you get him, he pretty much requires The Brawling Hands (and later, the Big-Fisted Belt). Still, his Strength isn't low enough to be problematic (it's just underwhelming) and Strength-boosting gear is an acceptable sacrifice for such a Fighter. What you get in return is a front-liner that will have excellent Armor Class, the ability to attain High Mastery (four ranks) in Axes, and he REGENERATES. Yessir, that's a 20 Constitution, and while he won't heal fast enough to win a fight, you'll almost never need to heal him during rest. Hell, just traveling to a different map area can heal him fully. This is quite possibly the best Fighter in the game, all things considered. How to Use Kagain Effectively: ------------------------------ Spend Kagain's proficiency ranks in Axes. Axes, axes, and more axes! Attain High Mastery in axes and he'll be a true phenom... he'll even find a throwing axe with which to smite enemies at range.. with axes! Axes!! Kagain is another character that goes to shit if you don't recruit him ASAP. His phenomenal Constitution ensures his Hit Points will always be decent, but at level four he's got a mere 43 out of a potential 60 Hit Points, and by level six he's lost a full third of his Hit Points by that level-starting with a measly 60 out of 90 Hit Points. If you get him early, he'll easily be a three-digit Hit-Pointer. Recruiting Kagain: ------------------ Kagain is in his store (AR2301) in Beregost (AR2300), and he will join your party if you accept to go on his mission. Go to the wilderness area directly north of Beregost (AR1400) and walk up north until you find some sacked caravans. He'll complain about the work and give up, and decide to join you permanently. Khalid {CHR018} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Early Max Hit points per Level: 13 Male, Half-elf, Fighter, Neutral Good Str 15, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 15, Wis 10, Cha 9 Fighter 1 Experience: 42 Hit Points: 13 Long Sword ++ Axe + Longbow + ---or--- Fighter 2 Experience: 3138 Hit Points: 24 Long Sword ++ Axe + Longbow + ---or--- Fighter 4 Experience: 8037 Hit Points: 46 Long Sword +++ Axe + Longbow + ---or--- Fighter 6 Experience: 33871 Hit Points: 64 Long Sword +++ Axe + Longbow ++ Overview: --------- One of the first Fighters you get in the game, he's also one of the better ones. He might not have the Strength of Ajantis or Minsc, but what little Strength he does have is good enough for arms and armor. He's also got a passable Dexterity, a good Constitution, and the ability to attain High Mastery (four ranks) in a weapon proficiency. Like most characters, if you get him early you'll keep him from losing Hit Points. He's not quite as bad as his wife-by level two he's only lost two Hit Points, which is manageable, but by level six he'll be at 64 out of a possible 78 hit Points. How to Use Khalid Effectively: ------------------------------ He's a pretty obvious character when it comes to proficiencies-get him High Mastery in Long Swords and let him go on killing. If you put the Hands of Takkok on him later in the game, he becomes rather powerful, as well as durable. He's in direct competition with Ajantis for a party slot, but Ajantis' high Charisma makes him a good choice for a party leader, even if Khalid may be a better Fighter by the end of the game. Khalid also has an annoying habit of failing morale checks when his Hit Points get low, which can be dangerous. "Better part of valor!" My ass. Recruiting Khalid: ------------------ Khalid is in the Friendly Arm Inn (AR2301), right next to Jaheira. He will join your party if you talk to him. If you take Khalid, Jaheira is obliged to join up as well, and it's not too much of a problem, since they're both decent characters in their own right. Unfortunately, if you just want one or the other, you'll have to either get one of them killed off, or send that character alone into a house or other structure separate from the main map and disband them, then just never return to that house so they won't initiate dialogue with you and take their spouse with them. Kivan {CHR019} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Early Max Hit points per Level: 10 Male, Elf, Ranger, Chaotic Good Str 18/12, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8 Ranger 2 Experience: 2262 Hit Points: 16 Halberd ++ Longbow ++ Two-Weapon Style ++ ---or--- Ranger 4 Experience: 9012 Hit Points: 27 Long Sword + Halberd ++ Longbow ++ Two-Weapon Style ++ ---or--- Ranger 6 Experience: 36120 Hit Points: 36 Long Sword ++ Halberd ++ Longbow ++ Two-Weapon Style ++ Overview: --------- Look at his stats! This guy is the good-guy's equivalent of Shar-Teel, but better, since his proficiencies are less retarded. Of course, he fits into the same niche that Minsc occupies, but with a better Armor Class, and an arguably more useful favored enemy (Ogres). Kivan also has great dialogue with Viconia. Sure, his Hit Points can be low, but it's not too much of a problem, considering his perks. He makes a great scout and archer, and I included him in my party on my very first play-through of this game, back when everybody was an idiot and thought the world was going to end at the turn of the millenium, unlike the cultured times of the Enhanced Edition, the wiser and less crazy year of 2012. Minsc does have something going for him, however-he's a sequel character, and I'd rather have a Ranger pal through both games, rather than choose a character who will only be in one. Besides, they both play the same way, except I tend to have Kivan use his bow more than Minsc. If you want Kivan, anything I say for Minsc pretty much covers him... except Kivan doesn't need The Brawling Hands... or any support items, for that matter. Kivan is pro. Sadly, he has two downsides, which kind of feed each other. His quest requires you to destroy the Bandit Camp, which can take quite a while to do (especially with how I play the game). You can always wait to recruit him until the Bandit Camp is closer, but if you let the computer roll his Hit Points, things get bad quickly. As soon as you can recruit him, he's already lost four Hit Points, which isn't too bad, but by level four he's lost a whopping 13, and that rises to 24 by level six. Simply put, life will be difficult if you try to rush to the Bandit Camp. If you wait and level up, Kivan will be pretty useless. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. How to Use Kivan Effectively: ----------------------------- He starts out Specialized in Longbows and Halberds, which is nice, but aim to get him ranks in Two-Handed Swords later, as there are a few good Two-Handed Swords in the game. Kivan is good enough that he can be a great melee character as well as an archer... but he'll do slightly better at a range. Still, it's nice to have the versatility. His light armor means that he should always be attacking from behind another character, however... hence the reach weapons. Recruiting Kivan: ----------------- You'll find Kivan milling about the eastern side of High Hedge (AR3200), at (x=3650, y=1470). High Hedge is just west of Beregost. Kivan will join your party if you tell him you're fighting evil, and you allow him to join. Minsc (Sequel Character) {CHR020} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Early Max Hit points per Level: 11 Male, Human, Ranger, Neutral Good Str 18/93, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 6, Cha 9 Ranger 1 Experience: 258 Hit Points: 11 Two-Handed Sword ++ Mace + Longbow + Two-Weapon Style ++ ---or--- Ranger 2 Experience: 2276 Hit Points: 19 Two-Handed Sword ++ Mace + Longbow + Two-Weapon Style ++ ---or--- Ranger 4 Experience: 9142 Hit Points: 33 Two-Handed Sword ++ Mace + Longbow ++ Two-Weapon Style ++ ---or--- Ranger 6 Experience: 32293 Hit Points: 52 Two-Handed Sword ++ Mace ++ Longbow ++ Two-Weapon Style ++ Overview: --------- Now here's a true nut-job. A character who is off his rocker and with a Wisdom of 6 to boot. Minsc has a fantastic Strength score, but his Dexterity and Constitution only give him very minor bonuses. This is compounded by the fact that he can't wear heavy armor and keep his stealth abilities (paltry as they are). Still, The Brawling Hands will set him up fairly well, and if you give him a weapon with reach (a Two-Handed Sword being the best option) he won't need to put himself in as much danger. The other reasons to include him? He's a sequel character, and he's entertaining to have around... again, especially in the sequel. If you're power-gamey, none of this matters to you. His favored enemies are Gnolls, which will be fairly common, if never much of a threat, and he can berserk, which isn't all that great. Oh, and about waiting to recruit Minsc-don't. His Hit Points take a beating if he gets to level four before you recruit him. How to Use Minsc Effectively: ----------------------------- Remember when you started up Baldur's Gate 2 and right in the first dungeon was your buddy, Minsc? Remember when, after he used his 'Berserker strength!' to free himself, looking at his character sheet and wondering why the hell he put points into Maces during the transition between Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate 2? Now you get to feel that sense of wonder we had without having to wait until Baldur's Gate 2! His light armor means he should always be attacking at a range, or with a reach weapon... like a Two-Handed Sword. Ignore that silly Mace proficiency and Specialize in Longbows, then drop some points into the Two-Handed Weapon Style so he can wreak havoc on foes in melee with such a weapon... and do so safely if he's behind another, better protected melee warrior. Recruiting Minsc: ----------------- Minsc is in Nashkel (AR4800), standing by the garrison at (x=3390, y=1950). Talk to him and accept to help him rescue Dynaheir to get him to join your party. Mind you, you'll need to actually go through with this in a timely manner, or he'll turn on you. Check in the walkthrough [WLK007] about reaching Dynaheir. Montaron {CHR021} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Early Max Hit Points per Level: 9 Male, Halfling, Fighter/Thief, Neutral Evil Str 16, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 9 Fighter 1/Thief 1 Experience: 24/24 Hit Points: 9 Short Sword ++ Sling ++ ---or--- Fighter 1/Thief 2 Experience: 1415/1415 Hit Points: 16 Short Sword ++ Sling ++ ---or--- Fighter 3/Thief 4 Experience: 7163/7163 Hit Points: 33 Short Sword ++ Axe + Sling ++ ---or--- Fighter 5/Thief 6 Experience: 21109/21109 Hit Points: 48 Short Sword ++ Axe + Sling ++ Overview: --------- He's got fairly decent stats at a glance, enough so that you can actually consider using him. However, none of his stats are really high enough to fully make him recommendable. He'll receive a bonus to damage from his Strength, but he's still too weak to make a superb front-liner, especially since he'd need to go lightly armored to maintain his Thieving abilities. Also, Montaron and Xzar are package deals, even though you can get around that several ways. Since he's not much of a Fighter, he's not bringing much more to the party than a single-class Thief, even if he could use Longbows rather than Shortbows. If you don't want to use Garrick, use Montaron, ditching or killing Xzar off to get rid of the excess baggage. If you don't recruit Montaron quickly (easier done than said)... well, he puts his Thief skills into stupid things. A Thief who can't Find Traps isn't worth much. Fortunately, his Hit Points stay pretty good throughout. How to Use Montaron Effectively: -------------------------------- Montaron's Dexterity makes him a natural archer... as well as his ability to use Longbows. Unfortunately, he starts out Specialized in both Short Swords and Slings. The former isn't terrible, but the latter... just sucks. Considering that you'd need to get him several levels to get him using bows... eh, you'll find the superior Coran in that time. Build up his skill in Find Traps and get him ranks in the Longbow proficiency. Recruiting Montaron: -------------------- In the wilderness area just east of Candlekeep (AR2700), near the eastern edge of the map (x=4500, y=2700) you'll find Montaron and Xzar loitering, just waiting for you to talk to them. Talk to Xzar, and agree to journey to Nashkel with him and he'll join your party. Montaron comes along for the ride. Neera {CHR022} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Early Max Hit Points per Level: 4 Female, Half-Elf, Wild Mage, Chaotic Neutral STR 11, Dex 17, Con 14, In 17, Wis 13, Cha 11 Wild Mage 1 Experience: 36 Hit Points: 4 Quarterstaff: + ---or--- Wild Mage 6 Experience: 40165 Hit Points: 19 Quarterstaff + Sling + Overview: --------- Well... she's a Mage, and for that, her stats are pretty good. Nobody can poo-poo a 17 Intelligence, and her Dexterity ensures that she'll have a decent Armor Class. Her only problem? She's a freakin' Wild Mage. This might not be an issue for some people, but for me, having a 5% chance that a spell will go wild on me is not a bit of randomness that I find helpful. Still, she gets an extra spell per level, is easy to recruit, and can fit into either party. She's just not good enough to replace either Imoen (who is just as Intelligent, has a higher Dexterity, and can be recruited even earlier), nor Edwin, who still outclasses everybody in the magic department. Also, if you don't get her early, her Hit Points will... well, they aren't horrible, but for a Mage with no Constitution bonus, you'll want every Hit Point you can get. At 6th level she's down to 19 out of 24 Hit Points, which kind of sucks. How to Use Neera Effectively: ----------------------------- Don't. Hah, I kill myself... anyways, get her a rank in Slings and have her contribute at range-at least bullets won't blow up in your face. Err... Sling bullets, anyways. You know what I meant. Recruiting Neera: ----------------- Probably the first new character most people will encounter in the Enhanced Edition, Neera can be found in Beregost, standing around at (x=3150, y=1220). She'll initiate dialogue and attempt to coerce you into helping her shake some 'bandits'. Help her out and afterwards she'll join your party, for mutual protection. Quayle {CHR023} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Late Max Hit points per Level: 6 Male, Gnome, Cleric/Illusionist, Chaotic Neutral Str 8, Dex 15, Con 11, Int 17, Wis 10, Cha 6 Cleric 2/Illusionist 2 Experience: 2000/2000 Hit Points: 11 Club + Sling + ---or--- Cleric 4/Illusionist 3 Experience: 7163/7163 Hit Points: 18 Club + Sling + ---or--- Cleric 6/Illusionist 5 Experience: 27589/27589 Hit Points: 24 Club + Sling + Sword and Shield Style + Overview: --------- Quayle is a spell machine that continuously goes on about his vast intellect and huge brain. This is probably due to the fact that he really doesn't have any other stats to be proud of. He does have a paltry Dexterity that gives him a point to his Armor Class, but his need to stay unarmored, his piss-poor Strength, cruddy Hit Points, and the fact that he still can't use bows means he's not good for much beyond spell casting. Still, by the time he's used up his spell arsenal, chances are the battle is over. Unfortunately any of the suggested characters that fulfill the Cleric or Mage roles in an early party are better at their spell-craft and usually more hardy and versatile to boot. And of course there's the fact that you can't get Quayle until Baldur's Gate, which just makes me indisposed to replacing one of the characters I've grown accustomed to, especially for such a mixed bag. How to Use Quayle Effectively: ------------------------------ He starts out proficient with Slings... which is good, because he'll be using them a lot. Other than that... hell, it doesn't really matter. He has no business being in melee combat. On the plus side, if you are dead-set on getting him, it's apparently possible to recruit him at level two... how, practically, this works, I don't know, but if you manage it, he's only lost one Hit Point. Later on, he's somewhat worse off. Don't ask me how a Cleric/Illusionist with 2000/2000 Experience Points ends up being level 2/2, that's what the file says, and I just don't care enough about Quayle to bother running to Baldur's Gate with a low-level party to see what, exactly, I'll find. Recruiting Quayle: ------------------ You can find Quayle north of the bridge leading to Baldur's Gate (AR0900), at (x=480, y=800). You cannot reach him until chapter 5. Rasaad {CHR024} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Early Max Hit Points per Level: 8 Male, Human, Sun Soul Monk, Lawful Good Str 16, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 14 Monk 1 Experience: 51 Hit Points: 8 Katana + Scimitar, etc. + ---or--- Monk 6 Experience: 27551 Hit Points: 40 Katana + Scimitar, etc. + Sling + Overview: --------- Rejoice! For the Enhanced Edition you've been furnished with a Monk, so you need not create your own! Despair! He sucks! His Strength and Dexterity aren't... terrible, but Monks don't really get to rely on gear, so the only way to rate them is by their attributes. He gets a meager bonus to damage due to his Strength, and a +2 bonus to Armor Class from his Dexterity. That's it. If you want a Monk, make your own. You can do much better. As it stands, you could get rid of Minsc in favor of Rasaad, if you wished. Both serve... close enough to the same purpose. Both can scout and both are secondary Fighters. I wouldn't call Rasaad an improvement, however. As for Hit Point progression goes, he'll end up with a respectable 40 out of a possible 48 Hit Points by level six. It's not great, but it could be worse. How to Use Rasaad Effectively: ------------------------------ Well, getting him Proficient in Slings is nice, so he has the option to contribute at range, but he's really going to need a melee weapon. What's the point in using a melee weapon on a Monk, you ask? Well, since the game caps Monks one level BEFORE their unarmed attacks would count as magical weapons, you'll just need a way to hurt foes who are immune to non-magical weapons. They're not common, but they're not exactly once-in-a-gametime foes, either. Short Swords would serve fine, since there are a few good ones in the game (even a +3 specimen near the end), and no other melee character should require one. Other than that... pamper him with Armor Class boosting gear and hope for the best. Recruiting Rasaad: ------------------ You'll find Rasaad in Nashkel (x=1090, y=780), being pestered by some peasants just across the bridge near the north of the map. Just ask him to join (and endure his boring attempts to get you to hear his story) and he'll join up. Safana {CHR025} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Early Max Hit Points per Level: 6 Female, Human, Thief, Chaotic Neutral Str 13, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 9, Cha 17 Thief 2 Experience: 1281 Hit Points: 9 Scimitar, etc. + Dart + Single-Weapon Style + ---or--- Thief 4 Experience: 5036 Hit Points: 19 Scimitar, etc. + Dart + Single-Weapon Style + ---or--- Thief 6 Experience: 20119 Hit Points: 25 Scimitar, etc. + Dart + Single-Weapon Style + Overview: --------- If you don't want Imoen, Safana is probably the next best choice for a Thief. Frankly, however, Imoen has better Thief stats, with a higher Dexterity and a good Constitution. The Strength difference is negligible, as Safana still doesn't gain any to hit or damage bonuses, and Thieves really aren't much for armor. Also, Safana can't dual-class into a Mage, which makes her much less versatile than Imoen. Of course, if you gave her the Tome of Clear Thought... but you get your hands on it so late in the game, and it means your main character can't carry those stats over to Baldur's Gate 2. All in all, Safana is a good Thief, but Imoen is better. How to Use Safana Efficiently: ------------------------------ She unwisely doesn't have any ranks in Shortbow-remedy that if you plan to use her, then play her like Imoen as much as possible. Like most characters, she's much more hardy if you recruit her early-if you fail to get to her by level four, she'll have lost five potential Hit Points, and if you delay until level six, she'll have lost 11. Recruiting Safana: ------------------ You'll find Safana at (x=3750, y=2390) in (AR3600), which is south-west of High Hedge (the area with the tower.) She'll ask if you want to team up to hunt for the treasure of Black Alaric, which is located in a Sirine-and-Flesh Golem-guarded cavern in the north-western area of the map (x=400, y=900). Get the treasure and Safana will offer to join your group permanently. Note that she will not offer to join your party if you do not have any 'fighting ready men' with you, so be sure to bring a Y chromosome along. Shar-Teel {CHR026} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Early Max Hit points per Level: 10 Female, Human, Fighter, Chaotic Evil Str 18/58, Dex 17, Con 9, Int 14, Wis 7, Cha 11 Fighter 2 Experience: 2150 Hit Points: 17 Long Sword + Dagger + Two-Weapon Style ++ ---or--- Fighter 4 Experience: 8213 Hit Points: 32 Long Sword ++ Dagger + Two-Weapon Style ++ ---or--- Fighter 6 Experience: 32590 Hit Points: 46 Long Sword ++ Dagger + Crossbow + Two-Weapon Style ++ Overview: --------- Her Strength is good, her Dexterity is good, but her Constitution? Blah. In any event, Shar-Teel has a few problems. First, her location sucks. You have to go pretty far afield to reach her. Second... well, she's kind of been eclipsed by the inclusion of Dorn in the Enhanced Edition. Kagain is an obvious choice for any sane evil party, but for that coveted second-warrior slot... It's hard to recommend Shar-Teel over Dorn, especially considering how her proficiencies were reshuffled. That said, she'll still a very competent Fighter for the evil party. Her good Armor Class should mitigate her low Hit Points, and her Strength mixed with Mastery makes her a potent character without having to use up any items. In my original Baldur's Gate evil party, this left me free to give Kagain The Brawler's Gloves and Jaheira the Hands of Takkok, essentially giving me three awesome front-line powerhouses. If you can reach her (and beat her) she's worth a look. Also, she has history with Angelo, which might help you later on in the game... Like with most characters, try to get her early, for a number of reasons. First, she'll spend her proficiencies unwisely, second, her Hit Points will never be stellar, but losing fourteen Hit Points by level six is not going to help. How to Use Shar-Teel Effectively: --------------------------------- Perhaps no character has been altered as radically by the Enhanced Edition as Shar-Teel. She went from a pretty straight-forward Large Sword user to a Two-Weapon Style warrior. Her starting proficiency allocation prevents her from attaining High Mastery, which is a bit of a bummer... but only if you play Shar-Teel as a straight Fighter. Since she's been changed quite a bit, it only makes sense that we change how we use her-and with Dorn added into the mix, it doesn't really make sense to bother with another front-liner... especially considering the fact that Shar-Teel compares poorly to Dorn and Kagain. What to do with Shar-Teel, then? Notice that 17 Dexterity-her selling point as a Fighter is also the key to her Enhanced Edition transformation. With a 17 Dexterity, she can be dual-classed into a Thief, satiating a need the evil party might need. With this approach you can get her to 6th-level as a Fighter, then dual-class to a Thief and reach 9th-level. Two characters in one-a competent melee fighter with all the Thief skills you really need. All in all, it's probably a superior option to bringing Safana or Montaron around. I'd suggest focusing on Daggers for Shar-Teel-get her up to Mastery with your two Fighter proficiencies (3rd and 6th level) and High Mastery with Thief (8th level). There are plenty of +2 Daggers in the game... not so many Long Swords. Recruiting Shar-Teel: --------------------- Shar-Teel is in (AR3500), otherwise known affectionately as 'the Basilisk Area' by me. She's in the north-western part of the map, at around (x=280, y=300). She'll challenge your strongest male to a fight, and if you win, she'll join your group. Since you can out-gear her, and just use Kagain, this shouldn't be too hard of a fight. Of course, at lower levels (ideally when you want to recruit her) the fight can be decided with one bad hit or two-so save before you pick a fight. Skie {CHR027} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Late Max Hit points per Level: 7 Female, Human, Thief, True Neutral Str 11, Dex 18, Con 15, Int 15, Wis 8, Cha 13 Thief 4 Experience: 5098 Hit Points: 22 Short Sword + Shortbow + Dart + ---or--- Thief 6 Experience: 20056 Hit Points: 28 Short Sword + Shortbow + Dart + Overview: --------- Skie is another case of too little, too late. Although with Skie, she could have legitimately made a decent Thief with the following notes: 1) She's Eldoth's girl, which means you'd need to drag Eldoth along, or dispose of him. 2) She's got great Dexterity, which will make her a capable archer, but Safana is nearly as good, and obtainable much earlier. Montaron and Coran are both more versatile and more powerful Fighter/Thief combinations, and Imoen can dual-class into a Mage. That leaves Skie fairly far down on the list of thieves. Also hindering her chances of ever making it into a party is the fact that Skie has apparently taken the shotgun approach to thieving-she has points into everything, but is good at nothing. Last but not least-since she starts out at level four, she'll at least be suffering as far as Hit Points are concerned (22 out of a possible 28 Hit Points), and by level six her situation is laughable (28 out of 42 Hit Points). How to Use Her Effectively: --------------------------- First and foremost, you must get to her as early as possible, to save as many Thief Ability points as possible. Afterwards... well, she's Proficient with Shortbows, and she's not good for anything but archery, so... she really just needs to be recruited. Recruiting Skie: ---------------- You can find Skie in the north-western section of Baldur's Gate (AR0100) loitering around in her room in the upper level of Entar Silvershield's house (AR0102). You must have Eldoth in your party when you talk to her, or she'll call some guards and disappear. Tiax {CHR028} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Late Max Hit points per Level: 9 Male, Gnome, Cleric/Thief, Chaotic Evil Str 9, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 9 Cleric 2/Thief 2 Experience: 1545/1545 Hit Points: 21 Quarterstaff + Sling + ---or--- Cleric 4/Thief 4 Experience: 6154/6154 Hit Points: 34 Quarterstaff + Sling + Two-Handed Weapon Style + ---or--- Cleric 5/Thief 6 Experience: 20361/20361 Hit Points: 47 Quarterstaff + Sling + Two-Handed Weapon Style + Overview: --------- Quite possibly the last recruitable ally in the game you'll encounter, Tiax scores points for being amusing, if nothing else. He's a Cleric/Thief, which makes him somewhat more useful than a straight Cleric... although there are some side-effects to be aware of. Firstly, he's still stuck with blunt weapons because of his Cleric background, which isn't a big deal. Also, he can't use bows, which does kind of suck. His Strength is crap, but he doesn't suffer a penalty because of it, and overall, he's not any worse in combat than Viconia. What he lacks in Armor Class he makes up for with an extra Hit Point per level. That is, of course, until you consider that he can't wear heavy armor and keep his Thief skills. You could put him in Shadow Armor, but he would never have the same Armor Class of, say Viconia, or the fighting ability of Jaheira. His biggest problem is how late in the game you get him, and although he can potentially be recruited at level two-I just don't see how it's feasible to make it to Baldur's Gate that soon... although if you DO manage it, he apparently has a few more Hit Points than is strictly possible (21 out of what should be his maximum of 18). All in all, his Hit Points remain pretty good, and his proficiencies? Well, they suck no matter what he does-Slings are about the best he can hope for. The only thing that really suffers by the delay are his Thief skills. Like Skie, he seems to have taken the Jack-of-all-Trades approach, which just means he sucks at everything. So... letting the computer level him doesn't hurt him as much as it hurts other characters, but he still sucks, regardless. How to Use Tiax Effectively: ---------------------------- He starts out Proficient in Quarterstaves and Slings. The latter is good for obvious reasons, but the former... well, it has reach and will keep him out of melee combat, so it's not a terrible choice, either. He really shouldn't bother in melee combat at all, reach or not, and you should view him as... more of a Cleric with a few Thief skills. Save for the fact that by the time you get him, he'll probably have wasted his skills. Oh, and I prefer my Clerics to fight- Mages can have the luxury of hanging back and casting spells. Clerics cannot. Still, that's the only real way to play Tiax-use Slings and cast the odd Clerical spell. Blech. Recruiting Tiax: ---------------- Tiax is in the south-eastern section of Baldur's Gate (AR1100), at (x=1450, y=1620), right in front of the Flaming Fist compound. Viconia (Sequel character) {CHR029} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Early Max Hit points per Level: 8 Female, Elf, Cleric, Neutral Evil Str 10, Dex 19, Con 8, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 14 Cleric 2 Experience: 1603 Hit Points: 12 Mace + Sling + ---or--- Cleric 4 Experience: 6134 Hit Points: 18 War Hammer + Mace + Sling + ---or--- Cleric 6 Experience: 27628 Hit Points: 27 War Hammer + Mace + Sling + Overview: --------- Another character with a high Dexterity and a low Constitution. You can't have your cake and eat it too, right? Fortunately, her Armor Class will keep her safe from most damage... and as for spells, to which her Armor Class does not apply? She's 50% magic resistant by nature, making her rather hard to injure, and best of all, her Magic Resistance isn't the bogus absolute version that it was in the original Baldur's Gate- instead it's the more intelligent Baldur's Gate 2 type of Magic Resistance. In other words, her Magic Resistance now only prevents hostile magic. Her Strength is pathetic, and it will prevent her from wearing some types of armor, but there are low-Strength alternatives. Still, a lower THAC0, worse Hit Points, and lower proficiencies will restrict her to secondary Fighter status. Which is fine. She's a Cleric. A damn good one at that. And did I mention she's a sequel character? What more do you need? She's another Hit Point sensitive character that you must recruit early. As soon as you can get her (level two) she'll already be down four Hit Points, and as a Cleric with a poor Constitution, she doesn't have the Hit Points to spare. By level four she'll have a mere 18 out of the possible 32 Hit Points a Cleric her level should have, and by level six she's suffering with only 27 out of 48 Hit Points. Ouch. How to Use Viconia Effectively: ------------------------------- Her proficiencies-as a Cleric-are pretty self-explanatory. She can only become Proficient in a few types of weapons and she'll only get two points to spend in the game. Ashideena +2 is an obvious weapon selection for her, as it can be obtained early and remains a good weapon throughout the game, so become Proficient in War Hammers, which will supplement her fine starting Proficiencies in Maces and Slings. Other than that... Get her a Sling, strap on whatever Small Shield you can find and a suit of Ankheg Plate Mail and she'll be good to go. Recruiting Viconia: ------------------- Viconia is in Peldvale (AR2400), east of the Friendly Arm Inn. She's being accosted by a Flaming Fist Mercenary. To get her in your party you have to defend her from the mercenary, then accept her into your party. Your reputation takes a two point hit for letting her join... but it is a good way to get some plate mail early on. Also, if you kick her out of your party later, you'll regain the lost reputation, so it's not a permanent loss. Xan {CHR030} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Mid Max Hit points per Level: 4 Male, Elf, Enchanter, Lawful Neutral Str 13, Dex 16, Con 7, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 16 Enchanter 2 Experience: 2561 Hit Points: 7 Dagger + ---or--- Enchanter 4 Experience: 10042 Hit Points: 12 Dagger + ---or--- Enchanter 6 Experience: 41549 Hit Points: 17 Dagger + Sling + Overview: --------- Xan is technically on the list of early-recruitable characters, although it involves trekking to the Nashkel Mines fairly early. Don't worry. There's no need. Xan sucks. His Intelligence is passable, and his Dexterity actually gives him a bonus to Armor Class, but he's an Enchanter. This means he cannot cast any evocation spells, like Magic Missile, Web, Stinking Cloud, Fireball and Fireshield. This severely limits his offensive powers, and once you consider the competition, there's no need to bother with Xan. Edwin is a better evil Mage, and Dynaheir is a better good Mage. What Imoen lacks in spells, she makes up for in versatility... hell, I'd even pick Neera over Xan. There's just no need for him, regardless of your alignment. He DOES get a Moonblade, however, which is a +3 sword (that really counts as a dagger) that also grants a +1 bonus to Armor Class and 50% Fire Resistance. Still, his class and low Strength score makes this a fairly useless weapon in his hands. Oh, and to sweeten the deal he's a whiney pessimist. Skip on Xan, he's more trouble than he's worth. However, if you take him along long enough to feed him to a Sword Spider, you'll get bonus points from the author of this FAQ. Why? Go look at my Icewind Dale FAQ to find out why this is a suitable way to dispose of Xan. Hehe. Oh, right, and his leveling... well, if you see a level six character with 17 Hit Points, you know something is wrong. To be fair his Constitution is just high enough to prevent him from losing Hit Points, but the computer is not so generous. At the earliest point you can recruit him, he's already level two and has lost a Hit Point. Not enough to end the world, but at level four, he's lost four (and the sad thing is, this is a quarter of his possible Hit Points he's lost here), and by level six he's down seven out of twenty-four. How to Use Xan Effectively: --------------------------- As Sword Spider bait. He comes proficient in Daggers-and hence, with his Moonblade +3, but he is not to be exposed to melee combat. Get him a rank in Slings at level five, and use him to tickle foes at range with bullets. Recruiting Xan: --------------- To get Xan you have to make your way through the Nashkel Mines. He's on the fourth level (AR5404), in the cavern that Mulahey is in, in a room to the north (x=800, y=590). Xzar {CHR031} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Early Max Hit points per Level: 4 Male, Human, Necromancer, Chaotic Evil Str 14, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 17, Wis 16, Cha 10 Necromancer 1 Experience: 58 Hit Points: 4 Dagger + ---or--- Necromancer 2 Experience: 2539 Hit Points: 6 Dagger + ---or--- Necromancy 4 Experience: 10042 Hit Points: 8 Dagger + ---or--- Necromancer 6 Experience: 41302 Hit Points: 12 Dagger + Dart + Overview: --------- I'm not sure how a psychopath has a good Wisdom score.. better than pretty much every Cleric in the game at that.. but anyways. Xzar isn't a terrible character. He'll get a minor bonus to Armor Class from his Dexterity and his Intelligence is decent. Also, a Necromancer isn't a horrible specialist Mage. If you want him, be sure to get him early, as the computer is absolutely retarded when it comes to his Hit Point rolls. At level six he's got a mere 12 out of a possible 24 Hit Points. Seriously, a level six Mage with 12 Hit Points? If anything looks at him, he'll die. How to Use Xzar Effectively: ---------------------------- Xzar has only one problem. Edwin has him pretty much outgunned in every field. That's really Xzar's only major problem. Edwin. Play Xzar just like Edwin. Get him ranks in Slings so he can contribute in combat without getting destroyed. Even at his best, 24 Hit Points is not very impressive. Recruiting Xzar: ---------------- In the wilderness area just east of Candlekeep (AR2700), near the eastern edge of the map (x=4500, y=2700) you'll find him and Montaron loitering, just waiting for you. Talk to him, and agree to journey to Nashkel with him and he'll join your party, along with Montaron. Yeslick {CHR032} o======================================================================o Recruitable: Mid Max Hit points per Level: 12 Male, Dwarf, Fighter/Cleric, Lawful Good Str 15, Dex 12, Con 17, Int 7, Wis 16, Cha 10 Fighter 2/Cleric 3 Experience: 3616/3616 Hit Points: 32 War Hammer ++ Sling ++ ---or--- Fighter 4/Cleric 5 Experience: 13690/13690 Hit Points: 56 War Hammer ++ Mace + Sling ++ Overview: --------- Yeslick is a great choice for a Cleric, being a Fighter/Cleric he'll get better THAC0 and Hit Points than a Cleric, as well as the ability to put two ranks in a weapon proficiency. This will make him more competent in melee, while still retaining the useful healing and buffing powers of a Cleric. His Strength isn't fantastic, but compared to the other Clerics in the game, it's as good as you can expect... and at least it's high enough to wear the heavier types of armor and wield Large Shields. His poor Dexterity could be offset by The Brawling Hands, but he has plenty of Hit Points to keep him going. His only problem? You can't get him until you're nearly done with the Cloakwood Mines. All things considered, I'd still rather take Jaheira, who essentially fills the same role. Even if Yeslick was obtainable earlier, I'd still pick Jaheira, being a sequel character wins over Yeslick's slightly better spell arsenal. He is certainly an interesting replacement for Branwen, but honestly, in most games I break my own Good/Evil party rules and just bring Viconia along in the Good party anyways, and I'd rate both Jaheira and Viconia over Yeslick any day. Yeslick is one of those rare, wonderful characters whose Hit Points stay dependable no matter what level you get him at. How to Use Yeslick Effectively: ------------------------------- He comes Specialized in both War Hammers and Slings... the ideal Cleric set-up. As for what to get him as he levels... well, Maces are an obvious choice, as he can then use The Stupefier +1 and Ashideen +2, as the situation demands, or if you're fine with just sticking with Ashideena +2 you can always get him Specialized in Sword and Shield Style-the bonus Armor Class versus missile weapons won't hurt him a bit. Recruiting Yeslick: ------------------- You can find Yeslick in the second level of the Cloakwood Mines (AR1804) at (x=860, y=1720). He wants revenge on the Iron Throne pretty badly, and will jump at any offer to take them out. All you really have to do is extend that offer. Bear in mind, he won't be happy until the mines are flooded, so don't recruit him and head off to do other things. Table of Character Attributes {CHR033} o======================================================================o For reference purposes, here's a list of the attributes of the characters you may recruit in the game. It should help you compare the Strengths and weaknesses of the various characters, and plan for item distribution accordingly. I also threw in some useless 'averages', just because it interested me, and by deduction, every other sentient being in the universe. o=======o=======o=======o=======o=======o=======o======o | Str | Dex | Con | Int | Wis | Cha | Total| o=======o=======o=======o=======o=======o=======o======o Ajantis | 17 | 13 | 16 | 12 | 13 | 17 | 88 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Alora | 8 | 19 | 12 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 70 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Baeloth | 12 | 14 | 16 | 19 | 12 | 16 | 89 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Branwen | 13 | 16 | 15 | 9 | 16 | 13 | 82 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Coran | 14 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 9 | 16 | 85 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Dorn | 19 | 16 | 14 | 10 | 15 | 16 | 90 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Dynaheir | 11 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 12 | 84 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Edwin | 9 | 10 | 16 | 18 | 9 | 10 | 72 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Eldoth | 16 | 12 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 16 | 82 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Faldorn | 12 | 15 | 11 | 10 | 16 | 15 | 79 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Garrick | 14 | 16 | 9 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 81 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Imoen | 9 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 11 | 16 | 87 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Jaheira | 15 | 14 | 17 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 85 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Kagain | 16 | 12 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 82 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Khalid | 15 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 82 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Kivan | 18/12 | 17 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 8 | 81 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Minsc | 18/93 | 15 | 15 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 71 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Montaron | 16 | 17 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 82 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Neera | 11 | 17 | 14 | 17 | 13 | 11 | 83 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Quayle | 8 | 15 | 11 | 17 | 10 | 6 | 67 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Rasaad | 16 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 85 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Safana | 13 | 17 | 10 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 82 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Shar-Teel | 18/58 | 17 | 9 | 14 | 7 | 11 | 76 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Skie | 11 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 8 | 13 | 80 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Tiax | 9 | 16 | 16 | 10 | 13 | 9 | 73 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Viconia | 10 | 19 | 8 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 82 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Xan | 13 | 16 | 7 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 83 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Xzar | 14 | 16 | 10 | 17 | 16 | 10 | 83 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Yeslick | 15 | 12 | 17 | 7 | 16 | 10 | 77 | |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------| Average | 13.45 | 15.59 | 13.69 | 13.55 | 12.07 | 12.45 |80.79 | o=======o=======o=======o=======o=======o=======o======o Note: The average result of a 3d6 dice roll is 10.5 (3.5 per d6). Bioware is using some loaded dice to come up with a lot of those attributes (and Overhaul Games even more so!) Then again, if these were 'average' characters, they wouldn't be worthy traveling companions, right? It also amuses me that the stats that Bioware found the least useful-Wisdom and Charisma-are the stats that I found the least useful in my days as Dungeon Master. (If I bothered to average out stats for Baldur's Gate characters, you can bet I have spreadsheets of old campaigns and characters of my own). Many characters that are fun to play aren't nice (everybody likes to play a jackass, from time to time) and/or they aren't wise. Crazy characters.. or more politely, dangerously uninhibited characters... are often more fun to play than characters who are responsible, cautious, and deliberate. I think these are universal traits that most long-time players will discover if they bother to average out their PC attributes. Quayle has a total attribute score of 67. This is only four points higher than the dice average of 63 (10.5 x6). Dorn has an total attribute score of 90 (an average of 15 per attribute), 27 points higher than the dice average of 63. That's nearly as high as the attributes I provide for my protagonists... although I suppose it's easier to post high numbers when your Charisma is set at either 17 or 18 before racial adjustments. The Enhanced Edition characters have an average total attribute score of 86.75, compared to the original Baldur's Gate character attribute score average of 79.84. Keep in mind, however, these are designed to be sequel characters, too. The average total attribute score in the sequel is 83, so... well, it's just fun to crunch the numbers, it really has no correlation to whether a character is good or not. Edwin is a 72 overall, and he's awesome, whereas Xan is an 83 overall and he sucks. Just goes to show that attributes don't make a character great-you need the right scores in the right attributes, and the right class to make the best use of said attributes. Having an amulet that gives a bonus spell per level doesn't hurt, either. Chart of Characters by Role {CHR034} o======================================================================o Below is a list of all the recruitable characters in the game and the different roles they fill. This will list whether a character is a good Fighter, good at multiple things, appears in the sequel. essentially the information above condensed into a chart. Maybe it'll be helpful, maybe not, but at least you can't say it's not here! Fighter |Cleric | |Mage | | |Thief | | | |Archer | | | | |Leader | | | | | |The Brawling Hands | | | | | | |Hands of Takkok | | | | | | | |Sequel | | | | | | | | |Easily Recruitable | | | | | | | | | |Good | | | | | | | | | | |Neutral | | | | | | | | | | | |Evil o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Ajantis | X | | | | | X | X | | | X | X | | | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Alora | | | | X | o | | | | | | X | | | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Baeloth | | | X | | | | | | | | | | X | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Branwen | o | X | | | | o | | | | X | | X | | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Coran | | | | X | X | o | | | | | X | | | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Dorn | X | | | | | X | | | | X | | | X | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Dynaheir | | | X | | | | | | | X | X | | | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Edwin | | | X | | | | | | X | X | | | X | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Eldoth | | | o | | o | o | X | | | | | | X | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Faldorn | | o | | | | | | | | | | | X | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Garrick | | | o | | o | o | | | | X | | X | | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Imoen | | | X | X | o | | | | X | X | X | | | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Jaheira | X | o | | | | X | X | X | X | X | | X | | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Kagain | X | | | | | | X | X | | X | | | X | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Khalid | X | | | | | | | X | | X | X | | | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Kivan | o | | | | X | | | | | X | X | | | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Minsc | o | | | | X | | X | | X | X | X | | | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Montaron | o | | | X | X | | | | | X | | | X | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Neera | | | X | | | | | | | X | | X | | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Quayle | | X | o | | | | | | | | | X | | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Rasaad | o | | | | | o | X | X | | X | X | | | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Safana | | | | X | o | o | | | | X | | X | | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Shar-Teel | X | | | x | o | | | | | X | | | X | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Skie | | | | X | | | | | | | | X | | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Tiax | | X | | X | | | | | | | | | X | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Viconia | o | X | | | | X | | | X | X | | | X | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Xan | | | o | | | | | | | | | X | | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Xzar | | | X | | | | | | | X | | | X | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o Yeslick | X | X | | | | | X | X | | | X | | | o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o X = Strong Candidate o = Weak candidate Fighter: Characters who can meet foes in melee combat with regular success. These characters typically have decent Hit Points (typically ending near or over 100), a good THAC0, and multiple attacks per round. Heavy armor for an exceptionally low Armor Class is also a must. A Cleric is typically better at fitting into this category than a Ranger or Fighter/Thief, since they do not work as well with heavy armor.. and the main point of a Fighter is to tank. Cleric: In order to meet this classification, a character must not only be able to heal, but be able to cure poisons, and cast higher level Cleric spells within the experience cap of Baldur's Gate. A true Cleric can cast Dispel Magic, Protection from Evil 10' Radius, Defensive Harmony, and so forth. A Druid may or may not meet your healing needs alone, but they certainly help. Mage: In order to meet this classification, a character should be able to cast several of the following: Magic Missile, Identify, Knock, Stinking Cloud, Web, Mirror Image, Dispel Magic, Haste, Slow, Fireball, Confusion, Greater Malison, and Chaos. A Bard may satisfy your requirements for a Mage, but any character who is not capable of casting at LEAST Knock, Stinking Cloud, Dispel Magic and Haste should make you think twice about using them as a Mage. Ironically, this might make some Bards qualify, whereas some specialist Mages might not be versatile enough. Thief: A Thief only needs to be able to find and disarm traps. Everything else can be done another way. Thus, Bards and Rangers do not qualify as thieves, even though they can use some Thief skills. Archer: An archer has access to Bows. Slings, crossbows, darts, and other missile weapons just don't have the same rate of fire and damage potential as a bow, although this is not to underestimate a melee Fighter with the Throwing Axe +2. Archers may or may not be capable in melee combat, but they do not use shields. If they participate in melee combat, they typically do so with a reach weapon, such as a Spear, halberd, or two-handed sword so they are not open to reprisals. This does not qualify them to be Fighters, as part of the Fighter role is tanking. Leader: Technically anybody can be a leader, but to be a good leader, you need to have a high Charisma, and you need to be durable enough to survive in the front. This narrows our selection down a bit, but with Algernon's Cloak and the Helm of Glory, even a modest Charisma of, say, 14 can get up to snuff. The Brawling Hands: This character needs the The Brawling Hands to excel. These are typically Fighters with a low Dexterity (and hence, a poor Armor Class). Ideally almost every character could use these, but this category is for otherwise decent characters who become much stronger by equipping the gauntlets. This is not a category for characters who do not fit into an archery or fighting role, or characters who will still suck with them. It's also not for characters who really don't need these gauntlets to excel. If it's not lowering their Armor Class by three or four points, they probably don't need it. Hands of Takkok: This character needs the Hands of Takkok to excel. These are typically Fighters (as Fighters have more attacks than Clerics, they are better candidates for the gauntlets) who have a low strength. Ideally almost every character could use these, but this category is for otherwise decent characters who become much stronger by equipping the gauntlets. This is not a category for characters who do not fit into a fighting role, or characters who will still suck with them. It's also not for characters who really don't need these gauntlets to excel. If their Strength is naturally a sixteen or higher, you can probably find somebody better to give them to. Note: Characters who need the Hands of Takkok could also use the Big-Fisted Belt, with one exception-any arcane spell-casters should avoid the latter in favor of the former, as it also stunts their Intelligence. Aside from possibly your protagonists, the only character who needs Strength and Intelligence is Eldoth, and he's garbage anyways. Sequel: This character is playable in the sequel, a serious consideration for me, and for anybody who actually cares about the story enough to play through both games with one character. It's not vital, like say, in Mass Effect, where characters respond to your previous actions, but it does give you that fuzzy warm nostalgia that makes the entire game more worth-while. Easily Recruitable: This character is recruitable without much fuss. By this, I mean a character you can go ahead and recruit any time before the Cloakwood Forest simply by going out and finding them. If you're too lazy to head far enough afield to get them, that's another story. Good: Characters of Good alignment. Neutral: Characters of Neutral alignment. Note neutrality is secondary to Good and Evil. Chaotic and Lawful characters do not cause problems. Evil: Characters of Evil alignment. Suggested Parties by Role {CHR035} o======================================================================o These are my suggestions for characters, based on their strengths, the ease in which they can be obtained, and the roles they fill. All of this will, of course, have to work around whatever protagonist you choose to play. Obviously a good protagonist should be hanging out with goodly folk, and if you make a protagonist of a certain class, you obviously won't need to recruit another character to fill the same role, will you? I strongly suggest playing some sort of Thief for the evil party, which allows you to obtain a decent character that fulfills your thieving needs. The Thief options for the evil party aren't great in Baldur's Gate, and they're even worse in Baldur's Gate 2. My ideal party is one where I can recruit characters to fit my every need, allowing me to develop my protagonist for power, instead of necessity. As we have seen, however, this is not really possible with the evil party, but making a Fighter/Mage/Thief to substitute for the lack of a good Thief ally in Baldur's Gate 2 doesn't slow the character down too much. As I've said before, I want my protagonists to be special, something that I can't get anywhere else-a unique combination. For me, there's no better class than the Fighter/Mage, which is the template I build both my parties around. It may be discouraging at low levels when every Wolf is a potential threat to your survival, but when you reach the end of the game and you send out your spell-buffed protagonist to go toe-to-toe with the toughest foes in the game to protect the rest of your party... you'll know you've done something right. My Good Party: -------------- Ajantis Jaheira Branwen (Yeslick, Viconia) Minsc (Kivan, Coran) Imoen Ajantis is just the best good party leader candidate out there. His Strength and Constitution are both passable, and with The Brawling Hands he'll have the Armor Class a true front-line leader needs. Being a party leader means a combination of prowess, resilience, and Charisma, and Ajantis excels in all fields. I put Jaheira down as my secondary Fighter... but she's hardly a full-fledged Fighter. Again, I've said to compare her to a Cleric, and in that capacity her melee prowess shines. Still, her stats are good enough (especially with the investment of the Hands of Takkok) that she can manage as a front-liner, and cast Druid spells, to boot. All things considered, I find her versatility more than a match for Khalid or Rasaad. Ah, now the Cleric has always been a bit of trouble for me... Branwen is decent, and I've beaten the game with her, but the good party isn't over-flowing with awesome warriors (they need to wait until Baldur's Gate 2 for that). Yeslick has many of Jaheira's perks-a good Fighter who can cast spells, and since he's never ruined by crappy computer leveling, it's worthwhile to play with Branwen until the Cloakwood Mines, then switch her out with Yeslick. Or... just use Viconia. I know, she's evil, and this is a good party, but none of that really starts to matter until Baldur's Gate 2 anyways. Minsc is a decent Archer, but Coran and Kivan are better. Why Minsc then? Well, he's a sequel character, and I dig that. Other than that, his Strength and proficiencies allow him to participate in melee, too, when needed. Albeit while standing behind a stronger, more heavily-armed character. Imoen does double duty as the party Mage AND Thief, thanks to the magic of dual-classing. She'll be able to disarm traps, pick some locks, and cast the full range of Mage spells. What more could you ask for? One additional spell per level, you say? Shut up. Play the evil party. My Evil Party: -------------- Dorn Kagain Jaheira Viconia Edwin (Baeloth) The leader for the evil party is now easier than ever to pick-Dorn wins, hands down. He's just a brute-but he's OUR brute, so it's okay. Kagain might be second on the list, but that doesn't mean he's second in prowess... necessarily. He's still got a great Constitution score, and with The Brawling Hands he's just the tops. Oh, plus High Mastery in Axes, can't forget that little nugget. Jaheira sneaks into the evil party, too, because she's just awesome like that. First, she'll put the Hands of Takkok to good use, unlike Dorn (who doesn't need them), Kagain (who needs The Brawling Hands, instead), Shar-Teel (who already has a high Strength score) and Viconia (who only gets one attack per round anyways). Second, she's a superior warrior to nearly everybody else that's a possible candidate, save Shar-Teel... and I'd take Jaheira's spells over Shar-Teel's melee prowess any day... at least, considering that Jaheira at her best isn't too far behind. Viconia is the Cleric for the evil party (and often times, for the good party, too!) High Dexterity and Magic Resistance for the win. Her Strength and Constitution suck, but they can't keep her down. Another obvious choice-Edwin is just the best Mage in the game, better than anything you or I could make, so bring him along and put that goodness to work for evil. Baeloth is an interesting alternative, if you're looking to try something new, but I do view the Sorcerer class as a little bit of a liability... it's certainly not superior to Edwin's Conjurer class, plus his bonus spells. Edwin's Amulet > Slave Ring. o======================================================================o | | | Spell Tactics {SPT001} | | | o======================================================================o This section was added into the Baldur's Gate 1 FAQ because it seemed like a worthy addition to the Baldur's Gate 2 FAQ... and really, who wants to skim through the walkthrough for information on the best spells in the game when a kind FAQ-writer could just condense the information and put it in its own conspicuous section? Nobody, that's who. So, here I'll discuss the spells, which are good, which are bad, and why. To help you out and minimize how much you need to read, however, I'll put an * next to the spells I find the most useful. Who wants to read all that crap anyways? Just assume I know what I'm talking about and read the marked spells and you'll be fine. If that's too much work for you, however, I've also listed the top spells by level under the ***TOP SPELLS*** heading, with very, very brief descriptions of why the spells are good. Note: The expanded Spell Tactics section you'll see in this guide was originally expanded in the v1.03 update of my Icewind Dale FAQ, which I started on several months before picking up the Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition. Of course, Icewind Dale is mediocre, and Baldur's Gate is great, so I dropped the in-progress v1.03 update to get out an Enhanced Edition version of my Baldur's Gate FAQ. We all got priorities, and I just wanted all of the zero people who care out there to know that this section was not new to this guide... the fact that my Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition guide is coming out before the v1.03 update of my Icewind Dale guide is just a product of my ever-shifting focus. Healing Spells {SPT002} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> I tend to have a subtractive, rather than additive view towards the inclusion of healing spells in my spell-books. Healing spells are good, nobody doubts that, but how many should you get? In my mind, it varies by spell-level. Cure Serious Wounds is clearly better than Cure Light Wounds, but the competition for 1st-level Cleric spells is much less intense than for 4th-level spells. So, how do I determine what to get? I get all the spells I want besides healing spells, then fill up left-over slots with healing. Therefore, most of my 1st-level Clerical spells tend to be Cure Light Wounds (with a token Remove Fear on every caster, just in case) while on the other hand, I have almost no Cure Serious Wounds, as I'd rather have Defensive Harmony, Protection from Evil 10' Radius, and so on. The only healing spell unworthy of this second-class status is Heal, which is the ultimate healing spell, and really, one of the best things about a Cleric or a Druid. Too bad you can't get that spell in this game, eh? 1st Level Cleric Spells {SPT003} o======================================================================o ***TOP SPELLS*** Armor of Faith: Blocks 5% of damage per five levels. --- Bless: Minor, short-lasting party buff. --- Command: Causes one foe to sleep for one round, with no save. --- Cure Light Wounds: Heals 8 Hit Points. --- Remove Fear: cures and prevents fear effects for one turn. *Armor of Faith <----------------------------------------------------------------------> A simple defensive spell that will remain in your list of memorized spells throughout both games... simply because good defensive Clerical spells are so rare. This spell absorbs 5% of all damage the caster would otherwise sustain from physical and magical attacks, and protects against another 5% for every five levels of the Cleric. Which means... up to 10% in this game. That doesn't sound like much-and it isn't-but losing one point in ten of damage isn't horrible, and it has a decent duration, too. *Bless <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Bless gives all allies within a 30-foot radius a +1 bonus to attack rolls and a +1 bonus to saves versus fear. I'll be honest, I rarely use it, but it's not that bad of a spell. Your THAC0 won't be low enough to ignore a +1 bonus.. but its six-round duration is just lame. *Command <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You can attempt to make an enemy 'die' (go to sleep) for one round. Anything under six Hit Dice (about 48 Hit Points) gets no save against the effect, but anything with six Hit Dice or more are entitled to a Saving Throw vs. Spells. Use it earlier to abuse melee-potent enemies, like Ogres. If it works, you essentially have a free round to abuse them. You'll outgrow it fairly quickly, however. *Cure Light Wounds <----------------------------------------------------------------------> The essential healing spell, you'll probably want to keep several instances of this spell ready at all times. Detect Evil <----------------------------------------------------------------------> It's.. not a great spell, and I wouldn't keep one prepared, but Ajantis can use it as a special ability. It's got quite a range, and nearby enemies will be detected as evil in your dialogue box. Want to know if some Black Talons are currently lurking in Larswood, or want to know if those humble-looking fishermen are up to no good? Give this spell a go. Doom <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This curse bestows a -2 penalty to saves and attack rolls upon a single enemy. This is actually a decent spell to cast on tougher enemies, as that -2 save penalty can end up paying off in a big way if the critter then falls victim to the Dagger of Venom +2's poison, or another debuff like Chaos or Slow. Magic Stone <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You enchant a small pebble, which flies out and hits a foe for... 1d4 damage. It counts a magical (+1) weapon, but otherwise gets no bonuses to damage. Compare this to, say, Magic Missile and marvel at how much this spell sucks. Protection from Evil <----------------------------------------------------------------------> A handy little personal buff that gives the target +2 bonus to Saves and Armor Class. There's a superior buff down the line for the whole party, which makes this woefully obsolete. *Remove Fear <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Enemy Mages love using Horror. This spell prevents such magics from working, and will counter it if you're affected by fear. Always keep one prepared on each Cleric. Sanctuary <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Gives the priest temporary immunity to prosecution by foes, during which time he can heal/buff themselves (but they cannot affect other creatures without ending the spell). I don't see the point. If you're getting hurt, retreat and cast a healing spell. Why waste two rounds doing what can be done in one? Shillelagh <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Creates a +1 cudgel that deals 2d4 damage. It might seem like a decent alternative for a low-level Jaheira, but it really doesn't last long enough for repeated use. 2nd Level Cleric Spells {SPT004} o======================================================================o ***TOP SPELLS*** Draw Upon Holy Might: Boosts Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. --- Hold Person: Paralyzes one living, humanoid foe. --- Resist Fire and Cold: 50% Resistance to Fire and Cold. --- Silence 15' Radius: Shuts up spell-casters. --- Slow Poison: Cures poison. Aid <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Bestows the effects of Bless and heals 1-8 Hit Points. Since it only effects one creature, I don't bother with it. Barkskin <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Grants a target an Armor Class of six, which improves (decreases) by one for every four levels of the caster.. Armor Class 5 at 4th level, Armor Class 4 at 8th, and... we'll, that's it for Baldur's Gate. It's decent defense... until you're ready to head to the Nashkel Mines. If you can't find anything better to wear by then... well, you suck. I would pretend that this might be a decent defensive spell and in some circumstances... blah, blah, blah. It's really not. If this spell ever really seems like a good defensive measure, you've done something wrong. Oh, it also gives a +1 bonus to saves... except versus magic. Chant <----------------------------------------------------------------------> It affects a 30-foot radius, and gives your allies a one-point bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves, and imposes a one-point penalty to the same onto your enemies. A decent spell, even though it takes a full round to cast.. I'm almost never using my Clerics to buff in combat, and the first-strikes are handled almost exclusively by my Mages.. and with a five-round duration, I tend to ignore the spell in favor of Defensive Harmony and Protection from Evil 10' Radius. *Draw Upon Holy Might <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This is actually a decent spell for some Clerics... alright, it's useful for Branwen and Yeslick (and possibly a protagonist with good attributes). Since the level cap is so low on Baldur's Gate, however, the best it'll do is give a +2 bonus to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. Since it only lasts a turn, you'll need to cast it right before heavy combat where your Cleric must act decidedly unpacifistic. I wouldn't keep it prepared all the time, however. Find Traps <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Detects traps in a very close range. This spell doesn't disarm them, however, so it's rather pointless. Flame Blade <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell allows the caster to create a flaming blade, which the caster is considered Proficient with. It deals 1d4 slashing damage, plus 1d2+4 fire damage. Despite being a magical blade of flame it does NOT count as a magical weapon for determining what it can hit-makes sense to me. *Hold Person <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Another spell that should be good, that I just don't use. It affects everybody within a 7.5-foot radius, but most often you'll be using this on one character. It only affect man-sized humanoids, but fortunately, they're common. No save penalty, and it only lasts 10 rounds.. which is long enough to kill them and then some, to be fair. Still, almost anything I would use this on, I could just scout out and kill with Stinking Cloud and missiles. Know Alignment <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Like Detect Evil, except it detects.. everything. Evil things glow red, neutral things glow blue, and friendly things glow green.. like those little circles under your feet! *Resist Fire and Cold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You won't fear the elements too often, but when dealing with fire or cold happy foes, this spell can cut their damage in half. I wouldn't keep it ready all the time, but it'll come in handy once in a while. *Silence 15' Radius <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Enemy Mage or Cleric getting you down? Not if they can't cast spells- which is exactly what this little beauty does. It boasts a 15-foot radius, a duration of two rounds per level, and forces the save to be made at -5.. which means it works often. I would use it more, if not for that damn Stinking Cloud tactic. Still, if a Mage gets the drop on you, or if it's just not in a spot where you want to cast a Stinking Cloud, this spell is a great way to squelch them. And if you happen to catch your fighters in the spell, it doesn't matter. They don't need to make noise, anyways. *Slow Poison <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Slow Poison is being humble. This spell eradicates the effects of most poisons in the game. Keep at least one handy on each Cleric all the time. Spiritual Hammer <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Conjures a magical hammer, which may be used as an implement of righteous smiting. It counts as a +1 weapon from 1st-6th level, as a +2 weapon from 7th-12th level, and a +3 weapon at 13th level and beyond. It might come in handy early on... but not too long after we get this spell we should all have magical weapons. As for the +2 weapon at 7th level... we'll have REAL +2 weapons long before we're level seven. 3rd Level Cleric Spells {SPT005} o======================================================================o ***TOP SPELLS*** Animate Dead: Summons a Skeleton Warrior of variable strength. --- Cure Medium Wounds: Heals 14 Hit Points. --- Dispel Magic: Remove buffs/debuffs in an area. --- Holy Smite: Deals 1d4 damage/level to evil creatures. --- Protection from Fire: Grants 80% Resistance to Fire. --- Remove Paralysis: Curse paralysis/hold effects. *Animate Dead <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Ah... Animate Dead... this was one of the better summoning spells in the original game... which of course was before it was converted to Baldur's Gate 2 rules. How does it stand up in the Enhanced Edition? Well, you no longer summon a small horde of Skeletons-instead you'll summon a single Skeleton Warrior of variable strength based on the Cleric's level, as follows: o===============o===============o=======================o |Caster's Level | Hit Dice | Equipment | o===============o===============o=======================o | 1st-6th | 3 | Long Sword | |---------------|---------------|-----------------------| | 7th-10th | 5 | Long Sword +1 | |---------------|---------------|-----------------------| | 11th-14th | 7 | Bastard Sword +1 | |---------------|---------------|-----------------------| | 15th+ | 9 | Two-Handed Sword +1 | o===============o===============o=======================o The Skeleton Warrior is a moderately potent ally, but definately one that is more powerful (in relation to the caster) at lower levels. A 15th+ level caster certainly has better things to do than summon a wussy 9 HD Skeleton Warrior... but that's a concern for another game. Although you can't expect Skeleton Warriors to win difficult fights on their own, they do have one redeeming quality which makes them the best summoning spell you can cast-they're undead, and that's all that matters. This makes them immune to poison and mind-affecting effects, which means summoning up a Skeleton Warrior or two and sending them to attack enemy spell-casters is a great idea. At worst they'll waste a few spells on it before the Skeleton Warrior dies, and while they're focused on the Skeleton Warrior, you can drop a Silence 15' Radius on them. Even better, if you mix this spell with Stinking Cloud, you can knock out entire groups of baddies while you send your immune Skeleton Warrior into their midst to melee your helpless foes. It was a great spell in the original game, and even though it's changed in the Enhanced Edition, it's still a great spell. Just don't expect Skeleton Warriors to stand up long in melee against some of the tougher foes in the game. They're best used as a stall for time, during which you can hit the foes with debuffs to make the rest of the fight easier, or as Mage-killers, at which they excel. Cure Disease <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Diseases suck. They function like Poison, but take much longer to deal their damage, and tend to last much, much longer. Unless you're injured, you rest, or travel across the world map, your chances of dying due to disease are pretty low... Still, diseases are rather rare and weak in Baldur's Gate, so I don't suggest keeping one ready at all times until the sequel. *Cure Medium Wounds <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Huzzah! Expanded Baldur's Gate 2 healing spells in the first game! This spell restores 14 Hit Points. *Dispel Magic <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Bad guys cast spells too-buffing themselves, or debuffing you. Just as a Chaos spell can win a fight for you, if it's cast on you, it can also result in casualties if the enemy gets one on you... unless you're wise enough to keep a Dispel Magic handy. This spell is just wonderful, and everybody who can cast it should always have one prepared. Glyph of Warding <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Creates a static 'trap' that explodes when an enemy comes close, dealing 1d4 damage/level to foes within range. This spell is party friendly, so it should be used-not defensively, as the description suggests, but offensively, like Fireball. Still, the Cleric has better 3rd-level spells to cast, and the Mage has Fireball, so I never bother with this one. *Holy Smite (Good characters Only) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> One of the rare alignment-specific spells in Baldur's Gate, Holy Blight deals 1d4 damage per level of the caster to all evil foes in a 20-ft. radius. A fair number of enemies are actually neutral, which limits this spell's effectiveness, but there are plenty of evil foes to bring holy doom down upon. This spell is party-friendly... provided you're not traveling around with evil folks. Invisibility Purge <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Like the Arcane spell 'Detect Invisibility' this spell will allow you to detect-and therefore thwart-sneaking enemies. Very rarely a useful spell. Miscast Magic <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You'll see the enemy cast this spell a few times, but I never bother with it. If the enemy fails at a Save vs. Spells (save at -2), they'll suffer an 80% spell casting failure rate. Of course, Silence 15' Radius can affect multiple foes, imposes a -5 save, and makes spell casting 100% impossible for affected creatures. Once you hit 6th level, it also lasts longer (2 round per level for Silence 15' Radius versus one turn for Miscast Magic)... so why would you ever want to cast Miscast Magic when you could cast Silence 15' Radius? *Protection from Fire <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Like the Resist Fire/Cold, but it protects you from 80% of fire damage. Excellent in a few areas. Remove Curse <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You should NEVER need to cast this spell. It's grand purpose? Getting icky cursed items out of your hands. This guide tells you what items you're getting, and you should never equip unidentified items in the first place. *Remove Paralysis <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Ghouls and Ghasts can be killers, and keeping one of these spells ready is a good idea in Ghoul-populated areas. Of course, it's just as good to not allow the undead to gang up on one party member. It also will free you from the effects of Hold Person spells, too, which are the bane of Baldur's Gate battles. If push came to shove, I'd rather have Dispel Magic prepared, but if you get yourself an extra 3rd-level spell slot, this is always a good spell to have ready. Rigid Thinking <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Another spell you'll more often see when it's cast on you than when you actually waste the time to cast it-it affects one critter and inflicts confusion. It lasts one turn, and can be negated by a simple Save vs. Spells. Compare this to the 4th-level Arcane spell Confusion, and you'll see what a butt-nutter this pansy version is. Strength of One <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Gives the entire party a Strength score of 18/75, and lasts for a turn. It might seem nifty at first, but once you get the Hands of Takkok, read the Manual of Gainful Exercise, or if you're named Dorn, this spell will actually hinder you in combat. For natural heavy-hitters like Minsc, Shar-Teel, or Kivan, this spell is a meager bonus from the outset. Unholy Blight (Evil Characters Only) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Like Holy Blight, but with different alignment effects. This spell deals 1d4 damage per level of the caster to all good foes in the area of effect (20-ft. radius). The spell deals half damage on a successful save, but on a failed save, it also imposes a -2 penalty 'to all their rolls' for four rounds. This spell is massively less useful than Holy Blight, since most foes you'll fight are either neutral or evil... Meaning few enemies will be affected by this spell at all. Zone of Sweet Air <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Dispels spells like Stinking Cloud or Cloudkill. Honestly, I tend to be the Cloudkill/Stinking Cloud caster, the computer rarely uses such spells... and if they do, I'm more than happy to cast Animate Dead and let the computer trip over their own spells. I have never bothered with this spell. 4th Level Cleric Spells {SPT006} o======================================================================o ***TOP SPELLS*** Defensive Harmony: -2 Armor Class bonus for the entire party. --- Neutralize Poison: Cures poison, disease, blindness, deafness and heals. --- Protection from Evil 10' Radius: Long-lasting party buff. Animal Summoning I <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell has a few problems with it-first, it's been nerfed by the Enhanced Edition. Summoning up two War Dogs will not impress anybody. Second, the amount of awesome 4th-level Cleric spells have vastly increased. Compared to Animate Dead, this spell leaves absolutely nothing to recommend it. Cause Serious Wounds <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Touch a bad-guy, and deal 17 damage to them. Seriously? There are many better ways to deal 17 damage to a creature-ONE creature. Cloak of Fear <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell creates as three-foot radius fear effect centered on the caster. I'm always dubious about spells that require the proximity of the caster... but this spell has no effective radius (if your Cleric is surrounded, maybe, but good luck getting the spell off) and imposes no save penalty. Even worse, it only causes fear for four rounds. How is this spell in any way comparable to the 2nd-level Arcane spell, Horror? Cure Serious Wounds <----------------------------------------------------------------------> A more potent version of Cure Light Wounds, it must compete with many great 4th-level Cleric spells. At the end of the day, healing is just not strong enough in this game to save you during a fight, the way the 'Heal' spell will in the sequel. 17 Hit Points is just a band-aid to a late-game warrior, not a life-saver in the heat of battle. Death Ward <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Death Ward is a wonderful, indispensable, must-have spell for every Cleric... in Baldur's Gate 2. In the first game, there aren't many death spells coming your way, so don't worry about it. Just be sure to look it over, nod with approval, and be ready for it in the sequel. *Defensive Harmony <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell gives you a +2 bonus to Armor Class for ten rounds-the perfect last preparation before a big fight. +2 Armor Class is the same as 10% miss chance, and it affects the whole party. Kind of the opposite of Death Ward, I use it frequently in the first game, but almost never in the sequel. Armor Class can get quite low naturally in Baldur's Gate 2, but by Throne of Bhaal, we're contending with foes who have THAC0s of -10... which renders most Armor Class considerations moot. In Shadows of Amn, you don't need it, and in Throne of Bhaal, it doesn't really help much. In this game, however, a two-point bonus to Armor Class is huge... even if it's only for six rounds. Farsight <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You could this spell... or you could simply sneak around with a Thief, Ranger, or invisible character. You'll see more, and it wastes-at best- a 2nd-level Arcane spell. Free Action <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell comes in handy any time you encounter Carrion Crawlers, Ghouls, Ghasts, Greater Ghouls, or butthole Clerics who like to cast Hold Person. Of course, it's just as easy to strap on a Ring of Free Action and save yourself the 4th-level spell slot. Holy Power <----------------------------------------------------------------------> A weak attempt at Tenser's, save it allows the caster to keep their spell casting powers. This spell is a mix of good and mediocrity. First, one Hit Point per level will not a Fighter make. Second, while it grants a massive bonus to combat prowess, it does not increase the Cleric's attacks per round... again, 18/00 Strength and a good to hit does not a Fighter make. On the other hand, it's still a welcome boost for those melee-heavy fights where another competent warrior could tip the balance... cast on a 7th-level Viconia, it raised her Hit Points from 52 to 59, dropped her THAC0 from a wretched 15 to a respectable 10, and increased her damage range from 3-8 to 9-14. It duration means it won't be worth casting all the time (like Protection from Evil 10' Radius will be), but for big fights, it's worth considering. Hybrid characters like Yeslick will arguably make better use of it-they already have the THAC0, but the Strength bonus helps, especially with their superior attacks per round. Ultimately, this spell is decent at times in the first game, but in Baldur's Gate 2, it'll be utterly eclipsed by Draw Upon Holy Might. Lesser Restoration <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell will remove energy drain on the target, but will fatigue the caster outright. Energy drain is almost non-existent in the first game, and if you lose a level, you can always prepare this spell afterwards to deal with it. You need not keep it prepared all the time. Mental Domination <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Like the Arcane spell Domination... but Clericy. It allows you to take control of a critter and command it. I never bother with these spells, as there's always a better debuff to cast. Negative Plane Protection <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Another spell that will be more useful in the second game, this spell prevents energy drain. Energy drain is almost non-existent in the first game, so you need not bother with this spell. *Neutralize Poison <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Don't let the name fool you-this spell provides a suite of curative effects. It cures poison, sure, but is also cures diseases, blindness, deafness, and heals 10 Hit Points. Until you get access to the Heal spell, it's the best panacea you've got, and it won't hurt to keep one handy... as it cures a variety of afflictions. Poison <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Deals variable damage, but the target receives a Saving Throw vs. Poison at no penalty to negate all effects, as follows: o===============o===============o |Caster's Level | Poison Damage | o===============o===============o | 7th-9th | 2d8 + 2/round | |---------------|---------------| | 10th-12th | 3d8 + 3/round | |---------------|---------------| | 13th-14th | 4d8 + 4/round | |---------------|---------------| | 15th-16th | 6d8 + 5/round | |---------------|---------------| | 17th+ | 8d8 + 6/round | o===============o===============o The damage it deals is... passable, but I find little merit with spells that have no save penalties. Also, that juicy damage that might be enticing you isn't going to happen in this game. You'll have to weigh it's merits on 2d8 + 2/round damage... or 22-36 damage over one turn, to one creature, that's negated by a single save. Doesn't sound so epic when you do the math, does it? *Protection from Evil 10' Radius <----------------------------------------------------------------------> The best defensive party spell in the game, it always deserves a 4th- level spell slot. Enemies suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls, and your saves against spells and attacks made by such creatures recieve a +2 bonus. At a turn per level, this spell will last long enough for any encounter... or perhaps several encounters. Oh, and ignore the radius in the title-as far as the in-game spell description is concerned, this spell has an effective 30' radius. Protection From Lightning <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Makes the recipient entirely immune to lightning. It's handy in a few instances where a Lightning Bolt trap can be used to cause collateral damage, or where a hostile Mage is likely to fling such magic at you, but otherwise it's forgettable. 1st Level Druid Spells {SPT007} o======================================================================o ***TOP SPELLS*** Armor of Faith: Blocks 5% of damage per five levels. --- Bless: Minor, short-lasting party buff. --- Cure Light Wounds: Heals 8 Hit Points. --- Entangle: Stops foes from moving, but not attacking. *Armor of Faith <----------------------------------------------------------------------> A simple defensive spell that will remain in your list of memorized spells throughout both games... simply because good defensive Clerical spells are so rare. This spell absorbs 5% of all damage the caster would otherwise sustain from physical and magical attacks, and protects against another 5% for every five levels of the Cleric. Which means... up to 10% in this game. That doesn't sound like much-and it isn't-but losing one point in ten of damage isn't horrible, and it has a decent duration, too. *Bless <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Bless gives all allies within a 30-foot radius a +1 bonus to attack rolls and a +1 bonus to saves versus fear. I'll be honest, I rarely use it, but it's not that bad of a spell. Your THAC0 won't be low enough to ignore a +1 bonus.. but its six-round duration is just lame. *Cure Light Wounds <----------------------------------------------------------------------> The essential healing spell, you'll probably want to keep several instances of this spell ready at all times. Detect Evil <----------------------------------------------------------------------> It's... not a great spell, and I wouldn't keep one prepared, but Ajantis can use it as a special ability. It's got quite a range, and nearby enemies will be detected as evil in your dialogue box. Want to know if some Black Talons are currently lurking in Larswood, or want to know if those humble-looking fishermen are up to no good? Give this spell a go. Doom <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This curse bestows a -2 penalty to saves and attack rolls upon a single enemy. This is actually a decent spell to cast on tougher enemies, as that -2 save penalty can end up paying off in a big way if the critter then falls victim to the Dagger of Venom +2's poison, or another debuff like Chaos or Slow. *Entangle <----------------------------------------------------------------------> An early-game alternative for Stinking Cloud or Web, it does much the same thing... save that foes who are entangled can still attack, and enemies save with a +3 modifier, so you shouldn't expect it to work all the time. It does, however, have no Hit Dice maximum, meaning that it'll come in handy against Ogres and Bears early on. Shillelagh <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Creates a +1 cudgel that deals 2d4 damage. It might seem like a decent alternative for a low-level Jaheira, but it really doesn't last long enough for repeated use. 2nd Level Druid Spells {SPT008} o======================================================================o ***TOP SPELLS*** Resist Fire and Cold: 50% Resistance to Fire and Cold. --- Slow Poison: Cures poison. Barkskin <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Grants a target an Armor Class of six, which improves (decreases) by one for every four levels of the caster... Armor Class 5 at 4th level, Armor Class 4 at 8th, and... we'll, that's it for Baldur's Gate. It's decent defense... until you're ready to head to the Nashkel Mines. If you can't find anything better to wear by then... well, you suck. I would pretend that this might be a decent defensive spell and in some circumstances... blah, blah, blah. It's really not. If this spell ever really seems like a good defensive measure, you've done something wrong. Oh, it also gives a +1 bonus to saves... except versus magic. Charm Person or Mammal <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Like the Arcane spell, Charm Person, save it also can affect a few quadrapeds, as well. It's utterly negatable by a single save at no penalty, so I normally wouldn't bother with it... save that 2nd-level Druid spells are full of suck. Compared to most other spells out there, it might be worth preparing one... you know, in case you get bored. Find Traps <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Detects traps in a very close range. This spell doesn't disarm them, however, so it's rather pointless. Flame Blade <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell allows the caster to create a flaming blade, which the caster is considered Proficient with. It deals 1d4 slashing damage, plus 1d2+4 fire damage. Despite being a magical blade of flame it does NOT count as a magical weapon for determining what it can hit-makes sense to me. Good Berry <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Creates five magical berries that each heal for one Hit Point. They last forever, so it's like creating a weak healing potion to use... just as long as you don't expect them to be worth anything in combat. They take time to use in combat, and since they can only be consumed one at a time... yeah, one Hit Point of healing per round will not win you any fights. If for some reason you cannot rest, you could conceivably give thirty of the weightless things to each party member... but I can't think of a single instance where this is necessary. So, no combat uses, takes forever to actually use them all, and there's no point in time where you'd need to do it. Useless spell. Know Alignment <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Like Detect Evil, except it detects.. everything. Evil things glow red, neutral things glow blue, and friendly things glow green.. like those little circles under your feet! *Resist Fire and Cold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You won't fear the elements too often, but when dealing with fire or cold happy foes, this spell can cut their damage in half. I wouldn't keep it ready all the time, but it'll come in handy once in a while. *Slow Poison <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Slow Poison is being humble. This spell eradicates the effects of most poisons in the game. Keep at least one handy on each Cleric all the time. 3rd Level Druid Spells {SPT009} o======================================================================o ***TOP SPELLS*** Cure Medium Wounds: Heals 14 Hit Points. --- Dispel Magic: Remove buffs/debuffs in an area. --- Protection from Fire: Grants 80% Resistance to Fire. Call Lightning <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell calls down lightning to randomly strike foes. Once per turn you'll summon one bolt per four levels of the caster, each dealing 2d8 damage +1d8 per level of the caster. It sounds awesome enough-an 8th-level caster can call down two bolts a turn, each dealing 10d8 damage. Still, you can only target the first bolts, and what fight lasts longer than a turn? None, really. Ultimately, I just find this spell too damn random to bother with. Cure Disease <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Diseases suck. They function like Poison, but take much longer to deal their damage, and tend to last much, much longer. Unless you're injured, you rest, or travel across the world map, your chances of dying due to disease are pretty low... Still, diseases are rather rare and weak in Baldur's Gate, so I don't suggest keeping one ready at all times until the sequel. *Cure Medium Wounds <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Huzzah! Expanded Baldur's Gate 2 healing spells in the first game! This spell restores 14 Hit Points. *Dispel Magic <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Bad guys cast spells too-buffing themselves, or debuffing you. Just as a Chaos spell can win a fight for you, if it's cast on you, it can also result in casualties if the enemy gets one on you... unless you're wise enough to keep a Dispel Magic handy. This spell is just wonderful, and everybody who can cast it should always have one prepared. Hold Animal <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Another hold spell-it only affects 'normal and giant-sized' animals, pointedly exempting Wyverns and Ankhegs, for no good reason. That leaves... what? Cave Bears? Who cares? This spell just doesn't have enough potential targets to make it worthwhile, nor are the foes it affects worth keeping it prepared. Invisibility Purge <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Like the Arcane spell 'Detect Invisibility' this spell will allow you to detect-and therefore thwart-sneaking enemies. Very rarely a useful spell. Miscast Magic <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You'll see the enemy cast this spell a few times, but I never bother with it. If the enemy fails at a Save vs. Spells (save at -2), they'll suffer an 80% spell casting failure rate. Of course, Silence 15' Radius can affect multiple foes, imposes a -5 save, and makes spell casting 100% impossible for affected creatures. Once you hit 6th level, it also lasts longer (2 round per level for Silence 15' Radius versus one turn for Miscast Magic)... so why would you ever want to cast Miscast Magic when you could cast Silence 15' Radius? *Protection from Fire <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Like the Resist Fire/Cold, but it protects you from 80% of fire damage. Excellent in a few areas. Rigid Thinking <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Another spell you'll more often see when it's cast on you than when you actually waste the time to cast it-it affects one critter and inflicts confusion. It lasts one turn, and can be negated by a simple Save vs. Spells. Compare this to the 4th-level Arcane spell Confusion, and you'll see what a butt-nutter this pansy version is. Strength of One <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Gives the entire party a Strength score of 18/75, and lasts for a turn. It might seem nifty at first, but once you get the Hands of Takkok, read the Manual of Gainful Exercise, or if you're named Dorn, this spell will actually hinder you in combat. For natural heavy-hitters like Minsc, Shar-Teel, or Kivan, this spell is a meager bonus from the outset. Summon Insects <----------------------------------------------------------------------> A very, very weak version of the absolutely devastating 5th-level Druid spell, Insect Plague, it still has its uses. A single target must Save vs. Breath Weapons (at a -2 penalty) or take one damage per two seconds of duration... why such a weird number? I don't know-it deals three damage per round, for seven rounds. More importantly, the target suffers a -2 penalty to THAC0 and Armor Class, and has a 50% spell-casting failure. Ultimately, I'd rather use Animate Dead and/or Silence 15' Radius to deal with enemy spells, and a Slow spell retards melee combat far more effectively. 4th Level Druid Spells {SPT010} o======================================================================o ***TOP SPELLS*** Call Woodland Beings: Summons a Nymph with great debuffing spells. --- Defensive Harmony: -2 Armor Class bonus for the entire party. --- Neutralize Poison: Cures poison, disease, blindness, deafness and heals. Animal Summoning <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell has a few problems with it-first, it's been nerfed by the Enhanced Edition. Summoning up two War Dogs will not impress anybody. Second, the Druid gets a much better summoning spell at this level... *Call Woodland Beings <----------------------------------------------------------------------> I would call this spell poop... but honestly, summoning a Nymph that you have full control over isn't bad. Her selling point isn't melee offense, of course, but your Nymph comes fully equipped with many handy spells, and the three turn duration of the spell gives you ample time to cast as many as you please. It's really like conjuring up another full caster to throw out debuffs while your Druid does other things. Of course, the usefulness of this spell depends entirely on what spells your Nymph comes with, so let's take a look, shall we, and see if what she's got is worth a 4th-level spell slot: Barkskin Hold Person x2 Call Lightning Miscast Magic Cause Serious Wounds Mental Domination Mass Cure Confusion Hold Monster Umm... Yeah. She's got the power to win fights on her own. Since most of her spells are mind-affecting effects, obviously the Nymph is best summoned to help with living foes. Summon her up, have her cast Confusion, Hold Person(s), Hold Monster, and before she's gone, drop a parting shot of Mass Cure and you'll have made a great use of a spell. Cause Serious Wounds <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Touch a bad-guy, and deal 17 damage to them. Seriously? There are many better ways to deal 17 damage to a creature-ONE creature. Cloak of Fear <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell creates as three-foot radius fear effect centered on the caster. I'm always dubious about spells that require the proximity of the caster... but this spell has no effective radius (if your Druid is surrounded, maybe, but good luck getting the spell off) and imposes no save penalty. Even worse, it only causes fear for four rounds. How is this spell in any way comparable to the 2nd-level Arcane spell, Horror? Cure Serious Wounds <----------------------------------------------------------------------> A more potent version of Cure Light Wounds, it must compete with many great 4th-level Druid spells. At the end of the day, healing is just not strong enough in this game to save you during a fight, the way the 'Heal' spell will in the sequel. 17 Hit Points is just a band-aid to a late-game warrior, not a life-saver in the heat of battle. Death Ward <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Death Ward is a wonderful, indispensable, must-have spell for every Druid... in Baldur's Gate 2. In the first game, there aren't many death spells coming your way, so don't worry about it. Just be sure to look it over, nod with approval, and be ready for it in the sequel. *Defensive Harmony <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell gives you a +2 bonus to Armor Class for ten rounds-the perfect last preparation before a big fight. +2 Armor Class is the same as 10% miss chance, and it affects the whole party. Kind of the opposite of Death Ward, I use it frequently in the first game, but almost never in the sequel. Armor Class can get quite low naturally in Baldur's Gate 2, but by Throne of Bhaal, we're contending with foes who have THAC0s of -10... which renders most Armor Class considerations moot. In Shadows of Amn, you don't need it, and in Throne of Bhaal, it doesn't really help much. In this game, however, a two-point bonus to Armor Class is huge... even if it's only for six rounds. Farsight <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You could this spell... or you could simply sneak around with a Thief, Ranger, or invisible character. You'll see more, and it wastes-at best- a 2nd-level Arcane spell. Negative Plane Protection <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Another spell that will be more useful in the second game, this spell prevents energy drain. Energy drain is almost non-existent in the first game, so you need not bother with this spell. *Neutralize Poison <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Don't let the name fool you-this spell provides a suite of curative effects. It cures poison, sure, but is also cures diseases, blindness, deafness, and heals 10 Hit Points. Until you get access to the Heal spell, it's the best panacea you've got, and it won't hurt to keep one handy... as it cures a variety of afflictions. Poison <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Deals variable damage, but the target receives a Saving Throw vs. Poison at no penalty to negate all effects, as follows: o===============o===============o |Caster's Level | Poison Damage | o===============o===============o | 7th-9th | 2d8 + 2/round | |---------------|---------------| | 10th-12th | 3d8 + 3/round | |---------------|---------------| | 13th-14th | 4d8 + 4/round | |---------------|---------------| | 15th-16th | 6d8 + 5/round | |---------------|---------------| | 17th+ | 8d8 + 6/round | o===============o===============o The damage it deals is... passable, but I find little merit with spells that have no save penalties. Also, that juicy damage that might be enticing you isn't going to happen in this game. You'll have to weigh it's merits on 2d8 + 2/round damage... or 22-36 damage over one turn, to one creature, that's negated by a single save. Doesn't sound so epic when you do the math, does it? Protection From Lightning <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Makes the recipient entirely immune to lightning. It's handy in a few instances where a Lightning Bolt trap can be used to cause collateral damage, or where a hostile Mage is likely to fling such magic at you, but otherwise it's forgettable. 5th Level Druid Spells {SPT011} o======================================================================o ***TOP SPELLS*** Chaotic Commands: Makes target immune to mind-affecting effects. --- Insect Plague: Deals damage, prevents spell casting, causes panic. --- Iron Skins: Creates a number of skins that prevent physical damage. --- Pixie Dust: Makes all allies with 30-feet invisible. --- True Sight: Dispels illusion. Party-friendly. Animal Summoning II <----------------------------------------------------------------------> The 4th-level version of this spell was insulting enough, but to get a slightly superior 5th-level version... well, it's worse than the douchebags your sister dated in high school. Yes, you could use this spell to conjure up some Brown Bears, Cave Bears, or Panthers... or, you could use spells like Chaotic Commands, Insect Plague, Iron Skins, or True Sight. You know, spells that can win fights by themselves. Cause Critical Wounds <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Deal 27 damage to a creature with a successful touch attack... Seriously? This spell is nowhere near competition for awesome 5th-level Druid spells like Chaotic Commands, Insect Plague, Iron Skins, or True Sight. *Chaotic Commands <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Oh, Chaotic Commands, how I love you... this little spell makes the target immune to... pretty much every mental effect out their. Hold, Charm, Domination, Suggestion, Psionics, Confusion, all of it. This spell is decent towards the end of Baldur's Gate 1, but it's absolutely essential in Baldur's Gate 2. Still, whenever a foe might toss out a Hold Person, Rigid Thinking, Dire Charm, or Confusion, this is a worthy counter. Cure Critical Wounds <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Heals for 27 Hit Points. *Insect Plague <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Insect Plague is one of the best Druid spell in the game... it's just a shame the level cap prevent Jaheira from learning it. Honestly, most spell-casters in this game can be handled other ways-it's not until Baldur's Gate 2 where this spell becomes mandatory. You target a single victim, and after affecting them the plague will 'jump' to nearby enemies until six are affected. The damage is a worthy consideration, as it deals one point of damage every two seconds for the duration of the spell, but the real reason to use it is that it prevents spell-casters who are affected from casting spells. It only lasts six rounds, but this gives you plenty of time to take out pretty much any enemy spellcaster in the game. It also has a chance to make enemies run around in a panic, which can further break up groups of enemies. It's not an exaggeration to say that this spell can-in a single casting-win most fights, and if there was any reason to drag Faldorn along, it's for this spell. *Iron Skins <----------------------------------------------------------------------> An indispensable defensive spell for the Druid, it's essentially the Druidy version of Stoneskin. Since Stoneskin is one of the best defensive spells in the game... well, this is a very good spell to have. Again, shame that Jaheira isn't able to get 5th-level spells in Baldur's Gate... Magic Resistance <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Gives the caster 2% Magic Resistance per level, up to a maximum of 40% at 20th level. Note that it does not RAISE your current Magic Resistance to this amount, it SETS it to this amount, potentially even lowering it, if it's higher (Viconia, for instance, has a base 50% Magic Resistance). Considering that you'll only reach 9th-level in this game, it's really not worth casting. 18% Magic Resistance is paltry defense when a single Insect Plague could make the entire matter moot. Mass Cure <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Heals all allies within a 30-foot radius of the caster for 1d8+1 damage per caster level... or, a maximum of 1d8+9. It's really just not enough healing to bother with, in my opinion. Use spells like Insect Plague to win fights outright, then worry about healing. *Pixie Dust <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Makes all allies in a 30-foot radius invisible, as per the Invisibility spell. It's... actually an okay buff in this game, at least worthy of some tactical considerations. I can imagine a few areas where having an entirely invisible party would be beneficial. Just note, however, that the second you do anything aggressive, the invisibility is gone. *True Sight <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You won't have too many foes going invisible on you in this game, but True Sight also dispels less troublesome defenses, like Mirror Image and Blur, which you will see from time to time. Of course, since Insect Plague is a much more effective way of dealing with sneaky Mages, you're probably better off using that. It's not until the sequel-when Liches start rearing their rotting heads-that you need worry too much about this spell. 1st Level Arcane Spells {SPT012} o======================================================================o ***TOP SPELLS*** Blindness: Blind targets suffers -4 penalty to attack and Armor Class. --- Identify: Identifies magical items. --- Magic Missile: Up to five bolts that unerringly deal 2-5 damage each. --- Protection From Petrification: Prevents petrification. --- Sleep: Puts creatures with less than 4+3 Hit Dice to sleep. Armor <----------------------------------------------------------------------> A simple cast that drops your Armor Class to six (as if you were wearing Scale Mail) and lasts for nine hours. Seems like a pretty good defensive spell, right? Eh, for a Fighter/Mage it might have its uses, but you'll find Bracers of Defense so early into the game (with which this spell doesn't stack) that you'll never really need this. By the time you can afford Robes of the Archmagi, this spell is quite useless, but it's dubious enough long beforehand. As far as I'm concerned, Sleep makes for better defense than Armor. *Blindness <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Once in a while you might find this spell useful... early on, against Ogres, for example. It'll last longer than any fight will at 10 turns, and -4 penalties to hit and Armor Class are significant impediments. Honestly, however, Entangle works just as well. Burning Hands <----------------------------------------------------------------------> A simple offensive spell that deals 1d3+2 damage per caster level, up to a maximum of 1d3+20. Unfortunately, it doesn't have much range and isn't party friendly, so it can't be safely cast from behind more sturdy characters. Sleep works better for low-level foes, and Magic Missile is a more dependable damage-dealer. Charm Person <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell is potentially useful once in a while-against human-sized bipeds, at least. Anything else is outright unaffected, but, as the spell exults, a 10th-level Fighter could potentially be affected... even if Ogre Berserkers cannot. It doesn't impose a save penalty, however, and since foes turn hostile when the spell wears out, you should refrain from the obvious move of casting it on neutral NPCs to make them more pliable. Ultimately... I never use it. I admit it could have its uses, as will become abundantly clear when foes cast it at you, but for me, by the time I tangle with foes worth charming, I've got better take-down options. More reliable, less finger-crossing type take-down options. Chill Touch <----------------------------------------------------------------------> A horrible, horrible damage-dealer, for two reasons-first, the caster has to touch the foes in order to deal the damage. Second, this requires the caster to actually 'make a successful melee attack'. Two things Mages are not built for-being where enemies can hit them, and trying to hit foes in melee. On top of that, the 1d8 damage and no save penalty side effect of a -2 THAC0 penalty is nothing special. Chromatic Orb <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Chromatic Orb is a handy little spell that deals damage and afflicts an enemy with status effects. At fourth level the spell can blind, at fifth it can stun for three rounds, and at seventh level it will paralyze for 20 rounds. Of course, by that time you'll have better disabling spells, and if you want to deal damage, the 10-25 damage Magic Missile causes will probably be more reliable than a chance to stun. Color Spray <----------------------------------------------------------------------> We should consider this spell like a debuff version of Burning Hands... you emit a party unfriendly effect in an arc in front of you. Instead of damage, however, it'll knock foes out (unless they save at no penalty, or they have more than 4 Hit Dice) for five rounds. A few obvious problems... Okay, one, really big problem. Sleep. It imposes a -3 penalty, has a much larger radius, is party friendly, affects creatures with up to (but not including) 4+3 Hit Dice (34 Hit Points), and lasts for five rounds per level. Really, it's many times more useful than Color Spray. Find Familiar <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Ah... a very odd spell, indeed. We all know what Familiars are, they're wizardry lore by now, so onto the spell. First, it can be cast only by the Protagonist (that's the guy or gal you made at the beginning of this mess) and you can only have one Familiar at a time. The spell lasts... indefinitely, up until your Familiar dies, which is something you want to avoid at all costs... but we'll get to that later. In essence, it's a permanent summoning spell that creates a critter you completely control. The type of creature is determined by your alignment, and they vary widely in capabilities (and I dare say, quality.) Most have 12 Hit Points, but the Dust Mephit (Neutral Evil) version has merely 9. Armor Class ranges from 0 to 8, and Magic Resistance is likewise variable from 10% to 45%. If this sounds like a sturdy little critter, you're suffering from a severe case of the newbies. Some have spells they can use, others have Thief abilities, while another has special melee attacks... but they are all short-term benefits and long-term liabilities. The benefits are simple-you get a 7th-wheel who does whatever you tell it to do. Also, you get 1/2 of the Familiar's Hit Points as a bonus to your Mage's Hit Points. For example, when my True Neutral Fighter/Mage tested this spell out for this guide, he went from 72 to 78 Hit Points. Huzzah. Now for the crippling downside. If your Familiar dies, you'll suffer damage equal to half the Hit Points your Mage got out of the deal... not too bad, right? That's three damage, if you're math-tarded, in my example. Oh, and you also lose a point of Constitution permanently. No big deal. There is one redeeming quality to this spell, however-if you force-talk to your familiar, you can put the critter in your pack. It'll take up an inventory slot, but only weighs one pound, and is immune to harm while safely stored away. In essence, it's worth learning this spell with your protagonist, summoning a familiar for the bonus Hit Points, then putting it safely away for the rest of eternity. As requested, the stats of all the familiars are as follows, taken right from the spell's description... with a bit of commentary added to make it worth doing. LAWFUL GOOD, NEUTRAL GOOD: Pseudo Dragon --> Hit Points: 12 --> Armor Class: 0 --> Magic Resistance: 35% --> Combat: 2 attacks per round at 15 THAC0 for 1d3 damage --> Special Abilities: Can cast Blur once per day. Regenerates 1 HP/round. Immune to level drain, sleep, and petrification. Possibly the best familiar in the game, it mixes a good Armor Class, decent Magic Resistance, and some immunities, allowing it to provide a bit of cover for a low-level Mage. Yay good guys! It also has petrification immunity... like a lot of familiars... but its relative durability makes it ideal bait for Basilisks, if you can't be bothered to just use Protection from Petrification. LAWFUL NEUTRAL: Ferrets --> Hit Points: 12 --> Armor Class: 2 --> Magic Resistance: 35% --> Combat: 2 attacks per round at 15 THAC0 for 1d3 damage --> Special Abilities: Has 50% in Pick Pockets, 25% Hide in Shadows/Move Silently, and 20% in Detect Traps. Can cast Blur once per day. Immune to level drain, sleep, and petrification. Ferrets are well-known for being lawful creatives, although morally undecided. It's slightly less sturdy than the Psuedo Dragon (Armor Class 2), and it has thief abilities-albeit so low that none of them, save Pick Pockets, have any practical use. LAWFUL EVIL: Imp --> Hit Points: 9 --> Armor Class: 4 --> Magic Resistance: 15% --> Combat: 1 attack per round at 17 THAC0 for 1d6 damage --> Special Abilities: Has 100% resistance to fire, cold, and electricity. Can cast Polymorph Self once per day. Regenerates 1 HP/round. The Imp has two interesting features-first, outright immunity to fire, cold, and electricity allows it to be used as a decoy. Lure in foes, and blast them with Fireball. Good fun. Second, you might get some cheap fun out of the Polymorph Self spell, which will make it more versatile-although its low Hit Points will prevent it from becoming a viable combatant. NEUTRAL: Rabbit --> Hit Points: 12 --> Armor Class: 3 --> Magic Resistance: 45% --> Combat: 2 attacks per round at 15 THAC0 for 1d2 damage --> Special Abilities: Has 20% in Move Silently/Hide in Shadows and 40% in Find Traps. Has 75% resistance to fire, cold and electricity It's resistant to elements, but with only twelve Hit Points, the Rabbit can't really serve as a decoy like the Imp can. All the Rabbit can really boast is 40% Find Traps, which will not be good enough for most of the traps in the game. Oh, and 45% Magic Resistance, which is the best of all the familiars. NEUTRAL EVIL: Dust Mephit --> Hit Points: 12 --> Armor Class: 8 --> Magic Resistance: 10% --> Combat: 2 attacks per round at 15 THAC0 for 1d2 damage --> Special Abilities: Has 100% resistance to fire and 35% resistance to slashing, piercing, and missile damage. Can cast Glass Dust twice per day. Regenerates 1 HP/round. Immune to level drain, sleep, and petrification. The Dust Mephit has a horrible Armor Class, partially mitigated by a 35% resistance to physical damage. I'd still suggest keeping it out of combat, as it'll be getting hit at all times. On the plus side, its immunity to fire means it can serve as a Fireball decoy. CHAOTIC GOOD: Fairy Dragon --> Hit Points: 12 --> Armor Class: 6 --> Magic Resistance: 25% --> Combat: 2 attacks per round at 15 THAC0 for 1d2 damage --> Special Abilities: Can cast Mirror Image once per day. Immune to level drain, sleep, and petrification. Like the Psuedo Dragon, but suckier in almost every way. Its Armor Class sucks, and its only real defensive ability is Mirror Image. All in all, the rebel with a heart of gold suffers in the familiar department. CHAOTIC NEUTRAL: Cat --> Hit Points: 12 --> Armor Class: 2 --> Magic Resistance: 35% --> Combat: 2 attacks per round at 15 THAC0 for 1d3 damage --> Special Abilities: Has 15% in Pick Pockets and 65% in Move Silently/Hide In Shadows. Can cast Blur once per day. Immune to level drain, sleep, and petrification. If any animal's alignment made sense with this spell, it would have to be the Cat's. And the Imp's. But we're talking about the Cat. It's pretty defensible, as far as familiar's go, with Blur, a low Armor Class, a decent Magic Resistance. It also comes with Thief abilities, but the only even slightly passable one is Move Silently/Hide in Shadows. CHAOTIC EVIL: Quasit --> Hit Points: 12 --> Armor Class: 4 --> Magic Resistance: 15% --> Combat: 2 attacks per round at 15 THAC0 for 1d6 damage --> Special Abilities: Has 100% resistance to fire, cold, and electricity. Can cast Horror once per day, Regenerates 1 HP/round. Much like the Imp, the Quasit makes a good bait familiar for spell blasting. The Quasit, however, boasts more Hit Points and has the decent low-level debilitator Horror. All in all, it's a pretty good familiar. Friends <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell can be useful when shopping, as it raises your Charisma by six points temporarily-long enough to lower prices. Keep in mind that this spell doesn't seem to have an effect if your Charisma is over 20. Grease <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Much like Web and Stinking Cloud-superior 2nd-level spells-this is an area-of-effect spell that hampers anything caught in the area... albeit, after a Saving Throw to attempt to negate the effects. Those who fail are forced to move quite slowly for the rest of the round, and must save every round to avoid the movement impediment. Ultimately, I'd rather just wait for Web and/or Stinking Cloud, as both are superior in their own ways. If you're looking for a 1st-level debuff, try Sleep, instead. *Identify <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You'll always some of these spells prepared, as they... identify magical items. Sure, having a high Lore skill can do the same, but most strong magical items require a higher Lore score than you'll probably have... and it's not worth playing a Bard just to identify crap. Combat use? None. But it'll save you 100 gold that you would have wasted identifying items at merchants. Considering how many magical items abound in the game, this is a necessary money-saver. Infravision <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Cast this spell, and the creature affected gains infravision, which in this game makes creatures glow orange. Of course, if you have anybody with infravision naturally, you can simply turn on the 'Group Infravision' option and use it at will. It's not terribly useful anyways, either naturally or as a spell, and at 10 turns, this spell's duration isn't terribly enviable. Larloch's Minor Drain <----------------------------------------------------------------------> A mediocre damage-dealing spell, this spell deals a measly four points of damage and heals the caster for the same amount. On the plus side, it's got range and doesn't allow a save, so I find it superior to Burning Hands or Chill Touch, at least. Heck, it's even comparable to Magic Missile... up until Magic Missile starts getting additional missiles. *Magic Missile <----------------------------------------------------------------------> The essential damage-dealing spell you'll use through most of the game... it deals 1d4+1 points of damage, and while that sounds paltry- and it is-it gains an additional missile at 3rd, 5th, 7th, and finally 9th level. On top of that it has a casting time of one, it always hits, and allows no save. At 9th level, that's 10-25 damage per casting... not bad for a 1st-level spell. Considering that there are a pair of 'Evermemory' rings in the game which double 1st-level spells, Magic Missile promises to make up a not insignificant part of any Mage's offensive arsenal... At least in the first Baldur's Gate game. Nahal's Reckless Dweomer <----------------------------------------------------------------------> A Wild Mage-only spell, this spell gambles on the Mage's wild surge ability, which this spell intentionally triggers after you select another spell. The Wild Mage attempts to shape the energy into the desired form... in other words, into the spell you tried to cast. The odds of you casting the desired spell, however, are very slim-on the normal table you have a 1% chance of casting a spell normally during a wild surge. Of course, since you're not screwing up, you're intentionally channeling wild magic, you add your level to the roll on the wild surge chart... which means, presumably, you've got a chance to cast the desired spell equal to 1% plus your level. Not good odds in Baldur's Gate 1, and even near the end of Baldur's Gate 2, you'll be lucky to get this spell to work when you need it, much less to use it regularly. My suggestion? Don't bother with it. Protection from Evil <----------------------------------------------------------------------> A low-level buff that protects the recipient...against evil! Attacks against the protected character are made at a -2 penalty, while saves made by the protected character are made at a +2 bonus. *Protection from Petrification <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This handy spell protects from petrification attacks. While rare in this game, they do happen, and there's just really no better way to protect yourself against foes using such attacks than by this spell. You won't need it handy all the time, but it'll save your life in a few choice areas. Reflected Image <----------------------------------------------------------------------> A poor man's Mirror Image, it give you one image that mimics the caster. Foes attacking the caster have a 50% chance to hit the image, and a 50% chance to hit the caster... if the image is struck, it vanishes. Sounds useful, but considering that Mirror Image does the same thing-but with two-to-eight images, you're better off just waiting. Shield <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Like Armor, this spell drops your Armor Class. Unlike Shield, Armor, however, this spell drops your Armor Class to four against melee attacks, and two against missile attacks... that's a six or eight point bonus. It also renders you immune to Magic Missiles! Score. Unfortunately, it-like Armor-doesn't stack with whatever mundane armor you may be wearing, and at a five-turn duration, it'll last enough to last a fight... so, it's a slightly sup'd up version of Armor with a much shorter duration. Shocking Grasp <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Another crappy 1st-level damage-dealer, it deals 1d8+1 point of damage per level and the opponent has to be touched for the spell's damage to be done. You miss, you wasted the spell. Me? I'd rather take the sure damage of Larloch's Minor Drain or Magic Missile any day. *Sleep <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Sleep is one of the best low-level Mage spells in the game. It'll force all critters within a 15-foot radius to save at -3 or fall asleep for five rounds per level.. an insane amount of time, and more than enough time to kill any and all affected critters. Against high-level enemies (those with 4+3 Hit Dice or more) it's useless, but that still means you can affect Wolves, Gibberlings, Kobolds, Kobold Commandos, Bandits, and Black Talon Elites-among others. Once you reach Baldur's Gate, you should phase it out, but that still leaves about half the game where this spell stays useful. And by useful, I mean the go-to debuff that you'll lean on. Spook <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell causes one creature to Save versus Spells are run away scared for the duration of the spell. The target suffers a -1 save penalty against the effect for every two levels of the caster, up to -6 at 12th level... which is actually pretty decent. What's not decent, however, is the aforementioned duration, a mere three rounds. Again, I invoke the almighty specter of the Sleep spell, which is a far superior debuff, and by the time that spell stops being effective you've got better things to cast. 2nd Level Arcane Spells {SPT013} o======================================================================o ***TOP SPELLS*** Blur: Gives caster bonus to Armor Class and Saving Throws. --- Horror: Causes fear in an area. --- Knock: Open locked containers/doors. --- Invisibility: Makes caster invisible. --- Melf's Acid Arrow: Unerringly deals acid damage, lasts several rounds. --- Mirror Image: Creates 2-8 illusory images which confound attackers. --- Resist Fear: Removes fear effects in area. --- Stinking Cloud: Nauseates creatures in an area, leaves them helpless. --- Web: Immobilizes creatures in an area, leaves them helpless. Agannazar's Scorcher <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell creates a 15 foot long jet of flames that deals 3-18 damage to everything in its path. Technically, it's possible to hit several foes in one cast, but this requires some good luck as to where the foes place themselves. Frankly, there are many, many other 2nd-level spells worth casting long before your need to settle for a mediocre damager like Agannazar's Scorcher... for instance... Blur <----------------------------------------------------------------------> ...Blur. One of the best defensive spells a Mage has to offer, this spell forces enemies to suffer a -3 penalty to attack rolls, and gives the Mage a +1 bonus to Saving Throws. At four rounds +2 rounds per level, it should last an entire encounter once you hit higher levels. Granted, for most of the first game it won't really be worth casting, but once your Armor Class and level improves, it'll be a spell you'll lean on heavily before any large encounter. Chaos Shield <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell is a booster for Nahal's Reckless Dweomer, boosting your roll on your magic surge table by 15. This turns your pathetic odds to... well, still pathetic, but somewhat plausible. Still, not in this game. A booster spell for another spell that I don't consider worth the trouble, what do you think my suggestion is? Deafness <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell affects one creature and it attempts to deafen the foe, which gives them a 50% chance of spell failure. Honestly, however, I'd rather just let my Clerics cast Silence 15' Radius, which imposes a -5 save penalty, is an area-of-effect spell, and outright prevents affected creatures from casting... which makes Silence 15' Radius superior in every category, really. Detect Evil <----------------------------------------------------------------------> It's... not a great spell, and I wouldn't keep one prepared, but Ajantis can use it as a special ability. It's got quite a range, and nearby enemies will be detected as evil in your dialogue box. Want to know if some Black Talons are currently lurking in Larswood, or want to know if those humble-looking fishermen are up to no good? Give this spell a go. Detect Invisibility <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Unlike in the sequel, you'll only fight invisible enemies rarely... a certain spot in Durlag's Tower, however, can be made much easier with with this spell. Otherwise... meh. Ghoul Touch <----------------------------------------------------------------------> A thoroughly bad debuff, this spell attempts to paralyze a foe... as if you were a Ghoul, see? Unfortunately, you need to touch an enemy for the spell to work and it imposes no save penalty whatsoever. Glitterdust <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Gold! Glitterdust creates a cloud of adhesive, glowing, golden particles that cover foes in the area of effect if they fail a save with a -4 penalty. Affected creatures are blinded (-4 penalty to attack rolls, Saving Throws, and Armor Class) and invisible creatures are revealed. More good news? It's party-friendly! It's actually an okay debuff, even though it's duration (four rounds) is rather sucky. On the other hand, spells like Web and especially Stinking Cloud can be fight-winners, and by the time you get access to 3rd-level spells like Slow, you'll forget all about the almost-realized promises of Glitterdust. *Horror <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Horror is a spell you'll become very, very familiar with... because your enemies will absolutely love to throw this spell at you. And why not? It's got a decent duration and a large area-of-effect... even though it doesn't have a save penalty, it might just end up in your spell book... at least, if you're tactically challenged and can't properly set up a Stinking Cloud/Animate Dead combo. Still, a pair of well-cast Horror spells can win fights against rival adventurers. Just keep in mind that some critters-like undead-are immune to this spell, being a mind-affecting effect. *Invisibility <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Most Mages don't have the option to sneak, so this spell will have to substitute. If necessary, it'll allow you to sneak up on foes and get in a devastating first strike. And of course, if you're a Fighter/Mage/Thief you might not be able to fund a super-high Stealth score. This is a fail-proof way to hide when you really need to. It won't come in handy often, and you can always substitute the Sandthief's Ring or Potions of Invisibility. *Knock <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Another essential Mage spell that has absolutely no use in combat. You need to unlock something? Use Knock. In the case of a Fighter/Mage/Thief it's really a case of pick your poison. You can get Stealth, but you'll then need Knock for every lock. Or you can get Open Locks, but you'll need another way to reliably sneak. If you're unlucky, you might have to wait until the Cloakwood Mines to get this spell... leaving a lot of locks unmolested. Know Alignment <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Want to know somebody's alignment? Cast this spell. Simple as. Of course, why do you care anyways? If they're not evil, you don't need to worry, and if you follow my guide, you'll know what to do without having to pry into everybody's alignment. Luck <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell absolutely reeks with suckness. It gives a '5% bonus' to any and all actions... whatever the hell that means. I have to assume, however, that on a d20 system... 5% equals a +1 bonus. See? I can do math. The real suck, however, is that it's a low-powered buff that only affects one person, and lasts all of three rounds. It's hard to imagine a more underwhelming buff. *Melf's Acid Arrow <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Another good damage-dealer. It's not as fast as Magic Missile, and 2nd level Mage spells provide some serious competition, but if you need damage-dealing, it's an option. At 9th level it can deal up to 8d4 points of damage (8-32) over four rounds. Honestly, I prefer Magic Missile, and I'd rather save my 2nd level spells slots for defense (Mirror Image, Blur), utility (Knock), un-debuffing (Resist Fear), or debilitating (Stinking Cloud/Web). *Mirror Image <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Once upon a time, Mirror Image was the king buff of Baldur's Gate... you know, before Stoneskin came around and killed everything. It's still a great buff, considering you won't get 4th-level spells until the end of the game, but it's not as great as it used to be. In the original game it actually worked like Stoneskin, however many images you conjured would have to be removed before the caster could be harmed, which protected you from the next two-to-eight attacks. It's been fixed for the Enhanced Edition, and now works as it should-you conjure 2-8 images which mimic the caster and confuse enemies. Attacks made against the caster have a chance of hitting the caster, or a chance of hitting one of the images... presumably proportional to the number of images you have. On its own, it's a pretty good defensive spell. Combined with Blur and Stoneskin, it makes a Mage nearly invulnerable to melee attacks. Power Word: Sleep <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Introducing the Power Word spells-they allow no save, affect one creature, and deal various forms of badness. The only defense against them is being above their Hit Point threshold. In this case, the threshold is twenty Hit Points. Everything with fewer Hit Points than this is put to sleep-period. Undead, of course, are not affected... and honestly, most foes in the game will be too powerful for this. On the other hand, some Mages might just be weak enough... ultimately, however, there are better ways of dealing with foes than with Power Word: Sleep, or any Power Word spell, really. Ray of Enfeeblement <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Cast this bad ray at a creature and they must make a Saving Throw vs. Spells (at no penalty) or have their Strength reduced to five for one round per level. Honestly, this spell is a killer for any melee-heavy foe affected-the most damaging part being the 15 pound weight limit. Of course, competition is stiff for 2nd-level spell slots, and Slow is easily a superior buff if you're willing to just use a 3rd-level spell slot. Ultimately, I just can't bring myself to justify a single-target debuff with no save penalty. *Resist Fear <----------------------------------------------------------------------> If an enemy gets off a Horror spell, it can easily end in a reload. If you have one of these spells prepared, however, you have nothing to fear... or at least, you need not fear fear. A great protective spell, I tend to just make my Clerics prepare Remove Fear, as 2nd level Mage spell slots are precious, and 1st-level Cleric spells are much less so. *Stinking Cloud <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Stinking Cloud creates nauseating clouds in a 15-yard radius that forces enemies to save or be rendered helpless for 1d2 rounds. Lasting one turn, this spell might not keep enemies down as long as Sleep, but it has no Hit Dice limit. Let me say that this spell is my early-game answer to pretty much everything too strong for Sleep. When multiple instances are prepared and an enemy is spied in the distance, cast Stinking Cloud at the enemy just outside of their sight radius by scouting their position with a Ranger, Thief, invisible character, or the like. With two or three Stinking Clouds affecting an area, there's little chance anything will save enough to respond. While your foes are afflicted, cast Animate Dead to summon up some Skeleton Warriors-who are immune to the effects of the Stinking cloud-and send them in to destroy your helpless foes. Picking off afflicted enemies with ranged attacks also helps speed things up. Strength <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This crappy spell sets the Strength score of the target up to 18/50... or rather, sets it to 18/50, potentially lowering their Strength if it's higher. For some characters with mediocre Strength-Jaheira, Ajantis, Kagain come to mind-this spell might prove to be a useful buff, but it's really unnecessary for most fights, and where it'll prove useful, Potions of Giant Strength abound. Vocalize <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Allows the caster to cast spells without making use of its verbal component... or in other words, you can cast spells silently. The practical implications of this spell? It allows you to cast spells while silenced. It only lasts a turn, however, and very few enemies cast Silence. I have never found a use for this spell. *Web <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Web functions a lot like Stinking Cloud-at least in its overall effect. Creatures in the area-of-effect who fail their Saving Throw are helpless. Good stuff. It's got a five yard per level radius (up to a 30 foot radius), lasts two turns per level, and imposes a -2 save penalty. The only problem? Well, Stinking Cloud has a superior save penalty and you can use Animate Dead to take advantage of afflicted foes. Still, web has its uses. Foes like Undead, which are immune to Stinking Cloud, are affected by Web. It's still a good debuff on its own, but I prefer Stinking Cloud in most situations. 3rd Level Arcane Spells {SPT014} o======================================================================o ***TOP SPELLS*** Dispel Magic: Removes buff/debuffs from all creatures in area. --- Haste: Doubles movement speed, gives an extra attack per round. --- Slow: Slows targets, massive penalties to attack rolls and Armor Class. Clairvoyance <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell removes the fog-of-war in any outdoor area, but it does not show creatures, and it does not allow you to 'see' what's in the area, exactly. Again, it just removes the fog-of-war... you know, all that black crap that's everywhere in a new area? Instead of casting this spell, why not just walk around? Seriously I can't think of a single time where this spell is useful. Detect Illusion <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Detect Illusion dispels illusion spells of 3rd level or lower in a 20-foot radius... which means Invisibility, Mirror Image, Blur... the weakest, but also most common illusion spells. It's party-friendly, but honestly, I'd just rather use Dispel Magic, which is just as effective at removing illusions, buffs, and debuffs besides. Dire Charm <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Just like Charm Person, but with no save bonus for targets. There are far more useful 3rd-level spells to prepare. *Dispel Magic <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Any time you fight spellcasters, they'll attempt to buff themselves and hit you with debilitating spells like Hold Person and Horror. Dispel Magic should therefore be memorized at least once by every spellcaster in the game, as it gives you a chance to take down a protected Mage, or free your characters from the effects of another spell. Dispel Magic is your magical safety net, and it's good to get into the habit this game, as it's imperative in the sequel. Fireball <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Fireball has its uses, as might be expected from an iconic Mage spell. The first time I played this game, I was much less refined in my tactics, and was overjoyed by this brute force option. Still... experience has taught me that buffs like Haste, fodder like Summon Animate Dead, and debilitative spells like Chaos are much better spells. That being the case, this spell will only come in handy once in a while... and most foes-mobs of enemies-can be dispatched just as easily with Sleep. Edwin has the luxury of keeping one handy, but most Mages should just ignore it. Flame Arrow <----------------------------------------------------------------------> A single-target damage-dealer that's far easier to control, and hence, more useful than Fireball in some circumstances. It deals 4d6 fire damage and 1d6 piercing damage, but the target can save for half the fire damage. Like Magic Missile, you obtain another missile-for this spell, once every 5th level-so that's two bolts at 10th level, three at 15th, four at 20th, and so on... but that's of no concern for the first game, where we must judge it based on what it can actually achieve... which is 5d6 damage, 2d6 of which can be negated. Obviously it's not any better for a high level Baldur's Gate Mage than Magic Missile, so you should gleefully ignore it. In the sequel, however, when your level can climb into the 20s and you can string several of these spells together with a Spell Sequencer... the damage that can be done with a Flame Arrow combination can grow fairly phenomenal. Still, it's a rare cast, at best, and in the first game, it should never grace your memorized spell list. Ghost Armor <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Yeah, you knew there'd be more of these spells, didn't you? Like the old 1st-level Armor spell, I consider these spells useless for single-class Mages. They should be kept out of combat anyways, but for multi-or-dual-class Mages? Well, let's be honest... if you don't have some form of armor-Bracers of Armor or Robes of the Archmagi-by the time you can cast 3rd-level Mage spells, you're slacking... or perhaps you're grinding too much? Either way, I always have some armor or another before I get access to this spell. That said, it does give you protection equal to field plate (Armor Class 2-field plate is a type of armor in paper and pencil Dungeons and Dragons that is not in this game, by the way.) While this is certainly better than whatever armor you're wearing, it's probably not worth a 3rd-level spell slot. At least it lasts five turns-which means it can last a few fights, if you cast it when you enter a dungeon. *Haste <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Haste is the best buff in the game-and it will remain great in the sequel. In fact, in every late game encounter in this game, and most encounters in the second game will require Haste. Always have at least one ready with each Mage... it just doubles your offensive power. Literally, it gives an extra attack per round and doubles you movement speed. Good stuff, indeed. Hold Person <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Just like the 2nd-level Cleric spell, this spell attempts to 'hold', or paralyze a target, and also affects nearby targets in a 7.5-foot radius. It only affect man-sized humanoids, but fortunately, they're common. No save penalty, and it only lasts 10 rounds... which is long enough to kill them and then some, to be fair. Still, almost anything I would use this on, I could just scout out and kill with Stinking Cloud and missiles. Also... there are far better 3rd-level Mage spells to cast. Leave it to Clerics, if you must use it at all. Hold Undead <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Just like Hold Person, but for undead, which are normally immune to these types of spells. It affects all enemies in a 10-foot radius, which is a decent radius, but it imposes no save penalty. It lasts two rounds per level, which is more than enough to crush whatever does fail its Saving Throw. Undead aren't exactly rare, but they are either singularly powerful, or they come in groups of easily-dispatched weaklings... either way, I never bother with this spell-steel will do in undead just fine without it. Invisibility 10' Radius <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Like the 2nd-level Invisibility spell, but it'll cloak all allies within a 20-foot radius. You read that right. The actual area-of-effect defies the name of the spell itself... but hey, no biggie, it's not like Protection from Evil 10' Radius actually has that small of a radius either. Anyways, there's not much need for this spell, unless you might, for whatever reason, want to move your entire party past some foe. One interesting thing to point out about this spell is the fact that, as far as I know, it isn't sold in any store. You'll need to get lucky and have a monster drop it. Since it's a 3rd-level spell, there aren't many foes who can drop it-certainly not any common ones. Doppelgangers are your best bet. Lightning Bolt <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This is an interesting damage-dealing alternative for enclosed spaces, where you can try and bounce it off walls to deal outrageous damage. Multiple hits will dispatch most enemies. It's a gimmick, however, and I rarely ever use it, as I'm just not good at aiming it, and generally find it unreliable. Melf's Minute Meteors <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell creates one globe per level of the caster, which can then be thrown by said caster (with a +5 bonus to hit). Each 'meteor' that hits deals 1d4+3 points of damage, plus three fire damage, and the caster can hurl five such 'meteors' per round. Quick, somebody explain to me how, exactly, this spell is superior to Magic Missile? More damage? Sure, a bit, but it's a 3rd-level spell-I'm not using up a 3rd-level spell slot for 7-10 damage instead of 2-5 per missile. Also, you have to actually hit the target with all five missiles-attack rolls and all that, which is something a Mage can't exactly count on, can they? I'll stick to Magic Missile, myself. Minor Spell Deflection <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell absorbs a number of spells directed at the caster, up to four spell levels worth... unless it's an area-of-effect spell, or a stationary spell effect like Cloudkill or Web. Considering that many spells you'll encounter in this game are area-of-effect spells... you might as well just wait until you've got Minor Globe of Invulnerability. Monster Summoning I <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Sad news, friends... Summon Monster spells have been nerfed in this game. In the original, you could summon up a small army of weak critters-Gnolls, Hobgoblins, Wolves, War Dogs, etc. Now, you'll summon... one or two weak foes. How much do you think you'll be helped by having a pair of Xvarts at your side? Not at all? You are correct, sir! So, you'll need to look elsewhere if you want to conjure up a meat-shield. Non-Detection <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell makes you immune to scrying attempts, spells like Clairvoyance, Invisibility Purge, etc. You know how many foes will use these spells? None. You will never need this spell. Protection From Cold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Protection From Cold does just that-reduces the cold damage that comes your way by 50%. You'll face cold attacks very rarely-Winter Wolves are the most common source, but also from Arrows of Ice. In any event, killing the source of this damage isn't too hard, and preparing a 3rd-level spell to do so is just a waste. Just use the 2nd-level Cleric spell 'Resist Fire and Cold' instead. Protection From Fire <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Like Protection From Cold-it protects you against 50% of fire damage that comes at you. Kobold Commandos are fond of Arrows of Fire, and several traps deal fire damage... but again, it's not worth a 3rd-level spell. Protection From Normal Missiles <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Makes a target invulnerable to normal (non-magical) missiles for five turns. This spell is... alright, sometimes, as many foes will actually bother to use mundane arrows in this game. Of course, good luck trying to get them to shoot at the protected character... and by the time you can cast this spell, many foes will be packing magical arrows... but if you feel you need added protection from Bandits and Hobgoblins.. well, you suck. Remove Magic <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Hailed as the 'combat version' of Dispel Magic, it functions exactly the same way... save that it only removes buffs/debuffs on foes. This might sound handy, and it is-if you have the extra 3rd-level spell slots. On the other hand, it won't save you if you have debuffs affecting your party, so it's got much less utility overall than Dispel Magic, if you have any aim. Besides, foes in this game will only buff themselves so much, and those who do are usually Mages-just use Dispel Magic on your foes before buffing yourself, and you'll be fine. Skull Trap <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Create a... skull trap that explodes when enemies get too close to it, dealing 1d6 points of damage per level to all critters in a 20-foot radius. Honestly, I prefer Fireball. I can aim it, and decide what gets hit, when. No need to lure foes into a trap with the hope that it'll affect a good number of them. *Slow <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell affects all enemies in a 30-foot radius, and any melee character affected might as well be dead. It forces them to move and attack at half the normal rate, and imposes a -4 penalty to attack rolls and Armor Class. Enemies save against this effect at a -4 penalty. When faced with a group of sturdy melee enemies, there's little better to cast. Spell Thrust <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Removes a number of spell defenses, including Minor Spell Deflection, Minor Globe of Invulnerability, Spell Immunity and Minor Spell Turning. Since three out of four of these spells are new to the game, you shouldn't expect many enemy Mages to bother casting them, and really, Dispel Magic tends to work just as well. Another spell I don't mess with-ever, really... Vampiric Touch <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Deals 1d6 damage per every two caster levels (up to 6d6 damage), and heals the caster for that amount. Unfortunately, it's a touch spell (see the word 'touch' in the name?) so its utility for a single-classed Mage is dubious, at best. Wraithform <----------------------------------------------------------------------> An... interesting spell that might have been useful, if you were able to obtain-or cast-it earlier in the game. It makes the caster immune to mundane weapons and gives them 25% Magic Resistance. Unfortunately, you can't cast spells once this is in effect, meaning its usefulness is strictly limited to dual-or-multi-class Mages... which suits me just fine, but other downsides exist. First, by the time a dual-or-multi- class Mage can actually cast this spell, we've bypassed a large majority of the game where creatures will be thwarted by it-later on, most critters have a way to hurt you, immune to mundane weapons or not. Also, you don't even find a copy of this spell until quite late in the game. By the time you get it, it's largely past its window of potential usefulness. 4th Level Arcane Spells {SPT015} o======================================================================o ***TOP SPELLS*** Confusion: Foes in area are confused unless they save at -2. --- Greater Malison: Reduces saves by 2, softening up foes. --- Improved Invisibility: Recipient can't be targeted by spells. --- Minor Globe of Invulnerability: Ignore spells of 3rd-level or lower. --- Minor Sequencer: Chain two spells of 2nd-level or lower. --- Stoneskin: Negates physical attacks entirely. *Confusion <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Confusion is a great debilitating spell, second in the game only to Chaos... which outshines it in every way. Still, it forces all enemies in a 30-foot radius to save at -2 or wander around, go berserk, or simply stand there. Simply put, it breaks up all effective resistance and wins fights. Contagion <----------------------------------------------------------------------> A fourth-level debilitator with no save penalty? How well do you think this spell is going to do? Ah well, let's get it over with... this spell attempts to cause 'major disease and weakness' in a creature. The target suffers a -2 penalty to Strength, Dexterity, and Charisma, and they are slowed. One target. No save penalty. Compare this spell to, say, Slow. Wouldn't you be better served by slowing a group of foes at a -4 save penalty? You would. Ignore this spell. Emotion, Hopelessness <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Like Confusion, but with no save, and enemies 'sleep' (lie down and remain helpless) for the duration of the spell. If it weren't for the lack of a save penalty, it would be a great spell. Farsight <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Allows you to see an unexplored section of map, much like Clairvoyance. Something else that reveals unexplored sections of map? Exploring it. Save the spell-slot, just sneak around with a Thief or Ranger. Fireshield (Blue) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> An aggressive form of defense, this spell surrounds the caster with a shield of 'ice flame'. Yeah, makes sense to me. The caster gains 50% Cold Resistance and foes that strike in melee suffer 1d8+2 points of damage per hit. It's decent damage, but a single-classed Mage really can't accept the damage trade-off. A Fighter/Mage might be able to handle the abuse, however, but where it really shines is combined with Stoneskin, where you take no damage, and the enemy suffers for removing each skin... something a Fighter/Mage won't have enough spell-slots for, and a form of passive-aggressive damage-dealing that's probably a waste of a single-classed Mage's time. Ultimately, this spell is better off in the sequel, where more spell-slots and stronger Stoneskin makes it a real defensive measure. Fireshield (Red) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Same thing as Fireshield (Blue), save that Fireshield (Red) is... well, actually a FIREshield. It grants 50% resistance to fire damage and deals 1d8+2 fire damage each time an enemy strikes you in melee. It suffers from the same first-game limitations as Fireshield (Blue). *Greater Malison <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Hit enemies with this before casting other spells that allow saves and you'll stand a greater chance of affecting your enemies. It's not so much of an issue in this game, as enemies won't have the saves that they will in the sequel. You won't have the one-hit kills like vorpal weapons and Finger of Death to make this spell shine, and against groups of enemies, it's often more effective to just cast another debilitator than to waste time softening up enemies. *Improved Invisibility <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Another great defensive spell that won't really shine until the sequel, this spell imposes a -4 penalty to the attack rolls of enemies, and gives the caster a +4 bonus to saving throws. Best of all, you can't be targeted with spells until the invisibility is dispelled. You'll need spell-defenses less in the first game than in the second, where Mages are much more dangerous, so Stoneskin should be your defensive 4th-level spell of choice. Obviously the ultimate goal is to mix Stoneskin and Improved Invisibility and enjoy the benefits of both... one day, one day... *Minor Globe of Invulnerability <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell makes you immune to 1st-3rd level spells.. which means half of the spells in the game. Along with Improved Invisibility and Mirror Image, it makes you nearly untouchable to magic. Still, I can't think of a single instance where I used it. Probably a tactical oversight on my part, but I've always preferred to send Skeleton Warriors out against enemy Mages, although a Fighter/Mage buffed with this spell could easily fill the same role. *Minor Sequencer <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell can be quite useful, as it allows the caster to chain two spells of 2nd-level or lower together in one quick cast. Want to pelt a foe with two Magic Missile spells in one round? Or instantly bring up a Mirror Image and Blur? This is the way to do it. Best of all, you can cast this spell, prepare the Sequencer, remove this spell, and the spells you are chaining together, as well. The only limitation is that you must have the spells you want to sequencer memorized at the time you cast the sequencer. The only real limitation this spell has? Well, you don't get it until awfully late in the game... Monster Summoning II <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Like the 3rd level spell, but it'll summon a few more Hit Dice of monsters... still not enough to compare with Animate Dead, nor with the Enhanced Edition's exceptional 4th-level arcane spell selection. Otilukes's Resilient Sphere <----------------------------------------------------------------------> I'll admit, I like the idea of this spell. Taking a foe out of a fight long enough to deal with its buddies makes me feel all strategyful, and stuff. But it's just not a good spell. Otiluke's Resilient Sphere captures a single foe in a 'globe of shimmering force', which prevents the trapped critter from affecting the outside world, and vice versa. Still, it's a single creature, the spell has no save penalty, and it only lasts a turn... granted, probably enough time to resolve any fight. Still, Slow, Confusion, or Chaos would all be superior casts. Polymorph Self <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Allows the caster to assume the form of another creature, which you can select from a short list of the following (as per the spell's in-game description): Gnoll: wields a magical +1 halberd (+1 fire damage and strikes as an enchanted weapon +3) Mustard Jelly: capable of slowing opponents (if they fail a Saving Throw when hit) Ogre: capable of causing massive damage with its fists Spider: causes poison when it hits an opponent. You can also assume the form of a Brown Bear, Black Bear, or Wolf... but these shapeshifts suck. Just ask any Druid. So, let's look at these in depth, shall we? First, you can change to any of these creatures at will-and back again- for the entire duration of the spell, a passable one turn, plus three rounds per level, so you can change your form as events necessitate. Your statistics and attributes are affected by each form, which is not mentioned by the spell, but which I will show below. Also, you cannot cast spells while polymorphed-something to keep in mind, to be sure. Your natural Armor Class may change, as well-magical protections will still be counted, but armor will not. You can equip and unequip clothing, jewelry, and armor at will, but not weapons. Flind Armor Class (Base): 2 Strength: 17 Dexterity: 17 Constitution 12 Mustard Jelly Armor Class (Base): 4 Strength: 14 Dexterity: 9 Constitution 9 Cold Resistance: 50 Electrical Resistance: 100 Magic Resistance: 125 Magic Cold Resistance: 50 Slashing Resistance: 30 Crushing Resistance: 30 Piercing Resistance: 100 Missile Resistance: 85 Ogre Armor Class (Base): 5 Strength: 18/00 Dexterity: 9 Constitution 18 Spider Armor Class (Base): 1 Strength: 16 Dexterity: 16 Constitution 9 So... there everything is, all pink and naked. Honestly, I don't see the point in turning a Mage into a melee creature, especially one that's likely to be rather mediocre compared to your mainstay warriors... or Skeleton Warriors you can conjure via Animate Dead, for that matter. If anything, however, the Mustard Jelly is interesting for its resistances, if nothing else. I never make use of this spell, but if you feel like giving it a go... eh... it's your Mage's funeral. Remove Curse <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You pick up a shiny new ring and stupidly put it on your finger not knowing what it is, and boom! Wertle-wertle-woo for you. Honestly, that's really the only way to get cursed in this game, save for perhaps short-term spells like Doom, and who cares about that anyways? You can always go to a church to have curses removed, but this is cheaper. You probably will never need to use this spell. Secret Word <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Dispels one spell protection of 8th-level or lower, including Minor Spell Turning, Minor Globe of Invulnerability, Spell Immunity, Spell Deflection, Spell Turning, and Spell Shield. Of these, you'll probably only ever see Minor Globe of Invulnerability, and it's not a dire threat. You'll be fine never paying any attention to this spell. Spider Spawn <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Allows you to summon one (80%) or two (20%) spiders of types that vary by level. At 8th-level or lower, you summon wussy Giant Spiders, at 9th-11th levels you'll summon Phase Spiders, and at 12th-level and higher you'll summon Sword spiders. None of these creatures really have the muscle you'll want in a summoned creature, and you'll never reach 12th-level in this game, so ignore the whole Sword Spider thing. Yeah, I'm going to do it again, but this spell doesn't compare to Animate Dead, which should be your go-to summoning spell. Spirit Armor <----------------------------------------------------------------------> The strongest of the armor spells, this particular version creates an intangible suit of armor that grants an Armor Class of one. It doesn't stack with other armor, but it will stack with Dexterity bonuses, magical protections, and shields. When the spell ends, it'll deal 2d4 points of damage to the caster. It's actually potentially very nice armor, but honestly, it'll only drop the Armor Class of a well-equipped Fighter/Mage by a few points-comparable to what Improved Invisibility will do. I'd rather just stick with Stoneskin, myself. *Stoneskin <----------------------------------------------------------------------> The ultimate physical defensive spell, Stoneskin makes the caster outright immune to physical damage. It'll absorb a number of attacks equal to the number of 'skins' or layers it has. The caster has one skin per two levels, making a maximum of... an admittedly measly four skins in Baldur's Gate. These skins last until absorbing (and negating) attacks, or until its whopping 12-hour duration ends. On its own, it's wonderful physical defense. Mixed with a good Armor Class, and other defensive spells like Blur and Mirror Image, and it'll make the Mage nearly invulnerable to melee damage. It's the best thing a Fighter/Mage can cast in most fights, and really, you should keep one prepared at all times... which essentially means it's my 4th-level spell of choice for my Fighter/Mage. It's less useful on single-classed Mages, since their Armor Class is inferior and they don't tend to be exposed to physical assaults often, but it's still useful for them, as well. Teleport Field <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Randomly teleports all foes in the area of effect to... another spot in the area of effect. I really can't think of a great use for this spell, as the radius is actually rather small (it sure doesn't look like a 30-foot radius on screen, to me). I suppose indoors you could get lucky and teleport a foe into another room, hence costing them... I don't know, a round to walk back and continue attacking? Or perhaps you'll teleport a vulnerable spell-caster closer to your hungry warriors. Ultimately, it's just too random for me to bother with. Yes, random in a way that Saving Throws are not. Shut up. At least with spells like Horror, Slow, Confusion, or Chaos, I know that there's a good chance at least one foe will be affected in a way that helps my cause. 5th Level Arcane Spells {SPT016} o======================================================================o ***TOP SPELLS*** Chaos: Foes in area are confused unless they save at -4. --- Shadow Door: Same as Improved Invisibility. *Chaos <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell is the go-to debilitator for Baldur's Gate... and much of the sequel as well. Forcing a save at -4 is just not fair. Otherwise it works just like Confusion. Get used to hearing about this spell, as I'll be comparing 5th-level spells to it at every turn. Cloudkill <----------------------------------------------------------------------> The only effective use of this spell that I can think of is in conjunction with Animate Dead and Stinking Cloud. Your Skeleton Warriors can simply distract enemies and cause them to take damage while they remain within the Cloudkill. Still, at 1d10 damage per round, it's not a great way to destroy enemies.. not when you can just hit them with Chaos, instead. Domination <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Control a creature's actions while affected by this spell. It's essentially the same as any Charm spell, but it imposes a -2 penalty to their Saving Throws. Oh, and it only lasts eight rounds. Again, I'd rather disable an entire group of foes with Chaos (at a -4 save!) than control one. Feeblemind <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Cast this spell for stupid-making. It's like watching Fox News! The target saves at a -2 penalty and lasts indefinitely-unless dispelled. This spell lowers the target's Intelligence to three. On most foes, it's nothing serious, but if you hit a Mage with it... well, they won't be casting anything, will they? Still, I'd rather... you guessed it, just use Chaos. A foe affected by Chaos is not going to cast anything, the save penalty is -4, and it affects a group. Hold Monster <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Like Hold Person, but it affects pretty much any critter. It imposes a -2 save penalty and affects any foes within a very small 7.5-foot area of the target... which is, for all intents and purposes, adjacent. Chaos is still superior. Monster Summoning III <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Like the lower spells, but with stronger monsters. Still, not strong enough to bother summoning. *Shadow Door <----------------------------------------------------------------------> This spell is essentially a 5th-level version of Improved Invisibility, save with a longer duration. High-capacity Mages like Edwin might just have enough 5th-level spell slots to make use of this, but most Mages will not. Sunfire <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Like a Fireball centered around the caster, it deals 1d6 damage per level (up to a maximum of 15d6 damage at levels unobtainable in this game). A protected Mage might make use of this spell, or perhaps a Fighter/Mage, but honestly, I'd rather just use a Fireball. Puts the Mage-and his allies-at much less risk. o======================================================================o | | | Map {MAP001} | | | o======================================================================o Below is a friendly-although admittedly crappy-text map for you, so you'll know where various areas are as I talk about them. I'll list them by their Area Number (AR####), and by their name if they have one. I'll TRY to get the area exits right, but if I'm wrong about some, you'll live. Besides, this is just for general reference so you know roughly where to go to get to places. For example, when I tell you to gather your party, if you want to snag Shar-Teel, you'll have to know where AR3500 is. Note the area exits (the lines) between areas show what edge of the map you have to exit in order to discover the other areas. Once discovered, you can travel to any area from any other area. For example, if you exit (AR3700) on the western side, you should discover both (AR3600) and (AR4100). If you're following this guide, being thorough, and exploring all the exits anyways, this shouldn't matter so much, as you'll find everything on your own. Also note you don't have to actually travel to an area to discover it, or leave the area you're in, you merely have to click on the area transition (where the icon turns into a wheel at the edge of the map). Also note that this map made more sense BEFORE the Enhanced Edition, where they screwed with all the map locations. Again, it's for crude reference, so don't get too picky about the exact locations. AR0100--------AR0200---AR0300 AR0400----------AR1000 | | | | ULGOTH's BEARD | | | | | | | | AR0600--------AR0700---AR0800 | | | | \ | | | | \ | | | | \ | AR1100--------AR1200---AR1300 AR0900 | |_______BALDUR's GATE________| | | AR1600--------AR1700---AR1800 AR1400 AR1900 CLOAKWOOD3 CLOAKWOOD4 MINES / | BANDIT CAMP | / | | | / | | AR2100--------AR2200-----------AR2300----------AR2400------ CLOAKWOOD2 CLOAKWOOD1 FRIENDLY PELDVALE \ ARM INN | \ | | \ AR2600--------AR2700----------AR2800----------AR2900----------AR3000 CANDLEKEEP | | LARSWOOD | | | | | | | | | AR3100--------AR3200----------AR3300----------AR3400----------AR3500 | HIGH HEDGE BEREGOST TEMPLE | | | | | ---------AR4000 | | | | / GULLYKIN AR3600--------AR3700----------AR3800----------AR3900 | | / | | ULCASTER---------AR4500 | / | | | FIREWINE | / | | | BRIDGE AR4100--------AR4200----------AR4300----------AR4400 | | \ | | \ / \ OH2000 | \ | | \ / \ ADOY'S | \ | | \ / \ ENCLAVE AR4600--------AR4700----------AR4800---AR4900-------AR0500 | | | NASHKEL CARNIVAL DURLAG'S---AR5000 | | | \ | TOWER | | | | \ | | AR5100--------AR5200----------AR5300---AR5400-----------------AR5500 GNOLL NASHKEL MINES STRONGHOLD \ \ ----------OH3000 CLOUD PEAKS o======================================================================o | | | General Tips {TIP001} | | | o======================================================================o Save often. There is a lot of trial and error in this game. If you walk into an encounter you weren't ready for, there's a good chance you can lose characters. And of course, there is always just bad luck. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Press the 'X' button to see the coordinates of your cursor (this will show you the x-y coordinates of where your cursor is located). <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Recruit your party early. The more characters you have the better your chances of survival. Also, the sooner you get them, the better they'll be in the long run. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Lead with pretty. Take your character with the highest charisma and make them party leader. That way they will use their reaction adjustment to influence people they talk to, getting your better reactions, rewards, and prices. Paladins make great natural party leaders, as they are both strong and have a high charisma. Evil parties will have to improvise. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Lead with steel. Of course, pretty isn't the only consideration to make. Your front line characters will be under fire more often than any other characters. Put your most well protected characters up front, taking into consideration Armor Class and Hit Points <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Spread the wealth. Don't load up good gear all on one character, even though it might be tempting to spoil you main character. If you get multiple items that give bonuses against missile weapons, spread them amongst your front line Fighters. There's no need for one character to have a Large Shield +1, +4 versus Missiles, Boots of Avoidance, AND a Cloak of Displacement. The one exception? Tomes that increase your health permanently. Only give these to your main character.. they are the only ones who will appreciate it in the expansion as well. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Diversify your weapons-there are only so many +2 (or even rarer, +3) weapons in the game. If you have, say, Khalid, Shar-Teel, Ajantis, and a protagonist who all wish to use Long Swords, you're going to find yourself stretched pretty thin to equip them all. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Travel with like-minded characters, or rather, characters of the same (or similar) alignments. Evil and good characters will bicker, so it's not always wise to have both in one party... that said, this is Baldur's Gate 1, not Baldur's Gate 2, so take whomever you wish. Neutral characters will fit into either party. The worst case scenario, Ajantis might take a swing at Viconia, but you can break it up, unlike in the sequel... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Manipulate your reputation. Good parties will want to have a high reputation just to keep folks happy, but evil parties will want the discounts high reputations bring. Just don't go over 18 (if you're evil) or you'll face desertion. Go to temples to raise your reputation before major shopping sprees. If it gets too high, go kill a peasant in a house. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Some NPCs will react to you differently depending on your reaction modifier-which is determined by your base alignment, your Charisma, and your reputation. It's not usually a big issue, but it can affect some quest rewards. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Scout ahead. If you can find danger before it finds you, you can prepare for it and get the drop on it. Difficult encounters can turn into snore fests if you make a resounding first strike. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> First strikes win fights. Mark enemy locations with a character who can sneak, then at the edge of the fog of war-just before you can see the enemy-target the area with an area of effect spell. Web, Stinking Cloud, Horror, Entangle, and Silence 15' Radius are all great first-strike spells. Later on Slow, Confusion, Chaos, and Greater Malison all become indispensable ways to decimate enemies before they even know you're there. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Save your finite-use items for when you need them! Sure, it can be fun to smite Gibberlings with Wands of Fire, and Arrows +1 do take down Bandits faster than normal arrows, but there are better things to use them on. Having enough Arrows +2 to shoot at Aec'Letec and the Demon Knight will save you a lot of trouble, and hitting that Mage with an Arrow of Biting as the fight begins is better in the long run than firing them back at Sirines while shouting "How do YOU like it?!" You'll miss your Potions of Giant Strength if you waste them. It's a simple lesson in conservation and restraint. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Summon monsters to distract your foes. If you can put three summoning spells in between yourself and tough enemies, you can reduce or even destroy them with missile fire before they even get close. This comes in handy in later encounters where you desperately need to divide the offensive power of your enemies amongst more bodies. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Haste is probably the most powerful spell buff in the game. You act faster in combat, you get twice as many attacks, and twice the movement speed. It is, essentially, a way to double your offensive power for a short amount of time. Use it before every major fight. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Magic Missile is an awesome spell, especially in 2nd Edition, where Hit Points remain within relatively sane boundaries. First, there are few better spells out there for disrupting enemy spell casters and tearing down their Mirror Images... unless they have a Minor Globe of Invulnerability up, that is. Some monsters are immune to or very resistant to missile fire, like Battle Horrors, Doom Guards, and Skeleton Warriors. Skeletal undead and magic resistant creatures are both vulnerable to Magic Missiles however, as Baldur's Gate checks each missile for magic resistance. This means that even buggers like the Demon Knight should take some damage from them, even if they aren't hit by every missile. Go pop Viconia with a couple, and see how well her magic resistance holds up. This spell truly becomes indispensable at 9th level, when casters like Edwin and Imoen will pop off five missiles per spell, doing 1d4+1 damage per missile.. that's 10-25 damage with no save, and by this time Edwin will have, oh, a dozen 1st level spells? If you also get Minor Spell Sequencer and double them up... well, 20-50 damage faster than you can sneeze is a good bit of damage. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Do not neglect your defensive spells, especially if you-like me-play dual-or-multi-class Mages. The typical Fighter/Mage is unimpressive on paper, but if he's buffed with Blur, Mirror Image, Stoneskin, Improved Invisibility, and Haste, he becomes the most dangerous character in your party. There's a reason I play this class, you see. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> If you bounce a Lightning Bolt down a hallway you can hit an enemy with it multiple times. Frankly, I'm horrible at judging the direction these things will go, and they've always been more of a danger to myself than others, but if you can figure out how to do it right, you can really make a mess of enemies in enclosed spaces. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Get the drop on enemies with Web or Stinking Cloud, then shoot them to death with missile weapons. Like shooting fish in a barrel. Just don't get caught in your own spells. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Animate Dead is a cheap, but very effective way to obliterate foes. Summon some undead with it and get the drop on your enemies with a pair of Stinking Clouds (or even Cloudkill!) Your enemies will be affected, but your undead chums won't be. There's nothing better than slaughtering a group of snotty adventurers, assassins, bounty hunters, or mercenaries with couple of undead while they lay around nauseated from Stinking Clouds. This tactic has been nerfed somewhat by the Enhanced Edition-you'll now summon fewer undead when you cast Animate Dead, but still, if you can get a couple of undead to savage enemy Mages while they're helpless, you'll have done yourself a huge favor. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> There is a summoning cap of five minions, although this doesn't become readily apparent until you try to conjure up your sixth ally. That being the case-pick quality... because you really can't pick quantity. I know, I know, quantity has a quality all its own... but it's not an option. Did I mention Animate Dead? It's the tops. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Spell-buff before big fights. Any fight that sucks will suck less if you cast Protection from Evil 10' Radius, Defensive Harmony, and Haste. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Mind the experience cap. Don't dual-class a character at a level in their first class that they cannot exceed with their second. You'll just end up with a gimped character that has half the abilities they should, instead of a double-powerful extra-versatile character. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> If you get caught stealing, make sure to run away before the guards show up and talk to you. If they do, you risk turning nearby neutral characters hostile, and you'll suffer a reputation loss, regardless. Leaving the area will allow you to escape the guard. If you rest a few hours, the guards should go away. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Hostile enemies will now chase you when you leave areas! Good thing I didn't rely on such hit-and-run tactics in the original guide, but be wary. You can no longer flee from hostile guards by moving to another area. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> On the other hand, the fact that they'll chase you means you can lure them to better fighting grounds. Some fights were terribly challenging simply because you were forced to fight in a crappy location-either because the game spawned your characters in poor positions when you entered an area (Mages near strong melee foes, for example) or because obstacles prevented you from maneuvering. Luring a foe out of a cramped cavern and into the open fields can make your life much easier. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Stackable items are now even more stackable-arrows and other ammunition now stack up to 80, a four-fold increase over the original game! Carrying around a significant supply of potions and magical ammo is now much easier-hence, expect to use them more often. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Holding down the 'Tab' key now highlights containers. No more waving your mouse around like an idiot trying to find hidden goodies, they're easy to spot now! <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Character's now have colored marker ovals-matching their primary color. No longer will all your characters simply have green markers. Not sure who's moving where? Well, know your colors. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> If all of your characters are charmed, it counts as a game over. Isn't that screwy? One would think we could just... you know... wait a few rounds for it to wear off? Anyways, don't let it happen. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> There are three types of encounters in the game: 1) static encounters (the enemy is always in a specific location-I tend to give the (AR####) to help you find them), 2) random counters (random fights on set-piece terrain as you travel between areas), and 3) spawns (static spots on a map where a random group of enemies may-or may not-spawn at any given time). Spawns will vary by area, but the exact spawn locations are static on a given map. The roster of foes you'll face at spawn points are also similar to the monsters that will randomly attack you in an area if you try to rest. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Monster spawns are now less based on party size and more based on party level. The Gnoll Stronghold has never been easier! <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Random encounters when traveling between map areas are now more common. Be wary when moving from area to area. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You now gain experience when disarming traps, picking locks, and scribing scrolls-just like in Baldur's Gate 2. Unfortunately, the rewards are an order of magnitude smaller than they were in Baldur's Gate 2-expect to only gain 10 Experience Points per spell level when scribing scrolls-as compared to Baldur's Gate 2's 1000 Experience Points per spell level. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Be wary when it's raining. Turns out that walking around in metal armor during a thunderstorm isn't a good idea. Makes you like a... walking lightning rod. You always ran the risk of getting struck by lightning, but in the Enhanced Edition, it actually deals damage to you. So, might be better to find shelter during the storm, if possible. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> At low levels archers will get many more attacks per round than comparatively leveled melee warriors. Make archers your primary focus in battles-try to close with a melee character and force them to draw a melee weapon, where they'll be much less dangerous. This is a life-saving tactic when fighting Hobgoblin Elites, Kobold Commandos, Bandits, Black Talon Elites, and named NPC archers. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> o======================================================================o | Prologue | o======================================================================o | | | Leaving Candlekeep | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK001} 1) History in the Haystack 2) Shanking Shank 3) Poor Old Nessa... 4) Combat Training for Two 5) Ratocide 6) Helping Hull 7) Group Combat Training 8) The Hospital 9) Killing Carbos 10) The Barracks 11) Cashing in Candlekeep Quests 12) Ol' Puffguts 13) Firebead Elvenhair 14) Larcenous Intent 15) Robbing the Guest Rooms 16) Bolts and Blessings 17) Into the Darkness Candlekeep (AR2600) o======================================================================o 1) Before we head off into the Candlekeep Inn to buy anything, let's do some quests, meet some folks, and gather some loot. Besides, it would be silly to, say, buy a weaker armor because you can't afford better when if you just waited you could have bought the better suit. It would also be silly to go there now if you had a quest that required you to go there later... in case such an unlikely scenario occurs, we'll head north-east and work our way around clockwise until we end up back at the Candlekeep Inn. Head north-east and talk to Phlydia (x=3600, y=310). Along the way you can talk to tutors to learn about the game. I'll just assume you trust in my FAQ enough to ignore them. Anyways, Phlydia will ask you to find her book, 'History of Halruaa'. All in good time. Priest's Quarters (AR2627) o======================================================================o 2) Keep moving clockwise until you find the Priest's Quarters at (x=2950, y=400). Once you enter the building a man named Shank will attack you. As the first battle of the game, it shouldn't be too tough, even with a quarter staff. Once he's dead, loot him and the building around you. Pick locks if you can-in the Enhanced Edition, picking locks and disarming traps nets you some experience (like in Baldur's Gate 2) so it's worth trying if you have a Thief... which in this case, your only option is to have a Thief protagonist. Anyways, loot and leave. **ITEMS*** (x=130, y=320) Dagger (x=100, y=200) 8 gold (x=480, y=220) War Hammer <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) Leave the Priest's Quarter and continue east until you find Dreppin (x=3270, y=420) who will tell you Phlydia left her book in the hay (x=3250, y=290). Pick i11t up and talk to him again. This time he'll ask you to get an antidote potion from Hull for his poor cow, Nessa. ***ITEMS*** (x=3250, y=290) History of Halruaa <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) Keep following the trail south. Outside of the Storehouse you'll find Jondalar (x=4100, y=1330), who will give you some combat training if you talk to him. If you haven't played before, you might as well. Just attack Erik when he shows up and starts shooting at you. Outside of the Storehouse is a dwarf named Reevor (x=4330, y=1450). Talk to him and he'll tell you to clear the rats out of the storehouse. Head inside the Storehouse (x=4350, y=1400) to do just that. Storehouse (AR2606) o======================================================================o 5) Inside the Storehouse you'll be accosted by several rats, who walk up to you and wait to be smote. Oblige them, loot, and head outside. Talk to Reevor again for your reward. **ITEMS*** (x=100, y=200) Silver Ring ***REWARD*** (For killing Reevor's rats) EXP 50 Gold 5 Note from Peter: Just in case you hate cats: why not kill them as well? 1 exp isn't much, even at the beginning of the game. But it's better than nothing. Two cats means two more exp. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) Keep heading south until you find a soldier named Hull (x=3650, y=2430). Talk to Hull, who will ask you to retrieve his sword for him. Also, he'll tell you that the potion Dreppin wants is where his sword is. Convenient. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) Go south some more until you run into the Gatewarden, who will offer to train you in group tactics. If you decide to go, follow him to the building he mentions (x=3050, y=3000). You'll get a party and fight a number of illusory foes. Training or no, afterwards head inside the building at (x=3550, y=2960). Note from Peter: Even if the fights are really just for party training purposes, you'll definitely get some exp for picking the locks. There are two chests in this room, one at (x=700, y=670) and another one at (x=1600, y=500). You get 10 exp for each. Just make sure that you put everyone out of the party. If you can't pick the locks, then keep the Thief Deder, who is able to pick them. Hospital (AR2605) o======================================================================o 8) Talk to the Priest of Oghma that wanders around and he'll offer to give you a healing potion. Why refuse? There's another potion you can filch from the desk at (x=660, y=410) but the guards will be called on you. This is our first 'theft' of the game, so I should probably go over some stealing basics. If you steal something while an NPC is watching, chances are they'll call the guards on you. The guards will spawn near the entrance to the building and if they see you, they'll initiate dialogue, usually ending in a fight and/or a reputation drop. If the guards cannot find you, however, you will not suffer any consequences. Your options are simple-exit the area before the guards can talk to you, either by bolting for the exit as soon as you are spotted (after taking the loot, of course), perhaps aided by stealth or invisibility. As long as you avoid contact with the guards, you will get away with your thieving consequence-free, and the guards will vanish if you wait a few days (game time). That's the model of stealing for the Enhanced Edition. Steal, sneak, flee. Get used to it, we'll be doing it a lot. ***ITEMS*** (x=660, y=410) Potion of Healing Bunkhouse (AR2607) o======================================================================o 9) Head west until you come across the Bunkhouse. Loot the chest outside, then head into the Bunkhouse (x=2070, y=2670). Inside you'll be accosted by Carbos, whom you'll be forced to dispatch like Shank. Loot and head outside, where you'll be approached by Karan, who like Parda has nothing useful to say. Head west and loot the barrel outside of the Barracks before entering. ***ITEMS*** (AR2600) (x=2150, y=2750) 15 gold --- ***ITEMS*** (AR2607) (x=1410, y=2680) 8 gold Barracks (AR2618) o======================================================================o 10) Inside the Barracks you'll find Fuller (x=490, y=410), and Hull's chest is at (x=650, y=260). I wouldn't suggest stealing from the Barracks, as the two Watchers inside will not simply 'disappear' over time if you get caught... and in any event, these chests are fairly hard to get into. Talk to Fuller and ask if he has any errands to run. He'll ask you to get him a quarrel of bolts from the Candlekeep Inn. ***ITEMS*** (x=650, y=260) Hull's Long Sword, Antidote Note from Peter: One should think that you would tell the guard about Carbos and Shank who tried to kill you, but somehow the protagonist isn't smart enough for this dialog choice... or just brave. Note from Peter: Just in case you want to loot this place, I'll provide the items. But I recommend to loot this place after you gave the bolts to Fuller and took Hull's Long Sword as well as the Antidote. When you get caught, run outside and close the door. It should keep the guards inside. ***ITEMS*** (x=200, y=170) Dagger, Long Sword (x=180, y=250) Warhammer , Dagger (x=170, y=320) Battleaxe (x=140, y=400) Longsword, Mace <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 11) When you're done head outside and start turning in those quest items you've found. After you've satisfied Phlydia, Dreppin, and Hull, head up to the Candlekeep Inn (x=1050, y=550). The easiest way to do this is simply go in reverse order (around the keep counter-clockwise). ***REWARD*** (For giving Hull his sword) EXP 50 Gold 10 or 20* *If Hull likes you, he'll give you more money. Note from Peter: With an Charisma score of 18, I had no problems getting 20 gold. ***REWARD*** (For giving Dreppin an antidote) EXP 50 ***REWARD*** (For returning Phlydia's book) EXP 50 Item Lynx Eye Gem Candlekeep Inn, Downstairs (AR2616) o======================================================================o 12) Talk to Winthrop at (x=670, y=410). From him you can buy all the goodies you'll need to get started... he sells just about every weapon out there. For my protagonists, I buy two Morning Stars (for my good protagonist) and two Long Swords (for my evil protagonist). I also buy a Helmet, but otherwise no armor. They won't be wearing much anyways, and if they need some, they'll find armor soon enough without having to spend money on it. Lastly, don't forget to pick up a quarrel of bolts for Fuller while you're here. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 13 At (x=200, y=400) you'll find Firebead Elvenhair. Talk to him and he'll ask you to retrieve a Scroll of Identify from Tethtoril. We'll get on this shortly. Speaking of spell scrolls, grab the Scroll of Armor and the Scroll of Infravision from the dresser at (x=800, y=250) and scribe them. Just... pick them up, go into your inventory, right-click on the scroll and select 'write magic'. I don't know why people have trouble with this, but I've received E-mails, so... Note: There's a stupidly obscure easter-egg regarding Firebead Elvenhair... it's a fairly profitable one, too. If you talk to him EXACTLY 30 times and wait a few seconds, you'll be given 300 gold. Extra coin at this point in the game can't hurt, right? ***ITEMS*** (x=800, y=250) 18 gold, Scroll of Armor, Scroll of Infravision <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 14) Only one more thing to do here now, and since it *might* require us to run upstairs to see it come to fruition, it's a good transitional Step. In a room to the north-east you'll find a pair of nobles standing around. Talk to the male (x=550, y=200) and when you get a chance to reply pick dialogue option #3 to lavish an unseemly amount of attention on their status symbols. Most characters will be reprimanded with threats of incarceration, but if you manage to get a good reaction check from the noble (reaction is a combination of Charisma and reputation-and since we can't influence our reputation right now, save by our starting alignment, it seems to be a Charisma score of 18 or bust) his wife will mistake your larcenous intent and decide to put her jewelry back in their room, to avoid offending the monks with any further ostentatious displays. Anyways, when you're done with this level head upstairs (x=350, y=250). ***ITEMS*** (x=650, y=100) Dagger Candlekeep Inn, Upstairs (AR2617) o======================================================================o 15) Go around looting, there's not really much else to do besides antagonize nobles. If you have a great amount of Strength (and by 'a great amount' I mean more than is legitimately possible to get with a new character), or a terribly high lock pick score (60 or more), or a Knock spell memorized, you can get at the Star Sapphire in the dresser at (x=420, y=170). However, to get this you need one of three things, either a character from a previous play through, a non-legit character, or a Thief with the appropriate skills. For the rest of us, the gem is just there to mock us. Even if you have a Thief, investing in the Open Locks skill is, in the long-term, a waste of points, so I suggest just ignoring it. When you're done up here, you're done with the Candlekeep Inn. You still have the center to explore, and bolts to deliver. Note: If you managed to convince the nobles downstairs into putting their jewelry away, the Star Sapphire in the dresser at (x=420, y=170) will be joined by a Pearl Necklace and a Fire Opal Ring. The Star Sapphire alone sells for 1000 gold, while the Fire Opal Ring is worth 250, and the Pearl Necklace will burden your purse with 500 gold. It's not a bad bit of starting money. It's also worth noting that the nobles will still plant their goodies in the dresser if you rob the Star Sapphire from it before talking to them and convincing them to stash the rest of their loot. Not very smart, eh? ***ITEMS*** (x=100, y=270) 4 gold (x=170, y=350) Silver Necklace (x=380, y=400) Potion of Clarity, 36 gold (x=420, y=170) Star Sapphire, (Pearl Necklace, Fire Opal Ring) (x=570, y=300) Flamedance Ring, 86 gold Note from Peter: Just to make that sure. You'll usually get caught by the noble at (x=520, y=350) when stealing from the chest at (x=570, y=300). To avoid this, you can hit him with your bare hands until he gets unconscious. You don't lose reputation because you didn't kill him and nobody sees you stealing. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 16) Now that you're done in the Candlekeep Inn turn in the bolts to Fuller and find Tethtoril, who is lurking somewhere in the central area by the keep. He'll initiate dialogue and give you the scroll you're after, which you'll need to... return to Firebead Elvenhair at the Candlekeep Inn. He'll give you a meager reward and cast 'Protection From Evil' on you. Oh boy. ***REWARD*** (For giving Fuller a score of bolts) EXP 50 Gold 10 or Item Dagger +1* *You'll get this item if your reaction is good. This is one of the first and few examples of your Charisma coming into play. Fuller will only give you the dagger if your Charisma is high enough, you're an alignment he likes (lawful good being the optimum) and if you haven't tanked your reputation by killing Watchers. Overall it's not an earth shattering item, but it's still nice. ***REWARD*** (For giving Firebead Elvenhair his scroll) EXP 50 Item Potion of Healing <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 17) Towards the south you'll find Imoen. If you're a good party, you might as well get used to her... There's a good chance she's going to be your Thief through the game. Towards the south-western side of the keep a number of chanters, who since Alaundo's prophecies. Neat. Especially that bit about Bhaal: "The Lord of Murder shall perish, but in his doom he shall spawn a score of mortal progeny. Chaos will be sewn from their passage. So sayeth the wise Alaundo." Once everything is done in Candlekeep, talk to Gorion (x=2700, y=1760). If you're ready to go, tell Gorion, and we're off to Chapter 1. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** In the original game, it was Gorion himself who healed you before you set off from Candlekeep. Now a 'Priest of Oghma' is standing by to do the honors. This makes more sense-Gorion is Mage, not a Cleric, and being human, he's certainly not a Mage/Cleric. Although he could have been a dual-class Cleric/Mage... hmmm... oh well. o======================================================================o | Chapter 1 | o======================================================================o | | | Friendly Arm Inn | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK002} 1) The Morning After... 2) First Steps 3) Xzar and Montaron 4) Quickly, Through the Wilderness 5) The Friendly Arm Inn 6) Joia's House 7) Attacked by Tarnesh 8) Dorn's Dismissal 9) Khalid and Jaheira 10) Merchant Memo 11) Unshey's Ogre Problem 12) Gnome Homes 13) Golden Pantaloons 14) Joia's Ring 15) Belt Fetish Wilderness (AR2700) o======================================================================o 1) After the cutscene and the intro you'll be pestered by Imoen, who joins your party. You might as well take her along for now, even if you don't plan to keep her, especially since she comes to you with three Potions of Healing, an Oil of Speed, and a Wand of Magic Missiles with ten charges. The advice in the prologue is sound, heading to the Friendly Arm Inn should be a priority. To go to new areas, you simply have to reach the edge of the map and click when the icon turns into a wheel... assuming you're at an edge that actually goes somewhere. Naturally that means in every area you're in, you'll want to explore at least to the four edges and click to leave from each applicable edge, as this is how you 'discover' new areas, which appear on your map after attempting to leave from a side in an adjacent territory. If you exit via the eastern edge of the map you'll find another wilderness area (AR2800) if you exit via the southern edge of the map you'll discover High Hedge (AR3200). We'll head to High Hedge soon enough, but not just yet. ****ENHANCED EDITION*** The encounter with the 'Armored Figure' is a bit different now. In the Enhanced Edition, the Armored Figure, Tamoko, and the two Ogres are now joined by two Thugs. In the original version it was Tamoko who injured the protagonist (by casting Flame Arrow) before you ran off. Flame Arrow only dealt paltry damage, when it should have been enough to kill you outright... but that's not the point, the idea was you were in danger and needed to get the hell out of there. Again, this makes better sense, since a minimum 5d6 damage Flame Arrow now no longer inexplicably does one damage for the sake of the story. On the other hand, having an anonymous 'Thug' damage you might start an even nerdier 'who shot first' with the Baldur's Gate franchise. There is some incentive for us not to hold a grudge against Tamoko later, and by having her NOT attack the protagonist at the beginning of the game, it might serve to make her less offensive, story-wise. Still, in the original it WAS Tamoko who attacked the protagonist, now it isn't. Also... note some of the new spells Gorion casts! Stoneskin, Protection from Magic Weapons... things we originally wouldn't see until the sequel. It's enough to make a gamer playing a multi-class Fighter/Mage squeal with delight (or maybe it's just me?) In any event, Gorion puts up a much better show for himself this time around. Previously he was bound to the limited selection of 1st-3rd level spells common in the original game. He was supposed to be a pretty damn powerful Mage, but his most effective attacks against the Armored Figure was a string of Magic Missiles. Finally... note how the Armored Figure takes out Gorion in the Enhanced Edition-with the 'Deathbringer Assault' ability. This is a nod to all the gamers out there who knows what awaits us in Throne of Bhaal... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) In any event, there's not all that much to do in this area. You'll get bothered by an inexperienced hermit named Kolssed as you head east along the road. Xzar and Montaron are further along the road, and you might as well loot your foster father's body, and the bodies of his assailants (x=3150, y=1370). They sure aren't going to be needing their stuff anymore. On Gorion you'll find a note warning Gorion of unspecified dangers, signed by one old 'E' (who could THAT be? duhr...). He'll also drop the Belt of Antipode, a... mixed bag that makes you take double fire damage, but in return grants you 100% cold resistance. There are areas where cold damage will appear, but fire is a much, much more common element. As you wander around the map you may run afoul of Wolves and Gibberlings. Gibberlings are cheese, but Wolves can be surprisingly brutal to an unprepared character. If you're in trouble, just use Sleep to settle things. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) To the east Xzar and Montaron await at (x=4500, y=2700), and they'll be friendly enough, even handing over a Potion of Healing if you accept their aid. They'll then try to get you to head to Nashkel with them, which is a destination you'll be heading to eventually anyways. Regardless of your alignment pick them up for now. Make sure to relieve Montaron of his potions, and Xzar of his scrolls. You'll put them to better use. You can go around and explore the area if you want, but there's not much point. You'll find a whiny noble in the west, and some Black Bears who will probably make your life miserable if you get too close. You should, however, grab the Diamond hidden in a tree at (x=4420, y=1960), not far from where you met Xzar and Montaron. I'll admit, I've played this game through countless times, and I've never found this before. Thanks to Mr. Rozzo for this (and other) obscure treasures. When you're done exit along the eastern side of the map to unlock another wilderness area. Keep in mind that when you travel between areas there is always a chance you'll run afoul of a random encounter. At low levels, these can be, well, devastating. If it happens just reload your autosave, which the game makes every time you leave an area. How thoughtful, eh? After your trip to the Friendly Arm Inn, your first priority will be to assemble your party, which I will discuss at the appropriate time. ***ITEMS*** (x=4420, y=1960) Diamond Wilderness (AR2800) o======================================================================o 4) Upon entering this area you'll be bothered by an 'Old Man'. Answer him as you please, and head north-east, where you can find a rock which has a hollow containing a Ring of the Princes +1 (x=1005, y=1115). Another treasure brought to my attention thanks to Mr. Rozzo... it's a decent little Armor Class booster that'll become obsolete once we start getting enchanted armor. In the meantime, however, wear it, love it. Once you're done, head east until you find a road, then follow it north. If you come across Aoln, just answer him however you please (he's entirely inconsequential) and continue north. There's more to do here, but first we really need to gather up our party. Exit to the north and you'll discover the Friendly Arm Inn. ***ITEMS*** (x=1005, y=1115) Ring of Princes +1 ***ENHANCED EDITION*** The Ring of Princes +1 was originally called... well, just a Ring of Protection +1. For the Enhanced Edition, however, Overhaul Games decided to rename many magical items. Items in the original game typically had a common, sensible name, and in the item description they had a more detailed name... you know, for flavor. I find this incredibly annoying for two reasons. First, it makes me have to rename nearly every damn item in the game arbitrarily. Second, it's just stupid. Call a Ring of Wizardy a Ring of Wizardy. Call Gauntlets of Dexterity Gauntlets of Dexterity. Friendly Arm Inn, Exterior (AR2300) o======================================================================o 4) Watch the movie. Yay. Now head east. Before you enter the Inn, there's a little trinket worth grabbing. At precisely (x=2553, y=3761) there's a Ring of Wizardry hidden in the terrain. This baby doubles first level Mage spells, and is good for your main Mage. For me this either goes to Edwin (when we get him-if I'm evil)-or to my protagonist until Imoen can use it. It's particularly devastating on Edwin, who will have eight first-level spell slots at level two, allowing me to memorize enough Sleep spells to pacify a small army. Now head across the drawbridge. Just after you enter the exterior of the inn, there's a house to enter at (x=1520, y=2500). ***ITEMS*** (x=2553, y=3761) Evermemory Joia's House (AR2306)/House (AR2305) o======================================================================o 5) Talk to Joia at (x=250, y=260). Pick dialogue option #1 and she'll give you a quest to go fetch a ring for her from some Hobgoblin thieves north of the inn. Accept her offer. You'll get to this in a bit. Don't forget to loot her house while you're here. When you're done, there's another house to the north for you to search. Loot it, leave the house and head to the east. ***ITEMS*** (AR2306) (x=300, y=200) Andar Gem, 7 gold --- (AR2305) (x=300, y=200) Agni Magni Necklace, Silver Ring (x=200, y=200) Long Sword <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) When you get near the stairs leading to the inn, you'll be approached by a Mage named Tarnesh, who will end up attacking you. Just one of many bounty hunters after your head that you'll meet in the game, Tarnesh can be a real pain, which is why we brought along Xzar and Montaron. He likes to cast Horror, and follow up with damaging spells. At level one, you can't really weather too much, so keep your party together and make sure to get on him fast. If you can interrupt his first spell (having Xzar quickly cast Larloch's Minor Drain is a great interrupter) he'll fall with no problem. If he gets his spell off, you're in for a fight. Loot his body for a Scroll (bounty hunter notice), a Scroll of Shield, a Scroll of Magic Missile, a Scroll of Burning Hands, and 58 gold. Thanks, Tarnesh, I needed that Magic Missile. This should go without saying, but hold onto copies of spell scrolls you find. Imoen will need them when she dual-classes, and Edwin will need them when you find him. A Mage is only as good as their spell arsenal. Now head up the stairs into the inn (x=3500, y=1900). Note from Lee: I have Xzar cast Larloch's Minor Drain while the other three kick the living shit out of Tarnesh in melee. Took no damage, although I did have two characters running around in a panic after his Horror spell; he just barely got it off before he died (that's what she said....) Not from Peter: Actually you get warned of one of the commoners outside the inn. There is a chance you get a dialog with a commoner who tells you that a lot of people are asking about you for some time. Some of them don't seem to be nice guys. And a big man has asked some days ago about you... Oh and against Tarnesh, the Potion of Clarity we have found in the Candlekeep Inn works wonders against his Horror spell. The guards may help you as well, but make sure to kill Tarnesh yourself to get the experience points. Friendly Arm Inn, 1st Floor (AR2301) o======================================================================o 7) A commoner named Jopi will initiate dialogue with you, complaining about the two central points of the early game: the iron shortage, and the bandit raids. You'll be hearing about these a lot. Sounds kinda questy, no? Also near the entrance you'll find Dorn (x=1120, y=720), who'll mistake you for a servant, and dismiss you just as quickly. Be sure to talk to him, so we can get his quest-line rolling. ***ITEMS*** (x=1280, y=740) 20 gold (x=920, y=230) Potion of Healing <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) Head to the north-west of the inn to find Jaheira and Khalid (x=300, y=710) and (x=330, y=660). Jaheira is a pivotal Baldur's Gate character, but she really comes into her own in the sequel. I include her in just about every party I play... not so much because she's terribly powerful in the first game (in the sequel though...) but because... I have a bit of a game-crush on her. I don't know why, maybe it's her deep chick voice, or her general surliness? In any event, I take the both of them along with me, but Khalid's days are numbered in my party (die!). In any event, these two are heading towards Nashkel too. Kind of a theme... Jaheira has a Potion of Invisibility she doesn't need, and Khalid comes with a Potion of Healing and a suit of Splint Mail that can be reassigned to his lovely wife. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 9) Finally for this level, you can buy some things from Bently Mirrorshade (x=420, y=490), if you need arrows or something. Before we go on, I'll pass on a few notes about stores. Their prices are dictated by how much the shopkeeper likes you. This is largely a function of a 'reaction' roll made when you talk to NPCs, and it is dependent upon your Charisma score and your Reputation. The higher the two of those are, the lower prices will be. Also, Baldur's Gate puts into effect market saturation. The more stuff you sell to a merchant, the less that item will be worth. If you sell a Two-Handed Sword to a merchant one time for 25 gold, the next time it might not be worth that much. The way to maximize your profits is to sell a number of similar items at the same time-and hence at the same price. So if you happen to have a dozen Short Bows in your inventory, give them all to the same character and sell them all at once. Sometimes the price disparity between reputation scores makes it worth donating to a temple to raise your reputation; this is especially true when buying very expensive items. For example, buying a suit of Full Plate Mail might cost over 7000 gold for a neutral party, but a party with a higher reputation may only have to pay 5000. For big-ticket purchases, it can be worth it to donate a couple hundred gold to raise your reputation and lower prices. You'll know when a donation raised your reputation, as the dialogue with the temple's donation screen will tell you. Donation amounts are NOT cumulative. If you donate 100 gold and it doesn't raise your reputation, you just wasted 100 gold. Therefore it's a good idea to save/load between donations, which are effective in increments of 100 gold. If donating 100 gold doesn't work, donate 200, if that doesn't work, 300, and so on. Of course, it's cheaper to raise your reputation through quests, but that's not always convenient. If you're travelling with evil folks, be sure you don't raise your reputation too high-keep it below 19 or your evil allies will start to disband. The best thing Bently sells is Buckley's Buckler. It's probably too much for you to afford right now, and it's not a great item, anyways. If you must get it, this buckler only gives you the standard +1 bonus to Armor Class (with no protection against missile/piercing attacks. It does, however, give a +1 bonus to Constitution, so strap it on a character who will actually gain Hit Points from it. Personally, I save my money-we'll be able to get better shields soon enough. Note from Peter: Well, I admit it's not a good idea, but maybe it's worth mentioning. Bentley Mirrorshade is 2000 experience worth, wears a Traveler's Robe and a Dagger +1 as well as 80 gold. On the other hand, if he's dead, he can't sell or buy stuff and you lose reputation. I said, it's not a good idea. Friendly Arm Inn, 2nd Floor (AR2302) o======================================================================o 10) Go talk to a Gnome named Unshey (x=1190, y=750) who will tell you about a 'rogue Ogre with a belt fetish to the south'. You'll deal with this later. Head upstairs when you're done looting. Note: It's very possible that you won't be able to open some of these containers, whose difficulties range from 40 to 70. Even if you can, you might not want to bother running from the guards right now. Without an absurdly high Strength score or a very high Open Locks skill, you have no real way of getting some of this loot. Your options 1) return when you have the 2nd-level Mage spell, Knock, or 2) ignore them, because most of the gear here isn't worth much anyways. ***ITEMS*** (x=900, y=1000) Gold Ring, Potion of Healing, 23 gold (x=850, y=900) Chain Mail Armor (x=1050, y=820) 23 gold (x=1250, y=700) Dagger (x=1220, y=570) Throwing Dagger x5 (x=1340, y=510) War Hammer (x=1060, y=320) Dagger (x=720, y=350) Studded Leather Armor, Studded Necklace with Zios Gems (x=600, y=490) Rainbow Obsidian Necklace (x=350, y=630) Bastard Sword (x=230, y=600) Zircon Gem Friendly Arm Inn, 3rd Floor (AR2303) o======================================================================o 11) In the middle of the main room on this floor is a Gnome named Landrin. She'll ask you to clear out the spider infestation in her house in Beregost and return some possessions to her. If she likes you, she'll even hand over some Antidotes, which will come in handy during the retrieval of said possessions. If she doesn't hand over the potions, you can always just steal them. ***ITEMS*** (x=350, y=630) Andar Gem (x=230, y=600) 12 gold (x=420, y=450) 43 gold (x=750, y=350) Bloodstone Gem (x=900, y=205) Arrow x4 (x=1330, y=510) Battle Axe (x=1490, y=620) Club (x=1050, y=830) Onyx Ring (x=850, y=900) Leather Armor, Quarter Staff <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 12) In a room to the north is a nobleman who will demand you launder his Golden Pantaloons. Pick dialogue option #2 to snipe his knickers. If you have a high reputation and/or Charisma, he'll stop you and throw in some extra money for some... cosmetic changes to the Golden Pantaloons. Hold onto the Golden Pantaloons-if you have them in your character's inventory when you export to Baldur's Gate 2 you will find them in the sequel, allowing you to fabricate the Big Metal Unit in Baldur's Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal. Something to keep in mind. If you talk to the Nobleman with the Golden Pantaloons in your inventory, you'll get a small reward at the cost of 'your' Golden Pantaloons. The only way to get them back after turning them in is to kill the Nobleman... the reward in this case just isn't worth the reputation hit. ***REWARD*** (For returning the Golden Pantaloons) EXP 100 Note from Peter: The extra gold for the extra large front of the golden pantaloons consists of two meager gold coins. Better than nothing. And as a extra note: the Big Metal Unit isn't really helpful at the time you gain it in Baldur's Gate 2: Throne of Baal. You don't get a experience reward for it, you don't need to sell it and you've probably found better armor. So it's worth considering to take the 100 experience points now. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 12) Leave the Inn, cross the drawbridge to the south, circle around the Inn to the west, then head up around to the north. Your mission? Kill Hobgoblins and loot them until you find Joia's Flamedance Ring. Return it to her when you find it for your reward. When that's done, exit the map from any direction and head to the wilderness area south of the Friendly Arm Inn. ***REWARD*** (For recovering Joia's ring) EXP 400 Reputation +1 Note from Peter: Although Joia won't give you any monetary reward for this quest, she still holds 163 gold on her. Unfortunatly, you'll just able to get them by killing her, which isn't rewarding at all. Wilderness (AR2800) o======================================================================o 13) We've skirted around this area, but now that we have a full party, let's finish it off. Unshey's 'rogue Ogre with a belt fetish' is at about (x=4650, y=1650). An Ogre can be... painful... at this point in the game, so use Jaheira to Entangle it and take it down with missile fire and spells. You really don't want to melee at Ogre at levels 1-2 if you can help it. When it dies it'll drop a Morning Star, two belts, and 38 gold. It would be best if you identified these belts before putting them on. The larger one is a Girdle of Masculinity/Femininity, and it will change its wearer into the opposite gender. Unless you like the change, you'll need a Remove Curse cast to get it off. It'll be a while before you can cast it, and it'll cost money to get it done at a temple. The other belt, however, is a Girdle of Piercing: Elves Bane, which confers a +3 Armor Class bonus against piercing weapons. This is the girdle Unshey wants back, and you can certainly return it... but why would you give it back? Strap this on a front-line character, especially one who might be sent out in front of the party to draw the fire of archers. This will make their survival all the more likely. Still, if you decide to give the belt back, the reward is below. If you change your mind later, the only way to get the belt back is to kill Unshey, which will cause your reputation to plummet and turn the entire level of the Friendly Arm Inn Unshey is on to turn hostile.. likely lowering your reputation further. For me, this belt always goes on Jaheira-she'll have the worst Armor Class of any front-liner, and could use the missile defense. Note: The Ogre's position my vary a bit, as I've found him in slightly different positions before. He should, however, be in this general area. ***REWARD*** (For giving Unshey her belt back) EXP 800 Gold 95 Item History of Tethyr Other than that, there's not much in this area besides random encounters and some ruined caravans. Head south to Beregost when you're done exploring. ***ITEMS*** (x=2420, y=3400) 7 gold Note from Peter: As far as I know, you couldn't kill children in the vanilla game. I tried to pick-pocket Chase and failed. He turned hostile and I killed him. It's not worth the experience points (7 exp) because of the reputation loss and he just got 1 gold. But I was surprised. At least, now Neb's story is believable. o======================================================================o | | | Beregost | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK003} 1) Arriving in Beregost 2) Neera's Red Scare 3) Party Management 4) Thunder Hammer Smithy 5) Kagain's Shop 6) The Burning Wizard 7) Silke's Scheme 8) The Red Sheaf 9) Mirianne's House 10) The Jovial Juggler 11) Landrin's House 12) Firebead Elvenhair's House 13) Mr. Colquetle's Worries 14) Aggression Against Adventurers 15) Shopping at Feldpost's 16) Algernon's Cloak 17) A Note on Looting Beregost 18) The North-Western Buildings 19) The South-Western Buildings 20) The Central Buildings 21) The Eastern Buildings 22) The Southern Buildings 23) Gerard Travenhurst's Manor Beregost (AR3300) o======================================================================o 1) Now you're in Beregost. A helpful peasant named Golin Vend will talk to you, basically to tell you about various places in town. Beregost is the second most substantial settlement in this game, and it's not until you reach Baldur's Gate that you'll find a larger bastion of civilization. We'll pick up some quests, put down assassins, recruit some new party members, and oogle over items we can't afford yet... you know, typical RPG stuff. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** There used to be a cinematic here, right? Not so in the Enhanced Edition. Thanks to Peter Maasz for pointing this out. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) From where you arrived head south-east until you find a manor... or at least its fence. Follow this fence south until you find a Mage named Neera (x=3150, y=2120), just standing around waiting to make a nuisance of herself. She'll initiate dialogue with you and ask you to help her deal with some bandits that are after her. Agree to help and 'lo and behold, the bandit show up in a timely manner. Her 'bandit' pursuers are none other than Red Wizards of Thay-despite the fact that we're quite far from their homeland, we'll encounter a few of them. Anyhow, their leader-Ekandor-tries to get you to do the wise thing and mind your own business. Side with Neera and violence ensues. Neera uses some of that wild magic of hers (which will be nowhere near as helpful in the rest of the game as it is here) and Ekandor finds himself unexpectedly teleported. Once gone, his understudy-a Thayan (I thought it was supposed to be Thayvian?) Mage takes up the attack, joined by two Thayan Bodyguards. The latter two are distractions-focus on the Mage lest he complicate your life with his spells-especially Color Spray, which can allow the Bodyguards to cause trouble. Once everybody is dead, Neera will ask to join your party-for mutual protection, you see. Might as well take her along, at least long enough to snatch that Gem Pouch in her inventory, which you should take for your own. It's a nice inventory management item that the original Baldur's Gate was sadly lacking. Note: The new characters in the Enhanced Edition (Dorn, Neera, Rasaad) all have Baldur's Gate 2-style banters. After traveling with them for a while they'll talk to you-providing backstory, usually, but also advancing character-specific quests, wherein which you'll find a good bit of the new content in the Enhanced Edition. If you want to gain access to some of this content, you should travel around with the new characters as you find them. I will assume you've done this, and mention the new content when we come across it. You can find out more information about their quests in their respective entries in the 'Characters' section, above. Note from Peter: It is in my opinion worth mentioning that these wizards react on Edwin. It seems like Ekandor and Edwin don't like each other. This is not the last time the Thayan Wizards react on Edwin though. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) Now that we've encountered more than a full party's worth of characters, we should discuss party management. If you disband any characters, they will wait where you left them, unless your reputation is too high or low for their alignment (usually within a few points of their 'break' score). Be cautious when you disband characters that are unhappy, as they might just walk away forever-neutral reputation makes everybody happy, in this case. Also keep in mind that many characters (Kivan, Safana, Coran, Kagain, Edwin, Minsc are all examples) have time-based quests, which, if the go unfulfilled, will cause the unsatisifed character to defect. This timer starts as soon as you recruit said character, but it doesn't end when you disband them. Yeah, that's right, you could end up disbanding a perfectly happy character, only to have them immediately (and permanently) defect after you recruit them again because their personal business went unresolved. Some characters come in pairs, when you disband one, the other disbands automatically, these include Khalid/Jaheira, Montaron/Xzar, Eldoth/Skie, Minsc/Dynaheir. Of course, as you can see, a few great characters are tied to dead-weight because of this, but never fear-there's a number of solutions. First-kill the suck character (or just allow them to die) and disband the remains. Second, disband the suck character in a house you never plan to enter again, and walk out before they talk to you. The characters who are new to the Enhanced Edition-Neera, Dorn, Baeloth, and Rasaad, will return to specific areas after they're disbanded. The first three head back to the Friendly Arm Inn, while Rasaad returns to Nashkel. Because I have the memory of a gnat, I tend to 'store' all my characters in Kagain's Shop (we'll cover this in Step #5), because there's plenty of storage for excees loot, no NPCs, and because... well, force of habit, really. Anywho, that's all you need to know about party management. Thunderhammer Smithy o======================================================================o 4) From here continue east, then south between two rows of buildings. When you run out of south, head east again to find the Thunderhammer Smithy (x=4600, y=2850). This is the main shop to hit in Beregost as it sells all kinds of good loot we can't afford yet. There's no reason to go there yet, but for the sake of continuity, we'll discuss it now... and more importantly, what goodies it sells. Or at least the most interesting ones. Dagger of Venom +2 ------------------ The best-and most expensive-weapon sold in this game, it's one of the few weapons that will allow Jaheira to become an effective melee fighter. She just doesn't have the Dexterity to make do without a shield, even if you can get a pretty good Quarter Staff later in the game. The only other option-a Scimitar +2-isn't located until we gain access to the Cloakwood Forest. Even at its price, it'll be the first +2 weapon Jaheira can get her hands on, and in all honesty, the last she'll care to. Sure, 1d4+2 damage sucks, but the chance to deal an extra 15 damage via poison makes up for it. Full Plate Mail --------------- This is just some of the best armor in the game. The fact that you can find some much, much later in the game doesn't mean you shouldn't purchase this suit sooner or later. No matter what party I assemble, I tend to have at least three characters in need of some heavy armor, and being able to get them all in superb armor before the Nashkel Mines is worth a few thousand gold to me. It's not impossible to just make do with normal Plate Mail until you find Full Plate Mail later on... if you don't mind having a two-point higher Armor Class for a large part of the game. The Army Scythe +1 ------------------ A fast, potent Light Crossbow that I never have found any use for. Anybody who can use a crossbow can also use a bow, which will give as many attacks per round (two) as this crossbow will (or two-and-a-half attacks per round if the user is specialized with bows). And at 10000+ gold, it's just an expensive way to engage in ranged combat less effectively. Compare this to the Composite Long Bow +1 sold at Feldpost's and the Short Bow +1 sold here-a quarter of the price for ranged weapons that are just as good (if not better). Shadow Armor ------------ While this armor might be tempting, it's only really useful if you for some reason have a Thief in your party who is not also a Mage. My evil protagonist is a Fighter/Mage/Thief, and Imoen in the good party is also a Mage (or will be, after she dual-classes). I just can't find a use for this armor. If, however, you are playing a Fighter/Thief, there's only one better suit of armor in the game... and you need to take down a very dangerous character to get it. Short Bow +1 ------------ Although this weapon doesn't seem exceptional (and it's not), it's worth mentioning for one reason. We won't find a superior Short Bow until Baldur's Gate. If you're fine waiting over half the game for a decent ranged weapon for a Thief (I have Imoen in mind here, of course), then don't worry about it. On the other hand, with a decent reputation you can get it for less than 2000 gold, so I find it worth the purchase. Sling +1 -------- Again, not a great weapon, but it's dirt cheap, and with every Cleric in my party needing a ranged weapon, it's worth a buy. Keep the Thunderhammer Smithy in mind for later, when we have some money to spend. Also note that if you return at night, the pesky blacksmiths will be gone and you'll be free to loot the place. That Bastard Sword +1 is a nice catch at this point in the game, either to throw on Ajantis or sell. It also wouldn't hurt to stock up on some mundane weapons, so long as you like spears and swords. Once you're done in here, leave the smithy, head west and enter the building at (x=1500, y=2000). ***ITEMS*** (x=370, y=170) Spear (x=770, y=440) Bastard Sword x2, Long Sword x3, Two-Handed Sword x2, Short Sword (x=840, y=340) Bastard Sword +1, Spear x6 Kagain's Shop (AR3353) o======================================================================o 5) Behind the counter is Kagain, the premier Fighter for evil parties. I typically use his shop to store excess baggage, be it weapons, scrolls, potions, wands... anything I don't want to get rid of, but that I don't want to carry around. I also disband party members here, so I can remember where I left them. Just remember to take whatever useful loot they have before disbanding them. You'll need it more out in the wilderness than they will in Beregost. Anyways, good, evil, or otherwise, talk to Kagain. Accept his job to look for the caravan his mercenaries were responsible for. It's time to bid Xzar and Montaron farewell. If you don't keep Kagain, at least keep his cool golden helmet. Loot the place and get going. Note that if it's daytime you should find a man clad in black (the town crier) standing somewhere in the clearing where the Beregost obelisk is. Talk to him to find out some pertinent information about the going-ons of the world. He should mention a quest to slay the Cleric Bassilus, and the hefty reward of 5000 gold attached to it - keep this in mind for later. ***ITEMS*** (x=250, y=300) Fire Agate Gem x2, 58 gold (x=580, y=150) 76 gold (x=510, y=150) Fire Agate Gem x3, 73 gold ***ENHANCED EDITION*** Woe is us, aesthetics-lovers, Kagain's distinctive, shiny golden helm is no more. I don't know why it was removed, but removed it was... oh well, it was just a normal helmet anyways... but gold! The Burning Wizard (AR3308)/(AR3307) o======================================================================o 6) Head east until you find the Burning Wizard. Go inside and talk to a halfling named Zhurlong. He'll tell you about some Boots of Stealth he lost to some hobgoblins, and offer you 100 gold for their return. He will also lighten your coin purse a bit. There's some looting you can do upstairs to rectify the situation a bit-including a new Mace added in the Enhanced Edition-The Stupefier +1. Despite its mediocre enhancement bonus, it has a 25% chance to stun foes each hit-no save allowed, making this weapon far more dangerous than it might otherwise seem. In fact, it might just be one of the best blunt weapons you can swing in this game. It's hard to over-estimate the potency of its ability to stun foes... I mean, if you've used the Command spell by now, you know that a stunned foe is probably a dead foe. ***ITEMS*** (AR3307) (x=550, y=190) Iol Gem (x=160, y=260) Sunstone Gem (x=250, y=100) Dagger (x=400, y=150) The Stupefier +1 ***ENHANCED EDITION*** The Stupefier +1 was not in the original game. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) Once you're back outside, talk to Garrick (x=2500, y=2270). He'll offer you 300 gold to protect his mistress Silke from some of Feldpost's thugs. Accept and you'll automatically follow him around to the side of the Red Sheaf. Talk to Silke to hear her story. When she's done, a group of three men will come to deliver Silke her gems. You can either choose to kill them, or to turn on Silke. If you kill the men Silke will pay you, you'll lose reputation, and you'll get to loot them, gaining three Potions of Defense. If you turn on Silke you'll discover that, like Tarnesh, she's a troublesome Mage. Surround her before you talk to her and make sure to disrupt her spells and she'll go down quickly... If she gets a Lightning Bolt off, however, you're going to regret it. Once she's dead, consider stealing from the three 'thugs' you just spared. Each of them carries a Potion of Defense, and their leader, Faltis, also has a number of gems-a Lnyx Eye Gem, Turquiose Gem, Sunstone Gem, and Fire Agate Gem-presumably the gems Silke wanted to kill them for. A rather small sum to murder three people over, eh? Whether you steal or not, talk to Faltis after putting Silke down and he'll give you one of the Potions of Defense for a reward (yes, you can somehow get four of them if you stole three, previously). Better yet, you get to loot Silke and take her 400 gold, Quarter Staff +1, and Potion of Invulnerability. That Quarterstaff +1 will serve Jaheira well, until we find her something magical and one-handed. Talk to Garrick and allow him to come with you. I plan to dump him off back at Kagain's, but he might just fit into your party (see his description in the Characters section.) Now head into the Red Sheaf. ***REWARD*** (For killing 'Feldpost's Thugs' for Silke) Gold 300 or 400 Reputation -2 The Red Sheaf (AR3357)/(AR3303) o======================================================================o 8) When you enter you'll be accosted by a dwarf named Karlat, another one of your friendly neighborhood assassins. This can be a fairly tough fight at this level, but if you surround him with melee characters, or hit him with a Sleep spell you should be able to deal with him handily. Of course... with the Enhanced Edition we have another option. It's a bit of a tight fit in here, if you haven't noticed-not an ideal place to surround Karlat. If you enter with just one character, provoke him, and leave the building you can lure him onto more open ground. Some times it was beneficial to be able to perform hit-and-run attacks on foes, but it's also useful to be able to lure critters out to more favorable battlefields. Anyways, when he's dead loot him for a suit of Chainmail, a Medium Shield, a Battle Axe, 38 gold, and a Scroll (another bounty notice). Find a halfling named Perdue, who will ask you to retrieve his short sword. Agree to do it and he'll offer to pay you 50 gold if you 'wipe 'is arse with it.' Sounds good. If you want to loot, do it upstairs as the guard will be called on you for looting downstairs. ***ITEMS*** (AR3357) (x=560, y=650) 9 gold --- (AR3303) (x=190, y=520) 21 gold (x=440, y=600) Leather Armor (x=300, y=400) Dagger, 8 gold (x=630, y=330) Club, 36 gold (x=400, y=100) Bloodstone Gem, 12 gold (x=700, y=200) Jasper Gem Mirianne's House (AR3313) o======================================================================o 9) Leave The Red Sheaf and enter a secluded house north of the Thunder Hammer Smithy (x=4770, y=2100). Inside is a woman named Mirianne. Talk to her and she'll tell you about her husband, and ask you to keep your eyes open for any word from him. You don't really need to come here before you travel on, but when you complete the quest later, you'll know where to head back to... or you could just pick-pocket poor Mirianne for your reward of a-Ring of the Princes-if you're not a fan of delayed gratification. The Jovial Juggler (AR3304) o======================================================================o 10) Now head south until you reach the Jovial Juggler, the south-eastern most building in town. Head in and talk to the armored figure named Bjornin, who will tell you about some half-ogres in the south-west who whupped up on him. Good to know. Again, if you want to get the reward without doing the quest you can just steal his Medium Shield +1. Head to the back of the bar and a dwarf named Gurke will yell at you, mentioning that he lost his cloak in the Cloakwood forest. It'll be a bit before you get to that. Note from Peter: Gurke is the German word for cucumber. It's a bit weird to meet someone named 'Gurke'... Landrin's House (AR3315) o======================================================================o 11) Leave the Jovial Juggler, head west, and enter the house at (x=3070, y=3400) (you can score some meager gold in a barrel outside of this house at (x=2970, y=3380). Inside there are four Huge Spiders. Their poison can be fatal at lower levels, especially if you weren't charismatic enough to get Landrin to hand over any Antidotes. I hit them with a shot of Sleep, and destroy them. Note that this is another instance where it might be helpful to lure your foes outside, instead of having to split up and fight them. When they're dead grab the body of the largest spider, as well as the boots and wine Landrin is looking for. Return these to Landrin at your leisure... perhaps en route to recruiting Ajantis or Viconia? ***ITEMS*** (AR3300) (x=2970, y=3380) 6 gold --- (AR3315) (x=300, y=200) Andar Gem, Worn out Boots, Bottle of wine, 7 gold ***REWARD*** (For recovering Landrin's boots) EXP 300 Gold 120 ***REWARD*** (For recovering the body of the largest spider) EXP 200 Gold 100 ***REWARD*** (For recovering Landrin's wine) EXP 300 Gold 75 Firebead Elvenhair's House (AR3333)/(AR3334) o======================================================================o 12) Now head west some more and enter the house at (x=2050, y=2950). An old friend from Candlekeep will approach you and ask you to get him a copy of 'The History of the Fateful Coin,' which you can obtain quite easily. Either go across the street and buy a copy from the Bartender at Feldpost's Inn, or head to the house just south of here (x=2000, y=3200) (AR3335) and loot the bookshelf at (x=700, y=250). Before you go, however, note that you can freely loot Firebead's House. Note: To start-and finish-this quest, you'll need to talk to Firebead with your protagonist. Also, remember that easter egg involving Firebead in Candlekeep? You can repeat it again here to score another 300 gold. Just talk to him 30 times and wait. ***ITEMS*** (AR3333) (x=400, y=150) 39 gold --- (AR3334) (x=200, y=290) Jade Ring (x=100, y=300) 38 gold ***REWARD*** (For finding Firebead a copy of 'The History of the Fateful Coin') EXP 300 Item History of the Dead Three Item Scroll Case Reputation +1 ***ENHANCED EDITION*** The Scroll Case, of course, was not in the original game... hell, it wasn't even in the original Enhanced Edition! Yeah, it was added later. Apparently Overhaul Games was timid about adding this item early and had to take some time before finally working up the courage to put it in. Seriously guys, you didn't even make a whole game-you barely did more than BGTutu! Just put the freakin' items in the game, or leave them out. Colquetle's House (AR3331) o======================================================================o 13) Leave Firebead's House and head north into another house at (x=2200, y=2650). This estate belongs to one 'Mr. Colquetle', who is simply too busy worrying about his son and his son's family to bother with anything else. Although this might seem like an inconsequential encounter to the untrained eye, it starts up a quest we'll resolve in a bit. Feldpost's Inn, Downstairs (AR3351) o======================================================================o 14) Go across the street to Feldpost's Inn. You'll immediately be confronted by a drunkard named Marl and his goon Dunkin. It's very easy to end up picking a fight with him, but the best course is to talk him down. Pick the following dialogue options: #1, #1, #3, #3, #1 and he'll back down. You'll also gain 900 experience for your trouble. See? We don't always have to kill people. ***REWARD*** (For talking Marl out of a fight) EXP 900 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 15) Now talk to the bartender and buy a copy of the 'History of the Fateful Coin' for Firebead. The Bartender at Feldpost's (x=750, y=520) is your friend. Not only will he purchase gems, jewels, and other clutter, but he sells a few trinkets worth considering. One is the Battle Axe +1. It'll be a bit before we get a magical Axe, so if you have Kagain in your party, you might want to invest in this Axe to tide him over. Feldpost also sells a Composite Long Bow +1, which is a nice item for the dedicated archer in your group, and is also worth a purchase. For my good party, the latter is a solid choice, since both Minsc and my protagonist will need a good bow. For my evil party, however, I'm content to just wait to find a bow, but the axe is a must-get item. Either way, expect to pay somewhere in the area of 2000-3000 gold to get what you want. Which means we won't be buying anything for a while. o===========o |Mage Spells| o===========o 1st-Reflected Image --- 2nd-Deafness 2nd-Glitterdust Feldpost's Inn, Upstairs (AR3352) o======================================================================o 16) Now take a Thief and head upstairs. Find the portly merchant Algernon and steal Algernon's Cloak. Put this on your party leader... ideally the character with the highest Charisma, as it will improve your reaction with NPCs. Note: Unless you've put points into Pick Pockets, your score might not be high enough to steal from Algernon, in which case you'll get the following text "The target has no items that can be stolen by a cut-purse of your skill." A reader of this guide, Dirkin, pointed out that the Pick Pockets score required to steal this object seemed to be 50 (after more testing, it seems like this number is the minimum score required to steal many items throughout the game). Certainly raising your Pick Pockets skill is one way to get around this newly-imposed impediment to our stealing (where previously the only real difficulty in keeping your Pick Pocket score low was the tedium of reloading when you got caught). Since this is the first must-have item we can steal, however, I'd rather discuss other options. First, you can always just kill Algernon and suffer the reputation penalty. In all likelihood, it'll send you back a few hundred gold in temple donations you'll need to raise your reputation again. Second, you can chug Potions of Master Thievery, which gives a massive boost to your Thief skills-you'll have to find them, or buy them. Again, this'll set you back several hundred gold, in the latter case. Third, you can recruit a secondary Thief (Safana, Alora, or any Bard works) and dump points into Pick Pockets, and just use them for your thieving. Anyways, there are you options. I'll still mention stealing opportunities as they come around, you have your solutions. For the record, I solved most of these issues with a bit of murder. It might seem heavy-handed and lazy, but... well, it works with a minimal amount of fuss. If you get your reputation score to 12, killing an innocent will drop you down to seven-which costs a mere 500 gold's worth of temple donations to raise back up to twelve. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 17) Now to loot around Beregost. I didn't bother including these Steps prior to version 1.03, as the loot to be found in Beregost is... well, worth a few coins, but nothing that can't be missed. Now, however, I feel that it's not really an issue of whether I consider it important or not, it's just a better guide with this information in it. Keep in mind that we really only have three ways to get some of this loot: picking locks, bashing them, or casting Knock. At this point in the game, it's unlikely that we have the Knock spell, much less the experience to cast it. I've also suggested that you should be putting your Thief skill points in Find Traps, so you shouldn't have enough Open Locks to do it.. granted, most the locks here only have a difficulty of 30 to 50, I don't find my Thieves sufficient to the task right now. Finally, 18(00) Strength isn't enough for every lock here, so unless you're cheating, you're not bashing your way to money. It's just another reason I didn't bother with looting Beregost before-it's not really something a low-level party can do, and it's beneath the dignity of a high-level party. Still, for reference, it'll be included here with the expectation that you can, if you wish, return to this section when you get the Knock spell later in the game. Finally, a note on looting: watch out for the guards. It's a certainty you'll be caught at some point while looting, so save frequently. Just keep in mind that guards leave after a while, and will not follow you outdoors. So unlock objects with your Mage, then head inside with a character who can sneak, steal, hide, and leave. Simple enough, right? The looting will be split into several steps, where adjacent buildings will be grouped together for convenience, as there's just too much looting for one Step. Buildings that have already been explored will not, of course, be mentioned again here. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 18) The first group of buildings to loot includes the five buildings in the north-western corner of Beregost. ***ITEMS*** (AR3347) (x=990, y=1100) (x=400, y=150) 86 gold --- (AR3348) (x=100, y=300) Leather Armor, 5 gold --- (AR3346) (x=300, y=350) 3 gold (x=200, y=250) Small Shield, Short Sword, 11 gold --- (AR3343) (x=1700, y=1400) (x=300, y=200) Dagger, Halberd, Quarter Staff, 31 gold --- Outside (AR3300), between (AR3343) and (AR3341): (x=1820, y=1420) 6 gold --- (AR3341) (x=2050, y=1050) (x=400, y=250) Silver Ring, 39 gold --- (AR3342) (x=150, y=350) Dagger, Potion of Healing, 31 gold --- (AR3339) (x=2100, y=850) (x=350, y=100) Spear, Fire Agate Gem, 13 gold (x=550, y=200) Potion of Insight, 10 gold --- (AR3340) (x=350, y=100) History of Estagund, 13 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 19) The second group of buildings to loot includes the four buildings in the south-western corner of Beregost, as well as Feldpost's Inn and Kagain's Shop. ***ITEMS*** (AR3349) (x=800, y=1700) (x=130, y=250) 4 gold --- (AR3350) (x=200, y=250) 11 gold --- (AR3344) (x=1200, y=1750) (x=200, y=200) 7 gold --- (AR3355) (x=990, y=2950) (x=400, y=150) Dagger, Moonstone Gem, 11 gold --- (AR3356) (x=200, y=300) 35 gold (x=100, y=300) Short Sword --- (AR3354) (x=770, y=3250) (x=300, y=200) Lynx Eye Gem, Fire Agate Gem, Turquoise Gem, Sunstone Gem <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 20) The third group of buildings to loot includes the three buildings in the center of the map, as well as the Burning Wizard and Red Sheaf. The building at (x=2700, y=1300 (AR3325)/(AR3326) is empty. Note that the diamond in the house north of the Red Sheaf (AR3323)/(AR3324) is one of the few items worth looting in Beregost. ***ITEMS*** (AR3329) (x=2150, y=2050) (x=400, y=150) Dagger, 14 gold --- (AR3330) (x=300, y=400) Silver Ring, 19 gold --- (AR3337) (x=2400, y=1600) (x=400, y=250) 9 gold --- (AR3338) (x=150, y=350) Short Sword, Dagger, 5 gold --- (AR3323) (x=3520, y=1850) (x=400, y=150) Diamond --- (AR3324) (x=100, y=300) Light Crossbow, Bolts x3 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 21) The fourth group of buildings to loot includes the four buildings along the eastern edge of the Beregost, as well as Mirianne's House and the Thunder Hammer Smithy. In the house at (x=4000, y=2050) (AR3317) you'll meet a commoner who will allow you to rest here for free... provided your reputation is high enough. ***ITEMS*** (AR3319) (x=4150, y=1900) (x=120, y=220) Potion of Agility (x=220, y=150) Long Sword (x=400, y=120) Dagger --- (AR3317) (x=4000, y=2050) (x=120, y=220) Battle Axe (x=220, y=150) Silver Necklace --- (AR3316) (x=3950, y=2400) (x=650, y=320) Splint Mail, Short Sword, Dagger --- Outside (AR3300), between (AR3316) and (AR3302): (x=3880, y=2570) 3 gold --- (AR3302) (x=4100, y=2600) (x=200, y=200) Long Sword (x=300, y=200) Agni Mani Necklace, Silver Ring --- In a barrel found in the triangle between the houses: (x=4500, y=2050) Dagger, 5 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 22) The fifth group of buildings to loot includes the five buildings along the southern edge of Beregost, as well as Firebead Elvenhair's House, Landrin's House, and the Jovial Juggler. ***ITEMS*** (AR3327) (x=3400, y=2800) (x=400, y=250) Heavy Crossbow --- (AR3328) (x=150, y=350) Mace, Potion of Heroism, Jasper Gem --- (AR3309) (x=3000, y=2700) (x=400, y=150) Turquoise Gem --- (AR3310) (x=100, y=300) Short Sword --- (AR3311) (x=2600, y=2600) (x=400, y=150) Dagger, Chainmail Armor, 9 gold --- (AR3312) Sunstone Gem, 38 gold (x=100, y=300) --- (AR3331) (x=2200, y=2700) (x=140, y=250) 13 gold --- (AR3332) (x=250, y=300) 4 gold (x=200, y=250) 8 gold --- (AR3335) (x=2000, y=3200) (x=400, y=250) Jasper Gem, 11 gold --- (AR3336) (x=200, y=330) Andar Gem, 11 gold ***TRAPS*** (AR3336) (x=150, y=350) In a crate south of (AR3335): (x=2100, y=3420) Leather Armor Gerard Travenhurst's Manor (AR3320)/(AR3321) o======================================================================o 23) Finally, the last area to loot is the large mansion along the northern edge of Beregost we bypassed en route to encountering Neera. First, loot around outside of it to score a few goodies, then head inside (x=3650, y=900). On the first floor you'll find two hired goons, as well as the manor's owner, Gerard Travenhurst. He really doesn't have anything interesting to say, nor is there anything worth stealing on the first level. Upstairs, (x=150, y=400) however, you'll find some goodies that are downright decent... or at least, the Wand of Lightning is pretty nifty, and the potions and gold won't hurt, either. ***ITEMS*** (AR3300) (x=4150, y=600) Arrows x5 (x=4330, y=670) 25 gold --- (AR3321) (x=150, y=350) Dagger (x=500, y=300) Iol Gem, Horn Coral Gem (x=420, y=340) Gold Necklace, Wand of Lightning (x=350, y=400) Potion of Healing, Potion of Invisibility, 86 gold o======================================================================o | | | Party-Building | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK004} 1) Party-Building 101 2) The Undesirables 3) Future Recruits 4) Acquiring Ajantis 5) Scheming with Safana 6) Taming Shar-Teel 7) Defending Viconia 8) Dealing with Dorn 9) To High Hedge 1) Now for the most important part of the first chapter... the assembly of your party. Remember, you're going to want a Mage, a Cleric, and a Thief. This is the minimum, and you won't suffer by having, say, Viconia and Jaheira in the same party, but if you fail to have one of the classes, you're in for a tough time... and of course, with them, you'll need some Fighters to keep them safe. Standard RPG stuff, I know, but you'd be surprised... You need to recruit your choice characters as quickly as possible, as the higher the level you reach, the higher level they will be before you reach them. What's the problem with that, asks my metaphorical reader? Well... Let's just say the computer isn't very discriminating when it comes to accepting Hit Point rolls upon leveling up. You, on the other hand, can save/reload until you get decent Hit Points. The longer you wait to grab a character, the weaker they will be. Of course, characters that can't be found until later chapters get excluded from party consideration because of this, save for a few notable exceptions-namely Coran and Yeslick. They're both great multi-class characters who-while not being obtainable particularly early-also don't suffer terribly for it. Still, since they're currently out of reach, they won't be discussed here-keep them in mind for later. This leaves us with the following list of eligible characters that can be recruited: ***CLERICS*** Branwen (NEUTRAL) Jaheira (NEUTRAL) Viconia (EVIL) ***WARRIORS*** Ajantis (GOOD) Dorn (EVIL) Kagain (EVIL) Khalid (GOOD) Kivan (GOOD) Minsc (GOOD) Rasaad (GOOD) Shar-Teel (EVIL) ***MAGES*** Edwin (EVIL) Dynaheir (GOOD) Neera (NEUTRAL) Xan (NEUTRAL) Xzar (EVIL) ***THIEVES*** Imoen (GOOD) Montaron (EVIL) Safana (EVIL) ***MISCELLANEOUS*** Garrick (NEUTRAL) Between me and my girlfriend, we've played through this game with just about every one of those characters... except Xan, he sucks... but for my good playthrough, I'll end up with Ajantis, Minsc, Jaheira, Viconia, and Imoen... all of which are sequel characters, except Ajantis. For my evil party I'll recruit Kagain, Dorn, Jaheira, Viconia, and Edwin. We should already have met (and recruited) Imoen, Jaheira, and Kagain, and in the next few steps I'll discuss how to recruit Ajantis, Safana, Shar-Teel, Viconia and Dorn as painlessly as possible. Note, however, that for these characters I do NOT intend to explore the areas in which they are found, as they are rather... difficult, for low-level characters. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) Now, to discuss some of the undesirables. Xzar and Neera are just inferior to Edwin. Neera could also fit into a good party, but then you'd have to replace Imoen with another Thief (Coran would make a good choice), but I remain unconvinced that Neera's any better than Imoen. Montaron... he could work in an evil party, if you dispatch (kill or abandon) Xzar, but he's just a bandaid for your thieving woes-he won't be around next game, so you might as well just make your evil protagonist a Thief (better yet, a multi-classed or dual-classed Thief) and spare yourself the headache in the sequel. Xan and Dynaheir are both specialist Mages-and undesirable ones, at that. They don't have the spell selection that Edwin will have, and lets just leave it at that. If you want Minsc, however, you'll need to rescue Dynaheir... and then I suggest promptly having her walk into combat to get rid of her. It's no worse than what the developers have in store for her in the sequel anyways. Garrick, while being acceptably mediocre, just doesn't add anything compelling to the evil party over what the rest of my choices give me. I'd rather have a strong warrior like Shar-Teel or a great party leader (and even stronger warrior) like Dorn than a support spell caster. Maybe if I wasn't playing a Fighter/Mage/Thief, I'd bother with him, but since I am, he's unwanted. Safana is, in her own right, a pretty good Thief... which is to say, her Dexterity is good. I'd rather have Imoen, however, as she can dual-class into a Mage and keep the Thief skills I need her to have, while not being a complete waste of a character, which a single-class Thief certainly is. But Safana might just be appealing if you're an evil party without a Thief (although honestly, Montaron is a stronger, better character.) Finally, we have Rasaad. As a Monk, he's almost entirely dependent upon his attributes and his level to determine how good he is... and his attributes suck. If you want a mediocre melee combatant with unsatisfactory Hit Points and a pathetic Armor Class... well, consider Rasaad. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) Kivan can be found while we're exploring High Hedge shortly [WLK005], and Branwen can be recruited in [WLK006]. Edwin, Minsc, and Dynaheir require a bit more work, and since both Edwin and Minsc end up in one party or another, it's a bit of work worth doing... they are recruited in [WLK006], but the quest we must undertake to keep them in our party is covered in [WLK007]. Xan can be found in the bowels of the Nashkel Mines [WLK012]. The other characters who can be recruited before Chapter 3 (besides the ones mentioned above, and those we've already recruited, of course) will have a Step dedicated to recruiting them, below. These characters are Ajantis, Safana, Shar-Teel, and Viconia. If you don't want to recruit them, don't. They'll still be discussed when we officially explore the area they are in during the rest of the walkthrough. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) First up is Ajantis, and he's pretty easy to recruit. Exit The Friendly Arm Inn area (AR2300) via the northern edge of the map to find some farms to the north (AR1400). In this area Ajantis awaits (x=1500, y=3130). Talk to him, insist you're not bandits, and tell him you're trying to clean up the Sword Coast. He'll gladly join you in your mission to put an end to the banditry plaguing the area. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 5) Safana lurks in the coastal area depicted on your map as a tower (AR3600). There are numerous ways to reach this area, but the safest is by exiting the southern edge of High Hedge (AR3200) and traveling south to (AR3700). Stay along the northern edge of the area and head west, eventually exiting by the western edge of the map. Safana is standing at (x=3750, y=2400), and will agree to join you if you help her score some treasure. This is a time-sensitive quest, and while it's not as bothersome to complete as Kivan's quest, it does require you to either sneak past or kill a half-dozen Sirines and a trio of Flesh Golems, which is quite a task for a low-level party. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) Shar-Teel could prove to be very troublesome to recruit... if you're not careful. Fortunately, you have this guide, so you don't need to be careful-you just need to follow my advice. Head to the Temple area east of Beregost (AR3300), and hug the northern edge of the map. You'll probably get bothered by some drunkard pretending to be a Lich, but he's harmless. Exit via the eastern edge of the map to find (AR3500) to the east. When you enter, you'll be on the western edge of the area. Don't explore south, or east. Instead head north until you find Shar-Teel (x=270, y=300). Talk to her, and she'll challenge your best fighter to a duel-which probably means Kagain. Save and, if you win, she'll offer to join you. If you lose, reload. Note: If you're having trouble with Shar-Teel, you can head over to (x=440, y=1460), and recruit Korax the Ghoul into your party. He's a temporary ally, best used to score some cheap kills on the Basilisks nearby, but he can also be used to shift the odds in your favor by having him jump in on the duel. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) Now we're up to Viconia. To reach the area she's in, Peldvale (AR2400), simply exit the Friendly Arm Inn area (AR2300) via the eastern edge of the map. You'll appear along the western edge of Peldvale. Head north to find Viconia (x=450, y=740) who will try to talk to you when she sees you. Apparently, due to her race, she's being hunted. Sure enough, a member of the Flaming Fist will show up and condemn her. Defend her, and kill the Flaming Fist soldier (who has Cleric levels, and will use Hold Person if you let him). When he's dead she'll offer to join your party. Accept, and your reputation takes a two-point hit. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) Last and certainly not least is Dorn, who you can first meet in the Friendly Arm Inn, at (x=1120, y=720). He's not too hospitable here, but get the conversation out of the way. You'll encounter him again when you travel to the Nashkel Mines... or rather, you'll be accosted by some bandits, led by Senjak and Dorotea. It doesn't matter how you interact with them, they're demanding your stuff, and that's not going to happen. Before fighting can break out, Dorn will show up and take out several of the bandits before airing some dirty laundry. Dorotea and Senjak will attack along with their bandits, leaving you and Dorn united fighting a common foe. After the fight, ask Dorn to join up and he's yours. You'll take a two-point reputation hit for recruiting Dorn-just like Viconia. Note: If your protagonist is evil, say, Neutral Evil, like mine, you'd start the game with a reputation score of 9. If you then invited both Viconia and Dorn, you'd be sitting at a dangerous reputation of 5. Why dangerous? Well, when entering 'civilized' areas, there's a chance that a group of Flaming Fist Enforcers will show up to deal with people who have been really naughty-that's a reputation of five or lower. It might be a good idea to toss some gold into the donation bin at a church to rectify things before you find yourself tangling with powers greater than yourself. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 9) Recruit who you want to recruit, then, with your more complete party, head on back to Beregost, exit via the western edge of the area, and travel to High Hedge. o======================================================================o | | | High Hedge and En Route to Nashkel | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK005} 1) Recruiting Kivan 2) Perdue's Short Sword 3) Trading with Thalantyr 4) Abandoned House 5) Roe's Note 6) Wilderness Cave 7) Boots of Stealth 8) Nobody Calls me a Bandit and Gets Away With it! 9) Mr. Colquetle's Resolution 10) Onward, to Nashkel High Hedge (AR3200) o======================================================================o 1) The only real problem in this area are Skeletons, who spawn constantly and love to throw daggers at your party... which they are fairly lethal with, especially at these low levels. You also may encounter Wild Dogs, Gnolls, and in one specific area, Giant Spiders. At (x=3650, y=1470) you will find the Elven Ranger Kivan, who will join you if you say you're out to beat up bad guys. Recruit him or not, and head south. Note: Kivan's quest is to smash the Bandit Camp, which is quite a ways away. In effect, he's an early game character with a mid game quest requirement, which makes him less attractive as a party member. If you recruit him now, and follow the guide sequentially, there's little chance you'll make it to the Bandit Camp in time to satisfy Kivan. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** In the Enhanced Edition the number of foes you'll encounter randomly seems to be quite reduced... at least, it seems to be more dependent upon a combination of level and party size, whereas party size played a larger factor in the original game. Needless to say running into one dart-happy Skeleton with a full party isn't terribly threatening, but in the original game, running into a half-dozen of the meatless bastards could be an ordeal. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) You should now come across a large octagonal building with eight towers. Along the southern end you will run into some Gnolls, one of which will have Perdue's Short Sword. Take it back to him at the Red Sheaf Inn for the reward at your leisure. Continue around to the front of the house. ***REWARD*** (For returning Perdue's Short Sword) EXP 500 Gold 50 Thalantyr's House (AR3202) o======================================================================o 3) This is the abode of the wizard Thalantyr (x=2900, y=2600), and you may have heard of it from the Thief Permidion Stark who lurks to the north-west. As he mentions, Thalantyr has a pair of Flesh Golems that defend his shop, so when you go speak to him (x=240, y=270), make your way to the middle of the shop and talk to Thalantyr directly, before you do ANYTHING else. The Flesh Golems are hostile until you talk to Thalantyr (although in the Enhanced Edition the Flesh Golems don't seem to wander about), so don't dally. Once you get Thalantyr talking to you, (enter dialogue with him twice) the golems will not trouble you anymore. Thalantyr sells some nifty stuff-namely Mage gear, and until you reach Baldur's Gate he'll be your best source of Scrolls. Thalantyr also sells Robes of the Good and Neutral Archmagi, powerful defensive items that improve a Mage's Armor Class as if they were wearing Chain Mail. It's good stuff, but VERY expensive. You'll find some Robes of the Evil Archmagi later on in the game, but the Good and Neutral versions must be purchased here, so if you have a good or neutral Mage main character, or you dual-class Imoen, you're going to eventually want these. Remember, these robes are alignment conditional, so select your character in the shop dialogue before you buy them to see if they can use it first. He also sells an item that functions as a ring called 'The Claw of Kazgaroth', which gives a +1 bonus to Armor Class, +4 bonus to Armor Class versus Missiles, a +3 bonus to Saves versus Wands, Polymorph, Breath, and Spells, however it also imposes a -4 penalty to Saves versus Death and a -2 penalty to Constitution. This ring can be useful if you put it on a character with a 'neutral' Constitution, (a Constitution that will not cause the character to lose Hit Points). This is a range from 9 to 14. You still have to be wary of the Save versus Death penalty, but the perks might just outweigh the negatives if it doesn't cause you to lose Hit Points. Finally, he sells a Potion Case... it's like the Gem Bag, but for potions! Great for inventory management, if you want to carry around an apothecary full of potions at no weight, this item is for you. Perhaps one of the best things about Thalantyr's shop is the fact that he'll purchase almost anything, so he can end up becoming your one-stop shop for whatever you're selling. Keep him in mind, and use him as the resource that he is, it's for this reason we venture here so early. o===========o |Mage Spells| o===========o 1st-Armor 1st-Armor 1st-Blindness 1st-Blindness 1st-Burning Hands 1st-Burning Hands 1st-Charm Person 1st-Charm Person 1st-Chill Touch 1st-Chill Touch 1st-Chromatic Orb 1st-Chromatic Orb 1st-Color Spray 1st-Color Spray 1st-Friends 1st-Friends 1st-Grease 1st-Grease 1st-Identify 1st-Identify 1st-Infravision 1st-Infravision 1st-Larloch's Minor Drain 1st-Larloch's Minor Drain 1st-Magic Missile 1st-Magic Missile 1st-Protection from Evil 1st-Protection from Evil 1st-Protection from Petrification 1st-Protection from Petrification 1st-Shield 1st-Shield 1st-Shocking Grasp 1st-Shocking Grasp 1st-Sleep 1st-Sleep 1st-Spook --- 2nd-Deafness 2nd-Detect Invisibility 2nd-Detect Invisibility 2nd-Detect Invisibility 2nd-Horror 2nd-Horror 2nd-Horror 2nd-Invisibility 2nd-Invisibility 2nd-Invisibility 2nd-Luck 2nd-Luck 2nd-Luck 2nd-Mirror Image 2nd-Mirror Image 2nd-Mirror Image 2nd-Power Word, Sleep 2nd-Ray of Enfeeblement 2nd-Resist Fear 2nd-Resist Fear 2nd-Resist Fear 2nd-Strength 2nd-Strength 2nd-Strength --- 3rd-Flame Arrow 3rd-Flame Arrow 3rd-Flame Arrow 3rd-Hold Person 3rd-Hold Person 3rd-Hold Person 3rd-Hold Undead 3rd-Minor Spell Deflection 3rd-Protection from Cold 3rd-Protection from Fire 3rd-Skull Trap 3rd-Skull Trap 3rd-Skull Trap 3rd-Vampiric Touch 3rd-Vampiric Touch 3rd-Vampiric Touch Note from Peter: Thalantyr also sells Darts +1 of Acid, of Fire and of Ice, as well as Bullets +1 of Electricity, Fire or Ice. I've never seen them before in his shop, so I think they have been added in the newest patch of the Enhanced Edition. Note from Peter: You can steal a Potion of Fire Resistance and a Potion of Mind Focusing from Thalantyr. Abandoned Cabin (AR3201) o======================================================================o 4) North-west of High Hedge you'll find an abandoned cabin (x=1750, y=1550), around which Huge Spiders tend to congregate. Inside is a locked chest, which will probably force you to have either a Knock spell handy, or a very high open locks score on a Thief. Anyways, with that this area is done. Head to the area immediately south of Beregost. ***ITEMS*** (x=500, y=180) Aquamarine Gem Wilderness (AR3800) o======================================================================o 5) This area is pretty tame, populated by Gibberlings and Hobgoblins mostly. You do have to be wary, however, as the odd Hobgoblin Elite will show up. They are tougher Hobgoblins, that are fond of shooting you with poisoned arrows. You can also find the odd Ghoul or Ghast milling around. Ghouls and Ghasts can paralyze you, and if one manages to, chances are it'll make quick work of that character before you can put the undead beastie down (at least, at these tender, low levels). Ghasts are a bit tougher than Ghouls, but if you can take one down, the experience reward is pretty heft for this point in the game. Along the road you will find two Ogrillons at approximately (x=3900, y=1500). They've got decent Hit Points, but nothing for Armor Class. Still, they can hit pretty hard... I don't know why, they have typically loved pulping up one of my characters. They are, however, susceptible to Sleep. One of them will have a Scroll on it, destined for Mirianne. You can turn it in to her at your leisure... and since town is still nearby... ah, it's up to you. ***REWARD*** (For delivering the note to Mirianne) EXP 300 Item Ring of the Princes +1 Cave (AR3802) o======================================================================o 6) In the south-western area of the map you'll find a cave (x=1800, y=2200). Inside you'll find a bunch of harmless rats and a crate which contains some loot. ***ITEMS*** (x=300, y=150) Potion of Healing x5, 29 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) Just south of the cave you will find a group of Hobgoblins, one of which has the boots 'Worn Whispers' (aka: Boots of Stealth). Kindly relieve him of his boots and carry on. If you want, you can turn these into Zhurlong for his reward. Frankly however, it's not worth the loss of those boots. The best option? Give him the boots, then kill him and take them back. No reputation lost, and the added satisfaction of killing the bugger. ***REWARD*** (For returning Zhurlong's boots) EXP 300 Gold 100 (Plus whatever he previously stole from you) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) Towards the southern end of the map along the road you'll be approached by a trio of Flaming Fist Mercenaries, one of which will accuse you of banditry. You can talk your way out of a fight by selecting dialogue options #1 and #3, but see those shiny suits of Plate Mail they have? Wouldn't that look just spiffy on some of your party members? It would. Pick a fight by choosing dialogue options #2 or #3. These Flaming Fist Mercenaries fairly tough, but if you've got a Cleric, a simple Command spell should be enough to drop one long enough to kill one. Repeat, loot their armor, then exit this area on the southern edge of the map to continue south towards Nashkel. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** In the original game, killing this Flaming Fist Mercenary resulted in a free suit of Plate Mail Armor. In earlier versions of the Enhanced Edition, killing him caused you to suffer a reputation loss, so we avoided it. Then Overhaul games removed the reputation penalty, making this fight a source of free Plate Mail once again. In the most recent patch Overhaul Games suffered a fit of cleverness by deciding to give the Flaming Fist Mercenary a pair of friends... perhaps to deter armor-hungry players from misdeeds? They failed. This encounter is now a way to score three suits of Plate Mail early in the game. Wilderness (AR4300) o======================================================================o 9) There's not much to recommend in this area. It's mostly populated by Hobgoblins, but you might run into the odd Bandit, Kobold, or Hobgoblin Elite here, including a camp of Hobgoblins at around (x=3300, y=700). West of this Hobgoblin camp you'll find the body of a man, a woman, and a child-be sure to grab the 'Colquetle's Family Amulet' at (X=2680, y=870). This item will inform Mr. Colquetle of his family's fate, unfortunate as it is. I'll let you return there at your leisure, but will record the quest reward here. If you pick dialogue option #2 when talking to Mr. Colquetle (referring to some 'fools' who dared the road to Nashkel, and gloating about profiting from their deaths) he'll throw a fit, and you'll lose a point of reputation. Pick dialogue options #1 or #3 and you'll get another three choices to choose from. Options #2 and #3 (asking for money or refusing to give the amulet outright) likewise results in a reputation hit. On the other hand, option #1 will earn you a reputation boost and a small experience reward. The amulet itself sells for about 150 gold, if it matters at all. ***REWARD*** (For giving Mr. Colquetle his son's amulet) EXP 250 Reputation +1 ---or--- ***REWARD*** (For being greedy) Reputation -1 Note from Peter: I've encountered a Vampiric Wolf once in this area. Unfortunately I couldn't kill him at this point in the game. Note from Peter: By the way, Lord Foreshadow doesn't just refere to Neverwinter Nights, he also refers to Baldur's Gate II. He mentions that Atkathla may become very famous in the future. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 10) As far as noteworthy events and NPCs in (AR4300) go, you can find Lord Foreshadow mentioning the then-upcoming Neverwinter Nights (what a disappointing game that turn out to be...), and Portalbendarwinden (x=4040, y=2790), who has some interesting prophetic dialogue, but nothing essential. If you do run into any Bandits, keep their scalps. They might not be worth much now (although Thalantyr will buy them) but after Chapter 2 you can cash them in for 50 gold a scalp, which can really add up. Exit along the southern edge of the map and continue on to the Carnival outside of Nashkel, where we will end the first chapter. o======================================================================o | Chapter 2 | o======================================================================o | | | Nashkel and the Carnival | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK006} 1) Carnival Fun! 2) The Stone Maiden 3) Zordral's Revenge 4) Stupid Thief... 5) The Amazing Oopah! 6) You Get What you Pay For 7) Nashkel and Ankheg Armor 8) Roundhousin' Rasaad 9) Another Assassin in Nashkel Inn 10) Pelts and Shields 11) Meeting the Mayor 12) He's Not Quite Dead Yet... 13) Temple of Helm 14) Garrison Looting 15) Mistaken Identity 16) Mad Minsc 17) Encountering Edwin 18) The Belching Dragon Tavern 19) Joseph's Wife 20) Looting the Manor House 21) Annoying Noober Shortly after beginning this chapter you'll get a dream upon resting. Besides being disturbing, you'll find yourself endowed with a special ability when you wake up. If your reputation is bad (9-), you'll get an offensive spell; if you're reputation is good (10+), you'll get a healing or defensive spell. I've listed the spells you gain below, even though they are listed earlier in the FAQ. You don't need to get all the good or evil spells, you can, for instance, have a good reputation the first two chapters and get the Cure Light Wounds, and in the next chapter drop your reputation and receive Ghoul Touch... although why you'd want to do that is beyond me. In general, the good abilities are much better than the evil abilities, although it is fun to use the regenerating Kagain as a Hit Point cow, sapping some of his life away with Larloch's to heal your protagonist... it's still not nearly as efficient as just having Cure Light Wounds. Chapter 2 Cure Light Wounds (GOOD) Larloch's Minor Drain (EVIL) Chapter 3 Cure Light Wounds (GOOD) Larloch's Minor Drain (EVIL) Chapter 4 Slow Poison (GOOD) Ghoul Touch (EVIL) Chapter 5 Slow Poison (GOOD) Ghoul Touch (EVIL) Chapter 6 Draw Upon Holy Might (GOOD) Vampiric Touch (EVIL) Chapter 7 Draw Upon Holy Might (GOOD) Vampiric Touch (EVIL) Nashkel Carnival (AR4900) o======================================================================o 1) After all that marching, what better way to relieve your stress than by visiting the local carnival? This area is pretty tame, as well it should be, but you do have to be wary of the odd group of Kobolds lurking around. In some of the tents are merchants, which sell mostly mundane gear. In the tent at (x=2520, y=2800) you'll find a merchant who will sell some magical trinkets, but it was never anything I found necessary. If you steal from an occupied tent, chances are you're going to bring trouble in the form of the watch. Still, if you make a quick enough exit... ***ITEMS*** (AR4900) (x=3580, y=2100) Long Sword, Short Sword (x=3640, y=2100) 56 gold (x=3500, y=2400) 26 gold (x=2700, y=2880) Spear x2 (x=2470, y=2850) 21 gold --- (AR4901) (x=550, y=350) Battle Axe, Battle Axe, Battle Axe, Splint Mail (x=650, y=400) Long Sword, Long Sword --- (AR4907) (x=300, y=150) Dagger --- (AR4908) (x=150, y=170) 9 gold --- (AR4909) (x=300, y=150) Quarterstaff <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) At (x=3050, y=3100) you'll find a Halfling named Zeke trying to peddle a Stone to Flesh scroll off for 500 gold, with the idea that whomever has the scroll can use it to turn the 'stone warrior maiden' (x=3250, y=2890) back into flesh... a 'stone warrior maiden' who would then be very 'grateful'. Despite the fact that this is rather sadistic, it's also outrageously overpriced for a scroll you can buy at any temple for less. If you want the 'stone warrior maiden', it's cheaper and more satisfying to steal the scroll from Zeke. Once done, equip the scroll in a quick slot and use it on the statue. Zeke might be an evil bastard (go ahead, use detect evil), but his scroll works fine. And behold Branwen, warrior-priest from the Norheim isles, entrapped in stone by one Tranzig (who wants to bet we'll see that name again?) She'll join you if you let her, and she wants revenge on her captor. Fair enough. Take her along... or not, it's up to you. She's a decent Cleric, and I've played through the game with her before. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** If you snatch the scroll from Zeke, he'll now leave, complaining "There's nothing I can do. Nothing..." Previously, he didn't seem to notice his one object of interest was no longer in his possession, and would continue to try to sell it right up until Branwen started walking around. Bentha's Tent (AR4906) o======================================================================o 3) Inside a tent at (x=2270, y=3050) you'll find a Mage named Zordral, who is having a bit of a 'disagreement' with another Mage, Bentha. Zordral will threaten to slay her by finishing his incantation. If you insult his ability and intelligence, he'll turn on you. If you reason with him or play on his morality, he'll just kill her, so pick dialogue options #1 and #1 to provoke him. He's pretty rough for a weak party, like Tarnesh, so get on top of him early, and stay on top of him. If he gets off a Mirror Image and a Horror on a low level party, you're probably going to have to reload. When he dies he'll drop a Knave's Robe, a Scroll of Armor, a Scroll of Color Spray, a Quarter Staff, and 79 gold. This robe will go well on my main character... or another Mage, if you have one. Talk to Bentha. If you ask for information, she'll tell you about Volo; what a waste... If you ask for trinkets, she'll give you an Antidote. If you take the high road and say that a good deed is enough, she'll give you a Potion of Heroism. It pays to be good! On the other hand, if Zordral kills Bentha she'll drop both potions, plus an Angel Skin Ring, a Quarter Staff, 24 gold, and a Mage Robe of Electrical Resistance... which is easily more lucrative than saving her. Just sayin'. ***ITEMS*** (x=150, y=200) 15 gold (x=300, y=150) Quarterstaff (x=400, y=250) History of Shadowdale, Throwing Dagger x1, 20 gold ***REWARD*** (For saving Bentha from Zordral) Information (lame) ---or--- Item Antidote ---or--- Item Potion of Heroism Gambling Tent (AR4903) o======================================================================o 4) There's another tent at (x=1550, y=2950) you should enter. Upon entering a Thief named Vitiare will try and rob you. Attack him before he reaches you and loot his corpse. You'll gain a Potion of Healing, a Potion of Master Thievery, a Potion of Agility, a Dagger, and 73 gold. I hate that guy. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** Vitiare will now turn hostile and fight back if you attack him. This is a good thing, because he's a wussmaster. Previously he'd just walk up and snipe some gold from you before vanishing, ignoring your attacks as he approached. Only by killing him before he reached you could you avoid theft and gain his goodies. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 5) At (x=1290, y=3200) you'll find 'The Great Gazib', a Mage who manages 'The Amazing Oopah', the world's only exploding ogre! First rob Gazib for a Scroll of Blindness and a Scroll of Agannazar's Scorcher, if you care to. Once done, talk to Gazib several times to watch Oopah explode! Eventually Oopah will get sick of it and go on a rampage. Put Oopah down. This is really more amusing than rewarding. Note that 'The Great Gazib' is only around during the day. If you want to see Ogres explode, you need to do so during normal business hours. Also, be sure to pick up whatever typical Ogre loot Oopah drops. Merchant's Tent (AR4905) o======================================================================o 6) In a tent at (x=1870, y=3500) you'll find a merchant peddling some potions. Both sell for 50 gold a piece, and the violet will give you a 'titan's strength', while the red will make 'your insights rival Elminster, your clarity of thought indefinitely enhanced.' Both of these potions do as he says, but they also come with pretty significant drawbacks. For instance, the violet potion gives you a Strength of 25, but sets your Dexterity and Constitution to 3, which completely nullifies its usefulness in combat (although if you want to smash open crates and chests...) The red potion gives you 25 Intelligence, but sets your Wisdom and Strength to 3, also giving you 50% resistance to all magical damage. Both potions last 24 hours. Of course, you could always steal the potions. He also has some chests to loot, which actually contain some nice items. He'll call the guards on you for looting the big chest (x=200, y=200) but not the small chest (x=320, y=200). Figures. Steal and flee. Now it's time to head to Nashkel (AR4800). ***ITEMS*** (x=200, y=200) Potion of Fire Resistance, Potion of Invulnerability, Potion of Invisibility, Potion of Healing, 208 gold (x=320, y=200) Potion of Fire Giant Strength, Potion of Heroism, 230 gold Nashkel (AR4800) o======================================================================o 7) Head south across the bridge, where an Amnish soldier will initiate dialogue with you. They're pretty tense in Nashkel, and for good reason: their miners are disappearing and what little ore they get out of it is tainted. This is kind of bad for a mining town. Also, the commander of the guard-Brage-has apparently murdered his family and gone missing. Sounds like Nashkel needs a hero, eh? But a hero needs better arms and armor, and thanks to Mr. Rozzo (yet again) we're about to get some of the latter. Ignore the bridge and head to the west, then go south along the western edge of the map until you find a plowed field. Near a small coniferous tree at (x=185, y=2745) you'll find a buried Pearl and a suit of Ankheg Plate Mail. Normally we'd get our hands on this armor a bit later in the game, but to get this armor so early, and for free... It's as good of a find as the Evermemory ring we found outside the Friendly Arm Inn. Seriously, this is some of the best armor in the entire game, with its Armor Class of 1 and weight of 25, you could easily end up wearing this until the closing credits. It's even better in the Enhanced Edition for two reasons-first, it has a low Strength requirement of eight. Even Viconia can (and should) strap this on. Second-you can now wear protection items with it... you know, Rings of Protection... err... I mean, 'Ring of the Princes +1'. So stupid... anyways, in the original game it counted as magical armor, which prevented it from being paired with other magical protections. Now, apparently, it's just super-spiffy mundane armor made from superior materials. Score. Again, thanks to Mr. Rozzo for this find, I don't know how, but in numerous playthroughs I've never found this... I guess I'm just not so observant? Of course, it's easier to find this crap in the Enhanced Edition since you can highlight interactable objects by pressing the 'tab' key. I put this armor on Viconia, since she's got such a low Strength score she really doesn't have many other options. Don't worry, we'll be getting another one soon enough. ***ITEMS*** (x=185, y=2745) Pearl, Ankheg Plate Mail Note from Peter: It seems you can steal some minor trinkets from all the Amnish Soldiers in Nashkell. I stole a Sphene Gem, 47 gold, a gold ring, a silver necklace and a scroll of 'Invisibility'. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) Backtrack to the north, then cross the bridge to the south. Over at (x=1090, y=780) you'll find a Monk named Rasaad impressing the local hicks with super round-house kick entertainment. If you're foolish enough to talk to him, he'll babble on about his... Monkdom, and will even enjoy some playful banter with Viconia. Ah... religion, fostering hostility between people to appease imaginary friends... Anyways, if you ask Rasaad to join, he will. Fun. Enter the Nashkel Inn at (x=1370, y=600). Nashkel Inn (AR4801) o======================================================================o 9) Once inside a woman named Neira will approach your party. Behold, another head-hunter! She's a Cleric, and if she gets off a Hold Person spell, she could cause trouble. The tactics? Same as the Mages. Hit her early, hit her often, and disrupt her spell casting. Of course she has a better Armor Class, but the principle still works. Taking her down is easier if you lure her outside and surround her, and throwing a Command spell at her won't hurt either. She'll drop The Eyes of Truth (aka: Helm of Infravision), a suit of Splint Mail, a Medium Shield, a Club, and another bounty notice. I put the Helmet on Ajantis, but really it'll work on any Human who can wear a helmet. ***ITEMS*** (x=300, y=200) 7 gold (x=580, y=220) 9 gold (x=680, y=380) 5 gold (x=700, y=150) 4 gold (x=800, y=300) 8 gold Nashkel Store (AR4803) o======================================================================o 10) Now head out of the building and down the road to the next building, the Nashkel Store (x=1680, y=800). You don't really need to BUY anything in here except ammunition, which you will need quite a bit of for the next walkthrough sequence, so be sure to stock up. The owner will tell you about a fabulous money-making opportunity... he'll pay 500 gold for every Winter Wolf pelt you bring him. Nice. But more immediately rewarding... He's got Large Shields +1 for sale... or rather, Large Shields +1 that can be stolen. It might take some time, since my pick-pockets score is abysmal no matter what party/protagonist I'm playing, but just save the game if you manage to steal one, and reload if he catches you. You won't find better shields until Baldur's Gate, so it's worth the effort. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** The Storekeep has a better way to deal with pick-pockets in the Enhanced Edition-instead of going hostile and getting himself killed, he'll now summon a half-dozen or so Amnish Soldiers... which results in either you bribing them off for 200 gold or fighting. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 11) Exit the building and head down the road. Outside the Temple of Helm you'll be approached by Berrun Ghastkill, the mayor of Nashkel. He will ask you to investigate the mines, which is the task both Jaheira/Khalid and Montaron/Xzar are interested in... and talking to Berrun about it will at least shut them up for a while. There's still plenty to do before we head into the mines, however. Agree to explore the mines and continue on. Note from Peter: I pick-pocketed a Potion of Healing from Berrun Ghastkill. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 12) Now for a fun (and perhaps fatal) little easter-egg. Bothering one of the tombstones (x=2920, y=1280) outside the Temple of Helm will cause a Mage named Daer'Ragh to appear and threaten you. Click on it again and he will summon a host of Phoenix Guards for you to play with. When you kill one, it'll explode... and at this level, well, it's really just a way for you to commit suicide... ...or is it? Jeff has some ideas for how we can exploit the Phoenix Guards, should you wish to give it a try: "After turning in the emeralds from Prism to Oublek, you can summon the Phoenix Guards and explode them near him. Thus you can then loot his corpse back for the two emeralds. You can now also lure them into the Barracks and kill them there to take out the guards, thus you can loot the barracks without consequences. They can also be used to kill the wandering Ammish soldiers so you can loot their armor and weapons. In all a good time. Just make sure you don't kill Berrun Ghastkill by accident before completing the Nashkel mines." I do like sneaky ruthlessness in these games, but playing tag with exploding foes to score a few hundred gold worth of loot just doesn't seem worth it, to me. Your call, though. Temple of Helm (AR4802) o======================================================================o 13) Now for the temple itself (x=2800, y=880)... like in reality the huge, opulent temple that dominates this small, poverty-ridden country town is also one of the least interesting places in Nashkel. Inside you'll find Nalin (x=570, y=320) who will prostitute his priestly services... you know, heal you for a price, identify for a price, sell some potions and Scrolls of Stone to Flesh, and charitably accept donations. Damn churches... for something that claims to be so concerned with the spiritual realm, they sure like material wealth. Garrison (AR4810) o======================================================================o 14) Over at (x=3350, y=1700) you'll find the Nashkel garrison, wherein you can find plenty of Amnish Soldiers, including one salty fellow who yells at you when you enter. Respond with threats of your own and he'll back down, leaving you to loot, since there's really not much else to do in here. Just keep in mind that this place is crawling with soldiers- so don't expect to get away with stealing anything. They'll even call the guard... err... themselves... if you open an empty chest! So if you want something, grab it quickly and run. ***ITEMS*** (x=180, y=420) Dagger, 4 gold (x=230, y=450) Potion of Agility, 3 gold (x=360, y=550) Short Sword +1, 3 gold (x=520, y=480) 10 gold (x=300, y=330) Throwing Dagger x3, 3 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 15) Further down the road is a character named Oublek, who will offer you a reward of 200 gold for a job done by someone named Greywolf. If you don't take the money, you'll be thanked for your honesty, and gain a reputation increase. Or you could take the money, but Oublek will be sore with you from here on out. He will refuse to pay you one bounty entirely, and will only give you half the reward on another, so it's not really cost-effective in the long run to cheat him. You can also ask him about unclaimed bounties to hear about the artist Prism, and Commander Brage. We'll do both of these quests later. ***REWARD*** (For telling Oublek the truth) Reputation +1 ---or--- ***REWARD*** (For claiming Greywolf's reward) Gold 200 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 16) When you're done with Oublek continue south, where you'll run into a warrior named Minsc (x=3380, y=1950). Ah Minsc... Talk to him, and he'll ask you on a grand quest to save his 'charge', Dynaheir. If you want Minsc in your party, you have to do this quest for him, and in a fairly timely manner. Since Minsc (for the good party) and Edwin (for the evil party) are both characters I tend to include in my party, I end up doing this quest early... as you will see. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** Not really a massive change here, but something I wanted to point out. In the original game-and the earlier versions of the Enhance Edition, Misnc had white hair. Clearly the man is bald in his portrait, but alas, with the pathetically limited selection of hair colors on these sprites, there simply was apparently no better solution. I mean, white and bald are close... right? Anyways, now Minsc has a bald hair color... which is just flesh-tone hair. Makes their heads look a little mutant, but hey. Oh, Rasaad also benefits from this cosmetic change, but it's hard to give a crap about him. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 17) Head south-west until you come to a bridge. Standing on the bridge is a red-robed wizard named Edwin-by far the strongest recruitable Mage in both Baldur's Gate games. If you talk to him, he'll ask you to kill the witch Dynaheir... obviously Edwin and Minsc aren't going to be friends. No matter which one you take, you have to head off to the Gnoll Stronghold in the far south-western corner of the world map fairly quickly, lest they grow antsy and disband. So... that's what we'll do next. Once we're done in Nashkel, anyways. Even if you've decided you want to try to get Baeloth instead of Edwin, it's worthwhile to take Edwin now, anyways. You'll need a Mage for the evil party until you can actually recruit Baeloth, after all. Note: It is possible to satisfy both Edwin and Minsc, so if you want both, take both. Belching Dragon Tavern (AR4809) o======================================================================o 18) Just north of the bridge is the Belching Dragon Tavern (x=2750, y=2350), inside of which you'll find Volo (x=400, y=350), another Forgotten Realms staple who is nothing more than a stale character created to provide some personality to some campaign modules. Still, random titters of his litter the game manual, and if Elminster made it into the game, why not Volo? At least he's not another character ripped from an R.A. Salvatore novel. Anyways, he'll tell you-at length- about the trouble at the mines (and with the iron trade in the region in general) and about the old captain of the guard in Nashkel. You can also lift an Aquamarine Gem off of him. Yep... that's uh, that's it for this place. Really. Joseph's House (AR4806) o======================================================================o 19) Continue south until you reach the house at (x=4200, y=2900). Talk to the commoner walking around. You can hold her up, decreasing your reputation, but there's really no point. You can ask her about the mines too, and she will tell you about her husband Joseph, and ask you to look for his Greenstone Ring. Might as well, since you're inevitably going through there. ***ITEMS*** (AR4800) (x=4250, y=2970) 6 gold --- (AR4806) (x=200, y=250) 1 gold (x=650, y=320) Battle Axe, 2 gold Manor House (AR4804)/(AR4805) o======================================================================o 20) Now head to the north-eastern corner of the map to find the 'Manor House' at (x=4730, y=500). Do some looting for some interesting treats. If you flirt with Samantha too much, or declare yourselves to be assassins, she'll call upon her secret lover 'Jamie', who was apparently hiding in the closet. He'll foolishly pick a fight with you- before realizing that he's naked. Samantha will make a shameless sexual pun and the two will run off. ***ITEMS*** (AR4804) (x=350, y=450) 35 gold (x=750, y=470) Scroll of Magic Missile, Scroll of Chill Touch, Scroll of Shield --- (AR4805) (x=150, y=350) History of Shadowdale, 9 gold (x=510, y=300) Potion of Invisibility, 20 gold (x=350, y=400) tainted Potion of Healing, 33 gold ***ENHANCED EDITION*** In the original game, Jamie actually would fight you-and Samantha would turn hostile, too. This would almost certainly end in reputation loss, so it was best not to even bother talking with her. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 21) Head across the bridge towards the western edge of Nashkel. A goober named Noober will annoy you. If you are patient and withstand his barrage of inane questions you'll get some experience... so just wait him out. When he's done, there are two farm houses (AR4807) (x=1620, y=3020) and (AR4808) (x=620, y=2220) with some very minor loot within and around them. Once done, exit the map via the western edge of the area and travel to the area that appears on the world map, near the river. ***ITEMS*** (AR4807) (x=300, y=200) Silver Ring, 4 gold --- (AR4800) (x=770, y=2370) Dagger, 3 gold --- (AR4808) (x=120, y=220) Throwing Axe, 23 gold (x=220, y=140) Chain Mail, Battle Axe (x=400, y=120) Silver Necklace Note: Final warning, we're going to be gone a while, so be sure to have lots of ammo with you, and perhaps some spare melee weapons, in case any break during the trip. Nothing will suck more than making it to the Gnoll Stronghold, only to have no arrows, and Fighters with broken weapons. Well... perhaps something could suck more, but I dare not think of it. And by 'lots of ammo', I don't mean full quivers, I mean full quivers plus... oh... a few stacks in the inventory of each archer... just in case. ***REWARD*** (For enduring Noober) EXP 400 Note from Peter: It's easier and quicker when you keep talking to Noober instead of waiting for him to talk to you. o======================================================================o | | | The Gnoll Stronghold Expedition | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK007} 1) Xvart Genocide 2) Ursa the Cave Bear 3) Cave Raid 4) Beating Borda 5) Neville's Ambush 6) The North Bridge 7) Fat Happy Ogre 8) Laurel's Crusade 9) Jared's Bear 10) Ogre Bridge 11) Storming the Gnoll Stronghold 12) Killing the Gnoll Chief (and Friends) 13) Dynaheir 14) The Southern Caves 15) What Next? Wilderness (AR4700) o======================================================================o 1) You can utterly skip this area if you're on your way to the Gnoll Stronghold by hugging the southern edge of the map and exiting out the western edge of the area. For continuity, however, I will cover the area in its entirity here, and there's certainly nothing here a low-level party can't handle... at least, not without a little luck and some strategy. Head south-west until you find a path leading north. Up this path is a Xvart village just waiting to be massacred. Kill everything you see, heading west when you've clear the way. Note from Lee: Bottleneck the pass at (x=3550, y=2100) and let the stupid Xvarts come to you. Set your ranged characters behind and your melee fighters blocking the pass, and the Xvarts will just keep coming until there are no more left. If they stop coming, simply walk a fighter forward a few steps and the next batch will show up. I took almost no damage this way. Oh, and remember to grab the coins, etc, from the bodies - individually they don't carry much, but when you have this many of them it adds up. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) When you head deeper into the Xvart village, a Xvart named 'Nexlit the Xvart' will approach you and sick the Xvart's pet bear 'Ursa' on you. Unfortunately for the Xvarts, Ursa is far more interested in attacking little blue dorks than our party. Take down Ursa while she's focusing on Nexlit, then sweep up. Cave (AR4701) o======================================================================o 3) Go north-east of the Xvart village and enter the cave at (x=4300, y=900). Inside is another Cave Bear, and for some reason the game likes to put your weak party members near the bear. Enter with just one character and lure the stupid bear out to face you on better strategic terms. Command works well, if it's giving you any trouble. When it's dead, loot the cave and leave. The Flail +1 goes to my good protagonist, and the Bracers of Defense A.C. 8 go to either protagonist. Favoritism? Not really. More like common sense, in this case. My good protagonist is one of the few characters who actually uses the Flail Proficiency, and none of the other characters who can cast Mage spells (and hence, can't wear armor) have any business being in melee combat. Note from Lee: Enter with only your strongest fighters and move them up into position; then go out and bring your weaker/ranged characters in. This overcomes the problem of having your weaker characters immediately exposed upon entering. You need to do this quickly, as the bear will attack your fighters while you're out getting the rest of the party, but if you do it right you'll be able to take down the bear without severely jeopardizing your weaker characters. I suppose it's possible to take down the bear with just the strong melee fighters; I didn't try that. ***ITEMS*** (x=300, y=150) Flail +1, Potion of Fire Resistance, Bracers of Defense A.C. 8 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) In the western area of the map you'll find a con-man named Borda, (x=690, y=1620) who will try and sell you what amounts to magical junk for a total of 150 gold. A better option? Kill him and take all his stuff. He's not a nice person anyhow. He's a rather brutal opponent at this stage in the game, and if he gets off spells, you're in trouble. Hit him with missile fire and hope for the best. His first goal is to get up Mirror Image, followed by Horror and several rounds of Magic Missile, which will kill any low-level character. Casting Remove Fear before you talk to him will make this fight much easier. Don't bother using offensive spells, however, as his Magic Resistance is an absurd 100%. There's no real justification that I can think of for why his Magic Resistance is so high-the gear he has certainly doesn't provide any. If he's proving too much for you to handle, there's really no shame in avoiding him for now and coming back when you're stronger. If you can get him to focus his Magic Missiles on Viconia (preferably one who has leveled up to level three or four) there's a good chance she'll resist enough of the damage to survive, and if you heal after she takes damage, it's possible to force him to waste all of his offensive spells on her. When he falls he'll leave behind a Scroll of Web, a Scroll of Color Spray, a Cursed Scroll of Petrification, a Cursed Scroll of Weakness, a tainted Potion of Healing, a Short Sword +1, and 74 gold. The Short Sword +1 will set Imoen up temporarily, the scrolls will go nicely on any Mage, and overall, it's a nice haul. By the way, the crappy stuff is what he was planning on selling you... We're much better off killing him, no? Wilderness (AR4600) o======================================================================o 5) This area is a bit trickier to skip if you're trying to get right to the Gnoll Stronghold... head south along the eastern side of the map and exit out the bottom. You'll probably have to deal with Jared and his bear problem (Step #9, below), but it's nothing you can't handle. If you want to explore the entire area, read on. In the north-eastern area of this map you'll find a bandit named Neville (x=3800, y=850). If you're nice to him (dialogue options #1 or #2), he'll attack, along with his Hobgoblin buddies. If you threaten to rob him and kill his buddies (dialogue option #3), he'll find it amusing, skim some money from you, and you'll get 100 experience. It's more rewarding to just kill him and his buddies, however, and you get to keep your money (not to mention your dignity!). So pick a fight and drop a Sleep spell on his Hobgoblin buddies and get to killing. Neville himself can be a bit of a problem, and he should be considered more than a match for any of your Fighters at this point in the game; still, it's nothing a Command spell won't fix. His Hobgoblin buddies have typical Hobgoblin gear. Neville has a suit of Chainmail, a Scroll of Dispel Magic (nice!), a Long Sword +1, his scalp, and 65 gold. The Long Sword should go... well, to whomever can use it. Khalid, Shar-Teel, or my evil protagonist are all good choices. Once they are dead and looted, head to the northern bridge. ***REWARD*** (For amusing Neville the bandit) EXP 100 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) This bridge is crawling with Hobgoblin Elites (poisoned arrows, remember?) and Ogre Berserkers... you don't want to melee the Ogres in a fair fight without a negative Armor Class and 30ish Hit Points. Fortunately, we need not resort to a fair fight-use spells like Sleep (again, the win-all spell for low-level combat), Command, or Entangle. You can also try and bring the foes into sight one at a time and attempt to lure the Ogres away from the less sturdy Hobgoblins, or even try to cast a Sleep spell just outside of their sight radius and rush them when they're incapacitated. Remember the prime tactic when dealing with pesky archers: send a high Armor Class, shielded party member up front and try to engage them in melee. If you didn't remember that tactic from earlier, it's because I just said it for the first time here. Anyways, when you're done murdering, cross the bridge to the west. Note: We've dispatched enough weak foes by now to establish their random drops-weaklings like Gibberlings, Hobgoblins, Xvarts can drop gold, low- level gems and jewelry, poor-quality potions, and 1st-level Mage spell scrolls. Ogre Berserkers are one type of critter that belongs in a higher echelon of foe-and hence are capable of dropping superior loot. The best of such superior loot includes higher-quality gems and jewelry and up to 2nd-level Mage scrolls (even the coveted Knock spell, if you're very, very lucky.) All creatures that drop random loot and give 650+ experience can drop such goodies, and examples include Ankhegs, Ghasts, and especially Ogre Mages. When fighting such critters, be on the look-out for loot an keep your fingers crossed. You'll probably score a few moderate-quality gems and jewelry and some less-useful 2nd-level spell scrolls, but if you can score, say, a Laeral's Tear Necklace or a Scroll of Knock, then good on you. Note from Lee: I was able to lure the enemies out one at a time, and didn't have to use any spells; I only got into melee once. Set your ranged characters in a line from (x=3330, y=1150) to (x=3420, y=1100); set two strong fighters in blocking positions in front of them; and send your other fighter-type up slowly until you spot a single foe. Then, once it starts moving toward you, run back into formation with the other fighters and mow down the baddie with missile fire. The fighters are there only to block anything getting thru, and shouldn't have to fight at all. Repeat until the bridge and surrounding area is clear. HAVE ANTIDOTES READY - YOU WILL TAKE A HIT OR TWO FROM POISONED ARROWS!! <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) In the north-western part of the map is an Ogre (x=400, y=920) who is eating and hence, too busy to fight. Talk to him again when he is 'fat-happy' and he'll indulge your violent inclinations. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) At (x=1280, y=1100) you'll find Laurel, a female Paladin who wants your help exterminating a Gibberling horde. Accept her offer when she invites you to help, and her 'horde' will arrive shortly. One Sleep spell is good enough to disable most of them. Once the Gibberlings are vanquished, talk to Laurel again for some experience. If your reputation is low when you talk to her, she'll identify you as rogues, and declare that it's her duty to exterminate you. Killing her isn't as rewarding as you think, as she coughs up laughable experience and will drop your reputation. You will, however, score some Plate Mail armor. Now head to the south-eastern corner of the map. ***REWARD*** (For helping Laurel fight the Gibberling horde) EXP 250 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 9) A nobleman named Jared will approach you, asking you to kill a hostile bear across the bridge, promising to give you anything should you succeed. At this stage in the game, you might want to use Entangle, and shoot it down with missile weapons. Return to the nobleman for your reward. If you have high Charisma and/or a good reputation, he'll give you his boots-The Frost's Embrace (aka: Boots of the North). If not, he'll be less rewarding and just fork over 50 gold... If he doesn't cough up the boots, I suggest you steal them from him, or kill him and take them. These boots... aren't really all that useful. Cold attacks are rare, but they do happen from time to time as projectiles, such as when fighting Winter Wolves. Put them on a front line Fighter, particularly one who is not well protected against missiles. Now it's time to head on to the Gnoll Stronghold; exit the screen via the southern edge of the map. ***REWARD*** (For killing the bear for Jared) EXP 150 Gnoll Stronghold (AR5100) o======================================================================o 10) Once you reach the Gnoll Stronghold, you'll be on a small ledge in front of a bridge. As fitting, Gnolls spawn here constantly, so be careful when resting or back tracking. Make sure you're ready to go now, rather than allowing yourself to be at half strength later. This area is populated by a variety of Gnolls and Xvarts, neither of which are terribly dangerous in small numbers. Head across the bridge, where two half-ogres-Gnarl and Hairtooth-will be waiting. Gnarl will attempt to initiate dialogue with you, and if he succeeds, he'll demand you pay 200 gold to get across the bridge. You can talk him down to 100 gold, and pay him... which will get you some experience (I presume for talking him down?) Still, losing 100 gold isn't my idea of fun, and they leave when you pay, which is even worse! Besides, Hairtooth has a truly indispensable defensive item that you simply cannot let walk away. So, pick a fight with them by refusing to pay, or by continuing to drop the price. You can lure Gnarl away by simply walking back across the bridge when he tries to talk to you. Let Gnarl 'catch' you when he's out of sight of his buddy, and whomp him, then return and dispatch Hairtooth. The half-ogre Gnarl possesses a Potion of Hill Giant Strength, a Potion of Cold Resistance, an Iol Gem, a Bastard Sword, and 20 gold. Hairtooth has The Brawling Hands and 67 gold. The Gauntlets of Dexterity: The Brawling Hands raise one character's Dexterity to 18, and in the case of some characters (Ajantis, Kagain, Minsc) to name a few, can drastically raise their Dexterity, and thus, their Armor Class. Such a powerful tool, gained so early... It's good stuff. Give them to an Armor Class deficient front-line Fighter. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 11) Continue to the north-west, slaying Gnolls as you go. Keep going up the stairs to the west until you come across a small staircase going north. Go up the stairs and smash the Gnolls that are doubtlessly waiting up top. Watch out for crappy path finding. Narrow stair-cases plus enemies on top means jams, and jams mean your party members will try to find alternate paths. Party members walking around aimlessly will spawn more Gnolls, and cause problems. Note from Lee: At the narrow staircase north, I line up my archers across from the bottom and my stronger melee fighters at the foot of the stairs, then send one fighter up and draw the Gnolls down one or two at a time. When done like this, they are cheese - the archers take them all down and the fighters have to do extremely little. One drawback - if you're light on arrows, you could end up screwed for the rest of this area. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** Like the Skeletons in High Hedge, the number of Gnolls you'll encounter here seems to be greatly reduced in the Enhanced Edition. This makes this run much less trouble than it used to be. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 12) Now continue east, where a tough group of Gnolls awaits, including a Gnoll Cheiftain. Use the narrow path to bottle-neck them. Really, one good Sleep spell can pretty much end this fight. Keep heading east until all the Gnolls in the area are dead. The Gnoll Chieftain has a Fire Opal Ring, an Angel Skin Ring, a Halberd, and 29 gold. Note from Lee: Same strategy here, sort of... Align archers in back and fighters as blockers, then send one fighter forward and draw in the Gnolls one or two at a time into the bottleneck. The idiots will just keep coming that way, and you can mow them down with missile fire and never take a hit. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 13) Dynaheir is at the bottom of one of the pits at (x=2530, y=1450). If Edwin is in your party, he'll demand that you kill Dynaheir, and will leave if you don't. If you make them both settle their differences, they'll fight until only one side remains. If you attack Dynaheir, Minsc will turn on you, if he happens to be present. Of course, if you disband Edwin, THEN recruit Dynaheir, and reinvite Edwin, you can have all three in your party. I prefer to kill her (if I'm recruiting Edwin) or allow her to join, then send her in front of the rest of the party to scout the rest of the Gnolls in the area (if I'm recruiting Minsc). Unfortunately, this tends to get her killed... shame that... Anyways, if you 'find' her for Edwin, you'll gain some quest experience. Edwin, however, is light on the reward, and so he decides that he'll serve you for a year to compensate... which is a worthy reward anyways. And don't worry about the 'year' thing, he's yours for the game, no matter how lazy you are. ***REWARD*** (For hunting down Dynaheir for Edwin) EXP 800 ---or--- ***REWARD*** (For rescuing Dynaheir) EXP 800 ***ENHANCED EDITION*** In the original game, if you killed Dynaheir for Edwin, Minsc would turn hostile on you no matter where he was-even if you left him all the way back in Nashkel. Now, it doesn't seem to matter. If you remove Dynaheir for Edwin, then talk to Minsc, he'll whine about Dynaheir being dead, but doesn't seem to know the cause. Long story short, he's got to get his honor back, and aims to do so by travelling around, smiting evil, and generally doing the kind of adventury stuff we're doing. It's Minsc without the dead weight of Dynaheir. Cliffside Caverns (AR5101)/(AR5102)/(AR5103) o======================================================================o 14) Now head to the cliffs south of the fortress. To get here, you'll need to leave the fortress entirely, and go south and west from the bridge where you obtained The Brawling Hands, earlier. You'll have to smite some Xvarts along the way, but it shouldn't be much of a problem by now. There are three caverns for your exploration pleasure: The cave at (x=570, y=2100) contains some Xvarts in the large main room, and a Carrion Crawler in a smaller room to the east. These critters don't do much damage, but they attack very quickly, and can paralyze you. A paralyzed character is in serious trouble next to a Carrion Crawler, so be careful when you fight them. The cave at (x=820, y=2400) houses more Xvarts-but thankfully no Carrion Crawlers. Kill the Xvarts and loot the crate. Of course, the important item is the Tome of Leadership and Influence, which permanently raises your Charisma by one point. No matter what attribute it effects, ALWAYS use Tomes on your main character. You'll get to keep those attribute increases into the sequel, provided you export your character to Baldur's Gate 2. Finally, the last cave at (x=130, y=3300) just shelters some petty Xvarts. Kill them, and rejoice. You are now officially done with the Gnoll Stronghold area. (AR5102) ***ITEMS*** (x=300, y=150) Potion of Healing x3, Scroll of Magic Missile, Scroll of Larloch's Minor Drain, Tome of Leadership and Influence, 95 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 15) Alright, we've explored the Gnoll Stronghold, and therefore have Minsc and Edwin for the rest of the game... in fact, we should have all of our permanent party members by now. That being the case, what's our next step? Well, we could go tackle the Nashkel Mines... However, I prefer to gather a few trinkets before I go. Namely, magical weapons. If you haven't noticed yet, your weapons sometimes break during combat, which is not fun. It's even less fun in the middle of a dungeon, or cave, or mine, where you can't run back and buy a new one. Oh, and it's annoying to have to run back and buy more weapons in any case. Magical weapons-aside from being more powerful-do not break. So we should find a magical melee weapon for every character in your party. Besides, it'll give you more experience and gold. I don't typically complete the Nashkel Mines until I'm level four or five anyways. Here's a list of the items I intend to grab BEFORE I head to the Nashkel Mines: Club +1 ------- Found in (AR5200). Halberd +1 ---------- Found in a cave (AR5202) in (AR5200). Girdle of Bluntness ------------------- Found in (AR5200). The Chesley Crusher ------------------- Found in (AR5200). Studded Leather Armor +2 ------------------------ Found in (AR5300). Long Sword +1 ------------- Found in (AR5300). Bracers of Archery ------------------ Found in (AR5300). Dagger +1 --------- Found in the Ankheg's Nest (AR1401) in (AR1400). Wand of Fire ------------ Found in the Ankheg's Nest (AR1401) in (AR1400). Chainmail +1 ------------ Found in the Ankheg's Nest (AR1401) in (AR1400). Flail +1 -------- Found in (AR1400). Ankheg Plate Mail ----------------- Made from Ankheg Shells, cost 4000 or 6000 gold, depending on patience. Two-Handed Sword +1 ------------------- Found in (AR4400). Ashideena +2 ------------ Found in (AR3700) The Whistling Sword +2 ---------------------- Found in (AR3700). Full Plate Mail --------------- Purchased from the Thunder Hammer Smithy, costs 4500+ gold. Dagger of Venom +2 ------------------ Purchased from the Thunder Hammer Smithy, costs 7500+ gold. Short Bow +1 (for single-or-dual-classed Thief or a Bard) ------------ Purchased from the Thunder Hammer Smithy, costs 1125+ gold. Sling +1 -------- Purchased from the Thunder Hammer Smithy, costs 75+ gold. Composite Long Bow +1 (if you have two archers) --------------------- Purchased from Feldpost's, costs 1875+ gold. Battle Axe +1 (for Kagain) ------------- Purchased from Feldpost's, costs 1125+ gold. Long Sword +2: 'Varscona' ------------------------- Found in (AR5400). Wakizashi +1 ------------ Found en route to the Nashkel Mines. Some of it we will find, some of it we will buy. Seems like a lot of stuff, right? It is. It'll cost you at least 16200 gold to buy all the stuff on that list (although you won't need the Battle Axe +1 if you don't have Kagain, or the Short Bow +1 if you don't have a Thief or Bard). And mind you, those prices are with Ajantis wearing the Algernon's Cloak leading a party with a reputation of 20... and the price doesn't include the 4000 gold needed to forge the Ankheg Plate Mail. The evil party would be well served by throwing away a few hundred gold at a temple to improve their reputation up to... say... 14? Boosting your reputation saves you money in the long run, and the higher you boost it, the more it costs to raise. Therefore, spend a bit of gold now, and let your questing raise it further, when it's more expensive. Your goal should be to get to a reputation of 18, anything higher encourages defections among those of evil alignment. Since my evil party includes both Dorn and Viconia, my reputation was a dangerously low 5 at this point in the game. To follow my own advice, it would cost me 1300 gold to boost my alignment from 5 to 14... money I did not yet have. But once done, it's a simple matter to complete four reputation-boosting quests to get up to 18. Take the same cost for the loot I mentioned above, and the 30% price cut that alignment gives saves me over 4000 gold-a worthwhile investment, I'd say. Well, at least we have our work cut out for us, right? First stop, the area due east of the Gnoll Stronghold. o======================================================================o | | | South-Western Areas | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK008} 1) Ousted Ingot 2) Pixie's Plunge 3) Defending the Dryad 4) Gnoll Toll 5) Cave 6) That Boy's Just Not Right... 7) Hidden Scrolls 8) Slaying Sendai 9) Larry, Darryl, and Darryl! 10) The Fastest Dart-Thrower on the Sword Coast! Wilderness (AR5200) o======================================================================o 1) In the north-western section of the map you'll be approached by a Gnoll named Ingot (x=570, y=1200), who is having tribal problems with his buddies over in the Gnoll Stronghold. See, he wanted to eat Dynaheir (I stand corrected, she is good for something!) but the others kept her prisoner. Shame. You can be nice and let him go, but it's more fun to kill him. Note that if you've already been to the Gnoll Stronghold and rescued Dynaheir, he won't talk to you, he'll simply be hostile. When he dies he'll drop a Bloodstone Ring, two Angel Skin Rings, a Jade Ring and The Chesley Crusher. The Chesley Crusher is an obscenely heavy Halberd that weighs 30 pounds and sets the wielder's attacks per round to one... which sucks, unless you've only got one attack per round anyways, in which case, it's somewhat interesting. It gives a +2 bonus to THAC0 and deals a whopping 1d10+6 damage. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** The Chelsey Crusher is new to the Enhanced Edition. Also, Ingot's loot used to be much more random-typically he'd drop a mixture of rings and gold-now he seems to regularly drop the same combination of four rings. Last and not least, if you already rescued Dynaheir from the Gnoll Stronghold, Ingot will be hostile to you from the outset and you won't see any dialogue. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) South of the center of the map is a waterfall, which can be searched at (x=1700, y=3300.) Inside is a dead cat... Hrmm... Walk up the ledge behind the waterfall to find Drienne at (x=2080, y=2970). She'll cry about her dead cat, Pixie, which apparently didn't have nine lives. Give her the dead cat for a reward that varies depending on her reaction to you (an NPC's reaction is determined by your Charisma, Alignment, and reputation... remember the rewards from Hull and Fuller in Candlekeep? It's like that). ***REWARD*** (For giving Drienne her cat, Pixie, with a bad reaction) EXP 200 Gold 23 ***REWARD*** (For giving Drienne her cat, Pixie, with a good reaction) EXP 200 Item Scroll of Protection from Undead Reputation +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) Just east of the middle of the map you'll find a Dryad of the Cloudpeaks who is getting harassed by a pair of missing links by the names of Caldo and Krumm. Agree to help her and talk to Caldo. If you agree to help them, they'll decide the Dryad isn't worth tangling with, leaving you to deal with her. This is an evil action, and will lower your reputation if you kill her. It's more profitable to kill Caldo and Krumm however, so pick a fight with them and trounce them. Krumm will drop Studded Leather Armor, the Destroyer of the Hills (aka: Girdle of Bluntness), a Potion of Healing, a Club +1, and 24 gold. Caldo carries Studded Leather Armor, a Medium Shield, a Flail, and 39 gold. After they are dead, talk to the Dryad for your well-deserved reward. The Destroyer of the Hills is the real treat, however. Put it on your toughest front-line Fighter, the one you tend to use to hold down, say, Ogres, and whatnot. Kagain and Ajantis make great choices. As for the Club +1, it makes a great initial weapon for Jaheira... at least until we can find her better, anyways. I should note that this is one of only three magical Clubs in the entire game, so you might want to keep your hands on it. ***REWARD*** (For helping the Dryad of the Cloudpeaks) EXP 500 Item Antidote Reputation +1 Note from Peter: You can steal the Antidote, as well as a Potion of Healing from the Dryad. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) North of the center of the map you'll find a group of Gnolls milling about. One will approach the party and try to get you to pay 50 gold tribute. If you say you have no money, the leader will challenge you to a fight. If you beat the Gnoll they will leave without a fight, and you'll get some quest experience. If you pick a fight by calling them names, you'll get to kill all the Gnolls. I tend to fight the Gnoll leader (he won't go hostile on you, so you'll have manually attack him) beat him in a fight, then kill him as he walks away, and take his money as well. He commonly carries 100 gold or more on him. This is less rewarding than just butchering the whole pack of Gnolls, but after getting done with the Gnoll Stronghold, killing more Gnolls isn't novel anymore. ***REWARD*** (For defeating the Gnoll) EXP 500 Note from Peter: By the way, the Gnoll leader's name is Ludrug and 13 damage are enough to win this fight. I deal with them as mentioned above, but during the duel I either surround the other gnolls with my other party members or equip everyone with ranged weapons and try to kill them as quickly as possible after my fighter won the duel. The latter works quite well, and I was able to kill the whole gnoll bunch. Wilderness Cave (AR5202) o======================================================================o 5) Just east of the waterfall you'll find a cave (x=3100, y=2600). Go inside and loot the crate. The Halberd +1 will go well on a character who is proficient with Spears, and who wants some distance in melee. For me, this goes great on my Fighter/Mage. Leave the cave and exit the map on the eastern edge, and travel to the area south of Nashkel. ***ITEMS*** (x=300, y=150) Halberd +1, Tiger Cowrie shell Necklace, 238 gold Wilderness (AR5300) o======================================================================o 6) In the north-western part of the map by some trees you'll find a boy named Albert (x=1350, y=970), who asks you to look for his dog Rufie. He gives you a somewhat... questionable... chew toy to let Rufie know you're a friend. Keep it on you, you want Rufie to be your friend (mind you, Rufie only knows two kinds of people, friends and food). After getting Albert's quest I head east around the top of the map. If you find Rufie during your exploration, lead him back to Albert for your reward. Your... disturbing reward. Or, if you smell a rat (or you just hate children... and dogs...) you can kill Rufie. Albert won't be pleased, but considering what Albert was, it's probably a good thing he's not happy. ***REWARD*** (For reuniting Rufie and Albert) EXP 1000 ITEM Black Opal ---or--- ***REWARD*** (For killing Rufie) EXP 1200 ***ENHANCED EDITION*** In the Enhanced Edition, Albert transforms from a little boy into the Baldur's Gate stock demon model (used by one critter in this game, and by Glabrezu, Nabassu, and Balors in the second game). In the original game Albert just turned into an Ogre Mage-despite claiming to come from the Nine Hells. Apparently that's the closest thing Bioware had to a demon prior to Tales of the Sword Coast. The Enhanced Edition, made with the superior resources of both games (plus their expansions) was able to do better. Also, in the original version of the game the descriptive text said Albert gave you an item-but alas, he never did. This was fixed in the Enhanced Edition... unfortunately the only thing he gives you is a Black Opal. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) Now for some more obscure, hidden loot. Along the north-central edge of the map you can find a lootable patch of terrain (x=1790, y=415) which contains a Scroll of Chromatic Orb, and a Scroll of Cloudkill. It'll be a while before we can cast a fifth-level Mage spell, but we can scribe it at our leisure. I doubt Cloudkill is ever worth casting, although in tandem with our Stinking Cloud assault it can be devastating to groups of enemies-we just need to be mindful of the fact that it won't hurt critters immune to poison and it's not party (or NPC) friendly... and of course, we won't have access to it until we have a 9th-level Mage. ***ITEMS*** (x= 1790, y=415) Scroll of Chromatic Orb, Scroll of Cloudkill <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) North of the center of the map you'll find a trio of warriors, led by a woman named Sendai (x=3100, y=900). You can avoid fighting them, but it's much more profitable to pick a fight... and frankly, they're looking for a bit of sport, the most dangerous game style. These guys can be tough at this point in the game, and it would be silly to simply charge them (Delgod and Alexander would make a pincushion out of a low-level character). If you take a single character into view of Sendai you can make life easier by luring Sendai away when she talks to you without bringing her archers into the fight. After she's dead, you can have a character (like Imoen or Minsc) use stealth to occupy one of the archers in melee while rushing the other with your party. If you're lucky you'll engage them both before your sneaky character can be killed, and they're not half as deadly in melee combat. My evil party had the benefit of Edwin, who had obtained the Web spell from Borda earlier, and by now had the experience to use it. After luring Sendai away, I scouted the two archers and had Edwin hit them both with several Webs from the side, targeting the area adjacent to them without actually bringing them into view. After which Viconia and Jaheira were able to Sling them to death. Delgod: Splint Mail, 35~ Arrows +1, Longbow, Warhammer and 43 gold. Alexander: Splint Mail, Helmet, 35~ Arrows +1, Potion of Healing, Longbow, Spear and 37 gold. Sendai: Telbar's Studded Leather Armor +2, Helmet, Small Shield, Long Sword +1 and 172 gold. Obviously, Sendai is the big catch, and that armor will go fine on any light-armored character (for me, that's Minsc, or alternatively, Imoen could wear it until she becomes a Mage, and Minsc could just stomp around in heavy armor, for the time being, until he's more survivable and his stealth is actually decent.) A dual-classed Fighter/Thief Shar-Teel will also make good use of this armor. In any event, my evil protagonist takes her Long Sword +1, and in a very timely manner she's dual-wielding two magical weapons. I keep going east until I hit the eastern edge of the map, then I go south. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 9) You'll eventually come across Larry, Darryl, and Darryl at approximately (x=4200, y=3400), a Xvart, Kobold, and Tasloi. I'll admit, I don't get it. If you talk to them and ask for their autograph, you'll be rewarded with it. This is a pointless... if amusing encounter. Head west. I have been informed by Jesse on HaeravonFAQs the following bit of... uh... information: "Regarding Larry, Darryl and Darryl in BG1 AR5300... it's a reference to an old sitcom, Newhart I think it was called, starring Bob Newhart. The trio were recurring characters, hillbilly brothers. "Hi, I'm Larry, this is my brother Darryl, this is my other brother Darryl" was their trademark catchphrase." One of the many reasons I love writing these guides-if you don't know something about the game, chances are somebody else, somewhere, has some insight that you lack. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 10) You'll be approached by a warrior named Vax (x=1170, y=2640), who threatens you with the violent specialty provided by his companion, Zal (x=1270, y=2620)-the fastest dart thrower that ever walked the Sword Coast! Unless, of course, you give up all your money. Granted, Zal is somewhat deadly, especially at this level. So, when Vax tries to talk to you, move your party away from him, luring him away from Zal. When he does talk to you, and you pick a fight, you'll get to take them out one at a time. Vax has a suit of Splint Mail, two Potions of Healing, a Halberd, and 107 gold. Zal has a suit of Splint Mail, The Dale's Protector (aka: Bracers of Archery), a Helmet, 60 Darts, a Spear, and 49 gold. The bracers should go to a dedicated ranged character, particularly one with lots of attacks a round, and a poor THAC0 that could use a boost. Minsc and Imoen are both good candidates for the good party, whereas the evil party... well, they rely on archery much less. I tend to favor Imoen (even though she has fewer attacks per round), since she relies on archery much more, whereas Minsc will eventually be able to wear some gauntlets that increase his effectiveness with both melee and missile attacks. Now that you've cleared out the south-western areas of the world, it's time to head back up north. We've got to find a way to make some good money so we can buy some gear from Nashkel. We also have a powerful war hammer, a magical two-handed sword, a good long sword, and some light weight full plate mail on the list. Head to the area where you can find Ajantis (north of the Friendly Arm Inn.) o======================================================================o | | | Northern Areas | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK009} 1) Taerom's Masterpiece 2) Ankheg Hunting 3) Ajantis 4) Sonner's Scourge 5) Brun's Son 6) The Ankheg Nest 7) Talk to Tenya 8) Nester's Dagger 9) Five (Minus Two) Fisherman Fillet 10) No Evil Deed Goes Unrewarded Wilderness (AR1400) o======================================================================o 1) This area can be rough, as it will spawn bandits and Ankhegs. Bandits aren't too bad, but Ankhegs can deal some serious damage. They wait underground until you get close, but their antennae give them away. Lead with your most heavily-armored character and close in melee. They drop minor treasure and their shells. Each shell weighs 100 pounds, but try and load up as many as you can. Your goal here is to grab a number of them and haul them back to Beregost. Taerom Fuiruim will pay you 500 gold pieces for each shell. It doesn't take a genius to realize that this is a great way to earn some cash. When you've sold him... lets say... at least eight, give him another and refuse to sell it. He'll offer to make you a suit of armor out of it for the sum of 4,000 gold. Agree and he'll say it'll take three days. You can speed up the process by coughing up 6,000 gold instead, in which case he'll be done with your new armor in a day. I'd rather keep the 2,000 gold, but that's just me, so do whatever you wish. Return after the appropriate amount of time and you'll score yourself another suit of wonderful green goodness-Ankheg Plate Mail. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** There have been numerous changes to this event in the Enhanced Edition. First, there was no quick buy-out option in the original game-you had to wait for the armor to be made, a full ten days, now reduced to three, for this impatient generation we live in. Also, Bioware was a bunch of hard-asses with the Ankheg-grinding. Originally Taerom would take all the Ankheg shells you had on you for 500 gold (easily cheated by just dropping all the shells save one before talking to him, repeating until they were all sold.) Once you declined to sell him a shell and he offered to make the armor for you, a global variable would start. It was essentially a ten-day count-down, at the end of which all Ankheg shells in the game would 'rot' and could no longer be sold nor made into armor. You had to score all the Ankheg shells you wanted, sell them one at a time, and when you had all the gold you cared to get, make the armor, after which you could no longer harvest Ankheg shells for money. Apparently Overhaul Games decided Bioware was being a bunch of stingy poo-poo heads and got rid of all this nonsense. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) After obtaining the second suit of Ankheg armor, we've a bit more Ankheg-related business to discuss. Somewhere in this area you'll find a woman named Gerde wandering around, who will babble a bit about Ankheg mating habits before telling you that hunters are limited to four Ankhegs per party. Once you reach this quota she'll give you some gold and trust that you'll not exceed the limit. Right... My evil party, being evil, of course, has no problem with poaching, and considering that Dorn's weight limit is a whopping 500 pounds, he can carry four shells while fully equipped. Since this is much easier to do with my evil party (thank you, Dorn) and since they tend to need more money due to their low reputation (stupid Dorn!) I harvest quite a few Ankhegs here... say, at least twenty. That extra 10,000 gold will help out. Note: Ankhegs are some of the monsters capable of dropping 2nd-level Mage spell scrolls as random loot. If you kill enough of them, you might just be lucky enough to score a Knock scroll now. This is a good thing. ***REWARD*** (For killing your quota of Ankhegs) Gold 75 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) Just north from the southern edge of this area is an armored man named Ajantis (x=1570, y=3130). Talk to him, and he'll ask if you're friend or foe. Play nice, and he'll offer to join your party. Pick a fight, and you'll get one. Now head to the north-west. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) At (x=700, y=2650) you'll find Sonner and his fisherman buddies who complain about a priestess of Umberlee harassing them. Accept to help them. You can steal a Flail +1 and a Bowl of Water Elemental Control from Sonner. Kind of seems a bit heavy for a farmer, no? While we're in the habit of stealing from fishermen, why not check out their houses, too? No, they don't have anything exceptional in them, but I needed an excuse to invite you to go rob them, if you wish. There are two houses for you to loot, (AR1402) (x=380, y=2430), and (AR1403) (x=950, y=2330). ***ITEMS*** (AR1402) (x=200, y=200) Silver Necklace (x=300, y=200) 32 gold (AR1403) (x=200, y=250) Sling, Bullets x10 (x=650, y=320) 27 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) You'll find a farmer named Brun at (x=3500, y=2330.) He'll ask you to go searching for his son Nathan. Sure. Maybe the giant hole in the ground at (x=2100,y=2400) would be a good place to start? When you find his son he'll reward you (see the next Step). ***REWARD*** (For telling Brun about his son) EXP 500 If you offer to give him some money to help him on his way, he'll be very thankful. Also, you'll get a reward for being such a nice person. ***REWARD*** (For giving Brun some money) EXP 1000 Reputation +1 Ankheg's Nest (AR1401) o======================================================================o 5) You're going to want to head east, carefully leading with your most defended character and dropping Ankhegs one after another. Your goal is a treasure trove at (x=2450, y=150), which contains a good deal of loot... as well as the body of Brun's son, Nathan. I give the dagger to Jaheira (if you didn't get a magical dagger from Fuller in Candlekeep.) I put the magical Chain Mail Armor should be obsolete by now, considering that you should have two suits of Ankheg Plate Mail (or be working towards your second). Return the body for a reward (see above) and head off to the 'bridge' area north of this one, adjacent to Baldur's Gate so we can finish the fishermen's quest. ***ITEMS*** (x=2450, y=150) Wand of Fire, Chainmail +1, Dagger +1, Dart of Wounding x5, Dart of Stunning x5, Scroll of Dire Charm, Scroll of Ghost Armor, Potion of Cloud Giant Strength, Potion of Magic Protection, tainted Antidote, 560 gold, Brun's Dead Son Bridge to Baldur's Gate (AR0900) o======================================================================o 6) Head north until you find a house, outside of which is a priestess named Tenya (x=4000, y=700). If you say the fishermen sent you, she'll attack. She's not terribly strong, (she's twelve years old, what do you expect?) and when you deal enough damage she'll give up and start talking (if you accidentally kill her you may wish to reload.) She'll tell you that Sonner and his ilk have displeased Umberlee by killing her mother and taking a 'elemental summoning bowl', which they have been abusing. We have a choice here-either kill her for Sonner and company, or leave her alive and go grill Sonner about his own alleged misdeeds. Either way, it's time to head back and pay them a visit... eh... shortly. First, let's rob Tenya's House (AR0901) (x=4140, y=630) for some meager loot. Certainly we need it more than an recently orphaned pre-teen. ***ITEMS*** (AR0901) (x=200, y=200) Dagger, Dart x10, 26 gold (x=300, y=200) Jade Ring, Skydrop Gem, 18 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) North of Tenya's house is an Ankheg lurking about. Kill it and loot it, it has Nester's Dagger (as well as typical Ankheg loot), an otherwise mundane dagger. Who is Nester, and why is a giant bug dropping his Dagger? It's part of a small quest in Baldur's Gate, so stash the dagger, hold onto it, whatever, it'll be useful in... oh... a few days. Play time, not game time. Now return to (AR1400) to clear up this business with the fishermen. If you want to side with Tenya, see Step #8, below. On the other hand, if you want to side with Sonner and company (you have killed, or will kill Tenya) see Step #9. Note from Peter: 28 damage are enough to bring Tenya to surrender. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) Go confront Sonner. You can force him to give up the bowl (dialogue options #1, #2, and #1) with threats. They aren't Fighters, and they know it. If you want to punish them further-or you just want a little more profit out of this quest-you can kill the three without incurring any reputation penalty. Once they're all dead (they'll try to run into their houses, which is annoying) loot Sonner for a Flail +1 and 170, Jebadoh will drop a Spear and 5 gold, and Telman yields a measly 3 gold. My good protagonist smoothly equips this second magical Flail as his off-hand weapon. Return it to Tenya and give her the bowl for an experience reward. It seems like a meager reward-and it is-but considering we also get the money and the Flail +1 that Sonner dropped, it's not a bad deal. Also, Tenya will show up to help us out later in Baldur's Gate, but that's a good way off yet. If you didn't kill the three fishermen, they'll have departed once your exchange with Tenya is done. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** In the original game, the three Fishermen would turn hostile once you took the bowl from them. This seems to be an error that was fixed in the Enhanced Edition. ***REWARD*** (For returning the bowl to Tenya) EXP 2500 Note from Peter: If you've already stolen the Bowl from Sonner before, they won't be here anymore when you returned it to Tenya. And make sure not to pick option #1 when you bring back the bowl. If you ask if her vengeance is satis- fied, you'll only get 1000 experience, not 2500 experience. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 9) On the other hand, if you actually killed Tenya Sonner will give you your reward (you could haggle the price with him twice, once before confronting Tenya for 20 gold, another time after talking to her for 50 gold.) Of course, by killing Tenya you also get her gear, which includes Bracers of Defense A.C. 7 and a Flail, but she won't be around later to lend a hand in Baldur's Gate. ***REWARD*** (For killing Tenya for Sonner) EXP 1000 Gold 50, 70, or 120 Item Flail +1 Anyhow, now that you're done with these areas, let's go get us some more magical weapons, and hopefully waste some time while we're at it. Head to the wilderness area north of the Carnival. o======================================================================o | | | Middle Areas | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK010} 1) Ambush Arghain 2) Ettercap Cave 3) Trio of Trouble 4) Pick on Ogres 5) Cow Champion 6) Bassilus 7) The Whistling Sword 8) Why Did the Chicken Cross the Adventurers? 9) Antichickenator! Wilderness (AR4400) o======================================================================o 1) At (x=1170, y=1200) you'll find Arghain, a half-ogre with an ambition to rob your party of its iron. Since he starts out hostile, there's really no room for diplomacy here. When he spots (and attacks) you, three more Half-Ogres will spawn. They are, of course, susceptible to Entangle, Sleep, and ranged take-downs. When he falls, Arghain will drop a Helmet, a Scroll of Charm Person, a Scroll of Larloch's Minor Drain, a Moonstone Gem, two Silver Rings, a Bandit Scalp, a Two Handed Sword +1, and 24 gold. Minsc and Boo will be pleased with their new sword. Ettercap Cave (AR4401) o======================================================================o 2) Just east of where Arghain was you'll find a cave (x=1550, y=1300). Enter with ONLY a Thief, because immediately inside is a Web trap (x=400, y=400) and an Ettercap, and you don't need to have paralyzed party members facing an Ettercap and its poison. Without the trap, the Ettercap is child's play, although this is another encounter where- thanks to the Enhanced Edition-we can lure the Ettercap outside and avoid the confines of the cave altogether. When the beastie is dead, loot the cave. Just outside of the cave is a rock with a Water Opal under it, a little bit of loot that I didn't discover until v1.03 of the original Baldur's Gate guide. It just goes to show that no matter how much you play some games, there's always something you missed. ***ITEMS*** (AR4401) (x=300, y=150) Bloodstone Amulet, tainted Oil of Speed, Potion of Fire Resistance --- (AR4400) (x=1570, y=1490) Water Opal <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) East of the cave you'll find a trio of bandits led by one Ioin Gallchobhair (x=3200, y=1750). His group is comprised of two archers (Billy and Dribben) and a swordsman (Ioin himself). Again, this is a situation where rushing in is not a good idea, as Ioin's archer pals can make life hell for you. I creep up on them with a stealthed Minsc, who engages one of the archers in combat while Ajantis rushes in. With any luck the rest of the party will show up before they can destroy Minsc. If you are fortunate enough to have a Mage who can cast 2nd level spells, now would be a good time to hit them with a Web or Stinking Cloud spell (if you have them) and pick them off while they are incapacitated. Dribben will cough up a suit of Splint Mail, 5 Arrows +1, 40 Arrows, a Bandit Scalp, a Longbow, a Bastard Sword, and 49 gold. Billy has a suit of Chain Mail, 5 Arrows +1, 40 Arrows, an Aquamarine Gem, a Bandit Scalp, a Longbow, a Short Sword, and 49 gold. Last and... well, still sucky... is Ioin, who will drop a suit of Splint Mail, a Star Diopside Gem, a Waterstar Gem, a Bandit Scalp, a Long Sword, and 74 gold. All in all? Not really worth the hassle, but at least they're gone. Note: In Nashkel, at (x=2950, y=1250) you'll find a tombstone with the name "Ioin O Gallchobhair" on it, with the line "Mea Gloria Fides" on it. Weird. Note from Lee: In case you're wondering, "Mea Gloria Fides" translates to "My Glory Faith" (Latin). Woopee... Thankfully, as usual, somebody smarter and more wordly than I came along with some divine wisdom to clear things up. This is from shandrakor: "You seemed curious about the enemy and gravestone for Ioin O Gallchobhair. Ioin is a (very uncommon) Celt variation on John. O Gallchobhair is the oldest spelling of the clann now spelled Gallagher. John Gallagher was the lead concept artist for Baldur's Gate. Oh, and Mea Gloria Fides, The Faith is My Glory, is the family motto of the Gallagher clann." There you have it. I said it before, one of the reasons I love writing FAQs is because of how much you learn about the game while doing it. Great stuff. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) East of the two bandit encounters you'll find a Dwarf named Sarhedra (x=4750, y=1750). She will tell you to pick on the Ogres to the south. Indeed, there are several Ogres to the south for you to pick on. Use Entangle and take them out at a distance. Loot them and the corpse by the tree before heading back to Sarhedra. She'll be rather flustered you completed her 'quest' so quickly. ***ITEMS*** (x=4390, y=2760) Potion of Healing, tainted Oil of Speed, Bloodstone Amulet ***REWARD*** (For killing the Ogres) EXP 300 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 5) Just south of the center of the map you'll find a bunch of Xvarts attacking a poor cow (x=2950, y=2970). Slay all the Xvarts and the cow's owner, Hulrik, will be very grateful. If you fail to save the cow... well, no reward for you. A Sleep spell here should all but ensure success, with no bovine casualties. Now exit the map and head to the area south of High Hedge. It's time to make some money. ***REWARD*** (For saving Hurlrik's cow) EXP 350 Reputation +1 Wilderness (AR3700) o======================================================================o 6) At (x=4280, y=2850) you'll find Bassilus, surrounded by his undead 'family'. This includes a number of Skeletons with Heavy Crossbows, and Zombies. The Skeletons are the real problem, as they can dish out some serious damage. Bassilus will, for his part, conspire to make things worse by casting Hold Person, while the Zombies more or less just get in the way. There is a way to handle this, however, even at low levels. If you go forward with one character to initiate dialogue with Bassilus, you can cause him to lose control over a bit of his horde by picking the following dialogue options: #1, #3, #1, and #2. This will cause a number of his minions to bite the dust. At which point retreat and regroup, then attack en mass, focusing directly on Bassilus (if he gets off a Hold Person, it's dangerous, regardless of how few undead he has left). Attempt to counter him with Command, Silence 15' Radius, or even a Hold Person of your own. When he falls he'll drop a Bloodstone Amulet, a suit of Chain Mail, a Medium Shield, Elander's Gloves of Misplacement (aka: Gauntlets of Fumbling), Ashideena +2, and Bassilus' Holy Symbol. Ashideena +2 is one of the best blunt weapons in the entire game, especially considering how early you can get it. Of course, for most fights The Stupefier +1 is a better choice-if you score a hit with Ashideena you'll do 5-9 damage base, but if you strike with The Stupefier +1, you'll deal 3-8 damage and have a 25% chance to stun the enemy-which is a death sentence. Still, there are some beasties who are either immune to stun or require +2 weapons to hit, so Ashideena +2 isn't without serious merit. Put in on a Cleric, and they'll have their weapon needs satisfied for the rest of the game. The rest of his gear is garbage, especially the gauntlets, which are cursed and should not be equipped. Keep his holy symbol in your inventory; when we head over to the temple area east of Beregost, we can turn it in as proof of Bassilus' death and score a huge cash reward. I also take the Heavy Cross Bows and Two Handed Swords so I can sell them... it's a nice way to net a couple hundred gold. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) At (x=2900, y=2450) you'll find a Hobgoblin named Zargal and two of his hobbuddies, who-in typical bandit fashion-demand you pay them all your coin or suffer the consequences. You certainly could, but we wouldn't get very far in this game by constantly doing that, would we? They're fairly dangerous at this point in the game-as Zargal's pals shoot poisonous arrows (the same thing the Hobgoblin Elites shoot), and in general archers are just over-powered at this point in the game with their superior number of attacks per round. Zargal himself is no slouch in melee combat, either. For all their threat and bluster, however, a simple Sleep spell is often capable of humbling them. When they die, Malkax will drop Leather Armor, a Helmet, 20 Arrows, an Iol Gem, a Composite Longbow, a Bastard Sword, and 13 gold. Geltik will drop a suit of Leather Armor, a Helmet, 20 Arrows, a Silver Ring, a Composite Longbow, a Bastard Sword, and 11 gold. Their leader Zargal will yield a suit of Studded Leather Armor, a Helmet, a Scroll of Burning Hands, The Whistling Sword +2, and 127 gold. That sword will serve Imoen for the majority of the game. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) At about (x=4620, y=470) you'll find the chicken Melicamp, who is being pursued by a wolf. Ah... the food chain. Melicamp will beg you to help him, after which he'll try to get you to restore him to his original condition. Even if you have a Dispel Magic spell at this point, it won’t work, so offer to help him and he'll ask you to take him to Thalantyr, in High Hedge. Remember Thalantyr? I'm sure he'll just be enthused. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 9) Take the talking chicken to Thalantyr in High Hedge. You'll discover that the 'chicken' was once an apprentice of Thalantyr's who foolishly stole artifacts he didn't understand and managed to accidentally turn himself into a chicken. Make sure you TELL Thalantyr that Melicamp said he was his apprentice. If you get into a fight with Thalantyr or don't agree to help with the quest, you won't get anything out of it. Agree to help Thalantyr (dialogue options #4, #1, #2, #1) and he'll send you out to fetch the skull of a skeleton. Simple enough. Go outside, walk around, rest, whatever it takes to trigger Skeletons to attack and come back with the skull. SAVE before you give the skull to Thalantyr, as there's a chance his fix won't work and if that happens you'll get no reward. Thalantyr will cast his 'Antichickenator' spell until it works, reloading as necessary. When Thalantyr finally does turn Melicamp back into his normal, bipedal self, you'll get a reward. Note that Melicamp still makes chicken sounds when you go to talk to him. Epic. Now let us head to the Temple area to the east of Beregost to turn in Bassilus's Holy Symbol, and to clear that area out. Doing that should give me all the money and experience I need to buy some things before finally tackling the Nashkel mines. ***REWARD*** (For saving Melicamp from his fowl fate) EXP 2000 Reputation +1 o======================================================================o | | | Temple Area and the Nashkel Mines (exterior) | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK011} 1) The Temple Grounds 2) Bassilus' Bounty 3) Butchering Blane and Bram 4) Attack Cattack 5) Unholy Hounds 6) Shopping Spree 7) Bandits and the Blackguard 8) Free Wands, any wand? 9) Storehouse Stealin' 10) Duh! Kobolds 11) Prism's Epiphany 12) Into the Mines Temple Area (AR3400) o======================================================================o 1) This area... eh... is not really safe. Packs of dogs ranging from Wild Dogs to War Dogs to Dread Wolves spawn here, along with Hobgoblins. Be careful of the eastern edge of the map, lest you tussle with a pack of Wolves you can't beat. The entrance to the 'Song of the Morning Temple' is at (x=1220, y=1050), which marks our first stop in this area. Don't worry, we'll brave the exterior shortly. Song of the Morning Temple (AR3402) o======================================================================o 2) Enter the 'Song of the Morning Temple' to find Kelddath Ormlyr at (x=500, y=600). If you talk to him with Bassilus' Holy Symbol in your inventory, he'll take it and give you one hell of a reward for a fight that, in the grand scheme of things, wasn't all that hard. 5000 gold and one of the best blunt weapons in the game... if only all fights were as rewarding, eh? If that's still not enough, however, you can attempt to rob the four Sirines, each of which carries a Pearl. Once you're done increasing your wealth, leave. ***REWARD*** (For slaying Bassilus) EXP 1000 Gold 5000 Vestibule (AR3401) o======================================================================o 3) This is a bit extraneous, but worth mentioning for those savage experience-and-gold-hungry folks out there. North-west of the temple you can find the Vestibule (x=480, y=850), wherein you'll find two Dawn Priests, Blane (x=380, y=520) and Bram (x=320, y=220). They have nothing of interest to say, unless you're overly interested in shiny floors. They can, however, be massacred without any reputation loss. They're worth 300 experience points each, and will both leave behind 64 gold, so... free money and experience. Thanks to Mr. Maasz for pointing this out to me. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) For a Temple so close to town, this place is awfully dangerous. South-east of the temple, for example, is a pack of Hobgoblins. When you get near their leader, Cattack, will initiate dialogue with you. You know the drill-they want all your crap, you say no, they attack, you bust their faces off. A humble Sleep spell is enough to devastate this pack of malcontents. When Cattack falls he'll leave behind a suit of Studded Leather Armor, a Helmet, a Lynx Eye Gem, a Two-Handed Sword and 34 gold. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** In the original game, Cattack would approach your party before talking, allowing you to lure him as far away as you wished before ultimately picking a fight. This, of course, allowed you to deal with Cattack individually, but it also prevented his Hob-buddies from turning hostile at all. It's not a big change, but one has to wonder why they left the other lure-able encounters in the game if they were going to remove this one? Also, I wanted to get the 'gentle cooing of Hobgoblins' line back into this guide, since it no longer made sense given that it's proper context was removed. So... yeah, this entire paragraph is pretty much a complete waste of everybody's time, but I find that line hilarious, and since I write these guides to amuse myself... err... anyways... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 5) Skim along the northern edge of the map until you get to the north eastern corner. Below you, along the upper eastern edge of the map are a variety of Wolves, ranging from the lowly Worg to the Vampiric Wolf. Vampiric Wolves outside of a temple to the sun god? Irony. Anyhow, like all doggies in Baldur's Gate, they are strangely strong. These ones, however, have an excuse. They're undead, so don't bother with mind- affecting spells. They're also immune to non-magical weapons, they regenerate Hit Points, and if they hit they can cause paralysis. Yeah, they suck. I typically do this quest earlier, to make off with some of the experience here, but doing it now in the guide is less risky. Again, Vampiric Wolves cannot be harmed by normal (non-magical) weapons, and if you get paralyzed in a pack of Wolves, you're pretty much a goner. So use a character with stealth to spy on them and mark their locations. Once done, we have a few options. We can cast Web or Entangle spell(s) and try to shoot down the Vampiric Wolves with some of those spiffy Arrows +1 you have been finding, and shoot them down. A little bit of caution, however, also goes a long way. If you're careful you can lure a few doggies up at a time and deal with them appropriately. Just be sure you're focusing your magic weapons (and spells like Magic Missile) on the Vampiric Wolves, to whom you should pay especial attention. Killing these doggies will give you some nice experience, and clear out the temple area. There are a few more encounters with random NPCs, including a run-in with a drunkard who claims to be a lich, but you can explore and find these humorous-if unimportant-encounters on your own. Note from Peter: At around (x=3000, y=1280) you'll find Galileus. He has not that much important to say and I think this is the reason, you didn't mention him in your walkthrough, but you can kill him for 120 experience and no reputation loss. This makes him worth a note in my book. Unfortunately, he just carries a quaterstaff. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) Now you should be pretty well off, money-wise. My party has around 20,000 gold (and that's without selling anything besides Winter Wolf Pelts and Ankheg Shells), which makes it high time to purchase some gear. Before you do so, however, you should make sure you reputation is decent. It's a cost-effective investment to raise your reputation before making some major purchases. I purchase the following goodies, the top three from the Thunderhammer Smithy and the bottom two from Feldpost's: Full Plate Mail (Ajantis/Dorn) Dagger of Venom +2 (Jaheira) Short Bow +1 (Imoen) Composite Long Bow +1 (Minsc) Battle Axe +1 (Kagain) When you've purchased all you can (or want), get ready to go to the Nashkel Mines. Get rid of all the extra junk in your inventory so you have as much looting room as possible, and make sure your reputation is where you want it to be. Chapter 2 ends after the mines, and that means a dream, and that means a new reputation-based spell. If you want the good ability, make sure you have a good reputation beforehand, and if you want the evil ability... well, kill somebody in a house or something. When you're done, go to the Nashkel Mines. In this FAQ I'll cover it all in one shot, but if you wish to leave and resupply, that's fine. (Wuss.) With the expanded stacking in the Enhanced Edition, however, it shouldn't be necessary. Nashkel Mines, Ambush Site (OH1000) o======================================================================o 7) En route to the Nashkel Mines you'll be interrupted by a group of ne'er-do-wells, led by Senjak and Dorotea... at least, you will provided you talked to Dorn back in the Friendly Arms Inn. It's a typical robbery-they want you to empty your pockets, and as Senjak is making his demands a trio of archers in the back will get cut down. Enter Dorn, and a small expository conversation with Dorn, Dorotea, and Senjak. It all ends in a grand melee, with your party and Dorn versus Senjak, Dorotea, and two Bandits, who are easy to waste even for a 1st-level party. Once the fighting is over, Dorn will seem not entirely disappointed in how you handled yourselves. Ask him to join you, and he'll agree. He's looking for vengeance against some former 'friends' of his-two down, two to go. Like with Viconia, you'll lose two points of reputation if you allow him into your party, and if you're traveling with Ajantis... well, Ajantis will throw a fit if it seems like Dorn is coming along for the ride (no, you can't have the Blackguard in the party with the Paladin. Big surprise). He's easily the best new character added to the Enhanced Edition, and a great substitute for Shar-Teel in the evil party. Anyways, loot Senjak for a suit of Studded Leather Armor, a Wakizashi, and a Wakizashi +1. Dorotea will leave behind a suit of Plate Mail, a Flail, a Small Shield +1, and 20 gold. Nashkel Mines, Exterior (AR5400) o======================================================================o 8) Now that we're here, we might as well explore this area before we commit to the mines. Somewhere along the way a soldier named Dandal will tell you about the 'dog-headed' monsters causing trouble. There's also loot to be had. In the north-west corner of the map, at (x=165, y=180) is a dead tree, in the hollow of which you'll find a Wand of Frost. Nice. ***ITEMS*** (x=165, y=180) Wand of Frost Warehouse (AR5406) o======================================================================o 9) There's a wareehouse at (x=2850, y=400) that begs you to explore it. It's guarded by a trio of War Dogs, but they're not a serious threat to us by now. ***ITEMS*** (x=280, y=430) Potion of Healing (x=100, y=200) 33 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 10) South of the mines you'll run into a gnome named Galtok, who is being pursued by some kobolds. After you're done talking to him, several Kobolds will spawn for your killing pleasure. If the Nashkel movie and the comments of various NPCs-including Dandal earlier-hasn't clued you onto the problem, this is yet another hint. Note from Peter: Actually, the Nashkell Movie has changed in the Enhanced Edition and there's no clue about the kobold plague anymore. Oh, and I'm sure you think that I'm especially fond of killing the innocent but if you're quick enough (I usually use the Wand of Paralyzation I obtained from the treasure cave at the beginning of chapter 1), you can kill Galtok without a reputation loss. He's worth 150 experience and carries a Robe of Fire Resistance, a Dagger and 54 gold. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 11) At (x=650, y=2710) you'll find the artist Prism, working on his latest masterpiece. If you talked to Oublek you'd have heard of Prism, who is wanted for the theft of some emeralds. Talk to him, and he will confuse you with Greywolf's lackeys. Popular guy, this Greywolf. You can try and take him in, which will turn him hostile and force you to kill him. You'll complete the quest, but it's much more rewarding to let him finish his masterpiece. As you wait, Greywolf will show up to claim the bounty. Obviously you gain nothing by letting Greywolf do his job, so stand up for Prism and pick a fight. If you're still lower-leveled you can take Greywolf out the same way you take out Ogres. Entangle him and shoot him to death, or cast Command Word: Die and maim him. Once he's dead he'll drop a suit of Studded Leather Armor, the Longsword +2: Varscona, and 102 gold. This sword is fantastic, and will serve Ajantis or Shar-Teel for a long time to come. Talk to Prism again, and he will thank you, walk off, and die. He'll call out to 'Ellesime' before he dies. It's a name you will hear again... but not until the sequel. Take his emeralds and turn them into Oublek when you're done with the mines... or keep them and sell them, whichever. ***REWARD*** (For allowing Prism to finish his masterpiece) EXP 1000 Reputation +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 12) Talk to Emerson at (x=980, y=1130). He'll be nicer if your reputation is better, but he'll allow you in the mines regardless. Afterwards, talk to the Amnish Soldier at (x=1200, y=700) to enter the mine. Take a deep breath, and head into the darkness. Suspenseful! Here are my stats heading into the mines, to let you know what I'm working with, and give you an idea where you should hopefully be. The mines aren't too tough, as they were designed more to challenge level 1 and 2 characters. By level 4 and 5, this place is cake. Note from Peter: Have you ever tried to kill the rats and/or cats around the mine en- trance? I did. You get 1 experience for killing them, like for every other peaceful animal else too (squirrels, cows, horses, cats, rats, bats) but this is the first time I saw that Amnish Soldiers helped me fighting rats. Of course they steal you're rightful experience reward when they kill them first. Not that it matters but it was kinda funny. By the way, in Candlekeep everyone became hostile when I killed the cows there. GOOD PARTY STATS: NASHKEL MINES o======================================================================o Ajantis Paladin 5 Experience: 18001 Max Hit Points: 56 Armor Class: -5 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 9 Rod/Staff/Wand: 11 Petrify/Polymorph: 10 Breath Weapon: 11 Spells: 12 Weapon Proficiencies Bastard Sword ++ Long Sword + Two-Handed Sword + Longbow + Armor: Full Plate Mail Gloves: The Brawling Hands Helmet: Helmet Amulet: ... Weapon: Varscona +2 (THAC0: 13) Shield: Large Shield +1 Ring 1: ... Ring 2: ... Cloak: Algernon's Cloak Boots: ... Belt: Destroyer of the Hills Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Jaheira Fighter 4/Druid 4 Experience: 9777/9777 Max Hit Points: 48 Armor Class: -2 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 8 (-1) Rod/Staff/Wand: 12 (-1) Petrify/Polymorph: 11 (-1) Breath Weapon: 14 (-1) Spells: 13 (-1) Weapon Proficiencies Dagger + Club ++ Quarterstaff + Sling + Armor: Ankheg Plate Mail Gloves: ... Helmet: Helmet Amulet: ... Weapon: Dagger of Venom +2 (THAC0: 15) Shield: Large Shield +1 Ring 1: Ring of the Princes +1 Ring 2: ... Cloak: ... Boots: The Frost's Embrace Belt: Elves' Bane Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Viconia Cleric 5 Experience: 16763 Max Hit Points: 36 Armor Class: -5 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 9 Rod/Staff/Wand: 13 Petrify/Polymorph: 12 Breath Weapon: 15 Spells: 14 Weapon Proficiencies War Hammer + Mace + Sling + Armor: Ankheg Plate Mail Gloves: ... Helmet: Helmet Amulet: ... Weapon: Ashideena +2 (THAC0: 16) The Stupefier +1 (THAC0: 17) Shield: Small Shield +1 Ring 1: ... Ring 2: ... Cloak: ... Boots: ... Belt: ... Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Protagonist Fighter 4/Mage 3 Experience: 8145/8145 Max Hit Points: 40 Armor Class: 3 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 11 (-2) Rod/Staff/Wand: 10 (-1) Petrify/Polymorph: 12 (-1) Breath Weapon: 14 (-1) Spells: 11 (-1) Weapon Proficiencies Flail ++ Two-Weapon Style +++ Armor: Knave's Robe Gloves: Bracers of Defense A.C. 8 Helmet: Helmet Amulet: ... Weapon: Flail +1 (THAC0: 13) Shield: Flail +1 (THAC0: 15) Ring 1: Evermemory Ring 2: Ring of the Princes +1 Cloak: ... Boots: ... Belt: ... Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Minsc Ranger 4 Experience: 15175 Max Hit Points: 44 Armor Class: 4 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 13 Rod/Staff/Wand: 15 Petrify/Polymorph: 14 Breath Weapon: 16 Spells: 16 Weapon Proficiencies Two-Handed Sword ++ Mace + Longbow ++ Two-Weapon Style ++ Armor: Telbar's Studded Leather Armor +2 Gloves: ... Helmet: The Eyes of Truth Amulet: ... Weapon: Two-handed Sword +1 (THAC0: 13) Composite Longbow +1 (THAC0: 14) Shield: ... Ring 1: ... Ring 2: ... Cloak: ... Boots: Worn Whispers Belt: ... Misc 1: Boo Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Imoen Thief 5 Experience: 15162 Max Hit Points: 40 Armor Class: 3 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 12 Rod/Staff/Wand: 12 Petrify/Polymorph: 11 Breath Weapon: 15 Spells: 13 Weapon Proficiencies Short Sword + Scimitar, etc. + Shortbow + Armor: Studded Leather Armor Gloves: The Dale's Protector Helmet: ... Amulet: ... Weapon: Shortbow +1 (THAC0: 13) The Whistling Sword +2 (THAC0: 16) Shield: ... Ring 1: ... Ring 2: ... Cloak: ... Boots: ... Belt: ... Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... All in all, I ended up with pretty much the same experience in the Enhanced Edition play-through as I had in the original guide-you do all the same stuff and get the same results, who would have thought? Anyways, not much has changed with the good party, which if anything is probably a negative criticism of the Enhanced Edition... the one thing that did surprise me, however, was the fact that my protagonist by this point in the game had managed to score 37% of the total party experience and 31% of the total kills. Not bad for a slow-leveling multi-class Fighter/Mage with a poor Armor Class. This character had always done well-but I figured he'd put on a worse show now that he lacked a bow (easily the most over-powered weapon in the first game). Also note how Ajantis just barely squeaked up to level five here... heh, that really wasn't planned at all. These character builds here are, of course, largely incomplete. For the Nashkel Mines, however, we don't need to be Specialized in our primary weapons to succeed-something Ajantis and Jaheira will both correct when they hit 6th-level in their fighting class. For now, we should just be content that all our characters have magical weapons, and all our front-line primary combatants have negative Armor Classes. EVIL PARTY STATS: NASHKEL MINES o======================================================================o Dorn Blackguard 5 Experience: 22201 Max Hit Points: 48 Armor Class: -2 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 8 (-1) Rod/Staff/Wand: 10 (-1) Petrify/Polymorph: 9 (-1) Breath Weapon: 10 (-1) Spells: 11 (-1) Weapon Proficiencies Two-Handed Sword ++ Crossbow + Two-Handed Weapon Style ++ Armor: Full Plate Mail Gloves: ... Helmet: The Eyes of Truth Amulet: ... Weapon: Rancor +1 (THAC0: 11) The Army Scythe +1 (THAC0: 14) Shield: ... Ring 1: Ring of the Princes +1 Ring 2: ... Cloak: Algernon's Cloak Boots: ... Belt: Destroyer of the Hills Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Kagain Fighter 5 Experience: 22573 Max Hit Points: 75 Armor Class: -3 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 6 Rod/Staff/Wand: 8 Petrify/Polymorph: 12 Breath Weapon: 13 Spells: 9 Weapon Proficiencies Axe +++ Flail/Morning Star + Crossbow + Armor: Plate Mail Gloves: The Brawling Hands Helmet: Helmet Amulet: ... Weapon: Battle Axe +1 (THAC0: 12) Shield: Large Shield +1 Ring 1: ... Ring 2: ... Cloak: ... Boots: ... Belt: ... Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Jaheira Fighter 4/Druid 4 Experience: 11639/11639 Max Hit Points: 48 Armor Class: -1 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 9 Rod/Staff/Wand: 13 Petrify/Polymorph: 12 Breath Weapon: 15 Spells: 14 Weapon Proficiencies Scimitar, etc. + Club ++ Quarterstaff + Sling + Armor: Ankheg Plate Mail Gloves: ... Helmet: Helmet Amulet: ... Weapon: Club +1 (THAC0: 15) Sling (THAC0: 17) Shield: Large Shield +1 Ring 1: ... Ring 2: ... Cloak: ... Boots: The Frost's Embrace Belt: Elves' Bane Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Viconia Cleric 5 Experience: 23825 Max Hit Points: 36 Armor Class: -5 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 9 Rod/Staff/Wand: 13 Petrify/Polymorph: 12 Breath Weapon: 15 Spells: 14 Weapon Proficiencies War Hammer + Mace + Sling + Armor: Ankheg Plate Mail Gloves: ... Helmet: Helmet Amulet: ... Weapon: Ashideena +2 (THAC0: 16) The Stupefier +1 (THAC0: 17) Shield: Small Shield +1 Ring 1: ... Ring 2: ... Cloak: ... Boots: ... Belt: ... Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Protagonist Fighter 3/Mage 3/Thief 4 Experience: 7556/7556/7556 Max Hit Points: 30 Armor Class: 3 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 11 (-2) Rod/Staff/Wand: 10 (-1) Petrify/Polymorph: 12 (-1) Breath Weapon: 14 (-1) Spells: 11 (-1) Weapon Proficiencies Long Sword ++ Two-Weapon Style +++ Armor: Knave's Robe Gloves: Bracers of Defense A.C. 8 Helmet: Helmet Amulet: ... Weapon: Varscona +2 (THAC0: 14) Shield: Long Sword +1 (THAC0: 17) Ring 1: Evermemory Ring 2: Ring of the Princes +1 Cloak: ... Boots: Worn Whispers Belt: ... Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Edwin Conjurer 5 Experience: 22122 Max Hit Points: 30 Armor Class: 10 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 14 Rod/Staff/Wand: 11 Petrify/Polymorph: 13 Breath Weapon: 14 (-1) Spells: 12 Weapon Proficiencies Quarterstaff + Armor: Traveler's Robe Gloves: ... Helmet: ... Amulet: Edwin's Amulet Weapon: Quarterstaff +1 (THAC0: 18) Sling +1 (THAC0: 23) Shield: ... Ring 1: ... Ring 2: ... Cloak: ... Boots: ... Belt: ... Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... My evil party always ends up with more experience than my good party... it just always seems the evil party needs more work before they're ready to go. Probably the fact that a triple-class protagonist needs more experience than my good party protagonist. Oh, and the fact that with a lower reputation limit I needed more money to get all my gear-hence, more Ankheg kills. It doesn't matter, they're not in an entire different experience point league or anything, just an observation. Also note that Dorn is not the same kind of party leader as Ajantis. He's got eight fewer Hit Points and a three point worse Armor Class than Ajantis. In all honesty, even though he's the party leader, Kagain tends to lead the way when I know there's going to be trouble, as he's just far more hardy than Dorn. Still, all my front-liners have negative Armor Classes, although for Dorn and Jaheira, their gains are almost over. Lastly, note for my evil party that I decided to have Jaheira focus on Scimitars for this run. The difference between Daggers and Scimitars in Baldur's Gate is... pretty negligible, really, so I'm really doing it just for flavor. o======================================================================o | | | Nashkel Mines (interior) | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK012} 1) Ruffie's Demons 2) Marvin's Ghosts 3) Bob's Dragon 4) Dink the Dagger-giver 5) Gay-Name Tunnel 6) To Level 2 7) Beldin's Bad Day 8) Returning Kylee's Dagger 9) Catching the Kobold Culprits! 10) Joseph's Greenstone Ring 11) Eastern Exploration 12) Western Wandering 13) Trapped Gap and Beyond 14) More Traps and Kobolds 15) Arachnicide 16) Ghoul Near the Pool 17) To Level 4 18) Another Bridge to Cross 19) Mulahey's Conspiracy 20) Useless Xan 21) Leaving the Mines Mine Level 1 (AR5401) o======================================================================o 1) Head into the mine and a miner named 'Miner Gord' will talk to you. He'll tell you to seek out another miner named Ruffie. Ruffie is just south, at (x=1200, y=820). He will helpfully tell you that demons are the cause of the disturbance. Right. To the south again, you'll find one Miner Dink (x=1570, y=1300), who is rather pessimistic about your chances of success. Oh, and in case you were wondering-no, there is no point in picking up any of the contaminated ore. ***ITEMS*** (x=1600, y=770) War Hammer, Long Sword (x=1150, y=1000) Contaminated Ore (x=1850, y=1350) Contaminated Ore <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) Now, there's no real need to explore this level of the mine thoroughly, but for the sake of completionism, lets. To the east you'll find Miner Marvin wandering around. Did you know that my parents almost named me Marvin? Yep. I would have been Marvin Michael Garvin. My life would have sucked-but my named would have been awesome. Anyways, he'll blame the troubles in the mine on ghosts... but it seems like the mine might have more of a problem with laziness. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) If you head south from where you met wandering Marvin, you'll pass two Amnish Soldiers and come to a fork in the tunnel. To the south-east you'll find Miner Bob (x=2710, y=1260), who thinks the mine monster is nothing short of a Dragon. Demons, Dragons, and Ghosts? My bet now is a sinkhole and a very low local IQ average. ***ITEMS*** (x=2350, y=1050) Contaminated Ore <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) Back-track to the fork and take the unexplored tunnel south, then follow it as it turns west. Along the way you'll run into a Kobold, of all things. Step on it, and continue west until you run into Miner Dink, who will, who will ask you to return a dagger to one Miner Kylee. Might as well, unless you have a problem with quest experience, that is. ***ITEMS*** (x=1420, y=1800) Contaminated Ore <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 5) Continue to the north-west to find another fork. The path to the north leads back to where we met Miner Ruffie. If you explore to the south-west you'll encounter another Kobold at a dead-end. To the north-east is another Amnish Soldier and beyond him yet another fork. Down to the south-east you'll find two more moronic miner-Miner Lesley (x=500, y=1470) and Miner Cory. Must be the gay-name tunnel. Lesley has a fit of claustrophobia and wanders off when you talk to him, and Cory... well, he's just testy, but he's smart enough to think the missing miners are getting lost in the dark. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) With that, we're done with this level. Continuing north just leads to another empty dead-end tunnel, or back to the entrance. Return to where you found Miner Dink and head down to the south. The exit to the next level is at (x=2100, y=1850). Mine Level 2 (AR5402) o======================================================================o 7) This mine level is darker and more menacing than the last one, and to set the mood, a terrified Miner Beldin will run up to you when you head north a bit. He'll tell you that demons are everywhere, and to prove his point, he promptly gets shot down by some Kobolds. This will set the tone for the rest of this level. There are kobolds-many with bows-fairly regularly throughout this level. Remember the advice that I gave in the 'Hints and Tips' section of the guide (that you all probably ignored), and lead with steel-somebody with a good Armor Class. Note: If you retreat back to the entrance of the area after triggering Miner Beldin to show up, you can lure him safely down the tunnel as he tries to talk to you. This triggers the Kobolds-but Beldin is out of their sight, and hence, lives to mine another day. He's probably better off dead... anyways, it doesn't matter. He vanishes from the game upon exiting this level, but it's fun to thwart the game, nonetheless. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) From the entrance head north, and when the path branches (where Miner Beldin was) head north-west. When you reach another fork, follow the mine cart rails to the north. Finally, on the next split follow a connecting set of rail tracks to the south-west to find a large room. At (x=850, y=2100) you'll find Kylee, whose dagger you possess. Give it back to him for a small reward and some information. There are also some weapon racks in this room, probably for those who came down here with breakable weapons. But sswe're too cool for that, what with our magical gear and all, right? ***ITEMS*** (x=1920, y=1820) Contaminated Ore (x=880, y=1820) Contaminated Ore (x=900, y=1800) Contaminated Ore (x=920, y=1980) Contaminated Ore (x=880, y=1980) Contaminated Ore (x=550, y=1780) War Hammer, Battle Axe (x=700, y=1770) Battle Axe, Long Sword, Short Sword ***REWARD*** (For giving Miner Kylee his dagger) EXP 200 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 9) Explore the rest of the level as you wish, but the way down to the next level is to the east. The western and northern parts of the level consist of carts carrying contaminated ore, nameless miners with stock conversations, Amnish Soldiers with just as little to say, and Kobolds. Backtrack to the north-east and strive to explore in that direction until you find a large body of water in the middle of the level with a natural bridge running across it. Head across this bridge to the south-east, smiting Kobolds as you go. On the far (eastern) side of the water-room, head north-east until you find some more rail cart tracks, and follow them south. Before you reach the exit to the next level you'll find a pair of Kobolds. Kill and loot them to find two Vials of Mysterious Liquid. Wonder what THAT could be, eh? Enter the next level (x=3500, y=2600). ***ENHANCED EDITION*** The 'Vials of Mysterious Liquid' no longer look like generic Antidote potions. Just thought I'd point out that... vital bit of information... ***ITEMS*** (x=1970, y=1170) Contaminated Ore (x=2000, y=1120) Contaminated Ore (x=1950, y=1020) Contaminated Ore (x=2050, y=1000) Contaminated Ore (x=2100, y=950) Contaminated Ore (x=1570, y=730) Contaminated Ore (x=1150, y=880) Contaminated Ore (x=980, y=850) Contaminated Ore (x=1450, y=600) Contaminated Ore (x=1400, y=280) Contaminated Ore (x=3350, y=350) Halberd, Spear, Quarterstaff (x=3400, y=1200) Quarterstaff, Quarterstaff, Halberd (x=2900, y=2200) Halberd, Spear, Quarterstaff Mine Level 3 (AR5403) o======================================================================o 10) Right in front of you at (x=1590, y=260) you'll find Joseph's Greenstone Ring. His wife will be... well, mixed feelings, I imagine. Keep it for now. There's a trap to the east, which might just be our first trap of the game. Exciting! Disarm it and continue east. ***ITEMS*** (x=1590, y=260) Joseph's Greenstone Ring (x=1700, y=550) Contaminated Ore, Potion of Healing (x=1670, y=500) Contaminated Ore (x=1660, y=450) Contaminated Ore ***TRAPS*** (x=1800, y=350) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 11) There are two tunnels that run east-following the northern-most one and you'll come across some Kobolds and a dead-end. Follow the southern-most one and you'll reach a north-south running tunnel with a small pool of water in it, along with crates and Kobolds... it's also a dead-end. ***ITEMS*** (x=3700, y=780) Fire Agate Gem (x=3690, y=700) 26 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 12) Now backtrack to where you entered the level and explore to the west. If you thought the eastern exploration was boring... well, the west sucks even worse. There are two groups of Kobolds to exterminate at the far western end of the tunnels, one group to the north, and the other to the south. Fun. Now backtrack to where you entered again, and this time head south-east until you find a land-bridge connecting the northern and southern halves of the level. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 13) However harmless a natural bit of dirt suspended over a lava-filled pit might look, this land-bridge is actually covered with traps, and guarded by a trio of Kobolds equipped with shortbows. Their goal? To provoke you into rushing across the traps. I shoot them down with Minsc, who is more than capable of out-shooting a few rat-lizards. Afterwards, Imoen calmly walks up and disarms the traps. ***TRAPS*** (x=2300, y=1310) (x=2300, y=1380) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 14) Once you reach the southern edge of the level you'll find that this half of the level is also split into eastern and western tunnels... and again, there are two paths to the east. Both are crawling with Kobolds, but the southern-most one has the benefit of traps, behind which the Kobolds lurk. Either send Minsc to shoot the guarding Kobolds down, or just go east along the northern path, whence you can circle down south and attack the Kobolds from the east, where their traps will do them no good. ***TRAPS*** (x=2050, y=2150) (x=2100, y=2200) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 15) Once you're done exploring the meaningless dead-end to the east, back-track to the bridge spanning the center of the level. From here head to the south-west to find a chamber on the southern-most edge of the level housing a pair of Huge Spiders, which shouldn't provide a mid-level party the slightest concern. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 16) From here we have two routes to explore-there a tunnel to the east, just north of the room where we vanquished the Huge Spiders, or... there's the entire south-western part of the area. Let's explore to the west, first, to get it out the way. North-west from the spider room you'll find a Ghoul contemplating the meaning of life near a pool of water. Alas for our amateur undead friend, the meaning of life is death-show him some. Once done, kill some Kobolds to the north-west, then backtrack until you're just north of the Huge Spider room. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 17) From here head east and kill a small group of Kobolds. Further east you'll find a tiny land-bridge leading over some lava, beyond which await a trio of Kobolds armed with Shortbows, and a Kobold Commando. What's a Kobold Commando? A slightly tougher Kobold that shoot flaming arrows. Let me go on record by saying I HATE these things. They are uncannily good at shooting you, and deal plenty of damage when they do hit. Fortunately there aren't many here, and it's not like we'll encounter them again, in greater, quickly-respawing numbers. Right? Meh... Anyways, keeping going east and disarm the traps in front of the exit to the next, and lowest, level of the mine (x=3450, y=2350). ***TRAPS*** (x=3200, y=2570) (x=3200, y=2520) (x=3200, y=2480) Note from Peter: At this point in the walkthrough this fight isn't tough anymore but when you're at level 2 it may be a bit difficult. The best thing here is to sneak in with a character (e.g. Minsc) and cast a sleep spell in the middle of the Kobold group. When most of the Kobolds fall asleep, this fight is easy. Kill the Kobold Commando with the sneaking character first and this fight should just be over in a few seconds. Note from Peter: The three traps may as well be difficult for an unprepared group with an unprepared thief but they are easy to avoid by going around them. Go north around the stalagmite. This shouldn't trigger the first trap, then continue east between the first two traps and keep going as near to the wall as possible over the other two traps. Usually it works with a bit micromanagement. Of course you have to walk every character on its own through this parcours. Mine Level 4 (AR5404) o======================================================================o 18) Head north-east and kill a lone Kobold in the tunnel, then continue north-east until you reach a large chamber. To the east looms a structure of some sort-a cavern within a cavern, encircled by water and bridged by a narrow rock walkway. As you've come to expect, a group of Kobolds (including another Kobold Commando) guard the eastern side of the bridge. Destroy them and note the entrance to this curious structure at (x=1450, y=1150), wherein we'll find the cause of this mine's woes. First, however, follow the walkway outside of the structure counter-clockwise until you encounter a Ghoul at (x=2400, y=1480), which can be smote for some extra experience. Wee... when you're done, enter the chamber-within-a-chamber. Mulahey's Base (AR5405) o======================================================================o 19) To the north is an empty little alcove with a pool. The action is to the east, which consists of two chambers-the northern one contains a few Kobolds guarding Xan (x=800, y=590), who is of no interest to us right now. In the southern chamber you'll find a Half-Orc named Mulahey (x=690, y=890). If you're tricky, you can shoot down/lure away the Kobolds guarding Xan without drawing Mulahey's attention. If he sees you, he'll move to initiate dialogue with you, which experience has taught us we can use to lure him to our party. His conversation ends in a fight, with him summoning a scattering of Skeletons and Kobolds that appear near the entrance, in the chamber with the pool to the north, and near Xan. For that reason I place my two strongest warriors (Ajantis/Jaheira for the good party, or Dorn/Kagain for the evil party) just west of the opening to the eastern chambers, while the rest of my party heads east to talk to Mulahey. He's a Cleric, and like we've seen, if he gets off a Hold Person his minions can take advantage... at least they could if the two characters engaging them were anywhere near the rest of the party, who are likely to be the targets of any spells Mulahey casts. Still, I don't intend to allow him to cast anything-keep on top of him and when he's low on health he'll surrender. Don't fall for it, as he's just using this as an opportunity to summon more minions. Hitting Mulahey with a Silence 15' Radius couldn't hurt, and using sleep on his minions can take out some Kobolds and keep the heat off of your fighters, otherwise, brute force should work just fine here. When Mulahey dies he'll leave behind a suit of Chain Mail Armor, Talos's Gift (aka: Boots of Grounding), an Honorary Ring of Sune (aka: Ring of Holiness), a Large Shield, Mulahey's Holy Symbol, a Morning Star, two Letters, and 29 gold. I give the boots to my main character (or a Mage) as they will be the ones most likely to be subjected to Lightning Bolts. The Honorary Ring of Sune goes to Viconia (or another Cleric), as I find a Cleric's 1st-4th-level spells more useful than Jaheira's (or any other Driud's). Loot Mulahey's chest at (x=650, y=860). Read the Letters, as one will point you in the right direction: to find a Mage by the name of Tranzig, who is staying in Feldpost's Inn. The Letters are signed by one Tazok, the Ogre Kivan is trying to slay, and Tranzig is, of course, the Mage who imprisoned Branwen. Crazy how everybody's problems revolve around this iron crisis, no? Keep the Letters and Mulahey's Holy Symbol, as they serve as evidence for Berrun Ghastkill. Now who does this Moonblade belong to...? Note: Chapter 2 ends when you pick up the Letters, but since this is a lousy spot to end a Sequence of Events, let's pretend Chapter 3 doesn't really start until we make our way out of the Nashkel Mines, hmmm? ***ITEMS*** (x=650, y=860) Potion of Absorption, Potion of Healing x2, Short Sword +1, Scroll of Armor, Scroll of Infravision, Scroll of Charm Person, Scroll of Sleep, Scroll of Identify, Scroll of Web, Moonblade +3, 790 gold ***ENHANCED EDITION*** In the original version of the game, the Letters you obtain from Tazok and Tranzig were in Mulahey's chest-not on his person. I imagine this was changed because it was technically possible to steal the Letters from his chest without ever having to talk to, fight, or kill him. This would make an upcoming dream sequence look rather silly. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 20) At (x=800, y=590) you'll find Xan, to whom the Moonblade you found in Mulahey's chest belongs. You can accept him into your party, but because Xan sucks I leave him behind. If only he was a Fighter/Mage who could put that Moonblade to use... but no, he just sucks. His 13 Strength would make him useless as a Fighter anyways. That Moonblade is there merely to taunt you. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 21) Leave the central cavern and walk around the outside ledge of the moat, working your way clockwise. There will be two Gray Oozes in your path. Smite them and exit the mines at (x=3000, y=900). Keep in mind that once you leave, the only way back to the lowest level of the Nashkel Mines is to wander through the rest of the mines again... you won't be returning via your escape route. Note: Now that you've smashed up the Nashkel Mine operation, be wary of an assassin that awaits you in Nashkel. If you follow the guide by the letter, you'll be fine, but if you feel the need to return to town early you might want to skip ahead to read Step #10 of the next Sequence of Events. o======================================================================o | Chapter 3 | o======================================================================o | | | Back to Beregost | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK013} 1) Fresh Air 2) Tomb Robbing 3) Hentold's Haunting 4) The Revenant 5) Narcillicus Harwilliger Neen 6) More Tomb Robbing 7) Iron Throne Assassins 8) Joseph's Widow 9) Berrun's Reward 10) Prism's Bounty 11) Nimbul 12) Officer Jessa Vai 13) Dual-Classing Imoen Wilderness (AR5000) o======================================================================o 1) You've exited the mines and now find yourself in an area to the east. Although your packs may be bursting with loot, this area is worth exploring before we run back to Nashkel. Also, Imoen finally hits level six, which allows her to dual class into a Mage. She starts all over at level one, but she keeps her old Hit Points. Before I continue on with the story, I will do as much exploring as I can to get experience, as she really needs to gain a few levels in her new class.... Maybe not enough experience to reactivate her Thief class, but enough to cast some nice spells. For her new weapon proficiency, I choose Slings, as it will allow her to use slings with some skill. Also, when you rest you'll gain another spell for your main character. This area is populated by various Dogs, Gnolls, and Ankhegs, in addition to the non-random encounters below. Tombs (AR5001) o======================================================================o 2) From where we exited the Nashkel Mine (x=1770, y=770) head south-west until you find the entrance to a tomb (x=900, y=1750) which contains a Ghoul and a coffin. Splatter the Ghoul, loot the coffin, and then make like a tree and leave. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) South of the tomb you'll run into a rogue named Hentold (x=1230, y=2900), who is spooked about something. Accept to help him and 'take it back.' He'll give you the Heart of the Golem +2 and tell you he got it from a tomb in the east. Who wants to bet that we have no intention of giving this dagger back? (I do!) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) Head east, and at (x=1900, y=2850) you'll find the entrance to another tomb, inside of which you'll find a Revenant. It'll ask you for the dagger Hentold gave you. If you give it back you'll get a minor reward. Of course, if you don't, it will attack you, while occasionally asking for the dagger back. It's a fairly tough monster, but you should be able to simply chop it down. The Revenant is immune to non-magical weapons, but that shouldn't be a problem now, should it? If you kill it, you get much more experience AND you keep the dagger. Nice. This weapon is nice for Shar-Teel, if you're taking her down the Two-Weapon Style path and aim to have to use Daggers... or it's a decent weapon for Jaheira, if you were too cheap to spring for the Dagger of Venom +2. Leave the tomb and continue to the east. ***ITEMS*** (central tomb) (x=400, y=350) Potion of Invisibility, 35 gold (x=500, y=400) Potion of Freedom, 107 gold ***ITEMS*** (northern tomb) (x=200, y=150) 81 gold ***REWARD*** (For giving the Revenant its dagger) EXP 900 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 5) At about (x=3780, y=2780) you'll find a Mage named Narcillicus Harwilliger Neen, who has just discovered a way to control all slimes, jellies, and oozes! If you show disdain for his discovery, he'll leave without anything happening (dialogue option #1). If you call him mad, he'll realize he indeed botched the casting (dialogue option #2, #1) and four Green Slimes will appear and Neen will flee. If you are excited by his discovery (dialogue option #2, #2) he'll become protective of his discovery and attack, along with two Mustard Jellies. Mustard Jellies are outright immune to piercing damage and mundane weapons, and they are 30% resistant to slashing and crushing, so it can take a bit to put them down. Offensively, they have a weak poison and can inflict Slow upon characters they hit. These guys can be rough early on, and if at all possible you should try and lure them away from Neen, as the threat of a wizard is only multiplied by having these creatures around. Fortunately, this isn't too difficult, since Neen's first strategy is to use Improved Invisibility. Once the jellies are dead, move in and deal with Neen. When he dies he'll leave behind a Knave's Robe, a Scroll of Burning Hands, a Scroll of Web, a Scroll of Lightning Bolt, a Dagger, and 38 gold. Aren't you glad you didn't let those scrolls walk away with Neen? Note from Peter: A 'Silence 15' radius' works quite well here. Narcillius is a good mage but without the ability to cast spells he is helpless, so you can focus on the Mustard Jellies. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) The third and last tomb is just a short way to the east, at (x=4530, y=2800) and is populated by three Ghasts. Kill them and loot the three sarcophagi behind them. This is where the real loot is at. Now leave and give grave-robbing a rest... for now. ***ITEMS*** (southern tomb) (x=750, y=450) Chain Mail Armor +1, Potion of Frost Giant Strength, Arrows +2 x5 (x=800, y=500) Greenstone Ring (x=900, y=530) Wand of Monster Summoning, Pearl Necklace <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) Just north of the exit from the mines you'll find another group of assassins. That's right, a group of them this time. There's four of them, all females, led by one Lamalha (x=2090, y=200). They've got archers, they've got spell casters. Rushing in head on is probably the least effective way to deal with them, but now that my main character has full use of 2nd level spells, I'll introduce a new tactic (a tactic that is probably not 'new' to the evil party, as Edwin has had 2nd-level Mage spells for a while now... but I digress...). I creep ahead with Minsc who is using stealth to spy them out. When they are spotted, I cast Web twice just in front of the closest enemy (while keeping my spell-caster out of their sight range, i.e. behind Minsc). This way my spell can affect them, but I do not draw their attention. Web functions like Entangle, save that creatures who are webbed cannot attack with spells or missile fire. The only downside is that it will affect my own characters too. After they are webbed, I slink up with Minsc and Imoen, and promptly shoot them to death one at a time. When I get it, I'll switch out Web with Stinking Cloud, as Stinking Cloud will affect creatures for 1d4+1 rounds AFTER they fail a save. Web forces them to save at a -2, but Stinking Cloud keeps them down much longer. Also, if your Cleric casts Animate Dead to summon up some Skeleton warriors, you can send your undead minions-who are immune to the effects of Stinking Cloud-into the fray to punish foes who fail their Saving Throws. Another, simpler, more Enhanced Edition-friendly tactic (my protagonists are no longer archers, so tactics that rely on archery require some attention) is to simply cast Animate Dead-after you've scoped out their location and provoked Lamalha by talking to her and quickly ran away before the fighting began. Take your summoned minions and... well, have them attack the enemies. Their job is simply to soak up debuffs that are cast at them-Rigid Thinking, Hold Person... any of those obnoxious mind-affecting spells that tend to cause us to have to reload the game. While the enemy is preoccupied with that, have a Cleric walk up and cast Silence 15' Radius near them. If any of them are silenced, it's an additional bonus on top of whatever spells of theirs you've wasted. Once a few of their spells have been spent and a Silence has been applied (albeit with varying effectiveness-such is the randomness of Saving Throws), rush them with your party. On my latest playthrough, this simple tactic of fodder-and-silence allowed me to take these gals down with minimal damage Jaheira suffered four points of damage, and Ajantis (who led the charge) took ten. Barely even noticeable on the portraits. Anyways, now for my favorite part-the looting: Maneira: Protector of the Second +2, Potion of Magic Blocking, Oil of Fiery Burning, 20 Darts of Wounding, Short Sword and 78 gold. Zeela: Splint Mail, Medium Shield, a Potion of Hill Giant Strength, Flail, Harrower +1 and 67 gold. Lamalha: Plate Mail, Helmet, Medium Shield, Potion of Power, Potion of Stone Form, Mace and 94 gold. Telka: Studded Leather Armor +1, 20 Flaming Arrows, Long Bow, Short Sword and 78 gold. The Harrower goes on Ajantis (in the good party) or on my protagonist (in the evil party). If you bothered to talk to Lamalha, (something you can avoid/miss if you don't bring her into view first) chances are you heard her threaten you on behalf of the Iron Throne. Oh yeah, it'll come up again. You'll notice there were no bounty notes on them, meaning these ladies were hired by a different source than the previous assassins. Nobody said solving an iron crisis would be simple... or safe. Now there IS an area south of this one that just begs to be explored, but it requires you to head back to the Friendly Arm Inn, so we'll skip it for now and head back to Nashkel. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** The Harrower +1, of course, is new to the Enhanced Edition. It's the kind of weapon one would expect to see introduced into an old game- interesting, but not powerful enough to really change anything. Undead aren't uncommon, but it's certainly not a superior general-use weapon than Varscona +2. Still, it'll come in handy a few times, I suppose. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) First things first, let's return Joseph's Ring to his wife. Her house is at (x=4200, y=2900), in case you forgot. You can tell her about the ring, then decide to keep it as payment for telling her, which will make her understandably angry. Or you could give the widow her late husband's ring, since it's not worth much anyways. You only get the reward if you give her the ring... so you can be evil, or pragmatic. ***REWARD*** (For returning Joseph's Greenstone Ring to his wife) EXP 800 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 9) Go report to Berrun Ghastkill, who will reward you as long as you have either both the notes or Mulahey's Holy Symbol. If you only have the notes, he'll give you a smaller reward, if you have Mulahey's Holy Symbol, you'll get a better reward. ***REWARD*** (For turning in Mulahey's Notes) EXP 1000 Gold 900 ---or--- ***REWARD*** (For turning in Mulahey's Holy Symbol) EXP 1000 Gold 900 Reputation +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 10) If you want to turn in the Emeralds you got from Prism, you might as well do it now. Frankly though, you'll get more money selling the Emeralds than you'll get for turning them in. Or... why not do both? You can sell them to the proprietor of the Naskhel Store for a cool 1500 gold, steal them back, and give them to Oublek for the quest reward. I'm usually pretty mercenary when I play this game, so I'm somewhat at a loss as to how I've missed this obvious way to score extra gold... anyways, thanks to P. Maasz for pointing this out. ***REWARD*** (For collecting the bounty on Prism) EXP 200 Gold 300 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 11) Now that the mines are effectively over, it's time to sell/store our loot and make ready for some more adventuring! First things first, head up the road until you run into an assassin named Nimbul (x=1250, y=680) who is voiced by the spectacular Michael Bell. He also does the voice of Raziel in the Legacy of Kain series and more recently, of Sed in Lost Odyssey. Look him up in IMDB, chances are, you've heard him on something in the past 20 years. Even more pertinent, he does the voice of a recruitable character in Baldur's Gate 2, the Bard Haer'Dalis. Anywho, I suggest luring him to the party, and attacking him with as many melee characters as possible. He's got Mage spells and he isn't afraid to use them, and usually this calls for missile fire, but he is... well... exceptionally well-protected against them. Keep on him and he should fall fairly quickly. Loot his body for Senses of the Cat, a Topsider's Crutch, a Letter, a Short Sword +1, a Scroll of Find Familiar, 20 Throwing Axes, and 58 gold. The boots go on Viconia, since she's too weak to use Large Shields, she'll need the extra protection against missile attacks, and the ring... well, put it on some Human or another. The former explain why Nimbul was so hard to hit with missiles, and it's just a great defensive item to keep missiles at bay. You'll also notice that the letter Nimbul had was from Tazok, the same character who was in charge of Mulahey (and the same Tazok who killed Kivan's lover, if you read character biographies), and it also mentions Tranzig (the same Tranzig who petrified Branwen. Again, character biographies). Head on into Beregost when you're done in Nashkel and sell or store whatever excess loot you might have. I also decide to buy a Sling +1 from the Thunderhammer Smithy for Imoen, as it will allow her to participate in combat until she gets her bow back and can contribute more competently. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** Nimbul now drops a Scroll of Find Familiar-this spell wasn't in the original game, so they had to sneak it in here somewhere, right? <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 12) In Beregost you'll be approached by a child named Chloe, who will be asking around for you. She'll tell you that a member of the Flaming Fist named Officer Vai is looking for you, and that she's waiting in the Jovial Juggler. All in good time. I head to Kagain's shop where I stash all my loot and take out all my Bandit Scalps (I have 71 of them at this point-busy boy that I am), I also have Imoen scribe the scrolls I've stored here so far. With the scalps in hand I head over to the Jovial Juggler to meet with Officer Vai. She'll approach, and tell you that because of the bandit activity, she and her men have been cut off from Baldur's Gate, and she's not happy about it. She'll pay you 50 gold for each Bandit Scalp you bring her. You may also be bothered by Elminster again sometime in Beregost, but this is an inconsequential encounter. He will tell you that the Bandits are in the north-east, but this doesn't do much to further our cause. Note: If your reputation is low enough, Officer Vai will attack you. You know, being a wanted criminal and all, and she being an officer of the Flaming Fist... it's kind of her job. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 13) Now it's time to stash my loot and get ready for another spree of exploration. Sure we could have done all this earlier, but why do all our optional exploration at once? Gaming is better if you mix some story in once in a while, and it's better for the FAQ, too. There is, however, a serious change taking place in my good party-if not already, then certainly before I finish this chapter, Imoen will hit that 20,000 experience mark, meaning it'll be time to dual-class her. We all know how it works-turn her into a Mage and allow her to become Proficient in Slings, but this is a large transition and deserves some explanation. Imoen will no longer be able to use anything a Mage can't use (at least, until she hits 7th-level as a Mage and gets her Thief abilities back). This means no The Dale's Protector (Minsc uses them in the meantime), no armor, no Short Bow +1. We'll find other stuff to get her shortly, but for now, just make sure she has a Sling (preferably the Sling +1 sold at the Thunderhammer Smithy-she'll get more use out of it than Viconia or Jaheira will) and plenty of sling Bullets. Also have her scribe any scrolls you SHOULD have been saving. Anyways, it's time to head to the area west of High Hedge, with the ambition of clearing out all the western areas I have access to. o======================================================================o | | | Western Areas and the Northern Farmhouse | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK014} 1) Shoal the Nereid 2) Ogre Clan 3) The Surgeon 4) Mad Arcand, Wertle woo 5) Seductive Safana 6) A Note on Sirines 7) Sil's Squad 8) Seaside Cavern 9) Diviner Drama 10) Fifteen Birds... 11) Gnoll Tribe 12) Charleston Nib's Excavation 13) Best Left Buried 14) Wrath of Kozah 15) Get Off My Land! 16) A Cousin's Plea 17) Captain Crazy 18) Bjornin's Bullies 19) Teyngan's Trio 20) Chill Hobgoblin 21) Drizzt's Cameo 22) Hafiz's Horrors 23) Hunting for Samuel 24) Hidden Treasure 25) Lena's Plea 26) Zombieland 27) Rich Farmhouse! Wilderness (AR3100) o======================================================================o 1) At (x=2900, y=530) you'll find Shoal the Nereid. If you talk to her, she'll trick/force whomever talked to her into a kiss and kill them off. That being the case, whatever you do, do NOT talk to her with your main character, because her kiss is fatal, and she doesn't take no for an answer. You CAN just kill her, and if you do you'll receive a whopping 5000 experience for her. Still... it's more profitable to talk to her and let her kill off a character. Do the honors with a disposable character... in this case I choose Imoen, since at her level she's the least useful. Once she is kissed, Imoen dies and Shoal turns hostile. Rough her up a bit and she'll yield, blaming her actions on one Ogre Droth. Force her to restore your comrade and offer to fight on her behalf. She will do so, but your fallen comrade will have only a single Hit Point and their loot will have dropped wherever they died, so quickly heal them and equip them again. Droth will show up eventually and question Shoal. Stand up for her, and a fight will ensue. His tactics are simple, but very effective against a low-level party. He'll attempt to go Invisible, after which he'll cast a Sleep spell, then repeat and try a Dire Charm. He's got multiple instances of each spell, and he's not a slouch in melee combat, either. My tactics for this fight are simple-if uninspiring. If you're 5th level or higher, his spell onslaught is largely ineffective. If you're 4th level or lower, he's going to be a huge pain in the ass. If you find that he's just decimating you with his spells, try hitting him with a Silence 15' Radius as he approaches (before he talks to you and turns hostile). That'll at least make it a straight melee encounter. If that fails... well... avoid Shoal for now and come back when you're stronger. Simple as. Once he's dead talk to Shoal for some experience... or simply attack her-she's worth more dead, anyways (a whopping 5000 experience at that!). Droth will drop a the Gift of Peace (aka: Helmet of Defense), a Horn Coral Gem, a Bastard Sword, and 129 gold. The Gift of Peace gives a bonus to all saves and +20% resistance to electrical, cold, and fire damage. I put it on Viconia, as improving her saves will make her less likely to fall victim to status effects. If your Cleric is incapacitated, they won’t be able to use their magic to help others. Simple logic, no? ***REWARD*** (For rescuing Shoal the Nereid) EXP 750 Note from Peter: Just in case you want to let her live. Pick-pocket her for a Pearl. Typical Sirine loot. The best way to handle Shoal is in my opinion to save her and before you talk to her again, sorround her with your whole party. After she thanked and rewarded you (with 750 experience), imme- diatly attack her with all your party members. Usually, it isn't a big deal to kill her and get the 5000 experience as well. Imoen will be thankful at this point in the walkthrough. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) In the center of the map you'll find a clan of Ogres, consisting of everything from Ogrillons, Half Ogres, Ogres, and Ogre Berserkers. Simply put, they're not to be trifled with. If you take it slow, however, lure a few away at a time, and use a Sleep spell or two, you'll be fine. Ogres just aren't as dangerous to us now that we have negative Armor Classes and scores of Hit Points. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) At (x=2890, y=2090) you'll find the Surgeon, who will offer to heal your party. After fighting those Ogres nearby, you might just want to take him up on his offer. If you ask who he is, he'll tell you about his brother, Davaeorn. Again, who wants to bet that name will come up again? He'll cast about seven Cure Light Wounds on you and leave. That's refreshing, eh? You can also steal a variety of potions from him, including a Potion of Magic Protection, an Antidote, a Potion of Healing, and an Elixir of Health. Note from Peter: You can also kill the Surgeon for 975 experience and without a reputa- tion penalty. Better do this after he was so kind to heal your party. He leaves behind a dagger (when you've stolen all his potions before). <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) At (x=2000, y=1280) you'll find a Gnome named Mad Arcand, who will ask you to retrieve an item from a pirate ship (x=900, y=1590). Go search the ship, which is guarded by Carrion Crawlers, and retrieve a ring from it. The ring is cursed, so there's no reason to keep it. Return it to Mad Arcand for a reward. Now that you're done here, head down to the area south of this one... the area with the light house. To get there, you might have to backtrack to the area where we killed Bassilus (AR3700), and exit via the western edge of the map. ***ITEMS*** (x=900, y=1590) Discipliner ***REWARD*** (For returning the Discipliner to Mad Arcand) EXP 300 Items Oil of Fiery Burning Note from Peter: Mad Arcand is worth 2000 experience but not without a reputation loss. Anyway I find killing him is a good way to reduce your reputation for the evil party (if need be). He leaves behind a Quarterstaff and 32 gold. Note from Peter: The area in the south-west is a very good place to get some experience. Usually, there are three Sirines here and on the way to them, I usually encounter some Ghouls and Kobolds. Wilderness (AR3600) o======================================================================o 5) At (x=3750, y=2390) you'll find the Thief Safana. She wants to go hunting for the treasure of one 'Black Alaric'. If you need a Thief, Safana is a great choice, if you've got Imoen and plan to keep her, tell Safana to walk. Accept to hunt for the treasure (which we'll do shortly) if you want her in your party. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) There is a path to the east of the map that leads south. It is positively swarming with Hobgoblins, and they respawn fairly regularly. Find and kill a group of Hobgoblins near the shore, in the middle of the map, then continue along the shore to the west. You'll probably run into a few Sirens along the way, and they can cause havoc. They tend to start out by casting Invisibility, after which they'll cast Dire Charm, and repeat. Needless to say, they can cause problems. Charmed characters will attack their allies, and should be avoided or, if you're a high enough level, dispelled. After that they'll fire away with Arrows of Biting, which can do some serious damage. Furthermore, in the Enhanced Edition they can... essentially cause Feeblemind on foes when they attack in melee. Yeah, the status screen says 'confused' on affected characters, but it drains their Wisdom to three and leaves them standing there helpless-which is closer to... you know what? It doesn't matter. Essentially, Sirines can now render character helpless. They can be pretty rough, but they're not terribly sturdy. So long as you have some Dispel Magic spells ready you should be in good shape. Another strategy? Lean on our old crutch, Animate Dead. They're immune to charm and the poison from the Arrows of Biting, and a single Skeleton Warrior can waste the spells of an entire host of Sirines, which is a good thing. Fittingly Sirines give a hefty sum of experience, and they drop Arrows of Biting and Pearls, both of which are fairly nice. Keep your Arrows of Biting when you get them-you'll use them shortly, and it would be such a waste to use them up on Sirines and Hobgoblins. Note from Peter: At around (x=3500, y=1600) you'll find Pallonia. She is another seer it seems. Unfortunatly (for us), she doesn't have to say anything crucial. Unfortunatly (for her), she's worth 120 experience without reputation penalty. She leaves behind a Quarterstaff which is as important as her dialog options. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) Keep going west along the shore until you can't go west any more... if you find a lighthouse, you're too far south, and need to explore the northern shore running west. From the western edge of the map head north until you find Sil (x=350, y=1150) and two of her Sirine buddies. Summoning a Skeleton Warrior and sending it up alone successfully wastes all their charm spells, after which you can just run up and smite them. Pirate's Cave (AR3601) o======================================================================o 8) There's a cave that Sil and her gals were in front of at (x=400, y=900). Inside you'll find Flesh Golems, and traps... neither of which are terribly fun. Flesh Golems are tough and immune to non-magical weapons, but by now you should be able to slay them without suffering too much. How tough are they? They can hit a -5 Armor Class on a roll of 17, which makes them fairly rough in my book. Fortunately, you kept those Arrows of Biting that Sirines have been donating to us, right? These arrows are exceptionally effective again Flesh Golems, as one or two arrows can kill them if you let the poison do its work. Equip them on a sneaky archer (Minsc, for example), shoot a Flesh Golem, run away, and hide. This cave is all but designed for hit-and-run fun... just be sure to disarm traps as you go, first. If the Flesh Golem fails its Saving Throw and takes poison damage, wait and let the poison do its work. If not, sneak up and shoot them again. There are a total of three Flesh Golems in the cave, and they are fairly far apart. Anyways, there's a... rock... you can loot at (x=700, y=350). Among its other treasures is a Manual of Bodily Health. As always, use this on your main character. Mmm... Constitution. Exit the cavern and continue exploring the wilderness area. If you have Safana in your party, she'll offer to stay with the group after clearing out this cavern. ***ITEMS** (x=700, y=350) Dart of Wounding x10, Antidote, Potion of Infravision, Elixir of Health, Potion of Absorption, Wand of Paralyzation, Relair's Mistake, Manual of Bodily Health, 312 gold ***TRAPS*** (x=450, y=850) (x=920, y=750) (x=300, y=550) (x=1000, y=350) ***ENHANCED EDITION*** In the original game, there were no traps in this area. Also, resting here could spawn Flesh Golems, making this cave a great place to grind. In the Enhanced Edition, resting will only yield Carrion Crawlers... which is not so fun. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 9) At (x=3500, y=2950) you'll find a Mage by the name of Arkushule, who will offer to read your fortune. Allow her to, and she'll tell you what she sees. She'll become uneasy when learns about you 'back before this Gorion.' Continue to pester her for what she saw and she'll freak out and attack. Kill her and take her stuff. You'll gain a Mage Robe of Cold Resistance, a Scroll of Burning Hands, and 38 gold. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 10) At (x=1420, y=3680) you'll find a commoner named Ardrouine, whose son was playing in an abandoned lighthouse before some Worgs came and surrounded the place. Head up to the north-west to find the light house and slay all the worgs around it. There are only about three of them, which makes this a piece of cake. When they're dead go back to the mother for your reward. Now head to the area south of this one. ***REWARD*** (For saving the boy from the Worgs) EXP 500 Gold 60 Reputation +1 Wilderness (AR4100) o======================================================================o 11) Along the northern edge of the map you'll find a variety of Gnolls, including Gnoll Elites, Slashers, Veterans, a Chieftain and Flinds. Kill them and loot them for a nice little pay-day. They shouldn't be even remotely challenging anymore, but if they're giving you any trouble, hit them with a Sleep spell to effectively end the fight. Excavation Site (AR4101) o======================================================================o 12) Towards the middle of the map you'll find a dig site, and the dig leader Charleston Nib (x=2860, y=1510) (but you'll have to wait until the sequel to meet DigDag... there's a limit to how much dig you get in one game.) Talk to Charleston Nib and pick any dialogue option the first time you get a chance to respond, then when you can reply again, avoid calling them tomb-robbers, don't try and rob them, and don't pick any of the dialogue options with "goodbye" in them... essentially, inquire into what they're doing, and agree to help watch over their camp. When the conversation is over another man, Gallor, will come and talk to you. He's under the impression that there is some great treasure to be found in this excavation and asks you to remove Nib. Accept or don't, but if Gallor walks off you won’t get a reward from him. If you threatened to rob Nib, or were otherwise rude, Nib won't let you into the excavated tomb, and you'll have no choice but to either leave them be, or side with Gallor and butcher Nib and company. For the good party, I have them play nice with Nib and turn Gallor down and for the evil party... well, I do the same, since siding with Nib is ultimately less dangerous and more profitable. Excavated Tomb (AR4101) o======================================================================o 13) Either side with Gallor or turn him down (de facto siding with Nib), then talk to Nib to enter the tomb (if you didn't piss Nib off earlier). A cutscene ensues where the game gives a brilliant show of how much its pathfinding sucks. The diggers will go mad and you'll have to put them down. After the slaughter, talk to Nib one more time for a reward (if you didn't side with Gallor). Now if you want to be evil, you have to kill Nib and take the treasure from a sarcophagus (x=1150, y=550), or you can warn Nib of Gallor's plans for some experience. Nib has a Sunstone Gem and 100 gold on him. If you sided with Charleston Nib and left the Idol alone, this quest is over, if not... well, either way, you need to head back to the surface. ***ITEMS*** (x=1150, y=550) Idol ***REWARD*** (For siding with Charleston Nib) EXP 1000 Gold 50 Reputation +1 ***REWARD*** (For warning Charleston Nib of Gallor's plans after siding with Gallor) EXP 1000 Note from Peter: When you side with Nib and refuse Gallor's offer, you can easily kill Gallor when he's walking away. He's worth 120 experience and carries a Studded Leather Armor, a Morning Star and 28 gold. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 14) If you take the Idol you got from the sarcophagus out of the tomb (regardless of whether you've sided with Gallor or Charleston), a Doomsayer will be waiting for you when you reach the surface at (x=2650, y=1570). It'll babble at you-but the meaning is clear-it wants the Idol you stole, and if you refuse to hand it over, it'll attack. The Doomsayer is a rough opponent-as an undead creature, it's immune to mind-affecting attacks, so don't bother trying to debilitate it with spells. It's also got a very low Armor Class, high Hit Points, a potent melee attack (with fast attack speed and a low THAC0 making up for what it might lack in pure damage) and it can be harmed only by magical weapons. In a straight fight, a 5th-6th level party will probably be able to chop it down if you withdraw injured characters, use healing spells, get it to attack more protected party members, and whittle it down with damage-dealing spells (Magic Missile works wonders here.) There is, however, a way to make this fight much easier-the humble Dispel Magic spell will remove a few buffs that can significantly weaken the Doomsayer. These two effects (which, as far as I can tell are permanently granted to it via equipped, non-droppable items-this is how Bioware grants many monster traits, abilities, resistances, and immunities) are Blur and Flame Blade. Taking away Blur will make it quite a bit easier to hit, and removing Flame Blade will effectively cut its damage in half. This is a good thing. So, if you're keen to fight it in order to keep the Idol, for the Doomsayer's 4000 EXP kill value, or just because you can, hit it with Dispel Magic, pump it full of Magic Missiles, and smack it around with magical weapon. As far as Gallor is concerned, one of two things are going to happen here. If you warned Charleston Nib about Gallor's scheme, but took the statue anyways, he'll go nuts when the Doomseeker approaches and attack. If you killed Nib, you can actually talk to Gallor and complete the transaction, earning an experience reward... unfortunatley, Gallor goes nuts afterwards, and aids the Doomsayer in its attack. ***REWARD*** (For giving Gallor the Idol) EXP 900 Reputation -2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 15) Over at (x=940, y=1200) you'll find Ba'ruk, who like any good red-neck will yell at you to get off his land before he attacks. The Hobgoblin isn't so much of a threat, but the four Kobold Commandos that spawn north-west of him can be. Hit them all with a Sleep spell, then go to work slaying. The Kobold Commandos will drop their usual fare- Arrows of Fire +2 and garbage. Ba'ruk will drop a suit of Leather Armor, 20 Arrows, a Greenstone Ring, a Waterstar Gem, a Bastard Sword, a Composite Longbow and 39 gold. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 16) At (x=3650, y=2050) you'll find Laryssa, who will talk to you and ask you to not kill her cousin Brage. (Remember, the murderous commander from Nashkel?) If you say you're going to kill him, she'll attack you. She possesses a suit of Studded Leather Armor, a Small Shield +1, and a Flail. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 17) Brage is just north of Laryssa, at (x=3700, y=1930) and he'll ask you a riddle, the answer to which is Death. If you get it wrong, he'll attack you, if you answer correctly he'll snap out of his madness. If you kill Brage you'll be able to loot him for a suit of Chain Mail Armor, a Potion of Stone Giant Strength, a Two Handed Sword, Cursed Berserking +3, Brage's Body, and 83 gold. Turning in Brage's body will allow you to claim Oublek's reward for the bounty. If you take him back to the Temple of Helm in Nashkel, you'll get a reward from the temple, as well as Oublek's reward, which is by far the best path to take. Plus, you'll still get his sword and potion by sparing him. You'll automatically take Brage back to Nashkel when you do this, so make sure everything in this area is done. Now you have only one more western area left to do, which is north-west of Nashkel. Head there when you're ready. ***REWARD*** (For killing Brage) EXP 500 Gold 250 ---or--- ***REWARD*** (For saving Brage) Gold 1000 Wilderness (AR4200) o======================================================================o 18) You'll run into a number of Half-Ogres near the northern edge of this map. These are the ogres that beat up Bjornin. Kill them and talk to Bjornin at your leisure. Keep in mind that if you stole the Medium Shield +1 from him earlier, you're not getting it as a reward. ***REWARD*** (For beating up Bjornin's bullies) EXP 400 Item Medium Shield +1 Reputation +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 19) At (x=3850, y=1330) you'll find Teyngan and his merry band of bandits... well, merry duo. You know the deal. They'll ask for your money, you decline and kill them, that old bird. By this point in the game we can simply walk up to them and pummel them, but using any of our party-busting attacks (Animate Dead and Stinking Cloud, anybody?) works just as well. Teyngan: Splint Mail, Helmet, Potion of Healing, Bandit Scalp, Mace and 93 gold. Zekar: Leather Armor, Helmet, 20 Arrows, 5 Arrows +2, Bandit Scalp, Composite Long Bow, Bastard Sword and 14 gold. Jemby: Mage Robe of Fire Resistance, Scroll of Resist Fear, Scroll of Larloch's Minor Drain, Scroll of Chromatic Orb, Bandit Scalp, Quarterstaff and 23 gold. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 20) After massacring Teyngan and his pals, head south-east to find a Hobgoblin (x=4140, y=2160), who rudely demands 'some money and some healing'. If you hand over 25 gold, he'll pretty much call you a chump and leave it at that. Pick option #1 or #3 and he'll reveal that he's a member of Chill, a Hobgoblin mercenary band that's operating in the area. The idea being, of course, that we're supposed to be scared and do as he wishes, or his buddies are going to hurt us. From here, pick option #1 and he'll pocket your money and hurt your feelings. Pick option #2 and he'll threaten you vaguely with violence at an unspecified time in the future. Finally, pick option #3, then #1 and he'll reveal more about the Chill, and the fact that he's a rather sucky bandit. Since this path nets you experience, it's the way to go. If you're incredibly quick you can also shoot him down when he tries to walk off. He'll drop typical Hobgoblin junk, along with 134 gold (thanks to Jeff for the tip here.) ***REWARD*** (For bullying the Chill Hobgoblin) EXP 200 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 21) In the middle of the map you'll find the one, the only, the most famous and well-loved Dark Elf, Drizzt Do'Urden (x=2620, y=2150)! He's being harassed by Gnolls and will ask for your help. What's he doing this far south? Has he ever even been this far south? Maybe during the 'Halfling's Gem', but he would have been on a boat at the time... anyways, if you're goodly folks, agree to help him out and kill the Gnolls... although Drizzt admittedly does most of the work. If you're evil, you may just want to kill him for his goodies, but be prepared, Drizzt is no push-over, and he will decimate your party if he gets close enough. The best way to handle him? Be level 5-6 at the minimum, be able to cast Haste, and summon as many minions (Monster Summoning I and II, Animate Dead) as possible and use them to occupy Drizzt, as well as deal incidental damage. The rest of the party should fire on him with the best missile weapons they can get their hands on. For those of you who are less confrontational-I've also been told (by a variety of sources) that simply using a Thief to Pick Pocket some of Drizzt's items is a viable alternative. On my own testing, with the Enhanced Edition, however, I wasn't quite able to replicate their results-my Thief with an admittedly pathethic Pick Pocket score of 40% was unable to steal from him in over fifty tries... although with a score of 60% I was successful once in a while. By the time you boost your Pick Pocket score to 100%, you should be able to steal from him at will... although note that you can only obtain his Scimitars this way, if you want his armor, you'll have to kill him-which will be much easier if you nab his Scimitars, first! No, seriously though, he'll still mess you up even without his weapons. Anyways, long story short, bring a competent Thief or a few Potions of Master Thievery if you want to steal from him. Another-admittedly cheap-way to deal with Drizzt is to surround him with party members, one on each side, hence boxing him in and preventing him from moving. Once done, disband those party members (putting your protagonist next to each one as you disband them, to ensure they don't wander away and destroy the integrity of your Drizzt-box). Drizzt is now surrounded on each size by a neutral box of characters. Take one of your remaining characters and attack Drizzt with a ranged weapon or a melee weapon with reach (a Spear, Two-Handed Sword, Halberd, etc.) You probably won't hit him without rolling a 20, but since he's incapable of fighting back, you don't need to... just be sure to have plenty of ammunition. After a long, long while, Drizzt will be dead, you will have lost nothing but time and some ammunition, and you can safely loot Drizzt and reform your party. Now, for the whole point of killing Drizzt-his over-powered gear. He drops a suit of Mithral Chain Mail +4, which has an Armor Class of 1-same as Full Plate Mail, except you can use your Thief skills while wearing it. You cannot, however, cast spells in it, it's still awesome armor, especially for a dual-class Fighter/Thief Shar-Teel, Coran, Minsc, Kivan, etc. He also drops his two iconic Scimitars-Icingdeath +3 and Twinkle +3. If you were playing Baldur's Gate 1, and only Baldur's Gate 1, with no mind towards the sequel, these weapons would be worth building a character around. This guide is not so short-sighted, however, so we will take them in context. Twinkle +3 is the best weapon in the game-with a +3 enhancement bonus and a +2 bonus to Armor Class, I just can't think of anything else that can compare. Unfortunately, it can only be used by good characters, so the party most likely to kill Drizzt is also the party less likely to be able to benefit from it. Incingdeath +3 is more humble-it's +50% resistance to fire is nice, and so is it's +3 enhancement. For Baldur's Gate, and Baldur's Gate only, dual-wielding these Scimitars is probably the best set-up you can get for a single character. Alas, there's continuity. First, my good party just doesn't want to kill Drizzt. As for my evil party, my protagonist can't use Twinkle +3, and all things considered, Long Swords are superior for much of the sequel, so even with the promise of these two excellent weapons in the first game, I do not bother spending any ranks in them. On the other hand, Jaheira could use Icingdeath +3, if you had a mind to focus her in Scimitars instead of Daggers, and for my evil party, that's exactly what I do. My evil protagonist might just want to wear the Mythral Chain Mail +4 for a while, considering its Armor Class is far superior to any other Thief armor we've found thus far. I won't be able to cast spells, but considering my level, that's not much of a sacrifice. For most fights, I won't need spells, and with Edwin in my party... it's a worthwhile thought until you hit 5th-level as a Mage, when spells become too tempting to ignore, and better armor options open up. Of course, if you're lucky in Larswood, you might find yourself wearing a fancy new Robe of the Evil Archmagi very soon... All in all, unless you're a good-aligned Fighter/Thief who dual-wields Scimitars, there's very little reason to kill Drizzt. You should be warned that killing Drizzt here WILL come back to you in the sequel. Actually, it's not killing Drizzt that matters, it's importing into the with any Drizzt's gear in your inventory that will come back to haunt you-at the least losing you some combat support in a large fight, or at worst provoking a very difficult battle. So don't get smug if you steal any of Drizzt's gear-the game doesn't care how, exactly, you ended up with Drizzt's stuff. Now that we're done here, let's work on the eastern side of the map. We'll have to ignore some areas, like Ulcaster, Firewine, Gullykin, and Durlag's. I simply don't have a Thief to tackle the traps in those areas yet. Go to the area east of the Nashkel mines that we haven't explored. Note from Peter: There are a lot of different ideas of how to kill Drizzt but the easiest way doesn't seem to be considered yet. At least, I never read about it anywere on the world wide web. So I share my wisdom at this point. ;) I've mentioned earlier how important the wand of paralyzation is but in the fight with Drizzt it's devastating. You need luck because of Drizzt's high magic resistance and even if it fails him, he still has a saving throw against wands. But I managed to paralyze him after a few reloads. It's easier, when you sorround him first, so that he can't run away. If he gets paralyzed, he's as good as dead at this point in the game. I just tried it out because I didn't know how much experience he's worth. He's worth 12000 experience. You wrote about his equipment above, so there's no need to mention it here. Once I was able to steal Icing- death +3 from him but in my last walkthrough I couldn't even with a pick-pocket score of 93. I lost 10 reputation points with my good party because I killed him, so he's not really worth it for a good party in my opinion. Note from Justin: Being such a stealth-focused character, I incidentally stumbled onto an extremely easy way to kill Drizzt without actually killing him myself and got to collect his sweet gear with no hit to my reputation. When you run into Drizzt tell him that you're not interested in helping him and when he calls you out tell him you think the gnolls have the right idea. Drizzt will turn hostile to you and will completely ignore the gnolls trying to kill him in favor of going after you. After that, all you have to do is hide in plain sight or - for the layman's party - cast invisibility/use a potion/run around the corner and hide and watch as the gnolls do you dirty work for you. They only hit on a twenty, but there's something like a dozen of them, so they'll get the job done around the time you've gone to make yourself a sandwich. And since it was the gnolls who did the deed, no reputation loss. What's more, when you tell Drizzt to screw off, the gnolls don't care about you at all. They'll hang around his corpse politely waiting for you to loot his body and leave. Clearly, a mutual dislike of poncy drow rangers is a big step forward in gnoll relations with the other races of the Sword Coast. (And, of course, you only want to send a single party member ahead to initiate the dialogue and watch the fight. Why take our chances Drizzt might lock-on to somebody else?) Note from hlamas: In step {WLK014}, after encountering Drizzt, I tried to use your strategy of Drizzt-boxing him and using archery to take him down. However, I accidentally left the "Two Handed Sword, Cursed Berserking +3" equipped on Minsc, who was standing next to Drizzt. When the party was reformed, Drizzt was being blocked by 4 people and was unable to reach my archer. However, blue-circled Minsc noticed that a battle was joined, and decided to participate. Despite my efforts to take the drow down with ranged weapons it was NPC Minsc who took the kill. As a result I did not have the experience bonus and reputation loss for Drizzt, but I got to loot his gear after reestablishing the party. For good parties this may be useful, since Drizzt's gear vastly outshines the exp you get for his death, and there is no reputation hit. In other words: your hands are clean. Version 1.2.0 BG:EE. I wonder if this works for other encounters where an NPC is worth killing for loot but gives troublesome reputation penalties / consequences ? Wilderness (AR5500) o======================================================================o 22) At (x=850, y=850) you'll find a dwarf named Hafiz who will approach the party when he sees you. You can blow him off, or pick a fight. If you kill Hafiz you'll get a Scroll of Protection from Magic, a Scroll of Color Spray, a Short Sword, and 67 gold. If you pick dialogue options #1, #1, and #3, he'll decide to help you by giving you his Scroll of Protection from Magic. Do whatever you wish. Note from Peter: I prefer to kill him, he's worth 650 experience and thus I get all his items. Or I play the nice guy and kill him when he's leaving, which is even easier. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 23) Along the western edge of the map is a Flaming Fist Mercenary who paces around in the general area of (x=500, y=2800). He's looking for a deserter named Samuel. He'll approach you if he sees you, asking you to identify yourselves. 'We're a rampaging horde of Tarrasques. Krie! Krie!" Hah, epic. Why would a Tarrasque go krie? Who knows. It's still epic. Say you're adventurers and he'll tell you about Samuel. Pick a fight with him and he'll attack. Of course, you'll take a large reputation hit if you kill him, so it's really not worth it. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 24) I've always thought this area was suspicious... I mean, it's terribly boring compared to most other areas, isn't it? Sure, you'll find a group of gory Gibberlings and the remains of their victims in the north-eastern corner of the map, but there's nothing interesting there. Stock bad guys, only a handful of NPCs, nary a cavern to explore... I was right to be suspicious. You see, for three versions of this FAQ and about a dozen playthroughs of this game, there had been a sneaky item hidden here which I had never found... In the cliff face at (x=1957, y=2375) you'll find a lootable niche which contains an Iol Gem, Batalista's Passport (aka: Ring of Fire Resistance), and a Star Sapphire. The Ring is a nice defensive item that increases your Fire Resistance by 40%-worth putting on a front-liner who may get targeted by the odd Fireball or Arrow of Fire +2 (Ajantis/Dorn). The Star Sapphire is.. well, it's just worth a good chunk of gold. Sneaky game! ***ITEMS*** (x=1957, y=2375) Iol Gem, Batalista's Passport, Star Sapphire <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 25) You'll find Lena at (x=3140, y=2270), who will ask you to take her friend Samuel to the Friendly Arm Inn. You can extort a Jade Ring from her by asking for payment, you can even renege after taking her ring. Still, if you offer to help Samuel he'll be added to your inventory. You can now take him back to the Friendly Arm Inn, or turn him into the Flaming Fist Mercenary you met earlier. The reward for taking him to the Friendly Arm Inn is better though. You'll need to leave immediately and go straight to the Friendly Arm Inn, as Samuel won't survive long in your care. Take him to the Temple of Wisdom next to the Inn at (x=3900, y=2400) and talk to Gellana Mirrorshade, who wanders about inside. If he died along the way, you won’t get any reward. While you're here, buy a Scroll of Stone to Flesh. Before we head over to the east, let's collect an item from the wilderness area north of the bridge leading to Baldur's Gate. ***REWARD*** (For turning Samuel into the Flaming Fist) Gold 50 ---or--- ***REWARD*** (For taking Samuel to Gellana Mirrorshade) EXP 500 Item Elixer of Health Item Potion of Heroism Reputation +1 Wilderness (AR0400) o======================================================================o 26) This area is pretty easy, as it's populated with Zombies. We could have done it earlier, but I have continuity to think about here. You'll find a farmer named Wenric at (x=620, y=550), who will ask you to exterminate the twenty zombies lurking about the map, in return for which he'll pay you 150 gold. Fair enough. Return to him after you're done exploring the area and slaying petty undead. ***REWARD*** (For exterminating Zombies) EXP 800 Gold 150 Farm House (AR0401) o======================================================================o 27) Enter the house behind Wenric at (x=600, y=350). There's some looting to be done in here, even if the locks are somewhat stubborn (one of the reasons I don't come here early is because these chests typically require me to have the Knock spell, since these locks have a difficulty of 50 to 70.) Put the Cloak of Protection +1 on any character still lacking magical protection, or where it's convenient to use a cloak instead of a ring... Like Jaheira, who will derive her magical protection from cloaks. ***ITEMS*** (x=130, y=200) Long Sword, 24 gold (x=240, y=140) Pearl Necklace, 11 gold (x=400, y=120) Cloak of Protection +1 Head back to Beregost, stock up, rest, and get ready to head east. First things first, let's continue with the main story just a bit and open up some new map areas. After you're done preparing, head to Feldpost's Inn. o======================================================================o | | | Tranzig and the North-Eastern Areas | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK015} 1) Tranzig 2) Deke 3) A Note on Basilisks 4) Korax the Ghoul 5) Shar-Teel 6) Transmuted Tamah 7) Mutamin's Challenge (The Baldur's Gate Version!) 8) Waterhavian, Born and Bred 9) Fahrington's Folly 10) Red Wizard Ruins 11) Spider Nest 12) A Note on Black Talon Elites 13) Viconia 14) Robbing Raiken 15) Defiled Druid Grove 16) Baeloth and the Gibberling Tower 17) Teven and the Bandit Camp Feldpost's Inn (AR3351)/(AR3352) o======================================================================o 1) Head upstairs to find Tranzig at (x=200, y=570), who is apparently eager to get out of town. One would have to assume that this is the same Tranzig that petrified Branwen, but how this weakling who can barely cast 2nd level Mage spells managed such a feat is beyond me. Surround him and pick a fight, he shouldn't be too much trouble at this stage in the game. Loot him for a Ring of the Princes +1, a Wand of Magic Missile, a Letter, a Scroll of Glitterdust, a Quarterstaff, and 91 gold. The ring goes to whomever can actually wear it, if you still have anybody (and since Ankheg Plate Mail no longer counts as magical, there is a good chance you do). The Letter tells you to look in Peldvale or Larswood to find the bandit camp. First things first, however. There's a very minor encounter we can resolve in the area just north of Beregost [AR2800]. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** Like with the Scroll of Find Familiar we found on Nimbul, the Scroll of Glitterdust is an Enhanced Edition addition. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) Now that we're in Chapter 3, we can find the bandit Deke (x=4360, y=2460) and his buddies near the north-south running caravan in the south-eastern quadrant of the area. When you come into into Deke's sight, him and his buddies will attack. Kill Deke's friends, but spare Deke. When he's the last man standing, he'll decide to parlay. Pick option #1 and if you get a high enough reaction from him, he'll tell you the location of the Bandit Camp. Option #2 will attempt to intimidate him with your Strength score-a ten or higher is enough to get Deke to squeal. Option #3 is just too flowery, and will just cycle the conversation. If you don't have enough Strength or reaction, you'll spark Deke's defiant streak. This is just one of a few ways to find the Bandit Camp, but we won't let such an easy route deprive us of an excuse to continue exploring the north-eastern areas, will we? Next stop, head to the area east of the temple (AR3500). ***REWARD*** (For convincing Deke to reveal the location of the Bandit Camp) EXP 300 Wilderness (AR3500) o======================================================================o 3) This area can be rough, as it contains Basilisks. On their own, they're not too bad-except for the fact that they can turn you to stone with their gaze. This is not a good thing, and should be avoided at all costs. That's where the 1st-level Mage spell 'Protection from Petrification' comes in-as it renders you immune to this threat, and thus turns deadly Basilisks into mere experience cows. I used to do this area early (at level 3) to milk it for experience, but it really can wait. Just make sure you scout the area out with a stealthed character and cast Protection from Petrification on a Fighter to tackle the Basilisks, or you're in for a rough time. There are a number of them amongst the debris south of the center of the map, and more in the forest to the north, but we'll cover that separately. I tend to cast Protection from Petrification on my best archer and go on a Basilisk hunting spree. Why archers? Well, despite being almost completely neutered by Protection from Petrification, Basilisks can poison you. Granted, it's a very weak poison, but it can still add up. You can also use Animate Dead to kill Basilisks-or at least distract them, as undead are immune to petrification, and poison, for that matter. All in all there are eight Lesser Basilisks and two Greater Basilisks lurking around the map as 'static' encounters-that's a grand total of 19200 EXP if you kill them all. For a single character, that's more than 10% of the entire experience cap-and a single Fighter/Mage or Fighter/Mage/Thief can easily kill these critters. For a party of six, it's still 3200 EXP per character. Not a bad bit of experience by Baldur's Gate 1 standards. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) At (x=440, y=1460) you'll find a Ghoul named Korax. He was featured prominently in the book-yes, I read it-but he's a VERY minor character. The only good thing about that book is Xan's demise... fittingly, he gets killed by spiders, just like his relative in Icewind Dale. Anywho, talk to Korax and he'll travel with you for a while. Since he's Dire Charmed, he'll go hostile when it wears off... but in the meantime, you'll get a pet Ghoul to control. Pretty cool. Send him to the north-east to attack some Basilisks, since he's immune to their gaze. He actually does pretty well, I got him to kill two Lesser Basilisks before he died once. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 5) You'll find a warrior-woman by the name of Shar-Teel at (x=270, y=300). She'll challenge your best warrior to a duel... your best MALE warrior. If she wins she gets 20 gold, if you win, you get her to join you. Sounds like she doesn't value herself very highly... and she has a chip on her shoulder. If you want her in your party, duel her. She's actually a pretty good Fighter, if you can be bothered to go this far out of the way to get her. For my evil party, I did exactly that... I traveled down to Beregost, recruited Kagain, and sated his desire to look for the caravans (or rather, his laziness to avoid doing a thorough search) before heading to the Temple and skirting the northern edge of the map to avoid any confrontations. Exit to the east and travel to this area and head north to meet Shar-Teel. At this point the best Fighter in my party was obviously Kagain, but a duel between two level-two Fighters is more a toss-up than anything else. I spared myself some trouble by giving Kagain Khalid's Splint Mail, and saved the game before talking to Shar-Teel. Kagain has more Hit Points than Shar-Teel, but Shar-Teel has much better Strength and Dexterity. The plus side is, if Kagain gets one good hit on her, she'll concede victory to us. I just reload until Kagain wins and Shar-Teel is mine for the rest of the game. If you still have him around, you can sic Korax the Ghoul on Shar-Teel. Since he counts as a neutral creature (albeit one you control) she won't respond to his interference. It helps to make this fight less of a toss-up. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) A warrior named Tamah has been turned to stone (x=1430, y=820). Use that Scroll of Stone to Flesh you bought at the Friendly Arm Inn to turn her back to normal. If you are evil, you can force her to give you her house, which is just south of Beregost next to a lake. Of course, the house is half submerged in water and useless (which gives us an indication of how long she's been here) but if you want SOMETHING... even if it's nothing... well, there you go. If you don't try and get anything out of her, you'll get an experience reward for being such a nice guy. ***REWARD*** (For freeing Tamah, then forcing her to give you a reward) Reputation -1 ---or--- ***REWARD*** (For freeing Tamah, no strings attached) EXP 300 Reputation +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) At (x=2150, y=860) you'll find a gnome named Mutamin. If the name sounds vaguely familiar, you'll recall that in Neverwinter Nights there was an Innkeeper named Mutamin. Mutamin's Challenge? Anyhow, the fact that this little critter is surrounded in Basilisks and their victims should suggest that something is wrong with him. When he sees you he'll try and talk to you. You can no longer lure him away, since he'll no longer try to follow you-but that's not a big deal. I again turn to Animate Dead-a single Skeleton Warrior is enough to confound Mutamin and his pets-just direct the Skeleton Warrior (repeatedly, since it has the attention span of... oooh... shiney...) at Mutamin and he'll burn through his spells trying to take it down, possibly with some effect, but he'll be much less dangerous if he's out of spells, even if he is able to bring your Skeleton Warrior down with Melf's Acid Arrows. With a single Skeleton Warrior and a character under the effects of Protection from Petrification, you should have no trouble taking out Mutamin. He'll leave behind an Adventurer's Robe, two Potions of Healing, a Scroll of Horror, a Scroll of Stinking Cloud, a Quarterstaff, and 120 gold. That Stinking Cloud scroll has been a long time in coming, but now that we have it, Imoen gladly scribes it. I sell the Adventurer's Robe, as I prefer the Armor Class bonus versus slashing weapons and the +1 save versus death on the Knave's Robe over the Armor Class bonus against bludgeoning and the +1 save versus petrification/polymorph on the Adventurer's Robe. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) North of the middle debris and south of the forests you'll come across another group of adventurers, led by one Kirian (x=3050, y=1940). They'll try to pick a fight by taunting you, and by all means, fight them. They're rough, but we've got mad tactics. The Animate Dead-fodder and Silence 15' Radius does a good job of neutralizing them a bit, but why not play with that Stinking Cloud spell we just got from Mutamin? The same tactic applies-cast Animate Dead, then shoot a few Stinking Clouds just outside of their sight radius. March on in with your Skeleton Warrior(s) and attack folks. In the mean time, your Cleric can have all the fun they want casting Silence 15' Radius to ensure the spell-casters-if they save against the Stinking Cloud-won't be able to cause much trouble. It's the fodder-silence tactic boosted with Stinking Cloud! Or rather, the fodder-silence-stink tactic, which I mentioned earlier, but now we have the resources to put it into effect. Of course, even since my protagonists aren't archers anymore, that doesn't mean that any other character with ranged weapons can't take pot-shots at foes in the Stinking Cloud. Baerin: Splint Mail, 40 Arrows +1, Long Bow, Spear and 49 gold. Lindin: Plate Mail, Medium Shield, Potion of Absorption, Potion of Invisibility, Long Sword +1 and 75 gold. Peter: Chain Mail, Helmet, Medium Shield, a Potion of Explosions, Oil of Fiery Burning, a Morning Star +1 and 97 gold. Kirian: Golden Girdle or Urnst, Bracers of Defense A.C. 7, Scroll of Charm Person, a Scroll of Infravision, a Scroll of Protection from Evil, Long Sword +1 and 163 gold. Now THAT is a haul! They can be beaten earlier... in fact, this entire area can be cleared at level 3, but there are easier magical weapons to obtain, so I put the Waterhavians on the back burner until now. The Golden Girdle of Urnst gives a +3 bonus to Armor Class against slashing weapons, and I put it on Viconia pretty much by default, since my other two front line Fighters are wearing other girdles. I put the Bracers of Defense A.C. 7 on my protagonist, replacing their old Bracers of Defense A.C. 8. My good protagonist also replaces one of his Flails +1 with the Morning Star +1, since it has slightly better damage output (3-9 instead of 3-8) with no downsides. This area is done, so let's head to the area north of this one. [VIDEO] Haeravon Plays: Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition - Stinking Cloud Ambush (Good Party) {VID001} https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onB_MuSj9_M Wilderness (AR3000) o======================================================================o 9) At about (x=1460, y=1060) you'll find a man named Fahrington, who will ask you to retrieve a scroll of his that was stolen by an ill-fated Tasloi who fled into an Ettercap lair. The Ettercaps are at around (x=4040, y=650). Grab his protection scroll and bring it back to him. You'll get a minor reward and get to keep the scroll-which is cursed anyhow. ***REWARD*** (For returning Fahrington's Scroll) EXP 300 Note from Peter: After you brought back his scroll, he attempts to leave. Before he's able to, you should kill him... he gave you a Cursed Croll of Foolish- ness as a present, so he will not see another day. Fahrington is worth 60 experience and carries a Leather Armor, a Quaterstaff and 24 gold. You won't suffer a reputation loss. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 10) Just west of the middle of the map you'll find some ruins, where you'll find a number of Red Wizards led by one Denak (x=1760, y=2160). If you have Edwin in your party, they'll recognize each other and the four Mages will leave. Otherwise, you're in for a fight, and everybody loves fighting groups of Mages, right? In any event, I hit them with Stinking Clouds, Webs, and a Silence 15' Radius for good measure, then I shoot them to death. Alternatively, you can always use the Animate Dead-fodder trick, combined with some opportunistic Silence 15' Radius spells before rushing in and cutting them down. In fact, this tactic worked so well that the Skeleton Warriors managed to kill all the Mages by themselves! If you want to fight them but you have Edwin in your party, you'll have to disband him temporarily, which shouldn't be a problem if your reputation isn't too high. Lasala: Mage Robe of Cold Resistance, Scroll of Grease, Scroll of Protection from Petrification, Quarterstaff and 81 gold. Diana: Mage Robe of Fire Resistance, Scroll of Blindness, Scroll of Agannazar's Scorcher, Quarterstaff and 81 gold. Brendan: Mage Robe of Cold Resistance, Scroll of Burning Hands, Scroll of Armor, Quarterstaff and 81 gold. Denak: Mage Robe of Electrical Resistance, The Victor, two Potions of Healing, Scroll of Remove Magic, Quarterstaff, 10 Darts and 102 gold. Note: According to Infinity Explorer, the tag name for Denak is 'DENFUCK'. I can't think of any good reason why he should be named this... I guess Bioware really hates this NPC? There's also a tag named 'FUCKYU', but it has no dialogue assigned to it. Apparently there was some aggressive potty-mouth working at Bioware, eh? <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 11) Along the eastern edge of the map you'll find a nest of spiders, replete with Web traps to make fighting them more hellish. This spider nest includes three Giant Spiders, a Phase Spider, a Sword Spiders and a Wraith Spider. Sword Spiders are incredibly fast and capable of tearing lightly-armored characters to bits. Wraith Spiders are immune to non-magical weapons, and can drain your Strength. Phase Spiders teleport around and possess a very lethal poison. None of them will be affected by the web traps, and a character stuck in one is as good as dead once a Sword Spider or Phase Spider reaches them. Even if you manage to find and disarm the Web traps, fighting all these critters at once is a very foolish thing to do-so try and lure them out in small groups, if possible. The total experience this encounter is worth (6150 EXP) makes up for the trouble. Once you're done killing bugs, head to Peldvale. ***TRAPS*** (x=3450, y=2000) (x=4000, y=1800) (x=3000, y=1630) Peldvale (AR2400) o======================================================================o 12) This area contains Black Talon Elites, armored archers who love shooting you with Arrows of Ice and Arrows +1. Fortunately, they're susceptible to Sleep, and if you can withstand their fire they are a great place to stock up on magical arrows. They are not for weak parties, however, so venture here with caution. In addition to random encounters, this place contains a number of lootable objects. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** Finally, after 13 years, Black Talon Elites now drop Bandit Scalps. They have always been bandits, and they always should have dropped scalps. Not sure why it took so long. ***ITEMS*** (x=1420, y=3450) 10 gold (x=4100, y=2560) 32 gold (x=1200, y=1770) 10 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 13) Over in the north-western corner of the map you'll find Viconia, who will implore you to aid her. If you want her in your party you'll need to accept, and a Flaming Fist Mercenary will show up. You'll have to defend Viconia from him if you want to keep her around. Viconia tends to help out admirably with a well-timed Command spell, which greatly aids in taking him down. Kill the Flaming Fist Mercenary and accept Viconia into your party. Your reputation will take a two-point hit, but you'll get a good Cleric. Note from Peter: At around (x=3400, y=460) you'll find Ted, a big game hunter. You can ask him for adventuring advice and he tells you a bit about the Firewine Bridge. Anyway, sorround him and kill him before he walks off. He's worth 270 experience and carries a Leather Armor, a Longbow, a Short Sword, 20x Arrows and 12 gold. You won't suffer a reputation loss by killing him. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 14) If you're in Chapter 3 you'll find a bandit leader named Raiken at (x=4000, y=590), accompanied by a bunch of bandit buddies. You can kill him, or trick him into taking you to meet Tazok. If you kill him he'll drop a suit of Chain Mail, a Medium Shield, a War Hammer +1, and 39 gold. You can trick him into taking you back to the bandit camp by picking dialogue options #2, and then #3 or #4. If you picked option #4, you'll have to fight Tazok upon reaching the camp, if not, you'll get a chance to talk to him. But that's not important just yet, I prefer to clear out Larswood before tackling the bandit camp. Speaking of Larswood, there's another bandit there with an identical dialogue string which you can use to get into the bandit camp... meaning we can kill one of the two then go to the other to get to the bandit camp. Namely kill Raiken, take his gear, then get the other one in Larswood to take you to the bandit camp. So, do exactly that-kill Raiken then mosey on over to Larswood. Larswood (AR2900) o======================================================================o 15) Over near some henges you'll find a deranged Druid named Osmadi (x=4610, y=700) who will accuse you of killing his brothers. He won't listen to reason, and will attack, aided by some Cave Bears. Another Druid named Corsone will help you put him down. Osmadi will leave behind a suit of Leather Armor, Backbiter +3, and 12 gold. Talk to Corsone after the fight and pick dialogue options #1, #2, #2, #2 to expose him as the murderer. Put down Corsone and loot him for a suit of Leather Armor, a Quarter Staff and 12 gold. I shouldn't need to comment on the Backbiter +3-Spears have been a long-suffering weapon type in Baldur's Gate, even more so in the Enhanced Edition now that Spear and Halberds are two separate proficiencies, but this Spear, despite it's +3 enhancement, does not address the issue. Dealing damage to yourself is the opposite of what you want to have happen in a combat situation, and while three damage might be manageable in larger fights (the Spear wielder should be capable of attacking behind other, stronger warriors, due to reach), it'll quickly become a bother when you're dealing with trash mobs. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** We've seen interesting new weapon additions, but the Backbiter +3 is nothing more than a Baldur's Gate 2 weapon (a crappy one, at that) thrown into the first game. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 16) In the south-western area of the map you'll run into a horde of Gibberlings that are apparently lairing near an abandoned tower. Kill them and take their goodies. Of course, they're not the only things here in the Enhanced Edition... If you are high enough level (my evil party had about 50,000 experience per character at this point in time, but I've seen him appear here with as little as 30,000 per character) the Drow Sorcerer Baeloth will appear in an appropriately flashy manner. Who the hell is Baeloth? Well, he's the guy who runs the Black Pits, you know, the part of the Enhanced Edition nobody really cares too much about? Anyways, he'll show up complaining about being diminished, cursing some 'Najim'. He'll talk to you after yelling at the air for a bit. Long story short, he was ousted from the Black Pits by a band of adventurers just a bit too clever for him and, now being stranded on the surface world, vastly reduced in power and resources, he's in the mood to employ you as bodyguards... which means, to join your party. If you want, you can provoke him into fighting, and it's not entirely a bad idea, as he carries a bit of goodies on him including a Quarterstaff +1, two tainted Potions of Healing, Darts of Acid +1 x10, a Robe of the Evil Archmagi, and 1000 gold. Of course, if you let him tag along you can just strip these items off of him, so it's really up to you. I've described Baeloth's many merits earlier in the Characters section of the guide... you know, that lengthy part of the guide where I talk about every potential ally in detail? Yeah... Anyways, if you find him more appealing than Edwin, by all means, take him along. At this point in the game, you're probably not losing much, as Baeloth could very well have more experience than Edwin and a spellbook that includes Haste. He's the closest thing to competition Edwin has, which is about as much praise as you can give any magic-user in Baldur's Gate. Having two single-classed Dark Elven spell-casters (Viconia and Baeloth) with their 50% Magic Resistance can be pretty cool. At the very least, I take those Robes of the Archmagi and give them to my protagonist. Score. This allows me to hand my Bracers of Defense A.C. 7 down to Edwin. Everybody wins! Note: Baeloth was not mentioned in my original v1.01 release of this guide on 12/6/2013 for a simple reason... he never appeared for my good party. I'm normally willing to admit when I've made an oversight or mistake, but honestly, I must insist that this omission is not my fault. I combed this game... pretty thoroughly with the good party and he never appeared. When Baeloth showed up during my evil party walkthrough I was rather surprised, honestly. After adding him to the guide, I began checking with my backup saves to see what caused him to show up. The best answer I've found? Probably having a level six character, which can occur as soon as you get 20,000 experience (for a Thief) or more reasonably, 27,500 for a Cleric. My evil party had nearly 50,000 experience per character at the time, but I also got him to appear with an earlier safety save I had made with a Monk protagonist. She was created simply to go through the game again quickly, check the level cap, and see what new items were to be found, and hence, what builds I should use-my Monk playthrough contributed nothing to the walkthrough, which was almost entirely written around my good party's exploits. Anyways, her party had an average of 30,000 experience per character at the time (28,627 on my Monk, exactly), and Baeloth appeared for them. Fortunately for this experiment I kept many safety saves... usually before big fights, at the beginning of new chapters, during party stat benchmarks, etc. Using these old saves I was able to play around and see when he would appear for my good party... except that he never did. Ever. I had a benchmark before I started killing Ankhegs for money (protagonist's experience was 9,478) right before entering the Nashkel Mines (16,290), while testing out Drizzt take-down strategies (34,252), and at several other points in various chapters (37,250), (60,422), (91,742), (93,984), (126,524), and finally, (161,000). Again, he never appeared for that party, no matter what point in time I traveled to Larswood. I can't write about parts of the game that don't trigger, obviously. This throws some doubt as to what actually makes him show up, but none of my low-level parties found him, nor does it make sense to give you a 6th-level Sorcerer early in the game. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 17) If you're in Chapter 3 you'll find a bandit named Teven over at (x=1450, y=2250), who like Raiken is attended by seven less exceptional bandit buddies. If you provoke him, he'll attack, leaving behind a suit of Splint Mail, a Medium Shield, a Long Sword, and 45 gold once smote. Again, his dialogue is identical to Raiken's-pick dialogue option #2, then either #3 or #4 to get to the bandit camp. Of course, it's worth more experience to just kill him, but if you pretend to be joining up you'll get run of the camp. You can always just walk to the bandit camp, but everything will be hostile (not like we don't plan to kill everybody there anyways, right?) Anyways, do what you wish-I find it more amusing to sneak in with the help of Teven after killing Raiken, and that's the approach the guide will assume. ***REWARD*** (For talking Raiken or Teven into taking you to the Bandit Camp) EXP 400 o======================================================================o | | | Bandit Camp | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Event: {WLK016} 1) Exploring the Bandit camp 2) Gnoll Time-Out 3) Gnoll Tent 4) Quartermaster Tersus' Tent 5) Knott's Tent 6) The Iron Thorn 7) Fireball! 8) Ardenor Crush 9) Taugosz Khosann 10) Tazok's Tent 11) Imoen's Dual-Class Woes Bandit Camp (AR1900) o======================================================================o 1) Once you get to the bandit camp a nameless bandit will argue with Teven/Raiken about bringing you here (you'll be referred to as either 'prisoners' or 'recruits' depending on whether you picked dialogue option #4 or #3 when talking to Teven/Raiken, respectively). Eventually Tazok will show up... You know, the same guy who was signing all those letters we've been finding? If you picked dialogue options #2, #4 with Raiken or Teven earlier (prisoners), Tazok will attack you, finally being appeased when you deal enough damage to him. Fighting him is pretty straight-forward, as you might expect, but he is fairly strong. If he's attacking a front-liner with a negative Armor Class, chances are he won't be able to do much damage before you've smacked some respect into him. If you picked dialogue options #2, #3 earlier (recruits) you'll get a chance to talk to Tazok. If you pick dialogue options #1 or #2, Tazok will attack you, just like above. Picking dialogue option #3 will get you to more responses, whereafter picking #1 or #3 will also lead to a fight. Pick dialogue options #3, then either #2 to avoid a fight with Tazok. Either fight him, or avoid fighting him, once he's been appeased by sword or word he'll leave to go visit the mine... Who wants to bet he won't like what he finds? We now have free reign of the camp, so we might as well explore around and loot while everything is calm. The locks can get up to a difficulty of 70 here-well beyond what you'll have if you've been investing in Find Traps like you're supposed to... it's a moot point anyways, since Imoen is, in all likelihood still prohibited from using her Thief skills. Use the Knock spell, bash chests, or just come back later if you must. Once you're done looting, let's set about dismantling this camp piecemeal. ***ITEMS*** (x=4060, y=750) Throwing Dagger x10 (x=4160, y=900) Medium Shield +1, 23 gold (x=3970, y=970) Wand of Fear, 34 gold (x=4470, y=770) 56 gold (x=3820, y=840) 95 gold (x=3640, y=1160) 76 gold (x=3330, y=950) Potion of Firebreath, 87 gold (x=3250, y=900) Short Sword +1, 134 gold (x=3040, y=1000) 112 gold (x=2840, y=1100) Potion of Perception (x=2700, y=1060) Acid Arrow x1, Arrow of Piercing x1 (x=2140, y=1100) 47 gold (x=1950, y=1080) Potion of Healing x2, 13 gold (x=1280, y=950) Scroll of Flame Arrow (x=1735, y=800) Potion of Fortitude (x=1670, y=1820) Long Sword, Dagger, 45 gold (x=1300, y=890) 35 gold (x=2010, y=460) Potion of Heroism (x=2080, y=400) Oil of Fiery Burning Gnoll Cave (AR1903) o======================================================================o 2) There's a cavern at (x=2400, y=700), in front of which a Hobgoblin stands. If you talk to him, he'll warn you about the Gnolls inside. Go inside, and a Gnoll named Garclax will talk to you. No matter what you say, it ends in a fight. Slaughter the Gnolls and take their booty. Tent (AR1902) o======================================================================o 3) This tent (x=1900, y=420) is populated by a trio of Gnolls... or rather, a Flind, a Gnoll, and a Gnoll Veteran. They'll get pissy if you loot their chests-as will all the Bandits in this place (even robbers don't like getting robbed!) Spare them the grief-just kill them, then rob the tent. ***ITEMS*** (x=380, y=120) 53 gold (x=350, y=100) Pearl Necklace, 19 gold Tent (AR1904) o======================================================================o 4) This tent (x=1430, y=650) contains a Hobgoblin named Tersus, who will give you Leather Armor (the kind all the bandits wear!) or give you information. Loot, kill, and leave. ***ITEMS*** (x=380, y=120) 83 gold (x=350, y=100) Long Sword, Short Sword (x=120, y=150) tainted Oil of Speed Tent (AR1905) o======================================================================o 5) When you come into this tent (x=2150, y=1000) you'll be accosted by Knott. If you threaten him he'll spill the beans about the camps' layout (or lack thereof) and tell you where Tazok's tent is... if you couldn't figure it out on your own. Loot... you get the idea. ***ITEMS*** (x=480, y=140) Potion of Fortitude (x=350, y=100) Dagger, 32 gold Tent (AR1906) o======================================================================o 6) Another empty tent (x=2800, y=1050) waiting for some looting. You'll find the useless cursed ring 'The Iron Thorn', wee! ***ITEMS*** (x=370, y=300) The Iron Thorn (x=480, y=140) Potion of Healing (x=360, y=130) 48 gold (x=120, y=150) 9 gold ***ENHANCED EDITION*** The Iron Thorn is another item introduced to the Enhanced Edition. Yeah... it's a piece of garbage. Tent (AR1907) o======================================================================o 7) This tent (x=3600, y=1500) is empty, but it does have some high- quality loot to score. Namely, you can find a Scroll of Fireball in the chest in the back. It's been a wait, but now you can give this to your main Mage, for them to fling about as needed. ***ITEMS*** (x=530, y=350) 39 gold (x=350, y=100) Scroll of Fireball, Scroll of Web <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) You'll find the leader of Chill, Ardenor Crush, at (x=1800, y=570). Head up to him after looting and killing the Gnolls and pick a fight. Ardenor Crush will drop Studded Leather Armor, a Helmet, a Bastard Sword, and 104 gold. Make your way down through the camp killing as you go. By now the bandits should be cake. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 9) At (x=3400, y=1320) you'll find Taugosz Khosann, leader of the Black Talons. He can be rough, as he's a decent level Fighter in Full Plate Mail. Spells like Command and Hold Person will be you friend here. Use Sleep spells on the small horde of wandering bandits he'll have around. They shouldn't be so dangerous, but for some reason, they always manage to have the best of luck with their attack rolls. Anyways, the fewer of them taking pot shots at you, the easier it'll be to kill Taugosz. Speaking of which, when he fall he'll leave behind a suit of Full Plate Mail Armor, a Medium Shield +1, a Potion of Fortitude, a Potion of Firebreath, a War Hammer +1, and 85 gold. Now that's some loot! This second suit of Full Plate Mail used to be a clear upgrade over Ankheg Plate Mail, since originally Ankheg Plate Mail couldn't be paired with magical protection. In the Enhanced Edition, however, there is really not need to switch out your Ankheg Plate Mail for armor that offers the same Armor Class and weighs more. Still, in the evil party I have four characters in need of heavy armor, so Kagain finally gets himself some elite armor. Put down whatever bandits still survive and make your way to Tazok's tent (x=3600, y=900.) Note from Lee: Set yourself up on the raised platform around Tazok's Tent. The only access is via the stairs, and you can simply shoot down whatever comes at you. I send Khalid out to draw the bandits back to my "fortified" position and kill them as they approach (there's only a few left). Tazok's Tent (AR1901) o======================================================================o 10) Once inside the tent you'll be immediately questioned by a bandit named Raemon. Regardless of what you say, a fight ensues. This is another fight-already pretty easy-made even easier by the Enhanced Edition. After provoking them (make sure some swings are made, and that Venkt starts casting) retreat outside. Raemon and Britik should follow, where they can be swiftly cut down by the party. Once they're dead, cast Remove Fear on the party and march on in, where only an archer and a Mage await with absolutely no support. I send Ajantis/Kagain to go attack Hakt and keep him busy, while the rest of the party attacks Venkt. His first spell (after the Mirror Image he undoubtedly got off before we left the tent) is Horror-which is useless. After this, he'll attempt to cast a few Melf's Acid Arrows at us. He probably won't live long enough to get the chance. Once Venkt dies, help Ajantis/Kagain put Hakt down, and get to looting: Raemon: Leather Armor, 10 Arrows of Ice, 20 Arrows, Bandit Scalp, Long Sword, Composite Long Bow and one single gold coin... cheap ass... Britik: Three random low-level items (one time I got a Sphene Gem, a Horn Coral Gem, a Scroll of Strength, another time I just got four mounds of gold totaling 105 gold) and a Halberd. Venkt: Mage Robe of Fire Resistance, two Potions of Healing, Scroll of Color Spray, Scroll of Blindness, Scroll of Friends, Scroll of Spell Thrust, Quarterstaff, 10 Darts and 92 gold. Hakt: Leather Armor, 20 Arrows, three random low-level drops (I got a Silver Ring, Bullets +1 x5 and a Zircon Gem), Bastard Sword, Deadshot +2 (aka: Longbow of Marksmanship) and 5 gold. Deadshot +2 is just as good as the Composite Longbow +1, but the to hit and damage bonuses are reversed on them. I give it to Minsc, since better THAC0 > damage any day. Talk to Ender Sai (x=170, y=310), who will tell you that he only crossed the Iron Throne before ending up as Tazok's prisoner, and that Tazok has been taking trips to the Cloakwood Forest. Sounds like our next destination. Loot this tent and head back to Beregost to unload loot. Be careful of the large chest at (x=150, y=270), which is trapped with a Lightning Bolt trap. At this point in the game my good party has two options, 1) go all the way back to Beregost and get Safana to disarm it, or 2) just weather the trap. Either way, it sucks. Lazy Imoen. On the other hand, my evil protagonist just walks up and disarms it. Simple as. Either way, when you grab the letters Chapter 3 ends. Legacy of the Masters (aka: Gauntlets of Weapon Expertise) aren't new to this game-but they're certainly new to this location. They're some of the best things you can put your hands in... except for The Brawling Hands or the Hands of Takkok. Ideally, then, these should go to a character who gets more than one attack per round, who is also not wearing either of the other two items. I've got The Brawling Hands on Ajantis/Kagain, and the Gauntlets of Ogre Power are slated for Jaheira, which leaves me with two good choices on each party: Dorn/Protagonist for the evil party, or Minsc/Protagonist for the good party. In either case, I'm tempted to give them to my protagonists. Their Two-Weapon Style means they've got fairly poor THAC0 on their off-hand (for warriors, anyways), whereas Dorn and Minsc really don't need the help. It'll be a while yet before my protagonists join the 19 Strength club, and in the meantime Dorn and Minsc will both get their own copies of these gauntlets to wear. But what about the Bracers of Defense A.C. 7, one of the biggest Armor Class boosters my protagonists have been wearing? They've both outgrown it. My evil party met Baeloth and relieved him of his Robe of the Evil Archmagi, much to my evil protagonist's glee. As for the good protagonist... It's finally time to ante-up for a Robe of the Neutral Archmagi, which we should have plenty money for (my good party had 28,573 gold at this point without selling a single magical items). The robes set me back a little over 15,000 gold even at a reputation of 20, but its Armor Class bonus of 5 is comparable to Chain Mail, a good bit better than the Bracers of Defense A.C. 7. Speaking about the Bracers, they pass down to Imoen/Edwin-remember, Imoen as a Mage can't use The Dale's Protector until she's got her Thief levels back. ***ITEMS*** (x=440, y=520) 410 gold (x=380, y=140) 340 gold (x=140, y=140) Potion of Magic Blocking (x=150, y=270) Letter x2, Scroll of Stinking Cloud, Scroll of Aganazzar's Scorcher, Scroll of Horror, Legacy of the Masters, 2060 gold ***TRAPS*** (x=150, y=270) ***ENHANCED EDITION*** The guys at Overhaul Games were apparently in a generous mood and decided to give us another set of Gauntlets of Weapon Expertise... I mean... 'Legacy of the Masters'. There was previously only one such set of gauntlets in the game, in the Firewine Bridge area (AR4500). Now there are two. Score. Note: Jeff has some information about the 'Legacy of the Masters' here: "Actually this was always in the game. Previously you had to kill Tazok (through an exploit) to get them. They put in the fixes from Dudelyville's pack which moved the location from Tazok to the chest." Isn't it great? Spending $20 on the Enhanced Edition to get all the best mods and patches people already made for free. Still, considering that these items were only available via an exploit or an 'unofficial' mod, I don't feel like it's entirely incorrect to consider them 'new' for the Enhanced Edition. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 11) You've ended the bandit raids and cleared out the mines, but you still don't know why these events are taking place, or how this Tazok is connected to both the iron shortage and the caravan raids. By reading the letters you found in Tazok's tent you'll introduce a new nemesis, Tazok's apparent superior, Davaeorn. This Davaeorn is the name of the Surgeon's brother, if you'll remember. Anyways, it seems that answers await in the Cloakwood Forest... but we've got a problem-at least, my good party does. I still don't have my Thief abilities back on Imoen, so I need to get more experience. We still have plenty of areas in the east to explore... but there are traps there, too. This leaves me with three options 1) Play through without a Thief until Imoen hits 7th level as a Mage and gets her Thief abilities back, 2) bring along another Thief to handle traps when necessary, or 3) grind until Imoen has her Mage levels back. The best place to grind is in the coastal watchtower area (AR3600), on the beach outside of the Pirate Cave... you know, where we fought Sil? Rest there and spawn Sirines. It gets tiring quick, and I don't bother with it, personally, so I suggest we just persevere. The evil party, of course, has no such issue. Either way, Chapter 3 is over, begin Chapter 4. My goal is the clear the eastern areas of the map... except for Adoy's Enclave and Durlag's Tower-I'll deal with the Enhanced Edition character quests and Tales of the Sword Coast content later. For now, however, it's time to finally explore Ulcaster-with the evil party, with an insufficient Imoen, with a substitute Thief, or after grinding a bit, it doesn't matter. Also note that if you return to Officer Vai without any Bandit Scalps in your inventory, she'll leave for Baldur's Gate, her mission here being done and all. ***REWARD*** (For talking to Officer Vai after ending the bandit menace) Reputation +3 o======================================================================o | Chapter 4 | o======================================================================o | | | South-Eastern Areas | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK017} 1) Ulcaster Overview 2) Furret's Forgery 3) Over My Dead Body... Wait... 4) Ulcaster's Request 5) Jelly Smiting 6) Wolves and Spiders 7) Winding Tunnels and More Wolves... 8) Dead-Ends and Fireball Traps 9) Vampric Wolf Corpse Pile 10) Knowledge Recovered 11) Massacre Molkar 12) Gullykin 13) Looting Little-People Lairs 14) Kobold Conspirator 15) Halfling Harassers 16) Firewine Dungeon Crawl 17) Poe's Poem 18) The Word of Ilmater 19) Meilum's Mistake 20) Kahrk, Strongest of the Ogre Magi Ulcaster (AR3900) o======================================================================o 1) Ulcaster seems pretty tame for how late in the game we're tackling it-there are no Basilisks, no Ankhegs, no marauding hordes of rival adventurers... but that doesn't mean it's not without annoyances. This area is populated by Kobolds, Kobold Commandos, Skeletons with various arms, Hobgoblins, Hobgoblin Elites and Zombies. Nothing terribly threatening to a mid-level party like ours, but you should still take care to lead with steel and watch the respawns-walking Edwin into a group of Kobold Commandos or Skeletons with Composite Longbows is not a good idea. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) Near the northern part of the western side of the area map you'll find a halfling named Furret, who will try and sell you a 'gem of true seeing' for 1000 gold. It is, of course, bogus. I prefer to kill him and take his stuff, for trying to con us innocent adventurers. He'll leave behind a suit of Leather Armor, a Turquoise Gem, a Dagger, and 1 gold. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) On top of the plateau you'll find an undead warrior named Icharyd (x=4280, y=1200). He will enter dialogue with you when he sees you and say that he... wants your flesh... Over my dead body! Wait a minute.... Ah, This is why I love this game. Destroy him and he'll leave behind a Helmet (a winged one, at that!), a Medium Shield, some random mid-level treasures (a Garnet and an Angel Skin Ring in the Enhanced Edition playthrough) and a Flail +1. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) Up near the entrance to the remains of Ulcaster you'll find... Ulcaster. Talk to him four times, and he'll say "with the retrieval of the simplest of tomes....beneath the rubble....on the lowest floors.... return hope....history is so important...." Keep your eyes peeled for a book in the school to please Ulcaster. The entrance to Ulcaster-err, the school, not the ghost-is at (x=3050, y=650). Let's give it a look-see, shall we? Ulcaster Ruins (AR3901) o======================================================================o 5) Ulcaster... is just one of those places that sucks. Baldur's Gate was not designed well for tight dungeon-crawls like this, where walking down the wrong corridor can lead to a bad encounter with either murderous traps or hungry monsters. As you've doubtlessly noticed the pathfinding is one of the most frustrating issues with this game-and the Enhanced Edition did nothing to improve it. That's probably why in Baldur's Gate 2 they didn't have areas quite this cramped. Still, let's try and make the best of it, eh? From where you enter, head south-west until you reach a fork, where you'll want to continue south-west, then turn south-east until you get the opportunity to go south-west again. It'll be a short trip south-west before you turn south-east yet again, move through a small room, and into another small room occupied by an Ochre Jelly. It's nothing special, but to the north-east there's another small room occupied by a Mustard Jelly, which we'll probably provoke in the course of smiting the lesser jelly. Kill them, then grab the loot on the floor at (x=2185, y=1035). ***ITEMS*** (x=2185, y=1035) Bastard Sword, Potion of Mirrored Eyes, Splint Mail, Chyrsoberyl Gem, Cursed Scroll of Ugliness <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) Well, that was unexceptional. Backtrack to the beginning, but at the first fork head north-east, through two small chambers (in the second of which is a corpse to loot) and into a third, larger chamber to the north-east, which is occupied by a pair of Dire Wolves. Smite the mutts and grab the loot on the floor at (x=660, y=370) before continuing to the southern-most tunnel to the south-west, which will ultimately terminate in a small room guarded by a pair of Huge Spiders, with yet more loot lying on the ground, waiting to be taken. ***ITEMS*** (x=1230, y=160) Dagger +1, Potion of Genius, 101 gold (x=660, y=370) Potion of Strength, Skydrop Gem (x=855, y=580) Potions of Healing x2, 85 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) Back in the Dire Wolf room, explore the south-western corner of the room to reveal another passage, sneakily concealed by the fog of war. The passage in the south-western corner of the Dire Wolf room leads to the north-west, into a boring, empty room. South-west from this empty room however is another, smaller room containing yet another pair of Dire Wolves that should be smote... now we have two Dire Wolf rooms! Never mind that, continue south-west until you run out of south-west, then turn south-east until you can't go any further in that direction. To the north-east you'll find a pair of Dread Wolves, to the south-west is more dungeon. Exterminate the canines and continue to the south-west. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) It's a short ways south-west before we're compelled to turn south-east again. Ignore the first side-tunnel to the north-east, as it's ultimately a boring dead-end. Just beyond that is another fork. The south-west is another dead-end, but this one has the added benefit of ending in a Fireball trap. So... continue to the south-east, loot a body in a small room and disarm another Fireball trap just beyond the body. My evil protagonist just disarms it, but my good party... well, they can either just send one strong character across alone-Ajantis with Batalista's Passport should get past without too much damage, or Viconia can go on alone and save/load until her Magic Resistance negates any and all damage. ***ITEMS*** (x=1170, y=1390) Zircon Gem, Arrows of Biting x2, Arrows of Piercing x3, 38 gold ***TRAPS*** (x=1150, y=1450) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 9) Once you've navigated the Fireball trap (one way or the other...) continue into a room to the south-east. There are two items on the ground here... but before you concern yourself with them too much, dispatch the quartet of Dread Wolves here, as well as with the Vampiric Wolf in the room to the north-west. Once it's dead, grab the loot on the floor, then head into the room to the north-west, now vacant. Loot a huge pile of corpses (also trapped with a Fireball trap-deal with it however you must) for some goodies, including the book 'Ulcaster's Dusty History Book.' Once done, continue into another rectangular room to the north-west and smite two more Dread Wolves just for fun. ***ITEMS*** (x=1570, y=1430) Wand of Fire (x=1515, y=1250) Potion of Healing, Potion of Absorption (x=1400, y=1100) Potion of Hill Giant Strength, Oil of Fiery Burning, Potion of Healing x2, tainted Antidote, Acid Arrow x10, Arrow of Ice x10, Ulcaster's Dusty History Book ***TRAPS*** (x=1400, y=1100) (x=550, y=1440) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 10) With that, we're done with the Ulcaster dungeon-see? That wasn't too bad, even without a Thief. Leave the dungeon and find Ulcaster himself, where-ever the hell he's wandered off to. You'll get an experience reward for giving him the book, and all is well in the neighborhood. Exit this area via the eastern edge of the map to discover Gullykin, which just happens to be our next destination! ***REWARD*** (For preserving knowledge) EXP 1000 Gullykin (AR4000) o======================================================================o 11) Gullykin itself is to the north, so let's head south and clear out the wilderness around Gullykin before we get to business. There's one encounter in particular that's worth finding. Along the southern edge of the map you'll find Molkar, the leader of a group of bounty hunters who are after... guess who? Been a while, eh? Anyhow, our good old strategy of Animate Dead fodder plus Stinking Cloud and Silence works wonderfully here. Once they're dead, it's time for the lootin'. Morvin: Scale Mail, Helmet, Battle Axe and 38 gold. Halacan: Helmet, Scroll of Sleep, a Scroll of Color Spray, Scroll of Detect Illusion, War Hammer, Battle Axe and 38 gold. Drakar: Chain Mail, Helmet, Medium Shield, Potion of Absorption, Morning Star +1 and 84 gold. Molkar: Mail of the Dead +2, Helmet, Medium Shield, Potion of Heroism, Long Sword +1 and 84 gold. The only interesting bit of loot here is the Mail of the Dead +2, which has the same defensive capabilities as Plate Mail. Why wouldn't anybody just wear Plate Mail, instead? Well, Strength issues, I suppose. This armor only requires 7 Strength to wear. Of course, we've long since had the far superior Ankheg Plate Mail, so this armor is... well, just useless. Anyways, explore the rest of the area if you wish-there's really nothing else to see. When you're done messing around, make your way up to Gullykin in the north. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 12) At (x=730, y=1210) you'll find a Halfling named Gandolar Luckyfoot. Talk to him twice and he'll ask you to help clear Kobolds out of the Firewine ruins, and point you in the direction of the winery. Search the place and enter the house at (x=200, y=900) when you're ready to get to work. Halfling Home (AR4005)/(AR4006) o======================================================================o 13) Enter the house at (x=1330, y=1100) and loot it. Give the Sling +1 to Viconia, so she has a long-term ranged option. Wee. Also listed are all the other homes in Gullykin, for your looting pleasure. ***ITEMS*** (AR4005) (x=360, y=120) Sling +1, 10 gold --- (AR4006) (x=470, y=220) 13 gold (x=200, y=260) Dagger, Sling, 3 gold (x=220, y=220) Greenstone Ring, Agni Mani Necklace (x=300, y=150) 50 gold Halfling Home (AR4007)/(AR4008) o======================================================================o House at (x=1900, y=570). ***ITEMS*** (AR4007) (x=360, y=120) 11 gold (x=185, y=185) Tiger Cowrie Shell Necklace --- (AR4008) (x=470, y=220) Sling, 35 gold (x=220, y=220) Cursed Scroll of Summon Monster (x=300, y=150) Potion of Defense, 1 gold Halfling Home (AR4009)/(AR4010) o======================================================================o House at (x=1340, y=640). ***ITEMS*** (AR4009) (x=360, y=120) Short Sword, 5 gold --- (AR4010) (x=470, y=220) Fire Agate Gem, 11 gold (x=200, y=260) 3 gold (x=220, y=220) Sling, Dagger (x=300, y=150) Wand of Magic Missile, 28 gold Halfling Home (AR4011)/(AR4012) o======================================================================o House at (x=800, y=420). ***ITEMS*** (AR40011) (x=360, y=120) Short Sword, Leather Armor (x=185, y=185) Small Shield, 51 gold --- (AR4012) (x=470, y=220) Jade Ring (x=200, y=260) 31 gold (x=300, y=150) Chrysoberyl Gem, Sling, Short Sword, 3 gold Halfling Home (AR4013)/(AR4014) o======================================================================o House at (x=2750, y=300). ***ITEMS*** (AR4013) (x=185, y=185) 13 gold --- (AR4014) (x=470, y=220) Turquoise Gem (x=220, y=220) 8 gold Jenkal's House (AR4001)/(AR4002) o======================================================================o 14) This house seems like any other house until you get downstairs, where the owner, Jenkal, will prove to be sorely lacking in common Halfling hospitality. Call him on it, and he'll admit to being the one who is letting Kobolds into town. Then he'll try to kill you. He talks a big game, but he really is just a little critter, after all. He'll leave behind a suit of Studded Leather Armor, a Helmet, a Small Shield, a Short Sword, and 47 gold. You'll notice that the bookcase at (x=190, y=150) highlights, indicating a secret door. Open it, and descend into the depths. Note: Despite what I just said, if you do not have a Thief do NOT descend into the depths. In Ulcaster it was... survivable to pillage around without a trap-disarming Thief, but in Firewine... you have the added nuisance of Kobold Commandos shooting you every ten seconds. You don't need traps softening you up on top of that. ***ITEMS*** (AR4001) (x=185, y=185) 13 gold --- (AR4002) (x=200, y=260) Potion of Stone Form, 31 gold (x=220, y=220) Andar Gem, Zircon Gem (x=300, y=150) Dagger, 85 gold Firewine Underground (AR5201) o======================================================================o 15) Immediately in front of you will be an Ogre Mage, who will babble about his evil scheme before attacking. Hitting him with a Silence 15' Radius turns this into a straight melee fight, which you should be able to win handily... just try and keep your party away from the middle of the room, as down the hallway to the south-west waits another Mage named Lendarn (x=350, y=530) who is fond of shooting Lightning Bolts in enclosed spaces. It might be suicidal, but it can also wreak havoc upon your party. Either try and shoot him down, hit him with a Silence 15' Radius, or cast Animate Dead and send a Skeleton Warrior down to soak up his spells. Lendarn will drop a Mage Robe of Electrical Resistance, a Scroll of Ghoul Touch, a Scroll of Lightning Bolt, a Scroll of Fireball, a Scroll of Cloudkill, a Potion of Stone Form, a Potion of Power, a Quarterstaff, and 159 gold. The Scroll of Fireball and the Scroll of Cloudkill will go to my protagonist, seeing as how greedy Imoen/Edwin already learned both Fireball and Cloudkill. Just be cautious, as there are Kobolds and Orgrillions lurking around down near Lendarn, too. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 16) Now for the rest of the Firewine Ruins... This place is obnoxious, perhaps the most annoying dungeon outside of Durlag's Tower. This is due to three reasons-two of which we should be painfully aware of by now; 1) bad pathfinding and 2) traps. The third and last reason, however, is what takes this annoying dungeon and makes it brutally frustrating: Kobold Commandos. You'll find them at various spawn-points throughout the dungeon, usually in groups of four. They also respawn frequently and move around, so don't expect cleared areas to remain cleared. The way to mitigate their threat is simple-lead with your best Armor Class (especially versus missile weapons). For the good party, this is Ajantis, and for the evil party, Kagain. Put the next most well-defended character in the rear (for both parties, this tends to be Viconia) and keep all the softy, squishy folks in the middle. Move the leader forward (but don't allow any breaks in vision between your party members, lest Kobold Commandos literally spawn in your midst), then move the rest of your party, slaying whatever you come across. Keep moving the chains and save constantly, too, as traps abound. At (x=1470, y=350) you'll find an Undead Knight, who wants you to strike it down and return its armor. Righty-O. You'll want to reach the Ghost Knights at (x=690, y=970) to give the armor back. Now that's done, get the hell out of here. I exit at (x=1050, y=1670). This will take us back to Gullykin, the winery to be more specific. Head outside and talk to Gandolar for your reward, then exit via the southern edge of the map to travel to the Firewine Bridge, which is much more rewarding than the Firewine Underground was. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** This area has changed a bit over the different versions of the game, which I'll point out here for the sake of amusement. In vanilla Baldur's Gate, this place was an absolute nightmare-Kobold Commandos spawned around nearly every corner, front and back. Simply put, on my last playthrough for the original game I had accumulated exactly 250 Arrows of Fire +2... at two per Kobold Commando, that means I smote 125 Kobold Commandos during my last run through these ruins. On the other hand, in the earlier patches of the Enhanced Edition, I scored a mere 26 Arrows of Fire +2 with my good party, or 13 Kobold Commandos killed. On the last playthrough, around which the v1.04 guide was based, I obtained 66 Arrows of Fire +2... so, it's not as bad as it was, at least. ***TRAPS*** (x=1900, y=700) (x=1200, y=1050) (x=1200, y=1460) (x=1550, y=550) (x=950, y=1050) (x=1300, y=1650) (x=600, y=1500) (x=2000, y=1400) (x=1800, y=1470) ***REWARD*** (For returning the armor of the undead knight to its companions) EXP 1500 ***REWARD*** (For informing Gandolar about the Kobold menace) Gold 250 Note from Peter: Just to let you know. Gandolar Luckyfoot is worth 1400 experience and you don't get a reputation minus from killing him. He has a Elixir of Health, a Leather Armor +1, 20x Throwing Axe and a Battle Axe. So when you done with him, why not simply kill him? If you don't want to kill him, you can still steal the Elixir of Health from him. Sorround him and kill him, when he tries to leave. Note from Peter: You find Alvanhendar in the Temple of Yondallar in Gullykin. Guess what? You can kill him without a reputation penalty and get 3000 experience for it. He carries a Studded Leather Armor, a Sling, 30x Bullets and 45 gold. Come on, how often have you used his clerical services? You didn't even mention him in your FAQ... after killing the only three halflings important enough to have names, I feel a bit like I was the bane of Gullykin and not the Ogre Mage. Nevermind, I'm on the lookout for ex- perience points. Firewine Bridge (AR4500) o======================================================================o 17) At (x=2820, y=1560) you'll find a Bard named Poe, who will tell you a story of betrayal. Sounds kind of like the undead knights in the Firewine Ruins below, no? Anyhow, there's the back story to that. Note from Peter: You can steal a Star Diopside Gem from Poe. And just in case you want to kill him, he's wort 275 experience and carries a Spear +1 as well as some gold. But unfortunately, his death causes a reputation loss. Any- way, if your evil party needs to lose some reputation, here they can at least get some experience for it. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 18) Across the bridge to the north-west you'll find a priest of Ilmater named Bentan. If it seems suspicious for a lone priest to be wandering around out in the middle of nowhere just to try and score converts... well, you're in good company, but he's legit. If you talk to him, he'll give you the the ol' religious snake-oil sales pitch, which either goes nowhere, or ends with him walking off. If you kill him, you'll incur a reputation hit, but will score a suit of Studded Leather Armor, a Scroll of Protection from Magic, a Quarter Staff, and 45 gold. Worth it? Probably not, but it's up to you, and if you need to lower your reputation... well, that scroll's not a terrible prize. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 19) You'll find a warrior named Meilum at (x=4900, y=700) who will initiate dialogue with you and declare himself to be the Sword Coast's most skilled swordsman. Belittle him to pick a fight and kill him. When he falls he'll leave behind a suit of Studded Leather Armor, Legacy of the Masters, a Long Sword +1, and 64 gold. Remember when we found the last pair of these I said Minsc and Dorn would get some soon? Yeah, soon is now. Minsc takes off The Dale's Protector and they simply wait in Imoen's inventory until she can use her Thief abilities again. Dorn is just glad his hands aren't cold anymore. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 20) There's a Mage named Carsa at (x=3520, y=920) who found a cursed jar which is apparently causing her to have a bit of a... mental disturbance. Offer to help her, and then try to take the bottle away and Carsa will summon the inhabitant of the jar, an Ogre Mage named Kahrk-mightiest of the Ogre Mages! I take my party up north and hit him with a pair of Dispel Magics (one from Jaheira and one from Viconia) as he moves to talk to my party, then when he's done talking about how bad he is and attacks, I go on an all-out offensive. Minsc doesn't even bother shooting him, for chances are he's still got Protection from Normal Missiles up. Kahrk will try and cast a variety of unfriendly spells-it's a good idea to try and disrupt them. He won't resort to melee until he's out of spells, and that's where he's really rough... still, he's nothing that a 5th-6th level party can't handle. If he is proving rough, either send up a group of Skeleton Warriors summoned via Animate Dead to waste a good bit of his spells, then wait for his protections to wear off before attacking. If that's still not enough, just come back when you have better spell-buffs of your own-after the Cloakwood Mines you'll have Haste, and if you get Viconia (or another Cleric) up to 7th-level, you can add Protection from Evil 10' radius and Defensive Harmony to your buffs. Kahrk will leave behind... typical Ogre Magi crap, but in higher quantity. For the Enhanced Edition he dropped a Scroll of Hold Person, a Pearl Necklace, a Bloodstone Amulet, a Long Sword and 158 gold. Loot Carsa for a Knave's Robe, a Scroll of Protection from Fire, a Dagger, and 25 gold. Whew. Now you're done with every eastern area except Durlag's Tower. I have done Durlag's Tower before ever setting foot in the Cloakwood Forest before, but I don't recommend it. Besides, we've done enough in this chapter, lets get on with the main story. o======================================================================o | | | Cloakwood Forest | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK018} 1) Creatures of the Cloakwood I 2) Cloakwood Cape-r 3) Aldeth's Hunting Troubles 4) Coran 5) Creatures of the Cloakwood II 6) Tiber's Request 7) Rashad's Talon 8) To the Spider's Den 9) Centeol the Cursed 10) Traps and Ettercaps 11) A Note on Wyverns 12) Creatures of the Cloakwood III 13) Eldoth 14) Laskal's Inquiry 15) Faldorn 16) Shadow Druid Takiyah 17) The Druid Tree 18) Shadow Druid Izefia 19) ...Subterranean Trees? 20) Creatures of the Cloakwood IV 21) Hamadryad Hunt 22) The Wyvern Cave Cloakwood Forest I (AR2200) o======================================================================o 1) In this area you'll run across Dire Wolves, Dread Wolves, and other doggies, as well as Huge Spiders, Tasloi, and typical woodland threats, like Bears. Nothing you can't handle, and nothing terribly interesting. Don't worry, you're just getting your feet wet. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) In the south-eastern corner of the map you'll run into a band of Tasloi, one of which will drop a cloak-Whispers of Silence (aka: Cloak of Non-Detection). This cloak belongs to Gurke, the Dwarf in the Jovial Juggler who lost his cloak in the Cloakwood Forest. Return it to him at your leisure. It turns out he doesn't want it back due to his newfound celebrity gained from losing the cloak in the first place. Just as well. It can go well on any character who is likely to sneak or use Invisibility-Minsc, Imoen, my evil protagonist, to name a few names... ultimately, it's not such a great item that it'll end up on anybody out of design, but only if a character has nothing better to wear. ***REWARD*** (For recovering Gurke's Cloak) EXP 300 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) Towards the middle of the map at (x=2650, y=2100) you'll find Aldeth Sashenstar, accompanied by his buddies Balquo and Palin. Apparently Aldeth and his friends are being harassed by some Druids, and he wants your help to get rid of them. If you agree the Druids will arrive in short order, led by one Seniyad. If you side with Aldeth you'll have to fight Seniyad and his Druid buddies. Seniyad gives a hefty load of experience, and leaves behind a Druid's Ring (aka: Ring of Animal Friendship)-hitting them with Silence 15' Radius will keep them from using any nasty spells. In return for your assistance Aldeth will give you a Potion of Heroism for your troubles and will tell you to find him at the Merchant League Estate in Baldur's Gate later. If you decide to side with the Druids, however, Aldeth will make the perfectly sensible decision to kill the adventurers he hired to kill the Druids he was afraid to fight alone. Before talking to Seniyad, pick-pocket the Druid's Ring from Seniyad. HE certainly doesn't need it. Once you talk to Seniyad, he'll 'congratulate' your decision and tell you about the Iron Throne... and warn you of another sect of druids who aren't fond of... well, anything but nature and themselves. You'll get a quest reward, they'll depart, and you'll be free to loot Aldeth's lodge (x=2450, y=1700). Aldeth and his buddies have the following gear on them: Aldeth: Studded Leather, Diamond, Potion of Heroism, Kondar +1 (aka: Bastard Sword +1, +3 vs Shapeshifters) and 1240 gold. Balquo: Leather Armor, Arrows x20, Longbow, Short Sword and 120 gold. Palin: Leather Armor, Arrows x20, Longbow, Short Sword and 120 gold. Kondar +1 is a pretty sweet prize, but you'll have a chance to get it later in Baldur's Gate if you help Aldeth out here, as he'll have another quest for you. Granted, aside from some money and experience, Kondar +1 is the best reward you'll get from these later quests. On the other hand, siding with the Druids seems less rewarding, but you'll get Kondar, plus Aldeth's brother will show up for revenge, which will score us a pretty potent crossbow. Your call-a magical crossbow, or a quest, both in Baldur's Gate. ***REWARD*** (For siding with Aldeth) EXP 2000 Item Potion of Heroism ***REWARD*** (For siding with Seniyad) EXP 2000 ***ITEMS*** (AR2215) (x=520, y=160) Rainbow Obsidian Necklace, Arrow of Fire +2 x2, Arrow of Fire +2 x2, Elixir of Health, Potion of Invulnerability, 395 gold Note from Peter: You can steal the Potion of Heroism and the Diamond from Aldeth. In the original game, you were also able to steal Kondar +1 (aka: Bastard Sword +1, +3 vs Shapeshifters), but as far as I know it doesn't work in the Enhanced Edition anymore. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) At (x=1520, y=700) you'll find Coran: Thief and archer! (That's a Conan: The Barbarian reference... you know, the movie with Arnie?) He'll ask if you want to help him collect a bounty on some Wyverns. If you want him, accept, if not, decline. He's probably the best archer in the game (with both a bogus Dexterity of 20 AND bogus Mastery in Bows). This quest is timed, but completing it should be no problem, as you're likely to encounter Wyverns as you travel between Cloakwood areas (more on this later). There's also a nest of them in the fourth Cloakwood area (AR1700). To successfully complete the quest, you need to bring a Wyvern head to Kelddath Ormlyr, at the Song of the Morning Temple in the Temple area just east of Beregost (AR3400). Anywho, When you're done head to the next area of the Cloakwood Forest. Cloakwood Forest II (AR2100) o======================================================================o 5) The diversity of the foes in this level is down, but that doesn't diminish the threat-expect to encounter critters of the spidery persuasion throughout this level-Huge Spiders, Giant Spiders, Phase Spiders, Sword Spiders, Ettercaps... the whole lot. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) At (x=4650, y=1200) you'll find a rather out-of-place commoner named Tiber (and he's standing near a river!) Talk to him and he'll tell you that his brother Chelak found a sword named 'Spider's Bane' and thought to become heroes by clearing out the forest. If there's one place that needed a Spider's Bane, this is it-the whole area is like the spider's nest in (AR3000), spiders and web traps galore. Keep an eye out for traps as you go along and keep your party in good order. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) You'll get a chance to test out your order-keeping and trap-finding skills shortly. Head south-west from Tiber and disarm the trap at (x=4500, y=1350), behind which lurks a few Huge Spiders. Take the path south and keep going south until you can go south no further, then turn west. At the end of the path you'll find some loot on the ground at (x=3755, y=3100). ***ITEMS*** (x=3755, y=3100) Leather Armor, Rashad's Talon +2, The Iron Thorn ***TRAPS*** (x=4500, y=1350) ***ENHANCED EDITION*** All this loot here is new to the Enhanced Edition-another The Iron Thorn is just more garbage-I don't know why they were so fond of it. Whatever the case, Rashad's Talon +2 isn't new to Baldur's Gate either, but you previously could only find it until the roof of Durlag's Tower... if you're really daring, you could have had that one already, but this is still a welcome addition, and much easier to obtain. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) Backtrack to the north until you can either continue north (back to where you fought the Huge Spiders near Tiber) or head west into the unknown. We of course, want to explore to the west. Follow the cliffs west across... well, the entire level, really. You'll get to smite the odd spider as you go along to keep things interesting. In the south- western corner of the level is a small peninsula, along the western side of which you'll find some Phase Spiders. Put them down and continue north up the western edge of the level until you hit a waterfall, then turn east until you find a large ominous den with a rather human-friendly door begging you to enter at (x=1850, y=1150). Before entering, do whatever spell-buffing you can... but don't worry too much, this is another encounter made much easier by the Enhanced Edition. ***TRAPS*** (x=970, y=2300) (x=500, y=2100) Centeol's Lair (AR2101) o======================================================================o 9) Inside the web-hive you'll encounter a bloated, hideous abomination by the name of Centeol, who will immediately talk to you. No matter what you say, this encounter ends with a fight. She will mention an archmage named 'Jon Irenicus' along one of her dialogue paths... a character we'll become more acquainted with in Baldur's Gate 2. No. It's not a good thing. Anywho, this fight seems pretty straight-forward... at a glance. There are no Web traps lurking under-foot, ready to ruin your day, as you might expect, but this level is not as open as it seems. Patches of less-dense webbing restrict your movement and complicate the fight. It's difficult to see where these are, but move your cursor around and note where the 'move' icon changes to an 'impassible' icon. There's one right in front of where the party appears, and another to the east. Also, there are many more spiders behind Centeol, which will become apparent when you start the fight. It never was a terribly tough fight, but the Enhanced Edition has made cheese of it. Since the location where our party appears is not to our advantage, I suggest walking in with only your party leader, provoking Centeol, and luring out a few of the spiders. If you can even get that Sword Spider west of her to come out, you've done yourself a great favor. You can do this as many times as you wish, disposing of her minions a few at a time until all that's left to do is knock off any stragglers and put down Centeol herself. By my counting, there are two Sword Spiders, four Giant Spiders, two Ettercaps, and Centeol herself. It's not a very heroic strategy, however, so I've keep my original advice (modified to fit the Enhance Edition, of course)... you know, in case you want to inefficiently stand your ground, and all. If you want to clear Centeol's Lair in one shot, it's easy enough to do. I choose to NOT advance, but merely summon some Skeleton Warriors ahead of me and fire off a Stinking Cloud (or two) as far north as I can. I sic my undead on any foe that is incapacitated in the Stinking Cloud while my party engages any spiders that draw close. This all amounts to little more than a stall, but it's all that I require. You don't want to fight all the enemies in this area at the same time. My Skeleton Warriors manage to kill an Ettercap and a Sword Spider while my party focuses on the half of the arachnids that are out of the Stinking Cloud(s). When the Stinking Cloud(s) go down it's my party versus what's left of the spiders, which I am more than a match for. Viconia ends up taking a whole six points of damage from this encounter, which is all the damage I suffer (Skeleton Warriors not included) making this my best run through of this area. (Self high five.) Either way, once they opposition is crushed, loot the area around Centeol for some goodies. Minsc/Dorn happily equips Spider's Bane +2... I mean, it's not like Chelak's going to be using it anymore, right? Anyways, time to get the stiff back to his brother. ***ITEMS*** (x=500, y=400) Fire Opal Ring, Wand of Frost, Discipliner, Chelak's Body, Spider's Bane +2 ***ENHANCED EDITION*** It took the folks at Overhaul Games a few version updates, but they finally changed Centeol's dialogue and confirmed my suspicions. In the original game Centeol mentioned one 'Jon Icarus'-close enough to make one suspicious that Bioware meant 'Jon Irenicus', the antagonist from the sequel. What? I find it interesting... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 10) If you want to score some extra experience, note that you can head west just behind Centeol's Lair to reach the northern waterfall, where you can cross and kill some more Phase Spiders, for what it's worth. From Centeol's Lair head east into the forest, where traps, spiders, and Ettercaps abound. Particularly of note, if you head north-east from Centeol's Lair through a clearing in the trees you'll arrive at a clearing where several Ettercaps lurk, protected by a Web trap along each cardinal direction. Take some caution, disarm the traps, then smite the Ettercaps. Once you've made your way back to Tiber, talk to him to give him his brother back... Exit the area along the northern edge and travel to the next area. ***TRAPS*** (x=750, y=350) (x=2200, y=1500) (x=3500, y=710) (x=3500, y=1100) (x=3270, y=1000) (x=4000, y=800) ***REWARD*** (For bringing Chelak's body back to his brother, Tiber) EXP 800 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 11) Now, we're fairly deep into the Cloakwood Forest, so it seems like a good time to talk about a random encounter you might have moving between areas here... I haven't made a habit of talking about random encounters earlier, but this one stands out for being a fairly common occurence, and for being dangerous. You may find a random encounter moving between areas in the Cloakwood Forest where two Wyverns attack you. Wyverns can be bad news, as they are relatively strong and have one of the most potent poisons in the game. Needless to say, if you don't have a Slow Poison ready for a character who gets poisoned, they're probably going to end up a corpse. On the plus side, killing Wyverns can end up making you a good bit of coin. Loot fallen Wyverns for their heads when you kill them, as Kelddath Ormlyr, the mayor of Beregost and the high priest in the Song of the Morning temple (AR3400) will pay you 2000 gold for the first one you bring him (he's the same guy you turned Basillus' Holy Symbol in to.) If you stock up on more Wyvern Heads, you'll have to sell the rest to Thalantyr for 500 gold each. This of course also satiates Coran. ***REWARD*** (For presenting a Wyvern head to Keldath Ormlyr) Gold 2000 ***ENHANCED EDITION*** Recently the guys at Overhaul Games decided to remove Officer Vai's ability to buy Wyvern Heads. This was another patch 'fix' that wasn't in the original Enhanced Edition. Cloakwood Forest III (AR1600) o======================================================================o 11) Nothing too special in this area-expect to run across a variety of canines-Wolves, Dread Wolves... even a Vampiric Wolf near the north which I swear I've never encountered in the Cloakwood Forest prior to the Enhanced Edition. You might also encounter Tasloi and Huge Spiders- you know, the usual forest-foe-fare. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 13) You'll find a Bard named Eldoth at (x=3180, y=3500) who will offer you some booze, and then let loose with a slimy scheme, to fake-kidnap his lover Skie from her father, one Entar Silvershield. If you want him agree, if not, leave him behind. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 14) Shortly after crossing the bridge to the north you'll find a Druid named Laskal (x=3120, y=2150) who asks if you're part of the Iron Throne. If you say you are, or if you blow him off, he'll attack, leaving behind a suit of Leather Armor, a Potion of Invulnerability, a Quarterstaff +2, and 12 gold. On the other hand, if you say you are enemies of the Iron Throne, he'll give you a Potion of Invulnerability to help your efforts. Unpopular bunch, that Iron Throne. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** In the original game, this encounter was a bit different. First, Laskal had a mundane Quarterstaff, not a Quarterstaff +2, so there wasn't much incentive to kill him, since you could get his only worthwhile possession-the Potion of Invulnerability-through sweet, harmless, words. Oh, also killing him would drop your reputation. Not cool. Now, however, we've got a reason to kill him (that Quarterstaff +2) and no downsides. Score. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 15) Head south-west along the shore until you find a stone henge around (x=800, y=2800). By the stone henge and obelisk you'll find a Druid named Faldorn (x=650, y=2280). Talk to her and she'll ask you to help her clear out the Iron Throne in the Cloakwood Forest. Awful lot of recruitable characters in this forest, eh? Take her or leave her as you wish. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 16) North of where you found Faldorn you'll find another Druid named Takiyah (x=1070, y=2530). He'll attack if you have Jaheira in your party, which means I regularly trounce him. Like most Druids in this area, he inexplicably can (and will) cast Hold Person to start out the fight. The normal rule of 'hit 'em fast, hit 'em hard' to disrupt their spells often doesn't work, for some reason, but we've got other options now. If you head forward with just Minsc/Dorn (whomever has Spider's Bane equipped, and hence, has Free Action) they'll absorb the Hold Person harmlessly. Just something winners might want to keep in mind. Anyways, once the tree-hugger is vanquished he'll leave behind a suit of Studded Leather and a Quarterstaff. If you don't have Jaheira with you, he'll ask you a question. If you answer that you're here hunting bandits, he'll refer you to Faldorn. All in all, it's an inconsequential encounter. Tree House (AR1601)/(AR1602) o======================================================================o 17) North-west of Takiyah you'll find the entrance to a giant tree-home (x=820, y=2100). There's looting to be done, but more importantly on the second level is another Shadow Druid named Amarande, who will attack you if you have Jaheira in your party. Like Takiyah, if you don't have Jaheira in your party Amarande will ask you a question, and if you reveal that you're here to destroy the bandits, he'll refer you to Faldorn. I take Minsc/Dorn upstairs alone so they can promptly absorb the chain of Hold Persons Amarande will cast-in all likelihood, they'll cut the Druid down before he even attempts to do anything else. He'll drop a suit of Studded Leather and Mighty Oak +2. This Club is noteworthy simply because it's the only magical Club in the entire game. Since Jaheira comes Specialized in Clubs from the start, it might be worthwhile to have her equip it... at least until she hits 6th-Level as a Fighter. At that point, the Dagger of Venom +2's poison is more interesting than the better base damage of the Club, and Rashad's Talon +2 is simply superior damage-wise. Loot and leave. ***ITEMS*** (AR1601) (x=300, y=160) Potion of Freedom, Potion of Healing, Antidote (x=200, y=160) Quarterstaff, Sling, 6 gold --- (AR1602) (x=70, y=270) Bullets +1 x10 (x=150, y=150 Quarterstaff, Potion of Fortitude ***ENHANCED EDITION*** The Mighty Oak +2 is new to Baldur's Gate. It really never made sense before why there wasn't a single magical Club to be found anywhere in the game. Overhaul Games has remedied that. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 18) At (x=2000, y=1530) you'll find a Shadow Druid by the name of Izefia, who will attack if Jaheira is in your party. For future reference Jaheira is a normal Druid, Faldorn is a Shadow Druid. These two sects do not get along. Shadow Druids will let you go if Faldorn is with you, or if you say you're out hunting bandits, but they'll attack if Jaheira is with you. If Jaheira isn't in your party, you can say you're hunting bandits and Izefia will tell you that somebody is raising 'creatures' in a cave nearby. If you're like me, you'll have Jaheira, and hence, a dead Izefia. Hopefully by now you know how to handle him. He will leave behind a suit of Studded Leather and a Quarterstaff. Cave (AR1603) o======================================================================o 19) Over at (x=2300, y=900) you'll find a cave. Inside the cave you'll find an armored man named 'Peter of the North' (x=470, y=330) and some Baby Wyverns. No matter what you say, he'll end up attacking you. If you find the terrain here not to your likely, do not be afraid to enter with just your party leader and to lure Peter and his pets out into more friendly ground. Kill him and loot him for a suit of Splint Mail, 5 Arrows of Ice, 10 Arrows +1, 30 Arrows, a Long Bow, a Long Sword, and 20 gold-typical Black Talon Elite gear. Kill his babies while you're at it-we're going biblical on his ass. Exit the map on the eastern edge and go to the next Cloakwood Forest area. Cloakwood Forest IV (AR1700) o======================================================================o 20) A few new faces in forest-land, this time around. You'll face Guards wearing Splint Mail, bearing Long Swords and Medium Shields. Must be getting close to this mine, eh? Anyways, they're not too much trouble. Also showing up will be Baby Wyverns-yeah, their poison sucks, but they're not too much trouble. It's guaranteed that you'll be fighting a small pack of Baby Wyverns past the bridge leading to the north-western corner of the map. Other than that, don't be surprised if you encounter Wolves or Giant Spiders. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 21) Over at (x=1130, y=3360) is a Hamadryad. She's the only one in the game that I know of, and I'm not sure why they even bothered to put one here... but anyhow, her tactics are to start out with a pair of Dire Charm spells, then a Hold Person, then a pair of Entangles, and finally she'll end with another Hold Person. After each spell she'll Dimension Door to another location, making it hard to effectively attack her. Obviously, her goal here is to cause mayhem with her spells, and if you're going to suffer any losses at all, it'll be through the agency of your own charmed party members. I have two good options for dealing with her safely-head over to where she is with just Minsc/Dorn, who will be immune to her Hold Person/Entangle spells, and if she charms them... who cares? They're too far away to harm any other party members, just wait it out and attack her again (during my evil party playthrough, Dorn walked up to her, saved against her charm, and promptly smote her with a 34-damage critical hit. How can you not love Dorn? I know, I know, you can't rely on this kind of luck all the time, but it was still pretty cool.) The second option is to scout her out and cast a Silence 15' Radius just outside of her sight radius. Her saves are pretty good, but once you've Silenced her, she's toast. She will go berserk with the Dimension Doors (apparently they don't count as magic), where I can only assume she's attempting to cast her spells-to no effect. Once she's done spazzing out, however, she'll attack in melee, where she's easily dispatched. You'll encounter another critter like her in the game, but thankfully not until Durlag's Tower. She'll leave behind a Dagger. Wee. Wyvern's Cave (AR1701) o======================================================================o 22) In the eastern part of the map you'll find a huge cave entrance (x=4100, y=1700). I suggest you rest up and spell buff before you enter the cavern, as inside are a number of Wyverns and Baby Wyverns. This fight used to be easier before the Enhanced Edition, as you could simply bottle-neck your foes at the stairs... extra effectively because adult Wyverns couldn't fit onto the stairs! Now they can, however, so such a tactic is really only going to screw over your front characters. Instead I suggest the following, more Enhanced Edition-friendly tactic. Cast Animate Dead as many times as possible and put your Skeleton Warriors near the entrance to the Wyvern's Cave (but not so as to impede traffic), then head inside with only your party leader to provoke the Wyverns. Run outside and let your Skeleton Warriors draw their attention, while your Mages cast a pair of Fireballs at the entrance to the cave. Caught up as collateral damage, your undead will probably die, but this should do a good bit of damage to the Wyverns, and might outright kill the Baby Wyverns. Then, just engage with your warriors and put the hurt Wyverns down. Once they're all dead, explore the Wyvern's Cave fully-killing any Wyverns that straggled behind. At the back of the cavern you'll see the mother of all wyverns... good thing it's dead. Obviously somebody came by before us. Yuck. Anyhow, loot and leave. Exit the map on the eastern edge and travel to the Mines. ***ITEMS*** (x=400, y=600) Jade Ring, Water Opal, Garnet, Wand of Fear, Plate Mail, 62 gold ***ENHANCED EDITION*** They Wyverns were originally too big to fit onto the stairs, allowing you to sit back and shoot them to death. Now, however, they can get on up there. o======================================================================o | | | Cloakwood Mines | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK019} 1) Lacerate Lakadaar 2) Always Kill the Mouthy One, That's What I Always Say 3) Bunkhouse Brawl 4) Minehouse Massacre 5) Introduction to Cloakwood Mines 6) A Slew of Inconsequential Encounters 7) Bring Down the River 8) The work-around 9) Rill's Rebellion 10) Yeslick 11) Welcoming Party in Level 3 12) Officer's Quarters 13) Hobgoblin Barracks 14) The Training Room 15) Spells, Courtesy of Natasha 16) Ogre's Pride 17) Cyric Sacrilege 18) Leveling the Playing Field 19) Defeating Davaeorn 20) Spineless Stephan and Slimy Servants 21) Flooding the Mines Cloakwood Mines (AR1800) o======================================================================o 1) Over at (x=1680, y=580) you'll find Lakadaar, who will ask what you are doing in the forest. If you say your name, and say you're hunting Wyverns you can scare him off, but what fun is that? Say just about anything else to pick a fight, and he-along with several guards-will attack you. They all carry a suit of Splint Mail Armor, a Medium Shield, and a Long Sword. Explore the area as you wish, but this meager encounter is the only thing of interest before you enter the fort in the middle of the map. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) In the fort, at (x=1570, y=1870) is Drasus and his buddies. That's right, another group of bounty hunters to smite. This group has two Mages with it, so they shouldn't be underestimated, especially if you're still the 'rush in and smite them' type. However, if you use some discretion, you'll find that this fight is actually easier than most. You can sucker punch them with some Stinking Clouds and Animate Dead, and that will work just dandy to smite them but good, but you can also use Drasus' uncanny speed to your advantage by luring him ahead of his buddies into your midst, where he can promptly be massacred. Better yet, the Mages are in the back of the group, and they will most likely not notice if you lure off both of their warriors and kill them. I personally prefer the Stinking Cloud/Animate Dead approach, but I do make use of Edwin's brute spell-power by first, summoning up three Skeleton Warriors with Viconia, then blasting the enemies with two Stinking Clouds, after which Edwin starts liberally dropping Fireballs. My Skeleton Warriors advance to clean up whatever opposition is left. Dispose of this group as you wish and loot their sorry corpses for some quality spoils. Drasus: Chain Mail, The Paws of the Cheetah (aka: Boots of Speed), Medium Shield, Potion of Frost Giant Strength, Letter, Morning Star +1 and 56 gold. Genthore: Fallorains Plate +1 (Plate Mail +1), Large Shield, Throwing Axes, 10 Darts, 20 Throwing Daggers, Dagger and 56 gold. Rezdan: Mage Robe of Cold Resistance, Quarterstaff, 20 Darts and 32 gold. Kysus: Traveler's Robe, Dagger, 20 Throwing Daggers, Fireshield (Red) and 66 gold. Fallorain's Plate +1 is inexcusably lousy-it's inferior to Ankheg Plate Mail and Full Plate Mail, of which we've found two apiece by now. I can't imagine a party setup where a 5th suit of heavy armor would be required... well, I can, but that party probably sucks anyways. The Paws of the Cheetah, on the other hand, are great item, as they double your movement speed. I tend to place them on the same character who's wearing The Brawling Hands, as it's just good sense to having your most potent defensive character leading the way. In the good party this is seamless, as Ajantis is our best defensive character and our party leader. On the evil party, however, Dorn is our party leader... but I tend to follow my rule above and keep these boots on Kagain, since he's got a much better Armor Class than Dorn. Before you head into the mines, loot the Barracks at (x=1330, y=1750) and a supply shed (x=1840, y=1580). Note from Lee: After dispatching the two guards at the bridge, align your party with fighters at the foot of the western end of the bridge (the bridge acts as a natural bottleneck), with your spellslingers and archers behind them. Then send your strongest fighter forward to entice Drasus across the bridge, shooting him to death with arrow fire and/or spells as he tries to cross. The eastern end of the bridge is right at the limit for spell range, so you can blast him as he approaches, and if he survives the spell onslaught he will run into missile fire about halfway across, then get mopped up in melee if/when he actually makes it all the way to the party. Repeat for Genthore. Too easy.... Now, the mages.... I move the party up to the eastern end of the bridge (but still on it), and send my main character (F5/M5) forward. If you stay slightly north, you'll encounter Rezdan first; the instant you see the glimmer of magic from him, run back out of range of his spell and wait for the spell duration to expire - chalk up one wasted spell. Repeat until he's out of spells and attempts to charge you (maybe he's pissed over all those wasted spells?). Bad move magie boy, now you're dead. Repeat for Kysus - he apparently didn't learn anything from watching his buddy try it. Ya know, for having such a high Intelligence, mages certainly are stupid (ah - no Wisdom.... that would explain it). ***ENHANCED EDITION*** The Fireshield (Red) is new to the game, so it was added to Kysus' inventory. Barracks (AR1805)/(AR1806)/Supply Shed (AR1808) o======================================================================o 3) In the Barracks you'll find two hostile guards downstairs (AR1805) and a cowardly guard upstairs (AR1806). They shouldn't be more than speedbumps by now. In the Supply Shed (AR1808) you'll find a black lotus sharing guard who turns hostile when he realizes you're not part of his unit. Wee. When you're done, leave the buildings and continue east across a bridge until you find the entrance to the mines at (x=3200, y=600). ***ITEMS*** (AR1805) (x=250, y=150) Potion of Magic Shielding, Zircon Gem, 83 gold (x=450, y=200) Dagger, Mace, 13 gold --- (AR1806) (x=350, y=160) Long Sword, Dagger, 11 gold (x=250, y=200) Mace, Spear, 18 gold (x=170, y=250) Long Sword, Heavy Crossbow, 8 gold (x=400, y=200) Long Sword, Heavy Crossbow, 48 gold (x=320, y=280) Long Sword, 32 gold (x=250, y=310) Dagger, 89 gold Minehouse (AR1809)/(AR1807) o======================================================================o 4) Kill guards, loot, and head down the stairs (x=500, y=200) and take the elevator down to the mines (x=200, y=300). ***ITEMS*** (x=370, y=170) Long Sword, Long Sword, 58 gold Cloakwood Mines Level 1 (AR1801) o======================================================================o 5) When you round the first corner you'll be attacked by a guard with more confidence than sense. After you head down the tunnel a ways a miner named Faber (x=1150, y=550) will come to tattle on another miner named Andarsson. These mines are much like the Nashkel Mines, but with a few differences... no Kobolds, and the guards will attack you. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) Andarsson is at (x=1270, y=620). There's an impotent guard at (x=1350, y=330). A miner named Tipian is at (x=740, y=880). A guard (x=260, y=1180) will summon other guards unless you are aggressive with him. A miner named Phaersis is at (x=1070, y=1270), who will tell you about a way to flood the mines. Canticle the miner is at (x=1380, y=1150), formerly a bard. Finally, at (x=2300, y=1350) there's a Miner who'll ask you to kill him. Refuse him or grant his release, as you wish. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) At (x=1970, y=250) you'll find a miner who is standing in front of a giant plug. Listen to his plan about flooding the mine. He'll also tell you about Yeslick, and to go find another miner named Rill. when you're done talking to him, head to the next level of the mines at (x=1450, y=1500). Cloakwood Mines Level 2 (AR1804) o======================================================================o 8) As soon as you enter this level you'll see bad guys that need a beating. Go on slaying what guards you find as you head into a room to the south-east. From here you've got two new ways to go-to the south-west or to the south-east. The south-western passage is the less attractive of the two as it's trapped and leads to a room full of foes led by a Mage named Hareishan (x=850, y=1250). We're trying to get to this room anyways, but there's a better way to get there. Head to the south-east and deal with a guard at (x=1940, y=940) who will surrender and tell you some info if you let him go. There is a secret door at (x=2020, y=1020) that leads to a tunnel that spans the length of the south-eastern corner of the level. This tunnel is also populated by a pair of Ghasts, so tread carefully, as in a one-on-one fight a Ghast only needs one lucky hit to ruin your day. Inside the tunnel you'll find another secret door (x=1200, y=1400), which opens into the room with Hareishan and company. With this approach we're able to hit them with spell-assaults pre-emptively, an impossibility from the other approach. I hit them with a few Stinking Clouds and a double shot (or triple shot, if you've got Edwin) of Fireball, then waltz in and smite whatever opposition remains. Amongst the carnage you'll find the body of the Mage Hareishan. Loot her for an Adventurer's Robe, a Scroll of Ghoul Touch, a Scroll of Haste, a Potion of Explosions, a Quarterstaff, and 310 gold. Finally, we get Haste... Scribe it on your top Mage, as this spell is the indispensable support spell which you'll use before EVERY major encounter from here on out. It doubles your movement speed and increases your attack rate, hence turning your warriors into juggernauts. It's often the only spell-buff you'll need, and you'll be using it until the end of Throne of Bhaal. ***TRAPS*** (x=1100, y=720) (x=1100, y=920) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 9) Head back into the Ghast tunnel and continue south, finding another secret door at (x=1000, y=1800). At (x=720, y=1630) you'll find Rill, the self-proclaimed de facto leader of the Cloakwood slaves. He'll ask for 100 gold so he can bribe the captain of the Black Talons. Give him the money, it'll be worth it later. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 10) And in the same room you'll find Yeslick (x=860, y=1720). He wants to get revenge against the Iron Throne for wronging him and stealing his clans' mine. If you want him, take him along... or at least move him to the surface in case you change your mind, if you flood the mines with Yeslick still inside, you won’t be seeing Yeslick again, which would be a real shame, too, considering that he's probably the 3rd-best Cleric in the game. Also, letting the computer level him hasn't hurt him too much. When you are done the stairs down are at (x=400, y=1600). Cloakwood Mines Level 3 (AR1802) o======================================================================o 11) This level is mostly comprised of guards and Hobgoblins, some of which will greet you when you arrive. A simple Sleep spell will make this fight go much quicker, but smash them and loot as you will. Just be sure you don't fill up your inventory with cheap crap-there's plenty of loot on this level, and there's still another level to go. You can safely ignore the south-western side of the map, as all you'll find there is a smelter room occupied by wussy Hobgoblins, and a big, pointless hole. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 12) Since we need not explore to the south-west, head north-east instead. Along the north-western wall you'll find doorways leading to officer's rooms-and anybody within will not be your friend. So much the worse for them. Just as well. These rooms have plenty of loot-the locks will vary in difficulty from 30 to 70. ***ITEMS*** (x=960, y=840) Fire Agate Gem (x=970, y=830) Scroll of Shocking Grasp, Scroll of Sleep (x=1090, y=840) Acid Arrows x5, Arrows of Biting x5, 23 gold (x=1240, y=800) Fire Agate Gem x3, Jasper Gem (x=1300, y=600) Dagger, Mace (x=1370, y=570) Waterstar Gem, 112 gold (x=1500, y=550) Bloodstone Ring (x=1600, y=600) Garnet Gem, 31 gold (x=1580, y=400) Potion of Mirrored Eyes, Potion of Strength (x=1600, y=380) 19 gold (x=1720, y=300) Scroll of Dispel Magic (x=1750, y=420) Potion of Fire Giant Strength, 119 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 13) While we're in this tunnel, lets pay some attention to the tunnels to the south-east, which eventually connects to a barracks full of Hobgoblins. This barracks connects to another barracks to the south- east, also full of Hobgoblins, and another tunnel to the south-east neatly bisects the level. Kill the Hobgoblins and loot their goodies, just be wary-they respawn like bunnies. ***ITEMS** (x=1690, y=1100) Composite Long Bow (x=1750, y=1050) Dagger, Long Sword (x=1900, y=930) Long Sword, 21 gold (x=2000, y=860) Sunstone Gem, 26 gold (x=2050, y=820) Cursed Scroll of Weakness, Scroll of Protection from Acid (x=2170, y=900) Potion of Magic Protection, 29 gold (x=2550, y=1150) Spear +1, 354 gold (x=2670, y=1270) Flamedance Ring, Star Diopside Gem, Shandon Gem, Lynx Eye Gem (x=2600, y=1330) Dagger, 23 gold (x=2530, y=1380) Halberd (x=2400, y=1470) Halberd, 15 gold (x=2300, y=1550) Halberd, Dagger <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 14) Now return to the tunnel in the north-west (the one adjacent to the officer's rooms we looted a moment ago) and continue to the north-east. In the north-eastern corner of the level you'll find a training room, replete with weapons, armor, and training dummies. Most of the loot here is junk, but you can score a few enchanted items and a suit of Plate Mail. ***ITEMS*** (x=2160, y=400) Chain Mail (x=2300, y=350) Studded Leather Armor +1 (x=2320, y=350) Plate Mail Armor (x=2350, y=250) Halberd x2, Battle Axe, Throwing Axe x3 (x=2200, y=300) Studded Leather Armor (x=2230, y=300) Splint Mail Armor (x=2070, y=270) Chain Mail Armor (x=2100, y=250) Splint Mail Armor (x=2100, y=220) Long Sword x4, Bastard Sword, Two Handed Sword (x=2250, y=150) Spear, Halberd, Battle Axe (x=1990, y=220) Large Shield, Medium Shield x2 (x=2070, y=170) Large Shield x2, Small Shield +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 15) From the training room head south-east south and enter the first (and only) room to the north-east south of the training room. Inside at (x=3100, y=860) you'll find a Mage named Natasha who needs a small dose of death. She can cast Confusion, so be cautious. She also might come with a handful of Hobgoblin Elites. When she dies she'll leave behind a Traveler's Robe, a Scroll of Ghoul Touch, a Scroll of Slow, a Scroll of Hold Person, a scroll of Mirror Image, and a Dagger. The Slow spell is the opposite of the Haste spell, and it is just as effective at hampering foes as the Haste spell is at buffing your party. It halves their attacking and moving speed and imposes a four point penalty to Armor Class and attack rolls. Simply put, this is a death sentence when it affects melee-oriented enemies. Learn it, love it. Also, if you haven't learned Mirror Image yet, now is a good time to do so. It's a great defensive spell... actually probably one of the best... and my Fighter/Mage simply couldn't do without it. ***ITEMS*** (x=3050, y=750) 13 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 16) In the room south-east of the Hobgoblin barracks (around the corner from the room with Natasha) you'll be pestered by an invisible critter. The corpses around are apparently this beast's 'handiwork', which it'll gloat about. Its plans for you are... well, look around. What you find yourself up against a rather nasty Ogre Mage who will attempt to cast the following spells, in order; Confusion, Flame Arrow, Horror, Melf's Acid Arrow, Agannazar's Scorcher, a pair of Magic Missiles, and finally two Chromatic Orbs. Needless to say, Confusion is bad news, and you should attempt to disrupt it (like you wouldn't be trying to disrupt any spell he casts, right?) One question I have, however... how can he cast Confusion, a 7th-level spell, but when he casts Magic Missile he only has three missiles? Shouldn't he have four? Ah well, whatever. It'll drop typical Ogre Mage gear when it dies, plus a Katana +1. Note: Interestingly enough (at least if you're a nerd like me) there are about eight different Ogre Mage creature files-presumably to diversify their spell selection, so all Ogre Mages don't have the same routine. This particular one is called OGREMA03, and it obtains its innate Invisibility not via a spell, like you might expect from a Mage, but due to an undroppable Ring of Invisibility in its inventory. Silly, silly game... ***ENHANCED EDITION*** There were no Katanas in the original game, and they're awfully rare (and unimpressive) in the Enhanced Edition. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 17) From the Ogre Mage room continue south-west to find a guard station. From here, head up a tunnel to the north-west until you find a temple to the north-east. At (x=1590, y=1460) you'll find a Guard who keeps the temple. If you say you're here to pay homage you'll need to identify their god as Cyric. Loot the temple and leave. when you're done with this level, leave the temple and return to the guard station to the south-east, then go through a door to the south-west to reach a room in the southern edge of the map. To the south-east you find another, smaller room, where you'll find a staircase at (x=2700, y=2900). ***ITEMS*** (x=1720, y=1300) Elixer of Health, Potion of Stone Giant Strength (x=1220, y=1520) Potion of Healing, Potion of Invulnerability Cloakwood Mines Level 4 (AR1803) o======================================================================o 18) Once you get down stairs you'll run into a guard, who will attack you regardless of what you say. He'll leave behind a suit of Plate Mail Armor, a Large Shield, and a Long Sword. Over at (x=1300, y=500) is a secret door, behind which we'll find all the trouble we came looking for. The hallway immediately behind the secret door is full of traps, and they should be disarmed before you go picking a fight. There's no reason to fight Davaeorn after walking through a gauntlet of traps, right? If your Imoen isn't up to snuff yet, just lead with Viconia and let her absorb traps, what with her Magic Resistance and all. Honestly, however, one trap summons a pair of Battle Horrors-rough melee combatants that are immune to non-magical weapons. You can easily lure them back to the north-east, where they can be dispatched for a hefty 4000 Experience Points each. Worth considering, if you've got the nerve. ***TRAPS*** (x=1250, y=520) (x=1200, y=520) (x=1200, y=540) (x=1150, y=570) (x=1120, y=600) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 19) You'll find Davaeorn at (x=870, y=820), and you two are not going to be friends. He'll start out spell-buffed with Protection from Normal Arrows, Stoneskin, and Mirror Image on. He's fond of casting Dimension Door whenever you put the pressure on him, just like the Hamadryad we fought earlier did. He'll cast spells like Dire Charm and Hold Person, so keep a Dispel Magic (or several) handy. Keep the pressure up in melee and he should fall without too much trouble... even less if you scout him out and hit him with a Silence 15' Radius before provoking him. When he dies he'll leave behind a Traveler's Robe, Bracers to the Death (aka: Bracers of Defense A.C. 6), Robe of the Evil Archmagi, a Scroll of Grease, three Letters, a Scroll of Shield, a Scroll of Protection from Evil, a Scroll of Protection from Petrification, a Quarter Staff, 109 gold, and the Key to the River Plug. I put the newfound Robe of the Evil Archmagi on Edwin, as my evil protagonist already has one, courtesy of Baeloth. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 20) Davaeorn's apprentice, Stephan, is at (x=730, y=1190), and you can (and should) pump for information. Afterwards, if you're in doubt as to whether you should let Stephan go or not, a simple Detect Evil courtesy of Ajantis reveals him to be evil. Sure, he might not be lying about being a hapless underling, but in the world of black-and-white alignment, we can safely assume that if he was innocent, he was only innocent because he lacked the capacity to play a more active role in things. My evil party, of course, kills him simply because they can. There's also a Mustard Jelly protecting some chests, but it's nothing you can't handle. You'll notice-if you're observant-that Davaeorn has a shrine to Bhaal in his chambers. Spooky. Technically the chapter ends when you kill Davaeorn, but for the purposes of continuity, we'll finish the mines off and THEN start chapter 5. As for the loot in this level... Blur is a good defensive spell, I give it to my Fighter/Mage. Also, if you didn't have Knock before, you do now, which is really good, since some of the lock here are quite difficult, with a difficulty as high as 90! I give it to Imoen/Edwin so they can start helping out in that department. When you're done, get on the elevator at (x=300, y=1200). If you were unable to open any chests on the previous level, be sure to use your new-found Knock spell to open them up-we're not coming back here once we're done with the next Step. ***ITEMS*** (x=1580, y=420) Potion of Healing, Potion of Cold Resistance (x=1200, y=150) Potion of Healing, 83 gold (x=1450, y=750) Scroll of Detect Invisibility (x=670, y=360) Greenstone Ring, Potion of Explosions, Potion of Firebreath, Potion of Master Thievery (x=840, y=730) 308 gold (x=450, y=1050) Wand of Fear (x=820, y=1120) Scroll of Infravision, Scroll of Larloch's Minor Drain, Scroll of Horror (x=630, y=1200) Scroll of Blur, Scroll of Larloch's Minor Drain (x=950, y=1550) Diamond, Moonbar Gem, Laeral's Tear Necklace, Scroll of Melf's Acid Arrow (x=1050, y=1500) Scroll of Knock, 1085 gold (x=1120, y=1600) Cursed Scroll of Stupidity, Scroll of Protection from Undead, Scroll of Protection from Fire, Scroll of Detect Invisibility <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 21) Go talk to the miner in front of the plug. If you've talked to Rill and have the key you can flood the mine. Make sure you're done with everything before you do so, because you're not coming back. Once everything is in order pick dialogue option #2. You'll be taken back to the surface, and a slave will thank you for flooding the mines. Hurray! ***REWARD*** (For flooding the mines) EXP 2000 Reputation +2 GOOD PARTY STATS: CLOAKWOOD MINES o======================================================================o Ajantis Paladin 6 Experience: 61313 Max Hit Points: 68 Armor Class: -5 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 9 Rod/Staff/Wand: 11 Petrify/Polymorph: 10 Breath Weapon: 11 Spells: 12 Weapon Proficiencies Bastard Sword ++ Long Sword ++ Two-Handed Sword + Longbow + Armor: Full Plate Mail Gloves: The Brawling Hands Helmet: Helmet Amulet: ... Weapon: Varscona +2 (THAC0: 11) Harrower +1 (THAC0: 12) Kondar +1 (THAC0: 12) Shield: Large Shield +1 Ring 1: Batalista's Passport Ring 2: Topsider's Crutch Cloak: Algernon's Cloak Boots: The Paws of the Cheetah Belt: Destroyer of the Hills Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: Potion of Healing x24 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Jaheira Fighter 5/Druid 6 Experience: 31453/31453 Max Hit Points: 65 Armor Class: -2 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 8 (-1) Rod/Staff/Wand: 12 (-1) Petrify/Polymorph: 11 (-1) Breath Weapon: 12 (-1) Spells: 13 (-1) Weapon Proficiencies Dagger + Club ++ Quarterstaff + Sling + Armor: Ankheg Plate Mail Gloves: ... Helmet: Helmet Amulet: ... Weapon: Dagger of Venom +2 (THAC0: 14) Sling +1 (THAC0: 15) Shield: Large Shield +1 Ring 1: ... Ring 2: ... Cloak: Cloak of Protection +1 Boots: The Frost's Embrace Belt: Elves' Bane Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Viconia Cleric 5 Experience: 57944 Max Hit Points: 52 Armor Class: -6 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 3 (-4) Rod/Staff/Wand: 7 (-4) Petrify/Polymorph: 8 (-2) Breath Weapon: 8 (-5) Spells: 10 (-2) Weapon Proficiencies War Hammer + Mace + Sling + Armor: Ankheg Plate Mail Gloves: ... Helmet: Gift of Peace Amulet: ... Weapon: Ashideena +2 (THAC0: 16) The Stupefier +1 (THAC0: 17) Shield: Small Shield +1 Ring 1: Honorary Ring of Sune Ring 2: Ring of the Princes +1 Cloak: Cloak of Displacement Boots: Senses of the Cat Belt: Golden Girdle of Urnst Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Protagonist Fighter 4/Mage 3 Experience: 29746/29746 Max Hit Points: 60 Armor Class: 0 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 9 (-2) Rod/Staff/Wand: 9 (-2) Petrify/Polymorph: 10 (-2) Breath Weapon: 11 (-2) Spells: 10 (-2) Weapon Proficiencies Flail ++ Two-Weapon Style +++ Armor: Robe of the Neutral Archmagi Gloves: Legacy of the Masters Helmet: Helmet Amulet: ... Weapon: Morning Star +1 (THAC0: 11) Shield: Morning Star +1 (THAC0: 13) Ring 1: Evermemory Ring 2: Ring of the Princes +1 Cloak: ... Boots: Talos's Gift Belt: ... Misc 1: Wand of Fire Misc 2: Wand of Monster Summoning Misc 3: Wand of Paralyzation <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Minsc Ranger 6 Experience: 58348 Max Hit Points: 66 Armor Class: 4 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 11 Rod/Staff/Wand: 13 Petrify/Polymorph: 12 Breath Weapon: 13 Spells: 14 Weapon Proficiencies Two-Handed Sword ++ Mace + Longbow ++ Two-Handed Weapon Style + Two-Weapon Style ++ Armor: Telbar's Studded Leather Armor +2 Gloves: Legacy of the Masters Helmet: The Eyes of Truth Amulet: ... Weapon: Spider's Bane +2 (THAC0: 9) The Dead Shot +2 (THAC0: 10) Shield: ... Ring 1: ... Ring 2: The Victor Cloak: Whispers of Silence Boots: Worn Whispers Belt: ... Misc 1: Boo Misc 2: ... Misc 3: Potion of Healing x24 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Imoen Thief 6/Mage 5 Experience: 20000/38140 Max Hit Points: 48 Armor Class: 0 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 12 (-2) Rod/Staff/Wand: 9 (-2) Petrify/Polymorph: 11 (-2) Breath Weapon: 13 (-2) Spells: 10 (-2) Weapon Proficiencies Sling + Armor: Robe of the Good Archmagi Gloves: ... Helmet: ... Amulet: ... Weapon: Sling +1 (THAC0: 13) Shield: ... Ring 1: Ring of the Princes +1 Ring 2: ... Cloak: ... Boots: ... Belt: ... Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... As you can see, Imoen still doesn't have her Thief abilities back yet, so Viconia has been soaking up trap damage for now. She'll have it back before it's serious, however. Also note that I purchased the Robe of the Good Archmagi for her-something I was able to effect by selling off Wyvern Heads. Even if you're 'lucky', you'll probably end up fighting at least four of them, and each one is worth 1000 gold, at least. Jaheira is just a few experience away from getting that juicy 6th-level, which means extra attacks per round due to her Specializtion in Daggers. Last but not least, you'll notice an item on Viconia you may or may not have yet-the Cloak of Displacement, which can be purchased from the Bartender at the Ulgoth's Beard Inn rather cheaply. It's an optional purchase at this stage in the game, but since it's such a great defensive item, I always bother to go out of the way to grab it. EVIL PARTY STATS: CLOAKWOOD MINES o======================================================================o Dorn Blackguard 6 Experience: 69790 Max Hit Points: 58 Armor Class: -2 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 8 (-1) Rod/Staff/Wand: 10 (-1) Petrify/Polymorph: 9 (-1) Breath Weapon: 10 (-1) Spells: 11 (-1) Weapon Proficiencies Two-Handed Sword ++ Crossbow ++ Two-Handed Weapon Style ++ Armor: Full Plate Mail Gloves: Legacy of the Masters Helmet: The Eyes of Truth Amulet: ... Weapon: Spider's Bane (THAC0: 8) The Army Scythe +1 (THAC0: 11) Shield: ... Ring 1: Ring of the Princes +1 Ring 2: Batalista's Passport Cloak: Algernon's Cloak Boots: Senses of the Cat Belt: Destroyer of the Hills Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: Potion of Healing x24 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Kagain Fighter 6 Experience: 63661 Max Hit Points: 90 Armor Class: -5 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 6 Rod/Staff/Wand: 8 Petrify/Polymorph: 12 Breath Weapon: 13 Spells: 9 Weapon Proficiencies Axe ++++ Flail/Morning Star + Crossbow + Armor: Full Plate Mail Gloves: The Brawling Hands Helmet: Helmet Amulet: ... Weapon: Battle Axe +1 (THAC0: 11) Kondar +1 (THAC0: 16) Shield: Large Shield +1 Ring 1: ... Ring 2: The Victor Cloak: ... Boots: The Paws of the Cheetah Belt: ... Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Jaheira Fighter 6/Druid 6 Experience: 32287/32287 Max Hit Points: 72 Armor Class: -2 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 8 (-1) Rod/Staff/Wand: 12 (-1) Petrify/Polymorph: 11 (-1) Breath Weapon: 12 (-1) Spells: 13 (-1) Weapon Proficiencies Scimitar, etc. ++ Club ++ Quarterstaff + Sling + Armor: Ankheg Plate Mail Gloves: ... Helmet: Helmet Amulet: ... Weapon: Rashad's Talon +2 (THAC0: 12) Sling +1 (THAC0: 14) Shield: Large Shield +1 Ring 1: ... Ring 2: ... Cloak: Cloak of Protection +1 Boots: The Frost's Embrace Belt: Elves' Bane Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Viconia Cleric 7 Experience: 65115 Max Hit Points: 52 Armor Class: -5 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 4 (-3) Rod/Staff/Wand: 8 (-3) Petrify/Polymorph: 9 (-1) Breath Weapon: 10 (-3) Spells: 11 (-1) Weapon Proficiencies War Hammer + Mace + Sling + Armor: Ankheg Plate Mail Gloves: ... Helmet: Helmet Amulet: ... Weapon: Ashideena +2 (THAC0: 14) The Stupefier +1 (THAC0: 15) Shield: Small Shield +1 Ring 1: Honorary Ring of Sune Ring 2: Edventar's Gift Cloak: Cloak of Displacement Boots: ... Belt: Golden Girdle of Urnst Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Protagonist Fighter 5/Mage 5/Thief 6 Experience: 23299/23299/23299 Max Hit Points: 53 Armor Class: 0 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 9 (-2) Rod/Staff/Wand: 9 (-2) Petrify/Polymorph: 9 (-2) Breath Weapon: 11 (-2) Spells: 10 (-2) Weapon Proficiencies Long Sword ++ Two-Weapon Style +++ Armor: Robe of the Evil Archmagi Gloves: Legacy of the Masters Helmet: Helmet Amulet: ... Weapon: Varscona +2 (THAC0: 11) Shield: Long Sword +1 (THAC0: 14) Ring 1: Evermemory Ring 2: Ring of the Princes +1 Cloak: ... Boots: Worn Whispers Belt: ... Misc 1: Wand of Fire Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Edwin Conjurer 7 Experience: 62289 Max Hit Points: 42 Armor Class: 5 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 12 (-1) Rod/Staff/Wand: 8 (-1) Petrify/Polymorph: 10 (-1) Breath Weapon: 12 (-1) Spells: 9 (-1) Weapon Proficiencies Quarterstaff + Sling + Armor: Robe of the Evil Archmagi Gloves: ... Helmet: ... Amulet: Edwin's Amulet Weapon: Aule's Staff +3 (THAC0: 15) Sling +1 (THAC0: 17) Shield: ... Ring 1: ... Ring 2: ... Cloak: Whispers of Silence Boots: Talos's Gift Belt: ... Misc 1: Wand of Fire Misc 2: Wand of Monster Summoning Misc 3: Wand of Paralyzation Life is good for Edwin and my protagonist, who are enjoying the benefits of their Robes of the Archmagi-both stripped from other unfortunate Mages, hence costing us not a penny. Jaheira just reached level six as a Fighter, vastly improving her combat abilities, and Kagain is just shy of level seven. Ah well. All in all, the evil party is much more balanced now than it was at the last benchmark. Kagain's Armor Class is now fitting for a front-liner, and he's able to effectively lead the party into combat thanks to The Paws of the Cheetah. His Hit Points and Armor Class make him a worthy tank, indeed. Dorn has some much-need missile protection, while my protagonist is also able to weather combat better. Both of these two are still my primary death-dealers, together accounting for 62% of the kills in my party thus far. It's a trend that's not likely to change, as my protagonist is due for a Strength upgrade, and Dorn... well, he's just a monster. My evil party was more adventurous in Ulgoth's Beard, buying the Cloak of Displacement and Aule's Staff +3. Also, since I have a Fighter/Mage/Thief protagonist who actually has her Thief abilities, unlike useless Imoen, I stole Edventar's Gift while I was there. o======================================================================o | Chapter 5 | o======================================================================o | | | Foiling the Iron Throne's Assassination Attempt | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK020} 1) Spying for Scar 2) Quayle 3) A Note on Baldur's Gate 4) Unlucky Aello 5) The Iron Throne Threatens 6) Loot Shop 7) Silence's Shop 8) The Thieves Guild Contact 9) Golden Extra-Farseer 10) Spell Shopping 11) Stores Exist in an Intermediate Space 12) Maltz's Home/Shop 13) Arkion's Request 14) Searching the Sewers 15) Looting (AR0800) 16) Looting Lower (AR0700) 17) His Brother's Keeper 18) Lady Hannah's Peeve 19) Pernicious Poultry 20) The Iron Throne Strikes Back 21) Lothander's Salvation 22) Looting Upper (AR0700) 23) To the Bitch-Queen's House 24) Trading Favors 25) Varci's Plea 26) Those Who Did Dare and Fail 27) Begging for Books 28) Swindling the Sea Goddess 29) Lady Luck Smiles 30) Lothander's Liberation 31) The Seer's Sphene 32) Level Larze 33) Revenge of the Protagonist We now know that an organization known as the 'Iron Throne' is responsible for the iron poison, Mulahey, and the bandit raids, and we can probably guess why. There is also a new name in the chain of command, one 'Reiltar'. Baldur's Gate is also finally open to us, and we still have Durlag's Tower and Ulgoth's Beard to tackle. You could choose to do either at this point, but frankly, Durlag's Tower will go easier with some of the loot you can find in Baldur's Gate. Loot that is, in all honesty, much easier to get than the goodies in Durlag's Tower. So head off to Beregost, store your loot, and get ready for the city of Baldur's Gate. Feel free to go buy gear from Ulgoth's Beard at any time if you're frisky and you have too much money on you. I'll cover it in detail later, but if you were to say, read ahead and grab a Cloak of Displacement, nobody would fault you. Bridge (AR0900) o======================================================================o 1) Head to the bridge (AR900) and head across that bad boy. Near the end of the bridge a Flaming Fist Mercenary awaits. He'll collect a toll of 6 gold and bring his commander to talk to you. A man named Scar will show up and offer you a job investigating two trading companies that are acting strangely. He's offering 2000 gold for the job, which is still good money in my book. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) North of the bridge you'll find a gnome named Quayle (x=480, y=800) who seems to be going in your direction... whatever direction that may be. He'll offer to join you, no strings attached. If you want him, take him, but bear in mind, he's awfully annoying. Baldur's Gate, East (AR0800) o======================================================================o 3) When you enter Baldur's Gate you'll be bothered one last time by Elminster. Baldur's Gate represents a change of pace of sorts, as we will pursue quests that take us from area to area, rather than completing areas in their entirety all in one go as we did previously in this guide. Granted, I will still try and finish all the quests that start in one area before moving on completely, but we will be running around the city a bit. The plus side? You'll finish quests sequentially, the down side? You'll be doing a bit of back-tracking. The main goal we have right now will be to deal with a time-sensitive quest. Rather than trying to avoid it, it would be best to resolve it and get it out of the way so we have more freedom. ***ITEMS*** (x=2940, y=600) 17 gold (x=1350, y=200) Gold Ring (x=800, y=1220) Cursed Scroll of Stupidity (x=2700, y=2500) Sunstone Gem (x=950, y=2890) History of Calimshan Lucky Aello's Discount Store (AR0810) o======================================================================o 4) Up at (x=3130, y=1000) you'll find 'Lucky Aello's Discount Store', which sells nothing but tainted potions and cursed scrolls. You get what you pay for, and if we've learned anything in Baldur's Gate, 'discount' means 'defective' or 'deceit'. In the Enhanced Edition, he also sells two weapons of... dubious quality. First is the Ossifier, a Quarterstaff with no enhancement bonuses which 'inflicts' Barkskin on a foe when you strike them... effectively lowering their Armor Class for all subsequent hits. The second is the Two-handed Sword Gold Digger +1, which gives a +1 bonus to hit and a +4 bonus to damage... the only downside? You lose gold every time you hit a foe with it. Your call, but for my money (literally) I'll stick to Spider's Bane +2. Note from Peter: Not far from Lucky Aello's Discount Store, you'll find Silence's Store (see step #7). Silence buys stolen goods. I sold the identified Ossifier for just 5 gold, not really worth the stealing but I sold the Gold Digger +1 for 1000 gold after identifying. If you need money, this is an easy way to get some. Baldur's Gate, North-East (AR0300) o======================================================================o 5) Exit the map on the northern edge... say... (x=2200, y=20) and travel to the new area to the north. You'll be accosted by two men Marek (x=1920, y=2850) and Lothander (x=1870, y=2870). They will warn you to stop meddling with the Iron Throne and wander off. By now we've dispatched dozens of would-be assassins, surely we need not fear these two, right? Loot around outside for a little bit of variable treasure, then head into the shop at (x=2180, y=2500). Shop (AR0304) o======================================================================o 6) The Storekeep here sells mundane armor of no interest to us. On the other hand, his store is stocked full of goodies we can steal... and by steal, I mean take, because he doesn't care if you rob him blind! What a nice guy. Grab the many potions, monies, the Mace +1 and the Topsider's Crutch before leaving. Once done, we're done with this area, for now. We'll deal with The Counting House (x=2350, y=3100) later. Head back south to (AR0800). ***ITEMS*** (AR0300) (x=1805, y=2800) 28 gold (x=2050, y=2350) History of the Last Giants --- (AR0304) (x=500, y=500) Andar Gem, Gold Ring (x=400, y=550) Arrows of Dispelling x4, Arrows of Biting x7 (x=100, y=400) Mace +1, Sling, Dagger, Potion of Healing (x=220, y=300) Potion of Mind Focusing (x=300, y=300) 17 gold (x=370, y=220) Potion of Hill Giant Strength (x=480, y=260) Topsider's Crutch (x=500, y=180) Potion of Absorption (x=650, y=180) Potion of Invulnerability Silence's Store (AR0809) o======================================================================o 7) In a house at (x=3350, y=2000) you'll find a Thief named Silence (x=530, y=430) who will sell you a variety of items, notably a Cloak of Protection +1, a Sling +1, Potions of Master Thievery, Potions of Agility, Bullets +1 and Bullets +2. She's one of the rare characters who will purchase stolen goods, if you have any. You can also rent out rooms here, in case you need to rest. ***ITEMS*** (x=300, y=300) Arrows x20, Bolts x20, Bullets x20 (x=400, y=250) Potion of Strength, Shortbow, Shortbow (x=800, y=250) Leather Armor, Long Sword, Long Sword Note from Peter: If you don't need Silence anymore, you can still kill her for another 420 experience and no reputation loss. She posseses a Leather Armor, a Dagger and 82 gold. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) At (x=1550, y=1780) you'll find a Thief named Niklos, who will pay you 50 gold to simply go and talk to his boss. He's alright, so take the money. We'll do this quest later, as there is one annoying little quest we need to get out of the way first. Note from Peter: The password "Fahrfd" is an easter egg. Fafhrd is a protagonist of early Sword and Sorcery fantasy stories from Fritz Leiber. Here you can read more about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fafhrd_and_the_Gray_Mouser By the way: did you notice that one of the possible passwords within the Shadow Thieves' Guild is Bodi? Sounds familiar. Note from Peter: You can kill Niklos for 1400 experience and you don't lose reputation from it. Of course, it'll be imposible to get all the following quests, but I just wanted to mention it. He's wearing a Leather Armor, a Potion of Master Thievery, 19x Throwing Dagger and 56 gold. The Potion of Master Thievery can also be stolen from him. Elfsong Tavern (AR0705)/(AR0706) o======================================================================o 9) At (x=1800, y=2350) you'll find the Elfsong Tavern, homebase for you in Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance. It's somewhat less significant in this game, however. At (x=750, y=600) you'll find a gnome named Brevlik, who will ask you to steal a telescope from the Hall of Wonders, and offer you 500 gold for the theft. Make him pony up a magical item as well and accept his offer. It's another quest we'll do later. If you back out after hearing his plan he'll realize he's been robbed. If you talk to him again you can buy a Discipliner (aka: Ring of Folly) from him for 500 gold (but you can argue down to 200). Why you would want to do this, I have no idea. There is no need to go upstairs just yet. Sorcerous Sundries (AR0703)/(AR0704) o======================================================================o 10) Over at (x=1000, y=1950) you'll find a large round building aptly named 'Sorcerous Sundries'. Inside is a man named Ordulinian (x=770, y=600), who will warn you about two squabbling Mages named Arkion and Nemphre if you talk to him twice (and you have a reputation score of 14 or greater). Righty-O. At (x=670, y=570) you'll find Halbazzer Drin, who will sell you a variety of magical goodies. Most notable are his Arrows of Detonation, Arrows of Dispelling, Potions of Giant Strength (great for any warrior), Potions of Genius (in case you wanted to have Imoen scribe more scrolls than her Intelligence normally allows), and most importantly for my good party, the Flail 'The Thresher +2', which I purchase and have my protagonist merrily equip. He also has a vast collection of Mage Scrolls. If you don't have them yet, here's a list of scrolls you might want to pick up. o===========o |Mage Spells| o===========o 1st-Armor 1st-Armor 1st-Blindness 1st-Blindness 1st-Burning Hands 1st-Burning Hands 1st-Charm Person 1st-Charm Person 1st-Chill Touch 1st-Chill Touch 1st-Chromatic Orb 1st-Chromatic Orb 1st-Color Spray 1st-Color Spray 1st-Grease 1st-Grease 1st-Identify 1st-Identify 1st-Infravision 1st-Infravision 1st-Infravision 1st-Larloch's Minor Drain 1st-Larloch's Minor Drain 1st-Magic Missile 1st-Magic Missile 1st-Protection From Evil 1st-Protection From Evil 1st-Protection From Petrification 1st-Protection From Petrification 1st-Shield 1st-Shield 1st-Shocking Grasp 1st-Shocking Grasp 1st-Sleep 1st-Sleep --- 2nd-Agannazar's Scorcher 2nd-Agannazar's Scorcher 2nd-Blur 2nd-Blur 2nd-Detect Evil 2nd-Detect Evil 2nd-Detect Invisibility 2nd-Detect Invisibility 2nd-Ghoul Touch 2nd-Ghoul Touch 2nd-Horror 2nd-Horror 2nd-Invisibility 2nd-Invisibility 2nd-Knock 2nd-Knock 2nd-Know Alignment 2nd-Know Alignment 2nd-Luck 2nd-Luck 2nd-Melf's Acid Arrow 2nd-Melf's Acid Arrow 2nd-Mirror Image 2nd-Mirror Image 2nd-Power Word: Sleep 2nd-Ray of Enfeeblement 2nd-Resist Fear 2nd-Resist Fear 2nd-Stinking Cloud 2nd-Stinking Cloud 2nd-Strength 2nd-Strength 2nd-Web 2nd-Web --- 3rd-Clairvoyance 3rd-Dire Charm 3rd-Dire Charm 3rd-Dispel Magic 3rd-Dispel Magic 3rd-Flame Arrow 3rd-Flame Arrow 3rd-Fireball 3rd-Fireball 3rd-Ghost Armor 3rd-Ghost Armor 3rd-Haste 3rd-Haste 3rd-Hold Person 3rd-Hold Person 3rd-Hold Undead 3rd-Lightning Bolt 3rd-Lightning Bolt 3rd-Melf's Minute Meteor 3rd-Minor Spell Deflection 3rd-Monster Summoning I 3rd-Monster Summoning I 3rd-Non-Detection 3rd-Non-Detection 3rd-Protection From Cold 3rd-Protection From Normal Missiles 3rd-Protection From Normal Missiles 3rd-Skull Trap 3rd-Skull Trap 3rd-Skull Trap 3rd-Slow 3rd-Slow 3rd-Vampiric Touch 3rd-Vampiric Touch --- 4th-Confusion 4th-Confusion 4th-Contagion 4th-Farsight 4th-Greater Malison (x20) 4th-Minor Globe of Invulnerability 4th-Minor Globe of Invulnerability 4th-Monster Summoning II 4th-Monster Summoning II 4th-Otiluke's Resilient Sphere (x20) 4th-Remove Curse (x20) 4th-Secret Word 4th-Spirit Armor (x20) 4th-Teleport Field --- 5th-Chaos (x20) 5th-Polymorph Self (x20) 5th-Sunfire I was admittedly much poorer in the Enhanced Edition playthrough than in my original playthrough(s) for this guide-I had a mere 17,000 gold at this point in the game (albeit, this was without selling a single magic item). Nonetheless, I was still able to buy two copies of all the best spells and The Thresher +2. When you're done, be sure to steal a Nymph Cloak off of Halbazzer Drin, then head upstairs (x=200, y=300). <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 11) There is a quartet of Mages led by one named Niemain (x=400, y=600). If you pick dialogue options #2, then #1 you can avoid a fight... but why would you want to? On the other hand picking options #1, then #2 will allow you to blast Niemain with a scholarly, long-winded, and thoroughly douchy speech about the indeterminate social nature of 'stores'. After subjecting him to this, he appropriately turns hostile. I have my Cleric cast Animate Dead, and merrily send them on their own to soak up as many hostile spells as they can. This should be sufficient to win the fight on its own, as most of their 'strategy' revolves around the use of Horror, after which they'll resort to 1st-and-2nd-level damaging spells, which can potentially take down Skeleton Warriors, but you're likely to kill at least one of them, and once your undead fall, the survivors just won't have enough spell-power left to stop your party. Alternatively, this is an excellent time to test out that new Chaos spell you SHOULD have purchased... if you have a Mage who can cast it. Anyways, kill, loot, leave. You know the business by now. Niemain: Mage Robe of Fire Resistance, The Jester's Folly, Wand of Fire, Scroll of Spider Spawn, Dagger and 282 gold. William Garst: Mage Robe of Fire Resistance, Scroll of Luck, a Scroll of Identify, Quarter Staff and 49 gold. Oulam: Mage Robe of Electrical Resistance, 5 Darts of Stunning, Dagger and 52 gold. Wheber Ott: Mage Robe of Cold Resistance, Scroll of Luck, Scroll of Identify, Dagger, Dagger +1 and 52 gold. General Store (AR0803)/(AR0804) o======================================================================o 12) At (x=1120, y=2920) you'll find the home of Maltz, a merchant with the right idea-he does business right from his home. He only sells mundane junk, however. There is a bit of looting that can be done, but Maltz will not let his goodies go without calling the guard. ***ITEMS*** (AR0803) (x=350, y=100) Spear, 25 gold (x=440, y=100) Silver Ring (x=550, y=200) Potion of Perception, 5 gold --- (AR0804) (x=350, y=100) 13 gold Arkion's House (AR0805)/(AR0806) o======================================================================o 13) Over in the house at (x=1600, y=3200) you'll find a Mage named Arkion (x=450, y=250). He'll send you on a quest to go find him a body from the sewers-he won't ask how you got it, you don't ask why he needs it. Sounds legit. Although this quest ties with one that Scar will give later, it's really no bother to do it now... after you loot Arkion's house, of course. ***ITEMS*** (AR0805) (x=400, y=150) Medium Shield +1, 8 gold --- (AR0806) (x=310, y=410) Dagger (x=200, y=300) 7 gold (x=100, y=300) Potion of Insulation Sewers (AR02260) o======================================================================o 14) Leave Arkion's house and head to the sewers beside the Sorcerous Sundries store (x=270, y=1840). Once down you'll be right next to an Ogre Mage and a horde of Carrion Crawlers. Haste and Remove Paralysis will do wonders for this fight, as there can be quite a number of Carrion Crawlers here. Despite that, focus on the Ogre Mage-you don't need him complicating things by casting Confusion on you. Once they're dead, loot the Ogre Mage for Sashenstar's Ruby Ring, a Bloodstone Ring, a Scimitar +1. You should hold onto that Ruby Ring, as it sounds kind of... questy. Once done, head west and loot the bodies for a variety of goodies. You can explore the sewers more thoroughly, if you wish-expect to encounter Carrion Crawlers and Phase Spiders. Loot is... non-existent. Once you're done messing around in the sewers, return to Arkion with a body in your possession and he'll reward you for your toil. While you're here, steal his necklace from him-you'll have use for it shortly. Or you can just kill him for it. He serves no further use. (AR0226) (x=830, y=1450) Male Body, Ruby Ring, 135 gold (x=700, y=1400) Male Body, Potion of Protection from Magic, 51 gold (x=530, y=1380) Male Body, Ninjato +1, 28 gold (x=400, y=1370) Male Body x2, tainted Oil of Speed, 85 gold ***REWARD*** (For bringing Arkion a body) EXP 1800 Gold 250 ***ENHANCED EDITION*** Obviously, the Ninjato +1 is new loot, as such weapons didn't exist in the original game. Also, the Ogre Mage used to drop a Bastard Sword +1, instead of a Scimitar +1. I suppose the folks at Overhaul Games thought there weren't enough lightly-enchanted Scimitars in the game? Lastly, Sashenstar's Ruby Ring is a new item, made specifically for a quest we'll be taking on later. The quest always existed, and you could always get a Ruby Ring here, but the quest previously allowed you to turn in any Ruby Ring, which, without giving anything away, really didn't make sense, since the ring was supposed to be capable of identifying a victim. Wait, that sounded like giving something away... oh well. #Dealwithit. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 15) Now that you're ahead of the game, lets loot around this area to finish it off... Except for those places we'll come back to once we're ready to do associated quests, and whatnot. I know, I'm a harsh taskmaster and we're 'skipping' a lot of stuff, but we've no need to start time-specific quests before we're ready to deal with them, and there's no need to explore other places now when we'll get quests inviting us to explore them later. Besides the loot found in random containers outside (AR0800) there are two houses to loot-one at (x=530, y=2500) (AR0801)/(AR0802) and one at (x=2900, y=500) (AR0811)/(AR0812). ***ITEMS*** (AR0800) (x=800, y=1220) Cursed Scroll of Stupidity (x=2050, y=1350) History of the Dragon Coast (x=3150, y=200) Gold Ring (x=2700, y=2500) Sunstone Gem (x=950, y=2880) History of Calimshan --- (AR0802) (x=530, y=120) Bluestone Necklace (x=500, y=80) 10 gold (x=250, y=300) Dagger (x=200, y=250) 14 gold --- (AR0811) (x=350, y=100) Splint Mail, Medium Shield, 11 gold (x=440, y=100) 5 gold (x=550, y=200) Dagger, 25 gold --- (AR0812) (x=350, y=100) Darts x10, 15 gold Once you're done looting, you're done with this area. Exit the map on the western side of the area (x=20, y=3000) and head to the central section of Baldur's Gate. Baldur's Gate, Center (AR0700) o======================================================================o 16) Now, we just got done looting, so of course it's time for... more looting! There are three houses in the south-eastern corner of the area, near where we entered, that are ripe for robbing of their... minor treasure. ***ITEMS*** (AR0711) (x=4100, y=240) (x=350, y=100) Leather Armor, 10 gold (x=440, y=100) 6 gold (x=550, y=200) 3 gold (x=180, y=340) Potion of Defense --- (AR0712) (x=350, y=100) Darts x8, 18 gold --- (AR0709) (x=3780, y=3030) (x=130, y=250) Potion of Mirrored Eyes --- (AR0710) (x=500, y=80) 7 gold) (x=300, y=350) Throwing Dagger (x=250, y=300) 6 gold (x=200, y=250) Tiger Cowrie Shell Necklace, 9 gold --- (AR0707) (x=3450, y=2850) (x=400, y=150) Zircon Gem, 7 gold --- (AR0708) (x=200, y=300) 6 gold (x=100, y=300) Dagger +1, 15 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 17) That's enough looting for now. Head west and go up some stairs to the north. Atop the stairs you'll find Dabron Sashenstar (x=780, y=1680), who will be waiting for you if you killed his brother Aldeth in the Cloakwood Forest. There's no avoiding this fight, but that's fine, you don't really want to, do you? When he falls he'll leave behind a suit of Plate Mail Armor, a Helmet, 20 Bolts, The Guide +2 (aka: Heavy Crossbow of Accuracy), and a Morning Star +1. This is a nice Crossbow, and if you have a character who can use it, you may want to keep it in their inventory so you can draw it when you need it. ***ITEMS*** (x=2350, y=3000) 35 gold (x=750, y=450) Scroll of Burning Hands (x=2150, y=1300) Lynx's Eye Gem x2, 10 gold (x=2250, y=880) History of Halruaa, History of the North (x=3640, y=1260) 6 gold (x=3070, y=700) Sunstone Gem (x=2280, y=530) Silver Ring <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 18) At (x=660, y=1100) you'll find a noblewoman named Lady Hannah, who will complain about a man named Ragefast who has acquired his own personal nymph. Yet another thing we'll deal with later, once we have a little more motivation to do so. Poultry Shop (AR0721) o======================================================================o 19) There's a door at (x=650, y=500) which leads to a Poultry Shop, which is full of Rabid Chickens! Why? I don't know. Blast them with a Fireball for giggles. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 20) Lothander is at (x=2350, y=1080), and he's got some serious information for you. He'll tell you that you've been poisoned and have ten days to live. The worst part is, he's not bluffing. He'll reveal that he's been geased into working for the Iron Throne, and that if you help him, he'll help you find the antidote. What else is there to do? Enter the Fortune Teller's Tent at (x=2500, y=800). ***ENHANCED EDITION*** Note how quickly Lothander moves! He's been juiced up a bit for the Enhanced Edition, that's for sure. He's now worth a whopping 4000 experience if you kill him, and he'll drop a suit of Leather Armor +1, a Short Sword +1, a Light Crossbow, Bolts x20, a Water Opal, a Potion of Fire Resistance, and another pair of The Paws of the Cheetah. In the original game, he DID have his half of the antidote on him, he was only worth 2000 experience, and he didn't have The Paws of the Cheetah. Unfortunately, you can't steal The Paws of the Cheetah from him-you can only score these by killing him, which of course, is a death-sentence without his half of the antidote. You can steal his potion, gem, and weapons, but Lothander's no slouch here, either-Alora's base 110% Pick Pockets score wasn't high enough when I tried it-it took a Potion of Master Thievery to bump her Pick Pockets up to 150% for success. Fortune Teller's Tent (AR0726) o======================================================================o 21) Go talk to the Diviner (x=320, y=250). Pay his 50 gold and ask him who has the ability to release Lothander of his geas. He'll tell you that Jalantha Mistmyr of Umberlee can remove it. Great. Now you just have to get her to help you. Talk to Lothander after getting your divination, and he'll encourage you to go to the Water Queen's House (he's got hearing like a bat!). When you've got a way to reverse his Geas he'll be waiting at the Blade and Stars Inn. Note: Lothander won't head to the Blade and Stars until you talk to him here... fortunately, in the Enhanced Edition, he talks to you, so it shouldn't be a problem. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 22) Even though we're poisoned and dying... why not loot around this area to finish it off, kinda mostly not really? There are three houses to loot (AR0722)/(AR0723) (x=250, y=450), (AR7017)/(AR7018) (x=3500, y=850), and (AR0713)/(AR0714) (x=4300, y=700). In Nadine's House (AR0715)/(AR0716) (x=4150, y=900) you'll find a Halfling lady named... Nadine (x=400, y=270). She'll give you a good luck charm and ask you to find and give it to her boy, Euric. The 'good luck charm' is another 'The Protector +1' amulet. We'll get around to it eventually. If you want a more immediate reward, you can steal a 'The One Gift Lost' amulet (aka: Necklace of Missiles) from Nadine, which would otherwise be a quest reward. Also, you can loot the Drakon Tavern (x=1660, y=1200) (AR0720), for what little that's worth. ***ITEMS*** (AR0715) (x=140, y=250) Greenstone Ring --- (AR0716) (x=500, y=80) 6 gold, Dagger (x=340, y=120) 14 gold (x=200, y=250) 8 gold (x=300, y=350) Sunstone Gem --- (AR0713) (x=4300, y=700) (x=400, y=150) Turquoise Gem, 11 gold --- (AR0714) (x=200, y=300) 6 gold (x=100, y=320) Spear, Halberd --- (AR0717) (x=3500, y=850) (x=350, y=100) Chain Mail, 17 gold (x=440, y=100) 6 gold (x=550, y=200) Scroll of Invisibility, 5 gold --- (AR0718) (x=350, y=100) Throwing Dagger x10, Scroll of Friends, 32 gold --- (AR0720) (x=1660, y=1200) (x=720, y=150) Onyx Ring --- (AR0722) (x=250, y=450) (x=380, y=250) Heavy Crossbow, 20 gold --- (AR0723) (x=170, y=350) Potion of Heroism, Jasper Gem, 5 gold Once you're done with all that looting, exit via the southern edge of the area (x=1200, y=3320) to reach Baldur's Gate, South (AR1200). Baldur's Gate, South (AR1200) o======================================================================o 23) If you have Jaheira in your party a Harper named Entillis Fulsom will talk to you. Yay. Head over to the WaterQueen's House (x=870, y=2370). Make sure to pick up Xarrnous's Second Sword Arm (aka: Gauntlets of Weapon Skill) along the way (x=750, y=2700). These go well on any of the secondary warriors who didn't get something better already... Viconia, for example. ***ITEMS*** (x=750, y=2700) Xarrnous's Second Sword Arm Water Queen's House (AR0609) o======================================================================o 24) You'll be approached by a Priestess of Umberlee, who will ask you to state your business. Ask to see Jalantha Mystmyr and pay a donation of 50 gold in order to do so (If you cheap out, you'll end up paying 100 gold.) She will ask you to retrieve a Book of Wisdom (she means a Tome of Understanding) for her from the Temple of Tymora. Agree to do it and head outside. Return to the Central area (AR0700) and exit the map on the western side to reach the western area of Baldur's Gate (AR0600). Baldur's Gate, West (AR0600) o======================================================================o 25) You'll run into an ex-merchant named Dun who will give you some info on the Seven Suns and Merchants' Consortium. Over at (x=1160, y=760) you will find a boy named Varci Roaringhorn. Normally we wouldn't bother getting side-tracked, but it ties in with the quest we're on now, so go talk to him. He'll ask you to follow him to his guardian's house (x=880, y=680). Do so. Tremain Belde'ars House (AR0617)/(AR0618) o======================================================================o 26) Upon entering a priest named Tremain Belde'ar will approach. He'll ask you to retrieve the body of his son from the priestesses of Umberlee. Accept and head to the The Lady's House (x=1300, y=1000). ***ITEMS*** (AR0617) (x=400, y=250) Bluestone Necklace --- (AR0618) (x=500, y=350) History of the Ulgarth, 22 gold Note from Peter: You can already steal the Shield of the Falling Stars +1 from Varci at this point if you're greedy. The Lady's House (AR0132) o======================================================================o 27) Talk to Chanthalas Ulbright (x=250, y=250) and pick dialogue options #3 and #1 to offer to pay 500 gold for the tome. Seeing your need, he'll hand it over for the stated sum. Or you could always just steal it. Note from Peter: You can also steal a Potion of Healing from Chanthalas Ulbright. And just to mention it, he also sells the mage spell Luck (x20). If you want to score some meager extra experience for scribing it another 20 times. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 28) Now go back and pay the priestesses of Umberlee a visit. Instead of giving Jalantha the 'Book of Wisdom', simply pick-pocket the Geas Removal Scroll from her. Now talk to one of the lesser priestesses (the blonde one) and ask for Tenya. Simply ask for the boy's body back, and she'll deliver. If you didn't help Tenya out earlier, you still have options. You can steal the body off Jalantha, or you can pay 2000 gold for it. And then again, you can always kill all the priestesses of Umberlee-Jalantha herself is worth a whopping 6000 experience, which really makes wiping out these priestesses an attractive proposition. For the morally-minded, they are child-killers, after all. Your call. You can also steal a Sphene Gem from Jalantha, which will be used in a quest later. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 29) Return the body to Tremain and he'll raise him. Talk to him again and the two will leave. Talk to Varci and he'll reward you. I give the shield to Ajantis. Now he has missile defense again. Also, you might as well read that Tome of Understanding you just got. More juicy Wisdom for my protagonist. ***REWARD*** (For recovering the body of Tremain's son) EXP 5000 Gold 2000 Item Shield of the Falling Stars +1 The Blade and Stars (AR0105)/(AR0106)/(AR0107) o======================================================================o 30) To give the scroll to Lothander you'll have to head to the Blade and Stars, which is in the south-eastern portion of Baldur's Gate (AR1300) at (x=200, y=650). Go inside and head up the stairs (x=400, y=100) to find Lothander at (x=250, y=200). Now, we want his cure... but we also want his loot, right? There's an easy enough way to get both. Before you talk to him, surround him with melee fighters-four should do it. Then talk to him, give him the scroll, and he'll go to leave. Immediately attack him, and with a moderate powerful party you should have no trouble taking him down before he vanishes (which he'll do even though he can't get past your fighters). Loot him for a suit of Leather Armor +1, a Short Sword +1, a Light Crossbow, Bolts x20, a Water Opal, a Potion of Fire Resistance, and another pair of The Paws of the Cheetah. Best of all, we get his half of the antidote. To get the other half, we'll need to pay Marek a visit at the Blushing Mermaid. It won't be a social call. To get to the Blushing Mermaid you have to go to the northern area of Baldur's Gate (AR0200), and then exit on the eastern edge of the map to reach the north-eastern area (AR0300). The Blushing Mermaid is at (x=200, y=1750). ***REWARD*** (For freeing Lothander from his geas) EXP 1500 Item Antidote Note from Peter: If you have problems with killing Lothander just in time, you still may have the Wand of Paralyzation from the Pirate's Cave. It's a great item. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 31) On your way back down go talk to G'axir the Seer (x=250, y=220) who will ask you to recover a Sphene Gem for him. He wants one from 'the lair of the Basilisk', but any Sphene Gem will do. Once you've given him the gem, he'll give you a reward. ***REWARD*** (For giving G'axir the Seer a Sphene Gem) EXP 1000 The Blushing Mermaid (AR0114)/(AR0115) o======================================================================o 32) When you enter an Ogre named Larze will approach you with painful intent. If you pick dialogue options #1, #2 you can avoid a fight, but again, that's not how I tend to do things. You do get some experience for talking you way out of a fight, but you can't loot Larze for another pair of Xarrnous's Second Sword Arm gauntlets. Admittedly, Larze is a tough fight, but it's worth tackling him for the lootage... even though I have trouble placing these gauntlets on anybody. ***ITEMS*** (X=420, y=150) Gold Ring, Dagger +1, 350 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 33) Head up the stairs at (x=1100, y=650) and talk to Marek at (x=400, y=330). Surprise, surprise, he'll threaten to kill you, entirely ignorant of the odds. Surround him and pummel him to a well-deserved death. You'll get a whopping experience reward for talking to him, and you'll get even more for killing and looting him. He'll drop 20 Arrows, a Potion of Freedom, a Potion of Master Thievery, Marek's Potion of Antidote, a Heart of the Golem +2, Protector of the Dryads +2 (aka: Eagle Bow), and 201 gold. Imoen happily accepts the Eagle Bow as a replacement for her current bow, and the antidote is used automatically once it's in your inventory. Score. ***REWARD*** (For killing Marek and obtaining the antidote) EXP 10000 Now that the Iron Throne's latest-and most lethal-assassins are dealt with you have free reign over the city... for the most part. Head back to the eastern area (AR0300) and enter the building at (x=1450, y=1250). Now it's time to tackle quests in a somewhat more organic, less frantic manner. We'll start with the quests we picked up in the first area. We will now cover the east and south-eastern parts of Baldur's Gate (AR0300) and (AR1300). Be sure to have plenty of Knock and Invisibility spells prepared if your thieving skills aren't great. Having the Ring of Invisibility from Ulgoth's Beard will also help. o======================================================================o | | | Baldur's Gate: Eastern and South-Eastern Areas | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK021} 1) Password: Fafhrd 2) Bartering With Black Lily 3) Testing Yer talent 4) Brielbara's Bathos 5) Nightwatch with Narlen 6) Gantolandon's Gem 7) Halruaan Heist 8) Component Caper 9) ...Among Thieves 10) Mage Murdering 11) The Hall of Loot 12) Nemphre's Request 13) Ordulinian's Trinkets 14) No Honor... 15) A Good Luck Charm 16) Nadarin's Warehouse 17) Shop Looting 18) General Store Looting 19) Warehouse Looting 20) Looting (AR1300) The Thieves Guild (AR0148)/(AR0150)/(AR0151)/(AR0152)/(AR0153) o======================================================================o 1) When you enter you'll be approached by a rogue who will demand that you give the password. The password is Fafhrd, in case you forgot. Tell him and continue on into the next area. Don't be afraid to enter from multiple routes to loot all the containers about. Don't worry about stealing, it IS a thieves guild, after all. Make sure to take the Manual of Quickness in Action while you're here. Dexterity is nice... ***ITEMS*** (AR0150) (x=150, y=100) Leather Armor x3, Short Sword x3 (x=550, y=200) Sling x2, 20 Bullets --- (AR0151) (x=290, y=320) Oil of Speed (x=50, y=300) Short Bow, 13 gold (x=100, y=200) Throwing Dagger x2 (x=220, y=120) Throwing Dagger, Dagger --- (AR0152) (x=350, y=150) Quarter Staff, Sling, Bullet x10 (x=200, y=120) Potion of Firebreath --- (AR0153) (x=550, y=600) Leather Armor (x=800, y=300) Bullet +1 x10, Bullet +2 x5 (x=1240, y=540) Manual of Quickness in Action ***TRAPS*** (x=370, y=570) (x=400, y=250) (x=800, y=300) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) Over at (x=1150, y=590) you'll find Black Lily, who'll sell you a variety of goodies... namely potions and arrows that might come in handy. By now, you should know that Potions of Magic Blocking, Protection, or Shielding are good buys, as are Potions of Giant Strength and Potions of Master Thievery. As for more permanent goods, she sells a Cloak of Protection +1 and a Sling of Unerring Accuracy. The former is self-explanatory, while the latter is merely a Sling with a +2 THAC0 bonus. As the fence in a thieve's guild, it should come as no surprise that Black Lily will also buy stolen goods. ***ENHANCED EDITION**** The Sling of Unerring Accuracy is another Enhanced Edition addition. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) Alatos (x=580, y=200) and his associate Resar (x=700, y=200) await you, but there's another quest you should do first. He's waited this long, he'll wait a little longer. You can hit Husam up for more information (x=1140, y=280), and he'll reveal such useful information as the leaders of the Iron Throne, including Reiltar Costashck, Brunos, Thaldorn, and Sarevok, most of these names we've encountered already. Once he's done he'll head to the Elfsong Tavern. Now for the quest we need to finish, go talk to Narlen Darkwalk (x=960, y=260). Bring a Thief into his line of sight and he'll introduce himself. Pick options #2 and #1 to accept a job to rob a noble house near the Splurging Sturgeon. It can't possibly hurt to buddy up with some of the rank-and-file Thieves here in this guild before talking to the bossman, right? Baldur's Gate, North-East (AR0300) o======================================================================o 4) To get there, you'll need to head to the northern area of Baldur's Gate (AR0200) and exit on the eastern side of the map... the same way you took to reach the Blushing Mermaid. Before you deal with Narlen however, lets pick up another quest real quick-like. Talk to the Mage named Brielbara (x=730, y=2260). She'll offer to pay you 200 gold to retrieve the spellbook from a Mage named Yago at the Low Lantern. She'll remain at the Splurging Sturgeon while you're out. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 5) Anyhow, when that's done hide your party in the Blushing Mermaid and take a Thief to go meet Narlen at (x=480, y=3020). Make sure it's night time, and again, make sure the character you take is a Thief. Imoen or my evil protagonist are my choices-Imoen works even if she doesn't yet have her Thief levels back yet. Narlen will tell you to hide and keep watch for the soldierman, and you'll be escorted to a house north of the meeting place. Hide and wait, eventually a Flaming Fist mercenary will show up and question you. If you don't give Narlen the warning, his partner will get killed, and he'll be none too happy to see you back at the guild. Since Narlen's help will come in handy later, let's keep him on our good side and give him the warning. The guard will go hostile, but since your party is hiding in the Blushing Mermaid, and your Thief is using stealth, there's no way he'll find you, right? Don't kill the guard and exit the area. Meet up with Narlen back at the Thieve's guild and you'll get rewarded. Better yet, he'll also set up another caper. ***REWARD*** (For successfully spotting for Narlen) Gold 100 Gantolandon's House (AR1312)/(AR1313) o======================================================================o 6) If it's still early enough in the night, head over to the south- eastern edge of Baldur's Gate (AR1300) and meet Narlen near the Blade and Stars (x=350, y=850)... otherwise, rest until the next night. This time you'll be on the inside, doing the looting. Follow Narlen to the house at (x=790, y=1200). Head upstairs and loot the dresser at (x=200, y=320). Make sure to disarm the trap, first. My Imoen has to use Knock, since her Open Locks score isn't up to snuff, but as long as it gets opened, who cares how it happened, right? If Gantolandon wakes up and questions you, pretend to be a cat and he'll go back to sleep. If you wake him up fully you'll find that he's pretty tough. If you do kill him, you'll get a Long Sword +1 and 64 gold. If he questions you twice, tell him you're a stray. Regardless of what happens with Gantolandon, as long as you return with the Rogue Stone you'll get the reward. Of course, you could always turn in the reward, then return and gink Gantolandon. Don't worry about it, he's evil anyways. ***ITEMS*** (AR1312) (x=400, y=250) 29 gold --- (AR1313) (x=200, y=320) Rogue Stone ***TRAPS*** (x=200, y=320) ***REWARD*** (For stealing from Gantolandon) Item Pearl x3 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) Now that you're done with Narlen's quests go talk to Alatos. He's something of an ass, considering he's basically asking you to burgle a household full of Mages with no reward upfront. If you refuse him, he'll end up attacking, and although he gives juicy experience, you might as well go along with his request for now. You have ten days to do the mission, but we might as well get it over with right away, eh? Make sure you have either the Ring of Invisibility from Ulgoth's Beard, Potions of Invisibility, or, best of all, spells of Invisibility prepared before you go, just to be safe. Oberon's Estate (AR0143)/(AR0144)/(AR0145) o======================================================================o 8) Head to the central area of Baldur's Gate (AR0700) and enter the large pink house near the top of the area map (x=3400, y=120) with just little old Imoen. You could go in sword swinging, but this is supposed to be a Thief mission, remember? Unequip your weapons and talk to the fat lady on the first floor named Glanmarie and ask about the servile position. Say you worked at the palace or that you don't have any experience and she'll give you the job. Head upstairs, your target is on the third floor, in the desk at (x=350, y=460). Stay hidden, using your Ring of Invisibility from Ulgoth's Beard (if you went there) or potions to stay out of sight. At (x=500, y=500), (x=600, y=500) and (x=820, y=250) are Helshara, Ithmeera, and Delorna, respectively, each of which is a competent enough Mage to cause a lone Thief plenty of trouble. They have some fairly valuable gear (although nothing unique), but we're not here to fight them-we're here to steal. Grab Helshara's Artifact Fragment, Delorna's Statue, and Delnora's Spellbook from the desk and leave. You'll know you did a good job if there was no dialogue after the first floor. ***ITEMS*** (AR0143) (x=600, y=100) Scroll of Clairvoyance, Cursed Scroll of Weakness --- (AR0144) (x=300, y=450) Scroll of Non-Detection, Scroll of Web, Scroll of Identify --- (AR0145) (x=350, y=460) 564 gold, Helshara's Artifact Fragment, Delorna's Statue, Delorna's Spellbook <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 9) Take the loot back to Alatos for your reward. You'll be relieved of your quest items, and it'll be revealed that you were hired because you were disposable. Resar will turn hostile, and you'll have to put him down. If you made good with Narlen, he'll jump in and kill Resar for you, and everybody will be happy. Loot Resar for a Wand of Paralyzation, an Adventurer's Robe, a Scroll of Fireshield (Blue) and a Quarter Staff. ***REWARD*** (For turning in the sky-ship components) EXP 4000 ***ENHANCED EDITION**** The Scroll of Fireshield (Blue) is new to the Enhanced Edition. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 10) Now that you're done with the guild, you can always go back to Oberon's house and kill the Mages within, if you hurry: Helshara: Mage Robe of Electrical Resistance, Garnet, Scroll of Fire Resistance, Dagger and 35 gold. Ithmeera: Mage Robe of Fire Resistance, Angel Skin Ring, Quarter Staff and 23 gold. Delorna: Necklace of Missiles, Traveler's Robe, Potion of Perception, Dagger and 56 gold. Also, we might as well finish up the quests assigned in this area, right? Let's go and get that telescope for our Gnome friend then. I have Imoen rest and prepare as many Knock spells as she can memorize before heading to the western side of the city (AR0600). ***ENHANCED EDITION*** The Mages respond as they always have, save now they'll summon some guards to defend their treasures. They're mediocre, at best, but they can buy the girls some time... and if Delorna or Helshara have their way, they'll discharge a Lightning Bolt in these confined quarters. Most noteworthy, however, is that you'll lose reputation for killing the guards. Since there's three of them, it'll absolutely tank whatever reputation you have, making killing these Mages... just not worth the money it would take to recover your reputation. You can always try to kill them without harming the guards... or, alternatively, I found that sneaking right up to Delorna and killing her quickly prevented the guards from showing up, despite her dialogue. Note from Peter: You can also kill Oberan on the second floor for 900 experience, an Ad- venturer's Robe, 98 gold and a Dagger. No downsides! Hall of Wonders, West (AR0130)/Hall of Wonders, East (AR0131) o======================================================================o 11) Head over to the western edge of the city and enter the Hall of Wonders (x=1600, y=2200). If you head there at night you'll find a Halfling Thief named Alora there, who wants to team up on a heist and split the loot 50/50. I prefer to do this quest during the day simply so I don't have to bother with her-you can always come back some night after you've already robbed the place, satisfy Alora's desire for skullduggery, and then recruit her without sharing anything. I have to say, however, that she's a pretty useless Thief by this point in the game, but if somehow you find her skill set and attributes appealing, just keep her along after the heist. I have my main character go in and force the locks on all the displays in the area, then he leaves and Imoen comes in. She'll steal the goodies, hide, and repeat, taking care not to get caught by any guards. If they see her stealing, big deal, so long as they don't initiate dialogue. You can go into the next area (x=1450, y=250) (AR0131) but the only thing of note within is a bard named Forthel August who wastes your time. If you demand money from him, and-when you finally tell him a tale-you pick dialogue options #2 or #4, he'll give you 200 gold for your time. It's also worth noting that the guide in the first area, named Brathlen, carries on him a unique hammer, the Hammer of Dawn +1, which gives its weilder non-detection. Anyhow, once you've pocketed the telescope (and those sweet gems!) head back to the Elfsong Tavern for your just reward. Now that the eastern area of Baldur's Gate is all but dealt with, I head south to work on that area (AR1300). ***ITEMS*** (x=500, y=950) Star Sapphire (x=670, y=800) Rogue Stone (x=730, y=830) Telescope ***REWARD*** (For stealing the telescope from the Hall of Wonders) EXP 5500 Gold 500 Item Wand of Lightning Nemphre's House (AR0813)/(AR0814) o======================================================================o 12) Enter the house at (x=1750, y=250) and talk to Nemphre (x=400, y=290). If you talked to her without completing Arkion's task, she'd have been dismissive. Seeing as how we already got Arkion his body, however, she will offer you a reward if you steal Arkion's amulet. Give her Arkion's Bloodstone Amulet for your reward. However, if you give her Arkion Amulet, you can't turn it in to Ordulinian (see below) unless you kill her. ***ITEMS*** (AR0813) (x=300, y=350) Cloak of Protection +1 --- (AR0814) (x=530, y=120) Iol gem (x=250, y=300) 18 gold (x=200, y=250) War Hammer ***REWARD*** (For giving Arkion's Amulet to Nemphre) EXP 1000 Item Scroll of Vampiric Touch <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 13) If you gain possession of both Nemphre's Onyx Ring and Arkion's Bloodstone Amulet, you can turn them both in for a reward to Ordulinian. Take the two trinkets to Ordulinian at the Sorcerous Sundries store the next time you're there for a reward. Note that if you gave Nemphre Arkion's Amulet, you cannot steal it back from her, you'll have to kill her to get ahold of it again. If you kill Arkion, he'll drop a Mage Robe of Cold Resistance, a Dagger, and 250 gold. Nemphre will drop a Mage Robe of Electrical Resistance, an Onyx Ring, a Bloodstone Amulet, and a Dagger. ***REWARD*** (For giving Ordulinian Nemphre's Ring and Arkion's Amulet) EXP 3500 Item Whispers of Silence Bloodstone Amulet Onyx Ring ***ENHANCED EDITION*** Due to a glitch, Ordulinian never gave you a cloak in the original game, despite the fact that he said he did. This has been fixed in the Enhanced Edition. Burglarized Home (AR1316)/(AR1317) o======================================================================o 14) In a house at (x=1720, y=1070) you'll find a Thief named Taxek, who is apparently robbing the house along with his buddy Michael. You can get them to give you the money they stole, or you can just let them off the hook, but their gear makes them worth killing. Taxek drops a suit of Studded Leather Armor, 40 Bolts of Lightning, a Garnet Gem, a Sphene Gem, a Light Crossbow +1, a Short Sword, and 75 gold. Michael yields a suit of Studded Leather Armor, Arrows of Fire +2 (varies), a Ziose Gem, a Horn Coral Gem, a Long Bow, a Dagger, and 54 gold. That'll teach those bad Thieves a lesson! Head over to the building at (x=1700, y=2350). ***ITEMS*** (AR1317) (x=200, y=250) Throwing Axe x4, Quarterstaff Inn and Tavern (AR1306)/(AR1307) o======================================================================o 15) At (x=400, y=470) you'll find Euric. Talk to him to give him the good luck charm his mother wanted him to have for a reward. It's arguably more profitable to just sell the damned amulet. Go kill a Phase Spider in the sewers for 1400 experience instead... but it's up to you. If you talk to Nadine later, she'll sweeten the deal for you. Head upstairs for an amusing conversation with a lady named Sandal Gwist (x=1700, y=1340). If you ask her why she's sad she'll say that her brother and cousin, Shank and Carbos, are missing. Remember those two? Your very first assassins... It's just an amusing conversation. ***ITEMS*** (AR1306) (x=540, y=140) Club --- (AR1307) (x=180, y=400) 23 gold ***REWARD*** (For giving Euric a good luck charm) EXP 1100 ***REWARD*** (For reporting back to Nadine) EXP 400 Item Necklace of Missiles Reputation +1 Nadarin's Warehouse (AR1303) o======================================================================o 16) Enter the warehouse at (x=800, y=1950) and talk to Nadarin, who is wandering around somewhere inside. He'll tell you about some retarded adventurers who decided it would be a good idea to ship a Basilisk around. Naturally the creature broke loose and needs to be put down. We'll deal with this critter in Step #8 of the next Sequence, but when you've killed the Basilisk, return to Nadarin for a reward. ***ITEMS*** (x=730, y=880) Arrows x30, Long Bow (x=670, y=700) Bolts x30 (x=750, y=400) Light Crossbow x3 (x=600, y=400) Bolts x30 ***REWARD*** (For slaying the runaway Basilisk) EXP 1300 Gold 1800 Shop (AR1320) o======================================================================o 17) Now we've done everything interesting in this area, which means one thing... time to cover all the boring looting. There are two shops in this area, the northern one is called... 'Shop', on your map, so we'll go there, first (x=2150, y=400). The Storekeep doesn't sell anything interesting save Large Shields +1, which we should have plenty of, by now. Also note that he will not part with anything in his store without calling the guard. Stingy bastard. ***ITEMS*** (x=500, y=500) Battle Axe, 23 gold (x=150, y=350) Potion of Fire Breath, Potion of Healing (x=220, y=300) Morning Star (x=510, y=150) Bullet x20, Dart x20 General Store (AR1302) o======================================================================o 18) Now enter the General Store to the south (x=1000, y=2420), which isn't much more interesting than the last store we were in-the loot is just as mediocre, the Storekeep sells nothing of interest, and he won't part with anything without alerting the guard. ***ITEMS*** (x=600, y=400) Potion of Absorption (x=270, y=270) Oil of Speed (x=400, y=530) Dagger x3 (x=190, y=400) Dart x30 Warehouse (AR1301) o======================================================================o 19) Sick of meager loot? No? Good. There's a warehouse to explore over at (x=950, y=2900). Nothing great inside, but on the plus side, you'll only get the guards called upon you if you try to steal the Splint Mail and Medium Shield. ***ITEMS*** (x=620, y=1050) Long Sword x2 (x=700, y=950) Splint Mail, Medium Shield (x=1000, y=920) Throwing Axe x6 (x=620, y=540) Mace x2 (x=1200, y=590) Studded Leather Armor (x=1100, y=320) Leather Armor (x=1300, y=300) Scroll of Blur, 1 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 20) Now to finish up all the somehow even more boring, unnamed buildings in this area. There are four buildings to loot, the first (AR1304)/(AR1305) is at (x=230, y=2400). Second (AR1308)/(AR1309) is at (x=480, y=1850). Third (AR1310)/(AR1311) is at (x=1280, y=1400). Finally there's the house (AR1314)/(AR1315) at (x=1400, y=1200). None of them really contain anything interesting, but I'm being thorough for the Enhanced Edition... just in case they were sneaky and hid a new weapon in some obscure container... you know, like The Stupefier +1. Anyways, you're done with this area, so move on to the south central area (AR1200). ***ITEMS*** (AR1304) (x=400, y=250) Short Sword --- (AR1305) (x=150, y=350) Mace, Potion of Healing --- (AR1309) (x=300, y=350) 2 gold (x=200, y=250) Dagger --- (AR1310) (x=350, y=100) Spear, 17 gold (x=550, y=200) Potion of Insight, 12 gold --- (AR1311) (x=350, y=100) Short Sword, 14 gold --- (AR1314) (x=400, y=150) Mace, 5 gold --- (AR1315) (x=100, y=300) Short Sword, Leather Armor In this section of the FAQ we will cover the north-eastern, southern, northern, and western areas of Baldur's Gate (AR0300), (AR1200), (AR0600), and (AR0200), respectively. For the first several Steps, you'll want to have the typical spell-buffs prepared (Haste, Defensive Harmony, Protection from Evil 10' Radius, etc.). This shouldn't affect the typical looting spells you might be relying on-Invisibility and Knock, for example. For Step #8 you'll need to have a Protection from Petrification prepared. o======================================================================o | | | Baldur's Gate: Southern, Northern, and Western Areas | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK022} 1) The Void Sisters 2) Yago's Demise 3) The Splurging Sturgeon 4) Jelly Dare 5) Looting Eastern (AR0300) 6) Brotherly Love 7) A Sirine's Last Wish 8) Noralee's Warehouse 9) Basilisk Breakout 10) Scrollman Cordyr 11) Ratchild's Wrath! 12) Ogre Magessacre 13) Looting (AR1200) 14) Unicorn Run Fun 15) Angel May Cry 16) Razimath's Request 17) The Helm of Glory 18) The Three Old Kegs 19) A Lady's Honor 20) A Lesson Not Learned 21) Licitenous Ragefast 22) Abela Enslaved 23) Abela Emancipated 24) Climbing Razimath's Tower 25) Looting (AR0200) 26) Ghorak's Salvation The Low Lantern (AR0133)/(AR0134)/(AR0135) o======================================================================o 1) Now it's time to help out Brielbara. Head to the Low Lantern, which is a moored ship that is also an inn/tavern/place of ill-repute (x=3400, y=3100). There's not much to do on the first level, so head to the second level (x=650, y=580) and reorient your party so the lead warriors are facing the north-west. At (x=320, y=320) and (x=330, y=250) you'll find Desreta and Vay-ya, respectively. Desreta will initiate dialogue, which you can use to lure her away from Vay-ya if you're so inclined (this is a good idea, because you really don't need Vay-ya casting spells at you in these cramped conditions). Select dialogue option #2 twice to pick a fight with her... you really, really want to fight her. She's packs a punch, but when she falls you can chase her friend Vay-ya down and deal with her separately. Vay-ya starts out with status effect spells, including Confusion, and she can make Desreta that much more troublesome. I prefer to lure Desreta to me, take her down in a straight slug-fest, then cast Animate Dead to deal with Vay-ya. When they're dead loot Vay-ya for a Wand of Fireball, a Skydrop Gem, a Tchazar Gem, a Scroll of Clairvoyance, a Scroll of Dispel Magic, a Dagger +1, and 94 gold. Desreta will drops Hands of Takkok (aka: Gauntlets of Ogre Power), a Long Sword +1, and 172 gold. I cannot over-emphasize how good those gauntlets are. They'll take any warrior and make them a phenom, raising their Strength to 18/00 while they're equipped. For me, these bad boys go to Jaheira, but any warrior who is not using the The Brawling Hands will work. Head down to the next level. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) Yago is at (x=150, y=120). You only need to pick-pocket the spell book from him, but why let that child-cursing mean old wizard stay alive? Surround him and talk to him, which will probably end in a fight. When he falls, loot him for a Knave's Robe, a Quarter Staff, and most importantly, Yago's Book of Curses. Now you can loot about the Low Lantern, but keep in mind that looting is going to cause guards to show up, and there's not much room to move. You should therefore loot with only one character, moving up a level every time you get caught. Especially be sure to loot near Yago's bed for a variety of Scrolls and coins. ***ITEMS*** (AR0133) (x=150, y=100) Cursed Scroll of Weakness, Scroll of Protection from Fire, 112 gold --- (AR0134) (x=730, y=450) 86 gold (x=220, y=120) Long Sword +1, Andar Gem, 34 gold --- (AR0135) (x=150, y=100) Scroll of Melf's Acid Arrow, Scroll of Blur, Scroll of Sleep, Scroll of Fireball, 143 gold (x=350, y=220) Dagger, 87 gold (x=700, y=500) Short Sword Note from Peter: You can kill the owner of the Low Lantern, a man named Lobar, on the first floor of the inn. He's worth 120 experience and possesses a Buckler, a Plate Mail, a Bastard Sword and 38 gold. Splurging Sturgeon (AR0303)/(AR0304) o======================================================================o 3) I make a detour to the Splurging Sturgeon (x=400, y=2900) to complete the quest with Brielbara. Inside you'll be molested by some woman named Lantanara, who has seen you in a dream. Seems to happen to you a lot, no? You'll also find a drunk wandering around named Lusselyn, who will dare you to kill off some slimes if you talk to him three times. Accept his bet (and put 100 gold on the line). Before we settle this wager, talk to Brielbara (x=400, y=390). She'll ask if there's anything she can do for you. If you say "We'd just like to be paid" you'll get gold in addition to the quest reward, if you say "Just remember us for the future." She'll... well, do just that. Money, or memories, it's your call. Anyhow, make your choice and head upstairs (x=750, y=300). ***REWARD*** (For giving Brielbara Yago's book) EXP 1000 Reputation +1 Gold 200 (if you ask for money) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) Upstairs at (x=350, y=200) you'll find your Mustard Jelly. Also at (x=850, y=470) you'll find Mr. Shade, who runs through a series of ambiguous questions without actually saying anything. Search the place and head back downstairs. Talk to Lusselyn, who will pay up his half of the wager... or at least the sixty gold pieces he has left. ***ITEMS*** (x=300, y=150) Bluestone Necklace, 6 gold (x=450, y=220) Silver Ring, 11 gold (x=280, y=400) Jade Ring, 36 gold (x=460, y=500) Dagger, 13 gold (x=750, y=350) Sling, 10 Bullets, 56 gold ***REWARD*** (For killing Lusselyn's slimes) Gold 160 ***ENHANCED EDITION*** In the original game, the drawer at (x=280, y=400) was mysteriously locked... not with a ridiculously high lock difficulty, but with some outright 'cannot be opened' nonsense usually reserved for quest- sensitive objects. Given the awesome loot within, it was obviously just a glitch. Note from Peter: You shouldn't talk to Mr. Shade with the Golden Pantaloons in your pockets, because he might take them with him, in which case they are lost... except you kill him quickly enough. He's worth 15 experience and drops a Leather Armor, a Longsword and 39 gold, but you can hold on to your Golden Pantaloons. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 5) And... since we're here, we might as well finish looting this area before we go back to the (AR1200). There is actually some loot out in containers, for a change, but after that, there are only two places of 'interest' we've yet to explore. At (x=1300, y=1260) lies the Temple of Ilmater (AR0149) which lacks anything worth mentioning. Yeah, it's what a church that actually practices poverty would look like, folks. Having your own private state in the middle of Rome with your own bank = not doing poverty right. Over at (x=770, y=1000), on the other hand, you'll find a more conventional loot house (AR0302)/(AR0303) with... well, actually some stuff worth looting, for a change. I know, I was surprised too. Once you're done looting, exit this area and return to (AR1200). ***ITEMS*** (AR0300) (x=550, y=1020) 19 gold (x=1080, y=1000) 16 gold (x=1260, y=1350) History of Shadowdale IV (x=580, y=1840) 7 gold (x=290, y=1830) Lynx Eye Gem (x=510, y=2515) 13 gold (x=50, y=2980) Scroll of Friends (x=940, y=2280) Gold Ring --- (AR0302) (x=400, y=150) Flamedance Ring, 16 gold --- (AR0303) (x=450, y=120) Throwing Dagger (x=340, y=200) Cloak of Protection +1 (x=310, y=400) 4 gold (x=200, y=300) 18 gold (x=100, y=300) Halberd, Spear Ghorak's House (AR1211)/(AR1212) o======================================================================o 6) Enter the house at (x=4220, y=1900) to find poor Ghorak. Talk to him, and he'll ask you to find the skull of his brother, Kereph, which lies behind a painting in the Three Old Kegs Inn and take it to Agnasia in The Lady's Hall. The Three Old Kegs is at (x=3700, y=2350) in the north-central area (AR0200) of Baldur's Gate... We'll get there eventually... ***ITEMS*** (AR1211) (x=400, y=250) Antidote, Short Sword --- (AR1212) (x=160, y=360) Throwing Dagger x12, 43 gold Sirine-Slain House (AR1209)/(AR1210) o======================================================================o 7) In the house at (x=3950, y=1650) you'll find a Sirine named Larriaz, who wants nothing more than to be left alone to die. You'll get paltry experience for killing her, or none for leaving her alone. Either way you go about it is up to you. She'll leave behind a Pearl in any case. ***ITEMS*** (AR1209) (x=400, y=150) Turquoise Gem --- (AR1210) (x=100, y=320) 1 gold Noralee's Warehouse (AR1208) o======================================================================o 8) Leave the Sirine-Slain House and go into the Warehouse at (x=3550, y=1500). Inside you'll find a lady named Noralee (x=580, y=800) who will ask you to retrieve some gauntlets she lost. She of course means the Xarrnous's Second Sword Arm we found earlier in this district. Frankly, the quest reward is nowhere near as good as keeping the gauntlets, but do what you will. ***ITEMS*** (x=700, y=860) Elixir of Health (x=750, y=420) Potion of Stone Form, Potion of Defense (x=860, y=500) Potion of Healing x2 (x=960, y=400) Oil of Speed (x=850, y=250) 44 gold ***REWARD** (For returning Noralee's Gauntlets of Weapon Skill) EXP 1000 Gold 45* Item Potion of Infravision x2* Reputation +1 *If Noralee likes you (high Charisma and Reputation helps) she'll give you the potions. If not, she'll give you the gold. Note from Peter: Alternatively, you can also steal both Potions of Infravision from her. They are useless, but you can at least sell them for some coins. Basilisk Warehouse (AR1207) o======================================================================o 9) Make sure you have a Protection from Petrification spell prepared before you enter the warehouse at (x=3260, y=1160). When you get inside, you'll be informed that a Basilisk has been let loose in the warehouse. Take your protected character forward and smite it heartily. Regardless of what else the Basilisk drops, it's sure to leave behind a Sphene Gem, which is what G'axir the Seer was talking about. You can also return to Nadarin for a respectable reward. If you don't get the Boots of Stealth from Naradin, be sure to steal them from him. ***ITEMS*** (x=650, y=1200) Sling, Sling, Composite Longbow (x=700, y=950) Heavy Crossbow, Light Crossbow (x=620, y=550) Bolt x30 (x=820, y=300) Bullet x30 (x=940, y=300) Arrow x30 (x=1100, y=300) Shortbow, Shortbow (x=1600, y=500) Studded Leather Armor ***REWARD*** (For killing the Basilisk for Nadarin) EXP 1300 Gold 500*, 1800* Item Worn Whispers* *Another reaction-variable quest reward, this time in reverse. If his reaction to you is high (ReactionGT, NEUTRAL_UPPER), he'll give you the 1800 gold. If his reaction to you is lower (ReactionLT, FRIENDLY_LOWER), you'll get 500 gold and the Boots of Stealth. Another little bit of information revealed by Infinity Explorer. Make sure to steal the Boots of Stealth from Naradin if he doesn't give them to you. Cordyr's House (AR1213)/(AR1214) o======================================================================o 10) In the house at (x=3050, y=880) you'll find Cordyr wandering about. He's got nothing interesting to say, but he does have a Scroll of Haste and a Scroll of Flame Arrow in his inventory, just waiting to be stolen. Other than that, this house isn't terribly interesting. ***ITEMS*** (AR1213) (x=300, y=350) Club (x=130, y=250) 1 gold --- (AR1214) (x=200, y=250) Potion of Healing Sewers (AR0225) o======================================================================o 11) Enter the sewers at (x=2650, y=850) and you'll encounter a Kobold named Ratchild. No matter what you say, he'll end up attacking you... little bugger has a big chip on his shoulder. He'll be joined by a number of Kobold Commandos, so keep on your guard. He'll leave behind a greater number of Arrows of Fire +2 than normal, but that's about it. Ogre Bank (AR1201)/(AR1202) o======================================================================o 12) At (x=1150, y=1250) you'll find a large building. You should certainly spell-buff before entering, as there are no less than five Ogre Mages inside. In addition to the normal spell-buffs, you should have a See Invisibility spell prepared, to neutralize the Ogre Mages' attempts to go invisible. Let them have their way and they will cast Lightning Bolt-and this is not a good way to go about surviving. Note that one will claim that the 'Son of Murder' has offered 10,000 gold for your head. At least your hunter has a title. Another tactic I tried out during the Enhanced Edition was to simply head inside with Viconia, who promptly began casting Animate Dead as soon as she entered. If she weathered the first Fireball thrown at her with Magic Resistance, I was gold, and simply let the Skeleton Warriors do as much damage as possible. A simpler-and cheaper-tactic was to simply run in and out, to lure the Ogre Mages outside, whence they could easily be smote. Once they're all dead, loot them for a variety of trinkets and gems. One of the Ogre Mages was even kind enough to drop me a Scroll of Fireball and a Scroll of Dispel Magic. Note from Lee: A fireball at the back of the room (courtesy of a Wand of Fire) and two blasts from Wands of the Heavens (Jaheira and Branwen each have one) kills three Ogre Mages outright and severely damages the others. Follow this up with an Agannazar's Scorcher and another Fireball and these guys are toast (literally). My fighters simply stood there and watched in stunned silence as the room erupted in flame; it truly was an amazing sight. No need to spell-buff; I suffered literally no damage in this fight. ***ITEMS*** (AR1201) (x=550, y=730) 31 gold (x=150, y=600) Scroll of Burning Hands (x=920, y=300) History of the North VII (x=650, y=150) History of the Red Ravens --- (AR1202) (x=200, y=640) 29 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 13) Now to finish up this area by looting. Over at (x=2680, y=530) is Jopalin's Tavern (AR1215) which has absolutely nothing interesting in it, save some singing sailors. At (x=2600, y=1800) you'll find another equally useless building, the Harbor Master's Building (AR0702). So much for the named locations. Near the Ogre Bank are two houses to loot, one (AR1203)/(AR1204) at (x=700, y=1400) and the other (AR1205)/(AR1206) at (x=450, y=1570). Both have wildly unexceptional loot within. ***ITEMS*** (AR1203) (x=130, y=250) 1 gold --- (AR1204) (x=530, y=120) 1 gold (x=300, y=350) Dagger (x=200, y=250) Short Sword --- (AR1205) (x=400, y=150) 2 gold --- (AR1206) (x=310, y=400) 1 gold (x=100, y=300) Quarterstaff, Club At (x=400, y=600) is the large building where the Iron Throne is hiding. You'll come back here at the behest of Scar, so avoid it for now. Instead head to the northern area (AR0200) to pick up some quests before we finish off (AR0600). Why skip over the middle area (AR0700)? Well, because we're all but done with it... at least until we pick up more quests. Rinnie's House (AR0006)/(AR0007) o======================================================================o 14) Over at (x=1200, y=2800) you'll find Rinnie's House. Inside, Rinnie (x=430, y=310) will ask you to fetch her a book about the Unicorn Run. We'll pick one up later on, but I'll list the reward here for reference. ***ITEMS*** (AR0006) (x=400, y=250) Ziose Gem, 4 gold --- (AR0007) (x=150, y=350) Potion of Invisibility, 24 gold ***REWARD*** (For finding Rinnie a book of the Unicorn Run) EXP 400*, 900* Gold 80* Item Scroll of Protection from Poison* *Yet another variable quest reward. If Rinnie has a good reaction towards you, you'll get 900 EXP and the Scroll. If Rinnie's reaction is low, you'll get 400 EXP and the 80 gold. Bheren's House (AR0004)/(AR0005) o======================================================================o 15) Over at (x=670, y=2770) you'll find Petrine, who ran away from her uncle's house. Unfortunately, her cat ran off to 'get her ring'. So, go into the house at (x=750, y=2700) to retrieve the ring so Angel will return. Inside (AR0004) you'll find Bheren wandering about, and he'll complain about the cat. Head upstairs and loot the dresser at (x=350, y=100) for some shinies, including an Angel Skin Ring. What better to lure a cat named Angel? If you dispose of the cat for Bheren, you'll get some experience and lose a point of reputation. If you give the ring to Petrine, you'll get more experience. Or you could go give the ring to Petrine, go back inside, kill the cat, talk to Bheren, and get both rewards. Whatever. Also, if you pick-pocket Bheren, you can nab a Cloak of Protection +1. Not bad. ***ITEMS*** (AR0004) (x=350, y=100) 11 gold (x=350, y=120) Tainted Oil of Speed (x=550, y=200) 10 Bullets +1 --- (AR0005) (x=350, y=100) Skydrop Gem, Angel Skin Ring, 8 gold ***REWARD*** (For killing Petrine's Cat for Bheren) EXP 400 Reputation -1 ***REWARD*** (For giving Petrine her Angel Skin Ring) EXP 500 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 16) At (x=3600, y=1550) you'll find a wizard named Razimath. He'll ask you to go kidnap a Nymph from a Mage named Ragefast. Sounds reasonable, and that's the reason we did this area before (AR1100). Jardak's House (AR0010)/(AR0011) o======================================================================o 17) Head into the house at (x=2450, y=1200) and you'll be pestered by a man named Drelik, who will pick a fight with you regardless of what you say. Kill him and loot him for a Scroll of Monster Summoning I, a Scroll of Dire Charm, a Short Sword +1, and 65 gold. Head upstairs and you'll be approached by the master of the house, a warrior named Jardak. Since you've killed his butler, there's really no reason to expect this won't end in a fight either. He's a fairly lethal warrior on his own, but he just can't withstand six-to-one odds... especially if you used the Enhanced Edition against him and only go upstairs with one character, provoke him, and lure him downstairs where it's much more open. Why fight him cramped around the stairs when you can smack him around the living room, instead? When he falls he'll leave behind a suit of Plate Mail armor, the Helm of the Noble +1 (aka: Helm of Glory), a Medium Shield, a Potion of Frost Giant Strength, a Potion of Genius, a Long Sword +1, and 68 gold. The Helm of the Noble +1 is a spiffy helm that should go on your party leader. In my case, this means Ajantis or Dorn. ***ITEMS*** (AR0010) (x=400, y=150) Small Shield, 15 gold --- (AR0011) (x=100, y=300) Throwing Dagger, 6 gold Three Old Kegs (AR0119)/(AR0120)/(AR0121) o======================================================================o 18) South of Razimath's tower you'll find the Three Old Kegs tavern (x=3700, y=2350). If you remember, this is where we were told to go find Ghorak's brother's skull. Inside you'll be approached by both a commoner named Shep and a halfling named Bellamy, neither of which have anything useful to say... unless you're evil, in which case, she'll warn you about a powerful Paladin named Phandalyn, who lurks around taverns near the docks. In reality, however, you'll find him in a tavern in the south western section of the city (AR1100). You can steal a Star Diopside gem from the bartender, Nantin Bellowgyn, but overall there's not really much to recommend this level. Upstairs at (x=530, y=100) you'll find the painting you're looking for, behind which is Kereph's Skull. Take it and head upstairs. Again, there's not much to do up here... unless you think becoming fantastically rich is something extraordinary. Loot the place, and in one of the dressers you'll find 208 Ziose Gems. If you sell them to a merchant you haven't saturated with gems yet, you'll make a bundle off of them... about 6500 gold, to be more specific. Also talk to the Noblewoman who is wandering about. She'll ask you to kill a man at the Elfsong Tavern named Cyrdemac. She'll offer to pay 2000 gold for the task... and double it to 4000 if you ask for more. Let's finish this side-quest off, then hand in Kereph's Skull and deal with Ragefast as part of finishing up the south-western section of Baldur's Gate (AR1100). Note: During my last playthrough, these 208 Ziose Gems sold for exactly 6240 gold... sold by a 20 Charisma Ajantis, with a reputation of 19. ***ITEMS*** (AR0120) (x=530, y=100) Kereph's Skull --- (AR0121) (x=700, y=200) Bloodstone Ring, Ziose Gem, 150 gold (x=150, y=350) 208 Ziose Gems, Iol Gem Note from Peter: You can steal a Bloodstone Gem from Areana, the noblewomen you mentioned above. The Elfsong Tavern (AR0705)/(AR0706) o======================================================================o 19) Enter the Elfsong and head upstairs. You can find a merchant wandering around who sells a variety of magical trinkets, including The Protector +1, Topsider's Crutch... you know... the same exact selection that a merchant had in the Nashkel Carnival? There's also looting to be done, and the tavern's proprietor, Alyth (x=200, y=420) from whom you can steal a Fire Agate... but the reason you're here is Cyrdemac (x=600, y=400). You can ask to see him alone, but there's really not much point, as you're perfectly capable of smiting him wherever he is. He's not one to be reasoned with anyhow. Kill him and loot him for a suit of Chain Mail, a Medium Shield, a Bastard Sword +1, and 50 gold. That's not a bad payday there, but we were promised more. ***ITEMS*** (AR0706) (x=550, y=750) Heavy Crossbow (x=520, y=350) 125 gold (x=200, y=550) Dagger, 11 gold (x=850, y=600) 10 gold (x=250, y=650) Chainmail, 56 gold (x=450, y=270) Aquamarine Gem, 198 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 20) Head back to the Three Old Kegs to confront Areana. She'll reveal that she has only 500 gold with which to reward you. If you accept, and pick option #3, you can blackmail her for 500 gold, plus 500 more gold every two days... however, if you go to collect, she'll complain as if she paid up, but she won't actually give you anything. You will, however, lose one point of reputation for the extortion, so it's not really worth it. After a tenday has passed you'll find a man named Tor Lobo waiting for you. Apparently, Areana has not learned her lesson, and decided to hire a guy to kill the guy she hired to kill the last guy. When Tor Lobo falls he'll leave behind a suit of Plate Mail Armor, a Large Shield, a Long Sword, and 78 gold. It's not 500 gold, but it's something. Now I head down to the western edge of the city (AR0600). Note from Peter: I charmed Areana before I did the quest, because I didn't want any guards to show up when stealing the 208 Ziose Gems. She was still charmed when I came back and said, she felt like she owes me more than 500 gold. So she said she'll give me a gem as a bonus. I didn't get one, but I'm sure it's the Bloodstone Gem I've stolen from her before. Anyway I didn't have the option to blackmail her, while she was charmed. Ragefast's House (AR0126) o======================================================================o 21) Surprisingly, after hitting the House of Wonders and dealing with the Tymorans, we're all but done in this area... aside from random looting, that is. Just two little things to do, and you should know what those are without this guide. Enter the building at (x=2850, y=500) where you'll be immediately confronted by an angry Ragefast. You can pick a fight with him by picking options #1 or #3, but I prefer to let Ragefast live for some reason... One of the few NPCs I regularly spare. If you do kill him, however, he'll leave behind The Protector +1, a Knave's Robe, and a Wand of Paralyzation. Although there's no reason to NOT kill Ragefast, I tend to talk some sense into him by picking options #2, #2, #1, and #3. If you chose this approach, Ragefast will free his pet, and the Nymph will thank you by giving you a 'Lock of Nymph's Hair'. This hair can be sold to Halbazzer Drin (the proprietor of Sorcerous Sundries) for 500 gold, or for 100 gold he'll turn it into a Nymph Cloak (or rather, give you one he already has on hand in exchange for the hair, with which he'll create several such cloaks...) If you kill Ragefast and free Abela afterwards, she'll outright give you a Nymph Cloak. Either way you do it, freeing Abela won't make Razimath very happy. If you want to appease your employer, you'll have to kill Ragefast and choose to bring Abela along with you (dialogue options #2 and #1). Once you've wrapped things up here, let's head back to Razimath, to deal with him however we must. If you bring back Abela, see Step #22, if not, see Steps #23-#25. ***ITEMS*** (AR0600) (x=2280, y=480) Onyx Ring (x=650, y=800) 17 gold ***REWARD*** (For saving Abela the Nymph by talking sense into Ragefast) EXP 2000 Item Lock of Nymph's Hair ---or--- ***REWARD*** (For saving Abela the Nymph by killing Ragefast) EXP 2000 Item Nymph Cloak ***ENHANCED EDITION*** This quest changed a bit for the Enhanced Edition. Abela, in the original game, always gave you Nymph hair, although her dialogue indicated that she'd give you a cloak for killing Ragefast, and some hair for talking sense into him. It's also worth noting that in the original version of the game, Razimath never actually gave you anything in return for Abela... although given his response, he certainly thought he did. Note from Peter: You can steal the Wand of Paralyzation from Ragefast. I'm a fan of this item, so I must have it. If it wasn't possible to steal it, there's no reason to let Ragefast live. And as a power gamer, there's really no reason, because you can get the 2000 experience for freeing Abela by talking sense into Ragefast and another 2000 experience for killing him afterwards. Note from Peter: If you've already stolen the Nymph Cloak from Halbazzer Drin, there's no reason to give him 100 gold anymore, because he won't give you another one. Just take his 500 gold in this case. There's no other purpose for the Nymph's Hair as far as I know. Razimath's Tower, 1st Floor (AR0137) o======================================================================o 22) Return to (AR0200) and enter Razimath's Tower (x=3600, y=1400). If you brought Abela with you, he'll take her off your hands and reward you with Bracers of Defense A.C. 7... not a very epic reward, really. He also announces his intentions to hack Abela up so as to make a variety of goods out of her corpse. Even if you're evil... we really have no reason to keep Razimath alive anymore, do we? Attack and kill him to claim a better reward off of his body-namely The Amplifier (aka: Amulet of Metaspell Influence), a Knave's Robe, and The Guard's Ring +2 (aka: Ring of Protection +2). Score. Practicing extreme favoritism, I put the new ring and amulet on my protagonists-they need the Armor Class to stand up in melee combat, which they now cannot avoid, and... well, I'd also rather they have a superior number of 2nd-level spells to further buff themselves (never neglect great defensive spells like Blur when it comes to protecting your protagonist). Now we have the little problem of what to do with Abela... talk to her and either choose to correct your earlier mistake by letting her go, or decide that Razimath had a good idea. If you choose the latter, she'll call you a monster and Dimension Door away. You'll lose five points of reputation, and will end up with no Nymph meat to play with, to boot! Why didn't she use her magic at any earlier point? I have no idea whatsoever. If you free her, on the other hand, she'll just leave. Now that Razimath is dead, we might as well explore the rest of his tower, eh? Skip to Steps #24 and #25 for this next bit. Note: If you don't kill Razimath and hang around his house after giving him Abela he'll harass you until you leave or provoke him into hostility. What a jerk! <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 23) Return to (AR0200) and enter Razimath's Tower (x=3600, y=1400). Talk to Razimath, who will accuse you of betrayal and cast a Lightning Bolt on you before teleporting to the top of his tower. If you're lucky you can nail him before he teleports away, but we need to get to the top of his tower anyhow. To get there, you'll have to go up the stairs and fight through a gauntlet of enemies on each level. Don't pout, if it was as easy as just walking up stairs this game would be boring as hell. Razimath's Tower, cont. (AR0139)/(AR0140)/(AR0141)/(AR0142)/(AR0138) o======================================================================o 24) On the first level you'll encounter a pair of Mustard Jellies. On the second level you'll fight five Ghasts. The third level houses six Hobgoblin Elites. Finally, on the fourth level you'll square off against six Kobold Commandos, and on the fifth level will be Razimath himself, if he's still alive... or not, if not. Head up to each level with your most well-defended party member first to draw the attention of the bad guys... bringing your whole party up at once is just begging the enemies to torment your Mages. When I get up to the top level, I immediately have my main character and Imoen/Edwin cast Magic Missile, which puts Razimath down good-like. Loot him for The Amplifier (aka: Amulet of Metaspell Influence), a Knave's Robe, and The Guard's Ring +2 (aka: Ring of Protection +2). Score. Practicing extreme favoritism, I put the new ring and amulet on my protagonists-they need the Armor Class to stand up in melee combat, which they now cannot avoid, and... well, I'd also rather they have a superior number of 2nd-level spells to further buff themselves (never neglect great defensive spells like Blur when it comes to protecting your protagonist). Loot around for some great gear, including a Tome of Clear Thought. There's also a copy of the History of the Unicorn Run, if you haven't been able to find one for Rinnie. ***ITEMS*** (x=350, y=100) Scroll of Blindness, Scroll of Invisibility, Scroll of Blur, Scroll of Mirror Image (x=400, y=250) Tome of Clear Thought (x=270, y=300) Wand of Paralyzation, Elixir of Health, Cursed Scroll of Clumsiness, Scroll of Protection from Magic, Scroll of Protection from Poison, 395 gold (x=100, y=200) History of the Unicorn Run <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 25) Return the book to Rinnie if you haven't already, then finish this area off by looting. The Temple of Helm-(AR0002), (x=1550, y=1100) is a waste of time to explore. In the house just east of Rinnie's House (x=1550, y=2900) (AR0008)/(AR0009) you'll find a rather poor bit of loot, while the houses at (x=2700, y=1100) (AR0012)/(AR0013), (x=3030, y=1200) (AR0014)/(AR0015), (x=3000, y=900) (AR0016)/(AR0017), (x=3320, y=820) (AR0018)/(AR0019), and (x=4000, y=900) (AR0020)/(AR0021) contain some goodies worth looting. ***ITEMS*** (AR0009) (x=310, y=400) 5 gold (x=200, y=300) 3 gold (x=100, y=300) Heavy Crossbow, Bolts x10, Bolts +1 x6, 9 gold --- (AR0012) (x=150, y=350) Dagger, 11 gold --- (AR0013) (x=540, y=120) Jade Ring, 9 gold (x=500, y=80) 5 gold (x=300, y=350) Fire Agate Gem (x=200, y=250) Potion of Stone Form, 20 gold --- (AR0014) (x=450, y=80) 4 gold --- (AR0015) (x=300, y=350) 11 gold (x=200, y=250) Andar Gem, 25 gold (x=70, y=270) History of the North (x=530, y=120) Throwing Dagger x1, 5 gold --- (AR0016) (x=400, y=250) Large Shield, 3 gold --- (AR0018) (x=350, y=100) Leather Armor, 7 gold (x=450, y=100) Mysteriously locked... (x=550, y=170) Potion of Explosions, 23 gold --- (AR0019) (x=350, y=100) Rainbow Obsidian Necklace, 8 gold --- (AR0020) (x=400, y=250) Small Shield +1, 10 gold --- (AR0021) (x=180, y=350) Mace, Potion of Heroism, Jasper Gem ***ENHANCED EDITION*** In (AR0018), the container at (x=450, y=100) was mysteriously locked an unopenable. That's now been fixed... but it's empty. Ah well. The Lady's House (AR0132) o======================================================================o 26) Head back to (AR0600) and enter the Lady's House at (x=1300, y=1000). Go talk to Agnasia (x=420, y=200) with Kereph's Skull in your inventory to complete the quest. You'll get an experience reward for your effort. If you go talk to Ghorak, you'll get to see him turn back to normal. ***REWARD*** (For giving Agnasia Kereph's Skull) EXP 1000 Reputation +1 Now we're done with several areas of Baldur's Gate, we're ready to hit the south-western corner of the map (AR1100), which includes dealing with the dysfunctional merchant companies. That's right, it's time to finally do some work for Scar. Most of our item gathering in Baldur's Gate is done, too, although there's an odd trinket or two still waiting, but if you were to get antsy and decide to tackle Durlag's Tower, you're much better equipped for it now. When you're ready, head to (AR1100). We will now cover the south-western and north-western areas (AR1100) and (AR0100). There's a large fight in Step #14 of the next Sequence of Events-have all the typical buffs ready. o======================================================================o | | | Baldur's Gate: South-Western and North-Western Areas | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK023} 1) Slimy Tavern 2) The Sewer King 3) The Seven Suns 4) Destroying Doppelgangers 5) Rescuing Jhasso 6) Sewer Spiders 7) Tiax Rules! 8) Scar's Missions 9) Wiven's Last Hit 10) Phandalyn the Paladin 11) Sunnin, Master-Mage 12) Aldeth's Second Request 13) Investigation, Upstairs 14) Three Guilty Documents 15) Purging the Merchant League 16) Looting Stores and Outdoors 17) Looting (AR1100) 18) Fenten's Shell Search 19) Defeating Degrodel's Guardians 20) Secrets Sealed in Stone 21) Pheirkas' Cape-r 22) Twins, a Wizard, and a Druid 23) Quinn's House 24) Entar Silvershield's Estate 25) 'Saving' Skie 26) Ransoming Skie 27) Talkative Tavern and Inn 28) Looting (AR0100) Ye Olde Inn (AR1113)/(AR1114) o======================================================================o 1) In the tavern at (x=2450, y=750) you'll find a number of Green Slimes attacking the patrons. The bartender is already gone (see how he's all green?) Slay the slimes and leave. Be careful when fighting Green Slimes, if they hit a character, there's a chance they'll infect that character, and permanently kill them. In D&D rules, I believe Green Slimes are kind of like the Blob in the movies... they devour organic flesh and turn the victim into more Green Slime. In Baldur's Gate, this happens exceedingly quickly and without any chance to rectify the situation. Just wait a few rounds after the battle to see if anybody is taking damage and explodes (Jaheira seems particularly fond of turning into piles of goo.) Note from Lee: Wands of the Heavens strike again - Green Slimes are no match for the awesome power of these items. Note to self - pick these up at EVERY opportunity. ***ITEMS*** (AR1113) (x=530, y=150) 15 gold Sewers (AR0224) o======================================================================o 2) Head down one of the sewer grates, either (x=3870, y=570) or (x=3550, y=1500) will do. You'll be interrogated by Schlumpsha the Sewer King and his retinue. If you pick the bottom options, you can avoid a fight. If you fight Schlumpsha, you'll get some experience and minor trinkets, but nothing great. The only vaguely interesting thing about this fight? Schlumpsha can drain your Strength temporarily. Wee. Leave the sewers and head over to the Seven Suns building (x=3470, y=1270). Seven Suns (AR0601)/(AR0602) o======================================================================o 3) You'll notice something is wrong as soon as the first merchant talks to you. He'll say that the faces of his colleagues change when he's not looking. Anybody have some Dungeons and Dragons knowledge here? If you've been to Durlag's Tower, you'd have a clue as to what's going on. Before we press the issue, however, head over to the Flaming Fist Compound (x=1500, y=1300) and talk to Scar (x=1500, y=1050) and tell him what you've discovered for an experience reward and the gold he promised you. If you do all the job at once, you'll only get one reward (the one listed below). If you talk to Scar after just finding out about the Doppelgangers, you'll get the reward below AND Scar will ask you to return to the Seven Suns and exterminate the Doppelgangers for double the reward. ***REWARD*** (For telling Scar about the Doppelgangers) EXP 2000 Gold 2000 ***ENHANCED EDITION*** In patch 1.2, the experience reward for this quest-and other quests given to you by Scar-has been altered. You used to get 5000 experience for this task. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) With the promise of greater rewards in mind, return to the Seven Suns building and talk to one of the Merchants. Talk to them long enough and they'll take on their true form and reveal that they are Doppelgangers. Slay them and head upstairs, killing more foul shapeshifters. When they're all dead, head to the basement (x=100, y=500). <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 5) Downstairs you'll find another Doppelganger guarding Jhasso (x=200, y=350). After the Doppelganger is dead, talk to the man. Pick option #1 twice to tell him about Scar and send him on his way. That wasn't so hard, was it? Loot and leave. Before we head over to the Flaming Fist Compound, let's go play in the sewers again. Head down the sewer grate at (x=4070, y=1420). ***ITEMS*** (x=250, y=250) Spear, Spear +1, Halberd x2, Quarter Staff (x=400, y=410) Scroll of Protection from Undead, Scroll of Protection from Electricity, Wand of Magic Missiles, Potion of Hill Giant Strength (x=400, y=390) Flamedance Ring, Chrysoberyl Gem, Shandon Gem 368 gold Sewers (AR0224) o======================================================================o 6) In this part of the sewers, you'll be attacked by a number of spiders, including Phase Spiders, which aren't too bad anymore, but worth the experience for clearing them out. When you're done, go up the ladder at (x=450, y=2200). Note: The Phase Spiders in the egg-lined tunnel respawn very quickly- often as soon as the tunnel is out of your sight radius. It's not a terrible place to grind for experience. Just be careful-Phase Spiders are shameless about targeting your Mages, and even though we're stronger than when we first encountered them, their poison isn't any less lethal. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) Go south around the large building to the east. At (x=1450, y=1620) you'll find a little sociopath by the name of Tiax. He's a Cyric worshiping, delusional, first-person speaking little barrel of laughs... Recruit him or give him the boot and head on into the Flaming Fist compound (x=1500, y=1300). Flaming Fist Compound, Downstairs (AR0607) o======================================================================o 8) Talk to Scar (x=1500, y=1050) and tell him you cleared out the Doppelgangers and restored Jhasso to power. He'll decide to jump up the reward to triple the original amount (a total of 6000 gold, instead of 2000), and you'll get more experience and a hefty two-point boost to your reputation. If somehow you didn't manage to clear out the Doppelgangers (and why anybody would settle for this, I can't imagine...) you'll only get double the reward in gold (2000 more) as Scar promised. Either way, he'll offer you another job-this time to find out why people have been disappearing from the streets. The culprit, as you already know, was an Ogre Mage and his host of Carrion Crawlers. Accept to go on the mission and he'll pay you 300 gold, with a promise of 1000 more if you find out what is causing the problems. If you have Sashenstar's Ruby Ring in your inventory (which you should have obtained from the Ogre Mage in the sewers), talk to him again and pick either option to finish the quest. Turn in Sashenstar's Ruby Ring for a whopping 3000 gold bonus, which is roughly four times what the ring is worth. Nice. Now he's ready to tell you about the Iron Throne, and heads outside. We'll deal with the Flaming Fist compound itself in detail later. Scar wants to talk serious-like about the Throne. This is the climax-quest of Baldur's Gate, so we'll save it for later. ***REWARD*** (For telling Scar you are incapable of removing the Doppelgangers) Gold 2000 ***REWARD*** (For destroying the Doppelgangers and restoring Jhasso) EXP 5000 Gold 6000 Reputation +2 ***REWARD*** (For agreeing to look for the missing people) Gold 300 ***REWARD*** (For telling Scar about the missing people, sans the Ruby Ring) EXP 2000 Gold 1000 ***REWARD*** (For telling Scar about the missing people and turning in the Ruby Ring) EXP 3000 Gold 4000 ***ENHANCED EDITION*** You now recieve 5000 experience and 6000 gold for destroying the Dopplegangers infesting the Seven Suns, instead of the 2000 experience and 4000 gold you used to earn. Score. Scar's second mission also gives an improved reward-4000 gold instead of 3000 for turning in Sashenstar's Ruby Ring. Thief Bank (AR1101)/(AR1102) o======================================================================o 9) Enter the house at (x=2250, y=1750) to find a group of Thieves including Wiven, Dirk, Meaken, and Sath. Wiven will demand that you hand over your money... and by now, we know how this goes. When combat starts, her three buddies will take pot shots at the party, but since your party enters the building in order, they'll be shooting at what should be your best defended characters. Simply put, Ajantis wasn't having trouble with their arrows. Kill them and take their stuff: Dirk: Studded Leather Armor, 40~ Arrows +1, Long Bow, Flail and 49 gold. Sath: Studded Leather Armor, 30~ Arrows of Fire +2, Longbow, Short Sword and 49 gold. Meaken: Studded Leather Armor, 30~ Arrows of Fire +2, Longbow, Short Sword and 49 gold. Wiven: Potion of Master Thievery, Scroll of Protection from Normal Missiles, Scroll of Ghost Armor, Short Sword +1, and 90 gold. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** This building serves a dual-role in the Enhanced Edition, as it's part of Rasaad's quest, later... granted, an optional part of his quest, but still... ***ITEMS*** (AR1101) (x=650, y=500) Scroll of Identify (x=150, y=600) 22 gold (AR1102) (x=650, y=200) Scroll of Friends (x=550, y=750) 13 gold Tavern and Inn (AR1109)/(AR1110) o======================================================================o 10) Over at (x=1100, y=2200) you'll find a tavern that is uninteresting save for one 'customer', the Paladin Phandalyn, whom Bellamy warned you about earlier. If you enter this tavern during the day with an evil character, he'll attack you... which of course forces you to put him down and stomach a large reputation loss. He'll drop a suit of Plate Mail and a Spear +1... which hardly offsets the amount of gold it'll take to bring your reputation up to snuff again. If for some reason you wish to explore this tavern (there's really no reason to do so) come in at night, or send a good-or-neutral character in alone. Also, like all good Paladins, Phandalyn only hunts evil during the day, and after he passes judgment on the party (or whatever non-evil members you actually expose him to), he'll head off on his merry way. ***ITEMS*** (AR1110) (x=300, y=350) Mace ***ENHANCED EDITION*** In the original game, Phandalyn attacked if he sensed evil-but without turning hostile. This meant you had to manually attack him, which resulted in the occupants of the tavern turning hostile... generally causing something of a mess. He was still as easy to fool, however. Sunin's House (AR1111) o======================================================================o 11) In a house at (x=1700, y=2500) you'll be greeted by the master Mage Sunin, who doesn't appreciate the trespassing of robbers such as you. If you pick option #2 (the hostile response) he'll just attack, but if you pick option #1, he'll summon up two friends, an archer named Maka, and a Fighter named Joular. Together... they're not too bad. Sunin walks right up to you, which makes him easy pickings for your party. After that it's a matter of pouncing on Maka and beating Joular down. Once they're all dead, let the looting begin: Sunin: Mage Robe of Electrical Resistance, Evermemory, Scroll of Fireball, Scroll of Vampiric Touch, Quarter Staff and 102 gold. Maka: Plate Mail, 20~ Arrows of Piercing, Long Bow, Spear and 39 gold. Joular: Long Sword +1 and 64 gold. The real catch here, is, of course, the second Evermemory. This goes on Imoen/Edwin, in my parties. Only one more thing to do before the general looting-that is, if you sided with Aldeth Sashenstar back in the Cloakwood. If not, skip to Step #16. ***ITEMS*** (x=450, y=420) 38 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 12) Over at (x=3500, y=2480) you'll find Aldeth Sashenstar, who has another problem he needs your help with. He's a rich bastard with shares in the Merchant's League, sharing ownership with two others-Irlentree and Zorl Miyar. Of course, since his return he's noticed some... changes... It's as if his partners have become wholly different people in his absence! After the Seven Suns we can suspect what those sinister changes might be. His request is simple enough-he'll set you up in the Merchants' League Estate and entrust you with the task of observing his pals. Accept and follow him into the Merchants' League Estate (x=3200, y=2450). Merchant League Estate, 1st Floor (AR0127) o======================================================================o 13) As soon as you enter, talk to one of the guards and listen to his suggestion-he asks you to seek out his superior-Brandilar. Talk to any of the merchants on the level and pick options #2 and #1 and you'll be told to search Zorl's office, upstairs. Talk to Irlentree (x=350, y=500) and he'll 'invite' you to attend a party celebrating Aldeth's stay. Either way, it's clear you'll need to head upstairs (x=400, y=250). Merchant League Estate, 2nd Floor (AR0128) o======================================================================o 14) Aldeth awaits you at (x=200, y=480), but he really only serves to point you towards Brandilar. Brandilar (x=380, y=500) is wise enough to see through your 'childhood friend' guise. Pick option #2 and he'll offer to help your investigations, an offer you should accept. Zorl stands at (x=580, y=440), but he only serves to test your authenticity by asking you if you know Dabron-answer in the affirmitive, as Dabron is Aldeth's brother. It doesn't really matter what you do-he's not very talkative. In the south-eastern corner of the level you'll find Zorl's office. Pick the lock on his desk (x=1250, y=650), or use 'knock' to get at its contents-980 gold and three Letters. These letters contain all the guilty information you need. ***ITEMS*** (x=1250, y=650) 980 gold, Letter, Letter, Letter <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 15) Turn the letters into Bradilar or Aldeth-both accomplish the same goal, but in a different fashion. If you turn them into Brandilar he'll implore you to smite the Doppelgangers-about ten up them upstairs (on the 3rd floor, (AR0129)), several downstairs, and of course Zorl and Ilentree. If you give them to Aldeth he'll consult with Brandilar and you'll be transitioned to the third floor, where Aldeth and Brandilar will confront Zorl and Ilentree. In this case, you'll have to fight all the Doppelgangers at once, and one of the creatures will mention Reiltar before attacking. Once they're all dead talk to Aldeth for your reward. Leave the Merchants' League Estate building-it's finally time to loot. ***REWARD*** (For routing the Doppelgangers in the Merchant League) EXP 5000 Gold 100 Item Kondar +1 Note from Peter: Before you go, you should kill Brandilar and Aldeth for some more ex- perience and items. Brandilar is worth another 1400 experience and drops a Chain Mail, a Medium Shield, a Mace, a Bloodstone Ring and 38 gold and Aldeth is worth 650 experience and drops a Studded Leather Armor, a Diamond, a Potion of Heroism and 1140 gold (as well as the Scrolls you gave him). <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 16) First things first, loot around outside, and once you're done, there are four shops in this area to explore... we're joining them all together in this Step solely because they're stores, not because it's convenient geographically. My guide, my rules. First up is the Potion Store (AR1115) (x=3200, y=600), which has absolutely no loot inside, but the merchant sells a variety of potions, of course, including Potions of Invisibility, Potions of Magic Protection/Shielding, Potions of Master Thievery, and a few tainted potions, just to keep you on your toes. The adjacent Weapons & Armor Store (AR1116) (x=2700, y=1100) has precious little loot inside and nothing worth buying. Finally there are two General Stores across the street from one another. The northern one (AR1117) (x=2520, y=2320), has some coins and mundane weapons to loot, but here the wares are actually rather interesting. The Storekeep sells a variety of magical (+1) weapons, which we shouldn't need anymore, but he also sells another Destroyer of the Hills (Girdle of Bluntness). I'm sure you can find a character with an empty belt slot to put it on, even though it's not a great item... it's better than nothing. Besides, it'll probably cost less than 2000 gold, and what else do you need to buy at this stage in the game? The southern General Store (AR1112) (x=2200, y=2700) contains a bit of loot, but sells nothing of interest. ***ITEMS*** (AR1100) (x=3840, y=340) History of Durpar and Var the Golden (x=3200, y=400) 33 gold (x=2300, y=1040) 28 gold (x=1020, y=1790) Aquamarine Gem (x=1470, y=2100) 16 gold (x=2200, y=2220) History of Shadowdale V (x=2720, y=1750) Turquoise Gem --- (AR1112) (x=550, y=380) Long Sword, Long Sword (x=500, y=500) Oil of Fiery Burning (x=100, y=350) 12 gold (x=510, y=150) 53 gold --- (AR1116) (x=800, y=250) Short Sword (x=400, y=550) 44 gold --- (AR1117) (x=780, y=300) Throwing Axe x6 (x=580, y=130) Mace (x=420, y=250) 23 gold (x=250, y=300) 12 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 17) Now, onto the unmarked buildings in this area. Next to the Thief Bank are a couple of houses, starting with (AR1103)/(AR1104) (x=2100, y=1900). South-east of it you'll find (AR1105)/(AR1106) (x=1700, y=2150). Finally, there's (AR1107)/(AR1108) (x=1900, y=1500). When you're done, exit the area and head to the central-western area of Baldur's Gate (AR0600). ***ITEMS*** (AR1103) (x=400, y=250) Heavy Crossbow --- (AR1104) (x=170, y=350) Potion of Healing, Club, 12 gold --- (AR1105) (x=550, y=180) Antidote, 15 gold (x=350, y=100) Battle Axe, 13 gold --- (AR1106) (x=350, y=80) History of Shadowdale, 13 gold --- (AR1107) (x=400, y=150) 3 gold --- (AR1108) (x=100, y=300) Throwing Dagger x4 Fenten's House (AR0619)/(AR0620) o======================================================================o 18) If you approach the western area from the south you'll be able to reach the area outside of the walls. In a house at (x=3400, y=3200) you'll find a dwarf named Fentan (x=450, y=250) who will ask you to fetch him some Ankheg scales. He'll give you the same sort of deal Taerom Fuiruim did, but Fenten will only cough up 250 gold each time you sell him scales. Still, it is a way to make some money. Of more interest, however, you can kill Fenten for his unique Axe-the Golden Axe +1. Aside from its +1 enchantment, it has a 10% chance to cast Dispel Magic per hit. When you're done, head to the north-western area of Baldur's Gate (AR0100). You're just about done with this city! ***ITEMS*** (AR0600) (x=3550, y=3050) 12 gold --- (AR0619) (x=400, y=150) Long Sword, 38 gold --- (AR0620) (x=200, y=300) 14 gold (x=310, y=400) Bloodstone Ring, 18 gold Note from Peter: Fenten is worth 270 experience. Degrodel's House (AR0161) o======================================================================o 19) There's a house at (x=2100, y=3000) that needs to be explored, but before you do, spellbuff to the max. Inside are two Doomguards, two Helmed Horrors, and three Invisible Stalkers. Target the Invisible Stalkers with ranged weapons, because the other foes will be immune to non-magical missiles. Also, shaving down one of the Doomguards with Magic Missiles might be a good way to open up the fight... or, in the Enhanced Edition, just enter with one character, lure some foes outside where it's more open, and smite them without having to dance around furniture. Note from Lee: This is a hellish fight - Wands of the Heavens help out a lot, but won't win it outright like they did in other encounters. Haste and Defensive Harmony are essential, and Barkskin will help keep your healers alive. Animate Dead, Monster summoning, and similar spells will help keep the baddies off your ass while you plink away at them with magical missile weapons (Arrows +1, Bullets +1, etc). Be prepared to pause the game often, and to move injured characters out of the fray. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 20) Once the beasties are beaten, head into the back and talk to Degrodel (x=200, y=580). He'll ask you to unpetrify a group of mercenaries and get the Helm of Balduran from them, and offer 5000 gold for the task. Surely by now you realize that the helm itself is the prize, but agree to his task for now. He'll give you six scrolls of Stone to Flesh, so you don't even have to worry about that part of the mission. How nice. We'll get to it in a little bit. ***ITEMS*** (x=350, y=670) 63 gold (x=450, y=400) Splint Mail +1 Pheirkas' House (AR0167)/(AR0168) o======================================================================o 21) Enter the house at (x=1750, y=2500) to find the dwarf Pheirkas (x=400, y=290). He'll ask you to fetch Algernon's Cloak for him, and offer you a reward for the caper. Of course, the reward isn't as good as the item he's asking you to steal, but if you want to be a completitionist you could always give him Algernon's Cloak and keep the Nymph Cloak you can get from Abela or Halbazzer Drin. Or better yet, you could just ignore this quest entirely and save yourself the bother. Note: If you do not have a Thief in your party when you talk to Pheirkas, he'll simply say "Hmm, I prefer not to work with amateurs." To get him to give you the task mentioned above, you'll need to bring a Thief-and for some reason, a dual-classed Imoen doesn't count. ***ITEMS*** (AR0167) (x=400, y=150) 6 gold --- (AR0168) (x=200, y=300) 5 gold (x=100, y=300) Leather Armor, Small Shield ***REWARD*** (For giving Pheirkas Algernon's Cloak) EXP 300 Gold 200 Note from Peter: I don't see any problem here. Give Pheirkas the Cloak and then simply kill him. You get 420 experience and your Cloak back. He also drops a Chain Mail, a Buckler, a Battle Axe, 15x Throwing Axes and 38 gold. Twin's House (AR0162) o======================================================================o 22) Head over to the large house at (x=2750, y=2300). Inside are two twins named Laerla and Louise. Talk to either one to find out that some spooks are spying on them. Shortly thereafter a Mage named Gervisse will appear, and tell you about a Druid named Voltine who is trying to abduct the twins. Shortly thereafter Voltine appears, and if you talk to her, she accuses you of being a peeping tom, like Gervisse. So, who to believe? A simple Detect Evil spell points Gervisse out as a bad guy, so he's probably the one worth killing. If you kill Gervisse, he'll drop a Mage Robe of Fire Resistance, a Dagger, and 72 gold. Talk to Voltine for a Wand of Polymorphing as a reward. If you kill Voltine, she'll drop a Wand of Polymorphing, a Quarter Staff, and 24 gold. Gervisse will thank you, but won't reward you. I'm typically in favor of killing them both, then robbing the house. ***ITEMS*** (x=450, y=400) Splint Mail +1 (x=350, y=670) 63 gold ***REWARD*** (For siding with Voltine) Item Wand of Polymorphing Quinn's House (AR0157)/(AR0158) o======================================================================o 23) Over at (x=3670, y=2200) you'll find Quinn's House, and fittingly enough, inside is a Halfling named Quinn. He'll ask you to find some possession of his friend. Remember that Ankheg north of Tenya's house, with Nester's Dagger amongst its loot? That's the dagger he wants. Give it to him for a reward. Now, if you'll remember Eldoth wanted to rescue/kidnap his girlfriend from her father, one Entar Silvershield. His house is in the north-western corner. If you want to get his gal-pal Skie to join you, you're going to have to bring Eldoth along and leave a space for Skie as well. ***ITEMS*** (AR0157) (x=400, y=150) Scroll of Horror, 13 gold --- (AR0158) (x=310, y=400) Potion of Magic Protection (x=100, y=300) Longbow +1, Arrows x20, 6 gold ***REWARD*** (For giving Quinn Nester's Dagger) EXP 950 Item Shandon Gem Reputation +1 Entar Silvershield's Estate, Downstairs (AR0101) o======================================================================o 24) Enter the large house at (x=1150, y=1650) and head over to the south-west. You'll be questioned by a guard on your way. Pick option #1 and continue on your way, if you wish... but there's no reputation penalty for killing them, and if they're dead, they can't get pissy if you steal things. Also, in the Enhanced Edition the Servants wandering about will no longer turn hostile if they see you killing a guard, they will just leave the building... which is a double-win, since they then won't be able to report you for stealing. If you touch a rich guy's jewels, they call the guards, but if you kill a rich guy's guards... nobody cares. Make sense. Anyways, head up the stairs at (x=500, y=1400). ***ITEMS*** (x=500, y=950) Moonbar Gem, Potion of Magic Blocking, Tainted Potion of Invulnerability, 254 gold (x=350, y=1050) Star Diopside Gem, Gold Necklace, Studded Necklace with Zios Gems, 385 gold ***ENHANCED EDITION*** It's worth noting that in the Enhanced Edition, unarmed peasants will no longer turn hostile and wander stupidly into corners-now that they can flee areas-and have some self-preservation instincts-they'll simply bolt for the nearest area exit when fighting starts... no turning hostile, no hassle. Entar Silvershield's Estate, Upstairs (AR0102) o======================================================================o 25) Here you'll find Skie wandering around in the south-eastern part of the level. If Eldoth is in your party, she'll recognize him and offer to join your party. If not, she'll call for help and armed guards will appear and attack. If he's in your party, but downstairs, you'll get to meet Biff the Understudy if you talk to her. Biff is a device Bioware inserted to handle conversations when one of the required participants isn't present. Neat-o. Whether you recruit Skie or not, case the house for goodies. Be careful not to alert guards, some of these treasure can be tricky due to the high number of narky servants milling about. Also, expect the locks to be top-notch. Rich people can afford fancy and effective locks to keep their riches in their britches. Heh. You'll also find a lady named Brilla, (x=1650, y=300) in the north-western part of the level. She'll initiate dialogue with you, and if you pick dialogue option #3, she'll summon some guards for you to play with. Options #1, #2, and #4 can convince her to stay cool... if you get a good enough reaction from her. You should know the drill by now-talk to her with a high Charisma character, with a good party reputation. Dialogue option #4 will, with a sufficiently charming character, score you some tongue-kiss action... what a slutty wife! ***ITEMS*** (x=550, y=1250) Cloak of Protection +1, 308 gold (x=470, y=1300) Pearl Necklace, Black Opal, Water Opal, Potion of Freedom, Elixir of Health, Oil of Quickness, 359 gold (x=610, y=1200) Larel's Tear Necklace, 154 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 26) If you recruited Skie for Eldoth, he'll eventually tell you that Entar has agreed to pay ransom for Skie, and that you should head to the Blade and Stars (AR1300)/(AR0105) (x=200, y=650) and meet with a man named Elkart for the ransom money. Elkart is on the first floor at (x=120, y=270), and as promised, every two days he'll cough up 1000 gold. You can do this up to eight times, as on the ninth he'll call up a pack of six Flaming Fist Enforcers. Still 8000 gold is nothing to turn your nose up at. Tavern and Inn (AR0165)/(AR0166) o======================================================================o 27) And now, of course, comes the looting of (AR0100). To start our looting spree out, head over to the Tavern and Inn at (x=3000, y=1650). Inside you'll be bothered by a man named Connoly Finn, who will, if you ask about the tales being thrown about the bar lately, tell you of the common practice of blackmailing slumming nobles in the Undercellar... also warning against the practice, because, of course, if they can afford to pay you, they can afford to pay somebody else to shut you up forever-like. Sounds familiar, no? Anyways, upstairs (x=400, y=200) is where the loot is, as well as a peasant named Borinole Mann (x=600, y=280) whose name is almost certainly a pun for the fact that- with any prompting-he will babble at length about his past adventuring days. ***ITEMS*** (x=350, y=500) 8 gold (x=200, y=400) Potion of Defense (x=450, y=420) 3 gold (x=550, y=350) Dagger, Throwing Daggers x25 (x=400, y=220) Silver Necklace, 6 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 28) Once that ordeal is over with, it's time to loot the unnamed places on the map. Yeah, I know we've neglected the Helm and Cloak, but we'll get to it shortly... when we have more reason to go there. Near Entar Silvershield's Estate you'll find the Night Club +1, a simple +1 weapon that gives a +2 bonus to THAC0 at night. Once you're done looting the outside, it's time to hit some interiors. There are five houses to loot, counting (AR0155) (x=1280, y=2600) and (AR0156) (x=1280, y=2450) separately since they both have their own entrances... even if they do have interior connecting stairs. Normal two-level, one entrance houses can be found at (AR0159)/(AR0160) (x=4180, y=2380), (AR0163)/(AR0164) (x=2970, y=1170) and (AR0169)/(AR0170) (x=850, y=2800). ***ITEMS*** (AR0100) (x=890, y=2820) 16 gold (x=1620, y=2600) Scroll of Color Spray (x=1900, y=3150) 22 gold (x=580, y=2120) 34 gold (x=500, y=2070) Night Club +1 (x=350, y=1700) Cursed Scroll of Foolishness (x=2240, y=1740) History of Shadowdale XIII --- (AR0155) (x=400, y=250) Splint Mail --- (AR0156) (x=200, y=330) History of the Ulgarth, 22 gold --- (AR0160) (x=540, y=120) Potion of Healing (x=490, y=70) 15 gold (x=300, y=350) Throwing Dagger x3 (x=200, y=250) Quarterstaff, 10 gold --- (AR0163) (x=350, y=100) 12 gold (x=440, y=120) Studded Necklace with Zios Gems, 8 gold (x=550, y=200) Potion of Insight, 10 gold --- (AR0164) (x=350, y=100) Bloodstone Gem, Dagger, 23 gold --- (AR0169) (x=300, y=330) The Protector +1 --- (AR0170) (x=540, y=120) Tiger Cowrie Shell Necklace (x=300, y=350) 8 gold (x=200, y=250) Light Crossbow, 11 gold When you're done being a menace to society (or at least taking a brief break), head over to the central area of Baldur's Gate (AR0700). It's time to get some premium gear before we're done with the game's namesake city. Again, there's another large fight in the next Sequence of Events, so have all the best spell buffs prepared. You know, Haste, Protection from Evil 10' Radius, Defensive Harmony, and all that good stuff. Also, have Call Woodland Beings and Animate Dead-it's one of THOSE big fights. o======================================================================o | | | Baldur's Gate: Balduran's Gear and the Iron Throne Headquarters | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK024} 1) Unpetrifying 2) Rival Adventurers 3) Robbing Amn Blind 4) The Helm of Balduran 5) Degrodel's Deserts 6) Fallen Saint 7) Scar's Third Mission 8) A Ring for Fergus 9) A Little Extra Loot 10) Preparation 11) The Iron Throne 12) Basement 13) The Second Level 14) The Third Level 15) The Fourth Level 16) Sarevok's Acolytes 17) Hunting the Throne Felonius Gist's Manor (AR0719) o======================================================================o 1) Enter the house at (x=1750, y=1000). You'll notice a number of statues around the place, just waiting to be turned back into people. Oblige them with the scrolls Degrodel gave you and talk to the Elf warrior at (x=750, y=160). If you pick option #3, you'll get a small experience reward, but nothing else. If you pick options #1, #2, and #3 he'll tell you where to find another powerful item, the Cloak of Balduran. If you pick options #1, #2, #2 and #2 he'll give you a Letter that contains a clue to the helmet's location, and to the cloaks'. You clearly want both items, however. My suggestion? Pick Pocket the Letter from the Elf warrior while he's still petrified, then deal with the unpetrified adventurers however you wish. If you decide to deal with them by using a little violence, you'll score the following loot: Elf Fighter (Vail): Plate Mail, Medium Shield, Long Sword and 64 gold. Human Fighter: Plate Mail, Small Shield, Long Sword and 64 gold. Human archer: Splint Mail, 30 Arrows of Ice, Longbow, Bastard Sword and 49 gold Human archer: Splint Mail, Acid Arrows x5, Arrows of Piercing x4, Arrows +1 x20, Longbow, Bastard Sword, and 49 gold. Human Mage: Mage Robe of Electrical Resistance, two Potions of Healing, Quarterstaff, Darts x10 and 102 gold. I typically just kill them and take the letter. In any event, the helmet is hidden in the Helm and Cloak Inn, so head back to the north-western area (AR0100). Make sure you nab the Angel Skin Ring from the table before you leave. ***REWARD*** (For unpetrifying Vail) EXP 500 Item Letter* *Only gain via dialogue options #1, #2, #2 and #2. ***ITEMS*** (x=900, y=300) Angel Skin Ring, 102 gold Helm and Cloak (AR0116)/(AR0117)/(AR0118) o======================================================================o 2) Enter the Helm and Cloak at (x=3550, y=2900). At (x=700, y=640) you'll find Gorpel Hind. Talk to him and pick option #1 to join in his good-natured adventury bragging. A party will appear near the entrance led by Gretek, who will represent the BAD side of braggart adventurers. Pick option #1 with them to pick a fight. Don't be afraid to go heavy with the spell-buffs, as Haste and Confusion will go a long way to winning this fight in style. Gretek: Plate Mail, Large Shield, Battle Axe of Mauletar +2, Scroll of Detect Evil and 48 gold. Arlin: Splint Mail, Helmet, Medium Shield, War Hammer and 50 gold. Wilf: Adventurer's Robe, Greenstone Ring, Quarterstaff and 95 gold. Pargus: Bracers of Defense A.C. 7, Bloodstone Ring, Long Sword +1 and 86 gold. Nader: Studded Leather, Arrows of Fire +2 (varies), Arrows (varies), Shortbow, Dagger and 23 gold. Caturak: Plate Mail, Arrows of Ice (varies), Arrows (varies), a Silver Ring, a Composite Long Bow, a Short Sword and 16 gold. Most of this loot is just good for selling, but if you have Kagain in your party, I'm sure he'll enjoy that Battle Axe +2. ***ITEMS*** (x=1000, y=200) Garnet, Black Opal, 450 gold ***ENHANCED EDITION*** In the original game, you could talk to Gorpel Hind multiple times before talking to Gretek, hence causing multiple copies of Gretek's group to spawn. This allowed you to harvest their gear and experience several times over. This has been fixed in the Enhanced Edition. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) Head upstairs (x=800, y=800) and you'll come to a level that is blocked off due to the status of the inhabitant. The guards are just for show though, you can walk right in and harass the noblewoman as you please. If you pick option #1 you can rob her. You'll gain 189 gold but lose two points of reputation. She's kind of a bitch, so don't feel bad if you choose to go for it. You can also kill the guards without losing reputation, if you want to rob the room (or if they're just getting in the way.) ***ITEMS*** (x=480, y=280) Angel Skin Ring, 195 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) Now go back downstairs and head up the stairs in the back of the Inn (x=600, y=400). Search and disarm the painting (x=640, y=180) to claim the Helm of Balduran for your own. It's an awesome helm for this game, giving a bonus to Armor Class, five extra Hit Points, a bonus to all your saving throws, and a bonus to your THAC0. Best of all, you can wear it in conjunction with magical armor/other magical protections. I typically give this helmet to my main character out of favoritism, but it can go on nearly any fighting character. ***TRAPS*** (x=640, y=180) ***ITEMS*** (x=640, y=180) Helm of Balduran <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 5) Now return to Degrodel. Obviously, you don't want to give up the helmet. If you talk to him with the helmet equipped, he'll take the helmet and summon some Doom Guards and an Invisible Stalker to escort you out. Prick. Why he would do this AND pay you is beyond me... Anyways, there's nothing to stop you from killing Degrodel, in which case he'll drop a Mage Robe of Electrical Resistance, a Quarter Staff, and 98 gold. Of course, the best option is to surround him, spell buff, and give him the helm. Trap him with your party and kill him. Sure, you won't get as much experience for killing a non-hostile Degrodel, but the beasties he summons will make up for it. Plus, this way you keep the Helm of Balduran AND get the 5000 gold piece pay day. Nice. ***REWARD*** (For giving Degrodel the Helm of Balduran) Gold 5000 The Undercellar (AR0112) o======================================================================o 6) Return to the Blushing Mermaid (AR0300) and enter the area at (x=100, y=400) to reach the Undercellar. You can find Quenash at (x=1310, y=1310). If you got the note from Vail legitimately, she'll ask you to describe him for her. Describe him as a blonde Elf to get the cloak. Or... you could just steal it from her. Either way, the Cloak of Balduran is a cloak that improves your Armor Class and saves by one, and gives 25% magic resistance. This also goes to my protagonist, who has few enough ways to obtain an Armor Class boost. Flaming Fist Compound, Upstairs (AR0608) o======================================================================o 7) Go so the south-western area of Baldur's Gate (AR1100) and talk to Scar (x=1560 y=1440) in front of the Flaming Fist Compound. He'll take you to see Eltan, one of the Grand Dukes of Baldur's Gate. He'll offer to pay you 2000 gold to gather evidence of the Iron Throne's mischief from their headquarters in the city. Ah, sweet, sweet incentive. Accept and head out. Note: If you loot this area BEFORE talking to Scar, there won't be anybody around to squeal on you-Duke Eltan doesn't appear until you talk to Scar and accept to look in on the Iron Throne, as a Flaming Fist Mercenary will inform you when you leave the upstairs area (only if you come here before talking to Scar, however.) ***ITEMS*** (x=620, y=280) Large Shield, Dagger, 180 gold (x=510, y=400) Medium Shield +1, Short Sword, 550 gold (x=500, y=480) Splint Mail +1, Long Sword, 354 gold (x=200, y=330) Dagger, Sling, 10 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) On the way down talk to a blonde Flaming Fist mercenary named Fergus, who will mention needing an Angel Skin Ring for his lady. I can think of at least two we've found recently, so talk to him again to give him one for a reward. ***REWARD*** (For hooking Fergus up with an Angel Skin Ring) EXP 800 Reputation +1 Flaming Fist Compound, Basement o======================================================================o 9) Now head down the trap door at (x=1150, y=800) to reach the basement. Loot the chest at (x=770, y=300) for a Halberd +1, and a suit of Chain Mail +1. A little extra loot never hurt anybody, right? ***ITEMS*** (x=770, y=300) Halberd +1, Chain Mail +1, Long Sword, Small Shield <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 10) I go and drop off whatever excess loot I have at the local merchants before heading into the Iron Throne building... don't want to score some new loot and not have any room for it, do I? I grab some Arrows of Detonation from Sorcerous Sundries as well, which I use in appropriate situations in lieu of a Fireball, since I usually can't be bothered to keep one prepared... not when Haste, Slow, and Dispel Magic are all more practical alternatives. It might be very expensive to load up on enough to give two or three archers a decent stack, but at this point in the game I have almost 100,000 gold and nothing better to spend it on than magical arrows, scrolls, potions, and other limited-use items. Once I have fourty I'm satisfied... I really don't have much of a choice anyways, that's as many as you can get your hands on. Do NOT use them frivolously, as they are great tools for softening up strong parties of enemies. When you are fully prepared, rested, etc, head to the southern area (AR1200) and enter the Iron Throne building (x=400, y=600). Iron Throne Headquarters, 1st Floor (AR0616) o======================================================================o 11) When you enter a merchant named Triadore will bother you, rambling about madness in the building. Pay him some coin and he'll tell you that Sarevok's acolytes are up on the 5th floor with one Thaldorn, and that there are two priests, two Mages, and two warriors. Sounds like... a lot of magic in one party. We'll just have to fight fire with... Arrows of Detonation! (And Haste, Slow, Confusion, Animate Dead, and all that jazz.) There are also guards around that will bother you. Pick options #1 or #4 to bribe them into leaving you alone, or options #2 or #3 to bluff your way past, or option #5 to indiscreetly start slaying things. First head down to the basement at (x=1300, y=720). Note: With my evil party, I had some trouble convincing the guards to leave me alone, another rare instance where Charisma comes into play. With Ajantis I had no trouble sweet-talking the guards, but with Jaheira leading the group... just be sure she's wearing Algernon's Cloak and the Helm of Glory, if you wish to convince the guards. Iron Throne Headquarters, Basement (AR0611) o======================================================================o 12) You'll be bothered by a guard. Just pick options #1 or #2 to have him go away and loot the two large chests. When you're done, go back upstairs and up to the second level (x=800, y=200). ***ITEMS*** (x=150, y=320) Potion of Genius, Potion of Insulation, Tainted Antidote, Potion of Storm Giant Strength, 100 gold. (x=200, y=200) Scroll of Protection from Acid, Scroll of Protection from Cold, 255 gold Iron Throne Headquarters, 2nd Floor (AR0612) o======================================================================o 13) You'll be bothered by more guards. Pick option #2 to avoid a fight. If you keep picking the second option, he'll let you in on his suspicion that people are 'changing faces' up there. Sounds like Doppelgangers again. Head up the stairs to the third level (x=800, y=200). Iron Throne Headquarters, 3rd Floor (AR0613) o======================================================================o 14) Another level, another nosy guard. Pick option #1 to bribe him, or options #2 or #3 to bluff... or option #4 to pick a fight. You'll also be bothered by a man named Nortuary, who asks to see Reiltar. Deal with him however you wish. You'll also find some whale of a lady named Emissary Tar, who seeks the stairs to the fifth floor... she must not have good eyesight when it comes to things other than food. When you're done with all that, head upstairs again (x=800, y=200). Iron Throne Headquarters, 4th Floor (AR0614) o======================================================================o 15) Awfully close to that 5th level now... spooky. A manling named Destus Gurn will approach and confuse you for Emissary Tar. He'll tell you about the inhabitants of the next level, one Zhalimar Cloudwulfe, Gardush, Naaman, Diyab, Aasim, and Alai. He'll also mention one Thaldorn and some Lyle person. If you interact with the Bartender, be sure not to pick option #4, as it'll make him go hostile... and killing him causes you to lose reputation. Anyways, loot about and head to the staircase. ***ITEMS*** (x=900, y=400) Scroll of Hold Person, Scroll of Stinking Cloud, Scroll of Flame Arrow (x=1130, y=500) Scroll of Know Alignment, Scroll of Shield, Scroll of Protection from Petrification Iron Throne Headquarters, 5th Floor (AR0615) o======================================================================o 16) Now for the big fight... The Enhanced Edition has required a bit of a change in tactics. Since foes can now come down stairs, you can't cheaply pelt them with explosions until they falter, but of course, there's an equally cheap way to win now-prepare downstairs, complete with Summon Woodland Beings and Animate Dead, then lure your foes downstairs, where you can deal with them from a superior defensive position. Of course, that's still lame, and there are plenty of stupid NPCs and tables to get in the way, so I still prefer to take them on directly on the 5th-level. Before heading upstairs, I equip Arrows of Detonation on my archers (Minsc and Imoen), and buff with Protection from Evil 10' Radius, Remove Fear, and Haste. The evil party just has to do without the arrows. When ready, head upstairs at (x=800, y=200). First, I make sure my party AI is off, so I can micromanage this fight, then I focus my archers on Diyab, equipped with Arrows of Detonation. Their purpose firstly is to disrupt the enemy casters, and second to deal a bit of damage. I only intend to have them shoot off one round's worth of arrows, however. While they're doing this, Jaheira begins casting Summon Woodland Beings, my protagonist lets loose with Confusion if he has it, or Horror if not, while Viconia casts a Silence 15' Radius near Diyab. Ajantis stays put. Don't worry about hitting Emissary Tar, she's a Doppelganger. Diyab, Naaman, and the Doppelganger go down immediately under the onslaught and hopefully some spells are disrupted. For the second round I switch to normal arrows and have Imoen cast Confusion, my main character casts Horror, Viconia casts Animate Dead, Minsc targets Aasim, and Jaheira moves to engage Alai while Ajantis targets Zhalimar. Aasim dies shortly thereafter, while Imoen and my main character ready a double shot of Confusion and Slow, and Viconia casts Protection from Evil 10' Radius. Now I move in to finish off the remaining three, who are injured, outnumbered, out-matched, and without a vast majority of their spell buffs. Alai dies next, and my party (and summons) converge upon the two remaining warriors. They fall quickly in what can be described only as a glorious rout... although not as glorious as in the non-Enhanced Edition version. Ah well, I chalk it up to the randomness of combat. Minsc takes some damage from Zhalimar and four Arrows of Detonation are expended in the name of justice. [VIDEO] Haeravon Plays: Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition - Sarevok's Acolytes Fight (Good Party) {VID002} http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQGP0FNpT6Q My evil party has a more difficult time of it, since I have no dedicated archers, and hence, no Arrows of Detonation. Instead of making a poor attempt at copying the good party tactic, I just ignore it and try something else. What I lack in missile fire, I more than make up for in melee prowess and spell power, and I use the latter to start the fight out. Kagain attacks Zhalimar and Dorn attack Aasim, occupying the wings of the enemy, while Viconia targets a Silence 15' Radius north-west of Diyab, Jaheira tries to summon a Nymph via Summon Woodland Beings, my protagonist casts Horror, and Edwin drops a Confusion. After the first round, my protagonist and Edwin repeat with another bout of Horror/Confusion, while Jaheira and Viconia enter melee combat, attacking any foes not affected by debilitating spells, while the Nymph I just summoned drops yet another Confusion. By now, the fight should either be very well in hand, or something must have gone awry. Edwin casts yet another Confusion if he has it, or Slow if not, while my protagonist enters melee combat... which this fight has now largely become. It's highly unlikely that Edwin's pair of Confusion spells didn't affect at least half the enemies, and the remaining threats can be exterminated in detail. It's not as clean of a victory, but it's a solid one, nonetheless. [VIDEO] Haeravon Plays: Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition - Sarevok's Acolytes Fight (Evil Party) {VID003} http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Feg6IQNoGt4 Zhalimar: Plate Mail, Helmet, Arrows x20, Scroll, Suryris's Blade +2, Composite Longbow and 68 gold. Gardush: Plate Mail, Medium Shield, Long Sword and 63 gold. Alai: Edventar's Gift (aka Ring of Free Action), Wand of Lightning, Scroll of Minor Sequencer, War Hammer, Throwing Daggers x20 and 65 gold. Diyab: Leather Armor, Small Shield, Oil of Fiery Burning, Potion of Perception, Antidote, a War Hammer +1 and 95 gold. Naaman: Bracers of Defense A.C. 7, Scroll of Confusion, Scroll of Protection From Normal Missiles, Scroll of Protection from Undead, Scroll of Know Alignment, Scroll of Vocalize, Scroll of Dispel Magic, Scroll of Fireball, Throwing Daggers x20, Dagger and 66 gold. Aasim: Studded Leather, Potion of Stone Giant Strength, Wand of the Heavens, Mace +1 and 95 gold. Now, for the dispensation of the loot-Viconia gets Edventar's Gift, and this is for good reason. Clerics are the main debuffers in any party- poison, paralysis, damage, disease, whatever it might be... if they are paralyzed themselves, they obviously can't help other characters out, can they? On the downside, it means they can't be Hasted. Since Viconia is, at best, a secondary combatant, I don't feel like it hinders my offensive powers too much to deny her this buff. The new spell here is Minor Spell Sequencer, one of a great group of spells. The only one, in fact, that you'll find in this game. It essentially allows you to string several lower-level spells together in one casting. I give this to my protagonist for defensive purposes, so they can string Blur and Mirror Image together into one quick casting. Alternatively, if you feel you need a bit of offense, you can give it to Imoen/Edwin and use it to string two Magic Missiles or Melf's Acid Arrows together... but I'd rather just leave the casting of higher level debuffs-like Chaos and Slow-to them. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 17) You'll find Thaldorn at (x=950, y=610), who will spill some information about the Iron Throne and beg for you to let him go. He's evil and he's one of the Iron Throne's leaders. There's no way I let him leave with his life. Kill him and loot him for a suit of Studded Leather +1, a Potion of Agility, a Short Sword +1, and 350 gold. ***ITEMS*** (x=1100, y=710) Letter, Letter, Scroll of Lightning Bolt Scroll of Hold Person. Search the desk at (x=1100, y=710) for some evidence and loot. You may want to rest up, sell some gear, and get ready for more story before you report back to Duke Eltan. When you exit the Iron Throne building, a Flaming Fist mercenary named Caedmon will prompt you to return (as if you've forgotten!) When you're ready report back to Eltan. When you reach him, pick options #3 or #4 to continue on with the story. He'll decide that the only option is to find Reiltar at Candlekeep, and give you a book that will allow you admittance, along with your promised quest reward. You'll immediately be whisked away to the outskirts of Candlekeep, and Chapter 5 comes to a close. ***REWARD*** (For reporting back to Duke Eltan after dealing with the Iron Throne) GOLD 2000 Item History of the Nether Scrolls Note from Peter: Just to mention it. You can also steal the History of the Nether Scrolls from Duke Eltan. o======================================================================o | Chapter 6 | o======================================================================o | | | Return to Candlekeep | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK025} 1) The Long Road Home 2) Trouble in Paradise 3) Cadderly Chat 4) So Sayeth the Wise Alaundo 5) Tsinogatna Eht 6) Leaders of the Throne 7) Doppelganger in Disguise 8) The Truth of the Dreams 9) Scapegoat Candlekeep (AR2600) o======================================================================o 1) Go talk to the Keeper of the Portal (x=4520, y=2650) and give him the book Eltan gave to you. This will get you back into Candlekeep. You can meet your old friends, see the old locales, even collect some old loot that has respawned... Namely the two Potions of Healing at the Hospital (AR2605) and the scrolls and Diamond in the Candlekeep Inn (AR2616)/(AR2617). Priest's Quarters (AR2627) o======================================================================o 2) Head into the house where you fought Shank (x=2950, y=400) to find a Priest of Oghma studying a dead cat. Select dialogue option #1 repeatedly until he gets annoyed and attacks you. He'll change shape, revealing that he's a Doppelganger. Somehow, I don't suspect our return home is going to be a happy one. Furthermore if you try to enter the Barracks (AR2618) you'll be prevented and called a chimp from something inside... what else typically uses such slurs... "Your time is done, primate!" Hmm... Also in the Bunkhouse (AR2607) you'll find Parda, who will claim that something is wrong in Candlekeep. Head to the keep when you're done reminiscing and looting. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) Towards the middle of Candlekeep-in front of the keep-you'll meet Cadderly. What? You didn't expect BOTH R.A. Salvatore's Forgotten Realms protagonists to make an appearance? Too bad. Talk to him and he'll tell you a good bit of fluff. Head into the keep (x=2600, y=1650). Candlekeep, First Floor (AR2608) o======================================================================o 4) You'll find Karan at (x=1540, y=940). If you ask him if he's seen anything strange he'll tell you about some Koveras fellow and mention that he was reciting Alaundo's prophecies from memory. You'll find some of said prophecies on bookshelves to the north. Over at (x=900, y=880) you'll find Theodon and Jessup (x=970, y=820), who will recount some days of your apparently adventurous youth. Head up the stairs (x=1250, y=950) and head to the upper level. ***ITEMS*** (x=1850, y=750) Letter, Scroll of Vocalize (x=1700, y=650) Letter, Scroll of Chill Touch (x=880, y=1300) Scroll of Web (x=550, y=1050) Scroll of Knock Candlekeep, Second Floor (AR2609) o======================================================================o 5) A monk named Bendalis will approach you when you arrive on this floor and will also spread his worries about people being out of sorts. He'll also mention the Iron Throne merchants and Koveras. You can also find a chanter at (x=730, y=810) who will tell you about weird things in the keep, namely Alaundo's tomb hidden underneath the library. A reader (x=550, y=580) will let you know that the Iron Throne leaders are on the third floor. The real point of interest in this level is Koveras, however, who is at (x=1480, y=750). Talk to him and pick options #2, #2 and #2 to find out that Koveras knows a little too much about the night Gorion was murdered. Of course, if you accept his trinket you'll get a 'Koveras'Ring of Protection +1'. You could always steal it from him though. After you're done talking and looting, head upstairs to the third level (x=1200, y=970). ***ITEMS*** (x=1300, y=1290) Scroll of Chromatic Orb (x=1100, y=540) Scroll of Luck (x=800, y=380) Scroll of Melf's Acid Arrow (x=600, y=850) Scroll of Mirror Image Candlekeep, Third Floor (AR2610) o======================================================================o 6) On this level you'll find the leaders of the Iron Throne. Unfortunately there's no fighting in Candlekeep-blood on the books and all-so you'll have to leave them be for now. Unless you don't care whether you end up looking like a bad guy. At (x=780, y=620) is Tuth, Brunos is at (x=800, y=520), Kestor is at (x=700, y=5500) and finally, the big cheese Rieltar is at (x=730, y=530). If you bug Kestor too much, he'll go hostile on you, and save you the burden of guilt being the aggressor would force you to bear. Don't fight them just now, you'll want to explore the upper levels first, and if you kill them now you'll be apprehended upon reaching the fourth (next) level. Leave them alone for now and head up the stairs at (x=1400, y=1050). Tuth: Plate Mail, Medium Shield +1, Long Sword +1 and 98 gold. Brunos: Chain Mail +1, Medium Shield +1, Potion of Frost Giant Strength, Morning Star +1 and 256 gold. Kestor: Studded Leather, Darts of Stunning x15, Darts x20 and 105 gold. Rieltar: Potion of Genius, Potion of Clarity, Dagger and 510 gold. ***ITEMS*** (x=1270, y=1470) Scroll of Luck (x=1750, y=600) Scroll of Shield (x=850, y=200) Scroll of Identify Candlekeep, Fourth Floor (AR2611) o======================================================================o 7) If you didn't kill the Iron Throne leaders yet, you won't be bothered by a Watcher on this level, allowing you to loot. If you did kill them, you'll have to either fight the Watcher or go with him... neither of which are the best of decisions. There's not much to do on this level besides loot. Over at (x=1700, y=1270) you'll find a monk named Shistal. Pick option #1 every time and he'll drop his guise, revealing himself to be a Greater Doppelganger. These guys are just like normal Doppelgangers, but are actually strong in melee. They also cast Mirror Image and Haste before wading into combat, which can make them surprisingly dangerous foes. They are individually capable of causing trouble to any Fighter in the game, and they can be positively bothersome against characters with a higher Armor Class. In groups, you can really have a fight on your hands unless you hit them with a Dispel Magic and/or cast a Haste of your own. This one, however, can be surrounded ahead of time, and wasted before he becomes a problem. At least they give you plenty of experience for the trouble! ***ITEMS*** (x=1270, y=1510) 20 gold (x=1000, y=1320) Potion of Fortitude, 1 gold (x=850, y=1350) Scroll of Grease, Scroll of Blindness (x=750, y=1150) Silver Necklace (x=300, y=1000) Bluestone Necklace (x=800, y=350) Scroll of Web, Scroll of Detect Invisibility (x=1650, y=580) Wand of Fear (x=2200, y=970) Moonstone Gem, 18 gold Candlekeep, Fifth Floor (AR2612) o======================================================================o 8) When you enter this level you'll be approached by a monk named Piato. He'll tell you to check Gorion's room before taking off. Do so, and at (x=660, y=1000) you'll find a letter and some gold. The letter will spill the beans about your paternity and warn you about one Sarevok-a name we've seen on Iron Throne documents. Loot the level and head back to level three (AR2610). Now you can kill the Iron Throne leaders by picking a fight with Keslor, and you really might as well. If you decide to not kill the Iron Throne leaders, read step #9 after heading up the stairs at (x=950, y=750). If you do kill them, when you head back to the fourth level (AR2611) you'll be arrested by a Watcher, instead of the Gatewarden, either way, it'll be covered in Step #9. ***ITEMS*** (x=900, y=1200) Quarterstaff (x=660, y=1000) Letter, 105 gold (x=500, y=800) 9 gold (x=150, y=630) Potion of Defense, 35 gold (x=100, y=650) Cloak of Protection +1 (x=1500, y=800) Gold Necklace Candlekeep, Sixth Floor (AR2614) o======================================================================o 9) As soon as you arrive on this level you'll be apprehended by the Gatewarden and accused of the murders of the Iron Throne's leaders whether you killed them or not (this is one of many reasons why I prefer to kill them myself-at least then I get the loot, experience, and satisfaction of doing the killing, which makes the blame easier to bear). If you try and make a break for it, you'll be pretty decisively smote, so agree to go along with him (option #2.) You'll be taken to a prison and roughly accused by Ulraunt, who obviously has no love for you. He'll also cite some evidence planted on you by 'Koveras'. He threatens to send you to Baldur's Gate, where 'appropriate punishment will be administered'. Well, newsflash, a Grand Duke of Baldur's Gate sent us here in the first place, chump! He'll leave and Tethtoril will show up and rescue you on your father's behalf... Gorion, not your REAL father. Ask Tethtoril about Koveras, and he'll tell you it's the reverse of Sarevok. That bastard! And so off you are whisked to the Candlekeep Catacombs. Note: This area actually has NPCs-Tethtoril, Ulraunt, and the Gatewarden. It also has lootable objects. The gear you can score is pretty mediocre, but it does make me wonder... why? You get arrested as soon as you set foot on this level, so why even bother putting loot here? Also, Ulraunt has some dialogue lines... granted, one-liners that just checks his reaction towards you before he ultimately tells you to get lost (with varying degrees of rudeness), while Tethtoril tells you about the inheritance Gorion left (which you doubtlessly already claimed) or tells you to surrender to the watch if you killed the Iron Throne. Bioware, you never cease amazing me with your arbitrariness... Note from Peter: I think this level was created for people like me, who really like to try out as much as possible. You can kill Ulraunt for 4000 experience, a Wand of Sleep, a Mage Robe of Fire Resistance and a Quaterstaff; Tethtoril for 5000 experience, a Scroll 'Identify' and 125 gold; and the Gatewarden for 975 experience, a Chain Mail, a Buckler and a Club. The downside of these kills? Huge reputation losses... meh. You can steal the Scroll of 'Identify' from Tethoril and the Wand of Sleep from Ulraunt. o======================================================================o | | | Candlekeep Catacombs | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK026} 1) Secret Library 2) Phony Phlydia 3) Tome of Understanding 4) More Looting 5) Manual of Gainful Exercise 6) Corpse Pile 7) Duplicate Dreppin 8) Childhood Copies 9) The False Triad 10) Exit the Catacombs 11) Sarevok's Assassins 12) Spider Dens 13) Basilisk Barricade 14) Spilling the Beans Secret Library (AR2613) o======================================================================o 1) Okay, you've been accused of killing the Iron Throne leaders, whether you actually killed them or not. Sarevok went well out of his way to paint you as an Amnish assassin (the Shadow Thief ring and the gold minted in Amn) and Ulraunt played right into his scheme. You've been whisked away to the bowels of Candlekeep in order to escape, so escape you shall... after this room has been looted, of course. When ready, exit out the door at (x=150, y=150). ***ITEMS*** (x=100, y=220) Scroll of Chromatic Orb, Scroll of Confusion, Scroll of Shadow Door (x=250, y=120) Scroll of Aganazzar's Scorcher, Scroll of Lightning Bolt (x=400, y=170) Scroll of Fireball, Scroll of Monster Summoning II, Scroll of Minor Globe of Invulnerability, Scroll of Identify x2 Candlekeep Catacombs, Level 1 (AR2615) o======================================================================o 2) Head north until you run into Phlydia, who will accuse you of stealing her book before turning into a Doppelganger. This could be a troublesome development... Kill it and you'll come to a room where there are three passages coming off of it. Go south-west first, but keep your game face on. We're in dungeons again. That means monsters and traps, so scout ahead. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) Head down the passage and take the first side-passage to the south. You'll encounter a number of traps, but the loot in the sarcophagus is totally worth it. The second Batalista's Passport goes on another front- liner who may be subject to fire attacks-Ajantis/Kagain should already have one, which leads me to give it to Jaheira, on both the good and evil parties. Tomes are always nice, too. when you're done looting continue down the south-west passage. ***TRAPS*** (x=3120, y=1420) (x=3170, y=1870) (x=3180, y=1880) (x=3220, y=1920) (x=3130, y=2130) ***ITEMS*** (x=3130, y=2130) Studded Necklace with Zios Gems, Bloodstone Ring, Batalista's Passport, Tome of Understanding, Scroll of Protection from Acid <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) Continue down the south-west passage until it terminates in a room. Disarm traps and loot the sarcophagus. Head back up the passage and explore the northern side-passage (opposite the one that led you to the Tome of Understanding.) ***TRAPS*** (x=2620, y=1800) (x=2500, y=1900) ***ITEMS*** (x=2500, y=1900) Oil of Speed, Potion of Invulnerability, Potion of Heroism, Potion of Invisibility, Bloodstone Amulet, Scroll of Protection from Magic <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 5) The passage will turn and curve, but stick to it and ignore all other side-passages... there's nothing down them but traps. Eventually you'll come to a room with four Phase Spiders inside of it. Dispose of them and continue through the room until you get to another, more ornate room. Loot the... uh... hole in the wall for some premium loot, including the long awaited Manual of Gainful Exercise, which boosts your Strength by one point. Now, if your strength is 18, this completely bypasses all the exceptional strength percentiles and gives you a strength of 19. For a character with 18 strength, this could mean going from +1 THAC0 +2 damage to +3 THAC0 +7 damage. That's a HUGE improvement, and it'll pretty much make most any character melee competent. So... if you're a dual-or-multi class character with Strength in the lower percentile, it's fine. You're about to become a powerhouse. My modest 18/74 strength is happily improved... sadly, it took us most of the game to get here, but that's fine, since melee combat becomes much more powerful in the sequel. Also, you'll never need a Girdle of Giant Strength for your main character in the next game. If you're a Mage then you're probably not as excited as everybody else playing this game, but for everybody who is not a single-classed Mage (and who bothered to make sure their Strength was at LEAST 18 before starting the game) this is probably the single greatest stat-boosting item in the game. You'll be reaping the rewards of 19 Strength forever more. I really can't overstate how great this item is, and how much it'll help you in the sequel. I put the Cloak of Protection +2 on Jaheira, who is still rather poorly protected for a front-liner and has been waiting patiently for quite a while for an Armor Class boost. ***TRAPS*** (x=2170, y=1570) (x=2100, y=1600) (x=2100, y=1650) (x=1620, y=1750) (x=1050, y=2100) (x=1800, y=1300) (x=1120, y=1400) (x=650, y=1080) (x=350, y=900) ***ITEMS*** (x=350, y=900) Ruby Ring, Rogue Stone, Cloak of Protection +2, Manual of Gainful Exercise <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) Now I head up the north-western passage. In the side-room to the south-west you'll find a room filled with corpses and two very happy Ghasts. In another side-room to the north you'll find another Ghast. At the end of the hallway you'll find a room filled with Ghasts... about six of them in total. When they're dead loot the pile of bodies and head back to the room where you were attacked by the Phlydia- Doppelganger and go down the north-eastern passage. You'll find that it's a short passage indeed. Exit the area at (x=3900, y=900). ***ITEMS*** (x=900, y=500) Horn Coral Gem, Lynx Eye Gem, Angel Skin Ring, War Hammer +1, Potion of Frost Giant Strength, Potion of Fortitude, Potion of Stone Form, Tainted Antidote, Wand of Fire Candlekeep Catacombs, Level 2 (AR2619) o======================================================================o 7) As soon as you enter Dreppin will approach. He's also a Doppelganger, and you'll have to put him down. This is a large open room with smaller rooms on the northern and southern sides. In the center of the room you'll find Arkanis (x=3600, y=1680) and Deder (x=3550, y=1680). If you pick option #1 they'll tag along with you, if you pick option #2 they'll depart. Stay away from the north-western side of the level for now, as there's an encounter there which will be covered in step #9. First check out the middle-area, which is crawling with Skeleton archers and covered in traps. The Skeletons respawn often, so it might be worth planting your party around where they appear to prevent them from returning. When that's done explore the side-rooms, starting in the north and from east to west, then the south from east to west. ***TRAPS*** (x=3800, y=1800) (x=3400, y=1820) (x=2700, y=1320) (x=2330, y=1000) (x=4000, y=1510) (x=3400, y=1100) Note from Peter: Even though I played the party battle tutorial in the Prologue, I don't feel very connected to Deder and Arkanis. So why not just steal some of their items? You can steal both Potions of Healing from Deder and a Battle Axe, a Longbow and 40x Arrows from Arkanis. I'd consider killing them but unfortunately I'll lose reputation for this act of treason. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) In the north you will find a Reevor-Doppelganger. In the next room you'll find Parda, and in the last room on the top you'll find Fuller. In the south you'll encounter Jondalar. In the next room you'll find Hull, and after that it'll be Karan. After slaughtering Doppelganger- clones of pretty much everybody in the prologue, head on to the north-west. ***TRAPS*** (x=3150, y=2150) ***ITEMS*** (x=3150, y=2150) Scroll of Dispel Magic <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 9) Go up some stairs and you'll find Gorion (x=1880, y=3800), Elminster (x=1940, y=380), and Tethtoril (x=1950, y=330). Obviously, they're not who they say they are. If you continue to doubt their identities, they'll attack. If you agree to follow them they'll lead you down the hallway before attacking. Dispose of the two Doppelgangers and the Greater Doppelganger and continue down the hallway... if you haven't already. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 10) You'll find a long hallway with room on either side. In the first room to the south-east you'll find Winthrop-who is, of course, a Doppelganger. You'll also fight several more Doppelgangers on your way down the passage. Now is a good time to rest up, heal, and leave the catacombs (x=100, y=1000). If you still need money... somehow... you might want to rest here a while to provoke Doppelgangers. They can drop some premium gems and jewelry, such as Emeralds, Pearl Necklaces, and Laeral's Tear Necklaces. They can also occasionally drop 3rd level Mage Spells, if you still need them. In any event, you should make sure you have at least one Protection from Petrification spell prepared before advancing. Candlekeep Caverns (AR5506) o======================================================================o 11) Due south of your location you'll find four of Sarevok's assassins, led by one Prat (x=900, y=520). They're not too bad, but you'll do yourself a favor by spell-buffing and sending your Fighters down different tunnels to attack from. You don't want to make your battle miserable by bottle-necking yourself. I start out by peppering them with status-effecting spells from out of their sight range, and lead off with an Animate Dead to draw their attention. Jump on Prat first, as he'll annoy you with spells if you give him the chance. Prat: Letter, Scroll of Chromatic Orb, Scroll of Detect Evil, Scroll of Luck, Scroll of Resist Fear, Scroll of Mirror Image, a Throwing Axe +2 and 170 gold. Tam: Plate Mail, Acid Arrows x20, Arrows x20, two random pieces of loot (jewelry, gems, etc.) Composite Long Bow, Short Sword and 49 gold. Sakul: one random piece of loot (jewelry, a gem, etc.), Scroll of Strength, Scroll of Ghoul Touch, Scroll of Haste, Scroll of Dire Charm, Scroll of Ghost Armor, a Scroll of Hold Person, Scroll of Slow, Scroll of Wraithform and 139 gold. Bor: Plate Mail, one random piece of loot (jewelry, a gem, etc.), Darts of Stunning x15, Darts x20, Flail and 38 gold. The Throwing Axe +2 is a great ranged weapon for Kagain, but it works fine on any shielded warrior. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 12) Over to the east you'll find a nest of Spiders, including a Phase Spider, a Wraith Spider, and a Sword Spider. This will be easier if you disarm the web traps before going in. To the south-east is another spider's den with two Phase Spiders and another web trap. The last den is to the west, and it is populated by a Sword Spider and a Phase Spider. Finally there's a Phase Spider to the south-west. He doesn't get a den, and I can only assume it's because he's the annoying mooch spider... or maybe he has bad spider flatulence? ***TRAPS*** (x=1300, y=650) (East) (x=1600, y=550) (East) (x=1550, y=1300) (South-East) (x=200, y=950) (West) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 13) In the south are a pair of Greater Basilisks. Make sure to hit somebody with a Protection from Petrification spell before tangling with them. See? We came prepared, because we're awesome like that. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 14) As you head south you'll find Diarmid (x=350, y=2020). He'll mistake you for Prat-one of the guys you just killed. Pick the top options at first to get him to spill the beans on Sarevok and his plans. If you pick the lower options, he'll catch on to the ruse and leave. If you equip everybody with missile weapons you might just be able to shoot him down before he gets away... although there's really not much point, as you'll get little experience for killing a non-hostile and he's got the same loot as any Black Talon Elite. When you're done, exit at (x=300, y=2000). Now that we're done with Chapter 6, Chapter 7 begins. You need to get back to Baldur's Gate and foil whatever Sarevok is plotting... but first, we should do the four major Tales of the Sword Coast quests. Now is a great time, as we have all the goodies from Baldur's Gate and the Manual of Gainful Exercise. Frankly though, taking on Chapter 7 leads right into the endgame, so if you're going to do those quests, you really need to do them now. You have the best gear and you should be damn near the highest level you can attain in the game. You've got the best chance of making your way through Durlag's Tower you can have without cheating. Of course, before we do that, why not finish up every last bit of business and collect every possible piece of loot in the game? By this I mean completing the character-specific quests for the new kids in the Enhanced Edition-Dorn, Neera, and Rasaad. For story purposes... we can say we're letting the whole Iron Throne murder thing cool down so our notoriety dies down a bit before heading to the Gate. GOOD PARTY STATS: TALES OF THE SWORD COAST o======================================================================o Ajantis Paladin 7 Experience: 105220 Max Hit Points: 80 Armor Class: -7 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 7 (-1) Rod/Staff/Wand: 9 (-1) Petrify/Polymorph: 8 (-1) Breath Weapon: 9 (-1) Spells: 10 (-1) Weapon Proficiencies Bastard Sword ++ Long Sword ++ Two-Handed Sword + Longbow + Armor: Full Plate Mail Gloves: The Brawling Hands Helmet: Helm of the Noble +1 Amulet: The Protector +1 Weapon: Varscona +2 (THAC0: 10) Harrower +1 (THAC0: 11) Kondar +1 (THAC0: 11) Shield: Shield of the Falling Stars +1 Ring 1: Batalista's Passport Ring 2: Topsider's Crutch Cloak: Algernon's Cloak Boots: The Paws of the Cheetah Belt: Destroyer of the Hills Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: Potion of Healing x24 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Jaheira Fighter 6/Druid 7 Experience: 54989/54989 Max Hit Points: 77 Armor Class: -3 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 5 (-2) Rod/Staff/Wand: 9 (-2) Petrify/Polymorph: 8 (-2) Breath Weapon: 11 (-2) Spells: 10 (-2) Weapon Proficiencies Dagger ++ Club ++ Quarterstaff + Sling + Armor: Ankheg Plate Mail Gloves: Hands of Takkok Helmet: Helmet Amulet: ... Weapon: Dagger of Venom +2 (THAC0: 9) Sling +1 (THAC0: 14) Shield: Large Shield +1 Ring 1: Batalista's Passport Ring 2: ... Cloak: The Spirit's Shield +2 Boots: The Frost's Embrace Belt: Elves' Bane Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Viconia Cleric 7 Experience: 104925 Max Hit Points: 52 Armor Class: -6 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 3 (-4) Rod/Staff/Wand: 7 (-4) Petrify/Polymorph: 8 (-2) Breath Weapon: 9 (-4) Spells: 10 (-2) Weapon Proficiencies War Hammer + Mace + Sling + Armor: Ankheg Plate Mail Gloves: Xarrnous's Second Sword Arm Helmet: Gift of Peace Amulet: The Protector +1 Weapon: Ashideena +2 (THAC0: 13) The Stupefier +1 (THAC0: 14) Shield: Small Shield +1 Ring 1: Honorary Ring of Sune Ring 2: Edventar's Gift Cloak: Cloak of Displacement Boots: Senses of the Cat Belt: Golden Girdle of Urnst Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Protagonist Fighter 6/Mage 6 Experience: 53266/53266 Max Hit Points: 77 Armor Class: -3 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 6 (-5) Rod/Staff/Wand: 4 (-5) Petrify/Polymorph: 6 (-5) Breath Weapon: 8 (-5) Spells: 5 (-5) Weapon Proficiencies Katana + Flail ++ Two-Weapon Style +++ Armor: Robe of the Neutral Archmagi Gloves: Legacy of the Masters Helmet: Helm of Balduran Amulet: Amulet of Metaspell Influence Weapon: The Thresher +2 (THAC0: 7) Shield: Morning Star +1 (THAC0: 10) Ring 1: Evermemory Ring 2: The Guard's Ring +2 Cloak: Cloak of Balduran Boots: The Paws of the Cheetah Belt: ... Misc 1: Wand of Fire Misc 2: Wand of Monster Summoning Misc 3: Wand of Paralyzation <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Minsc Ranger 7 Experience: 105020 Max Hit Points: 77 Armor Class: 3 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 10 Rod/Staff/Wand: 12 Petrify/Polymorph: 11 Breath Weapon: 12 Spells: 13 Weapon Proficiencies Two-Handed Sword ++ Mace + Longbow ++ Two-Handed Weapon Style + Two-Weapon Style ++ Armor: Telbar's Studded Leather Armor +2 Gloves: Legacy of the Masters Helmet: The Eyes of Truth Amulet: Necklace of Missiles Weapon: Spider's Bane +2 (THAC0: 8) The Dead Shot +2 (THAC0: 9) Shield: ... Ring 1: ... Ring 2: The Victor Cloak: Whispers of Silence Boots: Worn Whispers Belt: Destroyer of the Hills Misc 1: Boo Misc 2: ... Misc 3: Potion of Healing x24 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Imoen Thief 6/Mage 7 Experience: 20000/82793 Max Hit Points: 54 Armor Class: 0 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 10 (-2) Rod/Staff/Wand: 7 (-2) Petrify/Polymorph: 9 (-2) Breath Weapon: 11 (-2) Spells: 8 (-2) Weapon Proficiencies Short Sword + Scimitar, etc. + Shortbow + Dart + Sling + Armor: Robe of the Good Archmagi Gloves: The Dale's Protector Helmet: ... Amulet: Necklace of Missiles Weapon: The Whistling Sword +2 (THAC0: 16) Protector of the Dryads +2 (THAC0: 12) Shield: ... Ring 1: Evermemory Ring 2: Ring of the Princes +1 Cloak: Whispers of Silence Boots: Talos's Gift Belt: ... Misc 1: Wand of Fire Misc 2: ... Misc 3: Wand of Paralysis Things are looking better for the good party. Jaheira has finally made it as a warrior, Imoen has her Thief abilities back, and my protagonist has-by being pampered-obtained a passable Armor Class and become a melee phenom in his own right. Obviously the biggest changes have occurred with Imoen, who now has her bow, and hence her dignity, back. I also find it amusing that three of my characters have 77 Hit Points right now, something I didn't noticed until I hit 'Tab' while in Candlekeep and, due to an accident of party organization, saw a line of twelve 7's floating above their heads. I'm pretty sure I'd get a special bonus if this was a Final Fantasy game... EVIL PARTY STATS: TALES OF THE SWORD COAST o======================================================================o Dorn Blackguard 7 Experience: 101658 Max Hit Points: 68 Armor Class: -3 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 7 (-1) Rod/Staff/Wand: 9 (-1) Petrify/Polymorph: 8 (-1) Breath Weapon: 9 (-1) Spells: 10 (-1) Weapon Proficiencies Two-Handed Sword ++ Crossbow ++ Two-Handed Weapon Style ++ Armor: Full Plate Mail Gloves: Legacy of the Masters Helmet: Helm of the Noble +1 Amulet: ... Weapon: Spider's Bane (THAC0: 7) The Army Scythe +1 (THAC0: 10) Shield: ... Ring 1: Ring of the Princes +1 Ring 2: Batalista's Passport Cloak: Algernon's Cloak Boots: Senses of the Cat Belt: Destroyer of the Hills Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: Potion of Healing x24 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Kagain Fighter 7 Experience: 95529 Max Hit Points: 105 Armor Class: -6 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 4 (-1) Rod/Staff/Wand: 6 (-1) Petrify/Polymorph: 10 (-1) Breath Weapon: 11 (-1) Spells: 7 (-1) Weapon Proficiencies Axe ++++ Flail/Morning Star + Crossbow + Armor: Full Plate Mail Gloves: The Brawling Hands Helmet: The Eyes of Truth Amulet: ... Weapon: Battle Axe of Mauletar +2 (THAC0: 9) Throwing Axe +2 (THAC0: 7) Kondar +1 (THAC0: 15) Shield: Shield of the Falling Stars +1 Ring 1: Ring of the Princes +1 Ring 2: The Victor Cloak: ... Boots: The Paws of the Cheetah Belt: Destroyer of the Hills Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Jaheira Fighter 6/Druid 7 Experience: 48192/48192 Max Hit Points: 77 Armor Class: -3 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 5 (-2) Rod/Staff/Wand: 9 (-2) Petrify/Polymorph: 8 (-2) Breath Weapon: 11 (-2) Spells: 10 (-2) Weapon Proficiencies Scimitar, etc. ++ Club ++ Quarterstaff + Sling + Armor: Ankheg Plate Mail Gloves: Hands of Takkok Helmet: Helmet Amulet: ... Weapon: Rashad's Talon +2 (THAC0: 9) Sling +1 (THAC0: 14) Shield: Large Shield +1 Ring 1: Batalista's Passport Ring 2: Edventar's Gift Cloak: The Spirit's Shield +2 Boots: The Frost's Embrace Belt: Elves' Bane Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Viconia Cleric 7 Experience: 96920 Max Hit Points: 52 Armor Class: -6 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 3 (-4) Rod/Staff/Wand: 7 (-4) Petrify/Polymorph: 8 (-2) Breath Weapon: 9 (-4) Spells: 10 (-2) Weapon Proficiencies War Hammer + Mace + Sling + Armor: Ankheg Plate Mail Gloves: Xarrnous's Second Sword Arm Helmet: Gift of Peace Amulet: The Protector +1 Weapon: Ashideena +2 (THAC0: 13) The Stupefier +1 (THAC0: 14) Shield: Small Shield +1 Ring 1: Honorary Ring of Sune Ring 2: Edventar's Gift Cloak: Cloak of Displacement Boots: ... Belt: Golden Girdle of Urnst Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Protagonist Fighter 6/Mage 5/Thief 6 Experience: 33887/33887/33887 Max Hit Points: 67 Armor Class: -3 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 6 (-5) Rod/Staff/Wand: 6 (-5) Petrify/Polymorph: 6 (-5) Breath Weapon: 8 (-5) Spells: 7 (-5) Weapon Proficiencies Long Sword ++ Katana + Two-Weapon Style +++ Armor: Robe of the Evil Archmagi Gloves: Legacy of the Masters Helmet: Helm of Balduran Amulet: The Amplifier Weapon: Varscona +2 (THAC0: 7) Shield: Long Sword +1 (THAC0: 10) Ring 1: Evermemory Ring 2: The Guard's Ring +2 Cloak: Cloak of Balduran Boots: The Paws of the Cheetah Belt: ... Misc 1: Wand of Fire Misc 2: ... Misc 3: Wand of Paralyzation <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Edwin Conjurer 8 Experience: 93975 Max Hit Points: 48 Armor Class: 5 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 12 (-1) Rod/Staff/Wand: 8 (-1) Petrify/Polymorph: 10 (-1) Breath Weapon: 12 (-1) Spells: 9 (-1) Weapon Proficiencies Quarterstaff + Sling + Armor: Robe of the Evil Archmagi Gloves: ... Helmet: ... Amulet: Edwin's Amulet Weapon: Aule's Staff +3 (THAC0: 15) Sling of Unerring Accuracy (THAC0: 16) Shield: ... Ring 1: ... Ring 2: ... Cloak: Whispers of Silence Boots: Talos's Gift Belt: ... Misc 1: Wand of Fire Misc 2: Wand of Monster Summoning Misc 3: Wand of Paralyzation A bit of a shift in experience with my evil party this time around, they now have a bit less than my good party. This is because I didn't spend as much time in Baldur's Gate with them as my good party did-I didn't comb everything, search every container, do every quest... but still, not far enough behind to matter, and I was sure to collect all the worthwhile gear. Most of my characters won't get much better from here on. Significant upgrades beyond this point are few and far between, and most of them have one more level to gain before they're done. Edwin can look forward to gaining 5th-level spells, Jaheira will improve her Armor Class slightly, Kagain will gain a significant boost to his Strength, and Dorn will find a superior weapon... but for the most part, if we can't tackle any foe in this game yet, it's probably a matter of execution, not power. o======================================================================o | | | Enhanced Edition character Quests | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK027} 1) Dorn's Revenge 2) Taris' Abducted Husband 3) A Necromancer Lurks Nearby... 4) Killing Kryll 5) Slaughtering Simmeon 6) Taming the Wild Mage 7) Strange Things Afoot 8) Magreb's Goblin Woes 9) Cartoon Conjurers 10) Into the Caves 11) Goblin Smiting 12) Burying the Dead 13) A King, A God, and Red Wizards 14) Wrapping Up Neera's Quest 15) Wastin' Time With Rasaad 16) Dark Moon Ambush 17) Seeking Sorrem 18) Dark Moon Ambush 19) Culling the Weak 20) Troll Tackling Tips 21) Troll Take-Down Treasure 22) Cloud Peak Reunion 23) Invading the Monastery 24) Dark Moon Motif 25) Gamaz Again 26) Cloud Peak Caverns 27) Monk Cage Riddle 28) Brotherly Love 1) Wander around with Dorn long enough and he'll eventually comment on his vendetta. Apparently one of his former companions-the necromancer named Kryll has been spotted east of the Nashkel Mines (perhaps explaining why he was lurking around down there in the first place, eh?) A woman named Taris knows where Kryll is, but wasn't terribly forthcoming with information the last time Dorn 'interrogated' her. Perhaps now, we'll be able to help Dorn get things moving? Nashkel (AR4800) o======================================================================o 2) You'll find Taris next to the Nashkel Inn at (x=1400, y=700). Talk to her and she'll babble about losing her husband, who wandered off with 'some woman' in the wilderness. Apparently this woman has been luring men away from the Nashkel area for a while now. Dorn comments that the description of this man-eater matches that of his former companion and current prey, Kryll. How convenient. Taris insists that her husband, Hagar, loved her, and wouldn't just up and leave her for some tramp. Yeah, whatever. Note: If you can't find Taris, it's possible she may have fled into the Nashkel Inn during your fight with Nimbul. This happened to me with my good party, and it can happen to you, too. Note from Peter: You can pick-pocket a scroll of 'Armor' from Taris. Wilderness (AR5500) o======================================================================o 3) Head over to the area south-east of the Nashkel Mines... you know, the boring area where we rescued Samuel, the Flaming Fist deserter? We found Batalista's Passport here? Whatever. When you arrive you'll encounter a few Skeletons near the western edge of the map, and after killing a few Dorn will comment on the obvious-undead don't rise from their graves on their own... ergo, he suspects his target is close. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) You'll find Kryll at (x=2550, y=1500), near a blood-stained rock that... well, was previously an unexplained geographical feature of this area that I just blamed on the Gibberlings to the north-east. Anywho, Dorn and her will talk at each other a bit and reveal more backstory. Apparently Dorn was the fall-guy for his old group-something he obviously didn't relish. After the friendly banter, Kyrll will turn the nearby villagers into Skeletons and attack. This fight is pretty simple-Kryll will cast bad ol' spells at you while her undead try to distract you and let her do her damage. So, rush her and smite her-soften her up with Silence 15' Radius first if you want to appear tactical and all-she shouldn't pose too much of a threat. whatever you do, do not focus on her undead, as they will respawn indefinitely as long as she's alive. Once she falls, Dorn will talk a bit and encourage you to loot the body. Do so to score a Quarterstaff, a Traveler's Robe, an Amulet of Spell Warding, and a Letter to Kryll. When you take possession of the latter, Dorn will speak with you again and encourage you to go after Simmeon-the last member of his old crew-with haste. I put the amulet on Jaheira, as her Save vs. Spell sucks, and it will for a while... and while she lacks the full suite of cure spells that a full Cleric will have, she's still capable of healing, dispelling, curing poison, and whatnot... but again, only if she's not affected by some spell or another already. You can head back to tell Taris about her husband's demise, if you wish, but there's no reward for doing so. If you taunt her with the gruesome details of her husband's demise, she'll turn hostile. Yes, if you kill her, you lose reputation, so don't do it... unless, you know, you need to lower your reputation. Bridge (AR0900) o======================================================================o 5) Head to the bridge area that leads to Baldur's Gate. Dorn will admit to his excitement about closing in on his last mark, and perhaps tell you about his 'deal' after Simmeon is dead. Before encountering Simmeon and company, I'd buff up a bit, as they can be rather mean. Summon some Skeleton Warriors and a Nymph ahead of time, use Protection from Evil 10' Radius, Haste, and Remove Fear just to be safe and you'll be good to go. You'll find Simmeon (x=1090, y=290) on the northern shore of the bridge. When you approach he'll enter dialogue with Dorn and reveal that he, too, has made a deal with the devil... well, a devil, anyways, or perhaps a demon? In any event, he's a Blackguard, too, and the winner of this fight wins everything-the loser doesn't just die, they lose their soul, too. Hopefully our dear protagonist won't ever find themselves in such a situation! Anyways, they aren't going to make up and be friends. Simmeon summons two demons, 'Thralls of Azothet' (we'll encounter this Azothet in the sequel), and he's got two more mundane buddies-a Mage named Sheila and a priest named... Priest. Silence 15' Radius is a great way to shut them down outright, and having Imoen/Edwin and your Nymph start out with a Confusion can also yeild great results. The Thralls will take melee, however, and magical weapons at that, but by now that shouldn't be any trouble. Simmeon himself is just a melee brute, but keep in mind he is a Blackguard, himself, and he will attempt to poison you, which is why I suggest going after him, first. As long as you don't fall victim to a debuff, however, you'll be fine. Priest: Elven Chain Mail, Quarterstaff, 20 gold. Sheila: Scroll of Minor Globe of Invulnerability, Scroll of Vampiric Touch, Scroll of Domination, Scroll of Shocking Grasp, Scroll of Magic Missile, Scroll of Flame Arrow. Simmeon: Fallorain's Plate +1, Golden Girdle of Urnst, Albruin +1, Large Shield. After the fight Dorn will talk some more, and determine to ponder his future now that he's killed his former companions. Wonderful. Now for the loot-Albruin is a decent Bastard Sword for Ajantis, and I recommend he keep it handy for the poison immunity and the ability to strike down invisibility. The second Golden Girdle of Urnst goes on my protagonists, who had until this point had trouble keeping their pants up. Seriously though, this girdle will come in handy in a certain fight... oh, at the end of the game. Finally, the Elven Chain... it's Mage armor, for you long-suffering Bards and multi-or-dual-class Mages out there. One must note, however, that its Armor Class isn't any better than a normal suit of Chain Mail, and the penalties it imposes to Thief skills makes it far, far inferior to, say, Shadow Armor and Mithral Chain +4. If you're a Thief, you have better options. Heck, for Thieves I have to wonder if-all things considered-this armor is any better than Bracers to the Death. If you're a Fighter/Mage or Fighter/Mage/Thief... well, Robes of the Archmagi are better, even though I like the aesthetics of the Elven Chain Mail. It is, however, superior to Telbar's Studded Leather Armor +2, since you can wear other magical protection with is, so at least Minsc gets an upgrade. Anywho, we're done with Dorn for now. He will continue to reveal his story to you over time (game time, not real time, so if you want to hear it all, rest a bunch and Dorn will eventually get chatty.) Once you're done listening to Dorn, it's time to take on Neera's quests, if you've got a mind to do so. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) After a while, Neera will bother you again. Apparently she thinks it might be wise to get her wild magic under control... doesn't wild magic cease to be wild magic if it's controlled? Anyways, she's heard talk of some old Wild Mage named Adoy, who happens to reside east of the Firewine Bridge. Presumably an old Wild Mage is one who has learned how to control it... or at the least, hasn't yet managed to blow themselves up just yet. Agree to help her find this fellow Wild Mage, this Adoy. Adoy's Enclave (OH2000) o======================================================================o 7) Travel to Adoy's Enclace (OH2000). OH? What the hell is that? Anyways, it's just below the Firewine Bridge area. When you arrive a squirrel will caw at you, prompting a brief discussion with Neera. Perhaps this Adoy isn't quite in control of his powers after all? In any event, head north until you come across a hastily erected barricade, protected by some Goblins. One will talk to you and mention some King Rogdok and one Bargrivyek. Pick dialogue option #2 to avoid a fight, or anything else to provoke the easily-slaughtered Goblins. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) Continue along the road to the north to find Magreb (x=1200, y=1090), near his cottage. Talk to him, and he'll prove to be quite weirded out by all the craziness that's been going on lately, particularly by a tribe of Goblins that appeared out of thin air a few months ago. Curiously, they appeared outside the house of 'an old Mage', but have recently relocated into some nearby caves. Sure enough, this Mage was named Adoy, and it seems his wild magic isn't any more stable than Neera's. He'll also talk about Rilsa, who was murdered when she tried to talk to the Goblins, and about an opportunistic Hobgoblin who showed up and declared himself king. Sounds like we've got our work cut out for us, eh? Note from Peter: If you kill Magreb, you'll get... nothing from it. No experience, no reputation loss, just crappy loot. But you can steal 40x Arrows of him. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 9) From Magreb's house, continue back south along the road, and when you find a fork to the east, follow it until you reach a wooden bridge spanning a river. Ignore the bridge for now and instead follow the shore of the river to the north-east, then north until you find the... all too cliché duo of a talking Moose (x=3550, y=650) and Squirrel. The Moose will perform the oh-so common magic trick of pulling a rabbit out of its hat... and as is typical for this area, its trick will go awry, instead summoning a hostile Ogre. Smite it, and the Moose runs off, and the Squirrel leaves, too. Note from Peter: If you're quick enough, you can kill the Moose as well as the Squirrel too. For the Squirrel you get 1 experience but for the Moose you get 65 experience. So if you're as lusty for more experience as me, you prob- ably want to kill at least the Moose... ;) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 10) Riiight... now back to business. Return to the bridge and cross it to reach the south-eastern shore. Follow the road through one Goblin encampment until you reach the cave entrance at (x=4400, y=1350). Yeah, it's not a very interesting area from here on out. Cave (OH2010) o======================================================================o 11) Inside this cave you'll find a Goblin that's not as friendly-or stupid-as the ones outside, wisely realizing that you bad intruders are up to no good. Kill him, and his Goblin buddies to the north. How are all these Goblins strong enough to use Composite Longbows? Whatever... ***ITEMS*** (x=820, y=1100) Skull <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 12) Cross a bridge to the east to find a chest worth looting, and just south of it, a body lying on the ground (x=1480, y=1700). Yeah, you can loot it, but it's got garbage anyways. Interact with the body to get the option to bury it like the nice folk we are. As you guessed, this is the body of Rilsa, and by Magreb's story, it's been here a while... blech. You'll get Rilsa's Ring for this sticky task, which would be enough to make Magreb happy, right? Well, apparently not until the Goblins are dealt with. Keep exploring the caves, cowboy. By the way, the Rugged Leathers +2 you can score from the chest is just a +2 Leather armor with a -15% Move Silently penalty. Telbar's Studded Leather Armor +2 is far superior. ***ITEMS*** (x=1480, y=1630) Scroll of Detect Invisibility, Wand of Fear, Potion of Genius, Potion of Healing x3, Rugged Leathers +2 (x=1450, y=1700) Studded Leather, Helmet, Short Sword, Short Sword <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 13) To the north you'll find Rogdok and several Goblin allies. He's not interested in playing friendly, either, so put him and his buddies down. Afterwards, loot Rogdok for a Bastard Sword +1 and a Short Bow +1. Once they've been dispatched head through the wooden cage door at (x=1550, y=900). In this rear chamber you'll find Adoy (x=1550, y=510), who thanks you for rescuing him. Apparently he is none other than the Goblin god Bargrivyek... or at least, has been playing the role for a while. He'll tell you his whole sad story until he's interrupted by Ekandor and a much, much stronger band of cronies. Neera is not going to save you by whisking him away this time, and his new friend aren't so easily dispatched, so when the talking is over, be ready for a fight. Adoy helps out by showing you the power of wild magic-whence he promptly turns himself into an animal. Viconia drops a Silence 15' Radius spell on the two Mages... just after another Mage of mine casts Dispel Magic to try and rid them of a few spell-buffs. Afterwards, rely on typical debilitators like Horror or Confusion. That, and some melee muscle. If you prevent Ekandor from casting any spells and dispatch him quickly, everything else should fall into place. Really, he'll let loose with some pretty hefty defense-Stoneskin, Fireshield, Mirror Image-he's much more dangerous than his 500 Experience Point reward indicates. After the fight, Adoy reclaims his normal form, where he promptly rewards you with Adoy's Belt, a relatively useless item that boosts your Saving Throw vs. Petrification/Polymorph by five. He also promises to conjure a treasure horde, but... well, it doesn't go so well. Once all is done, loot Ekandor for one of the best spell drop in the game-the scroll of Stoneskin-the ultimate physical defense for a Mage-in the game. It's hard to exaggerate how useful this spell is for a multi-or-dual-class Mage, it's really an essential defensive buff, especially since my protagonists are now serving front-line duty... or at least it is for my Fighter/Mage, as alas, my evil protagonist can't get 4th-level spells in this game... Still, my good protagonist scribes it greedily, this king of defensive spells. Honestly, it unbalances the game in our favor. In addition Ekandor will also drop a Traveler's Robe, a Quarterstaff, and 25 gold. Note: During my evil party playthrough, Ekandor did not drop another Scroll of Stoneskin-big deal, since my protagonist couldn't make use of it anyways, right? Suspecting perhaps a patch changing the loot, I reloaded and went through the area again. The second time he dropped the scroll. So... the drop here is apparently random. Note from Dreamrider: BTW, in case you didn't realize, Adoy's belt is of very little use in mitigating Wild Surge results. There is no petrification on the WS table, and only 2 caster polymorphs. One of those (squirrel) is #16, so if you are resorting to/exploiting the Nahal's Reckless Dweomer cast w/ Chaos Shield running, you're safe from it. The other polymorph is to wolf, which is probably situationally bad, but at least you can fight some, or run fast. Not sure what else Save vs Petrification might counter. Nothing that is obvious on the table, unless it helps with Held. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 14) Well, we're done with Neera's little quest. The whole point of this excursion? Yeah, it's really all about the Stoneskin scroll. Anyways, return to Magreb and tell him you killed all the Goblins (only the ones in the cave count), then tell him you buried Rilsa and he'll thank you with cheap, cheap words, taking her ring back in the process. Afterwards Neera will continue to banter, where you can begin a romance-something new to the first Baldur's Gate game, certainly. It's the easiest romance out there, and after going through the second game a half dozen times, it seems a little cheap to start a romance with three banters and one quest... but that's just me. Anyways, two down, one to go. ***REWARD*** (For avenging Rilsa) EXP 250 ***REWARD*** (For burying Rilsa) EXP 250 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 15) Bring Rasaad around with you for a while and put up with two banters until, during the second banter, you get the option to ask about the vanished Sun Soul Monks, Alorgoth, and his brother. It's a long-winded tale that seems to go nowhere, and unlike Dorn and Neera's quests, this one gives you no clues, prompts, goals... nothing. If you've had Rasaad around long enough, however, and talked with him enough, his quest will advance once you enter the south-center area of Baldur's Gate (AR1200). Baldur's Gate, South (AR1200) o======================================================================o 16) If you've traveled with Rasaad enough, when you enter this area at night a short cutscene will occur. You'll be confronted by a trio of 'Dark Moon Monks' in the center of the area, who will mention one 'Sorrem'. Rasaad will identify them as some of the people who attacked him and his brother in Athkatla. A fight ensues, which is easy as cake. Just be wary, as these Monks are not above using Stunning Fist. After the massacre, Rasaad will comment on their fighting style, revealing the obvious. Apparently you've found yourself in the middle of a monastic cult-war... religious folks just never can get along, can they? To emphasize my point, Viconia (if you have her) will taunt Rasaad, and Rasaad will mention that he remembers this Sorrem, who he's seen visiting the Blade and Stars tavern. Our destination set, it's time to go pay this 'Sorrem' a visit. Be sure to loot one of the Dark Moon Monks for a Dark Moon Note, which orders a hit on Rasaad, signed by some 'A' person... it couldn't possibly be... Alorgoth?! No, that would be too obvious... Blade and Stars (AR0105)/(AR0106)/(AR0107) o======================================================================o 17) So, head over to (AR1300) and enter the Blade and Stars (x=200, y=650). Sorrem is on the second floor (AR0106) at (x=130, y=200). Talk to him and get him to spill the story-apparently this DarK Moon cult is a rather recent addition to the city, but has been recruiting vigorously. They're holed up near the Seven Suns building, and he'll take you there, should you need to gain access. You can go, if you wish (you'll be instantly moved there, to save you the trouble of looking around like a jackass), but Sorrem is full of crap. If you want to skip the ambush Sorrem is leading you into, just decide to kill him-he'll yell out the real location of the Dark Moon base before he dies, and will drop Leather Armor +1, a Dagger +1, and Sorrem's Note, which contains the information you need, anyways. On the other hand, you can score some extra experience and money if you follow through with the ambush. Anyways, go to Step #18 if you want to get ambushed, or Step #19 if you just want to get on with things. Dark Moon Base (AR1101)/(AR1102) o======================================================================o 18) Agree to follow Sorrem and he'll lead you to the south-eastern part of Baldur's Gate (AR1100). He'll head inside the building (AR1101) at (x=2250, y=1800)... remember this place? It's the Thief Bank, where we dispatched a group of Thieves earlier? When you follow him inside, he'll reveal the ambush for what it is and enjoy some congratulations from his buddies. Dispatch a handful of wussy Monks and head upstairs (AR1102) (x=400, y=400). Up here you'll have to deal with some Monks in rooms to the north-east and south-west, and a trio of baddies to the south-east including Sorrem, a Dark Moon Cleric, and a Dark Moon Lieutenant. Their Cleric should be a matter of a little concern... at least enough to bother dropping a Silence 15' Radius and/or a Chaos on them. Once they're dead, loot Sorrem for Leather Armor +1, a Dagger +1, and Sorrem's Note. The Cleric drops 64 gold. Take the note to learn that the real Dark Moon base is in the Cloudpeak Mountains. Cloud Peaks (OH3000) o======================================================================o 19) Getting to the Cloud Peaks isn't as easy as just travelling there- you've got to discover it first, of course. Travel to the Nashkel Mines area and exit via the southern edge of the map to discover the Cloud Peaks area, which can now be accessed. Once there, gawk in wonder at all the snow... ooooh! Head south to find a group of Dark Moon Applicants being pestered by some true Monks. Unfortunately, these failures didn't make the cut, and are shortly going to be exterminated by the Monks here... who will then make sport of hunting down the other failed Applicants who had the good sense to flee. When they see you, however, the Monk's priorities change. Put them down (they're no tougher than the first three you destroyed) and when done the surviving Applicants will talk to you. You can extort some goodies out of them, or you can tell them to run home and not play with any bad people anymore. Either way, you'll be left to your own devices shortly. ***REWARD*** (For saving the Applicants) Item Oil of Fiery Burning Gold 500* *Only if you extort money out of them. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 20) Now, before you go wandering around, there's a new enemy to consider here-Trolls. Previously, they were a foe reserved for Baldur's Gate 2, but in the Enhanced Edition, you get to fight them early. Trolls aren't too tough, but an unprepared team could find them impossible to kill. Once you've dealt enough damage to put a Troll down, it will continue to regenerate until it's able to attack again. The only way to keep them down for good is to kill them with fire or acid once they've fallen. Burning Hands, Melf's Acid Arrow, Arrows of Fire, Acid Arrows... they're all good ways to keep these creatures down. Some of the Applicants may have dropped Arrows of Fire, which will prove quite handy here. Just make sure you have a way to battle Trolls before you go tromping around here. Other than Trolls you'll find Wolves and Winter Wolves... nothing too impressive. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 21) There's a lot of mountain to cover... if only we had some way to figure out where to go... Oh look! Footprints in the snow! These will serve as rudimentary paths for us to follow, but I'll try to be brief, since this area is largely uninteresting. If you follow the footprints south-east you'll find a three way split in the path. Follow the north- eastern branch to find a cave guarded by a Troll. Return to the three-way fork and head south until you find an abandoned camp, where more loot can be found. If you found yourself ill-equipped to deal with Trolls... well, now you should be better prepared against any you find. ***ITEMS*** (x=500, y=2770) Oil of Fiery Burning x3, Arrows of Fire +2 x20 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 22) Continue from the camp to the east to find some Dark Moon Monks guarding some stairs. Exterminate them and continue to the west, then north, decimating any Monks you come across. Eventually you'll come to a stone platform where six Initiates stand at attention. North of them is none other than Gamaz (x=4280, y=640). You know, Rasaad's brother? Supposed to be dead? Anyways, hear out this little family reunion-long story short, this Alorgoth character turned Gamaz to the worship of Shar, and the two brothers aren't going to be friends anymore. Gamaz will sic the Initiates on you and wander off. This fight is just as easy as all the others so far. The Mage-model initials should be killed off first, because, of course, they're Mages. There are also two Fighters and two Thieves, but they aren't a threat. Put them down and loot their corpses-each Mage drops a Potion of Healing and a Dagger. The Fighters drop Leather Armor, Helmets, and Two-Handed Swords, and the Thieves drop Leather Armor, a Potion of Healing, Short Swords, and Darts x25. Once you're done with the Initiates, enter the monastery at (x=4500, y=250). Dark Moon Monastery, Interior (OH3020) o======================================================================o 23) From the entrance head north-east to enter a chamber occupied by about half a dozen Dark Moon Monks and two Initiates who are resigned to shooting at you. Again, there's no strategy here, these are all low-quality enemies capable of-at worst-Stunning Fist. The number of foes you fight could vary depending on how many Initiates you draw out of the nearby rooms, but it really doesn't matter. Nothing we've fought yet has proven to be the slightest threat to us. The traps in this room, however, might be. There's a trap around the altar, and one to the north-west of the altar. The rooms around the central chamber are also worth looting. ***ITEMS*** (x=1180, y=1030) Emerald (x=1100, y=1550) Dagger +1, 34 gold (x=1250, y=1680) Andar Gem (x=1100, y=1750) Potion of Healing, 10 gold (x=950, y=1700) 6 gold (x=1330, y=1430) 7 gold (x=1400, y=1500) Greenstone Ring (x=1500, y=1550) Potion of Invisibility, 3 gold ***TRAPS*** (x=1200, y=1100) (x=950, y=950) (x=1100, y=1550) (x=1400, y=1500) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 24) Continue north-west from the altar and through a door leading to the north-east. You'll enter into a room with a large dark moon motif on the floor (an obvious trap). Kill the Initiate in the room to the north-west, then cross the dark moon motif room to the south-east before heading through a door leading north-east. ***ITEMS*** (x=1030, y=530) History of the Zhentarim, History of Shadowdale III, History of the Dead Three, Elixir of Health ***TRAPS*** (x=1400, y=900) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 25) In this, the furthest reaches of the monastery, you'll find Gamaz and his cohorts. Gamaz and Rasaad will have another overly cliche encounter before Gamaz runs off again and allows his puny minions to delay you. Just be wary of the trap in front of the entrance to the next level, as it's more dangerous than any of the enemies. Dispatch them, disarm the trap, and loot the rooms to the north-west and south-east. Be sure to grab the Big-Fisted Belt before continuing on (x=2200, y=450). Despite the fact that it's cursed and it drops the wearer's Intelligence to six, it's still a great item. Intelligence only matters if you're a Mage-so it won't be going on either of my protagonists (both have a base 19 Strength now anyways). Who it should go on is pretty obvious-Dorn has 19 Strength base, Jaheira already has the Hands of Takkok, and Viconia only gets one attack a round anyways... that's right, it goes on the character using The Brawling Hands-either Ajantis or Kagain. Before the Enhanced Edition we had to choose-either the Dexterity from the Brawling Hands or the Strength from the Hands of Takkok-now we can have both, if you don't mind being a little slow. I don't and neither should you. Kagain doesn't have to talk to anybody anyhow, and Ajantis... well, he never struck me as particularly bright anyways. Now when he starts screaming to Helm when you tell him to go open a door, you can just blame the belt. ***ITEMS*** (x=2080, y=1030) Antidote, 1 gold (x=2300, y=1000) Oil of Speed, 1 gold (x=1200, y=500) Potion of Healing x2, 10 gold (x=1300, y=430) 10 gold (x=1370, y=370) Big-Fisted Belt, Zircon Gem (x=1450, y=350) 1 gold (x=1550, y=300) Potion of Healing, 1 gold ***TRAPS*** (x=2250, y=1050) (x=2100, y=450) (x=1370, y=370) Dark Moon Monastery, Caverns (OH3020) o======================================================================o 26) Transition from monastery to cavern. Ooooh... Head east and smite a pair of Goblins and their pet Wolves. Hardly any more or less challenging than anything else we've fought. Continue east, then north, and put down some more Goblins, Gibberling, Black Bears, Wolves, and Giant Spiders, some caged, some not. Once done, you've got two ways to go... and using my magical powers of prescience, I suggest heading north-west first. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 27) Kill some caged Wolves and you'll eventually find a pair of caged Monks-Jaspar Banff (x=1300, y=580) and Bassano (x=1550, y=580). They'll tell you a story about riddle-locked cages, where you can ask them one question when the riddle starts. If you open the wrong door first, it'll ensure that both of them die horrible deaths. Also, one of them must lie and the other must tell the truth once the riddle starts. Once the conversation is over, you can ask one of them one question, after which neither will speak to you again. You can strain your brain, or you can just save/load until you get it right-you'll need to force/bash the door you wish to open. Bassano turns out to be a Dark Moon Monk spy, which Jaspar tries to warn you, but too late to catch Bassano, as it turns out. Jasper then reveals his backstory and leaves. Wee... If you're sneaky and kill Bassano before opening a door, Jaspar's dialogue will hang (because he requires Bassano to interject), but at least Bassano will drop a suit of Leather Armor +1 and a Dagger +1. It's not necessary, however, as you'll likely find Bassano on the way back. And by find, I mean he'll ambush you. Now travel to the east until you find an area transition at (x=3300, y=500). Dark Moon Monastery, Summit (OH3100) o======================================================================o 28) Now that we've finally caught up with Gamaz, he will air some of his dirty laundry to his brother... typical rivalry storyline. A fight here is inevitable, and this time Gamaz has the decency to stick around. He's not terribly tough, and his minions are the same weak stock we've been crushing underfoot for a while now. Be cautious not to focus on Gamaz too much, as he'll fall and turn neutral when he's taken enough damage. You can still keep hitting him-to no effect-so be sure to focus on other targets once Gamaz is down. After you've killed everything else, Gamaz will speak to Rasaad before dying. Deal with Rasaad's grief as you will, but be sure to loot Gamaz for Glimmering Bands-bracers which give a +2 bonus to THAC0... but can only be worn by Lawful Good characters... so... Ajantis or Rasaad. Since Ajantis is far better off with his current equipment loadout... yeah, these are all but useless. Oh well, at least he drops 1000 gold. Anyways, now that you're done with the Enhanced Edition character quests, it's time to head north to Ulgoth's Beard (AR1000). o======================================================================o | Tales of the Sword Coast | o======================================================================o | | | Ulgoth's Beard and Shandolar's Request | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK028} 1) Free Ring of Free Action 2) Shapeshifter Sword Stealing 3) Hurgan's Request 4) Ulgoth's Beard Store and Inn 5) Lootin' the Inn 6) Ike's Tour 7) Shandalar's Sentence 8) Mage-Bane Island 9) Andris' Welcome 10) Garan's Ankhegs 11) Crazy Cuchol 12) Tellan's Tunnel 13) Dezkiel's Defiance Ulgoth's Beard (AR1000) o======================================================================o 1) At (x=2450, y=800) you'll find a Gnome named Dushai. She doesn't have anything to say to you yet, but she certainly has toys for you to steal. You can nab a Scroll of Web and another Edventar's Gift (aka: Ring of Free Action) from her. This ring goes great on Jaheira, since Viconia already has one. Loot Houses (AR1006)/(AR1007) o======================================================================o 2) Enter the house at (x=2700, y=750) for some lootables. There's another house south of the first one at (x=2730, y=1100) which can be looted... but the goodies inside aren't nearly comparable. ***ITEMS*** (AR1006) (x=300, y=350) Pearl (x=250, y=300) Dagger (x=200, y=250) Bastard Sword +1, Tainted Oil of Speed, 33 gold --- (AR1007) (x=530, y=120) 4 gold (x=300, y=350) 9 gold (x=200, y=250) Long Sword, Chain Mail ***ENHANCED EDITION*** There used to be a second Kondar +1 in the first house (AR1006), which has been replaced by a simple Bastard Sword +1 in the Enhanced Edition. This is a very rare (perhaps unique) instance where you'll find less valuable loot in the Enhanced Edition as compared to the original game. Ulgoth's Beard Store and Inn (AR1001) o======================================================================o 3) When you enter the inn you'll be approached by a Dwarf named Hurgan Stoneblade, who will ask you to retrieve his grandda's dagger 'Soultaker' from Durlag's Tower. Be sure to demand a reward for his request, or he won't give you one... but, if you're not a fan of delayed gratification, you can steal the War Hammer he's planning to give you (at least, if you requested compensation) as a reward. The Knee-capper +1 from him (aka: War Hammer +1, +4 vs. giant humanoids.) Unfortunately, there aren't too many Ogres in this game that'll trouble us at this point. Note from Peter: At (x=580, y=288) you can find Galken, who tries to sell some more or less useful Dwarven Rune Stones to you. Better refuse, you don't really need them. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) Now for the real gear, the barkeep (x=490, y=350) sells a variety of nice items for you perusal. The best thing he sells is probably the Cloak of Displacement, which gives a bonus against missile weapons and saves. Also is interest is the Ring of Invisibility, and the Greenstone Amulet. Last but not least, he sells high-end Mage scrolls such as Remove Curse, Emotion, Greater Malison, and Improved Invisibility. Buy as many of these great items as you can afford. I put the cloak on Viconia, as she does not have any missile defense items. I give the Greenstone Amulet to Jaheira, as Viconia already has the Ring of Free Action. The Ring of Invisibility switches characters as it is needed, but keep in mind both the ring and amulet have charges. As for the spells, Improved Invisibility is probably the greatest defensive spell in the game, as it gives you a four point bonus to your saves and Armor Class, and makes you untargetable by enemy spells... and best of all, in this game, most enemies really don't have much of a way to get around it. Greater Malison is also a nice-first strike spell for lower enemy saves, particularly when followed up by Confusion, Slow, or some similar effect. o===========o |Mage Spells| o===========o 4th-Emotion 4th-Greater Malison 4th-Improved Invisibility 4th-Remove Curse <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 5) Now, if you care to loot this place, there are some goodies that can be had around here... although your chances of being caught are on the wrong side of inevitable... it's up to you to decide if it's worth the hassle or not. ***ITEMS*** (x=350, y=680) 52 gold (x=450, y=400) War Hammer +1, 70 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) Back outside you can talk to Ike (x=2200, y=620). Pay to take his tour of Durlag's Tower. We'll get back to him later, after finishing another quest. Head over to the west. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) Over at (x=1700, y=640) you'll find Shandalar. Remember him? You stole skyship components from his daughters? If you didn't kill them, he'll send you on a little quest to fetch a cloak. If you did kill them, he'll send you on the same mission, but as punishment for your crime. Either way, when you're ready-or when you're forced to go as the case may be-you'll be teleported to an island. Before you go (if you have a choice) make sure to pick-pocket the tons of great loot Shandalar has, including two Potions of Heroism, a Scroll of Remove Curse, a Scroll of Emotion, a Scroll of Greater Malison, a Scroll of Feeblemind, a Scroll of Spirit Armor, and a Scroll of Otiluke's Resilient Sphere. If you killed Shandalar's daughters, you'll have to wait to steal from him. Mage Prison Isle, Exterior (AR1008) o======================================================================o 8) You'll get Shandalar's Wardstone upon your transportation, which is your means of extrication from this place when you retrieve Shandalar's cloak. Right in front of you will be a Polar Bear. Put it down and head inside the cavern (x=600, y=400). Mage Prison Isle, Interior (AR1009) o======================================================================o 9) Head inside and dispatch two Winter Wolves. Down a tunnel to the north-west you'll find Andris (x=1850, y=1190), Marcellus (x=1790, y=1200), and Beyn (x=1900, y=1150). Andris will chat with you, but if his red circle isn't evidence enough... well then I don't know what is. This isn't going to end peacefully, which is a shame, too, because it's probably the toughest fight in this place. If you know how the battle will unfold, however, you can make life that much easier on yourself. First, be sure to cast Remove Fear and Protection from Evil 10' Radius on your party. Once done, cast Animate Dead (preferably twice, having 2-3 Skeleton Warriors will help.) Take an invisible or sneaking character (like Minsc, the evil protagonist, etc.) and guide them to the bad guys, at which point unleash your Skeleton Warriors to assault the Mages. Keep your unhidden party near the entrance, stay out of the room where you fought the second winter Wolf. As soon as Andris sees any members of your party (including the Skeleton Warriors) he'll Dimension Door into the room where the second Winter Wolf lurked and cast Confusion, while Marcellus casts Horror and Beyn protects himself with Shadow Door. See why it's a good idea to let your Skeleton Warriors start things out? They're immune to mind-affecting effects and have Magic Resistance, so let them go wasting the spells of your foes until they die, or until they emerge victorious, which is possible, but unlikely. They will, in any event probably kill one or two of the Mages and waste a good number of spells. Once they're expended, head out with your party and mop up. Easy as pie. Andris: Knave's Robe, Scroll of Protection from Evil, Scroll of Grease, Scroll of Remove Magic, Andris' Journal and 109 gold. Marcellus: Traveler's Robe, Scroll of Vampiric Touch, Quarterstaff and 81 gold. Beyn: Wand of Fear and 66 gold. I really hope you didn't mind that fight, because if you paid attention to Andris, you'll know that only people that can teleport end up here... which means you're going to be fighting Mages aplenty. Fortunately, there aren't any other groups of them, and single-Mage take-downs are relatively simple by comparison. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** Remove Magic is new to the game, and hence, so is this scroll. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 10) Go south and you'll find another pair of Winter Wolves waiting to give you their pelts. Head west and you'll run into a Mountain Bear. Keep going down these tunnels and you'll eventually come to a room where a man named Garan (x=1100, y=1130) is waiting. Take your party in all at once, because when he's done talking he'll summon his 'pets', four Ankhegs. How he got them here is anybody's guess. You absolutely have to swarm Garan first and worry about his Ankhegs later. Ankhegs are bad enough, but if you let the little bastard get off a Confusion spell, it'll just make life all the more difficult for you. Anyways, rushing with the whole party (led by Ajantis/Kagain) is sufficient tactics- Jaheira and my protagonists now are so potent offensively (not to mention Ajantis, Kagain, or Dorn) that they can cut down Garan quickly, and with a -7 Armor Class, the Ankhegs just can't hit Ajantis often enough. Loot Garan for a Scroll of Protection from Normal Missiles, a Scroll of Know Alignment, a Scroll of Fireball, and 66 gold. ***TRAPS*** (x=620, y=1450) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 11) Head north from where Garan was to find Cuchol (x=1300, y=670). Deal with him and continue on. He's really not much of a threat. Honestly, my Imoen shot him to death on her own without him getting off a single spell. Make sure you disarm the trap before you head in, or... you might get minorly harmed. Loot Cuchol for a Wand of Paralyzation and 66 gold. Head north and you'll loop back to the room where Andris was. ***TRAPS*** (X=1500, y=850) (x=1900, y=1000) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 12) Head north from the room where Andris and his cronies were and continue down the trap-filled tunnels until you meet a wretched little Gnome named Tellan (x=900, y=590). He's one of the few Mages here you can talk some sense into-pick options #2 and #2 and he'll agree to follow you around help out in exchange for taking him off this island when you go. Granted, he'll save his magic for himself, prefering instead to expend his darts, but help is help. Unfortunately, however, Tellan's loyalty wll prove to be a fickle thing... If you just want to kill him and spare yourself the trouble, my tactic is quite simple; just summon another Skeleton Warrior, guide it there with a hidden or invisible character, and let it do all the work for you. Tellan will protect himself with Mirror Image, then Minor Globe of Invulnerability. On the third round he uses Remove Magic, then Confusion to break up any opposition. Finally, he'll drop a pair of Lightning Bolts, which he's protected from and which can be devastating in these narrow confines. He's got more spells, sure, but that's the brunt of his offense. Once he falls he'll leave behind some Darts +1 x40 and 78 gold. ***TRAPS*** (x=2100, y=1020) (x=1750, y=320) (x=1250, y=200) ***ENHANCED EDITION*** Tellan has changed a bit, in mostly uninteresting ways. It was always his goal to unleash Lightning Bolt in these narrow corridors and let the randomness of its effects go as they may. In the original game he was protected by Protection From Normal Missiles, and carried Darts of Stunning. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 13) Continue on your way. To the south-west you'll run into a trio of Winter Wolves. To the north you'll find Dezkiel (x=720, y=250). He's just as inhospitable as everybody else, but he admits to having the cloak you're after. He's not capable of putting up much of a fight, so just whomp him as you will. When he falls he'll leave behind Shandalar's Cloak (which does nothing interesting), Dezkiel's Journal, a scroll of Stoneskin and 66 gold. If you've got another Mage who can scribe Stoneskin, by all means, scribe it. If you allowed Tellan to follow you around, he'll turn on you as soon as you pick up Shandalar's Cloak, screaming "Give me that cloak, Buttercup, or I shall pluck your petals and watch ye rot!" Yeesh. Take the cloak and head up the stairs nearby. You'll shortly be teleported back to Ulgoth's Beard. If Shandalar forced you to come here, now is a good time to pick his pockets (see above.) Shandalar will take his cloak and his wardstone and you'll get a tidbit of experience. I'll leave it to you to sell off those Winter Wolf hides you've found (remember the proprietor of the Nashkel Store will pay 500 gold for each pelt). ***REWARD*** (For returning Shandolar's Cloak) EXP 500 ***ENHANCED EDITION*** Another Scroll of Stoneskin, hurrah! Note from Peter: Shandalar usually is one of the more difficult NPCs to kill but again an item comes in handy here. The Wand of Paralyzation! You may need to save and reload some times but it may be worth the effort. You get all his gear and a Robe of the Neutral Archmagi for killing him, as well as 26000 experience. Quite a lot. Unfortunately this reward comes with a price. You lose reputation for killing him. My 20 reputation party lost half of it (10 points). The best is to use the Wand after you gave him his cloak and before he disappears, even though this is really tricky. Shandalar is the best choice to kill with an evil party who needs to lose some reputation in my opinion. He's even more worthy than Drizzt. o======================================================================o | | | To Durlag's Tower and the Upper Levels | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK029} 1) Therella's Tale 2) Delsivirftanyon's Deal 3) Fenrus 4) Mendas' Mission 5) Eerie Erdane 6) Battle Horrors 7) Clearing the Battlements 8) The Tower's New Master 9) Traps & Ghasts 10) Basilisk Battlements 11) Riggilo 12) Tome of Understanding 13) Dead Daital 14) Succubus Summit Therella's House (AR1005) o======================================================================o 1) Now to explore the rest of Ulgoth's Beard... or what of it we can. Enter the house at (x=1550, y=400). Inside you'll find Therella, whose son Dalton went missing after deciding to head to Durlag's Tower. Might as well offer to tell her if you find him. There's not much to loot in here, but at least she won't mind if you take what you can. ***ITEMS*** (x=500, y=80) 2 gold (x=300, y=350) Dagger (x=200, y=250) 3 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) To the south you'll find a little chap by the name of Delsvirftanyon (x=1580, y=1180), who will try to sell you the rest of his inventory while selling you a sob story at the same time. You can let him guilt- trip you into buying his inventory for 500 gold, but if you decline him twice too many times he'll leave forever. For your trouble you'll get a Gold Ring, a Silver Ring, an Onyx Ring, a Silver Necklace, a Short Sword, a suit of Leather Armor +1 and two Wardstones, one of which is a forgery, the other of which looks genuine... Or you could just steal them. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) Ignore the house at (x=1200, y=650) since there's nothing in there yet and head to the south of the map to find Fenrus at (x=630, y=1330). He'll give you some information about Durlag's Tower, for what it's worth. Head into the house at (x=850, y=1250) Mendas' House (AR1004) o======================================================================o 4) Once inside you'll be approached by a man named Mendas, who identifies himself as a quester of small truth with a big heart for friendship... Yeah... Anyways, he'll ask you to do a job for him, and offer up 2000 gold pieces. Long story short, he'll ask you to go steal a sea chart kept locked up in Baldur's Gate by the Merchant League in a building called the Counting House, which is in the area just north of the Elfsong tavern. In the dresser at (x=350, y=100) you can find a whopping 980 gold. We'll do this job later, after we're done searching Durlag's Tower. Speaking of which, head over there now. ***ITEMS*** (x=350, y=100) 980 gold Durlag's Tower, Exterior (AR0500) o======================================================================o 5) To the east you'll find a rogue named Erdane (x=720, y=320), who will sell you a variety of goodies that might come in handy in Durlag's Tower, namely Potions of Master Thievery, Potions of Perception, and Potions of Hill Giant Strength. If you don't have a Thief who is up to snuff, you're not going to do well in Durlag's Tower, so grab whatever potions you need before continuing on. He'll also buy stolen items. Note from Peter: Just in case... you want some more experience. When you finished Durlag's Tower, you might want to kill Erdane. He wears a Studded Leather Armor and owns 122 gold and provides you with another 70 exper- ience. Not that much, but it comes without downsides. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) Head south across a small stone bridge to find a Battle Horror. Rather than charge it, retreat and let it come to you on more open ground where your party can effectively surround it and pummel it into submission. It's immune to non-magical weapons, so don't waste any arrows on it. Magic Missiles are especially effective against it. Down south a little further you'll find another one. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) Keep going south and turn east to reach a draw bridge. If you paid Ike for his tour he'll be standing at (x=1950, y=3100), and will yell at you for being late. Follow him across the courtyard but don't enter the keep yet, as the walls surrounding Durlag's Tower are anything but unguarded. Up at the top of either side you'll find a variety of Skeletons and a Doom Guard for your smiting pleasure. To the west you'll have to go through a door at (x=1500, y=1050) to reach the top, while to the east you'll just have to navigate some stairs. Once the undead are vanquished, enter Durlag's Tower (x=2700, y=2200). Note from Lee: For the Skeletons and the Doom Guard - I did this just like the Gnoll Stronghold. Arrange archers across from the bottom of the staircase and send a fighter (with Boots of Speed) up to draw the baddies down the stairs. With such a narrow staircase, they come down in single file and are quite easy to dispatch one at a time. Durlag's Tower, First Level (AR0502) o======================================================================o 8) Only go forward with a (well-healed) Ajantis, Kagain, or some other beefy front-liner, particularly if they have the Batalista's Passport equipped. Talk to Ike in the main room repeatedly as he goes about his tour. When he takes a break, talk to him again and he'll offer you one of the genuine tower wardstones for a mere 300 gold... on the condition that if you don't succeed down below you'll return it to him. Buy it... or don't... a Demon Knight will show up and declare the tower to be his. He'll then launch some Fireballs around the room. If you're quick you can avoid them, if not... well, it's not like you came in here with your whole party anyways, right? You can now take your money or the wardstone from Ike's corpse. There's only one trap at (x=480, y=350) worth noting. Take the stairs (x=700, y=550) up to the second level. ***ITEMS*** (x=280, y=500) 4 gold (x=840, y=840) 2 gold (x=970, y=800) Dagger ***ENHANCED EDITION*** In earlier versions of the Enhanced Edition (not to mention the vanilla version of the game) you could kill the Demon Knight here. Not anymore. Note from Peter: You can also always steal the wardstone from Ike. Durlag's Tower, Second Level (AR0503) o======================================================================o 9) To the north you'll find a trap in a doorway (x=400, y=350), behind which are several Ghasts. This is pretty much the tactic of this level. Traps, and Ghasts. If you get caught by the trap, you're probably going to get ripped up by Ghasts. If you disarm the trap and lure the Ghasts to you, your only danger is falling asleep while searching for traps. There's a door over at (x=1000, y=750) that leads to the battlements, but you really should cast Protection from Petrification on a character and send them out alone. ***TRAPS*** (x=400, y=350) (x=150, y=430) (x=470, y=770) (x=770, y=820) (x=1060, y=550) (x=1100, y=650) ***ITEMS*** (x=470, y=770) Turquoise Gem, Chrysoberyl Gem, 20 Arrows of Fire +2 (x=1060, y=550) Oil of Speed, Potion of Strength, Potion of Invisibility 38 gold (x=1100, y=650) Moonstone Gem, 24 gold (x=770, y=140) 6 gold (x=620, y=100) Horn Coral Gem (x=160, y=170) 7 gold Durlag's Tower, Battlements (AR0500) o======================================================================o 10) Immediately ahead of you will be a Lesser Basilisk. Kill it and head up some stairs and through a door at (x=3250, y=1150) to reach the roof. Up here you'll find three Greater Basilisks spread about. Kill them for their juicy experience and loot one of the... chimneys?... at (x=2300, y=570), where you will obtain your second Rashad's Talon +2 Scimitar. This was previously the only location in the game such a weapon existed, but since in the Enhanced Edition they've added another one in the Cloakwood Forest... the game is overly generous with Scimitars, it seems. There are four such weapons of +2 or better quality that can be obtained, twice as many +2 or better weapons as any other weapon proficiency can boast... except for Daggers. Head back into the tower and go up the central flight of stairs to reach level three (x=700, y=550). Note from Lee: One time I found one Lesser Basilisk and 5 Gnolls (the Basilisk on the main level of the battlements, as described, and the Gnolls up the stairs, before the door to the upper battlement). Protected fighter wearing Boots of Speed kills the Basilisk then runs up the stairs past the Gnolls and deals with the rest of the dangerous critters. Once the Basilisks are all dead and the loot in hand, run back down to the main level of the battlements and bring up the rest of the party to deal with the Gnolls a la the Gnoll Stronghold. ***TRAPS*** (x=2300, y=570) ***ITEMS*** (x=2300, y=570) Rashad's Talon +2, Acid Arrow x20, 104 gold Durlag's Tower, Third Level (AR0504) o======================================================================o 11) In the room to the west you'll find some bookshelves that have useless books on them. In a room you can reach by heading south-east you'll find Riggilo (x=1380, y=570), who will come chat if you get too close. You can pick a fight with him if you wish, but he might just come in useful later. No matter what dialogue you pick, you'll at best get him to leave you alone. Get the conversation out of the way and ignore him for now. Be sure to loot the two chests in the small south-eastern room, as well as the one by Riggilo. ***TRAPS*** (x=1300, y=700) ***ITEMS*** (x=1200, y=700) Chyrsoberyl Gem (x=1300, y=700) Silver Necklace, Gold Necklace, 89 gold (x=1450, y=550) Oil of Speed, Chainmail +1, Wand of Lightning <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 12) Head north from Riggilo to find a small shrine. Although the alter is trapped, I've never had a character good enough to disarm it (it's a pesky trap with a difficulty of 100). It doesn't matter anyways. Go in with your Thief, and only your Thief, and have them try. Worst case scenario they get charmed and you have to wait for it to wear off. When the trap is gone claim your prize: a Tome of Understanding. Nice. ***TRAPS*** (x=1350, y=120) ***ITEMS*** (x=1350, y=120) Tome of Understanding (x=950, y=120) Potion of Healing <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 13) Go back to the room with the stairwell and explore to the south to find a wraith named Daital (x=420, y=860). No matter what you say it ends with him attacking you. He'll start out with Mirror Image, Shadow Door, and Dimension Door, after which he'll Dimension Door around, casting spells Davaeorn style. Put him down and loot his room, and the room beyond. When you're done, head up the central staircase to the next level (x=920, y=600) ***TRAPS*** (x=500, y=800) ***ITEMS*** (x=600, y=800) 63 gold (x=500, y=800) Tainted Potion of Invulnerability, Potion of Stone Form, Potion of Genius (x=220, y=290) 17 gold Durlag's Tower, Fourth Level (AR0505) o======================================================================o 14) Lets start by heading south-west and progressing counter-clockwise. In the tunnels north of the trapped chest with the darts inside will be a whole bunch of Ghasts. Keep going until you find a woman named Kirinhale (x=230, y=350), who will talk to you. She'll casually ask you to remain here for eternity. You can also glean that she's had her wings removed and has been imprisoned here by Durlag, marking her as a Succubus (unfortunately, Bioware never does bother to make a true, winged Succubus model, even in Baldur's Gate 2. We should just assume that they've all had their wings removed, I suppose). If you deny her she'll attack, her main tactics are to use Charm Person, attack with weak physical attacks, use Teleport Without Error (with which she moves about the level, like the Mages with Dimension Door we've fought) and go ethereal (which functions like Invisibility). The good news? Her physical attacks are weak and she can barely hit anybody with a decent Armor Class, and her Energy Drain attack has been severely retarded. Usually (in the original game and in the sequel) Energy Drain lowered the levels of afflicted characters, but here, it'll just reduce your Constitution and Dexterity by two points, and will wear off over time (one good rest should do it). My tactics for taking her down? Just go hunt her with Ajantis or Kagain, alone. If they get charmed, so what? Let it run out and attack again. The only thing we need to worry about is if she moves in on the party, where a charmed character might do some damage. If that happens, use Dispel Magic to get rid of it. When she dies she'll leave behind a Staff Spear +2, which is pretty much a Quarterstaff with 1d8 damage instead of 1d6, and her hair. If, on the other hand, you get someone to stay in her stead, she'll give you a lock of her hair, and tell you that you need to give it to some male within the tower, who will then have to remain trapped here for all time. If you want to take that approach, go pay Riggilo a visit. If you pick option #5 and #3, or option #6 he'll kindly give you a potion of Cloud Giant Strength in return for the hair. When you report back to Karinhale she'll refuse the 'unearthly delights' part of the bargain, but you'll get 4000 experience nonetheless. If you talk to Riggilo after getting a quest reward from Karinhale he'll realize you were up to no good, and attack. On his body you'll find Leather Armor +1, a Chrysoberyl Gem, a Star Diopside Gem, Karinhale's Hair, a Short Sword +1, and 170 gold. Note that you can kill Karinhale and then give Rigillo her hair for the potion. And of course nothing prevents you from screwing Rigillo over then killing Karinhale before she can leave, either. Now head down to the main floor and go to down the stairs at (x=530, y=530) to reach the lower levels. This is where Durlag's Tower gets serious. ***TRAPS*** (x=1220, y=480) ***ITEMS*** (x=550, y=750) Cloak of Protection +1, Mage Robe of Electrical Resistance (x=1220, y=480) Dart of Stunning x10, Dart of Wounding x10 (x=670, y=100) Moonstone Gem (x=400, y=100) Halberd, Halberd +1, Halberd, Spear ***REWARD*** (For freeing Kirinhale) EXP 4000 Note from Peter: And again the Wand of Paralyzation comes quite in handy. I got 3000 ex- perience for killing Kirinhale. o======================================================================o | | | Durlag's Tower, First Lower Level | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK030} 1) Bayard in the Basement 2) The Mallet Head 3) The Mallet Handle 4) Repairing the Mallet 5) A Small Room 6) Rousing Fear 7) Appeasing Pride 8) Skeleton warrior Rumble 9) Pathfinding Trapvention 10) Giving In to Avarice 11) Grapes, Switches, and The Practical Defense 12) Clearing the Training Room 13) Makin' Love-Juice 14) Avarice, Fear, Love, and Pride Durlag's Tower, Basement (AR0501) o======================================================================o 1) You'll immediately encounter Ghasts in the room to the west, which has a rather lame Stinking Cloud trap laid across the doorway. When they're dead talk to Bayard (x=650, y=540). He'll warn you about some of the traps within. You can also ask about Dalton, who was apparently traveling with Bayard. He'll tell you they're still below. You can steal a tainted Potion of Healing from Bayard, if you desire. Through the door to the north are more Ghasts and trapped blocks, one of which contains a fairly handsome amount of loot. There's a secret door at (x=470, y=170) leading down to the next level when you're ready. ***TRAPS*** (x=300, y=440) (x=600, y=590) (x=1180, y=380) (x=1150, y=410) (x=1200, y=400) ***ITEMS*** (x=200, y=400) Sunstone Gem, Turquoise Gem (x=730, y=330) 97 gold (x=820, y=360) Leather Armor +1 (x=1150, y=410) Star Sapphire, Ring of the Princes +1, 560 gold Note from Peter: You can also kill Bayard for 900 experience, a tainted Potion of Healing, a Short Sword +1 and 511 gold. Durlag's Tower, First Lower Level (AR0511) o======================================================================o 2) Welcome to the first real level or Durlag's Tower. Or should it be Durlag's Durnace, at this point? Either way, right ahead of you is a Fireball trap that needs to be disarmed. Through the first door leading east you'll find Phase Spiders and Wraith Spiders, which by now are push-overs. Head east into another room with two bookshelves in it, on which are several high-level Mage scrolls. In the non-Enhanced Edition version of this guide, I had a nice little rant here about how awesome Summon Monster III was, and how Chaos isn't very helpful here, since so many of the monsters in Durlag's Tower are undead. The latter is still true, the former is not. It's amazing how much they nerfed the Summon Monster spells in Baldur's Gate 2 and the Enhanced Edition... suffice it to say that summoning a Worg and a Ghoul is not worth a 5th-level spell slot-it's inferior to Animate Dead in every way. Anyways, when you're ready send a scout to the north. In the room to the north you'll find three Greater Doppelgangers, which you really do not want to encounter in a narrow passage. Summon a Skeleton Warrior via Animate Dead and lure the Doppelgangers down to the southern room. Hit the Doppelgangers with Dispel Magic while they tear up your undead, then buff yourself with Haste and engage the Doppelgangers with the odds more inf your favor. Once they're dead, you'll be free to loot the Doppelganger room, wherein you'll find a Mallet Head on one of the bookshelves. Keep this, you'll need it soon enough. ***TRAPS*** (x=2800, y=545) (x=2950, y=1150) (x=3500, y=1250) (x=3300, y=1200) (x=3300, y=800) (x=3400, y=850) ***ITEMS*** (x=2950, y=1150) Long Bow, Arrows x20, Acid Arrows x12 (x=3020, y=1200) Silver Necklace, History of Gondegal the Lost King, Darts x10, Potion of Healing x4 (x=3500, y=1250) History of the Dragon Coast, Buckler, History of the Last Giants, Rainbow Obsidian Necklace, Bullet +1 x10, Scroll of Cloudkill, Bolt of Biting x11 (x=3300, y=1200) History of the Drow, Warhammer, History of Gondegal the Lost King, Helmet, Potion of Hill Giant Strength, Scroll of Minor Globe of Invulnerability, Scroll of Summon Monster III (x=3300, y=800) Warhammer, History of Cormyr, History of Calimshan, Dart x10, Scroll of Summon Monster II (x=3400, y=850) History of the Drow, Mallet Head, Flail, Halberd <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) Go back to the main room and head south until you find a well with four Dwarves standing around it. Talk to each Warder and they'll give you a riddle, as follows: Warder (x=2110, y=1250): I am the warrior's bane (Fear) I live in the darkness of his soul I bring him to his knees, Trembling and weeping Unable to lift a hand in his own defense Yet I sleep - Awaken me Warder (x=1870, y=1070): I am the warrior's curse (Avarice) I steal his future I mar his past The more he has, the less it seems He becomes a slave Of glittering things Yet I hunger - Feed me that which glitters beyond all else Warder (x=1950, y=1380): I am the warrior's madness (Love) I curse him with trust and respect I slow the blade in its course By stealing his passion for blood And offering a softer emotion in return Yet I thirst for more - Give me the sweet crimson drink of laughter and passion. Warder (x=1720, y=1220): I am the warrior's fate (Pride) I raise him above his brethren I amplify his deeds He becomes scornful, where once he had respect He becomes a giant, where once he was a man Yet I lack the proper honor - Raise me up in glory Through the chronicles of my deeds, pride shall be honored Through the passing of knowledge my sword shall display its glory Then you shall know that I am well pleased Essentially you've got to fetch several things for these ghosts in order to progress to the next level. Search the barrels around the well room for some goodies, including the Mallet Handle, which we'll need to solve the Warder's quests. There's also a tiny lootable spot at (x=1484, y=1224) with some goodies to grab. Nobody pointed this one out to me, just found it by virtue of the Enhanced Edition's ability to highlight objects. Seems a little cheap, compared to the good fortune and anal dedication it took to find stuff like this on the original game... but hey, we end up richer for it. ***ITEMS*** (x=2300, y=1100) Arrow of Biting x8, Arrows x20, Potion of Heroism (x=1700, y=1080) Scroll of Protection from Acid, Scroll of Protection from Electricity, Potion of Master Thievery x2 (x=1530, y=1230) Mallet Handle, Potion of Healing x3, 110 gold (x=1484, y=1224) Wand of Monster Summoning, Antidote x6, Potion of Perception x4, Potion of Insulation, Potion of Fire Resistance <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) Head back north and go through the door opposite the one we took to reach the room with the spiders... You do not want to head south-west from the well, as the passage there is lined with traps and... uh, that's not the order in which I do things, so shut up and follow directions. You'll find a room with a pair of chests, a lootable object on a shelf, a door to the north-west, and a door to the south-west. Loot around, but be wary of traps, both on the chests and in the doorway leading to the north-west. Go through the trapped arch to the north-west to find a smithy and click on the anvil (x=1630, y=230) to repair the the Mallet. ***TRAPS*** (x=1900, y=420) (x=2050, y=370) (x=2150, y=450) (x=1550, y=200) ***ITEMS*** (x=2050, y=370) Bolt of Lightning x20, Tower Shield, Scimitar, Potion of Perception, Arrow of Ice x15, Scroll of Hold Monster (x=2150, y=450) Spear, Potion of Absorption, Antidote x4, Acid Arrows x15, Potion of Master Thievery x2, 57 gold (x=2150, y=350) Potion of Master Thievery, Potion of Healing x6, Arrows +2 x10, Bolt +2 x10, Darts of Wounding x13, Bullets +2 x10 (x=1680, y=150) Dart +1 x20, Arrows +1 x20, Bolt +1 x20, Arrows x20, Arrows x20, Bolt x20, Bolt x20, Dart x20, Dart x20 (x=1550, y=200) Bullet +1 x20, Sling, Bolt +1 x20, Heavy Crossbow, Acid Arrows x20, Composite Long Bow, Dart of Stunning x20 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 5) Now head south-west from the treasure-chest room to find a small bedroom with a secret door leading south-west (x=1450, y=750), and two secret doors to the south-east (x=1700, y=750) and (x=1850, y=850) connecting to the main room. This room is also the site of an enemy spawn point, so you'll often encounter Ghouls and/or Ghasts here. Fortunately in the Enhanced Edition such creatures are less mobile, so they should wander around less, generally making them less of a hassle. Head south-west through a trapped tunnel to find another secret door to the south-west (x=600, y=1250) which connects to a tunnel. ***TRAPS*** (x=1630, y=630) (x=1050, y=1050) (x=1800, y=840) ***ITEMS*** (x=1630, y=630) Dart of Wounding x15, Bullet +2 x20, Arrows of Fire +2 x20, Dart +1 x20, Bolt +1 x20, Potion of Healing x12, Potion of Cloud Giant Strength <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) To the north-west is a show-room of sorts, the most interesting object within is a gong (x=400, y=1100). Activate it with the Gong Mallet in your inventory to get the following dialogue: 'You strike the gong sharply with the mallet. The gong makes no sound but you can sense a faint vibration.' Well, that should be enough to awaken the 'Fear' Warder. If a gong won't do it, nothing will... even if it's a lame, silent, vibrating, magical gong. ***ITEMS*** (x=400 y=950) Potion of Healing x10, Throwing Axe x10 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) Anyways, once you're done beating gongs, head back into the tunnel and travel south a bit to reveal two new, small, circular rooms. Head into the western room first to find four books (x=400, y=1400), (x=300, y=1350), (x=130, y=1360), and (x=70, y=1450). Read them to learn a bit about Mr. Durlag. Once you read the last Book you'll get the dialogue: 'When you reach the final book, you hear a click as if something has been activated. A few seconds later you hear a humming sound and can see a glow coming from across the hallway.' Durlag's Pride will talk to you-you know, the sword on the pedestal in the eastern room?-and thank you for buttering it up: 'You have raised my deeds in glory and my sword now glows with pride.' That should, of course, satisfy the 'Pride' Warder. Two down, two to go. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) There's a secret door (x=1200, y=1550) in the room where Durlag's Pride resides, but I am happy just ignoring it and taking the long route around. From the tunnel between the two circular rooms, continue down the south to find a room with a trap in the doorway. Inside is a Skeleton Warrior and some minor goodies. Skeleton Warriors are pretty rough customers (as we should know from summoning them so frequently), with good combat abilities and immunity to non-magical weapons, all in all about as strong as Battle Horrors, but with Magic Resistance on top of it. At least they always drop Two Handed Swords +1 to make up for it. Loot this room before carrying on. ***TRAPS*** (x=470, y=1670) (x=500, y=1700) ***ITEMS*** (x=500, y=1700) Ruby Ring, Arrow x20, Broken Weapon, Oil of Speed x2 (x=1580, y=1750) Potion of Freedom, Broken Weapon, Arrow +2 x7, Bolt x20 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 9) Head east to find some Mustard Jellies in a tunnel, which by now should be easy enough to dispose of. The path will fork shortly thereafter-one fork leads to the north-east, which takes you to a room just south of the room with the Warders and the well, which is where we're heading. Again, there's a secret door at (x=1200, y=1550) that leads to the room where Durlag's Pride resides, if you absolutely must open it. The tunnel connecting this room to the main chamber is heavily trapped, so take extra care to have a Thief go about disarming them all. Even if you don't plan to ever go up this tunnel, you would be well- served by disarming the traps therein now... just in case of crappy path-finding. Trust me, it happens. ***TRAPS*** (x=1550, y=1530) (x=1500, y=1550) (x=1500, y=1560) (x=1470, y=1600) (x=1100, y=2000) ***ITEMS*** (x=1200, y=1650) Bullet x20, Broken Weapon, Bloodstone Gem, Dart of Stunning x10, Scroll of Identify ***ENHANCED EDITION*** The traps in the tunnel connecting this room to the main room used to be more tricky to handle... you know, just for the small reason that there was a rearming Fireball trap that I never could disarm in the original version of the game. The traps here had a difficulty of 95 to 97, and while we've handled such traps before... well, I suppose it's a simple enough matter to say in the Enhanced Edition they can be disarmed, and hence, are much less annoying. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 10) Anywho, when you're done looting, disarming traps, and opening useless secret doors, turn you attentions to another secret door (x=1570, y=1700) leading south-east. Opening it and head down the tunnel beyond to find another tunnel running perpendicular, one to the north-east, the other to the south-west. Each ends in a secret door and has a trap for a doormat, which you should disarm now. The door to the north-east (x=1900, y=1880) leads to a room with some sort of machine in it, which we'll ignore for now, whereas the door to the south-west (x=1700, y=2020) leads to a room filled with treasure, guarded by two Skeletons and a Skeleton Warrior. I suggest luring them somewhere more open to deal with them, but kids will be kids. Once they're smote, search the huge piles of loot for... well, huge piles of loot. The Glittering Beljuril Gemstone satisfies one of the Warder's requests... even though it sucks to give it up. Hold onto the Odd-Looking Key, as it opens a desk in a room to the south-west... speaking of which, continue down the tunnel to the south-west. ***TRAPS*** (x=1850, y=1910) (x=1700, y=2020) ***ITEMS*** (x=1750, y=2100) Pearl Necklace, Pearl, Water Opal, Small Shield +1, Odd Looking Key, Bullet +2 x11, Potion of Frost Giant Strength, Bolt +2 x20, Arrows +2 x20 (x=1600, y=2100) Glittering Beljuril Gemstone, Bullet +1 x10, Star Diopside Gem, Arrows of Fire +2 x20, Morning Star, Composite Long Bow, 2137 gold, Darts +1 x10, Darts +1 x10, Arrows of Ice x18, Acid Arrow x10, Bullet +1 x10, Arrows of Dispelling x2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 11) You'll find yourself in a richly-furnished room, just south-east of where you fought the Mustard Jellies. In the chest you'll find a good bit of ammo, some scrolls, and The Practical Defense +3. This armor has been largely nerfed by the Enhanced Edition. Earlier, it was relatively light-weight armor with the same Armor Class as Plate of the Dark +1-a tie for the best Armor Class in the game. Of course, being enchanted, it can't be worn in conjunction with other protective gear. This hasn't changed in the Enhanced Edition, but what has, however, is Ankheg Plate Mail, which is only one point of Armor Class behind, and now CAN be worn in tandem with other defensive items. Also, with a Strength requirement of 11, it's now clearly not possible for Viconia to wear it, and Jaheira has a better Armor Class with the Ankheg Plate Mail and The Spirit's Shield +2. If you have Branwen or Yeslick, on the other hand, they'll still find some use in this old armor. Over at (x=1390, y=2280) you'll find a locked desk which can be opened with the Odd-Looking Key we found earlier. Inside you'll find some loot, and a Switch for an Engine. Think this has anything to do with the quests in this level? In the spacious closet, in a dresser at (x=930, y=2200) you will find even more loot and some Grapes. Again, probably another questy-type item, no? ***TRAPS*** (x=1380, y=2280) (x=1050, y=2280) (x=930, y=2200) ***ITEMS*** (x=1050, y=2280) Potion of Heroism, Potion of Master Thievery, Scroll of Confusion, Scroll of Feeblemind, Arrows of Detonation x2, Bolt +1 x14, Bolt x20, Bolt x20, Arrows x20, Arrows x20, Platemail +3 (x=930, y=2200) Dagger, Elixer of Health, History of Dambrath, Bolts x20, Bolts x20, Grapes, Scroll of Mental Domination, Darts x20, Darts x20, Arrows x20, Arrows x20, Arrows x20, Bullets +2 x18, Sling +1, 510 gold (x=1390, y=2280) Bluestone Necklace, Potion of Firebreath, Bullet +2 x5, Switch for an Engine, Scroll of Chaos, 72 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 12) Make your way down a virgin tunnel leading south-east, then follow the hallway north-east to find a training room which is populated by a Skeleton Warrior and two Flesh Golems. Obviously you don't want to fight all of those at once, do you? The Flesh Golems are easily taken down with hit-and-run tactics from an archer with stealth, especially if they use Arrows of Biting, in which case one or two arrows should suffice. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 13) Once the way is cleared, make your way through the otherwise uninteresting training room and continue up a tunnel to the north until you find a door (x=2300, y=1850) leading to the machine room. Inside, click on the wall at around (x=2080, y=1520) to place the Switch for an Engine. You'll get the text: 'The engine begins to hum quietly.' Now head back out into the tunnel and go north some more, disarming a trap along the way until you find a room with a wine press. Get close to the press and activate it (x=2900, y=1450) to turn your grapes into wine: 'You place the grapes in the press and gather their juice in a bottle.' You can now exit through two secret doors (x=2600, y=1400) and (x=2400, y=1250) to the north-west to reach the main room again, disarming a trap after the first door. ***TRAPS*** (x=2700, y=1820) (x=2600, y=1420) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 14) We should now have met all the Warder's requirements, we have the wine, the gem, we rang the gong, and read about Durlag. All that is left is to talk to the Warders, but it really can't just be that easy, right? Of course not. Once you talk to them, each one will give you an experience reward and disappear. Once you've talked to all four, they'll reappear and attack... by necessity, you must save Love for last. Talk to Fear (x=2110, y=1250) and Pride (x=1720, y=1220) to get them out of the way, and once done, it's time to buff. First, I still require some fodder, but the only worthwhile fodder in the Enhanced Edition comes from Animate Dead... so I just have Viconia prepare up four copies of the spell and summon up an equal number of Skeleton Warriors, whom I place around Avarice in an attempt to block him in. Viconia joins her summons, and I proceed to buff as normal- catching Viconia and her Skeleton Warriors in my buffs for good measure. Imoen/Edwin cast Haste, Viconia uses Protection From Evil 10' Radius, my protagonist uses Stoneskin, and Jaheira casts Defensive Harmony (personal buffs like Blur and Mirror Image, should, of course, be cast while Viconia is summoning up undead.) Be sure to equip magical missiles if you've got them, as the Warders are immune to mundane weapons. Once done, quickly move the whole party (sans Viconia and her undead) south-east of Love (x=1870, y=1070). Viconia talks to Avarice to get him out of the way, while my party leader talks to Love to start the fight. The goal of the Warders-as soon as you talk to Love-will be to run over to Love. Pride and Fear are melee warriors, and while dangerous, are secondary to Love, whom the majority of the party should attack and put down as quickly as possible-an easily realized ambition with Haste in effect. Avarice, in the meantime, should be attacked by Viconia and her Skeleton Warriors. He's a sneaky little bastard that will go invisible and attempt to backstab. Prior to this, however, his first goal is to get near Love and release a Cloudkill (centered on himself) which he and his fellow Warders are immune to. We've denied him both ambitions by boxing him in. If he lives long enough, he'll give up and release his Cloudkill there, but in most tests of this fight, he didn't live long enough to even manage this. If he does, however, have Viconia rejoin the main party and let Avarice and the Skeleton Warriors duke it out in the Cloudkill. Once Love is dead and Avarice is occupied or dead, it's a very simple matter to just mop up Pride and Fear. Pride will use Draw Upon Holy Might to boost his already-impressive melee powers, but it's not nearly enough. The Enhanced Edition has made a joke out of this fight-and my parties make it through without so much as a scratch. Loot Fear for a Bastard Sword, Love has a Bottle of Wine and the Level 1 Exit Wardstone (make sure you keep this on you at all times!) Pride leaves behind a suit of Plate Mail, a Helmet, a Tower Shield, and a Battle Axe, and Avarice has a suit of Studded Leather Armor, a Helmet, and a Short Sword +1. Head down the well to the next level (x=1900, y=1200). [VIDEO] Haeravon Plays: Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition - Warder Fight (Evil Party) {VID004} http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw5nKQDpTPE Note from Lee: Archers in a line behind the first table in the room to the north; fighters lined up across the top of the steps. Send the character with Boots of Speed down to trigger the Wardens and then run back to the party. With any kind of luck at all, they'll only come at you one at a time. Hit each Warden with 3 Wands of Fire (Agannazar's Scorcher) and 2 Wands of the Heavens. Instant death for all except Pride, but he's easy by himself. Zero damage to any character to rid the place of the first three, and only minor damage for Pride. ***REWARD*** (For solving Avarice's riddle) EXP 2000 ***REWARD*** (For solving Fear's riddle) EXP 2000 ***REWARD*** (For solving Love's riddle) EXP 2000 ***REWARD*** (For solving Pride's riddle) EXP 2000 ***REWARD*** (For completing all the warder's riddles) EXP 2000 ***ENHANCED EDITION*** The fight with the warders was much, much tougher in the original game-although good strategy still allowed one to prevail without much trouble. In the original game, the Warders didn't have the good sense to come to each other's aid if they were out of sight-hence the position by Love was always a good idea. It kept Avarice out of the fight long enough to deal with the other three. Now, of course, they all bee-line to Love's side. I suspect they've had their stats seriously reduced, however, as this fight is easily winnable even without using much strategy or any summons. So long as you use Haste before talking to Love-and you jump on Love quickly-it's not too hard to just duke it out with the Warders and win. Try that in the original game and watch as Pride hacks a bloody swath through your party... o======================================================================o | | | Durlag's Tower, Second Lower Level | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK031} 1) The Statue Room 2) Islanne's Room 3) The Training Room 4) The Throne Room 5) The Torture Roo... err... Chamber 6) The Temple 7) Ghastly Vents 8) The Dead Can Dance 9) The Family Bridge 10) Full Circle Durlag's Tower, Second Lower Level (AR0512) o======================================================================o 1) Oh, how I hate this level... Here you'll find yourself hitting objects to trigger locked doors to open while fighting Doppelgangers who take the forms of Durlag's family. In addition to the odd random Greater Doppelganger lurking around, some will be in the form of Fuernebol (archer), Durlag (Fighter), Islanne (Mage) and Kiel (Cleric). As a rule, they're all pretty damn strong. Whatever you do, don't rest ANYWHERE but in the central circular room next to the staircase, you do not want to get sealed in anywhere in this level. You'll notice three doors in the small room you're in, one to the north-west (x=1300, y=1000), one to the north-east (x=1530, y=1000), and one to the south-east (x=1550, y=1150). The stairs back up to level one are to the north. All of these doors are locked, and cannot be picked, bashed, or knocked. Head south-west to find a statue room with two secret doors, one to the north-west (x=1000, y=1200), and one to the south-east (x=1250, y=1350). Again, locked. There are two statues that can be manipulated on either side of the room. Manipulate the south-eastern statue to open the south-eastern door in the room above. My advice is to only enter with one character: a character with The Paws of the Cheetah (this should also typically be your best melee Fighter), Kagain or Ajantis, for example. ***TRAPS*** (x=730, y=1500) ***ITEMS*** (x=730, y=1500) Water Opal, Potion of Healing x4, Scroll of Greater Malison, Antidote, Scroll of Haste x5, 346 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) This is a nice-lavish even-room with some lootables and two secret doors, one to the south-west (x=1560, y=1350) and one to the south-east (x=1850, y=1300). Loot the table for an Islanne Runestone. When you pick it up, the door you came in through will close, and the two lower doors leading back to the statue room will open. Durlag will appear in the hallway, and dimension door his way up to you. When he gets nearby he'll explode in a Fireball, turn into a Greater Doppelganger, and attack. If you only entered with your main character you can run down the hallway to the statue room and avoid the Fireball, then return with your party to deal with the Doppelganger. If you grab the Furnebol Wardstone, the door in the first circular room to the north-west will open. Note that this door also opens if you manipulate the north-western statue in the statue room. So, head over to the newly opened room. ***ITEMS*** (x=1700, y=1300) Islanne Wardstone (x=1710, y=1140) Adventurer's Robe, Scroll of Domination, Scroll of Spirit Armor, Scroll of Remove Curse, Scroll of Summon Monster II, Dart of Stunning x7, Dart of Wounding x17, Dart +1 x11, Bullet +2 x8, Dart x20, 331 gold (x=1930, y=1170) Kiel Wardstone (x=1820, y=1080) Fuernebol Wardstone <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) This room is covered with traps and contains three sparring dummies. First disarm the traps to save yourself the bother. If you hit the silver dummy, (x=1270, y=820) the door in the circular chamber to the north-east will open. If you hit the red dummy (x=1200, y=820) the door to Islanne's room will open, and if you hit the gold/bronze dummy (x=1150, y=830) the door leading to this room will close, and the secret doors to the south leading to the Statue Room will open. Durlag will appear again, Dimension Door around, talk, and then explode into a Stinking Cloud. Again, only entering with one character is recommended. Run down into the Statue Room, wait for the Stinking Cloud to dissipate, then return and smite the Doppelganger. Note that the sparring dummies can all be looted. ***TRAPS*** (x=1260, y=850) (x=1200, y=910) (x=1150, y=875) (x=1150, y=910) (x=1090, y=900) (x=1050, y=900) (x=970, y=920) ***ITEMS*** (x=1280, y=800) Potion of Healing x8, Potion of Heroism x2 (x=1200, y=790) Scroll of Otiluke's Resilient Sphere, Scroll of Defensive Harmony, Scroll of Protection from Lightning, Scroll of Champion's Strength (x=1140, y=800) Potion of Master Thievery, Arrows +1 x19, Acid Arrows x5, Arrows of Fire +2 x11, Arrows of Ice x12, Arrows +2 x6 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) Now head back to the circular room and go through the north-eastern doorway to get to a throne room. At the base of the throne you'll see a helmet (x=2103, y=543). It's an obvious trap, but pick it up anyways, and run like hell back to the circular room. Durlag will come out again with two others of his clan, all of which will explode into cloud spells and turn into Greater Doppelgangers. The doors on either side of the room will open, but the door back out will close... so be quick about fleeing back to the central room. You can return to the sparring dummy room and just hit the dummies again to open your way back. When the spells dissipate, return in force and wipe out the Doppelgangers. You can now go north-west, or south-east. I typically choose to go north west. The helmet you gained was Kiel's Helmet, which makes the wearer immune to fear... it's an excellent helmet for your Cleric. Of course, if they already have Gift of Peace, they probably don't need this helmet. We're rather past having Horror spells chucked at us constantly, after all. Still, it's better than a normal helmet, so I stick it on Jaheira, who can at least cast Dispel Magic if the need arises. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 5) On the floor by the door you'll find Durlag's Goblet, a little item that 'full heals the imbiber', but makes you panic when you see an enemy. The negative effects can be offset by Kiel's Helmet, meaning that anybody using Kiel's Helmet might as well put Durlag's Goblet in a quick-slot for free healing any time. As long as you keep the helmet on, this trick is golden... unless they're held, or something. Durlag's Goblet does have a finite number of charges, however, (six, in fact) so keep that in mind. Besides that, traps are abundant in this room, so keep your Thief busy disarming them. Head through the torture room into another room to the south-west. A book will be on the floor that states 'Face my demons'. When you approach it two Greater Doppelgangers (perhaps in the guise of Durlag of his family) will appear in the north-eastern side of the torture room. Kill them and search the trapped circular urn for a Teleportation Wardstone. So long as you have this bad boy you can activate the runes on the floor to teleport to the southern room, and from there, back to this one. Activate the rune on the floor (x=950, y=650) to continue on. ***TRAPS*** (x=1350, y=550) (x=1500, y=540) (x=1420, y=490) (x=1600, y=460) (x=1450, y=370) (x=1400, y=350) (x=1400, y=270) (x=1250, y=320) (x=1200, y=380) (x=1200, y=450) (x=1100, y=370) (x=860, y=690) ***ITEMS*** (x=1400, y=545) Durlag's Goblet, Dusty Book (x=860, y=690) Teleportation Wardstone <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) Head south-west from the teleporter room into a small, square room. There's a trap in the middle of the room where another book is, and each of the basins on the walls have traps and goodies. The book says merely 'Seek no exit'. Yeah. Okay. Open the secret door to the south-east (x=550, y=1150) and carefully disarm the floor trap before heading in. Disarm and loot the statue for a Level 2 Exit Wardstone. Now to just find the exit, right? ***TRAPS*** (x=400, y=1050) (x=390, y=950) (x=520, y=1040) (x=400, y=1120) (x=280, y=1030) (x=600, y=1200) (x=720, y=1180 ***ITEMS*** (x=820, y=720) Teleportation Wardstone (x=390, y=950) Potion of Healing (x=520, y=1040) Potion of Healing (x=400, y=1120) Potion of Healing (x=280, y=1030) Potion of Healing (x=250, y-950) Bolt +1 x9, Bolt of Biting x11, Bolt of Lightning x20 (x=720, y=1180 Level 2 Exit Wardstone <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) Head through another secret door to the south-west (x=200, y=1150) and follow the tunnel to the south-east. Ghasts will pop out of the red tunnels lining the passageway. Don't go too far down, as there is a rearming Fireball trap the Ghasts just love to walk all over (actually, the Ghasts are traps, too, but that's neither here nor there...) When the Ghasts are dead send a Thief up to disarm the traps. Head through a door to find a chamber with some stairs leading down. They're trapped, and they lead absolutely nowhere. Instead, find a secret door at (x=1050, y=1950), which leads to where we want to go. Unfortunately, we've got some more work to do before it opens. Pick up the book near the top of the bogus stairs to read 'Dance with the dead.' ***TRAPS*** (x=550, y=1700) (x=700, y=1800) (x=1000, y=1880) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) To the south-east are four Dwarven Doom Guards, which suck just as much as the normal ones. They won't attack you until you attack them, or until you loot the chest they're guarding. I'd suggest you not engage them all at once, instead head back into the Ghast tunnels and send your character with The Paws of the Cheetah to run in, grab some of the loot, and run out, hopefully only luring one or two of the Dwarven Doom Guards to you at a time... after you unlock and disarm the chest, of course. Once the Dwarven Doom Guards have been introduced to your two friends- death and destruction-we can bother looking over the loot we just got. Kiel's Morningstar sucks for the same reason the Two-Handed Sword Brage had sucked, it's no good if you go berserk every fight. Kiel's Buckler, on the other hand, can be useful if the Dexterity bonus from the shield increases the wearer's Armor Class as well, but frankly, you might as well just use a Large Shield +1 if you can use a shield at all. The door opens to the next level, but by now I'm pretty beat up... for arguments sake, lets complete the level, head back to town, and hit the third level fresh. ***TRAPS*** (x=1400, y=2130) ***ITEMS*** (x=1400, y=2130) Kiel's Buckler, Kiel's Morningstar +3, Potion of Healing x3, 432 gold (x=1520, y=2120) Potion of Hill Giant Strength, Potion of Frost Giant Strength <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 9) From Kiel's tomb head through a passage to the south-east and follow it until you come to a room with bridges spanning the middle. Instead of rushing on in there, go forward with a Thief and disarm the trap in the door-way to avoid Fireball punishment. Sneak forward and you'll see a pair of Fuernebols and an Islanne. I hit them with a Fireball and retreat into the tunnel. If they chase me, they have to fight me in close quarters, which is not healthy for them. Also note the obscure loot at (x=2000, y=1390), another bit of eagle-eyed goodness, courtesy of Jason Rozzo. Anyways, when you're done across the bridge and open the door (x=2170, y=1550). ***TRAPS*** (x=1660, y=1660) (x=2000, y=1390) ***ITEMS*** (x=2000, y=1390) Scroll of Protection from Evil 10' Radius, Scroll of Chaotic Commands, 1157 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 10) Another statue room full of traps. Despite the creepy statues, there isn't anything interesting in here. Head up the tunnel to the north east and disarm the huge trap when the tunnel turns. You'll come into a room with wheels on two of the walls, and levers on another. Flip the north-eastern most lever (the one closest to the wheel on the north east wall) to open the door leading back to the throne room. You should now be able to make your way through this level without too much trouble. Many doors that shut on their own, we know how to open, and if they were opened by triggering an event (such as by taking Kiel's helmet) they should now open with Knock spells. When in doubt, head through the throne room, the door leading to the north-west can be knocked. To get to the throne room, hit the silver sparring dummy, and to open the sparring dummy room, activate the north-western statue in the statue room. When you're ready to move on to level 3, go to the room by Kiel's tomb south of the bogus staircase and go down the stairs (x=1000, y=2300). ***TRAPS*** (x=2260, y=1460) (x=2340, y=1440) (x=2200, y=1360) (x=2330, y=1330) (x=2380, y=1380) (x=2340, y=1240) (x=2600, y=900) o======================================================================o | | | Durlag's Tower: Third Lower Level | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK032} 1) Now That is What I Call 'Continual Flame' 2) The Garden 3) This Level's Puzzle 4) Skeleton Platforms 5) Durlag's Bestiary 6) Durlag's Petrified Champions 7) Ice Monster 8) Slime Monster 9) Wind Monster 10) Fire Monster 11) Check! Durlag's Tower, Third Lower Level (AR0513) o======================================================================o 1) Oh man, now we're in deep. Past the door to the south will be a circular room with a constantly detonating Fireball trap. You'll have to pick another door to go through quickly, and with your Boots of Speed character, you should make it through. Once the door is open, the rest of your characters can just make it across if you send them one at a time and the pathfinding doesn't get retarded on you. This level isn't as bad as the other one, in my opinion, but the Fireball trap makes it a pain to head back up. Also it'll interrupt your resting and quick saving from time to time, which is annoying... but at least you can rest here without worrying about the level rearranging itself. If you're feeling frisky, there are a number of items on the floor of the Fireball-trap room, just waiting to be picked up by some daring adventurer. I head through the door to the south-east, first. ***ITEMS*** (x=3275, y=1255) Potion of Freedom, 13 gold (x=3275, y=1175) Scroll of Emotion, Bolt of Lightning x20, Oil of Speed, 113 gold (x=3180, y=1135) Dart +1 x19, Dart of Wounding x8 (x=3100, y=1240) Arrow of Ice x10, Arrows +1 x40, Potion of Healing x2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) You'll find a garden level filled with traps, Greater Ghouls and Ashirukuru. Greater Ghouls are like Ghasts... but with more Hit Points, and faster attack and movement speed. Ashirukuru are invisible little bastards that attack from the shadows, dealing triple damage via backstab and capable of hitting even well-protected characters quite easily. If you have Detect Invisibility or Invisibility Purge, now is the time to use it, but the best defense against them is Stoneskin. Use a protected character as bait, and when they attack, pounce on them. In the middle of the garden you'll find a statue that you can loot. Bala's Axe: Wizard Slayer is an interesting little Battle Axe, and if you have Kagain in your party, you might just want to equip it. It's good against Mages, but I can't remember a single time when I had Kagain run up to a Mage in combat. Keep going south until you find the door at (x=2400, y=2600). ***TRAPS*** (x=3580, y=2000) (x=3200, y=2040) (x=3300, y=1700) (x=3000, y=2370) (x=2900, y=2600) (x=2800, y=2100) ***ITEMS*** (x=3200, y=2040) Bala's Axe: Wizard Slayer, Potion of Healing x3, Scroll of Hold Monster, Scroll of Domination, Potion of Heroism, Potion of Master Thievery, Dart of Stunning x10 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) Head south through a door in the garden room to enter a more typical Dwarven stone room. Follow the path south until it turns to the north-west. You'll have to fight some Greater Ghouls and deal with more traps as you go. Click on some of the stone faces, the largest one tells you what's up next: 'Down four tunnels lie four foes. Kill all four and the game begins.' That's right, four enemies in the four rooms to the south-west that all need smiting. Others will tell you about some of the enemies: 'Fire, ice, slime, and wind. All must perish to continue. She who fires flame must be killed before her bow is drawn.' 'Queening can change a match-much worse if you're the other player.' 'Ooze only parts before blows and spells, but evaporates in the cleansing fire.' ***TRAPS*** (x=1920, y=2650) ***ITEMS*** (x=1930, y=2560) Antidote, Bolt of Biting x10, 1 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) Blah blah, lets clear out the rest of this level before we go messing around with fire, ice, slime, and wind. Continue north-west and take the passage leading to the north-east. In this room are Skeletons with bows and magical arrows on platforms connected by bridges. Since I can rest as I wish, I tend to stock up on Fireballs and just go in with my Mages (protected by Mirror Image, of course) and blast every platform I see. Crude, yes, but effective. And it conserves their arrows. You need to be careful though, as there are traps on many of the platforms. What kind of traps? Stinking Cloud traps, of course. See? The computer even uses the Stinking Cloud/undead trick. If you blast the Skeletons to hell, you'll score a pretty huge cache of elemental arrows. This room is really just here in case you needed the elemental arrows against some of the monsters up ahead... and frankly, the Arrows of Fire +2 will come in handy against the slime we've got to fight. ***TRAPS*** (x=2100, y=1930) (x=2400, y=1870) (x=2420, y=1600) (x=2800, y=1650) (x=2730, y=1430) ***ITEMS*** (x=2150, y=1750) Bolt +1 x20, Bullets +2 x16, Potion of Healing x2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 5) Head back to the stone tunnels in the south-west and continue to the north-west until you find a door to the north-east (x=600, y=1700). Honestly this is not the ideal direction to be approaching this room, as beyond this door lies some Greater Wyverns. Everything is greater down here, isn't it? Anyways, they act like they're Hasted, have a dreadful THAC0, and decent Hit Points. Sending up your own Fighters to get poked full of poison by them is not really a good idea, so cast Animate Dead and spell buff yourself and your summons to the max before heading in. I wouldn't suggest going with all-ranged attacks, but certainly let your summons engage first. I'll admit, all my front liners were pretty beat up after this, but the important thing is, I won. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) Near the northern end of this room a Skeleton (x=2320, y=740) will tell you that you can summon some ancient heroes trapped by Durlag to help you. Doesn't do much good if you already killed the Greater Wyverns, but they still might as well be summoned for the loot and experience they'll bring. When they arrive they'll make a little statement and then promptly get Dire Charmed, and we know how this works-you'll have to put them down when the duration of their charm wears off. We have Meiala the Sirine (x=2000, y=660), Hack, an Ogre (x=1880, y=880), Bullrush the Hobgoblin (x=2300, y=500), the Dwarf Tarnor (x=2150, y=800), and Moorlock, a Human warrior (x=2450, y=650). None of them are impressively powerful, and if you summon them one at a time you should have no trouble whatsoever. If you're extra clever, while Meiala is charmed you'll have her waste all her Dire Charm spells so she won't be using them on you. Their loot is as follows: Meila: Arrows of Biting x40, two Pearls, Pearl Necklace, Composite Longbow and 308 gold. Hack: Flail. Bullrush: Leather Armor, Shortbow and a Bastard Sword. Moorlock: Studded Leather Armor, Long Sword +1 and 64 gold. Tarnor: Full Plate Mail, Small Shield and a Battle Axe. Well, that suit of Full Plate Mail really has nowhere to go, seeing as how we already have two suits of it... not to mention two suits of Ankheg Plate Mail. Still, it'll sell well. Now head back south and go through the door at (x=450, y=1850). We'll go right down the hallway, killing the monsters in order. First is ice, then slime, then wind, then fire. Exit to the ice monster's cavern at (x=100, y=2100). Ice Monster's Cavern (AR0507) o======================================================================o 7) This place isn't too bad, just Haste up and rush Kaldran the Bear. After iit falls, it's really just a matter of mopping up some sissy Winter Wolves. Kaldran is a bit of a beast in melee combat, and it can paralyze foes it hits, but leading with a low Armor Class Ajantis or Kagain should mitigate the damage somewhat. Note from Peter: Again a Wand of Paralyzation might be very helpful against Kaldran, the Bear. Slime Monster's Cavern (AR0510) o======================================================================o 8) Go through the door at (x=830, y=2130) and enter the slime monster's cavern (x=500, y=2400). This one is pretty easy, too. I merely summon up several Skeleton Warriors and have Imoen/Edwin and my protagonist prepare as many Flame Arrow spells as possible. The Skeleton Warriors lead and attack the Fission Slime, while my Mages pummel it with Flame Arrows. Just make sure your Flame Arrow finishes it off. Any archers you have can also contribute with some of those Arrows of Fire +2 we sniped from the Skeletons in Step #4. Note from Peter: A Wand of the Heavens comes quite in handy here too. Wind Monster's Cavern (AR0509) o======================================================================o 9) Go through the door at (x=1250, y=2400) and enter the wind monster's cavern at (x=900, y=2700). Another easy fight, just Haste up and attack the Air Aspect. It can do some pretty brutal damage, but if you keep an eye on things and withdraw wounded characters, you should be fine. It also comes with some Invisible Stalker friends, but ignore them until the Air Aspect is vanquished, as it's honestly a more serious threat. Note from Peter: Did I mention how helpful the Wand of Paralyzation actually is? Especially against such brutal melee warriors like Air Aspect? Fire Monster's Cavern (AR0508) o======================================================================o 10) Now head through the last doors (x=1650, y=2700) and enter the fire cavern's domain (x=1300, y=2950). Make sure you're fully rested and you have all your spells prepared before heading into the fire domain. There will be another fight right after you're done in here. Ahead of you are two Phoenix Guards-one male, one female. The female fires flaming arrows, while the male is more of a melee-type. The only thing we need to do to progress is to kill one of them. Just go up far enough to lure one of them to the party, smite it, and you'll be teleported to the next battle. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** This encounter has been simplified a good bit for the Enhanced Edition. In the original game, the female Phoenix Guard was quite fragile, but fired Arrows of Detonation. Also, the Phoenix Guards had a nasty habit of detonating upon death, forcing you to be rather tricky in disposing of the female quickly, and at a range, to avoid taking damage. Now you just walk up and kill one of them. Chess Board (AR0506) o======================================================================o 11) Once the Phoenix Guards are dead you'll be whisked off to a chess board, where you'll be told the rules. Your main character should be the king, while your queen can move anywhere. For me, the queen just so happens to be Jaheira. I shouldn't have to explain chess to anybody reading this, but for the purposes of the game your six party members occupy the eight slots at the far south-western side of the board-sans the two blank squares. On the far ends are Knights, who can move freely but 'always risk pain', next to them are Bishops, who must stay on the square color they start on (black adjacent to the King, and white adjacent to the Queen). On the other side of the board, the enemies aren't at all burdened by rules, which is kind of gay. Why make a chess themed fight if only one side actually has to follow the rules? Anyways, Pawns are Plate Mail armored, relatively weak melee combatants, while Knights are stronger foes. Rooks are archers, the Queen is a Mage who will cast a variety of status-effecting spells (Horror being her first move, in most cases), the Bishops are Clerics who will proudly unleash some Flame Strikes before using debilitative spells, and the King... well, he's just a melee wuss. Instead of moving around and risking having spell effects hit you, I take a more passive strategy. First, I summon a Nymph and some Skeleton Warriors at the far south-western edge of the board... yes, that's just BEHIND my characters, so their arrival doesn't alert the enemy across the board. Once summoned I let loose with four Stinking Clouds at the edge of my line-of-sight. Once those are up, I send forward my Skeleton Warriors to provoke the enemy. When they show up, I further debilitate them with spells like Confusion, Chaos, Slow, etc., while everybody with any ranged option fires away. Kagain with his Axe, Dorn with his Crossbow, Jaheira and Viconia with Slings, Minsc with his Longbow, etc. Resist Fear is also a necessary buff, as the Queen's primary ambition is to hit you with a Horror spell. A character running amok across the board will likely be killed by triggering Lightning Bolt traps, or by enemy action. You should also be wary that a Pawn who makes it to the far side of the board will turn into a Queen. The ranged assault should go a long way towards destroying the enemy's force... or at least remove their entire force of Pawns. It also serves the purpose of using up the Bishop's spells, who'll likely direct their fire (literally) at the Skeleton Warriors. I'll repeat, though-the one thing to watch out for is enemy Pawns approaching your line. Have your Queen step up (but stay outside of your own Stinking Cloud spells!) and act as bait to intercept them before they reach the far side of the board. Another trick that works well is buffing up, then sending your 'Queen' (the character on the square just south-east of your protagonist) forward a square to lure over a batch of Pawns. Destroy them with whatever melee character can safely reach them and ranged attack. Either way, you should find yourself in a similar situation as above-most of the Pawns decimated, with much of the back row intact. Hazarding to guess you'll end up the same way I did, with most of the Pawns destroyed by the back row largely intact, my solution to finish off this fight is simple. My 'Queen' inches forward until the enemy King spots him and is provoked. Let the King rush the field over to your side, where he can be easily smote. Checkmate, we win. The loot of the various types of chess pieces can be found below: Bishop: 125 gold. King: Darts of Stunning x10, a Potion of Frost Giant Strength, a Scroll of Emotion, a Scroll of Remove Curse, a Scroll of Protection from Evil 10' Radius, a Scroll of Champion's Strength, The World's Edge +3 and 418 gold. Knight: Plate Mail Armor, Helmet, Medium Shield +1, Long Sword, Long Sword. Pawn: Plate Mail Armor, Small Shield, War Hammer. Queen: 102 gold. Rook: Chain Mail Armor, Arrows x40, Composite Longbow, Long Sword. [VIDEO] Haeravon Plays: Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition - Chess Fight (Evil Party) {VID005} http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOByDWevo5o That Two Handed Sword +3 is the great prize of Durlag's Tower, and Dorn or Minsc will absolutely love their new toy. When you're done looting head north through the door at (x=1020, y=320) to reach the fourth level of Durlag's Tower. Note that the only way to leave Durlag's Tower from the fourth level is to talk to the ghost of Islanne, Durlag's Wife. To get back down to the fourth level, just go through any of the doors to the elemental caverns to appear on the Chess Board (AR0506), across from which the stairs down to the fourth level (AR0514) are located. Note from Peter: In my opinion the easiest way to win this fight is by using all the gathered Wands of Fire and Oils of Fiery Burning. I usually have a lot of them by now. o======================================================================o | | | Durlag's Tower, Fourth Lower Level | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK033} 1) Spiders and Riddles 2) The First Path 3) Western Slime Caves 4) Grael the Ghoul 5) Eastern Slime Caves 6) The Treasure Trove of Durlag's Tower 7) The Second Path 8) Bone Wardstone 9) The Rune Room 10) The Third Path 11) Clair De'lain's Tale of Terror 12) The Demon Knight 13) Saving Dalton Durlag's Tower, Fourth Lower Level (AR0514) o======================================================================o 1) As soon as you enter you'll be bothered by Durlag Trollkiller, or rather, his ghost. He'll tell you that you have to understand what made this place, and that there are three paths to take. Righty-o. Head through the door to the south-west (x=2420, y=1620), across a bridge and into some tunnels. Follow the passage to the north-west until you come into a larger room. There's a trap at the entrance to the room, and various Spiders and Ettercaps beyond. Of note is an Astral Phase Spider, which is just a beefed up Phase Spider with rougher poison. Ignore the door at (x=2050, y=1250) for now and talk to the stone golem at (x=1850, y=830). It'll ask you some questions, randomly chosen between three possibilities: QUESTION #1 ----------- 1) "If you count Durlag, son of Bolhur 'Thunderaxe,' as your kin, you will know well the family that built this place. The eldest son of Durlag, the pride of the clan: What is his name?" Answer: Kiel --or-- 2) "If you count Durlag, son of Bolhur 'Thunderaxe,' as your kin, you will know well the family that built this place. The youngest son of Durlag, the future of the clan: what is his name?" Answer: Fuernebol --or-- 3) "If you count Durlag, son of Bolhur 'Thunderaxe,' as your kin, you will know well the family that built this place. The mother of the sons, the matron of the clan: what is her name?" Answer: Islanne After that question has been answered satisfactorily, the Stone Golem will proceed to ask you another two questions. These two questions are not random, as the previous one was, and it doesn't matter what you were actually asked the first time around: QUESTION #2: ------------ "Durlag, builder of the home, founder of the clan, had a name not from his father but his own deeds. The tower was built with the fortunes of hordes, but the last name of Durlag came from the fortune of battle. With axe and fire he cleansed the land of beasts he loved to fight, when axe alone would not suffice. I ask the second name of Durlag." Answer: Trollkiller QUESTION #3: ------------ "The father of this place formed the clan that fell in times of treachery. False faces claimed the future, and clanless became Durlag. This he shared with his own father, a wanderer that lived by the strength of his weapon. The second name of Bolher is what I ask of you. Sense most common is all you need for this answer." Answer: Thunderaxe Answer all three correctly and you'll be given a clue, 'The bones will walk where flesh cannot. The ward will walk the bones.' You'll be teleported off to a circular room where a number of Stone Golems stand. Time for more questions, much? ***TRAPS*** (x=1550, y=1630) (x=2020, y=1260) Durlag's Trial (AR0515) o======================================================================o 2) Talk to all the statues save the north-eastern statue. When you've talked to them all bother the last one (x=480, y=180) to answer a question. "With me it ended. Speak now of my troubles, to show you have learnt. From where did my pain come? Where did my pain stab home? Where did my pain take root? Where dost my pain reside? Speak and show that you understand." Answer: From the west it came, and then the south. The east held it next, and now it rests in the north. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) You'll be teleported back to near Durlag. Go east past him and head up a tunnel to the north. There's a secret door to the east at (x=3300, y=1400), and another one past it at (x=3350, y=1550). You'll now be in some slime caverns. A number of the slime pools, or slime basins rather, near the wall have loot in them, so keep an eye out. There are pools of slime that deal damage to you if you walk over them, although you'll have to do this from time to time to score some loot. There are also Greater Ghouls and Crypt Crawlers (slightly advanced Carrion Crawlers?) to keep you company. Head west first to find a trapped door at (x=2400, y=2350), behind which are some Greater Ghouls and a slime basin with some loot. South of that door you'll find a secret door at (x=2000, y=2800). Don't get too gung-ho about rushing through the secret door though, as a host of enemies wait beyond it. At least the slime damages them too, right? Beyond the damaging slime you'll find some loot. ***TRAPS*** (x=2400, y=2350) ***ITEMS*** (x=3050, y=1835) Darts of Wounding x20, The One Gift Lost, 134 gold (x=3230, y=2130) Bullet +2 x20, Arrow +1 x20, Arrow +1 x20 (x=3100, y=2900) Potion of Master Thievery (x=2220, y=2270) Oil of Speed, Bolts of Lightning x20 (x=1840, y=2240) Bolts of Lightning x10, Bullet +1 x10, Arrow of Fire +2 x20 (x=2600, y=2050) Potion of Healing x5, Antidote, 69 gold (x=2020, y=2700) Oil of Speed, Potion of Healing x3, Potion of Fire Giant Strength, Potion of Frost Giant Strength (x=1900, y=2800) Wand of Lightning (x=1700, y=2780) Antidote, Potion of Freedom <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) Head west some more until you find a secret door to the north (x=1300, y=2100), beyond which are some Greater Ghouls and loot. There is a little bit of loot further west, but where we really want to go is south of the secret door and across some slime pits to the west. You will find another secret door south of a dry landing between two slime pits at (x=700, y=2800). Through the secret door you'll find some Greater Ghouls, Crypt Crawlers, and a unique Greater Ghoul named Grael. He'll tell you about a Tanar'ri (demon) Durlag fought in the past, and warn you about its gaze. Grael will then attack. When he dies he'll drop some random loot and a Compass Wardstone... which you should probably keep, right? ***ITEMS*** (x=1200, y=1850) Potion of Freedom, Potion of Frost Giant Strength (x=1160, y=2100) 41 gold (x=800, y=1950) 45 gold, Dagger (x=1500, y=2600) Potion of Frost Giant Strength, Wand of Monster Summoning (x=1000, y=2500) 1880 gold (x=500, y=1350) Potion of Healing, Potion of Fire Giant Strength, Wand of Fire (x=500, y=2850) Bracers of Defense A.C. 8 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 5) Now head back to where you entered the slime caves and venture to the unexplored east. In the south-east you'll find a secret door at (x=4100, y=3000), behind which are some Greater Ghouls and Crypt Crawlers, and of course, some loot. Beyond a small slime pit to the north of the secret door to the south-east you'll find yet another secret door at (x=4000, y=2700) that leads to a small room with a trapped treasure chest with goodies inside. The Staff of Striking is nice... but who will really use it anyways? You could stick it on Edwin, but anybody who can use it is better off using Aule's Staff +3-which you can buy from the innkeeper in Ulgoth's Beard. For one thing, it doesn't have charges, and for another thing... well, you don't need another thing. The whole point of getting a magical weapon is so it won't break during use in combat. The Burning Earth +1 is less questionable, it's just a good weapon. The fact that it gets combat bonuses against Regenerating creatures means it can be used against a specific type of enemy later on (one that could previously only really be hurt by Kondar +1, and a few other select weapons). If that's not good enough, it is +3 against Cold-Using creatures, of which we don't really have any left to fight, and +4 against Undead. In all, it's a good replacement for or alternative to Kondar +1. And it's fiery. Ooooh.... ***TRAPS*** (x=4300, y=2200) ***ITEMS*** (x=2870, y=2270) Potion of Master Thievery, Antidote x2, Oil of Speed, 582 gold (x=3500, y=2680) 1 gold (x=3700, y=3250) 980 gold (x=4520, y=3120) Oil of Speed, Potion of Healing (x=4300, y=2200) Staff of Striking +3, The Burning Earth +1, 53 gold (x=4370, y=2250) Andar Gem <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) To the north, opposite of where you found the chest with The Burning Earth +1 you'll find yet another secret door (x=4500, y=2300). Take the passage to the west, disarming a trap as you go, then take the south passage, down which is another trap. Follow the tunnel until you get to a door with a wheel on it (x=3600, y=2000). You can normally only open it with a 'special wardstone', but I suspect Grael donated to our cause in this case. Search the western treasure pile for a WHOPPING amount of gold. This is the 'piles of gold' that we heard about from people when we came to Durlag's Tower. It was a bit of a chore to get here, but it was worth it. Click on the throne to be whisked away to another question session. ***TRAPS*** (x=4880, y=1880) (x=4500, y=2100) (x=4200, y=1870) (x=4000, y=2170) ***ITEMS*** (x=3740, y=1840) 13950 gold, Long Sword, Short Sword +1, Turquiose Gem, Jasper Gem, Zircon Gem, Moonstone Gem, Ziose Gem, Star Diopside Gem, Aquamarine Gem, Horn Coral Gem, Sphene Gem, Water Opal, Moonbar Gem, Star Sapphire, Diamond, Emerald, Rogue Stone (x=3780, y=1980) 72 gold Durlag's Trial (AR0515) o======================================================================o 7) Same deal as before, talk to all the statues save the one in the north-east corner. Once the other three have spilled the beans, talk to the north-eastern one: "This is the end of things. Here I stood and struck them down as they came. My family and my clan, with their false faces; the dropped all pretense and drew their weapons against me. I fought them to the last, killing the shapechangers that had taken their forms. I cursed them for destroying the dream, but they were not the real evil. The real evil could not save my people before this deception. The real evil hid from life in the face of this tragedy. The real evil deserves the blame. This is the end of things. Answer where the blame has fallen." Answer: The blame begins with the invaders, but they attacked with supposed good reason. It could be on your people, but they were in the shelter of your confidence. The craftsmen only did their jobs as directed. In your eyes, you are the one to blame for all that has happened. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) Again you'll be whisked to near Durlag, and again you should head past him and up the tunnel to the north. This time keep going north until you find Islanne (x=3870, y=750). She'll offer to teleport you out of the tower, should you need to leave. It's a quick way out... it's just a shame there's no quick way back down here. Don't worry about the secret door to the east (x=4100, y=850), as it's beyond our power to open as of yet. Instead head through the door to the west (x=3650, y=600). Go through another door to reach a room with two Helmed Horrors. You'll find yourself in another smithy. Loot the trapped... uh, hole? For some goodies, including the Bone Wardstone. ***TRAPS*** (x=3240, y=250) ***ITEMS*** (x=3880, y=600) Jasper Gem, Tchazar Gem x2, 171 gold (x=3240, y=250) Potion of Healing x3, Bolt of Biting x8, Arrow +2 x20, Oil of Speed, Dart +1 x14, Bolt +2 x10, Bone Wardstone (x=3050, y=300) War Hammer, War Hammer +1, 43 gold <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 9) Leave the smithy and return to the room where Islanne lurks. Just before the door leading to the smithy you'll find a short tunnel leading south-west to a door at (x=3430, y=880). Enter the room beyond and continue through it-ignore everything to the north-west for now, as some runes lining the floor will... well, decimate you if you cross them. Continue through a doorway to the south-west and follow a tunnel to the north-west. You'll pass a tunnel leading south-west, which ultimately leads to the room where we fought the spiders earlier... which we can safely ignore. Continue into a room to the north-west, wherein you'll find a locked... object at (x=2100, y=750). If you click on it with the Bone Wardstone it'll turn off some rune traps that prevented us from exploring the room we passed through earlier. Head back there, where you'll find that you can now safely cross the rune-lined section of floor, beyond which goodies lurk. Karajah's Leather Armor +3 is equal to Telbar's Studded Leather Armor +2 we got from Sendai earlier in the game, but Studded Leather has better modifiers against various attack types, making it superior... and I find Elven Chain Mail to be better than both of them, in any event. Whether you prefer the Krotan's Skullcrusher +2 (1d6+2 damage) over the Ashideena +2 (1d4+3, plus 1 electrical) is more of a matter of preference than anything else. I keep the trusty ol' Ashideena +2 because its damage range of 5-8 is better than the damage done by Krotan's Skullcrusher (3-8). The loot in the other chest is less of a tease. Pellan's Shield +2 is an obvious improvement over the Large Shield +1 Jaheira still has, so it goes to her. Arla's Dragonbane +3 goes to Jaheira as well, even though Viconia gets less attacks in melee and would therefore be more disposed to fighting at a range, I just can't argue with the fact that Jaheira gets two attacks per round as compared to Viconia's one. Click on the... uh... whatever, at (x=2500, y=700) to get teleported to your last questionnaire. ***TRAPS*** (x=2650, y=550) (x=3000, y=660) ***ITEMS*** (x=2650, y=550) Pellan's Shield +2, Turquoise Gem, Bloodstone Gem x2, Arla's Dragonbane +3, 5547 gold (x=3000, y=660) Karajah's Leather Armor +3, Ziose Gem, Star Diopside Gem, Mace +2 201 gold Durlag's Trial (AR0515) o======================================================================o 10) Again, talk to the stone golems, saving the north-eastern one for last: "My father roamed as I, and saw much of the world in his time. Well respected was he, but he had no home. At his end, he died in some far away land, with no dwarven kin by his side. I would not allow such to happen to me. I would not follow his steps that far. I would not be Durlag the clanless. This was my fear. Trace the path of fear and show me you have learned. Answer: It began with you and your need for a home. It grew with your clan, as you feared losing them. It manifested in the invaders that came, but you feared their coming already. It became your home, where it keeps you safe. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 11) Again you'll be teleported to near Durlag. Talk to him this time and he'll ask you to kill the Demon Knight before he becomes too entrenched. Follow him up to where Islanne is, and he'll dispel the secret door that was previously locked. Go through a door at (x=4200, y=1000) to find a female adventurer named Clair De'lain. She'll tell you her party was slain by the Demon Knight up ahead, and will also tell you about the Mirror Of Opposition the creature has, and suggest you use it in the hope that it'll have to fight its own duplicate. That is for sissies though, we use force. The Cloak of the Shield... eh, it's a nice little item that gives you good defense against missile weapons when you use it. If I were to put it on anybody at all, it would be a quaternary Fighter, one who doesn't already have, say, the Tower Shield +1, +4 versus Missile, Boots of Avoidance, of the Cloak of Displacement. It also is somewhat of a waste on Mages, who can just cast Mirror Image to give themselves defense. This leave Minsc, by default. Take a deep breath and head through the door at (x=4550, y=1200). ***TRAPS*** (x=4100, y=1100) ***ITEMS*** (x=4100, y=1100) Zircon Gem, Iol Gem, Cloak of the Shield Demon Knight's Chamber (AR0516) o======================================================================o 12) It's time to get ready for the Demon Knight. He can prove fairly tough for an unprepared party, but with this guide handy, you're anything but. My preparations should be fairly recognizable by now; first, cast Animate Dead several times to conjure up a batch of Skeleton Warriors on the edge of the circular walkway your party starts out on. Once done, buff yourself-and your undead minions-with the typical buffs- Protection from Evil 10' Radius and Haste. Other buffs that I cast for this fight are Resist Fire/Cold on as many characters as possible. I also buff my protagonist with Stoneskin, Blur, and Mirror Image (my evil protagonist must sadly go without Stoneskin due to the level cap). Make sure everybody has a magical weapon. Now that we're buffed, it's time to maneuver. There are four sets of stairs leading down to the central circle where the Demon Knight resides. I take two of my melee characters and move them to the north-east (Viconia and Jaheira), and the others go to the south-west (Dorn, my protagonist), while my strongest, most-well protected sucker (Ajantis or Kagain) stay in the middle, with the Skeleton Warriors and whatever combination of Mages and archers you have (Minsc/Edwin/Imoen). Now for the execution... the Demon Knight has a simple-but often deadly-routine. First he'll attempt to cast Dispel Magic to remove your buffs. Then he'll hit you with a very powerful Fireball, immediately followed by a Power Word: Stun-this will probably work anyways, but the damage you take from the Fireball will all but guarantee it. Afterwards, he'll wade into melee combat and do his damnedest to make you reload. If you don't handle things right, it'll probably work. So, here's how I go about doing things. Ajantis/Kagain rush down with no other support and engage the Demon Knight. He'll talk, and a fight inevitably ensues. Watch the Demon Knight carefully-he should start casting Dispel Magic. Run away with Ajantis/Kagain (who should be the target of the Dispel Magic) to the south-eastern stairs, where no other party members are. He'll cast the spell, which will debuff his target. Do not move in on the Demon Knight yet-let your Skeleton Warriors engage him alone. He will cast his Fireball/Power Word: Stun combo on your party, which is spread-out and protected enough so that whomever he targets should survive it without hindering your overall combat effectiveness much. Once the spell is out and one of your party members is stunned, select everybody and attack him (perhaps sparing individuals who are overly wounded, for safety.) He should fall pretty quickly against your full party's might, most of whom should be fresh and still buffed. I tried this out twenty times, and I only lost a character once, so it should work fine for you, too. As far as I'm concerned, it's all but fool-proof, but to reiterate, the plan is as follows: 1) Cast Animate Dead and buff your party. 2) Spread your party out. 3) Attack with Skeleton Warriors and your best tank (Ajantis/Kagain). 4) Withdraw your tank away from the Demon Knight to minimize the effect of his Dispel Magic. 5) Allow the Demon Knight to cast Fireball and Power Word: Stun and weather it. 6) Attack the Demon Knight with your full party. [VIDEO] Haeravon Plays: Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition - Demon Knight Fight (Good Party) {VID006} http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0D4aZjnErQ When he dies he'll leave behind a Helm of Opposite Alignment, a Large Shield +1, the Soultaker Dagger, and... a Scroll of Glitterdust? Whatever. Note: If you break the Mirror of Opposition (x=700, y=450), you'll trigger a bunch of 'Mirror Fiends'-two Doppelganger-looking creatures, two Ettercaps, and an Ogrillion. Do not take their appearances seriously, however-they are far more dangerous. First, let me just say that this 'trick' is supposed to be a good alternative for fighting the Demon Knight. It is not. The Mirror Fiend duplicate of the Demon Knight does absolutely nothing to help your cause, from what I've seen. All breaking the Mirror of Opposition does is throw the Demon Knight off his AI routine and force him to go after you in melee... and summons up allies to exacerbate things. Namely the Doppelganger versions, who immediately go invisible, protect themselves with Minor Globe of Invulnerability, then rejoin combat with Confusion, followed by rounds of Fireball. Add to this three melee pests and the potent Demon Knight, and you've just multiplied the complexity of this fight in a bad way- and for no real gain in loot at the end. Don't bother with it, the Demon Knight is far easier to fight on his own. ***ENHANCED EDITION*** The Helm of Opposite Alignment isn't new to the Enhanced Edition, or Baldur's Gate in general, but it is new here. It's also the first time you could obtain this item without killing the Demon Knight when he first appeared on the first level. You needed great timing, a few blasts of Greater Malison, Wands of Paralyzation, and most of all, luck. Your reward for killing him before you were supposed to be able to? Plate of the Dark +1 and the Helm of Opposite Alignment. The folks at Overhaul Games supposedly made him unkillable above, but at least had the courtesy to put this useless helmet on him down here. Put it on Jaheira for giggles. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 13) You can find Dalton along the eastern side of the room at (x=1160, y=480). Talk to him and he'll make a rather pathetic display of himself. Now you're done with Durlag's Tower, you can talk to Clair if you wish, She'll be surprised you won. Meh. Head out and talk to Islanne and get her to take you to the surface. Good riddance to Durlag's Tower. Now let's head over to Ulgoth's Beard so we can turn this stupid dagger over to Hurgan Stoneblade. o======================================================================o | | | Cult of Aec'Letec | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK034} 1) Cult Ambush 2) Dumbass Dalton 3) More Cultists 4) Raiding the Cult House 5) Aec'Letec 6) Returnin' to Hurgan Ulgoth's Beard o======================================================================o 1) As soon as you arrive you'll be bothered by a Cult Enforcer asking you for the Soultaker Dagger. Tell him to piss off and he'll attack, aided by plenty of buddies. Cult Guards are Fighters in Plate Mail that tend to drop Potions of Heroism. Cult Assassins are backstabbing tirds that likewise have Potions of Heroism. Cult Archers fire Arrows of Biting. Make sure to buff your Mages (Edwin/Imoen) with Stoneskin as soon as possible, as they're likely to be attacked by a Cult Assassin. After they're secured, casting Chaos or Confusion should take a great deal of pressure off you, if not end the fight outright, and of course, I need not sing the praises of Haste anymore-you know how good it is. When he goes down loot the Cult Enforcer for a Knave's Robe, a Helmet, a Fire Opal Ring, a Wand of Frost, a Long Sword +1, and 84 gold. Head into the Inn and talk to Hurgan Stoneblade to find out what's up. He'll tell you that the cultists are trying to release a Nabassu that is trapped in the Soultaker Dagger. Who wants to bet we won't get there in time to stop them? <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) While we're here, go to the next house over and talk to Therella. She'll tell you that Dalton came home-for a time-and she'll give you some of her savings. She'll then tell you that Dalton went back out on the road again. Some people just aren't long for this world it seems. ***REWARD*** (therella) GOLD 300 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) Head across town to the west to find a Cult Guard (x=1280, y=650) standing on the deck of a house. Talk to him and start a fight, a large group of guards will spawn, along with two archers to the north. Dispose of them with whatever strategy you devise, they're not all that rough. Rest up and buff-Haste, Protection from Evil 10' Radius, Remove Fear, and personal buffs (especially Stoneskin on your vulnerable Mages). When you're ready, go through the doors to the house at (x=1200, y=650). Cultist's House (AR1003) o======================================================================o 4) As soon as you enter you'll be addressed by a Cult Wizard (x=400, y=440), who will bore you with some pointless banter before the fight begins. Two assassins will, of course, get the drop on you in a bad way (hope your Mages are protected!) As soon as the battle starts I cast Chaos, Confusion, or Horror-whatever debilitating spells I have handy, which should win the fight outright. The Cult Enforcer inside will drop identical gear to the first one outside, while the Cult Wizard will drop a Traveler's Robe, a Quarter Staff +1, a Wand of Sleep, and 100 gold. Now, there's another rather big fight coming up... in fact, it's probably the most difficult fight in the game. We are going to use some sound strategy, however, and make life easier on ourselves. Prepare head of time by having +2 weapons and ammunition on every character. Your Mages should have the following spells prepared: Haste, and Dispel Magic. Your Clerics should also have Protection from Evil 10' Radius, Remove Paralysis, Remove Fear, Defensive Harmony, and Dispel Magic... Also, if you want to be sneaky and win this fight cheaply, put the Sandthief's Ring (Ring of Invisibility) on a character with a ranged attack-like Kagain, in the evil party. Characters like Minsc or Imoen can just sneak. Ritual Chamber (AR1002) o======================================================================o 5) When you come downstairs you'll see a number of cultists standing right in front of you, led by one Tracea Carol (x=500, y=450). She'll talk, and proceed to summon Aec'Letec, the Nabassu. The cultists start casting nasty spells, and it's your first priority to kill them, as Aec'Letec will simply take one of them over and reincarnate. If you get hit with a Fear or Hold spell, you just need to cast Remove Fear or Remove Paralysis. We cannot afford to use Dispel Magic, as we absolutely need our spell-buffs. Ignore Aec'Letec and focus on the cultists-my good party isn't shy about busting out more Arrows of Detonation here and shooting them at the cultists on the corners. Once they're down, it's time to focus on Aec'Letec, and... well, it's a straight melee. Just keep on him and withdraw wounded characters as necessary. With any luck, he'll die before you lose anybody. Aec'Letec has a 'Death Gaze' attack that it uses to inflict people with... well... death. Once the target is affected, they will turn into a Ghast in a number of rounds. If that happens, the transformed character is lost forever-no raising, just gone. Fortunately, Dispel Magic removes this affliction just fine (thanks to Misty Mouse for this information), but casting this in the midst of battle is likely to get you killed as well. Look out for the symbol indicating that a character is afflicted, and if Aec'Letec bites it, immediately cast Dispel Magic on your party to secure your victory. Aec'Letec can also cast Vampiric Touch and can cause Silence-both minor afflictions, at worst. Next to his Death Gaze, his worse attack is his ability to Paralyze-hence the Remove Paralysis. This is a very touch-and-go fight. If you get a character paralyzed and your Cleric is silenced... well, there's just nothing you do for them. There are lots of variables that will make the outcome of this fight iffy... ...but there is a sneaky way of winning this fight. To do it, you will only need a few things-Arrows of Detonation (at least ten), and a character who can sneak. If you want to fool-proof it as much as possible, include the Sandthief's Ring, Edventar's Gift, and Kiel's Helmet. Put them all on the best archer you have and make yourself invisible, either by using Stealth, having a character cast Invisibility, or by using the Sandthief's Ring or a Potion of Invisibility. Go downstairs to reach the Ritual Chamber and move to the corner of the room opposite the stairs. All the Cultists are neutral, and will remain so until attacked. Shoot at the one at (x=480, y=650) to avoid blowing yourself up and keep firing as targets present themselves. Five or six of arrows should kill all the Cultists and Tracea Carol. Aec'Letec will still appear, but without his minions he'll be much weaker. Note that this strategy is a variant on one initially brought to my attention by Jason Rozzo. [VIDEO] Haeravon Plays: Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition - Aec'Letec Fight (Good Party) {VID007} http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqRMDwX9VrQ ***ENHANCED EDITION*** There used to be another 'sneaky' way of killing Aec'Letec easily, pretty much the same thing as the one mentioned above, but more simple. In older versions of the game, the Cultists were neutral, and would remain so unless Tracea Carol spoke to you-traditionally when the party entered the Ritual Chamber. You could just sneak past her and shoot her friends to death at your leisure... which was pretty stupid. I mean, Cultists are dumb, but they had no self-preservation skills at all? Anyways, Overhaul Games recently made the Cultists turn hostile when attacked. Unfortunately, that just means we need to bring out Arrows of Detonation to make the same basic trick work. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) However you put Aec'Letec down, once it's dead return to Hurgan, who will give you useless, cheap words as way of a reward and wander off... or, if you brought up compensation when he talked to you when you first entered this tavern, he'll give you The Knee-Capper +1. If he doesn't give it to you, reload and pick pocket it off of him. Or not, it's not like you'll even use it. Talk about unrewarding. Now all that is left is to go get Mendas his sea charts, which involves running back to Baldur's Gate. Go stash your loot, reprepare your typical spells, rest, and head to the north-east area of Baldur's Gate (AR0300). o======================================================================o | | | Isle of Balduran | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK035} 1) To the Counting House 2) Counting House, First Floor 3) Captain Tollar's Vice 4) Debt to De'Tranion 5) To the Isle of Balduran! 6) Shipwrecked near Solianna 7) Kaishas Plan of Escape 8) Maralee's Plea 9) Loot Houses 10) Rude Jorin 11) Farthing's Dolly 12) Evalt's Brother 13) Taloun's Warning 14) More Looting 15) Delainy and Lahl 16) Beasts of Balduran's Isle 17) Palin's Monsters 18) Murdering Meym 19) The Sirine Queen 20) Don't Kryla Wolf 21) Dradeel 22) Balduran's Ship, First Level 23) Balduran's Ship, Second Level 24) Balduran's Ship, Third Level 25) Showdown with Karoug 26) No Good Deed... 27) Werewolf City 28) The Warrens 29) Kaishas 30) Sealing the Deal Baldur's Gate, North-East (AR0300) o======================================================================o 1) Now, it can be a little bit of a hassle in Baldur's Gate at this point of the game, seeing as how you're criminals and all. Don't get caught by any Flaming Fist Mercenaries, or they'll try to take you in. If they approach you, avoid them. If they attack you and you fight back the whole area will turn hostile, and we don't want that. Anyways, remember when we were poisoned by Marek and Lothander back when we first arrived in Baldur's Gate? There was a house in the north-eastern district we ignored, the Counting House (x=2350, y=3100). Head there now. The Counting House, First Floor (AR0307) o======================================================================o 2) As soon as you enter you'll be accosted by a guard, who demands to know your business. Pick options #2, or #3 and #2 to get him to leave you alone. Or you could just fight your way through them all to get the sea charts. Head up the stairs at (x=400, y=400). ***ITEMS*** (x=330, y=530) 64 golf (x=550, y=730) Lynx Eye Gem, Potion of Healing The Counting House, Second Floor (AR0308) o======================================================================o 3) Again, you'll be bothered when you arrive on this level, this time by one Captain Tollar Kieres. Pick option #1 and he'll tell you to go get some liquor from Old De'Tranion at the Blushing Mermaid. If you picked a fight below, you'll just have to fight your way through them here. Alternatively you can pick the Captain's pockets to get the Sea Charts. ***ITEMS*** (x=650, y=200) 23 gold (x=950, y=350) Potion of Fire Resistance (x=500, y=750) Scroll of Protection from Lightning, Scroll of Chaos (x=250, y=600) 44 gold, Tainted Potion of Healing x2 Note from Peter: I usually leave to AR0200. There I'll be at the eastern end of the map. At (x=4100, y=1800) a Flamming Fist Mercenary named Sorrel approaches and talks to you. He tells you about the price on your head and warns you about the new Captain Angelo, as well as informs you about Scar's death and the sickness of Duke Eltan. The Blushing Mermaid (AR0114) o======================================================================o 4) In case you forgot, the way to reach the Blushing Mermaid is to go to the northern section of Baldur's Gate (AR0200) and exit to the north-eastern section on the eastern edge of the map. You'll appear right south of it. Head inside and a little critter named Ivanne will ask you to pay him 10 gold for a tale of murder and deceit. If you pay him, he'll tell you about Scar's murder by a Doppelganger, and about Duke Eltan being sick, his duties taken up in lieu of Scar by someone named Angelo. Looks like a lot has happened while we were off killing Demon Knights and whatnot, eh? You'll find De'Tranion at (x=1050, y=820), and he won't sell you the liquor until you cover Captain Tollar's tab, running at 900 gold as of now. You can pay him or steal it from him. Just goes to show, sometimes crime DOES pay. If you give the booze to Captain Tollar he'll get woozy and hand you the Sea Charts. ***REWARD*** (For bringing the good captain his alcohol) Item Sea Charts Before you head back over to Mendas' House and give him his Sea Charts, let's just be clear about a few things. You want to carry magical ammunition with you, and you're going to want to give yourself as much free space in your inventory as you can. The fights to come aren't on the same level as the Demon Knight and Aec'Letec, but they can drag on. Also, you're not going to be able to run back to town and sell or stash your loot like you could in Durlag's Tower. Once you commit to this quest, you've got no choice but to see it completed. Be absolutely sure you bring your Kondar +1 sword and The Burning Earth +1 with you. This is the one time you really need them, and if you don't have them on hand, you'll regret it. I also bring three full stacks of Arrows +1 on both Minsc and Imoen (80 arrows per stack, that's 240 Arrows +1 per archer). My evil party need not be so concerned, but Edwin might as well stack up a similar number of Bullets +1. Note from Peter: When I head back to the Courthouse, I leave via the western exit of AR0201 and come out at the northern exit of AR0800. There a man named Herschel talks to me immediately and tells you about Sarevok becoming a Grand Duke. Ulgoth's Beard, Mendas' House (AR1004) o======================================================================o 5) Talk to Mendas, who will reward you and urge you journey to the island. If you accept he'll head outside. Follow him and head north, Mendas will talk to you again, give you a copy of the Sea Charts, and ask you to go now. If you decide not to go, he'll offer ANOTHER 3000 gold, so play hard to get once before accepting for the extra payday. He REALLY wants you to go to this island! When you go you'll get some dialogue akin to a chapter break to describe your trip to the island. ***REWARD*** (For bringing Mendas the Sea Charts) GOLD 2000 ***REWARD*** (For holding out on Mendas) GOLD 3000 Item Sea Charts Mysterious Village (2000) o======================================================================o 6) You've been ship-wrecked, and have washed up on the shore of a mysterious island. Good thing you held onto all your gear, eh? You'll find a little girl named Solianna wandering around to the north. She'll start out any conversation by noting that you 'smell funny'. Play nice and she'll talk about how you don't belong, and will mention the 'beasties', who 'look like us, but change and get mean'. Ah, kids say the damnedest things... She'll also tell you to speak to Kaishas. What a chatty child. Note that none of the commoners will talk to you until you speak to the 'headwoman', by whom they mean Kaishas. So we might as well go find her if we're going to get anything out of these people. Chieftain's House (AR2002) o======================================================================o 7) Head north until you find a wooden wall encircling some buildings. Go west along the wall, then north to find an opening. Inside the walls a woman named Maralee (x=3630, y=1470) will implore you to speak with Kaishas. Yeah, yeah, we're getting there. Go through the door at (x=3270, y=1270) to enter the house where you'll find Kaishas Gan (x=250, y=380). The long and short of it comes down to the fact that you have to kill the wolf-like, man-like creatures that infest the island outside of town to be able to have any chance of getting back to the mainland. Fortunately, they nest in and around the ship the islanders used to travel here on generations ago, way to nail two birds, right? You'll also find Tailas (x=220, y=420) nearby, but he's not inclined to chat with you. ***ITEMS*** (x=600, y=250) Potion of Heroism (x=670, y=160) Sunstone Gem <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) Leave the Chieftain's House and talk to Maralee outside, who will now talk to you. She'll ask you to save her baby, whom her husband took out hunting. Daddy was killed and now the bad wolf-creatures have him. She'll also say he was three moons old... Just what was her husband doing out hunting with a baby that wasn't even old enough to walk? Ah well, agree to do it anyways. Loot Houses (AR2003)/(AR2004)/(AR2005) o======================================================================o 9) You can loot the houses nearby (x=4000, y=1660) (AR2003), (x=3830, y=1230) (AR2004), and (x=3500, y=1900) (AR2005) but they don't really have anything exceptional to loot. ***ITEMS*** (AR2003) (x=330, y=220) Potion of Healing x2 --- (AR2004) (x=210, y=430) Jade Ring --- (AR2005) (x=170, y=320) Chyrsoberyl Gem <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 10) Travel to the west to find Jorin outside the wall (x=2450, y=1950) He's rather rude to you, but if you can swallow your pride and ask him about the creatures outside, and he'll describe them as wolves who can appear human. He'll also tell you that only blessed or enchanted weapons can hurt them... hence the magical arrows you were told to bring by one benevolent FAQ writer. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 11) South from Jorin you'll find a girl named Farthing (x=2130, y=2250) who'll ask you to find her dolly, which she lost somewhere out in the woods. She'll even let you play with it on the way back. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 12) Head south from Farthing to find Evalt wandering about. He'll tell you that his brother wandered off, and he suspects that a 'witch' named the Blue Lady has enchanted him. He'll tell you that she's somewhere on the western side of the island. Just in case you're wondering, you can ignore the nearby house (x=2570, y=2650) (AR2010), as there's nothing inside. Taloun's House (AR2007) o======================================================================o 13) Travel west along the shore and you'll find a rather large house (x=850, y=2450). Inside a man named Taloun will talk to you and tell you how he came to be part of this clan. He'll also mention the husband of Kaishas, one Selaad Gan, who sailed off the island in a small boat a few years ago and never returned. Before ending the conversation he'll give you an ominous warning. Woo... ***ITEMS*** (x=140, y=300) Pearl x2 (x=400, y=250) Moonbar Gem, Long Sword <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 14) Now head to the west and loot the house at (x=550, y=2000) (AR2011). The sandy path to the south will turn east, bringing you near more houses to loot, and will eventually wrap back to where you started in the south-eastern corner of the map. Loot the houses at (x=1950, y=3300) (AR2006), (x=2700, y=3350) (AR2008), and (x=3150, y=3350) (AR2009), then head back to the gate, north of where Jorin is standing. You can safely ignore the large house at (x=1670, y=1370) for now. We'll be going there soon enough. ***ITEMS*** (AR2006) (x=140, y=300) Potion of Healing x3 (x=400, y=250) Pearl x2, Potion of Fire Giant Strength, Potion of Regeneration --- (AR2008) (x=320, y=260) Oily of Fiery Burning --- (AR2009) (x=270, y=160) Tainted Potion of Healing, Potion of Explosions --- (AR2011) (x=300, y=180) Potion of Agility, Sphene Gem <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 15) Head east to reach some fields, where you'll find a lady named Delainy (x=2530, y=1230). Be polite and she'll ask you to retrieve a 'cloak' that blew away during the storm that wrecked your ship. You'll also find a farmer named Lahl, who will ask you to kill some of the beasts outside to avenge his wife. Might as well, since we're going to be smiting them anyhow. Go north outside the gate. You can exit to the island anywhere on the northern side of the map. You can also score some Belladonna Flowers, which you'll need to get for Delainy later. She won't give you an experience reward for either the cloak or the flowers, but she'll help out later if you give her what she wants. Note: If your protagonist is female, Delainy will be replaced by a male named Durlyle. Pretty much the same thing, a weak flirty 'romantic' interest that goes nowhere. ***ITEMS*** (x=970, y=220) Belladonna Flowers x3 (x=1700, y=200) Belladonna Flowers x2 Balduran's Island (AR1500) o======================================================================o 16) Finally, back into the thick of things, exploring, fighting... that old game. Balduran's Island has a variety of critters on it-you may have encountered Black Bears or Brown Bears north of town, which by now are horribly weak and mundane foes. In this area you'll encounter Dire Wolves as random spawns as well as Wolfweres. Wolfweres... kind of suck. They're strong physical combatants that can, in a group, shred one of your stronger warriors. Their danger is more due to their damage potential (Werewolves have high natural Strength scores) despite the fact that their THAC0 isn't too great. Using The Burning Earth +1 or Kondar +1 is a good idea, if you have a character proficient in Long Swords or Bastard Swords, while non-magical weapons are utterly useless. Hasting yourself during every large scale fight is also a good idea, as well as casting Slow on the enemies. In fact, I remove Dispel Magic and Fireball from my Mages entirely, going with just Haste and Slow, since they'll play a much larger role in subduing Wolfweres. If needed I can always use Wands of Fire or Arrows of Detonation instead. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 17) Head north a ways and a man named Palin will ask you to help him fight off a group of monsters. He'll go east a short ways, and call some Wolfweres on you. You'll find Farthing's Dolly on Palin, as well as a suit of Studded Leather Armor, Arrows, a Composite Longbow and a Dagger. Also don't be afraid to go back to town to rest. Resting outside just invites groups of Wolfweres to attack you, and that won't help you make any progress. Turn in Farthing's Dolly at your leisure ***REWARD*** (For recovering Farthing's dolly) EXP 1400 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 18) Head to the north-west until you find Meym (x=850, y=2450), who will question you about your business, and Kaishas' goals. If you don't pick a fight with him, talking to him again will cause him to turn into a Wolfwere and attack. He'll leave behind a suit of Studded Leather Armor, 20 Arrows, and a Shortbow. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 19) Continue going north-west until you find a sandy path leading north. Continue along it until you encounter the Sirine Queen. She'll tell you that she attempted to mate with Evan, and he attacked her, forcing her to kill him. If you're nice, she'll simply hand over Evan's body... or you could be rude and pick a fight, which will score you a good bit of experience, and typically good Sirine loot. You can turn in Evan's body to Evalt for some comparatively minor experience. If you are going to fight the Sirine Queen, I suggest only approaching with the character who has the Boots of Speed and luring her back to wider land so you can more easily attack her and the Sirines she'll summon. Getting off a Haste before engaging will also help you stay on top of them. The Sirine Queen herself has a fairly ridiculous amount of Hit Points, but you'll be surprised how fast you can shoot down her Sirine cohorts with high-level Hasted archers. I know I was. If you don't have Arrows of Biting with you, I suggest you fight the Sirine Queen. Between her and her minions you'll get 50 arrows, provided they don't fire any off. The Sirine Queen will drop a Pearl Necklace, two Pearls, 40 Arrows of Biting, Evan's Body, a Composite Longbow, and 308 gold. Continue north to find more of the Sirine Queen's cronies (if you fought her). ***REWARD*** (For being nice to the Sirine Queen) EXP 2000 Item Evan's Body ***REWARD*** (For giving Evalt his brother's body) EXP 900 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 20) When you reach grass again, head to the south-east until you find Kryla (x=3650, y=2000), who will tell you that someone named Jondal has been killed. By now you should be able to detect an ambush like this. Just a short ways to the north-west she'll turn on you and attack, along with Jondal, who shows up at about (x=3050, y=1600). Dradeel's House (AR1505) o======================================================================o 21) Continue to the east until you find a small house (x=4180, y=1600). Inside you'll find Dradeel, Balduran's ship-wizard. How he survived so long is a mystery. He'll tell you how on Balduran's final voyage his crew caught the disease of lycanthropy, and how the crew went feral when they stopped on this island to replenish their water stores. He'll ask you to recover his spell book from the ruins of Balduran's ship. He'll then give you the Wolfsbane Charm amulet, which gives you a +2 THAC0 bonus versus Lycanthropes and a +2 damage bonus versus Lycanthropes, and offer to let you rest in his abode whenever you wish. I give the amulet to Ajantis, as he does not yet have an amulet, and being my main Fighter... it just seems to make sense. Loot his house before you leave, as there's a a pretty good weapon inside-the Staff Mace +2. The Staff Mace +2's base damage (2d4+2) is greater than Ashideena +2's (1d4+3 +1 Electrical) and the Dagger of Venom's (1d4+2)... alas, it counts as a Quarterstaff in the Enhanced Edition, a separate proficiency from Maces now (both used to fall under the Blunt Weapon proficiency). I used to give it to Viconia, as it was more of a clear-cut improvement (4-10 damage as compared to 5-8) over Ashideena +2 than it is over Jaheira's Dagger of Venom, but now, neither are fit to use it, due to lack of Proficiency... and really, it's just too far into the game to bother with. All in all, I'd rather just have Viconia stick with War Hammers and Maces and become Proficient with the Sword and Shield Style with the new proficiency system. The Holy Cloak is what Delainy is after. North of Dradeel's house you'll find Balduran's Ship (x=3660, y=1060). Once again, we'll use the superior Enhanced Edition tactics to our advantage-spell buff up and head inside with just one character. ***ITEMS*** (x=650, y=330) Staff Mace +2, Belladonna Flowers, Holy Cloak, 210 gold (x=100, y=350) The Recipes and Rumination of One Dradeel of Tethir ***ENHANCED EDITION*** Dradeel used to have a Wolfsbane Charm that you could pick pocket off of him, but it has been removed in the Enhanced Edition, for whatever reason. Ah, the good Enhanced Edition giveth, and the good Enhanced Edition, it taketh away... Balduran's Ship, First Level (AR1501) o======================================================================o 22) Once you head inside, you'll get... another cutscene. Yeah, yeah, we get it, Tales of the Sword Coast is supposed to be super spooky. You'll immediately be attacked by a bunch of wolves. And by a bunch, I mean three Dread Wolves, three Dire Wolves, two Worgs, two Vampiric Wolves, and a Wolfwere. I stick around just long enough for them to attack me before I retreat back outside, where my party can fight them on more open ground. All in all, the Vampiric Wolves are probably the most acute threats here-a paralyzed character will not last long against a Wolfwere. When you're done killing, thank Jason Rozzo again for another fine bit of loot (x=210, y=507) that I had missed, then go up the stairs at (x=420, y=300), again, with just one character. ***TRAPS*** (x=690, y=290) ***ITEMS*** (x=210, y=507) Wand of Frost, Dart of Wounding x10, Potion of Storm Giant Strength, Potion of Healing x5, Potion of Master Thievery (x=690, y=290) Dart +1 x10, Wand of Magic Missiles, 320 gold Balduran's Ship, Second Level (AR1502) o======================================================================o 23) You'll be bothered by a bunch of Wolfweres and a Vampiric Wolf. Same tactics as before, lure them downstairs where you can choose how your party is arranged and smite them handily. The Enhanced Edition has made this-and all these fights on Balduran's Ship-much easier, as before you were at the mercy of how the game had decided to arrange your party... Luring them to oppose you in more favorable circumstances makes all the difference in the world... also, the fact that not every critter will follow you at once helps a good bit. When you're done exterminating the vermin on this level, loot. Werebane +1 goes to Jaheira, so she can at least hurt the stronger Wolfweres ahead. And whatever you do, do NOT equip the bracers you find. That would be a bad idea. When you're ready, head up the ladder (x=450, y=250)... again, one character only, and situate your party appropriately so your armor is nearest the ladder. ***TRAPS*** (x=290, y=380) (x=680, y=180) ***ITEMS*** (x=290, y=380) Oil of Speed, Wand of Lightning (x=280, y=520) Bracers of Binding (x=680, y=180) Werebane +1, 423 gold Balduran's Ship, Third Level (AR1503) o======================================================================o 24) Up here are two Vampiric Wolves and three Wolfweres. This level really hates your sixth party member. This is typically my Mage, and they end up right in front of a Vampiric Wolf and a Wolfwere. Fortunately we're not compelled to send our entire party up here at once, so this is no longer a danger, huzzah! Lure them down and crush them, as per the last two levels. Before you go upstairs (x=550, y=200) you want to spell buff to the max. This is the toughest fight in this quest. ***TRAPS*** (x=660, y=160) (x=230, y=470) ***ITEMS*** (x=660, y=160) Medium shield, Potion of Absorption, Antidote x2 (x=230, y=470) Potion of Cloud Giant Strength, Acid Arrow x5, Potion of Healing x3 (x=350, y=495) Arrow +2 x10, Bolt +2 x10 Balduran's Ship, Fourth Level (AR1504) o======================================================================o 25) When you get upstairs Karoug will talk to you. Anything you say ends in a fight, and of all the levels, this time really screws over party member #6, who is put first in line near several Wolfweres. For the last time-luring your foes down to the next level allows you to start out in a far superior strategic situation, and it comes highly recommended. You can only hit Karoug, who turns into a Greater Wolfwere, with Kondar +1, Werebane +1, or The Burning Earth +1. Despite this, however, your first priority should be Daese if she shows up downstairs. After that, it's just a matter of keeping your characters safe and micro-managing. Karoug will leave behind a Shield Amulet and a Cloak of Protection +1 when he turns into a Greater Wolfwere, and he'll drop Peladan, the child you're looking for, when you kill him as a Wolfwere. Daese drops a Knave's Robe when she turns into a Werewolf. Dradeel's Spell Book is in the chest at (x=440, y=260). The Sword of Balduran is really only good against Lycanthropes, meaning it's a great weapon until you get off this island. Now go back to Dradeel and give him his spell book, upon which the bastard promptly casts Dimension Door and leaves you stranded. At least you get plenty of experience for it though. Head back to town. Note from Lee: Haste, Resist Fear, and Defensive Harmony are required buffs. Once upstairs, summon a bunch of "helpers" to the south-west to occupy the Wolfweres (I used a Wand of Monster Summoning - it's much faster than casting a spell); Magic Missile Daese to death (I again used a wand, because.... well.... I had one); while your properly equipped character(s) hack the holy crap out of Karoug. This may be the toughest fight in this section, but it's nothing compared to, say, the Demon Knight. ***TRAPS*** (x=440, y=260) (x=550, y=200) ***ITEMS** (x=440, y=260) Dradeel's Spell Book (x=550, y=150) Sword of Balduran, Balduran's Log Book, Butter Knife of Balduran ***REWARD*** (For giving Dradeel his spellbook) EXP 5000 Mysterious Village (AR2000) o======================================================================o 26) Go give Maralee her kid back. She'll be rightfully appreciative and wander off. Now go pay Kaishas a visit. Complete all the quests you wish to complete before talking to her. You won't get another chance. When you talk to her she'll inform you that you were inflicted with Lycanthropy yourself while fighting the beasts, and that you now 'belong' with them. From Balduran's Log Book and from Kaishas, it's clear to see what happened. Balduran's new 'recruits' he picked up from Andromache had Lycanthropy, and spread it to the crew. Apparently Balduran and his followers didn't take kindly to the disease and refused to become part of the 'pack', as it were. It's also interesting to note that Balduran mentions a shaman they threw overboard, and the fact that these Lycanthropes are led by spiritual leaders of sorts as well... making this a unique form of Lycanthropy... at least, as far as Dungeons and Dragons is concerned. Even if you accept the Lycanthropy, Tailas turns on you. No matter what you do, you're not getting out of this without a fight, as he turns into a Werewolf and attacks. Nothing can ever be simple, can it? Note that you must now be very frugal with your Hit Points and spells. Resting should only be done when you're entirely tapped. If you take too long, your party members will start to turn into Greater Wolfweres and attack. Not only do they suck to fight, but this kills them PERMANENTLY. Yeah, the expansion seems to be fond of that little kicker. You have about two days, that's six rest periods (assuming they're all eight hours, which they won't necessarily be if you have the 'rest until healed' option toggled), not including walking time. For this reason I wouldn't waste too much time walking around picking fights in town. It might not take long to kill every Werewolf in town, but it will take time to rest up from doing so. ***REWARD*** (For giving Maralee her baby back) EXP 4000 Warrens House (AR2001) o======================================================================o 27) Head back outside. Every villager you find will turn into a Werewolf and attack... save Maralee if you got her kid, and Delainy if you helped her out. Head to the large house we neglected to explore earlier (x=1670, y=1370), as there was no reason to do so. Now there is. On your way Dradeel will show up and chat, telling you that Kaishas was waiting for her husband to return with maps so they could get to the mainland on a ship they built months ago. Wonderful. Inside the house you'll find some minor loot, and more importantly the entrance to the Warrens at (x=450, y=300). ***ITEMS*** (x=450, y=350) Dagger Warrens to Eastern Shore (AR2012) o======================================================================o 28) This place is randomly populated with Werewolves, with some loot strewn about. I'll list the locations of the loot and leave the killing up to you. If you don't want to go around grabbing potions, that's just as well, they're not all that good anyways... well, except the Potion of Storm Giant Strength. Why this place is littered with potions is beyond me. The exit is to the east at (x=3050, y=350). Don't wander around arbitrarily, as the Werewolves do, of course, respawn, and quickly. Think Firewine quickly. Okay, not that bad. ***ITEMS*** (x=1440, y=810) Potion of Healing x2, Potion of Storm Giant Strength (x=1820, y=590) Potion of Cold Resistance (x=2360, y=250) Oil of Speed (x=2550, y=560) Potion of Defense Balduran's Island (AR1500) o======================================================================o 29) Go west until the path turns north. When you get here, stop your party and go ahead only with Kagain/Ajantis. Continue up north, then head east to find Kaishas. She's not nearly as friendly this time around, and decides that you have to die. She'll turn into a Loup Garou... essentially another Greater Wolfwere. Again, it's only hurt by Kondar +1, the Sword of Balduran, Werebane +1, or The Burning Earth +1. Lead her back to your party so you can fight her in the open, not one-on-one on a small plank. Be sure to spell buff when your runner gets back. When she dies she'll drop the Sea Charts, as well as 94 gold where she transformed. Get on the ship and sail back home by clicking (x=4450, y=2400). Note that once Kaishas is dead, you no longer need to fear lycanthropy in your party. Ulgoth's Beard o======================================================================o 30) When you get back a man named Baresh will talk to you. He'll tell you that master Selaad awaits you... Selaad being, of course, the name of the missing Werewolf chieftain. If you haven't already figured it out, Mendas is Selaad, and he will probably be none too pleased to learn that you whacked his wife. After the conversation ends, Baresh storms off. Heal up and spell buff before you head inside, where Mendas and Beresh await you. Mendas is, of course, angry, and the two of them turn into Loup Garous and attack. Baresh will leave behind Chainmail Armor +3, a Tower Shield, a Morning Star, and 72 gold. Mendas leaves 100 gold. The Chainmail is decent... but it's just shy of being good enough to use. It's one point behind Full Plate Mail, and since you can't cast spells or sneak in it, it just doesn't work for anybody else in my party. You are, however, now mercifully done with Tales of the Sword Coast. Time to rest up, stash loot, and head back to Baldur's Gate. o======================================================================o | Chapter 7 | o======================================================================o | | | Thwarting Sarevok | | | o======================================================================o Now, we already know that the Flaming Fist is after us, and if you've been following along, we also know Scar is dead and Duke Eltan is sick. To find out what's going on in detail, lets return to Baldur's Gate. To get from place to place we'll be using the sewers a bit, which is why I was so kind to create the following section, just for you! Sewer Routes in Baldur's Gate o======================================================================o Below is a list of the sewer entrances in Baldur's Gate, starting with the location on the surface they can be found on the left, and the corresponding location in the sewers to which they lead on the right. You can reach any part of one sewer by traveling from another, so you can use this as a reference to where to go from one sewer area to get to a surface access area in the section of Baldur's Gate you wish to travel to. This may come in handy during this chapter when you're trying to duck Flaming Fist mercenaries. Or you could just follow the instructions in the FAQ. AR0100 AR0224 (x=3700, y=2420) ------> (x=850, y=900) (x=3000, y=2950) ------> (x=1150, y=800) (x=1860, y=2420) ------> (x=1350, y=1350) (x=2280, y=2340) ------> (x=1700, y=1300) (x=2700, y=1230) ------> (x=700, y=350) (x=3300, y=1860) ------> (x=350, y=350) AR0200 AR0255 (x=450, y=2800) ------> (x=1750, y=850) (x=3240, y=1120) ------> (x=3600, y=350) (x=4300, y=1620) ------> (x=3900, y=600) (x=2700, y=2900) ------> (x=3200, y=650) (x=4100, y=2800) ------> (x=2200, y=900) AR0300 AR0226 (x=1100, y=1260) ------> (x=1850, y=450) AR0600 AR0224 (x=3870, y=120) ------> (x=2100, y=1750) AR0700 AR0225 (x=3350, y=3050) ------> (x=2100, y=1750) (x=800, y=1120) ------> (x=3600, y=1550) (x=850, y=500) ------> (x=3550, y=1000) (x=3920, y=1120) ------> (x=3900, y=1800) (x=2000, y=850) ------> (x=1900, y=1000) (x=2700, y=370) ------> (x=3900, y=1000) AR0800 AR0226 (x=2650, y=500) ------> (x=1550, y=1650) (x=2120, y=2750) ------> (x=2780, y=1800) (x=1280, y=1480) ------> (x=3400, y=1500) (x=1150, y=1550) ------> (x=1350, y=1350) AR1100 AR0224 (x=4070, y=1420) ------> (x=750, y=2100) (x=3870, y=570) ------> (x=2350, y=2300) (x=3550, y=1500) ------> (x=1900, y=1900) (x=2300, y=2350) ------> (x=2700, y=2300) (x=2100, y=2100) ------> (x=2350, y=2420) (x=1400, y=2220) ------> (x=2700, y=2400) (x=420, y=770) ------> (x=450, y=2200) AR1200 AR0225 (x=3560, y=1760) ------> (x=3900, y=2900) (x=2650, y=850) ------> (x=2500, y=1900) (x=4250, y=730) ------> (x=3850, y=2200) (x=1030, y=1480) ------> (x=3600, y=2750) (x=300, y=930) ------> (x=2050, y=2000) AR1300 AR0226 (x=2440, y=480) ------> (x=2200, y=2300) (x=2050, y=1150) ------> (x=1780, y=2780) AR0112 AR0226 (x=150, y=1800) ------> (x=100, y=1400) AR0112 AR0225 (x=400, y=120) ------> (x=2200, y=3300) AR0112 AR0224 (x=2450, y=300) ------> (x=100, y=800) Baldur's Gate, East (AR0800) o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK036} 1) Husam... 2) Tamoko and Delthyr 3) Sewers to the Flaming Fist Stronghold 4) Tamoko's Confession 5) In Custody 6) Assaulting The Flaming Fist Compound 7) Saving Duke Eltan 8) The Harbormaster 9) The Empty Throne 10) Sarevok's Consort 11) ...The Shadow Thief 12) Assassinating the Assassins 13) Coronation Crashing 14) Duchal Palace, Level 3 15) Duchal Palace, Level 2 16) Duchal Palace, Basement 17) Thwarting Sarevok 18) Into the warrens 1) When you enter your drunk friend Husam from the Thieves Guild will talk to you. He'll tell you some of what you already know and tell you that he'll be at the Blushing Mermaid. We'll get to that soon enough. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) Head over to the Sorcerous Sundries store. To get there without troubling the guard you can enter the sewer at (x=2650, y=500) and leave at (x=1100, y=1550) to arrive west of Sorcerous Sundries. You'll be approached by a woman named Tamoko. Be nice and she'll tell you that the Duke Eltan's doctor is actually keeping the Duke sick. She'll also presume to mention your paternity, both divine and mortal, and tell you to meet her outside of the Flaming Fist Compound to talk more. Nearby you'll also find Delthyr, of the Harpers. He'll tell you more of what you already know, but he'll also tell you the new leader of the Iron Throne, Sarevok, has placed a bounty on your head. He'll wait at the Three Old Kegs Inn if you need to talk more. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) To get to the Flaming Fist Compound enter the sewer (AR0226) at (x=1150, y=1550) and exit at (x=100, y=200) to reach (AR0225). Now exit anywhere on the western side of the map (save at (x=2200, y=3250), which leads to the Undercellar) to reach (AR0224) and go up the ladder at (x=450, y=2200) to surface to the north-west of the Flaming Fist stronghold. You should, of course, be wary of Phase Spiders and other beasties that lurk in the sewers... but they shouldn't be too much trouble by now, right? Baldur's Gate, South-West (AR1100) o======================================================================o 4) In front of the Flaming Fist Compound you'll meet Tamoko, as she promised. She'll ask you to make a promise before she tells you anything. Humor her, and she'll ask you to defeat-but not kill-Sarevok. There's no penalty for agreeing to do this, and if you agree she'll tell you that you and Sarevok are siblings, and that Sarevok seeks to become the God of Murder by starting a war with Amn so that he might cause the deaths of thousands, and by committing murder on such a scale claim his ascension. She'll also inform you that Duke Eltan can be saved, but to find the killers of Entar you need to go to the Undercellars and kill two assassins named Slythe and Krystin. She'll also tell you about Cythandria, one of Sarevok's consorts who is in the Iron Throne Headquarters. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 5) Now seems like a good time to talk about what happens if you let yourself be captured by the Flaming Fist Mercenaries. You'll be brought to the Flaming Fist Compound and questioned by Angelo. If you pick option #1, he'll have one of you randomly killed, and you'll be sent to prison. If you pick #2, #3, or #4, he'll just send you to jail. Go talk to Neb at (x=1050, y=780), who reveals himself to be fully worthy of his residence. Wait a while and he'll bug you about a secret exit, and pose a riddle to you, the answer to which being the number of kids he killed. The answer to the riddle is 33, guess it and he'll spring you from prison. This part is entirely optional, as it does nothing to further your cause. From now on all Flaming Fist Enforcers will be outright hostile, making this an annoying endeavor. Head into the Flaming Fist Compound when you're ready, make sure to cast some spell buffs before you enter... or at least Haste. Flaming Fist Compound, Downstairs (AR0607) o======================================================================o 6) When you enter you'll be bothered by a guard named Benjy, who will scoff at your attempt to attack the Flaming Fist stronghold. Don't be fooled by the paltry forces in front of you-the two armored figures in the back can cast Clerics spells, and there are three more like them in the rear. Their intentions are to hit the party with Glyphs of Warding followed by the ever-dangerous Hold Person, which the five of them will shamelessly cast two of each in a blatant attempt to utterly debilitate your entire party. A single well-placed Silence 15' Radius can keep them from casting any nasty spells, with any luck, but your odds of success increase dramatically the more debilitative spells you throw at them. Another tactic I'm fond of is leading with Viconia (or any character wearing Edventar's Gift), who can calmly absorb their spells with little ill effect. Once they're spent, I bring the rest of the party in to decimate them. They all drop Plate Mail Armor, as if money matters at this point in the game. Once you've slaughtered the party of mercenaries, head up the stairs at (x=900, y=550). Flaming Fist Compound, Upstairs (AR0608) o======================================================================o 7) When you enter a man named Kent will tell you that he thinks Rashad isn't a healer, and tell you that he followed him to the Undercellars one night. Time to talk to this Rashad. Pester him and he'll turn into a Greater Doppelganger and attack. Talk to Duke Eltan at (x=580, y=250) and he'll tell you to take him to see the Harbormaster, which is in the same district as the Iron Throne Headquarters. How convenient. He'll also give you a letter. You can now loot this level free of bother, if you wish... well, almost bother-free. Note from Peter: At (x=2500, y=950) (AR1100) you'll be approached by Kaella, who hasn't the best opinion about Sarevok and the Iron Throne. Harbormaster's Building (AR0702) o======================================================================o 8) Go back down through the sewers to the north-west (x=420, y=770) to reach (AR0224) and exit at (x=2900, y=2750) to reach (AR0225). Exit at (x=3900, y=2900) to surface east of the Harbormaster's building. Enter the building at (x=2600, y=1800) and talk to the Harbormaster (x=430, y=350) to leave Duke Eltan in his care. Leave and enter the sewers you came out of (x=3560, y=1760) and exit at (x=2050, y=2000) to surface just south of the Iron Throne Headquarters. ***REWARD*** (For rescuing Duke Eltan) EXP 2500 Note from Peter: At (x=2700, y=1000) (AR1200) a Flaming Fist Mercenary named Jonavin will approach and speak to you. He tells you about Angelo gathering an army for the war with Amn and that Duke Eltan is sick... well we already know that. Iron Throne Headquarters (AR0611)/(AR1612)/(AR1613)/(AR1614) o======================================================================o 9) Inside a woman named Dhanial, who is eager to get out of the Iron Throne Headquarters. She'll tell you that Sarevok is more interested in becoming a Grand Duke than making money, and the Iron Throne is suffering as a result. She'll also tell you that he seems intent on pushing for war with Amn. Another person named Pang Wallen will share similar sentiments. It doesn't seem that there's much of an Iron Throne left to topple, Sarevok having apparently traded in the Throne's iron for status. Upstairs Gregor will share the sentiments of his fellows below, and even encourage you to kill Sarevok if you state that as your intent. He will, however, attack if you say you're here to clear your name, dropping a suit of Leather Armor, a Short Sword +1, and 350 gold. In the south-western corner of this level you'll also find Tralithan, who'll elaborate on the Iron Throne's intended plan, and wonder openly at what Sarevok has to gain by pursuing his selected course. On the third floor Kalessia, a representative from Sembia wants to know why this branch has failed, and Wirthing on the floor above will talk about Sarevok's imminent coronation. Iron Throne Headquarters (AR0615) o======================================================================o 10) On the top floor where you slew Sarevok's acolytes a lifetime ago you'll find Cythandria, one of Sarevok's consorts, and she'll put up a fight. Finally, someone to hurt! When the fight starts she'll summon two Ogres, Ughh and Arghh. Have your Fighters engage them and use your archers to shoot at Cythandria. When she's nearly dead she'll tell you where to find Sarevok, pointing to the Undercellars. Whatever you do, do NOT let her go. Cythandria will drop a Mage Robe of Cold Resistance, two Letters, the Diary of Sarevok, a Dagger, and 144 gold. Both the letters are from Slythe, one talks about the commission to kill the three Grand Dukes of Baldur's Gate, and talks about the assassins staying in the Undercellars. The second mentions the slaying of Entar Silvershield, and talks about killing two Grand Dukes at Sarevok's coronation. It seems that Cythandria was trying to send you to your death in the Undercellar at the hands of these assassins. Feel better about killing her? I do. Sarevok's Diary is the real catch, as it details the planning of the iron shortage by the Iron Throne, Sarevok's discovery of his paternity, his murder of Gorion, and his... well, at least his intention to murder the Iron Throne leaders. With this in your hands you can prove Sarevok was responsible and your allies are innocent, regardless of where the truth actually lies. The Ogres drop typical Ogre loot-gems, jewels, or scrolls. Now there's only one logical thing to do; stop Sarevok's assassins. But let's do so in a round-about fashion. Head over to the Blushing Mermaid. Baldur's Gate, North-East (AR0300) o======================================================================o 11) Talk to Husam (x=200, y=2030). Agree to follow him an a bunch of thieves will pop out of nowhere and Husam will drop his drunkard act, revealing himself to be an agent of the Shadow Thieves. Be nice and he'll lead you to the Temple of Ilmater. Talk to him again and he'll tell you to talk to the priest, who will get you to the Undercellars. Talk to the priest (x=180, y=220) and ask him to take you to the Undercellars (if you haven't talked to him before you might have to talk to him twice to get the option.) Note from Peter: At (AR0600) (x=1900, y=300) Lord Lothtyran will approach and talk to you. He tells you about the ceremony of Sarevok. Shortly after him a Commoner named Hecito will approach and talk to you as well. He tells you about Amn gathering troops to react on Baldur's Gate threats. Note from Peter: At (AR1300) (x=555, y=1400) you can find Alan Blackblade who tells you a bit about what's going on lately in Baldur's Gate. Undercellar (AR0112) o======================================================================o 12) Haste yourself and take your character with the Paws of the Cheetah to the south until you find your assassins. Slythe is at (x=1270, y=970) and Krystin is invisible. Let Slythe follow you back to your party... either before or after talking to him. Slythe is incredibly fast and has great combat stats for a rogue-he'll be a pain if you don't engage him with your whole Hasted party. Doing so, he's not too much of a pain, when he dies head forward and smite Krystin, who isn't so much of a threat without Slythe distracting you. She likes to start out by casting Cloudkill, which is bad for all the prostitutes waslking around, but not too dangerous for us. She's easily destroyed by unleashing some Skeleton Warriors on her, or by peppering her with Silence 15' Radius before you move on her. Krystin will leave behind Sling Bullets +1 x10, Sling Bullets +2 x10, a Scroll of Clairvoyance, a Scroll of Flame Arrow, a Scroll of Summon Monster I, a Scroll of Non-Detection, a Scroll of Protection from Normal Missiles, a Scroll of Soul Trap, a Scroll of Vampiric Touch, Longtooth: The Grave Binder +2, a Sling +1, and 78 gold. Slythe has a suit of Studded Leather Armor, a Buckler, a Potion of Master Thievery, a Light Crossbow, a Letter, an Invitation, The Shadow's Blade +3, and 54 gold. Longtooth: The Grave Binder +2 is a +2 Dagger with a base of 1d6 damage, using the speed and proficiency of a dagger. The Shadow's Blade +3 is a Short Sword +3 with a speed factor of zero, making it an ideal rogue weapon. Kinda late though, huh? Jaheira could potentially benefit from Longtooth +2, dealing superior damage (3-8) as compared to the Dagger of Venom (3-6), although you'd have the weigh the extra damage versus the poison. The letter basically tells Slythe to get his ass over to the coronation, and the invitation is how he's going to get in. Time to go stop an assassination. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 13) Exit the Undercellar at (x=400, y=120) to get back into the sewers (AR0225). Go north to the exit at (x=1750, y=850), which will take you to the west of the Duchal Palace. Make sure you rest and heal before you go up. It wouldn't do to go pay your brother a visit at anything less than your best. And make sure you have all the evidence against Sarevok with you! This includes the letters from Cythandria, Eltan, Slythe, and most importantly, his diary. When you're ready talk to Bill (x=1960, y=2840) and show him your invitations, then enter the Duchal Palace (x=2000, y=2650). Duchal Palace, Level 3 (AR0110) o======================================================================o 14) Once inside yet another guard will ask for invitations. Show them. Now, you can head into the central room and continue with the story, or you can go up the stairs (x=1200, y=700) to score some more loot. Although one has to wonder... why do you need the loot at this point in the game? Still, I'll cover it for the sake of this guide. There are witnesses on every level, so the best thing to do is head up to the highest level (AR0110) and steal everything you can. On (AR0110) there are a pair of Flaming Fist Mercenaries walking around, making stealing difficult. Still, if you've got a Thief who can hide fairly well, you can steal, hide, and steal some more. Hide your party down on (AR0109) while you steal so the Flaming Fist Mercenaries who show up won't bother you. ***ITEMS*** (x=1060, y=560) Wand of Sleep (x=950, y=450) Scroll of Agannazar's Scorcher, Scroll of Fireball, Scroll of Chill Touch, Scroll of Horror, Scroll of Haste, Scroll of Color Spray, Scroll of Clairvoyance, Scroll of Protection from Normal Missiles, Scroll of Slow, Scroll of Ghost Armor, (x=800, y=750) Wand of Sleep (x=750, y=770) Cursed Scroll of Stupidity, Cursed Scroll of Petrification (x=700, y=820) Bloodstone Amulet, Fire Opal, 1050 gold (x=80, y=450) Diamond x2, Ruby Ring (x=120, y=400) Arrows +1 x20, Oil of Speed, Potion of Heroism Potion of Cloud Giant Strength, 1564 gold (x=150, y=400) Bastard Sword +1, Splint Mail +1, 350 gold Duchal Palace, Level 2 (AR0109) o======================================================================o 15) On the second level you'll find Nila (x=500, y=600), a guest who is apparently bored of the party downstairs. She's not very interesting, and really only serves as a foil to make stealing more bothersome, since she WILL see you. ***ITEMS*** (x=570, y=570) 650 gold (x=750, y=650) Wand of Lightning, 165 gold Duchal Palace, Basement (AR0111) o======================================================================o 16) Finally head to the main level. The only way to get to the basement before dealing with the story is to take an invisible or sneaking character and head to the stairs past Sarevok (x=600, y=150). Down here, you'll find a bunch of treasure to score. Go grab it and head back upstairs. ***ITEMS*** (x=350, y=1000) King's Tears, Diamond x4, Emerald, Large Shield +1, Arrows +50, Arrows of Dispelling x10, Arrows of Ice x10, 9560 gold Duchal Palace, Level 1 (AR0108) o======================================================================o 17) Now, it is possible to loot the main level of the Duchal Palace, but you need to be very careful, as getting caught is probably inevitable. If you actually let one of the Flaming Fist Mercenaries to talk to you... well, it could cause trouble. The only feasible way of doing this is to steal, and quickly run away without getting caught, rest, and return. Whether you feel it's worth the effort is up to you. Approaching Sarevok will start a conversation that ultimately ends in violence, so spell-buff before you get near, and hold nothing back. Protection from Evil 10' Radius, Haste, and Animate Dead comes highly recommended. Once done, approach Sarevok to start a conversation where Belt and Liia will announce Sarevok as a Grand Duke. Sarevok kinda sticks out like a sore thumb in his evil black spiky armor, no? The Noblemen nearby will clamor for war, and Sarevok will speak, claiming himself as not only the bringer of arms for the city (courtesy of the stockpiles robbed and stored by the Iron Throne) but the general in charge of the Flaming Fist, and hence the military commander of Baldur's Gate itself. When Sarevok notices you things break down, the Noblemen transform into Greater Doppelgangers-six in all-and attack you, Belt, and Jiia. It is imperative that you keep at least one of the two legitimate Grand Dukes alive, as it'll be a game-over if both Belt and Jiia die. After the fight show the surviving authorities Sarevok's diary, upon which Sarevok will attack. Your goal here is not to win, but to survive. Hit him with Magic Missiles, one of the few effective spells against him, and keep your Fighters from getting killed. Sarevok will eventually flee, and you'll be directed to the Thieves' Guild, where you'll be promptly teleported. ***ITEMS*** (x=300, y=350) Cloak of Protection +1, 1018 gold (x=950, y=850) Potion of Heroism, Potion of Invulnerability, 285 gold (x=1050, y=480) Moonbar Gem, 1564 gold Thieve's Guild (AR0153) o======================================================================o 18) When you arrive a Thief named Denkov will talk to you, and tell you that Sarevok fled into the Thief Warrens (x=1100, y=500), and suggest that you get prepared before you chase him down by talking to Black Lily (x=1150, y=590), which is an excellent idea. Sell off all your junk and buy some select items, like the Potions of Giant Strength, the Potions of Magic Shielding, Protection, and Blocking, and Arrows of Dispelling, Arrows +2, and Arrows +1. You can, of course, just go get these from your stash if you want. Her supply of Arrows +1 is plentiful so get as many as you need. If you need more potions, arrows, or whatever, Sorcerous Sundries has about the best selection and the most numerous stock in the game. No need to hold back now. It's endgame time, baby! Before you go, however, you might want to grab the Golden Pantaloons. Remember those? We fleeced them off a nobleman in the Friendly Arm Inn? If you have them on your main character's inventory when you import them to Baldur's Gate 2 you'll be able to find them in the sequel. If you collect all the metallic underwear items in the sequel you'll be able to get the Big Metal Unit in Throne of Bhaal. It's a long way off, yeah, but you might as well have them in your inventory. Don't complain to me later if you neglect to do this and want the Big Metal Unit. Note: You no longer have to fear the attentions of the Flaming Fist Mercenaries wandering about the city, so you're free to complete whatever quests you have left. You can also head back to the Duchal Palace and claim whatever loot was dropped by the Greater Doppelgangers and their victims. o======================================================================o | | | Showdown with Sarevok | | | o======================================================================o Sequence of Events: {WLK037} 1) Best Wishes from Voleta Stiletto 2) The Jelly Run 3) Even More Jellies 4) Skeleton Warriors and Traps 5) Split Decision 6) The Western Way to Winski 7) Invisible Stalkers 8) More Skeleton Warriors 9) The Southern Way to Winski 10) Winski Perorate 11) The Enemy of My Enemy is Still My Enemy 12) Tamoko's Last Stand 13) The Magma Bulwark 14) Final Preparations 15) Traps in the Temple 16) Slaying Semaj 17) More 'Trap' Trouble 18) Taking Down Tazok 19) Annihilating Angelo 20) The True Heir to Murder Thieves' Warrens (AR0146) o======================================================================o 1) As soon as you get down the stairs a Thief named Voleta Stiletto will talk to you. She'll tell you Sarevok attacked her on his way past, but was too rushed to kill her. She'll warn you about the maze, saying it's inhabited by undead and jellies. Our two favorite things! Note: In the tunnels ahead, paintings on the walls indicate nearby traps, so when you see colors on the walls, keep your eyes peeled. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 2) Head north, then west, then south. Ignore the path leading east, instead continuing south and into a tunnel to the west. You'll find two Green Slimes at the beginning of the tunnel running north, and an Ochre Jelly at the end. Remember that Green Slimes can be dangerous in spite of their stats-if you see a character turn green, you might as well reload. Unless you think exploding characters is something worth saving. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 3) Head down the next hallway to the east, then down a parallel one to the west. When it opens up to the north it'll split into three parallel tunnels running east, in the northernmost of which are a pair of Mustard Jellies. The Middle passage is a dead end, so head up to the northern-most one, go east, then follow the parallel passage above it to the west, and above that you'll find yet another parallel passage running back west. Ah, zigzagging hallways in video games that are just there to make you waste as much time as possible... In this one you'll find some Gray Oozes. The passage will continue east until it ends, after which it'll go north for a ways. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 4) Instead of jellies, oozes, and slimes you'll find a pair of Doom Guards. Save your magical arrows and just chop them up in melee, using Magic Missile to speed things along. It's not like you can't rest, after all. Follow the hallway until it ends, then take a parallel one to the south. Can you see the pattern here? There are traps about halfway down this tunnel, and if that's not enough, there are also a pair Skeleton Warriors with bows. Travesty! Your best bet is to lure the Skeletons north, away from the traps so you can deal with them separately. Triggering a Fireball and Lightning Bolt trap while fighting Skeleton Warriors in narrow hallways is not a recipe for success. When they fall they'll each drop a Helmet, Arrows of Ice, Arrows, a Composite Long Bow, and a Two Handed Sword... and usually some gems, gold, or jewelry. ***TRAPS*** (x=2850, y=1550) (x=2800, y=1580) (x=2700, y=1600) (x=2700, y=1650) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 5) Follow the tunnel until it terminates in the south, then follow a parallel tunnel north until it turns west. A parallel tunnel will run east for a ways before terminating into another parallel tunnel to the west, and a tunnel to the south. The southern tunnel has some traps in it, but is ultimately a dead end, so explore the tunnel west, then follow it south. You'll get another decision to make, a parallel tunnel running north and south will open up to the west, but the tunnel you're in will continue south. Both can get you to where you're going, so it's really up to you which way to go. If you go west, see Steps #5-6, if you go south, see Steps #7-8. ***TRAPS*** (x=2950, y=1180) (x=2880, y=1250) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 6) The north passage soon ends in a dead end, where an Invisible Stalker is waiting to greet you. The southern path will turn west, then north. Keep going north and keep an eye out for traps, the passage will eventually terminate, but not before giving you a slew of new areas to explore. The tunnel to the west runs north and south. The southern route will lead to Winski Perorate (x=550, y=1190) and the exit down to the Undercity (x=560, y=1100). The northern route turns east, then terminates into hallway heading east and west, both of which are shortly dead ends. ***TRAPS*** (x=1570, y=600) (x=1750, y=500) (x=1800, y=460) (x=2500, y=480) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 7) Alternatively if you head east instead of west you'll find two passages to the south. The westernmost one runs south and terminates leading east, after a trap, of course. The eastern one splits again into three more south-running tunnels. The western most of the three has a pair of traps in it. The middle on has a pair of Invisible Stalkers, and the eastern one has a single Invisible Stalker. ***TRAPS*** (x=900, y=1180) (x=1500, y=920) (x=1450, y=950) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 8) The southern path will continue south, then turn east a spell, then north again. Follow it north until it turns south into a parallel tunnel. You'll find your old favorite combo of traps and a Skeleton Warrior this one has a Helmet, some gems, gold, or jewels, and a Two Handed Sword +1, the more typical Skeleton Warrior loot. Disarm the traps between the green symbols and head up a parallel tunnel to the north. It'll turn east, then south, during which time you'll encounter a Doom Guard, and later on, another Skeleton Warrior. The path then splits into two, both going south. ***TRAPS*** (x=2300, y=1230) (x=2050, y=1400) (x=1970, y=1450) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 9) The eastern-most of the two tunnels south ends in a dead end, but not before it loves you with a nice Lightning Bolt trap. (You can tell when I step on one, because then I tell you what it does! Ah, reloads...) The southern tunnel turns west, crooks a bit, and keeps on going to the west. Follow it until you find a wounded man named Winski Perorate (x=550, y=1190). What a name, eh? Somebody's parents hated them. ***TRAPS*** (x=1500, y=1860) (x=1450, y=1850) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 10) Talk to Winksi, who will reveal himself to be Sarevok's mentor, the one who taught him and shaped him to be as he is, or so Winski claims. Do with him as you will, but if you kill him you'll lose reputation. When you're ready head through the exit at (x=560, y=1100) to reach the Undercity. Just keep in mind that once you go down, you cannot come back up... Nah, I'm just messing, you can come and go as you please. Undercity (AR0123) o======================================================================o 11) Send a character to the west in stealth to find a group of hostiles including an Ogre named Gorf, a bow-wielding man named Rahvin, another man named Haseo, a woman named Wudei, another bow-wielder named Carston, and a Mage already Mirror Imaged named Shaldrissa. Rahvin will speak and ask who you are. You'll find out that they are mercenaries in the employ of the Iron Throne being sent to kill Sarevok... talk about irony... but they are willing to kill you for the bonus, too. I sneak up with Imoen and hit them all with a Dispel Magic without being seen, then I cast a pair of Stinking Clouds, followed by shooting at Rahvin with my archers, all using Arrows of Detonation. They should all die quite nicely and cleanly in this admittedly crude yet showy display of force. It's not like those Arrows of Detonation are going to be of any use after this fight anyways. If you want to be more tactful... well, you should know how to handle groups of enemies now. A telling first-strike spell-assault consisting of Silence 15' Radius, Chaos, Confusion, Slow, Horror, and/or other such debuffs just outside of their sight should just about win the fight outright, and I need not bother pointing out how leading with summoned Skeleton Warriors is helpful, right? Gorf: drops a random assortment of Ogre-loot, including gold, gems, jewelry, scrolls and, of course, a Morning Star. Rahvin: Plate Mail, Ring of the Princes +1, Arrows of Detonation x2 (which he would have loved to shoot at you, by the way), Arrows of Piercing x10, Arrows +2 x20, two random bits of loot, Composite Longbow, Long Sword and 49 gold. Haseo: Ring of the Princes +1, Long Sword +1 and 64 gold. Wudei: Studded Leather +1, Quarterstaff and 12 gold. Carston: Plate Mail, Helmet, Arrows of Fire +2 x10, Arrows of Ice x10, Arrows of Biting x10, two random pieces of loot, Composite Longbow, Bastard Sword and 71 gold. Shaldrissa: Traveler's Robe, Quarterstaff and 55 gold. Why you need anything besides the Arrows +2 at this stage in the game, I do not know. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 12) You can find plenty of Ghouls, Skeletons, Zombies, and other undead in the ruins to the south, whose only purpose I swear is to provide you with arrows should you need them. Continue west to find Tamoko, who is resigned to her fate of either losing her life, or losing Sarevok. If you're a nice guy and you made your promise to her before you can talk her out of a fight, but if she walks she takes her Plate of the Dark +1 with her. It's your choice. At this point in the game, Plate of the Dark +1 isn't really going to do much for you besides replace the Ankheg Plate Mail. when she dies she'll drop the Plate of the Dark +1, tied for the most protective armor in the game, even if it's late, a Large Shield +1, a Flail +1, and 125 gold. Head north to find the entrance to a large shrine to Bhaal (x=1700, y=1300). <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 13) The final fight looms before us... but since the game has already thrown one piece of armor at us that comes so late it's practically useless, why not go get another? From the doors of the temple, continue down the street to the west over to the next lot. Head up north through the ruins of some walls, scale some stairs, and enter a ruined building where, at (x=550, y=1100) you'll find a suit of armor sitting on the ground. Your new toy is none other than 'The Magma Bulwark +2', a suit of light plate that... well, fails to impress. It has the same base Armor Class (1) of Full Plate Mail and Ankheg Plate Mail, but worse modifiers. It requires more Strength than Ankheg Plate Mail, but somehow manages to weigh less. It doesn't allow the wearer to use spells or Thief skills, but it does stack with other magical protections. All in all, it's a little bit weaker than Ankheg Plate Mail, but with one important bonus-it's black! Ooooh... I swear Overhaul added this to the game just to force me to run through it again... ***ITEMS*** (x=550, y=1100) The Magma Bulwark +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 14) Anyways, return to the shrine of Bhaal to the east. Rest up, put Potions of Giant Strength and Potions of Heroism in your Fighter's quick itme slots, and prepare spells for the final fight. You no longer need anything like Identify or Knock, get Magic Missiles, as many of them as you can. Make sure you have Animate Dead spells, Dispel Magics, and Hastes. You won't really need Fireball, or crowd control spells. When you're ready to go, head in. The final stats of my parties are below: GOOD PARTY STATS: FINAL o======================================================================o Ajantis Paladin 8 Experience: 161000 Max Hit Points: 92 Armor Class: -7 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 7 (-1) Rod/Staff/Wand: 9 (-1) Petrify/Polymorph: 8 (-1) Breath Weapon: 9 (-1) Spells: 10 (-1) Weapon Proficiencies Bastard Sword ++ Long Sword ++ Two-Handed Sword + Longbow + Armor: Full Plate Mail Gloves: The Brawling Hands Helmet: Helm of the Noble +1 Amulet: Wolfsbane Charm Weapon: Varscona +2 (THAC0: 7) Albruin +1 (THAC0: 8) The Burning Earth +1 (THAC0: 8) Shield: Shield of the Falling Stars +1 Ring 1: Batalista's Passport Ring 2: Ring of the Princes +1 Cloak: Algernon's Cloak Boots: The Paws of the Cheetah Belt: Big-Fisted Belt Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: Potion of Healing x24 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Jaheira Fighter 7/Druid 8 Experience: 80500/80500 Max Hit Points: 89 Armor Class: -4 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 5 (-2) Rod/Staff/Wand: 9 (-2) Petrify/Polymorph: 8 (-2) Breath Weapon: 10 (-2) Spells: 8 (-4) Weapon Proficiencies Dagger ++ Club ++ Quarterstaff + Sling + Armor: Ankheg Plate Mail Gloves: Hands of Takkok Helmet: Kiel's Helmet Amulet: Amulet of Spell Warding Weapon: Dagger of Venom +2 (THAC0: 8) Sling +1 (THAC0: 13) Shield: Pellan's Shield +2 Ring 1: Batalista's Passport Ring 2: Edventar's Gift Cloak: The Spirit's Shield +2 Boots: The Frost's Embrace Belt: Elves' Bane Misc 1: Durlag's Goblet Misc 2: ... Misc 3: Potion of Healing x24 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Viconia Cleric 8 Experience: 161000 Max Hit Points: 60 Armor Class: -6 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 3 (-4) Rod/Staff/Wand: 7 (-4) Petrify/Polymorph: 8 (-2) Breath Weapon: 9 (-4) Spells: 10 (-2) Weapon Proficiencies War Hammer + Mace + Sling + Sword and Shield Style + Armor: Ankheg Plate Mail Gloves: Xarrnous's Second Sword Arm Helmet: Gift of Peace Amulet: The Protector +1 Weapon: Ashideena +2 (THAC0: 13) The Stupefier +1 (THAC0: 14) Shield: Small Shield +1 Ring 1: Honorary Ring of Sune Ring 2: Edventar's Gift Cloak: Cloak of Displacement Boots: Senses of the Cat Belt: Golden Girdle of Urnst Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Protagonist Fighter 7/Mage 7 Experience: 80500/80500 Max Hit Points: 89 Armor Class: -3 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 5 (-5) Rod/Staff/Wand: 4 (-5) Petrify/Polymorph: 6 (-5) Breath Weapon: 7 (-5) Spells: 5 (-5) Weapon Proficiencies Katana + Flail ++ Two-Weapon Style +++ Armor: Robe of the Neutral Archmagi Gloves: Legacy of the Masters Helmet: Helm of Balduran Amulet: Amulet of Metaspell Influence Weapon: The Thresher +2 (THAC0: 6) Shield: Morning Star +1 (THAC0: 9) Ring 1: Evermemory Ring 2: The Guard's Ring +2 Cloak: Cloak of Balduran Boots: The Paws of the Cheetah Belt: Golden Girdle of Urnst Misc 1: Wand of Fire Misc 2: Wand of Monster Summoning Misc 3: Wand of Paralyzation <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Minsc Ranger 8 Experience: 161000 Max Hit Points: 88 Armor Class: 3 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 9 (-1) Rod/Staff/Wand: 11 (-1) Petrify/Polymorph: 10 (-1) Breath Weapon: 11 (-1) Spells: 12 (-1) Weapon Proficiencies Two-Handed Sword ++ Mace + Longbow ++ Two-Handed Weapon Style + Two-Weapon Style ++ Armor: Elven Chain Mail Gloves: Legacy of the Masters Helmet: The Eyes of Truth Amulet: Necklace of Missiles Weapon: Spider's Bane +2 (THAC0: 7) The World's Edge +3 (THAC0: 6) The Dead Shot +2 (THAC0: 8) Shield: ... Ring 1: Ring of the Princes +1 Ring 2: The Victor Cloak: Whispers of Silence Boots: Worn Whispers Belt: Destroyer of the Hills Misc 1: Boo Misc 2: ... Misc 3: Potion of Healing x24 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Imoen Thief 6/Mage 9 Experience: 20000/141000 Max Hit Points: 66 Armor Class: 0 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 10 (-2) Rod/Staff/Wand: 7 (-2) Petrify/Polymorph: 4 (-7) Breath Weapon: 11 (-2) Spells: 8 (-2) Weapon Proficiencies Short Sword + Scimitar, etc. + Shortbow + Dart + Sling + Armor: Robe of the Good Archmagi Gloves: The Dale's Protector Helmet: ... Amulet: Necklace of Missiles Weapon: The Whistling Sword +2 (THAC0: 16) Protector of the Dryads +2 (THAC0: 12) Shield: ... Ring 1: Evermemory Ring 2: Ring of the Princes +1 Cloak: Whispers of Silence Boots: Talos's Gift Belt: Adoy's Belt Misc 1: Wand of Fire Misc 2: Wand of Monster Summoning Misc 3: Wand of Paralysis Well, that's that. Nothing to really say about what lies ahead, eh? So let's try a retrospective approach. Ajantis, properly equipped, turned into a fine party-leader and tank. Really, you couldn't ask for better. Jaheira's -4 Armor Class isn't really up to snuff, but Viconia and Ajantis were well-protected enough that she managed to survive just fine, and with the Hands of Takkok she turned into quite a potent warrior. Viconia, of course was all defense, able to hold the line in melee combat when necessary and heal everybody up once the fight was over. My protagonist, with pampering, became quite capable in his own right. Towards the end there, in certain fights (the Demon knight, Aec'Letec, and Sarevok, for example) his buffs even allowed him to tank. If there's one good thing the Enhanced Edition did for my protagonist, it forced him to play like his Baldur's Gate 2 version, and gave us a brief, shining glimpse of the badassness that awaits him. Minsc and Imoen fulfilled their roles as archers admirably. All in all, even though my good party wasn't as potent as my evil party, they were more than a match for everything the game had to throw at them. EVIL PARTY STATS: FINAL o======================================================================o Dorn Blackguard 8 Experience: 161000 Max Hit Points: 78 Armor Class: -3 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 7 (-1) Rod/Staff/Wand: 9 (-1) Petrify/Polymorph: 8 (-1) Breath Weapon: 9 (-1) Spells: 10 (-1) Weapon Proficiencies Two-Handed Sword ++ Crossbow ++ Two-Handed Weapon Style ++ Armor: Full Plate Mail Gloves: Legacy of the Masters Helmet: Helm of the Noble +1 Amulet: ... Weapon: The World's Edge +3 (THAC0: 5) Spider's Bane (THAC0: 6) The Army Scythe +1 (THAC0: 9) Shield: ... Ring 1: Ring of the Princes +1 Ring 2: Batalista's Passport Cloak: Algernon's Cloak Boots: Senses of the Cat Belt: Destroyer of the Hills Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: Potion of Healing x24 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Kagain Fighter 8 Experience: 161000 Max Hit Points: 120 Armor Class: -6 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 4 (-1) Rod/Staff/Wand: 6 (-1) Petrify/Polymorph: 10 (-1) Breath Weapon: 11 (-1) Spells: 7 (-1) Weapon Proficiencies Axe ++++ Flail/Morning Star + Crossbow + Armor: Full Plate Mail Gloves: The Brawling Hands Helmet: The Eyes of Truth Amulet: ... Weapon: Battle Axe of Mauletar +2 (THAC0: 5) Throwing Axe +2 (THAC0: 6) Bala's Axe, Wizard Slayer (THAC0: 7) Kondar +1 (THAC0: 11) Shield: Shield of the Falling Stars +1 Ring 1: Ring of the Princes +1 Ring 2: The Victor Cloak: Cloak of the Shield Boots: The Paws of the Cheetah Belt: Big-Fisted Belt Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Jaheira Fighter 7/Druid 8 Experience: 80500/80500 Max Hit Points: 89 Armor Class: -4 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 5 (-2) Rod/Staff/Wand: 9 (-2) Petrify/Polymorph: 8 (-2) Breath Weapon: 10 (-2) Spells: 8 (-4) Weapon Proficiencies Scimitar, etc. ++ Club ++ Quarterstaff + Sling + Armor: Ankheg Plate Mail Gloves: Hands of Takkok Helmet: Kiel's Helmet Amulet: Amulet of Spell Warding Weapon: Rashad's Talon +2 (THAC0: 8) Sling of Unerring Accuracy (THAC0: 12) Shield: Pellan's Shield +2 Ring 1: Batalista's Passport Ring 2: Edventar's Gift Cloak: The Spirit's Shield +2 Boots: The Frost's Embrace Belt: Elves' Bane Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Viconia Cleric 8 Experience: 161000 Max Hit Points: 60 Armor Class: -6 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 3 (-4) Rod/Staff/Wand: 7 (-4) Petrify/Polymorph: 8 (-2) Breath Weapon: 9 (-4) Spells: 10 (-2) Weapon Proficiencies War Hammer + Mace + Sling + Sword and Shield Style + Armor: Ankheg Plate Mail Gloves: Xarrnous's Second Sword Arm Helmet: Gift of Peace Amulet: The Protector +1 Weapon: Ashideena +2 (THAC0: 13) The Stupefier +1 (THAC0: 14) Shield: Small Shield +1 Ring 1: Honorary Ring of Sune Ring 2: Edventar's Gift Cloak: Cloak of Displacement Boots: ... Belt: Golden Girdle of Urnst Misc 1: ... Misc 2: ... Misc 3: ... <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Protagonist Fighter 6/Mage 6/Thief 7 Experience: 53666/53666/53666 Max Hit Points: 72 Armor Class: -3 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 6 (-5) Rod/Staff/Wand: 4 (-5) Petrify/Polymorph: 6 (-5) Breath Weapon: 8 (-5) Spells: 5 (-5) Weapon Proficiencies Long Sword ++ Katana + Two-Weapon Style +++ Armor: Robe of the Evil Archmagi Gloves: Legacy of the Masters Helmet: Helm of Balduran Amulet: The Amplifier Weapon: Varscona +2 (THAC0: 7) The Harrower +1 (THAC0 8) Shield: The Burning Earth +1 (THAC0: 10) Ring 1: Evermemory Ring 2: The Guard's Ring +2 Cloak: Cloak of Balduran Boots: The Paws of the Cheetah Belt: Golden Girdle of Urnst Misc 1: Wand of Fire Misc 2: Scroll of Stoneskin Misc 3: Wand of Paralyzation <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Edwin Conjurer 9 Experience: 161000 Max Hit Points: 54 Armor Class: 5 Paralyze/Poison/Death: 12 (-1) Rod/Staff/Wand: 8 (-1) Petrify/Polymorph: 5 (-6) Breath Weapon: 12 (-1) Spells: 9 (-1) Weapon Proficiencies Quarterstaff + Sling + Armor: Robe of the Evil Archmagi Gloves: ... Helmet: ... Amulet: Edwin's Amulet Weapon: Aule's Staff +3 (THAC0: 15) Sling of Unerring Accuracy (THAC0: 15) Shield: ... Ring 1: Evermemory Ring 2: ... Cloak: Whispers of Silence Boots: Talos's Gift Belt: Adoy's Belt Misc 1: Wand of Fire Misc 2: Wand of Monster Summoning Misc 3: Wand of Paralyzation My evil party is, quite simply, phenomenally strong. Three characters have a 19 Strength (Dorn, Kagain, and my protagonist) and Jaheira's not too far behind with 18/00. In direct melee combat, they're leagues ahead of my good party. Edwin also serves to make them well-stocked with magical power. Where they falter, however, is Armor Class. Dorn, particularly, has poor a Armor Class for a front-liner, much less the party leader, and their ranged presence isn't quite as good. To be fair, however, Kagain ends up pretty good with ranged weapons... and melee, and Armor Class... and Hit Points... Kagain's just great. Also, my evil protagonist isn't quite as powerful due to having a lower Fighter level and no access to Stoneskin. Still, you can't fault the evil party for sheer power, which they have aplenty. Shrine of Bhaal (AR0125) o======================================================================o 15) Take a deep breath. Whew. Alright. Take your Thief and detect traps, as there's an annoying Lightning Bolt trap to the right that should be disarmed. There are also plenty of traps on the symbol of Bhaal in the middle of the level, which you probably won't be able to disarm. Consider it a no-walk zone, but never fear, there's plenty of room to fight even if you stay away from the middle of the level. ***TRAPS*** (x=700, y=850) (x=775, y=865) (x=830, y=830) (x=750, y=800) (x=840, y=730) (x=570, y=1000) (x=420, y=850) (x=630, y=780) <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 16) Once you've disarmed whatever traps you can, summon as many Skeleton Warriors as possible just south of the symbol of Bhaal. My Viconia was able to summon four of them. Now sneak with a Thief or Ranger and head up along the eastern side of the room until you spot Sarevok, who will speak to you. He'll be joined by Angelo, imposter to the Flaming Fist leadership, Tazok, everybody's favorite Ogre-brigand, and some dill-hole named Semaj. It is suicide to try and tackle all of them at once, so we won't. After Sarevok is done talking Semaj will appear already buffed with Protection from Normal Missiles. He will promptly Dimension Door just south of the symbol of Bhaal in the middle of the level and release a contingency, which will hit a character with Magic Missile and Greater Malison. His next objective is to cast a Domination spell, followed by (among other things) Chaos. This spell-assault will almost certainly devastate the party with their lowered saves. Fortunately for us, four Skeleton Warriors, a strong front-line and archers firing +2 missiles will take him down before he gets the chance. [VIDEO] Haeravon Plays: Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition - Sarevok Fight (Good Party) {VID008} https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0wSqFLnrno <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 17) One down, three to go. The remaining trio include Angelo and Tazok, who are both invisible, and flank Sarevok-Tazok is to the east, Angelo is to the west. Both can be lured from Sarevok's side without provoking Sarevok himself, but there are difficulties to be aware of with each approach, above and beyond the enemies. If you head up either side of the level you could run afoul of one of two 'traps'. Despite calling them traps, they're not detectable, nor disarmable. One includes a Web and Stinking Cloud combo which, if you're lucky will trigger on you while out of sight of Sarevok and his minions. Alternatively, some Battle Horrors could spawn. In both cases, life is easier for you if these effects occur out of Tazok/Angelo's sight. If so, you can just wait the spells out and lure the Battle Horror down to the party for dispatching. Getting around these traps will shape our strategies against Angelo and Tazok a good bit. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 18) In the case of Tazok, the best way to deal with these traps is to avoid them altogether. They won't trigger if you send a summoned critter over them-at least, I've never had a Skeleton Warrior trigger them. Since Tazok is a melee brute, and invisible, he's relatively easy to dispatch. Just inch a Skeleton Warrior up along the eastern side of the area until you see Tazok's dialogue text. Once done, run the little Skeleton back to the party. When Tazok attacks, he'll become visible, and you can sic your entire party on him, which should lead to his prompt demise. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 19) Angelo is in every respect the more annoying target. He starts out with a Remove Magic (key to his cheap offensive scheme). His goal in combat is to unleash multiple Arrows of Detonation (he has eight) while remaining protected thanks to his Minor Globe of Invulnerability (even should this wear off, he still takes far less damage from his Arrows of Detonation than you will). He also will employ defensive spells like Shadow Door, and he's got a Wand of Lightning, should he run out of Arrows of Detonation. Still, our Skeleton Warriors are nothing if not disposable-I'm willing to let him shoot as many Arrows of Detonation as he pleases at them. Even better if they absorb the Remove Magic, too. The only problem? Your Skeleton Warriors are stupid. Even if you have party AI off, they'll go to attack Angelo-hence drawing Sarevok into the fight. If you use a normal character as bait, they might trigger the traps mentioned above. All in all, I decide the latter is the most likely gamble. I position my Skeleton Warriors just south of the symbol of Bhaal, while I move the rest of my party to the eastern side of the level. That done, I move forward with my sturdiest character-either Ajantis or Kagain, who will equip both Batalista's Passport rings, giving them 80% Fire Resistance. They head up the western side of the area alone until Angelo shows himself. He'll start casting, and my character will retreat. He should not follow us, and if the traps trigger, I need only wait them out. Also, since I haven't buffed at all, his Remove Magic is useless. Now I buff, casting Haste, Protection From Evil, and Resist Fire and Cold on my lure, giving them well over 100% Fire Resistance. I creep back up the western side of the level until I spot Angelo again. This time he'll give chase, shooting off an Arrow of Detonation before following. His goal is to get in melee and blast away-his arrows make no attack roll, and seem to always hit, so you'll be taking some physical damage, even if you are immune to fire. After I lure him south of the symbol of Bhaal in the center of the temple, my disposable Skeleton Warriors attack Angelo, as does every character with a ranged weapon and enchanted ammunition... and, of course, the lure. He'll use a Shadow Door to confound us, but just redirect your attacks when he appears again. By buffing my lure, keeping my party out of his blast radius, and helping out with ranged fire, he should fall before dealing too much damage to the lure. <----------------------------------------------------------------------> 20) Now that we've negated Sarevok's spell-casters, it's time to go after our brother. My Fighter/Mage now buffs with Stoneskin, Blur, and Mirror Image, while my Fighter/Mage/Thief does the best she can with her limitations-she casts Blur and Mirror Image and uses a Scroll of Stoneskin. Sarevok will most likely target your protagonist, and I sure intend to let him. Giving them the Golden Girdle of Urnst pays off, as Sarevok's attacks will suffer a -3 penalty to hit... and we'll need every bit of defense we can get against him. Quaff potions of Giant Strength and Potions of Heroism if you have them, heal if you need to and recast Haste if it wears off. Once done, head north with your protagonist to provoke Sarevok and lure him to the party. Once he's south of the symbol of Bhaal in the middle of the temple, hit him with everything you've got. The single most effective spell against Sarevok is, as odd as it seems, humble Magic Missile. He has no defense against it and it'll shave off 10-25 damage if cast by a 9th-level Mage. Imoen and Edwin should focus on nothing else but pumping him full of these spells, while your warriors attack. Use up +2 missiles and withdraw wounded characters if necessary. My good party has a breeze putting down Sarevok-he fails to penetrate my protagonist's defense entirely before he falls-a portent of things to come in Baldur's Gate 2. Once Sarevok is smote you'll get some useless experience and a message saying your party has been exported. See you in Baldur's Gate 2! o======================================================================o | | | Items {ITM000} | | | o======================================================================o Below is a list of the items I deem to be rare and useful. If it's ever a serious consideration for equipment, it'll be listed. You can simply do a search of the item's name to find the item's location in the FAQ, or you can search the area number listed by the item. Some items, like more common magical weapons, will not be included. Finding Recorded Items in the Walkthrough {ITM001} <----------------------------------------------------------------------> You can simply do a search of the item's name to find the item's location in the FAQ, or you can search the area number listed by the item. It must be stressed that the latter method can be tedious, as different events occur in areas at different times in the game. For example, by looking at the location of the Boots of Avoidance, you might be tempted to run off to Nashkel, not realizing that the assasin who drops them doesn't appear until after the Nashkel Mines are cleared (Chapter 3 or later). Combine this with the fact that I don't necessarily list the area number of places I visit on subsequent visits, and it can be rather difficult to find an item with just the area number. On the other hand, searching for the name could prove fruitless as well if the full name is broken up by a line change in the Walkthrough. This can be overcome by searching for a key word in the name (i.e. 'Archmagi' in the Robe of the Evil Archmagi.) Of course, even this isn't fool proof, as some items that appear multiple times or are otherwise unworthy of comment (especially unexceptional items in stores) won't be mentioned in the Walkthrough, or on the other hand might be mentioned several times, thus making it difficult to find the actual part of the FAQ where the item is acquired, as opposed to where it's just mentioned. Then you have cases such as the Cloak of Displacement, where the key word 'Displacement' appears as a spell that may be mentioned without any connection to the item. It's not a perfect system by any means, but having an index dedicated to the items is better than nothing at all, even with all its flaws. Of course if you actually read the Walkthrough you'll get everything worth getting, so you really have no *real* reason to gripe, do you? Item (Alphabetical) Item Type Found {ITM002} o======================================================================o o===o |(A)| o===o Adoy's Belt Belt (OH2010) Albruin +1 Bastard Sword (AR0900) Algernon's Cloak Cloak (AR3352) Amulet of Spell Warding Necklace (AR5500) Anhkeg Plate Mail Armor (AR3301) Ankheg Plate Mail Armor (AR4800) Arla's Dragonbane +3 Sling (AR0514) Ashideena +2 War Hammer (AR3700) Aule's Staff +3 Quarterstaff (AR1001) o===o |(B)| o===o Backbiter +3 Spear (AR2900) Bala's Axe: Wizard Slayer Axe (AR0513) Battle Axe of Mauletar +2 Axe (AR0116) Batalista's Passport Ring (AR2615) Batalista's Passport Ring (AR5500) Belt of Antipode Belt (AR2700) Beruel's Retort +1 Axe (AR3301) Big-Fisted Belt Belt (OH3010) Bracers of Binding Gloves (AR1502) Bracers to the Death Gloves (AR1803) Buckley's Buckler Shield (AR2301) o===o |(C)| o===o Chain Mail +3 Armor (AR1004) Cloak of Balduran Cloak (AR0112) Cloak of Displacement Cloak (AR1001) Cloak of Protection +1 Cloak (AR0004) Cloak of Protection +1 Cloak (AR0102) Cloak of Protection +1 Cloak (AR0108) Cloak of Protection +1 Cloak (AR0153) Cloak of Protection +1 Cloak (AR0303) Cloak of Protection +1 Cloak (AR0401) Cloak of Protection +1 Cloak (AR0505) Cloak of Protection +1 Cloak (AR0809) Cloak of Protection +1 Cloak (AR0813) Cloak of Protection +1 Cloak (AR1504) Cloak of the Shield Cloak (AR0514) Composite Long Bow +1 Longbow (AR3351) o===o |(D)| o===o Dagger of Venom +2 Dagger (AR3301) Destroyer of the Hills Belt (AR1117) Destroyer of the Hills Belt (AR5200) Discipliner Ring (AR0705) Discipliner Ring (AR2101) Discipliner Ring (AR3100) Druid's Ring Ring (AR2200) Durlag's Goblet Miscellaneous (AR0512) o===o |(E)| o===o Edventar's Gift Ring (AR0615) Edventar's Gift Ring (AR1000) Elander's Gloves of Misplacement Gloves (AR3700) Elven Chain Mail Armor (AR0900) Elves' Bane Belt (AR2800) Evermemory Ring (AR1111) Evermemory Ring (AR2300) o===o |(F)| o===o Fallorain's Plate +1 Armor (AR0900) Fallorain's Plate +1 Armor (AR1800) Full Plate Mail Armor (AR0513) Full Plate Mail Armor (AR1900) Full Plate Mail Armor (AR3301) o===o |(G)| o===o Gem Pouch Miscellaneous (AR3300) Gift of Peace Helmet (AR3100) Girdle of Masculinity/Femininity Belt (AR2800) Glimmering Bands Gloves (OH3100) Gold Digger +1 Two-Handed Sword(AR0810) Golden Axe +1 Axe (AR0619) Golden Girdle of Urnst Girdle (AR0900) Golden Girdle of Urnst Girdle (AR3500) Greenstone Amulet Amulet (AR1001) o===o |(H)| o===o Hammer of Dawn +1 War Hammer (AR0130) Hands of Takkok Gloves (AR0133) Harrower +1 Longsword (AR5000) Heart of the Golem +2 Dagger (AR0115) Heart of the Golem +2 Dagger (AR5000) Helm of Balduran Helmet (AR0118) Helmet of Opposite Alignment Helmet (AR0516) Helm of the Noble +1 Helmet (AR0011) Honorary Ring of Sune Ring (AR5405) o===o |(I)| o===o Icingdeath +3 Scimitar (AR4200) o===o |(K)| o===o Karajah's Leather Armor +3 Armor (AR0514) Kiel's Buckler Shield (AR0512) Kiel's Helmet Helmet (AR0512) Kiel's Morningstar +3 Morningstar (AR0512) Kondar +1 Bastard Sword (AR0128)* Kondar +1 Bastard Sword (AR2200)* Koveras' Ring of Protection Ring (AR2609) Krolan's Skullcrusher +2 Mace (AR0514) *You can only obtain one of these two items, one by helping Aldeth Sashenstar out in the Cloakwood Forest, then again at the Merchant League. The other can be obtained by killing Aldeth in the Cloakwood. o===o |(L)| o===o Legacy of the Masters Gloves (AR1901) Legacy of the Masters Gloves (AR4500) Longtooth: The Grave Binder +2 Dagger (AR0112) o===o |(M)| o===o Mail of the Dead +2 Armor (AR4000) Manual of Bodily Health Miscellaneous (AR3601) Manual of Gainful Exercise Miscellaneous (AR2615) Manual of Quickness of Action Miscellaneous (AR0153) Mighty Oak +2 Club (AR1602) Mithral Chain Mail +4 Armor (AR4200) Moonblade +3 Long Sword (AR5405) Moonlight Walkers Boots (AR4800) o===o |(N)| o===o Neera's Staff +1 Quarterstaff (AR3300) Night Club +1 Club (AR0100) Nymph Cloak Cloak (AR0126) Nymph Cloak Cloak (AR0703) o===o |(P)| o===o Pellan's Shield +2 Shield (AR0514) Plate of the Dark +1 Armor (AR0123) Potion Bag Miscellaneous (AR3202) Protector of the Dryads +2 Shortbow (AR0115) Protector of the Second +2 Armor (AR5000) o===o |(Q)| o===o Quarterstaff +2 Quarterstaff (AR1600) o===o |(R)| o===o Rancor +1 Two-Handed Sword(OH1000) Relair's Mistake Cloak (AR3601) Rashad's Talon +2 Scimitar (AR0500) Rashad's Talon +2 Scimitar (AR2100) Robe of the Evil Archmagi Armor (AR1803) Robe of the Evil Archmagi Armor (AR2900)* Robe of the Good Archmagi Armor (AR3202) Robe of the Neutral Archmagi Armor (AR3202) Ring of the Princes +1 Ring (AR2800) Ring of the Princes +1 Ring (AR3313) Rugged Leathers +2 Armor (OH2010) *This armor is worn by Baeloth, a potential Sorcerer ally who will only appear if you are high enough level. o===o |(S)| o===o Sandthief's Ring Ring (AR1001) Senses of the Cat Boots (AR4800) Shadow Armor Armor (AR3301) Shield Amulet Necklace (AR0706) Shield Amulet Necklace (AR1504) Shield Amulet Necklace (AR4907) Shield of the Falling Stars +1 Shield (AR0617) Sling of Unerring Accuracy Sling (AR0153) Spider's Bane +2 Two-Handed Sword(AR2101) Staff Mace +2 Mace (AR1505) Staff of Striking +3 Quarterstaff (AR0514) Staff Spear +2 Quarterstaff (AR0505) Suryris's Blade +2 Halberd (AR0615) Sword of Balduran Bastard Sword (AR1504) o===o |(T)| o===o Talos's Gift Boots (AR5405) Telbar's Studded Leather Armor +2 Armor (AR5300) The Amplifier Amulet (AR0138) The Army Scythe Crossbow (AR3301) The Brawling Hands Gloves (AR5100) The Burning Earth +1 Long Sword (AR0514) The Captive Audience Miscellaneous (AR1001) The Chesley Crusher +2 Halber (AR5200) The Claw of Kazgaroth Ring (AR3202) The Dale's Protector Gloves (AR5300) The Dead Shot +2 Longbow (AR1901) The Eyes of Truth Helmet (AR4801) The Frost's Embrace Boots (AR4600) The Guard's Ring +2 Ring (AR0138) The Guide +2 Crossbow (AR0700) The Horn of Kazgaroth Miscellaneous (AR3202) The Iron Thorn Ring (AR1906) The Iron Thorn Ring (AR2100) The Jester's Folly Ring (AR0704) The Knee-capper +1 War Hammer (AR1001) The Magma Bulwark +2 Armor (AR0123) The One Gift Lost Necklace (AR0145) The One Gift Lost Necklace (AR0514) The One Gift Lost Necklace (AR0706) The One Gift Lost Necklace (AR0715) The One Gift Lost Necklace (AR4907) The Ossifier Quarterstaff (AR0810) The Paws of the Cheetah Boots (AR0106)* The Paws of the Cheetah Boots (AR1800) The Protector +1 Necklace (AR0126) The Practical Defense +3 Armor (AR0511) The Protector +1 Necklace (AR0169) The Protector +1 Necklace (AR0706) The Protector +1 Necklace (AR0715) The Protector +1 Necklace (AR3351) The Protector +1 Necklace (AR4907) The Shadow's Blade +3 Short Sword (AR0112) The Spirit's Embrace +2 Cloak (AR2615) The Stupefier +1 Mace (AR3307) The Victor Ring (AR3000) The Whistling Sword +2 Short Sword (AR3700) The World's Edge +3 Two-Handed Sword(AR0506) Throwing Axe +2 Axe (AR5506) Tome of Clear Thought Tome (AR0138) Tome of Leadership and Influence Miscellaneous (AR5102) Tome of Understanding Miscellaneous (AR0132) Tome of Understanding Miscellaneous (AR2615) Tome of Understanding Miscellaneous (AR0504) Topsider's Crutch Ring (AR0304) Topsider's Crutch Ring (AR0706) Topsider's Crutch Ring (AR4800) Topsider's Crutch Ring (AR4907) Twinkle +3 Scimitar (AR4200) Two Handed Sword, Cursed Berserking +3 Two-Handed Sword(AR4100) *The second pair of The Paws of the Cheetah are in the possession of Lothander, who appears as part of a quest in Baldur's Gate. You'll have to kill him to liberate them, but doing so prematurely can result in your own untimely demise. Therefore, the location listed above is when I suggest killing him for these items in the walkthrough, although they can be obtained earlier, in other places... if you don't care about dying a slow, painful death. o===o |(V)| o===o Varscona +2 Long Sword (AR5400) o===o |(W)| o===o Wand of Fear Miscellaneous (AR0703) Wand of Fear Miscellaneous (AR1009) Wand of Fear Miscellaneous (AR1803) Wand of Fear Miscellaneous (AR1900) Wand of Fear Miscellaneous (AR3202) Wand of Fear Miscellaneous (AR4501) Wand of Fear Miscellaneous (OH2010) Wand of Fire Miscellaneous (AR0134) Wand of Fire Miscellaneous (AR0500) Wand of Fire Miscellaneous (AR0514) Wand of Fire Miscellaneous (AR0703) Wand of Fire Miscellaneous (AR0704) Wand of Fire Miscellaneous (AR1401) Wand of Fire Miscellaneous (AR2615) Wand of Fire Miscellaneous (AR3901) Wand of Frost Miscellaneous (AR0703) Wand of Frost Miscellaneous (AR1000) Wand of Frost Miscellaneous (AR1001) Wand of Frost Miscellaneous {AR1501) Wand of Frost Miscellaneous (AR2101) Wand of Frost Miscellaneous (AR5400) Wand of Lightning Miscellaneous (AR0109) Wand of Lightning Miscellaneous (AR0514) Wand of Lightning Miscellaneous (AR0703) Wand of Lightning Miscellaneous (AR0705) Wand of Lightning Miscellaneous (AR1502) Wand of Lightning Miscellaneous (AR3321) Wand of Magic Missiles Miscellaneous (AR0601) Wand of Magic Missiles Miscellaneous (AR0703) Wand of Magic Missiles Miscellaneous (AR1501) Wand of Magic Missiles Miscellaneous (AR2700) Wand of Magic Missiles Miscellaneous (AR3352) Wand of Magic Missiles Miscellaneous (AR4010) Wand of Monster Summoning Miscellaneous (AR0514) Wand of Monster Summoning Miscellaneous (AR0703) Wand of Monster Summoning Miscellaneous (AR5001) Wand of Paralyzation Miscellaneous (AR0126) Wand of Paralyzation Miscellaneous (AR0138) Wand of Paralyzation Miscellaneous (AR0153) Wand of Paralyzation Miscellaneous (AR0703) Wand of Paralyzation Miscellaneous (AR3601) Wand of Polymorphing Miscellaneous (AR0162) Wand of Sleep Miscellaneous (AR0110) Wand of Sleep Miscellaneous (AR0110) Wand of Sleep Miscellaneous (AR0703) Wand of Sleep Miscellaneous (AR3202) Wand of the Heavens Miscellaneous (AR0615) Wand of the Heavens Miscellaneous (AR0703) Wand of the Heavens Miscellaneous (AR1001) Werebane +1 Dagger (AR1502) Whispers of Silence Cloak (AR0703) Whispers of Silence Cloak (AR2200) Wolfsbane Charm Amulet (AR1505) Worn Whispers Boots {AR1207} Worn Whispers Boots (AR3800) Worn Whispers Boots (AR3900) o===o |(X)| o===o Xarrnous's Second Sword Arm Gloves (AR1200) Xarrnous's Second Sword Arm Gloves (AR0114) Item Descriptions {ITM003} o======================================================================o Below I have added the descriptions of every item mentioned above, their stats taken directly from the descriptive text of the game. (Whether the stats listed by the game matches what the item actually does is another story!) Note: For the Enhanced edition I have omitted the 'Not usable by:' portion of each item's description for the simple reason that they seem to be mostly bogus. Almost all the items have CLERIC/RANGER listed twice, Robes of the Good Archmagi list 'NEUTRAL GOOD' as a prohibited alignment (wrongly)... it's just... a mess, and it unnecessarily lengthens and clutters this section. o===o |(A)| o===o Adoy's Belt <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Save vs. Petrification/Polymorph: +5 Weight: 2 Albruin +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Special Abilities: --> Detect Invisibility once per day --> Protection from poison while wielded THAC0: +1 Damage: 2d4+3 (slashing) Speed Factor: 7 Proficiency Type: Bastard Sword Type: One-handed Requires: 11 Strength Weight: 8 Algernon's Cloak <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Charisma: +2 Charge Abilities: --> Charm Creature (Save vs. Breath at -1 negates) Range: 40 ft. Duration: 12 hours Area of Effect: 1 creature Weight: 3 Amulet of Spell Warding <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Save vs. Spell: +2 Weight: 3 Ankheg Plate Mail <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Armor Class: 1 (-2 vs. slashing, -1 vs. piercing and missile) Requires: 8 Strength Weight: 25 Arla's Dragonbane +3 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +3 Damage: +3 (missile) Speed Factor: 3 Proficiency Type: Sling Type: One-handed Requires: 3 Strength Weight: 0 Ashideena +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +2 Damage: 1d4+3, +1 electrical damage Damage Type: Crushing Speed Factor: 2 Proficiency Type: War Hammer Type: One-handed Requires: 8 Strength Weight: 5 Aule's Staff <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +3 Damage: 1d6+3 (crushing) Speed Factor: 1 Proficiency Type: Quarterstaff Type: Two-handed Requires: 5 Strength Weight: 3 o===o |(B)| o===o Bala's Axe: Wizard Slayer <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Combat Abilities: --> Miscast Magic affects the victim for the next turn on each successful hit (80% chance of victim's spellcasting failure, Save vs. Spell at -2 negates) Damage: 1d8 (slashing) Speed Factor: 7 Proficiency Type: Axe Type: One-handed Requires: 10 Strength Weight: 6 Batalista's Passport <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Fire Resistance: +40% Weight: 0 Battle Axe of Mauletar +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +2 Damage: 1d8+2 (slashing) Speed Factor: 5 Proficiency Type: Axe Type: One-handed Requires: 10 Strength Weight: 5 Belt of Antipode <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped abilities: --> Cold Resistance: +100% --> Doubles all fire-based damage taken Weight: 2 Beruel's Retort +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +1 Damage: 1d6+2 (missile/piercing) Speed Factor: 4 Proficiency Type: Axe Type: One-handed Requires: 4 Strength Weight: 2 Big-Fisted Belt <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Strength: 19 --> Intelligence: 6 --> May only be removed by a Remove Curse spell Weight: 2 Bracers of Binding <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Casting Failure: 75% May only be removed with a Remove Curse spell THAC0: -5 Damage: -5 Weight: 1 Bracers to the Death <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: 6 Weight: 2 Buckley's Buckler <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: +1 --> Constitution: +1 --> No protection against missile and piercing attacks Weight: 2 o===o |(C)| o===o Chain Mail +3 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Armor Class: 2 (0 vs. slashing, 4 vs. crushing) Requires: 6 Strength Weight: 9 Cloak of Balduran <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: +1 --> Saving Throws: +1 --> Magic Resistance: +25% Weight: 3 Cloak of Displacement <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: +4 vs. missile attacks --> Save vs. Death: +2 --> Save vs. Breath" +2 --> Save vs. Wand: +2 Weight: 3 Cloak of Protection +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: +1 --> Saving Throws: +1 Weight: 3 Cloak of the Shield <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charge Abilities: --> Armor Class +5 vs. missile weapons, +1 vs. melee weapons Duration: 1 turn Number of Charges: Unknown Weight: 4 Composite Long Bow +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +2 Damage: +3 Speed Factor: 6 Proficiency Type: Longbow Type: Two-handed Requires: 18 Strength Weight: 9 o===o |(D)| o===o Dagger of Venom +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Combat Abilities: --> His target suffers 6 points of poison damage per round up to a total of 15 THAC0: +2 Damage: 1d4 +2 Speed Factor: 0 Proficiency Type: Dagger Type: One-handed Requires: 3 Strength Weight: 2 Destroyer of the Hills <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: +4 vs. crushing attacks Weight: 2 Discipliner <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Intelligence and Wisdom scores are set to 3 --> May only be removed with a Remove Curse spell Weight: 0 Druid's Ring <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charge Abilities: --> Charm Animal (Save vs. Wand negates) Range: 40 ft. Duration: 10 turns Area of Effect: 1 animal Weight: 0 Durlag's Goblet <----------------------------------------------------------------------> --> Fully heals the imbiber --> Causes imbiber to run at the first sign of trouble Duration: 12 hours Weight: 2 o===o |(E)| o===o Edventar's Gift <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Special: The wearer is immune to everything, magical and otherwise, that effects mobility in any way. This includes Haste and Slow spells. Weight: 0 Elander's Gloves of Misplacement <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> THACO: -10 --> Dexterity: -2 --> May only be removed with a Remove Curse spell Weight: 2 Elven Chain Mail <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Open Locks: -5% --> Find Traps: -5% --> Pick Pockets: -20% --> Move Silently: -10% --> Hide In Shadows: -10% Armor Class: 5 (3 vs. slashing, 7 vs. crushing) Requires: 5 Strength Weight: 7 Elves' Bane <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class Bonus: +3 vs. piercing weapons Weight: 2 Evermemory <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Can memorize double the amount of 1st-level wizard spells. Weight: 0 o===o |(F)| o===o Fallorain's Plate +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Armor Class: 2 (-1 vs. slashing) Requires: 11 Strength Weight: 20 Full Plate Mail <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Armor Class: 1 (-3 vs. slashing, -2 vs. piercing and missile) Requires: 15 Strength Weight: 70 o===o |(G)| o===o Gift of Peace <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Saving Throws: +1 --> Cold Resistance: +20% --> Fire Resistance: +20% --> Electrical Resistance: +20% --> Protects against critical hits Weight: 3 Girdle of Masculinity/Femininity <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Weight: 2 Glimmering Bands <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> THAC0: +2 Weight: 1 Gold Digger +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Special: --> Consumes 10 gold per successful hit. THAC0: +1 Damage: 1d10+4 (slashing) Speed Factor: 9 Proficiency Type: Two-Handed Sword Type: Two-handed Requires: 14 Strength Weight: 15 Golden Axe +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Combat Abilities: --> 10% chance of casting Dispel Magic on hit target. THAC0: +1 Damage: 1d8+1 (slashing) Speed Factor: 6 Proficiency Type: Axe Type: One-handed Requires: 10 Strength Weight: 7 Golden Girdle of Urnst <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: +3 vs. slashing attacks Weight: 2 Greenstone Amulet <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charge Abilities: --> This amulet confers the wearer protection against charm, confusion, fear, domination, ESP, Detect Alignment, hold, stun, psionics, sleep and feeblemind, much like the 8th-level wizard spell Mind Blank. However the protection effected uses one charge each time it is used and will only last for 1 turn. Weight: 1 o===o |(H)| o===o Hammer of Dawn +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> The wearer's non-detectable by magical means such as Detect Invisibility and Scrying. THAC0: +1 Damage: 1d4+2 (crushing) Damage Type: Crushing Speed Factor: 3 Proficiency Type: War Hammer Type: One-handed Requires: 9 Strength Weight: 6 Hands of Takkok <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: Strength: 18/00 Weight: 2 Harrower +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +1, +3 vs. undead creatures Damage: 1d8+1, +3 vs. undead creatures Damage Type: Slashing Speed Factor: 4 Proficiency Type: Long Sword Type: One-handed Requires: 6 Strength Weight: 4 Heart of the Golem +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +2 Damage: 1d4+2 (piercing) Speed Factor: 1 Proficiency Type: Dagger Type: One-handed Requires: 3 Strength Weight: 2 Helm of Balduran <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> THAC0: +1 --> Armor Class: +1 --> Saving Throws: +1 --> Hit Points: +5 --> Protects against critical hits Weight: 1 Helmet of Opposite Alignment <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Alignment will become opposite --> Protects against critical hits --> May only be removed with a Remove Curse spell Weight: 2 Helm of the Noble +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: +1 --> Charisma: +1 --> Protects against critical hits Weight: 2 Honorary Ring of Sune <----------------------------------------------------------------------> --> Can memorize one extra divine spell of each level from 1st to 4th Weight: 0 o===o |(I)| o===o Icingdeath +3 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Fire Resistance: +50% THAC0: +3 Damage: 1d8+3 (slashing) Speed Factor: 2 Proficiency Type: Scimitar, etc. Type: One-handed Requires: 8 Strength Weight: 4 o===o |(K)| o===o Karajah's Leather Armor +3 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Armor Class: 5 (7 vs. piercing and missile) Requires: 3 Strength Weight: 4 Kiel's Buckler <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Dexterity +1 --> Armor Class +1 --> No protection against missile and piercing attacks Weight: 2 Kiel's Helmet <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Protects against critical hits --> Protects against all forms of panic and boosts morale Weight: 2 Kiel's Morningstar +3 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Special: --> Causes the wielder to go berserk --> May only be removed with a Remove Curse spell THAC0: +3 Damage: 2d4+3 (crushing) Speed Factor: 4 Proficiency Type: Flail/Morning Star Type: One-handed Requires: 10 Strength Weight: 10 Kondar +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +1, +3 vs. shapeshifters Damage: 2d4+1, +3 vs. shapeshifters Damage Type: Slashing Speed Factor: 7 Proficiency Type: Bastard Sword Type: One-handed Requires: 10 Strength Weight: 8 Koveras' Ring of Protection: 'Ring of the Princes' <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: +1 --> Saving Throws: +1 Weight: 0 Krolan's Skullcrusher +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +2 Damage: 1d6+3 (crushing) Speed Factor: 5 Proficiency Type: Mace Type: One-handed Requires: 10 Strength Weight: 7 o===o |(L)| o===o Legacy of the Masters <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> THACO: +1 --> Damage: +2 Weight: 1 Longtooth: The Grave Binder +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +2 Damage: 1d6+2 (piercing) Speed Factor: 0 Proficiency Type: Dagger Type: One-Handed Requires: 4 Strength Weight: 2 o===o |(M)| o===o Mail of the Dead +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Armor Class: 3 (1 vs. slashing, 5 vs. crushing) Requires: 7 Strength Weight: 10 Manual of Bodily Health <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Constitution: Raised by 1 point permanently. Special: The book is consumed upon use. Usage: Place into quick item slot. Weight: 25 Manual of Gainful Exercise <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Strength: Raised by 1 point permanently. Special: The book is consumed upon use. Usage: Place into quick item slot. Weight: 25 Manual of Quickness of Action <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Dexterity: Raised by 1 point permanently. Special: The book is consumed upon use. Usage: Place into quick item slot. Weight: 25 Mighty Oak +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +2 Damage: 1d6+2 (crushing) Speed Factor: 4 Proficiency Type: Club Type: One-handed Requires: 5 Strength Weight: 3 Mithral Chain Mail +4 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Armor Class: 1 (-1 vs. slashing, 3 vs. crushing) Requires: 5 Strength Weight: 7 Moonblade +3 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: +1 --> Fire Resistance: +50% THAC0: +3 Damage: 1d8+3 (slashing) Speed Factor: 5 Proficiency Type: Dagger Type: One-handed Weight: 4 Moonlight Walkers <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: +2 Weight: 1 o===o |(N)| o===o Neera's Quarterstaff +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Combat Abilities: --> When the staff strikes a target, there is a 10% chance that either the target of the wielder will take 1 point of fire damage. THAC0: +1 bonus Damage: 1d6 (crushing) Speed Factor: 4 Proficiency Type: Quarterstaff Type: Two-handed Requires: 5 Strength Weight: 4 Night Club +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +1, +2 at night Damage: 1d6+1 (crushing) Speed Factor: 3 Proficiency Type: Club Type: One-handed Requires: 5 Strength Weight: 3 Nymph Cloak <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Charisma: +2 Charge Abilities: --> Charm Creature (Save vs. Breath at -1 negates) Range: 40 ft. Duration: 12 hours Area of Effect: 1 creature Weight: 3 o===o |(P)| o===o Pellan's Shield +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Armor Class: +3, +1 vs. missile attacks Requires: 10 Strength Weight: 4 Plate of the Dark +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Armor Class: 0 (-4 vs. slashing, -3 vs. piercing and missile) Requires: 15 Strength Weight: 35 Protector of the Dryads +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +2 Damage: +2 Speed Factor: 4 Proficiency Type: Shortbow Type: Two-handed Requires: 6 Strength Weight: 2 Protector of the Second +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Armor Class: 6 (8 vs. piercing and missile) Requires: 4 Strength Weight: 5 o===o |(Q)| o===o Quarterstaff +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +2 bonus Damage: 1d6+2 (crushing) Speed Factor: 2 Proficiency Type: Quarterstaff Type: Two-handed Requires: 5 Strength Weight: 3 o===o |(R)| o===o Rancor +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Combat Abilities: --> When Dorn holds this blade, any death that it causes has a chance to grant Dorn an increase of +1 to his to-hit rolls for 24 hours. THAC0: +1, +2 if it has slain someone within the past 24 hours Damage: 1d10+1 (slashing) Speed Factor: 9 Proficiency Type: Two-Handed Sword Type: Two-handed Requires: 14 Strength Weight: 10 Rashad's Talon +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +2 Damage: 1d8+2 (slashing) Speed Factor: 3 Proficiency Type: Scimitar/Wakizashi/Ninjato Type: One-handed Requires: 10 Strength Weight: 4 Relair's Mistake <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Polymorph into a wolf at will Weight: 3 Ring of the Princes +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: +1 --> Saving Throws: +1 Weight: 0 Robe of the Evil Archmagi <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: 5 --> Saving Throw: +1 --> Magic Resistance: 5% Requires: Evil Alignment Weight: 6 Robe of the Good Archmagi <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: 5 --> Saving Throw: +1 --> Magic Resistance: 5% Requires: Good Alignment Weight: 6 Robe of the Neutral Archmagi <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: 5 --> Saving Throw: +1 --> Magic Resistance: 5% Requires: Neutral Alignment Weight: 6 Rugged Leathers +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Move Silently: -15% Armor Class: 6 (8 vs. piercing and missile) Requires: 4 Strength Weight: 5 o===o |(S)| o===o Sandthief's Ring <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charge Abilities: --> Invisibility as per the namesake spell Weight: 0 Senses of the Cat <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: +5 vs. missile attacks Weight: 4 Shadow Armor <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Hide in Shadows +15% Armor Class: 4 (2 vs. slashing, 3 vs. piercing and missile) Requires: 6 Strength Weight: 8 Shield Amulet <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charge Abilities: --> Casts the spell Shield on the wearer. Range: 0 Area of Effect: The wearer Duration: 5 turns Weight: 1 Shield of the Falling Stars +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: +2, +5 vs. missile attacks Requires: 13 Strength Sling of Unerring Accuracy <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +2 Speed Factor: 6 Proficiency Type: Sling Type: One-handed Requires: 3 Strength Weight: 0 Spider's Bane +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Free Action protects the wielder from any magics that affect movement, such as Hold and Web. THAC0: +2 Damage: 1d10+2 (slashing) Speed Factor: 8 Proficiency Type: Two-Handed Sword Type: Two-handed Requires: 13 Strength Weight: 10 Staff of Striking +3 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +3 Damage: 1d6+9 (crushing) Speed Factor: 1 Proficiency Type: Quarterstaff Type: Two-handed Requires: 3 Strength Weight: 4 Staff Mace +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +2 Damage: 2d4+2 (crushing) Speed Factor: 2 Proficiency Type: Quarterstaff Type: One-handed Requires: 3 Strength Weight: 4 Staff Spear +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +2 Damage: 1d8+3 (piercing) Speed Factor: 4 Proficiency Type: Quarterstaff Type: Two-handed Requires: 5 Strength Weight: 4 Suryris's Blade +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +2 Damage: 1d10+2 (piercing) Speed Factor: 7 Proficiency Type: Halberd Type: Two-handed Requires: 11 Strength Weight: 12 Sword of Balduran <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +4 vs. lycanthropes Damage: 2d4, +4 vs. lycanthropes Damage Type: Slashing Speed Factor: 7 Proficiency Type: Bastard Sword Type: One-handed Requires: 12 Strength Weight: 12 o===o |(T)| o===o Talos's Gift <----------------------------------------------------------------------> --> Electrical Resistance: +50% Weight: 4 Telbar's Studded Leather Armor +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Armor Class: 5 (3 vs. slashing, 4 vs. piercing and missile) Requires: 6 Strength Weight: 8 The Amplifier <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Can memorize one extra 2nd-level Mage spell Weight: 1 The Army Scythe <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Combat Abilities: --> 1 extra attack per round THAC0: +1 Damage: +1 Speed Factor: 3 Proficiency Type: Crossbow Type: Two-handed Requires: 8 Strength Weight: 5 The Brawling Hands <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Dexterity: 18 Weight: 2 The Burning Earth +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +1 Damage: 1d8+1, +2 vs. regenerating creatures, +3 vs. cold-using creatures, +4 vs. undead Damage Type: Slashing Speed Factor: 3 Proficiency Type: Long Sword Type: One-handed Requires: 5 Strength Weight: 4 The Captive Audience <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charge Abilities: --> Casts Domination on a single target each time it is played (Save vs. Spell negates, -2 penalty) Duration: 12 hours Number of Charges: Unknown Weight: 3 The Chesley Crusher +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> The wielder's attacks per round are set to 1 THAC0: +2 Damage: 1d10+6 (piercing) Speed Factor: 7 Proficiency Type: Halberd Type: Two-handed Requires: 13 Strength Weight 30 The Claw of Kazgaroth <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Constitution: -2 --> Armor Class: +1, +4 vs. missile attacks --> Save vs Death: -4 --> Save vs Wand: +3 --> Save vs Polymorph: +3 --> Save vs Breath: +3 --> Save vs Spell: +3 Weight: 1 The Dale's Protector <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> THAC0: +2 with missile weapons Weight: 2 The Dead Shot +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +3 Damage: +2 Speed Factor: 5 Proficiency Type: Longbow Type: Two-handed Requires: 6 Strength Weight: 2 The Eyes of Truth <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Infravision up to 120 ft. --> Protects against critical hits Weight: 3 The Frost's Embrace <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Cold Resistance: +50% Weight: 4 The Guard's Ring +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: +2 --> Saving Throws: +2 The Guide +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +5 Damage: +2 Speed Factor: 7 Proficiency Type: Crossbow Type: Two-handed Requires: 11 Strength Weight: 10 The Horn of Kazgaroth <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charge Abilities: --> Immunity to 1st and 2nd level spells --> Armor Class: +5 vs. missile attacks --> Save vs Death: +2 --> Save vs Wand: +2 --> Save vs Polymorph: +2 --> Save vs Breath: +2 --> Save vs Spell: +2 --> Damage done to user: Unknown Weight: 1 The Iron Thorn <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Changes the wearer's appearance to that of a zombie --> Charisma: -4 --> May only be removed by a Remove Curse spell Weight: 1 The Jester's Folly <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Dexterity: -50% --> Stealth: -50% --> 75% chance of spellcasting failure --> May only be removed by a Remove Curse spell Weight: 0 The Knee-capper +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +1, +4 vs. giant humanoids Damage: 1d4+2, +5 vs. giant humanoids Damage Type: Crushing Speed Factor: 2 Proficiency Type: War Hammer Type: One-handed Requires: 10 Strength Weight: 8 The Magma Bulwark +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Armor Class: 1 (-2 vs. slashing) Requires: 12 Strength Weight: 20 The One Gift Lost <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charge Abilities: --> Damage: 6d6 (Saving Throw vs. Spell to halve) Range: 50 ft. Area of Effect: 30-ft. radius Weight: 1 The Ossifier <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> May only be removed by a Remove Curse spell Combat Abilities: --> Casts Barkskin on target upon each successful hit Damage: 1d6 (crushing) Speed Factor: 4 Proficiency Type: Quarterstaff Type: Two-handed Requires: 5 Strength Weight: 4 The Paws of the Cheetah <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Weight: 4 The Practical Defense +3 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Armor Class: 0 (-3 vs. slashing) Requires: 11 Strength Weight: 18 The Protector +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: +1 --> Saving Throws: +1 Weight: 1 The Shadow's Blade +3 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +3 Damage: 1d6+3 (piercing) Speed Factor: 0 Proficiency Type: Short Sword Type: One-handed Requires: 4 Strength Weight: 3 The Spirit's Shield +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: +2 --> Saving Throws: +2 Weight: 3 The Stupefier +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Combat Abilities: --> 25% chance of stunning hit target for 1d4 rounds (no save) THAC0: +1 Damage: 1d6+2 (crushing) Speed Factor: 6 Proficiency Type: Mace Type: One-handed Requires: 10 Strength Weight: 8 The Victor <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charge Abilities: --> Damage: 2d6 (Saving Throw: None) Range: 120 ft. Area of Effect: 1 creature The Whistling Sword +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +2 Damage: 1d6 +2 (piercing) Speed Factor: 1 Proficiency Type: Short Sword Type: One-handed Requires: 4 Strength Weight: 2 The World's Edge +3 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +3 Damage: 1d10+3 (slashing) Speed Factor: 7 Proficiency Type: Two-Handed Sword Type: Two-handed Requires: 13 Strength Weight: 9 Throwing Axe +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Combat Abilities: --> Returns to wielder's hand when thrown THAC0: +2 Damage: 1d6+3 Damage Type (melee): Slashing Damage Type (thrown): Missile Speed Factor: 2 Proficiency Type: Axe Type: One-handed Requires: 4 Strength Weight: 3 Tome of Clear Thought <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Intelligence: Raised by 1 point permanently. Special: The book is consumed upon use. Usage: Place into quick item slot. Weight: 25 Tome of Leadership and Influence <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charisma: Raised by 1 point permanently. Special: The book is consumed upon use. Usage: Place into quick item slot. Weight: 25 Tome of Understanding <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Wisdom: Raised by 1 point permanently. Special: The book is consumed upon use. Usage: Place into quick item slot. Weight: 25 Topsider's Crutch <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Infravision up to 120 ft. Weight: 0 Twinkle +3 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Armor Class: +2 THAC0: +3 Damage: 1d8+3 (slashing) Speed Factor: 2 Proficiency Type: Scimitar, etc. Type: One-handed Requires: 8 Strength, Good Alignment Weight: 4 Two Handed Sword, Cursed Berserking +3 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Causes the wielder to go berserk --> May only be removed with a Remove Curse spell THAC0: +3 Damage: 1d10+3 (slashing) Speed Factor: 10 Proficiency Type: Two-handed Sword Type: Two-handed Requires: 14 Strength Weight: 15 o===o |(V)| o===o Varscona +2 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +2 Damage: 1d8+2, +1 cold damage Damage Type: Slashing Speed Factor: 3 Proficiency Type: Long Sword Type: One-handed Requires: 5 Strength Weight: 3 o===o |(W)| o===o Wand of Fear <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charge Abilities: --> Causes enemies to run in fear unless they save vs. Spell Range: 100 ft. Area: 20-ft. radius Duration: 15 rounds Weight: 1 Wand of Fire <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charge Abilities: --> Fireball Damage: 6d6 (Save vs. Wand for half) Range: 90 ft. Area of Effect: 30-ft. radius --> Agannazar's Scorcher Damage: 6d6+6 (Save vs. Wand for half) Range: 90 ft. Area of Effect: 1 creature Weight: 1 Wand of Frost <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charge Abilities: --> Column of Ice Damage: 8d6 (Save vs. Wand for half) Range: 100 ft. Area of Effect : 1 creature Weight: 1 Wand of Lightning <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charge Abilities: --> Lightning Bolt Damage: 6d6 (Save vs. Wand for half) Range: 100 ft. Area of Effect: Path of bolt Weight: 1 Wand of Magic Missiles <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charge Abilities: --> 1 magic missile will strike target Damage: 1d4 +1 Range: 100 ft. Area of Effect: 1 creature Weight: 1 Wand of Monster Summoning <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charge Abilities: --> Summon 12 HD of monsters Range: 20 ft. Duration: 2 turns Weight: 1 Wand of Paralyzation <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charge Abilities: --> Stun target (Save vs. Wand negates, -4 penalty) Range: 100 ft. Area of Effect: 1 creature Duration: 10 rounds Weight: 1 Wand of Polymorphing <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charge Abilities: --> Polymorph target into squirrel (Save vs. Wand negates) Range: 100 ft. Area of Effect: 1 creature Duration: Permanent (until dispelled) Weight: 1 Wand of Sleep <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charge Abilities: --> Sleep (Save vs. Wand negates) Range: 90 ft. Area of Effect: 20-ft. radius Duration: 2 turns Weight: 1 Wand of the Heavens <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Charge Abilities: --> Flamestrike Damage: 8d6 (Save vs. Wand for half) Range: 120 ft. Area of Effect: 1 creature Weight: 1 Werebane +1 <----------------------------------------------------------------------> THAC0: +1, +4 vs. lycanthropes Damage: 1d4+1, +4 vs. lycanthropes Damage Type: Piercing Speed Factor: 1 Proficiency Type: Dagger Type: One-handed Requires: 3 Strength Weight: 1 Whispers of Silence <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Non-detectable by magical means such as Detect Invisibility and scrying Weight: 3 Wolfsbane Charm <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> THAC0: +2 vs. lycanthropes Damage: +2 vs. lycanthropes Weight: 3 Worn Whispers <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> Move Silently: +20% --> Hide in Shadows: +15% Weight: 4 o===o |(X)| o===o Xarrnous's Second Sword Arm <----------------------------------------------------------------------> Equipped Abilities: --> THAC0: +1 Weight: 2 o======================================================================o | | | List of Mage Spells {SPL000} | | | o======================================================================o Below is a list of all the Mage spells in the game.. or at least all of the spells I was able to find. This is for referential purposes, and since divine spells are all automatically learned I feel no real need to include them. You want a full list of Cleric/Druid spells? Look at a Cleric/Druid, respectively. I've also provided a handy-dandy checklist, if you care to use it. Characters who have their checklist marked with a --- indicates that this spell is prohibited by their Mage specialization, or in the case of Bards, because they cannot cast 5th-level spells in this game. And yes, Imoen is included in this list even though she's not a Mage-that's how strongly I recommend dual-classing her into one. 1st Level Mage Spells {SPL001} o======================================================================o |Dynaheir | |Edwin | | |Eldoth | | | |Garrick | | | | |Imoen | | | | | |Neera | | | | | | |Protagonist | | | | | | | |Quayle | | | | | | | | |Xan | | | | | | | | | |Xzar | | | | | | | | | | | o=======================================o Armor | | | | | | | | | | | [Conjuration] |---------------------------------------| Blindness | | | | | | | | | |---| [Illusion/Phantasm] |---------------------------------------| Burning Hands | | | | | | | | | | | [Alteration] |---------------------------------------| Charm Person |---| | | | | | | | | | [Enchantment/Charm] |---------------------------------------| Chill Touch | | | | | | | |---| | | [Necromancy] |---------------------------------------| Chromatic Orb | | | | | | | | |---| | [Evocation] |---------------------------------------| Color Spray | | | | | | | | | | | [Alteration] |---------------------------------------| Find Familiar* |---|---|---|---|---|---| |---|---|---| [Conjuration] |---------------------------------------| Friends |---| | | | | | | | | | [Enchantment/Charm] |---------------------------------------| Grease | | | | | | | | | | | [Conjuration/Summoning] |---------------------------------------| Identify | |---| | | | | | | | | [Divination] |---------------------------------------| Infravision | |---| | | | | | | | | [Divination] |---------------------------------------| Larloch's Minor Drain | | | | | | | |---| | | [Necromancy] |---------------------------------------| Magic Missile | | | | | | | | |---| | [Evocation] |---------------------------------------| Nahal's Reckless Dweomer |---|---|---|---|---| |---|---|---|---| [Invocation/Evocation] |---------------------------------------| Protection from Evil | | | | | | | | | | | [Abjuration] |---------------------------------------| Protection from Petrif. | | | | | | | | | | | [Abjuration] |---------------------------------------| Reflected Image | | | | | | | | | |---| [Illusion/Phantasm] |---------------------------------------| Shield | | | | | | | | |---| | [Evocation] |---------------------------------------| Shocking Grasp | | | | | | | | | | | [Alteration] |---------------------------------------| Sleep |---| | | | | | | | | | [Enchantment/Charm] |---------------------------------------| Spook | | | | | | | | | |---| [Illusion/Phantasm] o=======================================o *This spell can only be cast by the protagonist. 2nd Level Mage Spells {SPL002} o======================================================================o |Dynaheir | |Edwin | | |Eldoth | | | |Garrick | | | | |Imoen | | | | | |Neera | | | | | | |Protagonist | | | | | | | |Quayle | | | | | | | | |Xan | | | | | | | | | |Xzar | | | | | | | | | | | o=======================================o Agannazar's Scorcher | | | | | | | | |---| | [Evocation] |---------------------------------------| Blur | | | | | | | | | |---| [Illusion/Phantasm] |---------------------------------------| Chaos Shield |---|---|---|---|---| |---|---|---|---| [Abjuration] |---------------------------------------| Deafness | | | | | | | | | |---| [Illusion/Phantasm] |---------------------------------------| Detect Evil | |---| | | | | | | | | [Divination] |---------------------------------------| Detect Invisibility | |---| | | | | | | | | [Divination] |---------------------------------------| Ghoul Touch | | | | | | | |---| | | [Necromancy] |---------------------------------------| Glitterdust | | | | | | | | | | | [Conjuration/Summoning] |---------------------------------------| Horror | | | | | | | |---| | | [Necromancy] |---------------------------------------| Invisibility | | | | | | | | | |---| [Illusion/Phantasm] |---------------------------------------| Knock | | | | | | | | | | | [Alteration] |---------------------------------------| Know Alignment | |---| | | | | | | | | [Divination] |---------------------------------------| Luck |---| | | | | | | | | | [Enchantment/Charm] |---------------------------------------| Melf's Acid Arrow | | | | | | | | | | | [Conjuration] |---------------------------------------| Mirror Image | | | | | | | | | |---| [Illusion/Phantasm] |---------------------------------------| Power Word: Sleep | | | | | | | | | | | [Conjuration/Summoning] |---------------------------------------| Ray of Enfeeblement |---| | | | | | | | | | [Enchantment/Charm] |---------------------------------------| Resist Fear | | | | | | | | | | | [Abjuration] |---------------------------------------| Stinking Cloud | | | | | | | | |---| | [Evocation] |---------------------------------------| Strength | | | | | | | | | | | [Alteration] |---------------------------------------| Vocalize | | | | | | | | | | | [Alteration] |---------------------------------------| Web | | | | | | | | |---| | [Evocation] o=======================================o 3rd Level Mage Spells {SPL003} o======================================================================o |Dynaheir | |Edwin | | |Eldoth | | | |Garrick | | | | |Imoen | | | | | |Neera | | | | | | |Protagonist | | | | | | | |Quayle | | | | | | | | |Xan | | | | | | | | | |Xzar | | | | | | | | | | | o=======================================o Clairvoyance | |---| | | | | | | | | [Divination] |---------------------------------------| Detect Illusion | |---| | | | | | | | | [Divination] |---------------------------------------| Dire Charm |---| | | | | | | | | | [Enchantment/Charm] |---------------------------------------| Dispel Magic | | | | | | | | | | | [Abjuration] |---------------------------------------| Fireball | | | | | | | | |---| | [Evocation] |---------------------------------------| Flame Arrow | | | | | | | | | | | [Conjuration/Summoning] |---------------------------------------| Ghost Armor | | | | | | | | | | | [Conjuration/Summoning] |---------------------------------------| Haste | | | | | | | | | | | [Alteration] |---------------------------------------| Hold Person |---| | | | | | | | | | [Enchantment/Charm] |---------------------------------------| Hold Undead | | | | | | | |---| | | [Necromancy] |---------------------------------------| Invisibility 10' Radius | | | | | | | | | |---| [Illusion/Phantasm] |---------------------------------------| Lightning Bolt | | | | | | | | |---| | [Evocation] |---------------------------------------| Melf's Minute Meteors | | | | | | | | |---| | [Evocation, Alteration] |---------------------------------------| Minor Spell Deflection | | | | | | | | | | | [Abjuration] |---------------------------------------| Monster Summoning I | | | | | | | | | | | [Conjuration/Summoning] |---------------------------------------| Non-Detection | | | | | | | | | | | [Abjuration] |---------------------------------------| Protection From Cold | | | | | | | | | | | [Abjuration] |---------------------------------------| Protection From Fire | | | | | | | | | | | [Abjuration] |---------------------------------------| Prot. From Normal Missiles | | | | | | | | | | | [Abjuration] |---------------------------------------| Remove Magic | | | | | | | | | | | [Abjuration] |---------------------------------------| Skull Trap | | | | | | | |---| | | [Necromancy] |---------------------------------------| Slow | | | | | | | | | | | [Alteration] |---------------------------------------| Spell Thrust | | | | | | | | | | | [Abjuration] |---------------------------------------| Wraithform | | | | | | | | | |---| [Alteration, Illusion] |---------------------------------------| Vampiric Touch | | | | | | | |---| | | [Necromancy] o=======================================o 4th Level Mage Spells {SPL004} o======================================================================o |Dynaheir | |Edwin | | |Eldoth | | | |Garrick | | | | |Imoen | | | | | |Neera | | | | | | |Protagonist | | | | | | | |Quayle | | | | | | | | |Xan | | | | | | | | | |Xzar | | | | | | | | | | | o=======================================o Confusion |---| | | | | | | | | | [Enchantment/Charm] |---------------------------------------| Contagion | | | | | | | |---| | | [Necromancy] |---------------------------------------| Emotion: Hopelessness |---| | | | | | | | | | [Enchantment/Charm] |---------------------------------------| Farsight | |---| | | | | | | | | [Divination] |---------------------------------------| Fireshield (Blue) | | | | | | | | |---| | [Evocation, Alteration] |---------------------------------------| Fireshield (Red) | | | | | | | | |---| | [Evocation, Alteration] |---------------------------------------| Greater Malison |---| | | | | | | | | | [Enchantment/Charm] |---------------------------------------| Improved Invisibility | | | | | | | | | |---| [Illusion/Phantasm] |---------------------------------------| Minor Globe of Invul. | | | | | | | | | | | [Abjuration] |---------------------------------------| Minor Spell Sequencer | | | | | | | | |---| | [Invocation/Evocation] |---------------------------------------| Monster Summoning II | | | | | | | | | | | [Conjuration/Summoning] |---------------------------------------| Otiluke's Resilient Sphere | | | | | | | | | | | [Alteration] |---------------------------------------| Polymorph Self | | | | | | | | | | | [Alteration] |---------------------------------------| Remove Curse | | | | | | | | | | | [Abjuration] |---------------------------------------| Secret Word | | | | | | | | | | | [Abjuration] |---------------------------------------| Spider Spawn | | | | | | | | | | | [Conjuration/Summoning] |---------------------------------------| Spirit Armor | | | | | | | |---| | | [Necromancy] |---------------------------------------| Stoneskin | | | | | | | | | | | [Alteration] |---------------------------------------| Teleport Field | | | | | | | | | | | [Alteration] o=======================================o 5th Level Mage Spells {SPL005} o======================================================================o |Dynaheir | |Edwin | | |Eldoth | | | |Garrick | | | | |Imoen | | | | | |Neera | | | | | | |Protagonist | | | | | | | |Quayle | | | | | | | | |Xan | | | | | | | | | |Xzar | | | | | | | | | | | o=======================================o Chaos |---| | | | | | | | | | [Enchantment/Charm] |---------------------------------------| Cloud Kill | | | | | | | | |---| | [Evocation] |---------------------------------------| Domination |---| | | | | | | | | | [Enchantment/Charm] |---------------------------------------| Feeblemind |---| | | | | | | | | | [Enchantment/Charm] |---------------------------------------| Hold Monster |---| | | | | | | | | | [Enchantment/Charm] |---------------------------------------| Monster Summoning III |---| | | | | | | | | | [Conjuration/Summoning] |---------------------------------------| Shadow Door | | | | | | | | | |---| [Illusion/Phantasm] |---------------------------------------| Sunfire | | | | | | | | |---| | [Evocation] o=======================================o o======================================================================o | | | Experience List {EXP001} | | | o======================================================================o This is a list of the experience rewards given by different characters and creatures when slain. It is not a complete list, I didn't go around killing every NPC to record how much experience they give. However, if you killed somebody while following the instructions of this guide, they should be listed.. unless I forgot to add them. In any case, it's not a big deal. o===o |(A)| o===o Aasim 1800 Aec'Letec 16000 Air Aspect 4000 Alai 1800 Alatos "Ravenscar" Thuibuld 4000 Aldeth Sashenstar 650 Alexander 300 Amarande 120 Amnish Soldier 65 Andris 6000 Angelo 9800 Ankheg 975 Ardenor Crush 900 Arghain 520 Arghh 1250 Arkion 900 Arkushule 600 Arlin 850 Ashirukuru 2000 Astral Phase Spider 4000 Avarice 2500 o===o |(B)| o===o Ba'ruk 165 Baby Wyvern 450 Baerin 300 Balquo 600 Bandit 65 Bassano 250 Bassilus 975 Battle Horror 4000 Bentan 175 Beyn 1800 Billy 300 Black Bear 175 Black Talon Elite 240 Bor 650 Borda 900 Brage 1400 Brandilar 1400 Brendan 300 Britik 900 Brown Bear 420 Brunos 1400 Bullrush 950 o===o |(C)| o===o Caldo 175 Carbos 20 Carrion Crawler 420 Carston 2400 Cattack 120 Caturak 750 Cave Bear 650 Centeol 1000 Chill Hobgoblin 35 Corsone 1000 Cult Archer 300 Cult Assassin 300 Cult Enforcer 1000 Cult Guard 500 Cult Wizard 1800 Cuchol 1800 Cyrdemac 975 Cythandria 2000 Crypt Crawler 420 o===o |(D)| o===o Dabron Sashenstar 1200 Daital 3750 Dark Moon Cleric 300 Dark Moon Initiates 100 Dark Moon Lieutenant 260 Dark Moon Monk 100, 160 Daryl 65 Davaeorn 6000 Dawn Priest Blane 300 Dawn Priest Bram 300 Delgod 300 Delorna 1400 Demon Knight 15000 Desreta 1600 Denak 1200 Dezkiel 1800 Diana 600 Diarmid 24 Diyab 1600 Digger 7 Dire Wolf 125 Diseased Gibberling 35 Doom Guard 2000 Doomsayer 4000 Doppelganger 420 Dorotea 200 Drakar 1200 Drasus 1400 Dread Wolf 650 Drelik 1200 Dribben 150 Drizzt 10000 Droth 975 Druid 120 Dryad of the Cloudpeaks 975 Durlag Trollkiller 4000 o===o |(E)| o===o Ekandor 500 Ettercap 650 o===o |(F)| o===o Fear 2200 Fenten 270 Fission Slime 3000 Flaming Fist Mercenary 15, 250 Flesh Golem 2000 Flind 120 Fuernebol 4000 o===o |(G)| o===o Gantolandon 1200 Garan 2000 Garclax 120 Gardush 1800 Genthore 1600 Geltik 165 Gervisse 90, 900 Ghast 650 Ghoul 175 Giant Spider 450 Gibberling 35 Glenn 65 Gnarl 175 Gnoll 35 Gnoll Elite 65 Gnoll Slasher 65 Gnoll Veteran 65 Gnoll Chieftain 120 Goblin 20 Gorf 2000 Grael 5000 Gray Ooze 275 Greater Basilisk 7000 Greater Doppelganger 4000 Greater Ghoul 1000 Greater Wolfwere 8000 Greater Wyvern 5000 Green Slime 65 Gregor 650 Gretek 1200 Greywolf 1400 Guard 65, 120, 240 o===o |(H)| o===o Hack 2000 Hafiz 650 Hairtooth 175 Hakt 750 Halacan 650 Half Ogre 270 Hamadryad 650 Hareishan 1200 Haseo 1500 Helmed Horror 2000 Helshara 975 Hobgoblin 35 Hobgoblin Elite 95 Huge Spider 270 o===o |(I)| o===o Icharyd 950 Ingot 235 Invisible Stalker 3000 Ioin Gallchobhair 300 Islanne 4000 Ithmeera 650 Izefia 120 o===o |(J)| o===o Jalantha Mistmyr 6000 Jardak 3600 Jebadoh 35 Jemby 350 Jenkal 290 Jondal 1500 o===o |(K)| o===o Kahrk 3500 Kaldran the Bear 3000 Karlat 270 Kestor 1200 Kiel the Legion Killer 4000 King 2000 Kirian 900 Kirinhale 3000 Kobold 7 Kobold Commando 35 Korax the Ghoul 175 Krumm 175 Kryll 1000 Krystin 3000 Kysus 1400 o===o |(L)| o===o Lakadaar 120 Lamalha 1200 Laryssa 600 Larze 2000 Lasala 300 Laskal 1000 Laurel 60 Lendarn 1400 Lesser Basilisk 1400 Lindin 600 Lori 65 Lothander 4000 Loup Garou 420, 2200 Love 3000 o===o |(M)| o===o Mad Arcand 2000 Maka 1300 Maneira 600 Malkax 165 Marcellus 2000 Marek 650 Meiala the Sirine 4000 Meilum 1200 Meym 1400 Michael 300 Mirror Fiend 650, 4000 Molkar 1200 Moorlock 1900 Morvin 650 Mountain Bear 900 Mulahey 650 Mustard Jelly 2000 Mutamin 1200 o===o |(N)| o===o Naaman 2000 Nantrin Bellowglyn 920 Natasha 1200 Neira 650 Nemphre 1200 Nexlit the Xvart 35 Nieman 1200 Nimbul 650 o===o |(O)| o===o Ochre Jelly 270 Ogre 270 Ogre Berserker 350, 650 Ogre Mage 650 Ogrillon 175 Ordulinian 2700 Osmadi 1000 Oulam 1200 o===o |(P)| o===o Palin 600, 1400 Pargus 900 Pawn 150 Peter 1200 Peter of the North 240 Phandalyn 3700 Phase Spider 1400 Phoenix Guard 100 Polar Bear 900 Prat 1400 Pride 2500 Priest 2000 Priest of Oghma 175 Priestess of Umberlee 175 Prism 35 o===o |(Q)| o===o Queen 5000 o===o |(R)| o===o Rabid Chicken 1 Raemon 1200 Ragefast 2000 Raiken 650 Rat 1 Ratchild 350 Razimath 4000 Revenant 3000 Rezdan 1200 Rhavin 1800 Rick 65 Rieltar 975 Riggilo 1400 Rogdok 20 Rogue 15 Rook 1500 Rufie 17 o===o |(S)| o===o Sakul 1600 Sarevok 15000 Schlumpsha the Sewer King 2500 Semaj 3000 Sendai 600 Seniyad 4000 Senjak 500 Sewerfolk 35, 65, 175, 650 Shaldrissa 2000 Shane 65 Shank 20 Sheila 87 Shoal the Nereid 5000 Simmeon 1000 Sil 2000 Silke 900 Sirine 2000 Sirine Queen 6000 Skeleton 65, 95, 120 Skeleton Warrior 4000 Slythe 5000 Sonner 35 Sorrem 61 Statue (Elf Warrior) 1600 Statue (Human Archer 1) 900 Statue (Human Archer 2) 900 Statue (Human Magic-User) 1200 Statue (Human Warrior) 1200 Stephan 12 Sunin 2000 Sword Spider 2000 o===o |(T)| o===o Takiyah 120 Tam 1300 Tamoko 5000 Tarnesh 120 Tarnor 1950 Tasloi 35 Taugosz Khosann 2000 Taxek 975 Tazok 4000 Telman 7 Telka 600 Tellan 3000 Tenya 650 Tevan 975 Teyngan 500 Thaldorn 975 Thayan Bodyguard 65, 350 Thayan Wizard 350 The Amazing Oopah 270 Thrall of Azothet 500 Tor Lobo 600 Tracea Carol 2000 Tranzig 975 Troll 1400 Tuth 4000 o===o |(U)| o===o Ughh 1250 Undead Knight 65 Ursa the Cave Bear 650 o===o |(V)| o===o Vampiric Wolf 2000 Vax 400 Vay-ya 2000 Venkt 900 Vitiare 125 Voltine 60 o===o |(W)| o===o War Dog 65 Werewolf 420, 1700 Wheber Ott 1500 Wild Dog 35 Wilf 800 William Garst 1500 Winter Wolf 975 Wolf 65, 120 Wolfwere 1400, 1800 Worg 120 Wudei 1200 Wraith Spider 1400 Wyvern 1400 o===o |(X)| o===o Xvart 15 o===o |(Y)| o===o Yago 1400 o===o |(Z)| o===o Zal 600 Zargal 650 Zeela 900 Zekar 65 Zhalimar Cloudwulfe 3000 Zhurlong 90 Zombie 65 Zordral 900 o======================================================================o | | | Updates/Thanks {UPD001} | | | o======================================================================o Version 1.00 Information (8/04/2010) (566,752 bytes) o======================================================================o Version 1.00 to 1.01 changes (5/19/2011) (601,373 bytes) o=o Added more information to the '2nd Edition Dungeons and Dragons Mechanics' portion of the FAQ, namely info dealing with multi- and-dual-classing, information pertaining to the sequel, a list of maximum levels by class, a list of class selections by race, and added descriptions of all the multi-class combos. o=o Added more information about importing to the sequel, especially when it comes to character creation. o=o Added the Items Index section. o=o Fixed some typos, including MANY instances of the name Jaheira being spelled 'Jahiera'. I before E doesn't work with names... or in many cases in general. o=o Fixed the search guides so they actually made sense. o=o Added more complete mention of the Big Metal Unit and the Golden Pantaloons. o======================================================================o Version 1.01 to 1.02 changes (12/25/2011) (714,809 bytes) Merry X-Mas! o=o Added the character Alora. o=o Added the 'Evil Party Walkthrough', with details on a new Fighter/Mage/Thief protagonist, in-progress stats, and a few interjections in the Walkthrough when necessary. o=o Edited the layout of the Walkthrough to make it resemble my Baldur's Gate 2 FAQ, and hence, made it more organized. There are no more bogus [WLKxxx] headings at the beginning of each chapter, since they were blatantly unnecessary. Also, this guide's new total of 36 Walkthrough Sequences more accurately fits with the sequel's 61 Sequences. Best of all, new Walkthrough sections now have a much larger heading, rather than being indistinguishable from area transitions. o=o Added the 'Item Description' section-another idea I had while writing the Baldur's Gate 2 FAQ that's being interjected retroactively into the Baldur's Gate 1 FAQ. o=o Added the 'List of Mage Spells' section to provide a handy- dandy checklist of Mage spells. o=o The final Sequence of Events, 'The Endgame' has been renamed 'Showdown with Sarevok', to match the Bhaalspawn Steps in Baldur's Gate 2. Just an organizational flourish this author wanted to point out. o=o Added the 'Spell Tactics' section, to mirror a similar addition to my Baldur's Gate 2 FAQ. It might not be as vital here, as there are much fewer spells and fewer enemies that require sophisticated spell tactics, but it's still relevant. And it makes the two FAQs fit together better. o=o Added the 'Table of Character Attributes', because I find such things interesting. o======================================================================o Version 1.02 to 1.03 changes (7/17/2012) (774,045 bytes) o=o Fixed more typos, merged or split Steps when necessary, made some of my charts look more pretty, and in general just made a bunch of grammatical, cosmetic, and compositional changes that nobody really cares about. o=o Finally fixed the incorrect usage of the term 'NPC' throughout the guide. The words 'allies', 'characters', and 'recruitable' have spread in its place. In any event, the term NPC now rightfully only refers to Non-Player Characters, whereas the term PC now refers to characters that go places and attack things when you click some buttons. o=o Added numerous bits of info provided by Jason Rozzo, including obscure loot that I had missed previously (including a suit of Ankheg Plate Mail, free for the taking), a few alternative battle strategies, and notes for how to kill the Demon Knight when he appears on the first level of Durlag's Tower-which allows you to obtain another suit of Full Plate Mail +1 and the Helmet of Opposite Alignment. o=o Made many changes as suggested by Lee Kadel. Also added various notes and strategies as provided by Lee. He's a great proof- reader that has made this guide better for everybody. o=o Added more comprehensive looting information for Beregost. [WLK003], Steps #12-#18. o=o Added more dialogue strings (pick option #x, etc.) to the walkthrough, for more detailed directions on how to advance conversations correctly. o=o Added area numbers (AR####) in the character descriptions, to make it somewhat easier to find said characters. o=o Combined [WLK006] and [WLK007] into a single Sequence of Events: 'The Gnoll Stronghold Expedition'. o=o Added a new Sequence of Events [WLK004] 'Party-Building', which discusses in greater depth the task of recruiting your party members in full-namely it provides instructions for recruiting Ajantis, Safana, Shar-Teel, and Viconia. I had originally left this to the reader to do, on their own. o=o Fixed the Cleric/Ranger class description. It was brought to my attention that this class really takes off in the sequel- now the class description reflects this. o======================================================================o Version 1.03 to 1.04 changes (11/22/2012) (831,320 bytes) o=o This version update should really be called the 'Lee Update', since most of everything that was changed was either suggested by him... or changed while I was in the process of changing something suggested by him. He also went through the guide and meticulously spell-checked it, and changed directions to be more accurate: North-west instead of north, for example, to better guide players, since most maps in this game are, after all, set on a diagonal grid. For all that work, he gets credit near the top of the guide, right next to the name of a sexy-yet humble-author. Give credit where credit is due. o=o Fixed several instances where my search guides didn't match my index. To Self: They're only useful if they actually link to something... o=o Added three more Steps to the Cloakwood Mines [WLK019] section of the walkthrough, to break up an overly large ***ITEMS*** section. o=o At the end of each Baldur's Gate section of the walkthrough [WLK020], [WLK021], [WLK022], [WLK023] I added some spell- suggestions for the section ahead, as requested. o=o Explored some quest reward variability with Infinity Explorer. Most notably, it allowed me to find out that Naradin will give you a set of Boots of Stealth if his reaction to you is low enough... or you can just steal them. Thanks to Lee for telling me about these. o=o Adjusted the Abilities tables to reflect what the game's 2DA files indicate... and reformatted them to make them more prettiful. It's a word if I use it like one. o=o Added more information to the 'Thief Abilities' section to show how race and Dexterity affects Thief abilities. o=o Added the 'Saving Throws' section and made some of the charts more pretty-like. Yes, it was a necessary addition. o=o Changed mentions of 'Grand Mastery' in the guide to 'High Mastery'... because you can actually reach the rank of High Master, unlike Grand Master, which must wait until you are a 9th-level Fighter. Since you can't reach 9th-level as a Fighter in this game, Grand Mastery must wait until the sequel... where it is sadly nerfed. *sigh* Anyways, thanks to Misty Mouse for pointing this out to me. o=o Added the 'Weapon Proficiencies by Class' section. o=o Edited the Table of Contents to make it more presentable. o=o Edited the guide-again-and fixed more over-margin lines. The 72-character-per-line rule might be self-imposed, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't follow it. o=o Added the stats of all the recruitable characters in the game, at every level they can be recruited. This allows you to see just how the computer screws up characters if you take too long to recruit them... and also showed me a few rare instances where not being able to recruit a character early wasn't so detrimental to them that it necessarily removed them from party consideration. I also rewrote parts of each and every character description... mostly tweaking proficiency suggestions and pointing out how they get nerfed if you take too long to recruit them. Thanks to Misty Mouse for defending Coran and Yeslick, hence sending me off on this tangent. o=o Added tables under the 'Open Locks' and 'Find Traps' section, taking the advice (if not the actual words) of Misty Mouse. These tables note the difficulty of locks and traps in various walkthrough sequences [WLK###], as shown by Infinity Explorer. Other mentions to lock/trap difficulty to the walkthrough were added at this time as well. o=o Added more information about selling Ankheg Shells to Taerom. Namely, why these shells 'rust' and become useless. How and why this happens is now no longer a mystery. o=o Added the locations (x=, y=) of the Kobold Commando Spawn Points in the Firewine Ruins. o=o Added another hidden treasure cache which I had previously missed in (AR5500). o=o Edited the Aec'Letec fight to make the strategy suggested by Jason Rozzo the default strategy. Also, I corrected the mistaken idea that 'Protection from Petrification' protects against Aec'Letec's Death Gaze. Thanks to Misty Mouse for this correction, and also for the knowledge that Dispel Magic cures the effects of the Death Gaze. o======================================================================o Enhanced Edition Version 1.01 Changes (2/6/2013) (1,261,886 bytes) o=o Added the 'Enhanced Edition Notes' section, and various notes about the differences in story and events throughout the walkthrough, as fancy struck me. o=o Edited the walkthrough to reflect changed encounters, traps, loot, and most of all, to suggest new Enhanced Edition strategies. o=o Made numerous changes to the '2nd Edition Dungeons and Dragons Mechanics (Character Creation)' section to update the changes made to the races and classes. The changes are too numerous to individually enumerate-from simple typo fixes, to new classes and sections, to simple consistency changes to keep up with the new rules. o=o Updated the 'Characters' section to reflect the new Baldur's Gate 2-style proficiencies of recruitable characters. o=o Divided each character section into three sub-sections, 'Overview', 'How to Use [character] Efficiently', and 'Recruiting [character]'. This hopefully provides more focused information and cuts down on the text wall a bit. o=o Edited the 'Suggested Parties by Role' section, to make it more concise and offer definitive opinions. o=o Edited and added new spells to the 'Spell Tactics' and 'List of Mage Spells' sections to reflect the altered and expanded Enhanced Edition spells. o=o Added the new Enhanced Edition characters-Baeloth, Dorn, Neera, and Rasaad, including their quests, as applicable. o=o Added new 'Hints and Tips' as pertained to the Enhanced Edition. o=o Played through the game two more times-once with a brand new evil protagonist and once with a brand new good protagonist. The character stats from my original guide have been replaced with these new character's stats. o=o Added two more Party Stat benchmarks-one after the Cloakwood Mines, and one after escaping Candlekeep. This should help provide a better idea of how my characters are developed and equipped, as the old benchmarks-before the Nashkel Mines and just before the final encounter were... well, really just beginning and end party stats. I chose the locations for the new benchmarks not because of what they follow, but because of what they precede-the Cloakwood Mines stats are how my parties will look just before they enter Baldur's Gate, and the Candlekeep stats show what I'm working with just before starting the Tales of the Sword Coast content. o=o Edited items to reflect changes made in the Enhanced Edition. Of course... new items were added as necessary. o=o Added several steps where necessary, to cover places missed in previous versions, break up overly long segments, or to add connecting Steps between two other Steps, for better flow. o=o Greatly expanded the Nashkel Mines [WLK012], Ulcaster Dungeon [WLK016], and Cloakwood Forest [WLK018] sections, because they were... well, kind of vague and lazy, honestly. o=o Pretty much every walkthrough section in Chapter 5 ([WLK020], [WLK021], [WLK022], [WLK023], and [WLK024]) has been expanded, adding more Steps to each Sequence of Events, and/or more content to some Steps. o=o Added the 'Enhanced Edition Character Quests' section [WLK027]. o=o Expanded the first (lower) level of Durlag's Tower to 14 Steps, up from a previous 11. Also rewrote the Warder fight at the end of this Sequence of Events, as the fight has changed a bit in the Enhanced Edition. o=o Rewrote the Demon Knight fight at the end of [WLK033], as the fight has... actually become quite a bit more routine, really. o=o Expanded the final fight at the end of [WLK037] into several Steps, instead of leaving it as just one big text-wall. The fight has changed a bit, and some foes need to be dealt with individually before provoking the end boss. The entire Sequence of Events now stands at 16 Steps, up from its previous 12. o======================================================================o Version 1.01 to 1.02 Changes (3/9/2013) (1,281,364 bytes) o=o Changed the format of my arrows (-->) to match my as-of-yet unreleased Fallout 1 guide... for the sake of conformity. Shouldn't the Fallout 1 guide be forced to conform to the existing Enhanced Edition guide? Sure... but I like the style better in the Fallout 1 guide, so... o=o Fixed the Half-Orc's 'Class Restrictions by Race' table entry. o=o Added/corrected information added/changed by the latest patch, including the five new Class Kits; Shadowdancer, Dragon Disciple, Dark Moon Monk and Sun Soul Monk. o=o Added 5th-level Druid Spells to the 'Spell Tactics' section. o=o Fixed erroneously labeled search guides for Arcane Spells in the 'Spell Tactics' section of the guide. o=o Fixed erroneously labeled Steps in [WLK017]. o=o Made numerous typo fixes, as suggested by Zenryo, who scanned the entire guide and fixed various errors. Whatta guy! o======================================================================o Version 1.02 to 1.03 Changes (7/31/2013) (1,295,546 bytes) o=o Added a new encounter to (AR4200) involving a Chill Hobgoblin. o=o Confirmed that Krumm now drops a Club +1. o=o Provided a better strategy for the fight in the Flaming Fist Compound in [WLK036]. o=o Added 'The Magma Bulwark +2' armor to (WLK037). o=o Updated armor information, which now includes the armor's Armor Class modifiers in the item descriptions. o=o Fixed some information in the walkthrough pertaining to Full Plate Mail and Ankheg Plate Mail. o=o Added information about pick-pocketing Drizzt. o=o Fixed a silly typo in {WLK027}, Step #27. The opening sentence now makes sense. o=o Made a few changes to the 'Special Thanks' section, giving the super-awesome contributors to all things HaeravonFAQs more credit. Valdo, Cian, Kaos, I'm lookin' at you. o=o Added the e-mail I recieved from Shandrakor, wherein he provided information about Ioin O Gallchobhair. o=o Made some minor corrections, as pointed out by Valdo. o=o Uploaded a number of gameplay videos to the HaeravonFAQs Youtube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/HaeravonFAQs) and added links to those videos to appropriate places in the guide. The videos uploaded and linked are recorded below, as well as their upload dates. (6/29/2013) Haeravon Plays: Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition - Demon Knight Fight (Good Party) (6/29/2013) Haeravon Plays: Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition - Aec'Letec Fight (Evil Party) (7/6/2013) Haeravon Plays: Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition - Sarevok's Acolytes Fight (Evil Party) (7/6/2013) Haeravon Plays: Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition - Sarevok's Acolytes Fight (Good Party) (7/6/2013) Haeravon Plays: Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition - Warder Fight (Evil Party) (7/6/2013) Haeravon Plays: Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition - Chess Fight (Evil Party) (7/6/2013) Haeravon Plays: Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition - Aec'Letec Fight (Good Party) o=o Made numerous changes to integrate the videos into the guide, including adding the 'HaeravonFAQs on Youtube' section, as well as adding the (VID###) search-tags to the index. o======================================================================o Version 1.03 to 1.04 Changes (11/17/2013) (1,345,978 bytes) Note: v1.04 was created around the (then) new 1.2 version of Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition. Changes in that version of the game should now be reflected in the guide. o=o Separated the videos from the walkthrough sequences in the index. o=o Updated racial bonuses. Then I realized that the game text doesn't, in any way, reflect the actual Thief skill bonuses gained. So I reupdated the racial bonuses with accurate information. o=o Clarified how dual-class Weapon Proficiencies work. o=o Updated class features. o=o Added the Dwarven Defender class kit. o=o Updated the Shadowdancer kit description, to reflect its new, significantly nerfed, status. o=o Fixed the Grand Mastery table-again. According to the BGEE you should now get a full bonus attack per round for Grand Mastery, instead of the +1/2 attack from Specialization-High Mastery. Of course, you can only get Grand Mastery in this game through exploiting dual-class bonuses, but one can hope the extra attack carries over to BG2EE... o=o Changed the racial skll bonuses chart to make it more factual. o=o Added some information to the Open Locks skill description, courtesy of Jeff. o=o Added information to the Pick Pockets skill description, pertaining to the new Pick Pockets minimum score requirement to steal some items. Also updated the Step containing Algernon's Cloak with practical information for dealing with this new impediment in the game. o=o Changed the description of the Find Familiar spell. Now it's actually factual. o=o Changed the 'Animate Dead' spell description, as it was changed in a patch since the last version of this guide. The spell now summons a variety of Skeleton Warriors (variable based on the caster's level). It no longer summons Ghasts at lower levels, nor does it have a chance to summon two undead at a time. The walkthrough has been edited to reflect how the spell now works. o=o Added a spell description for Invisibility 10' Radius. o=o Edited the character information of many characters, including Kivan, Coran, and Safana, as well as their initial appearances in the walkthrough. They now require their quests to be completed in a timely manner, or else they'll depart. The effects of this vary per character-Kivan is now essentially worthless as an early-game character, Safana is now much more difficult to secure, and Coran... well, Coran's quest is cake. o=o Edited Shar-Teel's character information to provide a better build for her in the Enhanced Edition. o=o Changed the information regarding the Diamond in Candlekeep [WLK001], Step #13. o=o Added the 'Party Management' step to [WLK003], to provide more concise, detailed information on how to deal with potential party members. o=o Changed the Flaming Fist Mercenary encounter in (AR3800), as it now no longer carries a reputation penalty, making it once again a fine way to score free Plate Mail. o=o Added Mr. Colquetle's side-quest to [WLK003] and [WLK005]. Thanks to Bob and Jake for pointing this out to me. Yes, they're real people and not just typical male names I threw in here. They know who they are. o=o Added a number of magical items that I either missed previously, or were added by Overhaul games since the last version of the guide. o=o Added Jeff's suggestions for exploiting the Phoenix Guards in Nashkel. o=o Added a number of pick-pocketing victims, as suggested by Jeff. These include the Sirines at the temple near Beregost, the Surgeon, the Great Gazib, Silke's thugs and Volo. o=o Edited the encounter with Samantha and Jamie, which has been changed yet again. o=o Fixed out-dated information pertaining to the suit of Ankheg Plate Mail Taerom will make for you. You can now sell Ankheg Shells after the armor is forged, and the time it takes Taerom to make the armor is shorter. o=o Updated the Doomsayer fight in [WLK014]. As Jeff pointed out to me, using Dispel Magic significantly weakens the Doomsayer. o=o Added the encounter with Deke in [WLK015]. o=o Removed the Worn Whispers, and the Step pertaining to it, from (AR3900) [WLK017]. o=o Updated the encounters in the Ulcaster Ruins, as there seems to be more Dire Wolves and Dread Wolves around than before. Also changed the name of the book found therein. o=o Added the encounter with Bentan in [WLK017]. o=o Pointed out a number of merchants who now buy stolen items, including Silence, Black Lily, and Erdane. o=o Added Aldeth Sashenstar's quest with the Merchant League, [WLK023], Steps #12-15. o=o Added the Hammer of Dawn +1, which is found in the Hall of Wonders (AR0130). o=o Added the Golden Axe +1, which can be obtained from Fenten in the south-eastern corner of the middle-west area of Baldur's Gate (AR0600). o=o Added the Night Club +1 to (AR0100). o=o Updated the Mage Prison encounter with Tellan, in [WLK028], Steps #12 and #13. o=o Removed the 'Killing the Demon Knight' section from the beginning of Durlag's Tower [WLK029], Step #8, as you can no longer kill it when it first appears. o=o Added more information for two battles on the third level of Durlag's Tower [WLK032], Steps #10 and #11. Namely the battles with the Phoenix Guards and the Chess Battle. New strategies have been provided and loot details expanded. o=o Revised the 'sneaky' strategy from the Aec'Letec fight [WLK034], Step #5. Also removed the evil party video associated with the fight, since it's no longer relevant. o======================================================================o Version 1.04 to 1.05 Changes (2/23/2014) (1,358,530 bytes) o=o Fixed a few typos here and there, as usual. o=o Updated the Archer class, which is now significantly more playable considering a pair of Shortbows in the sequel overcome the class's main limitation-a lack of enchanted ammunition, hence, difficulty harming creatures that require +3 or +4 weapons to hit. Thanks to Robert for pointing this out to me. o=o In [WLK001], Step #13 was split into two Steps, and another Step (Step #15) was added, for a grand total of two new Steps covering Candlekeep Inn, Downstairs. Step #15 was added to deal with the nobles in the north-eastern corner of the inn, who, if you get a good reaction check out of them, will cause some loot to spawn upstairs. It's the most difficult reaction check in the entire prologue (requiring an 18 Charisma), and you still need a way to open the container which contains said loot (a Thief with 60%+ Open Locks), so it's unlikely most gamers will ever see this treasure... but still, it's there. Thanks to Celestin for this. o=o Added the Bastard Sword +1 and other, mundane loot to the Thunderhammer Smithy, as suggested by Mr. Duerksen. o=o Added the Vestibule to [WLK011], the sole purpose of which is the butchering of Dawn Priests Blane and Bram. Another devious item, courtesy of Peter Maasz. o=o Added Peter Maasz's suggestions for maximizing your profits from Prism's Emeralds. o=o Corrected the questline involving Abela the Nymph, Ragefast, and Razimath. Correct quest rewards are now indicated, along with an updated ***ENHANCED EDITION*** note. Also, fixed a few erronous Step number references. Thanks to Brian Barry for pointing out that my information for this quest was no longer accurate. o=o Revamped the fight with Sarevok by updating Semaj's casting strategy, Angelo's tactics, and added two new Steps detailing some new 'traps' in the temple and Tazok's take-down strategy. o=o Uploaded Videos: (2/23/2014) Haeravon Plays: Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition - Stinking Cloud Ambush (Good Party) (2/23/2014) Haeravon Plays: Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition - Sarevok Fight (Good Party) o=o Moved some entries in the 'Experience List' around, because apparently the alphabet is difficult for me. o======================================================================o Version 1.05 to 1.06 Changes (5/18/2014) (1,389,978 bytes) o=o Changed odd wording and fixed typos. o=o Changed some info on the 'Gender' section, mostly adding Enhanced Edition friendly information on the new (romancable) characters you'll meet in the sequel. o=o Added the experience reward for saving Dynaheir from the Gnoll Stronghold, inexcusably missing for... oh... about ten updates now? Thanks to Peter for pointing this out. o=o Added a bunch of notes courtesy of Peter Maasz, which now litter the walkthrough. Lee Kadel contributed to this guide (the original version) in a similar way (twice now, actually). The Enhanced Edition v1.02 was later edited by Zenryo, and now... I guess v1.06 is the Peter update? This guide just seems to draw helpful volunteers, eager to add their two cents. The individual notes and changes Peter made are too numerous to recount here, just be aware that many of the changes made for this version of the guide were at the suggestion of Peter Maasz. Minor Update: 6/15/2014 o=o Added the full range of questions the Stone Golem in Durlag's Tower asks you. Thanks to the... oh... half-dozen or so readers who brought this omission to my attention... you all know who you are. o=o Added two notes on killing Drizzt (it's a popular topic!), courtesy of hlamas and Justin Lyga. Minor Update: 7/18/2014 o=o Changed a major (duhr!) typo in the Thief Skills section. o=o Jaheira cannot, in fact, equip the Wakizashi +1 dropped early in the game. This has been fixed. o======================================================================o Version 1.06 to 1.07 Changes (12/8/2014) (1,391,925 bytes) o=o Removed a contribution from Peter at the beginning of the guide, since it advocated running down to (AR3600 to recruit Safana at the beginning of the game... as well as clear the cave in that area. While not outside the realm of possibility, both these tasks are quite difficult for a low-level party, and unnecessary at this poin in time, in any event. Don't worry, Peter, I still love you. o=o Added a note from Dreamrider concerning Adoy's Belt. o=o Changed the Wild Mage Wild Surge table to be more accurate. o=o The Firebead Elvenhair easter egg(s) have been added. o=o The Idol of Kozah quest was changed, yet again. The guide now reflects these changes. o=o Pointed out that it's more lucrative to just let Zordal kill Bentha, as Dreamrider suggested. o=o Fixed the incorrect multi-class Cleric max level in the EXP Cap table. Special Thanks o======================================================================o o=o My girlfriend, for putting up with me for all these years and allowing me to waste so much time working on these games. Even better, since she's played through many of these games herself, she's often been able to proof-read my guides and offer advice based on her own gameplay experience. Could a guy ask for a better girlfriend? No. For all you guys out there who have settled for some snippy bitch who hates your gaming-dump her and find someone better. You can find a girl who loves you AND loves to game, if you bother to look. o=o Lee Kadel, for putting more work into these guides than any sane person would. What started with him bugging me about a... bug... in Baldur's Gate 2 has, over time, led to scores of E-mails. These E-mails have prompted several version updates, based upon his astute suggestions and resulted in these guides becoming truly gold-standard works. Every FAQ-writer should be so lucky to have a contributor like Lee. In fact, Lee has started his own journey into guide-writing by tackling Icewind Dale 2. I eagerly await the fruits of his labor, which I, in turn, will proof-read for him... and in the mean-time I giggle with glee as he gets to experience the many frustrating joys of FAQ-writing. Is this how it feels to be a grand-parent? I hope so. o=o Valdo, for letting me know that the Enhanced Edition was out. Despite my idle threats and complaints, he did not actually attempt to coerce me into buying the game, a harrowing experience for me, let me tell you. It all worked out fine, however, and he really does deserve some credit for being a good sport. In fact, credit to everybody on HaeravonFAQs for... just being great and stuff. He also runs www.haeravon.com, posts updates (as Valdo) on the HaeravonFAQs Facebook page, and uploads videos on the HaeravonFAQs Youtube channel... Valdo is nothing short of an essential cog in the HaeravonFAQs machine. o=o Wim Vlayen (aka Zenryo) for editing this guide of his own volition and sending me a corrected document with many typos and other grammar errors highlighted. I don't know what it is about this guide specifically that seems to draw helpful folks to it, but I'm not complaining. o=o For almost every version of this guide, there has been one contributor who stood head and shoulders above the rest, pointing out errors and making suggestions that ultimately provided the impetus for a version update. Version 1.04 is a little different in that a replay was started due to a software crash on my laptop (Windows-related, not due to the Enhanced Edition), but this version also had a contributor who provided much material. Pretty much everything that was changed in Version 1.04 is due to the input of Jeff, and so he really deserves some thanks for his work. o=o Overhaul Games, for bringing a classic RPG back into attention, and giving me a second chance at writing a guide for this great game when it was somewhat fresh. o=o Beamdog, for making the process of downloading my first digital game quick, easy, and painless. Fast download speed, easy installation, and the ability to play offline. If only I could transfer the game from my laptop to my internetless desktop... still, I have no real complaints about their service. o=o Dmitry Jemerov, the creator of Infinity Explorer. This program reveals the game's inner workings, which in turn allowed me to write a more detailed, more accurate guide. I mostly used this program to view dialogue files to understand what variables were being checked by the game during conversations... but its usefulness (and uses) are boundless. o=o Aaron O'Neil, the creator of Gate Keeper. His mods have been a blessing for the Infinity Engine games, including Dale Keeper (Icewind Dale) and Shadow Keeper (Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn). Gate Keeper was used mostly for cosmetic reasons in the original (non-Enhanced Edition) version of this FAQ. o=o Jason Rozzo, for providing alternative strategies and pointing out various bits of loot that I had previously missed. Very, very good loot, in a lot of cases. o=o Misty Mouse, for pointing out a series of oversights and mistakes on my part, and for making suggestions which eventually led to some solid additions to the guide. o=o Jesse Cian Fawcett, for finally explaining what the hell that Larry, Darryl, and Darryl gag was. What can I say? It was before my time. He's also a stellar contributor on www.haeravon.com, and with any luck may one day grace us all with a full Neverwinter Nights guide. o=o Bob Lewis, for informing me that you can now get a Club +1 from, as he puts it, the "duh" brothers, and that I neglected to point out the Archer (Ranger kit) can attain the rank of Grand Master (five ranks) in missile weapons. o=o Mitchel, for telling me about the 'Magma Bulwark' armor. Oh, Overhaul Games, why must you make my life so difficult by adding new stuff in patches? o=o Shandrakor, for enlightening us all about Ioin O Gallchobhair. o=o Dirkin, for pointing out (to a margin of error of under five points) that a Pick Pockets score of 50 was required to be able to steal Algernon's Cloak. I later tested this, and it seems that the magic number of 50 doesn't just apply to Algernon's Cloak, but indeed is a global value that needs to be reached before anything of value can be stolen. o=o Robert, for arguing the merits of the Archer class in the Enhanced Edition. o=o Brian Berry, for pointing out that Abela the Nymph now gives a variety of rewards for her quest. o=o T. Duerksen, for pointing out you can score a Bastard Sword +1 at the Thunderhammer Smithy. o=o P. Maasz, for suggesting you sell Prism's Emeralds, steal them back from the vendor, then give them to Oublek for improved rewards. He also pointed out the murderous easy experience you can gain in the Vestibule. Last and not least, he made numerous notes and suggestions that formed the back-bone for v1.06, for which he recieves editor credits. o=o Celestin, for telling me about the extra loot you can obtain in the prologue by convincing the nobles to stash their jewelry. o=o hlamas, for pointing out that Minsc-if disbanded and equipped with the Two Handed Sword, Cursed Berserking +3-will join in on fights with hostile characters. This is especially handy for killing Drizzt, who will be attacked by Minsc, but will not attack Minsc back. o=o Justin Lyga, for offering yet another devious strategy for killing Drizzt-just provoke him, hide or use invisibility, then let the Gnolls do the dirty work for you! Brilliant. Also, thanks to him for a thought-provoking discussion about the Shadowdancer and Totemic Druid. o=o Michael Adams, for pointing out a major typo in the Thief Skills section of the guide, and for letting me know that Jaheira can't equip Wakizashis. Oops. o=o Dreamrider, for pointing out a number of things, including the Firebead easter egg, pointing out changes in the Wild Surge table, and for suggesting that it might be better to just let Zordral kill Bentha. o=o Randall, for informing me that they changed the Idol of Kozah quest yet again. o=o Michal, for pointing out I goofed on the multi-classed Cleric's max level. ***END OF FILE***