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CHAPTER 1 | CHAPTER 2 | CHAPTER 3 | CHAPTER 4 | CHAPTER 5 | CHAPTER 6 | CHAPTER 7 | CHAPTER 8 | CHAPTER 9 | CHAPTER 10 | |
MARCHING MOUNTIANS
Chinchilla
I travel to the Marching Moutains. For this part of the game, there's always at least two preparations that I make. One is Protection from Fire for everyone, as there's lot of enemies who use fire damage around here. The second one is Remove Fear, with a specific enemy in mind.
I start to venture to the west side. I run into a pair of Fire Giants. Fire Giants can inflict plenty of damage if given the opportunity to do so. Having multiple party members use Greater Whirlwind Attacks at once is a reliable method for killing them quickly before they can do much harm.
I continue west and north. I run into a few Bhaalspawn bred from the more dimunitive races, such as a Xvart, a Goblin, and a Kobold. They are led by a Rabbit-Bhaalspawn whose power involves transforming into a Werewolf-like creature. They'll run away given enough encouragement, so it becomes a matter of killing as many as I can for the xp before they run away.
Now I back track and kill a couple more Fire Giants. I continue north and east and kill another Fire Giant who carries a bunch of non-magical weapons of various sorts. A sure clue that Magic Golems are somewhere in the stronghold.
I continue north, and run into Burning Men. Burning Men resemble Fire Elementals, and can use a 'cinder ashes' power that can both cause fire damage and blindness to multiple party members. Burning Men are also the reason that Remove Fear is necessary, as simply the sight of them can turn multiple party members afraid and running all over the place, which in turn runs the risk of bringing more enemies into view than you really want to deal with at the same time.
The Wave Halberd is also a handy weapon for killing them instantly, so Sarevok definitely obliges.
The way is now open into Yaga-Shura's stronghold.
Hammer Wardstone
I enter the stronghold. I slaughter the Fire Giants by using combined Greater Whirlwind Attacks round after round.
I then proceed north, with Imoen disarming traps along the way. Note that there are magical barriers to my left and right. They cannot be brought down for the time being.
The room in the northwest corner has a lava pool, with a container in the middle. The container has Bolts +2, a Girdle of Fire Giant Strength (sets Strength to 22), and the Hammer Wardstone. Sarevok wears the Girdle for the rest of the game, and it augments his attacking power considerably.
Grabbing the Hammer Wardstone causes several Fire Trolls and Salamanders to appear. I take out the Salamanders first. Fire Trolls are a little different in that it takes either acid or cold damage to finish them off permanently. Avastrian's Flail of Ages and Jaheira's Pitchwife are up to the task though.
I then back track to the south edge of the level. Imoen disarms a trap in front of the room at the southwest corner. The room itself has a symbol that will cause fire damage and drain levels from any character that touches it. Avastrian, protected by his Amulet of Power, touches the symbol with the Hammer Wardstone. This opens up the barrier immediately to the north and on the west side.
Flame Wardstone
Now I head north. I rest and buff up again (not shown in the video). The barrier on the left is now down. I go ahead a little, but let the Fire Salamanders and Fell Cats come to me, so as to avoid bringing other foes into view. I then kill off the Flaming Skull just north of the lava pool. I then go west and finish off the Burning Man.
The container has miscellaneous items, as well as the Flame Wardstone. Grabbing the Wardstone causes several Fire Elementals and Burning Men to appear. But they're pretty easy to kill, especially with Sarevok packing the Wave Halberd.
Skull Wardstone
Now I head east a bit. There will be plenty of Fire Giants in the room towards the northeast corner. I have a somewhat risk free plan for this fight. I have Avastrian go by himself. He casts Protection from Magic Weapons once he sees the first Fire Giant, and then goes on ahead to get all of their attention. Protection from Magic Weapons means that the fire damage from the Fire Giants' weapons won't connect, and thus be unable to interrupt his casting of Time Stop. Imoen comes and hits the Fire Giants with her triple shot of Skull Traps, and then uses her Staff of the Magi to go invisible. Avastrian now uses Greater Whirlwind Attacks while in Time Stop to waste the now weakened Fire Giants. It soon becomes a mop up.
I then have Jaheira grab the Skull Wardstone from the container. An Adamantite Golem, a Clay Golem, and a Magic Golem, soon appear and attack. I take out the Clay Golem first. I then use combined Greater Whirlwind Attacks round after round to take out the Adamantite Golem as quickly as I can. I then have Jaheira switch to a mundane Scimitar to kill the Magic Golem. After this I drop my non-magic weapons as I'll no longer need them.
I then head towards the room in the southeast corner. Imoen disarms a trap at the entrance. Avastrian touches the symbol with the Skull Wardstone in order to get rid of the barrier due north and on the east side.
Blood Wardstone
Now I head north and east after the barrier is removed. SCS adds a Fire Lich to help out the Fell Cats and Efreeti in the room. As per standard tactics I retreat most of the party except for Avastrian, and then start summoning magic resistant creatures to keep the Lich occupied. I also demonstrate an additional tactical point here. Insect Plague won't affect Liches, since they're immune to 5th level and lower spells. This is one of the advantages that Creeping Doom has over Insect Plague. Jaheira bounces a Creeping Doom off of an Efreeti, and watches it spread to the Fire Lich, who is unable to cast any more spells and soon gets overwhelmed.
The container has the Blood Wardstone and the Psion's Blade (+5 Two-handed Sword, immunity to confusion and psionics). This will provide another option for Sarevok, especially when he faces Mind Flayers. Two Bone Fiends and an Erinyes show up, but they're easily killed.
There will be a sort of machine towards the north end of the level. I click on it with all four Wardstones to open the way to the next level. Everybody in the party gets 20,000xp.
Berenn
I go up the stairs to the next level. It's pretty easy for me to have Avastrian hold up one Fire Giant at a time at the top of the next set of stairs, while the rest of the party fires away at a distance. Imoen disarms a trap.
Now I go a little to the right. A battle against a Fire Giant named Berenn is upcoming. I have Imoen cast Project Image, because I wasn't sure how many enemies beforehand were going to join. I also have Avastrian create a Simulacrum.
I then charge in. Berenn can cast spells like Finger of Death, but this isn't a big deal as long as I make my saving throws. SCS adds in a Red Dragon named Brimstone to help out Berenn. Brimstone can make things really tough, especially if his wing buffets make the whole party vulnerable to repeated attacks by the Fire Giants. As such, I don't mind cheesing out Brimstone by having my Simulacrum use the spammed Time Stop scrolls and Greater Whirlwind Attacks. In the evil party, Jan gets the job done with his traps. Once Brimstone dies, mopping up on the Giants becomes pretty easy.
I loot Berenn's body for the Balor's Claw. I return to the Pocket Plane and give Cespenar the Claw, the Axe of the Unyielding, and 5,000gp to upgrade to the Axe of the Unyielding +5 (+1 armor class, regenerate 3 hit points per round, +1 Constitution, 10% of vorpal hit).
The Axe of the Unyielding +5 becomes one of Avastrian's main hand weapons for the rest of the game. In fact, it sets up a certain dynamic. For mass battles, the Axe of the Unyielding +5 is probably the best one-handed weapon in the game. It provides defensive benefits as well as a straight 10% chance of killing its target outright without any saving throw. Thing is, most boss monsters in the game are immune to vorpal hits. On the other hand, neither saving throw nor magic resistance can prevent the Slowing power of the Flail of Ages from taking effect, boss monsters included. The set up becomes clear. The Axe of the Unyielding +5 becomes the weapon of choice in mass battles against non-boss monsters. The Flail of Ages +4 becomes the weapon of choice against boss monsters.
Yaga-Shura's Heart
Now I explore the rest of the chamber, killing the odd monster, disarming traps, and looting containers. At the north end of the chamber is Yaga's Shura's Heart. Avastrian crosses the hot coals to grab the Heart and put it in his inventory. Everybody in the party gets 20,000xp.
Nyalee's Heart
Now I head for a door to the northeast. Imoen disarms a trap in front of it. On the other side of the door is a Slave Woman who offers information on Yaga-Shura in exchange for being freed. Everybody in the party gets 15,000xp.
The container behind her has some miscellaneous loot, as well as the Stone Golem Page. I have no interest in adding this page to the Tome of Golems though, as I prefer the Clay Golem with its immunity to slashing or piercing weapons.
The container to the west has Yaga-Shura's Journal, which provides some interesting info, as well as Nyalee's Heart. I now have both Hearts that I need.
It also has the Bag of Plenty +1 (unlimited Bullets +1). I return to the Pocket Plane, and give Cespenar 10,000gp and a King's Tear gem (the Fire Giants have dropped plenty of these) to upgrade to the Bag of Plenty +2 (unlimited Bullets +2). Under the Item Upgrade Mod, I give Cespenar another 40,000gp and 40 Bullets +3 to upgrade to the Bag of Plenty +3 (unlimited Bullets +3). The Sling of Seeking and the Bag of Plenty +3 will be Anomen's missile set up for the rest of the game.
Inix
Now I prepare to the max, including Protection from Fire for everyone and Remove Fear. I have Imoen tease forward a bit, and then lure the Fire Elemental Prince named Inix away from his helpers and towards the rest of the party. He's then pretty easy to kill. In fact, Avastrian kills him almost right away with a vorpal hit.
I then slowly inch forward and kill the Burning Men one at a time with missile weapons to avoid tripping any traps. Imoen then searches for and disarms the nearby traps.
Inix leaves behind two items of note:
