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HIGHCLIFF
Zachan and Gera
I bring along Casavir, Khelgar, Elanee and Sand for the next part. Elanee will have meaningful dialogues, while Sand will soon find his robe for the rest of the game.
I travel to Highcliff through the World Map. Only I run into a bunch of Lizardfolk attacking Travelers from Highcliff, including Zachan and Gera who beg for my help. I don't bother with a Bluff or Intimidation check, since I get more xp for killing all of the Lizardfolk.
I want to save as many Travelers as I can, so I try to get as fast a start as possible. Casavir and Khelgar charge right away. Valeria immediately hits the oncoming Lizardfolk with a Chain Lightning spell, while Sand chips in with an Isaac's Missile Storm. Valeria hits them with another Chain Lightning, while Elanee adds sugar on top with a carefully placed Fire Strom. It's soon over.
There's plenty of loot to be had, but none of it will surpass what my characters already have equipped. I get 1,500xp for saving the travelers, Zachan and Gera included.
*Evil* It goes without saying that Zarathos insists on extracting 500gp from Zera afterwards.
Elder Mayne
Here is me speaking to Elder Mayne again at #2 on the Highcliff map in order to find out what's going on. Valeria chooses selfless dialogue replies (e.g. "Maybe I can reason with him", "we won't leave until you're all safe") in order to increase influence with Casavir. These options would have lost influence with Bishop at the same time had he been present.
*Evil* Elder Mayne
Zarathos instead chooses the dialogue options that involve extracting information from the Lizardfolk captive, and telling Elder Mayne and the rest of the villagers that they're useless. Those replies lose influence with Casavir, but gain influence with Bishop.
Vlssk
I go to see the Lizardfolk prisoner, named Vlssk, at #4. I deliberately choose dialogue options that will increase influence with Casavir and Elanee. I patch up his wounds and begin interrogating him, getting 50xp for succeeding at a Diplomacy check along the way.
*Evil* Vlssk
The parallel video for Zarathos, but he prompts another argument between Casavir and Bishop over the precise motives for patching Vlssk's wounds. This argument, however, does not have any influence repercussions. The evil dialogue options would have lost influence with Elanee had she still been alive.
Zarathos also makes an Intimidation check instead of a Diplomacy check to get the 50xp.
Batha
I buff up the max and then head south towards #6. What follows is a prolonged conversation with the Lizardfolk Chieftian, Batha. Combat is inevitable.
Batha is a capable arcane spellcaster, and has a lot of pre-buffs in place. Casavir activates Divine Might and charges in alongside Khelgar. Elanee casts Storm Avatar on herself before joining the fray. Valeria and Sand start off by casting Extended Greater Invisibility spells on themselves. It becomes a matter of Sand drilling Batha with Missile Storm spells while the rest of the party hacks away. Batha is still formidable. Elanee at one point has to cast a Heal spell on Khelgar.
Batha will then start over again with his hit points renewed and appearing as a giant Earth Elemental. Several more Lizardfolk Guards will jump in. I then proceed to wipe out the Guards to maximize my xp before cutting Batha down again.
Another dialogue ensues. I succeed at a Diplomacy check with Batha for 50xp, whereupon he agrees to an alliance with me. I get 1,500xp for successfully forging an alliance with the Lizardfolk.
Batha also gives me two items. One is the Fey Spear (Spear +3, +1d6 electrical damage, Sleep DC=50% / 2 rounds), which I don't really have any use for. The other is the Grey Robe of the Archmagi (+5 armor class, Spell Penetration, spell resistance 10, Neutral alignment only, Sorcerers or Wizards only), which will be Sand's robe for the rest of the game.
*Evil* Zarathos makes an Intimidation check instead to get the same result.
An Alliance with the Lizardfolk
And here is where I inform Elder Mayne of the new alliance.
North Wind Bow
I travel to #5 and disarm the trap there. I go down to the bottom of the stairs to reach the harbor at #7. There will be several chests and containers, some of them with random items and others with set items.
The first small chest can yield a high value gem, so I milk it for a Beljuril. I combine the Beljuril with a Leather Hide and a Radiant Air Essence to create a Belt of Agility +8 for Sand. The Belt will improve his armor class, as well as immunize him against any paralysis-type effect.
Another set item is a Rogue Stone, which will also be in the same chest as a Quartz and an Adventurine. I combine the Rogue Stone with a Leather Hide and a Glowing Earth Essence to create Boots of Striding +6 (+6 Constitution) for Bishop. More hit points and a higher Fortitude saving throw bonus is commendable for any warrior-character.
Other set items include the North Wind Bow (+3 attack bonus, +3 Mighty, +20 cold resistance) and a Robe of Acid Resistance (+20 acid resistance), but I don't have any real use for them.
18th Level
Sand gets the Improved Critical (Ray Touch Attack) feat. For Wizards like Sand who rely on ray-touch attack spells, this is a perfectly sensible feat. Spells like an Empowered Disintegrate and Polar Ray inflict enough damage as it is. Now imagine the damage from those spells being doubled on a successful critical hit.
Khelgar gets the Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike) feat in order to improve his chances of landing his physical attacks.
Elanee gets the Spell Focus (Evocation) feat in order to improve the saving throw DC of spells like Call Lightning Storm and Fire Storm.
Casavir gets the Practiced Spellcaster feat. If Casavir casts a Holy Sword spell on his Hammer of Ironfist, the spell will last 14 rounds instead of 10 with this feat. That can be pretty significant in some battles.
Valeria gets the Empower Spell feat. As Valeria goes up levels and acquires more spells, she also begins to dedicate some of her spell slots to damage spells. Having to memorize a spell at two spell levels higher than usual is well worth it to have that spell inflict x 1.5 damage.
In fact, now she starts to shuffle her deck somewhat. Since she's now relying more on Greater Stoneskin (and ultimately the Shades spell in the near future), her generic Stoneskin spells are becoming obsolete. So she clears out some of her fourth-level spell slots to make room for Empowered Mirror Image spells, which result in more Mirror Images that provide decoys for enemies who attack her. That in turn means she can clear out her 2nd-level spell slots for spells like Bear's Endurance, Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, etc. She can use those spells not only for item enchantments, but also as long-lasting pre-buffs for her Beetle Familiar.
Qara gets the Persistent Spell feat. One benefit is that she'll be able to cast a Shield spell on herself that will both immunize her against Magic Missiles, but more importantly give her a shield bonus to armor class. It won't wear off until she next rests. Another benefit is that she'll be able to cast a Haste on the party that also lasts until the party rests.
Zhjaeve also gets the Persistent Spell feat, which will be quite a nifty spell for her. It allows Zhjaeve to cast a Divine Favor (+3 attack bonus, +3 magic damage) on herself that will last until when next she rests. She can also cast a Prayer spell covering a very wide radius around the party that will also last indefinitely until when next she rests. The reason I avoided doing certain quests during Act II until after I freed Crossroad Keep was to avoid Zhjaeve already being at her 15th level by the time she joined, so she could get both the Extend Spell and Persistent spell feats.
Ammon Jerro gets the Blind-Fight feat. Enemies like incorporeal undead enjoy concealment against ray touch attacks, including a Warlock's Eldritch Blasts. Therefore, getting a second chance to strike a concealed enemy is important for a Warlock as well. Improved Critial (Ranged Touch Attack) was another potential choice, only that Ammon Jerro won't be facing too many enemies subject to critical hits by the time he joins me.
Bishop gets the Great Cleave feat. If anything justifies taking Great Cleave, it's a vorpal weapon with a very good DC of 20 against Reflex saving throws. It is entirely conceivable that Bishop could then insta-kill everything close to him with a single sweep of his blade.
Grobnar gets the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat. Grobnar might be able to enchant armors and weapons with spells of his own (e.g. Silence).
The Construct selects the Combat Expertise and the Spring Attack feats. The point is that they're prerequisites to the Whirlwind Attack feat.
Now it is time to make progress at the Shadow Reaver Camp.
