Finishing ToB for the 1st time - afterthoughts

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Well, I couldn't have been more frustrated at the local stores unability to provide me a ToB CD, until last friday. It took me 3 days to complete the game (close to 20h a day, hehe), feeling pretty tired...

First of all, I would like to note that I have played some RPG games and their sequels, and plenty of times been hugely dissapointed in these expansions (think of Diablo2 Lord Of Destruction - total waste of my time). NOT in the case of BG2 ToB It was absolutely grand and impressive, totally worth my money spent.

My ToB party consisted of
me (single class fighter, BOO-ring...), Jaheira, Korgie, Eddie, Vic, Immy... so pretty evil you would think, but nah... my char was actually CG.

some notes on the game play itself -
well, nothing presented trouble until Sendai... Saradush was pretty easy, Yaga-Shura and Marching Mountains were pretty neat as well.

Sendai's enclave was loads of fun, that slave passage, oh my... it felt like I killed about 200 moronic slaves... fun
Sendai's statues were annoying as hell, plus the stupid drow coming in... if only they were normal drow, but no, some of them were wizards... they caused me to restart a couple of times. I run out of breaching spells for sendai, duh... besides she teleports all around the place, it's tough for my mages to cast something on her, hmmm???
Well anyway down she goes...

Abazigal was pretty easy actually, but that fool Draconis was troubling... he goes invisible... dunno Vicky had True Sight on constantly... anyway, he fell to a couple of Time Stops from Eddie...

Balthazar? What's with that guy? I have never played around with a monk, is that what's he supposed to be? Ah, well, quite annoying but nothing to compare with Sendai.

Final challenge with Ravager was cute... oh well, my fighter trio with GWhirlwind make him pay quite quickly.

Off to face Melissan... boy, now I know the meaning of word "tough"... I made a strategical mistake as well... I left my summoned creatures beside the pools, and they naturally were not teleported back to Melissan... stupid me. Now I realize - before turning of the pool, I should have moved my summons to the place where melissan appears, duh! I had to restart 3rd battle with Melissan about 7 or 8 times - she summons a lot of those Shadow Slayers and teleports away herself... that was annoying. Running after her was not exactly that good - I did not have any good summons left... my casters were left vulnerable. Ok, I prevailed in the end, with small losses (korgan bit it, hehe)...

Ending was very sweet, Jaheira's romance was particularly touching... of course I decided to stay with her, despite the protests of my evil comrades, har har... one thing to note was that the amount of Love Talks was quite small thou... that's what we have NPC FlirtPack to make it spicier

a little note on the exp cap - I know it is set at 8,000,000. My question - can a full party actually gather that much??? I seem to recall that my party had close to 6,000,000 each. I know that Jaheira gained only one level as a Druid (meaning, she did not get to 3,000,000 in each of her classes).

Watcher's Keep - totally enjoyed, what a lovely, neat, friendly dungeon. When do you usually go there? I went just before going to Amkethran (Sendai).

Demogorgon was the only beast in the game I did not slay... I was a bit mentally tired myself, so decided against trying it. I made a half-hearted attempt, that resulted in total failure. I tried to take him out quickly and ignore his minions, but somehow they crowded us, in the end Jaheira was trapped in between the monster pack, with my char and Korgan running around unable to get to her and Demogorgon. Jaheira was teared apart in a couple of seconds and my char followed her pretty quickly... last thing I saw was Korgan turning yellow and running away, Immie panicking and walking directly in the demon pack... blackout...

Hmm, I will think on the tactics... his magic resistance must be huge... ponders...

 

I have to agree with most of what you said, ToB is a great expansion(more like another game, with all the new areas) and lives up to all the other BG Series games. Too bad TotSC wasn't this good .

When do I go to Watcher's Keep? Hmm, I try to clear our level levels 1 and 2 early in SoA, usually chapter 2 or 3 once I have completed all the Athkatla quests. Tons of useful items like for the lootin' like Quiver's of Plenty, Potion Cases, and 2 great sword's Unsoe's Blade +4 & Foebane +3. And that's only on the first level!

 

Yes is the best expansion i ever play and demogorgon wow that is thought... i hope that somebody make a expansion ( no official) when you became god..

Sorry for my english...

 

I have to agree with you,i've finished ToB 6 times and enjoyed in 6 of them,A quick demogorgon tip:My Warding Whip(Khelben's ).I went to Watcher's Keep after i killed Gromnir,Demogorgon and his minions can't be hurt by weapons lesser than +4 enchantment.I suggest using Carsomyr, Foebane,Ixil's +6 Spear(Jaheira),Flail +4....
Illasera:Totally sucker,all my parties slayed her easily.Also i think they made Saradush easy for those who played a new game.
Yaga-Shura:Not a tough battle,but if you let them outnumber you....
Sendaiamn those statues,use my warding whip against her.
Abazigalragon Bhaalspawn?Ok,pretty nifty if you let her cast heal on herself,pretty easy with mordenkainen's swords and/or planetar.
Balthazar:So is this the most powerful of all? Although not a Bhaalspawn Draconis proved to be hardest for me.
Melissan:Fallen Solar was too hard,otherwise she's not THAT hard just cracked her to death.
All of the Baldur's Gate games are all milestones in RPG game history,and in my opinion anyone who finds an oppurtunity must play those games.
Thanx

 

TOB was awesome! My party consisted of me, a paladin(cavelier), Anomen(tanked up with bracers of dexterity and Crom Faeyr which got his strength up to 25), Jaheira(whom I regret since her levels were so much behind the rest of the party ie Anomen was a lvl 32 cleric when I finished and Jaheira was only a lvl 17 druid), Imoen, Minsc, and I dumped Mazzy for Saravok(who rocked).

Draconis was the hardest for me-no question. All that invisibility and healing rolled into one was a nightmare. The Demogorgan and Balthazar were kind of disappointing; I defeated both on the first try. Sendai was a pain too but not aas bad as Draconis. I really loved the last battle, with Melissan and the essence. Everyone complained about the Fallen Solar but I summonded a Deva and let her keep the Solar busy until everyone else was dead and then I could concentrate all firepower on her.

I went to Watcher's Keep right before Sendai.

I highly recommend picking up Saravok. The dialogue with the party is great, he's a fantastic fighter, and it was rather poignant listening to him question what he did in Baldur's Gate and feel remorse.

And in case you're wondering, I stayed mortal to be with Anomen. He sort of grew on me. I assume that's what happens with Jaheira, too, because she can be, how shall I put it, vexing at times.

 

I also think that ToB was great game. I've finished it with following squad:
Me(30 lvl Wildmage)
Immoen
Valygar
Aerie
Keldorn
Haer'Dalis
The thoughest fight for me was the Demogorgona and Draconis and the rest were quite easy

 

I love TOB, and have played through several times. My favorite time was with an Archer, Keldorn, Nalia, Minsc, Anomen and Jan. No love interest, but hey, who needs love when you're going to ascend to godhood?

 

You'd wish a normal monk is like Balthazar!
He gets some pretty crazy abilities(those lunar & tiger strikes) and also his hits unleash prismatic sprays some times..as I said,crazy.

Do try Ascension if you want a harder challenge - Abazigal easily becomes the 2nd most difficult battle of ToB ( Mellisan splashes you to peaces).

The Improved Demogorgon is a b*tch to kill..

The ending was quite good but I felt the descriptions of the afterlife of your party members were dissapointing.

 

Hmm, I actually found Sendai, Draconis, and Abazigal all pretty easy. I just summoned a planetar to kill Sendai's help, while my fighters pounded the statues. Draconis, same story. Summoned Elemental Prince + True Sight + Time Stop = Dead Dragon. Abazigal I found tougher, but my protagonist (Mid-20s Invoker) managed to fry him.

Ravager and Melissan took a while though. They are immune to just about everything you can throw at them and hit very hard.