INTRODUCTION & CHARACTER GENERATION
Well, I know that this strategy guide is comming a bit late but till now
I didn't had the time to play it ( and the computer )... I'm writing
this strategy guide not as a replacment of the hundreds of walktroughs
and FAQ, but as a complement for them... I won't go into the details of
quest's since other texts covered them pretty well ( i hope :->) ... I
will only mention THE most interesting I've found... and most of all how
to start a game ... if You want to finish it by yourself.
First of all i want to begin with some introduction in My style of role-
playing: I HATE large parties... I don't like NPC too much... and I've
thought that i can finish BG2 with a single character ( I don't know it
for sure right now... but I have hope )... I've finished BG1 with a
fighter-thief (Half-Elf: 19Str(tome of str), 19Dex, 17Con, 10 Wis, 10
Int, 15 Ch), i've tried BG2 with the same character too... but i've came
to realize that in this game it's real hard without mages... (not
impossible i, hope ... but hard)... so I've started a new character:
Swashbuckler (human: 18 Str, 18 Dex, 18 Con, 18 Int, 18 Wis, 3 Ch (->
damn low charisma but you get the Ring of human influence (CH 18) right
at the beginning so i've never woried about it and if You don't get a
lucky roll like i did, don't wory, u may sacrifice some strenght since
You get the Girdle of Hill Giant Strenght (str19) in the Adventurer's
Mart ), i've put the proficiencies to two weapons style (three stars),
and one to long swords, the main thief on which You MUST concentrate
are: Find Traps, Lockpick and Set Traps... but it's nice to have some
points on pickpocket too... as about the other skills, well i've just
ignored them ( swashbucklers can't backstab anyway so I don't need hide
in shadows and move silently)... with this fairly good thief i've
started the game...
1a. Irenicus' Lair
I've freed everyone (but also kicked them out imediatly), then i've
killed everithing that moved in Irenicus' lair (except NPC's of course)
and when I was level 11 then i've Dual Classed to a Mage... (that's a
bit tricky ... cause You don't get that much exp. to reach 11 and then
after the Dual Class to reach at least level 7-8 mage or so BEFORE
leaving the dungeon ... but there is a cool thing: there are infinite
numbers of mephits, coming out of those mephit portals... i've left just
one portal intact... the one with the smoke mephits ... and then killing
them one by one till You reach the exp. that You think to be enough to
dual )... cause if You leave the Dryad quest (9500), the Rielev quest
(4000) and the djinn quest (15000), You also might want to kill the
jailkeep golem since he doesn't strikes back (kewl huh :-)... but only
the Staff +1 can kill him... and another 5000 exp) then you have that
damn greater doppelganger (be sure that the shadow thiefes were killed
with the swashbuckler) use crometic orb on the greater doppelganger and
some other spells You might have ... it was real easy and revarding
(3000)... You should by now have at least 36500 exp or so with the mage
too... exit the dungeon for 34500 exp and by now You have 71000 that
means that You allready have a 7th level mage wich is pretty good right
now ...
1b. Waukeen's Promenade
Do first the Circus Quest for many exp ... be sure to have dispel magic
i You don't You might want to steal it inside the Adventurer's Mart (no
stealin eh... the girl in the back hes scrolls)... (level 8th or 9) and
You get the Ring of Human Influence ( for the missing charisma )
Do every quest in the city ... for which You DON'T need a thief ... so
that You won't need an NPC back You up... and when You are finally level
12 Mage... You become an almost invincible fighting and spellcasting
machine.
GENERAL TIPS & TRICKS
00. SAVE ALOT >> one of the best strategies ... save before every move You
make, because it can be the last one.
1. It is said that You cannot steal in the Adventurer's Mart... well that's
a lie... You can steal from the girl ( talk to her and there is the steal
button) and You can even steal from the storekeep (using the steal ability of
your thief .. at least 100% pickpocket) and You get the Ring of Regeneration.
2.a If You play in MY style You might want to get the Arbane's Sword of
Agility and put it as scond weapon... the first one is at the begining: Daystar
(pretty good against undead). Arbane's Sword of Agility grants You free action
... which means that in combat You just cast some web spells... most of your
enemies will be caugth in it ... and You can kill them easily.
2b. The hard part is that You cannot use the Arbane's Sword of Agility at
the beginning, not until You can use your Thief abilities again... but still You
can cast an invisibility/imrpoved inv. and get out of the sight of the enemies,
cast some webs... after that fireballs and cloudkill to finish the job.
3. Vampire fighting: Get the Amulet Of Power as soon as possible from the
shadowmaster Aran (just pay the blooddy 15000 Gp.)... it grants You immunity to
level drain (without it it's ALMOST impossible with only one character). Also be
aware of the Domination spell ( it ends prematurely the game if Your main
character is under the effect of this spell ). Apply strategy 00 before
attacking them!
4. Lich fighting: use snares if possible (2-3 .. not more or the snares
could kill them and You won't get the exp.) and then run for your life to the
closest door... when he enters the room... back in the first one and so on until
his combat protections wear out... and then it's easy: hit and run. Be carefull
though cause they cast timestop and some other nasty spells like maze ( which
makes the game to end if You are using only one character ). Apply strategy 00
before attacking them!
5. Golem fighting: reduce defences if posssible (i've found out that Bone
Golems are immune even to that) and then fight them one by one if u can
(appliable to other powerfull creature too). There are many tipes of Golems and
i will cover them all later. Apply strategy 00 before attacking them!
6. When surprised by enemies: 1-3 Webs and kill them on your one or get out
of the web and then use Death Fog, CloudKill and so on... ( see strategy No. 2a,
2b ). Fireball prowed to be efective too. When surrounded by enemies the Sunfire
spell might prove usefull... providing space to flee or might even kill them...
or if the enemies are undead then use the Daystar's ability: Sunfire ( does
pretty good damage to undead ... might even kill them).
7. Steal everything You can... lockpick every case, door ... and SAVE
before doing all this because those nasty guards my still kill You even at
levels as high as 15 or so!!!
8. Large groups of powerfull enemies ( like golems mentioned above ): go
near them carefully do NOT attack all of them at once ( especially when strategy
2. fails because they have spell immunities ), but try to engage in battle only
one at a time... or else You might get killed easily by them. Apply strategy 00
before attacking them!
9. HOW TO KILL A DRAGON --- from hellkite_7's Faq
Possibly the most powerful and diverse species you encounter is the dragon.
There are four in the game, all of different species, that do different
damage. And you might think that your hero with 125% magic resistance, cloak
of mirroring and the Dragonslayer sword is safe, but oh no.
Here's a run down on the three dragons you fight (you help the Silver Dragon,
and she helps you, see Underdark section).
Red: The Red Dragon is actually Lord Jierdan Fikraag. He is found underneath
the Windspear Hills.
BREATH TYPE: fire damage, circular radius.
MAGIC RESISTANCE: very high.
ITS MAGIC: level 3/4 spells (hold person, dispel magic, stoneskin).
HORDE: money, red dragon scales, Holy Avenger Carsomyr +5.
Shadow: This Dragon is under the Ruined Temple. You can be rendered invisible
to it by a Wardstone.
BREATH TYPE: electric damage, cone radius.
MAGIC RESISTANCE: medium.
ITS MAGIC: level 3/4 spells.
HORDE: money, shadow dragon scales, crom faeyr scroll.
Black: Called Nizidramonii'yt, this is Irenicus' steed, found in the Woodland
Clearing NE of Suldanessellar.
BREATH TYPE: acid damage, cone radius.
MAGIC RESISTANCE: low.
ITS MAGIC: equivalent to level 1/2 with stoneskin too.
HORDE: money, cup of life, bladeslinger chain +4.
In addition all dragons do great damage with their slashing claws and have
"wing attack", which blows your party away unconscious (I believe there is a
save vs. Spells, but it has a very large penalty).
Of course if you have Lower Resistance then suddenly that high magic
resistance is not so much of a problem, and Finger of Death preceded by
Greater Malison will finish off most any beast.
ME: ---->With only one character it's real hard but i hope that my name ( DRAGON
) protects me from them :)
10. Kill everything You can ( without losing reputation because beeing evil
is not a profitable thing since u pay for items at 1000% of their normal cost (
--- OUTRAGEUOS i might add... no evil can survive to long in BG2 without being a
bit good )).
11. If you do everything right... You even might max out untill You leave
SpellHold and if You don't like to play with only one character ( which is more
fun, exp and adrenaline ) then You may get yourself some new party members... Be
carefull: if You get members who allready were in your party ( ex: Imoen ), they
are on the same level of experience as they were when they've left You, BUT if
you get some NEW party members... they will have almost the same experience
points as You have!
12. The Limited Wish Spell ( usefull sometimes ... nut not really good in
the after all ): This is one of the MOST complicated spells in the game ( if not
the complicated )... First of all You need HIGH wisdom, my character has 18 so
far and still it isn't enough for some things ( i think )... When You cast the
spell a Djinn apears and You can ask him some repeatable wish or some one time
wish. My repeatable wishes were ( i think that they change if your wisdom
changes ):
I wish that the spells i've cast are restored, that i can cast them again
Result: Rememorize one spell ( levels 1-4 ).
I wish that I could make my party invulnerable Result: Minor Globe of
Invulnerability is cast on the party.
I wish to summon a horde to overrun my enemies Result: Many small rabits are
summoned ( Bioware still has some sence of humour )
I wish to be protected from the undead Result: Protection from undead is cast
My one time wishes were ( i think that they also change if your wisdom
changes ):
I wish to be rich Result: Some gems are put in your inventory ( not worth more
then 100 GP )
I wish for a powerfull magical item Result: A Full Plate Mail +2 is summoned
into your inventory ( Str needed 15, weight 50 --> not too bad ), You can sell
it with 150 GPs
I wish to be more experienced Result: A wish that you will certainly regret...
the only time i've tried it the Djinn summoned an Adamantine Golem, an Sand
Golem and an Juggernaut Golem ( fight well and experience you will earn -->
another Bioware joke (lol))
I wish to see all as it really is Result: The Djinn hands You over the Glasses
of Identification ( I've wished then: if I wouldn't had them bought/stolen
allready )
I wish for control over time Result: Time Stop is cast
I wish to be anything i desire Result: Shapechange is cast
I wish to be prepared for everything Result: Chain Contingency is cast
I wish that all my enemies will die Result: Wail of the Banshee is cast
--and there was something like: I wish a quest that i've never experienced
before (or something like that -- since this wish disappeared )\ Result: You get
a letter in it stands something about Captain Dennis ( who was allready dead at
this time ) --unfortunately this wish disappeared somehow from my choises ( it
might be a bug since i don't recall saying this wish ) -- this is why i will
never mention something about this wish again
With the change of wisdom the wishes stay -- but if your wisdom is low it WILL
backfire ex: You want healing and You get poisoned and so on. It won't change
anything if You have a greater Wisdom then 18 -- the wishes are the same
13. The Kangaxx quest: One of the hardest quests in Athkala (maybe harder
then to kill a Dragon --> but that's just my opinion)... it involves three
(actually five ) powerfull liches. You find Kangaxxs' body in the South of the
Bridge District guarded by an Elemental Lich. The arms and legs are in the
Temple District ( you find them during the Unseeing Eye quest ), quarded by an
Shade Lich. And finally there is Kangaxx the Lich himself... a VERY poverfull
lich, he's very hard to hit (you can put 3 traps before the sarcofagus, these
will hit him BEFORE he activates his combat protections, but don't kill him with
traps, if You do then You won't get any experience at all ), has many nasty
spells, he's to be found in the Docks District ( bring the golden arms, legs and
body there ), in the house between the inn and MaeVar's Guild, he's guarded by
three Minotaurs ( 3000 exp each ). The worst thing with Kangaxx is that he
regenerates ( not at a very good rate i might add ), so it's real hard to kill
him and that's not all ( damn Kangaxx ) and if You finally manage to kill him
then he turns into a Demi-Lich, even more powerfull then the first one with full
health and many new spells --> almost impossible to kill him. It is usefull to
have the Daystar ( Long Sword +2 --> but very good against undead ), it can be
found at the City Gates, in the Inn, behind a secret wall, guarded by another
powerfull lich ( sometimes i wonder how many of them are there anyway ). Really
rewarding quest allthough ( 3 liches + ( 66000 exp ) + 3 Minotaurs ( 9000 exp )
+ items + ???? exp for killing Kangaxx ( I don't know how much, i haven't
figured a way to kill him - besides traps mentioned above - YET )). There is a
certain way to kill him: since the Demi-Lich casts ONLY imprisonment, you cast
spell immunity: Abjuration and then go to him with a weapon +4 or better, if
You don't have such an item, then You don't have a chance! And remember that
there are only few +4 and +5 weapons in the game: Scimitar +5 Defender -> one of
Drizzt's weapons, Carsomyr +5 Holy Avenger ( Greatsword -> Not usable by You :-)
) and Cutteroat +4 ( Short Sword ), so I came to the conclusion that it is
almost IMPOSSIBLE to kill this damn Demi-Lich with only one character ( since I
have as proficiency Long Sword and the only VERY good long sword in the game:
Equalizer is not good enough, well i'm doomed here :( ********** IF SOMEONE HAS
A VERY GOOD IDEA HOW TO KILL HIM******** Pleeeeeeeeeeease contact me since i
don't have a clue how can it be done by MY character, not one with Carsomyr :-P
in his hands. Warnig:!!! He is IMMUNE to all spells, including the one that
reduces magic resistance !!!
--------------------------------------------- To be Continued ------------------
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This FAQ is written by DRAGON... for suggestions and other stuff mail me to:
**** asmodeus@emoka.ro ****
