I made Astarion a weird mix of everything. Ranger, Wizard, Warlock and Sorcerer.
I needed Warlock 2 to get Devil's Sight, Sorcerer 5 for Counterspell (and pushed it to 6 for more Lightning/Thunder goodness). Wizard 1 is for access to the whole scribing spellbook. Ranger 1 is a way to get Heavy Armor proficiency. Granted I could have taken Fighter for that.
Yeah, maybe I should have done that, because I don't even have proficiency in CON save, which is the most important for my Concentration.
Anyway, I need to check if this works with poison on weapons, so it could be a nice way to heal.
I need to do more testing for Encrusted in Frost, as it's the second item with the property that I find. See how it works.
For now I'm going with the Arcane Acuity / Arcane Synergy thing so my attacks make my spells more powerful and my spells make my attacks more powerful as well.
I'm going with Ketheric Thorm armor because of the Damage Reduction that might help me in pulling out a double Gale.
I managed to have both Astarion and Shadowheart carry a necrotic Gale. As they are both protected against Necrotic and have an armor with 2 DR, they aren't affected.
Astarion also exuded an aura of Psychic Vulnerability and deals additional Psychic Damage when concentrating on a spell.
Father is Bhaal! I was right, Dark Urge is playing a Child of Bhaal, like in the original games.
Ahem? My hair?
What? I just did a long rest and died?
They seem to still be alive? Reloading the auto-save just again display this screen. Maybe they died because of Necrotic damage? I'll put Gale back up in his chest then.
Hmm. Even putting dead Gale back into the Chest still brings this.
Resurrecting Gale seem to have worked.
Oh no, transforming into a Slayer broke my whole hotbar setup.
I even Kept Blessing of Selûne after the Long Rest.
Hmm, I have an issue where when I load into Act 3, Gale disappear from my party, with no explanation. I still technically have his corpse on me, but it no longer emanate Necrotic energy and Withers can't resurect him. If I drop the corpse on the floor, it disappears.
I reloaded to the camp right before triggering Act 3, resurrected him, but he still disappeared. I think that because I didn't do his quest, and didn't talk to Elminster he just died.
Ok, that's fine by me. On a RP level, I used him as a tool and the tool has run out of use, so I'll have to find other tools. Kinda sucks that I have to update my build for Astarion and Shadowheart now, but that was cheesy anyway.
On a player perspective that's fine. I wanted to do another playthrough with him in the party, so that way Act 3 will be brand new to me next time.
I'll keep the Dead-Wizard-In-A-Bottle items on me, in case it triggers something at some point.
Eldritch Blast seem to have given me 2 turns of Arcane Synergy and remove it each time it its. It does not stack, but triggers 3 times for 2 turns. Donc mes weapon attack vont pouvoir ajouter +3 damage.
On the other hand, it seems I manage to put Reverberation on the target, but it seems that it's because it did trigger a condition on me, not on the target. It seem to have triggered 3 times, so 6 turns, so it triggers the 1d4 Lightning + Prone. I need to retest, if it does that on each EB it's very good.
Oh, by checking my inventory, I found this from Gale. But he still did move with the gear he had on him... Too bad.
I think I will let it.
Did they try to make the Dead Githianki in the astral prison as ugly as possible?
Oh, my face. I'm gonna stop transformation here, and control the Elder Brain.
This. is. going. to. take. forever. to. talk. to .everyone.
Let's give the boy 5 gold, and pick it back up.
Dropping some thoughts here.
First, I was thinking that I could give Shadowheart the ring that deals +1d4 Psychic damage when concentrating on a spell, and replace her Paladin levels with Cleric levels. She would be able to cast ever-long concentration spells, and benefit from the ring.
Also, I will prepare two weapon sets for her. Her usual would be the Cold Staff and the associated combo. While the other would be the Shattered Flail and a Shield (and ring/boots that don't fit in this combo). First one would be her usual "in your face" gear, while the second would be her tanky one or when she needs some healing.
As for Naeblys, I think I might be able to drop some Rogue levels in exchange for some Paladin levels. In rogue he is getting slightly better Sneak Attack, and Invisibility (which he already has since level 5). Paladin would allow some Divine Strikes to make the Critical Hits even better.
As for Astarion, his build isn't so great. I like the idea of alternating casting a spell and firing a crossbow, so maybe I should lean more into that and take more Gloomstalker levels to make his range attacks better, or invest 3 levels in Thief rogue for the added Bonus Action. I'm still addicted to Counterspell, so 5 Sorcerer might still be needed. Also, maybe a 3 level in Warlock would make him less useless in melee so he can use his CHA in combat.
Also, now that I'm getting closer to Baldur's Gate, I have a few objectives in mind:
- Control the Elder Brain. Orpheus seems to have enough power to do that, so I might ally myself with Voss if that's something he can help me achieve. Or with the Emperor, or with anyone actually. I want that power.
- I also need to get Astarion rid of Cazador influence, and help Shadowheart root out the Shar people.
- But more importantly, I'm looking for a place to live. Baldur's Gate is going the end of my journey, I want a nice, respectable house. I want one near a teleportation circle, one where I can decorate as I see fit, with all my spoils of war. I don't care if I need to make the current inhabitant "leave".
This Arfur Gregorio seems like quite the artificer. And this Nansi Gretta will be an interesting entry point to get to Gortash. This time, I'll try to be more clever and actually talk with them and see if an alliance is possible.
Wyrm's Crossing looks much more real in this version than in BG1.
And being able to fly makes Exploration such a pleasure.
I don't think I can go any higher than that.
Oh, I found a second one of those?
WOW. This is the NPC from Baldur's Gate 1. The one you can actually find in Firewine Bridge, and that is called Bentan! I remember him very well because he was my first exposition to the god Ilmater, god of suffering, he mentions that there is a limited amount of pain in the world, so if Ilmater devotees inflict pains on themselves, it means less pain for the rest of mankind.
I feel like reading the newspaper a bit.
And that was taken into account by the game.
Yes, I'm a very serious person going to help your problems, I swear.
I'm sorry, but adding a gem on a gemless ring should give me a gem ring, not a plain tarnished ring.
Be smart, don't be like Van.
Wait, per turn Bonus Action jump at a target and knock them prone. Would it work with the monk thing that make jumping free?
Love Astarion storyline, I might play him as my main next time.
I made myself invisible and visited through flying, and when I came into the city, cutscene happened.
Quick nod to Duke Eltan in BG1.
Another one.
I found Voss back! And he has the Sussur flower!
Oh shit, he's with Raphael though. But Raphael is at 0 HP, maybe from my last altercation with him...
I stole his sword. This triggered a dialogue with him and Raphael, then he left and came back to interrupt our discussion with that.
I got his sword. But he seem to still have his one on himself.
Yes please, we got interrupted before, I have no idea what you just said.
I gave the flower to Raphael. I didn't agree to his deal, I don't want to give him the crown, I want it for myself. I also don't need his help, now that he told me he has a Hammer in his basement.
I'm going to do the quests at Sharess Caress, but I'll then "buy" the place. Each room has its own style, so each party member could have its own.
What? This is incredibly powerful. Can't have it with the other healing amulet though, but 2d4 HP/round makes all alcohol a healing potion.
Also, a drink that triggers Wild Magic Surges. Hell yeah.
I enlarge and Reduce randomly, that's so fun.
The amulet, and lots of alcohol is a good way to regain HP after a fight. Just drink. Well, I tried it and it doesn't seem to heal each turn, just when you drink. So it basically makes all alcohol healing potions, which is still nice.
I wanted to decorate Sharess Caress as if it was my own home, but suddenly everyone became hostile. I don't know why.
Astarion being out of combat, I made him cast a glyph, to see what it would do on the Citizens.
This, Shadowheart, is pretty dangerous.
One of the Citizen just grabbed a sword that was laying around.
Those Geralt and Yenneffer Citizen are blocked.
Ok, I managed to run far enough away so they dropped pursuit. Still unsure how I triggered this.
WTF. Stacking Ribcages did re-engage combat again.
This time instead of fleeing, I'll be knocking them down.
That Civilian that grabbed a sword is nasty. I wonder what would happen if I drop the Shattered Flail. Would one grab it and attack the others? There's only one way to find out.
Holy shit. What I thought was a decorative purple lava lamp actually exploded when I triggered an area of ice on the floor.
Come join my art exhibition!
And I hope Raphael enjoys the private exhibition I made for him.
I prepared a nice refreshing place for Astarion.
Nope. Not creepy at all.
Everything is perfectly normal.
Looks like something happened here, in the den of evil teddy bears.
I put a few chests, to store my belongings. Nothing much, really.
I parked a few more in front. Just in case.
Oh I think I understand. It's when I stack/unstack my ribcage. I think it still contains Gale's body, so it triggers something when I move it.
Well, actually that might be because of my chest of dead bodies.
Naaber is the best.
Haha, nod to NWN.
There is a piano in the upper floor of Carm's Garm but I don't know how to get there.
Actually lots of musical instruments.
That's not the first house I see with an exterior last floor, but no way to get inside. Sharess's Caress is the same.
There are even toys. There seem to be such a backstory in here.
I managed to get a better angle.
Not as much attention to details in Sharess Caress, though.
Unsure if that way because I haven't explored, or if because there is nothing to see.
I tried the Brutal Leap with Step of the Wind, but it doesn't work as it requires on Bonus Action to activate Step of the Wind and Brutal Leap still requires a Bonus Action, it doesn't make it free. Still an interesting item on a Jump character.
Say what. All of that?
Very good for a Battlemaster. The Attack +1 is interesting as well, especially if it also applies to spell and range attacks.
Very good for Shadowheart this. +2 to hit against creatures that are not full health, which is most Shadowheart targets (that was even truer when she had her aura). And +2 Necrotic if I'm not full health, which I'm rarely. And I take 1d4 Necrotic (so, nothing with my equipment) if I don't do damage. So it's basically a +2 to hit and +2 damage. Good, but not over powered.
Slows on Critical Hit. Nice flavor.
Not the first one I find, so I hope I'll get to fight a dragon at some point.
Nice for a monk.
Oh, that is going to be nice on Astarion.
This really doesn't work as well as it should. It doesn't heal each turn, just once. And binge drinking doesn't heal more, you need to wait the 5 rounds before drinking again.
Anyway, I decided to explore Wyrm's central tower, so I flew to the top. I'll go down and see what I can find.
This room would make for a great base of operations. I could put chests with all the different loot I acquired, and there are Steel Watchers to fight outside if I want to test stuff.
Erf, I put some venom on the floor to dip my blades and a stupid citizen stepped on it and died.
Strange devices next to me.
I already know Gortash was evil, but that made it clear.
Oh. The REAL proofs are here, but I can't take them right now, too much light.
Oh shit, I arrive right at the right moment. The stakes are too high, I need to kill Gortash.
I packed all my money on Naeblys.
I reversed pickpocketed it to Gortash.
Shit I don't have proficiency with Martial Weapons or Morningstars, I can't do that with Naeblys.
I brought Shadowheart, all I hope is for her not to miss.
Ok, that should work.
What the fuck. That's a lot of blood.
Oh it's because he got hit over and over again with the Blood Money. I get where it's getting its name from now.
But it's going to be a tough fight. I had never fought those Steel Watcher so I'm unsure about their weaknesses.
I'll get back my gold, thank you very much. Shadowheart died, and it made the fight reset. But now I'm right in the middle of the castle and every Steel Watcher around seem to be hostile.
He had an Arbalest that does Radiating Orb, but requires 2 Bonus Actions to use?
And it can cast, per turn, 4d10 Radiant Damage that can Blind? That is very powerful indeed. Not sure how I can use that with my Darkness build, but that's pretty good.
Immune to emotion-altering conditions. Interesting.
Oh, I even have a way to reflect damage to their source? Might try that on the next boss.
Oh and with that I levelled up. Once again, this level went very quickly. It only took longer because I spent hours respecing, picking the right gear and ordering my hotbar. Real game time was pretty short.
This is going to be interesting though. The whole Fort is hostile now. I didn't take the time to explain how evil their leader was before exploding him in thousands of pieces in one shot.