Icewind Dale The Icewind Dale Series Thread

[vazha]

And for those who might not know, no matter what you think of IWD2, we should all be thanking it for spawning the single greatest written "Let's Play" of all times that I re-read in full at least once a year, and I hate LPs as a general rule.

https://lparchive.org/Icewind-Dale-2/Update 2/

Absolutely. BurnCrushning!

 

[laclongquan]

On Ice Temple Battlesquare.

Its designed function is to provide high level wizard scrolls for your overleveled wizards which should have empty slots at highest tier since they havent found any spells to scribe.

A less than good player normally doesnt find out about that, since their wizard level should be equal or maybe 1 point higher than your non-wizard.

A good to great player normally utilize human in wizard role (or cleric), and other race as non-casting roles. So the casters are usually two or three character level different compared to them.

The sign of it is when party finish the orc fortress the wizards should have their highest level spell slot empty.

And if they dont make use of Battlesquare, they are going to wait until the village in the marsh to get some spells. If they are playing in HoF mode, they are going to wait until the monastery, or the underdark to get spells to fill in.

 

[Hobo Elf]

Decided to buy Icewind Dale: EE despite owning the original on CD as well as GOG. I was hesitant for a long time seeing how many EE features can be modded in, but after trying it out I think all the QOL changes are worth it for me. I guess some of the key features can be modded in, but the EE offers a package of things that I wanted and didn't know I wanted, like the loot menu, eliminating the need to go pilfer each body one at a time, among other features. One of the biggest fears were the inclusion of spells, items, races, classes, and kits in IWD and BG1 that are pretty over powered for the content, but I've come to realize that I've played these games so many times that there really isn't that much challenge to be had either way. There's still the difficulty slider to even things out a bit, but veteran players are going to have to come up with self-imposed limitations to feel a real challenge either way. I still think new players should experience these games first with the classes and races that were intended as that way there can still be an appropriate amount of challenge for them.

Anyway, Icewind Dale is as comfy as always. Its been snowing for 3 days straight where I live so I'm in the perfect mood to play it. I got to Dragon's Eye yesterday with my Fighter, Fighter/Thief, Paladin, Cleric, Druid, Wizard party. I slightly regret the Fighter/Thief and wish I had maybe taken another pure Fighter instead since I forgot how disarming traps in IWD isn't so important (I can never remember if its BG or IWD that rewards the player with XP for disarming) but oh well, they still perform fine in combat, and at least I was able to pickpocket a few magical starter items in Kuldahar I guess.

 

[AwesomeButton]

I did a roleplay playthrough of the original IWD/HoW/TotL but one day I want to do the 100% munchkin playthrough of the EE because of the rules changes. Also I really want a half-orc barbarian, and I can't have it in the original

 

[Lonely Vazdru]

at least I was able to pickpocket a few magical starter items in Kuldahar I guess.

Getting the two rings of "free action" alone is worth a multiclassed fighter/thief.

 

[octavius]

I slightly regret the Fighter/Thief and wish I had maybe taken another pure Fighter instead since I forgot how disarming traps in IWD isn't so important (I can never remember if its BG or IWD that rewards the player with XP for disarming) but oh well, they still perform fine in combat, and at least I was able to pickpocket a few magical starter items in Kuldahar I guess.

A F/T should be used for backstabbing.

 

[Jvegi]

F/T should become awesome in EE when they remove backstabbing cooldown.

On the other hand in ToEE it was utterly ridicules. At lvl 10 my rouge was backstabbing for way more damage than my barbarian, bypassing any dmg resistance.

BTW, how effective is "use magical device" skill in IWD2? My F5/R12 could rarely engage in backstabbing without dying, so I had her use items with spell effects (not wands). They eventually run out of charges in chapter 6 and she was completely useless. With UMD she could utilize all those scrolls I never use, perhaps even set enemies up for backstabbing.
Does the skill work properly? How many points do I need?

 

[Jigby]

BTW, how effective is "use magical device" skill in IWD2? My F5/R12 couldn't rarely engage in backstabbing without dying, so I had her use items with spell effects (not wands). They eventually run out of charges in chapter 6 and she was completely useless. With UMD she could utilize all those scrolls I never use, perhaps even set enemies up for backstabbing.
Does the skill work properly? How many points do I need?

Well it's been ages since the last time I tried UMD, but from what I remember, it's not worth it. Unlike ToEE, UMD here is quite weak, requires full on skill point investment to get good success rate and I think most of the wands are just not worth it. The only wands that I like are the buffing wands like cat's grace or bull's strength. I guess if you go for some non-caster party without clerics and arcane casters, UMD might be worth it. Also wands and scrolls are usually used not at the caster lvl, but at the lowest possible lvl, so let's say Sanctuary from Wand of Sanctuary has terrible duration. Regular consumables (items) are I think better. You can have basic fireballs from the Necklace of Missiles which you can get from the werewolf merchant back in chapter2 and you can recharge items by just selling them and rebuying. I think the key to making rogue playable will be fixing the sneak attacks, both the frequency and the ability to do them at range.

 

[Average Manatee]

at least I was able to pickpocket a few magical starter items in Kuldahar I guess.

Getting the two rings of "free action" alone is worth a multiclassed fighter/thief.

Import a thief, do your pickpocketing, then remove them.

inb4 "but that's cheating", you're already savescumming and probably reading a list of who to pickpocket anyway.

 

[Hobo Elf]

at least I was able to pickpocket a few magical starter items in Kuldahar I guess.

Getting the two rings of "free action" alone is worth a multiclassed fighter/thief.

Import a thief, do your pickpocketing, then remove them.

inb4 "but that's cheating", you're already savescumming and probably reading a list of who to pickpocket anyway.

I read that this it is not possible to import new party members in the EEs once you've started the game proper.

 

[Average Manatee]

I read that this it is not possible to import new party members in the EEs once you've started the game proper.

I assume it works like BG and switching to multiplayer lets you swap in and out characters at whim.

 

[Krivol]

at least I was able to pickpocket a few magical starter items in Kuldahar I guess.

Getting the two rings of "free action" alone is worth a multiclassed fighter/thief.

Import a thief, do your pickpocketing, then remove them.

inb4 "but that's cheating", you're already savescumming and probably reading a list of who to pickpocket anyway.

I read that this it is not possible to import new party members in the EEs once you've started the game proper.

Wow! You've actually found an enhancement!

 

[laclongquan]

On the issue of Rogue.

On Heart of Fury mode, I find that Rogue's patented skill, Pickpocket, is fucked beyond belief. It's totally savescum reload because even if you raise that skill to 20+ or more, it's still too random to be sure.

Backstab is not a survivable tactic in HoF. You are most likely to be visible among a horde of hostile chasing your ass. AND some casters or shooters using skill/spell by script, not actual spell mechanic. So you are going to die very quick after one backstab.

Stealth, while fucked in Hide and Move Silently depend on your fix, is possible thanks to Potion of Invisibility plus rings and other items of that kind. With a Deep Gnome bonus on stealth (Undetectable) you can do a stealth scout fine. I mean, the potions are there to be bought. What are you going to do with your millions of gold coins?

Detect is actually a worthy skill to invest. Sometimes they can Detect invisible foes like the Gray Dwarfs, Dark Elves etc...

So without backstab, the only other option is ranged attack by bow or Xbow. And if you mix in with Fighter class level to Grandmaster, that's one fine machinegun-like shooter. I usually shoot dry the magical ammo and have to buy more.

 

[Infinitron]

Ed123 retrospective:

 

[A horse of course]

Wow more talentless pozzed e-celeb shilling, just what this place needs. Good job!

 

[Lilura]

I read her retrospective to steal everything for my video, but she talks about autistic boring shit like 3E rules so I got bored

Except IWD is 2nd Edition, so I wouldn't have talked about 3.0. I talked about 3.0 in my IWD2 retrospective.

I see no examples of plagiarism (though I didn't watch the whole video), but it is obvious you were influenced by my commentary.

 

[holla_cabezas_de_mierda]

maybe somebody will do a remake of icewind dale someday, in 1st or 2nd edition even

 

[A horse of course]

I read her retrospective to steal everything for my video, but she talks about autistic boring shit like 3E rules so I got bored

Except IWD is 2nd Edition, so I wouldn't have talked about 3.0. I talked about 3.0 in my IWD2 retrospective.

I see no examples of plagiarism (though I didn't watch the whole video), but it is obvious you were influenced by my commentary.

You're quoting a discussion from shoutbox in which we were discussing the fact I'd started playing IWD2 and intended to make a new video.

I have indeed read your reviews/retrospectives (and referenced them once in my Baldur's Gate 1/2 writeups in the screenshot thread), but they didn't influence my IWD video and are unlikely to influence my IWD2 video either. Firstly, as noted in the quote, they're too pedantic (in a positive way) for my interests and video format. Secondly, you're a bit of a psycho and I didn't want to draw your attention to my video.

 

[Lilura]

I have indeed read your reviews/retrospectives (and referenced them once in my Baldur's Gate 1/2 writeups in the screenshot thread)

Got a link?

but they didn't influence my IWD video and are unlikely to influence my IWD2 video either.

Sure they didn't. You couldn't even give your retrospective a non-Liluran title.

Firstly, as noted in the quote, they're too pedantic (in a positive way) for my interests and video format.

Another way to put it: you target the casuals, I target the literati and connoisseurs.

 

[NJClaw]

Another way to put it: you target the casuals, I target the literati and connoisseurs.

The literati and connoisseurs?

We are your target audience, Lilura. Do we look like literati and connoisseurs?

 

[Jvegi]

I target the literati

Since when do you target storyfags?

 

[Surf Solar]

I am due for my anual play through. However I want to do something new. I always end up creating a boring Party of a fighter, mage etc.

Any suggestions that is fun to play and doesnt rely too much on metagaming? Maybe a party of 3.

 

[octavius]

Search for my posts about "power trio".

 

[Lonely Vazdru]

I am due for my anual play through. However I want to do something new. I always end up creating a boring Party of a fighter, mage etc.

Any suggestions that is fun to play and doesnt rely too much on metagaming?

Last two times I did this, I went for "full dwarf party" and "no spellcaster party" since I'm not too keen on magic in IE games.
I also did a playthrough with 3 characters and added a fourth (a level 1 character prisonner of Yxunomeï) in the last level of Dragon's eye. It was quite fun to fast level him afterwards.

 

[Tigranes]

I am due for my anual play through. However I want to do something new. I always end up creating a boring Party of a fighter, mage etc.

Any suggestions that is fun to play and doesnt rely too much on metagaming? Maybe a party of 3.

I tend to do 3-4 size parties these days, and theme it in some way. Even something like crazy antimagic dwarf team (no magic, maybe scrolls only) can do fine in the regular game, IIRC - I see lonelyboy above says it does. You could simply rule out any class you've done before / usually choose.

Smaller parties can beat XP curves and actually make the game easier. That's OK if you like that. I tend to CLUAConsole down the XP at regular intervals to stay similar to a 6-person party curve.

I wonder how a team of three Bards, each on themed around a musical genre for the hell of it, might work...