Icewind Dale The Icewind Dale Series Thread

[Lambach]

Yeah, but do you really want to play a human with 3 Int?
Isn't that way too min-max?

Being barely more intelligent than a wild animal doesn't really impact much. You'll have few Skill points, you won't be able to use Scrolls and Wands and some Feats won't be available, but you'll be just as eloquent and functional as a 20 INT super genius.

 

[NecroLord]

Yeah, but do you really want to play a human with 3 Int?
Isn't that way too min-max?

Being barely more intelligent than a wild animal doesn't really impact much. You'll have few Skill points, you won't be able to use Scrolls and Wands and some Feats won't be available, but you'll be just as eloquent and functional as a 20 INT super genius.

Doesn't quite work in Arcanum and Fallout, no?

 

[Lambach]

Doesn't quite work in Arcanum and Fallout, no?

Well yeah, but Fallout and Arcanum are classic RPGs, Icewind Dale is more like D&D-based Diablo.

 

[Average Manatee]

Sorcerer doesn't really benefit from stats other than Charisma anyway. What are you going to put those points in that is actually useful? Your sorcerer spends 100% of the time in the back not getting attacked or cast on and has mirror image. I guess maxing dex would make your sorcerer mildly better at plinking enemies with a crossbow for the first hour or two of gameplay but past that none of the stats matter. It's every other class that is dumping stats down to -3 because they want 18 str/dex/con/possibly wisdom for monk dips. You only take human because there's no class that gives +2 Cha without an LA penalty, and you could argue the LA penalty is worth it for +1 all spell DCs.

 

[octavius]

Doesn't quite work in Arcanum and Fallout, no?

Well yeah, but Fallout and Arcanum are classic RPGs, Icewind Dale is more like D&D-based Diablo.

In the end what really matters is how enjoyable the game is, and there IWD (and Diablo) easily wins over Arcanum.

 

[Sunri]

Making evil party was a horrible idea.

 

[laclongquan]

Yeah, but do you really want to play a human with 3 Int?
Isn't that way too min-max?

Being barely more intelligent than a wild animal doesn't really impact much. You'll have few Skill points, you won't be able to use Scrolls and Wands and some Feats won't be available, but you'll be just as eloquent and functional as a 20 INT super genius.

Doesn't quite work in Arcanum and Fallout, no?

Arcanum and Fallout is basically one man's RPG, mebbe adding one or two premade companions you like.

Now it's Fallout Tactics brotherhood of steel we are talking~ Sure, vanilla doesnt allow changing stats of other recruits. But you can pick and choose from a bunch of them for whatever dark deeds you feel like it. There's gals minmax for Barter, Bet, Steal you only use them during Intermissions. And there's gals know nothing about Speech or Charisma you pick for missions~

 

[Sunri]

Making evil party was so unrewarding holy shieet you can't even resurrect your own party members on top of that you miss so many items and there is not so much options to even role-play what you won't help someone? then you miss a million xp lmao i never found useful evil alignment item.

 

[Jigby]

I'm not even sure which game you're talking about. But on the off chance it's IWD2, you do get the Massive Halberd of Hate (non-good). Malavon's Robe is evil-only, I guess - most of the equipment isn't really alignment locked though? It's mostly class locked. But you could be talking about IWD1...

 

[Sunri]

I'm not even sure which game you're talking about. But on the off chance it's IWD2, you do get the Massive Halberd of Hate (non-good). Malavon's Robe is evil-only, I guess - most of the equipment isn't really alignment locked though? It's mostly class locked. But you could be talking about IWD1...

iwd1

 

[NecroLord]

I'm not even sure which game you're talking about. But on the off chance it's IWD2, you do get the Massive Halberd of Hate (non-good). Malavon's Robe is evil-only, I guess - most of the equipment isn't really alignment locked though? It's mostly class locked. But you could be talking about IWD1...

There's the Massive Greataxe of Flame +5.
Never really found one.
Is that an incredibly rare drop?

 

[Jigby]

I'm not even sure which game you're talking about. But on the off chance it's IWD2, you do get the Massive Halberd of Hate (non-good). Malavon's Robe is evil-only, I guess - most of the equipment isn't really alignment locked though? It's mostly class locked. But you could be talking about IWD1...

There's the Massive Greataxe of Flame +5.
Never really found one.
Is that an incredibly rare drop?

It's one of the items that's in the game files, but it doesn't actually drop in-game. Not fixed drops nor random drops. If you look in the random drop table, you can find a group that drops it, but the group doesn't actually appear in-game. Long ago, it was speculated that you can "upgrade" to the random drop group from a "worse" group that actually appears in-game (there's an upgrade mechanic in the iwd2 random drop logic), but the upgrade mechanic itself has been reversed and you can't really reach it - the upgrade promotion is very limited. So in short, you can only get it through console.

 

[NecroLord]

I'm not even sure which game you're talking about. But on the off chance it's IWD2, you do get the Massive Halberd of Hate (non-good). Malavon's Robe is evil-only, I guess - most of the equipment isn't really alignment locked though? It's mostly class locked. But you could be talking about IWD1...

There's the Massive Greataxe of Flame +5.
Never really found one.
Is that an incredibly rare drop?

It's one of the items that's in the game files, but it doesn't actually drop in-game. Not fixed drops nor random drops. If you look in the random drop table, you can find a group that drops it, but the group doesn't actually appear in-game. Long ago, it was speculated that you can "upgrade" to the random drop group from a "worse" group that actually appears in-game (there's an upgrade mechanic in the iwd2 random drop logic), but the upgrade mechanic itself has been reversed and you can't really reach it - the upgrade promotion is very limited. So in short, you can only get it through console.

Damn, so no Massive Greataxe for me then.
Anyway, still plenty of great weapons out there.

 

[0sacred]

Making evil party was so unrewarding holy shieet you can't even resurrect your own party members on top of that you miss so many items and there is not so much options to even role-play what you won't help someone? then you miss a million xp lmao i never found useful evil alignment item.

probably still a better experience than BG1 evil, no?

 

[Sunri]

Making evil party was so unrewarding holy shieet you can't even resurrect your own party members on top of that you miss so many items and there is not so much options to even role-play what you won't help someone? then you miss a million xp lmao i never found useful evil alignment item.

probably still a better experience than BG1 evil, no?

Dunno at least bg have cool evil companions but at the end of the day playing evil party in rpgs is like a challenge run

 

[Lambach]

In the end what really matters is how enjoyable the game is, and there IWD (and Diablo) easily wins over Arcanum.

Man, both IWD and Diablo are all about effortlessly mowing down trillions and trillions of retarded trash mobs and just boosting your numbers, which have no meaning beyond further boosting your numbers just for the sake of boosting your numbers. Sure, they spice it up with some other elements, but neither of the two games are remembered because of those other elements.

As heavily flawed as it is, Arcanum actually offers a role-playing experience, unlike the other two, which offer little more than the equivalent of an Excel Spreadsheet with a SUM function.

 

[octavius]

Sorry, when playing computer games I choose tactics over (very limited) role playing any day of the week.

 

[Lambach]

Sorry, when playing computer games I choose tactics over (very limited) role playing any day of the week.

What fucking tactics?

"Cast every buff I have in my Party then right-click on Yxunomei" is not 'tactics'. It's just a SUM function on an Excel Spreadsheet.

 

[Sunri]

just cast chromatic orb and stun her

 

[NecroLord]

In the end what really matters is how enjoyable the game is, and there IWD (and Diablo) easily wins over Arcanum.

Man, both IWD and Diablo are all about effortlessly mowing down trillions and trillions of retarded trash mobs and just boosting your numbers, which have no meaning beyond further boosting your numbers just for the sake of boosting your numbers. Sure, they spice it up with some other elements, but neither of the two games are remembered because of those other elements.

As heavily flawed as it is, Arcanum actually offers a role-playing experience, unlike the other two, which offer little more than the equivalent of an Excel Spreadsheet with a SUM function.

I'm glad someone recognizes the majesty of Arcanum and doesn't go off on a tangent about how its combat sucks and shit like that...

 

[NecroLord]

just cast chromatic orb and stun her

Yxunomei has that greatsword that does extra damage to humanoid targets.
I remember I liked to kite her around a bit, gradually wearing her down, then going for the kill. She can do some heavy damage.

 

[Cat Headed Eagle]

Yxu is probably the most engaging fight in IWD1, up until the final boss. Poquelin's arena has traps you can't disable, though.

 

[laclongquan]

Sorry, when playing computer games I choose tactics over (very limited) role playing any day of the week.

What fucking tactics?

"Cast every buff I have in my Party then right-click on Yxunomei" is not 'tactics'. It's just a SUM function on an Excel Spreadsheet

That's basically end stages in non-HoF mode. But in Hof mode, starting out full of spells and equipment is default assumption, because enemies is 10 levels higher than your APL

 

[NecroLord]

What IWD games could've used was more spells.
The spell selection is quite lacking, especially the high spell levels.

 

[Cat Headed Eagle]

What IWD games could've used was more spells.
The spell selection is quite lacking, especially the high spell levels.

The EE added more spells, but then you get people who are extremely butthurt that Time Stop was added at a higher level.