Completed Let's solo Baldur's Gate 2 on Insane (feat. The Codex)

[MicoSelva]

prestigious human flesh armour!

I think you have to be evil to be able to use that.

 

[Rod Rodderson]

Yeah, but Thieves have the UAI HLA, which you should be able to get eventually. The only real tradeoff (apart from a crappy crossbow) is some experience, which is less of an issue when soloing.

Of course, as a mage, the Robe of Vecna would likely be more useful in most circumstances.

 

[MicoSelva]

I somehow forgot the UAI ability while writing the post above.
Still, I planned to leave the decision wheteher to kill Silver Dragon in the hands of the readers anyway. Assuming she dies, and the human skin armor allows casting spells with 5% failure rate we might even end up using it.

 

[Azira]

Seems the human flesh doesn't hit on your spellcasting ability at all:

http://www.gamebanshee.com/showshot.php?/baldursgateii/equipment/images/humanfleshplus5.jpg

 

[Rod Rodderson]

Armor in vanilla BG2 (where that screenshot is from) doesn't allow arcane spellcasting at all. One of the options in the Tweak Pack lets you still use it with a chance to fail.

Human Flesh is one of the best armors in the game, though.

 

[MicoSelva]

That screenshot is unfortunately irrelevant. I am using a mod that sets spellcasting failure % chance for each type of armor, instead of simply listing them as unusable for mages.

But assuming human flesh is a leather armor +5, it should have 5% spellcasting failure.

EDIT:

Looking forward to the druid-slaughter.

Hopefully, Cernd will be among the victims.

Nah, I actually like the guy. Had him on my party during my evil playthrough, along with Korgan, Viconia, Jan and Edwin.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Photobucket is fucking up your old updates. "Hostile Takeover" is currently unreadable.

 

[MicoSelva]

Photobucket is fucking up your old updates. "Hostile Takeover" is currently unreadable.

Why would anyone want to read the old updates?

Alright, fixed for the moment.

I have found a permanent solution to the 'you have reached bandwidth limit' issue, as well as 'image quality deterioarating with time because the host provider is recompressing them to save space, and yes I am talking about you photobucket' issue.

But since it takes some time to move the images, I will prioritize the updates which people want to read and are unable to. Please let me know (here or via PM) if you encounter such a problem.

 

[Edward_R_Murrow]

But-but-but! Playing both the "goody" silver dragon and "evul" drow removes two scheming extremist powers for the price of one (super neutral!), and also provides the means to create the prestigious human flesh armour!

The Codex actually *can't* do the most fun resolution to the Underdark questline.

Spoiler

Following the good path giving both Ardulace and Phaere fake eggs then sacrificing the eggs to the demon lord yourself for fun and profit. And to top it all off, turning down Demonbro's offer of a teleport out of the Underdark and going to rub it in the face of the silver dragon. The dialogue option doesn't exist for non-evil PCs.

 

[Kalin]

Gaidered again.

 

[Storyfag]

The Codex actually *can't* do the most fun resolution to the Underdark questline.

Spoiler

Following the good path giving both Ardulace and Phaere fake eggs then sacrificing the eggs to the demon lord yourself for fun and profit. And to top it all off, turning down Demonbro's offer of a teleport out of the Underdark and going to rub it in the face of the silver dragon. The dialogue option doesn't exist for non-evil PCs.

 

[MicoSelva]

Hopefully, the mods I installed fix this.

 

[Bilgefar]

If not, just use Shadowkeeper to temporarily change your alignment there.

 

[Azira]

Reading this LP made me start my own solo playthrough of the BG series. Halfway through SoA I must say it's a relief to only have to manage one character. I don't mind having the party, makes for many more viable strategies, but only having a single character means you have to rethink many of the interesting encounters.

Of course, Set Spring Trap is horribly overpowered, so some of the special encounters suddenly seem trivial, if you get that skill. But still, great fun overall! Thank you MicoSelva.

 

[Aeschylus]

In case you didn't notice, dice-rolling is available again, so you can do a proper random quest selection.

 

[Stonewolf]

 

[MicoSelva]

Yeah, I know. Blame my job.
I'm hoping to be able to post an update today/tomorrow and another one this week.

 

[grosstraktor]

to the next page then!

 

[Baron Dupek]

Aye!
To the next page then.

 

[kazgar]

Someone say next page?

 

[Nicebrain]

Hepp

 

[MicoSelva]

I'm baaaack!

Let's never do that again, shall we? I have now scheduled daily save game backup. No more replaying the same shit, or I will go crazy.

'Will' go crazy? As if you were sane right now.

Look who's talking.

-----

Update #26: I'm Going On An Adventure!

Spoiler

There have been a few minor changes to The Codex as a character after the save game crash.

First, I have distributed thieving skills a bit differently, which means our set traps is at 54 at the moment. Probably still too low to be useful in That One Incoming Encounter, but it's a start.

Second, I took the opportunity to improve staff proficiency instead of putting a point in short swords. This makes The Codex a capable fighter with Staff of the Magi in hands, although it did make fight with Kangaxx (using Sword of the Mask) a real pain in the arse. Backstab efficiency should not be affected by this change.

No changes here.

We have exactly 666 kills at the moment. Couldn't be better even if I planned it.

But enough of this, it's time for some adventuring!

I'd say.

And straight into action.

Exactly how I like it!

Do You remember Your first encounter with dire wolves, right outside Candlekeep?

No. And I strongly advise you to forget about it too.

Time for some plot.

What, already? And this quest started so well.

Spoiler

Quite talkative for an NPC that doesn't even have a name.

Khan?

No, I am not linking to "Khaaaan!". It sort of lost its charm after Into Darkness.

My seventh sense tells me to try pickpocketing on this gin.

Djinn.

That's what I said.

I guess this makes the summon efreeti spell obsolete. Have I even used it at all?

Nope.

Plot ahoy.

*sigh*

Spoiler

tl;dr: The djinns are too lazy to pursue the rakshasa on their own and would like you to do it instead.

What else is new?

Tell me more.

If I'm too hardcore for fortune-telling, shouldn't I also be immune to divination spells?

That's just your inner munchkin talking.

I *am* my inner munchkin.

I've just remembered it was dread wolves back then, not dire wolves.

What's the difference?

125 XP for a Dire Wolf, 650 for Dread Wolf.

Now I feel scammed.

I highly doubt that wolves burned your house down, kid.

It seems that my awesome level is over 9000 now. People explode at the mere sight of me. As it should be.

What? There is only one whore in town and she's too tired to work?

Well, that kind of makes sense...

If I wasn't convinced to help the city before, then I am now!

A *lot* more plot ahead.

Some adventure we're having so far today.

Spoiler

I only stayed here and listened to all this because I was hoping you would go snikt on me, Logan. Are you going to go snikt on me?

I don't think you should be expecting that anytime soon.

Disappointing.

Will I also be disappointed if I expect this guy to have something in common with the hadron collider?

Yes.

Maybe you people should consider, I don't know, CLOSING THE GATES?

I like how when you deal the killing blow with Staff of the Magi, it is always 'Death' first and 'Dispell Effects' second. I don't think the corpses care that you dispel their magic, staff.

Stop talking to my staff, it's weird.

Some more dialogues ahead.

ADVENTURE!

Spoiler

Good thing I met this lass, or I wouldn't be able to solve the jins' quest later on!

Right.

I guess the plot does not want us to enter this place just yet. Is there anything else to do here?

I don't think so.

Time to pay a visit to the druids then.

After a short journey, we are greeted by a local.

Should I be insulted by 'interloper'? I'm not sure.

Trolls! It's been quite a while since I've last fought them. NOT.

And so begins The Codex' road to Druid Grove, riddled with dangers.

Trolls.

[*smack*]

Spiders.

[*smack*]

More trolls!

[*smack*]

More spiders!

[*smack*]

Even more trolls!

This is stupid.

Finally, we encounter something that actually is a threat.

More than one something.

Ouch! Look what you've done! Now I'll have to waste a healing potion on this encounter.

Bad troll!

I fucking hate when they do that.

This is one badass looking lair.

I wonder what's inside.

Three guesses.

I'll pass.

Ring of Gaxx is so good that our hero was able to regenerate to full health during this fight.

Ooh, 47! I really like this sword.

Where did you come from?

Uh, getting a bit crowded in here.

Three more to go...

My face! My beautiful face!

Stop hitting me!

Khrr...

Look at the bright side. Maybe a hole in Your lung will allow You to breathe more efficiently?

Maybe we will need to test this theory some other time.

Death Count: 147

Loading.

Have you ever been hit in the face by a giant troll?

No, I don't believe I have. But I'm guessing it hurts.

Yes. And their fists stink.

As per usual custom, we try the same thing again.

But with some spellcasting this time.

I wonder if this will make me immune to their punches...

Note to self: trolls have magical fists. Also: aaaaarrrrrgghhh!

Magical fists. I mean, really?

Death Count: 148

Load game.

Repeating the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is madness.

That is why we will go left this time, instead of right.

One troll = no problem.

Like I said.

I think we've found our culprits.

Troll rape squad incoming!

Mirror image!

Please stop doing that, this is demigod blood you're spilling. Not easy to come by, you know.

Can't go right, can't go left.

Death Count: 149

Reload.

Two giant trolls and one spirit troll = big problem.

Let's try to separate them.

We lure the spirit troll out...

..and manage to kill it before the two giant trolls respond to its distress calls.

Yes!

The rest is obvious.

Lookey-lookey.

I don't even remember what bracers I am wearing right now.

Gloves of Pick Pocketing, I think. These are an upgrade combat-wise.

Finally, we deal with the remaining spectral troll.

Loot!

Decent, for a spear. Except all spears suck anyway.

There is one exception, or maybe two?

Area completed!

And this is a good place for a break, I think.
Let me know what you think about the screenshot resolution change (it was 800x600, and is 640x480 now) or if image hosting change affects you in any way.

---

Next time: The second (and fortunately last) part of Trademeet and Druid Grove, uhm, adventures.

Next quest selection details:

Spoiler

Time to decide where we're going next. Hopefully I have not missed any votes.

1. Firkraag [Azira]
2. Firkraag [MotherMachinae]
3. Korgan's quest [Aeschylus]
4. Rescuing Haer'dalis [Erebus] Astral Prison <- not available yet
5. Firkraag [Thor Kaufman]
6. Firkraag [Storyfag]
7. Firkraag [Shadenaut]

EDIT: The roll result is a 5, so Thor Kaufman's (and a few othe people's) suggestion wins. Firkraag. This should be good.

 

[Azira]

You'd wish you had a few spike traps, yes? Looking forward to the Firkraag encounter.

 

[Rod Rodderson]

If you need to use spike traps to deal with Firkraag (once or twice just for fun is okay, though), you don't deserve the very carbon that you're made of.

Oh yeah. Tough guy right here. Come at me.

(I'm not actually all that good at the game, at least judging by some people's accounts of finding it really easy.)

 

[Erebus]

Didn't know about that efreeti bottle. Nice item !

The last few times I played the game, I just killed the Daos immediately in order to gain quick access to the cool stuff some of the merchants of Trademeet have to sell. You probably gain less XP that way, but slaughtering an arrogant quest-giver is a reward in itself.