Ascension for BG2 ToB - should I install?

[MetalCraze]

ok, BG Trilogy turned out to be an awful piece of shit, totally ruined my game with not working triggers/scripts in the main story-line and in the end raep'd my game with not letting me to access those 3 forests after the underdark (crashes, freezes upon loading).

so I've decided to import my savegames into the clean ToB (they seem to load normally)
and as I've never played it with Ascension before - is it worth a shot? I know it was made by mr. Gaider - but really - will it make ToB better (if not worse, bug-wise)? because originally it was diablo, though with in-party C&C still.

 

[Murk]

Assuming you don't get bugged to hell, which I don't think will be the case, it is worth it. It's more interesting and makes the dialog with the bhaalspawnettes (sarevok and imoen) less pointless.

If you want a text heavy excursion try the Redemption mod with Irenicus - though mind you, he's uber over powered.

 

[Andhaira]

Wait, you can play with Irenicus as a PC? Who made that mod?

 

[MetalCraze]

I wonder this too. all I know is that Redemption is in turn the mod for Ascension. but I doubt that it was made by Gaider aswell

 

[Andhaira]

skyway if you are playing the games for the first imte I suggest you play them vanilla without any mods. Only use tuTu, for higher resolution. (since I think bg1 will be too ugly without it)

 

[ghostdog]

I'd recommend both mods they are very well made.

 

[Midwinter]

So do I. I agree that Redemption is a bit overpowered and the whole idea of redeeming your arch enemy might not appeal to every player (or character), but it has very well written dialogue and multiple paths/outcomes, depending on the way you treat him. The only thing that bothered me a bit was that some of his voiced lines from SoA are recycled to make him appear more like an 'official' NPC. But there is so much dialogue you won't encounter it too often.

Oh, and Tutu is much more reliable than BG Trilogy. It simply converts the first game to the SoA engine, without breaking any stuff. I've never really seen the point of BGT.

 

[MetalCraze]

skyway if you are playing the games for the first imte I suggest you play them vanilla without any mods. Only use tuTu, for higher resolution. (since I think bg1 will be too ugly without it)

this is my 5th BG2 playthrough and 3rd which I want to finish.
I always playing vanilla games at the first playthrough.

thanks guys for your comments. but I will settle with Ascension for now as it is more or less official.

I've never really seen the point of BGT.

well now I don't see the point too. but BGT is a real head-ache. broken triggers and scripts are really annoying. like f.e. in the Underdark where I had to kill Elder Orb and get his eye... when I've came to him there were like 20 beholders and 2(!) Elder Orbs in one single room (in vanilla BG2 there is only 1 Elder Orb and 3-4 beholders). and that just the one fine example of BGT bug-raep.

 

[Trash]

Themod is from Bgaider himself. It ads some more dialogue, some more closure and makes the encounters more interesting. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

 

[Murk]

Yeah the Redemption mod also influences Sarevok too I think? Or was that another add-on to it? Regardless, look it up: http://www.onlinefiction.net/Redemption/Redemption.html

NOTE THE OBVIOUS BORDERLINE HENTAI FANBOYISM

But aside from the modder's boner for badass Elf types the mod's pretty legit - and you'll never need another mage again, ever.

Irenicus can sport something like 12 level 9 spells at one piont if I'm not forgetting correctly.

EDIT: I think I also remember at one point a mod by someone that would lead to a peaceful outcome with Balthazar if you weren't evil, since he actually registers as "good"...

I'm not sure if he then assisted you or joined you or you two just didn't have to fight... I never tried it but thought it was a good idea.

 

[cardtrick]

Redemption is decently written and quite polished, but cheesy -- both in terms of game-breaking overpowered character cheese, and emo redemption storyline cheese.

However, Ascension is the only way to play ToB. Be sure to include the optional installs (the Tougher Bhaalspawn and Demogorgon stuff).

 

[Jasede]

So if I -against all warnings and no matter how "terrible" the game is- were to play BG 2 ToB, I ought to install Ascension, naturally the dgaider encounter mods and not Redemption, unless I have a soft spot for emo cheese?

 

[cardtrick]

Definitely. And play no reloads. (Actually, it's probably not reasonable to play no reloads on your first run through Ascension . . . but you do seem to be a glutton for punishment, so give it a whirl.)

I don't know why ToB is so hated around here, anyway. It's the most honest of the BG games -- it doesn't pretend to be anything but a quite linear RTwP dungeon crawl. Also, it has Sarevok, who is far and away the best NPC in the trilogy. Plus Watcher's Keep is quite a good dungeon; certainly better than anything in the vanilla games, and not too inferior to Durlag's Tower. I can't see myself ever playing BG1 or BG2 again, but I may play through ToB once more at some point.

 

[Murk]

If you're willing to amp up the difficulty or just not abuse Irenicus ability to kill anything and everything without your party even needing to be there, Redemption is worth a spin I'd say. The whole "redeem the evil [unless you too are evil]" deal is already present with Viconia and Sarevok.

And I agree, Sarevok is awesome, and quite a bit of his dialogue with the other NPCs is actually pretty witty.

 

[Radisshu]

Ascension is awesome, but I wouldn't recommend the Irenicus mod. The writing isn't very good at all.

EDIT: I am now talking about that mod which lets you keep him as an NPC throughout the game, I just realised Redemption is the one where you only get him in the final part.

 

[MetalCraze]

very well, I have installed only the Ascension mod. this will be my 2nd playthrough through ToB so I want to keep it "official" and clean.

 

[JrK]

Isn't Ascension in the same difficulty league as Tactics for SoA?

 

[ghostdog]

Considering that the end of ToB was already challenging, with ascension it's a lot more. Redemption manages to bring together some of bg2 story along with tob's boredomness and gives you an uber Irenicus in the final fight , If you want him. I mean it all takes place in the final fight , so if you decide you don't give a shit you can simply tell him to buzz off.

 

[Murk]

Isn't Ascension in the same difficulty league as Tactics for SoA?

Sorta, Tactics focuses on all enemies I think where-as Ascension's difficulty increases are limited mostly to the Bosses?

Don't quote me on that though.

You could go for both and put the game's difficulty on Hard and cry as you come across demon summoning demons.

I think Icewind Dale 2 had a point of lol - fighting a White Abishai that can gate in 9 more white Abishais who can, in turn, gate in 9 more White Abishais each.

Exponential devil rape

 

[cardtrick]

Isn't Ascension in the same difficulty league as Tactics for SoA?

It's in the same league as the non-broken portion of Tactics, but it doesn't get too ridiculous. It also doesn't come with the stupid uberloot that Tactics provides to let you take on the ridiculous new challenges. It's quite well-balanced and provides some satisfying fights that require decent characters and/or great tactics.

It is possible to beat Ascension on Insane difficulty level with a decent party without too much trouble. If you want a real challenge, try Insane difficulty Ascension with a solo character and no reloads. I know that's been done by people with solo sorcerors, mages, cleric/mages, and bounty hunters -- not sure if it's possible for any other solo class. I suspect that it would be doable for a well-equipped cleric/ranger, and possibly for a barbarian.

 

[JrK]

Sounds interesting. I played one whole game through with Tactics, all options enabled. And while some parts were nice (dragon/lich fights mostly), most of was, indeed, broken. Mages spellcasting was easier to counter than before, the Sahuagin on the underwater part were overpowered (seriously, archer class for common beasts?), city ambushes were strange (lvl 18 party on a city bandit ambush? with +3 loot?), improved Bodhi was nigh-impossible.

I did finish it though, but only since I mastered BGII's combat long ago (played that game about 20 times). The improved dwarven party in the standard dungeon was a major challenge. It was so good to finally beat that one, but it gave away too powerful loot too early in the game. And monty haul was already the major issue with that game.

In other words, improved fights without the sillyness of Tactics is interesting.

 

[coaster]

Sword Coast Strategems (I and II) improve the AI of BG1/2/ToB enemies without the rampant cheating by enemies in the Tactics mod.

http://www.gibberlings3.net/scs/

http://www.gibberlings3.net/scsii/

Highly recommended.

 

[Atrokkus]

I don't know why ToB is so hated around here, anyway. It's the most honest of the BG games -- it doesn't pretend to be anything but a quite linear RTwP dungeon crawl.

Fuck you. BG2:SoA is nonlinear enough not to be contained within the dungeon crawler genre. Surely not as open-ended and nonlinear as games like Fallout, but the roleplaying opportunities *are* there, not to mention a rather interesting plot. Whereas ToB is basically an epic clickfest.

 

[Jasede]

Sword Coast Strategems (I and II) improve the AI of BG1/2/ToB enemies without the rampant cheating by enemies in the Tactics mod.

http://www.gibberlings3.net/scs/

http://www.gibberlings3.net/scsii/

Highly recommended.

That looks interesting, but is it compatible with dgaider's harder bosses mods? The BG2/ToB part of course.

 

[coaster]

Yes - in fact there is a component to give SCS2-style AI to Ascension bosses (which should make them even harder). It also gives Sendai a boost (the only one of the Five unaffected by the Ascension mod).

I've only tried SCS2 without Ascension installed to date though, given how much more difficult it becomes. eg. liches start using Chain Contingency (3 x horrid wilting) and Summon Planetar. It's pretty tough.