Sorceror spell picks for tutu ?? (1st ever BGI runthrough)

[galraen]

Originally Posted by Klorox

Sleeep or Color Spray really should be worked into your 1st level spells. They're very good.

If you plan on importing thas character into BG2, make sure you keep Spook, if not, drop it. Chromatic Orb is weaker than Magic Missile, so that's another possibility. Also, if importing, I'd roll up a STR of 18. It'll help a lot if the going gets tough.

Chromatic Orb is a killer once you get to 12th level, literally, when used in conjunction with Greater Mallison. It's also good for killing off Spectral Trolls. Sleep is useless in BG2, and even in the later stages of BG1.

[Jedi_Sauraus]

So far my picks are:

1 Chromatic Orb - Wasted so far but it will be good SoA
Identify - Had to get this because it was too annoying not to have it.
Magic Missle - Main Kill spell 12 casts with this very nice ring I found


2 Glitterdust - this thing rocks 80% success rate in blinding

My team is rolling over everything nowadays. I'm in chapter 3 just recently and I'm wondering where I'll get my exp ?? I've cleared out a good chunk of the outdoor areas maybe 1/3-1/2 and I'm still at 14000 give or take. Killing Kobolds and the rare wolf that's worth 950 is not getting me anywhere

My team consists of Jaheira Khalid Viconia Imoen and Minsc. Dynaheir was ditched in some cave, she had a nice voice but my other team mates were most important.

I seem to like Khalid for some reason so I may just roll with the team I have.
1 question I have is until when is it acceptable to switch out party members ?? I need another thief, preferably one who can tank to replace Jaheira for Imoen's dualing period

[Klorox]

Originally Posted by galraen

Chromatic Orb is a killer once you get to 12th level, literally, when used in conjunction with Greater Mallison. It's also good for killing off Spectral Trolls. Sleep is useless in BG2, and even in the later stages of BG1.

I know how CO works, but I've always preferred MM. I'm just not a big fan of hoping someone fails a save. If somebody makes the save against CO, MM will be better (it's more versatile as well), and it has other uses as well (it's great for taking down Mirror Images, Stoneskins, ect.). Of course, with a Sorcerer, you can get the best of both worlds.

[VonDondu]

Originally Posted by Jedi_Sauraus

My team is rolling over everything nowadays. I'm in chapter 3 just recently and I'm wondering where I'll get my exp ?? I've cleared out a good chunk of the outdoor areas maybe 1/3-1/2 and I'm still at 14000 give or take. Killing Kobolds and the rare wolf that's worth 950 is not getting me anywhere

You shouldn't expect to advance much faster than that until you reach higher levels. For example, you'll get a lot more experience for each encounter once you reach Durlag's Tower.

However, there is one area that has 5 or 6 monsters in the same proximity that give you 2000 experience points for each kill. If you rest in the area, some of them respawn. That is considered an "experience farm". There is also an area where there are over a dozen monsters across the map that are worth 950 experience each. In BG1 terms, that's fantastic. As you explore the farther reaches of the world map, you'll meet bands of ogres that are worth around 650 points each, and that's also pretty good in BG1 terms. There are extremely rare monsters that give you 3500, 4000, or 5000 experience points each, but they are not typical encounters, and you might not even get a chance to kill them unless you do everything exactly right.

I'll give you a minor spoiler (highlight to read): In the area east of Beregost where the Temple is located, there is a pack of wolves that includes dire wolves, dread wolves, and a vampiric wolf. Most players can't survive that encounter with 2nd level characters, but if you can figure out a way to kill them, it's a good way to get two 2nd level characters up to 4th level quickly. In BG1 terms, that's phenomenal progress.

As a BG2/TOB veteran, you probably don't realize what it was like to play BG1 when it first came out and no one had yet developed mad skills. Think about your first encounter with a wolf, an ogre, or a bounty hunter--that's how a lot of people felt throughout the entire game. Most people had trouble killing the monsters that give you 950 experience points without losing party members, so that's one of the reasons why they are rare or optional. That's also why they are worth more than kobolds, which can be killed on the first hit. BG1 does a good job of mirroring a true pen-and-paper game, and by that measure, BG1 is actually pretty well balanced. You'll reach the level cap with a full party of six just about by the time you finish the game, so it is nearly perfect by that measure as well. BG1 is not TOB. Get used to it.

[Jedi_Sauraus]

Hmm what pack of wolves lol I accidently ran into them while looking for a resurrection scroll for that damn siren whose kiss is an insta-kill I can't refuse.
The only reason I had to reload the first time was because my sorceror was completely out of spells and 1 lone regular wolf at near dead managed to kill Viconia. The second time they rolled over and died because they were all blinded by glitterdust, Viccy was smiting evil from a distance, and Imoen was sniping. It's all good now I have the feeling my team is crazy overpowered thanks to the Sorceror.

I'm picking up mad exp (at least BGI terms which I've gotten used to) clearing out the sirens along the wilderness area's of the coast. Minsc's enrage is invaluable here I'm trying to find a thief and ran into Safana but she wasted all her picks on detect Illusion the thing is I don't know where to start looking and I want to dual Imoen when she reaches level 7 to preserve the continuity between the games

As for people feeling like I did at level 1 through the whole game.... well I envy them. The emotions were much more intense as I was being pursued by bounty hunters and wolves all the way to the Freindly Arm. Not to say I'm not enoying myself The maps are better than BG2 and seem more 3D where you can climb mountains such as the Gnoll stronghold.

Sigh I wish they had an area like the copper corronet where you can have 5+ NPC's to select in 1 room

[VonDondu]

Originally Posted by Jedi_Sauraus

Hmm what pack of wolves lol I accidently ran into them while looking for a resurrection scroll for that damn siren whose kiss is an insta-kill I can't refuse.

You can force her to resurrect your character, so you don't need a scroll. But if you don't kill her immediately, you have to force-attack her later to be able to kill her.

Originally Posted by Jedi_Sauraus

It's all good now I have the feeling my team is crazy overpowered thanks to the Sorceror.

I've never played Tutu. But the last time I played BG1, I felt like my party was overpowered too because I had three Fighters dualled to Thieves and they could backstab like crazy. There are a few encounters where spells make things much more fun, but brute force also gets the job done. Just wait until you reach the last few encounters and see if you think an 8th level Sorcerer is the bomb. I'm curious what you'll think.

Originally Posted by Jedi_Sauraus

I'm trying to find a thief and ran into Safana but she wasted all her picks on detect Illusion the thing is I don't know where to start looking and I want to dual Imoen when she reaches level 7 to preserve the continuity between the games

I don't think you should settle for the way that Safana's thieving points were distributed in Tutu because it must be completely arbitrary. If you want her in your party, you should edit her to suit you.

If you don't like Montaron (and Xzar), you might like Coran, who is one of the most popular NPCs. You can't meet him until later in the game, though (an area opens up when you finish one of the main quests). The only other Thieves I can remember are Tiax, Alora, and Skie, who aren't available until even later in Chapter Five. You can also dual Shar Teel to a Thief.

Originally Posted by Jedi_Sauraus

Sigh I wish they had an area like the copper corronet where you can have 5+ NPC's to select in 1 room

I think there's a mod that will let you pick up all of the NPCs at the Friendly Arm Inn. I don't know how it handles their personal quests, though.

Originally Posted by Jedi_Sauraus

As for people feeling like I did at level 1 through the whole game.... well I envy them. The emotions were much more intense as I was being pursued by bounty hunters and wolves all the way to the Freindly Arm...

Yeah, it was great. Too bad everything seems like a piece of cake to you.

[Jedi_Sauraus]

Hmm, I imagine my sorceror will still be "the bomb" at level 8. The reason is that the enemies have such bad saving throws against everything, and I'm not even using Greater Malison. I imagine the combo Greater Malison + Glitterdust + Slow must be crippling to even the worst badies in this game.

I'm looking foreward to Durlag's tower to finally get a challange. So far I've found it easy only because my enemies are gnolls and other equivelent fodder in the sub-100 exp range. The undead are harrdest because they paralize me, and are actually smart enough to gang up on the paralized person. Hopefully there'll be a vampire nest to clear out in Baldurs Gate

I'd really like to avoid shadowkeeping people as I feel I'm alread cheating enough with Tutu and the rediculous items like the ring that doubles level 1 slots...... Insane for a sorceror: 12 casts of level 1 Edit: Also dual wielding

I'll look into Coran so I can dump Jaheira. Imoen is at 30-35k so I still have time before she is 64k

[Edward]

Hi! My name is Edward. I first played Baldur's Gate in 2001, and since then have completed the origional, expansions and sequel several times. The first Baldur's Gate will always be my fravourite, the atmosphere it has is one that I think few other games capture. Also, personally I prefer playing as weaker characters, who are fragile and more human, rather than super heros of epic proportions. But that's just my personal view.

I really like the sorcerer class and have played characters of that class many times in various RPGs. I wanted to mention something about the spell Glitterdust; with one of my first sorcerers in BGII I selected this spell and used it frequently early on in the game but it was soon superseeded by other spells. Almost at the very end of the game however, my party confronted a group of beholders including several fearsome Elder Orbs. I was having a lot of trouble defeating the beholders, until I discovered that Glitterdust blinds them very effectively and futhermore renders them incapable of using their eyestalks to cast spells!

Probably there are much better ways of exploiting this weakness than the level two spell glitterdust but for me it was useful very late in the game .

[Klorox]

Wow, I didn't know that Ed. Thanks!

[RPG Guy (sorta)]

Originally Posted by Klorox

Wow, I didn't know that Ed. Thanks!

No doubt. I feel like I just found out that you can kill Kangaxx with Color Spray.

Can anyone verify the Glitterdust vs. Beholder thing???

[Edward]

No worries, I suppose it is a very useful weaknes to exploit. I only wish I had thought of it earlier in the game, prior to reloading after being massacred by beholders numerous times .

Um...you're right of course I last played BGII a few years ago so my memory may be fuzzy about the whole Glitterdust thing, but I was very certain. Also if you go to the BGII strategy guide on Game Banshee and check under Beholders it outlines a strategy involving Glitterdust, whick aparently they always seem to fail to save against, rendering them unable to cast spells and you have a +4 chance to hit I think. Also, it mentions the level 1 spell blind, but of course this would only affect one beholder. Also, isn't there a level 6,7, or 8 spell Power Word: Blind, that could be effective too, but overall Glitterdust would be best becaue it uses a level two slot and has other uses as well.

I'm already really enjoying using these forums, I think I'll have to replay some of these games now!

[RPG Guy (sorta)]

Edward, you're a good man. Sorry if I doubted you.

It just so happens that I'm playing BG2/ToB right now (my second-ever run-thru).

And it just so happens that I'm playing a Sorc (again)

And while I'm just leaving Spellhold, fortunately, I selected Glitterdust way back when so...you're post couldn't have come at a better time really.

Mucho nachos!

PS, the Shield of Baldaran is lame and I refuse to use it. It totally takes the fun out of the game for me personally. You're *supposed* to crap your pants when you see a beholder right? I mean, that's the point isn't it? At least with the Glitterdust tactic, there's a chance you won't get the spell off in time or that they *might* make their saves

Thanks again.

[Jedi_Sauraus]

Edward man wow thats all I can say who would have though glitterdust has a 100% success rate vs beholders ?? I could probably whip up some effective tactic against them, but usually I do the beholder quest early on. with the shield it was a bit lame but at levels 8-10 you really have little option

Edit: Kangaxx with colour spray ?? that would be funny but he's immune to level 9 and below or something like that