GameBanshee Forums

Just finished the card game with Aesgareth and I'm not sure I did the right thing

Here's how it went down.

1st draw. I won Spectral Brand, and my NPC got slowed, which after trying some spells, the heal spell cured that.

2nd draw. I won the Wish Scroll and my strength was reduced to 6. After trying a couple different spells, the remove curse spell gave me my strength back.

3rd draw. He won, I let him go and now my NPC has a icon that says Mind Shield and I can not get rid of it, nor do I know what it does or its effects.

Also, I'm wandering if I made the right choice by letting him go. He is a demon.
I do have a saved game after the second draw.

Any help about the Mind Shield or the decision to let him go would be appreciated.

Mind shield is the same thing Lilarcor gives you: immunity to confusion, charm, and the like.

As long as you have the sceptre gem, and therefore the means to move to the next level, there's no over-riding need to worry. I must admit I do like to have the Deck-of-many-things, and I hate losing, but it isn't essential to kill the guy.

He's a Cambion by the way, which means he's a half-demon, a bit like your character, so stones and glasshouses!

galraen wrote:As long as you have the sceptre gem, and therefore the means to move to the next level, there's no over-riding need to worry. I must admit I do like to have the Deck-of-many-things, and I hate losing, but it isn't essential to kill the guy.

By Deck of many things, do you mean the cards he had. I did not know you could get them. Are they worth going for? And does it mean you have to kill him to get them?

galraen wrote: He's a Cambion by the way, which means he's a half-demon, a bit like your character, so stones and glasshouses!

Yea I know what you mean. That was one of my mothers favorite quotes:laugh:

Thanks again

Yes he does posses a deck many things, which is what he's supposed to be playing you with, some good poetic license at work.

You do have to kill him to get them unless pick pocket works on him, not sure about that, maybe one of our thieving experts (Hi Crenshinibon ) will be able to say.

Is it worth it? Depends how lucky you are or how bloody minded. If you draw the right cards (you get to draw up to four) then it's very worth it. Draw the wrong ones and it's not. Of course if you're prepared to ave before every draw, and keep reloading until you get the result you want..........

He and his henchmen (some of whom I think are good or at worst neutral alignment, not certain on that) do have some other very valuable items.

If you have anyone in your party who can detect evil/good or cast know alignment they could help you decide on the appropriate behaviour in situations like this. Of course when your character is Chaotic Neutral or Evil any behaviour is appropriate.

Well, the Deck of Many Things is quite priceless. It is an item you can either pickpocket from him, or get from his corpse. It allows you to get 3 draws, and if you don't mind reloading a bit you can get 1,3 million XP from it - more than the actual boss of Watcher's Keep.

Tried to pick pocket the deck of cards, but could not. Had Jan with two potions of Master Thievery (pick pocket skill 240) but all he got was, 1st time (gold) 2nd time (gem) and third time a message that target had nothing.

So after 3rd draw I refused to help and he attacked. Battle was not as had as I thought it would be, but of course my party is pretty strong now.:mischief:

Sure glad you guys told me about being able to get the cards. I had no idea you could do that. I don't see anything about it in the SoA or ToB game manuals.

Since I don't read walk throughs or threads because this is my 1st play through, I would have missed that completely. But I'm sure there's a whole lot I've missed

Thanks again everyone

You can use the deck three times. The outcome of earlier draws effect the later draws. Make sure you get a bad result the first time, so you can get better results in the more important second and third round.

kmonster wrote:You can use the deck three times. The outcome of earlier draws effect the later draws. Make sure you get a bad result the first time, so you can get better results in the more important second and third round.

Thanks. I will make sure I save first:laugh:

Thanks again guys for telling me about this.

More info is on this very site:

Baldur's Gate II @ GameBanshee

But of course, that would be a spoiler.

1 million xp

if you want to bless your PC with the million, but not lose party member NPCs, it IS possible.

having done a combination of bad/good cards you have a save game ready - ready for throne - you stand at one end of the causeway/room and the party members are set to the far end. if you remove party members, you can make the draw and get the 1m xp before they ask you if you are sure - they count as "out of party" for the purpose of xp sharing, yet still 'in' for romance etc.

helps a bit, that 1m points... especially if you have dual-classed or want to do so.

if you have NPCs that you are going to retain, you might decide to let them share the xp, rather than send them away.

You were very lucky to win both Spectral brand and the Wish scroll, and to get the Emperor on top of that. This happens rarely to me, on my no-reloads.

There are very nice rewards from the Deck of Many Things, which can be pickpocketed only in the original, non-patched game. Like gaining a point in your primary stat permanently, or increase your HP by 10 permanently, or gaining 300 000 or 1 000 000 xp, or getting a Protection Ring +3. Of course, the bad things that can happen to you are far more than that. Play with the Deck and discover everything on your own.

The only way to get the Deck after you've patched is by fighting Aesgerath, and you'll get a Robe of the Good Archmagi in addition to the Deck and the Gem. The fight isn't very hard. Mind you that it is best to kill everyone else before Aesgerath, else they'll simply run away when he's dead.

I have applied various patches and I can still pick-pocket him (thank goodness!)

I have sometimes got both prizes without a reload - I don't know what variables are used to determine it.