Modron Area Help Please *SPOILERS

[sonny]

As anyone that has read any of my post know, I'm trying to play through my 1st time with out walkthroughs or reading threads that may contain spoilers. So with that in mind I need to ask some questions.

While in CW I purchased this item called a Modron Cube. It took me a while to figure out that I had to talk to a Modron to figure out how to use it. I did and here I am in this Maze area.

I found my way to this area called the Engineering Room, talked to a Modron and convinced him I was the New Director. I've also found out that there are 3 levels and that's about it. So please tell me this.

1. How large are these areas. Can I map them out? If so is there a good method to use?

2. Can I leave and come back. So I can sell off items?

3. Is the normal area bigger the the easy and the hard bigger then the normal, or are the monsters just harder? Have only been in the easy dungeons so far.

4. And last but not least (I hope ) Is this just an area to build XP and find treasures, or is there a quest some where in here?

Sorry about the long post. But I just seem to be wandering around here, not knowing what to do next.

Thanks Sonny

[dragon wench]

Hmmm... without spoiling you too much..

You can try to map out the maze, I know I attempted it once on graph paper and I got hopelessly confused
But, then again, I'm not the best with navigation...
You can also make notations on your in-game map, so what I generally do is use a number system essentially based on the order in which I enter each room. That way you can more easily keep track on where you have been. .

OK.. though it may be difficult, I very strongly suggest you keep it on the hardest difficulty, not just for the experience either (see spoiler below if you want to know more). I also suggest you try to travel in a generally northerly direction.... Any treasure you find is purely icing on the cake and not the real point at all..
Note that each time you reset the cube, everything you have done will be erased. Also handy is that you can actually use the cube as a convenient resting spot, and once you find a transporter stone (you'll pick them up as loot throughout the cube), you can also employ the cube as a travel device.
There are two places you need to find, highlight below if you want to be spoiled:

Spoiler

You want to find a joinable NPC called Nordum.. and you also want to find the director's room, hopefully in that order. Nordum is a modron cube himself, sort of, and one of the best NPCs in the game

End Spoiler.

2. Can I leave and come back. So I can sell off items? I think you actually have to talk to one of the modrons to reset the dungeon, but I still wouldn't advise leaving any items in there.

3. Is the normal area bigger the the easy and the hard bigger then the normal, or are the monsters just harder? Have only been in the easy dungeons so far.
It doesn't matter what setting it is on, the areas are all identical, the difference lies in... what you can find.

I hope that helps It's a while since I've played the game so some of my details might be a bit vague, but it will steer you in the general direction anyway.

[Crenshinibon]

I'm pretty sure that the size of the maze DOES increase with difficulty levels as does the levels of encountered monsters, in addition to what DW mentioned.

[Qwinn]

The way I've generally handled "mapping" the maze is to take all those useless items (bags of coins, TREASURE!, etc.) and drop them to mark off dead ends. Once you come to a dead end, back up through the rooms until you come back to a room where you have two or more other directions you could go in, then drop one of those useless items near the exit you just came in from so that you know never to bother going that way again. Makes it much easier.

And yes, the maze size increases with difficulty. The "Hard" setting is an 8x8 grid. And yes, you will only find some things by clearing it out in hard mode.

Qwinn

[dragon wench]

Ah, OK I had forgotten the maze increased in size depending on the difficulty level..

Yeah, I've also dropped those worthless bits of "treasure" to mark dead ends, it helps greatly.

[kmonster]

1. I recemmend using the left (or right) hand method, if you get to a crossing take the most left (from the NO's PoV) way, this way you'll most likely explore every chamber (without ever crossing an area in the same direction twice) and get back to the control room without getting lost.

2. You can leave and come back as often as you want.

3.+4. This area is totally optional. A training place where you can get XP and loot for selling. At the hardest level there are two special "encounters", one can happen only once, but the other one will be there each time you reset the maze.

[sonny]

Thanks everyone.

DW, as tempting as it was, I did not highlight your spoiler Thanks for the help.

Last night I fooled around in the easy maze for a couple hours and as far as I can tell the easy maze is a 4x4 grid, 16 rooms. So based on what Qwinn says, if the hard maze is a 8x8 grid (64 rooms) then the normal is probably 6x6 (36 rooms) The easy maze was to easy so I'm going to explore the normal maze several times and map it out and use it to gain some XP's.

When I was mapping, I hit the L key and wrote down the room location number each time, but the worthless treasure marker seems like it would be better

Based on what Kmonster said, I can leave the area, go back to the Lower Ward, sell my stuff and return to the maze. And I can do this as often as I want, but not after I start the hard maze because I will miss one of the special encounters. Is that right? Just want to be sure.

Again, thanks. You guys have been great.
Sonny

[Crenshinibon]

Yes, you can leave and come back, even on hard difficulty. The maze will not reset itself unless you specifically want it to, thus asking the head Modron to do so.

[sonny]

Yes, you can leave and come back, even on hard difficulty. The maze will not reset itself unless you specifically want it to, thus asking the head Modron to do so.

Thanks, that helps a lot.
Picked up a lot of rings and bracelets during my trips through the easy mazes last night. So I'm off to sell them.
Have a great day.

[sonny]

Yes, you can leave and come back, even on hard difficulty. The maze will not reset itself unless you specifically want it to, thus asking the head Modron to do so.

OK, after resetting and doing the normal setting on the maze 6 times, I decided to tackle the hard setting.

The 4th room I entered which was on the left side of the maze, I found this Modron that looks like Sponge Bob on steroids and he wants to join my party. His name is Nordom. So a couple questions please.

1. Is he worth having in the party?

2. I'm assuming he is one of the "two special encounters" that kmonster is referring to. If I take him in my party, can I still reset the dungeon and not screw up the second "encounter"?

3. Or, can I just ignore him for awhile and keep resetting the dungeon and work on exp.? If I do this will he still be there?

I ask this because I need to build my party up some in experience. TNO is only a level 8 fighter (after he got the lv 7 bonus, I changed him to a mage and took him up to lv 11 mage and then changed him back)and the Construct's in the hard maze have been giving me problems.
Don't know any other place to go to get exp. at this point, so I was just going to keep using the hard maze for awhile.

Thanks again
Sonny

[dragon wench]

Yes, Nordum is seriously worth it, he is *the* reason to explore the Modron cube, and one of the special events being referred to. And LMAO @ Spongebob, I hadn't thought of that before but now you mention it, the resemblance is striking
He's a great party addition if you like dialogue, and he also does some nice damage with his crossbows.

I'm pretty sure I have taken him into my party, reset the dungeon and still had the second encounter. Though again, my memory is foggy, so others will need to confirm. Just note that the second encounter has to be on hard as well. Nordum can be significantly upgraded, by the way, if you select the right dialogue topics with him, this can be a bit tricky so it is worth looking up the specific conversation path. I also seem to recall you need a fairly high wisdom and intelligence to open up said topics... could be wrong though.

I wouldn't suggest ignoring Nordum and picking him up later, because he can actually be a real pain in the derriere to find. I'm not sure, but it may be that Nordum's location resets when you reset the dungeon, though he usually tends to be in the same northerly direction.

There is also another area where you can get experience... let us know if you want the directions

[Crenshinibon]

1. Yes, very much so. He is the only ranged NPC you will meet and offers customization, something that other NPCs don't do. He is very fun to have around as there are many little tricks and tidbits that you can have him do which are of benefit to you.

He also has some funny barters with the other characters.

2. Yes, you can. I suggest finding the second encounter before you progress farther into the story though. Remember to talk to your NPCs often.

3. You're worrying too much. First time I finished the game, the Nameless One, for me, was a level fourteen mage, with a full party. Talk to everyone you can and explore all objects. There's a lot of experience to bed had.

If you train too much, the game will become too easy. You can return to the cube at any time so perhaps it's best if you get to the second encounter and then continue on.

[sonny]

3. You're worrying too much. First time I finished the game, the Nameless One, for me, was a level fourteen mage, with a full party. Talk to everyone you can and explore all objects. There's a lot of experience to bed had.

Thanks everyone.
Yea, you are right. I always worry I'm going to do something that's going to screw up the game. Guess that's why it takes me so long to play these games. Before I leave an area, I try to talk to everyone, and look every where.
Took me over 3 months to finish BG:laugh:

Thanks again
Sonny

[kmonster]

2. I'm assuming he is one of the "two special encounters" that kmonster is referring to. If I take him in my party, can I still reset the dungeon and not screw up the second "encounter"?

It's in fact one of the special encounters. The second encounter isn't that special and is newly created in each new hard maze, so you can have it as often as you want, I had it about three times. Resetting won't mess up anything.

I don't recommend dismissing Nordom unless your party is already full, if you have him well equipped he can help a lot in combat, actually reducing the time your NO has to fight for each additional XP.

If you're bored from the modron mazes just have a break and explore other things in the game, quest XP also does make your characters stronger and there's also a dungeon below Sigil where you can get as many combat XP as you want.

[Marik333]

To mark off the dead ends, I just created map markers on the dead end doorways that said "Dead End"... Although I did think of leaving stuff, I was too busy running b/c I didn't yet want to fight off all of the machines on hard mode.

[Nightmare]

This is mostly spam, but I just had to comment. "Sponge Bob on steroids" is quite possibly the best description of Nordom that I've ever heard.

[sonny]

This is mostly spam, but I just had to comment. "Sponge Bob on steroids" is quite possibly the best description of Nordom that I've ever heard.

:laugh:I have to give some of the credit for that to my granddaughter. I was playing last night and she walked up behind my chair, pointed at the monitor and said "Pappy, Sponge Bob's in your game" and the 1st thought that went through my mind was "Yea sweetie, but he's on steroids" didn't say it , just thought it.

Thanks everyone for all the help with this. By my estimates, you can get at least 240000 exp going through the hard maze

Sonny

[dragon wench]

I really shouldn't do this, but I couldn't resist... Yep, I agree with Nightmare, brilliant analogy... :laugh:

http://static.rbytes.net/fullsize_scree ... nsaver.jpg

http://www.gamebanshee.com/planescapeto ... nordom.jpg

Long Lost Twins, I'm sure

er.. anyway.. *cough*

[sonny]

I really shouldn't do this, but I couldn't resist...
Long Lost Twins, I'm sure

er.. anyway.. *cough*

:laugh: They say a picture is worth a thousand words.
I'm glad to see someone else shares my weird sense of humor.:mischief: