tarbrush posted:

I dunno, I haven't played BG2 in ages but I thought the voice was fine. My issue was that Minsc's plot is so much less well integrated into the panoply of possible game states you can find him in.

exquisite tea posted:

In Larian's defense, it IS difficult to report a crime as you are being thrown off a bridge.

exquisite tea posted:

So I've just wrapped up my little Ray of Frost Sorc run and I figured that I'd do a more extensive writeup since it doesn't seem to be as well-known or talked about as Tempy Cleric or MM Wiz. But it's an incredibly powerful and rather fun build if you enjoy doing mega-critz and watching bad guys take 100+ damage from a 1d8 cantrip!! It also transitions quite easily into a standard Cold-based Sorc without too much imagination if you'd just rather focus on AOE and control rather than single target damage.

https://i.imgur.com/EKDO8rj.mp4
https://i.imgur.com/rYEG0Uy.mp4

Draconic Bloodline Sorc (White) - Armor of Agathys
Standard 17-16-14 CHA/CON/DEX setup assuming you're gonna get the +1 CHA powerup from Auntie
I made a Zariel Tiefling for funsies but any race will work here, probably Githyanki if you're powergaming.
You'll need to save the Tieflings for some rather important gear later on so you'll have to be a mostly nice character (or use mods)

The basic strategy is similar to the Tempest Cleric: We're going to create water surfaces using our Quickened Spell bonus action, then unleash twinned Rays of Frost (or any other AOE Cold spell) for BIG DAMAGE and icy surfaces that constantly knock enemies prone. The build truly "comes online" about midway through Act 2, although there is a steady power progression that makes it easy to start right at Level 1.

Act 1

Rain Dancer - You're going to buy this as soon as you reach the Emerald Grove and use it until Act 3. It's what will help us create water surfaces until we can put 1 point into Cleric much later on.
Ring of Protection - This build lacks compelling second ring choices so you might as well steal the idol for Mol.
Mourning Frost - Assembled from the three drow wizards in the Underdark. Take dual wielding as your first Feat so that you can equip this right at Level 4. Adds 1 min damage to all Cold spells and lets Ray of Frost inflict Cold vulnerability even without a water surface.
Winter's Clutches - Buy these from Lady Esther in Mountain Pass, or Sovereign Glut if you were evil.
Necklace of Elemental Augmentation - Found in the Githyanki Creche. Adds your proficiency bonus to Ray of Frost. At max level we're going to get FOUR of these, for a whopping +28 base damage to Ray of Frost with 24 CHA!

Alternates:
The Spellsparkler - Cheap pickup early on before you get the Mourning Frost / Rain Dancer combo.
Nere's Boots and Hoarfrost Boots - Probably not what you'll be wearing, but essential for your melee characters to keep them from slipping on your own ice surfaces. Found in Grymforge and Creche Y'llek, respectively.
The Protecty Sparkswall - Found in Grymforge, robe alternate until you get to Act 2.
Pearl of Power Amulet - Not what you'll be wearing but super useful to have early on to gain more Sorcery points. Buy from Omeluum.

You're going to need Twinned Spell and Quickened Spell metamagic on your Sorcerer. The rest can be whatever, I took Careful and Distant. At level 6 you'll get a bonus proficiency modifier added to all your Cold spells.
I entered the zaith'isk myself to get those sweet illithid powers as bonus actions although realistically you'll be casting Quickened Spell most of the time.
You can take ASI as your first Feat or (as I recommend) Dual Wield with Rain Dancer if you plan on nabbing +1 CHA from auntie.
Enhance Ability is a good spell to take early on if this is going to be your face character.

Act 2

Snowburst Ring - Now we're talking. Hightail it to Last Light Inn and scrape these off the floorboards. This makes ANY Cold spell create an icy surface, so now not only does your Ray of Frost leave bad guys vulnerable, they have a chance to go prone before their turn even comes up! Insanely OP ring.
Cloak of Protection - A caster doesn't have too many interesting cape choices until Act 3 so you might as well put this one on.
Coldbrim Hat - Found in Balthazar's room at Moonrise Towers. Adds more turns of Encrusted with Frost, which will stack nicely with Charm, Reverberation, and all the other debilitating effects you're piling on. Documented proof that pointy hats = superior gameplay.
Potent Robe - Gotta save the Tieflings, so no Dark Urge for you! Mega proficiency modifiers really start to make Ray of Frost hit hard. Make sure you have a nice dye available, I recommend Black & Azure from Araj.

ASI will be your second Feat and take you up to +5 CHA proficiency bonus. Between Draconic Bloodline, the robes, and our necklace we already have +15 base damage to Ray of Frost, doubled by water surfaces, which will increase to 3d8 at Level 10!
You'll want to learn Ice Barrage and Cone of Cold, of course. Twinned Haste is always nice to have as well, but practically speaking, you won't be using it too much with this build.
Spellcrux Amulet can be found in Moonrise prisons and will help greatly with those spellslot-hungry Sorcerors gobbling up all your metamagic points.

Act 3

Spellmight Gloves - You can steal these from Lucretious right at the start of the Act, or if you're patient, wait almost until you're about to kill Orin.
Bonespike Boots - Found in the cave near the Guild/Stone Lord dustup in Rivington.
Markoheshkir - Try to get to Sorcerous Sundries right away for all the bombass caster gear there. This is where you're going to get your 4th and final bonus proficiency bonus to Ray of Frost.
Birthright - Pointy hats! More Charisma! We should now be at 22 CHA.
Cloak of the Weave - Sold by the dwarven baddie Helsik at the Devil's Fee. No other real choice for a caster here so definitely pick these up.
Gemini Gloves - Another potentially good choice for gloves if you'd rather focus on the force multiplier of having one additional Ray of Frost. There is a problem though... when combining them with Twinned metamagic, you can't actually cast Ray of Frost on the same target, which blunts their impact somewhat. Spellstrike is a little more well-rounded but if you're going all-in with cantrips, these can be fun to use.

Level 11 is when you're going to put 1 point in Cleric for Create Water and switch out Rain Dancer for Markoheshkir / Mourning Frost. I took Knowledge Domain for the Arcana Bonus, which made it a little easier to pass the DC25 checks for the Mirror of Loss and House of Hope, but you can do whatever here.
Do House of Grief right at Level 12 to get up to +24 CHA. Remember to save Headband of Intellect and Mage's Friend from Act 1 to pass the DC25 Arcana Check.
Staff of Spellpower, Woe, even Rhapsody can be good alternates to Mourning Frost if you need the Spell Save DC, although at that point in the game with 24 CHA I didn't find myself needing it.

All right well, that's about all the advice you need! Good luck and have a CHILL time.

https://i.imgur.com/nq1HAuw.mp4

BlazetheInferno posted:

As for Jaheira, she genuinely just responds well to being teased and cajoled. You'll never not gain approval for it, I'm pretty sure. I heard someone else comment that after so long as such a massive celebrity for her past adventures and being treated like a legend, she probably finds it refreshing and delightful to have someone be so irreverent. Plus I'm pretty sure she just enjoys crossing wits with people and engaging in Snark-to-Snark Combat.

exquisite tea posted:

Jack Trades posted:

It's very silly how multiplayer implementation in BG3 is worse than in DOS2.
I've spent the whole coop campaign being the Durge standing behind the party's "face" and every single character that should recognize me on sight just pretending that I didn't exist.

Shumagorath posted:

Game imitating everyone’s approach to his posting.

Jack Trades posted:

What's your problem?

SlimGoodbody posted:

Lmao what the hell is going on, people were saying this to you in the Street Fighter thread as well. Did you post a controversial opinion about Dark Souls 2 or something?

Shumagorath posted:

Game imitating everyone’s approach to his posting.

Dick Trauma posted:

I was feeling like Shadowheart was not being useful in combat so I respeced her to be a Light cleric, and gave her the chest armor that triggers a pulse when you do radiant damage, and a hammer that does radiant damage along with the shield that prevents being critted. She is suddenly packed with BOOM skills so I'll see if this is a worthwhile change.

Dick Trauma posted:

I was feeling like Shadowheart was not being useful in combat so I respeced her to be a Light cleric, and gave her the chest armor that triggers a pulse when you do radiant damage, and a hammer that does radiant damage along with the shield that prevents being critted. She is suddenly packed with BOOM skills so I'll see if this is a worthwhile change.

I've been wandering the goblin fort and thought that maybe the priestess could remove the tadpole. Things took an unexpected turn and there was an appearance by a Mysterious Stranger and now I have all the priestess's stuff. Funny how that works. So I'm 0-2 on getting this thing out of my PC's head.

Lt. Lizard posted:

Actually, respecing Shadowheart into a light cleric once she (re)turns to Selune is pretty much canon.

Lt. Lizard posted:

Actually, respecing Shadowheart into a light cleric once she (re)turns to Selune is pretty much canon.

Thuryl posted:

From a gameplay perspective, my vote would be Hell first; it's got a bunch of really nice treasure that will be useful for the rest of the game, while the vampire castle is a lot harder than it looks.

Solo Wing Pixy posted:

_{because of course the goddess of spite and pettiness had one last insult left.
like with the Nightsong earlier, I left this decision entirely to Shadowheart, and i will say i was a bit surprised she let her parents go.
she got to know them for all of two minutes.}

Reveilled posted:

In my most recent playthrough, knowing the choice Shadowheart makes on her own I pushed her to do the opposite and I have to say I found that outcome to be a much more clear-cut happy ending. Like, I think the game fails here to set up compelling stakes, her parents are all like "you need to let us go or you'll never be free of your curse", but that curse is...chronic magic arthritis in one hand? The seriousness of Shadowheart's pain never seems particularly devastating, she'll wince and make a comment, and if you ask her about it

Reveilled posted:

In my most recent playthrough, knowing the choice Shadowheart makes on her own I pushed her to do the opposite and I have to say I found that outcome to be a much more clear-cut happy ending. Like, I think the game fails here to set up compelling stakes, her parents are all like "you need to let us go or you'll never be free of your curse", but that curse is...chronic magic arthritis in one hand? The seriousness of Shadowheart's pain never seems particularly devastating, she'll wince and make a comment, and if you ask her about it she'll mention that it hurts like hell, but at the same time the pain appears to be fleeting, it doesn't affect her mood or behaviour in a way that suggests the chronic pain to be disabling--hell, in a group of up to 11 heroes who can only adventure as a group of 4 people maximum, she never even needs to take a day off sick. And yeah, I know--blah blah that's just a game mechanic blah blah--but the point is we never really see Shadowheart truly struggle with the pain her wound gives her.

Apparently she does decide the other way on her own, but only if you walk near the grave of Allister Marnley in the graveyard with her in the party, find the graffiti she drew near the Baldur's Gate waypoint, and then have a conversation about her memories.

And of course in the end if you free her parents the epilogue even has her mention that the pain is easing up. Unlike with the choice to let her parents die she never shows a hint of regret about her choice. It just feels unambiguously like a better ending for her.