22 replies to this topic

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Hello
Just started playing CA, really great stuff so far ... but I can't get far, I created a Stalker (to dual to Mage..), got thief, mage and archer NPCs in the starting village, but when I headed for Silver Palace my thief nearly got killed by the 1st trap !
I really need a cleric (and suppose everyone does !), where can I find one ? Didn't find any detailed info on where the other NPCs are on the site or here, can soemone help ?

Thx !

[Jarno Mikkola]

Well, at the CA home page, there is a list of all the NPCs... and you can find one in the starting village, well he is a dwarf fighter/cleric... named Rurik, you should meet him with his horse and anvil.

Edited by Jarno Mikkola, 21 April 2009 - 02:34 AM.

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Thanks for the link ! ...but there's no Rurik outside the Oakhurst tavern in my game, and I can't go to Saltmarsh, so what can I do ?

EDIT : I' m stupid and impatient, he was just on the "other side" of the inn lol ! Plus I already met him but didn't notice the last dialogue for him to join, thought he was only a merchant.
Whatever, now I can go on, plus he is 2nd level, more CLW !

Edited by PDF, 21 April 2009 - 04:18 AM.

[agnar]

Thanks for the link ! ...but there's no Rurik outside the Oakhurst tavern in my game, and I can't go to Saltmarsh, so what can I do ?

EDIT : I' m stupid and impatient, he was just on the "other side" of the inn lol ! Plus I already met him but didn't notice the last dialogue for him to join, thought he was only a merchant.
Whatever, now I can go on, plus he is 2nd level, more CLW !

Don't feel too bad. After playing the original BG2 soooo many times, i got to where i only went exactly where i needed to go, not openly exploring everywhere. So when i first began playing CA, i had to conciously force myself to explore all over so i didn't miss anything. It took me awhile to get used to the idea, again, of exploring every inch of every map like i did way back when bg and bg2 were new to me. But the release of new versions/updates so often has helped keep me on my toes.

The one thing i had to keep in mind with rurik was to be sure i bought everything i'd need first since you cant buy from him again until saltmarsh, once he joins. First time i had him join too quick, i didn't buy anything. oops obviously, when i found i couldn't buy after he joined i reloaded and went shopping first.

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Sure it's all new ... to continue, erf, after a few fight I already got my thief killed - damn I didn't remember than in BG death was at 0 hp (not AD&D compliant, I got used to IWD2 since also...), well now, is any Raise Dead available easily or do I have to reload (hate it ..) ?

[Jarno Mikkola]

Sure it's all new ... to continue, erf, after a few fight I already got my thief killed - damn I didn't remember than in BG death was at 0 hp (not AD&D compliant, I got used to IWD2 since also...), well now, is any Raise Dead available easily or do I have to reload (hate it ..) ?

Your village is dying without one or more(3) of those apples and you ask, can anyone resurrect my NPC...
That's a, NO!

[leahnkain]

Sure it's all new ... to continue, erf, after a few fight I already got my thief killed - damn I didn't remember than in BG death was at 0 hp (not AD&D compliant, I got used to IWD2 since also...), well now, is any Raise Dead available easily or do I have to reload (hate it ..) ?

The answer is actually yes. I remember I made sure the tinker or his daughter has a scroll with raise dead, (if you have cash) to help with the Silver Princess module's traps. BTW Jarno, thanks for answering so many questions. You have become CA's lore master.

[Jarno Mikkola]

BTW Jarno, thanks for answering so many questions. You have become CA's lore master.

Thanks... just trying to help out.

[PDF]

Changed my mind and went to Sunless Citadel, module is pretty hard with lvl1-2 chars dying at 0 hp ... Can avoid the traps (mostly), some difficulty with goblins when equipped with Comp bow s (that are restricted to STR18+, strange !), and later the Thoqquas are just killing my group, after 5 reloads I can't figure out how to kill even 1 of them .
Are sure they should be immune to slash and pierce weapons ? That way they're damn unkillable for a low level group, and in 3rd ed they didn't had these immunities.
I should have go to the Palace rather maybe ...

Edited by PDF, 21 April 2009 - 01:05 PM.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Are sure they should be immune to slash and pierce weapons ? That way they're damn unkillable for a low level group, and in 3rd ed they didn't had these immunities.
I should have go to the Palace rather maybe ...

You need +1 weapons, which you obviously don't have that many, so go to the other direction...

[PDF]

Are sure they should be immune to slash and pierce weapons ? That way they're damn unkillable for a low level group, and in 3rd ed they didn't had these immunities.
I should have go to the Palace rather maybe ...

You need +1 weapons, which you obviously don't have that many, so go to the other direction...

Strange, Rurik with non-magical mace was able to hurt it ... Whatever, Thoqquas didn't need +1 weapons to be hit in 3rd ed /SC module, I've checked...makes them overpowered vs a 1st-lvl group imho. But you're right, no need to confront them anyway..

My other rants :
- Gobs/Kobolds should'nt have Long Comp bow, it makes no sense ! They damn remind me of the awful Kobolds in Nashkell mines (at least they don't have cheesy flame arrows !) !
- The module is a bit greedy on xp : it was done for 3E, but in 2E/BG you need to give additional XP to low level chars : don't forget that PnP rules stated that each GP was worth 1 xp, and items gave XP too ! At lowest level you got more xp from this than monster killing.
BG didn't implement this so "quest xp" along the way should be given so chars level up (for example when allying with kobolds, freeing the dragon, or killing Durn..). If you only get xp by killing gobs worth 10 xp or so, a group of 6 will need to kill 1200 of them (approx lol) to level up !
- Unless I missed stg, is there a way to sell stuff back to Oakhurst when Rurik is in the group ? Problem I got is that at start I can't buy things from him because I'm broke, then I got gold but no merchant in sight...

But overall it's a very good and faithful recreation of the famous module, I can't wait to play the others ! Kudos for this awesome work, maps are gorgeous, averything is right ! (when you think of the crappy advantures BW gave us with NWN, they should have hired some of you !).

[Jarno Mikkola]

Strange, Rurik with non-magical mace was able to hurt it ... Whatever, Thoqquas didn't need +1 weapons to be hit in 3rd ed /SC module, I've checked...makes them overpowered vs a 1st-lvl group imho. But you're right, no need to confront them anyway..

Ah, but the starting weapon Rurik has is a +1 mace... so did you miss something? And this is a 2ed game, and the monster might have been the default from the Torment.

But overall it's a very good and faithful recreation of the famous module, I can't wait to play the others ! Kudos for this awesome work, maps are gorgeous, averything is right ! (when you think of ... BW ... they should have hired some of you !).

In my oppinion, they should have hired all of them CA team... but I don't think they had that option... and left the engine the same.

Edited by Jarno Mikkola, 22 April 2009 - 04:16 AM.

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Ok, didn't look at Rurik mace and didn't imagine he had a +1 lol ! Didn't neither remember Thoqquas in PS:T, damn, getting old !
But still find them unreasonable opps , they should have been kept 3E-like to not unbalance the module !

Agreed about the engine, Infinity is the best one for me too, as it really "recreates" D&D PnP experience, the newer 3D engines don't.

[Sir BillyBob]

Thoqqua is a creature from the actual mod. I only use the animation from PST. They are immune to normal weapons.

XP is lower in many cases than the original game but I probably give out too much in some other cases. Many creatures have been revised to give out less XP, same for learning spells and thief skills. It helps to keep you from advancing too fast.

[agnar]

By the time you get to the thoqqua you should have 3-5 magic weapons, even if they're not the weapons you specialize in, and most of your party ought to be above level 1, if not all. Of course, i don't fight the thoqqua first, i tend to go do other stuff first, hit them last or nearly last.

is this a spoiler? Not sure but just in case

Spoiler

you can sell stuff to the kobold queen after you rescue the dragon mascot i think. and definitely after you take out the goblins.

[PDF]

Hmm, well, I made the dungeon in one session, and only some NPCs hit 2nd level (and only partly for multis). I admit I had some +1 weapons but I wasn't proficient in (seems you always find crap noone specializes in lol !), and the damage Thoqqua did was far above what I could withstand... and there's TWO of'em !!

Anyway I finished the SC and left the beasties. Funnily in the "final" battle by the tree no char didn't even lose 1 hp, I was quite lucky !! What was harder was to get back to town, unable to rest (always awoken by some beast), then attacked on the road by some nasty group... was quite tense, I had to use potions !

Now got the "surprise" and went to Saltmarsh, and another couple q :
* how to re-trigger Rurik dialogue for upgrading items ? It triggers first time I talk to him in his shop, but when you end with "later", it doesn't trigger again ?
* Is there a way to get Chaarna again after SC ? I take her but went to SC, she left, I found the flowers but can't find her . Is she killed in Oakhurst (sigh) ?

I love this modules more and more, really great !

[Jarno Mikkola]

These are a bit spoilerish, but I aim to make them as low spoilerish as possible... for the purpose of fun, mine.

Now got the "surprise" and went to Saltmarsh, and another couple q :
* how to re-trigger Rurik dialogue for upgrading items? It triggers first time I talk to him in his shop, but when you end with "later", it doesn't trigger again ?

Why would you answer "later"... and you can talk to him in his shop after you kick him out from the party and get the upgrates and then after the upgrate, 'let' him join again.

* Is there a way to get Chaarna again after SC ? I take her but went to SC, she left, I found the flowers but can't find her . Is she killed in Oakhurst (sigh) ?

No, you'll see her one day, after you have forgotten who she even was, later in the mod, that I can almost guarantee...

I love this modules more and more, really great!

And you are just getting started.

Edited by Jarno Mikkola, 23 April 2009 - 01:23 AM.

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Well about Rurik, I answered "later" because I did'nt had all the items and gold to upgrade anything ...
You mean I have to kick him out and take him back for that ?

[Jarno Mikkola]

Well about Rurik, I answered "later" because I did'nt had all the items and gold to upgrade anything ...
You mean I have to kick him out and take him back for that ?

You kick him out so he becomes merchant again, and you take him back if you wish to use him as a character.
Besides, I be you had one item he would mention in one or more of the dialogs, and the making is free as long as you have the item it's made from...

[PDF]

No, I had the material for armor but no gems (sold all), the Hucrece rings but no Fire prot scroll, and a +1 ring but not 20K GPs !
Not a big prob anyway...