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Cyric

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#1 -Linarius-

-Linarius-
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Posted 20 January 2014 - 01:53 AM

Well I just spent 3 hours with this encounter and want to say to the mod author... great job! This was a very refreshing role-reversal change from the usual encounters in BG2. It was very frustrating to have my ass kicked the first twenty times I tried to master it, but then of course enormously satisfying to finally beat it.

 

I have some comments about the encounter. As background, Im playing a solo fighter/thief/mage with SCS mod installed and with its various settings all configured to make the game maximally difficult. This actually pertains to my first comment, which is sort of a bug:

 

1) When the ambush cutscene piece plays itself through, when Venduris backstabs the guard... the guard did not die every time. About 1 in 4 times the guard lived, but just stood there after he got stabbed (not going hostile to the CoC characters). I believe this is because I have installed "The Bigg" option in SCS mod, where all creatures have maximum hitpoints (all their hit points rolls are maximum). So Venduris's backstab sometimes does not actually do enough damage to kill the guard. This sort of destroys the mood of the cutscene to have the guard stand there and I think it also seriously complicates the fight since any aoe I drop probably needs to avoid that guard or you take a -10 rep hit (right?). In any event it just looks bad if the guard lives but then the CoC characters continue on, talking as if he died.

 

2) I would definitely suggest, as others have, that there be an option to just hit the escape key to speed through that cutscene. The first time I saw the scene I thought it was cool, the 5th time, sure OK, but by the 20th time it was getting really annoying to have to wait another 3 minutes or whatever it is while it replayed, and I began to actually hate the scene itself. I probably spent an hour of my life watching that cutscene over and over. This fight is so hard that few people will beat it the first time so everyone will have to replay it many many times, and it really lasts too long to make people go through that again and again. I almost quit and gave up in anger (choosing the negotated wimp-out) at having to wait so much. I get that as the mod author you are proud of that cutscene (and you should be, its really good) but no matter how good it is, forcing people to experience it in full so many times just seems a little disrespectful of their own time.

 

3) Re. the items the CoC carry, I disagree with some other posts that those items are overpowered. I thought they were quite appropriately chosen, certainly less overpowered than many of the Item Upgrade mod's stuff is. Out of everything that dropped I ended up using one item for my fighter/thief/mage.

 

4) SPOILER: For anyone attempting this as a solo character here are some tips. First, for me the key to winning this fight was choosing the right chain contingency, contingency, spell triggers, etc. I was totally unable to beat the CoC encounter as a solo character using my usual setup for those things. I just got creamed in 2 rounds tops. What finally worked for my character was a chain contingency of 3 Incindiary Clouds and a Contingency of Protection from Fire (and with native 70% Fire resistance from items to start with). And with a Sequencer that included stoneskin and teleport field. Then I stood just on the edge of the fire cloud (moving away from the casters so they were actually out of range if unless they stood in the cloud too, which they didnt like to). Being on the edge meant I could move into and out of it at will. I needed to do this because with all the dispelling that was being done on my character I could not keep the Protection from Fire buff up (not to mention stoneskin, etc). So I would have to move out of the cloud when it got dispelled, then re-cast it, then move back in. All the while trying to keep stoneskin up and cast other offensive spells, and prevent the priest from casting zone of sweet air. Time stop was a huge help if I could actually get the cast off. Even with this strategy (the best I came up with) the success rate was only 50/50. It depended a lot on whether a successful dispel hit my character right when Venduris and friends were pounding on me. The teleport field was a huge help in keeping me safe but they still hit you. The most dangerous was the archer, Bodak, since he eats through your stoneskin and the incindary cloud does not stop him as it does the spell casters. My triggers and sequencers were all defensive buffs, so those helped there. Yea, from an RP point of view its not ideal that I had to set a custom chain contingency (especially one as insane as dropping three incindiary clouds in downtown Athkatla) but, I couldnt beat the CoC guys without it.

 

All in all, really great encounter! And refreshingly different. Great job.



#2 Daulmakan

Daulmakan

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Posted 20 January 2014 - 02:23 PM

2) I would definitely suggest, as others have, that there be an option to just hit the escape key to speed through that cutscene. The first time I saw the scene I thought it was cool, the 5th time, sure OK, but by the 20th time it was getting really annoying to have to wait another 3 minutes or whatever it is while it replayed, and I began to actually hate the scene itself. I probably spent an hour of my life watching that cutscene over and over. This fight is so hard that few people will beat it the first time so everyone will have to replay it many many times, and it really lasts too long to make people go through that again and again. I almost quit and gave up in anger (choosing the negotated wimp-out) at having to wait so much. I get that as the mod author you are proud of that cutscene (and you should be, its really good) but no matter how good it is, forcing people to experience it in full so many times just seems a little disrespectful of their own time.
Just before the fight starts, the mod makes the game autosave in the 'Final Save' slot, so you only need to reload that one if you get beaten and do not wish to see the cutscene again.

item_pack.jpg   Drows.jpg

 


#3 -Linarius-

-Linarius-
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Posted 20 January 2014 - 03:08 PM

Yes TY, I did use auto-saves sometimes but the fight was so hard I had to constantly try different strategies. Which for my solo character involved trying out a whole different setup of contingencies and triggers for new attempts. So the auto saves are not that helpful... At least to a solo character.

I am glad I persevered and finally beat the CoC guys though...its a really great encounter and well done.

#4 Wisp

Wisp
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Posted 25 January 2014 - 04:07 AM

1) When the ambush cutscene piece plays itself through, when Venduris backstabs the guard... the guard did not die every time. About 1 in 4 times the guard lived, but just stood there after he got stabbed (not going hostile to the CoC characters). I believe this is because I have installed "The Bigg" option in SCS mod, where all creatures have maximum hitpoints (all their hit points rolls are maximum). So Venduris's backstab sometimes does not actually do enough damage to kill the guard. This sort of destroys the mood of the cutscene to have the guard stand there and I think it also seriously complicates the fight since any aoe I drop probably needs to avoid that guard or you take a -10 rep hit (right?). In any event it just looks bad if the guard lives but then the CoC characters continue on, talking as if he died.
Okay. I'll see what I can do to make sure the guard dies.
 
2) I would definitely suggest, as others have, that there be an option to just hit the escape key to speed through that cutscene. The first time I saw the scene I thought it was cool, the 5th time, sure OK, but by the 20th time it was getting really annoying to have to wait another 3 minutes or whatever it is while it replayed, and I began to actually hate the scene itself. I probably spent an hour of my life watching that cutscene over and over. This fight is so hard that few people will beat it the first time so everyone will have to replay it many many times, and it really lasts too long to make people go through that again and again. I almost quit and gave up in anger (choosing the negotated wimp-out) at having to wait so much. I get that as the mod author you are proud of that cutscene (and you should be, its really good) but no matter how good it is, forcing people to experience it in full so many times just seems a little disrespectful of their own time.
Fast-forwarding through cut-scenes or skipping them altogether is not supported by the engine.