Greetings and a tentative First Playthrough Party.

Discussion in 'The Temple of Elemental Evil' started by Quandari, Oct 20, 2017.

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  1. Quandari

    Quandari Member

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    Greetings to all and much appreciation to all the C08 developers and helpful posts from community.
    My experience so far of Computer Gaming of this genre has been limited to the Baldur's Gate Series and Neverwinter Nights so it will be a challenge to deal with the high-level combat tactics featured in ToEE.

    To cut to the chase, here is the party of five I am going to start off with. All legitimate rolls but 90+pts for each PC. With starting class, weapons and proposed 10th Level Class-Splits and Stats.

    1) Magnus III ~~ NG-Human Cleric of Heironeus-Good and War Domains, Cleric 10, Initiative, Spell Penetrate , Brew Potion, Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Arms and Armor. Heavy Mace or Long Spear, Sling [17*-14-16-14-17*-14]

    2) Gorlac Dobrynyi V ~~ CG-Half-Orc Fighter, Fighter 8 Barbarian 2, Power Attack, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Whirlwind, Glaive and Scather [20*-14-16-14-15-12] Note-Uncanny Dodge

    3) James O'Carolan ~~ TN Dwarf Barbarian, Wizard 8 Barbarian 2, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Spell Penetration, Craft Wondrous Items, Craft Arms and Armor, Heavy Crossbow Longsword [14 18 20 17* 14 10]
    Note: Uncanny Dodge and 66HP

    4) Gabrielle de Marseilles ~~ [Male] NG Elven Rogue, Rogue 5 Fighter 4, Wiz1 [Archer-build, Party-Leader, Meleny suitor] Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Inititative, Rapid Shot, Weapon Focus-Composite Longbow, Weapon Specialization, Combat Reflexes, Longbow and Rapier? [17* 20 15* 16 10 16] Note: Evasion, Uncanny Dodge

    5) Jambar Dobrynyi ~~ NG Half-Orc Barbarian, Cleric4 [Obad-Hai /Plant, Fire Domains] Fighter 4 Barbrn 2
    Longsword, Greatsword, Scather-Alt, Initiative, Power Attack, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Combat Expertise, Improved Trip [20 14 1614 16 8] Note-Uncanny Dodge

    More later----Library is closing. Cheers
     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2017
  2. sigofmugmort

    sigofmugmort Established Member Supporter

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    keep in mind your dwarf will suffer an XP penalty for the level difference for wizard/barbarian
     
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  3. ConjurerDragon

    ConjurerDragon Established Member Supporter

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    When this is your first game, what are you going to play? Pure ToEE? Co8? Co8 with New content?

    In ToeE reach weapons are better than the normal rules would allow (they give an Attack of Opportunity when an opponent approaches or passes, can still be used in close combat and with a 5 foot step after your attack you are prepared for another AoO when your opponenet closes the distance again).
     
  4. Quandari

    Quandari Member

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    Ooops!! So now my Wizard will start as a Human-Fighter for extra feats, taking Point-Blank, Precise Shot and Spell Focus: Enchantment at Level 1 finishing Wiz 8 F2. Feats in order: Initiative, Spell Penetration, Empower Spell, Craft Wondrous Items, Craft Magic Arms and Armor...
    Also new stats: 16-17-16-18**-15-12

    Magnus, Cleric of Heironeus has also been re-rolled and now starts with Initiative, Spell Focus: Necromancy [16-15-18-16-17*-13*] adding Extend Spell, Craft Wondrous Items, Craft Arms and Armor. Heavy Mace.

    ......................................................................................................................

    @Conjuror Dragon: Planning to complete all areas before Temple with Original Game and then gear-up with Co8 and perhaps Temple+.

    In ToeE reach weapons are better than the normal rules would allow (they give an Attack of Opportunity when an opponent approaches or passes, can still be used in close combat and with a 5 foot step after your attack you are prepared for another AoO when your opponenet closes the distance again).[/QUOTE]

    Check! So I will gear-up Party-Leader Gabrielle with Ranseur instead of Rapier/Longsword for her Melee Weapon. Gorlac, the Half-Orc is already aiming for a Glaive, wherever it may turn up.

    Also planning to abandon the single level of Wizard for Scribe Scroll because I cannot see getting more than Spellcraft 10+ 3Int. = 13. That could be boosted with Fox's Cunning I suppose but it seems kinda iffy for the purpose of effectively relieving some of the XP drain on my Crafter-Mage ~ and will cost 1 BAB. ?????

    Considering re-rolling Gabrielle as a Human R6-F4 which would get +1 to Fortitude, Reflex and Will Saves from R6 but I really like the Auto-Search feature of Elves for a First Playthrough. And then, of course, there is the whole Dex 20 thing... Mmmmmm.

    ............................................................................................

    So that has lead to a major re-think on my 5th Party-member, The Super-Tank Fighter-Cleric-Barbarian. Re-rolled now as a Human Female Neutral Druid. [Which means I will be leaving Meleny for a future playthrough. Elmo and a bit of Furnok should be more than enough of the NPCs for starters!]

    5)Siondha Galen - Druid 6 Fighter 2 Ranger 2 , with Feats in order: (Lvl1) Spell Focus: Conjure, Augment Summons, (Lvl2)Point-blank, (Lvl3)Precise Shot, (Lvl5)Rapid Shot, (Lvl6)Brew Potion, (Lvl7)Combat Reflexes, (Lvl9) Scribe Scroll [Stats: 17*-17*-18-15-16-12] Longbow and Longspear, which hopefully is a Reach Weapon.

    Well, that is enough for now. The game awaits and I feel like I have a pretty solid line-up that will help me summon the patience to figure out the whole combat thing with Hot Keys and the wide range of choices in Actions and Attacks.

    Somebody ought to start an Uber-GameMasters business where you can hire someone to walk you through start-ups. Might be a thing!!

    Thanks!
     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2017
  5. sirchet

    sirchet Force for Goodness Moderator Supporter

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    Hi Quandari,

    I’ve found Temple+ to add only quality of life type extras to the game and not additional content, (except for some amazing new classes to play).

    I personally recommend using Temple+ even with your first run through.
     
  6. Gehennis

    Gehennis Established Member

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    I've not really played the game since the 8.1 update and haven't tried Temple+- but with that said why take Brew Potion? Not trying to spoil anything for you if this is your first time playing this game but I think you'll come to realize something about that particular feat...
     
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  7. sigofmugmort

    sigofmugmort Established Member Supporter

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    I agree with sirchet, the game, even with the 3 patches is still very crash happy and corrupts the saved games a lot.

    temple+ fixes these
     
  8. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

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    Definitely don't play vanilla ToEE ... with most modded games you can choose to do that with few repercussions, but ToEE is almost unplayable in its native state, at least in terms of reliability. You might get through it, but you'll be taking your chances the whole way.

    Co8's original mission was simply to make the game playable, not necessarily better.
     
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  9. Quandari

    Quandari Member

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    OK, point taken, Brew Potion is certainly one I have wondered about, especially as a late-game feat.

    I have reset Siondha to be Druid 6 Fighter 2 Barbarian 2, dropping Rapid Shot but keeping Point-Blank, Precise Shot, Spell Focus-Conjure, Augment Summons, Initiative, Combat Reflexes and adding Craft Arms and Armor. And also taking Druid at Lvl 1 for Longspear and Scimitar. [Also maybe dropping the Ranged Weapon feats altogether and opting for Extend Spell, Combat Expertise]. Choices, choices, choices!!!

    Re Gabrielle, my Party Leader, I have more confidence now about Scribe Scroll with Wiz1 and @10 Spellcraft. Fox's Cunning +2, Guidance +1, Heroism +2, UMD Synergy +2, Intel Mod +3 should be more than enough!!!

    Which leads to another look at my original 5th Party Member option, the Half-Orc Fighter-Cleric-Barbarian with Plant-Fire Domain [Enabling Entangle and Barkskin] Plus revisiting the option of travelling with the Newly-wed Druid, Meleny, who seems to be a popular NPC even with her Strength and Intelligence stats being so unpromising. Hmmmm!

    So I will definitely go ahead with patches, Co8 and Temple+, per your recommendations. Thanks for your encouragement. Amazing that folks realized that there was enough worth saving in the original ToEE bug-fest because of the in-depth combat tactics and adherence to D&D 3.5ed. ~ to do the astonishing amount of work that Co8 must represent.

    Gamers Rock!!
     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2017
  10. Allyx

    Allyx Master Crafter Global Moderator Supporter

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    Yep, and perhaps one day soon we'll have finished converting Icewind Dale to the ToEE engine to play that beast in a tactical, turn based manner. :D
     
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  11. sirchet

    sirchet Force for Goodness Moderator Supporter

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    Allyx, that is something many of us are eagerly awaiting. :D
     
  12. Gehennis

    Gehennis Established Member

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    Indeed, Co8 has done an amazing job with this game. When I first played it out of the box upon its release the furthest I could get would be the Hedrack fight before the game consistently crashed. I didn't touch it again for years until found this site. Hats off to all who have contributed and worked on TOEE- with the resurgence of some classic games I wonder why no one has ever revisited the SSI Gold Box games, as well as TOEE, Icewind Dale, Baulder's Gate, Planescape: Torment, etc....
     
  13. Allyx

    Allyx Master Crafter Global Moderator Supporter

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    Baldurs Gate 1 & 2, Icewind Dale, Planescape: Torment have been made into Enhanced Editions (EE) by Beamdog. Dungeons and Dragons in general is experiencing something of a resurgence, Pathfinder and 5th Edition D&D in particular, but other tabletop systems are also seeing a surge in popularity.

    Game session streaming groups like Critical Role and Dicestromers seem to enjoy good viewing figures on thier videos.

    It is good to see that a number of decent software packages for playing roleplaying games with groups over the internet have been produced to a good standard, though most seem to be overpriced in my opinion.

    Maptool and the various other RPGtools products are free, somewhat complicated to get to grips with until you've watched some tutorial videos, but are functional if a little glitchy at times.

    Roll20, D20Pro, and Fantasy Grounds all require either a one time payment or subscription to use the services. D20 Pro and Roll20 are on a subscription based payment plan.

    Fantasy Grounds has requires a one time payment for Players, or DM's, Players who upgrade to DM pay only the difference, and selected players can play your games for free I had trouble configuring the required port to use it online.
     
    Last edited: Nov 6, 2017
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  14. Quandari

    Quandari Member

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    I decided to restart ~ with my Wizard build at Lvl 10 being Druid 1[start] Wiz 8 Fighter 1 Human. This should allow scribing of Lvl 2 Druid Scrolls from Meleny in the early game. Will be necessary to boost her Intel to 11 at level 4, and take a Rogue Level and Wizard level so that she has UMD and Scribe Scroll. This of course assumes that I can remove Meleny from Party when she hits Level 5-6.

    Later on I understand that there is a very good Druid you can recruit if desired but only if you have a Druid already in the party, so hopefully that will be an option.

    Then I will fall back on the Half Orc Fighter 4 -Cleric 4 - Brbrn 2 concept for 5th Party member.
     
  15. Allyx

    Allyx Master Crafter Global Moderator Supporter

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    Selecting True Neutral as your party alignment will also allow you to recruit Kella - the Druid you speak of.

    Are you planning to just play through the standard content and limiting your level progression to just 10 levels? Or are you also going to be playing through the additional Co8 content too with the level cap removed? Most people here easilly hit 17th level by the time all the new content has been completed.
     
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