[twillight]

Considered installing Arcanum, but by the reviews it is proceduraly generated fetchquests upon fetchquests, so why bother.


Tried installing Nox, I even got to the character "creation" (you can only adjust cosmetics), but did not let me past that screen. So gave up.


Played Bladur's Gate: Dark Alliance. Also tried the second one, but that is obviously a very weak addition, so skip that.
It's... fine. One of those big-character 3D daiblo-clones. So not too action-heavy, and feels... Polish.
It's an ok game though, but has some very problematic balance issue.


One: the wizard is waaay too powerful. Ye, sure, there are immunities, on very little amount of creatures, who cares. It's Forzen Orb everything, and Fireball the Final Boss. You don't need to use tricks and stuff. Early game it is either magic missle, or that other spell. You'll have way too many skillpoints anyway. And yur skill-order, if you care, depends on what order you buy your first points in spells, so it won't couse real trouble for you.
Even on hard difficulty this character is way too overpowered.


Archer is ... Well, the problem is obvious when you play: you get bow a bit into the story, and especialy on hard difficulty, that'll be problem. Otherwise it's kinda the same as the wizard.


Warrior is what's in real trouble. Sure, has a healthy amount of HP and all, but there are certain enemies which oneshot you anyway, and takes forever to be delt with because os their amount of exp.
In those cases you must run around for hours, trying to abuse the pathfinding routine to hit the enemy from behind. A nightmare. And boring. Its special skills are also kinda lackluster.


The game mode you get Drizzt as character is way too hard in the PC-version, but you can circumwent that problem pausing the game, and switching character from the set-for-the-mode character to one of your save files. That makes the thing ridivulously easy of course.


Once again started playing Baldur's Gate EE 1-2-ToB, this is the second time I reached to Amelyssan with poverty socrerer - this means I don't use any item during my playthrough. Managed to determine what spells are absolutely necessary for such restrictions. Here is the list by level:


symbols: "*": necessary "#" recommended "&" optional


slvl 1
* familiar (Cat is the best stealther, or consider Imp for its Polymoprh Self)
* Magic Missile (you need to do damage after all)
# Protection from Evil (summoned dmeons are very problematic)
& Identify (mostly for RPG reasons to identify and use the Tomes in BG1, identified items also mean more gold)
5th
slvl2
* Mirror Image (your first true defensive spell, and you have slots to afford it, no questions asked)

* Web (it'll help immensly at the Dukes)
# Knock (you absolutely need this to get the Tomes, and especialy in BG2 a lot of quests can not be completed without)
# Resist Fear (also rmeoves fear, if you Planetar fails its check, not to mention easy accomplishment for that Tear of Baal)
# Melf's Acidic Arrow (you better have this to deal with Desert Trolls, but those are only optional in WK lvl 2, and can be abandoned easily at Yaga Shura's Lair)
slvl 3
* Melf's Minute Meteors (it scales well, last until used up, and will be your prime damag source for BG1)
* Skull Trap (in EE it doesn't even have problem with casting range)
*(!) Invisibility 10' radius (against Sarevok in BG1 you'll need a source of invisibility. This is the easiest solution, but if you pick this, you'll also have to pick Spider Spawn (or loose a familiar))
4th
5th
slvl 4
*(!) Polymorph Self (this spell is needed against Sarevok in BG1. You won't have to learn this if your alignment is Lawful Evil, aka. imp is your familiar)
*(!) Spider Spawn (definitely a great spell, but you only need to pick it in BG1 if you picked Invisibility 10' radius. Might be entirely optional in BG2)
* Improved Invisibility (this is a spell-redundancy if you have Invisibility 10' radius, but even then I recommend it, as it combines Shield with Invisibility. Potential source for invisibility in BG1)
* Stone Skin (you want to pick this up in BG2 as soon as possible. You won't be able to afford it in BG1)
5th: my suggestion is either Minor Spell Sequencer (which you might end up not using at all), or Greater Malison if that ifts your style/can effect Amelyssan.
slvl 5
* Sunfire (yes, it's that good damage spell. You'll stop eventualy using it though)
* Protection from electricity (must have against Abazigail)
* Protection from acid (must have against Draconis)
# Animate Dead (you might get without this, but it's a gamechanger agaoinst spellcasters, strongly recommended)
# Cloudkill (it's a convenient spell to have for a while, but you'll stop using it once you get Abi Dhalzim. Without this you might have to give up, or seriously delay time-denedent quests, like Mae'Var's guild, but that's affordable)
? Spell Immunity (someone said, it might be a must against Amelyssan. Will have to test this)
slvl 6
* Death Spell (it's not just way to convenient to pass on, but without this, saving Phaere will be a strong headache)
* Protection from magic weapons (you'll need this aganst The Ravager)
* Improved Haste (the 3rd Pocket Challange demands this)

# True Sight (the Planetar sees the invisible, still, nice to have this running)
& Protection from magic energy (you are too tired to think? Cast this, and turn into the Slayer! It'll kill everything up to Dorn Il Khan, maybe even useful against Sendai! Definitely not against Draconis/Abazigail and after, but until...)
slvl 7
*Mordekainen's Sword (an almost invulnerable summon is must have)
#(!) Spell Sequencer (you'll definitely need this if you don't use Simulacrum to help you out against The Ravager)
# Limited Wish (it's nice for roleplaying, gives extra exp through various means, and provides 2 other spell: Negative Plane Protection and Minor Globe of Invulnerability - neither are absolute must, but nice to have the option)
# khelben's warding whip (I think I only used this once, against Sendai's Final Form until now. I might be mistaken, and not used it at all)
& Stone to Flesh (roleplaying spell for certain quests. If you don't want this, switch it to Project Image (it's barely interresting under EE as far as I can tell))

slvl 8
* Piercing Shield (you'll need this to be able to do anything against Blathazar/The Ravager/Amelyssan)
* Abi Dhalzim's Horrid Whilting

# Simularcum (it's fine if you can handle the micromanagment)
4th (I suggest Spell Trigger)
slvl 9
* Time Stop (against Yaga Sura, Draconis, and more, you'll be glad to have this)
* Chain Contignency (this is a very strong option to have. Absolutely needed in optional areas like WK Compass Level, also against such mandatory opponents as The Ravager)
* Wish (to recharge at Amelyssan)
4th