taking on Twisted Rune in Chapter 2

[Lemernis]

Well, I have done it before with SCSII several times, but this time I don't seem to be able to make much headway with the Twisted Rune in Chapter 2, much less get the win. Just curious what suggestions you might have about how to tackle this... or whether you'd consider it even feasible.

 

Party:

 

multiclass Kensai 11-Mage 12

Ariena - Pit Fighter 12

Viconia - Fighter 11-Cleric 11

Nalia - Thief 16

Kelsey - Sorcerer 13

Kido - Jester 15

 

I have set 4 traps set to take care of Leyenne. Removing her from the fight certainly helps.

 

I keep the non-melee characters out of harms way in the entrance vestibule--though that doesn't help them if Shangalar casts Horrid Wilting back there.

 

The party is equipped with non-enchanted +2 and +1 weapons to be able to hit those who are protected by PfMW.

 

When Shangalar appears I cast Pierce Magic and Breach on right him after he casts Contingency, Spell Trigger, etc.

 

I send Ariena out with the Shield of Balduran to try to distract the beholder (though he usually ignores her and directs his attacks at other party members than her). Ariena is protected for a little while from the vampire by her special barbarian rage ability. Every so often I can get lucky and the beholder will petrify himself via the magical shield.

 

I don't bother to buff before the battle: no point, Shangalar will dispell those. I just use oils of speed, and if I'm lucky I might be able to gulp down a couple other potions here and there.

 

Shangalar casts Mislead, and I'm able to dispell that with True Sight.

 

The main problem is that Shangalar's three successive Time Stops are just too much. I can often survive most of what he doles out. I'll use a wand of resurrection sometimes if necessary. But as mentioned he keeps repeatedly dispelling buffs such as Chaotic Commands; and he then invariably casts Horrid Wilting or Symbol: Stun. I don't have any items that protect against being stunned, specifically (domination, charm, feat, confusion, yes--but not stun).

 

Any ideas?

[AzureDrag0n1]

Personally I think you are too low level. It is doable but is such a nightmare to plan. It took my 8 hours of reloading and planning to beat them and my party was slightly higher level than yours. Seriously, I am not doing that again.

[Lemernis]

Yeah, I moved on. I'll have give it a go after the Underdark.

 

I wonder how in the world I accomplished this in the past. I've managed it several games in chapter 2 (i.e., with SCSII installed) but it ain't happenin' this time.

 

With BGT installed can I return to Athkatla in ToB? I'm assuming Athkatla will be on the BGT worldmap. Facing SCSII's Kangaxx and the Twisted Rune at that stage in the game would be ideal if BGT will let me.

[Demivrgvs]

Well, I have done it before with SCSII several times, but this time I don't seem to be able to make much headway with the Twisted Rune in Chapter 2, much less get the win. ...

Personally I think you are too low level. It is doable but is such a nightmare to plan. It took my 8 hours of reloading and planning to beat them and my party was slightly higher level than yours. Seriously, I am not doing that again.

God bless DavidW!!

[Leomar]

With BGT installed can I return to Athkatla in ToB? I'm assuming Athkatla will be on the BGT worldmap. Facing SCSII's Kangaxx and the Twisted Rune at that stage in the game would be ideal if BGT will let me.

Normally not. With BGT you can at first play BG1 with ToSC, then you get the BGT transition to BG2, you can play BG2 and after the next transition you can play ToB only. No way to go back.

 

 

David, sorry for my English, but I've a question about a sentence which you wrote for the following SCSII component:

 

Make Watchers' Keep accessible between SoA and ToB

This component moves the start location of Throne of Bhaal to Watchers' Keep, so that you're moved there immediately after the end of SoA. You can then explore WK to your heart's content. When you want to start ToB, just leave WK via the world map. You can still return to WK after leaving, and you can still explore it in SoA if you prefer to.

If I install this component and finished SoA, then I'm in WK. I can leave it to begin ToB. What do you mean with the bolted last sentence? Is there a possibility to go back to SoA?

 

Greetings Leomar

[Jarno Mikkola]

If I install this component and finished SoA, then I'm in WK. I can leave it to begin ToB. What do you mean with the bolted last sentence? Is there a possibility to go back to SoA?

No, you can do the WK either in SoA or ToB, but you won't be able to travel back to Athkatla if you have already started the ToB... or so my mind would tell me.

[Leomar]

If I install this component and finished SoA, then I'm in WK. I can leave it to begin ToB. What do you mean with the bolted last sentence? Is there a possibility to go back to SoA?

No, you can do the WK either in SoA or ToB, but you won't be able to travel back to Athkatla if you have already started the ToB... or so my mind would tell me.

All right, the readme confuses me a little bit because of the last sentence. So, if I install this component and have finished SoA, I'm get transitioned to WK and can explore it. If I leave WK I get to the beginning of ToB only.

 

Greetings Leomar

[Saros]

I remember winning that fight with a mixed Tactics/SCS II install with a solo 12-th level Invoker, but the method so reeks of cheese that I will not describe it. However, some thoughts:

 

It's good that you eliminated Layene. Vexaal can be also taken out quickly in the start of the fight via multiple Skull Traps. Invest in buying all Skull Trap scrolls, and use all of your 3-rd level spell slots to memorize and set as many as possible at the spawning point of Vexaal. I don't remember if it's a Tactics component or SCS II component which spawns multiple Rune Assassins - but even if it's SCS II one, the traps can still be set in such a fasion that Vexaal would die.

 

Shangalar is your biggest threat, no doubt there. My advice is: take only the needed number of characters for this fight, temporarily disband all which you can, and protect the fighting characters via proUndead scrolls. This in SCS doesn't mean instant victory, but it surely helps a lot.