The following
is a basic walkthrough for the Throne Of Bhaal Expansion for Baldur’s
Gate II. It is not however a walkthrough for the original game. It does
not include the Watcher’s Keep quest that comes extra with Throne Of
Bhaal as, although it is a valuable resource for fantastic weapons,
it is not essential to completing the story – and if you are truly a
hardy adventurer you will have completed it anyway from the Shadows
Of Amn side of the epic quest (it is accessible from both once Throne
Of Bhaal is installed). Also, as a basic walkthrough, there are many
side quests and sub-plots that are omitted, instead this Player’s Guide
concentrates on the basics of the game, and the most direct route to
completing the main plotline. There are also tips on how to beat the
major bad guys at the end of the chapters.
At the
end of this guide are also three extra sections explaining some, but
certainly not all, of the new Spells, Items and Characters that appear
in this extension. I have made a conscious decision to include the ones
that I personally find the most sexy, so my opinion may differ from
your own.
A WORD
OF WARNING: This document contains spoilers, so don’t read it if
you don’t wish to ruin the ending of either the extension, the original
Shadow Of Amn, or even the first Baldur’s Gate game.
KEY:
TOB = Throne
Of Bhaal
SOA = Shadows
Of Amn
Level
Guide
Throne
Of Bhaal takes up where Shadows Of Amn left off, and should really be
considered Chapters 8-10 (SOA finishing when you have defeated Jon Irenicus,
and your characters escaping from Hell to live again).
You can
play the expansion in one of two ways. Either import your generated
character from SOA, in which case your EXP is raised to 2,500,000, and
you are given a very well stocked Bag of Holding (to add to the items
you were carrying at the end of the last chapter). Or you can create
a new character, who will be raised to 2,500,000 EXP and a Bag of Holding
(containing Magical Weapons and Equipment). Take some time to equip
yourself thoroughly and then you’re ready to talk to the Gods that surround
you and start the new adventure.
Chapter
8: The Siege Of Saradush
Objectives:
Defeat Illasera, Restore Sarevok, Escape the Pocket Plane, Kill Yaga-Shura
THE
SPIRIT GROVE: You start the Chapter in the Spirit Grove where you
can talk to the heads that are around you. Once there are done with
their mystic ramblings you are transported to another area of the Grove
and are plunged into a battle almost immediately…
Illasera
is a Minor Mageling and she will attack you after revealing that she
is a Child of Bhaal much like yourself. Once taken out, you gain 10,000
EXP and her corpse gives up Boots of Speed, Dagger +2, 2 Extra
Healing Potions, Ring of Protection +1 and Sylvan Chain +2. Now
you will collapse ready to awaken in Hell.
THE
POCKET PLANE: Whilst is here you should do a few things; Talk to
the Solar who wakes you (who will reveal next to nothing apart from
the fact that her servant was Alaundo, and that he might know more about
the prophecy and your powers); Talk to Sarevok, who will only reveal
more about your quest if you give him what he wants – a piece of your
soul. Alternatively, if you have Imoen with you she can do this for
him instead.
Once Sarevok
is alive again he will give you some clues that you need, and even offer
to join your party (see New Characters at the end of this guide). The
most essential piece of this information, for now, is that you make
your way to Saradush, where all things will begin.
Next, summon
a party if you do not already have one together. There are statues of
former Characters on each side of the Planar Exit, and once you have
talked to the Spirit, you can summon which members you require (remember
to balance the party well, and if you are taking Sarevok with you, remember
that he’s still Chaotic Evil in Alignment).
Also on
this level is Cespenar, your butler, who can forge weaponry much like
Cromwell did in SOA (for a full list of what he can make, and where
the items used can be found, see the New items/Weapons list at the end
of this guide).
Before
you can leave this plane though you will have to face a ‘challenge’
as fortold by Sarevok. This is set by Gavid, a BhaalSpawn who died before
learning his heritage. As he ‘dies’ you are attacked by an ever increasingly
difficult band of monsters. If you are of an Evil Alignment the monsters
will be Good guys, and if you are Good, these guys will all be Evil
(ending in Drow, so it can get really tough). After this battle (and
another bit of rambling from a reappearing Gavid) the whole party receives
25,000 EXP, while your main Character gets 30,000 EXP
and the Pocket Plane ability. Now it’s time to move on…
SARADUSH:
As soon as you arrive here you will be treated as hostile by the authorities.
They will attack your party and once defeated you get to talk to Mellisan.
She will explain that the City is under attack by a BhaalSpawn called
Yaga-Shura, and the City itself is under the rule of Gromnir, another
BhaalSpawn, who is quite mad. You should agree to deal with Gromnir
for her, and set about wandering the City looking for a way into the
Castle Saradush.
There are
three people with which you should talk to get into the castle. Firstly,
there is a Harlot outside of Countess Santele’s house who also wishes
Gromnir dead (he killed her parents), so talk to her and she’ll inform
you that there’s a chance that you can get into the castle through an
old underground prison. Then talk to Pygram Aleson in the Tavern, who
will tell you to go to Sister Farielle in the Temple of Waukeen (after
you have paid him some of your accumulated wealth). Finally, talk to
Sister Farielle at the Temple and she’ll give you a Prison Key and tell
you how to get inside (this won’t work if you’re of Evil Alignment).
Indeed,
if you are of Evil Alignment, another way to get into the prison is
to talk to Pletje in the Tavern. He will tell you a tale of Vampires
that are hiding in the old Prison, and masquerading as ‘Courtesans’
to lure unsuspecting ‘food’ to them. The Courtesans appear in the bar
at night, and you can accept the invitation to follow them. Unfortunately
this will mean only yourself will enter a Prison where there are hoards
of Vampires waiting for you. There is a simple way to beat them… run!
Exit the door behind, find your party and now you’ll find that the door
leading inside is unlocked. You’ll still have to face the Vampires,
but with your entire party it should be okay.
Throughout
the prison (no matter which way you got in) you will have to face a
plethora of Vampires, and the apparition of an old man. If you follow
him and accept all his clues, he will be laid to rest and eventually
your reward will be the Bronze Ioun Stone, so it is actually worth it
(although not essential to the plot). The last door in the prison you
will come to contains Phlydian (the Vampire leader of this nest) and
her kin. It will be a hard battle (these darn vampires always are) so
make sure you’re prepared before walking in. Once defeated you will
have entered the underneath levels of the castle.
Here you
will encounter Asmay Jahag, another BhaalSpawn, and he warns you that
the whole next area is booby trapped with many patrols around the cells
further on – he’s not lying. It is worth taking some time out to release
the prisoners (although you should be doubly careful of Invisible Thieves
as part of the patrols), as each prisoner set free will net you a reputation
point. Now all you have to worry about are the Elite Troops at the entrance
to the castle basement. Once defeated you can enter the castle properly.
Another
way to get into the castle is through the sewers, using a key that can
be found in Gromnir’s barracks in the City. But they can be confusing,
with truly difficult enemies at times. Also they have four exits, with
only one leading to the castle, so I advise the prison route (if only
for a better stash of magical items).
On the
first floor of the castle you’ll encounter Il-Khan Soldiers and an Il-Khan
Battle Mage. Take the Mage out first, if you can, and mop up the soldiers
afterwards, as he will use the Spell Trigger and Time Stop, plus the
archers in the soldiers’ ranks will use the ability ‘Called Shot’ for
better aim.
At this
point it is handy to note that you can use the Pocket Plane to rest,
restock and recuperate spells, because you’ll need to as on the second
floor of the castle you meet Gromnir face-to-face. He is flanked by
a Battle Mage and Karun the Black (another BhaalSpawn), so make sure
you are ready to use multiple ranged attacks (to distract any Spell
casting). Berena Elkan and Eler Had will soon make mincemeat of your
spellcasters if you let them anywhere near, so cover them adequately
and summon as many allies as you can to soak up the attacks. Expect
the spells Time Stop, Symbol Stun and Death Spell amongst others – it
will be a tough battle.
After the
battle Melissan will appear again and will ask you to kill Yaga-Shura
the Fire Giant. Unfortunately he is invulnerable to attack, so you will
have to find out the cause of his invicibility before you can take him
on. The Forest of Mir and his own dedicated Temple in the Marching Mountains
may have the answers. So travel back to the Pocket Plane to restock,
etc. and you will find that now you can choose where to go when exiting
again (also, check with Cespenar which items you can upgrade).
NORTH
FOREST: The Pocket Plane transports you here, straight into a battle
between Yaga-Shura’s soldiers and some merchants. Once you have defeated
the soldiers, Karthis Al-Hezzar – one of the merchants - offers his
thanks (along with a monetary and reputation point reward) and tells
you all about the Forest Glade (which was once a Temple of Bhaal). You
can decide to hunt for more enemies or treasure, or go straight to the
Forest of Mir Temple (alternatively you can also visit the Watcher’s
Keep level from here – if you didn’t already complete it whilst playing
SOA with the expansion pack).
FOREST
OF MIR – THE TEMPLE: The first person you’ll meet on the path to
the temple is, surprise, surprise, your ‘father’ and mentor Gorion.
Unfortunately he has not risen from the dead but is a deception cast
by a Master Wraith who, combined with his allies, makes a very tough
opponent indeed. Cast many a protection spell (such as Negative Plane
Protection and Protection from Evil), and use Sunray as it is a superb
Spell against the undead. Once defeated enter the Temple proper.
Inside,
you will be mistaken for Bhaal himself by a Skeleton Cleric, but this
will be rectified and a swarm of undead will attack you. Concentrate
on the Cleric though, as he’s by far the most dangerous here, and when
you have won progress upstairs.
Up here
you encounter Nyalee, The Witch of the Glade, and she is willing to
help you defeat Yaga-Shura as he has betrayed her. His invincibility
lies in the secret that he removes his heart and bathes it in magical
flames. He has also stolen her heart, so before you can defeat him you
will have to return both hearts to her as she is the only one with the
magical know-how to extinguish the magical flames. She sends you to
the Temple in the Marching Mountains where she suspects they are both
held.
MARCHING
MOUNTAINS: As soon as you arrive in the Mountains, you should explore
the entire map, killing off all the Fire Giants you encounter. They
travel in pairs, so draw them to you and pick them off without the danger
of coaxing more of them out of the wilderness. Also, in the northwest
corner are a group of BhaalSpawn who are no match for your party (by
now) and they will turn and flee. Try to catch them and kill them off
if you can, but it’s not too important.
Yaga-Shura’s
lair is mainly populated with Fire Giants, so make sure you are well
prepared with Ice-based Spells and Fire Protections, then wade right
in. You will have a large encounter with some Fire Giants immediately,
and don’t move about the map too much as you’ll keep drawing more and
more monsters into the melee, and eventually be overwhelmed. Also watch
out for the Lava Pit in the centre of the floor. To exit the level you’ll
have to proceed up to level three, as level two is barred by magical
doors.
When you
reach the third floor you will see a peculiar machine in the centre
of the room. Inspect it and you will find out that it is the source
of power for the magically sealed entrance to Yaga-Shura’s inner sanctum.
On it are four symbols; a Hammer; a Skull, Blood and a Flame. Go up
the steps to the left (after inspecting them for traps – in fact, most
of the game involves this, so take it as read from now on, and the best
way to do it is with an invisible Thief). Inside this room will be a
container which, when opened, will release a swathe of Fire Trolls and
Fire Salamanders, and once defeated you will be given a few goodies
plus the essential Hammer Wardstone. Now you’ll have to open the container
on the right-hand side. This one though is guarded by several Fire Giants
and an Elite Fire Giant Leader. Then, after they’ve been beaten, you
can open container number two, where you’ll be set upon by Magic, Clay
and Adamantine Golems. The reward after this battle is a few goodies
and the Skull Wardstone. Return to the first floor and click on the
two gongs in the rooms either side of the main chamber. The magical
doors on level two are now open.
On level
two you will have further battles over containers in the rooms left
and right, although this time the enemies are just getting much more
difficult. Shrewd forward planning and strategy is called for, and you
should get through each fight. When you have all of the Wardstones (as
the last two containers have the Blood Wardstone and the Flame Wardstone)
you must go back to the strange machine on level three and fit the Wardstones
into it (each one will gain you 20,000 Quest EXP), and the door
to Yaga-Shura’s inner sanctum is now open.
Inside
the sanctum (you will have to defeat a mighty Fire Giant at the top
of the stairs first) you will see little lava-filled tunnels which are
the only way forward. So progress through them slowly (many confrontations
will happen on the way) until you reach Berenn, Elite Fire Henchgiants,
and many normal Fire Giants. This battle will be long-winded indeed,
but the reward for winning is a mighty amount of EXP points and Yaga-Shura’s
Heart, which is in the fire at the source of the lava streams.
The mighty
doors at the back will have to be moved by sheer strength alone, so
stock up on STR-based potions to shift them. The left room contains
another fierce battle with Imix, the Prince of Fire, and a contingent
of Burning Men. Whereas the left contains a slave girl who is chained
to the wall. When she is released you will receive 15,000 Quest EXP
and she will tell you all about the secret cache under Yaga-Shura’s
bed, which contains Naylee’s Beating Heart (amongst other things).
Now leave
and return to the Forest of Mir, and specifically Naylee. She will dispel
the magic on Yaga-Shura’s Heart and replace her own. Unfortunately,
this rekindles the love she has for the King of the Fire Giants, and
she will attack you after summoning a load of Forest Spirits (including
Shambling Mounds and Nymphs). When you’ve won this battle though Yaga-Shura
will be invincible no more.
SIEGE
CAMP: Now that Naylee has broken the charms on Yaga-Shura, you find
out the Saradush has been breached and devastated, so you will have
to deal with any troops that flee in your direction. Once you cross
the bridge and actually get to strike at Yaga-Shura (hoards of troops
will stand in your way first) he realises that he has indeed been made
vulnerable again and will hide behind his army. Very careful strategy
will determine whether you win this battle or not as the Elite Guards
are, in themselves, worthy opponents. Try to use your Thief to backstab
the archers bombarding you with arrows as much as possible, and it should
be noted that the longer this battle goes on, the more reinforcements
will arrive. (One tip is to switch this battle to Autopause in the Options,
as this will give you more time to think and plan in the midst of fighting).
Eventually you will kill Yaga-Shura himself and his troops will flee.
Upon which you will be transported back to the Pocket Plane.
Here you
will find out much more about your history, which is taught to you by
Solar. Specifically your Mother, Alianna, appears informing you that
you were to be sacrificed on Bhaal’s altar when you were born, along
with Sarevok. Gorion and several colleagues saved you but could only
save one child, so Sarevok was left behind. He fled and was raised by
Foster Parents in the Iron Throne. You will be asked if there is a debt
between you and Sarevok, and a new area in the Pocket Plane will be
opened.
You reappear
at the Siege Camp after this interlude, and Melissan greets you (having
just escaped the City herself). She will tell you about Yaga-Shura’s
allies, and the fact that they are all BhaalSpawn too. You have encountered
one of them, Ilasera, and now you must take on two others, Abazigal
and Sendai, before they have a chance to consolidate their forces. Before
this you will have to visit Balthazar, an ally of her own, who is the
Chief of a Monasteric order in the Calim Desert. You are to meet in
Amkethran, where you can base yourself while preparing for an assault
on the BhaalSpawn enclaves. She marks all this on your map.
THE
OASIS: Your second challenge in the Pocket Plane transports you
to an alternative reality where Gorion saved Sarevok instead of you,
hence you must take on an Evil you. His gang include Semaj, who blasts
you with magical strikes, and Tamoko, who tries to backstab at every
opportunity. Once defeated the room turns transforms. The pools within
either heal you when you stand in them (Good alignment) or singe woundingly
(Evil).
While travelling
to Amkethran you have to travel through an Oasis, where you meet General
Janis Tombelthen, representing the King and Queen of Tethyr. You have
been marked as responsible for the destruction of Saradush (thanks to
you being BhaalSpawn), and you are to be executed. This causes the Tethyrian
army to attack you and you should draw smaller groups of them towards
you for smaller battles, rather than explore around the map, drawing
everybody upon you. The note on General Tombelthen informs of several
bounty notices with a reward of 100,000GP, so you’ll have to step lightly
from now on.
Top
Chapter
9: Amkethran
Objectives: Kill
Sendai, Kill Abazigal, Enter the Monastry
AMKETHRAN:
As you approach the gates to the Monastary, a Monk calls to you and
you are taken to a meeting with Balthazar. He explains that Melissan
has now left, but has given instructions on where the two BhaalSpawn
enclaves are (which he marks on your map). You are then dismissed, and
you will find that you are marched off the premises and the gates are
locked behind you (don’t worry, you will be returning here later).
You are
free to wander the City as you see fit, selling and buying items, resting
and stocking up for some fierce battles ahead. There are also some side-quests
you can complete here for extra EXP and Reputation points (not to mention
new items), but let us not concern ourselves with those for now. The
only truly useful encounter in the City, in relation to the main storyline,
is with Zakee Rafeha, the Barkeep at the Tavern, who will proffer some
very useful information on Balthazar and Sendai (amongst others) if
asked.
SENDAI’S
ENCLAVE: Although the directions on your map are correct, all you
immediately find at the marked point is a Woodcutter’s Cottage, and
the Woodcutter himself. He’ll use the age-old farmer’s cry of ‘Get off
my land’, but when Sendai’s name is mentioned he warms a little. He
will tell you about some ‘funny looking Elves’ in a clearing to the
west, and when you investigate this you will be ambushed by a group
of Drow. The best way to clear them out is to summon monsters to tackle
the Umber Hulks and Drow Warriors, whilst you can concentrate on the
Hive Mother (she bombards you with many Spells, so getting rid of her
is a priority). After the battle, while keeping a look out for other
Drow encounters, return to the Woodcutter who will tell you that strange
goings on have been happening recently, and maybe you should visit his
wife’s grave.
Another
Drow ambush awaits you in the graveyard, so be prepared, and after you
examine the gravestones you will see that you’ve been duped all along.
The Woodcutter is in fact a Drow Warrior, and after you have dispatched
him (and his summoned followers) you will find the entrance to Sendai’s
Enclave.
The tunnels
before you reach the Enclave are filled with a plethora of troublesome
beasties, mainly Myconids bolstered by Spore Colonies (always attack
the Colonies first so you can stop them respawning all the time). At
the end of the tunnels (past very toxic Spiders and Umber Hulks amongst
others) you’ll face another battle before a bridge appears, but once
you have won this you can open the door to the Drow Barracks.
Here you
will need to battle through the many Drow in here (no surprise there),
and beat Thelynn’ss so you can get the Drow Guard key from the folds
in his uniform. As you leave the tunnels you will be treated to a cut-scene
that gives you a few nuggets of information as to what to expect next.
Sendai is arguing with Bennon, and after he leaves a Drow Captain informs
Sendai of your arrival. Her orders are to fill the North Tunnels with
slaves and the South Tunnels with Spiders, so it is up to you which
type of enemy you fancy ploughing your way through next.
Now you
will have reached Sendai’s inner chambers and there is only one place
you can get to immediately - The Lair of the Lich, Odamaron (the other
exit from this area is magically barred). As soon as you breach Odamaron’s
Lair he will fire off Time Stop and Spell Trigger at you, so be wary.
Also, the steps ahead of you are heavily trapped so send your Fighters
around the side, whilst leaving you spellcasters firing off Breach Spells
from the doorway, and your Ranged attackers shooting off arrows or bolts.
Once you have searched for very valuable treasure and the Drow Wardstone
(to open the magical barrier in the previous area), leave this room
and you will be treated to another cut-scene involving Sendai. The Captain
once again informs her of your progress, at which news she kills the
messenger, and she sends her Priestess Daiytha to stop you.
Inside
the inner chamber you are best advised to stay in the doorway to fight
the two Greater Earth Elemental Guards, as once inside you will have
to face Daiytha’s servant, Ogremoch, the Elemental Price of Earth. He’s
very tough, but if you hit him hard with your fighters, whilst sending
Breach Spells in from the back you should be able to manage the battle.
Beyond
the next door is Daiytha herself so rest first and replenish whatever
you can. Cast a Negative Plane Protection on the whole party as a Vampire
awaits you (and those level-drains will render you incapable of winning
this one). There’s also a Hive Mother and a Demon Knight to take care
of, as well as Daiytha, but when you finish them all off you can climb
the steps to the next encounter.
Captain
Egeissag awaits you next, and he is surrounded by hidden archers. He
wants to take you on one-on-one with a mysterious Spectator to be the
referee. If you decline then you’ll have a big battle on your hands,
and the archers can only be harmed with ranged attacks. However, if
you agree you will have to take him mano-et-mano, with the loser not
only losing their life but forsaken the lives of their respective followers.
It is generally easier to fight him alone, but it really depends on
your Character’s Class and Abilities. When you have won either way The
Spectator reveals himself to be one of your acquaintances from SOA,
and leaves to continue his search from a Beholder spouse. There is now
another interlude showing Sendai ordering her Mind Flayer Mithykyl to
deploy his forces against you.
Mithykyl’s
lair is guarded by a Ultharid and other forces. Concentrate on the Ultharid
first as it preys on your weakest Characters if left alive. There are
also Vampiric Illithids in each of the small rooms you can explore so
make sure you have Negative Plane Protections cast at all times. The
fight with Mithykyl is especially tough as he uses Psionic attacks often
and is flaked by Ultharid henchbeasts and an Umber Hulk. But, after
what seems like an enternity, the winning of this battle allows you
to come face-to-face with the BhaalSpawn Sendai.
Sendai
has a surprise for you as you enter her inner sanctum. You find seven
platforms inside with a statue of Sendai on each. The statues lurch
into life one at a time and as you defeat each one, two Drow appear
as rearguards for the next. The individual statues represent a different
facet of Sendai’s personality (in this order; Priestess, Mage, Thief,
Fighter, Mage, Archer and Thief) so expect their attacks to have the
attributes of each Class. When they are all defeated, Sendai herself
will appear, summoning four Invisible Stalkers to her defence. She will
also teleport around the room, summoning Skeleton Warriors and Sword
Spiders and healing herself each time she reappears. The only way to
combat this is to spread out to cover as much ground as possible in
order to get as many hits on her in each position as possible. When
you finally win this epic battle, she cries out that the return of Bhaal
is inevitable and you are transported once again to the Pocket Plane
(you can return later to reclaim your hard-won spoils).
THE
POCKET PLANE: Solar now reveals more, although this time it is the
present that concerns the visions, not the past as before. The Prophecy
fortells that the BhaalSpawn will destroy much of faerun, but your part
in the affairs is to stop this happening, not aid it. The Prophecy isn’t
a warning against you, rather a version of events that will happen if
you fail in your tasks. It really doesn’t matter how you reply
to Solar, and you are transported back to Sendai’s Enclave to collect
your rewards.
Upon returning
to the Pocket Plane you will have to face yet another challenge. This
time you are unassailed by doubt and you drift aimlessly in the void,
with the ever-present chance that you will overreach yourself and destroy
everything you have, so far, worked towards. Thus, the challenge here
is to reclaim your doubt and you will have to fight your inner turmoil
in the shape of the Slayer (or if you are Evil it is to dispel any lingering
innocence you may have, either way you’ll have to fight the same foe).
The Slayer
will only target you, not your party, so prepare Spell Sequencers or
Contingencies before entering the challenge room. Also protect yourself
from Level Drain, or it’ll be a short fight with you on the wrong side
of defeat. Don’t forget, you can also use your Slayer ability at any
time, at the cost of –2 Reputation points.
ABAZIGAL’S
LAIR: Once you have survived your third trial you will be faced
with the entrance to Abazigal’s Lair, and the dragon’s sire, Draconis.
He is out to prove his worth to his father, so you are in for a hell
of a fight almost immediately. Firstly he will summon Invisible Stalkers,
followed by a Contingency and a Spell Trigger, and you should do likewise.
He’ll throw whatever magical powers he has at you in quick succession,
so you should keep following his lead, whilst sending your Fighters
in with their most powerful weapons (preferably weapons with Dragon
beating capabilities). Keep the strongest Fighters trained on Draconis,
whilst the others tackle the Invisible Stalkers, and don’t forget to
make full use of any powerful Potions and abilities you have. Once you
have won this encounter, take the Brown Dragon’s head as the ward to
pass through the magical entrance.
In the
Entry Halls you will be attacked by Lesser Earth Elementals and a Werewyvern
called Ekim Cyre. His corpse will give up an Empty Breath Potion Flask,
which you should save for later use, and you will find that only the
eastern pool will allow you to progress through to the next chamber
(both doors here are sealed for now).
In this
next room (when the foes are defeated) is a font, which you should fill
the Flask from. Please note that you do not need ever drink this Potion
as just having it in your possession is enough for your entire party
to benefit from its effects. Swim back through to the room from whence
you came and you will find that another of the pools is now open for
you to enter.
When you
first reach the Kua-Toan Cave (via the pool) you will be attacked immediately
by Kua-Toan archers and a Priest. Fight them without straying from the
poolside as there are also two Greater Water Elementals in this area
that you do not want to have to face at the same time. Another two of
these Elementals are in the room to the north, guarding a Kua-Toa Captain,
and when you have cleared this room, the rooms east and west are now
available to you.
The western
room is the source of the Watery foes, as it contains Olhydra, a Water
Elemental Prince, who is one tough cookie. When he’s defeated you can
enter the final room which turns out to be a cell containing a Monk
who has been tortured in ghastly ways by the Kua-Toans. His words about
navigating the Lair are fairly irrelevant, but he will give you a rope
which is essential for accessing the remaining pools in the Entry Hall.
He’ll also tell you that Abazigal’s inner chambers are guarded by Fll’yissetat,
a Dragon held under a Geas, so even if you defeat the beholden one in
combat, the magic sealing the gates wont dispel. Instead you will need
a Scroll of Reversal to break the Geas, and it just so happens that
this particular monk had one, but it was taken when he was captured.
He then proceeds to die on you… So rifle through his belongings anyway
to find treasure and go back to the Entry hall and take the middle pool
(thanks to the rope).
Beyond
this pool is Iycanth’s chambers. Iycanth, when you meet him, is revealed
to be quite mad, but providing you do not act hostile towards him he
will reveal that he has the Monk’s scroll. Unfortunately it will only
be relinquished to you if you do him a favour and bring him the eyestalk
of a Gauth. Fortunately you don’t have to do this yourself as, although
you could pursue the Gauth yourself (Iycanth tells you that he saw the
Gauth dive into a pool to the east), if you use the Stone to Flesh Scroll
found in the same area as the Empty Breath font, three statues of Amateur
Adventurers can be brought to life and sent instead. They prove more
than capable of the task and even bring you a little bonus to boot.
Now take
the pool to the south of Iycath’s Lab and you’ll come up against Fll’yissetat
the Dragon. If you have the Scroll of Reversal from Iycanth though,
you will make a Geas-bound Dragon very happy indeed, and with her gratitude
she hands you the wardstone you need to enter Abazigal’s Lair. Do rest
before entering though, as this is going to be a heck of a fight.
There are
several Frost Salamanders sharing the chamber with Abazigal, so dispatch
them first before taking on the BhaalSpawn (who starts the battle in
human form and eventually transforms into a Dragon). When in human form,
although mightily strong, he will refrain from casting Spells, so keep
healing your party all the while. But when he’s a Dragon expect a torrent
of very high-level Spells to rain upon you. You should really have Magic
Resistance and Death Ward cast over your party members as often as possible.
Once this battle is over you should loot the body quickly before once
again being drawn back to the Pocket Plane to face another challenge.
Another
explanation from the Solar is in order as Yaga-Shura’s spirit is summoned
to explain the Evil BhaalSpawn’s plans. The five of them were slaying
as many BhaalSpawn as they could find so that their essence could gather
in the Abyss and resurrect Bhaal himself. The reward for them would
be the elevation to Demi-Gods, and the position of Bhaals Agents. But
it seems that by killing so many BhaalSpawn yourself, you have utwittingly
hastened Bhaal’s return anyway. Now you must take the fourth challenge.
This comes
in the shape of Cyric, the God of Murder. He asks you many questions
first to gauge your strength and the type of threat you will be, then
summons three Favoured of Cyric for you to fight. You will have to take
them on alone, as the rest of your party must remain outside. The biggest
threat is that if you have low Magical Resistance a good hit from any
of them can kill you immediately. However, a win sends Cyric away, and
you are reunited with your increasingly worried party.
Elminster
now appears, and explains that if you wish to get back into the Monstary
to defeat Balthazar you should visit Saemon Havarian (your old ‘friend’
from SOA) in the Smuggler’s Cave in Amkethran. He will outline two plans
to get into the Monastary, either of which you can follow to a successful
conclusion.
Firstly,
you can disguise yourself in some Monks’ clothes that he has in order
to bluff your way in through the guards at the gate. Unfortunately he
delivers you straight into their hands – he’s betrayed you yet again.
This time though he hasn’t drugged you so you can fight the guards and
finally make your way into Balthazar’s domain through the north door.
Alternatively,
you can use plan B, and take a secret passageway through the Cave of
the Dead. It is originally locked, but you can get a key from Faheed,
whose house location will be revealed to you by the Barkeeper in the
Tavern. Go and talk to Faheed and he will relinquish the key gladly,
as he has no love for Balthazar. You need to take it to the Cave of
the Dead, climb the ladder on the far right (after inspecting for traps)
and enter the secret passage.
NOTE: Plan
C is a full frontal assault, but you’ll have to take on all the might
of the Monastic order. I don’t like plan C.
When you
finally reach Balthazar himself in his inner sanctum he will tell you
a tale. It turns out that Melissan has been telling you porkies. It
is her not he that is leader of the five who are trying to resurrect
Bhaal. He has indeed been trying to raise an army to take on Abazigal
and Sendai rather than help them. And after killing the BhaalSpawn they
were to commit ritual suicide to stop the return of the God of Murder,
which all means that you are the next to be eliminated. Although this
fight is tough, you have already faced far tougher, and when finished
you once again return to the Pocket Plane to face your last challenge.
First the
Solar summons Melissan, who freely admits the diabolical dupe. She is
a High-Priestess of Bhaal who has been transferring the essence of dead
BhaalSpawn to resurrect her God. And now, thanks to you, has enough
essence to control the entire other realm. She then dares you to meet
her in the Abyss, and you realise that you must to conclude this story.
Now you
face the fifth and final challenge. You must beat The Ravager and his
respawning Bone Blades. They are tough, and the Ravager has Blade Barrier
so anybody hitting him takes damage. But again, he’s not the toughest
of opponents you have faced. Now your work in the Pocket Plane is done,
and it will disappear after you are given the choice to go straight
to the Abyss or back to the Monstary. Take the Monastic route as you
can return to Amekthran and restock and regroup for your final chapter
(There is no chance to rest in the Abyss, so make sure you are totally
ready).
Top
Chapter
10: The Throne of Bhaal
Objectives: Defeat
Melissan, Choose your Destiny
MELISSAN:
As you travel to your final destination through the swirling vortex,
you reflect on Melissan’s true nature. Before the time of Shadows Of
Amn, the High Matriach of Bhaal’s Temple and his greatest Deathstalker
Priestess was Amelyssan the Blackhearted. After the fall of her master
she began to hunt down and slaughter the scattered BhaalSpawn, so their
accreted essence in the Abyss would slowly coalesce into his chance
of rebirth. As Amelyssan killed to feed the Dark God, her personal power
grew, and she began to think in terms of her own ascension to the Pantheon
of Evil. If she could harness the essence of the remaining BhaalSpawn,
she could take the Throne of Bhaal for herself and become the new Goddess
of Murder. To this end she posed as Melissan, drawing out the BhaalSpawn
with promises of aid, and forming those too powerful to kill into the
council of the Five. Her time has now come, and all that stands between
her and the Throne is your plucky band.
You are
the last of the BhaalSpawn, so once you are defeated she can seize the
Throne. To these ends she fights with a gigantic Spear +5, and it inflicts
mighty extra damage if you fail a Save vs Spell throw upon being hit.
This instantly kills any low-levelled summoned allies. So save those
Spells for Melissan’s consorts instead (don’t forget, you can’t rest
in the Abyss and you’ll have to face Melissan thrice more, so really
check your Spellcasting). When you have gained the upper hand in this
contest she will flee to recharge herself in one of the pools of BhaalSpawn
essence, so you’ll have to race to the southwest to destroy the pool
before she becomes too powerful again.
This pool
is guarded by Yan-C-Bin, the Elemental Prince of Air, and his Greater
Air Elemental henchbeasts. Dispatch them as quickly as you can and destroy
the pool by clicking on it. The faster you are the more weakened an
opponent Melissan will be for round 2.
Again you
will fight, and again she will summon up allies to help her. Stick with
your original plan (after all it worked the first time) and make sure
that your strongest Fighter is always attacking Melissan herself. And
once again, when you have gained the upper hand, she flees to recharge
from the pool.
This time
charge southeast, where you will have to fight through Cryonax, the
Elemental Prince of Ice, who is surrounded by Frost Salamanders and
Blizzard Trolls. When you have won, destroy the second pool, and Melissan
will have to fight you once more.
This time
round your spell books are probably running very low, so bring out as
many Wands and other magical items as you can, and throw them at her.
Again though she refuses to fight to the Death and flees back to the
Pool of Essence.
Race to
the final platform to the northeast, and you will face a Fallen Solar,
two Mariliths, an Alu-Fiend and a Succubus. And once you have vanquished
them destroy the final pool to lead to the ultimate showdown with Melissan.
Now it’s
time to throw everything and the kitchen sink at her, and she’ll do
the same to you. You have probably run out of healing spells by now,
so whenever one of your party is about to die, pause and switch anything
useful in their inventory to another Character. Eventually you will
have gained the upper hand, and the contest is decreed over. A Solar
will appear and you will be determined the winner, and you are given
a choice of what you want to do with the essences that are within her.
If you
surrender the essence within you: Your rejected essence and those
of Melissan are destroyed, and you are free to leave as a mortal.
If you
accept the essences released from Melissan: The Throne of Bhaal
is yours to command, and you achieve Godhood.
Er… That’s
All Folks! Woohoo!
Top
New
Items/Weapons
In TOB,
there are many new items and weapons that can be gleaned through cunning
adventuring, although most are just continuing along similar lines as
before, and barely need explanation. The most significant new equipment
added is when you use Cespenar (found in the Pocket Planar Realm) to
forge together a collection of other items you may have found on your
quest to make extraordinarily powerful weaponry and items for use to
further your quest and to make onlookers go wow with your obviously
bigger, ahem, potential.
Here is
a list of all the extra items and weapons he can make for you, along
with their components, how much they cost, and more importantly where
the components can originally be found – if applicable.
Aslyferund
Elven Chain +5 – Chain Mail Armour
(Requires
5 STR. Can’t be used by Druid or Mage)
AC 0. Wearer
is immune to all normal weapons
MADE FROM:
Bladeslinger Chain Mail +4 (Suldanessellar, Black Dragon – SOA),
Scroll of Protection from Normal Weapons
COST: 40,000GP
Axe
of the Unyielding +5 - Axe
(Requires
10 STR. Can’t be used by Cleric, Druid, Mage or Thief)
1d8+5 Damage.
AC +1 Bonus. CON +1 Bonus. User regenerates 3 HP per round. 10% chance
on successful hit of decapitating opponent
MADE FROM:
Axe of the Unyielding +3 (Watcher’s Keep, Lum’s Machine Level, Minotaur),
Baalor’s Claw (Yaga Shura’s Lair, Berenn)
COST: 5,000GP
Bag
of Plenty +2 - Quiver
Unlimited
+2 Sling Bullets
MADE FROM:
Bag of Plenty (Yaga Shura’s Lair, Stone Bed), King’s Tear Gem
COST: 10,000
GP
Blessed
Bracers – Bracers/Gloves
(Can
only be used by Paladin)
+10 to
maximum HP total. Cast Cure Critical Wound and Resurrection once per
day
MADE FROM:
Paladin’s Bracers (Watcher’s Keep, Teleport Maze Level)
COST: 10,000GP
Blue
Dragon Plate Mail – Plate Mail Armour
(Requires
15 STR. Can’t be used by Bard, Druid, Mage or Thief)
AC 1. 90%
resistance to Lightning and Electrical attacks
MADE FROM:
Blue Dragon Scales (Abazigal’s Lair, Abazigal)
COST: 5,000GP
Bow
of Darkfire +5 – Short Bow
(Requires
3 STR. Can’t be used by Cleric, Druid or Mage)
THACO +5.
Cast Improved Haste once per day. 5% Bonus to Fire and Cold resistance
MADE FROM:
Bow of Darkfire +4 (Amkethran, Captain Erelon), Bowstring of
Gond (Sendai’s Enclave, Captain Egaissag)
COST: 5,000GP
Carsomyr
+6 – Two-Handed Sword
(Requires
14 STR. Can only be used by Paladin)
THACO +6
Bonus. 1d12+6 Damage. Extra +6 to Chaotic Evil opponents. 50% magic
Resistance when equipped. Cast Dispel Magic three times a day. Dispels
Magic whenever the sword hits an opponent
MADE FROM:
Carsomyr +5 (Firkaag, Red Dragon – SOA), Eye of Tyr (Sendai’s
Enclave, Omodoron the Lich)
COST: 5,000GP
Case
of Plenty +2 – Quiver
Unlimited
+2 Bolts
MADE FROM:
Case of Plenty +1 (Watcher’s Keep, Level 1)
COST: 5,000GP
Circlet
of Nethril (Upgraded) – Amulet
(Can
only be used by Mage)
+10 to
maximum HP. Memorise one extra 7th and 8th level
spell
MADE FROM:
Bronze Ioun Stone (Saradush Prison), Circlet of Nethril (Watcher’s Keep,
Level 2, Chromatic Dragon)
COST: 5,000GP
Clay
Golem Manual – (Book)
(Can
only be used by Bard or Mage)
Summon
a Clay Golem for 10 rounds per day
MADE FROM:
Golem Manual (Watcher’s Keep, Level 1), Clay Golem Page (Watcher’s Keep,
Level 4)
COST: 5,000GP
Club
of Detonation +5 – Club
(Requires
5 STR. Can’t be used by Mage)
THACO +5
Bonus. 1d6+5 Damage. +5 Fire damage. 30% chance that target takes additional
15 points of fire damage. 5% chance of Fireball with each successful
attack
MADE FROM:
Club of Detonation +3 (Watcher’s Keep, Level 5, Aurumach Rilman),
Ring of Fire Resistance (Saradush, Arcana Archives, Lazarus’ Shop)
COST: 5,000GP
Dagger
of the Star +5 – Dagger
(Requires
3 STR. Can’t be used by Cleric)
THACO +5
Bonus. 1d4+5 Damage. After each successful hit 15% chance of making
the user invisible for 60 seconds. 5% chance of Star Bolt (extra 1d8
Fire and 1d8 Electrical damage)
MADE FROM:
Dagger of the Star +4 (Watcher’s Keep, Lum’s Machine Level, Demi-Lich),
5 Star Sapphires
COST: 5,000GP
Firetooth
+5 – Crossbow
(Can’t
be used by Cleric, Druid or Mage)
THACO +7
Bonus (+5 Crossbow, +2 Fire Arrows). 1d8+5 Damage. +3 Fire damage. Automatically
fires magical +2 Fire Arrows
MADE FROM:
Firetooth +4 (Watcher’s Keep, Sister Garlena’s Shop), Bowstring of Gond
(Sendai’s Enclave, Captain Egaissag)
COST: 5,000GP
Flail
of the Ages +5 – Flail
(Requires
13 STR. Can’t be used by Druid, Mage or Thief)
THACO +5.
1d6+6 Damage. +2 points each of Acid, Cold, Fire, Poison and Electrical
damage. When equipped user has Permanent Free Action and +5% Magic resistance.
On each hit there is a 33% chance that the target will be Slowed (no
Save)
MADE FROM:
Flail of the Ages +3 (DeArnise Keep – SOA: TOB starting equipment),
Flail Head – Poison (Watcher’s Keep, Level 2, Slime Lab), Flail Head
– Electric (Abazigal’s Lair, Abazigal)
COST: 5,000GP
per head
Foebane
+5 – Bastard Sword
(Requires
11 STR. Can’t be used by Cleric, Druid, Mage or Thief)
THACO +5
Bonus. 2d4+5 Damage. +6 vs. Undead, Shapeshifters and extra-Planar creatures.
+1 Bonus to user’s Saving Throws. Each hit casts Larloch Minor Drain
on target (no Save)
MADE FROM:
Foebane +3 (Watcher’s Keep, Level 1), Fflar’s Scabbard (Saradush, Castle
Basement)
COST: 5,000GP
Gram:
The Sword of Grief +5 – Two-Handed Sword
(Requires
14 STR. Can’t be used by Cleric, Druid, Mage or Thief)
THACO +5
Bonus. 1d10+5 Damage. 10% chance on each hit of doing extra 1d12 Poison
damage
MADE FROM:
Gram: The Sword of Grief +4 (Abazigal’s Lair, Abazigal), Heart
of the Damned (Sendai’s Enclave, Omodoron the Lich)
COST: 5,000GP
Heartwood
Ring – Ring
(Can
only be used by Druids)
Memorise
one additional 6th and 7th level spell
MADE FROM:
Oaken Ring (Amkethran, Priest of Waukeen), Nymph’s Tear (Forest
of Mir)
COST: 5,000GP
Helm
of the Rock (Upgraded) – Helmet
(Can
only be used by Fighter)
25% Resistance
to Fire, Cold, Acid, Poison and Electricity. Cast Aura of Command 3
times per day (Save vs Spell with –2 penalty)
MADE FROM:
Helm of the Rock (Watcher’s Keep, Level 2), 2 Horns (Watcher’s Keep,
Level 2)
COST: 5,000GP
Hindo’s
Doom +4 – Katana
(Requires
6 STR. Can’t be used by Cleric, Druid or Mage)
THACO +4
Bonus. 1d10+4 Damage. Cast Lesser Restoration once per day. 10% Magic
Resistance. Immunity to all forms of Death Magic
MADE FROM:
Hindo’s Doom +3 (Watcher’s Keep, Level 5, Green Dragon), Hindo’s
Hand (Abazigal’s Lair, Kua-Toa Chambers, Monk)
COST: 5,000GP
Improved
Cloak of Protection +2 – Cloak
AC +2 Bonus.
+2 Bonus on Saving Throws. Cast Improved Haste and Improved Invisibility
once per day
MADE FROM:
Cloak of Protection +2 (TOB start equipment), Scroll of Improved Haste
(Arcana Archives, Saradush/Amkethran), Scroll of Invisibility (Arcana
Archives, Saradush/Amkethran)
COST: 20,000GP
Ixil’s
Spike +6 – Spear
(Requires
5 STR. Can’t be used by Cleric, Mage or Thief)
THACO +6
Bonus. 1d6+6 Damage. Permanent Free Action when equipped. With each
successful hit target must Save or be pinned for 3 rounds, taking additional
1d6+5 damage each round
MADE FROM:
Ixil’s Nail +4 (Watcher’s Keep, Level 4), Ixil’s Spike (Watcher’s Keep,
Elemental Level, Chromatic Dragon)
COST: 5,000GP
Juggernaut
Golem Manual – Book
(Can
only be used by Bard or Mage)
Summon
a Juggernaut Golem for 10 rounds once per day
MADE FROM:
Golem Manual (Watcher’s Keep, Level 1), Juggernaut Golem Page (Abazigal’s
lair, Lycanth the Mad’s Lab)
COST: 15,000GP
Montolio’s
Cloak (Upgraded) – Cloak
(Can
only be used by Ranger)
THACO +2
with off hand. AC +1 Bonus. +1 Bonus to all Saving Throws
MADE FROM:
Montolio’s Clasp (Watcher’s Keep, Level 4), Montolio’s Claok (Amkethran,
Omar Haraad)
COST: 5,000GP
Purifier
+5 – Bastard Sword
(Requires
11 STR. Can only be used by Paladin)
THACO +5
Bonus. 2d4+5 Damage. +5 extra Damage vs. Chaotic Evil opponents. 30%
Magic Resistance. Cast Dispel Magic twice per day. Cast Mass Cure once
per day
MADE FROM:
Purifier +4 (Watcher’s Keep, Teleport Maze Level), Eye of Tyr (Sendai’s
Enclave, Omodoron the Lich)
COST: 5,000GP
Quiver
of Plenty +2 – Quiver
Unlimited
+2 Arrows
MADE FROM:
Quiver of Plenty (Watcher’s Keep, Level 1), Rogue Stone
COST: 10,000GP
Ravager
+6 – Halberd
(Requires
13 STR. Can’t be used by Cleric, Druid, Mage, Monk or Thief)
THACO +6
Bonus. 1d10+6 Damage. +3d6 Poison damage (unless target Saves vs Poison).
10% chance each hit of decapitating opponent (no Save). Cast Cloak of
Fear three times a day
MADE FROM:
Ravager +4 (Marching Mountains, Imix the Prince of Fire), Serpent
Shaft (Watcher’s Keep, Level 5, Azamantes the Lich)
COST: 5,000GP
Runehammer
+5 – War Hammer
(Requires
16 STR. Can’t be used by Druid, Mage or Thief)
THACO +5
Bonus. 2d4+5 Damage. 2-16+10 damage vs Undead. Undead must Save vs Death
(-4 penalty) or be destroyed. Negative Place Protection when equipped.
Immunity to Fear. Cast Fire Giant Strength and Mass Cure once per day
MADE FROM:
Runehammer +4 (Siege Camp, Yaga-Shura), Rune of Clangeddin (Sendai’s
Enclave, Woodcutter’s House)
COST: 5,000GP
Spectral
Brand +5 – Ninja-To
(Requires
8 STR. Can’t be used by Cleric or Mage)
THACO +5
Bonus. 1d8+5 Damage. +1d6 Cold damage. Summon Spectral Blade. Negative
Plane Protection when equipped. Armour Piercing Strike
MADE FROM:
Spectral Brand +4 (Watcher’s Keep, Lum’s Machine Level, Gambling
Cambion), Skull of the Lich (Sendai’s Enclave, Omodoron the Lich)
COST: 5,000GP
Staff
of the Ram +6 – Staff
(Requires
5 STR)
THACO +6
Bonus. 1d6+12 Damage (Crushing). +1d4 (Piercing). 15 % chanc on each
hit that opponent is knocked back and stunned
MADE FROM:
Staff of the Ram +4 (Watcher’s Keep, Lum’s Machine Level, Dragon),
Roranach’s Horn (Saradush, Gromnir Il-khan)
COST: 5,000GP
Stone
Golem Manual – Book
(Can
only be used by Bard or Mage)
Summon
a Stone Golem for 10 rounds once a day
MADE FROM:
Golem Manual (Watcher’s Keep, Level 1), Stone Golem Page (Marching Mountains,
Yaga-Shura’s Chambers)
COST 10,000GP
Storm
Star +5 – Mace
(Requires
10 STR. Can’t be used by Druid, Mage or Thief)
THACO +5
Bonus. 1d6+6 Damage. +1d6 Electrical damage
MADE FROM:
Storm Star +3 (Watcher’s Keep, Lum’s Machine Level, The Machine),
Starfall Ore (Saradush, Kiser’s Basement)
COST: 5,000GP
Sword
of Angurvadal +5 – Long Sword
(Requires
6 STR. Can’t be used by Cleric, Druid or Mage)
THACO +5
Bonus. 1d8+5 Damage. +1 Fire damage. Can set STR to 22 for 60 seconds
once a day. User is immune to Level Drain
MADE FROM:
Sword of Angurvadal +4 (Watcher’s Keep, Lum’s Machine Level), Liquid
Mercury (Sendai’s Enclave, Illithid Chamber)
COST: 10,000GP
Sword
of the Mask +5 – Short Sword
(Requires
5 STR. Can’t be used by Cleric, Druid or Mage)
THACO +5
Bonus. 1d6+5 Damage. 15% chance for each hit that target is Entangled
for 24 seconds (no Save). 15% chance each hit that target is drained
1 level
MADE FROM:
Sword of the mask +4 (Watcher’s Keep Entrance, Sister Gerlana’s Shop),
Heart of the Damned (Sendai’s Enclave, Omodoron the Lich)
COST: 5,000GP
Taralash
+5 – Long Bow
(Requires
6 STR. Can’t be used by Cleric, Druid, Mage or Thief)
THACO +5.
Increase movement rate by 2
MADE FROM:
Taralash +4 (Watcher’s Keep, Level 5, The Huntress), Bowstring
of Gond (Sendai’s Enclave, Captain Egaissag)
Thieves’
Hood (Upgraded) – Hood
(Can
only be used by Thief)
Immunity
to Backstab and Poison. Cast True Sight three times a day
MADE FROM:
Thieves’ Hood (Watcher’s Keep, Level 3), Ring of Invisibility, Antidote
Potion
COST: 5,000GP
White
Dragon Scale – Scale Mail Armour
(Requires
8 STR. Can’t be used by Mage)
AC –2.
+50% Resistance to Cold. Cast Cone of Cold three times a day
MADE FROM:
White Dragon Scales (Watcher’s Keep, Level 3, Demon Wraith Room)
COST: 5,000GP
Wonderous
Gloves – Bracers/Gloves
(Can
only be used by Bard)
THACO +1
Bonus. AC +1 Bonus. Extra 2nd, 3rd and 4th
Level Spells
MADE FROM:
Bards Gloves (Watcher’s Keep, Level 3), Diamond, Sapphire, Emerald,
Rogue Stone
COST 5,000GP
PLEASE
NOTE: Certain items and weapons use the same element to upgrade or enhance
it, and certain items, such as the Bowstring of Gond is a one off deal.
So be careful in your choice of upgrade and take into account the members
of your party before you make any rash decisions.
Top
New
Spells
The major
new spell you get in TOB is the Wish spell. It’s much like the previous
game’s Limited Wish but a hell of a lot more powerful. It’s also extremely
tricky to cast, as the Djinn that you summon is a grumpy so-and-so who’s
out to get you and as such you will need a very good WISDOM to be able
to handle him okay. A WIS of 18 is nigh-on essential to get the most
out of this spell, and anything under 9 WIS is catastrophic.
A low WISDOM
will give you a choice of wishes that really, really suck, whereas a
high WISDOM could give you at least a few good ones… Either way, the
list is generated randomly, so it’s kind-of a lucky bag really.
Here’s
the list of Wishes that can be granted from the truly awful to the very
good…
- Improved
Haste on all enemies in the area
- Level
Drain all party members by 2 levels
- Bring
a Meteor Storm down upon the caster
- Temporarily
remove half of the caster’s HP
- Caster
loses all memorized spells
- Party
loses 10,000GP
- Temporarily
reduce the Strength of all party members to 3
- Temporarily
reduce the Dexterity of all party members to 3
- Temporarily
reduce the Constitution of all party members to 3
- Temporarily
reduce the Wisdom of all party members to 3
- Temporarily
reduce the Intelligence of all party members to 3
- Temporarily
reduce the Charisma of all party members to 3
- Heal
all enemies in the area
- Temporarily
remove 15% of all party members' HPs
- Summon
an extra hostile monster into the area
- Everyone
in the area, both party members and enemies, become intoxicated
- Breach
on everyone in the area, including the party
- Blow
all people, including party members, away from the caster
- Heal
everyone, party members and enemies included
- Temporarily
set Strength to 18 for everyone in the area, including enemies
- Miscast
Magic on everyone in the area, including party members
- Magic
Resistance on everyone in the area, including enemies
- Abi-Dalzim's
Horrid Wilting on everyone in the area, including the party
- Incur
bad luck on everyone in the area, including party members
- Silence
on everyone in the area, including party members
- Haste
everyone in the area, including enemies
- Improved
Haste on all party members
- Breach
on all enemies in the area
- Restoration
on all party members
- Raise
all party members' characteristics to 25 for 4 rounds
- Resurrection
on all dead party members
- All
party members gain the temporary ability Greater Deathblow
- All
party members gain the temporary ability Hardiness
- Create
a random wand in caster's inventory
- Create
a random potion in the caster's inventory
- Make
it as if the entire party has just rested a full night and re-memorized
all their spells
- Cast
a double-length Time Stop and Improved Alacrity on the caster
Top
New
Characters
There’s
only one new NPC in the TOB extension that you can recruit into your
party, and it comes as one of the greatest shocks ever (especially if
you have played the first Baldur’s Gate to its conclusion). It is none
other than Sarevok, your character’s evil brother who was the
major villain you had to kill way back in the prequel. You can recruit
him at the beginning of the Pocket Plane, or if you don’t wish to take
him with you at the time, leave him there and grab him when you need
a heavy duty fighter later in the game.
His stats
are:
STR 18/00
DEX 17
CON 18
INT 17
WIS 10
CHA 15
Alignment:
Chaotic Evil
Class:
Fighter
Location:
Pocket Plane
Equipment:
Two Handed Sword +3, Full Plate Mail +1
Weapon
Proficiencies: Two-handed Sword *****, Halberd *, Crossbow *, Two-handed
weapon style *