MovieChat Forums > Baldur's Gate (1999) Discussion > So I cheated...

So I cheated...

posted 5 months ago by AndyAce83 (51)
17 replies | jump to latest

I played Baldur´s gate EE on Xbox. Reached the final boss on core (AD&D rules) difficulty. Died everytime within seconds. The difficulty spikes are really high in this game. I went on forums to try to get some clues and tips. But it wasnt any good clues to get. So today I just took down the difficulty settings. First on easy. As it turns out I still got killed over and over again. So I took it down to story mode and won.

Sooo... I feel like I cheated. I ran the marathon and decided to lay down at the finish line.

I of course have the savefile before I did it, but... Why are some fights so incredible difficult it feels unfair. What is the basic strategy for this? And "git gud" is not what I am looking for.

Is it grinding? Being level 10 (is that the highest you can be in that game?)? And can I really do anything at that point? When I have reached the underground city I cant go back, right? It seems all stores are closed if I try to go back.

I dont know. I like the game, but it has some weird and oddly difficult parts.

[–] cyguration (3919) 5 months ago

I played the original PC version back in 1998 or 1999? I thought the highest level was 20 back then, but maybe they changed it.

I think that the final battle when he hits people they just explode in one hit or something like that. I think the way to get around this was to use spells to entrap him, and if you had someone who could summon minions. I remember using those as a way to get him distracted while using more power attacks.

I also used a lot of throwing axes, which were pretty useful. But basically, you had to keep range and you needed a party build built around crowd control and a way to paralyse him. If you could do that and just keep chipping away at his health, there is an opportunity to come out alive, but you really needed to be the max level and have the right armour and weapons for the job.

Also, did you complete all of the other side-quests and complete all of the other random missions to get to the max level and get all of the special weapons, relics, and armour before heading to Baldur's Gate?

[–] AndyAce83 (51) 5 months ago

Thanks for the reply.

I think I was level 7/8 when I reached this point. I did some sidequest, but not them all, that is for sure. I just wanted to finish the story, sort of.

And the thing is that I think I am kind of locked now. At this part of the game I dont think I can go back. When I did, it seemed like the stores were closed. Like the game was in final mode.

I dont have the summon minion staff, but I have discovered the summon monster spell (or whatever its called). If I could leave the dungeon and "grind" and do side-quest I could have done that I guess.

Maybe Ill give the game a break, and return with a new character at some point in the future. I got Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear, and BG 2 and my wife hinted that she bought Planescape: Torment & Icewind Dale Enhanced Edition too soo.

But it does seem like I cheated and skipped a beat. Should I just continue on storymode now? Or go back to core?

Huge nerd issues here ;-)

[–] cyguration (3919) 5 months ago

Ah, yeah I made a similar mistake and I did have to start over because I think I was level 12 or 13 the first time I got to the end? But almost all my team got one-shotted in the boss fight. So I started over with a character focused on defence and attack and throwing axes, lol, lots of throwing axes.

Also, the second or third time I played through I did all the side-quests, recruited the right people, upgraded all my teammates, and tried finding all the unique/rare armour/weapons as it made a massive difference when it came time to the final boss.

And yeah, there was a wizard -- I think he's evil or somewhat? -- that you find in a cave or something that can do summoning. I think there's also another side-kick you can get who can summon animals. I think summoning the bear is an extremely useful summon because the bear has some pretty good HP and attack DPS.

There are obviously different ways to play the game, but yeah almost everyone I know who played it when it first came out ruined their first playthrough by the time they reached the end. I think most things shut off once you start the main quest in Baldur's Gate, so yeah, only way to avoid that is to reload an older save or start over.

[–] AndyAce83 (51) 5 months ago

I guess that´s old school gaming ;-)

They dont take your hand and follow you around like they do now ;-)

But also I was amazed about how one could improvise on certain challanges alot more than in new games. Like skipping them entirely or other surprising solutions. I think I did a charm person on a villain and that made an entire big battle disappear.

[–] cyguration (3919) 5 months ago

Absolutely, games back in the 1980s and 1990s used to punish players big time. I think King's Quest VI was the one that nearly broke me because of how many different ways you can just fail that game without the game actually telling you that you made an irreparable mistake.

But also I was amazed about how one could improvise on certain challanges alot more than in new games. Like skipping them entirely or other surprising solutions. I think I did a charm person on a villain and that made an entire big battle disappear.

Oh yeah I forgot about that! I think you can even cast a spell that turns enemies into animals, which is an excellent way to reduce the challenge of some battles. Once you figure out the ups, downs, pitfalls and benefits, then it becomes much easier to progress through the game.

[–] SemiAnimus (1035) 5 months ago

With the core rules difficulty level you were undoubtedly going to lose that fight a few times before winning. The key to making the first game easier is making an archer or recruiting the archer with 19 dex, throwing all of the best AC items on your tank, and then ensuring that your mage finds/buys all of the scrolls that protect from melee and magical attacks so that you can buff your tank before fights. Doing any of those things makes the game easier, and doing all of them can trivialize most of the content, particularly if you grab the set of ankheg armor in the field for your tank early on.

[–] AndyAce83 (51) 5 months ago

I just discovered that on EE you can restart the game with the same character... So I will be doing that. Then I will see how high a level I will be the next time I meet him ;-)

[–] SemiAnimus (1035) 5 months ago

Tbh that's s total waste if time unless you're interested in replaying the content. Just farm ankhegs in the cave where they permanently respawn for XP if you're concerned about hitting max level, but even hitting the xp cap on all of the characters isn't especially important in that game. Unless you're really dying to replay it you should continue the storyline in BG2 where things really start to become interesting.

[–] maximmm (3100) 5 months ago

You wanna see grinding - start playing Baldur's Gate 3 - you are gonna be grinded by all male companions as if you were the only chick on an island stuck with sex addicts (btw, your characters gender doesn't matter).

[–] AndyAce83 (51) 5 months ago

Sex in RPG and other games is a niche I dont understand. I think some people think its "adult", but really its adolescent. All that "you can have sex" talk made me lose interest.

That is why I bought and played the original instead. I will probably buy BG3 on sale, but first I will play BG1, 2, Icewind dale and Planescape: Torment. I have never heard anyone sell me on the "sex" in those games. I also have... Neverwinter Night I think. Didnt enjoy that one much yet. Something about the graphic and style.

[–] maximmm (3100) 5 months ago

I was kinda joking. BG3 is the wokest and most LGBTQ pile of garbage I have ever seen in the gaming history.
No other game comes close. Even the most recent RPG games which have plenty of inclusivity/diversity bits are nowhere near to the level of shoving the LGBTQ stuff in your face as much as BG3. The fact that it was also given so many awards makes me think that this is just the beginning.

[–] SemiAnimus (1035) 5 months ago

You never played the Last of Us 2 I take it.

[–] AndyAce83 (51) 5 months ago

Sigh.

It never ends does it? I mostly play old games now, because of it. The DLC for this game also had some "first trangender character" or whatever. It came with the game, so Ill probably try it, but I am just so tired of it.

I also dont get it. They seem to say that trans are the other sex, but they are always represented as "trans". Meaning: In a fantasy realm, a "trans" could make themselves magically into the other sex. Infact, as a joke (I hope) there is a cursed object in balders gate where one changes sex if one take it on (Girdle of Femininity and Masculinity). Problem solved. But NO they are "trans".

But I am also wondering about the political spectrum on this forum. I see a lot of... right wing attiude on here on more threads than this. Just wondering, as I am new here (not on IMDB). Is it a lot of "anti-woke" people here?

It was kind of the reason why IMDB closed their forums, right? People having naughty opinions?

[–] SemiAnimus (1035) 5 months ago

If you can stomach the combat in Planescape Torment you are in for a real treat. Word to the wise, max out wisdom asap if you truly want to enjoy that game regardless of your class.

[–] AndyAce83 (51) 5 months ago

Noted ;-)

I just heard it was one of the most intelligent games ever made. So I thought I try it. Also I had to wish for something on my birthday ;-)

[–] SemiAnimus (1035) 5 months ago

It's great. As far as those old Infinity games go, Torment is #1 in story. It's also the worst game in terms of combat.

The Icewind Dale games have the best combat but are last in the story. BG1 and 2 are somewhere in the middle of both of those terms of story and combat, but probably have the best characters out of the Infinity games.

Anyway, have fun playing through those. I wish I could play them again for the first time.

[–] AndyAce83 (51) 4 months ago

UPDATE: I started again with the same character.. Grinded myself up some levels. Have all kinds of power-ups, armour, staffs of all kinds. Still an EXTREME hassel to get trough.

"Git gud" I expect, but seriously... I dont understand this game. What is it I am doing wrong? I try web, staff of fire, staff of monster summoning, speed spell, holy battle... and then I die.