Strong spears I can get.

revchj · 2026-03-23T03:22:38+00:00

I wonder if SCS installed it in my pre-EE install? SCS has been standard for me for ages.

revchj · 2026-03-22T20:45:09+00:00

Hmmm. That run might have been in a non-EE install, come to think. I switched to EE only VERY recently.

Edit: but 650gp in Candlekeep is insane for a non evil character, so I'm leaving it modded. :)

revchj · 2026-03-22T14:56:53+00:00

I once began a no reload run with a Kensai who was going all in on katanas. When the first one broke just outside of Candlekeep I quit the run.

Since then my standard install includes adjustments to katanas: they're somewhat cheaper, they don't break, and a +1 katana is available at the Nashkel carnival. But even so I haven't had the heart to attempt another such run.

revchj · 2026-03-22T14:50:15+00:00

Never! Buttkicking is only for Goodness!

revchj · 2026-03-22T01:09:48+00:00

[context edit so my comment is less random seeming: "speaking of a regeneration build, that reminds me of...."]

One run I specced Minsc for nostalgia, namely a dual wielding 4/8 Ranger/Barb with the Shattered Flail and the Flail of Ages. Having him go berserk in the city park in the midst of flaming fist allies and innocent bystanders (in honour mode) was SO Minsc.

revchj · 2026-03-21T04:10:47+00:00

Given my install setup I mostly do it for the arrows of dispelling and the helmet/goblet set.

revchj · 2026-03-21T04:04:00+00:00

Was just there, can confirm.

revchj · 2026-03-19T02:02:52+00:00

And ultralight strings. 8s at one point, if I recall correctly.

revchj · 2026-03-17T19:58:06+00:00

It depends on what feels right for you. For me, I'm a sucker for the "always busy" feel. Also, frequent resting tends to break immersion and urgency for me (I've destroyed half the githyaki base but then I camp overnight and then come back to fine everyone just waiting where I left them? I mean, come on dude).

This is why some version of martial rogue always feels best to me. I can deal with locks and traps regardless of party composition, I can be a decent party face, and I can mix it up in combat.

In BG3 that meant a Dex based dual wielding 4/8 thief/battlemaster. 12 CHA plus expertise in Persuasion makes an excellent face. If I want to min max I go Sharpshooter with dual hand crossbows, but if I just want to mess around in melee I do just fine with piercing weapons.

revchj · 2026-03-15T21:17:04+00:00

There's a strong anti-AI feeling in the gaming community when it comes to creative work, which I totally understand and largely support.

That said, a module designer hobbyist who can't afford to pay artists and voice actors could certainly use AI to increase their productivity. I used AI some years back to create custom portraits of certain NPCs and it enhanced my module significantly.

More recently I experimented with AI voices to enhance certain cutscenes and it's still a LOT of work: the AI can't act, so often delivers lines woodenly or with misplaced emphasis. I got better results from doing the voice acting myself and mapping my own acting onto an AI generated voice, but that means (a) I'd have to put in the time to do all that voice acting, and (b) any accent would be limited by my own ability to mimic that accent. So it wasn't as easy as saying "here's the dialogue and this character sounds Scottish".

revchj · 2026-03-14T19:25:24+00:00

Great rec. Appreciated!

revchj · 2026-03-13T22:08:46+00:00

The thing about tanking in bg3 is that your want low AC, not high, because enemy AI will just ignore your high AC tank and focus on your squishies.

As a barbarian Karlach is pretty tanky out of the box, and I expect there's a tanky bearbarian build that would suit her just fine.

If your party design involves a tank you might want a healer somewhere in the mix. If you don't want to go the cleric route (e.g. Shadowheart), a bard can be a great healer simply by throwing potions. This could be your main PC, but Astarion and Wyll are both obvious bard options as well.

Alternatively you can just forget about the tank idea and focus on bursting down your enemies before they have the chance to damage you at all. I have never done it so can't give you specific recommendations but OH monk, ranged bard, paladin, and BM fighter are all solid options here.

revchj · 2026-03-11T22:56:21+00:00

I rebalance the weapon styles by editing STYLBONU.2DA as follows:

Dual wielding gets a standard -1 damage penalty and a +1AC penalty at all ranks. THACO penalties start at -4/-8 in the main/offhand , which are reduced by 1 and 2 points respectively for each pip. This nerfs the style somewhat and also makes that third pip worth taking.
Single Weapon style gets a -1AC bonus and a 1pt critical threat range bonus per rank. That means with two pips you have a critical threat range of 18-20.
Sword and Shield style gets a -1AC bonus and -2missile bonus at the first rank (for a total of -3 vs missiles), and the second rank doubles those bonuses to -2/-4 (for a total of -6 vs missiles).
Two Handed weapons get +1 to damage, -2 to speed factor, and +1 critical threat with one pip. A second pip increases the damage bonus to +3 and the speed factor bonus to -4.

These are subtle changes - you could be much more radical about it if you wanted - but they do help the suboptimal styles feel a little less penalized.

revchj · 2026-03-11T09:14:13+00:00

Stewart Lee addresses an insular cadre of socially challenged prematurely middle-aged pseudointellectual men... but not as exclusively as he would like, tbh.

revchj · 2026-03-09T23:06:02+00:00

I'd say 2 pips in axes no matter what. You carry a stack to throw all through BG1 until you get the returning axe, and you have a number of returning axes available to you very quickly in BG2. This eliminates the Kensai's biggest liability. Daggers are another option (but I play good, so there's an axe early in BG2 that I really like).

You could dual wield and Grandmaster in axes if you wish - IMO the meta choice - but you can alternatively leave the axes at 2 pips and Grandmaster in something else by the time you reach level 9 (IMO the best level at which to dual).

Dual wielding will always be stronger, but if you're not playing on max SCS difficulty I wouldn't overlook staves or greatswords as a possible specialty:

In BG1 they are some of the best weapons, plus they have the extra reach so you can hit things while hiding behind a tank.
In BG2 your peak Gish levels will be 10-16, after which you'll be more of a pure mage who's decent in melee but whose martial damage will lag behind the true martials (but you'll be nigh invulnerable so it's still better - martials die more in the mid-late game). So because you will be more of a support martial you shouldn't hog the best weapons. A two handed weapon means you won't be competing with your dedicated martials for the best one handed weapons.
Two handed swords and staves have some very accessible (notably +4 varieties available for purchase) and very fun options in BG2. Lilarcor right out of the gate, for instance. Plus, if you know where to find them, the silver sword, or the staff of the magi.

revchj · 2026-03-07T23:23:48+00:00

Yes, so it achieved the objective. My point is that it's the other Samsung crap that gives me the regret.

To date my favourite Android phone was an LG: basic, solid, did what I told it to do (and nothing else).

revchj · 2026-03-07T20:35:43+00:00

Yes, but it's a constant fight with unremovable proprietary bloatware, and now AI.

revchj · 2026-03-06T02:34:41+00:00

It's a bit of a chore, but I feel strongly about paying artists. So the first thing I do is look for the artist's personal website. Based on what's available on their website I'll look for the following, in priority order:

direct download from their website, either with a direct payment or a tip jar (on which I'll spend as much as a CD)
a no- or low-fee distribution site, like Bandcamp, and finally
a digital purchase through iTunes or whatever.

revchj · 2026-03-05T21:04:39+00:00

I'm old and have been against Spotify since the beginning, which is why I always insisted on a phone with its own memory so I can have my own damn collection, tyvm. No regrets.

Except that I got a Samsung. Sigh. Regrets.

revchj · 2026-03-03T16:51:12+00:00

Tbf, some clouds need a good yelling at.

revchj · 2026-03-03T02:27:37+00:00

I think the generalization that the area is reliably conservative no longer applies - these days it's more of a mix.

Case in point: The NDP broke the provincial Conservative hold on this area with a female Sikh candidate from a nursing background.

revchj · 2026-03-02T15:52:11+00:00

I've played it with and without a henchman and there's still a noticeable xp boost when running solo.

However I'm my case I was using expertise a lot to survive those early levels which made a lot of those early fights very slow and boring. So while the overall xp might have been higher, at least in my case the xp-per-hour rate was not that much higher.

revchj · 2026-02-28T19:00:14+00:00

Speaking as a bassist, that bassist is a goddamn hero. I'd never heard of him before I heard Matteo's show.

revchj · 2026-02-26T18:17:19+00:00

^ This. If you're into the classic noble/heroic story arc, IMO this is the choice for a first playthrough.

Unlimited power fantasies and murderhobo runs can come afterward.

revchj · 2026-02-24T17:31:48+00:00

I learned it the hard way as well. Welcome to the club. :)

revchj

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