In the depths of the old bioware forums, there are arcane threads hundreds of pages long and eons old that recount the travails of countless adventurers that tried to get through the entire trilogy without reloading. There are also already several excellent threads by
@semiticgod @Blackraven and many others detailing their no-reload challenges.
I suggest that we share our no-reload/trilogy attempts in a common thread. Bioware forums show that there is synergy in such combined threads that keep solidarity far beyond the attempts of single adventurers.
Here are some suggested rules for a trilogy run that I use [adjust your own to taste and announce]:
1. no-reload [otherwise, there is no point]
2. SCS
[I recommend the following setup for both BGEE/BG2EE: full AI improvements; improved encounters only without rule-changes to monsters; NO insta-buff mages -- full SCS *will* kill you, if not trimmed as such reasonably.]
(SR would be great, but it is still in beta.)
3. no "munchkining" [personal taste, of course]
a. fair rolls for stats [i.e. don't touch the +/- buttons; re-roll if you want to]
b. no meta-game abuse [e.g. using a thief to scout is fine, but don't buff up for an ambush you couldn't have known about]
c. no EEkeeper abuse [I like making my FMC human for flavor, but it is perhaps overkill to make a Dwarven Defender/Mage with +++++ in Axes...]
d. "Do unto the AI as you would have the AI do unto you."
Basically, avoid doing things that AI is incapable of.
Example: As per the discussion in the following link, I do not permit myself to use Sequencers mid combat. They are no longer an obvious first choice for a Sorcerer. (Casting 3 spells a round really breaks the balance.)
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/44257/7-3x4-8-3x6-9-3x84. Any party size, solo or full team. Role play strongly-encouraged (and without such a gameplay theme, I loose interest in my own runs usually).
(If you wanna skip BG and start in BG2 it's also fine. My own OCD usually requires me to start from the very beginning, but I suppose this is impractical.)
Personally, in a decade of trying, I never finished a trilogy run (although did get as far Ch. 3 in BG2). I have seen others succeed in completing, so it is surely possible.
Entries welcomed!
--
[Edit] There other excellent threads including great advice, some transfered from Bioware forums.
- The following is an advice & support thread by
@Alesia_BH :
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/66243/--
The following are the archived content from the old Bioware forum no-reload threads from
@Serg_BlackStrider Baldur's Gate 1 No-Reload Challenge.
Baldur's Gate 2 No-Reload Challenge.
The Adventurer's Lounge: Guidance and Support for No Reload Challengers- Newbie or Veteran.
http://blackstrider.net/forum_bioware_arhiv/The_Lounge_Arhiv/forum.bioware.com/topic/560248-the-adventurers-lounge-guidance-and-support-for-no-reload-challengers-newbie-or-veteran/index.html--
"Hall of Heroes"
Trilogy No-Reload Success Stories (compiled by
@Arctodus and others; see below for a similar list from old Bioware forums)
(click on the spoiler tag to see list)
Ankiseth the Cavalier :
@proghead3Notable mods : none
Difficulty : Core
Start and finish (March 2014)
David the Gnome Fighter/Illusionist :
@MacHurtoNotable mods : none (?)
Difficulty : Core (?)
Start (March 2014)
Finish (May 2014)
Sir Gawain the Fighter :
@CharlestonianTemplarNotable mods : HardTimes-v2; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
Difficulty : Core (?)
Start (August 2014)
Finish (November 2015)
Anselm, the Blackguard :
@GoturalNotable mods : SCS-v30 (full prebuff and encounters); Rogue Rebalancing; aTweaks
Difficulty : Core rule, must kill everything
Start (April, 2015)
Finish (January, 2016)
Grond0, the Sunsoul Monk :
@Grond0Notable mods : none
Difficulty : Core
Start and Finish (March 2016)
Goibniu, the Paladin :
@EnuhalNotable mods : none
Difficulty : core
Start (August 2016)
Finish (October 2016)
Grond0, the Fighter --> Thief :
@Grond0Notable mods : none
Difficulty : Core
Start and finish (October 2016)
Sodof, the Dragon Disciple :
@Grond0 (and Gnoria, the Barbarian :
@Gate70 )
Notable mods : none
Difficulty : core
Start (February 2017)
Finish (March 2017)
Chara the Alchemist:
@semiticgod Notable mods: "basically everything" ("SCS and Ascension including full pre-buffing and universal HLAs"; "major rule changes like Scales of Balance")
(BG1 run begins
here and ends
here)
(SoD run begins
here and ends
here)
(SoA run begins
here and ends
here)
(ToB run begins
here and ends
here)
Frisk, the Seducer:
@semiticgod BG1, SoD, SoA, ToB
Notable mods: Enhanced Edition Trilogy, SCS v30, Ascension, Seducer Kit for Thieves v1.21
"Solo": No party members except those from Seduction
Difficulty: Core
Parts 1-14:
Cromarty the Gallant (Might & Guile)
Party run through BG1, SoD, BG2, & ToB
Notable Mods: BWS installs with SCS for BG1, Quest Pack AI for BG2, and Spell Revisions all the way through.
Difficulty: Core
Start:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/869163#Comment_869163 (April 2017)
Finish:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/910133/#Comment_910133 (October 2017)
Frisky Bits the Dragon Disciple:
@semiticgodNotable mods: EET, SCS, Ascension, Wheels of Prophecy, various BG1 encounter mods
Difficulty: Core
Poverty run: cannot spend any gold except to complete quests; cannot use any items except for (1) quest items, and only for their intended purposes, and (2) items the player creates him or herself, such as Goodberries or Minute Meteors
(BG1 run begins
here and
here and ends
here; text only)
(SoD run begins
here and ends
here; text only)
(BG1 and SoD screenshots
here)
(SoA run begins
here and ends
here)
(ToB run begins
here and ends
here)
Arbogast, the Totemic Druid:
@Enuhal Notable mods: None
Difficulty: Legacy of Bhaal
Starting and finishing posts for the specific parts of the tetralogy:
Baroque, Human Skald
Notable mods: Rogue rebalancing, SCS (no prebuffs, some tactical challenges), Divine Remix, Item Revisions
Restrictions: Pacifism from Baroque (1 mistake)
Difficulty: Core
Enhanced Editions, no SoD though.
BG1 start:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/904548#Comment_904548BG1 end:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/905708#Comment_905708SoA start:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/906755#Comment_906755SoA end:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/911765#Comment_911765ToB start:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/913822#Comment_913822ToB end:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/915345#Comment_915345Frisk the Archer/Mage:
@semiticgodNotable mods: EET, SCS, Ascension, Wheels of Prophecy, Universal Archer Kit, Better Stat Drain
Difficulty: Legacy of Bhaal Mode
Special: Solo Run
(First mention of run begins around
here ; no screenshots)
Parts 0-31, with screenshots:
Brunash the Halfling Enchanter :
@Flashburn Full Tetrology Run
Notable mods : SCS v30 (only in BG2; long-duration mage/priest prebuffs only, no Tactics challenges except Original Tactics Improved Bodhi), BP Ascension v15 BETA; aTweaks, Rogue Rebalancing, More Style for Mages, Tweaks Anthology, NPC_EE, Golem Construction, Item Upgrade, Oversight (monk HLAs), Coran
Difficulty : Core
Start (November 2017)
Finish (March 2018)
Trabb the Cleric/Mage:
@histamiiniNotable mods: SCS, Ascension
Difficulty: Legacy of Bhaal Mode
Special: Solo Run
Beginning (February 8, 2018)
Ending (March 14, 2018)
Nukesalot the Chaos Sorcerer :
@FlashburnFull Tetrology Run
Notable mods: SCS v30 (only in BG2; long-duration mage/priest prebuffs only, no Tactics challenges except Original Tactics Improved Bodhi), BP Ascension v1.5 BETA; Chaos Sorcerer v2.4, Golem Construction v5.3, More Style for Mages v1.54, Item Upgrade, aTweaks, Rogue Rebalancing, Tweaks Anthology
Difficulty: Insane (extra damage disabled)
Special: Solo Run
Start (March 2018)
Finish (May 2018)
The old Bioware Hall of Fame (from Serg_BlackStrider):
(The full list exceeds the post length limit here; see the original comment by
@Serg_BlackStrider below)
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/904216#Comment_904216List of Honorable Mentions (from Arctodus):
).
.
