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Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Tales of the Sword Coast | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | |
GNOLL STRONGHOLD
Gnarl and Hairtooth
Now I remember to have Kivan give the Bracers of Archery back to Imoen. I then travel west to the Gnoll Stronghold, fighting a few Gnolls along the way.
As soon as I arrive there is a long bridge crossing a chasm with a river below. On the other side are a pair of Ogrillons, Gnarl and Hairtooth. I'm higher-level enough, and with decent enough equipment, such that I can win this fight easily. Yeslick brings down Gnarl with a Command Word: Sleep spell. He, Avastrian, and Khalid then cut him down easily. Kivan and Imoen shoot down Hairtooth with missile fire.
For those of you who want to come here earlier in order to have either Minsc and/or Dynaheir in your party, this fight can be challenging for a lower level party. In my Minsc-playing days I often won by keeping the pair trapped in something like Entangle or Web and then hitting them with missile fire.
Xvart Caves
Now I fully explore the Xvart caves south of the Stronghold. Xvarts are by now very easy, but if you're here earlier to get either Minsc and/or Dynaheir they should still be manageable for lower-level parties. Use Sleep if you're having trouble.
One of the Caves has a Carrion Crawler, which can paralyze with its bite attacks. In vanilla BG1 it would concentrate its attacks on the same victim (even after paralyzed), allowing the rest of the party to gang up on it. In SCS it will spread its attacks out to try and paralyze multiple party members. A safe and reliable way to take down an individual Carrion Crawler is to simply shoot it down at a distance.
A crate in another of the Caves has a Tome of Leadership and Influence, which offers a one-time and permanent +1 to Charisma when used. Whenever you find these Tomes, always have your main Bhaalspawn character use them. You NPCs won't transfer any ability bonuses to BG2. Only your main protagonist can.
The video concludes with me heading back to where I came from.
Dynaheir
Now I journey towards the heart of the Stronghold. Gnolls are by now pretty easy for me, but lower level parties should be able to prevail with decent armors, or the use of Sleep or other spells.
There will be two large pits in the middle of the fortress. When a large enough group of Gnolls, led by a Gnoll Chieftain, appear at a safe distance, Imoen grabs the opportunity with multiple castings of Fireball.
The more easterly pit will have Dynaheir inside as a captive. I get 800xp for rescuing her. For anyone who's interested, she's a joinable Human Evoker who usually insists on travelling alongside Minsc.
My next destination is the Archaeological Site.
