New Leaf
New Leaf Trading Post
I wait for some more caravans to arrive. I wait until I get myself to at least 2,000+ trade bars. Once I get there, I convert all but 1,000 of them into gold. The reason is I need 800 trade bars to open up a trading post at a town called New Leaf, and 48,000gp to maximize the caravan route between New Leaf and Conyberry. Cashing out the trade bars gets me to the 48,000gp I need.
I then head east along the road. I stop off at Phandalin. I already have 2 Ores from when I killed some Batiri during my side trip back to Samarach (which I didn't show in any video). I purchase 8 more Ores from Phandalin. The other requirement for the trading post is 10 Ores. I keep going along the road.
What I do show is my trek from Conyberry to New Leaf, which is at #37 on the Overland Map. I had to do a lot of grinding on the way there, and even then I didn't show all of it in the video.
I eventually do reach the town of New Leaf, construct the trading post, and maximize the caravan route between New Leaf and Conyberry.
Abandoned Mines
The video starts with me encountering several Fire Elementals. I kill them and loot the Radiant Fire Essences they leave behind. They can conceivably be used for crafting or enchantment according to NWN2 OC crafting recipes. And indeed, the Trading Post in each town provides workbenches that can be used for purposes of NWN2 OC recipes.
I travel to the Abandoned Mines at #26, and buff. I go around slaughtering several Duergar in physical combat, aided along by Vandala. One of them leaves behind a Crossbow +2.
A chest at the south end of the mine has recipes for several deadly traps.
18th Level
The video starts with me encountering several Air Elementals. I kill them and loot the Radiant Air Essences they leave behind. One of them also leaves behind a Radiant Power Essence. They can conceivably be used for crafting or enchantment according to NWN2 OC crafting recipes.
I'm pretty close to 153,000xp, so I grind it out until everyone reaches their 18th leave of experience. Note that during the level ups I make sure everyone has the prerequisites for teamwork quests once the last few characters get their +2 Spot skill ranks.
Banite Enclave
I travel to the Banite Enclave, which is located at #25 of the Overland Map. I enter and start off at #1 on the Banite Enclave map.
I buff up as much as I can. At various points marked by #2 are groups of Banites. Physical combat helped along by Noxious Blast / Eldritch Chains from Vandala and the odd Curse Song from Finch suffices.
At #6 will be the leaders of the Enclave, consisting of a Wizard named Painbringer Zyrax, a Cleric named Fell Enriss, a Monk named Sulakh of the Ebon Hand, and a Blackguard named Imperceptor Krassus. I had Janette use a Magic Circle against Evil spell, and Umoja cast Superior Resistance on Logan, so as to minimize the chances of a Confusion spell wreaking havoc on my party. Once that's done, I have the warriors charge in while Umoja trains his bow on Painbringer Zyrax. Vandala blasts away, while Finch unleashes a Curse Song and then goes back into stealth mode.
Imperceptor Krassus leaves behind a Full Plate +3, but Logan already has one. Fell Enriss leaves behind a Warhammer +3, Painbringer Zyrax leaves behind a Cloak of Protection +3, and Sulakh of the Ebon Hand leaves behind the Black Hands of Bane (Inflict Moderate Wounds (7) on hit, evil only). But I have no use for any of those items either.
At #5 is Timothy Arneson. I get 500xp for informing him truthfully that all the Banites have been wiped out. I would have taken evil points in alignment had I lied to him about the Banites being cleared out when there were still any left. There wouldn't have been any alignment consequences had I killed him myself.
At #3 is a statue that can hit party members with negative energy. Vandala, protected by Death Ward, goes ahead of the rest of the party and zaps it with an Eldritch Blast to get rid of it.
At #4 is the treasure room. Random items and piles of gold are to be had here.
Hunting Cabin
I travel north to a Hunting Cabin at #24 on the Overland map. Inside will be a Malarite Druid along with a Dire Boar, a Dire Bear, and a Dire Wolf. Having Umoja fire away on the Druid, while the rest of the party takes care of the animals, is enough.
The animals themselves leave behind creature parts that I collect. Some of the corpses in the cabin leave behind gold or Dire Wolf Pelts.
A closet in the Cabin leaves behind a Composite Shortbow (4) (Mighty +4), which I hold onto as it may make for a decent interim bow for Umoja with a Mighty feature.
A chest in the Cabin also has a recipe for crafting a Ring of Greater Cold Resistance, but I don't figure that kind of ring will be in my long term plans.
Illefarn Ruin
I travel east to the Illefarn Ruin at #23. I buff up to the max once I enter. The buffing up in this instance includes Janette casting Spell Resistance on everyone in the party, because there's a magic intense battle to be fought here.
I move ahead and battle several Drow Warriors, a Phase Spider, two Drow Arachnomancers, and a Drow Priestess. Everybody being protected by Spell Resistance allows me to treat it as physical combat, helped along by a Curse Song from Finch and Noxious Blast / Eldritch Chains from Vandala.
The Phase Spider leaves behind a Phase Spider Leg. The Drow Priestess leaves behind a Full Plate +2 and a Cloak of Resistance +2, but I've already got better.
New Goods from New Leaf
I stop off at Phandalin on the way back to Crossroad Keep. I trade 40 trade bars for 1 Cold Iron.
I speak to Jacoby again, who has new goods arrived from New Leaf. Most of it is generic +2 armors or weapons. Unique items include:
I enter the Merchant Quarters, and end up collecting a whopping 44,000+ trade bars from Variel.
I then head over to the crafting stations. I make a Periapt of Wisdom +4 from a Silver Necklace, one Cold Iron, 8,000gp, and a Topaz gem (which I had collected while killing monsters earlier). The Periapt makes a good interim amulet for Umoja.
A Belt of Agility requires a Panther Pelt, two Drider Silks, and 12,000gp. I make one for Gallard, and for Finch.
I've still got a lot of gold, so now I buy two items that I've had my eye on, and ever since I joined the Fated Winds cartel.
One is the Dread Wraps (+10 armor class, immunity to sneak attacks, immunity to paralysis, +15 magic damage resistance, -50% vulnerability to fire damage, -8 saving throws vs. disease, -2 Constitution). This will be Gallard's body armor for the rest of the game. It is the robe with the highest armor class in the game, and has no maximum Dexterity bonus which makes it perfect for Gallard's build. Furthermore, getting his armor bonus from his body armor class instead of from his gloves slot (e.g. Bracers of Armor) allows Gallard to wear the Gloves of Swordplay for the bonus to Parry. The vulnerability to fire damage can be voided by Evasion. The penalties to Constitution and saving throws vs. disease can be concerning, but Gallard's build is focused on avoiding damage completely rather than absorbing it.
The other item is the Rogue Links (Chainshirt +3, +6 Hide, +6 Move Silently, Rogues only). This is Finch's armor for the rest of the game. The key points are the hefty bonuses to Hide and Move Silently, which allow him to maintain his songs and inspirations to empower his party members without exposing himself to harm. His Use Magic Device skill allows him to wear the armor despite the Rogue class restriction.
Shrine of Waukeen Upgrade
Now's a good time for me to do another upgrade. I wait a bit to let more caravans come in. I donate another 1,000 trade bars to Variel to finance the upgrade.
I then travel to Highcliff, and trade for 5 Mithral and 5 Timber. I head back to Variel and give her the resources to set up a Shrine of Waukeen.
The Shrine itself will be just north of the Merchant Headquarters. Donor Laija will only have recipes for cloaks, rings, and boots for sale that aren't very high tier.
I then travel to the Shrine of Waukeen in Highcliff. I purchase Boots of Hardiness +2 for Gallard, who in turn hands his Boots of Hardiness +1 over to Logan (Janette already has a pair).
I also buy an Amulet of Natural Armor +2 for Logan, and a Headband of Intellect +2 for Gallard. The items increase armor class for both characters.
Team Rush
I make my way to the Adventurer's Guild. The next teamwork quest I want to do is Team Rush. The leader requirements are +8 Survival and the Toughness feat, and everyone in the party having +1 Survival. Umoja satisfies the leader requirements as he already had the feat when he joined my party, and has been developing his Survival skill. The rest of the party has at least +2 Survival as well.
I have Umoja speak to Daerred. Daerred accepts 1,000gp, and explains that finishing the quest requires that the party hunt down and kill a Goblin that has been slaying travelers near New Leaf.
The Goblin Camp appears at #42 on the Overland Map. Although I don't show it in the video, I have Umoja buff everyone up with Bark Skin spells beforehand. Up ahead is a green Goblin named Tohn-be-ri who moves very slowly, and is unlikely to connect with his attacks. But in the off-hand chance that he lands a dagger attack, it can insta-kill its target. I fortunately manage to bring him down quickly without suffering any casualties. Too bad he didn't leave his dagger behind.
Everyone in the party gets 1,300xp and the Team Rush feat. What this means for my party is that Gallard can walk on the Overland Map at the same speed as Umoja, who would otherwise be the fastest traveler in the party due to his Survival skill.
Arivyndaire
Another special encounter has appeared just south of New Leaf, Wood Elves. A Lore check from Vandala suffices to calm down their leader, Arivyndaire, enough so that the encounter becomes a permanent store just south of New Leaf.
I buy the Composite Longbow of Deadly Precision (+2 attack bonus, +4 Mighty) for Umoja. He won't use it yet, in fact not till the game is almost over. I won't use it until I can get a Strength enhancing belt for him, raise the attack bonus to +3, and then safety add bonus electrical damage to it. Till then, he uses the bow he already has.
I also buy an Amulet of Natural Armor +3 for Janette. She in turn passes on her Amulet of Natural Armor +2 to Vandala.
The video concludes with me killing off a group of Earth Elementals. They leave behind Radiant Earth Essences that, in theory, can be used for NWN2 OC crafting recipes.
My next destination is the town of Leilon.