Arcanum No Reload Challenge

Some of you may have played the long standing Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 No Reload Challenges. Well, the ironman thread below inspired me to start a similar challenge for Arcanum.

Rules --

1. No reloading, this one should be obvious. This includes reloading to get a favorable result from such things as pickpocketing, etc. If your character dies that is it for this challenge. However, you are free to enter the challenge as many times as you like.
2. Be informative of what build and strategies you are using, so that those so inclined can judge the merits of your run.
3. Post your mods and character race, background (if any), stats, skills, spells, etc. in your initial post. Feel free to play vanilla, UAP, AWIP, or any other mod you want. Just let us know.
4. Post intermittent progress reports. Roleplaying accounts are welcome.
5. Clearly post when your PC has died.
6. If you decide to withdraw from the competition, please make a post indicating such.
7. Have fun, and keep us posted of your progess!

 

I will start the ball rolling.

Introducing Argos, a male elven mage-thief, who has been Beat with an Ugly Stick. Starting stats:

Str 9
Con 6
Dex 11
Be 3
Int 8
WP 9
PE 8
Ch 8

Character Points Applied to:

Melee 1
Backstab 1
Pickpocket 1
Charm 1
Stun 1

At start up purchased a fine steel dagger, 3 fatigue restorers, 1 health pot, and 1 blue jacket.

****************

Argos is primarily a loner, although he has no problem taking short-term advantage of the various followers and helpers he meets along the way. He immediately told Virgil to wait, while he made a quick trip to Shrouded Hills to inform the constable of the crash.

On the way he encountered a hooded figure, who attacked him. But a quick stun and a few backstabs, reduced him to goo. In the Shrouded Hills, Argos informed the constable, and then proceeded to pickpocket Reitzze for his storeroom key. He failed.

So I started over, with the same name, stats, background, and point allocations, etc. so that I could try again. I had to do this three times before I got a success on Reitzze's key. Now I was in business. I proceeded to camp Reitzze's chest, day after day, taking only the gold until I had over 70,000 gold.

I then shopped at the elven trader until I had aquired a Dagger of Speed, Enchanted War Boots, and an Arcane Travelling Cloak. Now it was time to go back to the crash site to do the quests there. Argos was off to a good start. But there would be numerous chances for ignonimous death in the future.

 

Don't we have like three iron man threads already? This is pretty redundant.

 

Sorry, I only saw the one below, which didnt have any rules, etc. But if a moderator feels this thread is redundant, then pls by all means delete it, and I will post my updates in the other thread.

 

Exchanging one easy pickpocket for unlimited gold. How impressively boring.

 

Yeah having unlimited wealth through almost exploit-y means is a bit counterintuitive to what an iron man run should be about. I think a good rule for an iron man contest would be to not gain money through robbing shop keepers chests, only from selling items (stolen or otherwise) and finding money on corpses or stealing it 100 at a time if you can be bothered.

Also how did you come up with the name Argos? Or did you simply Find it, Get it, Argos it?

 

Well, his unlimited wealth didnt keep him from dying to a couple of level 15 grizzly's on the way to Dernholm.

However, I think you guys are correct. On my next attempt (same character, build, etc.) I will restrict his thieving to only one steal from each shopkeep (not camping the same chest for infinite money.) I mean, he is a thief after all, and I dont want to completely eliminate his thieving habits. So, for example, Argos can raid Rietzze's chest once, but not over and over.

Argos is the name of the ship that the Argonauts used to sail between Scylla and Charibdis on their quest to obtain the golden fleece.

 

I'd also add a "Do not kill shopkeepers" rule. Alternatively, "You can kill shopkeepers but you cannot touch the gold in their inventories" once they're dead.

 

I think we are mixing apples with oranges. An Ironman challenge is one thing. A No Reload challenge is another.

The idea of a No Reload challenge is simply to see if you can make it through the entire game, without reloading for any reason whatsoever, (except a bug)--while sharing your adventures along the way.

Unlike an ironman challenge, where the idea is to make the game as hard as possible, by restricting gameplay, in a No Reload challenge, you are completely free to play the game as you wish, with minimal rules. You are free to use exploits or any mods, hacks you want, as long as you let everyone know what you are doing. I suspect a No Reload will be hard enough, given the numerous ways for low level deaths to occur in this game.

Has anyone here ever completed a No Reload of Arcanum? First, lets see who can do that. In my multiple attempts so far, I am finding it very difficult to make it through the early levels without dying. Compared to some of you, I am still a newb, so your experience may differ.

I prefer not to make this a "competition" thing, because then everybody has to play by the same specific rules, mods, etc. This is simply a self-evaluated, self-gratifying challenge, for those who have played through the game multiple times and are looking for a new angle on gameplay.

Clearly, a great deal of metagaming knowledge will be required to be successful, (along with a lot of luck), which I am not sure I have yet. I just came back to Arcanum after several years, and i am still rusty. But I am having fun, and thats the bottom line...isnt it?

 

After multiple failed attempts in my vanilla install, which I wont bore you with, I am starting over again, this time with AWIP (because I have never played that before).

Argos is now a Lonesome Traveller, which gives +5 Perception, +2 Constitution, and +1 Str, but limits you to only one follower.

Starting Stats:
Str 8
Con 8
Dex 9
BE 9
IN 8
WP 9
PE 13
CH 8

Initial points spent as follows:

Mele 1
Dodge 1
Backstab 1
Charm 1
Stun 1

This time he will not even attempt to pickpocket Rietzze--primarily because 4 out of 5 times the pickpocket fails and pretty much requires a reload, unless you want to fight the guards in SH.

 

How about a stupid half ogre ironman? Maximum int of four, and no dog until the plot sends you to Roseborough.

 

That sounds like one of the easiest characters, I'd say. Ran Away with the Circus + 2 Strength (20 total) + 1 Dexterity + 2 Melee + Rapier = killing machine from the very beginning.

 

So this is like an iron man lite without it being a contest? I guess that might be fun but I'd still maybe restrict the use of exploits and over the top custom backgrounds (not that your's is too over the top, 1 follower is a significant limitation especially with a rather flimsy elf) because if you do use a load of exploits then that won't make reading your experiences very interesting like you want it to be ("I GOTZ ALL THIS GOLD AND NOW HAV AWESUM EQUIPMENT LOL!!11!!!11!!!!!").

I'll parot what everyone else has already said in that twinkish builds are probably the best. I always like the half-ogre only child stun using backstabber, who's able to put out the maximum damage in the whole game (or at least I'd imagine it would). I'd definitely go melee because a melee master is the only combat route where you can't critically fail and dismember yourself (unless you throw grenades and shiz - or try going non-combat entirely). I'd also go for magic for the sake of easy healing via morgana's tears or healing spells.

 

What about a 4 int half ogre Mage? That's technically possible, wouldn't it be? Damn. I need to crack Arcanum open again.

 

No you need at least 5 in intelligence to cast spells, still that's only 1 cp so it's not much of a big deal as long as you don't use a background that lowers intelligence any further.

 

The idea is inspired by the Baldur's Gate 2 No Reload challenge, which has had an active following for several years. Read the current thread herehttp://social.bioware.com/forum/Bal...rning/25th-No-Reload-Challenge-3120942-1.html

Basically people can play how they want, with the stipulation that there can be no reloading, because of death or bad luck. Even with a twinked build, it will not be that easy, primarily because the early levels are filled with death traps. Killing one's self due to poor melee skills is one of them. Running out of mana as a young mage and falling unconscious is another, or just getting creamed by a random spawn of 4 level 15 grizzlies, who can one hit kill you, is another.

Once you get some levels and skill masteries under your belt, you should be good to go...but getting there is the problem. A careful, well-thought out build and strategy is required, along with a lot of luck.