Durlag's Tower Walkthrough
Step right up! Step right up!
There's a sucker born every minute, and you're right on time! - Ike.
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There's a sucker born every minute, and you're right on time! - Ike.
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| The tip of the iceberg |
Welcome to my walkthrough for Durlag's Tower, a cRPG dungeon released by BioWare in 1999. This walkthrough accompanies my Baldur's Gate walkthrough and Werewolf Island walkthrough.
How to get to Durlag's Tower
Durlag's Tower is found in a barren wasteland east of Nashkel and south of the Firewine Bridge.
The legendary Durlag's Tower - the jewel in the Infinity Engine's crown - is a multi-level dungeon crawl added into the base campaign by the Tales of the Sword Coast expansion, the existence of which is revealed to us upon reaching the far-northern town of Ulgoth's Beard, which is itself expansion content, a hub and launching pad for Durlag's Tower, Ice Island & Werewolf Island.
The tower can also be stumbled upon by exploring in an easterly direction from Nashkel, though in doing so Ike's sensational theatrics and the scripted encounter with the Demon Knight are bypassed, and lost forever.
The tower can also be stumbled upon by exploring in an easterly direction from Nashkel, though in doing so Ike's sensational theatrics and the scripted encounter with the Demon Knight are bypassed, and lost forever.
How to Beat Durlag's Tower
To beat Durlag's Tower, you must delve to its deepest point and slay the Demon Knight in order to recover the Soul Taker dagger.
How Hard is Durlag's Tower
Durlag's Tower is very hard for new players on a first playthrough. There are many traps, puzzles and tough enemies. Before going to Durlag's Tower, it is best to have significantly advanced the plot of Baldur's Gate.
The difficulty of Durlag's Tower is dependent on party level, party composition, and what Baldur's Gate items and spells the party has access to. However, it is possible for one character to venture into Durlag's Tower at first level, and beat it by leveling up in the tower, and by only using items found in the tower. If that doesn't pose a challenge to the reader, try doing a Baldur's Gate No Reload Run under those parameters.
Durlag's Tower is much easier if you are playing on EasyTutu or the Enhanced Edition, which make BG1 itself much easier because we have access to BG2 classes, spells and abilities in BG1, which was not balanced for such additions.
In terms of difficulty, the Durlag's Tower most people experience in 2025 is far easier than the original Durlag's Tower of 1999.
Ulgoth's Beard: Ike the Huckster
Standing outside Ulgoth's Beard Store & Inn is Ike the huckster, offering guided tours of the tower to gullible tourists for the price of 60 gold pieces; standing inside the inn is Hurgan Stoneblade, a noble dwarf who enlists your aid to recover the soultaker artifact (a magical dagger) from deep within the foreboding tower. Having accepted the quest and paid for the tour, Ike slinks away to meet the party at the "venerable death trap" itself.
I'm sure it's safe; they wouldn't let people in if there was any danger...
Fenrus references illithid, aka mindflayers:
Durlag's Tower Approach: Erdane
Just south of Erdane, across a narrow path of rock that forms a natural bridge over a chasm, two tough-ass Battle Horrors stand guard (+2,000 Exp ea), presumably placed there by the devs to scare off scrubby parties brandishing nothing but leafy twigs (i.e, a gating encounter).
Having fended them off and wound our way southward, Ike is caught up with on the moat-bridge, whereupon he continues his entertaining bardic recital of Durlag lore.
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| Erdane the peddler and Ike the Huckster |
The party step inside the tower...
Tourists huddle in the entry chamber listening attentively to Ike's tireless spiel; after which Ike sells you a "token", a fake dwarven rune wardstone, for 300 gold pieces (later, the acquisition of real DRWs is necessary in order to progress).
Tourists huddle in the entry chamber listening attentively to Ike's tireless spiel; after which Ike sells you a "token", a fake dwarven rune wardstone, for 300 gold pieces (later, the acquisition of real DRWs is necessary in order to progress).
Demon Knight Appearance
With the masterfully-presented theatrics over (BioWare outdid themselves!), Durlag's Tower now takes on a brooding aspect. We're talking here about a subterranean fortress made nigh-impenetrable by hundreds of lethal traps, devious puzzles and deadly denizens!
Durlag's Tower Traps
Thieving skills are almost mandatory in Durlag's Tower, which is, from its loftiest storey to its deepest pit, filled with proximity traps and trapped containers which, when tripped, threaten to inflict all manner of direct damage, debuffing and disabling effects on victims unlucky enough to be unprotected from their effects or fail their saving throw or magic resistance check.
Springing proximity traps doesn't normally disable them (like in NWN): they will reset and remain a threat until deftly dealt with by a thief with solid investment in the vital skill, Find/Remove Traps.
Chromatic Orb (Stun) and Hold Person proximity traps are bemusing in that it's possible to be caught within the proximity and held fast over and over again! (Until the victim makes their save/MR check, or the trap is removed from under their clumsy feet!)
By "solid investment" I really mean maxed to 100%. Sure, 80% is fine if you have a reliable supply of Potions of Perception (+20% to all thief skills for 6 hours), but I just prefer not to rely on buffs because I may be dispelled or need to rest.
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| Examples of the tower's trap density |
By "solid investment" I really mean maxed to 100%. Sure, 80% is fine if you have a reliable supply of Potions of Perception (+20% to all thief skills for 6 hours), but I just prefer not to rely on buffs because I may be dispelled or need to rest.
In addition, I say Find/Remove Traps is "vital" because unless you're a pro-player meta-gaming your ass off, having a capable thief is vital to sanity. Just a reminder, too, that "%" doesn't mean percentage at all; they're just points. "A roll" of sorts does happen, but your skill has to be within five or so points of the difficulty rating to have a hope of succeeding.
Trap Detection & Trap Removal
Traps include both Trap Detection & Trap Removal Difficulty ratings (TDD & TRD), with success in the latter usually requiring higher investment in the skill. Many traps in Durlag's Tower are 100-rated, and one I know of is erroneously flagged as undetectable! (At least, I would like to think it wasn't dev intent.)
In the screenshot below, the trap in question lies between the one being removed and the next one along the corridor, scorching the hapless thief who tripped it. Note also the multitude of corpses littering the area, strongly suggestive of danger being present!
Generic (i.e, non-scripted/hardcoded) monsters respawn at intervals to hinder the party as they backtrack through corridors and chambers in their attempt to solve the puzzles, but respawns can be suppressed by camping a party member in line-of-sight of the spawnpoint.
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| "Ah... 'tis but a flesh wound!" - Coran at Badly Wounded |
Generic (i.e, non-scripted/hardcoded) monsters respawn at intervals to hinder the party as they backtrack through corridors and chambers in their attempt to solve the puzzles, but respawns can be suppressed by camping a party member in line-of-sight of the spawnpoint.
Reloading also refreshes generic spawns and may add to already-existing ones (true of the campaign in general). Resting frequently results in ambushes, but having to defend the camp against a few Ghasts is preferable to hiking all the way back to town, which is time-consuming and may result in overworld waylays, anyway.
The gating encounters, the convo with Bayard (see the "cellar" section, below), the type and number of hostile denizens, the fifth circle scroll drops and the tough traps and locks all point to the design of Durlag's Tower catering to parties of maximum level, or not far off. Sure, veterans may start off with a first level party and rapidly gain levels as they go, but for the purposes of my treatment the party will be borderline-maxed, as that's what the design calls for.
In addition to a thief, new players are advised to bring along a bard for their valuable loremastery, enabling them to easily identify magical items instead of relying on the Identify spell, which consumes first circle spell slots that should instead be loaded with Magic Missile, Chromatic Orb and Blindness.
The rest of this post is given over to treatment of Durlag's Tower on an area-by-area basis, starting with the upper storeys; the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.
[1] Examples of each traps' negative effects in the tower's first two storeys: Flamestrike, Hold Person, Silence, Chromatic Orb (Stun), Dire Charm, Miscast Magic, Lightning Bolt.
The gating encounters, the convo with Bayard (see the "cellar" section, below), the type and number of hostile denizens, the fifth circle scroll drops and the tough traps and locks all point to the design of Durlag's Tower catering to parties of maximum level, or not far off. Sure, veterans may start off with a first level party and rapidly gain levels as they go, but for the purposes of my treatment the party will be borderline-maxed, as that's what the design calls for.
In addition to a thief, new players are advised to bring along a bard for their valuable loremastery, enabling them to easily identify magical items instead of relying on the Identify spell, which consumes first circle spell slots that should instead be loaded with Magic Missile, Chromatic Orb and Blindness.
The rest of this post is given over to treatment of Durlag's Tower on an area-by-area basis, starting with the upper storeys; the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.
[1] Examples of each traps' negative effects in the tower's first two storeys: Flamestrike, Hold Person, Silence, Chromatic Orb (Stun), Dire Charm, Miscast Magic, Lightning Bolt.
The Upper Storeys of Durlag's Tower
Before delving the labyrinthine environments below, players may explore upwards three storeys to partake in optional encounters, and one quest. As with the ground floor (the entry level, where the Demon Knight briefly appeared), the first floor is relatively tame, hosting a pack of Ghasts (nasty for their on-hit hold and disease), obligatory traps and basic treasure to loot.
The first floor also grants access to the exterior overlooking the courtyard, where the party may scale an external staircase leading to the roof upon which Greater Basilisks may be battled (also nasty for their petrifying gaze). A magical scimitar may also be spotted, stashed in a chimney (Rhashad's Talon +2).
Below left: The upper storeys.
Below right: Coran scouts the roof-top for Greater Basilisks as night (and rain) falls.
Below left: The upper storeys.
Below right: Coran scouts the roof-top for Greater Basilisks as night (and rain) falls.
The Ghost of Daitel
Lurking on the second storey is the ghost of Daitel, a high level mage who must be fought regardless of dialogue choice. He buffs himself with Mirror Image, then teleports (Dimension Door) into the central chamber where he conjures an Invisible Stalker and proceeds to unleash an array of disabling and direct damage spells at the party, including Chaos, Lightning Bolt, Fireball, Flesh to Stone and Cloudkill - an extensive repertoire, indeed!
Note: A chest in Daietel's chamber contains a unidentified potion that is cursed to petrify the imbiber. It is identified as a Potion of Invulernability with only a hint of it being cursed in the description: "A strange murky quality".
Riggilo the Rogue
This is an entirely optional quest, and rare, in that it can only be solved evilly. Sneaking around on the second floor is Riggilo the rogue, a seasoned and abrasive treasure hunter made nervous by the plundering party's competitive presence.
Initially, I have chosen the unfriendly dialogue options for just for fun (below left). As per Riggilo's request, the party leaves him be for the time being and ascends the spiral staircase to the next storey up.
The lavatory on the third (top) floor is occupied by a succubus who wishes us to gift a lock of her hair to a male victim, so that she may finally be released from her binding by Durlag. Mmm... who could we give this to I wonder? Riggilo, of course!
Kirinhale the Succubus
A female? After all this time I am found by a female? - Kirinhale
(Note the gender-based dialogue: very rare in Baldur's Gate)
The lavatory on the third (top) floor is occupied by a succubus who wishes us to gift a lock of her hair to a male victim, so that she may finally be released from her binding by Durlag. Mmm... who could we give this to I wonder? Riggilo, of course!
Under the impression the lock of hair is from a nymph, Riggilo gladly receives the gift and hands us a Potion of Cloud Giant Strength in exchange (below left). Now unbound, the succubus returns to the Abyss and the party receives 4,000 quest experience points (below right).
Returning to gloat at Riggilo turns him hostile (below left), but in the interests of the evil outcome he should be kept alive and eternally bound to the tower! Good-aligned PCs may prefer to simply dispatch the (ethereal-teleporting) succubus for kill experience (+3,000 Exp, Staff Spear +2), but there is no quest reward for doing so. There are no alignment checks to receive the quest and alignment-sensitive PCs won't become "Fallen" for unbinding a succubus at the expense of a human life. Those two mechanics are utilized in the sequel (though not satisfactorily so). Still, the quest is just there for a bit of fun.
Tome of Understanding Location
Incidentally, just to the north of Riggilo stands a chapel with a trapped altar (Dire Charm: TDD 90 TRD 100) containing a Tome of Understanding (+1 Wisdom), one of three found in the campaign (below right).
Well, that's all there is to report of the upper storeys! Let us descend to the cellar...
Durlag's Tower Cellar & Bayard
Bayard's lengthy lecture certainly gets the player thinking about whether or not they're ready for the real deal, one dialogue choice being: Perhaps I will leave this place for another day then. No need to go and get myself killed.
A secret door is detected on the northern wall, leading down to the first (of four) labyrinthine levels: Durlag's Tower Level 1: The Labyrinth of the Warders awaits!
A secret door is detected on the northern wall, leading down to the first (of four) labyrinthine levels: Durlag's Tower Level 1: The Labyrinth of the Warders awaits!
Durlag's Tower Level 1 Walkthrough
Durlag's Tower Level 1 is a cRPG dungeon in BioWare's cRPG of 1998-99, Baldur's Gate. The large, central chamber is occupied by four dwarven warders (Pride, Avarice, Fear & Love) guarding an elevator shaft, each of whom pose a riddle which must be solved in order to descend to the second, deeper labyrinth.
Solving the riddles requires careful and extensive exploration of the entire dungeon; its floors and containers laced with traps, its corridors and chambers linked by secret doors and inhabited by undead, arachnid, jellies, golems and shapeshifters [2], all of which stand as obstacles to the procurement of treasures and essential puzzle pieces.
Below left: One of Durlag's glittering treasuries.
Below right: A trio of Greater Doppelgangers, hasted and mirrored. Their creepy moans and one-liners send shivers up my spine!
[2] Skeletons, Zombies, Ghouls, Ghasts, Skeleton Warriors, Phase & Wraith Spiders, Mustard Jellies, Flesh Golems, Greater Doppelgangers.
To solve the riddle of Pride, the player must venture to the reading room and peruse the four tomes, causing a sword, Durlag's Pride, to glow in the chamber across the corridor.
Below left: One of Durlag's glittering treasuries.
Below right: A trio of Greater Doppelgangers, hasted and mirrored. Their creepy moans and one-liners send shivers up my spine!
[2] Skeletons, Zombies, Ghouls, Ghasts, Skeleton Warriors, Phase & Wraith Spiders, Mustard Jellies, Flesh Golems, Greater Doppelgangers.
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| Right: Time to fillet some meat! |
Riddle of Pride
Riddle of Avarice
To solve the riddle of Avarice, the player must rummage through the treasury to procure the priceless Glittering Beljuril Gemstone.
• Item code for Glittering Beljuril Gemstone (MISC1J).
This stone seems to be out of place down here, almost as if it wasn't a coincidence at all. Perhaps it has some meaning, maybe even a purpose here. You get an uneasy feeling that this gem stone shouldn't be sold, perhaps it would be best not to be too greedy and keep it around awhile. Normally a deep, pleasant seawater green, beljurils periodically blaze with a glittering, winking, flashing light. Although this particular stone has a slightly different hue, perhaps a new strain, rarely if ever seen before. It looks incredibly valuable.
Riddle of Fear
To solve the riddle of Fear, a mallet head and handle must be found; then the mallet assembled in the forge using the hammer & anvil.
The mallet must then be taken to the trophy chamber and struck on a gong to sound it.
This riddle requires considerably more exploration than the first two.
• Item code for the Mallet Head (MISC94) -- Found on a bookshelf in the library to the north.
This heavy metal ball appears to be the head of a gong mallet. The handle is broken off.
• Item code for the Mallet Handle (MISC95) -- Found in a barrel behind the Pride Warder.
This gilded rod was once a handle.
• Item code for the Gong Mallet (MISC1H)
This appears to be a mallet for a gong of some kind.
Riddle of Love
And finally, to solve Love's riddle, a bejeweled key must be found and used to open a magically-warded dresser containing a switch to turn on a machine in the engine room, thereby powering up a winepress.
A bunch of glowing grapes must also be found; then crushed on the now-operable winepress to fill a bottle of wine.
• Item code for Odd Looking Key (MISC93) -- Found in a small treasure pile in the treasure room.
• Item code for Odd Looking Key (MISC93) -- Found in a small treasure pile in the treasure room.
A bejeweled key of odd design.
• Item code for Switch for an Engine (MISC92) -- Found in a chest in the bedroom to the south. The chest is opened with the Odd Looking Key.
This appears to be a switch for something.
Below left: As a nice touch, the engine can indeed be heard humming once it's switched on. Atmosphere like that is taken for granted these days, but back then it was rare and appreciated.
• Item code for the Grapes (MISC91) -- Found in a chest in the bedroom in the south.
This fruit glows with a strange inner light.
• Item code for the Bottle of Wine (MISC1A)
This wine was obtained after placing the eerily glowing grapes in the winepress and starting the engine. When you breathe deeply, memories of lost loves come rushing back and you find your eyes filling with tears.
Below right: When you breathe the wine deeply, memories of lost loves come rushing back and you find your eyes filling with tears. - Item description for the Bottle of Wine.
With the sword glowing, beljuril pocketed, gong struck and wine bottled, the grim-faced party (who are only alive thanks to Power Word: Reload!) return to the central chamber to be rewarded by each warder in turn (+2,000 quest experience per riddle).
The wine for Love is presented last.
How to Beat the Warders
To beat the Warders, the party should buff up with Haste and cast offensive spells of their own. In addition, warrior companions should be wielding good weapons.
The best way to beat the Warders is to lay down Skull Traps before turning them hostile. The Skull Traps can easily take out every Warder except Love.
Below right: The warder battle, showing Skull Trap, Web and Cloudkill in action. Love is immune to Web and Skull Trap by virtue of Globe of Invulnerability. The two blood-red columns each signify a warder's death.
Pride Stats
Offensively, the Hasted and helmed Pride is a 10th level Fighter. He has a THAC0 of 5 and inflicts an average of 17.5 slashing damage at a rate of 4 ApR, wielding a Battle Axe as Grandmaster.
Defensively, Pride has an AC of -2, 110 HPs, saves of 5-5-5-5-5, 21% magic resistance, 10% elemental resistance, 10% resistance to physical damage, wears Plate Mail Armor and wields a Large Shield, off-hand.
Pride casts Draw Upon Holy Might.
Avarice Stats
Avarice is a Hasted and helmed Thief. He has a THAC0 of 11 and inflicts an average of 17.5 piercing damage at a rate of 3 ApR, wielding a Short Sword +1 with no proficiency.
Defensively, Avarice has an AC of 2, 64 HPs, saves of 6-8-8-7-8, 10% elemental and magic resistance, and wears Studded Leather Armor.
Avarice casts Cloudkill and Invisibility.
Fear Stats
Fear is a Hasted and unhelmed Ghoul. He has a THAC0 of 4 and inflicts an average of 9 crushing damage at a rate of 3 ApR, wielding 2d8 claws.
Fear has an AC of -6, 59 HPs, saves of 7-7-7-7-7, immunity to poison, 85% resistance to cold and magic cold, 70% resistance to acid, 15% magic resistance and 10% resistance to magic fire.
As a ghoul, Fear is immune to panic, poison, sleep, petrification, confusion, berserk, charm, paralyze and slay.
Love Stats
Love is a 12th level Mage. He has a THAC0 of 1 and inflicts an average of 12 slashing damage at a rate of 2 ApR, wielding a bastard sword as Grandmaster.
The unarmored and unhelmed Love has an AC of 0, 85 HPs, saves of 6-6-6-6-7 and 10% magic resistance.
Level 1 Exit Wardstone
With the warders bested, the Level 1 Exit Wardstone is looted from Love's corpse; it being the key to the lift that leads down to a second, more challenging and complex labyrinth, where we learn about Durlag's ill-fated family.
Level 1 Exit Wardstone item code: MISC2B.
Durlag's Tower Level 2 Walkthrough
Durlag's Tower Level 2 is a cRPG dungeon in BioWare's cRPG of 1998-99, Baldur's Gate. Durlag's Tower Level 2 is the Labyrinth of Doors. Navigation of the second labyrinth relies on the manipulation of statues, sparring dummies, levers and wardstones to open and close warded doors made of impenetrable stone. These doors may separate party members, condemning them to death.
Greater Doppelgangers
The labyrinth is also famous for pitting the party against Greater Doppelgangers disguised as Durlag, his wife and sons.
Greater Doppelgangers may also be encountered as on-rest spawns, randomly appearing in the form of Islanne (Durlag's wife, a mage), Kiel Legion-Killer (his eldest son and Clan-prince, a Fighter/Cleric) or Fuernebol (his youngest son, an archer) - even shifting between them during battle!
The common "Islanne" variant is problematic in that it unleashes divide & conquer spells like Confusion, Horror and Dire Charm, causing anarchy in the party's ranks. Dispel Magic is the key counter - memorize it!
The central entrance chamber has four exits of note, each with a dusty book placed on the threshold pointing out where Durlag's wife and sons were assailed by Greater Doppelgangers.
Dusty books have been carefully placed by Durlag throughout the labyrinth, giving rhyming hints and reflections on what happened down here, three centuries ago. I'll quote them as we go.
Only one door is open at the moment, leading to a statue chamber. Here, an eerie tapestry gives the player a clue about the statues (below right).
Only one door is open at the moment, leading to a statue chamber. Here, an eerie tapestry gives the player a clue about the statues (below right).
Islanne's Wardstone
Manipulating the first statue opens the door to the master suite, wherein Islanne's wardstone is looted from the coffee table. This act triggers the suite's entry door to close and its escape door to open, even as a Greater Doppelganger - disguised as Durlag - teleports into the suite to creepily regurgitate Durlag's words to Islanne, though with a twisted spin (below left).
Shifting to its true form, the Greater Doppelganger turns hostile and fills the room with fire! As mentioned earlier, Dispel Magic and Magic Missile are effective counters to their protective Mirror Image; an extremely powerful illusion.
Islanne Wardstone item Code: MISC2C.
The escape door is open to a short tunnel leading back to the statue chamber.
Foul mimic of mortal man, was in my shape they killed Islanne. - Dusty Book.
Foul mimic of mortal man, was in my shape they killed Islanne. - Dusty Book.
Sparring Dummies
Manipulating the second statue opens the door to Fuernebol's practice chamber, wherein a sparring dummy is struck to trigger a similar chain of events, except that this Greater Doppelganger fills the room with noxious fumes, knocking the party out and poisoning them! (Stinking Cloud).
Again, a tunnel returns the party to the statue chamber.
Soft walks the trait'rous Doppelganger, into my dear son's practice chamber. - Dusty Book.
Soft walks the trait'rous Doppelganger, into my dear son's practice chamber. - Dusty Book.
Kiel Wardstone & Fuernebol Wardstone
The door to the Throne Room opens when the party has looted both the wardstones of Kiel (Durlag's other, eldest son) & Fuernebol from the master suite, and struck another sparring dummy in the practice chamber.
Kiel Wardstone item code: MISC2D.
Fuernebol Wardstone item code: MISC2E.
Looting Kiel's Helmet (Immunity to critical hits & fear effects, boosts morale) from the throne triggers a spawn of three Greater Doppelgangers, each of which conjure billowing clouds of toxicity! (Cloudkill).
Wall Trap
The tunnel winds down to a trapped chamber of no other significance; and then another chamber divided by a molten metal stream.
Here the party is pitted against a trio of Greater Doppelgangers that have assumed the forms of the late Kiel, Islanne & Fuernebol.
Torture Chamber
Taste My Fear. - Dusty Book.
Durlag's Goblet
The torture chamber is the most trap-dense area of the labyrinth (below right); some of them 100-rated.
Durlag's cursed goblet lies discarded on the floor (below left). If equipped and consumed, it seems that neither Remove Curse nor Dispel Magic will unequip it, meaning you have to wait twelve hours for the panic effect to wear off (rest twice to recover "instantly").
Face My Demons. - Dusty Book.
When this book is picked up from the floor of the portal chamber, two Greater Doppelgangers spawn to flank the party from the torture chamber behind, randomly shifting between the forms of Islanne, Kiel and Fuernebol (below right).
When this book is picked up from the floor of the portal chamber, two Greater Doppelgangers spawn to flank the party from the torture chamber behind, randomly shifting between the forms of Islanne, Kiel and Fuernebol (below right).
Glowing Glyphs: Teleportation Wardstone
When they're dealt with, two teleportation wardstones may be looted from central (trapped) receptacles, allowing the party to circumvent the dual gates by means of glowing glyphs (below left).
Teleportation Wardstone item code: MISC2F.
Seek No Exit. - Dusty Book.
Trapped urns adorn the adjacent funeral chamber. They contain only healing potions (below left).
Know No Refuge. - Dusty Book.
Trapped urns adorn the adjacent funeral chamber. They contain only healing potions (below left).
Know No Refuge. - Dusty Book.
Level 2 Exit Wardstone
An adjoining shrine is dominated by a trapped statue holding the ultimate prize, the Level 2 Exit Wardstone! (below right.) But where is the exit?
Feel No Warmth. - Dusty Book.
Down a long tunnel, ghasts lurk in alcoves waiting to ambush intruders. The tunnel is complicated by Fireball traps.
Dance With the Dead. - Dusty Book.
At the tunnel's end, what appears to be the exit turns out to be a ruse! Instead, three Skeleton Warriors ambush in a deadly flanking manoeuvre and a foul stench overpowers the room.
Down a long tunnel, ghasts lurk in alcoves waiting to ambush intruders. The tunnel is complicated by Fireball traps.
Dance With the Dead. - Dusty Book.
At the tunnel's end, what appears to be the exit turns out to be a ruse! Instead, three Skeleton Warriors ambush in a deadly flanking manoeuvre and a foul stench overpowers the room.
The true exit is just south of this room, but there is one last chamber to explore.
Kiel the Legion Killer
Here fell Kiel the Legion Killer. - Dusty Book.
Dwarven Doom Guards
The final resting place of Kiel is guarded by four Dwarven Doom Guards who are made hostile when Kiel's Morningstar & Kiel's Buckler are looted from the trunk at the foot of his bed (below left). Good luck vanquishing these tanks...
Ok, that's it! The Labyrinth of Doors has been bested. With the true exit found and Level 2 Exit Wardstone in hand, the bloodied and battered party prepares to descend the staircase to the third labyrinth, where we will attempt to understand Durlag's disturbed mind...
Know My Madness. - Dusty Book.
Level 2 Exit Wardstone item code: MISC2G.
Durlag's Tower Level 3 Walkthrough
Durlag's Tower Level 3 is a cRPG dungeon in BioWare's cRPG of 1998-99, Baldur's Gate. Durlag's Tower Level 3 is the Labyrinth of the Elements. In contrast to the last two labyrinths - which focus on traps and puzzles - this labyrinth tests the player's tactics by introducing exotic encounters and increasing spawns for "Greater" monsters.
Four Elemental Chambers
The object of the labyrinth is to defeat a guardian in each of the four elemental chambers - those of fire, ice, slime & wind. When that's done, the party is suddenly whisked away to find themselves fighting for their lives on a gigantic Chessboard! This is one of the highlights of Durlag's Tower.
On-rest spawns invariably consist of two Greater Ghouls that move at a rate of knots and inflict paralysis with their claw attacks. Their ApR is high and their THAC0 low: don't underestimate them!
On-rest spawns invariably consist of two Greater Ghouls that move at a rate of knots and inflict paralysis with their claw attacks. Their ApR is high and their THAC0 low: don't underestimate them!
Chamber of Explosions
Parties initially find themselves boxed in at the stairwell, the door to the first chamber being shut. Perceptive players will hear intermittent explosions coming from behind the door, and see flames licking at the walls. Nevertheless, the door must be opened.
By doing so an explosive chamber is revealed, a hub with three exits leading to the rest of the labyrinth (east, west, south).
A central contraption emits fiery rings from its center at intervals, but it cannot be disabled which means good timing is needed for each party member to reach one of the escape exits (Haste is helpful, as is fire resistance, Mirror Image etc.)
It doesn't matter which exit is chosen: the important thing is just to get the hell out of there before the party is turned to cinders!
Below left: Map of the third labyrinth.
Below right: Negotiating the explosive chamber!
Below left: Map of the third labyrinth.
Below right: Negotiating the explosive chamber!
Ashirukuru
The east exit opens into a heavily trapped hedge maze plagued by several blood-thirsty Greater Ghouls and a couple Ashirukuru with a triple backstab multiplier (below left). New players may not expect to die here - "Ooh, a pretty garden, and children laughing!" - but they probably will.
The birdbath in the center of the garden may be looted for Bala's Axe, valuable for its on-hit Miscast Magic.
Taking the hub's south exit leads to an obnoxious chamber teeming with a dozen skeleton archers and laced with Stinking Cloud traps. Nothing much is gained here other than the satisfaction of cleansing the chamber (below right).
Below left: Yes, that mage has been swarmed by Greater Ghouls who have dispersed her mirrors in short order. Death is imminent. Inset: A stealthy Ashirukuru assassin.
Below right: I hate this chamber!
Taking the hub's south exit leads to an obnoxious chamber teeming with a dozen skeleton archers and laced with Stinking Cloud traps. Nothing much is gained here other than the satisfaction of cleansing the chamber (below right).
Below left: Yes, that mage has been swarmed by Greater Ghouls who have dispersed her mirrors in short order. Death is imminent. Inset: A stealthy Ashirukuru assassin.
Below right: I hate this chamber!
Mechezaran Dragon Wreckage
The massive framework of a dead dragon looms over the chamber west of the fiery hub (see map pic); it is that of Mechezaran.
A talkative skeleton greets the party and warns them of "winged beasts". It points out the stone statues representing five failed adventurers whom the party may temporarily reanimate as allies to use as fodder against three Greater Wyverns.
Stone Statues
The heroes are: Moorlock (human warrior), Bullrush of clan Blackmane (hobgoblin archer), Meiala (sirine warrior-enchantress), Hack (ogre berserker) and Tarnor (half-dwarven axe-wielder).
After a time the heroic fodder will turn on the party and fight to the death. Much kill experience is to be had in this chamber.
Bronze Masks
The southern section of the labyrinth is dominated by a hall wherein huge bronze masks give hints about the elemental guardians and upcoming Chessboard battle. I will quote the hints as I treat each chamber.
Down four tunnels lie four foes. Kill all four and the game begins. (the game of Chess)
Fire, Ice, Slime & Wind. All must perish to continue.- Bronze Mask.
So, the object is to enter the four elemental chambers and eliminate the guardian in each. The order is irrelevant.
Down four tunnels lie four foes. Kill all four and the game begins. (the game of Chess)
Fire, Ice, Slime & Wind. All must perish to continue.- Bronze Mask.
So, the object is to enter the four elemental chambers and eliminate the guardian in each. The order is irrelevant.
Chamber of Ice
The chamber of ice is guarded by four winter wolves and the first guardian: Kaldran, a polar bear who fires icy projectiles at the party. An unimaginative party may simply wave their fire wands to burn the arctic beasts to a crisp.
This is the easiest chamber, by far.
Chamber of Slime
Ooze only parts before blows and spells, but evaporates in the cleansing of fire. - Bronze Mask.
Fission Slimes
The chamber of slime is guarded by a "single" Fission Slime, an ooze that inflicts both slow and poison upon its victims. The slime is bemusing in that it divides in two each time it is "killed", unless it's utterly vanquished by means of fire (below left).
Again, blast the slimes with wands of fire, Fireball or Flame Arrow.
Chamber of Wind
Air Aspect
The guardian of the chamber of wind is an Air Aspect, a wyvern-like creature with insane attack rate. It is backed up by three Invisible Stalkers (below right).
Chamber of Fire
She who fires flame must be killed before her bow is drawn. - Bronze Mask.
Phoenix Guards
Two Phoenix Guards [1] patrol the chamber of fire: a female archer and the swordsman guardian (the target). If the archer lets loose her Detonation Arrow at the party, its impact will spawn a horde of Phoenix Guard swordsmen - each of whom detonate on death to cause a conflagration! Therefore, fire resistance is paramount. This is the most lethal elemental chamber, and backstab is the most elegant solution.
Below left: Everything seems tranquil, doesn't it? Just two foes to kill!
Below right: The archer wastes no time firing her bow. A maximum of eight Phoenix Guards spawn from a single arrow!
Below left: Everything seems tranquil, doesn't it? Just two foes to kill!
Below right: The archer wastes no time firing her bow. A maximum of eight Phoenix Guards spawn from a single arrow!
After the Phoenix Guard swordsman falls, the party is automatically whisked away (regardless of whether or not they have explored the rest of the labyrinth) to the gigantic lightning-trapped Chessboard upon which a challenging battle is staged!
[1] It's possible the player may have encountered Phoenix Guards earlier, in Nashkel.
[1] It's possible the player may have encountered Phoenix Guards earlier, in Nashkel.
Chessboard Battle
Queening can change a match - much for the worse if you're the other player. - Bronze Mask.
Translation: If one of the dwarven Pawns (below right) reaches the row the party occupies (below left), they will be converted to a Queen as per the rules of Chess. In terms of the encounter, that means the player must contend with an additional mage for each Pawn "queened".
Further rules are announced by an Ethereal Voice upon entry to the Chessboard chamber, but basically: the player assumes the position of King regardless of their order in the party, and the player may not move from their square without being electrocuted by bolts of lightning.
Further rules are announced by an Ethereal Voice upon entry to the Chessboard chamber, but basically: the player assumes the position of King regardless of their order in the party, and the player may not move from their square without being electrocuted by bolts of lightning.
The fifth party member assumes the position of Queen and may move anywhere on the board. Knights may move freely like the Queen, but the black Bishop must stick to black squares and the white Bishop to white ones.
With only a six-person party, the player doesn't possess Rooks or Pawns. However, Durlag has a complement consisting of one King (bare-knuckle boxer), one Queen (mage), two each of Bishop (cleric), Knight (paladin) & Rook (archer), and eight Pawns (dwarven grunts) for a total of sixteen pieces!
The object of the encounter is simply to vanquish the King, at which point all other pieces vanish, the lightning traps are disabled, and access is granted to the exit leading down to the fourth and final labyrinth. You can see the exit in the above-right pic, behind Durlag's King & Queen.
With only a six-person party, the player doesn't possess Rooks or Pawns. However, Durlag has a complement consisting of one King (bare-knuckle boxer), one Queen (mage), two each of Bishop (cleric), Knight (paladin) & Rook (archer), and eight Pawns (dwarven grunts) for a total of sixteen pieces!
The object of the encounter is simply to vanquish the King, at which point all other pieces vanish, the lightning traps are disabled, and access is granted to the exit leading down to the fourth and final labyrinth. You can see the exit in the above-right pic, behind Durlag's King & Queen.
The Chessboard battle may be tackled in a multitude of ways; it really depends on party composition.
By creeping the Queen forward into the fog of war, the Pawns may be lured out and vanquished without interference from the big guns, who in turn may be provoked without the annoying grunts getting in the road. In addition, mage-heavy parties may also stand their ground and simply fire wands of fire, Cloudkill and Skull Trap into the fog of war, decimating Durlag's pieces. For under-leveled parties, Web may also be employed to great effect, and for scrubs there's always summons cheese.
Below left: Here, the hasted Xan (my pessimistic Queen!) has moved forward to show how quickly Durlag's pieces react. He is doomed!
Below right: The best opening move in Chess is Fireball, didn't you know?
With the King's demise the northern exit door is de-warded and access is granted to the sprawling fourth and final labyrinth: The Labyrinth of Durlag's Ghost!
Pawn Stats
Pawns are 5th level Fighters. Offensively, they have THAC0s of 13 and inflict an average of 6.5 crushing damage at a rate of 2½ ApR, wielding war hammers as Specialists. Defensively, the unhelmed Pawns have ACs of 2, 20 HPs, saves of 11-12-13-14-14, wear Plate Mail Armor and wield a small shield, off-hand.
Knight Stats
Knights are Hasted 8th level Fighters. Offensively, they have THAC0s of 5 and inflict an average of 9.5 slashing damage at a rate of 4 ApR, wielding long swords as Specialists. Defensively, the helmed Knights have ACs of -6, 70 HPs, saves of 8-8-8-8-8, wear Plate Mail Armor and wield a medium shield +1, off-hand.
Rook Stats
Rooks are Hasted 8th level Archer Fighters. Offensively, they have THAC0s of 0 and inflict an average of 12.5 slashing damage at a rate of 5 ApR, firing +2 arrows from Composite Longbows as Specialists. Defensively, the unhelmed Rook have ACs of -4, 80 HPs, saves of 11-12-13-14-14 and wear Chain Mail Armor.
Bishop Stats
Bishops are 10th level Clerics. They are unarmed, unhelmed and unarmored, but can cast divine spells such as DUHM, Hold Person and Flame Strike.
Queen Stats
The Queen is a 6th level Mage. She can cast Larloch's Minor Drain, Haste and Melf's Acid Arrow. The Queen has an AC of 1 and 56 HPs.
King Stats
The King is a 9th level Mage. He can cast Larloch's Minor Drain, Horror, Melf's Acid Arrow, Haste and Confusion. The King has an AC of -2 and 123 HPs. The King carries the World's Edge +3 two-handed sword, but doesn't wield it.
Durlag's Tower Level 4 Walkthrough
Durlag's Tower Level 4 is a cRPG dungeon in BioWare's cRPG of 1998-99, Baldur's Gate. Durlag's Tower Level 4 is the Labyrinth of Durlag's Ghost. Players who reach this point have delved to the utmost depths of Durlag's Tower - and better be ready to explore the final labyrinth hosted by the best dungeon crawl in cRPG history.
This labyrinth is visually unique in that the dwarf-worked stone is contrasted with "natural" caverns, oozing with toxic pools of sludge that inflict continual damage when walked upon. It is replete with the deadliest of traps, secret passageways, impregnable vaults and hasted hostiles as standard. BioWare could easily have gone overboard with cRPG Itemization, but no: far from the Monty Haul that characterizes the sequel, they exercised restraint.
Durlag Trollkiller: Phantom
The player begins smack dab in the center of the labyrinth, a stone hall in which the shimmering phantom of Durlag Trollkiller awaits. The phantom reveals that "three paths" must be understood in order for "the way" to become clear.
It also alludes to a New Evil, one not of the tower, that must be expelled: the Demon Knight, a fell servant of the abyss briefly glimpsed by the party when they first stepped foot into the tower (Recap image.)
The object of the labyrinth is to explore three main sections, perform a task in each, and answer an evocative riddle in the compass chamber when you are teleported there, each time. Then, and only then, Durlag's phantom will grant you access to the lair of the Demon Knight, whom you must vanquish in order to procure the Soultaker.
Section order does not matter, however I am going to proceed in the order I have deemed most effective.
Durlag's Tower Riddles: First Path
First up, the door to the immediate south opens to a bridge over a molten lake, that in turn leads to a passage ending at a spiders nest in the far west; home to an astral phase spider and two each or phase spider, sword spider and ettercap. These foes will pierce and poison an unprepared party in the blink of an eye, but it would have been more challenging if Web was used for disablement.
Below right: It seems there are fathomless depths below.
Below right: It seems there are fathomless depths below.
Stone Golem Riddle Answers
Standing in an alcove is an inanimate stone golem who poses riddles about Durlag's family. Then, the stone golem teleports the party to an entirely separate area: the compass chamber.
The riddles posed by the stone golem are semi-random. The answers to the riddles are:
- Answer 1: Islanne
- Answer 2: Thunderaxe
- The other answers are Troll Killer and Fuernebol
There is an important hint here pertaining to the second path (above right).
Compass Chamber
Here in the compass chamber the first riddle is posed by a stone golem in the north (below right) and one hint is given by each of the three others in the east, south and west (below left).
The north golem represents Durlag, the east and south his craftsmen and Clan, and the west the Doppelgangers.
The player must choose the one correct answer (below right) from a pool of six options: an exercise in comprehension.
If the wrong option is chosen the party is punished by an arcane bombardment; if the right answer is chosen they are whisked away to the phantom of Durlag in preparation for the next path.
Once the three paths have been understood - well, you will see what happens..
Stone Golem Riddle 1
From the west it came, and then the south. The east held it next, and now it rests in the north.
Second Path
Next up, a bone wardstone must be recovered in the northwest forge and inserted into a machine in the central west in order to bypass the deadly "rune carpet" rolled out along the floor in the adjacent storage room.
Wardstones are not identified as in previous labyrinths, and the runes are trapped with unavoidable Lightning Bolt and Cloudkill which cannot be survived.
Oddly, the party member who looted the rune needs to be the one to insert it into the machine; they will insert it even if it's in possession of another.
Bone Wardstone item code: MISC2L.
Islanne Phantom
En route to this section the party will encounter the phantom of Durlag's wife, Islanne, whose only purpose is to instantly transport them to the drawbridge outside of the tower, should they request it. No doubt this service was added to relieve parties of having to backtrack through vast areas of dungeon in the case of inventory overload or party decimation; however, there is no "fast travel" back, so you would have to be desperate or be done with the tower (i.e, have vanquished the Demon Knight and recovered the Soultaker).
Trapped and locked chests in the storage room may be looted for the best shield in the campaign (Large Shield +2), Arla's - Dragonbane (Sling +3), Krotan's Skullcrusher (Mace +2), Leather Armor +3 and over 5,000 GP.
Rune Carpet
Once the wardstone is inserted into the machine, the carpet may safely be crossed and the outstretched leather "clicked on" to trigger teleportation into the compass chamber, where the second riddle is posed.
Stone Golem Riddle 2
It began with you and your need for a home. It grew with your clan, as you feared losing them. It manifested in the invaders that came, but you feared their coming already. It became your home, where it keeps you safe.
The correct answer is given and the party is again whisked away to the entry hall.
Third Path
Two secret doors lead to "natural" caverns that sprawl out to the south, teeming with greater ghouls (x16) and crypt crawlers.
A toxic substance oozes over parts of its surface, inflicting continual damage when walked upon. This will also damage enemies.
Mushroom colonies and ooze pools hold various treasures.
Below left: A trio of wizards contemplate the nature of the sludge and how to negotiate it.
Below right: The stealthy Coran conducts recon deep within a passageway, revealing a pack of foes that are not to be trifled with. But where are my Gelatinous Cubes?
Grael
In the far south awaits Grael, a super-ghoul backed up by a pair each of greater ghoul and crypt crawler sporting on-hit paralysis and disease.
Compass Wardstone
All approaches to dialogue will fail with Grael, including the empathic... it is too far gone, and must be slain for the compass wardstone.
Below: Grael hints at the tanar'ri encased by Durlag, warning of its petrification gaze. Ignore him at your peril!
This wardstone is used to break into the eastern vault to access the Throne, the third teleport to the compass chamber.
Compass Wardstone item code: MISC2K.
Durlag's Vault & Treasure
Players will feel they have hit the jackpot in two chambers of this section: the vault glittering with 14,000 GP and gems of every kind, up to the legendary Rogue Stone; the gold-gilded chest en route to the vault holding Flametongue and the Staff of Striking - the latter a wicked backstabbing weapon:
Staff of Striking (quarterstaff +3, 1d6 +9, limited charges)
Flametongue (longsword +1, +2 vs. regenerating, +3 vs. cold-using, +4 vs. undead)
This is one of the most rewarding treasure-hauls I've seen in a cRPG, yet BioWare didn't go overboard to make it feel this way: it's almost perfectly-balanced itemization.
Below left: One can just imagine Durlag seated in this vault, not basking in the golden glory of his plunder but wondering if he should beef up the security..
Stone Golem Riddle 3
The blame begins with the invaders, but they attacked with supposed good reason. It could be on your people, but they were in the shelter of your confidence. The craftsmen only did their jobs as directed. In your eyes, you are the one to blame for all that has happened.
The third and final riddle.
The Way is Clear
With the paths understood the phantom of Durlag trundles north and removes a solid stone wall, clearing the way to the last chamber where entry to the lair of the Demon Knight is granted.
Clair De'lain
Here is Clair De'lain, a survivor of the adventuring party that was wiped out by the Demon Knight and its Mirror of Opposition (explained below).
.If there is evil to be fought, I will defeat it. - Charname.
There is always evil to be fought... within and without... - Durlag's Ghost.
There is always evil to be fought... within and without... - Durlag's Ghost.
Demon Knight: Fell Servant of the Abyss
Standing on the central platform of the circular lair is the Demon Knight, his Mirror of Opposition beside him and draped in blood-velvet. His plan? To have adventurers clean out the tower and then reshape it into his own stronghold.
Death welcomes you!
Demon Knight Stats
The Demon Knight is a 15th level Fighter-Mage. Offensively, he has a THAC0 of -5 and inflicts an average of 21.5 slashing damage at a rate of 3½ ApR, wielding a +5 two-handed sword as Grandmaster.
In addition, the Demon Knight's arcane repertoire consists of Fireball, Dispel Magic, all Symbols and all high-level Power Words -- spells the player won't have access to until the sequel.
Below right: As a result, the seven mirror fiends surround him!
How to Beat the Demon Knight
The first is to simply send in your tank / damage dealer (cf. warrior companions) to whale away upon the Demon Knight as your archers fire a hail of arrows down from the ledge. For veteran players who know how to equip such a tank against the Demon Knight's spells and melee attacks, this is the simplest and most reliable tactic.
Mirror of Opposition
The second is to send in your stealthy scout to shatter the mirror and immediately retreat to the safety of the ledge as seven "mirror fiends" manifest (most notably, a flesh golem, two greater doppelgangers and a second "Demon Knight") - all of which are hostile to both the Demon Knight and party. Then just "wait it out", concealed by the fog of war, until the Demon Knight falls under their sustained assault. You will have to mop up any left-over mirror fiends, though.
Monstrous Backstab
Yet another way (depicted below-left) is to have a Fighter Thief dual-class backstab the Demon Knight for 90 damage, and then chunk him with follow-up attacks. This foe wears a helm and is therefore immune to the double damage of crits. The 90 dmg was inflicted by the (hitherto unused) Staff of Striking [STAF05], which then dissipated in my hands after the huge opening blow and then switched to Flametongue [SW1H24], the next weapon in my quickslot.
Note: The Demon Knight's Dispel Magic does not dispel buffs from potions.
So! The Demon Knight has been vanquished - Durlag's Tower has been cleansed!
Soultaker Dagger
The soultaker dagger is taken from the corpse of the Demon Knight (above right), to be delivered to Hurgan Stoneblade in Ulgoth's Beard.
Dalton was cowering on the ledge as the battle raged around him. It's a nice touch that we get to say goodbye to both he and the astonished Clair. Dalton is part of a very minor quest in Ulgoth's Beard.
As mentioned earlier, the phantom of Islanne grants instant passage to the surface. This barren wasteland is like a breath of fresh air after such a lengthy delve under the tower...
And that is Durlag's Tower covered in its entirety; a wonderful dungeon crawl that doubles as a thoughtful allegory on the emotion of fear - but this part of Tales of the Sword Coast has not yet concluded... a greater foe has been hinted at, one to whom the Demon Knight was answerable!
With the Soultaker artifact in hand the heroic dungeon delvers embark on the two day march back to the sea-side village of Ulgoth's Beard.
Soultaker Dagger item code: DAGG10.
Ulgoth's Beard
Your soul shall be fodder! - Cultist.
Upon arrival the party is confronted by fanatical cultists led by a wizard who demands they hand over Soultaker. In true BioWare style, the choice to comply or not is illusory: either way, the wizard simply takes the artifact and casts Dimension Door to flee the scene - leaving the party to battle a throng that includes two assassins with a triple backstab modifier.
Below right: Watch the chickens with those magic missiles! One could be Melicamp!
Hurgan Stoneblade
Inside Ulgoth's Inn Hurgan Stoneblade comes clean (recap image) after being informed of the party's loss of Soultaker to the cultists: it is revealed the essence of a tanar'ri (nabassu) is encased in Soultaker! And the worst part is? The cult - who worshiped the tanar'ri as a god centuries ago - are determined to once again release the demon into the world!
The object is to explore Ulgoth's Beard in search of the cultist base; then, cut a swathe through throngs of them in order to find and slay the tanar'ri.
Cultists
A conspicuous cultist is taunted and skull-bombed outside a house (below left); inside, the Wizard who stole the Soultaker is zapped by lightning bolts along with his brethren (below right). However, the artifact was not on his corpse so the party heads downstairs to track it down.
Cultist Ritual Chamber: The Beast Unleashed
Welcome to the awakening... your soul shall feed the beast that comes! - Tracea.
To the party's dismay Tracea Carol breaks the Soultaker to complete their demonic ritual and draw forth the tanar'ri! Named Aec'Letec, this nabassu stands over a summoning circle inscribed in the center of the chamber and is encircled by six cultists from whose souls it respawns upon being vanquished. Therefore, the soul-fodder must first be slain so that Aec'Lectic need only be bested once - which is no mean feat, as is.
By all that is right and holy, you will not succeed! - Charname.
By all that is loud and windy, will you please shut up! - Tracea.
Next up: The Finale of Durlag's Tower: Aec'Letec!
Aec'Letec Baldur's Gate
Aec'Letec is a Baldur's Gate enemy in BioWare's cRPG of 1998-99, Baldur's Gate. Aec'Letec is a True Tanar'ri Nabassu notable for its paralyzing death gaze, high rate of attack and excellent defenses that include a low AC, magic resistance and fire resistance. Aec'Letec is encountered in Ulgoth's Beard after we have defeated the Demonknight in Durlag's Tower Level 4.
Aec'Letec is gated in on a summoning circle when cultist Tracea Carol breaks the Soultaker dagger to complete a demonic ritual. In addition to Tracea, Aec'Letec is backed up by six cultists from whose souls it respawns upon being slain. Thus, the soul-fodder must first be slain before Aec'Letec can be utterly vanquished.
Aec'Letec Abilities
Short of foreknowledge only the luckiest players will survive this battle without reloading (even if they pay heed to Grael's words and take precautions). Aec'Letec opens proceedings by unleashing Paralysis Gaze, Fear, Silence 15' radius and Death Gaze, meaning Free Action and "mind shield" status are essential to survivability.
Death Gaze
Death Gaze is an interesting ability: a party member affected by this negative status effect needs to have it dispelled, pronto, before they are "chunked" and turned into ghastly undead that then turns on the party! As per our last infernal foe, Aec'Letec's elemental and magic resistances are rock solid, too.
Aec'Letec Stats
Aec'Letec has a THAC0 of 0 and inflicts an average of 13.5 slashing damage at a rate of 4 ApR, wielding a 1d10 claw as Grandmaster. In addition, Aec'Letec has an armor class of -9, 106 HPs, saving throws of 4-3-2-5-4, 100% fire and electricity resistance as well as 50% magic resistance and 50% magic cold and magic fire resistance.
How to Beat Aec'Letec
Being in closest proximity to Aec'Letec -- and a bothersome wizard to boot -- Tracea first needs to die. Then, the party must focus on the stationary cultists encircling Aec'Letec; turning attention to the demon once its disciples are dead, and banishing it back to the abyss for a whopping 16,000 experience points.
Thanks to the party most likely being max-level and decked out in some of the best gear offered by the campaign, there are many tricks and tactics that can be employed to this end, some inventive and others downright cheese.
Aside from a strong, Hasted and warded martial that simply whales away on the cultists followed by Aec'Letec, the following tactics can be employed to beat Aec'Letec:
- Cloudkill hit n runs (AR yoyo'ing)
- Animate Dead mobbing
- Otiluke'ing Aec'Letec
- Wand of Paralyzation spam [WAND04]
- Mustard Jelly squatting and sending just your tank down to wreck house (buffed to the max)
Below left: In the nick of time Dynaheir dispels the PC afflicted with Death Gaze as Kagain whales away on the demon's backside and Coran fills it full of holes with his Composite Longbow +1. (Aec'Lectic is scripted to chase down squishy wizards.)
Below right: Dynaheir and Xan are pronounced.. undead!
A few other notes on beating Aec'Letec:
- Dispel Magic is paramount and is fastest fired from a bow (Arrows of Dispelling)
- Ghouls conjured by Monster Summoning 3 can inflict immobilization on Aec'Letec
- Free Action status may be granted from potions, Free Action rings and the Spider's Bane sword
- Death Gaze may be warded off most easily by quaffing a Potion of Mirrored Eyes [POTN38]
Of all boss encounters in the campaign, this one, along with the Finale in the Temple of Bhaal against Sarevok, is the most fun to experiment with (though I don't doubt Aec'Letec's use of unique debuffs has caused more tears over the years!)
The victorious party returns to the inn, informing the noble dwarf that the deed is done.
Durlag's Tower Review
Durlag's Tower Presentation
Polished & motivating. Ike's sensational theatrics and the scripted tour succeed in drawing the player in. If the player inadvertently bypasses that and discovers the tower on their own - well, that's one hell of a discovery they will never forget. The FMV on approach is about as foreboding as it gets..
Durlag's Tower Exploration
Vast & varied. A barren approach, walkable battlements, a multi-level tower hosting many rooms (some opulent, others spartan), external staircases leading to the roof, and four sprawling labyrinths beneath. What more do you want?
Durlag's Tower Atmosphere
Intense & brooding. It's a pity pitch-black darkness was not implemented to necessitate the use of a hand-held or wall-mounted torches and Infravision (the group infravision option in the menu would need to be removed). Ambiance is of a high standard as per other areas of the campaign.
Durlag's Tower Writing
Evocative & meaningful. Read the riddles, read the rhymes; the lore, the history. The allegory on fear is brilliant and shows this dungeon is about more than just killing monsters and taking their stuff. Even some of the item descriptions will surprise; consider the bottle of wine, fermented for Love:
When you breathe the wine deeply, memories of lost loves come rushing back and you find your eyes filling with tears.
That is a nice touch. In general BG1 has superior writing to BG2, anyway. BG2's riddles were pathetic: the ones in Spellhold were merely Tolkien ones, rearranged.
Durlag's Tower Area Design
Navigation relies on solving puzzles, teleportation and wardstones. Tricks, traps and secret doors permeate. Narrow corridors connect chambers. Subsequent IE dungeons did away with them due to pathing concerns and lost something in the process: claustrophobia and realism. Wide corridors that you can drive a truck through just don't do it for me. Structures and terrain are rarely used to tactical effect (IWD series' dungeons are superior here).
Durlag's Tower Itemization
Sensible & useful. It feels rewarding without going Monty Haul. Enchantment is capped at +3, but mostly +2. There are no uber-weapons, obscenely OP items or spell scrolls thrown about like confetti (the fifth circle scrolls are rare finds). Utility potions and ammo are perhaps too common and Erdane's vendor inventory is too generous with regard to ammo.
Durlag's Tower Encounter Design
The highlights are the Dwarven Warders (Pride, Avarice, Fear & Love), the Phoenix Guard challenge, the Chessboard and the Demon Knight. Timed respawns are welcome (and not seen in other IE RPGs) but default and on-rest spawns are perhaps not punishing enough.
Durlag's Tower Demands
At least a party of four at max-level, or near to it. While soloable for veterans at low level, the crawl demands a balanced party composition for new or average players. Thieves are paramount in order to deal with locks and traps; one divine spell-caster (Druid or Cleric) is necessary for healing/(de)buffing; and one each of tank, archer and arcane buffer / bombardier is advisable. I would also recommend a Bard for EZ ID. It's good to see that Durlag's Tower (and BG in general) did not relegate Thieves and Clerics to fifth wheels, as the sequel foolishly did. Healing spells aside, Dispel Magic is the most useful utility spell and Web disablement and Skull Trap bombings are highly effective.
Durlag's Tower Legacy
Icewind Dale and IWD2 dungeons were impressive, but they lack the focus on atmosphere and the extra dimension of allegory for which Durlag's Tower is famous.
Below: A nice little flavor convo we can have with a nobleman enjoying the weather at Ulgoth's docks.
Below: A nice little flavor convo we can have with a nobleman enjoying the weather at Ulgoth's docks.
This concludes the Durlag's Tower walkthrough and review. Next up, is Werewolf Island.
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