Baldur's Gate Quest Mod Compatibility
So I just played through Dark Side of the Sword Coast (v1.04) a second time; this time, along with The Stone of Askavar (v2.1) and The Grey Clan Episode One: In Candlelight (v1.9).
Yes, it is possible to install Dark Side, SoA and the TGC mods together. They are compatible with each other. At least, they were for me with an original BG installation + TotSC (v.5512). Dark Side should be installed first, but the order for the other two does not matter. If you install the Tweakpack, that should be installed last. (I only installed the Tweakpack for Remove Helmet Animations, Reveal City Maps When Entering Area and Remove "You Must Gather Your Party..." Sound), so order wouldn't have mattered, but for some other components it will.
You will need to begin a new game for Dark Side and SoA, but not for TGC.
Questing for each of the mods kicks off after you have flooded the Cloakwood Mines. For Dark Side, you will need to find Jet'laya outside the Friendly Arm Inn; for SoA, you will need to find the Teldorn Agent north of Nashkel; for TGC, you will have to reach BG city and talk to General Jedyan, who is standing by Ramazith's tower.
Dark Side and TGC both seem to employ the Friendly Arm Inn map, but there are no conflicts because the former modifies the AR whereas the latter uses a copy of it. After you are done with the latter's quest-line, the FAI map returns to its original state (for the Dark Side modifications; basically, the Jet'laya spawn.) What that means is: you are locked out of beginning Dark Side once you have begun the FAI portion of SoA, but you can kick off Dark Side first in order to avoid that.
New items from each mod seem to stack just fine in vendor inventory.
In regards to itemization, Dark Side has the best gear by far.
Dark Side offers up some of the best weapons:
Dwarven Throwing Axe +2: The Furnace (ApR +1, THAC0 +2, +2d3 fire, 1d6 +2 slashing [melee] or missile/piercing [thrown, returns to thrower], adds Strength modifier to thrown damage, Dwarf and Gnome only, Fighter and Thief only, AX1HDS04), Mace of Disruption: Blessed (THAC0 +4, 1d6 +5 crushing, disrupts undead).
... the best armor:
Ferthgil's Dwarven Mithril Plate Battle Armor (AC -2, Con +2, usable by Dwarves and Gnomes only, PLATDS02), Drow Adamantite Plate Armor +5 (AC-2, decays within 2-12 days of being exposed to sunlight) elf and half-elf only).
... the best Mage gear:
Robe of Dh'arlo'me (AC +3, MR +25, Immunity: 1st, 2nd and 3rd circle spells, Immunity: non-magical weapons, cursed), Ethric (quarterstaff, THAC0 +1, 2d3 +1 piercing, Immunity: non-magical weapons), Mage's Gloves (AC +2, Spellcasting Time Reduction), Otrad Atwah: Gloves of the Magi (AC +2, +ApR, +saves, single-class Mage only), Grun'lerthkin's Tome of the Greater Wizard (doubles current experience points for single-class mages only).
... and the best spells:
Daer'Ragh's Aura Cleansing aka DRAC (Abjuration, removes the one round cooldown between casting spells, Mage418).
Not to mention elven chains, vorpal weapons and +spell slot items. Moreover, its expanded spell ranges and companion pool flaunting unique items with cool SFX/VFX.
SoA and TGC give the party added selection in regard to Immunity items, elemental weapons and elemental protection items. Such an interesting assortment can give you a bit of a boost going into DSotSC though the step up in difficulty will still come as quite a shock, and there is nothing in SoA and TGC that will make your life much easier against the undead, drow and duergar legions (really, it's good strategy/tactics and a good grasp of game mechanics that will get you through Dark Side). And yes, unless you want to cakewalk SoA and TGC, I would complete them before Dark Side!
SoA and TGC can be difficult themselves (at least for newbies and those who lack companions, levels and/or items). You will go up against some tough monster mobs, heavily armored warriors, crackshot archers and cunning spellcasters. But yeah, nothing that cannot be defeated by employing a sound approach. In contrast, Dark Side will surprise, frustrate and satisfy even seasoned IE veterans at certain points.
Of course, Dark Side is just the best add-in mod for the original BG; it's an expansive unofficial expansion with all kinds of content - and massive dungeons - whereas SoA is a mini-adventure and TGC is currently only at Part I. But Dark Side also has much better writing. SoA is notable for its unique, non-IE ARs (really, that can't be easy to do) whereas TGC is notable for its polish in regard to sprite coloring (very well done) and employment of funny, voiced one-liners during its cool battles and scripted cutscenes.
Overall, the playthrough was pretty fun and I enjoyed it.
In addition, you could also install Dark Horizons (v.210) along with Dark Side + SoA + TGC. I can confirm compatibility with the above, but Dark Side should be installed first. Note that some items may sort of blend, and sometimes you will end up with duplicates. Dark Horizons adds lots of hostile encounters, its own main quest (assassins are hunting you down; you need to take them out and then take out the organization responsible), a few sidequests, and tons of items including the following crafts:
- Improved Battle Axe +2 (Thorengrim Hammerfist craft, 1,000 GP + Battle Axe +2: Battle Axe of Mauletar + Kiel's Helmet + Kiel Wardstone: THAC0 +2, 1d8 +2, HPs +10, MAFORG11).
- Improved Butter Knife of Balduran (Thorengrim Hammerfist craft, 5,000 GP + Butter Knife + Dagger: THAC0 +3, 1d6 +3 piercing, MAFORG01)
- Improved Chainmail +3 (Thorengrim Hammerfist craft, 4,000 GP + Chainmail +2: Mail of the Dead + Potion of Defense + Diamond: AC 2, MAFORG07).
- Improved Eagle Bow (Thorengrim Hammerfist craft, 3,000 GP + Eagle Bow + Gauntlets of Dexterity: THAC0 +2, dmg +2, Dexterity +1, MAFORG09)
- Improved Girdle: Elves' Bane (Thorengrim Hammerfist craft, 5,000 GP + Girdle of Piercing + Potion of Fire Giant Strength: Strength set to 22 [stacks with Wyvern Head Strength bonus], AC vs. piercing +3, MAFORG10).
- Improved Helm of Balduran (Thorengrim Hammerfist craft, 2,000 GP + Helm of Balduran + Lock of Hair from Kirinhale: AC +2, HPs +5, Saving Throws +1, THAC0 +1, MAFORG06)
- Improved Longbow +2 (Thorengrim Hammerfist craft, 3,000 GP + Longbow +1 + Gauntlets of Dexterity: THAC0 +3, dmg +2, Dexterity +1, MAFORG08)
- Improved Longsword +1, Flame Tongue (Thorengrim Hammerfist craft, 7,000 GP + Longsword +1, Flame Tongue: The Burning Earth + Oil of Fiery Burning: THAC0 +1 [+2 vs. Regenerating, +3 vs. Cold-using, +4 vs. Undead, 1d8 +2 slashing, +1 fire, MAFORG03)
- Improved Ring of Fire Resistance (Thorengrim Hammerfist craft, 8,000 GP + Ring of Fire Resistance: Batalista's Passport + Scroll of Protection from Fire + Potion of Fire Resistance: Fire Resistance +60%, MAFORG05).
- Improved Scimitar +2 (Thorengrim Hammerfist craft, 5,000 GP + Boots of Speed + Scimitar +2: Rhashad's Talon: THAC0 +2, 1d8 +2 slashing, perma-Haste, MAFORG04).
- Improved Spider's Bane (Thorengrim Hammerfist craft, 5,000 GP + Spider's Bane + Spider Body: THAC0 +3, 1d10 +3 slashing, 2 points of poison dmg per sec for 15 secs on fail vs. Poison, Free Action, MAFORG02).
- Wyvern Head Helm (Thorengrim Hammerfist craft, 6,000 GP + Wyvern Head: AC +2, Strength +2, MR +25, MACMHE01).
Some of the above items, along with certain non-crafted items, will make Dark Side notably easier. See here for details.
I would also recommend maintaining the Dark Side level cap of 20 (40 is ridiculous). Here is one of the characters I took through this setup:
Not bad for a conventional tank and physical-based damage dealer: THAC0 -7, AC -17, HPs 190, MR 50%, all-saves -1 and 4.5 ApR (max 5 under the Haste spell). Also, easy access to Free Action and immunity to poison and disease. I can mix and match items in order to gain epic elemental resistances, though that comes at the cost of AC (capped at -26). The character is unbuffed; only items are worn.
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