SCS Yaga-Shura (Part IX)

Part IX of the Sword Coast Stratagems Guide for SCS BG2.

Back to Part VIII: SCS Gromnir.

SCS Yaga-Shura

SCS Yaga-Shura is a combat encounter in SCS BG2. SCS Yaga-Shura is staged in the siege camp outside the town of Saradush in Throne of Bhaal.

Yaga-Shura BG2 is the fire giant Bhaalspawn BG2 besieging the city of Saradush. Having raided his Fire Giant BG2 stronghold in the Marching Mountains and stripped him of immortality in the Forest of Mir, we now prepare to face off against Yaga-Shura himself in the siege camp.

The siege camp is accessed from the North Forest. Since the journey takes eight hours, we can only prepare by casting sequencers, contingencies and long-term spells such as Stoneskin and Melf's Minute Meteors.

The party starts off on the eastern side of a river; a heavily-guarded bridge separating the party from Yaga-Shura.

Upon reaching the camp, we only have a few rounds before a few peasants come running over the bridge, fleeing from Yaga-Shura's soldiers.

However, the soldiers only start firing at the peasants if they catch sight of the party. If the party is under the effects of invisibility, the peasants will flee into the woods and despawn, leaving the soldiers standing there in bewilderment. At that point, the party can take them out without drawing the aggro on the other side of the bridge. Resting is also possible at this point though fire giants spawn with a high percentage chance. Thus, it's best to rest in the Pocket Plane.

The infinitely-respawning force on the other side of the bridge can also be bypassed with invisibility status + Spell Immunity: Divination. The positioning and composition of this force varies from reload to reload. In this example, we have a couple of mages one of which attempts to divine our location with True Sight. That is folly since our invisibility is warded by Spell Immunity: Divination.

We now confront Yaga-Shura without having yet drawn aggro.

Yaga-Shura sports innate True Sight. Innate True Sight bypasses immunity to Divination. Initially, he is resistant to magic (quaffs a potion) and immune to magical weapons (PfMW), but that wears off before things get real.

Offense-wise, Yaga-Shura is a melee juggernaut and supertanker; much moreso than Gromnir. Not just that, but he unleashes at-will Fire Storm and at-will custom Lava Bomb at intervals. The breath weapon bomb is capable of inflicting 90 fire dmg on everyone in the party (insta-TPK if no fire resistance). In addition, it always knocks us back and it sometimes knocks us out as well.

Therefore, in order to dodge the initial bomb, it's best to confront Yaga-Shura with one combat unit under the effects of Haste. Then, once he realizes that his immortality has been stripped, run to the south, recast invisibility + Spell Immunity: Divination, and wait for him to return with reinforcements. These reinforcements include three epic lieutenants that are not to be trifled with, HLA-capable as they are.

At this point, while still invisible to all but Yaga-Shura, run back to the other side of the bridge where the rest of the party is gating in celestials, summoning meteors, sequencing Skull Traps and loading ADHWs into Chain Contingencies. Return as slowly as is possible, running rings around Yaga-Shura, so that the party has time to buff, ward and gate to the heavens. Don't forget to employ projected images.

"Hey, Yaga-Shura: COME GET SOME".

Note that Yaga-Shura chunks through celestials like they're xvarts; we only gate them in to slow him down and make sure he gets stuck on the bridge for as long as possible.

Mad as hell, moving like a storm, and with his giant runehammer raised above his head, Yaga-Shura will thunder over the bridge, ahead of his general forces and lieutenants.

Improved Alacrity + ADHW x4:

The epic music track that accompanies this battle may hit its crescendo during this phase. Take the time to shed a tear for its epicness as Yaga-Shura charges into a wall of Skull Traps, plumes of ADHWs, and a hail of meteors.

Wipe away the tear as such a sustained and damaging bombardment finishes him off -- without incurring too much aggro from his greater force. The combat encounter is over at that point; the greater force despawns and the party is whisked away to the Pocket Plane for the second PPC.

If not, and if Yaga-Shura crosses the bridge, penetrates our ranks and starts throwing his weight around, then look out:

Because Lava Bomb is devastating:

See that Greater Earth Elemental? Well, it outlasted the celestials and is capable of inflicting 80 dmg crits. Thanks, Aerie! Note that it can be instantly vanquished by the Death Spell. Also, I've noted that Devas and Planetars can be immobilized with Power Word: Stun.

Here is the moment of Yaga-Shura's death and the aftermath. It's difficult to get a screencap because ToB quickly loads an area transition after his death, and then fades-out the screen; it's so jarring.

Next up: SCS Sendai -- Sword Coast Stratagems Guide -- SCS BG2.

SCS Irenicus	SCS Slayer Irenicus	SCS Illasera
SCS Gromnir	SCS Yaga-Shura	SCS Sendai
Baldur's Gate 2 (Index)	Best BG2 Mods	No Reload Run Baldur's Gate