Storm of Zehir Walkthrough Guide

Welcome to my walkthrough guide for Storm of Zehir, a cRPG Definition developed by Obsidian. For an overview of Storm of Zehir, please refer to 2005-2010 RPGs.

The Vigilant

We find ourselves on the Vigilant en route to Samargol in Samarach. Lastri, the halfling captain, starts waffling on about a passenger manifest.

Read the Adventurer's Guide with a non-dumb character: 250 XP for each party member.

Volothamp Geddarm goes belowdecks to ride out the storm that's brewing. Follow him and you'll see the manifest Lastri was on about, especially if you remember to hit the Z key to highlight it.

Click on the manifest and create the other three characters of your party using the interface that pops up.

Storm of Zehir Walkthrough Index

Neverwinter Nights 2	6. Batiri Cave	12. Underdark Black Market	18. Conyberry Meeting
1. Storm of Zehir Walkthrough	7. Plainsrunner	13. Sauringar Temple	19. Storm of Zehir Chult
2. Storm of Zehir Samarach	8. Heavy Weaponry	14. Chokemist Cave	20. Temple of the World Serpent
3. Openpalm Bazaar	9. Lantanese Lumber Camp	15. Storm of Zehir Sword Coast	21. Dread Herald of Zehir
4. Omgar's Teeth	10. Samarach OLM	16. Storm of Zehir Cartels	22. Storm of Zehir Item List
5. Stone Knives Tribe	11. Singing Pendant	17. Forktongue Bandit Hideout	23. Storm of Zehir Mods

Storm of Zehir Starting Level

We can create and build up to four 4th level characters at the beginning of the game. In the early game, one companion can join our party very early on in the proceedings, for a party of five. We can then recruit another companion once we have a character take the Leadership feat. That feat can be taken at 6th level. Thus, we can have a full party of six as early as 6th level. This is what we are aiming for.

Storm of Zehir Companions

The early-game companions are found in the Openpalm Bazaar at the start of the campaign: Inshula the Ranger (5) & Umoja the Druid (5).

New players would be crazy not to take one of them along on the first couple of missions. Indeed, I recommend keeping them in the party for the campaign's duration. In that case, don't create Ranger or Druid characters because Inshula and Umoja already cover those bases.

Storm of Zehir Party Composition

Party composition is of critical importance. A balanced, traditional party is recommended for new players. In my opinion, it's also more fun. It was more fun in IWD1 and IWD2, and it's more fun in SoZ as well.

By that I mean, one tank, one wizard, one cleric and one rogue. 

I don't recommend getting creative with builds and multi-classing (mix-ins) unless you know exactly what you are doing, as you might gimp your skill, spellcasting or BAB progression. Nor do I recommend selecting races with severe ECL penalties: yes, they will be more powerful at the end of the campaign, but it's the early-to-mid game that counts.

Assuming the characters are created and built to focus on a specific combat/utility role, and not diluted to become Jacks-of-all-trades, such traditional parties will get through the campaign without too much trouble; mainly, because they don't sacrifice core progression just to do fancy stuff, late-game.

The first created character should be the OLM character

What that means is, the first character we create should be the one that is tailored to excel on the overland map. It should be the stealthiest character, it should be the survivalist character, it should be the skillmonkey. Thus, it should be Rogue or Ranger. That is because the game defaults to the first created character when we reload on the OLM. If our first created character isn't the stealthy OLM one, then they are going to attract aggro from the roaming monsters, which gets old quickly.

Note that Rogues travel slower over the OLM than Rangers, but they utilize more skills on the OLM (which means we find more treasure). A Rogue/Ranger build would be perfect for the OLM, but that would impact our Rogue skills too much. And trust me, you DON'T want your Rogue skill progression negatively impacted in SoZ.

Storm of Zehir Builds

A cRPG build is simply a number of levels of a class or mix of classes along with the stats, feats and skills chosen (in the case of Sorcerers and Bards, spell picks also factor in). Classes may be taken in a specific order in order to push the limits of power and flexibility, but it's just not necessary.

If you're new, don't get overwhelmed by heavily multi-classed builds and all the technical rules: I'm going to keep this simple by posting builds with clearly defined combat and utility roles whose skillset is easily recognizable and who will complement one another in battles and general adventuring. That's what makes them "the best": each build will be more than good enough from beginning to end.

Fighters hold back the aggro so that Wizards, Clerics and Archers can unleash hell (AoEs and projectiles). On the flip-side, Wizards and Clerics buff, ward and heal the Fighter. That is what I mean by classes complementing one another.

Unlike MotB builds, we should build our SoZ characters with about 15 levels in mind, making sure that they have clearly defined roles from the outset. It's possible to grind the party on the OLM to 30th level, but that's boring. Obsidian should have enforced a level cap of 15 for SoZ. I recommend just relying on a 15th level party + crafts and itemization to beat the game. 30th level is a cakewalk and ruins the fun completely.

Indeed, I'd go so far as to say that you cheated if you farmed XP on the OLM just to reach epic levels: you didn't work within restrictions, which is a large part of the fun and challenge in playing RPGs in the first place. The same goes for editing the module in the toolset to allow for six player-created party members instead of just four + two companions: that's cheating. Play how you like, though. I don't care. Just don't tell me SoZ is easy when you grinded a party of six to 30th. I'm not interested in such stupidity.

Storm of Zehir Rogue Build

• Race: Moon Elf
• Stat-line: 16-20-6-14-8-8
• 01. Rogue 1: Able Learner, Sneak Attack (1d6) (save 5 skillpoints)
• 02. Rogue 2: Evasion (cross-class SPs: Survival, Spellcraft)
• 03. Rogue 3: Point Blank Shot, Sneak Attack (2d6), Trap Sense (1)
• 04. Rogue 4: Uncanny Dodge, Dex +1
• 05. Rogue 5: Sneak Attack (3d6)
• 06. Rogue 6: Rapid Shot, Trap Sense (2)
• 07. Rogue 7: Sneak Attack (4d6)
• 08. Rogue 8: Improved Uncanny Dodge, Dex +1
• 09. Rogue 9: Dodge, Sneak Attack (5d6), Trap Sense (3)
• 10. Rogue 10: Mobility
• 11. Rogue 11: Sneak Attack (6d6)
• 12. Rogue 12: Improved Critical: Longbow, Trap Sense (4)
• 13. Rogue 13: Spring Attack or Improved Evasion, Sneak Attack (7d6)

Skills: Appraise, Disable Device, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock, Search, Spot, Survival, Tumble, UMD.

Moon Elf gives us +2 Dex and longbow proficiency. Note how I didn't mix-in Fighter for the extra feats: I like to keep my Rogue utility skills peaked in SoZ, and for good reason.

This build gets in damaging ranged sneak attacks. It is NOT useless on the battlefield. Indeed, it kicks ass.

The Survival skill has been somewhat overrated by me in the past in that it does not grant huge bonuses to movement speed on the OLM. Besides, there are items that buff that skill enough for the movement speed to be tolerable.

Storm of Zehir Fighter Build

This character draws the aggro so that spellcasters are free to cast spells and archers are free to fire their ranged weapons. The tank is the backbone of the party: without it, other party members can't do their thing without being chased down, attacked and killed off. This tank is also capable of inflicting non-trivial melee damage.

    

• Shield Dwarf Male Lawful Good, Fighter 7 / Dwarven Defender 6.
• Stat-line: 18-13-18-8-9-6.
• Background: Bully
• Dex 13 (requirement for Dodge), Int 13 allows for Disarm and Expertise, but expertise can't be used with Defensive stance.
• 01. Fighter 1: Weapon Focus: Scimitar, Dodge
• 02. Fighter 2: Power Attack
• 03. Fighter 3: Toughness
• 04. Fighter 4: Str +1, Cleave
• 05. Fighter 5: --
• 06. Fighter 6: Blind-Fight, Leadership
• 07. Fighter 7: --
• 08. Fighter 7 / Dwarven Defender 1: Str +1, Defensive Stance (1)
• 09. Fighter 7 / Dwarven Defender 2: Improved Critical: Scimitar, Defensive Awareness (1)
• 10. Fighter 7 / Dwarven Defender 3: Defensive Stance (2)
• 11. Fighter 7 / Dwarven Defender 4: --
• 12. Fighter 7 / Dwarven Defender 5: Str +1, Weapon Specialization: Scimitar, Defensive Awareness (2)
• 13. Fighter 7 / Dwarven Defender 6: Dwarven Defender Damage Reduction 3/-

Wields Scimitar +2 with corrosive or cold enchantment. Umoja buffs the weapon with Flame Weapon.

How to make this character a supertanker in Samarach: craft Full Plate +1 and Tower Shield +1, get Brooch of Shielding from Tempest's Fury, get Ring of Protection +3 and Amulet of Natural Armor +3 from waterfall cave. There is another tanking item in Luskan if we attack the pirates on the docks.

Buff with Bless, Aid, Prayer, Magic Circle, Recitation, Heroism, Bull's Strength, Bear's Endurance, Greater Invisbility, Stoneskin, Haste, Flame Weapon (Umoja), Endure Elements (Umoja).

Should have AC 40 when Defensive Stance is activated.

Storm of Zehir Cleric Build

The Cleric buffs, debuffs, wards and heals. This healer is also an offensive spellcaster (Domains) and a ranged combatant (Zen Archery, Rapid Shot).

• Stat-line: 10-13-14-12-18-8
• Human, Lawful Good
• Domains: Fire (for Fireball) and Water (for Ice Storm).
• The choice of god doesn't matter though Torm, Tyr and Ilmater are the LG gods. Take Zen Archery at BAB 3.
• 01. Cleric 1: Spellcasting Prodigy, Point Blank Shot
• 02. Cleric 2: --
• 03: Cleric 3: Rapid Shot, 2nd circle spells
• 04: Cleric 4: --
• 05: Cleric 5: 3rd circle spells (Fireball)
• 06: Cleric 6: Zen Archery
• 07: Cleric 7 --

Other feats: Take Extend and Empower spell.

Skills: Concentration, Diplomacy, Heal, Spellcraft.

Storm of Zehir Wizard Build

The wizard buffs, debuffs, wards and casts direct damage spells. This Wizard also doubles as crafter and archer.

• Stat-line: 14-16-6-20-8-8. 
• 01: Wizard 1: Spellcasting Prodigy
• 02: Wizard 2: --
• 03: Wizard 3: Craft Wondrous Items, 2nd circle spells (Invisibility, Ghostly Visage)
• 04: Wizard 4: Int +1, Fox's Cunning, Tasha's Hideous Laughter
• 05: Wizard 5: Craft Magic Arms and Armor (3rd circle spells: Haste, Slow)
• 06: Wizard 6: Extend Spell, Fireball, Heroism
• 07: Wizard 7: Greater Invisibility, Ice Storm
• Beetle: +1 HP per level

Sun Elf generalist wizard. Sun Elf for the +2 Int, took the Wizard's Apprentice history for +1 Spellcraft, Lore and Craft Alchemy, and Generalist (I don't like being barred from schools). 

Skills: All crafting skills except Craft Trap. Takes Lore, Spellcraft, Concentration.

Feats: Spellcasting Prodigy is a no-brainer for most spellcasters. It's the equivalent to Spell Focus: All and grants extra spells per lvl.

This is what we want to see, damage numbers floating over all the enemies:

Without Wizards and Clerics for buffing and warding, tanks don't survive in SoZ. The cRPG Combat Encounter Design in SoZ is much harder than in most other cRPGs: the enemies are tough, there are many of them and they come for us when they hear commotion. A lot of people, in their ignorance, will say "nonsense." But then, for example, they bumble into the Sauringar Temple and their party gets ripped a new asshole in one second flat. Because SoZ is so easy, right?

The above party covers all bases. If you roll with that party and recruit Inshula and Umoja in addition, then you should enjoy playing SoZ.

When you've finished Chargen you should fill in any spellbooks with buffing spells before going belowdecks and resting.

The storm hits and the ship wrecks in an exotic, tropical region: Samarach.

Next Post: Storm of Zehir Samarach.