Baldur's Gate : The Sword Coast Chronicles : NWN2 Persistent World

Hey everyone, hoping for some hints on 'safe' places to explore. I am currently level 5 but die fairly often due to going to an area or of my league. However, I don't much like going to the kobold ruins or sewers over and over. Is there a map or guide with ideas or hints as to what CL you should be for areas? I like meeting people in game but often just like to go explore but it's somewhat painful to keep losing my hard earned XP, which also delays my ability to explore more areas. Thanks for any advice you can give!

Lizards in the eastern cloakwood.

I beat one chief, the 2nd one killed me.

Give the graveyard outside the east gate a try. And there are the gibberlings in the caves behind the FAI.

And don't forget the numerous delivery quests for the exp to help you get over the new char hump.

At level 5, depending on your build, you can probably solo the kobold ruins. If you are a figther build or other strong build, you can probably go deeper and possibly solo the gibberling caves that are right behind the FAI.

IF you go to the cloakwood, you should have a party. Preferably three.

Graveyard will be sucky XP at this point, but the undead parts are still good gold.

The graveyard cave might give okay xp. It will be a nice change.

You can do the tradeway just south of the kobold ruins. I think that is doable solo at level five. If you have troubles, grab a buddy and you should be fine.

IF you can get a party of three, you may be able to do the tradeway south of the FAI too. This is the area that goes to candlekeep, not the area just north of beregost with the goblins. The goblins will eat you at lvl 5.

Get a party of three and try west along the river near the boatman by the bridge of wyrms. I believe there are some zombie peasants there. Can't remember the CR, but they may be doable with a group.

mrieder79 wrote:
Get a party of three and try west along the river near the boatman by the bridge of wyrms. I believe there are some zombie peasants there. Can't remember the CR, but they may be doable with a group.

They are CR 12. Depending on his ranger, they will destroy him because they're crit immune and stinky (apply illnesses & so on).

At 5th level, when forced to solo, take Mrieder's good advice. You will get up really quickly, and quite safely, in the Hilltop Ruins, Gibberling Caves and South of Wyrm's Crossing (bandits & bears).

The Cloakwood's lizard Chieftain will butcher you the first time he gets a crit in (which is often, as you have probably realized when you got dismembered), therefore you need a few people with you. It's also worth mentioning that the Cloakwood has several kind of enemies (the shamans disable via blindness, the pixies dispel, the shambling mound is pretty tough and crit immune...), all the more reason to have a group in order to farm safely and efficiently.

The beetles south of FAI are doable as well if you have decent AC & HP, there's no disabling spells or Chief crits to worry about. Best though is to group up and do the Lizards.

The areas on this list may still be out of your range of what is doable, but as you increase in level, you can use this list to find out where to go.

mireigi wrote:Level 12 - 20

1. Orc caves (tops at 15)
2. Gnoll Caves (tops at 16)
3. Goblin Caves (tops at 12)
4. Ogre fort (doesn't top)
5. Crypt in the Fields of the Dead (doesn't top)
6. Crypt in Gullykin (doesn't top)
7. Hagspawn caves (doesn't top.)
8. Minotaur maze (doesn't top)
9. Haunted mansion (doesn't top, can try boss at near level 20 with a decent party).
10. Ogre caves (With a decent party)
11. Boaresky Bridge (Boss fight, resets once/hour, good XP. For around level 20 but a level 18 can solo it without a powerbuild (fighter/arcane archer/bard for example.)
    Past Boaresky you find the High Moors, there are the hobgoblin villages, where you can get loot. Avoid the cave of the area..
12. Then comes the Northern high Moors with vampires and chests.
13. Nashkell iron mines (Avoiding the demon and Pit Fiend)
14. Frost caves (near Nashkell iron mines, a mage with fire spells can excel there.)
15. Cave in Thundar's Ride (Not much reward if you can't find the Orc adventurer, a nice boss fight if you do and figure out the puzzle of utter simplicity)

Level 20+

1. Hagspawn caves
2. Minotaur maze
3. Haunted mansion
4. Durlag's tower
5. Troll caves
6. Ogre caves
7. Ogre fort
8. High moors camp
9. Boaresky Bridge
10. Deeper High Moors
11. Serpent Hills cave with dragon
12. Serpent Hills temple
13. Frost Giant Keep
14. Balor (A boss for a high epic party. It can be done if the party is BALANCED, without powerbuilds, and with healers. [Healers can even be as low as level 20 with heal kits, scrolls and clerics)
    (A group of a level 29 tank [Gish-in-plate, Favored Soul, Fighter, Man at Arms, whirlwind barbarian, Dragon-shape druid], 2 level 26 damage dealer [Smite paladin, Ranger with favored enemy outsider and bane of enemy and manyshot/dual wiedling, Rogue/assassin, Spell-flinging wizard/Sorcerer, heck even Gishes can do pretty damage if they have polar ray], A support unit [Bard with Hymn of Requiem preferred so he can spam it, but any kind of bard with Inspire Courage is good, even a level 20 one. 2 healers between 20-30 [clerics who will spend the time healing and also buffing up the party vs Balor with help of wizard maybe, anyone with maxed Heal skill, druids]
15. Fire Giant King
16. Vault of the Dead (explore only as far as your party can go and retreat once you're done.)
17. Nashkell iron mines
18. Frost caves
19. Cave in High moors with the spirit trolls
20. Stone Giant cave (You need 2 characters with 20+ modified strength, and a third character who can survive long enough on their own to pull a lever. They doN't have to be on their own if you have a larger than 3 person party, 6 person party will have 4 people going for the lever, 2 for the strength checks.)

If you're really into extreme difficulties, you can try netherese maze and searing caverns but not recommended.

You'll get at least 1k XP/dungeon, if not 2k. And you'll do them twice if you're really dedicated. Only exceptions are the dungeons like Hagspawn caves, Minotaur ruins and Haunted House. They will only serve to give you loot.

// Courtesy of Hoihe

Wow, thanks Hoihe! Much appreciated for all the feedback. The feeling Caves are doable as long as I don't face more than a couple at a time so maybe I'll try that next. Thanks again!

Edit: thanks also to mireigi for finding and paying over the hints for areas

There are also the Baldur's Gate Sewers. The upper levels should be around the difficulty of the kobolds, but I don't recommend to go there alone for exploring, since the bandit chief could make quite a surprise if he spawns with his gang behind you. They also have a deeper level (which I never went inside), which should be around CR 8, as far as I know.

mireigi wrote:The areas on this list may still be out of your range of what is doable, but as you increase in level, you can use this list to find out where to go.

mireigi wrote:Level 12 - 20

1. Orc caves (tops at 15)
2. Gnoll Caves (tops at 16)
3. Goblin Caves (tops at 12)
4. Ogre fort (doesn't top)
5. Crypt in the Fields of the Dead (doesn't top)
6. Crypt in Gullykin (doesn't top)
7. Hagspawn caves (doesn't top.)
8. Minotaur maze (doesn't top)
9. Haunted mansion (doesn't top, can try boss at near level 20 with a decent party).
10. Ogre caves (With a decent party)
11. Boaresky Bridge (Boss fight, resets once/hour, good XP. For around level 20 but a level 18 can solo it without a powerbuild (fighter/arcane archer/bard for example.)
    Past Boaresky you find the High Moors, there are the hobgoblin villages, where you can get loot. Avoid the cave of the area..
12. Then comes the Northern high Moors with vampires and chests.
13. Nashkell iron mines (Avoiding the demon and Pit Fiend)
14. Frost caves (near Nashkell iron mines, a mage with fire spells can excel there.)
15. Cave in Thundar's Ride (Not much reward if you can't find the Orc adventurer, a nice boss fight if you do and figure out the puzzle of utter simplicity)

Level 20+

1. Hagspawn caves
2. Minotaur maze
3. Haunted mansion
4. Durlag's tower
5. Troll caves
6. Ogre caves
7. Ogre fort
8. High moors camp
9. Boaresky Bridge
10. Deeper High Moors
11. Serpent Hills cave with dragon
12. Serpent Hills temple
13. Frost Giant Keep
14. Balor (A boss for a high epic party. It can be done if the party is BALANCED, without powerbuilds, and with healers. [Healers can even be as low as level 20 with heal kits, scrolls and clerics)
    (A group of a level 29 tank [Gish-in-plate, Favored Soul, Fighter, Man at Arms, whirlwind barbarian, Dragon-shape druid], 2 level 26 damage dealer [Smite paladin, Ranger with favored enemy outsider and bane of enemy and manyshot/dual wiedling, Rogue/assassin, Spell-flinging wizard/Sorcerer, heck even Gishes can do pretty damage if they have polar ray], A support unit [Bard with Hymn of Requiem preferred so he can spam it, but any kind of bard with Inspire Courage is good, even a level 20 one. 2 healers between 20-30 [clerics who will spend the time healing and also buffing up the party vs Balor with help of wizard maybe, anyone with maxed Heal skill, druids]
15. Fire Giant King
16. Vault of the Dead (explore only as far as your party can go and retreat once you're done.)
17. Nashkell iron mines
18. Frost caves
19. Cave in High moors with the spirit trolls
20. Stone Giant cave (You need 2 characters with 20+ modified strength, and a third character who can survive long enough on their own to pull a lever. They doN't have to be on their own if you have a larger than 3 person party, 6 person party will have 4 people going for the lever, 2 for the strength checks.)

If you're really into extreme difficulties, you can try netherese maze and searing caverns but not recommended.

You'll get at least 1k XP/dungeon, if not 2k. And you'll do them twice if you're really dedicated. Only exceptions are the dungeons like Hagspawn caves, Minotaur ruins and Haunted House. They will only serve to give you loot.

// Courtesy of Hoihe

Sorry for necroing this thread, but is there a complete list like this with level ranges from 1 to 30 and fitting area's? Preferably a bit more specific (as there is a huge difference between level 12 and 20).

Apart from the first three, most of the rest you'd want a party. What you can manage depends quite a lot on your character.

I noticed that its missing entirely on this list.
Has anyone even tried the sewer bowels? regarding its description it should be cr 8.
For me it seems like it's cr would be ok but there are really powerful nagas which can easily kill you on lvl 8 when not prepared.

There are also other areas it seems. The sewer tombs and Undercity. Does anyone know the approcimate CR?

If it says CR 8, it usually means it is designed for a group of level 8 characters rather than one solo level 8 character.

Hi. Can someone tell where netherese maze and searing caverns are?
And Wyrm Woods was not mentioned. Is it not interesting? I saw some dragons and hydras there.

What from the list is best for leveling 25+?