It's not bad "game design" or programming, there's only one solution to the chess puzzle of mate in 2 (1.Qh8+ Ke7 2.Qd8#), all other moves lead to a draw or black winning.
Ansur always makes me cry😢 The letter he held onto(when you loot him) after all these years of his beloved Balduran... The diificulty sneaking into Wyrm's Prison after the Iron Throne is the reason I think most players do the Iron Throne and the Steel Foundry back to back. Steel watchers all gone after that.
There is actually only one solution for the chess puzzle. You must make a check in the first turn, otherwise the black bishop will just take your rook and make a check to your king.
@@ilyashem7768 it isn't, because it is one the "cool you've found it player, welcome to 5%" type of interactions same with having Gale in the party, who just solves it right away
- There is a secret entrance to the prison that you missed. It makes sneaking Florrick out super easy and helps you bypass all the Steel Watch and Fist to get to Ansur.🤫 - Don't forget you can enter turn-based mode. It makes it much easier to catch flying books. 😆 - There is only one solution to the chess puzzle for mate in 2. ✌ - Get some rest! (In real life not the game)
I told you - when the ghost of Elfsong tavern starts singing about current events, it's usually important. Emperor being Balduran means he must have spent a lot of time in the Astral as an illithid - mind flayers don't live that long.
The big reveal lives rent-free in my head every day. Larian really caught me off guard with this one. Also, there is a party member who could give you the puzzle solution if you ask them. I won't say, since you're going to probably do another playthrough at some point.
The reason Astarion wasn't taking any damage from the lightning breath is because of a rogue ability called Evasion--if he succeeds on a dexterity saving throw, he takes no damage. The lightning resistance (from either the elixir or the staff) only prevents half the damage.
Another twist in this crazy story! Back when the Emperor is first revealed as a mindflayer, a twisted instrumental version of the song of Balduran plays. A small clue and a nice touch from the devs to who he really is.
It was a fun episode, gameplay is fine. Ansur fight is probably the most difficult in the game, it is a lvl17 dragon after all, dragons are not easy to deal with in general. During 1st run it is very difficult to do 1st try, had to redo it 5 times during mine. The loot from Ansur and dialogue/cutscene afterwards are pretty good. Even tho it is optional and very difficult, I would go back. As others have said, there is technically one solution to chess puzzle, because it is a standard positioning and if you make wrong moves not checking their king properly, black will check white king (with the queen or bishop, especially for the move you've suggested) and thus more than 2 moves from you, there is an alternative brute force approach. Also, one particular companion helps solve this puzzle. I think I liked these trials more, personally, Shar's are too straightforward (still don't understand why people online hate them so much), but matter of preference really. There is an alternative entry to Wyrm's Rock prison that prevents most of the fighting and killing, but hey, they chose to fight for Gortash themselves :)
Aftet i went through this part i determined that i must not be very good a chess because i too thought it was half baked. Also: I found out that in the Elfsong Tavern camp room there is a book called "The Elfsong" which includs a printed lyric of "The Song of Balduraan" as it is called in the game's OST. The lyrics to this song do indeed spell things out in a broad, non-descript way to both the figure of myth and events in the game. I posted a screenshot of this in the discord as well!
hey!!! you shouldn't be sorry, it was a great episode, this scene with ansur talking with balduran through us is one of my favorites from this game. that is when you realize we are not the absolutes thrall, we are the emperor's puppets, and he subtly managed to convince us that we have free will...
i love this so much... as the game manages to manipulate us through the narrative to do the emperor's bidding, actually when you reflect about that, since the beggining it was like that! the only reason i think he has to be more subtly manipulative with us is because he spends a lot of his concentration keeping orpheus under control...
01:15:00 You'll Harry Potter RP-ing the shit out of this chess puzzle, let's gooo! 😂 Dragon fight! Maybe you just weren't in the right mindset for the puzzles and it threw off your game. Was still a fun episode, Whimsy! Hope you have an amazing day!
Poor Wyll won't know what future holds for him, anyway Ansur is always difficult on a first plythrough, luckily this quest isnt binding/closing certain ending anymore like it used to be at launch.
I will admit that Ansur was for me the hardest fight in the whole game, is horrible. Tip: if you have Globe of invulnerability scroll or spell, use it so he can't hit you with the big storm, it makes it way easier.
Ansur fight is so difficult ..., and whoever did it before patch3, which fixed the problem with crystals not giving ANY protection (not even mitigating damage), is a legend
@@nickrubin7312 I know! I did it after patch 3, but honestly, I had to do the fight multiple times and with different party combinations and when I finally managed I was about to get my party whipped out again.
@@valeriaceledon9371 me as well, after patch3, but I kinda loved it for how difficult it was, not enough bosses in the game are difficult tbh (in my opinion, on Tactician there are only 3-4 encounters including Ansur that put up a fight and can wipe a party), did Ansur on 5th try with proper planning. Still, Ansur is pretty rough for non-planned semi-optimal approach and can infuriate for sure for how difficult the fight is.
no worries. Ansur is the most difficult (first time) fight in the game imho. you can do it though with the right tactics, spells and builds/classes (read ALL of his descriptions and features :) ). hard to do on a first try though and depending on your party composition. Wyll kinda sucked here e.g. lightning resistance is NOT immunity so you can (and did with Lilith) still take half damage, more unlikely for Astarion with his high dex saves. on honour mode where Ansur is even stronger, it is the most dangerous fight to do I think (his aoe prone attacks break concentration on casters and can even break globes of invulnerability) and legendary actions can end the run. If you are very well prepared though (potions, spells, monks, paladins, casters with stacked arcane acuity and very high spell save dc controlling him etc.) it is way easier, as it always is in bg3. very nice episode!
Indeed, probably if not the most, but the 2nd most tough fight in the game, and she haven't seen the "surprise" move from Ansur yet lol Astarion being a rogue has Evasion, so yes, he succeeds on the DEX saving throw and takes no dmg from AoE, and if he didn't succeed on the save he would take half damage anyway, so idk if resistance to lightning damage even applies here (it probably does and halves the half, but idk) Confusing resistance with Immunity is pretty common from a lot of players, from what I've seen Edit: and, tbf, I absolutely loved it because of how difficult it was and involved a lot of tactics and full build knowledge, and so on all that you've listed, the game needed this type of hard fight, maybe a couple more like that imo (like DOS2 is much more punishing and tricky in this regard, albeit, imo, a bit less interactive and vertical)
Disadvantage of being a sorcerer that has no need for a wizard-Gale happily solves the chess problem for the player. Of course sorcerers can just turn to magic and blast the king with lightning 😁 Also, Ansur fight is really hard! Took me by surprise the first time and I had to retry multiple times to defeat him…and even knowing pretty much what to expect, that dragon almost ended my first honor run!
You were a bit off your game but you still did very well. There's a reason that most people skip this fight in honor mode. I would love to play chess with you sometime Whimsy 😊
Pi ca la, c'est la raison pourquoi quand je vais me faire un 2eme playthrough, le "GARDIEN" la, ma y donner un look de marde. Ça c'était un moment incroyable dans le jeu, jai sacrer comme un cave pendant genre 10 minutes tellement j'ai été surpris.
there is only one solution to the chess problem. If you move the king away, you free to Rook from the pin, but your opponent has a move and can (for example) take your rook with his bishop. Then your queen is unable to mate the black king on her own. If the rook wasn't pinned by the black bishop, then yes, rook d8 would be mate... but you already saw that.
Stupid dragon. Kept knocking Lae'zel down until she got so fed up she fired an arrow and re-killed it. Don't keep thinking you can knock my bitch down time and again. :P
I dont know enough about chess to know if you're right. But i had a friend who is a huge fan and plays it all the time and she tried a bunch and kept realizing when they didnt work why she was mistaken in thinking it would. I dont play chess so i got nowhere lol.
If you had moved your king to free up your rook then what do you think the dark players next move would have been? Spoiler below: There are other ways to fell the king. You can just lightning bolt him 😁
![The House of Hope | Baldur's Gate 3 - Ep. 50 | First Playthrough [Tactician]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Cg-ycnwdQWs/mqdefault.jpg)
![The House of Hope | Baldur's Gate 3 - Ep. 50 | First Playthrough [Tactician]](/img/tr.png)
![Raphael made me cry :) | Baldur's Gate 3 - Ep.51 | First Playthrough [Tactician]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1-QD2tVjB8Q/mqdefault.jpg)
It's not bad "game design" or programming, there's only one solution to the chess puzzle of mate in 2 (1.Qh8+ Ke7 2.Qd8#), all other moves lead to a draw or black winning.
Ansur always makes me cry😢 The letter he held onto(when you loot him) after all these years of his beloved Balduran...
The diificulty sneaking into Wyrm's Prison after the Iron Throne is the reason I think most players do the Iron Throne and the Steel Foundry back to back. Steel watchers all gone after that.
There is actually only one solution for the chess puzzle. You must make a check in the first turn, otherwise the black bishop will just take your rook and make a check to your king.
or black queen straight up checks white king
Also u can just use a lightning spell if it isn't fixed
@@ilyashem7768 it isn't, because it is one the "cool you've found it player, welcome to 5%" type of interactions
same with having Gale in the party, who just solves it right away
You are wrong, there is no other options to win in chess with this setup in two moves.
if you move your king as you intended there are a few moves the blacks can do that would prevent you to do a check mate in 2 turns >
- There is a secret entrance to the prison that you missed. It makes sneaking Florrick out super easy and helps you bypass all the Steel Watch and Fist to get to Ansur.🤫
- Don't forget you can enter turn-based mode. It makes it much easier to catch flying books. 😆
- There is only one solution to the chess puzzle for mate in 2. ✌
- Get some rest! (In real life not the game)
I told you - when the ghost of Elfsong tavern starts singing about current events, it's usually important.
Emperor being Balduran means he must have spent a lot of time in the Astral as an illithid - mind flayers don't live that long.
The big reveal lives rent-free in my head every day. Larian really caught me off guard with this one. Also, there is a party member who could give you the puzzle solution if you ask them. I won't say, since you're going to probably do another playthrough at some point.
2:03:01 Priceless expression
Also, Ansur looks green because he's a bronze dragon - he's patinated.
I love how touched you were by the characters good deeds. You invested emotionally in them so much. Great playthrough
The reason Astarion wasn't taking any damage from the lightning breath is because of a rogue ability called Evasion--if he succeeds on a dexterity saving throw, he takes no damage. The lightning resistance (from either the elixir or the staff) only prevents half the damage.
50:12 They are so loud when sneaking. They all sound like belly dancers
Great episodeBad days happen, no worries. It was fun regardless!
Another twist in this crazy story!
Back when the Emperor is first revealed as a mindflayer, a twisted instrumental version of the song of Balduran plays. A small clue and a nice touch from the devs to who he really is.
That's crazy!! I didn't realize!
It was a fun episode, gameplay is fine. Ansur fight is probably the most difficult in the game, it is a lvl17 dragon after all, dragons are not easy to deal with in general.
During 1st run it is very difficult to do 1st try, had to redo it 5 times during mine.
The loot from Ansur and dialogue/cutscene afterwards are pretty good. Even tho it is optional and very difficult, I would go back.
As others have said, there is technically one solution to chess puzzle, because it is a standard positioning and if you make wrong moves not checking their king properly, black will check white king (with the queen or bishop, especially for the move you've suggested) and thus more than 2 moves from you, there is an alternative brute force approach. Also, one particular companion helps solve this puzzle. I think I liked these trials more, personally, Shar's are too straightforward (still don't understand why people online hate them so much), but matter of preference really.
There is an alternative entry to Wyrm's Rock prison that prevents most of the fighting and killing, but hey, they chose to fight for Gortash themselves :)
14:25 He is an important npc in Descent Into Avernus ttrpg campaign., where he
ends up possessed at one point and has to be rescued.
Aftet i went through this part i determined that i must not be very good a chess because i too thought it was half baked.
Also: I found out that in the Elfsong Tavern camp room there is a book called "The Elfsong" which includs a printed lyric of "The Song of Balduraan" as it is called in the game's OST. The lyrics to this song do indeed spell things out in a broad, non-descript way to both the figure of myth and events in the game. I posted a screenshot of this in the discord as well!
Time for some Baldurs Gate 3 with Whimsy Psyche!
hey!!! you shouldn't be sorry, it was a great episode, this scene with ansur talking with balduran through us is one of my favorites from this game.
that is when you realize we are not the absolutes thrall, we are the emperor's puppets, and he subtly managed to convince us that we have free will...
i love this so much... as the game manages to manipulate us through the narrative to do the emperor's bidding, actually when you reflect about that, since the beggining it was like that!
the only reason i think he has to be more subtly manipulative with us is because he spends a lot of his concentration keeping orpheus under control...
and you are right the lyrics of song of balduran pretty much give the whole plot
@@lucasvignolireis8181 it is the most spoilery and 4th wall breaking song in the game that plays over and over and over again lol
@@nickrubin7312😂
01:15:00 You'll Harry Potter RP-ing the shit out of this chess puzzle, let's gooo! 😂
Dragon fight!
Maybe you just weren't in the right mindset for the puzzles and it threw off your game.
Was still a fun episode, Whimsy! Hope you have an amazing day!
Poor Wyll won't know what future holds for him, anyway Ansur is always difficult on a first plythrough, luckily this quest isnt binding/closing certain ending anymore like it used to be at launch.
We need to get your subscribers up so you dont need to go to work! 👍
I will admit that Ansur was for me the hardest fight in the whole game, is horrible. Tip: if you have Globe of invulnerability scroll or spell, use it so he can't hit you with the big storm, it makes it way easier.
Ansur fight is so difficult ..., and whoever did it before patch3, which fixed the problem with crystals not giving ANY protection (not even mitigating damage), is a legend
you mean globe?
@@nickrubin7312 I know! I did it after patch 3, but honestly, I had to do the fight multiple times and with different party combinations and when I finally managed I was about to get my party whipped out again.
@@valeriaceledon9371 me as well, after patch3, but I kinda loved it for how difficult it was, not enough bosses in the game are difficult tbh (in my opinion, on Tactician there are only 3-4 encounters including Ansur that put up a fight and can wipe a party), did Ansur on 5th try with proper planning. Still, Ansur is pretty rough for non-planned semi-optimal approach and can infuriate for sure for how difficult the fight is.
Whimsy about the chess puzzle, the board can vary from time to time but if you take Gale, he's very good at the game and tells you the solution.
no worries. Ansur is the most difficult (first time) fight in the game imho. you can do it though with the right tactics, spells and builds/classes (read ALL of his descriptions and features :) ). hard to do on a first try though and depending on your party composition. Wyll kinda sucked here e.g. lightning resistance is NOT immunity so you can (and did with Lilith) still take half damage, more unlikely for Astarion with his high dex saves. on honour mode where Ansur is even stronger, it is the most dangerous fight to do I think (his aoe prone attacks break concentration on casters and can even break globes of invulnerability) and legendary actions can end the run. If you are very well prepared though (potions, spells, monks, paladins, casters with stacked arcane acuity and very high spell save dc controlling him etc.) it is way easier, as it always is in bg3. very nice episode!
Indeed, probably if not the most, but the 2nd most tough fight in the game, and she haven't seen the "surprise" move from Ansur yet lol
Astarion being a rogue has Evasion, so yes, he succeeds on the DEX saving throw and takes no dmg from AoE, and if he didn't succeed on the save he would take half damage anyway, so idk if resistance to lightning damage even applies here (it probably does and halves the half, but idk)
Confusing resistance with Immunity is pretty common from a lot of players, from what I've seen
Edit: and, tbf, I absolutely loved it because of how difficult it was and involved a lot of tactics and full build knowledge, and so on all that you've listed, the game needed this type of hard fight, maybe a couple more like that imo (like DOS2 is much more punishing and tricky in this regard, albeit, imo, a bit less interactive and vertical)
5hours of throwing legendary trident from cirkus with barbarian or monk through door also works :)
There were only two ways to beat that setup, that one and a lighting spell on the king
I was still enjoying your metal gear series and now bg3... Man oh man.
Disadvantage of being a sorcerer that has no need for a wizard-Gale happily solves the chess problem for the player.
Of course sorcerers can just turn to magic and blast the king with lightning 😁
Also, Ansur fight is really hard! Took me by surprise the first time and I had to retry multiple times to defeat him…and even knowing pretty much what to expect, that dragon almost ended my first honor run!
Just the main menu makes me wanna play again.. down down down by the rivveerrrrrrr 🎵
You were a bit off your game but you still did very well. There's a reason that most people skip this fight in honor mode. I would love to play chess with you sometime Whimsy 😊
Aah thank you so much! It's definitely a tough fight!
Pi ca la, c'est la raison pourquoi quand je vais me faire un 2eme playthrough, le "GARDIEN" la, ma y donner un look de marde. Ça c'était un moment incroyable dans le jeu, jai sacrer comme un cave pendant genre 10 minutes tellement j'ai été surpris.
there is only one solution to the chess problem.
If you move the king away, you free to Rook from the pin, but your opponent has a move and can (for example) take your rook with his bishop.
Then your queen is unable to mate the black king on her own.
If the rook wasn't pinned by the black bishop, then yes, rook d8 would be mate... but you already saw that.
and no, you don’t have to, fighting Ansur is totally optional :)
Stupid dragon. Kept knocking Lae'zel down until she got so fed up she fired an arrow and re-killed it. Don't keep thinking you can knock my bitch down time and again. :P
MGS2! :)
Hey, you love games that made you cry. You should play OUTER WILDS someday
I dont know enough about chess to know if you're right. But i had a friend who is a huge fan and plays it all the time and she tried a bunch and kept realizing when they didnt work why she was mistaken in thinking it would. I dont play chess so i got nowhere lol.
If you had moved your king to free up your rook then what do you think the dark players next move would have been?
Spoiler below:
There are other ways to fell the king. You can just lightning bolt him 😁