Let's Play the Gold Box Series

Hail RPG Watchers!

DM Wyvern here. I would like to invite you as I descend into the Pool of Radiance and attempt to liberate the ruined city of Phlan.




About the Game:

Pool of Radiance is a series of role-playing video games set in the Forgotten Realms campaign settings of Dungeons & Dragons; it was the first Dungeons & Dragons video game series to be based on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules. The series reached combined global sales above 800,000 units by 1996. And the turn-based combat is still addictively simple fun.

I discovered this game when I was a kid and still have vivid memories of playing through Champions, Death Knights, and the beginning of Dark Queen of Krynn. I have dipped into this series a few times in the past off-screen and always found the gameplay a good time. I am excited to begin this LP and add my own experience with this amazing series to the great LPs that are already out there.

And if you're looking to find out more about the Gold Box series and SSI in general, you couldn't go wrong spending an evening reading through The Digital Antiquarian write up on Pool of Radiance and the storied history of SSI with the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons computer game license. Check it out here: Opening the Gold Box, Part 4: Pool of Radiance

The Essentials:

Pool of Radiance A Forgotten Realms Fantasy Role-Playing Epic, Vol. 1 https://www.gog.com/game/forgotten_re…

Get the Gold Box Companion here: https://gbc.zorbus.net/


How the LP Works:

I plan to accompany every LP episode post with A) an out of character Field Report about my experience, B) an in-character journal from Bargle the Black, one of the magic users in the party and C) and three screenshots previewing the action ahead.


The Rules of the Let's Play:

No modifying starting attributes and HP (this is retroactive)

No re-rolling HP (this is retroactive)

No-reloading unless I encounter a full party wipe or game-breaking bug


Table of Contents:

Episode 1: The Wyverns of Waterdeep arrive in Phlan | YouTube | Bargle's Journal, Entry 1
Episode 2: Slumming it in Phlan | YouTube | Bargle's Journey, Entry 2


The Story Backdrop:

Once the jewel of the Moonsea region of the Forgotten Realms, the city of Phlan has been destroyed and since overrun by forces of evil. After a flight of dragons ravaged the city and weakened the hold of the monstrous warlords that control much of the city, now a bastion of civilization is looking to reclaim the city with the aid of mercenaries and adventurers. The following pamphlet has been distributed far and wide throughout the realms to attract the sellswords and magic users that can turn back the tide for the good people of Phlan:




The Wyverns of Waterdeep have answered the call. And one of the magic-users, Bargle, has begun a journal about the looming campaign in Phlan…




THE WYVERNS OF WATERDEEP:

Ali Al-Qadim - Chaotic Neutral Dwarf Fighter / Thief




Warduke - Chaotic Evil Dwarf Fighter / Thief




Aleena - Lawful Good Human Cleric




Venger - Chaotic Evil Human Cleric

Bargel - Human Wizard




Khalida - Chaotic Good Human Wizard




Field Report Episode 1:

The game deposited my party on the docks of Phlan without so much as a dagger between them all. The first stop was the weapons and armor shop. Fortunately, the Pool of Radiance is very generous with starting money so I quickly snapped up Banded Mail for all my frontline warriors and class appropriate weapons for everyone. Kitted out, I took a quick rest in a nearby inn and memorized my cleric and magic user spells and then made my way to the City Hall. Here, I was able to read a number of proclamations and get my first quest from the city clerk to clear the slums to the west of the Civilized District. And so, I entered the slums with my newbie adventuring party…

CHECK OUT EPISODE 1 HERE:

Oh man, just seeing that box makes me want to dive back into all these great games again. I just might do that after the holidays!

Carnifex said:

Oh man, just seeing that box makes me want to dive back into all these great games again. I just might do that after the holidays!

Click to expand...

These are great games Carnifex! You absolutely should look into replaying them again. I hope you enjoy following the LP!

Currently playing it (30 years after first plays) not this version so not with Gold Box Companion either. But it's a matter of UI, in past I played it on Mac which is B&W but with a full mouse support. And I never been able to get used of such keyboard only UI with a lot of keys used throughout the keyboard.

But it's the same game (more or less), and just a matter to get used to UI. Otherwise it's a lot of fun despite the flaws or some obsolete aspects that look now like flaws.

Yeah combats are surprisingly fun despite based on simple rules, still the game suffers of too many enemies in too many combats. But I play since beginning of this play with 2 henchman (sometimes replaced by NPC) and I read it increases number of enemies. I know use henchmen isn't helping, it's just for adding some more spice/mood to the game. Sometimes I use quick mode, but it's just for combats obviously easy or just not requesting a very special approach, and other combats are often a lot of fun anyway.

I watch quickly the 2 videos, that's cool, I quote I don't play the same way. Moreover I play in window mode and have a diary on text, to copy/paste journal entries when found, but also note many events and positions, and various stuff. I tend forgot things so I need do it, but that's fine for me, it's part of play.

With that replay I wasn't expecting enjoy it so much, I was believing that the great memory I had of it was a lot because it was among the first RPG and even video games I played. But nope it's really a lot of fun, but obviously a gameplay that wouldn't be compatible with many modern RPG players. I can imagine easily all the complains on combats, for example.

The party doesn't look uber, that's cool. High STR or main class attribute, but average DEX. Around level 2 I thrown out a Dwarf Fighter/Thief that was stagnating (dying a lot when supposed to be a front, too low HP) and created a new character Dwarf Fighter. And one character I kept has a weak design. But I rerolled a lot and for mage/cleric I didn't get more than 16. I don't have any pure Cleric, so won't have level 6 Cleric, but though henchmen which is no way the same. I hope it won't hurt my play (party is already more or less level 5 and level 4/5).

At level up, I do the level up 5 times and keep the best HP increase, I can't bear this high RNG D&D rule, particularly for fighters it can be so frustrating.

Otherwise too many guides suggest max out attributes, I doubt it's so necessary, even without a party very well designed. Moreover RNG combats are scaled on party, and it's not necessary only helping.

EDIT: And my party is 3 male, 3 female, I know the game is sort of sexist through some rules, the game or D&D1, but it should be playable. It's unfortunate they didn't thought of at least some counter balance for female characters, that's weird.

cool LP! i also LP'd Pool of Radiance on my YouTube channel, but i covered the nwn version of it. it was very fun and close to the original. if you'd like to view it just search on YouTube "fluent pool of radiance" that should bring it up. cheers!

Dasale said:

Currently playing it (30 years after first plays) not this version so not with Gold Box Companion either. But it's a matter of UI, in past I played it on Mac which is B&W but with a full mouse support. And I never been able to get used of such keyboard only UI with a lot of keys used throughout the keyboard.

But it's the same game (more or less), and just a matter to get used to UI. Otherwise it's a lot of fun despite the flaws or some obsolete aspects that look now like flaws.

Yeah combats are surprisingly fun despite based on simple rules, still the game suffers of too many enemies in too many combats. But I play since beginning of this play with 2 henchman (sometimes replaced by NPC) and I read it increases number of enemies. I know use henchmen isn't helping, it's just for adding some more spice/mood to the game. Sometimes I use quick mode, but it's just for combats obviously easy or just not requesting a very special approach, and other combats are often a lot of fun anyway.

I watch quickly the 2 videos, that's cool, I quote I don't play the same way. Moreover I play in window mode and have a diary on text, to copy/paste journal entries when found, but also note many events and positions, and various stuff. I tend forgot things so I need do it, but that's fine for me, it's part of play.

With that replay I wasn't expecting enjoy it so much, I was believing that the great memory I had of it was a lot because it was among the first RPG and even video games I played. But nope it's really a lot of fun, but obviously a gameplay that wouldn't be compatible with many modern RPG players. I can imagine easily all the complains on combats, for example.

Click to expand...

Dasale said:

The party doesn't look uber, that's cool. High STR or main class attribute, but average DEX. Around level 2 I thrown out a Dwarf Fighter/Thief that was stagnating (dying a lot when supposed to be a front, too low HP) and created a new character Dwarf Fighter. And one character I kept has a weak design. But I rerolled a lot and for mage/cleric I didn't get more than 16. I don't have any pure Cleric, so won't have level 6 Cleric, but though henchmen which is no way the same. I hope it won't hurt my play (party is already more or less level 5 and level 4/5).

At level up, I do the level up 5 times and keep the best HP increase, I can't bear this high RNG D&D rule, particularly for fighters it can be so frustrating.

Otherwise too many guides suggest max out attributes, I doubt it's so necessary, even without a party very well designed. Moreover RNG combats are scaled on party, and it's not necessary only helping.

EDIT: And my party is 3 male, 3 female, I know the game is sort of sexist through some rules, the game or D&D1, but it should be playable. It's unfortunate they didn't thought of at least some counter balance for female characters, that's weird.

Click to expand...

TheRealFluent said:

cool LP! i also LP'd Pool of Radiance on my YouTube channel, but i covered the nwn version of it. it was very fun and close to the original. if you'd like to view it just search on YouTube "fluent pool of radiance" that should bring it up. cheers!

Click to expand...

Hey Dasale! Thank you for checking out my PoR videos and for sharing your experiences playing through these games too! I am also thinking of switching up at least one of my Fighter / Thieves, I am finding they are a bit too delicate for the most important fights.

These are great games. Are you playing anything from the Gold Box series right now?

TheRealFluent said:

cool LP! i also LP'd Pool of Radiance on my YouTube channel, but i covered the nwn version of it. it was very fun and close to the original. if you'd like to view it just search on YouTube "fluent pool of radiance" that should bring it up. cheers!

Click to expand...

Hey Fluent! I have been following your posts on the RPGWatch website for years now. ^_^ Glad to have a chance to say hello and thank you for your contributions here! And thank you for checking out my current PoR LP! I hope you enjoyed the watch!

Do you mean THIS NWN version of Pool of Radiance?



Liked and subscribed! Cool Neverwinter Nights LPs on your channel. ^_^

hey, thanks! glad u got some value out of my contributions! cheers, fam.

unfortunately your video isn't playing for me. the PoR i played was just a very high quality fanmade module for nwn. i had a lot of fun with it. u can find information about the module on my YouTube channel if u pull up the very first video in the playlist. i recommend it wholeheartedly.

dmwyvern said:

Hey Dasale! Thank you for checking out my PoR videos and for sharing your experiences playing through these games too! I am also thinking of switching up at least one of my Fighter / Thieves, I am finding they are a bit too delicate for the most important fights.

These are great games. Are you playing anything from the Gold Box series right now?

Click to expand...

About classes and characters, I had a (another) thief/warrior that couldn't level up fighter to 5. I found nothing on the topic, until I thought on STR level, Halfling Female, 14 STR. Made her equip a gauntlet of ogre power (she is long range) and solved, I could level up to Fighter level 5.

I'm a slow player, still playing PoR as I already wrote, and will continue on the full series.

Im' struggling in the Graveryard right now. And seeing the rewards high level, I wonder if it's supposed to be now. I could finish a first half and go back to outdoor world.

I think for Graveyard I'll try with 3 henchmen, it's not that I care of the money, so it could even be 2 heroes and not my level 5 warrior and acolyte henchmen, plus either the cleric NPC (level 6 now, for Turn ability) either a 3rd hero. Restoration spells are used so quickly and don't avoid some to a lot of XP loss.

Going to see more of your play in //, for now only saw the first two episodes, don't stop it.

EDIT: And silver arrows can really work but only against some enemies, for some it changes nothing, and for some it only achieves lower damages than normal arrows. Didn't bother with silver quarrels, their price is a lot too expensive.

EDT: And mirror image seems not stop attacks draining levels, weird, but I'm not sure, perhaps images was destroyed and I didn't noticed.

Hail Watchers!

In EPISODE 2 the Wyverns of Waterdeep strikeout to finally rid the slums of the monsters that have overrun it…

Field Report Episode 2:

Clearing out the slums street by street, I mostly encountered roving bands of Kobolds, Goblins and Orcs - nothing too hard for my beginning party to handle. I ran into my first difficult fight in Room 10 - filled with Monster Guards, my Sleep spells eventually wore off and I lost both Fighter / Thieves in subsequent rounds. I did not max out HP and this has left my party extremely fragile. I was worried that my two clerics would soon be wiped too leading to a reload…





Meeting a Seer




Slaughter in the Slums:




Party meets Ogre, Ogre, pwns party.





CHECK IT OUT HERE:

EPISODE 2