Can I go to the Foundry first?

[Arthur]

I'm on my second playthrough, on Honor Mode, so don't worry about spoilers.

I'm asking this because on my first playthrough, I remember ignoring the Foundry for a long time and I ended up bumping into the submarine/Iron Throne first. I went there, saved all the hostages and left. By the time I got to the Foundry, everyone was immediately hostile and I later learned that there's some scenes/story content to be found there if you go there before the Iron Throne (apparently some gondians tell you about their captive families, which is how you're "supposed" to learn about the Throne to begin with).

But I also did some digging and apparently going there first causes the Throne to be destroyed and everyone in there dies? Is it possible to go to the Foundry first and still save them? If so, how? Should I kill all the captors and then just *don't* blow up the Foundry or something?Am I supposed to sneak by and talk to someone specific? Thanks.

(and I know you can go to the Throne first and then save everyone in the Foundry but its super tough to keep all the Gondians alive because they're stupid as sh*t.)

[KidDoc99]

It was a bit ago as I'm back in BG on my Githyanki playthrough but I'm almost positive I did the foundry first, then throne rescue, then beat the tar outta Gorak (or whatever his name is) with no steel watch active. The foundry wasn't too hard you get a few solo steel watch then a group of fairly challenging guards with some help from the gnomes. Then get to the control center and blow up the worms then head to the Throne. Throne was not easy due to time limitations and dumb gnomes but I managed to save some on a non-honor playthrough.

[LordNibbler]

If you go to the foundry first you will meet (what's his name) Zanner Toobin (?) in the office and he begs you to go to the Throne so save his family&friends. Because yes, as you said, if you destroy the foundry the IT will be gone for good.

But if you prepare well then the foundry is rather easy, also on HM. Just add a lot of movement to some "runner" (Karlach/Barbarian is excellent for that), haste up and use portal spells/scrolls to "help" the Gondrians. It took me 3 rounds because some Gondrians are rather slow and I didn't want to waste more stuff, but it could be 2 (I think someone did it even in just one round, going all in).

Found a pic to illustrate my definition of "well prepared", at least regarding buffs
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3326063346

[NightingaleMuse]

Technically, you need to do one of two things to blow up the Throne by hitting the Foundry first. One, the motivators need to be set off and not deactivated before they explode. Two, you enter the room just before the room with the big boss in there without the proper key to deactivate the trigger. Otherwise the Throne will be safe.

Alternatively if you beat Gortash without dealing with the Foundry or the Throne (3 runepowder barrels, 1 runepowder bomb, 1 runepowder vial, and a whole lot of smokepowder bombs, baby), the submarine just disappears and going into the Foundry will play out events as if the throne was destroyed beforehand.

I usually do the Foundry first and I've saved all/most of the Gondians quite frequently.

[ReoHays]

I goto the underdark about level 4 and I am level 5 after I get my armor from the forge. then I go sticky paws and get Lazel a Silver Sword. Then it is off to clear the Goblin Camp. Then back to finish the Underdark. By then, I am Level 7 and ready to clear out the Gith Cretch or the spiders, so I can get the Ruby. Game is easier that way. Dont forget to kill the Owlbear for the spear and get the 3 pieces for the Ice Staff in the underdark. Both come in handy clearing the underdark and getting the lamp in act 2 without seeing Isabel. The Blood of Lathander is a Godsend in act 2. The 4th weapon is one of the Lightning's to finish out my 4.

[Arthur]

Originally posted by ReoHays:

I goto the underdark about level 4 and I am level 5 after I get my armor from the forge. then I go sticky paws and get Lazel a Silver Sword. Then it is off to clear the Goblin Camp. Then back to finish the Underdark. By then, I am Level 7 and ready to clear out the Gith Cretch or the spiders, so I can get the Ruby. Game is easier that way. Dont forget to kill the Owlbear for the spear and get the 3 pieces for the Ice Staff in the underdark. Both come in handy clearing the underdark and getting the lamp in act 2 without seeing Isabel. The Blood of Lathander is a Godsend in act 2. The 4th weapon is one of the Lightning's to finish out my 4.

Dude, what. I'm talking about something that happens in Act 3. I've done all that already.

And I answered my own question yesterday anyway, went to the Foundry, talked to that blind guy, found out where the prisoners were taken through a note and left. Saved the folks in the Iron Throne and then went back to the Foundry and saved everyone there as well.