grymforge elevator or mountain pass to enter act 2?

[Sir Sparhawk]

Spoliers ahead for all of act one in this thread.

I've explored both areas pretty thoroughly doing nearly everything available in the mountain pass and underdark/grymforge and have gotten to the point where you encounter Elminster in both routes. After looking around online I can't really find anything of what the real difference is between entering act 2 through the grymforge elevator or via the mountain pass. Has anyone tried both, what are the differences, is it a significant difference or negligible?

[Phero]

I don't think it matters how you get there. You do both for the gameplay / loot / xp

[Moonbane]

Doesnt matter which start you choose. You just appear at different places on the Shadowcursed Lands map.

[Peepo :)]

u can go back and try the other later

[info]

grymforge elevator or mountain pass to enter act 2?...

Mountain pass has extended stuff and items which are great to have you will not find if you skip it, plus Mountain Pass is like Act 1.5, in my opinion it should not be avoided at all.

Surface act1 -> Goblins -> Underdark ->Mountain Pass -> Act 2 Shadow Lands.

Explore every nook and cranny to get the full experience, much more enjoyable.

Plus those giths are hardcore at that level, you gonna have fun.

[アンジェル]

Originally posted by Sir Sparhawk:

grymforge elevator or mountain pass to enter act 2?
Spoliers ahead for all of act one in this thread.

I've explored both areas pretty thoroughly doing nearly everything available in the mountain pass and underdark/grymforge and have gotten to the point where you encounter Elminster in both routes. After looking around online I can't really find anything of what the real difference is between entering act 2 through the grymforge elevator or via the mountain pass. Has anyone tried both, what are the differences, is it a significant difference or negligible?

Roleplaywise it is significant. Gameplaywise it is negligble

[Moonbane]

Just clean both underdark and mountain pass before pushing on to act2. You are not forced to choose.

[Sir Sparhawk]

Originally posted by Moonbane:

Just clean both underdark and mountain pass before pushing on to act2. You are not forced to choose.

I've already done most things in both areas, I've done everything in the underdark/grymforge and just have the elevator left that takes me to a small room with elminster in it. I've also done all the mountain pass and all of rosymorn monastery with just the road that bypasses elminster left. I assume both lead directly to act two but I'm not sure what the significance is between the two.

Originally posted by Moonbane:

Doesnt matter which start you choose. You just appear at different places on the Shadowcursed Lands map.

I assume both impact the order in which you do things, I'm particularly eager to meet Jahira as a fan of the original games. does the order you encounter things because of the route you take to act two have long lasting ramifications?

Originally posted by アンジェル:

Originally posted by Sir Sparhawk:

grymforge elevator or mountain pass to enter act 2?
Spoliers ahead for all of act one in this thread.

I've explored both areas pretty thoroughly doing nearly everything available in the mountain pass and underdark/grymforge and have gotten to the point where you encounter Elminster in both routes. After looking around online I can't really find anything of what the real difference is between entering act 2 through the grymforge elevator or via the mountain pass. Has anyone tried both, what are the differences, is it a significant difference or negligible?

Roleplaywise it is significant. Gameplaywise it is negligble

I can be a bit dense sometimes, what are the role-play significant differences?

[アンジェル]

Originally posted by Sir Sparhawk:

Originally posted by Moonbane:

Just clean both underdark and mountain pass before pushing on to act2. You are not forced to choose.

I've already done most things in both areas, I've done everything in the underdark/grymforge and just have the elevator left that takes me to a small room with elminster in it. I've also done all the mountain pass and all of rosymorn monastery with just the road that bypasses elminster left. I assume both lead directly to act two but I'm not sure what the significance is between the two.

Originally posted by Moonbane:

Doesnt matter which start you choose. You just appear at different places on the Shadowcursed Lands map.

I assume both impact the order in which you do things, I'm particularly eager to meet Jahira as a fan of the original games. does the order you encounter things because of the route you take to act two have long lasting ramifications?

Originally posted by アンジェル:

Roleplaywise it is significant. Gameplaywise it is negligble

I can be a bit dense sometimes, what are the role-play significant differences?

I will not spoil it for you unless you specifically ask for it.

Getting to the Shadowlands via Underdark gives the impression of a more "good-aligned" route, while the entry through the Mountain Pass is more "deceptive".

[average Lumbago owner]

Well as far as i know (i did elevator anyway bcs it was closer for me) u can summon a spider-drow dude with minthara's spider lyre right away from mountain pass and get the working moon-lantern from him early than doing it from grimforge . Doesn't really matter which way do u choose to start from on act 2.

[Moonbane]

You can stil clean out both underdark and mountain pass before choosing which exit you want to use. Never seen the reason not to, theres compelling upgrades in both zones, though arguably the mountain pass is REALLY good with the Blood of Lathander and the zaissk power to use all ilithid abilities as bonus actions.

However you can also get a very helpful illithid power in the underdark.

[Moonbane]

Hrm, just strikes me. If you want to maximise illithid powers. A rogue with thief subspec is sublime for it as they get an additional bonus action.

[Sir Sparhawk]

Originally posted by アンジェル:

Originally posted by Sir Sparhawk:

I've already done most things in both areas, I've done everything in the underdark/grymforge and just have the elevator left that takes me to a small room with elminster in it. I've also done all the mountain pass and all of rosymorn monastery with just the road that bypasses elminster left. I assume both lead directly to act two but I'm not sure what the significance is between the two.


I assume both impact the order in which you do things, I'm particularly eager to meet Jahira as a fan of the original games. does the order you encounter things because of the route you take to act two have long lasting ramifications?


I can be a bit dense sometimes, what are the role-play significant differences?

I will not spoil it for you unless you specifically ask for it.

Getting to the Shadowlands via Underdark gives the impression of a more "good-aligned" route, while the entry through the Mountain Pass is more "deceptive".

I'm playing a mercenary type character that will do anything if paid too, also he absolutely refuses to lie or go back on his word (unless betrayed first) and will do whatever he agreed even if the job isn't what it appeared to be.

So far I've been doing mostly the good things though canonically my custom PC is evil. Astarion is dead because he tried to attack me when we first met, so is Lazel because I didn't want a fight with the teiflings and there is no way to keep both groups alive without deception. You meet the grove first which means I took their quests meaning I had to slaughter all the goblins and their leaders (halisn joined though I'll probably never use him). everyone in grymforge was slaughtered as well. refused to side with vlakith and also slaughtered all the gith at rosymorn and gave the egg to esther. Based on my character and what i've done what do you think would be most appropriate?

[Sir Sparhawk]

Originally posted by Moonbane:

You can stil clean out both underdark and mountain pass before choosing which exit you want to use. Never seen the reason not to, theres compelling upgrades in both zones, though arguably the mountain pass is REALLY good with the Blood of Lathander and the zaissk power to use all ilithid abilities as bonus actions.

However you can also get a very helpful illithid power in the underdark.

I've pretty much cleards all areas out already, I have the blood of lathander. I'm not usingg any of the powers or tadpoles, i haven't even unlocked the skilltree

[アンジェル]

Originally posted by Sir Sparhawk:

Originally posted by Moonbane:

You can stil clean out both underdark and mountain pass before choosing which exit you want to use. Never seen the reason not to, theres compelling upgrades in both zones, though arguably the mountain pass is REALLY good with the Blood of Lathander and the zaissk power to use all ilithid abilities as bonus actions.

However you can also get a very helpful illithid power in the underdark.

I've pretty much cleards all areas out already, I have the blood of lathander. I'm not usingg any of the powers or tadpoles, i haven't even unlocked the skilltree

With that mindset I recommend you take the elevator at Grymforge. Fits better your story.

[Sir Sparhawk]

Originally posted by アンジェル:

Originally posted by Sir Sparhawk:

I've pretty much cleards all areas out already, I have the blood of lathander. I'm not usingg any of the powers or tadpoles, i haven't even unlocked the skilltree

With that mindset I recommend you take the elevator at Grymforge. Fits better your story.

ok thank you, as I said I'm a bit dense sometimes so I probably missed the significance of certain scenes as they happened or talked about the different paths. While I've mostly done the good choices that is more because the order you encounter the different groups, if my character is offered a job and sufficient reward he'll take any job no matter how dangerous or evil and see it through to completion no matter what it is or what twists arise because of it.