My party is as follows.. now at Dorn's Deep

Paladin
Fighter
Cleric
Cleric/Ranger
Thief/Ranger
Mage

how do I dual class? who can/cannot dual class?

<font color = lightgreen>NobleNick, you mean I actually have to use my brain if I want to use magic? [img]graemlins/crying.gif[/img] [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Similarly to sending your tanks to attack enemies in an area effect spell, you can also layer area effect spells: web, slow, and fireball/cloudkill/death fog. Death fog is one of my favorites, along with Acid Storm and Incendiary Cloud (just cast them and wait for your foes to fall). [img]graemlins/petard.gif[/img] </font>

I Beat IWD With:
Paladin
Dwarven Fighter
Human Fighter
Thief(forgot to dual)
Priest(also no dual)
Mage(again, no dual)
Should've dualed though... :D

[ 02-25-2002: Message edited by: Lopadamus Flimbog ]</p>

<font color = Mediumspringgreen>Azred,

OOOOoooooo!!! I am green with envy! I only have 1/2 a mage (gnome thief/illusionist), and she can't throw web. (It just now occurred to me that maybe the reason she can't learn it is that I maxed out on spells of that level. Hmmm, I smell a Dalekeeper "spell trading" session coming on...)

I decided, instead of dualing my 2 specially prepared fighters over to mage at level 7, to hold out til level 9 for one and 13 for the other. I am almost to where I can dual the first one over. Multiple mage power! Aaugggh!!! I can almost taste it!</font>

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by NobleNick:
<font color = Mediumspringgreen>Azred,

OOOOoooooo!!! I am green with envy!</font><hr></blockquote>

<font color = lightgreen>Yes, I seem to have that effect on people. [img]graemlins/petard.gif[/img] [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Anyway, Web is probably the most useful 2nd level spell, just behind Invisibility, especially once your priests have access to Free Action. That will remain to be one of my standard tactics, layering spells like Grease and Web; it concentrates your foes and makes it impossible for them to run.

And yes, wait to dual your characters for just a little bit; the extra power will come in handy. By the time you hit Chapter 5, you can level your dualers pretty quickly.</font>

just for fun; here's what I think is a good combo.

Cleric/Ranger (half-elf, of course)
Cleric/Illusionist (Gnome, duh)
Bard
Thief-Fighter (dualed to fighter at level 9)

between the C/R and the C/Il; you can summon enough fodder to keep enemies at bay. The Bard makes for a good backup mage; getting very powerfull with spells that increase with level. And the Thief? well, he finds traps and fights with sword or bow.
Honsetly, Thiefs are not necessary in this game. Sure, they help a lot; but Clerics are far more essential. Clerics can find the traps; but not disarm them. Of course, every trap offers a saving throw; so you can just send "lucky" out to "scout" after the cleric finds the traps. Though, the cleric spell for finding traps is a bit of a bother to use.
As far as mages go; i think an earlier poster was a little delusional as to their power. Straight mages? suck. Multi or dual-classed mages can be powerful. The Extra HP and THac0 from a preist or fighter class make a difference; as do the use of Helms (protect from a critical squash) and Large Sheilds (protect against spell breaking misslies).

[ 03-21-2002, 03:44 PM: Message edited by: Leafy ]

:eek: fighter,ranger,thief,druid,cleric,mage

<font color = lightgreen>If you have HoW installed, then having a bard in your party is a must. They gain access to a song (the name of which escapes me right now since I am at "work" [img]tongue.gif[/img] ) that makes your foes just stand there and take a royal beating. What could be more fun than lethargic enemies?</font>

Party formation:

paladin - M - human - LG - swords and axes
cleic - F - h-elf - TN - any blunt + sling
ranger - M - elf - NG - 2h-waepon + bow
fighter dual-> mage - M - human - LN - halbard + bow
thief dual -> mage - M - human - CG - dagger + bow
Bard - F - h-elf - TN - x-bow + any close

My idea of a good party:
1. Cleric - Must have
2. Mage - Not a must but makes things easier
3. Thief - Must have for traps and locks
4. Fighter - At least one in the party to take the hits. Later on I like to summon undead to the front.
5 & 6 you can put anything in you want in. Two more fighters would probaly make the game easier to beat but I like a little variety.