:D
<font color="lightblue">Yes, i`m serious. Kinda. [img]tongue.gif[/img]
Yes, I like Cernd as an NPC... although, the dialogue they gave him isn`t as good as it could be.
BUT, he is a better spellcaster than Jaheira (especially if you have the Shapeshifter Rebalancing portion of Weimer`s Ease-of-Use), better for carrying things than *anyone*, and a good tank at once. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Why kinda serious ?? Well... it`s another society... [img]graemlins/uhoh1.gif[/img] </font>

Haha, this is getting just a tad ridiculous dont ya think? What will be next the Pro-Neeber society?

[ 10-29-2002, 03:47 AM: Message edited by: dragon_lord ]

<font color="lightblue">Yes, it is.
And what better way to demonstrate it than a pro-Cernd society ?? :D </font>

*note to self; must mention to Att to include "anti NPCs" as a sub catogery under Anti Anomen,...*
Cernds useless, imho, I dont like his general attitude [img]tongue.gif[/img] lol. yeah I know hes good in his werewolf form, but... I just dont like him much:P

Cernd is one of my favorite characters in BG2, especially once he gets to high levels. In all seriousness Lennon, he is a very good spell caster and he can tank a bit. He is good for playing tactically - cast Insect Plague, Chant, and maybe a few summons, then send him in in werewolf form. And i actually quite like his dialogue:

A bird in the hand gathers no moss... errr... or somesuch...

What is that "Shapeshifter Rebalance Potion" from Weimer? What does it do?

Also, I prefer Jaheira over Cernd. What you don't realise until you play a Pure Druid is that they can only wear up to Studded Leather, and can only take a +1 in any weapon. OK, Cernd casts more spells, but Jaheira can raise the dead, and Cernd can't!

Jaheira can only Raise Dead because she is a Harper, so Fighter/Druids can't Raise Dead, but Jaheira can!

[img]tongue.gif[/img]

EDIT: Spellings. Shapeshifter is not spelt Shapeshiftern!

[ 10-29-2002, 08:24 AM: Message edited by: DJG ]

Cernd is amazingly good in my party. One of the mods I downloaded apparently switched the Shapeshifter kit so that he could cast spells in Werewolf form. He's my best party member right now (Well, except for Kelsey who is loaded with the Cheese)

Being only able to wear Leather Armour is not an issue. If it was, there would be a lot of weeping, Barbarians, Archers, Thieves, etc... ...

Shadow Dragon Scale Armour, for all your Leather Armour needs.

At this point, one would say, "That is cool and all that, but Cernd IS A SHAPESHIFTER! He can wear no stinking armour!"

At which point I will reply, "Ah... but that is what Barkskin and Ironskins are for. ;) Cast these before transforming into a Greater Wolfwere, and you will be ready to rock with Cernd."

As a spellcaster, Cernd will beat Jaheira. Harper's Call is neat and all that, but I for one have never used it, as my policy with parties has always been, "Nobody Dies".

As a tank though, Cernd does face competition from Jaheira as she has her Weapon Specialisation and Fighter class. Cernd can still hold his own in GW form though, and although Jaheira has more potential as a tank, Cernd is good at it as well.

Personality wise, I will rather hug Cernd than touch Jaheira( nay, even see her). [img]tongue.gif[/img] I do enjoy the ramblings of Cernd, but when Jaheira opens her mouth I am mentally tortured... ...

Besides, you got to love Cernd's Critical Hit shout. ;)

Thus I say, power to Cernd, death to Jaheira. :D

Weimer's Shapeshifter Upgrade was BADLY needed, and also completely fair--except for the way it allows them to cast their spells while Shapeshifted. That just makes no sense at all. If Aerie can't cast spells when she's Polymorphed into an Ogre, so too do Wolfweres not drop to their knees and offer prayers to the gods.

In my opinion, Cernd is quite formidable as a member of a low-level party. But as the other 5 members gain levels and abilities, finding new and better weapons and armor, Cernd is just stuck as Cernd, just another Greater Wolfwere who can never change. Giving Cernd one of the worst kits in the game wouldn't be so bad if they'd bothered to give him decent stats.

Personality-wise, I don't care for his dialogue either--granted, I certainly haven't seen much of it, but his poetry about Nature and his predictable metaphors fall just as flat as Jaheira's complaints.

I'll admit "NATURE STRIKES" is good, but that is all I like about him!!!

No chance! Death to Cernd, because Jaheira can raise him from the dead to kill him again and get the satisfaction of killing him more than once!!! Cernd can't!!! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Crend's quests kinda suck but he's fine as an NPC.

You have not seen Cernd in ToB have you? ;) He can hold his own in a high-level battle.

<font color="lightblue">Actually, it does.
Polymorph: Ogre does just that - turns the mage into an Ogre, by means of a spell. They become by all means an methods an Ogre that can turn into a few other things. [img]smile.gif[/img]
Shapeshift: Werewolf on the other hand isn`t a spell- the shapeshifter can turn into a werewolf at will because they have spent years, maybe decades, gaining control of Lycanthropy. So, if they have that much control over it, why should they loose abilities through it ?? </font>

To be honest, no, I have not seen Cernd in ToB, nor do I ever expect to--at least, not ALIVE, and if so, not for very long. How, exactly, is he going to take on an Iron Golem, except with the Sling of Everard, a tactic that even the scrawniest Level 1 Mage can employ? Cernd's Barkskin and Ironskins aren't going to be any help at all against Draconis, who can easily melt the little wolf pup into the floor before Cernd can do a single HP of damage. He might stand a chance against high-level Illithids, if he can get close enough. As far as I can tell, the only things Cernd has going for him are Ironskins, Insect Plague, Creeping Doom, and Nature's Beauty, and by no means does he have a monopoly on those spells.

To be fair, Cernd might be okay. He might even be good. But you can do better. SO much better.

LennonCook: I suppose that, after years of training devoted to achieving total control over their one bestial form, Shapeshifters might possibly be able to cast their spells as a Wolf (admittedly, mangling the consonants a bit with their wolf's palate and sharp canines). But even granted this possibility, I still consider the ethics of this powergaming advantage to be....not quite immoral, but at least morally sticky. I can see Aerie casting spells with her Ogre mouth and hands a lot easier than I can see Cernd doing the same thing with his paws. The game does not state, "While shapeshifted into animal form, you will be unable to initiate dialogue.....unless you're a Shapeshifter Druid."

ToB Spoiler
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Pfft. Draconis is overrated. ;) 100% Acid Resistance, and any tank worth his salt can tear him down. Cernd is more than capable of defeating Draconis on his own, but to be fair, so do the rest of the melee NPCs.

Iron Golems are no problem, because as I have said, Cernd has Ironskins which will grant him more than enough time to destory the Iron Golem. Now... Admantium Golems, that be a different scenerio, one which even Korgan will be loath to face them in melee combat one on one.

Oh, Cernd has Physical Mirror too. One of those highly underappreciated Priest spells.

Cernd is a good NPC. True, he will never be as good as a player-character Shapeshifter, but he is still powerful in his own right. Oh, and I think they should remove the "Can cast while in Were form" for the Shapeshifter mod. It is the only thing preventing me from downloading it.

The conversations here are definitely a great read.

[ 10-31-2002, 08:29 PM: Message edited by: Jerr Conner ]