In the interest of learning more from the other illustrious gamers on this forum, I have the following question(s):

Which party formation do you find yourself using the most? Why?

I use the two column, three row one the most. This one:

x x
x x
x x

It seems easy to move the party around with this formation, I put the tanks first, followed by archer and healer types, followed by spell casters. But when I get hit from the backside, the Benny Hill music starts playing because my mage(s) start running.

[ 09-30-2002, 11:13 AM: Message edited by: Keraptisdm ]

Shame on you Keraptisdm. You're not living up to the "dm" element of your name. You of all people should know that party order follows the same format all the time. Your mages and thieves always go in the middle as they have the least HP.

BTW that's the formation I use. 'Cept recently. [img]graemlins/beigesmilewinkgrin.gif[/img]

[ 09-30-2002, 11:26 AM: Message edited by: Lord Brass ]

That's true, but I found fewer "back attacks" in BG than in the games where I was the DM. cough. ahem. I started out with my mages well protected, but with so few attacks from the rear, I swapped them with the archer types. Now in BG2, I keep them in the middle of the formation. :D

Few back attacks as the DM eh? Just what does that say about us old refs then?

I'm sure we've all learned to our cost that the IE's search nodes can leave vulnerable characters stumbling about in the dark, far away from the safety of 200+ lbs of armour-clad Minsc when the you-know-what hits the old proverbial. Thus, mages go in the middle for me.

You're right about the archers though; it can often seem impossibly long before they carry out their orders and begin to engage that "all-powerful" mage from a distance in BG. Rather annoying that.

I always go with the six-pack myself. Tanks up front, spellcasters in the middle and thieves and archers in the rear. Sometimes, if I have to bring my whole party through a tight dungeon, I'll use the staggered six-pack -
*
*
*
*
*
*
I find that the idiots in my party don't go wandering off as much and it is a real tight formation.

[ 09-30-2002, 12:11 PM: Message edited by: Telchar of Nogrod ]

I like the pentagon formation myself--My best Tank on point, 2 backup Tanks in the other 2 forward positions, my weakest guy in the middle, and archers in back.

I also saw a screenshot a while ago--this person was using the V formation, with 2 Tanks in front (the corner of the V), archers and priests on the left wing, and Mages on the right wing. Of course, you're doomed if anyone attacks you from the right flank, but if you clear maps the way I do (Working your way around the outside edge, then spiraling in towards the center), all your attacks will come from the front, or from your protected flank. Not bad.

I find that using the staggered six pack, keeps my party tight, which can be particularly useful in tight spaces, as well as keeping my mages and helaers close where i can protect them

X..
..X
X..
..X
X..
..X

[ 09-30-2002, 03:13 PM: Message edited by: ryaldin ]

X X X
...X
...X
...X
Love this, cuz my party philosophy's heavy on tanks. Just have mages/thieves sit in the back and make enemies rot [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 09-30-2002, 11:37 PM: Message edited by: True_Moose ]

I always go for the pyramid, with me up front(Cleric blocker), Tanks next to flank an enemy, and ranged attackers (thieves and mages) behind them.

[ 10-01-2002, 08:17 AM: Message edited by: Grimslade ]

I am always a fan for a six pack with tanks then healer/archers and then mages but when I rest I use the hexagon with my weakest HP character in the middle...Usually Xzar.

Anybody ever have this happen?:
You're using the standard 6 pack formation with fighters out front. You have to go through a door into another area (read "You must gather your party before venturing forth") You go through the door, new area loads, and now your six pack is reversed, with the last two characters in the front and the fighters in the rear. Always tough monsters on other side of door when this happens, weak characters get pummelled while fighters (that were up front) can't move to get into the fray. Reload, change formation and try again.

At any rate, all of you have given me some good ideas. Thanks. :D

[ 10-01-2002, 11:37 AM: Message edited by: Keraptisdm ]

Oh yes, I've seen that more than once. In IWD there used to be a problem in that the order in which you created your party predicated how that party would appear after loading a new area. You may change it in game to have two fighters up front, but as soon as you go through a door, that gnomish cleric/illusionist you've just considered playing appears through the door first and gets a right good shoeing. SPLUT. Fortunately, that's fixed now.

im whit true_moose on this one... tre tanks in the middel,and then tre spelcaster/archer in the back... the enemy dies by my sword (Even tho i use warhammer)!!!!