Just a quick little question here to save me the bother of digging my CDs out of the box...

I am thinking of starting a game of SoA with a monk. If I have a character who is a CLERIC in Baldurs Gate, will I be able to choose the monk kit?

Yes or no.

Thanks.

No.

As the monk isn't a kit, it's a class of it's own. Though I don't have BG1 I'm sure you can't switch from your cleric class to a monk. Sorry.

You won't be given the choice of monk, sorry.

Monks, sorcerers and barbarians are not available to imported characters, since they are considered separate classes. The only kits that can be chosen are the sub-kits for the class that your character already belongs to...fighters can choose to remain straight fighters, or switch to kensai or berserker or wizard slayer, but nothing else.

I'm not sure about mages, and whether you can switch specialties or to a non-specialist though.

Its not really even possible to import a character from bg1 into bg2 and have a monk, barbarian or sorcerer, since those classes did not exist in bg1. you would have to start a new character to play one of those. sorry

In this case then, I am actually willing to 'modify' my stats to simulate a successful Baldurs Gate 1 completion. And max out my HP.

Would have been fun to solo through BG 1 from a L1 monk - he would have SUCKED SO MUCH to begin with it would have been funny.

Have to say that it's worth starting afresh with a monk. Sure, they suck big time at the beginning, but get a few level-up's and they transform into a juggernaut of destruction.

Jatelka rule! (Although having difficulties with Balor: See separate thread!)

What exactly is sooooo awesome about monks. From my reading they obviously kick ass, but can someone explain how their abilities work out in higher levels and like how much damage they do and stuff. Ive never played one, even though their description and stuff looked good, I just never really saw waht would would make them so much better than other classes.

Well, at high levels...

Immune to poison.
d20 damage for BARE HANDS.
Hands strike as MAGICAL WEAPONS.
Increased movement rate.
Huge to hit bonuses.
Likewise, huge armour class bonuses.
Ability to heal.

They are pretty good fighters at high levels. In my experience though, not up to the standard of a good high level warrior (and associated equipment).

If you ever want to test a character class out, just start a new game and edit the file with shadowkeeper to give yourself 8 million exp. Then just level up and play through Irenicus dungeon. All phun [img]smile.gif[/img]

Sorry. No single classed warrior can hold a candle to the Monk. A Monk is capable of killing anything in the game in one shot. Monks gain better magic resistance then the Wizard Slayer, have more bonuses then a Berserker in his berserk state, and, can do more damage and make more attacks per round then a Kensai. Not to mention they move incredibly fast, quickly closing the gap between the party and the enemy.

At high levels, a Monk becomes pretty much immune to everything. Arrows, weapons, magic, almost anything you throw at them, they can soak it up and ignore it for the most part.

Quivering Palm is the cheesiest attack in the game. It by passes stoneskins, kills instantly, and makes the Monk a fearsome figure in combat.

Sorry, but, all of the fighter kits in BG suck eggs. Big time. However, as I have stated many times, dual classing changes the dynamic considerably.

Monks and Blades both are the supreme force on the battlefield. In the hands of a skilled player, nothing else comes close.

however, both of those classes fall victim to the spells time stop and imprisonment hehe.