I was going to post the three topics together, but it's harder to find what you're looking for when a class selection topic is under "I'm back".

Down to business. I started a new game, but I can't select a class to use. I'd like some suggestions. Here are the classes, and why I'm considering using (and not using) them. The "a" section is pro's (for me), and the "b" section is for con's.

1a. Blade: the idea is great, *** in Two Weapon, the spins are very useful, UAI, access to spells in a fighter is always welcome, and the bard stronghold is more interesting than most others, high-level traps.
1b. Only * in weapons, can only use Elven and bardic Chain, needs a spell to vanish (as opposed to Stealth).

2a. Stalker: automatic ** in Two Weapon, backstab modifier, GWW (IIRC), some spells, decent THACO, good stronghold (Moon Dog figurine), Stealth.
2b. No UAI (chief concern)...that's it.

3a. Swashbuckler: excellent AC and THACO by late game, Stealth, thief skills, UAI, high-level traps, good kit overall.
3b. No backstab (although with the AC and THACO, it isn't too much of a loss).

Things to consider:
1. I'm using Scimitar and Dagger for proficencies, with dual weild, for Belm and the Dagger of the Star...I'm considering Short/Long swords instead.
2. I have the following mods installed: Ascension, Tactics, Baldurdash, Imoen Romance.
3. The game difficulty is Normal (the one under "core").
4. I will NOT use CF.
5. Never.
6. I said no.

[ 07-20-2003, 08:33 PM: Message edited by: Pyrenk ]

Go with swashbuckler man. Good thieves are hard to come by (except Yoshimo, but he sucks as a Bounty Hunter). You can always pick up Haer'Daelis and Valygar if you feel the need to have those characters in your party. I really hate Valygar though...I hate him like some of y'alls hate Anomen...rrr, what a freak. Also, I just thought of this, Haer'Daelis isn't the best a blade could be but by the end of the game, he's awesome (and obviously my favorite NPC!)

You know, I am thinking about playing a fighter specialized in Quarter staffs [img]smile.gif[/img] I wonder how that will turn out. Or maybe one dual wielding daggers or something. A gnome fighter doing that could be fun now I think of it. :D

Ok, not helping you out, but still, I think it might give some people ideas.

I'm going to echo Sagramore in this--

You like Blades? Okay, there's Haer'Dalis. Can a PC Blade be better than Haer'Dalis? Yes, but at high levels a few points of CON aren't going to make much difference.

You like Stalkers? Well, there's Valygar. Can a PC Stalker be better than Valygar? Not really. Valygar's stats don't leave much room for improvement, and plus there's his kickass armor (which can be made even better with Item Upgrades).

You like Swashbucklers? Well, there's....um....Yoshimo's kind of like a Swashbuckler....and Jan can be sort of like one....in a way.....

The whole point of playing BG over and over again is to experiment with what the different classes and kits are like. And the only way you're going to experience a Swashbuckler is to be one yourself.

I know, I just want to dual weild the Short Sword of Mask and the Dagger of the Star...chance for entangle, level drain (iirc), added damage, and invisibility...a thieves dream.

I have to agree with SixofSpades. I usually do not like to play characters that are already available as NPCs. The reason: if I want those abilities in my party, then I'll go pick up that NPC. Besides, there are enough items to boost abilities that it is a moot point to add a PC with the same class as another NPC (PC might roll better abilities to start out, but once you get the right equipment on an NPC almost all of them can hang with the PC in the long run).

Thus, almost certainly the Swashbuckler. Besides, the AC bonuses that a swashbucker gets along the way will allow him to hang in melee combat longer. In addition, from your last post, you seem to have a "thief" as the image of the character that you wanted (a dual-wielding thief, but still a thief), thus the Swashbuckler is the better choice as it is what you are envisioning your character to be.