Ok highly experienced SoA and solo-PC forum members. I'm fairly early in my R/C solo (mostly solo -- I take quest NPCs with me on their quest then boot them) and just put the FoA together. Now, I'm wondering, should my currently lvl 8/8 solo guy use FoA as his main weapon or is it going to make the game too easy because of the cumulative slow stacking?

I don't have tactics, but am playing on insane. I do think the FoA is overpowered, but wonder if it's ok for a solo character -- I don't want this to be so easy it's not challenging (which so far hasn't been a problem).

Not being challenging is easy without Tactics... Unless you choose to deliberately avoid cheese of course. It does not really matter which weapon you take.

I'd be more concerned with the FoA not really being a Ranger's weapon than with power.
The point of the game IS to equip yourself with the items you deem most powerful,beautiful and fit for you character (i.e. Not using Soul Reaver as a Dwarven Bard). Cheesy tactics and cheating can be considered powergaming, anything you earn honestly during the game is okay even if it is powerful.

how's this for an idea:

TOB XP cap = 4M = Level 21 Ranger = 11*'s

'proper' ranger/cleric weapons:

staff **
club **
sling **

styles:
2weapon style *
single weapon style **
sword & shield style **

equals 11 *'s

so you can use the flail if you like ;)

Don't forget that rangers get ** in two weapon style FOR FREE!!

And know that you can always unequip the FoA if you find it shifting the balance to your side.

I don't remember my "proper" d&d rules -- been too long. But, the only weapons an R/C is supposed to be able to use are Staffs, clubs, and slings?!?

Also, what are the "proper" Ranger weapons (if not multi-classed to anything else)?

I probably will equip FoA for now, with a tendancy toward unequiping it if the balance shifts.

SOME MINOR SPOILERS
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He's thinking in terms of stereotypical "nature character" weapons (staff and club). My attitude is that you can use any weapon you like, and it all depends on how you envision the character. If you see him as a "nature cleric", then maybe sticking to staves and clubs would be your thing. Use the clubs early (assuming you do Trademeet early) then switch to staves when better ones become available. For extra roleplaying, limit yourself to natural armors (or if dual classing from ranger to cleric take the Stalker or Beastmaster kits). If you see yourself more as a cleric with scouting/ranger abilities, then flails and maces become the order of the day. Wear the heavier armors, and dual flails (FoA and Defender of Easthaven), switching to MoD when fighting undead.

I tend not to buy the arguments about cheese in vanilla BG2-ToB too much. Sure, the FoA is nice, but it doesn't do everything perfectly. I would say that in a solo game, anything goes. Don't forget, that most roleplaying characters wouldn't intentionally drop an incredibly valuable weapon either. I know people say that FoA plus CrF is super cheap, but as they're both good weapons, why not use them both? You'll be fighting enough bad boys anyway. [img]smile.gif[/img]

what nerrul said - i wasn't suggested your were cheating or anything [img]smile.gif[/img]

i was thinking of a way of rebalancing you're use of the FoA by not giving yourself any proficiencies in it so giving you the choice of a staff (say) or FoA at fewer attacks per round and reduced THACO

personally if i had a R/C solo it'd be FoA, DoE, iMoD and CF all the way ;)

DoE+Armor Of Faith+certain ToB HLA is a very hard nut to crack. [img]tongue.gif[/img]