Hello there guys, long time since I posted in the BG2 forum!

Basically, me and a mate are going to play through BG2 again, after many moons spent in the FPS world. We've both completed the game before on a couple of occassions, but we're just really looking for a bit of fun, due to our competitive nature, I imagine it will be quite powergamish. 3 Characters each, we thought, 2 Half Orc Barbs, a cleric, 2 mages and a thief. How does that sound? Better suggestions?

Really I'm just looking for a nice all round party, which will be fun and slightly cheesy (I can't help powergaming on this occassion). Also any other input you wish to add, feel free.

Ta,
Ross.

Well, me and my brother played through the entire series, but that was with only one character each. I had a F/M/C and he had a F/T, and it was pretty smooth sailing.

That sounds like a pretty well rounded party. I would try a Berserker kit on one of the half-orcs, or else you're going to be in a tight squeeze for appropriate and powerful armor. I've become a fan of multi-class or dual-classed thieves as being the main one in a party. Currently I have a high-level Swashbuckler->Cleric dual that I think could wind up being unbelievably powergamish. If you want my idea on a powergaming party, using about those parameters.

Half-Orc Barb (Axes & Scimitars)
Half-Orc Barb [or Berserker] (Long Swords & Katanas)
Half-Elf Ranger/Cleric (Flails & Hammers)
Elf Sorceror (SotM)
Half-Elf Wild Mage (whatever, probably Daggers)
Half-Orc Fighter/Thief (Two-Handed Swords and Staffs)

That's gonna get really sick powerful. I'm a proponent of having one regular-type mage, to keep a bunch of spells known so if you need an uncommon one for a particular encounter, it's available. If you're heartily opposed to Wild Mages, then a Conjurer would be good too.

good build but i think this would be better:

half orc barbarian: long swords and katanas

dwarven battlerager (bezerker): early in game dual axes (frostband and stonefire) and later in the game axe of unyielding and crom faeyer (or flail of ages +5 if you wish)

half elf ranger/cleric: flail of ages and rune hammer

elven or human sorceror or specialist mage (necromancer and conjurer are very good): slings and staff of magi

fighter thief (consider having a dwarf for the magic resistance or a hobbit for the theiving skills as you already have two and a half really powerful tanks)


dwarves i think end up better than barbarians as the strength advantage changes as soon as you get belts and the 1 AC difference of a half-orc is so minimal by the end of the game. This pretty much levels the playing field for physical damage and defence of dwarves and halforcs. HOWEVER: magic resistance and high saving throws of a dwarf kick arse!

make your main character a dwarf and finish BG with the tombs to get:

19 str
18 dex
20 con (this means regeneration for dwarves [img]smile.gif[/img] )

i'm soloing with a dwarven bezerker with this build... very powerful!