Hello all, I just purchased Icewind Dale because I heard nothing but good things about it. I've never played Balder's Gate so I'm basically new to the interface and everything. I am clueless when it comes to a fighting strategy. Someone in my party always ends up getting killed by the goblins over the bridge in easthaven. Is there any fighting strategy to use, like any way to have my mage (who does not have many HP) fight but be protected by my fighters? I find it extremely difficult to control 6 people simultaneously in real time battles. Is fighting this difficult througout the whole game??

5 keys to success:
1) balance party (mages become powerful at the end of the game, the key is keep them alive as they can offer valuable support)
2) proper party formation (don't let anyone wanders off, you can scout with thieves by hiding in shadow)
3) pause the game often to reassign commands (hit spacebar), don't wait till the last moment to use potions, sometimes it takes a couple of seconds to drink a potion if the character has casted spell or attacked already
4) always try to take out enemy's spell caster first
5) hope you have a cleric, you'll need "turn undead".

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Long live H22A1!!!!!

hey Jelly. i always buy the best armor i can afford at first. you will get better weapons as you go as long as you survive. keep your mage in the background and have him/her cast armor for added protection.-Xavier

Oh and remember, don't sell those +1 weapons and armor you find in the vale. Save them until you reach upper Dorn and find some more. if you do, you'll get a huge price for them all at once and get rich quick. Otherwise, everytime you sell an item, they offer you less and less for it http://www.tgeweb.com/ironworks/cgi-...iles/frown.gif

Another tip is to make sure that all your characters are equipped with ranged weapons (sling, bow, crossbow, darts, throwing knives or throwing axes) before going into battle, this way you can pick off those pesky goblins one at a time from a distance while the others are hidden in the 'fog of war'.

No point having your level 1 mage with armour class of 8 or 9 charge off into the middle of a pack of screaming goblins armed only with a small fruit knife! (unless you like getting him ressurected, that is). Instead, get him armed with a sling so he can join in from a safe distance. When he gains a few levels he will have bigger and better spells and be worth his weight in gold. For the time being, just keep him out of trouble.

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Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.

Epona of The Laughing Hyenas.

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A thief in IWD is crusial, but is also limited so Try to make a Thief/Mage (only demi-humans) or a thief/Illusionist (gnomes), Put all thieving point in Find and remouve trap, Open door and Stealth. The thief/Mage will easly find all traps and you get a second back up mage (that can use Elven Chain)which permits you to cast a keep your thief abilities.

Some people like Paladins in IWD but I prefer good solid 2 Fighters and have 2 clerics one conjuror and one thief/Illusionist. But a good party should balance abit of everything most any combo is possible.

In combat a thief in Stealth can warn you of potential ennemies ahead without triping them off(most of them). Also you a strong fighter to bait the ennemy make an ennemies see your strongest warrior and it will stay focused on him. so the other can kill the creature while the strong fighter gets the blows.

One thing I learned from BG, BG2, and IWD is not to try and evenly distribute the AC enhancing gear between fighter types. Load all your best armor on one guy (your toughest) and let him lead the way. The A(non)I of the baddies will make them focus on whomever they see first, leaving the rest of your group free to missile/cast/heal from the rear. It's almost too easy with a good tank blazing the trail and heading 'em off at the pass. I usually have two tanks, a main and a backup. That way if your main is gettin creamed, you can send in the secondary and pull the main back to the sidelines. Just one strategy anyway.

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For the first time though you are better of with a mostly single class party. I like to take in a multi class fighter-mage and keep them in heavy armour until level 4 or so. Try four characters that can fight (eg. Ranger, Paladin, Fighter and cleric) with a support character (fighter-thief or thief) and a mage(or fighter-mage)
Cheers

aftern playing BG, IWD is ridiculously easy! it's just a dugeon crawl/brawl http://www.tgeweb.com/ironworks/cgi-...es/biggrin.gif damn good fun though

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Master Assassin of the Holy Flame.
My website http://hesperex.8k.com

IWD is more pure hack and slash fun!! http://www.tgeweb.com/ironworks/cgi-...es/biggrin.gif

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Long live H22A1!!!!!