Ironworks Gaming Forum - View Single Post - Is Coran good enough to be your party's only thief?

Roboghost · 01-04-2007, 03:07 PM

Coran early...but not going to take PC to BG2 (for me anyway):

I've posted in the past to trying him out early, but I've found it's just too distracting from the overall flow of the game. Since you need a thief and an archer, stick with Imoen and Kivan. Kivan can be improved by letting him read the CON tome (to 15 CON) and then the DEX tome (+1 AC / +5% stealth.)

Side note: if you do take Coran, do give him that DEX tome. He will benefit more that anyone else in the whole game from this tome -- +1 AC, +1 THAC0 (missile only), AND +5% thieving skills (+2% for stealth.) Baby!

The icing on the cake is your PC: he/she can provide you with mage power the last third of the game and be a wicked archer the first half or so and do both for the final hard areas of the game. Assuming a 161,000 xp cap, then you'd have to decide to DC at six for a 6/9 F/M (2-5th level spells) or seven for a 7/8 F/M (1/2 APR, +1 THAC0!) I want both, so that's why I jacked the xp cap a bit for myself...me so bad.

You don't need too many antidote potions once your PC gets those special spells and Branwen keeps about 1/2 those slots filled with Slow Poison [recommended.] This will leave room for other potions on a couple of characters.

***Spoiler***
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Here's an item guide for Kivan (allow scouting at will):

Prior to ToSC & late Candlekeep:
Studded Leather Armor +2
Cloak of the Wolf
Helmet of Defense
Bracers of Archery
Boots of Avoidance
Ring of Energy
Halberd +1 (slightly faster then Two-handed Sword +1)
Longbow of Marksmanship (PC gets Composite Long Bow +1)

After ToSC & late Candlekeep:
Studded Leather Armor
Cloak of Protection +2
Kiel's Helmet
Bracers of Archery
Boots of Avoidance
Shield Amulet
Ring of Energy
Ring of Fire Resistance
Two Handed Sword +3 (PC gets Spider's Bane)
Longbow of Marksmanship

Kivan's AC will be only one (1) for both, so keep him behind the tanks. Note the Shield Amulet for emergency A/C boost. The Helmet of Defense goes to my PC once I get my hands on Kiel's Helmet. This allows your archer to never panic and keep plucking those almighty arrows!

[ 01-04-2007, 03:11 PM: Message edited by: Roboghost ]

01-04-2007, 03:07 PM	#9
Roboghost Manshoon Join Date: May 15, 2002 Location: California Posts: 216	Coran early...but not going to take PC to BG2 (for me anyway): I've posted in the past to trying him out early, but I've found it's just too distracting from the overall flow of the game. Since you need a thief and an archer, stick with Imoen and Kivan. Kivan can be improved by letting him read the CON tome (to 15 CON) and then the DEX tome (+1 AC / +5% stealth.) Side note: if you do take Coran, do give him that DEX tome. He will benefit more that anyone else in the whole game from this tome -- +1 AC, +1 THAC0 (missile only), AND +5% thieving skills (+2% for stealth.) Baby! The icing on the cake is your PC: he/she can provide you with mage power the last third of the game and be a wicked archer the first half or so and do both for the final hard areas of the game. Assuming a 161,000 xp cap, then you'd have to decide to DC at six for a 6/9 F/M (2-5th level spells) or seven for a 7/8 F/M (1/2 APR, +1 THAC0!) I want both, so that's why I jacked the xp cap a bit for myself...me so bad. You don't need too many antidote potions once your PC gets those special spells and Branwen keeps about 1/2 those slots filled with Slow Poison [recommended.] This will leave room for other potions on a couple of characters. *Spoiler* . . . . . Here's an item guide for Kivan (allow scouting at will): Prior to ToSC & late Candlekeep: Studded Leather Armor +2 Cloak of the Wolf Helmet of Defense Bracers of Archery Boots of Avoidance Ring of Energy Halberd +1 (slightly faster then Two-handed Sword +1) Longbow of Marksmanship (PC gets Composite Long Bow +1) After ToSC & late Candlekeep: Studded Leather Armor Cloak of Protection +2 Kiel's Helmet Bracers of Archery Boots of Avoidance Shield Amulet Ring of Energy Ring of Fire Resistance Two Handed Sword +3 (PC gets Spider's Bane) Longbow of Marksmanship Kivan's AC will be only one (1) for both, so keep him behind the tanks. Note the Shield Amulet for emergency A/C boost. The Helmet of Defense goes to my PC once I get my hands on Kiel's Helmet. This allows your archer to never panic and keep plucking those almighty arrows! [ 01-04-2007, 03:11 PM: Message edited by: Roboghost ]