Ok, as a long-time fan of pen&paper RPGS & turn-based CRPGs, I have bought this game recently (just before it went bargain-priced, stupid impatient me!). So far I have been fairly well pleased with the game. The graphics are sumptuous, and being someone who actually dungeon-mastered the original p&p module back 1980s (too bad that I sold the module in 1990 - it would have been an invaluable source book for this game) I got a very nostalgic feeling seeing some of the illustrations converted into game world landscape. For example, the Hommlet stronghold tower was a pleasingly faithful replica of the original illustration.
Of course the game had some downsides as well. The "radial wheel" is definitely the user interface from hell, and you can't customize the default key bindings (which suck IMO) - bleh! Oh well, at least finally I can *play* the module instead of DM'ing it.
Actually this is my second party. I had to quit the first party. The culprit was mainly my Sorcerer character - having been a long-time *1st Edition* AD&D DM, I never even imagined that Charisma would be the key attribute for a magic-user. Then I started wondering why the sucker could never learn higher than level 1 spells, while the multi-class thief/wizard (who happened to suck for other reasons) was already getting level 3 spells. RTFM. ARGH. Oh, by the way, the manual sucks pretty badly, too. It gives way too little information on the individual spells, for example.
So here's the current line-up of my party, version 2. As you'll see it is a very melee-heavy party - for me, this kind of party seems to work in (A)D&D games. Strategically well placed high-scores (preferably 18s in Str, Con and Dex) and good equipment can turn the melee characters into unstoppabled tanks who need *no* spell or missile support (in most situations). If my memory is correct on this module, it should work here, too. Yeah, I know getting 18s in 3 scores will take a *lot* of rolls and that is why having to quit my first party was b*tch. I do *not* want to resort to hex-editing, though. I want to win this game honestly. I don't care how many times I will have to re-roll the characters.
Party alignment: NG
1. Human Paladin - LG. the traditional party leader for my AD&D-based CRPG games. In the 3rd edition rules, he will also be my "spokesman" (i.e., I'll develop his Diplomacy, Sense Motive etc.). Mainly a melee tank who also offers healing & turning support occasionally.
2. Half-Orc Barbarian - CG. the big, bad, ugly melee tank who kicks your a** first and asks questions later.
3. Human Cleric - NG. the main source of healing & undead turner. For this, I choose a Cleric of Pelor and give him the Healing and Sun domains. Also Improved Turning and Extra Turning for extra fun. Since clerics can wear good armour, he should be able to easily hold his own in melee combat. Heck, I could probably make a whole party of Clerics of Pelor (or Paladins), but that would be kind of boring. [img]smile.gif[/img]
4. Dwarf Rogue - N. To be later dualled into something else. Probably Fighter! Seriously. I also considered a few options, but they did not seem to add anything that I *really* wanted to the party. Sorcerer: fun until he runs out of spells. Then he would be a weakling that can hardly pull his own weight. And you can't wear armour - not even the rogue-class armour - without miscasting a spell every now and then. Druid: this option sounded slightly better since I otherwise have no access to druid spells. But then, low-level Druid spells suck anyway, and as a dual-class character he might never get the more powerful ones. In any case, the Druid definitely was the most intriguing option aside from the Fighter, but I realized that what I wanted most from this character (in addition to Rogue skills) was the ability to hold his own and hurt monsters a lot. A sorcerer could have hurt monsters a lot *until he ran out of spells* but not held his own if monsters got into melee range. Ranger: spells that suck and armour-restrictions that suck too. The druid is almost as good as a (melee) fighter and much superior as a spellcaster. Ok, so here I have it: a (Dwarf) Rogue to be dualled into a Fighter. Of course, it is difficult to sneak in heavy armour, but with a party like this who needs subtlety anyway?
5. Elf Wizard - N. Since she will be my main/only source of Arcane spells, I could not make her a Sorcerer. She needs to be able to *learn* spells from scrolls and to be a walking library of Arcane spells that she can memorize as required. This means that my party will have to rest every now and then (to update her spell selection), but I hope there will be no time limit on this game?
Comments, suggestions? Which feats to go for, which skills to develop? I am slightly inexperienced with the most current D&D 3.* ruleset. Which weapon specializations to go for? I seem to recall at least one particularly powerful sword from the original module but not its exact type...
By the way, I have updated the game to patch level 2 if that makes a difference.
[ 08-16-2004, 02:49 AM: Message edited by: seclists ]