Help Starting with a Bounty Hunter

[Coral]

I need some help with my bounty Hunter in the begining of the game mainly because i am going solo. When i get going it seems everything can kick me out the door, even the goblins so i am coming to this emense pool of wisdom or the (Elder Brain) for tips and tactics.

Thanks all
Coral

[Sparhawk]

Hmmmmmmm...Bounty hunter equals really NIIIIIICE traps, I´d put some points into the best skill at all---HIDE IN SHADOWS.
Perhaps not very potent or dangerous but it does come with that beautyfull ability to circumvent eventual dangers by passing them by!
Since I´m sitting at work p.t. I don´t know if the bounty hunter has a backstab capability but if he does consider the backstab multiplier MAY CARNAGE FELL UPON THY ENEMIES

[Morgan_Corbesant]

try to lure them out one by one. dont forget your bhaal given powers either. vampiric touch is AWESOME!!! you should also get draw upon holy might, which is great throughout the game. try to get yourself a bow, and use an elf so you will get a +1 with longswords, shortswords, and bows. highest dex possible, then i would go with strength, and put only 16 into constitution, since you can only get 2 extra hp's per level anyway. try and get your hide in shadows, and move silently to about 85%, then backstab, run away, backstab, run away. anyway, i hope this helps. i would say more, but 24 is on, and im not gonna miss it, lol. later.

[Amergin]

i dont think ive ever had a character that wasnt at least part thief.

first, even with the best weapons in the game you're really going to suck in combat because of the armor restriction, hp's barely better than a mage, and a THAC0 worse than priests'. iow, thieves are wimps beyond the backstab.

i would get your find traps up to 90; going solo you dont have any other option and your hp's and saves arent good enough to try and absorb the effects.

then improve what you already do well; get your set traps as high as you want. 90 will do but 100 will guarantee no traps fail.

after those two are max'd, work on stealth. fyi, hide in shadows controls how likely you are to hide, and move silently controls how well you can stay hidden while moving, so if you're patient and can afford to attempt hiding a few times, concentrate on move silently first. also, the maevar quest will get you some items that boost stealth so aim for the 70-80 range. once you get them youll be fine.

stat wise, an elf or halfling are always the best thieves as they can have a 19 dex. while both 18 and 19 give -4 to AC, the 19 gives an extra +5% to thief abilities as well as +3 to missile weapons instead of the +2 for a 17/18 dex, and short bow should be your main weapon. dont bother with strength (12 is good enough); there are tons of items and potions throughout the game, and spending stat points to get an 18 (+1 thaco, +2 damage) is wasted on a theif. definitely a 16 con and a high wis to help against mind spells. there's an item early to take care of cha so dont bother.

basic tactics: set traps, hide, backstab the toughest bad guy, run back to the traps while shooting with your bow. hide/backstab/retreat+shoot/repeat.

[Nifft the Nimble]

Hi all!

Bounty Hunters are amazing characters. At high levels, their traps can kill anything in the game. There is no attack more powerful than their 'throw Special Snare' ability.

Some people find traps so powerful that they consider their use to be cheesy, but if you're going solo, you're welcome to all the cheese you can eat.

About choosing a race: if you want to fight early, play a Half-Orc. Take the 19 Str and leave your Con at 16. Dex of course 18. You will have bugger-all for thieving abilities, so concentrate on two: Find Traps and Set Snares. Plan on forcing locks for a while -- with that 19 strength, it ought not be too bad. Put whatever's left after that into Hide in Shadows.

To clear up a misconception about Hide in Shadows and Move Silently: Hide in Shadows is used to hide and stay hidden. Move Silently is used to suppress those little footstep noises. If a mage or cleric hears those little footstep noises, they'll cast True Sight or Invisibility Purge or something. So Move Silently is ... less useful, especially if you have the Cloak of Non-Detection. There are also many items which will help you to boost your Hide in Shadows ability: one at the end of the Umar Village quest, two at the end of the Mae'Var guild quest. So don't put this ability much past 60-70.

Anyway, the other way to do Bounty Hunters is to go for Elves or Halflings. Halflings are better thieves -- they get many bonus points in every skill. Elves are taller and better looking, though, and get a small bonus in swords and bows. Both can get 19 in Dex. Elves can only have 17 Con -- big fat deal, yours is going to be 16. Halflings can only have 17 Str -- not a big deal IMHO, that's fine for a thief.

If you decide to play one of the smaller races, you'll have enough points to be pretty good at all three big starting skills (Set Snare, Find Traps and Hide in Shadows). You'll even be able to pick a few locks.

Now about proficiencies: I always take Long Sword, Single Weapon Style and Short Bow. If you've got ToB installed, also take Scimitars. On the 1st level of Watcher's Keep you'll find an amazing +4 electrical Ninja-to. You'll need every bonus to your AC and THAC0 you can get!

If you don't have ToB, take Short Swords. You'll find some nice +2 short swords very early, many with extra spell-like powers. You'll need those spell-like powers! The one which lets you cast Mirror Images will help in fights against mages, and the one which protects you from Hold spells is of obvious value.

Hope this helps!

-- Nifft, patron of rogues

[Sparhawk]

Amergin

I hate to say it but a 100 points into set trap does not make it a hundred % to set traps...actually I think about 130-150 would be better since it doesn´t represent %

[Dundee Slaytern]

100% in Set Traps is sufficient. I have yet to suffer any consequences when setting traps with a skill level of 100%.

[Nifft the Nimble]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dundee Slaytern:
I have yet to suffer any consequences when setting traps with a skill level of 100%.

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Seconded. I often use traps and never have any problems if my skill is exactly 100%.

-- Nifft