New to BG2 .. HELP pls..

[Senior Frog]

Ok, here's my issue.
I recently tried to import my last character from totsc to BG2.
I have installed SoA and ToB, as well as the ToB patch.
I copied the .chr file and pasted it to the ToB folder.
My char from Totsc was a fighter, and yet when I import him, I find only wizard slayer or kensai available to him. NOT berzerker.
Does anyone know of a possible reason for this or a way to fix it?

Thanks.

[Brainless One]

I myself don't, though you could always just start the game then use ShadowKeeper or such to change his class to Berserker, assuming that you want him to be one. Otherwise, try checking the restrictions for a Berserker and see if your character violates any of them. Possibly, having a ranged weapon equipped when you exported it could cause this, but I seriously doubt it. (Proficiencies maybe?...)
-Brainless One

[T-D-C]

Hmmm Im not to sure but wasn't there an alignment restriction on the Berserker kit ?

Whats your alignment ?

[LennonCook]

Is your fighter a lawful alignment? This will exclude him from being a beserker.

[Senior Frog]

Ahh... that's the problem. Ok thanks for the feedback. Next question. Anyone care to give their opinion on favorite kit between kensai and wizard slayer and why?

[SixOfSpades]

The Kensai is a favorite of powergamers, primarily because Dual-classing to Mage or Thief largely erases all the disadvantages of the Kensai class. As a standalone kit, the Kensai can be a very powerful Warrior, as long as you constantly chant the mantra, "I am NOT a Tank, I am NOT a Tank, I am NOT a Tank..."

The Wizard Slayer, in all honesty, sucks. BioWare screwed big time on this one. He's designed to be very resistant to magic attacks and quite efficient at destroying spellcasters--he can't do either one. Their Magic Resistance is lower than a Monk's, they're nowhere near as efficient at killing spellcasters as an Inquisitor, their chance of Spell Disruption is essentially worthless, and they can't use roughly 90% of all the anti-spellcaster items in the game.
Heck, if you don't have ToB installed, they can't even use Healing Potions.

[Ivelliis]

Don't forget you can still play with just a plain old fighter

[Senior Frog]

Six..
You sir, are EVERYWHERE.
Your site btw, is like a bible for my games. Has been since I started the BG series.
That said, a few more questions if I may.

First off, your site made no mention of alignment requirements/restrictions for classes that I could find. Did I miss them or is it possible that this could be an extra table worth adding?
Secondly, I took your suggestions on patches to heart. I installed the ToB mod and got the merchants from my bonus disc, but when I went to baldurdash, there's a warning saying NOT to install the fixpack if ToB is installed. Is this to be heeded or ignored? Should I uninstall ToB and use the fixpack to play just SoA first?
Third, and yes I'm asking for an ever so slight spoiler here.. I have no clue what weapons are out there for SoA/ToB and need to redo my proficiencies. I believe I'll stick to a weapon/shield style tank and play a straight fighter with my import first. Then I'll create new characters or bring a new one up through totsc. What proficiencies would you recommend?

Thanks for all the previous help and looking forward to further posting.

[SixOfSpades]

Originally posted by Senior Frog: First off, your site made no mention of alignment requirements/restrictions for classes that I could find.

Hmm....Chapter 4 (the one about the classes) has pages that link from it--the Warrior page mentions that Kensai cannot be of Chaotic alignment, but I've neglected to mention the non-Lawful restriction on Berserkers (and possibly Barbarians, I'll have to check that). I do specify the alignment restrictions for Monks, though.

I installed the ToB mod and got the merchants from my bonus disc, but when I went to baldurdash, there's a warning saying NOT to install the fixpack if ToB is installed. Is this to be heeded or ignored?

There are two versions of BaldurDash: One for SoA and one for SoA + ToB. The one for SoA is irrelevant (and possibly even harmful) if you already have ToB installed, because it changes a lot of the same things. Just hunt down the ToB BaldurDash and you're good to go--provided you installed the Official Patch first, of course.

What proficiencies would you recommend?

That depends on how you envision your character. An ironclad Tank with a shield and hefty Bastard Sword? Is caving someone's head in with a Mace or Warhammer more your style? How about cleaving from the sidelines with a Halberd or Two-Handed Sword? Peppering away with a Crossbow? Charging into the fray with an Axe in each hand? Or are you from Kara-Tur (unlikely, since you were raised in Candlekeep) and trained in Katanas, Wakizashi, and Longbows?

Seriously, there's a wealth of good weapons to be had. In fact, the only advice I'll give you is what weapons NOT to put a lot of points into, since weapons of these types are either rare, rather difficult or time-consuming to obtain, or just really lacking in quality.
The following weapons are "weak" in SoA (opinions may vary, of course):
Clubs
Bastard Swords
Longswords
Katanas
Wakizashi
Ninja-to
Scimitars
Now, some very good weapons of some of these weapon types certainly do exist, but I would not invest many points into a weapon until I'd found the weapon itself and decided it was worth it.

Note: Several creatures in SoA are immune to weapons of less than +3 enchantment. Therefore, it's a good idea to always have at least one Warrior who's good with his/her +3 weapon.

[ 11-16-2004, 04:09 PM: Message edited by: SixOfSpades ]

[Riftmaker]

Hmmmm, as for the weapons part....

I'll agree with...

Club
Bastard Sword
Wakizashi
Ninja-to
Scimitar

I will also add:

Dagger
Dart
Sling

As there is only one good Katana in the entire game, I can see Six's point there, unless you decide you REALLY like Katanas.