Playing IWD

[faiden]

I started a new post cas not alot of peeps post in this forum anyway but i am playing IWD with HOW,TOLM, ease of use pack, some script mods andsome new pics from BG and Planescape(which i havent played) I am consumed with the game and with all the add ons the IWD is like 2000 mb large whew.....I cant imagine how anyone has soloed in the game cas with 6 i have tough times. yeah i am still learning how to play as well. I could be wrong but with this game and IW2 whenever i get to it and then when i get BG1 and 2 and the mods for them i may be set up for gaming for the next 5 or 6 years lol.My chars i am using now after 3 or 4 rerolls =
Donray Stonesmasher = Dwarf fighter-Hammers and axes (good tank)

Jordanimad = Half Elf -MC- Fighter-Thief- Daggers and halbreds(daggers are fast)

Havoc Raven = Elf Fighter- Bows and Large swords( Bow rules)

Faiden Poe= Human -DC- Fighter- Druid - Sling and staff( Druid spells are sweet)

Sadie Seagull = Human -DC- Fighter- Cleric- Sling and club(Named after my grandmother but a cleric is nice to have)

Elerian = Human -DC- Fighter- Cleric- Sling and staff(( Needed another cleric and i always liked the name Elerian)

Maybe not alot of variety but this seems to be good but i do miss the Mage type chars with identify etc.

[ 05-11-2004, 01:26 PM: Message edited by: faiden ]

[Pirengle]

I'd recommending switching one of those fighter/clerics with a bard if you want to take advantage of arcane magic. And with HoW installed, bards RULE.

[Lymond]

With a fighter heavy party like that, you definitely want a bard in there.

Why no mages? My most powerful character was a fighter dual-classed to mage. You end up with powerful spell caster that can still jump into a fight when the time comes.

[Roboghost]

Yea...I'm addicted too. My first addition was a game called Dungeons of Moria (or just Moria). It was a game created around 1983 or so, and it was HIGHLY addictive. I couldn't believe how "intelligent" the seemingly simple game played out. The boss was on dungeon level 50 called the Balrog. Someone would tell the programmer how they killed the Balrog--and he would put a stop to the trick on his next version--way cool.

Anyway, I think the fun with IWD is variety. My passion is trying to work out a team that can do it all and still cream the bad guy--always in HoF mode.

I decided I didn't like a Bard [it bugs me that he/she just stands there playing DJ]; so, here is my current party and why:

1. Dwarf Fighter {good}:
Good: fantastic resistances and Constitution (wear armor to get it to 21--plus be immune to Cold).
Bad: dexterity--fix with a certain pair of gloves (random).

a. Axe (for throwing Axe)
b. Hammer
c. Crossbow..."Dwarflike" weapons

2. Gnome Fighter:
Resistances and wears the best Helm in the game (use your Mage to cast endless Haste spells!)

a. Large Sword
b. Mace (for that special Undead one in HoW)
c. Bow

3. Human Fighter (9th)/Druid
Good: a Druid that can put the fear in a god
Bad: have to rely on your Cleric until the Druid finally kicks in (and you level up a bit)

a. Scimitar (for that +2 Scimitar w/ +1 attack--wear Gauntlets of Weapon Skill to make it able to hit +3 bad guys)
b. Missile

4. Half-Elf Cleric {good}
a. 18 Wisdom will go to 20 Wisdom with three (random) potions. There is actually a non-random Wisdom potion in TOLM as well--in case you want a certain ring in IWD

b. use as the high Charisma character: 18 Charisma + an amulet (+5) + a suit of armor (+1) + a helm (+1) [or a book in TOLM] gives 25 Charisma!

c. can wear a really cool "Virgin" cloak later

5. Halfling Fighter/Thief
19 Dex; your scout-thief-archer in one. With speed boots--a great way to start a fight is to have him/her poke someone in the back and run like hell.

6. Elf Mage
Good: all, but one mage spell (there will be on level two spell that will have to be sacrificed do to the number of level 2 spells available). Late game god.
Bad: waiting to get that spell book filled up--weak at first. But, still, a few basic spells in the beginning can turn the tide of battle:
.
.
.
.
.
Charm
then
Chromatic Orb
then
Web
These are the only three spells you'll need until you get to the second level of Dragon Eye.

Note that I have all races and can use most items in the game (I'm a random item nut--I've probably come up with the best ways to hurry up an area-in-part to check what my random item will be before I go back and start the area for real--I want to be rewarded WELL for all my labors [this line doesn't work on my boss though ;( ]

[ 05-11-2004, 08:57 PM: Message edited by: Roboghost ]

[faiden]

True, well fro now i am goin to try to play it through with these unless it gets too frustrating. There is replay value in the game so hopefully i can try other char types in another round.

[pritchke]

As for soloing most of us who do that have gone through the game several times before attempting it. Each time our parties become smaller and smaller. We know basically what we are up against so can prepare for it. I once thought that it must be impossible to solo but when you get around to doing it you find that it isn't quite so bad and it even has advantages over a full party. The main one being you only have to look out and protect a single character.

[ 05-14-2004, 02:41 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

[CerebroDragon]

I remember when I played IWD the first time around, I had four characters, two slots saved in the hope that there were NPC's in the game. It disappointed me that there weren't any (like BG series) but I soldiered on with only four for a long time into the game. I'm not overly creative in party creation and like 'pure classes' over dualing and multiclassing.

Dwarven Fighter
Elven Ranger
Human Cleric
Human Mage

I eventually added a paladin and a thief to good effect about half way through. It took those two awhile to catch up, but for my first time through the game, it was a nice option to have.

I like threads about party dynamics - as IWD battles often require a good grasp of them! [img]smile.gif[/img]

[True_Moose]

If you're worried about the elven mage at the beginning, then take a level of fighter as human, then dual. I dual all of my characters. [img]tongue.gif[/img] And take a conjurer, instead of a base mage, there are no disadvantages. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Dundee Slaytern]

Erm... Conjurers only do not have disadvantages in BG2. Their opposition school in IWD however... is a different matter.

[True_Moose]

Conjurer's opposition school is divination. All IWD mages get divination spells < lvl 3, right. All IWD divination spells < lvl 3. I thought that was right.