Some questions a kind soul can help me with?

Hi, I'm new to BG2 and about to make my new chac. I've been reading a few post and many ppl agrees that the kensai/mage is the way to go if you want a really powerful chac. I've also read up somewhere about someone suggesting a berserker/mage instead of a kensai. Is this combo more effective? A berserker can use all the various mage defensive spells as well use armor. Plz tell me the pros and cons.

Another question is about the weapons. I was wondering why katanas are favoured over long swords by kensai/mages as my bro mentioned many good longswords , blackrazor and such i think. Aren't those much more effective?

I hope someone answers my questions. Thanks

Think about a swashbuckler/mage. Unlike BG1 there is an abundance of MU NPS's(Edwin!!) but a TOTAL lack of a great thief NPC(one OK one though). Though if you want to play a GOOD party with a 20 reputation, you best be a cleric/thief dual or multi, cause NONE of the healers in the ENTIRE game are GOOD. This sucks. Neutral characters get very whiny with 19 or 20 rep. AND IF YOU DROP THEM FROM THE PARTY FOR EVEN A MINUTE, THEY ARE GONE FOREVER. I played the first time through with a dualled fighter/illusionist from BG1 and had fun(I had appropriate demi-god stats thanks to the tomes), but having having good thieving and/or healing skills in your character will give you a wider range of gameplay options. And a cleric scouting/detecting/disarming traps in Sanctuary(the spell) is almost unfair it makes it so easy.

[Zenith]

Anomen - Dual fighter/cleric upping in cleric is good. He may even be lawful good. He has good cleric spells and advances to high level IN CLERIC. The problem with berzerker/mage is that you cannot wear armor and use mage spells at the same time. It is important to note that you cannot take your armor off in combat like you could in BG1. Since the kensai can't wear armor anyway, this dual class combo is a natural fit. Personally, I haven't tried it yet, but look forward to doing so soon. I'm really into monks right now.

Your best bet would be to stick to 1 class first time round, and the second time try dualling or multiclassing him.

It really all depends on your style. No mage can cast spells while in armor and the kensai's armor class drops the higher they advance in level. The reason most use katanas is due to 1 that gives you a few extra spells (can't recall its name right off) and Celestial Fury which is another kick-ass katana. I have to agree with Lombardi in that there are no good clerics to recruit. I've been using a ranger dualed to a cleric who is great. He gets druid spells to choose from also and is powerful enough for front line battle.
Basically just choose the class that appeals to ou most though.

Anomen is definitely Lawful Neutral. At least on the US version of the game. There is a quest possibility for him I've read about (has'nt happened to me yet) that I suppose could make him Good, but I've never seen Bioware change a NPC's alignment in any other RPG(I've played them all). To Unfamiliar familiar: what ranger did you dual??? None I've seen has the requisite 17 wisdom. However thank you for getting me to look cause Valygar has an 18 Dex. and would make a GREAT dualled thief. Thanks for the idea!

[Magness]

Possible SPOILER
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Anomen STARTS as Lawful Nuetral with a WIS of 12.
If he PASSES his Knight test, he switches to Lawful Good with a WIS of 16.
If he FAILS his Knight test, he switches to Chaotic Nuetral (WIS ?).

I like fighters. Get some descent equipment to give you some high level resistence. Get the bag of holding to carry alot of different type of weapons so you have an efective weapon against alot of different enemies. try to speacilize in long and bastard swords They are deadly at grandmaster levels and you can carry a shield.

Kensai / mage is the powergamer class, most definitely. Never heard of a berserker mage. Seems a bit strange, but that might just be me. The pros would be a berserker would probably tank better and be able to use things like bracers and shields. The cons would be that mages can't wear regular armour anyway, and kensais get bonuses to hit and damage. They get a -2 bonus to their AC initially, and nothing further.
There are a fair amount of 'good' longswords, but none of them are really exceptional, like the celestial fury +3. The blackrazor you don't get until the final battle, putting it out of the picture. Katanas also have a base damage of 1D10, the same as a two-handed sword. As for bastard swords, the day I find a bastard sword worth keeping is the day I give up drinking, mate.
Rep is overrated. The strongest, funniest or otherwise generally better NPCs in the game are evil or neutral, so my advice is not to bother with an outrageously high rep. Control it as you see fit by donating to churches or stealing from peasants, it doesn't make a hell of a lot of difference in the long run. Just make sure it doesn't go above 18, and you won't be getting it much below 7 unless you slaughter people for the fun of it.

to Lombardi : My character the protagonist. Hell most of the NPC's barely qualify for there primary class unfortunately.