Best party configurations

[Mourn Yauntyyr]

What's everyone's thoughts on the best party configuration? I always play a fighter-type myself, usually what is referred to as a "tank". I could also see archers as pretty effective. Here's my party and combat philosophy:

(Some possible spoilers about items you may have not run into yet below)
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Adomnan (protagonist) & Minsc - My main tanks. They are both able to also employ protective spells, both being rangers, and often do so before combat. (Armor of Faith, Barkskin, etc) Also, both have ** in a choice missle weapon, which they use to engage from a distance as the enemy closes in.

Anomen & Jaheira - my jacks-of-all-trades. They can both fight very well - just have Jaheira cast Ironskin and buy her the Girdle of Hill Giant Strength and she is just as tough as any of the other three fighters. They also have excellent spellcasting abilities, and I often use them to cast prepartory spells on the party. I also have them memorize the majority of my healing spells, as I expect them to be in combat more than casting offensive magic. Finally, in a pinch they do well with their slings.

Aerie - my spellcasting augmentee. Since she is a cleric/mage, I have her memorize almost entirely offensive spells. She is constantly casting something devastating, unless fighting something with high MR. In that case, she uses her +4 sling and +2 bullets. If she accidentally gets in a fight, I have her use the mace+2 that gives 18 STR - with that, stoneskin on contingency, and the amulet of spell reflection on, she almost never even gets touched.

Imoen - My archer/mage. She also functions as my scout. I have her memorize 3 improved invisibilities before each new board and always have her completely recon the area. That way I know what I'm getting into before I get into trouble. In combat she shoots most of the time, usuing the Tuigan bow. However, she is an excellent backup mage should I need more magic in crushing my enemies.

I guess I wrote this is response to a lot of the complaints I've heard about Aerie and Jaheira being worthless. I think they are two of the most useful characters in the game, if played correctly. Augment them a little with some powerful items, and they will contribute just as much as anyone else.

Your thoughts?

"The male makes his mark either in the bedchambers or the books of the mages." (Or in the plots of Vhaeraun...)
Mourn Yauntyyr,
Elderboy, Qu'ellar Yauntyyr

[Lord Ludtke]

I don't like any of the NPC's, so I made up my own party.

I started with an elven fighter/thief. Stack up on long sword and sword and shield style. Have Baldun Plate on hand for fighting, switch over to Shadow Dragon armour for doing thieving stuff. Good enough to take care of all traps and locks and a good fighter.

Tank- ala Half-orc fighter stacked in two-handed sword, and twohanded style. Good full plate, and the boots of speed only pre req for this guy.

Human fighter dualed to a cleric. Stack the flail and sword and shield style before dualing and gave her the Flail of ages. Can hit anything in the game and healing/resurrector.

Cleric/mage is my next character. Jack of all trades, master of none. I was basically just experimenting with this one, and I liked the fact of having 2 char that can resurrect in case my cleric bites it.

Mage was my last character. I made two mistakes here:1)I should have been a sorcerer since there are really only 4 or 5 spells from each level that I use anyway. 2)I picked illusionist whose opposition school is necro, which has a lot of powerful attacking spells.

Thats my group, I try to make them as self sufficient as possible. I don't run back to town for every little thing, and I don't rest until every spell is used. My main char gets the Gaxx, but I pass that around to whoever is hurt. The mage gets the Robe of Vecna. The cleric gets the 2nd best plate, with the shield of the fortress and that Everend sling that doesn't need ammo. Those are the major ones that I can think of now.

[Mourn Yauntyyr]

Yeah, I thought about doing that. That's what I liked (initially)about Icewind Dale - I could make my own party and control their progress. But its also what I didn't like about IWD. To me, Baldur's Gate is so much more of an RPG - you MUST interact with those around you, especially party members. IWD is just a combat game that happens to use AD&D rules. Also, in BGII you only play one character, though you control the others in combat. Therefore it is like playing with a real party.

BGII just wouldn't be the same without all the party issues that happen. I wouldn't enjoy it half as much. It makes for a much better story, in my opinion.

"A male must make his mark either in the bedchambers or in the books of the mages." -
Solaufein
Weaponmaster, Qu'ellar Despana

"Or in the plots of Vhaeraun..." -
Mourn Yauntyyr
Elderboy, Qu'ellar Yauntyyr

Vhaeraun zhaunil alurl!

[vedderman]

I like Jaheira. She is my healer and missiler. Anomen I use as a fighter/healer/summoner and vampire specialist. The girl with the troll trouble is my spell caster. Minsc, the chaotic/evil dwarf, and Scot the Red (myself a fighter/mage) are my tanks. When I get beat up and I don't want to rest I take off my armor and become the primary spell caster. Works good.

[White Knight]

Here are the two parties I beat SoA with:
1) good: Me (fighter), Minsc, Jaheira, Nalia, Imoen and Aerie

2) evil: Korgan, Jaheira, Viconia, Me (mage), Jan, and Edwin

Party 1 has also beaten ToB.

I've had more fun with the evil party, to be honest. Partly because I had played the game before so it was easier (but I did play it on a harder difficulty to compensate, partly because I didn't have to worry about being goody two-shoes all the time, and partly because the evil NPCs are so powerful. Even that party wasn't perfect, though...the weak links? Jaheira and Viconia? I plan on replacing both, next time...

I am currently nearing completion of BG1 with my druid, and I plan on playing a neutral/evil party in BG2 with Me (druid), Korgan, Edwin, Jan, Cernd, and someone else (maybe a fighter I create), at least until I get to ToB when Sarevok will round out the party.

Jan and edwin are the only 2 premade characters which are good. I prefer my own party- A Human barbarian a Halfling Swashbuckler A half elven Avenger a Human mage and a Totaly unstoppable human archer. at the moment. I had a lot of luck rolling up my human archer character though- strength, dexterity, constitution and wisdom all 18 with intelegance 12 and charisma 10 !. also 5 proficiancies on longbow= OUCH!

[Lord Ludtke]

Jaheria is not that bad at all. I used her the first time through the game, and I still haven't found somehthing as devestating as insect swarm for multiple MU's, which happens a lot in the big battles. She is not a terrible fighter either.

Almost makes me want to try a druid in a premade party. Almost.

[cheesus]

my party is:

me (sorcerer)
Mazzy - fantastic fighter - -15 thaco, -15 ac, 3 attacks a round
amonen - good fighter, good cleric
jaheira - good healer, decent support fighter - from distance or in melee
imoen - replacing yoshimo (who i miss) but she's a good magician
minsc - getting better now - good fighter but gets hurt too easily


not a bad squad really - minsc is a bit frail but he adds a little variety. i just wish i had yoshimo with me still but imoen is proving versatile so i'm pretty happy with them at the minute.

[Ragnar]

MY party :-

Me(Ragnar Paladin, Cavalier)
Jaheira (Fighter Druid)
Minsc (Ranger)
Aerie (Cleric/Mage)
Faldron (Inquisitor)
Sarevok from TOB (Evil)

I completed TOB with this party and SOA with this party(Except Sarevok i had Nahlia instead)

[Keylow]

Yo Ragnar, you just posted a spoiler!!!

quote:

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Sarevok from TOB (Evil)

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Most people probably allready know this, but others might not.
I'm not dissin' you or anything but try to be more carefull next time, ok? [img]smile.gif[/img]
You can easily warn people by doing something like this:
SPOILER
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- And then give a couple of RETURNS so people can turn away there
- spoiler sensitive eyes... [img]smile.gif[/img]
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