Solo Characters

[Etsap]

I've seen lots of people talk about single-character parties, but haven't heard too many people recount actual experiences. Right now I'm running 7 different games with solo characters, a little bit at a time. My games are currently in late Chapter 2 (Dragon's Eye) and they seem to have done well so far. No expansions, just plain old IWD.

Ranger - one of the best. The extra melee attack per round is great!

Fighter - very good. Once you get enough weapon slots he's a real killing machine, and with Dwarven constitution, his hit points soar (of course, he has to rest for a month to regain them all).

Paladin - not nearly as good in combat as the other two, but in areas where there are lots of undead he doesn't need to be. The healing helps a little, but over all the other two perform better.

Mage - Kinda fun to play, but frequent rest is necessary to re-memorize spells. You really learn how to get the most out of Aganazzar's Scorcher in the Vale of Shadows; I once used it to kill 9 Skeletons with a single cast! However, the Mage levels up faster than spell scrolls appear with all the extra experience, so you'll always have empty spell slots at the higher levels.

Cleric - Couldn't hit the broad side of a barn in the early game, but wearing the best armor and using healing spells allows him to last. Really good against undead, and otherwise strength-enhancing spells help. I've never seen so many undead explode as this character can do. In Presio's chamber, he got 5 Zombies in a single round!

I found the Druid's armor restriction and lack of ability to Turn Undead made him tougher to play than the Cleric through the Vale, so I dropped that game. Neither the Bard nor the Thief can wear decent armor, and their THAC0 just isn't good enough to get by without lots of hit-and-run style attacks, making for a very long and boring game where you watch loading screens as often as the action. But I brought up a couple of multi-classers to broaden play style.

Fighter/Mage/Thief - Better versatility is good, and combat ability combined with spells almost beats the warrior types.

Fighter/Mage/Cleric - One of the most fun to play, with the aforementioned versatility and Turn/Undead and healing, there isn't much that slows this character down. The Giving Star makes a great solo character weapon!

Over all, carrying Inventory is a problem, so you end up making several trips to Kuldahar to sell your loot if you want to be able to buy the good stuff. Otherwise, just try not to reveal more map than one or two enemies at a time and you'll be OK. All characters benefit from "Free Action" style effects, like the Cloak you get from the bartender after killing Lysan, because a Hold spell is pretty much game over.

I haven't gotten anyone to Yxunomei yet, but they're all on the start of that level, so I hope that goes well.

[pritchke]

You know I have not played solo but if I did I would try it with the

Fighter/Mage/Thief

I mean I don't know how some of your guys are going to get to the end of Dragons eye due to all the traps but I guess it is possible with much determination. I guess drink a haste potion and run, anyway it must be challenging and I am not sure I would have patience. I may give it a shot after I finish BGII.

[ 10-25-2002, 03:53 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

[Lord Brass]

I started a F/M/T on hard, and I was doing okay until I got to the level 4 on DE. The yuanti high priests slaughtered me every time with confusion spells. Nothing I could really do about it, and it was game over every time. Of course, I could have got passed them easily enough, but if I can't handle multiple priests there, then I wasn't likely to when it came to the final battle on level 5.