Power debate: Sorcerer vs. Fighter/Mage

[krunchyfrogg]

Which do you think is more powerful?

Which better fits my following party:

Minsc
Jaheira
Imoen
Anomen
Keldorn

[Ironbar]

I think a sorc. would be better for the party as you have 4 solid fighters and imoen. I havn't played either f/m or sorc. so i wouldn't know which one is stronger but if you havn't completed the game with a mage, a sorc could be a bit tricky.

[Nerull]

How well do you know the spell system? And do you have ToB installed. If you have not played through the game at least once, I would recommend the fighter/mage over the sorcerer. Yes, I know that there are spell lists out there that tell you the "best" spells to take at each level as a sorcerer; in fact, I'm following Dundee's one with my solo sorcerer. However, I played through the entire saga twice (and the SoA section multiple times) before I played a solo sorcerer. Thus, I already had an idea about which spells were good, and more importantly why they were good (how they helped the party, in what situations they were best used, etc.). A sorcerer is definitely the more powerful of the two, especially if you throw in the cheese factor (more uses of Project Image, etc.). However, if you make a spell selection mistake with the fighter/mage, you just need to find a scroll with the spell you "should" have taken and scribe it, and it's all good; this makes it the better choice your first time through. However, are you dualclassing or multiclassing, and do you have ToB? If just playing through ToB, multiclasses have a huge advantage. Take all of these things into consideration when making your choice, but the most important consideration is this: which do you think you would enjoy more?

[teardropmina]

I have the exact same sentiment as Nerull about the not playing sorcerer for your first runthrough of the game thing. Go through the game at least once to figure out how the wizard spell system works by yourself, and make up your own sorcerer spellbook.

as for the cheese factor, playing the standard game, F/M's misled cheese is no less powerful than the PI trick (probably make the game even easier).

[krunchyfrogg]

I think I know the spell system pretty well. I've never played the game the whole way through, but I've gotten pretty far before. I've also played tabletop D&D for about 15 years.

I've looked at a ton of different "ultimate" spell lists, and I've come up with what works best for me. There's definitely something to be said about all these lists, because as they're all different, there is also a whole lot of overlapping between them. The most common spells to each list are earmarked for me to take already.

Oh, and I do have ToB. I'd probably choose multiclass over dual class (although the Kensai/Mage cheese is tempting). As for which I will enjoy more, I'm really not sure. I know I'd have a great time with either one. I try to balance getting "more use out of the many weapons" with the F/M as opposed to the superior firepower of the Sorcerer. To sum up: it's not an issue of which would be more fun (they'd both be), it's an issue of which would be more powerful now.

ON EDIT: Darn, I wish I made this a poll. I guess the options would be (for future responses):

1)Human Kensai (13) Mage
2)Half Elf Fighter/Mage
3)Human Berserker (13) Mage

[ 04-10-2004, 02:09 PM: Message edited by: krunchyfrogg ]

[LennonCook]

Go with the sorcerer - you need spellpower in that party more than you need weaponpower.

[Mystique]

Yeah, the only mage is Imoen, unless you use Jaheira as a druid. And, i would personally go with Fighter/Mage if it was not for that party.


Anomen-Fighter/Slight clericer
Keldorn-Fighter
Imoen-Helper thief/Mage
Jaheira-Fighter/Druid
Minsc-Fighter/Or an Archer if thats what you want

So, if you look at the right side of the / you have

Cleric
Mage
Druid
Ranger

Wich is a pretty spell casting oriented party.
OR look at the left side of the /

Fighter
Fighter
Thief
Fighter
Fighter

And that is a pretty fighterish party.

So, if you use the right side of the / mostly, i would go with a Fighter/Mage

Or if you are on the left side of the /, i would STRONGLY reccomend the Sorcerer.

It all depends on how you USE your party members.

For example, just because Yoshimo is a thief, does not mean he HAS to be it. I ALWAYS dual him to a fighter, and takes Imoen instead. And uses her mage powers the most.

So now ive got a
Fighter
Mage

Or, i could choose to NOT dual him to a fighter, and use Imoens Thief side instead.

Now ive got a

Thief for backstabbing/trapsetting
Helper thief to pick up locks and the like.

It ALL depends on what you do with the characters.


Whew, i could have played through the game 3 times on the time it took to write that [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Neomi]

With all the posts there have ever been regarding class selection, the only advice I can give (and even this probably isn't that novel) is to try a class you haven't really played before.

My logic is this:
Your group of NPCs could likely finish the game on their own (see above postings). Therefore, whatever PC you add to the mix is not going to change whether or not the game can be completed. So pick a class you're not familiar with and explore all the quirks of that class using your NPC's as backup.

Try a sorcerer if you haven't already. Failing to pick one spell or another will NOT affect your game in the least, especially since you have Imoen who will be a great spellcaster and have access to all those spells you couldn't take.

Try a F/M if you want to use all those protection/illusion spells but you really want to get on the front lines and watch the bad guys splatter. (Not to mention eventually using the black blade of disaster (TOB 9th level spell)

[Dundee Slaytern]

[img]tongue.gif[/img] Wild Mage. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Nerull]

Originally posted by Dundee Slaytern: [img]tongue.gif[/img] Wild Mage. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Hey, they are fun! Nothing like living life on the edge...