Just Started playing: Need some Explanation

[pritchke]

I recently won IWD2 on e-bay and just started playing. Overall I have enjoyed the start but it would be nice if I could get some clarification on a few things. Having played IWD:HoW time and time again there are many things that are different from the first. I am still getting used to the interface too.

Well one of the big differences seem to be character creation I mean you are just assinged 16 points and it seems that things like charasima are important as it resticts things like skills that you can learn, intimidation factors, or number of points spent for some other attribute so having a fighters Str, Dex, and Con set to the max may not be the best thing to do in this game while setting other attributes to a minimum. There were some pre generated groups and at first I thought these guys suck, but in making my own I don't seem to be able to do much better. I have decided to a least have skill 10 an any attribute for all classes to be safe. Some examples of class and the best way to assign attributes would be helpful to get the most out of skills or traits they can obtain.

The other thing is the idea of multi classing, could someone explain this a little further as it seems different from multiclassing in IWD2. I don't think I will use this in my first game but still it seems it could be really benifical from a smaller party game of one or two so I would like some examples of this as well.

[Micah Foehammer]

Let me see if I can answer the multi-classing and stat questions.

You are right in assuming that Multi-classing works very differently in IWD2. In 3rd Edition rules you can switch from your starting class to a new class and in most cases back to the original class (paladins and monks have some restrictions). There is only ONE xp progression table and its based on the total number of levels in all classes of your character. So, in general, if have a 2nd level fighter, and want to add a level of mage for example, the xp required to gain the mage level would be equivalent to what is required to gain another level in the fighter class. If the two classes are more than one level apart, however, you suffer an xp penalty of 20% while you are gaining xp in the lower level class, unless the original class was a "favoured" class of the character. Confused? Hope not ... here's an example:

You start with a dwarven fighter, and you continue playing until he reaches 7th level. Now you decide that you want to take a few levels of cleric. Since fighter is the favoured class for a dwarf, you suffer no xp penalty even though the levels of the two classes are widely different.

Now consider an elven fighter. Again you progress to 7th level and decide you want to add a couple of levels of cleric. The favoured class of the elf is a mage, and since neither of the classes your character will have is favoured, you will suffer a 20% xp penalty because of the disparity of the class levels.

If however, you had alternated classes between fighter and cleric for your elf, adding one level to each class, then you would have suffered NO xp penalty.

Hope that helps. [img]smile.gif[/img]

How you allocate your stat points will indeed determine how proficient you become in certain skills and if you have any skill bonuses. That's why a well rounded party is VERY essential. You simply can't make every character proficient in every skill. Adding a few skill points to bluff or diplomacy skills for more than one character can be very important as your lead character may NOT always be the one who initiates dialogue.

Again, hope that helps.

[Malavon's Rage]

And also, at so many lv's (7 i think), you'll get an attribte point to add on-something I really like about the 3rd edition rules

[Micah Foehammer]

Yes. Every 4th level starting at level 4, you get an extra stat point to put anywhere you want. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Nightowl2]

Yeah, the point distribution system is kinda sucky. What many have done is drop all unneeded stats to the minimum, thus giving more points for important stats.

Example: Fighters don't really need charisma or intelligence. The only worthwhile skill for them is intimidate, and many don't bother much with that anyhow. This is also true for barbarians.

Of course, if you plan on multiclassing, reducing stats can get a bit tricky.

Generally, you want the prime stat to be as high as possible. Then you want good con. After that, what you build up depends on the class(es).

Nightowl2

[Luvian]

You get bonus sooner for your attributes, so it's the same as the old rules.

As an example, in the old rules, you got a +1 damage bonus only when you had 17 str, now, you get one when you have 13 strength. In the old rules, 20 str gave you +3, now it give you +5,...

[pritchke]

OK, Thanks!!

It might take a few games to get used to the stat vs. points system as I haven't a clue to the types of all skills offered or how they may relate to attributes.

Any way I am on my way out of Targos to to clean a bridge full of dirty orcs or something.

I liked the fact that a certain gnome from IWD has returned in IWD2 as well with a few extra white hairs to boot. So far the stories are fairly well linked from an historic prespective.

[ 02-18-2003, 01:52 AM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

[Micah Foehammer]

pritchke,

If I remember right, you can click on each of the skills / feats and get a preview of the prerequisites (level, stat or lower level feat). If not, the manual actually lists all of the benefits and prerequisites for the feats. There is also a table in the back of the manual that lists whether your character can take a skill at a cost of 1 point per skill level or whether it is a cross-class skill that costs double.

[Sagramore]

And one last thing...if you don't have the dead cat, pick it up

[pritchke]

Dead Cat????

I didn't find any dead cat yet.

Is this an easter egg hunt like in BG with Moapp the Squirrel.