02-23-2006, 05:48 PM | #1 |
Gold Dragon
Join Date: June 18, 2002
Location: Wolfville, NS / Calgary, AB
Age: 36
Posts: 2,563
|
As some of you longtime board veterans may remember, I once had an idea to put together the most powerful, 6-man party I could - no mods. The original thread: http://tinyurl.com/qtm8b I am currently writing an FAQ centred around this party, which will include reasons for the characters, some basic tactics, and weapon progression, because you need to have weapons before ToB too. [img]tongue.gif[/img] Now, here are some changes, along with why, and weapons:
Fighter/Mage => Fighter/Mage/Thief Why? Because this character takes care of two handed weapons. As such, with the Thief, he can gain UAI and use Carsomyr, as well as backstab with the SotR. This means his main weapon setup will be along the lines of: Ravager (hordes of little things), Carsomyr (boss & mage), and a ranged weapon. I'm torn between Firetooth (the X-Bow) and Darkfire. I really don't know which I want to use. Blade Debating whether to move the Purifier into one of his hands. I can think of several set ups.
Ranger/Cleric Storm Star, Runehammer dual wielded with Crom Faeyr. Pretty standard. Sorceror Staff of the Magi + Sling of Everard. 'nuff said. Fighter/Thief Briefly contemplated making him a second F/M/T, but I think that having any more than 2 scroll based casters hurts spell selection (better to have 2 casters with tons of good spells, than 3 with a few each.) Originally had him dual-wielding Celestial Fury and Dagger of the Star with Angurvadal. Wondering whether Blackrazor may be a better backstab weapon, but I really like the stun on the CF. Also have the Equalizer kicking around for its immunities. Mage/Cleric => Fighter/Mage/Cleric This combination just seems like a better fit. This way, all those buffs actually mean something. Also, I can get warrior HLAs but more importantly, I can dual-wield. What this means is that I can have Defender of Easthaven in my off-hand, which, combined with Armor of Faith and Hardiness can really soar my physical resistance. I also believe the DoE is superior to any shield. That means Flail of the Ages and Club of Detonation (good for clearing areas and killing henchmen), dualwielded with the DoE. Opinions on my changes? Questions, comments, all are welcome.
__________________
[img]\"http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f13/true_moose/Siggy.jpg\" alt=\" - \" /> |
02-25-2006, 04:37 PM | #2 |
Dracolisk
Join Date: September 16, 2001
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
Age: 46
Posts: 6,901
|
My "perfect party" build seems pretty much identical, except I have a Fighter/Mage where you have a Blade, and a Fighter/Illusionist in place of your Sorceror. More tomorrow.
__________________
Volothamp's Comeuppance Everything you ever needed to know about the entire Baldur's Gate series......except spoilers. |
02-26-2006, 04:10 AM | #3 |
Drizzt Do'Urden
Join Date: March 3, 2001
Location: Stockholm, Sweden, Sweden
Age: 44
Posts: 669
|
True_Moose,
I've also been fiddling around with a few power parties. In your party, you have 4 characters that can cast mage spells, and two that can cast cleric spells. Personally I think that is too much because it takes such a long time to decide which spells they will use and buff etc. I have one quite succesful party that I enjoy: 1) Kensai(13)/Mage - Dualwields Celestial fury and Black razor. 2) Kensai(9)/Mage - Throws knife and cast spells. 3) Dwarf Kensai - Throws hammer. 4) Half-orc Fighter/Thief - Mostly uses a shortbow. 5) Half-elf Ranger/Cleric - Shield and Flail of ages and a sling. She tanks throughout SoA and uses range in ToB. 6) Any npc that I want. Keldorn most of the times since the Inquisitor is such a great mage killer and can use Carsomyr. My Fighter/thief can also use Carsomyr, but I let him use staff of magi vs mages instead to dispel their protective spells. You may think it is risky to let my main character be in the middle of the battle, but so far he hasn't died. The bonuses that the main character gets is pretty great. He can also run around and cast vampire touch to increase his hp or Tenser's Transformation. When facing dragons, usually I just buff my main character, run in a few times, and let the dragon beat on him. Then I let the rest of the party kill it with ranged attacks. Buffing is easy. Only main character and ranger/cleric gets protective spells in the really tough fights, while the rest stay out of the way. Of course there are a few exceptions though when I want my fighter/thief to do a little backstabbing. So I run through the game really fast, and I am very pleased of the result. I will give spectral brand to my main character, once he is specialized in waikashi, to prevent life draining. ToB tower is almost complete now and a few big missions in ToB as well. [ 02-26-2006, 04:11 AM: Message edited by: el_kalkylus ]
__________________
Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. |
02-26-2006, 04:56 AM | #4 |
Gold Dragon
Join Date: June 18, 2002
Location: Wolfville, NS / Calgary, AB
Age: 36
Posts: 2,563
|
This is all in the theoretical stages at this particular point in time. I'm trying to focus in on the exact roles of the characters as much as anything. There sort of needs to be a balance between the uber-powerful solo characters and the needs of a party. Right now I'm running through Tactics and Ascension with
Berserker(13)->Druid Ranger/Cleric Cavalier Skald Sorceror Swashbuckler/Mage and it's going along pretty smoothly. What I think I'm really interested in is overwhelming power as well as versatility. These guys can play by any rules, on any day, and come out with their armour brighter than before type of thing. I understand your point about the arcane spells, an alternative would be to switch in either another priest (maybe a Shapeshifter->Fighter or something) or a tank (Swashbuckler->Fighter, Kensai->Thief, Barbarian, whatever.) The other thing I wonder about is scrolls. Since I'm talking vanilla BG2, there aren't scrolls popping up just everywhere (I found a TimeStop in Prebek's house in my latest run!) That's why each character with arcane spellcasting is able to do something besides arcane spells - except the sorceror, but that's kind of unavoidable. EDIT: Question on Blackrazor (I've never used it.) Would it be more valuable in the main hand or the off-hand? Personally, I see the level drain combined with effects as being really powerful as a primary weapon, while it's off-hand benefits are limited, especially compared to some of the other weapons in the game. [ 02-26-2006, 04:58 AM: Message edited by: True_Moose ] |
02-26-2006, 06:20 AM | #5 |
Manshoon
Join Date: June 8, 2003
Location: UK
Age: 69
Posts: 182
|
I'd still put my money on a party of six sorcerers for SOA, and six mage/clerics if you're going through to TOB.
[ 02-26-2006, 06:22 AM: Message edited by: Andraste ] |
02-26-2006, 06:42 AM | #6 |
Drizzt Do'Urden
Join Date: March 3, 2001
Location: Stockholm, Sweden, Sweden
Age: 44
Posts: 669
|
You will find many high level scrolls in ToB tower and underdark. As you know, you can buy good scrolls after underdark in Waukeens promenade. After that, you'll have to wait until chapter 9 where you can buy virtually all scrolls from a merchant.
I use blackrazor in the off-hand, because my main character hardly gets hurt anyway, and the stun effect is better than level drain. Also, my main character has a natural 22 strength, so strength bonus from blackrazor is not that important. The immunity from charm and especially fear is a big bonus as well. One note. Since you will let most of your character dualwield, you risk of running into traps and become more vulnerable to attacks because the monsters aren't half dead or dead once they reach your party.
__________________
Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. |
02-27-2006, 05:01 PM | #7 | |
Dracolisk
Join Date: September 16, 2001
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
Age: 46
Posts: 6,901
|
Quote:
Okay, I promised some info on my "perfect party": What I like best about this teamup is that everybody gets lots of Warrior HLAs in ToB, the spell-power is distributed throughout almost the entire party, they use a very wide range of weaponry, and it's solid in the roleplay aspect: All of their stats are natural rolls, all the Mages have at least 14 INT, nobody has pathetic scores in the common "dump stats" of WIS or CHA, and their weapon proficiencies (and Thieving skills) stay exactly the same (or as close as possible) in the transition from BG1 to BG2. DORA SANDHEAVER: TN F Halfling Fighter/Thief (Locks, Stealth) 14/19/18/12/9/10 BG1: Full Plate/Hide. Dagger of Venom, Staff Mace? BG2: Full Plate/Hide. Daggers, Clubs, Darts. ORMAND FEIVAN: LG M Half-Elf Ranger/Cleric 17/17/18/14/17/12 BG1: Full Plate. Warhammer+2, Sling+1. BG2: Full Plate. Warhammers, Slings, Dual-Wielding, Flails. VARLEN MODAI: CG M Gnomish Fighter/Illusionist 16/18/16/14/12/12 BG1: Archmagi. L.C.o.Speed, Halberd+2. BG2: Vecna. Crossbows, Halberds, 2-Handed Weapons. AETHEC RIEREN: CN M Elven Fighter/Thief/Mage (Traps, Stealth, Pockets) 15/17/16/16/12/12 BG1: Enchanted Plates, Shadow Armor. Spider's Bane, Eagle Bow. BG2: Shadow Armor, E.Archmagi. Short Bows, Two-Handed Swords, Two-Handed Weapons. FELLAIA KENAI: NG F Elven Fighter/Mage 12/17/16/15/12/12 BG1: Full Plate/Bracers AC 6. Longbow of Marksmanship, Varscona. BG2: G.Archmagi. Long Bows, Long Swords, Axes. KIERETH ENCOMIAL: LN F Half-Elf Fighter/Cleric/Mage 130)/17/16/16/16/10 BG1: Plate, Archmagi. Sling+1, Staff+3. BG2: Full Plate, N.Archmagi. Slings, Staves, Two-Handed Weapons, Maces. [ 02-28-2006, 02:21 PM: Message edited by: SixOfSpades ]
__________________
Volothamp's Comeuppance Everything you ever needed to know about the entire Baldur's Gate series......except spoilers. |
|
02-27-2006, 05:35 PM | #8 |
Gold Dragon
Join Date: June 18, 2002
Location: Wolfville, NS / Calgary, AB
Age: 36
Posts: 2,563
|
I could hardly believe it when it happened. I get to Spellhold and teach level 12 Imoen the uber-spell. It hasn't happened again (the best I've got from there has been Summon Fiend.)
I suppose there are two major questions I have about your party, which looks very powerful. 1) I am not a XP division freak who gets frightened at the thought of multiclasses or a full 6 man crew. But do you ever find problems with the lack of (relatively) high level spellcasting. For example, to get Breach (this is a low level example), a multiclass will have to wait for 250k more XP. Because there are no single classes in the party, it takes that much longer for the party (individual casters don't really matter) to get Breach. Is that a problem? 2) Any problems with spell scrolls? By my count you have four casters, are there enough scrolls out there to be able to make all of them at minimum competent casters? That's why I like the idea of a sorceror, to take off some of the "scroll stress" as it were. [img]tongue.gif[/img] |
02-27-2006, 05:36 PM | #9 |
Jack Burton
Join Date: May 15, 2001
Location: The Netherlands
Age: 39
Posts: 5,888
|
Man, Six. Either you have a very disturbing imagination when it comes to names, or you picked to most obscure name-generator online! Ormand Feivan?
|
02-28-2006, 02:19 PM | #10 | |||
Dracolisk
Join Date: September 16, 2001
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
Age: 46
Posts: 6,901
|
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
__________________
Volothamp's Comeuppance Everything you ever needed to know about the entire Baldur's Gate series......except spoilers. |
|||
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Favorite parties by alignment(!!spoilers could happen!!) | Neo the Warrior Cat | Baldurs Gate II: Shadows of Amn & Throne of Bhaal | 9 | 08-19-2004 02:03 PM |
Is this meant to happen? (Chapter 4 spoilers) | slicer15 | Baldurs Gate II: Shadows of Amn & Throne of Bhaal | 4 | 06-22-2003 10:48 AM |
Funniest thing you have had happen to you? (some spoilers?!?) | Ezekial | Baldurs Gate II: Shadows of Amn & Throne of Bhaal | 43 | 03-28-2002 09:47 AM |
The ULTIMATE "power gamer" party *ITEM SPOILERS* | kurtzyload | Miscellaneous Games (RPG or not) | 1 | 02-21-2002 02:40 PM |
Supposed to happen? Spoilers within | Greadius | Baldurs Gate & Tales of the Sword Coast | 6 | 05-11-2001 09:20 PM |