My First Time...oooh! - Page 2

DraconisRex · 09-25-2002, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rimjaw:
Finally picked up IWD2 yesterday and as soon as I get home tonight I'm hitting the install button. So before I embark on this maiden voyage of gaming goodness I need the advice of you armchair adventurers out there. Is there anything really important I have to know before starting? Whats a good party make up? Any feats which are 'must haves'? What sub-races are good? Which skills come in handiest? Etc...

Many thanks in advance.

I've posted on party composition in other threads. I'll keep it brief. Two tanks, 1 Divine Support (cleric or druid), 1 Scout/Rogue Support (usually arogue multi-class or a bard), 1 Arcane Caster. That's 5. Plus one as you see fit, for 6. I break Divine casters into two groups: Offensive divine casters (Druids & Rangers) and defensive divine casters (Clerics & Paladins).

If you're not experienced with DnD CRPGs, you have to have a straight (good) cleric, such as Ilmater or Lathander.

In your position, I'd generate a get-used-to-the-game party and go for:

1. Dwarf Fighter with 20 CON.
2. Aasimar Paladin.
3. Aasimar Cleric (Lathander or Ilmater or Selune) (20 wisdom)
4. Halfling Rogue (20 dex)
5. Wood-elf Sorcerer (18 char)
6. Tiefling Wizard (20 Int)

Give it a try. Familiarize yourself with how things work. Experiment. Then you'll be ready for more questions.

Rimjaw · 09-25-2002, 09:36 AM

Thanks guys. Any other good racial-class combos besides the ones mentioned above?

Kygon-Jo · 10-01-2002, 08:59 AM

I used a ranger and upped his search skills. Ranger is a personal choice because the do not get as many feats as fighters.

Shield dwarf fighter and upped his disable traps skills. Feats axe x3 bow x3 improved intiative, rapid shot, lightning reflexes and dash. My tank.

Halfling Rouge/Fighter. Lockpick and pickpocket skills. really good with sling and a lot of magic Bullets in the game.

Half elf female fighter. I have to admit I really thought the the portrait was hot so I made a female fighter. She has high charisma and uses diplomacy and intimidate skills. also is a bow specialist Feats Bow x 3 rapid shot and a precise shot and improved intiative, feat in bastard sword. U get a good one early on.

Cleric of Lathander. Wilderness lore skill. Improved turing feat and martial weapon mace x2.

Wizard (basic) Spellcraft, Alchemy, concentration, knowledge arcana(really helpd identify items). I did give him a feat in crossbow, spell penatration, evocation, and inproved initaitive.

I wish i allocated my feats better at the beginning but i was not accusomted to the new rules. After I complete the game I will try it in HOF mode and better allocate my Feats.

Good luck and enjoy.

Ishanda · 10-01-2002, 10:30 AM

Monk....choose a monk.....c'mon do yourself a favour....drop a fighter....choose a monk....c'mon!

Downunda · 10-02-2002, 03:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ishanda:
Monk....choose a monk.....c'mon do yourself a favour....drop a fighter....choose a monk....c'mon!

I started a party that included a monk and was so unimpressed with him that I re-started after getting to chapter 2.

Zateel · 10-02-2002, 06:02 AM

I played a monk as my second tank all the way through, and I agree- it wasn't all that. I think in HoF mode it would be awesome, but it ends when you're just getting your monk going in regular mode. Not that I had a tough time using the monk, but a dwarven ftr/barb would have been better I think.

I will DEFINITELY recommend the sorcerer. I was pleasantly surprised how effective this character was (twice everybody elses kills). Fireball, Animate Dead, Mirror Image, and Improved Invisibility, and it's a cake walk. The snowball swarm can rock early on as well, and you might even consider that before Mirror Image if you're having trouble dealing out damage fast enough. Get a wild elf for a six person party, maybe aasimar for a four person party with max charisma. You want your charisma to 22 for that extra chain lightning later on, when spell resistance blocks out your fireball, or when you don't want to toast your melee guys.

I tried a ranger/wizard (Drow) and he was terrible until the very end. The ECL makes a big difference. I would definately keep any ECL races single class if they are spellcasters unless you have a small party.

Have fun!!!

Ishanda · 10-02-2002, 06:07 AM

That is so, what happens is that the monk is unbalanced. I ask myself, is the game easier in the beginning or at the end. The beginning of course.

Firstly, you have to know that later in the game the monk is a veritable powerhouse of a killing machine (at a higher level).

Secondly, what level was your monk at when you decided to drop him/her. At a relatively early level (4, 5, 6) the monk gets a speed improvement. By level 10 if I remember correctly the monk has improved evasion, more speed improvement and if you couple that with improved initiative, you will understand where the strenghts of a monk lie.

The monk is NOT, I repeat NOT, good at barging towards the enemy and taking them head on. The monk is however BRILLIANT at "guerilla" tactics. If you have ever used a haste spell on a fighter, you will understand that such a spell is VERY valuable. The monk eventually performs like he/she has a permanent haste spell on. Plus, although the monk's BAB's are not as high as a normal fighter's, the monk gets more attack rolls per round. A fighter gets an extra attack for every 5 BABs, a monk after every three. Because of the way the structure of BAB improvement works, the 1st attack of a fighter will always have a better chance of hitting than a monk's, but the second attacks are close, for the third, fourth the monk's eventually are BETTER than the fighter's.

Almost no-one likes monks, because (A) they are not prepared to carry him/her for the first part of the game and/or (B) they do not understand how to make use of a monk's abilities properly.

What can I tell you? My monk is level 15 currently. (which in a full party you will most probably get to by the end of the game I think) If you want to know what that means ... in the game room in lv2 ... my monk waltzed up to a demon (starts with a C...)and took care of it within 30secs, without taking a single point of damage. At this level the monk has FOUR attacks per round, has almost 30% spell resistance and very high saves in all three classes. Spells up to level 5 and 6 ALMOST NEVER affect the monk at this level.

Get that? You can stand right next to an enemy wizard...magic missile, fireball, web, entangle, gas cloud, chromatic orb, icelance, charm, sleep, chaos, silence...whatever they DO NOT have an effect on the monk in practice at this level. THAT is very powerful. Ever heard of explosive potions? walk up to a HORDE of enemies, drop the explosive potion....enemies are obliterated, monk takes no damage. Not enough? Drop another. Wanna have more, spend points in crossbow, get rapid shot, get the nice magic crossbow in level two...result....load up on +2 magic bolts or better....fire FOUR shots (HIGH damage) per round at enemies from afar. I would like to see a ranger do that!

I am not sure whether this is good...(I think it is)....but I managed to whack an Elder Earth Elemental in the game room once within the time limit as well, no weapons used, did not need to heal once.

I have been playing a monk ever since BG2, and in BG2 the monk was ridiculously powerful. I can assure you that he/she is MORE in IWD2. You just have to know how to play it.

Ishanda · 10-02-2002, 06:14 AM

Ok...I give up

I am biased...do not take a monk.

At level 20 (which I am going to reach with a bit of luck) the monk is the most powerful character in the game. And that by MILES. But since you will not get close to this level, there is no point in having a monk in your party....

Ishanda · 10-02-2002, 06:24 AM

Ok...I give up

I am biased...do not take a monk.

At level 20 (which I am going to reach with a bit of luck) the monk is the most powerful character in the game. And that by MILES. But since you will not get close to this level, there is no point in having a monk in your party....

10-02-2002, 06:02 AM	#16
Zateel Zhentarim Guard Join Date: March 11, 2001 Location: Long Beach, MS Posts: 354	I played a monk as my second tank all the way through, and I agree- it wasn't all that. I think in HoF mode it would be awesome, but it ends when you're just getting your monk going in regular mode. Not that I had a tough time using the monk, but a dwarven ftr/barb would have been better I think. I will DEFINITELY recommend the sorcerer. I was pleasantly surprised how effective this character was (twice everybody elses kills). Fireball, Animate Dead, Mirror Image, and Improved Invisibility, and it's a cake walk. The snowball swarm can rock early on as well, and you might even consider that before Mirror Image if you're having trouble dealing out damage fast enough. Get a wild elf for a six person party, maybe aasimar for a four person party with max charisma. You want your charisma to 22 for that extra chain lightning later on, when spell resistance blocks out your fireball, or when you don't want to toast your melee guys. I tried a ranger/wizard (Drow) and he was terrible until the very end. The ECL makes a big difference. I would definately keep any ECL races single class if they are spellcasters unless you have a small party. Have fun!!! __________________ and the flaming sword turning every way, guards the tree of life.

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09-25-2002, 09:36 AM	#12
Rimjaw Red Wizard of Thay Join Date: May 24, 2002 Location: East Coast, Singapore Age: 41 Posts: 890	Thanks guys. Any other good racial-class combos besides the ones mentioned above?

10-01-2002, 08:59 AM	#13
Kygon-Jo Dungeon Master Join Date: September 25, 2002 Location: connecticut Age: 56 Posts: 73	I used a ranger and upped his search skills. Ranger is a personal choice because the do not get as many feats as fighters. Shield dwarf fighter and upped his disable traps skills. Feats axe x3 bow x3 improved intiative, rapid shot, lightning reflexes and dash. My tank. Halfling Rouge/Fighter. Lockpick and pickpocket skills. really good with sling and a lot of magic Bullets in the game. Half elf female fighter. I have to admit I really thought the the portrait was hot so I made a female fighter. She has high charisma and uses diplomacy and intimidate skills. also is a bow specialist Feats Bow x 3 rapid shot and a precise shot and improved intiative, feat in bastard sword. U get a good one early on. Cleric of Lathander. Wilderness lore skill. Improved turing feat and martial weapon mace x2. Wizard (basic) Spellcraft, Alchemy, concentration, knowledge arcana(really helpd identify items). I did give him a feat in crossbow, spell penatration, evocation, and inproved initaitive. I wish i allocated my feats better at the beginning but i was not accusomted to the new rules. After I complete the game I will try it in HOF mode and better allocate my Feats. Good luck and enjoy.

10-01-2002, 10:30 AM	#14
Ishanda Dungeon Master Join Date: September 23, 2002 Location: South Africa Age: 50 Posts: 61	Monk....choose a monk.....c'mon do yourself a favour....drop a fighter....choose a monk....c'mon!

10-02-2002, 06:07 AM	#17
Ishanda Dungeon Master Join Date: September 23, 2002 Location: South Africa Age: 50 Posts: 61	That is so, what happens is that the monk is unbalanced. I ask myself, is the game easier in the beginning or at the end. The beginning of course. Firstly, you have to know that later in the game the monk is a veritable powerhouse of a killing machine (at a higher level). Secondly, what level was your monk at when you decided to drop him/her. At a relatively early level (4, 5, 6) the monk gets a speed improvement. By level 10 if I remember correctly the monk has improved evasion, more speed improvement and if you couple that with improved initiative, you will understand where the strenghts of a monk lie. The monk is NOT, I repeat NOT, good at barging towards the enemy and taking them head on. The monk is however BRILLIANT at "guerilla" tactics. If you have ever used a haste spell on a fighter, you will understand that such a spell is VERY valuable. The monk eventually performs like he/she has a permanent haste spell on. Plus, although the monk's BAB's are not as high as a normal fighter's, the monk gets more attack rolls per round. A fighter gets an extra attack for every 5 BABs, a monk after every three. Because of the way the structure of BAB improvement works, the 1st attack of a fighter will always have a better chance of hitting than a monk's, but the second attacks are close, for the third, fourth the monk's eventually are BETTER than the fighter's. Almost no-one likes monks, because (A) they are not prepared to carry him/her for the first part of the game and/or (B) they do not understand how to make use of a monk's abilities properly. What can I tell you? My monk is level 15 currently. (which in a full party you will most probably get to by the end of the game I think) If you want to know what that means ... in the game room in lv2 ... my monk waltzed up to a demon (starts with a C...)and took care of it within 30secs, without taking a single point of damage. At this level the monk has FOUR attacks per round, has almost 30% spell resistance and very high saves in all three classes. Spells up to level 5 and 6 ALMOST NEVER affect the monk at this level. Get that? You can stand right next to an enemy wizard...magic missile, fireball, web, entangle, gas cloud, chromatic orb, icelance, charm, sleep, chaos, silence...whatever they DO NOT have an effect on the monk in practice at this level. THAT is very powerful. Ever heard of explosive potions? walk up to a HORDE of enemies, drop the explosive potion....enemies are obliterated, monk takes no damage. Not enough? Drop another. Wanna have more, spend points in crossbow, get rapid shot, get the nice magic crossbow in level two...result....load up on +2 magic bolts or better....fire FOUR shots (HIGH damage) per round at enemies from afar. I would like to see a ranger do that! I am not sure whether this is good...(I think it is)....but I managed to whack an Elder Earth Elemental in the game room once within the time limit as well, no weapons used, did not need to heal once. I have been playing a monk ever since BG2, and in BG2 the monk was ridiculously powerful. I can assure you that he/she is MORE in IWD2. You just have to know how to play it.

10-02-2002, 06:14 AM	#18
Ishanda Dungeon Master Join Date: September 23, 2002 Location: South Africa Age: 50 Posts: 61	Ok...I give up I am biased...do not take a monk. At level 20 (which I am going to reach with a bit of luck) the monk is the most powerful character in the game. And that by MILES. But since you will not get close to this level, there is no point in having a monk in your party....

10-02-2002, 06:24 AM	#19
Ishanda Dungeon Master Join Date: September 23, 2002 Location: South Africa Age: 50 Posts: 61	Ok...I give up I am biased...do not take a monk. At level 20 (which I am going to reach with a bit of luck) the monk is the most powerful character in the game. And that by MILES. But since you will not get close to this level, there is no point in having a monk in your party....

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