simply chatter

[zakharak]

Ohh, dear, i would rather be at home beginning the new chapter in IWD but i have a few hours till i am able too....

Just like to say: ive realized how important it is to generate perfect party for the game. Upon fighting Yxonomei, i noticed many small party defects, (such as my fighter being more proficient in bows than swords, or my cleric/fighter being the only available to use this special morning star +3 (bought at Conlan's >20000 gp) instead of having proficiency in bows, and able to cast more fire spells from afar.) well, i know that i will be able to go through all of this game with what i have, but i am taking notes, NOW.

I advise people who are starting out to really think hard when they make their characters. Make sure that thought has been put into future circumstances. Although, its impossible to plan that some weapon will not be available to elves, and that only your elf has high proficiency in that weapon class. Just simple thoughts i have had, recently.

One more thing: Question: When is it too late to Dual class? I read somewhere that a thief was unable to after level 9 or 10. Most of my chars are approaching that. Also, does anyone know any good methods for Dualing?
Thanks

Peace out.

[J'aran]

Hmmm, I always find it more fun to create a party with cool characters and then invent strategies to get around their weak points in battle than try to create a 'perfect' party at the beginning of the game. But that's probably just an issue of different taste.

About dual-classing, when I plan a dual-class character, I always get the experience-tables in my manual and look up at what level to dual so I can still reach a sufficient level in the second class. That way you can't go wrong. I don't think you will be 'banned' from dualing after level 10, but, depending on whether or not you have HoW, it might be difficult to reach that level in your second class where you regain the abilities of your first class. And if you're going to max out on mediocre levels at both classes, you might as well have gotten a multiclass. Dual-class is IMHO for a high level in the second class with some benefits of the first class.

[NobleNick]

zaharak,

My tastes tend to side with yours, on this one: I think dualing characters is a good idea.

I hadn't heard about the inability to dual a thief at level 9 or 10; but did hear of a guy that waited until level 19 and couldn't!

Do you have HoW installed? Like J'aran said, it might make a difference. WITHOUT HoW installed, your single class characters in a full party will probably end the game at level 12 to 13 (so I've been told). With HOW/TotLM installed, I think I remember folks saying level 16 to 17. With the "Heart of Fury" mode that is available in HoW, much higher levels are possible. Someone recently posted that they had a party of 4 characters, each of whom had gone to level 29 fighter and then dualled over to become level 30 in another class (2 mages, a thief, and another class).

I like to start with fighters, since you get high HP early on. I started with, among other "dualing" characters, 2 fighters that I wanted to dual over to mage. I originally had planned to REALLY stretch and dual them over after they got thier extra 1/2 attack at level 7. They are at level 8, now, and I see that level 7 really wasn't much of a stretch: I am going to dual one over to mage after he gets his extra proficiency point at level 9; and am holding onto the other fighter until she has aquired two more proficiency points (levels 9 and 12) and the additional 1/2 attack at level 13.

If you are only playing IWD (no HoW), and are not going to replay the game, then holding out til level 13 doesn't make sense. Otherwise, I think it is a grand idea!

The time to think about dualing is at character generation! You must ensure that your character has enough ability points and that they are put in the right places. The manual says that you need 15+ in all prime requisites for the class you are dualing from, and 17+ in all the prime requisites for the class you are dualling to. However, I would not be satisfied with less than max (18) in all prime requisites of both classes, plus an 18 in Constitution.

J'aran mentioned multiclass. I have a gnome multiclass mage / Specialist wizard; and really like her. However, I discovered an advantage that dual-classig has over multiclass: You do not get your full constitution bonus on gaining additional HP when your multiclass character levels. For instance, my MC mage/thief had 39 HP at level 5/5. ("Max HP" option was selected; so I don't know why it wasn't 40HP.) If I had dual-classed a human, with the same CON, to 5/5, she would have had 5*(6+2) + 5*(4+2) = 70HP. A better deal, IMO. (However, given that you need at least one party member with infravision, and it is really hard to go without a thief for any length of time, the gnome thief/mage is a really good addition to the party.)

If I was going to dual-class a thief, I'd start him as a fighter. This is because he will send most of his time as "point-man" and needs the extra HP and bow proficiency.

Hope you found this helpful.

[ 02-27-2002: Message edited by: NobleNick ]