party picking help please

[Gorbash]

Hello everyone. I've recently started playing Baldur's Gate 2, first try at it a while ago saw me just get too frustrated with it... heh, i'm older and prolly more patient now [img]smile.gif[/img] anyways, i've been playing a bit and getting a feel for the game and have decided that i want to create a nice balanced fun party to play... i dislike the characters that are available in the story, as they are not the people i envision when i think of my ideal party.

So far, i've decided to have this as my party:

Cavalier, the specialized mage that doesn't get identify spell (hehe, name totally escapes me at the moment, btw, are they that much superior to the reg mage?), multi cleric/fighter, druid, swashbuckler, and an archer.

Thoughts? that's what i see when i think of a party, but was wondering whether some of the more exotic classes might be a tad more fun to play.

Any help as to other options are very much welcomed and encouraged [img]smile.gif[/img]

oops, forgot to introduce myself, hehe, silly me... i'm gorbash (some might recognize the name... its from flight of dragons, best movie ever...heh). I'm most totally an elf archer either that or an evil evil mage... heh.

[andrewas]

Looks like an OK party to me. If I was to change it at all Id maybe add some more magic, or maybe another pure tank. But the group you have there should be fine.

One thing is without a regular/multi/dual mage you dont have the ID spell. If you explore enough you can find items that cast ID so its not a big deal, but it is nice to have. Specialists are much more powerful though, that extra spell per level comes in very handy.

You are missing out by not using the NPCs though, they may not be ideal but they are definatley interesting.

Not including the storyline NPCs in your party will severly effect quest generation, romances, and the plot. Several of the storyline NPCs "develop" as the story progresses. . . Not having the intial "crew" will make it impossible to finish the story. You should have at the very least: Jahiera, Imoen, Yoshimo to make it to the end. Almost every NPC you allow to join your party will eventually generate a specific quest.

[andrewas]

Originally posted by A waste of time. . .: Not having the intial "crew" will make it impossible to finish the story. You should have at the very least: Jahiera, Imoen, Yoshimo to make it to the end.

Not true, the main plot will develop regardless of your party makeup. Although the plot does assume Imoens presence, and as it happens the combination of Minsc, Jaheria, Imoen and Yoshimo make up a very good core for your party. Well, Imoen has her own problems, but that would be spoiling.

[Vedran]

I personally found mixed NPC-self created chars parties work the best. Eg: sorcerer, wizard slayer, cavalier, Viconia, Korgan, Haer-Dalis.

For yor party:
cavalier- good bonuses;
conjurer- I prefer illusionists, but OK;
cleric/fighter and druid- I'd recommend cleric (or fighter/cleric) and fighter/druid, cause pure druids are pretty weak;
archer- a must have;
swashbuckler- cannot backstab, I prefer bounty hunters (never underestimate traps).

[Kaltia]

I wuv my NPCs
Would never go anywhere without Kelsey, Viconia, Jan, minsc and Imoen...I don't do much soloing any more 'cause I missed the party interaction lines...*remembers Viconia's splinter in ToB and giggles*

[Kaltia]

WELCOME TO IW GORBASH! [img]graemlins/thewave.gif[/img] ;cheers: [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Firim Silraven]

Originally posted by Gorbash: oops, forgot to introduce myself, hehe, silly me... i'm gorbash (some might recognize the name... its from flight of dragons, best movie ever...heh)..

That film's great. I haven't seen it for a few years but it was one of my favourite's when I was younger. Even though the nasty ogre really scared me. And it was a little scary (for an 8 year old) when Ormadon (whatever his name was) turned into a hydra. I'll have to dig out the video tonight and watch it.

[True_Moose]

Originally posted by Gorbash: Cavalier, the specialized mage that doesn't get identify spell (hehe, name totally escapes me at the moment, btw, are they that much superior to the reg mage?), multi cleric/fighter, druid, swashbuckler, and an archer.

Hmm, why don't you try making that swashbuckler max out pick locks, find/remove traps and another skill (since you're a swashbuckler forget hide in shadows/move silently), max out his 2 wpn style and maybe longsword or katana, then dual him to mage. Give him robe of vecna, elven chain, and he's a monster. I think mage just cause your low on magic in party.

Originally posted by Vedran: cleric/fighter and druid- I'd recommend cleric (or fighter/cleric) and fighter/druid, cause pure druids are pretty weak;

I disagree. Give em points in dagger (for firetooth) and in ToB scimitar (spectral brand,) or staff (staff of the ram.) Then just have them sit back and harass enemy spellcasters with insect plague. They're pretty tough to use effectively though, so if you're new you might want to try a fighter/druid, which isn't as heavy on the druid.

[ 09-22-2002, 01:37 PM: Message edited by: True_Moose ]

[Lharae]

I recommend ranger/cleric over fighter/druid or cleric. Much more versatile. Thanks to your ranger spellcasting you have access to to both cleric and druid spells, which means EVERY cleric spell in the game. Specialize in flail and mace so you can dual wield Flail of the Ages and the Mace of Disruption and you have an undead killing machine. Later on you can add specialization in hammers, enabling you to wield Crom Faeyr, easily the best weapon in the game.