balanced parties

[DragonOfAutumn]

hi guys. I've played through IWD probably a dozen times and HoW maybe half that amount. So I've tried many of the fantasy cliche type parties.

Most of them were 6 people sometimes 5 members. Most of them being Fighter or Paladin up front and then another Fighter or Ranger and a mage a cleric and usually a half-elf multi class fighter thief.

I wanted to try something different now. Like the gnome illusionist or something. I would like a druid to.

I was looking at a creation guide and had 5 or 6 ideas for different characters, and thought of a few myself. I may do two parties so I can try them all.

I was also thinking of having just 4 maybe 5 members, so its a bit more challenging. But not 1, just cause the stealth/hit and run isn't much my play style. I like to also get to use the strong armor and swords so I like warriors and characters that can wear them without penalties, but just one character that can would suffice. On my second play through I want to take them into HoF mode so they need to be strong. Do you get better weapons in HoF mode?

Here are my ideas:

Fighter 6--> Druid
(fighter dualed at 6)

Ranger --> Cleric
(I read to dual at 12 or 15 if one can hold out, for 3rd and 4th level spells respectivily)

Fighter 2 -> Mage
(enough for some extra H.P's and W.P)

Paladin

Bard

Thief 9 --> Fighter
(enough to get Evasion and some good thief skills)

________

I'm just trying to figure out how to break up these guys into two groups of 4 or 5. And of course each party needs a thief of some kind and a healer.

I was first thinking the fighter-->Druid, the ranger-->cleric, thief-->fighter, and a Fighter 2-->mage.
all dualed over but i'd probably be potion reliant for a while. any good ideas are welcome thanks!

This is my first play through in years but I am looking forward to it.

[kmonster]

HoF is nothing to be scared about with an experienced party, if you want a challenge start from scratch.
You'll find the same items in HoF mode as in normal mode. Smaller parties won't make the game more challenging since you'll level faster.

1.) Dualing at level 6 isn't great. You get only 1 additional proficiency point compared to dualing at level 3 while waiting until fighter level 7 will grant an extra half attack per round which even affects shapeshift forms.
Since druids need only 125,000 XP for level 10 even a fighter9/druid will have a short dualing period.
Choose scimitar as melee weapon proficiency. Shields can grant bonuses even when shapeshifted and scimitar proficiency affects polar bear attack bonuses.

2.) 7 ranger levels already allow to specialize in 3 weapon types and grant an additional extra half attack for the 7th ranger level. You need 13 ranger levels for the next noteworthy improvement (extra half attack). You have another character for casting druid spells.

3.) Fighter3>mage is better. I'd go cleric9/mage instead, playing without a healer for a very long time isn't fun. You have a bard for casting mage spells early in the game.

4.) With a paladin you can't buy or sell stuff in Dragon's Eye level 4.

5.) Bards are great.

6.) You'll have only lousy 18 strength before finding the girdle in chapter 6 and not many hitpoints. If you dual after level 10 instead you'll get 3 extra hitpoints (th10: 1-6, fi10: 3). I prefer multiclass (good aligned gnome or halfling) since there's no dualing period and 3E sneak attacks improve until the end.

[DragonOfAutumn]

I played a paladin before i don't remember not being able to buy in that area of the game. I remember he exposes them but I just moved him to a different character slot for that level.

anyways, my party is changed accordingly:

fighter 7--> druid
cleric 9 --> mage
Bard
Gnome multi class fighter/thief


I had to edit that again i got a cleric mage and now don't need a ranger/cleric. so what to have for the last class or two..... i want heavy armor so I'm going with a pure Ranger for party leader. I wonder if Yuan Ti profiencey works on the godess in the dragons den lvl 5.

[Philos]

Dragon's Eye Level 4 ** SPOILER**

There is a way around the problem K-monster mentions regarding Dragon's Eye level 4. I have had many a Paladin in my IWD1 parties. **SPOILER**

Spoiler

The problem is that if the paladin is within view of the bogus "Eldathan" high priest, their senses pick up automatically that the guy is a fraud. What I do is leave my paladin at the door went first entering this level. Then use another party member to trigger the encounter and meet the "Eldathan" high priest. Then I go and buy spells from his assistant in the next room. IIRC, this assistant has 2 or 3 nice spells you cannot pick up anywhere else. After I buy what I want, then I bring my paladin around and have them speak to the "Eldathan" high priest. This exposes the fraud and kicks in the experience bonus for doing so.

This has worked everytime for me.