Is the elf the best race for a fighter/thief?

cbarchuk · Post by **cbarchuk** » Mon May 02, 2011 4:25 pm

Just curious. I see alot folks using halflings instead. I figured with the THACO bonus with swords and bows and better STR that elves were overall better. Just wanted to see what you halfling fans out there say. Thinking of rolling one for my next play-through. Thanks

kmonster · Post by **kmonster** » Mon May 02, 2011 5:52 pm

Halflings and gnomes get saving throw bonuses, more hitpoints and can wear the best helmet in the game if they're good aligned. Dex can be raised with cat's grace, con can't. When the halfling gets the Girdle of Stromnos he'll be great, I prefer gnomes since they have 18/00 strength from the start. Thac0 will get so good later in the game that you won't benefit from the elven bonuses any more.

cbarchuk · Post by **cbarchuk** » Mon May 02, 2011 7:53 pm

Damn. I didn't even think about their saving throw bonuses much less that helmet. That's sweet. I totally forgot about the CON score of the elves as well. Damn K, thanks for enlightenment...again.

Kastagir · Post by **Kastagir** » Sun May 08, 2011 12:32 am

I don't understand why I keep seeing the same people insisting that you need a good-aligned gnome or halfling to wear the Helm of the Trusted Defender. The item has no such requirements (with HoW installed). My True Neutral gnome can wear it just fine. And gnomes don't "have 18/00 strength from the start" unless you mean to say that they can have up to 18/00 strength from the start. That's far from guaranteed unless you're editing your game, in which case why bother observing racial characteristic maximums?

Halflings have slightly better saves and a better dex, so if you plan to use them for ranged attacks, even part-time, they will be superior to gnomes in this regard, especially after they get some str-increasing items. This works great if you give them a sling, but sadly their bonus to throwing weapons was not implemented in IWD (it was in BG and BG2), so they don't get the +1 with thrown daggers or axes. In my opinion, gnomes make for better mages, or fighter/mages than thieves.

Kastagir · Post by **Kastagir** » Sun May 08, 2011 12:34 am

The Helm of the Trusted Defender does not require the gnome or halfling to be good-aligned, at least not with HoW installed.

Philos · Post by **Philos** » Mon May 09, 2011 7:18 pm

Had a saved gamed with my party in Conlon's shop. Checked the description for the Helm of the Trusted Defender. It does not make any mention whatsoever of alignment requirements. So it should usable by any gnome or halfling. The helm also grants immunity to sleep spells so the wearer would have the same immunity to that as an elf. But by the time you have saved enough to buy it, you are likely to no longer be effected by that spell anyhow. (Do any of the IWD foes even cast it?!?, I can not seem to recall any.)

My own personal preference for a fighter/thief is the gnome, primarily for the better strength to backstab with. But if I wanted a sniper/thief I agree that the halfling might be better. Either makes a good choice.

dcinroc · Post by **dcinroc** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 2:24 pm

Personally, I prefer the halfling with the Dex bonus. They make good ranged attackers. And I like the halfling portraits better. ;-)

Dante2377 · Post by **Dante2377** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 3:49 pm

not having the exceptional strength is a big minus if you're using a sling since slings add strength damage (don't halflings have a max strength less than 18)

dcinroc · Post by **dcinroc** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 7:24 pm

Dante2377 wrote:not having the exceptional strength is a big minus if you're using a sling since slings add strength damage (don't halflings have a max strength less than 18)

I always used a crossbow and then dual-wield in hth.