Please pick a class for me!

[mrdeluxe]

I'm in a constant state of restarting.

I have finished BG1 + ToSC a few times, and SoA at least a couple of times, but I never went very far in ToB (never left the first city, actually), so I want to pick a cool character, and a cool party, and just finish the d@mn game!

However, I don't know what to choose. I was first going through it all with the "canonical" party (PC, Imoen, Jaheira, Khalid, Minsc and Dynaheir in BG1; Minsc, Jaheira, Imoen, Aerie and eventually Mr. ToB in BG2), but the prospect of managing that whole party is daunting! And kinda makes my own character choice mute, since all the basis are covered with the NPCs.

So I've been toying with the idea of a (much) smaller party, one that optimizes each individual companion, makes the PC class choice that much more important, and that can make sense roleplaying-wise.

For BG1 it will be, mostly, just the PC and Imoen. After the shock of watching the murder of Gorion, and the subsequent assassination attempts, I don't think our hero would be very trustworthy and let new people accompany him.
One exception can be made for Viconia. Since she is in danger when we meet her, the PC can empathize with her situation (and the fact that she as nowhere to go), and let her join. Other NPCs could join briefly, like Minsc for rescuing Dynaheir, but for the most part it would be: PC, Imoen and Viconia.

In BG2, if we ignore the companions the game automatically gives, and follow our choices in BG1 (wouldn't it be cool to have a mod that changes who we can release from the cages in Irenicus dungeon according to who was accompanying us when we killed Sarevok?), we have Imoen for a little while and soon enough we can help Viconia again (which works rather nicely for a romance option as well).

So that means that, for a big part of SoA, we have the PC and Viconia, eventually joined by Imoen.

On that note, and not forgetting the NPC that will join in ToB (lets just say it's a Fighter), what class is best suited, and more fun to play with, for this party?

First, what we have:

We have a thief for BG1(Imoen), but not for most of BG2. And when we do, it will be more mage than thief.
We have a mage at the same time we have a thief in BG2.
We have a cleric (Viconia) almost all of the time, except in the beginning of BG1.
We will, eventually, have a very strong fighter.

Now, what we don't have:

A Fighter in both games, with the exception of ToB.
A Mage until we have Imoen (I could just rush past chapter 2 and 3 and get Imoen ASAP)
A Thief, until Imoen.

Finally, my requirements!

I prefer humans, they're just more identifiable. But that also means no multi-classing, which I don't mind because it makes things more challenging and interesting.
I don't really like playing mages. I know they can be uber powerful but it just doesn't fit my play style.

Other than that, I'm open to any ideas or suggestions! I have dabbled with most of the classes already, but I only went very far with a couple of them. I have finished BG1 and 2 with a Bard (Blade) already, and it was enjoyable, but I was looking for something a little different.

Sorry for the extremely long post, but I just can't stop thinking about this game!

[kmonster]

You don't like spellcasters so take an inquisitor, you can simply dispel and slash the enemies apart.

[Wrathful]

Are you going to play BG1 or easytutu/BGT? Easytutu might be hard with just PC, Imoen and Viconia.

Anyways, I would go with a human fighter, berserker.
You could roleplay and say that PC actually was just an ordinary guy, say he knows a thing or two about axes or swords, but after witnessing Gorion's death, he enraged and picked up an axe/sword/whatever, and felt the need to avenge his foster father.

You will need a fighter for BG1, that would be PC. Viconia covers divine casting, but you lack an arcane caster. That could be solved by dualing Imoen to a mage early, just after she hits ~80 in Find Traps. You really need a thief only for finding traps in Durlag's Tower, and potions will cover most of those needs anyway.

Same goes for BG2; you need a thief for Watcher's Keep, and that's preety much it. Imoen covers that with ease, and summons can take care of a few nasty traps here and there until you get her. However, if you need a mage before Spellhold, you can roleplay in some way, and hire Nalia or Jan.

Imoen is fit to be your primary mage in SoA/ToB, so you've got that covered. You've got Viconia, so divine casting is also covered. Finally, a berserker and a certain fighter would cover your needs for tanking and inflicting physical damage.

[mrdeluxe]

Thanks for the replies!

I was already considering the Inquisitor (the disadvantages of this class are easily compensated by having Viconia with me) and a Berserker or a Barbarian (I'm leading more towards the Barbarian since I never actually played one). Both seem like excellent choices and are quite good at fighting against mages: the Inquisitor can dispel them, as kmonster said, and a Barbarian or Berserker can just rage kill them and not worry too much about spells.

However I'm afraid the combat will end up being rather simplistic: point to want you want dead and it will be so. Although I never actually played any of these classes, I might be wrong. (I've played a Cavalier with a full party and ended up becoming quite bored.)

How do you think a Swashbuckler fares in this scenario and as a fighter? I know it will, eventually, have great AC but I'm afraid it will still be rather weak as a damage dealer, particularly in BG1 (I'm playing Tutu, btw).

The Monk is also an interesting class, and its magic resistance plays nicely with Viconia's, but I'm also afraid the gameplay will end up very similar to a fighter…

[Wrathful]

Swashbucklers are great fighters, and IMO the only useful thief class from a powergaming perspective. (yeah, I know I will get flamed; assassins are nice sometimes, and bounty hunters are useless most of the times)

However, playing easytutu with Swashbuckler + Imoen could be frustrating. I'm not saying it can't be done, but it would be difficult for most players.

Also, since both PC and Imoen are thieves, there is some redundancy, and usually it's not a welcome thing in such a small party.

[Blomdor]

I too have started and restarted this game far more times than I have actually finished it. It's hard to explain why. I think sometimes making characters and thinking of the possibilities is more fun than playing the game itself. I've made lots of teams that sound awesome to play on paper, but just have too much of a slow start to be much fun, or don't work out the way I thought they would. I've gotten to the Underdark and beyond well over 10, maybe 15 times, only to start over in order to fix some minor flaw in one of the characters.

The first thing that comes to my mind here is a paladin of some sort. It would provide some much-needed melee power as well as your choice of backup cleric support or an extraordinarily powerful dispel that will make almost any pre-TOB mage an easy opponent provided they don't cast Spell Immunity: Abjuration. Considering the additional lack of arcane casting until you find Imoen, this could be extremely helpful, since you do not have much else with which to answer a mage that throws up one of the many overpowered protection spells in the game. It would also allow you to pick up one of the most powerful weapons in the game sometime in SoA, which is always nice.

Swashbucklers start slow, but are very powerful at high levels. Save up buffing scrolls e.g. Stoneskin, dual wield for an extra attack per round to boost your melee abilities (you could also use a staff), pick up short bow, and eventually you will have an incredibly strong and versatile character. With the small party size in mind, he will level up very quickly, making the task of reaching his full potential less daunting. He could also be a substitute trap disarmer and lock picker before you get Imoen back in SoA. The other thing I like about thieves is that they can essentially dump free cash and items on you as soon as you start BG 2 depending on how sneaky (cheesy?) you want to be.

Regarding the berserker vs. the barbarian: the former has more melee power, the latter runs faster, takes hits better, and can use bows and crossbows more effectively. How big the difference is depends on the mods you have; with unnerfed grandmastery, it is very significant, otherwise it is just +something or other to hit and damage IIRC. Go with what you like more stylistically if this is the route you take, though personally I would take one of the above options for more versatility.

Just a thought: rangers can be fun, and the stalker subclass gets a few useful arcane spells in addition to some backstabbing ability. Unfortunately, they are weaker in melee than fighters or paladins due to the lack of grandmastery or Carsomyr, and the low level druid spells they eventually obtain are rarely of much use by the time you get them. Nevertheless, they're worthy of consideration if you can accept their weaknesses.

Keep in mind that it can be hard enough to make it through the woods outside Candlekeep with a party of six. With such a small party, it may be difficult to kill things like wolves before you gain a couple of levels. You'll probably need to kite enemies frequently or sneak around some tough encounters at first. I would even considering picking up Xzar and Montaron just to distract the gibberlings and bandits at least. You'll hit BG1's level cap without even trying anyway, even with the expansion and a party of six. You might as well pick up some temporary help. It's up to you, of course.

Good luck and have fun.

[mrdeluxe]

I too have started and restarted this game far more times than I have actually finished it. It's hard to explain why. I think sometimes making characters and thinking of the possibilities is more fun than playing the game itself.

That's exactly it. I think for those of us that know the game fairly well it's more exciting to create cool characters than to actually play with them, because we've already did it in your mind, and know how it will play out.

Regarding this particular character, I've been thinking about what could be more challenging and keep me interested in the long run. Berserker, Barbarian and Paladin are fantastic characters, but their play style is very similar from the start to the end. I like Stalkers and have played with them before, but I was looking for something a little different.

That ends up with Swashbuckler or a Monk.

Completely different personalities of characters: the first is care free, charming, witty and prone to get into trouble and seek adventure, the latter is a pacifist, sheltered person that spent all of his life reading and contemplating.

But I like both these characters because they're high maintenance at the start but end up quite powerful at the end (when it's needed), so I get a sense for accomplishment. And they both can use different tactics (hit and fade, use wands, ranged attacks, etc.)

I'm actually more inclined to the monk because of what Wrathful said: I would get some redundancy with Imoen. And for BG2 I could "help" Yoshimo at the beginning and keep him until Imoen. Since I've only done this once, a long time ago, it might make for a more interesting game.

Thanks for the great suggestions. I do love to think about this!

[Wrathful]

Don't forget to post some commentary, maybe even screenshots, on how the game goes!

[kmonster]

I don't think think you'll go far with a swashbuckler or monk. Swashbuckler in BG1 is just a thief with less options (no backstab), you're limited to 1 base attack per round, low HP and pathetic armor, the helm slot stays empty, you don't get enough proficiency points to take advantage of the swashbuckler weapon specialization benefits.

Most of your game will be over before you get your first HLAs (whirlwind, use any item) and additional options, you already know most HLAs from your blade game.

Monk also are quite useless during the whole BG1 and the first part of BG2.

[mrdeluxe]

Adventure time!

Well, I went ahead with the Monk. I got a pretty good roll (see attachment). I know Wisdom is useless on a Monk, but playing one without high wisdom doesn't seem right. I put 17 Con because that way, after the Tome and with 18 I can wear the Claw of Kazgaroth with no ill effects (do you think I should take it with me to BG2 or is the Helm of Balduran more useful?).

It took me about 5 minutes to kill a Dire Wolf, with Imoen shooting arrows and I throwing daggers, but I didn't have that much more problems with the Gibberlings that I have with regular non-fighter characters. I just need to improve my THAC0.

Now, off to the Friendly Arm Inn! Anyone knows how I can get some easy XP along the way?

[mrdeluxe]

A few lessons already learned:

1 - Movement speed is the Monks best friend, at this stage. When everything else fails, I can just run around the monsters and let Imoen do the killing.

2 - If you choose to use throwing daggers, remember to buy lots of them in Candlekeep. All you can. There aren't throwing daggers for sale on the Friendly Arm.

3 - Also never forget to buy extra arrows for Imoen before leaving Candlekeep. They run out fast!

[Blomdor]

Good luck with the monk. I've never used one, mainly because of the high maintenance involved and their late-game advantages seeming a little underwhelming for the effort involved (on paper; it's always a little different in-game than what I expect). Watch out for kobold commandos and other archers.

The fetch quest involving a flamedance ring outside the friendly arm is a fast and easy source of decent xp. After that, you could take Unshey's quest to get her girdle back from the ogre south of the Inn, an easy fight for any party that can get past that annoying mage camping on the stairs. Marl in Beregost is another source of easy xp if you say the right things when he first confronts you. With such a small party at such low levels, it should add up very quickly.

In addition to the easier quests, most of the wilderness areas within a screen of the path between Beregost and the Friendly Arm are not *too* dangerous for a low level party IIRC (with the notable exception of the High Hedge which has hordes of knife throwing skeletons). Explore a bit and take on a few easy monster groups e.g. gibberlings, ghouls, bears, etc. Usually it's not long before I hit level 3 even with a full party.

I hope this is good advice . I've never attempted BG1 with a particularly fragile party like this, so some things e.g. the exploration might be a bit much for your party at level 1. You might want to try to reach level 2 on just the easy fetch quests and such. Sorry I can't remember more, I've been through BG2s starting areas many more times, though the number of times I've actually completed the two is about the same. I like BG1's plot and usually manage to stick with it just for that.

EDIT: WOW at that roll. That must have took patience. Paladins are hard enough to roll for, let alone monks. As a note, I'm curious if he gets any bonuses for having more than 16 constitution as fighters, paladins, and rangers do.

[mrdeluxe]

EDIT: WOW at that roll. That must have took patience. Paladins are hard enough to roll for, let alone monks. As a note, I'm curious if he gets any bonuses for having more than 16 constitution as fighters, paladins, and rangers do.

That was something like my 5th roll, however I had to close the game unexpectadly and then I kept trying until I got the same roll again! :laugh:

To my knowledge, I don't have any special bonuses. I just gave him 17 for the Claw (17+1 for the Tome -2 for the Claw=16 Con, no loss of HP).

Imoen and I just hit level 2. The girdle Ogre, while resilient, was slow and dumb, and now I can go toe-to-toe with a pack of Giberlings!

I just have no idea what to do on the Nashkel Mines. I'm going to be murdered by kobolds! Not to mention Mulahey's minions…

[kmonster]

Try to get Viconia as soon as possible so she gets max HP at level up. With ankheg plate and shield most monsters will have trouble hitting her.

If you need throwing daggers you can get them in unlimited numbers from the skeletons in High Hedge.

If you feel weak just hide somewhere in a corner, the mighty Imoen will gladly protect her little brother and kill the baddies with deadly thief tactics.:laugh:

[Wrathful]

There is a free Ankheg armor in Nashkel, but I bet you all know that already...

[kmonster]

I recommend having Imoen steal Algernon's cloak in Bereghost. It's less cheesy and less time consuming than running around in circles.

[Wrathful]

It is debatable! xD

[mrdeluxe]

Well, I just killed Mulahey! It was easier than I though. Imoen and I are Level 4 now, while Viconia is level 3. She was casting Turn Undead for the skeletons while keeping the kobolds entertained while Imoen shot them down and I fought Mulahey. Stunning blog is a godsend! One hit and he was stunned, allowing me to send him to a world of pain. He did cast Held on me, luckily I had Viconia memorize one Held person herself! After my Held wore off, we three pummeled the half-orc to the ground.

And I'm now starting to have an usable Hide-in-Shadows! That allows for much diverse tactics.

[Blomdor]

Honestly if you can make it past those annoying hordes of kobolds at level 3-4 then I can see you beating the rest of the game easily enough. Later fights can be challenging but you have so many more abilities and are so much more powerful that it has never seemed to be quite as difficult as just surviving while your best fighter is still wearing standard splint mail and getting by on 30 hp. Good job getting this far with a monk and thief of all things.

I never really felt bad about the "spoilers" scattered around the maps, until I saw just how powerful the ankheg plate is when you're still fighting bandits and such. The early chapters clearly do not assume that the party has such powerful equipment. The ring of wizardry, too, is absurdly powerful and in fact toned down considerably in BG2 (and made exclusive to PC wizards to boot). A cleric decked in this stuff with a good shield and a high dex, e.g. Vicky, will have BG2-esque AC in freakin' Nashkel and can push it even higher whenever she feels the need. Have fun . Still, it's THERE and does not require some kind of cheat to get to, so I've never felt TOO bad using it.

Are you going to do Durlag's? Some of the stuff in there gave me hell with a custom 6-man party. Feels like a mini-Watcher's Keep at times. It might be fun to try it with a challenging party like this one. It's also a nice last-thing-to-do before the city of Baldur's Gate's fetch-quest-o-thon.

[mrdeluxe]

I know what you mean. It feels a little cheesy getting the Ring of Wizardry and the Plates when you're level 2 or 3! However the Ring I didn't use except to have Xan identify some items, and the plate… well, granted it did push Viconias' AC to -4, but the game does assume you're playing with a 6-man party and this point, so it wasn't *that* much of a cheat!

I am so very much going to Durlag, but I still have a long way to go. Kobolds are all fun and games, but a couple of Ghasts is a completely different story! I'll see if I can handle Greywolf and then I'm off with Minsc to rescue Dynaheir! Wish me luck…