Which weapon proficiencies did you choose for your monk besides daggers ?
I'd choose darts, they are not as expensive, do more damage per round, better stackable and easier to get than throwing daggers.
When are you planning to dual Imoen and which weapon proficiency did you give her at level 4 ?
I guess your main problem is the low damage output (combined with high ammo consumption), you can improve it somewhat by getting the bracers of archery in the area south of Nashkel from the "fastest dart thrower on the Coast" and the gauntlets of weapon expertise in the Firewine Bridge area from the "best and most skilled swordsman on the Sword Coast".
Please pick a class for me!
I chose darts! I should've chosen darts from the start, the 3 ApR would've make everything easier. Now that I think about it, I'm going to buy me some darts! 
I gave Imoen proficiencies in Long Sword. Maybe it was a mistake, but I didn't knew what to give to her and at least someone will be able to swing Varscona.
I'm going to dual Imoen as soon as she hits level 5, that way I can raise her Trap Detection and Open Locks both to 90. With a party of 3 that shouldn't take very long…
I gave Imoen proficiencies in Long Sword. Maybe it was a mistake, but I didn't knew what to give to her and at least someone will be able to swing Varscona.
I'm going to dual Imoen as soon as she hits level 5, that way I can raise her Trap Detection and Open Locks both to 90. With a party of 3 that shouldn't take very long…
Level 5 is the good level for dualing Imoen, she gets backstab*3 and will be able to choose a thief proficiency when reaching level 6. I'd choose single weapon style then, what you choose as first mage proficiency is quite unimportant, maybe quarterstaff so you have someone to use the quarterstaff +3 effectively or darts or daggers so you can use them during the dualing period without +5 penalty.
I just rescued Dynaheir…
…and the class is rapidly loosing its flavor. It's way to fragile for BG1, which means I'm delegated to throwing darts, but the ranged THAC0 isn't that great, as I keep missing. I though the challenge would keep me interested but in fact it's making me not enjoy the game. I'm almost level 5 and I don't think I'm ready for the bandit campo! This is another example of a class that's fantastic on paper, and for roleplaying, but not that great for actually playing it, at least not in BG1.
So now I'm thinking about a class that can get a little more AC earlier. Perhaps my second choice: the swashbuckler…
…and the class is rapidly loosing its flavor. It's way to fragile for BG1, which means I'm delegated to throwing darts, but the ranged THAC0 isn't that great, as I keep missing. I though the challenge would keep me interested but in fact it's making me not enjoy the game. I'm almost level 5 and I don't think I'm ready for the bandit campo! This is another example of a class that's fantastic on paper, and for roleplaying, but not that great for actually playing it, at least not in BG1.
So now I'm thinking about a class that can get a little more AC earlier. Perhaps my second choice: the swashbuckler…
-
Crenshinibon
- Posts: 2665
- Joined: Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:35 pm
- Contact:
mrdeluxe, instead of quitting your Monk, why not utilize his/her natural abilities and make the most out of them? Use an Amulet of Shielding to increase your AC and Wands to deal damage.
You can literally play the Monk just like you would a mage - and let me tell you, the Wand of Fire, doesn't care one bit about your THAC0. :laugh:
You can literally play the Monk just like you would a mage - and let me tell you, the Wand of Fire, doesn't care one bit about your THAC0. :laugh:
“The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially.”
I know what you guys mean but I think it's how Blomdor said: sometimes we conceptualize a character on paper, and think it's going to be awesome, and then we realize we're not really having fun with it. I know the monk is a great class and I thought I was going to enjoy the process of having him gradually grow in power, but in actuality, it was a bore.
This is my real problem with choosing a character class, particularly for a long term "commitment" (kinda) like playing the Trilogy: it's hard to find a balance of a character that is accessible enough to play though BG1 and doesn't get boring after awhile. The Paladin, the Archer, the Barbarian, the Mage or Sorcerer: these are awesome classes but, when I reach Baldur's Gate I'm bored with them.
The Monk, the Kensai, the Assassin: cool, interesting characters and—eventually—very powerful, but you need to babysit them through all of BG1.
That's why, I think, many choose to use dual or multiclasses: to keep things interesting and to have that feeling of starting OK and ending very strong.
EDIT: Of course I only have this problem because I decided I didn't want a full party. Any class can work great when in a 6 or even 4 man party!
This is my real problem with choosing a character class, particularly for a long term "commitment" (kinda) like playing the Trilogy: it's hard to find a balance of a character that is accessible enough to play though BG1 and doesn't get boring after awhile. The Paladin, the Archer, the Barbarian, the Mage or Sorcerer: these are awesome classes but, when I reach Baldur's Gate I'm bored with them.
The Monk, the Kensai, the Assassin: cool, interesting characters and—eventually—very powerful, but you need to babysit them through all of BG1.
That's why, I think, many choose to use dual or multiclasses: to keep things interesting and to have that feeling of starting OK and ending very strong.
EDIT: Of course I only have this problem because I decided I didn't want a full party. Any class can work great when in a 6 or even 4 man party!
By the way, how viable do you guys think a Half-Orc Kensai wielding a quarterstaff would be? I like the visual but I'm afraid it will end up a lot like the Monk.
The other option is a Half-Orc Barbarian, again wielding quarterstaff. The Barbarian looks like a very cool class, but that rage and immunities looks like they're game breaking!
While the Kensai will probably hit harder on the long-run, I guess the Barbarian is more durable? I never played as a Barbarian but just by looking at the class Strenghs it almost looks like overpowered!
The other option is a Half-Orc Barbarian, again wielding quarterstaff. The Barbarian looks like a very cool class, but that rage and immunities looks like they're game breaking!
While the Kensai will probably hit harder on the long-run, I guess the Barbarian is more durable? I never played as a Barbarian but just by looking at the class Strenghs it almost looks like overpowered!
I play classes that are strong in easytutu, and usually do not import to SoA. Instead, I create a different character, which is better suited to SoA challenges. Yeah, it does take away a bit of a roleplaying joy, but not completing the game takes away even more.mrdeluxe wrote:This is my real problem with choosing a character class, particularly for a long term "commitment" (kinda) like playing the Trilogy: it's hard to find a balance of a character that is accessible enough to play though BG1 and doesn't get boring after awhile. The Paladin, the Archer, the Barbarian, the Mage or Sorcerer: these are awesome classes but, when I reach Baldur's Gate I'm bored with them.
By the way, half orc Barbarian is awesome in easytutu. 19 STR & CON, 18 DEX, dual-wielding one is very import-friendly.
When the day be done, the day be done.
Excellent:
[url]tinyurl.com/ctvv599[/url] ** [url]tinyurl.com/bvrdfn6[/url] ** [url]tinyurl.com/bo8o9zx[/url] ** [url]tinyurl.com/d8yzbya[/url]
Excellent:
[url]tinyurl.com/ctvv599[/url] ** [url]tinyurl.com/bvrdfn6[/url] ** [url]tinyurl.com/bo8o9zx[/url] ** [url]tinyurl.com/d8yzbya[/url]
I guess every class gets boring after playing for dozens of hours... I just slew Sarevok with a cleric/ranger and that´s a really versatile one, since you can bash heads in, summon, buff and cast offensive spells. Still, it´s getting a bit old... on the other hand, this character did keep my interest far longer than my latest play attempts, so I do recommend it
Sorry the monk didn't work out for you. They are really not balanced for BG1 at all. They're probably the most extreme of the slow starter classes in BG2 IMO; in the first game they will be weak for literally the entire game without a lot of item use and buff support from other characters. Still, BG1 is doable with anyone with a lot of patience, and as Crenshinibon pointed out there are many powerful items in both games that will help make up for the monk's fragility and lack of attack power.
If you want a more late game-oriented class that's a little more reasonable to babysit through the first game, Kensai solves the sitting-in-the-back-with-knives-being-useless problem (and in fact can be very potent with knives, though I recommend axes personally because of a certain BG2 weapon... ) but are quite boring since they are just modified fighters, and have similar problems with durability due to the lack of armor. You can, of course, work around these weaknesses by making one of their several cheesy dual-class combos, but that's been done to death and makes one of the most overpowered characters possible.
Have you ever tried druids? Their spell selection is not quite as interesting as it is in the IWD games IMO, but they still get some very cool spells. Avoid totemic druid; their special summons completely break BG1.
Good luck making it to TOB without restarting again. I'm having a pretty good time going through with a friend, each of us having 3 characters of our choice. That could be fun, if you know somebody else that plays old DnD games.
If you want a more late game-oriented class that's a little more reasonable to babysit through the first game, Kensai solves the sitting-in-the-back-with-knives-being-useless problem (and in fact can be very potent with knives, though I recommend axes personally because of a certain BG2 weapon...
) but are quite boring since they are just modified fighters, and have similar problems with durability due to the lack of armor. You can, of course, work around these weaknesses by making one of their several cheesy dual-class combos, but that's been done to death and makes one of the most overpowered characters possible. Have you ever tried druids? Their spell selection is not quite as interesting as it is in the IWD games IMO, but they still get some very cool spells. Avoid totemic druid; their special summons completely break BG1.
Good luck making it to TOB without restarting again. I'm having a pretty good time going through with a friend, each of us having 3 characters of our choice. That could be fun, if you know somebody else that plays old DnD games.
The way I like to play the game is to first think of a concept, than to see how it would fit into the game. For example: right now I'm considering a reserved, pacifist half-orc that, due to this genetic inherence, is a fantastic warrior, but abhors bloodshed, so will never touch a sword. After the murder of Gorion, he his thrust into a violent world, but still he sticks with his quarterstaff, and is in a constant battle with half-orcish nature.
Before this I wanted a roguish, charismatic warrior who used dual daggers (see V for Vendetta) so I rolled a swashbuckler with Dual Wield and Daggers.
So I'm looking for cool concepts first, and then I look for a class that best fit it. That's probably why I got bored with the monk: I didn't develop a cool backstory for him, first.
Before this I wanted a roguish, charismatic warrior who used dual daggers (see V for Vendetta) so I rolled a swashbuckler with Dual Wield and Daggers.
So I'm looking for cool concepts first, and then I look for a class that best fit it.
That's probably why I got bored with the monk: I didn't develop a cool backstory for him, first.Ok, I have a new character idea but I have no idea how to pull this off in Baldur's Gate!
I want to make a Holy Warrior (think Paladin or Fighter/Cleric), but would fight with a sword (two-handed) and would only wear robes.
The Kensai/Mage comes to mind (can he wear robes?), but that would make him an arcane warrior, not a holy one. Kensai/Cleric forbids bladed weapons. Any suggestions?
Edit: I'm rethinking the need for a two-handed sword: could also be a Long Sword or Bastard Sword and Single Weapon Style, or even a Spear.
I want to make a Holy Warrior (think Paladin or Fighter/Cleric), but would fight with a sword (two-handed) and would only wear robes.
The Kensai/Mage comes to mind (can he wear robes?), but that would make him an arcane warrior, not a holy one. Kensai/Cleric forbids bladed weapons. Any suggestions?
Edit: I'm rethinking the need for a two-handed sword: could also be a Long Sword or Bastard Sword and Single Weapon Style, or even a Spear.
-
Crenshinibon
- Posts: 2665
- Joined: Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:35 pm
- Contact:
I have actually created several variations of such a character before, and there were several ways with which I approached it:
Cleric/Thief - Use the UAI ability to wield swords. Also, use the level 2 spell Flame Blade for a burning blade of justice!
Mage/Cleric - I used the Mage's spells for defensive and spell buffing purposes, just as a did with cleric, as per "divine might", and for swords, I actually used Flame Blade, Phantom Blade and Black Blade of Disaster.
Kensai/Cleric for me was definitely fun (also insanely strong), and while you can use the Flame Blade for a sword, I don't think he has the holy warrior feel... more of juggernaut of destruction.
Personally, I enjoyed the Mage/Cleric the most - and the advantage of the class is that you can play it all the way from Candlekeep.
Another fun build is actually using the Priest of Helm kit and dual classing him/her into either a mage, thief or fighter. The cleric already has the Seeking Sword ability present, which automatically grants 3 attacks per round. The THAC0 is far from the best, but the mix-in classes can definitely augment the cleric's abilities for the better.
Cleric/Thief - Use the UAI ability to wield swords. Also, use the level 2 spell Flame Blade for a burning blade of justice!
Mage/Cleric - I used the Mage's spells for defensive and spell buffing purposes, just as a did with cleric, as per "divine might", and for swords, I actually used Flame Blade, Phantom Blade and Black Blade of Disaster.
Kensai/Cleric for me was definitely fun (also insanely strong), and while you can use the Flame Blade for a sword, I don't think he has the holy warrior feel... more of juggernaut of destruction.
Personally, I enjoyed the Mage/Cleric the most - and the advantage of the class is that you can play it all the way from Candlekeep.
Another fun build is actually using the Priest of Helm kit and dual classing him/her into either a mage, thief or fighter. The cleric already has the Seeking Sword ability present, which automatically grants 3 attacks per round. The THAC0 is far from the best, but the mix-in classes can definitely augment the cleric's abilities for the better.
“The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially.”
-
chickenhed
- Posts: 51
- Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2007 12:36 am
- Location: Canada
- Contact:
-
Crenshinibon
- Posts: 2665
- Joined: Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:35 pm
- Contact:
If you solo the character, and completely every quest availible to you early on, you should have BOTH of your classes active and have several epic abilities before the end of Chapter 2.
Alternitevly, you could just cave in and use the Infinity Engine editor to grant your character the ability to use swords.
Alternitevly, you could just cave in and use the Infinity Engine editor to grant your character the ability to use swords.
“The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially.”