The strongest warrior?

[mrdeluxe]

It's that time of the year where Baldur's Gate yearns to be played and, likewise, comes the indecision: what class to play? Should it be a dexterous assassin? A pious priest with a twist (make him an half-orc!). A sharpshooting archer?

Well… at least for the time being I'm considering something I've never done before: playing as a plain-old fighter: not a Kensai, not a Paladin, not a Ranger, but a run-of-the-mill, long sword in hand, helm in head fighter.

Alas, I'm the spawn of Bhaal! The power of the Lord of Murder flows within my veins! I must not be just another fighter, I must be the fighter! Sarevok himself must tremble before my might!

And so I turn to you, brave Faerûn dwellers: what class do you think would make the strongest warrior?

(I say warrior and not fighter because, regardless of what I said above, I don't mind playing a Ranger or a Paladin, if it's the best choice, after all. I just want to be the biggest bad@ass in the block . Right now I'm considering the Berserker: I've never played one and that +2 bonus to hit and damage sound sweet.)

Oh and while we're discussing classes: anyone has any experience with a Priest of Talos? Do you loose your powers if your reputation is too high? Is one capable in combat or should just stick with healing and buffs?

[mrdeluxe]

Just to clarify: I understand that, probably, the strongest mêlée character is a Kensai>Mage, with a Kensai>Thief with UAI right behind it, but I'd rather not dual the Kensai… it seems antithetical to the spirit of the class. I don't mind multiclasses though, although I would much prefer a "pure" class or kit.

And I also know that the Blade is pretty powerful warrior, particularly when combining Offensive Spin with Tenser Transformation… but you're still a Bard. You have a harp in your bar. That's not very bad@ass… (although I could roleplay a Mance Rayder-like character! )

But I've played as a Blade before and was looking for something different this time. Something more Sarevok than Haer'Dalis. Something more: "FACE ME! FACE THE NEW LORD OF MUDER" than "Yes my raven?" or "At last... Oblivion!"

Bonus: I have the perfect portrait… I just need the class!

[galraen]

My preference in straight fighter is Brserker, it's the only fighter that can laugh in the face of vampires and liches alike.

[Scottg]

at least for the time being I'm considering something I've never done before: playing as a plain-old fighter: not a Kensai, not a Paladin, not a Ranger, but a run-of-the-mill, long sword in hand, helm in head fighter.

Alas, I'm the spawn of Bhaal! The power of the Lord of Murder flows within my veins! I must not be just another fighter, I must be the fighter! Sarevok himself must tremble before my might!

And so I turn to you, brave Faerûn dwellers: what class do you think would make the strongest warrior?

Strongest literally: Half-Orc Barbarian Raging or even stronger: Fighter/Cleric with buffs.

Most effective: Kensai dual to Thief with Use Any Item (at TOB levels).

[Brevan]

'Tis a fine portrait.

What class do you think would make the strongest warrior?

If we're just considering single-class characters, then I had plenty of fun with a dwarf Kensai with high constitution (mostly for the +5 Saving throw against spells). As long as I had potions of Defense or Invulnerability, I did very well. Keep a scroll box filled with green Protection scrolls. If you're playing with a party then they might cast Spirit Armor or Barkskin on you. Consider filling your quick-weapon slots with stuff that gives you immunities (Arbane's Short Sword, Adjatha the Drinker, Dragonslayer, Mace of Disruption, etc) since you can switch to that weapon while the spells are in the air, and then switch back to your regular weapon.

Also a high-constitution Halfling Swashbuckler is very powerful (4 attacks per round (Belm + Scarlet Ninja-to or Kundane), excellent AC despite leather (HumanFlesh) armor, good saving throws against Death and Spells), but he'd probably play a lot like a Blade once you're able to cast from scrolls (my character kept 3 scroll boxes as his "spell book"). An old swashbuckler can pull off excellent damage via Whirlwind (consider Firetooth crossbow with Koa-Toa Bolts or Bolts of Lightning) despite the penalties to damage and THAC0, and surprisingly respectable damage via darts or Tuigan short bow. Being able to dispel illusions while fighting was a really nice bonus for this character.

Oh and while we're discussing classes: anyone has any experience with a Priest of Talos? Do you loose your powers if your reputation is too high? Is one capable in combat or should just stick with healing and buffs?

No, you don't lose your powers, but since high reputation just saves you some money at shops there isn't a big reason to break your role-playing of such an evil character (I suppose you could punish some puppies after your purchases). If any cleric uses HolyMight (good THAC0 with 18/00 Str) with RighteousMagic (++Str with maximized damage) along with a potion of speed, then they're quite respectable fighters. You can probably dual-wield and still hit things well enough to justify the lack of shield and reduced THAC0. A Priest of Talos can do some nice close-range spell casting if immune to lightning in a tiny room. Heck, just wear the Helm of Defense while your StormShield is active and all those annoying party-unfriendly spells (LightningBolt and FireStorm mainly) become awesome since they heal you while killing stuff.

[mrdeluxe]

Thank you for the answers!

I know this question has been debated to death but bare with me:

Consider a character with 19 STR and 19 Con: would he benefit most from the Berserker's or the Barbarian's Rage? Looking at the tables, the barbarian rage would give him 23 STR, which means +2 To Hit, +4 Damage, which is +2 more damage than the Berserker's. If I'm able to increase my STR to 20 or 21 this would be even better. I haven no experience with a character with that much Con: how much HP would he get from the Barbarian Rage and is the regen noticeable in combat?

And how does the Ranger fare against the Barbarian? In theory the Ranger could be stronger than the Barbarian, with DUHM and, in the case of the Stalker specifically, backstabs. He would also get stealth which could open the opportunity for more tactical approaches.

I dunno. It frustrates me a little bit that I'll never be able to create a better Fighter than Sarevok and his deathbringer attack in ToB or his magical resistance in BG1…

What class do you think CHARNAME could excel at, better than any NPC? Bonus points if you don't abuse the system with crazy dual classes that cancel any class weaknesses (Kensai/Thief, I'm looking at you).

[galraen]

The constitution bonus is negligible max 9 extra HP over what you get for 19 con. The regeneration is insignificant, not even really noticeable in combat.

The advantage Berserk has over rage is it makes you immune to Imprisonment, which matters when facing liches, Elder Orbs (I think they are the beholders that cast it) and some other high level arcane casters.

It frustrates me a little bit that I'll never be able to create a better Fighter than Sarevok

Well part from the fact you're alive and he's dead, unless you're one of those strange people who like to let him live! That's always puzzled me; good or even neutral characters I would have thought would leave him to face his richly deserved punishment, and why would an evil person trust him?

[galraen]

PS When you do meet Sarevok in the start of ToB then you should be a far superior fighter to him , cheesebringer or no cheesebringer. You after all should have HLAs which he doesn't have at that point.

[mrdeluxe]

PS When you do meet Sarevok in the start of ToB then you should be a far superior fighter to him , cheesebringer or no cheesebringer. You after all should have HLAs which he doesn't have at that point.

True, but he will have them as well, eventually.
On thing CHARNAME will have over Sarevok is all the Hell trial's bonus. That and Slayer form.

Anyway. I ended up creating a Berserker (human, I fear). I enjoy the idea of a fighter who is skilled enough to use a berserker rage as a tactical choice.

I started at Candlekeep and gave him +++ in Long Swords and + in Two Weapons, but I'm using a shield for now (and for the time being, until I gain the AC or HP to resist enemy archers). But what would you suggest for BG2? I'm planning of going for complete Dual Wield style and Grandmastery in Long Swords and after that, perhaps Flails (for that "Witch King of Angmar" coolness). What other weapons do you recommend? Maybe Axes for Azuredge and Axe of Unyielding?

Speaking of proficiencies: How many proficiencies should I put into weapons for the off-hand? I remember reading that, regardless of number of attacks, they only hit once per round…

And, since I never played a straight fighter before (with the exception of the Kensai, who required a lot of micromanagement at earlier levels), I don't know how to keep him interesting… click on the thing you want to die starts loosing its appeal fast, don't you think?

[galraen]

I usually put two profs into two-weapon fighting. My Berserker is using axes, yep I exploit the throwing axe glitch!

Just got to Baldur's gate, party is

Imoen, just dualled to mage at 8th level, should just make it to 9th mage by the end of the game thanks to all the mods I'm running.

Montaron
Xzar
Viconia
Shar-Teel

It can get a bit monotonous playing a straight fighter, well almost straight being a berserker, but the other characters reduce that problem. Playing solo would be more of a chore in that sense, although once you get past level three far too easy.

[Brevan]

What other weapons do you recommend? Maybe Axes for Azuredge and Axe of Unyielding?

Consider Bastard Swords for Foebane+5 (even +3 is nice against undead) or Jhor the Bleeder (very nice against spellcasters) rather than long swords. Foebane's +4HP per attack is really nice when using whirlwind, and as a human you might like the saving throws bonus (although berserking makes you immune to most of the stuff you'd want to dodge).

Speaking of proficiencies: How many proficiencies should I put into weapons for the off-hand? I remember reading that, regardless of number of attacks, they only hit once per round…

True, the off-hand is the last hit of the round. Sometimes I don't bother with any proficiency points for that weapon, but only if I'm playing a character where the 3 THAC0 penalty isn't important (Kensai). If you're using a weapon that adds extra attacks, then the attack uses that weapon even if it's in the off-hand. It might be worth noting that normal haste-effects only add 1/2 an attack when your attacks per round already end in 1/2. With that in mind, most higher-level warriors don't benefit greatly from even 2 proficiency points (just +1THAC0 and +2Damage, neither of which is a big deal if you've already got high strength). If you just want to do lots of damage, then using the weapons that add attacks is the way to go (just keep in mind you're capped at 5 attacks per round, 6 if hasted, 10 through other methods). Moral of the story: 5 points into your weapon of choice sounds fun, 1 into a blunt weapon to deal with Clay Golems is sufficient and not significantly weaker for strong characters.

[mrdeluxe]

I usually put two profs into two-weapon fighting. My Berserker is using axes, yep I exploit the throwing axe glitch!

Just two? Why not 3?

It can get a bit monotonous playing a straight fighter, well almost straight being a berserker, but the other characters reduce that problem. Playing solo would be more of a chore in that sense, although once you get past level three far too easy.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking: adding spice through party members, particularly ones that I don't normally use and with singular, specialized abilities that don't overlap, like Yoshimo, Mazzy and Valygar in BG2 and Faldorn, Xzar and Montaron (as an Assassin) in BG1.

Consider Bastard Swords for Foebane+5 (even +3 is nice against undead) or Jhor the Bleeder (very nice against spellcasters) rather than long swords. Foebane's +4HP per attack is really nice when using whirlwind, and as a human you might like the saving throws bonus (although berserking makes you immune to most of the stuff you'd want to dodge)

Yeah… I was tempted by the sheer variety of Long Swords in the games, but I really should've gone with Bastard Swords. Still, being a Fighter I'll have a boatload of proficiency points, so I'll be able to max two different weapons. Since I already sunk 3 pips into long swords, I was thinking of going for Daystar/Angurvadal/The Answerer + Flail of Ages combo and give Foebane + Axe of the Unyielding to Minsc… Or give him the Flail and keep the Axe for myself? Or go full sword-crazy and max out both Long Swords AND Bastard Swords (a tad much, perhaps?).

[galraen]

Why not three? Mainly because two gets rid of the penalties on the main hand (as I recall) and you only hit with the off-hand once per round so I prefer to use the proficiency elsewhere, usually on blunt if using aces, but varies when using other weapons.

[Smiling Imp]

The strongest warrior is the one that can think calmly when tested with a challenge.

[galraen]

Oy this is a fantasy RPG forum not a Zen Philosophy forum!

Just downloading yur mod Imp, will be trying it and the Yoshi romance mod over the week-end.

[Smiling Imp]

Oy this is a fantasy RPG forum not a Zen Philosophy forum!

It's not? I'm sorry. For this act of ignorance I shall punish myself!

GAAAAAH!!!

Just downloading yur mod Imp, will be trying it and the Yoshi romance mod over the week-end.

Thanks for trying out the mod. Opinions and feedback are valuable to me and probably to any other people here at Game Banshee that are curious about the mod, so please, after you have given it a try let people know what you think.

[Keidin]

Kensai all the way.Elf (almost immune to charm and sleep).For RP purposes i make him drow(blue skin white hair and 40 mr ) in long swords (weimers item upgrade and item pack -adjatha the drinker +4) then bastard swords (keryvian -from item pack- or foebane).Caps at 4 1/2 attacks.Also theres a mod called Rolles Safyer that unites adjatha,ibathra,namarra,albane's sword and makes a long sword of freedom +5 (+1 attack immune to hold and stun,keen-crit on 19- plus some other goodies).Totally worth it.Good sword but not that game breaking (i play with tactics and scs2 so it is fine ) and you cap at 5 attacks boy.4 1/2 with one weapon style. Sarevok is hidding now hehe.