new kits

Ned Flanders · Post by **Ned Flanders** » Wed Feb 06, 2002 12:51 pm

has anyone checked out the new kits for character classes. It looks like they got rid of the least popular kits and replaced them. examples: no beastmaster for rangers, no totemic druids for druids, no jester for bards. Although I guess the berserker and undead hunter weren't unpopular kits, it seems as if they are to be replaced as well. sounds fresh and exciting. I'm really looking forward to it.

DraySkullan · Post by **DraySkullan** » Wed Feb 06, 2002 1:25 pm

The one that caught my eye was the Arcane Rogue.

Ned Flanders · Post by **Ned Flanders** » Wed Feb 06, 2002 1:37 pm

must be a thief mage without having to split up xp's although i'm guessing all abilities come along slower.

Mirk · Post by **Mirk** » Wed Feb 06, 2002 1:45 pm

also i don't like bards much, i've read the riddlemuster discription on PlanetBaldursGate, and he sounds very cool. maybe not the powers/hindanaces, which are balanced, but the image of a guy calmly reciting a riddle in front of a group of enemies, and then watching some of them sink into debate over it with a litlle smile from under the too cool half-shadowed hood... then drawing his crossbow and signaling for the fighter to move in... damn, i'm hot for myself!!!

Onyx · Post by **Onyx** » Fri Feb 08, 2002 6:33 am

I was going through the new kits, nice, but i can't say i'm imprest with the fighter-mercenary kit. Just carries more gear. Hmm...

Onyx

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Fri Feb 08, 2002 3:38 pm

No Totemic Druids? Aw... I liked those guys....

Robin_Hood · Post by **Robin_Hood** » Sun Feb 10, 2002 7:09 am

Originally posted by Onyx
I was going through the new kits, nice, but i can't say i'm imprest with the fighter-mercenary kit. Just carries more gear. Hmm...

I agree...I think Totemic druids were nice. A shame they got rid of that kit.

rumagent · Post by **rumagent** » Tue Feb 19, 2002 9:49 am

Just to revive the kit thread again...

I found [url=http://]this[/url] thread on the black isle board:

Landsknecht: Typically a heavily armored front-line fighter, the landsknecht breaks apart enemy formations and creates an offensive menace that is hard to overcome. The landsknecht focuses most of his or her expertise on brute force weapons and heavy armor.

Advantages:
* Landsknechts automatically start with a point in the two-handed weapon fighting style.
* 3rd Level: Armor Optimization: Landsknechts are masters of scavenging and piecing together bits of armor. Even without armor, the landsknecht layers his or her clothing and equipment in such a manner that they constantly have a +1 generic bonus to their armor class.
* 6th Level: Knockdown: When a landsknecht critically hits an opponent, the target must make a Fortitude saving throw (15 DC) or be knocked unconscious for 1-3 rounds.
* 9th Level: Critical Attack: Activating this ability causes the landsknecht to lose one attack per round, but all attacks during this time receive a +2 bonus to critically hit. It can be used 3/day.

Disadvantages:
* The landsknecht cannot gain proficiency in bows, slings or darts. They require too much finesse for front-line fighter.
* The landsknecht cannot use shields, and cannot specialize in the weapon and shield fighting style.
* The landsknecht gains proficiencies at a reduced rate, once every four levels.

Ravager: Living a life of violence, the ravager is a warrior who revels in slaughter, leaving maimed and terrified opponents in his or her wake. Unlike the barbarian, who enters a berserk state to down foes with powerful blows, the ravager inflicts awful, painful wounds on an opponent with malicious glee.

Advantages:
* Ravagers are immune to the effects of fear.
* 3rd Level: Vile Wounds: When a ravager critically hits an opponent, the target must make a Fortitude save (15 DC) or suffer a bleeding wound that causes 1 point of damage per round for 10 rounds.
* 6th Level: Cruelest Cuts: After activating this ability, which lasts for 3 rounds, all of the ravager's blows have an equal chance blinding the target or reducing his or her movement by 2 points unless a Fortitude save (20 DC) is made. It can be used 3/day.
* 9th Level: Spirit Blades: Once per day, the ravager has the ability to invoke a circle of spirit blades similar in effect to the blade barrier spell. The ravager's spirit blades cause less damage (3d6), but the ravager is immune to the blades effects and can move through them without fear of personal harm.

Disadvantages:
* Ravagers start game play with two weapon proficiencies.
* Ravagers lack the focus to gain grandmastery in any weapon.
edit addition: * Ravagers only gain half the benefits from any healing effect (e.g., a healing spell normally gives back 8 hit points; the ravager only gains 4).

Restrictions:
* Ravagers cannot be lawful or good.

Sounds like fun

Robin_Hood · Post by **Robin_Hood** » Sat Feb 23, 2002 11:34 am

That Landsknecht sounds like a lot of fun...much better than the Ravager, I think. I will definitely have a Landsknecht in my party, if it'll be implemented.

axenon42 · Post by **axenon42** » Wed Feb 27, 2002 2:04 pm

Ravager Kicks!

I think that the Ravager is the coolest of the proposed mercenary replacement kits. Okay, maybe the blade barier is kinda lame (why not change it to a Doombringer assault like Saravok had; that would kick!) it is a very origional idea and defeats the notion of sacrificing profiecncys to carry more (ala Mercenary) better than the "Lack-something" who is a glorified two-handed weapon wielding thug. It wouldn't be too hard to envision an evil party with the Cleric of Bane and this guy forming a duo (along with a necromancer and assasin, of course). It would also be a nod to those of us who play evil groups who are sick of seeing the goody-to-shoe Paladins, Rangers, and (to an extent) Druids get all the cool kits

; the only kits that were evil aligned in BGII were the Assasin and the Cleric of Talos(and even then the Assasin wasn't alignment retricted). Since they are arbitraraly picking and choosing the 3E rules and opening up the druid and not the ranger to Evil alignment it would be a cool toy to those who wish to leave a bloody streak across the realms!

cheesemage · Post by **cheesemage** » Thu Mar 07, 2002 6:44 pm

Both were implemented apparently. Mercenary for Landschneet and Wizard slayer for Ravager.

Dragon Kurse · Post by **Dragon Kurse** » Fri Mar 08, 2002 11:56 am

Originally posted by cheesemage
Both were implemented apparently. Mercenary for Landschneet and Wizard slayer for Ravager.

They are quite useful if the party is set up right. They are a nice first line defence, offencive abilities are good. By having a Ranger or Bard, shooting arrows makes a good combination.

axenon42 · Post by **axenon42** » Fri Mar 08, 2002 1:47 pm

Although...

I was just informed by my dorky Living Greyhawk friends that the Ravanger is a kind of anti-paladin for the god Erythnul, in the Greyhawk world. Although I don't support the notion that the unique world variants seeping into other worlds, I still think the idea is cool...

EmptyChaos · Post by **EmptyChaos** » Fri Mar 08, 2002 2:51 pm

I perfer the notion of prestige classes to kits. Becoming an Assassin (for example) because you earned that right, and actually getting to "BE" what your kit is as opposed to a title.

That's just me though.

axenon42 · Post by **axenon42** » Fri Mar 08, 2002 5:29 pm

Yawn..., *everybody* likes the new kit system

. You think you're original? Ba! What I loath about kits is that it makes ALL players who have that Min/Max plauge construct thier characters in the same way in order to get to a prestige class a fast as posible. Forget the notion of using skill points to develop an interesting character; they'll all be spent on prestige class requirements. What fool wouldn't trade his wizard's meta-magic feat every five ln lieu of, say an archmage from forgotten realms, which gets super feats, like the ability to make touch attacks 60 ft. away, each level. There are numerous examples of this. It ruins the idea of game balance plus that of creativity... it short it is flawed and of no use to me.

EmptyChaos · Post by **EmptyChaos** » Fri Mar 08, 2002 6:36 pm

All I said is that I perfer the "notion" of having prestige classes. I realize the kits are a necessary fault of this being a video game, and to keep mindless gamers amused while they run through the game again and again.

Skuld · Post by **Skuld** » Sat Mar 09, 2002 11:53 pm

I was looking at some of them and I dunno what they were thinking when they made the Arcane Rogue. No Backstab. What's the point of having a rogue with no Backstab?

EmptyChaos · Post by **EmptyChaos** » Sun Mar 10, 2002 12:04 pm

The only kit I've ever been a fan of has been the Cavalier, though to be a bit more true to the name you should be able to get high mastery "****" in polearms.

Onyx · Post by **Onyx** » Mon Mar 11, 2002 3:35 am

Paladin (Votary). Not a very impressive class really, but more of a give away of what kind of enemies to expect in IWD II.

DraySkullan · Post by **DraySkullan** » Mon Mar 11, 2002 9:03 am

Arcane Rogue

The Swashbuckler also has no backstab multiplier, and is a very good kit. I also like the Cavalier kit, although I liked the 1st edition Cavalier class alot better. I'm still bitter about losing that class, hehe.