Choice of Armour

frogus · Post by **frogus** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 8:35 am

I am starting to get abit concerned by the high AC of all my fighters...so, I just wanted your views on what armour is best and what I should equip to get the right balance of AC/Equipped abilities...I've got Jaheira, Minsc and Keldorn as fighters...so here's some questions:

Keldorn:
Is wearing the Blessed Bracers (cast Raise Dead and Cure Citical Wounds once per day, and gives +10HP)
should I swap these bracers for the Gauntlets of Dexterity, which would give him an -5 AC bonus (taking him to -8 from -3) but don't have the equipped abilities or HP bonus?

Minsc:
Is dual wielding Crom and the Mace of Disruption/Equaliser/Flail of Ages+4. Should I get rid of Crom and give him the Sentinel Shield and a belt of Strength instead, giving him still a high strength, but not quite as high, and taking his AC to -8 from -3?

Jaheira:
Is wearing Grandmaster's Armour, which means that my entire party of six has the high Boots of Speed movement rate (which is VERY useful in combat, especially against mean melee opponents, and means I can always get out of a tight spot to safety for some healing or buffing without leaving straglers behind to get killed). Should I give her some better armour? I have Armour of the Heart and Red Dragon Scale Plate free, which would give her an AC of -4 or -5 from -2.

decisions decisions....

netsev · Post by **netsev** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 8:44 am

I'm not sure what anyone else thinks of this,(since I've only recently been playing BGII) but AC doesn't seem to matter that much when you reach ToB everything smashes into you wheather you have -3 or -11+ AC.
It really depends on how much damage you deal out while reducing as much as possible the damage you take.(by slowing/disabling/etc the enemy)

However in SoA if you have -7+ AC you really don't have to worry too much about getting hit too often.

My little bit of wisdom..

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 8:44 am

I understand from your equipement that you're in ToB. At that point, it gets more important to dish out damage fast than to have a low AC, since many ennemies will hit you anyway. However, I would still answer:

Yes
Yes
No (speed is a better ally)

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 8:46 am

Damn, netsev was the faster one! Is there an armor that improves your typing speed as well?

netsev · Post by **netsev** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 8:50 am

hehehe no.

hey how do you add a picture under the name?

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 8:57 am

Keldorn: equip him with the Gauntlets of Dexterity - they help both his AC and his missile THACO.

Minsc: Keep him dual-wielding and give him Shuruppak's Plate.

Jaheira: I usually give the Grandmaster's Armor to a thief or ranger kit. Hm, to improve her AC, give her the Helm of Balduran, Cloak of the Sewers, Ring of Gaxx and Ring of Earth Control. Have her keep Ironskins up to absorb damage.

lompo · Post by **lompo** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 9:10 am

You seem to be in ToB, so I will count only gear from SoA:
Keldorn should definetly wear the gauntlets of dexterity (Jaheira can raise dead and there is also a wand that does that too if you don't have a cleric, you can use potions and Jaheira for healing and 10 hp are not a factor);
For Minsc keep Crom and use the DoE in the off hand (you need MoD if you fight vampires or FoA when you are beating mages with protections), give him red scale, a ring or cloak of prot. +2 and another item that increase AC (cloak of sewers, ring of eart control, ring of Gaax) and with and helm that has bonus to AC you should be fine (you get at least -8);
Jaheira should use a good armour (armor of the heart -2 or gorgon plate -1) and a shield and you get her easly to -8/-10; about the grand master armour, give it to a thief or a cleric and equip her with the boot of speed (your warriors need the high AC, not your spellcasters/thiefs); she can also use ironskin, so she should be well protected.
Thats my opinion

The fallen one · Post by **The fallen one** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 9:11 am

Originally posted by netsev
hehehe no.

hey how do you add a picture under the name?

Go to game banshee discusion and there is some threads in there to help solve your problem. If you go into my thread there is some links to some avatars.

Well keldron I would swap the bracers out and keep the other ones when you need to heal up.

Minsc keep the kick a$$ hammer the power of godlike strength is something not to be messed around with.

Jaheira well I would just boot her out and take the equipment and sell it.

frogus · Post by **frogus** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 9:18 am

give him Shuruppak's Plate.

ou est ca?

I usually give the Grandmaster's Armor to a thief or ranger kit. Hm, to improve her AC, give her the Helm of Balduran, Cloak of the Sewers, Ring of Gaxx and Ring of Earth Control. Have her keep Ironskins up to absorb damage.

I've got a Mage, Keldie, Minsc, Jaheira, Imoen and Aerie. Imoen is wearing the Aslyferund Elven Chain+5, so Grandmaster's Armour is no use to her and Minsc is wearing Gorgon Plate + 4...but possible not for long...thanks for the advice, I forgot that the Earth Elemental Ring gave an AC bonus. I want to keep her earing Helm of the Rock as she's the only fighter-type in my party

cheers everyone, now I have:
Keldorn in White Dragon Scale Mail, Boots of Speed and Guntlets of Dex with an AC of -8.
Minsc in Grandmaster's Armour, Sentinel Shield and Belt of FGS (str 21) single-wielding FoA and with AC-6, and
Jaheira in the Armour of the Hart, Cloak of the Sewers, Ring of Earth Control and Belt of Str 20. Lovely lovely lovely

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 9:38 am

Originally posted by frogus
ou est ca?

C'est... highlight the following for spoiler

on Yaga Shura

End spoiler

lompo · Post by **lompo** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 9:56 am

Originally posted by frogus
I've got a Mage, Keldie, Minsc, Jaheira, Imoen and Aerie. Imoen is wearing the Aslyferund Elven Chain+5, so Grandmaster's Armour is no use to her and Minsc is wearing Gorgon Plate + 4...but possible not for long...thanks for the advice, I forgot that the Earth Elemental Ring gave an AC bonus. I want to keep her earing Helm of the Rock as she's the only fighter-type in my party

cheers everyone, now I have:
Keldorn in White Dragon Scale Mail, Boots of Speed and Guntlets of Dex with an AC of -8.
Minsc in Grandmaster's Armour, Sentinel Shield and Belt of FGS (str 21) single-wielding FoA and with AC-6, and
Jaheira in the Armour of the Hart, Cloak of the Sewers, Ring of Earth Control and Belt of Str 20. Lovely lovely lovely

IMHO
You should use the Red Dragon scale, is a -1 with 50% fire res. and you can wear ring/amulets/cloaks of protections with it.
If you forged Crom Faeir I think you should use it, is better than FoA.

frogus · Post by **frogus** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 10:07 am

ah cheers Minerva...between asking the question and reading the answer I found the armour in question..anyway, I think I am kitted out satisfactoraly so maybe we should end this one before the mods are on me for having a too ToB related post in SoA...
@Iompo what's DoE?...and the FoA is much better than Crom with the fourth and fifth heads attched.

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 10:12 am

Originally posted by frogus
@Iompo what's DoE?...and the FoA is much better than Crom with the fourth and fifth heads attched.

Defender of Easthaven, which is a +3 Flail despite the description stating otherwise. It also gives a +1 AC bonus. Can be bought from bonus merchant in CC.

Invincible121 · Post by **Invincible121** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 12:43 pm

This is sightly off topic, but where is the bonus merchant in the Copper Coronet?
I have found Deidre in the Adventurers Mart, unfortunately i haven't got enough GP for anything yet

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 1:01 pm

The bonus merchant's name is Julov, and can usually be found standing near where you meet Anomen. He's known to move outside if you get into a barroom brawl with Amalas and his pals.

Invincible121 · Post by **Invincible121** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 1:03 pm

Thanks, i'll go and visit later on today

ajers · Post by **ajers** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 1:22 pm

Armour

Im a Ranger and have keldie, minsc, valygar, arie and yet yoshimo.

Minsc wear red dragonscale shield, red dragonscale armour, helm of balduraan, ring of gaxx and cloak of the sewers and ...............of course Boots of speed....

He beats the hell out of my enemies with an AC -11, and if i face up with a ugly mother****er, i have him wear gauntlets of dex and 2 rings of kangie. It brings his AC to -15 and he is near untouchable, and rocks to hell with daystar or Crom Feyr.

frogus · Post by **frogus** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 2:21 pm

Now I don't want this just to descend into a frantic discussion of everyone's cheesy tank tactics...and remember aj I have three fighters to think about, not just one...anyway, I never found that guy in the CC...by bonus merchant, do you mean he's a download?

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Wed Mar 27, 2002 2:29 pm

Yes, he is - go here.

lompo · Post by **lompo** » Thu Mar 28, 2002 3:28 am

Originally posted by Astafas

Defender of Easthaven, which is a +3 Flail despite the description stating otherwise. It also gives a +1 AC bonus. Can be bought from bonus merchant in CC.

Are you sure of that?
DoE is even more a fine weapon (it also has 20% damage reduction).
Well would be nice if somebody could make a list of all the items that have better stats than what is quoted in their descriptions.
I can remember:
DoE (if confirmed)
Kundane (extra attack?)
the Mask you make in Firkragg dungeon (protect from critical hits, wearable by everybody)
Who can increase the list?