make a good use of jan!

Alson · Post by **Alson** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 7:18 am

how do you guys use jan?
i know he's a very good thief and i L-I-K-E his dialouges, but he's not that useful in combat for me.
so...
any ideas about how to use him?
or any equipments ideas?
thnx

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 7:27 am

Use him as you would any regular spellthrower.

Change his X-Bow to the Light X-Bow of Speed and make sure to create his ammunition every day (save them for tougher battles though). Later on you'll get plenty of Kuo Toa bolts as well.

Set traps.

Equip him with a Belt of Strenght and backstab (I like the Short Sword Kundane since it gives you an extra attack) your ennemies.

I normally let him keep all his personal gear (except for the X-Bow, that is) and accept his high AC. Simply throw a Stoneskin and a Mirror Image before closing in on the ennemies. Ghost Armor works as well. You could of course give him the Robe of Vecna or the Bracers of AC 3. The Bladesinger Chain is very nice too but you'll get it rather late in the game.

Alson · Post by **Alson** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 7:39 am

i had a hunch that you'll reply first

i know how much you like him

thnx...

BTW - the bladesinger is going for my fighter/mage, and vecna is going to edwin

Bloodmist · Post by **Bloodmist** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 7:44 am

You are a F/M and you have Edwin and Jan in your party. You definetly got a lot of mages maybe you should just drop Jan, or Edwin for that matter. Maybe both!

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 8:14 am

Originally posted by Alson
i had a hunch that you'll reply first
i know how much you like him
thnx...

BTW - the bladesinger is going for my fighter/mage, and vecna is going to edwin

Oh my, my reputation has started to precede me...

Yeah, he's the second coolest gnome ever (Quayle is no 1) so you shouldn't leave home without him!

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 8:19 am

Originally posted by Bloodmist
You are a F/M and you have Edwin and Jan in your party. You definetly got a lot of mages maybe you should just drop Jan, or Edwin for that matter. Maybe both!

No, no, no... It all comes down to your playing style. Three Mages is not to much if you like mage spells. Throw in The mean machine-Korgan, Smite'em all-Anomen and Let the flowers live-Jaheira and you got a perfect party!

lompo · Post by **lompo** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 8:32 am

Open the fight letting your three mages shoot a minor sequencer with 6 magic missile (lot of damage at the early levels!), then hide Jan and go backstabbing!!!
You have already drank a str. potion and buffed him (ston skin and so on) didn't you?
If you like you can get an elven chain (AC5) early in the game.

SPOILER

I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
In Trademeet if you let fight the two feuding families!

fable · Post by **fable** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 8:50 am

I think that Jan's greatest drawback is his poor carrying ability. His greatest advantage are his goggles (one cast per day of True Sight) and those wonderful bolts he manufactures at the rate of 5 per day. If you drop the magic resistance of a target, one of Jan's bolts can actually paralyze it--very quickly and thoroughly, too. In one of my run-throughs, he paralyzed a large demon for the Planar Sphere heart quest in that fashion. Fastest time my party ever made on that quest.

Ned Flanders · Post by **Ned Flanders** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 9:16 am

Don't forget about his affinity for boo.

Regarding the three mages: it's an excellent combination to send korgan in with 100% fire resistance, get all enemies to start chasing him, and then drop fireballs everywhere. Korgan just mops em all up.

Jan character classes make him about as useful and practical as any character in the game. Personally, I keep him out of the main throes of combat. Usually, he wanders around invisible dispelling protections and casting protections. some damage spells and use the crossbow quite a bit. He carries a melee weapon although he never uses it.

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 11:28 am

With Boots of Speed, Strength Girdle, Tenser's Transformation and Mislead, Jan can turn into a backstabbing monster.

Easter bunny · Post by **Easter bunny** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 12:30 pm

I wonder why set special traps is nearly never succesful with him
when I had hear´dalis, he never refused seting his special ones

Baldursgate Fan · Post by **Baldursgate Fan** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 12:43 pm

@Easter Bunny,

I wondered the same thing myself. Found out that his thieving abilities were really quite bad in Shadow Keeper.

Bump the set traps ability a few notches in SK and he should be honky dory.

Kerwyn · Post by **Kerwyn** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 12:44 pm

Originally posted by Sojourner
With Boots of Speed, Strength Girdle, Tenser's Transformation and Mislead, Jan can turn into a backstabbing monster.

Yeah, thats right. But u can do that with any thief/mage.
I think Jan is pretty weak late in the game, compared to a pure or dualed mage. Still, i think he is the best choice for a thief in singleplayer. And he's d*mn fun!

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 1:49 pm

Originally posted by Easter bunny
I wonder why set special traps is nearly never succesful with him
when I had hear´dalis, he never refused seting his special ones

Bards have an edge: with ToB installed, their Set Traps Skill is set to 100 by the game.

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 2:33 pm

or use him as deployable decoy...dragon baiting!!!

seriously, unless you hack immie into elven assassin mage, he is best theif in game. use him with holy anvenger!!! in unhacked game for serious magic resistance as backup dispeller, so he is impervious to magic, so when entier party is held or charmed, he rescues butt.

I sorta like to use him as 3rd mage or so, he is the one setting off chain lightning for chian contingencies while aeri and imie throw out abu dahzim triples and earthquake triples, unless you have a situation, in which he moves in with spike traps for cheese.

I really doont like jan, thats why in this game, as soon as I pick immie up, she gets transmogrified as assassin mage.

i find him irritating....

but not as much as heare dalis!!!

kill the bards, gee, isnt there a sword int he game that automatically kills bards???

Obsidian · Post by **Obsidian** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 3:55 pm

kill the bards, gee, isnt there a sword int he game that automatically kills bards???

No, but I'm sure that won't stop you from making one

I personnally LOVE Jan, he's hilarious, is an awesome theif, is nifty with crossbows, and starts off with plenty of neat gadgets!

What's not to like!?

If you are going to give him a girdle of strength, why not give him the giant hair crossbow? Thats what I did! He's a frigging monster!

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Fri Apr 12, 2002 12:18 am

found it, shazzellim elhans blade, leader of the war elves, in elven city, is a +1 scimatar, that has equipped vocalize and will slay any bard, unless they make save vs spells at -4....

"sw1h50"

think I'll pick pocket him when I get chance, jahira wants it bad...she hates haer dalis as much as I do...

thinking of mutating immie into elf, assassin mage, multi....

no jan allowed!!!

Baldursgate Fan · Post by **Baldursgate Fan** » Fri Apr 12, 2002 12:26 am

Aarrggghhh!

@User

Keldy and Dalis, I can understand. You don't like Jan too?

He was my thief of choice for many a game for crying out loud! (after hacking that is). His best kill was Firkraag himself. BUN BUN did the Hive Mother.

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Fri Apr 12, 2002 12:50 am

keldy and harry are annoying, but jan, its due to the fact I am Korean, and hate kimchee, so the turnip jokes tick me off...

actually, I have takne him along several times, and he is cheesy beyond belief, but the turnip jokes annoy me so much...

Alson · Post by **Alson** » Fri Apr 12, 2002 4:45 am

thnx for the replies!
anything else?
weapon choices?