Ultimate 6-person Party

egervari · Post by **egervari** » Mon Apr 16, 2001 9:32 pm

Here is what I think is the best party in bg2 (if you like the power-gaming thing that is).

Human Cavalier
Str: 18, Dex: 18, Con: 15, Int: X, Wis: 17, Cha: 17

+2 Two-Handed Swords
+2 Two-Handed Weapon Style

Wields: Carsomyr +5

Half-Orc Barbarian
Str: 19, Dex: 18, Con: 19, Int: X, Wis: >8, Cha: X

+2 Katana
+2 Warhammer
+2 Long Swords
+3 Two Weapon Style

Wields: Celestial Fury & Crom Fayer & Daystar/The Equalizer

Human Ranger/Cleric
Str: 18, Dex: 18, Con: 16, Int: 9, Wis: 18, Cha: X

+2 Flails
+2 Maces
+3 Two Weapon Style

Wields Flail of Ages +3 & Mace of Disruption +2

Elf Archer
Str: 16, Dex: 19, Con: 17, Int: 9, Wis: 18, Cha: X

+5 Short Bow
+2 Two-Handed Weapon Style

Wields Short Bow of Gesen | Tuigan Bow +1

Human Beserker/Mage
Str: 18, Dex: 18, Con: 18, Int: 18, Wis: >7, Cha: X

+5 Quarter Staves
+2 Two-Handed Weapon Style

Wields Staff of the Magi

Gnome Illusionist/Thief
Str: 18, Dex: 18, Con: 16, Int: 19, Wis: >9, Cha: X

+1 Short Bows
+1 Long Swords
+2 Two-Handed Weapon Style

Wields Tugain Bow +1 & Daystar/The Equalizer

fable · Post by **fable** » Mon Apr 16, 2001 9:42 pm

I must reluctantly disagree. You miss two things: 1) The game-created party NPCs sometimes bring their own experience-generated quests. Without them, you don't get the experience. 2) You can't create a drow, so you can't develop a cleric who has magical resistance like Viconia, and you can't homegrow a mage who has as many spells per level as Edwin.

Just my opinions.

egervari · Post by **egervari** » Tue Apr 17, 2001 12:08 am

true, but dispite both elements. This party is probably the most efficient way to construct a party. Sure a monk is cool.. the archer doesn't even need to be there really. I was even thinking of adding 2 ranger/clerics believe it or not and taking out the barbarian for a monk. That was the second best one I could come up with in terms of efficiency. The one ranger/cleric would dual a mace of disruption +2 and skullcrusher +3 while the other would dual crom fayer and flail of ages +3. You can see how the monk would now slide in here.

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Apr 17, 2001 12:11 am

Egervari, with respect, I suggest that there is no one way to build a perfect party. Even if we disallow the prebuilt NPCs, there are too many different strategic ways to face a battle, and too many different playing styles. What's works for me may not work for you, and vice versa. That's one of the great things about these games. There's no single perfect key to open all the locks.

Vehemence · Post by **Vehemence** » Tue Apr 17, 2001 12:15 am

While I agree in most part with your views Fable, you have to admit, it does look like a pretty kick ass powergaming party

And if you look right back at the beginning of engervari's message, he says:

Here is what I think is the best party in bg2

It's His particular look at things. That's all.

egervari · Post by **egervari** » Tue Apr 17, 2001 4:31 am

thanks

Fable, I agree with you on a lot of your comments. The story is great and I've played through it 2 times. Just sometimes you get this urge to test your math skills and break the game

Seriously though, this party has a lot of nice synergies. For one, dual-classing any member at level 9 won't affect the party much. You can live without clerics until nalia's keep quest (which, at the beginning, is about the time you get both your cleric and mage).

Strangely enough, the barbarian is a much better fighter than an average fighter. His thaco is very low, he's very quick and generally him and the paladin can deal out the damage. The cleric gets the flail of ages an hour into playing the game after the dual, making him much stronger even though he's lower leveled. The mage just kinda sits back and casts spells or doesn't do much until level 5 and 7. He's still handy though for identifying idems, casting invisbility, shield, mirror image, and the other lot of the first 2-3 level spells. The party really gets going after the inactive classes kick in again. From there, it's smooth sailing

Like i said in the very beginning.. it's not the role playing issue of the game. It's the power gamer issue and you get to try out some cool classes that you'd basically have to play the game multiple times to use. I dunno, I found it enjoyable.

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Tue Apr 17, 2001 4:39 am

Originally posted by egervari:
<STRONG>Elf Archer
Str: 16, Dex: 19, Con: 17, Int: 9, Wis: 18, Cha: X

+5 Short Bow
+2 Two-Handed Weapon Style

Wields Short Bow of Gesen | Tuigan Bow </STRONG>

Hah Hah i say this does not work Hah TH style does not work with bows Hah

egervari · Post by **egervari** » Tue Apr 17, 2001 4:53 am

yeah i found that out afterwards.. it doesn't matter because what else would you put it in? notta..

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Tue Apr 17, 2001 6:07 am

single weapon?

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Apr 17, 2001 6:58 am

Sorc?

GrimReaper · Post by **GrimReaper** » Tue Apr 17, 2001 7:36 am

I like your party but I like my party more. Here it is (without their stats):

1.Human Swashbuckler or Theif/Mage dual at level 10-Most people would say assassin here but if you're going to dual at level ten you need all the theiving abilities possible

2. Human Inquisitor-Very useful, especially with Carsomyr

3. Human Ranger/Cleric dual at level 9-Give him Crom Faeyr and Flail of Ages and you have a good fighter and one person to take care of all cleric needs. Also some nice offensive spells (druid)

4. Elven Archer-Tancherons or Short Bow of Gesen and you have one of your best fighters. Also needs at least one star in some melee weapon just in case.

5. Elven Sorcerer-I love the sorcerer. Makes a great mage and for all the spells you can't get, you have your theif/mage as backup

6. Kensai/Mage dualed at level 9-Not necassary. I actually added this one to my original five after I started because I didn't think I had enough fighting power. Could also go with Monk, Barbarian, or straight Half-Orc fighter, but another mage never hurts. Also, Skald could work here as he increases the potential of your existing fighters, therefore taking away the need for another one, but I like an active party member better.

I like this party. It's got strong magic and good enough healing power. The Ranger/Cleric is mainly for the druid spells and resurection anyways. There are plenty of potions of healing in the game. The last thing is the party would be a little weak while everybody's dualed but once you get them back up, this party's great.

Bruce Lee · Post by **Bruce Lee** » Tue Apr 17, 2001 9:26 am

Barbarian shouldn't wield Crom fayer. They get increased strenght from their rage so it is a waste. The should wield Defender of easthaven and maybe Celestial Fury or Flail of the ages.
I am running a kick-ass party aswell. It is a party of four because I find six har to control especially hard to have more than two spellcasters.
I have Half-orc Barbarian wielding Defender of easthaven and Celestial fury.
Ranger dualed to cleric wielding Crom fayer and Flail of the ages.
Halfling swashbuckler wielding belm and kundane.
Elven Sorceror with robe of vecna and staff of magi.
This is just perfect for me.

Kovi · Post by **Kovi** » Tue Apr 17, 2001 10:57 am

Well, it is hard to define the "ultimate party". Nevertheless Egervari's party is very good, especially with respect to the weapon specializations (though I agree with the BruceLee's note on CF).
I think such a multiplayer party can be more efficient than the NPC's, because they can have better stats, harmonized skills and can dual class. And I agree that a multiplayer party of six is overkill.
Talking about the given pary, the dual Berserker/Mage, Ranger/Cleric and the Paladin should be there (though I would choose inquisitor instead of the cavalier). For a stronger and more versatile party I would add more dual characters: a Kensai/Thief, a Swashbuckler/Mage and a Berserker/Cleric.

[ 04-17-2001: Message edited by: Kovi ]

Kovi · Post by **Kovi** » Tue Apr 17, 2001 11:20 am

About weapon spec: I would give Axe specialization to one of the characters and all characters should be able to use one type of missile weapon efficiently: 2xsling (the clerics), 2xshort bow, 1xlong bow, 1xcrossbow.

GrimReaper · Post by **GrimReaper** » Tue Apr 17, 2001 12:23 pm

About Berserker/Mages. Why are they better than Kensai/Mages? I prefer the Kensai because if dualed at level 9 you have the same fighting abilities of a berserker at level 12. Also, you can wear everything the same except bracers but you can defend yourself so much better that bracers become less necassary. The only way I can see using a berseker over a kensai to dual would be go to level 12 to dual because you mainly wanted a fighter, but then why dual at all?

Kovi · Post by **Kovi** » Tue Apr 17, 2001 1:16 pm

Berserker or Kensai (mage). The usage of armour/gauntlet/helmet/shield can balance the combat bonuses of the Kensai and the Enrage balances the Kai ability.
IMHO the B/M is better in solo and they are similarly powerful in normal parties.

Bruce Lee · Post by **Bruce Lee** » Tue Apr 17, 2001 3:13 pm

I agree with Kovi that a berserker/mage is the way to go if you solo. Kensai/mage is good for a party where you can give helm of balduran and bracers of weapon expertise to someone else. Kensais are like monks cheap to equip. But to have three or four characters that have to memorize is a hazzle which is why I would rather go with sorceror.

egervari · Post by **egervari** » Tue Apr 17, 2001 8:13 pm

About Crom Fayer and other weapons, the barbarian will pretty much get +2 in almost all weapons and can use whatever else. I did this often throughout the game. At one time before Casomyr, I had +2 in halberds as well and started using some good halberds. The option of also using the Wave is pretty neat, though not needed.

In regards to the rage abilitity, You can only use that a few times and it doesn't last that long. I personally think the barbarian is a much more solid fighter than a ranger, at low levels and high levels and with the ranger heading over to a cleric, the barbarian will most certainly have an edge. Again, I'm not one to sleep up to 500 days just to get a few spells/abilities back when I still haven't used 80% of my resources. I see no need to sleep (and it's unrealistic to sleep like every battle). I hardly use rage in normal battles unless I need the immunities. It's not all that much of a waste. I do agree though, in major battles, giving the crom to the ranger would be more efficient. If you read up on my earlier post, I mentioned having 2 ranger/clerics with a Monk and one of my ranger/clerics was equipped the same way you are mentioning.

egervari · Post by **egervari** » Tue Apr 17, 2001 8:21 pm

In regards to the Kensai/Mage, I think the beserker/mage is much better in many many respects (especially soloing). I think with the added helmets, bracers, etc. that you put on a beserker, the Kensai only gets +1 to damage and +1 bonus to thac0, but the kensai's AC/hp is not as good as the beserker. Overall, the beserker/mage's play is more smooth imo. Even in a party, the kensai is known with it's use with katana's and long swords. Well, Staff of the Magi wouldn't have became an option unless I gave it to the gnome/illusionist, thus putting me down to 1 dedicated range fighter and I couldn't do that. Anyway, I just wanted my main mage to be the one to use the staff of the magi. It's really more a mage than a fighter. That's the way I play it. A mage that's invisible, can't be disrupted through any magic due to beserk ability if you need it, can cast up to level 8 spells quickly, and has the AC and hp of one of your best fighters. It's a pretty good deal I think.

GrimReaper · Post by **GrimReaper** » Tue Apr 17, 2001 9:09 pm

I prefer the kensai/mage in a party to a berserker/mage. This is because I don't want to use either of them on the front line. They are backup fighters more focused on their mage skills. Therefore, I don't think they need the protection of a frontline fighter (armor and stuff) and I would rather be able to run up and get a few quick and strong hits and then move back if I have to. The other thing is that enemies attack the people that attack them first, so in a party you send your tanks in first, and then bring in your weaker fighters. And in my case, giving Celestial Fury and Dak'kon's Zerth Blade to my kensai/mage was perfect because my sorcerer (my main spellcaster) had the Staff of Magi.