The expert Soloer's thread

silencer · Post by **silencer** » Mon Apr 23, 2001 8:56 pm

Soloing is my personal favorite way to play through Baldur's Gate II. I have solo'd through the game completing every optional quest with three different classes. The Monk, the Berserker, and the Sorcerer. My favorite was the Berserker. I also liked the Sorcerer. I felt kind of cheap with the monk's quivering palm but that IS his special ability.

What other classes do people like to solo with?

Has anyone solo'd with a Cleric? i think that is my next char.

One thing that I thought was interesting was that different fights were harder with different classes. With my Berserk ability and the MOD +2 I rocked Kangaax. But he was MUCH harder with the Sorcerer. My Sorcerer beat Irenicus, the nine hells, and the last battle without resting, a feat I could definitely not pull of with the monk or Berserker.

I think the Berserker was the easiest> I just ripped through everything.

Next was the Sorcerer. It probably would have been easier but I didn't use Project Image, Similcrum, or cheap techniques.

The Monk was the hardest, simply for the last battle. Up until then no Big deal but it was Freakin hard as hell to beat the Slayer.

Andrew Shih · Post by **Andrew Shih** » Mon Apr 23, 2001 9:48 pm

You chose in my opinion three classes which may not be the worst soloists, but in my opinion don't qualify as soloists (although you're being able to finish the game with them does speaks to your skill).

The best overall soloist, and probably the one you want to try next, is the 10/20 Swashbuckler/Cleric. You get the THACO of a high-level cleric PLUS swashbuckler combat and AC bonuses. That makes your base THACO better than that of a multi-class fighter, and yet you're not even a fighter. You can max out in three thief skills (minus backstab) and specialize in thief weapons, in addition to putting three stars into dual-wield. You can wear plate whenever you're fighting or walking around, and leather when you need to open a lock or disarm a trap. And best of all, you get to the second-highest level cleric with all the spells.

--Riverwind

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Mon Apr 23, 2001 10:01 pm

Kitka posted a thread about a solo Priest of Lathander over at BG Dungeon Tavern. There was also one posted about a Jester there.

[ 04-24-2001: Message edited by: Sojourner ]

Ashuermen · Post by **Ashuermen** » Mon Apr 23, 2001 10:28 pm

I soloed the last fight with a monk fairly easily. (I played a self-made party to that point, but I wanted to try) I got waxed the 1st time, but did much better the 2nd. I would have had a LOT more trouble with it if I hadn't had the Ilbratha +1 short sword in a quickweapon slot (but not equiped) This sword grants 1 casting of mirror image once per day. For the last battle I used 2 or 3 stunning blows, 1 imporoved haste from my ring of gaxx, and my quivering palm (and a little bit of old fashioned running aroudn like a crazy man drinking potions) to dispatch the demons. After which, I healed up (Irenicus had ported) I used LoH at this time, but on hindsight I should have saved it for ther irenicus himself. Another improved haste for irenicus, and I rush in and start beating on him. As soon as he goes to melee (His spells did nothing considering I had a 93% magic resistance and saves ranging from -3 to -11 thanks to a potion of invuln) I used the mirror image ability from the sword. A few potions later he was dead. (It seems like you can't disengagne from combat with him or he heals back up) Nothing too difficult though

Bruce Lee · Post by **Bruce Lee** » Tue Apr 24, 2001 1:34 am

Why do you improve haste you monk? I wonder if you wear the sensate amulet that protects you from evil will the demon still attack you? Monks can wear that. I also wonder how does a monk beat Kangaax without turning into the slayer?

Rail · Post by **Rail** » Tue Apr 24, 2001 3:05 am

Originally posted by Bruce Lee:
<STRONG><snip> I also wonder how does a monk beat Kangaax without turning into the slayer?</STRONG>

Bone dagger +4, Shortsword +4. I'm sure there are others, but I can't think of them. Combine these with Scroll of Prot from Magic.

TheDude · Post by **TheDude** » Tue Apr 24, 2001 3:08 am

i thought a monk can kill kangaax with the bracers of bashing wich gives a +4 damage and + 4 thaco bonus for fighting with your fists

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some Heroes stand, some heroes fall, others can't sit 'cause they got hit by my fireball

TheDude · Post by **TheDude** » Tue Apr 24, 2001 3:09 am

i thought a monk can kill kangaax with the bracers of bashing wich gives a +4 damage and + 4 thaco bonus for fighting with your fists

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some Heroes stand, some heroes fall, others can't sit 'cause they got hit by my fireball

TheDude · Post by **TheDude** » Tue Apr 24, 2001 3:11 am

sorry for the dubbel post

stupid computers here ad school

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some Heroes stand, some heroes fall, others can't sit 'cause they got hit by my fireball

silencer · Post by **silencer** » Tue Apr 24, 2001 5:54 am

Riverwind, How can a class "not qualify" as a soloer. Anyone that you use by himself/herself is a soloer?

Interesting idea on the swashbuckler/cleric, I personally don't like thief or ranger characters, though.

I may bring out the blade for my next try.

Nighthawk · Post by **Nighthawk** » Tue Apr 24, 2001 10:41 am

I'm surprised Riverwind doesn't think of the Monk as a solo caliber character or that Silencer had a harder time with it than the berzerker or that Ashurmen was trying to haste his monk in the final batte...

Ashurmen: Monks are immune to slow...and to haste!

Riverwind/Silencer: Along with T/M and F/T/M, the Monk is one of a very few classes (so far) I have heard of making it solo through the game in 9 days, 18 hours. Since the other classes use their pickpocket to get mass quantities of gold right off the bat, this is even more impressive IMO.

Final battle: Monk just needs to keep from getting cornered and keep from having to fight too many demons at once. I think the demons in hell attack you even with the Sensate Amulet (protection from evil).

Kangaxx: Protection from Magic (for the Imprisons) and Flametounge, Cutthroat, Boneblade or Gauntlets of Crushing pre-patch. Pretty much Gauntlets of Crushing is your only option post-patch.

Zartuul · Post by **Zartuul** » Tue Apr 24, 2001 12:05 pm

The idea of playing a solo melee character and waiting around to heal up with a ring of regen on sounds incredibly boring. Who cares if your on day 80 or day 5? Waiting around to heal up smacks to much of Everquest for my taste.

Question Silencer, what weapons did you use and why?

Mishik · Post by **Mishik** » Tue Apr 24, 2001 12:48 pm

Originally posted by Zartuul:
<STRONG>The idea of playing a solo melee character and waiting around to heal up with a ring of regen on sounds incredibly boring. Who cares if your on day 80 or day 5? Waiting around to heal up smacks to much of Everquest for my taste.

Question Silencer, what weapons did you use and why?</STRONG>

Just do not wait

I finished with my melee char (wizard slayer) in 39 days - not the quickest, but definitely not slowest. and I did not wait till I heal - just there was no point

, the closest I came to it was hunting shadows in Umar Hills with the sword of Chaos, but I personally considered it fun. I did use some tactics I considered "cheese" though - shield of Balduran, and Vhailor's helm to cast simulacrum come to mind.

If anyone interested, Kitka's story of her priest of Lathander is [url="http://ericathecleric.homestead.com"]here[/url], and the details of my run with the WS linked from my sig.

Nighthawk · Post by **Nighthawk** » Tue Apr 24, 2001 12:49 pm

I never waited around to heal up with my monk. Most of the time I didn't have to worry about it, the few times I did I used potions...

Day 9 means running the whole time, and spending a good portion of the time sneaking to avoid fights simply because killing the enemy would take too long. Not that it would take that long, but every second counts.

Also, don't forget that monks can use wands...which means they can cast many, many Cloudkills, Fireballs, Lightnings, Scorchers, Ice Blasts, Monster Summonings, etc between recharges at the nearest shop.

[ 04-24-2001: Message edited by: Nighthawk ]

silencer · Post by **silencer** » Tue Apr 24, 2001 2:14 pm

Zartul, I never waited around once to heal. For a solo character there are enough healing potions to heal yourself through the whole game even if you didn't have ring of gaax or regen (I had both equipped all the time.) For my Berserker's weapon proficiencies I divided it up between dual wielding, katana, and warhammer. The reason I picked Katana and Warhammer was mainly that I hadn't used either of those weapon styles yet. I got the Celestial Fury early on (level 9: that was tough), and used one of the Warhammer's +2 from Ribald until I could get the CF which is unbelievable. I hit one of the Balor's at the end for critical hit 78 +20 electrical damage. That's my record for damage in one hit to a high level monster

Andrew Shih · Post by **Andrew Shih** » Tue Apr 24, 2001 3:12 pm

If you are a very advanced player and you are extremely familiar with the BG II terrain, then you can solo with anyone.

And so, when we say that a certain class combo is a "soloist," what we really mean is that it is possible for an intermediate player to solo with it, and that it is easy for an advanced player to solo with it.

Monks and Mages while I acknowledge their ultimate power especially at high levels are perhaps the most difficult classes to play. Fighters are the easiest, clerics are somewhere in the middle. Now an additional thing about the monk and the mage is that at low-mid levels, they are especially hard to play solo--in fact, other classes are better than them at for example 1 million XP.

Regarding blades, I recently soloed with a blade--it was exciting and exhilirating, because it requires split-second synchronizations of spells and spins.

--Riverwind

Andrew Shih · Post by **Andrew Shih** » Tue Apr 24, 2001 3:16 pm

By the way, the way in which my Blade healed was by setting up a Contingency-Tenser's Transformation at 25% HP or less. When his hit points got low, not only did his THACO turn from that of a level 23 thief to a level 23 fighter, but he was full healed in an instant. That's an alternative to cleric spells or walking around aimlessly for hours while regenerating.

--Riverwind

Andrew Shih · Post by **Andrew Shih** » Tue Apr 24, 2001 3:19 pm

Nighthawk:

How many times did you play the game before you soloed with a monk or a mage/thief? I will grant you that a F/M/T is an excellent soloist, but a monk or a mage/thief?

In my opinion, the best soloists would be the 12/18 Avenger-Fighter, the 9/19 Stalker/Cleric, and the 10/20 Swashbuckler/Cleric (along with the F/M/T and the Blade).

--Riverwind

Kovi · Post by **Kovi** » Tue Apr 24, 2001 5:23 pm

@Nighthawk: monks may not be allowed to use those mage wands.
@Riverwind: I understand your point. But I think different characters could mean different problems for a non-expert. For example it could be real hard to regain the original class for such a druid/fighter (need 1.250.000 xp). An F/M/T could be problematic in the later battles, without knowing/getting the proper power items (Magi, Cloak of Non-detection, Cloak of Mirroring) or removing the xp cap. Maybe the easiest way to go is a Swashbuckler/Mage (level 10) or Blade.

[ 04-24-2001: Message edited by: Kovi ]

Andrew Shih · Post by **Andrew Shih** » Tue Apr 24, 2001 7:39 pm

Kovi,

I agree with you on both points--the "transition period" has to be taken into account when soloing with a dual-class character. The drawback to the F/M/T is indeed that it becomes harder during the end part of the game. The drawback to the 12/18 Avenger/Fighter is the delay in regaining the first class' abilities during the early-middle portion of the game. The easiest solo to play would be the 10/20 Swashbuckler/Cleric then, taking the factors you mentioned into account. You get your thief skills for the beginner dungeon where they're needed, you dual to a cleric right before leaving it, and then upon leaving it, you go straight from level 1 cleric to level 6 cleric. You now only have another 5 cleric levels to go, and you can get there by doing the easy quests, and in the meantime you can wear armor and use cleric weapons. The 9/19 Stalker/Cleric also duals and regains very quickly. The Blade has an even difficulty throughout--gets better as the game progresses with no transition period. However, the blade is one of the most difficult characters to use and master.

--Riverwind