Favourite Class

nephtu · Post by **nephtu** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 10:12 am

More...

Fighter/cleric is fairly much inferior in power to fighter/mage at higher levels, and, in any case is certainly weaker than ranger/cleric as a fighting priest, but I still enjoyed playing Inziladun (Dwarf Male LE Ftr/Cleric) right the way through the whole BG series.

Generally, you HAVE to have arcane spellcasting in there at the higher levels if you want to be all-around insanely powerful - yes I know that rogues can do some pretty awesome damage with mislead, or other classes with the right assists, but only arcane spellcasting really gives you demented damage output against virtually any opponent.

Good gaming!

Olmer · Post by **Olmer** » Sat Dec 27, 2003 1:50 pm

I like characters, who cannot wear any armour or have heavy item restrictions (monk, kensai, wizard slayer) and those, who has many innate abilities (I love TDD cleric professions then).

Phantom Lord · Post by **Phantom Lord** » Sat Dec 27, 2003 4:16 pm

MC Fighter / Thief (halfling is a good choice).

This class may don't look that powerful, but ...

It solves the lack-of-capable-thieves-problem
It leaves you with free choice of playing good, neutral or evil
The player has all the fun because the thief gets all the scouting jobs
Your character in fact is powerful as hell if you take a closer look
You char can use every item once you got UAI
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Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Sat Dec 27, 2003 4:23 pm

Originally posted by Phantom Lord
MC Fighter / Thief (halfling is a good choice).

This class may don't look that powerful, but ...

It solves the lack-of-capable-thieves-problem

It leaves you with free choice of playing good, neutral or evil

The player has all the fun because the thief gets all the scouting jobs

Your character in fact is powerful as hell if you take a closer look

You char can use every item once you got UAI
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One of my favorite classes.
Cause: and dont forget you get the to hit chance and damage of a fighter with the multiplier of a thieves backstab!!!

Sir Markki · Post by **Sir Markki** » Sat Dec 27, 2003 5:24 pm

Half Orc Berserker

fable · Post by **fable** » Sat Dec 27, 2003 5:40 pm

Kensai/mage. I decided I liked this dual-class long before the powerplayers decreed it one of their faves. My reasons were argely a matter of personal preference--I simply like playing a warrior mage in various games like Morrowind, used to, as well, in MMORPGs, and the Kensai/mag is the next-best-thing in BG2. Since I don't do cheese, he's not played with all the power tweaks. He's just played for fun.

Elemental ZOOT · Post by **Elemental ZOOT** » Sat Dec 27, 2003 8:05 pm

I have another 1
Fighter/Druid
1. Its iron skins are GREAT
2. With physical mirror even better
3. Armour of faith
4. Get imoen 2 cast improved invisibility and send my druid out 2 battle and she'll destroy all.
5. She has boots of speed and she attacks real fast with the belm

fable · Post by **fable** » Sat Dec 27, 2003 8:11 pm

Originally posted by Elemental ZOOT
I have another 1
Fighter/Druid
1. Its iron skins are GREAT
2. With physical mirror even better
3. Armour of faith
4. Get imoen 2 cast improved invisibility and send my druid out 2 battle and she'll destroy all.
5. She has boots of speed and she attacks real fast with the belm

Why play a fighter/druid when you get one on your team pre-made--Jaheira--who's also a Harper, and omes with the Raise Dead spell, which you personally can't learn?

Olmer · Post by **Olmer** » Sun Dec 28, 2003 4:03 am

Originally posted by Elemental ZOOT
I have another 1
Fighter/Druid
1. Its iron skins are GREAT
2. With physical mirror even better
3. Armour of faith
4. Get imoen 2 cast improved invisibility and send my druid out 2 battle and she'll destroy all.
5. She has boots of speed and she attacks real fast with the belm

I think that Cleric/Fighter would do better.

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Sun Dec 28, 2003 5:46 am

Originally posted by Olmer
I think that Cleric/Fighter would do better.

Maybe you should tell us why!

Olmer · Post by **Olmer** » Sun Dec 28, 2003 6:34 am

Advantages of Cleric:

- Is able to cast Greater Restoration - for me, the best spell in BG2.
- On 30th level receives symbol of his god.
- Dual classed warrior/cleric will be able to wear full plate armour and, for example Crom Faeyr, even before cleric reaches greater level than warrior (so you can dual him very late and he'll still be powerful)

Disadvantages:

- Only disadvantage I see is that priest is unable to cast clerical Stoneskin BUT you can cast Spell Sequencer on him, so you'll be able to attach stoneskin on him.

Well, warrior/cleric and warrior/druid aren't very different at all and my choice of the first one is determined mainly because I don't like druids but I think that cleric is better than druid.

Phantom Lord · Post by **Phantom Lord** » Sun Dec 28, 2003 2:27 pm

Originally posted by Stilgar
One of my favorite classes.
Cause: and dont forget you get the to hit chance and damage of a fighter with the multiplier of a thieves backstab!!!

100+ damage (chance to hit = close to always) ain't exactly uncommon, plus whatever nasty effects your weapon of choice delivers. I remember taking out every single Efreeti in Windspear Hills with a single backstab in one game. Now that's kinda close to what matches my idea of "scouting" ...

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Sun Dec 28, 2003 5:55 pm

Originally posted by Olmer
Advantages of Cleric:

- Is able to cast Greater Restoration - for me, the best spell in BG2.
- On 30th level receives symbol of his god.
- Dual classed warrior/cleric will be able to wear full plate armour and, for example Crom Faeyr, even before cleric reaches greater level than warrior (so you can dual him very late and he'll still be powerful)

Disadvantages:

- Only disadvantage I see is that priest is unable to cast clerical Stoneskin BUT you can cast Spell Sequencer on him, so you'll be able to attach stoneskin on him.

Well, warrior/cleric and warrior/druid aren't very different at all and my choice of the first one is determined mainly because I don't like druids but I think that cleric is better than druid.

urm, i don't think you can have a mage cast stoneskin via spell sequencer other than him/herself...it should fizzle the spell...

warrior druid is actually stronger, in many ways than a warrior cleric...ironskin...

but both are very close indeed...as for g restoration, try mass raise dead...works as well if the party is alive, instantly restores all hit points...and does not tire out your clerics or druids...

best of all is ranger druid...hehehheheh!!!! all the spells, and none of the disadvantages...

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Sun Dec 28, 2003 6:22 pm

warrior cleric is slightly more powerful offensively, and warrior druid is slightly more powerful defensively...

warrior clerics can use draw on holy might, and righteous magic to boost strength up to 25 as well as dex up to 25...forget crom, you don't hardly need it...

warrior druid can use iron skin, best defensive spell in the game, including stoneskin because it cannot be breached...insect swarm makes anti mage attacks incredibly powerful...

as for the holy symbol, when you get up to high levels, you'll find that the druid has more spells per level than the cleric, and the benefits of a druid, the elemental resistance and immunity to poison is better...

finally, crom is an excellent weapon, dual wielded with foa, but i really like the spears and scimatars in the game...

finally, the npc warrior cleric in the game is anomen, who is a dual class, and the npc warrior druid in the game is jaheira, who is multi class...both of them you can get early enough so by the time you reach tob, both are very powerful and high in levels...and multiclass beats dual class if you invest the xp points in them....think hardiness AND armor of faith for jaheira...very powerful...

the turn undead is nice, i grant you, but vampires are not the worst threats in the game...and azuredge and daystar, not to mention amulet of power makes all undead toast anyway...

there really are convincing arguments for both classes being powerful, and frankly, both combinations beat paladin classes for pure power...holy avenger not withstanding...possibly only the undead hunter kit comes close to either combinations...not inquisitor, i've mentioned that in other posts that the inquisitor is the weakest of the paladin kits...

Mirk · Post by **Mirk** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 3:27 am

warrior cleric is slightly more powerful offensively, and warrior druid is slightly more powerful defensively...

and both combine in the divine uber-caster/fighter, the ranger/cleric, multy-class or dual class:

all the divine spells (wicked combos like draw upon holy might+righteos magic+iron skins and the cheesy sanctuary+nature's beauty come to mind), duel-weilding, stealth, turn undead - you name it!

and if multy-classed, warrior HLAs to add into the mix...

the downside is - not being able to use bladed weapons. but FoA is arguably the best one-handed weapon in SoA and ToB, and with Crom Frayer it's just... well, ya know...

actually, as pointed out by User, you don't need CF: FoA+Defender of Easthaven in off hand+Armour of Faith(+Hardiness if multy-clased)+draw upon...+righteos magic+iron skins... makes you cry... probably the best defencive combo, topped maybe by the allmighty kensai-mages

certainly not my favorite class, though, the cleric/rangers. a shame theyr'e not, isn't it?

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 4:13 am

interestingly enough, like cleric fighters vs druid fighters, there are two schools of mage fighters...

berserker mage, better defensively
kensai mage, better offensively

both are insanely powerful, with many followers in both camps...

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 4:16 am

Originally posted by Mirk
and both combine in the divine uber-caster/fighter, the ranger/cleric, multy-class or dual class:

all the divine spells (wicked combos like draw upon holy might+righteos magic+iron skins and the cheesy sanctuary+nature's beauty come to mind), duel-weilding, stealth, turn undead - you name it!

and if multy-classed, warrior HLAs to add into the mix...

the downside is - not being able to use bladed weapons. but FoA is arguably the best one-handed weapon in SoA and ToB, and with Crom Frayer it's just... well, ya know...

actually, as pointed out by User, you don't need CF: FoA+Defender of Easthaven in off hand+Armour of Faith(+Hardiness if multy-clased)+draw upon...+righteos magic+iron skins... makes you cry... probably the best defencive combo, topped maybe by the allmighty kensai-mages

certainly not my favorite class, though, the cleric/rangers. a shame theyr'e not, isn't it?

try this...

ranger/cleric multi...

improve haste them, then cast
armor of faith
hardiness
draw on holy might
righteous magic
ironskin
blade barrior
globe of blades
aura of flaming death

walking, talking cuisinart...and improved hasted globe of blades and blade barrior does twice the damage...

sure beats any pally kit i could come up with...

Elemental ZOOT · Post by **Elemental ZOOT** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 4:34 am

Originally posted by fable
Why play a fighter/druid when you get one on your team pre-made--Jaheira--who's also a Harper, and omes with the Raise Dead spell, which you personally can't learn?

Fable
With 2 of the @$$ kickers its easy to clock the game. Besides my F/D had awesome stats
18/91
17 dex
18 con
10 int
18 wis
15 chr

Sadly i accidently saved over it

Olmer · Post by **Olmer** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 5:12 am

Maybe it is hard to believe, but Viconia with Crom Faeyr and all those Imp. hastes, blade barriers etc. cannot beat Haer'Dalis in single combat because of stoneskin, mirror images and protection from magical weapons (Haer'Dalis has armor which gives him rpotection from normal weapons, so without aid of mage or succesful dispel magic Viconia cannot even *touch* Haer). You must remember that Haer'Dalis is JUST bard and kensai/mage is far more powerful so I think, this is the best class in game (though I don' like it).

nephtu · Post by **nephtu** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 10:37 am

More...

Olmer, that's hardly a fair comparison - any character with mage spell defenses can achieve essentially complete invulnerability (at least for a while) quite easily, so the example used is hardly relevant. Viconia can be a terrifyingly destructive character, especially given her ability to dominate undead into handy little pets.

Cleric/Ranger is unquestionably another broken class - I've hacked Jaheira to that for this go-round and she's even more awesome than normal. Stealth is handy, and the restriction to blunts is no biggie - there's a ton of good blunts in hammers, flails and staves - the biggest nuisance for me is that the only ranged attack is slings, which are so pedestrain (but at least you can use them with a shield

) Yes, I know slings do fine, I just don't LIKE them, and the only other ranged weapon clerics can use is the dwarven thrower

So, a quick summary of some whizzo munchkin broken dual/multi class combos (IMAO):
Cleric/Ranger
Fighter/Cleric
Fighter/Druid
Kensai/Mage
Kensai/Thief

I know Berserker/Mage and Berserker/Cleric have their fans, but they've just never appealed to me.