Party creation

Numinor · Post by **Numinor** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 6:57 pm

Anomen is a pretty decent tank, equip him with the gauntlets of dexterity and a good shield and he can take a serious beating

Valygar would be another option, though he is less 'tankish' (but he can get good AC/hit point values too).

Thrain · Post by **Thrain** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 5:56 am

when Keldorn is armed with a certain sword and gaunlets of dexterity he is an awesome tank.

i'm using Mazzy atm in my Mage/Fighter party (ranger/cleric, minsc, mazzy, Kelsey, Aerie, Imoen). She just got her first point in dual wielding so i can start with Arbane and Avoreen

Axe of Unyielding and Improved Avoreen anyone?

Tegumiril · Post by **Tegumiril** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 6:05 am

Heh I forgot about keldorn and viconia, played this bloody game so many times with so many different parties. I never used anomen much, mostly because he irritated me so much on meeting him, I had to restrain myself from killin the impudent little piss...

Am I missing too much? Never used mazzy either, usually supplied my own fighters, or used sarevok later.

Thrain · Post by **Thrain** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 6:28 am

the only class really misrepresented is theives. there are no pure class thieves anywhere in the game.

there are plenty of good fighters, at least 2 top quality mages (with 3 good backups), a pureclass cleric, a dualclass cleric, a multiclass druid and a pureclass druid, but no pureclass thief (i'm not counting Yoshi because you can't have him for much of the game)

UncleScratchy · Post by **UncleScratchy** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 9:23 am

Possible spoilers

Originally posted by Tegumiril
Heh I forgot about keldorn and viconia, played this bloody game so many times with so many different parties. I never used anomen much, mostly because he irritated me so much on meeting him, I had to restrain myself from killin the impudent little piss...

Am I missing too much? Never used mazzy either, usually supplied my own fighters, or used sarevok later.

I like Anomen, especially in a small party. His turn undead and higher level spells really do a number on whatever you face in the game. He really isn't very irritating in a small party. Put him with Jan or Korgy though and the snide remarks and insults start flying. If you play a female char and romance him the quest for his knighthood and revenge for his murdered sister is pretty cool. After you've talked him into staying true to his Order's vows he learns that his father was right about who killed Anomen's sister. You have to track him down and use the right dialog choices to help him kill the murders and to get him to forgive you as well. After that he's quite the polite gentleman. I haven't had much experience with Mazzy in the party either - short people move to slow. I usually don't rescue her from the Shade Lord's cell until I've killed the dragon and am ready to finish off Shady. Then I pick her up for that battle and then head directly back to the slums where she should get the obnoxious orc dual. She challenges him to a dual in the Copper Coronet pit - but you have to help her by stacking the odds in her favor - there will be a couple of new characters in the bar to talk to that should give you clues as to what to do. Then if you keep her in the party long enough she will get a message that her sister has been poisoned back in Trademeet. Solve that rather obvious minor quest and that's all for her other than her rather dubious romance with Korgan - at least Korgan clumsily tries to romance her. Also she has some great dialogs with Jan. Jan, Korgy and Mazzy are just a few to many short people for me to have in the same party - I really do think they move a bit slower that full sized folks.

Vicsun · Post by **Vicsun** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:31 am

Originally posted by krunchyfrogg
I like Anomen more than Viccy

You like the whining bastard more than the hawt draw maiden?

krunchyfrogg · Post by **krunchyfrogg** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 4:50 pm

Maiden my a$$, that b*tch is a dirty ho.

Besides, from a numbers standpoint, I'll take Anomen's 7 levels as a fighter (and it's many benefits) over a little magic resistance.

Iyke · Post by **Iyke** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 10:38 am

I have to agree with the earlier comments about Yoshi. Why take Yoshi around chapters two and three, letting him soak up experience which would otherwise go to your long-term party members. The packhorse idea is a great way of getting Imoen kitted out, and is a very fitting role for Yoshi, who even gets practice at this at the beginning of the game.

Milk the betrayel for all its xp, then after it all you can take his heart back to town and trade it in for more xp.

For a real thief, look no further than Jan. He will never be as good a pack horse as Yoshi, but at every thing else he is better.

BurNeR · Post by **BurNeR** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 7:49 am

hmm... Nice Ideas all here,
There are few things i am dont agree about.
1- Dont waste your expirence On Yoshimo. no point he is dead! deaad and giving you only 200,000 XP that will be given to the 6 characters, i say waste of XP.
2- Anomen Isn't a tank he is not that good fighter when it comes to melee, sure u can equip every 1 in the game with good stuff but still i dont realy like him.
3- Seeking mage? 1 name!! --> Edwin no 1 else will do better job then he will, he is ****en mad but he is the best mage in game.
4- take Jan he is realy good thief, Nalia is nice character but Her melee isnt promissing, Jan Is good thief and if u equip him with good spells he is good spell caster and he can rescue from hard battle time.(i give all my best spells to Edwin).

Use Vecoina as a cleric she is the best cleric,
Use korgna-now that is a truly TANK.
Use Edwin ****en Mad Mage But Truly Unstoppoble
Use Jan Truly decent thief, can be good mage and melee can be improved 2. =]
Use Minsc He can realy help you with the undead and vimpers stuff, he is realy strong Character Agians Vemps.
Main Character - i used monk he is 1 hell of a Character ! fighting with your hands!?! What can be more fun?! Feel like Bruce Lee in BG2. thats my ideas have fun man!

Incertainty · Post by **Incertainty** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 2:16 am

Soooooooo... Added all together this would come to...

Main Character (Kensai to be dualled to Mage => What's a good level to dual at? Maybe anyone point out an exp. cap remover?)
Jan/Imoen
Jaheira
Minsc (These three are a certainty)
Mazzy (Getting to like her after all)
Viconia (Or maybe Keldorn? I do like Viconia, however)

And what's the best way to ensure Imoen isn't too far behind, or at least able to catch up, when you retrieve her? Scrolls, maybe?

Numinor · Post by **Numinor** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 3:53 am

Looks like a good party to me. I'd take Viconia over Keldorn because Jaheira's healing powers are not always enough for a party of 6. Also Minsc and the PC as frontliners + support from Jaheira, and Mazzy as ranged fighter should be enough fighting power, so Keldorn is not really needed (although his Dispel Magic/True Sight are always useful, but Viconia can help on that, too

).
I would dual to mage at level 9, if you dual at 13 you'll have to wait a long time to regain you kensai powers with a party of 6. To get some more information when to dual search the forums, there are several threads that discuss this topic in detail.

If you want Imoen to be as close to the rest of the party as possible I'd leave for Spellhold at around 1.200.000 exp. That should be enough to bring her to 1.200.000 as well (she has either 400.000 or 1.200.000) and she will only be behind by 100 - 200.000 or so. You can use scrolls of course, but experience from those is shared with the entire party, so Imoen will be just as far behind as before

Mirk · Post by **Mirk** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 4:49 am

the party looks good, you can't go wrong with either Keldorn Viconia. I've found the healing not to be an issue, even without cleric OR druid in the party, and you'll defenatly have no problems with Jaheira by herself... Basicaly, one less healer means one more character doing damage, and that means the fight is over faster! offence is the best defence, you know...

as to levelling Imoen up, the scrolls are a good idea, especially if you kick everybody but her out... "just wait hear for a minute, i need to bring her op to speed." just be carefull with kicking out romance intersts, thjey tend not to like it!

Incertainty · Post by **Incertainty** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 5:09 am

Originally posted by Numinor
If you want Imoen to be as close to the rest of the party as possible I'd leave for Spellhold at around 1.200.000 exp. That should be enough to bring her to 1.200.000 as well (she has either 400.000 or 1.200.000) and she will only be behind by 100 - 200.000 or so. You can use scrolls of course, but experience from those is shared with the entire party, so Imoen will be just as far behind as before [/b]

So this 1,2 million exp just means that's the least I should have on my single-class characters? Or need my multi-class characters have that much on each class as well?

Incertainty · Post by **Incertainty** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 5:11 am

Also, does this mean it's best NOT to let in party-members you're going to kick out eventually just to 'fill out' your party to 6? Better to work with 4-5 than letting them soak up exp you're only going to lose on them?

Mirk · Post by **Mirk** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 7:45 am

2ed AD&D determines "power" of chars by total XP, by multiplying the amount for needed next level, thus creating "equal in power" single-class chars of level X and multiclassed chars of level X-1 or so in both classes.

this means that your chars need to have 1200000xp, regardless of being single-classed, dual-clased or multi-classed.

another important point here is that it's not THE LEAST you want to have for your chars, but appproximately that amount, since if you get her with much higher XP, she'll be lagging behind in levels.

as to "waisting" xp on other chars, this is not totally true - the level of the NPC is determined the first time you get him into your party, and it is simillar to the partie's level, but up untill level 12 or so. if you meet an NPC when your party is averaging level 20, he'll still be level 12. so you can feel free to mix in different chars in the beginning, but stop doing it after they get to around 1200000 xp or so.

Incertainty · Post by **Incertainty** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 7:51 am

Oh dear god no!!!
Can you believe that with al this talk of dualling my kensai to a mage, I simply forgot to give him enough intelligence at character creation?! Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!! Well... I was only out of Irenicus' dungeon for a couple of hours (little time to play), so I guess I can always just start over... sigh...

Mirk · Post by **Mirk** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 8:01 am

he-he.

Incertainty · Post by **Incertainty** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 8:07 am

Well... I just managed to roll up a strength of 18/85, dexterity, constitution, intelligence 18, wisdom, charisma 9. Should suffice, no? I have 2 proficiency slots placed in two handed style, and four in two handed swords. Carsomryr and even the Blade of Chaos you get in the very beginning, no?

Mirk · Post by **Mirk** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 8:12 am

auch... but a kensai/mage CAN'T weild Carsomyr... but you can get an exellent +3 weapon very early.

Incertainty · Post by **Incertainty** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 8:24 am

And why not? You certainly can't tell from the screenshot they give you here.