Please note that new user registrations disabled at this time.

I Must Gather My Party Before Venturing Forth

This forum is to be used for all discussions pertaining to BioWare's Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn.
Post Reply
User avatar
Eternal Winter
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2004 3:35 am
Contact:

I Must Gather My Party Before Venturing Forth

Post by Eternal Winter »

I m about to finish the shadows of amn these days so i started to think about a new party.But I can not decide the sixth member s class.I will play multi so i will create all members on my own.

The party in my mind is(spoiler):














-Kensai mage(main character):dual wielding celestial furry and zerth blade.
-Paladin:For Carsomyr but i m not sure which kit is to take i stuck between the undead hunter and cavailer.
-Multi class fighter druid:wielding defender +5 and frostbrand.
-Illusionist/thief :( i m not not sure about his weapon selection yet.)
-Viconia as cleric for romance and high magic resistance.

Do anyone have some suggestion about the sixth member?Which
class to choose and weapon selection?Also suggestions about the current list?
I m alsi thinking about a antipaladin as a sixth member(i know it is not logical to have a paladin and an anti paladin in the same party but since the multiplayer game doesnt care about the alignment differences why not? :D :D :D But i dont know which mod is required for that kit?
the fire in my eyes is dying
and the zeal i had is gone
User avatar
nephtu
Posts: 989
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2002 10:38 am
Location: Bellevue, WA
Contact:

Post by nephtu »

Well..

I'm assuming you're playing without ToB or any Mods except the Bonus Merchants. Regardless, play what you like (of course).

Virtually any class can work nicely in that party, but an obvious choice is a pure damage dealer - Sorceror, Kensai, Monk, Assassin, Archer or such like. If you go Kensai you've got a huge choice of good weapons to pick from, Sorceror should get SotM, I'd think. Assassin - probably longswords or staves +ranged. I believe Antipaladins are in Tactics MOD amongst others.

On the Paladin kit side, I'd pick Undead Hunter over Cavalier - the immunity to level drain is damn nice, and significantly more useful than the Dragon/Demon bonuses.

For your illusionist thief, I'd start with short bow & either longsword, staves or short sword. Also consider Staves or Spears (Impaler, yum!) for your F/D. Viconia will mostly want to use Mauler's Arm to get her strength up to a decent level, but it's available to you pretty early on.

Obviously MODs installed may significantly modify your weapon choices.

Good luck!
I have given up all lesser evils as inadequate to my purpose.
User avatar
Imperator
Posts: 13
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2004 8:44 am
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:

Post by Imperator »

I'd go for a inquisitor instead of a cavalier or undead hunter, because his special abilities are more useful in SoA. His Dispell Magic is twice the level of the normal spell (so it dispells almost anything). True Sight is also a real gem, considering how many enemies turn invisible, especially if you play ToB. But that's just my opinion though.
Understatement of the year:
"Women have a way of complicating things" - Odysseus, in the movie Troi
User avatar
krunchyfrogg
Posts: 542
Joined: Sun Apr 04, 2004 12:19 am
Location: NY
Contact:

Post by krunchyfrogg »

Out of curiousity, why are you creating your own characters and not using the NPC's provided? Every extra character you plan on using can easily be replaced! You'll get more XP with the NPC's provided by Bioware (Sidequests), and you'll get dialogue too!

To each his own, I suppose.
A life is not important, except in the impact it has on other lives.
- Jackie Robinson
User avatar
Armycardinal
Posts: 169
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2003 12:19 pm
Location: USA
Contact:

Post by Armycardinal »

Here we go again

As far as advice for your Paladin...see page two of this forum..."Which Palain kit is best".


Let me throw my 2cents in favor of the inquisitor (again)

they can cast dispel magic at a higher level than their real level (I think it is 2 above)

cast true sight also.

Both of these spells are vital for a party IMHO. If your paladin has them, then your mages don't have to scribe/memorize them and can use the slots for others.

FWIW.



AC
"Mortal Danger is an effective antidote for fixed ideas." Field Marshal Rommel

"Daddy. What smells??" - Samantha

"Gentlemen, prepare to defend yourselves."
Command Sergeant Major Basil Plumley
User avatar
Sir Redweed
Posts: 87
Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2003 10:11 am
Location: Cumberland Gap, TN
Contact:

Post by Sir Redweed »

Go with the undead hunter. You can always use thief skill to detect ill to replace the special abilities you are missing. I don't understand why you are creating characters of the same mix that the game provides in NPC form. You are basically creating Jan and Jaheria and you can get so much from just adding these two to your party instead of rolling them.
What doesn't kill you will make you stronger!!
User avatar
nephtu
Posts: 989
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2002 10:38 am
Location: Bellevue, WA
Contact:

Post by nephtu »

Hrrmm..

The Inquisitor freebie true sight is very nice, but the dispel magic is limited, since it's such a two-edged sword. I always end up dispelling party buffs with it, but maybe that's just because I'm uncoordinated :( In any case, giving up all the spells + lay hands + immunity to level drain for that seems like a poor tradeoff to me.

The points about using pre-existing NPCs are good, too, unless you don't like banter.

PS - give Viconia a kit - Talos suits her personality well, but Helm includes True sight - or you can always tweak her special abilities directly.
I have given up all lesser evils as inadequate to my purpose.
User avatar
Thrain
Posts: 443
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2004 1:29 pm
Contact:

Post by Thrain »

but she's a cleric of shar :)

ashes of embers adds cleric kits but i didnt think they were well imp[lemented. would be an interesting mod
User avatar
krunchyfrogg
Posts: 542
Joined: Sun Apr 04, 2004 12:19 am
Location: NY
Contact:

Post by krunchyfrogg »

Whether you go with the multiplayer party, or one made of NPCs, I'd suggest sticking with just 5 characters.

Not only will you be able to add in NPC's for sidequests, but you will also level up faster with less party members.
A life is not important, except in the impact it has on other lives.
- Jackie Robinson
User avatar
araknid70
Posts: 202
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 9:25 am
Contact:

Post by araknid70 »

Its not going to be easy to retain Frostbrand and Defender for your fighter/druid, as Malchior Harpell's going to be hounding your party. Unless you don't mind putting up with his nonsense, and avoiding him repeatedly, I'd advise taking up other types of weapons. Besides, there are a number of pretty unique weapons lying around. As nephtu said, try for a long two handed weapon. Since your fighter/druid is likely to be a support fighter, get a spear or halberd and poke away from BEHIND the two main fighters, as the long weapons can hit from some distance away. Furthermore having the fighter/druid close also allows for convenient healing and buffing (if required).

For the mage weapon I'd suggest Staff of the Magi. Understandably it's an overused weapon, but since a mage won't be participating in combat, getting a combat oriented weapon really isn't very useful. If it comes down to the point when my mage has to go hand-to-hand, then its time to load a savegame, IMHO.

Just a little joke: Your main char's wielding celestial furry. Is that Boo? :D
User avatar
Eternal Winter
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2004 3:35 am
Contact:

Post by Eternal Winter »

I have several reasons for creating a multiplayer party:
first of all in single player games you cant have viconia and keldorn at the same party or its end up with a fight between them.secondly i played the game again and again and want to create my own party members,i want to choose all the weapon proficiencies.But at a second glance i find my mistake because i m thinkink about to replace jaheira with an other fig/drd with scimitar pro. unfortunately defender+5 only usable by good characters so a druid can never use it :(
I read the paladin kit forum before and add my own idea before.
I think inquisitor is not really good as a cavailer.He lost too much ability for true sight and dispel.You can easily see invisibles with some other ways.Memorizing one or two true sight is enough foe one day.I use that ability only when i desperately need.Otherwise i use dragon slayer s ability or glitterdust to see invisibles.For dispelling holy avenger already dispell at hit and if its not enough use breach or ruby ray of reversal.
when we come to the undead hunter c'mon undeads are a piece of cake except kangaxx even with the mods.With a tank wielding mace of disruption(nagative plane protection when wielded) and daystar together vampires fall one by one.Viconia can even dominate the vampires at chapter 6 with turning undead as an evil cleric.
I vote for the cavailer because of resistances and fear immunity.
missile restriction is not a problem with cheese (rifthome axe)
But i know that the which paladin kit is the best is a question which can never end :)
As a conclusion i think i will get jaheira to my party.
And bunch of thaks to everyone who share their ideas with me.
Gamebanshee forums is one of the greatest i've ever see.
At last I have an advise to everyone play in multi with someone (i m playing with my homemate) if you have the opportunity.It is great and you can have your own dialogues with more like your life :p
Example :( my homemate's fighter says) stop pickpocketing me or i will crush your head :D
the fire in my eyes is dying
and the zeal i had is gone
User avatar
fable
Posts: 30676
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2001 12:00 pm
Location: The sun, the moon, and the stars.
Contact:

Post by fable »

first of all in single player games you cant have viconia and keldorn at the same party or its end up with a fight between them.secondly

Baldurdash has a mod, both separately and as part of a much larger package, that renders all party NPCs happy whatever your reputation, and able to work together. Just FYI.

For the rest, you bought it, you can play it as you like. ;)
To the Righteous belong the fruits of violent victory. The rest of us will have to settle for warm friends, warm lovers, and a wink from a quietly supportive universe.
User avatar
Eternal Winter
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2004 3:35 am
Contact:

Post by Eternal Winter »

I completely forgot about that mod... :rolleyes:
But my real problem is I want to edit the NPC's weapon pro.
Is there a way to do that without giving harm to saved games? :confused:
the fire in my eyes is dying
and the zeal i had is gone
User avatar
nephtu
Posts: 989
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2002 10:38 am
Location: Bellevue, WA
Contact:

Post by nephtu »

Yes

You can easily edit weapons proficiencies in Shadow Keeper.
I have given up all lesser evils as inadequate to my purpose.
User avatar
Snoon
Posts: 49
Joined: Tue Dec 28, 2004 2:10 am
Contact:

Post by Snoon »

My second time through the game, I started in multiplayer, and I used 2 characters of my own creation, the rest were NPCs.

For my second choice, I chose a cleric ranger. Dual-wielding blunt weapons is awesome, and cleric/rangers get some druid spells, like the insect plague that even causes Jon Irenicus to have casting failures. By the time I had to fight Bodhi's vampire guild the second time, I had my cleric/ranger wielding Crom Faeyr + Mace of disruption, and using the amulet that prevents level drain. There were vampires exploding all over the place. :D (didn't know about the improved mace of disruption back then, if I get it my third time playing through the game, I'll give it to Minsc.)

Later on, in Suldanesselar, my party entered a house, and there were 3 golems, stone golems I think. I had my cleric/ranger go at them with Crom F + Flail of Ages, and they were all gone before Aerie could cast even a single chant spell. Perhaps the character is a bit overpowered? :confused:

I used to think the Undead Hunter was better than the Cavalier because of the immunity to level drain, but I wasn't thinking about the immunity to fear. That could possibly help more than the immunity to level drain, now that I think about it... since it's very annoying when you have party members running around like idiots and crapping in their pants, instead of being useful. On the other hand though, the resist fear spell is only a level 2 mage spell, and affects your entire party, whereas negative plane protection affects only 1 member and doesn't last very long at all. With items you can have only 2 members with permanent level drain protection? Oh well, I don't use paladins anyways, so it's a moot point for me. :)
Post Reply