What's the deal about dual and multiclass?

renegade · Post by **renegade** » Thu Aug 16, 2001 12:53 am

After reading a lot of best-class-related topics I found almost everyone in this board going for dual and multiclass character.
I must say, I disagree with all you folks

For instance, try the monk: at high level is a butt-kicking machine. Lots of attacks, packing a heavy punch (esp. if you max STR out with the girdle of giant strength or the gauntlets of ogre power - I have my monk w/the girdle and Keldy w/gauntlets and Carsomyr), Stunning attack (a big plus), Quivering palm (the 2 o 3 times I've seen it WORK actually - but it's the old story about hi-level saving throws

), and best of all MAGIC RESISTANCE! (with the +10% obtained at the end of SoA and Ellesime's Amulet - another +10% - I have at 19th level a whopping 70-something percent!).
Single class characters, esp. if they're spellcasters, have more spells (and this comes in handy for summoning matters - see Edwin vs. Aerie or Viconia vs Jaheira).
Now, it's good having a sort of "backup" power for tough battles, but I still strongly believe that a bunch of single-class, very focused chars acting together can bring down everyone nice an'clean

At the present, my party consists of:
-main guy, human monk 19th
-Jaheira, 15th/15th
-Viconia, 19th
-Edwin, 16th (Guy, he's evil, bu he ROCKS!

)
-Keldorn, 17th (main guy's all-out brawl buddy

)
-Imoen, 16th (backup mage - too cute to kick her out, and bad roleplaying also - my main is lawful good)

So, what do you think, guys and gals? Let me know...I'd gladly start a thread about this

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Thu Aug 16, 2001 5:35 am

That monks are good is certainly no news to the people on this board. However, you don't have to like them just because they are good. I for one find it boring not to use lots of armors and weapons. Dual or multi class characters are more complex to play than single class characters and therefor, IMO, much more interesting. And they certainly are not weak - have you tried the infamous Kensai(9)/Mage, for example?

Edwin vs Aerie and Viconia vs Jaheira are two very bad examples. Edwin gets extra spells due to his amulet. He is also a specialist (one extra spells per level), which is possible but not necessary for single class mages. Aerie is an elf, but were she a gnome like Jan, she too could have been a specialist. Viconia has higher wisdom than Jaheira which is one of the reason she gets more spells than Jahiera.

renegade · Post by **renegade** » Thu Aug 16, 2001 5:48 am

Point taken. I admit I made bad examples, but I'd still put up with single-classed chars. I agree with you that a fighter/cleric or whatever is more interesting to play and adds variety to the game, but I find it useful having a group of chars in which everyone reaches the peak in what they do. It's still good to play to me... the only one I dualed in my Bg2 game was Yoshimo (i dualed him as a fighter, and much to my dismay he used those newfound ability to kill me

). Dual and multiclass are good for backup, I think, but I wouldn't make them the spine of the group. Well, IMHO, as usual

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Thu Aug 16, 2001 6:06 am

Anomen is a good example of the advantages of dual classing. It's important here not to go into an argumument about his "lousy" stats - these would be the same (slightly worse, in fact) even if he was a single class Cleric.

Advantages

Higher Strength
Lower THAC0
More HP
Ability to Grand Master weapons

Disadvantages

64 000 less XPs. (Considering the XP Cap in ToB, or even in SoA, that's hardly noticeable)

In short: Gains much, looses little.

renegade · Post by **renegade** » Thu Aug 16, 2001 6:31 am

Uhm, never taken Anomen. does he level up as a fighter or cleric?

Imoen is good, though. Just what I need for opening things and disarming traps... I'm not well versed in trap overkill so I don't need a high-lev thief, I prefer to wade in and kick everything that moves (sometimes even things that DON'T move)

Edwin · Post by **Edwin** » Thu Aug 16, 2001 6:33 am

The deal is that (IMO) you can have different abiblities you can use. For example a FMT can be a sufficient thief for the game with good HP and the ability of casting defencive spells. He's also a fighter able to backstabb and go in for fighting with stoneskin......Astafas said well that they're more difficult to play, because you must pay attention to a lot of things in order to use all your ailities....

Izgoth · Post by **Izgoth** » Thu Aug 16, 2001 6:37 am

Well for brute fighting power a kensai/mage or kensai/thief dualed at L15 or more would surely be stronger at fighting than a regular L40 kensai.

dark__ranger · Post by **dark__ranger** » Thu Aug 16, 2001 7:04 am

I'd have to agree with you on the single-class stuff, sometimes they truly can be more powerful. for example, if u havent already, try getting a hold of keldorn's firecam plate, your monk can use it if your stats beat his

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Thu Aug 16, 2001 7:15 am

Originally posted by dark__ranger:
<STRONG>I'd have to agree with you on the single-class stuff, sometimes they truly can be more powerful. for example, if u havent already, try getting a hold of keldorn's firecam plate, your monk can use it if your stats beat his </STRONG>

You're truly missing the point here. You are now comparing the Monk with dual classes and come to the questionable conclusion that Monks are more powerful. There is actually a whole thread started by a guy who was in for a duel with his Monk against a Sorceror and, IIRC, a Kensai/Mage. Let's just say that he was rather nervous about the outcome. However, if you want in for the discussion, wouldn't it be better if you choose a class that can be played both as a single and a dual class?

Anomen levels up as a Cleric (switched from Fighter at level 7). He'll reach the XP cap and have all the advantages of a regular Cleric.

[ 08-16-2001: Message edited by: Astafas ]

dark__ranger · Post by **dark__ranger** » Thu Aug 16, 2001 7:37 am

dude, how did you get it not to show your name on your post? it never lets me do it

dark__ranger · Post by **dark__ranger** » Thu Aug 16, 2001 7:38 am

oops sory i see now never mind

TheDude · Post by **TheDude** » Thu Aug 16, 2001 7:44 am

i love playing dual/multi classes, because u can combine a lot of great abillities of a lot of good Classes.
But some times a single clas can be real fun to: The Assassin was a great clas to play, but i think if i had chosen a human instead of a dwarf (he every one can make an mistake

) i should had dualed him in to a mage.
Now i'm going to play the game for the 5th time with a fighter/thief i just want to see how it works out.
And if i get ToB i will contineu with my Ranger/Cleric (a dual clas)