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starting again, looking for advice on party

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lisardo
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starting again, looking for advice on party

Post by lisardo »

hello all,
haven't been to these forums in ages. I'm starting a new ID2 game, after not playing for years, and i could use some help. like everybody last time i played (ages ago) i started over a few times untill i had a party i liked. It included a dwarven BrbXX/F4, a human Rog1/WizXX, a human straight druid, a Aasimar Pal2/SorXX and some stuff i dont remember (bard i think and dwarven battleguard). This time i'm looking for soemthing a bit different and i'm planning to take the party to HoF. Here are my thoughts till now:
1. Aasimar Pal2/SorXX: I'll keep this one, liked it a lot. Skills i can manage, but what is the best stat allocation?
2. Rog1/WizXX: i might get more rogue levels (1 or 2 extra), is this worth it? Or is it a better idea to leave it as it is and make it a drow?
3. Brb1/Mo1/DruidXX: Human by default i think. I want him or her to fight shapeshifted. What are the ideal stats?
4. Bard: I want to put a bard in somewhere, but i'm not sure how to build one. I dont want a singleclass bard, so maybe a Brd11/So19 as a singer and back up caster? Or maybe more of a fighting bard with fighterlevels? Help me!
5. and 6. are undecided. What would fit the rest of the group? I still need a cleric, right? The druid doesnt look like its enough for the healing role. Maybe i'll take a high AC-decoy (DG). Another idea would be one or two fighters in silverdragons style (as found in the very informative sticky thread) with wizard-levels or cleric levels. Thoughts anyone?
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Raven_Song
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Post by Raven_Song »

3. Brb1/Mo1/DruidXX: Human by default i think. I want him or her to fight shapeshifted. What are the ideal stats?
In the unmodded game you can't multi-class Barbarian/Monk because the former cannot be lawful in alignment, the latter must be lawful. So you'll either have to cheat nd use the Weidu Ease of Use Mod or go with another build.
I still need a cleric, right?
Definitely, perhaps even two.

As for suggestions I can't really help that much as I have never played HoF.
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kmonster
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Post by kmonster »

1. 10-15-18-12-5-20.
12 int is needed to increase spellcraft enough to take elemental feats without reducing concentration.


2. Regarding power it's not worth taking a second rogue level before you reach mage level 20 late in HoF mode. Humans level faster while drows get racial bonusses.


3. Keep the druid pure until level 20. Optimal stats 18-16-18-3-18-3.
At level 11 you can reach 14 points in spellcraft which allows taking elemental feats like the important scion of storms.


4.I'd keep the bard pure. Bard spells get better with levels.
You won't get a bard11/sorc19 without cheating (level-squatting). Stopping bard progression after level5 and take 20 sorcerer levels afterwards yields more power, but pure bards are more fun.


5.The game is far easier if you have a cleric. (but you don't have to)
Dreadmasters get a special quest which yields +2 wis both in normal and HoF mode and are therefore the most powerful specialisation. But other deities are playable as well, battleguard of Tempus are most fun to me, although they get only cleric spells as domain spells.
I'd take a dwarf with the stats 18-16-20-3-18-1.
Keep your cleric pure for at least the first 20 levels, only if you want to add paladin levels you should do this before the holy avenger battle.
If you want to add monk levels make him lawful.


6.Since you already have 5 spellcasters, you'll want to have someone who just doesn't have to cast spells to be effective.
Nice "do enough damage to overcome any damage reduction easily" 2-handed weapon using builds are

Aasimar paladin3/fighter x 18-13-18-3-8-20
Half-Orc fighter4/barbarian x 20-16-18-1-18-1 (or (grey) dwarf)
Increase only strength at level up for more fun.

A pure drow or aasimar paladin will become even stronger if you want to use "holy smite" or the "holy power" spell.

Deep gnome monk or barbarian are builds which are far better in the defense but will do less damage.

You can also create weird mixes of 5 or more classes to get the best from all worlds or create another paladin2/sorcerer nuker for even more power.
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Crenshinibon
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Post by Crenshinibon »

I strongly suggest a mage.

They're valuable in the normal campaign but more so in HoF. They get some nice summons towrds the middle/end.

Also, try combining mages with fighters and so on.
“The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially.”
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lisardo
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Post by lisardo »

Hey guys. Thanks for the replies.
True enough, the Barb/Monk/Druid is out of the question, forgot about the lawfull/not lawfull bit. Too long since i havent played. :rolleyes: I'm going to make it a Mo1/DrdXX, focusing high dex and high wis.
I'll go with the stats on the Pal1/SoXX, but i might put some more points in wis for saves (instead of con).
The Rog/Wiz wont get more rogue levels until late in the game. Staring with a Drow i think, one rogue level and then about 20 wiz levels before i get more rogue levels (1-2). I might even throw in some fighter levels and make it al fighting machine in HoF, will have to see...
Regarding the Bard/Sorc: It wouldnt get an experience penalty if it were a aasimar right? Might try that.
I'll throw in a cleric (lathander? bane?) and a dwarven f4/BrBXX. That should round it out nicely right?
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Raven_Song
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Post by Raven_Song »

Regarding the Bard/Sorc: It wouldnt get an experience penalty if it were a aasimar right? Might try that.
The only way it wouldn't get a penalty is if you kept the levels at roughly the same level, otherwise the answer is no it would, since an aasimar's favoured class is paladin.

The only races that you could multi-class this build freely with is human, half-elf or wild elf, and out of the three human would be preferable.
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lisardo
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Post by lisardo »

You 're right of course.. That's what you get from not playing that long. I was thinking of a Aasimar Pal1/SorcXX that doesnt get MC penalties...But thats because of the Paladin level and not the Sorc level...
MMM, what to do? I'll make it human then!
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kmonster
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Post by kmonster »

It's no good idea to lower con in order to raise wis for your paladin1/sorcerer.

con affects
- hitpoints
- concentration checks (to cast uninterrupted)
- fortitude saves

wis only affects
- will saves

Will saves are the sorcerer's strong saves while con saves are weak ones.
Enemies cast hold and charm spells at the tanks, not at the background casters. Because of "protection from evil" charm spells aren't even a threat.
Dying because of failing a fortitude save against a festering drowning dead's gases or a wyvern bite seems to be the bigger thread to me.
Dying because of low hitpoints is also more common.

5 wis gives -3 to fortitude saves, but this is more evened out by the +5 for all saves you get for 20 cha. And with eagle's splendor you get about another +2 to your saves for an eternity. Since you'll also raise cha at level up they will improve even more.

If you are panicking because your tanks got held in your first game then reduce dex and increase wis by one, but it's not neccessary. 8 strength is enough to carry 50 pounds and you have bull's strength if you need more.

You can also change the race to human so you get still enough skill points with 3 int instead of 12. You'll have a lot of extra stat points to distribute and level up faster.
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