Two things:
1) Chromatic Orb is not so useful early on (there are better spells) - I prefer to take this later, because it is great at higher levels!
2) Greater Cleave is a waste of time...
In 1 round - kill 1st enemy > free strike on 2nd enemy with Cleave > kill 2nd enemy in SAME round > free strike on 3rd enemy with Greater Cleave > kill 3rd enemy in SAME round > free strike on 4th, etc...
It is VERY rare that you will ever kill two enemies in the same round. Cleave 1 is ok though.
An Ideal Starting Party?
Some of your selected feats and stats look more like roleplaying than powergaming.
Your party is more than strong enough to handle the game even if you choose only crappy feats from now on.
I see no problem imagining your dwarf using a throwing axe.
Rapid shot helps with any ranged weapon except crossbow and you get a strength bonus for any missile weapon except bows and crossbows.
Weapon focus isn't really great, you gain only 1 AB with only one weapon type.
Only the +2 damage for specialisation (requires 4 fighter levels) is really worth it.
I never needed combat casting.
If you cast spells near enemies often you are doing something wrong.
But even in this case high con and concentration should be enough to finish your spells unless you get a critical failed concentration check.
Not having the perfect party is probably better for your gaming experience, otherwise the game might become too easy later.
So don't bother too much, just have fun.
Your party is more than strong enough to handle the game even if you choose only crappy feats from now on.
I see no problem imagining your dwarf using a throwing axe.
Rapid shot helps with any ranged weapon except crossbow and you get a strength bonus for any missile weapon except bows and crossbows.
Weapon focus isn't really great, you gain only 1 AB with only one weapon type.
Only the +2 damage for specialisation (requires 4 fighter levels) is really worth it.
I never needed combat casting.
If you cast spells near enemies often you are doing something wrong.
But even in this case high con and concentration should be enough to finish your spells unless you get a critical failed concentration check.
Not having the perfect party is probably better for your gaming experience, otherwise the game might become too easy later.
So don't bother too much, just have fun.
You are right about Concentration and Constitution, but I prefer to give combat casters every chance when casting spells like:I never needed combat casting.
If you cast spells near enemies often you are doing something wrong.
1) Sunfire - wizard-tank builds only;
2) Any spell with a short duration, e.g. Greater Shield of Lathander;
3) Any 2nd time self-cast spell, e.g. Mirror Image (rare), see 2 above;
4) Touch spells - although I've never tested the "pre-cast" method for these;
5) Any spell which prohibits/stops movement (Iron Body, Circle of ?, etc);
6) Soloing the game.
With the instances above, I think it is fair to say that front line (melee type) casters WILL cast spells near enemies.
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Raven_Song
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My current party Level is 5 (and I'll Level Squat until I reach Chapter 3, I think...).
And I don't know about Weapon Focus, but it was more because I couldn't think whatelse to give my Characters.
Besides, my Fighter now has Greatsword Mastery and The Wandering Sky (I want a bigger sword!), so that +2 Damage means he's doing around 11-23 Damage per hit, and has something like a +8 to hit.
I've been thinking of Multi-classing to Fighter Level four for some extra Feats and so he can get Weapon Mastery in Axes (or whatever the Executioner's Wife's type is), and a few Feats for Power Attack and Cleave. Not sure if it's worth it, but a Barbarian/Fighter is most certainly fun (and with no Experience Penalty because a Shield Dwarf's Favoured Class is Fighter. ).
As to combat casting, it's useful for a Cleric for Healing Spells, or for a Mage with spells like Colour Spray and Burning hands. It's best used on the Cleric, since if a Mage in in combat, something's probably gone wrong, you got ambushed while resting to regain your spells/health, or you want her there. I only move my Mages (and Rogue...) so they aren't liable to get attacked in close combat, can see/get in range of an enemy, or for an Agannazar's Scorcher down the front-liner fighters, torching everyone).
But anyway, now I have to find a Fireball Scroll (since you can't buy any from Ulbrec's wife nor from the Druidical people by the Shaengarn Ford). Otherwise I have Dispell Magic, Hold Person and Haste to bolster the party and freeze Enemies/disrupt Magic. This works in combination with a good three to four, maybe five, Sleep Spells (depends on how I use the Sorceress).
And as to best party, it's far from; Instead of, say, improving Strength or Constitution on my Warriors, I went for Intelligence instead (well, I dislike dunces like me. ), and even though the two fighters are mini tanks, against a lot of foes they do actually start struggling (Sheer amount of attacks, even with Armour Class 18/19, they'll start hurting me eventually, in which case I use sleep on the enemy... low Will Save Enemies are fun. ). And they have a favoured weapon, but will use anything that comes to hand (greatswords, longswords, bastard swords, polearms, axes, maces, flails, et cetera), so I've given them some Ranks in other Weapons just to make it seem like they are more "Real lifeish" (even an old-style pikeman could handle a sword, or an axe, if is pike snapped/enemy got close) (well, the Fighter has put Ranks into Longswords and Greatswords, the Barbarian hasn't had many Feats yet). They've both been turned into tavern brawlers by giving them Dirty Fighting as well.
I think I've given the Mages Subvocal Casting as well, the reason being is that I see Magi from Schools being highly trained and schooled in such things and able to cast their spells in complete silence, while Sorcerers/esses have in it in their very blood, and would be really be hard to detect whether someone's casting something or not (for an example, reading David Eddings' Polgara the Sorceress, Belgarath the Sorcerer, The Belgariad Trilogy, and The Malloreon Trilogy. I can't think of any other books that have Sorcerers in, but Merlin's nemesis (can't remember her name) springs to mind as being a Sorceress. Sorcery is basicly Magic born into someone, so any Sorcerer should be able to channel it silently...).
The Halfling, pretty true to her nature, is a near natural shot with most Ranged weapons, but excells in Bows (Martial Weapons Focus Level II).
Note that any Weapon II Focus is for Role Playing Reasons, so meh.
I've noticed I still haven't needed to use any potions in combat... well, unless you count having fun with a few bottles of oil and some Orcs stuck on a ledge a level above me...
I need to finish this game this time around...
And I don't know about Weapon Focus, but it was more because I couldn't think whatelse to give my Characters.
Besides, my Fighter now has Greatsword Mastery and The Wandering Sky (I want a bigger sword!), so that +2 Damage means he's doing around 11-23 Damage per hit, and has something like a +8 to hit.
I've been thinking of Multi-classing to Fighter Level four for some extra Feats and so he can get Weapon Mastery in Axes (or whatever the Executioner's Wife's type is), and a few Feats for Power Attack and Cleave. Not sure if it's worth it, but a Barbarian/Fighter is most certainly fun (and with no Experience Penalty because a Shield Dwarf's Favoured Class is Fighter.
).As to combat casting, it's useful for a Cleric for Healing Spells, or for a Mage with spells like Colour Spray and Burning hands. It's best used on the Cleric, since if a Mage in in combat, something's probably gone wrong, you got ambushed while resting to regain your spells/health, or you want her there. I only move my Mages (and Rogue...) so they aren't liable to get attacked in close combat, can see/get in range of an enemy, or for an Agannazar's Scorcher down the front-liner fighters, torching everyone).
But anyway, now I have to find a Fireball Scroll (since you can't buy any from Ulbrec's wife nor from the Druidical people by the Shaengarn Ford). Otherwise I have Dispell Magic, Hold Person and Haste to bolster the party and freeze Enemies/disrupt Magic. This works in combination with a good three to four, maybe five, Sleep Spells (depends on how I use the Sorceress).
And as to best party, it's far from; Instead of, say, improving Strength or Constitution on my Warriors, I went for Intelligence instead (well, I dislike dunces like me.
), and even though the two fighters are mini tanks, against a lot of foes they do actually start struggling (Sheer amount of attacks, even with Armour Class 18/19, they'll start hurting me eventually, in which case I use sleep on the enemy... low Will Save Enemies are fun. ). And they have a favoured weapon, but will use anything that comes to hand (greatswords, longswords, bastard swords, polearms, axes, maces, flails, et cetera), so I've given them some Ranks in other Weapons just to make it seem like they are more "Real lifeish" (even an old-style pikeman could handle a sword, or an axe, if is pike snapped/enemy got close) (well, the Fighter has put Ranks into Longswords and Greatswords, the Barbarian hasn't had many Feats yet). They've both been turned into tavern brawlers by giving them Dirty Fighting as well. I think I've given the Mages Subvocal Casting as well, the reason being is that I see Magi from Schools being highly trained and schooled in such things and able to cast their spells in complete silence, while Sorcerers/esses have in it in their very blood, and would be really be hard to detect whether someone's casting something or not (for an example, reading David Eddings' Polgara the Sorceress, Belgarath the Sorcerer, The Belgariad Trilogy, and The Malloreon Trilogy. I can't think of any other books that have Sorcerers in, but Merlin's nemesis (can't remember her name) springs to mind as being a Sorceress. Sorcery is basicly Magic born into someone, so any Sorcerer should be able to channel it silently...).
The Halfling, pretty true to her nature, is a near natural shot with most Ranged weapons, but excells in Bows (Martial Weapons Focus Level II).
Note that any Weapon II Focus is for Role Playing Reasons, so meh.
I've noticed I still haven't needed to use any potions in combat... well, unless you count having fun with a few bottles of oil and some Orcs stuck on a ledge a level above me...
I need to finish this game this time around...
If you use your halfling mainly as archer and not for backstabbing consider taking 4 fighter levels for bow specialisation. Since bows have 1-6 base damage and don't get a strength bonus 2 extra damage can make quite a difference. I'd take a rogue level between each fighter level so you can increase alchemy by one when levelling up as fighter (unless you have already enough for envenom weapon) and save 1 skill point for levelling with the rogue class which has more class skills.
I don't know if it's worth taking 3 additional barbarian levels for faster scouting but I'd take at least the dash feat.
About combat casting:
If your concentration is high enough to succeed in casting checks unless a natural 1 is rolled extra +4 bonus for combat casting won't help at all, you'll still miss at a natural 1.
I don't know if it's worth taking 3 additional barbarian levels for faster scouting but I'd take at least the dash feat.
About combat casting:
If your concentration is high enough to succeed in casting checks unless a natural 1 is rolled extra +4 bonus for combat casting won't help at all, you'll still miss at a natural 1.
Concentration on the Cleric is only around 6, I think (I've been focusing on Spellcraft).
Yeah, I know about the Saving Skill Points thing. And yeah, I'll think I'll take a few Fighter Levels for the Rogue for that Bow Specialization and Dash, and Improved Initiative (I've always liked the idea of the Rogue/Halfling being able to cop anyone with a bow, anytime anyplace).
And the Rogue should be able to get to Alchemy in two Levels if I just concentrate on that (with around 6 Skill Points a Level, I think, I should be able to manage. And if not, just stock up some Fighter Skill Points as well. ).
I'm wondering why my Sorceress, Level 5, can't cast third Level Spells yet (well, I'm not complaining that I've got 7 first Level Spells and 5 second Level Spells, but I seem to be getting the Spells late... not sure what the key is for Sorceress Spells is, though, so I'll look it up... :-/)
Yeah, I know about the Saving Skill Points thing. And yeah, I'll think I'll take a few Fighter Levels for the Rogue for that Bow Specialization and Dash, and Improved Initiative (I've always liked the idea of the Rogue/Halfling being able to cop anyone with a bow, anytime anyplace).
And the Rogue should be able to get to Alchemy in two Levels if I just concentrate on that (with around 6 Skill Points a Level, I think, I should be able to manage. And if not, just stock up some Fighter Skill Points as well.
).I'm wondering why my Sorceress, Level 5, can't cast third Level Spells yet (well, I'm not complaining that I've got 7 first Level Spells and 5 second Level Spells, but I seem to be getting the Spells late... not sure what the key is for Sorceress Spells is, though, so I'll look it up... :-/)
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Raven_Song
- Posts: 550
- Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2004 4:02 am
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Because she's not level 6, sorcerers gain access to new level spells a level later than wizards.I'm wondering why my Sorceress, Level 5, can't cast third Level Spells yet (well, I'm not complaining that I've got 7 first Level Spells and 5 second Level Spells, but I seem to be getting the Spells late... not sure what the key is for Sorceress Spells is, though, so I'll look it up... :-/)
Ah, right... well, I'll advance HER to Level 6 then (and my other Mage, but only for the Spells. Possibly the Cleric also. Advice on that?).
Man, I want that Fireball Scroll for my Mage... Dispell Magic and Haste are good, Hold Person my Cleric can do (Considering I found that Scroll and a Lightning Bolt One from the Ogres destroying the bridge, my Mage now has those two spells... I don't know how or why I got them, but I was one lucky sob... )
Man, I want that Fireball Scroll for my Mage... Dispell Magic and Haste are good, Hold Person my Cleric can do (Considering I found that Scroll and a Lightning Bolt One from the Ogres destroying the bridge, my Mage now has those two spells... I don't know how or why I got them, but I was one lucky sob...
)