3 character party, any advice?

[Mohag]

i meant get the new chars up to the level of my current ones then delete my old ones so i could carry on my game as normal, please can you tell me your ideal 3 char team and give info on their weopons and specialised weopons etc. you know what i mean, i want to make a really good party

[Naffnuff]

Since you're adventuring with a 3 char party, I wouldn't worry about levelling up. Since your xp is distributed equally among your characters, you'll level up twice as fast as normal.
I'm not sure you can replace your Bhaalspawn, but in any case there is a nice and user friendly tool called ShadowKeeper, which allows you to edit your save games in every conceivable way, including your characters' race, class, gender etc.

[Mohag]

thanks but no thanks i dont like using editors cause it just makes the game a joke. decided to start again but i sorta cheated and make the team in ToB and then loaded them into SoA (bit cheeky but i really cant be bothered with started all over again). thanks all the same

[Cuchulain82]

yeah the theif is quite rubbish,

Are you serious?! The theif class if the most underrated class in the game, and the F->Th is the most powerful! I'm not exaggerating! Check out [url="http://www.gamebanshee.com/forums/baldurs-gate-ii-shadows-of-amn-9/party-formation-help-please-criticise-before-i-go-58680-p2.html#post620887"]this post[/url] and then consider having a F->Th.

[Mohag]

alright then cuchulain. i read the post but i didnt really get it to be honest. so, you are saying that you multi(or dual i cant remember which) DURING the game, after obtaining a certain amount of levels on the first class. ok so far i have been multi/dual classing at the beginning of the game. ok i am really lost please help me out here!

[Cuchulain82]

alright then cuchulain. i read the post but i didnt really get it to be honest. so, you are saying that you multi(or dual i cant remember which) DURING the game, after obtaining a certain amount of levels on the first class. ok so far i have been multi/dual classing at the beginning of the game. ok i am really lost please help me out here!

Well, since there's confusion, I'll start at the basics and move on. THis is the basic difference between multi and dual classing:

Multi: You persue two or three classes at the same time. To do this you must be non-human.
Dual: You start with one class, and then switch to another. You can only do this if you are a human, and only certain combinations of classes are allowed. So, for example, you can go from a Fighter to a Druid, but you can't go from a Druid--> Mage (don't ask why; it is a BGII thing).

So, with that in mind, you know that there is an XP cap, right? It is 2950K for BGII, and 8Mil for TOB. That dictates the maximum number of levels you can get. You start SOA at 7th level. So if you want to dual-class, choosing the level to dual class at is very important. Dualing at 12th is good if you'r re a fighter->cleric, but isn't necessarily as good if you're a Ranger->Cleric because of the XP tables. Does this make sense? If you undestand all this, then I'll get a little more complex.

[Mohag]

yup continue please!

[Mohag]

please could you have a look at my other post on the ultimate 3 char party and give your opinions on what is being said there, you seem to know a lot!

[Cuchulain82]

@Mohag

You've got two threads going that have to do with the same thing. Here's my two cents:

-There is basically no thief in the entire game.
-Theiving skills are underappreciated in the game.
-Thieves have access to the best HLA in the entire game: UAI
-Any spellcasting class gains power based on the number of levels in class because that determines number of spells. For fighting classes, however, that is not the case. So you can nicely dovetail a Warrior class (Ranger, Kensai, Fighter, Berzerker, etc.) with a Thief.
-Here's a primer on how to make one of the more powerful characters in the game:
(1) Roll up a fighter. It doesn't matter if you want a regular fighter, a kensai, a berzerker, or a wizard slayer. Just choose one and go with it.
-Make sure that character is human.
-Make sure you have a Dex and a STR or 18 (everything else is gravy)
(2) Choose a weapon and focus on it. Choose from the following weapons:
-Two handed swords
-Long swords
-Hammers
-Axes
-Katanas
-Flails
-Staves (probably a little more difficult)
(3) When you get to either 9th or 12th level, dual class to a theif.
(4) The first chance you get (pretty far into the game at this point), choose UAI as a HLA.

That's about it. Really. You will have a very powerful character in no time flat.

[Toxeus]

Choose from the following weapons:
-Two handed swords
-Long swords
-Hammers
-Axes
-Katanas
-Flails
-Staves (probably a little more difficult)
(3) When you get to either 9th or 12th level, dual class to a theif.

This weapon list seems little odd. We are talking about party game, not solo, right? Then my advice is to choose weapon, which can be used for backstab: long or short swords, katanas, scimitars. All my thiefs usually dual wield, that's why no staves in this list. And you also can backstab with daggers, but it is definitely not a powergamer choice
About levels in fighter class: 9 or 13. Yes, you have to wait longer, but on 13th level you'll get extra half-attack, and since thief's level progression is very fast, little more waiting worth it for SoA+ToB game.

[Cuchulain82]

This weapon list seems little odd. We are talking about party game, not solo, right?

I picked a whole bunch of weapons that will be competitive throughout the game. Personally I'm a big fan of two handed swords because of UAI and Carsomyr. However, dualing with short swords is great, and there are countless guides about using Belm in your offhand to give you more attacks with that warhammer, so I didn't really get into it. This is supposed to be basic, right?

13th is a great choice. If you can hack it, 15th is probably the best. However, that is a really long time to wait to get your fighter abilities back, so any of the levels are okay- 9, 12, 13, 15.

[Naffnuff]

Are you serious?! The theif class if the most underrated class in the game, and the F->Th is the most powerful! I'm not exaggerating! Check out [url="http://www.gamebanshee.com/forums/baldurs-gate-ii-shadows-of-amn-9/party-formation-help-please-criticise-before-i-go-58680-p2.html#post620887"]this post[/url] and then consider having a F->Th.

Yes indeed, but we were discussing the merits of a multi thief/cleric, a poor choice in my opinion. I opted for a fighter/thief.

[Naffnuff]

@Mohag

You've got two threads going that have to do with the same thing. Here's my two cents:

-There is basically no thief in the entire game.
-Theiving skills are underappreciated in the game.
-Thieves have access to the best HLA in the entire game: UAI
-Any spellcasting class gains power based on the number of levels in class because that determines number of spells. For fighting classes, however, that is not the case. So you can nicely dovetail a Warrior class (Ranger, Kensai, Fighter, Berzerker, etc.) with a Thief.
-Here's a primer on how to make one of the more powerful characters in the game:
(1) Roll up a fighter. It doesn't matter if you want a regular fighter, a kensai, a berzerker, or a wizard slayer. Just choose one and go with it.
-Make sure that character is human.
-Make sure you have a Dex and a STR or 18 (everything else is gravy)
(2) Choose a weapon and focus on it. Choose from the following weapons:
-Two handed swords
-Long swords
-Hammers
-Axes
-Katanas
-Flails
-Staves (probably a little more difficult)
(3) When you get to either 9th or 12th level, dual class to a theif.
(4) The first chance you get (pretty far into the game at this point), choose UAI as a HLA.

That's about it. Really. You will have a very powerful character in no time flat.

You can't backstab with a two-handed sword, so I would cross that one off my list.

[kmonster]

You actually don't get a backstab multiplier with any weapon pure class thieves can't use from the beginning, this also includes axes, hammers, flails.

[Naffnuff]

Makes sense! Try stabbing somebody with a flail! :laugh:

[kmonster]

BG2 thieves are so skilled, they can even backstab with clubs and quarterstaves.

[Mohag]

ok my knowledge is limited, how do you backstab?

[Naffnuff]

When invisible (by clicking on the stealth icon, drinking potions or having a spell cast on you), move in from behind or the side of an enemy and just attack him. This will make your thief visible as well as multiply the damage you deal by your backstab factor (x2, x3, etc., increasing with level). Usually it will result in your victim turning on you, so you need to get away a.s.a.p. (Or drink a potion and do it again!) Just remember that you cannot use your thief's stealth ability if you are in your enemy's line of sight. You can however become invisible with magical means (potions, spells, items) even if he sees you.