Dualclassing fighter/cleric - questions

[Greak]

So I've decided to finally go through the entire series, that means BG1tutu > BG2 > TOB, the whole deal. I've decided that the combination I want is a dualclassed fighter-cleric, because I don't want Viconia this time and I hate Annoymen. The problem is I have no idea what's a good time for switching from fighter to cleric.

I'm guessing the best choice would be to go through BG1 as a fighter, then dual class him at the start of BG2? Is there any particular "sweet spot" when fighters get lots of abilities that I should wait for? Also, which weapon should I specialize in? I'm guessing either mace or maybe warhammer, Crom Fayer sounds pretty sweet?

Also, about kits: should I pick a particular kit for my fighter? Can I pick a cleric kit when I dual class?

Any help to my noobish questions would be greatly appreciated.

Ps. Does anyone know where I can find a portrait that is a sort of mix between Cernd and Keldorn, essentially Cernd with brown hair, a beard and armor? I thought it was perfect for this character, but I've lost it.

[Crenshinibon]

If you solo, I suggest starting as a Kensai and then dualing in your early twenties. If not, I suggest starting as a Berserker and dual classing at level 13, which should put you at 13/39 in the end. I suggest specializing in warhammers, then two weapon style and then flails. If you have other party members to support you, I'd suggest waiting until you could immediately take thirteen cleric levels at once as then you could put the proficiency points into the weapons you'd want.

When you dual class, you are not allowed to choose a kit for the second class. You automatically become the base class.

[kmonster]

2 fighter levels already yield most advantages, you can specialize for an extra half attack per round and up to +2 to hit and +4 damage bonus.
But I'd take 3 fighter levels instead for the extra proficiency point.

For the next useful bonus you have to take 7 fighter levels which yield an extra half attack per round, but the BG1 endgame and BG2 start will be during the dualing period, so I'd rather dual at level 9 instead.(you'll also gain a few HP and an extra proficiency point compared to dualing at level 7)

Dualing at level 13 definitely isn't worth it although you get an extra half attack then, the first half of BG2 you'll have to play without cleric and the next half you'll have a cleric without fighter bonuses who's more than 5 level lower than the rest of your party and once the dualing period is over he'll still be more than 4 levels lower than a fighter9/cleric would be, with less HP, worse thac0 and casting level and far later obtained HLAs.


My advice:
If you want to be a fighter/cleric both in BG1 and BG2 dual at level 3.
If you want to be a fighter in BG1 dual at level 9.
I don't recommend dualing later, for the party cleric it's important to be able to cast as many spells at a casting level as high as possible.

Play either a pure fighter or berserker.
The immunities berserker rage grants can make a few hard BG2 battles much easier, if you don't want to shoot much it can be worth it.

Start with 18 str, dex, con and at least 17 wis.
Put all points into warhammers before dualing if you dual at level 3, if you dual later put points into slings at the start too unless you want to wield 2 weapons together.

[Bruce Lee]

I would not recommend a kensai dualled to cleric. Berserker/cleric is the best choice. The best level to dual at when dualling to cleric IMHO is level 7. But with the berserker getting another rage at level 8 and some saves bonus at 9 you could dual at those levels aswell. You will also gain some hit points this way. Dont dual later than level 9 anyway.
Another very good option is to dual a ranger to a cleric. Ranger level 7 dualled to cleric is a great character. But if you do go the ranger cleric route and have ToB I would recommend a multiclass cleric ranger.

[Crenshinibon]

Unless you really want less benefits but sooner, there is no difference whether you dual class at seven or thirteen as either way, you'll end up as a level 39 cleric.

A Kensai/Cleric is a strong offensive build (given that you invest a good amount of levels in Kensai) that relies heavily on buffs.

[Bruce Lee]

If you dual at level 13 you'll end up as level 38 cleric. But there is really no difference between that and level 39 cleric.
A 13 berserker/ 38 cleric will have 2 more profiency stars than a 7/39 and 1 more than a 9/39. A 13/38 will have about 6 hps max more than a 7/39 and the same as a 9/39. The 13/38 will have a better save vs breath weapons and another half attack. He will also have one more rage than the 9/39 and 2 more than the 7/39. They will all have the same base attack.
I seriously dont think thats worth the wait for the level 13/38 but to each his/her own.
I also dont think the kensai cleric is a good option at all because with no stone skin and prot from magical weapons and such you'll have your spells interrupted alot. Besides a level 13 kensai gets plus 4 to attack and damage. A berserker can use gloves and rage to get the same bonuses.
Also if you go the multi cleric ranger than beware of the not being able to put three stars in two weapon wielding.

[Saros]

I'd say that a F/C is more powerful than any combo of Fighter Kit dualled to a cleric later. Because of the power of combining warrior HLAs with clerical buffs. Most importantly, the F/C will have pretty good damage absorbtion because of Hardiness, compared to F->C. Of course, it is way better to be a Ranger/Cleric, not only because of the free ** in Two-Weapon Fighting style, but also because of the drudic spells added to your spell arsenal.

[Jedi_Sauraus]

The Fighter/Cleric multiclass is the most powerful, as Saros said, due to the fact that you have access to 2 high level abilities pools (HLA).

If you really want to dual class I suggest level 9, assuming of course, that you can live without being a cleric in BGI. The latest you'd want to dual is level 13 for the extra .5 attack, 1 after improved haste. Dualing in your early twenties is only feasable if you solo. I would still prefer the Berserker to the Kensai. The Kensai simply has too many disadvantages and since your not dualing to a thief, you can't cancel them out with the Use Any Item (UAI) thief HLA. The Kensai>Cleric is kind of like a glass cannon all offense and hardly any defense.

As for weapons, the only real choice is flails. Crom isn't really the best weapon in the game. Its 25 strenght is nice but can easly be supplemented DuHM or strenght enchancing belts. The best setup IMHO is Flail of Ages +5 in the main hand and Defender of Easthaven offhand for an extra 20% damage resistance.

[Bruce Lee]

I also think the multiclass character is more powerful but only in a small party say 4 or less. With a full party I'd go for the level 7 ranger dualled to cleric. Berserker immunities are more important if you dual to a mage as clerics have free action and chaotic commands at their disposal.
Stealth is quite nice to have aswell.

[rbeverjr]

Yo, Bruce Lee, good to see you back. I am in agreement with Bruce Lee. If I was going to playing a fighter-cleric, it would be berserker 7-cleric, and a ranger 7-cleric is even better. There will be a small time (game period-wise) where the HLAs available to the fighter will make the multiclass superior in some ways. But I prefer the spell power of the dual class. It's hard to beat spell power even with fighter HLAs. The caveat is I usually have this character playing a supportive role (Greater Restoration, spells, skeleton warriors, and backup fighter). If you are using it as the protragonist, wanting the most kills with it, and wanting it with minimal buffing, then the multiclass is probably your ticket.

[Bruce Lee]

'Tis good to be back.
Also if you want to have an effective turn undead dual class is better. Turn undead is pretty nice as it saves you from getting level drained later on when vampires just explode instead.

[Klorox]

Berserker13 > Cleric

Dual Wield Flails with GM in them for the win!!

Use Hammers in BG1

[rbeverjr]

'Tis good to be back.
Also if you want to have an effective turn undead dual class is better. Turn undead is pretty nice as it saves you from getting level drained later on when vampires just explode instead.

Aye, I had forgotten to make that point myself. In ToB, I think you can even manage to explode demiliches. Very nice. I probably forgot to mention it, because that doesn't work in Improved Anvil (which I normally play now).

[Bruce Lee]

I see. Regardless it is another advantage for the earlier dual as being 1 million xp ahead helps alot with spells and turn undead throughout the game.