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I agree. Still dual (to) mages have a smoother transition than (dual to) clerics, because they need less xp, can gain xp from learning scrolls, and can access some effective spells even at the lower levels and also they can use scrolls/wands.

Has anyone of you ever fought kangaxx with a solomonk? With a weapon(not scarlet ninja-to) he has one attack per round which isn't enough to beat Kangaxx. With his fist he can't hit the demilich gauntlets or no gauntlets. The only way I know is the slayer.

Kovi: I just saw Kevins post and posted a response there. I really don't think monks using wands is a bug.

Riverwind: Monks and T/M are hard to play if you insist on killing everything. If you're willing to avoid fights you can't win they become much easier. Even given increased experience soloing, they're easier to solo with than my Archer was. I still think that dual-classes make soloing harder than similar multis due to the transition period. You gain something from the kit and the end character is generally stronger, but the multi is strong enough.

I have completed the game 5 times -- in the order that I did them: Sorcerer normal party romancing Aerie, Monk normal party romancing Jahiera, Kensai normal party speed with all quests, Barbarian speed solo imported fully equipped and already high level, and Monk speed solo.

In addition I have played quite a bit with a Shapeshifter + Berzerker normal party choosing Bohdi, a Barbarian normal party romancing Viconia, a Kensai/Thief solo, an Archer + Anomen duo for the Anomen romance, and my latest T/M low level (no level-up) speed solo.

IMO anyone attempting to solo this game should have already done it at least once with a party. Soloing is for a challenge when you know the plot already. The first time through, it's much better to have all the character interaction.

Bruce: I skipped Kangaxx with my solo monk...really no way to kill him without the slayer and I never got the slayer transform since I never slept. Pre-patch when the monk got decent attacks with weapons Kangaxx was doable with a monk.

[ 04-25-2001: Message edited by: Nighthawk ]

Kovi,

But if you dual a swashbuckler to a cleric rather than a mage, you get a much better fighter. A 10/20 Swashbuckler/Cleric has a base THACO of 6, while a 13/16 Swashbuckler/Mage has a base THACO of 12. Also, a Swashbuckler/Cleric can wear Plate, while a Swashbuckler/Mage can only wear elven chain mail (if and when you find it).

--Riverwind

Nighthawk:

Let me lay out for you what I'm talking about. I finished the game the first time around with a party of four led by a 10/20 Swashbuckler/Cleric--excellent overall character. The second time through, I went semi-solo with a 12/18 Avenger-Fighter plus NPC Nalia. Very powerful duo, and I DID engage in open warfare with just about every monster I encountered. I then went solo for the first time, starting without equipment or XP, pure solo, with a 9/19 Stalker/Cleric. I was able to skip certain sections through Sanctuary/Stealth, able to do damage without risk to myself through Sanctuary/Blade Barrier and Sanctuary/Stealth/Turn Undead, did perfectly targetted offensive damage through casting "Holy Smite" on myself, and even had "Firestorm" and triple backstab available, as well as all the druid spells including the anti-mage "Insect Plague" and the combat defensive "Iron Skins," and also "Full Heal" and "Slay Living." Finally, I recently finished solo with a Blade but it was difficult.

I have also tried countless character combos, many even solo, with limited success. Based upon all that, I would say that the Avenger-Fighter and Stalker-Cleric are excellent for soloing, the F/M/T or Blade is okay, and of course the Swashbuckler-Cleric is really good although I haven't actually finished a solo game with it.

--Riverwind

I soloed two times start to end and from what i have read so far, the classes i choose are somewhat uncommon for a solo PC among BG2 players.

First i choose a F/M/C.With the XP cap active he reached 11/12/12. Smooth game,a little hard in the early fights.

Second try was with an undead hunter, XP cap was active again. Surpirisingly enough the game was a lot easier-just hack and slash your way to victory.

I also think that the F/M/C and Undead Hunter can solo (I like the Undead Hunter better than the Cavalier or Inquisitor by the way). My only problem with the F/M/C was that it was hard early on. As for the Undead Hunter, if only they had a higher spellcasting level, but then I might be asking too much here. I haven't soloed with either but I have played with both and they definitely have at least semi-solo potential.

--Riverwind

Why do you prefer stalker/cleric over normal ranger dualed to cleric straight away? If you dual straight away you get more spells and the thac0 difference if any is very small and that goes for hp aswell.
I found barbarian and berserker the easiest solo. With all the juicy equipment on one character you are nearly indestructable. A half-orc barbarian for instance can have close to 200 hp's, saving throws at around -5, thac0 around -8, ac around -6, 40% percent magical and physical resistance. The only threat is really imprisonment. The berserker is not as tough but tough enough and not even imprisonment is a threat.

Bruce Lee:

Because the Stalker/Cleric on top of all the multi-talented abilities of the various ranger/cleric combos also gets TRIPLE BACKSTAB if you're level 9+ stalker. (The manual and even the in-game description are wrong when they say a level 9+ stalker only gets double backstab--it's actually triple).

--Riverwind

Just curious, what do you backstab with as a Stalker/Cleric? Clubs and Staffs?

@Riverwind: C/K vs. C/M, yes there is a difference between their final base THAC0, but I wouldn't fight with any of them without some enhancement spells for the later battles.
Stalker triple backstabs? Then using Staff of Striking in combo with Rightous Magic that would do an awesome damage.

On a second thought...no backstab do more damage than a slay or harm.

You can backstab with any thief weapon. But Stalker/Clerics can only use cleric weapons. So you need to use a cleric/thief weapon such as club or staff. Interestingly enough, you can even use a two-handed staff like the "Staff of Striking." My favorite backstabbing weapon though is the "Gnasher Club" because not only do you get the backstab multiplier in, but you disrupt spells for the next four rounds.

--Riverwind

Just finished with my no-level-up speed solo T/M in 9d19h.

It's amazing how easy this game is when you know how to use all the tricks. Standard combat strategy with this character was use Staff of Magi to go invis, use wand (Cloudkill, Fire, or Lightning depending on circumstances) then reinvis before the victim could react. When the wands start getting low, recharge them.

Only Bohdi gave me trouble with that strategy due to immunity to cloudkill and high MR. For her I used an Air Elemental from the staff, Protected it from Undead, and put it blocking the path so she couldn't get at me. Then hasted it, pelted her with MMM, lowered her resistance and finished her off with the Fire Wand.

I think low level solo would be easier with a F/T/M due to better Thac0 and the ability to drink Giant Strength potions.

[ 05-02-2001: Message edited by: Nighthawk ]

O.K. my finishing credentials are poor, but I've played the start dungeon with everything imaginable solo. The F/M/T is easily the best - you get exp from scrolls, traps, locks, there is no transition (dual class), and as an elf you can have an 18/00 strength, bonuses to longsword and longbow, plus resistance to charm and sleep. In the middle game/end game the F/M/T is powerful enough to either blitz or sneak around everything (with the right gear). I like the Stalker dualed to cleric but killing trolls is not easy unless you remember to learn enough flame blades. Dualing a non ranger to a cleric means trolls require potions of fire breath (or similar) and that can be a real bear. Just my 2 gps - Curdis