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I'd have to give my vote the the sorcerer class..they just plain kick a** if you play them right.
I'd have to say second best is the Archer class...they are deadly with bows...btw forget long bows, shortbows are much better for an archer...ie tansheron bow at lower levels then gesan bow after underdark.

Personally...i don't like kensai/mages...just my opinion however...i just like true classes better.

The Dwarf Fighter/Thief

Gotta love the versatility, sneakin' around, backstab, stand up fight, good saves.

Yep, my favorite.

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Cultured Swine of Doom

The best class? Take anyone of my group:
1. ranger/CLERIC (XP value = 24%, most powerful vanquished = Bodhi): Cleric spells, druid spells, not a bad fighter, good AC.
2. Undead Hunter (20%, Firkraag): Immune to Level Drain and Hold, good saving throws. Often used for dragging enemies one by one to the rest of the party.
3. Cavalier (20%, Thaxll'sillya? I can't remember right now): Do not overlook bags of Remove Fear innate spells. You can be immune to fear in almost all battles.
4. Kensai/MAGE (15%, Kangaxx): Who said kensai/mage cannot use robes? It can, of course. Not a bad fighter (with the Staff of Rynn and the Pale Green Ioun Stone: thac0 = 1). Mighty summoner. Useful alterer (Improved Haste, Improved Invisibility, Ruby Ray of Reversal, Khelben's Warding Whip, etc.).
5. mixed class fighter/thief (11%, ? - Cannot remember right now): a thief is a necessity in BG2. Not as good as the four above but not a bad choice.

Originally posted by Radek:
2. Undead Hunter (20%, Firkraag): Immune to Level Drain and Hold, good saving throws. Often used for dragging enemies one by one to the rest of the party.

That's what I use. I really don't like Level Drains and Paralysis. They really get up my gander, hence why I chose the undead hunter.

I don't know there is one absolute best, but some of my favorites:

Berzerker 13/Thief 15 dual: Enrage gives immunity to so many things, decent fighter, great backstabs with Celestial Fury. Kensai 13/Thief 15 dual if fun for the massive backstabs but is not as good overall.

Monk: Virtually immune to magic, good fighter. Loses a lot with the patch but still very good.

Kensai/Mage: Combine two decent classes and lose most of the restrictions of both at the same time. K/M CAN wear the Robe of Vecna. Tough choice between Staff of Archmagi and Celestial/Dakkon's dual.

Ranger/Cleric dual: All the cleric AND druid spells and good combat. Not sure which Ranger kit is best here since each has pros and cons.

Lots of other characters out there that I like: Archers, Undead Hunters, Cavaliers, Barbarians

The best class. Easy. Half-orc fighter/theif.
Better than the dwarf version because no needed skills are penalized. Very fun to backstab for hundreds and then be able to defend yourself rather than run away.

I had alot of luck with a Cavalier (Paladin kit). I had to increase the difficulty of the game a couple times because my man was a little too tough. They have bonuses vs. Demons and by the time you meet demons...you need those bonuses.

The best class is probably a bounty hunter.

The traps become progressively more powerful if you level off at about 100 points re detect traps and stealth and concentrate on building the traps.

Very useful for vampires and dragons, and the bounty hunter gets a backstab sword *3 if he does the shadow thief rival guild quest.
Combine this with the short bow *3 you can buy at trademeet and you have a very useful character, allowing yoiu to concentrate on building a mage/cleric of choice without weakening the party too much.

The game has a character named Yoshimo in the original dungeon and I suggest that you add him to your party quickly.

Max

Go max!!!

Bountyhunters are awesome. Okay, so the special traps are nothing special, but they are additional traps. Since just about anything worth mentioning (dragons, demi-lichs, rarara) saves against the often anoying hold/otiluke's/maze, I just treat them as a normal trap. the shadowdragon's armor and belm's (?) additional attack make me ok in most cannon fodder fights.

ranger/clerics sound pretty cool. i've never tried it, but dualling from a lvl 12 stalker might be alright, because you'd get a couple of mage spells to help you out.

anyway, that's my 2 cents,
cheers.

Dual-classed Ranger/Clerics are so much better than multi-classed ones IMHO

[This message has been edited by Brink (edited 02-08-2001).]

Watto 44 I think you are right about the stalker/cleric dual class. If you like to use stealth there is no harm in taking the stalker kit for your ranger/cleric. Only drawback is you don't get to use the backstab ability once you dual. I dualled at 7th level, so his fighting abilities are modest . You still get enough proficiencies to max in three weapons and sword-and-shield style by about 12th cleric.

Anyone like the blade kit (bard)? I know Haer'Dalis dies a lot unless you coddle him as much as you do Aerie, but I found him pretty deadly in certain situations. A player-designed Blade could be pretty powerful, I expect..

Originally posted by Aegnor:
I know Haer'Dalis dies a lot unless you coddle him as much as you do Aerie, but I found him pretty deadly in certain situations. A player-designed Blade could be pretty powerful, I expect..

Haer'Dalis is actually quite strong if you know how to use him and his spin ablities, he needs stoneskin though, otherwise yes you do have to coddle him, but with it he can be very good

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"Without going outside, you may know the whole world.
Without looking through the window, you may see the ways of heaven.
The farther you go, the less you know."
--Lao Tsu


[This message has been edited by MistJaguar (edited 02-08-2001).]

In my opinion, I think everyclass can be good. I mean a easy character is a powerful character like undead hunter, cavalier, monk and berserker where you can solo and won't die as much. Weak characters is a challenge like wizard slayer, shapeshifter/fighter, avenger/bard and skald/mage (is it possible?) where you will probably not survive at the most difficult of fights.

This is why I love this game so much. There is so much diversity in strategies which evolve from the endless combinations in the mix of the party.

Want a easy game, get powerful characters with perfect stats and put it in 'easy'. Want a hard game, put up a bunch of weak characters with bad stats and put it in 'most difficult'. I suggest to play the latter as it is the more replayable of the two.

It depends on how do you define "best". Easiest to play through? Became the most powerful? Play through with the less rest? Play in solo or team? Play through (against AI) or a potential duel (PC vs. PC)?
Playing through the game doesn't gave us enough knowledge about classes as the game is too easy (no matter if played solo) because of the dumb AI. And we haven't played with all classes and most of the experiences are very subjective.
Anyway here are my bets for the most powerful ones (with xp cap): Sorcerer, dual Berserker/Mage, dual Mage/Cleric, dual Ranger/Cleric.

Berserker celric 9,20,or for after the expansion 13, 15, i,ve soloed the game with
( 9, 20) and it was easyer than going through with a full party. your a better figther than a ranger celric and you get rage
no maze or inprisonment. yours rowdin.

Soloing the game is usually (much) easier than the first play through with a normal party, so it doesn't mean one has found the "best" class.
Anyway the Berserker/Cleric is an exceptionally strong fighter. The R/C has the advantage to access the druid spells.

[This message has been edited by Kovi (edited 03-20-2001).]

In my opinion priests are the best class - at the end you have more spell's slots than any mage could imagine. What is more, mage hasn't got chaotic commands, death ward, mass cure, sunray and many other spells. Without removing xp cap Mage isn't able to summon pit fiend (9th lev spell). Furthermore, cleric could defend himself, has more hp and higher thaco.

I think, that the F/M/C multiclass could be considered if someone wants to have many possibilities : with Crom Feyr, Robe of Vecna, Bracers 3AC this class rules (6th lev priest spells, 6th lev mage spells(contingency) and he could serve as one of the party's fighters). And what is interesting, we could have more than one stronghold.

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Elen sila Lumenn' Omentielvo

[This message has been edited by Manveru (edited 03-20-2001).]

No, no, no. You've got it badly wrong with you inexperience. Its the level 1 Kobold shaman. He beats even the level 5 dead donkey. The level 1 Kobold shaman will wipe his butt with a party of 6 level 28 heroes. And then defile their corpses

It is true that a cleric has about 60 spell slots, while a mage has 40. But a sorcerer has 55, a dual cleric/mage (10/20) have 75 and the mages could use scrolls.
I agree that clerics have much better spells aginst undead and gate some pit fiends. But usually the mage spells of the same level are more powerful and they have more higher level spells.
The multi-class Fighter/Mage/Cleric is also an exceptional fighter, but in magical duels they would have problems, because they lack the high level spells.

Most powerful class??? I think it's too ambiguous of a question. (though I want to agree with Grunt. ) Best for what?

Is a sniper the best soldier?

Is a Boeing 747 the best plane?

What is the context you are using the character? If you're simply talking about combat, your answer would be different than is you were talking about all around adventuring.

Combos I like:
Cleric of Helm dualled to Mage- awesome spell selection, true seeing ability, sword of seeking works great with clerical combat spells and tenser's trans. Awesome anti-undead, gate, powerful mage spells and scrolls.

Assassin- I'm partial to this one. This character is the "sniper" of adventurers. One thrust, one kill. Mage killing machine. Boots of speed are a must.

Archer- Distance killer. Many shots per round, especially if you use darts. Massive damage with each hit.

Stalker dualled to cleric- talked about in other posts. I like the stalker kit in general.

Sorceror- I love the flexibility.

Berserker- Best fighter kit, IMHO.

Kensai- as long as they aren't your primary tank, they will get the most kills! Have a mage cast ghost or spirit armor on them, and the kensai will be the coolest single class in your group!