GameBanshee Forums

If we're not modding or SKing, your party'd be:
*Haer-Dalis
*Jan

So, your roles for 'decent puncher + magical backup w/buffs & debuffs' and 'sneaky magical turnip boy - spellslinger and trapspringer' are filled. If everyone stays mirrored+stoneskinned 24/7, you can probably avoid a cleric altogether, otherwise your PC would have to be T/C multi or Cx >> T.

Else - m/t multi (kinda light on punchers/tanks, use summons a lot?), f/m/t (lots of mid-level magic to go around), pure halforc swash, or a second blade... hmm...

OR - lose out on the all-caster aspect and go berk/ WS x >> thief? Seems a pity though...

Anyone try any of these combinations?

Go for the second blade! This way there will be two blurry figures whizzing around jan with offensive spins while he cast spells. It's more 'even' and we all like symmetries!

PS: Get Jan to wield Carsomyr

The best things to do with Jan are to ignore his weapons altogether and to solely rely on his Shapeshange (Greater Wolfwere and Iron Golem), in combination with his other spells (Improved Haste, Tensor's Transformation, Mirror Image, Blur, Stoneskin, Ghost Skin, Spell Immunity, Mislead (if you're feeling cheesy) and so forth).

A mage is perfectly capable of taking over the Cleric role with his Planetar, though the one aspect of the class that I like (aside from early access to buffs) is the Harm spell.

I would suggest (just for fun) to try and create a fighter/mage, specializing in buffing spells as well as area of effect spells, in conjunction with your [Greater] Death Blow ability.

Honestly, UAI is powerful, but it mostly used to "cover up" for specific character "weaknesses" if you will. For example, UAI would override a Kensai's armor and gauntlets limitation, would allow single classed thieves to cast spells (Mislead and PfMW come to mind), and a whole bunch of other applications.
However, unless you want to stick to the theme of the party, it really isn't much better than a party of people that actually fit the roles without UAI. In fact, most of the time, other classes can do the job BETTER.
That said, I really can't think of a better 3-man combo than the party you said and some kind of Fighter/Caster multi.
My personal favorite is a Kensai/Druid multi (much better than a Kensai/Mage in my opinion. Unless you went Kensage for lvl 9 spells (in which case, a Sorcerer is better in almost every aspect), the only thing you're really missing is Mirror Image. But then you get a character immune to Elemental damage, who casts Death Ward and Chaotic Commands for the party, casts a mass blindness with no save (unless Nature's Beauty is bugged, which I don't think it is), and has Insect Plague against casters. Not to mention how freakishly hard he'll hit if dualled at lvl 21 Kensai, which is quite doable in a 3-man party (or solo), but pretty stupid anywhere else. And even if you dual at 13, he's still an awesome fighter, way ahead of Haer'Dalis (your other puncher).
I don't think a cleric/thief could fill those shoes, nor make the party stronger.

Adieu wrote:If we're not modding or SKing, your party'd be:
*Haer-Dalis
*Jan

So, your roles for 'decent puncher + magical backup w/buffs & debuffs' and 'sneaky magical turnip boy - spellslinger and trapspringer' are filled. If everyone stays mirrored+stoneskinned 24/7, you can probably avoid a cleric altogether, otherwise your PC would have to be T/C multi or Cx >> T.

Else - m/t multi (kinda light on punchers/tanks, use summons a lot?), f/m/t (lots of mid-level magic to go around), pure halforc swash, or a second blade... hmm...

OR - lose out on the all-caster aspect and go berk/ WS x >> thief? Seems a pity though...

Anyone try any of these combinations?

I also include a Fighter/Thief Sarevok, if I feel the need for more UAI-mojo.

The only combo which absolutely needs UAI is WS/Thief. (if you plan on doing such a character, dual to thief asap. Even in BG1 if you have a tutu. It's the miscast magic that matters, the +1 MR /level is a joke)

Aside from that the benefits are rather small. Clerics, mages, sorcerers, warriors, thieves & co all gain very little from UAI, as their allowed items are usually sufficient.

WS benefits from UAI greatly, due to beign banned from using 80% of items in game.

(in which case, a Sorcerer is better in almost every aspect)

Finally someone who knows that sorcerers ARE better in almost every aspect!

Darth Malignus wrote:I also include a Fighter/Thief Sarevok, if I feel the need for more UAI-mojo.

Forgot about that. But I'm wondering if that wouldn't actually make the party weaker. That's one more guy to keep alive, and that becomes a chore when , he can't cast (unless from a scroll, but it's not the same thing) Stoneskin/Ironskins nor (more importantly) Prot Magic Weapons, and if you do want to cast them anyway, you're wasting precious scrolls.
Then again, you have an extra puncher, but one who's not really needed IMO.
Nicely done anyway remembering Big S can dual. We'd all left him out of this conversation :laugh:

Kandabros wrote:Nicely done anyway remembering Big S can dual. We'd all left him out of this conversation :laugh:

Yes, well, I pride myself of my ability to pick up the slack where others fail.