Spellcasting-oriented team?

Xandervb · Post by **Xandervb** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 6:13 am

I haven't been playing BG2 for ages, but now I decided to start again and my party is like this:
Me (sorc)
Keldorn
Cernd (instead of Jaheira this time - I've heard that his Greater Werewolf was improved with ToB patches and I'm not a big fan of multi/dualclassed characters)
Viconia
Jan (no need for third arcane caster, but there are absolutely no pure T or F/T in BG2)
Edwin

I'm a bit experienced D&D player, but I have no idea what to expect after Chapter 1 or 2, I mean battles, drop etc. I'm a bit afraid that party may be lacking melee fighters and I won't be able to make use of many new cool weapons and stuff meant for them (since Cernd has only natural weapon, and Viconia doesn't look like a melee fighter, even using +STR stuff).

I am asking because I have no idea if the game would become more spellcasters-oriented or close-combat-oriented - what would you recommend? Leaving the team like that or maybe I'd better do something like kicking Edwin out and adding Minsc? I want to give my team some additional arcane support (as Sorc shows little flexability when changing locations), but Jan looks a bit like a waste of best scrolls.

roller1234 · Post by **roller1234** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 7:52 am

Keldorn is incompatible with Edwin and Viconia they will come to blows. Party lacks melee damage, true. Kicking edwin for minsc is a fine idea. As would be installing g3fixpack to prevent Keldorn-Viconia conflict, alternatively replacing Viconia with Anomen( he can cast and fight unlike Viconia). But Viconia is extremely cool.

Xandervb · Post by **Xandervb** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 3:57 pm

Thank you for your reply, it helped a lot

I think I'll choose Korgan instead of Minsc after all - he may not have as good dialogues but he is dubbed nicely in my game version and Minsc is a little "wasted" ranger. But I have no idea what to do with weapon proficiencies while lvl'ing. Should I go with swords, hammers or stick to axes? Weapon+shield, dual wielding?

roller1234 · Post by **roller1234** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 8:07 pm

Depends on what Viconia will be using. Realistically she will be using flails, maces or hammers. But Korgan too will want to use that believe me.

Definitely make him dual wield. Axes are okay, the omg-quality axe will come pretty late in the game though. There is virtually no reason to put more than 2 points into a proficiency so Korgan will probably have them all. //I disliked Korgan his personality is indeed a bit rotten.

EastFrame · Post by **EastFrame** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 2:59 pm

Xander, spellcating-oriented teams in BG2 are just fine.

For Good/Neutral PC I found the best combination was Undead Hunter (My Character), Minsc (twin warhammers - you'll see!

), Jaheira, Imoen and Nalia. The last character varied, but having another close-up warrior class just becomes a mess in enclosed spaces. I'd say put Mazzy at the back with a bow, and she can deal with ambushes too.

I don't want to give spoilers but lets just say that having lots of magic is really helpful later in the game.

Also, get ShadowKeeper. You can use that to change weapon proficiency choices.

NocturneN · Post by **NocturneN** » Sun Sep 23, 2012 1:54 pm

EastFrame wrote:Xander, spellcating-oriented teams in BG2 are just fine.

For Good/Neutral PC I found the best combination was Undead Hunter (My Character), Minsc (twin warhammers - you'll see! ), Jaheira, Imoen and Nalia. The last character varied, but having another close-up warrior class just becomes a mess in enclosed spaces. I'd say put Mazzy at the back with a bow, and she can deal with ambushes too.

I don't want to give spoilers but lets just say that having lots of magic is really helpful later in the game.

Also, get ShadowKeeper. You can use that to change weapon proficiency choices.

I'd take Aerie over Nalia, though, another cleric never hurts.

Although I haven't gotten very far, so far from what I've seen, magic pretty much dominates combat; the only way to defeat the most powerful wizards is with powerful magic of your own.

The usual strategy I use is: 2 fighters, 2 mages and 2 clerics, with one of them multi/dual-class to acceptable thief levels, I then typically have: Main char in front (Fighter/Mage - so I actually have THREE mages this time, but, since she is a fighter most of her spells goes into augmenting her combat skills), Minsc next to her (Minsc is amazing, can quickly swap to a bow and pound enemies if you're lacking ranged support suddenly), then Mages because having them in the back can be dangerous, lastly clerics (currently Anomen & Jaheira). Having the clerics in the back has worked well for me since they usually engage combat last, thus it's more likely noone will be focusing on them and they can heal your fighters better.

Lastly, Rangers aren't as necessary in BG2 because all enemy mages have tons of magic protecting them from damage; it was a fairly efficient tactic to pound enemy mages with missiles in BG1 to interupt their spells.

Eh...hope that was helpful.

PS EastFrame, you're party is actually identical to mine right now because I can't get back to Athkatla to replace Nalia. *shakes fist*

EastFrame · Post by **EastFrame** » Sun Sep 23, 2012 3:40 pm

Thomas Brorsson wrote:I'd take Aerie over Nalia, though, another cleric never hurts. Although I haven't gotten very far, so far from what I've seen, magic pretty much dominates combat; the only way to defeat the most powerful wizards is with powerful magic of your own.

PS EastFrame, you're party is actually identical to mine right now because I can't get back to Athkatla to replace Nalia. *shakes fist*

Nalia never leaves my side!

Magic firepower. I'd ditch Anomen for Aerie. Paladin, Minsc, Jaheira, Nalia, Imoen, Aerie. That combination wipes the floor with anything (well, except Irenicus in Suldanesselar, but hell I need mods to win that one)!