same-race party, or non-magic party

Lizzt · Post by **Lizzt** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 8:41 am

Has anyone attempted to play using a party where all the characters are from one race?
Such as 6 dwarven fighters?
Or, failing that, a party of no magic users except for clerics?
In fantasy books, parties of adventurers that are the same (dwarven or elven parties, the hobbits in LOTR for a time) adventure by themselves. I'd love to attempt that in IWDII.
I'd like to make a party of dwarven fighters, with one or two of them clerics, and one of them having sneak skills.
But emphasis on fighting.

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 8:57 am

Originally posted by Lizzt
Has anyone attempted to play using a party where all the characters are from one race?
Such as 6 dwarven fighters?
Or, failing that, a party of no magic users except for clerics?
In fantasy books, parties of adventurers that are the same (dwarven or elven parties, the hobbits in LOTR for a time) adventure by themselves. I'd love to attempt that in IWDII.
I'd like to make a party of dwarven fighters, with one or two of them clerics, and one of them having sneak skills.
But emphasis on fighting.

I think it can be done. But if you arent gonna use spellcasters (who sais a dwarf cant be a spellcaster) make sure you give one of them ranged weapons to disrupt mages.

I think the best team would be 6humans but that wouldnt be very much fun.
Why not try an entire drow party?

Galuf the Dwarf · Post by **Galuf the Dwarf** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 10:04 am

An all-Drow party may work.

You could make A good-aligned drow party like this.

3 Male:
1 Wizard
1 Rogue
1 Fighter (who may use ranged weapons)
(Optional, in place of Fighter) 1 Paladin of Mystra (can multi-class as mage; and will benefit from the Drow's initial's bonuses to Int, Cha, and Dex)

3 Female:
1 Cleric (Wouldn't a Female Drow Morninglord of Lathander would be a bit of a laughable irony? Still, whatever Good-aligned cleric anyone wants is up them)
1 Monk of the Broken Ones (Lawful Good Monk who can multi-class as a Painbearer of Ilmater, which is a Good-aligned Cleric; also will benefit from the bonus to Dexterity and Charisma)
1 Paladin of Ilmater (the bonus to Charisma may help there; may also multi-class as Painbearer of Ilmater. Sure, may not have as much Constitution as an Aasimar Paladin, but she wouldn't be completely horrible, I think.)

Comments? Ideas?

Lizzt · Post by **Lizzt** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 10:55 am

An all-Drow party sounds good. I'd just rest during the day.
Drows I believe are the only other race besides dwarves that resist magic, so that would work too.

The only problem with the suggestion is I do not want to use wizards or sorcerers. I don't really even want to use clerics, but I don't see how I could get through without healing. I just want a party of fighters.

Or, if I have to use magic, an drow/dwarf party. I could make the main melee fighters dwarves, and have the Drows bombard them with spells and healing/buff spells also.

I'd likely not use a Paladin, because I tend to make my characters mostly neutral, I find non-good players more fun to play.
I want the ability to try to get along with just about anyone I might need information from.

Patrick · Post by **Patrick** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 9:03 pm

Why couldn't you make a dwarvin spellcastor at least for role playing sake?

Galuf the Dwarf · Post by **Galuf the Dwarf** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 10:16 pm

Originally posted by Patrick
Why couldn't you make a dwarvin spellcastor at least for role playing sake?

I've thought about that. The biggest factor against making a Dwarf mage is that many of a Dwarf's bonuses feel geared more towards warriors (specifically Fighters) and Rogues (the Stonecunning ability, and or a Gray Dwarf's bonus to Move Silently).

Mister Popo · Post by **Mister Popo** » Wed Dec 10, 2003 3:04 am

But you don't have to abide by those stat's although it may be a shame not to. Just for fun it could work out.
A mage with a high con. could be nice, as poison can be a very nasty surprise to a mage.
And if you give someone else the points in arcanal knowledge and spellcraft, you could make an invisible dwarven spellcaster.

"I'm the invisible mage, I'm the invisible mage, incredible how you can....see right through me."

Edit: And the party from the Dragonlance Saga had a complete range of races, ranging from Half Elf to Kender to God.

Lizzt · Post by **Lizzt** » Wed Dec 10, 2003 11:57 am

That sounds good. I could make one Drow to be a sorcerer and the rest dwarves, with a gray as a rogue since they get the silent ability.

I might just try making them all fighters with two of them clerics however, since clerics are pretty good fighters in 3rd edition rules.

I just like the idea of my party all being dwarves.

Galuf the Dwarf · Post by **Galuf the Dwarf** » Wed Dec 10, 2003 1:12 pm

Originally posted by Lizzt
That sounds good. I could make one Drow to be a sorcerer and the rest dwarves, with a gray as a rogue since they get the silent ability.

I might just try making them all fighters with two of them clerics however, since clerics are pretty good fighters in 3rd edition rules.

I just like the idea of my party all being dwarves.

If you're going to make dwarven clerics, you may want to make your undead turner be Gold Dwarf, since they do not experience a penalty to Charisma (which is necessary for additional chances to turn undead per day).

One interesting multi-class character I decided to try (thanks to Kayless, guru of IWD2 multi-classing) is a Gold Dwarf Paladin of Helm/Fighter. I would only suggest this after you've had enough experience with taking one party through the entire game.

When it comes to a Duergar Rogue, remember that they will recieve a -2 penalty to attack and saving rolls in daylight.

Mirk · Post by **Mirk** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 3:56 am

I just like the idea of my party all being dwarves

ah, if only you could have 8 chars in a party, it would be nice to make one with 1 human female bard with a really pale skin portrait, and 7 dwarves with childish names...

but seriously, i think that all-one-race party are very intersting roleplaying-wise, and on the same not i would toss in an all-underdark party, something along the lines of:

female drow cleric - the leader matron mother, with all the diplomatic skills, can be good or evil

male drow wizard or sorcerer & male drow fighter or ranger - her two brave friends (if good) or male scum (if evil)

deep gnome rogue - a slave won in a contest (if evil) or freed in a daring uprising led by the cleric (if good)

duregar fighter or barbarian - a slaving rades companion (evil) or another kindred (good) spirit fighting against the war criminals of his clan...

Lizzt · Post by **Lizzt** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 8:34 am

I started a solo adventure, with a Drow male. I started him as rogue for opening locks, then levelled him to wizard at 2.
I decided though to add a wild elf female, and make her a sorcerer. This way they both get their favored class.

Lizzt · Post by **Lizzt** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 1:01 pm

If I can, I'd like to have a party of just fighter and a rogue though. I don't even want to use clerics if I can avoid it, but I have to have healing.

I definitely don't want to mess with sorcerers and wizards however. I don't want to contemplate which spells to take and use, I just want to fight.

I'm unsure if the game is winnable and playabe that way however.

Galuf the Dwarf · Post by **Galuf the Dwarf** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 2:31 pm

Originally posted by Lizzt
If I can, I'd like to have a party of just fighter and a rogue though. I don't even want to use clerics if I can avoid it, but I have to have healing.

I definitely don't want to mess with sorcerers and wizards however. I don't want to contemplate which spells to take and use, I just want to fight.

I'm unsure if the game is winnable and playabe that way however.

Trust me, take a normal party for starters, just to test the water. At least 2 warriors, a cleric, a rogue, and a wizard or sorceror will do the trick. You might want 3 warriors, just to make it safe. Adding a bard instead of a 3rd warrior could possibly work, but you might want to be careful. You'll want to get a real good feel for the gameplay before you try to go with a small party (especially solo).

An all Moon Elf party comes to mind for some reason. All of these characters would not multi-class, though.

1 Male Fighter, for ranged combat
1 Female Fighter, melee combatant (Don't know what weapon to suggest)
1 more Male or Female Fighter, for additional melee support (I might suggest you equip a polearm on this one)
1 Cleric or Druid (gender and cleric deity up to whoever might try this)
1 Rogue
1 Wizard

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 3:43 pm

Originally posted by Galuf the Dwarf
An all Moon Elf party comes to mind for some reason. All of these characters would not multi-class, though.

1 Male Fighter, for ranged combat
1 Female Fighter, melee combatant (Don't know what weapon to suggest)
1 more Male or Female Fighter, for additional melee support (I might suggest you equip a polearm on this one)
1 Cleric or Druid (gender and cleric deity up to whoever might try this)
1 Rogue
1 Wizard

What this party needs is a Leader. Someone with a good diplomacy skill.
I found elfen sorceres to be good leaders (elf so that they can use bows) they need the charisma for their spells, and are favored with diplomacy. Bards make good leaders to.

Galuf the Dwarf · Post by **Galuf the Dwarf** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 6:18 pm

Originally posted by Stilgar
What this party needs is a Leader. Someone with a good diplomacy skill.
I found elfen sorceres to be good leaders (elf so that they can use bows) they need the charisma for their spells, and are favored with diplomacy. Bards make good leaders to.

I just realized that. Maybe have a bard instead of either the ranged or support melee warrior.

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 7:12 pm

Originally posted by Galuf the Dwarf
I just realized that. Maybe have a bard instead of either the ranged or support melee warrior.

Then I would go for the ranged. A bard can use bows, and the songs/spells make a great backup.

(You could try taking the bard instead of the cleric/druid, a bard know healing spells as well)

Galuf the Dwarf · Post by **Galuf the Dwarf** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 8:59 am

Originally posted by Stilgar
Then I would go for the ranged. A bard can use bows, and the songs/spells make a great backup.

(You could try taking the bard instead of the cleric/druid, a bard know healing spells as well)

Yeah, but Bards acquire spells at a slower pace than clerics or druids. Choosing to have a Bard as a replacement for a Cleric/Druid would be better for someone more experienced with the game (IOW, has already been through the game once). Also, Clerics and Druids have access to many spells that Bards don't, which could prove helpful.

Bards are amazing, though. They can practically cover all of the basic character functions - warrior, arcane spellcaster, healer, and rogue. Still, where they have access in all these functions, they lack the mastery in any of them, leaving more to be desired, aside from the capabilities of the Bard Song skill.

Just thought I'd sort through the facts; nothing personal.

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 9:03 am

True that's why i would drop the archer and take the bard.
Then you have a person who's good in diplomacy, and can cast backup-spells, and some very nice bardssong. And when he/she isnt doing that you can use the bow!

Lizzt · Post by **Lizzt** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 8:34 am

I still haven't decided which type of party to play. At best I think my alignments will mostly be neutral.

Adahn · Post by **Adahn** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 9:00 am

Originally posted by Stilgar
What this party needs is a Leader. Someone with a good diplomacy skill.
I found elfen sorceres to be good leaders (elf so that they can use bows) they need the charisma for their spells, and are favored with diplomacy. Bards make good leaders to.

I took a drow for a leader, made him a Necromancer as to get the Knoledge Arcana stuff, Drow so he can translate the goblinoid tongue, good Charisma, so pump up bluff, diplomacy, and since he's drow, intimidation as well ^^