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Iternet being broke on my own computer I came up with the idea of playing SOA & ToB again. I once completed it with an archer and another time with my paladin. Both party's had like the same people (anomen, jan/imoen, valygar, keldorn, kivan(when i was playing with pali)/minsc(with archer) and my own char.

I've decided to import me fighter char from BG I + ToSC (Great beginner XP and stats) and made him a kensai. First of all, when shuld i dual class (or multi, what's the difference actually :$), and into what (guess it depends on me party).

I have to add that im love weapons and hate magic, but this time i'd lke to do a mix. Use some more spells instead of meleeing everything on sight. Also im planning to go with Bodhi instead of the Shadow Thiefs (Some of you might know now what char i can't use for taking bodhi's side and what char i can, i don't tbh).

My char is true neutral and I'd like a mixed party (tho i don't think i like evil char's ).

What I'm "searching" for are:

Cleric/Druid (No anomen this time, got sick of him, tho he was a good NPC)
Tank (Thinking of Keldorn, Minsc, maybe valyger, love two weapons)
Thief (Including fighting or mage skills, jan/yoshimo/immy)
Me char (Thinking of making him dual mage/kensai, is ti worth it)
Archer? (Mazzy could fit in, tho i have the Kivan Mod, he rox tbh,)
Mage? (Do i need a mage if my kensai would double class and having someone like imoen or jan around? eard that edwin is quite ok )

Some notes:
Reconsidering these positions i would like to know if i "really" need a real archer (Minsc can use bows, mazzy too, and even Keldorn can use a Xbow).

Which characters will stay if i choose Bodhi's path (dont care about romances, that just happens, no spoilers about those please)

I know Minsc is quite funny, so he would be a nice addition tho Keldorn is better with his pali skills (Trrue Sight and Dispell Magic).
Ariae (or whatever ) is a nice girl but she is far from useful imo (any tips on making her worth the try?

Please give me some advice, I just want the perfect gameplay experience on finishin my last time BG .

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rmno

First: Aerie is very powerfull, expecially in ToB.
Second, if you like melee why don't you dual your kensai to thief, it's a very powerful combo and is very fun to play, specially if you like backstab.
Anyway normaly you dual at 9/12 or 13, depending your style of playing, but remember that dualing late will take long time to regain the fighter class and to achieve the HLA.
As for party I suggest:
Aerie (or Viconia if you go more evil)
Jaheira
A sorcerer (many mods available) or Edwin
Korgan (more fun and more powerful but wan't go with Aerie)/Minsc (more fun)/Keldorn (more powerful)
An extra tank (see above) or Valigar, very fun char to play (almost a F/T and good archer) or Mazzy (a tank and an archer)
and last: if you dual your kensai to mage Jan (better thief), if you dual to a thief Imoen (better mage)

Some party members will fight eachother to death and some will leave if you join Bodhi (like Keldorn and Mazzy). Keep that in mind.

if you go with the kensai/mage, don't make the mistake I made at my first go at the game - the mistake of making him the sole mage in the party. the kensai/mage is the Jedi Knight of BG2, and should be played as such - as he can become one of the most powerful and versatile melee combos, if not THE powerful / versatile.

for this reason , i recommend dualling at level 13, to get the maximun number of attcks/round.

Ok, decided to get mage/kensai at 13, take jan first (switch for immy, not the best thief around but she'll get handy at it, she's my sis after all). Have Aerie and Jaheira, taking misc as tank (let my kensai be tank too ), taking valygar for arrow support or double handed katana smashing, switching him for solofein in underworld (mod -> he good in it?)

Thanks for info, any more ideas or comments appreciated .

If you want to get those 2 character from Spell Hold/Underdark (Immy + Sola), you should get something like 30 000 gp, buy a little stuff and rush for Spellhold so you can have Immy/Sola level a little.

Will you play ToB?

jahiera or vicona druid/cleric and fighting, aswell as romancing possablities. the best tank is no doubt korgan. all the way.
for mage you might want to try edwin! he's neat.
mostly evil... although ive heard vyou can convince vicona going good..

One question, is it word to add Solafein, reading his readme file now, thought he'd be some neet tank but he's another fighter/mage. Having Aerie(mage/cleric)me own char(kensai/mage) and Immy/Jan(thief/mage) i think i've got ennnough mages :|. Is Sola worth it or? If not, who to take (considering - immy, kensai/mage, jaheira, Aerie, Minsc allready inc.)

And yes i will play ToB!

Dude, you really should try playing mage style a little more, play with atleast 3 mages, atleast, then go with a 2 tanks and make your protagonist a cleric illusionist (you need to be a gnome) that makes some fun magic play - or maybe keep your guy as kensai/mage and get a mod that has a cleric illusionist then play with only 1 tank.. I like Korgan as a tank, he is cool esp with his sexy fire axe and ice axe (i forgot the names).

But hey thats just my 2cents, but seriously if you want mage play, do it quite hardcore.

sola is a fighter/mage - essentially, just what your main char is. imho you should stick with Valigar for versatility/fun, or maybe Mazzy for ranged support, or go for Kivan for the ultimate in this category.

if you want another tank, just pick the one you like the most - Keldorn, Valigar (will be quite "tankiish" in ToB), Sarevok.

or go for the versatile fighter/prists with Anomen or Jaheira (she takes her time, but the fighter/druid multiclass really comes together in ToB).

Jaheira is grat tank too (plate+iron skin+shield eventually);
Sola is a great char, but is very similar to play as your Kensai/mage so I have two suggestion: keep Sola and play as a kensai/thief or play as kensai/mage and use Valigar for have a different char to play (play it as a f/t not as a tank).
As for the lev. to dual class I'm not too fond of dualling at 13, I suggest lev. 12: yes you get 1/2 attack/rnd and 1 extra point of Thac0, but you will be about 600k exp pt. behing as a mage (main class) that means two level less (and more time to be spent as single class): you'll have less high lev. spells and you will get the HLA later and less in the end. The extra 1/2 attack is not going to change a lot when you already have lot, while an extra AdhW or an extra Dragon breath are much more effective.

@lompo:

it all depends on how the kensai/mage is played:

if he's primarly a self-buffing melee fighter, tailoring protection/enhanecement spell combinations for every situation, and only sometimes engaging in offensive spell-lobbing, an extra 1/2 attack EVERY ROUND is far better than an extra spell, high level as it may be, once a day. this is especially true due to the fact that the best protection spells are fairly low-level: Mirror Image, Ghost Armour, Stoneskin, Protection from Magical Weapons, (Improved) Haste, Tenser's Transformation.

now, if the kensai/mage is the party's main (or only) offensive spellcaster, the kensai levels are there basicly for the HPs and saving throws, and the warrior and the self-buffing abilities are used only in a couple of fights a day, say, vs. magic-resistant foes. this is exactly how i played my first time through BG2, untill i picked up Imoen again. And then, I truly discovered the way the Kensai/Mage shines - which is the way described in the paragraph above. and then i was sorry i didn't get him to 13'th level.

still, he should play the way he wants to.

Yes, I guess i have a choise after all . Your self buffing kensai/mage combo sounds fine, in combi with some high level spells maybe, will see, might take a while.

As for Solla, i could use Jaheira and me kensai as tank (hes has 19 constituion etc, high HP, not best AC tho) and even sola could do some close combat. Minsc could deal with ranged attacks and Imoen and Aerie could do the High level spells.

Ill wait till im lvl 13 -> question tho (may sound noobish for some1 finishing BGII allready 3 times), what is HLA :$

And -> Dual classing, when i level to 10 i couldnt dual, will i be able to at 13?

thanks for all the advice

Btw: more tips welcome

HLA only applies if you have the Throne of Bhaal expansion pack installed. they are abilities that each class gets when the level up over 3million exp (thats just over the exp cap for SoA).

K thnx, another question, jsut tried dual classing (never done it be4 tbh), but it inactives my kensai skill (at level 10 i did it) is this normal or? Id like to use a sword when i dual =z. Btw can a kensai/mage use robes?

thnx

Yes, whenever you Dual you lose all abilities associated with the prior class, untill you reach 1 level higher than your previous class.

IE. if dualing at levl 10 as kensai, you only regain your attack bonus and other skills when you reach level 11 mage.

Good luck

So that means im a spellcaster untill i reach 11 when i can use a sword again =/ man that sux

But you will be able to wear robes also when you regain your kensai abilities;
BTW if you leveled at 10 the wait want be long (specially with a 4 member party).
You gain the HLA (very powerful) when you reach 3.0 mil exp with your active class (the exp you have with the first class don't count).

your kensai abilities will remain inactive until you hit level 11 in your mage class. you will be able to use swords when the kensai part reactivates and you will be able to wear robes.

Ok Ok , couple of questions:

So far i know -> reach one lvl higher where u stopped kensai and both active.

I guess all XP u gain will go to mage class after dualing. Im lvl 11 now, got adviced to dual at 13, but after id do that, i wuld be a really useless char :|.

Got a few ideas, quests like windspear (after defeating firkaag), gives u 45k xp a member (smt like that), if I'd solo him (disband when he is almost killed), will I get (i have to keep jaheira, due romances, leaving 2 members), 3x45k a char or not? I really dont wanna go to the underdark being a newb mage =|(guess what i could do is go to underdark asap, lvl to 13 -goes quite quick up there-, get back finish those umar quests etc, than dual).

I can finish all kind of quests giving rewards and xp once u speak to some1 who adressed u the quest (as for the mayor of umar, harpers etc) and get my reward when ive dualed, giving me all the xp to my new class (Umar, Windspear). But the question is, if i kick some members out, will i get trice as much(keeping in mind i keep jaheira with me)

Btw, whats the big deal about dualing 13 or 11, exept for # of attacks. I mean when kensai goes active again i can go to 13 tho it will go slower right?

- my party consists out of jaheira, jan, aerie, minsc, valygar and me, will exchange jan for imoen. Which members can i get rid off when i get my rewards, without negative effects (so far i know only jaheira might give problems).

- At how much XP does a mage hit lvl 12,13 and 14? (shuld try a lvling tree but lost my BGII book :$).

Any advice on getting my kensai active asap? Ill have like 3 mages after i dual =| dunno if im that good .

So really id like to dual at 11, knowing my kensai will go active sooner when i can use it (Bodhi's Lair , etc etc).

Any tips etc.

MANY THANKS in advance, also for previous posts

ensaro dai