New to the Game

Lord Nyax · Post by **Lord Nyax** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 11:36 am

I have recently stated playing IWD2 and am slightly confused. I have been playing Baldur's Gate II and have become accustomed to the rules of it. Would anyone mind explaining the basics of this game for me (like multi classing and what weapons for which class and races and such things)?

Wrath-Of-Egg · Post by **Wrath-Of-Egg** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 11:54 am

http://www.gamebanshee.com/forums/showt ... hp?t=16791

Here is some basic info for dual classing.. [link above]

but when creating party.. it is good to be able to do all type damage melee damage.. Basicly you can just choose to use same type weapons that you did in BG2.. but in IWD2.. sorcerer is far better than wizard.. well.. there is pretty much all info you need.. and few pages backwards or even on first page of IWD2 forums there is some good party setups..

You should also see usefull links..

Lord Nyax · Post by **Lord Nyax** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 4:02 pm

Thanks. I think i'll just try a sample party and see if I can figure some of it out myself.

Dreez · Post by **Dreez** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 5:38 pm

I usually stick to 4 main rules.

1: Atleast one fighter.
2: Atleast one healer.
3: Sorcerer.
4: Rogue.

I also try to keep 2 fighters with both Slashing and Bludgeoning damage
since you sometimes run into some enemies that are immune or highly
resistent to either of the damagetypes.

Having a party without any healer will be a painfull experience sooner or later
and really make some fights almost impossible. I cant even imagine beeing
able to win the fight against Xvim without a healer...

A Rogue is good when opening some really nice treasures later in the game
when you run into those stashes that wont be bashed.

Sorcerers are way more powerfull then Wizards, cant really say why - but
i have always found wizards as weak spellcasters.

JJComo · Post by **JJComo** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 8:16 pm

I would suggest sticking to single class characters. Dual class characters take a while to get up there in power. I think a well rounded party consists of a Barbarian or a fighter, a Paladin, a Cleric, a Druid, a Sorceror and of course a Rogue. With this party you have four spell casters. Druids have become quite powerful in ID2. Sorcerors I believe are more useful than a wizard. There spell selection is limited of course but not having to memorize the spells is priceless. Area affect spells like grease, web, spike growth, spike stones, stinking cloud, cloudkill, Malison, Chaos and confusion are too fun against large groups of orcs, goblins and trolls, oh my.

J

Opalescence · Post by **Opalescence** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 11:32 pm

Here are a few guidelines and why they work:

Sorcerors and their infinate superiority to Wizards:
The primary reasons sorcerors (and sorceresses!) are so powerful is that
a) you can have more than 1
b) spells are very powerful in the game
c) sorcerors/esses get more of them per level at the cost of spell level going up slower
Wizards, sadly, get the short end of the magic stick. They are versatile, yes, but often times you just want fireballs, dammit, and plenty of 'em! And the Sorc can give you that, but the Wizard can't. On the bright side, the Wizard has the advantage that he multiclasses well with rogue, and as you do need a rogue in the group, and you really don't need a rogue past a few levels, it's the most convenient to have your rogue multiclass to a wizard. A wizard needs high intelligence (for spells) and high dexerity (he can't wear armor so much of his AC comes from dex bonus), and so do rogues (int for skill points, dex for everything). An excellent combination that isn't so easily pulled off with a sorceror.

The need for a tanks, and several of them:
I can't stress this enough. YOU NEED MULTIPLE TANKS. One or even two might not cut it! If you've got sorcerors in the group you'll want at least 2 tanks plus one more to take on emergencies! It's important, because the creatures in IWDII hit fast and they hit hard, and your sorcs WILL NOT be able to take that kind of beating!

The power of clerics:
A cleric, in my opinion, is second only to the sorceror in power. Unlike the wizard, he's got all his spells learned so he doesn't need to go searching for them. Unlike the sorceror, he's not stuck with a spell once he's memorized it. Unlike the wizard, the cleric's got slightly more spell uses per level, although not quite as many as a sorceror. What's MOST important, though, is that, superior to BOTH wizards AND sorcerors, is that the cleric can cast all his buffs and offensive spells WHILE WEARING FULL PLATE ARMOR AND HUGE SHIELD! This means that a cleric can easily serve as a tank in the party, they're remarkably good in the front lines, almost as good as a fighter.

The "less useables":
I hate to call them underpowered, but they really are. Bards and Druids simply don't cut it my book, and while good Monks are a bit too specialized for my tastes. Bards are underpowered sorcerors with less spells, worse spell progression, and songs that, while useful, aren't as battle-winning as a well placed horrid wilting or wail of the banshee or even fireball. Druids are, well, decent I guess but they're shapechanging abilities are mediocre at best and their spells, unlike in BGII, have taken a distintive turn for the worse, with the summon insect line taken out and creeping doom becoming an actual summon (with VERY low hp, I might add).

Final advice? Try to avoid, on your first time, using "less useables" as they'll make the game harder. Look at GameFAQs, there's an IWDII FAQ for the "perfect powergamer's party" that you might want to try out or at the very least modify to suit your needs. It might seem cheesy, but especially on core rules IWDII can be brutal and if you don't have a strong party to start with it can get impossible to the untrained player.

Wrath-Of-Egg · Post by **Wrath-Of-Egg** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 3:34 am

Well bards with 4 fighter levels are nice.. and heck.. my fighter/bard in late normal and in start of HoFhe was better killing machine than my barb.. always dealing 20, 20, 20, 20, 60 damage.. with each number - max 3 or + max 3.. (spears)but sadly his low wisdom made things harder.. chain of drakhas armor is just made for that character..

But i would recomend using spell ''Giant Vermin'' after level 15.. Druids, Clerics and rangers get this spell..3-4 of these bugs and enemy is blocked.. even in larger areas.. then 2-3 shades dealing some damage.. while my barb and bard deal some damage too.. cleric cast's malisson(cleric of ogma i would recomend this one) while my sorcerer cast wail of banshee..

Lord Nyax · Post by **Lord Nyax** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 7:30 am

Rouge multi classing

At what point does improving the rouge skills(open lock, disable trap, hide, etc.) become useless. I mean to say, what amount of point do you need in each skill to make it fairly usefull.

Wrath-Of-Egg · Post by **Wrath-Of-Egg** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 8:56 am

Seriusly rogues are pointless in IWD2.. there arent traps to disarm.. or locks to be opened..

Traps are jokes..

Locks can be opened with knock spell..

Heidrek · Post by **Heidrek** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 3:44 pm

I also came straight from BG2's 2nd Ed rules into IWD2's 3rd Ed. ones and found the transition pretty easy once you get your head around all the multiclassing options.

I think this is what makes the game - multiclassing. I'm a little undecided about Rogues, I think they are ok, especially at the begining of the game when their Sneak attack damage really counts. You don't really need a dedicated rogue though, splash a level of Rogue onto your Wizard to give the Wiz better combat options, they will get Bow proficiency and even Large Swords so they will be useful when their spells run out as a back up archer. You can also pour those extra skill points from your high Int. into rogue skills. I took a Diviner with 1 rogue level and ended up with maxed out search, open lock, disable device and Concentration skills. Traps aren't a big deal with a few exceptions, but it sucks having to devote a spell slot to Knock all the time when you hardly ever need to cast it.

Bards I love and always have. They are far weaker in IWD2 than BG2 (Blade Kit Bards rock!), but still worth playing. I'd multiclass them with Fighter and/or Rogue levels. Make sure you take Mirror Image!

For a good 6 character starting party I'd make something like:

1 barbarian (human or half orc, maxed out str. and con, low int and Cha., taked decent Wis if possible so you can take some Druid levels if you want)
1 Paladin of Helm (Asamair, good str and con, low int. average Dex, decent Char. and Wis 12-14)
1 Cleric (Human, maxed Wis, good Str and Con a few points in Cha. as well for Turning undead). I took Tempus but there are other good choices like Mask, Bane, Oghma etc.
1 Human Wizard (High Int. and Dex. so you can add a rogue level or 2 later)
1 Wild Elf Sorceror (Wild Elf for the Bow Feat and High Dex., take Rapid shot as your starting Feat)
1 Bard (Human, needs high Cha, and Con, then either Dex or Str depending on whether you want to split into fighter or Rogue.

Brynn · Post by **Brynn** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 5:19 am

[QUOTE=Lord Nyax]At what point does improving the rouge skills(open lock, disable trap, hide, etc.) become useless. I mean to say, what amount of point do you need in each skill to make it fairly usefull.[/QUOTE]

Hard to tell exactly, but approx 80% is fine for lock picking. In the case of disarming traps it might be even lower.

Wrath-Of-Egg · Post by **Wrath-Of-Egg** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 6:24 am

this aint IWD1..

Lord Nyax · Post by **Lord Nyax** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:26 pm

When I said what amount of points, I mean how many skill points must be invested to reasonably use each skill with a measurable amount of sucess. I've already got 7 points in each "thief" skill, so I think that I am approaching the useful limit, but what would you say is the most useful amount of points in each skill?

Wrath-Of-Egg · Post by **Wrath-Of-Egg** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 11:28 pm

Since i am not big fan of Rogue my answer might no be correct.. But here it goes.. each time you get new level max skills that you want.. and keep doing this..

Brynn · Post by **Brynn** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:26 am

Nyax, it's impossible to tell exactly - but let's say 10 for each will suffice.

Brynn · Post by **Brynn** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 12:09 pm

Nyax, I checked my rogue's points for you - she's got 15 for each basic skill (search, disarm, lock pick) and I haven't encountered a lock she couldn't handle so far... I guess 15 is more than enough.

Lord Nyax · Post by **Lord Nyax** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:39 pm

Thanks

Okay, I have seven skill points in each skill, an I switched to a fighter, so I guess that I should get more skill points. Just a couple more levels should do it. Well... thanks. That answered my question.

Heidrek · Post by **Heidrek** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 5:08 pm

Don't forget Search. That skill is very helpful as you can't disarm traps you cant see. Also, feel free to spend you fighter level skill points on Rogue skills. Fighters don't really need any skills beyond a few Concetration ranks so you may as well spend the points on skills you can use.

Lord Nyax · Post by **Lord Nyax** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 8:24 pm

Concentration for Fighters?

Why would a fighter need concentration? I thought that it was to help spellcasters cast even when they got hit.

winter sorrow · Post by **winter sorrow** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 4:29 am

You need concentration for maximised attacks feat (score max damage in melee for a few seconds). It's nice to have later on when your attack rate is high...