First Time Without Warrior Class PC

Jordoo · Post by **Jordoo** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 11:17 am

I just finished the game for the first time without a warrior class PC. I used a Gnome Cleric/illusionist named FuManChu. He teamed with Imoen(conjerer) Brawen, Minsc, Kivan and Coran. It was alot of fun and diddn't really miss having a super powered Fighter,Ranger or Pally. Minsc didn't do anything in the final fight except run up and initiate it before running back behind an army of skeletons and throwing his axe at the baddies. Two archers with two Arcane casters is very powerful. Anyways I had alot of fun and will continue to explore other non warrior classes. ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR MY NEXT TRY?

Thrifalas · Post by **Thrifalas** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 5:40 pm

How exactly did you play "without a warrior class PC" when you had Minsc, Kivan and Coran in your group?

Try next with just casters or something. Or try a solo thief... Or something like that. If you're looking for challenges... I don't really understand what you're getting at, tbh.

Aramant · Post by **Aramant** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 6:16 pm

PC, as in the character he made for himself, as opposed to NPC, being a character he picked up along the way. Such as Minsc.

VonDondu · Post by **VonDondu** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 7:10 pm

[QUOTE=Jordoo]ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR MY NEXT TRY?[/QUOTE]
The next time I play BG1, I'd like to have a Cleric/Illusionist and a Fighter/Thief in my party. Coran could fill the Fighter/Thief role, but his Strength is too limited to play a melee character early in the game the way I'd like and he's not available early enough in the game to suit a party of two. If you want a party of four, I suggest playing a Cleric/Illusionist PC (you could improve upon your tactics on a second run with such a character) and taking Imoen, Minsc, and Coran as soon as you can get them. Imoen can handle all of your thieving needs until you meet Coran, and then you can dual Imoen to a Conjurer. Imoen could wield a bow, but I'd make Minsc and Coran wield melee weapons the whole time. I would use an experience cap remover, of course. I would do a limited number of sidequests before meeting Coran. I'd pick up the Gauntlets of Ogre Power for Coran as soon as I reached Baldur's Gate and then finish the rest of the usual sidequests, and then head for Ulgoth's Beard and Durlag's Tower after finishing Chapter 5. Then I would head for Candlekeep and finish the game. However, I would alter the plan at any time if I felt like it. An adventurer needs some flexibility, right?

EDIT: I just realized that the party I suggested is the same as your last one if your drop Branwen and Kivan and play without giving ranged weapons to everyone. I'm sorry if that's too redundant for you.

Jordoo · Post by **Jordoo** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 9:53 am

Whenever I plan on using Coran I fill my party quickly to Six and just do the main quests until I am through the Bandit camp. Pick up coran and kick out the Experiance Eaters that I don't want. I forget what level you get Coran at when you do it this way but he does start with more Hit Points than should be possible for his class and Constitution at that level which is pretty cool. Plus you have a few more levels to tailer him to your needs.
I will have to get a mod to remove the experiance cap if I am going to play smaller parties. But that does sound promising. I have never messed with any mods I am running the 3 disc TOTSC version. I have been considering TUTU though read a little bit about it and it sounds fun plus there are some new NPC mods connected with it.

kmonster · Post by **kmonster** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 11:38 am

If you want a challenge you can try a druid party. Create a pure or dualclassed druid, get Jaheira,Faldorn and a neutral pure thief like Safana for the locks.

- no cheesy mage spells like magic missile
- no cheesy clerical skeleton summoning
- no cheesy archery
- but happy shapeshifting (at least with TotSC)

Jordoo · Post by **Jordoo** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 12:24 pm

[QUOTE=kmonster]If you want a challenge you can try a druid party. Create a pure or dualclassed druid, get Jaheira,Faldorn and a neutral pure thief like Safana for the locks.

- no cheesy mage spells like magic missile
- no cheesy clerical skeleton summoning
- no cheesy archery
- but happy shapeshifting (at least with TotSC)[/QUOTE]

At least I would have summon dread wolves.LOL
That party sounds painful to me not fun. Definately a challange though. I would be looking for a little more diversity than that. The tactics you mention are not as much cheesy as they are probably the easiest to figure out and the most over used.

If I install TUTU I could be an Avenger they have always interested me. Or maby try a different Druid Kit. Still a one Druid limit per party for me.LOL

Rhûn · Post by **Rhûn** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 6:04 am

[QUOTE=kmonster]If you want a challenge you can try a druid party. Create a pure or dualclassed druid, get Jaheira,Faldorn and a neutral pure thief like Safana for the locks.

- no cheesy mage spells like magic missile
- no cheesy clerical skeleton summoning
- no cheesy archery
- but happy shapeshifting (at least with TotSC)[/QUOTE]
Just because something is good, doesn't make it cheesy

kmonster · Post by **kmonster** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 11:55 am

What is the definition of cheesy ?

RBitG · Post by **RBitG** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 12:39 am

Look, i happen to like Magic Missile, no matter how much cheese it gets on the carpet!

Rhûn · Post by **Rhûn** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 6:31 am

[QUOTE=kmonster]What is the definition of cheesy ?[/QUOTE]
Something in the game that is judged to be overpowered. Examples include NPCs , certain spells, certain items (such as the Mithril Chain +4 armour for Fighter/Mages), certain weapons (arrows of detonation!) etc.

kmonster · Post by **kmonster** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 6:52 am

Bows are overpowered in BG1.
Movement speed was improved in BG2 to make bows less useful, the extra attack/round for bows was removed in IWD2.

Animate dead is also overpowered in BG1, why else did they change the spell and made a summoning limit ?

Magic missile is overpowered in BG1.
Why else was the spell capped at level 9, a immunity to MM added to the shield spell and Sarevok made immune to them ?

So you can still consider MM,bows and skeletons to be cheesy, especially for experienced players.

Jordoo · Post by **Jordoo** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 7:37 am

I still like MM to erase mirror image on an opposing spell caster. Take much less time that dispell magic. Plus there are monsters that are imune to magic or can cast protection spells on themselves. Bows should be powerful against low level ennemies its an advanced ranged weapon. Whats unrealistic is that you stand your tank infront of baddies and they all flock to him while your archers fire away and by the way never hit your tank.(LOL)Higher level baddies have more HP's and protection. But I will say unlimited summons and especially 4-8 skeletons per spell is a bit much.

Tarrant · Post by **Tarrant** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 3:38 am

Well, I just started out with my first ever non-warrior PC in this game. And my god its hard in the beginning. I play a mage now, currently lvl 4, so now he beginns to...well....not being so weak. My party at the moment is made of Minsc(tank), Branwen, Imoen, Garrick(for lore), Dynaheir and myself. But I plan to dump both Imoen and Dynaheir later when I get Coran in Cloakwood forrest, and once in the mines, I plan to dump Branwen for Yeslick. So, my futureparty is this: Minsc, Coran, Yeslick and myself. Is ths do-able? Your thougts please. I feel like I can cover most of the abilities with this party. Minsc for the fighting, Coran for archery and thivery, Yeslick for healing and part fighting and myself for the arcane casting.

Oh, for the record, I slew Drizzt... sorry. So Minsc is wielding Twinkle and his mithril mail. Garrick currently wields the other scimitar.

CFM · Post by **CFM** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 12:45 am

If it was me, I'd have a full party, because I try to keep reloads to a minimum: being an average player, and not using game engine exploits, I'd probably have to do alot of reloads in Durlat's Tower.

I'd dual Imoen to a mage at level 7 after getting her open locks & find traps abilities as high as possible. She can augment Coran's theiving and your wizard abilities, and it would follow her transition to BG2 (if that matters to you). And I'd add another warrior.

You (mage)
Minsc
Warrior (Adjantis, Kivan, Kagain, or Shar Teel, depending on your rep. score)
Yeslick
Imoen
Coran

Or, I'd add Jaheira & Khalid. With a druid & a cleric, you'd see all the priest spells (if that matters to you).

But what you got is fine. For myself, I'd just have to do more reloads.

kmonster · Post by **kmonster** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 5:27 am

Tarrant, I guess it's even easier to beat the game with your 4 person party than with the standard good 6 person party. (Fighter,Imoen,Khalid,Jaheira,Minsc,Dynaheir)

Tarrant · Post by **Tarrant** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 12:43 pm

I sure hope so. I plan to sweep the map clean with this team =)
But I changed my mind again. Minsc got himself killed, and I couldn't ressurect him, he was just wiped out of my party, damn ankhegs... So now I have, against my will, mind you, taken in Ajantis as replacement. For better or for worse, who can tell with this game?

I plan to take onboard Tiax later on as well, just for the irony of it all. hehe. God I love this game... I've been away from it for to long.

Cwell the fine · Post by **Cwell the fine** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 8:15 am

[QUOTE=Rhûn]Something in the game that is judged to be overpowered. Examples include NPCs , certain spells, certain items (such as the Mithril Chain +4 armour for Fighter/Mages), certain weapons (arrows of detonation!) etc.[/QUOTE]
I can't cast spells with either a FM or a Bard with that Mithril Chain on.

Jordoo · Post by **Jordoo** » Mon May 08, 2006 6:43 am

Unfortunately you can not cast arcane spells in the mithril mail. But you can use thief skills with no penalty.

I planned a bard once and based it on using this armor it was a no go.

Erenor · Post by **Erenor** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 3:47 am

[QUOTE=Tarrant]So now I have, against my will, mind you, taken in Ajantis as replacement. For better or for worse, who can tell with this game?[/QUOTE]

I would drop Ajantis. I'm not sure what type of party you're using, but without certain items to boost his stats, he's little more than a weak healer and a less than mediocre fighter. It is a challenge using him, however, if that is your goal. I always suggest trying to play with an NPC at least once. Gotta love replayability and Black Isle...