Advice on Classes requested. (mild spoilers)

Luis Antonio · Post by **Luis Antonio** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 3:15 pm

Hello fellow members,

Today i've decided to buy the two expansions (Shadows of the Undrentide and Hordes of the Underdark) because they're in the best buy packages (aprox 10 dollars each). I have played the game with SoU before, but I had lended it from a friend, and it was for one or two weekends. Now I want to actually play the game, as a whole, and I need advice.

I've started the game in plain neverwinter nights, with a dwarf. He's currently in level 7, (6) fighter (1) Barbarian (for the fast movement and the rage). I'm currently at NWN 2nd module, and I plan to go through it all before playing the expansions. The time I've finished NWN (a long time ago) I had played with a sorcerer, and the final boss killed herself. I want to see if it is damn hard or not to finish the game with a fighter class. My henchman is that little thief that you find first in the game. He's good at lockpicking, and the mages AI is so poor that I prefered the thief, cause he can use those sneak attacks that are very powerfull, IMO.

I want to know which prestige class shall I take, and after which level can I take them. I want a competitive character throught the game too, if possible, a character that may cheese a little. And maybe a recipe for a nice spellcaster for the next run, if you guys dont mind telling me that.

mr_sir · Post by **mr_sir** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 7:30 pm

Champion of Torm may be good if you have a non-evil character. They kind of turn your fighter into a mini-paladin. Or if you want a pure fighter, try Weaponmaster. I've never used a weaponmaster but they look pretty good. You will need weapon focus in a melee weapon, dodge, mobility, expertise, spring attack, whirlwind attack and a base attack bonus of +5 together with intimidate of 4 or more before you can take it though.

As for spellcasters, if you want like a spellsword kind of character, Red Dragon Disciple together with Sorceror is quite a nice build (and fun to play). Paladins and clerics are pretty powerful and fun too if you want divine casters.

Luis Antonio · Post by **Luis Antonio** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 8:23 am

Mr Sir, what is the difference between those prestige classes and the normal classes when it comes to epic levels? Wont I receive extras if I keep as a fighter all the way through?

darkrauser · Post by **darkrauser** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 10:41 am

[QUOTE=Luis Antonio]Mr Sir, what is the difference between those prestige classes and the normal classes when it comes to epic levels? Wont I receive extras if I keep as a fighter all the way through?[/QUOTE]

Well fighters are nice but they don't really have any special abilities. Good BAB, Good Feat Progression but that's about it. That's fine but you can usually make your character stronger by having more than one class. Barbarian/Fighter should be fine though. My first character was a Fighter/Dwarven Defender with basically no offense and I was able to beat the game with it. The only difference the power of your character will make is that you might need to take a bunch of potions before battles to buff your character up. You can make it through with most class combinations.

Luis Antonio · Post by **Luis Antonio** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 12:55 pm

Right. I have a game running in the first neverwinter setting, and he was a fighter/barbarian. (6/1). After he reached that level (almost at the end of the first chapter) I bought the two expansions and I'm currently at the chapter 2 of SoU, with a dwarven fighter lvl 7, specialist in greataxes, and wielding a bow as option of ranged weapon. In the time I've finished NWN (a long time ago) I remember using magicka and cheese to ruin the last boss and her minions (Btw, that boss was easier than the dragons in the game, and it was very bad for such a game).

The big problem is that I've made a build for a fighter - 16 15 16 st dex con and minor points in the other stats. I think I have 13 or 14 in Inteligence to get the Whirlwind feat, so that I'll be able to become a weapon master, for example.

Should I change weapon of choice and go to the ambidexterity and dual wield another weapon?

darkrauser · Post by **darkrauser** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 6:04 pm

If you started with greataxes, just continue with it. Duel-wielding requires a lot of feats so you won't be very good at it for awhile. I would say do whatever you want though because this is your character. Keep a save here and there when you make important decisions. If you get stuck at some point because it's too hard, you have your old save before you changed your character around just in case. If you want a real powerhouse, look at the epic level characters on bioware's website.

http://nwn.bioware.com/underdark/character_builds.html

A few of them require the PRC pack which is a free resource that adds classes, feats, and more.

Ravager · Post by **Ravager** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 6:34 am

[QUOTE=Luis Antonio]Should I change weapon of choice and go to the ambidexterity and dual wield another weapon?[/QUOTE]
Well, if you are going for Whirlwind, that takes quite a lot of commitment, so it'd probably be easier to stay with Greataxe and put the neccesary Weapon Focus in that. Once you get into Weapon Master you'll be provided with Weapon Kai and the like feats and you'll be able to deal some serious damage with that Greataxe.

For epic levels, iirc, the benefits include things that are generally available to every class...such as the feats that increase attributes and epic feats that follow on from the ones that you're getting now. As long as you have the prequisite feats to get access to the epic feats that build upon those, class doesn't really matter in most cases.

Oh, I'd say Champion of Torm is good too, that gives you some of the divine abilities of a Paladin, though a high Charisma is a nice bonus for that, not sure if you have that.

Hmm, if you're eligible for it, check out Dwarven Defender too, defence based feats when you're using a two handed weapon could be handy.

Luis Antonio · Post by **Luis Antonio** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 6:41 am

Right now my character is level 7 fighter, level 2 champion of torm. And no, I have not a good charisma modifier - does that mean that my champion of torm leveling up is going bad?

Feats I have: Luck of heroes, mobility, dodge, focus Intimidate (to make it easier to attain the needed level for Weapon Master) and now I wanted to raise intimidate so that I can be able to choose Weapon Master soon too. I have focus, improved critical and specialization on my greataxe. I'm currently using the Netherese greataxe, cause it looks nice on my character, and I have a flail with fire damage that deals extra damage against undead, just because it seems in neverwinter the dead are worst than the living and that every children that dies is raised by some evil necromancer, which never appears. (maybe it is the fog that raises them I dont know

).

The problem with Whirlwind is that I need 13 inteligence. I have to raise it once or twice. Will it be possible (and good) to have 7 levels fighter, 7 levels champion of torm (for the save bonuses and lay on hands) and then the rest of the levels on the Weapon Master class? Will it be a good choice?

Btw, which is the experience cap for SoU?

Ravager · Post by **Ravager** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 6:55 am

Hmm...not neccesarily...it's just if you look at the free feats for the classes, stuff like Divine Grace adds your Charisma modifier to your saving throws, so the higher your Cha, the better really...though, of course you can always equip charisma raising items if you want.

So, you need Evasion and Spring Attack to get Whirlwind Attack (/Weapon Master)? The Netherese Greataxe should be quite good, yeah, I increases your Spell Resistance to 12, I think, that doesn't stack with any other Spell Resistance items.
As for the flail, well, obviously weapons that deal that elemental damage to all enemies are better...

There is a merchant that can add effects to weapons in HotU, so hang on to anything that looks useful but just needs one or two more effects (easy for me with my pack rattish tendencies).

For the classes...remember that the Fighter has access to more feats that the Champion of Torm, that may well be more useful for you.

I always reached Level 13 or so, I think...there isn't a cap that I know of, but that's my average.

darkrauser · Post by **darkrauser** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 10:39 am

[QUOTE=Ravager]
There is a merchant that can add effects to weapons in HotU, so hang on to anything that looks useful but just needs one or two more effects (easy for me with my pack rattish tendencies).[/QUOTE]

**minor spoiler**

How does that work when you lose all your items at the beginning of HotU. Is there some cheat to keep your items like in BG2?

Ravager · Post by **Ravager** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 10:53 am

No, those items that you collect in SoU do follow over with you into HotU, then they get 'stolen' but are returned to you later on in the same chapter...though by that time you will have likely collected more powerful items.

darkrauser · Post by **darkrauser** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 11:59 am

[QUOTE=Ravager]No, those items that you collect in SoU do follow over with you into HotU, then they get 'stolen' but are returned to you later on in the same chapter...though by that time you will have likely collected more powerful items.[/QUOTE]

Oh, I don't remember that. I guess it's been too long since I played HotU.

Ravager · Post by **Ravager** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 5:15 pm

It's also possible you simply missed the single container all of your items are stashed. But, it should be there discounting bugs.