GameBanshee Forums

Hi
Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I can't see the point of dual-classing Imoen, which was recommended in number of places.
Basically, dual-classing her at level 5 meant that I lost my thief and now I have a 29hp Mage walking around trying to get that last level to get her thief skills back. And I'm almost at Baldur's Gate.

Since I like playing spell casters, I didn't want to give up Jaheira in favor of Coran, who didn't come along until recently anyway. I suppose I could have multiclassed myself as fighter/thief, which was also recommended, but that's hindsight.

I think next time I'd play a mage and forget about dual-classing Imoen.

Anyway, is Imoen's dual class actually going to come in handy at some point? I would think I'm more than half-way through the game and feel that her place in the team wasn't all that effectively used.

What level was Imoen when you dual-classed her?

Also, have you done the TOTSC areas?

Also keep in mind that everybody plays the game differently. I have completed BG1 4 times now and have never dual-classed Imoen. However I intend to do so on my current play through.

In my opinion (everybody has one) Imoen is the best mage in the game...after she is dualled of course. I dualled her at 2nd level this last go around and gave her high Find Traps scores. She now is a Transmuter (don't ask why...just haven't seen one in the game so I chose it) with extra HP that she got whilst being a thief. She is also a mage that can use short swords and shoot shortbows. Imoen is probably the best character in the game to dual ... mainly because she has some great ability scores for it. I don't think Immie's stats were an accidental roll of the dice.

The point in dualing Imoen is that you can find multiclass thieves who are just to good to keep away from your party even if you already have a thief. (you didn't take them however)
Since two thieves are not needed Imoen can be more useful in another way.
Keeping Imoen as the only thief in the party isn't recommended.

There are far better NPC thieves than Imoen the game.
Coran,Montaron, Shar-Teel, Tiax get enough thieving skills but can help far more in combat.

The NPC mages are weak on the other hand, they either have 17 dex and no con bonus or 16 con and no dex bonus, missing 4 AC and the 10 extra HP Imoen can get for her 5 thief levels.
The 10,000 XP spent for 5 thief levels don't matter any more at higher levels.

Usually Imoen is dualed to illusionist or conjurer so she also gets the bonus spell per level (this can't be done with TuTu), as mage she's weaker.

I'm not a great fan of dualing, but I've dualed Imoen a few times to a mage. I did that when she was lvl 2, so her thieving skills were negligible, but it allowed her to use a short bow which was very nice. As a mage she was adequate.

I actually dualled Imoen at level 7. IIRC, I played thru Chapter 4 & 5 without a thief (Cleric, Minsc & Dynaheir, Khalid & Jaheira, and Imoen dualled). When I was ready to trigger Chapter 6, I did Ulgoth's Beard. And just before entering Durlat's Tower, Imoen hit level 8 as a wizard and regained her thieving abilities. Lucky, because doing Durlat's Tower without a thief would have sucked.

I was planning on switching Minsc & Dynahier with a thief NPC if I entered an area full of otherwise-impossible traps, or more than a couple locked chests. But I ended up never needing to do this. Some of the traps hurt bad but never proved fatal, and some of the locked chests I had to leave & revisit when my dudes regained a Knock spell or two.

I like dualling Imoen because:

- I prefer two wizards with one able to handle shortbows, locks, & traps... instead of having just one wizard and one thief.

- And it promotes continuity between BG1 & BG2.

If you are looking for cheap XP doing the upper levels of Durlags Tower is recommended as early as possible in the game. Potion of Mirrored Eyes will protect you from Petrification or even use scrolls and taking out the 3 basilisks on the roof area's will net you a few thousand XP alone, that and Kirinhale will bring you up a few levels with little effort involved.

Rabain wrote:If you are looking for cheap XP doing the upper levels of Durlags Tower is recommended as early as possible in the game. Potion of Mirrored Eyes will protect you from Petrification or even use scrolls and taking out the 3 basilisks on the roof area's will net you a few thousand XP alone, that and Kirinhale will bring you up a few levels with little effort involved.

Not to mention that you get a great scimitar for either Imoen or Jaheira to use.