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Pali(2)Sor(x) Asmier
Ran(1)Barb(X) Half Orc
MonK(2)Cleric(x) Female Drow (of the mask)
Fighter(6)Cleric(x) Shield Dwarf (Domain ?)
Rogue(6)Illusionist(x) Deep Gnome
Bard(x) Asmier

I have read some of the guides and taken these ideas from there. Just looking for something fairly simple to start with though. This is the standard game no mods or expantions. I have messed around a little bit with straight classed parties up to the ice temple. I am hoping this group will be fairly simple to multiclass and should have no experiance penalties. PLEASE NO SPOILERS IN RESPONSE JUST ADVICE ON PARTY.

1. Will it work?
2. Any tweeks for certain characters and there levels?
3. Will it be to hard in the beginning?
4. What order should I take my levels in?

Thanks for any help!

1) With a little skill it should work even without cheating via level-squatting or installing mods for more XP. It would be far easier without crippling your spellcasters by multiclassing them however.

2)
a) Paladin levels slow down the important spell progression
b) The ranger level weakens this character
c) Monk levels slow down the important spell progression
d) Fighter levels slow down the important spell progression

3) No.

4)
a)12 sorcerer levels first.
b) No ranger level at all. If this character has 10+ int starting as ranger will yield 4 extra useless skillpoints.
c) 20 cleric levels first.
d) 20 cleric levels first.
e) start as rogue. Take an additional rogue level every 5-6 illusionist levels or so.

PS: The levels of your characters at the end of normal game if you don't cheat will be about 17-18-16-18-15-17

Thanks.

The ranger level is for the free ambidexterity and the free dual weapon fighting feats when wearing light armor, no other reason.

Paladin levels are for saving throws.

Monk levels are for wisdom based armor class bonus. (guess if I wear armor its useless though,LOL)

Jordoo wrote: Pali(2)Sor(x) Asmier
Ran(1)Barb(X) Half Orc
MonK(2)Cleric(x) Female Drow (of the mask)
Fighter(6)Cleric(x) Shield Dwarf (Domain ?)
Rogue(6)Illusionist(x) Deep Gnome
Bard(x) Asmier

1. Will it work?
2. Any tweeks for certain characters and there levels?
3. Will it be to hard in the beginning?
4. What order should I take my levels in?

Thanks for any help!

1.) Yes, at least for normal on medium difficulty without to many problems!


2.)

I - best Sorc build AND start with the 2 Pal levels, this is much better than taking them late (HP and saves are much more helpfull in the early game and you will get spells like FB and (mass) haste early enough anyway - or just take only sorc levels and stop other party members from levelling until you get these spells!

II - skip this build or at least take 3 rogue levels instead of the ranger

III - would prefer ilmater and 3 monk levels (speed) I would also think about adding 2 Pal levels before your reach Kuldahar (maybe change to aasimar if you don't like to female drow clerics)

IV - 2 or 4 Fighter levels, six won't help much, don't like shield dwarfes, clerics should be female drows or at least aasimar! 15 to 17 cleric levels are just enough for a secondary divine caster, would add a few other classes for this one!

V - skip this one for somethong more usefull, or better take the melee spellsword version!

VI - a pure bard isn't that powerfull would recommend 19 druid levels and human race!


3.) No, without mods, the beginning is boring easy.


4.) concentrate on the main caster classes first, for secondary caster go for some melee capability first, if the build has a rogue level this should always be the starting level!

.

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Jordoo wrote:Thanks.
The ranger level is for the free ambidexterity and the free dual weapon fighting feats when wearing light armor, no other reason.
Paladin levels are for saving throws.
Monk levels are for wisdom based armor class bonus. (guess if I wear armor its useless though,LOL)

I already knew this.
2-weapon fighting is far less effective than using 2-handed weapons if you do the math. Since warriors are underpowered compared to casters in IWD2 you should try to make them as strong possible for balancing reasons.
Nothing can beat caster levels. Being able to heal the party twice in combat with Mass Heal helps far more than a little AC for one character for example, mass haste for the whole party helps more than better saving throws for 1 background caster who doesn't even have to make saves anyway.
If you replace character4 with a pure shield dwarf battleguard he'll totally dominate your party.

You have to make one decision before you play: Do you play the intended way or do you plan to cheat your XP up with mods or levelsquatting ?

Playing normally will let your average party level raise continuously to 16-17 during the game and keep it balanced (multiclassing casters will cost spell levels in this case), with level-squatting you can easily reach level 30 in chapter3, casters who are 12-20 levels higher than they normally should can easily afford to spend some levels for other classes.

My advice is targeted for a normal game, if you use faster levelling methods you can afford to do nearly anything.

.

just a short comment on 2 weapon fighting (2WF):


1. 1-handed weapon and shield is useless in IWD2 cause you won't find any good shields!

2. some 2-handed weapons can do more damage (but only if you have a huge STR bonus) then 2WF!

3. The big disadvantage of 2-handed weapons is that you just have *one* item with limited magical boni on it. (and I don't mean damage boni)

4. 2WF gives you *two* items granting in almost any case better boni (just the non-damage boni) then just one big weapon!

5. the AB of the 2nd weapon is in almost any case better then the 2nd AB of a 2-handed weapon, so you will hit more often, no matter how many basic attacks you have and if you use haste or not.

6. if you go for 2WF, don't use the ranger free-feats as they are quite limited, just take the first 2 Fighter levels instead (two free feats without any limitation)!

7. And last but not least: the best weapon in game is 1-handed!


.

Thanks for the feedback.

I am going to rethink my entire party this weekend and let you know what I come up with.

Question for silverdragon.

I just read your level squating section. If I include some races with level adjustments like drow it will give me the level squating benefit without having to do anything by lowering my overal average level. I had a party of straight classed characters one drow one asmier and was getting 9k ex for the ice gollums in the ice temple. I thought it was rather high at the time.

Jordoo wrote:Thanks for the feedback.

I am going to rethink my entire party this weekend and let you know what I come up with.

Question for silverdragon.

I just read your level squating section. If I include some races with level adjustments like drow it will give me the level squating benefit without having to do anything by lowering my overal average level. I had a party of straight classed characters one drow one asmier and was getting 9k ex for the ice gollums in the ice temple. I thought it was rather high at the time.

...no matter if you have ECL races or just don't take always all levels you have...

...it's always the average party level that counts against the monster level for the EXP calculation.

the average party level is always rounded down so no matter if this is 5.0 or 5.9, it's always calculated as 5!

So one aasimar reduces the average party level by one, three drows and an aasimar even by two!

If you combine this with some level squatting you can get a better final level this way then with a no-ECL party!

.

Ok Here is what I Did.

1. Fighter (2) Barbarian (4) Will continue as a barbarian (Half-Orc)
2. Tempus (6) May add a couple of fighter levels later.(Shield Dwarf)
3. Illmutar (4)almost(5) Probably no fighter levels. (Femal Drow)
4. Rogue(5) Will be a monk eventually (Tiefling)
5. Bard (5) Screwed up was going to add some druid but will suffer experiance penalty so now just a straight bard (Asmier)
6. Palidin (2) Sorcorer (3) Sorcorer the rest of the way (Asmier)

Anyway I am in the tunnels under Hord Stroghold and they are working quite nicely. Should be able to Squat the bard and Rorgue whenever needed. I see what you guys where saying about clerics they are the best class for me so far. I missed the whole domain spells in my other games. Having two is great even with one a few levels behind.

Questions.

What level should I start taking monk levels with my rogue and what skill levels will get me through the game for rogue skills?

Is it worth giving my bard any Palidin levels, (its the only class that I won't get a penalty for) or is it best to just continue on as a bard?

What level do you recommend taking fighter levels for my Tempust Priest, and only (4) correct?

Should I take two more Fighter levels with my Barbarian and when?

You can beat normal easily with this party as you have written it. You don't have to powergame to enjoy IWD2. I played with the default parties, the ones the game comes loaded with. It was easy game even though it had its fun moments. And the party I played with was loaded with flaws which made me learn a battle strategy to use.

Your success is more based on whether you know how to cast spells especially and use tactics throughout the game. Plus you get to decide how often you rest.

I would add that you should read Kayless's multiclass guide. It is more geared towards making normal workable characters rather than special powergame ones. Usually you take very few levels in another class. I don't like you taking 6 levels in fighter on your cleric for example, because he will turn into a good warrior, but a bad caster.

Think of key benefits as break points to stop multiclassing. And load up on casting levels unless you want only certain spells like mirror image.

An example of my first point is your cleric/fighter. F1-weapon feats, bonus feat; F2-bonus feat;F4-weapon specialize and maximize attacks; F5+-no you are just getting the THACO, HP, feats(by now you have too many those).

By the way I think you can beat HOF with that party as you write it too. I heard someone beat HOF with 5 fighters and 1 cleric LOL

1.) You don't even need a single rogue level. Any character with high int and dex can handle thieving as cross-class skill. So 5 rogue levels are more than enough unless you like sneak attack damage or the unique bonus feats rogues get every 3 levels starting at level 10.
If it's wise to take monk levels depends on your rogue's stats and how the roles are distributed among your party members. Rogues usually benefit more from additional levels in rogue, transmuter, cleric of Mask, fighter, barbarian, ...

2) Your bard can't take paladin levels because he isn't lawful good. I'd rather keep him pure since you only have a multiclass sorc as other arcane caster.

3) When the game gets too easy, you think he's too powerful and don't want to get higher level spells.
The only benefit from taking 4 fighter instead of 4 cleric levels is +1 BAB and +2 damage because of specialisation, nothing compared to 4 caster levels.

4) The only real benefit your barbarian gets from fighter levels is the ability to specialise in a weapon for +2 extra damage. For this you need 4 fighter levels. I'd take the missing two asap.