GameBanshee Forums

After reinstalling my computer, and finally Icewind Dale II, I've found that I can create a pretty effective party, I hope. I'm planning on:

Human Fighter, 18 Strength, 16 Dexterity, 18 Constitution, 3 Intelligence, 18 Wisdom, 3 Charisma.
Possible Feats: Toughness/Strongback, Weapon Focus: Two Handed Swords, and Power Attack.

Human Sorceress, 9 Strength, 18 Dexterity, 18 Constitution, 3 Intelligence, 10 Wisdom, 18 Charisma.
Possible Feats: Mercentile Background (Possibly, not totally sure on that one to be honest), Spell Focus: Evocation.

Human Rogue, 10 Strength, 18 Dexterity, 18 Constitution, 17 Intelligence, 10 Wisdom, 3 Charisma.
Possible Feats: Weapon Focus: Bow, Improved Initiative.

Gold Dwarf Cleric, 14 Strength, 10 Dexterity, 20 Constituion, 10 Intelligence, 18 Wisdom, 4 Charisma.
Possible Feats: Weapon Focus: Mace/Discipline

My final two party members I can't decide on... I could take an Elf Bard/Sorcerer, an Elf Druid, a Halfling Bard, perhaps a Human Monk. A note that I want to keep my characters at, approximately, the same level, so I won't take any race that provides Level Penalty.

To be honest, I can't think of the last two party members...

Well, I suppose I'm biased, but I'm a big fan of druids in the IWD series. They have some very nice offensive spells that compliment those of a sorcerer or wizard, especially early in the game when good spells are in short supply. For example, when you begin you'll be in lots of outdoor areas which means you'll be able to use entangle and rainstorm. Druids have access to entangle before arcane casters can use web.
Higher level druid spells are great too! Also, druids can wear armor without penalty, which is a nice plus.

Another good choice would be a Paladin multiclassed to an appropriate faction of Cleric.

I suppose that a Druid would compliment a Sorceress a lot more than a Mage would, having, I'd suppose, just as many disruption spells, such as the aforementioned Entangle.

I did briefly consider a Bard that would multi-class to Mage at around Level 4, but then again, I don't know much about Bards, so I don't know the optimal time to Multi-class them.

Since you're powergaming (3's all around), you should know that the 10 INT your Cleric has has the same effect as a 3 INT.

I'd suggest making your Fighter multiclassed (either with Paladin, changing the race to Aasimar, or to Barbarian, changing the race to Cleric), and only go with 4 levels of Fighter.

I know you don't want a level-penalized race, but they're really not bad (I like them more actually), and they really help with your tanks (where being maximum level isn't as important as it is for a spellchucker).

I recommend the druid and the bard.

The druid is one of my favorites. Their area effect hold and damage spells have been the key to some of the harder fights in both Icewind Dale and Icewind Dale 2 for me. A second character with healing ability helps too.

In playing Icewind Dale I have found that the bard gets access to conversation options not available to other classes. I haven't tried it in Icewind Dale 2 yet I assume its the same.

Clerics can be races unto themselves?!

I've started thinking of taking an Elf/Human Diviner, like I did in my party before I had to reinstall my computer. She worked out pretty nicely, to be honest.

One of the characters I'm not sure of is whether it should be a Halfling Bard or a Half-Orc Druid... having a 7' monster suddenly turn into a bear during battle, or having a pipsqueek singing at people?

Fully Developed Party now;

Dael - Male Human Level 1 Fighter
Strength 18, Dexterity 13, Constitution 18, Intelligence 3, Wisdom 18, Charisma 6
Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus: Greatsword, Power Attack.

Valen - Male Human Level 1 Monk
Strength 16, Dexterity 18, Constition 18, Intelligence 3, Wisdom 18, Charisma 3
Feats: Improved Initiative, Power Attack.

Clara - Female Strongheart Halfling Level 1 Rogue
Strength 10, Dexterity 20, Constitution 18, Intelligence 15, Wisdom 10, Charisma 3
Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus: Bow.

Saira - Female Human Level 1 Cleric of Talos
Strength 16, Dexterity 18, Constitution 18, Intelligence 3, Wisdom 18, Charisma 3
Feats: Improved Initiative, Subvocal Casting.

Lilith - Female Human Level 1 Sorcerer
Strength 9, Dexterity 18, Constitution 18, Intelligence 3, Wisdom 10, Charisma 18
Feats: Mercentile Background, Subvocal Casting.

Selas - Female Human Level 1 Diviner
Strength 9, Dexterity 18, Constitution 18, Intelligence 18, Wisdom 10, Charisma 3
Feats: Shield Proficiency, Subvocal Casting.

I remember the last time I started, every single Goblin who could, cast Silence on my Spell Casters... should I drop Subvocal and switch for other Feats, such as Improved Initiative?

Improved Initiative is "broken", by which I mean, you get no game effect for the feat. None. You may wish to re-start, since your party has collectively spent 4 feats on nothing.

Personally, I'd re-think the feats on your casters. The spell focus feats are great - try GSF: Evocation and Enchantment for the cleric, Evocation and Necromancy for the sorceror, and whatever works with the diviner (I forget what its opposition schools are). Subvocal Casting is nice when you need it, but useless otherwise. I believe there are some Vocalize potions available, which replicate the effect of the SVC feat.

For some added punch, you could take a few ranger levels with your rogue.

Fair enough... I hadn't really gotten that far, I'd found one more thing out however, which was nice.
Thanks for that.

Dael's new Feats and Stats:
STR18, DEX13, CON18, INT14, WIS10, CHAR3
Weapon Focus: Greatsword, Weapon Proficiency: Bastard Sword, Power Attack.

Valen's new Feats:
Dodge, Power Attack.

Clara's new Feats:
Dodge, Weapon Focus: Bow

Saira's new Feats:
Weapon Focus: Mace, Spell Focus: Enchantment.

Lilith's new Feats:
Mercentile Background, Shield Proficiency.

Selas's new Feats:
Shield Proficiency, Weapon Proficiency: Missiles, Spell Focus: Enchantment.

I should mention, I'm not a big fan of shield proficiencies on spellcasters, either. The best protection for a spellcaster is not being targeted in the first place, which is best accomplished by tactical positioning. Second best is caster spells, like Mirror Image. I like to spend spellcaster feats on making them more effective casters. Make sure you take some elemental feats when they become available (can cast lvl 4 spells, has 10 ranks in Spellcraft).

Not that a single item (probably random at that) would warrant a feat but isn't there a "mage" shield somewhere in the game?

Seems like I found one that a mage could use and had been enchanted so that it caused 0% chance of spell failure.

I lost all my old games when I had a hard drive hiccup a few months back so I can't check for it.

Well, I'm on Chapter One now, and I really hate going back through the Prologue (damned running around), so I guess I'll have to suffer Shield Proficiency.

There's a cool shield in HoF which always has "Protection from Missiles" on it. It's a nice backup plan for my Bard/Sorcerer (I don't try to cast with it though, just sing).

BTW, you're probably better off choosing a level of Fighter or Barbarian for a free Shield feat rather than waste a very valuable feat of your own.