Solo BG1... what class makes it easiest?

Klorox · Post by **Klorox** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 8:52 pm

If you were to solo BG1, what class makes the feat easiest?

Crenshinibon · Post by **Crenshinibon** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 9:41 pm

I say a bard although many people disagree with me.

I'm soloing it right now with one, finishing Chapter Five.

Also, you could solo it with a fighter/thief dual class.

I like the bard though because there is less repetitiveness and you're essentially all classes (aside from druid and cleric... although you CAN shapeshift if you have ToSC) in one. And I thought it's worth mentioning that in BG bards CAN backstab.

wise grimwald · Post by **wise grimwald** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 2:41 am

I would say the halfling fighter/thief multiclass, but having seen the f/m/t speed run, that is obviously also a real contender.

Thrifalas · Post by **Thrifalas** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 3:05 am

I'd say a Fighter/Thief. Boots of Speed and Varscona/Dagger of Venom can handle everything due to BG1's cheesingly many doors and stairs and whatnot that the enemy doesn't follow you through. : )

I havn't tried a F/T/M, but I can imagine it's quite a breeze as well.

Crenshinibon · Post by **Crenshinibon** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 5:35 am

Well, in my opinnion, for all of the classes here, except the bard, most of your time will be spent sneaking and backstabbing. I still preffer the dual class as you are granted more control. Also, I think that the development of the F/M/T is too slow... the bard would be better as he/she can do about the same except sneaking... which can be replaced by invisibility. More importantly though, the bard is a single class and develops quite fast, meaning that you get hitpoints faster (not more) and that you improve more as a whole. As for speed runs, I've never seen the F/M/T one but I have an idea of what strategies they used, which makes the bard just as good as them.

Also, as a F/M/T, how often will you be casting spells in mid combat? Not a lot. Interruptions and the fact that you either have to remove your armor or replace it with a robe. Ideally you'll want spells only to buff yourself and as for lock picking, you'll be investing most of your points in hide in shadows anyway.

Also, as a bard, you'll be able to pickpocket and steal almost anything, which comes in handy as you'll be using a good amount of money during your travels... even though I still have a good 120k to spare and, yeah. You'll want to boost up your reputation in the early game...

wise grimwald · Post by **wise grimwald** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:36 am

It is really all a matter of playing style. I am not a big fan of speed runs myself, but the F/m/t one was quite impressive. No need to take off armour to defeat Mulhaney, just fire off the wand of lightning. Money irrelevent when you only have one character.
I actually enjoy the whole role-playing bit, so I prefer to have a party, but when playing solo, I do like the idea of taking out the enemy single-handed using stealth and backstabbing. The game I enjoyed most was when I won without killing anyone. However, the question was, not which is most enjoyable, but which is easiest. For me that makes it the F/m/t

Crenshinibon · Post by **Crenshinibon** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 12:07 pm

That's how I'm soloing right now. Wands are incredibly powerful in BG. Wand of Paralyzation is a lifesaver and the Wand of Monster summoning is as well, mainly for making a meat shield or interrupting mages. Battle Horrors die within three hits of the Wand of Frost. You can sell them to recharge and you're all set. You'll probably have to send a wand once as it will gain about 100 charges. Besides, as a bard, you have an excuse to have a high reputation, witnessing heroic events first hand...

Pellinore · Post by **Pellinore** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 4:04 pm

The game I enjoyed most was when I won without killing anyone.

So... how does one beat the big *S* without killing him? I may do the no killing run soon...

Crenshinibon · Post by **Crenshinibon** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 5:02 pm

I believe he finished the game with seven kills, one being an accident.

He meant killing only necessary characters.

Klorox · Post by **Klorox** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:04 pm

Crenshinibon wrote:That's how I'm soloing right now. Wands are incredibly powerful in BG. Wand of Paralyzation is a lifesaver and the Wand of Monster summoning is as well, mainly for making a meat shield or interrupting mages. Battle Horrors die within three hits of the Wand of Frost. You can sell them to recharge and you're all set. You'll probably have to send a wand once as it will gain about 100 charges. Besides, as a bard, you have an excuse to have a high reputation, witnessing heroic events first hand...

In BG1, how do you know if a wand is almost out of charges?

Crenshinibon · Post by **Crenshinibon** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:22 pm

You really don't. The only way you is you can estimate or sell a wand and buy it back. I believe each wand comes out with 100 charges after a sell/but procedure, so you could calculate the gold per charge value and calculate it, although it will change with your reputation. I just estimated and it worked for me. Just check with the shopkeepers often. Right now, I have about ten Wands maybe and none have ended. The closer the cost gets to one, the sooner you'll have to recharge. Save often. Oh, aside from the wands, I suggest you get the Necklace of Missiles. Very handy.

wise grimwald · Post by **wise grimwald** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 1:43 am

Pellinore wrote:So... how does one beat the big *S* without killing him? I may do the no killing run soon...

You get his cronies to kill him for you. If you want to know how, there is a thread on the topic, but I found a large proportion of the fun was to be found in working out a variety of ways of beating the enemy without doing any killing myself. I used a solo fighter/thief, the hardest part being the ducal palace.
If you want more info do a search on non-violent

wise grimwald · Post by **wise grimwald** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 1:58 am

Crenshinibon wrote:I believe he finished the game with seven kills, one being an accident.

He meant killing only necessary characters.

I actually managed it with no kills done by me though admittedly seven people died.

bushwhacker2k · Post by **bushwhacker2k** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 4:14 pm

cool

I've solo'd once with a gnome Thief/Illusionist

Klorox · Post by **Klorox** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 6:40 pm

I have Tutu installed now, and I'm finding the Berserker or Barbarian classes Rage abilities simply awesome. You can't be held, or charmed, or feared or anything!

I'm currently going for a Berserker 7 > Druid (you can reach level 9 under the TotSC cap!!).

If I can do that one, I'll import her to BGII and keep at it.

I don't know how I'm going to survive after the dual though! A low level Druid stinks, even with a ton of HP!

Crenshinibon · Post by **Crenshinibon** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 7:42 pm

Also, if you dispell the claws (a potion could do it), you could have a good number of attacks per round (three if I'm correct).

Nuru · Post by **Nuru** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 8:32 am

I'm trying as a solo Mage at the moment and it's, well, slow. So far I've managed the FAI quests (hobgoblins, the two assassins, etc) and also moved to Beregost but the only way I kill anything even at level 3 is by kiting with a sling or hoping a sleep goes off. Any pointers? Admittedly, I haven't played BG1 in a long time and barely remember where to go. I feel like I need to get the Necklace of Missiles and a way to summon some meat shields.

Crenshinibon · Post by **Crenshinibon** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 8:52 am

Use wands. They make the game incredibly easy. As a mage, you should have plenty of gold to spend on recharging them.

Also, if you can charm, you can control the nymphs at the temple next to Bergost and have them kill each other for 2000 exp each, 10000 exp total, with no reputation loss. Also, you get pearls and magical arrows to sell. That should give you a boost to your level. Search for wands though, that's the main piece of advice here.

Nuru · Post by **Nuru** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:34 am

I'm nearly level 4 after killing the spiders in Beregost (1 commoner got in the way of them though =/). Leveling isn't too bad, but I need to get some good level 2 scrolls to make it worthwhile. Seems like at level 4 Chromatic Orb might become worthwhile if I can get it off vs casters for the blind effect. But so far my sling remains the primary source of my damage, with a magic missile thrown in now and then. I'll be on the lookout for some wands, but so far I haven't made much gold. I haven't done any dungeons sleuthing though either.

Crenshinibon · Post by **Crenshinibon** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:15 am

Did you find the Ring of Wizardry at the Friendly Arms in?

Don't buy the wands though, you can easily find them.