VonDondu wrote:
Here are a few item combinations off the top of my head:
CLERIC/RANGER:
Gorgon Platemail
Ring of Gaxx
Ring of Free Action
Girdle of Giant Strength
Helm of Defense
Boots of Grounding
Gauntlets of Weapon Expertise
Cloak of the Sewers
Sensate Amulet
Crom Faeyr
Defender of Easthaven
(switch to the Improved Mace of Disruption when you need protection against level drain)
MAZZY:
Armor of the Hart +3
Ring of Regeneration #1
Ring of Fire Control
Girdle of Giant Strength
Helm of Balduran
(boots?)
Bracers of Archery(?)
(cloak?)
Kaligan's Amulet of Magic Resistance
Cutthroat +4 (unless you switch to another weapon proficiency)
Short Bow of Gesen (use any kind of arrows with it)
KORGAN:
Full Platemail
Ring of Protection +2
Ring of Regeneration #2
Golden Girdle
Dragon Helm
Boots of Speed
Gauntlets of Dexterity
(cloak?)
Amulet of 5% Magic Resistance
dual-wielding axes (Stonefire, Frostreaver, etc.)
JAN:
Robe of Vecna
Ring of Wizardry
Ring of Acuity
Belt of Inertial Barrier
Pale Green Ioun Stone
Boots of Missile Avoidance
Bracers of Defense AC 3
Cloak of Protection +2
Amulet of Power
Firetooth Dagger
Buckler +1
Alternative: Staff of the Magi
Just a few add-ons to that... no, offense, VonDondu, I hope...
Gorgon Platemail, Crom Faeyr, Armor of the Hart, Ring of Fire Control, Kaligun's amulet of MR(10%), Gauntlets of Weapon Expertise, Cutthroat and the Short Bow of Gesen cannot be obtained until chapters 5 and 6. Our friend is still in the Asylum(chapter 4).
I don't get your obsession of giving 5% or 10% MR amulets to characters who have none of their own. Such low MR is total crap IMHO. Better give them other, more useful amulets. There are plenty of those.
Buckler +1 to Jan? Well, that's a first. I'd say that in SoA only game, Jan has to walk through only with a nice crossbow, or staff - something like switching between Staff of the Magi and the Light Crossbow of Speed with nice ammo - bolts of Wounding and of Lightning, and later - Quo-Toa Bolts of Stunning. And there are a lot more useful boots than the boots of Missile Avoidance.
BtW - Bracers of Archery are better if given to Jan, because his THAC0 is total crap, and Mazzy's THAC0 is better enough without improving it further.
The Golden Girdle of Urnst is available only to a wizard or sorcerer protagonist, and only if wizard stronghold quest is completed(the Planar Sphere).
About the team - lacks a nice arcane mage. Jan hasn't got access to the Necromancy spells, and more specifically - Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting, Death Spell, Skull Trap and Spirit Armor. Especially the SA spell equals to a full plate, doesn't hinder a character(Ranger can use stealth), provides with a save vs spell +3 bonus, and unlike all other armor spells, can be cast on other characters, not only on the caster. Maybe you should consider taking Edwin in the party in the future... Note that a nice mage like Edwin, with one hell of spell slots, will definitely solve your AC problem, but also your elemental resistance problem, because of the various wizard elemental&magical damage protective spells which all last a very long time and provide 100% prot from one element.
A Ring of Free Action is good indeed. The only thing is that it negates such things like (Improved) haste, or Boots of Speed, or Oil of Speed. So this is definitely not a good item to be worn all of the time. Not to mention that there is a similar spell which can and should be cast only when needed...this ring is for soloers rather than in a party.
About equipment. In chapters 4,5 and 6 the most needed items&spells are:
Vhailor's Helm - an additional fighter is something very valuable
Reflection Shield - versus Sahuagin bolts of wounding, and Kuo-toan and Drow bolts of stunning, these take effect even through Stoneskin, Iron Skins or Mirror image.
Shield of Harmony or Chaotic Commands spell buff all characters(Use Wondrous Recal: lvl 6 priest spell, if your lvl 5 spell slots are inadequate) - this is versus Mind Flayers and Umber Hulks
Shield of Balduran - a must vs Beholders
Spell Shield scroll - versus Beholders
Improved Mace of Disruption, Azuredge and Amulet of Power - versus vampires and other undead.
If you plan on killing Adalon, the silver dragon, to make a nice suit of armor for Korgan, I advise taking the Dragonslayer sword with you too.
A lot of Protection from Undead scrolls - several liches in your way are defeated most easily this way.
Now, except these must-have items, other equipment:
Protagonist(Cle/Ra):
Full Plate Mail
Helmet of Defense
Ring of Gaxx
Ring of Protection +2
Boots of Speed - better than Lightning prot, moreover there's a fourth lvl spell for that
Gauntlets(?) maybe Gloves of healing... - a C/R has an excellent THAC0 and wasting a pair of Gauntlets of Weapon Skill or Weapon Expertise is appropriate only if you have 6 of those...
Sensate Amulet
Belt of Inertial Barrier - a C/R doesn't NEED a strength bonus because of Righteous Magic.
Cloak of the Sewers
Flail of Ages main-hand
Defender of Easthaven off/switch to an appropriate shield when needed
Jan:
Robe of Vecna
Bracers of Archery/Jansen's gloves when needed/Bracers of AC 3 in close combat because of the lack of Spirit Armor spell...
Pale Green Ioun Stone
Amulet of Power
Ring of Acuity/switch to Mercykiller Ring when needed to set traps
Ring of Wizardry
Boots of Stealth
Belt of Hill Giant Strength
Cloak of Protection +2(in the Asylum +1, the +2 is in the Sahuagin city)
Dak'kon Zerth Blade - AC bonus, bonus spell slots. Main Weapon!
Staff of the Magi - defensive&dispellation weapon. Nice Activation abilities. Nice Equip abilities. Also main weapon....
Light Crossbow of Speed - quick ranged attacks with stunning/wounding ammo/ switch to Sling of Everard when you get the 'Weapon Ineffective'
switch to an appropriate short sword when needed - for backstabbing
Mazzy:
Helmet of Defense
Red Dragon Scale
Necklace of Form Stability
if you haven't patched - Cloak of Protection +1, these stack with Red Dragon Scale in the unpatched game. If you have - Cloak of Displacement.
Boots of the North or Grounding
Girdle of Piercing
Ring of Regeneration/switch to Ring of the Ram when more damage is needed
Ring of Free Action/switch to Ring of Invisibility before Improved haste being cast on her
Tuigan Bow with appropriate quantity of +2 arrows. Do carry some Dispellation Arrows, might come in handy. Don't waste those, their quantity total in the game is 90. Or 95. /Switch to Tansheron's bow(+3, no ammo needed), when +2 Arrows are ineffective.
Short Sword of Backstabbing main(if you have ToB installed - Short sword of the Mask) + Kundane off-hand. Switch to Arvoreen Sword or Arbane sword main-handed when you need certain immunities! Use Arbane's haste when needed.
Korgan:
Plate of Balduran
Helm of Balduran
Periapt of Proof vs Poison
Ring of Earth Control
Ring of Regenration(second found in the Asylum)/switch to Air Control when Improved Invis is needed
Cloak of Mirroring(found in Sahuagin city, don't miss it!)
Boots of Speed(second pair in Asylum)
Belt vs crushing weapons
Weapons:
Dwarven Thrower when needed + a nice shield off(Harmony)
Frostreaver + Stonefire dual-wield mainly. Frostreaver main, since most enemies are immune to fire, and few are immune to cold or acid.
Do keep weapons with activation effects on the quick-weapon slots of Mazzy and Korgan - things like DayStar, Ilbratha, Ras, Namarra, Arbane.
Split all four of your summoning items in between your characters - those are the Golem Manual(only if ToB is installed, Jan only may use it in your team), Spider Figurine, Efreeti Bottle and the Iron Horn of Valhalla.
There are more tricks in item usage. If you want some, or have some problems, don't hesitate to ask. Oh, and do be VERY careful in the Sahuagin City southeastern part....
I don't consider giving away item locations to be spoiler, because they're given in this site. There's full list of items and the exact location of each.