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By completely legal, I mean no mods, no XP cap removers, no illegal stuff, nothing.

What's the most powerful protagonist, along with (up to) 5 official Bioware NPCs?

No cheeses either, such as a chaining and triggering six Tensor's?

If not then here is mine:

Kensai 24/Thief 28 combination
Jan
Aerie
Edwin
Haer' Dalis

The last one can vary:

Imoen
Nalia
Valygar
OR
Anomen

Forcing us to use Bioware NPCs really takes the "ultimate" away from it, since only Edwin and Big S have abilties good enough to match self-made characters. Besides, alignment limitations and all that... bleh.

Thrifalas wrote:Forcing us to use Bioware NPCs really takes the "ultimate" away from it, since only Edwin and Big S have abilties good enough to match self-made characters. Besides, alignment limitations and all that... bleh.

Actually, Haer'dalis is also one of them, because of his innate tiefling resistances and ** in shortswords. There can be no PC made bard(unless cheated via SK) who could match Haer'dalis' abilities.

1. F/T
2. Korgan
3. Viconia
4. Edwin
5. Jaheira
6. Haer'Dalis

I managed everything with them.

I love to play evil because it's more challenging holding together your party and manage your rep

Saros wrote:Actually, Haer'dalis is also one of them, because of his innate tiefling resistances and ** in shortswords. There can be no PC made bard(unless cheated via SK) who could match Haer'dalis' abilities.

Didn't even know he had innate tiefling resistances. :O What are they?

But okay, Haer'Dalis can join the group.

Thrifalas wrote:Didn't even know he had innate tiefling resistances. :O What are they?

** in Short Swords.


Anyway, here's my party:

Elf Sorcerer Protagonist
Korgan (Berserkers are INCREDIBLE!!)
Anomen (I like a Priest who can go into melee)
Jan (Best Thief in the game, great backup Mage)

I like the set-up of two tanks and two back-liners. I also dig 4 man teams because they're just easier to control for me, and they'll gain levels noticeably faster.

Two shorties means they'll rarely miss a saving throw, and Korgan's Rage insures he'll never miss an important one anyway.

This set-up also allows the best weapons IMHO: Protagonist uses the Staff of the Magi, Korgan gets the Axe of Unyeilding (and Crom Faeyr in his offhand), Anomen uses the Flail of Ages, and Jan uses the Staff of the Ram (in case I ever have him backstab) and the Gesen Bow when he's not casting a spell.

Ultimate:

Korgan
Viconia
Edwin
Sorceror PC
Jan
Jaheira/Aeire

Aire can do thing so many wonderfull things and is better than Jaheira, but this party will roll over everything anyway so I prefer a backup tank with druidic spells.

I've never had an easier game than with this party:
PC: fighter/thief
Korgan
Viconia
Edwin
Big S.

I don't remember having any hard fights except in Watcher's Keep.
That being said, there are many more NPC's that, if used right, can become very powerful: Aerie, Nalia, Imoen, Jaheira, Amomen, Haer'Dalis, Keldorn and Mazzy.

If you start out with a fast levelling pc such as a thief or a bard (or a druid) and ditch minsc and jaheira in the dungeon you can literally get 3 miilion XP for free. Wait untill you are level 13 and pick your companions accordingly and all six will reach the level cap.

The only problem with that, Mr. Lee, is that you can't choose their proficiencies. But it's a sound method (even cheesier if you Bard goes on a city wide heist of scroll shops!).

I'm having an AWESOME time with:

Berserker13>Mage protagonist
Imoen
Anomen (cheesey romance)
and I've just added Sarevok.

Mine would be

Kensai/mage
Keldorn
Minsc
Aerie
Jan
(and maybe Jaheira, mostly for the romance though).
add my evil bro in TOB...

My current "Balance" Party and how i intend to play
I like it better with the npc provided by the game.
Its more realistic with their weakness and that a "perfect party" is almost impossible anywhere in which ever world.

If playing 5 man with last slot for rotating npc with quests:
Korgan
Keldorn
Jaheira
Jan
PC-Mage or Sorcerer

If playing 6man fixed party:
Korgan
Keldorn
Jaheira
Kensai or Monk or Archer
Jan
Edwin


Korgan
The best melee char based on his own stats and proficiencies.
Equipment: Dual wield with axes and later axe/warhammer.
Stars: Put 3 points into 2 weapon fighting style followed by warhammer
Note: There are lotsa +3 axe in soa and of course Crom Faeyr

Keldorn
The next best melee char due to Carsomyr and his dispel magic
Equipment: 2-handed sword/long sword
Stars: Put 2 points into 2-handed weapon fighting style, long sword(i choose long swords cos there are plenty with good abilities)
Note: All you ever really need is Carsomyr

Jaheira
Fighter that can heal/buff/summon mobs
Equipment: scimitar/club/shield/sling
Stars: Scimitar then 2 weapon fighting style then sword and shield fighting style
Note: When melee, u can cut her loose with with Blackblood and Belm. When supporting, keep her at the back with sling and shield
The main individual buffer
She will also be your romance if your pc is male

Jan
Very useful with skills in spells/thievery in addition to his funny banters
Equipment: Short-bow (Tansheron's Bow+3 if PC is Archer else its Short Bow of Gesen)when not casting offensive spells
Stars: Short-bow and points in traps.
Note: The main guy for your thievery/debuffing and the secondary artillery/buffer

Edwin
The best spellcasting npc
Equipment: Slings or darts(gear wise, its slings; lore wise-Edwin would seems the type to prefer a sinister dart over a sling)
Stars: Slings or darts
Note: He will be the heavy artillery if your PC is not a mage or sorcerer.

#############################################

A few question:
1. Any slings that doesn't need ammo?
2. Any darts or throwing knives that returns to thrower?

Yes, the bonus merchant in the copper cornet has it (just can't recall the name right now). Also in ToB you can get a case with unlimited bullets.

Windour wrote: A few question:
1. Any slings that doesn't need ammo?
2. Any darts or throwing knives that returns to thrower?

Minor Spoiler:

If you go and do level 1 of Watchers Keep (assuming you have ToB installed), you can get an item that provides unlimited Bolts, Arrows, and Bullets (one of each!). Very useful if you don't want to be stealing from merchants all over Amn!

also minor spoilers in this post!


actually the bullets don't get into your possesion until ToB, the bolts and arrows can be found in the watchers keep
To my knowledge there are 2 throwing daggers which return to your hand.
1 you get for completing the limited wish quest. The other one you can get by buying it in a drow city.
There is also a dart which returns to user on the first level of the watchers keep. Don't know if there are more of them.

Personally my most powerful party means that the party has the highest degree of power throughout the game, rather than being the ultimate power at the end of ToB. What does that mean? Well, for instance, Aerie is likely the most powerful NPC of all at the end of ToB (with Edwin being the only possible competition); however, she does not shine so brightly in early SoA.

Also, determining the most powerful team in the unmodded game is impossible. There is not enough challenge to note a difference. However, the most challenging mod, Improved Anvil, changes the rules of play/monsters enough that it is no longer exactly SoA/ToB, thus confusing direct comparisons. Using a suite of difficulty enhancing mods including staged XP limiters, Zyraen's item nerfs 1 and 2, SCS2, max HP for everything, etc., the flavor of SoA/ToB is maintained, and it becomes possible to discern a difference in NPC power when playing on insane difficulty.

Under the rules you set forth (no NPC mods, cheats/editing), it is obvious to me that the protagonist must be either a sorcerer or wildmage for the ultimate power. If the game is a no-reload game, then the sorcerer is the choice. Otherwise, choose wildmage.

I have noted that the game seems to adjust difficulty when you use less than 5 NPCs, but I don't think it happens in the modded game described above, particularly with the staged XP caps. Therefore, 6 characters will provide the most power.

1. Hero: wildmage or sorcerer
2. Haer'Dalis: steal stuff (but I don't advise that for a challenging game), tank, high caster level, and cheesy offensive ability (Chaos sword, can use Soul Reaver)
3. Anomen: I despise his whines, but I appreciate the spell power. Viconia is a close second, as an excellent slinger with magical resistance. However, this team could probably use a secondary tank (easily a primary tank when buffed).
4. Keldorn: He provides the tactical advantage of his spell casting and wields the nerfed Carsomyr
5. Edwin: He's the best NPC arcane and arcane power rules (requires happy patch).
6. Korgan: The berserker advantage, huge number of hit points, and extra resistance against poison and magic, and XP/proficiency development in SoA (compared to Sarevok) make him very desirable. This team could probably use more meat shields. For ultimate power, I would probably replace Korgan with Aerie in ToB.

Note that these choices express my personal bias against thieves. If you successfully backstab and kill the all powerful enemy mage, then you have eliminated the challenge and fun of play. If you trap and rest and trap, and then immediately eliminate the challenge of the dragon - where's the fun in that. In my experience, thieves are extremely powerful (with micromanagement), but don't lead to the most fun games. In Improved Anvil, thieves are very weak. So, a thief is not included in my list and is not required.

P.S. Someone is liable to point out that the mages can do nasty things, eliminating challenge too. So in the end, my bias against thieves may be like prejudices typically are - totally illogical.

I've found the following party even better than my original "power" post:

Sorcerer protagonist
Jaheira
Anomen
Jan

Jaheira and Anomen are taking double duty as divine spellcasters and tanks.
Jan is my backup mage, and the best thief in the game
Sorcerers just flat out rock, and when I'm at a high enough level, the others are there as support.

Kensai/mage
Korgan, switch to Sarevok in ToB
Jan
Viconia/Anomen
Edwin
Jaheira/Aerie

Viconia has the higher resistance and greater chance of avoiding ranged attacks, but some clerical spells aimed at evil do damage to her.

Jaheira is better in SoA, but Aerie really comes into her own in ToB. May be the most powerful party NPC in the game, if it comes down to that.

It depends on RP alignment issues:

Good
Keldorn - Carsomyr +/or The Ravager + Firetooth for range
Sir Anomen - FoA, Crom Freyr, Storm Star (+5) + Sling of Everard/seeking
Aerie - The Mauler's Arm (18 STR) + sling of seeking +2
Mazzy - Sword of the Mask, Ravager, Short bow of gesen/Tuigan's bow

I know it is 2 healers, but Sir A I see as an aggressive cleric, buff up and charge in, whereas Aerie contributed both types of spells plus healing. Mazzy can get good in a fight - I had her charging round lopping off heads like nobody's business - usually with Ravager +6.

Minsc - sometimes, just for fun. his rages can be useful against liches etc.

PC is usually either a fighter turned thief or turned mage - I dual to get the HP to survivor-level so that I can get stuck into the fights. there are many fights, esp in WK, where everybody needs to get stuck in and some places where you are inclined to lose a few NPCs.

Neutral
Jaheira - her insect plagues and suchlike are very good. arm her with Belm and Spectral Brand and she puts up a decent fight.
[haedalis - I find that he dies too easily! he seems to be killed in most tough fights - don't ask me why - perhaps he's 'unlucky']
[Yoshimo - I like Yoshi, but he only lasts so long...]
Jan - can be fun and his skills are OK, so I stick him in neutral parties if the PC isn't a thief. staff and his own launcher.
Edwin -not much need to explain why - ridiculous number of spells at high level. crimson dart +3
Viconia -good for RPG reasons - a neutral would not judge her on alignment and she moans less (as in criticises) than Sir Anomen. her ability to control undead is very very good to have available. storm star.
Valgyar - I sometimes use him as a fighter, but like HD, he often dies too early. give him the axe/daystar.


Evil
Edwin
Viconia
Korgan - although I find him irritating. the "Mad Axeman" can use The Axe of Unyielding to good effect.