Should I bother multiclassing in BGEE?
ChiPsiUp
Member Posts: 4
I've been researching into multiclassing and dual-classing recently, and a lot of the various guilds and builds out there seem to indicate that the real pay-off to dual and multiclassing comes in only at the higher levels, and the at lower levels your character is underpowered compared to a single-class character with the same amount of exp.
So my question is then, given that only BGEE is out and BG2EE isn't out yet... is it worthwhile to multi or dual class? What is the level/exp cap in BGEE anyhow?
If for example, I wanted to be a Fighter/Cleric. By the end of the BGEE, how do I compare to the singleclass Fighter and singleclass Cleric? Will I even have access to the spells that make my multiclass effective, or will that not be until BG2?
So my question is then, given that only BGEE is out and BG2EE isn't out yet... is it worthwhile to multi or dual class? What is the level/exp cap in BGEE anyhow?
If for example, I wanted to be a Fighter/Cleric. By the end of the BGEE, how do I compare to the singleclass Fighter and singleclass Cleric? Will I even have access to the spells that make my multiclass effective, or will that not be until BG2?
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Clerics are nice for multi-classing in this game because they get level 4 spells at level 7(55k xp) but won't get level 5 spells even single classed(level 9 is 225k for clerics).
Fighter/Mage and Mage/Thief both work stupidly well - multi mages end up with level 4 spells and more versatility than most pure classes. Ranger/Cleric is the height of badassery, and even triple classes like the F/M/T are great if you're in a smaller than average party.
Slow levelling is true, but at the same time it's a myth - At low levels, the Exp needed doubles every level. This means that even though they're cutting their Exp in half across two classes, they're progressing about as quickly as everyone else, just a level or two behind. The initial hurdle from 1-2 is the first, and biggest, one, and a level 1 multiclass has more tools than any pure class gets, and ends up just a point or two behind in each class.
The dual class is extremely effective in BG 2 but harder to manage in bgee due to the low xp cap. I always prefer to dual a character at the lowest 7th level for the added warrior attack per round. That isn't possible in bgee if u want the ranger class to reactivate
http://playithardcore.com/pihwiki/index.php?title=Baldur's_Gate:_Progression_Charts
Iron skins, level 5 druid spell, functions pretty much like the mage spell stone skin, and as you can probably imagine would be pretty sweet on a fighter type character(which a cleric/ranger is, since they get ranger attack progression and can specialize). Nature's Beauty, level 7 druid spell, automatically(no save) and permanently blinds all enemies in sight. Other than enemies with high magic resistance and ones immune to blind(extremely few creatures are immune to blind as it works on dragons and even liches) this spell is one of the most powerful in the game and one of the few reasons why being a druid is a viable alternative to being a cleric(clerics are pretty much superior to a druid in almost every other way). There are others, insect plague for example, which are moderately useful too.
@Alsn - Don't forget Summon Nature's Ally or whatever it's called, the level 4 Druid spell, brings out a Nymph. Nymphs have an arsenal of crowd control spells and Mass Cure to boot, you get a mini Cleric/Mage with a bunch of spells to help out for the cost of a single spell, and it's definitely usable in EE.
Entangle's useful against crowds of, say, Hobgoblins early on, and if you're outdoors, Call Lightning makes a decent focused attack spell (8D8+1 Lightning damage against a single target twice over ten rounds with a level 7 R/C) and a lot of the nasty fights take place outdoors in BG1.
A 161,000 xp multi-class (or dualclass), can beat BG2 and ToB...solo (classes depending). Or anyone can with a party of 161000 PC/NPCs. Level above 7 or 8 literally means nothing but more options (you get the majority of your HP during the first 9-10 levels, class depending. Gear and tactics will ultimately be what wins you the day.
I don't use the R/C because it's an engine exploit. Druids should have an entirely separate spell book, but bioware apparently didn't see that problem till the engine was set. I have no idea how hard it might be to add in a new separate spellbook. If it was easy though, then I think someone would've added it to one of the fixpacks years ago.
With very few exceptions, a multiclass (or Dualclass) will always be superior to a single class with the same total xp amount. And those exception usually require extremely high level to pay off.
About the only thing Multiclasses aren't superior at is compared to pure spellcasters (even then, pretty much only mages). They get new spells, and whilst spells (including, theoretically, dispels) cap at level 20, they'll pretty much always have more spells available than the multiclass, and access to a higher level of spell to boot.
Just goes to show how insanely powerful spellcasting is when a few extra high level spell slots outpower entire classes.
As someone who's soloed with every class/race combo possible i can say without doubt, that multi's are the easiest, if one half fails, you can rely on the other half. And given that single class plain fighters (or wizard slayers), bards, or druids can still solo the game, high level magic isn't required at all.
And the shear destruction a single class, high lvl Kensai can cause, is something to behold. They don't blow away the whole room in one shot, but they're only slightly slower then that.
The level cap was an unapologetic attempt to make humans the Mighty Whitey of AD&D, I can't say I miss it.
Though at the same time, they'd need to add in the lifespan reducing effects of spells (and keep track of character age). Elves could spam their hastes, and wishes and the like with abandon, while poor Edwin, imoen, nalia, or human PC would drop dead after a several attempted wishes, or a saga of spamming non-improved haste or potions of speed with abandon.
THAT was why there were level caps. Humans had unlimited potential, but a very short time to do it in. And unless you went to lichdom or found an extremely rare fountain of youth, or the DM was a wuss and adding easily made age reduction potions, humans wouldn't get truly powerful since the most powerful magics would greatly shorten their lives.
In general, I look at dual/ multi classing for my PC's in one of three ways:
1: high level dual. Going as high as you can in your initial class while still being able to get your abilities back, or going as high as you can and not losing potential levels in the second class. This is the most powerful option by endgame, but you'll suffer a bit in the middle there.
2: low level dual. Dualing at level 2 or 3 of your initial class. This basically gives you a flavored version of you second class, like Nalia for example, who basically functions as a Mage with thief weapons. While not overly powerful, there is less downtime, so it ends up a bit more fun.
3: Multiclassing. The least powerful of these three options. I also find it the most fun, as there is no downtime. Saying it is the least powerful is like saying it is the shortest giant. While not as powerful as the dual classes, it is still better than a single class.
It is also worth noting that abusing the dual class system is the only way to reach grand mastery.
The main downside of mages in BG1/BGEE is that they don't get their highest level of magic under the XP cap, and they have very little combat prowess to remain relevant in a fight when they're out of spells. A fighter/mage, however, easily makes up for this deficiency by being effective fighters with or without spells. They can be deadly with a bow from the back, or they can toss up Mirror Image and mix it up in melee.
Plus, a F/M multiclass is one of the strongest level 1 class options in BGEE thanks to Find Familiar, as they start with the highest possible HP. This makes a lot of the potential threats against low-level PCs irrelevant.
The main reason I made a fighter mage is because Wizards have a lot of nice utility spells that are hard to use on your primary since the primary I use mostly for damage spells. There's not enough spell slots for everything on one char so the FM makes up for the deficiency.
Tell you what though I really am starting to not care for Wizards and their restrictions. In my old age I'm doing much better at using a variety of spells rather than just brute force. Having the restrictions of wizards and spells per day is an irritant. It would be nice to have a Sorcerer in the party.
Also if you play a fighter/mage you can go with a relatively low strength score.. (id say about 12). THen boost to 18/50 with the strength spell.. then DUHM with bhaalspawn abilities for a nice 20 strength (even more at higher levels)
Chunking enemies with a non-magical quarterstaff quite nicely
True, but you only get them very late in the game, chapter 6 and 7.
And unless they fix it for BG2EE, you will lose them for the Slayer form.
(however the stalker can do similar things and is single classed)