Two handed weapon Fighter/Cleric?

gutogrando

Hi all,

So, I'm PnP player for a long time now, but never really played with AD&D rules and don't have much experience with this game at all, just wanna play it now since my friend keep telling me that its story is so awesome, and I have to see it from myself.

The thing is, I played D&D 3ed and had a great time rolling an dwarf fighter/cleric with a two handed mace (with I sadly realize that don't exists in BG series...) and just wanna play a similar character. I'm willing to play two handed swords or even axesin this case. Now, I know the shortest way to do this would be simply roll a paladin, but, I just don't like to be lawful good at all (always played true neutral or lawful neutral characters). Besides, paladin spell don't seem to be that good in my opinion... I mainly use my cleric spells for buffing me and paladin kind of lack this spells...

The other thing is... I don't get this multi - dual class thing at all... Never made much sense for me and just don't get it, but if I'm to play this kind of character throught the BG series, I will need to understand it...

So I'd like to ask you guys, what tips (atributtes, weapon proficiences, spells, multi vs. dual class, etc) you have and what do you recommend me to play. I'm planning to use this character throught the role BG series and planning on take a 4-6 characters group, so no need for a jack-of-all-trades build... Just a good melee build, using a two handed weapon (if its too hard to do, maybe a dual axe/blunt weapons build) , with some nice buffs/heals (not intended to be the party healer). Also, I'm kind of like romance in RPG games, so I think being a human would be a factor here... But that would be just an extra, my focus here is a good build.

Thank you all, eager to start playing

ryuken87

Clerics can only use blunt weapons so your only two-handed choice is staff I'm afraid.

PlasticGolem

Multi-class means that you have two (or sometimes three) classes. Any experience points you gain are divided equally among the classes, and you gain levels in each (e.g. with a net total of 6000 XP, a fighter/mage/thief would have 2000 XP in each class and therefore be a level 2 fighter, level 1 mage, level 2 thief). When you gain levels, you divide your hit point roll by the number of classes you have. For example, when a fighter/mage/thief gains a fighter level, he gets 1-3 hit points (1d10 divided by 3, rounded down but minimum of 1) plus a third of any constitution bonus. Multi-class characters will have fewer hit points than most any single-classed character of the same level: a 6th level fighter (rolled by the book) would have about 33 hit points. A 6th level cleric would have 27. A level 6/6 fighter/cleric would have about 27 hit points as well (despite having as many experience points as the other two combined).

Because of the way experience point requirements scale, expect your multi-class character to be one level behind what a single class character would be, or two if they are triple classed. For example, by the time your fighter is level 3, your fighter/mage will be about level 2/2, and your fighter/mage/thief would be level 1/1/2. However, after about 9-11th level (depending on your class) this changes and multi-class characters start to fall behind: your single class character will advance 2 levels for every multi-class level, so by the time your fighter hits level 20, your fighter/mage would be about level 15/15 (approximately). At the very high end this stops mattering much, as there is not all that much power difference between a level 30 and level 35 character, but multi class characters will take a long time to reach their main power plateau (around level 18) and triple-classed characters may not be able to make it there ever.

You get all of the abilities for each class, but more or less must abide by all of the restrictions of each class as well, with the exception of weapons, where you can use any weapon that is usable by any of your classes, unless you are a cleric or druid, in which case you are limited to cleric/druid weapons.

Class and race-wise, 2nd Edition is not as "anything goes" as 3rd: each class is meant to occupy a specific niche, with limited overlap. A dwarf fighter/cleric wielding a two-handed weapon, you're stuck with the staff. While you can certainly complete the game this way -- Baldur's Gate does not punish you for choosing esoteric or sub-optimal character "builds" -- it would not be considered a tactically optimal choice for this kind of character. Most advice would probably say take one of two paths: put two proficiency points in hammers and two in two-weapon style, and as you advance, add two more points in flails (or maybe maces). Alternately, put two points in hammers and two in slings, and use a hammer and shield.

Or, since this is a game of your imagination, you could just take two points in mace and two in single weapon style and just use a mace. Notwithstanding what the sprite animations show, your dwarf would realistically use both hands to swing the thing, at least from time to time, and it's not so important that the game doesn't recognize the mace as a two-handed weapon as such. Once again, this is not a tactically optimal strategy (though it isn't bad either) but the game is entirely doable this way.

atcDave

A lot of this is just BG implementation, in PNP there are more blunt, 2-handed weapons (footman's mace eg).

But for multi- dual- the main thing you need to know is just that dual is for humans, multi is for everyone else. For a non-human (like a dwarven fighter/cleric) you choose exactly that at 1st level, and the game will ensure you have the required stats to make it happen. Be sure you transfer points to strength (16+), constitution (15+) and wisdom (15+) for the best results. Remember too, unlike later rules sets, you will get a full dexterity bonus, even in heavy armor, so if you still have extra points to shift, get a dexterity of 15+ too.
Dual classing is for humans; if you go that route, start as a fighter, and be sure you have a 17+ wisdom or you won't be able to make the switch.

ReadingRambo

A quarterstaff wielding fighter cleric is quite impressive however. A dwarf dual wielding war hammers is so awesome though. Especially in BG II when one of the best weapons in the game is a warhammer (admittedly loses a bit of its luster in a clerics hands, considering they have draw upon holy might). A dwarf fighter cleric focusing on pips in warhammer, mace, flail, and dual wield is what u would want in that route.
If u want romance I would recommend a half elf ranger cleric focusing on your weapons of choice.

gutogrando

Ok guys, thx for all the help, I think I'll stick with the half-elf ranger/cleric since its gains the two weapons style bonus, sounds nice to me. Dual class don't sound so good since i'll have to play all BG1 with a pure warrior until I get a decent lvl to dual.
About romances... they have any requisites? Race or minimal charisma?

Oxford_Guy

gutogrando said:

Ok guys, thx for all the help, I think I'll stick with the half-elf ranger/cleric since its gains the two weapons style bonus, sounds nice to me. Dual class don't sound so good since i'll have to play all BG1 with a pure warrior until I get a decent lvl to dual.

I find dual-classing usually tedious and spoils the flow of the game for me (unless *starting* BG2 with a dual-class), mutli-classing is much less of a chore IMHO

gutogrando said:

About romances... they have any requisites? Race or minimal charisma?

Charisma doesn't seem to affect romances, nor alignment.

There are no racial restrictions to the BGEE romances, but are in BG2 e.g. Viconia won't romance other elves (but can romance half-elves), gnomes can only romance Aerie I think, halflings, perhaps surprisingly, can do most of the romances, dwarves don't get any in BG2 (apart from probably the BGEE NPC ones).

Most of the romances are hetro, except for Dorn who is Bi.