If you are only playing BG1, then level 3. If you are playing the whole saga, then not before level 7 (which means you won't get your first class back in BG1).
Of course, at only 3 levels, berserker >> kensai in all repects.
Actually, dualing at Fighter 7 still gets you to Druid 9 in BG1, provided you have TotSC installed: 64,000 + 90,000 = 154,000, which is still a good 7k under the XP cap.
Of course, because Druids don't benefit at all from going over level 25 (bar 1 pip at 28), it can be argued that you could take Fighter all the way to 13 and not lose out on anything in the endgame, but that means you'd have to earn a total of 1.5M XP to get your Fighter skills back, so it probably isn't worth it. All you really lose out on by dualing at Fighter 7 are some health and an extra 1/2 APR.
Dualling at fighter 7 - won't that leave CHARNAME as a weak driud for a long time, until he get his fighter levels back? This is the thing I don't like about dualclassing
Dual at 6, then: that way you only need 35,000 XP rather than 60,000 to get your fighter levels back. Or 3 like Fardragon suggested, which means you only need to get 7,500 and leaves you as a powerful Fighter/Druid for pretty-much all of BG1. Have a look at the tables of benefits and see when works best for you
Actually, dualing at Fighter 7 still gets you to Druid 9 in BG1, provided you have TotSC installed: 64,000 + 90,000 = 154,000, which is still a good 7k under the XP cap.
Of course, because Druids don't benefit at all from going over level 25 (bar 1 pip at 28), it can be argued that you could take Fighter all the way to 13 and not lose out on anything in the endgame, but that means you'd have to earn a total of 1.5M XP to get your Fighter skills back, so it probably isn't worth it. All you really lose out on by dualing at Fighter 7 are some health and an extra 1/2 APR.
We are talking about Kensai rather than streight fighter though. Dual at 3 gives you +1/+1 thac0/damage, dual at 7 gives +2/+2, dual at 13 gives you +4/+4, So for a Kensai/druid it really is worth pushing it all the way to 13 (indeed, it's the only way to be competative with Berserker/Druid).
@Cactus Depends on how your metagame knowledge is. Holding off on the "easy" XP, such as major quest turn-ins or the Basilisk area, means that you can accumulate XP very quickly post-dual class. And once you've gotten the druid half past level 5 or so, they're hardly detrimental to the party any more.
@Madhax Yes, this could be one way to do it, but it would totally ruin gameplay experience to me. I think I rather prefer a Ranger/Druid multi over a Fighter/druid multi, for more spells
@Madhax Yes, this could be one way to do it, but it would totally ruin gameplay experience to me. I think I rather prefer a Ranger/Druid multi over a Fighter/druid multi, for more spells
Actually a fighter dualled to druid at level 7 will get to level 9 as a druid, whereas a fighter/druid will will only get to level 8 as a druid (and level 7 as a fighter), so you'll actually have more spells with the former. And you can't be a ranger/druid multiclass.
I tried this again. This is tough to do with a 92. It's almost not worth doing until you get a 93 or one more point in STR so you can get to 19 STR with the Tome. Crazy stat requirements.
STR 17 (GIve yourself the tome to get to 18) DEX 18 (Dex tomb bumps to 19) CON 15 (Give yourself the Con tome to bump to 16 for max health-ish) INT 11 (For Mind Flayers, save the tome for a caster who will greatly benefit) WIS 15 (Give yourself all three Wisdom Tomes to get to 18) CHA 16 (will up to 17 w/ tome).
I tried this again. This is tough to do with a 92. It's almost not worth doing until you get a 93 or one more point in STR so you can get to 19 STR with the Tome. Crazy stat requirements.
STR 17 (GIve yourself the tome to get to 18) DEX 18 (Dex tomb bumps to 19) CON 15 (Give yourself the Con tome to bump to 16 for max health-ish) INT 11 (For Mind Flayers, save the tome for a caster who will greatly benefit) WIS 15 (Give yourself all three Wisdom Tomes to get to 18) CHA 16 (will up to 17 w/ tome).
Give up on int. I did it with 93 and 3 int and it was a blast. Int only matters for wands (but not soloing so other party members for that) and Illithids (but if going into BG2 would dual at 13 or use a different build as Druid is lacklustre in BG2).
To break it down: Strength needs to be 18/** as Druids don't have the +strength buffs that clerics do. Otherwise you're waiting for DUHM SLA in chapter 5 to be decent in melee.
Leave dex at 18 as 19 doesn't give AC as you'll only want to melee with GM and give the tome to someone else (to start with 17 though the tome is awesome for an NPC).
Con 18 all the way, you'll be the best tank in the party in all likelihood. You get HP off the fighter levels.
Int 3 as above.
Wis 18. You need wis 18 to get a bonus level 5 slot to fit 1 use of Ironskins and insect plague. Without having both of these at your disposal there's not really much point to dualing Druid.
Charisma 16-17.
I soloed basilisks and sirines with Korax and rage and was level 6/5 or something before I even got an NPC. I went for 6/10 but 7/9 is better. For the extra XP grab a wizard to cast prot from petrification and kick from party to do the basilisks on durlags tower.
Comments
I would say the only ways to avoid Kensai/Druid sucking are to roll until you get over 100 points or to be utterly stupid.
Of course, at only 3 levels, berserker >> kensai in all repects.
Of course, because Druids don't benefit at all from going over level 25 (bar 1 pip at 28), it can be argued that you could take Fighter all the way to 13 and not lose out on anything in the endgame, but that means you'd have to earn a total of 1.5M XP to get your Fighter skills back, so it probably isn't worth it. All you really lose out on by dualing at Fighter 7 are some health and an extra 1/2 APR.
Depends on how your metagame knowledge is. Holding off on the "easy" XP, such as major quest turn-ins or the Basilisk area, means that you can accumulate XP very quickly post-dual class. And once you've gotten the druid half past level 5 or so, they're hardly detrimental to the party any more.
I still prefer multiclass, though.
Yes, this could be one way to do it, but it would totally ruin gameplay experience to me. I think I rather prefer a Ranger/Druid multi over a Fighter/druid multi, for more spells
I tried this again. This is tough to do with a 92. It's almost not worth doing until you get a 93 or one more point in STR so you can get to 19 STR with the Tome. Crazy stat requirements.
STR 17 (GIve yourself the tome to get to 18)
DEX 18 (Dex tomb bumps to 19)
CON 15 (Give yourself the Con tome to bump to 16 for max health-ish)
INT 11 (For Mind Flayers, save the tome for a caster who will greatly benefit)
WIS 15 (Give yourself all three Wisdom Tomes to get to 18)
CHA 16 (will up to 17 w/ tome).
To break it down:
Strength needs to be 18/** as Druids don't have the +strength buffs that clerics do. Otherwise you're waiting for DUHM SLA in chapter 5 to be decent in melee.
Leave dex at 18 as 19 doesn't give AC as you'll only want to melee with GM and give the tome to someone else (to start with 17 though the tome is awesome for an NPC).
Con 18 all the way, you'll be the best tank in the party in all likelihood. You get HP off the fighter levels.
Int 3 as above.
Wis 18. You need wis 18 to get a bonus level 5 slot to fit 1 use of Ironskins and insect plague. Without having both of these at your disposal there's not really much point to dualing Druid.
Charisma 16-17.
I soloed basilisks and sirines with Korax and rage and was level 6/5 or something before I even got an NPC. I went for 6/10 but 7/9 is better. For the extra XP grab a wizard to cast prot from petrification and kick from party to do the basilisks on durlags tower.