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Hypothetical question: one single class to go from BG:EE all the way to tob

FelspawnFelspawn Member Posts: 161
No dual class , no multiclass. I'm going to be lawful neutral. I like to group with imoen, dorn, neera, viconia with one spare slot in BG1, in BG2 I will hopefully roll with a similar crew devs willing. What class would you recommend? Something fun, that meshes well with the group and keeps cheesy tactics to the minimum

Comments

  • BigfishBigfish Member Posts: 367
    Well Lawful Neutral rules out Druids and Paladins. I'd argue Bard could be pretty fun, since it gives you access to most of the fun toys like wands, scrolls, and the like. Maybe Thief depending on what you do with Imoen and who you take along in 2.
  • FelspawnFelspawn Member Posts: 161
    Well alighment is flexible, I say neutral as it makes more sense for me with that party makeup and general RP reasons but I'd consider alternatives
  • BigfishBigfish Member Posts: 367
    I'm usually partial to Cavaliers or Inquisitors, as they both get some really useful abilities and built in immunities. If you're taking Neera and Imoen all the way, you really don't need another mage. Probably not a bad idea for the sake of party balance you'd want some type of front line heavy hitter, which means some brand of Paladin or Fighter. I'd be doing a Lawful Evil Blackguard if I knew BG2:EE was due out any time soon.
  • KidCarnivalKidCarnival Member Posts: 3,747
    I'd also opt for bard, possibly a kit, depending on your taste. Both games cover the basics for neutral parties; you'll always have a thief, a mage, a healer and a fighter. Being the jack of all trades allows you to be flexible and switch roles as neccessary. With a party of 5 with a rotating slot, you need to fill different roles depending on the 6th party member. If multi class is no option, bards are the closest thing to that.
  • RhymeRhyme Member Posts: 190
    The things that come to mind for me are Monk and Swashbuckler. I tend to like PCs that are unique and different from the NPCs in your party. And with a spare slot (which I assume is rotating for the sake of quests?) you're going to run into a nice variety of stuff. Monk or Swashbuckler will assure that the PC still has a unique role to play in the party.
  • JuliusBorisovJuliusBorisov Member, Administrator, Moderator, Developer Posts: 22,754
    The main character should have some features that you can't find in your companions. That's why I always try to choose a class/kit that has no alternatives between available NPCs.

    The second criteria I use is the number of actions the main character does, I mean the number of times you need to use him while playing. He must be a central figure. From my point of view, he should be the most essential member of your party.

    I find fun to play the following variants:

    Sorcerer
    Assasin
    Bounty hunter
    Archer
    Avenger

    It's worth to take into account that the original game didn't have a sorcerer NPC and now we can have him (although it's a question if he is available in BG2:EE), it's highly likely BG2:EE will have an Assasin as an NPC.

    Also, I find Blades very appealing but there's Haerdalis in BG2 so you can have him in your party (but if you won't take him then a Blade is a good choice).

    Monks and Wild mages can be fun and strong but now we have Rasaad and Neera.

    Personally, I'd still take a multiclass character. I've tried many combinations, but after all I'm most satisfied when the main character has two classes in him that he can use as you wish and you're never tired. In one slot you have two characters. Illusionist/thief is my favourite.
  • MadhaxMadhax Member Posts: 1,416
    Depending on what you fill the final slot with, your party might lack a traditional tank. Something like a Dwarven Fighter/Cleric could work out nicely, with an emphasis on personal buffing like Armor of Faith and Draw Upon Holy Might.
  • NifftNifft Member Posts: 1,065
    Felspawn said:

    No dual class , no multiclass. I'm going to be lawful neutral. I like to group with imoen, dorn, neera, viconia

    Cleric: covered.
    Thief: covered.
    Mage: covered.
    Front-line: NAKED.

    Your group would benefit from another tank (unless you plan on having Vicky tank, but I find her to be a more effective back-line caster & slinger).

    If you're sure about LN, I'd recommend some kind of Fighter (either a plain-vanilla Fighter or a Berserker).
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729

    I'd also opt for bard, possibly a kit, depending on your taste. Both games cover the basics for neutral parties; you'll always have a thief, a mage, a healer and a fighter. Being the jack of all trades allows you to be flexible and switch roles as neccessary. With a party of 5 with a rotating slot, you need to fill different roles depending on the 6th party member. If multi class is no option, bards are the closest thing to that.

    I'd agree, Blade is probably the easisest of the Bard kits, especially for the ToB content, though Skald would also be good with a full party
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  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    edited February 2013
    Nifft said:

    Felspawn said:

    No dual class , no multiclass. I'm going to be lawful neutral. I like to group with imoen, dorn, neera, viconia

    Cleric: covered.
    Thief: covered.
    Mage: covered.
    Front-line: NAKED.

    Your group would benefit from another tank (unless you plan on having Vicky tank, but I find her to be a more effective back-line caster & slinger).

    If you're sure about LN, I'd recommend some kind of Fighter (either a plain-vanilla Fighter or a Berserker).
    I agree with you, what is lacking is a good tank. However, Berserkers can't be lawful (they are also very very dull to play). I would consider a Barbarian, who can be lawful, and are marginally less dull.

    Alternatively, a fighter/cleric (dwarf or half orc) .
  • mjsmjs Member Posts: 742
    try a Wizard Slayer, I think they make sense for Lawful Neutrals
  • NifftNifft Member Posts: 1,065
    Fardragon said:

    I agree with you, what is lacking is a good tank. However, Berserkers can't be lawful (they are also very very dull to play). I would consider a Barbarian, who can be lawful, and are marginally less dull.

    Alternatively, a fighter/cleric (dwarf or half orc) .

    Ooo, good point!

    Well, that just leaves vanilla Fighter.
    mjs said:

    try a Wizard Slayer, I think they make sense for Lawful Neutrals

    Nooooooooooooo!
  • ErgErg Member Posts: 1,756
    Bhaaldog said:

    Pure class mage is not bad.

    I must agree. A vanilla non specialist mage would nicely complement your party, unless you are going to dual Imoen. By the way, I'm using Viconia as my only tank in my current playthrough and she is great.
  • nemesisnemesis Member Posts: 49
    Im going through with a Cavalier right now which is very fun. I know he is not lawful neutral but theres lots of play Viconia and dorn stayed with me all the way through
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    edited February 2013
    Re: Wizard Slayer:

    Actually, I'm drawn to the idea of seeing if there is some way to make a Wizard Slayer work out. Hitting ten times to result in total spell failure seems great. And as the WS hits acrue it's 10% failure for each one. So the target's ability to cast gets whittled down fast. (Use a non-magical weapon for enemies buffed with Protection from Magical Weapons; not sure what to do if the enemy also has Protection from Normal Weapons cast though.) However, many forum members here have pointed out that if a vanilla Fighter successfully hits a wizard tens times they're going to die anyway.

    It's been so many years now since I played BG2* I can't remember specifics like this... but for a lot of arcane spellcasting enemies in SoA and ToB, don't they have buffs such a Stoneskin that absorb successful hits? I.e., you hit but you're not doing damage.

    Also, let's say a WS does cause complete spell failure in the target. Will the target's buffs remain in place? Or do those collapse with the progressive spell failure?




    * I'll play it again of course when BG2:EE is released.
    Post edited by Lemernis on
  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    Existing buffs are not affected by spell failure.
  • DJKajuruDJKajuru Member Posts: 3,300
    Either fighter or mage - both are useful throughout the whole game, and get more and more powerful weapons (fighter) / spells (mage)
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    edited February 2013
    I guess you can just use your own party's mage to debuff enemies, and then any flavor of Fighter can kill them off.
  • OzzyBotkinsOzzyBotkins Member Posts: 396
    Felspawn said:

    I'm going to be lawful neutral. I like to group with imoen, dorn, neera, viconia with one spare slot in BG1, in BG2 I will hopefully roll with a similar crew devs willing.

    I would go with the Bard/Blade Kit, lots of fun to play, and In BG2 you will be able to get the HLA " Use any item "
    best HLA in the game
  • mjsmjs Member Posts: 742
    as others have said, it won't collapse existing buffs, but they are effective. the only kitted class other than archer to reach GM in ranged weaponry, MR to boot and spellcasting failure (no save) on hit. i played a run in vanilla (fighter in BG, then kitted in BG2) and i had a blast. with the right equipment you can be untouchable by magic and has a fun RPing issues too
  • KamehouseKamehouse Member Posts: 66
    Well, if you are going to go all the way through BG1 and BG2 with your character, you should think about who would be useful all the game, specially in BG2. You seem to need some tank, but with the one free place you could fill this position with someone else.

    A blackguard would make a useful tank skilled right - well, you have Dorn, but he's not really a tank. It's immunity against mindflawyers is great, so you can dump intelligence making him powerful in all needed stats.

    A monk can be fun late game, but you will need your free slot for a real tank. Monks have high potential.

    A bard, better a skald - not a tank, too - can be a very fun character. Like a clerik this tales-lover one would make sense according to your background in candlekeep.

    A cavalier good agains demonic an draconic creatures can be very heavy end-game.

    Swashbuckler.
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729

    Felspawn said:

    I'm going to be lawful neutral. I like to group with imoen, dorn, neera, viconia with one spare slot in BG1, in BG2 I will hopefully roll with a similar crew devs willing.

    I would go with the Bard/Blade Kit, lots of fun to play, and In BG2 you will be able to get the HLA " Use any item "
    best HLA in the game
    Blades also can get the massively better Improved Bard Song HLA, removing their main weakness compared to other Bards, and also the vicious Spike Trap HLA trap

  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    Kamehouse said:


    A bard, better a skald - not a tank, too - can be a very fun character. Like a clerik this tales-lover one would make sense according to your background in candlekeep.

    Skalds have an awesome party buff song, that gets better at levels 15 and 20, though is superseded eventually (but not before 3 million XP / Level 24 at least) by Improved Bard Song, which all Bards can get, but that's a long way off! The innate +1 THAC0 *and* +1 damage to all attacks is nice and they get full lore, though pickpockets is nerfed (1/4 value), which is a shame if you like your bards to be kleptomaniacs (self puts hand up). The main problem I have with Skalds as CHARNAME, is that they have quite a passive role, as to be most effective they need to be singing most of the time. I prefer either Jesters, who have a more offensive song (and get full lore *and* pickpockets) or Blades, if playing a Bard.

  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    Erg said:

    Bhaaldog said:

    Pure class mage is not bad.

    I must agree. A vanilla non specialist mage would nicely complement your party, unless you are going to dual Imoen. By the way, I'm using Viconia as my only tank in my current playthrough and she is great.
    If going for a vanilla non-specialist mage, you might as well pick up 2 or 3 Fighter levels first, then dual class to Mage, so you get a wider choice of weapons and ability to wear a helmet, unless you want to be a non-human, the XP hit will be minimal, though I'm not normally a fan of dual-classing.
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