(More) Kensai Mage Questions
I am playing a Kensai (going to mage on BG2) and I can't seem to find any COMPLETE guide on the class. I am searching for hours and I only came up with scattered information across many different pages and forums. So, I've decided to ask here about everything I need.
1) My weapons will be Celestial Fury and Dak'kon's Zerth Blade. Are there any other better choices for the build that I missed on my search?
2) Is Robes of Vecna the best robe for the body slot?
3) What is the best rings for the build? (I have cha 18 so I don't need the ring of human influence)
4) What is the best amulet for the build?
5) Best belt?
6) Best cloak?
7) Best boots?
8) Is a k13/m28 able to cast 10th level spells?
I would ask about spells too but this is a lesser problem since if I don't find sufficient answers I just have to memorize and scribe all of them.
Sorry for been a little frustrated but I can't believe there isn't a complete guide about the class and I spent so many hours searching.
Anyway thanks in advance for any answers!
1) My weapons will be Celestial Fury and Dak'kon's Zerth Blade. Are there any other better choices for the build that I missed on my search?
2) Is Robes of Vecna the best robe for the body slot?
3) What is the best rings for the build? (I have cha 18 so I don't need the ring of human influence)
4) What is the best amulet for the build?
5) Best belt?
6) Best cloak?
7) Best boots?
8) Is a k13/m28 able to cast 10th level spells?
I would ask about spells too but this is a lesser problem since if I don't find sufficient answers I just have to memorize and scribe all of them.
Sorry for been a little frustrated but I can't believe there isn't a complete guide about the class and I spent so many hours searching.
Anyway thanks in advance for any answers!
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Comments
and why would would you need a complete guide? it's a fighter/mage variation nothing more...
Kensai dual classed to mage... that seems powerful. Anyone ever tried that?
Kensai, kensai, kensai. Kensai/mages are incredible. There is essentially zero downside. The biggest detractor to picking up Kensai is the inability to equip armors, but you can still use robes for your chest slot. It isn't like mages would equip otherwise for a significant period of time anyway, and Robes of the Arch-Magi or the Robes of Vecna both give 5 AC so it's the equivalent of chain mail. That just means you lose out on Elven Chain armors (not a big deal) and dedicated ranged weapons (not a big deal because you can specialize in axes, hammer or daggers and simply use the magic returning versions of each.) The ability to roid yourself up with both Kai and various Mage buff spells to inflict major punishment makes this class supremely deadly.
Other than that, it's played as a fighter/mage
2) YES. Again, nothing better in the game, really.
3) Ring of Gaxx and Ring of Wizardry
4) Amulet of Power
5) Belt of Fire Giant Strength/Belt of Inertial Barrier (swap in if you need the resist)
6) nothing outstanding, largely irrelevant
7) Boots of Speed
8) yes, in fact you already gain access to 10th level spell HLAs with k13/m18
With 18 INT you can safely scribe pretty much any spell. Once you get to Lum's machine you can get to 19 INT and have unlimited space in your spellbook.
There really isn't much to say about K/M. Dual at 13. Pick the weapons mentioned in 1). Cast the spells you need for a given fight. Armor/Stoneskin are easy to maintain. Protection from Magical Weapons is your panic button, Improved Haste will make you unstoppable (it is THE most important spell). If you need to go for the nuclear option, Improved Alacrity + Abi Dalzhim's Horrid Wiltings. Improved Haste->Timestop->Kai = everybody dies. Make sure to keep dispels handy (Breach especially).
K->M is stupidly overpowered in the vanilla game, there is nothing even remotely challenging for it. With mods it's still very strong, probably the highest DPS class available and also versatile enough to be useful in every fight. It's not hard to play, you don't need a guide. Stand there, cast buffs, then slice and dice through any and all opposition. Cast offensive spells only as needed (if weapons can't hit, for example). I usually memorize only Magic Missile and Horrid Wilting, the rest is for buffs/dispels.
Kensages' power relay on spell protection combos, their power dont really depend on gear once they hit certain level, so you can equip them pretty much with whatever you want. I think people dont want to spoil you the fun of finding it out by yourself
10th level spells are mage's HLAs and you get to choose them once the mage class hit 3 million xp (lvl 18), so yes, your k13/m28 will slap demogorgon' face and then kick melissan' ass without even sweating. Have fun!
What you describe is a Sorcerer, who doesn't care about gear, stats, or anything else for that matter >_>
I agree with you, except that Kensai can't wear gloves, that's one of the reasons why I prefer Berserk/Mage.
Yes. Kensai/mage is the most cheesy class combination ever, only followed in cheesiness by Kensai/thief with UAI and spike trap.
You got most of it right. Get katanas with Dak'kon Zerth's blade if you want to play more as a caster or Flail of Ages+5 and Crom Faeyr to offhand or similar combo, if you want to bash the mobs on their little heads.
Vecna robe for armor, ring of Gaxx + ring that gives you more spells (there are several), amulet of power.
Anything for belt and cloak, they don't matter much.
But to be honest... all this will make you so powerful, the game won't be fun anymore. I like the idea of trying a blade as a less cheesy variation...
Isn't that controversial to say FoA +5 is the best, while also saying that Improved Haste is the best, seeing they can't be used together? Celestial Fury is very good even far into ToB as long as an enemy doesn't have a natural immunity to it.
Also, the lack of glove slot SpaceInvader pointed out is not a big deal. With beefed up Grandmastery K/M can hit a natural 5 APR, 10 with Improved Haste, which is the cap anyways.
Not at level13 (without using Belm or Kundane).
lvl13 fighter = 2 apr
5* in 1 weap = +1 apr
2nd weap = +1 apr
Total = 4 apr
With Improved Haste = 8 apr
A Berserker/Mage can wear the gloves and reach 4.5 apr / 9 apr with IH.
The Free Action on FoA+5 is certainly an inconvenience, but not a hindrance; simply un-equip it, cast Improved Haste, then re-equip it, and the haste effect will work. Verdict's still out on whether that is a bug or intended behavior (arguably the latter, as no item-based immunities remove already existing effects).
If you don't want to deal with that, CF is certainly a valid option. Personally, I find that value of stun diminishes later in the game when you become so powerful that you don't need CC because you just smash everything. At that point you're probably better off equipping a higher damage weapon (like Foebane+5), or the Axe of the Unyielding for its vorpal hits (which become quite juicy at 10 APR).
EDIT: on the APR issue, it's true that Kensai->Mage will end up with only 4.5/9 APR in the vanilla game (i.e. without the controversial grandmastery "fix"). Still, given their innate damage bonus and, more importantly, their Kai ability, they still perform better than Berserker->Mages in terms of damage. The immunities granted by Rage are largely irrelevant, since you can get them from spells, too, if you end up needing them. That's not to say that Berserker->Mage isn't a strong class, of course, it just doesn't do as much damage as the Kensai variant.
Yeah, not without Belm. But Belm is probably better damage output than Crom Fayer, especially with Celestial Fury since it scales so ridiculously with APR.
@Lord_Tansheron
Oh Free Action doesn't remove existing Improved Haste? Well that's kind of cheesy, but then again as mentioned, the whole thing is cheesy as hell so might as well.
It will still be one of the top 5 weapons in the whole game.
Same thing with the belts (and everything else) really. You want to have an impressive strength but you want your other warriors to as well. E.g. You have 18/xx str and pick up Keldorn and have the Girdle of Hill Giant Strength available. Is it better to have 18/xx and 19 str characters or 19 and 17 str characters?
Also, as for amulets - there really isn't much contention. Since you can't wear a protection amulet together with a ring, you're left with few choices. Magic resistance? Select saving throw bonuses? I'd take auto-Protection from Negative Energy + Vocalize over those any day, the casting speed is just a bonus. Of course, you can always just swap things around as needed, too. Heck, you can even give the Robe of Vecna to someone else and use a Robe of the Archmagi instead on your Kensai->Mage. As always, class balance may change priorities, as do the requirements of certain fights. But such a "best-in-slot list" is just a general guideline, anyway, not an absolute truth.