Help for evil, cleric/thief playthrough

GoForTheEyesBoo

Hello all,

I plan on running a drow cleric/thief (thanks to EEKeeper) and I was looking for suggestions on weapon proficiencies and armor. Thanks!

Eudaemonium

Depends entirely on whether you're planning to be a utility or backstabbing Thief.

If backstabbing: Quarterstaffs, with Aule's Staff and Staff of Striking. Shadow Armor, Worn Whispers for stealth bonuses. Mithril Chainmail+4 if not, since it doesn't block Thieving skills.

If utility: Mithril Chainmail+4, assuming you want to kill Drizzt. As for weapons. Sling is good for ranged, and is just about your only option if you want to go that route. As for weapons you have a good selection: Ashideena, The Thresher, The Stupefier, Krotan's Skullcrusher (Stupifier is better, if +1, due to stun).

So: Q-Staff prof (and 2H weapon) if going backstab route (or like the idea of some badass rogue-priest with a walking stick). Otherwise Mace is good for Stupefier, W-Hammer for Ashideena. Take Flail in BG2 for FoA.

GoForTheEyesBoo

Thanks @Eudaemonium for the advice. Does anyone else have anything to add?

SCARY_WIZARD

GoForTheEyesBoo said:

Thanks @Eudaemonium for the advice. Does anyone else have anything to add?

Sanctuary is pretty useful.

KidCarnival

I just finished a run with a sage-ish fighter/priest (dual tho) with mastery in Quarterstaff, and often found myself wishing for backstab. I would definitely go for staff and backstab.

mjs

i would go 1 pip in quarterstaffs, 1 in sling, 1 in maces, 1 in dual wielding in that order. buff up (holy power for improved thac0) engage with a QS backstab, then swap to dual wielding the stupifier and mace+2 or staff/mace+2

also by the time you get to ToB, try and put dual-wielding clubs on to make the most from assassination+improved haste+time stop trap

i know you're not asking, but cleric/thief in bg2 is awesome.

righteous magic (inflicts max damage 1round/level) + backstabbing

just had a braingasm, shadow dancer>cleric dual

Eudaemonium

Can't you only get one + in DW? Is it worth it with that much of a THAC0 penalty?

Lemernis

@Eudaemonium covered it succinctly.

IIRC, quarterstaff delivers the most damage of any weapon available to backstab with in both games, and it's just fun to boot. In BG2 using the Staff of the Ram you can get some truly astounding crit damage. (I'm also dimly recalling that Sandman posted once about morphing into a golem in ToB and getting off-the-scale backstab damage, although from a RP vantage then you have to imagine that being stealthed in such a form is essentially magical, i..e, akin to being Invisible. I can't recall if it was with F/T or C/T, though.)

Anyway, you can do so much with this class combo! In addition to backstabbing you've got the other more utilitarian Thief skills; and then cleric buffs and Cleric offensive spells; and a great HLA pool as a multi-class (I prefer half-orc, myself for the tremendous Str).

mjs

@eudaemonium

tis true only 1 pip in DW, but with holy power the thac0 penalty is much negated and having double the chance to hit helps too. by the time you get to SOA (and ToB) that penalty is fairly negligible

Tyranus

I love Cleric/Thief. You can cast Sanctuary, turn on Find Traps and clear the entire map before you ever engage an enemy. Quarterstaves offer the best backstab damage in the game. UAI is broken for any class combo, and lets you save Carsomyr for pesky multi-mage fights you can't BS your way through.

Oh, did I mention DUHM, Rightout Might, Defensive Harmony, Devas, and all them juicy traps?