Having no mage in party
Staf
Member Posts: 1
Hi,
I recently created a bard who now have a party consisting of: Kagain, Dorn, Imoen and Viconia. I really like this setup for my neutral bard. And since i don't want Imoen to be surrounded by four evil party members i would like a "good" character to take the final slot. But since Dynaheir won't join without Minsc, and don't you even DARE to propose to kill him, i wonder if it is viable to have no mage in this party? Since my PC is a bard i figure he can take on some duties an mage usually do.
And if you do think this is viable who would you suggest to take the final slot in the party? Both from a utility and RP perspective.
I recently created a bard who now have a party consisting of: Kagain, Dorn, Imoen and Viconia. I really like this setup for my neutral bard. And since i don't want Imoen to be surrounded by four evil party members i would like a "good" character to take the final slot. But since Dynaheir won't join without Minsc, and don't you even DARE to propose to kill him, i wonder if it is viable to have no mage in this party? Since my PC is a bard i figure he can take on some duties an mage usually do.
And if you do think this is viable who would you suggest to take the final slot in the party? Both from a utility and RP perspective.
0
Comments
..accidents happen, you know...
It won't be your fault that Minsc gets petrified. Or impaled by arrows, while you were eating your breakfast half-a-map away. You did not send him there. Maybe.
Or that he is so stupid, he can't even open doors...
Your bard can be our only arcane mage. It is advisable to bring a normal mage, but still... not that necessary in BG1. And you can turn Imoen into a mage after 5-6th level. Still a very viable mage, so you can fill the last spot with someone else.
If you don't want to dual Imoen - and need a mage, I would add Xzar.
He is good, isn't he?
Isn't he?
It changes dramaticaly in BG2 and ToB, where bards can still 'I can cast two or three lvl 6 spells! And I can sing! Yay!' And mages are like 'I can stop time, incinerate hordes of enemies with the power of a red dragon, summon a frickin Planetar that has a dispelling vorpal sword of doom and can employ nearly the whole priest scroll, and I can unleash hell with improved alacrity if you make me angry..or I'm bored.'
CHARNAME Elf priest of Talos
Dorn
Kagain
Viconia
Baloth
Shar teel ( dueled to thief)
balance~
Sure there are inequities, but then a really significant one is when a 3rd level Fighter is a killing machine when it comes to kobolds and level appropriate monsters, while 3rd level wizard hopes and prays that he gets off his one web spell without dying, and then hopes and prays that he won't need another one for the rest of the day. Balance??
In BG1, Wizards are useful but not really necessary. You won't be facing too many Mages, and even those will be on the lower levels, meaning there won't be too many instances when you'll have to counter those pesky magical protections or nasty spell effects.
So a Bard is more than enough, and arguably better than a Mage, because he will gain access to higher spell levels sooner, due to the Rogue classes' faster level progression. He can also use wands and cast from scrolls, so in that regard, there's nothing a Wizard can do that the Bard can't - except wearing robes and but one magic item I can think of (Evermemory, the Ring of Wizardry, which doubles your 1st level spells per day).
Another advantage Bards have over Mages is that they keep being useful after running out of spells, with their (limited, of course) fighting ability and Bard Song. Having a high Lore score also means you won't be needing Identify spells for too long.
Of course, we're talking BG1 here. If I ever suggest you can run through BG2 without at least one Mage without pulling your hair out in frustration, I'll probably be under the influence of illegal stuff. Or very very drunk, in which case I won't bother talking about, much less playing BG.
Seriously, have you ever tried to play this game while drunk? I did, and it's very frustrating because you have a lot of difficulty pointing the mouse and before you know it you're clicking the wrong dialogue options (that is, if you manage to concentrate for long enough to read them), casting Cure Light Wounds on your foes and accidentally hitting quicksave after half of your party was killed by a lone Xvart.
True story.
But I digress.
just reqruit Dynaheir without ever talking to minsc and wholllaaaa you have Dynaheir and no killing killing minsc here...