Playing as a Blade - When do you take off your armor?

Ammar_87

So I decided to start BG:EE as a Blade, mostly for RP reasons, but also because I like the thought of having decent magic and combat skills.

So anyway, I was wondering if there is any good reason for bards in BG1 to NOT use armor? Specifically so at the early stage (lvl 1 - 7) I'm thinking that a bard won't become a good spellcaster until late game/early into BG2 anyway. So until I stack up enough spell slots, I'll just go bow/melee. I guess I should also point out that I have max INT, and that I don't aim for my Blade to be the primary spellcaster.

And yes, I know about the elven chain mail, but I'm not using the console.

FinneousPJ

You could use the shield amulet/spell if you wanted to. If you want to wear armor for the early levels, that works too.

Fighting_Ferret

Um your spells should probably be buffing types (armor, friends, strength, etc..) and can be used before combat. Wands can be used while wearing armor and should make up the bulk of your offensive (wand of fire/wand of cold), summoning (wand of monster summoning), and crowd controlling spells (wand of sleep/wand of fear). So the blade can wear armor almost throughout the entire game (BG1). Later when you get some more spells and some party members, you can lose your armor and cast a few of your spells (web/slow/magic missile/spook) and enter combat against an enemy who is already attacking someone else (your tank preferably). Just remember you cannot remove or put on armor during combat, so know what you want to do in certain fixed combat situations.

coryivm

You don't have to use the console to get elven chain mail anymore. They fixed that. Unless something's changed in a recent patch?

KidCarnival

Use your spells for utility like Knock, Identify, Friends only. You don't have such a mass of spell slots anyway and probably mainly cast from scrolls and wands. I usually get the Wand of Sleep early on; there isn't much else you need for many fights with a (presumably) full party. There's also the Wand of Frost you can get for the fights where Sleep doesn't cut it.
You can drag Dorn around even if you don't play evil; he'll keep the frontline in check and provides you with the Elven Chain after Cloakwood - around the time when your spellbook is more than empty pages.

Aristillius

I take off my armor when it starts to itch. Or when going to bed.



Hum, that was funny in my head at least Help me make the joke good?

the_spyder

Take off yer armor whenever Viconia tells you to do so. And do it promptly. She punishes for hesitation and disobedience.

DreadKhan

You probably want to wear armour until you've got some 2nd level slots. Mirror image is nice. 4th level is when it truly changes IMO, though tensers transformation is a nice trick later.

Ammar_87

Thanks for the replies!

Yeah, so I'll just go chainmail until I acquire some neat spells.

DreadKhan

Play a good blade with prof in scimitars... Wear Mail of the Dead and use the +2 scimitars.

CaptRory

You can always just cast the armor spell if you don't want to bother with wearing armor. Something to keep in mind. The AC on it isn't amazing but it lasts for like 9 hours.

the_spyder

DreadKhan said:

Play a good blade with prof in scimitars... Wear Mail of the Dead and use the +2 scimitars.

It's a catch 22. If you play "Good", you can't get that stuff. :::ducks::::

Knettgummi

Armor spell and/or bracers of armor, plus mirror image for when it gets too hairy. My bards virtually never wear armor that disables spellcasting -- that's taking half the fun out of the class!

Urd1en

Ammar_87 said:

I'm thinking that a bard won't become a good spellcaster until late game

Bards are excellent spellcasters in BG:EE. Just use offensive scrolls and wands during the battle, armor does not have any effect on scrolls and wands.

According to taking off the armor - do it before the battle.
Your spells will be buffs and the rest of non-offensive ones before you get elven chain.

P.S. BWT, balde is a great kit. I believe we'll meet a famous blade character in BG2:EE. Haer'Dalis is his name. Hope the journey will be exciting

Eudaemonium

the_spyder said:

DreadKhan said:

Play a good blade with prof in scimitars... Wear Mail of the Dead and use the +2 scimitars.

It's a catch 22. If you play "Good", you can't get that stuff. :::ducks::::

Um, I think you're thinking of the Mithril Chain and the *+3* Scimitars. The Mail of the Dead and the +2 Scimitars are available to all, provided you know where to look.

Southpaw

Ammar_87 said:

When do you take off your armor?

...must...resist...the...urge...to...OBSCENE JOKE !

the_spyder

@Eudaemonium - true enough. I err'd.

@Southpaw - to late.

Southpaw

the_spyder said:

Take off yer armor whenever Viconia tells you to do so.

yes. too late...I tip my hat to you.

ajwz

the_spyder said:

Take off yer armor whenever Viconia tells you to do so. And do it promptly. She punishes for hesitation and disobedience.

then unsheathe your weapon...

the_spyder

@Southpaw - but at least I got topped by @ajwz. :P

ajwz

the_spyder said:

@Southpaw - but at least I got topped by @ajwz. :P

But you wish you got topped by viconia?

the_spyder

And in another joke. John Madden was still talking....

Southpaw

ajwz said:

But you wish you got topped by viconia?

I'll be in my bunk . . .

PugPug

How do you get the elven chain in BG1? Do you have to kill Drizzt?

CaptRory

You can pick pocket the swords off Drizzt (which I did just to identify and sell them XD) but you need to kill him to get his armor.

That said I think they added a set somewhere.

Eudaemonium

PugPug said:

How do you get the elven chain in BG1? Do you have to kill Drizzt?

End of Dorn's questline.

the_spyder

CaptRory said:

You can pick pocket the swords off Drizzt (which I did just to identify and sell them XD) but you need to kill him to get his armor.

That said I think they added a set somewhere.

If you steal his swords, he doesn't become any less dangerous. Apparently he can summon virtual copies of them when he attacks.

Trouveur

Use a chain mail until you can cast some spells, then use the level 1 spell Armor which lasts 9 hours, and do the Dorn's Quests to obtain the elven chain mail.

franco

PugPug said:

How do you get the elven chain in BG1? Do you have to kill Drizzt?

I think you have to complete Dorn's quest. I don't know how it relates to him, but I've heard that it is there.

If you're playing a Blade and meta gaming it looks like a "must do" quest. But I think you'd have to carry Dorn all the way to Baldur's Gate. I think BGEE should be revised to make elven chainmail available somewhere but not related exclusively to an NPC's quest.

franco

@the_spyder said:


Take off yer armor whenever Viconia tells you to do so. And do it promptly. She punishes for hesitation and disobedience.


And you'd better be good or you may come back regularly as one of her 3rd level spells.

dstoltzfus

I take off my armor when I get a bad case of armor chafe.