BGT Fighter/Thief
shylaman
Member Posts: 173
I played a few levels of Kensai with the idea of Kensai -> Thief dual in SoA, but I just couldn't take being a Kensai in BG1. Anyhow, the plan was a thief that could also kick arse. I want to be that character from the beginning of the trilogy to the end, so I am switching to fighter/thief.
At first I was thinking a shorty for saving throws, either gnome or dwarf, but good portraits are hard to find, the funny little walkers just didn't seem bad ass, etc. So, I am thinking of an elf, unless the saving throws would relly make that big of a difference.
Profeciences? I know there is a bonus to bows, but I don't really see that fitting my character. At first I thought dart. Low damage, but at 3apr, it should make up for it. However, no THACO bonus. Maybe daggers? Two pips in daggers covers throwing daggers and eventually Dagger of Venom. One pip in single weapon for critical backstabbing and AC bonus.
4th pip? Scimitar? +1 available in BGT and Belm later. Eventually (BG2) I was thinking Katana and dual wield also for melee bad assery.
What would do for optimal backstabbing and melee build or a full trilogy run?
At first I was thinking a shorty for saving throws, either gnome or dwarf, but good portraits are hard to find, the funny little walkers just didn't seem bad ass, etc. So, I am thinking of an elf, unless the saving throws would relly make that big of a difference.
Profeciences? I know there is a bonus to bows, but I don't really see that fitting my character. At first I thought dart. Low damage, but at 3apr, it should make up for it. However, no THACO bonus. Maybe daggers? Two pips in daggers covers throwing daggers and eventually Dagger of Venom. One pip in single weapon for critical backstabbing and AC bonus.
4th pip? Scimitar? +1 available in BGT and Belm later. Eventually (BG2) I was thinking Katana and dual wield also for melee bad assery.
What would do for optimal backstabbing and melee build or a full trilogy run?
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Comments
dwarf for tanking f/t with probably dual long sword
Though nothing quite beats a Half-Orc braining people with a stick for sheer hilarity, to be honest. But you do take an enormous hit in skill points, at maximum DEX you're 80 points behind the Halfling.
Are the saving throws worth the trade off of less strength and or +1 to bows/swords if I don't plan to use bows?
st are really good
But If you ask me, for both practical and cosmetic reasons, I'd go elf (19 dex) with long bow (2,5 APR @ 15 thac0 from start is something to consider) and single-handed style long sword/scimi for backstabs.
In this case BOTH classes will get a +1 thac0 early on with melee (elves get +1 with longswords, the halfling gets it with the +1 dagger you can get in candlekeep with 18 charisma) and both get +1 bonus ranged weapons.
That said, with halfing, if you dump most of your starting points into pick locks you can also net an early 1000 gold inside candlekeep (you need I think either 65 or 70 pick locks in order to open it). Either way you shouldn't need to boost lockpicking for a few levels after that. Then I'd advise maxing find traps and letting gear take care of Move Silently and Hide in Shadows until they're maxed.
Anyways, i reccomend going to level 7 as a human fighter then going rogue. Finishing 7/8 for the first game.
If you can't wait to use both classes at the same time, place points in set traps and "dispell" the four Elminster "apparitions" and then murder Drizz't for his armor. That's 109,000 xp in about 2 hours of game playing. More than enough to activate fighter.
Anyway, pumping Open Lock for a mere Star Sapphire is nothing compare to this trick: pump up Set Trap > after Gorion's death go to South, then to East (Beregost), then to North. In this way you won't face Elminster as soon as you reach the map > set a trap/rest/set trap 7 times > aggro Elminster where you set the traps > shoot an arrow at him, turning him hostile > enjoy 26k xp at start.
Yeah, I'm that bad xD
Btw, for a F/T I'd go for a halforc. Str (read "damage and thac0") are priceless, while the you can always get more thief skill points by leveling up
That said half-orc is definitely a good option, I just prefer halfling or elf myself.
Half-orcs look coolest in their armor, and they are brutal backstabbers. However, they are kittens compared to human fighter/theifs.
Go 7 levels with a beserker. That gives you 2 attacks per round, a massive amount of hit points, and 4 ranks in one weapon. Multi-class races can never gain the +2 to hit/ +2 to damage/ and -1 speed factor that dual builds get.
Take a 18/00 human and ur not going to miss out on the great strength bonus.
Good luck.
Oh yeah, multi-class builds don't get rage either, that's another +2/+2 on top of that.
The grind isn't to slow if you don't cheat.
I am not going to do any Elminster/Drizzt cheese. Also, I have SCS and SCSII installed. Half orcs are powerful, but I'd only do it if I were playing evil.
Hmmm. May have to toss a coin. Extra damage from strength and swords with an elf or saving throws, darts, and better thieving skills from an elf . . . Grrr. Decisions, decisions.
Moreover, depending on other mods besides BGT, you'll get more options to increase your strength peramently.
10th
Of course a dual-class would be stronger.
That's not an entirely fair comparison though. Apparently you favor darts as a primary weapon, of course lower STR is not going to matter much then. But for a more melee/backstabbing-oriented style of play (such as the OP wants to do), it can make a fairly big difference.
About the lock: I have only opened it with 65...
In BG1 Dwarves, Gnomes, and Halfling thieves can all get the 60 necessary to open that chest at level 1. Though in the case of Dwarves and Gnomes they have to put all their available points in order to get exactly the 60 needed (I think Halflings would have 5 leftover). In the case of BGEE because you get 40 at level 1 some of the other races might be able to get it.
he is asking F/T build not thief build
if he would like to open every single chest and do every single pickpocket he would just go pure thief
he is asking about F/T to have fighter that can kill things while doing thief things so basicly it is some range f/t like halfling or hard hitting like efl orc dwarf
Just tried again with a halfling f/t with 19 dex and also at 60 pl who failed the first attempt and succeeded the 2nd.
65 seems to ensure success the first time.
For backstab purposes... look at your weapon damage and then multiply it by your backstab modifier (which can vary based on your kit if you choose one) and THEN add the str bonus. So if your 17 strength is giving you +1 dmg and you use a dagger which does 1d4. your normal damage range is 2-5 damage. If your backstab modifier is x3 your damage potential is 4-13 with a backstab. Higher strength will make this number go higher as the damage bonus from strength goes up. That same dagger with a 25 strength and a x3 backstab could do 17-26 damage.
Strength in general isn't so much of a priority for a thief though. There are plenty of ways to artificially pump strength in the game and they become even more plentiful/reliable in the later parts of the series. Sure if you have points to spare why not pour them into str if it will get you bonuses but the priority really should be dex first and foremost and at least 16 con if a single classed thief imo. I'd try for 18 con if doing a fighter/thief though. It's not too difficult to roll a halfling f/t with enough points to do 17/19/18/10/10/10
EDIT: Fixed my misunderstanding of when the str bonus was applied in the calculation.