BG:EE New Class

HeroicSpur

Hey all,

It's nice to finally get a bit more detail about what's happening with BG:EE. One thing that occurs to me is that Trent mentioned there would be a new class never before seen in BG (or any other BG game) as well as a new kit. We know that the Blackguard is the new kit, but is the completely new class still on the cards?

Tanthalas

I think by new class he always meant the new kit.

Sarevokok

I'm for one am quite excited to see it's specific functions. "Blackguard" just sound cool on its own.

Cheesebelly

So should the Blackguard be a class or kit? I mean, as a kit I guess it could function as a Paladin kit? (just for evil alignments though), although that could sound silly.

I guess it should be an entirely new class, like Sorcerer and Barbarian are.

wissenschaft

I'm sure the Blackguard will be a kit for the Paladin and I expect it to work similarly to a Paladin

Jean_Luc

If that's true I hope it's more than just an evil paladin with inflict wound spells and "smite good".

shout27

Meh, I'm pretty sure the Blackguard is the 3rd edition Anti-Paladin of the same name.
I just hope that the new content has one of 3 catagories available in BG2EE; New Evil Thief, Return of an old thief as a joinable NPC, or being able to ressurect Yoshimo (after having the Geas removed) unless they add that mod I heard about that deals with Kara-Tur. . .

HeroicSpur

@Tanthalas: I suppose a part of me knew that was the case, even though a much greater part of me hoped it wasn't.

ShapiroKeatsDarkMage

I doubt is going to be anti-paladin since the game is still based on D&D second edition.

Aranneas

Blackguard will almost certainly not be a Paladin kit, but rather a Fighter kit.

Tanthalas

@ShapiroKeatsDarkMage

Well, I think Monks and Sorcerers are 3E also, so its not like they don't have some leeway to add a 3E class.

shout27

ShapiroKeatsDarkMage said:

I doubt is going to be anti-paladin since the game is still based on D&D second edition.

Yeah, well Monks and Sorcerer's are both 3rd edition core classes and it would make sense if WotC told them that any new content on their end had to be at least 3rd ed relevant material.

stkaye

Blackguard fits so nicely with the conept of the series as well - perfect kit for a Bhaalspawn.

Jab

stkaye said:

Blackguard fits so nicely with the conept of the series as well - perfect kit for a Bhaalspawn.

Well... Playing a "villain" actually really sucks in BG 2. The game is just not suited for an evil character. That's why I think, that all these evil races (drow, duergar, orc... - though for example with an Yuan-ti pureblood, it might be different - because of the more "human" appearance) and kits (blackguard...) are a pretty bad idea. Nothing against evil NPCs though...
However some new races (genasi subraces, Aasimar, Tiefling, Yuan-ti pureblood, Wood Elf, Wild Elf etc.) and classes would be nice.

Anyway adding more quests, support for some essential mods (like BG1 NPC project) seems more essential to me. But so far, that Underdark arena experience really seemed like a bad idea to me. As somebody already said, it would resemble Icewind dale (which I dislike) more than BG.

Schneidend

I've played through all of the Baldur's Gate games as an Evil character just fine. It's a perfectly viable choice with its own rewards and choices.

cyberarmy

I dont think Black Guard is a kit, they already told us they made a new kit for a kitless class.
Paladins and warriors already have kits and i cant think Black Guard as a barbarian kit.
So i think it can be the new class.
Or not :P

Jab

Schneidend: I also played through the whole saga with an evil character. But it's safe to say, that the game often does not have any suitable choices for evil charname. Granted, there is (for example) that option, to poison the druid well near Trademeet. But it's actually so bad choice, that even with evil party, I did it just once, because after that you are kicked out of the city.
The same goes for the slavers in the Copper coronet, cult of Eyeseeless Eye etc. I could really proceed whole day. It is slightly better in BG 1 and ToB though, but for different reasons. All-in-all I would really like to read some proofs, that would back up you "perfectly viable choice".

Alparon

I don't think Blackguard is a class option.

Warlock maybe?

Tanthalas

cyberarmy said:

I dont think Black Guard is a kit, they already told us they made a new kit for a kitless class.

I really don't think they ever said that, but I could be wrong.

Mornmagor

Aranneas said:

Blackguard will almost certainly not be a Paladin kit, but rather a Fighter kit.

I wonder about that myself, Half-Orcs cannot become Paladins, and there is no option in the game so far to be able to take a kit if you can't take the class. It would take some tweaking with the code just for Dorn, which i find improbable.

So i'd say as well that most chances are it's a Fighter kit, with chances of it being a Paladin kit being less.

Oh, the EPICNESS being able to dual/multiclass with a Blackguard }:]

Schneidend

It wouldn't really take much tweaking to make an NPC a specific class. The average user can use something like ShadowKeeper and make Irenicus a Thief if they wanted to. Race restrictions don't exist once you get past the character creation screen. :P

cyberarmy

New kit(s in the block :P) is the Black Guard.
One new playable kit.
BG:EE will feature one new playable kit never before been seen in an IE game: the Blackguard.

http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/2041/bgee-please-read-list-of-things-that-have-been-announced#latest

Twilight_Fox

Since this release is for bg1, do we have the confirmation that all the class/races/kits from bg2 will be in bg1?

Mornmagor

Twilight_Fox said:

Since this release is for bg1, do we have the confirmation that all the class/races/kits from bg2 will be in bg1?

Yep, it's all in.

Son_of_Imoen

Just want to hop in and say that the Blackguard already exists as a fighter kit, in the mod 'Sword and Fist' found on Gibberlings3: http://www.gibberlings3.net/swordandfist/

So my guess is, as Trent Oster's team has intensely looked into modding, that the Blackguard kit of Dorn Il-Khan is at least inspired by this:

the sword and fist webpage says:

'This component will install the Blackguard fighter kit.

BLACKGUARD: The Blackguard epitomizes evil. The quintessential black knight, this villain carries a reputation of the foulest sort that is truly well-deserved. Consorting with fiends and serving dark deities, the blackguard is feared by all. Some people call these villains anti-Paladins due to their completely evil nature.

The comparison with Paladins is an apt one, for where the Paladin serves their deity in the name of Law and Good, to the benefit of all civilized creatures, the Blackguard does the bidding of their fell master and seeks to increase only their own power.

Blackguards may be of any Evil alignment.

Advantages:
- May use Lay on Hands on himself once per day, healing the Blackguard 2 hit points per level.
- May cast Detect Good and Protection from Good each 3 times per day. These are analogous to Detect Evil and Protection from Evil, except deal with Good creatures.
- From level 5, may coat his weapon in poison once per day per 6 levels. Attacks made in the next round will inject the poison into the target, dealing out 1 damage per second for 24 seconds (3 damage for the first 6 seconds). A saving throw vs. poison limits damage to 12 total.
- From level 7, may cast Animate Dead once per day. Extra uses are gained at levels 14 and 20.

Disadvantages:
- May only Specialize (2 stars) in weapons.
- May not dualclass.
- A Blackguard whose reputation exceeds 14, or ceases to be of Evil alignment, is forever cursed by his deity and loses all special powers. He is thereafter treated as a Fighter, except he is still limited to Specialization in weapons.

The Blackguard's HLA table is the same as the standard Fighter table, with the addition of Summon Fallen Deva.'

Mornmagor

@Son_of_Imoen pretty cool info that, indeed there is a Blackguard kit, probably they got inspired but that, or maybe not.

I do think that Blackguard is a Fighter kit, although i believe they will give him some spells a la Paladin and infuse his weapon with some "abilities" as well. We'll see :]