Staff of the magi is useless for backstabbing coz of other abilities, that make it a complete waste to use it on a backstabber vs someone else who could be using it far more effectively. None of it's abilities do anything for a backstabber that other items could do MUCH better.
The only time it's remotely useful is when you're soloing a T/M.....and even then I'll usually pick Staff of the ram +4/+6 and Boomerang Dagger/Firetooth (dagger) over using it. At least until ToB. At that point it's basically pointless to attempt a backstab, so the Staff is pretty handy to have to recharge spell slots with it's 24 hour, 50 spell level spell trap, while you kill everything else with Firetooth (dagger).
Staff of the magi is useless for backstabbing coz of other abilities, that make it a complete waste to use it on a backstabber vs someone else who could be using it far more effectively. None of it's abilities do anything for a backstabber that other items could do MUCH better.
I agree its pointless with a backstabber. Not only does it not do any backstab damage but it only does 1d6+1 damage. If you goal is to backstab someone there are better weapons.
Inspired by someones suggestion to play a character based of one of the (horribly inaccurate, but ego fulfilling) DnD personality/ability tests I am playing a character based off a quiz who has the following stats before any in-game boosts.
Class: Ranger - Will kit to Stalker upon importation to BG2
STR: 14 Dex: 16 Con: 17 Wis: 16 Int: 16 Cha: 15
I'm more focused on this character from a RP stance and I'm thinking a stalker would make the most sense being having the intelligence and wisdom to be a DnD secret agent dude. Problem is, I'm used to playing Archers and have NO idea how to really play a stalker. Does anyone have any tips out there how to play one which has meh strength as far as warriors go?
Just my 2 cents (and yes I know you said you were focused on RP) but I'd shoot for higher Str and Dex scores. The stalkers main advantage over a vanilla ranger is the stealth and backstab. It's pretty pointless in most cases to use him as an bowman (if you're going to do that just do an archer).
Str governs your THACO and damage. An 18/XX Str score backstab vs a 14 is pretty noticeable. Higher Dex for the armor class bump since he can only wear leather.
Wis doesn't need to be higher than 14 and Int higher than 10 is a complete waste. Also, if you're chugging through BG 1 14 STR is pretty low. It's not like BG 2 where you can get a STR belt right after the first dungeon. I think there are two WIS tomes and two INT tomes as well. In other words, I wouldn't skimp on your gameplay stats when you can boost the RP ones through items.
My usual stalker playthroughs look like this:
Elf STR: 18/xx (I don't sweat the xx because you get a STR tome in BG1 that will put you to 19). Dex: 19 Con: 17 Wis: 14 Int and Cha I just try not to get negatives and these get boosted through tomes.
Weapons and Proficiencies: 3 pips dual weapon style. 2 pips Longswords. 2 pips Scimitars. 1 pip in a blunt weapon for golems. Bows I rarely use but in a pinch his THACO with a bow is still pretty good due to him being an elf and high DEX.
As for playing one my Stalkers are pretty much the point men for the party. They scout ahead and scope out the danger. When they find a group of bads they position themselves behind a target and then you order your fighters to charge. Once the group targets the fighters you blam your target with a backstab.
After they're out of stealth they're not much different than a fighter unless you use some of their spells. I keep them stocked with invisibility potions and items so they can restealth during combat.
@elminster, @ZanathKariashi Ehm...the Staff of the Magi is not used because of it's backstab. You don't backstab with it. You merely equip it and un-equip it. You see, it gives you invisibility on equip...so a free in-combat stealth.
The invisibility disappears the instant you switch weapons, which means it's pointless. If you use it to hit/fade it's only then 40% as effective as just giving your backstabber boots of speed, since all they have to do is get out of LOS to hide and then shoot back into re-stabbed which is FAR more efficient then trying to use the staff of the magi for the same purpose, since being invisible does not allow you to stealth with enemies in LOS.
The only time it's remotely useful is if you don't have boots of speed or some means of hasting the character, or you're soloing as a T/M since it's kind of a waste to not have it in that case. It's far more useful to have on a tank (to soak up spells), a party caster (to soak up spells to restore spells used to buff) or another melee character who can hit the enemy to remove buffs (assuming they survived the backstab or multiple casters) so when the BSer gets back from restealthing they can make another backstab immediately.
well on my MODED baldur's gate it looks like it can't be used for backstab but it is still OP weapon for anyone using it to instant hide so you can't be targeted by spells or anything or at least it is free recoverable potion of invisibility
As for playing one my Stalkers are pretty much the point men for the party. They scout ahead and scope out the danger. When they find a group of bads they position themselves behind a target and then you order your fighters to charge. Once the group targets the fighters you blam your target with a backstab.
After they're out of stealth they're not much different than a fighter unless you use some of their spells. I keep them stocked with invisibility potions and items so they can restealth during combat.
Despite the lacking strength I was thinking something similar. I usually have a warrior w/bows escorting a rogue on scouts. In this case said warrior would definitely be a ranger. I'd have the rogue disarm/locate and whatnot and have the stalker initiate the combat with a backstab while the rogue is in the back firing off missiles in a nice shadow somewhere. Once the stalker is engaged, he'd retreat while the rogue stealths and just keep a cycle of backstabs going while the enemies in question are being backtracked to a line of tanks/Dps Demons at a nice little chokepoint. Then I tell them they just entered Sparta and proceed to cut them down like Persians in front of a narrow canyon.
Comments
The only time it's remotely useful is when you're soloing a T/M.....and even then I'll usually pick Staff of the ram +4/+6 and Boomerang Dagger/Firetooth (dagger) over using it. At least until ToB. At that point it's basically pointless to attempt a backstab, so the Staff is pretty handy to have to recharge spell slots with it's 24 hour, 50 spell level spell trap, while you kill everything else with Firetooth (dagger).
Str governs your THACO and damage. An 18/XX Str score backstab vs a 14 is pretty noticeable. Higher Dex for the armor class bump since he can only wear leather.
Wis doesn't need to be higher than 14 and Int higher than 10 is a complete waste. Also, if you're chugging through BG 1 14 STR is pretty low. It's not like BG 2 where you can get a STR belt right after the first dungeon. I think there are two WIS tomes and two INT tomes as well. In other words, I wouldn't skimp on your gameplay stats when you can boost the RP ones through items.
My usual stalker playthroughs look like this:
Elf
STR: 18/xx (I don't sweat the xx because you get a STR tome in BG1 that will put you to 19).
Dex: 19
Con: 17
Wis: 14
Int and Cha I just try not to get negatives and these get boosted through tomes.
Weapons and Proficiencies:
3 pips dual weapon style.
2 pips Longswords.
2 pips Scimitars.
1 pip in a blunt weapon for golems.
Bows I rarely use but in a pinch his THACO with a bow is still pretty good due to him being an elf and high DEX.
As for playing one my Stalkers are pretty much the point men for the party. They scout ahead and scope out the danger. When they find a group of bads they position themselves behind a target and then you order your fighters to charge. Once the group targets the fighters you blam your target with a backstab.
After they're out of stealth they're not much different than a fighter unless you use some of their spells. I keep them stocked with invisibility potions and items so they can restealth during combat.
Ehm...the Staff of the Magi is not used because of it's backstab. You don't backstab with it.
You merely equip it and un-equip it. You see, it gives you invisibility on equip...so a free in-combat stealth.
n1
The only time it's remotely useful is if you don't have boots of speed or some means of hasting the character, or you're soloing as a T/M since it's kind of a waste to not have it in that case. It's far more useful to have on a tank (to soak up spells), a party caster (to soak up spells to restore spells used to buff) or another melee character who can hit the enemy to remove buffs (assuming they survived the backstab or multiple casters) so when the BSer gets back from restealthing they can make another backstab immediately.