Dual classed Imoen - where is the thief skillbar?

Dafojk

So, after dualclassing Imoen at level 7 all the icons in the skillbar was replaced by mage ones. Where is the "find traps", "Thiefing" etc. icons? I thought it was supposed to be a mix after dualclassing?

Im on the latest version of the beta.

Basillicum

When dual classing your first class becomes inactive until your second class has reached one level higher than your first class. This means that Imoen won't be able to use her Thief skills again before her Mage level is 8, which is only just possible in BG1.

SionIV

So dualclassing a thief is the most painful experience in the game because you won't be able to open locks or disarm traps before a looooong time in the future.

Dafojk

Here is a screenshot

Dafojk

Ohhh... awwww... lesson learned. Incredible that this game keeps providing new stuff and challenges, thank godness for Coran in the party.

Thank you for the info!

Basillicum

Dafojk said:

Here is a screenshot

Indeed. You've already noticed that when dual classed to Mage she's no longer able to wear armor, or use a short bow for instance. In the same manner she has lost her ability to pick locks and detect traps.

Dual Classing is not very logical, unfortunately, but it can still be lots of fun. You just have to be very patient.

For now you should consider getting a new thief in your party, since Imoen's thieving skills won't return before close to the end of the game.

Dafojk

Coran is there, I need to spend all 25 points in detect traps next time he level up - then he will be, almost, on par with what Imoen was before she turned into a mage

Dafojk

@SionIV I am at the gate of the big city, I doubt that Imoen will reach level 8 mage before the final battle - but I will try. I can always farm som Ankegh for cheap XP.

Durenas

The roleplaying logic is that in order to learn how to use the new class' abilities, they must devote themselves entirely to the new class, foregoing entirely all the things they've learned before. In PnP rules, if someone were to use one of their previous class' abilities, they would receive no XP from that encounter. Since it's really difficult to implement that rule in a CRPG and not have people unknowingly go the entire game without getting XP on that level 7 thief/level 1 mage(for example), they simply made the old class inactive, instead.

Durenas

Dafojk said:

@SionIV I am at the gate of the big city, I doubt that Imoen will reach level 8 mage before the final battle - but I will try. I can always farm som Ankegh for cheap XP.

Have you done Durlag's tower yet? There is a lot of XP to be had in there. I typically will clear every explorable area in the game, and Imoen will hit level 7 just before I go into the Cloakwood mines. I dual her immediately upon hitting level 7, and she will cap at 7/8 before endgame(usually halfway through the last floor of Durlag's tower).

Basillicum

@Amberion That actually makes a lot of sense. Thanks for that; I feel a tad bit smarter now.

SionIV

Dafojk said:

@SionIV I am at the gate of the big city, I doubt that Imoen will reach level 8 mage before the final battle - but I will try. I can always farm som Ankegh for cheap XP.

1.) Ankheg map will give you around 15 000 - 20 000 experience.
2.) The sirenes on the two coastal map give you 2 000 each, and if you don't mind resting there you will spawn more to kill.
3.) The mages on the mage island (Expansion) should without problem give you another 30 000 - 40 000 experience.
4.) Durlags tower is great experience but can be quite painful.

http://playithardcore.com/pihwiki/index.php?title=Baldur's_Gate:_Progression_Charts

Here you can see the experience needed for the different levels, so to become a level 8 mage you need 90 000 experience.

Dafojk

As it happens I still have to play through the expansion areas including Durlags Tower. All other areas areas are cleared. With all your good advice it looks like Imoen might reach level 7/8 after all!

@Amberion Cloakwood is cleared too, but Sirene and Ankheg farming should compensate