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Solo Monk in BGEE: Is it Viable or Just an Excercise in Frustration?

MegiddoMegiddo Member Posts: 25
in Challenges and Playthroughs
I already finished BGEE with a standard Monk (level 10) and I was wondering if I could pull off a solo run through. I'd have to get Imoen leveled up enough to handle DT for disarming traps and picking locks, but after that, I'd leave her at the Friendly Arm Inn.

I'm thinking the only serious problem would be taking on Karoug.

Any thoughts?

Comments

  • OperativeNLOperativeNL Member Posts: 146
    It is definately possible, multiple people have done it and im also doing it at the moment. I would say that it is one of the more difficult classes to solo, so I would only attempt it if you have some prior experience in this.

    My Dark Moon Monk is level 7 at the moment and I haven't even reached Cloakwood yet. Now, he is quite alright in close combat. Just have to know where to get certain items to make him powerful, etc. Before that, it's a lot of running around using throwing daggers and/or darts.

    Stuff like Karoug, those are just single enemies. They might prove a problem but if you know how to solo they should still be beatable with any class. Don't let such encounters decide whether or not a solo would be hopeless altogether ;)
  • MegiddoMegiddo Member Posts: 25
    Good to hear that the monk isn't a hopeless case. I'll start from an older save (when my monk leveled to 9) and get Imoen up to thieving speed. I've got a pip in daggers, so I'll be able to use throwing daggers. I just hope I can whack Karoug fast enough with Flametongue in order to kill him. I won't have Ajantis to save my bacon the next time around.
  • ArchaosArchaos Member Posts: 1,421
    I would advise putting points in Katana and Single Weapon Style. That 1d10 damage along with AC bonuses is very useful to the Monk.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    Honestly, on my last playthrough I just skipped Werewolf Island entirely; I was already at the experience cap and it wasn't going to give me anything I wanted to carry forward into BG2 anyway.
  • LateralusLateralus Member Posts: 903
    A dragon disciple/monk would have a chance.
  • MathsorcererMathsorcerer Member Posts: 3,042
    edited October 2013
    The problem with solo monk versus Karoug would be this--there are only four weapons in the game which can hurt him and only two of those weapons is usable by a monk, Burning Earth (long sword) and Werebane (dagger). Not an insurmountable challenge, to be certain, but difficult and one that I have not yet tried. I also need to verify the greater wolfwere's immunity to non-silver weapons.
  • nanonano Member Posts: 1,632
    Can you even deal enough damage with the weapons to beat him? I would suggest going the potions of firebreathing route, maybe supplemented with weapon damage. Or skip it, as Kaigen suggested - you don't get anything particularly useful from the island.
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 6,002
    how is your monk reaching level 9 and 10 in bgee, the xp cap makes him hit level 8 tops, if you don't have an xp cap, then soloing with anybody can be pie once you hit a certain level, plus if you love monster grinding, once a monk hits level 18, he will be god mode in bg 1, with +3 fisties and 4 attacks per round , he would smash monsters, smash them to gOoOoOoOoO
  • MegiddoMegiddo Member Posts: 25
    sarevok57 said:

    how is your monk reaching level 9 and 10 in bgee, the xp cap makes him hit level 8 tops, if you don't have an xp cap, then soloing with anybody can be pie once you hit a certain level, plus if you love monster grinding, once a monk hits level 18, he will be god mode in bg 1, with +3 fisties and 4 attacks per round , he would smash monsters, smash them to gOoOoOoOoO

    I removed the experience cap in order to help get my Monk to level 9. At that point, the Monk becomes viable in BGEE (can't be charmed, fists +1). I don't particularily like grinding, but outside of going the CLUA console route, it's the only option.

    I don't think I'd have the patience or the inclination to grind to level 18. Even trying to get to level 11 would be pushing it.
  • MegiddoMegiddo Member Posts: 25
    Mathsorcerer said:

    The problem with solo monk versus Karoug would be this--there are only four weapons in the game which can hurt him and only two of those weapons is usable by a monk, Burning Earth (long sword) and Werebane (dagger). Not an insurmountable challenge, to be certain, but difficult and one that I have not yet tried. I also need to verify the greater wolfwere's immunity to non-silver weapons.

    Indeed. The first time I tried to fight Karoug with Werebane. The damage inflicted per round was neglible. To make matters worse, I didn't have Burning Earth. The second attempt went much better, since Ajantis was along with Kondar. Karoug got duely spanked.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    Megiddo said:

    I removed the experience cap in order to help get my Monk to level 9. At that point, the Monk becomes viable in BGEE (can't be charmed, fists +1). I don't particularily like grinding, but outside of going the CLUA console route, it's the only option.

    As soon as the new patch comes out I'm going to mod the Monk to get +1 fists at level 8 just so I don't have to monkey with the XP cap to get this.
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 6,002
    when I play monks in bgee I give them twinkle, plus single weapon style, great AC and to hit/damage :)
  • meaglothmeagloth Member Posts: 3,806
    Lateralus said:

    A dragon disciple/monk would have a chance.

    Wait a minuet......
  • nanonano Member Posts: 1,632
    meagloth said:

    Lateralus said:

    A dragon disciple/monk would have a chance.

    Wait a minuet......
    Wait until you hear about my Kensai/Kensai...
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 6,002
    kensai/kensai ? that is weak, im playing my kensai/kensai/kensai solo, no reloads, no resting, no items, no pausing, insane difficulty, scs, all stats at 3 ( except str which is 9 min) no level ups :)
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,317
    Wand of the Heavens, throwing a lot of Potions of Explosion, Oil of Fiery Burning, and Potions of Dragon's Breath.

    Should be viable.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    elminster said:

    Wand of the Heavens, throwing a lot of Potions of Explosion, Oil of Fiery Burning, and Potions of Dragon's Breath.

    Should be viable.

    Call it the "Midnight Bomber What Bombs at Midnight" challenge.
  • MegiddoMegiddo Member Posts: 25
    Guess what? Monks are made of win.

    I just finished a solo run-through, roleplaying all the while.

    The cap remover and potions were my friends.

    Since the character interactions with potential party members are rudimentary compared to BG2, I really didn't miss them much.

    Durlag's Tower caused some initial concern. Fortunately, Monks don't need much in the way of armor and weapons, so if a treasure chest or two remained locked - no biggy. If I really wanted to get into a locked chest, the Monk drank a potion of strength and smashed the lock. At level 10, my Monk had enough hp to soak up most trap-inflicted damage. Some challenging highlights: Greater Wyverns and the Demon Knight - not pushovers.

    Karoug and his wolfy lackeys were challenging but doable. A Potion of Cloud Giant Strength and Invincibility later, no more Karoug. Wand of the Heavens and the Potion of Dragon Breath seemed kind of superfluous. Flametongue +1 is a must (get it from Durlag's Tower). Splitting up the last group of wolfweres is also essential (getting a few to follow you downstairs at a time).

    The encounter with the cultists and the Ta'nari was challenging - the first ambush was actually kind of a pain compared to the boss fight.

    The fight with Sarevok was quite reload fest, but I eventually was able to remove his allies before concentrating on him.





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