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Determining your "Primary Stat." (specifically Blackguard!)

How exactly does one determine their primary stat? Some classes make it pretty straightforward, like a sorcerer's primary stat is obviously intelligence. Others, however, are less explicit.

Take a blackguard for instance. What is his/her primary stat? I understand there are a couple of instances in BG2 where one can obtain +1 to their primary stat, so what would that be for a blackguard? I am hoping it's strength, but I'm worried it might be charisma...

any input is greatly appreciated, thanks!! <3

Comments

  • EudaemoniumEudaemonium Member Posts: 3,199
    Strength. Primary Stat is a bit misleading, to be honest. Basically Fighter-types (including Paladins and Rangers) get Strength, Thieves and Bards get Dexterity, Druids and Clerics get Wisdom and Mages and Sorceres get Intelligence. Multi-class characters will get the stat associated with the first listed class, so Fighter/Mages will get Strength, Thief/Mages will get Dexterity. I think Cleric/Mages get Wisdom, but I'm actually unsure about that one.

    I should note, however, that they've removed one of the + Primary Stat instances (the one in Hell), so the only place this really applies now is with the Deck of Many Things.
    serialthrilla
  • serialthrillaserialthrilla Member Posts: 26

    Strength. Primary Stat is a bit misleading, to be honest. Basically Fighter-types (including Paladins and Rangers) get Strength, Thieves and Bards get Dexterity, Druids and Clerics get Wisdom and Mages and Sorceres get Intelligence. Multi-class characters will get the stat associated with the first listed class, so Fighter/Mages will get Strength, Thief/Mages will get Dexterity. I think Cleric/Mages get Wisdom, but I'm actually unsure about that one.

    I should note, however, that they've removed one of the + Primary Stat instances (the one in Hell), so the only place this really applies now is with the Deck of Many Things.

    Sooo glad it's not useless charisma!

    Thank you very much (:
  • DrayenDrayen Member Posts: 127
    I find primary stats to vary a lot on a class-by-class basis

    For exemple, you said it's obvious a sorcerer needs intellect, but he doesn't need any intellect at all. Intellect is only used to learn spells, and as a sorcerer, you learn them by leveling.

    You simply need to know what each stats does. I find dex and constritution to be the primary stat of every class in the game. You want as much dex as possible, you can 16con for non-fighters as they don'T get benefit beyond that, and as much as possible for fighters classes (Includes paladins rangers barbarians monks)

    Str increases your melee damage and thaco, anyone thats going to attack in melee, or use slings (they get bonus damage from strenght) will want strenght.

    Intellect is only useful for mages and bards, as it uses your intellect to decide whether or not you can sucessfully transcribed a scroll to your spellbook.. and more intellect allows you to have more spells in your spellbook (Not to confuse with how many spells you can cast per day, only your level/class decides that)

    Wisdom gives you bonus druid and cleric spells, I find wisdom great but not amazing as it only really gives bonus spells from 1 to 4 unless you cheat. 25 Wisdom gives you an extra lvl7 spell. You already have many spells by the lategame, but i guess it is useful for the early game.

    Charisma is only used for prices in stores.

    Note that some things, although very few, use wisdom and charisma, such as using limited wish spell to gain positive effects, and i believe 1-2 minor things in the game. More intellect mean youll be able to take more mindflayer hits, and the maze spell won't last as long.
  • KurumiKurumi Member Posts: 520
    Just want to add, that with 20 Con every char starts to regen, but I've to admit.. it's rather slow so it's hardly worth the effort for most chars anyway.
  • EudaemoniumEudaemonium Member Posts: 3,199
    Kurumi said:

    Just want to add, that with 20 Con every char starts to regen, but I've to admit.. it's rather slow so it's hardly worth the effort for most chars anyway.

    Also unless you are a half-orc or dwarf (and can get 20 in BG1), you'll only hit 20 in ToB, by which time you have a bunch of regen items that are faster than the Con regen.
  • PekingduckmanPekingduckman Member Posts: 151
    So sorcerers get Int as the primary stat? Because in NWN and other 3E games, sorcerers' primary stat is charisma.
  • EudaemoniumEudaemonium Member Posts: 3,199
    Sorcerers don't actually use any stats for spells in BG. I might be wrong about them getting Int, but I doubt it. For example Bards' primary stat is also Charisma, but they still get Dex.
  • TenreccTenrecc Member Posts: 265
    "(Get +1 to one stat, depending on class (fight/barb/pal/ranger str, mage/sorc int, thief/bard dex, monk/cleric/druid wis)" <- According to GameBanshee

    Note that these aren't actually their main stats as per the original game. Rangers have always had Constitution as their main stat and Sorceresses had Charisma. I'm not entirely sure about Bards and Paladins, but I do believe they were both Charisma as well.

    But since there's nothing in-game that actually relates to a characters main stat, it's quite an old and forgotten concept.
  • CherudekCherudek Member Posts: 73
    What does the game consider to be the primary stat for a dual class? I wouldn't mind another point of strength for my kensai/mage.... one can never be overpowered enough.
  • DMCDMC Member Posts: 44
    Actually Charisma is a lot more useful than you might realize, since much of it is behind the scenes. Charisma unlocks certain convo paths for quests, and also can keep NPC's from getting unhappy. I was able to play games in the past where I could keep Zhents and Harpers in line together, Keldorn and Viconia as friends as well, playing my high charisma bard. I also remember in BGEE being able to talk a LOT of NPC's down and getting plot quest xp anyhow. So it's not a useless stat, FYI.
  • EudaemoniumEudaemonium Member Posts: 3,199
    Cherudek said:

    What does the game consider to be the primary stat for a dual class? I wouldn't mind another point of strength for my kensai/mage.... one can never be overpowered enough.

    I believe it's the active class, so Int.
    TenreccCherudek
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