Berkserker -> thief seems OK from me since an RP point of view (and much more if compared with Berkserker->Cleric), but, yeah, maybe he is a tongue-less berkserker that turned jnto a thief??
Okay, it is actually really close. Kensai is marginally ahead at the moment, but Blackguard and Cavalier are only one vote less, and a few more are not far behind.
Incidentally I'm surprised Inquisitor isn't more popular, given Keldorn's awesomeness.
Dwarven Defender seems really cool too. I'd like to see if anyone played one and enjoyed it.
Almost at the end of SoA (Just killed Bodhi) with a chaotic evil Dwarven Defender. Mastery in hammers, went single weapon style for early game, then switched to dual weapon.
You will have lots of hitpoints and their special ability is almost like hardiness at lower levels. Great for tanking. Only just got defender of easthaven (SCS moved it to post-spellhold), which I'm gonna wield off-hand with Crom Faeyr. That gives me 35% resistance to slashing, crushing and piercing damage all the time. Chuck in a defensive stance stance and it's up to 85%. Just about to go toe to toe with Firkraag.
I am quite suprised that kensai is so popular. If you forbid dualclassing that kit is reduced to meele dualwielding glasscanonn. Am I missing something or just people find it so much fun? :-)
I am quite suprised that kensai is so popular. If you forbid dualclassing that kit is reduced to meele dualwielding glasscanonn. Am I missing something or just people find it so much fun? :-)
I'm surprised too since people are always harping on about min-maxing and dual-classing, especially in regards to Kensai. I've yet to see a post by someone stating they're playing the game as a non-dualed Kensai in fact, those people are mythical beings.
Kensai being a "glass canon" in SoA doesn't matter since you can hit and run, especially with a melee weapon that has a long reach, like a staff. The kensai speed factor bonus makes this easier and easier. Not to mention all the invisibility options... it's like every hit is a backstab. And of course have the enemies target someone else to attack first (pure kensai can have a party).
I think that many players, in their admiration for clever play-styles and subtle strategies, tend to overlook how useful the not-so-simple task of beating enemies into a bloody pulp can be in this game.
Kensai being a "glass canon" in SoA doesn't matter since you can hit and run, especially with a melee weapon that has a long reach, like a staff. The kensai speed factor bonus makes this easier and easier. Not to mention all the invisibility options... it's like every hit is a backstab. And of course have the enemies target someone else to attack first (pure kensai can have a party).
To be honest I consider the "hit and run" tactics - kiting - as an exploit. With you can kill basicaly anything, since ai cant defend againts this stratégy most of time.
However yep, with party to tank and support kensai can be a deadly damage dealer. I still prefer other warrior classes though.
Kensai being a "glass canon" in SoA doesn't matter since you can hit and run, especially with a melee weapon that has a long reach, like a staff. The kensai speed factor bonus makes this easier and easier. Not to mention all the invisibility options... it's like every hit is a backstab. And of course have the enemies target someone else to attack first (pure kensai can have a party).
To be honest I consider the "hit and run" tactics - kiting - as an exploit. With you can kill basicaly anything, since ai cant defend againts this stratégy most of time.
However yep, with party to tank and support kensai can be a deadly damage dealer. I still prefer other warrior classes though.
I'm not sure it is an exploit... I know what you're saying, but a Kensai's fighting style is based around not getting hit... In game mechanics (Dex modifiers, etc) can only help so much with this... I'd see it as a speedy warrior dashing from foe to foe in the knowledge that a false step means almost certain death.
Kensai being a "glass canon" in SoA doesn't matter since you can hit and run, especially with a melee weapon that has a long reach, like a staff. The kensai speed factor bonus makes this easier and easier. Not to mention all the invisibility options... it's like every hit is a backstab. And of course have the enemies target someone else to attack first (pure kensai can have a party).
To be honest I consider the "hit and run" tactics - kiting - as an exploit. With you can kill basicaly anything, since ai cant defend againts this stratégy most of time.
However yep, with party to tank and support kensai can be a deadly damage dealer. I still prefer other warrior classes though.
I'm not sure it is an exploit... I know what you're saying, but a Kensai's fighting style is based around not getting hit... In game mechanics (Dex modifiers, etc) can only help so much with this... I'd see it as a speedy warrior dashing from foe to foe in the knowledge that a false step means almost certain death.
Agreed - kiting can be an exploit when you, for example, have a monster chase one party member in a circle around another member who bombards it with ranged attacks. However, having a party member legitimately engage an enemy in combat and soak up the attack whilst another goes in from the side and deals damage... that's just using a tank/dps combo like you do in every MMO ever made. Nothing wrong with it either from a gaming or an RP perspective. Same thing with using potions... it's just making use of the available items.
@iAmGoatBoy Just to clarify: Kiting = abusing the ai inability to move as effectively as player. So i.e. kensai kitting is this: Your run into monster, hit it and than immidiately fall back before the monster can retaliate (easily doable since you have weapon speedbonus). When your attack coolsdown you re-engage hit an withdraw. Rinse and repeat until enemy is dead. What I describe is clear exploit. Reason is that ai can't defend againts this kind of tactics due to engine limitation. In PnP no good GM would allow you to do that. Hence thats why attack of oportunity was made.
Tanking with dwarven defender and than attacking with kensai from flank is completely legit. So is drinking potions of course (they have 1 round cd afterall).
Agreed - kiting can be an exploit when you, for example, have a monster chase one party member in a circle around another member who bombards it with ranged attacks.
Fair enough, but at level 1, I call this survival, particularly when Imoen and I run into stray wolves.
the first time I played a kensai AGES ago, I never dualed him and went all the way in ToB somewhere, his damage was outrageous and his AC was only -5, but thanks to relatively high HP and hardiness, he could kinda hold his own ( although one on one, he was uncontested) but I would say that out of all the warrior types, beserker is my favourite, the beserk ability is great, immune to ALL of the most annoying stuff in the game, AC/damage/to hit bonuses, grand mastery, can wear any armor, so they can have some great ACs ( usually around -15 or lower without buffs) and have some great to hit/damage/ attacks per round
Despite my adoration for the Forsaken faction from WarCraft, I chose "Undead Hunter", because it sounds cool! Either that or BLAGGARD Blackguard. Or or or or maybe uhm uhh a Stalker!
Blackguard, because I'm playing 100% evil for the first time and I love it. The power! Muahahaha! Also stabbing mages with a giant poisoned sword and then watching them be like "Incant-UGH-pulch-UGH-imperi-AAAAAAAAAAAAUUUURGH![death gargle]" is lots of fun.
Faves: Stalker (sneaky spy, backstabs, nice spells), Berserker/Barbarian (rage!), Cavalier (nice resistances, gentleman/lady), Blackguard (dark knight, great class benefits) aaaand... Wizard Slayer (my current heroine)!!
Not too fond of Kensai and Inquisitor. Am aware that both are powerful. But to me the Kensai somehow feels out of place for a charname who grew up in Candlekeep on the Sword Coast. Would have to invent a really nice backstory before playing one. I associate the Inquisitor with religious zeal (Spanish Inquisition-style), even though in the game while generally acting for some Deity, their skills are mostly useful against arcane magic.
I voted Kensai, because it has the most RP "flavour", in my opinion (being a sword saint and all). From a gaming perspective, a pure Kensai is also cool, because you have to play around its disadvantages a bit. Pretty unique, not being able to wear armor and rush right into the fray (at least without buffs) like most of the others.
When it comes to "least boring to play" it would probably be Stalker, because you can stealth around, backstab and use some spells. Plus, it also has a good RP feel to it.
Of all warrior classes, this one resembles the epithomal 'knight in shining armour' the most: no missile weapons (but for some cheesy axe-slinging), helping out the sick and wounded with Lay on Hands, prefering valour above all else. I loved to make Ajantis a Cavalier and I'm planning to make my first Charname in BGEE (once NPC 1 Project is ready) a Cavalier.
I still plan to eventually to confirm for myself that there isn't some way to optimize a Wizard Slayer that makes the kit fun to play. I understand the criticism that, purportedly, any Fighter will kill a wizard before the WS's 10% casting failure (cumulative) with each successful hit starts taking its toll. But I have yet to try the kit in SCS, where I would hope that enemy wizards are more formidably buffed (for example, do enemy mages buff with Stoneskin?). Remember that the WS only need successfully hit the mage to cause the 10% spell failure (even if the mage's protections are absorbing the damage). I mean, how may rounds does it take to get enough hits in to strip the mage of most of his or her casting ability? Dual-wielding and using Greater Whirlwind (while Hasted?), let's say. Anyone know?
I mean, by the time you get 8 hits in the mage has only a 1 in 5 chance of casting success. At 5 hits it's a 50-50 chance.
Edit: Darn, it's been a long time since I played. IIRC a WS can't use an oil of Speed or most magic items; but can he or she be Hasted? From an RP standpoint I probably wouldn't do that, but from a powergame perspective one would (if in fact WS can be effective).
Comments
Undead Hunter is winning!
No... u wound't believe that would you...
Okay, it is actually really close. Kensai is marginally ahead at the moment, but Blackguard and Cavalier are only one vote less, and a few more are not far behind.
Incidentally I'm surprised Inquisitor isn't more popular, given Keldorn's awesomeness.
You will have lots of hitpoints and their special ability is almost like hardiness at lower levels. Great for tanking. Only just got defender of easthaven (SCS moved it to post-spellhold), which I'm gonna wield off-hand with Crom Faeyr. That gives me 35% resistance to slashing, crushing and piercing damage all the time. Chuck in a defensive stance stance and it's up to 85%. Just about to go toe to toe with Firkraag.
It's a pretty nice class.
However yep, with party to tank and support kensai can be a deadly damage dealer. I still prefer other warrior classes though.
Agreed - kiting can be an exploit when you, for example, have a monster chase one party member in a circle around another member who bombards it with ranged attacks. However, having a party member legitimately engage an enemy in combat and soak up the attack whilst another goes in from the side and deals damage... that's just using a tank/dps combo like you do in every MMO ever made. Nothing wrong with it either from a gaming or an RP perspective. Same thing with using potions... it's just making use of the available items.
So i.e. kensai kitting is this: Your run into monster, hit it and than immidiately fall back before the monster can retaliate (easily doable since you have weapon speedbonus). When your attack coolsdown you re-engage hit an withdraw. Rinse and repeat until enemy is dead.
What I describe is clear exploit. Reason is that ai can't defend againts this kind of tactics due to engine limitation. In PnP no good GM would allow you to do that. Hence thats why attack of oportunity was made.
Tanking with dwarven defender and than attacking with kensai from flank is completely legit. So is drinking potions of course (they have 1 round cd afterall).
Either that or BLAGGARD Blackguard. Or or or or maybe uhm uhh a Stalker!
Coincidentally all my fights are very campy
Not too fond of Kensai and Inquisitor. Am aware that both are powerful. But to me the Kensai somehow feels out of place for a charname who grew up in Candlekeep on the Sword Coast. Would have to invent a really nice backstory before playing one.
I associate the Inquisitor with religious zeal (Spanish Inquisition-style), even though in the game while generally acting for some Deity, their skills are mostly useful against arcane magic.
When it comes to "least boring to play" it would probably be Stalker, because you can stealth around, backstab and use some spells. Plus, it also has a good RP feel to it.
I mean, by the time you get 8 hits in the mage has only a 1 in 5 chance of casting success. At 5 hits it's a 50-50 chance.
Edit: Darn, it's been a long time since I played. IIRC a WS can't use an oil of Speed or most magic items; but can he or she be Hasted? From an RP standpoint I probably wouldn't do that, but from a powergame perspective one would (if in fact WS can be effective).