Fighter/Mage BG2 solo possible?

Crucades

Am considering starting a new game with my PC, a fighter/mage. The only reason I multi was to create an xp sink but playing through BG2 has made me realise the grand importance of magic. I managed to solo BG with a dual longsword proficient fighter/mage with no great difficulty even though CHARNAME was probably a bit underpowered. I wont lie I had to use an extraordinary amount of potions but got the job done.

Now normally I dont have access to to my magic anyway but I was thinking about the possible (maybe feasibility) of running a Kensai/Mage and if anybody has done this, throw some tips for me please. Am starting to like the idea of lots of buff magic to compliment a lot of swordplay on the one character but really dont fancy my chances of survival due to the limitations of gear and all that horrible magic thrown in my face.

Gotural

Probably one of the easiest way, going solo gives you a lot of xp.

Pick stoneskin / Mirror image / SI : Abjuration / Improved haste and you can left click your way to ToB !

Heindrich

If you solo your first playthrough, you are gonna miss out on a lot of content, cos many BG 2 quests are associated with NPCs. Plus, BG 2 NPCs really come alive, and NPC interactions and personality is one of the enduring appeals of the game, so it would be a shame if you only experienced a fraction of a first playthrough cos you played solo.

But if u do play solo... why not use a F/M/T instead of F/M? xp won't be an issue cos you are solo'ing, and being a triple-class also allows you to handle traps much easier, backstab, stealth and use traps, in addition to just kicking ass with sword and spell.

@bbear just completed a full saga playthrough with a F/M/T... with the added penalty of never levelling up. (So he was a F/M/T 1/1/1 for the entire game). I won't provide a link cos it's full of spoilers.

Crucades

I have completed the game before, many moons ago but never attempted a solo run until recently doing so with BG1. Currently trying to get the new character side quests out of the way, I dont think there is anything else new to my knowledge.

Actually thinking about a solo run with a Halfling F/M/C and dual wielding hammers, just because I think they deserve to get unemaluscated after what LotR did do them. Oh Sam...

Am guessing as far as solo runs go kensai/mage is the least challenging?

Heindrich

I wouldn't say that. For a start, the lack of a thief to handle traps, locked doors and containers would be annoying... not impossible, but I wouldn't want to do it.

Secondly, unless you cheat so that your Kensai/Mage begins BG 2 with enough xp to have completed the dual-class process, he is gonna be awfully vulnerable during the dual-classing, as he will essentially be a low level mage for a while.

Thirdly, at level cap (and you will get there when you solo), a F/M is stronger than K=>M, because a F/M can combine Fighter and Mage HLAs. The most potent melee combo is probably Critical Strike + Improved Haste. If you throw in a Timestop as well, that's pretty much a death sentence for any enemy not immune to Timestop (which is very very few enemies).

Crucades

Hmmm yes I see your point. to negate the lack of theif I usually buff with potions to smash open locks and and tank trap dmg. Not very subtle. Then again BG is quite a lot simpler than BG2.

I dont dual class I multiclass, I dont know how game breaking it is but from my personal RP point of view I was planning on making a K/M possible through EE Keeper, ie CHARNAME has been locked up for all his life in Candlekeep with nothing but Gorion and guards, the blood of a god doesnt hurt either so he should be adept at mastering things. Helps justify my low charisma score too.

Not familiar with HLA. Would a thief class therefore be quite necessary for a BG2 solo run in your opinion? I wouldnt be above picking up NPCs for their skills when my back is against the wall for small specific tasks.

Skaffen

The game can be soloed with almost any class (druids will have some serious problems in the final ToB battle though). Fi/Ma is among the easiest classes to do so since magic will allow you to prepare for almost any situation.

Thief is not required at all, you can knock spell any lock and put up defenses against traps. Mirror Image actually helps against a lot of traps btw!

ryuken87

Not just possible, pretty damn easy. I did a gnome F/Ill solo and only reloaded three times as far as I remember (all due to Maze) despite not actually trying to do a no-reloads run.

mumumomo

I strongly hate the fact that a mazed CHARNAME ends the game. It makes no sense at all.

FM and FMT are indeed the easiest characters to solo the game with.

Both achieve ridiculous power quite easily (the FM being slightly more powerful thanks to level 9 spells)

The main FMT advantage is the ability to deal with traps without reloading when you get mazed, petrified,....

As for the kensai mage, i am still unsure it is more powerful than a fighter/illusionist being a lot weaker on the fighter side and barely better on the mage side.
Furthermore the class swapping period will be much harder (unless you dual at 9, at which case you will be weaker than the FM multi) and the tiny bit extra power (debatable) completly not needed.

Finally, i do believe than a thief class is necessary if you want to play no reload AND to pretend to have to metaknowledge of the game (so no avoiding of traps, no prebuffing for traps,...).
Otherwise, if you are ready to reload and/or to prebuff, thieves are completely unnecessary.

ZaknafeinBaenre

Who doesn't enjoy the sound of a lock being successfully picked?

The reason your kensai/mage was underpowered in BG1 is the xp cap. BG2's xp cap is so insanely high that you will, even running solo, probably not reach it. You'll be okay, but I shudder to think of going through watchers keep without a thief to disable traps.

Musigny

ZaknafeinBaenre said:

Who doesn't enjoy the sound of a lock being successfully picked?

The reason your kensai/mage was underpowered in BG1 is the xp cap. BG2's xp cap is so insanely high that you will, even running solo, probably not reach it. You'll be okay, but I shudder to think of going through watchers keep without a thief to disable traps.

You certainly hit the 8M cap with a solo guy.
And who needs to disarm traps when you can avoid the physical damage and deflect the trap spells ?

If you don't remove the xp cap you'd better favor the F/M over the F/M/T.

ZaknafeinBaenre

How can you avoid the physical damage and deflect the trap spells unless you know where the traps are? Going that route isn't true enough to the spirit of the game for my tastes, you have fun with that.