What to play next, I don't want to repeat my old games

toanwrath

So I am near-complete with my most recent run-through of the BGEE Saga with a multiplayer game consisting of a Dwarven Fighter Cleric (me), a Human Blackguard (my brother), Sarevok and Dorn (my brother controls them), Imoen and Hexxat (I control them). We just managed to beat

Demogorgon, who was a really tough fight and I'm glad I managed to beat him without traps, and this is my first time attempting the fight

, and the rest of the game looks like smooth sailing from here since anything that we don't just annihilate with Greater Whirlwind Imoen takes apart with Spellstrike or Improved Alactiry+ Spell Strike+ 4 Horrid Wiltings. So now I am trying to decide what to play next for a single player run through?

Trying to do something I haven't done yet, so here are the options that I will not go for.
Bard: Just played as a Jester and, while fun, I want a slightly more active character I think than just singing.
Cleric: I have done Fighter/Cleric and Priest of Talos.
Druid: I haven't tried any of the kits except Shapeshifter (oh how I wish it worked properly), and Fighter/Druids.
Fighter: Kensai done, Berserker done.
Mage: Played plenty of Fighter/Mages (usually Kensai), never a straight Mage, Sorcerer, or any other combination.
Paladin: Cavalier and Undead Hunter I have done, while I have not tried Inquisitor or Blackguard.
Ranger: Played as all sorts of Rangers, they are fun but not new to me.
Thief: Bounty Hunter and Assassin I have done, I have never done a Swashbuckler though.

Essentially that leaves me with quite a few kits, Monks and Barbarians. I usually play humans and dwarves because humans are versatile and I really enjoy dwarves.
I am looking for a CHARNAME that will be relevant to a party mechanically throughout the saga, without just sitting in the back singing or looking for traps. Any ideas on an engaging race/class combo that fits what I haven't played yet would be appreciated. I am willing to be any alignment, and I am sure I can find a party to fit my needs.

If I left any classes out, let me know.
--Toanwrath

jackjack

If you enjoyed the Jester but not the singing, try out a Blade. Essentially a tone-deaf "Bard" with much higher melee potential.

Mitchfork

Barbarians are neat, but they are essentially Fighters (I think it's even considered a Fighter kit under-the-hood, but I might be wrong on that), so I'm not sure you'd get a lot of entertainment out of playing it.

I'd second Blade if you're interested in playing Bard, makes you a bit more competitive as a striker.

You could do some interesting Cleric multis. Half-Orc Cleric/Thief plays as a backstabbing monster with Draw Upon Holy Might/Righteous Magic buffing your damage and Sanctuary giving you a good invisibility spell (you can also play this combo as Gnome but you take a WIS penalty). Half-Elf Cleric/Mage (or Gnome Illusionist/Mage) is a magic battery, but you are redundant with NPC's in both games (although Quayle is fairly late in BG1).

toanwrath

@jackjack
Blade is a possibility--I did an incomplete run-through of one in BG1EE who used the Chelsey Crusher--if I do it any weapon suggestions or weapon style suggestions?

@Mitchfork
Same as the blade, I did an incomplete trial of Half-Orc cleric/thief, but it was on a no-reload game, so it didn't go very far, hehe...
Cleric Mage seems fun, especially with some casting time reductions in BG2. What do you mean by redundant with NPC's, as in both games I would require similar NPCs? I probably will only do one play through at the moment and there are plenty to fill in the blanks due to alignment flexibility with those class options.

Mitchfork

@toanwrath I just meant that there are NPC's with that same class combination in both games (Quayle in BG1 and Aerie in BG2). Although they have stat deficiencies that make it easy to make a better Cleric/Mage yourself (especially with Quayle's 10 WIS), if you want to take either of them you're being a bit wasteful in your party composition and may run into problems with spreading out equipment. I really only mention it because Aerie is a popular NPC and a lot of folks like to take her. That may or may not be important to you, though.

And yeah, the ability to combine the Robe of Vecna/Amulet of Power with divine spells is unique to this combo, and it's pretty neat considering Cleric spells have notoriously long cast times.

toanwrath

@Mitchfork
Oh I completely misunderstood, and now that I see what you are saying I completely agree. I sometimes use Aerie, but don't really use Quayle--I don't mind skipping them to be the solitary double caster in the party.
Amulet of Power I use on Clerics normally, but with Robe of Vecna too? Improved Alacrity has a cast time of like 4 with that, so fights end even faster.

Fardragon

What about sorcerer? Dragon Disciple makes it less OP.

Or Wild Mage. That plays different.

Blackguard is interesting. You could try playing at 20 rep. Evil is suppressed or concealed.

Oh, cleric/thieves can use the Robe of Vecna.

mumumomo

Sorcerer is very fun and very powerful.
What is nice is you can feel your character going from a weakling to a walking god.

Monk are nice because of strong character development over the game but they are a little bit passive (like warriors, but with no weapons selection).

Swashbuckler are basically fighter/thieves that keep progressing all over the game.

To change the experience you can also play smaller parties like solo or duo (ranger/cleric + mage/thief gives you everything you need on two powerhouse characters)

jackjack

I won't advise you from an RP perspective, as I'm not really comfortable doing so, but mechanically, for proficiencies, either Scimitar or Short Sword makes sense for your offhand, due to Belm and Kundane. Main hand basically comes down to what weapon you want to use - one of the things about Bards is that you can only put one pip into a weapon, so you have the opportunity to become proficient in many types. I would start off with either shortbow or crossbow in BG1, as you will be squishy at low levels.
Pick your main melee weapon - perhaps long swords - even dagger is a good initial choice, because of the Dagger of Venom. Build toward Two Weapon Style with your next two pips, and consider waiting until your last pip to put the third one in there - it may not even be worth it, honestly - two is what you really need. I wouldn't start dual-wielding until late in the first game, no sooner than your first pip in TWS. Consider Dorn's quest for some top shelf chainmail that will allow you to cast in armor. Don't even bother singing.
Edit: if you're not opposed to mods, I highly recommend installing Rogue Rebalancing, which has an option for Bards to learn spells up to 8th level, as per PnP rules.

Lemernis

Try a half-orc Cleric/Thief who backstabs with a quarterstaff. Seriously, it's a blast.

Gotural

The Blade kit is a trap, play a F/M/T instead.

I would suggest you to download and try SCS which will make your game a totally new experience, it's really awesome i think.

KidCarnival

Avenger or Sun Soul Monk. Both are challenging in BG1, but Avenger will reach level 5 spells and start to get really powerful in late BG1. Before that, you have an offensive divine caster with some useful arcane spells. SSM is lots of fun in BG2. Not really in BG1, though that may just be Rasaad, not neccessarily charname. In BG1, you can do scouting and stick with ranged weapons (darts ftw) and switch to unarmed fighting in BG2.

toanwrath

Everyone thanks for the ideas--still undecided on what to play but I have some good ideas and choices to make.

@Gotural
Why is the Blade kit a trap? Also, I can't install SCS as I am playing on an iPad maybe for when i get to BG2 though, if it runs on Macs.

@KidCarnival
Both are tempting, as are the ideas everyone else has suggested. The only thing I don't like about Avenger s the Web spell, but I suppose I can just ignore that or only use it when I have free action ready to go.

KidCarnival

Druid level 2 spells suck. Simple as that. Cleric level 2 sucks too, just not that bad. There are 2 or 3 spells that really come in handy, everything else is situational or plain useless. Avengers get Web on level 2, which is a vast improvement. Sure, it's not always handy, but more often than the other spells there. You can always igore it until you can grab a free action item or some potions. It's just one spell anyway - keep in mind that your level 1 arcane spell, Chromatic Orb, just gets more and more awesome with each level. That certainly makes up for the slightly situational Web.

Write all classes/kits you consider on a piece of paper and blindly draw one. Voila, decision made.

toanwrath

@KidCarnival
With the exception of the amazingness that is Goodberry...I agree that Level 2 Arcane spells are not my favorite.
I think I might just draw out of a hat, but I might start another multiplayer game soon, so whatever I play there I will not include in my hat draw.

Gotural

@toanwrath It is only my opinion of course, but i think the Blade kit, and the Bard in general is total crap, like a singleclassed Thief. Let's compare the Blade with the F/M/T for exemple :

Blade can't specialize, doesn't have the Fighter Thac0, doesn't have the Fighter APR, doesn't have the Fighter HP. Blade are better than vanilla Bards in melee, but in my opinion, they're still bad.

A Blade can only pickpocket, a F/M/T can do everything Thief related + Backstab + Traps. In my opinion a Blade still lacks usefullness.

Blades can reach the 6th level of arcane spells, a F/M/T can reach the 8th level. The only benefice of the Bard methink is the faster progression rate, but i think it doesn't make up for everything you lose. Plus in late game, with Spell Sequencer and Spell Trigger, even a F/M/T could outdamage a Bard with spells.

Blades are classy for sure, but in a non-modded game, they are very bad mechanicaly.

(I apologize for my english)

KidCarnival

In doubt, try them all out in Black Pits. It's always one thing to discuss a playstyle in the forum and to actually play it another.

EnterHaerDalis

Install SCS and challenge yourself