Dualling Berserker to mage.

NightDM

Heya, my first post here. Don't know if its the right category so please relocate if needed.

So when i ding 8/9 with my berserker im planning to dual to mage. Don't know if its a good idea and won't prove too difficult for me. I completed the BG II around one and a half year ago a could have forgotten many things. I would really not like to play vanilla berserker again because this is exactly what i played with my first run... So, i have a couple of questions:
1) should i dual at 8 or 9?
2) when i lvl as mage trying to get berserker back, should i play solo or in party? how many npc's if any?
3) What spell's to learn and use to make me useful/enchance survivability?
4) Any quest lines that do not require much fighting and award much exp?

PS. I play BG2:EE now so i started in Irenicus dungeon at lvl 7.

elminster

1) 9 - because of the health and proficiency point.
2) Get whatever party you planned on running. Getting the 250,000 needed for a level 10 mage shouldnt take too long.
3) Spells that will improve your survivability -

Level 1: Shield/Armor (pick just one of these)
Level 2: Mirror Images, Blur
Level 3: Ghost Armor (pick between this and Spirit Armor)
Level 4: Spirit Armor (pick between this and Ghost Armor), Stoneskin, Improved Invisibility.

Some spells that will keep you useful -

Level 1: Blindness, Spook
Level 2: Glitterdust, Web,
Level 3: Melf's Minute Meteors, Invisibility 10'radius, Haste, Slow, Skull Trap, Fireball
Level 4: Greater Malison, Emotion Hopelessness, Spider Spawn.

4) Not sure about the experience they grant but these quest lines all require very little in the way of fighting

Kill Ployer and the curse on Jaheira (you need Jaheira in your group and to have her visit the bottom floor of the Sea Bounty Tavern - in the docks district - to start this quest).

Finding Wellynn's little bear (starts in Graveyard district at night)

Buried alive quest (starts when you click on the open grave in the graveyard district)

Kamir's Deceased Son (graveyard district)

abacus

Learn all the spells possible... You get good XP from scribing scrolls to the spellbook.

Also, here is a good progression chart showing benefits of various levels:
playithardcore.com/pihwiki/index.php?title=Baldur%27s_Gate:_Progression_Charts

@Heindrich: Am I ok to post this link? It's really handy for new players, but I'm unsure of forum policy...

Corvino

In addition to @Elminster's very handy list of spells, Protection from Magic Weapons at spell level 6 is very useful. Between Mirror Image, Stoneskin and PfMW you'll be just about unhittable.

Don't forget about your Berserks, as well. They're great at making you immune to lots of nasty effects that otherwise require heavy buffing.

Musigny

What others said +
Use the available (charged) wands if you can find some of them. (no spoiler here ...)
This is clearly not a primary and ultimate strategy but early game this helps keep your young dualing mage useful. Soon enough your dualed mage will be on a par with other mono-class mages (250K is not even what is required to gain a high level).

Yamcha

berserker is great kit, but I would look into the kensai kit, which complements the mage very well.
Waiting till level 13 may be worthwile for you get another 1/2 attack per round. Or multi class (only non humans may)
A great way to level up your 2nd class fast is learning all those spells without your party (remove them, press pause, learn spells, unpause, pick em up)

NightDM

Thank you all for help, i apprecite it. i have just 2 more questions:
1) what spells should i supplement myself with while hand-to-hand fighting when i get berserker back? Like mirror images, haste or what?
2) Im not sure about the proficency points. I get last at lvl 9, spend it, then dual and won't be getting anymore even after getting berserker back? A little explanation would be nice.

reedmilfam

You'll get more proficiency points, just really slowly. You won't be able to get more than one pip in anything as a mage, though (you're supposed to re-gain your extra warrior pips after you exceed fighter level). I think a good move would be to pick your weapon of choice throughout the game, go as high in that as you can during Berserker time (Grand Mastery in staff and two points in 2-handed weapon, for instance). Also, non-proficient weapons aren't a major gimp, once you get to LVL 10 mage.

Honestly, your weapon choice/limitation is only limited to where you started (berserkers have limitations with ranged weapons).

NightDM

Thanks. What about the spells?

Yamcha

stoneskin, impr. invisbility, mirror images, impr. haste

immunity to magic and normal weapons, absolute immunity, immunity from spell schools, globe of immunity etc.
some are very situational, those first are often used

NightDM

Guys, i tried to dual class now at lvl 9 but the ''Mage'' Button is greyed out. The only clickable option is Thief. Why is that? Maybe because i have 16 int? If so how to fix it?

Musigny

Int 17 is required.

NightDM

I should have thought about that before... Can i temporarily raise it with potion or something and then dual? Or is there another way?

Edit: Found that potion of genius doesn't work... is there something to add that one point? i wouldn't want to star from the start.

Musigny

Edit your file with EE Keeper for instance.
Shamelessly grant you another int point.
If you are in the 85-90 stat point range, this is no big cheat. Most "joinable" NPCs have such superman stats.

NightDM

There's no way to do it cheat-free, like ingame? Some item or something? Are another stat points granted in any way?

elminster

In either game you can gain 1 point to intelligence. But its a lot easier to do it in BGEE compared to BG2EE.

Musigny

Not really an option for NightDM who wants to dual class his/her lvl9 berserker now.

Corvino

The only way to gain Int legitimately for a fighter in BG2 is deep in Watcher's Keep. This is one of the toughest dungeons ingame, and very tricky at lower levels.

I'd stick with EEkeeper for now.

Wolk

You can choose not to level up your PC, do watchers keep until you can gain the INT point (while leveling your NPCs that will carry you) and when you pick it up, you dual class.

You can also console a Tome if you don't have EEkeeper.

MacHurto

If you dont level up and then dual class, I think you lose all the extra XP

Corvino

True, @ MacHurto, you do. I once got Imoen to 100XP short of level 8 in BG1 then dualled her to a mage. I almost ragequit when all that XP evaporated.