No Fighter Challenge!

jio

Though this would be quite an interesting experience. Not super hardcore, but certainly would alter most ppl's play style.

Rules:
No fighters allow in party (not even multi/dual classes)
No ranger, paladins, or even monks.

That's it!
This removes a good chunk of our "go-to" npcs in the game, and party composition becomes much trickier.
I'd probably start by slapping armors on a bard and/or priest to serve as tanks, while the rest sling/dart/bow on. At higher level fights will most likely be spell-focused battles! How fun is that?

This challenge can potentially apply to both BG1 & 2, though I cam up with this with BGEE in mind.
Have fun and feedback appreciated!

Blackraven

It's a fun concept. I'm currently running an all specialist mages party (who can only cast spells from their own schools) and I've been thinking of doing the same with an all thieves party.
I think No Warrior can indeed be quite a challenge in BG1, especially if you play in a full party of 6 and don't metagame yourself to easy XP. In BG2 the challenge would be a 'No Arcane Magic' run I think. So to have a fun challenge for the entire trilogy, running with only thieves and/or priests could be an idea.

velehal

No warrior challange is not so difficult. I´ve easily beaten the SCS game with party of Blade, Imoen, Garrick, Quayle, Skie, Eldoth. It is true that the blade is close to thefighter/mage, but I think that if I had a different kit, it would not be more difficult.
But beat BG2 + SCS with no arcane caster/thief with UAI, it is real and very difficult challange.

Blackraven

@velehal, that's a nice rogues' party you used in BG1, similar to what I had in mind.
re: BG2 (SCS/Ascension) without arcane magic, to me that still sounds like the ultimate challenge.

velehal

Blackraven said:

re: BG2 (SCS/Ascension) without arcane magic, to me that still sounds like the ultimate challenge.

Agree. I don´t know what party I would choose. If I played BGT (so Refinements, so no UAI for multi thief), I would probably be multi F/T plus Jaheira, Cernd, Keldorn, Anomen, Korgan or Mazzy.

Blackraven

velehal said:

Blackraven said:

re: BG2 (SCS/Ascension) without arcane magic, to me that still sounds like the ultimate challenge.

Agree. I don´t know what party I would choose. If I played BGT (so Refinements, so no UAI for multi thief), I would probably be multi F/T plus Jaheira, Cernd, Keldorn, Anomen, Korgan or Mazzy.

Interesting. I did a no-reload run with a rebalanced Wizard Slayer in a non-arcane party a while back. Didn't get beyond Davaeorn unfortunately. The Wizard Slayer Rebalancing mod gives the WS the innate spellcasting failure ability on ranged attacks as well as melee, gives a fixed +2% magic resistance upon levelling up, and access to items that spefically protect against magic (e.g. Cloak of Balduran, Potion of Magic Blocking, but not Greenstone Amulet). They can't be dualled though. I intend to giver her another try at one point, just because the WS is such an appropriate class for a no arcane magic run.

Your BGT party makes sense if you have Fighter/Thief charname. I wouldn't mind having a thief multi with UAI, but (s)he wouldn't be allowed to read arcane scrolls (except the green ones).
For my WS I'd have Keldorn and Jaheira for their dispel and disrupt (Insect Plague and Creeping Doom) abilities. I'd allow myself to edit Valygar into a Fighter/Thief (because I'd like to have him in the party for RP purposes and because all the other thieves except Yoshi are part mages). For the remaining spots I'd decide between Minsc and Korgan (for the berserk abilities, Korgan being superior but evil) and between Anomen (good against undead) and Cernd (more Insect Plagues and Creeping Dooms).