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A good aligned party for a sorcerer that best utilizes all proficiencies?

I've rolled up a new sorcerer, and in an attempt to actually make it past chapter 2 I am planning who I want in my good aligned party. I tend to restart when I either don't like my spell selection and/or I get an itch to try out a new weapon type / class combination. Since the former can be fixed with EE Keeper, I'm hoping to take along the right NPCs to help prevent the latter.

So with the idea of trying to cover almost all of the popular weapon proficiencies and roll with a balanced party, I have come up with the following lineup:

Keldorn - Two-Handed Swords, Long Swords
Anomen - War Hammers, Maces
Jaheira - Scimitars, Clubs
Valygar - Katanas, Spear
Jan then Imoen - Quarterstaffs, but mosty ranged (crossbow/shortbow)

I'm not sure what direction to take Keldorn. Ultimately Carsomyr, but until then? Bastard Swords?
Anomen will master Flails for the Flail of Ages. Maybe give him Crom Fayer and dual wield but I'm not sure his dex will hold up.
Jaheira will eventually dual wield, Spectral Blade and Belm look nice. Maybe add Daggers as well?
Valygar is all about dual wielding Celestial Fury for SoA. I'd like to add Axes next then maybe Long Swords for when Keldorn doesn't use them. Or Halberds for Ravager..
Jan/Imoen can have the little used thief weapons like short swords if they add nice passive bonuses

I might take on Neera and Rassad at some point just to see what their quests are all about, and help Hexxat up until the end of Dragomir's Tomb for her Respite. I am not sure when the best time would be to do these.

What do you think? Am I missing anything? I've just escaped Irenicus' dungeon and am raring to go. Thanks!

Comments

  • booinyoureyesbooinyoureyes Member Posts: 6,164
    edited May 2014
    Hey!
    I think Keldorn should use bastard swords. There is a really great one that is paladin-only so you should try it!
    I don't think Jaheira can use daggers. You should give her spears and let Valygar longsword, axes and katanas. He already gets two points in dual wielding so you don't have to spend as many as you would for jaheira and anomen.
    Imoen can do short bows and daggers.
    Jan can do crossbows and quarterstaffs
    Your pc can use darts to round off all the mage weapons.
    At high levels Jan can get Use Any Item as a special.

    So you got:
    Main Character: Darts
    Imoen: Shortbows, daggers, short sword
    Jan: Crossbows and quarterstaves
    Jaheira: Scimitars, Slings, clubs then Spears
    Anomen: Flails, Hammers, Maces
    Valygar: Katanas, Axes, longbows and then longswords
    Keldorn: Greatswords, bastard swords then halberds (maybe give him spears since Jaheira will take many points in dual wielding)

    I think that actually covers them all :)
  • GoturalGotural Member Posts: 1,229
    Don't give Crom Fayer to Anomen, being a Cleric, he will already be able to boost his own strenght to 25 very easely.
  • ArizaelArizael Member Posts: 263
    edited May 2014
    Here is what i did with my Sorc

    1) Jaheira: Clubs&Shied first, later Staves (there are some realy good staves for Druid and Fighters late).
    2) Yoshimo, later replaced by Imoen: Katana/Shortwsords/Shortbows (they have enough pips).
    3) Keldron, later returned to family and replaced by Sarevok: Two-Handers, Crossbows.
    4) Viconia (not actualy good alignment) Slings and Warhammers
    5) Minsc: Dual wield good weapons not used by others (racial enemy Vampire + MoD = fun with in Bodhi lair).
  • ArizaelArizael Member Posts: 263
    Gotural said:

    Don't give Crom Fayer to Anomen, being a Cleric, he will already be able to boost his own strenght to 25 very easely.

    Yeh but he is also very easily dispelled.

  • luskanluskan Member Posts: 269
    edited May 2014

    Hey!
    I think Keldorn should use bastard swords. There is a really great one that is paladin-only so you should try it!
    I don't think Jaheira can use daggers. You should give her spears and let Valygar longsword, axes and katanas. He already gets two points in dual wielding so you don't have to spend as many as you would for jaheira and anomen.
    Imoen can do short bows and daggers.
    Jan can do crossbows and quarterstaffs
    Your pc can use darts to round off all the mage weapons.
    At high levels Jan can get Use Any Item as a special.

    So you got:
    Main Character: Darts
    Imoen: Shortbows, daggers, short sword
    Jan: Crossbows and quarterstaves
    Jaheira: Scimitars, Slings, clubs then Spears
    Anomen: Flails, Hammers, Maces
    Valygar: Katanas, Axes, longbows and then longswords
    Keldorn: Greatswords, bastard swords then halberds (maybe give him spears since Jaheira will take many points in dual wielding)

    I think that actually covers them all :)

    @booinyoureyes‌ I know Jaheira can use daggers, I used to have her use the Dagger of Venom in BG1. But I like your idea of spears. Valygar can use them now until she gets the pips for them. Save the daggers for the mages.

    Eventually I will have to choose between Jan and Imoen. Imoen will be the better mage due to her higher mage levels and access to necromancy spells, Jan will be the better thief due to the thief HLAs and will have more HLAs in total...
    Arizael said:

    Gotural said:

    Don't give Crom Fayer to Anomen, being a Cleric, he will already be able to boost his own strenght to 25 very easely.

    Yeh but he is also very easily dispelled.

    Interesting debate. I am not sure who I would give Crom to if I don't give it to Anomen. But I guess I don't actually need to make it if it's better to spread the ingredients around instead. Should I still have him dual wield regardless?

    @Arizael‌ I like your lineup and I was tempted to go with Viconia but she doesn't get along with too many good aligned NPCs. You did give me the idea of using Minsc for a bit to at least do Bodhi's lair.

    Right now I've assembled my lineup (but have not done any of their quests yet to secure them), the next step is to raise some cash and get them equipped with some magical weapons in their current proficiencies and then deal with their personal quests. So far so good, from the little time I've had them together I'm liking it.
  • GoturalGotural Member Posts: 1,229
    Arizael said:

    Gotural said:

    Don't give Crom Fayer to Anomen, being a Cleric, he will already be able to boost his own strenght to 25 very easely.

    Yeh but he is also very easily dispelled.

    It is still better to have two characters at 25 strenght, one being dispellable and the other not, than having only one. In addition, being a dual class character, Anomen will progress very quickly in his Cleric class thus he'll have a high caster level which will make him very hard to dispel. Plus he will casts a few buffs to raise his Strenght, not only one, and he will casts Shield of the Archon, which protects against Dispell Magic. And finally, if really someone manages to dispell you (which is going to happens maybe once in the game) you could rebuff anyway (DUHM has a short casting time)

    Crom Fayer is a superb weapon that needs to be used by a character who can't raise his own strenght. Give it to Valygar in his off-hand for amazing backstabs or to Jaheira (Druids can't cast Draw Upon Holy Might).

    I don't see the point of giving an item that emulates some class ability to someone who already have it, if there was a belt in the game that would give permanent Protection from Magical Weapons, I would not give it to a Mage because his own can be dispelled, I would give it to a Fighter.
  • mumumomomumumomo Member Posts: 635
    A few tips :
    - scimitars (belm) should go to jaheira which got limited weapon selection
    - quarterstaff should to jan (for backstabbing) or jaheira (GWW)
    - 2H / bastards are great for keldorn to the class restricted weapons
    - CF should not go to anomen : 1- At HLA levels he is a weak fighter compared to the others 2- he can buff. Better give it to valygar or keldorn.
    - FOA should not go to anomen for the end game. That weapon is too good to give to a 2 APR fighter.


    For mid game (chapter 5)

    - jaheira : belm/rashad's talon
    - keldorn : FOA/shield of harmony (immune to every effect + dispell is good) or lilarcor/carsomyr
    - valygar : celestial fury/daystar
    - jan : staff of rynn
    - anomen : mace of disruption



    For endgame equipment i would do :
    - jaheira : spectral blade/belm
    - keldorn : FOA/purifier
    - valygar : Celestial fury/Crom faeyr
    - jan : staff of the ram (for backstab only)
    - anomen : whatever you want. his damage output will be completely neglectable anyway.
  • simplessimples Member Posts: 540
    honestly i feel like you're reaaally melee-heavy and don't have enough ranged attacks. i'd switch anomen for aerie (i find her less annoying than anomen too) myself. also gives you another wizard.
  • luskanluskan Member Posts: 269
    Doesn't Anomen get the bonuses from weapon specialization to increase his attack rate? Granted it wouldn't be much if he did, but improved haste would at least help boost it to about 5 I think?

    I like to be flexible and could put FoA on Valygar along with the Axe of the Unyielding, which would just be sick. Keldorn would stick with two handed weapons like Ravager and Carsomyr, and Purifier/shield when need be.

    Really they would be my only two pure melee members. Anomen and Jaheira are my divine casters and Jan/Imoen and my sorc are my arcane users. They can get their hands dirty, so to speak, if the situation calls for it. I probably would have gone with Aerie if my pc was a warrior and not a spellcaster.
  • CrevsDaakCrevsDaak Member Posts: 7,155
    Arizael said:

    Gotural said:

    Don't give Crom Fayer to Anomen, being a Cleric, he will already be able to boost his own strenght to 25 very easely.

    Yeh but he is also very easily dispelled.

    No one dispels in vanilla BG2, and if they do, they are low level ambushes with Remove Magic, and in those moments you don't need Anomen with 25 STR.
  • mumumomomumumomo Member Posts: 635
    Indeed, dual wielding anomen with GM in 1 weapon could reach 3.5 APR. That's 7 APR with improved haste. It's actually quite good, better that what i expected

    But other fighters would reach 8-10 APR with improved haste, on top of which they can apply critical strike.


    @simples : i find it quite well balanced and efficient against any type of foes.

    Against arcane casters he will get the upper hand thanks to a sorceror CHARNAME + jan + keldorn + jaheira (insect plague)
    His high number of frontliners (keldorn, jaheira, anomen, valygar) would allow him to avoid having too much micromanagement.

    Anyway any group relying on keldorn/jaheira/jan cannot go wrong since these 3 NPC will cover everything you need
  • GoturalGotural Member Posts: 1,229
    Anomen is a level 7 Fighter, he'll have as much APR as Paladin or Ranger or Multiclasses character (they will have 1 base APR + 1 level 13 + 1/2 from being specialized while he will have 1 base + 1/2 level 7 + 1 from being a grand master).

    Don't underestimate him, with some proper buffing he can kick more ass than Minsc or Keldorn could.
  • mumumomomumumomo Member Posts: 635
    I think anomen is a great fighter before HLA kicks in.
    Once everybody can use GWW or improved haste/critical strike, his damage output becomes unremarkable.
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