What class/gear would you use for a Valkyrie character? (with RP not powergaming emphasis)
Uncumber
Member Posts: 20
So! I've really been wanting to start a new character based on a classic norse valkyrie. But for the life of me I can't decide on a fitting class. I'd be planning to start in bg1 and run all the way through to ToB... but...
Paladins just seem a bit too.. knightly? A bit too 'ye old english'. But other than that I guess they fit. What's the order of the radiant heart like in BG2? I've never had a pally before so I've no idea, is it very.. knight-ish?
A Barbarian sounds good too, but then aren't they a little too, um, barbaric? I can't much imagine a valkyrie going in to 'rage' every battle.
A Cleric? They're a bit too casterly. Maybe a cleric of helm? Maybe a fighter/cleric?
I was thinking of going with northern/valkyrie themed gear. So stuff like Boots of the North, Runehammer etc. (I can't think of any more off the top of my head.. maybe white dragon plate?) Although if there's a nice spear with an in game description that I could fit in to a Valkyrie, that would be nice ^^ I don't mind if the gear isn't the best, as long as it's half-playable.
So what would you do!? I'm going through a million things in my head and not getting anywhere, it would be good to hear somebody elses point of view
1
Comments
edit: and after the heroic bard song, isn't the Skald one rendered useless? I thought I heard that.. it just doesn't sound like a fun class to play. Please correct me if I'm wrong though!
Edit: Oh, ninja'd
iiiif anybody has had a blast playing a Skald proagonist properly it would be great to hear.
Mm the ability to tank a bit does sound tempting though. I'm going to try and read up on Skalds now ^^
It's my Everest.
Edit: They always seemed best used passively, which I suppose turned me off from them initially. But really, they function as an upgraded Vanilla Bard, in battle. Given that I would much rather play a Jester than a kitless Bard, perhaps a Skald could draw me back to my roots…
Though I would, of course, have to make him a Dwarf.
Named Stonebeard.
Fond of heavy crossbows and axes.
*Scribbles down character concept*
Apart from singing and fighting there's of course still the option to cast spells (atm not many, but this will only become more), so all in all you'd still have a pretty diverse character. I think you could have a good time with a Valkyrie Skald. I'd recommend you to install the Rogue Rebalancing mod. It makes a number of nice changes to to bards and thieves. One of those is to secure that the Skald's song doesn't become obsolete at epic levels.
Having said that, I think a Barbarian or a Cleric would fit your concept nicely as well. Or maybe a Barbarian/Cleric dual or (if you're not against using a savegame editor) a multi. I've contemplated a dwarven Barbarian/Cleric for a next no-reload run, very strong and sturdy, and very Nordic
Edit:
You're also asking about gear. For weapons I'd go with bastard swords, hammers, axes, pole-arms. (Ideally you'd be using Shield and Spear but that's impossible of course). The Helm of Balduran. Ankheg Plate Mail (more so than Full Plate), Talos' Gift or Boots of The North, all make sense to me.
Singing
Identify with high lore
Boost up your team with arcane spells (Haste, Improved Invisbility, etc)
Tank if needed (But shouldn't get into such a position)
This is great if you're playing with bigger parties, but you'll fall short and get very bored with small parties.
But if you're going for purely RP and you're alright with the fact you're not playing your character to the best of his abilities, then pick a Skald. I personally love playing Skald but that's because of what i can give to my party, not for what i can do myself.
However, I really do appreciate your reply - a Skald would be so fitting if not for the gameplay aspect!
I think I'm going to end up rolling a barbarian/cleric as you mentioned, that does sound fitting and also sounds like quite a powerhouse! I'm contemplating a mage focusing on cold/icey/shock spells too but I'm not sure there's quite enough of those spells, so that's something to look up. Though yeah, I think I'll end up with a multi barbarian anyway!
Thanks so much for the replies though guys, it has actually been very helpful in coming to a decision
I understand your point: I also had difficlty getting used to the fact that my Skald isn't the main bad*ss on the battlefield. I'm starting to see my protagonist now more as a 'field general' rather than a 'champion'. (I've even considered raising his WIS via EEKeeper and lowering another stat accordingly although the tomes will also help). But I agree that a Valkyrie should be a champion on the battlefield. Valkyries were chosen to put their lives in the balance on the battlefield after all.
You'll probably have a blast with a Barbarian/Cleric, never tried one but they're high on my to-roll list. I'm wondering which race you would play for a Barbarian/Cleric.
As to Cold/Elecricity spells for a Mage, there are a few nice ones at the lower/intermediate spell levels, but maybe not enough to turn your Valykyrie into a harbinger of (cold/electric) elemental destruction.
Ah re: items you asked about in your first post: it would be awesome if you found and used the (Silver/Bronze/Iron) Horn of Walhalla. That item seems made for your character. Wow congratulation on your concept. I'm really starting to dig your Valkyrie.
So a female human, berserker dual to cleric, of neutral alignment, would be really good. Weapon of choice, for roleplaying, warhammer, would be good, because it's thor's favorite one (one of the most popular norse gods). You can also pick a flail/morning star for second weapon, and dual wield, even max your single and sword and shield, getting all combos thusly. Points are enough for grandmasterying 2 weapons of choice.
For example, in the Valkyrie Profile games they are depicted as holy warriors. So Paladin is fitting.
I think the most fitting of all is a Fighter/Cleric or as @Demonoid_Limewire said, Berserker/Cleric. Chaotic Neutral.
I would make a Female Chaotic Neutral Half-Elf Fighter/Cleric and give her wings with a mod or EEKeeper perhaps.
By the way, though. There's a Valkyrie creature in 3E Deities and Demigods. She's a level 20 Paladin. So for BG, I would say Cavalier.
ADnD 1E has them as Chaotic Neutral Fighter/Bards, I think. So Skalds perhaps.
Pathfinder has them as Chaotic Neutral creatures with spears. No class.
Tome of Battle 3.5E also has them as Chaotic Neutral. No class but they have stances.
EDIT: Removed the picture as it serves no point. It's one version of many.
BG2Tweaks has a component that lets you dual class Barbarians.
(Once you get to mid-game BG2, this advantage does become nullified.)
Bards are really fun, but if you want a more powerhouse protagonist, start a multiplayer game and create a Barbarian (or Barb-Cleric) as player 1, with a Skald as player 2... You can then move the save data into the single player folder and have your hulking barbarian travel with their own personal chronicler/squire/aide!
My Bards are usually Blades, so by that point they've switched to becoming mincing machines.
For weapons I recommend picking long sword, spears and maybe shields, from a RP point of view of course (and both longswords and spears are great in a PG way too!).
I made a Valkyrie kit mod but it seems that there isn't a way to prevent males from choosing the kit, so I haven't worked on it anymore. They decide, from those that die in battle who goes to Valhalla and who remains to be buried in the Hella (was it written that way?). They are divine female warriors and servants of Wotan (Odin), born human and later raised as fighters.
My other idea was again a Fallen Valkyrie, but as Blackguard with WINGS06
For companions, I've chosen from a mixed RP-PG point of view, while I played solo in BG1.
Valkerys are normally pictured wield either a spear and shield or sword and shield. rarely with just a spear. spear and shield how ever is not possible in BG so you might be best off with long sword and shield.