@mikkle Actually you can sing and fight or sing and cast at the same time but it's micro-heavy in a 6man party.
You need to sing first until the buff appears then you can do something else as the buff lasts for 6 seconds.
A Bard (or one of its kit) singing and casting a spell at the same time every rounds is such a valuable party member, definitely a must have in a powergaming party to my mind.
Oh my it sounds like such a pain. Even if the few seconds buff is so worth to sacrifice whole character for it, utilising that properly takes more effort and thinking than casting high level cleric/Mage spells and getting same effect and more
Skald song is most valuable in a party with lots of attacks. As an example: Berserker (dual axe) Undead Hunter (dual longsword) Fighter/Cleric (Morningstar/shield) Avenger (darts) Sorcerer (darts) Skald
At level 1 this party has 12.5 attacks per round which lets the Skald do 25 damage per round with the song which is very strong (not to mention additional hits from better THAC0 and less damage taken from better AC).
At level 7 this party has 21 APR with haste giving the Skald a contribution of 42 damage per round, still very nice!
By level 15 the party can have up to 50 APR which is a contribution of 200 damage per round with Skald Song not to mention the possibility of having a Mislead clone sing allowing the Skald to attack or cast spells.
Obviously the Skald shines in a party with good APR which you can maximise via dual wielding, Fast/Action weapons and shapechanges abilities.
I'm gonna play IWD:EE for the first time, but I don't like large parties. In fact, I'm having a blast soloing BG trilogy with SCS on difficult with a thief/illusionist. So I'd like to keep my party small.
I have two questions. To see a lot of the side quests and class-specific stuff, this thread recommends a paladin (or kit), a druid (or kit/multi), and a bard.
1. What's a good first-time party of 4? Or should I just suck it up and do something wild like play 6 all single-classed characters with kits (save for a something/thief)?
I'm gonna play IWD:EE for the first time, but I don't like large parties. In fact, I'm having a blast soloing BG trilogy with SCS on difficult with a thief/illusionist. So I'd like to keep my party small.
I have two questions. To see a lot of the side quests and class-specific stuff, this thread recommends a paladin (or kit), a druid (or kit/multi), and a bard.
1. What's a good first-time party of 4? Or should I just suck it up and do something wild like play 6 all single-classed characters with kits (save for a something/thief)?
And,
2. Are wizard slayers also poo here?
You could use the suggested paladin, druid, bard, and round it out with a cleric/thief or dual a thief over to cleric after 6th level and cover everything you need.
You won't run into many wizards here. Don't bother.
I'm gonna play IWD:EE for the first time, but I don't like large parties. In fact, I'm having a blast soloing BG trilogy with SCS on difficult with a thief/illusionist. So I'd like to keep my party small.
I have two questions. To see a lot of the side quests and class-specific stuff, this thread recommends a paladin (or kit), a druid (or kit/multi), and a bard.
1. What's a good first-time party of 4? Or should I just suck it up and do something wild like play 6 all single-classed characters with kits (save for a something/thief)?
And,
2. Are wizard slayers also poo here?
You could use the suggested paladin, druid, bard, and round it out with a cleric/thief or dual a thief over to cleric after 6th level and cover everything you need.
You won't run into many wizards here. Don't bother.
Really? even without a mage? Seems bonkers coming from BG, but that would certainly be interesting. Would you make some of those multi-classes? I hear fighters are important.
I'm gonna play IWD:EE for the first time, but I don't like large parties. In fact, I'm having a blast soloing BG trilogy with SCS on difficult with a thief/illusionist. So I'd like to keep my party small.
I have two questions. To see a lot of the side quests and class-specific stuff, this thread recommends a paladin (or kit), a druid (or kit/multi), and a bard.
1. What's a good first-time party of 4? Or should I just suck it up and do something wild like play 6 all single-classed characters with kits (save for a something/thief)?
And,
2. Are wizard slayers also poo here?
You could use the suggested paladin, druid, bard, and round it out with a cleric/thief or dual a thief over to cleric after 6th level and cover everything you need.
You won't run into many wizards here. Don't bother.
Really? even without a mage? Seems bonkers coming from BG, but that would certainly be interesting. Would you make some of those multi-classes? I hear fighters are important.
I would always have a mage myself, but you mentioned a smaller party. Your bard can cast mage spells pretty effectively, especially level based spells. With Strength, Stoneskin, Mirror Image, Blur, they can tank okay too. The druid will be able to tank decently with the werewolf and greater werewolf forms combined with the iron skins spell. I don't like multiclassing druids, it takes too damn long to get those extra 7th level spells.
4 person party: Paladin (vanilla or kit, just not Inquisitor) Druid (any kit or dual from fighter) Bard (probably Blade in a small party) Thief (any kit dualed to any class or any multi)
I did this party with: Blackguard Blade Avenger Assassin 13 -> Mage
Make sure that the blade is the appropriate alignment to get the familiar with decent find traps.
With the druid you could even think about dropping the cleric altogether and having a mage/thief instead because you can get more than enough healing from the bard using the war chant of the sith. Lots of other bonuses too during combat. Actually best to play thief up to level 6 or so to max out open locks and find traps then dual to mage.
you can get more than enough healing from the bard using the war chant of the sith.
You'll only get access to War Chant of the Sith pretty late in the game, after the hardest dungeons are already completed.
If you are trying to optimize end-game power, it could be an option, but for newbies trying to play the game for the first time, dropping the Cleric is not good advise IMO.
One could go with full druid and multi cleric combo, or the other way around with fighter/druid & full class cleric. As for arcane spellpower, Bard + Avenger can substitute a mage. Other option for more healing and buffing spells is to dual thief to cleric after level 6. Swashbuckler would be a good candidate. But I agree with @ineth , dropping cleric is not advisable.
you can get more than enough healing from the bard using the war chant of the sith.
You'll only get access to War Chant of the Sith pretty late in the game, after the hardest dungeons are already completed.
If you are trying to optimize end-game power, it could be an option, but for newbies trying to play the game for the first time, dropping the Cleric is not good advise IMO.
I think the bard would need to get to 13th level for that song, but it didn't take me that long last time since bards level up pretty quickly. I know what you mean though, personally I run with a party of 5-6 so I would always have a cleric or two but the OP was looking for a smaller party and I think this would be do-able with smart usage of healing potions and the druid to heal. It would depend on the difficulty setting a great deal as well, normal or core would be a lot easier than hard or insane obviously.
With the druid you could even think about dropping the cleric altogether and having a mage/thief instead because you can get more than enough healing from the bard using the war chant of the sith. Lots of other bonuses too during combat. Actually best to play thief up to level 6 or so to max out open locks and find traps then dual to mage.
That's what I'm doing, through now I'm not sure whether to go cleric or mage... I kind of like the idea of a playthrough with no arcane, but I'm not sure how handicapping that'll be, given the seemingly large amount of weak mobs and the few AoE damage spells clerics and druids have compared to mages. Though the bard is acting as a kind of mage, I suppose.
What about going Thief->Mage or Mage/Thief? I believe that a Paladin and a Druid can provide enough healing for the party with a Thief/Mage and a Bard.
You could also make the Druid a Berserker->Druid which is probably one of the most powerful dual-classess of the game, and then a Thief/Cleric.
Druids are better healers than clerics for much of the game due to their fast initial leveling and their summon nymph spell which gives mass cure light wounds at level 7(!).
Druids are also excellent at dealing with trash mobs via AoE spells in IWDee due to their expanded spell list, avenger kit just adds additional gravy.
In a 4 person party Druid really is enough of a healer and bard is enough of an arcane (they get Mage spells up to level 8). With a paladin on the frontline to provide a little extra healing (they get priest spells sooner in IWDee compared to BG) your 4th slot can really go any way, even a pure swashbuckler or assassin if you like.
This is the party that I'm currently running through IWD with, which I'm really quite pleased with. My intention was to create a party that was versatile and efficient, but without simply min/maxing the stats so that the party members wouldn't look out-of-place in comparison with BG1's NPCs (since I basically view IWD as a prequel to BG1).
This is my party leader, an elven ranger with 19 dext:
She's probably the most versatile warrior of the group - she can scout/stealth ahead to reveal ambushes, she's an expert markswoman, she can handle herself in melee, and (upon reaching level 6) she has a limited ability to cast druid spells. Although her strength isn't particularly high, it's just high enough to allow her to use composite bows and wear most armor. She also gets a racial enemy bonus against giants.
A half-orc barbarian with 19 str, dual wielding short swords:
Combining incredible str AND speed, she's able to "rush" enemies and (thanks to the low speed factor of short swords) chunk them to pieces before they even have a chance to react. Her barbarian rage gives her extra chunking ability as well as immunity to certain spells that are often encountered in IWD.
A berserker with 18/99 str, 17 con:
A heavy damage-dealing flanker, also providing some extra artillery fire with a crossbow (even though he has low dext, there are a number of crossbows in IWD that give substantial THAC0 bonuses).
A dwarven Priest of Tempus:
The party's main cleric/healer, he also doubles as a tank.
A gnomish cleric/thief:
The party's thief, and backup cleric/healer.
A mage:
I chose a vanilla mage so that she could have access to any spell.
I'm a few hours into IWDEE with a four man party on Insane and... let's just say I'm thinking of adjusting things a little and starting over.
I'm curious about Archers. No one seems to mention them here. Are they as mediocre in IWD as BG2? With all these narrow corridors I'm thinking a dedicated Archer might be really useful.
How about proficiencies for a Fighter/Druid? Quarterstaves or Spears? I'm thinking a longer range two handed weapon could be handy if I'm running an Undead Hunter (Long Sword and Shield) and Berserker(9)-Cleric (Flail/Morning Star and Shield) as tanks.
Dont know if its best, but its fun for me and gets damned strong later on:
Blackguard - The setting of IWD is very fitting for one, and their abilities make some of the harder battles much more palatable, especially if you are playing in the harder modes.
Beserker - nothing like a big, bad orc dual weilding some axes and morningstars. The beserk helps in tricky battles as well.
Skald - one amazing bard kit, awesome for just the bard song, and can be made into a competent caster. Also great for identifying loot on the fly without having to screw with spells.
Priest of Tempus - the group buff is really nice, better than the other cleric specialists, IMO. Stacks with the bard song.
Assassin or Bounty Hunter - interchangable. The BH traps are great for softening up tough battles.
Sorceror :Dragon Disciple - Dragon breath is fun, and the other bonuses make up for initial lack of spells. dont have to split scrolls between himself and the bard.
[...] I'm curious about Archers. No one seems to mention them here. Are they as mediocre in IWD as BG2? With all these narrow corridors I'm thinking a dedicated Archer might be really useful.
[...]
I've completed the game with 4 archers, a clerif/thief and a skald. It was...not very challenging. The archers would usually turn any enemy into a pincushion before they would reach the party. The skald's song and cleric's buffs made the archers' attacks even more powerful. Casting web, grease (skald) and entangle (archers) to immobilize enemy groups was also a strategy I sometimes put to good use.
Really, the only difficulty this party faced were enemies that could only be hurt by +2 weapons - there are simply not that many arrows +2 in the game.
Hey guys. I have just started IWD EE for the Nth time. Finally i think i have the setup that im happy with.
Paladin Cavalier (party leader) Fighter Cleric (dwarf) Bard (half elf) Cleric (human) Rogue (Dual class to mage after Level 6) Wizard.
I hope i have enough tanks to manage through this, but i can make the cleric also tank if it turns needed.
Only just arrived in Kuldahar. Vale of Shadows next
I'd always have a Druid if possible.
Well, you can swap the single-class Cleric for a Druid without any problems I'd guess, and it'll still be a solid setup (although I find it more suitable for BG than for IwD I think it's still good).
I just *finally* finished IWD/HoW/TotL with an Uberparty in HoF mode. Heres how I ended up: ******************************************************* JOY Human Paladin 30; XP 10,536,590 STR: 18/89; DEX: 18; CON: 18; INT: 14; WIS: 14; CHA: 19 HP 165; AC -15 MELEE 1: Axe of the Minotaur Lord +4 MELEE 2: Three White Doves +3 MISSILE: Throwing Axe +2 ARMOR: The Glory of Suffering +6 GLOVES: Gauntlets of Weapon Expertise HELM: Illian's Hunting Helm AMULET: none SHIELD: Shield of the Hand RING 1: Ring of Missile Deflection RING 2: Ring of Free Action BELT: Shimmering Sash BOOTS: Boots of the North CLOAK: Wailing of Virgins
ARYA Human Swashbuckler 20/Fighter 30; XP 2,220,000/9,336,596 STR: 19; DEX: 18; CON: 16; INT: 19; WIS: 13; CHA 16 HP: 150; AC -18 MELEE 1: Singing Blade of Aihonen +5 MELEE 2: Shocking Flail +4 MISSILE: Repeating Heavy Crossbow +3 ARMOR: none GLOVES: Silver Bracers of Kedl HELM: Chautog's Thinker AMULET: Black Wolf Talisman SHIELD: none RING 1: Ring of Protection +2 Ring 2: Ring of Free Action BELT: Girdle of Strommos BOOTS: Boots of Stealth CLOAK: Cloak of Invisibility
SEDARIS Half-elf Fighter 29/Druid 30; XP: 5,267,752/5,267,752 STR: 19; DEX: 18; CON: 18; INT: 13; WIS: 18; CHA: 15 HP: 159; AC -9 MELEE 1: Svian's Club +5 MELEE 2: Wind of Heaven +4, +5 vs Elementals MISSILE: Lover +4 ARMOR: Bathed-in-Blood +4 GLOVES: Gauntlets of Weapon Expertise HELM: Helmet of Charm Protection AMULET: none SHIELD: The Red Knight's Shield +3 RING 1: Ring of Dwarven Bone RING 2: Ring of Free Action BELT: Girdle of Ogre Blood BOOTS: Boots of Speed CLOAK: Cloak of Displacement
KRYSTAL Human Priest of Lathander 18/Mage 30; XP: 2,250,000/9,335,505 STR: 18/00; DEX: 16; CON: 16; INT: 18; WIS 22; CHA: 16 HP: 120; AC -6 MELEE: Skullflail +4 MISSILE: Jamison's Sling +4 ARMOR: Shadowed Robe GLOVES: Gauntlets of Ogre Power HELM: Cyclocone AMULET: Kossuth's Blood SHIELD: Great Shield +3 RING 1: Ring of Holiness RING 2: Ring of Free Action BELT: Golden Girdle BOOTS: Boots of Avoidance CLOAK: Mithran's Cloak
MEPHISTO Elf Sorcerer 30; XP: 10,534,239 STR: 14; DEX: 19; CON: 16; INT: 18; WIS 18; CHA: 15 HP: 81; AC -4 MELEE: Mage Dagger +4 MISSILE: none ARMOR: Robe of Armory GLOVES: none HELM: Cyclocone AMULET: Amulet of Metaspell Influence SHIELD: none RING 1: Kontik's Ring of Wizardry RING 2: Ring of Free Action BELT: Golden Girdle BOOTS: Boots of the North CLOAK: Cloak of Displacement
@theoduck what were the kill stats for the characters? Was the run satisfying? Which characters were strongest? Weakest? Would you have changed any characters if you'd known better?
Personally I'd always go for a Skald in a HoF run, the AC bonus is just so convenient for maximising efficiency.
Seems a bit light on healing while waiting to get back priest levels too?
Also seems light on arcane power, that's a fair chunk of the game to have only one arcane spell cast per round?
@theoduck what were the kill stats for the characters? Was the run satisfying? Which characters were strongest? Weakest? Would you have changed any characters if you'd known better?
Personally I'd always go for a Skald in a HoF run, the AC bonus is just so convenient for maximising efficiency.
Seems a bit light on healing while waiting to get back priest levels too?
Also seems light on arcane power, that's a fair chunk of the game to have only one arcane spell cast per round?
Joy (Paladin) 34% total XP; 33% total kills; 351 kills Arya (Swashbuckler/Fighter) 33% total XP; 33% total kills; 360 kills Sedaris (Fighter/Druid) 10% total XP; 9% total kills; 102 kills Krystal (Priest of Lathander/Mage) 2% total XP; 4% total kills; 51 kills Mephisto (Sorcerer) 3% total XP; 4% total kils; 50 kils Grath (Fighter/Thief) 14% total XP; 13% total kills; 145 kills
Non dual-classers started with 1,200,000 XP Dual-classers began IWD with enough XP to start the second class
Yes, it was very challenging, despite the fact that all characters started the game with a ring of free action. My thinking on that was if a character got held, it was just gonna be a reload anyway, so I just cut out the middle man. There were some really tough parts of the game that required precise tactics -- the troll & spider level of Dragon's Eye was very hard -- harder than the fight with Yxunomei. My Paladin just barely beat Presio in single combat.
I liked this party a lot. It was a challenge, but rarely did anyone get offed -- I had to choose my sorcerer's spells very carefully; all debilitators (web, chaos, hold undead). Improved haste was handy to have... animate dead was a real game-changer, particularly at high levels; opponents would go for the undead, which were immune to big damage spells like horrid wilting.
Comments
As an example:
Berserker (dual axe)
Undead Hunter (dual longsword)
Fighter/Cleric (Morningstar/shield)
Avenger (darts)
Sorcerer (darts)
Skald
At level 1 this party has 12.5 attacks per round which lets the Skald do 25 damage per round with the song which is very strong (not to mention additional hits from better THAC0 and less damage taken from better AC).
At level 7 this party has 21 APR with haste giving the Skald a contribution of 42 damage per round, still very nice!
By level 15 the party can have up to 50 APR which is a contribution of 200 damage per round with Skald Song not to mention the possibility of having a Mislead clone sing allowing the Skald to attack or cast spells.
Obviously the Skald shines in a party with good APR which you can maximise via dual wielding, Fast/Action weapons and shapechanges abilities.
I have two questions. To see a lot of the side quests and class-specific stuff, this thread recommends a paladin (or kit), a druid (or kit/multi), and a bard.
1. What's a good first-time party of 4? Or should I just suck it up and do something wild like play 6 all single-classed characters with kits (save for a something/thief)?
And,
2. Are wizard slayers also poo here?
You won't run into many wizards here. Don't bother.
Paladin (vanilla or kit, just not Inquisitor)
Druid (any kit or dual from fighter)
Bard (probably Blade in a small party)
Thief (any kit dualed to any class or any multi)
I did this party with:
Blackguard
Blade
Avenger
Assassin 13 -> Mage
Make sure that the blade is the appropriate alignment to get the familiar with decent find traps.
Soloing is totally fine too if you prefer.
If you are trying to optimize end-game power, it could be an option, but for newbies trying to play the game for the first time, dropping the Cleric is not good advise IMO.
As for arcane spellpower, Bard + Avenger can substitute a mage.
Other option for more healing and buffing spells is to dual thief to cleric after level 6. Swashbuckler would be a good candidate.
But I agree with @ineth , dropping cleric is not advisable.
You could also make the Druid a Berserker->Druid which is probably one of the most powerful dual-classess of the game, and then a Thief/Cleric.
Druids are also excellent at dealing with trash mobs via AoE spells in IWDee due to their expanded spell list, avenger kit just adds additional gravy.
In a 4 person party Druid really is enough of a healer and bard is enough of an arcane (they get Mage spells up to level 8). With a paladin on the frontline to provide a little extra healing (they get priest spells sooner in IWDee compared to BG) your 4th slot can really go any way, even a pure swashbuckler or assassin if you like.
This is the party that I'm currently running through IWD with, which I'm really quite pleased with. My intention was to create a party that was versatile and efficient, but without simply min/maxing the stats so that the party members wouldn't look out-of-place in comparison with BG1's NPCs (since I basically view IWD as a prequel to BG1).
This is my party leader, an elven ranger with 19 dext:
She's probably the most versatile warrior of the group - she can scout/stealth ahead to reveal ambushes, she's an expert markswoman, she can handle herself in melee, and (upon reaching level 6) she has a limited ability to cast druid spells. Although her strength isn't particularly high, it's just high enough to allow her to use composite bows and wear most armor. She also gets a racial enemy bonus against giants.
A half-orc barbarian with 19 str, dual wielding short swords:
Combining incredible str AND speed, she's able to "rush" enemies and (thanks to the low speed factor of short swords) chunk them to pieces before they even have a chance to react. Her barbarian rage gives her extra chunking ability as well as immunity to certain spells that are often encountered in IWD.
A berserker with 18/99 str, 17 con:
A heavy damage-dealing flanker, also providing some extra artillery fire with a crossbow (even though he has low dext, there are a number of crossbows in IWD that give substantial THAC0 bonuses).
A dwarven Priest of Tempus:
The party's main cleric/healer, he also doubles as a tank.
A gnomish cleric/thief:
The party's thief, and backup cleric/healer.
A mage:
I chose a vanilla mage so that she could have access to any spell.
I'm curious about Archers. No one seems to mention them here. Are they as mediocre in IWD as BG2? With all these narrow corridors I'm thinking a dedicated Archer might be really useful.
How about proficiencies for a Fighter/Druid? Quarterstaves or Spears? I'm thinking a longer range two handed weapon could be handy if I'm running an Undead Hunter (Long Sword and Shield) and Berserker(9)-Cleric (Flail/Morning Star and Shield) as tanks.
They only loose out in BG2 because so many enemies are immune.
For Fighter/Druids I would concentrate on slings and clubs. You'll find a few nice scimitars as well.
Blackguard - The setting of IWD is very fitting for one, and their abilities make some of the harder battles much more palatable, especially if you are playing in the harder modes.
Beserker - nothing like a big, bad orc dual weilding some axes and morningstars. The beserk helps in tricky battles as well.
Skald - one amazing bard kit, awesome for just the bard song, and can be made into a competent caster. Also great for identifying loot on the fly without having to screw with spells.
Priest of Tempus - the group buff is really nice, better than the other cleric specialists, IMO. Stacks with the bard song.
Assassin or Bounty Hunter - interchangable. The BH traps are great for softening up tough battles.
Sorceror :Dragon Disciple - Dragon breath is fun, and the other bonuses make up for initial lack of spells. dont have to split scrolls between himself and the bard.
That's my favorit build.
It was...not very challenging. The archers would usually turn any enemy into a pincushion before they would reach the party. The skald's song and cleric's buffs made the archers' attacks even more powerful.
Casting web, grease (skald) and entangle (archers) to immobilize enemy groups was also a strategy I sometimes put to good use.
Really, the only difficulty this party faced were enemies that could only be hurt by +2 weapons - there are simply not that many arrows +2 in the game.
I have just started IWD EE for the Nth time. Finally i think i have the setup that im happy with.
Paladin Cavalier (party leader)
Fighter Cleric (dwarf)
Bard (half elf)
Cleric (human)
Rogue (Dual class to mage after Level 6)
Wizard.
I hope i have enough tanks to manage through this, but i can make the cleric also tank if it turns needed.
Only just arrived in Kuldahar. Vale of Shadows next
*******************************************************
JOY
Human Paladin 30; XP 10,536,590
STR: 18/89; DEX: 18; CON: 18; INT: 14; WIS: 14; CHA: 19
HP 165; AC -15
MELEE 1: Axe of the Minotaur Lord +4
MELEE 2: Three White Doves +3
MISSILE: Throwing Axe +2
ARMOR: The Glory of Suffering +6
GLOVES: Gauntlets of Weapon Expertise
HELM: Illian's Hunting Helm
AMULET: none
SHIELD: Shield of the Hand
RING 1: Ring of Missile Deflection
RING 2: Ring of Free Action
BELT: Shimmering Sash
BOOTS: Boots of the North
CLOAK: Wailing of Virgins
*******************************************************
ARYA
Human Swashbuckler 20/Fighter 30; XP 2,220,000/9,336,596
STR: 19; DEX: 18; CON: 16; INT: 19; WIS: 13; CHA 16
HP: 150; AC -18
MELEE 1: Singing Blade of Aihonen +5
MELEE 2: Shocking Flail +4
MISSILE: Repeating Heavy Crossbow +3
ARMOR: none
GLOVES: Silver Bracers of Kedl
HELM: Chautog's Thinker
AMULET: Black Wolf Talisman
SHIELD: none
RING 1: Ring of Protection +2
Ring 2: Ring of Free Action
BELT: Girdle of Strommos
BOOTS: Boots of Stealth
CLOAK: Cloak of Invisibility
*******************************************************
SEDARIS
Half-elf Fighter 29/Druid 30; XP: 5,267,752/5,267,752
STR: 19; DEX: 18; CON: 18; INT: 13; WIS: 18; CHA: 15
HP: 159; AC -9
MELEE 1: Svian's Club +5
MELEE 2: Wind of Heaven +4, +5 vs Elementals
MISSILE: Lover +4
ARMOR: Bathed-in-Blood +4
GLOVES: Gauntlets of Weapon Expertise
HELM: Helmet of Charm Protection
AMULET: none
SHIELD: The Red Knight's Shield +3
RING 1: Ring of Dwarven Bone
RING 2: Ring of Free Action
BELT: Girdle of Ogre Blood
BOOTS: Boots of Speed
CLOAK: Cloak of Displacement
*******************************************************
KRYSTAL
Human Priest of Lathander 18/Mage 30; XP: 2,250,000/9,335,505
STR: 18/00; DEX: 16; CON: 16; INT: 18; WIS 22; CHA: 16
HP: 120; AC -6
MELEE: Skullflail +4
MISSILE: Jamison's Sling +4
ARMOR: Shadowed Robe
GLOVES: Gauntlets of Ogre Power
HELM: Cyclocone
AMULET: Kossuth's Blood
SHIELD: Great Shield +3
RING 1: Ring of Holiness
RING 2: Ring of Free Action
BELT: Golden Girdle
BOOTS: Boots of Avoidance
CLOAK: Mithran's Cloak
*******************************************************
MEPHISTO
Elf Sorcerer 30; XP: 10,534,239
STR: 14; DEX: 19; CON: 16; INT: 18; WIS 18; CHA: 15
HP: 81; AC -4
MELEE: Mage Dagger +4
MISSILE: none
ARMOR: Robe of Armory
GLOVES: none
HELM: Cyclocone
AMULET: Amulet of Metaspell Influence
SHIELD: none
RING 1: Kontik's Ring of Wizardry
RING 2: Ring of Free Action
BELT: Golden Girdle
BOOTS: Boots of the North
CLOAK: Cloak of Displacement
*******************************************************
GRATH
Half-orc Fighter 29/Thief 30; XP: 5,267,116/5,267,116
STR: 19; DEX: 18; CON: 19; INT: 16; WIS: 14; CHA: 12
HP: 161; AC: -9
MELEE 1: Solemn Duty +3
MELEE 2: Morning Star +4, Defender
MISSILE: Longbow +3, Repeater
ARMOR: Shadowed Studded Leather +4
GLOVES: none
HELM: Rogue's Cowl
AMULET: Symbol of Corellon Larethian
SHIELD: none
RING 1: Ring of Shadows
RING 2: Ring of Free Action
BELT: Bone Marrow Belt
BOOTS: Boots of Stealth
CLOAK: Cloak of Scintillating Colors
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Personally I'd always go for a Skald in a HoF run, the AC bonus is just so convenient for maximising efficiency.
Seems a bit light on healing while waiting to get back priest levels too?
Also seems light on arcane power, that's a fair chunk of the game to have only one arcane spell cast per round?
Arya (Swashbuckler/Fighter) 33% total XP; 33% total kills; 360 kills
Sedaris (Fighter/Druid) 10% total XP; 9% total kills; 102 kills
Krystal (Priest of Lathander/Mage) 2% total XP; 4% total kills; 51 kills
Mephisto (Sorcerer) 3% total XP; 4% total kils; 50 kils
Grath (Fighter/Thief) 14% total XP; 13% total kills; 145 kills
Non dual-classers started with 1,200,000 XP
Dual-classers began IWD with enough XP to start the second class
Yes, it was very challenging, despite the fact that all characters started the game with a ring of free action. My thinking on that was if a character got held, it was just gonna be a reload anyway, so I just cut out the middle man. There were some really tough parts of the game that required precise tactics -- the troll & spider level of Dragon's Eye was very hard -- harder than the fight with Yxunomei. My Paladin just barely beat Presio in single combat.
I liked this party a lot. It was a challenge, but rarely did anyone get offed -- I had to choose my sorcerer's spells very carefully; all debilitators (web, chaos, hold undead). Improved haste was handy to have... animate dead was a real game-changer, particularly at high levels; opponents would go for the undead, which were immune to big damage spells like horrid wilting.