I don't want a thief! Is that ok?
Frogman
Member Posts: 153
Never played IWD, but I'm a BG1 & 2 Veteran. From the forums, it seems i wont need a thief for a successful runthrough including HOF, is that correct?
It doesn't sound like traps are devastating (i plan on having healers and a bard anyway) plus I'm hearing there are a few tough locks...but shouldnt a sorcerer with knock be able to take care of that?
It doesn't sound like traps are devastating (i plan on having healers and a bard anyway) plus I'm hearing there are a few tough locks...but shouldnt a sorcerer with knock be able to take care of that?
2
Comments
You'll know where every trap would be locate following a guide. So you'll just need to cast "Find Traps" right there with a Cleric, or simply send a summoned creature there (if this trap is the kind that is desabled when triggered once).
Also, you'll need to have Knock memorized everytime with your Wizard. And if you have 2 Knocks memorized, and 5 locks to open, you'll have to sleep two times to accomplish that.
Well... You "can" play without a Thief. But it will be sort of a metagame playthrough. Some could call it cheap or cheating. But I just call it boring. I wouldn't play like that, but, well... You can. It's your game, your playthrough.
The best Thieves take levels in prestige class "Accountant" or "Flower art design".
Besides, they usually smell better than the Druids anyway.
Have fun in Dragon's Eye!
Another solution is to dual class. Magic was tough in the original since there are few scrolls (found this out the HARD way) so you used to be limited to like one or one and a half mages, but now they will add two things that change this: sorcerers and new spells (so presumably new scrolls)
It might be a good idea to make a thief for your basic adventuring purposes, then dual them into a mage later on after you get some scrolls. If you have a sorcerer in your party, he can handle all your needs early on.
A lot of people really love having thieves that level up throughout the series, but if you don't plan on using sneak attack/backstab, traps or pickpocketing and just wanna worry about opening things and traps, you should be fine with a level 7 or 8 thief. Also keep in mind you can use the spell "knock" to unlock things.
I hear pickpocketing is not uber-useful in IWD, but you'd expect Beamdog to add a few goodies here and there. But you SHOULD be taking a bard anyway, so hopefully they will handle that
I'd recommend creating one character who can do thiefy stuff, but have another job too.
Some suggestions:
FMT
FT
T6, then dual to Mage
1 and 2 are straightforward multiclasses and are very straight forward.
3 is very nice, because with an 18 DEX, you can probably get 85 in locks and 90 in traps if you only boost those skills. If you want to be super careful, you can go to level 7. If you have a half Orc with a 19 STR and don't mind memorizing one knock spell (just in case the half Orc can't smash a lock open), I'd just boost traps to 100 and dual. You could do that after level 3!
Since Mages quite often learn spell slots before they can find appropriate scrolls to actually scribe, slowing down the Mage levels by covering your thief skills first is an easy, and beneficial bonus.
Seriously though, there's no reason to take a thief if you don't feel like it. You'll encounter a few more difficulties than most, but finding ways around the traps will be part of the fun. It's been a while since I played IWD, but I imagine some of the trap damage can be avoided with protection spells or potions.
Stuck up! She's helped lots of your kind!
She seems... unhinged enough.
Apparently Jaheira was pumped to go, but Khalid was too intimidated by the beebs manly charms to let her go.
You don't wanna a thief
To help with things you've gone through
Though it's hurting me
Now it's history
You have played all your chars
And that's what you've done too
Nothing more to say
No more ace to play
The bard - he takes it all
The loser's standing small
Beside the victory
That's her destiny
The gods may throw the dice (!)
Their minds as cold as ice (!)
And someone due to trapping here
Loses someone dear
The bard- he takes it all
The loser has to fall
It's simple and it's plain
Why should I complain?
But tell me does she hide
Like I used to hide behind?
Does it feel the same
When she sets a trap
Somewhere deep inside
You must know I’m a swashie
But what can I say?
Rules must be obeyed
The traps in dungeons will decide
The likes of me abide
Spectators of the show
Always staying low
The game is on again
A hunter or a dancer
A big thing or a small
The bard - he takes it all
You don't wanna a thief
If it makes you feel sad
And I understand
You've come to shake my hand
I apologize
If it makes you feel bad
Seeing a thief so tense
No self-confidence
But you see
The bard can’t take it all
The thief – it’s HE who takes it all...
That said, you don't need a pure class thief, a multi or dual will be enough for your needs. You can do an Imoen and dual into a mage for an all-around great character. (don't do a Nalia though, if you dual too early your skills will not be enough for the whole game)
Kenny Rogers: Gambler
Southpaw: Thief
On a warm summer's eve
On a dungeon crawl for nowhere
I met up with the Thief
We were both too tired to sleep
So we took turns a-starin'
Down the halls at the darkness
The boredom overtook us, he began to speak
He said, "Son, I've made a life
Out of raidin' people's purses
Knowin' where the traps were
By the way the dungeon looks
So if you don't mind me sayin'
I can see you're out of hitpoints
For a taste of your whiskey
I'll give you some advice"
So I handed him my bottle
And he drank down my last swallow
Then he bummed a cigarette
And asked me for a light
And the cave got deathly quiet
And his face lost all expression
He said, "If you're gonna play the game, boy
You gotta learn to play it right
You've got to know when to find 'em
Know when to disarm 'em
Know when to walk away
Know when to run
You never count your loot
When you're sittin' in the dungeon
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the run is done
Every Thief knows
That the secret to survivin'
Is knowin' when to look for traps
And knowin' when to disappear
'Cause every backstab's a winner
And every trap's a loser
And the best that you can hope for
Is not to die in your sleep"
And when he finished speakin'
He turned back toward the entrance
Crushed out his cigarette
And faded off to sleep
And somewhere in the dungeon
The Thief he broke even
And in his final words
I found an ace that I could keep
...