Good Party Suggestions? (SPOILERS)
sorcerin
Member Posts: 58
Hello, all,
I'm thinking about a future play-through of BGII:EE, and would like some suggestions for a good party.
Here is the background:
I've played through Pre-EE BG II three times (CHARNAME was a monk, had Minsc and Anomen, used the multi-player -> single player trick to make the rest of my party, and used various cheats and exploits). I had Ascension and High Level Monk Abilities mods on one of these playthroughs.) Most recently, I played through BGII:EE (Core difficulty, CHARNAME was an inquisitor, party included Minsc, Jaheira, Anomen, Neera, and Yoshimo -> Imoen. No cheats or exploits. No mods.) I had Korgan in my party once just long enough to do his side quest, then booted him. I have not had Sarevok or any other characters in my party.
I'd like to put together a good party for another playthrough, higher difficulty, but different NPCs. I liked having the functional equivalent of four tanks, two clerics, two mages, and a thief on my last playthrough. Party was very versatile.
For my next game, my priority is to get Sarevok immediately in ToB, and I also want a good party. MY next priority is not to have to worry about characters leaving due to party reputation. I'm thinking this:
CHARNAME (Inquisitor)
Minsc (Interested in his interaction with Aerie)
Mazzy or Keldorn -> Sarevok
Aerie (as primary cleric, also for romance)
Nalia (as primary mage, not for thief capabilities)
Yoshimo -> Imoen or Jan
I figure replacing Mazzy with Sarevok would not degrade my party's capabilities. Alternatively, having Keldorn gives me an opportunity to have an empty slot, as I hear he may leave permanently as part of his side quest.
I like having multiple tanks, though I found two sufficient for most fights, three good for most other fights, and really only used four for about two fights. I could be persuaded to change the class of my protagonist, though I like my protagonist to be the primary tank. I have found the monk and inquisitor class great for this role. (Also, my inquisitor played through BGI:EE, and has some stats boosts as a result.)
Any thoughts/advice?
Thanks in advance!
I'm thinking about a future play-through of BGII:EE, and would like some suggestions for a good party.
Here is the background:
I've played through Pre-EE BG II three times (CHARNAME was a monk, had Minsc and Anomen, used the multi-player -> single player trick to make the rest of my party, and used various cheats and exploits). I had Ascension and High Level Monk Abilities mods on one of these playthroughs.) Most recently, I played through BGII:EE (Core difficulty, CHARNAME was an inquisitor, party included Minsc, Jaheira, Anomen, Neera, and Yoshimo -> Imoen. No cheats or exploits. No mods.) I had Korgan in my party once just long enough to do his side quest, then booted him. I have not had Sarevok or any other characters in my party.
I'd like to put together a good party for another playthrough, higher difficulty, but different NPCs. I liked having the functional equivalent of four tanks, two clerics, two mages, and a thief on my last playthrough. Party was very versatile.
For my next game, my priority is to get Sarevok immediately in ToB, and I also want a good party. MY next priority is not to have to worry about characters leaving due to party reputation. I'm thinking this:
CHARNAME (Inquisitor)
Minsc (Interested in his interaction with Aerie)
Mazzy or Keldorn -> Sarevok
Aerie (as primary cleric, also for romance)
Nalia (as primary mage, not for thief capabilities)
Yoshimo -> Imoen or Jan
I figure replacing Mazzy with Sarevok would not degrade my party's capabilities. Alternatively, having Keldorn gives me an opportunity to have an empty slot, as I hear he may leave permanently as part of his side quest.
I like having multiple tanks, though I found two sufficient for most fights, three good for most other fights, and really only used four for about two fights. I could be persuaded to change the class of my protagonist, though I like my protagonist to be the primary tank. I have found the monk and inquisitor class great for this role. (Also, my inquisitor played through BGI:EE, and has some stats boosts as a result.)
Any thoughts/advice?
Thanks in advance!
0
Comments
I'd definitely go with Mazzy over Keldorn because of charname's class.
Jan and Minsc have some worthwhile dialogues too. He might fit in with this party better than Imoen.
Keldorn does not have to leave, it is dependent on your dialog choices.
As a side note, I have gotten to the point of playing only clerics and thieves for charname. Party construction is quite limited by the choice of NPCs in these categories. Playing one yourself makes the party stronger and opens up possibilities for playing with a more creative mix of NPCs. I really enjoyed my C/T for this reason.
Initially, I had started with Imoen, Jaheira, Minsc and me. Immediately I added Anomen as the front fighter, freed Viconia as I love priests, and added Nalia for the thieving skills and the first real quests. While doing the maths for the future proficiencies of Anomen and Viconia, I thought it would be an opportunity to give Mazzy a try. Thinking about it further, I decided to keep Minsc as a two-handed weapon beast and to only drop him a few times, so I could make room for Valygar or Cernd.
Eventually, I had to kick Jaheira's butt anyway after her annoying Harpers' trouble stuff, and she made it even easier since she announced that we won't meet again. I take it she really has gone somewhere I won't be able to pick her up again. Of course, with two clerics in the party, a fighter/druid doesn't add much. She has ruined it so to say.
Enter Mazzy. Amazing girl she is. Really! It's a long time ago I've had fun with archers. She's quick, even quicker with an advanced shortbow. No need for Insect Plague from Jaheira to interrupt spell casters. What a surprise how quickly she takes out the early enemies. And being a single-class fighter, she advances fast and works on becoming proficient with axes. Two-weapon style would be an option for her, too, so she could add another attack per round with a short-sword in her offhand.
So, the final party so far consists of:
Me - Kensai
Mazzy
Viconia
Sir Anomen
Minsc
Imoen
For some, Viconia and Anomen would be one too many.
Collecting XP to reactivate the Kensai half of the Kensai/Mage is ongoing, and I cannot tell how many scrolls I've erased and rewritten to gain extra XP and to avoid throwing away or selling scrolls. I've found so many, I had started collecting them in three scroll-cases, preparing a collection for Imoen, too. Too many to handle. Clearly too many. OMG - it involves emptying the cases onto the ground, picking them up and deciding whether to let Imoen or myself write a scroll. Curiously, both are at the same level, with Imoen even having a bit more XP than me. I haven't put much thought into how to distribute the level 7-9 spells. It's been more important to write them for the XP.
At the exit of the Underdark, I'm at 1,411,xxx XP, and the Kensai will be reactivated at 1,500,000 XP. Admittedly, I've never dual'ed at level 13 before - this is just because the two attacks per round interest me. I've not entered Durlag's Tower yet except for the top and the potion case. My plan is to confront Bodhi with the fully reactivated Kensai/Mage. Killing the Shadow Dragon with this party at this level has been a work of a few seconds.
You're going to be really stretched on healing early game: the only free slots Aerie really gets is level 1s for CLW. To get around this, abuse your DuHM Bhaalspawn ability before resting to regenerate the health, and Minsc's spots should probably go towards healing as well. You shouldn't ever use Cure Medium Wounds with Aerie: essentially magic-immune skeletons or Holy Smite and the all-important Remove Paralysis fill up too many of her level 3 slots.
Post-Spellhold it becomes a lot easier with that spiffy Ring of Regeneration given for the riddles, and healing becomes a non-issue. Upgrade to the Ring of Gaxx for even more laughs. By then, Aerie is definitely enough as you should be able to nuke at least your CHARNAME's saves into the negatives, Minsc can use Lilarcor to avoid most mind-affecting effects, and if really necessary the Shield of Harmony fixes your third tank.
tldr; even discounting all your mages and the utter havoc they can wreak, Aerie struggles a bit as the sole cleric early-game, but easily holds her own mid and late game.
@Neverused makes some great points, but Aerie always seems to scale well with the game for me.
Everyone has their playstyle. For me a half cleric is enough. Anomen is great too, but if you want to romance Aerie, then she will suffice.
And there are two other (albeit weaker) regeneration items that you can pick up in chapter 2: The Pearly White Ioun Stone and the Dragonslayer sword.
####
I also recommend using Rods of Resurrection for emergency healing (instant full healing!), if you're not already using them.
If your charname is an inquisitor, you don't need Keldorn. If you want a tough tank for a good party with an inquisitor as their leader, Mazzy is a good choice.
You can take Anomen or Jaheira instead too - each one of them is a wonderful tank due to available buffs. Each one of them can also cover your divine spells and help Aerie in this department.
Sorcerer CHARNAME
Keldorn
Anomen
Minsc
Aerie
Jan
Although I will be swapping Jan for Neera when I'm ready to do the Neera questline (and then switching back to Jan when I'm finished with it) and probably the same with Rasaad and Minsc.
With an inquisitor charnmae, I probably wouldn't bother picking up Keldorn, as two inquisitors is a bit of overkill.
Also, Aerie as your primary cleric will be a bit tough as she levels up pretty slowly and will not have a lot of spell slots until very late into the game, so you'd probably better take Anomen, Jaheira or Viconia. Or just replace Aerie with Viconia as both your cleric and your romance (Keldorn will attack Viconia).
Also, if you're going to take Imoen, then going with Yoshimo until you rescue her is a good idea, but if you're going to take Jan, then ditch Yoshimo and go pick Jan up as soon as you're out of the starter dungeon.
edit: Anomen, as annoying as he can be, does make a pretty good tank once you get him the Gauntlets of Dexterity and have him dual wielding crom faeyr and flail of the ages.
viconia
edwin
dorn
hexxat (SoA) > sarevok (ToB)
i'm a terrible human being
you can dual sarevok to thief. his backstab w staff of the ram is quite something else.
For ur party i make a change
Inquisitor (very nice choice)
Valygar (in Bg2 is a cheat with Celestial Fury)
Anomen (very powerful NPC)
Mazzy (in Bg2 is very good NPC, in ToB can leave party)------>Sarevok
Aerie (i never use this NPC, but if u want romance ok, then if u want change, pick Jaheira)
Nalia---->Imoen
Then, early game ur party is
CHARNAME
Valygar
Anomen
Mazzy
Aerie
Nalia
Then after spellhold nalia for Imoen, and in TOB Mazzy for Sarevok