well since i started HoF mode at level 1, i created one of my favourite power game parties;
Half-Orc Beserker - 19,18,19,7,6,18 Dwarf Beserker - 18/00,17,19,10,10,5 Gnome Beserker - 18/00,18,18,9,9,3 Human Fighter dualed to Cleric at level 7 - 18/00,18,18,5,18,3 Human Fighter dualed to Thief at level 7 - 18/00,18,18,10,7,5 Human Fighter dualed to Mage at level 7 - 15,18,18,18,18,3
Normally for my dualed cleric and thief i only go for 18/91+ str but luckily they both got 18/00 pretty quick, and thanks to HoF mode's huge XP boost my dualed class team mates hit level 7 in fighter the time i got to kuldahar, which is right on time for all the whackiness of the vale of shadows, and the HP, oh god the amount of HP that enemies have on this difficulty is outrageously halarious and ridiculous, so those attacks per round for my cleric/thief/mage with missile weapons really helps with those fighter levels because i can go through entire inventories of bullets and arrows within just a couple of areas
I decided to try a new mix, just a few hours in to it:
Human Blackguard - sword/shield; sling Half Orc Beserker - two handed sword; sling Dwarven Defender - axe; throwing axe Half Elf Avenger Druid - throwing dagger/staff Elf Fighter - Bows almost exclusively (didn't want to do an Archer with the blackguard in the party) Elf Mage/Thief - short bow/long sword
Also did a new thing were I couldn't adjust the rolls with the exception of adding 4 points to one attribute and I will go whatever HP I get when I level up.
I wanted to play some classes I don't normally play instead of just the classic power party
@BelgarathMTH I'll go with 'all of the above'. It's mostly meant to reference to original mythology, though even that is really just a source of names for my party. Brynhildr is kinda Marvel's Valkyrie more than myth's valkyrie. The other two women are named after other valkyries. Though Fafnir isn't a dwarf, he does shapechange. Bragi should be the bard, but I like the female rogue paperdoll better. Ullr is a god who is often depicted with a bow, so that's actually a decent comparison, I guess.
I thought it all appropriate given that the first person you meet in the game is called Hrothgar.
1/2 elf bard human skald 1/2 orc cleric/thief using quarterstaff/sling human berserker ---> mage using flail/morningstars elf archer gnome barbarian using longswords
Great support from the two bards, they can cast the odd big fireball and blasty stuff, cast invisibility on the cleric thief for deep recon and trap removal. Ranger is great for pulling selectively from stealth. The barbarian is just a joy! Should be the best secondary tank. The zerker/mage is going to be the primary tank eventually
Damage output is excellent and varied but you will have to setup encounters and protect your backranks. Summons will be a welcome addition.
I wonder how much I'll miss my druid and pallidin? This party will probably be stretched thin for caster scrolls.
Gabriella: Undead Hunter (Human) (the warrior with the shield and armor) Xenia: Berserker (13) / Druid (Human) (the warrior w/ braid and shield) Diana: Archer (Elf) (the "monk" pic with the staff - pretend it's her unstrung bow) Kiera: Bounty Hunter (16) / Cleric (Human) (the thief w/ the rope pic) Erin: Bard (Half-Elf) (the barmaid pic) Jeffrey: Mage / Cleric multiclass (Half-Elf) (used the Drow pic)
Currently in the process of getting Xenia and Kiera back to their pre-dual levels by playing at Heart of Fury difficulty - it's fun, even at these levels, the fights are tough
Really like the feel of the party, although it will be even better once my thief and berserker are back ... the traps don't hurt too badly at this point, even though I'm thiefless ... I can use find traps and then avoid them in general. For some chests, I just suck it up and then heal after with the evil jedi song
1/2 elf bard human skald 1/2 orc cleric/thief using quarterstaff/sling human berserker ---> mage using flail/morningstars elf archer gnome barbarian using longswords
Great support from the two bards, they can cast the odd big fireball and blasty stuff, cast invisibility on the cleric thief for deep recon and trap removal. Ranger is great for pulling selectively from stealth. The barbarian is just a joy! Should be the best secondary tank. The zerker/mage is going to be the primary tank eventually
Damage output is excellent and varied but you will have to setup encounters and protect your backranks. Summons will be a welcome addition.
I wonder how much I'll miss my druid and pallidin? This party will probably be stretched thin for caster scrolls.
Figured I'd revive this thread by showing off *my* party, that I'm very proud of thus far; I even role-played it up a bit:
1) Krious (Monk; no kit): a Human monk who is a devout worshiper of Ilmater, Krious travels to the north to Icewind Dale seeking self-training while also concerned over rumors regarding the temple in Kuldahar. While his lack of training initially slowed him from being group leader, eventually his training came out on his own and he was nominated leader for his kind heart and desire to protect others. He becomes fast friends with Lydia, and the two seem to grow even stronger bonds as the story continues. He uses his bare hands in combat, and darts when needing to fight at a distance.
2)Lydia (Cavalier): An Aasimar (technically listed human) who ventured to the north seeking adventure, and joined on with the group for Hrothgar's expedition to Kuldahar, before everything went terribly wrong. A true paladin and celestial-born, she values justice and protecting others, while rooting out evil. She befriends Krious and the barbarian Hadak, who is a half-human, like her. She's more wary around the unpredictable Kaidan, and the rather self-centered Elhan, however. She uses an assortment of 1-handed weapons with a shield. (I also tried to make up for the fact you can't have an Aasimar by EE-Keeping her charisma to 20 to make it "believable")
3) Hadak (Barbarian): As a half-orc, Hadak suffered various persecution in the north where he was born. Unwanted by the orcs, he stuck with humans, though in his youth they cast hateful glares and curses from each breath. Eventually he found purpose with a group of barbarians who found respect in his strength and will to survive the harsh climate, and he eventually came to be a rather skilled barbarian. He joined on Hrothgar's expedition as a mercenary, seeking to make honest payment to survive, but sticks with the group when they reach Kuldahar, despite his employer being deceased. He dual-wields Flails, Morning stars, axes, or a combination of the 3, and uses his controlled rage in combat.
4) Eveline (Priestess of Tempus): While the guardian of Tempus's temple, Everard, could not make the journey to Kuldahar in Hrothgar's expedition, Eveline instead volunteered. While she mostly keeps to herself, Eveline believes in righteous fury and is prepared for battle more than any normal cleric, often fighting alongside the others in the front lines and bringing forth Tempus's blessing to turn the tide of battle. She also gets along well with Hadak due to an equal understanding of war and thrill of combat. She wields Warhammers and Slings in combat.
5) Elhan (Fighter/Thief): As an Elf, Elhan is not the normal sort. He's rather rude, grumpy and self-centered. He mentions little about his past except that he's no longer wanted from whence he came. Either way he makes it clear he travels with the group for the sake of his share of the loot. Still, his thieving skills are undeniable, and his marksmanship with a bow is borderline outstanding. When an enemy gets close, however, he quickly draws out his katana and slices his foe. When it comes to it, he's capable of sneaking and backstabbing unknowing opponents as well.
6) Kaidan (Sorcerer): Yet another Elf, Kaidan seems rather touched in the head, if not unpredictable to the full extent. Rather bland in his emotions, he sputters random nonsense on more than one occasion, mentioning that he knows a druid who can hook the party up with the "good stuff". What this means, the others have no idea. Still, he's a fantastic spell-caster and more than capable of nuking opponents or unleashing trickery through spells to thin out their numbers. Overall an essential member to the party; he wields a staff of wizardry, courtesy of the More Styles for Mages mod, by @Pecca.
I just started a no reload core run with: Human Wild Mage Halfling Barbarian Dwarf Priest of Lathander Human Shapeshifter Human Cavalier Human Assassin
It's intentional that my only source of arcane magic is one that could end my run though I'll be able to dual the assassin to Mage at 12 to round out the party if I make it that far.
Very light on melee, but ended up going with this party: TN half-elven bard LN dwarven defender TN elven priest of Tempus NG elven archer LN elven assassin TN half-elven avenger
I've migrated to a new main party. They're wandering through the Severed Hand at the moment. Galen - Chaotic Good Human Bard (the face) Rhygar - Cavalier (tank) Tess al'Gruz - Chaotic Neutral Half-Orc Barbarian (melee attacker) Wallace - Neutral Good Dwarven Priest of Lathander (heal/buff bot) Flashtender - Neutral Evil Gnome Illusionist/Thief (the assassin) Seldaris - Chaotic Good Elven Archer (suppressing fire)
Really loving this group. I think I'll actually stick with them through to the end (famous last words).
I love my Half-Orc barbarian. Dual wielding weapons with the right gear will probably make him the best tank in the game; so far I only got a +3 morning star and the Defender battle axe on him, but I know of the Defender Morning star +4 that I intend for him to use, and with a little mod action, I plan on the use of the +4 Morning Star of Action. Basically instead of flails like in BG2, it'll be dual morning stars with just the same proficiencies :P
My current party consists of the following: - A human Cavalier who dual wields swords and flails, depending on what enemies there are. - A human Ranger who specializes in two-handed weapons. Not totally optimal, but she dominates with two-handed swords and bows. - A dwarf Fighter/Thief. His beard is bathed in enemy blood. - A half-elf Bard. She's the main healer now that she has War Song of the Sith. - A half-elf Avenger. She's now powerful enough to turn into elementals and summon them too. - An elf Sorcerer. Spams lots of spells.
But I'm considering the following for a different playthrough:
- Oliver Forthright, Gentleman Adventurer! (Gnome Fighter): A noble from the City of Splendors, he yearns for adventure and traveled to the frozen North to find it! He has gathered the others together, having met all of them on his previous adventures. Wears a monocle at all times. - Johanson the Steward (Half-Elf Bard): Oliver's faithful friend and butler, Johanson supports his master however he can, whether it be through rousing song, arcane might, or good old-fashioned trickery. He's never explained how he came to pick up the skills he has, and Oliver never asks. - The Forest King (Half-Elf Shapeshifter): A wolf spirit from a deep forest whom Oliver befriended after a protracted battle between the two of them. He can assume a human form to unleash nature's power, though he knows no actual words in the civilized tongue. - Sarka Battlehammer (Half-Orc Priest of Tempus): Abandoned on the doorstep of a temple to the God of Battle, Sarka has spent her entire life learning how to use holy magic in Tempus's name. She encountered Oliver during her trial to become a full-fledged priestess, and found the gnome's zest for adventure lead him into many dangerous situations. How could any follower of Tempus not stick around such a fellow? - Captain Eliza Stormriver (Elf Swashbuckler): The owner of a small ship that Oliver has used several times before when looking for uninhabited islands before. He hired her to transport the group to Easthaven, but Eliza's ship sunk just before they reached their destination. She journeys with the group now to earn enough money to buy a new ship. - Nyreena Fireheart (Half-Elf Dragon Disciple): Nyreena was once one of Oliver's deadliest foes, the descendent of a red dragon who desired nothing more than to amass the power and wealth that a true dragon has. She built up a cult which Oliver defeated, though she ended up giving up without a fight as she realized that what she really wanted the whole time... was friendship. She travels with the group now to see if one who is descended from a monster can be something more than that.
Dwarven Defender 18/12 17 19 9 18 16 (the tank) Half-Elven Fighter/Druid 16 18 18 9 18 15 (many strong summoned creatures + offtank + utility spells) Human Berserker9-> Cleric 18/21 18 18 7 18 8 (incredible dmg + self buff spells + utility spells) Human Kensai9-> Mage 18/44 18 18 18 8 8 (mage buffs make her invincible + crazy dmg) Human Swashbuckler7-> Cleric 18 18 16 9 18 8 (utility machine. buffs and helps with spells during fights) Elven Archer 18/76 19 18 9 8 8 (prevents spellcasters from doing anything + crazy dmg )
The party is around level 12-13 (severed hand) as I am posting this and feels absurdly strong. Of course a good deal of its strength relates to making the right preparations ahead of a fight, so if one would truly roleplay this, and only start casting spells once the enemy is sighted it would be a bit more of a problem.
Dwarven Defender 18/12 17 19 9 18 16 (the tank) Half-Elven Fighter/Druid 16 18 18 9 18 15 (many strong summoned creatures + offtank + utility spells) Human Berserker9-> Cleric 18/21 18 18 7 18 8 (incredible dmg + self buff spells + utility spells) Human Kensai9-> Mage 18/44 18 18 18 8 8 (mage buffs make her invincible + crazy dmg) Human Swashbuckler7-> Cleric 18 18 16 9 18 8 (utility machine. buffs and helps with spells during fights) Elven Archer 18/76 19 18 9 8 8 (prevents spellcasters from doing anything + crazy dmg )
The party is around level 12-13 (severed hand) as I am posting this and feels absurdly strong. Of course a good deal of its strength relates to making the right preparations ahead of a fight, so if one would truly roleplay this, and only start casting spells once the enemy is sighted it would be a bit more of a problem.
I think you're missing out only having 1 arcane but if it works then all good.
Dwarven Defender 18/12 17 19 9 18 16 (the tank) Half-Elven Fighter/Druid 16 18 18 9 18 15 (many strong summoned creatures + offtank + utility spells) Human Berserker9-> Cleric 18/21 18 18 7 18 8 (incredible dmg + self buff spells + utility spells) Human Kensai9-> Mage 18/44 18 18 18 8 8 (mage buffs make her invincible + crazy dmg) Human Swashbuckler7-> Cleric 18 18 16 9 18 8 (utility machine. buffs and helps with spells during fights) Elven Archer 18/76 19 18 9 8 8 (prevents spellcasters from doing anything + crazy dmg )
The party is around level 12-13 (severed hand) as I am posting this and feels absurdly strong. Of course a good deal of its strength relates to making the right preparations ahead of a fight, so if one would truly roleplay this, and only start casting spells once the enemy is sighted it would be a bit more of a problem.
I think you're missing out only having 1 arcane but if it works then all good.
Hey Wowo, interesting point. I am curious how you would change it around. Would you include a sorcerer or go swash-->mage? I would think there are not enough mage scrolls to be found for a second mage to be a good idea. I do still recommend the above mentioned setup but I am interested in how you would change it.
Dwarven Defender 18/12 17 19 9 18 16 (the tank) Half-Elven Fighter/Druid 16 18 18 9 18 15 (many strong summoned creatures + offtank + utility spells) Human Berserker9-> Cleric 18/21 18 18 7 18 8 (incredible dmg + self buff spells + utility spells) Human Kensai9-> Mage 18/44 18 18 18 8 8 (mage buffs make her invincible + crazy dmg) Human Swashbuckler7-> Cleric 18 18 16 9 18 8 (utility machine. buffs and helps with spells during fights) Elven Archer 18/76 19 18 9 8 8 (prevents spellcasters from doing anything + crazy dmg )
The party is around level 12-13 (severed hand) as I am posting this and feels absurdly strong. Of course a good deal of its strength relates to making the right preparations ahead of a fight, so if one would truly roleplay this, and only start casting spells once the enemy is sighted it would be a bit more of a problem.
I think you're missing out only having 1 arcane but if it works then all good.
Hey Wowo, interesting point. I am curious how you would change it around. Would you include a sorcerer or go swash-->mage? I would think there are not enough mage scrolls to be found for a second mage to be a good idea. I do still recommend the above mentioned setup but I am interested in how you would change it.
Definitely Swash/mage. Plenty of scrolls when you include HoW and ToL.
I went with 3 arcanes and had no issues though the third was a Skald so didn't need combat protections.
- ranger / cleric with two morningstar - fighter / druid with quaterstaff - fighter / mage with longsword and a shield - fighter / thief with a crossbow - fighter / mage / cleric with a sling - fighter / mage / thief with a bow
with this party i can level until the end of the game (with HoF mode). I was disapointed that the level 30 is the cap and in HoF mode a single class party is boring.
I used the pre-gen party to play through IWD:EE blind, and I really enjoyed myself. I made up some post final battle stories.
Illuana never recovered from the loss of her familiar and was smashed to bits by a fire giant in the fight with Maiden Illmadia.
Kirika left the party (with a sizable amount of loot) for southern cities, still deeply shaken by the fear instilled in her during the final battle.
Gorris was confronted by the father of a young woman carrying his illegitimate child. It was demanded of him to marry the girl and apprentice himself to the family business if he could find no other reputable work. Gorris conceded.
I'm adding three new additions to Felicia, Cadriel, and Baern, for HoW.
Sehriya uses the default biography, except that she arrived late and was stranded in Ten Towns until Felicia and the others returned.
Raneyl was part of a ranging sent to retrieve Malavon and Geanafae. He defected and fled to the surface where he met Felicia.
Turflib ... I don't know much about Gnomes. And his default biography reads "You can open locks by bashing them."
Some weeks after the final battle, Hjollder gathered these six together and implored them to help.
Below the concepts behind my first group EVER for IWD. I decided to buy EE for the holidays. This is what I have so far.
Male Elf Barbarian. Because I love the idea of a delicate race like the elf becoming enraged. Maybe an exile from the elven community due to his inability to learn basic magic or even unwillingness to follow the organised elven society?
Male Human Berserker-->Cleric dual. Basically a battlecleric. I was going for the religious fanatic theme, but changed my mind once I saw how nice this dual class fits in the Tempus religion.
Female Human Fighter. A pirate lady. It was either pure fighter or a bard kit, I went for the first. The bard kit will have to wait for another run.
Female Elf Sorceress Dragon Disciple. I was thinking nobility. Snooty lady, overly proud of her talent as a sorcerer and of her dragon heritage.
Male Halfling Bounty Hunter. Oriental themed bounty hunter. Eastern type warrior who would take any contract to hunt down a person for the right price.
Female Shapeshifter Druid. Because a wolf lady is an RP gem.
Nice thread by the way. Got some neat ideas for future playthroughs.
This is my current party. My first party constituted 4 of them; I added 2 more for my second play-through, thinking it might help with HoF mode when I get to that.
Dmirio Sulsaris, Human Cavalier -Tank. Not much more to say.
Rahamas the Broad, Dwarf Berserker -A huge surprise in the effectiveness department, this little guy rips people to shreds with dual axes.
Aureol Cuillan, Human Priest of Lathander -My namesake; cleric is my favorite class (darn them being so overshadowed by mages in BG!). He was a Fighter/Cleric my first time around, but a) I like pure clerics more, and b) I have other fighters to fill in.
Lavinia Cuillan, Elf Totemic Druid -Perhaps my least favorite character in the group, but she is still quite fun. Her kit summons are quite useful.
Roamer Elysae, Elf Fighter/Thief -Man, she kicks enemy buttocks. Modded in multi-class grandmastery, so she has 5 stars in longbows by now. With the Boots of Speed, she kites all day everyday and hits almost all her shots. Even more surprising in effectiveness than Rahamas. She was originally Mage/Thief (and somewhat less effective), but with Groma in the party, she can now focus on sharpshooting.
Groma Roscal, Gnome Sorceror -She is such a cute little doombringer! Nuke, nuke, nuke, for that's what she does best!
My party was supposed to be a crusade with Dmirio as the leader and Aureol his right hand man, but the other 4 don't really fit the crusader image. I still call it a crusade anyways
- ranger / cleric with two morningstar - fighter / druid with quaterstaff - fighter / mage with longsword and a shield - fighter / thief with a crossbow - fighter / mage / cleric with a sling - fighter / mage / thief with a bow
with this party i can level until the end of the game (with HoF mode). I was disapointed that the level 30 is the cap and in HoF mode a single class party is boring.
This one is from a specific culture in our history, but which also has a Forgotten Realms version. They are neutral of some sort. All are human and gender per class is based off historical knowledge (as far as we know).
this is the other, all are good of some sort. gender is that of these pre-existing characters (in fiction).
male: -cleric/mage, half human/elf (representing his ties to both humans and elves, though he is neither) -ranger, human -archer, elf -dwarven defender (Dwarf of course) -swashbuckler, halfling -stalker, human (advisor to the above human ranger) OR -fighter, human OR his sister (same class/weapons as he, and married to the above advisor)
@adso no Druid or Bard love? Both classes can be very strong in HoF. Personally I wouldn't do a 6 man HoF run without a Skald as it's so important to get the low AC values that will make life so much easier.
Those parties are all RP. My choices are limited to the culture in the first party (Skald the only way to go), and the pre-existing background of the characters for the second. I'll use a Druid in the future if or when I do a Welsh, Pict or Gaulish Celt run.
Comments
ShuQi, the Aphrodisiac :- Half Elf, SKALD
Han, the Dragonslayer :- Human, CAVALIER
Balok, the Exiled :- Human, KENSAI/CLERIC (dual class)(two handed quarterstaff build)
Boka, the Phantom Whisperer :- Gnome, Thief/Illusionist (multi class)(two weapon dagger build)
Friti, the Last Wyverncaller :- Elf, Dragon Disciple
Oralu, the Prairie Huntress :- Elf Archer
Half-Orc Beserker - 19,18,19,7,6,18
Dwarf Beserker - 18/00,17,19,10,10,5
Gnome Beserker - 18/00,18,18,9,9,3
Human Fighter dualed to Cleric at level 7 - 18/00,18,18,5,18,3
Human Fighter dualed to Thief at level 7 - 18/00,18,18,10,7,5
Human Fighter dualed to Mage at level 7 - 15,18,18,18,18,3
Normally for my dualed cleric and thief i only go for 18/91+ str but luckily they both got 18/00 pretty quick, and thanks to HoF mode's huge XP boost my dualed class team mates hit level 7 in fighter the time i got to kuldahar, which is right on time for all the whackiness of the vale of shadows, and the HP, oh god the amount of HP that enemies have on this difficulty is outrageously halarious and ridiculous, so those attacks per round for my cleric/thief/mage with missile weapons really helps with those fighter levels because i can go through entire inventories of bullets and arrows within just a couple of areas
Human Blackguard - sword/shield; sling
Half Orc Beserker - two handed sword; sling
Dwarven Defender - axe; throwing axe
Half Elf Avenger Druid - throwing dagger/staff
Elf Fighter - Bows almost exclusively (didn't want to do an Archer with the blackguard in the party)
Elf Mage/Thief - short bow/long sword
Also did a new thing were I couldn't adjust the rolls with the exception of adding 4 points to one attribute and I will go whatever HP I get when I level up.
I wanted to play some classes I don't normally play instead of just the classic power party
I thought it all appropriate given that the first person you meet in the game is called Hrothgar.
1/2 elf bard
human skald
1/2 orc cleric/thief using quarterstaff/sling
human berserker ---> mage using flail/morningstars
elf archer
gnome barbarian using longswords
Great support from the two bards, they can cast the odd big fireball and blasty stuff, cast invisibility on the cleric thief for deep recon and trap removal. Ranger is great for pulling selectively from stealth. The barbarian is just a joy! Should be the best secondary tank. The zerker/mage is going to be the primary tank eventually
Damage output is excellent and varied but you will have to setup encounters and protect your backranks. Summons will be a welcome addition.
I wonder how much I'll miss my druid and pallidin? This party will probably be stretched thin for caster scrolls.
Xenia: Berserker (13) / Druid (Human) (the warrior w/ braid and shield)
Diana: Archer (Elf) (the "monk" pic with the staff - pretend it's her unstrung bow)
Kiera: Bounty Hunter (16) / Cleric (Human) (the thief w/ the rope pic)
Erin: Bard (Half-Elf) (the barmaid pic)
Jeffrey: Mage / Cleric multiclass (Half-Elf) (used the Drow pic)
Currently in the process of getting Xenia and Kiera back to their pre-dual levels by playing at Heart of Fury difficulty - it's fun, even at these levels, the fights are tough
Really like the feel of the party, although it will be even better once my thief and berserker are back ... the traps don't hurt too badly at this point, even though I'm thiefless ... I can use find traps and then avoid them in general. For some chests, I just suck it up and then heal after with the evil jedi song
1) Krious (Monk; no kit): a Human monk who is a devout worshiper of Ilmater, Krious travels to the north to Icewind Dale seeking self-training while also concerned over rumors regarding the temple in Kuldahar. While his lack of training initially slowed him from being group leader, eventually his training came out on his own and he was nominated leader for his kind heart and desire to protect others. He becomes fast friends with Lydia, and the two seem to grow even stronger bonds as the story continues. He uses his bare hands in combat, and darts when needing to fight at a distance.
2)Lydia (Cavalier): An Aasimar (technically listed human) who ventured to the north seeking adventure, and joined on with the group for Hrothgar's expedition to Kuldahar, before everything went terribly wrong. A true paladin and celestial-born, she values justice and protecting others, while rooting out evil. She befriends Krious and the barbarian Hadak, who is a half-human, like her. She's more wary around the unpredictable Kaidan, and the rather self-centered Elhan, however. She uses an assortment of 1-handed weapons with a shield. (I also tried to make up for the fact you can't have an Aasimar by EE-Keeping her charisma to 20 to make it "believable")
3) Hadak (Barbarian): As a half-orc, Hadak suffered various persecution in the north where he was born. Unwanted by the orcs, he stuck with humans, though in his youth they cast hateful glares and curses from each breath. Eventually he found purpose with a group of barbarians who found respect in his strength and will to survive the harsh climate, and he eventually came to be a rather skilled barbarian. He joined on Hrothgar's expedition as a mercenary, seeking to make honest payment to survive, but sticks with the group when they reach Kuldahar, despite his employer being deceased. He dual-wields Flails, Morning stars, axes, or a combination of the 3, and uses his controlled rage in combat.
4) Eveline (Priestess of Tempus): While the guardian of Tempus's temple, Everard, could not make the journey to Kuldahar in Hrothgar's expedition, Eveline instead volunteered. While she mostly keeps to herself, Eveline believes in righteous fury and is prepared for battle more than any normal cleric, often fighting alongside the others in the front lines and bringing forth Tempus's blessing to turn the tide of battle. She also gets along well with Hadak due to an equal understanding of war and thrill of combat. She wields Warhammers and Slings in combat.
5) Elhan (Fighter/Thief): As an Elf, Elhan is not the normal sort. He's rather rude, grumpy and self-centered. He mentions little about his past except that he's no longer wanted from whence he came. Either way he makes it clear he travels with the group for the sake of his share of the loot. Still, his thieving skills are undeniable, and his marksmanship with a bow is borderline outstanding. When an enemy gets close, however, he quickly draws out his katana and slices his foe. When it comes to it, he's capable of sneaking and backstabbing unknowing opponents as well.
6) Kaidan (Sorcerer): Yet another Elf, Kaidan seems rather touched in the head, if not unpredictable to the full extent. Rather bland in his emotions, he sputters random nonsense on more than one occasion, mentioning that he knows a druid who can hook the party up with the "good stuff". What this means, the others have no idea. Still, he's a fantastic spell-caster and more than capable of nuking opponents or unleashing trickery through spells to thin out their numbers. Overall an essential member to the party; he wields a staff of wizardry, courtesy of the More Styles for Mages mod, by @Pecca.
And here's the screenshots of the group:
Human Wild Mage
Halfling Barbarian
Dwarf Priest of Lathander
Human Shapeshifter
Human Cavalier
Human Assassin
It's intentional that my only source of arcane magic is one that could end my run though I'll be able to dual the assassin to Mage at 12 to round out the party if I make it that far.
TN half-elven bard
LN dwarven defender
TN elven priest of Tempus
NG elven archer
LN elven assassin
TN half-elven avenger
Dwarven Defender (lawful neutral), wielding axes, bastard swords and morningstars/flails and shield.
Elven Fighter/Mage (neutral good), dual-wielding longswords with morningstars/flails as a secondary weapon.
Human Cleric of Lathander (neutral good), all sorts of blunt weapons, slings and shield.
Half-orc Swashbuckler (chaotic good), dual-wielding katanas, longswords and clubs and a Crossbow of Speed for some ranged punch.
Human Shapeshifter (true neutral) with traditional druid weapons - mostly goes werewolf for melee.
Human Dragon Disciple (chaotic good), who mostly hangs back and blasts things with spells.
Galen - Chaotic Good Human Bard (the face)
Rhygar - Cavalier (tank)
Tess al'Gruz - Chaotic Neutral Half-Orc Barbarian (melee attacker)
Wallace - Neutral Good Dwarven Priest of Lathander (heal/buff bot)
Flashtender - Neutral Evil Gnome Illusionist/Thief (the assassin)
Seldaris - Chaotic Good Elven Archer (suppressing fire)
Really loving this group. I think I'll actually stick with them through to the end (famous last words).
- A human Cavalier who dual wields swords and flails, depending on what enemies there are.
- A human Ranger who specializes in two-handed weapons. Not totally optimal, but she dominates with two-handed swords and bows.
- A dwarf Fighter/Thief. His beard is bathed in enemy blood.
- A half-elf Bard. She's the main healer now that she has War Song of the Sith.
- A half-elf Avenger. She's now powerful enough to turn into elementals and summon them too.
- An elf Sorcerer. Spams lots of spells.
But I'm considering the following for a different playthrough:
- Oliver Forthright, Gentleman Adventurer! (Gnome Fighter): A noble from the City of Splendors, he yearns for adventure and traveled to the frozen North to find it! He has gathered the others together, having met all of them on his previous adventures. Wears a monocle at all times.
- Johanson the Steward (Half-Elf Bard): Oliver's faithful friend and butler, Johanson supports his master however he can, whether it be through rousing song, arcane might, or good old-fashioned trickery. He's never explained how he came to pick up the skills he has, and Oliver never asks.
- The Forest King (Half-Elf Shapeshifter): A wolf spirit from a deep forest whom Oliver befriended after a protracted battle between the two of them. He can assume a human form to unleash nature's power, though he knows no actual words in the civilized tongue.
- Sarka Battlehammer (Half-Orc Priest of Tempus): Abandoned on the doorstep of a temple to the God of Battle, Sarka has spent her entire life learning how to use holy magic in Tempus's name. She encountered Oliver during her trial to become a full-fledged priestess, and found the gnome's zest for adventure lead him into many dangerous situations. How could any follower of Tempus not stick around such a fellow?
- Captain Eliza Stormriver (Elf Swashbuckler): The owner of a small ship that Oliver has used several times before when looking for uninhabited islands before. He hired her to transport the group to Easthaven, but Eliza's ship sunk just before they reached their destination. She journeys with the group now to earn enough money to buy a new ship.
- Nyreena Fireheart (Half-Elf Dragon Disciple): Nyreena was once one of Oliver's deadliest foes, the descendent of a red dragon who desired nothing more than to amass the power and wealth that a true dragon has. She built up a cult which Oliver defeated, though she ended up giving up without a fight as she realized that what she really wanted the whole time... was friendship. She travels with the group now to see if one who is descended from a monster can be something more than that.
Dwarven Defender 18/12 17 19 9 18 16 (the tank)
Half-Elven Fighter/Druid 16 18 18 9 18 15 (many strong summoned creatures + offtank + utility spells)
Human Berserker9-> Cleric 18/21 18 18 7 18 8 (incredible dmg + self buff spells + utility spells)
Human Kensai9-> Mage 18/44 18 18 18 8 8 (mage buffs make her invincible + crazy dmg)
Human Swashbuckler7-> Cleric 18 18 16 9 18 8 (utility machine. buffs and helps with spells during fights)
Elven Archer 18/76 19 18 9 8 8 (prevents spellcasters from doing anything + crazy dmg )
The party is around level 12-13 (severed hand) as I am posting this and feels absurdly strong. Of course a good deal of its strength relates to making the right preparations ahead of a fight, so if one would truly roleplay this, and only start casting spells once the enemy is sighted it would be a bit more of a problem.
I went with 3 arcanes and had no issues though the third was a Skald so didn't need combat protections.
- ranger / cleric with two morningstar
- fighter / druid with quaterstaff
- fighter / mage with longsword and a shield
- fighter / thief with a crossbow
- fighter / mage / cleric with a sling
- fighter / mage / thief with a bow
with this party i can level until the end of the game (with HoF mode).
I was disapointed that the level 30 is the cap and in HoF mode a single class party is boring.
Illuana never recovered from the loss of her familiar and was smashed to bits by a fire giant in the fight with Maiden Illmadia.
Kirika left the party (with a sizable amount of loot) for southern cities, still deeply shaken by the fear instilled in her during the final battle.
Gorris was confronted by the father of a young woman carrying his illegitimate child. It was demanded of him to marry the girl and apprentice himself to the family business if he could find no other reputable work. Gorris conceded.
I'm adding three new additions to Felicia, Cadriel, and Baern, for HoW.
Sehriya uses the default biography, except that she arrived late and was stranded in Ten Towns until Felicia and the others returned.
Raneyl was part of a ranging sent to retrieve Malavon and Geanafae. He defected and fled to the surface where he met Felicia.
Turflib ... I don't know much about Gnomes. And his default biography reads "You can open locks by bashing them."
Some weeks after the final battle, Hjollder gathered these six together and implored them to help.
Characters, of course!
Male Elf Barbarian.
Because I love the idea of a delicate race like the elf becoming enraged. Maybe an exile from the elven community due to his inability to learn basic magic or even unwillingness to follow the organised elven society?
Male Human Berserker-->Cleric dual.
Basically a battlecleric. I was going for the religious fanatic theme, but changed my mind once I saw how nice this dual class fits in the Tempus religion.
Female Human Fighter.
A pirate lady. It was either pure fighter or a bard kit, I went for the first. The bard kit will have to wait for another run.
Female Elf Sorceress Dragon Disciple.
I was thinking nobility. Snooty lady, overly proud of her talent as a sorcerer and of her dragon heritage.
Male Halfling Bounty Hunter.
Oriental themed bounty hunter. Eastern type warrior who would take any contract to hunt down a person for the right price.
Female Shapeshifter Druid.
Because a wolf lady is an RP gem.
Nice thread by the way. Got some neat ideas for future playthroughs.
Dmirio Sulsaris, Human Cavalier
-Tank. Not much more to say.
Rahamas the Broad, Dwarf Berserker
-A huge surprise in the effectiveness department, this little guy rips people to shreds with dual axes.
Aureol Cuillan, Human Priest of Lathander
-My namesake; cleric is my favorite class (darn them being so overshadowed by mages in BG!). He was a Fighter/Cleric my first time around, but a) I like pure clerics more, and b) I have other fighters to fill in.
Lavinia Cuillan, Elf Totemic Druid
-Perhaps my least favorite character in the group, but she is still quite fun. Her kit summons are quite useful.
Roamer Elysae, Elf Fighter/Thief
-Man, she kicks enemy buttocks. Modded in multi-class grandmastery, so she has 5 stars in longbows by now. With the Boots of Speed, she kites all day everyday and hits almost all her shots. Even more surprising in effectiveness than Rahamas. She was originally Mage/Thief (and somewhat less effective), but with Groma in the party, she can now focus on sharpshooting.
Groma Roscal, Gnome Sorceror
-She is such a cute little doombringer! Nuke, nuke, nuke, for that's what she does best!
My party was supposed to be a crusade with Dmirio as the leader and Aureol his right hand man, but the other 4 don't really fit the crusader image. I still call it a crusade anyways
This one is from a specific culture in our history, but which also has a Forgotten Realms version. They are neutral of some sort. All are human and gender per class is based off historical knowledge (as far as we know).
male:
-Swashbuckler kit
-Berserker
-Archer (scout)
-Skald
female:
-Sorceress
-Priestess
option: Berserker could be swapped out for female fighter (Shield Maiden)
male:
-cleric/mage, half human/elf (representing his ties to both humans and elves, though he is neither)
-ranger, human
-archer, elf
-dwarven defender (Dwarf of course)
-swashbuckler, halfling
-stalker, human (advisor to the above human ranger) OR
-fighter, human OR his sister (same class/weapons as he, and married to the above advisor)