As much as I like gnomes I am afraid of what'd happen if a giant decided to go on a gnome punting spree. IWD does have quite a few giants.
A brave and stout gnome will just point a very pointy thing - watchamacallit... a sword - upward in the sky and accidentally also opposite to the route the giant's foot is taking while it's going down, making one giant very sore for every gnome in the party, as every gnome in my party will be brave and stout.
[off-topic] I did so in Baldur's Gate, it was called the United Races party, I defeated Sarevok with Zulecha (half-orc barbarian woman), Xan, Branwen, Kagain, Quayle and Alora.
Any one consider 3 dwarf run in BGEE? I like dwarf race, sooo sympha. Kagan,Yeslick and CHARNAME (probably thief or F/T) can be fun. When I finish my actual run I will definitely give a try.
Little but of thread necromancy and quite off topic to boot.
I did a successful shorty SCS no reload with 5 of the 6 midgets and a F/I mainchar. Still my favourite run of BGEE to this day.
Well, with the exception of dual-classing, Half-elves have no class restrictions besides monk or paladin, and thus can do just about anything (besides a couple minor multi-class options, of course). They get no stat penalties and a few minor boosts to a couple resistances (plus the almost useless infravision).
Basically they can cover bases in a party without many problems. Half-Orcs and dwarves would lose out on arcane casters, which could hurt quite a bit; Elves can do fairly well but can't be druids or bards, and they just have the minor yet annoying issue of the -1 constitution. They also don't get as many valuable multi-class functions, like Ranger/Cleric, Cleric/Mage, etc. Halflings and Gnomes could do the job for the most part thanks to shorty bonuses, but again it's all about all-around versatility since we're assuming on a whole-party basis.
And then there's humans. Humans can do anything except multi-class, but if I chose humans, then it would be a fairly boring party with no real cool class combinations that don't involve a lot of down-time (I'm usually not a dual-class fan) and I see no fun in that. So... half elves.
Well, with the exception of dual-classing, Half-elves have no class restrictions besides monk or paladin, and thus can do just about anything (besides a couple minor multi-class options, of course). They get no stat penalties and a few minor boosts to a couple resistances (plus the almost useless infravision).
Basically they can cover bases in a party without many problems. Half-Orcs and dwarves would lose out on arcane casters, which could hurt quite a bit; Elves can do fairly well but can't be druids or bards, and they just have the minor yet annoying issue of the -1 constitution. They also don't get as many valuable multi-class functions, like Ranger/Cleric, Cleric/Mage, etc. Halflings and Gnomes could do the job for the most part thanks to shorty bonuses, but again it's all about all-around versatility since we're assuming on a whole-party basis.
And then there's humans. Humans can do anything except multi-class, but if I chose humans, then it would be a fairly boring party with no real cool class combinations that don't involve a lot of down-time (I'm usually not a dual-class fan) and I see no fun in that. So... half elves.
Elves can be Druids in IWDee. Halflings can't be Arcanes either. Low level dual classes don't involve any amount of downtime that is even remotely significant.
Half elves are a good choice though just for the multiclass options and have the mage multiclass options that don't involve barred schools.
Some of my favorite multis are half-elves. How can you argue with 'Cleric/Ranger' or 'Cleric/Mage' or everybody's favorite jack-of-most-trades the 'Cleric/Fighter/Mage'?
Dwarven Defender (hammers) Dwarven Defender (axes) Fighter/Cleric (dual wielding flails) because there are no dwarf god kits Fighter/Cleric (staff) Berserker (halberd, ie: a greataxe) Bounty Hunter (crossbow, staff, traps. Use any item for needed scrolls late game, like breach)
Lots of buffing with deva summoning always on hand. A very solid front line of dwarven defenders. Followed up by staff and halberd behind. Two clerics for all the buffing and healing you would ever need. All the traps you'd ever want.
And except for the thief everyone makes full use of 19con. But the thief is single class for extra traps and the quick ability to get use any item, which fills any gap you need.
The thief could also be a fighter/thief. I took one through ToB. He used the headband from Raasad's quest to do auto max damage, backstabbed with a katana and then did a greater whirlwind with Caromsyr, which he had ** in. Very versatile character and tough as nails to boot.
Dwarven Defender (hammers) Dwarven Defender (axes) Fighter/Cleric (dual wielding flails) because there are no dwarf god kits Fighter/Cleric (staff) Berserker (halberd, ie: a greataxe) Bounty Hunter (crossbow, staff, traps. Use any item for needed scrolls late game, like breach)
Lots of buffing with deva summoning always on hand. A very solid front line of dwarven defenders. Followed up by staff and halberd behind. Two clerics for all the buffing and healing you would ever need. All the traps you'd ever want.
And except for the thief everyone makes full use of 19con. But the thief is single class for extra traps and the quick ability to get use any item, which fills any gap you need.
The thief could also be a fighter/thief. I took one through ToB. He used the headband from Raasad's quest to do auto max damage, backstabbed with a katana and then did a greater whirlwind with Caromsyr, which he had ** in. Very versatile character and tough as nails to boot.
No HLAs in IWDee and even if there were there is almost no difference in how quickly a pure vs multi thief gets access to UAI.
Dwarven Defender (hammers) Dwarven Defender (axes) Fighter/Cleric (dual wielding flails) because there are no dwarf god kits Fighter/Cleric (staff) Berserker (halberd, ie: a greataxe) Bounty Hunter (crossbow, staff, traps. Use any item for needed scrolls late game, like breach)
Lots of buffing with deva summoning always on hand. A very solid front line of dwarven defenders. Followed up by staff and halberd behind. Two clerics for all the buffing and healing you would ever need. All the traps you'd ever want.
And except for the thief everyone makes full use of 19con. But the thief is single class for extra traps and the quick ability to get use any item, which fills any gap you need.
The thief could also be a fighter/thief. I took one through ToB. He used the headband from Raasad's quest to do auto max damage, backstabbed with a katana and then did a greater whirlwind with Caromsyr, which he had ** in. Very versatile character and tough as nails to boot.
No HLAs in IWDee and even if there were there is almost no difference in how quickly a pure vs multi thief gets access to UAI.
Don't get caught up in the details. A dwarven clan's warparty is so cool is supersedes anything as minor as 'facts' or 'differences in game systems.'
I've been fond of gnomes ever since I found Righteous Wrath of the Faithful stacked in vanilla and could be stacked with Haste if cast in the right order, the Helm of the Trusted Defender negated all the awful fatigue penalties, and a gnomish Cleric/Illusionist could use all three. A party of them with extra copies of the helm could be immune to all magical and physical attacks and have 10 APR apiece with better THAC0 and damage per hit than a fighter. At level 9, midway through Dragon's Eye in normal mode, and have the power to absolutely trash everything in Heart of Fury mode for the rest of the game.
Then EE fixed it. Whatever. I'll just find another stupidly overpowered tactic.
I'm genuinely shocked that Half-Orc is in last place at the moment. They do lack arcane casting but so do Halflings and Dwarves. 19 str and 19 con is a huge bonus especially in IWD where you cant find tomes, tears of bhaal, Lums machine etc.
Again a party i loved to play, when they aquired iron skin and stone skin, they were like gods. Even spectral guards (trial of the luremaster) were easy.
Elves : theme nature-rangers Cleric of lathander Ranger (no kit), 2 handed weapons Stalker, 2 weapons Thief (no kit), crossbow sorcerer archer, longbow
Weak party at the beginning, but there is a sorcerer, and this kit a too powerfull. The archer too, 5 pip in longbow, 5 apr, and damage bonuses, the main killer.
Human : theme = religious extremist - zerk 9 dual cleric, shield - hundead hunter - monk (no kit) - bounty hunter 11 dualed to fighter, crossbow - cleric (no kit) - bard (no kit), bows
Dual classes are very powerfull. I think this human party can wipe the half orc party without a prob.
(First I voted elf, but honestly I'm more likely to play humans than anything).
Anyway: as others have said, there's the 1 of everything party.
Human - Usually a paladin, but if I brought a half orc it would likely be a cleric Dwarf - Fighter (Dwarven Defender, Wizard Slayer or Berserker) Elf- Ranger (Archer) Gnome - Illusionist Halfling - Assassin or Bounty Hunter Half-Orc or Half Elf - Barbarian (HO) or Druid (HE)
Wild Things party (Always wanted to play this one, issue comes down to no real thief which worries me. Also Lawful Alignments not allowed):
Ranger Barbarian Druid Bard Sorcerer (If I need a thief, than swashy)
My personal favorite, although it is actually harder than you'd expect: Back to Basics: Dwarf Fighter Human Cleric Halfling Thief Elven Mage
Honor/Discipline (Everyone is lawful, only the thief is not lawful good) Paladin Monk Fighter (DD fits the theme nicely here) Cleric Wizard Assassin or Bounty Hunter
Anyway, if I were making a pure Elven Party: Ranger (Archer) Druid (EEKeepered if I have to) Avenger Mage/Thief Cleric (Likely Lanthander) Bard (Yay EE, prolly Blade) Fighter/Mage
But, I did say in the end I prefer humans. here's the party I likely want/will run through IWDEE with eventually:
Paladin Undead Hunter Ranger Archer (Undead bad!) Monk Sun Soul Bard Skald Specialist Mage (Invoker) Cleric (Priest of Lanthander, although Helm and Tyr are both possible) Final spot: Tossup between an Avenger or some sort of thief, likely a bounty hunter or assassin.
Odds are also good that the Paladin, Ranger, Cleric and Mage will likely all have come together from Cormyr (I love purple dragon knights and the war wizards), picking up the bard for knowing the area.
This one has no humans: Dwarven Fighter/Cleric Elven Fighter/Mage Halfling Fighter/Thief Half-Elf Fighter/Druid Gnome Illusionist/Cleric Half-Orc Cleric/Thief (only special one they have left =/)
Being a tall man myself, I like to play as short character for some reason, especially dwarves. I wish it was possible to create dwarf mage.
I wish that it was possible to create a dwarf runesmith. Who wears heavy armor and who can only buff, remove spell protections, and enchant mundane equipment.* Gets spells at the same rate as bards.
* Gives the equipment a spell effect that can be activated. So long as the rune is there the runesmith can't cast the spell. The equipment gets a +1/2/3 based on the runesmith's level. When sold the runes a removed and it sells for normal price.
Ex: The runesmith has three lvl 3 spell slots. He inscribes 'haste' onto a normal tower shield. He now only has 2 lvl 3 spell slots, but the shield can activate haste on the wielder once per day. If the runesmith is of the appropriate level the tower shield can become +1 as well.
It'd be an amazing class for an all dwarf party.
2x Dwarven Defenders (axe/shield and hammer/shield) Berserker (Halberd or great axe) Fighter/Cleric (mace/shield/sling) Bounty Hunter (crossbow) Runesmith (staff)
I only play small parties(same race), or solo... Always... I've never played a shorty race, as I view them as inferior... So humans or elves/half for moi.
Human blade CN (katana -dagger) Human swash TN →cleric (clubs and flails)
Or Human blackgaurd NE (2h +crossbow) Human Cleric of Talos CN→Mage
Comments
I did a successful shorty SCS no reload with 5 of the 6 midgets and a F/I mainchar. Still my favourite run of BGEE to this day.
Basically they can cover bases in a party without many problems. Half-Orcs and dwarves would lose out on arcane casters, which could hurt quite a bit; Elves can do fairly well but can't be druids or bards, and they just have the minor yet annoying issue of the -1 constitution. They also don't get as many valuable multi-class functions, like Ranger/Cleric, Cleric/Mage, etc. Halflings and Gnomes could do the job for the most part thanks to shorty bonuses, but again it's all about all-around versatility since we're assuming on a whole-party basis.
And then there's humans. Humans can do anything except multi-class, but if I chose humans, then it would be a fairly boring party with no real cool class combinations that don't involve a lot of down-time (I'm usually not a dual-class fan) and I see no fun in that. So... half elves.
Half elves are a good choice though just for the multiclass options and have the mage multiclass options that don't involve barred schools.
Dwarven Defender (hammers)
Dwarven Defender (axes)
Fighter/Cleric (dual wielding flails) because there are no dwarf god kits
Fighter/Cleric (staff)
Berserker (halberd, ie: a greataxe)
Bounty Hunter (crossbow, staff, traps. Use any item for needed scrolls late game, like breach)
Lots of buffing with deva summoning always on hand. A very solid front line of dwarven defenders. Followed up by staff and halberd behind. Two clerics for all the buffing and healing you would ever need. All the traps you'd ever want.
And except for the thief everyone makes full use of 19con. But the thief is single class for extra traps and the quick ability to get use any item, which fills any gap you need.
The thief could also be a fighter/thief. I took one through ToB. He used the headband from Raasad's quest to do auto max damage, backstabbed with a katana and then did a greater whirlwind with Caromsyr, which he had ** in. Very versatile character and tough as nails to boot.
Then EE fixed it. Whatever. I'll just find another stupidly overpowered tactic.
Half orcs : rage theme
- Barbarian , shield
- zerk, 2handed weapons
- kensai, 2 weapons
- fighter, thief, crossbow
- cleric of tempus, sling
- fighter (no kit), longbow
They are very effective, easy to play. At the end they had 20 apr (attack per round) !
With this party the run was like a pic nic.
Dwarf : theme = dragon age
- Dwarven defender, shield
- zerk, 2 handed weapons
- fighter/thief, 2 weapons
- thief (no kit), crossbow
- cleric (no kit), sling
- fighter (no kit), longbow
Quite the same party as half orcs.
Halfling : theme = thief
Fighter (no kit), shield
fighter (no kit), 2 weapons
Swashbucler, 2 weapons
Bounty hunter, crossbow
Cleric (no kit)
assassin, shortbow
Much a harder party to play, but they have many traps.
Gnomes : theme = magic
Fighter (no kit), shield
Fighter/mage, 2 handed weapons
fighter (no kit), 2 weapons
thief (no kit), shortbow
Cleric (no kit)
illusionist
I really enjoyed playing this party, at the beggining it was hard, but with levels they became monsters.
They are "greater" than half orcs.
- Fighter/druid, shield
- shapeshifter
- Blade, 2 weapons
- Fighter/thief/mage, crossbow
- avenger
- ranger (no kit)
Again a party i loved to play, when they aquired iron skin and stone skin, they were like gods.
Even spectral guards (trial of the luremaster) were easy.
Elves : theme nature-rangers
Cleric of lathander
Ranger (no kit), 2 handed weapons
Stalker, 2 weapons
Thief (no kit), crossbow
sorcerer
archer, longbow
Weak party at the beginning, but there is a sorcerer, and this kit a too powerfull. The archer too, 5 pip in longbow, 5 apr, and damage bonuses, the main killer.
Human : theme = religious extremist
- zerk 9 dual cleric, shield
- hundead hunter
- monk (no kit)
- bounty hunter 11 dualed to fighter, crossbow
- cleric (no kit)
- bard (no kit), bows
Dual classes are very powerfull.
I think this human party can wipe the half orc party without a prob.
(First I voted elf, but honestly I'm more likely to play humans than anything).
Anyway: as others have said, there's the 1 of everything party.
Human - Usually a paladin, but if I brought a half orc it would likely be a cleric
Dwarf - Fighter (Dwarven Defender, Wizard Slayer or Berserker)
Elf- Ranger (Archer)
Gnome - Illusionist
Halfling - Assassin or Bounty Hunter
Half-Orc or Half Elf - Barbarian (HO) or Druid (HE)
Wild Things party (Always wanted to play this one, issue comes down to no real thief which worries me. Also Lawful Alignments not allowed):
Ranger
Barbarian
Druid
Bard
Sorcerer
(If I need a thief, than swashy)
My personal favorite, although it is actually harder than you'd expect:
Back to Basics:
Dwarf Fighter
Human Cleric
Halfling Thief
Elven Mage
Honor/Discipline (Everyone is lawful, only the thief is not lawful good)
Paladin
Monk
Fighter (DD fits the theme nicely here)
Cleric
Wizard
Assassin or Bounty Hunter
Anyway, if I were making a pure Elven Party:
Ranger (Archer)
Druid (EEKeepered if I have to) Avenger
Mage/Thief
Cleric (Likely Lanthander)
Bard (Yay EE, prolly Blade)
Fighter/Mage
But, I did say in the end I prefer humans. here's the party I likely want/will run through IWDEE with eventually:
Paladin Undead Hunter
Ranger Archer (Undead bad!)
Monk Sun Soul
Bard Skald
Specialist Mage (Invoker)
Cleric (Priest of Lanthander, although Helm and Tyr are both possible)
Final spot: Tossup between an Avenger or some sort of thief, likely a bounty hunter or assassin.
Odds are also good that the Paladin, Ranger, Cleric and Mage will likely all have come together from Cormyr (I love purple dragon knights and the war wizards), picking up the bard for knowing the area.
This one has no humans:
Dwarven Fighter/Cleric
Elven Fighter/Mage
Halfling Fighter/Thief
Half-Elf Fighter/Druid
Gnome Illusionist/Cleric
Half-Orc Cleric/Thief (only special one they have left =/)
3 berserkers (immune to pretty much everything)
2 clerics (healing, buff spells)
1 thief (shadowdancer)
* Gives the equipment a spell effect that can be activated. So long as the rune is there the runesmith can't cast the spell. The equipment gets a +1/2/3 based on the runesmith's level. When sold the runes a removed and it sells for normal price.
Ex: The runesmith has three lvl 3 spell slots. He inscribes 'haste' onto a normal tower shield. He now only has 2 lvl 3 spell slots, but the shield can activate haste on the wielder once per day. If the runesmith is of the appropriate level the tower shield can become +1 as well.
It'd be an amazing class for an all dwarf party.
2x Dwarven Defenders (axe/shield and hammer/shield)
Berserker (Halberd or great axe)
Fighter/Cleric (mace/shield/sling)
Bounty Hunter (crossbow)
Runesmith (staff)
I'd play the hell out of that party.
Human blade CN (katana -dagger)
Human swash TN →cleric (clubs and flails)
Or
Human blackgaurd NE (2h +crossbow)
Human Cleric of Talos CN→Mage
Or
Elven mage/theif NE
Elven Fighter/Mage LE
Don't ever make a bet with a tiefling. - Planar proverb.