If you go dual kensai/mage(berserker/mage) or multi-class fighter/mage for power gaming, it is also good to have as much wisdom as possible(in addition to strength, intelligence, constitution, dextirity) so you can get better results from "Wish". That's why I spend so much time re-rolling.
Don't power game on your first playthrough though. Instead focus on the story and the quests.
If you go dual kensai/mage(berserker/mage) or multi-class fighter/mage for power gaming, it is also good to have as much wisdom as possible(in addition to strength, intelligence, constitution, dextirity) so you can get better results from "Wish". That's why I spend so much time re-rolling.
Don't power game on your first playthrough though. Instead focus on the story and the quests.
You could go with something like 18/18/18/18/14/3 and use the 3 wisdom tomes in bg1 (gotta catch em all!) and the machine in bg2 requiring only an 89 which isn't too bad ... Remember it's 18 wisdom or bust though when it comes to wish.
All I hear is "yadda yadda power-gaming blah blah power-gaming." Pick whatever you want to play and play it. Everything is viable. Even solo fighters with the absolute worst possible stats in the game. (And yes. It's been proven.)
If you WANT to play a perfectly built completely power-gamed F>M dual then fine, but I can almost guarantee you'll start it, play three chapters, then start some random 80 point total single classed thief or bard or something else "bad", and fall in love with it. I mean, maybe you are the type who legitimately LIKES power-gaming, but the game is ALWAYS more fun with the character you feel the biggest natural draw towards. Anyway. There's my two cents.
I second the notion of rolling a Gnome Fighter/Illusionist. The loss of Necromancy spells is pretty well offset by the F/I's ability to dish out physical damage. They are absolute monsters throughout the saga.
Why continue to gain fighter levels until the end game? it just slows down your spell progression and number of spells?
The Mage gets spells to buff Thaco (tensers) to fighter levels anyway with an extra attack, AC and HP bonus etc. Plus Black Blade of Despair. I'm not sure why you pick a multiclass PC over a dual class PC unless its for Role Play reasons. Plus multiclass cant get Grandmastery.
If you wanted a more powerful character you would just dual over at 9 instead of 7. Plus dual gets you kits. Berserker or Kensai to Mage.
Umm HLAs? /thread.
Not to mention how much more effective a fighter/Mage multi is in BG1 compared to a dual.
Right. You don't need Mage levels until BG2 if you want power anyway.
Nothing wrong with dual-classing early as a fighter to a mage; you can still cast Tenser's transformation at spell level 6 to make up for any lacking fighter levels, with the exception of the half-attacks and HP, but Fighters will only gain a full attack by level 13; not a big deal. The difference is that as a low level fighter dual'd to mage you'll be more of a slightly meatier mage who can cast spells.
And no, Fighter/Mage duals don't get Greater Whirlwind, but they get Improved Haste.
Personally I do prefer playing Fighter/Mage multis in BG1 since it allows you to play as one right from the start. BG2 makes it more convenient but Kensai/Mages are rather fun, if not interesting.
Dualling late (level 13) can be a pain (even if playing solo)
Dualling early (7-9) leads you to be mostly a mage with some fighter capabilty.
a few points to consider: - while the downtime is seen by most as a drawback, it can actually be a fun time, enabling you to change the playstyle of your PC - tenser sucks pretty much. Being unable to cast spells while your are mainly a spellcaster is not a very good idea. - gww is not the best hla for a F/M. Critical strike is usually better. - a fighter illusionist has almost as many spells as a dual+much better saving throws+ much better fighting capacity+no downtime->the best powergaming choice for me.
Dualling late (level 13) can be a pain (even if playing solo)
Dualling early (7-9) leads you to be mostly a mage with some fighter capabilty.
a few points to consider: - while the downtime is seen by most as a drawback, it can actually be a fun time, enabling you to change the playstyle of your PC - tenser sucks pretty much. Being unable to cast spells while your are mainly a spellcaster is not a very good idea. - gww is not the best hla for a F/M. Critical strike is usually better. - a fighter illusionist has almost as many spells as a dual+much better saving throws+ much better fighting capacity+no downtime->the best powergaming choice for me.
My first no-reload SCS run of bg1ee was with a fighter/illusionist and his team of vertically challenged companions (Kagain, Yeslick, Montaron, Quayle, Tiax). I never took a tall person in party (except to split Xzar off). Awesome team.
Comments
Don't power game on your first playthrough though. Instead focus on the story and the quests.
If you WANT to play a perfectly built completely power-gamed F>M dual then fine, but I can almost guarantee you'll start it, play three chapters, then start some random 80 point total single classed thief or bard or something else "bad", and fall in love with it. I mean, maybe you are the type who legitimately LIKES power-gaming, but the game is ALWAYS more fun with the character you feel the biggest natural draw towards. Anyway. There's my two cents.
And no, Fighter/Mage duals don't get Greater Whirlwind, but they get Improved Haste.
Personally I do prefer playing Fighter/Mage multis in BG1 since it allows you to play as one right from the start. BG2 makes it more convenient but Kensai/Mages are rather fun, if not interesting.
Dualling early (7-9) leads you to be mostly a mage with some fighter capabilty.
a few points to consider:
- while the downtime is seen by most as a drawback, it can actually be a fun time, enabling you to change the playstyle of your PC
- tenser sucks pretty much. Being unable to cast spells while your are mainly a spellcaster is not a very good idea.
- gww is not the best hla for a F/M. Critical strike is usually better.
- a fighter illusionist has almost as many spells as a dual+much better saving throws+ much better fighting capacity+no downtime->the best powergaming choice for me.