Dwarven Defender = brick wall
Sharguild
Member Posts: 186
I usually don't play a simple fighter type in the game. Too much fun to be had with spell-casters (Cleric, Mage and derivatives).
After reading a post a while ago on the Dwarven Defender, it seemed quite interesting, so I elected to create one.
Well I'm having a hell of a lot of fun with this guy.
My party is Immy, Vic, Neera, Bran and Dyna.
I'm the muscle. They are the casters.
With a tank, a thief, two Clerics and two Mages, we are doing well.
My Dwarf uses a sling for ranged so I can use a shield and with a natural 18/00 str (awesome roll!) I have a str boost to bullets. Of course tanking is the optimal role and this guy is solid.
With axe, hammer and sling, got most damage types covered.
Early in the game, while getting Dyna, couldn't even see my character for the amount of Gnolls surrounding him.
Until the bodies hit the floor.
Toe-to-toe with 3 Ogre Berzerkers was interesting, Charname was last man standing though.
So, if anyone wants to try playing steamroller, this class will do it.
Like any other character, gear is key.
What this character also allows me to do though, is concentrate more on the support NPCs. I'm finding it easier to just let my tank wade in and wallow and I can now play the NPCs more to their strengths instead of just frantically hope they can provide support. It opens new character development for use I find.
M2C
After reading a post a while ago on the Dwarven Defender, it seemed quite interesting, so I elected to create one.
Well I'm having a hell of a lot of fun with this guy.
My party is Immy, Vic, Neera, Bran and Dyna.
I'm the muscle. They are the casters.
With a tank, a thief, two Clerics and two Mages, we are doing well.
My Dwarf uses a sling for ranged so I can use a shield and with a natural 18/00 str (awesome roll!) I have a str boost to bullets. Of course tanking is the optimal role and this guy is solid.
With axe, hammer and sling, got most damage types covered.
Early in the game, while getting Dyna, couldn't even see my character for the amount of Gnolls surrounding him.
Until the bodies hit the floor.
Toe-to-toe with 3 Ogre Berzerkers was interesting, Charname was last man standing though.
So, if anyone wants to try playing steamroller, this class will do it.
Like any other character, gear is key.
What this character also allows me to do though, is concentrate more on the support NPCs. I'm finding it easier to just let my tank wade in and wallow and I can now play the NPCs more to their strengths instead of just frantically hope they can provide support. It opens new character development for use I find.
M2C
9
Comments
But it's still an amazing gear/ability combo.
Dual weilding hammers...it's just...sorry I am getting teary eyed...it's just so...devastating.
Yes this is resolved as soon as you get to Baldur's Gate but by that point AC starts to matter a bit less.
The best thac0s in the game, as far as creatures you are likely to run in to more often than not, are in the range of an effective 9 (ogre berserker base 12 with strength 18/100). Without magic equipment, any well-stocked fighter will start the game with splint mail and a shield for a base AC of 3 (2 vs piercing, 1 vs crushing). Those ogre berserkers will be able to hit this fighter on an 8 or higher, or about 60% of the time. It doesn't take much improvement to equipment to get this number over 11, meaning they will miss more often than they hit. By the time the fighters have AC below -4 it won't matter much if the number is -4 or -5--most things in the game will hit only on a 20.
A multi-class dwarven defender/cleric would probably be one of the easiest characters to solo through BGEE.
I've personally never found the 17 dex to be an issue.
Elves get +1 Dex, some minor elven bonuses, and -1 Con.
Halflings get +1 Dex and -1 Str.
It's a give and take, as every race needs some kind of disadvantage.
As I said, I'm considering it. But A. I wouldn't get axes (nor get beyond specialized anyway), and B. Just not certain about it. My preferred version of fighter/cleric is still a cavalier or undead hunter =/
I think BGTweaks removed cleric weapon restrictions, but that pretty much sums up my own problem. Me, I'd view my DD/Cleric as a paladin of moradin. Or as close as a dwarf could get
His ranged with a +1 Sling is very impressive and he absolutely rocks with Ashideena.
I'm distributing points evenly at this stage, with 2 pips purchased in each;
- axe
- hammer
- sling
I'll not be able to give another until BG2 and will probably pump axe, as there are so many wonderful ones. Of course, hammers can't be overlooked but there are some wonderful flails (other than "Ages") to consider, as well as morning stars. Yes, I know I'm limited to 2 pips in flails/morning stars, looking at static effects though (i.e. "Defender of Easthaven"). Same with maces but I want Viccy to swing maces.
No interest in swords at all. My other PCs in other games are all swinging swords.
So, I suspect I'll go to 3 in Axe (Azuredge/Ice/Fire), then 3 in Hammer, and 1 in "sword and shield" somewhere betwixt them all.
Going past 2 pips in any weapon has usually been "meh" with me, as I usually never build a fighter anyway.
Fun times.
If only some of the items which grant physical resistances were available in BGEE and BG2EE.... Of course, if I want those items I already know what to do--export the items, export the string reference texts, then create some small WeiDU install packages--so that makes it a question of sitting down to do it. This, of course, presumes that someone else hasn't already done that....
Some really great shields in the game I'm looking forward to (i.e. "Harmony" and "Saving Grace").
Mind, I'm certainly planning on having a variety of hit-sticks in my inventory and DoE is high on the list; FoA is certainly not, nor is Crom. I plan on having fun with the lesser used whackers. The Wyvern's Tail (poison) and "Dwarven Thrower" Hammer (vs giants) as examples.
Of course, "Arvoreen" sling for predominantly used ranged.
In ToB, the weapon choices for a DD are all crazy strong and hard to go wrong with.
Point allocation by that point though should be fully determined.
Bala's axe would be nice to bring along...sigh.
I love everything you said there, especially regarding sword and shield style. I just find it hard to believe that a dwarf would turn down the amazingly dwarven Crom Faeyr.
Crom Faeyr, The Dwarven Thrower and Darksteel Shield. Three dwarven made masterpieces, fit for any dwarven defender.
DD:
Crom Faeyer: (25 str)
Darksteel Shield (+4 dwarven made shield, +10% all elemental resists)
Gorgon Plane (-1 AC, +15% fire and acid resist)
Helm of the Rock (+25% all elemental resists)
Ring of Gax (cheese)
Ring of Fire Control (50% fire resistance)
Cloak of reflection (reflect all electrical damage back at target)
Gauntlets of Extraordinary Specialization (+1 APR, +1 THACO, +2 damage)
Girdle of 50% magic damage resistance
Boots of the North (50% cold resistance)
Amulet of the Seldarine (10% MR and saving throw bonuses)
Put that all together?
You've got a dwarf that has 20-70% physical resistance
50% magic damage resistance
100% fire and electricity resistance
85% cold resistance
50% acid resistance
35% magic resistance
Add in the AC and high hitpoints, and what do you have? The tank to end all tanks. Fight him in close combat? If you can even land a blow, he is going to ignore most of it and has the hit points to keep going.
Fight him at range? His AC is even lower, and he will catch up to you.
Fight him with magic? He's a dwarven defender, so his saving throws are already really good. But he's got magic resistance, is immune to fire and electricity, cold and acid are heavily resisted...and even if anything gets through he's going to take off 1/2 of any damage you do to him.
And to make it all even worse? He's rocking 25 strength and is a fighter, so he's going to hit like a ton of bricks.
Leave your 'dual wielding' elven nonsense out of this. Stoneskins? Ironskins? You know what breaks stone and iron? A dwarven made hammer.