A non-backstabbing solo FMT?
Moonheart
Member Posts: 520
I'm considering doing a new game as with a solo FMT protagonist and I try to figure the best way to use it.
The problem is: I'm not really fond of backstabbing.
It is certainly a powerful ability... when it works... but I'd rather invest into strategies that works against even the strongest foes.
Thus... I'm wondering how I could use an FMT in another way than... said... mislead+backstab cheese.
I'll have a lot of time to try and figure the most suited spells to use. Also, Fighter HLA are a bit no brainer: nothing compete with Critical Strike + Greater Wirlwinds
So, I've questions mainly about two things:
- Which weapons to use?
Most Fighter/Mage use dual wield weapons, but for a F/M/T that doesn't attempt to backstab, I wonder if the 2 handed sword route is not better.
I mean... UAI allows to use Carsomyr which is such an insane weapon, especialy combinate with GWW. It's like another layer of cheese... that works even against lichs and not just on random, innocent peasants (huh? what? the plot doesn't involve slaying innocent peasants? oops, sorry then)
Also, doesn't Carsomyr allows you to reach 100% magic resistance? I've read many different things about it, like "yes", then "no", then "yes"... Does anyone here has tested it in-game and can give me a feedback?
- Which thief HLA?
UAI is a no-brainer, but Assassination is useless if you set backstabs aside.
What is left? Spike and Time Trap? Anything else?
Also, how many Fighter and Thief HLA a F/M/T get by the standard xp cap of ToB ?
The problem is: I'm not really fond of backstabbing.
It is certainly a powerful ability... when it works... but I'd rather invest into strategies that works against even the strongest foes.
Thus... I'm wondering how I could use an FMT in another way than... said... mislead+backstab cheese.
I'll have a lot of time to try and figure the most suited spells to use. Also, Fighter HLA are a bit no brainer: nothing compete with Critical Strike + Greater Wirlwinds
So, I've questions mainly about two things:
- Which weapons to use?
Most Fighter/Mage use dual wield weapons, but for a F/M/T that doesn't attempt to backstab, I wonder if the 2 handed sword route is not better.
I mean... UAI allows to use Carsomyr which is such an insane weapon, especialy combinate with GWW. It's like another layer of cheese... that works even against lichs and not just on random, innocent peasants (huh? what? the plot doesn't involve slaying innocent peasants? oops, sorry then)
Also, doesn't Carsomyr allows you to reach 100% magic resistance? I've read many different things about it, like "yes", then "no", then "yes"... Does anyone here has tested it in-game and can give me a feedback?
- Which thief HLA?
UAI is a no-brainer, but Assassination is useless if you set backstabs aside.
What is left? Spike and Time Trap? Anything else?
Also, how many Fighter and Thief HLA a F/M/T get by the standard xp cap of ToB ?
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Comments
Even if you dislike backstabs, assassination is a no-brainer. It doesn't require doing a backstab as such.
I would get a handful of Time Traps for sure and then I guess spike traps if you like using them. The HLA aren't split into, mage, thief and fighter HLAs. You can pick from any at any level up.
If aiming for the former then you can use any weapons and thus I would consider going for Crom Faeyr in main hand and APR-weapon (Belm=>Scarlet ninjato once you have HLAs) to get optimal damage potential. You might want to give axes or flails a try since they are very strong both early (FoA/Frostreaver) and lategame (Still FoA/AotU)
If you wanna go for the second option, you should just take some pips in a backstabbing weapon. I would consider Katanas, since you get the very strong Celestial Fury early on, or clubs (there are quite a few powerful clubs and they are often overlooked).
But I'm not sure I'll need hammers and fails. I can get Lilarcor quite early to fit in the 2h slot, and it's powerful enough to fight everything I should met before getting UAI. The problem is not about doing "a backstab as such". I don't want to do backstabs "at all".
How many HLA points will I get by the experience cap with a FMT, anyway? That's a lot simplier if you consider that I'm aiming for the former The main draw to 2 handers to me is the possibility to reach 100% MR with the Holy Avenger and other items like Ring of Gigaxx and such.
I don't know if it works, but if it does, it would be a really outstanding feature for a solo play, seeing how most of the difficulty in this game is coming from spells thrown at you. Outstanding enough to accept to not optimize the damage at its fullest.
I'd like to hear someone who have tried it tell me if it works or not. It's really an important information for me to choose the way I'm going to build that toon.
For me, if you don't want backstabs, you're fine with two-handed weapons:
2 pips in two-handed swords
2 pips in two-handed weapon style
2 pips in staffs
2 pips in halberds
Carsomyr is 50%
You get 10 from hell trials and 5 from the Machine in WK
10 from robe of vecna
10 from ring of gaxx
5 from amulet of power
That's 90%. Could grind another 5% using a MR amulet (Seldarine/the one from the Underdark) instead, but I do not believe you can get 100% without disabling your spells, since you cannot get access to Balduran Cloak
That is IF the Carsomyr bonus is cumulative, I've read a ton of contradictory stuff about it, so I'll hope to hear someone who actualy tried it for real.
(note that I think that you have perhaps even enough items to make Viconia 100% MR on top of your protagonist, like with the amulet of underdark + human flesh + shield of the lost. That could make a dreadful duo, but it is not my goal to play this actualy)
@bengoshi thanks for the link, will read it a bit later
By the by, I'm pretty sure DoMT (Comet) gives 5% fire resistance, not Magic Resistance.
Anyway, to save me gabbing on:
Bastard Swords - Foebane is damn awesome and purifier MR does stack, though you need to be Lawful Good to get it.
Scimitars - There are loads of early, great, scimitars, especially if you want to go through BG1 first.
Warhammer - Crom Faeyr is basically the best weapon in the game, with Foebane being a close contender thanks to Laloch's (which also eats through spell turnings).
Katanas - Celestial Fury hits almost every enemy in the entire game and justifies the whole proficiency by itself.
Longswords - Daystar is a +4 weapon you can get straight out of Irenicus' dungeon for minimal risk (in and out), and it's great for the whole game. Angurvadal is pretty lame, but Blackrazor is another of the nastiest weapons in the whole game.
If you don't mind kiting (and it's a very reasonable tactic even before you get boots of speed), you might consider putting ** into Slings, since the Sling of Everard is extraordinary, especially with Sunstone bullets, and can easily be combined with the Shield of Reflection to make you immune to everything but spells, and this will serve you well throughout BG1 as well.
No need for staves - SotM is your best toy, and you'll only ever need it for mages, which are easy to hit.
No need for halberds - If you have an army to mow down, GWW is all the attacks you'll need to start getting vorpals with the Ravager and you'll be hitting anyway.
So...
1: Scimitar or Warhammer ** / Slings **
3: TWF *
6: TWF *
9: Katana or Bastard Sword *
12: Katana or Bastard Sword *
15: Free
18: Free
Generally, however, I'd not worry about non-proficiency. -2 is tiny, and there are far, far too many weapons that are invaluable for the immunities or special attack properties they have.
No backstab!? Perish the thought. As @arunsun said, it's a great way to open a fight; no need for mislead of stabby death. Is it that you don't want backstabs at all? Why is that?
I could see it if because you will not be spending points in that massive ability drain of Move Silently so that you could do everything else. But you can always click that button 3,4 times untill you can hide. Maybe spend a few points so that you can get that number down. Walk around hidden so no one gets the jump on you, go off to buff if you like, then boom surprise party of stabby death. If an enemy goes invisible, use a level two invisibility and dispel illusion button to save yourself a level 6 true sight, then backstab when enemy is visible.
I like your strategy. I just finished a playthrough with a FMT with pips spent similar to the way @bengoshi suggests. But I'd usually open up with a backstaff switch to Carsomyr and keep fighting. Of course this is not available with demons, for the most part, but still so useful for flayers, vampires, drow... making a lot of the game easy.
I suppose if you wanted to reallocate your pips you might use:
2 pips in two-handed swords
1 pip in two-handed weapon style
2 pips in two weapon style
2 pips in some single weapon
1 pip in some other single weapon.
When I wasn't whrilwinding with Carsomyr, I would often use improved haste in conjunction with critical strike. Improved haste lasts for some rounds so you can use it with other HLA's. This makes two weapon style an attractive alternative to a two hander. Use an offhand (runehammer or mace of destruction) to get negative plane protection, or other weapons for other buffs. Also, reducing your two-handed weapon style to one pip still doubles your chance of criticals.
Is your FMT lawful good? Too honourable to backstab?
That's not exactly like if I exclude the idea to make a backstab or two, it's just that I want a build that is optimized to fight things immune to backstab... so it's simplier to think like if backstab doesn't exist in the first place in any of my strategy, for the sake of not being influenced in my choice.
A 95% magic resistance (90% against level draining creatures) is just nasty, not matter how you look at it, combined with dispel on hit and Cloak of Mirroring, it's like wanting make every spellcaster in the game cry.
Sure, I could do a 85% magic resistance dual wielder with same advantage too, but that's allowing three time more spells to work just to dish a bit more damage... a hard choice to make.
If you did completed a run with a FMT using Carsomyr, can you tell me if it stacks with other MR items?
I'm very interested to confirm this.
You will deal blunt damages and you won't be able to backstab anyway with this setup.
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/523661/#Comment_523661
But let's assume you will only have scimitars in your off hand for the extra APR. Since you don't need to put pips into an offhand weapon, what would be a good proficiency plan that would take you from the start of BG1 all the way to TOB? For example it's not very efficient to take Katana in BG1 when the only good Katana is in SOA; the best bastard swords are in Watchers Keep / TOB so they can be taken late, etc.
1pip 2-handed swords
1 pip 2-handed weapon style
2pip 2-weapon style
1pip Katana
2pip Longsword
1pip Flail
The variety of effects from various Longswords in the game is a real consideration.