Help with my team -> fighters: Mazzy and Jaheira

zfarsh

Hi all,

The short: help me with wep specialization for Mazzy and Jaheira, when only other "fighter" is keldorn for carsomyr. Ie, there will be no other swords/axe/hammer/ used than what Mazzy and Jaheira will be using, as the rest are mages / ranged only. Wep proficiencies and which to use for soa, tob, watcher pls. I kinda want good meat shield but can hit and do some damage on their own whilst the rest do magic from the back, but I am open to two weps/handed too.

If you feel like reading more....

The long story:

Been a long time haven't played, and just bought an iPad version. I am doing a good/neutral team (previously did good with a fighter, then evil with sorce long time ago), and I will be eleven sorce.

Team: sorcerer, keldorn, aery, Imoen / Jan, and for the first time, Jaheira and Mazzy

I would have otherwise used Minsc (kinda used to him, so it will be hard as I like his character), and I love using Cernd in greater werewolf form as meat shield that doesn't get damaged whilst my mages blast from the back, but wanted to go a bit different this time around. I am reading Mazzy and Jaheira can be nice tanks, so figured I would try it. Another option would be the monk npc.

Now, my 3 fighters will all be equipped with a wep or two, and they will all carry a ranged wep of some sort as well. I am thinking of having one of the fighters have the helm that can cast simulacum and cast one time spell magic protection on Mazzy and Keldorn at many times (casting protective spells beforehand, like haste / etc unless it it too much of a chore with spells not lasting long enough (haste).

Anyways

Mazzy: I hear halberds might be good, or short swords, or axe, or frail of age 4 (ie without freedom of movement from 5) I don't want Crom faer because I prefer keeping individual strength items for all my 3 fighters. Really needing help with mellee weeps for all through the the game, ie soa, tob, watcher. Maybe frail of age 4 and a short sword? Which proficiencies and which mellee wep(s)2 . single hand wep or two handed. Wep and shield? I may likely still use short bow for when needing ranged.

Jaheira: club, similar, spear, staff, two weaps, wep and shield? I am really clueless with this one, as I barely ever used any such weeps in the past that I am limited with Jaheira.

I am thinking my sorce and support mages will likely do enough damage, or most, from the back, so maybe a shield would be beneficial to two weeps or two handed, but I am all ears, as I ain't an expert.

Thx in advance.

Jarrakul

Jaheira starts with two points in clubs and a point in scimitars. That makes it pretty easy to start her off with a club/shield build, and then progress into a club/scimitar dual-wield build by around 12th level (in fighter). Go dual-wield first, and then get scimitar specialization later. The general weapon setup is Gnasher or Blackblood in the main hand, and Belm in the off-hand. In TOB, there's a shortage of good clubs that don't fireball your party, but you can always use the Spectral Brand in your main hand if the clubs aren't cutting it (pun unintended, but amusing).

Alternatively, Jaheira has the potential to train into the highest-damage two-handed weapons in the game. Get her spear specialization as soon as possible, and then staff specialization after that, and have her use the Impaler in BG2 and the Staff of the Ram in TOB.

Mazzy is a bit more of a wildcard. She's a something of a late-bloomer in melee, since she starts with most of her points in shortbow. That said, she can be built pretty easily into a strong melee fighter with almost any weapon setup. I'd personally recommend halberds if you want to go two-handed, because there are great halberds at most points in the game, including a pretty decent one in her recruitment quest (which makes halberds also make a certain amount of lore-sense for her, as they're implied to be the favored weapon of her dead companion/maybe-boyfriend). She can also easily be built into a whatever-and-shortsword dual-wield build. My favorite options include longsword (Daystar/Angurvadal), bastard sword (Jhor the Bleeder/Blade of Searing/Foebane), and flail (Flail of Ages, natch). The obvious choice of off-hand is Kundane, for its +1 APR and the fact that she starts proficient in shortswords. Speaking of which, a dual shortsword build is probably worse for Mazzy in the long-run than other dual-weapon builds, but it's probably the strongest option until she hits 21st level.

zfarsh

@jarrakul, thanks for taking the time to help me. Have some questions on your suggestions

For Jaheira.
- so first point(s) in two wep style. How many points would you suggest putting into two wep style before putting into similar.
- simitar balm in offhand for +1 attack right?
- the alternative two handed weps. Is the Impaller much better than clubs / Simitar so. Also, do I need to put points in two handed wep and how many and when, as there is spear and staff.
- Also, is it safe not to use a shield?

For Mazzy
I am really debating which way to go
Dual wield say an axe with short sword (or with a shield), and put a point in frail. I think I would have to do 5 points in axe, then dual wield, and 1 point in frail in early stage.
Or
Halberds, having to put simply 5 points in that in two handed wep.
I don't know benefits and disadvantage of each option.

prairiechicken

Shields are pretty useless and progressively get worse so I would stick to dual or 2H.

For jaheira I highly recomment spear(really underrated weapon, impaler is super op) but you can go dual scimitars if that is more to your liking.

Mazzy has more options, and since others will be using 2H I would go for dual wielding. Personally recommend bastard sword or axe if you are looking into ToB.