Shaman abilities help

marzbarz

So im dicing up a shaman and I rolled 92, not bad.

That's not the problem, im just not 100% sure where to put the points. I doubt this class is meant for melee right? So I was thinking like this maybe ( for human )
16 str ( if I do go 18 here itll be good for throwing axes and daggers I guess right? )
18 dex ( a must for s-bows I guess )
16 con ( don't think they benefit from 18 anyways? )
10 int ( I doubt ill benefit at all here even if I put 18 right? )
18 wis ( we apparently don't need wis but it stops me at 12 so I put 18 for reasons )
10 cha ( so I don't think cha will be useful much as I just read its not a huge benefit beyond cheaper prices/can be made up for easilly )

This gives me 4 leftover points to place wherever, assuming I didn't mess up above. From what I gather it looks like the abilities have nothing to do with the spell casting , and mostly help out in whatever combat type I want to do. Is this correct?

Can someone suggest an optimal stat distribution or should I just dump last 4 into str to get 18 and int to 12 because who cares? Unless that extra 18 con would help but I don't think so unless I want the regen thing at 20...

I couldn't find any info on abilities so hope this isn't reposting/is in the right place.

marzbarz

If I do go 18dex/18 con the plan was throwing weps+buckler and bow because we can do that now in the slots lol

Lord_Tansheron

Only fighter-types (Fighter, Ranger, Paladin) benefit from CON >16, afaik.

Shamans have no preferred stat, so neither INT nor WIS are really needed. They can't cast Wish spells either.

You can just go 18/18/16 STR/DEX/CON for actual benefits, and roll the rest whatever you like. CHA 18 is probably more useful than either INT or WIS. INT might be marginally more useful than WIS because Mind Flayers (if you plan on doing BG2).

marzbarz

Ah okay went something similar to that. Really after the str/dex/con for staying alive if we get it its just not really useful to keep rolling for higher rolls, other than int/mindflayers and cha for the few dialogue/discount options.

I think they should add the wis bonus to it so they can at least compete with druid spell cast limits being higher I guess. I understand not wanting to be too close to druid/cleric but meh.

Thanks this answered my question about the stats. Not really a huge issue and can pretty much just do whatever after the str/con/dex max bonus amts. I put 18 wis for rp purposes, even a shaman needs to be wise...isn't that like a main thing about being a spiritual leader of sorts?

Lord_Tansheron

You can justify pretty much anything with the right RP angle. Why not a low WIS Shaman? Maybe the spiritual talent is hereditary, as is the position of Shaman in that tribe - that would mean you can have whatever stats you like, you just ended up with the Shaman role by accident of birth and not your merit. Could even go as far as to say you're a spiteful, reckless ingrate with 3 WIS that never learned anything :P Invent whatever you like!

Lord_Tansheron

CHA like many other stats is open to interpretation. What if you were born able to see spirits, but no one believed you? Labeled "crazy" (or at the very least "peculiar") your whole life, you became withdrawn, quiet, awkward around other people. Leading a party? Not going to happen. You're lucky if you don't run screaming when someone calls your name. And there you go, 5 CHA Shaman.

It really is what you make it

Icecreamtub

Increase STR if you want a pack-mule Shaman.

Always have 18 Dexterity on a Shaman - They need the AC when they get bludgeoned for Shamanic Dance & Can use Shortbows, so DEX gives better Thac0 for Shortbows.

CON - Keep this at 16 or lower.

INT & WIS - Boost these if you want "decent" LORE bonuses, do not go below 9 INT so you can use Clerical scrolls, otherwise ignore these entirely.

CHA - Keep at 15 (?) for NPC reaction, go to 18 for Store purchases.

Shaman's honestly only need 18/18/16/Min/Min/15+.

marzbarz

Ahh okay with that 92 roll I basically covered all the areas mentioned and then some lol. That's good to know thanks everyone for the info and such.

Icecreamtub

Yeah, a 92 Shaman really is pretty over the top to be honest. Since they are Druidic Sorcerers, they don't actually have need for a roll over like, 79 lol.

I think my Half-Orc has a total roll of 98 atm with every tome being placed on him.

(So 20/19/20/9/21/9)

And she's still easily felled in three hits during SoD. Mainly because I'm using AD&D so she has lower HP rolls. (It doesn't roll max HP, rolls between minimum and max per level)

marzbarz

I know I got this sexy 92 and it was like nope, never gonna be useful. Ouuuu their squishy ness worries me though. I did however create a guardian elf/barbarian to help him out there. He seems okay as a buffer/ccer by throwing out doom and other spells, I think this will be the best route to be honest, as buffer and ccer.

Icecreamtub

Depends on the difficulty you have set for your game.

If you have anything on AD&D or higher, the second your Shaman starts dancing, all the stronger NPCs will start swamping the Shaman.

Otherwise, just keep a good amount of Sleep Spells/Hold Person/Command : Sleep on hand for tough fights.

Try to get your Shaman to use Shamanic Dance before a fight breaks out or have the Shaman run a little further behind so that Enemies don't immediately try to launch everything the second you start dancing.

marzbarz

Im trying out hard but without the extra damage, I was interested in the more enemies part. So ill deff keep my squishinator behind lines and was interested in the vampire killing throwing axe in bg2 eventually as a weapon or that firetooth t-dagger.

I was thinking of summoning stuff then leading the enemy to the summoned guys as a tactic. Any idea what the max # is for them? Im assuming normal summoning rules here right?

Icecreamtub

My Shaman is currently failing a lot at summoning spirits, they are also pretty squishy in Bg1, so I've never had more than 3/4 at a time.

I *think* Shaman's have their own special summoning limitations that don't follow with other summons, since I've had like 2 Nymphs and 2 Skeletons and Shaman spirits coming as well, I think it also automatically fails when you have more than 5 monsters (which is the cap), so I really don't know... Kind of contradicted myself a little there, but it is hard to keep up with the different summons going on all at once during the heat of battle.

Firetooth or Gesen Bow would be my recommendations, for sure.

I think a great path for BG2 is Tuigan Bow until you get Gesen for Shamans.

@Marzbarz

You're also welcome to add me on Skype or whatever if you ever need quick-tips.

marzbarz

Dang they seemed like they would be more useful in bg1 to me to be honest but ill have to mess around more on the higher lvl summons to test the stronger versions. Ive just been going around casting doom on things so far and they tend to drop pretty fast. I also keep messing up the dance thing while im moving and forget to double check to see if its on. ( it never is lol, I keep moving accidently or using it while hes in movement. )

Icecreamtub

Just click Shaman dance and then ignore your Shaman until you actually need them to do something else, just remember there is about a (guesstimate) of a 5 second delay between your icons unlocking.

Shaman summons are indeed pretty crappy in SoD, but they are designed to be cannon fodder anyway with limited uses until you get enough levels to increase your chances of high-level spirits. So it works out nicely, Shamans are basically just Totemic Druid + Sorcerer with some min/max strengths. The class over-all is pretty unbalanced, though. Having huge grey areas but super strengths (like not needing any good stats at all)

marzbarz

OMG people don't ethereal gate yourself if you solo playing lol......Testing abilities and such I just ended my game rofl...Neat...

Icecreamtub

Pretty sure it states it's a friendly version of Maze? ;p
(Thus meaning, if you use it on yourself in a solo run, it'll end the game)

marzbarz

I just didn't expect it and rofled :P