Best sustained melee DPS class?
rickcr
Member Posts: 77
I'm looking to play a melee class (although it can be a multi or dual) that basically shreds stuff up while there is another main tank absorbing the damage. Obviously many classes can fit this role but I'm curious what you consider the best from a sustained DPS standpoint in this regard. Although I'll use a class thief for some traps for some hard fights (and/or backstabs) I'm mostly looking to get my kicks chunking things up with some kind of melee weapon(s)
Note also, I'm not looking at what's the best for the last 5% of the game.. I'd like it to be a class that dominates for most of bg2 (other than some down time if having to dual if that's even what works best.) Probably more importantly, I don't want it to be a class that "has" to rely on resting after every fight in order to have that killer DPS. I don't mind factoring in special abilities but I'd like the sustained DPS to be solid for the trash mobs I'm chunking (since I don't like to rest after every fight.)
Monk? Kensai? Barb? Zerker? Swashie? Blade? F/T ? I've been googling and haven't found a real definitive answer.
Note also, I'm not looking at what's the best for the last 5% of the game.. I'd like it to be a class that dominates for most of bg2 (other than some down time if having to dual if that's even what works best.) Probably more importantly, I don't want it to be a class that "has" to rely on resting after every fight in order to have that killer DPS. I don't mind factoring in special abilities but I'd like the sustained DPS to be solid for the trash mobs I'm chunking (since I don't like to rest after every fight.)
Monk? Kensai? Barb? Zerker? Swashie? Blade? F/T ? I've been googling and haven't found a real definitive answer.
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crush damage dominates all
A Berserker is another strong choice. Although it won't deal quite as much damage as the Kensai after level 9, it will be much sturdier and require fewer buffs and healing potions. The Enrage ability blocks basically all disablers, which means you don't need saving throws as much. A half-orc is a good choice for a Berserker, as the Berserker doesn't need as strong saving throws as a Kensai does.
Dual-classing a Kensai or Berserker will give you a strong class, but its DPS won't be as strong unless you dual to cleric, and clerics require lots of buffs to maintain their high DPS. A single-class would be simpler to deal with.
A Dwarven Defender will do slightly less damage than a Berserker, but will be almost impossible to ever kill or seriously injure.
No one has mentioned Fighter/Cleric multi, but with all the cleric buffs (especially Holy Power for a slight Thac0 bonus, DUHM for max Strength, and Righteous Magic for max damage) they should hit harder than any fighter except perhaps an optimized Kensai. Multi is preferable over dual because of the late game; you get Fighter HLAs.
Edit: yes, you'll need to cast those spells, unlike a Kensai who doesn't rely on any spells at all. But note that you only want those spells against tougher foes, and after you've gained a few levels in BG2 you'll have enough spell slots to stay buffed for an entire battle. (Besides spell durations grow with levels.)
Kensai - powerful - does a lot of damage but can't use armor/shields/gauntlets so misses out on some protection but potions/items will help with that for major fights but for most battles you won't need to use them. If you are not restricting weapons use (I only let my kensai master swords or one type of weapon) then dual wielding blunt weapons is of course much better - as you know some of the best weapons are blunt in the game or some kind of combo (eg sword and flail). By level 12 you will be mostly destroying your opponents - watch the chunks fly.
Berserker - powerful - does a lot of damage almost as much as a kensai with the right equipment can match the damage power of a kensai -- its berserker rage is way over powered with too much immunities which it should not have. Possible restrictions if you are role-playing this class: the character should only use melee weapons preferably a two-hander of some kind (and really no dual wielding since that requires some finesse to use and going berserk loses that mental control) - and no pre-planning allowed if you activate rage before a battle - he should just charge in (let the AI control it until rage ends) - no missile/throwing weapons for a berserker even when not using rage and no shields when using rage although he is able to use them when calm.
During my play through with either berserker or kensai - neither kit are allowed to dual class.
Barbarian - almost as powerful, a ton of HP - no grandmastery but has rage - well chunk a lot of foes; barbarians I always imagined where like Conan - powerful - using two-handed swords with limited armor and really taking it to the opponent that they are facing.
Monks - pretty powerful - but you have to wait a few levels until after the first dungeon - at level 12 (or so) - some useful immunities and lots of attacks - add strength belt and some magical protection and the monk will mostly plow through your foes with some ease. You might want to use a monk mod for different options (and to ensure that monks have magical fists at the proper levels) and for some unique monk only HLA.
Dwarven Defender - haven't tried this yet - but from the description - it is a powerful fighter class - easily able to tank and squash all foes in melee combat - but of course you must be a dwarf to be one. Give him axes, hammer and or flails and he most likely will destroy all foes with ease.
While other kits and classes (duals and multi) can be more powerful - the above makes you able to chunk without the need of spells or any real assistance or any down time due to dualing.
If you do not mind dualing, you may want to consider Kensai/Berserker duals as well, but that lowers your power level for a while.
Dwarven Defender - (sword shield style)+ fighter/thiefr or FMT
dwarf defender is a brick wall, with the dps comming from the rear )
Not very subtle tbh.....I should mess about with kensai sometime.
Ive toyed with ranger/clr, which was ok, but seemed a bit bland somehow.
not really tried the bard and thief melee types: they seem a bit underwhelming?
Half-Orc Fighter/Cleric Multiclass..is where the Hurt is Born,
STR/CON19 DEX/WIS18 INT5/10 for Mind Flayers. and charisma as your dump stat.
all weapons he can use are crushing which is the best sort of damage. he can dual wield, wear platemail helmets and bracers.
buying Buckly's Buckler(1000-1500g friendly arm in) and wearing it during map travel or rest will give you free HP regeneration right of the start, once you have the con book you don't have to fiddle around with that anymore. making you independent on heal spells for yourself, and since your hopefully the first and last that enemy's see ease up on your party too.
Clerics are the Gods of Protection Buffs against status effects ...and while others run in fear, stand around dumbstruck or even turn against your party, you just buff up and go to town.
you don't even need Buffs for Trash but with a final of 21 wisdom in BG1 you got so many 1-5 spells that other party members run out long before your character.
and if shit really hits the fan you can just Sanctuary away and run for your life.
best of all hes strong from Killing shank in Candlekeep until seeing the outro cutscene in TOB with no downtime's , no weak moments and no fuzz.
if i had to pick one Race/Class combo for a no reload run ever it would be this, since its a beast solo and for Groups.
Totally unrelated to the topic but I'm also thinking of I/T ... got major 'restart-itus' going on.
Also, if playing part Cleric, is Half-Orc really so superior? Clerics have so many options to boost physical stats (Strength in particular) that I feel a Dwarf would be better due to their better saving throws.
I should ask this or research on another forum post, but I'm curious concerning HLAs, do they come at a point so late into the game that what % of the game is typically left at the point? If it's only like 10% left the HLAs aren't as appealing overall as a consideration.
TL/DR - HLA's are only for ToB unless you get an xp cap remover for SoA, even then, a bit late, but if you compare to a vanilla thief or thief kit you can get pretty decent backstabs, more APR, better THACO for giving up armor...
then you bring him over into SoA, and almost right off the bat, you can find lilarcor right away almost, which is another two handed sword +3 and start kicking some serious but, and then, the best weapon in SoA? the silver sword, which is the sword to end all swords, now granted its only +3, but its special ability is legendary: 25% chance for enemy to save vs death ( -2 penalty) or die instantly, so basically if you have 4 attacks per round, the enemy is basically saving every round at least once to not kick the can, and best part is, with that -2 penalty, there is no enemy in the game that can sure fire make that save, so this effect can affect anyone, and I have done many playthroughs with that sword, and you would be amazing at how many baddies you will send into oblivion with that sword, the most common animation you are going to see, is a spirit leaving your baddie's body from having their head cut off
then we come into ToB and I still use the silver sword, until I hit the ultimate weapon: the ravanger +6, not only does this weapon deal some crazy damage, but again, the wonderful one hit peace out move is also attached, now although its only 10% the best part is? no save this time ( or at least if it hasn't been nerfed a bit yet, like with a save or some such) but even then, my half orc at that time had 23 STR and was dealing up to around 35 damage on a normal hit and that's not even including the chance of dealing some extra poison damage, or our good ol' friend mr decapitation
so in my opinion that class/race/weapon combo will slice, dice, and disentigrate yer baddies into goo, and best part is: no spell buffs needed to kick butt, and if needed berserk just adds to the godliness, plus your AC will always be decent, plus you will have great HP, and you don't need to micro manage squat, just set AI to standard attack and let 'im loose
and one thing that I really REALLY love about this combo? its just fun as hell to play, hence the reason why I have done it more than once