Mage dualed to Fighter?
Artona
Member Posts: 1,077
So, yeah. Is that even possible? Is that worth the effort? Has anyone tried that? People usually go other way around, but I'm interested in learning some defensive spells of first 5 or 6 levels, then switching to good old violence.
And I know that there is a blade, which is basically magical fighter, but I don't want it for few reasons - I don't want to be a bard, I want higher HP rolls, I want HLAs of a fighter, and I also dislike the hooded model.
What would be the best level to dual? I'd love to get protection against magical weapons, but calculating Xp needed for that makes me want to gouge my eyes out.
Share your wisdom and guide me, mighty forumites.
And I know that there is a blade, which is basically magical fighter, but I don't want it for few reasons - I don't want to be a bard, I want higher HP rolls, I want HLAs of a fighter, and I also dislike the hooded model.
What would be the best level to dual? I'd love to get protection against magical weapons, but calculating Xp needed for that makes me want to gouge my eyes out.
Share your wisdom and guide me, mighty forumites.
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Comments
I played once a mage level 2 dualed to a cleric. Why dual at such a low level - mostly for role-playing purpose; a decidedly weird PC who could use mage scrolls/wands but had a calling and so joined a temple and gave up his arcane magic for divine power. But on occasions would dabble with a few scrolls.
Are you planning to play the entire series?
Minimum needed to cast level 6 protection from magical weapon:
To be able to cast Protection from magical weapons a level 6 spell - you have to be minimum level 12 - which is sometime in chapter 2 in BG2. You of course will need to be a level 13 fighter before reactivating your mage abilities (1,250,000 xp) - so I imagine you will be able to reactivate probably in chapter 4.
While pfmw is a rather useful spell it does have a horribly short duration period (4 rounds only) - stone skin, with mirror image, blur (optional) and improved invisibility (optional) will provide more than enough protection against any weapons much better than 4 rounds.
Having the ability to cast spell immunity (5th level) is more useful than protection from magical weapons if that is going to be your only level 6 spell.
As a fighter with some mage skills - attack is your best defense - so throw on some protections spell (stone skin, mirror image and haste) and go swing that sword.
If you are concerned about armor - 1st level spell armor, later you get spirit armor or you can buy a shield amulet or robe of archmagi to fix AC.
"*#%€ this!" I'm gonna go buy a sword."
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Guide: The many benefits of a (low-level) Mage dualled to a fighter in BGEE and BG2EE
Requirements: Mage level 2, Intelligence 15, Strength 17.
Benefits:
- May use all equipment restricted to mages, including robes, wands, spell scrolls, even while wearing heavy armor (obviously you can't wear robes and armor at the same time)
- May use all equipment restricted to warriors
- May achieve grand mastery in weapons
All those excess spell scrolls that your mages don't have time to use in between casting their own spells now become one-off magical items much like potions.
In BG2EE especially, there are a few weapons that are restricted to mages but would benefit from fighter bonuses. Imagine a 15th level fighter with grand mastery in quarterstaves wielding the Staff of the Magi in combat. Now stop drooling.
Hindrances:
You lose a litle bit of THAC0 and the hit points difference between 2 levels of fighter and two levels of mage, 16 points total assuming maximum hit point rolls and a Constitution of 18. This can be mitigated somewhat by summoning a familiar. You also lose the chance to gain Exceptional Strength (percentile), but if you set your strength score to 18, you can improve that to 19 easily enough in BGEE.
Further points for consideration:
A: Generalist mage or specialist?
A generalist mage is the better choice here. Consider very carefully what you want your Mage 2/Fighter X to achieve. Your CHARNAME will never cast many spells. If a specialist, he will have 3 first level spells. IF a generalist, he will have 2 first level spells. Neither will be able to cast spells while wearing armor. However, he will be able to cast spells from scrolls while wearing armor - but only spells that are not from his School of Opposition. This can be a serious debilitation. (Oh, and for the record, apparently spell scrolls are always cast at level 10 unless a tweak from the BG2 TweakPack is installed).
The BG2 TweakPack introduces the option of allowing Wild Mages to dual-class. This offers +1 spell, no opposition school, while also allowing a role-playing reason why the character dual-classed: he found that, try as he might, he could not channel magic through himself without disastrous results, and for the sake of public and personal safety he became a fighter instead with a few tricks (wands) up his sleeve.
B: mage 2/kensai X (mod)
This at least saves you from buying and recharging the Shield Amulet by allowing you to cast Shield or Armor 2/day from memory.
C: druid 2/fighter X
Gives you access to a few druid-only items such as staves, and all cleric items. Does not appear to be as useful as the mage/fighter, but could be a specialist build for experienced players.
and from a pure fighter point of view you only lose some hp , who are reduced by familiar , in later games they even give more more than those fighter levels would have. and the 18XX strength , who is gone with the 19 book.
its also great from a role play perspective..you been schooled as a mage for years just to be thrown into a mean harsh world where people line up to kill you for reasons unknown and your only companion is Imoen , more a child than anything at this point, a shifty halfling a crazy mage , a stammering half-elf and a nagging one.... i too would buy me a bloody sword and not count on a Sleep spell...hell even my Familiar would yell at me buying a Weapon while throwing roasted Apples at me.