Questions about Powergaming custom party

Kason

Ok, for some time i'm trying to do an ultimate custom party for BG2.

Got a few questions about it.
So.

1. Main tank
Clear fighter or this famous kensai/mage?
Is that kensai/mage build really most superior of all? Why? Because of buff spells? What are he's advantage over a pure fighter? Who will be able to stand longer in melee? What profiencies choose? Most people use kensai/mage with Katanas but there isn't really any +5 Katanas, will he be able to kill liches and dragons?

2. Thief
Fighter7/ThiefX or Kensai9/ThiefX ?
Being a fighter 7 i can have grand mastery in crossbows (firetooth) and what about kensai/thief? Will he be a good melee character? I won't be able to use armours until UAI kicks in? Will he be sufficent as a tank?

3. Cleric
Warrior7/ClericX or Ranger7/Clericx ?
First build for obvious reasons, having Grand Mastery in Hammers for Crom Faeyr or Flail of Ages or to choose ranger for both druid/cleric spells? What pros and cons both builds has?

4. Sorc
Should i add him? Will my kensai/mage will be sufficent in dealing both melee damage and casting deadly spells? Or should i add Sorc to my party as a backup who will cast offensive magic?

Quartz

1. I would vote clear fighter. Kensai/Mage, while supposedly "super awesome," sucks for a long time. Yes, by the time you're 3/4 through the game, they are absolutely incredible. During that 3/4 of the game they suck. A dual-classer should never be a main tank. Anyone who dual-classes should be able to be on the side lines while they regain levels.
Oh, and as far as weapon profs go ... tough. But if you are talking about main tank, you may want a shield and all. Strongest one-handed weapon *is* Katana. Celestial Fury might not be +5 but it's disastrously powerful. Later you can also get Hindo's Doom which is +4 upon upgrade.
Also, since when did you need +5 to kill much anything? Only Demi-Liches require +5 as far as I know ... everything else isn't any higher than +3 that I know of, I'm sure someone will tell me I'm wrong.
IF you don't care about them having a shield, I say go with Two-Handed Sword. You can't go wrong with those, there are a ton of very good ones that are very powerful.
And actually, either clear fighter, or Cavalier. They are very powerful melee opponents with some nice special abilities, + they can wield Carsomyr.

2. No, not sufficient as a tank. However you can have your main tank aggro everything, and your Kensai/Thief could whack away at things from the sidelines, doing lots of damage. But if they attract anything, lol bad armor class = bad news. Kensai/Thief is a pretty darn good build, I would say go ahead and do it ... just don't expect him to handle things on his own for a while, you know?

3. I would go with Ranger. Grand Mastery sucks in BGII. You will highly prefer the Elemental Summonings and other awesome Druid abilities over Grand Mastery, I think. Makes for a more interesting character anyway.

4. No, definitely have a pure arcane caster to bring up the chaos. Sorcerer is definitely recommended so long as you know what spells you want/need.

Hope this all helps. Have fun.

ryuken87

Why so many dual classes? With all these low level duals, none of these will be great in melee come the late game and with three duals at once, the very early game will be horrible for you. They won't suck for three quarters of the game as Quartz says, they should all have their fighter levels back during early chapter 2 (and you are only splitting the exp between four). Saying that dual classing isn't really good for new players either.

1. Vanilla fighter is not a good class, so if you're powergaming it's actually quite bad. You don't need +5 weapons to kill liches or dragons, you can infact count the number of monsters you'll encounter needing +5 on one hand. Katana's are great in SoA but not in ToB so switch to something else, there's loads of choice.

2. A K->T is the complete opposite of a tank, he's a glass cannon. Just go with a halfling F/T multi.

3. R/C is better for the spells. Crom isn't a great choice for clerics since they attain 25 str through spells really easily. Go with a half elf multi.

4. A sorcerer will be a great additon, but it's another class not good for new players as you will be stuck with wrong spell choices the whole game.

I recommend a paladin as a fifth party member. They are great for new players and one would give your party some stability I feel.

Kason

So for good custom party:
1. Standard Fighter (Berserker maybe?)
2. Inquisitor? (paladin spells are a joke and free true sight and dispel is more usefull i guess).
3. Thief (again, Fighter7/ThiefX or Multi?)
4. Ranger7/ClericX (for access to all spells)
5. Sorc or Mage ? (i know it's very long debate which one is more powerfull)

What about Blade? Or maybe Swashbuckler insteed of standard Thief? Is lack of backstab really big disadvantage?

Quartz

@Kason - Backstab question - really depends on your playstyle. For me, I loath that disadvantage, usually don't pick Swashbuckler. But others, who don't use it that much, well, may as well right?

kensai

1. fighter\mage (katanas)
2. berserker7\druid (skimitars)
3. ranger\cleric dual variation.
triple dispel for enemy, triple stoneskin for the party

zur312

this
http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/17960/powergaming-party-bg2-tobnpc-and-multiplayer/p8


any mage is the best tank ever look how much liches can tank damage they are pure casters
kensai7/mage is better than any fighter because spells are best at tanking
demiliches need only +4 weapon
or berserker8/mage

kensai7/thief not good at tanking but good at backstabing and dps
no armors until hla but spells could really help barskin etc.
fighter/thief dwarf is not bad but still you know -> kensai/mage

fighter7/cleric is pretty good flail of ages is probably the best weapon of all BG
ranger7/cleric has some cool spells from druid for plain BG2 is probably better

Inquisitor because dispelling and true seeing is mandatory for baldur's gate

fighter/ilusionist wakizashi 2nd mage is needed for faster spellcasting wakizashi or axes

sorc is not that powergaming because he doesn't have any APR like fighter
swashbuckler is like fighter/thief but lower APR and hp with
Blade can be like 3rd mage but lacks high level spells
backstab is cool if you like backstabing

so kensai7/mage or berserker8/mage with flail of ages
kensai7/thief with katanas or dwarf fighter/thief katanas
fighter7/cleric with clubs and mace of disruption
inquisitor with 2handed swords
fighter/ilusionist wakizashi/axes

should be really easy with those 7 level duals because you regain levels really fast with new classes

Klorox

Inquisitor - great swords
Fighter/illusionist multiclass - maces & katanas (dual wield)
Cleric/ranger multiclass - flails (dual wield)
Sorcerer - staff & sling (or darts, it doesn't matter)

/game over (as long as you don't screw up the sorcerer's spell choices)

Everybody casts spells (kinda), and everybody but the sorcerer can handle themselves in melee.

Make either the fighter/illusionist or sorcerer the protagonist (for find familiar).

Edit: crap, I forgot about a thief. I guess change the gnome into an elf FMT.