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So..shamans?

MandragoraMandragora Member Posts: 79
in Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition
How are they in BG2? What kind of strategies/combos do you use?

Comments

  • Lord_TansheronLord_Tansheron Member Posts: 4,212
    From a powergaming perspective, Shamans are sadly pretty much useless. Their spirits lack substantial power, and you lose the offensive benefits of other divine caster hybrids. The Sorcerer-like spell system is also not impressive, considering the huge number of spells easily available to properly min/maxed Clerics/Cleric hybrids, and the fact that divine casters gain access to all spells automatically anyway and don't have to find scrolls like Mages (scroll availability is one of the big factors of why Sorcerers are so good).
  • abacusabacus Member Posts: 1,307
    How do their levels progress? Do they advance similar to Clerics? Or do they have the "Druid-Gap"?
  • abacusabacus Member Posts: 1,307
    JuliusBorisov said:

    @abacus They use a sorcerer lvl progression. So, it's rather even during the course of the game.

    Thanks :smile:
  • MandragoraMandragora Member Posts: 79
    I thought about making something like "magic archer" from shaman, surely he/she wouldn't hit as hard as archer, but maybe debuff like harm could come in play..
  • Lord_TansheronLord_Tansheron Member Posts: 4,212
    Mandragora said:

    I thought about making something like "magic archer" from shaman, surely he/she wouldn't hit as hard as archer, but maybe debuff like harm could come in play..

    Harm is a touch attack, you will have to get into melee to use it regardless of what weapon you are using. Clerics could always use Slings, for example, and that never mattered for Harm (or the other reverse heals).
  • TarlugnTarlugn Member Posts: 209
    Mandragora said:

    I thought about making something like "magic archer" from shaman, surely he/she wouldn't hit as hard as archer, but maybe debuff like harm could come in play..

    I soloed Black Pits 2 almost with such a shaman. As all arena fights were basically 1vs6, oftentimes casting succesful Insect Plague and then shooting arrows with Tuigan Bow was sufficient strategy. Insect Plague is a a dot with fear that disables casting ability from enemy ( I can´t remember right now did it allow a save, probably because it didn´t always work, magic resistance also blocks it). Shaman also gets Call Lightning, and while it requires to be outdoors to work, it is formidable spells that at high levels made circa 80 damage if not saved.

  • iavasechuiiavasechui Member Posts: 274
    Considering they do not get a stronghold I will probably not use them unless in multiplayer. Suppose I could use the multiple stronghold mod to give them access to one but then I would have to say no to all the ones I don't want to use instead of just deciding at creation.
  • Clumsy_DwarfClumsy_Dwarf Member Posts: 112
    edited July 2016
    iavasechui said:

    Considering they do not get a stronghold I will probably not use them unless in multiplayer. Suppose I could use the multiple stronghold mod to give them access to one but then I would have to say no to all the ones I don't want to use instead of just deciding at creation.

    I am shocked there is not a mod stronghold yet. Maybe people do not want to do the work in case the devs patch one in later.

    Edit: If my own modding knowledge was not in its infancy, I would totally do it.
  • MandragoraMandragora Member Posts: 79
    Clumsy_Dwarf said:

    iavasechui said:

    Considering they do not get a stronghold I will probably not use them unless in multiplayer. Suppose I could use the multiple stronghold mod to give them access to one but then I would have to say no to all the ones I don't want to use instead of just deciding at creation.

    I am shocked there is not a mod stronghold yet. Maybe people do not want to do the work in case the devs patch one in later.

    Edit: If my own modding knowledge was not in its infancy, I would totally do it.
    I think stronghold for shaman will definitely come sooner or later with patch from the devs
  • Lord_TansheronLord_Tansheron Member Posts: 4,212
    Mandragora said:

    I think stronghold for shaman will definitely come sooner or later with patch from the devs

    I'd be very surprised to see an official SH. But mods? Sure, someone will do it.
  • ArunsunArunsun Member Posts: 1,592
    Mandragora said:

    Clumsy_Dwarf said:

    iavasechui said:

    Considering they do not get a stronghold I will probably not use them unless in multiplayer. Suppose I could use the multiple stronghold mod to give them access to one but then I would have to say no to all the ones I don't want to use instead of just deciding at creation.

    I am shocked there is not a mod stronghold yet. Maybe people do not want to do the work in case the devs patch one in later.

    Edit: If my own modding knowledge was not in its infancy, I would totally do it.
    I think stronghold for shaman will definitely come sooner or later with patch from the devs
    We're talking about Beamdog, man. It will come, but I'd bet on "later" rather than "sooner" :wink:
    So long as they keep up the good job they started with SoD I am quite willing to wait though.
  • Clumsy_DwarfClumsy_Dwarf Member Posts: 112
    edited July 2016
    Arunsun said:


    So long as they keep up the good job they started with SoD I am quite willing to wait though.

    I'm not sure waiting is in the best interest of the class. I think part of the reason there is not a lot of strategy info on them, I think. is because people like @iavasechui are waiting to see if Beamdog or a modder makes a decent stronghold. Right now, they are a second class...class :smile:

    If people are not playing them, why would a modder spend time making mods for them? Well know that there is an item that while worn, gives summoned spirits the effects of the Bless spell. What about ones that grant Haste or Free Action? Half the reason I got off my butt and started modding a Dwarven Defender NPC is because I played it and thought "I could use this class in other groups".

    The other classes have a 15 year head starts as far as guides and mods go so making them lesser does not help. Maybe some sort of announcement on what is, at least, being tossed around for the future would help.

    On another note, I can't wait (but am going to have to) see how spirit summoning works on longer fights like Sendai.
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 6,006
    I always thought shamans were some sort of druid hybrid, so shouldn't they get the druid strong hold? im pretty sure that shamans are more like foresty type clerics, which is exactly what a druid is, so why don't they get the druid stronghold? sorcerers still get the mage stronghold
  • Clumsy_DwarfClumsy_Dwarf Member Posts: 112
    sarevok57 said:

    I always thought shamans were some sort of druid hybrid, so shouldn't they get the druid strong hold? im pretty sure that shamans are more like foresty type clerics, which is exactly what a druid is, so why don't they get the druid stronghold? sorcerers still get the mage stronghold

    Druids are an order and it would not make sense for someone who is not part of the order to take over the grove. Shamans are nature oriented but also deal with the spirit world (why they can raise the dead). There is a lot thematically that separates druids and shaman then there are separating mages and sorcerers.
  • JouniJouni Member Posts: 50
    I'm not sure about D&D shamans, but the real-world term refers to tribal priests who act as conduits between the physical world and the spirit world. They are pretty much the opposite of D&D druids. While druids care about the nature, shamans have a central role in the society.

    The natural shaman "stronghold" would be a tribe of nomads or hunter-gatherers. Unfortunately Amn is probably a bit too civilized to have such tribes around.
  • ThrasymachusThrasymachus Member Posts: 915
    Since there are only a few decent druid spells at each level (at least IME), shamans don't really suffer that much in terms of spell selection (in contrast to sorcerers vis-a-vis mages). Being able to spontaneously cast all the 'good' druid spells, enjoying a better selection for weapons, and possessing some solid unique abilities, make them at least as good as any of the druid kits (with the possible exception of the avenger).

  • ThrasymachusThrasymachus Member Posts: 915
    What do folks here think about the new shaman spells?

    I think they're generally pretty good. Not as helpful as the avenger's mage spells, but close. When I had M'Khin (sp?) in my last party during SoD, I found Writhing Fog, Spiritual Clarity, and Spirit Fire to be helpful.
  • Lord_TansheronLord_Tansheron Member Posts: 4,212
    Spiritual Clarity is quite useful. Not useful enough to take a Shaman along, but useful in the abstract :P
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    Shaman's rock.
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