Dwarf or Gnome?
ThacoBell
Member Posts: 12,235
I plan on starting new playthroughs with the last two races I have never played as. Unfortunately, I am incredibly indecisive and a chronic sufferer of restartitis. So, I want to hear your opinions! All the gnome and dwarf lovers, what do you love most about your favorite race, and what classes do you suggest?
1
Comments
For the two races, I'd advise you to pick a class which is iconic for them and which plays towards their image. And one that you haven't played 100 times before. And as such...
Gnome Choice: Illusionist/Thief. Gnomes are supposed to be eccentric, humorous, and often overlooked. As an illusionist thief, you get all of the above in spades. You'll also get a character who plays differently than anything else out there.
The Correct Choice...I mean, the Dwarven Choice: Dwarven Defender. This is the only character who can go toe-to-toe with Sarevok at the end of the game and win without resorting to kiting/summoning. I've solo'd the game as a dwarven defender, and the worst that he had to do was go invisible with a potion to heal up after getting tag teamed by Sarevok and Tazok. And yes, he then killed the ogre and finished off Sarevok. Dwarven Defenders are just that damned tough. There is literally nothing in the game that they can't tank. Even against enemy mages, they'll do just fine. Shorty saves, which get even better when you go in defensive stance, are a wonder to behold.
Fighter? Dwarves are better since they receive save vs death/poison bonuses, also only a dwarf can become a Dwarven Defender, the ultimate tank. -1 dex hurts but not much. I would take +4 bonus to save vs death over 1 ac any day. Plus with tome of health in bg1 they can start with 19 and then get 20 con and gain a slow regeneration, which helps while travelling from map to map in bg1. In bg2, even gnomes can reach 20 con starting with 18. (tome at bg1, other bonuses in bg2)
Except 1 ac, which can be fixed with a dex tome in bg1, a gnome pure fighter offers no real advantage over a dwarf fighter.
Cleric? Dwarves are better since they can have higher wisdom than gnomes and receive bonus to save vs death/poison, when combined with clerics 'charmed life' saving throws vs that kind of things, makes them invincible to poisons and death magic very quickly. A low level dwarven cleric can have an amazing base save vs death/poison of 5, and it only gets better from there.
A gnome pure cleric offers no real advantage over a dwarf fighter, and will have a lower wisdom to boot. Tomes can fix this BUT, 19 wisdom, which a dwarf can get with a tome is still better than 18. While 19 dex, a gnome can get with a tome, is still the same for ac when compared to 18.
Thief? Dwarves have -1 dex but still, they are more durable than gnomes thanks to save vs death/poison bonus. Early on a gnome thief will be a better thief in skill points, but in the long run a dwarf will prove to be more durable. Not failing a save vs a ghoul's claws or a deadly poison makes all the difference, especially in solo and no reload games.
Illusionist-here gnomes shine at least! Only gnomes can become illusionists and their multi class varieties, so if you want arcane magic go gnome! All wands, robes, scrolls and high level spells (save necromancy ones) are opened to a gnome illusionist, and a properly played high level gnome illusionist/thief is monstrously powerful. My Jan slaughtered three bosses of the final Ascension battle before they could lift so much of a finger.
Unless you want to play an arcane caster, then you have to take gnome.
Gnomes allow you to also play cleric/theives.
Dwarves allow you to play dwarven defenders.
Dwarves, on the other hand, their biggest advantage is that +1 Constitution, which Fighters and Fighter/Anything love. Plus it puts them one tome away from hitting natural regeneration levels. Very handy. Of course, that extra CON is worthless if you aren't playing at least part Fighter. After all, shorty saving throws cap out at 18, and 16 is only one point shy from the max.
Speaking of shorty saving throws, Dwarves (and Halflings) do one-up Gnomes in this department. Gnomes get bonuses to Spell and Wand saving throws, while Dwarves (and Halflings) get bonuses to Spell, Wand AND Death saving throws. Sure, the former two that they share are more common, but there you go.
In short, play a Gnome if you want to at least be part Mage, a Dwarf if you want to at least be part Fighter, and a Halfling if you want to at least be part Thief.
Gnome Fighter/Illusionist/Thief is where it's at, though! As long as you don't mind EEKeepering it in.
Dwarf Dwarven Defender is also a spectacular choice. Pick axes so you have melee and ranged covered. Then get Beruel's Retort (throwing axe +1 - same 'average' damage as battle axe +1) in your main hand as a MELEE weapon for the cheapest magical melee weapon in the game. Once my Dwarven Defender started dual wielding Beruel's Retort and battle axe +1 (at third level you put the third pip in two-weapon fighting), he was literally a lawnmower of destruction!
@Grum Somehow I knew you were gonna be the first reply.
A side note...for the dwarven Fighter/Cleric, I gave him ** in hammers and ** for two weapon fighting in BG1. Then when leveling up, he got ** in flails/morning stars.
Then for BG2, he ended up with the Defender of Easthaven. It goes perfectly with a cleric because of armor of faith. The two just go together so well. I never finished that saga/run, unfortunately. Flail of Ages and Defender of Easthaven go together really well for a fighter/cleric. You won't even need Crom Faeyr, given that you'll have Str20 naturally (tome, lum) and then have draw upon holy might to push you up in the strength department all you'll need. Eventually throw in Righteous Might (to again easily get that 25 strength and to do max damage with each hit) and you'll have a wrecking ball of destruction.
I just wish that he could have the sound file that goes "By Moradin's Hammer" when clicked on.
*edit* Okay, going with a female dwarf F/C. She will start with hammers in BG and move to Flails in SOA. Haven't decided on dual wield or shield long-term, but I will cross that bridge when I get to it. Thanks for the advice everyone
They are simply the best.
Better than all the rest.
Better than any-other race,
Any player race at least...
Gnina Gnurner aside...
Gnomes get -1 to wis... You get given three books of +1 wis just to make up for that because... GNOMES.
More romance options than your average dwarf (Because we no our way round a cabbage...)
cleric/illusionist is like ALL THE SPELLS ! ! ! Nearly... The spells your missing because of the school can be cast better by the cleric side of your character anyway... Also you can gain some through bhaal abilities.
...
Okay. Gnomes ain't your front line troops...
Orcs make better fighters in my opinion as they can kill things quicker with their higher strength.
Dwarves absorb damage...
Sooo... Are you gonna be a
punchbagdwarf or a gnome?