@gorgonzola When I run parties I never have more than 2 of any kind of caster. Usually 1 main caster that I rely on for the majority of the heavy arcane lifting usually a pure mage or a dual class into mage. They cover what I consider the main casting role for my playstyle, usually the nuker, mezzer, summoner. Then I will have a secondary to support my main. Usually a multiclass or a bard, they usually wont be slinging spells nonstop, but they will cover utilities like buffing or dispels while also filling another role at the same time. I usually run with a lot of multiclasses in my party for the versatility with a focus on martial skills. It is definitely a playstyle choice and with how magic heavy your party composition is, primary and secondary roles probably dont mean much.
My first playthrough was with almost that exact party:
Minsc Keldorn Aerie Jaheira Haer'Dalis -> Imoen
And I was an Assassin so it was a very similar set up compared to yours. Tons of party interactions since every character but Aerie comments on everything and even Aerie has a lot to say.
It was a very goody-two-shoes party though so don't expect any conflict unless you try to romance Aerie while HD is in the party. I would never ever play a party like this as an experienced player but for a new player it's perfect if your own character is a thief type. Otherwise you would replace HD with Yoshimo for much the same effect, and I'd also recommend that due to Yoshi's story implications.
I would never ever play a party like this as an experienced player but for a new player it's perfect if your own character is a thief type.
My opinion is that an experienced player can do wonders with a party like that, probably keeping Haer Dalis and dropping Minsc or eventually Jaheira or Keldorn. The point where you drop the Blade is the point when he can begin to be really strong, if used by a player that know how to obtain the best from him. All the initial NPCs can do good damage mlee and ranged, all of them can protect themselves excluding Minsc and keldorn, all of them has very good casting capability, excluding Minsc. And Imoen is a single class mage, with some utility added at no cost, an experienced player can have her quite early, with enough chap 2 quests available to have her reach high levels just with a little delay from Nalia, Neera or Edvin. Damage, protection and a lot of spells, that party has everything that both a newbie and an experienced player can need. And flexibility, a newbie will use it in a different way than an experienced one, but in both the ways it is a very good and well balanced party.
haer dalis is an amazing fighter with kundane in the off hand and black blade of disaster read from a scroll. For about 90 seconds, he'll be doing well over 300 damage per combat round with offensive spin and improved haste active.
As he can pickpocket he can also have a throwing dagger (using the mlee option) in the main hand and the +1APR sword in the OH right after you rescue him and his fellow actors, for an huge 5APR with offensive spin, 10 APR for the duration of the spin if you throw in an IH in the right moment (I am not completely sure that this is still possible in EE, but 8 APR can be reached for sure). He can also have the best AC in the game stacking spell bonuses and defensive spin, add a stoneskin to protect him against critical hits and he can tank better than any other. In TOB welding the blade from the hell trials and the +3 scarlet NT he is almost every time improved hasted and with 25STR, without using spells, for an output only little smaller than the one that @unavailable tells about, while he heals himself and level drain enemies. I am not talking of the enhanced bard song, the mislead and their uses and abuses But spell immunity to protect him against debuffs, mirror images to protect him from AoE spells and UAI are important to understand why he is the best tank a party can wish to have. I had my reasons when I told that imo an experienced player should not drop him
Haer reminds me of mr Popo from dragon ball z. Everyone thinks he's harmless, and yet that dragon genie thing calls him master, and that evil little creature buu who beats the shit of everyone never managed to lay a hand on Popo.
Or maybe just a Bard, a Blade, with no special stats, look at his CON, and few bonuses from his Thiefling race. A beautiful example of an often untold truth of those marvelous games, each class, each kit can be much more of what it appears at a quick glance, even a plain, boring, click and go plain fighter with few buffs and the right potions can become an untouchable juggernaut of destruction. For a bard this is only less appearing, but this make the learning how to use it even more funny. I started with Bards in the wrong way, I was really convinced that they was weak jacks of all the trades, good at something, but excelling in nothing. Than I started to learn from my own errors, now my opinion is completely changed. A guide that can be easily found on line was the first hint, but only starting to experiment, to change my own mindset about them, convinced me about how much I was wrong.
I would never ever play a party like this as an experienced player but for a new player it's perfect if your own character is a thief type.
My opinion is that an experienced player can do wonders with a party like that, probably keeping Haer Dalis and dropping Minsc or eventually Jaheira or Keldorn. The point where you drop the Blade is the point when he can begin to be really strong, if used by a player that know how to obtain the best from him. All the initial NPCs can do good damage mlee and ranged, all of them can protect themselves excluding Minsc and keldorn, all of them has very good casting capability, excluding Minsc. And Imoen is a single class mage, with some utility added at no cost, an experienced player can have her quite early, with enough chap 2 quests available to have her reach high levels just with a little delay from Nalia, Neera or Edvin. Damage, protection and a lot of spells, that party has everything that both a newbie and an experienced player can need. And flexibility, a newbie will use it in a different way than an experienced one, but in both the ways it is a very good and well balanced party.
It's absolutely a fantastic party, and it's even more effective in the hands of an experienced player. I just meant that it's a bit too "vanilla" for me a this point, I like smaller parties with more interesting NPC compositions. My most fun run ever was as a Berserker->Thief with only Viconia and Imoen at my side.
As a beginner it's best to go with a balanced party or characters that get along, but when you're on your millionth playthrough you generally want something a bit more exciting and challenging.
Comments
I usually run with a lot of multiclasses in my party for the versatility with a focus on martial skills. It is definitely a playstyle choice and with how magic heavy your party composition is, primary and secondary roles probably dont mean much.
Minsc
Keldorn
Aerie
Jaheira
Haer'Dalis -> Imoen
And I was an Assassin so it was a very similar set up compared to yours. Tons of party interactions since every character but Aerie comments on everything and even Aerie has a lot to say.
It was a very goody-two-shoes party though so don't expect any conflict unless you try to romance Aerie while HD is in the party. I would never ever play a party like this as an experienced player but for a new player it's perfect if your own character is a thief type. Otherwise you would replace HD with Yoshimo for much the same effect, and I'd also recommend that due to Yoshi's story implications.
All the initial NPCs can do good damage mlee and ranged, all of them can protect themselves excluding Minsc and keldorn, all of them has very good casting capability, excluding Minsc.
And Imoen is a single class mage, with some utility added at no cost, an experienced player can have her quite early, with enough chap 2 quests available to have her reach high levels just with a little delay from Nalia, Neera or Edvin.
Damage, protection and a lot of spells, that party has everything that both a newbie and an experienced player can need. And flexibility, a newbie will use it in a different way than an experienced one, but in both the ways it is a very good and well balanced party.
He can also have the best AC in the game stacking spell bonuses and defensive spin, add a stoneskin to protect him against critical hits and he can tank better than any other.
In TOB welding the blade from the hell trials and the +3 scarlet NT he is almost every time improved hasted and with 25STR, without using spells, for an output only little smaller than the one that @unavailable tells about, while he heals himself and level drain enemies.
I am not talking of the enhanced bard song, the mislead and their uses and abuses
But spell immunity to protect him against debuffs, mirror images to protect him from AoE spells and UAI are important to understand why he is the best tank a party can wish to have.
I had my reasons when I told that imo an experienced player should not drop him
I started with Bards in the wrong way, I was really convinced that they was weak jacks of all the trades, good at something, but excelling in nothing. Than I started to learn from my own errors, now my opinion is completely changed. A guide that can be easily found on line was the first hint, but only starting to experiment, to change my own mindset about them, convinced me about how much I was wrong.
As a beginner it's best to go with a balanced party or characters that get along, but when you're on your millionth playthrough you generally want something a bit more exciting and challenging.