Most effective CHARNAME classes in SOD

MasterChef

What do people think are the most effective classes for a main character in SOD? It really seems the level band for the game really makes multiclasses shine.

rapsam2003

JuliusBorisov

FMT and FMC

wubble

JuliusBorisov said:

FMT and FMC

Those are just awesome everywhere, nothing specific to SOD

billbisco

In addition to the triple classes. Beserker 7 or 9 / X Dual Class is very effective. I would say Mage then Druid then Cleric then Thief in order of effectiveness.

Backstabbing is gimped in SoD due to enemies having ESP on your invisible or stealthed character.

Abi_Dalzim

billbisco said:

Backstabbing is gimped in SoD due to enemies having ESP on your invisible or stealthed character.

That's annoying, but the real thing that makes it less useful is that you face larger numbers of enemies than ever before, so gradually wearing down their numbers with hit and run attacks is still doable, but a lot harder/longer.

jsaving

SoD, like BG1, is well within the "sweet spot" where multiclass characters dominate their singleclass peers. FMC, FMT, FT, FM, MT, and RC are all very strong throughout the game, as is half-orc fighter/cleric. The usual duals (kensai/mage, swashbuckler/mage, berserker/mage) are strong as well though XP doesn't come as quick as it does in BG2 so you may end up bored for part of the game waiting for your first class to become active again.

WarChiefZeke

Barbarian. There is no time in BG where this isn't a good class. Sorcerer is good too.

Aerakar

I am playing a bounty hunter now in SOD and the level 11 crowd control hold traps are very, very useful, backstabbing somewhat less so, as noted above. What is with the bone bats seeing my stealthed BH?!

I agree with the multi-class comments above, especially anything combined with mage for crowd control/damage spells.

Kurona

So far I ran SoD with a Cleric/Mage and a Fighter/Thief.

Cleric/Mage was stuck in the awkward part of its level progression, just when you start feeling the XP hog but before it becomes awesome. Not exactly dead weight per se, as even low-level spells have their uses but definitely underpowered. I think a F/M/C would have been more effective simply because they have almost similar spell slots but also decent fighting capabilities.

Fighter/Thief was great. Backstab is considerably weaker than in BG1/BG2 but you're at the level where traps start to become really useful and since you're still a Fighter, you can scout ahead and lead enemies into the traps without much danger to yourself. You also don't have to sacrifice a party slot for the underwhelming Safana in order to pick locks and disarm traps (if you don't or can't use Glint). Likely a F/M/T would have been pretty good as well, maybe even better.

I only played the full expansion two times so I'm by no means an expert at it yet, these are just my observations so far. They can change, eventually

rapsam2003

Kurona said:

Cleric/Mage was stuck in the awkward part of its level progression, just when you start feeling the XP hog but before it becomes awesome. Not exactly dead weight per se, as even low-level spells have their uses but definitely underpowered. I think a F/M/C would have been more effective simply because they have almost similar spell slots but also decent fighting capabilities.

My suggestion would be to try a F/C.

Kurona said:

Fighter/Thief was great. Backstab is considerably weaker than in BG1/BG2 but you're at the level where traps start to become really useful and since you're still a Fighter, you can scout ahead and lead enemies into the traps without much danger to yourself. You also don't have to sacrifice a party slot for the underwhelming Safana in order to pick locks and disarm traps (if you don't or can't use Glint). Likely a F/M/T would have been pretty good as well, maybe even better.

F/M/T really does shine in SOD, by all indications. You're in that spot where you're really starting to come into the concept of all those levels. And you're really a better jack of all trades than a bard, because well... backstab is still decent and Bard thief skills were always meh. Of course, if you DO want to be a bard, check out @subtledoctor's Might and Guile.

tbone1

I haven't bought SoD yet ... I'm using an iPad and a Mac ... but I'd be interested to know how a dwarves defender or one of the paladin kits do.

Victor_Creed_SFV

tbone1 said:

I haven't bought SoD yet ... I'm using an iPad and a Mac ... but I'd be interested to know how a dwarves defender or one of the paladin kits do.

They do very well, DD is probably one of the, if not the strongest class in SoD (better than barbarian in my opinion, since SCS doesn't really do a lot for SoD, so having Rage is not that big of a deal).
Paladin is much better in SoA/ToB but still very viable in SoD.

F/M MCs and duals, same as F/T, F/D and F/C in all their variations don't do exceptionally well in SOD, they just always have been good in 1 AND 2, which naturally makes them good in SoD which is between both games.

tbone1

@Victor_Creed_SFV Thanks; DD and cavalier are my favorite power-gaming classes. I have two games in BG ready to roll into SoD when it becomes available.

Skatan

I would say it depends on the diff level. On Insane anything with AoE damage will probably outperform other classes. If you have a a scout, a few AoE takes care of most enemy groups before they even see you. Personally I don't mind playing with Baeloth, Edwin and an arcane charname (my first one in SoD was a sorc), so three fireballs outside vis range deals with most encounters before they even begin. But then again, two does that as well, so you don't really need charname to do it of course.

My F/T on insane (w/o added dmg) only had problem with bone bats and some encounters with too large groups of spiders. Other than that, he cleared out most maps alone whilst the team (baeloth and glint) stood in a corner and waited. Then once he maxed out his levels, which was early due to 3 man party, I added Edwin and Voghlin just for fun. This then ended up with them doing the same thing as mentioned above

So, to summarize, I think a sorc would be the most efficient class if you want to finish encounters quickly, but (as always) a F/C dwarf is always the best charname you can have.

Woolie_Wool

If my experience with Edwin blowing up mobs en masse with fireballs in SoD is that a Sorcerer will probably be the most powerful class in all of SoD by far, just by having the same sort of AoE firepower that a wizard has, but considerably more of it. Fireball is a devastating spell in SoD, probably the best for the entire expansion.

Victor_Creed_SFV

Yea on Insane something like fireball is relevant
On LoB not so much.

kansasbarbarian

Dwarven defender or Barbarian obviously. With all the Dwarven specific gear is a must.

BillyYank

Aerakar said:

I am playing a bounty hunter now in SOD and the level 11 crowd control hold traps are very, very useful, backstabbing somewhat less so, as noted above. What is with the bone bats seeing my stealthed BH?!

Sonar.

Vithar

MasterChef said:

What do people think are the most effective classes for a main character in SOD? It really seems the level band for the game really makes multiclasses shine.

You will never regret if you go for an Inquisitor or Sorcerer in BG / IWD games.

PaulGreystoke

BillyYank said:

Aerakar said:

I am playing a bounty hunter now in SOD and the level 11 crowd control hold traps are very, very useful, backstabbing somewhat less so, as noted above. What is with the bone bats seeing my stealthed BH?!

Sonar.

Bonar

Zaghoul

For me it is the class I can enjoy and identify with the most, from a role-playing aspect. I could not care less about anything else. If I can't get into a character, regardless of his power lvl, the run usually ends after a while.
I make it work by getting into the characters views and then picking NPCs that might provide valuable help in terms of collaboration and supporting possible weaker points of that class.

@MasterChef In this instance, effective for me means what is most effective at allowing me to enjoy a particular run for whatever character concept I have at the time. With that in mind I have made it through with a variety of characters, none of them fighters or mages(just my preferences).
Sooo, pick what you can get into.

LCrockett

I'm playing with an elven fighter I was going to multi-class to cleric, so 19 Dex, 18 Wis, middling scores for the rest, +++ sling, ++ shield. I got fairly far in when I remembered I can't multi-class an elf. However, a fighter with the ring of ogre power, a shield and a sling can rock a -7 AC and do as much damage as Minsc with a 2-handed sword. I have a feeling that as the game goes on, this build will suck more and more, but, hey, that's a challenge.