Backstab Fighter/Mage/Thief build?
So i founded bunch of guidelines about F/M/T, all in regards of powergaming and full head on.I plan to go solo.
I was wondering if you could approach this in different manner, sadly i already created my character without proper research.I realy want to backstab people, cast invisible and backstab them again.Here's my build:
Male
Elf
Lawful Evil
18/86
19
17
10
10
Short swords++
Single-weapons style++
1.Was short swords bad choice?I wanted some weapon to backstab with.And since elf got racial for swords...
2.What count as swords toward Elf racial bonus?
3.Since i got only two quick slots, should i invest in Long bows?Focus my spells for sneaky kills, and let range damage with my bow?
4.Should i instead of bow fill 2nd slot with some sword for dealing damage?And what type?
5.Was single wp style bad choice?Because backstab works only with fastest weapon, and Ac is nice.Also, i am kinda fed up with dual wield.
6.Can i focus on hide/move proficiency first?And then spread it to traps and stealing?And when i should stop investing?
6.Any advices about gear?Or must have spells?
Thanks!
I was wondering if you could approach this in different manner, sadly i already created my character without proper research.I realy want to backstab people, cast invisible and backstab them again.Here's my build:
Male
Elf
Lawful Evil
18/86
19
17
10
10
Short swords++
Single-weapons style++
1.Was short swords bad choice?I wanted some weapon to backstab with.And since elf got racial for swords...
2.What count as swords toward Elf racial bonus?
3.Since i got only two quick slots, should i invest in Long bows?Focus my spells for sneaky kills, and let range damage with my bow?
4.Should i instead of bow fill 2nd slot with some sword for dealing damage?And what type?
5.Was single wp style bad choice?Because backstab works only with fastest weapon, and Ac is nice.Also, i am kinda fed up with dual wield.
6.Can i focus on hide/move proficiency first?And then spread it to traps and stealing?And when i should stop investing?
6.Any advices about gear?Or must have spells?
Thanks!
1
Comments
2. Longswords also count towards the elf bonus and they're slashing weapons, which means they'll hit more enemies. And, frankly, longswords are better throughout the series.
3. + 4. A ranged option is always great. Elves get bonuses with long and short bows. You can snipe from the shadows. You only need to put one point into the skill, really. You can have a ranged weapon in one quick slot and sword in the other.
5. Single weapon style is fine. It gives you an extra chance for critical hits which, for a f/m/t is way more important than the armor class bonus (you'll have defensive spell buffs). But you only need one point in single weapon style, as the 2nd point adds nothing to the critical hit bonus. Dual wielding is incredibly powerful, of course, but unless you've got difficulty mods cranked up you really don't need that much power. It's fun to do something different, and as a backstabber you will notice the increase in critical hits over the long haul.
6. Many potential strategies. Start as a sneak and then eventually put skills elsewhere, or start as a ranged fighter/spell caster who opens locks and finds traps, then gradually becomes a sneak, too. IMHO for BG 1, if you get your hide in shadows and move silently up to 80 or 90 points a piece (with gear, see below) you will be an effective stealth character in dark conditions (outdoors at night, dungeons, etc.). You can enhance this later in the series. Another thing to think about is, as a mage, using magic to provide your stealth. Invisibility level 2 spell and ultimately improved invisibility level 4 spell, though I'm not sure if you can get level 4 spells in BG1 leveling 3 classes. I wouldn't worry about picking pockets in BG1, AFAIK there isn't enough to steal to justify putting points in it. And in BG2 you can just shotgun a few potions of master thievery before going on a klepto spree. Open locks/find traps - ultimately, 100 points a piece gets you through the whole series, though there are players who ignore these skills to some extent and are content to avoid or walk through traps and take it on the chin, so to speak.
7. Must have gear in BG1 : boots of stealth. Must have spells? Defensive spells like mirror image, and the level 3 spell haste to wreak backstabbing havoc (backstab, use haste to run around corners and hide again).
I've probably missed some things....
Edit: P.S. Setting traps will of course be very handy in solo play. It never needs to go over 100 points. I don't know if I'd put too many points in it early as you only get one trap per day at the start.
On a side note, Rogue Rebalancing offers an upgrade to the SS of backstabbing that is pretty darn awesome for thief classes.
With those 2 short swords and also the vanilla whistling sword, I find short swords decent for BGEE. Without those mods though short swords are somewhat lackluster in BG1 (but still ok!) and long swords would be stronger because of the easily obtainable Varscona.
I would agree with the short bow suggestion. A ranged would really round out your combat ability and the Elf bow bonus + the great arrow selection make short bow the way to go I would think.
If you plan to take your character into SoA, I think short swords are a great choice as they are good early/mid game. By then you could add another weapon type to your repertoire as well.
Quarterstaffs are also good for backstabbing/combat and there are some great ones in both games.
Short swords are often underrated. You can easily get a +2 in BG1 fairly early and then it gives one of the very few options for a +3 in the end. There are very few immune to piercing damage (are there any in BG1?) but often I feel the enemies immune or resistant to piercing are also often immune to BS so you will use a diff strat vs them anyways. In SoD I'm not sure if there are good shortswords. Haven't used them there. In BG2 there are plent of realy good shortswords and you can get a +4 version almost immedeately. This is only really rivaled by the qstaff who also offers a +4 version equally early.
Longswords are versatile and there are always good versions throughout the games. There aren't that many to choose from in BG1, but Varscona is great of course.
Don't disregard daggers either. Nowaydas with the (unintended) fix that makes thowing daggers being equipped while you have a weapon in the offhand act as speedweapons you can easily reach max APR also with a multiclass. Using the boomerang dagger, which you can get at the start of BG2, gives you a +2 dagger with 2 APR in the mainhand. Dagger spec + fighter level gives another ARP and kundane or belm in offhand gives another. Later on you can wield the firetooth dagger the same way, an excellen +3 dagger with 2D4 base damage + firedamage. Also, normal poison throwing daggers used to be a great counter to mages with PFMW and PFNA. I haven't tried it recently, so not entirely sure it works still but the daggers used to count as normal weapon and not arrows and the poison used to go through stoneskin etc.
I just ran a bounty hunter through BG and am now in SoD and he used quarterstaff as his main melee weapon throughout BG, only switching to the +3 short sword/Kiel's buckler towards the end of BG and in SoD (and now using the staff of striking for backstabs, +3 short sword for general combat with a magical buckler). Quarterstaff is an outstanding backstabbing weapon and you could even add it with your short sword proficiency as you then have a blunt weapon style also. Clubs are also possible of course and are complimented by SWS, but QSs beat clubs in availability of strong weapon versions in all 3 games. Having a blunt weapon style available is important for SoD and SoA/ToB, but not so critical in BG only.
I would add that with a F/M/T if you take the QS/THS route you can also then use two-handed swords for added versatility later, not for backstabbing but general combat.
Frankly since you already have 2 pips in SS and also SWS, I would consider using an editor like EEKeeper to change one SWS pip to short bow so you have a versatile ranged weapon already. Then I would consider adding a blunt weapon, e.g. quarterstaffs and later THS or clubs.
If you do not want to use an editor, then two in SWS is fine. I would probably take short bow as my next weapon for a ranged option, or even dagger (taking into account the comments above on usefulness of daggers as a speed weapon/throwing weapon in SoA).
As noted above, I think short swords is a fine choice and will become more so if you go into SoD and later SoA.
Quarterstaffs: they are indeed great mechanically (with 2-handed ws), but for many players (myself included) they don't cut it from an RP and aesthetic standard. Some have even made the case that only daggers or shortswords should be capable of backstabbing use. It's an interesting debate. To me using quarterstaffs just seems wrong, but to each their own.
Bow proficiency: the elf bonus will indeed help minimize the penalty of going without proficiency, but it's still a 2 point differential. An elf with a point in bows will hit significantly more often. The question is whether that's worth it when it comes to your overall build. Personally, I'd take it, especially if playing solo. It can make the early game easier. Then again, you may wish you had that point back later...
-no crushing resistant enemy's.
-as for BG1 a "cheap" +3 can be bought in Ulgoth's Beard. setting you up with your end-gear weapon asap.
- use first weapon pips for shortbow, range is in BG1 wastly superior and you can easy get some levels until your sneak skills are solid, not to mention most enemy's are not worth a backstab at this levels.
-as for BG2 Staff of Magi for Combat, and cheap escape mechanic (note you cannot backstab with it)
- Staff of the Ram has the highest possible backstab dmg and even a +6 enchant in the end giving that little extra THAC0
you can pick apart any group with sneaking in , staff of the ram backstab-exploding one enemy , staff of magi invisibility away , re-stealth and repeat until all enemy's are gone.
throw in the Fighters THAC0 and extra APR and the mages Shenanigans and you are a god.
Every little bit helps.