Bounty Hunter Level 16+ Query
Necroscope86
Member Posts: 79
(Mods please move this if this is in wrong place)
I've got a level 11 BH in my party currently, and I'm loving the class.
But one thing annoys me;
16th level: Erects an Otiluke's Resilient Sphere around the target for 7 rounds if a Save vs. Spell is failed
21st level: Mazes the target
I have to admit, I am new to the BH class, but could anyone advise how the level 16/21 traps are superior to the hold one at level 11?
I've completed the game many times on Insane (EDIT: not saying im amazing at the game, I know insane isnt much to judge by but I just mean I'm used to what enemies spawn where etc), and most recently with SCS installed (love that damn mod), and I can think of only a handful of instances where the 16/21 traps are superior to the Level 11.
Thinking about it, the Maze one - ok I can see some uses for that, and I suppose at that level I'll have access to Spike Traps which offset the loss of damage, but still... LEVEL 16. Hate those ones!
Could it be that I'm missing something?
I've got a level 11 BH in my party currently, and I'm loving the class.
But one thing annoys me;
16th level: Erects an Otiluke's Resilient Sphere around the target for 7 rounds if a Save vs. Spell is failed
21st level: Mazes the target
I have to admit, I am new to the BH class, but could anyone advise how the level 16/21 traps are superior to the hold one at level 11?
I've completed the game many times on Insane (EDIT: not saying im amazing at the game, I know insane isnt much to judge by but I just mean I'm used to what enemies spawn where etc), and most recently with SCS installed (love that damn mod), and I can think of only a handful of instances where the 16/21 traps are superior to the Level 11.
Thinking about it, the Maze one - ok I can see some uses for that, and I suppose at that level I'll have access to Spike Traps which offset the loss of damage, but still... LEVEL 16. Hate those ones!
Could it be that I'm missing something?
0
Comments
I actually like the RR BHunter more, as their traps seem to bypass magic resistance and seem more 'realistic'(can that be used in fantasy?) to me for the class.
First, Resilient Sphere traps keep the enemy physically in place, while Maze traps whisk them away, leaving the area clear for you to do more trapping, which presents a great thematic synergy. It's a trap that lets you use more traps! Remember, bounty hunter traps can be thrown, so you can scout ahead until you find a cluster of enemies, sneak back a bit, throw a trap to maze them all away, then set your traps and wait patiently for them to return.
Second, Resilient Sphere forces a save, while Maze traps don't. Maze traps also bypass magic resistance and spell protections. They're extremely reliable. If you want something gone, it's gone. You know what you're getting, unlike with the Spheres.
Third, Resilient Sphere takes out everyone for a set length of time. Maze disappears enemies for a length of time based on their intelligence. The smarter they are, the faster they're back. This means if you disable a mixed party with ORS, they're all back and active at the same time. If you disable a mixed party with Maze, usually the squishy mages are first to return free of their burly escorts.
The net result is that the 16-21 level gap is the worst part of a bounty hunter, IMO. But the maze traps are fantastic. By that point, you don't really need damage from your traps anymore, because you're about to get a bucketful of Spike Traps. So it's cool to have a nice tactical tool to make Spike Trapping easier and more effective.
Given the general OP nature of traps in the first place, Bounty Hunters are in my opinion the most powerful thief kit, especially if you don't mind a bit of micromanagement.
On your next BH run perhaps try out the RR bounty hunter kit changes as mentioned by @Zaghoul . They are very flavorful and make traps more mechanical/alchemical in nature instead of magical, but no maze traps, which are the pinnacle of BH power in vanilla IMO. The mod also adds some great thief items, but also changes some of the thief HLAs, e.g. no time stop traps but instead acid traps that do large damage and bypass MR. If you don't like the kit changes you can decide to only install the items.
As an aside I think @Necroscope86 in particular will appreciate this nice thief guide by C. Lee.
This is one of the best guides to understanding all things thief related I have seen to date. It goes into various things such as the importance of speed factor in a thief's weapon choices, items that make the thief really shine such as the cloak of ND, and most importantly the highly detailed ins and outs of trapping. Especially with regards to the original BH's special trap strategies. A little dated perhaps, but chock full of good thief info, esp. for the aspiring BH.
https://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/258273-baldurs-gate-ii-shadows-of-amn/faqs/27550