If the choice was in me, I'd pick Spiders for BG1 and once in BG2 I'd go with Vampires. Maybe I'm alone in this feeling. Sometimes AC doesn't matter as much as monster danger.
Vampires are way too easy to warrant using them as racial enemies. Mace of Disruption +2 lets you walk through that entire area pretty much unharmed. Even if you're not skilled in maces, you'll win without much effort.
With the sheer amount of options they give you to handle the undead, it's not worth it.
I agree that it's more about the damage than it is the Thac0 at least when you hit BG2. I usually end up taking mind flayers as my favored enemy on rangers because there aren't enough dragons (nor are they difficult enough) to warrant it. Mind flayers are easily the most annoying enemy besides that and the extra damage really helps against Ulitharids.
If the choice was in me, I'd pick Spiders for BG1 and once in BG2 I'd go with Vampires. Maybe I'm alone in this feeling. Sometimes AC doesn't matter as much as monster danger.
Vampires are way too easy to warrant using them as racial enemies. Mace of Disruption +2 lets you walk through that entire area pretty much unharmed. Even if you're not skilled in maces, you'll win without much effort.
With the sheer amount of options they give you to handle the undead, it's not worth it.
I agree that it's more about the damage than it is the Thac0 at least when you hit BG2. I usually end up taking mind flayers as my favored enemy on rangers because there aren't enough dragons (nor are they difficult enough) to warrant it. Mind flayers are easily the most annoying enemy besides that and the extra damage really helps against Ulitharids.
I know rangers don't get it, but if you have a level 15 cleric in your party those mind flayers can be easily dispatched by using skeletal warriors as I recall.
@sandmanCCL : but to get that one mace you need to kill a Beholder boss and a section of the whole vampire problem in the first place! By the time you get it, it'll be almost useless and by the time you're in ToB, it'll be even more of a redundant weapon! XD (and NO I never side with those undead scumbags)
When it comes to the racial enemy, I don't tend to think long term, just for the first few chapters of the game, when vampires can ambush you around the streets, after that, problems get solvable pretty easily. When it comes to kill vampries, the Amulet of Power in conjunction with Daystar (which is easier to acquire long-term, vs. the Mace of Disruption) will slaughter even multiple vampires at once.
I'm not arguing that the Mace is bad, I'm just arguing that it comes too late in-game to give me a comfortable feeling using it (out of all the sub-plots, the Unseeing Eye is always last on my list, for my dreaded fear of Beholder's insta-kills which just pop up randomly, and I need to complete it for the Ilithium or what's-its-face)
@cheesebelly you don't need to complete the unseeing eye to do the illithium quest... I believe the ASSISTANT gives you the illithium quest not the main guy... Just talk to him instead / after you talk to the main guy, the order doesn't matter .
In BG1 Spiders or ettercaps, are a solid choice for favored enemy. In BG2 Vampires, Beholders, Golems or Dragons.
Agree with this. For BG1 pick Spiders or Ettercaps. For BGII I say Dragons or Illithid, possibly Beholders. Vampires are sissies you don't need the help, Golems are very easy to hit you don't need the bonus.
Golems might be easy to hit, but the metalic ones have a lot of damage reduction. Golem favored enemy adds 4 damage that bypasses their DR if you hit them
In BG1 Spiders or ettercaps, are a solid choice for favored enemy. In BG2 Vampires, Beholders, Golems or Dragons.
Agree with this. For BG1 pick Spiders or Ettercaps. For BGII I say Dragons or Illithid, possibly Beholders. Vampires are sissies you don't need the help, Golems are very easy to hit you don't need the bonus.
Golems might be easy to hit, but the metalic ones have a lot of damage reduction. Golem favored enemy adds 4 damage that bypasses their DR if you hit them
Oooooooh~ That's handy to know.
Now I'd just like to know what circumstances arose that a ranger fought enough golems to get Favored Enemy: Golems XD
@Cheesebelly: Even in it's +1 form (which is easy to get. Sanctuary on a cleric, walk up, loot. Simple) the Mace of Disruption just ruins undead.
And considering the vampire den is such a huge plot point that moves the game forward, I tend to get pretty much every side quest finished before I do it.
Also, protection from Undead scrolls make Vampire just kinda sit there and look at you as you pound them into sparkles.
@cheesebelly you don't need to complete the unseeing eye to do the illithium quest... I believe the ASSISTANT gives you the illithium quest not the main guy... Just talk to him instead / after you talk to the main guy, the order doesn't matter .
I can confirm this as I'm currently doing the quest.
Comments
With the sheer amount of options they give you to handle the undead, it's not worth it.
I agree that it's more about the damage than it is the Thac0 at least when you hit BG2. I usually end up taking mind flayers as my favored enemy on rangers because there aren't enough dragons (nor are they difficult enough) to warrant it. Mind flayers are easily the most annoying enemy besides that and the extra damage really helps against Ulitharids.
When it comes to the racial enemy, I don't tend to think long term, just for the first few chapters of the game, when vampires can ambush you around the streets, after that, problems get solvable pretty easily. When it comes to kill vampries, the Amulet of Power in conjunction with Daystar (which is easier to acquire long-term, vs. the Mace of Disruption) will slaughter even multiple vampires at once.
I'm not arguing that the Mace is bad, I'm just arguing that it comes too late in-game to give me a comfortable feeling using it (out of all the sub-plots, the Unseeing Eye is always last on my list, for my dreaded fear of Beholder's insta-kills which just pop up randomly, and I need to complete it for the Ilithium or what's-its-face)
Now I'd just like to know what circumstances arose that a ranger fought enough golems to get Favored Enemy: Golems XD
And considering the vampire den is such a huge plot point that moves the game forward, I tend to get pretty much every side quest finished before I do it.
Also, protection from Undead scrolls make Vampire just kinda sit there and look at you as you pound them into sparkles.