Skip to content

What items should my party seek to acquire?

QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
edited June 2017 in Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition
Hey all,

Recently started a Baldur's Gate II run with a Necromancer, for funsies. I know there's a lot of threads and databases online detailing the vast array of items in BGII, but I wanted to see what y'all thought I should in particular seek to acquire given my party composition. Interested to see what people think.

Here is my party:

PC - Lawful Neutral Human Necromancer, currently with Dagger/Dart Profs -- slings or staves next?
Jaheira
Korgan
Haer'Dalis
Dorn
Hexxat

Also interested to hear how I should specialize some of these characters, particularly in terms of proficiencies.

So far my character has made decisions both good and evil, but she's not stupid. With Dorn's first part of his quest she avoided as much bloodshed as possible, for example.

I haven't played Dorn or Hexxat's storylines, so it'll be interesting to continue to role-play my way through it.

EDIT: Also, are Jaheira and Dorn going to brutally murder each other? On the bright side if this happens, easy choice -- I'll take Jaheira any day -- I'll just pick up Sarevok in ToB.
Post edited by Quartz on
«1

Comments

  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 6,002
    if I were runnin that team, here is how I would set it up:

    Jaheira:
    go with quarterstaff first ( as in using the staff mace +2 so she can use a shield) and then once I hit trademeet, use the blackblood club ( even though it's a club its actually a pretty decent weapon)

    Korgan:
    that's a no brainer there, I would continue to use axes ( either for frost reaver or stonefire )

    Dorn:
    I would actually start using flails so he can use defender of easthaven with a shield ( defender of easthaven can help make up for his terrible HP, and using a shield can help make up for his not so good dexterity )

    Haer'Dalis:
    I would give him the boomerang dagger/firetooth and keep him out of melee combat ( never been a fan of this guy, I feel that he is way too squishy) although on the other hand, once he gets improved bard song then hair my dallas doesn't kill a single baddie again because I made him do his enhanced bard song non stop ( don't know if they fixed it, but in the vanilla bg2, enhanced bard song had infinite range, which was very nice)

    Hexxat:
    I would go with shortbow, whether it be the +3 shortbow that is sold at trademeet or gesen bow +4, phantom ammunition is the way to go ( plus I've never been a fan of backstabbing, too much micro management for my taste)

    Your holmes:
    I would go with sling, using everard's sling +5 again, phantom ammunition is for the win, so never have to worry about picking up ammo, plus it strikes as a +5 weapon, not too shabby if I say so myself

  • SouplesseSouplesse Member Posts: 131
    You can also give the tomes to Jaheira for +1 strength, deX cons and 3 Wis so now she is a monster. Ah ok it ou start in bg2! Never mind :). I like dagger+ belm for Jaheira then spectral + belm !
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 6,002
    Souplesse said:

    You can also give the tomes to Jaheira for +1 strength, deX cons and 3 Wis so now she is a monster. Ah ok it ou start in bg2! Never mind :). I like dagger+ belm for Jaheira then spectral + belm !

    what dagger do you give her? wouldn't blackblood club + belm be better? since blackblood is a +3 club ( that she is also specialized in so no "wasting" proficiency points in it) and it deals an extra 3 damage a hit

  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 6,002
    ThacoBell said:

    Note that as a Bard, he takes some micro, so he isn't just click and forget.

    and that is the problem I have right there, I like making teams where I can click and forget ( actually now that I come to think of it, that is a perfect way to describe it) haer'dalis is the only one out of all the NPC stock that I have to put in some serious effort in the micro management department, that is why I never got along with him

  • GallowglassGallowglass Member Posts: 3,356
    @sarevok57 - fair enough, in that case Haer'Dalis is never going to suit your style. Nevertheless, as @ThacoBell says (although I'd judge his praise slightly exaggerated), Haer'Dalis is (eventually) very strong if you're willing to micro-manage. However, it takes some time to get him properly set up with the right spells and equipment etc., so he doesn't really shine at first, but he's great in late-SoA and ToB.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    Blades can be very deadly as early as mid BG1. Weapons are the only really important equipment for them and Mr.H comes packing with two very good ones. He just needs some decent buff spells and he is good to go.
  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    edited April 2019
    Thanks for the tips, y'all. Good to know about the Blackblood Club -- I've never been very good at getting to Trademeet early at all, so by the time I do, so many of the good items there are eventually irrelevant to me. Trying to do things differently in that department this time!

    Traditionally I've had Jaheira tanking, but I like the idea of running her with Belm and Blackblood -- eventually. So many of her pips are spent so poorly, it's terrible.

    --

    Korgan I gave a pip in two weapon fighting. I will eventually probably have him dual-wield.

    --

    Interesting idea on Flails for Dorn, not a bad one at all given I have no cleric -- I'm inclined to give him a second pip in Bastard Swords first though and indeed, have him be my sword and board.

    In general I'm having a hard time deciding on one specific tank, because Jaheira has Iron Skins, Korgan has high HP and Berserking, and Dorn can be developed to be a decent tank as you pointed out.

    So far I've been switching who tanks based on the scenario and it's been a little micro-managey but it's working well.

    --

    Haer'Dalis is one I have figured out pretty well. Right now he has Arbane in his dominant hand and Kundane in his off-hand, putting him at a sexy 3 APR. Constant Stone Skins, Mirror Image, Blur, and when he gets there, you can bet your ass I'll be whipping out Tenser's Transformation.

    Thanks for the tips. Mostly I'm having a hard time deciding how to spend his next pip. Long Swords or Katanas? Or even Long Bows, because I don't throw him frontline for *every* fight because I don't abuse rest for spell resets.

    --

    Hexxat is currently wielding the Tuigan Bow. I know other bows are "better" but 3 APR is just sexy. We'll see if I change my tune though once the damage difference in other bows become more glaringly obvious. Once I acquire the Gauntlets of Weapon Mastery I'll probably throw them her way though. Or on Haer'Dalis.

    --

    Half surprised @sarevok57 suggested slings for my PC. I'll definitely take it into consideration.
    Post edited by Quartz on
  • GallowglassGallowglass Member Posts: 3,356
    Quartz said:

    Traditionally I've had Jaheira tanking, but I like the idea of running her with Belm and Blackblood -- eventually. So many of her pips are spent so poorly, it's terrible.

    "Eventually" is the right word. With Jaheira's slow levelling, you'll probably be in ToB by the time you earn her enough new proficiency points for her to be effective as a dual-wielder. Of course it's feasible if you really want, but her pre-defined allocation of proficiencies is obviously designed on the assumption that you're going to use her for sword'n'board.
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 6,002
    @Quartz if you are going to give haer'dalis a ranged weapon, I would suggest throwing daggers, there are 2 of them in SoA ( boomerang +2 and firetooth +3) both daggers give you a base 2 APR and they have a base damage of 2d4, so they can be quite devastating

    haer'dalis will do way more damage with the throwing daggers then he will with a bow, or if you are really adamant about giving haer'dalis a bow, then give your mage the throwing daggers

    I cant emphasize enough on how good those ranged weapons are, they deal more damage based on STR and they have a base 2 APR with a high base damage as well, simply top notch
  • AerakarAerakar Member Posts: 1,055
    edited June 2017
    I can't tell you enough how enamored I am with throwing daggers these days. With high strength they are so much fun, esp. in BG2 as ranged but even melee with their 2 APR. Even in BG1 they are decent.
    sarevok57 said:

    @Quartz if you are going to give haer'dalis a ranged weapon, I would suggest throwing daggers, there are 2 of them in SoA ( boomerang +2 and firetooth +3) both daggers give you a base 2 APR and they have a base damage of 2d4, so they can be quite devastating

    haer'dalis will do way more damage with the throwing daggers then he will with a bow, or if you are really adamant about giving haer'dalis a bow, then give your mage the throwing daggers

    I cant emphasize enough on how good those ranged weapons are, they deal more damage based on STR and they have a base 2 APR with a high base damage as well, simply top notch

  • madmaximusmadmaximus Member Posts: 140
    Get the robe of Vecna for your dude ASAP, best robes in the game, that plus the amulet of power makes most of your spells insta cast. when you hit time stop and improved alarcity you will slaughter most everything. Other than a few bosses your party will be hard pressed to keep up.
  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    @madmaximus Yeah, Robe of Vecna is beast. I'm assuming there's no way to get the Amulet of Power if I chose the Vampire Quest route, yea?
  • AttalusAttalus Member Posts: 156
    I second the motion of Blackblood +3 for Jaheira, and would add the Shield of Balduran. Never fear a Beholder again!
  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    @Artemius_I Ahh, good to know. Looks like I'll be slinging spells around at lightning speed then. :')

    @Zaghoul
    Zaghoul said:

    In a thief run, I gotta go for the Whispers of Silence cloak right out the gate, every darn time. B)

    I've always had a hard time doing that fight out of the gate, and an even harder time doing it without losing that item. This run I escaped Irenicus' Dungeon only with Jaheira and Yoshimo and the three of us actually made pretty short work of them, first try. Best it's ever gone for me personally.
  • madmaximusmadmaximus Member Posts: 140
    The cloak of non detection becomes fairly crucial in later game mage fights where true seeing is a given.
  • madmaximusmadmaximus Member Posts: 140
    blackblood is awesome but so is gnasher. and the bone club is pretty sweet. Since you are gonna have Korgan tanking you can make Jaheira dual wield. Or build her up for the staff of the ram + greater whirlwind.
  • madmaximusmadmaximus Member Posts: 140
    Dont you guys think that throwing Kundane at haer'dalis is optimal?
  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    @madmaximus
    madmaximus said:

    Dont you guys think that throwing Kundane at haer'dalis is optimal?

    I sure do. It makes me salty knowing I only learned it gives another APR once I joined this forum ... can't believe how many years I just sold that sword away thinking it was simply a +2 short sword with a fancy name.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    madmaximus said:

    Dont you guys think that throwing Kundane at haer'dalis is optimal?

    Depends. If all you care about is DPS, then yes. Personally I prefer weapons that cause additional effects on my opponents over raw damage.
  • AttalusAttalus Member Posts: 156
    Heh, the only thing I have ever thrown at HD is "Go away!" Silly me!
  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    @SomeSort Isn't Gnasher in Spellhold?

    Blackblood is in Trademeet, can be acquired pretty much any time during Chapter 2.
  • AttalusAttalus Member Posts: 156
    @Quartz: You get Gnasher off a dead Shadow Druid right outside Faldorn's place
  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    @Attalus Oh right -- I was thinking of Bone Club +2. Thanks!
Sign In or Register to comment.

2025 Overhaul Games, a division of Beamdog. © 2025 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Baldur's Gate, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, Baldur's Gate, Wizards of the Coast and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries, and are used with permission. Hasbro and its logo are trademarks of Hasbro, Inc. and are used with permission. © 1998 BioWare Corp. All Rights Reserved. BioWare, the BioWare Infinity Engine and the BioWare logo are trademarks of Bioware Corp. Black Isle Studios and the Black Isle Studios logo are trademarks of Interplay Entertainment Corp. Atari and the Atari logo are trademarks owned by Atari Interactive, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.