Best Build for a new player

JakFrostzZ

Good people, I hope your day is going well;)

I'm new to the game (in fact I bought the game just because it seemed good to me and wanted to try something new) and I would like to know if I could help create my previous character and decided to make a half-orc figher (with a rolld of 89 which I think is good) but I would like to have the best build possible for a fighter and I do not know what weapons to use or if the character I am creating is good or not or if you tell me a good build for someone new it was already a big help. If it is possible for someone to help me I would appreciate it !!

But if someone tells me where I can find builds I would appreciate it and I would not bother you anymore xD

I'm sorry for my bad english = /

Danacm

Use berserker or barbarian fighter kit, because of rage ability save you a lots of game ending effects. Plus both is easy to play. Stats spread: str-dex-con up to high as you can if you never mind min maxing the stats should be for half orc: 19-18-19-11-10-10. The weapon profs, the long swords are plenty of good, warhammers, scimitars, maces also not bad. Katanas are rare in the firs game so not worth it i think. If u use berserker go to grandmastery in one weapon. Dont forget dual wield fighting style, its the most dps option for a fighter type, and you need at least 2 pips to use it without too much penalties. If you dont want dual wield, than use two handed swords, u will find very strong ones from candlekeep to throne of bhaal, and later halberds has some good options.

JakFrostzZ

Thanks man, i really appreciate !!

Skatan

Yeah, that will be a good start for you. Personally I would have said either a dwarf berserker, a dwarf fighter/cleric or a gnome fighter/illusionst. The two latter would give spells but they are not needed so could be used situationally while you are learning. All three would give +5 to save rolls with 18 CON which is much more of a life-saver for a new player than +1 STR from being half-orc. But the berserker bonuses from the Rage skill will keep you alive through most/all of the Baldurs Gate!

Good luck and have fun!

ThacoBell

@JakFrostzZ Where did you get that portrait? Its snazzy!

Dev6

I'd say the easiest build for a new player is probably a dual-wielding Barbarian.
You went with a Berserker instead which is close enough. You should be fine.

If you're planning on taking the same character into BG2 then don't disregard Katanas. They're very rare in the first game but you'll find some good magical ones in the second game. You also can't go wrong with the more abundant long/bastard swords though, so that's down to your personal opinion and play-style.

Volatile

For a first timer - I was in the same boat a few months ago -, the "tank" classes seem like a good choice overall. A lot of people favor the Barbarian and the Berserker, but if you're into dwarves (I think dwarves are awesome), you can't go wrong with a Dwarven Defender, which is by far the best tank there is.

I only just started playing around with a proper caster - the NPC mages are fine, tho -, and early game it can be rough. However, by level 7-8 the difficulty balances out, and I'm told - and stronly believe - casters become ungodly powerful in the second part of the series (assuming you're interested in carrying over to Baldur's Gate 2).

Abby_Zero

I’m all about a fighter cleric or mage multiclassed with thief.

JakFrostzZ

@ThacoBell Here man, https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/66225/portraits-caseiros#latest,don't remember which one have it since all of them have 20

JakFrostzZ

Thanks very much guys!! You guys are the best !!

JakFrostzZ

By the way, there is any lace where i can see builds? im looking up but i can't find anything

JakFrostzZ

@Volatile Thanks man, i do want to play them, i bought a bundle with BGEE BG2EE and Icewind Dale EE

JakFrostzZ

@Skatan Thanks man, i just went with half-orc because i never played one before xD

JakFrostzZ

@Dev6 I was thinking using this one in bg2 because makes looke like a realy big story, i dont know xD

therdre

I'd agree with the berzerke, but I'd take 7 out of wisdom and put it into charisma

Pantalion

JakFrostzZ said:

By the way, there is any lace where i can see builds? im looking up but i can't find anything

Because of the fairly restrictive nature of multiclassing, there's not quite the same "build" concept as you might find with NWN's 3rd edition system.

Some notable quirks and particulars for character optimisation:

* For non-mages, optimal intelligence should be a multiple of 5 in a starting BG character, or 5+1 in a starting BG2 character.
* Never be a human unless you have to be (aka: You want to Dual Class or to be a Paladin)
* Never be a half-elf unless you have to be (aka: You want to be a Bard, Druid, Fighter/Druid, Fighter/Mage/Cleric, a Cleric/Ranger, or to romance a Dark Elf while still looking pretty)
* Never be an elf unless you have to be (namely: To be a Wild Mage, Sorcerer, or Fighter/Mage/Thief)
* There is basically no speciality Mage that is worth being one of the above.
* Never be a half-orc unless you want to hit things really, really hard (aka: You want a character with a natural 24 strength).
* Halflings make the best Fighter/Thieves (17 Strength isn't ideal, but easily dealt with by BG2 or ignored with items).
* Dwarves make the best Fighter/Clerics (17 Dexterity isn't ideal, but they get saves out the wazoo to compensate).
* Gnomes make the best Fighter/Mage, Mage/Thief, and Mage/Cleric (while they get a wisdom penalty they also have to be Illusionists, which means +1 spell slot per level over any other multiclass mage, and they get to start at 19 Int to boot).

* Constitution is actually a surprisingly good dump stat for non-short characters, since there's no difference between 7 and 14 whatsoever. The ideal break point for Constitution is either 8 or 17 for non-Fighters, and the HP bonus can easily be done without if you know what you're doing.

For Dwarf/Gnome/Halfling characters, the ideal break is 18 or 20 Constitution, since they get a hefty +5 saving throw bonus at 18 constitution and the difference between 20 and 21 is minimal. Death, Wand, and Spell saving throws include some of the nastiest saving throws in the game. Gnomes miss out on Death save bonuses.

* Only Fighters, Rangers and Paladins get APR bonuses from Weapon specialisation, and it's generally not worth specialising in your offhand weapon even then. The third pip in Two Weapon Style and the second pip in Two Handed Weapon are all but worthless. You only ever get 1 attack per round with your offhand weapon, it does not need +2 to hit.

* Other optimal proficiency choices you can find out yourself and I won't spoil, but I will note that a Fighter with a sling gets up to 3 APR with it, and adds their strength bonus to the damage, making them surprisingly powerful ranged weapons (daggers and axes also get throwing variants which add strength, but only really take off in BG2 due to limited ammo choices).

* Dual classing is the most obnoxious thing ever, but if you're doing it, do it right and remember your first class is your kit class.
Good break-off points are:
Fighters: 7 (first 1/2 APR), 10 (can still get max level in mage), 13 (second 1/2 APR, can still get level 39 in Thief, 38 in Cleric, 28 in Mage). 15 (Kensai get their last +1/+1).
Rangers: Do not dual your ranger, be a half-elf and multiclass your Cleric/Ranger instead, or dual a Fighter and get Grand Mastery for your Cleric.
Thieves: 6 (get 100 points in Detect Illusions), 9 (x4 backstab, can still get max level in mage), 11 (+2/+2/-3 Swashbuckler bonus at 10, and can still get level 39 Fighter), 13 (x5 Backstab for non-Swashbuckler, x4 max for Shadowdancer for breaking the game with Hide in Plain Sight stupidity), 15 (+3/+3/-4 Swashbuckler bonii, level 35 Fighter).
Clerics: Not generally optimal to dual out of unless you really want to sacrifice mage spells per day for some sequencer abuse.
Mages: You dual INTO Mage to increase their early game survivability with only minor downsides to long term power. You dual OUT of Mage to drastically decrease the survivability of whatever you dual into while crippling your long term power by not being a mage. Don't do that.


* Generally the "best" build is subject to several decades of debate, but a vague top tier list is:

Illusionist/Thief
Illusionist/Cleric
Sorcerer
Wild Mage
Fighter/Illusionist
Dual classes into Mage
Any other specialist Mage
Any other mage multiclasses.
Generalist Mage
Cleric/Ranger with the Cleric/Ranger spell "fix" disabled as god and nature intended.
Fighter/Mage/Thief
Fighter/Mage/Cleric

So yeah, Mage spells are pretty powerful once you know how and when to use them.

JakFrostzZ

@Pantalion Thank you very much, this helps ALOT, i now have a idea what to do, thanks man!