Help with shaman class
Baxyratty
Member Posts: 190
hey all after i finnish up my current good aligned run of the BG series, i want to try out the shaman. My idea is it wall be a NE Half-Elf. what should i look out for as far as stat distribution?
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Comments
Con is valuable, but you're not a warrior so the benefit caps at 16. You still get regen at 20, though, so if you consider playing a half-orc, there's something to be said for it.
Str is probably third, since shaman get a number of good melee weapons (particularly axes and staves). Being able to carry stuff is also really, really nice.
Cha would be next. Not vital by any means, but better prices and reactions are valuable bonuses.
Int and Wis don't serve much purpose at all. You're not a bard or a mage, so you're not topping the charts on lore in any event.
Half-elf is certainly good, but this is also a good opportunity to go for a half-orc if you've ever wanted to try it. If you're going evil, Neera and Vicci like half-orcs, though Vicci isn't as vital if you're a shaman (and thus providing a healer yourself).
Just don't plan on relying on your dance all that much. It's a pathetic ability even after the mods provided to boost it. Unlike bardic music, it breaks invisibility and you can't move an inch while using it (mods help with this bit at least). It can be useful if you're clever and (above all) patient, but just remember you've also got a priest's thac0, a sorcerer's spells per day, several good weapon proficiencies, detect illusion (i.e. the really useful skill that gets ignored because it's still the least useful rogue skill), and a good bunch of shaman only spells you get for free on top of the ones you get to pick. Shamans are not over-powered, but they are extremely versatile and certainly no pushovers if their full range is exploited.
If you place your shaman correctly, you can make so that the spirits she summons will attack enemies while these enemies won't see the shaman (it works well when you scout with another party member).