Iteams to increase str for Viconia

majber

Are there any items to increase str for Viconia in BG:EE?

evildevil97

I always used the Gauntlets of Ogre Strength for her, but you can't get them until Chapter 5.

majber

I hope there is sth that I can get before.

Gallenger

That's all there is as far as large strength increases for Vicky. You can temporarily raise it with a Strength spell (level 2 wizard spell) but it only lasts a turn (60 seconds) per level, but it might be useful for some big fights or something.

sarevok57

if you have rasaad on your team ( the monk from Nashkiel ) he has a quest that you can do and eventually get a belt that is cursed by increasing your STR to 19 and bringing down your INT to 6, although i think that is also in chapter 5 some time

she does wield a mean sling though, with that 19 DEX or 21 DEX at level 6 with draw upon holy might

do note as Gallenger says, you can use the level 2 mage spell to increase her STR to 18/50 ( can be found at high hedge ) and you can stack that with draw upon holy might, giving Viconia 19 STR at level 3/4, not too shabby

thelovebat

If I feel the need to raise her Strength, I'd just cast the Strength spell which is an easily accessible Mage spell and lasts long enough for you to traverse a whole area with if your Mage is leveled up enough. At the very least it would last long enough at lower levels for tough fights or giving her extra Strength for more carrying capacity to travel to a different map with extra loot, then dropping the loot at the next map and coming back to grab it after selling some stuff.

Strength increasing items are probably better off in the hands of someone else, but I suppose they're always an option for Viconia if the others' equipment slots are already taken up by something else.

sarevok57

thelovebat said:

If I feel the need to raise her Strength, I'd just cast the Strength spell which is an easily accessible Mage spell and lasts long enough for you to traverse a whole area with if your Mage is leveled up enough. At the very least it would last long enough at lower levels for tough fights or giving her extra Strength for more carrying capacity to travel to a different map with extra loot, then dropping the loot at the next map and coming back to grab it after selling some stuff.

Strength increasing items are probably better off in the hands of someone else, but I suppose they're always an option for Viconia if the others' equipment slots are already taken up by something else.

one of the problems with Viconia's low strength is that it prevents her from wearing those heavier armors and bigger shields and even some weapons ( since the EEs use SoA STR requirements for item usuage ) Vic's STR is so low she can't even use a medium shield haha

thelovebat

sarevok57 said:

thelovebat said:

If I feel the need to raise her Strength, I'd just cast the Strength spell which is an easily accessible Mage spell and lasts long enough for you to traverse a whole area with if your Mage is leveled up enough. At the very least it would last long enough at lower levels for tough fights or giving her extra Strength for more carrying capacity to travel to a different map with extra loot, then dropping the loot at the next map and coming back to grab it after selling some stuff.

Strength increasing items are probably better off in the hands of someone else, but I suppose they're always an option for Viconia if the others' equipment slots are already taken up by something else.

one of the problems with Viconia's low strength is that it prevents her from wearing those heavier armors and bigger shields and even some weapons ( since the EEs use SoA STR requirements for item usuage ) Vic's STR is so low she can't even use a medium shield haha

I think she can use some equipment that's magical though that has a lower strength requirement due to that. Or workarounds with armor that are far less encumbering like Ankheg armor.

sarevok57

thelovebat said:

sarevok57 said:

thelovebat said:

If I feel the need to raise her Strength, I'd just cast the Strength spell which is an easily accessible Mage spell and lasts long enough for you to traverse a whole area with if your Mage is leveled up enough. At the very least it would last long enough at lower levels for tough fights or giving her extra Strength for more carrying capacity to travel to a different map with extra loot, then dropping the loot at the next map and coming back to grab it after selling some stuff.

Strength increasing items are probably better off in the hands of someone else, but I suppose they're always an option for Viconia if the others' equipment slots are already taken up by something else.

one of the problems with Viconia's low strength is that it prevents her from wearing those heavier armors and bigger shields and even some weapons ( since the EEs use SoA STR requirements for item usuage ) Vic's STR is so low she can't even use a medium shield haha

I think she can use some equipment that's magical though that has a lower strength requirement due to that. Or workarounds with armor that are far less encumbering like Ankheg armor.

with her base STR she can't use any medium/large shields ( even magical ones ) the only plate armor she can wear is ankheg armor, and all the other plate/full plate mails ( even magical ones ) she can't wear, luckily there is a free suit of ankheg armor in nashkiel in the plowed field

Raduziel

I can't remember where or in which game, but there's +3 chain mail that I always give to Viconia.

ThacoBell

Raduziel said:

I can't remember where or in which game, but there's +3 chain mail that I always give to Viconia.

Its the only real reward you get for completing the Werewolf Island. I believe it also transfers to BG2.

sarevok57

ThacoBell said:

Raduziel said:

I can't remember where or in which game, but there's +3 chain mail that I always give to Viconia.

Its the only real reward you get for completing the Werewolf Island. I believe it also transfers to BG2.

you would be double correct on that

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

UnderstandMouseMagic

subtledoctor said:

You can cast Strength on her, and equip whatever you want, and it will stay put when the spell wears off. It will only be unequipped when she levels up. (At which time, be ready with another Strength spell.)

And how many times have I done that on an NPC, forgotten, messed around and removed the equipment for some reason.

And than sat there utterly confused as to why they can't put their clothes back on.
"But... but.... but, you were wearing that just now"
(runs to forum to search for an answer...kick yourself hard)

Raduziel

subtledoctor said:

You can cast Strength on her, and equip whatever you want, and it will stay put when the spell wears off. It will only be unequipped when she levels up. (At which time, be ready with another Strength spell.)

I have a rule to play BG/IWD: Don't do nothing that a DM wouldn't allow.

Cloutier

Give her a stack of Potions of Strength

Gallenger

Clerics can't drink potions of strength

It's just the strength spell or the *whole* game virtually waiting for the STR belt. It really isn't that much of a problem unless you intend for her to tank - in which case you've made a mistake anyhow, because there are plenty of other characters who would do it way better than her.

Back before modding was easier to disseminate, and you didn't get containers for gems/scrolls/potions, Viconia's low strength was a major drawback as that cut down on the amount of loot you could bring out of a lot of locations (as most everybody's inventory was filled with stacks of 20 ammo). But since you don't have to deal with that anymore it's entirely possible to get by with her just carrying some bullets around and maybe a few odd potions and being able to carry tons of other stuff.

Raduziel

Clerics can drink Potions of Strenght. Only the Potions of Giant Strenght are forbidden.

Gallenger

You know, I think I've blocked out their existence all these years since the giant's ones are better lol. Little red things right?

Raduziel

Gallenger said:

You know, I think I've blocked out their existence all these years since the giant's ones are better lol. Little red things right?

Yup.

sarevok57

Cloutier said:

Give her a stack of Potions of Strength

that is IF she can carry a stack with all the other equipment she will have

Raduziel

Draw Upon Holy Might, Strenght of One, Holy Power, Champion's Strenght, Righteous Magic.

Honestly, you don't need to worry about boosting Viconia's strength. She can boost herself when necessary.

Skatan

With her 1 APR and low STR, I don't even bother with her attacking since everything will already be dead before she contributes. Sure, you can buff her using 3-4 spells but that's a serious waste of slots since those are better spent on party-wide buffs that your fighters with more APR actually get a benefit from.

I never understood why people like clerics to fight. They are pure utility and party buffers to me. Platemail and low AC, sure.. but what's the point in that if you can't really fight back?

Give her Ankheg shell plate and a buckler, then after you reach Baldurs gate and get two STR enhancing items, both Rasaad's quest and the usual gloves and noone else need them, give her one of'em if you want. But I promise, her kills percentage won't change.

This may sound very negative, but that's not my intent. I'm just always so surprised with ppl's usage of Viccy as something more than a party buffer (yeah, yeah magic resistance and high dex, but that's irrelevant compared to a dwarf's negative saves and high HP pool, for example).

Edit: Yeah.. this post isn't really contributing to the thread, sorry about that.

Strength enhancing items:
Belt -> Only available once you reach Baldurs gate and can trigger the next step in Rasaad's personal quest
Gloves -> Only available once you reach Baldurs gate, but can then be aquired directly
Mage STR Spell -> level 2 but last a short time until you gained a couple of levels. Your best option IMHO after your mage of choice leveled up some.
Potions -> There's quite a few STR potion to set STR to 18. There's not very expensive either and not seldomly dropped by enemies. Pop one every now and then.
Divine spells -> Plenty of spells in her own book, but they only last per encounter really. If you really want to, then of course combining all the STR spells in the correct order (use the "set to" STR spell first before following up with +STR spells) will make her strong as giant and hit hard. With a haste her 2 APR will damage the enemies, but for all the hassle it's prolly best kept for harder encounters. But that's just lazy ol'me talking.

ThacoBell

I mean, clerics have the second best thaco progression. Sure they are more tanks than damage dealers, but they can fill a damage role very well.

sarevok57

Skatan said:

With her 1 APR and low STR, I don't even bother with her attacking since everything will already be dead before she contributes. Sure, you can buff her using 3-4 spells but that's a serious waste of slots since those are better spent on party-wide buffs that your fighters with more APR actually get a benefit from.

I never understood why people like clerics to fight. They are pure utility and party buffers to me. Platemail and low AC, sure.. but what's the point in that if you can't really fight back?

Give her Ankheg shell plate and a buckler, then after you reach Baldurs gate and get two STR enhancing items, both Rasaad's quest and the usual gloves and noone else need them, give her one of'em if you want. But I promise, her kills percentage won't change.

This may sound very negative, but that's not my intent. I'm just always so surprised with ppl's usage of Viccy as something more than a party buffer (yeah, yeah magic resistance and high dex, but that's irrelevant compared to a dwarf's negative saves and high HP pool, for example).

i completely agree, but for me it's usually because i have already have 3 melee warriors in front so i dont need a 4th, thats why i always give them a sling, but even with that said, mixed with some fighter levels a cleric with a sling can still be quite effective

Skatan

sarevok57 said:

i completely agree, but for me it's usually because i have already have 3 melee warriors in front so i dont need a 4th, thats why i always give them a sling, but even with that said, mixed with some fighter levels a cleric with a sling can still be quite effective

Agreed of course, but there's a huge difference between Anomen and Viccy in terms of combat prowess and I'm not talking about the former in the above post, merely the latter (including Branwen).

Skatan

ThacoBell said:

I mean, clerics have the second best thaco progression. Sure they are more tanks than damage dealers, but they can fill a damage role very well.

I see this statement every now and then, but I disagree. I don't disagree to their THAC0 progression table being second to fighters only, but that that makes them valid frontline combatants. The only single class cleric that is worth anything in a frontline fight is a cleric of lathander (not counting duals). And even Lathander can't really dualweild for the added APR from off-hand since they can't put good points in the proficiency (and can't wear a speed weapon to get an added attack with their mainhand even if their offhand hand THAC0 would suck due to 1 pip in the dual weild prof).

Why? Because a fighter's THAC0 progression is MORE than just their THAC0 table, it's the added THAC0 from exceptional STR and their pips in profiency. Exceptional STR give ~2/3 THAC0 (only Dorn get's +3 though) and mastery gives another +3 (Khalid, Kagain, Shar-teel, etc), that's 5 more THAC0 over the regular THAC0 table! That's a HUGE difference in Baldur's gate with it's low levels. Any decent warrior class, even with only the +1 from specialization, can reach around 3 THAC0 at the end of BG with the best gear (ie helm of balduran adding +1 THAC0) and a +2/3 weapon. A cleric reaches what wearing the same equipment and the best blunt weapon (ie Bassilus' hammer), 10? I haven't even tested it since I never use single-class clerics, so can't tell for sure. I've wanted to test out a Lathander, but always stop before cloakwood out of boredom.

I know this thread is not about clerics vs fighters etc, so sorry for the off-topic (but still kinda on topic).

ThacoBell

DUHM

sarevok57

ThacoBell said:

DUHM

that an holy power i suppose, but they still don't have as many attacks per round as a fighter would

ThacoBell

I'm not saying that clerics are equal to fighters in combat, I'm saying they are competent as damage dealers.

stu-k

When the SHTF I have no problem having my clerics stand toe-to-toe and trading blows. Yeah they're not fighters and attack at half their rate, but their armor class is low enough and HP high enough to hold back the onslaught till my fighters free up and can mop up the mess. Not the ideal, but it works. They do a great job of protecting my flanks.