How would you solo a Fighter/Cleric?
I soloed BG as a FMT, an Inquisiter(BGT) before but recently when digging through piles and piles of web archives I found out that F/C is at least very interesting to play. So how would you people solo as a F/C?
A little ristriction: only consider BG1+TOSC; only dual a F to C ( I think it's a bit more powerful than multi-classed ). At which level would you dual to Cleric?
BTW the weapon choice is no brain as the War Hammer +2 is powerful and can be obtained early.
A little ristriction: only consider BG1+TOSC; only dual a F to C ( I think it's a bit more powerful than multi-classed ). At which level would you dual to Cleric?
BTW the weapon choice is no brain as the War Hammer +2 is powerful and can be obtained early.
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with playing on, say, BGT/tutu, with all rules closer to BG1 (unnerfed mastery, BG1 weapon profs, xp cap), I'd go with the following:
Fighter 3 -> Cleric, for weapons pick blunt weapons and two weapon style, warhammer +2 in one hand, mace +2 (eventually) in the other. you can reach grandmastery by cleric 8, putting a hell lot of hurt on enemies, and your thac0 will also be alright. use DUHM, kick ass, chew bubblegum.
If you were to dual, and only considering BG1, I'd dual at 3. Grab the extra proficiency point and a nice cushion of HP. If you do want to extend his play into the other games, dual at 13.
Solo with a Dwarven Fighter/Cleric. Make sure to set his Constitution at 19. When you pick up the Constitution tome, you can get your Constitution to 20 at which point you regenerate, an invaluable tool in a solo run.
Don't go for a Dual-Class.
I've soloed some of BG2 with a sorcerer and a fighter/mage/thief... Always got bored before getting all that far.
I have once soloed a Cleric (Half-Elf, Neutral Good) throughout BG1. I managed a no-reload until the final battle with Sarevok, which I had to re-load twice before I won.
I believe that in terms of strategy it is almost identical to a dualled Fighter->Cleric. A multi-class F/C would be different however, and involve much more melee.
1/ First you need metagaming. You need to know you way around the Sword Coast fairly well. You need to be cautious and pick up the fights that you know you will win / or at least, give you an exit door.
2/ You need good AC and decent HP's in the beginning. Plate Mail, Full Plate Mail if STR allows, is handy. Shield definitely, preferably large. Your worst ennemy in the beginning will be arrows. Wear a helmet for criticals. I wielded a mace and used (a lot) my sling. Save magical bullets preciously. Invest in the best slings possible to improve THACO.
3/ In the first part of the game, there are spell combos that will be very effective especially vs lone ennemies. Command works great if you time it properly. Hold person works great vs bandits. I use Doom a lot. Silence vs mages. Once you get summons, it gives more depth. Bless, Chant are handy to buff them while you command & sling from the backline.
4/ As you level-up, look for undead. Use Turn Undead a lot and the dedicated spells against them. Good XP farming here without much risk, getting full benefit from your class' innate ability.
5/ Be aware of ennemy clerics, they have incapacitating spells (hold, rigid thinking, domination) and are tougher to blitz than wizards. Always keep at hand spells/items/potions that will protect you from such game-ending effects. Invisibility is key; Sanctuary your best friend, but invest in potions as well. Free Action when fighting in Cloakwood is paramount - spell or potion. Potions: use them wisely, they are restricted. Always keep healing & antidote ones in your quick slots. Invest in wands (wand of sleep, wand of heavens...). Money will not be an issue at all.
6/ Later in the game, you will be strong enough to melee. Cleric buffs are impressive, but limited in time and in spell slots. Time carefully when and against whom you transform yourself into a war machine, but when you do, you'll likely prevail (except against you know who). As in any solo run, being hasted is more or less essential in order to own the battlefield.
7/ Traps. They are your weakness. You can detect them, but not disarm. Metagaming is key. And certain parts of the game are off limits (Durlag's Tower). Werewolf's island is also a very, very tough challenge for a solo cleric (not because of traps...)..
8/ Some fights will be very tough, if you know the game you can already figure out which. Being contained in small quarters, alone vs a group and without the advantage of taking them by surprise will make things considerably tougher. One mistake in such a fight, a poor opening choice of buffs/spells, and you probably cannot turn the tide.
It is a very fun soloing challenge. Often you will think that you cannot make it but in fact, the cleric's versatility means there is a solution for each and every encounter in BG1. Be inventive and know your spellbook in & out. Good luck!
It is possible (although I can't say for sure) that they might be killable by the Warhammer +1, +4 vs Giantkin that you can pickpocket from that dwarf guy in Ulgoth's Beard. In Baldur's Gate 2 that weapon always acted as a +4 weapon. Other than that, there's no other weapons I can think of that the cleric can use.
I'm checking around to see if there's anything else available, in classic BG1 obviously (keeping in mind that back then the warhammer didn't function as only weapons labled as "Cold Steel" would work against Greater Wolfwere and Loup Garous, aside from Kaishas Gan - meaning Sword of Balduran, the Dagger you get in the wreck and the Aldeth's Bastardsword +1, +3 vs Shapeshifters)
http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/6873
They nerfed it. Still a +4 weapons but no other bonuses (ie, 2-8 damage per hit) so only 1 APR. Much more difficult now...