What to do with my Cav (or, a Cav with staves? No really!)
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TLDR: There are a lot of cool weapons in this game and I want to use them all. Also, I'm using GoG classic with Tutu and have no qualms about Shadowkeepering proficiencies.
I'm doing the saga from the start. Using canon party in BG1 and Canon party (Minsc, Jah, Yoshi->Imoen) in BG2. I'll probably pick up a cleric (Aerie for super spell goodness and to give Minsc a witch) or Vic (single-classed clerics are less likely to have buffs dispelled).
Strongly leaning towards a Cav for my PC. I could be convinced for the Inquisitor, but that DM is going to knock out my buffs as well as the enemy's spells, so I'm on the fence. Also, as far as a Paladin goes, the storybook Cavalier makes a little more sense for a character who grew up around, well, a lot of books.
Side note, a long time ago on a forum far, far, away (might have been here, actually), there was a hilarious post satirizing the debate over which class makes the most sense for charname. In this post, the OP provided an argument why the PC would be starting with skill (and possibly specialization) in staves that was as well-thought-out as it was insincere.
Jah is definitely starting with staves and slings, following up with 2h weapon, then spears, then, I dunno, darts? who cares. This is partly for conceptual reasons and partly because there are actually a lot of cool staves and spears. I know people love belming it up with her, but I'm not sold. Anyway, she can cast some druid spells if needed, then follow me into battle.
Minsc, I'm liking for axes and bows to start. It's very woodsmany. From there, I'm pretty open. I plan to keep in in leathers the whole game because it's more rangery. Besides, he can stealth in to a good position (i.e. behind a mage) before a battle starts then pop out in the first round my Cav sets it off.
Finally, there's my Cav. I feel like there's two directions. Essentially, 2h weapon or TWF. I don't think the holy sword is the be all end all of options. Especially since there are so many cool weapons, it's worth using them all.
For 2h weapon, I would probably start with ** staves and ** 2H weapon because the post that supports the argument was just that funny and entertaining. Also, there's actually a lot of great staves in the game, so I wouldn't be stealing Jah's thunder really. From there, I'd likely do ** 2H sword in time for Spider's Bane in Cloakwood (once I get that, my main strategy is to spam web and clean up). After that, possibly axes? I know the typical Cav move is to do 2h sword and axes from the start (for the throwers), but it's a little out of character for me, so it's not a priority. In this case, Minsc would likely go flails for the FoA/DoE combo (the latter helping balance out his leather armor situation). Obviously, I'd be using the holy sword, but i might just focus that on mage battles and swap out other weapons for other types of fights for funsies
For 1h weapons, most likely longswords and flails. Then TWF then bastard swords. I lose out on Spiders bane for BG1, and the holy sword in BG2, but I'll likely be doing FoA/DoE until I can do Foebane and Purifier probably. If that's the case, it's probably Minsc on Axes and then I don't know what. Maces are kinda meh (especially since my LG self won't upgrade the MoD). Maybe scimitars and he can belm? Haven't really figured this one out.
I'm still on the fence with either build and am looking for some input to push me one way or the other.
I'm doing the saga from the start. Using canon party in BG1 and Canon party (Minsc, Jah, Yoshi->Imoen) in BG2. I'll probably pick up a cleric (Aerie for super spell goodness and to give Minsc a witch) or Vic (single-classed clerics are less likely to have buffs dispelled).
Strongly leaning towards a Cav for my PC. I could be convinced for the Inquisitor, but that DM is going to knock out my buffs as well as the enemy's spells, so I'm on the fence. Also, as far as a Paladin goes, the storybook Cavalier makes a little more sense for a character who grew up around, well, a lot of books.
Side note, a long time ago on a forum far, far, away (might have been here, actually), there was a hilarious post satirizing the debate over which class makes the most sense for charname. In this post, the OP provided an argument why the PC would be starting with skill (and possibly specialization) in staves that was as well-thought-out as it was insincere.
Jah is definitely starting with staves and slings, following up with 2h weapon, then spears, then, I dunno, darts? who cares. This is partly for conceptual reasons and partly because there are actually a lot of cool staves and spears. I know people love belming it up with her, but I'm not sold. Anyway, she can cast some druid spells if needed, then follow me into battle.
Minsc, I'm liking for axes and bows to start. It's very woodsmany. From there, I'm pretty open. I plan to keep in in leathers the whole game because it's more rangery. Besides, he can stealth in to a good position (i.e. behind a mage) before a battle starts then pop out in the first round my Cav sets it off.
Finally, there's my Cav. I feel like there's two directions. Essentially, 2h weapon or TWF. I don't think the holy sword is the be all end all of options. Especially since there are so many cool weapons, it's worth using them all.
For 2h weapon, I would probably start with ** staves and ** 2H weapon because the post that supports the argument was just that funny and entertaining. Also, there's actually a lot of great staves in the game, so I wouldn't be stealing Jah's thunder really. From there, I'd likely do ** 2H sword in time for Spider's Bane in Cloakwood (once I get that, my main strategy is to spam web and clean up). After that, possibly axes? I know the typical Cav move is to do 2h sword and axes from the start (for the throwers), but it's a little out of character for me, so it's not a priority. In this case, Minsc would likely go flails for the FoA/DoE combo (the latter helping balance out his leather armor situation). Obviously, I'd be using the holy sword, but i might just focus that on mage battles and swap out other weapons for other types of fights for funsies
For 1h weapons, most likely longswords and flails. Then TWF then bastard swords. I lose out on Spiders bane for BG1, and the holy sword in BG2, but I'll likely be doing FoA/DoE until I can do Foebane and Purifier probably. If that's the case, it's probably Minsc on Axes and then I don't know what. Maces are kinda meh (especially since my LG self won't upgrade the MoD). Maybe scimitars and he can belm? Haven't really figured this one out.
I'm still on the fence with either build and am looking for some input to push me one way or the other.
- What to do with my Cav (or, a Cav with staves? No really!)11 votes
- Two handed weapons54.55%
- One handed weapons45.45%
0
Comments
In BG2: Allocate pps in two handed sword and you advance in levels and use sweet Carsomyr.
also when it comes to buff dispelling, they cap at level 20, so for example, if viconia is level 30 and she casts protection from evil 10' radius, it will be cast as if viconia was level 20 ( because all spells cap out at level 20 in the bg series ) in SoA it may be helpful for that single class high level casting, but once you hit ToB most bosses are level 30 and will never fail at dispelling your stuff regardless of your level, so useful in SoA, useless in ToB
And if so, is there really a point in buffs at that point? If not, what do you do with your divine caster?
pretty much anytime when an enemy in ToB is going to use remove magic, this tactic should work everytime ( they usually give you ample space when you enter an area before you meet up with the big bad nasty )
also note, this is for the unmodded game, so if you have SCS or some other mods installed, then sometimes this tactic could be a bit trickier to implement based on how modders made their spell casters
I had never thought of sending in the mage solo to soak magic, though. I always figured that would possibly be suicide, even with protections.
Sending my mage ahead with anti-dispell magic is something I would not recommend. The only monsters I recall that tended to cast dispell magic and strip my buffs have been dragons.. Not a monster that you want to have your mage go toe to toe with on his own.
Using summons is a good idea in many situations, though. Even at higher level. Mordy sword is great against mindflayers and generally an amazing meat shield; Deva/planetar are great tanks as well as clerical casters; Simulacrum is crazy good.