Cerrod and Rassad

Veristek

I just arrived at Trademeet and picked up Cerrod and Rassad as my next NPC's to complete their quests for exp and seeing character interactions and backstory.

I'm not sure how to outfit Rassad and Cerrod. Seems like they can't wear any armor. They feel kind of underwhelming for me. How do I make them decent so that they don't go squish when I go do dungeons and whatnot for their quests?

Hell, even Edwin, as weak physically as he is, has better AC than a druid who can supposedly shapeshift into scary and tough forms like werewolves. What gives? Am I missing something here?

Humanoid_Taifun

You can cast Ironskins with the druid, and have Edwin cast Spirit Armor on him as well. But really, under normal circumstances he is just a caster, so he wants to stay behind your fighters.
The problem with Rasaad is that monks start weak but get rather powerful once they accumulate enough levels. But again, Spirit Armor should give him a little protection.

ilduderino

The Druid is generally regarded as one of the worst npcs. He can be used well as a back row caster. Buffing for the front rank is possible with spells, if you are early on in the game you are unlikely to have equipment that will make much difference. As HT says Rasaad starts weak, equipment won't have much positive impact as his power is based on innate abilities getting better, but he will be very powerful late in SoA and throughout ToB. You have to keep him for his quests to trigger and you get some nice items as a result ?

Danacm

Cernd as druid can cast barkskin to give her ac. Its the cheapest solution. Other than bracers of defensem

gorgonzola

the monk is an unstoppable beast at high level, and the druid very strong with his magic and summons, but as told they start weak.
as your purpose is to do their side quests fast and drop them (but i doubt that you can do the side quest of any ee introduced npc fast...) you have to babysit them and live with it, as power wise are only a drag, an investment for a future that in your plan will never happen.

NOTE: the fact that ee npcs have much more detailed and long quests then the originals is not only a style choice of the ee devs. the original was in 4 cd and you had to change cd transitioning from area to area. even with 4 of them (and the hard disks of that time was also low capacity so a game completely on the hard was not an option for the average computer) the space for detailed npc quests was simply not there, i am quite sure that some content was cut as there was not enough space...

gorgonzola

Veristek wrote: »

even Edwin, as weak physically as he is, has better AC than a druid who can...........Am I missing something here?

afaik ac is only depending on equipment, and a dex modifier is applied.
unless we are talking of few kits, and not classes, that add an ac modifier.
your best fighter has crappy ac without his armor, shield and items, and a mage well equipped and with good dex and spells that add ac bonus like blurr can have an ac almost 20 point better.
you are missing that you are still learning to play and this is your first run (don't worry, it happens to everybody, at least one time, ).
keep asking and you will improve fast!

Veristek

What levels will Rassad start to get good? Level 15? 20? 30?

My main concern with spellcaster AC is two things. Missile weapons from the enemy interrupting my NPC spellcasting, and the occasional enemy who skips my melee fighters and starts whacking on my spellcasters in the back. I've seen that happen with spiders and trolls.

ThacoBell

@Veristek 14 seems to be the sweet spot for monks.

If shouldn't be too difficult to keep your spellcasters out of harms way, it just takes a little practice. Keep them in the back and if an enemies' ai has them beeline for your squishies (kinda rare, but it does happen) move one of your fighters in the way. The AI will eventually switch targets.

gorgonzola

monks:
https://baldursgate.fandom.com/wiki/Monk
https://pihwiki.bgforge.net/Baldur's_Gate:_Progression_Charts#Monks
figure it by yourself.

spellcaster ac:
there are items that give a bonus against ranged weapons, some boots, and a cloak that you will find (steal) quite fast if you are in trademeet.
the mages have a wonderful spell, stoneskin, that last a long long time, and that if you don't use them as tanks consuming it fast protect them from being disrupted by physical attacks all day long, but not from the elemental one that some weapons and arrows have. also projected images help even if they last less and there is a chance that the toon is hit anyway. spells that make the ac better are useful for fighter mages or mages used to tank as every to hit roll saved is one stoneskin or image more left, but not the ordinary way to protect mages.
if a spider or troll skip your front line improve the way you fight the battles, is not apparent to everybody but correct positioning and using the terrain features can greatly improve your efficiency, choke points where a couple of fighters can block an army and similar things can make a difference, and the druid grove map is full of them... spot enemies and lure them into the point you want, maybe setting some trap on the route, you have plenty of thieves to do the scouting and trapping. when needed haste the party, it is not only +1 apr, it is much better mobility, so more tactical control of the ground.
tactical predominance=battle easily won and also >powerful items, npcs and buffed stats.

and a potion of invisibility or an invisibility spell is your lifebelt if something goes wrong and your caster really risk to be killed...

Veristek

Seems like I still have a lot to learn. I've learned more in the past few days in the forum than I have in my entire run through BG 1.

I basically have my mages use slings to pelt the enemy when they're not using fireballs or lightning or other damage spells. I haven't had much experience for buffing spells in BG 1. Coran just tore everything up with his longbow, and CHARNAME + Yeslick killed whatever Coran didn't wipe out. Then Imoen, Neera, and Safana cleared out whatever CHARNAME + Yeslick couldn't hit, either by fireballs / damage spells or sling bullets.

Probably need to change that strategy for BG 2 and ToB.

gorgonzola

this is sure
bg is low hp, you and enemies, and low level spells.
soa and tob even more is high hp, good saving throws, a lot more spells in the spellbook and some of them incredibly powerful, mages with protections to disable and your mages that can use protections themselves, and in the end high level abilities, things like gww that give to a fighter 10 attacks in a round, improved alacrity, that let a mage cast for 2 rounds spells without interruption (can still be disrupted, but the 1 spell round rule is no more active) and so on.
bg and bg2 use the same mechanics but the levels are completely different so you have to play in a very different way. spells that in bg win a battle in bg2 become obsolete as the enemies always save, and this is only one of the many changes.

don't expect to learn everything in 1 run, i play it since 2000 and i am still learning....
at bg2 levels the spell system becomes extremely complex, even a novice can beat the game, but an experienced player beat the same battle with the same party and equipment 10x easier and faster.

don't worry, don't rush and enjoy your first run, we old players all envy you as our knowledge is much superior, but we remember how fantastic was the first time, with all our naive tactics and the rest, but with the joy to have everything new and not spoiled...
your first time is an enormous gift, that you can have only once in the life, don't waste it spoiling too much!