Good class / race combination for the build I'm thinking of?

qiyuwuro

Longbows as my main method of damage dealing (probably put strength at 18 so I can use composite bows). Two proficiency points.

Either one proficiency point in spears or one proficiency point in long swords, I haven't decided which. If the latter, drop a point into single weapon style.

Magic user with a focus on conjuration and summoning spells. No kit, though - I want the freedom to use other types of spells if the situation calls for it. Not sure if wizard or priest is better for summons.

Basically kind of a Tracker / Pathfinder type of character.

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jmerry

Neither clerics nor druids can use bows at all, so they're not options.

Rangers and paladins can use longbows and get (very) limited spellcasting ability. Available summons ... none at all for Rangers, except for Beastmasters who get Animal Summoning spells early and can call a familiar. Paladins can cast Animate Dead starting at level 13 (1.5 million XP, definitely not BG1 territory) and Animal Summoning 1 starting at level 15.

Arcane spellcasting is the way to go here, and if you want to use a composite longbow that means fighter/mages and their variants - while bards can become proficient in any weapon class, they can't wield composite longbows. I've never played one, so I'll leave the details to others.

On second thought, I'll at least list out the legal race/class combinations:

Fighter/Mage, elf or half-elf.
Fighter/Mage/Thief, elf or half-elf.
Fighter/Illusionist, gnome.
Fighter-Mage dual, human. Can have a fighter kit, either base class or wizard slayer. Dual at or before level 7 if you want your fighting abilities back before BG1 ends.
Mage-Fighter dual, human. Can be a specialist mage. Dual at or before level 6 if you want your mage abilities back before BG1 ends.

jsaving

If you want summoning spells, but also want to cast other types of spells, and want to melee with spears or longswords, but also want to use composite longbows, then what you are looking for is not a "tracker/pathfinder" but rather an uber-character. What you have to decide is whether and by how much you are willing to compromise any of those requirements.

If the answer is "not at all" then what you are looking for is the game's most overpowered build, the fighter/mage. If you'll accept modest compromises then a blade or beastmaster would also work.

Alatan

I dont think that there is a class combination that would do what you want in the 1st game but in Shadows of Amn you can build a Ranger/Cleric dual class character that would give you everything you want.

Never tried an Archer subclass dual to a Cleric but in theory it would work.

In the old version the Ranger dualed to a Cleric had an interesting "feature" of having both the cleric and druid spell tables making him a really powerful divine caster. Not sure if it was nerfed in the EE version.

Edit: Just remembered that Clerics cant use Bows so this build is not for you. But its really fun if you want to have a powerful divine caster with martial skills.

VanDerBerg

I think only Beastmaster can dual into a cleric. Though, that's still a good option. Or just a pure Beastmaster.

Also, in EE ranger/cleric has access to druid spells only up to level 3. But it is possible to override some variable to give him access to druid spells for all levels.

ilduderino

A ranger to cleric dual can be quite powerful but you have to use slings, where you have limited proficiency, but you should get the other archer ranged bonuses and can boost damage with draw upon holy might

DinoDin

VanDerBerg wrote: »

I think only Beastmaster can dual into a cleric. Though, that's still a good option. Or just a pure Beastmaster.

Also, in EE ranger/cleric has access to druid spells only up to level 3. But it is possible to override some variable to give him access to druid spells for all levels.

I can confirm that Stalker can dual to a cleric. In fact, it's the ranger kit I would recommend dualing. Even if you're not using backstabs, the bonus to stealth is quite handy for making scout easier. The extra spells aren't particularly powerful, but, if you're dualing towards a caster-focused class anyways, they will help. Quarterstaff is objectively the best backstab weapon. And there's a huge cast of awesome one-handed blunt weapons to dual in SoA/ToB -- Crom, FoA, and on and on.

I don't know if Archer can dual, but to me, it seems like a waste. The advantage of Ranger/Cleric, whether dualed or multi is the free points in two-weapon style. And at high levels, when this dual is unlocked, melee weapons generally outclass missile weapons for both damage and for the side benefits. Also, just seems to me, if you're going to take levels as fighter, with the bonus hitpoints, the strength bonuses, you might as well make a tanky frontliner, not a backline sniper.

In my own playthrough, I ultimately regretted dualing and think the pure Stalker would have been more fun on its own. But it was still a very strong build.

borntodie

The most straightforward match to what you describe is a fighter/mage multiclass. Dual class will waste too much time before they get all of the abilities you want in the mix, for too little gain.

I'd go with an elf for the +1 to longbows.

Djasko_Amsterdam

I concur with borntodie. Tho I would advise you to consider staves instead of spears. You already have piercing dmg through your longbows and piercing is the least powerful dmg type in regards to what youre able to hit with it. Plate armor has bonus defense vs slashing and piercing, but not against blunt dmg.

Danacm

Just to know, longbows deal missile type dmg (as sling bullets, crossbows, throwing axes, darts, throwing daggerd) not piercing. Unfortunetly not the same.