Can I start from scratch on TOB with only the Bhaalspawn children in my party?

catt12796

Hi all, first time here.

I feel like I owe it to myself to finish the entire saga at least once, and TOB is the last thing in there (except SOD, I didn't realize I'd be looking back again to the series.)

I ran a duology run on BG:EE to SOA with a berserker/mage charname on a full party. Lately, I've been asking around steam and reddit to see what class I can do that would suit a full trilogy run for me, either party or trying out a proper solo run. After realizing I'd just keep asking around without getting anywhere, I might as well just go for a TOB run and experience the story. A compromise between solo and full party by managing bhaalspawn children only since they (from my understanding) are primarily the central characters to the plot. Will be playing on Core Rules or maybe normal if you guys think I'll get rekt.

On to my proposed charname. I've been wondering if this is doable for me with say, a pure Kensai Charname (I figured dualling on TOB would be so tedious due to the downtime unless catching up is easy in the next hour without cheesing)

What's a decent stat roll for him? I've got an obsession with seeing at least 90 but so far this drags out a supposed playtime for me and I end up getting bored.

Also, I want to... kinda roleplay into the sword saint aspect of the kensai and am looking into katanas lol, is it mandatory/optimal for me to wield a preferred weapon + belm/kundane or can I roll with a katana + offhand FoA? If so, can I still get celestial fury? is the katana in my back of holding good enough for a few main quests?

Will I get rekt for aspiring to try to take on TOB without prior knowledge + with just Sarevok and Imoen in my party? I had some prior gameplay to TOB with my berserker/mage, I thought it tedious to have those length fights
with mages and I gave up on my quest to hunt down the giant bhaalspawn sibling.

Edit: I don't mind suggestions for other classes as well tbh. Maybe fighter/cleric or dualling to Kensai/Cleric to cover the bases?

Khyron

If you play a brute of a Half-Orc fighter/cleric, then add Sarevok and Imoen, you've got all core roles of a party covered.. and you'll be fine.

3 chars isn't super powerfull, but with the classes combined even a novice will get by.

A fighter/cleric with Defender of Easthaven flail, armour of faith and Hardiness hla can facetank anything for fun.. Sarevok is a good killer and off-tank and any mage can pretty much destroy everything solo anyway, so Imoenhas got your back.

Just my suggestion.. I think a Kensai single class becomes a bit frail later on in the saga, but dual class to thief is an excellent option.

Danacm

A strong and easy classes are paladin kits, all three has its edges in vanilla bg2 tob.
Strongest multis are fighter/mage and fighter/illusionist, heal is basically comes from potions and wands anyway.

ilduderino

If you roll without a cleric once you can summon a planetar they can cover your healing needs

OlvynChuru

Khyron wrote: »

A fighter/cleric with Defender of Easthaven flail, armour of faith and Hardiness hla can facetank anything for fun.

But they've said they're starting a new game in TOB, which means they won't have the Defender of Easthaven flail.

Khyron

Isn't it included in the bag of holding? If not, that's such a bummer lol

jmerry

If you start from scratch in ToB, you'll face the first challenge alone. You don't get to recruit any party members until you reach the pocket plane.

On off-hand weapons ... the thing about the +APR off-hand weapons is that they grant their extra attack to the main-hand weapon. If you already have Celestial Fury as your main-hand weapon, would you rather have an extra attack with Celestial Fury, or an extra attack at a penalty with the Flail of Ages? I thought so. After all, there's a reason you chose your primary weapon.
Because of this, a +APR weapon in the off-hand is basically always better than a second "hit things" weapon in the off hand. Even against enemies that you can't hit with the off-hand weapon because its enchantment is too low. The only exception is when you use Whirlwind/Greater Whirlwind; you get a total of ten attacks that round, and some of them will be with the off-hand weapon.

What else is worth using in the off hand? Weapons with passive bonuses. Some of the options available in ToB:
- Axe of the Unyielding. Grants regeneration and AC, with the regeneration improving and a point of Con added once you upgrade it.
- Purifier (bastard sword), if you're a paladin or have Use Any Item. Grants +20% MR, upgrades to +30% MR and the ability to cast some spells.
- Yamato (wakizashi). Not that special with just +1 AC, but katana and wakizashi is a classic dual-wielding combo.
- Hindo's Doom (katana). Only after the upgrade, but +10% MR and immunity to instant death magic is great.
- Angurvadal (long sword) after the upgrade. 22 strength and immunity to level drain.

That said ... if you start in ToB with a kensai, you won't get Celestial Fury. It's only available by actually playing SoA and clearing a non-quest optional area. And your options for magical katanas in ToB ... Hindo's Doom, generic +1 to +3 katanas, and that Malakar +2 katana you started with. That's it. None of them are particularly good as a main-hand weapon, lacking anything offensive other than their modest physical damage.
For a main-hand weapon, you should be looking for on-hit effects. Elemental damage and slow from the Flail of Ages. Magic damage (LMD) from the Foebane bastard sword. Undead slaying from Yaga-Shura's Runehammer. Elemental damage from Angurvadal or Spectral Brand (scimitar) or Storm Star (mace). Massive fire damage from the Club of Detonation. Vorpal hits from the upgraded Axe of the Unyielding. Katanas aren't on that list unless you brought Celestial Fury with you from SoA, or you recruit Valygar with his bleed-inflicting blade that only he can use.

A starting kensai in ToB gets the Ring of Human Influence. You have no need for charisma because of that ring, no need for wisdom unless you plan to dual to cleric (poor synergy - the cleric will feel the loss of heavy armor just as keenly as the fighter, and one of their buff spells renders the Kai ability obsolete), and no need for Int except as illithid protection. Even with a minimal 75 roll, you could go with 18/18/18/11/7/3 and be just fine.

Bracchus

Danacm wrote: »

A strong and easy classes are paladin kits, all three has its edges in vanilla bg2 tob.

Blackguard with the old Poison Weapon ability from v1.3 in the override folder, take Jaheira along for fireseeds, spam GWW. mwuhahahaaaa!

jsaving

People have soloed the saga on nearly every difficulty level with nearly ever kit so it is 100% doable to go through ToB with a three-person party, especially since your fellow Bhaalspawn are among the game's stronger joinable NPCs. If I were doing such a run, I'd consider a ranger/cleric or priest of Lathander MC though your idea of a kensai would also work.

SirBatince

The only threats you should be worried about and plan around is Abazigail/Draco, Ravager and the 4 melissan fights. Oh and perhaps Demo aswell.

every class plows through everything else solo, including BG1 and IWD.