Tomes and Tactics distributing them amongst party members.

Debaser

I am re-posting this from another thread because...I feel it's worth it's own discussion:


I see the tomes as tactical assets.

There are many characters who with tomes will get a 17 or an 18 or in Wisdom AND / OR an 18 in Intelligence the tomes.

Since most people roll a lot or use CTRL 8 to "cheat" up stats...or even Shadowkeeper them...I figure...OK if I roll till I have stats I find acceptable I'm pretty good there.

But how do I go from there and take my followers / optimizing them?


WISDOM:

If I'm not a Cleric / Druid of some kind the Wisdom tombs aren't going to help me...but since there are THREE of these....Branwen, Faldorn, Jaheria and Vicky all get incredible boosts making them drastically more effective in game. (17-18 Wisdom for a punishing amount of spells!)


INTELLIGENCE:

If I'm playing a mage, chances are I have 18 INT already, making the tomb in effect: WORTHLESS to my PC!!!

(There is ZERO point in having more than 18 INT as you do not gain bonus spells)

So...look at the myriad of spell casters who have 17 INT:

Xzar (Who can also Dual Class to either a Thief or a Cleric with the DEX Tome or one WIS tome making him incredibly flexible, as well as psychotic)

Dyaneir

Imoen (If you Dual Class her)

Neera

Qualye

And Safana (If you can settle for 17 Int and Dual Classing her...)


STRENGTH:

I often use the Strength tome to gift 19 STR on a warrior of some kind. If PC doesn't need it...why not make Minsc hugely powerful? And now that we have Dorn, you could have a Blackguard with 20 Natural STR.


CONSTITUTION:

I almost always prefer for the PC to get 19-20 Con if he's a warrior of some kind or if he's a mage using the Claw of Kazaroth but, if he's not going to need all that con...I can see making an exception for someone who just needs more bonus HP no matter how you slice it. Neera and Dorn both might be great candidates.


CHARISMA:

If the PC at 18 CHA give it to him / her to go to 19 for bonuses...if not it should always go to the PC with the highest score for better shopping.


DEXTERITY:

The bonuses past 19 DEX occur at 21 DEX! So there's no reason to pump anyone past 19 DEX ever, unless...you're an ELF who can make it 21 by BG2...so...really it's up for grabs as needed.


I prefer to use them on characters who will be coming back in BG2...but it's a game...no reason to get too attached a bonus point. Especially since your PC will almost always have better stats than any pen and paper equivalent for D&D 2nd Edition rules anyone could roll naturally.

Metal_Hurlant

I'm too greedy to share the tomes to anyone but myself.

ZanathKariashi

I never give them to the party members because they don't transfer...and minor spoiler...in the sequel, there are a few places you lose stats depending on decisions made, so...extra stuff to the lose with minor impact (if you're good you WILL lose -2 dex permanently, and regardless1 in another stat of your choice unless you exploit the game engine).

hzf

Kagain with the tome and new buckler can have 22 con, for 3 hp/turn regen as well as extra hp. Also the shorty save bonuses.

Mungri

The buckler isn't new!!!!!!

It has always been in Durlags tower. I spam all tomes on my player character, especially if CTRL-8'd. Don't forget that wizards also need wisdom for wish.

ZanathKariashi

To be honest, just the 20 con bonus is already brokenly powerful...3 hp per minute though still isn't anything to write home a about in battle, and unless you're a near dead barbarian, the 20 bonus will fully heal anyone else in an about an hour or so rest/travel attempt.

And the difference between 19 str and 20 is +1 damage and some weight...it's a HUGE waste unless you're a pack rat....sadly minsc or Kivan are really the only two who could benefit most from it. Everyone else would just be an equally minor increase in weight, and MAYBE +1 hit or damage.

That said...I would've much rather instead of the manuals, just have you gain the stats naturally over the course of the game as a non-rep based part of the chapter ends..as well as a side quest or two for the extra 2 wis points if you really want them, representing your rapidly growing might as you grow in power.

That, and they're a part of the reward system for people that actually played the first game (in addition to the higher starting levels) rather then just making a new guy in the sequel.

deltago

depending on who my lore master is, they get the INT book. Wisdom goes to my cleric. STR goes to my mule. Dex goes to a person who uses range weapons. Con goes to Kagain if he's in my party. CHR gets sold. OR

My greedy CHARNAME reads them all. Usually this, I don't cheat my rolls.

ZanathKariashi

The buckler they're talking about IS new. The Durlag buckler gives +1 dex, the new buckler gives +1 con.

Tsyrith

As I usually play solo, all tomes go to my PC, but also because the benefits don't translate between games if you use them on joinable NPC's.

It would be a hugemongerous feature if BGEE and BG2EE were cross-relative and contiguous in such a way, and for some reason I can't explain I would very much like to be able to go from Amn to the Sword Coast, maybe with a few higher level surprises, and favourite (entomed) joinable NPC's in all those zones to find. Such BG2EE DLC I would commit petty assault for, as I attempt to drown their makers with funds.

What? Imoen?! I'm sure she's fiiiine... stupid plot hook.

But @Debaser, what's the real diff between a 17 and an 18 intellect in BG1? There's the 10% spell learning chance, which is why I typically go from 18 to 19.

Then there's the amount of spell learnable, which goes up by 4, from 14 to 18, which, after playing a sorcerer with 5 max spells a level, if 14 isn't enough for you, maybe you need to learn what the spells do, that or share that awesome spellpack you're using (as an aside, Lutzaen's Frequent Jaunt + Dimension Door unbound by fog of war = THIS MAGE HAS ARRIVED and MAY or MAY NOT be leaving whenever the HELL he pleases).

Though I do understand the Gotta Catch 'Em All philosophy, to which I subscribe, again, only on characters who span the series, and who have 19 int. To catch them all, you see.

For everything else, there's Potion of Genius.

Mungri

ZanathKariashi said:

The buckler they're talking about IS new. The Durlag buckler gives +1 dex, the new buckler gives +1 con.

Ohhhh... Thats nice then.

hansolo

The tomes feel a bit cheesy.
So I try to go the middleground, use some for my char and some for others

Chow

I typically give them all to my character, because I play the long game and think about the sequel as well: the only way to get long-term benefit from the tomes is to give them to the protagonist.