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Which Bard (NPC) do you prefer?

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  • KvotheRM8KvotheRM8 Member Posts: 54
    I choose Garrick because you can add his talents early on. Magic item id is less annoying with a bard, added spell power (from the scroll, wand, or memory) is a good thing, bracers and xbow of accuracy make for a reliable sniper, bard song is useful, ogre bracers halberd and two hander style later on makes for a slow but potentially heavy hitting support fighter, bards have a great weapon selection.

    I would much prefer adding Silke over either of those toolbags but somebody has to tell the tale of my awesomeness.
  • DordledumDordledum Member Posts: 243
    KvotheRM8 said:


    I would much prefer adding Silke over either of those toolbags but somebody has to tell the tale of my awesomeness.

    Wow, is Silke recruitable in BGEE? I missed something!
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    Dordledum said:

    KvotheRM8 said:


    I would much prefer adding Silke over either of those toolbags but somebody has to tell the tale of my awesomeness.

    Wow, is Silke recruitable in BGEE? I missed something!
    No, just the wishful thinking of a forumite.
    Dordledum
  • ChroniclerChronicler Member Posts: 1,391
    Are we even sure Silke's a bard? Always figured she was a mage...
  • butteredsoulbutteredsoul Member Posts: 168
    Apparently she's a 10th level bard: https://baldursgate.wikia.com/wiki/Silke_Rosena
    StummvonBordwehrThacoBellChroniclerJuliusBorisov
  • ArtonaArtona Member Posts: 1,077
    I go with Eldoth, because poison arrow are, in my opinion, one of the most powerful weapons you can have at your disposal in BG 1.
  • AerakarAerakar Member Posts: 1,014
    What does everyone think about having a bard as a 4-person party's only mage, focused on scrolls/wands? This would assume Viconia/Branwen for clerical firepower also.
    Zaghoul
  • LammasLammas Member Posts: 211
    I wouldn't think it's bad at all for BG1, though I'd probably pick a mage for 5th anyway since they can put out some nice damage at higher levels and they can use wands and scrolls too (and there are more kinds of useful wands than a single bard has quickslots). It's definitly very doable with just 1 bard.
    Aerakar
  • DJKajuruDJKajuru Member Posts: 3,300
    Aerakar said:

    What does everyone think about having a bard as a 4-person party's only mage, focused on scrolls/wands? This would assume Viconia/Branwen for clerical firepower also.

    Considering that BG1 has tons of wands and those cause more damage (or summon the best summons) than any spell a pc can cast, it is not only doable but potentially more powerful. In BG2 , however, it wouldnt be that simple.
    ZaghoulAerakar
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    Aerakar said:

    What does everyone think about having a bard as a 4-person party's only mage, focused on scrolls/wands? This would assume Viconia/Branwen for clerical firepower also.

    I've done that for 6-person parties and its works just fine. Up through ToB even.
    ZaghoulAerakar
  • NeverusedNeverused Member Posts: 803
    I mean, the only spell higher than level 6 you really miss in ToB is Mass Invisibility, and possibly Wish. Higher levels are nice, but honestly a physical-damage heavy party only really wants Improved Haste and Improved Invisibility and Breaches to function well.
    ThacoBellAerakar
  • ChroniclerChronicler Member Posts: 1,391

    Apparently she's a 10th level bard: https://baldursgate.wikia.com/wiki/Silke_Rosena

    Dang. A tenth level anything should be much more challenging to a beginner group than she is. Greywolf's only level 7.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    @Chronicler How challenging do you want her to be? Its basically a TPK as soon as she gets her lightning bolt off.
  • ChroniclerChronicler Member Posts: 1,391
    ThacoBell said:

    @Chronicler How challenging do you want her to be? Its basically a TPK as soon as she gets her lightning bolt off.

    Sure, and stopping her is as easy as attacking her.

    A tenth level character should be a little more complex then telling your level 1 characters to whack her till she's dead. Greywolf for example is very difficult to do without hitting him with some debuffs like blind or doom, unless your group is similarly leveled.
  • LammasLammas Member Posts: 211
    edited December 2018
    While I don't want her to be more challenging I guess it would be pretty easy to make her that way by giving her lvl 2 spells. I can't remember the fight but according to the wiki she doesn't cast any of those.

    I noticed the weird thing that she had 3 pips in blunt weapons originally. Does she now have 3 in staff or just 1? Not that it matters much, I'm just curious.

    EDIT: I think Greywolf is pretty straightforward. The most complicated thing about him is that your party starts in a silly predetermined formation. As long as you can grab his attention on a well armored fighter or priest (and there's ankheg plate buried in Nashkel for whatever reason) with maybe a prot ring and dex gloves and the rest of the party can shoot him down while he is busy whacking the tank. You'll likely need a couple of health potions because he still hits you but that's that.

    Anyway, I guess this is derailing the conversation quite a bit.
  • ChroniclerChronicler Member Posts: 1,391
    Lammas said:

    While I don't want her to be more challenging I guess it would be pretty easy to make her that way by giving her lvl 2 spells. I can't remember the fight but according to the wiki she doesn't cast any of those.

    I noticed the weird thing that she had 3 pips in blunt weapons originally. Does she now have 3 in staff or just 1? Not that it matters much, I'm just curious.

    Mirror Image made Tarnesh much more challenging, even though he seems to be a lower level character.

    That being said, if every enemy used the "Optimal" strategy, it'd all get pretty sameish pretty quickly, with them all just spamming a handful of spells over and over again.

    Mixing things up is important. I don't actually want her to be more challenging either. I'm just surprised to find out that such a straightforward early game encounter was technically against a Level 10 character.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    @Chronicler She has mirror image. If she gets it off, goodluck winning, as you WON'T be hitting her before Lightningbolt goes off.
    Aerakar
  • ChroniclerChronicler Member Posts: 1,391
    ThacoBell said:

    @Chronicler She has mirror image. If she gets it off, goodluck winning, as you WON'T be hitting her before Lightningbolt goes off.

    I don't think I've ever seen her use mirror image, and it's not on her list of known spells on the wiki. That might be some mod you're using.
  • ChroniclerChronicler Member Posts: 1,391
    Lammas said:



    EDIT: I think Greywolf is pretty straightforward. The most complicated thing about him is that your party starts in a silly predetermined formation. As long as you can grab his attention on a well armored fighter or priest (and there's ankheg plate buried in Nashkel for whatever reason) with maybe a prot ring and dex gloves and the rest of the party can shoot him down while he is busy whacking the tank. You'll likely need a couple of health potions because he still hits you but that's that.

    Anyway, I guess this is derailing the conversation quite a bit.

    That's assuming you spend a fair amount of time traveling around gathering goodies before you fight him.

    Any early game encounter will be easier if you clear out half the map before you come back to it.
  • LammasLammas Member Posts: 211
    It's not that far fetched, even for a first timer, I'd think. 2 rings, one requires some exploring with highlights, other you might very easily run into by searching for Mirielle in Beregost. Minsc and Edwin in Nashel both asking you to go to Gnoll stronghold which is bound to get you the gloves. The plate again found by running around with highlights exploring a bit. I mean, the only place you wouldn't visit naturally on your way to mines is Gnoll stronghold, I only mentioned 3 early items, definitely not "half the map".
    ThacoBell
  • ChroniclerChronicler Member Posts: 1,391
    I'm not saying it's farfetched.

    I'm saying you could make Silke easier by making a quick detour to the Ankheg Caves for a Wand of Fire, but she'd never be worth the trouble.
  • KvotheRM8KvotheRM8 Member Posts: 54
    Aerakar said:

    What does everyone think about having a bard as a 4-person party's only mage, focused on scrolls/wands? This would assume Viconia/Branwen for clerical firepower also.

    Wands of paralyzation and fire are so effective that I think you can beat the game with just those. Keep in mind that you can cast from scrolls while wearing chain mail so if a bard is your only spellcaster, she will have a ton of scrolls to use for whatever the situation calls for.
    Aerakar
  • KvotheRM8KvotheRM8 Member Posts: 54

    ThacoBell said:

    @Chronicler She has mirror image. If she gets it off, goodluck winning, as you WON'T be hitting her before Lightningbolt goes off.

    I don't think I've ever seen her use mirror image, and it's not on her list of known spells on the wiki. That might be some mod you're using.
    SHE uses improved invisibility I think, now that Smurf map bard that sells all those "great" magic items, he's gotta be at least 10th because those images are many
  • Balrog99Balrog99 Member Posts: 7,366
    edited December 2018
    I like Eldoth for the poison arrows. It's a special ability that nobody else has. I don't often take a bard with me at all, but if I do it's him. I always just take Garrick to an inn and have him identify shit for me until I'm high enough level to gather a party. At least he saves me money that way!
  • ChroniclerChronicler Member Posts: 1,391

    Eldoth needs the Gauntlets of Dexterity, but if you're doing an evil party you pretty much need those gauntlets for Kagain.

    You know, I've been thinking about this one, and I don't know why it's such a big deal to me. I hate Kagain. Not a huge fan of Korgan either.

    Next time I'm doing an evil party I think I'll be the tanky dwarf, and Eldoth can wear the gauntlets.
    DJKajuru
  • ChroniclerChronicler Member Posts: 1,391
    Also, if you're grouping with Dorn you get the Elven Chain, and then you might as well do the evil bard too. In for a penny in for a pound. Between Dorn's poison weapon ability and Eldoth's specially crafted poison arrows it'd be a real poison party too. Give some other party members darts/arrows of biting and go to town.
    Aerakar
  • VasculioVasculio Member Posts: 469
    Life is Glorious!
    ThacoBellAerakarbutteredsoulkansasbarbarian
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