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Gnome Illusionist/Thief Thoughts?

shylamanshylaman Member Posts: 173
I am thinking of starting a BGEET run with a Gnome Illusionist/Thief. I have never played a Mage/Thief combo or any kind of support character like this before. I am also using Spell Revisions and Item Revisions for the first time. Plus, Rogue Rebalancing (amongst other mods). For a party in BG1 am thinking Imoen dual to a Mage and handle the thief skills that my PC doesn't (probably handle traps and locks while I focus on traps), Minsc as a Barbarian, and not sure from there.

Anyhow, seems THACO will be an issue. What weapons would you recommend? I assume range and a QS for backstab at some point. Early spells? General tips?
Post edited by shylaman on

Comments

  • SkatanSkatan Member, Moderator Posts: 5,352
    Never used Spell Revisions and Item Revisions, so can't tell what they do that might affect, but I've played my fair share of M/Ts and I usually play them as support. Shortbow (acid arrows mostly) or xbow of speed (bolts of lightning/biting mostly) is the standard, I don't bother with melee in BG1. The THAC0 is weak for melee and even with 19+ STR (after tome, DUHM etc) and the THAC0 gains +4 from hitting from stealth still means you will miss enough to make it annoying IMHO.

    However, a plethora of spells, utility, wands etc makes up for it and more. I like to stealth/invis around, find mobs, back up, plant traps, bait and kite. Plant traps is usually my first thief skill I max out, detect illusion the second. If you have a second thief that handles traps disarming and locks I mean.

    If you do want to go melee, I'd go for a weapon category that has a +3 weapon, so either quarterstaff or short sword. You'll need the THAC0. Qstaff is the best choice I reckon, but as said, no idea if Item revisions change that.

    I think I remember someone writing the Rogue Rebalancing adds dual weild for all rogues, but personally I would probably not go down that route even if available. But if you do, there's 2 staff maces (+2) available in the vanilla game for dualweild.
    shylamanAerakar
  • shylamanshylaman Member Posts: 173
    @Skatan yeah that is what I was concerned about, melee and backstab. With the low THACO it doesn't seem like either would be very effective. Can BS be effective without Mislead or is that the only time it is really effective for this class?

    I have played a F/T a couple of times, they have no trouble hitting. Really the only backline PC I have tried is a Sorcerer so this would new for me. Sounds like traps, spells, and wands would be my primary source of damage.
  • ZaghoulZaghoul Member, Moderator Posts: 3,938
    I would add rogue rebalancing and Song and Silence if you could, as both add new thief items to the game, esp RR. The short sword of backstabbing changes to +5 for thieves and increases BS multiplier by 1 as well. You do have to fight for though, so it makes it worth it. There are some nice bucklers, a hat, and several other things.
    Very_BigSwordAerakar
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 5,975
    Skatan wrote: »
    there's 2 staff maces (+2) available in the vanilla game for dualweild.

    in bg1? i know there is one on werewolf island, but where is the other one?

  • kansasbarbariankansasbarbarian Member Posts: 206
    @sarevok57 Its in Durlags Tower.
  • Very_BigSwordVery_BigSword Member Posts: 222
    The one in Durlag's tower is a staff spear +2. Different base damage, piercing type, usable by clerics. But I think its a 2-hander so no dual wield there. Being 2 hander it is also outshone by the two staffs +3. 1d6+3 blunt damage is better than 1d8+2 piercing imo.
    sarevok57
  • SkatanSkatan Member, Moderator Posts: 5,352
    shylaman wrote: »
    Can BS be effective without Mislead or is that the only time it is really effective for this class?

    Sure, BS can be decent in BG1 as well, but it's just my personal preference to not do it unless I multi a fighter because I am to lazy to miss, run away and re-stealth and try again (shadowdancer being the exception because they don't have run as far). I'd rather just blast things to death with Aga scorchers after webbing them in place.


    sarevok57 wrote: »
    Skatan wrote: »
    there's 2 staff maces (+2) available in the vanilla game for dualweild.

    in bg1? i know there is one on werewolf island, but where is the other one?

    Hmm.. maybe I do have some mods? Now I'm confused and a bit embarrassed since I probably gave out wrong advice. I know I've dualweilded staffmaces, but now I can't tell from where since I hardly play the game much anymore and my memory is perhaps faulting. I'm gonna open the game and see if I can find a save. Until then, ignore this 'advice' and assume I was incorrect.

  • kansasbarbariankansasbarbarian Member Posts: 206
    I know the staff spear is from the dryad on the top floor but I could have sworn there is a staff mace in the lower levels. If not sorry.
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 5,975
    I know the staff spear is from the dryad on the top floor but I could have sworn there is a staff mace in the lower levels. If not sorry.

    there is a mace +2 in the lower levels :)
  • shylamanshylaman Member Posts: 173
    I went with a Gnome Illusionist/Thief.

    13
    17
    17
    7
    18
    14

    *Daggers
    * QS

    I am not sure about the weapon proficiencies. I figured Imoen would be using Short Bow, so I wanted a different ranged weapon. I figured dagger covered both Melee and Ranged. However, being squishy I didn't take into account how much closer to the action my PC has to get to throw the dagger. Plus, too squish and too low THACO to use the QS to backstab. I should have added pips in it later.

    What weapons have others used for a mage/thief to start BG1?
  • ithildurnewithildurnew Member Posts: 273
    edited January 2020
    Dagger's a pretty good choice as it'll allow you to equip bucklers (Rogue Rebalancing has some interesting bucklers!), and since you can focus on things Imoen's not good at [edit] - deleted bunch of advice for SoA, not realizing this is for a triology run-
    Post edited by ithildurnew on
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 5,975
    shylaman wrote: »

    What weapons have others used for a mage/thief to start BG1?

    usually for me i like making elf mage/thieves and i usually go ranged

    with 19 dex and a short bow you start off in candlekeep with a nifty 16 thac0 which is pretty darn good for a back row non fighter type

    and then for weapon choice i would usually go with quarterstaff and two handed weapon style, that makes it so you do a bit more damage and cause critical hits with a 19 or a 20

    with your character you are still going to get 2 proficiency points for bg1 so i would suggest one of them being a weapon style ( either two handed or single weapon style, depending if you want to back stab with quarterstaves or daggers )

    and then perhaps at level 4 you might want to go with crossbow? the blacksmith in beregost sells the light crossbow of speed +1 so if imoen is using a short bow, your char can use that crossbow if you want a better range selection

    ilduderinoshylamanAerakarmonico
  • SolmageSolmage Member Posts: 31
    If you have max strength, consider daggers w single weapon style: thrown daggers do surprising damage once you add strength damage, and dagger of venom is a pretty decent backstab weapon. If you fail to hit cast invisibility and try again. Later on, add staves so you can backstab with the staff of striking.

    Get the gauntlets of weapon specialization early from the fire wine bridge braggart.
    Aerakarmonico
  • HempzHempz Member Posts: 15
    edited January 2020
    1d6+3 blunt damage is better than 1d8+2 piercing imo.
    Not at all.
    Staff Spear deals 1d8+3 damage, which doesn't make any sense since both common staffs and spears are only 1d6. But this staff base damage seems to be 1d8+1. And being of +2 enchantment it is 1d8+3. Hence it is the second best backstab weapon after Staff of Striking.
    Even the (revised in RR) Short Sword of Backstabbing that increases backstab multiplier by 1 in fact isn't better damage wise than Staff Spear. Let's count. We gain +1 from * in Two Handed Weapon (St Sp) and +2 from Gauntlets of Weapon Mastery (both).
    SSoB: (1d6+3)+2 = 6..11 *5bs = 30..55
    St Sp: (1d8+3)+2+1 = 7..14 *4bs = 28..56
    St Sp can be gained by F-T quite easily. The only thing you need is to learn Invisibility spell (sold in High Hedge), sneak to Durlag's Tower and reach Kirinhale. Meanwhile SSoB can only be gained only late in the game.
    The Staff +3 in Ulgoth's Beard has a slightly better speed factor needed for backstabbing moving enemies and deals blunt damage against mustard jellies.
    Post edited by Hempz on
    Blackraven
  • ShangerooShangeroo Member Posts: 84
    edited February 2020
    I recently did another BG run with a Gnome Illusionist/Thief. I like to have my character solo and be the main dps instead of support. My definition of solo is having a full party (for the entertainment of banter, but in key fights, I would put the group in a far off corner and have my main char solo fight the encounter). With that, this class has been able to solo through BG. It does require more finesse than say a Kensai, Invoker, Sorcerer. But can be done. Here's how I approached it:

    1) Staring Thief Skills: Starting out, focus all of my points on Set Trap. I keep it there until I get about 75%.
    2) Starting Weapon proficiencies: Dagger and Darts (want weapons with 0 speed factor)
    3) Starting Spells: Blindness and Sleep. Blindness is one of my favorite Level 1 spells. You can nullify opponents that are over Level 4 (immune to sleep) and then dart them to death. At it last a long time too.
    4) Combat early levels: use traps wherever possible, blindness, and kit a lot throwing darts.
    5) Do as many quests as possible to level. I got to Level 3.
    6) Then I usually head to the lighthouse to do some training with the lovely sirines. Set traps, rest until one appears and they die quick (4/5 traps can kill one). If you pick the right spot, oftentimes they'll spawn triggering your traps and automatically die. At 2,000 exp a piece, I usually farm them until I'm at Level 7.
    7) Now at level 7 you have access to many mage spells where there are many combos to choose from. From here you should be able to tackle most battles by yourself instead of being a support cast.

    This was actually one of my funner playthroughts. I even ran my group as a "No Humans Allowed" party (Coran, Yeslick, Khalid, Jaheira, Neera) playing as a gnome who's racists to Humans lol.
    Blackravenmonico
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