How would you do a four man party?
Sloty1984
Member Posts: 182
I am undecided between this game and Icewind Dale.
If you would do a four man party with one CHARNAME and three npcs how would you do it?
If you would do a four man party with one CHARNAME and three npcs how would you do it?
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To your question a lot depends on what you want to play for yourself. Your class and alignment choices will greatly affect who you’ll want on your team.
Alignment wise either an all good or all evil team should be okay, but some neutral npcs could fit in there too.
I want four because of the challenge mostly.
If your main character is a thief/mage you don't actually *need* Imoen, and adding Keldorn or Anomen while keeping Minsc and Jaheira might be interesting. (Although for story reasons I would never go without Imoen).
I'll also mention that Sorcerer is always a bad choice. First, its highly problematic if you've not played before because you choose spells at level-up and are locked in to choices. Its easy to make a mistake and have a permanently weak character. Second, its a promotional gimmick that breaks the AD&D magic system (if you know what you're doing it is *very* gamey, cheating).
I am not qualified to comment on evil parties.
Typically reduced parties don't really increase challenge much, in fact I often feel its just the opposite. The game does scale encounters *some*. So the very thing (surprise encounters) that might add the biggest challenge to a reduced party, handicaps itself instead. Even bigger thing, you will likely gain levels somewhat faster (probably not as much as you think. Apart from the scaling issues, most quest experience is awarded by set amounts per character. So that will be the same regardless of party size). But you will gain experience a little faster due to much experience being awarded to the party and split equally between characters. This makes a huge difference at lower and middle levels. A party of four 10-11 level characters will likely be MORE powerful than six 8-9 level characters. This difference will diminish late game, four 35 level characters will be less powerful than six 30 level characters. But that is only a small, late part of the game (just ToB).
Which five NPCs would you then take along with a CHARNAME Blade or Fighter/Mage?
Also who do you think is more fun, a Blade or F/M?
I do lean towards melee heavy groups. That would mean three warriors (or fighter/cleric or fighter/druid), a blade might count as one of the warriors except at lower levels they won’t be a great tank (a character with a lot of hit points, high constitution, probably a high dexterity, who wears heavy armor). You’ll want at least one tank to put on point.
The whole team needs to include at least one priest (cleric or Druid), one rogue and probably two arcane casters (one of these can be a bard). An archer of some sort is optional but often useful.
Of course in this game an arcane caster cannot wear armor. So you may find a fighter/mage best suited as a bow specialist and caster. Melee only when you’ve had time to put up a lot of buffing spells. A blade might be similar (although they have an easier time switching to melee).
I’d also suggest you would be better off starting with BG1. That is a much better game for learning a new system. You will start low level and grow into all your powers. It will be much easier to keep up. BG2 can get tough in hurry. The so called canon party is an excellent, balanced team all the way through the first game fora good aligned party. And it assumed you at least know all of them at the start of BG2. This means Imoen, Khalid, Jaheira, Minsc and Dynaheir. It is already a balanced team and will let you slot in with main character you wish to play.
F/M CHARNAME
Korgan
Dorn
Viconia
Edwin
Jan
?
Think I'd swap im out.. at least in Throne of Bhaal.
Though I guess with the reach of a twohander, you can mostly keep him tucked in safe behind your FM and Korgan in most encounters.
>in: Helmets, Acid damage, Offensive damage (spell type)
The Visage
4
Edit
Combat
THAC0
-1 bonus
Saving throws
Saving throws
+1 bonus
Special
Equipped abilities
Protection from Critical hits
Immune to Morale failure
Immune to effect:
Charm Creature
Confusion
Feeblemindedness
Panic
Charge abilities
Domination once per day (Save vs. Spell at -2 negates) Duration: 8 rounds
Breathe Acid once per day; Damage: 6d6 acid (Save vs. Breath for half); Target must save vs. Death at -4 or fall unconscious for 2 rounds
Requirements
Not usable by
Chaotic Good, Neutral Good, Lawful Good, Bard, Mage, Monk, Thief, Kensai
Other
Appears in
Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition
The Visage item icon BG2
Technical information
The Visage is an item that is given to Dorn as a reward by Ur-Gothoz during the course of his companion quest if he decides to kill Azothet (empowering the Abyssal Blade) and remain by Ur-Gothoz's side.
The Visage grants +1 bonus to THAC0 and saving throws and immunity to Feeblemind, Confusion, Fear and charm effects. It also allows the wearer to use Domination and Breathe Acid (bypasses magic resistance) once per day. It cannot be used by good characters.
....Aside from Irenicus himself, the main villain in BG2 is Bodhi. She is a super vampire, who drains ... what? 3 levels per hit? 4? Something like that. Oh wait. Dorn is immune to that. But she can cast charm/dominate ... oops, Dorn is immune to that also.
....Dorn has the Abyssal Blade which in his hands is ... +5 vs demons and such? I am starting to think that if Bodhi sees Dorn coming, she might consider relocating ... to a different city. Or maybe a different continent. And it gets worse. Dorn can turn undead like a cleric?
....As a half-orc Blackguard, Dorn is already out of the norm. A PC cannot be a half-0rc and either a paladin or a blackguard, you need to be human to be either of those. And Dorn is set up to counter almost all of Bodhi's main strengths. The two of them could vie for the title of most evil character in the realms.
....I know what! Let's give Dorn a regeneration item and have him and Bodhi have a face off, while everyone else munches popcorn and guzzles beer! It doesn't even matter who wins, the world will be a better place for the death of either one.
Also do you have some tips on how to play a FMT in a efficient way?
Depends on evil or good party. I'd say you'd want to lean towards tanky companions, since you will level slowly. The trio multiclass you really will notice being behind your other characters. It's a class best thought of as a "super thief" imo, basically your primary and probably only thief, but with lots of extra abilities so it's not so weak in combat. Elf and focusing on bows can really work for the class, squeezing in casting and firing arrows. Pair it with a tanky cleric and fighter. Even a party of just Anomen, Jaheira and your main character ends up covering a wide variety of bases. Gives you a lot of flexibility for a fourth member.
With thief potions you can sit for a long time at just 60 in locks, 80 in find traps, the essential skills. Giving you freedom to boost the other skills. I'd probably skip the stealth skills until the very end, since you can rely on invisibility potions, abilities or spells if you need. With a smaller party you won't spend as much gold on gear, so you can afford to splurge on consumables.
For a F/M/T, I'd start with specializations in a backstab-capable melee weapon and a ranged weapon. The exact choices don't matter very much, aside from avoiding overlap with your other warriors. Just avoid having everybody compete for the same few high-end items, and you'll be fine.
Can't go wrong with longswords and bows (shortbows, if the run includes BG2) as an elf. Longswords don't always have the absolute strongest options, but they always have good options at every stage of the campaigns.
Building a party out of suggestions from various people with different ideas about what's fun or interesting or powerful and no guidance about what's relevant leads to incoherence. Have a plan. Have some ideas of your own. And then you might get something useful out of asking more focused questions.
Caster level stops at 20 regardless of class level, so a cleric/mage is pretty much as strong of a caster you can possibly be.. She can with a 8 mil xp cap get 18 HLA points, a single class mage will get 14. She will be equal in casting power to a lvl cap cleric AND mage at the same time.
Give her the robe of vecna and you have a superfast casting cleric. Mage HLA Alacrity also affects Cleric spells.. imo even Edwin falls way short of Aerie's power once you go past the 3M xp mark.. and before that her utility is unmatched.
Let's take one hilarious example.
Stoneskin, Fireshield Red/Blue, PFMW, Blade barrier, Simulacrum to double it.. just walk in and let enemies kill themselves while Aerie and Simulacrum casts whatever protection spell is relevant.. there ain't no other character in the saga that can pull off those kinds of hilarious moves.
F/MT
Aerie
Keldorn
Mazzy
Is Aerie okay, will she get high level spells or should I take a single classed mage?
You also have no redundancy in Divine spells.. Although! Once you get Simulacrum (8th lvl mage spell) you can just make a copy of Aerie whenever you need another healer.. or buy the helmet from Adventurers Mart.. and Simulacrums don't steal xp.
(You don't have a single class Mage.. some would call that a weakness, but in a 4 man party i don't see it as much of an issue)
Although.. Mazzy does have some minor healing as a special ability, but it's hardly impactful.
I think i'd prefer Jaheira over Mazzy.
In truth, in a 4 man party you should consider having as many multiclass npc as you can.. single class characters don't see much benefit from lvl ups beyond 4m xp.. it's just minor stuff after that (more HLA before rest essentially)
Where as multiclass characters keep growing in strength way beyond 6M xp and eventually become significantly better than their singleclass counterparts
4 man party = more xp to go around = multiclass characters get even better
Agreed here. The XP bonus you'll get as a 4-man party means the multi class characters are strong. Personally, I don't think a party of Keldorn AND Mazzy is all that great. There's just too much overlap between the two. Certainly not a four person party. Better off probably swapping out one for Jaheira, as you suggest. To have a second divine caster, access to some clutch druid spells. Mazzy can actually work a lot better in a smaller party, since the faster leveling will help you rebuild her into a frontline character. And, long term, she's actually stronger in that role. Bow weapons are just kind of weak in BG2 and her paladin-ish abilities really benefit her when she's in melee.
However, the key part with Jaheira is that she's an excellent frontline tank for the party from the start of BG2 all the way through ToB. Just have to make use of ironskins and, if those drop mid-combat, armor of faith.
F/M/T
Keldorn
Jaheira
Aerie
Would that be okay and what are some special tactics to use with them?
What do you think about
F/M/T
Keldorn
Anomen
Nalia(later replaced by Imoen)?
FMT, Keldorn and Anomen are all melee based.. more than 2 is a waste, as you can just summon cannonfodder and there are so many tight areas that more than 2 becomes more difficult to actually make use of.
Also Anomen is a sub-par healer compared to Aerie.
He is although very strong mid saga.. later on in SoA and in most of ToB he suffers from only gaining cleric levels.
He'll always be a decent choice, but there are better ones.. like Jaheira and Aerie.
And in truth, instead of wasting xp on Nalia I would just go trio and pick up Imoen when the time is right.
Your FMT will have enough spells to get you through most fights Breach and Haste will be your bread and butter in boss fights.
Don't need Nalia for that.
Also you might wanna go to Imoen early and farm SoA sidequests after underdark.
Doing just the circus tent, city gates lich, athkatla slavers and unseeing eye (Keldorn) would should get you enough gold to pick up the shield of balduran + loot The Daystar.
(Set 7 traps in the Tavern, Breach the lich and lure him into the traps in the tavern.. easy win.)
My party right now for SoA and ToB:
F/T (dual wield Longsword, Bastard Sword, Axe, Scimitar etc..)
Keldorn (Bro in ToB) (Greatsword and dual wielding flails and warhammer)
Imoen (Shortbow)
Mazzy (Crossbow)
Aerie (Sling + strength belt)
Jaheira (Throwing dagger + strength belt)
If i had to drop 2, it would be Jaheira and Mazzy.. Not because they're not great, they're just surplus to demand.
Nice to have, not a necessity.
Although.. Mazzy being grand master crossbow with improved whirlwind HLA is quite hilarious.