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Some Tips for a first time player

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  • DaywalkerDaywalker Member Posts: 37
    Thanks for the info @Fish, i'm gonna do that!

    Also, in some other threads i read about thiefs needing disarming traps/lockpicking so you stay alive later in the game, should i actually RUSH my thief to get max disarming traps/lockpicking or can i do it more slowly? and at which point should i stop skilling it? no detail skill guide please, just a general approach of how to skill the thief please :)

    Fish
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729

    Yep 6 is what the game is designed for and you will need all the help you can get! Roll on release date!

    Also, there's more party interaction (which is fun) with a full party

    ginger_hammer
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    Fish said:

    Daywalker said:

    Once again thanks a lot @awin123, that was a nice insight!
    I guess im going to pick only one class in my first game then, sounds much more realisitc to me if my character is "just" a fighter and not some fighter/mage/thief superhero ;).
    Also, if you got any other tips for me, keep telling them please :D
    I dont wan't to end my first game after i'm half done with it just because i fucked up my character :)

    I'd recommend reading about the classes and races and picking a character you want to play the most. You'll have the most fun this way. Playing a vanilla fighter has a lot of benefits but also some troubles (high XP to level, limited abilities, etc.) No matter what you play it will take some time to wrap your mind around how to drive him/her. You'll be happiest playing a character you are excited about. You will find NPC's in the game that will fill in the gaps in your skills.
    A straight fighter can be quite boring to play, though, maybe consider a kit, or a Paladin or Ranger? These are still easy to play.

  • CaptRoryCaptRory Member Posts: 1,660
    @Daywalker
    If you make a Thief Character, you can control where all there points go. You can almost max out Open Locks at level one, and Imoen can almost max out Find Traps at level two. Very quickly you can have your bases covered. Once Imoen has Find Traps to where you like it, you can Dual Class her to mage and since she'll be a really low level you should get her thief skills back really quick.

    At level two, in my game, she had 75 Find Traps so I dualed her to mage. That 75 in find traps will cover you up to Durlag's Tower and if you have Potions of Perception it'll be fine there too. It basicly gives your main character time to build up his Find Traps without worrying about trying to grind levels to get his thief skills up.

    You only need 100 in Find Traps and Open Locks. Any locks or traps that can't be dealt with at 100 are either unpickable/undisarmable or are weird one offs you can chug a potion for, but I'm sure there aren't any that need more than 100.

    So:

    If you're making your own rogue you can almost max out Open Locks right at character creation.

    Imoen can cover Find Trap until your main guy gets around to it.

    Imoen doesn't have to be stuck as a rogue, she can become a mage. Just do it early so she gets her thief powers back quickly.
  • reedmilfamreedmilfam Member Posts: 2,808
    @Daywalker- multi class or dual class won't mess up your character; it's just that the XP cap applies to the total, so you have to look ahead to see what it will do to you level wise. To be honest, the game is such that you can really make the character whatever you want the hero to be. A two-handed knife fighter, an axe master, an archer, a mage - that's the reason for the complexity. Anyway, about a week and a half from now, you'll be all over it!
  • DaywalkerDaywalker Member Posts: 37
    Well i wont dual/multiclass in my first game, so im going to look for a good thief npc to join my party:) probably going to play either a simlle fighter or an archer if thats possible, everything will be decided if the problems happen ;)
  • CaptRoryCaptRory Member Posts: 1,660
    Imoen is a great thief and Coran is a multiclass Fighter/Thief that's one of the two best archers in the game.

    If you want to play an archer there are options available. A normal fighter can be a fine archer. And an Elven Ranger with the Archer kit is crazy good at arching. =3
  • FishFish Member Posts: 38
    Daywalker said:

    Thanks for the info @Fish, i'm gonna do that!

    Also, in some other threads i read about thiefs needing disarming traps/lockpicking so you stay alive later in the game, should i actually RUSH my thief to get max disarming traps/lockpicking or can i do it more slowly? and at which point should i stop skilling it? no detail skill guide please, just a general approach of how to skill the thief please :)

    No sweat. I do like to rush to 100 on both lockpicking and traps. You'd probably be ok taking a more balance approach but there is nothing more frustrating than not being able to open a chest with cool stuff in it. Detect traps can be a bit slower. You can always have one of your beefy fighters absorb it's damage. I don't think there is much value above 100 for either. In the rare cases you need higher skill than 100, a potion will work.
    Daywalker
  • reedmilfamreedmilfam Member Posts: 2,808
    @Daywalker - the archer build is seriously powerful and arrows are a good way to disrupt mages!
    Daywalker
  • DaywalkerDaywalker Member Posts: 37
    edited November 2012
    If archers are good against mages, does that mean the system works similar to rock-paper-scissors? for example archers>mages>fighters>archers? should i make ervery npc from my psrty fight vs the enemy hes best at or focus the enemey down with all? like killing mages first, then archers and the tanks at the end?

    edit: sorry for the miss-spelling, writing from my handy..
    Post edited by Daywalker on
  • mlnevesemlnevese Member, Moderator Posts: 10,214
    @Daywalker It's not a question of rock-paper-scissors as you put it. It's just that archers can probably hit a caster before he has time to complete a spell so disrupting it. Magic missiles and invisible rogues backstabbing are common tactics as well.
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    mlnevese said:

    @Daywalker It's not a question of rock-paper-scissors as you put it. It's just that archers can probably hit a caster before he has time to complete a spell so disrupting it. Magic missiles and invisible rogues backstabbing are common tactics as well.

    Also poison (for Assassins and certain magic items) and other items that cause residual damage over time (like a certain club in BG2) are also great for disrupting mage's spell caster

  • DaywalkerDaywalker Member Posts: 37
    so generally attacking a mage means that his spells get cancelled and he cant deal any damage to me? for example if i tell my archer to focus on the mage, they basicly cancel each other and i dont have to worry about the mage blasting me to hell?^^
    some of my questions may sound stupid but i never played with any D&D rules at all;)
    i really appreciate all your help!
  • mlnevesemlnevese Member, Moderator Posts: 10,214
    Not really It depends on the mage's protections, your archer can miss, the mage can win initiative and cast before your archer can shoot, etc.

    But targetting a mage is always a high priority.
  • reedmilfamreedmilfam Member Posts: 2,808
    Daywalker - essentially, you want to attack or silence mages as soon as you can. Archers aren't the only way to accomplish this; I brought it up because they are very effective at doing so. Damage dealt to a mage casting a spell has a chance of interrupting the spell, so poison and burning also do this. Another method is for a monk - they move really fast and have a stunning attack that can end mage ridiculousness, too.

    There are, like I said, other tactics. Rogues do well, if they get into position. I was bringing it up for archers because you mentioned that you were thinking of playing one.
    mlnevese
  • DaywalkerDaywalker Member Posts: 37
    I see. I was just talking about archers because i thought it would be the best solution to aim a mage instead of telling your fighter to run all the way to him and then start hitting, but i understand what you want to tell me, thanks!
  • reedmilfamreedmilfam Member Posts: 2,808
    No worries. My first character will probably be an archer on BG:EE. Barbarians are also faster than most and might serve as good mage pounders. Clerics can cast silence (effective against most), too. Lots of ways to skin a cat in BG.
    ginger_hammer
  • FishFish Member Posts: 38
    A common strategy to use when your party is puny in BG1 is the "chase and shoot" (an evolved cousin of the "hit and run.") Essentially your fastest or hardiest fighter gets the attention of the hard to kill bad guy and starts running from him. Then your archer(s) shoot the hard to kill bad guy as he is chasing your "diversion." If the bad guy starts coming after the archer, the "diversion" gets his attention by melee attacking him. I don't know if it will work in BG:EE but worked well in BG1 and BGT:BG1. Early in BG1 it is nearly impossible without good ranged combat in play (2 to 3 members of your party.)
  • DaywalkerDaywalker Member Posts: 37
    I almost never use this hit and run tactics in rpgs because i always thought that i was just not ready for this area and i came back later for it. hit and run ( or chase and shoot as its called here^^) seemed lame to me :/ i hope i dont have to do it!
  • reedmilfamreedmilfam Member Posts: 2,808
    Or bait and fireball? I usually fail and hit my own people with that spell - it's almost as bad as lightning (more danger to party than to evil monsters!)
    mlnevese
  • CaptRoryCaptRory Member Posts: 1,660
    Back in my day we called that sort of tactic Kiting. Getting a creature to chase you and killing it at range staying ahead of it. How I do it, everyone uses ranged weapons and whomever is being chased becomes the bait.


    Bait and Fireball: Works great. Just give the bait 100% fire resistance, even if you need to cast resist fire on him. There's enough Fire Resist gear in the first game that you don't need the spell by the end of the gae unless you wanna go over 100.
  • mlnevesemlnevese Member, Moderator Posts: 10,214
    So I'm not the only one who never memorizes lightning spells? :)
  • CaptRoryCaptRory Member Posts: 1,660
    Eh~ They're so tricky to use they're pretty situatonal. If I'm going into a dungeon I might memorize one.
  • FishFish Member Posts: 38
    @mlnevese I'm with you, lightning bolt can both miss the target and bounce back and hit my own people. Perhaps if I was better at billiards of geometry, I'd use it in a dungeon.
    mlnevese
  • moody_magemoody_mage Member Posts: 2,054
    We are moving into spoiler territory here guys. Lets not corrupt the BG newbie here with the cheesy tactics just yet ;)
  • DaywalkerDaywalker Member Posts: 37
    yeah dont spoil me please :D
    another question: if i play ranger im gonna be using maknly my now i guess, does that mean my melee attack is bad or can i actually build myself a ranger who is equally strong in melee? and what kind od melee combat can i go, 1 handed/ 2 handed weapons, weapon + shield or 2 weapons at once? once again, no detail skill-path please, just if its possible or if its really bad :)
  • reedmilfamreedmilfam Member Posts: 2,808
    @Daywalker - the Archer kit is limited in melee. You are limited to light weapons, but can put points into 2-weapon fighting if you wish. I don't bother with melee weapons on my archer - the game doesn't really give you a reason to switch weapons and you lose the grand mastery capability in those - meaning you won't hit nearly as much.

    People say the short bow is better for archers, though I'm a bit of a hack. I'd go composite (long bow) every time.

    Anyway, melee is possible, but you're nothing special in melee at all. Not very strong armor, and light weapons, your role is to hit hard from a distance. Let the tanks get close and personal. Most enemies will fall before their third step - even stronger ones! The archer is a sniper and kicks royal buttocks!
    Daywalker
  • swnmcmlxiswnmcmlxi Member Posts: 297
    And save often. Really often.
  • DaywalkerDaywalker Member Posts: 37
    swnmcmlxi said:

    And save often. Really often.

    so save after every fight i win you mean? should i also keep some saves after important parts in case something big went wrong or can i always save on 1 slot?

    and about the bows: why should a short bow be better, is it faster than the others? from previous rpgs i played, short bows were the weak ones you got at the start and the big longbows later on
  • reedmilfamreedmilfam Member Posts: 2,808
    1) There are multiple save slots. Unsure how this will be implemented in EE versus vanilla BG

    2) It has to do with the magical bows you get later. There are only so many magic items, and certain ones are better represented. That said, I don't think I care; I'll go long bow because I love long bows

    Why it matters: as I remember, the proficiency points are applied to either long or short bows. Since you have a limited number of proficiency points (4 plus one every 3rd level), you want to be careful with how you allocate them. Focus on the weapon (bow/xbow) of choice first, as the hit and damage bonuses help a lot. One-shot kills are awesome!

    Purely looking at an unmodified bow, the composite long bow is the best (not talking crossbows). Also, it's worth noting that archers can be crossbow specialists, instead (if you want to RP that way). That's why it's so important to have a feel for what you want your character to be.

    Hope this answers your questions!
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