Pure Wiz vs Fighter1/Wiz
Puma_SPNKr
Member Posts: 45
So after not playing BG for a good year, I bought BG:EE.
Rolled an Elven Wizard (High dex/int) with the intention of using it's bow bonus. ... When I got to allocating pips I realized I couldn't use bows. Pretty bummed, I went for Slings. I knew I could do so in BG2 but went on. (that's what I thought at the time)
Yesterday, half way through the campaign I realize that I could dual a fighter at 1 (i think you can at 1) to a wiz, to get to use a bow. But I'll lose the Elven bonus to bows (only humans can dual, i believe).
So I would like some opinions on my next charname.
Think a fighter1/wizard would be more efficient than a pure wizard?
I know much about the game but I'm not exactly a guru. Would there be any bonuses I might be missing with either?
Anyone have any better alternatives?
Rolled an Elven Wizard (High dex/int) with the intention of using it's bow bonus. ... When I got to allocating pips I realized I couldn't use bows. Pretty bummed, I went for Slings. I knew I could do so in BG2 but went on. (that's what I thought at the time)
Yesterday, half way through the campaign I realize that I could dual a fighter at 1 (i think you can at 1) to a wiz, to get to use a bow. But I'll lose the Elven bonus to bows (only humans can dual, i believe).
So I would like some opinions on my next charname.
Think a fighter1/wizard would be more efficient than a pure wizard?
I know much about the game but I'm not exactly a guru. Would there be any bonuses I might be missing with either?
Anyone have any better alternatives?
0
Comments
Sorry, but there's really not much to be done about it.
As a level 1 fighter, you can specialize in bows--which means that you get +1 attack, +2 damage, and an additional 1/2 per round. This is better than the +1 THAC0 bonus you get from being an elf.
I say go for it. You can also pick up Single Weapon Style or specialize in Quarterstaves, which will make you more formidable as a mage anyway. You don't lose enough XP for it to make a marked difference on your arcane development, either.
I just like elves. I think i'll go with your idea, just sucks to lose the racial bonuses like immunities.
Another question/comment: Why would a mage put pips into any melee weapon outside of complete last resort? For solo purposes?
For instance, Xzar has a proficiency in daggers. When he runs out of spells, he's 100% useless to me. He obviously can't be in the fray, and his THAC0 with a sling is 24. -_-". Useless i say, useless.
I can see the use in solo, as it's considered a little cheesy to keep backtracking and shooting arrows. But part of group play, anything outside of ranged weapons seems like a dire mistake to me.
First, with dagger proficiency you can use throwing daggers, which are a nice ranged weapon (albeit heavy). In BG2 there's a couple throwing daggers that return, which means you don't need to carry a thousand of them.
And then there are some melee weapons that only mages will find useful, such as the Staff of Rynn +4 in BG2 (an early-game purchase that will make it so that your mage can hit anything effectively).
Does the archer +1 to ranged weapons every 3 levels start on level 1 or level 3?
And if it's level 1, can I dual an Archer 1 to a Wizard for an additional +1 to bows?
the only problem with that? you'll be a generalist wizard (you can't dual to specialist), and compared to specialists, they suck balls. it's okay, but not great - generally, if you want to be an awesome arcane caster, either specialization or sorcerer is the way to go. but dualing at lvl 3 is the closest to what you want, the only other alternative is fighter/mage elven multi, which also gets an extra half attack at fighter 7, but has suckier damage and arcane repertoire. (and gets owned by Coran)
as for Xzar and mages in general... give him a sling, or better yet, nonmagical darts until lvl 6 (3 attacks per round means 3 chances to crit), then become proficient with darts, buy High Hedge's stock of magical darts, and instantly turn into a destroyer of worlds
Edit: looks like I got ninja'd on both points here.
I've always used Slings in BG1 for my Wiz. In your opinion, you think throwing daggers maybe more efficient? Although I hardly use them, there are many different bullet types I come across that can supplement my +1 sling. (+x bullets, elemental) Maybe it's just me but i never run into any decent throwing daggers, unless i come across those few in BG2... And even if i did, those 20 +1 daggers would be gone fast, as opposed to a sling that would give at least a +1 to every bullet plain bullet used ( only +1 to THAC0, I know), and more utility, right?
And would a +4 staff really justify throwing a wiz into anyone's face?
The only reason I get a wiz close is to interrupt enemy wizards with a casting time 1 spell.
Maybe I just dunno how to manipulate spells correctly yet but until I can buff with protection of magical/normal weapons I just feel like a wizard is just an easy target for any melee/ranged attacker.
Edited for clarity
That's provided you have a Strength score capable of boosting your THAC0, though, or spells/items that give you such a thing. The +4 THAC0 from the staff itself is nice, but it's not as useful when your Strength is 9.
Thanks for the input. I'm a little bit more knowledgable now.
Darts are the best weapon for a mage. Though they can be a little annoying to use, 3 attacks per round and basically no weight is pure win. Throwing daggers only get 2 attacks, and weigh more...though in BG2 there's several returning daggers, while only 1 returning dart.
Also, depending on which version you're using, some game mechanics change a lot. In BG1, most throwing axes, throwing daggers, slings and darts use your strength bonus. 2 bows also did, but were due to a bug. In BG2, throwing axes/knives/hammers get your str bonus, but only plain darts and darts +1 get a str bonus, the rest don't. 2 Slings get a str bonus, and no bows do. In BG:EE currently only throwing Axes get a strength bonus...
And lastly, if you play PnP, all hurled weapons (thrown axes/daggers/hammers, darts) gain a strength bonus, as well as some specially crafted bows (any bow with a str requirement of 16 or above is supposed to apply the appropriate str contribution for that strength to damage, in BG1 and EE this is done correctly for composite bows (18 str would apply +2 damage per shot)...in BG2 however....it's not (only applying +1 base), and a bow requiring 19 str, like Strong Arm+2 should be applying 7 damage +2 from enhancement for a total of +9)
If you want the 5th level spells I'd still go fighter 3 / wizard 9
See: http://playithardcore.com/pihwiki/index.php?title=Baldur's_Gate:_Progression_Charts#Bard
In BG2 the max spell level a Bard can reach is Level 6, but they get Thief HLAs at 3 million XP, which are fun (e.g. Use any item...) and a great stronghold quest.
On the downside a bard cannot wear robes (until UAI in BG2 anyway) nor some other mage-specific items, but you can either sell these for lots of gold to give you money for buying/recharging wands and amulets or give them to a mage NPC who csn use them.
BTW There *is* some armour a bard can wear *and* cast spells in, but only if you have a certain NPC in your party, and then quite late. There are other items (and spells) that you can use as a Bard that will help with AC, though).
MB: There is one Bard-specific magic item in BGEE, but quite a few more in BG2.
I'm having lots of fun with a neutral evil (gotta love the Dust Mephit familiar!) Jester duo run (with just Safana) at the moment - Invisibility + Jester song = lots of confused enemies :-)