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Pure Kensai Viability/Build

Hey guys, so I've cracked out the BG series and I really want to play as a Kensai (no multi/duel class), but opinions seem really mixed

I plan on using a party of 4 for the most part, jaheira, edwin, thief char for bg2, unknown as of yet for bg1

I'm just going to play on normal this time around, I plan on using katanas and I am wondering things like what my stats should look like besides maxing out str con and dex.

Also in terms of gear, is there anyway I can make myself act as the tank for the group?

Any tips would be helpful, if it turns out impossible I will try beserker perhaps but I am really keen to play Kensai, thanks in advance :)

Comments

  • FinneousPJFinneousPJ Member Posts: 6,455
    It's totally viable.
    Moomintroll
  • ZanianZanian Member Posts: 332
    Get a shield amulet and you will be slightly sturdier, but a tank a kensai is not, and never will be.
    As for the stats, it depends. If he's your face-character, you can go CHA for shop-prices and the reaction adjustment (and a free +1 dagger while still in candlekeep). If you're planning on taking him to BG2, go for INT to help against mindflayers (and possibly dual to mage at some point if you get bored).

    My recommendation: Half-Orc (without a doubt the best race if you're not going to dual). 19 str, 19 con, 18 dex, 16 Int, rest in CHA, or WIS for a bit of basic lore.
    As for weapons. I'd go two-weapon style, along with longswords and something else. Longswords are viable throughout the entire saga. Flails are great in SoA and ToB, not so much in BG1. Maces are great in BG1, not so much in SoA and ToB.
  • mjsmjs Member Posts: 742
    i've made a half-orc kensai, she's a beast, especially when you get DuHM...sweet mother the chunking!

    even though you can't tank, you'll have epic HP (45 by level 3, if you meta for the tome of con), so with the amulet of the shield, you'll still get hit more than most, but you can easily survive it

    i went for 2 handed swords (for pure power gaming, go dual wielding), staffs would be good too, for the staff of striking+kai=epic damage.

    dwarves might be best, you'll get the great HP, super saves and strength isn't a massive loss (it's big, but balances by the end of the game, especially with DuHM and the tome of str)
  • WispWisp Member Posts: 1,102
    edited July 2013
    Potions of Defense (and Invulnerability) and the 4th-level mage spell Spirit Armor let Kensais "tank" as well as anyone. You might be a bit squishy until then, however.
    [Deleted User]
  • SionIVSionIV Member Posts: 2,689
    Kensais are horrible squishy in BG1. They get better in BG2.
  • KaltzorKaltzor Member Posts: 1,050
    Any kind of fighter usually works well as a single class throughout the whole thing...
    QuartzKayman
  • KAZAMAJINKAZAMAJIN Member Posts: 8
    Cool thanks guys, might go into katanas/longswords and two weapon style, what would you suggest for a party makeup in bg1/2? seems I need a tank and I don't think having jaheira and me tanking (especially at start) would work well, but I dont really want more than 4 slots.
  • GodGod Member Posts: 1,150
    You can always use Khalid as cannon fodder.
    elminsterbadbromance
  • KaltzorKaltzor Member Posts: 1,050
    Well, one build thing I will note about is that you should have atleast some proficiency in blunt weapons... Mace, Flail/Morning Star, Warhammer, Quarterstaff all work well, there are certain enemies that can only be hurt with magical blunt weapons...
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,315
    edited July 2013
    Zanian said:

    Get a shield amulet and you will be slightly sturdier, but a tank a kensai is not, and never will be.
    As for the stats, it depends. If he's your face-character, you can go CHA for shop-prices and the reaction adjustment (and a free +1 dagger while still in candlekeep). If you're planning on taking him to BG2, go for INT to help against mindflayers (and possibly dual to mage at some point if you get bored).

    My recommendation: Half-Orc (without a doubt the best race if you're not going to dual). 19 str, 19 con, 18 dex, 16 Int, rest in CHA, or WIS for a bit of basic lore.
    As for weapons. I'd go two-weapon style, along with longswords and something else. Longswords are viable throughout the entire saga. Flails are great in SoA and ToB, not so much in BG1. Maces are great in BG1, not so much in SoA and ToB.

    If you strictly want to powergame this...

    If you are going with the half-orc 15 intelligence is excessive and 16 intelligence is just wasteful. As long as your intelligence is 10 I'd favour putting towards Charisma instead of putting up intelligence past 10. At least provided you have enough points to get Charisma to 18 (you'll need to roll an 87 for this). Since you are a fighter and since Wisdom doesn't give a lore bonus until 15 lore is a pointless reason to put to wisdom (put it down to 3). I mean as a thief its somewhat more worth it to put towards, but not really. Obviously when it comes to charisma you can get a ring that sets your charisma in BG2 but you are better off wearing other equipment and avoiding the hassle of switching between rings. Mindflayers aren't really that big of a concern anyways, they are worthless against undead summons (especially skeletal warriors).
    Stormvessel
  • ZanianZanian Member Posts: 332
    @elminster If I remember correctly, which I probably don't, mindflayers drain 5 INT per hit, meaning you could survive 3 hits with 16 INT. And with his current setup, I don't see how he can summon any undead. That's not to say there aren't any other defensive tactics against them. I'm just sayin'.
    But yeah, that is the only thing the INT is good for. He won't be soloing, so CHA is completely useless as long as he uses a different face-char.
    All he really needs is the STR, DEX and CON, but you might as well make the remaining points worth something, if even a little.

    @KAZAMAJIN You can definitely use Jaheira as the main tank. She has the sturdiness of a warrior, coupled with great defensive divine magic, that only gets better the further into the saga you get. If you're not going for Jaheira in BG1, Kagain would be an obvious choice for a tank. The best there is really. He is evil though, so mind your reputation. Yeslick would be a good (albeit late) choice for a good-aligned tank. (What can I say, I like my meatshields dwarven).
  • SionIVSionIV Member Posts: 2,689
    Zanian said:

    @elminster If I remember correctly, which I probably don't, mindflayers drain 5 INT per hit, meaning you could survive 3 hits with 16 INT. And with his current setup, I don't see how he can summon any undead. That's not to say there aren't any other defensive tactics against them. I'm just sayin'.
    But yeah, that is the only thing the INT is good for. He won't be soloing, so CHA is completely useless as long as he uses a different face-char.
    All he really needs is the STR, DEX and CON, but you might as well make the remaining points worth something, if even a little.

    @KAZAMAJIN You can definitely use Jaheira as the main tank. She has the sturdiness of a warrior, coupled with great defensive divine magic, that only gets better the further into the saga you get. If you're not going for Jaheira in BG1, Kagain would be an obvious choice for a tank. The best there is really. He is evil though, so mind your reputation. Yeslick would be a good (albeit late) choice for a good-aligned tank. (What can I say, I like my meatshields dwarven).

    Mind flayers drain 5 int per hit, but the illithid and ullithid have different amounts of intellect they drain.
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,315
    edited July 2013
    Zanian said:

    @elminster If I remember correctly, which I probably don't, mindflayers drain 5 INT per hit, meaning you could survive 3 hits with 16 INT. And with his current setup, I don't see how he can summon any undead. That's not to say there aren't any other defensive tactics against them. I'm just sayin'.
    But yeah, that is the only thing the INT is good for. He won't be soloing, so CHA is completely useless as long as he uses a different face-char.
    All he really needs is the STR, DEX and CON, but you might as well make the remaining points worth something, if even a little.

    @KAZAMAJIN You can definitely use Jaheira as the main tank. She has the sturdiness of a warrior, coupled with great defensive divine magic, that only gets better the further into the saga you get. If you're not going for Jaheira in BG1, Kagain would be an obvious choice for a tank. The best there is really. He is evil though, so mind your reputation. Yeslick would be a good (albeit late) choice for a good-aligned tank. (What can I say, I like my meatshields dwarven).

    He said a party of 4 and listed only Edwin, Jaheira, and a thief. So I guess you are right since Edwin can't get skeletal warriors. Just skeletons.
  • WispWisp Member Posts: 1,102
    SionIV said:


    Mind flayers drain 5 int per hit, but the illithid and ullithid have different amounts of intellect they drain.

    They all drain 5 INT per hit. The only sort that does something different are Vampiric Illithids.
  • ZanathKariashiZanathKariashi Member Posts: 2,869
    Ullithid's drain 8 int per hit, Vampiric Illithids level drain instead of int drain.
    SionIV
  • wadcewadce Member Posts: 4
    If you want to help your ac a bit, you can have Jahiera max out on barkskins. Scouting with a rogue and prebuffing the character can help out with the role you are attempting. But truthfully, the kensai is built to dish it out quickly in hopes of killing things before it dies. Rolling Jahiera as your tank and running around here playing texas chainsaw sounds like the most viable option to me.
  • WispWisp Member Posts: 1,102

    Ullithid's drain 8 int per hit,

    No, they don't. Ulitharids use the exact same weapon as any other non-vampiric illithid and consequently they drain the same amount of INT as any other non-vampiric illithid.
    elminster
  • CheesebellyCheesebelly Member Posts: 1,727
    I also believe that immunity to weapons +2(or +3?) will render you completely immune to the intelligence drain. At least it worked for me the last run I was playing >.<
  • SionIVSionIV Member Posts: 2,689
    Immune to magical weapon will make you immune to all mindflayer attacks.
    [Deleted User]
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