My first playthrough of BG was with a ranger and that save corrupted early in ToB as a stalker, I unfortunately haven't gone back to one since although I should.
That said I've played a paladin at this point in WoW for (breaks out fingers ><) 6 of the last 8 years, so I definitely identify with paladin a lot. Of the 3 kits I'd say cavalier, and I definitely lean more towards lawful good irl.
Bards have also gained love with me recently and I'm trying to decide if I want my bard to be evil or good.
Also monks are usually about equal to paladin but never played one in BG.
General rule: if it Melee's its good by me, casting is a bonus (see stalker, cavalier, blade/skald). That said I really wanna make a dwarven wizard slayer one day (axes and hammers) and for kicks an elven wizard slayer (swords and bows what a surprise).
Oh and an assassin is in the works, a little halfling with a dagger and poison. What could anyone POSSIBLY have to worry about?
If you nail me down though, probably ranger. I prefer more graceful playstyles (ala weapon finesse) and once in a PnP game made an elven fighter who used a longsword with 2 hands and weapon finesse.
Edit: Also wish I could find more material on the Purple Dragon Knights of Cormyr (and the War Wizards) as the nation has always fascinated me since I discovered it. Most of the time when I make a character in IWD or IWD2 for example I set their backstories to Cormyr.
Edit 2: Oh and if you do see me playing an arcane caster (other than bard) it is likely either an Evoker or a Sorcerer and they specialize in 1 thing. Making sure that whatever is in front of them is burnt, fried, battered, blackened, and crispy. Although they TRY to avoid party members. (aka a walking artillery platform)
For me it's always been fighter/theif. Going back 20 years for me, that's always been my favorite. I love being able to out wit or out muscle a world dominated by magic, with very little magical training, if any.
Gnome fighter / mage in BG1 Don't know about BG 2 ToB though, with all the magic resistance junk laying around, saving throws become almost meaningless. I worked hard on my CHARNAME in BG 1 to get all STs to -1 or lower ( except Breath which was +4 ) Now I don't know, I know there are spells with no ST, I just hate having my whole party confused/ held etc by some overlooked mage. I'll stick with him for now as he has been a blast to play. And once I find a pair of boots of speed I'll be able to keep up with you big folk again. Don't know how you tallies walk around without birds flying into you or the wind blowing you over though. I may be short but it's not my legs holding me up.
cleric, tons of buffs, can become a pretty solid fighter with draw upon holy might... mass cure is amazing, protection from evil 10radius, defensive harmony, and best of all, holy smite is low level and kicks the living crap out of most enemies. Epic level clerics get energy blades which is just as good as greater whirlwind : P
Damn.. i need to make a new game as a cleric now. I only wish fighter/clerics would have more high level spells! I hate dual classing too ;/
I'm surprised so many people picked single class options... or maybe they considered a Fighter --> Mage as a Mage primarily?
I almost always try to RP a character with some competence as a melee fighter, but also wielding magical ability. Where I end up on the spectrum depends on the game.
For my first complete BG EE --> ToB run, I've been running as a Half-Elf Fighter/Mage. It's been very fun, I love his flexibility and raw power in BG 2. It's taken him a while to blossom, but he is now undoubtedly the most powerful single character in my party, even though I do not overly favour him with equipment. (Like Aerie gets the Robe of Vecna and Cloak of Mirroring).
I find it difficult to imagine playing as any class in BG 2 that cannot cast Arcane Magic. The classes that might tempt me for a second run is a Sorceror or Dragon Disciple, but more recently, it's just occurred to me that Kensai --> Mage almost exactly reflects the sort of heroes of the Chinese 'Wuxia' genre that I love, where the protagonist is essentially a martial arts master who becomes so skilful that his abilities are essentially magical. I kinda wish I was doing that now, cos I think a second run with Kensai --> Mage would feel too similar to Fighter/Mage.
Sorcerer or necromancer (if a mage).Although i'm always tempted by the darkside of the CN/NE Assassin,i just love the use of poison and backstabs in this game.
Comments
My first playthrough of BG was with a ranger and that save corrupted early in ToB as a stalker, I unfortunately haven't gone back to one since although I should.
That said I've played a paladin at this point in WoW for (breaks out fingers ><) 6 of the last 8 years, so I definitely identify with paladin a lot. Of the 3 kits I'd say cavalier, and I definitely lean more towards lawful good irl.
Bards have also gained love with me recently and I'm trying to decide if I want my bard to be evil or good.
Also monks are usually about equal to paladin but never played one in BG.
General rule: if it Melee's its good by me, casting is a bonus (see stalker, cavalier, blade/skald). That said I really wanna make a dwarven wizard slayer one day (axes and hammers) and for kicks an elven wizard slayer (swords and bows what a surprise).
Oh and an assassin is in the works, a little halfling with a dagger and poison. What could anyone POSSIBLY have to worry about?
If you nail me down though, probably ranger. I prefer more graceful playstyles (ala weapon finesse) and once in a PnP game made an elven fighter who used a longsword with 2 hands and weapon finesse.
Edit: Also wish I could find more material on the Purple Dragon Knights of Cormyr (and the War Wizards) as the nation has always fascinated me since I discovered it. Most of the time when I make a character in IWD or IWD2 for example I set their backstories to Cormyr.
Edit 2: Oh and if you do see me playing an arcane caster (other than bard) it is likely either an Evoker or a Sorcerer and they specialize in 1 thing. Making sure that whatever is in front of them is burnt, fried, battered, blackened, and crispy. Although they TRY to avoid party members. (aka a walking artillery platform)
Don't know about BG 2 ToB though, with all the magic resistance junk laying around, saving throws become almost meaningless.
I worked hard on my CHARNAME in BG 1 to get all STs to -1 or lower ( except Breath which was +4 )
Now I don't know, I know there are spells with no ST, I just hate having my whole party confused/ held etc by some overlooked mage.
I'll stick with him for now as he has been a blast to play.
And once I find a pair of boots of speed I'll be able to keep up with you big folk again.
Don't know how you tallies walk around without birds flying into you or the wind blowing you over though.
I may be short but it's not my legs holding me up.
Damn.. i need to make a new game as a cleric now. I only wish fighter/clerics would have more high level spells! I hate dual classing too ;/
I almost always try to RP a character with some competence as a melee fighter, but also wielding magical ability. Where I end up on the spectrum depends on the game.
For my first complete BG EE --> ToB run, I've been running as a Half-Elf Fighter/Mage. It's been very fun, I love his flexibility and raw power in BG 2. It's taken him a while to blossom, but he is now undoubtedly the most powerful single character in my party, even though I do not overly favour him with equipment. (Like Aerie gets the Robe of Vecna and Cloak of Mirroring).
I find it difficult to imagine playing as any class in BG 2 that cannot cast Arcane Magic. The classes that might tempt me for a second run is a Sorceror or Dragon Disciple, but more recently, it's just occurred to me that Kensai --> Mage almost exactly reflects the sort of heroes of the Chinese 'Wuxia' genre that I love, where the protagonist is essentially a martial arts master who becomes so skilful that his abilities are essentially magical. I kinda wish I was doing that now, cos I think a second run with Kensai --> Mage would feel too similar to Fighter/Mage.