Which class should I play through the entire series?
Dreadnaught
Member Posts: 92
I don't want to go as fighter-mage as they are way to powerful and I want a challenge. Pick a class then leave a comment option of kit and alignment.
- Which class should I play through the entire series?85 votes
- Fighter7.06%
- Ranger7.06%
- Cleric5.88%
- Druid9.41%
- Mage7.06%
- Thief8.24%
- Bard16.47%
- Sorcerer16.47%
- Barbarian7.06%
- Monk15.29%
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Comments
Monks can be challenging, since it takes them a lot of time to build up steam and you're not allowed to use the best items in the game. Another possibility is one of the less stellar kits, like Wizard Slayer and Shapeshifter.
As for alignment, I say you should decide how you roleplay. Evil aligned-characters will generally have to deal with less companions (because they'll all leave your party at low Rep), getting attacked by guards (though this may be a good thing if you're an XP hound), and worse prices at stores (again, low Rep), so that'll be the alignment I'd advise. Law-Chaos wise, it doesn't really matter, pick what you like.
I know a lot of people are dismissive of vanilla rangers because they don't gain the same sort of spellcasting or innate abilities that other warrior classes do (like paladins or barbarians), but their adeptness at dual wielding allows you to wield multiple weapons at the same time that give special bonuses or resistances, with minimal penalties. I'm looking forward to continuing on in BG2, where there are tons of magical weapons like that.
The other Druid kits are a bit less versatile I think, but still enjoyable.. The Totemic Druid is nice if you like your Druid to be a summoner. The Shapeshifter doesn't work the way it's supposed to, unless you're willing to use a mod.
For that matter the best classes IMO are :
- sorceror. From a puny caster to a walking god on earth
- monks (whichever kit you want). Crappy offense and defense for quite along time. Utterly invicible (100%MR, huge damage, very low AC) at higher levels.
- swashbucklers. Their power come from their passive bonus, which scale with levels.Other thieves suck too much fighting-wise to my taste.
- Blade. Like a balanced FM. Very verstatile and powerful but need to use most of his skills to be good (by opposition to a FM which will slaughter anything using either fighters or mage skills)
Multis are better avoided if you want any kind of challenge. They are much too strong, from the beginning.
But if you want something different you should give a Gnome Thief/Cleric a shot.
Once you get the strength tome you are better off than the Half-Orc - racial skills and shorty saves.
20 con is a little overrated IMO.
The primary strength of the Blade lies arguably in his faster level progression. This means that your spells, though fewer in number and capped at level 6, will always be more powerful and longer-lasting than those cast by a mage or a sorcerer of a comparative experience total. As a rule of thumb, it is better to leave the casting of offensive spells to your mages and focus on the blues and whites instead, with some exceptions. Here are a few neat tricks off the top of my head:
Lower levels:
- using Armor, Mirror Image and Blur in combination with defensive spin gives you surprising tanking capacity. Once you get level 4 spells, you can put the two spells into a minor sequencer and use it as a secondary stoneskin.
- Minor Globe of Invulnerability works wonderfully in conjunction with stationary AoE crowd control spells like Entangle, Stinking Cloud and Web. Just send in a globed Blade to tank the enemies while having your mages pelt them with fireballs et cetera.
- Protection from Fear, just because.
- The level 1 spell Spook gets powerful really fast due to its saving throw penalty being tied to your level. At the end of BG (level 10), enemies will have to save at -5 penalty or be inflicted with fear. Couple this with a cast of Greater Malison from your mages and you're almost guaranteed a hit. Using Spook in a minor sequencer with the Ray of Enfeeblement is a great way to debilitate powerful targets.
Higher up:
- Immunity: Abjuration/Divination in conjunction with Defensive Spin, Mirror Image, Blur, Stoneskin, Improved Invisibility (in whatever form) and Contingency (hit): Protection from Magical Weapons gives your Blade amazing staying power. At level 20, I seldom find myself ever needing to use a healing potion
- Tenser's Transformation. I feel like this spell was designed with Blades in mind. One click and your Blade now has the THAC0 and damage bonuses of a high level fighter AND a +2 bonus to his hit and damage rolls as well as double hitpoints. With Tenser's, you will momentarily out-damage every other melee class there is, even the monk. And because of its level-bound duration, it will last through pretty much any battle. Also, if you download my hotfix you can use it in conjunction with your spins to amazing effects.
Like many have already pointed out, the fun part of playing a Blade is that you really have to make the most of your spells, abilities and items to be effective. The class lacks the "out of the box power" of a warrior and requires some creative thinking to really shine.
Seriously though. The Paladin provides everything someone new to the series needs to survive.
-Able to wear all armor and shields
-You don't need to get married to a weapon like the Fighter
-You get +2 to saving throws right off the bat
-The various kits provide different and permanent immunities
-Carsormyr for Paladins (nuff said), Soul Reaper (is that it's name again?) for Blackguards
-Spellcasting. Mainly, Draw Upon Holy Might for self-buffing
-Lay on Hands. Free, instant healing for emergencies
-Turn Undead
-Bunch of other buffs for the party. Protection from Evil/Remove Fear etc
The Paladin is durable, powerful, can self-buff and self-heal, can use one of the most powerful weapons in the game and the saving throws/immunities/HP protect CHARNAME from an early Game Over.
Or just go Berserker and get another great class which has lots of HP and lots of immunities when he rages.
I would recommend the Sorcerer only to pros of the game, those that know most spells inside-out and how to use them effectively.
Bards are fun to try maximizing because what at first appears to be a weak class holds their own when you use them to their full potential. If you actually use all of the wands and scrolls that the game drops (in addition to what you can buy) you have a pretty darned effective arcane magic user in a Bard. Just for fun, I make it a point to try using most of the loot drop scrolls in the Bard's quickslots (okay, Infravision--no; but Burning Hands, Shocking Grasp, Color Spray? Sure). I would recommend using the Light Crossbow of Speed, bolts of biting when you can get them, and liberally quaffing oils of speed or Hasting to get 3 APR with that weapon. And of course pickpocket targets that have worthwhile items. Granted those cut-purse targets are few and far between, and it helps if you already know which ones have pickpocketable items. But anyway, there's quite a bit you can lift.
A pure class Cleric (or kit if you like) presents an interesting challenge because they can't get more than one pip per weapons proficiency. However if their Dex is high enough they won't get hit that much, and then they're okay on the front line. I try to get their AC down to around -5 if I can. They only get one APR (unless Hasted), but if the cleric uses the Stupefier that makes it a little more fun. I send clerics into melee and have them cast their spells there as well. Because, again, if their AC is low enough their casting won't be interrupted with successful hits very often.
As for kit... Blades are my personal favourite... Use UAI to dual wield belm
& Scarlet ninja-to and rain the pain in offensive spins!
or you could use a shield combined with the right gear\ (i did on my first play for BG2) you rarely will get hit, regardless of what anyone says. even into ToB.
go berserk and you can take on many fights alone with the right stuff
How does the avenger hold up in tob?