"Custom" FUN classes to play using EEKeeper (spoilers)
in BGII:EE Mods
After installing SCS and noticing the steep increase in general difficulty of the game I actually felt that most classes were a little *gimped*. Not that this was a bad thing... the game pushes you to create a balanced party where one character's faults are complemented by another's qualities.
That's all well and good but I like to play mostly duo-runs. Of course you can always go for a F/M/T + Cleric if you want to play that way, but I find most class combos a little boring, since you are not really using any of them to their full potential.
So I decided to create a CHARNAME that had lots of qualitites but still kept the game balanced and I came up with a kind of "ninja" PC....
It sounds overpowered when I explain, but trust me, it's not. And it is loads of fun if you stick to roleplay and don't go too overboard with powerplay.
I created a Swashbuckler for the nice THW and AC and thaco progression and just gave him a couple of poison weapon, shadowstep and set special snares.... AND BACKSTABBING. Now... that's of course, a VERY complete thief. I even gave him enough points in skills to not need another thief in the party. He's basically the best of every thief kit in one. But surprisingly.... it doesn't play overpowered.
With limited uses of poison weapon (i gave him 2) he can't use it all the time in longer battles, but it is still good for sneak attacks and mage-disabling. Shadowstep is the default "oh S**t" button and is also a way to get far, hide and backstab your enemies again, and without HiPS it actually becomes a LOT more useful in this guy than in the shadowdancer. I also discovered that because of the lack of HiPS, he actually has to get out of the LoS of enemies to be able to hide again. I always thought that while time was stopped, enemies could not see you...
Set special snares is there for strategic value. One of the problems I find with solo runs is the limited strategies available to you... making the game quickly boring. With this arsenal I have a master tactitian in my hands.
Now, you would think that this guy simply steamrolls the game. But he doesn't! Difficult battles remain difficult because he is a thief. Low HP and no resistances make him just as vulnerable as any other thief. He just has a lot more options than a vanilla kit.
One very useful strategy with him is to buy Pots of master thievery soon and just clear out Akhatla with pickpocketing. Specially the docks and temple. Those will give you lots of invisibility and haste potions. And take care to dispatch brendan (the thief in Wakeen's) and ketta (the thief in the guarded compound) quickly before they use their potions. Those pots will give you free backstabs early on to get you gear up.
I rushed for cloak of ND, then CF and you would think the next step would be to get Belm... but a scimitar just doesn't fit this guy. And that's how you balance the game again. Yes, you should be powerful... an invisible force of death... you are a master ninja-like demigod. But it's up to you to play accordingly.
This guy with a party makes the game no fun at all.... But playing him solo or dualed with Viconia (she's good for high level support and inability to tank makes her also restrictive to powerplaying) is something I recommend to all thief fans in this forum.
Anyway... it's been the most fun I had in BG II in a long time. And I look foward to exploring new custom characters in the future.
That's all well and good but I like to play mostly duo-runs. Of course you can always go for a F/M/T + Cleric if you want to play that way, but I find most class combos a little boring, since you are not really using any of them to their full potential.
So I decided to create a CHARNAME that had lots of qualitites but still kept the game balanced and I came up with a kind of "ninja" PC....
It sounds overpowered when I explain, but trust me, it's not. And it is loads of fun if you stick to roleplay and don't go too overboard with powerplay.
I created a Swashbuckler for the nice THW and AC and thaco progression and just gave him a couple of poison weapon, shadowstep and set special snares.... AND BACKSTABBING. Now... that's of course, a VERY complete thief. I even gave him enough points in skills to not need another thief in the party. He's basically the best of every thief kit in one. But surprisingly.... it doesn't play overpowered.
With limited uses of poison weapon (i gave him 2) he can't use it all the time in longer battles, but it is still good for sneak attacks and mage-disabling. Shadowstep is the default "oh S**t" button and is also a way to get far, hide and backstab your enemies again, and without HiPS it actually becomes a LOT more useful in this guy than in the shadowdancer. I also discovered that because of the lack of HiPS, he actually has to get out of the LoS of enemies to be able to hide again. I always thought that while time was stopped, enemies could not see you...
Set special snares is there for strategic value. One of the problems I find with solo runs is the limited strategies available to you... making the game quickly boring. With this arsenal I have a master tactitian in my hands.
Now, you would think that this guy simply steamrolls the game. But he doesn't! Difficult battles remain difficult because he is a thief. Low HP and no resistances make him just as vulnerable as any other thief. He just has a lot more options than a vanilla kit.
One very useful strategy with him is to buy Pots of master thievery soon and just clear out Akhatla with pickpocketing. Specially the docks and temple. Those will give you lots of invisibility and haste potions. And take care to dispatch brendan (the thief in Wakeen's) and ketta (the thief in the guarded compound) quickly before they use their potions. Those pots will give you free backstabs early on to get you gear up.
I rushed for cloak of ND, then CF and you would think the next step would be to get Belm... but a scimitar just doesn't fit this guy. And that's how you balance the game again. Yes, you should be powerful... an invisible force of death... you are a master ninja-like demigod. But it's up to you to play accordingly.
This guy with a party makes the game no fun at all.... But playing him solo or dualed with Viconia (she's good for high level support and inability to tank makes her also restrictive to powerplaying) is something I recommend to all thief fans in this forum.
Anyway... it's been the most fun I had in BG II in a long time. And I look foward to exploring new custom characters in the future.
1
Comments
Thanks for sharing your concept.
It makes me wonder what would be the "ideal" Thief (but adhering more closely to the rules of the game).