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Off Topic (Help me make my Icewind Dale 1 Party)

DragonspearDragonspear Member Posts: 1,838
edited September 2012 in Off-Topic
Can't think of another topic to put this in so I'm throwing it in here. I've never beat Icewind Dale one although I've owned it for the longest time. Part of the problem, as I've said in the previous icewind dale thread, was that for me creating a party and why they're all there drives me insane. The other problem is that I tend to want to mirror my IWD2 party (even though I haven't beaten that either), which is virtually impossible because of the fun I have with 3E and multiclassing. So instead I'm going to leave my 5 character slots other than the PC up to these forums. If you'd like I'll keep everyone updated with my progress. Then if someone doesn't like something I did while their character was in the group, I can take them out and replace them with someone else should they desire.

Also you get extra credit points if you tell me how your character knows my Paladin =)

Here will be my character:
Aervane Greycastle
Human Female Paladin
Lawful Good
18/xx Str
18 Dex
18 Con
8 or greater Int
13 Wisdom
18 Charisma

Start of the Game Weapon Proficiency:
Greatsword (Bastard Sword and Greatsword)++
Large Swords (Longsword, Broadsword, Scimitar) +
Warhammer +

(Likely Future weapon Proficiency)
Greatsword ++
Large Sword ++
Warhammer ++
Spear or Halberd ++

Aervane is a recently Knighted Paladin of Helm, hailing from the land of Cormyr. She had often heard tales of the North from Bards passing through and the hardships and plight that the people of the North suffered. On the evening after her Knighthood, Helm gave her a vision of her travelling North and trying to provide Helm's protection to those under constant threat of attack from outside sources as well as the harsh environment itself.

Upon waking she shared her vision in a conference with the head of the Knighthood and the High Watcher of Helm of the nearby temple and was granted leave to go fulfill this quest given to her by Helm himself. With Helm's guidance and their blessing, she had left Cormyr by the end of the evening, offering to give protection to caravans that needed it along her path as she made her way to Easthaven.
Post edited by Coriander on

Comments

  • sandmanCCLsandmanCCL Member Posts: 1,389
    Good luck on getting those rolls on your Paladin, mate. It's possible but you'll be rolling for a long, long time. Also, there is literally no point in having any intellegence on a Paladin in AD&D rules. Make him dumb as a brick. It won't affect him one bit.

    Personally I always make a druid for IWD. I usually start as a fighter then dual-class into one, simply for the extra HP. You need a pretty crazy roll to pull it off, though. At least 15 in STR and a 17 in both WIS and CHA because Druid's main stat in AD&D was charisma for whatever reason.
  • DragonspearDragonspear Member Posts: 1,838
    Ya I've been able to get those rolls consistently enough that it doesn't bother me rerolling. I understand the druid problem though. Earlier this evening I was trying to make a half-elven multiclass and couldn't get close roll wise to what I wanted.
  • shawneshawne Member Posts: 3,239
    I've found that the best way to give IWD some semblance of characterization is to do a bit of borrowing. For example, while I haven't played the games yet, I already know that for IWD2 my party will be comprised of my PCs from other RPGs: Brianna Cousland the Paladin (Dragon Age: Origins), Selene the Sorceress (BG), Grom the Barbarian (BG), Aria Hawke the Mage (Dragon Age 2), Zhao Feng the Monk (Jade Empire) and Adenna Sha'tir the Cleric (Knights of the Old Republic).

    Obviously the game doesn't care one way or another, but it's a way to personalize the narrative in a game where it's really all about plot...
  • KenKen Member Posts: 226
    I just completed it with a 3 party..

    1 Fighter/mage/thief, Half-elf
    1 Fighter, Dwarf
    1 Fighter/druid, Half-elf (changed him to Human)

    All of them had good rolls, but not unrealistic or stupid rolls (like having a character with 4 INT or 3 CHA)

    They tore everything up quite nicely, my fighter/druid where the weakest though, mostly because he never received the devastating lvl 7 druid spells.
  • raywindraywind Member Posts: 289
    i played it once with, fighter/thief, fighter/mage, fighter/cleric, fighter/druid, fighter/mage/cleric, fighter/mage/thief and it was supa hard to begin with but it got way too easy midway. classes chosen as they were to get slower leveling.
  • KenKen Member Posts: 226
    I might do one with only 2

    1 Cleric/Thief, Gnome
    1 Fighter/Mage, Half-Elf

    Uhh, kinda wanna play it over again! But first I gotta try to beat Trials of the Luremaster with my current 4 character party.
  • hansolohansolo Member Posts: 136
    edited August 2012
    I usually like to have as many aspects of the different classes covered as possible.
    1) H Palladin
    2) HE Bard
    3) HE F/D (or pure Druid)
    4) HE R/C
    5) Half F/T
    6) E Mage (or F/M) (or Human F2->M so he can use Bows)
  • DragonspearDragonspear Member Posts: 1,838
    @Ken I considered running with just a FMC and a FMT
  • beerflavourbeerflavour Member Posts: 117
    edited August 2012
    My current IWD1 party looks like this:

    Human Fighter
    Gnome Cleric/Thief
    Gnome Thief
    Human Bard
    Half-Elven Cleric/Mage
    Human Cleric

    If a thief dies the 2nd one can take over until the dead one is revived. If a fighter dies then the clerics are next in line. When a cleric dies the other will take over until the dead one is revived. If an arcane caster dies ... etc. I try to have redundant skills and abilities.

    The exact party setup is determined by luck. Because you have so many options I use dice to determine the ability scores. The ability scores limit the allowed options. Although you can just take this procedure to determine the class and race setup and ignore mediocre ability scores. So it's a tad faster to get a party running. And to speed things up I have a little software which performs the dice rolls for 6 adventurers and I just have to print it out. -> Start IWD1 or IWD2 and create the party accordingly.


    An alternative party:

    Gnome Fighter
    Half-Elven Fighter/Cleric
    Human Thief
    Gnome Illusionist/Thief
    Elven Mage
    Human Cleric


    p.s.
    Don't mind my fondness of Half-Elves and Gnomes.
    Post edited by beerflavour on
  • SchneidendSchneidend Member Posts: 3,190
    Ryshardenel Chiezeleth
    Elf
    Bard
    Neutral Evil

    Any stats you want, as his only real talent, his silken singing voice, is not dependent on stats.

    Completely egotistical primadonna. He's a great singer, sure, but he's thoroughly convinced he's the best. When performing for crowds of drunken sailors in Lusken proved less than challenging and, more importantly, less than profitable, Ryshardenel struck out for the life of an adventurer, seeking songs and tales he can bless with the sound of his glorious aural powers.
  • JaysamaJaysama Member Posts: 66
    Six evocator specialists. Do it.
  • IsobelIsobel Member Posts: 13
    Has no one here heard of or tried the Icewind Dale NPCs?

    http://www.pocketplane.net/iwdnpc
  • DragonspearDragonspear Member Posts: 1,838
    I'll go look into the readme Isobel and see what I think about em
  • JaysamaJaysama Member Posts: 66
    Jaysama said:

    Six evocator specialists. Do it.

    Sorry was just trying to be silly, in all honesty though, has anyone ever tried an all squishy/caster party before? (I would but I'm unfortunitly unable to play.)
  • DragonspearDragonspear Member Posts: 1,838
    @Jaysama

    I know people have done playthroughs of BG and BG2 at least as a full mage party.
  • DragonspearDragonspear Member Posts: 1,838
    @Isobel

    They definitely look interesting enough for IWD and IWD2 to try, except for the paladins that are present in both. I might have to run an elven fighter/mage or just a specialist mage with those setups. Heck or even a Dwarven Fighter/Cleric. I dunno. I am thinking though. It's a case of I really wish there was a 7th slot so I could fit all the characters in that I wanted to.

    My ideal party is
    Paladin (Human, Honestly I prefer greatswords on em but alas the holy avenger in this game is a longsword)
    Fighter (Dwarf Axe/Hammer Tank)
    Ranger (Elven Longsword/Bow)
    Cleric (Human Mace to the face!)
    Bard (Half-Elf prolly. Gotta love that crossbowin action)
    Thief
    Mage

    The problem is getting to those last 2. In IWD2 I get around it because my ranger is a Ranger/Rogue or I use a Mage/Rogue. I hear however that Mage/Thieves are a hindrance in heart of fury mode. With a party that full however I'm not certain how well a Fighter/Mage/Thief would work.

    I suppose I could also us the tweak pack to allow any weapon for clerics so I can just have a fighter/cleric dwarf that can use axes and hammers. *shrugs*
  • JaysamaJaysama Member Posts: 66

    @Jaysama

    I know people have done playthroughs of BG and BG2 at least as a full mage party.

    Likely relied on summoning magic for a few fights, most of my party started with 20-40 hp hahaha. (I don't min/max)
  • DragonspearDragonspear Member Posts: 1,838
    Oh I'm sure they did. I helped them come up with the basis of the party. For example, most of your party's defensive magic and dispels would be handled by your Abjurer, your Conjurer Summons the Fodder, the Evoker plays the 1812 overture to tossing out fireballs, Your Enchanter and Necromancer debilitate and control the enemy and the one illusionist you have plays the roll of dirty little trickester
  • kiroskiros Member Posts: 119
    For a GG party.
    I have a minimum of 2 casters (make's for interesting dual cast spell formations)
    3 melee characters minimum (one being multi-classed as a cleric (you should always try to have a cleric/druid in your party)
    and finally the last member I leave optional in terms of what class they are, so you could choose another melee based character for brute force or choose a thief for tactical purposes etc.

    I used this particular party combination in many of the harder based mods and found it too work quite well. Although I'm sure their are plenty of other efficient party combinations to use.


  • KenjiKenji Member Posts: 251
    edited August 2012
    All these multiclass exotic combos, what happened to the good ol' pure classes!?

    Here are mine (I am Human eccentric, have strong distastes for Elves, and am indifferent on the midget races):

    [Spoiler=Cleric]Name: Lorekeeper [Insert Name]
    Race: Human (or Gnome)
    Alignment: True Neutral
    Class: Cleric
    Stats: Str - 12 / Dex - 16 / Con - 15 / Int - 16 / Wis - 18 / Cha - 12
    Favored Spells: Necromancy - Healing, Divination Spells[/spoiler]

    [Spoiler=Wizard]Name: [Insert Name] Pyreheart/Novacore/Prismtouch
    Race: Human
    Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
    Class: Wizard (Evoker)
    Stats: Stats: Str - 10 / Dex - 17 / Con - 16 / Int - 18 / Wis - 10 / Cha - 15
    Favored Spells (Pyreheart): Fireball, Flamearrows, Flaming Hands,... All fire based damage spells.
    Favored Spells (Novacore): All ice based damage spells
    Favored Spells (Prismtouch): Most spells associated with the manipulation of light (Blindness, Blur, Mirror Image, Chromatic Orb, Color Spray, Prismatic Spray, Dimention Door...)[/spoiler]

    [Spoiler=Fighter]Name: Inquisitor [Insert Name]
    Race: Human (or Dwarf)
    Alignment: Lawful Neutral
    Class: Fighter (Pure Class)
    Stats: Stats: Str - 18/75+ / Dex - 10 / Con - 17 / Int - 11 / Wis - 15 / Cha - 14
    Favored Weapons: Flails and Morningstar[/spoiler]

    Note:
    These characters are RP heavy, hence the lack of beautiful, perfect stats.

    Believe it or not, I still managed through IWD1 Core Rules with moderate stats like these. It's more challenging as you'll have to utilize every characters' strengths and weaknesses to compliment each other.
  • sandmanCCLsandmanCCL Member Posts: 1,389
    I don't think anyone has mentioned a Halfling Fighter/Thief yet. They make the best tanks in the game because of halfling saving throws, extra dexterity and the ability to equip that one helmet only shorties can use which adds to armor class.

    They are also really easy to roll for because you don't need to fret about getting a good percentage roll on 18 strength. Max your strength, dex and con and nothing else really matters for them.
  • Permidion_StarkPermidion_Stark Member Posts: 4,861
    I just started a game of Icewind Dale for the first time in years. The big mistake I made was failing to give blunt weapon proficiencies to all my characters. You have to fight an awful lot of skeletons at the start and slashing and piercing damage doesn't have much effect on them.
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