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Halfling classes?

Son_of_ImoenSon_of_Imoen Member Posts: 1,806
This topic: a race question: Your CHARNAMEs throughout the ages got me thinking I never played a halfling charname, even though they're a lovely race. The main reason is, they have such a poor selection of classes to choose from, I just opened the character selection screen to check, they can be:

- Fighter (plain or kitted)
- Cleric (plain or kitted)
- Thief (plain or kitted)
- Barbarian (wtf?)
- Fighter/Thief (and that's the only multi-class option available to them).

I very much like my charname to be able to cast arcane spells, my most favourite character classes are Fighter/Mage, vanilla Mage, Cleric/Mage and Bard (Blade). But arcane classes are not an option for halflings.

If you want a halfling, you're stuck with playing single class cleric if you want to wield magic. Fighter and Thief classes are boring for a Charname, as they require little more than clicking an enemy or in the case of a Thief, clicking Find Traps, clicking Traps and Chests (I rarely make use of backstabs and mostly never of Traps, I use my Thieves to scout ahead, spot and disarm traps and open chests, more of an 'Adventurer' http://gibberlings3.net/readmes/readme-song_and_silence.html).


Two questions:

1. are there any mods that create more interesting choices for halflings (and not by lifting all race restrictions, cause that's a. plain silly, b. big time cheese)?

2. if you play a halfling Charname, how do you keep things interesting, skill-wise?


BTW, Dwarves suffer almost the same problem, their choice of classes is the same as those open to halflings, but with two extra interesting options added in: Dwarven Defender and Fighter/Cleric.

JuliusBorisovSmilingSwordMusignyBlackraven[Deleted User]CrevsDaak
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Comments

  • VallmyrVallmyr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,457
    Well, I'm always under the assumption that race/class restrictions are dumb but as an actual answer I think Halfling Shadowdancers are pretty radical. I could definitely see Alora being one if her Charisma was a tad higher (though it's not like we don't have rule-breaking NPCs already).

    As for some mods you could look to see if any Cleric mods add halfling specific deities/kits.

    Now that I think about it Mazzy would be pretty boring if not for her pseudo-paladin powers.
    SmilingSwordMusignyKurumiCrevsDaak
  • Son_of_ImoenSon_of_Imoen Member Posts: 1,806
    @bengoshi thanks to the link to Southpaws guide for: Players that are interested in Thieves, but have never tried one because they aren't as imposing as fighters or mages (on the first sight). Surely helps to try to gain a different perspective on thieves.

    Also, roleplay: "you should "feel" yourself playing as a halfling" - in this, though cliché, I think it might help me to think about Bilbo and his role in the Barrow Downs and the Lonely Mountain for instance: he's very interesting in his role as a 'thief' (he wouldn't call himself so, but Thorin's party certainly did name him so), he didn't need spells to be an interesting character.

    Maybe I should rummage on it a bit and try my hands on a halfling thief or fighter-thief anyway.

    I can very well imagine bending the rules and use EE Keeper to create a fighter-cleric or cleric-thief as well for a halfing, maybe I'll try that - as in my view of halflings, they're 'loose' enough in their choice of professions, not to have their priests stick to a purely clerical role.

    As for my normal preference for arcane casters, only now I remember there are halfling mages in the game: there's one in the Planar Sphere - not the first time Bioware bended the rules in the game.
    JuliusBorisovCrevsDaak
  • Son_of_ImoenSon_of_Imoen Member Posts: 1,806
    scriver said:

    All multiclasses should be open to halflings. It should be called the half-a-half rule.

    How about the quarterly upgrade?
  • BubblesBubbles Member Posts: 589
    Halflings, like Gnomes have the +2 shorty saving throw bonus+ constitution bonuses.
    A Halfing F/T, Swashbuckler and Shadowdancer enjoys one of the highest suvival chances if you want to play a no-reload/minimum re-load run. Thief's HLA- use any items helps a lot when you try solo no re-load runs and trying to finish as many quests as possible in the run. Backstabbing with Staff of the Magi with dispel capabilities O_O and protection from evil from the staff. Use Holy/Unholy Avenger (who needs a paladin?) Make potions scribe scrolls + Fighter's HLA if you play the multi-class.
    In ToB try using Firetooth crossbow + Pulse ammo X_X (+10 Thanco for the ammo + Firetooth's own self-replendishing ammo + Fighter's Greater Whirlwind).
    Lower levels Halfing Thieves I usually like to do a lot of pickpocketing from fence to recharge the wands and get potions. The Enclave has a lot of very nice stuff to pickpocket with 19 dex+gloves of PickPockets).
    +1 Thaco for Slings (many players overlooked this weapon. Slings add Strength damage. Use it with that +5 sling from Coppercoronet + Potions of various Giant strength or Girdles + Fighter specialisation in slings, it can deal hefty damages from a safe distance while you can equip with shield of harmony in case mages dominate or use various mind spells on you.
    Because of Halfing's various saving throw bonuses, your charname can survive so much better. There are heaps of things you can do with a Halfing.

    If you like spell-casting, there are so many NPC spell casters to busy yourself with the micromanagement why make charname a spell-caster?.

    Maybe it is just me, but I hate the idea of re-load because as a Bhaalspawn, you die your taint will fuel the re-birth of Bhaal. Bhaal did not allow his spawns to be resurrected or raised from dead.
    Thus in all the recent gameplays, I always try to gather all the major defensive stuffs that prevents instant death and wear it on my charname. Bhaal is not forgiving when it comes to failure ^^.

    JuliusBorisovBlackravenAerakarQuartz
  • SkatanSkatan Member, Moderator Posts: 5,352
    scriver said:

    All multiclasses should be open to halflings. It should be called the half-a-half rule.

    Agreed, but they should be called "Quarterlings - One quarter fighter, one quarter mage, 200% POWAH!".

    I very, very rarely play halfling since I have trouble RP'ing them. I'm not a fan of their minitature size since I think it's to unrealistic to play something so small and still be able to hit someone in the head etc. I love dwarfs though, but tend to RP them being slightly taller than the average height according to lore. I do enjoy having both halflings and gnomes in the party though, and I really wished that Mazzy would have been romancable for all shortie CHARNAMEs.
  • SmilingSwordSmilingSword Member Posts: 827
    edited January 2016
    Bubbles said:


    Maybe it is just me, but I hate the idea of re-load because as a Bhaalspawn, you die your taint will fuel the re-birth of Bhaal. Bhaal did not allow his spawns to be resurrected or raised from dead.

    Hmmm Imoen. Actually only CHARNAME and Sarevok turn to dust at death I'm pretty sure Yaggy and the rest of the 5 leave corpses behind. This is probably just a gameplay oversight but still.
  • lroumenlroumen Member Posts: 2,508
    Late game I often play my thieves as mages once they get use any item. Very handy to have an extra source that can cast breach, secret word, etc. and even some offensive spells like magic missile do well.
    Musigny
  • The user and all related content has been deleted.
    BlackravenAerakarQuartz
  • AerakarAerakar Member Posts: 1,015
    I see Halflings as great swashbuckers and fighter/thieves. I have played many Halfling fighter/thieves and they are quite versatile and also very survivable.

    I did a Halfling bounty hunter run last year and it was fun, especially given the plethora of skill points allowing full thieving quite early. I did miss the 18+ strength, but once you reach BG2 belts and/or going evil solves this issue.

    My Dwarven bounty hunter run was even better though...
    JuliusBorisovBlackraven
  • MusignyMusigny Member Posts: 1,027
    Excellent choice!
    BlackravenJuliusBorisovsemiticgoddessAerakar
  • VallmyrVallmyr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,457
    Sounds super exciting!
    MusignyJuliusBorisovAerakar
  • Son_of_ImoenSon_of_Imoen Member Posts: 1,806
    Thank you all for the wellwishes.

    Is there anyone who has an idea how to properly integrate the idea of a Bountyhunter protecting her halfling community with the story of Gorion's Ward being raised in Candlekeep since she was a kid?
  • VallmyrVallmyr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,457
    You could once exiting Candlekeep go to the halfling village and RP that you lived there for a year or two.
    BlackravenJuliusBorisovlolien
  • tbone1tbone1 Member Posts: 1,985
    I ran a straight halfling fighter through BG1 & SOA last year and really enjoyed it. In my head canon he was dangerous because he had a way of making people underestimate him, broke Alora's heart, and had his heart broken by Mazzy. Also, Montaron was a fugitive wanted for murder, got exposed by Jaheira and Khalid, and our hero kept dead Monty in the party until he could deliver the corpse to authorities at Gullykin it was a fun character. I wanted him to achieve grand mastery in halberd, but that seemed too silly even for me.
    VallmyrAerakarCrevsDaak
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    AerakarCrevsDaakBorco
  • JumboWheat01JumboWheat01 Member Posts: 1,028
    Well if you include deities later for halflings, Arvoreen is a perfect one to include, especially for Fighter/Clerics. Brandobaris is naturally the deity of choice for Cleric/Thieves.

    You think you could squeeze in a Paladin kit of some type in there, so poor Mazzy can be a Paladin of Yondalla officially rather than in name only?
    AerakarCrevsDaak
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    Grammarsalad
  • _Luke__Luke_ Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 1,535
    edited February 2017
    What about Lanteri B) ?
  • tbone1tbone1 Member Posts: 1,985
    Vallmyr said:

    tbone1 said:

    broke Alora's heart

    FIGHT ME

    No, it's because he didn't want to endanger her or other halflings because of his Bhaal nature. Broke his heart, too, to be honest.
  • profanitywarningprofanitywarning Member Posts: 294
    mine too, just reading that.
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