Archer or Stalker
Danacm
Member Posts: 951
Im play currently a game in bgee SOD, bit i want to play another only in bg2ee.
I want to try a ranger but i cant choose between archer and stalker. I heard that arrows are nerfed in bg2, is it corrected in bg2ee? And backstab is viable later in tge game ? Archer can fight well in melee if needed ?
Thats all questions and i need your advices.
Thanks for help
I want to try a ranger but i cant choose between archer and stalker. I heard that arrows are nerfed in bg2, is it corrected in bg2ee? And backstab is viable later in tge game ? Archer can fight well in melee if needed ?
Thats all questions and i need your advices.
Thanks for help
0
Comments
Archer does ok in melee, if needed, as you'll want to start with 18 in strength anyway to utilize composite bows, though of course he/she won't get any extra attacks from proficiencies. It can be overriden by installing Weimer's item upgrade mod where apart other sweet items you can craft a +4 club after Spellhold that sets your club prof to GM.
A Stalker is basically just a weaker, less useful Fighter/Thief. I think people just like them for roleplaying reasons.
Clay golems:you need magical crushing, you can not kill them ranged.
Stone golems:you need +2 arrows but they are plenty
Iron/adamantine golem:you need +3, Tasheron's bow hurt them! And they are sitting ducks if they can not walk across a narrow door.
Stuff that requires +4 to hit:there are only a few monsters like this, you need Gessen's bow, Firetooth crossbow, or one of the heavier slings to hit them, but it is of no consequence. Slings do massive damage with giant strength bonus on top of your kit bonuses, and with greater whirlwind number of attacks is moot.
Shortbow is the way to go or bg2, Tugian bow is super awesome starter weapon and easy to get. Arrows are also very tactical:fire/acid arrows to melt trolls, ice arrows to disrupt casters through stoneskin, dispel arrows for debuff and arrows of biting to lock enemy mages. Arrow of detonation for mass-slaughter.
You can go archer13 dual to cleric (dual at 1.5mil, regain at another 1.5mil). You'll lose 2 points in damage and about 5 in thac0 but get tons of spells instead.
@joluv Archer/Cleric multi-class?
@Queegon: The screenshot is of a dual-class. Was that the question?
Thought I still think that the Archer is better with Call Shot reducing enemies' saves which is unique.
Just don't use longbows. Shortbows, crossbows, slings, whatever, but not longbows. They're stronger in BG1 where you'll be strong enough already, and weaker in BG2 where the disadvantage is actually going to matter.
And with Weimer's upgrade you can get Teleomortis crafted from Gond/Gesen string + Heartseeker into a longbow version of Gesen:
Combat Abilities: Creates its own ghostly +4 arrows. A target struck by such an arrow has a 5% chance of being confused for 30 seconds.
THAC0: +4
Damage: 1d6 +4
Weight: 7
Speed Factor: 1
Proficiency Type: Longbow
Type: 2-handed
Requires: 18 Strength
The best archer should have ***** in shortbows and crossbows, ** in slings, and one * in staves or spears and one * in two handed style. You can have this at max levels, however order is important, though. I recommend gm in shortbows at first, then crossbows, as tugian bow's apr bonus stack with gm bonuses for very fast attacks throughout majority of SoA. Kuo-toa bolts and the need for firetooth crossbow's +4 to hit come later in the game.
The question I see about Stalkers, from a mechanics standpoint, is efficiency being in favor of the multiclass character. A Fighter/Thief Half-Orc has 19 strength, and so won't need a strength boosting item in BGII for a while, espcially with the strength Tome getting them to 20. They can also be the party's trap/lock specialist, something Stalkers can't do, so you'll still need a thief for that role. A Stalker may get more proficiencies, but by the time you hit BG 2 you don't need that many, since you're limited to 2 pips in any one weapon. Their stats are also a little easier to swing.
Stalkers have some extra utility from their spells. Shield of Faith's damage reduction is very good later in the game. That could make a big difference, especially in ToB, but by the time they get Haste and their other kit spells your mages and/or sorcerers will be able to apply them easily. Freeing up their spell slots is nice, but does not seem incredibly necessary.