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Shadowdancer Mage

yksimaltyksimalt Member Posts: 115
edited September 2016 in Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition
So...

Rolled a 95 (been quite lucky these last few rolls) and chose a Shadowdancing human.

Was thinking to Dual class CHARNAME to Mage after having maxed Find Traps and Open Locks.

Has anyone tried the combo before? Should I keep something special in mind before or after the Dual Class choice?

Thanks in advance.

/A.

Comments

  • KuronaKurona Member Posts: 881
    edited September 2016
    Shadowdancer/Mage is a very defensive class combo. Its point is to have a mage capable of vanishing at any moment even when their aura is clouded thanks to Hide in Plain Sight. You really need to put all your points in stealth for this though, and rely on another thief for locks and traps. Better to dual class at level 13 for the x4 backstab multiplier.

    It's not bad on the offense either -- a Shadowdancer/Mage polymorphed into an Ogre will wreck things pretty bad with strong backstabs every round -- but primarily it means that enemies who can't innately see invisible creatures can't threaten you in any way.

    Edit: If you don't plan to import the character into BG2 it's not really a good dual class. A pure Shadowdancer is pretty strong in BG1 anyways.
  • yksimaltyksimalt Member Posts: 115
    Hello,

    I appreciate the input.

    I was planning to import into BG2EE, and am currently soloing through BGEE.

    I was thinking to solo through BG2EE as well (if possible) hence the need for Find traps and Open locks.

    Possibly I could have gone for a multiclass Mage/Thief, but I really like the Shadowstep ability (allowing for a tactical retreat at the most crucial of times).

    Backstabbing hasn't been in my thoughts though. Which spells should I focus on if I choose such an option?

    /A.

  • RaduzielRaduziel Member Posts: 4,714
    You can always rely on potions for Open Locks and Find Traps. Don't need it to be maximized.

    Potion of Mind Focus (+15%)* + Potion of Perception (+20%) + Potion of Master Thievery (+40% - Open Locks only) + Potion of Power (+20%)

    *Assuming you've started with a score of 18 in Dexterity

    They should linger enough for you to get things done. And advice: get invisible, scout the full area looking for traps and locks, disarm/open then all, and go for the killing.
  • JumboWheat01JumboWheat01 Member Posts: 1,028
    And when you become a mage, you won't need to worry about potions at all! Knock is an awesome spell and a personal favorite of mine. One of the reasons I enjoy being a Transmuter (well, in non-computer games. They always make Abjuration its opposing school for some reason...)
  • yksimaltyksimalt Member Posts: 115
    So then going for max in Find traps, Hide, and Move silently, before dual-classing is a good way to go?

    /A.

  • JumboWheat01JumboWheat01 Member Posts: 1,028
    Well Hide and Move Silently actually have a benefit for having more than 100 in their skill, since there are penalties to using stealth in daylight, you might just have to bite the bullet and have another thief in your party to cover the Find Traps and Open Lock skill while you're leveling up as a Shadowdancer.
  • yksimaltyksimalt Member Posts: 115
    Well, it is a bit difficult soloing through the game (see above) with another character tagging along... :smile:

    /A.
  • yksimaltyksimalt Member Posts: 115
    So...

    Still Shadowdancer (haven't multiclassed yet) and I am finding the class poor in combat.

    I am dual-wielding venom dagger with a +1 dagger, but I rarely (seldomly enough) get in any good hits.

    Didn't go for backstab, and maybe that is where I went wrong.

    In open space combat, the Shadowdancer doesn't seem to cut it.

    Any takes?

    /A.

  • JumboWheat01JumboWheat01 Member Posts: 1,028
    Dual Wielding may be your problem, it wreaks havoc with THAC0.
  • WowoWowo Member Posts: 2,064
    Very difficulty to have good thac0 dual wielding as a thief.

    Many mods remedy this by allowing more points to be invest in TWF'ing by thieves.

    With 18/00+ strength (via items, tomes or buffs), high + weapons and some thac0 boosting gear it can be viable in vanilla but it's hard going.

    In BG1 you're better off going with single weapon style at least until you get the strength tome (assuming that you have 18 base strength).

  • yksimaltyksimalt Member Posts: 115
    Sheathed the off hand dagger and I seem to get more hits in more often.

    Thanks for the advice!

    /A.
  • yksimaltyksimalt Member Posts: 115
    Sheathed the off hand dagger and I seem to get more hits in more often.

    Thanks for the advice!

    /A.
  • WowoWowo Member Posts: 2,064
    yksimalt said:

    Sheathed the off hand dagger and I seem to get more hits in more often.

    Thanks for the advice!

    /A.

    Sheathing my dagger with my offhand while getting hits in with my main hand has always worked for me!
  • JumboWheat01JumboWheat01 Member Posts: 1,028
    Wowo said:

    yksimalt said:

    Sheathed the off hand dagger and I seem to get more hits in more often.

    Thanks for the advice!

    /A.

    Sheathing my dagger with my offhand while getting hits in with my main hand has always worked for me!
    You made that sound really dirty.
  • WowoWowo Member Posts: 2,064
    JumboWheat01 said:

    Wowo said:

    yksimalt said:

    Sheathed the off hand dagger and I seem to get more hits in more often.

    Thanks for the advice!

    /A.

    Sheathing my dagger with my offhand while getting hits in with my main hand has always worked for me!
    You made that sound really dirty.
    Takes 2 to tango.
  • yksimaltyksimalt Member Posts: 115
    Behave Gentlemen, behave... ;-)
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