What is your best tank for LoB(nightmare mode)/SCS and why?
Myrag
Member Posts: 328
Hello BG veterans and all enthusiasts!
Let’s discuss our favorite/best tank character for well-known Legacy of Bhaal difficulty in BGEE/BG2EE (with or without SCS). Please specify as much in depth details as possible so we all can learn from your expertise.
So far I tried R/C extensively in LoB/SCS (not all mage setting maxed out) and I found it superb so I’ll post a short summary of it.
Advantages
- Has cleric spells so can serve as your single cleric in party
- Has super low AC when using shield and plate armor; for most of game requires enemies to get natural 20 rolls to score a hit on him, especially if you run with skald
- If druid spells are on (setting in baldur.lua) iron skins are just amazing because they allow him to single tank most of encounters not to mention other druid spells
- Does decent damage
Disadvantages
- Less weapon proficiency points than F/C or dual
- More restrictive than F/M options in terms of gear and weapons
At this moment, I’m trying to get F/C full BGEE and BG2EE run in 6man party. Start of the game is though as he can’t stand in melee for basically a single round but this might change later. Not sure yet if without iron skins he will be viable until late TOB.
Interesting options are F/M, F->M, FMT that I didn’t had a chance to try yet. Not sure if any other combinations can withstand the battering of 10 enemies at once as they will get quite few natural 20’s on the tank in short period of time. I also try to avoid summons if possible so I don’t plan my tank around them taking the hits.
What are your tanking choices for LoB?
ps. I know there is general topic for this but I wanted to focus this purely on the matter on tanking choices.
Let’s discuss our favorite/best tank character for well-known Legacy of Bhaal difficulty in BGEE/BG2EE (with or without SCS). Please specify as much in depth details as possible so we all can learn from your expertise.
So far I tried R/C extensively in LoB/SCS (not all mage setting maxed out) and I found it superb so I’ll post a short summary of it.
Advantages
- Has cleric spells so can serve as your single cleric in party
- Has super low AC when using shield and plate armor; for most of game requires enemies to get natural 20 rolls to score a hit on him, especially if you run with skald
- If druid spells are on (setting in baldur.lua) iron skins are just amazing because they allow him to single tank most of encounters not to mention other druid spells
- Does decent damage
Disadvantages
- Less weapon proficiency points than F/C or dual
- More restrictive than F/M options in terms of gear and weapons
At this moment, I’m trying to get F/C full BGEE and BG2EE run in 6man party. Start of the game is though as he can’t stand in melee for basically a single round but this might change later. Not sure yet if without iron skins he will be viable until late TOB.
Interesting options are F/M, F->M, FMT that I didn’t had a chance to try yet. Not sure if any other combinations can withstand the battering of 10 enemies at once as they will get quite few natural 20’s on the tank in short period of time. I also try to avoid summons if possible so I don’t plan my tank around them taking the hits.
What are your tanking choices for LoB?
ps. I know there is general topic for this but I wanted to focus this purely on the matter on tanking choices.
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Comments
For BG2, I pretty much always tank with a Fighter-Mage hybrid (either dual or multi). With SCS+LoB, using a shield is probably best; while AC isn't as good as it is at low levels (BG1) it's still great to have for long fights. Outside of that, Stoneskin is simply the best thing since sliced gibberlings. While it is limited in charges, combined with AC and the overall moderate number of enemies actually hitting you at the same time in BG2 (unlike the 20+ mob packs in, say, IWD) it lasts for a long, long time. Having access to PfMW is of course also amazing, though I usually reserve that for pinch situations against really dangerous enemies (e.g. dragons).
Clerics are fine tanks as well, but I find they don't actually have that many spells that are both useful AND cannot be cast on other people. In fact, two of their best personal buff spells (DuHM and Righteous Magic) are best used offensively rather than defensively, so I usually have my F-C hybrid in a damage role rather than tank (part of that is also due to IR/SR nerfing +APR weapons and Improved Haste so the weapon restriction isn't a big deal).
What still remains to be tested for me is Fighter-Druid. Since Iron Skins is essentially Stoneskin, it depends on what else Druid brings to the table compared to Mage. Tentatively I'd say not enough to warrant using it, but I'll have to see.
Dwarven Defender I suppose is also an option. I dislike not having hybrid potential, but there is no denying that Defensive Stance is very powerful (even with IR-nerfed Defender of Easthaven). Also needs testing.