Generally IWD-2 offers some awesome classes and class-combinations - all featuring very interesting abilities. This especially is important for the thief skills and the scouting skills. All the ranger, rogue, bard and monk classes have thief/ scout abilities in common so the problem arises how to make best use from the six slots you have available for the game.

I created a Broken Order monk-rogue and I was a little disappointed when I found both classes getting the evasion feat as a class ability underway - I hate to waste feats and levels. So how to use levels and classes to best efficiency?

IMO it is best to distinguish between the two professions of scouting and the thief skills and to *disperse* them on the party. In my current party I solved that by creating:
a human ranger-evoker Arakus Forrester (I wanted him to gain dualwielding and stealth - so he can hide and then defend himself properly if needed. I also wanted him to be able to move with my halfling rogue - nothing beats a good fireball from the fog of stealth - guided by a forward observer). On the long run he'll become a formidable identifyer. a halfling strongheart fighter-rogue who is my parties scout and archer and trap disarmer. Actually I think that fighter and rogue are a very goot yet a very common and conventional combination, IMO the best combination for a combat oriented thief. a human bard, providing the charme needed for diplomacy, bluff and intimidation - the best frontface I ever had - far more versatile that the aasimar pally who leads the group and for the earlier levels a very good identifyer. Underway she'll also gain a reasonable stealth to allow her to hide too if needed.I also tried out a lvl-4 human fighter - and the switched over and made him a pure monk - the result was clearly awesome and IMO the best scout possible in IWD-2, and skillwise very impressive too. The bonus skill points per level have made the human a very attractive race again - a feature that got a little lost in the earlier games IWD and in the BG-series. I didn't include this char in my party because his areas of excellence were *served* already by the three chars I described above.
So what are your philosophies, concepts and thougts about how to include thievery and stealth into your party?

[ September 27, 2002, 09:26: Message edited by: Ragusa ]

I try to multiclass as little as possible and stick to the core classes. Multiclassing spellcasters is really a waste with the 3E rules I think. I decided the second time through the game to go without a bard and with a little more fighting power. I'm in chapter 3 now with a pretty decent looking party.

Aasimar 5 Paladin / 4 Fighter (longsword)
Shield Dwarf 9 Fighter (Hammer/Bastard Sword)
Half Orc 9 Barbarian (Polearm)
Aasimar 9 Cleric of Lathander (Mace)
Human 9 Sorcerer (crossbow)
Tiefling 5 Rogue 4 Fighter (longbow/dual shortswords)

I gave the paladin expertise and some negotiation skills. He's got 8 dex to make room for the 13 int requirement. The 5 bonus AC more than makes up for it.

The Dwarf and Barbarian both use power attack. The dwarf has maximized attacks, the Barbarian is sitting at over 220hp.

Cleric was a tough call. I liked Tempus for the axe skill and summon spells, and Talos for the extra firepower. But in the end Lathander's killer Order spells and the extra Lay on Hands tipped the scales.

IMHO Sorcerer is a no-brainer. Having your choice of spells when you level is great... and you have to love the flexibility of casting on the fly. Not sure why anyone would play a wizard, but I guess some like the variety of spells.

The rogue is my main archer and talker. He's maxxed out in all conversation skills. Was considering making him a straight 4 rogue/4 fighter and then taking wizard the rest of the way, but I'll probably just continue with the rogue levels. The high level rogue skills aren't really imoprtant to an archer, but what good would a 4 ROG/4 WAR/4 WIZ be in the endgame? Not much I would guess.

Thanks for your reply but allow me to clarify since my topic title may be misleading:

I basically wanted to focus this thread on the best use of scouting and thieving skills in a party only.

Oh Ragusa, you just can't get enough of these party composition threads ;) :p :grin: .

Well now that I realize that a bard in this game can take on the disable device and open lock skills, not to mention bards get a number of skill points anyways, I think I see less of a "need" for a rogue in terms of a thief.

I have a Monk of the Broken Order currently and she is good, and getting better. But if I had given some "thief type" skill points to my bard and left her just a monk, that might have been better. But we'll see.

But for the future, I think it's going to be give the responsibility to the bard, or make a fighter/thief. A thief/spellcaster doesn't seem as good.