What proficiencies do you like to give your NPC's? I'm playing Conjurer protagonist with Keldorn, Mincs, Yoshimo, Jaheira and I rotate the last NPC depending on the quest (only good or neutral NPC's...no Edwin, Viconia etc.).I am interested in your ideas for any NPC, but I am particularly interested in what you do with Jaheira. She is so versatile it's hard to choose...should I bump shield from proficient to mastery? She uses her sling of seeking a lot...bump up sling? Haven't found a good scimitar or club yet so dual wield seems pointless...

Also..where can I find out which monsters are 'Beholders"? and what their capabilities/spells/attacks/defenses etc. are?...(thinkin' about that shield)

Mostly I continue with the profs. that the NPC's come with, but for Jaheira I usually go club, darts and one or two points in sword and shield style.

Darts huh...everyone tells me NOT to use darts...they say the only good dart is the 'asp' one...and her club is maxed at 2 from the start I think.

I always like to have at least one person with darts(usually Jaheira when I have her) because you can get pretty good magical ones and are thrown at 3/round at the least, so they are great against mages, combine them with Jaheira's anti-mage druid spells and she will kill any mage you come across(almost)

About the beholders, you should be able to find a good monster guide here... http://www.sorcerers.net/Games/BG2/index.php

I always give Jaheira ** in scimitars and *** in 2-weapon style, then have her dual-wield two scimitars, with the off-hand one being the one that gives +1 attack per round (Belm I think). It's pretty fun :)

Ya I've been interested in darts but have been steered away from them by other people...although killing mages is definitely a good thing heh. Too bad I sold all my darts to get a robe for my protagonist mage.

Oh yeah, sometimes I get her to dual wield scimitars and clubs, belm in the off hand, a good club in the main hand.

I second Ziad's advice, although I usually don't get her to dual-wield. I prefer to use her as my primary punishment-absorbing tank. Belm +2 and Water's Edge +3 are the best options for this build, whether you dual-wield or not, although Water's Edge is only available when you reach the Underdark.

Wow...thanks for all the input...and fast too! :) Maybe Im doin' something wrong...She is wearing plate mail+1, helm of charm protection and a +2 small sheild (best stuff I have for her right now). She is level 8 fighter/11 druid with **club, *scimitar, *staff, *sling,and *sword and shield. She is ready to level..all i gotta do is decide. Anyway she cant tank at all..gets hurt easily even though her ac is -7 (maybe I need to memorize Iron skins?)....thats why I was thinking sling (or dart???) but I would much rather have her absorb damage up front for the team rather than throw pebbles from the back of the group.

Therthe: Thanks for the link but I didn't see anything there about beholders, and I cant buy the guides ($$) :p

Off Topic: Romance...I dont like Aerie (a WHINER!) and I think there is no chance with Jaheira (she is too cold anyway)...who else could I romance? Must be a good or nuetral NPC...no evil.

What about spears? - I am thinking about the one you get in the underdark (I think it has 10 extra piercing damage). She was just slaughtering everyone last time I had her in my party. Combine that spear with iron skins for an unstopable fighting machine.

Sorry 'bout the dud link Isshy, I don't know much 'bout the beholders abilities, but they are basically a huge central eye, with all these other little eyes sprouting around it. I think its rays charm or hold you.

About the romance, at the start Jaheira's romance is crap, but I personally liked it once I got into it more. Or you could see if there are any downloadable NPC Add-ons/Mods that allow romances. Or you could change your PC to a female and romance Amomen, but on second thoughts he really annoying...

She's amazing with the sling of seeking if you improve her STR, really, 2* in this is a good choice.
If you want to put money in her (after all she's your girlfriend), you'll get a great club in Trademeet. If not, go for scimitars or staffs (there's a +2, one hand staff you will get).
Forget about spears, they are not very good weapons. Your NPC can't hide behind low AC tanks and they get slaughtered in melee. I tried it with Valygar, yes he dealt lots of damage, but he took even more.

I had problems with Jaheira the first few times I played. Then I equipped her with sling & spear and she improved much. Next time I play her I think I'll try the dual wielding.

Why does everyone shun darts?

I never go for dual weilding with Jaheira. Sword n Sheilds for her. Belm is an off hand weapon, not for her.
I generally up slings and then scimtars. Clubs she has maxed out anyways. Go to the city having animal trouble, there you get the best druid weapons.

IMO the Sword n Sheild style proficiency is a waste. All it does is improve your AC v/s ranged weapons.
Spears are not a good choice since you only get decent spears from the Shaguin City onwards.

Beholders are creatures which float around, have numerous eye stalks but one main eye from which they shoot their rays. Along with doing a lot of damage fast, beholder rays can also stun you. The Sheild of Balduran reflects these rays, so the beholders effectively kill themselves. For more ingame knowledge of them, accept the quest in the Temple District.

Why does everyone shun darts? ... coz you buy darts in packs of 20 and other missles in packs of 40? :p Anyways I dont remember finding a lot of darts.

I like Jaheira with the firetooth dagger (I think that's what it's called).

It does 2d4+2 damage, plus fire damage on top of that. It's a returning dagger too. I use it as a hurled weapon until baddies get close, then switch it to a melee weapon.

Against certain baddies, there's a +4 dagger (1d4+4) in the underdark too. That's what I put in her other slot. Hold onto a club for clay golems. :)

Those are nice choices for her. For a club I like to use the one you get from the troll altar in Spellhold.

Does the weapon make a difference when she is in werewolf or bear form?

No, it doesn't make any difference.

Belm plus a shield, the firetooth dagger from afar. What can I say? The girl's ready to rock and roll. :cool:

If you are planning to take her to Tob, go for spears.
Hers is the longest romance (real-time dependant a lot, and multiple chances to srew up on her), avoid the following effects on her at all cost:
dead
turned to stone
(feeblemind and the like)
do not kick her out of the party after Johns dungeon, if she leaves on her own behalf it's ok
do not attack her

SPOILER FOLLOWING
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(the slayer does at one point, but I think it's intended and doesn't brake the plot)
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EOM

I probably have a MOD installed which does this, but with darts the STR bonus was added to the damage. Combined with the high RoF it's devastating (prooved my dart slinging true archer kit from another mod). But I usually use Jaheira as a tank with the lowest AC possible and iron skins to absorb the few attacks that do come through.

Jaheira is my darter as well. I play a paladin and have Mazzy right now. Two tanks is enough.

I put J on darts, Vic with sling of seeking and a belt of strength... Aeirie and Tashia use missles with their spells.. it's great.

Hardly anything gets close enough to do damage and the two tanks mop them up quickly.

In my last party she usually works as a tank (I managed not to get the sling of seeking...). For range, she has Arla's Dragonbane, but she almost never uses it. My protagonist is a monk and he sometimes flings a few darts of wounding/stunning. For hardcore ranged damage, I have Kivan (from the mod), while Nalia and sometimes Cernd can help a bit when needed.
However, generally I tend to prefer the melee approach, and Jaheira's low AC, Ironskins, AoF etc. make her a decent tank. So far I'm using a club or Belm with the shield of harmony, but I intend to use her for dual-wield. A dart of wounding is a bad thing for a mage, but the splinters club is even better IMO :)

I Dont remember Jaheira having IronSkin at level 14... maybe when higher or any mod?

EDIT: Lol, didnt notice this topic was old one, sorry

Sling, definitely, for when she gets GWW in the next installment.

in my first run with her, iirc, i used profs on spears and i ended up not using a spear because i gave her a shield. she makes a good tank and in my experience she is best with dagger+shield. give her firetooth both meele and range. in tactics mode Torgals Claw? is nice for meele

I use Firetooth both in melee and missile. Keep a club around for some golems.

The dart idea is a great one... I really might have to try that next time.

Jaheira is the best tank! Her main role in my party is to soak up damage and punishment from enemies, why, with best magical armors, shields, ring of earth control, cloak of sewers, helm of Balduran, her AC is something like -11! Plus she casts Ironskins which makes it even harder to hit her, can heal herself, can summon a lot of animals AND elementals, can lay waste to mages with Insect Plague!

She is SO useful in defense that I hardly notice which weapon she uses, get her the best scimitar + club you can find and she will be OK. Use a str enhancing belt or bracer, add the special sling with str bonus, and she will be a pretty versatile char! I can not believe how somebody can say she is rather weak and useless!

The trick is to deal out much damage fast, that way you don't need anyone to soak up damage. :D

BUT, there will be times that no matter how much damage you do, you will be damaged HEAVILY regardless. Plus I have Mınsc, and a home-made Kensai with Crom Faeyr and Celestial Fury, (he scores 40+ damage per hit, has a THAC0 of -21, and attacks so many times in one round) plus 3 arch-mages (me, Imoen, Nalia) so we have GOOD offensive power. Still, Jaheira DOES good damage, especially when she gets a str enhancing item and Greater Whirlwind attack! But she is the most durable character in the entire party too, that I must say.