Which characters?

[Boeing]

Hello everybody,

I'm about to start a BG2 game. I will start a multiplayer game and take control over all characters myself. My problem is, I don't know which characters I'm going to take! I've alreade pre-generated four that I'm goona use:

Korth, a fighter (longsword)
Ter'al, a swashbuckler (short sword)
Murenor, a cleric (priest of lathlander)
Thianix, an illusionist

I don't want to dual-class. Any suggestions for the remaining two characters? (or the four listed)

Thanks in advance!

[ February 04, 2004, 10:29: Message edited by: Boeing ]

[chevalier]

You could go foursome and amass more XP per capita

I would take a second mage, but that would cause a necessity to be careful with your scrolls. Perhaps a sorcerer then? A wizard and a sorcerer make a nice combo. One plentiful supply of your favourite spells and one versatile caster for special needs. Both able to cast from scrolls if need be.

A second cleric, or a druid/fighter wouldn't hurt you. Or even a vanilla druid - after all, you'll get ironskin reasonably early.

Perhaps an Undead Slayer for getting rid of the omnipresent undead at a cheap cost. Or an Inquisitor for uberdispel and unfailing true sight. Perhaps an archer, just for the fun of it.

Swashbuckler definitely needs a katana, not short swords. You need a patch to be able to get two proficiency slots there. Or take the 25weap.2da or some such filename and edit that yourself.

[Aldeth the Foppish Idiot]

I would add a cleric/mage, and another tank. I would recommend a paladin - or any kit thereof, but another fighter or a ranger would work as well.

[Loerand]

I would have added only one character. Ranger/Cleric, they're awesome. And please, don't flame me or call me a powergamer. He would fit perfectly in

[Djieff]

Definitely another tank, either a paladin --any kit will do nicely-- or a fighter/druid.

You don't really need anyone else, but why not throw in a bard, just for the hell of it. He adds some mage power and can pickpocket and identify. At worse you can just have him sing all the time and enjoy the benefits.

[Sarevok•]

I would go for:

Me – Plain old fighter
2. – Kensai [dual class to thief] [or you can be awkward not dual class and just choose a lowly thief class.]
3. – Fighter
4. – Fighter
5. – Monk
6. – Sorcerer / Priest / Another Fighter

Don’t choose Mage’s, if you want to use magic then just use a Sorcerer, they are easier, stronger and a lot more fun then mage’s and you don’t need to waste loads of points on Intelligence

Melee > Magic

[Klorox]

Ranger/Cleric Multiclass is definitely the way to go. And for cryin' out loud, multiclass that Thief! There is no point in playing a single-classed thief in this game (a backup Thief/Mage would work great!).

I'd leave the 6th slot open, and pick up NPC's for their personal quests along the way.

[Xei Win Toh]

Inquisitor and Cleric/Mage. 'Nuff said.

[Malovae]

Your going to get alot of mixed replies here so I will give a reason for the recomendations:

Sorcerer:

They get to select 5 spells per level max but can cast any of these five for a certain ammount of times. This is better than it sounds, trust me A warning though.... know your spells before you pick them, and know how and when to use them as there is no point in learning a spell if you have no idea what situation what to use it in. Search SP forums for hints on this.

Ok, i'd stay away from a cleric but if you want one thats fine because, er .... well its your game The Fighter / Druid however is much more powerful due to its Iron Skin spell, Insect plague, and Uber Fire Elemental (well, it lasts a long time) - its weapon picks aren't bad either.

Paladins are a touchy issue as to which one is best, I would say the Inquisitor, but he Cavalier has more resistances. The Undead hunter is over rated as the 'amulet of power' can be worn by any Paladin giving the level drain bonus and the extra's don't really make it a worthy kit.

Archers are the best ranged unit but are not for people unfamiliar with the game.


Cleric / mages are the best spell casters in BG2 and have very cool 'contingincies'. With the Robe of Vecna, healing spells can be cast so fast its not even funny.

Ranger / Cleric give both cleric and druid spells and make the best divine spell caster.

Ok finally, there was a comment about a thief - these just rock!! There is a guide on SP that confirms what I've thought about this class for a while. Give it a read, they won't disappoint!

I would have wrote more indepth but I'm missing Millenium so sorry But here's my ideal party I can think up on the spot (without SK use):

PC - Fighter / Thief multiclass
2. Fighter / Druid
3. Sorcerer
4. Ranger /Cleric
if you want a pure tank
5. Inquisitor or Fighter / Mage

I would never take a party like this anymore but it certainly could beat the game without a sweat - easily!

[Boeing]

Hmm... I think I'm gonna remake my four characters as well. Thanks for all the replies, they have been of great help. I think I'm gonna have these chars in my party:

- A paladin of some sort
- A pure fighter (or maybe a Kensai?)
- A cleric
- A thief of some sort
- A Mage of some sort or a Sorcerer
- Probably an Archer, havn't decided yet

Meh, it might not be the best party, but as Malovae said, it's my game

Now, I've got some more questions:

Which weapon types should my characters specialize in?

Should I go with a Sorcerer or a Mage?

Fighter or Kensai?

Again, thanks in advance!

[casey]

Well if you're as new to BGII as I think you are then play it safe and go for a pure mage until you get 5 spells each level that you prefer, set in stone first.

I know that Kensais make great killing machines but they can't wear armour of any kind at all, so unless you like to baby sit your character pick someone else or have your Kensai well protected by letting your armoured fighters take all the attacks, also I'm pretty sure that later on a Barbarian could beat a Kensai and I've heard the same about the Beserker but I havn't tried either of them.

[Meatdog]

For the fighter, go Berserker, the only thing you lose is Ranged Power but on the other hand you gain alot of immunities through raging. The most important one is IMHO immunity to imprisonment.

Since you'll already have immunities via fighter, I'd say go Inquisitor for the Paladin. If for some reason you don't want Inquisitor (maybe you find the game too easy with one) then I'd say Undead Hunter. The more people protectec from Level Drain, the better. The Amulet of Power can then protect another character. Don't forget the Berserkers rage makes him immune to level drain.

Go for a kit with the cleric, which one is up to your playing style. Or for a better thank and spell versatility go with the Ranger/Cleric.

For the thief, if you want backstab, go Assassin, for simple good meleer go Swashbuckler and if you want to be able to do both, go fighter/thief, which is IMHO the best choice overall due to versatility.

Go with pure mage and if you're not powergaming I'd suggest playing him as a wild mage. The wild surges are rarely really bad and with him you get as much spell slots as a specialist but without a school of opposition. And never forget Nahal's Reckless Dweomer, but never use it without (Improved) Chaos Shield. Also I would make this your protagonist, (the first character slot in multiplayer) so that you can cast Find Familiar.

Archer is good since if you follow my recommendations you'll already have 3-4 tanks so some ranged support might be nice.

Now for proficiency (I'll start from the suggested party, but you can easily use the same proficiency with similar characters):
- Paladin -> Two-handed Sword & Two-handed fighting style(that was easy)
- Fighter/Thief -> Katana & dual-wielding or One-handed style
- Ranger/Cleric -> Flail & Mace & War Hammer & dual-wielding (in that order, but if you take another kind of Cleric without Ranger, then forget dual-wielding and use a shield, could even put points in sword-and-shield style if you have the points to spare)
- Wild Mage -> Maybe sling & Dagger & Quarterstaff but it isn't that important. The Dagger proficiency is to use Throwing Daggers, preferably a magical one that returns to hand.
- Archer -> Now alot of people on these boards will say Shortbows, because of the ones with unlimited ammunition. But I say go with Longbow since they are more powerfull and for the unlimited ammo there is nothing better then an (upgraded) Quiver of Plenty.
- Berserker -> Halberd & Two-handed Weapon style. You might want to start with one star in spear or quarterstaff so you can equip your Berserker with a weapon at the start of the game, but don't continue in it, except when you have the points to spare.

You might find that my recommandations are somewhat melee oriented, and you would be completely right. But I thought that wouldn't hurt since you play with as little spellcasters as I do. Now go have fun with your party instead of wasting your time on this thread.