Evil/Neutral Party advice

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.baldurs-gate (More info?)

I've got BG1/BG:ToSC/BG2/BG:ToB all installed under BGtutu, and I've
just restarted from scratch with an evil female half-elf bard (skald
kit). Right now, I'm only in chapter 1, but I'm at a loss on who to put
in my party.

Normally, I have 2 main tanks, 2 casters, and 2 others in the middle
which can also tank in a pinch (and usually do for most fights). My
bard will be one of these in the middle pair. The tanks don't have to
be just fighters, they can also be clerics, druids, or rangers with the
right stats.

I figure I'll keep Imoen for the theiving skills, and she'll stand next
to my bard in the middle row. Other NPCs I think would be good for this
party would be Viconia and Edwin. That just leaves me needing at least
1 more tank and possibly another caster, though you can certainly do
BG1 and ToSC just fine with only one mage. Xzar and Monty, perhaps? For
some reason including them in the party seems like it would be a little
underpowered for some of the tougher ToSC fights, like the cultist
battle. Maybe I could keep Xzar (swapping him out for Xan later), but
in the meantime, arrange for Monty to have a little "accident" and
replace him with someone else... but who?

Anyway, I've haven't played much with bards as party members and never
as my main character, so this should be interesting. I'm thinking of
having her go dual-weild, since bards can only use a buckler, and
there's only one Kiel's Buckler, which Imoen should probably use. My
bard has high DEX, CHA, and INT, but low STR, WIS, and CON, so maybe
she should be avoiding melee altogether.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.baldurs-gate (More info?)

"Repent Bruce C. Miller!" said the Ticktockman. "Get Stuffed!" Bruce C.
Miller replied. Then he added:

> Anyway, I've haven't played much with bards as party members and never
> as my main character, so this should be interesting. I'm thinking of
> having her go dual-weild, since bards can only use a buckler, and
> there's only one Kiel's Buckler, which Imoen should probably use. My
> bard has high DEX, CHA, and INT, but low STR, WIS, and CON, so maybe
> she should be avoiding melee altogether.
>

I would get Kagain from Beregost and Shar-teel from the Basilisk map.
Vicky doesn't count as a tank without a strength boost. That gives you two
tanks, 1 1/2 casters, 1 1/2 theives and a cleric.

--
Billy Yank

Quinn: "I'm saying it's us, or them."
Murphy: "Well I choose them."
Q: "That's NOT an option!"
M: "Then you shouldn't have framed it as one."
-Sealab 2021

Billy Yank's Baldur's Gate Photo Portraits
http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze2xvw6/

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.baldurs-gate (More info?)

Jonathan Ellis wrote:
> Viconia may be a cleric, but no way can she tank - she has neither
> adequate strength or constitution. At best, she's a "middle-row"
> person, using a sling. With Imoen, Viconia and Edwin - I'd go for
> Kagain (in an inn in Beregost) and Shar-Teel (you'd better have a male
> fighter who can beat her up though.)

It's true that she does have low HP. I have had her in the front line
in a few games. Perhaps my parties have been a little caster-heavy
then. With the right items she can have pretty good AC though. I
usually gave her my best shield and that +2 hammer with the electrical
dmg. Shar-Teel definitely seems like a good choice. I'll consider
Kagain, but it would be nice if he had 17 or 18 STR at least, since he
is just a straight fighter. But looking through the NPC list, he's
probably the best choice. Hmmm... Kivan could also be a possibility,
since he has decent STR and DEX. I know most people tend to have him
use a composite bow, but he seems to have the stats for melee as well.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.baldurs-gate (More info?)

Billy Yank wrote:
> "Repent Bruce C. Miller!" said the Ticktockman. "Get Stuffed!" Bruce C.
> Miller replied. Then he added:
>
> > Anyway, I've haven't played much with bards as party members and never
> > as my main character, so this should be interesting. I'm thinking of
> > having her go dual-weild, since bards can only use a buckler, and
> > there's only one Kiel's Buckler, which Imoen should probably use. My
> > bard has high DEX, CHA, and INT, but low STR, WIS, and CON, so maybe
> > she should be avoiding melee altogether.
> >
>
> I would get Kagain from Beregost and Shar-teel from the Basilisk map.
> Vicky doesn't count as a tank without a strength boost. That gives you two
> tanks, 1 1/2 casters, 1 1/2 theives and a cleric.

Yes, I always gave Viconia one of the strength items. Without it, she's
rather useless in melee. If you give her your best armor, that combined
with her 19 dex does somewhat make up for her low HP. In this case, I
find her more useful than Jaheria, especially since she's so much
better at the priest spells.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.baldurs-gate (More info?)

"Bruce C. Miller" <bm3719@ark.ship.edu> wrote in message
news:1119471986.938213.29200@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> I've got BG1/BG:ToSC/BG2/BG:ToB all installed under BGtutu, and I've
> just restarted from scratch with an evil female half-elf bard (skald
> kit). Right now, I'm only in chapter 1, but I'm at a loss on who to
put
> in my party.
>
> Normally, I have 2 main tanks, 2 casters, and 2 others in the middle
> which can also tank in a pinch (and usually do for most fights). My
> bard will be one of these in the middle pair. The tanks don't have
to
> be just fighters, they can also be clerics, druids, or rangers with
the
> right stats.
>
> I figure I'll keep Imoen for the theiving skills, and she'll stand
next
> to my bard in the middle row. Other NPCs I think would be good for
this
> party would be Viconia and Edwin. That just leaves me needing at
least
> 1 more tank and possibly another caster, though you can certainly do
> BG1 and ToSC just fine with only one mage. Xzar and Monty, perhaps?
For
> some reason including them in the party seems like it would be a
little
> underpowered for some of the tougher ToSC fights, like the cultist
> battle. Maybe I could keep Xzar (swapping him out for Xan later),
but
> in the meantime, arrange for Monty to have a little "accident" and
> replace him with someone else... but who?

Viconia may be a cleric, but no way can she tank - she has neither
adequate strength or constitution. At best, she's a "middle-row"
person, using a sling. With Imoen, Viconia and Edwin - I'd go for
Kagain (in an inn in Beregost) and Shar-Teel (you'd better have a male
fighter who can beat her up though.)

Jonathan.