14 réponses à ce sujet

[beaglebeagle]

While I wish to study the art of battle, particularly with the ranged weapons of bow and sling, I am not strong. Must I be strong in order to be an effective fighter or palladin? Could I not simply be of average build, but use my quick eye and temerity to crush the forces of evil from afar, learning an arcane skill as well, perhaps?

Or, in short, if I am to set forth from Candlekeep and see my destiny through to its very end, and I wish to pursue both the bow and mystic arts either arcane or holy, can I set aside strength completely and focus instead on the skills of the mind and balance?

[morbidest2]

Yes, but then you want to play as some kind of thief and backstab while invisible. If you use Tutu to bring BG2 complexity into BG1, then there are all sorts of rogue types: for example a BLADE is a mix of small fast swordsman and magic user (think Grey Mouser). While a "tank" fighter is probably the easiest PC to play the first time you try BG, you can win with any "profession"

[Grond0]

Fighters are the easiest characters to get going with and ranged weapons are by far the best choice in BG1 if you don't want to die a lot. Therefore I think your suggestion is sensible - dexterity helps not only by giving you better chances to hit with missiles, but also reduces your armour class so that other things don't hit you so much. Of course for a fighter some stats are not much use, e.g. wisdom, so you might be able to have both strength and dexterity high.

If you do fancy using spells as well you could consider a multi-class, such as fighter / mage, although personally I would be inclined to try dual classing, i.e. start off as a fighter and then become a mage when you've got a few levels (you keep the fighter hit points, but will lose your special fighter abilities, e.g. use of weapons and to hit bonuses, until your mage level exceeds your fighter level). If you do want to dual class you need to be human.

[Sparky The Barbarian]

If this is your first time through, I do recommend a tank. Lots of strength and hit points can offset a lot of newbie mistakes. If you're already comfortable with game mechanics, then a Bow wielding Bard or Rogue can be fun.

[beaglebeagle]

I am slight and slender, I do not think it possible I could be a "tank", as you describe. And while I certainly don't wish to pass judgement, the actions of a thief also leave me queasy. Sneaking up on the unsuspecting and stabbing them? Stealing from others? I'm just not that kind of person.

I am not concerned with the difficulty of my journey, I wish only to pick occupations that will help me to see it through to the very end.

If I were to become a paladin who specialized in the use of bows, with low or moderate strength, shunning all melee arts, would I be asking for trouble?

Or perhaps I should do the same as a fighter and mage, or fighter and cleric. I have never quite understood the advantages or drawbacks of multi-class vs. dual class, and I would love to hear advice from more experienced travelers. So, for the entire journey, what are the advantages and disadvantages, and as I am somehow able to pick my own race, perhaps that is a factor as well?

(Note: Haven't touched my disks in years. I intend to re-purchase BG and BG2 via "Good Old Games" and play from start to finish. I do not know if I'll be able to apply Tutu or even if I want to. I don't want to unbalance the game... I'd be doing TuTu just for the resolution support.)

Modifié par beaglebeagle, 05 mai 2011 - 12:40 .

[HoonDing]

Elf ranger is best choice if you want to focus on ranged weapons, in BG2 you can use the "archer" kit. Elves have advantage of longbow & longsword bonus + can get 19 (and later 20 and beyond) dexterity. Strength is only necessary for slings.

Other possibility is Ranger/Cleric, the most powerful multiclass in the game.

[beaglebeagle]

Becoming a ranger archer and a cleric, both at once, sounds like an enjoyable and rewarding line of study.

I have heard that the arcane arts, however, are vastly under-appreciated by adventurers in western Faerun, and it would behoove me to learn them, lest I leave my party without a good magic missile when needed?

[Charlestonian Knight Templar]

BE, I read your first post and immediately thought of Ranger(Archer)/Cleric. Using Easy Tutu I think you can do that from the get-go.

Not sure, but in that case, if you are an Elf/Half-Elf I think you can progress simulataneously in both w/o having to wait for one to exceed the other as in Human Dual-classing.

My comments are with the caveat that I always play single classed humans so I might be mistaken somewhere.

[beaglebeagle]

I am willing to slowly advance in both fields of study, for the enjoyable gameplay of shifting between bow and clerical/magical spellcasting.

An elf can multiclass in ranger/wizard, ranger/cleric, all the way through BG1 and BG2, advancing in BOTH fields? And I will not need strength to be an effective archer?

[Grond0]

An elf can be a fighter/mage, but not any sort of multi-class cleric. If you want a cleric/ranger you will need to be a half-elf. Other possibilities would be a gnome fighter/illusionist or any of half-elf, gnome, dwarf and half-orc can be fighter/cleric. A half-elf can also be a fighter/druid or even a fighter/mage/cleric. These are the possibilities combining fighters with either cleric or mages within the BG2 engine (which can be used with BG1 using Tutu or BGT). You can do other combinations if you're prepared to hack the game, e.g. using shadowkeeper, but I would suggest that there's no point in you doing this unless you've got a good understanding of what you want (which will require playing the game for a while).

If you do multi-class then you will be able to progress in both classes throughout BG1 and BG2. In dual classing the level of your first class is permanently fixed at the point you dual to your second class.

[beaglebeagle]

Thanks for all the help, this is a very knowledgeable forum!

Last question: I really like the path of the Paladin, essentially a built in fighter/cleric. But I have no interest in melee combat and consider myself dextrous, not strong.

Can a paladin focus on bows, and relinquish strength? What curious challenges might I face on that path?

[Charlestonian Knight Templar]

I always play Paladins or LG Fighters (sometimes Clerics). The answer is yes, you can be a Paladin and focus on bows.

(For what it's worth I generally make my Paladins/Cavaliers etc more like Templar Knights or Knights of the Hospital which were more likely to carry a Mace, Long Sword (and Lance).

My view is that Rangers are outdoorsmen and are more suited to Bows but that's what's cool about the game - you can make it what you want.

As to strength and bows it's only critical to have enough strength to pull the bowstring - a long bow requires some level of strength I think - maybe 12.

Also, there are some awesome magic bows in the game and a couple of them require a level of strength (13 or 15 maybe???) so if you plan to wield those find out what you'll need to use them. Sucks to get the weapon of your dreams and then find out you're PC isn't strong enough to use it.

[Gate70]

Ranged paladin will be fine. Paladins and main characters (and several other classes too) are able to temporarily increase their strength if required. Various items of equipment or potions will also help.

A lack of strength will reduce your carrying capacity, so you may need lighter armour than normal and a companion to carry any heavy items.

A fighter/mage would be OK too.

A ranger cleric would need to use a sling as they can't use bows or darts.

[BelgarathMTH]

In vanilla BG, composite bows require a strength of 18. A character with low strength will never be able to use a composite bow, and longbows have a strength requirement as well.

An archer character with low strength will only be able to use shortbows.

[DragonOfWhiteThunder]

beaglebeagle wrote...

Thanks for all the help, this is a very knowledgeable forum!

Last question: I really like the path of the Paladin, essentially a built in fighter/cleric. But I have no interest in melee combat and consider myself dextrous, not strong.

Can a paladin focus on bows, and relinquish strength? What curious challenges might I face on that path?

Verily, sharp eyes and quick hands will be of great service to you should you find your physical might lacking, and indeed, the bow is an honorable weapon a paladin may use in service of all that is right and good. Yet be forewarned, as without the requisite strength, you shall not be able to even don certain armors, nor draw the mightier bows. Especially the mighty Composite Longbow, which is the very best an archer could have, yet only the strongest of men are able to draw back its string. Do not let this sadden you, however, as you are not without recourse!

A mage might know the spell of "Strength," which will make you mightier than most any man for a time. Gauntlets of Ogre Power or Belts of Giant Strength will make you as mighty as the creature that gave the item its name. Finally, if you are blessed with the discovery of an enchanted Composite Longbow, the enchantment will let even a child draw it with ease.

(If it helps, I think you can start wearing Plate Mail, the strongest armor, at 8 Strength, so the requirements for armor aren't terribly strict. But you'll need one of the solutions I brought up if you want to use a Composite Longbow with low strength.)