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[Humanoid_Taifun]

Goph wrote...
I know it's not a smart fit, but I'm sticking with my fighter PC, this time playing a berserker.

Nothing wrong with a berserker. The only question I have is if you like barbarians so much, why are you playing a berserker?

I tried testing this periodically last game, and it seemed like xp was granted NWN-style, meaning the xp was divided evenly, whether my party had four characters or six. Given that, am I better off leaving my party short during the time that I don't have access to my desired group, or will it not matter in the end?

That's a valid strategy. Keep in mind a few things:
1. Once taken into your team, if you leave somebody behind, they will not gain any more XP while waiting for you to pick them up (except once, when you summon them in ToB).
2. There are a number of different versions of every NPC (1 for each possible level) that you might encounter. The highest level one can be found with a level 13 PC. (see below for more details) (the only exception to this may be Imoen, when you rescue her - as I've heard she depends on the average level of your entire party - I think the average of all your classes combined needs to be 13 or something like that for her to start at that level as well)

I plan to set my PC up to dual wield long swords, but if anyone has any recommendation as to how I should develop the other guys (or my PC, with the additional points) I'd like to hear it.

In BG2, there are a number of weapons I like to call off-hand weapons for their huge benefits to the overall combat ability. The first ones you can get your hands on are Belm (scimitar) and Kundane (short sword). Without the bonus merchants installed (either through BG2 Collectors Edition or the G3 BG2 Tweak Pack) you will miss out on the Defender of Easthaven (flail). Later on (pretty much at the end of the main plot) you will get Crom Faeyr (war hammer) (and the Equalizer (long sword), which isn't quite as powerful as the others). Everyone who dualwields, wants one of these in their left hand - even if they aren't proficient with that weapon yet.

A long sword as your main weapon is not a bad choice, there are good long swords at pretty much every stage of the game.

If you take Kundane/Belm, that leaves Mazzy and Valygar to fight over the other one. One possible solution might be to have one of them learn the high art of using halberds (another would be to install the bonus merchants so you can get Valygar his DoE :þ ).

I don't know if you want your mages to participate in the battles as well? Aerie might put the Sling of Seeking to good use (if you buff up her strength first and give her some form of haste), while Imoen and Nalia are likely better with the Short Bow of Tuigan (which of course would be better off in Mazzy's hands, but Mazzy in turn is more useful with a melee weapon (just like your mages would be more deadly spell slinging).


Your promised NPC levels:
On level 8, you meet: Nalia lvl 4/9*, Aerie lvl 7/7, Valygar lvl 8, Mazzy lvl 8, Keldorn lvl 8
On level 9, you meet: Aerie lvl 8/9, Valygar lvl 9, Mazzy lvl 9, Keldorn lvl 9
On level 10, you meet: Aerie lvl 9/11, Keldorn lvl 10
On level 11, you meet: Nalia lvl 4/11, Aerie lvl 10/11, Valygar lvl 11, Mazzy lvl 12**
On level 12, you meet: Valygar lvl 12, Keldorn lvl 12
On level 13, you meet: Nalia lvl 4/12

According to this information, you shouldn't pick up Aerie later than on level 11, since that is the peak of her spawning power, while you can postpone Nalia (if you really want to) until level 13.

*I think this is a bug. The file is called NALIA8, but it's exactly the same as NALIA10 (which you get from level 10 onwards)
**Again, the same thing. The file is called MAZZY11, but the level is the same as the one of MAZZY12 (which you get at level 12).

[Goph]

Yeah, I noticed that barbarian class hanging out way down at the bottom of the class list just now. I swear I'd never seen it before. Eerily familiar description though . . .

I don't know what version of the game I have -- it came on four DVDs, I think I got it from Amazon -- but I have both of the bonus merchants, so I'll keep that in mind about the offhand weapons.

And thanks for the information on NPC levels, I was basically going to try to get them as soon as I could, but it's good to have hard data.

[Humanoid_Taifun]

Just a little addition then. The Defender of Easthaven by itself is nothing too special. It becomes really cool though if you combine its effects with Hardiness and Armor of Faith (to both of which Valygar will have access, given enough time)

[Goph]

Yeah, I didn't really use buffs much on my first run, and that's something I'm looking to take more advantage of this time around. The only things I used a lot on my first run were free action and chaotic commands, and then only when I was facing beholders and some of the tougher mage fights. And I think remove fear a little now and then . . .

[Goph]

Humanoid_Taifun wrote...

I don't know if you want your mages to participate in the battles as well? Aerie might put the Sling of Seeking to good use (if you buff up her strength first and give her some form of haste), while Imoen and Nalia are likely better with the Short Bow of Tuigan (which of course would be better off in Mazzy's hands, but Mazzy in turn is more useful with a melee weapon (just like your mages would be more deadly spell slinging).

On my first run I had all my casters use staves; I felt like it was pretty effective because they could attack from behind my tanks and I always seemed to have a lot of high enchanment staves laying around.  Plus it kept me from having to worry about keeping enough ammo around . . .

[Humanoid_Taifun]

So long as you remember that a) their real purpose is to blast the opponent to hell and back with spells and running around on the battle field may attract some attention (so you should buff them somewhat) that is not be a bad decision. The best staff for a mage to use is the Staff of the Magi. It doesn't have a high damage potential, but it is very useful weapon to be followed up with a Spell Sequencer of 3x Flame Arrow (for example).

[Goph]

It sounds awfully lazy when I actually say it out loud, but in addition to not liking ranged weapons because I don't like to keep ammo stocked and not bothering to utilize a lot of buffs on my first run through, I also saved most of my offensive spellcasting for the big battles because I hate stopping to rest.

On my first run, my 'strategy' was to attack everything melee all the time, saving often. I only bothered to stop and plan on the occasions when both Jah and Aerie died in the same battle and I didn't have anyone left to resurrect anybody. I figured if I had to reload anyway, I may as well think about the fight a little.

Again, this time I'm trying to pay a little more attention and I think it's paying off. I just finished the Mencar fight in the Seven Veils, and it was actually pretty easy despite only having Aerie and my 8th level berserker in the party. On my first run, I remember it taking several reloads despite having Jah, Minsc and Yoshimo on board. Baby steps . . .

[Goph]

Stoneskin's fricking brilliant. I feel so silly for not using it on my first run.

I'm trying to get used to the idea of using ranged weapons, at least for my casters, but I'm a total novice with ranged weapons in BG2, much like with buffs, actually. Anyway, it seems fairly consistent with NWN -- crossbows are strong but terribly slow, bows a little weaker but much faster, and slings very weak but allow for a strength bonus to damage. Is that generally accurate . . ?

[Humanoid_Taifun]

Crossbows don't deal much more damage per shot than Bows. Bows get more varied ammunition (Arrows of Dispelling!).
Most slings do not add the strength damage bonus. Only the Sling of Seeking is supposed to but a bug with some bullets can cause other slings to show this feature as well. (it's fixed by the G3 Fixpack)
If you want to try a ranged weapon that does not require too much inventory management and is effective at the same time, have you looked at Melf's Minute Meteors? They are very powerful!

[Goph]

I have the Core Fixes from the Fixpack installed, but that's it, IIRC. To be clear, the fix is that only the Sling of Seeking adds STR bonus, not to give all slings the STR bonus, is that correct?
I'll give the Minute Meteors a look; I don't think I had them first game because I never bought scrolls and I don't think that one ever dropped . . .

[Humanoid_Taifun]

That's what it says.

[morbidest2]

MMM's are Ao's gift to mages when fighting dragons and liches. Never leave home without having at least 2 MMM spells memorized!

[HoonDing]

Is it a bug (like with Sunfire) that MMM's pass magic resistance?

[Stworka]

virumor wrote...

Is it a bug (like with Sunfire) that MMM's pass magic resistance?

They are a projectile, and as such not a subject to magic resistance. They can be stopped by protection from weapons or a combination of stoneskin + fire resistance.

[morbidest2]

Stworka wrote...

virumor wrote...

Is it a bug (like with Sunfire) that MMM's pass magic resistance?

They are a projectile, and as such not a subject to magic resistance. They can be stopped by protection from weapons or a combination of stoneskin + fire resistance.

Right, but usually when fighting SoA dragons you first cast things like Breach and Pierce and then cut loose with MMM's and lightning wands (and insect plaque if you have a druid along) and even MM's if you run out of everything else.

[Stworka]

morbidest2 wrote..]Right, but usually when fighting SoA dragons you first cast things like Breach and Pierce and then cut loose with MMM's and lightning wands (and insect plaque if you have a druid along) and even MM's if you run out of everything else.

Oh, i know the value of MMM's, good sir. They are one of must have's for sorcerers. When coupled with Improved Haste and a wall of Mordenkeinen Swords to hold of enemies, it turns into a butt-kicking fiesta. 

[HoonDing]

Why, though, are MMM's different from Melf's acid arrow, Flame arrow, Magic missile, and all other spells that consist of throwing a projectile at the enemy?

[Stworka]

I believe it's because the meteors are actual objects (although magical) and all the other "magical projectiles" such as acid or flame arrows are just an element. You can direct the flame arrows or magic missiles, while the meteors can only be used as weapons.

Think of MMM's as an alternative version of "Enchant Weapon" spell.

Modifié par Stworka, 20 septembre 2011 - 05:43 .

[HoonDing]

I'm thinking they're essentially the same, since they all inflict both physical and magical (fire or acid) damage.

[polytope]

virumor wrote...

Why, though, are MMM's different from Melf's acid arrow, Flame arrow, Magic missile, and all other spells that consist of throwing a projectile at the enemy?

It's not possible to code the "physical damage" portion of an actual weapon (like the thrown meteors, or the attack of a Mordy Sword) to respect MR - the fire damage could be changed to be resistable, but it would look a bit weird for meteors to still deal half damage to a creature with MR.

[Goph]

I'm about halfway through this run, and Mazzy seems like dead weight. Plus, she's competing with Nalia for arrows. Also, Keldorn keeps dying, strangely . . .

[ncknck]

I havent read your walls of text here, but for a fighter, Mazzy is great. Spells, 18 dex, gm archery, good saves, cool attitude, and voiced by Jennifer Hale. A perfect fighter. She is one of the few characters who dont get on your nerves after a while.

[Goph]

Oh, I like her fine -- she's one of the NPCs I kept on my first run -- she just seems redundant in this party. I think I'd be better off dumping her just to give everyone else an xp boost . . .

[ncknck]

With main char tanking, sure. But if he is dualwielding, then Mazzy is a natural perfect tank, screw archery. Keldorn just doesnt have the tankability as you noticed. Go high AC on her.

[Bobfly]

Yeah, you definitely have more melee power than you strictly need. Though I'm not sure the xp boost would be noticeable enough to make your party stronger with 5 dude(tte)s with swords than it would be with 6. Of course, the fewer people you have, the easier it is to keep track of everyone, and the easier it is to find enough protective items and effects to keep everyone alive. In the end, one isn't better than the other and it's down to personal preference. Not much of an answer I know, but that's the way it is. I will say that if it was me, I'd keep her unless I felt she was a liability.

I think Mazzy's main claim to fame is her ability to wield the Sword of Avoreen and keep enemies slowed and less dangerous. Everything else, other people can do exactly as well, including shooting bows. Keep her stabbing and don't feel obliged to have her at range just because she has 5 pips in bows. Everything past 2 pips is largely wasted anyway if you don't have the true grand mastery tweak installed.