SoZ - The Out Cast

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I'm starting a new game in SoZ. Here is my group...

Main PC - Yuan-ti Ranger
2nd PC - Drow Elf - Wizard
3rd PC - Gray Orc - Cleric
4th PC - Tiefling - Rogue

Thoughts????

I'm unsure how many levels can be gain (I've heard 20 but given the ECL of the group I figured between 18 and 19), etc... but here is is the group toward the end of the game....

Main PC - Yuan-ti Ranger(11)/Shadow Dancer(7)
2nd PC - Drow Elf - Wizard(5)/EK(3)/AS(10)
3rd PC - Gray Orc - Cleric(8)/DG(10)/WP(1)
4th PC - Tiefling - Rogue(5)/ST(5)/Ass(9)


If anyone can recommend taking a different leader or another class please explain why, etc...

 

Is there a general party alignment you want to favor in this game?

 

All of the races are more likely to be Evil, so maybe CN or NE....

 

They don't have to be, you can be a band of good rebels/outcasts or something.

I generally let the normal alignment for a given race influence what I choose for an alignment but not define it.


If you want to stick with CN or NE you can, but I think a DG has to be Lawful of some sort. I don't have anything against a DG (I really liked them in 2nd edition) just that you should be aware of possible alignment requirements.

 

I decided that the character alignment will match the diety alignment.

Rogue - Mask - NE
Ranger - worships the god for Tracking and Ranger - NG
Cleric - Helm - LN or is it TN
Mage - Mystra - NG

 

If you want to have a Doomguide go with Kelemvor and the cleric can still be LN. Matches alignment and what you plan to do.

 

Thanks for the tip but the game will automatically change the diety once the Doomguide class is selected and provide the character the exotic weapon prof. feat for free. I played as a doomguide when I played the OC.

As for the group leader which stats look better; he is going 2 weapon style...

STR 16 DEX 16 CON 14 INT 14 WIS 14 CHA 10
or
STR 15 DEX 17 CON 14 INT 14 WIS 14 CHA 10

I plan on taking improved two weapon style defense at level 9. Is it worth taking the extra STR early on or DEX? I'm leaning toward STR for the +1 AB and +1 DMG.

I have been thinking about altering my build a little bit for the leader....

Ranger (X)/SD(5)/ST(4)

The Shadow Thief levels would provide me with two free feats. I could also just go with the ST and forget about the SD all together since I'm just using the SD to levels to get Improved Uncanny Dodge; however, the PC would loose the special ability defensive roll and hide in plain sight.

 

On both playthroughs of soz I have done, my end level was never higher than 17 and I just hit near the end, so you might want to adjust your builds to most likely only hit 16-17. I know some people have posted how they reached 20, but often that is because they have farmed the overlandmap encounters or fet all the Cohorts to OneofMany.

so unless you plan something like that, you might want to readjust the expected level.

also from a pure powergaming view, more than 1 level in SD is a waste (okay the second level can in few occassions be defended for evasion). and since you plan to dualwield through ranger feats, go high STR, since rangers get the dualwielding feat refardless of their dex score. so start with str 16 and dex 16 and only boost str, that way you don't have to take weapon finess and since str both will increase AB and Damage it is better then dex. with 16 dex and a +4 dex item, you can boost the dex to 20 (go simple math) which adds a +5 to AC, which I think is the highest you can get while wearing armor anyhows.

 

What happens if you feed all your cohorts to one of many? I've only heard of accounts where people don't have enough cohorts to fill his appetite.

Instead of feeding him can you attack him, and if you do that what do you get upon winning?

 

upon fighting OoM you get an amulet on normal and a helm for mages on hardcore and above the "imaskarcana" cant remember its stats. if you feat all 11 cohorts to OoM he will attack you, for each cohort you feat him, he gains some strenght, just like you (through exp adn special aura).

 

You get the Imaskarcana too on Normal. I did both times I went through SoZ on Normal.

I think it is only on Easy that you get the Amulet of Pure Evil.

The stats are:

The Imarskarcana
Special Properties:
Use: Legend Lore (5) 1 Use/Day
Use: True Seeing (9) 1 Use/Day
Use: Gate (17) 1 Use/Day
Spell Resistance: 26
Skill Bonus: Lore +10

And it is actually a canon major artifact according to this:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20050202a&page=5

 

you are probably right, I never play below harcore so I haven't tried it. I just knew you get the amulet on one of the lower settings

 

I went with a 17 in Dex to acquire Improve 2 Weapon Defense feat, +2 AC when dual wielding. I already knew that I did not need to take 2 Weapon Style as long as I wear light or no armor.

I may end up just taking Ranger levels; the Panther pet I have is a great addition to the team as he provides another meat shield for my character.

I tried out a few different feats for the pet and they work really good. I may take those at level 12 and 15. The feat to increase the pet level adds 2 levels to the Pet for Rangers. The Dino pet is just cool and does some serious damage.

I am now level 6 and I have to say that SoZ seems to lack magical weapons. The most powerful weapon I have is a Scimitar +2. I added acid and fire damage to it. The second most powerful weapon is the short sword my main character uses that is +1 and does 1d4 positive energy damage. Is SoZ more liket BG1 in the fact that it is harder to find magical equipment?

I created my own Full Plate +1 and a few other items to improve each character AC.

 

in the beginning SoZ is much like bg1, but as soon as you get enough gold to really craft or buy from the stores later on, it goes into to same overpowered gear galore that plagues both the OC and MoTB.

personally I don't find the two weapon defence feats worth it two feats for a only +2 AC... there are other feats that will serve you better IMHO (like weapon focus feat, imp. crit etc.). the dinosaur pet is worth it, it is a very good power-boost to your pet, for the cost of one feat.

 

As for going with Two Weapon Style Defense I believe it is better than a +1 to attack from Weapon Focus. I found out during my OC and MotB runs that a higher AC is better than a higher BAB of +1.

Any feat that improves one of the team members, pets and familiars included, is worth the feat being chosen. That is why I am selecting both pet feats.

 

pet feats I agree with, the AC not so much, the AB of weapon focus is imho very important on any dual-wield spec, since the bonus attacks without such feats have prety bad AB as it is (this is somewhat of set by the rangers high bab, compared to the rogues midium bab).

 

After learning the system of SoZ I am going to restart as I do not like the level adjustment of my current group. I also dislike how 2 of the characters will have to use a feat just to reduce the penalty from daylight.

Leader - Wood Elf Ranger
Starting Stats: STR 16 DEX 16 CON 12 INT 12 WIS 14 CHA 10
1st Level starting feat - Hero's Luck

Healer - Half Orc/Cleric w/ Sun and Healing Domains
Starting Stats: STR 14 DEX 12 CON 14 INT 10 WIS 16 CHA 10
1st Level starting feat - Hero's Luck

Thief -Halfling / Rogue
Starting Stats: STR 12 DEX 18 CON 14 INT 14 WIS 10 CHA 10
1st Level starting feats - Hero's Luck and Stealthy

Wizard - Human/Wizard
Starting Stats: STR 10 DEX 14 CON 14 INT 18 WIS 10 CHA 8
1st Level starting feats - Spell Casting Prodigy and Skill Focus Spell Craft

 

I would scrap stealthy on the rogue and instead take the first TWF feat or a weapon focus feat, unless you are still going for ST. also, imho drop Assassin completely and take 1 level of SD instead. the assassin and rogue levels doesn't exactly help each other, as they roughly gain the same feats. the rogue's bonus feats from +10 are much better.

I would say if this is your first run go with a normal team, but you should try a gimped team. On my second run through I took a complete drow team, despite the +2ecl it was quite fun and a bit of challenge until I hit level 10. the end fight with that team was pretty hard.

 

I think I will stick with my group above; maybe modify the Ranger stats and select Martial Weapon Prof. for the mage to become an EK at level 6, but that is about it.

As for the Rogue, level 6 he/she becomes a Shadow Thief and at level 9 the Cleric will start taking Doomguide levels.

 

EK is definetly worth it. Doomguide I haven't really tried.

Shadow thief seems to come with some nice perks, but one still suffers from loosing rogue bonus feats and gaining two times uncanny dodge etc. the shadow thief bonus feats somewhat makes up for this though.