Battlemage kit?

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I have only ever played fighter/ranger/paladin and don't utilize magic terribly well. I thought it might be cool to try making a battlemage like Artemis Enterri faces.

I am assuming that it would have to be a dual class character fighter/mage. Anyone have any advice. I'm thinking sorcerer might be good because they don't have a bunch of scrolls to carry around and learn from, but I have never played a magic user before. Can a DC F/M use wands with armor on?

 

I believe a dual-classed fighter/mage can both use wands and cast spells from scrolls while wearing armor.

I like to play as a multi-class fighter/mage myself. You can find elven chain mail in a couple of locations in the game (whack Skarmaen Alibakkar and his guards and loot them - you don't even lose reputation), and augmented by Stoneskin, Fire Shield, and the like, he can slaughter things until the sun comes up.

 

You can not become a fighter if you are a pure sorcerer.

Dual classing is fun and versatile, but Multi is easier and it gives you HLAs of both classes, but it will take too long to be able to cast 9th level spells. (Using Greater Whirlwind attack in a TimeStop? Is it even possible?)

 

I would go with a multiclass F/M, elf preferrably. It'll be weird at the start since you can't wear armor and cast spells from your spellbook.

Dual class from a fighter asap. For me, I never found that much difference between a 7th level fighter and any other level. You can't dual from or to a sorcerer.

@Silverstar - It doesn't take that long to get 9th level spells as a multiclass. Definitely not any longer than any other multiclass. GWW+Time Stop is quite delicious to behold.

 

Oh yes, yes it is!

Huh?

 

Artemis Enterri is Drizzt's rival in many of his books set in the Forgotten Realms novels. He is an assissin for Calishmans Guild Masters.

 

Artemis ever faces a tough battlemage? Oh please do not give any spoilers about books or mark them as SPOILER ok?

 

That's what I was thinking, Silverstar. I've read some of those books (and to be honest, you outgrow "Drizzt and Friends"), but I know I never read about him fighting a mage.

Thanks Rockballs!

 

Well, you did ask for it you know. Although it should have been marked SPOILER, i agree. Methinks Brallrock will remember it for next time, eh?

 

My head hangs limply betwwen my knees, I bow in abject humiliation. The new guy has broken his first rule, never will it happen again. It never crossed my mind that it could spoil a good book, guess I had my head in game mode only!

 

So, what exactly is the spoiler? That Artemis Enterri is Drizzt's rival or that he's (Artemis) is an assassin for the Guild Masters?

 

Um... they're not good books, y'know. They're really quite abominable, IMHO. Nice fight scenes, to be sure, but the writing is somewhere between atrocious and emetic (great word, that...). Still, as light reading to pass the time, it's worth a once-through, if only to keep up on the standard Forgotten Realms lore.

[edit] Apologies to Talauntain... I did indeed get off topic. Kindly ignore the above rant. [/edit]

[ October 31, 2005, 23:36: Message edited by: Derkoth the Disgruntled ]

 

Spoiler

I can't remember that battle-mage being much of a fighter really, i always thought of him as a regular mage with nothing but combat-oriented spells and incredible concentration. Most mages in FR tend to be reading books, becoming wise, and experimenting with scrolls and stuff, as far as i can see. Just take a look at the Harpells or Cadderly, or the Faceless one back in Menzoberranzan for that matter. This guy is a battle-mage because he only learns spells that will help him in battle.

IIRC the battle-mage uses stoneskins, fireshield, and fireballs, so i can't see him much different from your average BG-whiz. I would have made a regular wizard, and stocked up on all the battle-oriented spells.

 

If anybody has the old Second Edition class books you will find the battle mage in the mage/wizard handbook.

To my recollection the only real change is that they had access to a couple of more battle minded weapon the mace and perhaps some kind of sword.

I don't recall if they could wear armor. It's been a really long time. But they weren't too massively different from a normal mage.

 

I believe the THACO of a battle mage was lower than that of a Regular Mage and they gained their spells at a slower pace (closer to a Bard). They also are able to use more weapons and I believe they used 1d6 for HD.

In my opinoin a BattleMage is a Bard with a better spell progression and less abilities in weapons and armor than a Bard.

Bascially if you want a Battle Mage take a Bard.

 

Thank you all for your input, i look forward to trying time stop/GWW combo. I reread the section of the book (took me a bit to findit) and he was just a mage with battle spells, and not a fighter at all. Sorry for all the mistakes I made with this thread!

I am enjoying playing the F/M and expanding my BG2 experience.

If we have learned from our mistakes the day is not truly lost.