Choose-Your-Own-Adventurerers

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Like most who post here, I've run through this game more times than I can count. Yet, I still love the game to death. However, I must say that while I find taking a totally mutli-class party (i.e., creating all 6 party members myself) to be quite a hollow game experience, I'm often tempted to do so because I find most of the classes of the NPCs to be unimaginative and repetative. Few of the coolest kits available are utilized in the NPC's. Perhaps this was intentional on the part of Bioware, so that the player would in fact take up the coolest classes for himself leaving the mediocre classes to fill out the ranks.

So I think I've come up with a solution (though, it's nothing revolutionary and I'm certain it's been done before). Using Shadowkeeper to change the class of the character as soon as you add them to the party. There's a mod out there already that accomplishes this by changing various party members' CRE files to a level one in whatever class, allowing you to level them up as you see fit, but it didn't offer quite enough options, and only covered a few of the NPC's.

One stipulation with this method being, of course, that the class chosen fits into the character's personality to some degree and at least moderately into their ability scores. For example: Turning Minsc into a mage would be absurd (but funny!), while turning Viconia into a Mage/Cleric, or stretching further and turning her into an Assassin would be super appropriate. Even though she's a cleric I think it would still work; her dialogues speak about her devotion to Shar, but that doesn't mean she HAS to be a cleric. She even has a cool phrase in her voice set for hiding in shadows believe it or not ("Nightsinger, give me power!"). Plus, she's already wearing the hood in her portrait.

So bearing this all in mind, on my next go-through, I will change every class of every character, especially characters I've been loath to take along in the past for whatever reason (usually because I didn't like their class). Some quick ideas:

Valygar - Wizardslayer, Fighter/Thief or Monk
Minsc - Barbarian (more appropriate than Ranger IMO, anyway)
Viconia - Assassin, Sorcerer, Fighter/Cleric
Jahiera - Paladin (serving a more nature-oriented god, of course). As fanatical as she is, why not?
Haer D'alis - Sorcerer, Fighter/Thief (like Coran), Fighter/Mage
Edwin - I think he'd make a decent evil Bard, myself
Mazzy - Paladin
Cernd - Monk, Beast Master, even Bard (given his voice set)

Of course, I'm taking a more 3rd edition approach to race restrictions here, but that's my preference. I think that particular facet of the rules are stupid, and if a halfling wants to be a Paladin then she can be a friggin' paladin already.

Anyway, shoot - I look forward to suggestions and other possibilities. Particularly if they utilize little-used kits or classes.

 

I like a lot of your suggestions, and I'll to think about this to come up with some solutions, but two spring immediately to mind.

Mazzy could be a fighter-thief - a good minded one naturally, instead of just a fighter.

Jan practically SCREAMS wild mage.

 

Edwin? A bard? NO way! He is not charming enough to be a bard, he is downright annoying!

I changed Viccy to a C/F, she rocks!

Every NPC has a voiced set for thief skills like Hide, Pickpocket etc. even though they will never do that sort of things normally.

Cernd will make a fine Avenger I guess.

What about turning Jahiera into Ranger/Cleric? Sounds evil!

Mazzy-why won'T you give her a kit? Undead Hunter may be nice, she hunts Shadows and Shadow Lord right? And her natural immunity to negative energy may make her a must to have against Shadow Dragon for low level parties. Think about it!

 

I think that Kachiko, Solaufein as well as Xan, Kivan or unnamed swashbuckler are really enought to build up every party I might imagine.

From the other side, I must check it just for fun .

 

I'm convinced now. Next time I play, I'm changing Jan's class to a wild mage. May or may not keep him as a thief. I mean, his personality is just PERFECT for a wild mage.

 

I actually always play with Jaheira as a Ranger/Cleric, now. So yeah - she's much more enjoyable, despite the lack of Harper's Call, shape change, etc. Still a lovable bitch, as always.

It never occured to me to try Mazzy as a multi-class. Damn good idea...

I agree - Jan as a wild mage is an excellent idea. Haer D'alis would make a great wild mage, too.

Here's a funny - make Valygar into a mage. Self-loathing mage. In pink. Awesome.

 

The "in pink" really sold it.

 

In my recent run-through I've too altered the classes of the characters because I was tired of applying the same tactics over and over again when going with a NPC based party. What I did was to change Jaheira into a R/C, Minsc to a berserker, Valygar to a WS/T. Besides those I use Imoen, Haer'Dalis and Sarevok, though their classes haven't been altered (I play a C/M myself).

Some good suggestions that, though I personally think that Valyger indeed really ought to be a WS/T rather than a single class WS or a F/T. The WS class comes quite natural as he is as anti-magic as they go, but given the fact that I hid from the Cowled ones for so long, and that he un-modded is a stalker, speaks a lot in favour of adding thiefs ranks too. As with Minsc, I just think that a berserker warrior fits better than Barbarian; cannot quite put my finger on why I favour Berserker over barbarian for Minsc, I just do.
I don't really see Viccy beeing an assassin. I guess she will do as a Sorcerers, though with everything taken into account, F/C is more her.
Jaheira as pally? I don't think so. No, in my eyes she is a druid, no matter how things are twisted and-/or turned. But maybe a kit like the Avenger Druid would fit her personallity better, given that she has that whole 'nature need to be helped restore balance' mentallity.
As a F/T Haer'Dalis would do, I guess, though I don't see him as a sorcerer, and blade, imo, fits him better than a F/M (plus, I wouldn't want to give up on offensive spin ).
Edwin as an evil bard? hmmm... know what, that just might work out alright! In the end, the way he scheme and manipulate his way to things, fits pretty well with my thought of an Evil Bard.
In the regards of Mazzy, then I totally agree that she should just have been granted the Paladin class; Halfling or not. Undead Hunter suits her well, the situation taken into account and all. Further more one could RP that she chooses that way after what the Shade Lord did to her friends and her Patrick.
Can't talk for Cernd. Never really used him so I don't know what would fit him best...

Oh, and Jan does kinda scream out Wild Mage, doesn't he .

 

I've done a few of these.... Jaheira can nearly clean out Irenicus Chateau by herself as the sword spider.

Jaheira -- Avenger Druid
Mazzy -- Kensai (short swords and scimitars) or Monk
Imoen -- Jester (you buffle head) although she would rock as a sorcerer.
Minsc -- Barbarian
Viconia -- Cleric/Fighter
Nalia -- Fighter/Mage dual

 

Yes!

How about:

Viconia -- Cleric/Thief? It's great dual class, it's stupid that elves can't take it, and it totally makes sense storywise.

 

Since I used all the NPC here is my quick list.

Minsc - Beserker
Jaheria - Druid Avenger
Imoen - Thief / Conjurer
Yoshimo - Stalker
Valygar - WS / Thief
Amoen - Paladin Cavalier
Nalia - Thief / Illusionist
Edwin - Leave him as is or class change to a Wild Mage after he transforms into a female
Jan - Wild Mage
Cernd - Druid Avenger
Vicconcia - Cleric / Thief
Mazzy - Paladin Undead Hunter
Haer D'alis - Sorcerer or leave him as is
Keldron - Leave him as is
Saverok - Kensai / Thief w/ UAI ability for Armor

 

I've always thought a ranger/thief would be a great dual/multiclass -- a lot of skills overlapped.

Viconia as a C/T certainly fits in with her revenge story. Jan or HD would make a good wild mage (especially with HD's comments in ToB).

Hmmm... Imoen as a Skald (Norse/Barbarian Bard) would round out the 'Freaks of Nature' Party quite nicely: Minsc, Jaheira, Cernd, Valygar, Imoen (Skald), PC Ranger/cleric. Even better with Jaheira as an Avenger and Minsc as a Barbarian.

 

Imoen gets my vote as a Wild Mage.

(Because it's the quiet Bhaalspawn you have to watch out for )

 

Sarevok - OMG he's sooOoOo an evil paladin! considering we're changing people's classes here, I'm sure it wouldn't matter if you did that one little thing!

Vicconia - She'll always be a cleric and have that evil, rogue sence about her, so why not a Fighter/Cleric/Thief! Works in my opinion!

 

But not with the game engine or even 2e. No drow C/Ts, and no F/C/Ts of any kind.

Of course, technically gnomes aren't allowed to be wild mages either, so if you're going that way with Jan, you might as well make Viconia an illegal C/T (hey, it works for Aerie ). You don't really need the fighter levels IMHO.

 

Yes, Aerie is an illegal C/M, so you can make Viccy an illegal C/T too. It fits her personality well. I guess...

Fighter levels help for uber HLAs like GWW, and the like though thief HLAs are kwel as well. (well some of them)

Will she move stats too? I mean, drop her int/cha a bit and boost STR? Your call. I boosted her STR and lowered her DEX/CHA/INT when I made her a C/F.

 

how do you just change their class? i mean without using SK

 

I think Mazzy would make the best Cleric/Thief by far. She's holy, she's halfling - why not? Us SK to change her specialization from Bows to Slings (how halfling is that?) and blam-o - a righteous slinging little butt kicker. Give her the Sling of Arvoreen (rather than the bow) and you're all set.

 

^I like the idea, will you still keep Mazzy's innate psedo-paladin abilities?

 

LOL Mazzy is a wanabe paladin! Keep her as a pathetic little fighter I say!

As for Viccy, I REALLY thought a F/C/T would've been a great idea for her! Or maybe even an assassin/cleric or something at least!