Dualing Imoen?

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Most people usually agree that level 5 or 6 is the best time to dual Imoen to mage. But my question is: what should her thief skills be like before she is dualed?

In BG2, for example, with 85-90 in detect traps and open locks you're pretty much set for the whole game.

What would be the equivalent for BG1? Around 65 should do it, I think.

Thoughts?

 

I say more. The chest on second floor in candlekeep inn requires 75 or something. If you have ToTSC installed I´d say around 80.

 

There are several traps and chests that require more than 65%. Off hand, there are the chests in the bottom floor of the Cloakwood mines, and a great many chests and traps won't be unlocked or disarmed with less than 90% in Durlag's Tower.

 

Yeah, if you dual-class Imoen at level 6, you can still reach mage level 9 (of course, you need to have TotSC). She doesn't really need stealth and pickpocketing. So, I'd put something around 90 in find traps and the rest in open locks.

The time when Imoen has her thief levels inactive is really big pain, if you don't have another thief in your party or do quests in right order. That's one reason why level 5 could be better time to dual-class Imoen.

 

Dual-classing Imoen does not make much sense IMHO unless you pick up a good thief. Imoen as a single thief becomes very effective at level 9, the only problem she has is the low strength, thus low backstab damage.

 

If you did have a good thief - could you dual her to Wizard right after level 1?

 

Imoen is a good thief, people are always unsatisfied. And no, I do not like dualling them to wizards.

 

BG1 is more demanding than BG2, I always try to have 100% pickpocket and detect trap.
They say you should consider dualing Imoen only if you play the extension too.

 

Hi there everyone.

I have some Questions about the whole dual classing Imoen topic.

1. I read in a Walkthrough that this one thief skill is called find/REMOVE traps. Am I right that this is wrong?? Open locks skill is needed for removing traps right??

The text in the character creation modesays it...


2. If I try to compensate the lack of skill points in thievery stuff for Imoen because of the dual classing in the following way, WHEN to dual class her then?? :

- Use Jaheiras Find trap spell
- Use Garricks pick pockets skill
- Use Kivans Stealth
- Use Mage spell Knock

3. Am I right that the really ONLY thing ONLY a thief can do (apart from backstabbing) is Disarm traps and
therefore I should spend my skill points in Open Locks before dual classing????

I hope you all get what I mean with all this...

I´m looking forward to your posts!!

P.S.: I dual classed her after she reached 3rd level, but I spent all points on FIND traps... If it´s right what I wrote so far this was a fault.

Probably I should send Garrick and Imoen away and take a full mage and a full thief to settle this.

[ February 20, 2005, 19:32: Message edited by: Tillix ]

 

Well all this depends on where your heading... Myself - with a thief as the protagonist, I don't really need good thief-skills in Imoen, I'd rather use her as a mage from the start. I think I dual classed her already on lvl 2 or 3 ;P

As for Tillix - if u use all those other NPC skills (and spells), then I can't see why you wouldn't do the same with your Imoen. I mean - of course you could maximize your use of the game system, and thereby pull out every ounce of potential from Imoen - but what's the point? Of course that may be fun - and good as for coming far in the game - but think about the roleplaying? Imoen wouldn't have sat down thinking about what would be *best* for her to do you know ;P I think she'd go with her feelings.

So pump her up with as much Disarm trap skill as you like (wheter it's the Open Locks Skill or the Find Traps Skill that defines it, I do not know. Always thought it was Open Locks, makes more sense) - and then dual class her. When it feels right ya know.

 

I definitely agree with you that one should not forget about the roleplaying. Level 80 Berserker/Wild Mage/Assassins tend not to be more fun than a thief IMHO.
I just spent ages thinking about who to take in my party and which character to play - Maybe just let it flow is the answer. Do things and take npcs with in the party just as they approach.

Anyway I was curious if I have found the ONLY thing only thieves can do - if you don´t use summons to solve the trap Problems...

By the way, I Didn´t take the other npcs with me just to compensate the thieving skills, it only resolved to be so after taking them.



So, is anyone out there sure which skill is used for disarming traps in the bg1 engine??


[ February 21, 2005, 12:12: Message edited by: Tillix ]

 

I'm now quoting exactly from the Thief Abilities Table in my Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Rulebook from 1978 (I don't have the version which BG is based on):

"'Finding/Removing Traps' is accomplished in exactly the same way as opening locks."

It also lists "Finding/Removing Traps" as one skill, and Open Locks as another.

Even though this rule is from -78, things shouldn't have changed as much as to alter this baseline of the thieving abilities. By this - the Remove Trap Skill should be imbedded within the Find Trap Skill.

Hopefully this is still active!

 

Impressive!!
1978!!

** Bow low in astonishment **

I´ll come over to Sweden for a round Pen & Paper AD&D...

 

Some stuff in Durlag's Tower are over 100 I think, so bring some potions of master thieving with you.

If you need another good thief there is the hobbit girl in the Hall of Wonders. You should find her about the time you get Imoen to level 6 or 7 when you might want to make the change. These are the only two good thieves in the game if you are role-playing an all good party.

 

@ Tillix
It's the find/remove traps skill which gives the ability points, however the find traps quick slot can be switched on and left (like hide in shadows), whilst to actually perform a one-shot action you need to use the other quick slot. This just happens to double for removing traps and picking locks.

Just because it uses the same quick slot doesn't mean it uses the same ability type. (Though there may be a bug somewhere in the game which allows you to disarm a trap you don't know is there whilst attempting to lock pick. I've done it on occasion)

 

Allright, maybe the bg1 makers meant with the line

"He (the Character) also uses it (open lock ability) to disable traps"

in charachter creation that the thievery quick slot is used for both...

Pretty confusing, I´d say...

 

Yeah that seems to be a bit of an odd explanation, they should've put down more time to make it understandable ;P

To Tillix:
Yeah, grab a plane for Sweden and we'll do some nice ol' time RP here, with my -78 rulebook
Sure would be a lot of fun!

 

I try not to dual Imoen all the time. If my character is a non-thief than I keep her as a Theif, if my character is a combination or single class thief than I dual her immediately.

 

There aren't that many traps in the game. And, frankly, most aren't going to kill you.

Plenty of locks to crack, but the mage spell Knock works on these. Thing is mages don't get that many spell slots, so taking them up with Knock might be a bit of a waste.

 

@Tillix

The "Find Traps" skill is used for disarming traps.

70 wasn't enough for disarming the traps in Durlag's Tower. 80 was enough for any trap.I don't know if it works with 75.

You might need less if you don't play ToSC.

Imoen is a full mage (with more HP + weapon profs + better AC) if dualed at level 2-6 (I'd prefer to illusionist).

You'll find a multiclass thief who is also an even better archer than Kivan in the first new area of chapter4.