First time out, rate my party

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I just installed Icewind Dale along with the expansion Hordes of Winter (Or what it was called, i've forgotten already. I have internet only at work as of now, so i can't check out the name just like that, and i'm to lazy to check in other ways. )

I Obviously don't want Spoilers as i've never tried this game before. However, i'd love for some comments on my party and on what kind of proficiensies i ought to place on the various characters. Suggestions for PC replacements are also welcome, i don't know if e.g. my Cleric would be useless as i have a druid or whatever. Also i don't know how far the level progressions go here, or if there is anything like HLA's here if they get far enough.

My characters and their current proficiensies are:

Human Paladin - ** Greatswords and ** Halberds - Tank
Dwarven Fighter - ** hammers and ** axes - Tank
Halfling Thief - * daggers and * shortswords - All thieving
Half-elf F/D - * spears - Tank and magedisabler (they get insect plague right?)
Elven Cleric - * Maces and * Flails - Healing and buffing
Human Wizard - * staff - Main wizard obviously

I placed the proficiensies like that so no-one used the same weapons, but my guess is that it would be a good idea to give one of them a dot in longswords? I just have a feeling that they will be abundant, am i right?

What do you think? Is this a bad team? good team? Average? Should i ditch some and throw in another? More multiclasses?

Anyways, TIA for the feedback

 

You might want to start off everyone with proficiencies in a missile and a melee weapon. That way you can rotate people upfront when they have been hurt.

Straight Thief is really useless, compared to the other classes. Make him multi-classed.

SPOLIER:

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I don't remember Druids getting Insect Plague.

 

I agree with Shrikant. Everyone should be able to use a missile weapon effectively. Sometimes it is better to let the enemies come to you and shoot them one by one instead of running straight towards them.

A pure thief is weak, better use a multiclass fighter/thief or fighter/mage/thief.

About insect plague: I never used this spell, I prefered other spells.

Your party is more than strong enough to beat the game, but it could be stronger.


Now your party members:

1) Human Paladin: Your Paladin should either start with ** in large swords or achieve the *s at level3 and 6 since you might find a longsword only useable by paladins. Start with ** in a missile weapon.

2) Dwarf Fighter: Get ***** in axes as fast as possible. He doesn't need anything else. ** in missile or bow will help at the start since you can carry more stones or arrows than throwing axes.

3) Halfling Thief: Pure thieves are weak. Use a multiclass. Start with ** in a missile weapon and ** in a melee weapon.

4) Half-Elf F/D: Better start with ** in sling(missile) and scimitar(large swords). So you can use a shield. Large sword profiency also effects THAC0 and damage dealt while in polar bear form.

5) Elven cleric: If he starts as human ranger and duals at level2 or 3, he can get ** both in sling and maces. Since you have a druid as healer, you can even wait until he reaches level 7 for the extra half attack if you like. Rangers also get better stat rolls and can have 18/.. strength.

6) Human Wizard:
I would consider starting as a fighter and dualing at level3(you reach this pretty early). So he gets *** in a missile weapon and ** in a melee weapon, some extra hitpoints and the ability to use helmets and shields. Save the scrolls and unidentified items until then.


Weapons found in the game are partially random. You get more profiency points as you advance in levels. One character should start with ** in crossbows and 1-3 with ** in longbows since you'll want to be able to use the magical arrows and bolts effectively.


Monsters tend to attack the nearest enemy. So a dagger wielder is is more likely to be attacked than a quarterstaff wielder since he must get closer. You might consider this if you activate the 3E sneak attack rules for thieves.

I'd personally trade the paladin for a bard. His faster levelling grants longer durations for spells like haste, there are bard-only items and he can be the arcane spellcaster until I dual my fighter to mage at level 7 or 9.

Choose the party you are most likely to have fun with, not the most powerful one.

Some advice (you don't have to make the same mistake like I did):

The equipment the mage in Kuldahar sells changes when chapter2 starts and when chapter4 starts. So you'd better buy the spells(like cat's grace) and items you want from there before starting chapter2.

 

I just played around a bit with the party in my first post, my mage was either dead, or doing nothing, (those damned stones never hit) so i changed it to a F/M so she at least could not be useless. And i guess i can make a F/T to, that means every character have melee powers then

I think i'm going to go with it as it is though, my thief is the only one using ranged weapons as it is. Kill in melee or not at all (Although i could really have needed a bit extra firepower in the basement of the Shadowvale crypt, that was a lot of undead )
I'm playing on Insane and doing just fine, and i've never played this before. Guess i'm to experienced with BG

Question about the thief, will i ever need more than 100% in any of his stats? I've reached level 4 or 5 and have 60-70 in all except sneaking with 87 due to a pair of quiet boots and a sneaky ring. At this rate he'll have 100 in each before level 10, and it seems a character can reach level 30 of what i make out of the other posts here? Oh, and what do you mean by activating the 3E rules for sneaking?

 

The 3E sneak attack rules for thieves are described in the HoW manual. You can activate them in the extrenal game configuration menu.

More than 100 in a skill is useless, since you can use cat's grace even less is required. The thieving skill increasing items become useless.

Estimated XP gained per party member if played on insane(rough guess):

IwD original ~2,000,000
HoW + ~1,800,000
ToTL(free internet add-on): + ~800,000

So your fighter/mage probably won't be able to cast level 9 spells. Level 30 is usually only reached with smaller parties or on HoF mode or by fighting respawning monsters.

 

Actually, do it at level 9 to get the maxium HP.

 

@EMT

If you get 13 fighter levels, you will have 3 attacks/round in elemental form.
If you dual at level 9 you will only get 2.5.

It's also far easier to roll a good multiclass F/D than the dualclassed version.

But I agree with you that your dualclassed version is stronger from about 550,000 to 7,500,000 XP.

 

Don't be discouraged by your mage dying a lot--this will happen early on in the game as mages are a liability at low levels. Just keep him in the back with his little sling, and fill your spell slots with SLEEP (not magic missile yet!) It will really help your low level party against mobs goblins, orcs, even ogres.

 

I wouldn't go with a Fighter/Mage. A bard will be much more useful because of his fast advancement and bard song. All you lose is level 9 spells. Go with a dual classed druid. If you want a multiclass divine spellcaster the best way to go is with a Ranger/Cleric. The R/C will get access to a lot of druidic spells at high levels and won't lose out on clerical spells.