intelligence issue

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i created a human kensai with 18/00 in str, 18 in dex and con, 18 in wis (to get +4 save against spells), 3 in chr, and the rest in intelligence which makes it 6

also i wanted to know what is the intelligence score threshold in order to get access to all the answers when dialoging with npcs?

 

I'm not sure that there is any one set threshhold, but I don't think that there are too many dialogues where INT matters.

As an aside, there is some question as to whether the save bonuses for high WIS are actually implemented in the game.

 

You don't get a save bonus for wis, you can set it to 3 without penalty.
Baldur's Gate is rather hack'n slash, you don't get important dialogue options for high int or wis, bonusses for high cha are a little more common.
The very few uninportant occassions where you get int or wis based dialogue options you can just have a party member do the talking.

Int is a little more important than wis, since one monster type drains 5 int temporary with each hit, if you reach 0 you die.
So 6 is enough to survive one hit, 16 to survive three.
But don't bother too much, the monsters will need a critical unless you're stunned.

 

well unless it was officially denied im bound to go with wis 18

so basicaly there wont be any shortcomings for having such a low intelligence? i really want to be sure as i ll be soloing and want to have acces to the worst lines possible within dialogs

if its only for the mindflayers i ll figure out a way eventually

the problem is that i never get to have lots of points to distribute when i manage to get 18/00 str

 

From my tests, it will actually wrap around and go to 25 after being drained at 1 int. I think it has to be an exact zero to kill you.

 

Oh, I thought that it applies only to permanent intelligence drain...

 

Not for me. My 3 INT monk solo got killed regularly by single hits from the 5-point drain of mind flayers. Not even stunned, just when they'd be able to hit him normally. On criticals, of course, so maybe that makes a difference...

 

and no item/artfacts protects from mind drain??

 

^Not in the unmodded game, sorry. Improved battles mod introduces an amulet which protects against Mind Flayer's INT drain, but it is looted from Elder/Master Brain's remains, after having killed a whole bunch of them. You will not fight that many of them ever again in the game, so it becomes the least useful item in the game fast, which I find so ironic. If I had that at the beginning, all those painful fights, countless reloads and tryings would be much easier. (I have Improved MFs, see below)

You can drink potions of genius and/or mindfocusing to raise your INT, so you can survive a lot more hits.

And no, MF hits are not buggy to warp your INT to 25, they always KILL.

Improved Mind Flayers are very lethal BTW, they use all original psionic powers in P&P, namely Ego Whips, Ballistic Attacks, Detonate, Psychic Drain, Life Drain, Disintegrate, Dimension Door, Heal, Dominate, and ofcourse, their trademark:the most loathed and fearsome Psionic Blast.

 

alright well maybe i ll chose to enhance intelligence over wisdom

but i d really like to check where its stated that high wis doesnt improve your saverolls vs magic, if someone has a link to share..

 

I remember there was at least one dialogue that you need good WIS for the best option. (heard spectator?)

Other than that, CHA is needed in most common dialogues, and if you don't have it, highest INT can subsitute for it in some dialogues. (Phaere)

High WIS should give bonus to saving throws vs mental effects, but we can never be sure if it does or not, as there is no proof in the game.

 

well its in the rules and each adjustment tables i check on bg2 sites confirm it has been implemented, so i guess people who believe its not merely assumed..

and since i wont be dualclassing my character i really need to give him the best protection vs magic each chance i get so i guess i ll just be saving/reloading alot when confronting mindflayers

plus the dialog options i want to access are those of a very uncharismatic evil fighter like "get out out of my way" or "its none of your damn buisness" so i think int 7 will do hehe

anyway thx to you and others for helping

 

Why don't you simply test it?

Create a fighter with 10 Wisdom and one with 18 Wisdom. Check for a difference in saving throws.

Wisdom allows you to get past the Spectator in the Underwater City.

 

You can not check if the saving throw bonus for WIS applies properly.

Character record screen only shows saving throw bonuses from items and spells, does this mean WIS does not give the bonus?

Also, in the game, you get the masage CHARNAME-save vs spells:x (x is the rolled amount) if you actually make the save.

It does not give you spesific info to bonuses to saving throw rolls like IWD2 did. In IWD2, it is: CHARNAME-Will Save (effect):X(roll)+y(total will save modifier)=z(result) Success/Failure.

One way to understand may be tricky: Assume you have a save vs spells of 10, and you have +4 WIS modifier, which makes your save vs spells 6 for mental attacks. If you ever get a save vs spells:6-7-8-9 message for that character, this means WIS indeed affects the rolls.

BUT, maybe the message means the total roll after bonuses, then you can have save vs spells of 21, 22, 24, 24 in the message bar. (I am not sure which is ture)

Come to think of it, I have witnessed occasional save vs spells:20+ messages. So? These are from item bonuses? A ring of protection's +2 bonus applies to roll, so if you roll a 19, the message will say:save vs spells:21? Or does it lower the amount you need to roll, so you save vs spells:8, even though your original saving throw is 10. So curious.

Hope I did not confuse you, but if someone can clarify these little things, I would be grateful.

 

Fair enough Silverstar, I wasn't sure whether it was actually possible to properly check or not- especially as the rolls aren't as clear as the NWN/IWDII style.

Although if the character sheet shows racial saving throw bonuses, surely it would make sense for it to show Wisdom bonuses as well?

 

I am quite sure that the Character's Record screen shows your total saving throws.Bonuses from items and spells as you said can be seen in brackets but other bonuses like the racial ones,as Decados said,are already included in the first number.

I guess it would happen the same with the WIS,but as already mentioned, the bonuses to the s.throws from high WIS were never implemented in the BG series.
So high INT is much more useful for a solo fighter than WIS mainly for 2 reasons:

a) You need at least a 9 at INT to be able to read all those green scrolls of protection.And drinking potions of mind focusing/genious each time you want to use one is not very practical.

b) Mind Flayers.Though in this case it's better to use potions (of mind focusing) anyway.
And doesn't the Greenstone amulet and the Brine potions protect from all Psionics attacks?But I am not sure if protection from INT drain is included.

 

The amulet and potions protect from the psionics, but you still suffer the Intelligence drain from being hit.

As thetruth mentioned, you need a decent Intelligence to read scrolls, which is very useful to have. It is especially useful to read Pro-Undead and Pro-Magic scrolls.

 

Come to think of it, according to 2nd edition P&P ADnD rules, high DEX also gives saving throw bonuses to situations where moving quickly can help, such as save vs spells for a frieball, or any save vs breath weapon category. The bonus is same given to AC IIRC. This rule was also never implemented, or it will be too complex. For example, you can argue it should also give saving throw bonus against even a Disintegrate spell, as I think you dodge the ray (green sphere in the game) if you save vs spells as there is no harmful effect. (in 3e, however, you still take damage if you make your Fort. save, which means you can not dodge it, only resist it with your..toughness?)