NPC choices Solaufein + Keldorn/Haer Dalis

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I've gotten up to Brynlaw and my Party so far includes:

Archer
Proficiencies:
Short/long bow
**
Long sword/Katana/Flail
*
Two weapon:
**

Equipment

Melee:

Flail of ages with CFury

Ranged

Strong arm
later I'll probably use Gesan bow

Yoshimo:
doesn't count at this point of the game-
next NPC

Anomen:

Proficiencies:

Mace
**
Sling
**
Sword and Shield
*
War Hammer

Sheild with Jerrod's Mace

Kelsey (Sorcerer)

Proficiencies

He's a sorcerer so it's already taken care of

Equipment is also no difficult choice with the Robe of Vecna & Amulet of Power

These next two NPC's are the hardest choice for me

Keldorn

Profs

Cross Bow
**

Two Handed Sword
**
Long Sword
**

Two Hand style
**

Equipment

Carsomyr
and whatever the best available armor at the time and situation is

Haer Dalis

Profs

Dagger and dart
*

Short sword
**

Two Weapon Style
**

Scimitar
*

Inventory

Chaos+Entropy/Defender of EastHaven

(If I keep Haer Dalis He will dual weild Belm and Scarlet Ninjato Later on)


As the topic suggests When I go through the underdark I will be taking Solaufein.

I've heard that there are some extremly difficult fights through the Sola mod so for my first time through I want to take as powerful a party possible and depending on how hard it is I'll go through the second time with a different Party.

Would it be better to take Keldorn over Haer Dalis? the latter dies often while Keldorn never seems to be almost impossible to kill at the moment, But much later on Haer will get a lot more powerful and usful then Keldorn.

Between Kelsey and Haer and Sola the dispeling+ true seeing will not be much trouble. But Keldorn can do all that much more effectively and frees up Sola and Kelsey for other things.

What I was thinking was to Take Keldorn through SoA, and in ToB Take Haer where his use will cancel out any of his weak point.

Haer can later on use Carsomyr with SOME skill in it but not as good as Keldorn and Haers strength, imo is duel weilding and bard song and spell casting and just about anything that does not involve healing and thiving.

Basically what I'm asking is Take Keldorn over Haer Dalis in SoA and vice versa in ToB, Keep Keldorn all the way or Haer Dalis all the way so he passes his XP cap Before ToB.

Ano Kelsey and Imoen are more or less set in stone but I'll consider any changes or ideas.

 

The sola mod hasn't got fights TOO bad... some of Firkraag stage.

Get any members you want but get the daystar or other excellent Long Sword for Solaufein.

YOu can beat the fights with any party... unless you have Tactics.

 

So your party is:
You archer
Imoen
Haer'Dalis
Kelsey
Anomen
Keldorn

right?

I would keep Keldorn if I were you. Why? Look at your party, if you keep Haer'Dalis, you'll have 4 arcane magic users. And you aren't really strong on the melee side. You just have Solaufein (half a fighter although he's probably pretty strong), Anomen (a level 7 fighter) and Haer'Dalis who can't hit squat unless properly equiped and buffed.
Keldorn may be less powerful if you compare him to a fully buffed Haer'Dalis, but I think it will be convenient to have some characters who can fight anytime a day and without preparation. Besides, Haer'Dalis can only fight a few fights in between resting periods (because without his spells, he's a total wimp).
If you want to keep Haer'Dalis for his bard song or any other reason. I would suggest dumping Imoen. You already have enough mages and you don't really need a thief. But you probably don't like abandoning your sister, so it's probably a bad suggestion.

My vote: Keldorn.

 

I would strongly urge you to keep Keldorn. If you keep Haer'Dalis, you'll be slaughtered. Trust me on this. Despite what Taza says, in ToB the Sola mod does have some ridiculously hard fights, and you'll need all the MR you can get.

In fact, I would consider adding another fighter if I were you (Sarevok is good). Sola isn't a good fighter. Don't know who you should drop for him, though.

 

If your dificulty level is Insane - then you need all the Stoneskins and PFMW you can get. Take Haer'Dalis.

If you play on Core - Keldorn can actually fight.
Or better - he can be hit and still fight on. On Insane - you can start healing him right away.

@Rastor,
this is the first time that I see someone say that a multiclass Fighter/Mage is a bad fighter ...
(maybe on low level that's true )

 

Indeed. Haer Dalis is not a wimp without his spells, as most people say... And when he loses them, he can just sing and to help people like Keldorn do the job faster.

Also, later on Keldorn can't hold the front longer than Haer Dalis can. This is a fact especially apparent in ToB - Haer can take a beating because of his Stoneskin , and I doubt Keldorn can take the same amount of beating wihout losing a load of HP. Ironically, Keldorn will be depending depending on Haer Dalis as a shield later on in ToB.

As for Haer's THAC0, he has only a moderate chance to hit(without his spells and ill-equipped, a THAC0 of 10 can only go down so much) - but when he does hit Offensive Spin makes sure his hits really count. (At higher levels, Haer Dalis actually has too many Offensive and Defensive Spins)
On the matter of spells, remember that Haer has some nasty offensive spells up his sleeve like Skull Trap which can really hurt - put Keldorn in a room with 6 warriors charging him, their HLA's blaring and you'll see the difference between this and a Haer Dalis in the same situation - a few Skull Traps and some hits here and there and Haer Dalis will come out of the fight no worse for wear.
Haer Dalis can also use the Enhanced Bard Song x 5 (or x 3 to avoid being cheesy) and even Imoen should be able to do some damage once she runs out of spells.

On a side note, I've played the Sola MOD fights with a solo Blade and have survived - it's just a matter of studying your options and adjusting your spells and priorities, really.

IMO, though, I suggest you keep them both. They complement each other's skills wonderfully, and together they're no easy force to be reckoned with. Even an unequipped Haer Dalis can do wonders from the background when people like Keldorn are holding the front.

But if you must dump one, it's your choice really. Both of them should be able to get you through any fight, depending on your tactics.

[ November 13, 2003, 04:31: Message edited by: Scythesong Immortal ]

 

@ Menion Leah
is having 4 arcane spell casters a weakness? especially if there's two of them which can be better then any regular fighter with preparations? hell if you have Haer even an improved hasted Imoen at least if not Imoen AND Kelsey can at the least hold their own in a fight if it comes down to that, but their better at stick with their profession and casting spells.

I think that this party is potentially as strong as a fighter heavy party, if, their well prepared enough for any major fights which is no trouble with prior knowledge, and lots of magic power.
but that's a pretty big if, unless they are prepared then their not much good in a fight. I'm worried that if I take Haer over Keldorn that the party will not be strong enough to reach their uber high potential

Anomen, Imoen and Haer will be weak until mid to late SoA, so if I keep them then I'll need all the offensive and summoning power I can get.

A major deciding factor on if I take Haer or keldorn I think will be if I'll get enough time or not to prepare properly for the new Sola challenges.
If yes I think Haer might be better if no then Keldorn

@ Rastor
Well Sola comes at a fairly good level I heard

@ everyone

Also I was wondering if I keep Haer and give him his HLA use any item, How many attacks can I give him with the Carsomyr?
I played a blade once and gave him Carsomyr but never managed to get him past 2 attack per round, is their a way he can get more hits? for example I never gave him those Gantlets of extrodinary specilization or whatever those ones that give the extra 1/2 attack was.

Correct me if 'm wrong about this but Archers seem to be victim to a lot of prejudice that just because, he can only get proficient in Melee weapons, and, specilizes in ranged weapons that he is usless in melee, which is not true.

Archers are really just a normal Ranger type that can do obscene damage with ranged weapons, and the only price for it is 1/2 a attack per round with melee weapons which doesn't matter GWW HLA, or improved haste. The Archer is a ranger kit and rangers were *meant* to dual weild, my archer actually has had most of it's kills in melee anyway, or at least until I get the gesan bow and the party's is strong enough to take the front without me.

As for their not been able to wear armour greater then studded leather well, from a power gamers view your missing out on some nice abilitys and a total of -3
From a role playing prespective.
doesent matter rangers are woodsmen in touch and living in harmony with nature, so what would be better suited for a ranger?
Leather armor is more natural then chainmail or big clunky plate mail, so the choice would be naturaly (pun intended ) leather armour.

Edit: If I keep Haer I'm planing on making Imoen Into a straight Swashbuckler, good idea or bad idea?

 

Solaufein in Throne of Bhaal? You mean THE Solaufein? Drow Solaufein, from Drizzt's adventures?

[ November 13, 2003, 18:31: Message edited by: Mayfairy ]

 

yes I mean solaufein.

And a bit could you please explain to the ignorant what you mean about Sola been from Drizzt's adventures?ie me

 

Scthyesong,
Did you console in all the fights? I'm thinking of Eclipse, which requires Sola to be in the party to get.

To anyone else, Sola is decent, but he'll be slaughtered if you try to use him as a frontline fighter. But then again, so did Haer'Dalis (even when their spells are properly used). I guess it depends on playing style.

 

Scthyesong,
Did you console in all the fights? I'm thinking of Eclipse, which requires Sola to be in the party to get.
------------------->
I consider it a solo since even though Sola was in my part, he virtually did nothing and in most fighting situations, I just had him dimension door to safety.
In the eclipse fight, I made sure Sola was out of harm's way and had his AC uber-upped so he wouldn't become the target in any way. So, despite his presence and despite the fact that during the eclipse timestops he was the only one in my party who could move, I didn't make him do anything and just stood there watching the fight.

To anyone else, Sola is decent, but he'll be slaughtered if you try to use him as a frontline fighter. But then again, so did Haer'Dalis (even when their spells are properly used). I guess it depends on playing style.
------------------------->
But so would most fighters, if you keep them there that long. But I agree playing styles may matter.
During some of my BG2 run throughs I only had only decent fighter - which was Sarevok. (Or Minsc - don't ask me why). Most of my parties were magic oriented, so most times the enemy was aiming for a magic user. This proved to be a blessing as I noticed that most of my fighters wouldn't live for very long in ToB in straight fights, unless they had Hardiness and Lots of Potions.
So this scene is common for me: Minsc or Sarevok running to my mages or Blade so the warrior or level-draining thing/s chasing them would target the nearest magic-user who could just shrug off their attacks, then the figthers would then resume bashing heads.

 

thanks for all of your advice people, I returned to the game after a few day's of neglect.

the current pary I have (the one I listed in the first post) at least for the moment are incredibly powerful, so I might just leave it unchanged, after all of this