Party help, please!

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Well, this is my party:

Paladin (Me)
Imoen
Minsc
Xan
Jaheira
Khalid

Should there be modifications?

P.S. I really need a mage who can memorize and cast Magic Missile (I kicked Dynaheir out when she died so I can't have her)

 

One option would be to dual Imoen to a mage but I would probably kick Khalid in favour of another mage. I am not too sure if Edwin can learn evocation spells but he would be a good option if he can. Another early option is Xzar. Or you could get Garrick though he is probbly the worst choice.

[ November 18, 2006, 12:14: Message edited by: TrueBlueAussie ]

 

Only if you think you do. Explore the other options for 1st level spells. Chromatic Orb is decent, and Larloch's Minor Drain syncs well with a small bit of melee action with the Moonblade (and presumably an Armor spell or a robe bought from Thalantyr). To say nothing of disabling spells like Color Spray, Grease, or Sleep; it's a lot easier to fight one half of a group and then the other, as opposed to all of them at once.

 

— Your party is good as such !

Don't listen to songs of sirens, and never dual Imohen as mage.
Imohen is a very good thief, then, push to high levels and you never regret your decision ; DON'T LISTEN if somebody say you that a high level thief isn't useful, (especially if you plan to play the expansion Tales of the Sword Coast).

• The only weakness I see in your party is low clerical power : if you want, you have the option of ejecting Minsc out of you party (don't be bluffed by his great strength : a gauntlets of Ogre Power, or a 18 ability upgraded to 19 strength, can mute any other fighter in a brute BETTER than him, and without the "hamster-occupied" quick-slot for a useful item !).

... For that second cleric, for waiting, you can take Branwen in Carnival zone : but if you really want a third fighter AND your new cleric, take Yeslick when you shall go to Cloakwood's Mines ; (personally I think Branwen is widely sufficient).

• Your choice of Xan as Mage is a good one, (since you can't no more chose Dynaheir) ; if you can endure his depressing temper, all is well !
[ Edwin is fair mage, but evil, self-centered, and arrogant ].

• If you can't immediatly inscribe "Magic Missile" in the spell-book of your Mage, or if his specialisation don't permit it, remember that in the game there are REALLY A LOT OF Magic Missile SCROLLS, to find OR to buy, and that your Mage can always throw them, having a little reserve in one of his quick-slots, to cast them at will !

[ You can also have a character (not especially the mage) who use a Wand of Magic Missiles , but the use will be ONLY to spoil the casting of a foe, not to do much damage (as that sort of wand only generate a one by one misile release). ]

 

Thanks, guys!

 

It was a pleasure.

 

I personally like having a second clerical-type character around, especially if my first is multi-classed.

As Fel said, have a go with more disabling spells. Direct-damage spells only really become powerful later in BG. Do not underestimate the usefulness of Sleep early on! This one in particular can be a really battle-winner.

You really are adamant on this, aren't you?

No-one is saying that a high-level thief isn't useful- people tend to recommend dualling her because it is the more powerful option. You may prefer her as a straight thief, but I'm afraid the BG saga rewards dual-classes over pure-classes.

To be honest, you only actually need a thief to take out traps and locks- anything more than that is just icing. This can still be accomplised even if you decide you wish to dual her.

It probably looks like I've been picking on your posts recently.

'Tis true that you can make someone stronger than him. The advantage to him is that he doesn't really need the gauntlets, so they can be given to another party member (eg Khalid), thus netting you two warriors with high strength.

 

I love playing with enchanters... It really encourages you to not go with the standard spells that most end up using (i.e. magic missle).

 

This is WRONG, entirely false :

1) I can think, at least, to 3 mazes in the game where a high level of detecting traps is vital ( Find Traps spells ends quickly ).
[ Firewine, Ice Island, and "Ancient Subterranean City" ]

2) In Baldur's Gate City, there is a house where you have to steal an artifact without trouble or murder ; the artifact ...

----------- medium spoiler ! -----------

... isn't on the bodies of the 3 sisters and the others persons, but it is interesting to PICK-POCKET them without failure ; there is, by the way, a lot of others things to steal in peace — as Algernon's Cloak, for example.

3) Remember this two simple words : BACK STAB.
At 9th level, for a thief, you have DAMAGE X 4 !
All the difference, often, in dangerous surroundings as Durlag Tower ...

Imohen must NOT be dual-character, I insist once again !

 

Most of us dual Imoen because she can be dualled and because she is dualled in BG2. I like dual classing a lot because I like variety and resourceful characters.

What is important is that once you dual a character he or she is actually changing classes.

If I use a tome of wisdom on Xzar to turn him into a cleric he won't be a necromancer anymore and even when he regains his mage levels he won't either. In that case he is going to be a cleric with the ability to cast some arcane spells.

The same principle applies to Imoen. She won't be a thief but a mage with extra HP who can use a bow and a sword and who can from time to time (depending on the way you allocated her points) hide, open locks or find traps.

If like Cal you want a full time thief or a backstabber then don't dual. If you want to play by the book and export your character to BG2 perhaps you should dual her. But then you're stuck with having at a time or another Jaheira, Khalid, Minsc and Dynaheir in your party to insure some sort of continuity with the sequel...

 

@ Cal (once more):

Hmm, what was it that I said? Something like:

As for the other stuff: I find that potions are sufficient to boost Pick Pockets on the few occasions that I use it. Backstabbing is indeed a pretty cool ability to have, but unless you base your tactics about it, it often can leave your thief alone amongst a hostile group of enemies.

Each to their own, I guess.

Oh, a final request: if you feel that you must chastise me for not playing Imoen in what you consider to be the 'proper' way, then at least spell her name correctly.

 

Imohen was correctly spelled ... for a Frenchman. I am sorry, but you don't know the very strong habits we are taking because the translators deliberatly CHOSE to mute characters names.
Example : I have only recently seen that who is Jaheira for us is Jahira for you (or something like that).

To all english native-speaking guys, I ask for for more of tolerance for words and expressions which seem alien for YOU :

Remember : world is very large ... and translators do their best.

Note : For the other parts of your text, Decados, I am in no way convinced by your arguments ; but I prefer go out to take sun, and enjoy Sunday afternoon (it's 13 h 30 in France).

 

@ Cal:

Ah, I was unaware that the names were changed during translation. In that case, I apologise for any offense caused by my request.

Not that we are likely to see eye-to-eye on any other point, of course.

 

Cal, you're nuts. Imoen is so much better if dualled into a Mage.

In the Baldur's Gate series, a full-time Thief isn't needed in any of the games.

 

Sorry I'm a bit late here. If you ask me you've got 1 too many fighter type guys. If I were you, I'd swap Minsc for Branwen and then Xan for Edwin. You'll have your MM (plus much better casting ability besides) plus a proper healer in your group (I don't consider Jaheira to be a proper healer).