Pick the Weapons, then the Party

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New party idea, although I'm determined to take my current party to the end of ToB before starting a new one. Instead of picking a party initially, I'm going to decide which weapons I want to use, and then select the party based on what will make best use of said weapon choices, which I've never done before. I'd like the input of others for my best options.

The only regulation I'm going to place on this is I'm going to avoid character combinations that will fight with one another, or force one character to leave the party. That said, I'm totally willing to use conflicting alignmnets. So for example, I don't want Korgan and Aerie, as there's a really good chance one will leave the party, but I wouldn't be opposed to say, Korgan and Mazzy.

Here's the weapon list:

Melee (dual wielding will be required in some instances):

Flail of the Ages
Axe of the Unyielding
Crom Faeyr
Celestial Fury
Belm
Kundane

Missile:

Firetooth (dagger)
The Impaler (Fish King's Spear)

So pick any five NPCs you'd like, and a class for my PC with his/her weapon selection. The only thing that should be obvious from this is I'm likely only going to have one mage in the party, and he/she will be using Firetooth.

 

Are you going to SK the proficiencies or use what they currently have? Also are you going to use the Grandmastery fix or leave it as it is? Are those the end weapons in ToB (not using Ixil's Spike or Ravager)?

You're only looking at gaining another 3 or 4 proficiency slots for the fighter-types before ToB (probably another 1 or 2 in ToB) -- this really restricts the options IMO (unless you alter the proficiencies).

If you're using the grandmastery fix, then having ***** in a weapon is nearly a wash versus ** in the weapon and *** in dual welding for Mazzy and Korgan (without the grandmastery fix I never go beyond ** for anyone). With the grandmastery fix it becomes very easy to give Crom Faeyr to either Valygar or Minsc (they gain the most offensive power with the least points spent).

***** with grandmastery fix:
+8 to hit, +15 damage with 3 attacks per round (with Girdle of Fire Giant Strength)

** weapon, *** dual w/o grandmastery fix:
+8 to hit, +16 damage with 3½ attacks per round (while dualing Crom Faeyr). Korgan would get an extra +1 to hit and +2 damage when welding an axe.

Celestial Fury:
Valygar dualing Crom Faeyr
Haer'Dalis dualing Kundane
PC -- F/M or S/M dual with Dakkon's Zerth Blade
PC -- Swashbuckler, dual with Kundane or Belm

Upgraded Impaler:
Jaheira (she's awesome with spears, give her ** in 2-handed weapons). Use Ixil's Spike for up close to blast through Improved Mantle.

Flail of Ages:
Anomen (***** and use a good shield)

Axe of the Unyielding:
Korgan, get the Dwarven Thrower for added missile power (he also should have a good shield). If you choose to dual weld, use Kundane or Belm to give more hits with AofU.
Minsc is also good in this role.

Firetooth:
With only one Mage, you should probably take Edwin or make your PC a mage/sorcerer.
If the PC is a mage, then take Jan Jansen (as a wild mage, of course )

Ravager:
Sarevok

 

I am not using the grandmastery fix, and I'm not SKing the proficiencies, which yes, limits my options.

Here's what I was thinking:

Valygar - Celestial Fury and Belm
Jaheira - Impaler/Ixil's Spike
Jan - Firetooth
Mazzy - Flail of the Ages/Kundane (will obviously place 2** in flails, and get her as early as I can so she doesn't waste additional prof points in short swords)
Korgan - AotU/Crom Faeyr
PC - maybe a barbarian using halberds.

Of course, with this set up NO ONE is using a shield.

 

With Axe of the Unyielding's instant-kill ability you may want to give Korgan a couple of points in scimitars for the extra attack and give Valygar Crom Faeyr.....

 

Not a bad idea - especially considering I think AotU increases strength too - doesn't it? It doesn't really make sense to place two strength enhancing items of the same character.

 

No, AotU increases Constitution (I think)

 

and ac

 

AotU = +1 to Con, +1 to AC. Good with Korgan for giving him regeneration from a 20 Con.

 

You should have 3 belts to use:
Girdle of Hill Giant Strength (Ribald)
Girdle of Stone Giant Strength (Suldanesselar)
Girdle of Fire Giant Strength (Yaga Shura's Lair)

Crom Faeyr for one person.
And the PC should have exceptional strength.
If you need the last person to have exceptional strength have him take a proficiency point in long swords and give him Angurvadal (which gives Fire Giant strength also). This is an excellent backstabbing weapon for Jan (+10 to hit, +15 damage with strength bonuses). But I've used it as a off-hand weapon (the +5 version give immunity to level drain).

 

Yeah, but Jan wouldn't backstab too much if I have Valygar - unless I do something strange like make Jan a mage-assassin.

 

TWO backstabs though... at once. The +10 to hit actually makes the Assassination HLA reasonable for Jan (especially after Tensor's Transformation). He doesn't even need to be an assassin -- that way you can still have you Wild Mage/Thief. However, as he is your only mage he will probably have the Staff of the Magi.

 

You're a bit melee heavy there, Aldeth.

 

Always Barmy

It's just the way I play. I'm much more of a "whack it with a stick" type player than using magic. I view magic as a means to take enemy spell defenses so that they can be whacked by my tanks. I've gone through the entire game with Jan as my only mage. I've even gone through games where the only source of arcane magic is Haer Dalis. In fact, about the only character that I don't think I've used as my only caster is Aerie.

The most powerful party I've ever made up (in terms of having the easiest time through the game consisted of the following:

PC F/T multiclass
Keldorn
Minsc
Anomen
Korgan
Haer Dalis

Now THAT'S melee heavy. And this party pwned everything. Of course, many people claim that blades are one of the easiest characters to solo the game with, so I suppose if you have a blade plus five other characters, it should be really easy.

 

i think it woudl be easier just to solo with the blade.


and why dont you have keldorn with carsomyr, super mage-killer

i'd trade him over mazzy or valygar any day

 

^I'm kinda Keldorned out. I think I've had him with almost every conceivable group of other NPCs possible, except maybe Cernd who has made my party like twice.