Poll: How powergamey/roleplaying are your CRPG parties?

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Versatile Powergaming Party

#6
I obsessed about creating the perfect party, and didn't hesitate to make a drow cleric of Lathander.
The unlikely paladin/sorcerer is a must, and I throw in a level ranger wherever dual-wielding is needed.
But I don't allow xp penalties - that's a no go for me.

1) CN Female Drow; 18-15-16-5-15-11; Bard 5 / Tempus X; improve Constitution
2) NG Female Drow; 18-18-16-5-18-5; Fighter 4 / Lathander X; improve Constitution
3) CE Gray Dwarf; 18-18-20-3-14-1; Fighter 4 / Barbarian X; improve Constitution
4) LN Human; 18-16-18-3-18-3; Monk o/t Old Order 1 / Ranger 1 / Druid X; improve Wisdom
5) LG Human; 16-18-18-3-3-18; Paladin of Mystra 1 / Ranger 1 / Sorcerer X; improve Charisma
6) NE Deep Gnome; 12-20-18-18-5-1; Ranger 1 / Rogue 2 / Illusionist X; improve Intelligence

If this interests you, I wrote a guide about my leveling choices. Check it out at:
http://www.shsforums.net/index.php?showtopic=34232

 

I picked 4, but honestly I don't know which category I belong to. It's not just the party, it's also how you use your characters. A party of Bards may seem very weak, for example, but in the right hands might give several other powergaming parties a run for their money. I don't min-max, I enjoy the game and the conversations, I will hurry when I'm told to and I don't usually plan ahead for my enemies as if I already know what they're gonna throw at me (may seem stupid, but I like it best when everything is in chaos, half the party is paralyzed and all but one character is running around trying to get everyone up and moving again).
That said I do "prepare" for a few encounters sometimes but only when I wanted it finished as soon as possible.

 

Number 1!

Seriously, half my parties are so useless it's hilarious

 

#5. Winning comes first. Make a party that can win, and THEN think up the story behind them and all. Besides, I hardly know the world of Forgotten Realms anyway.

 

#4 for me

I have to admit that I adjust my party for utility. I don't need all that much, four chars is enough.

One dedicated fighter type.
One archer type.
One mage/thief type.
One cleric/healer type.

I beat IWD 2 easily with such a crew. I played through BG, BG-2 + ToB, IWD + HoW + ToTL with such a crew - like a hot knife through butter. Having only four chars helped keep the difficulty in the major battles.

 

I chose #5, but I guess #4 could work as well. I powergame, but never for HoF, since by the time I am at the later stages of the game, I have gotten bored with it. Which reminds me, it's been a while since I last played, so I should give it another bout soon. I'm thinking about a monk/sorcerer and something else cool, or perhaps a R.A. Salvatore inspired party with Jarlaxle, Entreri, Kimmuriel Oblodra and Rai'gy inspired party. I had one of those in BGII and it kicked ass... Imagine what it could do with the IwD II classes

 

I always play in HoF mode. My games involve a lot of running

 

Me too! But from a powergaming perspective: A monk1/paladin1/sorcererX has great potential. The sorcerer has paladin saving throw bonuses from the charisma modifier, AND gets Evasion free from the monk level. High saving throws and Evasion is practically like Spell Resistance.

Spoiler

plus, if she uses the paladin sword she gets SR too! My human monk1/paladin1/ranger1/sorcererX dual wielding normal and HoF paladin swords could possibly be the cheesiest character ever imagined

 

Sounds good, and it's a not-too-complicated leveling scheme as well. Complicated leveling schemes is why I have never tried a JUPParty.

So if you have that one (by the way, doesn't the XP penalties become quite large with 4 classes?

What other character do you suggest to go with that? What's that fighter n/cleric X combo that is reportedly so good?

 

bahir, there are no xp penalties as the 3 classes are the same level & being human allows your highest class to be the favored class for you.

 

Thanks! I recently thought of it, but I think I'll apply it next time my sorcerer levels up. And next time I update my guide, I'll add it.

martaug's right, no XP penalty. I don't 'do' XP penalty characters.

Ah, the Battlecleric!
It's about getting the required wisdom, and concentrating on combat stats from then on. I recommend Constitution, but others go for strength. You don't need more than 19 or 20 WIS to cast level 9 spells

Spoiler

and this can easily be achieved with 15WIS and equipping items in the game.

Higher wisdom only gives a few bonus spells, but doesn't improve the cleric's main functions. What good is a high spell DC if you only summon, heal, buff? High Difficulty Class is for offensive spells like fireballs, to overcome enemy saving throws.
Clerics are the best warriors (Heal casts instantly!), and can boost their combat skills to outcompete any full warrior class.
My 2 battleclerics are both drow, so get -2CON and -2ECL(effective character level), but the Spell Resistance compensates for this. If you advance only in CON on level ups, like I did, you'll have a strong character that can be blasted with spells at reduced risk - perfect for frontline warriors.
CN female drow bard 5 / battleguard of tempus X, 18-15-16-5-15-11. 5 levels bard gives Tymora's melody, infinite Luck for the whole party is a great boost.
NG female drow fighter 4 / morninglord of lathander X, 18-18-16-5-18-5. I know, this isn't a roleplaying build.
4 levels fighter allow you to take 3 weapon proficiency slots, and improve the already impressive combat skills of clerics.
Don't take an evil drow cleric, because you can't shift-click to convert spells to Cure ____ Wounds.

 

I disagree on that. Even my fighter clerics boost wisdom as I usually think a few extra heal and buff spells (and higher casting DC for the few offensive spells that a battlecleric might have) is better than a few extra HP or strength, but boosting any of those is good.

Only one (if any) fighter-type class should be taken early (for weapon proficiencies if you dislike clubs and aren't a battleguard). Some more can be taken after you reaches around lvl 20 if you play HOF. That way the character works both like a full cleric and full tank.

Most races do well as clerics and some have special advantages:
Drow have SR (very useful) but bad stats for clerics and -2 ECL
Deep Gnomes have +wis, +4 AC and SR but a bad favored class and -3ECL.
Shield Dwarfs have +con and -cha that don't matter at all and +2 saves.
Human have +1 skill and therefore get 2 skills/lvl with minimum int so you can take spellcraft for the elemental feats.
Half orc get +str and - on worthless stats.
Aasimar get +2wis with -1ECL

All of the above mentioned races except DG and male drows have useful favored class for fighter-type/clerics.
The same build can be used with druid instead of cleric, but they will not be as powerful because of worse spells than clerics. Still they are IMO better and more fun to play than pure fighter-type characters.

 

If you'll permit me, I'd like to divert this discussion to another thread...

This thread here is very topical, as it was started as a powergaming vs. roleplaying poll. It won't be appreciated if it turns into a powergaming debate thread.

I respond to you in this thread:
http://www.sorcerers.net/forums/showthread.php?p=646614#post646614

 

You're right.

It's nice to see that new people find their way to this poll I started half a year ago. Nice to see that people are still active with IWD2 or other party-based RPGs. And about 40% of the voters play slightly powergamed parties!

EDIT: BTW, you (coineineagh) seem to be one of only two pure IWD2-powergamers in these forums, although some of them that picked #5 (me included) probably consider them quite much powergamers. I just like themes and can sacrifice some power for that, but not too much...

 

I like this poll too, and didn't want to ruin it. It's interesting to get a picture of what other players are up to.

A quick stroll through the IWD2 forum will make it hard to overlook that I LOVE giving powergaming advice, and lots of it too
but there are different approaches toward powergaming, I tend to focus on versatility and practicality in playing the game.
Maybe I'm a wuss because I don't play role-playing parties, but what drew me the most in IWD2 was the many leveling choices to be made. Also, if you want to change something in a character, the character management screen makes it easy to add a new char to replace an old one, and cheat it up to the level of the previous character. Then it's as if it was part of the party from the start. I've been continuously reimagining my party to improve them in powergaming terms. What others may find tedious, I enjoy the most.

 

I'm a big fan of roleplaying parties and most of the parties I take through IWD will be themed accordingly. I don't go out and write detailed bios for all characters, but they do come to life a bit when playing. Most of the roleplay is in the theme and character creation.

I refuse to use mix-ins if they don't make sense. Sure JUPParties are powerful, but they are stupid. Likewise, I refuse to dump any stat lower than 6 or 8.

 

I chose #3 although I don´t consider any style of playing a game as 'bad' - to each her own. I aim to avoid over-optimization, at least the first time around and try not to play the mechanics of a system overmuch, e.g. no dump-stats; also no female char. of mine will have a CHA of less than 12 if she isn´t also to have a correspondingly 'ugly' / 'avg,' looking portrait, something (the portraits) probably harder to find in fantasy games than a horde of LG orcs.
Race and level-matching however, I consider the the most interesting part of CRPGs and not PG at all. Obviously, what I am is a closet power-gamer.

 

in 3rd ed games, probably 4 because stats matter a lot if you don't want your characters to be dead weight, but in BG and BGII, I'd be 2 or 1, because there stats matter less. I mean I've had halfling fighters with 12 strength running around BGII...

 

My characters present the concepts I want them to without dropping any efficiency. So 1 and 6.

 

Yes, there is the choice: "i design my parties and then roleplay them"