Thief skills of a Swashbuckler

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Well since I had to format my disc and re-install BG2 altogether and thus deleteting my Kensai / Thief (too bad I was in the underdark) I've decided to give bg2 a shot with a class I've never played The Swashbuckler! (As obviously shown in the title)

So since they can't back stab it's near useless to spend point in Move Silently and Hide in Shadows isn't? Where should I spent them then? Set Trap and Detect Illusion seem pretty nasty and if I remember correctly ToB's HLA traps are very powerfull aren't they?

Oh and I'm also trying these mods

Tashia
Ease-of-Use
Dungeon-be-gone
That mod that replace the ugly sphere with the cloak of miroring (? spelling?)
Improved ALL Fives... bhaalspawns.. thingy (can't remember the names )
The bhaalspawn power restoration mod
Imoen Romance

Yay for Baldur's Gate II!

 

Well, Move Silently and Hide is good still, whether you should choose those for your swashie pretty much depends on your play-style, and the resources otherwise available to your party. If you like to scout ahead, and don't have any other character capable of doing that within your party, then some points in Move Silently and Hide might be needed. Iirc Swashies can't set traps, so you points would be best distributed between opening locks, seraching for traps, disabling traps and detecting illusion (I've never used detect illusion that much myself though).

 

Swashbucklers can most certainly set traps. The other benefit of swashbucklers is that they get the full 25% to distribute to their skills per level up (as opposed to other thief kits) and they can put 2 stars in their proficiencies, and three stars in two weapon style.

Move silently and hide in shadows still has its uses, but it is not as essential as with other thief classes. Sometimes I scount ahead, and if you're like me, and you like to chuck a fireball or cloudkill into a room it helps to have a thief scout ahead so you can be as precise as possible in your spell location. Of course, if you have a ranger in your party, then spending points in move silently and hide in shadows is definitely not needed.

 

Hello -

Stealth is huge, whether you can backstab or not.

For starters, aided by the Cloak of Non-Detection, it is the only unbreakable invisibility in the game.

Mages can't cast spells on invisible people, so if you are fighting a dangerous mage, you can snipe at him from a distance and withdraw and stealth if you see him start casting a spell. Instant wasted spell.

You can use stealth to break up packs of monsters to make them more manageable for your Swashie.

Once you get UAI you can have all sorts of fun. Magic and stealth are on different timers, so you can shoot wands at people, withdraw and recloak immediately.

And as someone already pointed out, the Swashie has the most thief points anyway. Don't neglect stealth!

 

Well, Yoshimo and Valygar can still be my scout so I can focus on Traps and Detect Ilusion nay?

 

GO STEALTH! I say this as a person to whom stealth is a vital tactic to all of my strategies. Whether it be backstabbing, stealth area spells, or just getting someone in the right place to start doing as much damage as possible from the first moment they're seen. I use Jan's stealth to put him in the perfect place to open up on people once the battle is joined, and Minsc or a swashie can be done similarly by moving them (stealthed) next to archers or spellcasters to engage them first in melee combat for which they are unprepared. Putting your people in those perfect positions in the beginning can sometimes mean the difference between victory or defeat if things turn ugly.

EDIT:
Ooooh, Detect Illusion. Stuff everything you can into that skill right away; pump it up to 100 at character creation and you can blink the werewolves in the circus tent away easy. It's also very useful against mages who cast II or Shadow Door or similar things, because your Swashie can be up there whacking on him and detecting him at the same time (attack and then hit the Detect button) making him effectively waste a round on a spell that's dispelled soon after it's cast, at no cost to you. It's like a limited range (nearly point-blank ) True Sight that you don't have to memorize and can use at any time.

 

Well thank you all for the good advice and counsil, too bad we couldn't get some of that sacramental wine! (*cough* Mel Brooks *cough)

So Detect Illusion is a free True Sight at point blank?! My it's potent!

So you know this Swashbuckler is the class I had to most fun so far, and God know I've played many classes; Bard, Cleric, Fighter/Cleric, Kensai / Thief (not to the end howerver) Mage, Sorcerer, and of course everybody's favourite Avenger druid

 

After you realize how a Swashie is potent in combat despite being limited to light armor, you'll never ever think of using him otherwise.

I consider Pickpocket a good option as well for spending your leftover points (usually five per level for me) - you can get free high level scrolls from nobles and guards early, as well as the extremely nifty Ring of Regeneration from Ribald. Of course, many quests/quest items can be pickpocketed without even doing the actual task (Helm of Glory comes to mind).

 

Actually Detect Illusions is more than just a free True Sight - it's also instantaneous! If I am not mistaken I think that it also reveals enemies who are Hiding in shadow, although I'm not sure about this last point.

EDIT: What I meant is that it doesn't have a "casting time", unlike True Sight.

[ January 21, 2006, 13:47: Message edited by: Ziad ]

 

It's not instantaneous; it sweeps once a round like TS. You may get lucky and have it coincide with a sweep, but the same could happen with TS.

 

Any items out there to prevent confusion? The humber Hulks and the Yuan-ti mages are always hard on me only because of their goddamn confusion skill.

 

Greenstone Amulet (uses charges)
Aeger's Hide +3
Potions of Clarity
The Equalizer

...and of course MR.

 

And Lilarcor, the Shield of Harmony, and the Spear of the Unicorn. I think Felinoid pointed out items that would be useful to a solo Swashie, but you're playing a party...

 

Does the Helmet of Charm Protection grant immunity to Confusion? I do believe there is two or three of these lying around Firkraag's Lair and the Sewers beneath the Temple District...

 

Also we should not forget the chaotic command spell, which is I admit a bit ... restraining due to it's limited lenght.