I want to know which mode of play is stronger in this game? Is it melee weapons, ranged weapons, or spell casting? I would like to make a ranged weapon specialist and since this game is much less high of a level, I would like to know if melee is stronger than ranged weapons like in Baldurs Gate? I want to make a ranged weapon expert for one of my characters and won't make them if melee is stronger in this game.
Are you talking about playing solo? Because, if not, the "strongest" is generally to have a balanced party, with some ranged, some melee, and some spellcasting. In general, though, reach melee weapons are especially powerful in this game, due to the fact that due to a engine limitation, they can hit enemies right next to you, as well as far away. For a true dynamo of destruction, get a fighter with whirlwind attack and a reach weapon.
When reach weapons don´t have that limitation then why are the skeletons e.g. in Emridy Meadows or the Moathouse taking a 5-foot-step in each round to keep the reach distance before attacking?
Ranged is decent enough if you have some way of stopping enemies getting into melee with you, since most enemies are melee-orientated and few maps have the terrain features to keep you apart. A strong front line or various spells will do this just fine. At higher levels, a rogue archer who is invisible by virtue of improved invisibility or dust of disappearance does good damage with sneak attacks. Ultimately, full casting classes are the most powerful, to the extent that if you playing purely to 'win' then a mix of clerics, wizards and druids is all you ever need, but it's more fun (and easier early on) to run a balanced party.
Every class is fine somehow. Fighter can do high damage on one by one enemy (especially usefull is cleave, combat reflexes and greater cleave to attack multiple times at some situations), has best AC and hp, but you must reach enemy first and could not do damage to some type of enemies (like Trolls or Werewolves for example, you have to use successful trip and cup da grease at attack at next turn, flaming or rare silver weapon). Ranger has not bad damage and AC (later he can attack multiple with rapid shot and manyshot, but every try has much less chance to hit) and for some enemies should have special weapon (flaming longbow or silver arrows). Casters can do very high damage on many enemies at once using area of effect spells (especially fireball or icy storm for example), holding many at once (web for example, and damage one by one - note that fireball damage also web), summoning cannon fodder to fight for you, most of spells always hit and variety of spells makes them possible to bypass any immunity, but you should have in mind some enemies with spell resistance, and also their AC and hp is critically low (1-2 hit by enemy and thats it). Every class has its advantages and disadvantages at particular cases. I have no idea what would be best for solo. At least two, fighter for tank and close defense, and wizard for ranged, multi damage, any type of damage, holding, and summoning. Balanced party is ready for everything you meet and is also very interesting if you can switch between different tactics of playing.
Allow me to ask you this: are you asking which is the stronger combat method- melee or missile? I've just recently been playing BG and I quickly came to realize that 99% of all combats could be won with missile attacks only. Considering that BG is more RTS while TOEE is turn based it's hard to compare combat styles and strengths. (This is not a criticism of your comment- just an observation on my part). Also, if you are using the Co8 Front end, you can raise the level cap to 20- certainly higher than in BG1...
That's a good question, deathknight1728. It really boils down to your play style. I would recommend building the characters you would most like to adventure with and let yourself be surprised at how well YOU adapt their strategies to meet the needs of the encounters.
