What kinds of party do you use?

I use seven PCs, not quite level five yet. I've been sneaking through the temple [1], checking things out, although the electric trap on the fourth level stops my "progress". My party is too weak to fight pretty much anywhere in the temple. I was only able to kill the hill giant in the Meadows, because I got some help from the 8th level wizard (can't remember his name). I also used the wizard to get inside the temple, but then got rid of him.

(Btw, can you get the wizard join you in the original game?)

I used the point-buy system for the stats, to not make my party overly powerful, I thought. I have a bard, a cleric, a ranger, a rogue, a wizard (gnome), and two fighters (dwarf, and half-orc). The bard is a kind of talker, diplomat, what-have-you. I suppose I don't have to pay as much for stuff because of the bard and his skills. The use of the rest of my party is pretty much obvious. But anyway, is it supposed to be so tough in the Temple? Or am I, for example, supposed to use Burne, the wizard, or whatever his name was, until my party is level six or so? Or am I supposed to use a smaller party to level it up faster? Or not to use point-buy system? Or to use a party of five fighters, one wizard and one cleric (or something close to that)? What kinds of party and tactics do you all use? Do you use the point-buy system?

[1] I've noticed that nobody reacts to opening doors, even when facing such a door, if your character is sneaking. Such behaviour would be understandable if they weren't facing the door, but at present, sneaking through the temple and checking everything out is too easy. You aren't supposed to know where every ogre and such is located. Is there any way to make things more random? Or to get the creatures wander around? (I suppose the latter would take all the steam out of most machines.) I've also noticed that, unlike in Baldur's Gate, if, for example, you sneak to another level with one character, the rest of your party will magically follow. This feature of the game is probably to ingrained to easily correct.

EDIT: I also don't use the max-HP mods, but I do use the Humble NPCs mod.

 

Which wizard? Burne and Spugnoir both were able to join the party in the original game. I think you might mean Burne but I'm not certain what level he is now

I use a rogue, fighter, wiz, cleric and ranger as my PCs and I tend to end up with Elmo, Fru and Mel as my regular NPCs with others taken along as and when I can be bothered. I don't use the pointbuy system as I need to have savepoints in order to test things out for modding and these tend to require at least a modicum of excellence and expertise in certain relevant skills and stats.

How you play is a matter of personal preference. Pointbuy provides a bigger challenge which goes well with a houseruled version of ironman. NPCs are rather messed up in some ways due to humble NPCs (which is of course far better than the implementation of their original looting instructions) as they are effectively free - although one can houserule that to some extent if you choose.

The game engine doesn't recognise anything other than there is a door. So the problem with doors opening is not going to be fixed any time in the near future.

No way to split up a party as far as I know. Again this would require a massive rewrite of the game engine which ain't going to happen.

I suppose it is possible to have critters move about but it is a major hassle to do and needs to be very carefully done to avoid unforseen consequences. Some rebalancing is in the works by Allyx so it might be something he's considering or might consider to do.

Sneak is sneak and if you are able to scout without being spotted, that's the reward for concentrating on it.

 

Thanks for all the info, Zebedee. Yeah, I meant Burne. He was level 8 when I used him to kill the hill giant, and after that to get inside the temple. Using him made all that stuff rather too easy. I haven't tried him inside the Temple itself, though... I might yet have to. (It would be interesting to know whether it was possible to get some such 8th-level wizard to join you in the original PnP module.)

By the way, what do you mean by "houseruled version" (of ironman)?

 

I start with a rogue, a cleric, and a wizard. At second level, I switch the rogue to fighter, and level-up as fighter from then on. That way I get sneak attack, trap finding, and a good variety of skills to start, then as fighter I focus on rogue skills mostly. I always take exotic weapon- bastard sword, for reasons I won't mention- just i case you haven't met Thrommel yet.

I like clerics for healing and ghoul-control. Get scribe scroll, and healing in combat is a snap!

Wizards and clerics are also must haves for crafting.



I just played a wizard solo all the way to Zuggtmoy, no cheats! I rolled 'til I got the scores I liked(no editing) and started from scratch. I faced Zuggy at level 16, with a white robe of archmagi, Staff of frost, and many wondrous goodies. However, I forgot that you must have the node gems when you destroy the skull, so I couldn't beat the b...h! It was great fun.

 

Thanks for the interesting ideas.

Btw, I just started the ironman mode with three fighters, a rogue, a cleric, and a wizard. I hope the game won't crash before my party dies.

 

Everything went fine with my new party in the ironman mode, until I ran into a couple of shadows... Why can't I flee from combat, by the way? Is this something that could be fixed easily?

 

Due to danger of save game corruption and crashes, the version of ironman in the game is very frustrating (to say the least) to play. So you houserule it - exactly the same as normal ironman but you have backup saves in case of a crash etc.

 

yeah, save often but don't reload unless you get a TPK.

 

But I don't have the will power...

 

in that case, on your next level up with a stat increase put the point on WIS

 

Indeed I should: it took me a couple of days to notice that I had gone to the Temple from a wrong entrance, as it were (the side tower). That's why it was so difficult there...

 

just remember the tactic propounded by King Arthur: "Run Away!":aaaa:

 

most times = 1 Thief + 1 MU + 1 Cleric + 1 Barbarian + 1 Fighter [or a Ranger]

I like to kill'em all in the tower ruins before starting the temple. Then, after the tower ruins, I start on the 1st level of the temple.

 

Depends on whether I'm running a good or an evil party. Good party is usually pally, cleric, ftr, rogue, wiz. Though occassionally will replace rogue with rngr for greater melee capability. Evil party is cleric(Hextor or Nerull), either 2 ftrs or 2 rngrs (mood based decision there) rogue and sorc. With the evil party I always stay clear of Emridy Meadows until I have invited Lareth to join. Between Him and my cleric we command almost all the undead there, making the hill giant and bear easy kills.

 

ive been using the classic pnp ftr/clc/wiz/rog , which is pretty challenging to keep the bugbears off my soft,squishy wizard.