Gameplayhelp/hints/discussions

Yup. That's what I get for posting pre-coffee.

 

Well, I rarely use Inflict spells, but I use healing spells all the time. In tougher fights the Bard will be assigned to Buff and Heal duty, running around behind the front line (Mirror Image and Blur, then later Stoneskin) singing, using healing potions and scrolls, and casting buffs (often from scrolls; Use Item is a great skill once you get it high enough). I try to make sure that at least the Cleric has Scribe Scroll (to boost the healing and buffing spell supply between rests), and it's not a bad choice for Druids.

If there is no Bard, any character with the right spell or skill set can perform similarly. Bards just tend to be well suited for the Buff-And-Heal slot.

I recently noticed that Liv's mod makes Heal and Harm available; I haven't tried Harm yet, but I plan to do so.

 

This is true enough; that's part of the trade-off you make for putting higher scores in non-spellcasting stats for a spellcasting character. A melee Druid with lower Wisdom will do better casting summon spells and buffs rather than offensive spells.

If you're willing to roll untill you can put 4 16+ characteristics down, all the better.

 

I just started a CN 2 person party...
i intend to keep the overall party number as low as possible. Playing with a standard, full party was just too easy and boring for me.

The characters I use now are both CN humans, though I plan on getting Elmo, Darley (way underestimated character - she's one of the best warriors in the game in her demon form! - she can get up to 40 AC with the right buffs and equipment, and 3 attacks/round! give her a belt of giant strength and she's almost unbeatable) and Ooglrisht (and/or possibly scorpp, though he's boring). The two Orcs are interesting too, but not interesting enough. And it also sucks that I can't just have one orc. Or maybe even a goblin or lizardman shaman, that would be neat. Hell, I'd much rather want a mongrel man in my party rather than a hill giant!

The point of me choosing the weirdos of the game as henchmen isn't their immense fighting potential as such, rather that my main characters are supposed to be slightly "off", and prefer the company of likewise people/monsters. Not that they're evil or mean spirited - just really messed up.

The talker of the party started out as a bard, but has switched to fighter/sorceress after a level or two. She dualwields swords ATM, but i was reconsidering that maybe i should have made her wield a spike chain instead. It just seems neater, and makes her seem a bit more unbalanced too, hehe.

The other guy started as a rogue, but is now a cleric/wizard after also getting a level in fighter. (the reason for all the multiclassing is... well, they're CN!). I'll probably make him a dualwielder or give him a chain. Either way, someone needs a chain! hehe! Though in order to get the benefits of sneak attack, I guess he should just dualwield and i'll redo the talker.

Maybe I'll give scather to elmo and make him a dual wielder.

I'll tell you though, having a 2 person party is very difficult, at least in the beginning, (and takes a shitload of rerolls when creating the characters!), but they level up extremely fast! By the time I cleared out the battlefield of undead and killed the spiders of the wood grove, they were both level 6 and handling themselves really well.. encountered three groaning spirits randomly, and my party killed them easy. And i haven't even gotten to the moathouse yet.

So yeah, it's hard but it's fun. You get access to the high level skills a lot faster, but really have to plan your strategies much better. It's interesting.
But I figure I'll also need the aforementioned NPCs later in the game when the fights become too difficult for just two (or three people with elmo) to handle.

 

I did a 3 person party, cleric of Pelor(turning/healing), a 18STR CG fighter that can use Scather, and a half-elf wizard. Once the wizard gets to level 5 and gets fireball you can really rock and roll. Everything is basically covered, turning, healing(collect potions), search, etc. I would take Burne when I go to the temple, especially if the wizard isn't at level 5 yet. Works pretty good. Also, the fungus figurine comes in handy.

 

Quickly doing all of the Hommlet quests with a solo "talking mage" can be fun (Wizard with high CHA, high WIS, and Persuasive and Negotiator). He'll be around level 4 by the end. At that point, you can either recruit a party and craft some cool items for them, or try to solo the Moathouse.

 

A high charisma is a really good thing for clerics and wizards. Clerics get craft wonderous items at level 3, wizards get craft at level 5. The sooner they get there, the better. Now, there might be a money problem to complicate things. Seems I can never get good xp and money at the same time to do some crafting. I have never learned how to manage money, I just spend it.

 

Try playing ALONE, as I did, with only 1 PC in the party. It is hard, but really funny!

 

Early in the game, I like to use Scribe Scroll as a money pump. Cantrips cost no XP to scribe, and an Appraise skill of 8 or better lets you maks a few gold pieces off of each 0 level scroll when sold to Calmert or Burne. You can assign a hot key to Scribe Scrolls, click for a minute or so, sell the scrolls and double your money.

You can also make a good profit by restng, fighting, and then scribing 1st level scrolls. You'll earn 6 or more GP per XP, and there's no limit to the number of XP you can gather by killing monsters.

Once I hit the temple, Hill Giants take care of my money needs.

 

I might try it. A cleric/wizard with high scores and the right feats might be interesting. With good str and wep/armour combo. Could be a project, but might need console help.

 

Sounds groovy. He can still use scrolls to cast Wizard spells even in full armor (if you feel like it).

 

I did this: 1 rogue, then 3 paladin, 1 rogue again, 2 corellon larethian, 2 rogue again, 4 fighter and 5 corellon laeretian cleric (war, defense).
Rogue is for abilities, skill points, evasion and uncanny dodge.
Paladin is for extra healing, turning (stacks with cleric), increased saving throws and immunity to fear, fighter for extra feats and weapon specialization for scather, cleric is for spells, turning and healing but not for crafting. He knows too few spells, he may reach at maximum 7th celric level, so not high enough for ioun stones.
He may survive alone because he uses scather with 2 hands for a massive damage with power attack and a magic buckler + combat mastery + fighting defensively for an outstanding AC even if without a shield. This is, in order, the list of selected feats: I.Initiative P.Attac Cleave W.Focus C.Mastery I.Critical W.Spec G.Cleave C.Reflexes. it is missing the one that he should choose at 18th level since the point is:
he already has the most useful feats for a solo character, except combat casting. If I give him "craft items", as told before, he may cast a very limited ammount of items and the only really useful item is cloack of carisma +6 to boost paladin's bonuses, but casting eagle splendor still works fine. Alternatively, craft weapons and armors, to craft a magic buckler +3, to lightly empower his armor (silent moves) and to forge an amazingly powerful elemental bow IF I renunce to the last cleric level, choosing 1 wizard level to learn spells and to craft cooler items. The only nasty, bad problem is that it is almost a wasted level and Scather can't be empowered. More, when alone, a bow is not that useful without the quick draw feat. What do you suggest instead? I think that I'll just take Spugnoir with me when I'll be level 18+, just to have him to enchant some nice item

 

I've just made it to the greater temple with my wizard...and only my wizard. No multiclassing, no npcs, no armor, no cheats. It just takes a lot of scrolls and a bit of patience. Almost level 14 and waiting for that cloak of the archmage. My most feared enemies are tripping bugbears...I need to learn to cast expeditious retreat more often. It's been the most fun I've had with the game since I first played it. Wizards with much scrolls is probably easier than a cleric or druid...I'll have to try them next.

P.S. Great ideas you guys were throwing around earlier, gave me a couple of pointers.

 

Quick note for the day:

Feat of Strength stacks with Enlarge Person, Barbarian Rage, Bull's Strength, and Smite. It also stacks with Belts of Giant Strength. Enlarge Person increases the base damage done by weapons, and stacks with Righteous Might, Divine Power, etc.

A level 4 Half-Orc Cleric of Cuthbert w/ STR 20 can cast Bull's Strength and Enlarge Person before combat, getting a STR of 26 throughout the fight. Drop the shield and he can hold his mace with both hands, for 1.5 times STR bonus damage. When he absolutely needs to hit and hurt something, use Feat of Strength and Smite for a single STR 32 blow, with +4 to hit and damage on top from the Smite.

A level 10 Half-Orc Cleric of Cuthbert can throw Righteous Might into the mix for even more fun. Items help too.

So what are your favorite Spell and Feat stacks?

 

imroved invisibility and sneak attack casted from a wizard on a rogue or by a rogue/bard on itself. Damage, damage and still more damage.....