Which character would you make and would you use the roll hack? I've started a CE Half-Orc Fighter and solo'd, kind of felt right to have a CE character solo. Also did a Paladin that actually made it pretty far. My main problem is not having much in the way of Magic Item Creation.
I only solo'd once, and I used a rogue. Took the gems out of her throne, and finished the game at lvl 6 - I think. Been a long time ago... Anyhow, I sneaked past lots of encounters Some people here seem to swear by clerics to solo :shrug:
You could always get a caster to follow your solo guy into a couple key fights to leech a giant pile of XP...
I'm assuming you mean pure solo, with no NPC followers. I've soloed--and done Iron man-- many times. Ranger is my first choice. Ranger/Cleric is almost too easy in ToEE, but is still really fun to play. Ranger/Druid can dominate. Lately, for more challenge, my favorite is Fighter/Sorcerer (reminiscent of Robert Jordan's Asha'man), lots of flair but also very difficult if I'm not careful -- even knowing what's lurking around the corner doesn't guarantee success (which is why ToEE is so awesome.) If I multi-class, I never take any class past 10th level (the original level cap of the game), but that's only because I'm an old-school gamer who believes the level limitations maintain game balance. [And I don't believe the original ToEE contemplated characters --especially spell casters-- above 10th.] I believe any class can solo and be successful, although the tactics will vary drastically. One of the most important skills for successful soloing is Survival, because random encounters are often game enders (for the Iron man game). As for magic crafting -- it certainly adds spice to the game, but it isn't absolutely necessary. There are plenty of magic items in the game already. My first successful Iron-man solo was with a plain ol'human fighter. Just make sure you grab one of the Holy weapons when you find them. Short of multi-classing with a spellcaster class, any class with spell casting ability (Bard, Paladin, Ranger) can Craft to a limited degree. You just have to spend a slot for one of the crafting feats. Whether or not to use the 'roll hack' is a personal choice. Sometimes I use it just because I don't want to deal with re-rolling 800+ times to get the minimum scores I'm looking for. But sometimes I've gotten higher scores within a dozen rolls than I would have chosen with the 'hack'. Usually I think a decent set of scores for a solo character can be obtained if you have patience for 200-300 rolls. You definitely want +3/+4 to begin in your major attributes, and probably +1/+2 in most of the others. Remember, every 4 levels you get to add a point to ability scores. But exceeding +4 or +5 really isn't vital. Some random thoughts-- Elf or Half elf is good because of immunity to sleep spells and bonus vs enchantment spells (like charm and hold). High Fortitude save is Very important. There aren't many spell caster foes early in the game, but any immobility (Hold, undead paralysis, stun, sleep, entangle, web, poisen) is almost assuredly fatal. Find the appropriate magic item defense and keep it. Likewise, being able to immobilize the enemy, especially in groups, is key. Rogues and Rangers have insanely high skill points. Cleave and Mighty Cleave. Combat Reflexes. Reach weapons. Hit and run tactics. Don't be afraid to sneak and avoid encounters. Don't ever get surrounded in combat. Use terrain and room corners and doorways to funnel the bad guys. Evasion (class bonus feat available to Rogues and Rangers) Don't be afraid to run away. 5' Step. Use Magic Item skill allows you to use scrolls (healing, for example) even if you can't normally cast spells. CG alignment + Prince Thrommel = Scather. Check out the thread entitled "I Never Knew I Could Do X until Just Now ..." for lots of good hints and strategies. Enjoy.
There are several threads here on solo character play and build- some folks like the really challenging classes like having a dwarf cleric or monk. I started a solo human monk way back when... good luck on your choices and have fun!
