Which class for a uniform party?

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Suppose you had to create a party with only 3 or 4 members, all of the same class (but all races possible). Which class would you choose? (One or 2 levels in one other class would be ok).

It seems to me that the Cleric class would win this one. Perhaps bards. Warriors anyone?

PS: I'd definitely have said Monks if they were not so weak at lower levels (in this game).

[ November 22, 2002, 23:39: Message edited by: Quint ]

 

If you are limited on 3 or 4 characters and only one class then Cleric is the only way to go. You could probably get by with 4 fighters, but you would spend all your cash on potions and resurrections...

It would be interesting to try all Rogues, but ultimately since you have to kill pretty much everything they would falther at the end. Wizards or Sorcerers would be hard pressed to make it out of the Prologue or Chapter 1.

One interesting party, IMHO, is the all barbarian party or mixed with barbs, barb/fighters, and barb/cleric of tempus characters. That would be a fun little juant. Maybe 1 barb/cleric and 3 or 4 barbs-greatswords and axes abound...

Another interesting party that I have never gotten around to playing would be a group of Rangers and Druids. You know, out to protect the North. Slay all the evil half-breed abominations that kind of good stuff.

edit: also I had thought it might be fun to play a group of all Paladins and Clerics-but after I have been through the game a few times I realized that this party is a little too holy for me.

[ November 22, 2002, 23:46: Message edited by: Grey Ghost ]

 

I would go with all fighters with their strength and constitution attributes to their max. Brute force attack!!!

Or maybe all rouges too. i think it's quite probable that they will be able to finish the game, just got to make sure that they deal plenty of backstab/sneak attack damage before going on into the regular battle scene with the enemies. However, I would most probably make all of them halflings.

Since IWD1, I always wondered what it would be like to use an all mage/wizard group? Mayb this time I would have a combi of wiards and sorcerers, since they ARE pretty much the same, except of the way they learn spells of course, and err... the number of spells, and err. the number of spells, and err... the number of skill points... and err... err... *sheepish grin* ok, they are not THAT similar.

 

I like the idea of 4 wizards... at 1st you would do a lot of duckin and dodgin, but once 3rd lvl spells became available the tides would turn. With 4 mages, you could do the web/stinking cloud/fireball/fireball opening at lvl 5. Later you could do the web/chaos/malision/cloudkill opening or the web/cone'o'c/shroud'o'flame/acid fog or anyother devilish como you can think of = Basically you could deal out pure destruction as long as you keep them in the grinder and not in melee... which is why teleportation sphere rocked in BG2.

 

These wizard tactics would be junk in the Underdark and the Severed Hand. Not to mention HOF. I would use heaps of summons, animate dead especially and illusion type spells. 4 sorcerers sounds like a buzz, I'm gonna try it.

 

Wow, here come the magic users! I love sorcerers!
"The Elemental Sorcerers", one specialized in each element. You'd have enough killing power to handle any type of monster, for sure, at high levels. The tactics will be tricky without tanks, but you have 6 summons.
But who will heal you? Or will you sleep for days? (Trollish Fortitude would be almost required there). Who will turn all those nasty undead away?
Melée is no problem, I think. Just use weapon finesse and high Dex. Perhaps 1 monk level and no robes (for evasion) with high reflex saves will allow all 4 to participate in a huge sunfire party! That'd be a sight to see! Actually Fire+Acid+Cold all at once would be nice, thank you.

I'd really be interested in knowing how you finished the prelude, though.

I do love clerics too. Pretty powerful spells. My cleric just summoned the hugest beetle I've seen since IWD1, a Rhinoceros Beetle, big as a Dragon! It stood up against 2 Glabrezus, 2 Cornugons and 8 lemures, all by itself in the battle against Iyachtu Xvim. What an ally! Definitely a TANK!

Four fighters? Hmmm. I'd say they have a very good chance. All these monsters are vulnerable to slashing and/or bludgeoning damage, even when they're almost immune to fire, cold and whatnot. And there are enough gadgets with magical effects around to get fire, cold and other types of damage, or even cast a few nasty spells. Yes, definitely a good chance, but the healing issue still remains. Which would partially be solved with 4 Paladins, or 3 Paladins and 1 fighter (to collect the monetary rewards). Oh, I forget, all of the same class... hmmm... difficult.

[ November 23, 2002, 04:50: Message edited by: Quint ]

 

Khazraj... I haven't won IWD2 yet, but I know my "grinder" works well in BG, BG2 and IWD. It involves usually malision and stinking cloud and/or web... then add all the evil spells like acid fog or whatnot. This also works on tabletop even better. I'm sure I'll see what you mean when I win and go to HOF. Khaz... so if I'm a sorcerer, what summonings should I aim for?

Quint... Wizards and Sorcerers. I'm thinking a dual xW/xC, a xD/xS, S, and a W. I think that would keep healing in line, summoning in line and stick to the spirit of mageocracy. What do you think?

 

Sorcerers won't need healing later after you get the Periapt of Wound Closure and other regenerative items. Potions are plenty enough till then. Since sorcerers don't go big on hp, 10gp for a cure light wounds is generally enough.

Undead are monsters. Kill them (said with Matron Mother Ardulace voice from BG2). My summoned undead will rape them fast enough. Only undead in chapter 5 anyway.

Kyle, if you do intend to get the sorcerer in HOF mode, then get as many of the Monster Summoning x (1-9 that is) and Animate Dead (you will regret NOT having this one) Greater Shadow Conjuration and some of the elemetal planar ally or demon summoning spells, just in case. Honestly though I found Animate Dead and Monster Summoning series to be enough. BTW I explained to Quint somewhere else in a similar way that your "grinder" is fine for a regular game, but HOF tactics are something else. It will be useless in HOF, since the creatures will walk out of the "traps" unscathed. Well not unscathed but if a goblin has 150hp you cludkill will take ages to kill it. Seriously you will end up using the entire spell repertoire to knock out lesser enemies. Summons and invisibility sphere, maybe otilukes sphere, are the only things that will save your butt in HOF. I am not kidding or hiding anything. Regular tactics will fail, fail and in case you missed it,...fail! Summons all the way baby!

On your other point. I made an equal levelled sorcerer/wizard level 9/8 by the end of the game. Not many spells and the level to resist them was weak. If you really want to see firepower, go with single classes.

As for my party of 6 sorcerers, I will take separate races in case I need extra multiclass options. And come to think of it, perhaps 3 sorcerers and 3 wizards would be better. I reckon that 6 simultaneous sleep spells will do wonders until level 5-6 when they become fireballs...

 

Cheating already?
We said 3 or 4, I insist (they'll advance faster too). And of the same class. Although I admit wizards and sorcerers are played pretty much the same way.

And I wasn't even talking about HoF mode. But be my guest. Seriously, let me know how it went.

[ November 23, 2002, 07:39: Message edited by: Quint ]

 

Bother... I went and made a party of 3 wizards + 3 sorcerers, and a party of 5 clerics + 1 druid. Shall be fun. I'll let you know about the mage types soon. For some reason the 4 or 6 option did not register for me. The other guy asked about HoF summons... I don't think I'll do a HoF party for a while, very draining tactically...

 

Clerics are probably the best way to go because they have a good balance of fighting skills, spellcasting, and they are the best healing class.