1. SPS Accounts:
    Do you find yourself coming back time after time? Do you appreciate the ongoing hard work to keep this community focused and successful in its mission? Please consider supporting us by upgrading to an SPS Account. Besides the warm and fuzzy feeling that comes from supporting a good cause, you'll also get a significant number of ever-expanding perks and benefits on the site and the forums. Click here to find out more.
    Dismiss Notice
Dismiss Notice
You are currently viewing Boards o' Magick as a guest, but you can register an account here. Registration is fast, easy and free. Once registered you will have access to search the forums, create and respond to threads, PM other members, upload screenshots and access many other features unavailable to guests.

BoM cultivates a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. We have been aiming for quality over quantity with our forums from their inception, and believe that this distinction is truly tangible and valued by our members. We'd love to have you join us today!

(If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you've forgotten your username or password, click here.)

Character choice burn out!

Discussion in 'Icewind Dale 2' started by Madagaskar, Dec 17, 2002.

  1. Madagaskar Gems: 1/31
    Latest gem: Turquoise


    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2002
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    [​IMG] Please help someone!

    In the last two weeks i have spent about five hours playing Icewind Dale II and ten hours thinking about the right party choice. I have restarted the game four times now and have only ever got to up to chapter four.

    Does anyone else have the same problem? I am talking about quandries like:

    How do you fit a high intelligence character character or a bluffing diplomat into a four man party?

    How can you fit a multi class Drow into a six man party and expect a return on your investment?

    How do you justify dual wielding your second fighter if your tank only uses swords?

    Is anyone else stuck on character choice?
     
  2. Necrophex Gems: 5/31
    Latest gem: Andar


    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2002
    Messages:
    114
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hi there
    I know exactly what you're talking about...
    I also tried to make the perfect party, and here's what I found:

    There is no perfect party, there are sooo much really good party's...you just need to fit it to your own needs...
    The best way is to make a list on what kind of chars you really want, like tank, 2nd tank, healer etc.
    Now if you are playing 4 character party for example, look wich classes you can combine the best...like healer and tank in 1 char...etc.
    And also you also see some flaws, but once you start you will be seeing that it isn't that bad...Just keep in mind that there is no perfect party, just real good ones ;)

    Good luck!
     
  3. Madagaskar Gems: 1/31
    Latest gem: Turquoise


    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2002
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    [​IMG] Yup, Roekemoes you're right, I think that Icewind Dale II's best feature is that you can't do every quest in just one run (unlike BGII) and can't use every tactic either.

    Still, it's frustating to hear of all the fun you can have with say, a rogue when you don't have a stealthy character in your line up.

    Just for the record, my latest "wunderparty" is likely to be:

    Half Orc Paladin(helm)/fighter*4 (demon exterminator)
    Drow Barbarian/Ranger(50%/50%) (mage killer)
    Human Tempus Cleric
    Human bard(3)/Sorcerer

    I lie awake at night thinking of my inability to make crossbows in slave camps!
     
  4. Quint Gems: 8/31
    Latest gem: Skydrop


    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2002
    Messages:
    279
    Likes Received:
    0
    Let me tell you a secret! I rebuilt 3 of my 6 characters a couple of times during the game without restarting the game... :1eye:
    Yep, you can do that if you know you won't be able to play the game more that once.
     
  5. GabrielNYC Gems: 9/31
    Latest gem: Iol


    Joined:
    Jan 19, 2002
    Messages:
    304
    Likes Received:
    0
    [​IMG] ARRH I totally know what you're going through. I think it's also due in part of finding portraits that are *JUST* right, you know?

    Gabriel
     
  6. Amorphous Gems: 1/31
    Latest gem: Turquoise


    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2002
    Messages:
    10
    Likes Received:
    0
    [​IMG] I couldn't agree more. I've made at least 20 different parties, and the furthest I've ever gotten is chapter 3... :eek:

    I guess I'm just gonna have to bite the bullet and stick with something.
     
  7. Quint Gems: 8/31
    Latest gem: Skydrop


    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2002
    Messages:
    279
    Likes Received:
    0
    :bang: :help:

    :wave:
    Am I writing with an invisible font...? Or are you really ignoring me to express your masochistic quest for suffering... :(

    Why start over the whole game? :confused:
     
  8. Falstaff

    Falstaff Sleep is for the Weak of Will Veteran

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2002
    Messages:
    956
    Likes Received:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    I am with you Quint, I dont't think I have finished the game with more than one of the same characters that I started it with yet! I am working on my second game, and have been through about eight characters since leaving Targos.
     
  9. stupid ugly kickass monk Gems: 1/31
    Latest gem: Turquoise


    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2002
    Messages:
    17
    Likes Received:
    0
    i think i posted about this in "how about this for a party...

    deep gnome monk
    aasimar paladin of helm/ fighter
    half orc fighter
    half orc or shield dwarf cleric/ level 4 fighter
    human transmuter/ rogue
    human soceress

    masochistic quest= priest of ilmater

    [ December 18, 2002, 10:01: Message edited by: powerofone ]
     
  10. Earl Grey

    Earl Grey Mmm... hot tea! Veteran

    Joined:
    Oct 26, 2000
    Messages:
    1,933
    Likes Received:
    1
    Here's a diplomat who should work (I use him) in a 4-person party:

    Aasimar Sorcerer
    Str 6, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 20

    HP's will likely be the lowest in the party, but by always using Mirror Image and Stoneskin he's safe enough.

    [ December 18, 2002, 10:15: Message edited by: Earl Grey ]
     
  11. stupid ugly kickass monk Gems: 1/31
    Latest gem: Turquoise


    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2002
    Messages:
    17
    Likes Received:
    0
    humans are better.. more skill points to distribute
     
  12. Grey Ghost Gems: 6/31
    Latest gem: Jasper


    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2002
    Messages:
    197
    Likes Received:
    0
    With a four person party I make my dipolmat/bluff character either a sorcerer or a rogue since both get decent skill points. Typically I also make my speaker human-for the extra skills points.

    In a six person party I play with a little more variation for the speaker-diplomat since you have more options as far as characters.

    As far as starting over goes, well I used to do that a lot. Now I just switch out characters that I am tired of or those that don't work out as well as I thought they would. Play through so that you can get to Chapters 5 and 6-they are the best (excluding the time loop piece in 5) in the game and they have some wicked battles...
     
  13. Quint Gems: 8/31
    Latest gem: Skydrop


    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2002
    Messages:
    279
    Likes Received:
    0
    @Falstaff: I'm glad that someone understands me.. :(

    I see character creation/evolution as part of the game, just like fighting or using the spells. You learn it by trial and error too. When you fail a battle, you reload and try a different tactic until you master a few. Same thing here, if you made a mistake with a character, just create a new one and correct your mistake -- without having to replay the whole game (unless you really enjoy it).
     
  14. Earl Grey

    Earl Grey Mmm... hot tea! Veteran

    Joined:
    Oct 26, 2000
    Messages:
    1,933
    Likes Received:
    1
    [​IMG] stupid ugly kickass monk wrote:
    What are you going to do with the extra skill point?
    The Aasimar Sorcerer gets 4 skill points/level and this allows him to keep Diplomacy, Bluff and Concentration at max.
    The remaining skill point is shared between Intimidate and Spellcraft.

    If he had been Human he would have had four less stat points. Clearly the four stat points are of greater worth than the extra skill point. :cool:
     
  15. Madagaskar Gems: 1/31
    Latest gem: Turquoise


    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2002
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    [​IMG] Quint, I know what you mean about rebuilding characters for the best situation. Are you using Dalekeeper or importing characters from old games though? I think I'd feel a bit disloyal to the characters if I chopped and changed too much!

    For a party Diplomat I think the best is a Bard/Sorcerer combo as you can add the bluff skill for "Uber" diplomacy.
     
  16. Laocorn Gems: 3/31
    Latest gem: Lynx Eye


    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2002
    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    I haven't gone back and chopped up my characters yet, but I may have to with my first two parties. Right now I've got a four person party and it does pretty good on it's own.

    -Human Rogue lvl 12, about to mc to a bard for songs
    -half-orc 8lvl barb/ 4lvl fighter
    -Aasimar Sorceress lvl 12(pure)
    -Human Monk of the Broken Order lvl 11/1 lvl Painbearer of Ilmater (for clerical spells)

    This group works pretty well. My Rogue has great dex, and (I think) 16 charisma. She does a good bit of talking, but I also get my sorceress in there a good deal too because she has higher charisma for obvious reasons. I've just started Chapter 3 with this group :D
     
  17. Quint Gems: 8/31
    Latest gem: Skydrop


    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2002
    Messages:
    279
    Likes Received:
    0
    No I never used Dalekeeper, except to check out enemy stats and resistances :D
    And don't get me wrong, I don't rebuild them "for the best situation" as you say, like every battle. I was talking about reloading battles to say that you *do* learn from your mistakes. I rebuilt 3 of the 6 because I had made some bad decisions (due to not really understanding the rules).

    In the game itself, with a game loaded you can change your party on the fly. I just throw away the character and build a new-born one instead. Then I level him up via the console to the xp he used to have, and correct my mistakes doing so. Mistakes were eg. for my first monk, I gave him 2 levels of rogue before I discovered the disaster. I also gave my first sorceress 1 level of fighter before I discovered that Aasimar Paladin was better for her (and fixed some bad spell choices too ;) )

    [ December 19, 2002, 14:27: Message edited by: Quint ]
     
  18. Anakha the Almighty Gems: 10/31
    Latest gem: Zircon


    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2002
    Messages:
    378
    Likes Received:
    0
    Although I finished the game, my first party was a disaster. Here is my second party :

    1. ANAKHA the ALMIGHTY-Aasimar-Paladin of Helm x/Fighter 4
    2. ULATH DOOMBRINGER-Shield Dwarf-Barbarian x/Fighter 4
    3. BEVIER EVILSTORM-Aasimar-Stormlord of Talos x
    4. TALEN SILENTDEATH-Tiefling-Wizard x/Rogue y (x=17 at lvl 30)
    5. SEPHRENIA FARSIGHT-Drow-Diviner x
    6. TYNIAN CLAWFIST-Human-Monk x(Maybe MC with Druid after level 20)

    I reached Black Raven monastery and beat second chamber last night. I stopped adjusting levels after reaching level 10, to get exp for killing monsters.
     
Sorcerer's Place is a project run entirely by fans and for fans. Maintaining Sorcerer's Place and a stable environment for all our hosted sites requires a substantial amount of our time and funds on a regular basis, so please consider supporting us to keep the site up & running smoothly. Thank you!

Sorcerers.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products on amazon.com, amazon.ca and amazon.co.uk. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.