Henchmen, do you need em?

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Exactly as the title states. Can you go through the whole NWN campaign, including both expansion packs, without taking a henchman? I mean we can state the obvious, if you're playing a wizard then you'll be fighting without a meat shield or tank by your side and you wont have someone to do the roguing aspect, but can it be done?

 

Might be hard to some class or depending on one's playing style but it can be done. And for your obvious example: Even if a low HP wizard doesn't have a meat-shield henchman, he does have a familiar and summoning capabilities... not to mention buff spells. You can bash most anything, even with a range weapon, so locked chests and doors aren't a problem. If you're afraid to spring those traps, let the summoned creature do it for you... or possess your familiar to do it.

It's not a "one tactic for all" kind of game.

 

SO it's possible then in your opinion?

 

With a single class wizard it might be hard but I guess if it's possible I might as well give it a go.

 

Yes. Given that most henchmen are useless anyway and keep dying, effectively you do go through the campaign without one, whether you want to or not. I can never be bothered going back to reincarnate my henchmen, so that means you can definitely get through without one. Most classes can summon extra meatshields when required and warrior classes don't need them.

 

I'm similar to HB. The henchmen irritate me to the extent that I only use them in modules where they are necessary.

I've soloed a Wizard though the OC and HotU and I'm not keen on summoning. So, in answer to your question, is is very possible.

 

The henchmen just keep dying, especially in the OC. In SoU and HotU they survive a bit better, and Deekin, at least, is reasonably entertaining.

 

I've solo'd a single class Wizard, Sorcerer, Rogue...everything. Trust me, a Henchman actually makes the game HARDER. Atleast...they keep doing stuff I don't want them to and they are really annoying...and since I can take care of the enemies myself I don't need a henchman.

Besides, you get less XP if you have a henchman with you.

 

In the OC, I didn't need them. Or in SoU. Had two in HotU and one currently in the Daggerford module, but it's not like I need that gnome rogue that much. I just like preaching to him.

But I would actually use a fighter henchman, except being the paladin, I'm supposed to do the fights, anyway. There's just no incentive to go and hire someone. Maybe if there were a plot-related martial henchman... But the rogue is actually great with his special crossbow, even if he gets knocked out way too easily once anything gets close.

 

A wizard can solo easily. They have summons and a pet. The hellhound is a great tank at early levels. The imp is good too as he's has high DR and can take on a room full of goblins without a scratch. Even better, hellhounds and imps are immune to fire, so your wizard can blast away with burning hands and fire balls without harming your pet.

I highly recommend Tony's AI mod, availalbe at nwvault.com. It vastly improves your henchmen and makes them far from useless. Even little Deekin becomes an absolute powerhouse in HOTU. And his dialog is hilarious. You're really missing out if you leave the little guy behind, IMO.

 

I have played NWN without henchmen as a sorcerer and druid. Actually if you play SoU as a arcane caster without a henchman you can solo the game as there is no "meat-wall" henchman in SoU.

 

Oh yes. Keeping them alive is a mission compared to keeping yourself alive. In the OC in particular, their idiocy is staggering. Mind you, the AI isn't that much better in SoU & HotU. Generally, they display a complete disregard for any orders you might have given them and always use the "wrong" weapons and spells for any given situation (e.g. Linu casting Negative Energy spells on skeletons rather than using Turn Undead). The concept of positioning is utterly lost on them. Often they'll de-equip missile weapons to charge a far-away opponent in melee.

Taking a henchman is like trying to babysit a suicidal ADD kid whilst fighting off the armies of Beelzebub with a spork. I'd strongly recommend leaving them behind, especially if you're a rogue or warrior character.

 

Except Deekin, who is entertaining. Also, he sings his Bard song as a default strategy, which is reasonably useful if you are entering melee.

 

True. Deekin did manage to distinguish himself with better-than-rubbish degrees of competence in both SoU and HotU. But his voice can grate after a while. Other just-about-usable ones include Dorna, Daelan, Grimgnaw and Tomi, because they're warriors or rogues who don't need much babysitting (although Dorna can be a total PITA at times).

 

You don't actually need them but I always take Tomi until I can pickup Deekin. I make sure Tomi stands far back and uses his missle weapons only. Also handles traps automatically. If he dies I just go pick him later when I go back to the temple. Deekin almost always uses his bard song and any bonus is better than none. Also as a Dragon Disciple he gets relativly tough.

 

I found Tomi be useful enough, at the first chapter at least. He could hold his ground in combat, and he was useful as rogue, seeing I wasn't playing one.

 

Yeah, Deekin's okay...if only for the Doom Doom Doom song! And unless I'm playing some sort of Bard multiclass myself, I always have Deekin along. He can buff me pretty decently...Haste and Imp. Invisibility are nothing to sneeze at for a single classed Fighter type or a Druid...

Tomi has the most atrocious AI I have seen. I was in the Peninsula district and we were getting mobbed by all those prisoners, so I told him to hang back and use his bow. No dice...the idiot charged into MELEE with a BOW! Can you say AoO bonanza? I didn't bother going back to the temple and getting him...too annoying.

 

You clearly have never played with that Sorcerer from the OC.