Keldorn and Edwin

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Did anyone else notice that based on a power playing perspective these two are the most powerful pair of NPC's in the game?

Edwin is the most powerful mage in the game, and Keldorn is his perfect counterpart. Edwin misses out on one school of magic, and Keldorn can cast multiple times the most powerful spell from that school (divination). Hes also one of the best warriors in the game with some equipment and caromsyr. Strange isnt it, considering from a role playing perspective they would kill each other.

 

Yes, they are very powerful characters. Especially Keldorn.

'Most powerful' NPC usually is dependant on your playing style though i think.

 

Why is that strange? It's good that you can't have a super powerful team. This way, Keldorn can be in the "good" party, while Edwin is in the "evil" party.

Besides, the only difference between Edwin and a PC mage is that Edwin gets one extra spell slot per spell level.

 

I agree with Morsmordre.

They are both very powerful in their respective roles (Keldorn - tank, Edwin - spellcaster). But I usually take a melee-based approach, so I found Aerie to be just as good as, if not better than, Edwin for my purposes. Even Nalia, Jan or Imoen are good as they can use a wider range of weapons. It all depends on your style.

 

@Mystra's Chosen
Edwin has more than just +1 spell/level!
All in all he has +3spells/level. 1 for being a conjurer, and +2 from his family amulet. (iirc its family). He also poseses a maximum of 18 int.
This makes him the best mage you can get! PC characters included.

He is indeed a formidable counterpart of Keldorn. Though probably not as strong after all. Especialy if these two were to duel

 

Are you absolutely sure he gets 2 extra spell slots from his birthstone amulet?

And I wasn't counting the extra spell slot from his specialization because a PC Conjurer can get that.

All in all, even Jahiera is more powerful than Edwin. All he really is a mage with a little extra.

 

Indeed Edwin's only disadvantage is his lack of divintation spells, however Viccy can cast true-seeing anyway so that shouldn't be a problem.

However I find Keldorn to be far more useful. Considering the more powerful enemies in the game are spellcasters and Keldorn being the anti-spellcaster makes Keldorn possibly best NPC in my books. His only problem is his low DEX score but that's easily fixed by gloves of DEX found in !!SPOLIER!! the ghoul village that is involved in the quest you have to do in order to obtain Keldorn.

 

I was not comparing the characters individually. I was comparing them as a duo. If you paired up NPC's and set them out to adventure with each other Keldorn and Edwin are the most powerful pair despite their completely different ideologies.

Lets be realistic people, their are comparable characters to keldorn in melee, including your own. But Aerie? Maybe in tob she shines a tiny bit, but she cant come even close to comparing with Edwin. Especially in SOA.

Gothmog already pointed out why Edwin is better than any other mage, period. I should have done so my first post but forgot too. His only weakness is lack of Divination, which keldorn makes up for. Thus if I was to build a duo of two chars to Adventure with Ide choose Edwin and Keldorn, as they are the most powerful combination. Probably the most powerful combo of all the combos of all the NPC's in the game.

Of course they would never work together in PnP, no DM would allow you to have a party of a chaotic evil mage (or watever Edwin is), and a Rightous paladin, even one as wise and easy going as Keldorn.

The reason BIS allows them to get along (sorta) is that Edwin behaves with the PC around. But imagine the two fighting for dominance in a party.

Basically my point is BIS made the most powerful combo for 2E (one of the most anyway) 2 radically different chars in this game, kinda a twisted sense of humor no?

Abomination just to let you know, in BG2 there is no better anti mage then a mage.

To get my point you really have to have at least played a little pnp DnD.

Come to think of it I should have posted this in the TOB forums, but fighters get obsolete by that point really.

 

After level 10 he does not. There was a post about this a while back. Then he's just a plain conjurer. I'd disagree about him being the strongest mage, too.

Keldorn is overpowered, that is for certain (but then, so are all paladins).

 

@Strifestrike

OK, if we're talkin' pure duo action here, then I'd say that Keldorn/Viconia would be a more appropriate parallel. They are complete opposites, in almost every respect

race, sex, alignment, fighter/magic user, etc.

Also, I don't think you could find a more ass-kicking duo then that.

 

Viconias magic is not the same as Edwins... nor is it as powerful. Arcane magic is far more powerful and has far more potential in BG then divine.

Furthermore from and rp perspective viconia and korgan pairing up is possible, after all they are evil chars and from a pnp perspective it is possible they would work together for money or some reason. Keldorn and edwin never.

 

"in BG2 there is no better anti mage then a mage." I take it you're not using Keldorn the right way. He puts mages down faster than another mage could (sometimes in one round he'll kill a mage who has fully buffed himself) whereas a mage has to dispell invisibility, pierce pierce magic, (might have to lower resistance), greater malison to ensure the damn spells work then cast an offensive spell. Keldorn just dispells magic (at twice his level) then walks in and whacks the bastard disrupting any spell and nearly killing the mage.

 

The mos powerful duo for mage hunting would be a monk and Keldorn. Send in the monk to take the brunt of all the spells and alugh, then Keldorn dispels and casts True Sight, and then the pair hold hands as they demolish the poor lil spellcaster who is stripped of everything but his fluffy bunny boxer shorts.

 

Strifestrike...

I was talking about Keldorn, not Korgan. Also, since when is Arcane more powerful than Divine? You've got tons of healing spells, summoning spells, beefing spells and defensive spells that a mage doesn't have. I'd say mage spells pale in comparison with priest spells because almost all the mage spells are blocked by the major opponents (liches, dragons, etc) and Viconia beefing Keldorn up would be very helpful because, even though he's a god of detruction he still gets hurt.

 

Keldorn at a high level with Carsymor is a monster.
i think he is the miost powerful fighter type NPC in the game
Edwin is my favorite NPC mage
he can be very powerful at higher levels if you use him right

 

Its a funny thing if oyu look at it actually.... Becouse there is a certain kit in the game called "Wizard slayer".
And whenever anyone mentions slaying mages and spellcasters in general, people mention Keldorn. Never Wizard slayer.

Its a bit strange that there is a warrior with best THAC0, heaviest armor, even spells, works best against toughest opponents - mages&the lot.

So indeed he is way too powerful

 

Gothmog that's probably because Wizard-Slayer is severely screwed in BG:II not being able to equip other magical goodies. He has to rely on the STR boosting weapons to make himself compete with other warriors who just chuck on a giant belt or gloves of ogre power. Not to mention if an enemy has protection from magical weapons you better hope your wizard-slayer has a non-magical weapon to hit him with.

 

The same goes for Keldorn. Dispel magic won't remove PfMW.

 

My bad, I read wrong. Your right viccy and Keldorn are also polar opposites. I still maintain Edwin and Keldorn would be more powerful though. All it takes is a spell trigger to hurt dragons (and boy do they get hurt, I have stories about my sorc killing dragons in the duration of one time stop... ehh but thats for another time). Buffs are nice, but I never used any buffs besides stone skin, except in tactics. I find them to be a pain in the ass truthfully. Thats why I like the mage, no pre battle preperation.

 

That's all good and well, but I wouldn't go as far as saying that Arcane is more powerful. With a bunch of beef spells Keldorn becomes that much more powerful.

Not to mention Viconia's 65% Magic Resistance and that she can become a very good fighter with a few well placed items - plus she's the best cleric in the game by far.