My favorite party

Remove all ads!

I call this one KUPP (Klorox's ultimate powergaming party). I've taken a lot of info from both the UPP and JUPP, mixed it up with my own playing style and come up with this.

I don't know if this will help, but I also didn't want to hijack Jatsu's thread with my own party. Here's how my favorite regular mode party is built. It also works in HoF (more on this at the end).

Paladin 1/ Cleric of Lathander. I add the Paladin level very late in the game (I don't want to spoil anybody, but it's in time for some help). You can either make him Aasimar or Human. Both have pros and cons.

Deep Gnome Rogue 3/ Fighter 2/ Paladin 3/ Illusionist X. This one is fun to build and very strange but powerful. You start off as a Rogue, then add 2 Fighter levels. Then you add 1 Illusionist level (just because there are wands and stuff you find along the way). Then you add 3 Paladin levels. I'd then add the last Rogue level before putting the rest of the levels into Illusionist. Along the way, maximize DEX at every chance. This little bugger actually fills many roles for you. He makes a good tank, even better with Armor and Mirror Image spells. He takes care of all the thieving abilities you'll ever need, and makes a decent backup Mage (replaces that overused Drow Rogue 1/Wizard X character). On a side note, (along with the drow in the party) he helps keep the average level down, meaning you can earn lots of XP!

Dwarf Cleric of Tempus X -- Just as good as any tank, with spells!

Drow Bard -- this one does all the talking, has an awesome CHA. Remember, ECL races are actually a pretty good thing.

Human Sorcerer. This is your nuker.

I like to add a Druid in my last spot. You have two choices: Human or Drow. I go with Drow personally, because I like using a bow when I'm not casting. Humans have the cool option of adding a Monk level if you like to shapeshift.


The JUPP guide tells us that you need an AC 72 decoy to handle HoF mode. I don't agree that you NEED one, but they sure help.

Put a shield on that Deep Gnome Paladin, keep on buffing him and adding to his DEX and you can hit AC 72. He really needs min/maxed stats for this to work, but heck, that's what he's here for.

I've also made the party more powerful by changing my Drow Bard into a Bard 11/Sorcerer 19. I don't really like doing this though because I find a pure Bard more fun.

If you're really looking for power, the JUPP guide tells us spellcasters don't get much after level 20. I guess the last 9 levels of the Pal1/Lathander X could be put into something else, but I don't think it'll help much. The same goes for the Dwarf Tempus cleric. I guess Barbarian could be mixed in, but that late in the game it won't make much of a difference anyway. I have always favored the diminished returns of spellcasting over level 20 over what other classes give you.

This party is more fun, IMHO, than the JUPP party also because it starts out with 5 of it's 6 party members looking much like they will at the end of the game. When I messed around with JUPP like parties I had to spend a long time level squatting (which isn't fun) and the builds are very complicated.

 

Then I'll call mine CVPP (coineineagh's versatile powergaming party), although the abbreviation makes me think of someone losing bladder-control during a job interview. CUPP would just be too dirty, and it's not my style.

Can you tell me how you propose to 'min-max' your freakish paladin/illusionist? I'm not a big fan of 72AC decoys, and this weirdo really gives me the shivers. For how many rounds can it maintain its 72AC?

You seem to be partial to Drow, but I found them to be inferior to humans. It's also surprising that you took a druid and bard of this race. Does your bard need any skills, and has it taken 10+INT for this? If so, your party might get a few more conversation options than mine, but nothing huge. I'd ask the same about the druid, but I'm pretty sure I know the answer, since you wouldn't want to take Spellcraft at the expense of Concentration. For a bard, a female Drow isn't too bad, since she can mix-in cleric, and get a nice boost to saving throws. I plan to give my human bard 2 levels rogue for Evasion at high level, but the drow would have Spell Resistance from the start. You can use your bard as a decoy early on, and bombard pursuing enemies.

I'd say your Drow bard is the best member of the party, but I think my human will eclipse a Drow by adding more mix-ins in HoF.