My New Party (Suggestions Welcomed)

Remove all ads!

So, after watching the last of the Lord of the Rings movie, I've been inspired to start a new IWD2 game. I've played on and off since last year, but now it's been so long since I've picked it back up that I don't really remember what I was doing. In essence, I decided to start over. Here is what I'm thinking of using as my party:

Davamros Fletcher -- main tank
Male Human Fighter 4/Barbarian X
18 12 18 10 10 8
Bastard Sword

Krisaga Tarmikos -- assassin
Female Tiefling Rogue 6/Monk X
16 16 14 8 18 6
Fists

Brenys Gellantara -- healer
Female Human Fighter 4/Cleric Battleguard of Tempus X (will start w/ 1 lvl cleric then 4 fighter then back to cleric)
12 14 12 10 18 10
Axes, Crossbow

Walorin Gladomain -- blaster
Male Drow Elf Rogue 1/Ranger 1/Wizard x
10 16 8 20 8 18
Bows, Dual small blades

I'm not sure on the weapon choices though. I would like to have a more mixture of inficitions (ie. blunt, piercing, etc.) although I'm not sure what they all are or what weapon does what kind of damage. For the most part, I'll put them through the small classes first w/ the exception of the cleric. I had thought about using Half-Orc for the Fighter/Barbarian, but it doesn't seem worth the 2 extra points in strength when you lose two points in CHA & INT, besides, human gets extra feats. I am also considering dropping the Ranger 1 from the Wizard. I was just going to take it to give him dual weilding & Ambedexterity. I am giving him a level of Rogue to boost his skills since he's going to be the talker of the party. Also, I've never used a Wizard before, can they only cast spells from scrolls? I think I remember reading in the manuel that they write to their mage book or something, just curious on how it works.

 

I wouldn't bother giving your Drow any levels in Ranger as he will be too busy casting spells to ever bother dual wielding.

Wizards can cast spells from scrolls or they can scribe them to their spellbook. Once a spell is in his spellbook then he can learn it over and over again when he goes to sleep.

Your main tank needs to have access to a variety of weapon damage types as many monsters are resistant to one or more types requiring you to change weapons in order to defeat them.

By the way, a 4 person party is an excellent number to use.

 

Tank:
If not a HalfOrc would you consider a Dwarf. Their greater HP, better saves and bonuses in the 1st chapter are very useful.
Most of the better Basterd Swords are cursed, so make sure you know what you are getting into. Both Long Swords and Great Swords have a pretty good selection.
That Int score is doing you no good. Decrease it and put it into Dex. Thus you can get Dirty Fighting which comes in use during long fights.

Assassin:
Why the 6 levels in Rouge? Wouldn't 3 be enough?

Healer:
Tempus domain spells are nothing great. Choose something different if her main role is to be spellcasting and not bashing at the frontlines.
Decrease Int and Cha and put the points to good use.

Blaster:
The Ranger level isn't all that useful. You could use the higher level Wizard spells here.
Wizards copy spells from scrolls into their spellbook from where they may be retrived as required.

These are the weapon damages I can remember:
Slashing: Axe, Swords(all),
Bludgeoning: Maces, Clubs, Morningstars, Quaterstaff, Flail, Hammer, Slings,
Piercing: Daggers, Bows, Crossbows, Darts, Spear, Halberd,

 

Above all else, choose characters that will suit your game playing style and ones that you will have fun with.

 

Your tank doesn't need INT or CHA, so taking a Half-Orc (or Dwarf) is probably better. Also, Bastard Swords suck, unless you install some component from Ease-of-Use that puts in some overpowered Bastard Swords. I would suggest some two-handed weapon because high strength seems to work well with that kind.

Why does your monk have rogue levels? And why six?

Your cleric benefits more from spells than from fighter levels IMO, so I would suggest that you get your cleric to a certain level that allows you to cast some really good spells before you take fighter levels. A cleric (and certainly a battleguard of Tempus) is a good enough tank without fighter levels anyway.

The wizard shouldn't be in a melee position, because he has very few hitpoints and low strength. He'll die within seconds. He should stay away from the fighting at a safe range. Hence he should have some kind of ranged weapon (works nice with the high DEX too). But even this weapon shouldn't be used that often, because you should be casting spells.

And I would suggest that you take a sorcerer instead of a wizard, because I think they're much more powerful and cool, but that's just a matter of personal preference.

 

Wizards can be useful in smaller parties because of their increased flexibility (being able to learn different spells to suit the situation). In ultimate powergaming parties you have two sorcerers which rocks because they can cover different spells between them. Example - a sorcerer would never bother to learn Knock or Identify but a wizard might, if he needed to temporarily. Once again, personal preference prevails. Personally I take sorcerers because I hate micro-managing and stuffing around with scrolls.

 

The assassin isn't going to see any assassinating. Rogue level 6 won't get you enough Sneak Attack damage to deliver fatal blows to enemies at full HP - unless they're so weak you can feed them to dogs in no time without bothering to sneak past them for Sneak Attack. Fists aren't Finessed in IWD2 from what I know, so you'd better focus on either STR or DEX. Also, rogue levels will be bad for your unarmed attacks and monk levels will be bad for your armed attacks. Go for otherwise full-time rogue with just one level in monk - and perhaps one in ranger. This character would actually use dual-wielding.

A healer doesn't need fighter levels. A battlepriest, perhaps, but not a healer. A healer is best single-classed and Lathander or Ilmater for domain powers and spells. Hint: morninglords make great blasters if you choose the right casting feats, leaving no place for any combat feats at all. A battlepriest will serve the party better up and buffed in the frontline.

The wizard doesn't need dual wielding. If you had 20 DEX and Finesse, it would help you early in the game, perhaps exceeding what fighters normally have, but later the difference in BAB progression will tax your combat abilities. Note that ECL +2 won't help your BAB either.

Wizards are best multiclassed with rogues or fighters if you want a small number of levels. Rogue levels give Evasion, better Reflex saves and much more skill points. Fighters get you bonus feats (you can even choose Spell Focus or Spell Penetration for that in this game) and make you elligible for Weapon Specialisation on level 4. Not like you're going to find it useful, anyway. If you want to make a battlemage, that might be a wise choice, but I'm under impression that you would be better off having higher casting level for your buff spells. Area damage spells are always better than whatever you could achieve in melee combat as a battlemage. Nearly always. And you can always have both. My paladin/wizard rocks

 

My party, version 2:

IWD2 Characters

Davamros Fletcher -- main tank
Male Aasimar Fighter 4/Paladin of Helm X
Lawfully Good
18 14 14 6 12 16 (will boost wisdom on level ups)
Long Swords(slashing) & Great Swords(slashing)
Skills: Concentration
Feats: Power Attack, Cleave, Greater Cleave, Weapon Specialize in Long Swords & Great Swords, Dirty Fighting

Krisaga Tarmikos -- assassin
Female Tiefling Fighter 4/Rogue X
Lawful Evil
16 18 14 14 10 6
Flails (bludgeoning)
Skills: Hide, Pick Pocket, Search, Open Lock
Feats: Power Attack, Cleave, Greater Cleave, Weapon Specialize in Flails, Dirty Fighting

Brenys Gellantara -- healer
Female Human Fighter 4/Cleric Stormlord of Talos X
(will start w/ 1 lvl cleric then 4 fighter then back to cleric)
Chaotic Evil
12 14 12 10 18 10
Axes (slashing), Crossbow (piercing)
Skills: Concentration, Knowldege (Arcana)
Feats: Discipline, Improved Initiative, Spell Focus & Spell Penetration

Walorin Gladomain -- blaster/talker
Male Drow Elf Rogue 1/Wizard X
True Neutral
10 16 8 20 8 18
Bows (piercing)
Skills: Alchemy, Concentration, Diplomacy, Bluff, Intimidate
Feats: Armored Arcana (one level), Discipline, Improved Initiative, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Spell Focus & Spell Penetration

So in regards to Wizards, it's best to write the spell to your mage book so that you can choose to memorize it before sleeping? I know you guys frown upon full Rogues, but I've always had a soft spot for them so don't try to talk me out of it I've also changed my tank over to a Paladin, thought I would try something new. Also, what is your opinion on Subvocal Casting feat? Is it worth while to have for mages? Another question I have is about skills. How much Concentration does a Cleric and Wizard need? Is Spellcraft worth it? Do I really need to know what spell the enemy is casting?

 

OK lets see...

With you party you will probably finish the Normal game at L18. Thats 4 stats increases and 7 feats, plus the 3 from your Fighter[4].

You will freely get +2Wis items in the game and can buy a +5Wis ring in Kuldahar. Put the tanks stat inc's into Char or Str.
Better to specialize in one Slashing and one Bludgeoning weapon, preferably single-handed as this guy will need to use a sheild.
Apparently Greater Cleave is a very crappy feat. Take Heroic Inspiration, Blind Fight and Extra Smite type feats.

Doesnt a Tiefling get +2 to Dex, so you can take him to 20Dex at creation.
There is a feat for using your Dex in your melee attack rolls rather than Str, check it once.
Flail weilding Assassin!?!

Improved Initiative is said to be a broke feat, i.e. it does not work for us.
SF & SP:what? I'd recommend Evocation.
Spellcraft(10) gives you access to elemental feats which give you 5pt protection from damage and improves your damage for that element (fire, cold, acid, electricity) based spell.

Rouge[2] gives you evesion, may come in useful.
Expertise will help your AC.
Forget Precise Shot, if they have closed in on you better to use some melee weapon.
Subvocal casting is useful for a charecter whose main job is throwing spells a lot. Nice insurance feat.

 

Don't bother with Improved Initiative because it doesn't work unfortunately.

10 levels of spellcraft are great for accessing elemental feats like Spirit of Flame.

Subvocal casting is useful for spellcasters who do not have spell resistance.

Definitely write almost all spells to your spellbook othewise you'll only be able to cast them once. There are one or two rare exceptions but it would be a spoiler to mention them in any more detail.

Try your party out and see how it goes!

 

Tank-The fiendslayer feat might come in handy in a few fights. Pump cha, it has more benefits overall.
With 12 starting wis, you can finish with 16 to cast his spells with the ioun stone and his quests by the end of hof. Stick with one slashing type and get maces also. Some weapons have bonus damage types(morningstar of thorns).

Assassin-I use lolths sting when fighting melee cause when the web hits my next hit is a sneak(only works once per enemy iirc). The brillant short sword+5 from battle squares is also nice.

Healer-with your decent bab I suggest bows over xbows. Get rapid shot and use big death/bows. There are other decent axes also and if you need to melee just switch the axes abilities or use a different axe. Keep a mace as backup for bludgeoning or use haft over head.

Blaster-Use Doom/Hell Bolter for 3 attacks or use hagnens folly with rapid shot if you think you can get more.

Adding to Shrikanth's list of weapons:
Short swords iirc are piercing
Moonblade is magical
There are many weapons that do extra damage such as fire, acid, or bonuses to monster types.
So you should never be unable to hit something as long as you keep some as backups.

Hope this helps

 

Version 2.1

Davamros Fletcher -- main tank
Male Aasimar Fighter 4/Paladin of Helm X
Lawfully Good
18 14 14 6 12 16
Long Swords(slashing) & Maces(bludgeoning)
Skills: Concentration
Feats: Power Attack, Cleave, Greater Cleave, Weapon Specialize in Long Swords & Maces, Dirty Fighting, Heroic Inspiration, Blind Fight, Fiendslayer

*Switched from Great Swords to Maces as backup.
*Added Heroic Inspiration, Blind Fight & Fiendslayer feats.
*Additional stats will go into CHA

Krisaga Tarmikos -- assassin
Female Tiefling Fighter 4/Rogue X
Lawful Evil
14 20 14 14 10 6
Small Blades(piercing), Flails(bludgeoning)
Skills: Hide, Pick Pocket, Search, Disarm Device
Feats: Ambidexterity, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Power Attack, Cleave, Greater Cleave, Weapon Specialize in Small Blades & Flails, Dirty Fighting

*Dropped STR and added to DEX.
*Switched from flails to small blades as primary weapon.
*Added Ambidexterity, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse to allow for dual weilding small blades.
*Kept flails as backup because I was looking through an item list I downloaded off of this site and there are some pretty cool flails.
*Continue to increase DEX stat on level-ups.

Brenys Gellantara -- healer
Female Human Fighter 4/Cleric Stormlord of Talos X
Chaotic Evil
12 14 12 10 18 10
Axes (slashing), Crossbow (piercing)
Skills: Spellcraft(10), Concentration, Knowldege (Arcana)
Feats: Discipline, Spell Focus: Transmutation & Evocation, Spell Penetration

*Added Spellcraft as a skill to aquire.
*Dropped Improved Initiative feat and changed Spell Focus to Transmutation & Evocation.

Walorin Gladomain -- blaster/talker
Male Drow Elf Rogue 2/Wizard X
True Neutral
10 16 8 20 8 18
Bows (piercing), Quaterstaff(bludgeoning)
Skills: Spellcraft(10), Alchemy, Concentration, Diplomacy, Bluff, Intimidate
Feats: Armored Arcana (one level), Discipline, Expertise, Rapid Shot, Spell Penetration, Spell Focus: Enchantment & Necromancy

*Added Quaterstaff as secondary weapon for melee combat (aquires this skill from Rogue levels)
*Added additional level of Rogue to obtain Evasion
*Added Spellcraft skill
*Dropped Precise Shot feat and changed Spell Focus to Enchantment & Necormancy.

I'm keeping Greater Cleave because I find it very useful in the Prologue and any other battle where your fighters are surrounded. It's always nice to get another swing after taking out an enemy. The thing that I hate about it is that you have to take Power Attack in order to get it, so it costs 3 feats. I figure with my weapon selection, at least two characters will be able to fight anyone at any time. I was originally concerned with adding another level of Rogue to the Wizard, especially since he's a Drow. However, I figure if I do some level squatting, he may not turn out to be so bad. Of course, he's limited hit points means I'm just going to have to watch his back more. Thanks for all of your advice. I know when I was playing the original IWD, I found myself starting over numerous times because something or someone in my party just wasn't right and with IWD2, you've got to do some planning before you just start creating.

 

Cleave is a good feat, but greater cleave isn't all that great. Cleave gives you another attack after you put an enemy down, but this is limited to 1 extra attack per round. Greater cleave removes that limitation, but really, how often does your melee fighter waste more than two creatures in one round?
And if the creatures are so weak that this is possible, it really isn't worthwhile taking a whole feat for beating them.

 

Yeah, I think I'm going to drop the cleaves and that will free up 3 feats to be used somewhere else.

 

I think Cleave is good, just not Greater Cleave.

 

Latest updates:

Davamros Fletcher -- main tank
Male Aasimar Fighter 4/Paladin of Helm X (ECL +1 penalty)
Lawfully Good
18 14 14 6 12 16
Long Swords(slashing) & Maces(bludgeoning)
Skills: Concentration
Feats: Weapon Specialize in Long Swords & Maces, Dirty Fighting, Heroic Inspiration, Blind Fight, Fiendslayer

Krisaga Tarmikos -- assassin
Female Tiefling Fighter 4/Rogue X (ECL +1 penalty)
Lawful Evil
14 20 14 14 10 6
Small Blades(piercing), Flails(bludgeoning)
Skills: Hide, Pick Pocket, Search, Disarm Device
Feats: Ambidexterity, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Specialize in Small Blades & Flails, Dirty Fighting

Brenys Gellantara -- healer
Female Human Cleric Stormlord of Talos X (no ECL penalty)
Chaotic Evil
15 14 16 3 18 10
Axes (slashing), Crossbow (piercing)
Skills: Spellcraft(10), Concentration
Feats: Discipline, Spell Focus: Transmutation & Evocation, Spell Penetration

Walorin Gladomain -- blaster/talker
Male Moon Elf Rogue 2/Wizard X (no ECL penalty)
True Neutral
8 16 10 18 6 18
Bows (piercing), Quaterstaff(bludgeoning)
Skills: Spellcraft(10), Alchemy, Concentration, Knowledge, Diplomacy, Bluff, Intimidate
Feats: Armored Arcana (one level), Discipline, Expertise, Rapid Shot, Spell Penetration, Spell Focus: Enchantment & Necromancy

I dropped the 4 fighter levels from the Cleric. I've always been more of a melee fighter than a magic user, I guess this will help me get more comfortable with mages. I'm not sure if she gets Axes as a proficienticy or not. If not, I'll give her Maces and find something else for my Fighter/Pally. I changed my Wiz from a Drow to a Moon Elf to avoid ECL +2 penalty.

 

I still think ECL penalties are an advantage in that they help keep your party's average character level down thus providing more XP per kill thus increasing the XP you will get throughout the game. Because the ECL races actually are more powerful, you don't really lose out. Anyway, that party will do fine.

 

First of all make the last two Drow. The ECL will drive down your average levels in the 1st chapter and the Spell Resistance will save your ass throughout the game.
If you want Walorin to be an effective tank then this will help a lot. Specially since you can now get Wis down to 8 or lower without fear of failing all your will saves.

Only the Battlegaurds of Tempus get weapon focus in axes. Your Stormlord will have no martial weapon feats.

 

Conversion of Walorin into a Drow Wizard:

Walorin Gladomain -- blaster/talker
Male Drow Elf Rogue 2/Wizard X (ECL +2)
True Neutral
8 16 10 20 6 20
Crossbows(piercing), Quarterstaff(bludgeoning)
Skills: Spellcraft(10), Alchemy, Concentration, Knowledge, Diplomacy, Bluff, Intimidate
Feats: Armored Arcana (one level), Discipline, Expertise, Spell Penetration, Spell Focus: Evocation & Necromancy

I decided to stick him with Crossbows as there are more powerful crossbow bolt combos than bows and arrows.

Now, I'm trying to decide between which version of Brenys I want to use. Here are my two choices:

Brenys Gellantara -- healer
Female Human Cleric Stormlord of Talos X (no ECL penalty)
Chaotic Evil
14 15 16 3 18 10
Maces(bludgeoning), Bows (piercing)
Skills: Spellcraft(10), Concentration
Feats: Discipline, Spell Focus: Evocation, Necromancy & Enchantment, Spell Penetration

or

Brenys Gellantara -- healer
Female Deep Gnome Cleric Stormlord of Talos X (ECL +3)
Chaotic Evil
16 14 10 6 20 8
Maces(bludgeoning), Bows (piercing)
Skills: Spellcraft(10), Concentration
Feats: Discipline, Spell Focus: Evocation, Necromancy & Enchantment, Spell Penetration

I kind of like the idea of using her as a Deep Gnome just because of the spells and bouns AC. Also, allows me to bring her strength to 16 so she could wade right into battle and still be able to heal those that take damage. I figured since she's a single class Cleric then having an ECL of +3 won't affect her too much in spell levels. Another thing, I've never messed with the whole Turn Undead, how excatly does that work? I know it's Charisma based, so I'm wondering if I've set her Charisma too low. I've always been one that likes to just kill everything on the screen, so I don't know that I would even use Turn Undead.

 

Unlike Ken J. who wrote the UPP, I prefer to use races other than Humans at every given opportunity.
Looks like both your high AC chars have only 10Con though. Cant you mooch atleast 1 point from elsewhere? Thus you can use the 'Ring of Hearty Strength' for its +1Str and +1Con.

Turn undead checks Cleric levels (or Paladin levels /3) + Charisma modifier. I've never used it to any great effect other than being able to get some of the swarming undead running for a short while. So it may help you some but you wont miss out on killing everyone with your own bare hands.