POLL: Powergamer's choice: Which Fighter/Mage combo is best?

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The Fighter/Mage combo has always been one of the most powerful combo's out there. I now present to you a poll, to see which you think is the most powerful:

1)Elf Fighter/Mage
2)Elf Fighter/Mage/Thief
3)Half-Elf Fighter/Mage
4)Half-Elf Fighter/Mage/Thief
5)Half-Elf Fighter/Mage/Cleric
6)Gnome Fighter/Illusionist
7)Human Berserker > Mage
8)Human Kensai > Mage
9)Human Wizard Slayer > Mage
10) Human Fighter (no kit) > Mage

Again, I think all 10 are powerful. Which do you like best? Please don't consider any mods increasing the XP cap, and if you vote for a Human Dual-Class, please note which level you choose to switch at.

TIA

Poll Information
This poll contains 1 question(s). 25 user(s) have voted.
You may not view the results of this poll without voting.

Poll Results: Powergamer's choice: Which Fighter/Mage combo is best? (25 votes.)

Powergamer's choice: Which Fighter/Mage combo is best? (Choose 1)
* Elf F/M - 12% (3)
* Elf F/M/T - 16% (4)
* Half-Elf F/M - 8% (2)
* Half-Elf F/M/T - 4% (1)
* Half-Elf F/M/C - 0% (0)
* Gnome F/Ill - 16% (4)
* Human Bers > M - 28% (7)
* Human Kensai > M - 12% (3)
* Human Wiz Slayer > M - 4% (1)
* Human F > M - 0% (0)

 

Wizard spells make a wizard powerful. Period. Multiclass is fun, but humans are the powergamer race for wizards. For the multiclass, you can only get to 20th level wizard (only 2 9th level spells) -- a triple class can't even cast 9th level spells.

You max out the number of wizard spells at 28th level. Damage is maxed at 20th level. So you could go to 13th level fighter and then to 28th level wizard.

However, the additional ½ attack and +4 THAC0 really doesn't help a high level wizard much. I prefer to only sacrifice one level and go to 9th level fighter and 30th level wizard. You get your fighter abilities back quicker, when they're of more use, and you still get the great hp benefits. There's also something to be said for shifting IMMEDIATELY at the start of the game (7th level).

Kensai versus Berserker is a matter of preference. I think the ability to use the Gauntlets of Extraordinary Specialization, along with the berserker bonuses, makes the offensive power of the two a wash -- the immunities while berserk give the advantage to the Berserker.

Gauntlets, Tensor's Transformation, Improved Haste (Ring of Gaxx), Berserk -- you have a human cuisinart.

 

Isn't that an oximoron? Or if you Dual-Class from a WS to a mage, do you get to wear magical items? If you get to use magical items, but keep the bonuses of the WS...that would be my choice!

 

I choose a HE fighter/mage, because

- multiclasses get more HLAs
- HE is better than elf because of the extra 9 HP. Better thac0 is nearly useless.

If "horrid wilting" wasn't buggy a gnome would be better.

 

I used the Elf F/M. She was the back-up mage for Imoen (or whoever was my main mage). She was able to get both HLAs which was very nice.

 

/me shall do the math for the cap

1, 3, & 6) Level 24/20, 18 HLAs
2 & 4) Level 18/17/22, 20 HLAs
5) Level 18/17/19, 19 HLAs
7, 8, 9, & 10) Level ?/31, 14 mage HLAs

Now, the numbers for the last one might be a bit lower if the first class's XP counts toward the cap. If that is the case, you could do a 10/30 F->M (with 13 HLAs), and sacrifice 2 mage levels (and their HLAs) for every 3 more fighter levels you want. For example, a 13/28 with 11 HLAs would be right on the cap. Getting fighter HLAs would become significantly more difficult, as 19/24 would be at the cap, so the only possible ones would be 20/23 or 21/22, both requiring extremely long before they can get their old skills back for only one or two fighter HLAs. Of course, if it doesn't count toward the cap then this is all just pointless speculation.

Oh, and before anyone asks, XP from your previous class does not count toward the 3m for HLAs. I tested it with a level 13 kensai (1.25m) dualled, and he still didn't get anything until level 18 as a mage. He also did not get any choices for fighter HLAs.

EDIT:
And for my own peace of mind, I will include the Blade. He may not get any of the uber spellcasting that the others do, but he gets buttloads of even better HLAs and is quite qualified for a job as a buffing tank.

The Blade gets up to level 46 ( ) with 23 HLAs.

EDIT2: Of course! Spells!

1 & 3) 5/5/5/5/5/4/3/3/2
2 & 4) 5/5/5/5/5/3/3/2/0
5) 5/5/5/5/5/3/3/2/0 & 9/9/8/8/6/4/2
6) 6/6/6/6/6/5/4/4/3
7 - 10) 7/7/7/7/7/7/7/7/7
Blade) 6/6/6/6/6/6/6/5/0

(Again, it would be lower for the humans if the first class counts toward the XP Cap.)

EDIT3:
Crap, I screwed up on the spells for the triples.

[ April 24, 2006, 06:00: Message edited by: Felinoid ]

 

First of all as Klorox said, all 10 of them are powerful.

Although generally multi-classes (with ToB installed) tend to become more powerful than dual-classes, in the case of the fighter-mage I believe that if dual-classed he will be slightly more powerful.
And the main reason is that 2 more timestops for a fighter-mage can make a huge difference.The only negative thing is the time/XP needed for reactivating the fighter class which makes the multi-class choice a lot easier.

Now among the dualclasses many people prefer the Kensai-Mage, although IMHO the Berserker-Mage, beeing more versatile without the kensai's limitations, is better.Especially for a solo game.

If both dualled at level 13 :

Kensai :

a)+4 THACO&damage bonus and -3 to his weapon's speed factor
b) 3 x Kai ability

Berserker :

a) 3x Rage ability (immunity to imprisonment,maze,etc.)
b) can use shields (sh.of Balduran,Reflection,Harmony)
c) can use helmets (Balduran's,Vhailor's)
d) can use bows (arrows of dispelling-the easiest way of dispelling in the game)
e) can use Bracers (bracers of AC 3,gauntlets of ext.specialization)

And with the gauntlets of Extraordinary Specialization (+1 THAC0,+2 dmg,+ 1/2 attack per round) the Berserker reduces the kensai's advantage on THACO and dmg.Moreover with the +1/2 ApR, which becomes +1 with the improved haste, he becomes a better fighter.

As for the time of the dualclassing, IMHO it is best at level 13.

- 8 proficiency points: 5 for the weapon of choice (best flails,for the FoA) and 3 in dual wielding
- with 2,5 attacks/round + 1 dualwielding + 1/2 from guantlets = 4 ApR,which become 8 with improved haste, will be like a GWW attack
- with Base THACO of 8 + bonus from g.mastery + the other bonuses (STR,weapons,helmets), there will be no need for Tenser's Transf.
- at the XP-CAP he will be a 28 level mage which means that he doesn't miss any mage spells

 

thetruth. Being Dual Class you forgot to add in that the Berserker/mage can wear the upgraded version of the armor gotten from the Black dragon in the elf Village and still cast spells if you wish. Which is another advantage over the Kensai/Mage.

 

Ah I like the F/M/T. Sure it is weak with the XP cap; but thanks to my many mods my F/M/T was able to cast a lot of 9th level spells near the end of the ToB. he was uber powerful, one man army, Time Stop, Assasination, GWW, Improved Alacrity, Spike Traps, he could use ALL! So versatile and THE one man army!

 

I voted for the Gnome.

I don't find the loss of Necromancy spells that bad, and as a specialist a Gnome gets an extra spell slot per level.

Gnomes have a higher starting INT, which means with a 19, I never have to worry about erasing any spells in my book.

Gnomes also are the most sturdy, with a bonus (based on CON) to saves vs. Magic.

 

I'm going with the gnome as well. The B->M will be kick-a$$ when he gets his fighter levels back, but the gnome is kick-a$$ all the way through. Add saving throw bonuses and 19 INT to your specialist bonus, and you've got a winning combo.

I never use Necro spells anyway, since none of them are any good compared to others at the same level. Incendiary Cloud is so much better than ADHW it isn't funny. When cast from off-screen with invis. from the SotM, it does a whopping 200-800 damage over its one turn duration compared to ADHW's 20-160 (average 500 vs. 90). Even just two rounds gets you about the same damage (40-160 vs. 20-160; average 100 vs. 90). The only downside to IC is that it's fire-based, so some things may be immune to it, but you've got the whole rest of your repertoire for those guys.

 

Where do you get an Incendiary Cloud scroll? I can't remember ever casting that one....

 

The Imprisoned Mage in the Underdark. When you do his quests, he gives you the scroll.

 

Okay, cool. I'll keep an eye out then!

 

Ok....

Fel, your math made little to no sense to me. So, my question is: What is the *ideal* level to dual to a mage - that gets the most HLAs, and will get the most 9th level spells by the beginning of ToB?

Also, I didn't see any answer to my first question:

What's the deal with this?

 

The F/M/T gets the most HLAs, but by a very slim margin over the F/M/C. No multi-classed mage would have 9th level spells within the SoA cap (2.95m XP), and even a dual at level 7 would not have one quite yet. If you're asking the most 9th level spells at the end of ToB, though, that is definitely the human duals. Something to note is that those with more spells get fewer HLAs, and vice versa.

No. You are still bound by the Wizard Slayer's restrictions. But a WS->T can get UAI. (Really, it seems like the WS and the kensai were made for thief duals, given their heavy restrictions and the usefulness of UAI.)