Questions about pallys, mages and multiclass

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I've been going over my IWD manuals and I need some help. I have IWD+HoW installed. Spoilers are okay as I played this before, but don't forget to warn others. EDIT - Thought of something people might mention. I have absolutely no plans to play HoF. TIA
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1) Is it worth taking a pally for the Holy Avenger (or whatever they called it)? IIRC, it's a +7 vs. evil or some such.

2) Does the specialist mages opposite schools table in the HoW manual override the normal IWD table? I would like a specialist mage, but I know schools were added to the opposite school table - ie: Conjurers can't cast Evocation. I'm thinking of a specialist mage (Necromancer) and a F/M or Bard to balance out the magic.

3)Would it hurt the spellcasting much to multiclass my cleric to a F/C?

[ October 06, 2005, 18:11: Message edited by: kuemper ]

 

1)Paladins are good not only for that sword, mind you. They are goo fighters, have better saves, and has cool abilities especially in HoF. Sword is nice to have though as most enemys are, naturally, evil.

2) If your mage in normal, unexpanded game learns a spell which is opposed in HoF, he will not lose that spell, but will not learn more of that school. So learn as much as you can before installing it.

3)At first levels, MC characters are only a few levels behind single classes as xp required to level multiplies. After a certain level, they need a specific amount to level up, so MC characters never get as much levels as single ones and difference between levels becomes greater. Look at a XP chart for details.

 

1) I'm not so keen of them in IWD. Try them and see for yourself, I think that except for that sword and for being a mediocre back-up healer, there isn't much use for them. I'd use a dual-classed Fighter/Cleric or a multiclassed dwarven Fighter/Cleric in a smaller party.

2) Actually I'm not at all keen on a full party. For me the only essential class is the elven mage/thief for a 4-character party. Absolute killer.

3) Yeah, they are great but you should use them in a three or four-character parties. And DO not use pure thieves. They are ****e and lacking. Use Halfling Fighter/Thieves.

 

This first party I played with was:

Paladin
F/C dualled
F/D dualled
Halfling F/T
Halfelf Bard
Elf Mage

I'm keeping a multiclassed dwarven F/C and halfelf F/D. I was thinking of a Necromancer for my mage, a gnome F/M or halfelf Bard and a halfling F/T. I don't have a plain up-front guy like a fighter or pally. Well, it would be fun to have the pally play with the mummies in Kresslack's tomb.

I don't want to uninstall HoW just to get spells. I think I'll play with a Necromancer. I want to try to play through with the same party to get higher levels, thus my choices of multiclassing.

 

The Paladin longsword is far inferior to the longswords of action +4 (1 late in HoW and 1 in TotL) which give an extra attack.

The paladin's protection from evil ability lasts long and is cumulative with the spells. So a Paladin has nearly permanent +2 AC and +4 all saving throws.

The other paladin advantages are not more useful than the fighter's faster levelling.

Once a fighter has 5 stars in a melee weapon he has an full extra attack per round and +2 THAC0 and +3 damage compared to paladin.

So a fighter does far more damage from level9 onwards while a paladin has better AC.

The fighter can also get racial bonusses.

I'd prefer a bard over a multiclass mage anytime. With his bardsongs you don't have to waste your time casting healing spells any more, and because of his fast levelling haste and other spells last longer.