What Kind of 'Strategy' Is This Supposed To Be?

[GrandMajora]

Alright, so while playing multiplayer games recently, I've started to see a lot of people do some things that make absolutely no sense. Particularly, I see them changing out people's gear with stuff that they have no proficiency in!

For example, people keep giving Shadowheart martial weapons (like swords). They have also made a habit out of swapping her armor with that of the Fighter class'. Even though A) she's not proficient in wearing it, and B) her starting armor set has a WORSE AC, meaning that you just made the Fighter a less effective tank.

At this point, it seems like people on multiplayer are actively trying to nerf their party as much as they possibly can. I don't understand what they're trying to accomplish with this, is it part of some kind of internet challenge or something?

[Alealexi]

The sword I don't understand as she would be better with a dagger or crossbow. As for the armor are talking about Laizels half plate armor? If so that is considered medium armor which is Shadowheart is proficient in as she is a cleric.

[NorthernDavid]

trying to remember it's been a while since I played, but isn't Shadowheart an elf, I think elves get bonus proficencies with some of the swords.

[Harukage]

She is a half-elf. So no proficiencies. She also has 12 strength and 14 dexterity. Unamusingly she is better at using daggers than a mace she starts with.

[SnarkOne]

Due to the limited skins of armor and weapons, people might just be role-playing their fantasies of what they imagine their character should look like; that's how they have fun.
Or they get pleasure knowing that the people they play with get agitated over their mechanically unoptimized choices.
Among limitless other reasons...

A lot of things on the internet don't make sense at first glance.

[Izuzul]

They may simply not understand the rules of D&D or the advantages/disadvantages of being proficient or not in a given weapon/armor. They may think that just because a character can equip it they can use it effectively.

[Kryldost]

if it indeed was a gith armor its cuz they look at her butt

[droggen]

Originally posted by Kryldost:

if it indeed was a gith armor its cuz they look at her butt

Water brings life, The sun brings warmth, Sex sells.

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Originally posted by GrandMajora:

They have also made a habit out of swapping her armor with that of the Fighter class'. Even though A) she's not proficient in wearing it, and B) her starting armor set has a WORSE AC, meaning that you just made the Fighter a less effective tank.

There is no "armor of the Fighter class", that sentence doesn't even make sense.

There is Light, Medium and Heavy armor. Difference classes have proficiency in different armors, and typically having proficiency in a weight class of armor means also having proficiency in all lighter classes as well (therefore, being proficient in Heavy armor usually comes with being proficient in Medium and Light as well, and being proficient in Medium also means being proficient in Light). Only Wizards and Sorcerers start with no armor proficiency whatsoever (unless they choose a race that grants some armor proficiencies).

Now, assuming you are talking about the Gith half-plate armor that Lae'zel wears, it is Medium armor. Clerics are proficient in Medium and Light armor. So they can wear Gith half-plate with no penalties.

[Brady4444]

To add to what others have said, because of the limited armor choices in the game it is better AC to have a 14 Dex with medium armor (ex: Scale). Add a shield and you have a very good AC (18 I think) starting out for Shadowheart.

[GrandMajora]

Originally posted by Alealexi:

As for the armor are talking about Laizels half plate armor? If so that is considered medium armor which is Shadowheart is proficient in as she is a cleric.

No, I mean the armor that Fighter characters start off with. Like, I have had party members go into stealth and pick pocket my own gear right off me, then give it to characters who aren't able to use it properly while swapping out my now missing gear with the trash that the other character was previously wearing.

[Mosey]

There is no answer to your question beyond the person you randomly joined probably just bought the game and has no idea what they're doing.

I'd suggest using the official Larian discord for multiplayer, since it will let you at least communicate with other players. Joining random lobbies is a sure fire way to have a bad time in multiplayer.

[GrandMajora]

Originally posted by Pan Darius Kairos:

There is no "armor of the Fighter class", that sentence doesn't even make sense.

I'm talking about the starting armor you get. I can't remember if it's Scale or Splint, but it's armor class is somewhere around 3 points higher than Shadowheart's starting gear.

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Originally posted by GrandMajora:

Originally posted by Pan Darius Kairos:

There is no "armor of the Fighter class", that sentence doesn't even make sense.

I'm talking about the starting armor you get. I can't remember if it's Scale or Splint, but it's armor class is somewhere around 3 points higher than Shadowheart's starting gear.

Oh, if I recall, that's scale armor (splint is heavy, and I haven't seen any in the game...yet). Scale is also Medium armor (Scale +1, which you can get at the smith in the grove, is equivalent to Gith half-plate, both are medium armors).

https://www.dndbeyond.com/equipment/scale-mail

Shadowheart starts with a chain shirt, and it's pretty much crap. That's why people are swapping it out. Chain shirts are worthless.

[GrandMajora]

Originally posted by Pan Darius Kairos:

Oh, if I recall, that's scale armor (splint is heavy, and I haven't seen any in the game...yet).

Not sure if you've discovered the Adamantine Forge in the Underdark yet, but you can use it to craft either a set of Scale or Splint mail.

You can also craft a mace, a shield, a scimitar and a long sword. All you need to do so is find the proper mold, and a piece of Mithril ore.

Unfortunately, there are only two Mithril veins in the area, meaning you only get to craft 2 of these items right now. So make sure you're certain of your choice before you commit to it.

[Berserk Slayer]

Maybe the gear is not what it appears, or (shock, horror) people are putting on what they like the look of.

Originally posted by droggen:

Originally posted by Kryldost:

if it indeed was a gith armor its cuz they look at her butt

Water brings life, The sun brings warmth, Sex sells.

Help, help, I'm being oppressed.