What class is best for summoning?

[MisterRed]

Title. I'm at the end of Act 2, and waiting for some more patches to fix up Act 3 before I move on, so I'm considering my second playthrough, which will be as the dark urge. With the Dark Urge I decided I wanted to be somewhat like Balthazar, and be a threat primarily because I have an entire horde around me to protect me. I want numbers, and if possible, also minions of high quality for this. So whats the best way to become the King of the Horde? Necromancer wizard? Beastmaster ranger? Spore Druid? A multiclass between different classes? I wanna become the boss essentially and have the enemy contend against my own army

[Jondar Korric]

Originally posted by MisterRed:

Originally posted by yuzhonglu:

None. Summoners are bad in this game. But if you're going to summon, you do it with cleric. Animate weapon and Guardian of Faith are good spells.

Dang it. The Balthazar fight made me hopeful that playing a Necromancer or horde enemy would be strong. Dark Urge from what I've seen seems like they wont have very many friends or allies, so this was my counter. Maybe instead I'll have to go for a sorcerer or warlock.

nah, they couldn't be more wrong if they tried. early on Necromancers have access to basic Skeletons and Zombies but at higher levels you gain access to Ghouls, Winged Ghouls, and Mummies. on top of that Undead created by a Necromancer Wizard add the Wizards level to their HP and the Wizards Proficiency Bonus to damage. Ghouls in particular work extremely well combined with a Battlemaster Lae'zel that has tripping attack as they have a hard hitting Devour Attack that can be used on Prone enemies, in addition to the paralysis the Ghouls regular attacks can inflict.

[SoloQ]

Clerics and Druids. Throwing a fireball isn't always safe. And a summon is basically a moving damage over time effect that has to be killed to be stopped. It's far from useless or the least optimal option. Especially if you're fighting where you can't go blowing everything up with fireballs, like a fireworks store or something.

But clerics and druids can cast the summon and then spend a turn or two casting utility spells while the summon deals damage for them.

A full summoner squad would be pretty potent, you could basically double and triple your party size through summons.

[Quillithe]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE69wi51PTE

Basically this says Cleric, weapon + undead + elementals + planar summon, some of them even being summons with their own summons

Second place being necro wizard of course.

Generally not a great strategy, but you can start a fight with summons out, so it's still a benefit for sure

[Quillithe]

Originally posted by MisterRed:

Originally posted by Solomon Kane:

That is correct, he does follow Mega Edgelord Bhaal.

Okay, so I thought this was only like, a theory from before release, is Dark Urge actually a Bhaalspawn? Same as Sarevok and all that?

I won't say yes, but I will say that the Bhaal symbol is underneath you during the character intro, so...

[GrandMajora]

Originally posted by MisterRed:

Okay, so I thought this was only like, a theory from before release, is Dark Urge actually a Bhaalspawn? Same as Sarevok and all that?

Dark Urge story introduced a retcon to the Bhaalspawn Legacy. In the books, they're supposed to all be dead by this point in the timeline, but in BG3, you play as the last surviving pure blooded Bhaalspawn.

[MisterRed]

Originally posted by GrandMajora:

Originally posted by MisterRed:

Okay, so I thought this was only like, a theory from before release, is Dark Urge actually a Bhaalspawn? Same as Sarevok and all that?

Dark Urge story introduced a retcon to the Bhaalspawn Legacy. In the books, they're supposed to all be dead by this point in the timeline, but in BG3, you play as the last surviving pure blooded Bhaalspawn.

Honestly, thats really cool. It also changes my opinion a bit, since I feel a true bhaalspawn should just be overwhelmingly powerful. So I guess Sorcerer, Paladin, or Figher

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Enchanter. Because you can support/enhance your summons with Hold Person/Monster and they will get free crits.

[GrandMajora]

Originally posted by MisterRed:

Honestly, thats really cool. It also changes my opinion a bit, since I feel a true bhaalspawn should just be overwhelmingly powerful. So I guess Sorcerer, Paladin, or Figher

Also, when I say "pureblood", I mean that you are the last one to be personally sired by Bhaal himself. Orin is merely the great grandchild of Bhaal.

[hoot hoot]

For what you're actually looking for, Wizard Necromancer.

You'll still have to use CC spells and position your wizard smartly since enemies can still target you, but people acting like there's no reason to use summoning spells are both wrong (depending on how you want to fight battles anyway) and against the spirit of the game (and this post).

Smart positioning and use of environment is a key to most things. I just had lvl 4 Warlock with no armor Wyll solo the red hobgoblin boss, a challenging character for that level, by just blasting him through a window for fall damage. Most of the minions in the room were killed instantly by placing firewine and gunpowder barrels all over the place (from the merchant's store room).

Point is, minions work just as other strategies work, but you still need to fight smart and use the tools the game gives you.

[MisterRed]

Originally posted by GrandMajora:

Originally posted by MisterRed:

Honestly, thats really cool. It also changes my opinion a bit, since I feel a true bhaalspawn should just be overwhelmingly powerful. So I guess Sorcerer, Paladin, or Figher

Also, when I say "pureblood", I mean that you are the last one to be personally sired by Bhaal himself. Orin is merely the great grandchild of Bhaal.

I don't know if this is too much of a spoiler, if it ruins his entire arc I might not actually want an answer, but is there an in game reason as to why Orin would be his chosen, and not well, the actual devil child?

[Solomon Kane]

Originally posted by MisterRed:

Originally posted by GrandMajora:

Also, when I say "pureblood", I mean that you are the last one to be personally sired by Bhaal himself. Orin is merely the great grandchild of Bhaal.

I don't know if this is too much of a spoiler, if it ruins his entire arc I might not actually want an answer, but is there an in game reason as to why Orin would be his chosen, and not well, the actual devil child?

She thinks she is, does not mean she actually is.

[GrandMajora]

Originally posted by MisterRed:

Originally posted by GrandMajora:

Also, when I say "pureblood", I mean that you are the last one to be personally sired by Bhaal himself. Orin is merely the great grandchild of Bhaal.

I don't know if this is too much of a spoiler, if it ruins his entire arc I might not actually want an answer, but is there an in game reason as to why Orin would be his chosen, and not well, the actual devil child?

Well, I looked up a guide that had the snippets from the journal entries, and apparently you were previously the leader of Bhaal's church, but Orin usurped you and seized control. Thus, you have a more personal beef to settle with her.