Fighter/mage help

[N8tronic]

So i plan to play through bgee and bg2ee with this char.
Im wondering how to build this guy and make him OP. Im new to this series and i would like to know whats the best race statsand weapon proficiencies to take to start the game.
I have done some reading and if seems that longswords are maybe the best to start with and two weapon fighting?

[Damn_Monkey]

Since you're new to the game, I'd suggest starting out as an Elvish Fighter/Mage Multiclass.

Long swords will always have very powerful options, but so do most other weapon types. Benefit of Long Swords though is that Elves get a bonus to THAC0 when equiped, so you will hit things a bit more often when swinging them.

You start out with four pips to spend, Two in Long Swords and two in Dual wielding is good. Don't bother putting a 3rd into Dual wielding till much later in the game. LIke, well into BG2.

[N8tronic]

Originally posted by Damn_Monkey:

Since you're new to the game, I'd suggest starting out as an Elvish Fighter/Mage Multiclass.

Long swords will always have very powerful options, but so do most other weapon types. Benefit of Long Swords though is that Elves get a bonus to THAC0 when equiped, so you will hit things a bit more often when swinging them.

You start out with four pips to spend, Two in Long Swords and two in Dual wielding is good. Don't bother putting a 3rd into Dual wielding till much later in the game. LIke, well into BG2.

Yes sorry i forgot to say i will multiclass not dual class. I was leaning towards elf, are long swords 2 handed weapons?

[ÄmJii]

I'd say gnome makes a better F/M multiclass. Yes, you're missing out on Necromancy spells, but bulk of your damage comes from weapons (not Horrid Wiltings & Skull Traps).

Compared to elven F/M, you'll gain:
+ Much better saving throws vs Spells & Wands (up to +5, which is A LOT)
+ Extra spellslot for each spell lvl (because specialist wizard)

Elves do get minor THAC0 bonus to Long Swords & Bows, which helps early on, but past mid-BG1 gnome starts pulling ahead big time.

[N8tronic]

I was considering a gnome. But i heard that having a gnome as a main character limits a lot of the story elements

[N8tronic]

What would my weapon proficiency options be for good weapons for either an elf or a gnome?

[Damn_Monkey]

Gnomes are very popular due to the shorty saves and extra spell slots. As far as story elements, The biggest difference is the Romance options.

I belive Aerie will romance a Gnome, but she is the only one. Viconia won't romance an elf, so you would loose her as an option if you went that route (she wouldn't do gnome either so if those are the only races you are considering, she won't be an option at all.)

I ususally end up with either Viconia or Jaheira for story reasons. Rarely ever have Aerie in my party anyways.

If you are ok with having the new EE companions in your party, they don't care about race, only sex, and Dorn is open to anything.

[N8tronic]

Okay then who is stronger to take into BG2EE and who is more fun?
Also what should my pips be in?

[Damn_Monkey]

2 in Longswords and DW at begining

Bastard Swords and War hammers are also good options for the next 2.

Once you're in BG2 Katanas and Flails might be decent options.

[N8tronic]

Originally posted by Damn_Monkey:

2 in Longswords and DW at begining

Bastard Swords and War hammers are also good options for the next 2.

Once you're in BG2 Katanas and Flails might be decent options.

So longswords right off even if im a fighter/illusionist ?

[danconnors]

Wondering why you're not going to use a dual class fighter/mage. A berserker who goes to at least level 10 makes a VERY good fighter, with excellent resistance to magic (while berserk), and will get to a higher level of mage than a fighter/mage multi class. A fighter 20 mage 20 odd character wastes a lot of levels of fighter. And I know he gets those high level special fighter abilities--which he then never uses.

If you go to level 10 berserker, and save every spell you find until you dual class, you can dismiss your entire party for an hour or so (your time) and make full dual class at one sitting, memorizing spells. In BG 2 you get 1,000 XP per spell level learned, so one 9th level spell learned gives you 9,000 XP instantly.

[Damn_Monkey]

A level 10 Berserker (500k exp) would then lead into a level 30 Mage at exp cap (7500k exp) if you were a Dual Class Human.

Vs a 24 Fighter/20 Mage if you Multi classed.

In Mage terms, thats 1 lvl 6 spell, 2 level 7, 8 and 9 spells you are missing out as a MC.

BUT if you go Gnome for the +1 spells per level due to Illusionist , that is only 1 level 7,8,9 spell you are missing out on.

Then you will also gain access to 5 HLA for Warrior. Lets you get 4 charges of GWW, allowing for 10 APR uses. Get a Staff of the Ram or Ravager and just crush the baddies.

[N8tronic]

Originally posted by danconnors:

Wondering why you're not going to use a dual class fighter/mage. A berserker who goes to at least level 10 makes a VERY good fighter, with excellent resistance to magic (while berserk), and will get to a higher level of mage than a fighter/mage multi class. A fighter 20 mage 20 odd character wastes a lot of levels of fighter. And I know he gets those high level special fighter abilities--which he then never uses.

If you go to level 10 berserker, and save every spell you find until you dual class, you can dismiss your entire party for an hour or so (your time) and make full dual class at one sitting, memorizing spells. In BG 2 you get 1,000 XP per spell level learned, so one 9th level spell learned gives you 9,000 XP instantly.

This is an option but i keep hearing that a dual class spends the entire bg1 as a fighter and the class takes a long time to get its power spike even then the multiclass doesnt fall far behind and is relevant the entire time? This is based off what i have read, i have no actual game experience yet.
What do you mean by fighter/mage wastes a lot of fighter levels?

[danconnors]

I just finished a game where I made a level 7 berserker, level 8 mage, dual class in Baldur's Gate alone. He won the game. However a level 7 berserker is too weak a fighter to do much good in BG 2. But the berserker part of the dual class berk/mage can get up to level 8 before the end of the game. By the end of BG 1 you will have the most powerful fighter you can get for BG 1.

When a berserker is in berserk mode he is immune to most magic effects. Things like confusion, hold person--mages' favorite spells just don't pierce his shield of fury, and mages go down in seconds before his onslaught. Even Sarevok falls to his attack. His weakness is a brief period of weakness when the fury ends. His armor class goes up; his THAC0 goes up. He becomes a weaker than normal fighter for a few minutes. The trick is to kill all your enemies before the rage expires. And the berserker is an instrument of death while enraged. I've had berserkers that cleared entire caverns full of beholders by themselves, something NO OTHER TYPE OF WARRIOR CAN DO!

The best dual class berserker/mages will be made in BG2. Like I said you can run a berserker up to level 10, saving every spell you find, and create the level 11 mage in one sitting (about an hour of your time) after temporarily dismissing the rest of your crew and memorizing those spells. I omce made what I believe to be the ultimate berk/mage, which was a level 13 berserker. level 14 and up mage. I would put that combination up against ANY multi class fighter mage.

[ÄmJii]

Originally posted by N8tronic:

Originally posted by danconnors:

Wondering why you're not going to use a dual class fighter/mage. A berserker who goes to at least level 10 makes a VERY good fighter, with excellent resistance to magic (while berserk), and will get to a higher level of mage than a fighter/mage multi class. A fighter 20 mage 20 odd character wastes a lot of levels of fighter. And I know he gets those high level special fighter abilities--which he then never uses.

If you go to level 10 berserker, and save every spell you find until you dual class, you can dismiss your entire party for an hour or so (your time) and make full dual class at one sitting, memorizing spells. In BG 2 you get 1,000 XP per spell level learned, so one 9th level spell learned gives you 9,000 XP instantly.

This is an option but i keep hearing that a dual class spends the entire bg1 as a fighter and the class takes a long time to get its power spike even then the multiclass doesnt fall far behind and is relevant the entire time? This is based off what i have read, i have no actual game experience yet.
What do you mean by fighter/mage wastes a lot of fighter levels?

Yeah, for BG1 you're gonna be a plain fighter. Multiclass is much more newcomer friendlier, dual-class builds are really easy to mess up if you dual too early or too late.
When you dualclass, your old class becomes inactive until you reach equal+1 levels in you new class to reclaim your old class.

Just go with multiclass on your first run, It's a steady performer through entire series whereas dual-class variant comes to fruition in mid-BG2.

[N8tronic]

Originally posted by danconnors:

I just finished a game where I made a level 7 berserker, level 8 mage, dual class in Baldur's Gate alone. He won the game. However a level 7 berserker is too weak a fighter to do much good in BG 2. But the berserker part of the dual class berk/mage can get up to level 8 before the end of the game. By the end of BG 1 you will have the most powerful fighter you can get for BG 1.

When a berserker is in berserk mode he is immune to most magic effects. Things like confusion, hold person--mages' favorite spells just don't pierce his shield of fury, and mages go down in seconds before his onslaught. Even Sarevok falls to his attack. His weakness is a brief period of weakness when the fury ends. His armor class goes up; his THAC0 goes up. He becomes a weaker than normal fighter for a few minutes. The trick is to kill all your enemies before the rage expires. And the berserker is an instrument of death while enraged. I've had berserkers that cleared entire caverns full of beholders by themselves, something NO OTHER TYPE OF WARRIOR CAN DO!

The best dual class berserker/mages will be made in BG2. Like I said you can run a berserker up to level 10, saving every spell you find, and create the level 11 mage in one sitting (about an hour of your time) after temporarily dismissing the rest of your crew and memorizing those spells. I omce made what I believe to be the ultimate berk/mage, which was a level 13 berserker. level 14 and up mage. I would put that combination up against ANY multi class fighter mage.

Hmm okay you guys do have me interested as it would allow me to play a human and have all the romance options as well. A berserk does sound knda fun. So how do i go about creating this guy ? What are my weapon proficiencies and starting stats