Dual class

[redruM]

Are dual class playthroughs interesting in this game ? I was thinking about fighter mage or something like that in my 2nd playthrough since I pretty much rushed my paladin playthrough. I am curious because of this experience cap. Can you reach level 9 spells and be a good fighter too ? Also, I was thinking about playing evil character next.

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Originally posted by redruM:

I am curious because of this experience cap. Can you reach level 9 spells and be a good fighter too ?

Could it be that you're mixing multi-classing and dual-classing? Obviously, if you dual-class from fighter to mage at some point, your fighter class won't develop further anymore.

And about the XP cap, it's 8,000,000 XP once you've arrived in BG2EE. You may need to play with a reduced party size to reach that cap for each of your characters and still do a completionist playthrough. Then the tables at the end of the manual answer the question about whether and when you would be able to cast level 9 spells.

https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/49871/get-your-siege-of-dragonspear-manuals-here

[redruM]

Nah, I meant to dual class, but now when I calculated some things, it seems like dual classing and multiclassing ain't too much fun in BG:EE. It seems like they are more fun in BG2:EE, because in BG:EE, you'll play majority of the game as one class so it doesn't realy make sense to dual class later in the game. Maybe I got something wrong. As far as I know, you get your fighter abilities after you surpass it with mage. But now when I think of it, it seems like it is not fun at all, especially on higher difficulties :D

I think I'll just install BG2:EE.

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Booting a dual-class character through BGEE and SOD is helpful. That way you get more XP than you would get if starting in BG2EE from scratch. As a bonus, you can influence the Bhaal powers you receive and transfer a few nice items into BG2EE, too.

Alternatively, use EEKeeper on your character created in BG2EE.

[ovehaithabu]

Originally posted by redruM:

I was thinking about fighter mage or something like that in my 2nd playthrough since I pretty much rushed my paladin playthrough. I am curious because of this experience cap. Can you reach level 9 spells and be a good fighter too ?

So how does that work anyway ? I wanted a cleric who can fight with a Katana so had a warrior. I did not find katana but a longsword +1 or so. Dual class to cleric and then I could not use it. So I read the manual and it says I have to be higher level as a cleric to get the skills of the warrior. OK, done that now. But even after I passed the warrior level and it no longer says inactive for warrior I can not use the sword somehow. So how can I be a warrior as a cleric if I can use swords ? What benefits do I have apart from the extra hit points ?

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Clerics may only use socalled blunt weapons, and dual-classing or multi-classing doesn't change that restriction.

[ovehaithabu]

Originally posted by D'amarr from Darshiva:

Clerics may only use socalled blunt weapons, and dual-classing or multi-classing doesn't change that restriction.

Thanks. Yes, I kind of hoped that as a warrior in the first class that restriction no longer applies to the cleric. That was actually the reason why I tried to have a warrior background for my cleric.

So if I would dual class a warrior to a thief for example, will he be able to use the long sword or is then also restricted to the weapon a thief has (i.e. no long sword) after both classes are active because a thief can't have a long sword ?

[voehringer_nitron]

Thieves can use long swords. A Fighter/Thief can use any weapon category, but only weapons usable by a single class thief are suitable for backstab. So you cant use axes, flails, et cetera to backstab. Note that this means that weapons like the Ninja-to of the Scarlet Brotherhood and the Staff of the Magi are also unsuitable. While they fall in weapon categories available to Thieves, they are restricted to Monks and Mages/Sorcerers respectively. So, even with the Use Any Item ability in part 2, they cannot backstab.

Dual/multi-classed Clerics and Druids are limited to the weapons allowed by their respective classes. Other dual/multi combinations can use any weapons available to either class. So, a Thief/Mage can use short bows or scimitars for example, even though a single class mage couldn't.

[ovehaithabu]

OK thanks a lot, I hope I understand now. So a dual-class Fighter/Mage could use a katana or a heavy crossbow then ?

[ovehaithabu]

Originally posted by Shadowsetzer:

Clerics and Druids are the only classes that keep their weapon restrictions with multi/dual class, so a fighter/thief can use any weapon that a fighter or a thief could use.

(As an aside, single-class thieves can use long swords and katanas just fine; in fact, there's a thief in BG2 that comes with a unique katana.)

Edit: Ninja'd. :p

Brilliant, thanks a lot for your help. Now I understand.

[redruM]

Originally posted by ovehaithabu:

OK thanks a lot, I hope I understand now. So a dual-class Fighter/Mage could use a katana or a heavy crossbow then ?

Fighter mage can use almost every weapon. I play as dual class fighter/mage and I use bastard sword and flail combination in BG2:EE. Dual wielding seems fun.

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

How far are you? Fighter class unlocked yet? At level 9 or 13?

Has it influenced you in how you use the mage abilities? Do you do melee fighting more often than casting spells? Or do you cast heavily to combine the power of the two classes yet? That will get more interesting once you continue into Throne of Bhaal.

[redruM]

I am level 13 fighter and level 18 mage. I completed almost every quest. I only have Korgan's quest to complete. The thing is, Jaheira romance is stuck because that ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ Dermin won't appear for 2nd time so I am basically running around in the game doing nothing. I do not want to go for chapter 7 before I complete everything in the game.

Yeah, I do melee fighting more than casting spells. But I usually send Jaheira or Minsc in front, cast spell and than do melee combat. I use Foebane and Flail of Ages. I have Aerie and Imoen in my party too so I do not realy need to cast too many spells. I mostly cast defensive spells with my character. I love that simulacrum spell :D

But damn, this Dermin is ruining this game for me. I am not realy into those romance things in games like this one, but since I realy like Jaheira as character, now I realy wish to complete that one. Those romance dialogues makes it more interesting because you mostly just hear those annoying sentences from them like "We're all heroes blah blah" from Minsc. I think I should have gave it more thoughts before, before completing almost everything. It would be more fun now at least :D

[Peyton]

Wall of text, but dual is baiscly better at low level as you get accses to both classes and can use thier skills etc

[Dragon_Code_X]

so... say you start as a fighter, and then dual class to a mage. do you then get all the level-ups for a fighter AND a mage? Or just one? If it's just one, do you choose which one you level up, or is it always the newer class?

[sethmage]

To simplify; I start as fighter (Strength 18/whatever (you will get the book anyway later to raise to 19), Dex 18, Con 18, Int 18)

Level 1 fighter – 14HP, also get 4 proficiency points, I will put 2 in one handed weapon for extra AC and 2 in whatever (scimitars so I'm going to have to put down Drizzit, for his uber weapon)

Level 2 no changes +14HP

Level 3 +14HP, 1 proficiency point to scimitars

At this time I'll dual class to mage, I get 1 proficiency point, put in sling or darts something range. So now I have level 1 mage with 42 HP not bad. My fighter class is DORMANT that means I get NO BONUSES from any weapons or THAC0 (fighter locked at Level 3 permanently)

Level 2 Mage (Fighter class still dormant)

Level 3 Mage (Fighter class still dormant)

Level 4 Mage (Fighter class active, I can use scimitars will all bonuses)

Level 5 Mage 1 proficiency point, into scimitars, now I am High Master in Scimitars

If I dual class into Thief I'll become Grand-master in weapon of my choosing at level 8, BEFORE warrior does