The fabled Fighter(Kensai)/Mage build? I can't find specifics

[Demagogue]

Hello all, the art of multi-classing and dual-classing is something foreign to me. I've always done pure classes. However I keep reading how good a Fighter/Mage ( or a Kensai/Mage) combo is, yet nothing specific about how to level it step by step (like when to take levels in X or feat X).

I've done some googling but not had much luck outside of people saying how great it is.. Could someone point me in the direction of a step-by-step guide for this?

The research I've found says Fighter/Mage multi will out-do Kensai/Mage dual in the long run.. (BG2)

Also I know that you can't cast spells in armor, which I guess would be why you'd take Kensai over fighter? Is there a way to cast spells in armor at some point that might outweigh this? I know from reading you depend on stoneskin for AR.

My intentions are to play this through to BG2:EE. I've not played this game since it first came out, and after running through NWN 2 again I've had a hankering to play it seeing as Dragon Age is a large dissappointment and I've got nothing else to itch this scratch I have.

[Dustpuppy]

People were taking Kensai at the start of baldur's gate 2 going to level 9 or 12 to max out HP rolls / Kai / Thac0 + dmg, then going mage dual class.

Mages get the spell Ghost Armor which lasts for 5 turns, equivalent to platemail. There's also a suit of +3 chainmail that they can wear I think but I may be mistaken.

Kensai mage was the most powerful class until ToB was released, at which point being a multi fighter-mage could be construed as better because of the access to fighter High-Level-abilities. A ken-mage got the full boost from fighter hp-dice, -2 AC, and +3 or +4 damage plus the ability to essentially do double damage for a brief period 3-4x per day.

If you're uncertain what to do, just roll up a fighter/mage then use gatekeeper to give it the kensai kit ;) If you feel you're too powerful, install "Sword Coast Strategems" . If you try to play kensai through BG1 it's going to be pretty frusterating due to a lack of magical equipment/buffs from party members to make up for your inability to wear armor.

[Demagogue]

I'm thinking I'd prefer the Fighter/Mage multi after some research, Kensai doesn't appeal to me so much... I don't want to do any editing or changes in the class, I'd like to keep the experience as vanilla as possible.

[DarkExcalibur42]

Yeah, running around naked as a Kensai is my biggest problem with it. You can't wear almost any of the AC boosting items. And that chainmail armor mentioned before works for mages, but kensai still can't wear it.

[Reaume]

my cousin rolls with a kensai/mage and he dual classes from kensai to mage at level 9, by the time that he reaches level 9 as a mage we have set him up with the robe of vecna and gotten him celestial fury. He basically becomes a crasy DPS character, with my fighter/thief and my brother Paladin with carsomyr we are basically unstopable