Which character to start first playthrough with companions?

[Fantasy Fan]

I'm looking for ideas on what player character to start my first game with. I want to play with the companions to experience all of their stories on my first game. Also, are companions more viable now that I can build them from level 1?

Which classes/roles would be good to make up for what the companions can't do? Something that would be powerful early on is desirable so I won't struggle too much before I get a good sized party together. Also, I found a guide on steam with like 6 builds for each class but someone in the comments said it wasn't updated for 3.0. Will these builds still work in 3.0? Can anyone recommend any specific builds either from that guide or another site? Thanks in advance for your advice.

Edit: I should have mentioned that I only own the base game. I plan to get the DLC in a couple of weeks if I'm still interested in the game by then.

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Without the DLC, you don't meet the following NPC companions: Rogue, Barbarian, Monk

However, you may create custom companions as hirelings at every inn keeper's interface for a bit of gold.

From the NPC companions, you meet early: Wizard, Fighter, Priest, Chanter. Still at the early levels, such as around level 4: Ranger, Druid. Next: Paladin, Cipher.

I don't understand your interest in guides and walkthroughs. It will spoil all the fun of playing this game. You also haven't told which difficulty mode you want to turn on. The game can be finished with NPC companions at all difficulties - surely they are viable and capable enough. The game can be finished solo with various classes at highest difficulty.

Choose what suites your taste. Choose a role you like. Be creative.

[Fantasy Fan]

Ok, so early on it looks like I'll have 3 casters and possibly a tank, then? Rogue seems like a good idea if thieving and lockpicking is as useful in this game as it was in Baldur's Gate 1 and 2.
I am planning on playing on Normal. With the guides, I'm just trying to use them to help learn the systems of the game and get a good start so I don't have trouble early.

[Wasted_46]

thieving and lockipicking works nothing like BG here.
being a rogue does not make your character better at them.
in fact, there is no thieving in the game.
Lockpicking is tied to a skil called mechanics, which is in fact a pretty poor skill to max on a rogue.

A rogue is all about doing maximal single target damage. It is the game's glass cannon class.

Chanter is not really a caster either. nothing like the bard.

[Fantasy Fan]

Well, obviously I still need to learn a lot about the game. Until I figure stuff out, I've decided to start a Barbarian and play blind to figure out how to build characters for myself. I'm still very much lookng for advice in that department, however. Would it be viable to try to make this character an off-tank / dps? Who should I go with mechanics on?

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Rogue is not a thief, but more like a mercenary class. Rogue gets the highest +2 bonus to Mechanics. Chanter and Cipher get +1. If not playing The White March, there's enough opportunity for any class to become the mechanics dude. Some items give a bonus. Some inns gives a resting bonus. With the White March, it can be necessary to put all skill points into Mechanics because of traps and locks that require high skill.

Publicado originalmente por pseyechosis:

Would it be viable to try to make this character an off-tank / dps?

Overthinking during the planning stage will poison your head and not give you any experience. It's best to carefully read the details shown on the character creation screen and build a level 1 character that suites your taste. Then gain hands on experience.

Publicado originalmente por pseyechosis:

Who should I go with mechanics on?

I've often chosen a priest for that role, because other roles in the party benefit from other skills.

[Fantasy Fan]

Well, I started a Barbarian on easy. I saw the following stat distribution for an interrupt focused Barb so I went with it.

M 10
C 10
D 15
P 20
I 15
R 7

Race: Hearth Orlan
Skills- Athletics-5, Lore-4, Survival-5
Current abilities- Blooded, Carnage, Crucible of the Soul, Frenzy, Minor Threat, Second Wind
Talents: Greater Frenzy, Weapon Focus: Soldier

I'm level 4 and I've found and added to my party Eder, Aloth, and Durance so far. Which other companions are available early game that I should look into getting? I gave Aloth and Durance the same weapon focus when I levelled them without realizing it. It's the one with rods. How badly is that going to hurt me? Where should I put my next skill points for this Barbarian? Does anything look horribly wrong with my build? Thx again for your help.

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Publicado originalmente por pseyechosis:

Well, I started a Barbarian on easy. I saw the following stat distribution for an interrupt focused Barb so I went with it.

M 10
C 10
D 15
P 20
I 15
R 7

Race: Hearth Orlan
Skills- Athletics-5, Lore-4, Survival-5
Current abilities- Blooded, Carnage, Crucible of the Soul, Frenzy, Minor Threat, Second Wind
Talents: Greater Frenzy, Weapon Focus: Soldier

Builds are meaningless - unless you know how to play the character and agree with the chosen attributes/talents completely. A barb with reduced RES 7 and a twohanded weapon would run into troubles as a frontliner, if playing on PotD mode. You would need to keep him in second line and avoid engagement. Skill choice is dubious. There are not enough skill points to spend on three different skills. Survival higher than 6 gives increases bonuses.

Publicado originalmente por pseyechosis:

Which other companions are available early game that I should look into getting?

Kana, a Chanter, just before the Caed Nua stronghold to the east. Once you're past that area, you can meet Sagani, a Ranger, to the south, and Hiravias, a druid further to the south-east.

Publicado originalmente por pseyechosis:

I gave Aloth and Durance the same weapon focus when I levelled them without realizing it. It's the one with rods. How badly is that going to hurt me?

The game can be finished with a single character, so a party will always be more capable even if not using "optimal" weapons. Durance is a Priest of Magran, who can learn a god-specific talent that gives a nice +10 Accuracy bonus for Sword and Arquebus, which stacks with Weapon Focus and various buffs. He also comes with high RES 18, which makes him a good choices for a war priest. Rod is a poor choice for him.

[Fantasy Fan]

Ok, I rebuilt Durance and gave him the +10 sword and arquebus talent. He's using some unique sword I found and the Larder Door shield enchanted with fine. He has something like 60 deflection.

I'm really trying to find a pike that's already enchanted for my low resolve barb since it would cost me 1200 cp to put fine on a pike. For his skills, which two would be best? I'm thinking of retraining him, or should I just only put points in 1 or 2 skills from now on and not retrain?

Also, does + attack speed % affect both the attack animations and recovery times? I was considering the +20% attack speed talent for the barb but it would only be worth it if attack speed affects both times.

[rubyismycat]

Barbarian is a great class my friend its superb for taking out large number of enemies fast but you need to be really careful how you speck your barbarian and why watch some you tube videos theres some really good ones about this the last time i played Barbarian i went high intelligence to maximise his Splash damage and used the Flaming brand with her the results were hilarious and devastating

[Wasted_46]

OP try Tall Grass. Buy it in Dyrford.

[Happygamer]

I went Chanter for the main character since Kana, the chanter you meet early in the game, is a character I leave at the fortress. I also suggest Priest of Eothas for RP purposes.