Your Favorite Solo Class builds?

[New Willinium]

So I've noticed that a LOT of people seem to love meta-gaming the multiclass system in order to make what they feel is an "optimized" build for their characters to deal with the difficulty of the game.


However as a Solo Class guy myself this has gotten me to wondering. . . what is everybody *elses* favorite Solo Class/Archytype? I have fallen in love with the Eldritch Scion class since the Very first time I touched it, it is pretty much everything I have ever wanted out of a CRPG class in Baldur's Gate , being able to go Sword and Spell while decked in Heavy Armor and it is just absolutely perfect in my eyes. The addition of the Sorcerer Bloodlines makes it even better.

I have a feeling that the Inquisitor and Eldritch Scoundrel classes may be a good fit as well when I eventually get around to trying them out for a full playthrough as well.


So what about the rest of y'all? What is your favorite Solo Class build and why? What makes you like it so much? Is it just the sheer concept of the class?

[InEffect]

ehm... Alchemist single class is really potent. and one of the best even if compared to multiclassed ones. Grenadier or vivisectionist - both can break the game in half.

[Kyutaru]

Solo druid. Best caster ever except maybe a dragonform sorc. Roleplay a bear and then cast buffs to tank and dmg the enemy. Heal yourself. Screw other party members, you're a solopwnmobile.

[Shazbot!]

Sword saint, it's just like my chinese cartoons.

[New Willinium]

Originally posted by Kyutaru:

Solo druid. Best caster ever except maybe a dragonform sorc. Roleplay a bear and then cast buffs to tank and dmg the enemy. Heal yourself. Screw other party members, you're a solopwnmobile.

Never actually tried out the Druid in this game. How is the spell list? Is it just a more expanded Ranger's Spell list?

Originally posted by InEffect:

ehm... Alchemist single class is really potent. and one of the best even if compared to multiclassed ones. Grenadier or vivisectionist - both can break the game in half.

I have found Jubilost to be VERY useful I will admit. Usually best to just focus on getting him as much bombs as possible outside of any of the more wild mutagen's though.

[InEffect]

Oh also single class rangers are pretty good, but you can do better with a few dips.
And Scroll savants, Sylvan sorcs, Arcane/Sage Sorcs all can stay pure losing nothing major.

[New Willinium]

Originally posted by InEffect:

Oh also single class rangers are pretty good, but you can do better with a few dips.
And Scroll savants, Sylvan sorcs, Arcane/Sage Sorcs all can stay pure losing nothing major.

Ranger's always seemed weird in that never really fit in any kind of role other then a Ranged DPS user, with very situational spells. Are their archytypes any good?

[InEffect]

Originally posted by New Willinium:

Originally posted by InEffect:

Oh also single class rangers are pretty good, but you can do better with a few dips.
And Scroll savants, Sylvan sorcs, Arcane/Sage Sorcs all can stay pure losing nothing major.

Ranger's always seemed weird in that never really fit in any kind of role other then a Ranged DPS user, with very situational spells. Are their archytypes any good?

rangers are good here as they can stack a lot of AB/Damage against fey and some against other common enemies. And for 1-offs like bosses and dragons there is instant enemy. Also rangers self-buff list is impressive for a 1/4 caster with sense vitals, falcons and hurricane among other things.
For less metagame Freebooter is good as he's universal, but he pays with his pet for it.
Storm and Fire ones are damn awful with pretty much no redeeming qualities

[Near Gravity]

Originally posted by New Willinium:

Originally posted by InEffect:

Oh also single class rangers are pretty good, but you can do better with a few dips.
And Scroll savants, Sylvan sorcs, Arcane/Sage Sorcs all can stay pure losing nothing major.

Ranger's always seemed weird in that never really fit in any kind of role other then a Ranged DPS user, with very situational spells. Are their archytypes any good?

The Fire one seems interesting, but generally speaking, Rangers can do well as Melee. Full Plate and a Light Shield or Heavy Shield, (I prefer Light), and a good one-handed weapon. Pick the Two-weapon feat, Shield and Armor Focus, and Weapon Focus.

Avoid Hunter's Bond, (I made that mistake in the DLC), if you go with a normal Ranger, and take the Companion instead. Smilodon, Boar, Bear, are all pretty decent imo.

Doing it again, I'd go with the Flamewarden, stick with Full Plate and Shield, and select 3 weapons for damage types.

The only thing that kind of bugs me, is swapping weapon groups you should be able to just put a shield as the off-hand in more than one group, so you don't have to go to the equipment screen to move it when you change weapons. Or alternatively, just go to the equipment screen and swap a weapon in.

Not really worth pursuing Flamewarden if you're not going to level it though.

[Near Gravity]

Originally posted by InEffect:

Originally posted by New Willinium:

Ranger's always seemed weird in that never really fit in any kind of role other then a Ranged DPS user, with very situational spells. Are their archytypes any good?

rangers are good here as they can stack a lot of AB/Damage against fey and some against other common enemies. And for 1-offs like bosses and dragons there is instant enemy. Also rangers self-buff list is impressive for a 1/4 caster with sense vitals, falcons and hurricane among other things.
For less metagame Freebooter is good as he's universal, but he pays with his pet for it.
Storm and Fire ones are damn awful with pretty much no redeeming qualities

That's actually kind of funny, as I think the Flamewarden is the best of them, once it gets high enough levels. Getting Firebelly added to the spell list is pretty mediocre early on, but the rest is good. Maybe a little ridiculous with the level 20. Also, I think completely useless for a main in this game. But for the DLC, where you don't level to 20, or even near really, it seems like a good option.

Stormwarden would probably also be good with Call Lightning, as I've found that very useful, but apparently everything is immune to electricity, so obviously that puts it on the do not pursue list here as well.

[InEffect]

Originally posted by Near Gravity:

That's actually kind of funny, as I think the Flamewarden is the best of them, once it gets high enough levels. Getting Firebelly added to the spell list is pretty mediocre early on, but the rest is good. Maybe a little ridiculous with the level 20. Also, I think completely useless for a main in this game.

only spells ranger needs are self-buffs and instant enemy. Elemental stuff is covered by any caster around with a better DC, so you end up with a worse ranger with no pet. I mean you can play it for RP still, but saying it's good would be stretching it too far. Even lvl20 ability is meh. You shouldn't die in the 1st place. And for companions there are always cleric spells and scrolls.

Edit: expanded a bit.

[Near Gravity]

Originally posted by InEffect:

Originally posted by Near Gravity:

That's actually kind of funny, as I think the Flamewarden is the best of them, once it gets high enough levels. Getting Firebelly added to the spell list is pretty mediocre early on, but the rest is good. Maybe a little ridiculous with the level 20. Also, I think completely useless for a main in this game.

only spells ranger needs are self-buffs and instant enemy. Elemental resists for the whole party are covered by any caster around so you end up with a worse ranger with no pet. I mean you can play it for RP still, but saying it's good would be stretching it.

I actually use the spells. Particularly in the DLC, because you end up with only a Freebooter and Herald Caller who uses mostly summoning, which unfortunately is often just a distraction until he gets to 9th level and gets the Bralani Azata, (think I spelled that right), which is actually useful and quite effective.

But outside of the DLC, Spells are a limited resource, even at higher levels. You can conserve them to some extent, but if you're buffing with every encounter, and potentially using summons every encounter, and heals, or potentially AoE, there isn't much left to go around. The main story doesn't really require this every encounter below Challenging mind you, but everything is also on a timer, and camping reduces that considerably.

At some point, you're going to be glad your Ranger has spells. Either to balance out healing, or to buff, or something.

[Near Gravity]

Originally posted by InEffect:

Originally posted by Near Gravity:

That's actually kind of funny, as I think the Flamewarden is the best of them, once it gets high enough levels. Getting Firebelly added to the spell list is pretty mediocre early on, but the rest is good. Maybe a little ridiculous with the level 20. Also, I think completely useless for a main in this game.

only spells ranger needs are self-buffs and instant enemy. Elemental stuff is covered by any caster around with a better DC, so you end up with a worse ranger with no pet. I mean you can play it for RP still, but saying it's good would be stretching it too far. Even lvl20 ability is meh. You shouldn't die in the 1st place. And for companions there are always cleric spells and scrolls.

Edit: expanded a bit.

Yeah, but a nice AOE that damages enemies only is cool. I like the whole retribution thing.

[InEffect]

Originally posted by Near Gravity:

I actually use the spells. Particularly in the DLC, because you end up with only a Freebooter and Herald Caller who uses mostly summoning, which unfortunately is often just a distraction until he gets to 9th level and gets the Bralani Azata, (think I spelled that right), which is actually useful and quite effective.

But outside of the DLC, Spells are a limited resource, even at higher levels. You can conserve them to some extent, but if you're buffing with every encounter, and potentially using summons every encounter, and heals, or potentially AoE, there isn't much left to go around.

At some point, you're going to be glad your Ranger has spells. Either to balance out healing, or to buff, or something.

I didn't say don't play it. I say it's worse than the base class. let's see. 1st level spells are taken by falcon and hurricane. 2nd level is taken by sense vitals and 3rd by instant enemy. for 4th there is a case to be made that you should take extend just to have more instant enemy casts. No other spell will do the same DPS as any of those buffs will.
Freebooter could actually use a decent 3rd level spell, but it's whatever.

Is there any added content/loot for taking base cripples in varnhold instead of proper mercs btw? Doesn't seem that way.

[Near Gravity]

Originally posted by InEffect:

Originally posted by Near Gravity:

I actually use the spells. Particularly in the DLC, because you end up with only a Freebooter and Herald Caller who uses mostly summoning, which unfortunately is often just a distraction until he gets to 9th level and gets the Bralani Azata, (think I spelled that right), which is actually useful and quite effective.

But outside of the DLC, Spells are a limited resource, even at higher levels. You can conserve them to some extent, but if you're buffing with every encounter, and potentially using summons every encounter, and heals, or potentially AoE, there isn't much left to go around.

At some point, you're going to be glad your Ranger has spells. Either to balance out healing, or to buff, or something.

I didn't say don't play it. I say it's worse than the base class. let's see. 1st level spells are taken by falcon and hurricane. 2nd level is taken by sense vitals and 3rd by instant enemy. for 4th there is a case to be made that you should take extend just to have more instant enemy casts. No other spell will do the same DPS as any of those buffs will.
Freebooter could actually use a decent 3rd level spell, but it's whatever.

Is there any added content/loot for taking base cripples in varnhold instead of proper mercs btw? Doesn't seem that way.

I wouldn't go ranged, so Hurricane bow, (awesome spell btw), wouldn't be on my list. Definitely take Sense Vitals. Probably wouldn't take Falcon either as that's Range focused as well, and the Perception buff isn't really necessary.

So, Lead Blades, and either Delay Poison, Feather Step, Longstrider, or Cure Light Wounds for level 1; Aspect of the Bear or Sense Vitals for level 2; etc... Changing things out depending on what I am expecting to need. Always keeping the basic combat spells available; but also allowing for dealing with Poison, Disease, or other needs that require some versatility.

[InEffect]

Originally posted by Near Gravity:

I wouldn't go ranged, so Hurricane bow, (awesome spell btw), wouldn't be on my list. Definitely take Sense Vitals. Probably wouldn't take Falcon either as that's Range focused as well, and the Perception buff isn't really necessary.

So, Lead Blades, and either Delay Poison, Feather Step, Longstrider, or Cure Light Wounds for level 1; Aspect of the Bear or Sense Vitals for level 2; etc... Changing things out depending on what I am expecting to need. Always keeping the basic combat spells available; but also allowing for dealing with Poison, Disease, or other needs that require some versatility.

And none of that has anything specific to do with flame warden.
Not to mention ranger can't really afford to use slots on QoL spells like delay poison. Lead blades takes all slots for lvl1 and Sense vitals take level 2 no other spells come even close in efficiency per slot used. Let whoever else is in the party take care of those.
Back to the topic: I don't see a single reason apart from RP to take flame warden ever.