So how does combat work in this game?

[xat.com/flirt]

i want to like this game.. i really do. i played baldurs gate 2 in 2024 and i thoroughly enjoyed it despite some aspects being dated. however, with this game i'm having trouble.

i created a fighter that uses a longsword, towershield, and wears heavy armor, (my typical build). in baldurs gate 2 i understood how to use skills with mages and things of that nature, and taking control of other characters to implement strategy during your game pauses. but the combat for a fighter in this game just feels like you put your character on auto-attack, right-click to target enemies, and hope you win the fights. is there any strategy to the combat this game? i have 1 follower, but i can't control that follower and command it on what skills to use. is there any part of combat in this game that requires brain usage, or is it all just braindead watching auto-attacks? also do you only get 1 follower in this game instead of the standard 4 to 6 characters which most crpgs use? i'd really like to know what i'm missing here. thanks!
(im playing the main campaign on singleplayer rn, the campaign about the disease you're trying to cure and the 4 creatures you're trying to find).
not that this discussion will have any spoilers, but please try to keep your responses spoiler free if there is something that is a spoiler that does not to be discussed.

[Proleric]

Fighters[nwn.fandom.com] gradually acquire active feats like Parry and Knockdown (full list via the link) which can be turned on or off during combat according to the situation. Otherwise, fighters don't have much agency, beyond tuning their build and kit before the fight, finding the best position for combat, attacking the most appropriate target, or falling back to gain advantage.

You have less control over companions than you do in BG2. However, their radial menu offers Stand Your Ground, Follow, Guard Me and other commands which are sufficient to belay stupid behaviour and win fights.

The expansions let you have two companions. Some of the best user-made modules allow more. The radial menu on your PC is used to issue orders to the whole party. You can still issue orders to individuals as before.

[DrLoboto]

The characters do auto-attack in NWN once you've picked a target - as I think they did in Baldur's Gate as well? But yes, the difference is that you really only control one character, not a whole party with different abilities, and that's what makes it more boring at first look, especially if you play a melee class without magical skills, which is why I hardly ever play pure fighters. Of course you do have the followers to complement your skills, but their AI is rather bad, and party play works best in multiplayer, when your party members are all controlled by intelligent human beings.

In the main campaign you're playing (which also is a lot less exciting than the expansions, better DLCs or many user-made campaigns and adventures aka "modules") you can only have 1 follower at a time. That changes in Hordes of the Underdark, I think, and in user-made modules the authors can set the limit themselves or allow for really huge parties without limits.

You do have some control over your AI controlled henchmen with the commands, if you use them right. One of the most important is "Stand your ground", when the henchmen are not behaving like they should, e.g. running off to attack enemies that haven't noticed you yet. Note that alternatively to using the commands in the radial menu, you can also use keyboard shortcuts. "V" opens a menu and you can go from there and make yourself familiar with the commands, if you like (e.g. V-W-X would be "Stand your ground", I think). Commands you give via the keyboard shortcuts will be obeyed by all of your followers at the same time (you only have one now in the main campaign as a fighter, but other classes might have animal companions or summoned creatures in addition to the henchman).

I guess, in general the strategy part in NWN is building your character right and equipping them helpfully, and the tactics part is picking your fights, knowing how to prepare for them and how to approach them. It can make a huge difference for example, whether you fight surrounded on all sides by a mob or whether you draw individuals away from the group and/or fight in doorways or other bottlenecks, so noone can get behind you, and it's also important to know your foes, their strength and weaknesses and how you can counter their attacks and prevent that they give you negative status effects (sickness, poison, paralysis, fear etc.). As a fighter, by wearing the right equipment and drinking the right potions before, during or after the battle, as a spellcaster you also have spells to help and buff or cure you.

If you are bored playing a fighter in the main campaign, I'd recommend either increasing the difficulty (the main campaign is on the easier side) or trying another class with more tactical options, like a spellcaster. A cleric is a jack of all trades who can both melee and cast buffing, healing, and offensive spells. They can also summon a creature to help, in addition to your henchman. Or, third option, you try a different campaign altogether, like Shadows of Undrentide, or one of the user-made modules (some can be downloaded in-game via the Community tab, after clicking on "New Game").

Last but not least, all character classes in D&D feel a little underwhelming at the start. Even fighters get more options when they gain more levels, like feats that allow you to actively try and knock down your enemies or disarm them.

[Nightingaleze]

Lol, I'm new and feel the same as you. Can I ask here? Is there a mod that increase party size? and play vanilla module? playing fighter is boring for me as you guys said, and Is it normal that we rest a lot ? I feel like I go hit monster then back to safe place to rest quite often

[Cruddy]

I mean to be fair, Fighter has always been the simplest class.

You can't really control party members or get more, the main appeal of this game was and is the Multiplayer Scene.

[Tario]

Originally posted by Nightingaleze:

Lol, I'm new and feel the same as you. Can I ask here? Is there a mod that increase party size? and play vanilla module? playing fighter is boring for me as you guys said, and Is it normal that we rest a lot ? I feel like I go hit monster then back to safe place to rest quite often

Normal campaign allows that. Other campaigns might not.

Anyway. Fighter has few combat modes like expertise, power attack and stuff like knockdown, called shot, etc and they should be used in the fights.

[Proleric]

Originally posted by Cruddy horse:

...the main appeal of this game was and is the Multiplayer Scene.

To you, perhaps, but all the stats I've seen in terms of number of players say

OC >> Single Player Community Modules > Multiplayer

Multiplayer is important, of course, but it would be wrong to deter those who are looking for a popular SP game.

[jchaosmaster]

Originally posted by CokeVoAYCE:

i want to like this game.. i really do. i played baldurs gate 2 in 2024 and i thoroughly enjoyed it despite some aspects being dated. however, with this game i'm having trouble.

i created a fighter that uses a longsword, towershield, and wears heavy armor, (my typical build). in baldurs gate 2 i understood how to use skills with mages and things of that nature, and taking control of other characters to implement strategy during your game pauses. but the combat for a fighter in this game just feels like you put your character on auto-attack, right-click to target enemies, and hope you win the fights. is there any strategy to the combat this game? i have 1 follower, but i can't control that follower and command it on what skills to use. is there any part of combat in this game that requires brain usage, or is it all just braindead watching auto-attacks? also do you only get 1 follower in this game instead of the standard 4 to 6 characters which most crpgs use? i'd really like to know what i'm missing here. thanks!
(im playing the main campaign on singleplayer rn, the campaign about the disease you're trying to cure and the 4 creatures you're trying to find).
not that this discussion will have any spoilers, but please try to keep your responses spoiler free if there is something that is a spoiler that does not to be discussed.

Because of how combat work you are going to want to go with either Tomi Undergallows or Sharwyn. Tomi is the Thief henchman and Sharwyn is a bard. A plus side of Sharwyn is she will cast a decent buff spell before combat is you're spamming rest. Also fighter is common before going into multi class. Myself i wish i could give advice but but i only played Wizard so far so i can give advice.

[jchaosmaster]

Originally posted by Nightingaleze:

Lol, I'm new and feel the same as you. Can I ask here? Is there a mod that increase party size? and play vanilla module? playing fighter is boring for me as you guys said, and Is it normal that we rest a lot ? I feel like I go hit monster then back to safe place to rest quite often

Party size will somewhat increase as you do other modules. After the Base module you will be able to at least use the henchman as pack mules and change their gear. A great example is darkness over Daggerfall. in Darkness you get two main follower's and one Temp follower in the final third of the game. But do note that more Henchmen you get less XP you get per kill. Quest completion gives the same amount of xp.

[goken]

Originally posted by jchaosmaster:

Because of how combat work you are going to want to go with either Tomi Undergallows or Sharwyn. Tomi is the Thief henchman and Sharwyn is a bard. A plus side of Sharwyn is she will cast a decent buff spell before combat is you're spamming rest. Also fighter is common before going into multi class. Myself i wish i could give advice but but i only played Wizard so far so i can give advice.

Yo, OP, don't listern to this guy. Get Grimgnaw. No need for the buffs if everyone is dead. And that guy turns into Dio Brando(sort of) after getting some levels. The absoluta majority of buffs you can replicate with potions and stuff.
Also, hire gnome wizard with a funny name I always forget and leave him in the temple. You need him only to do his companion quest, because he will give you an amazing item if you do so. Then just vizit him after each of your levelups and listern to his story, then find the thing he wants in the Beggars Nest and voila. That thing is a lifesaver. Just keep in mind to not dismiss henchmen through their radial menus. They may bug out and think they're still hired, so you won't be able to pick them up again. Do it through dialogue.

Also also, I'd advise you to play paladin instead of fighter. Fighters are good for multiclassing or feat-intensive. But those builds tend to take of just around when the main campaign ends. Paladin does almost exactly the same thing as fighters, but he has some magic. You'll need Wisdom 14 to cast all the spells.

[allenayen96]

Originally posted by goken:

Originally posted by jchaosmaster:

Because of how combat work you are going to want to go with either Tomi Undergallows or Sharwyn. Tomi is the Thief henchman and Sharwyn is a bard. A plus side of Sharwyn is she will cast a decent buff spell before combat is you're spamming rest. Also fighter is common before going into multi class. Myself i wish i could give advice but but i only played Wizard so far so i can give advice.

Yo, OP, don't listern to this guy. Get Grimgnaw. No need for the buffs if everyone is dead. And that guy turns into Dio Brando(sort of) after getting some levels. The absoluta majority of buffs you can replicate with potions and stuff.
Also, hire gnome wizard with a funny name I always forget and leave him in the temple. You need him only to do his companion quest, because he will give you an amazing item if you do so. Then just vizit him after each of your levelups and listern to his story, then find the thing he wants in the Beggars Nest and voila. That thing is a lifesaver. Just keep in mind to not dismiss henchmen through their radial menus. They may bug out and think they're still hired, so you won't be able to pick them up again. Do it through dialogue.

Also also, I'd advise you to play paladin instead of fighter. Fighters are good for multiclassing or feat-intensive. But those builds tend to take of just around when the main campaign ends. Paladin does almost exactly the same thing as fighters, but he has some magic. You'll need Wisdom 14 to cast all the spells.

I just checked Grimgnaw in game. He is lawful Evil. You are suggesting that the OP play as a Paladin and have a Evil companion? Glinckle item isn't that great. OP, hire each of the henchmen and get their story. Each has a quest in ch 1, 2, 3. If you don't do the quest in ch 1 you wouldn't get the quest in ch 2. The quest are worth 100 XP ea. in ch1, 200 XP ea. ch 2, 300 XP ea ch 3. the total is 3600 XP.

[themazingness]

You might enjoy Cleric more since it sounds like you want your character to be able to do more. They have plenty of fighting skill, lots of spells, and eventually get some great damage dealing spells. You can take better care of your companions too since you can heal and raise them.

I felt similarly when I first played this. I hated the combat, and I had other D&D games as my frame of reference for this game. Combat takes some getting used to, especially with all the waiting between actions. Getting a piece of equipment with Haste makes a big difference if you are used to quicker combat, but of course that won't be on early-level gear.

[goken]

Originally posted by allenayen96:

I just checked Grimgnaw in game. He is lawful Evil. You are suggesting that the OP play as a Paladin and have a Evil companion? Glinckle item isn't that great. OP, hire each of the henchmen and get their story. Each has a quest in ch 1, 2, 3. If you don't do the quest in ch 1 you wouldn't get the quest in ch 2. The quest are worth 100 XP ea. in ch1, 200 XP ea. ch 2, 300 XP ea ch 3. the total is 3600 XP.

Like, yeah? He doesn't like the plague, same as you. And he has a perfect work ethics as a mercenary: he does exactly what he was paid for, which includes punching people in the nuts, and does not include questioning your actions. Also, he can open any chest because he has inherent elemental damage. It would take time, but he can do it. Also also, he has a chance of surviving one of those deadly trapped chests when you make him go trigger it from a safe distance. Saves you a trip to the temple.
Glinckle item is, in fact, that great. Passive regeneration cuts times you have to rest in half, unless you're a caster. And charisma bonus is very useful for a paladin. Initially it's small, but its final upgrade gives, like, +7. Other merks items are way less broadly useful, but yeah, should be done for their stories.

[allenayen96]

Paladins don't travel with evil people or creatures. It's against their rules. On Glinckle's item, the final upgrade is +4

[jchaosmaster]

Yes but with out Tommy or Sharywn you will be at the mercy of traps and locks. AKA saving before you touch any door or chest.

[allenayen96]

My fighter has Con of 14 so he gets 12 hp per level up. He can walk through most traps.