Author Topic: Build question for the OC  (Read 1048 times)

Legacy_phoenix182

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Build question for the OC
« on: January 04, 2012, 10:40:00 pm »


               So I was just given game collection for Christmas and decided to play again after many many years away. One thing I never did was really take my time and do every quest and nuance in the OC so I've decided to do that now. That means playing a Druid/ArcaneCaster at least as I understand it (druid quest line, int caster quest line exclusives).

I'm tempted to go Druid/Wizard/Rogue to take advantage of maximum companions and make a party feel, while the rogue just adds gems like trap management, tumble, and umd. I'm not so much interested in min/maxing, though I'd hate to gimp myself too much.

Also, when it comes to feat selection I'm torn three ways:

Should I go with mostly magic focused feats? If I was doing a pure wiz or dru I would, and maybe even for a dual class...but with three it seems like my caster levels will be too low and attributes too split to take advantage of the slot costs for empower/maximize, etc.

Should I go dual wield kukri for frequent crit and quick dps?

Or should I go sword & board defense and mobility? If I do this one I have a choice between expertise and whirlwind (for a little aoe) or going imp crit and something else (better single target dps by a little), or maybe even two completely different feats.

General thoughts?



On a side note, I never messed with multiplayer, but was thinking it might be fun to co-op some of the original campaigns and official expansions with a full/nearly full party as well. Is there any kind of community out there for setting up such things, or is it all PW and similar?
               
               

               


                     Modifié par phoenix182, 05 janvier 2012 - 05:07 .
                     
                  


            

Legacy_WhiZard

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Build question for the OC
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2012, 03:13:49 am »


               

phoenix182 wrote...

So I was just given game collection for Christmas and decided to play again after many many years away. One thing I never did was really take my time and do every quest and nuance in the OC so I've decided to do that now. That means playing a Druid/ArcaneCaster at least as I understand it (druid quest line, int caster quest line exclusives).

You need 7 druid levels in chapter 2 (to pass all challenges), and pretty good wizard levels if you want to naturally cast the item creation spells.  That does not leave a lot of room for rogue.  You can also do the arcane quests with sorcerer, but I think wizard might be better for this multiclass.
               
               

               
            

Legacy_phoenix182

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Build question for the OC
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2012, 05:06:18 am »


               Ouch...7 in 2...that might be difficult in a tri-class, you're right. What exactly is required in the arcane quest line? I thought it just needed the ability to use arcane magic to get in.

Yeah, I figured the Int for Wiz would be more useful for skill building, and the bonus feat wouldn't hurt either. At first I thought about Bard, to sing through the shifts and give better combat options with Rog levels, but that didn't get me a familiar so I dropped the idea.
               
               

               
            

Legacy_HipMaestro

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Build question for the OC
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2012, 05:29:02 am »


               IMO the druid tests were one of the most challenging combat episodes of the entire campaign, though your toon really can't die in the battles.    

Once  upon a time I went with a human Dru7/Wiz1/Shf 10 so that I wouldn't need to suffer the abominable AB from such a nasty combo or deal with XP penalty.  I aimed for commando shape for the HiPS and IIRC took short sword weapon focus and Imp Crit :SS in there somewhere.  Unfortunately, you'll need martial prof to use ss else settle for druid spear focus for the drider shape which has some useful boni like freedom & darkness.

Otherwise, Imp Expertise allows that wyrmling breath weapon to do its thing with relative impunity.  I like that shape a lot with all the different damages (acid breath against those blasted shadows, for instance). It's been a while, though.  Stockpile arcane scrolls to do all the special lab crafting, if you are into that part of it.  The only arcane-only quest is in Ch 1 so additional levels are really not necessary.

A shifter build also means you can pretty much just throw around ability points any way you like since the shapes will overwrite most of them.   It takes some practice to learn the shapes but is quite fun to play when you have.

Just take a few cross-class points (5 in each is ideal) in Search, Disable/Set Traps & Locks to do the roguish thing.  You may be surprised about how few points you really need to master trap manipulation without taking any rogue or assassin levels.  The key abilities for traps/locks are INT & DEX so boost them any way you can with potions or items. Try it! '<img'>  Otherwise, Tumble & Spellcraft for AC & saves vs. spells, resp.  Suffer without UMD until you play a better combo that will really benefit from it.

Personally, a caster is pretty much an all-or-nothing venture for the OC since DCs and ability to penetrate SR will be very bad with too few levels and compromised ability (druid WIS vs. Wiz INT, for example).  Therefore, Spell Pen/Focus feats will be a case of too little return on the investment, IMO. But then again, the OC is so blasted easy you can pretty much do whatever you want and get away with any unmaximized build.  You may get some use out of Extend Spell for buffs at low levels but empower & maximize will have dubious benefit with so few caster levels. 
TBH, a Wiz9/Cleric9 (level 5 spells... Woohoo!) always seemed like a good choice to me until I tried it and found both classes were just too diluted to do much effective casting though the combined buffs helped to a certain extent.

As far as on-line play, there are several versions of the campaigns in PW form through Gamespy and our family has played the plague campaign LOTS and LOTS via 3-way or 4-way LAN parties.  You can set up your own server if you like hosting that sort of thing, but check the subforum dedicated to such apps for a better picture.

edit: BTW, only one companion/familiar is available at a time so you can choose which you like best each time but only get one plus a summon of some sort if you like, plus your henchman for a maximum SP party size of 4 (unless the gnome sorcerer summons a badger or something as well).

edit2:  If it helps you plan at all, just for reference, the last time I played the OC, these were the levels I reached at the end of each chapter playing pure solo (no hench accompaniment during combat): Pre: Wiz4, Ch1:Wiz9/Rog1, Ch2:Wiz13/Rog2, Ch3:Wiz15/Rog2, Final:Wiz16/Rog2.  (Figure on about 10% fewer combat XP per party member but quest XP is not affected by size.)
               
               

               


                     Modifié par HipMaestro, 05 janvier 2012 - 05:50 .