In need of class Ideas.

[Legacy_southboom]

               Hi.

I've played through baldurs gate series, nwn series and all those, and I really enjoy them, but I've never really gotten a good grasp of the way to build good characters, and i've always stuck to rogues, or heavy hitting 2hand weilders, and I've always played solo.

So here's my conundrum, 2 of my friends and I, are going to play through NWN1 OC and addons with a few toons, and i'm torn about what I should play. I'm really itching to try out something new, and I'd really like some pointers to some classes.

I've been looking around at epic built characters and tried to get a good grasp of how they'll play out, but i'm not sure.
I'd really like to play a front line fighter(sword n board type), with the ability to throw around some magic spells, without feeling gimped on either side. Does that even exist?
I was looking into Cleric, but I get the feeling cleric is mostly a buffer?  with buffs that just last for a short bit, then rest and re-buff?  I'd rather have some fluidity in my gameplay, not rest after every other fight.

Any ideas or pointers would be welcomed '>

I'm open to any class builds that sound fun to play really.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_jmlzemaggo]

               It seems to me you're looking to play a fighter, and being ashamed of it, therefore I'd suggest you play a silent fighter who's gonna never mention your name.
Neither will I, you have my words.
(I so hate buffing... just to become a "smart fighter"... only two hours late.)

Fighter/Wizard is great fun.
I played many clerics, exclusively from the aggressive type, all about offensive spells, and not about buffing at all. Pure destroyers. "Win or die" sort of warrior.
But those need a lot of resting...
So do I.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par jmlzemaggo, 28 octobre 2010 - 12:53 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_HipMaestro]

               Epic builds will be of little use to play the OC, especially with friends.  You'll be lucky to reach level 18 by the time it's all over.

avado may show up to correct your notions about cleric which is about as uber as you can get played correctly.  

Personally, I recommend a speed brawler monk for the OC, perhaps with a few levels of rogue for UMD dumps, a few sneaks and/or if you want to experiment with NWN traps a bit.  You can use the UMD for magic staffs and wands which are more than adequate for the learning campaign.  monk/fighter is also powerful and develops rapidly in low levels but sans the spell action, of course.

Apparently, you are not all that interested in the RP aspects, so I would stick to as pure a class as possible with just a few "cheese" dumps to provide some ooomph (@ j-ml: how does "ooomph" translate into French?).

edit:  if you need ideas, have you checked the pre-epic max 20 builds on the legacy guild forums?  ...interesting reading for some.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par HipMaestro, 28 octobre 2010 - 02:04 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_southboom]

               we're mostly planing on playing through OC and both expansions. so that should get us towards 40, shouldn't it?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_HipMaestro]

               With the same character?  I wouldn't do that.  

SoU will present very little if any challenge and interest for anything but a level 1 character.  The designed progression was to use the OC as a separate learning campaign and then play SoU with a new character.  HotU is the "natural" sequel to SoU and the starting HotU PC uses approximately the ending PC from SoU. (Refer to the respective readme's in your NWN docs folder).  

Level-wise, figure about 1-18 OC, 1-14 SoU, 15-28 HotU.  You'll never get anywhere near 40 (or even 35 for that matter) since XP in all the campaigns are based on clevel vs. CR so the higher your PC advances the less XP per kill on the same monster type.   (I've used an OC PC in HotU already but mostly just for testing purposes rather than pure enjoyment.)

Of course, you will still get static quest XP rewards, but total XP from kills significantly dwarfs all the quest-related XP.  But then again... whatever floats your boat.  If you guys don't mind wading through mobs of one-hit SoU kills for 3 XP each with your OC level 18 PC, then enjoy the thrill!
               
               

               

                     Modifié par HipMaestro, 28 octobre 2010 - 02:51 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_southboom]

               oh..  it's been a long time since I played through the campaigns. I thought they all progressed nicely all the way.. hmm well that does change things. I could pick two different classes for oc n sou, then just pick whichever feels most fun for hotu.



cuz i've been eyeing a cleric build and a pally/torm build, both seem like they could be fun, both are 40epics though,



http://nwn.bioware.c...eathhunter.html

could that build work as a lvling build, and change wpn focus to longsword n use a shield? or would I have to change a lot for it to work smoothly?

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_HipMaestro]

               That is a smiter build and as I have indicated, you can essentially totally ignore the last 10 levels of any epic build playing through the campaigns.  So since 90% of the smiting potential resides in the last 10 levels, you'll never experience that with your current gaming plan.  Keep in mind that most 1-40 builds are designed to reach a level 40 potential.  Some are more playable throughout the development, but level 40 effectiveness is the forte.

To get completely quantitative for a moment (if it helps you understand what you are up against.) The OC/SoU/HotU together provide approximately 450K XP maximum, SOLO.  That would be translated as approximately level 30, give or take a few K one way or the other.  That does not factor in the CR reduction that would be in force trying to string one character through all 3.  So basically you will end up in the level 28-30, especially with the larger party XP splits.

Suggestion: Hunt for a pre-epic level 20 build for the OC PC and a pre-epic level 30 build for the SoU/HotU (or OC/HotU) PC.  Those builds have been maximized for that range of character development.  Later on, if your crew wants to play epic PWs, then at that point start evaluating epic builds.  This is of course, just one opinion on the subject.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par HipMaestro, 28 octobre 2010 - 03:42 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_southboom]

               Yeah i get your point =)



that deathhunter was just something I was looking at earlier, before the thread.

I guess I'm back at the drawing board :/
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Jfoxtail]

               Coop play in the OC will get you all to about 14th as I recall. Coop Hotu play will get you to about 23 but requires some workarounds vis a vis cut scenes - there should be help in the Hotu spoilers forum.

Try some community download mods from the NWN vault - make sure your coop players have all the haks (assuming you host). It may mean playing a large series (many in #'s) of mods but you should get to low 30s if you try hard.

The prototype classic D&D party is a Fighter (type F / R / P) a Cleric (C / Dr with healing spells) a Wizard and a Rogue. Since you are only 3

1) have your wizard use the pixie for a familiar to round out your party skills in traps and locks
2) consider druid and ranger for your other types because of animal companion summoning.

Not that you need a lot of firepower to complete all the mods, its just a roleplay suggestion to emulate a party of 5 or 6 with more front line fighters.

This is a great way to play the game especially if you take turns resting for example to emulate standing watch at night. D&D classic. Also use other interactions like whisper and active search to emulate a real partys choices - stuff like using poles to check for pit traps.

Also try NWN Connections (dot com) and seek out an experienced DM or schedule a game. The experience is even better still
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Jfoxtail, 28 octobre 2010 - 04:08 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_jmlzemaggo]

               (French is very easy: it's always the opposite. "ooomph"? I would say "hpmooo"? Well, actually, I'd rather let you say it.)
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_BelgarathMTH]

               If you want to play one character all the way from level 1 to level 40, I strongly recommend Savant's Saga of Aielund series. It comes in six separate modules that will automatically link themselves together and carry your same character file through all six chapters, as long as you have downloaded all six with their supporting .haks and other files.

Chapter one is an extremely challenging first-level adventure that is perfect for three multiplayers not using the included two henchpeople.

The story is epic - you won't believe where you wind up after your humble first-level small-town beginnings.

I can't recommend it strongly enough.
 
EDIT: Oops, I forgot to check whether you can actually play it as multiplayers. It may be single player only.
EDIT#2: Okay, I checked the Vault, and it says maximum 6 players, so I guess my post stands as written.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par BelgarathMTH, 31 octobre 2010 - 05:59 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Shia Luck]

               You can also play the sands of fate series after you finish SoU and HoTU. It is in the same style, same magic level as the OCs, and was built to be played after.



Ailund is a much lower magic system and can be challenging, but with challenge comes reward.



Have fun '>
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_avado]

               

HipMaestro wrote...

avado may show up to correct your notions about cleric which is about as uber as you can get played correctly.

Nope.  If people want to believe that clerics are buffers or healers, i have decided to let them.   I have spent 5 years SOLID touting the cleric.  If people didnt hear, I will pray for them 




               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Kail Pendragon]

               

southboom wrote...


I'd really like to play a front line fighter(sword n board type), with the ability to throw around some magic spells, without feeling gimped on either side. Does that even exist?
I was looking into Cleric, but I get the feeling cleric is mostly a buffer?  with buffs that just last for a short bit, then rest and re-buff?  I'd rather have some fluidity in my gameplay, not rest after every other fight.

A battle cleric build is what you are looking for. Clerics are also buffers (and most notably self buffer) but not only. They are healers, undead trashers, nukers and overall uber. Oh, and most of their buffs last for long and for the others you get extend spell.

Now, let me introduce you to THE battle cleric build: Blood and Faith * by Master Mithdradates.

* this build has notably earned the avado's approval certificate
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Kail Pendragon, 02 novembre 2010 - 10:31 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_BelgarathMTH]

               Agreed about clerics being the strongest and most flexible character class - wearing armor or not, using shields or not, spells for offense, defense, and utility, decent attack bonus, domain powers, and healing on top of that.



The only reason I ever play anything else is for role-playing reasons. It bothers me a little about getting all of this power from depending on a "god". If anything cut you off from your deity, or if your deity got mad at you, you'd be as helpless as a zero-level child.