Usefulness of stats in baldur's gate

[J-H]

I've found solo play as a wiz/sorc to be a bit boring, just from the amount of casting that has to be done every time. If there was a macro or something for all the pre-combat buffs, it'd feel less like work.

Still, as a solo character, spellcasting is very, very helpful because you can pull out the Wish full rest in ToB, which no other character can do. I don't believe any of my non-wiz/sorc solo characters have successfully beaten down Amelyssan the Black; there's simply too much physical HP damage going around.
A Swashbuckler who gets to 3.2M or so XP and then dual-classes over to Fighter might be a good choice for the major AC & to-hit bonuses + UAI, but I'd have to check to see if he would run out of levels.

[LibraryOgre]

What does polymorph to ooze get you? I finished SoA a couple days ago, but never got around to Polymorphing... though, being a Blade with a 19 (then 25) strength meant I was usually more effective beating things.

Oh, and mind-flayers? You can REALLY improve your survivability against them with Mirror Image... perhaps even more than Protection from Magical Weapons, since it lasts so long.

[Triaxx]

Ooze has 100% magic resistance, and so is completely immune to it.

I've always been partial to Project Image for Mind Flayers. None of the -2 levels from Simulacrum, and if it dies, oh well, toss out another one from wherever you're hiding.

[Kish]

What does polymorph to ooze get you? I finished SoA a couple days ago, but never got around to Polymorphing... though, being a Blade with a 19 (then 25) strength meant I was usually more effective beating things.

Mustard jellies have 100% magic resistance. This applies to the one you can turn into with the Cloak of the Sewers, as well as the ones you fight.

[GloatingSwine]

Ooze has 100% magic resistance, and so is completely immune to it.

I've always been partial to Project Image for Mind Flayers. None of the -2 levels from Simulacrum, and if it dies, oh well, toss out another one from wherever you're hiding.

I remember spamming Mordenkainen's Sword at them. (That and Minsc, who is immune to Int drain if he's berzerking).

[Drasius]

I remember spamming Mordenkainen's Sword at them. (That and Minsc, who is immune to Int drain if he's berzerking).

Skellies and Skele warriors are immune to the brain drain as well (due to not having any).

[Eladrinblade]

1) Do wisdom modify saving throws? If I am playing a class that does not need wisdom (say, a wizard) can I just dump it to 3?

I believe the enhanced edition fixed this so wisdom does modify saves against mind spells.

In fact, what's the benefit of having a higher charisma, since both benefits of intelligence for mages (higher chance to learn scrolls and more spells known per day) do not apply to them?

Charisma is used solely for getting better reactions from npc's and getting better prices when visiting a merchant.

A sorcerer may as well dump Int; I don't know the minimum but don't go lower than 9. However, if you don't have anyone to cast identify and you don't have a bard or otherwise a very cerebral thief or mage, maybe try to get high int so you don't have to pay so often to idenfity items.

You may as well max charisma, get the +1 book in bg1, and cast friends whenever you see a merchant. That'll give you 25 charisma which is the max.

If I were making a sorcerer, I'd shoot for base stats of Str 10+, Dex 18, Con 16 (unless dragon disciple, in which case con 18), Int 9, Wis 10+, Cha 18.

[danzibr]

Huh. I had no idea Dragon Disciple was a kit in EE. I just may play one.

[Winthur]

Huh. I had no idea Dragon Disciple was a kit in EE. I just may play one.

It's passable in BGEE and in BG2EE it's like the version of the game it was introduced to, which is absolute garbage.

As in, it's straight up worse than a regular Sorcerer, as it only offers an ability that is easily replacable by items, and in return, you lose a ton of spell slots for no good reason at all.

I mean, sure, an epic level arcane caster is still a force to be reckoned with, but tbh, if I'm gonna be something called a "Dragon Disciple", I don't think it's really reflected in some lame intrinsics and an ability that has crap scaling.

[Drasius]

A sorcerer may as well dump Int; I don't know the minimum but don't go lower than 9. However, if you don't have anyone to cast identify and you don't have a bard or otherwise a very cerebral thief or mage, maybe try to get high int so you don't have to pay so often to idenfity items.

Glasses of Identification are a thing (though a touch expensive early on) as my Conjuror can tell you. Helps if you have high Cha though.

[danzibr]

It's passable in BGEE and in BG2EE it's like the version of the game it was introduced to, which is absolute garbage.

As in, it's straight up worse than a regular Sorcerer, as it only offers an ability that is easily replacable by items, and in return, you lose a ton of spell slots for no good reason at all.

I mean, sure, an epic level arcane caster is still a force to be reckoned with, but tbh, if I'm gonna be something called a "Dragon Disciple", I don't think it's really reflected in some lame intrinsics and an ability that has crap scaling.

Hmm, interesting. Thanks. Not that I was ever much of one for optimality.

Man, I'm getting urges to play this game. Maybe I'll do a LP. I know there's a solo one going atm. I'd probably do something derpy like an all-Bard run, but with all the kits.

[Winthur]

Man, I'm getting urges to play this game. Maybe I'll do a LP. I know there's a solo one going atm. I'd probably do something derpy like an all-Bard run, but with all the kits.

Should be fun, and not at all derpy. Blade is already one of the most powerful spellswords in the game, Jester has a fun kit that can AoE stun in a lot of otherwise tight encounters, a Skald will just make your Blade more powerful, and the entire trio has access to UAI and Spike Traps once epic levels kick in - which will do so soon because of the Rogue-types generous XP table.

[Kish]

Class XP table nearly irrelevant for High Level Abilities; they kick in around 3 million XP, regardless of class (unless you're dual-classed, in which case they kick in at 3 million XP in your second class).

Also, note that (in BG2; can't speak to EE-anything) the Enhanced Bard Song High Level Ability will overwrite the original bard song, making the Blade vastly more powerful than the other two (as the Blade still has kit abilities to speak of and no longer has a significant kit weakness).

[Winthur]

Class XP table nearly irrelevant for High Level Abilities; they kick in around 3 million XP, regardless of class (unless you're dual-classed, in which case they kick in at 3 million XP in your second class).

Zzz, I'm dumb. Always categorized it improperly.

Also, note that (in BG2; can't speak to EE-anything) the Enhanced Bard Song High Level Ability will overwrite the original bard song, making the Blade vastly more powerful than the other two (as the Blade still has kit abilities to speak of and no longer has a significant kit weakness).

Yeah, but if he is gonna go with a mix of kits, he is probably unlikely to use the Enhanced Bard Song much on his main damage dealer, which would indubitably be the Blade. And up until that point, he might very well enjoy some variety.

[Triaxx]

I thought there was a selection of songs to pick from? Or am I thinking of Ice Wind Dale 2?

[Inarius]

I thought there was a selection of songs to pick from? Or am I thinking of Ice Wind Dale 2?

No song selection in Baldurs Gate, though Icewind Dale does indeed allow you to choose songs and the EE lets you choose as long as you don't have a Bard kit.

[LibraryOgre]

I thought there was a selection of songs to pick from? Or am I thinking of Ice Wind Dale 2?

Icewind Dale did that. If I were going to do an all-bard run, I would go with IWD:EE. In the original version, once you got a bard up to 11, they got War Chant of the Sith, which allowed regeneration. I've solo'd IWD twice... once as a bard, and once as a Paladin (both times cheating by running through the beginning of Heart of Winter before starting... there's a ton of XP through conversation there, and zero fighting until you go to the Isle of the Dead).

IWD:EE, my all-bard team would probably be

2 Blades as main damage dealers.
1 Jester: Casting and Debuffs
1 Skald: Summoning and Combat Buffs (summon monsters, sing, repeat)
1 Bard: Utility songs and casting.

The sixth would could be any of them; I think a skald is the least necessary to repeat. A blade makes a good combatant, either melee or ranged. Two Jesters would mean opponents making 2 saves against Jester debuff songs, which would be great Crowd Control. Two bards would be REALLY nice once War Chant of the Sith gets on-line, and acceptable before that. But you usually don't need two skalds, with their party-wide buffs.

[Triaxx]

Nothing like stacking on the healing.

[LibraryOgre]

I am very tempted to make this "All Bard" team in IWD. I think the Blade sisters will be twins...

[King of Nowhere]

Since we're talking about BGII, is there any way to survive imprisonment other than the form of the slayer?

[Winthur]

Since we're talking about BGII, is there any way to survive imprisonment other than the form of the slayer?

Green scroll of Protection from Magic, Berserker's special ability, Spell Immunity: School That Imprisonment Belongs To But I Don't Remember It Right Now, technically green scroll of Protection from Undead because Liches love casting Imprisonment, and I suppose you could try facetanking it with a buffed up Viconia wearing Human Skin.

[Kish]

Imprisonment is Abjuration.

Imprisonment ignores magic resistance.

Spell Trap will absorb Imprisonment.

[danzibr]

What the hoo-ha.

I remember buying BG:EE right when it came out (maybe before it came out? Pre-order???). It's not in my Steam library. Apparently I don't have a GoG account. And I don't have a Beamdog account.

I can't access this game but I know I bought it years ago!

EDIT: Oh whoops, I meant to get on here asking for advice, and I now realize I was just ranting.

When this game first came out, how did one acquire it? Go to the website, pay, download, end of story? Or was there some some middle man? I *seem* to recall playing it in something like Steam...

EDIT EDIT: Oh shoot, this game was out in 2012. I was using a different e-mail then. Got access to it, and lo and behold, there's my beamdog account. Whoops.

[Triaxx]

Green Scrolls aren't magic resistance though. They're some sort of immunity, which should cover Imprisonment. I haven't got BG2EE installed, or I'd test it, but I'm pretty sure it just means 'Their Magic has no effect!'

[Chromium Snyde]

for SoA Char is primarily used when you try to lie. A high char the lie succeeds, a low the response is something along the lines of "you don't lie very well" the ring others have mentioned is a good city ring and swap in dungeons.

A few people have said cloudkill isn't worth hoarding. It Insta kills umberhulks which is ok, if you cast it 4 times (at once) at a dragon it will kill that too.

[Triaxx]

It's more worth using when a chance arises, than saving for the end and not using.

[ArlEammon]

It's passable in BGEE and in BG2EE it's like the version of the game it was introduced to, which is absolute garbage.

As in, it's straight up worse than a regular Sorcerer, as it only offers an ability that is easily replacable by items, and in return, you lose a ton of spell slots for no good reason at all.

I mean, sure, an epic level arcane caster is still a force to be reckoned with, but tbh, if I'm gonna be something called a "Dragon Disciple", I don't think it's really reflected in some lame intrinsics and an ability that has crap scaling.

I found a Dragon Disciple is great for the entire game of BGI EE. Especially the beginning of the game where you can be one shot by that assassin at the entrance of the Inn.

[Winthur]

Especially the beginning of the game where you can be one shot by that assassin at the entrance of the Inn.

A single-classed Cleric can completely de-claw that kitty with a single cast of the Command spell, and you won't tell me single-classed Clerics are particularly great or powerful. Anyway, if I really don't feel like dying to this guy, I just let the inn guards kill him, he catches their ire very quickly.

I would take spells over the DD's abilities any day, especially since as the game goes on, it is evident you're gimping yourself by picking that kit. Then again, arcane casters are still the most powerful force in all of Baldur's Gate, so it's not like it matters much, you can beat the game with anything.

[Triaxx]

A non-stealthy thief can also do the job after nabbing the potion of clarity in Candlekeep.

[Inarius]

A single-classed Cleric can completely de-claw that kitty with a single cast of the Command spell, and you won't tell me single-classed Clerics are particularly great or powerful. Anyway, if I really don't feel like dying to this guy, I just let the inn guards kill him, he catches their ire very quickly.

I would take spells over the DD's abilities any day, especially since as the game goes on, it is evident you're gimping yourself by picking that kit. Then again, arcane casters are still the most powerful force in all of Baldur's Gate, so it's not like it matters much, you can beat the game with anything.

Honestly I think saying picking the DD is gimping yourself is way too harsh. The regular sorc is definitely better, but I'd say the DD is better than a non dual/multi classed generalist mage and roughly on par with a specialist mage. They have the same spells per level as a specialist, the only difference is in their restrictions on what they can cast. Is all the extra stuff they get worth losing the one cast per level? Nope, but that doesn't gimp em because that's how powerful sorcs are in the game once you've gotten to know what spells are useful, what spells can just be used from scrolls, and what spells are garbage.