BGII tactics question

[Mr White]

I'm quite new to DnD based RPG's but I did give Baldur's gate II a try because of its great reputation. So I made a half-elf druid avenger with little to no knowledge of the game or the rules (I did look up which stats are important for a druid).

By now, I just made it outside the prison you start in. And if the first 'quest' showed me anything, it's that I'm absolutly clueless what tactics I should use.

I've got 2 druids in my party with shapeshifting abilities, a ranger and a thief/bountyhunter. I didn't mention the thief/mage yet but she's not in the party right now.

Which roles should I give to who? Do I get one of my druids to shapeshift in the parties meatshield? Which forms (shapeshifter) can be useful for this?
What spells should I chose to support this party set-up?

I prefer a discussing or suggestions more than a detailed and untouchable list of things to do.

Thanks in advance

[Narazil]

Meatshield
Thief
Healbitch
Arcano-bot
<Personal Favourite>

.. Is usually a decent setup. Druids have never impressed me in BG 2. They're okay as casters, but their shapeshifting is kind of, well, crap.

Boosts to AC are important, but you don't get any bonuses from your gear when you shapehift - buffs, however, work. I would probably get a Cleric for buffs, even though most are personal.

[Blayze]

Which forms (shapeshifter) can be useful for this?

A Shapeshifter -- I'll assume you mean the kit -- is restricted to werewolf forms only, making this a moot point if you're going to use them as a meatshield. You might have to rely on both your Druids for meatshielding.

I don't recommend the Bounty Hunter kit for your Thief, as they gain less Thief abilities. While advanced players know they don't need the extra abilities, I think you'd be better off with a Thief who has points to spare. I recommend the Swashbuckler kit -- you might not be able to backstab, but you won't lose skill points and they'll be that little bit less likely to die horribly.

You also appear to have loaded your party up with Nature spells. Judging by your mention of a Thief/Mage, I'll assume you're talking about Imoen. You might find yourself in trouble if the only source of Arcane spells until then is from your Avenger. Go find yourself a party member with Mage levels -- Aerie would be an excellent choice, as Cleric and Druid spells are somewhat different.

[Tengu_temp]

I played an avenger druid in BG2, but that was ages ago. From what I remember, the beetle is the best tanking form due to highest (well, lowest - this is AD&D after all) AC.

Druids are pretty decent in BG2 - their spellcasting is similar to clerics', only with less healing/buffs and more offensive abilities. Bad AC stops being an issue once you get dragonhide armor.

From the starting party members, Minsc is probably your best tank - he's got good dexterity, very good HP and can use heavy armor. And he's so awesome that he's worth keeping around forever.

[Zincorium]

Alright:

Avenger is a really mixed bag, and it's really not one of the kits I'd recommend for a starting character. You are mostly relegated to the healing/buffing role, and the occasional shapeshift into a sword spider for relatively harmless enemies. You are not a tank in any way, shape or form.

As for the other characters:

Drop Yoshimo like a bad habit, as soon as detecting traps is not immediately vital to your survival. The bounty hunter is the least sensible kit in the entire game. He's also annoying, and gets more so.

Jaheira is pretty well rounded as a secondary tank and buffing character. Not very strong, but that's easy to fix in this game. The only reason to trade her out is that you're already a druid.

Minsc rocks. Keep. If he's not tanking with full plate and a two handed sword, he's distributing ranged damage with a composite long bow. This is 2nd edition, you need multiple meatshields to do well.

Good characters to use when you find them:
Jan Jansen (only thief you'll ever need, and the only mage)
Keldorn (paladins are surprisingly useful, and his kit is a good one)
Aerie (multiclassing FTW)

Most of the others aren't worth it, IMHO, but you can take one or two if you fancy them.

[Player_Zero]

You'll need someone to spam breach.

[Murdim]

Jan Jansen (only thief you'll ever need, and the only mage)... huh ? :smallconfused: Jan is far from being the only mage. Imoen, Nalia, Edwin, Aerie and Haer'dalis also cast arcane spells. The gnome is easily outmatched by Edwin, Imoen and Nalia in terms of spellcasting, and by Imoen as the best thief/mage compromise.

[Guancyto]

You'll need someone to spam breach.

This. Even if you don't like arcane spellcasters, you'll want at least one full caster to remove the protections of enemy arcane spellcasters. If you don't you'll get massacred by liches (racial immunity to normal weapons) casting Protection from Magical Weapons. Mages give some handy buffs, too.

Aerie and Jan aren't very good at spellbreaking (but they are very good at most other things they do). Edwin, Nalia and Imoen are all solid choices. Just don't expect Nalia to be any good at thievery without skill-boosting items.

[Zincorium]

... huh ? :smallconfused: Jan is far from being the only mage. Imoen, Nalia, Edwin, Aerie and Haer'dalis also cast arcane spells. The gnome is easily outmatched by Edwin, Imoen and Nalia in terms of spellcasting, and by Imoen as the best thief/mage compromise.

To clarify, he's the only mage I need.

I've played the game several times with Jan as my only full time (as in, always in the party) arcane caster and it generally goes fine. He's got the slots for breach and so forth while having a spare for the invisibility spells that keep him from getting ganked.

Nalia is not acceptable as a thief, and is only barely acceptable as a mage. She's also an annoying git. Edwin is a very good mage, but he doesn't fulfill a role as a rogue, so he's in addition to Jan or Imoen. He also gives you the finger if you've got a high rep, which is vital to getting good prices on the more expensive store-bought items.

Imoen is perfectly dandy, but she's absent for a good deal of the game (around a fifth if you make a beeline for spellhold, a lot more if you dilly dally as I am wont to do). Replace Jan with her when you get her, but I won't pretend Nalia or Yoshimo are effective replacements.

[Starbuck_II]

Jaheira is the only druid with raise dead (Harper's call). So I definately use her unless I like Clerics (Vi is okay but if good party she'll low Rep and leave if high rep; K is annoying sometime but decent; and Aerie is an elf so low con).

[Guancyto]

I'll agree that Nalia is a thoroughly inadequate thief (with Ring of Lockpicks, Danger Sense and mod Gondish Katar she's only somewhat subpar).

But Yoshimo? A lot of the time I drop him because his traps make things too easy. Once he's got a few levels under his belt for a good trap setting percentage, you can farm high-level cowled wizards and vampire encounters just for kicks and exp.

[Mr White]

Thanks so far.

So basically shapeshifting isn't worth doing unless I'm in dire need of a meatshield?

I should hold on to minsc.

I need to find myself a mage ASAP.

Dispel, breach and the likes are a must have in a casters repertoir.

So I need a meatshield, a rogue (other than yoshima), a heal and buffbot (is a druid good for this?) and a caster with a lot of 'disrupting' spells.


Oh, a stupid question, I know rogues can make sneak attacks. How do I make sure I make good use of this ability?

[Guancyto]

Oh, a stupid question, I know rogues can make sneak attacks. How do I make sure I make good use of this ability?

Backstab!

Basically, you stealth (have to stay out of enemy line of sight, corners etc) or get invisibility (friendly caster, be a caster, rings, potions). Then you get behind them with a melee weapon and take a chunk out of their kidney.

Yoshimo starts with decent stealth and a 1d10+1 weapon, so if you still have him around he's not terrible at it.

[Zincorium]

Thanks so far.

So basically shapeshifting isn't worth doing unless I'm in dire need of a meatshield?

You have minsc already, so if he's confused/held/feared/whatever, and so is your backup, sure, you can shapeshift. But that's usually a few seconds away from reloading.


I need to find myself a mage ASAP.

Probably. Glasses of identification only go so far.


So I need a meatshield, a rogue (other than yoshima), a heal and buffbot (is a druid good for this?)

Yes, druids are. But they can't raise dead, so that means you'll need a rod of resurrection or another cleric.


and a caster with a lot of 'disrupting' spells.

Specifically the 'remove magical protection' type. Nothing is more frustrating than going up against a powerful mage without them- a three minute battle takes more like 20 just because you're waiting for Mislead and the like to wear off so your guys can get a'thwackin.


Oh, a stupid question, I know rogues can make sneak attacks. How do I make sure I make good use of this ability?

Invisibility potions. That's how the NPCs do it. Not particularly cheap, though.

[Eggplant]

I've never used shapeshifting. Ever. Nine times out of ten you are better off fighting in your natural form, and the tenth time never happens :P Maybe changing into a sword spider changes something, but normal animal forms - wolves, bears, and the like - suck more than a monk/samurai/ranger with high Charisma in 3.5.

Generally, Minsc will be your main tank with Jaheira as a supporting one. Yourself - you will have to find a niche for you ;) If you quickly find a good weapon of the kind you are proficient in - you have 3 tanks and can concentrate on finding a thief and a mage. If you are more of a magey type - stay tuned for the 'summon swarm'-like spells, because they kick ass.

Anyhow, find yourself a mage OR a paladin(already mentioned Keldorn) - he can dispel, too, and if you are really stubborn and anti-arcane you can survive with him as your main dispellator and a few tons of cheese to avoid some of the undispellable-by-dispel-buffs.

The backstab thingy - it's nice, but not as nice as 3.5 sneak attack - because you have to become invisible before EVERY ATTACK and then attack the enemy from behind. And if it isn't enough, some monsters see invisible. Don't worry about it, use it as a buff when you really can't think of another way to win an encounter ;)

Good luck with this awesome game!

[Archonic Energy]

I've got 2 druids in my party with shapeshifting abilities, a ranger and a thief/bountyhunter. I didn't mention the thief/mage yet but she's not in the party right now.


let me guess... you, Jaheria, Minsc, Yoshi, and Nadia...

Edit. damn i was beaten to it!

Minsc IS a tank. use him as such.
Personally i keep hold of Yoshi till Imoen returns.

[Starbuck_II]

The backstab thingy - it's nice, but not as nice as 3.5 sneak attack - because you have to become invisible before EVERY ATTACK and then attack the enemy from behind. And if it isn't enough, some monsters see invisible. Don't worry about it, use it as a buff when you really can't think of another way to win an encounter ;)

Good luck with this awesome game!

Get the cloak of block seeing (whatever they call it) from the Tavern in the Promaneade.

Those guys are a tough fights sometimes, but they give good stuff.