NWN: Getting the Most out of Class

[Archpaladin Zousha]

So...after playing Kingdoms of Amalur for a while, I got feeling nostalgic and reinstalled Neverwinter Nights: Diamond. The thing that irks me is there are some quests in the three campaigns that are restricted by player class. Most of them can be taken by making a Persuade check, but there are a few that ARE locked to certain classes, or provide special rewards for a particular class.In order to scratch my obsessive-completionist itch, what combination of classes would I need to see everything, both in the Original Campaign and in the Shadows of Undrentide/Hordes of the Underdark Campaign? Or what specific quests are completely restricted by class? I know there's the mage-based quests in the OC, and that there's a paladin-specific one in SoU.

EDIT: To clarify, I know that most of the quests in the OC can be taken with a Persuade check if you're not the right class. But there ARE quests that don't allow that option. And in SoU and HotU, it's not that the quests are barred completely, but that there are things that are inaccessible if you aren't a paladin or ranger or whatnot.

[bobthe6th]

So...after playing Kingdoms of Amalur for a while, I got feeling nostalgic and reinstalled Neverwinter Nights: Diamond. The thing that irks me is there are some quests in the three campaigns that are restricted by player class. Most of them can be taken by making a Persuade check, but there are a few that ARE locked to certain classes, or provide special rewards for a particular class.In order to scratch my obsessive-completionist itch, what combination of classes would I need to see everything, both in the Original Campaign and in the Shadows of Undrentide/Hordes of the Underdark Campaign? Or what specific quests are completely restricted by class? I know there's the mage-based quests in the OC, and that there's a paladin-specific one in SoU.

EDIT: To clarify, I know that most of the quests in the OC can be taken with a Persuade check if you're not the right class. But there ARE quests that don't allow that option. And in SoU and HotU, it's not that the quests are barred completely, but that there are things that are inaccessible if you aren't a paladin or ranger or whatnot.

I mean... in HotU, the golem is caster restricted (I think? only ever got that far with a caster. Then again, NWN is a casters game...)

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Okay, so I need a build that's Ranger or Druid, Paladin and some arcane caster?

[bobthe6th]

3 class limit(you can only have 3 classes at any time), so be wary... though sorceror might be nice with paladin. Still, at lest 2 caster levels lost, and no PRC gear, which is very nice.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

So...will it be worth it? How many quests will I miss?

For the OC, I was thinking of taking 1 level of an arcane class and then focusing primarily on Druid.

[Nepenthe]

The only one I remember specifically was a druid quest from the original. I doubt one level of an arcane class will hurt you too badly, so you should be fine. Also, I recommend not using the same character for all three campaigns. SoU and HotU are trivially easy if you start at lvl 19-20 and it's clear story-wise that you are not the hero of Neverwinter.

This thread inspired me to install Diamond again, but I've hit a snag. I can't type in the Save Game field, thus I can't save. Keyboard works fine everywhere else, and autosaves work. Anyone run into this? I used a UIF to install on a netbook if that makes a difference, but I promise, I do own the game legitimately.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

The only one I remember specifically was a druid quest from the original. I doubt one level of an arcane class will hurt you too badly, so you should be fine. Also, I recommend not using the same character for all three campaigns. SoU and HotU are trivially easy if you start at lvl 19-20 and it's clear story-wise that you are not the hero of Neverwinter.

This thread inspired me to install Diamond again, but I've hit a snag. I can't type in the Save Game field, thus I can't save. Keyboard works fine everywhere else, and autosaves work. Anyone run into this? I used a UIF to install on a netbook if that makes a difference, but I promise, I do own the game legitimately.
Oh, don't worry I don't plan on playing the OC character in SoU and HotU. The stories aren't connected like that. SoU and HotU are connected through a common character, but the OC's influence on HotU is just cameos from NPCs, not the presence of the OC's protagonist.

I have played the game before after all.

[Nepenthe]

Ah, I must have misinterpreted the first post. Anyway, good luck to you! I'm trying a sorcadin this time, having not played either class before.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

AARRGH! And now the game's crashing on startup! WTH?! :smallfurious:

[Nepenthe]

Try opening NWN.ini and changing SafeMovie=0 to SafeMovie=1. I had to do that on an old computer.

Now if I could just figure out my saving issues...

[Archpaladin Zousha]

But my computer's NEW. Windows 8 new. And I downloaded the game from GoG.com.

[Nepenthe]

I wasn't implying you had an old computer. The intro movie just doesn't play nice with some graphics cards/drivers.

[bobthe6th]

I think you have to run it as administrator, and you can skip the movie by pressing space I think...

[KillingAScarab]

Nepenthe, does your keyboard work for typing in the chat bar?

Zousha, I find that even on Windows XP Neverwinter Nights can be finicky. If I run nwmain from a command window it may crash on startup, but if I actually open the folder the program is found in and click on its icon, it runs fine. For the record, my nwn.ini file doesn't have SafeMovie.

[Nepenthe]

So I loaded it up to verify the chat thing, and the saving seems to have spontaneously corrected itself. Weird.

[KillingAScarab]

Huh. Strange.

Back to the topic, it occurs to me that one of the things you're going to want for the original campaign, Zousha, is persuade. But you also want access to the Many-Starred Cloak quest (http://nwn.wikia.com/wiki/Eltoora_Sarptyl). Wizards and sorcerers wouldn't get persuade as a class skill, but bards do. You might even still combine it with a paladin dip for charisma synergy, but you'll need to cheat in order to change your alignment between lawful good and something which is nonlawful. Choices made by your character in the original campaign only affect the Evil-Good axis.

[mandijames]

3 class limit(you can only have 3 classes at any time), so be wary... though sorceror might be nice with paladin. Still, at lest 2 caster levels lost, and no PRC gear, which is very nice.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Huh. Strange.

Back to the topic, it occurs to me that one of the things you're going to want for the original campaign, Zousha, is persuade. But you also want access to the Many-Starred Cloak quest (http://nwn.wikia.com/wiki/Eltoora_Sarptyl). Wizards and sorcerers wouldn't get persuade as a class skill, but bards do. You might even still combine it with a paladin dip for charisma synergy, but you'll need to cheat in order to change your alignment between lawful good and something which is nonlawful. Choices made by your character in the original campaign only affect the Evil-Good axis.
Would just taking a level of Bard and then going straight Druid the rest of the way work? You need at least 7 levels of Druid to do the Druid quest in the second chapter.

[Seatbelt]

I was never able to get the druid wildshape fix to work. Made me sad. :(

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Also, I tried spacing past the intro vid and it worked. Hopefully I'll be able to play the game relatively painlessly now.

[Astral Avenger]

I've just been replaying it again, ran through prologue,1 and 2 of original campaign with a druid 29/shifter 10/rogue 1 (unlimited maximized ice-storms ftw) decided to change it up and do ch 3 with a lvl 20 barbarian.

but my real question is questions are: aside from the C.E.P. what mods should I add?
also, are there any mods that introduce a warlock class?
Finally, where do I find these mods?

[KillingAScarab]

Would just taking a level of Bard and then going straight Druid the rest of the way work? You need at least 7 levels of Druid to do the Druid quest in the second chapter.I have been able to confirm a single level of bard is enough for the Cloaktower quest. I didn't know that druid quest required a minimum level (a call-back to AD&D 2nd ed. druid levels?), but I do believe you can achieve at least 6th level before you finish chapter 1. You might need to gain a level or two before you can do that part of chapter 2.

I'm going to suggest you start as a druid (avoid lawful neutral, probably chaotic neutral too) and just take the level of bard as your level-up during the prologue. You can get away with charisma of 10 in that manner, which is enough to cast your four cantrips. Consider how you want to spend your 4 or so skill points you gain from that level. Bard has access to discipline (http://nwn.wikia.com/wiki/Discipline) as a class skill, but I don't know if so few ranks willl make much difference. Use magic device (http://nwn.wikia.com/wiki/Use_magic_device) only cares for multiples of 5 ranks it seems. With 5 ranks of tumble (http://nwn.wikia.com/wiki/Tumble), you can increase your AC by 1.

[Nepenthe]

I haven't been able to play a whole lot, but I'm currently sitting on a Paladin 2/Sorcerer 4. Considering Red Dragon Disciple mostly because I've never tried one before, and also because I end up melee-ing more than I really intended. Anyone have any experience with them?

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Melee's kind of the point of the RDD if memory serves. The STR and CON bonuses mean you're a beast in hand-to-hand. It's actually more customary in the builds I've seen to only take one or two levels of sorcerer tops and focus on your melee class and then RDD.

[KillingAScarab]

I haven't been able to play a whole lot, but I'm currently sitting on a Paladin 2/Sorcerer 4. Considering Red Dragon Disciple mostly because I've never tried one before, and also because I end up melee-ing more than I really intended. Anyone have any experience with them?I tried the dragon disciple prestige class at the table with the expectation of casting spells, because that thing still gives you bonus spell slots. Epic level game, before the rules for extending the prestige classes were known to us. Ten levels of the prestige class, the rest was sorcerer. The first fight with spell resistance, I realized it wasn't going to work.

For NWN, I went into red dragon disciple (http://nwn.wikia.com/wiki/Red_dragon_disciple) intending to only do melee. Barbarian with a dash of bard to qualify and to pick up tumble and spellcraft. I didn't start with the spellcasting class, so I wouldn't be forced to waste the point buy on charisma. With paladin and divine grace, you have an advantage. Pick up the 3rd level when you would get a feat so you can turn undead and also get something like divine shield (http://nwn.wikia.com/wiki/Divine_shield) (provided you meet the requirements such as strength 13+ and power attack). RDD will give you a small boost to charisma on the last level before epic progression, further helping you. If you don't have a multiple of 5 for your spellcraft skill ranks, consider some more sorcerer if you can get it, and while you're there rearrange your spells known to focus on buffs. You don't want to go up against spell resistance. Consider eagle's splendor (http://nwn.wikia.com/wiki/Eagle%27s_splendor) if you don't already have it.

[Nepenthe]

Well I made it to Master Zaar. I managed to get him down to "barely injured" once or twice. Imma go cry in the corner now.