estoEsUnaRpueba

This guide is set at a width of 72 characters. For ease of use, make
sure your browser is displaying all the numbers on the line below.
123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012
o======================================================================o
|
|
|
Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition
|
|
|
o======================================================================o
"Beating Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition in 627 Easy Steps!"
Version 1.07
Written by: Nathan Garvin (Haeravon)
Edited by: Lee Kadel (original guide v1.04)
Wim Vlayen (aka Zenryo) (Enhanced Edition guide v1.02)
Email: Theendbringer (at) Hotmail (dot) com
If you're going to email me about this guide, make sure you put
"BALDURS GATE" in the title, or I'll probably end up deleting it as
junk. It would also be nice if you put "ENHANCED EDITION" somewhere in
your title, too, so I can tell which guide you're talking about.
Guide Information
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
This FAQ was made in Notepad, and is best viewed in a simple text
editor. The default text is Lucida Console at size 10 font, but any
fixed-width font will work... if not with the intended aesthetics
intact.
Note that this is an incredibly large FAQ, and depending on your
computer, internet speed, and the restlessness of computer gremlins,
you may have to refresh this file several times to get the whole thing
to load. Look for the ***END OF FILE*** line at the bottom to ensure
you've got the whole thing.
Legal
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
I have no affiliation with Bioware, Black Isle, Interplay, Atari,
Wizards of the Coast, Beamdog, Overhaul Games or any other parties
involved with this game. This is a not-for-profit fan-made guide. If
you wish to post, mirror, or quote this guide, feel free to do so.
Credit would make me happy, an email would make me feel good. Let
your conscience be your guide, just like all good people.
HaeravonFAQs on Facebook
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
If you liked this FAQ, if you like talking about video games, if you
think sunshine was for people who were born before they had the good
sense to invent pixels, then you're not alone. Check out my Facebook
page at (www.facebook.com/HaeravonFAQs) for mindless video game
chatter, information about updates and upcoming FAQs, or for just a
more direct connection to yours truly, so you can tell me in person
about all the mistakes, typos, and other imperfections you've found.
HaeravonFAQs on Youtube
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Text just doesn't cut it for you? You ever wish you could watch Haeravon
play, and hear his soothing voice as he enlightened you with gaming
wisdom? Your wish has been granted. Check out the HaeravonFAQs Youtube
channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/HaeravonFAQs for video
walkthroughs and gameplay videos.
Table of Contents
o======================================================================o
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>GAMEPLAY INFORMATION<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
I. Introduction
{INT001}
1. HaeravonFAQS on Youtube
{INT002}
2. Using this FAQ
{INT003}
3. Continuity
{INT004}
4. Items
{INT005}
5. Rewards
{INT006}
6. Traps
{INT007}
7. Active Pause
{INT008}
8. Difficulty Settings
{INT009}
9. Enhanced Edition Notes {INT010}
II. 2nd Edition Dungeon and Dragons
Mechanics (character Creation) {DND001}
1. Composition
{DND002}
2. Gender
{DND003}
3. Race
{DND004}
3.1 Class Restrictions by Race{DND005}
3.2 Human
{DND006}
3.3 Elf
{DND007}
3.4 Half-Elf
{DND008}
3.5 Gnome
{DND009}
3.6 Halfling
{DND010}
3.7 Dwarf
{DND011}
3.8 Half-Orc
{DND012}
4. Class
{DND013}
4.1 Dual-Classing
{DND014}
4.2 Multi-Classing
{DND015|
4.3 Dual-and-Multi-Classing {DND016}
in Baldur's Gate 2
4.4 Class Kits
{DND017}
4.5 Barbarian
{DND018}
4.5 Bard
{DND019}
4.6 Blade
{DND020}
4.7 Jester
{DND021}
4.8 Skald
{DND022}
4.9 Cleric
{DND023}
4.10 Priest of Talos
{DND024}
4.11 Priest of Helm
{DND025}
4.12 Priest of Lathander
{DND026}
4.13 Cleric/Ranger
{DND027}
4.14 Druid
{DND028}
4.15 Totemic Druid
{DND029}
4.16 Shapeshifter
{DND030}
4.17 Avenger
{DND031}
4.18 Fighter
{DND032}
4.19 Berserker
{DND033}
4.20 Wizard Slayer
{DND034}
4.21 Kensai
{DND035}
4.22 Dwarven Defender
{DND036}
4.23 Fighter/Cleric
{DND037}
4.24 Fighter/Druid
{DND038}
4.25 Fighter/Mage
{DND039}
4.26 Fighter/Mage/Cleric {DND040}
4.27 Fighter/Mage/Thief {DND041}
4.28 Fighter/Thief
{DND042}
4.29 Mage
{DND043}
4.30 Mage/Cleric
{DND044}
4.31 Mage/Thief
{DND045}
4.32 Monk
{DND046}
4.33 Dark Moon Monk
{DND047}
4.34 Sun Soul Monk
{DND048}
4.35 Paladin
{DND049}
4.36 Cavalier
{DND050}
4.37 Inquisitor
{DND051}
4.38 Undead Hunter
{DND052}
4.39 Blackguard
{DND053}
4.40 Ranger
{DND054}
4.41 Archer
{DND055}
4.42 Stalker
{DND056}
4.43 Beast Master
{DND057}
4.44 Sorcerer
{DND058}
4.45 Dragon Disciple
{DND059}
4.46 Thief
{DND060}
4.47 Assassin
{DND061}
4.48 Bounty Hunter
{DND062}
4.49 Swashbuckler
{DND063}
4.50 Shadowdancer
{DND064}
4.51 Thief/Cleric
{DND065}
4.52 Wild Mage
{DND066}
4.53 Wild Surge Table
{DND067}
5. Alignment
{DND068}
5.1 Reputation Effects
{DND069}
6. Abilities
{DND070}
6.1 Strength
{DND071}
6.2 Dexterity
{DND072}
6.3 Constitution
{DND073}
6.4 Intelligence
{DND074}
6.5 Wisdom
{DND075}
6.6 Charisma
{DND076}
6.7 Tomes
{DND077}
6.8 Suggested Abilities
{DND078}
by Class
7. Proficiencies
{DND079}
7.1 Weapon Proficiencies {DND080}
by Class/Level
7.2 Weapon Class Perks by Rank{DND081}
7.3 Fighting Style Perks by {DND082}
Rank
7.4 Proficiency Selection by {DND083}
Class
8. Thieving Abilities
{DND084}
8.1 Pick Pockets
{DND085}
8.2 Open Locks
{DND086}
8.3 Find Traps
{DND087}
8.4 Move Silently/Hide In {DND088}
Shadows
8.5 Detect Illusion
{DND089}
8.6 Set Traps
{DND090}
9. Hit points
{DND091}
10. THAC0 and Armor Class {DND092}
10.1 THAC0 by Class/Level {DND093}
10.2 Armor Class Modifiers {DND094}
by Weapon Type
11. Saving Throws
{DND095}
12. Spells
{DND096}
13. Lore
{DND097}
13.1 Lore by Class/Level
{DND098}
14. Experience Points (EXP Cap)
{DND099}
15. My Protagonists
{DND100}
15.1 The Fighter/Mage
{DND101}
15.2 The Fighter/Mage/Thief
{DND102}
15.3 The Benchmark
{DND103}
III. Characters
{CHR001}
1. Note about Character Quests
{CHR002}
2. Character Stats
{CHR003}
3. Ajantis
{CHR004}
4. Alora
{CHR005}
5. Baeloth
{CHR006}
6. Branwen
{CHR007}
7. Coran
{CHR008}
8. Dorn
{CHR009}
9. Dynaheir
{CHR010}
10. Edwin
{CHR011}
11. Eldoth
{CHR012}
12. Faldorn
{CHR013}
13. Garrick
{CHR014}
14. Imoen
{CHR015}
15. Jaheira
{CHR016}
16. Kagain
{CHR017}
17. Khalid
{CHR018}
18. Kivan
{CHR019}
19. Minsc
{CHR020}
20. Montaron
{CHR021}
21. Neera
{CHR022}
22. Quayle
{CHR023}
23. Rasaad
{CHR024}
24. Safana
{CHR025}
25. Shar-teel
{CHR026}
26. Skie
{CHR027}
27. Tiax
{CHR028}
28. Viconia
{CHR029}
29. Xan
{CHR030}
30. Xzar
{CHR031}
31. Yeslick
{CHR032}
32. Table of Character
{CHR033}
Attributes
33. Chart of Characters by Role {CHR034}
34. Suggested Parties by Role
{CHR035}
IV. Spell Tactics
{SPT001}
1. Healing Spells
{SPT002}
2. 1st Level Cleric Spells
{SPT003}
3. 2nd Level Cleric Spells
4. 3rd Level Cleric Spells
5. 4th Level Cleric Spells
6. 1st Level Druid Spells
7. 2nd Level Druid Spells
8. 3rd Level Druid Spells
9. 4th Level Druid Spells
10. 5th Level Druid Spells
11. 1st Level Arcane Spells
12. 2nd Level Arcane Spells
13. 3rd Level Arcane Spells
14. 4th Level Arcane Spells
15. 5th Level Arcane Spells
V. Map
VI. General Tips
{SPT004}
{SPT005}
{SPT006}
{SPT007}
{SPT008}
{SPT009}
{SPT010}
{SPT011}
{SPT012}
{SPT013}
{SPT014}
{SPT015}
{SPT016}
{MAP001}
{TIP001}
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>MAIN WALKTHROUGH<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
VII. Prologue
1. Sequence #1
{WLK001}
Leaving Candlekeep
(15 Steps)
VIII. Chapter 1
1. Sequence #1
{WLK002}
Friendly Arm Inn
(17 Steps)
2. Sequence #2
{WLK003}
Beregost
(23 Steps)
3. Sequence #3
{WLK004}
Party-Building
(9 Steps)
4. Sequence #4
{WLK005}
High Hedge and En Route
to Nashkel
(10 Steps)
IX. Chapter 2
1. Sequence #1
{WLK006}
Nashkel and the Carnival
(21 Steps)
2. Sequence #2
{WLK007}
The Gnoll Stronghold
Expedition
(15 Steps)
4. Sequence #3
{WLK008}
South-Western Areas
(10 Steps)
5. Sequence #4
{WLK009}
Northern Areas
(10 Steps)
6. Sequence #5
{WLK010}
Middle Areas
(9 Steps)
7. Sequence #6
{WLK011}
Temple Area and the
Nashkel Mines (exterior)
(12 Steps)
[PARTY STATS: NASHKEL MINES]
8. Sequence #7
{WLK012}
Nashkel Mines (interior)
(21 Steps)
X. Chapter 3
1. Sequence #1
{WLK013}
Back to Beregost
(13 Steps)
2. Sequence #2
{WLK014}
Western Areas and the
Northern Farmhouse
(27 Steps)
3. Sequence #3
{WLK015}
Tranzig and the
North-Eastern Areas
(17 Steps)
4. Sequence #4
{WLK016}
Bandit Camp
(11 Steps)
XI. Chapter 4
1. Sequence #1
{WLK017}
South-Eastern Areas
(20 Steps)
2. Sequence #2
{WLK018}
Cloakwood Forest
(22 Steps)
3. Sequence #3
{WLK019}
Cloakwood Mines
(21 Steps)
[PARTY STATS: CLOAKWOOD MINES]
XII. Chapter 5
1. Sequence #1
{WLK020}
Foiling the Throne's
Assassination Attempt
(33 Steps)
2. Sequence #2
{WLK021}
Baldur's Gate: Eastern
and South-Eastern Areas
(20 Steps)
3. Sequence #3
{WLK022}
Baldur's Gate: Southern,
Northern, and Western
Areas
(26 Steps)
4. Sequence #4
{WLK023}
Baldur's Gate:
South-Western
North-Western Areas
(28 Steps)
5. Sequence #4
{WLK024}
Baldur's Gate:
Balduran's Gear and the
Iron Throne Headquarters
(17 Steps)
XIII. Chapter 6
1. Sequence #1
{WLK025}
Return to Candlekeep
(9 Steps)
2. Sequence #2
{WLK026}
Candlekeep Catacombs
(14 Steps)
3. Sequence #3
{WLK027}
Enhanced Edition
Character Quests
(28 Steps)
[PARTY STATS: TALES OF THE SWORD COAST]
XIV. Tales of the Sword Coast
1. Sequence #1
{WLK028}
Ulgoth's Beard,
Shandolar's Request
(13 Steps)
2. Sequence #2
{WLK029}
To Durlag's Tower and
the Upper Levels
(14 Steps)
3. Sequence #3
{WLK030}
Durlag's Tower,
First Lower Level
(14 Steps)
4. Sequence #4
{WLK031}
Durlag's Tower,
Second Lower Level
(10 Steps)
5. Sequence #5
{WLK032}
Durlag's Tower,
Third Lower Level
(11 Steps)
6. Sequence #6
{WLK033}
Durlag's Tower,
Fourth Lower Level
(13 Steps)
7. Sequence #7
{WLK034}
Cult of Aec'Letec
(6 Steps)
8. Sequence #8
{WLK035}
Balduran's Isle
(30 Steps)
XV. Chapter 7
1. Sequence #1
Thwarting Sarevok {WLK036}
(18 Steps)
2. Sequence #2
The Endgame
{WLK037}
(20 Steps)
[PARTY STATS: FINAL]
Total Walkthrough: 624 Steps
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>VIDEOS<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
XVI. Walkthrough Videos
1. Stinking Cloud Ambush {VID001}
(Good Party)
2. Sarevok's Acolytes Fight {VID002}
(Good Party)
3. Sarevok's Acolytes Fight {VID003}
(Evil Party)
4. Warder Fight
{VID004}
(Evil Party)
5. Chess Fight (Evil Party)
{VID005}
6. Demon Knight Fight
{VID006}
(Good Party)
7. Aec'Letec Fight (Good Party)
{VID007}
8. Sarevok Fight (Good Party)
{VID008}
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>MISCELLANEOUS<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
XVII. Items
{ITM001}
1. Finding Recorded Items in {ITM002}
the Walkthrough
2. Item List
{ITM003}
3. Item Description
{ITM004}
XVIII. Experience List
{EXP001}
XIX. List of Mage Spells
{SPL001}
1. 1st-Level Mage Spells
{SPL002}
2. 2nd-Level Mage Spells
{SPL003}
3. 3rd-Level Mage Spells
{SPL004}
4. 4th-Level Mage Spells
{SPL005}
5. 5th-Level Mage Spells
{SPL006}
XX. Updates/Thanks
{UPD001}
*Note: When searching for items in the FAQ, be sure to include the
{} brackets. When I reference other parts of the FAQ outside of the
index, I put them in [] brackets, so as to make general searches using
the index more efficient. For example, when I refer to later parts of
the Walkthrough in the Walkthrough, I'll refer to those referred
sections as [WLK###], when it should be understood to search for
{WLK###}. This is an organizational scheme used to prevent you from
having to scroll through several referential brackets in order to find
what you're looking for, as I reference other parts of the FAQ much more
frequently in this guide than I do in other FAQs I have written.
o======================================================================o
|
|
|
Introduction {INT001}
|
|
|
o======================================================================o
Welcome to the HaeravonFAQs guide "Beating Baldur's Gate: Enhanced
Edition in 627 Steps" of varying length, complexity, and importance!
I love the Baldur's Gate games, I won't even try to hide it. So when I
heard there was an Enhanced Edition being made... well, I approached it
with a bit of skepticism. Mostly because I'm a pessimist, not because
I'm a classics snob. A rebirth of the Fallout franchise was something
I warmly embraced, certainly something similar for Baldur's Gate would
have potential, right? Sure, but this isn't a remake. It's a slight
improvement, better menus to take some of the age off and a bunch of
minor tweaks (many of which have already appeared in fan-made mods).
Essentially, this game takes the original Baldur's Gate and freshens it
up a bit. The biggest changes? They made the Baldur's Gate 1 rules match
the Baldur's Gate 2 system... again, something already done. Still, I
am giddy. I didn't start writing FAQs until a few years ago, and I
devoted no small amount of time to the games I loved most of all-the
Baldur's Gate saga. The Enhanced Edition is the closest thing to being
able to go back in time and write about this game when it's fresh. For
that alone, the Enhanced Edition was worth the $20 download-my first
ever digital purchase. I know, I know, I'm a dinosaur. Anyways, this
guide is built right on top of my old Baldur's Gate guide, with changes
made wherever necessary. Call it lazy or resourceful as you wish-my
organizational schemes work for me and-if feedback is any indicationit works for most of my readers, too. Why fix what's not broken? Most of
all, have fun and enjoy a slightly improved and expanded version of one
of the best RPGs ever made.
HaeravonFAQs on Youtube
{INT002}
o======================================================================o
In the beginning of June, 2013, I was finally able to scrape enough
money together to get a good game-capture device. Later that month, I
began my much dreamed-of venture into making gameplay videos. I intend
for the videos on HaeravonFAQs to enhance-not replace-the text-based
guides you all know and love. Starting 6/29/2013, I began shooting
videos based off of saves I had made when I wrote this guide, showing
the tactics contained in this guide. The links to the videos can be
found throughout the guide, and will be added as they are uploaded,
instead of in one massive version update-my usual way of doing things.
You can find the videos as you play the game and read the guide, or
you can search for them with the search tags [VID###]. For more videos,
visit (http://www.youtube.com/user/HaeravonFAQs). If you want to have
access to all our gameplay videos, pictures, and, yes, guides, all on
one site, visit www.haeravon.com.
Using this FAQ
{INT003}
o======================================================================o
Below I will list some of my quirks, organizational methods, and various
other tidbits that will help you navigate this guide. For starters,
during the main FAQ I'll break up the various chapters and
organizational components of the guide with a large heading:
o======================================================================o
|
|
|
Large Heading
|
|
|
o======================================================================o
During the FAQ, I'll break up different areas with a thick line:
Thick line
o======================================================================o
Multiple parts of a mission in the same area will be broken up with a
thin line. This breaks up the missions into a series of steps, and
limits how much unbroken text you'll have to read at once. Nobody likes
wordiness:
Thin line
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Of course, I reserve the right to break my own rules during the FAQ...
mostly due to being scatter-brained and working on the FAQ in shifts
over the course of time. Life and all. So cut me some slack. Besides,
this organizational scheme is mostly for consistency and ease-of-use.
Sequence of Events
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Unlike some of my other guides, this FAQ does hold your hand through the
game. As I go through areas I will list what I do sequentially. To help
streamline the guide and make your life easier, I've included a list of
steps at the beginning of each section, so you can see in what order I
am about to do things. Each different Sequence of Events is separated by
a large heading, while each step is divided by a thick line (if we
travel to a different area) or a thin line (if we don't.)
Continuity
{INT004}
o======================================================================o
One of the things to keep in mind about Baldur's Gate is...
Baldur's Gate 2. I keep this in the back of my mind every time I play
the game, since it seems like a waste to go through the game and NOT
continue with my character onto the sequel. Since the first game was
made to resemble the second game more in the Enhanced Edition, we can
assume the Enhanced Edition of the second game will be... less changed.
After all, why change the first game to match the second if you're
going to change the second game-hence reintroducing the original
mis-match you were presumably trying to remove in the first place?
With that in mind, building our protagonist with the sequel in mind
makes even more sense in the Enhanced Edition than it did in the
original game. If you don't plan to follow through to the Enhanced
Edition of the second game, this might not be the right guide for you,
as my suggestions for the protagonist's race, class, and proficiency
allocations are made with the sequel in mind.
Items
{INT005}
o======================================================================o
I'll list items found in containers-bookshelves, chests, environmental
bodies, etc. in the ***ITEMS*** category, I'll also list the (x=, x=)
coordinates the container is found at. The container could be quite
large, but I try to find areas in the 100s or at least the 10s if
possible. For example, I won't give you (x=1996, y=217) when I could
give the coordinates (x=2000, y=200).
Rewards
{INT006}
o======================================================================o
When you complete a quest, or otherwise gain some story award, I will
list it in the ***REWARDS*** section in the appropriate step in the FAQ.
I won't go out of my way to label the start and end of quests, as some
quests have long stretches of game in between their assignment and
completion. I will tell you to go activate the quest (even if you don't
need to activate it to complete), but I typically include the reward
upon the quests conclusion, occasionally requiring you to go back to
the assigner on your own.
Traps
{INT007}
o======================================================================o
I list the location of traps in a section similar to the items section.
Except it's wisely called ***TRAPS***. I didn't bother recording what
sort of trap it was, I intended to disarm traps I come across, and
frankly, it's just too much of a bother determining the sort of trap.
If you think you can figure out how to use traps to cause collateral
damage, that's fine with me, I'll point as many out to you as I found.
Active Pause
{INT008}
o======================================================================o
You can pause the game any time by pressing the 'space bar' button. In
the original game, the game would not remained paused in your inventory
screen (which was just Bioware's idea of being hardasses.) In the
Enhanced Edition, they rightfully allowed the game to remained paused
in your inventory screen (like in Baldur's Gate 2). Anyways, you'll use
this option often to reorganize during battles, select new targets...
you know, make tactical decisions. It's not just helpful, it's vital. If
you plan to play any other old school Black Isle games, like Planescape
or Icewind Dale, they'll also use the same system.
Difficulty Settings
{INT009}
o======================================================================o
The game always had difficulty settings, so why bother mentioning it
for the Enhanced Edition? Well... because they might actually be worth
toggling every so often now. There are five difficulty settings as
follows:
INSANE (far right): Hit Point rolls are random, characters can
permanently die, scribing spells can fail, enemies
do 200% normal damage.
HARD (middle-right): Hit Point rolls are random, characters can
permanently die, scribing spells can fail, enemies
do 150% normal damage.
CORE RULES (middle): Normal rules. Hit Point rolls are random,
characters can permanently die, scribing spells can
fail, enemies do 100% normal damage.
NORMAL (middle-left): All Hit Point rolls are maxed, characters cannot
permanently die, all spells are automatically
learned, enemies do 75% normal damage.
NOVICE (far left): All Hit Point rolls are maxed, characters cannot
permanently die, all spells are automatically
learned, enemies do 50% normal damage.
My suggestion? Play the game under CORE RULES, but when you level up
or scribe scrolls, switch to NORMAL. Look, I don't know about you, but
in the original game I always save/loaded to get maximum Hit Points per
level and to ensure I always succeeded at scribing scrolls. Manipulating
the difficulty settings just saves time, and life is too short (as is my
patience) to waste it save/loading Baldur's Gate.
Enhanced Edition Notes
{INT010}
o======================================================================o
I will admit, I am too much of a fan to resist pointing out story/event
changes throughout the guide as I notice them. These changes (usually
inconsequential stuff) will be noted under the ***ENHANCED EDITION***
heading. This is just me showing off what knowledge I have of the game
and is entirely useless fluff... But, it interests me, so it's in
there. It may contain spoilers (although I've tried to keep them fairly
minor) but if you want to play it safe, just ignore them. I've also
started to use them to discuss various changes between Enhanced Edition
patches, as well.
o======================================================================o
|
|
|
2nd Edition Dungeons and Dragons Mechanics
|
|
(Character Creation) {DND001}
|
o======================================================================o
Below are some suggestions for character creation in Baldur's Gate,
Along with a number of tables, charts, and rules used by the game. My
character's advancement through the game and its sequel greatly affects
my choices... along with a good bit of aesthetic prejudice and personal
opinions. Either blindly follow my lead or read up on the section below
and make your own choices. I'll give opinions and brute facts, but I
won't be rating anything. Feel free to make you own-informed-decisions.
Composition
{DND002}
o======================================================================o
Unlike in Icewind Dale, you only create one character-the protagonist.
This means your character will need some help on their journey through
Baldur's Gate. In any Dungeons and Dragons game you need a Cleric,
Fighter, Mage, and a Thief, the four 'base' classes. No matter what
character you make, you NEED one representative of each of those four
base classes in your party. A party without a front line, spell buffs,
healing, and trap finding is a party that is probably losing.
Gender
{DND003}
o======================================================================o
Gender only matters when it comes to romancing various potential party
members... and even then, only in the sequel. It might change a few bits
of dialogue here and there (mostly gender-based pronouns, or maybe a
bit of abortive flirting/womanizing, but nothing serious). Since
romances are the big deal with gender, then, I'll include a list of
romancable allies, and some gender/alignment information about said
allies, so you can plan ahead... you know, in case you want to go after
a specific paramour. Just keep in mind that most characters in the
sequel are heterosexual (with the notable exception of Hexxat), so
pick the opposite gender if you want magic to happen. I'll freely admit
I haven't done enough research to know everybody's racial qualms-I tend
to play either an Elf or Half-Elf for multi-classing purposes, so I
can't promise that, say, Dorn will go after a Gnomish protagonist, or
something strange like that. Also, alignment may or may not come into
play-Anomen and Viconia can both have their alignment swayed by a
combination of banter and quest choices, but there's no guarantee that
Dorn'll put up with a good-aligned protagonist. Again, I've been lazy
and haven't thoroughly explored all the romantic options with all the
possible race/alignment combinations. I have a good party and an evil
party, and I avoided mixing and matching alignments as much as possible.
Aerie (Female) Lawful Good, Elf
Anomen (Male)
Dorn (Male) Neutral Evil, Half-Orc
Hexxat (Female) Neutral Evil, Human (will not romance males!)
Jaheira (Female) Neutral, Half-Elf
Neera (Female) Chaotic Neutral, Half-Elf
Rasaad (Male) Lawful Good, Human
Viconia (Female) Neutral Evil, Elf (will not romance Elves!)
Race
{DND004}
o======================================================================o
There are more pronounced differences between the races in the Enhanced
Edition, but the big restrictions are still what they were in the
original. Humans can dual-class, everybody else cannot. All the other
races can multi-class (to varying degrees), but Humans cannot. I
STRONGLY advocate either dual-classing as a Human, or multi-classing.
Class restriction by race are shown on the table below.
Class Restrictions by Race
{DND005}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
|Human
| |Elf
| | |Half-Elf
| | | |Gnome*
| | | | |Halfling
| | | | | |Dwarf
| | | | | | |Half-Orc
o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o
Barbarian
|x|x|x|x|x|x|x|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bard
|x| |x| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cleric
|x|x|x|x|x|x|x|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cleric/Mage
|d| |x|x| | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cleric/Ranger
|d| |x| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cleric/Thief
|d| | |x| | |x|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Druid
|x| |x| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fighter
|x|x|x|x|x|x|x|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fighter/Cleric
|d| |x|x| |x|x|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fighter/Druid
|d| |x| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fighter/Mage
|d|x|x|x| | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fighter/Mage/Cleric | | | x | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fighter/Mage/Thief | | x | x | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fighter/Thief
|d|x|x|x|x|x|x|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mage
|x|x|x|x| | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mage (Abjurer)
|x| | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mage (Conjurer)
|x| |x| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mage (Diviner)
|x|x|x| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mage (Enchanter)
|x|x|x| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mage (Illusionist)
|x| | |x| | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mage (Invoker)
|x| | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mage (Necromancer) | x | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mage (Transmuter) | x | | x | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mage/Thief
|d|x|x|x| | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Monk
|x| | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Paladin
|x| | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ranger
|x|x|x| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sorcerer
|x|x|x| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thief
|x|x|x|x|x|x|x|
o===o===o===o===o===o===o===o
* = Instead of a Mage, they are always an Illusionist.
x = Race/Class combo is allowed.
d = Can dual class, not multi-class.
Human
{DND006}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Humans are the vanilla race of the fantasy genre. I'll bet most of my
readers are Human (the rest are whatever race Anne Coulter belongs tothe reptilians), which begs the question... why play it? Doesn't it
just inject a bit of mundanity into a fantasy setting? And why would you
do that? Whatever, the only thing special about Humans is that they can
(and should) dual-class. Oh, and they can be every class in the game.
So if you're really hard up for a Monk, Paladin, or some types of
specialist Mage... well... this is your only option.
Humans have the following traits:
--> Thief Skills: +15% Pick Pockets, +10% Open Locks,
+5% Find Traps, +10% Move Silently, +5% Hide in Shadows.
Elf
{DND007}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Everybody hates Elves these days. Probably because of Orlando Bloom.
Anyways, Elves are a staple of the fantasy genre. Without giving
anything away, playing an Elf adds a bit of... tension... with the
antagonist of the sequel (to which there is as of yet no Enhanced
Edition for). At least, it does in my mind, which is what matters.
Elves have some solid multi-class options, and are decent characters
all around. The Dexterity bonus is nice... but it's not nearly as
helpful as the Constitution bonus is harmful. Still, considering all
the stat boosts you'll find in the game, it's not a big deal.
Elves have the following traits:
--> 90% resistance against charm and sleep magics.
-->
Infravision.
-->
+1 THAC0 bonus with bows, short swords, and long swords.
-->
Thief Skills: +20% Pick Pockets, +5% Open Locks,
+5% Find Traps, +15% Move Silently, +15% Hide in Shadows.
-->
+1 Dexterity, -1 Constitution.
Half-Elf
{DND008}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
The bastard off-spring created by Humans and Elves... nobody seems to
care that an Elf boning a Human is just kind of... weird. I mean, how
much older is the Elf, on average? It would make for great a fantasy
Maury show... They've got a few bonuses that Humans don't have-stuff
you won't really miss-but they trade the ability to dual-class for the
most extensive multi-class options in the game. They're a great choice
for any protagonist.
Half-Elves have the following traits:
--> 30% resistance against charm and sleep magics.
-->
Infravision.
-->
Thief Skills: +25% Pick Pockets, +10% Open Locks,
+5% Find Traps, +10% Move Silently, +10% Hide in Shadows.
Gnome
{DND009}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Gnomes are retarded and everybody should hate them. They're nothing but
incompetent Dwarves without any of the cool Dwarfiness. Gnomes have
one advantage over Dwarves-they can become Mages. But... since they
default to Illusionists, it's not so great of a bonus.
Gnomes have the following traits:
--> +2 bonus to Saving Throws vs. Rod/Staff/Wand and vs. Spell
with additional bonuses based on Constitution.
-->
Infravision.
-->
Thief Skills: +15% Pick Pockets, +15% Open Locks,
+15% Find Traps, +15% Move Silently, +10% Hide in Shadows,
+10% Detect Illusion, +5% Set Traps.
-->
+1 Intelligence, -1 Wisdom.
Halfling
{DND010}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
If you wanted my opinion on Halfings... well... look at my opinion
about Gnomes. It's not a short person thing, I'm not too tall myself,
but... their class options suck and their racial traits just aren't
very good. Honestly, I've always hated Halflings. They seem like a
waste of a race, and in my gaming sessions, I've never been able to find
a use for them. What are they, always? Wandering thieves and pranksters.
Almost without variation. Who always plays them? The annoying kid who
just wanted to be a pain in the ass and slow things down.
Halflings have the following traits:
--> +2 bonus to Saving Throws vs. Paralyzation/Poison/Death, vs
Rod/Staff/Wand, and vs. Spell, with additional bonuses based
on Constitution.
-->
+1 THAC0 bonus with slings.
-->
Thief Skills: +20% Pick Pockets, +15% Open Locks,
+10% Find Traps, +20% Move Silently, +20% Hide in Shadows.
-->
+1 Dexterity, -1 Strength, -1 Wisdom.
Dwarf
{DND011}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Now Dwarves are where it's at. Who doesn't love Dwarves? They're always
awesome. Nothing's better than a heavily-armed, ill-tempered, hairy,
drunk demi-human. Fortunately for you, the game does a decent job in
supplying you Dwarves to tag along with-leave the Dwarfing to your
allies and pick stronger multi-or-dual-class options, instead.
Dwarves have the following traits:
--> +2 bonus to Saving Throws vs. Paralyzation/Poison/Death, vs.
Rod/Staff/Wand, and vs. Spell, with additional bonuses based on
Constitution.
-->
Infravision.
-->
Thief Skills: +15% Pick Pockets, +20% Open Locks,
+20% Find Traps, +10% Move Silently, +5% Hide in Shadows,
+5% Detect Illusion, +10% Set Traps.
-->
+1 Constitution, -1 Dexterity, -2 Charisma.
Half-Orc
{DND012}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Not much to say about this class-they have the same appeal as Dwarves
in my book. Fugly warriors that almost always seem to fall into a welltrod stereotype. In this, they excel, and if you plan to make any
single-class warrior type, go with a Half-Orc. You won't miss that
Intelligence.
Half-Orcs have the following traits:
--> +1 Strength, +1 Constitution, -2 Intelligence.
-->
Thief Skills: +15% Pick Pockets, +10% Open Locks,
+5% Find Traps, +10% Move Silently, +5% Hide in Shadows.
Class
{DND013}
o======================================================================o
Since you can recruit a character that pretty much covers whatever you
may lack, you have the freedom to create a character that plays how you
want (at least in this game, Baldur's Gate 2 isn't nearly as nice in
that regards). Versatility and power are my goals in character creation,
and that pretty much cries out for dual-or-multi classing. Also, if the
developers were so kind as to provide you with a recruitable ally with
their own unique voice, portrait, history, and statistics, why bother
making a similar character? Since dual-or-multi class characters are
invariably stronger in Baldur's Gate 2, they are what I suggest. You
simply get stronger, more versatile characters if you dual-or-multiclass.
A Fighter/Mage is arguably the strongest class in the game by the end of
Baldur's Gate 2, and with all the new defensive spells from the sequel
fleshing out the spellbooks of the Enhanced Edition, they're stronger
than ever in the first game. (Stoneskin, anybody?) Magic in Baldur's
Gate is incredibly important and deep, and controlling a protagonist who
cannot cast spells seems rather... blasphemous. And if you can destroy
any foe in melee combat as well, all the better. Alternatively there's
the Fighter/Mage/Thief, who isn't as much of a Fighter or Mage, but you
don't have to rely upon a recruitable Thief to do your trapfinding.
There's also the Fighter/Cleric, but the spell buffs a Mage can cast are
more powerful, and a Mage won't be limited to blunt weapons like a
Cleric. If you're at all interested in making a Fighter/Cleric, try a
Ranger/Cleric instead. Pretty much the same thing in terms of weapon
selection, and Hit Points, but they'll also get Druidic spells, in
addition to their Clerical spells. This means Insect Plague, Elemental
Summoning, and Iron Skins in the sequel... it's something to get excited
about, trust me. I've never played as a Fighter/Mage/Cleric, but... it
certainly sounds interesting. In the end I feel a Fighter/Mage is a
great protagonist, a great play, and certainly a good choice to write
a guide around. For the evil party play-through (Version 1.02 of the
original guide) I created a Fighter/Mage/Thief so I could use many of
the strategies with which I am familiar, but also because of how
desperately the evil party needs a Thief in Baldur's Gate 2. My
girlfriend's choice was much the same, except she used a Fighter as her
protagonist and created a Fighter/Mage/Thief sidekick in the sequel to
overcome the crippling Thief-shortage. It might be cheap, but it's
better than dragging around Haer'Dalis.
Dual-Classing
{DND014}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
To dual-class you must be a Human, and you must be at least 2nd level in
the class you started out as to dual-class. You must have a 15 in the
prime requisites of your current class, and 17 in the prime requisites
of the class you want to change to. The prime requisites for each of
the potential dual-class combos are listed below:
Cleric:
Druid:
Fighter:
Mage:
Ranger:
Thief:
Wisdom
Wisdom, Charisma
Strength
Intelligence
Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom
Dexterity
Once you dual-class the experience of your previous class will be capped
at the minimum required to meet the last level you attained, and it will
go inactive. You can no longer gain levels in this class, or use any of
the class abilities. The only thing you keep from that class are the Hit
Points, you temporarily lose weapon and armor proficiencies, skills,
spells, THAC0, and even saves.
You now begin advancing as your second class, following all its rules.
You pick new proficiencies, and spells or thief abilities, if
applicable. For example, if you were a Fighter and dual-classed into a
Mage, you would be bound by the weapon and armor restrictions of the
Mage. You'd have the saves, THAC0, proficiencies, and spells of a 1st
level Mage, but you'd have your Fighter Hit Points. Once your level in
your new class exceeds your level in your old class, your old class
becomes active again. You cannot gain experience in your old class, but
you gain back any previously attained abilities, weapon and armor
proficiencies, skills, spells, THAC0, and saves, if they are better than
what you have now. Keep in mind that proficiencies are not cumulative.
For example, take the following case. Start out with a level one Fighter
and you'll get four weapon proficiencies to spend-you can spend up to
two points (become Specialized) in any one weapon class or fighting
style. Let's say the proficiencies were allocated as follows:
Long Sword
Two-Weapon Style
++
++
At level two, the character dual-classes to a Thief. They temporarily
lose those proficiencies, but being a brand-spanking almost new Thief,
they get two points to distribute. Let's say it goes as follows:
Katana
Short Sword
+
+
Once the newly dualed Thief becomes level three, they'll get their
Fighter stats back... at least until their Thief THAC0 and Saving Throws
surpass whatever their Fighter level gave. Their proficiencies now look
like this:
Katana
Long Sword
Short Sword
Two-Weapon Style
+
++
+
++
So, when dual-classing, do NOT overlap proficiencies. Any overlap
results in wasted points. On the other hand, one of the bonuses you
will retain while dual-classing is Weapon Proficiency progression-a
Fighter/Thief dual-class will, for example, still be able to attain
Grand Mastery, a Ranger/Cleric can attain Specialization, and so on.
A good tactic is to start out as a Thief and gain their Find Traps
skill, get it as high as you need, and then dual-class into something
more useful, like a Fighter or Mage. This gets you the essential Thief
skill without having to waste an entire character on a class that,
frankly, isn't great on its own. Another option is to make a Fighter,
get up to a high level and attain its high Hit Points, THAC0, and maybe
even Grand Mastery, then dual-class into something else to retain those
excellent combat stats to make a more 'hardy' version of that class.
The experience gained by the first class does count towards your total
experience, and hence towards the experience cap. If you dual-class a
character, be sure to dual class early enough so you have enough
experience left to exceed your previous classes' level with your new
class. If you never exceed your first class with your second, it will
never become active, making the whole process a waste and stunting your
character. This is obviously more of a preparatory tactic for the
sequel, as you will not gain enough experience to get the most out of
dual-classing for some combos in the first game. If you want to make a
dual-class Fighter or an Assassin/Fighter, you'll have to play through
this game as a single-classed character. For characters like Imoen,
dual class away, but for your main character I do not suggest
dual-classing until the sequel.
Multi-Classing
{DND015}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Mutli-classing is a bit simpler than dual-classing. Most races besides
human can multi-class into something, but half-elves are by far the
most versatile multi-classers. Whereas dual-classing means dropping one
class in favor of another, only to gain the benefits of the previous
class back after you exceed its level with the second class, multiclassing means pursuing both classes simultaneously. You get the better
choice of THAC0 and saves between the classes, meaning a Fighter/Mage
would use their better Fighter THAC0 instead of their worse Mage THAC0
or some composite. Hit points, however, are a composite, essentially
halving the dice rolls of both classes and giving them to you. If a
Fighter/Thief levels up in both classes, they get a maximum of eight
hitpoints (10 + 6 = 16/8 = 8.) Note, however, that if you are a Fighter
multi-class, you get the highest benefit of your Constitution, meaning
a Fighter/Cleric with a Constitution score of 18 would get a +4 bonus to
their Hit Points per composite level, instead of only +2 as a singleclassed Cleric would.
Experience is split evenly between the two classes, which can level up
independently. This results in a slower rate of leveling than a singleclassed character. Multi-classed characters typically make up for it
with versatility, being able to effectively combine multiple class
abilities to maximum effect. After all, a Thief who can hide in shadows
and backstab with a Fighter's THAC0 and higher weapon proficiencies is
better than just a Thief, and a Fighter who can use Mage spells to spell
buff themselves with Mirror Image, Haste, and Improved Invisibility will
be MUCH more effective than just a Fighter. The big consideration for a
multi-classed character is the fact that they will not be able to
progress as far as a single-classed character under the experience cap.
This isn't a big deal in this game, where a Fighter/Mage can hit level
7/7, while a normal Fighter and Mage can only hit levels 8 and 9,
respectively. In the sequel, however, it'll cost you major levels,
which is worth the tradeoff (by the end of TOB you'll hit level 24/20
as a Fighter/Mage, which really gets you the best of both classes.) The
only thing to worry about is that you won't have access to as many epic
feats in the sequel... but again, this is a minor concern, especially in
this game. And unless you triple-class, it won't even be that big of a
deal. Multi-classed characters must abide by the restrictions of BOTH
classes. A Fighter/Mage could wear Fighter armor, but not cast spells
while so doing. A Fighter/Cleric could not use swords or bows. A
Thief/Cleric could sneak, but not in heavy armor, and so on.
Dual-and-Multi-Classing in Baldur's Gate 2
{DND016}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
There is one significant advantage to multi-classing over dual-classing
in Baldur's Gate 2, namely in the selection of Epic Level Feats. Upon
reaching a certain experience threshold (and every level thereafter)
you'll get to pick a feat, many of which are phenomenally strong. If
you dual-class, you'll never again level up with your dormant class,
meaning you'll never get these feats. A dual-class Fighter/Thief might
have all the perks of a Fighter, and unimpeded progression in thieving
skills as well, but they will never get the Epic Fighter feats. A
multi-classed Fighter/Thief will, however. This is something to keep in
mind for later, if you plan on making a character that imports to the
sequel. Consider yourself duly warned-if your 'uber' Fighter/Thief
dual-classer turns out to be a sissy late in the sequel because you
can't get Greater Whirlwind Attack(s)... it's on you.
Class Kits
{DND017}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
In Baldur's Gate most single-classes have 'kits' which are basically
variants of the normal class. These include everything from shape
shifting Druids, combat-focused Bards, Paladins skilled at thwarting
Mages, sword saint Fighters, and Rangers who are truly dedicated
archers. For the most part the kit functions like the normal class, with
a few advantages and disadvantages thrown in. Note that you cannot
multi-class with a kit, but you can start out with a kit or
specialization and then dual class into a class without a kit or
specialization.
o==========================o
|Barbarian
|
o==========================o
CLASS FEATURES:
--> May not wear armor heavier than splint mail.
{DND018}
-->
May not exceed Specialization (two slots) with any weapon class.
-->
May achieve Specialization (two slots) in any fighting style and
allocate three slots in Two-Weapon Style.
-->
Moves 2 points faster than other characters.
-->
Immune to Backstab.
-->
May use the Rage ability once per day every 4 levels (starts at
1st level with one use).
RAGE: The enraged status lasts for five rounds and provides a +4 bonus
to Strength and Constitution, a -2 penalty to Armor Class and a +2 bonus
to Saving Throws vs. Spell, as well as immunity to all Charm, Hold,
Fear, Maze, Stun, Sleep, Confusion, and Level Drain spells.
-->
11th level: Gains 10% resistance to crushing, slashing,
piercing, and missile damage. An additional 5% is gained at
level 15 and 19.
--> Hit Dice: d12
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
A Barbarian certainly looks like a viable choice for any warrior, but
keep in mind that they aren't great on defense, as they can't use the
heaviest armor in the game. It doesn't help that one of their key
abilities actually lowers their Armor Class further, so don't rely on
them to 'hold the line', although the extra Hit Points gained from
raging will certainly help, even more so considering that Overhaul Games
had to good sense to actually give them the d12 Hit Dice they were
supposed to have had in the original Baldur's Gate 2. Their rage ability
raises their Strength and Constitution by 4 points, which is HUGE, but
since it lasts only five rounds... well... you'll need to burn through
a lot of them just to finish a fight, while a normal Fighter could do
just fine with potions of giant Strength, and later on in a sequel that
Strength superiority will be rendered less impressive. Girdles of Giant
Strength means any Fighter can enjoy being part of the high-Strength
club... all the time... with no fatigue. All things considered, it might
be better to just get a Fighter with Grand Mastery. They keep those
combat bonuses all the time, and can wear heavier armor. Unless you're
really into role-playing a baba, I can't really recommend them over a
Fighter, even though they move faster and gain some resistances to
slashing, piercing, crushing, and missile damage. Of course, if you're
patient and you get your hands on some sweet White Dragon Scale armor
in the sequel, those Armor Class woes will become a thing of the past...
Barbarian
Level EXP
HP
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
1
n/a
1d12
2
2,000
2d12
3
4,000
3d12
4
8,000
4d12
5
16,000
5d12
6
32,000
6d12
7
64,000
7d12
8
125,000
8d12
o==========================o
|Bard
|
{DND019}
o==========================o
CLASS FEATURES:
--> May not wear armor heavier than chain mail. (Spells canont be
cast while wearing armor.)
-->
May not equip shields larger than bucklers.
-->
May only become Proficient (one slot) in any weapon class.
-->
May only become Proficient (one slot) in any fighting style.
-->
Thieving abilities: Pick Pockets.
-->
Increased Lore score.
-->
May cast arcane spells starting at 2nd level.
-->
May use Bard Song ability. While active, the Bard Song has the
following effects:
Restore Morale to its average value
Remove Fear
Protection From Fear
-->
Alignment restricted to any neutral.
--> Hit die: d6
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Bards are rogues with a flair for the dramatic. They sing, they dance,
they cast spells... they just aren't as good at the whole Thiefy thing.
Not being a self-contained game anymore, Bards are no longer even worth
a glance in the first Baldur's Gate. Their fighting abilities are
sub-par, and their spells will become limited in the sequel. Granted,
they'll get a good number of great spells, but when you compare them to
a Fighter/Mage or Fighter/Mage/Thief, they're woefully under-powered.
Even with their best Bard Songs in the sequel, their effects fail to
compare to the devastation a Fighter/Mage can bring about. In the
first game, however, their Bard Song is laughably the equivalent of a
1st-level Cleric spell.
Bard
Level EXP
HP
Spells
Pick Pockets
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
1
n/a
1d6
40%
2
1,250
2d6 1
45%
3
2,500
3d6 2
50%
4
5,000
4d6 2/1
55%
5
10,000
5d6 3/1
60%
6
20,000
6d6 3/2
65%
7
40,000
7d6 3/2/1
70%
8
70,000
8d6 3/3/1
75%
9
110,000
9d6 3/3/2
80%
10
160,000
9d6+2 3/3/2/1
85%
Blade
{DND020}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
A Blade might seem like a good idea on paper, as it gets Offensive Spin
and Defensive Spin abilities... but let's look at them critically.
Offensive Spin doesn't stack with Haste, so it's really only giving you
a +2 bonus to attack and damage, which will not make a you a competitive
front-liner, even if the max damage is nice. Defensive Spin might not go
past a +10 bonus, but for a Bard that's still a pretty hefty benefit.
As for the 'disadvantages' Pick Pockets can be raised with potions, and
won't be a huge issue, and Lore is pretty useless anyways. Just keep in
mind that these benefits are largely going to be redundant by the time
you get deep into the sequel. Defensively, you're fine, but you'll never
be able to compete with a Fighter's THAC0 (single, dual, or multiclassed), and lacking Greater Whirlwind... well, it's not much of an
offensive character after long. Don't get me wrong, this class is
wretchedly powerful in the first game-when Fighters haven't really
broken away from pretenders with their THAC0s yet, and when that bonus
to Armor Class will be an absolute game-breaker, but in the sequel,
they'll lose most of their bite.
Advantages:
--> May play 3 slots in Two-Weapon Style.
-->
May use the Offensive Spin and Defensive Spin abilities once per
day per 4 levels.
OFFENSIVE SPIN: During the next 24 seconds, the Blade's movement rate
doubles and she gains a +2 bonus to hit and damage rolls as well as an
extra attack per round. All attacks deal maximum damage for the
duration. Offensive spin may not be used in conjunction with the Haste
or Improved Haste spells.
DEFENSIVE SPIN: During the next 24 seconds, the Blade is rooted to the
spot and gains a +1 bonus to Armor Class per level, up to a maximum of
+10.
Disadvantages:
--> Only has one half normal Lore value.
-->
Only has one half normal Pick Pockets score.
Jester
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
{DND021}
The Jester has been improved somewhat in recent patches, but still
suffers from a number of problems. First, Bards aren't terribly hardy,
and forcing them to be within 30 feet of foes is just asking for
trouble. Instead of forcing a save at +4 for their confusion effect
(as they used to), they now do so at a +2, and as they level up they
apply additional effects to their song. Confusion and Slow are pretty
good effects, but even at a +2 bonus, I'd rather just use the arcane
spell, both of which impose a penalty to saves, instead of a wussy +2
version. Their 20th level bonus is just absurd-knocking a foe unconcious
entirely renders the confusion and slow useless, so why bother?
Confusion might be a good ability to affect foes with early on,
especially when saves are generally high, but later in the game any Mage
will debilitate foes better. Heck, by that time I'd rather have the
Jester itself doing better things. The Slow by 15th level is too little,
too late. If you must play a bard, you'd be better off with a Skald or
a Blade.
Advantages:
--> Jester's song does not help allies. Instead, every opponent
within 30 feet must save once per round to avoid falling under
its effects:
1st level: Enemies must save vs. Spell with a +2 bonus or be
be confused
15th level: Enemies must save vs. Spell with a +2 bonus or be
confused, and must save vs. Spell or be slowed.
20th level: Enemies must save vs. Spell with a +2 bonus or be
confused, must save vs. Spell at +2 or be knocked unconsious,
and must save vs. Spell or be slowed.
Disadvantages:
--> None.
Skald
{DND022}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Now if you want a melee handy Bard, this is the way to go. +1 to hit and
damage all the time beats a Blade's offering. And what about their Bard
song? Those bonuses are absolutely awesome! I mean, you can't get the
really, really good bonuses in this game, but even the lower-level
version is pretty damn good. As for their disadvantage? Pick pockets is
useless anyways, so don't worry about having a low value there. You can
always use potions when you need to. Overall, this is probably the best
Bard kit... in the long run.
Advantages:
--> +1 to hit and +1 to damage rolls.
-->
The Skald's song is different from the typical Bard's and varies
with level:
1st: Grants allies a +2 to hit and damage rolls, and a +2 bonus
to AC.
15th: Grants allies a +4 to hit and damage rolls, a +4 bonus
to AC, and immunity to fear.
20th: Grants allies a +4 to hit and damage rolls, a +4 bonus
to AC, and immunity to fear, stun, and confusion.
Disadvantages:
--> Only has one quarter the normal Pick Pockets score.
o==========================o
|Cleric
|
o==========================o
CLASS FEATURES:
--> May wear helmets.
{DND023}
-->
May wear any armor.
-->
May only use non-bladed, non-piercing weapons (war hammer, club,
flail, mace, quarterstaff, sling).
-->
May only become Proficient (one slot) in any weapon class.
-->
May only become Proficient (on slot) in any weapon fight style.
-->
May Turn Undead.
-->
May cast priest spells.
-->
Hit Die: d8
Prime Requisite for Dual-Classing: Wisdom
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
The Cleric is a spell caster who is more melee-capable, with mostly
defensive, healing, and status-affecting spells. They might not have
the sheer versatility of a Mage, but they've got a number of great
spells, especially in the sequel. And of course, if you want to have
healing power at your fingertips, this is the best way to get it. On
the other hand, the developers give you plenty of recruitable Clerics to
choose from, and there's not much you'll gain by making your own singleclassed Cleric compared to what your allies can provide. If you make a
multi-classed Fighter/Cleric, however... ugh... you know, Jaheira and
Anomen will do a fine job with that, and Viconia is a great singleclassed Cleric. You don't really need to make yourself a Cleric. If you
do, however, just don't forget that Clerics are restricted to blunt
weapons, so don't expect to dual-or-multi-class into a bow-wielding
sword-swinging Fighter type with Cleric spells. Clerics can turn undead,
which is useful in... well, making undead flee. But the undead this
works on are so weak, it's more of a chore to have to chase them down
than to simply kill them, and it likely won't work on more powerful
undead, so I can't recommend using it often.
Cleric
Level EXP
HP
Spells
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
1
n/a
1d8 1
2
1,500
2d8 2
3
3,000
3d8 2/1
4
6,000
4d8 3/2
5
13,000
5d8 3/3/1
6
27,500
6d8 3/3/2
7
55,000
7d8 3/3/2/1
8
110,000
8d8 3/3/3/2
Priest of Talos
{DND024}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Lightning Bolt isn't a great spell, but Storm Shield provide some
interesting bonuses to your resistances, at least. Once per day per ten
levels of the caster means... once... but at least it lasts a long time.
Advantages:
--> May cast Lightning bolt once per day per 5 levels of the caster
(starts at 1st level with one use.)
-->
May cast 'Storm Shield' once per day per 10 levels of the caster
(starts at 1st level with one use), as detailed below.
STORM SHIELD: This spell lasts 1 round per level of the caster. It
protects the caster from lightning, fire, cold, and normal missiles.
Disadvantages:
-->
Alignment restricted to evil.
Priest of Helm
{DND025}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
The Priest of Helm may be the best variant, especially for evil parties.
Having some extra True Sight spells cannot be underestimated. Seeking
Sword is a little lame, but it does give you a +4 weapon, allowing you
to strike foes that require highly enchanted weapons... mostly a sequel
concern. Its damage doesn't stand up, but it does give you three attacks
per round, even though it takes away your ability to cast spells for its
duration, which blows. Alright, it's really all about the True Sight,
but dammit, that spell is good enough that it's worth it. It's like
having a Cleric with an extra 5th-level spell slot per five levels!
Advantages:
--> May cast True Sight once per day per 5 levels (starts at 1st
level with one use).
-->
May cast Seeking Sword once per day per 10 levels (starts at 1st
level with one use), as detailed below.
SEEKING SWORD: This spell creates a sword in the Cleric's hand (that
cannot be dropped or unequipped). The sword is +4 for purposes of
determining what it can hit (but this bonus does not apply to attack or
damage rolls), and it deals out 2d4 damage to any target it hits. The
weapon sets the number of attacks of the Cleric to 3. It lasts for 1
round per level of the caster. When equipped the wielder cannot cast
further spells.
Disadvantages:
--> Alignment restricted to neutral.
Priest of Lathander
{DND026}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Another good Cleric kit, if you really don't like undead, this is worth
a glance. Hold Undead is decent at stopping some undead, but it probably
won't work terribly often. The Boon of Lathander, however, is a very
nice ability, making the Cleric more potent for its fairly lengthy
duration. There are few enough good ways to make yourself immune to
level drain, and while you won't need the protection in the first game,
there are plenty of level-draining foes in the sequel. Still, if push
comes to shove, I'd rather have the True Sight the Priest of Helm gets,
than immunity to level drain.
Advantages:
-->
May cast Hold Undead once per day for every 5 levels of the
caster (starts at 1st level with one use).
-->
May cast Boon of Lathander for every 10 levels of the caster,
(starts at 1st level with one use), as detailed below.
BOON OF LATHANDER: This spell lasts for 1 round per level of the
caster. It gives the caster a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls, a +1
bonus to all Saving Throws, and 1 extra attack per round. It also
protects the recipient from level drain.
Disadvantages:
--> Alignment restricted to good.
o==========================o
|Cleric/Ranger
|
{DND027}
o==========================o
Thanks to some wise advice I received from my readers, my eyes were
opened to the merits of this class. To be fair, they're not readily
apparent through much of the first game, but in the sequel, this multiclass combination really becomes something special. Why, then, mention
it here? Well, this guide is all about continuity, and really, in
Baldur's Gate 1, none of the multi-class combos fully come into their
own (even my beloved Fighter/Mage). If you want a great character for
the first game only... well, then just play a Fighter and muscle
through everything. Or a Blade. Anyways, the big draw of a Cleric/Ranger
over the superficially similar Fighter/Cleric is a simple matter of
spell selection. They'll both get Clerical spells, obviously, but the
Ranger/Cleric will also get Druidic spells (thanks to their Ranger
levels). Mind you, you won't get two separate spellbooks for Cleric and
Druid spells, instead you'll get Druidic spells mixed in with your
Cleric spells... meaning you get extra spell-selection (if not extra
spell memorization) with absolutely no downside. Other than that...
well, the Fighter/Cleric has the same weapon selection, same weapon
proficiency limitations, same Hit Points... and no ability to sneak
about (for what good that does, without a backstab), so why not just
play a Cleric/Ranger instead?
o==========================o
|Druid
|
{DND028}
o==========================o
CLASS FEATURES:
--> May not wear armor heavier than studded leather.
-->
May not equip shields larger than bucklers.
-->
May only use the following weapons: scimitar, dagger, club,
spear, quarterstaff, dart, sling.
-->
May only become proficient (one slot) in any weapon class.
-->
May only become proficient (one slot) in any fighting style.
-->
May cast druidic spells.
-->
7th level: May Shapeshift into a wolf, black bear, or brown bear
once per day.
-->
15th level: Becomes immune to poison.
-->
18th level: Gains 10% resistance to cold, fire, electricity and
acid, gains a further 10% resistance at levels 21 and 24.
-->
Alignment resticted to true neutral.
-->
Hit Die: d8
Prime Requisite for Dual-Classing: Wisdom, Charisma
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Druids are a lot like Clerics, but instead of worshiping gods they are
typically animists and get their power from nature itself. How does that
matter? It doesn't really. Their spells are more nature-focused... why
this doesn't allow them to have Protection from Evil 10' Radius or Hold
Person is beyond me, but they still have a good selection of spells
none-the-less. In addition, they aren't afraid to use edged or piercing
weapons. Unfortunately, they don't like metal, so they can't use heavy
armor, most shields, or many of the better weapons that Clerics can.
Let's face it, a morning star or mace is better than a dagger any day.
In all, they won't be as well protected as a Cleric, and frankly, the
Cleric has the edge on them in spells. Druids can't turn undead, but
they can shapechange in later levels. This allows them to change into a
brown bear, black bear, or wolf... although I can't think of a single
instance in when this is useful. In the sequel they become even more
poorly matched when compared to a Cleric, as their Armor Class woes
become severe. A Cleric isn't a good type of character to get into
combat with in the first place, but at least Clerics have armor to keep
themselves alive. If you MUST play a Druid, make a Fighter/Druid. This
eliminates the armor problem. And shield problem. And melee incompetence
problem... But you already have Jaheira, so... why bother?
Druid
Level EXP
HP
Spells
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
1
n/a
1d8 1
2
2,000
2d8 2
3
4,000
3d8 2/1
4
7,500
4d8 3/2
5
12,500
5d8 3/3/1
6
20,000
6d8 3/3/2
7
35,000
7d8 3/3/2/1
8
60,000
8d8 3/3/3/2
9
90,000
9d8 4/4/3/2/1
10
125,000
9d8+2 4/4/3/3/2
Totemic Druid
{DND029}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
You can summon weak monsters, but you can't shapeshift into weak
monsters. Huzzah.
Advantages:
--> May summon a special spirit animal (spirit bear, spirit wolf,
spirit lion, spirit snake) once per day ever 5 levels. The
Totemic Druid can call a 1 HD animal at level 1, a 3 HD animal
at level 3, a 5 HD animal aat level 5, a 7 HD animal at level
10, and a 10 HD animal at level 10.
Disadvantages:
--> Cannot Shapeshift.
Shapeshifter
{DND030}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
You can become a Werewolf, and eventually a Greater Werewolf (at least
in the sequel), which is... well... everything to this kit.
Unfortunately in the original Baldur's Gate 2 this class was nerfed-the
Werewolf you got was nowhere near where it should have been... even
still, if it wasn't nerfed, it was nowhere near as strong as it should
have been. Now we have the Enhanced Edition, so the big question for
this kit is... does it work now? I have no idea, honestly, there's
no (legitimate) way to test the Greater Werewolf in the Enhanced
Edition. But I can-and did-do some testing of the normal Werewolf, and
from what I've seen... the answer appears to be no. The Werewolf
shapeshift raises... no... not raises... SETS your Strength to 19,
Dexterity to 16, and Constitution to 15. The problem here, of course,
is that you can-and should-start with higher values in at least
Dexterity and Constitution. Also, any character can easily get the Tome
of Gainful Exercise in this game and raise their Strength by one point
permanently. That 19 Strength looks less wonderful when you realize ANY
character starting with an 18 Strength can-and should-end up with a 19
by the end of the game. And they don't have to Shapeshift to get it.
Otherwise, the Shapeshift sets your Armor Class to one (-1 with the 16
Dexterity), gives you two attacks per round, and 20% magic resistance.
As far as I can tell, that's all you get. No immunity to non-magical
weapons, nothing. As you can plainly see, this class will be
out-performed by any well-rolled 2nd level Fighter wearing Plate Mail
Armor, and as our hypothetical Shapeshifter as their superior Fighter
pal level, this potency gap will only widen. This class was a load of
crap in Baldur's Gate 2, and it's a load of crap in the Enhanced
Edition. Really, Overhaul Games? The Baldur's Gate 2 Tweak Pack fixed
this and you couldn't/wouldn't? Maybe the Werewolf/Greater Werewolf
shapeshift in Baldur's Gate 2 wasn't nerfed... maybe it was canon. It
was SUPPOSED to suck, sure. But a Werewolf that isn't immune to
non-magical weapons? No regeneration of any kind? Why is the
Shapeshifter's Werewolf/Greater Werewolf transformation weaker than any
actual Werewolf/Greater Werewolf monster in the game? It makes NO sense.
Advantages:
--> May shapeshift into the form of a Werewolf once per day for
every 2 levels (starts at 1st level with one use).
-->
At 13th level gains the ability to change into a Greater
Werewolf once per day.
Disadvantages:
--> May not wear any armor.
-->
No other shapeshifting abilities due to the effort required in
maintaining balance in his primary forms.
Avenger
{DND031}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Well, I'll admit that Improved Invisibility, Chaos, and Chain Lightning
are all good additions, but the shapechanges are worthless. And losing
the Strength and Constitution? The Constitution isn't bad for a singleclassed Druid as they can't exceed a +2 bonus at 16 anyways, but the
Strength? That hurts. It's not a like a Druid was going to be very
strong anyways, so the loss of one point of to hit and damage isn't
very severe, and nothing a Giant Strength item can't fix. Losing access
to Studded Leather Armor is... well... annoying, but there's not a huge
difference between one sucky suit of armor and the next anyways. It's
rather hard to critique this kit at all, given the whole feeling of
'who cares' when talking about the Druid in general... Still, while the
4th, 5th, and 6th level all spells are decent, Improved Invisibility
can be obtained other ways (at least in the sequel, where it counts),
Chaos will have to compete with Insect Plague, and Chain Lightning is a
mediocre damage-dealer. At the end of the day, you're probably better
off being able to wear better armor than being able to cast Improved
Invisibility, which is easily duplicated and will be just as easily
removed by over-zealous foes using True Sight. Lastly, there are plenty
of Mages to cast Chaos-but only Druids can cast Insect Plague, so why
not stick to what they're good at? This class is essentially a dubious
defensive trade-off in return for a spell you won't need to memorize and
an okay damage-dealer. It has its good points, sure, and is clearly the
least-offensive Druid kit... but at the end of the day you're still
stuck with playing a Druid.
Advantages:
--> May shapechange into the form of a sword spider, baby wyvern,
and fire salamander besides the normal shapeshifting abilities.
-->
Six mage spells are added to his repertoire, all the way up to
6th level.
These are listed below:
1st level: Chromatic Orb.
2nd level: Web.
3rd level: Lightning Bolt.
4th level: Improved Invisibility.
5th level: Chaos.
6th level: Chain Lightning.
Disadvantages:
--> May not wear heavier armor than leather.
-->
Incurs a -2 penalty to Strength and Constitution.
o==========================o
|Fighter
|
o==========================o
CLASS FEATURES:
{DND032}
-->
May wear helmets.
-->
May wear any armor and use any weapon.
-->
May achieve Grand Mastery (five slots) with any weapon class.
-->
May achieve Specialization (two slots) in any fighting style and
allocate three slots in Two-Weapon Style.
-->
Hit Die: d10
Prime Requisite for Dual-Classing: Strength
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Making your own Fighter is the easy choice for the first game, and
frankly having a Fighter with 18(xx) Strength, 18 Dexterity, and 18
Constitution will allow you to muscle through this game, especially if
you attain High Mastery in a weapon. If you want to go through the game
with a Fighter, you can... and should... consider dual-classing... after
you hit 9th level and get Grand Mastery, anyways. And that's really
what this class is best at. On its own, it's rather one dimensional-even
if it's really, really good at that dimension! But as a multi-or-dualclass option, it's wonderful. Make a dual-or-multi-classed Fighter/Mage
and enjoy (most) of the awesome melee power and survivability of a
Fighter... and cast spells to enhance that power! Make a Fighter/Thief
to obtain a more sturdy, melee-competent Thief. It's a great class
when it plays with others, and since the game gives you plenty of good,
stale, single-classed Fighters, why over-saturate the market when you
can make something better? Dual-or-multi-classing a Fighter/Mage or
Fighter/Thief or Fighter/Cleric will give you the best results. Just
remember, dual-classers, the best benefits of a Fighter are their low
THAC0, high Hit Points, and the ability to Grand Master. Most of which
can be obtained by level nine, which is the ideal time to dual-class
from a Fighter. For multi-classers... well, you get to keep that
awesome THAC0 until you cap at level 20, and those great Hit Points
dilute whatever crappy Hit Points your second (and possibly, third)
class gives you. Best of all, you'll get the Fighter high-level
abilities in the sequel... which means Greater whirlwind Attack. These
are, of course, all considerations for the sequel. In the first game,
if you plan to dual-class you'll ideally do so next game, playing
the entirety of Baldur's Gate through with a single-classed Fighter.
Fighter
Level EXP
HP
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
1
n/a
1d10
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
2,000
4,000
8,000
16,000
32,000
64,000
125,000
2d10
3d10
4d10
5d10
6d10
7d10
8d10
Berserker
{DND033}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
If you want to be like your pal Minsc, this is the way to go. Rage is
a decent ability that gives you a bonus to hit and damage, but imposes
an Armor Class penalty. One turn is a fairly long time, and since you
get many of them, you'll be able to keep yourself juiced up. I think
every Fighter should have a ranged option, however, and not being able
to specialize in ranged weapons... well, you could always use a Throwing
Axe or something similar. It's a decent kit, although even with Korgan
(a Berserker in the sequel) I hardly ever used the abilities it
provides. Again, not because it's not good, but because I was wary of
the Hit Point loss at the end. I never felt it absolutely necessary to
have those bonuses at the potential risk of having a character come down
from Rage and die. Also note the penalties after you exit Rage-it's not
a free ride. Still, all things considered it adds a little extra
potential to the Fighter with no significant downsides. I give it a
pass, especially since the list of immunities while enraged has
increased a good deal in the Enhanced Edition. Immunity to imprisonment,
stun, and level drain? Yes please. I can already think of several places
where that would come in very hand in the sequel... Since this class
makes a great single-class option, it should be no surprise that it
would also make a great dual-class base. A Berserker/Thief,
Berserker/Mage, or Berserker/Cleric certainly wouldn't be hurt by the
ability to Rage.
Note that you gain 15 'temporary' Hit Points when you use enrage.
Temporary is not the same as free. If you lose any of these Hit Points,
you'll suffer when you come out of Rage, this just allows you to weather
a little more damage before you die while in Rage. Be sure to have a
Cleric handy to heal a Rage-using Berserker if their Hit Points are low.
Nothing sucks more than having a character fall over dead after winning
a tough fight. Right Aec'Letec? Asshole.
Advantages:
--> May use Rage ability once per day every four levels.
RAGE: The enraged state lasts for 1 turn. While enraged, a Berserker
gains a bonus of +2 to his attack and damage rolls as well as his Armor
Class, and becomes immune to charm, confusion, fear, feeblemind, hold,
maze, imprisonment, level drain, maze, stun, and sleep. The Berserker
also gains 15 temporary Hit Points which are taken away at the end of
his berserk spree, possibly killing him.
Disadvantages:
--> Becomes winded after berserking: -2 penalty to Armor Class,
to-hit rolls and damage rolls.
-->
May not Specialize in ranged weapons.
Wizard Slayer
{DND034}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
The Wizard Slayer is good against spell casters, but weak against
everything else. Their lack of the ability to use any magical equipment
save weapons and armor might actually make them more vulnerable to Mages
than a straight Fighter! And they do mean ANY magical items except
armor. Fortunately this allows them to wear Helmets and use Shields, but
no Cloaks, Rings, Bracers, Girdles or Necklaces. Honestly, an Inquisitor
Paladin kit is a MUCH better Mage-killer than this class could ever
aspire to be. Being able to drop a True Sight or Dispel Magic at will
absolutely confounds most Mages, especially with their quick cast times.
If you want a Mage-buster, do that instead. The Inquisitor suffers no
significant drawbacks and gets-for my money-better abilities in return.
Advantages:
--> Each successful hit bestows a 10% cumulative chance of spell
failure on the target.
-->
1% Magic Resistance per level.
Disadvantages:
--> May not use any magic items except for weapons and armor.
Kensai
{DND035}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Again, I prefer all my characters to have a ranged option, and this
class takes some of the better options away from my characters. Granted
a Two Weapon Style Fighter will probably not use a ranged weapon very
much, but there are more severe problems than that. A +2 bonus to Armor
Class does not counter the lack of wearing any armor at all, and the
fact that you can't wear gauntlets or bracers means you can't even shore
up your defenses with Bracers of Defense. Sure, there are plenty of
items that increase your Armor Class marginally, but the Kensai is going
to be chewed up in combat nonetheless. Its bonuses are good, but in my
mind I just don't think the bonuses to hit and damage and a few rounds
of the 'kai' ability make up for the total lack of armor. And of course,
if you're throwing every scrap of Armor Class lowering gear on the
Kensai, every other character who needs it will suffer, too. They just
drag the whole party down with their suck. I almost hate to say it, but
the Berserker, Inquisitor, or even a plain Fighter will be stronger, all
things considered. In fact, I'd even rather play a Skald through both
games than play a Kensai. At least the Skald could temper their inferior
offense with magic and a great Bard Song. But wait... maybe I'm missing
something... right, this is the Enhanced Edition! One of the big draws
of any Fighter is their ability to dual-class, right? But in the
original guides, I wanted continuity, which meant I couldn't (for
obvious reasons) start as a Kensai in Baldur's Gate 1, then dual-class
in Baldur's Gate 2. Of course, I could have made my own Kensai in
Baldur's Gate 2 and dual-classed... but what fun is that? I wanted to
go through BOTH games with the SAME character. Now you can have your
Kensai and eat it too. If you were thinking about dual-classing with a
Fighter as your base class, it might not be a terrible idea to get some
of those Kensai bonuses. A Kensai/Mage or Kensai/Thief isn't a terrible
idea, and in the sequel you can cover up your Armor Class woes a bit by
getting some of the superior Bracers of Defense the game offers. I still
don't find the dual-class option nearly as appealing as a multi-class
one, but the bonuses gained by a Kensai will make a superior character
base to dual with. After all, a dual-class Kensai/Mage will have
defensive buffs to help them out, and a dual-class Kensai/Thief
shouldn't be expected to hold the line anyways. A single-class Kensai,
however, is garbage.
Note that the Kensai's armor exemption really does mean ALL armor, even
armor which isn't encumbering enough to block spells such as Bladesinger
Chain (a great suit of armor in the sequel). There is one exception
though... the Big Metal Unit near the end of the sequel, which will
bestow upon the character a phenomenal armor class, if you can make it
to the end of Throne of Bhaal, anyways. By then you're pretty much done
with the game though.
Advantages:
--> +2 bonus to Armor Class.
-->
+1 to hit and damage rolls every 3 levels.
-->
-1 bonus to Speed Factor every 4 levels.
-->
May use the Kai ability once per day ever 4 level (starting at
1st level with one use).
KAI: All successful attacks within the next 10 seconds deal maximum
damage.
Disadvantages:
--> May not wear any armor.
-->
May not use missile weapons.
-->
May not wear gauntlets or bracers.
Dwarven Defender
{DND036}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
The only class the Human can't play, the Dwarven Defender, as its name
subtly implies, requires a Dwarven protagonist. As you might expect,
this class is all about fitting into cliches and defense. What do
Dwarves fight with? Axes and War Hammers. So what are the only two
weapons the Dwarven Defender can attain High Mastery (four ranks) with?
Axes and War Hammers, of course. Fair enough, one of the best weapons
in the game is a War Hammer, which can be obtained almost right out of
Candlekeep, and whilest good magical axes are scarce, they're not
non-existent. Not being able to Grand Master in any weapons might hurt
in the long-run (and when it comes to character creation, this is a
long-run kind of guide), but many other classes get away with worse
restrictions-it all depends on what other abilities they bring to the
table. On this account the Dwarven Defender does alright. Their
Defensive Stance seems great-the 50% resistance to physical damage,
especially, but one turn is ten rounds, which isn't the longest period
of time, especially when they're moving at half speed. Also, mind that
the resistance is to 'physical damage'. This will not help a bit against
spells, which will be much more of a concern in the sequel, but at least
they throw in a +2 bonus to Saving Throws, whatever small measure that
is. I'm also concerned about the movement speed issue, which might make
tactical withdrawals (not retreats!) for healing less likely to end in
preserving the life of the Dwarven Defender... an ironic disadvantage,
to be sure. More mouth-watering to gamers will be the brute 5% damage
reduction gain every 5th level (maximum 20% at 20th level) and the d12
Hit Dice per level... but wait... this sounds awfully familiar, doesn't
it? Pretty much identical bonuses to what the Barbarian gets. Good thing
the Dwarven Defender has better proficiency selection and can wear
heavier armor, making them the superior choice in my book. The Dwarven
Defender might be one of those rare kits which is actually better than
the base class-but it still pales in comparison with some of the better
dual-and-multi-class combinations out there. Surely no character who
can cast Stoneskin will care a bit about any of the Dwarven Defender's
resistances.
Advantages:
--> May use Defensive Stance once per day every 4 levels (starts at
1st level with one use).
DEFENSIVE STANCE: For 1 turn, the Dwarven Defender gains +50% resistance
to all forms of physical damage, a +2 bonus to Saving Throws, and a 50%
movement rate penalty.
-->
Gains 5% resistance to crushing, slashing, piercing, and missile
damage every 5 levels to a maximum of 20% at level 20.
-->
Hit Dice: d12
Disadvantages:
--> Race restricted to Dwarf.
-->
May not exceed High Mastery (four slots) in axes and war
hammers.
-->
May not exceed Specialization (two slots) in any other weapon.
o==========================o
|Fighter/Cleric
|
{DND037}
o==========================o
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
You'll have a better Fighter than a straight Cleric, or a weaker Fighter
with Clerical spells, depending on how you view it. I always thought a
Fighter/Druid was a more interesting concept, as it fixed the problems
inherent with the latter class. Still, a more powerful Cleric is a real
good thing, this is almost as good as a straight Fighter and with a
good selection of Cleric spells to boot. Ultimately the Fighter/Mage is
stronger due to its defensive spells, but this is no slouch of a multiclass either. For a more battle-hardened dual-class option, consider a
Berserker/Cleric. It's as close as you can get to a barbarian warpriest, and all things considered, probably wouldn't make a terribly
play.
o==========================o
|Fighter/Druid
|
{DND038}
o==========================o
This combination works almost exactly like the Fighter/Cleric, except
that you will of course have Druid spells instead of Clerical ones, and
you will have the Druid weapon selection, which includes Scimitars, but
doesn't allow War Hammers, Maces, and Flails. The game provides you with
a perfectly fine recruitable Fighter/Druid in Jaheira, so I don't know
why you'd ever need to make your own.
o==========================o
|Fighter/Mage
|
{DND039}
o==========================o
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
My favorite class, and possibly the strongest in the game... at least,
by the time you make it into the sequel. You can't wear armor and cast
spells at the same time, but that's hardly an issue in this game, where
you have many ways to improve your Armor Class without having to wear
armor. Bracers of Defense are one obvious way, while Robes of the
Archmagi will give you the same protection as Chain Mail. Although this
won't be enough to make you terribly safe on the front lines, that's
where the Mage comes in. Pop on defensive spells like Blur, Mirror
Image, Stoneskin, and Improved Invisibility and you've got defensive
protection a Fighter can only dream of-shiny armor be damned. Normally
the poor Fighter/Mage would have to wait until Baldur's Gate 2 to come
into their own, but the expanded spells of the Enhanced Edition allows
this class to start making a good show for themselves later in the
first game. It's really all about Stoneskin, folks. On a Mage, it keeps
them safe, on a Mage with serious melee competency, it turns them into
juggernauts. Normally I'd suggest using the Fighter/Mage mostly as an
archer in the first game... but with the Enhanced Edition, we can't
respec when we move to the sequel. That means we need to have our
proficiencies good to go for Baldur's Gate 2 in Baldur's Gate 1. For me,
this always means investing in the Two-Weapon Style. Depending on your
tastes, Katanas, Flails, Long Swords, and Axes all make great showings
in the sequel. In the first game, however, I advocate Flails-not just
because few other characters will compete with them, nor because we can
purchase a +2 specimen, but because we can score an awesome Flail in the
sequel fairly early in the game. Once again, Fighter/Mages really come
into their own in the sequel. I know I've said that several times, but
it should be stressed-delayed gratification in this game will lead to a
super-tank character that can soak up magic or melee attacks with the
right spells memorized, and retort with a devastating Time Stop/Greater
Whirlwind combo. Since dual-class options won't be able to get warrior
high-level abilities (Greater Whirlwind), I don't suggest them. The
Kensai can keep their bonuses to attack and damage, I'd rather have the
Time Stop/Greater Whirlwind combo... unless you think a few points of
damage, a +2 bonus to Armor Class, and the Kai ability will be able to
compete with ten free attacks per round against a helpless foe, thanks
to the aforementioned Greater Whirlwind/Time Stop combo.
o==========================o
|Fighter/Mage/Cleric |
{DND040}
o==========================o
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Ah, the triple-classer. In the sequel you'll get to pretty high levels
with all three classes, meaning you won't start to feel the hurt of your
choice too much. Sure, it's going to be hell getting this class up and
running (you'll be level one still when most of your buddies are hitting
level three and four) but when you start casting third level Mage and
Cleric spells, everything is forgiven. Also note that because of the
Cleric you won't be much of an archer, as you'll be regulated to slings
which... are not very good. This class might be an example of just too
many options, not enough rounds. You'll be able to spell buff pretty
well, but in combat you can still only take one action a round. That's
one Mage spell, one Cleric spell, or one attack. Having all that
versatility in one character doesn't really mean much if you can't bring
it to bear. The most crippling thing this, and all triple-classed
characters will suffer is the fact that they won't get many epic feats
in the sequel. Not legitimately, anyways.
o==========================o
|Fighter/Mage/Thief |
{DND041}
o==========================o
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
This class suffers from many of the problems the Fighter/Mage/Cleric
suffers from, but in a lesser degree. Firstly, most Thief skills are
useful out of combat, or as telling first strikes. It's not another host
of spells you're trying to cast in a finite window of time, meaning the
Thief actually enhances the Fighter and the Mage. Also, the Thief is
capable of using a much greater selection of weapons than the Cleric,
allowing you to diversify your weapons and tactics much more. A
Fighter/Mage/Thief in essence works like a combination of the
Fighter/Mage and Fighter/Thief. All in all, it's a slightly toned-down
Fighter/Mage, with Thieving abilities thrown in-great for a suffering
evil party! Plus, you'll have the option to jump on other spell-casters
with pre-emptive backstabs, whereas the Fighter/Mage cannot. While the
Fighter/Mage is arguably more destructive in the long run (at least in
the sequel) the Fighter/Mage/Thief will be more versatile. Even though
it's difficult to get this class off the ground-a Fighter protagonist
with 18 Constitution and 4,000 experience can get up to 42 Hit Points,
but a Fighter/Mage/Thief with the same Constitution and experience will
have a pathetic 11 Hit Points-I still think it's the best evil character
to take through both games.
o==========================o
|Fighter/Thief
|
{DND042}
o==========================o
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
This class easily matches a Ranger's skill with weapons while having the
same quirks. Some important differences remain, a Fighter/Thief can
disable traps and backstab, while a Ranger cannot. This makes a
Fighter/Thief in my eyes a good bit more powerful than a Ranger. Sure,
the Ranger will have higher Hit Points and some minor Druid spells, but
a Fighter/Thief is just as good in combat, especially since they can
backstab. Things only get better for the Fighter/Thief in Baldur's
Gate 2 as their backstab reaches a mighty x5 and a deeper melee system
allows them to abuse it to its fullest advantage. If you were thinking
of making a Thief, go with a Fighter/Thief instead. You'll get a much
more potent character out of it. Hell, if you were thinking of playing a
Ranger, give the Fighter/Thief a look. Then you don't have to bring
around a Thief at all! In the Enhanced Edition, this class becomes even
more interesting as a dual-class option. You only need so many levels
of Thief-eventually you'll be able to do all the Thiefy stuff you need,
which really means Find Traps. Afterwards, the class is kind of a waste.
But since we can use class kits in the first game and take the same
character to the sequel, the option to make an Assassin/Fighter dualclass is now open to us. This far superior to making a Fighter/Thief
dual. The Assassin gets a nice attack and damage bonus and-if you
level up high enough-an absurd x7 backstab multiplier! Once you get that
multiplier, dual-class to a Fighter and you'll get better armor options,
proficiency options, and best of all-warrior high level abilities. Just
think of a character with Greater Whirlwind, a x7 backstab multiplier,
and Grand Mastery. The only downsides? You'd have to play through all
of Baldur's Gate 1 as a single-class Assassin, and your Hit Points
would be fairly sucky for a character meant for combat.
o==========================o
|Mage
|
o==========================o
CLASS FEATURES:
--> May not wear any armor.
{DND043}
-->
May only use the following weapons: dagger, quarterstaff, dart,
sling.
-->
May only become Proficient (one slot) in any weapon class.
-->
May only become Proficient (one slot) in any fighting style.
-->
May cast arcane spells.
-->
Hit Die: d4
Prime Requisite for Dual-Classing: Intelligence
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Ah, the Mage... a versatile spell caster, your proverbial glass cannon.
They can't wear armor, and they have access to a poor selection of
weapons. On the other hand, they don't really need them. As long as you
can keep them from getting hurt, they can lay waste to your enemies
with their spells. Anything from damaging spells like Fireballs, to
support spells like Haste, or simple fight-winners, like Confusion and
Chaos, it's the Mage's domain. A single-classed Mage is somewhat
vulnerable, but a combination Fighter/Mage is strong in melee and in
magic! Also, the fact that Edwin pretty much dominates the Mage field
means you just don't need a single-classed Mage. Dual-or-multi-class for
extra durability and versatility. If you specialize in a spell school,
you will gain an extra spell per spell level. The down side? You have
a prohibited school which opposes your chosen school, and you can't cast
spell from the prohibited school. This can be almost painless
(Conjurer), painful but survivable (Enchanter), or downright decimating
(Invoker). Below is a list of the Mage schools and their prohibited
school(s). Needless to say, if you have a choice in the matter Conjurer
is the way to go. The Wild Mage will be mentioned in their own class
section, later [DND065], since they... well, they're different enough to
deserve their own section.
Specialist
School
Opposition School
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Abjurer
Abjuration
Alteration
Conjurer
Conjuration/Summoning
Divination
Diviner
Divination
Conjuration
Enchanter
Enchantment/Charm Invocation
Illusionist
Illusion
Necromancy
Invoker
Invocation
Enchantment
Necromancer Necromancy
Illusion
Transmuter Alteration
Abjuration
Mage
Level EXP
HP
Spells
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
1
n/a
1d4 1
2
2,500
2d4 2
3
5,000
3d4 2/1
4
10,000
4d4 3/2
5
6
7
8
9
20,000
40,000
60,000
90,000
135,000
5d4
6d4
7d4
8d4
9d4
4/2/1
4/2/2
4/3/2/1
4/3/3/2
4/3/3/2/1
o==========================o
|Mage/Cleric
|
{DND044}
o==========================o
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
This class suffers from the same 'too many options, not enough time to
make full use of them' problem the Fighter/Mage/Cleric suffers from,
but frankly the Fighter seemed like more of a problem than a boon
anyways. It'll slow down progression in exchange for heavy armor (which
the Cleric already provides) a few Hit Points, a small increase to
THAC0, and weapon specialization. Sure, a Mage/Cleric won't be much of a
warrior... but what the do you have two spell classes for if you want to
be a warrior?! If you must cast both types of spells with one character,
this is probably the best way to do so.
o==========================o
|Mage/Thief
|
{DND045}
o==========================o
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
I find it hard to imagine any case in which a Mage/Thief would be
particularly useful, especially compared to a Fighter/Mage or
Fighter/Thief. Being able to use Bows is fine and all, but Mages should
have something better to do in most fights than shoot things. And you
never need to hide if you have Invisibility. Imoen has it right, this is
best done as a dual-class option for the sake of versatility. There's
nothing wrong with getting a Mage with some Thief abilities, especially
since you get plenty of ranks into Find Traps while sacrificing no
potential Mage levels. Frankly, if you're even going to bother making a
Mage as your main character, I'd suggest doing this. At least then you
can dispense with having a Thief altogether... And you'd have extra Hit
Points and THAC0 to boot. You lose nothing and gain a great deal.
o==========================o
|Monk
|
o==========================o
CLASS FEATURES:
--> May not wear any armor.
-->
{DND046}
May only use weapons available to the Thief class (except twohanded).
-->
May only become Proficient (one slot) in any weapon class.
-->
May only become Proficient (one slot) in Single Weapon Style and
may not put slots into any other style.
-->
Moves 2 points faster than other characters. Movement rate
further improves by 1 every 5 levels.
-->
May make 1 unarmed attack per round. An additional 1/2 attack
per round is gained every 3 levels. Damage dealt by unarmed
attacks increases with level as follows:
Level 1-2: 1d6
Level 3-5: 1d8
Level 6-8: 1d10
Level 9-14: 1d12
Level 15+: 1d20
-->
At level 9, unarmed attacks are treated as a +1 magical weapon
and gain a +1 bonus to hit and damage rolls. This enchantment
improves to +2 at level 12, +3 at level 15, and +4 at level 25.
-->
Receives a +2 bonus to Saving Throws vs. Spell.
-->
Deflect Missiles: +1 bonus to AC vs. missile attacks every 3
levels.
-->
Starts with an Armor Class of 9 at 1st level and gains an
additional +1 bonus every 2 levels.
-->
May use Stunning Blow ability once per day every 4 levels.
STUNNING BLOW: All successful attacks within the next round force
the victim to save or be stunned. This special ability automatically
modifies normal attacks, no targeting needs to be done.
-->
5th level: Becomes immune to all diseases and cannot be slowed
or hasted.
-->
7th level: May use Lay on Hands ability to heal 2 Hit Points per
level.
-->
8th level: Gains a -1 bonus to Speed Factor.
-->
9th level: Gains a +1 bonus to all Saving Throws and becomes
immune to Charm.
-->
11th level: Becomes immune to poison.
-->
12th level: Gains another -1 bonus to Speed Factory.
-->
13th level: May use the Quivering Palm ability once per day.
QUIVERING PALM: The next successful attack forces the opponent to save
or die. This special ability automatically modifies normal attacks, no
targeting needs to be done.
-->
14th level: Gains 3% Magic Resistance per level (starting with
42% at 14th level).
-->
20th level: Becomes immune to non-magical weapons.
-->
Alignment restricted to lawful.
--> Hit Die: d8
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Ah, the Monk. There's nothing that frees a player from thought quite as
much as this class. They're easy to roll up and they can only be Humans,
which is easily the white-bread choice of the game. They don't require a
big investment of equipment, and there are no choices to make as to how
they progress. They simply go around pummeling everything with their
fists, and at this they excel. The one problem is the fact that they can
never control the upgrades to their unarmed attacks. They gain damage,
Armor Class, speed, magical enhancement bonuses, and other benefits as
they level, but this will typically place them well behind every warrior
in the party. For example, your unarmed attacks won't count as magical
weapons of any kind until level nine, whereas most of our warriors will
have a magical weapon by level three or four. It doesn't really get any
better in the sequel, either, as you can't even hit anything that
requires a +4 or better weapon until level 25. That's a HUGE handicap,
and although you can learn to use Thief weapons, a Monk won't be much
better at fighting with them than a single-classed Thief, and that's
not what you played a Monk for, is it? As for armor, the Monk can't wear
a bit of it-not even a helmet, and not being protected from critical
hits is something that you'll rue early and often. Again, they improve
over time, but even with a high Dexterity, they'll compare poorly with
a warrior boasting Plate Mail Armor and a shield. It's another class
that doesn't shine until late in the sequel. If you can hang on,
however, you'll get a pretty potent-if mindless-character. At 20th level
they'll have a base Armor Class of -1. With a good Dexterity score and
some protection items, this could potentially take their Armor Class
very low. Add that to the fact that they get +1 to all saves, +2 to
saves versus spells, and up to 78% magic resistance and you have a very
good defensive character (mediocre Hit Points not withstanding). On top
of this they gain extra bonuses against missiles, up to a presumed +6
to Armor Class at level 18. They can't be hasted, however, but with
their speed and high number of attacks they'll be hitting more often
than most anybody else anyways. Oh, yeah, and a Monk gains access to
warrior feats, meaning they get Whirlwind Attack. This is a good thing.
Last and not least, Monks can sneak. Sure, they can Find Traps, but they
can't do anything about them, which makes me wonder... why bother
spending points in it? They're a poor choice of character in the first
game, but if you can persist... By about level 12 they're nearly as
powerful as a decently equipped warrior of the same level, but not
before.
Monk
Level EXP
HP
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
1
n/a
1d8
2
1,500
2d8
3
3,000
3d8
4
6,000
4d8
5
13,000
5d8
6
27,500
6d8
7
55,000
7d8
8
110,000
8d8
Dark Moon Monk
{DND047}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Once upon a time, just having the Monk was good enough... then Overhaul
Games had to add new classes, force me to stir from my lair, and
comment on two more freakin' Monk kits... *sigh*... okay, let's get this
over with... The changes aren't very big, essentially you're
restricted to one set alignment (Lawful Evil) and you trade your
unimpressive Lay On Hands and Stunning Blow abilities for a bunch of
low-level spell-like abilities. Since these include Blur and Blindness,
however, it's not really a bad trade-off. Sure, Frozen Fist probably
isn't as good Stunning Blow (although with no save penalty, it'll
rarely be a primary debilitation attack in the sequel) but you can't
poo-poo Blur and Mirror Image. Once those become obsolete in the
sequel (dispelled at every turn by True Sight and easily replicated by
items)... well, you're giving up Stunning Blow and Lay on Hands for
two points of cold damage per attack for one round per level. Trying to
decide what's better, when paired with Greater Whirlwind... stunning,
or extra cold damage... Eh. It's really a wash.
Advantages:
--> Perception: +2 bonus to Saving Throws vs. Illusion spells.
-->
May cast Frozen Fist once per day ever four levels (starts at
1st level with one use).
FROZEN FIST: When this ability is activated, the Dark Moon Monk's fists
are wreathed in a frosty shell. For one round per level, the Dark Moon
Monk's unarmed attacks deal an additional 2 cold damage per successful
attack.
-->
1st level: May cast Blindness once per day.
-->
3rd level: May cast Blur once per day.
-->
7th level: May cast Vampiric Touch once per day.
-->
11th level: May cast Mirror Image once per day.
Disadvantages:
--> Alignment restricted to lawful evil.
-->
May not use Lay on Hands ability.
-->
May not use Stunning Blow ability.
Sun Soul Monk
{DND048}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
I really want to call this class a piece of shit, and settle into
redundant mockery... but, you know what? It's actually pretty good.
I know, I'm shocked, too. It trades off Stunning Blow and Quivering
Palm in return for a bunch of flamey-sunny abilities, which are probably
worth the trade off... you know, since neither Quivering Palm nor
Stunning Blow have Save penalties. The staple ability is, in my eyes,
Flaming Fists, which adds 2d6 fire damage to the Monk's attacks, and
once leveled, lasts for several rounds. Far more reliable than Stunning
Blow. Granted, this doesn't come into play until the sequel (since it
only lasts a round in the first game) but... well, that's what this
guide is all about, really-not what works best in this game, but what'll
work best throughout the whole saga. They also have a Sun Soulray (low
damage attack), Greater Sun (Fireshield (Red)), and Sun Soulbeam, an
area-of-effect, moderately damaging attack that for some stupid reason
must succeed at an attack roll. Sure, the abilities aren't overwhelming,
and it's debatable whether it's better than the Monk... but it's less
useless than the Dark Moon Monk. At the very least, the Sun Soul Monk
was designed with abilities that extend past 11th level.
Advantages:
--> 2nd level: May cast Sun Soulray once per day.
SUN SOULRAY: The Sun Soul Monk projects a blast of light from her open
palm, dealing 1d8 damage every 2 levels to a maximum of 5d8. This
ability does an additional 6 damage vs. undead.
-->
5th level: May cast Flaming Fists once per day.
FLAMING FISTS: The Sun Soul Monk channels her inner light into her
unarmed attacks, turning her fists into flaming weapons that deal an
additional 2d6 fire damage per hit for the next round. The duration
increases to 2 rounds at level 9, 3 rounds at level 12, 4 rounds at
level 15, and 5 rounds at level 25. This special ability automatically
modifies normal attacks. No weapon-switching needs to be done.
-->
6th level: Gains an additional use of Sun Soulray.
-->
8th level: May cast Greater Sun once per day.
GREATER SUN: The Sun Soul Monk wreathes herself in flames that act as a
Fireshield (Red), granting the Monk 50% Fire Resistance and protecting
her from attacks made within a 5-ft. radius. An opponent that hits the
Monk with any weapons or spells within this radius suffers 1d8+2 points
of fire damage.
-->
10th level: Gains an additional use of Sun Soulray.
-->
13th level: May cast Soul Sunbeam once per day.
SUN SOULBEAM: The Sun Soul Monk emits a dazzling burst of light that
strikes at all other creatures within a 30-ft. radius. The Sun Soulbeam
does not automatically hit all targets, but makes a melee attack using
the Monk's current THAC0 (+3 to hit vs. undead). Struck creatures
suffer 9d6 points of damage (9d6+3 if undead), unless they save vs.
Spell for half. In addition, all creatures except the Monk must save
vs. Spell or be blinded for 10 turns.
-->
15th level: Gains an additional use of Sun Soulray.
Disadvantages:
--> Alignment restricted to lawful good.
-->
May not use Stunning Blow ability.
-->
May not use Quivering Palm ability.
o==========================o
|Paladin
|
o==========================o
CLASS FEATURES:
--> May wear helmets.
{DND049}
-->
May wear any armor and use any weapon.
-->
May not exceed Specialization (two slots) in any weapon class.
-->
May achieve Specialization (two slots) in any fighting style and
allocate three slots in Two Weapon Style.
-->
May use Lay on Hands ability once per day to heal a target for
2 Hit Points per level of the Paladin.
-->
May cast Detect Evil once per day per level (starts at 1st level
with 3 uses).
-->
May cast Protection from Evil once per day per level (starts at
1st level with one use).
-->
May Turn Undead as a Cleric two levels lower, starting at
level 3.
-->
May cast priest spells starting at level 9.
-->
Receives a +2 bonus to all Saving Throws.
-->
Alignment restricted to lawful good.
--> Hit Die: d10
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Paladins are holy warriors, and as such they gain a slew of abilities
to help them combat evil. They aren't as combat savvy as Fighters, only
being able to buy two ranks in any weapon proficiency, and they cannot
multi-or-dual-class. In exchange you'll get the ability to Lay on Hands
(heal a character 2 Hit Points per level), Detect Evil (useful for
telling which NPCs are bad or not and detecting enemies on the map
before you even scout), Protection From Evil, and they can Turn Undead
as if they were a Cleric two levels lower than their Paladin level.
Paladins also make great party leaders due to their high minimum
Charisma (17). In the first game, you'll get Ajantis to fill the
Paladin-shaped hole in your good party, and in the second game you'll
get Keldorn, who is kind enough to come with the best Paladin-kit in the
game... which begs the question why would you ever really need to make
your own Paladin?
Paladin
Level EXP
HP
Spells
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
1
n/a
1d10
2
2,250
2d10
3
4,500
3d10
4
9,000
4d10
5
18,000
5d10
6
36,000
6d10
7
75,000
7d10
8
150,000
8d10
Cavalier
{DND050}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
This is a pretty nice kit, even given the lack of missile weapons.
Having immunity to fear, charm, and poison are all very nice perks, and
getting a +3 bonus to hit versus Demons and Dragons is great too. Sure,
demons and dragons are very rare in the first game, but in the second...
well, the former are fairly common and both are dangerous enough to make
you cherish any bonuses you might have against them. Having Remove Fear
once per day per level essentially means that at any time this character
can get your party back in line, which is almost as good as having a
party that's immune to fear as well! It certainly means that your
Clerics and Mages don't have to focus so much on keeping fear effects
subdued. A very nice kit indeed.
Advantages:
--> +3 bonus to hit and damage rolls against all fiendish and
draconic creatures.
-->
May cast Remove Fear once per day per level.
-->
Immune to charm, fear, poison, and morale failure.
-->
20% resistance to fire and acid.
Disadvantages:
--> May not use missile weapons.
Inquisitor
{DND051}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
This is probably the best kit in the game, and certainly the best of the
Paladin kits, even though the other three aren't bad (somebody loved the
Paladin!) Being able to cast Dispel Magic at TWICE your Paladin level
means Inquisitors will rip through spell defenses, and will be able to
do it often. True Sight is a fairly high level debuff, and a very good
one. No more can creatures get away with Improved Invisibility, Shadow
Door, Mirror Image, or anything of the sort, although they will try.
This frees up spell casters to prepare other spells. The disadvantages
might seem bad, but you can get plenty of healing elsewhere without Lay
on Hands, and the Turn Undead and Paladin priest spells are both weak
anyways. Would you trade a handful of low level Priest spells for two
very powerful, very useful, mid-level spells? I would. This is Keldorn's
class-a party member in the sequel-and it's one of the reasons he's so
good. Since you're going to get such an awesome Inquisitor in the second
game, why bother making one of your own?
Advantages:
--> May cast Dispel Magic once per day per 4 levels (starts at 1st
level with one use). The spell is cast at Speed Factor 1 and
acts at twice the Inquisitor's character level.
-->
May cast True Sight once per day per 4 levels (starts at 1st
level with one use).
-->
Immune to hold and charm.
Disadvantages:
--> May not Turn Undead.
-->
May not use Lay on Hands ability.
-->
May not cast priest spells.
Undead Hunter
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
{DND052}
Being immune to level drain is nice, but there are spells that do the
same... granted, there are spells that do the same things that the other
kits do... but +3 to attack and damage versus undead can't compete with
the massive debuffs that the Inquisitor has, nor the slew of resistances
that the Cavalier has. And what's the strongest undead anyways? A Lich.
+3 to attack and damage isn't going to help you kill a Lich as much as
disabling its defensive spells will. Frankly, the Inquisitor is a
better Undead Hunter than the Undead Hunter when it comes to big game
hunting! The Undead Hunter will, however, excel against Vampires.
Neither of these creatures are really too much of a concern in the
first game, however. It's all about the sequel, folks! In case that
somehow hasn't sunk in yet...
Advantages:
--> +3 bonus to hit and +3 to damage rolls against undead creatures.
-->
Immune to hold and level drain.
Disadvantages:
--> May not use Lay on Hands ability.
Blackguard
{DND053}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Holy crap! A new kit! The Blackguard is actually a pretty decent kit,
taking the Undead Hunter's nice immunity level drain and adding the
Cavalier's immunity to fear. They also have the ability to steal health
from foes-similar to the Lay on Hands ability... but evil! Yeah, it's
pretty uninspiring, especially since it allows a Save vs. Spell at no
save to negate it. Poison weapon really just deals an extra twelve
damage-again, making it a lack-luster bonus. On the other hand, the Aura
of Despair ability can get pretty damn good-essentially acting like the
Skald's Bard Song... but in reverse. All in all, it's an interesting
possibility for the evil party, with a good pair of immunities and a
wonderful debuff. Does this class compare to an Inquisitor? No, it
doesn't, but that's not really fair.
Advantages:
--> Immune to level drain and fear.
-->
May Rebuke Undead as Paladin of the same level.
-->
May use Absorb Health ability once per day.
ABSORB HEALTH: Deals 2 points of damage per level to an enemy, healing
the Blackguard the same number of Hit Points. A successful Saving Throw
vs. Spell negates the effect.
-->
May use Poison Weapon ability once per day every 5 level
(starting at 1st level with one use).
POISON WEAPON: Each successful hit within the next round will inject
poison into the target, dealing an extra 2 points of damage per second
with no Saving Throw (for a total of 12 points of damage). Moreover, if
the target fails a Saving Throw vs. Poison, he will suffer 1 additional
point of damage per round for 4 rounds thereafter.
-->
May use Aura of Despair ability once per day starting at 3rd
level, with effects that improve based on level:
3rd level: Bestows nearby enemies with a -1 penalty to hit and
damage rolls and a -1 penalty to Armor Class.
6th level: Bestows nearby enemies with a -2 penalty to hit and
damage rolls and a -2 penalty to Armor Class.
15th level: Bestows nearby enemies with a -4 penalty to hit and
damage rolls and a -4 penalty to Armor Class, causes Fear in
enemies of level 8 or below.
20th level: Bestows nearby enemies with a -4 penalty to hit and
damage rolls and a -4 penalty to Armor Class, causes Fear in
enemies of level 18 or below.
Disadvantages:
--> Alignment restricted to evil.
-->
May not cast Detect Evil.
-->
May not cast Protection from Evil.
-->
May not use Lay on Hands ability.
o==========================o
|Ranger
|
o==========================o
CLASS FEATURES:
--> May wear helmets.
-->
May wear any armor and use any weapon.
{DND054}
-->
May not exceed Specialization (two slots) in any weapon class.
-->
May achieve Specialization (two slots) in any fighting style.
-->
Begins Specialized (two slots) in Two-Weapon Style and may place
a third slot into it.
-->
May select a racial enemy, which grants a +4 bonus to hit and
damage rolls against the selected enemy race.
-->
May use Charm Animal ability once per day every 2 levels (starts
at 1st level with one use).
-->
May Hide in Shadows while wearing no armor, leather armor, or
studded leather armor.
-->
May cast druidic spells starting at level 8.
-->
Alignment restricted to good.
-->
Hit Die: d10
Prime Requisites for Dual-Classing: Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Rangers are defenders of the wilderness, hunters, scouts, and
outdoorsmen. They can only get two ranks in a weapon proficiency, but
in compensation they can use stealth, charm animals, and eventually
cast Druid spells. The stealth ability can only be used in light armor,
Leather, Studded Leather, or Hide, but it makes them invaluable for
scouting ahead of the party. Being strong enough to fight their way out
of trouble helps too. The charm animal ability sucks, but once in a
while if you want to play with it and charm a bear or something... eh...
they'll still turn hostile on you when it's over, so why bother? The
Druid spells are a long time in coming, but it's somewhat nice to be
able to cast Cure Light Wounds or Entangle, although the level cap in
Baldur's Gate doesn't really allow this feature to pan out.
Note: My fear-mongering in the earlier versions of the guide was
fortunately unfounded. You are able to change your favored enemy in
the second game, which has a different and much expanded selection of
racial enemies than the first game. So, don't worry about the long-term
too much when picking a favored enemy-pick what works for this game.
Ogres, Giant Spiders, and Skeletons are all somewhat common-and
dangerous-enough to warrant a pick.
Ranger
Level EXP
HP
Spells
Stealth
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
1
n/a
1d10
15%
2
2,250
2d10
20%
3
4,500
3d10
27%
4
9,000
4d10
33%
5
18,000
5d10
40%
6
36,000
6d10
47%
7
75,000
7d10
55%
8
150,000
8d10 1
62%
Archer
{WLK055}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Now this is a kit. Take something and do it VERY well. The bonuses to
hit and damage with arrows get pretty damn good-It's essentially the
ranged version of a Kensai-but without being quite as hampered by a lack
of armor. Somebody who is specialized in bows to that extent isn't
going to want to use metal armor anyways, and besides, you're a Ranger,
you want to be able to sneak. The lack of proficiency with melee
weapons hurts though, as that costs us half an attack if we ever need to
get into melee. Keep in mind one tiny little problem. There are no +4
Arrows, so you'll never be able to hit anything that requires a +4 or
better weapon to hit with your bow. Also, +3 Arrows aren't unlimited.
The best unlimited ammo you get are +2 Arrows. This isn't much of a
problem in the first game, as +2 Arrows are fine and you can get plenty
of them... or at least enough to use on the fights that matter. In
the sequel, however, many foes won't be bothered by +2 weapons. In big
fights against powerful enemies, your Archer isn't going to be able to
contribute, at least not against the main event. Balors, Greater
Wolfweres, Greater Mummies, Pit Fiends, and some Vampires will all be
out of your league. There are a few exceptions, however-there are two
Short Bows in the sequel that generate their own ammo-Tansheron's
Bow +3 and the Gesen Bow +4. Obviously the latter is superior, providing
unlimited ammo that counts as +4 for determining what it can hit. Also,
since this class improves all missile weapons, you could always use a
Sling or throwing weapon instead. In the latter case, there are plenty
of good throwing Axes throughout both games, even a +4 specimen in
Throne of Bhaal. The only problem? You will only be able to become
proficient with throwing weapons, and you will not attack particularly
fast with them... at least, not compared to bows. Still, as an anodyne
for our suffering Overhaul Games decided to fix the Called Shot
ability-it's now cumulative, meaning the higher you level the more your
arrows do. Previously the Called Shot ability only did whatever your
level plateau indicated, instead of keeping the bonuses you had at lower
levels. It's a big improvement. If you're planning on making an Archer,
I'd suggest obtaining High Mastery in Shortbows and sticking with that
as your main weapon. Longbows are slightly stronger in the first game,
and you can get superior versions sooner, but the difference between
the best Shortbow in the game (Protector of the Dryads +2) and the best
Longbows (Composite Longbow +1/The Dead Shot +2) is merely one point of
damage or THAC0, respectively. In the sequel, however, it's hardly even
a contest-there are two Shortbows that generate their own ammunition,
and hence, can damage creatures no Longbow can. The best Shortbow
specimen-the Gesen Bow, out-damages everything else, in any event.
Since you're a very focused warrior class, you could just strive to
Grandmaster in both of them (not like you need more than one or two
melee weapons, which you'll rarely use anyways), but Shortbow is king.
Advantages:
--> +1 to hit and damage rolls with any missile weapon for every 3
levels.
-->
May achieve Grandmastery (5 slots) in longbows, shortbows, and
crossbows.
-->
May use Called Shot ability once per day every 4 levels.
CALLED SHOT: All successful ranged attacks within the next 10 seconds
have the following cumulative effects besides normal damage, according
to the level of the Archer:
4th level: -1 penalty to target's THAC0.
8th level: -1 penalty to target's Saving Throws vs. Spell.
12th level: -1 penalty to the target's Strength score.
16th level: +2 bonus to damage roll.
Disadvantages:
--> May not wear any metal armor.
-->
May only become proficient (one slot) with melee weapons.
-->
May not use Charm Animal ability.
Stalker
{DND056}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
The 'may not wear armor greater than studded leather' disadvantage isn't
too bad, as that's the highest grade of armor I tend to throw on a
Ranger anyways, so let's look at the advantages. +20% to Stealth is
nice, but there's always a chance of failure, and considering how many
levels you can get... well... any Ranger is going to be good at stealth,
eventually, making the bonus Stealth incredibly short-sighted. The
backstab modifier is very nice, as it allows a Ranger to play like a
Thief. Haste is a good spell for any character to have, and Minor Spell
Deflection might come in handy. It won't save the Ranger from
Imprisonment or Horrid Wilting, but it will stop Disintegrate and Finger
of Death, and a whole host of other annoying low level spells (like
Charm, Chaos, and Hold Person). This kit might just be better than the
normal Ranger, but it's really just a poor substitute for a Fighter/Mage
or Fighter/Thief, both of which will be far, far superior.
Advantages:
--> +20% to Move Silently and Hide in Shadows.
-->
May use Backstab ability, although for a lower damage multiplier
than Thieves:
Level 1-8: x2
Level 9-16: x3
Level 17+: x4
-->
12th Level: May memorize 3 Mage spells: Haste, Protection From
Normal Missiles and Minor Spell Deflection.
Disadvantages:
--> May not wear armor heavier than studded leather.
Beast Master
{DND057}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
And again with the suck. Who wants to play a Ranger that is more like a
Druid? Druids suck, and Animal Summoning sucks. Don't even give this kit
a glance, it's not worth your attention.
Advantages:
--> +15% to Move Silently and Hide in Shadows.
-->
May use Find Familiar ability to summon a Psuedo Dragon (if
lawful or neutral good) or Fairy Dragon (if chaotic good)
companion.
-->
8th level: May cast Animal Summoning I
-->
10th level: May cast Animal Summoning II.
-->
12th level: May cast Animal Summoning III.
Disadvantages:
--> May not use any metal weapons (for example: swords, halberds,
war hammers, or morning stars).
-->
May not wear armor heavier than studded leather.
o==========================o
|Sorcerer
|
o==========================o
CLASS FEATURES:
--> May not wear any armor.
{DND058}
-->
May only use the following weapons: dagger, quarterstaff, dart,
sling.
-->
May only become Proficient (one slot) in any weapon class.
-->
May not place any slots in any fighting style.
-->
May cast arcane spells.
-->
May not scribe spells into their spellbooks as Mages do. Instead,
Sorcerers learn a small number of spells at each level, which
they can cast daily without memorization.
--> Hit Die: d4
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
If you're familiar with 3rd Edition Sorcerers, you'll be familiar with
this-Bioware's attempt to introduce a 3rd Edition class into a 2nd
Edition game. Sorcerers function like Mages, except they can only know
a handful of spells, from which they can cast any of their known spells
without having to memorize them, although they are still limited to a
maximum number of spells per day. Ultimately a Sorcerer can know only
several spells of each spell level, and for many spell levels that's
fine. Chances are you won't find too many more 9th level spells, at
least not ones you'll use often. On the other hand this takes down their
tactical flexibility a great deal. You either know the spell, or you
don't, there's no learning it from a scroll or preparing it for a big
fight when needed. They do get one more spell per day per spell level
than a normal Mage, but what do they have that Edwin doesn't have? He
gets two spells per day per spell level over a normal Mage AND has
tactical flexibility. On the other hand, when you get right down to it,
there are only a handful of spells each level that get used frequently,
and not having to choose the exact number of each to prepare can be
helpful.
Sorcerer
Level EXP
HP
Spells (Known)
Spells (Cast)
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
1
n/a
1d4 2
3
2
2,500
2d4 2
4
3
5,000
3d4 3
5
4
10,000
4d4 3/1
6/3
5
20,000
5d4 4/2
6/4
6
40,000
6d4 4/2/1
6/5/3
7
60,000
7d4 5/3/2
6/6/4
8
90,000
8d4 5/3/2/1
6/6/5/3
9
135,000
9d4 5/4/3/2
6/6/6/4
Dragon Disciple
{DND059}
<---------------------------------------------------------------------->
Oh my... where to even begin? Well, let's start out with the obvious.
What is the primary role of a Sorcerer? Casting spells. What's their
biggest limitation? The number of spells per level they know. If there
is any one problem with the Sorcerer, it's that their spells per day
limit their tactical flexibility... at least in the sequel. Their
biggest perk is the ability to be able to cast any of their known spells
at will, up until their number of spells castable per level per day. So,
any class kit that proposes to reduce the number of spells the Sorcerer
can know absolutely must provide outstanding benefits to compensate...
preferably ones that amplify in other ways the magical prowess of the
class. Is that the case, then, with the Dragon Disciple? Of course not.
What do you get in return for shearing off one spell known per day?
In the first game you'll get up to 50% Fire Resistance, a once-per-day
5d8 breath weapon, and a +1 bonus to Armor Class and Constitution. By
Baldur's Gate 2 this can increase to 100% Fire Resistance, +4 Armor
Class, +2 Constitution, and an 8d8 breath weapon. First, you can get
Fire Resistance from all sorts of sources, but since we're talking about
Sorcerers, let's assume they could get them from spells-spells they
would have the flexibility to learn if you had just picked a normal
Sorcerer, or better yet, a REAL Mage. Armor Class shouldn't be very
important for a Mage, who belongs out of melee combat... but it can also
be improved by spells... again, more spells known, more defensive spells
available. Third, why the hell do you need the Constitution bonus? Start
out with a sixteen, the Sorcerer can't get more than +2 Hit Points per
level anyways. Lastly... a once per day 8d8 damage breath weapon?
Fireball will deal comparable damage, why not use that? Not saying it's
not beneficial, but is it really worth the loss of spells? Heck, in the
sequel you'll get a book that will allow you to cast a Fireball once
per day (amongst other spells), and that item is rarely useful, so
how often do you think you'll need to call upon your inferior breath
weapon? The best perk this class adds is the superior d6 Hit Dice.
18 extra Hit Points is not bogus, but the rest of this class's perks
are replacable with spells... spells you would know if you weren't this
class! Worse still, almost all the bonuses of this class are defensive,
and defensive boosts that a Mage doesn't really need. I say, just be a
normal Sorceror, or better yet, a Specialist Mage, or best of all, just
recruit Edwin.
Advantages:
--> 1st level: +1 bonus to AC.
-->
3rd level: May use Breath Weapon once per day.
BREATH WEAPON: The Dragon Disciple breathes a gout of flame up to 30 ft.
long, inflicting 3d8 points of fire damage on all creatures caught
within the 140 degree cone.
-->
4th level: Gains 25% innate Fire Resistance.
-->
5th level: +1 bonus to AC and Constitution.
-->
6th level: Breath Weapon damage increases to 4d8.
-->
8th level: Innate Fire Resistance rises to 50%.
-->
9th level: Breath Weapon damage increases to 5d8.
-->
10th level: +1 bonus to AC.
-->
12th level: Innate Fire Resistance rises to 75%.
-->
12th level: Breath Weapon damage increases to 6d8.
-->
15th level: +1 bonus to AC and Constitution.
-->
15th level: Breath Weapon damage increases to 7d8.
-->
16th level: Innate Fire Resistance rises to 100%.
-->
18th level: Breath Weapon damage increases to 8d8.
-->
20th level: +1 bonus to AC.
-->
Hit Dice: d6
Disadvantages:
--> May cast one fewer spell per level per day.