15 replies to this topic

[Klorox]

I'm trying to legally, and under the 161,000 XP cap create the most powerful solo character possible without reloading.

The best I can think of is either any Dwarf (Berserker, Barbarian, a Fighter/Cleric or a Fighter/Thief) because they've got great saving throws, and will regenerate with a 20 CON. My other thought is a dual classed Berserker (for the immunities) 7/Mage. A Berserker/Mage can beat Drizzt and use the Defender Scimitar at the Grandmaster level. He'd have tons of HP and have Mage spells for protection. Another option I'm considering is a Berserker 7 > Druid. Druids can cast Ironskin... 'nuff said on an already formidable fighter. Problem is that rolling an optimal Berserker > Druid dual is really tough.

[Miloch]

I don't think there is one "best" class - it's all up to what you want to make of it. Personally, I couldn't play without having at least one thief in the party, so if I solo, it's usually as a F/M/T elf/half-elf, though with the level cap, that isn't all that great of a multi. So I almost prefer a straight F/T - I usually can't be bothered with spells, anyway. Dwarves and half-orcs are the best there - they can both get the 20 CON; dwarves have good saves; half-orcs can start with 19 STR.

You can dual some pretty funny combos with a thief too, like swashbuckler/cleric. Just make sure you pick everything in sight before dualing, cause you won't have your thief skills for a while, possibly ever if you're playing under the cap. And if thievery isn't your bag, you'll just have to be willing to do without or murder for some of the better items (such as Algernon's) or try to use magic to get them.

Edit: thieves can use scimitars too, and maybe even snare the crap out of Drizzt (though I haven't actually tried that... hmm...).

Edited by Miloch, 10 March 2008 - 06:06 PM.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Kensai is also a good class, and that's because he has lowsy AC, that's because he doesn't need a good one, as he can regenerate! Thus the constant damage bonus is a good thing.

[Klorox]

Kensai is a tough solo though, especially since the early levels of BGI are a lot easier with missile weapons.

I might go with that dwarven Fighter/Thief. The saving throw bonus is very valuable.

[Klorox]

I've settled on a Human Berserker (7) dual classed into a Mage.

With powergaming stats, I'll eventually shoot for using the Axe of Unyeilding and Belm in the offhand (training for the Flail of the Ages for SoA and . In BGI, I'm shooting for ** Axe, ** Scimitar, and using that boomerang axe for missile attacks with Drizzt's defender scimitar for melee.

Anyway, my problem is this: How can I (with minimal difficulty) gain Mage levels quickly after dual-classing? I plan on saving all of my quest rewards until after I dual, and on buying and scribing every scroll I can get my grubby hands on, but I still don't think that will make much of a dent. There aren't many high XP quest rewards in BGI, and scrolls don't award much XP using Tutu.

What are some other, fairly simple ways for a low-level mage (with a lot of HP) to gain levels?

TIA

[Miloch]

Major spoilers here...

The Tanar'ri in Ulgoth's Beard will net you about 16k. One of the tougher monsters in the game, probably not something you'll be able to take out early.

Killing Drizzt will net you 12k XP. If you're a mage, grab a wand of monster summoning and a bunch of darts and just wax him with both from the other side of the lake. The best place to get the wand early in the game is probably the ghast tomb east of Nashkel. Take out Narcillicus and his jellies while you're there for another 6k or so.

Helping Aldeth against the druids gets you several thousand (but BG1 NPC changes this - should still be good XP though). Clearing the Nashkel mines is around the same I think. Some of the NPCs you come across later in the game will get you about 6k each (Davaeorn, Jalantha, Andris). Other creatures, again mostly later in the game, will get you a few thousand each (skeleton warriors, basilisks, big wyverns, dopplegangers, wolfweres). A lot of quests in Baldur's Gate are worth a couple thousand or so (Abela, Alatos, Aldeth, Arkion, Marek, Scar, Tenya).

Probably the best XP exploit earlier in the game is to head to Alaric's Cave. You can camp out in there and the flesh golems will respawn for 2k a pop (though Dudleyfix makes them non-respawning... forget if Tutu does). They have a 100% magic resistance, but the monster summoning wand should work, maybe the frost wand too (which you probably want to get early anyway). Just don't use lightning on them, because they're supposed to regenerate from it. And make sure you head to a store, sell your wands and buy 'em back to recharge them before they're fried. Kill the golems at Thalantyr's too while you're at it.

[Daulmakan]

Kill the golems at Thalantyr's too while you're at it.

Just FYI, if you have Dudley's fixes, Thalantyr becomes hostile if you do that.

[Miloch]

Kill the golems at Thalantyr's too while you're at it.

Just FYI, if you have Dudley's fixes, Thalantyr becomes hostile if you do that.

Hmph... hardly a "fix." Though I guess it makes sense for a tweak. You don't want to use Dudley with Tutu anyway... can't with EasyTutu in any case.

It's easy to take these guys out as I recall, 'cause they're so slow. You can just run circles around the perimeter and take potshots at them.

[berelinde]

In vanilla BG1, there was the wyvern cave. That was a good xp mill, but not in EasyTutu.

[the bigg]

Basilisks?

[Klorox]

If you don't mind using lame exploits, you can but a bunch of scrolls and learn them repeatedly. Erase a spell from your book and you can relearn it for more XP.

There's a reason I use the "no spell XP" component from one of the tweak packs these days. No willpower. At all.

With Tutu, you only get 10 XP per spell level.

Miloch: thanks for that very informative post!

Edited by Klorox, 28 March 2008 - 09:39 AM.

[Daulmakan]

Kill the golems at Thalantyr's too while you're at it.

Just FYI, if you have Dudley's fixes, Thalantyr becomes hostile if you do that.

Hmph... hardly a "fix." Though I guess it makes sense for a tweak.

Yeah, no argument from me there.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Kill the golems at Thalantyr's too while you're at it.

Just FYI, if you have Dudley's fixes, Thalantyr becomes hostile if you do that.

Hardly a fix, as in BG1 they are hostile to begin with, before Thalantyr talks to you and then stops them from hunting you.

[Miloch]

Basilisks?

Yeah, I mentioned those. The greater ones are 4k each and a couple unique ones are 7k. You can really clean up on them in Mutamin's - just get protection from petrification or a mirrored eyes potion. They also occur sometimes in random encounters, outside Durlag's, in Candlekeep Caves and one in BG docks warehouse.