Offense Vs Defense

[Minerva]

I usually cast Magic Missile and Spell Thrust as soon as I see an enemy spellcaster. That way, he/she fails at least one of defensive spells, and take some time to rebuild their defense before start attacking. I hardly use defensive spells on my party, except Stoneskin beforehand(it lasts 12 hours). It's more interesting to think attacking tactics.

[Minerva]

Wow!! I have "member" under my name now!!!

[Magus]

I have:
conjurer(me)
Jaheira(fighter-druid)
Minsc(ranger)
Imoen(mage-thief)
Nalia(mage-thief)
Aerie(mage-cleric)

As you can see, I'm a mage-dominated party, with a fair amount of clerical power. I have Jaheira acting as a monster magnet (has a shield and very low armor class), and Minsc acting as a dual wielding damage disher. I think my magic is very balanced: I have many attack spells and defensive spells memorized for both mages and clerics. I don't have many healing spells memorized because I have to rest often anyway. I used to rely heavily on summoning (which I consider both offense and defense), but now that I've attained high level there's some great attack spells (like Abi-Dhalzim's Horrid Wilting). Improved Haste and Defensive Harmony are my favorite defensive spells (haste isn't that useful since only two of my guys engage in melee) When not casting spells, my mages hang back and hurl Melf's Minute Meteors, which I always keep a good supply of handy.

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Magus, mighty conjurer, and summoner of vast amounts of words in the Planar Sphere Topic
----And yes, I am magusg, but I got tired of looking at that silly "pick an alternate name" name

[Aegis]

My party is mostly fighters. (duh! I'm the blockhead, remember?)

PC-Paladin
Minsc-Ranger
Keldorn-Paladin/Inquisitor
Jaheira-Fighter/Druid
Viconia-Cleric
Nalia-Mage/Theif

Only when desperate will I use clerical magic (even if they are devetaing) And I usually just blast the enemy with whatever Nalia has memerized at the moment. But, I tend to rely more on my brute strength, because, well, I think there is something to be said about getting the face of your oppenant.

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Courage is Bravery,
Bravery is Courage,
Children are Flamable

[Rail]

How 'bout a party of the following:
A wizard-slayer
A barbarian
An Inquisitor
An assassin
A cleric of Helm
and, maybe, an Abjurer

Okay, so the assassin-paladin combo in the same party is quite a stretch, but the entire party is focused on killing mages. Pretty effective. I substituted the wizard-slayer in favor of a berserker, but the effect is the same, but I have yet to fall before a lich or group of mages.

Cowled wizards beware!

[This message has been edited by Rail (edited 01-18-2001).]

[Radek]

My style is using defensive spells + good weapons to service a monster. But don't be orthodox. It depends... Sometimes, I summon bags of monsters and send them one by one to waste monster's spells, sometimes, offensive spells are better than anything else. Sometimes (Kangaxx-demilich, for example), the offensive magic is the only efficient way (Kangaxx has 90 vs. all weapons but 0 vs. all magic). Let us not forget that in BG2 nobody can dodge spells.
I think we cannot say that a cleric is a defensive spellcaster and a mage is his counterpart. Bot of them are both defensive and offensive. Both of them are needed.
My party contains 1 clereic able of casting druid spells, 1 mage, 2 paladins and 1 thief (the only character unable to cast spells).

[samcu]

I have been feeling bad for leaving Minsc behind, but I didn't realise that going on the boat to Asylum will be much longer than I thought.

Well my party kicked serious butt in Chapter 4.

Keldorn using Holy Avenger and regeneration rings.
Conjurer, Edwin, Nalia, Imoen and Jaheria all ranged and spell casting.
Favorite weapon: wands of fire/cloudkill
Favorite spells: Conjuration and Evocation
This party tore down everything in the City, ie Sewers, Kangaxx, Eyeless Cult, Twisted Rune and many more...


Well, I thought bragging is good for your self-esteem, right???

[Locke Da'averan]

Try this as a group...

Human Paladin (UH)--> Carsomyr
Half-orc Fighter (Plain)--> FoA & Cel. Fury
Elf Thief (Plain)--> Daystar & Dragon slayer
Human Cleric&Mage--> Staff of cleric
Human Sorcerer--> +3 staff
Human Sorcerer--> +2 staff

This party is pretty much invincible.
I cleared out the Windspear hills dungeons with just hasting my fighters and running around killing evreything in merely seconds..

I know some people say that having 6 chars is for wussies, but i like having a full party, that way i don't reach the top so fast
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[Locke Da'averan]

I'M A MEMBER NOW!

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[Alison Entreri]

Current Party at the moment:

Monk - fists only
Ranger/Cleric (Dualed) - FofA,C/Faer
Sorceror - Staff of Magi
Kensai/Mage - Dakkon's,Celest
Assassin - dagger/longsword (quess who?)
Swashbuckler - shortsword/longsword

As you can see this is pretty much a fighter heavy group. Monk,R/C,Swash are all on attack AI with K/M on passive, Sorc is on none and AE!! is scouting.

But really, apart from some isolated instances any type (mage or fighter type) can defeat any enermy, it all comes back to tactics.


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The Present is an Illusion, The Future is a Dream and The Past is a Lie!

[Kovi]

Some solo usage:
berserker/mage: self enhancement spells
mage/cleric: summon + group enhancement spells
sorcerer: area attack spells