Most powerful party/proficiencies?

[krunchyfrogg]

What's your choice for the most powerful party possible in this game? What proficiencies do you give these characters?

[The7thStooge]

I know in the past I posted the "ideal" party for my games, but here it goes:

1) Human Dual-class Fighter/Cleric (dual from F to C at level 9), specialize in either mace or hammer
2) Human Fighter (specialize in Great Swords)
3) Half-Elf Cleric/Ranger (specialize in either mace or hammer, whichever one my #1 doesn't specialize)
4) Elf or Half-Elf Fighter/Mage/Thief (specialize in bows; I always triple-class one character and that one always is the thief. He/she acts as my backup mage)
5) Human Dual-class Fighter/Mage (dual from F to M at level 9) (specialize in slings and short swords) I'll save every scroll I run into until this character does the switch to mage, then just start scribing.
6) Human Bard, proficient in crossbows.

Now, this group has its disadvantages. At the start, it is weak in spellcasting, with only one cleric and one mage (and I don't want to give the triple-class character all the spells, either, since he won't get to a high level very quickly). Also, it can be quite weak in hand-to-hand combat when I dual the fighter to a cleric when I really need a strong front-line.

However, when this group gets everything together (and it will when they get to the entrance to Upper Dorn's Deep, when I play on Insane mode), this groupo can cut through just about anything. The triple-class makes a good bowman, and I can put all of his points into Hide/sneak and Find traps (since the ranger and bard cover the other two skills nicely), I have two quality clerics, two mages plus a bard, a thief that is MUCH more useful than a single-class thief, and both the Dual F/C and the Dual F/M can get the maximum specialization in their chosen weapons, in addition to the Human fighter.

It works for me. But it is a challenge getting them to optimum performance.

The7thStooge...

[krunchyfrogg]

I'm surprised you didn't include a paladin, I've heard they get really powerful stuff (or was that in baldurs gate 2?)/

[The7thStooge]

In the past, I had a paladin instead of the dual C/F. Both seem to work out, but it is a little harder with just one cleric in the group, so I figured having the dual C/F is slightly better than a paladin.

But the Pale Justice is awfully hard to turn down. Plus, you don't have to worry about going back to level one when you dual-class. It's a tossup, probably.

TheSeventhStooge...