favored enemies question - recommendations?

free_fall · Post by **free_fall** » Tue Jul 23, 2002 4:55 pm

Hi, all. Just moved over from the MW forum, see some familiar names here.

My Ranger hit lvl 5 yesterday and I got to choose my first 'favored enemy'.

The game recommended Orcs. Not having encountered any Orcs thus far, I was leaning towards Undead (I'm in Beggar's Nest right now).

It then occurred to me that the bulk of hostiles I'll encounter will probably be human and chose that instead. My Ranger is human BTW.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but favored enemy in NWN doesn't mention anything about an irrational hatred towards the chosen type, and seems merely to inflict a bit more damage to it, so I'm not going to be willy-nilly attacking all the humans I see, right?

Was this an OK choice? Any recommendations as to what might be a better one?

I haven't progressed so far that going back and doing it over isn't an option. TIA

seraphim · Post by **seraphim** » Tue Jul 23, 2002 5:12 pm

i dont think they bothered to incorporate the old hatred that a ranger has towards a particular chosen enemy's race so i doubt that you would run amok wacking humans. unless you wanted to. i have not noticed any penalties for doing so. as for choosing orcs, i would not bother. you do see quite a few of them but by the time you do they are not a threat. they are just a nuisance. humans may not be a bad choice as the majority of the upcoming main story bad guys are human--though their followers are not. i decided to take all my favored enemies as either monstrous humanoids or outsiders or what not. since outsiders and aberrations sometimes have damage resistance, i thought that would be a good place to use it. hope this helps some.

Ares2382 · Post by **Ares2382** » Tue Jul 23, 2002 5:55 pm

some spoilers ahead
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undead would have been a good choice as well, even though alot of undead you meet are just there for you to slaughter some of them can get a bit tough, like helmed horrors for example. Giants can be a problem too so you might want to take that next time (though you won't see giants untill the later part of the game.

Sirius_Sam · Post by **Sirius_Sam** » Tue Jul 23, 2002 6:33 pm

You didn't get to choose a 'favored enemy' when you created the ranger? Hmmm...I thought you got a freebie favored enemy feat at startup and then added one every 5 levels thereafter...

.

Anyway, I agree with Ares in that both undead and giants are good choices (for the SP game).

S_S

BTW: Welcome to the NWN boards, free_fall

free_fall · Post by **free_fall** » Wed Jul 24, 2002 4:17 am

Thanks, glad to be here and glad I went ahead and got the game.

Yes, I took the freebie the game recommended - goblinoids; this is the first one I selected myself. Decided to stick with humans and will take undead next time.

limorkil · Post by **limorkil** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 10:10 am

I had the same issue with rangers in BG2, i.e. knowing what to take as a favored enemy.

Generally, aiming for a broad category that contains tough foes is a good choice. "Orcs" is a bad choice because orcs are never much of a threat (the game 'recommendations' for skills and feats often suck). Back in Baldur's Gate I remember that Minsk the ranger had a hatred of gnolls, which sucked because gnolls were piss easy to beat. By BG2 he had upgraded his hatred to vampires, which was a better choice.

NWN has some very specific favored enemy categories, like 'half-elves' and 'dragons'. While dragons are powerful foes, you are not likely to meet that many. Better picks are the very general catergories, notably:
- Humans
- Undead
- Outsiders (which is a hell of a big group)
- Aberrations

Hell, most of the creatures in the D&D monster manual are either Undead, Outsider or Aberration.

So I think you made a good choice with "Human".

Destio · Post by **Destio** » Sun Jul 28, 2002 10:24 pm

What are outsiders and aberrations?

seraphim · Post by **seraphim** » Mon Jul 29, 2002 3:26 pm

outsiders are from outside this plane of existence (balors. succubi, vrock, etc...) and aberations are, i think so someone correct me if i am wrong, unnatural critters and creatures (umberhulks, intellect devourers, etc...). if this is right, hope it helps.

Destio · Post by **Destio** » Mon Jul 29, 2002 3:48 pm

limorkil · Post by **limorkil** » Tue Jul 30, 2002 11:16 am

Outsiders and Aberrations cover most powerful foes you will meet in D&D.

"Outsider" covers demons, devils and almost anything else from another plane except for elementals. It's a huge group, best summarized as "things from heaven or hell".

"Aberration" covers a lot of nasty beasts that often have pain-in-the-ass special attacks. Beholders and Mindflayers are aberrations, plus lots of other least-favored foes. This group is best summarized as "Alien things of the sort H.P. Lovecraft would dream up."

Basically, if it's huge and ugly and not a dragon then it's probably an outsider or an aberration.