Assassin/Mage

Sinner · Post by **Sinner** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 8:32 pm

I am thinking about making a multi-class mage/assassin(sp?) and have a few questions (Whats new?).

Which should i start with?
At what lvl should i change to the other?
Is it possiable to get both strongholds?

Heres thanking in advance,

Sinner.

nael · Post by **nael** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 9:17 pm

well, if you want that combo, you have to start with assassin, since you can't choose a kit for your second class. you might want to try ands hold otu to dual till you get the x7 multiplier for your backstab.
i don't think you can get the mage and thief ones together, i think only the fighter one can be doubled up. but wait till you are a mage and get that stronghold, you get decently useful stuff and not just soem gold.

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 12:06 am

A dual class character is a compromise. You can seldom have all the advantages of both classes if you don't dual extremely late. Should you dual extremely late you'll play the first half of the game with an ordinary Assassin. Then you would play the second half of the game with a low level Mage (not being able to throw high level scrolls). Only in the end would you regain the abilities of your first class and finally start using the character you wanted to play the game with. Don't do this. Rather choose a multiclass (you'll miss out on the Assassin kit, of course) if you absolutely need to take both classes to a really high level. For most dual combos, level 9 is the ideal time to dual. For the Assassin/Mage I recommend level 10: You can get 100 % in both Hide in Shadows and Move Silently, freeing your second level spell slots for other spells than Invisiblity. You get a x 4 multiplier which certainly is enough to make efficient backstabs. You get three Poison Weapon per day and faster working poison. And finally, you'll soon be able to play your Assassin/Mage as he/she was supposed to be played.

[ 08-22-2001: Message edited by: Astafas ]

Sinner · Post by **Sinner** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 12:14 am

Iv been looking around it seems that the assassins Backstab dosen't increase with lvl like it used to! Did this get changed in a patch or something?

Also what about making a Wiz Slayer/Mage?
Is that possiable? 'cause i read that a Slayer can't cast spells, but not too sure how that works with multi-class

Sinner.

[ 08-22-2001: Message edited by: Sinner ]

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 12:32 am

Ok, this is hacking and cheating, but if you want multiclass, so you can have those really nifty high level abilities of both classes, download shadowkeeper and start game with multi-thief/mage.

Activate shadowkeeper and on the second tab you 'll see characteristics. you'll see thief/mage and underneath for kits you'll see true class. cange to assassin and you get a neato assassin mage!

Planning to make imoen into assassin mage in next game. One nasty perk might be poisoned melf minute meteors and possibly energy blades. I am not sure if the poison ability will work with mage spelled weapons, but its worth a try. imagine the best thief ability to disrupt spells, with two ranged magic attacks that I've seen penetrate just about any defenses.

PDF · Post by **PDF** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 1:17 am

Sinner,
I just myself started a new game with an Assassin that wil become Mage, my idea is to dual at 13th level.
This will occur at only 660 K xp, so quickly in Chapter 2/3, but I will regain all the assasin'powers at Mage 14th, 1.5 M xp (ouch !), only in chapter 5 I think.
But this is the best compromise I found : assassin skills, though not maxed (backstab x5) are still good, and I'll be able to play a good part of the game with "all powers".
Backstab x7 is at 21st level only, so don't dual so late ! 10th level is somewhat too early IMO, but if you're eager to play "full powered dual" go for it, it'll occur very fast (160 K xp Assassin + 375 K Mage only !)

As for the strongholds, it won't be easy to have both without cheats : for this you have to start a first stronghold quest (in your case it'll be the Thief Stronghold quest, that occurs very quickly), NOT complete it, then do (at least start) the second, and finish them both... But the Mage quest is the Planar Sphere, and you'll have to wait to be mage before starting it !
So get the "all strongholds" cheat/fix, it'll be easier

Userfriendly,
Melf's Minute Poisonous Meteor *DO* work

Also Vampiric Poisonous Touch

if you're Evil, but a True Assassin HAS TO be evil

!)
And thanks for the multi tip : I always dreamed of playing an Half Orc Cleric-Assassin

All

Is there a way to cheat/Shadowkeep a Dual Fighter-Assassin ?
In fact is it possible to put a kit in 2nd class ? Funnily it was possible in BG1 to dual to a specialist mage, now with kits in ain't possible in BG2

[ 08-22-2001: Message edited by: PDF ]

[ 08-22-2001: Message edited by: PDF ]

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 1:55 am

Originally posted by PDF:
All
Is there a way to cheat/Shadowkeep a Dual Fighter-Assassin ?
In fact is it possible to put a kit in 2nd class ? Funnily it was possible in BG1 to dual to a specialist mage, now with kits in ain't possible in BG2

Yes, there is, but it requires a bit of trickery to make it work. First, create a fighter and dual him/her to a thief. Immediately export your character. With SK, change the True Class kit to an Assassin kit, and save the character file. Restart BGII and import your new fighter/assassin. Play as normal. He/she will gain the poison weapon and backstabbing abilities appropriate to his/her level on level-ups, to include the 7x backstab modifier at level 21. There have been problems reported with importing assassins into ToB, so I don't know what you'll experience there. Anyway, enjoy!

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 2:00 am

I haven't experimented extensively, PDF, but I think the "class" and "kit" it applies to applys to either class selection on a multi. try this.

choose fighter thief multi.

Go to shadowkeeper, and change kit descriptor from "true class" to assassin. you should have figher assassin multi!!!!

Not fual, that I could not figure out.

Thanks for the tip on melf, that will give sweet little imoen some really wicked abilities. Now I know you're saying she's too nice to be an assassin, but hink of it this way, she is neutral good, and a sweetie, but while studying as a thief in candlekeep, she could not, because of her bhaal taint, keep away from the darker practices of the thief arrt. she would never kill for money, but has trained herself in the assassin arts, because of her natural aptitude, and a trained assassin does not have to kill for money, she would be in high demand as a body guard, who better to protect you than a assassin? and naturally she has no problem helping the protagonist with any and all skills she has. besides, poisoned melf minute meteors, or even

poisoned black blade of disaster...

can anyone say Gram the sword of grief?

PDF · Post by **PDF** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 2:31 am

Originally posted by Sojourner:
Yes, there is, but it requires a bit of trickery to make it work. First, create a fighter and dual him/her to a thief. Immediately export your character. With SK, change the True Class kit to an Assassin kit, and save the character file. Restart BGII and import your new fighter/assassin. Play as normal. He/she will gain the poison weapon and backstabbing abilities appropriate to his/her level on level-ups, to include the 7x backstab modifier at level 21. There have been problems reported with importing assassins into ToB, so I don't know what you'll experience there. Anyway, enjoy!

Thanks for the tip, I suppose your trick works with any dual class, but what's still unclear to me is :
- Why do I have to export, and cannot change into the saved game files with SK ?
- Can I have a dual classed with kits in BOTH his first and second class ? Think not...but it'll be cool to have a Beastmaster/Shapeshifter ::

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 2:50 am

Originally posted by PDF:

Thanks for the tip, I suppose your trick works with any dual class, but what's still unclear to me is :
- Why do I have to export, and cannot change into the saved game files with SK ?
- Can I have a dual classed with kits in BOTH his first and second class ? Think not...but it'll be cool to have a Beastmaster/Shapeshifter ::

OK, you don't have to do the export/import thing. I was basing that on an old FAQ I had read that claimed that the assassin's special abilities won't get automatically added on level-ups unless you do this. (It might be that the person who wrote this switched the thief dual over to an assassin dual late, instead of right away, hence the need for the export/import trick.)

Sorry, due to game limitations, you can have only one kit in a dual-/multi- class combo.

Uther Pendragon · Post by **Uther Pendragon** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 9:07 am

Originally posted by PDF:

- Can I have a dual classed with kits in BOTH his first and second class ? Think not...but it'll be cool to have a Beastmaster/Shapeshifter ::

Here's a few others:

Stalker/Priest Of Helm
Kensai/Assassin
Totemic Druid/Mage
Inquisitor/Blade

Ahhh, the possibilities are limitless....

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 1:08 pm

Or...

Berserker/Swashbuckler
Kensai/Conjurer
Swashbuckler/Priest of Helm
Kensai/Shapeshifter (think of the bonuses while shapechanged!)

And if we're going into the realm of impossible multis:

Monk/Sorcerer
Kensai/Sorcerer (best of both worlds)
Kensai/Swashbuckler/Shapeshifter (even more bonuses)
Kensai/Monk/Swashbuckler (uber-bonuses)