Party without real spellcasters.

Onkel Bob · Post by **Onkel Bob** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:58 am

First off let's just get this done:
[dr. Nick Riviera voice]Hi everybody![/dr. Nick Riviera voice]

I've been lurking here for some time now and only decided to register because I couldn't find a thread on a party like the one I'm doing right now:

Like the title says my party includes no serious spellcasters. This is the line-up:

1: Protagonist: Thief dual'ed to fighter at level 5. Imported him from BG1 and he's a swashbuckler now. All he can really do as thief is opening lucks and disarming traps.
2: Keldorn
3: Valygar
4: Mazzy
5: Minsc

I wasn't really sure I'd include Minsc permanently until I sat here typing this and thought hard about it. Seems to me that in this party his priest spells might actually come in handy. And I can always use more brute force.

I decided not to include Korgan because he might cause trouble in this party.

The cool thing about this party is that all these guys can deliver serious damage but they also all have some extra skills.

Have anyone here any experience with a party like this and any advice?

Chippox of Doom · Post by **Chippox of Doom** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 10:23 am

Well that looks likea fun challenge, but sadly it will be too tough i think.

But ppl say they solo the game as archers, fighters and what not so it should be posible but no cleric or even druid in there will make it real hard, not to mention no mage.

Good luck however.

Berethor · Post by **Berethor** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 2:20 pm

It will be...challenging--to say the least. If you're party--or Minsc, for that matter--gets held, stunned etc, you won't have anyone to dispell it. You would be screwed f that ever happened. But like the guy above me said, people solo the game with Characters with no spellcasting potential--I did it with an Assassin--and got through it fairly quickly. Whatever you do, I wish you luck. You'll need it

.

Onkel Bob · Post by **Onkel Bob** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 6:58 pm

Berethor wrote:It will be...challenging--to say the least. If you're party--or Minsc, for that matter--gets held, stunned etc, you won't have anyone to dispell it. You would be screwed f that ever happened. But like the guy above me said, people solo the game with Characters with no spellcasting potential--I did it with an Assassin--and got through it fairly quickly. Whatever you do, I wish you luck. You'll need it .

That's not entirely true. If Minsc got held I'd have Keldorn to dispel it. If Keldorn got held I'd have to hope I can manage...

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 11:18 pm

With Keldorns Inquisitor abilities, I would think you could beat most spell casters - especially if you suit him up in anti-charm/hold/confuse equipment. However I do think you are light on healing powers and would possible take a priest with you (possible Anomen to keep in line with the setup), otherwise you'll have to rest much and often to heal your party up. The priest spells you get on Keldorn and Minsc are rather limited.

But most any combination is playable if one wants to, so just go for it IMO

Coot · Post by **Coot** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 2:08 am

Choosing the right equipment will be more important with a specialized party like this. You'll need different kind of protections, the kind that priests and mages normally provide, only this time you'll need to get it from armor and rings and the like.
Keldorn's abilities have already been mentioned. Minsc's rage can be useful too. Valygar's backstabbing abilities could be used against spellcasters. Mazzy should probably be your main archer with lots of different ammo.
Korgan would do great too; IMHO he's one of the greatest fighters in the game and his rage ability is different from Minsc, giving him different advantages. He'd also add some spice to dialogue. If you keep your reputation average there should be no problem with npc's fighting or leaving.

Onkel Bob · Post by **Onkel Bob** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 9:02 am

I'm beginning to worry about this one spell. Namely the spell Imprisonment. Now the description says theres no save but how about Magic Resistance? I think I could probably get Keldorns up quite high.

rbeverjr · Post by **rbeverjr** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 9:28 am

Many times people point out that soloing has been done, but be reminded that the game adjusts difficulty (HP of monsters is one way) to the heroes. I played a 3 member team and quit half way through SoA because it was boringly easy - and I keep away from cheese. (I am considering using the TuTu mod that gives all monsters max HP.) Of course, playing solo has its own challenges.

As people have said, I expect this team to make the game more challenging. You not only have no real caster (arcane or divine) but no real thief either. Much of the cheese of the game is gone. Congratulations for your determination. I'm sure the game can be beaten with this team, particularly with Keldorn along. I expect that his Dispel Magic and Carsomyr will get plenty of work. Personally, I would probably go for a little less challenge and take Korgan over Minsc. He would give you a cheap answer to Imprisonment (as well as immunities to many magics while Enraged) and is the better tank.

The game adjusts somewhat to thief level too. I've seen Imoen open chests when she had less ability than my multiclass thief in separate games. Still, you may need to purchase some thief skill enhancing equipment.

Onkel Bob · Post by **Onkel Bob** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:08 am

Spoiler

Right now I'm working on the unseeing eye quest. No trouble so far except that I had to go out and visit a temple underways. Keldorn get leveldrained. But after leaving for a bit I'm returning with Azureedge and Daystar and I have a feeling this won't happen again. I must admit I cheesed that lich that guards daystar a bit. I ran in with my protagonist with thieving skills and stole the sword and ran out. Then I had it ID'ed and went back...

The unseeing eye itself doesn't worry me too much. I have that shield you know and it usually dies quickly after using the rod.

Kangaxx doesn't really either. If nothing else I can include Korgan long enough to fight Kangaxx.

I am a bit worried by the beholder area in the underdark. I believe there are quite a few elderorbs down there or am I mistaken?

Pe Ell · Post by **Pe Ell** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 6:26 am

I cannot see how you should have any problems. Just as long as you have some decent equipment so you can resist or absorb most of the damage from mages until you chip away their protection spells I really can't see you going down. As for the elder orbs, just mass up on them. Dish out enough damage for a few seconds and they drop dead quickly before any imprisonment is cast. No worries.

I can me that one of my most famous parties and wierd playthroughs was when I went through the game with 6 rangers, 3 pure and 3 archers. And that was no problems at all. So it ought to be a breeze for you.