IAv6 party composition, This was bound to come up Options

[lroumen]

With regard to the new adventures into the realm of Improved Anvil I was thinking about a new party composition that would give good results and new challenges for me. Of course there is a standard layout of each IA party that is almost necessary if you want to have a relatively relaxed time throughout the majority of the challenges. So if you do not have this layout you may be destined to have a tough time.

General layout:
1-2 single class warriors for high damage output. Recommended is one going dual-wield (rangers are nice) and one going two-handed weapons (paladins are nice).
1-2 dual-class warriors or characters capable of melee fighting such that they can perform a secondary task like buffing, debuffing, thieving, healing, summoning (R/C, F/C, F/M, F/T, swashbuckler or blades are examples dualled or multi'd)
1-2 clerics or druids for healing, buffing, summoning (use shields)
1-2 mages for dispelling, disabling, damage (three is better)
Anyway.... something like this.


There are going to be a few new developments in v6 and I am tempted to try those out. Here is a grasp of what I found interesting. There is a lot more to be read here of course.
1. Expanded mage stronghold for good-aligned necromancers.
2. Valygar the Protector
3. Improved Riskbreaker bonuses
4. Nerfed Bard spells
5. Improved Swashbuckler HLAs
6. Nerfed small people saves


My own thoughts for a party.
- I did not play protagonist mage properly since v2, so I am tempted to go with the necromancer.
- I have not yet played well with an Auramaster so I was tempted to try that out this time too.
- I'm intrigued by the Protector kit for Valygar (whom I normally just slay).
- Riskbreaker I'm playing right now so I will not be doing that this time
- Swashbucklers never floated for me since I like the backstab too much
- Bards... never really played much with them. I have HD in my party right now but all he does is cast minor spells and sing which he cannot even do properly.

So... as for my party thoughts
1. Goodaligned Necromancer Protagonist (dart staff), spells
2. Valygar (flail, katana), protection and healing
3. Nalia or Jan (dagger, bow or crossbow), thieving, secondary arcane
4. Cernd (staff), summoning, buffing
5. Jaheira (club, scimitar, longsword, dualwield), buffing, melee
6. Minsc/Keldorn (2-handed sword, halberds)

I'm a bit worried about the fact that I only have 3 real fighters and I don't even like the Minsc/Keldorn slot. I will probably make this a custom bezerker, barbarian or kensai instead. I prefer something with AC so it would be a bezerker... in which case I would take Korgan if he had two-handed weapons as profs (though level1NPCs may help me there).
I could probably kick the jan/nalia slot for a F/M instead too, but I am still undecided because these NPCs come with upgrades.
I could also change Cernd but I wanted to try out Auramasters so that will not be likely unless I don't like him anymore.

I am also hoping in this party that Valygar gets some good party healing spells because that is something I may be lacking mid-game until both druids level up. No greater restoration.... I could just take Anomen instead of Jaheira but I just prefer the latter. That will be a problem, I'm sure.

I was wondering what kind of ideas other people had. Any thoughts on nice combinations?

[Clown]

Concerning the sorceress:
I get your point here and yes Nalia or Jans items are nice but in v6 as opposed to v5 the sorceress brings much more to the party. Several key spell scrolls are substantially harder to get hold of than in previous games. In addition the new spells are very useful and one benefits substantially from being able to cast them as soon as they become available level wise something which in many cases is very unlikely to happen unless you have a sorcerer in the party. The NPC options you suggest have thier advantages but personally I wouldn't leave home without a sorcerer in v6.

Concerning the Riskbreaker:
Fair enough if your really not keen on playing one, I'm just a bit loved up over there v6 incarnation which is awesome. Bezerker with two weapon or two-handed style would probably be a good alternative plus being able to equip a shield and fight shoulder to shoulder with Valygar for a two man high AC shield wall could be handy.

Concerning Clerics:
This really is a matter of perference, I really rate the fighter/ranger HLAs as most of the cleric ones are rubbish plus the extra half attack and improved Thac0 is nice. But on the other hand there are plenty of good things to be said for the dual class.

Concerning the two-hander:
With this I went the GM route it takes a while and for some time you'll only have profeciencies in one or two damage types but for me the extra attack(2 under imp.haste) are really worth it, the extra attacks are one of the major advantages over a F/M. I don't think sequencers work under tensers but contingencies do and so does casting from scroll. In addition his buffs always last a good few rounds as you can affford to memorize and cast as many spell protections as you want under alacrity at the begining of a fight as chances are you won't need to use any other spells as by the time tensers has worn off most fights are over. The other real key point to remember with this guy is that unlike the F/M if you don't uses tensers he is a full mage only three levels so one spell slot behind your pure classes. Just don't forget he is mostly useles from mid-chapter 3 to end of the Underdark he is a very powerful build but you have to pay the price to get there.

This post has been edited by Clown: Nov 12 2009, 11:01 AM