Yet another run, this time starring a Necro, Max H2H Options

[pekkae]

As it's been relatively quiet for some time at the forum I though I'd do a post about a run I've been thinking about recently. I don't have the time to start this in the near future, but every now and then I find myself yet again tinkering with the crew composition. Any comments would be welcome.

Our last run with "double -5" worked extremely well for most parts of the game. While we has some difficulties, we managed to develop our crew to quite OP mid-game and break through the demofight.

This time instead of being insanely capable in spellcasting we thought we'd develop an extreme H2H crew, playing on insane. This is what is in the works:

The locks (edit: they turned out not to be locks ...)

PC: Necromancer. Shall get the Necro stuff thus with required buffs be a little bit competent in H2H as well. With 2 APR / Decent Thac0 through TPT & Giant Strength. We thinks she'll be ok.

Jaheira: Early game superpowers. Great 2H H2H. Skins & Critical Striking. She rocks.

Custom multiclass F/I: Early game ubertank. Will get fighter Thac0's & Critical Strikes. Worked amazingly well on the last run.

Riskbreaker (probably Imoen): Will get JD. Gets to amazing physical resistance though Hardiness + CBS + JD. Will be an amazing tank + damage dealer.

What we're thinking

A custom R/C multiclass. Shall get full access to druidic spells. So fighter Thac0's, Critical Strikes + skins. Oh and insanely low AC (effective should hover around -28 unbuffed mid game). The only character that can both tank + has about the best combat buffs available (Draw Upon Holy Might should work wonders + Righteous Magic). We think she'll be great.

And the last slot.

Valygar the Vagrant? Can probably tank a little bit with Vagrant bonuses + Defender of Easthaven + Greean leaves armour + Armor of Faith + Double Regen. And can summon. Gets ofc fighter thac0's & critical strikes.

But if not Vagrant, whom should we take? Regular fighters are out of question for physical resistance through only hardiness is rather useless on insane - the characters need something else to protect themselves or increased physical resistance though something else.

A custom made Swashbuckler/Fighter could work as a dual classed assassin->fighter.

What else?

This post has been edited by pekkae: Oct 4 2022, 06:50 PM

[lroumen]

The strongest you have already listed our played before (like Kensai).

Valygar as protector is already a strong melee choice with nice utility. The vagrant mostly brings additional summons to the table.

I am personally quite charmed by a two weapon paladin, monks once into their magic resistance, and even the pure swashbuckler is a nice addition.

[pekkae]

The strongest you have already listed our played before (like Kensai).

Valygar as protector is already a strong melee choice with nice utility. The vagrant mostly brings additional summons to the table.

I am personally quite charmed by a two weapon paladin, monks once into their magic resistance, and even the pure swashbuckler is a nice addition.

Thanks for the reply!

Yes Kensai is so effective with JD it's a little bit gamebreaking.

I'm not sure about Valygar, I'd like to play it to see how it goes but on insane Valygar version of Vagrant (without forging the Vagrant protagonist's stuff) doesn't have that good of physical resistance so I'm thinking the Vagrant will be in trouble. To even it out we could use staves / halberd's for the Vagrant in addition to dualwielding axe + defender of easthaven.

How would you play the dual-wielding paladin? I played Keldorn once or twice, giving him JD in the end. It's quite the effective character then.

I haven't played a swashbuckler, but the lack of UAI + critical strike makes the kit non-starter for what we are looking for.

It might just be that the crew turns out to be:

Necro
Jaheira
Multiclass F/I
Multiclass R/C (with full access to clerical spells)
Dual Assasin -> Fighter
Valygar the Vagrant (or a riskbreaker)

Played like this Vagrant would get JD thus buffing it's physical resistance quite a lot. The A-F is a 2H weapons specialist who can get up to 80-90% in phys. resistance, great APR's and ofc. it can PFMW / stoneskin from scrolls when needed to help out.

That's five characters who should have -15 Thac0, 7-10 attacks per round + critical strikes. Even though we won't get that many per character, because of the dual- & multi classes. Also everyone will be able to protect itself in a meaningful way. On insane hardiness + RvE:Regen doesn't really amount to that much.