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Icewind Dale seriesDual Classing and Multi Classing in IWD1(23 posts)(23 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted September 28, 2011
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cbarchuk: Will a pure druid work okay or am I ultimately better with a fighter/druid? I guess that's the a dumb question but I really didn't want to go with another human. I realize dual class is superior in this game but having all humans is really boring to me and I'm pretty sure a multi class would level pretty damn slowly. I guess that's my only issue with IWD is that there seems to be clearly a set group of builds that work the best.
That's true of many, many games (that there's a subset of builds that are optimal). But yes, a FTR dual classed to druid would be more effective. However, I don't think a pure Druid would be a liability at all. I've currently started my new Insane run with the following:

Dwarf FTR
1/2 Elf Bard
Human Cleric
Gnome FTR/Thief (Thief is probably the only class I'd say you definitely want to dual or multi)
Human Necromancer
Elf Enchanter

They're all going to stay as they are. So no, I don't think a pure Druid is going to be an issue.
Posted September 29, 2011
Man, Coel you just made me feel better. I was starting to think you had to use nothing but dual class in order to play at the higher difficulty. I just find a whole party of humans to be incredibly lame. I like my parties to be powerful but I love the roleplaying aspect of it as well and I like a variety. Ok, what kind of stats does my druid need to focus on for shapeshifting? These are her stats:

STR 11
DEX 18
CON 16
INT 12
WIS 12
CHA 18

I assume since her combat abilities will suck that she'll just use a sling. Love your party makeup btw. Thanks again bro.
Posted September 29, 2011
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cbarchuk: Man, Coel you just made me feel better. I was starting to think you had to use nothing but dual class in order to play at the higher difficulty. I just find a whole party of humans to be incredibly lame. I like my parties to be powerful but I love the roleplaying aspect of it as well and I like a variety. Ok, what kind of stats does my druid need to focus on for shapeshifting? These are her stats:

STR 11
DEX 18
CON 16
INT 12
WIS 12
CHA 18

I assume since her combat abilities will suck that she'll just use a sling. Love your party makeup btw. Thanks again bro.
If it's not too much against the roleplaying grain (i.e. not too powergamey), I'd suggest dropping your INT to add to WIS (you can drop INT right down to 3 with no ill effects in-game). In any case, you should max WIS to 18. I'd also opt for higher STR, since your STR modifier is added to the sling damage (and the character can carry more). You can drop CHA lower if you want. Even though it's one of the Druid's requisite abilities, you don't need it high unless you're planning to dual class into the Druid class.

I've just hit the Vale of Shadows with my party. They're doing well, although it's much more challenging than with the power group I had last run. Simply because the THAC0 is not progressing at the rate it was with the other group. But it's a lot of fun because it forces me to use different tactics this time around. Grease to group up the mobs, then Sleep to put them out... let's just say I cleared up a horde of Orcs and 4 Ogres in the Orc cave off Easthaven without taking a scratch.

Currently levels are as follows:

Khorin Silverblade (Dwarf FTR) just hit level 4
Bellit Fleite (Gnome FTR/Thief) is at level 3 in each class (close to levelling in the Thief class again)
Jalrei Heartbalm (Human Cleric) is at level 4
Patience Truenote (1/2 Elf Bard) is at level 4
Malys Nehcros (Human Necromancer) is level 3
Helena Beata (Elf Enchanter) is level 3

...and I just realized I forgot a couple quests and some goblins in the Kuldahar Pass. Have to head back and do that area. Likely will hit another level with a coupe characters when I clean that up.
Posted September 29, 2011
Multiclassing is OK in IWD, you can beat the game with a non-human party without too much trouble.
It's just that if you want to cast the highest level spells possible at the highest casting level possible you don't want to share teh XP among 2 classes.

Druidic shapeshifts override the physical stats, but you aren't shapeshifted all the time. Wisdom grants bonus spells, int and cha are useless for druids.

If you play a pure class druid you can't wear fighter armor so Dirty Llew has the best items for you. Make sure to buy his umber hulk plate and bring him a a rhino beetle shell to make a shield and have Nym enchant it.

If you focus on shapeshifting look out for equipment which raises resistances, like the clasp of Bron's cloak you can buy in chapter 1 from Orrick. 5 percent resistance don't look much, but if those are the five percent which raise it from 95 to 100 it will make a huge difference.
Post edited September 29, 2011 by kmonster
Posted October 01, 2011
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cbarchuk: Okay this is my party so far...

1. Jace Beleren- Male Human Ranger using Bows and Halberds. (Not sure if Halberds is good) I may dual him over to a Cleric at level 3. Not sure yet.
2. Azariel Hood- Female Elven Fighter/Thief using Large Swords and Crossbows
3. Thaddeus Graytower- Male Human Mage using missle weapons
4. Vistra Goblinkicker- Female Fighter using hammers and axes

That's what I have so far. Want to make sure they're all using different weapons if possible. I can't remember but I think for a ranger, he needs to use a one handed weapon to get the bonus to attack right?
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Coelocanth: I dual classed my others to Cleric, Druid, Mage, and Thief. I chose to go the Thief route with one, just to see how the sneak attack would work out. Not sure it was that big a difference. If I were to do it again, I'd likely just go with the single Thief and take a Bard instead (I do love the Bard class).

As noted, Halberd can be hit or miss. I found a really nice one in my last run, but it was late in the game (Lower Dorn's Deep).

I see you're looking at Large Swords and Crossbows for your FTR/T. I might suggest greatswords. This is simply because you can't keep a shield in the shield slot when using bows or crossbows and I find it a pain to constantly switch the ranged weapon out and put the shield back in every time you need to melee. If you're going with backstab, then you may want a weapon that will allow you to do that (not sure if you have to use one of the thief weapons to backstab in IWD like you do in BG).

I highly recommend a Druid. I was never a fan of the class until I finally broke down and tried it just recently. They have the ability to heal and have a number of really nice spells tey can use as well. Casting Spike Growth onto a field of Web and Grease is a thing of beauty. Alicorn Lance is also pretty handy to lower your opponent's AC by 2. Then there are the healing spells, Sunscorch (good vs undead for a little softening up), Moonblade (good against undead), Star Metal Cudgel (great against many creatures), Static Charge, etc.
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kmonster: If you want to dualclass your ranger to cleric halberds and bow specialization are a bad idea, you loose the ability to use those weapons as cleric. Mace/flail/hammer and sling are the better choice in this case.
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Coelocanth: You gain it back once your Cleric levels surpass the Ranger levels - or does Ranger behave differently than Fighter when dual classed?
Hey Coel, did you try out sneak attack or were you referring to regular backstab? Either way, how did it work for ya?
Posted October 02, 2011
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cbarchuk: Hey Coel, did you try out sneak attack or were you referring to regular backstab? Either way, how did it work for ya?
I had the game set to Sneak Attack (per 3ed rules). But I didn't really try to get into position every battle to make the best use of it. so don't know if it was effective or not. This melee heavy party really didn't need it anyway. They were a wrecking crew.

Next run I may try a thief with Backstab to see how that works out.
Posted October 04, 2011
im trying out a druid myself at the moment, I'm amazed to find out they have a huge variety of spells that I've never heard before. Such as Moon Door, Alicorn Lance, Spike Growth, Moon Blade

cant wait to find out the high level spells

by the way, does having a druid in group help in any other way? Considering the game lore revolves around druids..
Posted October 04, 2011
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bahaaa: im trying out a druid myself at the moment, I'm amazed to find out they have a huge variety of spells that I've never heard before. Such as Moon Door, Alicorn Lance, Spike Growth, Moon Blade

cant wait to find out the high level spells

by the way, does having a druid in group help in any other way? Considering the game lore revolves around druids..
There's one quest you can resolve quicker with a Druid, but you don't absolutely need one since you can resolve that quest in another fashion without one (it just means you have to talk to someone else, then go back to resolve the quest, whereas a Druid can do it on the spot).
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Icewind Dale seriesDual Classing and Multi Classing in IWD1(23 posts)(23 posts)
(23 posts)