Baldur's Gate : The Sword Coast Chronicles : NWN2 Persistent World

Hello Everyone!

Theres two of us here joining the server. We're both fanatics of Forgotten Realms lore and Baldurs Gate. I have been here once before back in 2015/14 for a short time of a few weeks but never got too far. The other is completely new to BG. We're looking for some expert advice for builds to play here.

Can we request two types of builds to get us started please!

For myself theres a few concepts in mind to help give ideas;

A Stealthy Spellsword.
A devout of Auril (Cleric/Mage/Spellsword)
DC magi with plenty of little tricks.
Red Wizard Mage of Thay (Which I'll apply for if theres a good build idea).
A Bhaalite/Shadow thieving PC.
A build that could perform like Kangaxx from Baldurs gate two, (A palemaster build maybe.)

I know its a tall order to ask but im looking for a build that levels alright, Holds its own in primarily PvE situations and has Tricks/ Interesting tools to employ also in roleplay.

We'll probably be hunting together as a duo until we get to know people IC so kudos to any who can compliment our two build ideas together to synergize in PvE hunting.

Part two coming up for my partner in crime!

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They are looking for the following and will find the roleplay to find the class. The classes they are interested are the following:

Monk/Shadowdancer combination on fists.
Any variation of druid as long as its viable in PvE.
Spellswords of any variation.
Arcane Trickster builds.


Thank you guys all in advance and we both look forward to seeing what you all come up with.

Been a while since I did a spellsword or a Gish.. but this was my old concept. Keep in mind, it doesn't get hips:
http://nwn2db.com/build/?244652

Thank you Akroma!

Will definately have a look at it and weigh it up.

Also Blood Magi builds if anyone knows any are also welcomed in the Arcane ideas!

Keep the ideas coming!

Omega07 wrote: A Stealthy Spellsword.

I play one of these and they aren't the easiest build for a new player. Mine is W5/EK8/A8/AT8. Only reaches CL25 so it really needs HiPS for defensive protection from dispels, HiPS doesn't come until the Epic levels and 9th level spells also have to wait for epics due to the 3b20 rule. You then have to either prioritize getting 9th level spells, delaying HiPS until 25 or you prioiritize HiPS and get it at 23. Another option that might work better for you, so long as you play a race with either Wizard or Rogue as a Favored class (Tiefling would work perfectlly), would be to forego HiPS and go W6/R4/EK10/AT10. Still get's BAB 21 for 5 APR, but CL is 29 which will protect you from greater spell enough to make a difference. A wand of Invisibility can offer some defense if you use it when you see a caster throwing Greater Dispel your way, but even if it hits, only 5% chance of each ward to be stripped so at most you might lose 1 ward. You don't have HiPS, but you can use summons in order to get flank/sneak attacks. Finally, you could go more the RTA route instead of spell sword, using HiPS to land sneak attacks. Foregoing CL, you could take R10/W7/AT10/SD3. Getting 9th level spells, but CL of only 21 you will need to use HiPS/Invis. wands to ensure protection from dispels. However, you will have solid RTA sneak damage (get Invisible needle for unlimited RTA's).

Omega07 wrote: A devout of Auril (Cleric/Mage/Spellsword)

Could go a few directions here. One would be to go Sorc8/BG3/EK10/DS9 - CL27, STR+CHA 21 allows you to get EDM for the one thing gish builds struggle with, damage. BG can be switched for cleric, but BG gives synergy with the charisma to saves. Cleric will grant two domains and have -1 BAB. The above build has BAB26 to reach 6 APR vs. 25 which will get 5 APR, when necessary Dragon Slayer Truestrike will allow that 6th attack to land. You would have the option of going S6/C4/EK10/DS10, but CL drops to 25 which is a too low and will get dropped by greater dispels regularly.

Omega07 wrote: DC magi with plenty of little tricks.

dependent upon good or evil... For good DC you could go W20/AM10 for increased CL and nifty abilities to do a lot of neat stuff. For evil you have Blood Magus, Shadow Adept and Thayan Knight which all can help DC's in different ways. I would narrow what you want down first from an RP standpoint and then focus more on the classes.

Omega07 wrote:Red Wizard Mage of Thay (Which I'll apply for if theres a good build idea).

See above... Have to consider what two schools you will have as opposition schools and what school you want to focus on first. Also have to plan your build to take Red Wizard ASAP (at level 6).

Omega07 wrote:A Bhaalite/Shadow thieving PC.

IMO the 'standard' for this type of Rogue build is R16/A9/IB5. Gets everything you want in a rogue as far as decent AC, lots of sneak dice, Assassin for HiPS and Death attack as well as decent spells, IB to increase BAB a little, gain up to 5 AC from INT and have bleed damage. That said, other options include Guild Thief, Ghost Faced Killer, Warrior of Darkness, Shadow Dancer, Master of Diguises, and Whirling Dervish. All offer unique RP And mechanical abilities to any Assassin/Thief type of build. A relatively easy path to take would to just be to go Phantom 25/SD5.

Omega07 wrote:A build that could perform like Kangaxx from Baldurs gate two, (A palemaster build maybe.)

Any well built wizard is a destroyer of worlds once you get to a certain point.
W14/PM10/SA3/SD3 would do nicely. If you want higher CL w/ no HiPS could go W10/PM10/SA3/BM7. Frankly W20/PM10 will do just fine.


and for your buddy....

Omega07 wrote: Monk/Shadowdancer combination on fists.

Monk25/SD5, DEX at least 25. Gets HiPS and Epic Dodge with solid fist damage.

Omega07 wrote: Any variation of druid as long as its viable in PvE.

Druid 30...Dragon Druid / max wis.

Omega07 wrote: Spellswords of any variation.

For elves we have the Bladesinger which as a unique RP and mechanical style for gish builds, though you should understand the lore/rp before playing one. SB5/W8/BS10/D7 would be interesting if you don't mind having your spells be more for damage/short term rather than longer term buffs that will be dispelled easily. The above only gets level 7 spells, but with a rapier will do solid damage and will have decent AC. If you want more CL just remove Duelist and go SB5/W15/BS10 for CL25 and still doing quite a bit of damage with a rapier through Insightful Strike and Combat Insight. DEX 18 w/ Mithral Chain Shirt or 16 w/ Mithral Breastplate and try to get INT to 26. (w/ cat's grace and fox's cunning that's 22/30 or 20/30). (edited to correct CL on SB/W/BS...should finish my coffee before offering build advice. )

Omega07 wrote: Arcane Trickster builds.

See the advice in the first section, but really what you need to decide is what is important in an Arcane Trickster? Loads of sneak dice? Caster Level 28+ or even CL30? HiPS? There are a LOT of ways to build an AT... Here are a few:

W13/A8/AT9 - CL26, HiPS, Death Attack. (edited because it was pointed out W13 is the earliest you can qualify for Assassin, which in turn is required to qualify for AT)
W16/R4/AT10 - CL30, can also bekind of a DC wizard.
W7/R3/AT10/DSM10 - CL30, lots of neat RTA tricks. Similar to above, but a bit feat starved by comparison.
W14/R3/SD3/AT10 - CL28, HiPS (best CL you can get while still having HiPS.)


If you each narrow it down and need help with specific builds I'm happy to assist, but not going to go in to the builder and make a dozen or more builds

Enjoy your time here!!!

Omega07 wrote:Thank you Akroma!

Will definately have a look at it and weigh it up.

Also Blood Magi builds if anyone knows any are also welcomed in the Arcane ideas!

Keep the ideas coming!

I have an arcane summoner and iron sorc i believe on my same account. Some of those builds are concepts that failed or are old, but others are very sturdy. I have lately been building more martial builds, but take a flip through my profile on nw 2b and see what's on there.

Cleric/Mage is easy to build but hard to lv and difficult to play. I am going 15/15 on mine and he is not doing too badly if i play him carefully and have extra buffs ready in case of dispell. Dispell is the greatest danger as said but there are ways to avoid and or mitigate it.

In PVE most mobs dont use dispells and those that do only use it maybe once. Having hips, having backup buffs, or using a summon to absorb the dispell for you makes it easy.

PVP is an entirely different thing... most (wise) players have multiple dispells prepared and unlike the AI they are not stupid and will ignore any summons to focus on you.

PVP is thus more difficult and risky... best bet in PVP is to use save or die/save or suck spells to end the fight as quickly as possible.

Hello all,

Omega7's criminal hand/side kick here.
Amazing response to our build questions, so first thanks guys.
Shall be commencing a good long day of trying these out to find a nice fit. Anything else you all could add to remember buildwise would be great. I am coming from nwn1 and although I played the original campaigns I have barely begun with nwn2 online. Joined to give it a go years back and RL intervened -.-

Thanks again!
-Soul

One of you should be a Caster-cleric, zen archer with auto-silent spell. And maybe animal domain.

The other should be a character with a low will save. Either a sneaker or somebody who moves quickly.

Hire yourselves out as mage-catchers.

This is very fun. If you two will be playing together, run the defender one with a cleric buddy. Otherwise read the description for the fighter version.

http://nwn2db.com/build/?253668

Thank you guys!

I think we've picked our builds for now with thanks to you all!

Is there a sticky place to put the suggested builds up perhaps for any new players for the future so its easier to access?