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Mirror Image (old faithful - run away during early game)
Luck (go read chapter "How lucky can you get?" if you really need to ask) 3rd level:
Fireball (can you say ouch?)
Ghost Armor (VERY much necessary buff for tanks all through the game)
Slow (a great help against any monster group)
Skulltrap (unbelievable damage for a 3rd level spell and resistible) 4th level:
Stoneskin (almost total protection for everyone for a VERY long time)
Spirit Armor (in times when Mage Armor just isn't enough)
Emotion: Hope (great bonuses for a long time)
Emotion: Despair (makes the life miserable for enemies) 5th level:
Chaos (this spell is just SWEET with melee-heavy party)
Sunfire (Fire! Fire! FIRE!)
Dominate Person (work against your enemies by using your enemies)
Cone of Cold (against those stupid fire-immune monsters) 6th level:
Mass Haste (probably the best buff spell in the whole game)
Disintegrate (big bad monster says POOF - mages especially)
Acid Storm (sure as hell beats bugged Chain Lightning) 7th level:
Delayed Blast Fireball (ultimate mass-bombardment spell)
Mordenkainen's Sword (okay, this guy DOES know how to fight at times)
Finger of Death (mage? what mage? oh you mean that corpse?) 8th level:
Symbol of Hopelessness (hold it right there, folks)
Horrid Wilting (evasion you say? taste this!)
Mind Blank (forget about Will saves) 9th level:
Wail of the Banshee (tactical nuke that doesn't kill own - sweet)
Executioner's Eyes (keep 'em criticals coming)
Bard spells: 1st level:
Minor Mirror Image (follow up with a one-shot nuke such as Horrid Wilting)
Charm Person (doesn't hurt to try if otherwise empty on spells)
Chromatic Orb (once again, not before level 7)
Grease (slippin' and slidin', divides monsters into smaller groups) 2nd level:
Blur (to have that extra bit of protection at times)
Eagle's Splendor (to keep CHA up)
Luck (more of these doesn't hurt)
Mirror Image (can't have too many) 3rd level:
Emotion: Hope (allows for more Spirit armors/Stoneskins)
Blink (if we REALLY can't afford to be hit)
Dispel Magic (a reset button for desperate situations)
Ghost armor (we might run out of these as a Sorcerer) 4th level:
Spirit Armor (old faithful buff might run out)
Hold Monster (it might just work with GSF: Enchantment)
Improved Invisibility (if we get bored at trying to hide)
Alternate Character Choices:
----------------------------
None really. Since we need to have spell resistance for everybody for it to really work to its fullest potential, we can't really change the race, as the Deep Gnome's -4 CHA would just ruin this character, and we don't need the extra AC when we're not going to maximize it anyway. Also, 11 levels as
Bard are required to get the final song, leaving us only 19 sorc levels so adding even one level of anything would not allow us to select between two different 9th level spells, and we need the Executioner's Eyes for the melee tanks to make them truly work the way they're supposed to.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.5 - Optional: First extra Bombardier
Drow Paladin(1)/Sorcerer(29)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: This character must be Lawful Good so that the level of Paladin may be taken later on.
This is an optional character, and once again I would urge you to read the chapter "Power of four" before considering adding this character to the party. Read on ONLY if you're still 150% sure that you'll want to take extra characters. You're going to need those extra 50% to convince yourself later not to hang yourself for being so stupid or something like that. No, I'm not kidding you.
This character is all about blasting things with mass destruction spells.
Having spell focus on everything even remotely important and all the different elemental feats ensures that no matter what you do, there's always some sort of a bonus working in the background. Also, with a high STR, this character does quite well with the Holy Avenger sword (or Cera Sumat in HOF mode) in times when casting a spell would be pointless, such as having all the monsters stunned.
For level-ups, start as a Sorcerer and keep on adding Sorcerer levels all the way until you either feel like the extra saving throws could be needed or you acquire the Holy Avenger sword.
Starting statistics:
--------------------
STR 18 (not bad for a sorcerer)
DEX 5 (we're going to get hit anyway, so what the heck)
CON 16 (obviously)
INT 12 (for Spellcraft to acquire elemental feats)
WIS 9 (Charisma bonus negates penalty)
CHA 20 (obviously)
All level-up points should go into CHA.
Skills : Concentration
Spellcraft
Feats : 1 - Subvocal casting
3 - Spell Focus : Evocation
6 - Greater Spell Focus : Evocation
9 - Spirit of Flame
12 - Aegis of Rime
15 - Spell Focus : Necromancy
18 - Greater Spell Focus: Necromancy
21 - Scion of Storms
24 - Spell Focus: Enchantment
27 - Greater Spell Focus: Enchantment
30 - Aqua Mortis
The feats follow the Sorcerer/Bard build rather closely, maximizing the various aspects of this character in the order they're most likely needed.
Spells selections:
------------------
The spell selection follows the spell list of the original UPP's first
Sorcerer. I find its selection rather workable for a pure bombardier as well. 1st level:
Magic Missile
Chromatic Orb
Burning Hands (Spirit of Flame)
Grease
Ice Dagger
Charm Person
Ray of Enfeeblement 2nd level:
Mirror Image
Aganazzar's Scorcher (Spirit of Flame)
Horror
Protection from Arrows
Melf's Acid Arrow
Cat's Grace
Blindness 3rd level:
Flame Arrow (Spirit of Flame)
Lightning Bolt (Scion of Storms)
Fireball (Spirit of Flame)
Invisibility Sphere
Skull Trap
Lance of Disruption
Dispel Magic 4th level:
Stoneskin
Improved Invisibility
Mordenkainen's Force Missiles
Emotion: Hope
Fireshield (Red) (Spirit of Flame)
Malison 5th level:
Sunfire (Spirit of Flame)
Chaos
Animate Dead
Cone of Cold
Ball Lightning (Scion of Storms)
Lower Resistance 6th level:
Disintegrate
Chain Lightning (Scion of Storms)
Mass Haste
Globe of Invulnerability
Shades 7th level:
Mordenkainen's Sword
Finger of Death
Delayed Blast Fireball (Spirit of Flame)
Mass Invisibility
Seven Eyes 8th level:
Horrid Wilting
Symbol of Hopelessness
Summon Fiend
Power Word: Blind 9th level:
Wail of the Banshee
Mass Dominate
Aegis
Meteor Swarm (Spirit of Flame)
Alternate Character Choices:
----------------------------
None, maybe except for choosing not to take the single level of Paladin.
However, with the high CHA bonus to saving throws, life will most certainly be much more dangerous and much greater care would have to be put into keeping this party member alive. Also, while a Wild Elf would avoid suffering
EXP penalties, the all-important "all must have spell resistance" property of this team would be broken.
One ridiculous choice would be doing carbon copies of the Bard/Sorc, but this would be both redundant and stupid, as then we'd lose the damage from uncapped spells (Skull Trap and DBFB, specifically) and we most certainly could use many of those low-level buff spells with as high duration as possible. Having three separate bards singing songs just isn't worth it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.6 - Optional: Second extra Bombardier
Drow Paladin(1)/Sorcerer(29)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This character is an identical carbon copy of the previous character, so there's nothing to write here that wouldn't have been said already.
===============================================================================
4. The Arcane Party
===============================================================================
Now, after reading all this, it can be noted that the first party does concentrate rather heavily on melee, whereas the monsters in later chapters and especially in HOF mode could much easier be dispatched by massive spell bombardment. Just to cater to both extremes, the JUPP has an option for selecting this spell-casting heavy party. Now, the only character capable of at least some melee isn't protectable by high AC, so charging into melee will get this party killed rather fast. One nice thing about this party is that
Luck (go read chapter "How lucky can you get?" if you really need to ask) 3rd level:
Fireball (can you say ouch?)
Ghost Armor (VERY much necessary buff for tanks all through the game)
Slow (a great help against any monster group)
Skulltrap (unbelievable damage for a 3rd level spell and resistible) 4th level:
Stoneskin (almost total protection for everyone for a VERY long time)
Spirit Armor (in times when Mage Armor just isn't enough)
Emotion: Hope (great bonuses for a long time)
Emotion: Despair (makes the life miserable for enemies) 5th level:
Chaos (this spell is just SWEET with melee-heavy party)
Sunfire (Fire! Fire! FIRE!)
Dominate Person (work against your enemies by using your enemies)
Cone of Cold (against those stupid fire-immune monsters) 6th level:
Mass Haste (probably the best buff spell in the whole game)
Disintegrate (big bad monster says POOF - mages especially)
Acid Storm (sure as hell beats bugged Chain Lightning) 7th level:
Delayed Blast Fireball (ultimate mass-bombardment spell)
Mordenkainen's Sword (okay, this guy DOES know how to fight at times)
Finger of Death (mage? what mage? oh you mean that corpse?) 8th level:
Symbol of Hopelessness (hold it right there, folks)
Horrid Wilting (evasion you say? taste this!)
Mind Blank (forget about Will saves) 9th level:
Wail of the Banshee (tactical nuke that doesn't kill own - sweet)
Executioner's Eyes (keep 'em criticals coming)
Bard spells: 1st level:
Minor Mirror Image (follow up with a one-shot nuke such as Horrid Wilting)
Charm Person (doesn't hurt to try if otherwise empty on spells)
Chromatic Orb (once again, not before level 7)
Grease (slippin' and slidin', divides monsters into smaller groups) 2nd level:
Blur (to have that extra bit of protection at times)
Eagle's Splendor (to keep CHA up)
Luck (more of these doesn't hurt)
Mirror Image (can't have too many) 3rd level:
Emotion: Hope (allows for more Spirit armors/Stoneskins)
Blink (if we REALLY can't afford to be hit)
Dispel Magic (a reset button for desperate situations)
Ghost armor (we might run out of these as a Sorcerer) 4th level:
Spirit Armor (old faithful buff might run out)
Hold Monster (it might just work with GSF: Enchantment)
Improved Invisibility (if we get bored at trying to hide)
Alternate Character Choices:
----------------------------
None really. Since we need to have spell resistance for everybody for it to really work to its fullest potential, we can't really change the race, as the Deep Gnome's -4 CHA would just ruin this character, and we don't need the extra AC when we're not going to maximize it anyway. Also, 11 levels as
Bard are required to get the final song, leaving us only 19 sorc levels so adding even one level of anything would not allow us to select between two different 9th level spells, and we need the Executioner's Eyes for the melee tanks to make them truly work the way they're supposed to.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.5 - Optional: First extra Bombardier
Drow Paladin(1)/Sorcerer(29)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: This character must be Lawful Good so that the level of Paladin may be taken later on.
This is an optional character, and once again I would urge you to read the chapter "Power of four" before considering adding this character to the party. Read on ONLY if you're still 150% sure that you'll want to take extra characters. You're going to need those extra 50% to convince yourself later not to hang yourself for being so stupid or something like that. No, I'm not kidding you.
This character is all about blasting things with mass destruction spells.
Having spell focus on everything even remotely important and all the different elemental feats ensures that no matter what you do, there's always some sort of a bonus working in the background. Also, with a high STR, this character does quite well with the Holy Avenger sword (or Cera Sumat in HOF mode) in times when casting a spell would be pointless, such as having all the monsters stunned.
For level-ups, start as a Sorcerer and keep on adding Sorcerer levels all the way until you either feel like the extra saving throws could be needed or you acquire the Holy Avenger sword.
Starting statistics:
--------------------
STR 18 (not bad for a sorcerer)
DEX 5 (we're going to get hit anyway, so what the heck)
CON 16 (obviously)
INT 12 (for Spellcraft to acquire elemental feats)
WIS 9 (Charisma bonus negates penalty)
CHA 20 (obviously)
All level-up points should go into CHA.
Skills : Concentration
Spellcraft
Feats : 1 - Subvocal casting
3 - Spell Focus : Evocation
6 - Greater Spell Focus : Evocation
9 - Spirit of Flame
12 - Aegis of Rime
15 - Spell Focus : Necromancy
18 - Greater Spell Focus: Necromancy
21 - Scion of Storms
24 - Spell Focus: Enchantment
27 - Greater Spell Focus: Enchantment
30 - Aqua Mortis
The feats follow the Sorcerer/Bard build rather closely, maximizing the various aspects of this character in the order they're most likely needed.
Spells selections:
------------------
The spell selection follows the spell list of the original UPP's first
Sorcerer. I find its selection rather workable for a pure bombardier as well. 1st level:
Magic Missile
Chromatic Orb
Burning Hands (Spirit of Flame)
Grease
Ice Dagger
Charm Person
Ray of Enfeeblement 2nd level:
Mirror Image
Aganazzar's Scorcher (Spirit of Flame)
Horror
Protection from Arrows
Melf's Acid Arrow
Cat's Grace
Blindness 3rd level:
Flame Arrow (Spirit of Flame)
Lightning Bolt (Scion of Storms)
Fireball (Spirit of Flame)
Invisibility Sphere
Skull Trap
Lance of Disruption
Dispel Magic 4th level:
Stoneskin
Improved Invisibility
Mordenkainen's Force Missiles
Emotion: Hope
Fireshield (Red) (Spirit of Flame)
Malison 5th level:
Sunfire (Spirit of Flame)
Chaos
Animate Dead
Cone of Cold
Ball Lightning (Scion of Storms)
Lower Resistance 6th level:
Disintegrate
Chain Lightning (Scion of Storms)
Mass Haste
Globe of Invulnerability
Shades 7th level:
Mordenkainen's Sword
Finger of Death
Delayed Blast Fireball (Spirit of Flame)
Mass Invisibility
Seven Eyes 8th level:
Horrid Wilting
Symbol of Hopelessness
Summon Fiend
Power Word: Blind 9th level:
Wail of the Banshee
Mass Dominate
Aegis
Meteor Swarm (Spirit of Flame)
Alternate Character Choices:
----------------------------
None, maybe except for choosing not to take the single level of Paladin.
However, with the high CHA bonus to saving throws, life will most certainly be much more dangerous and much greater care would have to be put into keeping this party member alive. Also, while a Wild Elf would avoid suffering
EXP penalties, the all-important "all must have spell resistance" property of this team would be broken.
One ridiculous choice would be doing carbon copies of the Bard/Sorc, but this would be both redundant and stupid, as then we'd lose the damage from uncapped spells (Skull Trap and DBFB, specifically) and we most certainly could use many of those low-level buff spells with as high duration as possible. Having three separate bards singing songs just isn't worth it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.6 - Optional: Second extra Bombardier
Drow Paladin(1)/Sorcerer(29)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This character is an identical carbon copy of the previous character, so there's nothing to write here that wouldn't have been said already.
===============================================================================
4. The Arcane Party
===============================================================================
Now, after reading all this, it can be noted that the first party does concentrate rather heavily on melee, whereas the monsters in later chapters and especially in HOF mode could much easier be dispatched by massive spell bombardment. Just to cater to both extremes, the JUPP has an option for selecting this spell-casting heavy party. Now, the only character capable of at least some melee isn't protectable by high AC, so charging into melee will get this party killed rather fast. One nice thing about this party is that
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- Icewind Dale 2 trainer by System on 09/12/2007, 05:07
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- Icewind Dale 2 FAQ by System on 09/03/2006, 09:50