Neverwinter Nights - Capitalist Utopia

[Drogue]

I never had a problem with chests. But then I played as my usual thief - use magic item skill is *so* incredibly useful. By the end of the game I was using a monk's armour, spells and wands and all sorts

[Stuie]

Hmm... I'm tempted to try a fighter/thief next time. The cleric spells are useful, but there are just so many cure potions in this game that a cleric really doesn't seem necessary.

Then again, I'm still in chapter one...

[DrSpike]

There is no thief class in NWN.

[duke o' york]

I just died in my first attempt at the Cloaktower membership test.
Mind you, it was only because I chose the wrong spells - Grimgnaw stayed alive for ages, took all the hits that might have finished me, and did 2 or 3 damage with each hit. But 4 lightning bolts didn't kill the bugger.
Next time I'll be better prepared!

[DrSpike]

Finished HotU already?

[duke o' york]

Er, no. I'm, er, taking a break! I don't know why, but I prefer the lower-level characters. I was a bloody mean DM by the way.

[DrSpike]

I think you have can't-finish-what-I-start-itis.

[duke o' york]

I finished the OC before with Jam's Pally/Sorc/RDD build, and I struggled through SoU with my useless Ranger/Assassin/Wizard build, so it is the only one I haven't done yet. But then it's the only one you have to play with high-level characters. (All right, you don't, but I'd like to see you even survive the first fight in the inn without levelling up your character. )
I also finished BG, Civ 2, SMAC, Spartan, er..... not Football Manager because you're immortal, and I've only ever played a little of Morrowind, and they're the only games I own at the moment. (That I've actually played - I've also got BG2 and ToT, that I've never even started. )

[Stuie]

Originally posted by DrSpike
There is no thief class in NWN.

Oh, you know what I mean. I'm still getting used to 3e.

[DrSpike]

True, it was pretty awkward.

[ravagon]

Mmmm. Ok. Nuther question.

Is it worthwhile to switch my druidy-type over to that shapeshifter class (forgotten what it's called atm)?
The abilities sound fascinating but I'm not really sure how worthwhile they'll be in comparison to continuing on as a druid ...
Can I change at will and do those dragon thingummies have breath weapons, etc?

[duke o' york]

What do you mean by "change"?* If you take another character class then you keep the abilities (and spells) you learned as the first class, and of any others you might learn in future. So as, say Druid 4 Shifter 1, then you will still have all the things you learned as a Druid to date, but also the benefits of the shifter level too.
The trick is to time the switches so that you get the most out of both (or all 3).

Take a look at the munchkin builds on the official site. You can see how sorcerors take a level of monk to get useful powers, etc.
Obviously there are some combinations (usually race- or alignment-based) that can't be done, but there is a tonne of different combinations to be experimented with.
3e be both Y and also, at the same time, w.

[edit]* - Aha, by change you meant into a creature, rather than the class entirely. I'd do both - keep advancing as a Druid but also with some Shifter levels until you get to the point at which you've reached the creature you really want, but have some powerful Druid spells and abilities too.

[DrSpike]

Druids are a laugh for a while, but not really powerful as main class. It is fun playing that dragon if you can bear the pain (I couldn't, played someone elses).

[Harovan]

Druids are an ok class if you leave them to be druids and don't go for shapeshifter. You need to play them well, though. They are jack of all trades, master of none. They can fight, heal and nuke. And they can summon. With a henchman (or another player, if in a PW), an animal companion (dire wolf or bear) and a summoned creature (goes from the mighty badger up to an elder elemental) you can muster a considerable force to throw at your foes. The game is balanced, that you still get a good experience. While they deal with your meatshields, DD and AOE them at will. And even if your adversary is mighty enough to get through these three, he still has to hack through your Greater Stoneskin, and when he is done with that, one click turns you in a comfortable tank, such like an iron golem or one of the 4 elementals - who all have their strengths and weaknesses, so chose wisely.

Druids are definitely a fun class. They can be played well as pure druids. But they can be equally well multiclassed with literally every other class.

[Harovan]

Originally posted by duke o' york
I just died in my first attempt at the Cloaktower membership test.
Mind you, it was only because I chose the wrong spells - Grimgnaw stayed alive for ages, took all the hits that might have finished me, and did 2 or 3 damage with each hit. But 4 lightning bolts didn't kill the bugger.
Next time I'll be better prepared!

He's mighty afraid of Melf's acid arrow. Take Melkanens staff (that was the name of the sorceror in Blacklake, right?) and use it up. It has 10 Melf's on it, which is usually enough to slay that thing. Just wait a bit between the arrows - remember they are DoTs, so while one still works, another one would be a waste.

[duke o' york]

Thanks Sir Ralph - that worked a treat! I killed him with one last all-or-nothing shot after he killed Grimgnaw and left me with only 3 hp.



I found that using magic missiles in between the acid arrows took away a load of his life too.

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph
Druids are an ok class if you leave them to be druids and don't go for shapeshifter. You need to play them well, though. They are jack of all trades, master of none.

Which should be avoided at all costs.

[Harovan]

Depends on the situation. High specialized builds are awesome in 1-2 respects and have big achilles heels in others (will saves of rogues anyone?). To fix this with items is not a solution for a character build - it has to work under all circumstances and in all worlds. So if you are grouped with other specialists, who cover your weaknesses, you're fine, but when you're solo...

While I'm aware, that druids are underpar to a specialist in every respect, they don't really have an achilles heel they could not overcome with their own powers (summons, shapeshifts etc.)

[Chaunk]

Actually, I'd consider the druid to be the best tank in the game once you reach level 35 or so. Up to level 20, 16 druid and 4 fighter. Then druid until you reach wis 30, dragon shape and a single level of monk. In dragon shape, your AC will be in the 70-85 region, and every hit will be for 35-45 damage (With +6 claws to boot, so no DR for most characters). Not to mention the 800 HPs (Un rerolled) you'd expect, or the 40/6 DR that dragons have. Add to that a few key buffing spells and the character is more or less untouchable. Party with a wiz/sorc for some more direct damage, and you've got a lethal party.

Sure it's munchkin, and it comes quite late, but then you could take the level of monk at 21, and use the elemental shape while you're waiting for dragon.

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph
Depends on the situation. High specialized builds are awesome in 1-2 respects and have big achilles heels in others (will saves of rogues anyone?). To fix this with items is not a solution for a character build - it has to work under all circumstances and in all worlds. So if you are grouped with other specialists, who cover your weaknesses, you're fine, but when you're solo...

While I'm aware, that druids are underpar to a specialist in every respect, they don't really have an achilles heel they could not overcome with their own powers (summons, shapeshifts etc.)

For a balanced solo build I think there are Monk or Pally builds that are just more effective than all Druid builds.

The only real plus point with Druids that I can really see is the late game point that Chaunk made. But as I said before, you have to bear the pain of getting there.

[The Mad Monk]

Originally posted by duke o' york
I just died in my first attempt at the Cloaktower membership test.
Mind you, it was only because I chose the wrong spells - Grimgnaw stayed alive for ages, took all the hits that might have finished me, and did 2 or 3 damage with each hit. But 4 lightning bolts didn't kill the bugger.
Next time I'll be better prepared!

That golem is effortless if you solve the riddle -- provided, of course, that you recognize the riddle for what it is.

Go over Eltoora's instructions for both quests, and take note of the items in the golem's room.

[The Mad Monk]

One way to safely trip traps as a sorcie is to throw summons at them.

Another way is to take the pixie familiar, who starts as a fine thief and only gets better as you level.

[DrSpike]

And is quite hard to hit as well.

[Unspeakable Horror]

Or use the spell find traps, it disarms them too

[The Mad Monk]

Originally posted by duke o' york
Likewise. They're all square areas, like in BG, and you have to load the next one when you switch between two. Unlike BG, though, there isn't a world map that you can use to travel quickly between locations a long way apart (or even check where you are), so you have to walk through each area individually, but it's never boring. As in BG, once you've explored an area then you can use the map to shoot over the other side of the map and set the walk-to cursor there, which saves a lot of time.

Funny thing I noticed about that...

Pathfinding across a map is godawful if you simply click a location on the floor (in a maze your character will head in a straight line and get stuck in a corner), but becomes very good if you click on an enemy to attack (in the same maze you character will successfully navigate all turns and even open doors and try to dodge around other attackers).

I have always wondered about that.

[Harovan]

A question to Folderol veterans (I'm toying with a character build) - are there ingredients for scribing scrolls, making wands and/or crafting traps in the game? If not, it'd not make sense to invest in certain feats.

I was playing there last evening. I still get CTD's, but as I noticed, exclusively (and repeatable!) while looting piles of bone - which I might avoid for more enjoyment. So I think I give it a roll when there's no guild event on the EQ2 PvP server, where I rerolled.

[Jamski]

There are indeed all the craftable materials in the game, and the crafting skills are also used to change the appearance of items.

[duke o' york]

Sir Ralph, are you up for a pootle around Folderol tomorrow evening? Jamski, would you be up for visiting again?

The craft armour skills are heavily sought after in the world of Folderol, and your 1337 skillz building magic armour for warriors will win you tonnes of friends.

[Harovan]

I'd be game, but I won't have a character with considerable level to party with your überness.

[duke o' york]

Well I've got 2 level 4s and a level 9 (and some slightly more elite characters I inherited from Spike), but we could start with level 2s if you'd prefer.
Friday night's usually the best night to play because the mods have had a whole week to think up decent quests for your level, and they'll happily give you something interesting (and a little out of the ordinary) to do if you chat to them at the Gypsy Camp.