I just restarted Baldur's Gate II: SoA!

[Jon AS]

Blades are by far the best defensive class in the game due to having all the various mage spells like Blur and Stoneskin and defensive spin. Nothing else even comes close.

Except for fighter/mages. Or ranger/clerics. AC is capped at -12 anyway, I think, so defensive spin loses a lot of value later on. Bards don't have a whole lot of hitpoints for when they do get hit, and Haer'dalis' HP count is downright pathetic. Plus he's annoying.;)

[Zoë Sumra]

A few more questions (and I am sure i could find these things in a manual somewhere or elsewhere online, but I'd just rather stay here):

-What does the charisma ranking do for you? For example I see that Keldorn has an 18 charisma. In what way does this benefit me?

-What's a blade?

-What's lore do for?

With high lore, a character can identify magic items just by looking at them, without having to use an Identify spell. This allows you to use immediately any magic item that can only be used when identified, to sell magic items for full price without having to use a spell slot for Identify (or buying the use of the spell), and to avoid accidentally putting on cursed items.

BG2's basic character classes have "kits" available upon creation - preset variations that effectively increase the number of classes available. Blades are one of the bard kits (the others being Jester and Skald, the latter of which was one of my sister's favourite classes). If you pretend to start a new game and pretend to try to create a Blade, you'll learn more.

Charisma gives you "reaction adjustment", basically it makes certain NPCs warm to you quicker, essentially giving you better conversation options. It might affect shop prices? Can't remember...

[Jon AS]

-What does the charisma ranking do for you? For example I see that Keldorn has an 18 charisma. In what way does this benefit me?

Pretty much the only thing you get from high charisma are lower prices in stores. Always buy stuff with the most charismatic character. BG1 had quite a few optional/changed dialogues for charismatic characters, but I'm not sure there even is a single CHA check in BG2 (some for INT and WIS, though). Somebody correct me on that if I'm wrong.

-What's a blade?

A "kit", basically a specialised sub-class, for the bard. Every class in the game (except for the monk, barbarian and sorcerer) have 4 different ones to choose from: base class and three kits. Keldorn is an inquisitor, for example.

Oh and the mage gets school specialists instead of kits.

-What's lore do for?

To identify magic items without having to use spells, the Glasses of Identification or a shopkeeper. Bards have the highest lore level (10/level +boni for high INT and WIS), though one of the disadvantages of the blade kit is that its lore skill is halved.

ETA: To elaborate on the lore thing: if the character in whose inventory the item is has a high enough lore skill, the item will be automatically identified when you right-click it.

Mages and thieves get 3/level, everybody else is stuck at 1 point per level (and thus is very unlikely to ever identify anything).

[GuybrushThreepwood]

Pretty much the only thing you get from high charisma are lower prices in stores. Always buy stuff with the most charismatic character. BG1 had quite a few optional/changed dialogues for charismatic characters, but I'm not sure there even is a single CHA check in BG2 (some for INT and WIS, though). Somebody correct me on that if I'm wrong.

The only charisma check I know of is when the Drow Priestess wants to sleep with you. If you have a high enough charisma you can turn her away with no consequences. You can also pass with high enough intelligence or wisdom.

Charisma is pretty much worthless as far as character building goes because you get a ring that gives you 18 charisma from Kalah the gnome in the circus quest. Just pop it on when you need to sell something and take it off afterwards.

[Jon AS]

The only charisma check I know of is when the Drow Priestess wants to sleep with you. If you have a high enough charisma you can turn her away with no consequences. You can also pass with high enough intelligence or wisdom.

There's a check there? I usually play characters with reasonably high charisma (and also intelligence if I can afford it) and don't do dump stats (though I've always though that strength would make the perfect one for this game; particularly for warrior types ironically), so it's likely I've never had a character who could possibly fail that one.

[GuybrushThreepwood]

I believe so. I think you can tell her that you have a venereal disease (Int), that you have sworn a vow of chastity (Wis) or that you just really, really don't want to, for unspecified reasons (Cha).

The cutoffs for passing it are pretty low, though. Around 13 or something. So, as you say, pretty much anyone would be able to pass the check. Anyone, that is, except my big dumb berserker character that got caught by it.

edit: Oh, and I just realized that charisma is important for the bard stronghold quest. Your reward at the end changes based on your charisma.

[Slurktan]

Except for fighter/mages. Or ranger/clerics. AC is capped at -12 anyway, I think, so defensive spin loses a lot of value later on. Bards don't have a whole lot of hitpoints for when they do get hit, and Haer'dalis' HP count is downright pathetic. Plus he's annoying.;)

Fighter/mages do not have the AC of a Blade. Spells such as Stoneskin require an enemy to actually get past the AC first to take off one of the stoneskins. It is much harder to do that on a Blade than any other class due to their maximum AC. Have the blade put a sequencer thingy with Stoneskin on it to recast once stoneskin comes off and then have the blade use an anti magic scroll. Nothing can hurt them.

Your second point is not relevant as your blade should never actually get hit with anything other than Magic so HP is irrelevant just like it is to actual mages. The only possible standard attacker that poses a threat to a blade is a Wizard Slayer. I'm not positive but I'm pretty sure there aren't any in the game to fight.

[Demonblade]

Aren't Mind Flayers wizard slayers? They have killer magic resistance and only chaotic commands and death ward can protect you from them.

[Jon AS]

Fighter/mages do not have the AC of a Blade. Spells such as Stoneskin require an enemy to actually get past the AC first to take off one of the stoneskins. It is much harder to do that on a Blade than any other class due to their maximum AC. Have the blade put a sequencer thingy with Stoneskin on it to recast once stoneskin comes off and then have the blade use an anti magic scroll. Nothing can hurt them.

Your second point is not relevant as your blade should never actually get hit with anything other than Magic so HP is irrelevant just like it is to actual mages. The only possible standard attacker that poses a threat to a blade is a Wizard Slayer. I'm not positive but I'm pretty sure there aren't any in the game to fight.

Fighter/mage: Robe of the Archmagi/Robe of Vecna AC5, Ring of Gaxx +2, Ring of Earth Control +1, Cloak of Protection +2, Helm of Balduran/Helm of Glory +1, Sentinel +5, 18 DEX +4. Total AC: -10. Can be improved with some more weapons. Or by exchanging the robe for Bladesinger Chain/Aslyferund later in the game. Or by wearing bracers of protection with AC3.

High level spells like Mantle, Improved Mantle and Absolute Immunity are also nice and can be put into a Chain Contingency.

HP are quite relevant as spellcasters (even random liches) are fond of hitting you with Symbol: Death (and I think also Power Word): Kill. You need to have 60HP or good spell defences to survive those.

So in short: Blades may have an edge in AC early on, but the fighter/mage gets more and stronger melee attacks, better spells and isn't in any way connected to Haer'dalis.:P

Aren't Mind Flayers wizard slayers? They have killer magic resistance and only chaotic commands and death ward can protect you from them.

Great way of dealing with Mind Flayers is to scout them out with a rogue (or invisible mage or whatever) and then toss a few Death Spells into their general area. For some of them the magic resistance will fail and they'll die instantly, the rest can be killed by quickly ganging up on them. If you can cast Mordenkainen's Sword that makes things even easier (though it can be a bit boring to wait for the sword to finish them all off).

Slurktan meant the fighter kit, though.

[Jon AS]

So the enemy that I am still having tons of trouble with is call Tavona, I think. It's this blue-robed vampire mage thing. They occasionally attack you in the city asking if you're with the Shadow Thieves, and then they are in the tombs below the grave yard which is my main quest. My problem is I'm still getting soundly beat by them, and I'm running out of other side quests that I know of to take on.

So you've done the Planar Sphere? Windspear Hills (and looked at what that key you can pick up there opens in Athkatla)? Umar Hills? Murders in the Bridge District (and follow up in Trademeet and Umar Hills)?

Killed that lich in the sarcophagus in the sewers next to the Unseeing Eye cult headquarters and tried to find the other parts hidden in Athkatla (oh and while you're doing this, always carry a Rogue Stone with you. And save often...)? Done all the minor quests in the Graveyard District? Done all your stronghold quests?

You can also do stuff like pick up Korgan, do his personal quest and kick him out again (also an option with Cernd, though there it's more "agree to meet him later and never show up").

What equipment are you using, btw? Have you taken a look at the Adventurer's Mart inventory, and that of the Copper Coronet innkeeper after you were done with the slavers?

Cheesiest way to deal with the vampires is to load up on Scrolls of Protection from Undead, but that's really lame.

[Relic]

I have a question for you guys. Storing a weapon in a quick slot gives you access to that weapon's special abilities (such as using haste while having Arbane's Sword in your slot) but does it also grant you whatever immunities that weapon possess? For instance i currently have Minsc using a two handed sword or a mace of disruption when needed but ive been keeping the Spear of the Unicorn in one of his weapon slots for its Hold And Charm immunity. I've tried experimenting by casting Hold Person on him but it never seems to work, with or without the spear.

[Relic]

I find that part of the reason that I lose a lot of fights against casters is that I got half my party turned insane or terrified or what have you right at the onset.

Remove fear is a good spell to have in your back ranks. The Free Action spell protects you from being held, and there are a few items with charm immunity. You can also charm or dominate your own party members if they turn red. How are you with positioning your party during a battle? Do you usually find yourself clumped together or do you try to spread out?

[Zoë Sumra]

I probably don't make enough effort to spread my group out. I definitely keep my mages back, but I probably have my brawlers too bunched together, and I could see how that makes them more susceptible to mass spell effect.

As well as spellcasters and brawler/tanks, have a few ranged attackers. This'll mean fewer people in the firing range of mass effect spells, fewer buffs and remove-effect spells, and more killing of melee attackers before they get anywhere near you.

[baxus]

for vampires, there's an amulet that makes you immune to level drain.

you can see how that'd make fighting vampires easier.

i gave that and flail of the ages to (sir) anomen and let him take the lead. after vampires ganged up on him, i'd swoop in with the rest of my party and hack them up. after a few rounds some vampires would start attacking other members of my party though, so bear that in mind.

I have a question for you guys. Storing a weapon in a quick slot gives you access to that weapon's special abilities (such as using haste while having Arbane's Sword in your slot) but does it also grant you whatever immunities that weapon possess? For instance i currently have Minsc using a two handed sword or a mace of disruption when needed but ive been keeping the Spear of the Unicorn in one of his weapon slots for its Hold And Charm immunity. I've tried experimenting by casting Hold Person on him but it never seems to work, with or without the spear.

you have weapon's special abilites only if that's the weapon you are using at the moment.

you can't have special abilities from all four weapons you have in your quickslots (if you're a fighter)

[Relic]

you have weapon's special abilites only if that's the weapon you are using at the moment.

Weapons that cast spells are usable even if you don't have that weapon equipped, as long as it's in your quick slot. I'm guessing immunities don't function the same way tho.

[koudoulis]

I tried using a Protection from Undead scroll on like four people at the beginning, and I still got smoked. Here's a question, and maybe there's an easy answer. Is there a good way to protect your party from spells that make you crazy, fearful, etc...? I find that part of the reason that I lose a lot of fights against casters is that I got half my party turned insane or terrified or what have you right at the onset.

i think i useed

negative plane protection and

chaotic commands

and haste cause if those spells run off , you re toast

[Jon AS]

I actually had Korgan fairly early on. We went down into the tomb to see that it'd been looted. So I tried to go back to that house in the Temple District, but it wasn't clear to me what was supposed to happen.

Go into the house, inside Korgan should speak up and suggest where you should head next. Walk around the room for a bit if the conversation doesn't trigger. Or if it has triggered, just head to the roof of the Copper Coronet, you don't even need Korgan anymore at that point.

I tried using a Protection from Undead scroll on like four people at the beginning, and I still got smoked. Here's a question, and maybe there's an easy answer. Is there a good way to protect your party from spells that make you crazy, fearful, etc...? I find that part of the reason that I lose a lot of fights against casters is that I got half my party turned insane or terrified or what have you right at the onset.

As I've already said: clerics are useful. Free Action and Chaotic Commands will keep your people from being held, charmed, dominated or confused. Negative Plane Protection will stop them from level draining you. And Minor Restoration will remove the level drain should they succeed anyway (because the spell expired, for example).

Invisibility spells or rogues can be useful to scout ahead and help you decide your course of action without being swarmed by enemies.

Go upstairs in the Den of Seven Vales in the Promenade and pick a fight with the guys there, one of them will drop a Cloak of Nondetection. Give that to, say, Yoshimo and have him sneak around without anyone being able to see him.

And if you want to give him a really good weapon and get some XP while you're at it, enter the "Guarded Compound" in the Temple District (be prepared for some fighting though). It's not tied to any quests, just unfinished leftover enemies and loot (of which there is actually quite a bit in this game).

I'm guessing immunities don't function the same way tho.

Exactly. On the other hand, you can constantly re-apply the "equipped" effects of weapons, like the Staff of the Magi's invisibility, by clicking on the weapon's quickslot icon. Really handy to be able to turn invisible at the drop of a hat, means no enemy spellcasters can target you directly.

ETA:

Part of my problem with these blue vampire mages isn't so much how fast I get killed but how difficult of a time I have hurting them. They always cast protective spells right off the bat that I can't get through.

Breaching defenses on the other hand is the mage's job. Breach, Spellthrust, Pierce Magic and good old Dispel Magic (or Remove Magic) are your friends here.

[Jon AS]

That right there should be a huge help. It's a little intimidating how many spells there are in the game. I mean, I love it, but it's tough to really learn all of their applications. Thanks for all the tips.

If you had ever read the pen and paper rules for AD&D you'd know that what's in the game is only a small fraction of a much bigger picture.;)

[Brude]

Damn...now I feel like reinstalling after reading this thread again.

[Demonblade]

Part of my problem with these blue vampire mages isn't so much how fast I get killed but how difficult of a time I have hurting them. They always cast protective spells right off the bat that I can't get through.

Use Breach on them, then nuke the bastards. Oh, and if I were you, I would get your cleric to learn as many Restoration spells as you can when you're down there.