Neverwinter Nights

harvest

I picked up NWN2 Platinum during the Steam sale, and I'm getting ready to fire it up. I played it when it launched for about 20 minutes but my computer was so crappy back then it wouldn't run right.

Anyway I'm looking for an easy-ish run through. That is to say, I'd rather not have to reload during combat if I can avoid it. What class should I play? I usually like sneaky guys in single-character RPGs but I feel like in a party that won't be much good?

Also are there any mods that fix bugs or add cut content, like with other RPGs?

ResIpsaLoquitur

I don't know about mods/patches, but if NWN2 follows 3.5 rules faithfully, sneaky still works. You can get backstab damage not just by surprise, but by flanking enemies. With a tank in melee with you, that's not hard to pull off, and sneaky guys can do a pretty respectable amount of damage. Also, having someone skilled with traps and locks and whatnot usually is (at least for the pen and paper version) pretty vital for a party.

BionicPenguin

If I remember right, you fight a lot of enemies that are immune to sneak attacks.

Dangerbird

The fighter class is pretty idiot proof, just don't put all your attribute points into charisma and wisdom or something.

If thats too boring for you, monk is also a very powerful class.

Bethryn

A fairly straightforward build is to look at the feat requirements for Weapon Master, level a Fighter to 7 picking those feats up along the way, and then switch into Weapon Master.

Another possible build I came up with earlier; quite specific on what you level:

Scythe-wielding maniac

1 - fighter, bully, STR 18, CHA 20, hide, intim, fey presence, power attack
2 - fighter, intim, cleave
3 - fighter, hide, intim, fey skin
4 - fighter, STR, intim, weapon focus (scythe)
5 - fighter, hide, intim
6 - fighter, intim, fey presence, weapon spec (scythe)
7 - fighter, hide, intim
8 - divine champion, STR
9 - blackguard, hide, intim, fey legacy
10 - divine champion, improved crit (scythe)
11 - blackguard, hide, intim
12 - blackguard, STR, hide, intim, divine might
13 - divine champion
14 - blackguard, hide, intim
15 - divine champion, extra turning, great cleave
16 - fighter, CHA, intim, greater weapon focus (scythe)
17 - blackguard, hide, intim
18 - blackguard, hide, intim, power critical (scythe) OR improved power attack
19 - divine champion
20 - blackguard, STR, hide, intim
21 - divine champion, epic weapon focus (scythe), epic divine might
22 - divine champion
23 - blackguard, hide, intim, great strength
24 - fighter, STR, intim
25 - divine champion, overwhelming critical (scythe), improved power attack
26 - divine champion
27 - blackguard, hide, intim, armor skin
28 - divine champion, CHA, epic prowess
29 - cleric, extra turning II, luck, water
30 - blackguard, hide, intim

Wolfprint

You can check this out for essential mods.

Also, I recommend downloading Kaedrin's PrC Pack for additional class/magic/item options.

Going for a combat-oriented character is one of the easiest way to play NWN2 and its expansions. Easier, but not necessarily more fun.

drunkenpandaren

Funny, as my friends and I have just started our yearly play though of the vanilla and Mask campaign. Last time I made a Warpriest, this time the world will burn as I make a Red Wizard.

Chronocide

I also ran a Warpriest through NWN2 and stuff looked at me and died. Was a heap of fun.

harvest

Wolfprint wrote: »

You can check this out for essential mods.

Also, I recommend downloading Kaedrin's PrC Pack for additional class/magic/item options.

Going for a combat-oriented character is one of the easiest way to play NWN2 and its expansions. Easier, but not necessarily more fun.

Kaedrin's PrC Pack looks awesome, but there are no files at that link. Time to hunt it down.

Wolfprint

Kaedrin's PrC Pack looks awesome, but there are no files at that link. Time to hunt it down.

Here's his homepage.

I think this is the current file uploaded on NWVault.

Jebral

I have all of these games on disc, and really want to love them. But between some AI oddities, the interface (oh god, the interface ) and my utter lack of DnD comprehension... I just can't do it.

But I'm getting the urge to try again!

Maybe I should just look up some builds instead of trying to experiment. I feel like I'm doing something wrong every time I allocate a point or pick a feat.

Foolish Chaos

Playing a Hellfire Warlock right now. Despite its description, I found an item which negates the con drain and still give me the bonus damage. Woo!

harvest

@Jebral one of the things in that list of tweaks is an improved AI mod. I don't know if it's any good but from the description it allows a lot more flexibility in companion AI and improved enemy AI.

rattletrap

I too picked this up during the Steam sale and am running a Spirit Shaman, which is pretty much all of the fun of the Druid without the useless crap like wildshape. Picked up a level in Fighter for better armor and weapons so I can survive combat long enough to cast my spells.

One big issue - I have found a bug that was supposedly patched out long ago according to the internet. When I leave the Sunken Flagon I get the party choice screen, but when I "Accept" it doesn't leave the inn.

Happened last night and I gave up in disgust. I think I can use the console/debugmode to get out, but I'm a bit concerned that the Steam version patches aren't fully working.

MayGodHaveMercy

Duelist for life.

Oeshy

What build would I play if I wanted to be a summoner?

I really like to summon and have minions. Is this possible in NWN2?

MayGodHaveMercy

Errr.. Rangers get an animal companion, and also can (I think!) summon creatures for a short time via magic. Wizards/Sorcs get familiars, also...

BionicPenguin

A druid if you want to summon animals. A wizard or sorcerer for monsters.

EDIT: More specifically, druids get access to the Summon Nature's Ally series of spells while wizards/sorcerers get access to the Summon Monster series of spells.

rattletrap

As they say, Druids are the best summoners. They can swap any spell with the Summon Nature's Ally spell of the same level, which means you should almost never run out of summons.

MayGodHaveMercy

But... but rangers get a pet! Do druids get a companion? Probably not. I can't remember.

Duelist for life.

BionicPenguin

Druids do, indeed, get an animal companion. A more powerful animal companion.

C2B

I would also highly recommend this as a list of recommended mods:

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3378635

The plot fixes mod is also highly essential. The problem is that the original creator seems to be all kinds of messed up and changed several things around. But thanks to a SA member there is a fix around linked in the above post called Plot Fixes Fixes.

If you are wondering what exactly is so messed up about it. Well this is the changelog of the fix for the fix.

Removed folders: (Remove these folders from your Plot Fixes install. Or don't. Up to you!):

Plot Fixes OC/West Harbor/Amie Lives! (self explanatory)
Plot Fixes OC/Crossroad Keep/Siege/Romance Elanee Casavir (swapped love interests in Siege cutscene)

Replaced files (extract over a Plot Fixes install, overwrite anything that conflicts)

Logram fight (Plot Fixes OC/Old Owl Well/Eyegouger):

Restored Casavir's jump into the centre of this fight.

Rite of Tyr (Plot Fixes OC/Merchant Quarter/Church Lorne):

Restored the normal "love interest" visit.

(Your vendetta against Casavir is not an Obsidian bug.)

Trial (Plot Fixes OC/Blacklake/Trial):

Re-enabled Perform skill checks for non-Bards.

(Prestige classes with Perform can pass this. People who just want to sing their way through the trial for shits and giggles can fail this)

General Companion Fixes:

(Plot Fixes_MOB\Companions) (Plot_Fixes_OC\Companions Convo Fixes)

Restored Gann's charisma check for male characters: your homophobia is not an Obsidian bug.

Restored the gender checks in Elanee's and Safiya's romance dialogues. Your _selective_ homophobia, while typical, is definitely not an Obsidian bug.

Bethryn

Druids can also turn their animal companion into a dragon companion.

Also, the last two lines of that SA fix are great.

C2B

Bethryn wrote: »

Druids can also turn their animal companion into a dragon companion.

Also, the last two lines of that SA fix are great.

You should read the changelog of the original. The creator actually mentions that he changed things around because he found them gay or genderswapped for lesbian sex.