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Monks are not good in bg1 (or really in general lol) but I don't think Rasaad is unplayable even in bg1. Gotta use him to hit and run and flank or with darts/sling. I really like Sunsoul Ray. The damage is decent, but it's also pretty much insta-cast which makes it a fantastic interrupt. I think since it's an innate ability it would even go through spell turning and stuff like that if you're playing with SCS. Iirc the only thing that would stop it is protection from fire which you won't see enemies having up until BG2 generally speaking. Between that and darts of stunning/wounding Rasaad can be a pretty good caster disabler.
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Dec 8, 2022 17:56
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I forget if it needs a tweak mod for monks but Rasaad is pretty useful as a dedicated wand user. I would like to give him darts but they don't have very long range. With SCS, most enemies are smart enough to prioritize the unarmed guy in a bathrobe as soon as he closes in.
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Dec 8, 2022 21:05
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Not what was asked but I will complain anyway, Rasaad's questline in BG2 is so bad. And his class isn't doing him any favours either. So why is he even there? 
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Dec 9, 2022 04:48
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Fruits of the sea posted:I forget if it needs a tweak mod for monks but Rasaad is pretty useful as a dedicated wand user. I would like to give him darts but they don't have very long range. With SCS, most enemies are smart enough to prioritize the unarmed guy in a bathrobe as soon as he closes in. I want to say he can use Wands of Heavens but it's been a while so maybe I'm wrong.
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Dec 9, 2022 05:11
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Rappaport posted:Not what was asked but I will complain anyway, Rasaad's questline in BG2 is so bad. And his class isn't doing him any favours either. So why is he even there? There needs to be an EE option to disable all the EE poo poo it loving sucks.
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Dec 9, 2022 05:34
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I use a mod that removes all traces of the EE npcs though it has the option to make their related equipment available in shops
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Dec 9, 2022 05:37
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It’s pretty disappointing. They went on to produce the extremely competent Dragonspear. Would have been nice if all the EE content had been roughly on par.
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Dec 9, 2022 07:43
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iirc they couldn't do much with the Enhanced Editions due to contractual stipulations that they could not alter or modify any of the original content significantly, so brand-new NPC might have been the limit of what they could safely do within that constraint while making the EE enhancements themselves at the same time
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Dec 9, 2022 08:16
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Yeah I get that, there were just a bunch of small problems with the new npc content that was not good and detracted from an excellent technical refresh. I still have no idea how they managed to make all the new voice lines in BG2 sound like they were recorded on a gamer headset. It's weird, they all sound like 96kbps mp3s from the 90s.
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Dec 9, 2022 09:17
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Rappaport posted:Not what was asked but I will complain anyway, Rasaad's questline in BG2 is so bad. And his class isn't doing him any favours either. So why is he even there? On the off chance you haven’t heard of him, there’s a BG content guy on youtube called Davaeorn, and hearing him rag on Rasaad is a real treat.
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Dec 9, 2022 14:09
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Rasaad is garbage but they had good intentions with him and his story, so mehhhhhh????? thats the best I can say for him????? I liked his concept so I sought him out in Nashkel and for the longest time I thought the game was telling me he was a Magikarp type character. Nope! I never saw any payoff for dragging him around and keeping him alive by the time I hit Spellhold. You simply can't unfuck Monk, imo.
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Dec 9, 2022 15:04
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Slashrat posted:iirc they couldn't do much with the Enhanced Editions due to contractual stipulations that they could not alter or modify any of the original content significantly, so brand-new NPC might have been the limit of what they could safely do within that constraint while making the EE enhancements themselves at the same time yeah if you read between the lines far enough, they def got a bum deal to put the IP back together again circa 2012 from all the dubious rights holders and they def were not allowed to talk about it
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Dec 9, 2022 15:11
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Monk really need the +AC modifier with Wisdom and maybe unarmed scaling from both Str and Dex. It's unfortunate that the implementation is so weak.
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Dec 9, 2022 15:27
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If I'm not mistaken the good ending to Rasaad's quest in Bg2 also involves him leaving the party permanently and not returning until TOB. I think if you decide to keep him in the party at the end of his bg2 quest he gets a worse ending to his quest in TOB. If you romance him the PC can even have ending where they die The EE also has some bizarre design decisions like putting some really bad equipment into the game. Things like putting in an Unholy Reaver that's not only worse than Carsomyr due to no magic resistance but also has damage and thaco bonuses against good characters of which you fight next to none even as an evil PC. Of course there's some very powerful items they added too but it's bizarre that some of the bad items got past play testing. I do like EE overall but it could have been much better.
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Dec 9, 2022 15:47
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The worst part of EE to me is some of the dubious rebalancing they did. I don't mind the new characters and quests because they are easy enough to ignore beyond just the initial meeting if I don't feel like doing them. Siege of Dragonspear I find actually pretty good.
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Dec 9, 2022 16:58
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Yeah I find the EE content outside of SoD to be, um, it's fine. That being said, I plan to take both Rasaad and Neera on at least one of my Ironman runs this time out. For some ungodly reason.
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Dec 9, 2022 17:18
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docbeard posted:Yeah I find the EE content outside of SoD to be, um, it's fine. Neera at least is extremely powerful although a Wild mage on an Ironman run is an adventurous choice to say the least  . I think the last time I tried to do a Wild Mage PC on an Ironman run I killed myself via falling cow before I even got to the Friendly Arm Inn lol
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Dec 9, 2022 17:20
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The real move is 6 player custom party of all wild mages.
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Dec 9, 2022 17:20
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cheesetriangles posted:The real move is 6 player custom party of all wild mages. I finally tried ironman last year, and going with a very over-powered character (archer) was still fairly easy going, even though it certainly felt terrifying compared to playing normally  Maybe doing a doomed run like this would be less stressful?
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Dec 9, 2022 17:29
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Ginette Reno posted:Neera at least is extremely powerful although a Wild mage on an Ironman run is an adventurous choice to say the least Hahahahaha oh yes I am aware. (I'm also running the mod that turns Firewine and its dungeon into a wild magic zone). I have a few party compositions planned, including my favorite gimmick (all bard rock group, which can now be an ALL BARD rock group without losing trap disarming thanks to the Skills and Abilities mod and EEex) and a possible solo run using the broken (in several senses) warlock kit. (I don't think it's COMPLETELY beyond the pale given some of the shenanigans you can get up to with even core classes, but you can do some absolutely ridiculous bullshit. And I will.)
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Dec 9, 2022 17:47
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Beamdog content is better than most of the core content
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Dec 9, 2022 18:11
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Basic Chunnel posted:Beamdog content is better than most of the core content How so?
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Dec 9, 2022 18:36
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Probably more accurate to say some of the core content has the same issues as Beamdog's additions. Shapeshifter (and Cernd) are almost as gimped as Rasaad the monk*. Jaheira's questline always breaks or takes too long. Anomen just sucks *Until he gets all the OP high level druid spells and can tank naked or dps with pure AOE instead of crap werewolf attacks. E: got no complaints on the voie-acting front though, I think Beamdog was totally outclassed on that front. It was nice to see them recruit a bunch of the old VAs for Dragonspear. Fruits of the sea fucked around with this message at 18:57 on Dec 9, 2022 |
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Dec 9, 2022 18:52
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Fruits of the sea posted:Probably more accurate to say some of the core content has the same issues as Beamdog's additions. Shapeshifter (and Cernd) are almost as gimped as Rasaad the monk*. Jaheira's questline always breaks or takes too long. Anomen just sucks. The great troll with Anomen is he's arguably the best NPC or close to it in the game if you can tolerate his personality. He's a powerhouse
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Dec 9, 2022 18:56
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Ginette Reno posted:The great troll with Anomen is he's arguably the best NPC or close to it in the game if you can tolerate his personality. Speaking of which, glad she's in the new one, and I expect her Dark True Neutral BG2 characterization will gel quite nicely with the grimness of Larian's whole deal.
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Dec 9, 2022 19:03
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Fruits of the sea posted:Also the part where he reveals that he murdered all his previous party members whenever they got sick or injured. Tbh he probably didn't, I've worked with people like Korgan and they just say poo poo to rile you up at them (to what end i have not yet discovered)
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Dec 9, 2022 19:03
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Basic Chunnel posted:In terms of versatility it's hard to beat Jaheira + stoneskin. You could also argue Edwin or Neera of course as mages. But man Anomen is so good with Flail of the Ages and all his buffs. Perhaps even more so if you have the SCS revisions that add all the juicy IWD spells which benefits Clerics/Druids much moreso than Mages
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Dec 9, 2022 19:09
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Monks were introduced in BG2 so they were never meant to exist in BG1. Most of their bonuses and poo poo don't kick in until level 7-9 and then ramp up from there, and the ones that do start earlier, like their AC bonuses or the thieving skills they get, don't add up to anything significant until they're like level 10. I think for Rasaad they either needed to rebalance the monk to have a slower power curve that started from level 1, or give him some powerful items that compensate for the fact that he's equivalent to an unkitted thief who also doesn't have any useful thief skills. It'd be easy to explain him losing those items in BG2 when the monk class is actually worthwhile.
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Dec 9, 2022 19:28
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Monk is still... not great in BG2, especially not as a martial class. Their AC never gets very good and they can't equip a lot of the gear that would give them bonus resistances or saves. There's also a point where they get permanent freedom of movement which sounds awesome but means they can never be hasted. Plus nothing beyond proficiency in dual-wielding and 1d20 damage means they won't even get close to winning any dps contest. OK 1d20 damage is nice but it's never translated well, maybe because most high level weapons also do some kind of elemental damage bonus. Their THACO is good though and magic resistance is very nice but it doesn't save them from mediocrity. Idunno, just about every npc can become disgustingly powerful with the right gear and playstyle but I haven't had success with monks. Fruits of the sea fucked around with this message at 19:45 on Dec 9, 2022 |
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Dec 9, 2022 19:41
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Monks big issues: 1) Can't wear helmets. A melee class that can't stop crits is a big oof 2) Weapons scale alright but still not as well as the top tier weapons do. A high level fighter with HLAs is gonna poo poo on a Monk's damage 3) AC is awful, which isn't the worst thing since by TOB enemies regularly hit you anyways, but they also have no damage reduction to fall back on and not especially high HP either 4) Can't be improved hasted. This is devastating because Imp Haste is one of the most OP spells in the game and is what make Fighters so nuts In the end you get a class who is both more fragile than and does less damage than the other melee classes do. The spell resistance is nice but spells aren't really what kills you in Throne of Bhaal. It's that Fire Giant who pops whirlwind and hits you 10 times in a row for 40 damage a hit. And Monks have very little protection against that short of using their speed to get the hell out of there.
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Dec 9, 2022 21:43
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A Monk PC was the very first character I beat BG2 with years and years ago, but that was before I knew all of the ins and outs of the game system and I certainly wasn't playing on insane difficulty. The job is neat in that you get some kind of new power pretty much every level, so it grows incrementally in a way that some other jobs don't, but they are overall weaker than average. Of course, BG2 also had that weird glitch where they could wear Keldorn's armor if they had a particular stat spread and I think ioun stones granted crit immunity back then.
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Dec 9, 2022 23:20
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Is there a Monk rebalancing mod anywhere? The one for shapeshifts seems to work well enough. I know that there's a mod for the haste-immune 'bug', but I can't remember which.Fruits of the sea posted:Anomen just sucks Ginette Reno posted:The great troll with Anomen is he's arguably the best NPC or close to it in the game if you can tolerate his personality. Thrust, parry, riposte. Anomen is annoying, but I don't really care about that. He's my favourite cleric in the game because he can fight a fair bit. Dualclassing is a stupid idea, but he's an example of one that A) works without being ludicrously overpowered and B) doesn't require the player to do anything. He's gotten about as much as he can get out of his fighter levels and exclusively advances in the class that matters. Basic Chunnel posted:In terms of versatility it's hard to beat Jaheira + stoneskin. She's the other priest in my Favourite Six, but mostly just to access druid-only spells.
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Dec 10, 2022 00:18
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JustJeff88 posted:Is there a Monk rebalancing mod anywhere? The one for shapeshifts seems to work well enough. I know that there's a mod for the haste-immune 'bug', but I can't remember which. Pretty sure there is, possibly tied up with Balthazar Ascension stuff but also possibly unrelated. Definitely played one at some point though. It's years since I actually played these games so each time I wade in here to answer questions I realise my memory has faded more and more.
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Dec 10, 2022 00:23
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I find dealing big damage less important than not getting murdered in the tougher unavoidable encounters, so Anomen being a blender by itself isn't particularly attractive to me. Of course this is probably just because I usually play ironman.
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Dec 10, 2022 00:45
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I think I'm going to start a trilogy run soon and am interested in Ranger or Druid as classes I haven't bothered with previously. Assuming vanilla EE +- tweak mods at most are there any standout kits, multis, or duals? Any interesting combos of gear in any given game or HLA combos to be aware of?
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Dec 10, 2022 02:53
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Archer is the obvious standout from the ranger kits. Stalker is a less popular but fun choice, especially if you actually use the stealth/backstab abilities. The druid kits are all pretty ho-hum, I love bersekerer->druid dual class though. Totemic druid are better than unkitted, if you want to play a pure class.
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Dec 10, 2022 03:02
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Suspicious posted:I find dealing big damage less important than not getting murdered in the tougher unavoidable encounters, so Anomen being a blender by itself isn't particularly attractive to me. SCS adds some big defensive spells to Clerics/Druids that make them more durable. I'd agree on vanilla he's a bit more fragile. Then again on Vanilla the AI won't as often aggressively target specific party members so there's that.
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Dec 10, 2022 03:04
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Archer-ranger is absurdly powerful right up until Throne of Bhaal, when there are some enemies you can't hit with most ammunition. Until then you will murder things from fairly early on with decent strength and a composite longbow. Edit, also, it's iron skins on Jaheira rather than stoneskin, right?
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Dec 10, 2022 03:07
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Yeah druids get iron skins which isn't quite as powerful because it's level 5 and has a really long cast time, but still.
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Dec 10, 2022 03:12
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It’s hosed up that the best bow is a shortbow
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Dec 10, 2022 04:29
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