Going Solo

[Ishanda]

When creating my character's I spent such a long time creating my first character (a monk) that I decided to go it solo with just this one character to see if it was possible to beat the game that way. I remember a guy playing Baldur's Gate that way (as a wizard). I love monks (which is what I played Baldur's Gate II as) since they become ridiculously powerful in time. I have looked at the changes in rules and it looks like the monk can be even stronger at higher levels than with the 2nd edition rules. This baby can now double up as a thief as well (as far as skills go). The only thing that worries me is that I would have no magic ability.

So far things are going well. I am still in chapter one (just finished the first orc chieftain guy), and I am level 9 already. Whacked a group of about 4 archers and 8 or so warriors - they had no chance against the ninjitsu I was professing.

So, therefore, anyone else tried going solo?

[SpiritWarrior]

Welcome to the forum mate, and hey I salute you for your courage! I've never gone solo as I haven't the guts to! Yes quite a few people have played solo (even on IWD2) but the main reasons I wouldn't are more strategic.

Firstly I'd need a core spellcaster (wizard/sorcerer) as this tends to save alot of time on killing low level monsters (goblins etc.) with area of effect spells rather than taking em all out one by one and plus coz u get to use all sorts of power up magic etc. (I dunno where i'd be without my wizzy) Secondly a Cleric as i'd imagine it's very tiresome having to restart the game when you get killed instead of having your Priest there to raise you (even if I only take a Cleric along soley for this reason) and finally i'd need some kind of Rogue class for those locks that my main can't bust open.
However a monk is a great class to choose for a solo game and yes in the 3E rules they look even better.

Luck to you man!

[ 09-23-2002, 04:16 AM: Message edited by: SpiritWarrior ]

[Ishanda]

Ok, back to front. You need no rogue, since the monk can take all the feats necessary (hide, pick-locks, search, trap disabling, move silently) as if he/she were a rogue....NO rogue necessary, the monk IS one.

Cleric for ressurect...hmmm. The monk gets to heal him/herself (albeit only slightly compared to what a cleric can do). What I can tell you though is that it was tiresome in the beginning (saving and loading) but no more. Going solo means that the character becomes powerful quickly. No more dying. (unless fighting boss chars or huge groups of enemies - but then preventing dying is only a matter of having a good strategy)

That leaves magic. I do not care about taking out the low level monsters one by one. I was thinking along the lines of whether it is POSSIBLE to beat the game without having any sort of magickal ability. As an example....high level wizards can protect themselves with spells that make hitting them with physical/magickal wepaons impossible. I got around this sometimes in BG2 by running away and waiting for their spells to run out. If I remember correctly, the ONLY enemy my monk had huge problems with in BG2 was a particular liche. (Kangar or something) I could not defeat him at all with my monk at that time. He was magickally protected in such a way that I could not touch him. All the others fell like flies before my monk.

So, it is just a case of .... Are there any enemies in IWD2 that are untouchable if magic is not used? Apart from that a monk is quite powerful enough

[SpiritWarrior]

I see what your saying...after the introductory chapters you will start to see your chars die less often - as with any amount of players. Bear in mind the game will hurl foes at you according to your level and number of players, so it will match up for a solo Monk.
Yes you could take some rogue feats but I think in a way it would compromise your most important (and only!) character, when you could really do with other skills your kinda left with no choice but to start learning lockpicking out of necessity.
The magic/wizard ability is almost a necessity I think and although I haven't completed the game yet so don't know for sure I can guess theres gonna be a few foes with huge amounts of physical resistance/immunity be them from certain creatures who have immunity to physical attacks and some magical (+3 or better) or by spellcasters in the game who protect themselves such as Kangaax the Lich in BG2 (the key there was the Breach spell).
You seem to be doing good tho so far and you have the experience of playing solo already so i'd stick with it.

[Ishanda]

There really is no compromise in taking thief skills since (A) the rules seem to think that a monk is a part stealth character anyway and (B) there are not much else to pick when levelling up worthwile when playing as a monk. I split my skills between HIDE, DIMPLOMACY and the rogue skills. Feats are different altogether, but with skills there are NOTHING that makes the monk FIGHT better, apart from the HIDE skill which helps immensely. I remember Kangaax was a problem, but on second thought, if I was a bit more advanced than when I did actually attemp him, I would have been able to clobber him six love.

As an aside, my monk was BY FAR the most efficient character when dealing with the demi-god in BG2 expansion.

[Gimli]

"Ok, back to front. You need no rogue, since the monk can take all the feats necessary (hide, pick-locks, search, trap disabling, move silently) as if he/she were a rogue....NO rogue necessary, the monk IS one."

Not true, Disable Device, Open Lock, Pick Pocket, Search and Use Magic Device are all cross-class skills for the Monk, meaning they can't be maxed and would cost 2 SP to raise one point each. Hide/Move Silently are the only rogue-type class skills for the Monk. And considering they get 1/2 as many skill points as the rogue and have tough stat requirements (need Wis/Dex and some Str) it's hard to come up with Int points to have enough skill points to make them anything like a rogue.

[Meriadoc Brandybuck]

i don't think u will come very far -

pls report how far u made it !!

[Ishanda]

All I meant is that the monk has the ability to have some thieving skills, which would help in areas where thieving skills are necessary. Disable Device, Open Lock, Pick Pocket and Search are all 2points. Use Magic Device is grayed out, I can not take it at all. Pick Pocket I have never used in any game anyway. which leaves DD, OL and Search. Every time I level up I get 3 skill points to spend. I have levelled up 8 times (lv9) which means 24 points. I have distributed them as follows:

Diplomacy: 6
Hide: 6
Move Silently: 4
Disable Device: 2
Search: 2
Open Locks: 4

The first three use up only one point a time. The other three (the necessary rogue skills) use two. More or less every alternative level up I would stick a point into one of the lower three. My note on Disable Device: Monks seem to evade a lot of area effect spells, at higher levels monks have a high magickal resistance and they even start out with very good saving throws, so if it is not possible to disbale the trap, just trip the thing.

Again I say, I am playing solo to see if I can finish the game that way. In the past (with other games) I have found it crucial to have a thief character. With the monk (at least) I have some rogue abilities. I would never be the best thief but I can do some of the things that are necessary to make life easier.

Meriadoc: I would like to know why you seem to think I will not get very far. I can tell you that I am still in chapter one (just after the orc camp), and that I absolutely demolished them. That at a point where the monk is not yet very powerful. I'll be sure to let you know of my progress.

[Nanobyte]

I'm sorry to say, you won't make it very far. Half way through Act 1, or that is how far I made it with my Ranger/Sorceress.

[Ishanda]

which is fair, nano, but why did you not make it?