Kensai -> Druid

[Gimli]

Can't remember seeing any posts about this combination of classes, has anyone ever tried it? It looks like it is possible (at least my game is letting me do it, I have SOA/TOB/Latest Patch/Baldurdash Fix Pack/Ease of Use installed). You're basically giving up the armor (altho barkskin spells can make up for that somewhat) but I am drooling at the thought of dualing scimitars with one of these guys with ironskins to protect him. If anyone has experience/tips for this build please let me know.

Also what do people think of the Dwarven fighter/cleric? All he needs is the hammer proficiency and suddenly he becomes a cleric who isn't limited to the sling as a ranged weapon (dwarven thrower is pretty sweet).

[ 06-27-2005, 11:27 PM: Message edited by: Gimli ]

[mad=dog]

There was a post on the subject a while back. I have not tried but there is definately some good prospects on the dual as the two classes compensate for eachothers weakness'.
It is actually a good idea to use both barkskin and ironskin. The first will lower your AC so the ironskins doesn't burn off quite so quickly.
There are some pretty decent scimitars to wield especially in the ToB part of the saga. Spectral Brand and Yamato will make you one mean sword saint of nature. You'll probably have to stick to Belm +2 and Rashads Tear +2 for a long part of the game.

[Neo the Warrior Cat]

I like dwarven fighter/clerics

With max constitution they have pretty good hit points, and with the cleric buffs available can become one hell of a tank.

Hammer of choice is Crom Faeyr, ranged being the Dwarven Thrower. (Always put two points in hammers )

As for your Kensai->Druid idea, well, it's less cheesy than Kensai->Mage. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[SixOfSpades]

Originally posted by mad=dog: There are some pretty decent scimitars to wield especially in the ToB part of the saga. Spectral Brand and Yamato will make you one mean sword saint of nature.

Yamato is a Wakizashi, unusable by Druids. No, actually, the available Druid weapons in the game are either pretty damn crappy, such as the Club of Detonation, or just plain cheesy, such as the Firetooth Dagger. The only really good one is Belm, and that's incapable of hitting many of the nastier creatures. What's so spifferiffic about the Spectral Brand? Sure, it's decent, but hardly on a par with time-comparable weapons like Angurvadal. Well, Item Upgrade might be a help to you: Fulcrum is too cheesy for a pure Druid to use, but it'd be fine for a Kensai->Druid who already had Grandmastery in Clubs anyway.

I've played a Kensai->Druid myself, but only through SoA. Grandmastery in Staff & Spear: Rough going until I got the Impaler, but then things started clicking into place just fine. Staff of the Woodlands, with the Staff of the Ram and Ixil's Spike on the horizon, hooo boy!

[mad=dog]

I am pretty sure I have had Yamato equipped with a druid. Not 100%, but close. And Wakizashi's are in the same proficiency group as scimitars meaning they are so close that they are inseparable - so why shouldn't a druid be able to use it? For all I care it's just a oriental styled scimitar. I think the ambition is to stay true to the Kensai sword saint dogma and only use blades. (Why didn't they block Kensai access to non-blade weapons I ask).
Spectral Brand is not the best weapon in the game, but it is after all the best sword a Kensai->Druid can use. Also it has some neat uses when upgraded and you can obtain it in SoA in the normal form.

And little slightly spoily sidenote. Six discovered a special helmet in BG1 which can only be obtained through difficulty. If this helmet is exploit-imported into BG2 it can be used to become neutral good in the hells. This would open up for use of Drizzt's +5 defender. Of course you will need even more cheese to hold on to that. In other words cheese with cheese on top... but it is possible.

[Kyrvias]

Druids ar e able to use Yamato.The Scimitar/ninja to/wakazishi proficiency is all in one. I know this because I have my main char, a figher/druid, euqipping it right now.

[ister]

I have Jaheira weilding Yamato right now.

Dwarven thrower can be used by pure class clerics also. I'm thinking of trying that one.

[Gimli]

Hmmm, there is a "keep Drizzt's loot" component to ease of use I believe, twinkle and icingdeath would be sweet indeed [img]smile.gif[/img] Although RP-wise I can't see how a neutral druid would want to take out Drizzt so I will have to pass.

I also think wakizashis (and also ninja-tos) are all in the same class as scimitars so that opens up some options and is cool RP-wise.

[mad=dog]

You will have to pardon me Jelboo, but I fail to see the relevance. It may simply be me overlooking the obvious.
And yes - the "oriental scimitars" does open up some splendid roleplaying channels.
As druid you would only battle Drizzt if he is disturbing balance. In BG1 you would probably fight him as driud since the gnolls he is slaughtering are clearly no match for him.

[ZFR]

Originally posted by mad=dog: In BG1 you would probably fight him as driud since the gnolls he is slaughtering are clearly no match for him.

ROFL!!!
Then I guess a solo kensai--> druid by the time he reaches ToB he wouldnt fight anything that isnt a match for him (i.e. anything that moves)?