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THE PERFECT PARTY
Lord Markus of Helm, Lawful Good, Aasimar Paladin of Helm 16 / Fighter 4
Why He's Included
A good tank is usually a mainstay for any serious adventuring party. This Paladin is my favorite build, and admittedly it is a matter of taste. The Barbarian x / Fighter 4 may for example be able to crank out more raw damage, but my Paladin will have plenty more defensive resources to draw upon to enhance his durability, including the use of a shield, higher saving throws, and Lay on Hands. He is also destined to use the now improved Holy Avenger. He will also be the party diplomat.
Roles
Primary Tank, Primary Mage Killer, Tertiary Healer, Tertiary Buffer, Primary Spokesperson
Stats
Str 18 | Dex 10 | Con 18 | Int 12 | Wis 13 | Cha 20
4th level: +1 Cha
8th level: +1 Cha
12th level: +1 Str
16th level: +1 Cha
20th level: +1 Cha
+4 to Charisma will help a Paladin's saving throws, Smite Evil (if and when he uses it), Lay on Hands, and Diplomacy. +1 to Strength will combine with the other +1 to Strength obtained from the Holy Avenger quest.
Skills
Concentration - My Paladin doesn't cast spells very often, but when he does, he often has to do it in close quarter combat.
Diplomacy - I let my Paladin do most of the talking, hence this skill.
Feats
Starting Feats: Weapon Focus: Longsword - My early use of Fighter levels has the point of enhancing his use of the Longsword, both to get him off the ground during the early levels, and also in the long run once he wields the Holy Avenger.
3rd level: Power Attack and Cleave - Now my Paladin is poised to score extra hits whenever he delivers a killing blow.'
4th level: Blind-Fight. Useful if you get hit with blindness, but also against rogues that try to backstab you, or when you go after creatures that are under an invisibility effect (including Improved Invisibility) which is now much more common during Tactics.
6th level: Iron Will - I admit I'm a fan of feats that maximize my saving throws now, even with the Charisma bonus to saving throws for a Paladin. This is especially the case when I have my Paladin often step right up to spellcasters. Iron Will was my first choice because having my best warrior controlled by the other side can be a huge pain in the arse.
9th level: Improved Critical - A no-brainer for your warriors.
12th level: Fiendslayer - Adds a much welcome combat bonus to hit against certain kinds of dangerous yet frequent enemies.
15th level: Lightning Reflexes - Improving another relative weak point in my Paladin's saving throws.
18th level: Completing the maxing out of my Paladin's saving throws.
Stygar Storm Axe, Chaotic Good, Shield Dwarf Battleguard of Tempus 21
Why He's Included
A good party almost by necessity includes a Cleric as well. Which of the many available Cleric builds you use is a matter of taste of course, but I prefer the Battleguard for several reasons. One, my Paladin is the only other character who can wear heavy plate armors, so I have an incentive to develop my Cleric as a credible warrior. The Battleguard's ability to draw upon Tempus' Strength, and to use Axes with a bonus to hit, are ideal in this regard. An experience I learned during the early phases of Tactics is, a Shield Dwarf's bonuses against Goblinoids really comes in handy when you're still in Targos during the early levels of the game, especially when the Goblins lead a major offensive against Targos. The Battleguard's ability to use the Power Word spells is also a huge plus. They come out in a flash, and are guaranteed to have an effect for at least some duration of time. He can also use his 9th level spell slots to summon a lot of help when its needed.
Roles
Primary Healer, Primary Summoner, Primary Buffer, Secondary Tank
Stats
Str 18 | Dex 12 | Con 20 | Int 8 | Wis 18 | Cha 14
4th level: +1 Con
8th level: +1 Con
12th level: +1 Con
16th level: +1 Con
20th level: +1 Strength
+4 to Constitution will increase hit points, Fortitude saving throws, and Concentration checks. The reason for the +1 Strength is partly by default, and partly to increase the chances that Champion's Strength will raise Stygar's strength to the next even number whenever he casts it on himself.
Skills
Concentration - Concentration is the obvious skill for a cleric who often casts healing spells and combat buffers in the thick of things, and really the only one I see a need for.
Feats
Starting Feats: Combat Casting - Self-explanatory. Stygar often has to cast spells in the thick of things, so it pays to increase his odds of making a Concentration check as much as possible.
3rd level: Power Attack - A prerequisite for Cleave, but also has usefulness in its own right when used with an Axe that Stygar will find later on.
6th level: Cleave - Now Stygar will get an extra attack whenever he lands a killing blow.
9th level: Blind-Fight - Comes into play fairly often, like when he gets blinded, or when he's attacking a spellcaster under Improved Invisibility (which is now fairly common in Tactics).
12th level: Improved Critical - This should be a no-brainer.
15th level: Lightning Reflexes - Improving the weakest of my Cleric's saving throws.
18th level: Iron Will - In Tactics, you can't go wrong with enhancing your saving throws.
21st level: Discipline - A +1 to Will saves and a +2 to Concentration checks is always welcome for a Cleric.
Akutagawa, Lawful Good, Male Human Monk of Ilmater 21
Why He's Included
The Monk has several combat related abilities that really come in handy, high damage rolls, good armor class as the game progresses, Stunning Blow, and Quivering Palm. He also serves as the party scout.
Roles
Secondary Tank, Primary Mage Killer, Secondary Decoy, Primary Scout
Stats
Str 16 | Dex 18 | Con 18 | Int 10 | Wis 18 | Cha 12
4th level: +1 Dex
8th level: +1 Con
12th level: +1 Str
16th level: +1 Wis
20th level: +1 Wis
The first three bonuses will combine with a ring that Akutagawa will wear, and a potion he will drink later on. The +2 to Wisdom will raise the difficulty class of Stunning Blow and Quivering Palm, Will-based saving throws, and armor class.
Skills
Hide and Move Silently - As the party scout, these choices should be obvious.
Feats
Starting Feats: Power Attack, Cleave - Cleave is always useful for getting in extra hits whenever a foe goes down.
3rd level: Dirty Fighting - This allows my Monk to often blind or slow down an opponent during combat.
6th level: Blind-Fight - Comes into play fairly often, like when he gets blinded, or when he's attacking a spellcaster under Improved Invisibility (which is now fairly common in Tactics).
9th level: Lightning Reflexes - This enhances my Monk's use of the Evasion ability.
12th level: Improved Critical - A no-brainer really.
15th level: Iron Will - In Tactics, you can't go wrong with improving your saving throws.
18th level: Great Fortitude - same thing.
21st level: Luck of Heroes - +1 to all saving throws.
Alliria, Neutral Good, Half-Elf Druid 20 / Ranger 1
Why She's Included
The Druid provides a useful mix of healing and offensive spells. She can help pick up some of the slack for the Cleric, and also help out my Sorceress if its time to crank out the damage.
The Druid is also a wonderful source of crowd-control. Individually, spells like Entangle or Spike Stones may not do a whole lot on their own. Chances are, a monster can make one individual saving throw and get out of the area effected by the spell. But if you have the time to blanket an area with spells like Entangle, Spike Growth, and Spike Stones, chances are your foes will fail at least one saving throw and remain stuck. It gets even better when your arcane spellcasters can chip in with spells like Web, or cloud-damage spells like Cloudkill that will slow them down even more. You can even add Sunray into the mix at higher level spells. Once you've got a horde stuck in place, that's when the fun begins. They're sitting ducks for your offensive spells. Other key spells that a Druid can use include offensive spells like Flame Strike, Static Lightning, and Spiritual Wrath. Tremor is an incredibly useful spell that will knock down a lot of incoming enemies, and its party-friendly too. Summon Elemental Swarm also provides another nifty option. I also add 1 level of Ranger, at the beginning, since she's also my designated Archer, and it allows her to use certain other weapons in the game.
Roles
Primary Crowd-Controller, Primary Summoner, Primary Archer, Secondary Damage Caster, Secondary Healer, Secondary Buffer, Tertiary Tank, Secondary Scout
Stats
Str 14 | Dex 18 | Con 18 | Int 14 | Wis 18 | Cha 14
4th level: +1 Wis
8th level: +1 Wis
12th level: +1 Wis
16th level: +1 Wis
20th level: +1 Wis
Skills
Hide & Move Silently - She can also double as a second scout when needed.
Animal Empathy - Occasionally useful, but I guess more for 'flavour' than anything else.
Wilderness Lore - Another ability that is quite useful in some situations.
Feats
Starting Feats: Combat Casting - Self-explanatory, since she also has to cast spells in the thick of combat.
3rd level: Spell Focus Transmutation - This enhances Alliria's crowd control spells, like Entangle, Stone Spike, Spike Stones, and later one, Earthquake.
6th level: Greater Spell Focus Transmutation - Further enhancing my crowd control spells.
9th level: Dirty Fighting - She enters melee fairly often her self, so this ability is quite useful since each critical hit has a chance to either blind or slow down the target.
12th level: Improved Critical - A no-brainer really.
15th level: Rapid Shot - Adds an extra arrow shot per round at full bonus, but at a -2 bonus to other missile attacks in that round. Well worth it, since Alliria acquires a number of items that increase her attack bonus with missile weapons.
18th level: Weapon Focus - Improving even further her prowess with a bow.
21st level: Discipline - for the same reasons as Stygar.
Tithian, Chaotic Good, Drow Wizard 17 / Rogue 3
Why He's Included
This character build provides a lot of utility. He'll provide the thieving skills. He'll also operate as a secondary spellcaster, able to provide spells that my Sorceress can't. He's also a handy decoy, which is to say somebody who necessarily won't be able to chop down the opposition, but can keep himself protected so that he can hold up a group of monsters by himself without any real danger and giving his comrades a chance to go to work on the rest. Spells like Mirror Image, Stoneskin, and Improved Invisibility provide protection from physical attacks. Being Drow gives him Spell Resistance, and his Rogue levels give him Evasion, so he can withstand magical assaults as well. Three levels is enough for Evasion and that extra +1d6 during backstab attacks (or Arterial Strike if that's your preference). Otherwise, I've learned to emphasize spellcasting power for him.
Roles
Primary Decoy, Primary Thief, Secondary Damage Caster, Secondary Crowd-Controller, Secondary Archer, Secondary Spokesperson, Tertiary Tank
Stats
Str 14 | Dex 20 | Con 16 | Int 20 | Wis 12 | Cha 12
4th level: +1 Dex
8th level: +1 Dex
12th level: +1 Dex
16th level: +1 Dex
20th level: +1 Dex
+5 Dexterity coupled with the +5 Dexterity from Chimandrae's Slippers will enhance attack bonus, armor class class, reflex saving throws, and skill checks.
Skills
Bluff - Sometimes a particular dialogue outcome will need Bluff instead of Diplomacy, this is where Tithian does the talking instead.
Disable Device, Open Locks, Search - These are the skills I emphasize for the thieving role.
Concentration - Self-explanatory.
Note that the skill levels remain adequate even when learning them as cross-class skills while building up Wizard levels.
Feats
Starting Feats: Blind Fight - For the simple reason that Drow are particularly vulnerable to getting blinded by fire-based spells.
3rd level: Armored Arcana - To enable use of a certain buckler without any arcane spell failure.
6th level: Lightning Reflexes - Improved reflex saving throws also enhances the Evasion ability.
8th level: Spell Focus Transmutation - To enhance spells like Slow and Disintegrate.
9th level: Arterial Strike - 3 levels of Rogue allows +2d6 of sneak attack damage. This feat allows me to sacrifice 1d6 of it for a bleeding wound that scores damage over a long haul. Not a big deal in and of itself, but what it sometimes does is make that monster focus its attention on Tithian and away from his comrades, thereby enhancing his decoy role.
12th level: Expertise - Since Tithian uses either the Brilliant Short +5 or the Moonblade, both of which ignore Armor and Shield bonuses, he can indulge in the use of this feat to boost his own armor class by 5 points and enhances his role as a decoy.
13th level: Greater Spell Focus Transmutation - Further enhancing spells like Slow and Disintegrate.
15th level: Iron Will - It's hard to argue with improving saving throws in Tactics.
18th level: Great Fortitude - Same thing. Combat Casting - A logical choice for another spellcaster who spends a lot of time in the thick of it.
Lady Elanna, Neutral Good, Human Sorceress 21
Why She's Included
In vanilla IWD2, I got away with using a Wizard because the battles were shorter and the monsters went down faster. In IWD2 Tactics, a Sorceress really comes in handy since she can cast her spells as little or as often as needed. And the sooner you can get to the higher level spells, the better.
Stats
Str 12 | Dex 16 | Con 16 | Int 14 | Wis 12 | Cha 18
4th level: +1 Cha
8th level: +1 Cha
12th level: +1 Cha
16th level: +1 Cha
20th level: +1 Cha
+5 Charisma plus the +3 Charisma from the Robes of Sorcere will augment her spellcasting power considerably.
Roles
Primary Damage Caster, Primary Summoner, Secondary Crowd Controller, Secondary Archer
Skills
Alchemy - To help identify potions, and useful in other situations as well.
Concentration - For obvious reasons, to avoid spell interruption.
Knowledge - To help identify magical items.
Spellcraft - To help identify what spells the opposition is casting. This can really come in handy and influence tactical decisions as to whether to ignore an enemy spell caster, or whether you need to try and interrupt the casting of that spell.
Feats
Starting Feats: Spell Focus Enchantment, Greater Spell Focus Enchantment - My sorceress initially relies on Sleep to deal with mass groups of enemies. It will also prove useful later on when spells like Chaos or Mass Domination enter the picture.
3rd level: Spell Focus Evocation - Damaging spells are a Sorcerer's staple, so it makes sense to maximize this as well.
6th level: Greater Spell Focus Evocation - Further enhancing my offensive spells.
9th level: Spell Focus - To enhance spells like Finger of Death and Wail of the Banshee and Skull Trap.
12th level: Greater Spell Focus Necromancy - Further enhancing my necromantic spells.
15th level: Combat Casting - I put this off until I raised the saving throw Difficult Class for the spells I use most frequently. I get it now however, since Elanna does on occasion find herself having to defend (cast protective spells) in close quarter combat.
18th level: Improved Initiative - Letting your damage caster fire off those spells just a little faster is actually quite a helpful boon. To enable this, I had to download the "Improved Initiative Workaround". Once I select this feat, I simply type into the console, getyourcheatson:CreateItem("ii_fix"). A potion will appear in the lead character's inventory. Elanna simply puts the potion in one of her quick-item slots, and gulps it down in order to enjoy the -1 reduction to casting times that the feat is meant to provide.
Spell Selection
This merits a section unto itself, since spell selections for a Sorceress are permanent, and therefore require careful planning.
1st level: Sleep - This really comes in handy in the first stages of the game against low-level enemies, and is much more efficient than single-target spells against groups.
Identify - Can be used whenever a Knowledge skill check comes up short.
3rd level: Magic Missile - I didn't get this right away because it only turns out 1 missile to begin with. It makes more sense at 3rd level, when it spits out 2, and ultimately 5 as you gain levels.
4th level: Mirror Image - This spell is a defensive staple no matter high-level your arcane spellcaster becomes.
5th level: Web - A useful crowd-control spell that can be used in tandem with the crowd-control spells provided by the Druid.
Chromatic Orb - A useful spell that often holds a single-target in place.
6th level: Fireball - An early offensive staple for my Sorceress.
7th level: Skulltrap - It has its pros and cons in comparison to Fireball, which makes it more situation-specific. It has a shorter 'detonation' range, and it has to planted almost right next to a monster for it to go off. On the other hand, there's no cap on the damage it can inflict (+1d6 with each level). So it does come in handy when its aimed at a small, but tightly clustered, group of enemies.
Vocalize - Your lower spell levels are good candidates for utility spells, and here's one of them. Since it can be used in response to any character getting silenced, I can use it as little or as often as needed. In the hands of a Sorceress, it obviates completely any need for a Silent Spell feat.
8th level: Stoneskin - Another defensive staple for the Sorceress. It can always be brought back up when the previous one goes down. It can also be cast on her comrades, which can help for particularly intense combats.
9th level: Knock - Another low-level utility spell. Just in case Tithian can't open the lock.
Melf's Minute Meteors - Well, I don't want Elanna to burn through her sling ammo too rapidly, so each day she'll start with these +5 beauties that also inflict fire damage, at least during the early parts. It also comes in handy when you have to take out large packs of Trolls. She'll just wait until one Troll goes down, and then delivers the coup-de-grace from a distance, and then wait for the next Troll to go down, and so on.
Improved Invisibility - A nifty defensive resource that, for many monsters, will mean their strikes miss her outright on a half-and-half chance.
10th level: Chaos - This is an awesome spell for sowing 'chaos' amongst a mass of foes. Stacking the Spell Focus Enchantment feats on top of the spell's inherently high saving throw Difficulty Class ensures its effectiveness. And its party-friendly too.
11th level: See Invisibility - Another useful utility-spell to use 2nd level slots on. Useful for backstabbing foes and invisible spellcasters, etc.
Dispel Magic - This adds to Elanna's usefulness and utility. It can rip down the spell buffs of the opposition (which is now more common in Tactics) or dispel nasty magic effects afflicting your party (which is again now more common in Tactics) depending on the situation.
Animate Dead - Since this is a scalable spell (the undead get more powerful as the Sorcerer level increases), it has lasting value, and can be cast repeatedly, especially if your previous undead minions got wasted.
12th level: Mass Haste - A great spell for enhancing physical combat. Believe it or not, some battles in Tactics can be so prolonged that my Sorceress sometimes feels the need to cast it more than once.
13th level: Malison - A useful spell for priming up the opposition against subsequent spells, as well as any special weapons effects used by my warriors.
Cone of Cold - Another offensive spell that can be devastating in the right situations.
Chain Lightning - Yet another powerful offensive spell, and its party-friendly too.
14th level: Mordenkainen's Sword - A spell that Elanna uses frequently. Sometimes even the warriors need a little help too, and this allows my Sorceress to do it from a distance, especially when slashing damage is needed.
15th level: Lower Resistance - Used for those individually powerful monsters who may have Spell Resistance.
Acid Storm - In my experience, I find Chain Lightning often useful. Yet there's no denying that the number of foes it actually hits on a casting can be quite random, sometimes as many as six, and other times just one. It tends to be best used for a few monsters that are tightly packed around your warriors, and even then there's no assurance how many it will get. Acid Storm adds a little flexibility to how my Sorceress can expend her 6th level spells in offensive fashion. If the monsters are in a larger pack trying to slog their way through a crowd-control zone, by all means use this instead.
Banishment - Summoned monsters are a much more frequent occurrence in Tactics, and sometimes the additional horde that gets summoned against you can turn into a veritable army. Hence this spell, which can get rid of all of them in a flash. Note that the Cleric can use it as a 6th level spell, but I prefer to have my Cleric dedicate his 6th level slots to other spells, Heal in particular.
16th level: Great Shout - Another nifty stopper spell. It comes out in a flash, and is almost guaranteed to stun any monsters caught in its cone area of effect. The saving throw simply effects whether its victims stay stunned for 1 round or 2 rounds. If you can catch any spellcasters with it, even better, since its deafening effect will also make spellcasting more difficult.
17th level: Finger of Death - A nifty little spell when you want to take out one monster instantly.
Horrid Wilting - In the vanilla version of IWD, casting this spell just once from the Bracers of Icelandic Pearl was often enough to win a battle then and there. Now in Tactics, especially in higher levels, being able to cast this repeatedly can come in handy.
18th level: Executioner's Eyes - Sure, it only lasts 10 rounds. But considering those hefty bonuses to damage, attack bonus, and most importantly, to critical hit range, those 10 rounds may be enough for your warriors to slaughter the opposition outright, or at least tip combat heavily in your favour. Really comes in handy during key combats.
19th level: Mass Dominate - In some situations, it can be even better than Wail of the Banshee. It can basically turn at least half or more of the enemy to your side, dooming the rest. Once they're gone, you can slaughter your enslaved opponents one by one.
Mind Blank - Protects its target from any mental effects for a whole day, neat.
20th level: Wail of the Banshee - Great spell for thinning out the crowd in an instant.
21st level: Protections from Petrification - At this point, I'm running out of meaningful spell choices, so why not this one?
Lightning Bolt - Adding a little more choice to how I can use my 3rd level spells in offensive fashion.
Tenser's Transformation - An option if I feel inclined to augment Elanna's prowess with the Phantom Staff or Mordenkainen's Sword.
* * *
Now, we begin in Chapter 1...
