Fighter/Mage Advice

Finally got the Titan Quest monkey off my back and started NWN2 this week--I read Sorcha's "frustrated " thread, so I gritted my teeth through the early game and kept telling myself I could play a Ranger, but I'm tired of trying to melee with a bow.

Has anybody gone the fighter/caster route? If so, how many fighter levels is practical? Or could the game actually be finished with a pure caster without causing brain damage?

I am thinking dual class for the ability to take the hits, cast buffs like Tensers, but still be able to lob a fireball or two when mobbed--but I hate giving up the higher level spells.

Also, is it worth it trying to build for a prestige class? Since the level cap is 20, I'm thinking you'ld be barely getting into the meat of it.

Any and all tips will be deeply helpful to my sanity.

I took one level of Barb to begin, which really helped at the start of the game, then I switched to a pure mage (sorc)!! Had very little trouble. 2 areas were difficult, but I managed them!!

Sounds like your really like Mages as do I, though as I posted in Sorcha's thread, I was totally frustrated the first 10 hours unable to get out of the starting vilage happy.

I decided I would play exactlly what I like and if the game was broken, as it was before 1.02 and 1.03 and I wouldn't feel bad if I had to make console changes here or there.
I was determined not to have badly balanced or rushed out game ruin my fun.

I played a strait Mage, it's possible since at almost every point you have a Tank with you, make dang sure you have Shield or Mage Shield as one of your first spells.
I played Human for the extra Feats and at least to me the best 1st level only Feat is Luck of Heroes, that is plus Save to Everything.

If you want fighter levels, I don't think you need more than 1 or 2 levels of it but you will miss out on your level 9 spells if you do more than 2 levels.

If you like playing females the best looking outfit in the game, well certianly starting outfits is the Warlock outfit and I even used this as my crafted armor which I was able to customise with effects.
nw_cloth029

If you want to melee and cast, I would advise going for a cleric or a druid, rather then a fighter/mage. You do give up a lot of spells and casting power by multi classing a mage, and it is usually not advisable.

However, if you do not mind giving up some spells in return for physical power, the Eldritch Knight might be a good prestige class for you.
Maybe a 6wizard/4 fighter/10 EK build or something?

Thanks all. I amost did choose a cleric, Sorcha--that was the first class I ever played in dnd-based crpgs and it is a really strong and able one, but…in this game, both buffing and healing seem kind of secondary when you can survive most fights unbuffed and then rest for 5 seconds--taking less time than it would to cast multiple heals.
The Eldritch Knight did sound exactly like what I was talking about, and you don't forfeit increasing your spell knowledge; it's a definite possibility.

Ace, I love picturing you in your warlock battle bikini I thought it was a little too much role-playing for me. I'm enheartened by both you and Corwin that it might be possible to play more of a pure caster, so I'm going to go the sorc route for now. However, this is the kind of game I tend to start over twenty times so we'll see how it goes.

Man this is broken combat to me though. I would kill for ANY kind of "party formation" button.

"warlock battle bikini"
Yeah, I always wonder what those weirdo mages actually got going on under those big baggy robe, I just don't trust'um!

I can't recall atm, if you played G3 but it's really annoying to have to watch some guy shake his butt while casting a teleport spell or whatever, why in the hell PB would use that animation, i'm at a loss for words.

The constant scripted ambushes are obsurd as well as not have formations.
Especially when playing physically weaker class like a caster, everyone keeps there tanks up front, it's what they are for but if your playing a mage and trying to use your tank to speak in case you suspect a hostile encounter, it forces your mage up front and center in batlle.
Now that's brilliant gameplay stratigy, oh wait no it isn't!

It's just one of many small annoyances I find in the game!!

you are aware there is a pause button right?

Yes, I used pause to take snapshots and remind me how Buffy and Slayer (the rabbit) looked before they were slaughtered into ground meat and served as Quad Mac burgers!

Originally Posted by curious
you are aware there is a pause button right?

I've been working with it but it's pretty labor intensive compared to your usual party management--a missed click puts the wrong char in charge and the others then fly like lemmings to thier death. I've got puppet mode on now and it seems to be going a bit better.

Not like Wiz8 tho…sigh
@Acleasius--no haven't played Gothic3 but I think you just gave me another reason not to.

I am pleasantly surprised by the story, however, and the dialogue choices etc are good solid rpg stuff. I was a little taken aback by the graphics--tried to remember what game they reminded me of--finally figured out it was Daggerfall.(Lumpy houses, soft dissolve edges, but thankfully no motion sickness )

I'm hooked tho so on to Whitecliff. Thanks again all.