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Edit: Didn't realize this forum was shared with the first game. This is a Neverwinter Nights 2 question.

So, first of all, I'll say that I'm not very familiar with D&D in general and it's been a long time since I played any of the D&D PC games. So, I don't know if the class build I'm looking for is even possible or all that functional really.

I did check out the Neverwinter Nights 2 wiki and saw the many class builds listed there and some of them do look pretty interesting, however, I couldn't really find anything that came close to what I'd like to try, so I'm wondering if this is a bad idea for a class build now.

Basically, I'm wondering if cleric and sorcerer can work together effectively at all? Or cleric and wizard even. No class build I've seen on the wiki seems to pair up arcane and divine magic much, if at all. Maybe there's a good reason for this I'm not aware of.

I would like to find a class build that has high magic damage potential, but is also capable of being a decent healer. Melee damage potential is something I'm willing to sacrifice if need be but it would be nice if the class build had some basic tanking ability too. If at all possible, I would also like the class build to be capable of unlocking doors/chests and maybe even detecting and disabling traps so I'm not forced to have a rogue companion all the time.

So, is there any way to create a class build that can do all these things well? Any recommendations? Is there a better Neverwinter Nights 2 forum somewhere for asking these questions?

My ideal class build:
-High magic damage potential
-Can be a decent healer
-Can preform arcane and divine spells?
-Can unlock most locks and detect/disable most traps
-Decent tanking ability
-Class build works with other races, not just human

Thanks for the help!
Post edited April 02, 2015 by paladin119
This question / problem has been solved by Darvinimage
avatar
paladin119: Basically, I'm wondering if cleric and sorcerer can work together effectively at all? Or cleric and wizard even.
No, they cannot. If you try to do it, you'll just end up with weak spellcasting in both categories. The closest you'll get is the Bard, which has a versatile spell list that includes both cleric-style curatives and wizard-style debuffing spells. However, bards lack direct offensive spells.

-High magic damage potential: Wizard and Sorcerer do this best. Cleric, Druid, Favored Soul, and Spirit Shaman are competent at higher levels, but lack access to these kinds of spells at lower levels.
-Can be a decent healer: Cleric, Druid, Favored Soul, Spirit Shaman, and Bard are your options for healing. If you don't mind shelling out a nominal fee to merchants, the "heal" skill can be used to improve the efficiency of healing kits to very high levels.
-Can preform arcane and divine spells?: Bard has the varied spell list you're looking for, although it's missing stuff on either side of the fence. Technically speaking, all of the Bard's spells are arcane, even the ones that duplicate divine spells.
-Can unlock most locks and detect/disable most traps: Rogues and Bards are ideal for this role, although Rogues can't normally cast spells. Wizards can function in this role in a pinch, using the Able Learner feat to invest in cross-class skills without penalty.
-Decent tanking ability : anything that isn't a Wizard or Sorcerer, and even those two can be competent tanks at higher levels (it's a matter of how many spells you want to sink into defense).
-Class build works with other races, not just human : that's a relatively small requirement. Humans are the best and most flexible race overall, but there are plenty of other options for other classes.

So basically, you want to do everything. You'll have to give up at least some of these categories. Given that, these are my suggestions:

Cleric
14 str, 12 dex, 14 con, 14 int, 16 wis, 8 cha
Domains: Fire, Time

You'll sacrifice the ability to disable traps (trust me, you won't have the skill points for it), and thanks to the fire domain you'll have decent offensive magic at the 5th level (which is really early by the standards of divine casters). While you'll miss out on the more expansive spell list of the wizard, this fits your other points quite nicely.

Bard
12 str, 14 dex, 14 con, 14 int, 8 wis, 16 cha

This will be less tanky than a Cleric, but won't be too fragile. Nor will never have access to strong damage-dealing magic like a Wizard or Sorcerer would.


Wizard
12 str, 14 dex, 14 con, 18 int, 8 wis, 8 cha

You give up on being a tank, you won't have access to Cleric spells, and your ability to disarm traps and open looks will be marginal at best. However, no other class even comes close to this one for raw explosive power. If having the most powerful damage-dealing spells is your one non-negotiable, then this is really the only option. Use the Able Learner feat in order to invest in cross-class skills without penalty.
I think Darvin covered things pretty well. I only have a few additional points to make. They are based on my experiences in NWN 1, so YMMV.

If you have a party member that can do high damage in a single hit available, then you may be able to bash down many (if not most) locked doors and chests. This is an alternative to unlocking them.

If you have a high hp character (especially if (s)he has decent saves), then that character can lead and tank trap damage. If you have several summon spells/abilities available, then the summons can lead the way and tank the trap damage instead. Evasion can mitigate trap damage if the evader has a good reflex save.

There are multiple ways to solve generic problems, it is just a matter of how much inconvenience you are willing to put up with (healing/resummoning after trap damage, taking the time to bash down locked objects, etc.).