I'm doing two simultaneous runs, a good Sorcadin run on Tactician and a dark urge, evil Berserker run in Honor Mode that follows along. The good party is basically acting as an advance team to remind me of the scary encounters, ambushes etc. but I've also never done an evil durge run so it's not exactly a 1:1 comparison.

The evil party is just shy of Act 2, but I'm playing with the only companions I have access to (because of my evil actions) and I'm roughly trying to play them on type. Astarion is a Gloomstalker Assassin, Lae'zel is an Eldritch Knight and Shadowheart is a Light Domain Cleric. We are cake walking at the moment, didn't really break a sweat through the Underdark and Monastery. I'm concerned at not having a true caster... But I'm also sort of intrigued at the viability of this party.

Counterspell is the big thing I'm worried about. The advance team is proccing it constantly. Also replacing Haste with potions would suck and I can't get the Haste bow (I assume, Dammon is dead). So far relying on cleric skills for AoE has been working okay.

Can I get away with using speed potions and maybe something clever like going full anti-magic and using Sussur blooms with some party tweaks?(edit: apparently that's not possible anymore, but still Silencing weapons etc.)

Or, should I bite the bullet and spec Minthara as something castery when I get her? If so, who do I replace?

Any suggestions welcome.

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[–] 10 points 11 months ago (1 child)

You can complete honor mode with any strong group. Especially if you’re planning your run from another. I wouldn’t worry much. But also you could respec laezel as hexblade. That would kind of fit her. Maybe she takes up a patron after vlaakith lets her down.

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  • [–] [S] 2 points 11 months ago

    Interesting idea for Lae'zel.

    For the rest I guess that depends on whether this is a "strong group" without someone to deflect spells. And for the planning I'm sorta worried that I'm going to diverge a lot since the first party isn't evil, but at the same time it's not like the main quest changes a lot (AFAIK)

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  • [+] 9 points 11 months ago (1 child)
  • [–] 6 points 11 months ago* (1 child)

    I've beaten the game using nothing but 4 gnome barbarians. So, no. You don't need casters at all. Just learn how to throw.

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  • [–] 2 points 11 months ago (2 children)

    Some spells are annoying but usually not something you can't outtank/outheal. Just give yourself and Lae'zel tons of running distance and focus down the biggest threats first.

    Do you know if you will go half illithid? That should give you even more movement and one counter-spell per (short?) rest.

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  • [–] 2 points 11 months ago

    Throw stuff at casters?

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  • [–] 2 points 11 months ago

    Casting has gotten me out of a few pickles but if you use your scrolls sparingly you'll have plenty by late game.

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  • [–] 1 point 11 months ago (2 children)

    How about using the mage slayer feat?

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  • [–] [S] 1 point 11 months ago (1 child)

    Only works if you're in melee range already and they cast which I haven't seen a lot of. Advantage against concentration could be good but I have plenty of ways to break that. Counterspell stops the spell from occuring at all from across the room.

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