Old Timers Come Back !

[Acara]

I played some today. I'm lost and can't find my way anywhere anymore. Weird feeling.

[ApacheLQ]

I've got the NS bug again, but I can't work out how to connect. I've installed NWN again, but it looks like Bioware has shut down the multiplayer servers. Is NS:E still up? And, if so, what's the Direct Connect IP and Password?

[Pros]

32.212.97.100

[ApacheLQ]

Cheers. I'll have a look into it over the next couple of days. I got NS4 working, but I always preferred NS3. I can't remember any of the builds, I miss my Golem Shifter, and my Dwarf. I'm hoping this old CD Key I've found will have some saved characters on the server.

[ApacheLQ]

I'm on. I forgot how difficult NS is for a brand new set of toons; especially when the Donations Box is empty! :p Currently scrimping and saving for my first 1000g indentification. :p

[Lokey]

One of the many reasons you start with caster (arcane or knowledge domain cler)

[DM Sun Tzu]

Visit the arena!!!

[ApacheLQ]

Does anyone have any of the common NS builds written out? Looking for the Golem Shifter, DwD Tank, and a decent Sorc build. I'm currently running a prototype Shifter build to get used to the server again; playing it as ExMac's MT challenge. It's pretty fun, and I'm now up to the point that I can slowly kill some of the harder low level stuff. One problem I have found though, is that I've somehow become Chaotic Neutral, from starting as Lawful Neutral. I need to be Lawful to be able to take levels in DwD and Monk. What's the best way of sliding back up the scale?

Also, I'm finding a lot of the quests and items are bugged. I have a Caravan Pass, but the NS Caravan Master keeps asking me to find Wallace, and Wallace keeps trying to sell me another pass. Cald keeps trying to make me talk to the Mystic Flame over and over, and I've handed the same letter to William, five times.

[Lokey]

You can try to change alignment once per reset in the cave on the way to Old Town North.

Tank = pm. dwd/pm if you want, but that's not going to have a lot of items except a stupid good shield and be more overkill than you need compared to doing the same thing in level 28 or even 18 stuff. I wasn't able to put together a monk outfit that was worth it for the extra swings v doing melee other ways, but I'm told it's possible too.

Builds aren't that important. 20 bard can get lasting inspiration, 18 druid can get dragon, going further in those classes isn't such a big deal (you get more of the good stuff at that point although druid has spells that do crazy things too). I haven't messed around with shifter a ton, but there are some silly things to do with animal shape (druid). Any way you can squeeze in epic dodge is helpful.

For caster I generally do sorc/pm 10 /dip for equip and/or feat. Sorc/pali/x in plate/shield is an old standby, have 13 str so you can get divine shield.

Shifter is about what you do with the 3rd class. 10 shifter + 27 wis though, there's a reason I've never messed with construct shape

I haven't played lately but quests are generally doable as journal/dialog tells you. Sure they can break. Also is your game patched fully?

[ApacheLQ]

Yeah. I'm on v1.69, with NWNcx. I'll check out that cave now. Thanks. If you could PM me any decent builds that work on NS, it'd be greatly appreciated. I remember there are some specific builds that work really well here, but after a decade, I don't have any way of finding them. I miss my Shifter, and my Sorc. :p It's annoying when people say "Just level...", as it's a huge investment to level a char to 40, to find you made a mistake ar 3rd level that totally nerfs your toon out of the running for anything. I had the highest HP on the server with my DwD, and I can't remember how. :p

[Lokey]

Don't overthink. Cleric 40 or fighter 40 or barb 40...it's pretty much all the same because items are what matter. The only reason I usually dip another class is to have a larger item selection. You have to have one of the base classes, taking another should guarantee that there's something useful somewhere for you even if it's a rare drop (and I pretty much only kit out in things that drop every time, the most tedious to get things usually aren't the best). IIRC, there's no class/feat/spell selection that can replace items...although it is fun to do upper level areas without items too.

Unless you can only play for 5 minutes per day, there is no significant time investment. In a few hours, you're 40, doesn't matter if it's commoner 40 for the most part. We tell you how much experience you get for killing things when, it usually caps at 500 or so (bonus for dragons and some other things). If you're not getting close to that, go somewhere else and find something you can slaughter wholesale

So as far as builds go, I just suggest checking http://nwn.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page to make sure you qualify for things, other than that, it really doesn't matter enough to sweat it.

[DM Sun Tzu]

I second Lokey's words. There are dozens of builds that work.

The only build I know that doesn't work is my Singing Dragon build - and that's because the 1.69 update made it impossible to build.

And at low levels, equipment is largely arbitrary - a decent ring of protection or bracers of armor and the bandits dagger from the crossroads work fine. Add some essence gear and it will work well to level 25 or so. Just replace gear as you find better.

If you aren't getting over 500 xp per kill and are lvl 10 or higher, go somewhere else - you are wasting time.

[Lokey]

Nah, DragoBard is still workable. Kutty's spear + start non-lawful druid or bard (or even without, druid has a fine spell book). Bard 20 and druid 18 + 30 wis have to happen at 36 and 39, align switch to grab monk wherever you can stuff it in. It's playable and fun all the way through, I did EC trip + Phoenix, dwarves and at least some other stuff solo with it, although it's a bit slow killing some things and you don't have the gear choices pali or fighter does. You don't hit bard level 23+ song anymore, but a 4 ab/ac change in your favor isn't anything to sneeze at.

Oh, have a friend build one too, two druids kill anything all day long

[ApacheLQ]

Things have changed in the last ten years, I see. It used to be all about the builds. I just want my old builds back tbh, and they were common ones back then. Just before everyone jumped on the Dragon Shifter bandwagon. I think the Golem Shifter was Drd5/Sft10/Mnk23/Rog2, unless you can only multiclass twice. But, my DwD, I have no idea about. Same with the Sorc, and the Cleric. There used to be pages of them, all written out on here.

[DM Sun Tzu]

Now
I'm going to have to build another toon, Lokey.