Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn

If you have completed Baldur's Gate and/or Siege of Dragonspear and are happy with your character, you can import your character from a savegame. This offers several advantages:

• Attribute boosts from tomes used in Baldur's Gate, potentially giving you an eight-point advantage to attributes.
• Greater starting experience points (XP): up to 161,000 XP if you completed Baldur's Gate, and up to 500,000 XP if you completed Siege of Dragonspear.
• The possibility of carrying over certain items, including the Golden Pantaloons (required for a very late-game bonus) and various magic items.

If you start a new character, you will begin with 89,000 XP.

Multiclass vs. Dual Class

A multiclass character (e.g., Fighter/Mage) combines the strengths of two classes simultaneously. A dual-class character (e.g., Fighter -> Mage) starts as one class and then switches to another, aiming to build a better version of the second class (e.g., a Mage with decent hit points and Grand Mastery in short bows). Both approaches aim for a combination superior to either class alone.

The primary advantage of multiclass characters is no downtime. A key advantage of dual-class characters is that the first class can be a kit, offering unique benefits like a Berserker's Rage. Dual-class characters also level twice as fast in their secondary class. However, very long-term, multiclass characters become more powerful, especially when High Level Abilities (HLAs) unlock, allowing them to use abilities from both classes, whereas dual-class characters only gain HLAs from their final class. HLAs do not appear until the very end of the saga, roughly one-third to one-fifth of total playtime.

Class Rankings

There are many class combinations in Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, but some are significantly stronger than others. The following rankings assume Core Rules difficulty; Legacy of Bhaal difficulty significantly boosts summoning, elevating the Shaman from a C to a B+ ranking.

Single Class

• Fighter (B): A solid, beginner-friendly choice focused on combat. Grand Mastery is a powerful feature, and the vanilla Fighter is an excellent base for dual-classing.
• Berserker (B): The best Fighter kit. You can work around weapon restrictions by taking proficiency points in daggers or axes. It's also the best base for dual-classing.
• Wizard Slayer (D-): Among the worst choices due to the inability to equip most magic items. Its miscast magic ability and limited magic resistance do not compensate for these deficiencies. A niche late-game dual-class combination with Thief exists where a High Level Ability removes class restrictions, but this is only beneficial at the saga's end.
• Kensai (C): Forces you to the front lines with minimal defense, keeping party Clerics busy. It excels at dealing damage but struggles with survival. It is a solid dual-class base, particularly when dualled to Thief. Importing a character can bypass the initial difficulty.
• Dwarven Defender (B+): Damage reduction is high-stakes in Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, making the Dwarven Defender significantly more effective than a vanilla Fighter.
• Barbarian (B-): Armour restrictions are a drawback, though long-term damage reduction offers some compensation. Otherwise, it functions similarly to a Fighter, which is acceptable.
• Ranger (C): The upfront bonus of two free proficiency points in Two Weapon Style becomes less impactful by Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. The increased leveling cost without a significant benefit is also a drawback.
• Archer (A-): The Archer's accumulating damage bonuses allow for consistent killing from a safe distance. Specializing in short bows is recommended due to better weapon selection. Elves are the preferred race for Dexterity and combat bonuses. Slings are also viable as they benefit from Strength and class bonuses to damage.
• Stalker (C): Armour limitations are detrimental. A Fighter/Thief serves as a better scout, and an Archer is superior for ranged combat.
• Beast Master (D-): Too many sacrifices are made for a few weak summoning spells.
• Paladin (C+): The vanilla Paladin lacks expected bonuses (like immunity to disease), and its kits are generally superior.
• Cavalier (B+): Offers useful immunities and resistances.
• Undead Hunter (B+): A very strong choice, its class immunities are highly beneficial.
• Inquisitor (B): Better suited to its role than the Wizard Slayer, though still not top-tier.

During character creation in Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, you will "roll" your characters' attributes. You can swap points between attributes, provided you don't go below the class minimums or 3. You can re-roll as much as you like if you don't like the numbers. A good rule of thumb is to aim for a total of around 90 attribute points. For Fighter-type characters, pay attention to the percentile score when Strength is 18; an 18/91 is better than 90 points and an 18/01. Generally, you cannot start with an attribute of 19 or greater, though some racial choices allow this at the cost of reducing other attributes' maximums. Characters imported from Baldur's Gate might have attributes of 19 or 20.

Strength

Investment in Strength increases THAC0 (To Hit Armor Class 0), damage per attack, bash chance, and weight allowance.

The "To Hit" column applies to melee weapons; Dexterity provides the THAC0 bonus for missile weapons. The damage bonus applies to thrown weapons and slings. "Bash %" is the chance to break open locked containers, though a Thief is more convenient. "Carry" is the maximum weight for items; exceeding it slows movement, and greatly exceeding it can immobilize your character. Some equipment has a minimum Strength requirement; 15 is sufficient for all items.

Intelligence

Intelligence is game-changing for Mage characters, governing maximum spell level and spells per level. For all characters, it provides a bonus to the Lore skill.

Intelligence above 18 is not strictly necessary for spellcasting. A score of 19, achievable by Gnomes, reduces the chance of failing to learn a spell, which can otherwise waste scrolls. Some consider this a reload condition. At 17 Intelligence, failures seem more frequent than the stated one-in-four chance. The Intelligence requirement for spell level only affects scribing, not casting. Mages can use potions of Genius or Mind Focusing to scribe spells and temporarily bypass the maximum spells per level limit. Sorcerers do not need Intelligence for high-level magic. Characters with Intelligence below 9 cannot use wands or scrolls, even if their class normally allows it.

Wisdom

Wisdom directly benefits Cleric and Druid characters, providing bonus spells at high values.

Dexterity

High Dexterity provides an AC (Armor Class) bonus. For Thief, Ranger, Bard, and Monk characters, it also boosts (or penalizes) their skills.

A Dexterity score close to 18 is beneficial due to the AC bonus.

Alright, so you're diving into Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn and wondering which race to pick? It's a big decision because it affects what classes you can be, how good you are at certain things, and even how you can level up later. Let's break down the options so you can make the best choice for your adventure.

Humans are your go-to if you want maximum flexibility. They don't get any stat bonuses or penalties, which might sound boring, but it means they can be *any* class (except for that one specific fighter kit, the Dwarven Defender). The real kicker for Humans is their ability to dual-class. This means you can start as one class, reach a certain level, and then switch to another, eventually regaining your first class's abilities once you surpass its level in your new one. It's a bit like having your cake and eating it too, but it requires careful planning and patience, especially with the XP needed to get back into your old skills. Just remember, you can't pick a 'kit' for your second class, and the combo has to be valid for multiclassing. Plus, you'll need some pretty high stats to pull off certain dual-class combos, like a Fighter switching to Druid, which demands a lot of Strength, Wisdom, and Charisma!

Elves are pretty cool, especially if you like ranged combat or finesse. They get bonuses with bows, short swords, and long swords, plus a boost to Dexterity. They also resist charm and sleep effects like a champ and can see in the dark (infravision). The downside? They take a hit to Constitution, which can make them a bit fragile. They can be Fighters, Rangers, Mages, Sorcerers, Clerics, or Thieves, and have some neat multiclass options like Fighter/Mage or Fighter/Thief.

Half-Elves are the jack-of-all-trades. They get some resistance to charm and sleep, plus infravision, but no stat bonuses or penalties. Their real strength lies in their massive list of available multiclass combinations. If you want to mix and match classes like Cleric/Mage or Fighter/Mage/Thief, Half-Elves open up a ton of possibilities.

Dwarves are your sturdy warriors. They get a bonus to Constitution and awesome saving throws, especially against things like paralysis and poison. They can be Fighters, Clerics, or Thieves, and importantly, they're the *only* race that can pick the powerful Dwarven Defender kit. They do take a hit to Dexterity and Charisma, but for a tough front-liner, it's often worth it. They also get infravision.

Halflings are small but mighty, especially with slings. They get a bonus to Dexterity but take penalties to Strength and Wisdom. They can be Fighters, Clerics, or Thieves, with Fighter/Thief being a popular choice. Like Dwarves, they get a bonus to saving throws.

Gnomes are the smarty-pants of the bunch. They get a bonus to Intelligence and can see in the dark. They can be Fighters, Specialist Mages (always Illusionists, which is interesting!), Clerics, or Thieves. The Intelligence boost is great for learning spells, and they get a bonus to saves against spells and wands. They do take a Wisdom penalty, though.

Here's a quick look at how long you might be waiting for your second class to catch up if you dual-class, especially from Fighter:

As you can see, picking the right race is key to setting up your character for success. Think about what kind of hero you want to be and choose wisely!