Its all a matter of timing

[Knip_Dyolf]

I am tossing up the idea of making a new party. Dont worry Merkin I'm no where near your league. This will only be my 4th party.

My current party is:
Lizardman Fighter level 12
Dracon Valkyrie 11
Felpurr Ranger 12
Rawulf Priest 12
Human Bard 12
Elf Mage 12

RFS-8I Mook 11
Vi Valkyrie 12

A fairly basic setup I think. We are heading to the Northern Wildeness.
They all seem to be handling the combats at the moment but I know that I have made them all too well rounded instead of concentrating on their special abilities.
I know it is too much to ask for suggestions of what stats need to go into what classes (and I do not expect someone to do my homework for me Merkin   ) besides the varients are so numerous.

So my question is as follows:
I like to have my spell casters cast spells first then my fighters come in and kick butt.
Is there a particular statistic that I need to increase so I can be sure of this. I thought speed would be the natural choice but my spell casters all have the highest speed but my ranger seems to more often than not go before them. Sometimes my priest is last to go and he has the highest speed of all  
I would love for my priest to go first for protection and healing, my mage to cast an offensive spell on the lot, then my bard to pay a lovely melody and my fighters to finish the job  ;D
I have read somewhere in a forum (gosh which one I dunno as Im getting as confused with which forums I have been to, almost as confused as where I have been in Trynton) that senses also played a part in the speed of an attack.

thanks and theres always no harm in asking.
(Knip's youngest daughter asks her dad "why is the sky blue"...Oh I dont know, go ask your mother. Better still go on the net.  

Knip

[judee]

I have found with my spellcasters that senses plays a more important part of initiative than speed.

Example: Two mages. One with 60 speed, 50 initiative, the ither with 50 speed, 60 initiative. The one with 60 initiative may have as much as 2 initiative points ahead of the other.

Speed is not to be discounted altogether, but senses seems to be the better of the two.

I would say the opposite for regular warriors, though.

judee

[Merkin]

*You hear Merkin sobbing uncontrollably in the background*
I've completely ignored senses for my mage and priest, been putting in stupid speed points.  And I was SO sure I had it right this time.

Not the monastery again...NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

[jersey]

Oh no. I have totally ignored senses for everyone except my ranger. Damn. Sigh. Well, I really like this team, but as I was wandering around Marten's Bluff looking for a way to the teleporter I have heard so much about without killing any t'rang, I was thinking I could make them better. Guess I could start them over again.

On the up side, if I start over that means more hours of enjoyment playing the game and a longer time until I finish. Hmmm. One excuse is as good as another.    ;D

[KraGorn]

Ignoring the two games' relative merits  , I re-started BG2:ToB so many times that when I finally beat Irenicus and started ToB I'd become bored with the whole thing ... I doubt I'll ever become a God.  

jersey said:

On the up side, if I start over that means more hours of enjoyment playing the game and a longer time until I finish. Hmmm. One excuse is as good as another.    ;D

[MornD]

Speed seems relatively useless unless you are talking abt snake speed.
In the first round of combat caste 01 x haste. That will boast everyone's speed to 125.

Edit: There's a good reason why i preferred the Cloak of Perception (+20 senses) compared to Cloak of Many Colours

However, bear in mind that the expert skill for senses is not IHMO as useful as senses.

[judee]

I wonder, though, about that expert skill. Since Senses are so important to mages, maybe the eagle eye makes sure their spells hit target?

Though come to think of it, most spells do already hit target.

Oh well, nevermind.

judee

[greycat]

In the late game, against spell-casting opponents, I found the following to be pretty much the formula I always followed in battles.

Before combat, all the long-lasting spells are up (Magic Shield and Missile Shield are the two vital ones).

Round 1: Bard does Haste, Bishop#1 does Soul Shield, Bishop#2 does Element Shield, Vi does Bless.  Others either shoot or stand still or summon an elemental to serve as cannon fodder.  DO NOT RUN OR WALK!  You want those defense spells up ASAP.

Round 2: Heal anybody that got hurt in round 1.  If no serious injury and monsters are standing back, charge them.  If monsters are approaching, let them come to me.  Bard probably does Freeze All or Pandemonium.

Round 3+: Kill things with front-line fighters and with missile weapons.  Bard does Heal All or Restoration when necessary, Bishops mostly use Rest All or Stamina.