Questions from someone new to the server

[IxTheSpeedy]

So, I've completely botched my first build here... Common story I am sure.

I just started playing here and come from another server (EFU) that is a very low level and low magic server. Great story, great RP, low magic to be sure... Anyway, honestly, I haven't played a PC over lvl 9 in NWN... So I could use a bit of advice.

A few questions based on what I have read here.

1. It looks like people take Rogue as at least one of their Multi-class options in most of the builds and they seem to max out on UMD. Is that really that important? I understand what the skill is for but don't yet know what the loot situation is for the server so it's a blind ask I guess.
2. All of the "cookie cutter" builds here do min/max ability scores. I personally really hate taking 8 Charisma, I'm just too friendly, that and 8 Wisdom seems odd to me. Am I going to regret not min/maxing?
3. A few of the builds refer to being very vulnerable to dispels, I'm not really sure how to avoid that if a Cleric build is susceptible to dispels? Why are they susceptible to such?
4. Would someone new the server but not new to NWN be nuts playing a Cleric of a deity that doesn't seem to have a temple dedicated to it?

By the way, so far, this server is amazing. I thought I would find the food/water/rest system annoying but I don't. It's super well thought out and I actually like it very much. Also, PCs have been incredibly helpful IC to my first PC, giving directions, even walking me to places. Unfortunately my first PC was horribly planned out so I'll apologize now for anybody that spent time chatting with her. I'll hopefully do better on the next try.

Thanks for the help in advance.

-Ix

[Poolbrain]

2.) min maxing will help you to squeeze out that extra ab/ac/hp. It wont make or break your character in my oppinion, unless you need the points for a certain feat combo (barb with both mighty and thundering rage etc) or really want to pump out enough int to get all the skills you dream of along with your class/feat build (as theres a lot more skills being nice on arelith than vanilla nwn)

[Void]

1. It looks like people take Rogue as at least one of their Multi-class options in most of the builds and they seem to max out on UMD. Is that really that important? I understand what the skill is for but don't yet know what the loot situation is for the server so it's a blind ask I guess.

No. I have several characters that reached level 21 with zero UMD skill.

2. All of the "cookie cutter" builds here do min/max ability scores. I personally really hate taking 8 Charisma, I'm just too friendly, that and 8 Wisdom seems odd to me. Am I going to regret not min/maxing?

Not really, the server does not seem to require powerbuilds, at least for PvE content.

3. A few of the builds refer to being very vulnerable to dispels, I'm not really sure how to avoid that if a Cleric build is susceptible to dispels? Why are they susceptible to such?

You'll be vulnerable to dispels if you have low caster level. For example Fighter 10/wizard 1 (not the best idea, I know), will be able to cast few things, but they'll get dispelled easily.

If you have full caster progression, then you'll be less likely to get dispelled.

4. Would someone new the server but not new to NWN be nuts playing a Cleric of a deity that doesn't seem to have a temple dedicated to it?

No, being a cleric, you'll be able to build a temple for your deity. To be more specific, you'd be able to build and consecrate an altar, hold ceremonies on it, and if you get a guild hall or a house, then it could be made into a temple.

[Baron Saturday]

Hey, welcome! The answers you've gotten so far are pretty accurate, but there's a few points I want to expand upon.

1. Rogue and bard dips for UMD and tumble are extremely common, but you don't need to max UMD. Most characters only use it for wands and scrolls, for which 10-15 ranks is plenty.

2. Think of the cookie-cutter builds as guidelines. They're created purely from a mechanical standpoint, and so totally can (and should!) be tweaked to fit your RP. Just be aware, as other have said, of what the prerequisites for certain key epic feats are, such as 25 Dex for epic dodge/blinding speed, and so on. Generally speaking, losing a point or two of a stat won't make or break a character, and Arelith's gift system makes it fairly easy to have good main stats without shooting yourself in the foot in other areas.

[IxTheSpeedy]

Thanks for the responses folks. Much appreciated.

One more question regarding Clerics. I understand that we should select domains that are appropriate to the chosen deity which makes sense but is there an opinion on the weapon a cleric chooses to fight with? I mean outside of absurd things like a priest of Ilmater fighting with a whip or something like that.

Thanks

[MissEvelyn]

The 'chosen weapon' of a deity isn't enforced on a Cleric. I highly doubt anyone will think less of you as a roleplayer simply because you didn't pick the Sickle as your character's weapon.

[Cortex]

i thought the favored weapon of every deity was the scimitar because every battle cleric uses that

[Sockss]

There's no mechanical enforcement of domains and weapons for clerics.

(Thankfully, or you heavily favour certain god's over others and there's little diversity)

Pick whatever fits your concept best!

[Artenides]

i thought the favored weapon of every deity was the scimitar because every battle cleric uses that

I happen to know a low level battle cleric who is using a long sword.

[Seven Sons of Sin]

(someone correct me if I'm wrong)

"Half-casters" on Arelith aren't super viable because

a) general knowledge of how dispelling, breaching, and Mords works is more widespread
b) Arelith-specific changes to the Spell Focus: abjuration line, and anti-magic spells in general
c) lots of high-level of monsters spam dispels

Whereas before, you could see half-casters perform well, nowadays it's very tricky and rare.
"Half-caster" is probably defined as having a spellcasting class with less than 20 levels, by level 30.
Nowadays, there's certainly "intervals" of what casters go for. For battleclerics, the common amount of cleric levels is 23. Sometimes its 22, depending on how you want to spread out your class progression.

Generally, taking anything less than 22 is inadvisable as you'll just have an awful time getting stripped of all your buffs.

[Baron Saturday]

You are not wrong! Even 23 levels, as in the battlecleric builds, is considered dangerously easy to dispel.

[Ork]

You are not wrong! Even 23 levels, as in the battlecleric builds, is considered dangerously easy to dispel.

With reason. The percent chance a 23 CL Bcleric gets dispelled on a 22CL mords is a 35% chance on every buff. If the dispel is coming from an Abjur-focused caster, the percentage becomes 55%. Youch. Compared that to a 26 CL wizard who has a 20% chance of being dispelled by a 22CL mords & a 40% chance of being dispelled by an abjur-focused caster.

It hurts even more on a cleric since they are dependent on their spells for AB & damage and typically find themselves in the middle of melee combat.