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[Sergius]

I was able to use the cool level 9 spells, I was an effective mage, the trick is that you use it defensively to compensate the lack of AC, and the Kensai is a murder machine. I didn't use it to cast fireballs, mostly just debuffs if absolutely necessary and out of combat spells. All the combat was done with untouchable-Kensai-style. 90% of the enemies were dead from multiple attacks before most of the party dedicated wizards were able to finish casting.

[ed boy]

A proper mage doesn't cast fireballs or buffs. A proper mage casts improved alacrity while wearing the robe of vecna and the amulet of power.

[neotemplar]

Keep in mind I have no clue where to get any fancy pants items so strategies requiring them are a waste.  I did do the Prism thing and got an early +2 sword, got the dex bracers, got fireball scroll in an attempt on firewine before I had to pull out (will finish it later), and I got the weapon skill bracers (on my fighter main).

I'm mostly just playing like I feel since this is only my first real game of it and I figure I'll enjoy it most that way.  Oh my party was lv2-3 when I killed the 4 ladies.  My fighter lead only just hit level 4 now.

[Sergius]

A proper mage doesn't cast fireballs or buffs. A proper mage casts improved alacrity while wearing the robe of vecna and the amulet of power.

Well, you shouldn't try to be all prim and proper all the time.

[neotemplar]

Also an update. Ankegs are bastards.  Seriously.  Also a kid gave me a dog toy but I think it was for that white wolf we had already killed, oh well

[Earthquake Damage]

It looks like the most unbalanced versatile build ever .

Kensai-Mages are powerful and versatile, but they're not the most versatile class.  If you want versatility, try the Swiss Army knife that is the Fighter-Mage-Thief.  Fighter-Mage-Cleric is also pretty versatile.  Both also become very powerful, especially if you remove the experience cap (i.e. you can reach level 40-40-40 since you're not restricted to 8 million XP in ToB, less in SoA).

As for powerful classes, the reigning champions (judging from others' comments over the years as well as my own experience) seem to be Berserker-Cleric, Kensai-Thief, Kensai-Mage, and Sorceror.  Wild Mage is a nice second-tier class, but a bad surge often forces a reload by killing innocents (thus rep and quest issues), killing half your party, nuking your gold, and other horrible things.  Monk is also a solid second-tier class IMO.  Barbarians are also decent, despite being worse than Berserkers in most ways (can't dual class, rage only adds immunities if you've maxed your STR/CON, no grandmastery, armor restriction IIRC), since their movement speed bonus is damned useful.

If you don't mind wasting most your party slots, and you haven't installed a mod that changes bard song behavior, try a team of PC + 5 Skalds.  Bard songs (except Jester) in vanilla BG2 affect everyone on the map, you can hide the Norse Barbershop Quintet in a corner (preferably invisible) and turn your PC into a raging ogre with a disgusting +20 (IIRC) bonus to hit, damage, and I think AC.

Also, get an Inquisitor (e.g. Keldorn) in your party.  They have two of the most useful abilities ever:  True Sight (once per day per 4 levels or so) and Dispel Magic (once per day per 4 levels or so, cast at twice their level).

Also also, BG2 Edwin (who doesn't play well with Minsc and IIRC Keldorn, unfortunately) is fantastic.  He gets something like +2 spell slots per spell level, in addition to the +1 for being a specialist (Conjurer).

FYI this is all BG2-specific except the FMT/FMC multiclasses.  Those can still be useful in BG1.

[Untouchable]

Also an update. Ankegs are bastards.  Seriously.  Also a kid gave me a dog toy but I think it was for that white wolf we had already killed, oh well

Yeah, the Ankhegs to the north of the Inn are not fun. They give you a shitload of experience though so if you can survive an encounter with them then you should get a level up at least.

Did you find the Ankheg Plate in Nashkel? That's one of the best armours in the game and you can get the smithy in Beregost to make you another one if you kill the Ankhegs and take their shells to him.

[neotemplar]

I found no such plate as of yet.  I have snuck into the bandit camp though and looted the outdoor chests.  I'm gonna flee for now though as entering the big tent gets me killed.  Maybe I'll go Identify all this loot, find that armor, and level up a bit before returning to the camp.

[3]

The plate isn't in a very obvious place in Nashkel. You probably haven't even walked past it yet.

[Jreengus]

It's almost impossible to find even if you know where it is.

[Untouchable]

Yeah, it's hidden in a hole in the fields on the west side of town. That is one thing that sucked about BG 1, you go on a friggin pixel hunt if you don't have BGTutu and Throne of Bhaal installed.

[3]

Now that the spoilers are out, found the Ring of Wizardry yet?

[neotemplar]

Nope but don't tell me unless it's purely a stupid hidden thing like that armor is.  IE Impossible to normally find.

[Untouchable]

Nope but don't tell me unless it's purely a stupid hidden thing like that armor is.  IE Impossible to normally find.

Pretty much. It's underneath a tree on the Friendly Arm Inn map.

[3]

It's harder to find than the armour. "Underneath a tree" should be taken literally (the "container" is about three pixels wide), and the tree's a little way to the right when you enter the area.