I was wondering if someone could point me in the right direction on how to make successfull epic-level character builds. I'm not exactly new to NWN, but I am new to making my own builds. I have a very basic understanding of the skills, classes, and feats available, but all the one's I've tried seem to fail miserably. Is there some sort of guide or website anywhere that will help me get started?

Thanks in advance for any help!
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If all else fails, just nod and smile. I don't know if there's an actual guide or website, but this is an excellent place to get advice on a specific character build. Just post what you want and you'll get some good advice on how to build it. Also, you should check out the Character Builds forum in the Guild, as there are in the vicinity of 2000 builds posted with step-by-step levelling and critiques and reasoning on why some things were done in the builds. Reading some of them is a great way to get a feel for how to do it.
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This signature will self-destruct in 5 seconds... OK, thanks Cinnabar. I guess I have some reading ahead of me!
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If all else fails, just nod and smile. Here are a couple of pointers to get you started out:

Rule 0: When in doubt, make the choices that are fun for you. Power is good and fine, but in the end you are playing the build and what feels right to you is going to be more enjoyable and, because it meshes with your playstyle, easier to play.

Rule 1: Know your environment. Know what equipment and immunity items are available to your character and opposition before you build your character. If you can get an immunity to critical hits item, then a palemaster is less appealing. If immunity to mind spells is common, don't specialize in enchantment spells. If true seeing items are common, shadowdancers become less attactive, etc. Also be aware of potential imbalances in your setting before you play. If you're planning to play on a PW where true seeing has been changed to not automatically identify hidden creatures and shadowdancers have not been banned, either play a shadowdancer or find another server.

Rule 2: Break down your build into a list of must haves and nice to haves. The must haves are the things that define your build, it could be feat like devastating critical or it could be requirement like an AB of 44+ to hit the monsters reliably on your server. The nice to haves are things that would help your character survive but aren't necessary, e.g. improved knockdown (probably a must have for a rogue build, but a nice to have for most melee builds). Work out what you would need to fit in your must haves. If you find you need to min/max to get those in, you're being too ambitious, you're over extending your build and you're suffering in other places. Once you have put in your must haves, try to fit in as many nice to haves as you can.

Rule 3: Be critical of your build. Once, you've fleshed out your build ask yourself if I was going to take down this build how would I do it? What is its weakness, does it have low hitpoints, low saves, low AC? Against what AC is it going to have trouble hitting, and how common are those enemies? What SR is going to mess up my casting and how high does an opponent's saves have to be to avoid my finger of death? Once you've figured out your weaknesses, modify your build as much as possible to minimize those weaknesses. This is where knowing the immunity items available in your setting can be handy. You should be your build's worst enemy.

Rule 4: Test your build. You can calculate most things by hand, but there is nothing like building it in an editor to see weak spots and potential calculation errors you might have made. Sometimes this can reveal places where you can change the order that you level up to make your build more playable.

There is a lot more to say, but that should be enough to get you started.
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Two wrongs don't make a right but three lefts do. Mith, that's an excellent post. I think I'll cut and paste it for a sticky. PM me if you don't want it up there.

Cheers.
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This signature will self-destruct in 5 seconds... Thanks so so much for the help. That was pretty much what i was looking for, somewhere to get started. Now that I have that, I can ask more technical questions when I come to them.

Thanks again!
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If all else fails, just nod and smile. Consult the Grimoire and use the CBC Click Here . Both are found in the nvn vault site.

Those have helped me properly plan builds out to lvl 40. Indeed, unless Mith doesn't want it, that brief guide must be stickied. Thanks for sharing your wisdom Mith.

Cheers,
Kail
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To hear the sound of Freedom, many gave their lives
They fought for you and me
Those memories will always live inside us, and now it's our time to be free Another thing to think about is: Is your build focused on PvM, RP or PvP?

You don't take the Appraise Skill on a PvP server.
Quote: Posted 07/21/06 15:00:09 (GMT) -- Bromium

You don't take the Appraise Skill on a PvP server.

Well, you might...
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"With Europe liberated, the people of the world turned their attention to that old devil, the United States of America [...] We taught that monster of old the true meaning of freedom."
Star Wreck At such display one wonders why Mith is not a mod... that's an excellent post.

Quote: Is there some sort of guide or website anywhere that will help me get started?

I say experience works best, you won't die (in real life, probably you will in the game) if your first build is not a god of destruction (btw, experience may/could count as a part of knowing your environment). Ask around too (or check some manual, the grimoire, etc, I sometimes check http://www.gamebanshee.com/neverwinternights or http://www.nwnwiki.org/Main_Page and the Grimoire when I need some description or the like) you don't learn all the skills, feats, their reqs, etc. in ten minutes.