Welcome to my cRPG blog on the best builds and classes for Neverwinter Nights, a cRPG Definition released by BioWare in 2002. In this post I have listed what I consider to be the best builds and classes in NWN. These are ranked in the order of my preference, separated into sections.
This article is the NWN version of my Baldur's Gate Best Classes. I hope this article can help as many people as that one has.
Best Builds
At its core, a cRPG build is simply a number of levels taken in a class or mix of classes along with the stats, spells, feats and skills chosen. Classes may be taken in a specific order in order to push the limits of power and flexibility, but it's just not necessary.
If you're new to NWN or D&D 3rd Edition cRPGs, don't get overwhelmed by heavily multi-classed builds and all the technical rules. I've kept this simple by posting level 20 builds to level 30 builds with clearly defined combat and utility roles whose skillset is easily recognizable and who will complement NWN companions in battles and general adventuring. That's what makes them "the best": each build is more than good enough from beginning to end. If I diverge from that, I'll say so. For spellcasting builds, I also list NWN Best Spells.
- Fighter Build: This is the classic Fighter build that most cRPG players are going to be familiar with. This is a good place to start even if you don't want to build a traditional, tried-and-true warrior.
- Weapon Master Build: One of the highest damage builds due to steady stream or big burst crit-machine (scimitar or scythe). cf. NWN2 Weapon Master Build.
- Red Dragon Disciple Build: Hulk smashes with greatsword. 44 Strength!
- Arcane Archer Build: Fires a longbow with lethal precision. Mows stuff down from long range. One of the most accurate attackers.
- Rogue Build: Dual-wields rapiers with Finesse. AC Lord. Pure Rogue playstyle/utility.
- Paladin Build: Smites Evil with a Holy Avenger. Self-sufficient. 100% Paladin. The Paladin is one of the best builds for beginners due to its immunities to fear and disease.
- Barbarian Build: Rages hard and then hulk smashes with greataxe. cf. NWN2 Frenzied Berserker Build.
- Cleric Build: Self-buffs into a juggernaut. Summons. Casts Harm. Kicks ass.
- Monk Unarmed Strike Build: Stays alive, moves like the wind, stuns the enemy. Pure Monk playstyle.
- Monk Kama Build: As above, but dual-wielding with Finesse. AC Lord.
- Gnome Illusionist Build: Casts spells! The combat roles of Wizards are manifold: direct damage, damage-over-time, immobilization, divide & conquer, summons, warding, buffing and debuffing.
- Wizard Build: A basic but effective Wizard setup.
- Sorcerer Build: Blows stuff up. One of the most fun builds to play in NWN.
- Druid Build: Electrocutes and incinerates the enemy. Summons, buffs, shape-shifts.
- Dwarven Defender Build: Tanks! It holds back the aggro so that archers and spellcasters can fire away freely from the back row. It also inflicts non-trivial damage on the aggro that is futilely whaling away upon it.
- Dwarven Defender Rogue Build: A more advanced version of the basic DD build, by virtue of Rogue levels.
- Shifter Build: An undead, Grim Reaper build.
- Bard Build: Versatile low level build: sings, enchants and fires a crossbow.
Best Classes
Base classes are the Neverwinter Nights classes we can choose during the initial chargen process. They were available in the original release of Neverwinter Nights. I've always found that the base array of 11 classes supplied me with enough options for building purposes.
Best Class for Beginners
For beginners, Fighter is the best class in Neverwinter Nights because Fighters are front-loaded as it pertains to useful early feats, such as Cleave. Paladins are also an excellent choice for beginners.
Best Prestige Classes
In terms of power-gaming, the best Prestige Class in Neverwinter Nights is the Weapon Master, the Dwarven Defender or the Champion of Torm. Note also that Shadowdancer Hide in Plain Sight is extremely powerful.
Prestige Classes were added to NWN by subsequent NWN patches and expansions, such as HotU. They are specialty classes that require us to meet certain prerequisites before we can select them during the level-up process. There are 12 Prestige classes in total.
The Shifter is possibly the most interesting prestige class in cRPG History. But since its effectiveness can oscillate between weak and powerful, and since its mechanics can be quirky, Shifters are not recommended for new players.
NWN Build Considerations
The following are important things to consider as it pertains to builds and character building in Neverwinter Nights.
Companions Impact Builds
Long-duration NWN companionship can influence the build choice. So say we're playing a module that offers Fighter and Rogue companions (e.g, Darkness Over Daggerford) -- unless we want to double up, it would make sense to go for Cleric, Wizard or Druid.
Best Build for NWN OC / Original Campaign / "Wailing Death"
In the Original Campaign (OC), it is best to go for Cleric, Wizard or Druid because caster AI is not good and warrior companions such as Daelan and Grimgnaw can then be buffed with survivability spells such as Stoneskin and Improved Invisibility. The OC is pretty easy but it's nice to have a player-controlled spellcaster since it adds much more variety to gameplay.
Best Build for Shadows of Undrentide
Shadows of Undrentide actually isn't all that easy in the beginning. Thus, I would recommend going for a front-loaded build such as Fighter or Paladin. The two companions are also not very strong in terms of martial prowess. And even if we tell one of them to level as Barbarian, he still sometimes casts weak offensive spells from his Sorcerer level. Note that Paladins can find some nice equipment in SoU, which is detailed in my Paladin build write-up, linked to above.
Best Build for Hordes of the Underdark
Due to its epic level range, munchkin itemization and crafting, any of the above-listed builds can do well in Hordes of the Underdark (HotU). If you are playing HotU for the first time, I would recommend going for a Paladin that wields a Longsword and equips an off-hand Shield. If you haven't played it but know NWN well, a Weapon Master is going to steamroll HotU.
Best Solo Build Neverwinter Nights
Due to their ability to repeatedly cast powerful spells such as IGMS and Firebrand, Sorcerer is the best solo build in Neverwinter Nights.
Items are Part of NWN Builds
NWN Items can be considered part of a build because we can tailor builds to itemization (the loot we have access to in a given module).
UMD is Good for NWN Builds
With a Use Magic Device (UMD) score of 10, any build can wear the Robes of the Dark Moon for their on-equip Haste.
In the OC, Boots of the Sun Soul +5 require a UMD score of 15.
For those two items and many others besides -- including spell scrolls -- it is usually a good idea to dip into Rogue or Bard for UMD.
Spellcraft & Tumble are Good for NWN Builds
Tumble and Spellcraft skills can be useful as well since they increase survivability vs. weapons and spells.
NWN Builds in Low Magic & High Magic Worlds
In low magic worlds, buffing and warding spells are highly useful. But when magical loot is thrown around like confetti, they don't always remain so.
Consider HotU: three items can be found in the first dungeon which bestow immunity to knockdown, mind-affecting, fear, immobilization, level drain, disease and poison (as well as granting regeneration and spell resistance).
Starting Level, Level Cap
The starting level as well as the level-cap of NWN modules impacts the build. For example, HotU starts off at 15th level. Thus, we can build characters that would have sucked ass at low level, and not care. But in tougher, low level modules such as Swordflight Chapter 1, we want a proper build from the get-go.
Build-based Reactivity in Neverwinter Nights
cRPG reactivity impacts builds. Most modules are non-reactive. Thus, why be skillful? Why take Persuade, Bluff or Intimidate when the module doesn't employ social skill checks? Likewise, Combat Encounter Design impacts builds: in modules that are undead heavy, Paladins and Clerics can suddenly become the best choices.
Rest Restrictions on Builds in NWN
Rest restrictions can impact the build choice. If the module restricts our ability to rest, and does not itemize wands, potions and other items to keep us going, then builds which are not dependent on the Vancian magic system are more attractive than ones that are.
No Need to Powergame to the Max
In the vast majority of modules, optimized or power-gaming builds are not required. Most NWN modules are dead-easy in comparison to tactics cRPGs. Indeed, most NWN modules are story-based; that is, they amount to little more than petty adventure games put together by people who fancy themselves "narrative designers". In most modules, stats barely matter and very little effort has gone into cRPG combat encounter design, itemization or reactivity.
Swordflight is the most notable exception to this rule, but the difficulty of even Swordflight has recently been exaggerated by casual players who lack cRPG pedigree and gaming aptitude in general. We do NOT need to be an expert player or builder to succeed in Swordflight. What I'm basically saying is, don't be intimidated by modules that actually put effort into the design and balance of their mechanics. They are the gold standard of community releases.
Epic Level Builds NWN
At this point, level 40 builds or epic level builds are not worth my time since no module worth playing goes to 40th level. When Swordflight finally reaches 40th level, I may take such builds more seriously.
Epic builds were always overrated by the NWN community; there was so much noise surrounding them yet no good modules even went to 40th level. Also, epic combat is as boring as hell as a general rule. As in AD&D 2nd Edition cRPGs, low-to-mid level is where it's at in D&D 3.x.
Neverwinter Nights Enhanced Edition Builds
All of these builds pertain to both Diamond Edition and Enhanced Edition versions of Neverwinter Nights; there is no difference as of 2023. Most of these builds are also viable online, in multi-player or on Persistent Worlds, though the cRPG blog is 99.9% focused on single-player gaming.
Fear, Paralysis & Petrification in Neverwinter Nights
Note that, in addition to the fear negative status effect, paralysis and petrification are deadly as well. And NWN doesn't offer many ways to get resistance or immunity to paralysis and petrification.
I mean, we could rely on solid saving throws but we only get immunity to the former through Red Dragon Disciple or Pale Master.
And I don't know of anything that gives immunity to basilisk or gorgon gaze. Maybe there is a Shifter form but that would be very specific if true, anyway.
Thus, look to itemization for temp/perma immunity (potions, equippables).
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Neverwinter Nights 1 (Index to all NWN articles) --- Neverwinter Nights Spells (Index to all NWN spells).
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