Fighter / Mage

Fighter / Mage is a dual-classing or multi-classing option available in Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn , Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal , and the Enhanced versions of both Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II.

The Fighter/Mage is a very flexible and effective conjoinment of classes. The Fighter half gives it access to higher hit points and THAC0 than the Mage class, and also access to more weapon proficiencies and options than the Mage class; this comes in handy when a character is out of spells and must therefore default to melee. The Mage half of the class gives it higher Lore and, of course, access to powerful spells. The downside is that the Fighter/Mage cannot cast whilst wearing non-Robe armor, except for Elven Chain Mail and Drow Chain Mail, both of which are unique to Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn.

As a multi-class option, characters are denied the ability to access Fighter kits or Specialist Mage status. The exception is Gnomes, who are always Fighter/Illusionist multi-classed characters if they take this option.

As a dual-class option, though, a player may combine a Fighter kit (if playing Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn or Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition) and/or a Specialist Mage class when dual-classing. To become a Fighter/Specialist Mage, however, requires that the player meets not only the default statistic requirements (minimum of 15 Strength and 17 Intelligence), but also the extra statistic requirement of the Speciality, as outlined on that page. While this means a dual-classing Fighter/Mage will often accidentally qualify for the Conjurer/Invoker (Constition requirement) and/or Illusionist/Transmuter (Dexterity requirement), the other Specialities require a deliberate character build; the Enchanter has a Charisma requirement, whilst the Abjurer, Diviner and Necromancer have Wisdom requirements.

Whilst it is possible to dual-class to a Specialist Mage in Baldur's Gate, importing such a character to Baldur's Gate II will result in them losing their Specialist classification.

Because of the limitations against casting Mage spells whilst wearing armor, a dual-classed Kensai/Mage is a much more formidable character build than a standard Fighter/Mage.

It is generally recommended that a dual-classed Fighter/Mage start as a Fighter and then dual-class to Mage. This grants access to the best of both worlds, giving the new first level Mage a strong supply of hitpoints to defend themselves with, and then eventually growing into the most powerful Mage spells. The reversed situation, in comparison, will leave the player with a small array of low-level Mage spells and then a focus on the Fighter. However, a Fighter dual-classing to Mage loses access to their Fighter THAC0 and weapon proficiencies until their Fighter abilities are reactivated.

Character abilities table
Note: For the information of this table, the human class was used, because humans don't have any bonuses to the primary abilities and act as a neutral. For all other races except elves, these numbers are slightly different.

Class kits
Warriors have three class kits available with each their strengths and weaknesses:

Berserker
A Berserker harnesses the rage within when fighting, which allows him to use the ability Enrage for 60 seconds once for every four levels each day. During this state, they have +2 bonus to damage and -2 bonus to armor class and thaco and +15 hit points. They are also immune fear, charm, hold, maze, imprisonment, and sleep. But after this effect ends, they lose the hitpoints given by the ability, which may kill the berserker and will becomed winded, which gives a +2 penalty to armor class and THACO and -2 penalty to damage.

A disadvantage of picking this class kit is that they only become proficient with ranged weapon, instead of a grand master. Keep in mind that, in the official version of the game, the Berserker is not immune to stun despite the kit description.

Wizard Slayer
A Wizard Slayer specializes in hunting spellcasters, they gain 1% magic resistance each level and every successful hits adds 10% cumulative casting failure on the enemy. but they are not allowed to use magical items, with the exception of magical weapons and armor.

Kensai
A Kensai, or Sword Saint, is specialized in fighting and every three levels, they gain a bonus to damage and THACO of +1 and -1 speed factor bonus for weapon every four levels. They also have -2 armor class bonus. They also have the ability Kai, which allows them to maximum damage for 10 seconds every for every four levels.

Disadvantages of this class kit are:
 * Can't wear any armor.
 * Can't wear any bracers.
 * Not allowed to use any missile weapon, if this also includes weapon which can be used in melee and ranged attacks, is not known.

High-level class abilities
High level class abilities are added the expansion Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal. For all warrior classes and Monks, the pool of abilities consist of abilities which can be accesses from the special abilities menu which can be used during battle. The level in which the multi-class combination gains access to them, is unknown.

Note: dual class combination can have access to these abilities for both classes, but then again, they can use the abilities of both class near the end of the game. It might be a better option to dual class earlier, as you gain more points in high level class abilities for the second class.
 * Power Attack, this ability can be selected as many times you like.
 * Critical Strike, requires power attack. This ability can be selected as many times you like.
 * Smite, requires power attack and critical strike. This ability can be selected only one time.
 * Deathblow, this ability can be selected as many times you like.
 * Greater Deathblow, requires deathblow. This ability can be selected as many times you like.
 * Whirlwind, this ability can be selected as many times you like.
 * Greater Whirlwind, it requires whirlwind. This ability can be selected as many times you like.
 * Battle Cry, this ability can be selected as many times you like.
 * Hardiness, this ability can be selected as many times you like.
 * Resist Magic, this ability can be selected as many times you like.

Mages can access to level 10 spells, which are added to the level 9 wizard spellbook after they have been chosen. These spells are:
 * Comet
 * Dragon's Breath
 * Energy Blades
 * Improved Alacrity
 * Summon Dark Planetar, evil aligned mages.
 * Summon Planetar, good and neutral aligned mages.
 * The option to spend three high-level class ability points to gain a level 6, 7 and level 8 spellslots.

Spell progression
Specialist mages gain one extra spellslot for each level, but this comes at the cost of not being able to cast spell from certain schools. For sorecerers it's unknown how this works.

^ : Requires an intelligence of 9 or higher.

^^ : Requires an intelligence of at least 10 or higher.

& : Requires an intelligence at least 12.

+ : Requires 14 points of intelligence.

++ : Requires 16 points at least.

! : Requires a minimum of 18 points.

Note: Mages in Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal whose intelligence is lower than 18 can in fact learn lvl 9 mage spells and can use the lvl 10 spell abilties.