Advice For a Player's First (and only) BG1/2 Experience?

[jagged-jimmy]

...lots of cool stuff...

Very appreciated. Some descriptions are a great help at my current stage, thanks!

 

[jagged-jimmy]

So, inspired by the insane LP of MicoSelva i decided to play BGII again. This time in a serious manner. Back then i did a fast playthrough just to check it out and didn't have time to properly dive into it and D&D. But in the meantime i've played ToEE and both Icewind Dales, so i know how D&D works. Looking back, you guys were right and i am surprised how easy the game actually is if you use the right spells/equipment. Thanks for all the info. All in all i must say it was a very nice party based experience and the most epic game i've played.

There is not much roleplaying going on, just some larping - but the D&D adventuring and loot whoring is awesome. While it has a lot of derp, it's not like you can't skip it and NOT romance anyone. People probably hate BG for not being RPGish enough and i would've prefered something like ToEE with more quests/skill checks myself, but i can't deny its tons of content and epicness in scale. It probably kept me busy for more then 100 hours and provided awesome light fantasy entertainment. Certainly a great game, made with a lot of passion by some faggots larpers. Try it, don't listen to haters.

 

[PetrusOctavianus]

I got BG1 recently, first time, any indications of what should I put in to enhance the experience?

BGT
Widescreen Mod
Unfinished Business
Sword Coast Strategems (only the most basic options, and not smarter and buffing spell casters)
BG1 NPC Project if you're only going to play BG1 once
Fixpack is probably a good idea too

Personally I think SCS and NPC Project elevates BG1 from a rather medicore game to a brilliant one, and can't imagine replaying it without them.

 

[tindrli]

I am much more likely to move on to a game I haven't experienced, than replay even my very favorites, and I there are tons of well regarded titles I haven't played yet. (Planescape Torment and Fallout 1&2 for example)

LUCKY BASTARD!!!!!

 

[jagged-jimmy]

BGI is pretty boring though no matter what. It gets somewhat interesting in the city (more or less end game) but before it's just shooting everything with bows. But i get why people get a hard on for BGI - sense of epic adventuring from the start. But it is let down by empty wilderness and spawning goblins and stuff. Expansion is pretty nice though.

 

[Kukulkan]

I got BG1 recently, first time, any indications of what should I put in to enhance the experience?

SwordCoast Stratagems.

 

[tindrli]

strange, http://www.gibberlings3.net/ is suspended

 

[Kukulkan]

strange, http://www.gibberlings3.net/ is suspended

I bet Trent did this to force people to play his shitty enhanced edition.

 

[SwiftCrack]

strange, http://www.gibberlings3.net/ is suspended

I bet Trent did this to force people to play his shitty enhanced edition.

hehe

 

[Jaesun]

Yeah that was very suspicious timing for that to go down, however other than SCS/SCSII and BG2 Fixpack even without these mods you can still play the original in TuTu or BGT.

 

[Infinitron]

Gibberlings 3 Mirror: http://www.camagna.net/g3mirror/index.html

 

[Jaesun]

Unfortunately most of those are old versions, specifically SCS/SCSII which are at v21 IIRC.

 

[Anthony Davis]

I can really only offer a couple of tips and they refer to your main character only. These are also meta...

1. Don't build your character around bg1, rather bg2. Bg2 has an experience cap, NOT a level cap, so you can multiclass and still hit max level if you care.

2. Unless you like or want to save scum, I recommend your main character being the healer. The reason for this is that if your main character dies, its game over/reload time ANYWAY. However if your party member healer dies, it's a giant pain in the ass.

3. This has already been covered, but I also agree that every character should have ranged weapons.

 

[PetrusOctavianus]

2. Unless you like or want to save scum, I recommend your main character being the healer. The reason for this is that if your main character dies, its game over/reload time ANYWAY. However if your party member healer dies, it's a giant pain in the ass.

A Cleric also fits in very well with the "default" party of Imoen, J+K and D.

 

[Tigranes]

BG1 is fun. I think any class is fine because it's a party game, it depends on what NPCs you want to take. If you'd like a more painless experience for whatever reason, it makes sense to be a melee fighter or healer type. Archer is also good, since BG1 archers are pretty much Legolas.

PetrusOctavianus' list is golden, use it.

 

[kmonster]

If you want your character to shine pick a sorcerer, if you want other party members to shine and put your micromanaging efforts into them instead play a warrior class.

 

[Sodafish]

Playing an all-evil BG2 party is quite fun, apart from the stupid financial penalties it necessarily incurs (although there's probably some mod to fix this). Viconia is a passable cleric once given decent armour and a strength girdle. Edwin is the best mage in the game, and Korgan an excellent fighter. If you're gonna TOB it afterwards Sarevok is also a nice addition. Your PC could be a thief/bard to round out the party skills, not to mention the stupidly overpowered UAI ability. Spike traps are also fun for the occasional metagame scumming.

 

[Johannes]

Playing an all-evil BG2 party is quite fun, apart from the stupid financial penalties it necessarily incurs (although there's probably some mod to fix this).

Money is a non-issue, just quaff a few potions of thievery and rob some merchant blind. There are a few merchants who'll accept even stolen items (even stolen from them).




And a simple advice to anyone playing BG1 - use wands. A lot. You can recharge them by selling them and buying them back. Goes also for the early parts of BG2.

 

[Sodafish]

Playing an all-evil BG2 party is quite fun, apart from the stupid financial penalties it necessarily incurs (although there's probably some mod to fix this).

Money is a non-issue, just quaff a few potions of thievery and rob some merchant blind. There are a few merchants who'll accept even stolen items (even stolen from them).

Well sure, but it's stupid that there isn't some mechanic to balance the bootlicking treatment given to a saintly party. How about law-abiding merchants giving an evil party a discount out of fear, or alternatively shady merchants like thieves guild/drow etc approving of a low rep and similarly giving discounts.

 

[Johannes]

Playing an all-evil BG2 party is quite fun, apart from the stupid financial penalties it necessarily incurs (although there's probably some mod to fix this).

Money is a non-issue, just quaff a few potions of thievery and rob some merchant blind. There are a few merchants who'll accept even stolen items (even stolen from them).

Well sure, but it's stupid that there isn't some mechanic to balance the bootlicking treatment given to a saintly party. How about law-abiding merchants giving an evil party a discount out of fear, or alternatively shady merchants like thieves guild/drow etc approving of a low rep and similarly giving discounts.

Nah, being free to kill whoever is reward enough.

 

[lecrab]

If you want to have some wicked fun do a multiclass cleric/wizard, you can do absolutely crazy stuff at higher levels and you'll be VERY hard to kill. Problem is you'll have a very bad THAC0 in the beginning but that should be easily amendable with cleric spells for a few times a day. A problem with this combination is that you can use only slings but there are mods out there which fix this ... always found it illogical that a mage can't just clumsily use a bow.