Baldur's Gate The Baldur's Gate Series Thread

[Jedi Master Radek]

I prefer ToEE UI to BG UI.

With RTwP managing battles is more chaotic even if you pause every second. I sometimes miss that my mages have already cast spells, sometimes cancel their spells when they just started casting or get lost in all the problems with fighters and their patchfinding/ autoattacking adventures. When the battle is tough I made those mistakes more often. This is not a problem in turnbased battles.

 

[Butter]

ToEE has a much higher knowledge barrier because you're expected to build a full party and there are more options in chargen. It's not a big deal if you've played a 3.x game or Pathfinder before, but it's really easy for a noob to fuck everything up and have to restart several hours in. The only way you can fuck up chargen in BG is by acting like a storyfag and saying "I want to RP a 3 Strength Fighter!"

 

[Jedi Master Radek]

I won the game with my first party without prior knowledge about 3.5. I just knew 2.0.

 

[Gargaune]

I prefer ToEE UI to BG UI.

You're more tolerant than I am, ToEE's UI is a mess on wheels. The radial menu functionality is superb, but almost every other aspect of the interface is amateur hour par excellence. I won't drop a TLDR here, but it's rife with haphazard button placement, poor screen space partitioning, arbitrary modality and insufficient feedback. Hell, you can't even change the keybinds. Yeah, it's all usable, but it practically screams "first draft."

The encounters themselves are not that hard, except for a few key ones.

I ran Lareth's boyband through a 3.5 encounter calculator... No wonder I couldn't sit down for a while after that.

 

[Chippy]

You can get almost everything done with the BG UI using keyboard shortcuts. Amazes me to this day that the few videos I've watched of 'experts' on Youtube playing the game - use the mouse for everything. The only shortcoming was that there arn't enough keys for all of the spells, but you could still use F1-F12 for them after using a hotkey to open the spell menu.

All Beamdog had to do for the EE was implement the weapon hotkeys as they were implemented in PST. Then have a toggle on/off for the purists that thought it imbalanced characters. The system they did implement, was obviously better than nothing, but it irritates me because the engine was obviously capable of much more.

 

[Fenix]

Jaheira is good at the beginning simply because she is level 2/2 when everyone else is 1. That extra 4k XP she has over everyone else fades pretty quickly. Khalid's problem isn't that he is a bad fighter (he is competent with a pretty high Dex). His problem is his morale break is so high, he runs away at the drop of a hat.

What do you mean - moral break? I just remember that he dies fast. And Ja is good - early on - for fire weapon she can summon/create and entangling roots, that's all.

Edwin

I can't stant this one cause he is superior as mage to main character if he is mage. Like, literally - come get some and die, and I'll try to forget about your existence asap. Why it was even considered an idea at all to add such char?

Can someone explain to me a non-gay application of web and entangle?

Once I caught in web that one enemy that appear on archeological digging, like some god Cozah Stormstar or something. Required lotsa reloads...

 

[oldmanpaco]

Edwin

I can't stant this one cause he is superior as mage to main character if he is mage. Like, literally - come get some and die, and I'll try to forget about your existence asap. Why it was even considered an idea at all to add such char?

If you play with SCS you are going to need more than one mage and Edwin is the best mage. The reason you dual-class a fighter PC to wizard at 9 (or 13 for masochists) is so that you don't feel inferior to Edwin at everything.

 

[aloeh]

Who heal in this game, clerics? Or mages can do the job? Or A Bard?

I played pathfinder kingmaker, the system is similar, but don't know how similar it is.

Played Pillars of Eternity, system witch I'm most familiar. My mage Arnold Schwarzenegger (22 Strength) was awesome.

Right now I'm going with

Me (Mage)
Kivan
Xzar or Xan (Don't know witch is better for my party)
Imoen
Ajantis Ilvastarr

And I'm thinking use Minsc or Kalhid, the strategy is two warrior to make damage e tank, and the rest do damage.

But I'm thinking the line front is too small, or don´t have one buffer or healer (thinking kick Xzar)

I'm still not playing because the work is consuming me, but, tomorrow is the night.

 

[Ninjerk]

Who heal in this game, clerics? Or mages can do the job? Or A Bard?

I played pathfinder kingmaker, the system is similar, but don't know how similar it is.

Played Pillars of Eternity, system witch I'm most familiar. My mage Arnold Schwarzenegger (22 Strength) was awesome.

Right now I'm going with

Me (Mage)
Kivan
Xzar or Xan (Don't know witch is better for my party)
Imoen
Ajantis Ilvastarr

And I'm thinking use Minsc or Kalhid, the strategy is two warrior to make damage e tank, and the rest do damage.

But I'm thinking the line front is too small, or don´t have one buffer or healer (thinking kick Xzar)

I'm still not playing because the work is consuming me, but, tomorrow is the night.

Explaining this makes me feel old. Clerics and druids heal in 2e ADnD.

 

[laclongquan]

Which is one reason Jaheira is important in BG1. She's the first healer we can have access in quite a while (Branwen in carnival way later) unless we play cleric or druid.

Considering we've been chased from outside of Candlekeep to the door of Friendly Amn Inn... yeah~

 

[Nano]

Drop either Ajantis or Xzar. Ajantis does not get along well with evil NPCs.

If you're picking up Minsc, why not use Dynaheir too? Ignore the previous complaints about Invokers not getting Enchantment spells, it's not that big of a deal, especially if your mage can use them instead (assuming he's not an Invoker too). And the +2 saving throw bonus to some of her spells (Web, Fireball) makes up for it.

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

Losing enchantment spells in BG1 is a huge deal. They are the most powerful offensive spells in the game. Even Level 1 Sleep is useful until you basically get to Baldur's Gate itself. Hold is just a potent. Charm and Dire Charm turn that full plate fighter against your enemies. Confusion and Emotion: Hopelessness are basically win buttons. Greater Malison is a major debuff. The only consolation Invokers get is Horror, which can be a pain in the ass. There is still Web & Stinking Cloud I guess, but again, they can be a pain. Without coordinating those with other spells like Animate Dead or Free Action, they can be more more hassle than they're worth.

 

[Thal]

Who heal in this game, clerics? Or mages can do the job? Or A Bard?

I played pathfinder kingmaker, the system is similar, but don't know how similar it is.

Played Pillars of Eternity, system witch I'm most familiar. My mage Arnold Schwarzenegger (22 Strength) was awesome.

Right now I'm going with

Me (Mage)
Kivan
Xzar or Xan (Don't know witch is better for my party)
Imoen
Ajantis Ilvastarr

And I'm thinking use Minsc or Kalhid, the strategy is two warrior to make damage e tank, and the rest do damage.

But I'm thinking the line front is too small, or don´t have one buffer or healer (thinking kick Xzar)

I'm still not playing because the work is consuming me, but, tomorrow is the night.

BG is not an MMO, Your melee fighters aren't tanks, and thiefs and mages are not for DPS. Your melee warriors will be the second best at dealing damage after ranged warriors. You got Kivan, which means you got that one covered, but two melee guys will save you from a lot of reloads. If you're a beginner, I'd say drop the second mage and get Minsc and Jaheira for a balanced party. Branwen is a good choice too as a priest, due to her spritual hammer, which allows her to actually hit things. Also a protip: Protection from Evil lowers armor class and saves against all enemies, not just evil ones. Moreover, it prevents the character from being charmed. Keep this in mind with Ajantis.

 

[Hobo Elf]

Losing enchantment spells in BG1 is a huge deal. They are the most powerful offensive spells in the game. Even Level 1 Sleep is useful until you basically get to Baldur's Gate itself. Hold is just a potent. Charm and Dire Charm turn that full plate fighter against your enemies. Confusion and Emotion: Hopelessness are basically win buttons. Greater Malison is a major debuff. The only consolation Invokers get is Horror, which can be a pain in the ass. There is still Web & Stinking Cloud I guess, but again, they can be a pain. Without coordinating those with other spells like Animate Dead or Free Action, they can be more more hassle than they're worth.

Sleep works even after you get to BG. It's great for when the Flaming Fist turn hostile. You can just sleep and easily run past them unharassed without taking a rep hit. Sleep even works vs the party of people right before you fight Sarevok. It never loses its potency during BG1.

 

[Cael]

My go to pack for IWD/BG portraits:

The PC is always male...

 

[Cael]

Jaheira is good at the beginning simply because she is level 2/2 when everyone else is 1. That extra 4k XP she has over everyone else fades pretty quickly. Khalid's problem isn't that he is a bad fighter (he is competent with a pretty high Dex). His problem is his morale break is so high, he runs away at the drop of a hat.

What do you mean - moral break? I just remember that he dies fast. And Ja is good - early on - for fire weapon she can summon/create and entangling roots, that's all.

Every NPC has a morale break number. Higher is worse. It basically means how likely the NPC is to run from battle.

 

[Jedi Master Radek]

I won't drop a TLDR here, but it's rife with haphazard button placement, poor screen space partitioning, arbitrary modality and insufficient feedback. Hell, you can't even change the keybinds. Yeah, it's all usable, but it practically screams "first draft.

The only problem I remember about ToEE UI is that you had to consult an encyclopedia when selecting new spells at level up. You couldn't just do a mouse over the spell list for info.

 

[Shadenuat]

Who heal in this game, clerics? Or mages can do the job? Or A Bard?

Full Plate Armor is best healer.

You shouldn't use healing spells too much. Use potions, and ranged weapons early. And CC spells. Later use people in full plate and with best shield supported by guys with 2-handers, archers and mages.

Jaha in BG1 is p mediocre imo, as healer and fighter. In BG2 she is a lot better companion - there her multiclass can truly shine with access to more spells.

 

[kangaxx]

Jaha in BG1 is p mediocre imo, as healer and fighter. In BG2 she is a lot better companion - there her multiclass can truly shine with access to more spells.

She also gets the autowin spell Insect Plague.

 

[Gargaune]

I won't drop a TLDR here, but it's rife with haphazard button placement, poor screen space partitioning, arbitrary modality and insufficient feedback. Hell, you can't even change the keybinds. Yeah, it's all usable, but it practically screams "first draft.

The only problem I remember about ToEE UI is that you had to consult an encyclopedia when selecting new spells at level up. You couldn't just do a mouse over the spell list for info.

Yeah, that's one instance, falls under "insufficient feedback", but there's plenty more. Lack of context menus, narrow combat log that that needs clicking for the roll, elephant-sized inventory icons while the stats and doll are crammed to the side, can't inspect equipped items, and the list goes on and on. Anyway, that's just to give you a couple of other examples, I really don't wanna jam up the BG thread with an exhaustive list.

Full Plate Armor is best healer.

Magic is impressive but now Minsc leads. Swords for everyone!

 

[octavius]

Minsc has the right spirit which I can relate to: "Less talk, more fight!"

 

[Fenix]

Also a protip: Protection from Evil lowers armor class and saves against all enemies, not just evil ones. Moreover, it prevents the character from being charmed. Keep this in mind with Ajantis.

What? Did it said in description and I just forgot about it?

Sleep works even after you get to BG. It's great for when the Flaming Fist turn hostile. You can just sleep and easily run past them unharassed without taking a rep hit. Sleep even works vs the party of people right before you fight Sarevok. It never loses its potency during BG1.

Sleep frjm original BG doesn't allow to deal damage without waking up target? Or was it BG2/BGEE sleep?

Every NPC has a morale break number. Higher is worse. It basically means how likely the NPC is to run from battle.

Ah, this. I don't actually remmeebr Khalid doig this - probbaly becuse I kicked him out really fast for that same reason I forgot about ahaha.

Minsc has the right spirit which I can relate to: "Less talk, more fight!"

He is a bro. AND he is also good fighter!

 

[Thal]

Also a protip: Protection from Evil lowers armor class and saves against all enemies, not just evil ones. Moreover, it prevents the character from being charmed. Keep this in mind with Ajantis.

What? Did it said in description and I just forgot about it?

No, the description is just incorrect regarding alignment, and charm immunity is not mentioned anywhere.

 

[aloeh]

Today I left early from work and played a bit.

Basically my gameplay was the same of enhanced edition I rushed to Neshkel because Xzar an Montaron tired my face with objections.

When I was going to get Ajantis, I was thinking how are done to separate Kalid and Jaheira. When I was going to search the procedure in phone, there was a fight and Jaheira died.

Oh no...
Anyway

Montaron died on some trap in the mines, noob.

Now I'm just have to rescue Deanerys (never known write her name) and I'm free to explore the game.

Beregost I didn't even enter in the city.

I started to explore one area were there is a woman who kill with a kiss, very interesting, need more firepower to complete.

2 questions:

The best archer is Coran or Kivan?

The xp to lvl up is different to each character?

My char to lvl 1 to 2 need 2500xp

Imoen is already in lvl 2 and need 2500 xp (total) to lvl 3.

When I'm up to lvl 2 she will be in lvl 3.

 

[Cael]

Today I left early from work and played a bit.

Basically my gameplay was the same of enhanced edition I rushed to Neshkel because Xzar an Montaron tired my face with objections.

When I was going to get Ajantis, I was thinking how are done to separate Kalid and Jaheira. When I was going to search the procedure in phone, there was a fight and Jaheira died.

Oh no...
Anyway

Montaron died on some trap in the mines, noob.

Now I'm just have to rescue Deanerys (never known write her name) and I'm free to explore the game.

Beregost I didn't even enter in the city.

I started to explore one area were there is a woman who kill with a kiss, very interesting, need more firepower to complete.

2 questions:

The best archer is Coran or Kivan?

The xp to lvl up is different to each character?

My char to lvl 1 to 2 need 2500xp

Imoen is already in lvl 2 and need 2500 xp (total) to lvl 3.

When I'm up to lvl 2 she will be in lvl 3.

The nereid will always kill with a kiss. It is scripted. You can't avoid it unless you force fire to kill her before her conversation starts.

Look for a third option, my dear padawan.