Baldur's Gate The Baldur's Gate Series Thread

[Piety]

Second the SCS2 recommendation. Makes mage duels/dragonslaying/etc into the tricky chess matches they were always supposed to be.

 

[WalmartJesus]

BG2 was alittle more forgiving when it came to making mistakes ....as opposed to BG1 where one wrong move can be your last.

I have fond memories of doing a first-time blind playthru of BG1 and venturing into Cloakwood forest ...which resulted in getting raped by Ettercaps and Sword-Spiders.

 

[Lilura]

Webtraps got me, too. I remember wisening up and saying to myself "lol this kinda TPK will never happen again, I will use my thief to scout ahead and disarm traps at all times from now on!"
The next day I was ready to knock Cloakwood mines on the head, I had my sword of Free Action equipped and threw around Free Action spells like confetti, no way was this party getting held. I pretty much cakewalked the whole place and was just starting to get confident again, but then on my approach to Davaeorn I forgot my golden rule and tripped the Battle Horror traps, whereby my whole party was then casually torn into ribbons.

 

[WalmartJesus]

Yeah, those two Battle Horrors can be a bitch for first time players..

There's quite a few situations where the game throws players off by letting them steamroll through trashmobs in an area ..and then come across a group of enemies that are more than capable of party wiping them if they're too cocky and didnt prepare.

I'm not ashamed to say that I abused rest and save-scummed like a motherfucker when playing BG1.

 

[Broseph]

My brother REALLY wants me to play Baldur's Gate, and I probably should. I've only been heavily into cRPGs for like a year and a half now. Essentially I started with Morrowind and Elder Scrolls, move to Arcanum and Fallouts and then went straight to some DOS-era stuff like Betrayal at Krondor, Darklands, etc. I've pretty much totally skipped over the IE games and it's bothering me.

I actually have a boxed copy of BG2 inherited from my brothers which I played for a bit (didn't get out of the starting dungeon) but I'd much rather start with BG1.

 

[Jaesun]

That's your problem. You should be playing the Gold Box games. Then play BG and RAGE.

 

[Grunker]

That's your problem. You should be playing the Gold Box games. Then play BG and RAGE.

Why? I started with GoldBox and I didn't rage when I played Baldur's Gate.

 

[thesheeep]

I played both and didn't rage either.

I raged when I played RAGE, though

 

[marooned]

Heh, I actually read that as the game Rage. I was "what? why would he want to play Rage after BG or at all?". Dumbass of me. And stupid companies and their PR.

 

[Sunsetspawn]

Webtraps got me, too. I remember wisening up and saying to myself "lol this kinda TPK will never happen again, I will use my thief to scout ahead and disarm traps at all times from now on!"
The next day I was ready to knock Cloakwood mines on the head, I had my sword of Free Action equipped and threw around Free Action spells like confetti, no way was this party getting held. I pretty much cakewalked the whole place and was just starting to get confident again, but then on my approach to Davaeorn I forgot my golden rule and tripped theBattle Horror traps, whereby my whole party was then casually torn into ribbons.

I've got Nalia displaying "Free Action" in her character sheet and I have no idea what that means. I don't have "instructions," I inherited this game and the box only had the discs. This game loves not tellin' you what some shit does.

My brother REALLY wants me to play Baldur's Gate, and I probably should. I've only been heavily into cRPGs for like a year and a half now. Essentially I started with Morrowind and Elder Scrolls, move to Arcanum and Fallouts and then went straight to some DOS-era stuff like Betrayal at Krondor, Darklands, etc. I've pretty much totally skipped over the IE games and it's bothering me.

I actually have a boxed copy of BG2 inherited from my brothers which I played for a bit (didn't get out of the starting dungeon) but I'd much rather start with BG1.

Do it, if for nothing more than to see what all the goobers on this site are talking about. That's why I'm doing it, and I have to concede, much to my chagrin, that it is indeed excellent. See, I like being the guy that doesn't like the shit that everyone else likes, but I'll never do so if it isn't genuine.


Oh, and fuck GOG, Imma find a physical copy BG1 and have it shipped to me. I need to own shit, like, for realz. A lot of virtual consumer goods vanished like magic when my stepfather died. Most old people aren't tech people, but this is going to become a genuine issue when everybody starts realizing that the products they're purchasing with their hard earned money is dying with them.


AND WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH

all of the quests being cancelled when you advance the main quest into the next "chapter." I need to finish every quest I have open before I can continue the main story?

 

[Murk]

huh? I think they just remain on old journal pages -- you should be able to turn the quests in still.

EDIT: I linked the entire manual to you in a previous post. There's no reason to keep mentioning that you "inherited it" or that you don't have the manual because there's a link to a .pdf of the entire game manual.

Or just, you know, google "baldur's gate 2 game manual".

 

[octavius]

I've got Nalia displaying "Free Action" in her character sheet and I have no idea what that means.

It means she's immune to the effects of Web spells, including those cast by certain spiders.

 

[Lilura]

Yeah, it makes you immune to a batch of spells that might hold you in place, except for stun, though the G3 fixpack has an option to make FA protect against stun, too.

 

[Mother Russia]

Webtraps got me, too. I remember wisening up and saying to myself "lol this kinda TPK will never happen again, I will use my thief to scout ahead and disarm traps at all times from now on!"
The next day I was ready to knock Cloakwood mines on the head, I had my sword of Free Action equipped and threw around Free Action spells like confetti, no way was this party getting held. I pretty much cakewalked the whole place and was just starting to get confident again, but then on my approach to Davaeorn I forgot my golden rule and tripped theBattle Horror traps, whereby my whole party was then casually torn into ribbons.

I've got Nalia displaying "Free Action" in her character sheet and I have no idea what that means. I don't have "instructions," I inherited this game and the box only had the discs. This game loves not tellin' you what some shit does.

My brother REALLY wants me to play Baldur's Gate, and I probably should. I've only been heavily into cRPGs for like a year and a half now. Essentially I started with Morrowind and Elder Scrolls, move to Arcanum and Fallouts and then went straight to some DOS-era stuff like Betrayal at Krondor, Darklands, etc. I've pretty much totally skipped over the IE games and it's bothering me.

I actually have a boxed copy of BG2 inherited from my brothers which I played for a bit (didn't get out of the starting dungeon) but I'd much rather start with BG1.

Do it, if for nothing more than to see what all the goobers on this site are talking about. That's why I'm doing it, and I have to concede, much to my chagrin, that it is indeed excellent. See, I like being the guy that doesn't like the shit that everyone else likes, but I'll never do so if it isn't genuine.


Oh, and fuck GOG, Imma find a physical copy BG1 and have it shipped to me. I need to own shit, like, for realz. A lot of virtual consumer goods vanished like magic when my stepfather died. Most old people aren't tech people, but this is going to become a genuine issue when everybody starts realizing that the products they're purchasing with their hard earned money is dying with them.


AND WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH

all of the quests being cancelled when you advance the main quest into the next "chapter." I need to finish every quest I have open before I can continue the main story?

First, the Baldur's Gate series had some of the most detailed in game help ever at the time. It holds up well even today. Only thing I would add is an in game bestiary book , with concept art, of the critters you killed, their background, weaknesses, kill count, etc. Second, use the Tab button when your mouse is over anything to get a brief name of whatever icon or item you are on.

Also, the Inquisitor could NOT easily steam roll over powerful mages. Sure, if you just rested and came across one mage, you could debuff him, BUT he's not dead: He will unleash a buttload of spells on your ass. He will also have meatshields with him typically (trolls and shit in Nalia's keep for example)

Don't bother with BG1. It's shit compared to BG2.

EDit: Also, when you find time play Realms of Arkania 2: Startrail. Not only is it an amazing game (best rpg of all time) it has an extremely detailed in game tooltip help scheme. Not that you will need it for spells though, as they have easy to understand names that tell you what they do immediately when you read them. But in case you are dumb, there are tooltips.

 

[Zboj Lamignat]

you could debuff him, BUT he's not dead

Yes he is. You have to be literally handicapped to not be able to kill a mage before he can do anything harmful when his defenses are down (and inquisitor downs these instantly).

 

[Grunker]

you could debuff him, BUT he's not dead

Yes he is. You have to be literally handicapped to not be able to kill a mage before he can do anything harmful when his defenses are down (and inquisitor downs these instantly).

The mages you fight have no Contingency or Spell Trigger active? Were we playing the same game?

Also, SCS

 

[Zboj Lamignat]

The game I played had inquisitor being able to cast dispell repeatedly downing all mage defenses and them being dead in a proverbial second. Yes, inquistitor makes mage encounters in BG2 a non issue. It's probably the most imba kit in the game.

 

[Rpgsaurus Rex]

SCS has the option to lower dispel from 2x level to 1x level, it's good.

 

[Zboj Lamignat]

Yes, I'm aware of mods increasing the difficulty, they are obviously not being discussed here.

 

[Lilura]

Yes he is. You have to be literally handicapped to not be able to kill a mage before he can do anything harmful when his defenses are down (and inquisitor downs these instantly).

Indeed, only a fucktard can't kill a mage with an Inquisitor.

 

[Mother Russia]

The game I played had inquisitor being able to cast dispell repeatedly downing all mage defenses and them being dead in a proverbial second. Yes, inquistitor makes mage encounters in BG2 a non issue. It's probably the most imba kit in the game.

I don't recall Dispel being able to destroy Contingency's and Sequencers. But then again, I last played BG II in 2001...

(Mages in chapter 2, such as the ones in Nalia's keep, did not have Contingency's and Sequencers, but after that they did. Also, you could encounter the Twisted Rune even in Chapter 2 AFAIR) Also, mages have shit like disintegrate and et al.

Also, to go on a slight tangent, there is only ONE inquisitor in the game: Keldron. Apart from that, you could make the main PC one as well. Compare playing a totally 1D pc like an inquisitor when you could play a sorceror or mage/specialist and have lots of options at your disposal.

And btw, how is fighting Irenicus as an Inquisitor like? I seriously doubt Irenicus is a cakewalk for any solo character...

 

[VentilatorOfDoom]

It's also true that vanilla mages don't use nifty things like spell:immunity abjuration/divination and the like, so yes - Inquisitor dispel is p. op in vanilla BG2.

 

[Lilura]

I don't recall Dispel being able to destroy Contingency's and Sequencers.

Well, it does.

Also, mages have shit like disintegrate and et al.

After you nuke them with lolDispel, you just poke them and they drop, they almost never get another spell off.

And btw, how is fighting Irenicus as an Inquisitor like? I seriously doubt Irenicus is a cakewalk for any solo character...

I cakewalked all of SoA and ToB with a solo Inquisitor, that's how OP they are.

 

[Mother Russia]

I don't recall Dispel being able to destroy Contingency's and Sequencers.

Well, it does.

Also, mages have shit like disintegrate and et al.

After you nuke them with lolDispel, you just poke them and they drop, they almost never get another spell off.

And btw, how is fighting Irenicus as an Inquisitor like? I seriously doubt Irenicus is a cakewalk for any solo character...

I cakewalked all of SoA and ToB with a solo Inquisitor, that's how OP they are.

What about shit like Maze, Timestop, Wish? Here is the most powerful wish option with 18 WIS: 'Cast a double-length Time Stop and Improved Alacrity on the caster'

Also, the Inquisitor has to get close: Which means he has to get through shit like Horrid Wilting, Meteor Swarm, Disintegrate, Power Word Kill, etc etc.

Note I'm not disagreeing with you at all; just that Inquisitors would not be so overpowered had mages scripts in their AI to deal with them.

Also, regarding Irenicus, it's surprising he didn't have anything to deal with such cheeze. One would have thought Biowhores would have considered it

 

[Lilura]

What about shit like Maze, Timestop, Wish?

Those spells take time to cast and rarely in my solo did the mage survive long enough to cast them. And if a spellcaster manages to get a spell off somehow, you have to remember an Inquisitor can get very high Magic Resistance, elemental protections and saving throws.

Here is the most powerful wish option with 18 WIS: 'Cast a double-length Time Stop and Improved Alacrity on the caster'

AI spellcasters don't use it, not that it would make much difference anyway unless it was followed up with a specific battery of spells from some Tactics mod.

Also, the Inquisitor has to get close: Which means he has to get through shit like Horrid Wilting, Meteor Swarm, Disintegrate, Power Word Kill, etc etc.

You pre-buff with True Sight, charge in with Boots of Speed, drop lolDispel nuke and shred the mage to ribbons.

None of this is rocket science, BG2 can be run solo with almost any combination of class. Inquisitor just happens to be one of the easiest (and laziest) warrior solos.