New all purpose Baldurs Gate thread - Page 6

Jamski · February 10, 2004, 15:52

Drogue - there is absolutely no point in putting *'s into Sword and Shield. The +1 AC vs arrows is worthless, compared to how precious the weapon profs are.

Belm should always be in the off-hand too. Why? Becuase it gives +1 attacks per round with the main hand. Now if you want an extra attack with a crappy +2 scimitar, fine. But if the main hand has Crom Faeyr, Celestial Fury, Blackblood etc... see my point? Kundane (short sword in the planar prison) does the same. I ALWAYS have two char dual weilding to take advantage of these extra attack weapons. And of course, the scimitar is perfect for Jahiera.

Just my POWERGAME opinion though

-Jam

Qilue · February 10, 2004, 18:27

Sorry to contradict you Jamski, but I tested the 'str bonus added to sling damage' quite extensively. It was in BG1 and BG2, but was removed by ToB.

Viconia vs Anomen. Viconia being evil, cannot destroy undead, only control temporarily when using turn undead ability.

Korgan or Jaheira vs cleric/ranger for dual weilding. A cleric/ranger whether dual or multi gets access to the entire priest spell list (both cleric and druid), 2 'free' stars in dual wielding as well as the previously mentioned turning ability as a bonus.

Something else that should be mentioned. For each magical weapon, the game sets two 'to-hit' stats. It's to-hit bonus for combat and it's rating for what it can hit. For example, a +2 sword has a +2 bonus to hit and is classed as a +2 weapon for determining what it can hit.

Certain special magical weapons have different values such as the 'upgraded' mace of disruption. While it only has +2 bonus to hit for combat, it is rated as a +5 weapon for what it can hit.

EDIT - typo

Jamski · February 10, 2004, 19:20

Ah, you are right.
But we all have ToB

A Cleric/Ranger sucks at dual wielding because he cannot use Belm or Kundane, in my opinion. Loads of spells though, and fighter Thac0 is nice. The problem with druids is the 1,500,000 EXP gap at level 15, so at high levels a Cleric/Ranger actually overtakes a pure Druid.

And some weapons work the other way too. Daystar hits as a +2, even against Evil Undead.

-Jam

duke o' york · February 11, 2004, 08:54

I'm confused by all this "funny talk" from Drogue and Jamski.

Jamski, I don't have ToB.

Well, I've got a bad cough, but I don't think it's that serious yet.

And lotm, I think it may take me that long to play BG, if not longer.

I took ages to complete FFVII, and that was with the guidebook and much more playing time than I'm now allowed. Still, I'll get along with it tonight.

Jamski · February 11, 2004, 14:11

Why rush, its a game worth savoring

-Jam

Drogue · February 11, 2004, 16:19

Exactly my thoughts. And don't listen to us, we're talking BGII

BTW: Just done the guarded compound in BGII, and now have the weapon I've been looking for

Also got to spend 40,000 gold to spend

(or rather, had

)

Qilue · February 12, 2004, 02:09

Quote:

Originally posted by Jamski
Why rush, its a game worth savoring

-Jam

Very much so, especially if you do "The Epic". That is, play a character from level 1 in BG1, then at the end of that, import your character into BG2 and continue all the way to the end of ToB.

Dis · February 12, 2004, 03:50

I was looking at the mod list in the Interplay forums for BG2

holy cow are there a lot of mods

I have no idea where to start.

I have never even done the Baldurash fix pak. I never felt the need. I have never noticed that many bugs.

I may bo the baldurash fix pak there is also something called unfinished business which has a few unfinished quests. I might do that one.

I'm not too interested in tactics, as I find the battles hard enough as it is.

What are some other good mods to get?

Jamski · February 12, 2004, 04:50

Baldurdash is a MUST. It fixes some potential game breakers (like the wolfweres that sometimes regenerate 60 HP per round!!!)

Some "Ease of Use" components are a must too. They just make the game more fun.

"Item upgrade" is cheezy, but worth playing once. Celestial Fury +5 anyone? (Take CF, a demon's heart, 20,000 gold and a wand of lighting to the smith)

"Rogue Rebalancing" finally adds stuff like magical bucklers to the game, and fixes some high level abilities for Bards and Thiefs.

All the NPC mods are good. "Kelsey" and "Chloe" are generally thought the best.

Unfinished Business ties up a lot of loose ends. Like why all the NPCs have a quest except Minsc... it was //commented out and now its re-installed.

You can safely install any number of Weidu mods at the same time. So go do it

-Jam

Dis · February 12, 2004, 05:19

60 hp/ round.

that is nothing. I can take them on

Jamski · February 12, 2004, 06:16

Sure...?

I had 4 of these guys in Sparky's Dungeon eat every spell I had.

-Jam

duke o' york · February 12, 2004, 06:37

Well I played a little bit more last night. Managed to survive the first battle with Imoen (

), and got to the Friendly Arms with the two rubbishy evil characters. Left the fighter to be killed by the assassin who pops up just at the entrance to the inn (

), but have kept the necromancer just for practising spells and for hoots really. I talked to everyone, got the two characters with the funny names, and did the quest with the ring and the hobgoblins. Is the ring worth keeping? Does it have any decent powers or should I just give it back and get the XP for it? I've also got a pair of natty gold keks, but have found nothing to do with them so I'm just going to give them back to the noble and claim I've washed them.

I'm also tempted to go and stick the ogre, but should I ponce about the forest first so I can get some of the characters to level 2?

I can't play this evening so that's all I'll have until the weekend. Little progress made I'm afraid, but I'm getting the hang of the controls. I used one of the charges on Imoen's Magic Missile wand and it toasted a hobgoblin, which was cool, but I won't be using them too often as I reckon that the wand's quite useful and will be worth using later on. Does it tell you when all of the magic has been used, or could I end up carrying a useless wand around for ages? I realise that I can have it valued by a shopkeeper to work out roughly how many I've got left, but I'd still like to know.
Can the characters that are not directly under your control use items of their own accord when fighting? I was worried that Imoen might waste these missiles against foes that didn't deserve being toasted, but I'm sure that this can't happen - can it?

More questions to follow.

Jamski · February 12, 2004, 06:45

I think all wands have 50 charges... but you can sell them and then buy/steal them back to get them recharged. Stealing can save you TONS.

KEEP THE GOLD PANTALOONS!!!!!!!!!!!

The ogre is weak to a ranged attack - not so fast, but hits you hard enough to kill a character with each blow. Wait 'till level 2 or stick it full of arrows and magic missiles.

Oh, and don't be afraid to use the wand of magic missiles. Its not really the best wand - just there to help you not get killed at level 1

-Jam

duke o' york · February 12, 2004, 07:03

Would you care to elaborate as to why I should keep the gold pants, or will this mystery be cleared up later ion the game?

Drogue · February 12, 2004, 07:40

Well, it will be cleared up later in the series. It's a thing put in by the game designers as a fun thing, and well worth it if you're intending to keep going through the series (BGII and ToB). It's a funny, but very worthwile thing

duke o' york · February 12, 2004, 07:52

In the series!

I'm not sure that the party from my first time through would be worth exporting into BG2, so I may as well just give them back and get the XP, which I need now.
In future games, when I actually know what I'm doing, then I'll keep them in the hope that they turn into magical trousers of Jam +1 post count.

Drogue · February 12, 2004, 08:06

If you want to know what they do, if you keep them and get the other items from BGII and ToB, then have a look at planetbaldursgate. They have an explanation of it.

duke o' york · February 12, 2004, 08:55

I tried visiting that site, but it crashed explorer twice.

Drogue · February 12, 2004, 09:06

Spoiler:

duke o' york · February 12, 2004, 09:12

Do I understand this correctly, or am I miles out?

It is possible to export and import parties from any other of the BG series, both forwards and backwards?
If I take a party backwards or forwards into another game, will they get to keep all the cool stuff that I have spent hours and hours amassing?

And why, in the only BG I own, is it that whenever someone asks your name, they're about to attack you? The responses are always "Yes, I am Mildred", or "No, bugger off you nosy sod", and you'll get attacked both ways.

But being a Lawful Good Ranger then I have to tell them the truth. Mind you, that doesn't stop me sending Imoen to go and break into the chests in people's rooms.

Drogue · February 12, 2004, 09:38

DoY: You can only import forwards. You don't keep the cool stuff, but you do keep the experience, the characters, and the golden pantaloons turn up at the begining of BGII if you had them in the character you imported.

As for asking your names, it's something assassins do to check you're who they're meant to kill. They know it's you, but they feel the need to ask anyway.

duke o' york · February 12, 2004, 09:57

Except, of course, that the game doesn't give you the option of sticking anyone who asks your name automatically, without having to come out of the dialogue.

So when going forwards, will you start the next game with the same characters but the basic equipment and armour? Is it worth doing, or can you start the add-ons like ToSC with brand new characters who will gain more from the XP you pick up?
I'm guessing that the monsters in the expansions start at the level from which you left the previous game, and you will have all the same spells available, but not the magic items you collected/looted shamefully like Jamski.

Drogue · February 12, 2004, 10:05

Starting BGII you can either create your own character, or use your PC. You can take Imoen, Jaheira and Minsc from the start whatever. You only export your PC, and they start with no equipment.

ToSC you take your whole party up there. It's just another quest. You keep your items too, because it's like a continuation. BGII starts when you've been captured after leaving Baldur's Gate.

Jamski · February 12, 2004, 15:36

No! You spoiled the pants!

-Jam

Dis · February 13, 2004, 03:58

like anyone would know what they do.

what character do you have duke? I'd recommend bring your Bg1 character into Bg2.

if you are a single class, you can choose a kit in BG2. my bard in BG1 was able to choose a Bard kit in BG2. But if you are multiclass or duel class you probably won't be able to do a kit in Bg2, so it may not be worth it.

Of course that all depends on if you like kits.

Jamski · February 13, 2004, 04:19

Kits = giving up something for being better at something else.

For example a Paladunce can give up his spells to become an Inquistor and get better "Dispel Magic" and "True Sight".

Some kits are of debatable worth (Beastmaster, Jester)

-Jam

Drogue · February 13, 2004, 05:32

Some kits are the next best thing since sliced bread though. Kensai/Mage - the only way to be

Jamski · February 13, 2004, 06:05

You know what goes on sliced bread? CHEEEZE!!!!

Kensai/mage can solo the game without dying or reloads. I did it.
F/M/T is even more über at higher levels though, and that's without kits.

-Jam

duke o' york · February 13, 2004, 06:20

Cheeeze?

I always have margarine on my bread.

Diss, my character's a ranger at the moment. What are the decent options for a ranger later in the series?
And what's a kensai when he's at home?

Drogue spoiled his pants.

Drogue · February 13, 2004, 07:56

A Kensai is a fighter kit, also called a sword saint. Cannot use armour, shields, missile weapons or bracers, but gets a better base AC, better with hand to hand weapons, faster with weapons and a couple of nice abilities. Goes with the adage, "they can't hurt me if they're dead before they get to strike". And Kensai's will slice the bread for you

Ranger kits are an Archer (much better with missile weapons, but not good hand to hand and worse armour (IIRC)), a Stalker (can stealth better and backstabe, gets a couple of mage spells, but worse armour) and one more that I've forgotten

Archers rule, they can do much damage from a range.