Minsc and Boo question

Remove all ads!

Now seriously, I like this big guy and his hamster from outer space. I can`t play and Baldur`s Gate game without him in my party.

I consider them the best sidekicks in gaming along with Razor and Haywire from Jagged Alliance 2 (if you haven`t played this game, do it!).

However I didn`t realise how retarded Minsc and his weapon proficiencies are when I played this game a few years ago...

I mean seriously, what the **** where they thinking?

With every character I met in this game so far, I knew exactly how to outfit them and what role they will take in my party.

I met Khalid and Jaheira:
Khalid will be my tank, since he has a good dexterity rating, nice hitpoints per level and starts out with sword and board proficiency (too bad he`s a wuss who runs at low hp).
Jaheira heals and deals damage from the mid field with her sling and is a good buffer who can go toe to toe in melee combat if anything runs past Khalid due to her fighter multiclass.

I met Edwin:
Excellent backliner who wreaks havoc from there.

I met Dynaheir:
Same as above just slightly weaker.

I met Imoen:
Great scout, secures my gold income with her thieving skills, poor fighter but ok when shooting arrows next to Edwin.

And now there`s Minsc and Boo:

What the hell? He`s a poor tank due to his dexterity rating (wich can be compensated with gloves, but still) and his bad hp per level. So I think "Np he`s strong as an Ox, he`ll make a good melee powerhouse" but no:
Why the hell do the developers give him 2 Handed Swords at 2 points, Dual Wield at 2 and a some Single Handed Weapon at 1?

It makes no sense! What were they thinking? I don`t even know how to level him. I want to go all the way to Baldur`s Gate II and ToB with him and BGT installed and I don`t even know what to do with him.

How do you guys progress with him? Do you specialize on 2 Handed Weapons style or go dual wield with him? Can he even access 3 points of Dual Wielding and if not won`t it make him considerably weaker than if he went for 2 Handed weapons?

I don`t know what to do with him so I`d like to hear about your ways to handle his development.

 

I have always use Minsc as a Two handed sword, if you give him the gloves of dexterity he is great!

If you using BGT, then your topic needs to be moved... Tal, or a moderator can do that for you!

Anyway, perhaps you would like Minsc to be a Berserker by Drew's Mod found here

Or if you pick him up late and want to pick weapon proficiencies, and other goodies from the level-up process; you could use a component of the BG2 Tweak Pack Mod.

Good luck!

 

I agree - Minsc's proficiiencies never made sense to me (although I speak more from a BG2 perspective, as I haven't played BG1 yet). Can you use Gatekeeper to change them?

However:

I believe the 2 points in dual wield are a result of him being a ranger (who automatically get those points), and aren't the result of a developer decision.

 

I give him a 2-handed sword in BG1 and let him dual wield in BG2 (favourite combo is Crom Fayr and Flail of Ages )

 

Splunge is right, Rangers in BG2 automatically get 2 proficiency points in dual wield.

Like most what I'd do is equip him with the DEX gauntlets and a big two handed sword. I also have him use a composite bow (bows rule in BG1). Even without being proficient he'll get some use from a bow anyway and nothing prevents you from putting a point in large bows when you can. Alternatively you can go for two handed weapons to get more criticals (iirc it allows critical hits on a 19 and a 20).

Of course you're right about Khalid who is a very solid character although he sometimes runs away but Minsc rocks. I can't remember how many times Minsc did save the day in my games.

Minsc is definitely worth the trouble.

 

As for Minsc being proficient in bows, it depends on when you get him. At later levels he has ++ in bows.

I usually take him in my party in BG1 and like others give him Gauntlets of Dexterity. But I don't find him nearly as efficient as in BG2. Two-handers is kind of slow in BG1, I think, and with and without the Gauntlets he does miss.

Besides that, I find that a shield really helps in BG1, and would on Minsc too, if his proficiences was different, since his AC is pretty high, and he gets hit quite a lot.

On the other hand, With Spider's Bane equipped, he is protected with Free Action, and immune against all those Web traps and other movement nasties you encounter in BG1, and can save the day when monsters close in.

I like Khalid in my party, and I haven't found him hit by panic when his Hp is low, if I equip him with Kiel's Helmet from Durlags Tower in TotSC.

 

You made it sound like the Gauntlets would have a part in how often he hits with his sword - they don't. It only helps him with ranged weapons.

Dual-wielding in general is more of a Throne of Baal thingy. Your front-liners are often better off with a shield in the early going as the AC benefits outweigh the dps increase and the inability to use ranged weapons without some stupid inventory management steps. In ToB your AC matters less as there's a whole lot of monsters you'd need beyond godly AC to matter much at all so concentrating on 'moar dee-pee-ess' usually gives better results.

 

That's not entirely accurate. BG2-wise, I think it's more like your cheese vs the AI's.
Especially if you use mods.