Coran questions

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When you get him, where are his thief skills usually distributed?

I'm considering possibly adding him into my party (and dual-classing Imoen in conjunction with him joining), and I would like to know how to prepare for this, skill-wise.

What's the earliest I could expect to add him? What would be considered an "average" level?

 

You can't get him until the Cloakwood which means doing the Naskel Mines and Bandit camp.
I think most of his points are in Stealth, he definitely has very week traps skill so I try and get him very early on by picking up the rest of the party and ploughing through without doing too many side quests. (More party members to distribute the xp) I think I'm probably level 3 or 4 when I pick him up.

 

I remember him having awful trap-detecting skills.

 

If you pick him up relatively early in the game, he'll be awesome, the best thief in the game,
and with his supreme archery skills he is one of the best NPCs in the game.

I think archery is very underrated, archery is in contradiction to BG2 very efficient, so therefor Coran is too, you should really pick him up!

Put some points in openlock and the other points in find trap..

 

If I forgo side quests and get him into my party quickly, can I go back later and complete those sidequests?

 

Coran is an awesome archer and, as Nightal has said, archery in BG1 is a different story from BG2. My fighter or ranger always has proficiencies in large bows.

@Klorox

which sidequests are you talking about? most sidequests have a trigger and some of them have a time limit while many do not.

 

@ Enagonios:

Whichever ones Carcaroth is talking about.

The only sidequest I plan on doing (that I know of, it's been a while for me with this game) is the Gnoll Stronghold, since I want Dynaheir in my party.

 

In another view, archery is too powerful in BG1. But that's true, Coran is the true sniper.

Coran has good picklock skills too. If you keep Imoen, stash all the points in traps. If you don't, you'll be in trouble with Coran as only thief. Detect traps is more vital in BG1 than in BG2. You really must aim at 100% traps.

 

Other than Minsc & Dynahier (And the Nashkel Mines depending on your party but you have to do that anyway) I can't think of any time limited quests that you are likely to incur.
Basically I get Imoen, Kivan, Branwen (involves small side quest), Minsc with his side quest of Dynahier, (you can do the quests on the way to Gnoll Stronghold, or just run accross the top of the screens which I hink avoids all of them.) Then Nashkel Mines, Bandit Camp (via Beregost) and the Cloakwood.

Oh yeah, once you grab Coran (I dump Imoen, Dynahier is enough Mage for the game, Coran can be enough Thief if you put his skill points into traps) you must go further into the Cloakwood to bag him a Wyvern head (any will do) after that you can go back to all the other screens you've flashed through and complete at leisure.

Doing it at low-level isn't too tricky and the most difficult fight you're likely to have is in the Bandit camp tent.

 

Thanks everybody. I think I have my final party in mind:

Ranger/Cleric multiclassed protagonist
Imoen (Thief 5/Conjuror)
Jaheira
Coran
Dynaheir
Minsc

I know I don't need 2 mages, but I like them. Coran will be my archer, and will double as a backstabber. Imoen will be there for the traps. Minsc and my protagonist will be the tanks, depending on who has the better AC and HP. Jaheira is there for some healing as well as continuity (since I plan on having her in BGII).

 

To make Minsc unstopable give him Boots of Speed and a nice sword (Drizzt's Defender in one hand and a nice shield in other). What are weapon restrictions with Ranger/Cleric (bows, swords)? Don't worry about 2 mages. You'll need them in ToSC and keep in mind that Imoen will only be supporting Dynaheir (because of lower level). In my current party are 3 mages...

 

Ranger/Cleric weapon restrictions are that of a Cleric.

 

i agree with everyone else, when they say archery is extremely powerful in BG1, but might suggest not worrying about Coran, because you don't need really good thieving in BG1, and picking up Kivan instead, he is the best archer out there, in my opinion, and with bracers of archery and a good bow(long bow of marksmanship) he is way to powerful.

 

I'm fairly sure Coran is actually the better Archer, I think (given the same equipment) his THACO is a point better. They can both put 2 stars in bows, but Coran gets the extra dex bonus. Theiving is useful for find and disarm traps, so if you don't have Coran you need at least another thief (I've never done the cleric route of trap finding, I don't know if they can disarm them).

I still take both Kivan and Coran.

 

If I had to choose, I'd take Coran.

 

Coran's a better archer. He's got a 20 DEX and *** in Bow.

 

But frankly, as a character, I would prefer Kivan, Coran quickly becomes annoying.
Also, Kivan has 18 something STR, which makes him a good mule if nothing else.

 

Remember you can also buff Coran's dex by an extra point, giving him an extra -1 AC and extra deific archery skills. Im definitely taking him next time.

 

His trap detecting skills are pitiful but his dexterity is awesome. I would have him as an archer and I got a wyvern head to Kelldath to keep him. I never regretted having Coran in my party. In fact, he was
good. But, I'd rather have Kivan because he is stronger than Coran and he is available early in the game.

 

I'm playing a new game now where my protagonist is a dwarven fighter (tanked to the max), and he never even gets close to most enemies.

That's because I took BOTH Kivan and Coran. I don't know who the better archer is, but like I said, enemies are pincusions before long. The final battle should be a piece of cake for this group.