Mods, mods, mods......

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-So I've just installed BGII-ToB again and I've been checking out the mods out there but I don't know what to install. Any suggestions?

-A tweak pack is a must but I don't know which one is best. I'd also like some new NPCs and more quests/encounters for variation.

 

OH NO DONT ASK WHICH TWEAK PACK IS BETTER!!!!!!!!

That aside, I find IA to be a good mod for new strategic and items content. New NPCs can be found under the mods section here at SP. General opinion is that kelsey is the best. As for more quest, unfinished business is pretty good as well.

 

Depends on what you will. Improved Anvil enhances the game a lot. There are several questpacks ie at the PPG site. BG2Tweaks is a combination between three tweak mods, so go for that. Do you want more kits?

Edit: just beaten...

 

You can't really go wrong with Unfinished Business, no. Evidence suggests that the aptly named Quest Pack may also contain some quest content (it's probably the most substantial quest/encounter-adding mod behind the really big, old things like TDD which I definitely don't recommend). There's also some optional tactical stuff, but I'm not sure anyone here uses that amidst all the talk about Improved Anvil.

NPC wise, in addition to Kelsey, I recommend Keto, although she lacks ToB content. I have heard reliable reports that Xan is solid, although I cannot make a first-hand recommendation here.

 

Other NPCs would be Amber, Auren, Kivan and Xan wich all IMHO are better than Kelsey. As SimDing0 suggests, his Quest pack is fine such is his tweak pack wich among other adds Enhanced Gooseberries. Simply nice.

 

Sim's Quest Pack is pretty good, although I can't stand the newer AI from it, so I don't use that part. There were a few parts of Unfinsihed Business that I'm not all that fond of either.

I would recommend the Banter and Flirt Packs though, as they simply add more dialogue (which is good in my eyes). Kelsey is very well made- although his romance began to grate in ToB. Kivan is a good NPC- he feels very dark and his kit makes him a good choice to have with you.

 

I play with Tactics, Improved Batles, Ascension and Oversight, Item Upgrade so you can say that my battles are all very hard. If you want Improved Anvil, those mods are not compatible. You had better get the IA though, it is the new trend here!

Improved Asylum is very good for changing Spellhold.

Get Quest Pack and Unfinished Bussiness. Banter and Flirt Packs are very nice and rich!

There are so many NPCs. Kelsey is very good. He romances my male PC (normally he is not supposed to do something like that!) and is very well written, voiced and scripted. Keto is good, especially in sound area it is the best! Chloe and Nathaniel are all yours if you want homo-sexual romances. Sola mod is nice, though it lacks voicing, it is very deep and well-written, with some hard fights. (he is bisexual, yay!) Get Valen if you feel evil, and you want to try somehting unique and challenging and hopefully fun! Xan is freshly out, he has deep banters and romance too! (too bad he is not gay ) Kido is a maniacal evil bard, I will try him in my next game, he looks promising!

 

Thanks everyone for recommending Improved Anvil!

Improved Anvil is incompatible with "Item Upgrade" mod, but it is not incompatible with all components of "Tactics" or the other mods Silverstar mentioned. Here is the list of mods and/or mod-components which are incompatible with Improved Anvil:

1- "Item Upgrade" mod.

2- "Spell50" mod.

3- The following components of "Tactics" mod:
- Improved Torgal
- Smarter Dragons
- Improved Irenicus
- Improved Guarded Compound
- Improved Oasis
- Slightly Smarter Liches
- Improved Twisted Rune

4- The following components of Ascension mod:
- Tougher Cromnir
- Tougher Yaga-Shura

5- The following components of "Improved Battles" mod:
- Improved Mencar Pebblecrusher
- Improved House Jae'llat
- Improved Lord Roenall
- Improved Firkraag
- Improved Temple Sewers Party
- Improved Trademeet Crypt
- Improved Shade Lord

6- The "Pai'Na/Spider's Bane Quest" component of Unfinished Business mod.

7- The following components of "Quest Pack" mod:
- General AI Improvements
- Creature & Area Improvements
- Miscellaneous Enhancements
- Improved Oasis II
- Further Slaver Involvement

Other components of the mentioned mods can be safely installed with Improved Anvil. (Improved Anvil should be the last mod you install.)

 

Heh, okay, I guess I got what I asked for. What's so bad about it? I'm desperate for feedback on this component because I really never hear anything about it.

I think you'll probably be okay installing these with IA. Install whichever you want to take precedence last. Sikret is very, very cautious about compatibility, but I think you can afford to be slightly more gung-ho about it.

 

Silverstar are you gay? Or do you just not like to play a girl? No offence

 

-Ok, so far I have BG2 Tweaks, Quest Pack, Xan NPC and Kivan NPC. I don't like Unfinished Business or Improved Anvil, is everything in those mods mandatory or can I customise the installation? If I can't take out some things then what store mods would you recommend?

-I would prefer mods with optional additions, meaning that whatever I add to the game is not something that I will have to go through. I want quests that are player initiated, not NPC or area initiated. If you can think of any mods that provide me that then I'd greatly appreciate it.

 

I'm going to use this topic to ask something too.

It's there a mod that makes Imoen have her own slayer transformation in ToB? I would like to see that, and a friend mentioned that such mod exists, but doesn't know it's name

 

-I've found "The Big Picture" to be interesting, do any of you have any thoughts about this mod? Are there any imcompatibilities with the mods I've listed previously(Barring Kivan)?

 

Does anyone have any comments on the Tashia mod? I like having a sorcerer around (although this game I might skip one for Kivan), but I tried Kelsey - and he gets on my nerves. If I play a female PC and want a romance, I'd get Xan.

 

Why don't you like them before giving them a try? Have you read their readme files and concluded that you don't like them or have you just read some baseless remarks about them somewhere?

If you have read the readme files and have decided by yourself, then it is fine. But there are also a number of false remarks about Improved Anvil in some forums which you shouldn't trust and shouldn't base your conclusions and decisions on them.

Unfinished Business is customizable, Improved Anvil is not. The various features of IA depend on each other in a way that it cannot be divided into different optional components at installation stage.

 

@Mordokai

If you have Ascension's final fight component, and have Immy with you at that point, you will have a suprise! And 'loads' of FUN, if you get my meaning!

@Tartantyco

Come on, man, install IA. If I had a clean installation like yours I would not hesitate to get it ASAP! From what I hear, the mod is just excellent, it brings a lot of fresh air to the game, making it new, more challenging, and rewarding, and most importantly, more FUN for a seasoned player!

Other than that. G3 anniversary mod introduces a real fun quest. Try it! I had fun! It was very different and unique! And the final battle is hard too!

Tactics also add a HUGE quest, called The Ritual:It is hard, mysterious, cool, and rewarding! I hope it is compatible with IA, right?

 

According to the document it is

 

-Sikret, why do you think I asked if those mods were customisable? Because I read what features they added and didn't like it. Funny, it seems people are prepared to die for IA and UB......

-Again, any opinions on The Big Picture?

 

OK, if you do not like the idea of a mod, you should not install it, ofcourse. Period.

I have no experience with TBP, unfourtunately, so I really can not help you much. Hope other people here can!

 

Because you asked the question. I quoted you and replied to your question.