Lack of decent NPCs with the new kits

Remove all ads!

What im talking about is the fact that out of 16 npcs who join you (a number far less than those in baldurs gate 1 which is a small problem but still a problem since it is probably the only area bg2 is worse in than bg 1) only 5/16 have new kits and absoloutely none have any of the new classes. This means that if you want a monk, sorcerer or barbarian YOU have to be one and only one (unless you solo multiplay). Also in the 16 characters there are no halforcs even though they are a race which you can play but also all other races have representatives. This gives the impression that the new classes/kits/race are being put down which they most definetly should not have been.

[This message has been edited by Lazy Bonzo (edited August 15, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Lazy Bonzo (edited September 09, 2001).]

 

I'm in complete agreement with you on the NPCs. The developers became too obsessed with every single available character having they're own storyline and different interactions with *all* of the other NPCs.

What they should have done was set up a few of them, as they did, with romances, conflicts, quests etc. and put in a number of 'generic' less colorful NPCs (like all of them were in BG). That way, a player could get a good feel for what the new classes/kits were like without playing the game 15 times over (or starting a single-player/multi-player session).

It would have been nice to have an available Barbarian, Undead Hunter, Kensai (plain kensai that is), monk, wizard slayer, etc.

Some of their decisions for the NPCs that made it into the game were bizarre as well:
Why wasn't Valgyar a Wizard Slayer? His whole plot-line revolves around hating magic and his mission is to kill a particular mage!
Why wasn't Mazzy an archer? She's completely geared towards missle combat, but she's the ONLY non-kit fighter in the game...

I don't know what they were thinking.

 

The storyline and interactions are my favorite parts.

Everyone was very willing to have their main character as a new class. I imagine they felt it would add an illusion of unique-ness to your character in your eyes.

 

Hard to say, really, why they did not include many of the new classes or class kits. Perhaps lack of time? Personally, I would rather have well-developed NPCs with definite personalities, personality clashes etc. than a whole heap of generic "soulless" NPCs. The interaction between NPCs and the PC and amongst NPCs themselves was a large part of why I enjoyed the game as much as I did.

[This message has been edited by JohnnyRTFM (edited August 15, 2001).]

 

I agree that the interaction is good and makes the game but I have always felt constrained playing with the existing NPCs. And, if you pay attention to the alignments in your party your choices really get limited. I would love to "try out" a monk and the various warriors but I don't have the time to play the game that many times. I made my protagonist a socerer since there is not another one in the game.

 

Let protagonist be most powerful and unique, you don't need many potent npcs to back you while lots of people are soloing the game.

 

I complain about this nearly everywhere, but I find it irksome that there are three, count 'em, three thief-mages to choose from, and unless you use SK you can't finish the game with any pure thieves. I hate that.

 

Indeed, there are less NPC's but the NPC's in BG2 are very detailed, stories, romancec, much more quests... with that the NPC's become more part of your group because you know them better. That's the good thing about it......

 

Yoshimo is a pure thief, and one of no small skill at that. He is quite useful for a good chunk of the game and by the time he is, um, no longer available, you have Imoen back. Who doesn't love Imoen? Of course, you could also play your PC as a thief which is a lot of fun. I'll agree that their choice of NPCs is somewhat flawed but that, again, is what makes the game so interesting. Aerie, the incredibly nimble mage and Keldorn, the paladin with the dexterity of an oak tree. Adds spice.

 

thanks for the replies. For those who said they liked the character interaction you should play planescape:torment it has got the best character interaction of all the infinity engine games. And for those who say that there were only souless characters in bg1 you are mainly right except for the fight that can start if you keep jaheria and kahlid(sp) alongside Xar and Montaron. I would rather have a more flexible choice over my party than the character interaction. And ArtEChoke your absolutely right about valygar being totally the worng kit and mazzy as well.

Kalten you could have made your protagonist a wizrd slayer, kensai, archer, beast master, cavalier, undead hunter, barbarian, any of the speciality priests, totemic druid, avenger, monk, assassin, swashbuckler, jester, skald, any of the specialist mages except conjurer and illusionist, or as you did a sorcerer. Thats how much was unrepresented as npc's in this game.

Gonzago you are absolutely right about the overly large representation of thief mages, just because they are a pretty neat dual or multi class combo 3 out of 16 was just over the top.

 

The lack of a good theif is a killer. The theif/mage is a nice combination but I prefer to use them in a supporting role. I like Imoen becase she can cast spells and use a short bow. I don't want her out front scouting for traps because she then stumbles upon a monster and it attacks. Then she either stands her ground and get plastered or runs. If she is running, she is not casting spells or firing arrows. My solution was to use multi-player so I could dual class a swashbuckler/cleric. She has turned out to be an awsome character. The only downside is not trap removable or lock picking be she finds them and has Imoen or Jan disarm them.

 

id prefer it if mazzy was a fighter/thief - then shed be a real giantkiller (i actually used SK to make her one to see what she would be like, and boy did she kick some serious hamster ass) - so anyway she's a halfling so she gets the racial bonus for thieves, has high dex, awesome at shortbows and shortswords... but no, she's not a thief, not a paladin, and not really a frontline fighter as she's specialised in all the wrong weapons

 

Mazzy may be a great choice for a thief because she is a halfling and has great dexterity, but it certainly does not suit her goody goody personality. Also, how useful she is up front depends how early in the game you get her. The lower her level when you pick her up, the more control you have over her weapon skills. I got her quite early on, ended up giving her three points in long sword - there are countless good long swords in the game - and had her fighter beside my paladin. Boy did the bodies drop like flies.

 

I failed to get mazzy because i lost the key to her cell which was very aggravating as i searched the entire level before finding i had lost the key.

[This message has been edited by Lazy Bonzo (edited August 16, 2001).]

 

All the lucky people out there who have a copy of Throne of Bhall who well know that sarevok can join you.. er..

Sarevok is a wiked fighter and the two brothers side by side bit adds extra effect.

A party of just you and sarevok is fun.

Spark

Oi! No ToB spoilers!

[This message has been edited by Taluntain (edited August 16, 2001).]

 

Spark you is in the wrong forum got o the throne of Bhaal forum. And sarverok is still only a fighte not a new race or kit or class so i think your post was meaningless. But i ain't complaining. And how can you be sure that a mere simple oath is sufficient to hold your evil half brother who tried to kill you.

 

sarevok? - im sure you can trust him =)

 

I just realized there are no straight fighters in soa

[This message has been edited by Blackthorne TA (edited September 04, 2001).]

 

ME TOO!!!!

Endless talks on this forum about some "noone never saw" NPCs Korgan and Mazzy are probably someone's sick joke after too much drink...

 

In my opinion, there should have been at least some half-orcs. Let me quote the manual:

In the lands of amn, half-orcs are tolerated, unlike in the north (where you come from) So, it is highly unlikely that you could have been a half-orc yourself and survived through BG1, but highly likely that you'd meet some in Amn. Incidentally, are there any non-joinable half-orc NPCs in SoA, like Mulahey (who was in Amn) from BG1?