Best order to do ALL quests including NPCs?

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In my last game, I was thinking of trying to do as many quests as possible, but it looks like I'm going to have to skip the Naila quests in order to rescue Imoen. I'm not even sure if I can do them without playing a fighter-type and taking over the keep. Also, I may not get Jaheria's quests completed either.

Anyays, can anybody give suggestions on the order to go about doing the various quests including the NPC ones for my next game? I'm thinking that since Nalia and Jaheria's take the most time, I'll try a Half-Orc Barbarian (I haven't ever played that to completion since I usually like to start in BG1) and try to get the fighter stronghold right off the bat. To maximize getting the NPC quests done so I can have the party I want when I go to spellhold without worrying about missing a timed event, who should I try to recruit ASAP? I'm thinking about Anomen and Aerie. Aerie doen't really have a quest after the one to recruit her, but she does get summoned to go on the quest to rescure Haer'Dalis.

My idea is that I don't want to have to recruit anybody more than once, so I'd have to decide on my party's final makeup before Spellhold and plan accordingly. At the moment, I'm leaning towards trying an evil Barbarian (Charname), Yoshimo->Imoen, Korgan, Edwin, Viconia, and either Cernd or Haer'Dalis.

So, any suggestions on what order I should recruit people? I'll probably kick Minsc out early since I don't recall him having any quests. Also suggestions on when I should do the quests that require tavel such as Trademeet (obviously with Mazzy in the party and only after her sis is poisoned) or Umar Hills? I'm trying to prevent having finished the main quests but finding myself waiting around for event timers for the NPCs.

Oh, for my style of play, I try to rest as little as possible. Only when the characters are actually tiered. I might rest after a really tough battle if my party has exhausted their spells and needs healing, but I try to avoid it. That Ring of Regeneration really helps save on healing expenses in terms of time, spells, and potions. Ditto for Ring of Gaxx and to a lesser extent the Joun stone.of regen.

 

Well you don't really have to start a new game since most NPC quests are game time based (not real time) so sou can just rest for a week or two until they are triggered. You could just have standard 5 party members that you want to keep and switch the 6th place with anyone that comes along until their quest is solved.

Those party members that do have real time triggered quests are:
- Mazzy and her sister quest
- Jaheira's Harper quest
- Aerie's romance (the ToB part, although that takes *a lot* of real time)

I can't remember anyone else having a real time timer... Edwin does have a very long quest so you can take him as well to save a month worth of resting

 

nalia funeral quest is also time triggered

 

Korgan's book of Kaza, and Edwin's Nether Scroll have to be done either at the same time, or you have to do the Nether Scroll first, then the book, as if you do the book first the scroll is lost forever, or has then been fixed in a patch/mod.

I have the Prima Guide (store bought book) and it says to complete the two quests at the same time or the scroll is lost forever. If that is still the case, that would be something to be aware of while having Edwin and Korgan in the party or having Korgan in the party then picking Edwin up later. Or so the guide would have you believe. I usually do them at the same time anyways.

 

I suggest taking a rogue stone to the bridge district right off the bat. Perhaps do Lord Jierdan's quest -- be sure to challenge him for being such a jerk when you meet up with him.

 

I was thinking I'd do something like this. I've decided to take a half-orc Barbarian, since I haven't really tried either due to the fact that I usually import from BG1. I'm going to ignore the circus for the moment and go to the Copper Coronet. Recruit Nalia and Anomen, since they have quests that take time. Then go to the temple district, and replace Minsc with Keldorn. As I'm not ready for the "unseeing eye" quest, I'll leave and to go save Nalia's keep. Hopefully I'll rescue the Harper en route and have to goto the docks. While doing that, I'll get Jaheria poisoned and track down Ployer before once again trying to save the keep. Once I complete that, I should be able to afford the Shield of Baluran, which makes the Unseeing Eye quest doable for a low-level party. That will satisfy Keldorn and also start limiting his time.

Next, I'm thinking Windspar Hills for two reasons. One, so Keldorn can use Carsomyr for the limited time he is with me, and two his comments of recognizing Adjantis. Which, I think is a bug, since Adjantis should be recognized by Charname and Jaheria, (Imoen too, but she's in spellhold). I'm just not sure if I can take on Firkraag without using Yoshimo's (and nalia's) traps. Well, it will be an interesting challange.

Hopefully by now, Jaheria will leave temporarily. My initial though was to pick up Korgan and do his quest, since it doesn't take too long. The problem is the comments about it screwing up Edwin's quest. Any advice on who I can do quickly while Jaheria is gone besides Korgan? The other obvious one is Haer'Dalis, but I was going to hold off on that until after I got Aerie, so I could get the message about Quayle asking for help. I wasn't going to do the Circus quest until after I finished some other NPC quests and kicked the NPCs out of the party.
Here's what I see the party looking like at this point
Charname, Yoshimo, Keldorn, Jaheria, Anomen, Nalia
With the last four all waiting for their quests to complete. Jaheria temporarily leaves on a quest, as I mentioned before, so I'd want somebody whose quest I can complete quickly. Any advice on who to recruit to fill the void Jaheria left?


EDIT

Oh, I forgot, I should recruit Jan ASAP and kick out Yoshimo. Even before doing the other quests. I forgot he's got a quest of his own since I almost never use him in SoA. Simply because I feel I'm forced to use him in ToB due to the fact that there aren't any other decent thevies. By a similar token, I'm stuck with Yoshimo in SoA since I can't use him in ToB. Not to mention Yoshi is less annoying.

 

By the way, my last recommendations were tongue-in-cheek -- those are two of the toughest fights in the game.

You can get Jaheira back almost immediately. Her romance is the most time consuming and the most beneficial xp wise.

Take as much time as you want and do as many quests as you feel like -- Imoen isn't going anywhere and nothing will happen to her no matter how long you take. Typical starting quests:

The Circus Tent
The Slavers in the Copper Coronet (and under)
Murders in the Bridge District

These will net a reasonable amount of xp's. I know you wanted to do the circus later.

You should then focus on your stronghold quests. Where you go from there depends on your class and party members.

 

I do that quest fairly early. So long as someone have revive dead you ok. It damn near impossible if you cant quickly revive someone.

I think it only bugs out if you do the book first then go get Edwin, if you were to get edwin, get the scroll then get Korgan, then get the book it should be fine.


And there is Cernd. I forget how long his quest takes, not long if I recall.

 

Cernd's quest triggers as soon as you enter Waukeen's Promenade with him in party, so you can do that one very quickly. He leaves party afterwards (you can get him back at the Druid Grove again, if wanted) so it saves you having to boot him out after.

I must admit I generally only bother taking Cernd, Keldorn, Valygar and Korgan as temporary NPCs to do their quests (if I don't intend to keep them in that game) as the other folks' quests are time triggered so that means their sucking party XP while you wait for them.

My usual method of approach is: clear out the graveyard with your core party (if that includes Edwin, then I'll try to do the Mae'var quests first to get him early, then take him straight to the graveyard. The Nether Scroll quest takes a while to get through. nb if you are playing the Edwin romance, the Nether Scroll quest takes longer to trigger as a certain number of lovetalks must happen first. But you don't need to worry about that with vanilla Eddy).
Only after I've cleared out all those monsters do I go and get Korgan, as I don't want him sucking XP. Then I do his quest and dump him.

If I'm not keeping Keldorn, I will take him from the sewers and then go straight to the Government district to get his quest. I reunite him with his wife and then I'll go deal with the Unseeing Eye.

Cernd - similar again. I don't take him to do the druid quest. However, if I don't have Jaheira in party, I will pick him just before I meet Faldorn, and have him fight her. I will get get the party reward from Lord Logan with him in party, but won't do the other quests in Trademeet. Instead I'll either dump him and pick him up later, or take him straight to Athkatla to do his quest.

Valygar is the one exception to this rule. I'll often play through the entire game with him as I like him, but if not, I'll at least complete the whole Planar Sphere with him there as it's more meaningful if he is.

 

lol I noticed that one too T2. When you mentioned the Rogue Stone I thought... "really?"

 

what is her harper quest? the only quest i've ever gotten for her is tracking down that guy that curses her. is that the one? or am i missing something?

 

akridian: Not the same as the cursed quest -- so, yes, you missed something. Jaheira has quite an extensive quest with the Harpers. It is one of the better written quests and has Jaheira leaving your party for time. You need to do the Monteron and Xan quest first. Jaheira will be called to Harper's Hold when you rest and will return the next day. Just do what she says. You do not need to be romancing Jaheira, but the romance makes the quest more interesting.