What's Up With NPC Attributes From Bg1 to Bg2?

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It is about time I come with my standard Anniversary Question that noone can answer. This is number 1000 so I have made it a fun one. I want all your intrigueos inventive and geneous ideas on why and only why, 4 of the NPCs have had some more or less radical Changes in their Attributes. Ok lets start:

The worst case is Edwin
BG1: Str11 Dex13Con16Int17Wis15Cha12
BG2: Str10 Dex10Con16Int18Wis10Cha10

then the rest have some interesting changes

Minsc
BG1: Str18/93 Dex15Con15Int8Wis6Cha9
BG2: Str18/93 Dex16Con16Int8Wis6Cha9

and Viconia
BG1: Str10 Dex19Con8Int16Wis15Cha14
BG2: Str10 Dex19Con8Int16Wis18Cha14

Jaheira is a strong case too
BG1: Str15 Dex14Con17Int10Wis14Cha15
BG2: Str15 Dex17Con17Int10Wis14Cha15

Iomen is the only one who hasn't changed. And why is that so?

I really look forward to your tales, thus I won't post any ideas myself. Ok ramblers lets get rambling

 

Seems like Edwin sacrificed his wits for even more spells!

Minsc has grown old... and gotten CON? Ridiculous indeed!

Viconia really improved, but her stats are her least compliments...

Jaheira? Who's that?

I guess the designers wanted the player to stay with these NPCs (good stats, in particular Edwin and Viconia); perhaps to encourage the role-players?

 

Real reason: game-balancing. Edwin would have been a complete and total munchkin with really high stats in addition to his special abilities.

Tongue-in-cheek reasons: Well, Jaheira and Minsc's dexterities obviously increased during their captivity with Irenicus, as they tried feverishly (but unsuccessfully) to learn how to pick locks while handcuffed to the wall. Meanwhile, Viconia, originally clueless enough to think her race would not matter on the surface (as her original BG1 bio said), wised up once she was tied to a post and almost killed.

Edwin, meanwhile, became addicted to a computer game and didn't eat, bathe, or leave his room all year, thus sapping his strength and dexterity, tanking his charisma, and proving his lack of wisdom. He did gain a point of INT from solving the occasional algebra puzzle in the course of the game.

How's that? (-:

 

Maybe they found some tombs! As for Edwin, the drop in cha came from Minsc getting in a good slash across the face in the gnoll stronghold before he bolted!

 

well edwin could've been swinging the rod of terror around a little too much

 

It's not just the NPC stats that have changed, but some of their alignments too.

Minsc was Neutral Good in BG, but Chaotic Good in BG2 (IIRC), and I think Imoen's alignment changed.

 

Hmm, stat changes and alignment changes i could handle, but i always used a certain utility to make them moe like i had the NPC's at the end of BG, weapon proficiencies, thieving skill scores etc. Always wanted that sense of continuity i guess. Oh, and if i had used a tome on an NPC they got that attribute put up by 1 too.
Yes, i changed stats with *that* utility, but it was for roleplaying purposes so don't flame me. Anyone else ever do this?

 

Really?? I'm almost positive Minsc was chaotic good, at least in my bg 1(And no, no utility)because I remember thinking how the CG alignment fit him perfectly. And I also think Imoen was NG is both. I don't have BG installed right at the moment however, so I can't easily check...

 

I checked, and it is only Minsc's alignment which changes from NG to CG.

Thinking about this, it is probably due to Dynaheir getting killed...

[This message has been edited by Wildfire (edited October 03, 2001).]

 

or maybe one too many whacks to his head, right boo?

 

Edwin's stats are a logical consequence of his personality and circumstance. He's getting more powerful, and is personally involved in the Bhaal prophecy, so he studies his tomes, trying to figure out how to turn this to his advantage, gaining INT, but losing strength, CON and DEX through being too busy studying to eat, exercise and the like. Also, he becomes infatuated with his power and goes on a monstrous ego trip, losing wisdom and charisma. EDIT
Hmm, no CON, must have adapted to reading too much to get proper nourishment

[This message has been edited by Ironbeard (edited October 04, 2001).]

 

I can understand Viconia becoming wiser, and Jaheira becoming more agile (both from the standpoint of role-playing, and that of gaming balance). I can also uderstand Minsc's alignment change. But Edwin vegetating and LOSING stats?! That I don't get.

 

Sit in front of the computer and play BG for a year or two! I can see Edwin doing the same. Your stats drop quick,except Int because you think your smarter.

 

Edwin's main stat is intelligence, as he is the best mage there is, and knows it. Like Quayle (before Aerie) he obssesses about it, and hads to be smarter than everyone else to gain power. Therefore I can quite imagine him missing meals, sleep etc. and letting his body go to pot, just to spend another few hours with the grimoires revelling in the glory of his own mind. Also, from a game balance perspective, he is a great mage, making him have high points in non-essential attribtes would just be overkill.

 

Actually those stats posted as Edwin's original belonged to Minsc's witch, Dynaheir. His original stats were: str 9 dex 10 con 16 int 18 wis 9 cha 10. So, he improved in BG2, not much, but still improved.