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So, after finding one of my BG1 disks stuffed behind the computer screen, I figured i'd play through BG - ToB. Basically, I want a fun party to do it with. I'm thinking of taking a Bard PC this time, any suggestions/thoughts?

Edit:
I don't really want to play an evil party

[ February 17, 2006, 18:49: Message edited by: Firey ]

 

Uh, could you be a bit more specific? Are you asking about the character selection? or the party? or equipment selection? or alignment? Not really sure what you mean.

 

All of the above really. I'm probably going to play a NG main character, but further than that I haven't really planned much.

 

Well give us some ideas as to what type of character you want to create and then it'll be easier for people to analyse it 4 ya! Give us some heavy info and then people will flood this post with ideas

 

Actually, we might be able to do something with this. ^ Build a party first for maximum fun, and then figure out what PC would fill the gap(s). And of course we can always skew it towards a bard PC if that's what you're aiming for.

My first suggestion: Minsc and Jan. Always Minsc and Jan. Their banters together are utterly priceless, and both of them have great banters with everyone else too.

After that, maybe you could tell us:
-who you've played with before & who you haven't
-who you positively despise (ex. "I don't really want to play an evil party" could mean either you don't want all evil characters or you don't want any at all???)
-whether you'd be willing to give an NPC mod a try
-what mods you already have or are planning to use, for that matter
-Romances you've tried? Romances you want to try? Romances whose very existence makes you feel sick?

 

Well said Fel! Hand us that info and then we can help you to create the most fun party possible!

 

There aren't any really funny NPCs in BG. Quayle and Tiax, though not gotten until Chapter 5, are amusing. Safana talks a bit with Eldoth (bard, not gotten until Cloakwood).

Funny in BG2 - Minsc, Jan and Anomen. Jan period as he picks on everyone.

 

I have no idea atall why this was moved to the BG2 forum...

 

Well playing a bard should be fun. Do you have Song&Silence mod? It adds new and spiffy Bard kits, bard items and a bardic shop! Rogues Rebalancing mod also adds new HLAs for bards, which are better than shady thief HLAs. You definitely need to have them!

I never tried Jan, but I really want to take him next time as I heard he is funny...to some extent. Then again Minsc&Boo are always fun.

 

Um, because you metioned ToB?

Seriously, we need more info if we're to help you properly, CJ.

 

I'm looking for help on the BG1 side of things >.< I plan to play a bard, in a neutral/good party. All i've really decided so far is that I do NOT want to take Viconia or Edwin along. I'm basically after tips concerning stats, equipment, and party build.

 

I am not familiar with BG1, but as for BG2 I can give you a bit of advice:

Playing a bard is neat, if you plan to be a Blade, get 18 STR DEX and 16 CON. Others do not need brutal STR, but any bonus is bonus. Int is important for learning spels, but you can always lower difficulty or gulp potions of genius when scribing spells. Cha is not very important, and they can'T even have lower than 15 CHA, so no need to pump more. Wis is neat to have for lore, but since most bards swim in lore, your call...

Bards can use every weapon type, so get shortbow or longbow, there are neat shortbows in the game, and special arrows (cold, fire, dispelling, DETONATION!) are always useful. For melee, pick whatever you like, scimitars are cool as there is a good +2 one with bonus attack early in the game, butt hen you will need something more potent. Longswords are OK.

Once you get UAI, equip lovely mage robes for protection. Until then, Melodic Chain/Elven Chains are the best stuff you can find.

For party, Jaheira is the best tank you can find, she is definitely defensive, and is hard to kill once she gets right items and spells. Plus she will romance you, her romance is very interesting and by all means MOST rewarding romance out there!

For offensive power, Minsc and Korgan are bone-breakers, they are very useful, but Korgan is evil, so keep your rep under 18.

Anomen is neat tank and capable healer. Imoen is your sibling and childhood friend so I think a good PC will never leave her, she is OK mage too! Valygar is decent enough, with stealth, some mage spells and minor backstab. He is not a tank though. Nally Nalia is the only good mage you can find early on.

 

Yeh Bards can become quite powerful in the later stages of the game, well Blades can anyway. Jack of all Trades ... but they do a pretty damn good job of it. After a bit of level progression you can become quite the tank, gaining valuable higher level spells like stoneskin, improved invisibility, etc and coupled with 2 weapon fighting and the aggressive stance which enables full damage is extremely useful.

In BG1 there's not much really that you can do, but as long as your strength and constitution is up (like Silver said) you'll be fine for that duration. Although make sure you have a bit of protection because bards are quite weak in the early stages.

As for your party, you're going to need a tank, a healer and a wizard. Sooo, i guess you could take Minsc, Jaheria and Immy and the rest could be up to you. Nalia untill you get Immy again or perhaps Jan if you want someone a little more evil. I'm not really a good help on Good/Neutral parties because I'm more of an evil man!

 

Here's some BG advice, since no one's giving any.

Party makeup:
PC bard
Imoen
Jaheira
Minsc/Kivan/Khalid/Ajantis
Dynaheir
Branwen

Depending on who you want as a tank, (I've given 4 choices) have Khalid or Minsc die or leave them in a building you won't go into again so you can keep their partners. Personally, I find Kivan's racial enemy of ogres more helpful than Minsc's gnolls. I took Kivan myself. Ajantis has the high Charisma of a pally, plus Detect Evil, Lay of Hands and Prot. from Evil, but he gets annoying after a point with his cries for Helm.

Keep Imoen a thief. A bard and Dynaheir can handle the magic.

Some stats for your bard:
Halfelf NG
Str 10
Dex 18
Con 15-16
Int 16-18
Wis 10+
Cha 18
Weapon proficiencies: missile weapons, two handed sword

This is around a 90 roll, which takes time. Make sure you have the Charisma maxxed so you can be the talker to the shopkeeps and for the stronghold in BG2. When you get the money, buy the Light Crossbow of Speed at Thunderhammer smithy. I would have you wield Spider's Bane for the free action; equip it and start singing! Armor - you can wear chain for a couple levels, then go to bracers. Use the shield ammy bought in Nashkel carnival.

Spells - You'll want to learn Sleep, Blur and Mirror Image. I would also learn Identify just in case. Friends for that extra discount while shopping. You can pick what you like, but these I strongly recommend.

 

Now THAT was what I was after I've got a problem with the party suggestion though, in that I can't stand Jaheira. I thought about taking:

PC Bard
Imoen
Minsc
Ajantis
Dynaheir
Branwen

I'm just concerned that Branwen might struggle without someone else to dish out extra healing.

 

The healers in BG are Jaheira, Branwen, Yeslick (Cloakwood mines), Faldorn (Cloakwood) and Quayle (Baldur's Gate). Since Jaheira bugs you, I would go with Faldorn as you can get her sooner than the other 3. Unless you want Viconia, who is evil but available early.

I have 2 priest types myself, but that's just me.

 

I swore to myself that I wouldn't take along Viconia, so I gurss it's Faldorn

 

Well I would guess Faldorn is even more bitchy, though I do not know. I never played BG1.

 

Ajantis can do a bit of healing with Lay on Hands, so that may not be a problem. You could always switch Ajantis out for Faldorn later, or even just leave the spot open for her, but you'll be short on tanks. Minsc'd have to be practically the only one, with Branwen being a backup (not that she can't, by any means, but...). I'd say stick with your first idea and forget about Faldorn.

 

Wait a sec, isn't there a mod that puts all the NPCs at convenient starting locations around the FAI?