Importance of Imoen to story?

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I haven't played BG2 in about 3 years, and even then I never got further than about 20 hours in (I just couldn't resist restarting with a slightly different character whenever I thought of one. . .). I'm currently playing BG1+TOTSC, and I'm about to finish it and start BG2. I really don't remember much story from BG2, but in BG1 I HATE Imoen. I'd really like to avoid using her in BG2, both because I want to play a thief/mage, making her redundant, and because she's so annoying. So can I get away with not using her, or will the story really suffer without her? I want the story to be as robust as possible, but if she does nothing more than add her innane comments to the events as they unfold, then I'm leaving her in spellhold, or killing her outright. Thanks in advance for your input.

 

She's an optional NPC just like all the others.

 

She's significantly less annoying than in the first Baldur's Gate. But... well, let's just say that it would be a tad taboo to romance her, all right?

Sentimentalist that I am, I can't bear to abandon her. Damn you, Neutral Good alignment.

 

dont want to spoil your fun ... do you know the storyline from elsewhere (you never finished the game yourself) ?

anyway you dont need to have her in your party.

 

She's not a must have unless you feel attached to her from the story itself, but she ends up being quite a good character and she is one of the most well developed NPCs that has a real personality and a life "in game". And as mentioned before, she is way less annoying than in BG1, in fact she's a whole different person...

 

After you get to her, she is not needed anymore (she is basically just a big surprise).

So yes, you can kill her if you want.

[ February 25, 2004, 11:28: Message edited by: GI ]

 

Only a bit Liked both of them, though.

Once you are out of Irenicus' Dungeon, you don't need her anymore.

 

She's only important to the point of her rescue. She is unnecessary and unneeded beyond that. Admittedly she is annoying but even I, an avid Imoen basher, don't kill her (not that the thought hadn't crossed my mind). Rescue her from Spellhold and send her on her way.

 

Imoen is like having peas with a roast meal... you don't have to have peas with a roast meal, but it just feels that bit more complete with peas. Of all the NPCs that have plot importance Imoen comes top, with Sarevok second, Yoshimo 3rd and behind him your love interest.

At least in my opinion.

 

Imoen in BG1 was an ugly, annoying woman with no personality or importance to speak of. In BG2 she changed into a far more intriguing personality, with good looks and obvious significance to the story.

Perhaps you remember enough of BG2 to know you still hated her there. But in my case, her transformation in BG2 made her so much more interesting she became a must in any BGx game I play. I think I've played only one game where I didn't invite her in. The game just seems so empty without her husky voice and comments, and without the ballet of her and the protagonist fighting alongside each other and saving each other's butts in combat.

 

I did not hate her that much in BG2, but after her constant brilliant BG1 interjections such as "Aren't you a Queer fellow", and "You're all a bunch of Buffle heads", I had to pass up her offer to " 'nick a whole purse of fun." My main reason for dimissing her now is that I do not need two thief/mages, but I really really want my protagonist to be one. So as long as I won't miss parts of the story without her, she's gone.

BTW: I hate ALL the NPC's you're assumed to have used, with the exception of Minsc of course . In BG1 I let them all die, or I just kick them out. Why can't Coran get dragged into the dungeon?

 

I quite like Imoen and have never found her that irritating. However, saying that I don't have her in the party that often. Most times when I've reached Spellhold I've had a full party who I've grown quite attached to so kicking one of them out to make way for Imoen just doesn't seem worth it.

 

I find that Yoshimo "leaving" gives me a perfect space for Imoen...

 

It was most likely designed that way, to give you added incentive to take Imoen with you after you rescue her from Spellhold.

 

I remember reading that somewhere. That's also why Imoen is basically the only thief NPC.

Bioware wants you to take Imoen with you.

 

How ironic, then, that she is such a crappy thief.

 

I concur. I use Imoen as my main magi more often then not.

BTW, much less annoying then in BG1. And the pink hair is a nice touch as well.

 

Imoen the only thief NPC? What about Yoshinmo? Granted, you only get him up to Spellhold but if you leave that till as late in the game as possible you can keep him in the party for 90% of SOA.

 

I usually alternate between using Nalia and Yoshimo as my thief, but I make sure I take Yoshimo with me to Spellhold so I have room for Imoen. The first time I went through I didn't even take a thief because CHARNAME fulfilled that role, so I had problems fitting Imoen in.

From a roleplaying point of view, CHARNAME always takes Imoen because she's CHARNAME's sister, just the way I always take Sarevok.

 

But what if CHARNAME is a Fighter/Mage, romancing Aerie a Cleric/Mage, and Jan Jansen a Mage/Thief is also coming along? She really isn't needed is she?