Proficiency Changes For NPCs.

Remove all ads!

I make due with the proficiencies some NPCs are assined but I am not always satisfied. Lately I have been considering changing thier *CRE File or maybe SK Them when they join my party. Here are some of my ideas. I would like alittle feedback so tell me what you think.

MINSC: Two Handed Swords** Ax** Mace* Two Handed Weapon Style* Two Weapon Style** (Bonus) or squeeze in Halberd or Flail somewhere.

JAHEIRA: Staff** Two Handed Weapon Style* Club* Scimitar* Sling* or Two Weapon Style* or use a Spear and Darts instead of a Sling sometime.

KELDORN: Two Handed Swords** Two Handed Weapon Style* Long Sword** Halberd* Crossbow*

HAER'DALIS: Short Sword** Dagger* Long bow* Two Weapon Style**

VALYGAR: Katana** Short Sword* Dagger* Spear** Two Handed Weapon Style* Two Weapon Style** (Bonus) or replace something with Long Sword or Flail.

ANOMEN: Flail*** War Hammer** Sling* Sword&Shield style*

IMOEN: Katana* Short bow* Single Weapon Style* Staff* Two Handed Weapon Style*

Well thats the worst ones, what do you think?

[ August 08, 2006, 10:37: Message edited by: Bassil Warbone ]

 

Sword & Shield Style is a wasted proficiency. All it gives you is -2 to missile AC per point; you could do better by grabbing the Fortress Shield or the Boots of Avoidance. Past that, it really depends on how you're going to use them and whether the futzing will make the game more enjoyable for you. If it does, go for it.

 

I usually play a strait SoA on this computer (My computer at home has ToB installed) no MODs other than a few Balderdash fixes. I was just wodering if anyone else out there was dissatisfied with some of the NPC proficiencies and if so how they would change them? BtW I agree about the Sword & Shield Style but his Dex. is so low I thought it would help him with avoiding spell casting interuptions from missle fire early on after his shield runs out of charges.

[ August 08, 2006, 10:43: Message edited by: Bassil Warbone ]

 

I too find the Sword & Shield proficiency useless but for a couple of exceptions. Single class thieves & druids might find them useful to provide some missle protection with their bucklers.

All in all, I'm fairly happy with the NPCs' proficiencies; however, I do wish that Anomen had received all the weapon slots that he should be allowed.

 

Looks to me that all you've done is given them the proficiencies they would have at or near the end of the game. I do notice you take one * from a weapon that normally has ** and put it elsewhere.

 

If you look closer I think you will find that they have * adding up to what they would have at level 9 except for HAER'DALIS, It would take him til' level 12.

Yeah, for instance JAHEIRA has ** in clubs but there are several good staves around pdq. Like the Saff mace +2 (dual weild), Staff of Curing +1,+2 to ac., Staffs of Striking +3, Staff spear +2, Martial Staff + 3, Cleric's Staff + 3, Staff of Rynn +4. all this and she is ** in clubs and waste a * in Sword&Shield style! OMG! And MINSC they could have given him ** in axes and put a second * in mace after he gets IMoD later on. All of them are poorly layed out IMO. MINSC doesn't need a bow when ther are some decent throwing axes in the game, but that is a matter of taste I guess. I could go on but I amstarting to suffer from the effects of my wounds. Give me an idea of how you like to alot thier proficiencies, pretty please

 

Proficiencies: Remove Sword and Shield where ever it rears it's ugly head (except for Anomen -- ugly and useless seem to fit his personality).

Minsc: Third * in two weapon. ** in long sword, ** in axe, * in either mace or flail.

Jaheira: either -- ** scimitar, ** club, ** slings
or -- ** spear, ** staff, ** sling
you could sub daggers or darts for sling.

Valygar: Third * in two weapon, ** in Katana, ** in Dagger, ** Long Bow.

Imoen and Nalia are each shorted a proficiency -- add short sword or long sword.

Anomen is shorted at least 4 proficiencies (he should start with 10 or so) -- flail is good place to put some, give a second * in sword and shield.

 

Jaheira can use Spears?

 

I'm pretty sure that she can, she just doesn't start with any proficiency points in them.

 

Yep. There just aren't * in it as she seems to be a shield+weapon kind of fighter.

 

@ T2Bruno: I think you see what I am saying, the NPC proficiencies are not distibuted well enough to give players the flexibility they need in order to explore different combat styles and weapon option. By the time you get most of the NPC's they only have about 3 or 4 open slots comming befor they max out. for the fighter types thats about 1 or 2 weapons or styles, maybe less. Players never get to experience a dual weilding MINSC because MINSC proficiency points are squandered in mace and longbow. One point would be fine, you could finish tem out later if you like but give options like a point in Halberd or flail. And JAHEIRA, she is amazing dual weilding BlackBlood & Belm or weilding a spear or staff with ** in the weapon proficiency and ** in Two Handed Weapon Style. But you really can't perfect these options without the ability to distribute some of her proficiency points. She only gets 2 more through out the whole game!

 

I agree -- it's as if the programmer were thinking 'what can do to mess with the player's head here'....

I change thing around with Minsc and Jaheira because it's just damn irritating to get them proficient in something in BG1 only to have them nonproficient in the weapons in BG2.

I play Minsc as an axe/longsword dual weilding demon -- it seems appropriate. Although he couldn't dual in BG1 he did use axes and longswords (and maces). I have changed him to a barbarian and the two handed sword routine is quite appropriate there.

 

Minsc and Jaheira are the two that I am apt to change. Sometimes I wonder if a different person worked on them and didn't bother to check what was done in BG1.

 

Yeah, Minsc and Jaheira are definitely the two worst offenders here!

 

With Minsc, I change him into a Bezerker (it fits him better than being a Ranger) and then usually give him 4* in Two-Handed Sword or Halberd and * in THWS. They suit Minsc better than what he is originally given.

 

No, it doesn't. He's a ranger and he has an animal companion to prove it.

 

Having Boo as a mentor and pet does not necessarily make him an animal companion. As to what Minsc's class should be, this issue is a bit too clouded (and sometimes heated) for me to want to get into.

 

"The bars! They bend and twist with my berserker strength! Etc..." Any more doubt as to what class Minsc should have been? After all, these are his own words...

 

Actually, yes there is doubt, and understandably so. For one, Minsc isn't the brightest bulb in the game (in fact, it's a fair bet he's the dimmest), so I wouldn't trust his opinions on himself. Two, IC dialogue doesn't always rule the character sheet: Mazzy is a disciple of Arvoreen (implying priest or paladin)...no wait, she's a fighter; Valygar is dedicated to eliminating magic from the world (wizard slayer)...no wait, he's a stalker.

Three, and most importantly, Minsc comes from a barbarian tribe, and coincidentally, barbarians can berserk too. But barbarians very seldom consider themselves barbarians; the word implies being uncultured, whereas the barbarian would simply think that "normal" culture is ridiculous. And finally, though I think least importantly, Minsc is a ranger in the game. Even in BG1 they could have just made him a fighter (especially since his stats don't qualify him for ranger), defeating the idea that they didn't make him a Berserker only because there were no kits then.

To summarize, there are numerous reasons for any train of thought on what class/kit he should be, and saying (or implying) that there can be no doubt is simply ignoring most of the situation.

 

Minsc needs ** in mace for golem killing, ax is reserved for Korgan