Yet another mod suggestion query

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OK, I know there are a zillion of these sorts of threads already but I can't find one that answers my exact question, and you experts love showing off how much you know, so here goes.

As some of you know, I managed to complete BGII once about a year ago, using a Kensai/Thief and doing the Anomen romance.

I am considering picking up this game again to play and need to decide whether I should play the vanilla game again (given that there was plenty of vanilla content I somehow missed) or whether I should install a mod (or mods) for some variety (given that this may well be the only other time I play it).

I am likely to want to try a different sort of character, with a different party (i.e. not Minsc and Keldorn), and a different romance. I'm not interested in mods that make the game super-hard (it was hard enough first time around.)

Advice welcomed.

 

I' suprised one of our Experts hasn't posted here. As a non-expert my suggestion would be Ease-of-Use but not everything. I mainly like it for the stacking and bags. Do not use the Romance-anyone. I don't think you would like it.

 

Thanks Nakia! I have taken your advice and installed the Ease-of-Use as it seems to make things easier without changing too much. I have only selected a few of the inventory management options and the ones that claim to fix bugs and rebalance things.

 

UB and Quest Pack are definite keepers, as far as adding content goes. G3 tweaks has a couple "essential" tweaks. One of the components will set all dialogue to pause the game so you won't get attacked without being able to defend yourself because you have a dialogue screen up. I also think the Banter Packs over at Pocket Plane group are a great way to freshen up the game. There are a lot of other mods I'd also reccomend, but I kinda got the impression that you aren't particularly interested in playing with more than just a few mods.

 

I don't mind "adding" content so long as I don't "change" too much of the existing content, given that there are plenty of things that I completely missed first time around (like Kangaxx, Carsomyr, Crom Faeyr, Edwin, Korgan, Aerie etc etc)

 

I'm hesitant to post because HB left it way too open.

-He doesn't want a K->T: there are dozens of other classes out there
-He doesn't want to romance Anomen: dozens of romance mods and the three Bioware romances, and a non-romance doesn't necessarily preclude Anomen
-Doesn't want Minsc and Keldorn: doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't want either, possibly just not both.
-No experience with mods, and even unsure if he should just play the vanilla game again.

Really, the possibilities are near endless, so I'm not sure what to recommend. But I'll give it a shot...

EoU and no other mods except maybe an NPC mod or two (the best ones can be found at PPG). A party of Minsc, Jan, Viconia, Edwin, and Jaheira (or mod NPC), with a PC Inquisitor. Maybe even make room for Sarevok in ToB.

Now, feel free to shoot it apart with a list of the stuff you don't like.

 

I guess I want to know if there are mods that I should install that will make the game better (not harder) without removing anything that I haven't seen yet in the vanilla game.

I think Ease-of-Use fits into that category as, for example, missing out on having my inventory slots all taken up with arrows is not much of a loss.

Nakia is right that I wouldn't like the 'romance anyone' option in that mod.

As far as the Minsc / Keldorn comment, I was really saying that my last party was mostly made up of Keldorn, Minsc, Anomen, Viconia, and Nalia - so for variety's sake, I would be looking to try and steer clear of having these people as the core of my next party. By the same token, I will not playing as an Inquisitor because I effectively played the whole game with one last time (by controlling Keldorn).

 

G-3 tweaks I would recommend. Not sure about the others. You have played the game through only once. (I followed that thread avidly) You may think that you will only play it through one more time but if they don't come up with a really good CRPG soon you may want to play it again next year.

 

What do the G3 Tweaks do?

Actually, one thing I could with is Thief NPC. I place a lot of reliance on Thieves in this game (one of the reasons I went for the Kensai / Thief last time). I was considering going for a Swahbuckler this time but decided not to because that would not actually be that different from my last character. I had Jan for large part of my last party too and will use him again if I have to, but if there is another good NPC thief out there I could install, that would help.

I'm not interested in just multiplayer-ing another thief because I think that kind of defeats the purpose of playing BGII.

 

Check this

Just scroll down the page until you come to G3 tweaks Lots of other mods also described.

 

OK - let me rephrase the question. What is it about the G3 tweaks that you find so useful / fun?

 

Instead of Minsc if you don't mind mixing alignments then take Korgan.

 

Well, I don't mind mixing alignment, but I guess it's more a case of whether the NPCs mind mixing alignments. In my last game, Keldorn and Viconia kept trying to kill each other and I cheated somewhat by reloading whenever that happened because I was too far gone into the Underdark to be able to find another cleric (given that Anomen had run off by that time).

 

I didn't install everything from G3.

"Shadows of Amn World Map Fixes, Change Magically Created Weapons to Zero Weight, Force All Dialogue to Pause" Supposedly it fixes some things that didn't get fixed in the original. [shrug]

You can pick what you want. I didn't use "learn all spells" or "Identify all items" Just didn't seem right to me. Didn't use the "allow heavy armour for thieves" either. I know it's p&p but I don't like it.

 

The mods I mentioned are so seamless you'll barely notice they are there at all. I'm really picky about that kind of thing. You will miss nothing important by having Quest Pack installed and UB is adding stuff that got cut from BG2 due to time constraints and the like. Trust me on Quest Pack and UB. They are the most professionally made quest mods available. The Banter Pack is every inch as seamless as the other stuff I mentioned as well, so don't hesitate to download that one, either.

 

OK then, next question: can the mods you have mentioned be installed after you have started a game? In other words, what happens to a saved game if it is opened into a modded application?

Also, without spoiling anything too much, can you give me a brief example of the sort of the thing that Quest Pack and UB add to the game?

 

Well of the party that Felinoid suggested. Korgan actually solves a problem that could arise depending on how you arrange your group because Minsc and edwin can get into it. It's easy enough to avoid but you get basically all of Minsc's strengths without somebody to quarrel at all with that I'm aware of taking Korgan as a tank instead. then you only have to listen to him complain about alignment.

Viconia and Cernd are really the two best divine spell Casters. Cernd's kit makes up for a large part of his weaknesses but Viconia has a couple of things that only a cleric can have. Viconia or Jaheira would be your love interest. If you decided to romance Jaheira she is a multi-class but she does come with a ressurection spell. Cernd level wise slows down at that level 15 point for a while but he makes up for it pretty well into ToB. So you might consider him for a bit more of an option to try something a little different from the core game.

 

Cernd certainly would be different as I did not even meet him last time I played (clearly he must live somewhere that is completely non-essential to the plot). Problem is that I was considering being a Cleric / Ranger - and given that the love interests are all divine spell casters, that doesn't leave much room for a third diviner. Of course, there's no rule that says you have to have a perfectly balanced party . . . . .

 

Korgan's better, but Minsc is funny. I'd rather drop the Thayvian than Boo; you simply cannot miss out on Minsc and Jan. Hmm, with an R/C in mind...

R/C
Jaheira (romance)
Minsc
Jan
YoshImoen (good plotline )
Valygar?

 

Well, I have installed Ease of Use and most of Unfinished Business. That all seemed like a heck of lot of stuff so I didn't get around to G3 or Quest Pack.

I started a Cleric / Ranger because I figured this character would best be able to handle any indecision or changes I might make to future party composition plans.

Man, I forgot how much effort it was to manage everyone's inventory with so few slots to choose from! I've been spoiled with Neverwinter Nights!