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Baldur's Gate seriesBG(T)2 evil party(33 posts)(33 posts)
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Posted October 30, 2015
Not a lot of NPCs to choose from when going evil, but the only time I've played through the whole series was with a super-good party, so I want to go with evil this time.

Korgan, Edwin and Viconia are the obvious choices, in addition to my sorcerer self. Imoen kind of buggers off for a while, I don't fancy Yoshimo for... reasons, so we need a thief. Jan seems to fit the bill best, even if that makes us a bit heavy on mages.

I've then been struggling for a 6th party member. In the evil playthrough that stranded in the Underdark a good while back I took Haer'Dalis, but he was a bit underwhelming, squishy, and bards kind of suck (and he's not that easy to recruit). Then thought about Jaheira. She definitely feels 'good' in my book, but is technically neutral, and would add another fighter to the group. Unfortunately druids kind of suck too, they were better in IWD, though Ironskins and Insect Plague are pretty sweet spells.

However, do I really need a 6th person? With one full playthrough under my belt I'm hardly experienced, but maybe the slightly faster levelling will compensate for less fire power?
Posted October 30, 2015
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Pangaea666: Not a lot of NPCs to choose from when going evil, but the only time I've played through the whole series was with a super-good party, so I want to go with evil this time.

Korgan, Edwin and Viconia are the obvious choices, in addition to my sorcerer self. Imoen kind of buggers off for a while, I don't fancy Yoshimo for... reasons, so we need a thief. Jan seems to fit the bill best, even if that makes us a bit heavy on mages.

I've then been struggling for a 6th party member. In the evil playthrough that stranded in the Underdark a good while back I took Haer'Dalis, but he was a bit underwhelming, squishy, and bards kind of suck (and he's not that easy to recruit). Then thought about Jaheira. She definitely feels 'good' in my book, but is technically neutral, and would add another fighter to the group. Unfortunately druids kind of suck too, they were better in IWD, though Ironskins and Insect Plague are pretty sweet spells.

However, do I really need a 6th person? With one full playthrough under my belt I'm hardly experienced, but maybe the slightly faster levelling will compensate for less fire power?
The obvious solution to your thief problem is to play one yourself, maybe as F/T. That would leave you with one spot to think about, assuming you're saving a spot for Imoen. Jaheira is integral to the storyline, like Imoen, so it makes sense to go for her rather than the squishy bard. Or you could look at npc mods.
Posted October 30, 2015
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Hickory: The obvious solution to your thief problem is to play one yourself, maybe as F/T. That would leave you with one spot to think about, assuming you're saving a spot for Imoen. Jaheira is integral to the storyline, like Imoen, so it makes sense to go for her rather than the squishy bard. Or you could look at npc mods.
I'm playing a sorcerer, so won't change that as I've taken him through BG1. That's why I was thinking about Jan. He's also funny, which helps. I hadn't planned on taking Imoen back on board, but that's an option, particularly if I go with a 5-member party until then. From what I recall, Jaheira had a big personal quest, so she might be interesting to include again, even if I do look at her as a "good" character.

Don't recall Jan's starting skills in traps and locks, but if those are okay, think I'll include him.

Bit odd how much different XP people will join with. Jaheira started with 161,000, while Minsc had 800,000. Rather big difference at this stage of the game.

Will think some more about it, but perhaps sticking with Jaheira is okay. Don't recall the details, but having one person strongly connected to the story could be an advantage, considering I don't plan on including Imoen once she's back.
Posted October 30, 2015
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Pangaea666: Bit odd how much different XP people will join with. Jaheira started with 161,000, while Minsc had 800,000. Rather big difference at this stage of the game.
Wait... you're playing BGT. They should have the exact XP earned during BG1. Even if you never used either, Minsc should also have 161,000 -- that 800,000 figure is two 'creature file' levels above starting level. That would make that a big bug.
Posted October 30, 2015
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Pangaea666: Bit odd how much different XP people will join with. Jaheira started with 161,000, while Minsc had 800,000. Rather big difference at this stage of the game.
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Hickory: Wait... you're playing BGT. They should have the exact XP earned during BG1. Even if you never used either, Minsc should also have 161,000 -- that 800,000 figure is two 'creature file' levels above starting level. That would make that a big bug.
I think it's based on the level of the PC when you meet the characters. My sorcerer had just tipped 250,000 XP, so was level 10 at the beginning of BG2. So with that in mind it fits with the various creature files for Jaheira and Minsc. If they are supposed to have the XP they had in the BG1 portion, however, they'd be massively underpowered, maybe 2000XP each. It came out a bit odd here, though, with such a big difference. Also, I do wonder what happens with Imoen. She started how she ended BG1, as a pure thief with around 250k XP, so it was a bit amusing to see magic missiles from her hands in the cutscene. When I find her again, if she stays exactly the same, she'll be well underpowered, but if one of the creature files is used, she'll be a mage.
Posted October 30, 2015
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Hickory: Wait... you're playing BGT. They should have the exact XP earned during BG1. Even if you never used either, Minsc should also have 161,000 -- that 800,000 figure is two 'creature file' levels above starting level. That would make that a big bug.
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Pangaea666: I think it's based on the level of the PC when you meet the characters. My sorcerer had just tipped 250,000 XP, so was level 10 at the beginning of BG2. So with that in mind it fits with the various creature files for Jaheira and Minsc. If they are supposed to have the XP they had in the BG1 portion, however, they'd be massively underpowered, maybe 2000XP each. It came out a bit odd here, though, with such a big difference. Also, I do wonder what happens with Imoen. She started how she ended BG1, as a pure thief with around 250k XP, so it was a bit amusing to see magic missiles from her hands in the cutscene. When I find her again, if she stays exactly the same, she'll be well underpowered, but if one of the creature files is used, she'll be a mage.
The whole point of BGT is that your character and those that transfer to BG2 do so with precisely the XP, stats, health etc. that they had in BG1. There is no swapping out; if Jaheira and Minsc were in your BG1 party, they should be in BG2 just as they were... just as Imoen is. I think if they are not in your party they get a 'reevaluation', but otherwise no.

Regarding Imoen, don't worry about her XP. When you meet up with her again she gets a generous XP boost to 'catch up'.
Posted October 30, 2015
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Hickory: The whole point of BGT is that your character and those that transfer to BG2 do so with precisely the XP, stats, health etc. that they had in BG1. There is no swapping out; if Jaheira and Minsc were in your BG1 party, they should be in BG2 just as they were... just as Imoen is. I think if they are not in your party they get a 'reevaluation', but otherwise no.

Regarding Imoen, don't worry about her XP. When you meet up with her again she gets a generous XP boost to 'catch up'.
They weren't in my party in BG1, so that would be why. Looks like BGT then use the creature files at various levels, and base it on the level of the PC. Minsc then happens to start at 800,000 XP, which is a bit out of whack. I dropped Minsc and Jaheira pretty quickly in BG1, and played with Sorcerer-PC, Kagain, Imoen, Edwin, Kivan and Viconia.

Had intended to try to romance Viconia, but then I remember: I'm an Elf. She won't be too cool with that. Not a big fan of romance in these games tbh, but may as well try it, so would then need Jaheira. Not the worst fit I reckon. She can sort of do as a backup fighter, together with Viconia, and I remember that Insect Plague was pretty handy to toss at mages. The massive gap between level 14 and 15 is rather yuck-worthy.
Posted October 30, 2015
An evil party is much easier to do in the Enhanced Editions. In addition to Korgan, Viconia, and Edwin, you also get Dorn and Hexxat. There are not a lot of options for an Evil Party otherwise.
Posted October 31, 2015
When I played an evil party, I just stuck with PC (Thief), Edwin, Viconia and Korgan - 4-person party levelled quickly enough and was actually easier for many parts than a 6-person party. It's also a well-rounded team.
If your PC is a sorcerer, I'd add Jan/Imoen and forget the 6th slot. If you're keen on having 6 though, maybe take Jan until you get Imoen and Jaheira.
Posted October 31, 2015
Thanks for the advice. I've played a bit now and have rounded out the party with PC-sorcerer, Korgan, Viconia, Edwin, Jan and Jaheira. Works okay so far, but I'm still in the beginning, and have hardly done anything beyond picking up these people.

In BG2, even via BGT, aren't you supposed to get x thousand XP per spell you scribe? Edwin learnt Mislead, and we only got 60xp for it. Pretty sure this was supposed to be 6000?
Posted October 31, 2015
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Pangaea666: In BG2, even via BGT, aren't you supposed to get x thousand XP per spell you scribe? Edwin learnt Mislead, and we only got 60xp for it. Pretty sure this was supposed to be 6000?
BG2 gives ridiculous amounts of XP, so BGT incorporated an experience nerf (DEF JAM?) for things like scrolls, lock picking, traps etc. If you really feel you need those back, get hold of the BGT Tweak pack, which has an option to restore XP bonuses.
Posted October 31, 2015
Theres also Anomen... just fail his test and he should fit right in if Jaheira dies?
Posted October 31, 2015
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Pangaea666: In BG2, even via BGT, aren't you supposed to get x thousand XP per spell you scribe? Edwin learnt Mislead, and we only got 60xp for it. Pretty sure this was supposed to be 6000?
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Hickory: BG2 gives ridiculous amounts of XP, so BGT incorporated an experience nerf (DEF JAM?) for things like scrolls, lock picking, traps etc. If you really feel you need those back, get hold of the BGT Tweak pack, which has an option to restore XP bonuses.
Not a big deal, I suppose, but thought it was odd with so little xp for scribing spells when the game tosses out pretty high rewards for quests. When you soon get over a million XP throughout BG2, ~50 for a spell is practically nothing. Won't bother to do anything about it, I just found it odd and therefore commented. I've heard it's best to not introduce new mods in the middle of a game too.
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ussnorway: Theres also Anomen... just fail his test and he should fit right in if Jaheira dies?
It's an option at least, but Anomen is viciously annoying, so I'd pretty soon just want to kill him off anyway! :D
Post edited October 31, 2015 by Pangaea666
Posted November 01, 2015
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Pangaea666: Thanks for the advice. I've played a bit now and have rounded out the party with PC-sorcerer, Korgan, Viconia, Edwin, Jan and Jaheira. Works okay so far, but I'm still in the beginning, and have hardly done anything beyond picking up these people.

In BG2, even via BGT, aren't you supposed to get x thousand XP per spell you scribe? Edwin learnt Mislead, and we only got 60xp for it. Pretty sure this was supposed to be 6000?
What happened to the proficiencies of the characters you didn't play with in BG1 that you have now (so Jaheira, Korgan and Jan)? I'm playing through BGT, still at the start of BG1, and I was wondering if you think I should get a party filled with characters that are also in BG2 (for example Minsc, Viconia and Edwin) or just play whatever party I want and then start a new one at the start of BG2? The reason why I asked about the proficiencies is because I want to know what the consequences are of doing the latter (play whatever party I want).

I'm keeping Imoen no matter what, though.
Post edited November 01, 2015 by Aymoz
Posted November 01, 2015
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Aymoz: What happened to the proficiencies of the characters you didn't play with in BG1 that you have now (so Jaheira, Korgan and Jan)? I'm playing through BGT, still at the start of BG1, and I was wondering if you think I should get a party filled with characters that are also in BG2 (for example Minsc, Viconia and Edwin) or just play whatever party I want and then start a new one at the start of BG2? The reason why I asked about the proficiencies is because I want to know what the consequences are of doing the latter (play whatever party I want).

I'm keeping Imoen no matter what, though.
You will *always* start a new party at the beginning of BG2. Imoen, Jaheira and Minsc are in the same dungeon, but it is up to you who you take and who you don't. There is no consequence that matters, since the XP awarded in BG2 is just ridiculous. Whoever you take will earn enough to catch up, unless your BG1 party is *way* overpowered. A typical 'new' character at the bottom level in BG2 will get 161,000 xp. As you level up, so the NPCs you encounter will keep up to a degree -- there are different versions to match your level.
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Baldur's Gate seriesBG(T)2 evil party(33 posts)(33 posts)
(33 posts)