Hello everyone!

Throughout both BG games, was there a point where you accidentally took on more than you can handle?

For me it was:

BG1:

- attacking the gnoll fortress at second level
- fighting the helmed horrors outside of Durlag's castle at first level
- thinking my 1st level mage with 2 hp would be fine on his own

BG2:

- fighting Firkragg for the first time
- fighting Kangaxxx for the first time

Edit: formatting

I don't know about 'accidentally', but the first time I ever played the games -- I don't read guides:

BG1
- Thinking that going toe-to-toe with wolves and bears in Lion's Way was a simple matter. Durp!
- Not taking traps, and hence scouting, seriously

BG2
- Thinking Pebblecrusher and his cronies would be a pushover because, hey, they're in the first area, right? Ouch!

BG1:

Wolves right after Imoen joined you with my amazing Fighter.
Bears.
Some mercenary group. I am with full group at level 4. They are only 4 people. What can go wrong? (And they decimated me)

My thief, Imoen, Khalid, and Jaheria got eaten by a pair of wolves in melee at level 1.

And Pebblecrusher! Gah!

That damn Tarnesh, on the steps of the Friendly Arm Inn. I dig Magic Missile, unless someone is casting it at me and I got like 10 HP. I try to play these games without getting smoked once. That dude was one of my few reloads paying BG1.

Also, my favorite moment of any of the games was when I first found a magic Long Sword +1. I loved how the early levels of BG1 always kept you on your toes, when a typical wilderness with typical wolves and bears (and your dozen or less HP) made simple travel feel treacherous and thrilling, and reaching the FA Inn was a sincere relief (until that damn Tarnesh "greets" you!).

Will a PC game ever feel as great as Baldur's Gate did during Christmas 1998? Ever?

Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn did!


:)

XP is distributed evenly between party members, as far as I know, and I could not find any reliable source saying otherwise. Of course, party members can have different total XP values, and usually do, because they join the party with a fixed amount. In the end, all will usually hit the cap, though.

Anyway, I always loved the low-level atmosphere of BG1, the feeling that everything in the wilderness can kill you, and every +1 item is a treasure. In fact, one of the things that I was a little bit disappointed in BG2 at first was that there really was no extensive wilderness as there was in the first one, which almost had an open world aspect to it. But soon I realized that BG2 had far more interesting locations instead, where it also made more sense to meet enemies more equal to my characters' level.

Of course, running into fights with enemies which were too strong for me at the time happened once in a while. Although because the areas in BG2 are somewhat more restricted, it has a more linear course, and things like the fight with Firkraag are more of an exception. Still, you can always find plenty of challenges.

I remember the first time fighting the shadow dragon really was an exciting experience, though I don't know if my characters really were too weak for it or I just didn't have enough experience fighting dragons. ;-P

Anyway, one thing I won't forget is that the first time fighting Firkraag I managed to petrify him, which made the fight a little easier. XD Though it might have cost me some of the items he is carrying.

Curious though, in BG2 can you carry over your people from the prior game or is it a total fresh start? I also because it's GoG have the add-on package in BG1 too, I checked the menu and it didn't appear to allow carry over on that one at all either and just came up with 6 generic people to bother with, kind of makes me not want to bother when BG1 is over and just jump to BG2.

Assuming original version with no BG1-in-BG2 mods:

You can carry over your main character (only). You get to re-pick your proficiencies, and I believe you can choose a kit for your character. Mages and Bards, I believe, get to pick a new set of starting spells (but lose the spells they learned in BG1).

Technically, your equipment makes the transfer; however, the game takes away your equipment at the start of BG2 before you gain control. (It is possible to keep it if you manage to pause at the right time before the initial cutscene starts, but that is clearly not intended; anyone know how many frames you have to do this?) Therefore, its best to treat it like equipment not carrying over.

In other words, your character transfers over; for practical purposes, your equipment does not.

While this is mostly true, it's not all of the facts. There are 3 items that (potentially) *do* carry over, but get spread about Irenicus' dungeon (since you start in a cell).

Just walking to the FAI at first lvl was scary enough and cause for many reloads. >grins< See bear, say prayers, wish Imoen good luck... :)

In BG2 definitely Mencar Pebblecrusher, as others have mentioned. At least he gives you the option to skulk away with your tail between your legs - if you are too big for your britches after crawling out of the initial dungeon. Nasty fight to get into unprepared.

Assuming you mean 'Tales of the Sword Coast' for BG1 - it integrates into the main game - you can play through all those new areas as you play through BG1 main game (available any time before you head to the final battle - possibly after a certain chapter, I forget).
The premade party you saw is for use if you want to jump straight to that section without playing through any of BG1 first.

The first time I solo'd BG1, after leaving the Nashkel mines and trying to take on Lamalha, Maneira, Telka and Zeela. They kicked the shit out of me several times before I strategy a strategy that worked.

Ahh ok that makes sense with the pre-fab party.

hummer -- I know it. I can't get through that bandit camp as it stands now without getting mauled badly for it with many deaths and I'm a mix of lv3/lv4. I have a feeling I've taken the game too far too fast without grinding appropriately with fights as it can happen kind of easy just getting smoked at times.