For what it's worth, I'm using EasyTutu, Tutufix, BG1UnfinishedBusiness, and BG1NPC.

1. There seems to be a lot of containers in houses/inns, will looting these affect my reputation, or otherwise be considered "stealing"?

2. I cannot seem to access most of them regardless. I'm still level 1, so I can't cast knock, and even STR 16 people can't force them open. Immoen is supposed to be a thief, yet I've never seen her be able to open anything! What is a cost effective way to pilfer the world's loot?

3. Should I be aware of any reason not to rest all the time? People told me these two evil companions will leave if I don't get to the mines fast enough, but other than that?

4. I'm more familiar with DnD 3.5, and except for a couple builds, multiclassing often just seemed to give a character who is poor in both areas. I'm playing a Wildmage, will dual/multi classing hurt my spell-level/times-per-day/spells-known?(STR 12, DEX 12, CON 16, INT 18, WIS 10, CHA 14) And should I mess with NPC classes?

1. Stealing doesn't seem to by itself, but if someone catches you (is in line-of-sight and sees you, they will aggro the guards and may attack you. If you kill them, you do lose reputation.

2. There are some spells that raise one's strength, but essentially, some of them you will need to wait to level up.

3. Rest all the time, why not, standard D&D 5 minute work day! Except for things like you mentioned.

4. 2nd edition was pretty much the same way. Multi-classing generally makes a weak character. The only time multi-classing seems to make sense is with your Thief where some people suggest throwing maybe 6 levels into Thief and the rest into something more combat useful. Basically enough to adequately Find and Disable Traps. That said, many just level that character up fully in Thief.

Ok, some follow up questions then.

1. So, in areas that have no guards, there are no consequences for looting? If there are, I just gotta leave and come back?

2. So, there is no "lockpicking" or skills like in 3.5? I just need to wait til Immoen levels up more?

3. Essentially, I'm asking what other times I should be wary about resting.

4. Multi-classing does NOT make a weaker character, unless it is not thought through properly. For example, a half elf Cleric/Ranger gives you access to every single divine spell in the game; a fighter/mage (especially Kensai/Mage) is a monster power house later in the trilogy. These things need planning. 1. No. In areas where there are no other NPCs -- guards are summoned. The game is scripted for NPCs in line of sight to call the guards. Some chests will summon guards without anybody seeing you, but they are very rare.

2. Yes, there is an Open Locks skill that you will have to assign points to at level up. However, do not waste them on Imoen: she is a far better scout, and all of her points should be spent on Find Traps (essential!) and Stealth. Locks can be bashed, opened with spells, or come back to later. Traps can ONLY be disarmed by a thief.

3. Be wary about resting in the open -- find a defensible spot and set traps. Or rest in an inn. Resting every five minutes is a complete immersion breaker, and quite frankly, stupid.

2. Imoen, at first lvl, hasn't put any points into Open Locks, so all she has is the base % chance. That's not enough to open many of the locks in the game. She put *all* of her discretionary points into Find/Remove Traps, so you will have to add points to her OL skill as she levels up, if you want her chance of success to improve.

3. There are a few time dependent quests, where getting it done quickly matter, but for 99% of the game, resting to heal and regain spells is not a problem. *Where* you rest can be an issue, but choosing to operate at peak efficiency, rather than without spells and with negative combat DRMs is pretty much up to you.

4. You don't have the stats to dual class to anything, so you don't have to worry about it. To be able to dual class, you need 15 or better in your first class's prime requisite/s, and 17 or better in the prime requisites of the class changed to. So, for example, to dual class from a Fighter to a Mage, you would need at least a 15 Strength, and at least a 17 Intelligence.

Also, you can not "multi-class" a character you have already begun play with, or with an NPC you have met. Multi-Classing is a decision you make at character creation - it is not the same as Dual classing. One is an option open only to Demi-Humans, multi-classing, while the other is an option open only to Humans, dual classing. One is an option you choose *only* during character creation, multi-classing, and one is an option you choose once you have reached 2nd level or higher.

Assuming I have a healer in the party, do I ever need anything but the beggar's room?

1) As noted, if any NPCs see you stealing, they call the guards and they'll show up within a few seconds after you're notified that you've been seen stealing. In various houses, you can, however, set all your party members right beside the door, then use your thief to steal something in sight of an NPC, if the NPC just won't go away. Then immediately have the party leave the house. The guards do not follow you outside and if you get out before they speak to you, you're golden. Just don't go back into the house right away.

2) Hickory is adamant that you must put points in Stealth for Imoen, but I disagree. You can use invis potions/spells if you want or just not bother with stealth at all. Totally your choice in how you want to play it. You never need to rent the fancier rooms anyway, whether you have a healer or not.

I'm in complete support for options but I've always thought those options to rent rooms was the most redundant choices ever in the Baldur's Gate/Icewind Dale series.

Whilst I agree it's entirely a personal choice, potions and spells are finite, expensive and take up valuable inventory space. Hide In Shadows is none of those, and can be used at will, and at no cost.

There is a cost: the skill points you could invest elsewhere (locks, pick pocket).

Semantics and irrelevance. As I have stated repeatedly, skill points spent in lock picking are wasted: there are no locks in the entire game that can't be opened by other means. And there are very few pockets worth picking in the entire game, at least that justify wasting (again) points on useless skills.

'Semantics and irrelevance'? You seem to take issue with people disagreeing with you. I've played through the game many, many times and rarely have I ever put Imoen's points into Stealth. I prefer to go with lock picking and pick pockets (to a lesser degree). Sure, you can bash locks, but I personally don't like to do so. And if you're thinking about the Knock spell, that's a wash since it uses a spell slot just like invisibility would to replace stealth. Again, it's all in how you enjoy playing the game.

Well, I intend to play all the games in the DnD bundle before replaying any, so I might as well get the most bang for my buck. Who knows when I'll play this again.

The point that lockpicking might unnecessarily eat trap points is well taken. Why do I want stealth exactly? I was used to just ripping and burning anything into oblivion in NwN. Is that where you get sneak attacks if you can hide during combat?

Stealth doesn't help you a lot *during* combat, since you can't re-stealth while anyone can see you. It allows you to make a surprise attack, with a +4 to hit [good] and Thieves and two of the Thief kits, as well as Ranger [Stalkers only] get multiple damage if they hit on their initial strike while hidden/stealthed/invisible/etc.

So it's for sneaking around, while hidden, to explore, and get in the occasional [or common, depending on your style of play] "backstab" attack for high damage - again *if* you hit and *if* you are a class that gets this multiplier effect.

If you can hit and run, to get out of sight, and re-stealth, you can get multiple backstabs. Of course, if you have access to an Invisibility potion or an Invisibility spell or device, you can also get multiple attacks with the hidden/stealth bonus.

The value of stealth, as a choice among your Thief skills gained at level up, is one of those things that depends largely on personal preference. There are arguments in favour of spending points there, and arguments against it. You can "mimic" Stealth with spells and potions - well you can also "mimic" the Open Lock skill with spells and/or high strength. While the same thing applies to *finding* traps, through the Cleric spell, the only way to safely *remove* a trap is with the FT ability, which is actually F/RT.

Another skill that you can not "mimic" is picking pockets - another topic of debate among players, based on personal preference. Whether or not is a valuable skill is based largely on whether someone thinks getting the items and money you can acquire this way is worth the effort of not only investing the skill points, but also taking the risk of being discovered.

As with most debates surrounding BG1 or 2, there is no "right" answer, as far as I'm concerned. People develop patterns and habits of play that suit them and they recommend such play to others based on how successful it has been for them, and how much they like playing that way. In the final analysis each player has to decide what particular style of play they will embrace, what it is they want to do in the game, and develop their PC and NPCs to fit in with their own strategy. Investing in Stealth at the expense of other skills is "right" for some players, and it is "wrong" for other players. The only person that can make a meaningful judgement on the issue during their game, is the player...