Baldur's Gate 2:
Damn, it is always so hard to let someone go from your party, which has been there from the very beginning... While starting the Throne of Baal expansion, I really wanted to get my old nemesis from the first game, Sarevok, to my party, as he is supposed to be a kick-ass fighter, and you can even dual-class him. And as I understand, you may be able to turn him (chaotic) good, if he is in your party.
Who should I let go to make room for Sarevok? This is hard:
- Keldorn: No way, he is the best tank fighter I have, at least before Sarevok. At the same time, on emotional level it would make the most sense to let him go as there is a family eagerly waiting for his return, and I have the least emotional bond with him (he didn't join the party until mid-game, and he is not really related to me otherwise, just a kick-ass paladin fighting on my side). But seeing him fighting alone hordes on enemies with his Carsomyr +5 sword makes other party members look in awe, forgetting everything else and going "aaaawww...".
Also, he has become somewhat of a leader of the whole party, a fatherly figure. I am a mage so I have to usually stay at the back row anyway, so if the goody-goody Keldorn is not leading the party to a fight, it would be either the retarded Minsc, the evil Sarevok that everyone else hates, or the character-less Jaheira who seems to be having her menopause.
- Minsc: this was my first choice, but he is already also a pretty bad-ass fighter with Crom Fayer +5 warhammer and the Flail of Ages +4 (dual-wielded). And on emotional level, he has been with me since the beginning, and also already in BG1. His ramblings and warcries are sometimes irritating, but occasionally he cracks me up: "Nooo! The shame! I am no man, and you are no hamster, Boo!" (or something close to that).
- Aerie: I could let her go considering I already have a kickass mage (me) and a healer (Jaheira)... but even though she is fragile, being both a mage and a cleric at the same time is handy. And actually I think she is the only person that I have with restoration spells, to heal from level drain by vampires. Beats having to always travel to temples to get rid of level drain, or carrying some silly scrolls for it.
And she is my love interest, after all! Nope, can't let her go anymore.
- Imoen: her thief abilities are certainly handy even though she is not progressing with them anymore (only progressing as a mage), but it could make sense to let her go as I could dual-class Sarevok as a fighter/thief instead. And I have enough mages already (me, and Aerie). And I think I already saved her soul too, so she could take a rest from saving the world.
But she is my sis anyway, and I have the longest history with her (ever since the beginning of BG1).
Jaheira: Ok healer, and at the same time a pretty good (but not stellar) fighter too. Not big emotional bond to her since I didn't pick her as a love interest... except that just like Imoen and Minsc, she has been with me from the beginning of the game (at least BG2, not sure if I had her in BG1). But from a practical point of view, I think Aerie + Minsc have enough healing capability (and three of my characters, especially the fighters, have regenerating health anyway), and with Sarevok I don't really need Jaheira's less than stellar fighter ability that much.
So I already continued without Jaheira. But damn, now I feel maybe I should drop Imoen instead for practical point of view, and turn Sarevok into a fighter/thief instead...
Post edited October 30, 2013 by timppu