modati: I'm not exactly looking for spoilers or anything, just general gameplay methods that make it more enjoyable. I've managed to make it through a few areas on my own, and I understand the system... well I think I do at least.
Since this game is so huge and there is so much to it, what were some of your issues when first playing it? Not with plot progression or storyline, but using equipment properly or something such as:
What does 1D4 mean when describing damage?
Is lower armor class better?
Do armor types work better on specific types of classes?
I don't recall this from the tutorial. I'm not an AD&D player, just a RPG player on the computer/sfc. I've also never played BG1. Anyway... sorry to seem like an uber-noob but thanks for any help. Have a good day.
First, there are some really broken things which make the game kind of silly (depending on how you use them) unless you crank the difficulty up. I'd personally suggest avoiding using Spell Sequencers/Triggers and Contingencies as well as Traps, or at least restricting how you use them, because you can do some really stupid stuff with them which makes the game a breeze. There are also a few items and enemy vulnerabilities which you can abuse but obviously that falls into the domain of spoilers so I'll leave you to find them out yourself.
Second, there are often non-quest related areas with good loot--make sure you check your map (M) as they'll usually be denoted by pins and have relatively vague names. Also, be sure you press Tab a lot as it reveals lootable areas (also, if you use it while moused over a character, it will reveal that character's name/health instantly rather than having to wait however many seconds).
Third, XdY means "roll X Y-sided dice", so for example if a weapon does "2d4 + 1" it deals 2 4-sided die rolls plus one damage, or 3-9 damage.
Fourth, THAC0 and AC are used to determine if a character hits--when your character attacks, roll a D20 and subtract their THAC0 (To Hit at Armour Class Zero), then add your opponent's AC (Armour Class). If the resulting number is at least 0, you hit.
For example--an enemy with THAC0 12 takes a swing at your character with AC5.
d20 - 12 + 5 must be at least zero, so the enemy must roll an 7 or more to hit (70% chance to hit). Thus lower (and preferably negative) AC and THAC0 values are better.
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Armour types don't usually work better on certain types of classes because, unless you installed mods which modify how items work (and don't do this on your first playthrough) your characters won't be allowed to use armour types which would hinder them (for example, mages aren't allowed to wear anything other than robes). The one exception is a dual classed X/mage (for example, Imoen or Aerie)--if you equip armour that their other class (Thief and Cleric respectively) allows, it will disable their arcane (mage) spells (so don't equip anything other than robes on them).
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It took me a run or two through the IE games, largely BG1 for myself, to get used to recognizing how to compare how good various weapons are. Normal difficulty on BG2 assumes you are new, though (it's cranked down from the default BG1 difficulty level because BG1 was ridiculously hard as a new player), so you should be able to get by with just using whatever you are proficient in and has a bigger number; for a new player it's probably safe to just assume a +2 weapon is better than a +1 weapon unless the +1 weapon has some insanely good ability that is quite obviously insanely good to you.
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Three things which may otherwise take a lot of pain to realize:
1) BG2 is heavily magic-based, much more so than any other D&D game I've played, in that it has a lot of protection magic and countermagic interaction. You'll pretty much need at least one mage in your party with a good number of counterspells, and ideally a cleric or inquisitor with Dispel Magic as well (I use Keldorn if I play Good for Dispel Magic and some spoilerific stuff), since enemies will cast nasty spells like Protection from Magic Weapons, Stoneskin, [Improved] Mantle, Absolute Immunity, etc, which will soak up damage (stoneskin) or block your weapons entirely (the others) unless dispelled, and spells like [Minor] Globe of Invulnerability, [Minor] Spell Turning, Spell Trap, etc which will block your offensive spells. Never leave home without a few copies of Breach (takes down anti-fighter protections) and one or more of Secret Word/Ruby Ray of Reversal/Khelben's Warding Whip/Pierce Magic/Pierce Shield/Spellstrike (take down anti-mage protections, usually redundant but there are a few fights which are pretty much impossible without them and they do tend to be helpful nonetheless) and be sure to use protective magic of your own.
2) It's tempting to see all the Cure {Wounds} spells and think of Clerics as a healer, but in reality they're support casters and melee fighters first and foremost. In fact, I would suggest not bothering with healing spells other than Heal (because it's amazing) and Cure Light Wounds (because level 1 cleric spells are otherwise pretty bad in BG2 and a bunch of Cure Light Wounds will heal a fighter or two at the very least whenever you rest, at least until you get high enough level to get a copy of Heal or two). Be sure to read through Clerics' other spells, especially their buffs (both self and party-wide).
3) It's tempting to just memorize a bunch of fireballs and other offensive spells on your mage (other than the one or two protective/antiprotective spells listed above), but some of the buff/crowd control spells are incredibly strong. Oftentimes a well-placed Web will do more than a fireball ever can.
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Wow, that was a lot more text than I planned.
