Various questions

[Bursk]

I have a list of things I'd like to ask, some of which relate to the game itself and others to various mods. I thought it'd be easiest to ask them all here, but I will re-post them in the appropriate forums if advised to do so.

 

The questions really aren't in any particular order.

 

1. Is a multi-class mage effective enough if they're the party's only mage, or does their mage level progression rate/max spell level mean the party will struggle? I suppose the same question applies to multi-class clerics and druids. I'd like to know this with regard to both BG1 + TotSC (Tutu) and BG2 + ToB.

 

2. When engaged in conversation or buying from a store, is it just the charisma of the person speaking/buying that's taken into account, or is it the highest charisma score in the party? If it's the former, and your party leader has poor charisma (say you have Korgan at the front of the group, for safety purposes), how do you deal with the fact that they'll be doing a lot of the talking?

 

3. I stumbled across the IEP Extended Banters over at SHS, and there's this unanswered post regarding the banter accelerator:

 

"So if you play through all the side quests etc and don't Ctrl-J around the place, does 45 mins sound okay? How much time passes between banters in the stock game, anyway?

 

Oh, and can I use this Banter Accelerator ("a more customizable version of jcompton's Banter Accelerator script available in the PPG Banter Pack, modified and redistruted(?) with permission") for Tutu games? If so, should I install it right after BG1 NPC Project?

 

Finally, I'm a bit confused about whether or not this does affect romances (if so, I guess there's no need to use Bigg's Faster Romances from Bigg Tweaks). And can anyone tell me roughly how much time passes between romance dialogues in the stock game?

 

I like to take my time when I play (as in, do most if not all of the side quests), but I can only assume that I won't get to see all the banters/romance stuff unless I use a Banter Accelerator (otherwise, why would the Banter Accelerator exist?!)."

 

Can anyone here address this?

 

4. Regarding the Conflict Revisions part of IEP Extended Banters, is this needed if you're using the Happy Patch from the BG2 Tweak Pack, or will the conflicts never arise? Are there any incompatible party members with the Happy Patch installed (BG1 and BG2)?

 

5. Does anyone use bigg's Faster Romances? If so, what settings do you use? Again, like with the banters, is it necessary to use something like this lest you run out of game time before you've seen all the dialogue?

 

6. What's Khalid's intelligence in EasyTutu? Is it 12 (default) or 15 (as per Dudleyville)?

 

7. In EasyTutu, what sort of Open Locks and Find Traps scores should I be aiming for? I'd like to have values that will allow me to open/detect the hardest locks/traps in BG + TotSC, but I don't want to spend more thief skill points than is necessary on these two areas.

 

8. Regarding the TotSC quests, what's the average party level that's recommended for these? I will be installing some parts of SCS (but will be opting for the "smarter" rather than "improved/harder" components) so that needs to be taken into account.

 

9. Are there any suitable thief kits out there for Safana and Skie, and bard kits for Eldoth and Garrick? What about fighter kits for Monty, Kagain and Coran? I'd be applying these kits with L1NPCs.

 

10. If I'm a dual-class F/T (fighter dualled to thief) do I get offered the thief stronghold in BG2?

 

11. With BG1NPC and the BG2 Tweak Pack Happy Patch installed, are there any instances where a NPC will leave for good due to me picking the wrong dialogue option (was there something about Coran and a cook?)? If there are, how can I avoid these instances? Is it obvious what will make a NPC leave so I can avoid saying/doing it?

 

That's a lot of questions. Any help will be much appreciated.

[Icendoan]

I have a list of things I'd like to ask, some of which relate to the game itself and others to various mods. I thought it'd be easiest to ask them all here, but I will re-post them in the appropriate forums if advised to do so.

 

The questions really aren't in any particular order.

 

1. Is a multi-class mage effective enough if they're the party's only mage, or does their mage level progression rate/max spell level mean the party will struggle? I suppose the same question applies to multi-class clerics and druids. I'd like to know this with regard to both BG1 + TotSC (Tutu) and BG2 + ToB.

 

Easily enough, and I think you lose 1 8 and 1 9th level spell from having all those divine ones, or other abilities.

2. When engaged in conversation or buying from a store, is it just the charisma of the person speaking/buying that's taken into account, or is it the highest charisma score in the party? If it's the former, and your party leader has poor charisma (say you have Korgan at the front of the group, for safety purposes), how do you deal with the fact that they'll be doing a lot of the talking?

 

It is the person actually talking, not the leader. So have Keldorn to the talking. Or someone with the RoHI

3. I stumbled across the IEP Extended Banters over at SHS, and there's this unanswered post regarding the banter accelerator:

 

"So if you play through all the side quests etc and don't Ctrl-J around the place, does 45 mins sound okay? How much time passes between banters in the stock game, anyway?

 

Oh, and can I use this Banter Accelerator ("a more customizable version of jcompton's Banter Accelerator script available in the PPG Banter Pack, modified and redistruted(?) with permission") for Tutu games? If so, should I install it right after BG1 NPC Project?

 

Finally, I'm a bit confused about whether or not this does affect romances (if so, I guess there's no need to use Bigg's Faster Romances from Bigg Tweaks). And can anyone tell me roughly how much time passes between romance dialogues in the stock game?

 

I like to take my time when I play (as in, do most if not all of the side quests), but I can only assume that I won't get to see all the banters/romance stuff unless I use a Banter Accelerator (otherwise, why would the Banter Accelerator exist?!)."

 

Can anyone here address this?

 

Doesn't the tweakpack have banter accelerators? Either that or BG1NPC has them, because I remember having the option without installing anything else...

4. Regarding the Conflict Revisions part of IEP Extended Banters, is this needed if you're using the Happy Patch from the BG2 Tweak Pack, or will the conflicts never arise? Are there any incompatible party members with the Happy Patch installed (BG1 and BG2)?

 

IIRC, there is a setting for the happy patch that they can have conflicts but never leave.

5. Does anyone use bigg's Faster Romances? If so, what settings do you use? Again, like with the banters, is it necessary to use something like this lest you run out of game time before you've seen all the dialogue?

 

I don't, and I haven't heard of the mod over at BioWare, so I don't know if anyone does (Sorry bigg)

6. What's Khalid's intelligence in EasyTutu? Is it 12 (default) or 15 (as per Dudleyville)?

 

I think it is 15 if you install the 'Turn Khalid Into A Fighter/Mage' component.

7. In EasyTutu, what sort of Open Locks and Find Traps scores should I be aiming for? I'd like to have values that will allow me to open/detect the hardest locks/traps in BG + TotSC, but I don't want to spend more thief skill points than is necessary on these two areas.

 

100. Never changes in any of the games.

8. Regarding the TotSC quests, what's the average party level that's recommended for these? I will be installing some parts of SCS (but will be opting for the "smarter" rather than "improved/harder" components) so that needs to be taken into account.

 

Well, 7/8 is generally what they are designed for, and with SCS I would say more so.

9. Are there any suitable thief kits out there for Safana and Skie, and bard kits for Eldoth and Garrick? What about fighter kits for Monty, Kagain and Coran? I'd be applying these kits with L1NPCs.

 

You can modify Skie and Garrick ect via L1NPCs as far as I know.

10. If I'm a dual-class F/T (fighter dualled to thief) do I get offered the thief stronghold in BG2?

 

Ooooh, this one racks the brains... I think you get offered both.

11. With BG1NPC and the BG2 Tweak Pack Happy Patch installed, are there any instances where a NPC will leave for good due to me picking the wrong dialogue option (was there something about Coran and a cook?)? If there are, how can I avoid these instances? Is it obvious what will make a NPC leave so I can avoid saying/doing it?

 

Well, yeah. Only Coran and the Cook as far as I know, and the cook happens to be with Daevorn if you want to know.

That's a lot of questions. Any help will be much appreciated.

 

 

Nah, I get that sort of list every day over at BioWare.

 

Icen

[Jarno Mikkola]

1. Is a multi-class mage effective enough if they're the party's only mage, or does their mage level progression rate/max spell level mean the party will struggle? I suppose the same question applies to multi-class clerics and druids. I'd like to know this with regard to both BG1 + TotSC (Tutu) and BG2 + ToB.

 

2. When engaged in conversation or buying from a store, is it just the charisma of the person speaking/buying that's taken into account, or is it the highest charisma score in the party? If it's the former, and your party leader has poor charisma (say you have Korgan at the front of the group, for safety purposes), how do you deal with the fact that they'll be doing a lot of the talking?

1) This totally depends on how many characters you have in a party... or not totally, as you can actually compensate the lack of mage with clerics, equipment, potions, scrolls(clerical) etc. But in general, you might want to have two mage-half's, as they give you more damage output(fireballs etc.), and greater effect, Greater Malison + area effect spell. But those can also be compensated with clerics.

2) The one that's speaking to the clerk, so if you have high charisma member is on the back row, just move him to front before the cl(j)erk gets to any of you. Besides this, the party's reputation is more important, as the rule's dictate that you might get 50% premium for 20rep. though some mods change this dramatically.

[the bigg]

1. Is a multi-class mage effective enough if they're the party's only mage, or does their mage level progression rate/max spell level mean the party will struggle? I suppose the same question applies to multi-class clerics and druids. I'd like to know this with regard to both BG1 + TotSC (Tutu) and BG2 + ToB.

Yes, it is enough. But you're in for a much harder time. An half-mage will have to wait too long before he can cast the higher level spells (Abi Dalzims are far into ToB territory, and even Finger of Death is past the traditional SoA cap... and Spell Strike is a must against SCSII IMNSHO).

 

5. Does anyone use bigg's Faster Romances? If so, what settings do you use? Again, like with the banters, is it necessary to use something like this lest you run out of game time before you've seen all the dialogue?

I use the IEP accelerator and mine in tandem (mine goes after). The IEP makes banters accelerable as opposed to hardcoded, whereas mine speeds up romances, banters, Jaheira's quest, and anything else depending on RealTimer(). Even so, if you fast-play and skip some less interesting/rewarding quests, you might not complete legally the longer romances.

(btw, mine is a component of tb#tweaks).

 

10. If I'm a dual-class F/T (fighter dualled to thief) do I get offered the thief stronghold in BG2?

Yes. An X -> Y will count for all things concerned as an X/Y (if it has regained X's skills) or a pure class Y (if it hasn't).

[Miloch]

6. What's Khalid's intelligence in EasyTutu? Is it 12 (default) or 15 (as per Dudleyville)?

It is 12 if you get him at level 1 and 15 if you get him at any other level. I would consider this a bug; hence why it's in Dudley's NPC fixes. (Fixed to 15 obviously - it seems it'll end up in Ergopad's NPC Attributes which in turn MixMod might incorporate, until such time as a BG1 Fixpack for Tutu is available.)

9. Are there any suitable thief kits out there for Safana and Skie, and bard kits for Eldoth and Garrick? What about fighter kits for Monty, Kagain and Coran? I'd be applying these kits with L1NPCs.

Safana I've traditionally made an assassin, though I think there's a "Charming Rogue" kit somewhere that might be better, or maybe Shadowdancer from S&S. Skie I usually make a Swashbuckler, a broad kit about which I've commented before can fit foppish nobles worried about their nails as well as pirate queens. Montaron I would make a Fighter/Assassin, Kagain a Berserker (which dwarves call Battlerager). Not sure about Coran, maybe Duelist (from S&F)/Thief or Fighter/Swashbuckler.

 

Edit: I've made Garrick a Jester and Eldoth a Blade in the past, though other options would fit too.

11. With BG1NPC and the BG2 Tweak Pack Happy Patch installed, are there any instances where a NPC will leave for good due to me picking the wrong dialogue option (was there something about Coran and a cook?)? If there are, how can I avoid these instances? Is it obvious what will make a NPC leave so I can avoid saying/doing it?

I think so, but I can't think of any examples offhand. I'd think it'd be fairly obvious but I seem to recall at least one or two such dialogue paths are not obvious. Probably best off asking that one in the BG1 NPC forum.

[Azazello]

9. Are there any suitable thief kits out there for Safana and Skie, and bard kits for Eldoth and Garrick? What about fighter kits for Monty, Kagain and Coran? I'd be applying these kits with L1NPCs.

Ever since TDD, I had Montaron a Fighter/Burglar(TDD), and that's the way I'm keeping him.

 

Ever since Tutu, I've made Eldoth a Blade, and Safana a Swashbuckler; but I'm up for trying a different kit more Safana's style.

 

In my next BGT playthru, I plan to try these kits:

- Coran: Buccaneer(TDD)

- Faldorn: Justifier(TDD)

- Garrick: Musician(TDD)

- Kagain: Trollslayer(TDD)

- Khalid: Bladesinger(TDD)

- Skie: Merchant(TDD)

 

Some of the TDD kit traits don't kick in until BG2 levels, so I may never be able to use them. Still, worth a shot.

 

I'm toying with making Garrick a Wild Jester. Usually I just keep him a Bard because (like most people) I don't keep him around for very long. Still, might be nice try something different.

[Miloch]

- Skie: Merchant(TDD)

A duke's daughter as a merchant?

 

From the 2e Swashbuckler kit (Complete Thief's Handbook):

Most Swashbucklers come from a wealthy or aristocratic background [and] may be a foppish dandy, gruff businessman, or airheaded noblewoman.

 

Are these TDD kits relatively typo- (and bug-) free? I have my doubts from reading the descriptions ("weapen" etc.).

[Azazello]

From the 2e Swashbuckler kit (Complete Thief's Handbook):

Most Swashbucklers come from a wealthy or aristocratic background [and] may be a foppish dandy, gruff businessman, or airheaded noblewoman.

Reads like bullsh*t to me. Then again, we're talking about TSR/WotC/Hasbro pipeweed. Perhaps we should focus on the "may" part.

 

Are these TDD kits relatively typo- (and bug-) free? I have my doubts from reading the descriptions ("weapen" etc.).

You can't have both worlds, both typo- and bug- free. So pick one.

 

Considering that those pages are maintained by a French person...and came from a source where the modders were not all native English-speakers...

 

- Skie: Merchant(TDD)

A duke's daughter as a merchant?

Um, hello, better than a plain-ole Thief!

[Miloch]

Reads like bullsh*t to me. Then again, we're talking about TSR/WotC/Hasbro pipeweed.

This is 2e, not 3e, so you can drop those last two epithets. And indeed, it's quite close to the classical conception of a swashbuckler (some of the examples given, such as Robin Hood, the Scarlet Pimpernel and Zorro are all swashbucklers and nobles or fallen nobles).

You can't have both worlds, both typo- and bug- free. So pick one.

We certainly can, and typo = bug. I take it that's a "no" on both, or at least the typo part?

Um, hello, better than a plain-ole Thief!

I don't think so. Nobles are more prone to turn to thievery, either for the thrill or because they're idle and don't want to pursue a regular trade. Skie, in particular, would be the last person in my view to decide merchanting is her cup of tea. But don't let me mess with your vision - I just thought it odd.

[Azazello]

...it's quite close to the classical conception of a swashbuckler (some of the examples given, such as Robin Hood, the Scarlet Pimpernel and Zorro are all swashbucklers and nobles or fallen nobles).

Perhaps the description should have be written as

...may appear as a foppish dandy, gruff businessman, or airheaded noblewoman to conceal their true skills.

 

You can't have both worlds, both typo- and bug- free. So pick one.

We certainly can, and typo = bug. I take it that's a "no" on both, or at least the typo part?

You're thinking like a coder. Or a grammar/spelling teacher. Or both.

 

If you want typo-free on the website, write to the webpage owner. If you want it in the game, I'll make sure to do a pass of the TRAs on my next playthru.

 

If you want bug-free, point me to some kit-wo/men modders/experts. I got no skills in that area. There are a few kits that do need updating, even expanding, as there was minimal bug-checking when the mod was ported from the original source.

 

Clan DLAN may have done some updates on the kits, but as I don't know Spanish, and don't want to be chastised for writing bug-filled text...

 

- Skie: Merchant(TDD)

A duke's daughter as a merchant?

Um, hello, better than a plain-ole Thief!

I don't think so. Nobles are more prone to turn to thievery, either for the thrill or because they're idle and don't want to pursue a regular trade. Skie, in particular, would be the last person in my view to decide merchanting is her cup of tea. But don't let me mess with your vision - I just thought it odd.

I don't follow your vision just as you are not getting mine.

 

Where is it written that Nobles are more prone to turn to thievery? More than 'merchantry'? On who's authority?

 

Doesn't the game refer to Entar having business partners? Any reason why Skie can't be learning the family business (whatever that is), before pursuing her dream of adventures?

 

What's funny is that the kit description actually sides with part of your vision! Please read it again.

[Miloch]

You're thinking like a coder. Or a grammar/spelling teacher. Or both.

No, I'm thinking of what would be important to me if I were actually playing the kits. It was a simple question, and you still haven't answered it, though I'll have to assume that's a "no" at this point. No need to quibble or evade - I was just wondering, as I've never played the kits.

What's funny is that the kit description actually sides with part of your vision! Please read it again.

No thanks; I've read it twice already, and it does not. But I don't need to get into another pointless banter war with you (the last one I believe was about SpellPack, which is now entirely moot as it's now a patching mod). Like I said, don't let me mess with your vision, I just thought it odd (and still do). If you think my "vision" odd, you're welcome to do so. And maybe we're both off, and she should really be an Acrobat or Shadowdancer.

When asked about her past, SKIE bubbles that she is the daughter of Entar Silvershield, one of the Grand Dukes of Baldur's Gate. Her admittedly sheltered life has consisted mostly of learning ballet, history and languages. Being exceptionally agile, she has become a very proficient dancer, though this natural dexterity has mainly allowed her better to sneak off on sojourns away from the estate. She says she finds the nastier areas of Baldur's Gate exciting, though she seems naive about the dangers. On one of her escapades, she met up with the debonair Eldoth, and thinks he can help her live the life of adventure she craves. She trusts him implicitly - perhaps too much so.

But that's the great thing about L1NPCs and such mods - you can make her something different each time you play - even if it doesn't necessarily fit her original description or dialogue.

[Azazello]

5. Does anyone use bigg's Faster Romances? If so, what settings do you use? Again, like with the banters, is it necessary to use something like this lest you run out of game time before you've seen all the dialogue?

I've used this component for quite a while. I use the setting 'Medium'. I found it 'necessary' because I recruit all joinable NPCs, so the component--like the banter accelerators--helps to hurry up the romance dialogues. Per the ReadMe, this setting may only provide minimal reduction but I have noticed it. I may try 'Faster' in a future run-thru.