What kits have been overdone for npcs

[Daeva]

Or alternatively what kits would you like to see for a mod npc.

 

Basically, I've coded a few kits, all for my own use, but would like to start on something a little bigger.

 

One part of BGI I really prefered over BGII was the fact that npcs sometimes wandered about in pairs. To me that seemed rather more realistic and, as such, I want to code a pair of npcs for BGII.

 

I don't want to let anyone in on the specifics but, the kit for one of the npcs is already decided, it is a custom fighter kit that I've made (yes I know fighter-types are over-abundant but I hope that my kit will make it a new flavour). The problem I have is deciding what the second npc's kit should be. I was thinking along the lines of a scout (either a ranger or thief or possibly ranger-mage (not possible I know but I can approximate it)).

 

Generally I would like to know what kits people feel are lacking and, equally well, what kits they feel have been overdone in modded npcs or in the game in general (thief-mages for example).

 

Okay, tah.

[Domi]

I can't talk for other people, but my feeling is that:

 

the "market is/will be saturated": mages, thieves, bards.

 

niches I see: pure cleric kits, preferably "racial" options; a Shadow Druid;

[Simbriant]

Something I haven't seen at all is a NPC that was a straight wizard. I think all the wizards in the game are multi/dual classed.

[NiGHTMARE]

Apart from Edwin, of course...

[Domi]

Uhm, there are Tsujatha and Xan... They are both not muticlassed. That's not to count two more sorcerers, a fighter-mage Solaufein, and Deheriana who can be a single-classed mage as well as a multi-class. So wizards are quite adequately covered in mods, imo.

[jester]

Single classed clerics, especially ones who use Divine Remix would be nice. Apart from her abysmal stats I always thought Tenya should make a reappearance in SoA. Then again the only other single cleric is already evil.

[Daeva]

So the basic consensus is no mages, thieves, bards? Fair enough, I can agree with pretty much all of those. Once class I've always missed though is *any* instance of the ranger-cleric. As far as I'm aware it's never actually come up in any BG game or mod(?). What are peoples opinions as to this kit - I always liked it but the problem I would have would be to explain how the hell any character could actually decide to be a ranger-cleric, not a ranger-druid (which doesn't exist, does it?)

[Domi]

Sime is a Ranger-Cleric in TS, but that's just a piece of trivia.

 

It's not really a kit, it is a multi-class. Clerics are devoted to specific gods, so as long as you cook up a good backstory, Druidic believes not playing along with the character's spirituality, imo it should not be a problem.

[Daeva]

Sime is a Ranger-Cleric in TS, but that's just a piece of trivia.

 

It's not really a kit, it is a multi-class. Clerics are devoted to specific gods, so as long as you cook up a good backstory, Druidic believes not playing along with the character's  spirituality, imo it should not be a problem.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I did not realise that about Sime (I have a rather slow connection and have not downloaded many of the larger mods). Also, when I said "kit" I really did mean "class/kit/multi-class" sorry, should have been more specific.

 

Other than that, would it be the kind of character people would take along - a useful character class that does not offer an overabundance of other options? If not is there a class I'm overlooking / one that could always use another representative?

[yarpen]

Hmm... classical backstaber thief Something like Adalio Kalvaras (or something like that...) in TDD. I don't remember how much strenght got Fade..

 

Next thing - bard. I've never played with Keto or Kido... Keto, because it haven't got Polish version (300 bants???) Kido because I've always got troubles with download. That bard can be evil and must got so good song.

 

And the last it can be a good cleric. Especially Silverstar of Selune! I love that kit! Because I must got Anoooooomen and he's... ueh... I've got him only in evil team.

[Domi]

Yes, but on the bardic front to add to 2 released bards, there is Del coming, and on the thieving front - Amber.

 

I think that everyone agrees that we are wading waist-deep in mages of all sorts.

 

There are a few fighters out there, paladins, monks, and rangers both in development and finished.

 

The druids, surprisingly, are well-represented, and are actually unusual.

 

On the other hand, we have little luck getting any clerics, most particulary kitted clerics of different dieties - and Faerun has plenty of choices in this regard.

 

Other than that, would it be the kind of character people would take along - a useful character class that does not offer an overabundance of other options?

 

It depends on what you consider over-abundance. 1 Day NPCs are sort of accounted for as more of a curio than the "real thing". Copious amount of the dialogues with the PC, NPCs and interjections seem to be something that is wanted. And I'd say that SoA/ToB in one shot is a good idea also, seeing how so many NPCs turn from talkative companions into pack-mules in ToB. I guess, one can say that they protest the quality of the source material, but it would be the 4th wall breaking.

[SixOfSpades]

Hmmm. . . . if there was a great preponderance of mod NPCs in one area, and a relative lack of them in another, then I would expect to see lots of people crying out, "Why is everybody writing NPCs of class X? The game needs more class Y!" So, essentially, if you have to ask what classes/kits have been overdone, the balance is pretty even anyway.

 

You can also refuse to limit yourself to existing kits, including those added by mods. Take advantage of engine limitations: The game currently can't handle Neutral or Evil Rangers or Paladins as the PC, because it can't do things like make you Fall when your Reputation/Virtue goes up. But NPC Paladins and Rangers never Fall anyway, so I've designed an Evil Duergar Paladin and a Neutral Halfling Beast Master. And a Half-Orc Cleric/Mage. And a Half-Elven Acolyte (Bard kit), and a Gnomish Drunken Master (Fighter kit), an Elven Wild Man (Druid kit).

 

Long story short: Go nuts and design everything. Then put up a webpage, giving brief, spoiler-free snapshots of the characters, and ask those in the know (modders) to vote on which ones they'd most like to see.

[Lemernis]

I'd love to see a Cleric-Thief. The combination of class abilities is for my taste some of the greatest fun you can have playing BG.

 

This could be with or without a quest, doesn't matter.

 

I offered up a character concept for one in this thread: http://forums.gibberlings3.net/index.php?showtopic=6215 and that character does have a quest. But now that I understand what an enormous undertaking it is to code a quest for the IE engine, don't bother with that (well, unless folks love the idea of a showdown with dwarven pyromancers from the Plane of Fire). Instead I'd just give him the same basic storyline but without the quest. Eldarian's storyline offers a fairly novel and satisfying explanation for a Cleric-Thief's abilities (it is an odd combination), and offers some potentially amusing banters with the other Thief NPCs (particularly Yoshimo).

[Daeva]

Sorry, it's a nice idea but I already have the personality/background/quests/etc sorted out for the npc - I was just looking for a class since my orginal idea (a ranger-mage) seemed rather overdone (there are quite a few mages/fighter mages/mage thieves out there) so, while I may think about a cleric-thief, I will not, I'm afraid, be using the rest of you ideas. As I said - sorry.

 

At present, though, going off Six of Spades reply, I was thinking about trying to get the ranger-mage class working again since, IMO, it could be quite good fun to play. Ah well . . .

[Lemernis]

Heh, it's not an 'oh yeah, must do that' kind of character, so no offense taken. I was just trying to come up with something a little offbeat.

 

Ranger-mage sounds like fun. Is ranger-sorcerer possible? I used to enjoy that combo in NWN (especially with the overpowered familiars). Not sure what's possible now with BG given the modding...