Character Recommendations to avoid Spoilers

[berelinde]

Edit by cmorgan - original question continued from http://forums.gibberlings3.net/index.php?s...ost&p=71762

 

Wynne's original question, split from this post...

Question--I am introducing somebody I absolutely adore to Baldur's Gate for the first time; he's only played Dark Alliance. He's a crafty one, so I worry that he'll figure something out if there are too many hints. If he plays Tutu and this project, what characters should I recommend he travel with the first time so as to avoid spoilerishness as much as possible?

 

Find out what kind of PC he wants to run, which alignment, which class, what playing style (swooping from one adventure to another or taking time to talk to everyone in town), and it would be easier to make recommendations.

 

Also, you might want to find out if he even wants all that much chatter. My own boyfriend hates it.

 

Lots of people are probably going to chime in on advice, so why don't you run it as a separate thread instead?

[Miloch]

Also, you might want to find out if he even wants all that much chatter. My own boyfriend hates it.

It only bothers me if it happens when I'm in the middle of something else, like combat, combat preparation, other dialog, etc. And I don't think the NPCs give away too much. There are some things you'll probably *never* find without a spoiler guide with detailed pixel maps etc.

[Domi]

I'd say that everyone has their own preferences, that's why I usually recommend running the game rotating characters and then keep the ones you liked. Who knows, maybe you end up charmed by someone you thought useless.

 

Two standard set ups are:

 

'BG1 Classic": Imoen, Jaheira, Khalid, Dynaheir, Minsc (consistency with BG2)

'BG1 Classic" variant 1: Imoen, Kivan, Branwen, Dynaheir Minsc (those who don't like Khalid/Jaheira)

 

Relatively Common 'Good' combinations:

 

Coran, Kivan, Branwen, Dynaheir, Minsc - if you dislike Imoen and want very strong archers

Coran, Kivan, Yeslick, Dynaheir, Minsc - very strong party

 

Relatively Common 'Evil' Combinations

 

Shar-Teel, Xzar, Montaron, Viconia, Tiax

Edwin, Minsc, Kagain, Viconia, Montaron (you kill Dynaheir & Xzar for this one)

 

My personal Favorite Combinations, R indicates Romance:

 

Good: Kivan, Coran ®, Xan + rotating characters (I would use Ajantis with female PC, Branwen - with a male PC) and the fifth slot makes me ever feel the lack of a proper heavy-duty male Elven Fighter (if I was to run that 'all elves' set-up very seriously, I'd made a custom Bladesinger and played with a party of 5, adding all other characters as the sixth temporarily)

 

Mixed: Dynaheir R, Minsc, Coran, Garrick, Branwen/Faldorn

 

Evil: Shar-Teel ®, Tiax, Garrick, Xan, Faldorn - the combination of attitudes is priceless; I have to say as much as I love Kivan, this was in the end my absolutely favorite set up with the bastard opf an Elven Male Fighter-Mage as a lead

 

Themed parties

 

Elven: Kivan, Coran, Xan, Khalid, Jaheira or Khalid, Viconia (instead of JA/KH)

Short-Folks: Alora, Yeslick, Kagain, Quayle, Tiax

Couples: Xan ®, Khlaid, Jaheira, Coran, Safana or Eldoth, Skie (instead of CO/SA)or Garrick, Eldoth, Skie (instead of XA, CO, SA)

Ultimate Female Romantic: Xan, Coran, Ajantis, Kivan

Ultimate Male Romantic: Dynaheir, Branwen, Viconia, Safana

Ultimate Romantic Conflict 1: Edwin, Dynaheir and Minsc in the same party for male PC if romancing Dynaheir to see a few extra conflicts

Ultimate Romantic Conflict 2: Dynaheir and Branwen if romancing Branwen or Dynaheir to see Branwen-Dynaheir conflict

 

NPCs who have the most interjections:

 

Garrick, Viconia

 

 

NPCs who have the most banters with other NPCs:

 

Faldorn, Imoen

 

NPCs who have the most banter with Player 1

 

All romances by far

[EiriktheScald]

You can't out-fox a fox as they say. I think its best if he play an un-modded game first.

[Grand_Dracolich]

I think its best if he play an un-modded game first.

 

I don't reccomend that.

[EiriktheScald]

I think its best if he play an un-modded game first.

 

I don't reccomend that.

 

Why? Granted, it won't have the depth that BG NPC adds to the game. But, there are hints that might give the plot away.

[berelinde]

I struggled through an unmodded BG1, and lost heart in Chapter 4, and stopped playing. Switched to BG2, which I liked better.

 

Then, I discovered mods. While looking for new mods to try, I stumbled across the BG1 NPC Project. I never would have dusted off BG1 if not for that. I found BG1 without it just too boring.

 

But that's just me.

 

Party I like: Female PC (currently an elven Ranger), Imoen, Xan, Ajantis, Kivan, Gavin ® (not available for anyone else, though, until I finish the dialog and get most of the bugs out).

 

For general use, I'd probably run a cleric and take Coran along.

 

If I were running a male pc, I'd run a paladin, undead hunter for preference, and have Dynaheir, Minsc, Imoen, Edwin, and probably Branwen.

 

Or If I were running a male cleric, I would take Dynaheir, Minsc, Imoen, Edwin, and Kivan.

[EiriktheScald]

I agree with you totally. I'm more story-driven than action-driven myself. I'm trying to think; which characters give more clues to the PCs heritage? Dynaheir is one that I recall.

[Grand_Dracolich]

I think its best if he play an un-modded game first.

 

I don't reccomend that.

 

Why? Granted, it won't have the depth that BG NPC adds to the game. But, there are hints that might give the plot away.

 

Well, both sides are valid, I myself play Baldur's Gate (and not many other games) heavily modded. I'm just glad my first time through the game was with BG1NPC.

[berelinde]

I don't know if it is possible to completely avoid spoilers. I do know that it is no use ruining your game trying to avoid them.

 

People all over the place use foreshadowing. Even the vanilla game had it.

 

I find that when I get caught up in the NPC stories, I don't even notice the spoilers (or at least not first time through).

 

The worst for spoilers are the women: Dynaheir and Jaheira.

[Domi]

Well, the game would spoil you in the Prologue with Candlekeep CHanters, and Dynaheir will say that she is seeking the Spawn of Bhaal in vanilla when charmed

[Wynne]

Thank you all for your recommendations! He just got his copy, but he didn't feel up to anything yet. Thanksgiving, what a time to get food poisoning! Still, we've been talking it over, and I told him about the project and that I was worried about spoiling him and wasn't sure what characters to take. It sounded from what he was saying that he wants to play it un-modded first, which he felt would make him better appreciate the project on its own merits on his second play-through. I'm a little disappointed in ways, but I respect his decision. At least this way he'll be less likely to guess the first time, and we'll still be able to talk about the mod later.

 

And I know the Chanters in Candlekeep spoil ya... *grin* But it's subtle enough that I don't think it will smack him in the face how foreshadowy it is until later. You can eventually kinda tell that Sarevok is, but I don't think it hit me until a good bit later... I love that about the game.

[Domi]

Oh, that's pretty bad with the food poisoning. I hope he gets better soon!

 

Heh, it might be worthwhile for him to install at least TUTU, because there is really no reason not to, save wanting to add extra frustration in one's life.

[Miloch]

Well, the game would spoil you in the Prologue with Candlekeep CHanters, and Dynaheir will say that she is seeking the Spawn of Bhaal in vanilla when charmed

Oh... you meant spoilers as in giving away the *plot* . I was thinking more about little things... items or mini-quests you wouldn't ordinarily come across without some sort of hint (and imo those sorts of spoilers are ok, because you wouldn't even know you missed things otherwise ).

 

As far as plot spoilers, you don't need bantering NPCs or the Candlekeep chanters for those. It's not all that revolutionary as far as RPGs go:

1. You don't know your parentage

2. Some powerful evil guy is looking for you

3. The final installment refers to a throne

 

All of which you pretty much know right away. Possibly before even playing.

Heh, it might be worthwhile for him to install at least TUTU, because there is really no reason not to, save wanting to add extra frustration in one's life.

By installing it or by not installing it?

[Domi]

Don't you just love double negatives? Installing TUTU definetly reduces frustration during play-through, imo. There are just too many nice thinggies to miss out on them in favor of the 'authenticity'