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I'm addicted to Baldurs gate 2

For the longest time I could never get very far in these games because I always quibbled over my character and would go back and restart. I finally said fuck it, rolled a Paladin Cavalier so I had next to nothing to think about in regards to my PC, and just went forth. Recently finished almost all of BG1, rushing a bit near the end, and have gone into BG2 full force.
 
My one complaint so far, though I suspect it has a sense of realism? to it, has been nag quests. I'LL GET TO YOUR SICK COUSIN IN A BIT I'M KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE OF A DUNGEON. NO DON'T LEAVE WE'LL BE DONE SOON.
 
I just said f*** it and got them for my nexus 7. Hopefully this time I can finally get into the series and CRPGs in general. The game has a decent looking tutorial section for noobs like me and this could be the thing that puts the game over the top for me. KOTOR and Dragon Age: Origins are two of my favorite games and not getting sucked into the BG games has always annoyed me.
 
Funny timing on this thread the GF just game me two vanilla copies of Baldurs Gate 1 & 2, Icewind Dale and Neverwinter Nights 1 & 2. Apparently her dad is a big RPG fan but needed to make space in the house so gave the mint copies to me!

Time to be LTTP! :D
 
IvorB said:
Minsc doesn't know much. He actually quit my party because he thought I was too much of a douche. Ah good times!
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Being evil (unless Chaotic) is especially impractical in 2, isn't it? ANYWAY, you're wrong. And I'm wrong, too. It's all Boo, you see.
 
Spookie said:
Funny timing on this thread the GF just game me two vanilla copies of Baldurs Gate 1 & 2, Icewind Dale and Neverwinter Nights 1 & 2. Apparently her dad is a big RPG fan but needed to make space in the house so gave the mint copies to me!

Time to be LTTP! :D
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She sounds like the best GF ever.
 
funkypie said:
Still no idea how thac0 works if it should be high or low or how AC works. Heavier armour seems to offer less protection vs certain type and has a longer AC.
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THAC0= to hit armor class zero (0). It's what the 'dices' should roll in order to hit the enemy.
So basically it's your hit rate. Lower is better.

AC= armor class
Lower is also better.
Basically it's your evasion rate.
Your base AC is determined by dexterity.
End-game, your tanks should have AC -6 till -11.
 
Prime crotch said:
You should play a better game, like Icewind Dale.
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This post game me cancer :(

Anyway, BG2 is fantastic. Have a good time with it :)

AD&D in short:
THAC0: lower is better. THAC0 is short for "To hit armor class 0", so the number you have is what you need to roll to hit someone with armor class 0. If someone has more than 0 AC, you subtract that from the THAC0, if he has a negtive AC you add that (double negative). So, a character with THAC0 17 will need to roll a 13 on a 20-side die to hit someone with an AC of 4 and 19 to hit someone with an AC of -2. Strength can improve THAC0 (with the /% warriors gets next to the strength having a surprising importance here.) When leveling up, Different classes have different THAC0 progression charts, so you're pretty much locked in that regard to your class - with "warriors" having the best, then "rogues", "priests" and finally "wizards".

AC: Lower is better. Dexterity will lower your AC, but only after 15 dex. Armor will also help your AC, obviously.

Saving throws: Lower is better. Works basically the same as THAC0. Progression chart is locked to class similar to THAC0 but in a different order that I don't remember.

Everything else: Higher is better. Notice that most bonuses will still say "+3 saving throw XY" - But this still means it will lower your saving throw.

Yeah, AD&D was pretty fucked up, but imagine trying to run all that with pen and paper in real time when you're 12 :(
 
ThoseDeafMutes said:
There's so much content in Act 2 it's ridiculous. You can't turn a corner without tripping over a new quest. Then in the process of completing that quest you'll pick up 2 more quests. The rest of the game is not like that, so if you're loving that then take your time with it.

THAC0 should be as low as possible, negative numbers are good.
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However, you don't go and chase bloody icons on a map to discover them. You actually have to talk to NPC's and read your journal to find them. Such a superior system.
 
Just a note, Don't be blown off by his shitty attitude, Anomen is superior to Viconia in every way (well, except for sexytime I guess).
 
He'd wish he was a Paladin.
He's a Fighter/Priest who wants to become a Knight, he is majorly douchey though.
 
My current party is all fucked up. It's:

PC Cavalier Paladin
Jaheira
Winged Elf Lady
Fake Imoen Thief Mage
Jennifer Hale Halfling Lady
EE Goth Emo Vampire Thief Lady

I think I'm in Act 2? I'm supposed to get the 20k gold but I think I have like 3x what I need already.
 
I started it and stopped about a year ago. I find it hard to play old games because of the graphics. I played through the first game and shortly after went to the second. I now sort of wish I hadn't stopped.
 
I really want to get into this series. But I like to start with the first game in a series and I'm just terrible. I suck at strategy and it's like way too hard for me. Icewind Dale is another one. I can barely get past the first battle.
 
GrandHarrier said:
My current party is all fucked up. It's:

PC Cavalier Paladin
Jaheira
Winged Elf Lady
Fake Imoen Thief Mage
Jennifer Hale Halfling Lady
EE Goth Emo Vampire Thief Lady

I think I'm in Act 2? I'm supposed to get the 20k gold but I think I have like 3x what I need already.
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Personally, I'd look into buffing up on that magic. Aerie and Nalia are alright, but later in the game high level magic does wonders. But both characters are pretty cool overall, so keep them if you like them.
Maggi is awesome. Jaheira is good and also a pretty good romance option.
I don't know that EE new character, but it fucking sucks that they added yer ANOTHER THIEF. Did they add personal quests and banters to those EE characters?

If you have the money you can start going forward with the plot IMO, you can finish up your quests later.
 
Raptomex said:
I really want to get into this series. But I like to start with the first game in a series and I'm just terrible. I suck at strategy and it's like way too hard for me. Icewind Dale is another one. I can barely get past the first battle.
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Are you using auto pause?
 
Corpekata said:
Are you using auto pause?
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Whatever is default and if it's not on I pause before every battle anyway so I can at least make an attempt at a strategic approach. Maybe it's my builds/parties. Dragon Age: Origins is another one. I got further in that game than any other party based RPG but not very and I was playing on easy. I really like these games but I must be doing something wrong.
 
Best RPG ever IMO. Challenging, full of quests and secrets but few of them are filler, a great loot system (full of unique equipment hidden across the game, with different bonuses etc).
And OP, play Throne of Bhaal after you are finished with the main campaign, it got one of the best dungeons ever (Watcher's Keep).
 
This thread warms the cockles of my heart. I too was a noob who somehow missed all of the Infinity Engine stuff (I was in college). Put roughly 100 hours into BG1 last year and am now in the thick of Act 2 of BG2.

Games are amazing, no doubt. I do think OP owes it to himself to play BG1. It's a little more aimless in that your party feels more like a wandering group of adventurers rolling back and forth across the countryside, but the final battle plays heavily into the events/setup of BG2.

I do agree that the tutorial dungeon to start BG2 was dull. Glad it wasn't very long.

Also, Minsc is probably going to get dropped from my party soon. Melee feels way less effective than it did in BG- and my PC is a fighter and I'm rolling with Korgan as well.
 
dude said:
Personally, I'd look into buffing up on that magic. Aerie and Nalia are alright, but later in the game high level magic does wonders. But both characters are pretty cool overall, so keep them if you like them.
Maggi is awesome. Jaheira is good and also a pretty good romance option.
I don't know that EE new character, but it fucking sucks that they added yer ANOTHER THIEF. Did they add personal quests and banters to those EE characters?

If you have the money you can start going forward with the plot IMO, you can finish up your quests later.
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Yeah the EE people feel like the other characters at least so far. The Vampire Thief is moderately awesome at least from my experience because she has pretty insane stats outside of the sun when she doesn't have to wear a magic cloak that protects but nerfs her.

Do you suggest any particular mages? Cause so far magic has been more bother than its worth except for goofy shit like open door -> cast cloudkill -> close door shenanigans.
 
Staf said:
Throw on a belt of strength and/or crom faeyr on Viconia and she is superior to Anomen in every way.
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Hardly, As a cleric Viconia is stuck with a default one attack per round all game long. Anomen gets fighter attack progression giving him upwards of four standard attacks without augmentation. Not to mention the upgrade Anomen can receive, making him just as potent a cleric as Viconia.
 
I'm playing chaotic evil lol so doubt I can recruit and keep the good characters for long let alone romance then.

I think I don goofed. I rolled swashbuckler for dual classing but wanted the thief stuff first then classed fighter so now I'm a fighter thief now but my HP is quite crap. One more fighter level and my thief skills will come over.
 
GrandHarrier said:
Do you suggest any particular mages? Cause so far magic has been more bother than its worth except for goofy shit like open door -> cast cloudkill -> close door shenanigans.
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you definitely want Edwin, also the only pure mage (I don't know about EE)
I usually roll a mage as the MC myself for this reason

Renekton said:
I remember Aerie was pretty low-tier in vanilla BG2, only later the ToB overlevelling allowed multi-classes like her to shine.
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true I guess, but she isn't really a burden for the rest of the party either. At least she provides you with lots of lower-level Cleric and Mage spells
 
Masquerader said:
Being evil (unless Chaotic) is especially impractical in 2, isn't it? ANYWAY, you're wrong. And I'm wrong, too. It's all Boo, you see.
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Go for the eyes, Boo! I play lawful evil mostly when I get the chance. I don't remember what I did to piss him off but he just upped and left at one point after cussing me out. I then attacked him and tried my best to kill him but the game spirited him away at the last minute, for story reasons I guess. I think I must have been pretty bad because the game actually issued me a title: the Malefactor. Ah what a game.
 
GrandHarrier said:
Yeah the EE people feel like the other characters at least so far. The Vampire Thief is moderately awesome at least from my experience because she has pretty insane stats outside of the sun when she doesn't have to wear a magic cloak that protects but nerfs her.

Do you suggest any particular mages? Cause so far magic has been more bother than its worth except for goofy shit like open door -> cast cloudkill -> close door shenanigans.
Click to expand...

Edwin is the only pure mage and he's awesome. Not just stat wise (though he is that), but he's also very funny to keep around.

I also disagree with people that are talking about taking your time in Act 2 - I don't see a reason not to leave Athkatla when you feel like you're done with it and continue your quests when you return.
 
dude said:
Edwin is the only pure mage and he's awesome. Not just stat wise (though he is that), but he's also very funny to keep around.

I also disagree with people that are talking about taking your time in Act 2 - I don't see a reason not to leave Athkatla when you feel like you're done with it and continue your quests when you return.
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Yeah, I saw a comparison ThoseDeafMutes made to DA:I, and I'll make another: Athkatla is the Hinterlands of BG2. It's gigantic, and basically an entire game unto itself. Leave Athkatla and do some quests out in the rest of Amn and come back, those quests will still be there.

Oh, and to anyone having trouble getting into BG2, I'm sure it's been said many times already, but force yourself through the first dungeon. For whatever reason, Bioware decided to put the most tedious, boring part of the game at the beginning. It only gets better.
 
IvorB said:
Go for the eyes, Boo! I play lawful evil mostly when I get the chance. I don't remember what I did to piss him off but he just upped and left at one point after cussing me out. I then attacked him and tried my best to kill him but the game spirited him away at the last minute, for story reasons I guess. I think I must have been pretty bad because the game actually issued me a title: the Malefactor. Ah what a game.
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Lawful Evil's best evil.

And yeah, there are WAY too many (as in, unrealistic amounts of) good characters, and way too few evil ones. They won't tolerate me, so I sometimes do something nice, just to keep them on my good side. I just... Wish that you could actually be Lawful Evil. "HURR DURR KILL EVERYONE" isn't the only form of evil. #NotAllEvil

... That said... I would never kill Minsc. I don't have the heart to do it. He's just a complete and total darling.

... Also... "Malefactor" is the name for a Neutral Evil Alignment, not a Lawful Evil one. :c

Anyway, fantastic game. That's my only gripe with it.
 
dude said:
I also disagree with people that are talking about taking your time in Act 2 - I don't see a reason not to leave Athkatla when you feel like you're done with it and continue your quests when you return.
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The equipment and experience you get can be really helpful.
 
Raptomex said:
Whatever is default and if it's not on I pause before every battle anyway so I can at least make an attempt at a strategic approach. Maybe it's my builds/parties. Dragon Age: Origins is another one. I got further in that game than any other party based RPG but not very and I was playing on easy. I really like these games but I must be doing something wrong.
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Have your player character be a fighter or something similar like a paladin or ranger, or a fighter combo. It'll make your first playthrough go a lot better. Bows are really overpowered in BG1, so you may want to consider using one. If you want to go sword though, the first party member the game throws at you is good with a bow. For stats, reroll until you can max out STR (18+), DEX (18), and CON (18). The others you don't really need, except CHR if you're a Paladin. And they can hover around 10 and 11, or maybe lower.

In the beginning kind of follow the story and explore the southern areas of the map (although go to the Friendly Arm Inn first). The southern areas have lower level encounters and quests to help you level.

dude said:
Maybe, but I rather be challenged throughout the game then level up too quickly because I didn't progress along the story for too long.
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Yeah, I usually don't stick around too long after getting the required money.
Imoen is my bro.
 
dude said:
Maybe, but I rather be challenged throughout the game then level up too quickly because I didn't progress along the story for too long.
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I played through most of the side content before I left for
Spellhold
and it remained a challenge for me. Beholders, Mindflayers and what not kept it that way. As far as I know, BG2 actully has some level scaling in its encounters so it will spawn more opponents if you're high level enough.
 
is this a glitch? my THAC0 was quite low but when I levelled up and skilled level 4 proficiency with long sword my THACO went up... I am dual wielding long swords.

when I suffer from energy drain hence lowing my level, my THACO is lower.
 
So i've just finished Shadows of Amn now onto the expansion. I'm really interested in playing baldurs gate one now, I feel like i've missed a good chunk of the back story cornering the hero.

Is there much difference in playing as a good character? The queen of the elf city commented on how much of an evil bastard I was.
 
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