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RTTP: Baldur's Gate 2 - My inn is as clean as an elven arse

I remember when BG was released and it was generally received like the "big AAA CRPG of its time", pretty, fun, packed with content, but also a bit simplified and casual-friendly on the core RPG side.
So, as I already pointed in the past, it's always fun and weird to me to read how a lot of people these days insist in describing it like some super-hardcore extremely obscure niche product.
 
So it looks like GOG has both BG1&2 for $1.24 cheaper than Steam.

It's my understanding that I can and should just skip the enhanced editions and go with modded originals?
 
Armaros said:
Download dungeon be gone.

My first tip for anyone new to the style of game. The starter dungeon is generally horrible for new players. And it's boring and repetitive for gets.

Most new player I meet give up in the starter dungeon.
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Eh, it gets dull after replaying it so many times but it's a decent tutorial and introduction to the gameplay mechanics. I wouldn't recommend that new players skip it.
 
Chief_Falcon said:
I'm planning an playing BG2 pretty soon. Any general tips for a complete newbie?
Click to expand...

Play Tactical.

- Go to the auto pause settings and make sure you set the game to auto pause for the following criteria

-Character Spots Enemy
-Targeted enemy is destroyed
-Completion of Spell Casting
-Health drops below 30%

-Spell Casters should only resort to damage dealing as last resort. They should concentrate on Buffing party members, and Debuffing, Nerfing enemies, so your strikers can get in there and do the damage physically.
 
unholyrevenger72 said:
Play Tactical.

- Go to the auto pause settings and make sure you set the game to auto pause for the following criteria

-Character Spots Enemy
-Targeted enemy is destroyed
-Completion of Spell Casting
-Health drops below 30%

-Spell Casters should only resort to damage dealing as last resort. They should concentrate on Buffing party members, and Debuffing, Nerfing enemies, so your strikers can get in there and do the damage physically.
Click to expand...

Breach, remove magic, (and to a lesser extent) lower resistance are going to be some of your most important spells.

Especially breach against other spellcasters that have instant stoneskin contingency spells that activate on sight.

Greater malison + any of the good save throw vs spells is also powerful, sometimes much more powerful then a pure nuke.

(Hint, Death spell instantly kills umber hulks and mind flayers because of their hitdice)

(And remember to carry fire or acid for trolls)

Donos said:
One good advice, especially against certain later enemies who are next of kin to Zoidberg from Futurama: summon Skeletons and Skeleton Warriors ... thank me later.
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It's better to let your priests carry that spell because it occupys a very empty spell level for them, but yes that spell is one of the better non 'epic' summons. That and mordenkainen's sword. (Immunity to physical damage)
 
One good advice, especially against certain later enemies who are next of kin to Zoidberg from Futurama: summon Skeletons and Skeleton Warriors ... thank me later.
 
Wow BG2 is topseller on steam, this thread couldnt be better necro bumped than today xD (edit: 32min before it even was on sale)
 
Playing through the first one on my iPad before switching to bg2ee and carrying over everything. Can't wait to play through again, this time with dorn and neera for some new dialogue.
 
Just got it on Steam, never a bad decision to replay this game, one of my all time favorites.

I think I still have my save from the last time I played BG1.
 
Easily my dads favourite games. He had the original BG in its full 5 cd glory. Sadly lost 2 of the discs whilst moving house. I surprised him one Christmas with both BG1 and 2 from GOG and he stayed on the PC all day. It was great.

I'm looking to get into them myself. I hear alot about the BGT mod, but are there any other mods that I should look into, an essential list, if you will?
 
At the moment i use this for my actual BG replay

BG1 + Addon
BG2 + Addon
BG2 Fixpack v10
Baldur's Gate Trilogy-WeiDU 1.18
BG1 Unfinished Business v13
BG2 Unfinished Business v24
1pp v4.1
Infinity Engine Widescreen Mod 3.05

edit: i have the actual original discs, no idea whats already installed with GoG or EE version.
 
Freeman said:
Just got it on Steam, never a bad decision to replay this game, one of my all time favorites.

I think I still have my save from the last time I played BG1.
Click to expand...

Big_Al said:
Any must have mods for players these days ?
Click to expand...

This GOG forum post is what I used to as a guide to mod BG1 and 2. I liked it a lot and it worked exactly as the guide said.It did take like half an hour or so to download and install everything, but the end result is definitely worthwhile.

Note that I don't think any of these mods will work with the EE versions of BG1/2.

There's some other stickied threads in that forum with more mod info, as well.
 
Big_Al said:
Any must have mods for players these days ?
Click to expand...

There a bunch if fixit mods that add a bunch of QoL features to the game. Best bet would to be look up the BG 1 forums section in GOG. It's most likely the most active modern community for the game.

I'm on my phone ATM so it's hard to track down specific examples.
 
LurkerPrime said:
This GOG forum post is what I used to as a guide to mod BG1 and 2. I liked it a lot and it worked exactly as the guide said. It did take like half an hour or so to download and install everything, but the end result is definitely worthwhile. I don't think any of these mods will work with the EE versions of BG1/2.

There's some other stickied threads in that forum with more mod info, as well.
Click to expand...

Armaros said:
There a bunch if fixit mods that add a bunch of QoL features to the game. Best bet would to be look up the BG 1 forums section in GOG. It's most likely the most active modern community for the game.

I'm on my phone ATM so it's hard to track down specific examples.
Click to expand...


Thanks very much folks, I'll have a nosey :)
 
So I've played Fallout 1/2, BG1/2, and Planescape: Torment. Those to me were the pinnacle of crpgs in terms of writing, and in particular the humor. I loved reading the detailed descriptions of environments, it really helped immerse you in the world in a way that 3D games of today obviously cannot utilize (the descriptions). Are there any other crpgs of this era, or in general, that have this style of description, dialog, and especially the humor? I really miss those qualities from crpgs, and I'm just wondering if I'm missing out on some gems (either old or new) that have those same qualities and attention paid to writing. I know Toma recently recommended Inquisitor which seems packed to the brim with writing, though the mention of its serious tone kind of puts me off. Hoping to find a game with a good mix between humor and the serious stuff, and also hopefully with good descriptions of environments. Any suggestions?

One of my favorites from BG2:

The pool churns and swirls. Strange lights dance within. As you stare at the pool you catch a glimpse of a cityscape. For a brief moment, with absolute clarity, you watch as the city changes. Ages pass and the inhabitants drop their primitive tools and ways. Discoveries are made and the minds of the people change and grow, everyday grasping a new fact or invention. The image slips away until you see only a pool.
Click to expand...

I was going to include one from Torment I recall, in particular the description of the Gathering Dust Bar but couldn't track it down. Speaking of, any other rpgs like Planescape with such a strong emphasis on dialogue trees? The kind that feel like puzzles in of themselves sometimes?
 
wanderingprostheyltite said:
So I've played Fallout 1/2, BG1/2, and Planescape: Torment. Those to me were the pinnacle of crpgs in terms of writing, and in particular the humor. I loved reading the detailed descriptions of environments, it really helped immerse you in the world in a way that 3D games of today obviously cannot utilize (the descriptions). Are there any other crpgs of this era, or in general, that have this style of description, dialog, and especially the humor? I really miss those qualities from crpgs, and I'm just wondering if I'm missing out on some gems (either old or new) that have those same qualities and attention paid to writing. I know Toma recently recommended Inquisitor which seems packed to the brim with writing, though the mention of its serious tone kind of puts me off. Hoping to find a game with a good mix between humor and the serious stuff, and also hopefully with good descriptions of environments. Any suggestions?

One of my favorites from BG2:



I was going to include one from Torment I recall, in particular the description of the Gathering Dust Bar but couldn't track it down. Speaking of, any other rpgs like Planescape with such a strong emphasis on dialogue trees? The kind that feel like puzzles in of themselves sometimes?
Click to expand...

As far as modern games go, Fallout: New Vegas.
 
wanderingprostheyltite said:
Hoping to find a game with a good mix between humor and the serious stuff, and also hopefully with good descriptions of environments. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Check out Divinity Original Sin. We've got an OT thread up about it on the front page, and it is on sale on Steam right now! Full release is this monday.

Lots of people are saying its more like a successor to Ultima 7, but as an IE fan it feels more like a successor to them in my opinion. Give it a looksee.
 
TucoBenedictoPacifico said:
I remember when BG was released and it was generally received like the "big AAA CRPG of its time", pretty, fun, packed with content, but also a bit simplified and casual-friendly on the core RPG side.
So, as I already pointed in the past, it's always fun and weird to me to read how a lot of people these days insist in describing it like some super-hardcore extremely obscure niche product.
Click to expand...
And that was mainly because it used real time (with pause) combat and not turned based, if I remember correctly. Other than that it has all the rules and modifiers you'd expect for a proper cRPG title.
 
wanderingprostheyltite said:
So I've played Fallout 1/2, BG1/2, and Planescape: Torment. Those to me were the pinnacle of crpgs in terms of writing, and in particular the humor. I loved reading the detailed descriptions of environments, it really helped immerse you in the world in a way that 3D games of today obviously cannot utilize (the descriptions). Are there any other crpgs of this era, or in general, that have this style of description, dialog, and especially the humor? I really miss those qualities from crpgs, and I'm just wondering if I'm missing out on some gems (either old or new) that have those same qualities and attention paid to writing. I know Toma recently recommended Inquisitor which seems packed to the brim with writing, though the mention of its serious tone kind of puts me off. Hoping to find a game with a good mix between humor and the serious stuff, and also hopefully with good descriptions of environments. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Next 6months Divinity, Pillars of Eternity and Wasteland2 will launch. Two of them should be great cRPGs, i have no idea about how good Wasteland2 will be. Divinity will come out in 2 days, it could be part of the steam community vote sale in 4 hours.
 
Farks! said:
And that was mainly because it used real time (with pause) combat and not turned based, if I remember correctly. Other than that it has all the rules and modifiers you'd expect for a proper cRPG title.
Click to expand...
Well, no, it actually had very little to do with the ruleset or real time combat.
Criticism (and let me stress, not a very fierce one, as the game was almost universally loved) was more toward the combat-centric approach, the static environment and the limited amount of interaction.
 
Chief_Falcon said:
I'm planning an playing BG2 pretty soon. Any general tips for a complete newbie?
Click to expand...

Don't spoiler yourself, go blind for the first run.

Second run is all about min-maxing your characters and whatnot.

wanderingprostheyltite said:
So I've played Fallout 1/2, BG1/2, and Planescape: Torment. Those to me were the pinnacle of crpgs in terms of writing, and in particular the humor. I loved reading the detailed descriptions of environments, it really helped immerse you in the world in a way that 3D games of today obviously cannot utilize (the descriptions). Are there any other crpgs of this era, or in general, that have this style of description, dialog, and especially the humor? I really miss those qualities from crpgs, and I'm just wondering if I'm missing out on some gems (either old or new) that have those same qualities and attention paid to writing. I know Toma recently recommended Inquisitor which seems packed to the brim with writing, though the mention of its serious tone kind of puts me off. Hoping to find a game with a good mix between humor and the serious stuff, and also hopefully with good descriptions of environments. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Mask of the Betrayer is probably the closest thing to Planescape in term of writing and atmosphere (I even dare to say come characters, like Kaelyn, are better than the Planescape companions).

Anachronox is also kind of an odd duck, basically a jRPG with wRPG writing and art-style, definitely worth checking out.
 
Bought BG1 and 2 on gog last year and did the mod that combines them and makes BG1 run on BG2's engine. I only played it a little but I always go with stealthy/assassin type characters in these games and I was getting Rekt by a wolf in the beginning of BG1. Lol, will definitely get back to it though.

Question without spoilers: How evil can you be in these games?
 
gketter said:
What class does everyone play? I was a ranger on my initial BG1 run but felt at times wondering if I should have been a different class
Click to expand...

I never dual class because I hate playing as a human, so these are all multi:

Cleric/Mage (for arse tons of spells)
Cleric/Ranger (Good melee abilities and, due to a bug, full druid spells!)
Inquisitor (laugh maniacally every fight with a spell caster, as you effortlessly dispel everything they can do)
 
gketter said:
What class does everyone play? I was a ranger on my initial BG1 run but felt at times wondering if I should have been a different class
Click to expand...

Always spellcasters for dnd games. Went wizard for my first playthrough and kensai/Mage for my second min max one.
 
NoSkillz187 said:
Bought BG1 and 2 on gog last year and did the mod that combines them and makes BG1 run on BG2's engine. I only played it a little but I always go with stealthy/assassin type characters in these games and I was getting Rekt by a wolf in the beginning of BG1. Lol, will definitely get back to it though.

Question without spoilers: How evil can you be in these games?
Click to expand...

Eh, sadly BG2 "evil" campaign is kinda weak. There are only 4-5 evil companions, so even though Viconia, Edwin and Korgan are the best in their roles, you don't get much choice. Playing evil also gives you significantly less magic items/quests/exp. An evil character wouldn't
help the slaves in the slums, save the ghost of the little child, etc

gketter said:
What class does everyone play? I was a ranger on my initial BG1 run but felt at times wondering if I should have been a different class
Click to expand...

The one they like. :P BG2 also has class-specialized quests and a stronghold, so you should really play the one you like the most.
 
Starting up The Temple of Elemental Evil makes me wish BG used the 3.5 rule set
and had turn-based combat :d
 
Just bought BG2 EE on the steam sale, first time playing this game. I loved dragon age origins and I remember being enthralled seeing my older cousin play this game when I was a kid, so I thought I'd give it a try.

The lack of guidance / critical path is confusing at times, but in a fun way so far. Exploring is fun. I rolled a chaotic good half elf wild mage.
 
Chief_Falcon said:
One more question regarding BG II. Is it better to get the enhanced version or just mod the original?
Click to expand...

It's all depends on your willingness to spend time to install the mods and fixes or if you want a more 'out of the box' experience.

Iirc there are mods compatible with the EE version but not all.

Many mods still work fine with the original (and GOG versions) but discontinued development well before the EE versions came out.
 
Armaros said:
It's all depends on your willingness to spend time to install the mods and fixes or if you want a more 'out of the box' experience.

Iirc there are mods compatible with the EE version but not all.

Many mods still work fine with the original (and GOG versions) but discontinued development well before the EE versions came out.
Click to expand...

I'm willing to go out of my way to get the best possible experience.
 
gketter said:
What class does everyone play? I was a ranger on my initial BG1 run but felt at times wondering if I should have been a different class
Click to expand...

During my most recent playthrough (using the Trilogy mod), I went Fighter through BG1 + SC and then Mage for the remainder. Playing as a Mage seems really annoying at low levels, IMO.

Decado said:
Starting up The Temple of Elemental Evil makes me wish BG used the 3.5 rule set
and had turn-based combat :d
Click to expand...

I found myself wishing something similar when I played ToEE for the first time last year.
 
Chief_Falcon said:
I'm willing to go out of my way to get the best possible experience.
Click to expand...

If I were you, I would play through unmodded, BG1 Enhanced Edition and then import your character to BG2 Enhanced Edition. That way, you get to play through the vanilla games with the added npcs from the enhanced editions. Then if you really enjoyed the games, come back in a year or two like many of us do and replay using a shitload of mods.

For your class, since you are new I recommend making a human fighter with 18str, 18dex, 18con, 10int, 7wiz and whatever is left over for charisma. That way you can use bows in BG1 and transition into heavy melee for BG2. Specialize in bows first, then go into whatever melee weapons you like best. I would give a special shot out to flails since they added a really nice one in BG1 Enhanced Edition and BG2 has a super amazing flail that you can get early in the game. And you get to upgrade it further in the expansion.
 
Sothpaw said:
If I were you, I would play through unmodded, BG1 Enhanced Edition and then import your character to BG2 Enhanced Edition. That way, you get to play through the vanilla games with the added npcs from the enhanced editions. Then if you really enjoyed the games, come back in a year or two like many of us do and replay using a shitload of mods.
Click to expand...

Fair enough.
 
I finished BG1 for the first time on my iPad, and I'm currently playing BG2:EE on the PC. Great games
 
One thing I wonder is - why do people keep saying this is 100+ hour game? 40-60 hours I can understand maybe, but not double that.
 
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