Baldurs gate - how should I start.

[Dis]

I really haven't had to reload since the beginning using primarily melee style.

When those wolves would tear Imoen and me apart . Or that first battle as you enter

Spoiler:

the Friendly Farm inn. Oh, there was this tough battle with those zvarts- not the zvarts themselves but some bear they had with them

I use the standard core rules difficulty level btw. I don't play the insane level or whatever.

[Jamski]

Wait untill the bandits chapter Diss. You'll see

BTW, the advantage Branwen has over Jaheria, is that as a druid Jaheria has no healing spells at levels 2 and 3. And the point of a healer is to cast healing spells, yes? OK, Jaheria can fight a bit better...

-Jam

[Dis]

bandits? I already did those. I'm in the city of Baldur's Gate right now- on hold right now as I'm playing Civ3: conquests.

[Jamski]

Hmm, I found the bandits MUCH easier when I realised the power of the simple bow and arrow. Perhaps you are just the melee master

-Jam

[lord of the mark]

how do I spoiler text here? If im gonna keep talking about BG, i guess I'll have to spoiler stuff.

[Skanky Burns]

[spoiler]Stuff here[/spoiler]

So what about in BG2? Are bows still useful there?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

You've already got lots of good advice, but can I still stick in my 2 cents?

Dwarf fighter/cleric is a great character, and the first I completed the game with. One reason is that the game doesn't really have any great clerics (some okay ones, but not great ones), but it does have great characters in every other category you need. But I've also completed it as a bard, so it's not like any particular character is crucial.

Anyway, here are some things to know:
- Bows are way overpowered in this game. You can make up for almost any party deficiency with a couple of good archers.
- The game is hugely tilted against playing evil; I don't mean it's a challenge, I mean it's actually no fun to do so. Don't bother.
- Definitely wander around, but only after you've got a full party -- and try to stick to the areas on your way to your quest (e.g., don't go to Peldvale as a level one character). Also, be aware that some of your NPCs will leave you if you don't do their quests in a timely fashion (you generally have 10 days or so)

Have fun!

[Jamski]

So what about in BG2? Are bows still useful there?

Not as useful. I found having someone firing acid or fire arrows at the back was pretty good against trolls, but the monsters have so many more HPs that you can't take them all down before they reach the party. There are some COOL bows and x-bows though.

Magic rules in BG2, more than any kind of weapon.

-Jam

[Marid Audran]

Originally posted by Jamski
Wait untill the bandits chapter Diss. You'll see

BTW, the advantage Branwen has over Jaheria, is that as a druid Jaheria has no healing spells at levels 2 and 3. And the point of a healer is to cast healing spells, yes? OK, Jaheria can fight a bit better...

-Jam

Neither does Branwen. There is no "Cure Moderate Wounds" spell in BG1, so the next baseline healing spell is at level 4.

[lord of the mark]

well heres what i did - i went forth with that friend from candlekeep (Imoen?) We met two evil guys along the way, and let them join. we made our way to the friendly inn. There was

Spoiler:

a fight there

and i lost my party. I was joined by the two half elves. We've made it to Beregorst (?) And are looking around. Cleary the next thing to do is head to

Spoiler:

Nakshel and get involved in the problems in the mines

but i think i should be doing something more in Beregort. Probably go round looking for more people to join my party, I guees.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

i'm going to try to keep this vague;

So it's just you, Khalid, and Jahira (the two people from the Friendly Arm Inn)? Shame about losing Imoen; not only is she a great thief, but it's going to be a long time before you meet another one. Anyway, yes, look aroung Beregost and its environs more. There are 3 people you can get to join your party, and two of them are very, very good (though they may present alignment problems; still, you need bodies at the moment). There are also several good quests in and around Beregost, all of which will give you much-needed experience and the best of which will net you much gold and a nifty weapon. Good luck!

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Rufus T. Firefly
i'm going to try to keep this vague;

So it's just you, Khalid, and Jahira (the two people from the Friendly Arm Inn)? Shame about losing Imoen; not only is she a great thief, but it's going to be a long time before you meet another one. Anyway, yes, look aroung Beregost and its environs more. There are 3 people you can get to join your party, and two of them are very, very good (though they may present alignment problems; still, you need bodies at the moment). There are also several good quests in and around Beregost, all of which will give you much-needed experience and the best of which will net you much gold and a nifty weapon. Good luck!

yup, just the three of us. No thief. So you suggest doing the sidequests before the mines?

[Jamski]

Certainly run around Beregost and do all the side quests. Loot everyone's private residences too. Don't forget to visit the house on the east side, with the door facing east, then go south one map, kill "something" and return for "a reward"

Do it and see.

-Jam

[Traianvs]

Well In BG2 there is a suit of leather armour you can give your ranger (my char is an archer) so he's got a very good AC (it's, of course, magical) and at the same time he can go invisibile (you'll get 100% hide in shadows in BG2).. He has 20 dexterity, 5 stars in long bows, and if you then equip him with some acid/poison arrows you can be really effective when scouting dungeons...

Just make him the lead person and he always has the first shot, and nearly always hits. If the target is then poisioned it will be slowed down (you might have noticed that poison is a pain in the ass because your character is almost stunned because of all the poison damage)



Oh and btw in BG1 there's another exception where bowmen aren't useful: sword spiders. They're extremely fast, and equally deadly in fact, so your bows are not quite that effective. I certainly had trouble with them.

[Jamski]

I took down Sword Spiders with the nice 1st level spell "Chromatic Orb" followed by lots of arrows. It the target is fast, magic it stunned, slow, or held. Damage with magic at the low levels of BG1 is a waste of time, disable opponents is better. Your characters are sooo vunerable in this game.

-Jam