New all purpose Baldurs Gate thread

[duke o' york]

In the series!

I'm not sure that the party from my first time through would be worth exporting into BG2, so I may as well just give them back and get the XP, which I need now.
In future games, when I actually know what I'm doing, then I'll keep them in the hope that they turn into magical trousers of Jam +1 post count.

[Drogue]

If you want to know what they do, if you keep them and get the other items from BGII and ToB, then have a look at planetbaldursgate. They have an explanation of it.

[duke o' york]

I tried visiting that site, but it crashed explorer twice.

[Drogue]

Spoiler:

You get the silver pantaloons in BGII SoA, and the Bronze Pantelletes in ToB (IIRC). Then you make the Big Metal Unit, which rocks

[duke o' york]

Do I understand this correctly, or am I miles out?

It is possible to export and import parties from any other of the BG series, both forwards and backwards?
If I take a party backwards or forwards into another game, will they get to keep all the cool stuff that I have spent hours and hours amassing?

And why, in the only BG I own, is it that whenever someone asks your name, they're about to attack you? The responses are always "Yes, I am Mildred", or "No, bugger off you nosy sod", and you'll get attacked both ways. But being a Lawful Good Ranger then I have to tell them the truth. Mind you, that doesn't stop me sending Imoen to go and break into the chests in people's rooms.

[Drogue]

DoY: You can only import forwards. You don't keep the cool stuff, but you do keep the experience, the characters, and the golden pantaloons turn up at the begining of BGII if you had them in the character you imported.

As for asking your names, it's something assassins do to check you're who they're meant to kill. They know it's you, but they feel the need to ask anyway.

[duke o' york]

Except, of course, that the game doesn't give you the option of sticking anyone who asks your name automatically, without having to come out of the dialogue.

So when going forwards, will you start the next game with the same characters but the basic equipment and armour? Is it worth doing, or can you start the add-ons like ToSC with brand new characters who will gain more from the XP you pick up?
I'm guessing that the monsters in the expansions start at the level from which you left the previous game, and you will have all the same spells available, but not the magic items you collected/looted shamefully like Jamski.

[Drogue]

Starting BGII you can either create your own character, or use your PC. You can take Imoen, Jaheira and Minsc from the start whatever. You only export your PC, and they start with no equipment.

ToSC you take your whole party up there. It's just another quest. You keep your items too, because it's like a continuation. BGII starts when you've been captured after leaving Baldur's Gate.

[Jamski]

No! You spoiled the pants!

-Jam

[Dis]

like anyone would know what they do.

what character do you have duke? I'd recommend bring your Bg1 character into Bg2.

if you are a single class, you can choose a kit in BG2. my bard in BG1 was able to choose a Bard kit in BG2. But if you are multiclass or duel class you probably won't be able to do a kit in Bg2, so it may not be worth it.

Of course that all depends on if you like kits.

[Jamski]

Kits = giving up something for being better at something else.

For example a Paladunce can give up his spells to become an Inquistor and get better "Dispel Magic" and "True Sight".

Some kits are of debatable worth (Beastmaster, Jester)

-Jam

[Drogue]

Some kits are the next best thing since sliced bread though. Kensai/Mage - the only way to be

[Jamski]

You know what goes on sliced bread? CHEEEZE!!!!

Kensai/mage can solo the game without dying or reloads. I did it.
F/M/T is even more über at higher levels though, and that's without kits.

-Jam

[duke o' york]

Cheeeze?

I always have margarine on my bread.

Diss, my character's a ranger at the moment. What are the decent options for a ranger later in the series?
And what's a kensai when he's at home?
Drogue spoiled his pants.

[Drogue]

A Kensai is a fighter kit, also called a sword saint. Cannot use armour, shields, missile weapons or bracers, but gets a better base AC, better with hand to hand weapons, faster with weapons and a couple of nice abilities. Goes with the adage, "they can't hurt me if they're dead before they get to strike". And Kensai's will slice the bread for you

Ranger kits are an Archer (much better with missile weapons, but not good hand to hand and worse armour (IIRC)), a Stalker (can stealth better and backstabe, gets a couple of mage spells, but worse armour) and one more that I've forgotten

Archers rule, they can do much damage from a range.