Bg2

[Drogue]

Originally posted by Verto
My main concern was the genie, since I was supposed to get an item that looked useful.

You'll miss loads of useful items throughout the game. Especially at this stage, you'll usually find better ones later on.

I'm playing through again. I thought of one roleplay I haven't done - twins. I have an Elven Kensai and an Elven Archer, both wear little to no armour, both virtually perfect in their particular weapon (long bow/sword - Elven specialties) and both pretty evenly matched. I think for roleplay's sake they'll do quite a bit of the game without other characters

Spoiler:

I'll probably take a party before Spellhold, sort of like hiring mercenaries before launching the attack to save Imoen.

As always, having to be careful that the Kensai doesn't get too hurt, usually a Kensai would have been dualled to a mage or be some brutish Orc, but he has some decent back up from the Archer. Together, they kill quite quickly

Spoiler:

The fight against Kalah in the Circus took less than 10 seconds, as the Archer still had his 'call shot' on from the room before when it changed back.

Won't have much time to play at Oxford though

Originally posted by Kassiopeia
BG2 is a brilliant AD&D based roleplaying game, SMAC is the only worthy successor to Civ2 and one of the greatest TBS games ever.

Exactly right

[Traianvs]

Well the smac demo didn't impress me that much. The techs were all a bit too scifi, but most importantly there were no Romans, Babylonians, and for god's sake not even the Evil Vikings and Mongols!! blah!

[Dis]

minor spoilers ahead

the genie quest gives you an item. it is useful- especially at this early stage of the game where you don't have good weapons. But you eventually find much better stuff. In fact, you find a better replacement for this item in the slums

Spoiler:

It's a +2 2 handed sword

I can't remember what the dryad quest gives. It takes a long time to complete. Although you could go to the area where they are located fairly early on (a bit dangerous trip though- with random encounters and all). But the area where they are located could be dangerous. I'm not sure of the reward for this quest. I think it's just experience.

[Jamski]

I think it's just experience.

What do you mean "Just experience" ???

-Jam

[Verto]

This game is mildly uninteresting - is this simply because I'm still beginning, because I didn't play BG1, or what?

Am I supposed to just wander around getting money for Imoen, or what? Is there a main quest?

[Moral Hazard]

Hmm. I agree that BG2 didn't suck me in right away either. You can make a good deal of money though rather quicker. You would be surprised.

This isn't really a spoiler but a pointer

Spoiler:

Do the quest for Nalia - lots of money, she's in the Bar. She is also a good character for your party. Since she is both a wizard and good enough thief. Allowing you to drop Yoshimo, and pick up another warrior type character.

This is a tip

Spoiler:

You'll be fighting Trolls. Acid or fire arrows highly recommended. You'll pick up some in her keep but not right away IIRC.

[Moral Hazard]

Oh and getting the money for Imoen is part of the Main quest. Once you have enough money the main quest moves forward. However I thought there were plenty of interesting quest to do in the city. You might want to try visiting the entire city. As Im sure you'll find some of the quests interesting.

[Dis]

BG2 is a bit hard to get into. But once you start getting into the NPC storylines it gets interesting. Although if you aren't big on NPC interaction, the game may seem lacking.

And it was daunting because you really don't know what to do when you get into the city. It's almost too non-linear. You kind of wander around looking for stuff to do.

You may have seen suggestions to head for the slums. After messing around in the promenade and doing whatever quests you are interested in there (although there is only one major quest to do) I'd say head over to the slums. You're probably already there since you know about the money for Imoen.

Copper Coronet is the pace to be. And there's a quest associated with that as well. It's a nice quest since you don't have to go far.

Many NPC's there have quests associated with them. Korgan and Nalia specifically. Even Amonen has a quest associated with him (after 7 elapsed days pass).

I usually do the copper cornet quest, then Korgans quest in the graveyard. That one can be tough with the undead though.

Then maybe Nalia's Keep.

[DrSpike]

I'll probably get around to BG2 after my current MMORPG (or at least online RPG in NWNs case) phase ends. It could be a while though since WoW isn't far off.

[Moral Hazard]

If you want to play the game without any party members I heard that an Undead Hunter is a good call.

Party thoughts early. It can be more fun just to take party members as you go and just figure it out yourself.

Spoiler:

What I'd recommend for your party at this point.
Korgan, Minsc, Jaheira, Nalia, Aerie, Anomen. Dropping the character most similiar to yourself. I never use thieves except to detect traps so I thought Yoshimo was garbage. I also recommend dropping Jahiera ASAP as soon as you find another fighter. Mind you I didn't do this, I kept Jahiera in my party and didn't pick up Keldorn(sp) I was a blade (pretty useless early) I didn't keep Airie either.

[Jamski]

Thieves rule in BG2, they rule SO much its daft NOT to play as a pure thief.

Trust me.

-Jam

[Dis]

thieves suck.

what's so great about them?

I use Imoen usually. Just enough to open locks, disable traps. that's all I ever use them for.

[Moral Hazard]

Yeah Im curious about that as well. I do also use them to scout ahead some times but not often enough to not be able to use invisibility. I'm to lazy to try and back stab. There aren't any fantastic items to steal from shops. I need more then trust. No spoilers tho.

[Dis]

I somtimes use them to scout. Not as much as I did in the icewind dale games though. in those games combat was more frequent and tougher. scouting could prove useful.

in bg2 I know where everything is now .

pickpocketing. not very fun for me. I don't want to do something that forces me to reload if I fail. The risk of capture is just too great.

[J Bytheway]

Originally posted by Moral Hazard
Yeah Im curious about that as well. I do also use them to scout ahead some times but not often enough to not be able to use invisibility. I'm to lazy to try and back stab. There aren't any fantastic items to steal from shops. I need more then trust. No spoilers tho.

I don't know about parties, but when playing solo the ability to hide in shadows is absolutely fantastically useful (because of the slightly silly way it's implemented in BGII - most notable the fact that you know whether or not you were successful), and backstabbing is very handy too.

For example,

Spoiler:

I killed the twisted rune using a level 24 swashbuckler (no backstabbing), a sling and an assortment of variously enchanted bullets (and Celestial Fury for Shyressa because +3 enchantment was needed)... No prot magic scrolls or other such cheese necessary. It was hiding in shadows above all else which made this possible