BG2 = getting started

[Tau Ceti]

Mainly berserker rage, which in addition to improving your fighting skills makes you immune to pretty much all mind-based magic, including the ever irritating confusion - and even imprisonment. There may be a few other things too, but it has been a while since I played it. In any case, you become a great tank and healer, with lots of weapon proficiencies and maximum hit points.

[Fake Boris]

Oh. I never found that mind based spells were that much of a threat, with some items and all protecting against them (or turning into the *spoiler*). That's one of the beauty of the game, that any character can be played upon its own strength rather than following a recipe.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Dis
here's my good aligned party:

fighter type: Minsc
fighter type: Me
cleric: that one dude who is aspiring to be a paladin even though he's a fighter/cleric. I can't remember his name.
thief: Yoshimo
wizard: Nalia or Jan (and I kick out Yoshimo if I use Jan)

Is it worth picking up that fighter/cleric dude if Ive still got Jaheira?

[Unspeakable Horror]

You mean Anomen?

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Unspeakable Horror
You mean Anomen?

yeah, him.

Ive had difficulty with some early fights. I blundered into Litch (?) and then had to reload - dont go there till higher level, I guess. Then there was another fight in the slaver building, that also killed my party.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


yeah, him.

Ive had difficulty with some early fights. I blundered into Litch (?) and then had to reload - dont go there till higher level, I guess. Then there was another fight in the slaver building, that also killed my party.

so reloading my party is Me (human mage) minsc, Jaheira, Yoshino, and that winged elf. Looking for one more at the tavern - the NPCs there are Keldorn, Anomen, and Nalia, I think. Since Im RPing good, I guess I wouldnt do Keldorn, right?

[Unspeakable Horror]

It´s been a while since I played BG2, butt IIRC Keldorn is a Paladin, isn´t he? I think you are confusing him with Korgan

Winged elf= Aerie

[Nims]

Since Im RPing good, I guess I wouldnt do Keldorn, right?

You probably wouldn't keep him after his personal quest if you're good aligned.

Looking for one more at the tavern - the NPCs there are Keldorn, Anomen, and Nalia, I think

If you really need a 6th NPC now and don't want to wait till you encounter some other NPCs

Spoiler:

Edwin
Haer'Dalis
Jan
Korgan
Viconia
Cernd
Mazzy
Valygar

ask yourself what you need more: more arcane magic (Nalia) or a solid front line fighter with cleric spells (Anomen).

[Dis]

I touched on this before. The big question. Jaheira or Anomen. You really don't need both (and would gimp yourself in the process). Jaheria has some nice spells like insect plague and can use harpers call to resurrect the dead. But it's annoying that she can cure level drain and doesn't have any useful undead buffing spells. I prefer clerics to druids myself. And personally, I'd take Anomen (even if he is annoying). And if you have a female PC, you can romance him.

He's kind of weak to start off with, but:

Spoiler:

about 7 to 10 days after you get him, someone will come up to him about an "event". You have to remember Anomen wants to be a paladin. So when you choose how Anomen responds to this "event" you have to be in character so to speak. hint (and more spoiler): pick the options that sound lawful good.

[Nims]

I touched on this before. The big question. Jaheira or Anomen. You really don't need both (and would gimp yourself in the process). Jaheria has some nice spells like insect plague and can use harpers call to resurrect the dead. But it's annoying that she can cure level drain and doesn't have any useful undead buffing spells. I prefer clerics to druids myself.

Lotm already has a cleric, Aerie, even if she is a multi-class. He doesn't need another one.

And personally, I'd take Anomen (even if he is annoying). And if you have a female PC, you can romance him.

Why would you take him if he is annoying ? There are enough other NPCs. And the idea of romancing that pompous prat is just

[Dis]

I'd use Aerie if she could stay alive in even the simplist of fights.

[Nims]

True, she is a bit fragile. But that's the matter with most mages isn't it ? I've had her in my party in most playthroughs and she didn't die that often, compared to the rest of the team. Make sure that the enemy targets your tanks and keep Aerie in the back, shouldn't be a big problem with the vanilla BG2 AI.

[Fake Boris]

Originally posted by Dis
I'd use Aerie if she could stay alive in even the simplist of fights.

You don't use her well enough, a cleric/mage is full of powerful defensive spells (and you can combine cleric protections with magical ones).

[Fake Boris]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


so reloading my party is Me (human mage) minsc, Jaheira, Yoshino, and that winged elf. Looking for one more at the tavern - the NPCs there are Keldorn, Anomen, and Nalia, I think. Since Im RPing good, I guess I wouldnt do Keldorn, right?

If you're playing good, Keldorn (he is a Paladin, Korgan is an evil dwarven fighter FYI) is a top choice. He's got one of the best special ability in the game: True Sight, and Dispel Magic at TWICE his actual level. Plus, there's a very powerful weapon you can find for him in the early game.

You're still early into the game, but you'll soon find that illusion spells count amongst the nastiest and most annoying your ennemies will cast.

Killing a lich is not all that difficult, if you prepare yourself first. There are plenty of good strategies, but here are some suggestions:

- the priest spell sunray works wonder against liches. IIRC, since it directly targets undead through "direct" damage (not magical), it will slice through the lich's protections. If your priest can't cast it (it's fairly high level), there's a magical sword you can find that will confer the special ability.
- the 4th level mage spell Polymorph Self allows you to take the form of a mustard jelly. Sounds lame, doesn'it? Well not really. A mustard jelly's got 100% magical resistance, so basically you can stand right next to the lich while it is wasting its spells on you. Cast protection from evil on yourself beforehand, just in case the lich gates in a demon though.
- Some weapons deal elemental damage (ie, fire, cold electricity). While this is usually only an extra 2 or 3 damage, the big plus is that elemental damage DOES bypass most combat protections. So even if you won't be dealing that much damage, you'll be disrupting the lich's spellcasting.
- When one of your cleric reaches level 20 or so, liches won't ever be a problem anymore. Just turn undead and watch the lich explode. Even if you're lower level, you might want to try: you won't destroy it, but it might become terrorized and flee from the scene.

[Dis]

I did some cheesy methods when fighting liches.

I'd cast summon undead. put a couple skeleton warriors next to the lich. Run away. And have him waste all his spells on the skeletons.