The Classes of the NPC's

[TheAmazingOopah]

When Bioware, Black Isle and Interplay made Baldur's Gate in 1998, they made it (save some alterations, some say) in accordance to the Advanced Dungeon & Dragons 2nd Edition Rules. That meant that the creators were restricted to assigning only the standard classes (Fighter, Mage, Thief, etc.) to the NPC's, and didn't have the specialised classes, the kits, available as options. No specialisations like the cavalier, totemic druid or jester, only the specialist mages. In Baldur's Gate 2, they did have this option (at least, they used a system were they included kits and some of the new, 3rd edition classes), therefor being able to create for example Yoshimo as a bounty hunter instead of a thief, adding more colour to his personality instead of the general label “thief”, making him even more a character of its own. Had Baldur's Gate been made by the same rules, it's safe to speculate that several characters would have gotten classes from the kits too, since it matches the personality of the NPC better, makes him or her more even more interesting and unique, and in general gives the character a tad more flavour.

I've created this thread to start a discussion on the more precise nature of the NPC's classes. There is an old thread by me in which I raised the question which kit I should assign to the NPC's with the NPC Kit Selection (I believe that's only Tutu), but that was more a personal question with the eye on my specific case, which didn't really invite for a general discussion, and which definitely would be a bit of an undeserved, too personalised start for such a interesting, more general discussion like this. Also, it was only partly about the kits, and in a whole more about EasyTutu.

So: do you feel like Kivan's character and personality fits more the nature of a stalker instead of a plain ranger? Ajantis as an undead hunter? Kagain as a wizard slayer? Skie as a swashbuckler? Don't hesitate to add your list of the NPC's with your idea of their more precise class. It doesn't have to be a kit, if you think for example that Alora is more of a plain pick pocketing small-timing thief, instead of a head-hunting bounty hunter, an adventerous swashbuckler, or a bloodspilling assassin, then that is perfectly fine too.
Also, the discussion doesn't have to be limited to single classes only. I know it's impossible to have a kitted multi-class in Baldur's Gate 2 or Baldur's Gate Tutu, but besides from my own personal view that it sounds quite reasonable, at least as an idea, that a bounty hunter could also be specialised in hunting down wizards (with both kit limitations) when he just as well could be a fighter/thief, I also think that this discussion about the nature of the NPC's classes shouldn't be limited by the limitations of the structual manual rules, since we are rather discussing in-game characters on their characteristics as fans of the game do, not really by the official structual “balancing out” rules as designers would do. So you think that Coran is a thief in a way of a bounty hunter, even though he is a fighter/thief? Don't be afraid to name so, we're just exchanging ideas here.

And about the clerics in Baldur's Gate: I don't know if you could call Yeslick, Quayle, Viconia, Branwen and Tiax actually priests, or if they are just plain clerics of their god - I'm not sure about that. But in the case of this class, I think it's quite okay to branch out and not limit ourselves to the three available kits, which present only three possible deities (Talos, Lathander and Helm), even though an NPC could just as well be a follower of a different deity. I mean, to call Viconia a priest/cleric of Talos would be just untrue, she is a follower of Shar. So I guess that in the case of looking at the classes of the clerics, it comes down to which deity they worship as a cleric.
And I guess that specialist mages like Xzar and Dynaheir just stay their usual class. I mean, is there another specialised mage class that would fit Xzar more than the necromancer?

That being said, let's start with the suggestions!

[Klorox]

As far as I can tell, your poll and actual thread relate to two very different things.

Going on that, I think many of the BG1 NPCs deserve kits, and I assign them when I play Tutu.

I make Ajantis into a Cavalier. He just seems like the quintessential Cavalier, and I wouldn't give him a missile weapon.

I leave Alora as is. You could argue Swashbuckler.

Branwen doesn't get a kit. She worships Tempus, and the only Neutral Cleric kit is for Helmites.

Coran is multiclassed -- no kit for him. When kits were first introduced into AD&D ("The Complete Fighter's Handbook"), it was said that kits were not for multiclassed characters because they're specialized enough. I know later on exceptions were made, but I stick with it.

Dynaheir already has a kit. I actually prefer to make her a Sorcerer though, since I can't see Rashemen (Rashewomen?) scribing scrolls in their barbaric settings.

Edwin is a Conjuror. 'Nuff said.

Eldoth is a Bard. I change him into a Blade based on the Blade's flavour text in "The Complete Bard's Handbook" which portrays the Blade as a good assassin.

Faldorn gets not kit, as none really fit and she doesn't have one in BG2.

Garrick can either be a Bard or get the Jester kit for me (just because he's a dope IMHO).

Imoen's a Swashbuckler for me. It fits her personality so much better. I can't picture Immy backstabbing anybody (in BGII, I use a mod that starts her off as a Level 10 Swash/Level 1 Mage).

Jaheira's multiclassed -- no kit needed.

Kagain can go two ways: he either stays kitless or becomes a Wizard Slayer (Dwarves typically dislike and distrust arcane magic). The latter is a much more powerful route for him.

Khalid doesn't get a kit, although I have used the mod that changes him into a F/M. It works for him (I always have problems picturing him as a frontliner, although he does a very good job at it as a Fighter)!

Kivan's an Archer for me. It's how I've always used him before Tutu, and he starts with *** in Bow anyway IIRC.

Minsc is tough for me. I know he should be a big lovable Barbarian, but he's got Boo, and Barbarians don't get an animal companion! I flip-flop on this one all the time.

Monty is multiclassed already. No kit needed.

Quayle too.

Safana could be a straight Thief or an Assassin. Both fit well.

Shar-Teel has too much of a chip on her shoulder to not choose Berserker.

Skie doesn't get a kit in Klorox-world.

Tiax is multiclassed. And he rules all!!!

Viconia gets no kit, but I have changed her into a Cleric/Thief, which works well with her story and personality (I know C/T isn't a legal multiclass for an Elf, but neither is C/M and Aerie gets to be one in BGII).

Xan is an Enchanter.

Xzar is a Necromancer.

Yeslick is multiclassed.

As for the poll, I'm voting Bard because of the Blade and Jester kits. They both allow a lot of diversity from the original class.

[TheAmazingOopah]

As far as I can tell, your poll and actual thread relate to two very different things.

Going on that, I think many of the BG1 NPCs deserve kits, and I assign them when I play Tutu.

I make Ajantis into a Cavalier. He just seems...

(...)

...and Aerie gets to be one in BGII).

Xan is an Enchanter.

Xzar is a Necromancer.

Yeslick is multiclassed.

As for the poll, I'm voting Bard because of the Blade and Jester kits. They both allow a lot of diversity from the original class.

Thanks, Klorox, excellent post! You have some very good points there.

You're right about the poll - it does relate to a very different thing than the thread. I didn't really find the thread subject very suitable for a poll, and the poll does handle the same theme, kits. Because of that connection, I went on and posted this poll, always makes a thread more interesting if you ask me. But yeah, two different things, don't get them mixed up.

You are right about the multi classes, it is impossible to have a kitted multi class. However, I'm still interested in your idea about what kind of a thief Tiax is, how Yeslick's fighter class can be described, how you see Jaheira as a druid, how Coran behaves as a thief, and so on. I'm not asking you how you would play the characters, not expecting you to actually create with a special feature a kitted multi class. Forget the game rules and the actual gaming, just focus on characters and story, the in-game world. I'm really interested in your vision on the aspects of those classes too!