Party advice

[mrdeluxe]

Hi everyone,

I need some advice on my party. Right now it's:

Me, a Fighter/Thief. I mainly do back-up front-line fighting, backstab, ranged and all the thieving stuff.
Imoen, the Mage (dualed at level 2)
Kagain, the Tank
Kivan, the Archer
Viconia, the Cleric

Since I'm doing the Cloakwood quests, I've picked up Coran. Initially I didn't want him on my team, since he's the same class as the protagonist, and only picked him up for the Wyvern quest. However, he already has 30% of the kills in this chapter!

Should I keep him and Kivan on my team? Is 2 multi-class party member on a full 6 person team too much?

Also, I was considering ditching Kagain before the final trip to Baldur's Gate (when I start to do all the quests that aren't part of the main storyline) and pick-up Minsc and Dynaheir, but if I keep both Coran and Kivan I don't have room for them. I also don't really want to ditch Imoen since she has stuck by me this whole time (and is becoming one hell of a mage who knows how to use a bow!).

So: should I ditch Kivan, because he's a bore, or Coran because he's Multi-Class and levels up slower? Or none of them and should I re-do my party differently?

One last question: what's the maximum level an NPC can have when you pick him up for the first time? I don't want to pick up Minsc and find him a lot behind on levels.

Thank you!

[mrdeluxe]

Follow up:

I now have the option to recruit Yeslick! Who (if anyone) should I take out?

My obvious choice is Kagain, and not just because he's a dwarf as well, but he's the least invested in the party: he's just a mercenary that I hired for awhile. Even when I kick him out he's actually kinda cheery for leaving.

But is Yeslick a suitable substitute for a Tank, even if temporary? (eventually I want Minsc as the main tank). They both have the same base AC but Kagain has 84 (!!!) HP, as opposed to Yeslick's 51. But, on the other hand, Yeslick has loads of buffs like Draw Upon Holy Might and Barskin.

[The Z]

IIRC there should be enough XP to go around to hit or get close to the level cap even with two multi-class characters so that shouldn't be a huge issue unless you're powergaming.

Personally I would keep Coran because his 20 Dex makes him deadly with the bow (although Kivan is no slouch).

If you're planning on keeping Viciona for the long haul, then I would say that Yeslick is a bit redundant. I think even with buffs, Kagain is a better fighter and is more effective.

In terms of a role-playing perspective, it might make sense to replace Viciona with Yeslick if you're playing a good party, but that's more a of a subjective call.

[mrdeluxe]

Thanks for the answer! I was initially considering keeping Viconia all the way to the end, but her personality isn't as rich as in BG2, so I think I'll ditch her, Kagain and Kivan and end up with:

PC (Fighter/Thief)
Imoen (Mage)
Coran
Yeslick
Misnc
Dynaheir

It's a gamble, trading a very good archer for one more spellcaster in BG1, but I think it will come in handy on the later levels (TotSC comes to mind).

Also I've removed the level cap (with TuTu), so a full party of six with 3 multi-class characters isn't as worrying.

I have just one last concern: What, role-playing wise, could justify keeping Coran and ditching Kivan? Kivan makes more sense (In Character) to keep, since he is on a personal quest against the bandits while Coran only wants adventure…

On my last game I ditched Kivan because he was acting like a racist (sometimes he started shooting arrows at Viconia), but he has never done that in this game so far.

[The Z]

One scenario I could see is that once Kivan has avenged his family he has completed what he set out to do and might want to meditate on it.

Coran is also Chaotic Good, so maybe he wants to help you see your quest through.

It's tough to say.

[mrdeluxe]

He solved this dilemma for me!

In the Cloakwood Mines, Viconia said to him something along the lines "I know how you feel but we don't need to be enemies." and he retorted: "stay away from me, dark elf".

I kicked the racist out when I got the change.

I also kicked Yeslick out and kept Viconia. When I tried to remove her from my party she seemed surprisingly sad, so I removed Yeslick instead, who didn't seem to mind as much. And role-playing wise, it made more sense: Viconia is a fugitive, only because of her race and her real protection is my party, while a dwarf seems to be fairly accepted. Also, his "quest" was completed with the flooding of the mines.

So now it's me, mage Imoen, Minsc, Coran, Viconia and Dynaheir. More magic that I normally use in BG1 but it may be fun.

Also: Minsc dual-wielding Varscona and a Morning Star +1 (eventually Flame Tongue), with the Gauntlets of Dexterity is amazing. More than compensates for his low Constitution, compared to Kagain.

[Hamster ranger]

Having who you want in your party is largely a personal issue to get the harmony or disharmony you desire, but dude, calling a elf racist because he takes pot shots at a drow when we all shoot at orcs and ogres and such on site (sometimes I lob fireballs in their general direction because I know they'll turn up) just tickles my funny bone. Play on dude.

[fable]

I have just one last concern: What, role-playing wise, could justify keeping Coran and ditching Kivan? Kivan makes more sense (In Character) to keep, since he is on a personal quest against the bandits while Coran only wants adventure…

Doesn't that depend on what character you're playing? If you're a mercenary, Coran's desire for adventure may be fine--or he may be too light-hearted for you. Kivan, on the other hand, is driven, and if your eye is on the gold, you may prefer the braggart to the man with a mission.

I can think of any number of other potential character leaders who might prefer Coran--and just as many that would prefer Kivan. Or neither. It's how you see your part.

[Da_venom]

kivan is better anytime imho