New to BG2

Network Shadow · Post by **Network Shadow** » Wed Jul 24, 2002 11:22 am

Hello.

I just started playing BG2 3 days ago. I went through the in-game tutorial which was awesome (I'm pretty easy to please) and plan on starting the actual game when I'm comfortable with what I'm doing. I've been reading around a lot over the net - especially GB. Oh yeah and I downloaded the patch from Bioware already. But umm I do have a few question if anyone here is willing to help.

I've been hearing a lot in these forums about patches and all kinds of complicated add-ons. Is there any other things I should download besides the official 2.0 patch to correct or enhance the game somehow? And if so, will these interfere with playing muliplayer on GameSpy? Also, I'm a big roleplayer, so I want my lead to be a lawful evil Necromancer (despite the obvious disadvantages over some other classes). Any other suggestions for accompanying NPCs?

Thanks in advance.

Ryo · Post by **Ryo** » Wed Jul 24, 2002 12:42 pm

Well, any evil party must include the three evil NPCs of BG2:

Korgan Bloodaxe, a chaotic evil dwarven berserker
Edwin Odeisseran, a lawful evil human conjurer
and
Viconia deVir, a neutral evil drow elven cleric.

That leaves you with two other party slots to fill. I suggest

Haer Dalis', a chaotic neutral tiefling (half-fiend) blade

and

Jan Jakobar Jansen, a chaotic neutral gnomish thief/illusionist.

http://www.geocities.com/tjekanefir/amn.htm

I highly recommend this site. It's an excellent walkthrough that has as few spoilers as possible. It also comes with a neat little NPC Guide at the bottom.

Aubrey · Post by **Aubrey** » Wed Jul 24, 2002 1:54 pm

Welcome, Network Shadow!

If you have Throne of Bhaal installed, apart from Shadows of Amn, you will need to install its official patch as well.
As for mods, etc., I think it would be better for you to play the game at least once, and try them afterwards.

Cheers

Network Shadow · Post by **Network Shadow** » Wed Jul 24, 2002 2:23 pm

Thanks

Thanks for the advice. I unfortunately do not have the Throne of Bhaal expansion ... I want to get it though.

Just one more question about assembling parties. Which do you favor - a multiplayer custom party, or a player character with the umm NPCs that join you? I'm trying to consider both possibilities before starting.

Querschen · Post by **Querschen** » Wed Jul 24, 2002 2:37 pm

I recommend playing with the NPCs first, they provide amusement and have more flavor than a multi player party. You will also get to experiment with some of the classes so you dont create one you dont like in your all created Party.

STAY AWAY FROM JAN JANSEN.

Also d/l the bonus merchants from GB they are excellent and will provide you with a cloak your necro will wear the whole game

Andy Strawn · Post by **Andy Strawn** » Wed Jul 24, 2002 2:39 pm

Dear Network: Don't come to this site unless you are stuck and looking for help. Otherwise, you will come across spoilers that will ruin the twists and turns. Well, at least I thought so.

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Wed Jul 24, 2002 3:11 pm

IMHO, you shouldn't download any unofficial patches before completing the game at least once as it was supposed to be.

As for a party, I recommend:

Your Necromancer
Edwin - Conjurer
Korgan - Battlerager (Berserker)
Viconia - Cleric
Jan - Thief/Illusionist
Cernd - Shapeshifter

There is no true need for Edwin as you are a Mage yourself and have Jan as backup, but he is one of the few evil NPCs after all. The party gets really mage heavy, though. Fortunately, Korgan is such a good fighter that it won't be a problem. The reason I recommend Cernd instead of Haer'Dalis is that you'll otherwise miss out on the great Druidic spells. This way, you'll really have it all.

Querschen · Post by **Querschen** » Wed Jul 24, 2002 3:19 pm

YOURSELF AND ALL FIGHTERS!!!!!

EVIL ANOMEN
EVIL KORGAN
FALLEN PALADIN KELDORN
VICONIA
HAERDALIS (REPLACE IN ToB)
YOU!!!!

Quitch · Post by **Quitch** » Wed Jul 24, 2002 3:26 pm

I would highly reccomend that now you have installed the official patch, you also download and install the unofficial patch... oh, and the text fix too: http://members.rogers.com/mrkevvy/

Myself, I never understood the logic of a pure first run.

"Yes, play it once with less content, then install MORE content, but with a knowledge of what's to come, thus never quite getting total satisfaction from either run. Neat, huh?"

Nygma · Post by **Nygma** » Wed Jul 24, 2002 9:05 pm

I'm with Astafas on doing a run through with just the "official" patches first.

Most mods and add-ons were done by and for people who have run through the game umpteen times and wanted a) fresh content and b) a tougher challenge. Unless you are the type of gamer who sets the game on "Mega Nightmare Hell" level on the first run-through, I'd suggest downloading the various mods after you've got a solid feel for magic use in the game. This game is already unbelievably huge and you won't feel like you've been cheated.

Once you run through it once you'll probably want to try it again with a different PC and a different NPC party. Being able to download new content then will make a second run just that much more appetizing.

Skuld · Post by **Skuld** » Thu Jul 25, 2002 6:49 am

I'm with them... don't use any mods or addons for your first run. Maybe a romance mod or something but that's it.

Littiz · Post by **Littiz** » Thu Jul 25, 2002 8:19 am

Quitch's suggestion regards the additional bugfix, so I'd follow the advice indeed, it's always better to have a less buggy game!

The mods to make the game more difficult are another thing.

Network Shadow · Post by **Network Shadow** » Thu Jul 25, 2002 10:30 am

Yikes!

Whoa ... now I kinda don't know what to believe lol. The majority of you said stick with the official patch which is what I'm going to do I guess; at least until I have major bug problems deep into the game and need them repaired or something.

And what the heck is a romance? I know it's a dumb question but I hear all you people talking about it ... is it like a sex scene or something? (excuse that, btw)

Bad Karma · Post by **Bad Karma** » Thu Jul 25, 2002 10:33 am

A romance is when you develop a more personal relationship with one of (initially) three female characters or one male character, depending on your character's gender. It's a nice role-playing opportunity since you have to say and do things that make them happy.

Querschen · Post by **Querschen** » Thu Jul 25, 2002 10:37 am

A romance is in effect having sex with one of the females in your party. This is not as good as normal sex and has virtually no impact on the game.

Quitch · Post by **Quitch** » Thu Jul 25, 2002 1:30 pm

By the time you run into a bug fixed by Baldurdash, it'll be too late to patch it. In some cases, you'll need to start a new game. The Baldurdash patch is made to COMPLIMENT the official patch.

They're not talking about Baldurdash anyway, they're talking about things like new NPCs, encounters, etc.

Myself, I'd reccomend you add all the new NPCs as well. They don't change the difficulty of the game, they simply add even more depth to it.

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Thu Jul 25, 2002 7:38 pm

Originally posted by Quitch
By the time you run into a bug fixed by Baldurdash, it'll be too late to patch it. In some cases, you'll need to start a new game. The Baldurdash patch is made to COMPLIMENT the official patch.

I've gone through the game several times without ever encountering a bug forcing me to start a new game. I find it very hard to believe that Bioware would have missed something as crucial as a bug which completely destroys your saved game. Could it be that you really like the Baldurdash patches and thus bend the truth a bit here, Quitch?

I recommend NS to read through the info at Baldurdash and decide for himself.

As for NPCs, you can only have five of them with you at the same time. I sincerely recommend NS to try out the official ones before downloading those made by various enthusiasts. Far from everybody uses these patches (which are sometimes of questionable quality). Those who do tend to write about it frequently at this board however, which might give the impression that the patches are more popular than is the case.

Quitch · Post by **Quitch** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 1:49 am

There is at least one game ending bug within a fully patched BG2.

Since most of the fixes are things confirmedby Bioware as being bugs, I would install it. You don't stop to consider the official one, why this one? It fixes a lot more bugs, and unlike the last ToB one, doesn't introduce any.

Ode to a Grasshopper · Fri Jul 26, 2002 2:41 am

Originally posted by Querschen
This is not as good as normal sex<snip>

LOL! This wins the GB award for most obvious statement of the year, I think.

Download the Baldurdash fixes, @Network Shadow. They fix more bugs than the official patch, and do not add in any more features than you would have had otherwise.

Network Shadow · Post by **Network Shadow** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 6:27 am

Ohhhh ... kay

I'll look into Baldurdash or whatever and see if I think I'd want it. But on a totally unrelated note, I wanted to personally thank Ryo for giving me that link - it was AMAZINGLY helpful. So helpful that I decided to play a Good Necromancer instead of evil. To me that opens up more NPC opportunities and stuff. Though I could be wrong. I think my new party would be my Necromancer, Imoen, Minsc, and Jaheria to start off and then I would replace them after escaping the Dungeon thingy. Who I would replace them with I still dunno.

Everyone's help has been greatly appreciated and many thanks to all!