What's with my party?

mitsuharu · Post by **mitsuharu** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 9:50 am

How come, when I start a game on BGII I get their party, not the one on my save?

It just bothered me that when I loaded it I got Minsc, (though he is fun in BGII) He was dead! (not my fault. Giant Spider.) and I had a higher level Jahera, Imoen and I had Xan... Where did they go?

Aztaroth · Post by **Aztaroth** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 10:15 am

It's just like that, nothing you can do about it... save maybe mod it or something...

Now THERE'S an idea...

Raven_Song · Post by **Raven_Song** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 12:23 pm

How come, when I start a game on BGII I get their party, not the one on my save?

Although the game is in one sense a continuation of the story, it is also completely separate. Although I never finished the original BG neither Minsc, Jaheira or Imoen were in my party (at least two of them were dead, Imoen by my own hand). If I'd transferred my party at the point I got I'd have been freed from cage by Safana, had to rescue Branwen and Kivan.

In Bioware's defence can you imagine how much work it would have been to code a game that allowed for various combinations of the original 25 NPC's

Not to mention the drastic impact it would have on their storyline

Spoiler

How could the Pc rescue Imoen if he shied (or was murdered after uttering "Heya it's me Imoen") in the last game?[end spoiler] It would be impossible to code a coherent storyline that allowed for all manner of party combinations. So Bioware, rightly or wrongly, selected the characters they liked, or mistakenly thought the gamers liked, best and went for it.

However some characters can indeed be added by mod, Xan can, if you're interested check out the link to Chosen of mystra NPC list that I posted in the reference crossroad sticky at the top. The Xan mod is however not as developed as many other NPC mods and hasn't been updated for a while. Other old characters you can add by mod include Alora and Kivan, but none of these characters will begin the game with you.

Coot · Post by **Coot** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 1:33 pm

[QUOTE=Raven_Song]So Bioware, rightly or wrongly, selected the characters they liked, or mistakenly thought the gamers liked, best and went for it.[/QUOTE]At the time the 'classic party' was considered the party with Imoen, Jaheira, Khalid, Minsc and Dynaheir. Especially the first three were placed in the storyline in such a way that you could hardly miss them, especially in your first run through the game. So Bioware figured that the partymembers-most-likely-to-be in-your-party-in-the-beginning-of-SoA would be them.

Also, remember that some time has apparently passed between the end of BG1 and the beginning of BG2, so partymembers like Xan had plenty of time to leave the group before they were captured by Irenicus.

Raven_Song · Post by **Raven_Song** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 2:17 pm

At the time the 'classic party' was considered the party with Imoen, Jaheira, Khalid, Minsc and Dynaheir.

Really?

While I can appreciate Minsc and Dynaheir (well Dynaheir anyway) and begrudginly the thieving skills of the "Heya it's me" parasite. (Although even on my first run through I ditched her as qucikly as possible, thank Tymora for Safana)

But Jaheira and Khalid? An average fighter and a rather substandard multi-class (below average as both a fighter and healer)

Druids weren't particularly great in the first game, and Jaheira ain't a great druid. You'd have to play a cleric or rely on a great number of potions,

Especially the first three were placed in the storyline in such a way that you could hardly miss them, especially in your first run through the game.

While you can't miss them they are quite easy to lose, even on your first run through. Imoen doesn't do so well against a bear armed with nothing but a single dart.

And unfortunately for Jaheira and Khalid I sided with Xzar and Montaron even though I was playing a Chaotic Good Bard, while I didn't miss the Harper harpy's nagging, it felt sorry for Khalid so my bard penned an ode in his honour entitled "Death, sweet release for the hen-pecked)

I realize those three were placed early but so were Xzar and Montaron and there were plenty of characters you could (if you deviate from the beaten path a bit) pick up before you finally get Dynaheir (Garrick, Kaigan, Kivan, Safana, Branwen, Ajantis)

So Bioware figured that the partymembers-most-likely-to-be in-your-party-in-the-beginning-of-SoA would be them.

Apparently they also figured that:-

Players took a good aligned-party, and would continue to play a good aligned party as demonstrated by the shameful lack of evil NPC's.

Despite really only catering for good aligned parties the only options available for ultimately rescuing the parasite involve

Spoiler

working with evil organizations, would a lawful good paladin work for either thieves or vampires? [end spoiler]

Players are as irrestibaly attracted as members of the clergy as they seem to be, also if male your beloved will be of elven extraction:
Aerie (Elf Cleric/Mage) Anomen (Fighter/Cleric) Jaheira (Half-Elf Fighter/Druid) Viconia (Elf Cleric)

Jaheira would be druid enough for anybody and so there was no need to develop Cernd (a similar argument can be made for Minsc/Valygar, Imoen/Nalia)

I could go on ... thanks god for modding

I would at this point like to say that I really do like the game but tonight am mostly feeling flippant and argumentative

fable · Post by **fable** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 3:09 pm

I'm almost inclined to let this thread go off in the direction it's taken--almost.

Why don't you guys start a new thread with your different subject, and continue your discussion? It's interesting.

mr_sir · Post by **mr_sir** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 5:21 am

[QUOTE=Aztaroth]It's just like that, nothing you can do about it... save maybe mod it or something...

Now THERE'S an idea...[/QUOTE]

lol, i was just thinking the same thing. running through bg1 etc. at the moment with the view to continuing through bg2 and TOB and i am seriously considering making a note of stats, spells etc. at the end of bg1 and then changing the stats at the start of bg2 to make it consistent. of course i have jaheira and minsc and imoen in my party so them being there is not an issue. although khallid's body will be a mystery as he got killed (accidently ... honest) by a bear early in the game

VonDondu · Post by **VonDondu** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 5:29 am

[QUOTE=mr_sir]lol, i was just thinking the same thing. running through bg1 etc. at the moment with the view to continuing through bg2 and TOB and i am seriously considering making a note of stats, spells etc. at the end of bg1 and then changing the stats at the start of bg2 to make it consistent...[/QUOTE]
I do that all the time (although I usually let Jaheira and Minsc keep the higher stats that BG2 gives them). It's your game, and I highly recommend it.

CFM · Post by **CFM** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 11:32 am

I did just the opposite the time I played BG1 & 2.

Last year I started BG1. I picked up Imoen, then Jaheira & Khalid, and eventually Minsc & Dynaheir.

At some point early in my BG1 game, I read about (and was nicely surprised to see) which 5 NPCs were returning in BG2. I took note of Imoen, Jaheira, & Minsc in BG2: weapon proficiencies, hit points, Imoen's thieving scores, and her beginning spellbook. Wow, they dualled her!

I leveled them up consistent with how they'd be at the start of BG2. Even dualled Imoen to a mage at 40k XP. Immy's abbreviated spellbook was more than enough magic support, with Dynaheir having almost everything in her spellbook. That magic duo was devastating with spells and wands!

It helped make the overall story seem more real (very important in a D&D game

).

BTW- I did NOT change the color of Imoen's hair to pink in my BG1 game. My weird does have a limit.