GameBanshee Forums

Which one(s) of the NPC's do you never pick to your party? Why?

I personally never accept these characters to accompany me:

1. Faldorn - lousy stats, no pro's whatsoever. And that stupid pose & gesture in her picture is simply too much.

2. Alora - OK, good dex but that's about it. And why change your seasoned thief who's served you so well, so late in the game?

3. Yeslick - stats aren't so great for fighter nor cleric - certainly not for both. And if he has let himself imprisoned by those Iron Throne thugs - what good would he possibly offer to my party?!?

Skie - I would pick her but I would have to run around the map with Eldoth and then get him killed and so on. A lot of work
Faldorn - There's NO good side in her

Xan - He's a whiner and a pessimist.

I am not fond of the bards either

Originally posted by Idioteque
Xan - He's a whiner and a pessimist.

I've really changed my opinion on Xan. ATM I think he's very useful mage. You can get Wand of summoning and tons of Wands of Fire, and the other spells he doesn't got are totally unimportant. He gets bonus in Dire Charm which is one of the best spells in the game, and he can cast all the good spells (Horror and Sleep and Ghost Armor etc). His Moonblade IS useful, you can raise his THAC0 with GOWE etc.

I am not fond of the bards either

Wrong again, atleast what I think I used to hate them too but in my last game I had Garrick for a while, his high lore (10 per level) is VERY useful, you don't have to run to the temple/merchant all the time, he is also useful pickpocket and crossbowman, maybe not the best though.

Most useless:

- Garrick: Vital stats are too low, as is Constitution. Also gets repetitive.
- Faldorn: Same reason as the rest of you have said.
- Quayle: As much as I like the connections he has to a certain NPC in BG2, most of his stats are abysmal. Besides, why have Invisibility as an innate ability when he could practically cast it anyway?

I could also agree about Skie, Yeslick, and Alora. Tiax might also go on that, if it weren't for his innate ability and his personality.

Least liked:
- Garrick: See above.
- Eldoth: Too selfish, even for a bard with his own gain in mind.

That's all i have to say.

I've never played the game all the way through with Xan, Faldorn, Eldoth, Skie, Alora, Quayle, and Tiax (although I have played with all of them at least briefly).

Originally posted by Curry
Skie - I would pick her but I would have to run around the map with Eldoth and then get him killed and so on. A lot of work
Faldorn - There's NO good side in her

Am I the only one that likes Skie and Eldoth - as a couple? Eldoth isn't a bad bard, why lose him?

Now Faldorn is another story. I can't think of ANY reason to have her in your party, power- or roleplayingwise. But then, all druids seem to be bad npc's in the BG-series. Cernd may have better stats and everything, but he's extremely boring and his personal quest annoys the heck out of me.

Originally posted by Coot
But then, all druids seem to be bad npc's in the BG-series. Cernd may have better stats and everything, but he's extremely boring and his personal quest annoys the heck out of me.

That's true!

Perhaps Jaheira is an exception, but on the other hand she's is a multi-classed character and might be quite useless as a druid. Minor spoiler(?): And of course she's harper and might be the one your heart desires...

Originally posted by Moleman
Perhaps Jaheira is an exception, but on the other hand she's is a multi-classed character and might be quite useless as a druid.

I always found Jaheira very useful. When she reaches ToB she kicks major buttocks. Buff her up and let her go for the eyes!

As for the minor spoiler: nah... for me it's Viconia...

Are we all agreed that Coran and Imoen are the best?

As for the romances I like Aerie because my first gfs name was Ari, and shes just cuter.

Originally posted by Idioteque
Are we all agreed that Coran and Imoen are the best?

Coran and especially Imoen are very good npc's, but what about Viconia, Edwin and Kagain? Minsc is pretty powerful as well, at least in BG1, where his natural strength is still a significant factor and his ability to charm animals is actually useful every now and then.

Are we all agreed that Coran and Imoen are the best?

Nah, usually Kivan has most of the kills in my party

the most usless and ennoying for me are:
Khalid
Skie

Khalid always runs away when fighting and he needs ogre gloves to make him even a decent NPC and skie is just ennoying IMO


The most powerful IMO is Kagain who whith his innate high spell save and amazing constitution can kill of Serevok singlehandedly if you play your cards right

spell save? sarevok is not a spellcaster so save throw is quite useless vs sarevok (semaj might do something tho, but my mages deals with him )

Originally posted by Curry
spell save? sarevok is not a spellcaster so save throw is quite useless vs sarevok (semaj might do something tho, but my mages deals with him )

spell save is just something that is realy useful IMO in any situation.....maybe not very much so when battling Sarevok but there are many other situations wheni it is very useful

Originally posted by Idioteque
Are we all agreed that Coran and Imoen are the best?

Coran is the best archer THAC0-wise, but I still prefer Kivan. You can get him earlier and his stats are better when it comes to melee fighting.

Actually, I have never really liked Imoen, neither in BG1 or BG2. I seem to be the only one, though... If you plan to use her as a Thief, I think Shar-Teel makes a far better job once dualled (at level 3 preferably - she'll then have *** in either Long or Short Swords) since she hits while backstabbing. And if you plan to dual Imoen as a Mage, I prefer one of the Specialists for the extra spell slots. And of course, if you dual to soon, she'll be worthless as a Thief later on and if you dual later you'll have to wait almost the whole game til you have a decent Mage unless you take one of the other in (and then you have no use for Immy anyway...).

I agree that Kagain is amazing. As is Shar-Teel, either dualled or as a Fighter. Her Con is low, but with the Dex bonus, she doesn't get hit that very often anyway. And she can use the Claw of Kaz without any negative effects to the HPs.

Being a Bard fan, I like both Eldoth and Garrick. On the other hand, I've never really seen the advantages of Jaheira and Khalid. The first have lousy stats, making her bad both as a Fighter and a Druid, and the second, in addition to having only decent stats for a Fighter, seems to have a serious moral issue...

Originally posted by Astafas
I've never really seen the advantages of Jaheira and Khalid. The first have lousy stats, making her bad both as a Fighter and a Druid, and the second, in addition to having only decent stats for a Fighter, seems to have a serious moral issue...

I agree. I usually drop them at Nashkel, to exchange them with Minsc and Branwen. In BG2, I like having both cleric and druid in my party, because they have different use (unless I've got ranger/cleric), but in BG1 it's no use for having both really. Apart from the stats, Jaheira has disadvantage of levelling up slower as being multi class, and Branwen can actually melee better .

I don't see advantage of changing anyone when I arrive at Buldur's Gate, so I've never used Skie, Alora etc. I've used Yeslick and he's not bad. However, if you take him in 6 men party, you have to drop someone in the mine and you know what'll happen after you kill the boss there. Only Yeslick can leave from there (just like the Imoen in Asylum situation in BG2).

Originally posted by Minerva
In BG2, I like having both cleric and druid in my party, because they have different use (unless I've got ranger/cleric), but in BG1 it's no use for having both really.

Very true. In BG2 I also like having both a Cleric (ususally Anomen) and a Druid (usually Jaheria). Jaheira's stats are better in BG2 as well...

Garrick gets on my nerves. I usually stand him at the back with a crossbow and then get him to carry the loot.
Imoen also annoys me, but she's useful for making money. So unless I'm a thief or mage/thief, I keep her.
Khalid isn't too bad. He's an okay fighter with Jaheira, and backed up by Kivan, Imoen, Garrick and myself, all with ranged weapons.
Kagain got on my nerves so much that I got rid of him as soon as I found Kivan (ie straight away).
As I'm having technical problems, I haven't got far enough to find any completely useless characters, although Xzar and Montaron come close, their only use being a couple of scrolls and some equipment that can be sold. I'd probably use them in an evil party, though.

well ive played BG 4 a while and i think that Khalid is a very good fighter in a way (get the ogre gloves and he's good). He also has high HP and can be useful for diversions when ppl who r strong try and kill u.
Imoen and Coran are the BEST and i agree, also quyale is useless in fighting in hand to hand but if you think bout it he can cast a HELL LOT OF SPELLS which is cool as. Ajantis is the BEST AS WELL. And Yeslick (if u can use him right). Montaron is GOOD as well along with Skie (if u dual class in a mage with those tomes)

Well the most useless is Jaheira, Edwin (well he's evil and he leaves when u gewt a good rep) Sharteel, Minsc (Hes so f*king stupid and gets lost easy, Kivan because of his constution. All the bards in BG suck as well and Faldorn is the WORST u can find in the whole game. Might as well have no one is u have her
if ive offended ne1 sorry