Just how annoying is Anomen?

Incertainty · Post by **Incertainty** » Wed May 19, 2004 6:29 pm

Well? I seem to hear nothing else about him then how annoynig and irritating he is, bu is it really that bad? I was able to suffer Lilarcor's idiotic babbling however. Not that I thought of it as funny, but since it's not a constant, it manages to stay bearable. He seems like a pretty decent character to me... fighter, healer, no bad stats... Anyone?

Aqua-chan · Post by **Aqua-chan** » Wed May 19, 2004 6:33 pm

Anyone who's been here longer than two months should know I'd end up here.

In all perspectives, I think it may generally boil down to whether you're playing male or female, good or evil. He tends to be more pompous to a male and puts up more flare, but he's bipolar in his romance until you scoff enough sense into him.

"Turning" him good... I don't like it. I personally like to see him go Chaotic Nuetral because he's just not so laggy that way.

In retrospect, it's how the player handles his character that decides how aggrivating it is to take him along.

fable · Post by **fable** » Wed May 19, 2004 6:49 pm

He's a big-mouthed, narrow-minded sexist. And that's his good side.

Raumoheru · Post by **Raumoheru** » Wed May 19, 2004 7:02 pm

^^ lol

yea he is very arrogent too

i had a party of me as a cavalier, keldorn, and anomen; and keldorn tried to take anomen under his wing and try to teach him the way of the order and anomen started bashing keldorn saying he doesnt need his help. i mean come on, you are tryin to get into the order but u wont listen to the wise old vet of it?

then he started saying how i assemble a crap team (not actual words dont remember what they were word for word) and i thot that was funny cuz it was 2 paladins and a fighter cleric which was a great team!

UncleScratchy · Post by **UncleScratchy** » Wed May 19, 2004 7:16 pm

I've never had any real problem with Anomen in any kind of party. I love the banter between Anomen and Jan (especially Jan's story of Ano the Dung Orc and Jen the cavalier). He is especially good in a two or three person party where the main char is female. The romance tones him down quite a bit (after he gets revenge on the murderers of his sister). After that you can break the romance if you like, the only difference I've ever noticed is that you lose the quest where Bodhi kills him and you have to resurrect him). He pretty much behaves himself and is a gentleman, for the most part, if you are romancing him. With Jan, Korgy or Keldon he's a quite a bit more irriatable and whinny. Stil he makes a hell of a good tank, can explode vampires and liches with his turn undead, and makes a decent cleric at higher levels. Jahiera is much more irritating, at least two-fold, than Anomen. Try playing a female F/M/T with just Anomen for a fun romp. Or if you want to add Jan for the fireworks make your main char one of the fighter kits.

Incertainty · Post by **Incertainty** » Wed May 19, 2004 7:33 pm

Originally posted by UncleScratchy
Jahiera is much more irritating

You serious? There is not a single NPC in the game I like more! Pretty decent fighter, healer, incredibly interesting character and dialogues (is there a single character with a more troubled, tortured mind and tough-but not so tough attitude?), without a doubt the most interesting romance with interesting side-quests, friend from the original game, her Harper pin,... The list goes on and on. What could there possibly be that is not to like about her?

Aqua-chan · Post by **Aqua-chan** » Wed May 19, 2004 7:37 pm

Originally posted by Incertainty
You serious? There is not a single NPC in the game I like more!

And that's the deciding factors for all NPCs. Don't take other people's opinions to be the only way you analyze an NPC.

Especially not Fable's.

krunchyfrogg · Post by **krunchyfrogg** » Wed May 19, 2004 9:41 pm

I think Anomen gets better if he passes his test.

His power level alone should be enough to make you overlook his annoyance-factor. I think a more appropriate name for him might be "Annoy-man"

kopywrite · Post by **kopywrite** » Thu May 20, 2004 1:09 am

Originally posted by Incertainty
without a doubt the most interesting romance with interesting side-quests, friend from the original game, her Harper pin,... The list goes on and on. What could there possibly be that is not to like about her?

Agreed. Before BG2 came out, Jaheira was regrded as the most annoying npc in the original game, something like Anomen is now. Bio. love to mess with peoples expectations (this is a good thing) and so they threw a lot of creative energy and time into turning her into the most in-depth character in the game.

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Thu May 20, 2004 2:53 am

I don't find him annoying at all - you just have to accept NPCs like they are, with advantages and faults. Not totally unlike real people... In my view, Anomen has one of the more interesting personalities, and he developes as the game progresses, which makes him even more interesting. And the fact that he is one of the very best NPC of course counts in his favor.

Coot · Post by **Coot** » Thu May 20, 2004 3:12 am

Originally posted by Astafas
I don't find him annoying at all - you just have to accept NPCs like they are, with advantages and faults. Not totally unlike real people...

Second that! The npc's are a huge part of BG2's success... especially because they're not perfect, power- and personalitywise.

kopywrite · Post by **kopywrite** » Thu May 20, 2004 3:54 am

Originally posted by Coot
The npc's are a huge part of BG2's success... especially because they're not perfect, power- and personalitywise.

Its a credit to the designers and writers that they did include a wide variety of personalities for CHARNAME to hang around with. I personally find him an annoying twerp but I think that's what he was intended to be; in this sense he has more depth than Valy. and Cernd combined.

I did laugh when I read this on the Chloe mod website though:

'Anomen: "Fair lady! What brings you to this den of corruption?"

Chloe: "Hey, back off monkey boy. That's my girl you're talking to."

Anomen: "I was not addressing you, churlish wench. I was talking t .. ERK!"

*Anomen's head rolls across the floor. Chloe sheaths her sword and looks around as everyone in the Copper Coronet cheers*

Chloe: "I told him to back off my girl ... pompous arrogant bastard."

The Bane of Anomen has come... and her name is Chloe.'

fable · Post by **fable** » Thu May 20, 2004 6:02 am

Originally posted by Aqua-chan
And that's the deciding factors for all NPCs. Don't take other people's opinions to be the only way you analyze an NPC.

Especially not Fable's.

I agree with everything above, except the last, incredibly misleading comment.

Therion · Post by **Therion** » Thu May 20, 2004 7:03 am

Anomen is not that bad. He's a pretty good npc stat-wise and I find Jaheira much more annoying personality-wise.

For example, that is. I'm planning on not taking Minsc as well, because, frankly he is funny.. but it wears out. Nalia, another example.. was much more annoying than Anomen as well.

But of course, that's just what I think.

nephtu · Post by **nephtu** » Thu May 20, 2004 8:12 am

If you want to know..

Take him for a ride in your party. I did with my one and only female PC and ended up romancing Anomen - it was actually oddly touching. He's certainly a wrecking machine once he gets some levels, and his story is pretty cool - with a real good/bad choice alternative.

The cool thing about the Bioware NPCS is that they really do have personalities.

Incertainty · Post by **Incertainty** » Thu May 20, 2004 12:40 pm

Originally posted by Aqua-chan
And that's the deciding factors for all NPCs. Don't take other people's opinions to be the only way you analyze an NPC.

Especially not Fable's.

One hundred percent true (well I'm not giving an opinion that last bit though

); but there's not much else for me to do at the time... something happened to my computer a couple of weeks ago, and the only things that are currently functioning is Internet and Word/Paint/... As it is, I'm restricted to playing at a friend 'till I get myself a new computer (he's wrecked for good), which should be at least another month.

fable · Post by **fable** » Thu May 20, 2004 12:52 pm

O Fortuna, indeed, Incertainty. Sorry to hear that.

For the rest, many people have commented in this forum on Anomen's great abilities as a tank, and I truly found him effective in one of my play-throughs. I think the reactions to his "personality" would be more measured if his dialog, frankly, were better *after* his passed test. But it's the only party NPC dialog in the game that strikes me as unsuccessful and awkward-sounding, this "I am suddenly such a wise Grasshopper" conversion of his. Matters aren't made any better by the retention of his old annoying exclamations, which should have been removed from his script.

UncleScratchy · Post by **UncleScratchy** » Thu May 20, 2004 1:16 pm

Originally posted by Incertainty
You serious? There is not a single NPC in the game I like more! Pretty decent fighter, healer, incredibly interesting character and dialogues (is there a single character with a more troubled, tortured mind and tough-but not so tough attitude?), without a doubt the most interesting romance with interesting side-quests, friend from the original game, her Harper pin,... The list goes on and on. What could there possibly be that is not to like about her?

You are reading into my statement something I did not say. I said she was irritating, not that I didn't like her as a party member. Of course she's a good NPC and her side quests add a lot to the storyline. I almost always have her in my party, especially if its a small party where she can level up quickly. What makes her irritating is when you get to a high reputation and she incessently complains about maintaining the balance. By the way, I also think Aerie is irritating. Of, course in BG1 Jaheira is totally useless except as a healer and complainer.

Incertainty · Post by **Incertainty** » Thu May 20, 2004 2:24 pm

@ Scratchy: I suppose you're right... but hey, she's a druid, what do you expect? My reputation doesn't usually go that high though... I've had her complaining a few times yes, but I guess she more than makes up for this in other areas, no? Cheers to that!

Coot · Post by **Coot** » Thu May 20, 2004 2:27 pm

Jaheira is probably the npc that's most connected to the pc and the main storyline - right after Imoen, of course. She's been with him/her from the very beginning, was a close friend of Gorion, she lost Khalid thanks to main-villain Irenicus and the whole Harperplot ties right in with the whole Bhaalspawn affair.
I have to agree with Uncle S. though: in BG1 she's as useful as... well, as any other druid.