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Finally I got BG, so after many games with BG2/ToB I started a game with the first chapter of the saga and has been a nice diversion to pass from contingency with triple AdhW, time stops and +5/+6 weapon to normal weapon and spells like burning hands/Larloch etc..

My party will be:
Me Human fighter CG
Imoen to be dualled to mage (conjurer) at 4/5 th lev.
Viconia
Coran
Minsc

As sixth party member I'm dubious between Dynaheer and Kivan: in SoA no doubt I would choose Dynaheer, because at high level magic is greatly effective (more than melee), but at low level its not so, so Kivan probably could be more useful being a very good ranged attacker (very useful when you have few hp to kill from distance). I was also thinking of another cleric, because healing is much more critical (less hp and you can rest to recover all your wounds).

Suggestion would be very helpfull.
thanks

You have enough ranged and melee power...
I would add Edwin, Xan or Dynaheir, and dualclass Immy to the opposite school of whoever you choose.

I agree with moltovir.
But i wouldnt pick Edwin cause he's evil.
I would drop Viconia for the same reason, maybe take branwen she makes a decent cleric to.

Lose Imoen, you already have a thief (coran). Take on Edwin for sure, he is the best mage there is. Also take on either Xan or Dynhier, I think Xan is a better mage, but SO very weak! Also I think Dynhier's class isn't a great one, so I dunno about those 2.

Whats wrong with Evil?

- Its so much more fun!

[QUOTE=me0w]Whats wrong with Evil?

- Its so much more fun![/QUOTE]
True, but i always tend to ahve a good/neutral party or an evil/neutral party.
Never mix good and evil together.

Good advice on dropping Immy, as coran is (imo) the best char in BG I (thief/fighter). I shuld go for Ajantis, he turns out to be quite useful in the end (decent tank, good archer). As for Kivan, he always had like 25% of all party kills, so hes decent indeed. Keep him for shooting spell failures or go for the more magic side and take edwin (not Xzar, he's so irritating).

If you like melee -> ajantis + kivan
If you like a mix -> ajantis/kivan + edwin
If you like magic -> .......

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll end up with taking an other mage, think Dynaheer for Rpg reasons (having Minsc).
I'll also keep Viconia although she is evil, while my party is basically good, because she is a great char and is one of my favourite in BG2 too.
I will keep Imoen because you can make her a great char, with 4/5 lev of thief you max Lockpick and have a decent stealth, as a mage she has great Dex/Con/Int/Char, so she is a good ranged support, has lot of hp and good AC, finally will be able to stealth and cast.
So my team will end up:
Me fighter -> Tank (and ranged support)
Minsc -> Tank (and ranged support)
Coran -> thief/scout/archer (melee support)
Viconia -> healer/archer
Imoen -> mage/thief&ranged support
Dynaheer -> mage

meh, I guess, although when stealth'd the second you cast your revealed, so its not really helpfull, + being a thief doesn't increase your armour class, its just your dex, and to be honest AR shouldn't matter for your mages, esp if your playing them as archers.


One thing though, Install some mods, its worth doing, either get Clan Grey Wolf, or get DSoSC and grap ease of use mod.

They will make it a more fun experience goodluck.

Remember that viconia's magicresistance also works agains positive spells.
This can be VERY annoying wasting an haste spell on here, cause she resisted it.

meh, I guess, although when stealth'd the second you cast your revealed, so its not really helpfull, + being a thief doesn't increase your armour class, its just your dex, and to be honest AR shouldn't matter for your mages, esp if your playing them as archers.

Being stealthed you can position yourself in a better way fot casting and/or select a better target and take enemy by surprise (like backstabbing, but from aside); as regard Dex I think that is very important for mage for AC, because of the lack of many option for defence: no stoneskin/fireshield, low lev. mirror image, bracers Ac max 6, so 18 dex is nice to have and let you use a bow effectively (I'm planning to equip Imoen with the bracers of archery and to raise her dex. to 19 later) in between spellcasting (or when you finish your spells). Finally she can complement Coran, freeing him of lockpicking, so he can concentrate in fewer skills (and be better).

As for Viconia, I read that differently from BG2 her M.R. will block friendly spells, but I'll accept the drawback.

As for the MODs I already installed "ease of use" but only for exp. cap removing and for better equipemant management (option for higer stacking for potions/missile).

I have ToSC installed, do you suggest to install now another mod and which one eventually?

Install Dark side of Sword Coast now, its worth it, or clan grey wolf, either one is good. check http://www.sorcerers.com (I think) they have most good mods.

"Being stealthed you can position yourself in a better way fot casting and/or select a better target and take enemy by surprise"

I know it sounds good, but really you won't gain much from this, you would be better off with a powerfull mage (edwin!!)

Ok, "because of the lack of many option for defence: no stoneskin/fireshield, low lev. mirror image, bracers Ac max 6, "

If I remember you get bracers of like 4 or something, but even so, 6 is enough.

This isn't BG2, your enemies rarely have thaco's bellow 0. Also, mages IMO have the best defensive/buffing spells in the game. Spells like the amazing Mirror Image (which they do have, even Edwin.. although he shouldn't be able to have thatone) they have the "armour" spell, Shield spell, protection from evil, ghost armour, spirit armour. Along with lots more that will increase your AR way bellow 0, also you can add on a shield if your that concerned.

Now good idea with the letting Immy be a nice archer, but to be honest, its not needed. Use Coran as a hardcore archer (I did atleast).

"Finally she can complement Coran, freeing him of lockpicking, so he can concentrate in fewer skills (and be better)."

There arn't many chests or traps that need extreme skills, get about 50 and just buy all potions of thievery + perception. I got through Durlags Tower with about 4 potions of each and it was great. Also his stealth is enough when you get him. So really Immy is unneeded, if you really like her, then go ahead, but its not worth it. Edwin is a better choice. Mage play is the best play!

Good luck!

...

i hated Imoen in BGI....

i think i had Me, Jareriah, Khalid, Brannwen, Coran, Kivan......

that was my first party anywho... in BGI i kept swapping party members because i loved playing as all of them..

Coran was good, as was Edwin... Viconia was.. and some dwarf i cantd remember who i met in some slavers/mines area... forgtten name... was half cleric half something...

i suppose my powerfull party was Me (tank) Edwin (killer mage..), Brannwenn (used as a melee cleric), Coran (missile and melee), Khalid (tank), Kivan (archer)

I know that Edwin is the best mage (both in BG1 and BG2), but I think that Imoen can become the second best mage in BG1 (as is a very good one in BG2): she has better stats than the other mage available, you can dual her to whichever class you like (Conjurer eheheh) and you can add 4 lev. of thief (that cost only 5 k exp pt) for extra hp/proficiency/abilities, you end up with a very good mage (second only to edwin) but with some nice extras.
As for the fact that she is annoying I don't know, she was not in BG2.
Eventually I could try Edwin in place of Dynaheir, but I don't know how he will be going on with Minsc.
BTW seems that the main suggestion is to have two mage in the party.

As for the mods I can't find DSoSC (can get to the site to download), I could try the grey Wolf one, but can you install both or are mutually exclusive, and you should install'em at the beginning of a new game or you want miss much if you have already started (I'm in the mines in Chpt. 2).

Since this is you first run trough BG1, i recommand not using any mods except maybe EoU.

I wouldn't recommend any mods for your very first playtrough, even not EoU. You really start appreciating EoU when you played trough the game with all that annoying little things EoU fixes

Well actually having played IWD, IWD2, BG2/Tob several times I already got the feeling of the game, so the ease of use (for the exp. cap remover and the potion/arrows stacking) is very appreciated and I don't think will change the feeling of the game.
I agree to live the real mods for a later moment, maybe converting to BGTutu?

[QUOTE=lompo]Well actually having played IWD, IWD2, BG2/Tob several times I already got the feeling of the game, so the ease of use (for the exp. cap remover and the potion/arrows stacking) is very appreciated and I don't think will change the feeling of the game.
I agree to live the real mods for a later moment, maybe converting to BGTutu?[/QUOTE]
I'm not a big Tutu fan.
It's to unbalanced in my opinion.
Leave the game as it is, and you will have a great time.

Good luck!

Use edwin instead of dynheir, do a search though, because to have Minsc and edwin you need to do stuff in a certain order, I hardly managed it myself. So make sure you check how to do it. He is the best mage!!

Guess n-one loves a good pali tank like ajantis . Seems my BG lawful good rage was the only reason i had him and thought he was good

If you going to get Ajantis then you got to get xan. There are so funny together with xan telling Ajantis

" It seems our resident Suicide Monger, Ajantis, lives in a black and white world!"

when xan said that it was so funny.Xan also cool with Eldoth