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This is such an obvious topic for a thread I'm sure it must have been done before... However I looked and couldn't find it anywhere.

For all you BGII fans out there, who was your favorite NPC character (excluding Mod NPCs) in terms of both their actual character and their effectiveness throughout the game and why? Better yet give us your top five, as I'm a sucker for lists .

Is it Minsc and Boo? The whiny but sweet Aerie? The ultra-useful Keldorn?
Or a sleeper pick, like Mazzy or Cernd?

Personally my list is as such.
1. Minsc and Boo... Ultra loveable and useful.
2. Viconcia... Though a pain at times she's a great Cleric and a heckuva romance.
3. Jaheira... Another romance favorite, and I'm a Harper fan.
4. Imoen... Great mage, good kid.
5. Keldorn... For all your Carsomyr +5 needs.

Hmmm interseting at 4 of your top 5 are on my most hated list

I've got a feeling most of my favourites are what you'd call sleeper picks or are generally downright unpopular (they are also listed alphabetically rather than in order of prefrence)

Anomen - Arrogent, conceited and vain, yet a totally believable character - who hasn't met somebody like that. The fact that you can shape how the character develops is a nice factor. He is a solid combatent and makes an incredible tank/support healer.

Cernd - For me the most realistic NPC, his backstory presenting identifiably real situations and the consequences. I refuse to condemn him though, as after all he is human. Cernd makes a great support character, second in healing capability only to Viconia. Bioware's decision to make him a shapeshifter seems somewhat against his character, but is easily remedied.

Mazzy - Perhaps the most noble and virtuous of the NPC's proving morality does not necessarily have to develop into bigotry, unlike Keldorn. As a warrior makes both a solid tank and formidable ranged attacker.

Nalia - Although naive at first, she grows into a genuinely caring young woman committed to reforming Amn. She's esstentially a mage that can use a bow, as opposed to a mage/thief leading to unfair comparisons to Imoen.

Valygar - Although a little maudlin I really enjoy his friendship with Mazzy. Again he makes a solid combatent, and is quite frankly makes a far more believable ranger than Minsc ever could.

Edwin is by far my favorite. "Yehes mahaaaster, what shall i fetch for you now?!"

And when he turns into Edwina for a while the party banter gets really funny, "You chouvinist pig! (what am i saying?), I meant to say 'Idiot'!". Talking to salvanas is also funny when he turns into edwina (it's that guy in the Copper Coronet who tries to flirt with the female party members).

"... wait, what happened to my... no! NO!"

Plus he casts an incredible amount of spells which is nice.

1.Jan--This dude cracks me up, I dont know why stories of dung were implemented in BG2 but the jokes he tell are pretty funny. He makes them on almost every NPC, even the PC. He makes an interesting party.

2.Viconia--She is one of the only ones that can be almost as funny as Jan, she picks on other NPC's, and even after you have sex with her, she says you were bad at it! She brings up some interesting conversations, though not as stupid as Jans.(I love how she calls Cernd a treehugger, I was waiting for someone to jump out and say that )

3.Minsc--He is old friend from BG1. They say some stupid stuff in conversations that just cracks me up, and Minsc's interactions with Jan are hilarious. Apparently, Boo likes Jan too. Jan pretends he's dying and stuff to get Minsc to give him boo, and then he just cracks up, and Minsc threatens to pound him, though Jan never gets beat up.

4.Imoen--I only like her because she is an old friend from BG1, and I would never dump her from my party, I couldnt. She does get a variety of good spells eventually. Her only good conversation was with Keldorn when she was picking his pockets, and she used the excuse "I was only doing that so I could run my hands down our muscular body" i was sitting there like WTF.

5.Valygar--His conversations arent great, he asked me about magic and I was sitting there like, this guys a moron, but then when you send him into combat, he will be very strong. His friendship with Mazzy is cool too.

My favourite game NPC is probably Jan
His banters with other party members are incredibly funny (I have he and Korgan in ToB.... ROFLMAO! )
He is also the only other thief in the game besides Yoshimo who can really set traps

Viconia: very compelling character and background story, great cleric

Mazzy: As noted above, she is noble without being priggish, self-righteous or bigoted. Excellent tank when properly equipped, nice archer.

Minsc: I have a soft spot for the big-hearted lummox

Aerie: Yes she's whiny, but her character really grows throughout the story. I also love her mage/cleric spell combo... She's utterly deadly with triggers, sequencers, the Robe of Vecna, Alacrity and Timestop.

For that matter, I like Jaheira as well. She is probably the best-developed character in the game. Though that is six ...

My favorite characters (personality): Minsc & Jan
My favorite characters (power): Imoen & Keldorn

1) Jan
2) Everybody else

1. Jan
2. Korgan
3. Mazzy
4. Viconia
5. Jaheira

Jan Jansen is the best.
I like Aerie too.
Jaheira has a great storyline, and although I hate cheating, I will accelerate her romance just because it takes too long.

If I throw a FMT in there I'm ready for a butt-kicking parade!

Ok wait a minute we forgot to resurrect all the other 3 year threads about baldurs gate... Quick guys only 1000s more to go!

Uh Jan

minsc - who doesn't like him? well alot of ppl might find him annoying but i don't. just make sure u're not serious when u have him. go for the eyes boo.

jaheira - best romance without doubt. much effort is put on her character and storyline.

SPOILER ALERT HIGHLIGHT BELOW TO SEE
sarevok - amazing character u'll like him everybody likes him.

valygar - not that interesting character but so damn good. he tops minsc on every single aspect except he doesn't have boo.

yoshimo - u know, even though he can't be with u for long. i like him, also his Japanese reference.

i like the rest except aerie.

BALDURPLAYER wrote:minsc - who doesn't like him?

Me, I hate him, the worst NPC in the game apart from possibly Analman.

Korgan
Edwin
Minsc
Jan
Anomen (only if Jan is in the party)


The females are terrible in my opinion they made Aerie a whiner, Jaheira a whiner and Viconia a b*tch. Immie is too bubbly and cheerful all the time. They could have done better with the gals

Each to their own I guess but it struck me as weird that you put two psychos and two slimeballs in your top five then complain about the girls!

I have no problem with any of the girls. I thought all of the romances were well done. Well, Nalia's way of speaking does seem annoying sometimes, but it's understandable why she talks that way.

I'd say that my favorite character is Jan.

Character-wise

1. Jan Jansen. Hilarious, especially at the end of TOB when you get to choose. Also the way he messes with Anomen is brilliant. Plus, the whole thing with Minsc and Boo...

2. Edwin. He picks fights with lots of people, probably because they're just "simians".

3. Imoen. Obviously she has a lot relevant dialogue. I especially love the parts where S. taunts her and where she embarasses Keldorn.

4. Viconia. If only because she scares S. It's also nice to have a strong woman for a change.

5. Minsc. Minsc is Minsc, right, Boo?

Gaming-wise

I tend to take caster-heavy parties but end up resting rarely and not casting all that many spells. :/

1. Jan. He's Neutral and a perfect Thief. To boot, he's a multiclass so he gets special traps, he's a good mage, and he gets that crossbow with the special ammo.

2. Keldorn. I never know what spells enemy wizards are using to protect themselves so i just have Keldorn Dispel and use Carsomyr.

3. Jaheira. I love those Insect spells, as a Druid she gets awesome summons and she's a fantastic tank too.

4. Haer'Dalis. I always forget his fighting stances but i like him because he gets UAI and is a capable fighter.

5. Edwin/Aerie/Cernd/Viconia. I hate resting, so anyone with more than a dozen spells is a welcome addition. Next time i play i'm planning on actually using spells above level 6. I've never used Timestop, Horrid Wilting and the like.

Each to their own I guess but it struck me as weird that you put two psychos and two slimeballs in your top five then complain about the girls!

The girls are all high maintenance or whiners. Viconia is the only half decent one. Anoweenie made it in there simply because of the way Jan picks on him.

And if I hear "For the needy!" one more time.....

I'm surprised how many votes for Jan I see here. From reading on other forums, I had gathered the idea that he was either the most-hated or the most-liked NPC in the game. But this thread seems to put him much more towards the most-liked. With that said, I don't like him.

But since this isn't about who I don't like but who I do, here goes:

1. Minsc - I like him just for the personality. He's a strong warrior, but his power is little compared to many of the other NPCs.

2. Keldorn - This is the opposite of Minsc. I take him for his abilities, not his personality.

3. Valygar - Another I use for abilities. I think his personality could have used some more development.

4. Imoen - For role-playing reasons, mainly, but also because she's a better thief than Nalia and I rarely take Jan.

5. Nalia - With Imoen gone for the first half of the game, Nalia is the logical choice to use for a mage in a good party. Edwin doesn't fit and Jan/Aerie are multi-class.

Jan Jansen: Just gotta love the little bag of wonders, best banter talk of all NPCs in my opinion. Hilarious comments on so many different situations and character it's impossible to list a quarter in one thread probably.

Haer'Dalis: Cool character with some interessting banter and nice complication if you want to pursue the Aerie romance.

Viconia: My favourite romance line. Some really naughty sentences and sarcastic remarks. For example go to Madam Lin in the Copper Coronet and talk to her. Very nice interjection by her. :mischief:

Jaheira: Nice romance and some interessting side quests here.

Sarevok: Mr. BG1 Badass coming back and kicking some butt. Some helpful advice and possibly be swayed away from his former paths.

Imoen: Just one sentence: 'Heya, it's me Imoen!'. <3

Since I play with Ascencion/Longer Road Mod:

Jon Ienicus. Simply awesome and well integrated into ToB. Have not played through Ascension completely so far so don't know all but from what few hours I gained experience with him I 'd really recommend everyone this mod once he has compelted ToB in it's original version.

Purely powerwise:

Aerie: Awesome caster late in SoA, none can cast so many spells as she can except maybe PC Cleric/Mages. Nice romance which I finished by my first ToB walkthrough. Yeah I got the little on in the end. Nice character though a bit too cliché in my opinion regarding her innocence and naivety but a good development at least.

Keldorn: Well mostly because of Karsomyr and Inquisitor Kit. Simply silly how overpwoered that sword and Inquisitor Class is. He could have half the ability scores and still dominate. Mages become laughable.

Edwin: Powerwise I really like him but his constant insults grate on my nerves. At least with Viconia it's a nice up and down but.