I've just begun playing BGII SOA for the first time. I'm currently in Chapter 3, though still have quite a few Chapter 2 quests to finish. I have a few obvious and not so obvious questions.
1. Spell memorization - I'm playing a sorceress, so I know she can't memorize spells. However, I'm not sure how to access memorized spells with my NPCs. I've had Aerie, for example, write a few spells to her spellbook, but they never appear as a useable spell. The scroll simply disappears. What am I missing?
2. Quest items - Is there any sure way to know when I quest item is no longer needed. It's a nuisance to carry around all these notes and whatnots, while trying to guess whether I need a particular item in my inventory to initiate a quest.
3. Storage - I'm currently using a bookshelf in the Slums as overflow storage. Thus far, nothing has disappeared. Is it safe to assume that any container can safely be used for storage?
4. NPCs - I'm having a hard time dumping any NPC to pick up new ones. It's a loyalty issue, perhaps unfounded, but I currently have in my party the first five NPCs I encountered: Minsc, Jaheira, Yoshimo, Aerie and Anomen. I'd like to try swapping out a couple, but don't want to lose someone important by doing so. Any advice? I'm aware of the romance issue, and don't believe anything steamy has begun yet.
5. Party Formations - Any advice on party formations? I've found it almost impossible to use spells like Color Spray and Confusion because my own party members are invariably affected as well. How to target the enemy amongst my own party, when using an area affect spell? Also, any way to specify the exact placement of each party member within a formmation? I'm currently using the pentagon formation, which has Yosimoto on the front flank. I'd like him to lead with his Detect Traps skill.
All advice greatly appreciated!
TVD
Beginner's help, please
1. If they aren't in her spellbook, she most likely failed to memorize the spells. Yes, it can happen.
2. Notes are most often *not* needed. It's pretty safe to say that a quest item looses it's usability once you leave that area. For example, if you get a key somewhere in Umar Hills, it's most likely not usable anywhere else. However, no, there isn't any safe way to say this.
3. Definately not.
4. You wont loose out on anyone important from a RP perspective, although most would've picked up Keldorn if going powerhouse. : )
5. You can drag the portraits around, changing order of the people in your party. Most common if fighters first, thief/bard/divine casters mid and arcane casters last.
2. Notes are most often *not* needed. It's pretty safe to say that a quest item looses it's usability once you leave that area. For example, if you get a key somewhere in Umar Hills, it's most likely not usable anywhere else. However, no, there isn't any safe way to say this.
3. Definately not.
4. You wont loose out on anyone important from a RP perspective, although most would've picked up Keldorn if going powerhouse. : )
5. You can drag the portraits around, changing order of the people in your party. Most common if fighters first, thief/bard/divine casters mid and arcane casters last.
1. OK, I've only tried reading perhaps 3 or 4 scrolls. Not a one has shown up as useable, but I'll assume they all failed and try again. I'm assuming that they won't show up until after resting?? and that the chance for success/failure is character/spell level based.
3. Can you elaborate? Is any container safe? Is no container safe? What's the best option for storing items that aren't immediately needed, like artifact pieces?
4. Haven't encountered Keldron yet. Was thinking of trying Viconia for a bit in place of Aerie, and maybe Korgon in place of Minsc or Anomen.
3. Can you elaborate? Is any container safe? Is no container safe? What's the best option for storing items that aren't immediately needed, like artifact pieces?
4. Haven't encountered Keldron yet. Was thinking of trying Viconia for a bit in place of Aerie, and maybe Korgon in place of Minsc or Anomen.
1. OK, I've double checked this. Just had Aeire Write Flame Arrow. Received message that it was already in her spellbook, (apparently this is one of the scrolls I had tried earlier). However, Flame Arrow does not show up as an available spell to cast for Aerie. Is there another step I need to take to make the spell available?
1. Memorized Spells - Thanks for the help. Turns out there was a step I was missing: going to the actual spellbook, where I can remove and add memorized spells. I was expecting the written scrolls to simply show up in the list of castable spells. I hadn't been using the spellbook, (was introduced to it during the tutorial, then promptly forgot about it during the course of the game).
3. I never saw stuf disapear from a storage container (maybe I didn't notice, but I doubt it). You cannot however place stuf in the street and expect it to be still there on a later occasion.tailings wrote:3. Can you elaborate? Is any container safe? Is no container safe? What's the best option for storing items that aren't immediately needed, like artifact pieces?
4. Haven't encountered Keldron yet. Was thinking of trying Viconia for a bit in place of Aerie, and maybe Korgon in place of Minsc or Anomen.
4. You can meet Keldorn if you follow a quest in the temple district. I recomend you switch either Jaheira or Anomen for a fighter type (fighter/paladin/ranger single class).
Usually I take two fighter types as frontline fighters, 1 priest, 1 mage, 1 thief (Imoen is ussually my choise so effectivly another mage). I have 1 slot for an interesting character (somebody I want extra).
Also take notice, that evil characters don't like it (and can leave the party for following a good course). As well as good characters leave for an evil path.
Obviously yours are. I tried the same thing with a box in the Five Flagon's Inn and found that, when I returned, it had all been replaced by a scroll of fire arrow. So my guess is that it's save as long as nothing else can "pop up" in that container.tailings wrote:3. Can you elaborate? Is any container safe? Is no container safe? What's the best option for storing items that aren't immediately needed, like artifact pieces?
4. Haven't encountered Keldron yet. Was thinking of trying Viconia for a bit in place of Aerie, and maybe Korgon in place of Minsc or Anomen.
4. Indeed, some characters won't go along at all. Both Viconia and Korgan are evil and have problems with one or more good characters. I won't pinpoint it unless you want me to, but yes, some of them are in your current party. ^^
And yeah, to the poster above me, no spoilers ;P
It is a very handy thing to keep things you don't need at the moment, or don't want to part with (I'm very sentimental 
) in some easily accessible container or bookshelf. All the stuff you put in some shelf or chest gets saved, and you can come back for it later. Most players do this.
However, there is one thing you have to keep in mind. Some locations "change" - that is to say, sometimes your doings can provoke a "reset", most often when you complete a quest. For example, De'Arnisse keep, after you are done with it, changes to a slightly different area - catapults are repaired, graves appear and so on. This is made by substituing an area, say, AR0023, with an area AR0024. And so, the chests get reseted to, making your stuff disappear. It's the same for Five Flagoons - when you finish the quest, and if you're a bard, the location changes - I had lost all the stuff I left there for a moment that way.
) in some easily accessible container or bookshelf. All the stuff you put in some shelf or chest gets saved, and you can come back for it later. Most players do this.However, there is one thing you have to keep in mind. Some locations "change" - that is to say, sometimes your doings can provoke a "reset", most often when you complete a quest. For example, De'Arnisse keep, after you are done with it, changes to a slightly different area - catapults are repaired, graves appear and so on. This is made by substituing an area, say, AR0023, with an area AR0024. And so, the chests get reseted to, making your stuff disappear. It's the same for Five Flagoons - when you finish the quest, and if you're a bard, the location changes - I had lost all the stuff I left there for a moment that way.
Kitchen Witchcraft : Of Magic and Macaroni - a blog about, well, a witch in the kitchen.
The Pale Mansion : My e-published lovecraftian novella! You should totally check it out!
The Pale Mansion : My e-published lovecraftian novella! You should totally check it out!
To add to what you've already discovered...
And when a romance starts up, certain actions will end it (such as dismissing the NPC from your party). Ask up if you want to know more.
Also, a wizard character's "Chance To Learn Spell" percentage is based on Intelligence, and even a failure uses up the scroll, which can be a bummer for the rare ones. Enhance the success rate by using Intelligence-raising magicks to raise the character's percentage.tailings wrote:1. Spell memorization - I'm playing a sorceress, so I know she can't memorize spells. However, I'm not sure how to access memorized spells with my NPCs. I've had Aerie, for example, write a few spells to her spellbook, but they never appear as a useable spell. The scroll simply disappears. What am I missing?
Just to reiterate the Quen, some class-stronghold maps will "switch" at some point, using a different version of the map, causing the contents of the containers of the previous map to "disappear". I use the Copper Coronet, the center of mucho action, as my inventory storage facility. I always keep any unique notes, items, or weapons, since a future quest/NPC's may get use of it. Or I may just want to open the container and say Check it out.tailings wrote:2. Quest items - Is there any sure way to know when I quest item is no longer needed. It's a nuisance to carry around all these notes and whatnots, while trying to guess whether I need a particular item in my inventory to initiate a quest.
3. Storage - I'm currently using a bookshelf in the Slums as overflow storage. Thus far, nothing has disappeared. Is it safe to assume that any container can safely be used for storage?
No one NPC is more important than the other, and they all develop into powerhouses, so select based on your own personal taste. Also note that certain NPC pairs have more (or more interesting) banter between them. Keldorn has alot to say during Anomen's trials, Haer'Dalis has alot to say if you romance Aerie, the hobbit and the dwarf are a match, the gnome and anybody is a trip... ask up if you want to know more.tailings wrote:4. NPCs - I'm having a hard time dumping any NPC to pick up new ones. It's a loyalty issue, perhaps unfounded, but I currently have in my party the first five NPCs I encountered: Minsc, Jaheira, Yoshimo, Aerie and Anomen. I'd like to try swapping out a couple, but don't want to lose someone important by doing so. Any advice? I'm aware of the romance issue, and don't believe anything steamy has begun yet.
And when a romance starts up, certain actions will end it (such as dismissing the NPC from your party). Ask up if you want to know more.
Left-click-and-drag the portraits around to change party marching order, which is reflected in the formations.tailings wrote:5. Party Formations - Any advice on party formations? I've found it almost impossible to use spells like Color Spray and Confusion because my own party members are invariably affected as well. How to target the enemy amongst my own party, when using an area affect spell? Also, any way to specify the exact placement of each party member within a formmation? I'm currently using the pentagon formation, which has Yosimoto on the front flank. I'd like him to lead with his Detect Traps skill.
Why is it that whenever I finally get around to playing a new game for the first time,
I feel like playing Baldur's Gate for the second time...
I feel like playing Baldur's Gate for the second time...
Quest Items
I usually have a couple of 'storage points' for items not presently in use - I use "Cernd's old home" in the Waukeen promonade and whatever stronghold I have (presently Nalia's keep).
I find that a room with more than one container is necessary - there are so many things that you pick up that really you want them categorised - the categories I use are
1. quest items - notes, odd bits and pieces, keys (BTW there are a couple of keys that are not used near their place of discovery)
2. enchanted weapons and armour - usually with names
3. missiles e.g. bullets, arrows, bolts, darts
4. generic weapons and armour
5. magical sundries - potions, wands and scrolls
6. general treasure - jewels, rings, necklaces etc
if there are not 6 containers, I combine 1 & 2 and 3 & 4 - sometimes I include 6 with 5.
you need to make sure that you have all the combined weapons made up by Cromwell and all the bits for Cespanar (ToB) together before the end of the game. I usually keep the Cespanar bits in the bag of holding.
hope that helps.
I usually have a couple of 'storage points' for items not presently in use - I use "Cernd's old home" in the Waukeen promonade and whatever stronghold I have (presently Nalia's keep).
I find that a room with more than one container is necessary - there are so many things that you pick up that really you want them categorised - the categories I use are
1. quest items - notes, odd bits and pieces, keys (BTW there are a couple of keys that are not used near their place of discovery)
2. enchanted weapons and armour - usually with names
3. missiles e.g. bullets, arrows, bolts, darts
4. generic weapons and armour
5. magical sundries - potions, wands and scrolls
6. general treasure - jewels, rings, necklaces etc
if there are not 6 containers, I combine 1 & 2 and 3 & 4 - sometimes I include 6 with 5.
you need to make sure that you have all the combined weapons made up by Cromwell and all the bits for Cespanar (ToB) together before the end of the game. I usually keep the Cespanar bits in the bag of holding.
hope that helps.
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Jedi_Sauraus
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I'd like to add my 2 cents on party advice for you. While true that you can finish this game, and have alot of fun with any party combination, or even finish the game with any solo class, I recommend you have plenty of tanks since they're easy to use. Try to have 3 at least, but keep in mind that someone like Anomen or Jaheira still make excellent tanks (eventually) due to their fighter levels.
Arcane magic classes, such as the Sorceror or Mage, are potentially the most powerful classes in the game, but you need to learn how to use them effectivelly in terms of which spells/spell combos are really devastating. This is alot harder than it sounds, and though you can read a guide, there is no substitute for experience. For your first run through try to have 1 Arcane caster, 1 Devine caster, and a Druid. These classes multi/dualclassed with a fighter are ideal, since you can always fall back on their basic melee abilities if you can't win the harder fights with magic alone. Try to experiment with all their different spells to learn what works best in the various situations you encounter.
Arcane magic classes, such as the Sorceror or Mage, are potentially the most powerful classes in the game, but you need to learn how to use them effectivelly in terms of which spells/spell combos are really devastating. This is alot harder than it sounds, and though you can read a guide, there is no substitute for experience. For your first run through try to have 1 Arcane caster, 1 Devine caster, and a Druid. These classes multi/dualclassed with a fighter are ideal, since you can always fall back on their basic melee abilities if you can't win the harder fights with magic alone. Try to experiment with all their different spells to learn what works best in the various situations you encounter.