is it easier for a first time player to start out solo or in a party?

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Im not ready to leave! Its to scary to die! Ill have to be carried into the cemetery and buried alive!

Hello Stiff (full pseudonym too long to write out)!
Nice to see some new faces (figuratively) here (actually Ive been logged in for 5 days so im not exactly ancient either)
Hope youll frequent this forum often!
As to your question, i personally think that it is easier to try a party for several reasons:
1) The experience limit in BG without addon is 89000, so your character CANNOT get more than 89000 experience points. If youre playing solo you reach that pretty early, I reached it before the end of the game with a full party.. So basically, after a certain point you CANNOT GET MORE EXPERIENCE (annoying)
2) I consider several character types almost essential for a group:
1) cleric
2) mage
3) thief
not to mention some tanks (fighters)
Its hard to combine these into one character, and it is MUCH harder to play when youre missing one of these

So anyway, Id recommend a group. Just have fun playing BG!! http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...es/biggrin.gif http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...es/biggrin.gif http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...es/biggrin.gif

<font color="white">Take a full party, in my opinion.
You grow attached to those that are with you, and it does a little to the fullness of the story.
Especially if you plan on getting all of the other Baulders Gate games that follow this one. </font>

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Devoted member of the Ironworks
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Thats one of the things I dislike about making a whole group in multiplayer mode, so you dont have to worry about finding a good mage (for instance) later on. I mean, finding the different NPCs is part of the game. It just wouldnt be fun without Auntie Jaheira criticizing everything I do http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...iles/smile.gif

okay thanks guys!

Playing with your main character as the only player generated character and the rest NPCs is going to be best for the first time through. The NPC interactions are very entertaining. They are indeed a huge part of the game. Later on you can try making custom parties. With your own player generated party you do lack the NPC interactions but it is also great fun to play with classes or combinations of classes that are not simply available among the NPCs. You can try playing with a party entirely consisting of mages, for example. Fun stuf like that.

Actually, I enjoy going through the game w/o using a party. I have done this twice already, and only used other party members when I needed help carrying stuff ( like in Durlag's Tower and going back to CandleKeep).