My situation: Finished playing BG2:SoA without TOB installed and fought the final battle with Irenicus (I still have the saved games)... after that installed ToB...
the manual said i can start game from beginning or directly start a game with ToB areas only, without clarifying this out... what i've seen is that i can do any of the following:
1)start a game from very beginning of SoA.
2)start a game from ToB.. this way i start with only my character with XP2,500,000 and some items
3)Load any SoA game.
4)"Import" a saved SoA game into ToB.. this way all NPCs whom i had at this particular moment go with me... all characters level up tp XP2500000 and i get some items...

seeing this i decided to start a new game from the very beginning... from SoA... especially that i would like to play SoA again and do some quests differently...

the problem is i have some questions... a lot of questions... which the manual doesnt answer... i really want those answered before i start playing... they will determine A LOT... here goes then:

1)NPCs... if i start a new ToB game without any NPCs, can any NPCs other than Sarevok join me?

2)If i import a game with some NPCs can any other than sarevok join me?

3) once i finish SoA i get to ToB with my 5 NPCs... can any other than Sarevok join me... I mean suppose i leave say Nalia behind in Athkatla after i finish SoA can i still go back for her or have her again somehow... or is it that once i finish SoA i am stuck with whatever NPCs i finished with

4)If I get Sarevok with my party full, i have to leave someone behind... can i still get this NPC back later whenever i want? If i reject sarevok initially, can i still get him back later?

5) is it ok to have sarevok in a good alligned party?

6)finished with npcs... now to XP... can i cross the 2950000 xp cap while in Soa areas... can i get the high lecvel abilities while in SOa areas?

7)Items... again like npcs... if i leave items behind in athkatla, is it possible to get them gaian in ToB.. i.e. is it that once i finish SoA i can carry over to Tob only the items am currently holdiong?

8) if i start a game of ToB only i get some nice items in my inventory... suppose i start a game from beginning of SoA.. and finish Soa.. will those items be added to my inventory?

9)i heard some gems and books are needed in ToB... anyone can give me full list of items i will need?

10)IMPORTANT: is it true bag of holdinng can only carry 20 items in ToB???

11)Watchers keep... is there a bag of holding there? how many bags of holding are there overall?

12) watchers keep is accessible in both SoA and Tob... so with regards to items and npcs... can i leave all the necesary items and NPCs in watchers keep while playinh SoA and then after i finish SoA and start Tob go there from ToB areas and get those items and npcs again.. or will they disappear?

13) can i finis watchers keep quests twice... once from SoA and once from ToB?

thank you all and sorry for taking so much of your time... thank you

ZFR

Umm

1) Yes
2) Yes
3) Yes you can get people you leave behind back
4) Yes to both questions
5) Yes it is, just be careful
6) Yes to all questions
7) Do not leave anything you want to keep in SoA areas when importing to ToB, you won't see tham ever again, ie take all you want OUT OF YOUR STRONGHOLD very important.
8) I do not believe so
9) Umm, look through some previous posts :D
10) Not sure but you can get more BoH in ToB so i wouldn't worry :D
11) I can't remember for both of these Q's... Sorry!
12) Don't leave things or NPC's in watcher's keep, very bad
13) No ya can't [img]smile.gif[/img]
Yeah?

so ALL NPCs from SoA are available in ToB...

where are they located??

You gain the ability to rudely snatch them from whatever their doing and recruit them. You have to go through one fight without this ability though, but its not to tough and scales to your ability. (To a degree)

one more thing....

why is it a bad idea to put items in watchers keep while in soa and get them again while playing in tob...

also can nayone PLEASE verify the no of items that ca be put in bag of holding in tob...

thank you aall

[ 05-18-2002, 09:49 AM: Message edited by: ZFR ]

Bag of Holding yes...well, know that you can put a LOT in it. I had over 200 potions, 50 swords, chainmail, bows, and about 300 ammunition for various weapons. Don't worry about it much. You could collect 2 dungeons worth of treasure and still have room, so just visit the local store to sell off some stuff at odd intervals. I believe the rumour of limit was 1000 items in some FAQ, but anyway...

Oh yeah, almost forgot. The following are rough estimates of limits from my experience, someone confirm pleaz. The potion case can hold 100 potions, the scroll case can hold 100 scrolls, gem bag can hold 100 gems.

Sigh... ...

Scroll Case, Gem Bag: 20 slots
Potion Bag, Bag of Holding: 100 slots
Ammo Case: 2000 slots

Note: 1 arrow = 1 slot

There is a patch to make the Bag of Holding have unlimited slots, but this only works with the ToB bought version.