Total Newb to RPG questions

[Castro]

Sorry if this sounds stupid, but im a complete newb to playing RPG's. The only (sort of) RPG ive played is deus ex.

Anyway, ive been playing BG for a while and i was wondering:

Which should i equip a khalid with (which is better) a short sword+1 or a plain bastard sword.

Is the Quaterstaff+1 i got from silke better than a 2handed sword?

(sorry, but i dont understand much of the calculation)

and where is Captain Brage, the one that killed his family? ive been looking for ages

Cheers

------------------
Castro

[Debaser]

first off, welcome to the board.
ok, a + next to a weapon name essentially means a couple of things:
-you can hit creatures that cannot be harmed by normal weapons (i.e. non-plus weapons)
- the +1 in front of a weapon name means that it increases your chance to hit an enemy by that much, and it also increases the damage the weapon does. for instance, khalid would be able to do 2-7 (1d6+1) points of damage w/ a shortsword +1 and would have a +1 better probability to hit, whereas a plain bastard sword will do 1-8 (1d8) and will not influence his ability to hit.

-a quarterstaff +1 is distinguished from a two-handed sword, first off, for the aforementioned reasons. secondly, one is a blunt (crushing) weapon and the other is an edged (slashing) weapon. various creatures can have a resistance to either damage type, so the two are different in those respects. (this is more something that you worry about in BGII though, not I).

I forget Brage's exact location (I'm playing BGI again currently after a couple of years, and i haven't done that exact quest again, yet) but i believe he is in one of the western areas, a couple above the gnoll stronghold...i think it's one of the ones near the little area with the lighthouse or whatever.

hope that helps, castro.

[Nerull]

Originally posted by Castro: Which should i equip a khalid with (which is better) a short sword+1 or a plain bastard sword.

Press R on your keyboard; this brings up a record screen that has that characters stats (including ability scores, what weapons they are good at, etc.). Look at Khalid's weapon proficiencies; one slot next to a weapon means he suffers no penalties using those weapons, two slots means he gets bonuses using those weapons, and additional slots give additional bonuses (the more, the better, up to 5 slots in a weapon). See how he has bonuses with large swords (2 handed swords, long swords, bastard swords)? Do you see any such thing for small swords (short swords, daggers)? Always keep these weapon proficiencies in mind when giving weapons to characters. Khalid can use any weapon; however, he will suffer a penalty with any weapon he does not have at least one slot in. However, the short sword has a magical bonus; this will help if you come across a creature that needs magical weapons to harm it (you will know, because it will tell you on the bottom of the screen "Weapon Ineffective"). Your best bet would be to press I (go to inventory) and give him both weapons (put them in the weapons slots on that screen). However, make sure he is using the bastard sword normally, and just keep the short sword handy in case he needs it (plus, due to the problems with iron, non-magical weapons sometimes break).

I hope this helps!


------------------

Death is only the beginning...

[Zbyszek]

Brage can be found 2 areas north from the gnoll keep (N and N or NE, anyway it is not coastline.
SPOILERS
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
If you talk with him properly (I think the good answer to his riddle was Death) he will surrender and automatically transport you to the temple in Nashkel (maybe you should first talk with priest in this temple to activate peacefull solution?)
If you want two-handed sword +sth there is one N from the Carnival of Nashkel - one half-ogre - I think - named Argh... who wields it. There is also nice longsword+2 +cold damage in the Nashkel mines oveland area - You have to protect Prism artist from Greywolf.

Zbyszek

[Xanthul]

SPOILER
-
-
-
-
- You dont need to talk to the priest in the temple first, if you answer correctly Brage´s riddle and select to bring him to the temple instead of fighting, its done, you´ll get the rewards.

------------------
"I miss the Angel... and I mean that I REALLY miss her" -Ertai, Captive of the Blinding Angel