Characters (Possible Spoilers)

[Maj]

I'm trying to come up with a list of important characters from the series (including the first game), in order of importance (or power or something), that are all connected to the plot (I'm trying to avoid using most of the NPCs since there are just so many of them). I haven't played in a while, so I've been struggling a bit with this task (I think I'm forgetting characters, and I really suck at ordering by importance). So I thought I'd ask for input.

Characters I've thought of:
Imoen
Gorion
Khalid
Jaheria
Sarevok
Yoshimo
Bodhi
Irenicus

The reason I included Khalid and Jaheria is because Gorion tells you to go meet them, so they are plot related in my opinion. I'm considering using Minsc and Dynaheir because the second game assumes you had them in your party at the end of the first game and they're unavoidable (Dynaheir is dead I realize, but in theory you would have still had her in your party before she died).

So what characters have I forgotten, and how would you order these characters?

[Illumina Drathiran'ar]

I have a few thoughts and questions about this which need to be considered, I think, before real progress can be made.

Is your list in ascending order? That's kind of what I see happening there, but I'm not exactly sure.

What's the purpose of this exercise, precisely?

Do NPC "bosses" from Baldur's Gate belong on the list, too? Mulahey, Davaeorn, Tazok, and others I'm sure I've forgotten? What about Semaj- he wasn't important to the plot at all, but he was in the final boss fight.

Without knowing the purpose of the list, it's hard to hammer down what you're looking for.

Have you played Throne of Bhaal? You haven't mentioned anyone from that game, so I'm going to assume not and therefore not put anyone on the list until instructed otherwise.

Yoshimo isn't *that* important to the overall plot. You can play the game without him in your party, and he loses all importance. I would put him lower than Khalid and Jahiera.

So now the list appears thusly, which I have put into descending order, simply because it was easier for me.

Bhaal

Gorion (without him, you would have been assasinated in Candlekeep or left to die. Either way, game over.)

Alaundo (his prophecies set Sarevok into motion, and it can be argued that they also incited the events of Throne of Bhaal.)

Sarevok (without him, you would have stayed in Candlekeep being taught by Gorion and not kidnapped in SoA. There would be no game until the events of Throne of Bhaal, for which you would be woefully underprepared and perish.)

Ellesime (ultimately responsible for setting the events of SoA into motion.)

Irenicus

Bodhi

Imoen (with you from the start, and central to the first part of SoA.)

Matron Mother Ardulace (part of the master plan of Irenicus, and most likely integral to progress in the game- see my note on Adalon below.)

Aran Linvail (regardless of which path you choose, he's integral to progress in the game.)

Saemon Havarian (without him, you'd never get to Spellhold. Below Aran because you can't get to him without involving Aran.)

Jahiera (above Khalid because you can romance her.)

Khalid

Yoshimo

Elminster (who's been "nudging" you from the start. Of course, if the list is in terms of power, he'd belong near the top.)

People who may or may not belong on the list who are difficult to place, and the addition of whom may turn this list into a huge monster:

Tethtoril (Remember him? He sprung you from jail in Candlekeep near the end of the game. Without him, it probably would have been game over.)

Neb (People may not remember him from Baldur's Gate- he also springs you from jail near the end of the game. This isn't *integral* to the plot, as you can avoid getting caught, but dialogue in SoA implies that you did in fact get caught and meet Neb.)

The Dukes of Baldur's Gate (I realize that Sarevok had to manipulate them and try to assasinate all of them, but the important thing about them was that they were the Dukes of Baldur's Gate- there was nothing innately important of the characters themselves. Ellesime is important because she set the events of SoA into motion, not because she's the queen of Suldanessellar. Q.E.D.)

Bosses from Baldur's Gate (It's hard to integrate characters from both games. Was the fight in the Cloakwood Mines more important, ultimately, than the fight with the vampires? Are the events of Baldur's Gate more important because they happened first and therefore helped shape the character, experience, and readiness of Charname?)

Adalon (while you don't HAVE to help her to progress- you can just hack your way through the Underdark without doing the quests, right? But really... come on. It's pretty much safe to assume that the plot of the game involves you doing this the "right" way.)

Phaere and Solaufein (not as important as the Matron Mother, but they shape the Underdark quests which, as mentioned, aren't requred)

NPCs important to major major sidequests- Faldorn, the Shade Lord, Nalia, and Firkragg come immediately to mind. Sidequests are not crucial to the plot as such, but I think the game assumes you do them)

NPCs important to get your stronghold- Nalia, Faldorn, Firkragg, the Shade Lord, Haer'Dalis, Valygar, Gaal and the Unseeing Eye.

[Kyrvias]

Wow. That was quite the list. I think you just about nailed all of teh story-important characters.

Well, except maybe Lord Forshadow. Without him, you never would have known about SoA until it was released!

[Illumina Drathiran'ar]

Originally Posted by Kyrvias Wow. That was quite the list. I think you just about nailed all of teh story-important characters. Well, except maybe Lord Forshadow. Without him, you never would have known about SoA until it was released!

And let's not forget Noober and Neeber- I feel they really tie it all together

[Illumina Drathiran'ar]

Okay. I amended the list a few more times, adding Alaundo and Saemon. I've also decided that if I remember more things, I'm going to go ahead and amend said list directly.

[Neomi]

What about mom? Couldn't really have a proptagonist without her and Bhaal getting together to begin with.

[Maj]

Thank you so much for your help Illumina! That's a very detailed and helpful post. =) You've given me a lot to think about. Thanks everyone else too for the input on this.

Is your list in ascending order? That's kind of what I see happening there, but I'm not exactly sure.

My list was just the order in which they appeared in the game.. yeah I was being lazy there.

What's the purpose of this exercise, precisely?

I want to use Baldur's Gate characters as a ranking system. My current ranking system is different kinds of dragons and I was told that was boring.

Do NPC "bosses" from Baldur's Gate belong on the list, too? Mulahey, Davaeorn, Tazok, and others I'm sure I've forgotten? What about Semaj- he wasn't important to the plot at all, but he was in the final boss fight.

Well I was thinking of just leaving them off, mostly because I couldn't remember any of their names though. I haven't played the first game in the longest time.. (I have plans to replay the entire series at some point, and take the same character through all the games.)

Have you played Throne of Bhaal? You haven't mentioned anyone from that game, so I'm going to assume not and therefore not put anyone on the list until instructed otherwise.

I have played it, but I haven't beaten it. I got stuck fighting one of the bosses. =/

[Kyrvias]

I have played it, but I haven't beaten it. I got stuck fighting one of the bosses. =/

Probably Draconis... who is a sub boss. and a LOT harder than the real boss. Stupid Draconis.

[Illumina Drathiran'ar]

You know, I always hear that, but he never ever gave me a problem. The only thing that ever gave me a problem in ToB was the phrase "Twists onyx ring" and that was more irritating than anything else.