Keeping Characters and /or Dialog response consequences

Hello,
I'm retired and spend 16+ hrs. a day on the computer and astronomy topics. But when I need a break I like a good RPG. I have Baldurs's Gate but missed the Sword Coast. Anyway. I am in chapter III of Shadows of Amin (collectors edition). I would like to keep some of the members of the party I have but for some reason enemies are spotted, we fight, and a while later most want to leave because of it. I am playing as a Paladin. Of course I save often so I can go back and avoid the battle but further on the same thing happens. I also find that using the wrong answers to someone like Viconia or Minsc they will also leave a little later. In fact Minsc seems to threaten me. Questions: If my character were someone other than a "Lawful Good Paladin" would I be able to get away with a few killings of townsfolk without my group leaving? Is there a site where I can read the consequences of answers I give to questions asked by my party? For example, do I always give insulting responses to Viconia? Or, I had to tick off Minsc to get him to break out of the cage. Should all my responses to him now be nice? If a member does get ticked off and leaves, can I get him/her back? Can I use 2 or 3 for the entire game? My first time through I don't want to do many side quests. So I should not need most of the other characters in the game. If I exchange a new player for an old one, can I change back?

The most help I think would be to know how to answer some of the questions properly. If there is a flaw in the game it is giving a simple answer to a question and having your party leave you like a spoiled kid.

LordDon,

There is a table at the back of the book which lists reputation effects on alignment. You need to keep your reputation high enough so you don't loose Paladin status but low enough so the evil party members don't leave. Killing towns folk as a Paladin (LG) is possible but not advisable (and not in the spirit of the game). Generally the *nicest* responses are the ones to choose. Note:- having Good/Evil NPC's in your party similtaneously is likely to end in tears sooner or later. - Curdis

Thanks for that. I actually did not want to fight. As I was leaving town the stragglers in my party ran into trouble and fought the towns folk for no apparent reason. This happened out of my view as I was waiting for my party at the exit.
One other thing. Every time I try to talk to a member of my party it says the person has nothing to say to me. Normal or maybe I'm doing something wrong the way I'm asking? How does one start a chat with their own party members?

It's fine to have good and evil NPCs in the same party, as long as you manage them properly. Some NPCs, however, like Edwin and Minsc, or Keldorn and Viconia, will start fights simply because they don't like each other (nothing to do with alignment, it's all scripted), so you'll have to watch out for that. I've never had an NPC leave my party because of something I said. Maybe your character has bad breath. In any case, you can't talk to your party members, you have to wait for them to talk to you. I'll usually give the non-committal response, unless I'm talking to someone like Aerie, Anomen or Nalia, in which case I'll tell them where they can shove their wings, knighthood and nobility, respectively. Ahem. Honestly, you don't sound much like a paladin to me (that's a good thing). Try playing through as a regular fighter next time, they're so much more flexible.

LordDon,

The fight with the townsfolk was caused by something you did (steal from merchant, kill a bystander by accident (etc.)) it would be safest to go back to a save prior to this event as the consequences can be serious.

You can not initiate dialogue directly with members of your party. Sometimes things you do trigger dialogue or a script in the game triggers dialogue. You never start these directly. So yes that is normal. - Curdis

[Draggor]

What's your reputation, it's probably very low if Minsc is getting pissed off. With Viconia some romance replies will make her leave. Just be nice. By the way your party members will only attack enemies. You've probably injured a town member with an area affect spell. Even if it's an accident they still get mad and others around them will also go red. Good aligned characters may also just attack you if your rep is low which is what may be happening. If your reputation is like 4 or below then be prepared to start a new game as you're now a fallen paladin and have lost all your special abilities. Hopefully you haven't killed anyone important. If this is the case you should be alright once you get your rep back up by paying at a temple. There's a table in the back of the rule book that tells you how much you need to pay to get a reputation point.

Hello my friends,
I'm impressed with the speedy and helpful advice from you folks. I did find what is likely the reason Minsc wants to leave. I was fooling around and killed off a few people I should not have. When I save I generally just put in the date & time so I know which is my last save or second last and so on. I believe I forgot to use a new spot for this segment and over wrote the saved game I should have kept. My rep. is at 12. I am going to start over and not be a Palidin. Too hard to try and stay good "all" the time.
Thanks for the input. I shall now become a human fighter or perhaps a ranger. Never tried a ranger before.

Heh, good luck, mate. If you end up missing your old magical tricks, remember you can always dual to a mage. Well, 'less yer not human...