Detect Evil uses *spoilers*

[Sir Lagalot]

I started this game with a Human Paladin as my party leader. As those that have done the same, I found it very interesting that some of the NPC dialog in the game makes reference to the fact that you are a paladin (Confronting the innkeeper with the legacy ring for example). I was also a bit perplexed by the accumalation of Detect Evil uses as I progressed in level. When I can remember it, I try to use it to see if anything happens. So far I have come up with one interesting bit as a result.

In the Dragon's Eye dungeon, the level with the snake people pretending to be priests, Detect Evil can be used to reveal their plot. I used it near the entrance, and that first priest immediatly registered as Evil, talking to him afterwards forces the cult to throw away their disguise and immediatly attack in force.

Has anyone else come across any other interesting uses for the Detect Evil ability?

[Bluestar]

I only used it once and that was in HOW. I'm not sure why the Paladin aquired so many Detect Evil. It seemed like a waste to me.

Bluestar

[Gaelic]

You may not want to use it that way every time. Before you uncover the plot, you are able to go in and buy, sell, and rest if needed.



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Gaelic

[Axterix]

Negatory. Won't work that way.

If your paladin is the guy that the bad guy initiates the conversation with, you get the option of exposing him. It has nothing to do with using detect evil... it has to do with there being a paladin (similiar to other instances where having a druid, a dwarf, a bard, or a female talking to characters gives dialog options not seen otherwise). Try entering the map sometime and walking a character other than the paladin out ahead... However, paladins, due to high cha and being tough, seem to find themselves at the head of the party quite often So if you do want to explore, be sure to use another character to initiate the conversation.

As for why there are so many charges of a useless ability, well, the answer to that lies in Baldur's Gate (BG). One of the biggest improvements in the follow ups to BG is that the follow-ups use info on your party in conversations. Your class, race, and gender can all impact the course of the conversation. BG didn't do that. Matter of fact, it even had a serious crash in one point, where an amazon warrior gal would join your party if a male from your group could defeat her... twas a bad thing to get into that conversation without a male in your party Anyway, without using the paladin's detect evil to impact conversations (by giving additional conversation options), the designers had to find some other way to incorporate this key paladin ability. Their answer was to basically let the paladin cast the detect evil spell. And as you levelled up, you could do it more often. Icewind Dale levels you up faster, providing a much higher number of critters per map, as such, you level much faster than in BG. Additionally, you are pretty much assured to rest at least once per map. Combine these two things (higher level, more resting), and you've got a situation where you won't run out of detect evil uses (not that you ever did in BG either).

Detect Evil was great in BG though. Gave you a bit of a clue as to what was on the map. The normal thing I did when I had a paladin in my party... enter a new map, use detect evil.

[Leafy]

Yeah, BG's Detect Evil was great. I had a Paladin with 18/00 str and 3 int (Sir Halfwit). The Best part was going into a new area of town and casting detect evil, then watching the names pop up on the bottom of the screen. It then became a Holy Crusade to locate the evil characters and mash them up! Evil doers beware!

now, it's a much smaller area of effect... awwww gee