control of Henchmen\ NPC

[Paladon Sator]

Hello,
I am about to start the NeverwinterNights game and I'm wondering how control of NPCs will work before I decide what type of character I want. In Baldur's Gate you were able to completely control the actions of all your secondary characters(like Imoen and Minsc), but I've heard that in the NWN game, the NPCs will follow you, but do their own thing--is this right? Also, in the rule book they list "adventurers", but there is only six characters-- not a wide selection. Is that all there is? six? Thanks for any help,
Greg

[Ladyzekke]

Hi fellow Paladin [img]smile.gif[/img] Control is very limited with your Henchmen. You can give them a few commands like Follow, Stand Your Ground, Guard Me, Heal Me... You can also talk to them and change their tactics to follow you close or far, or to use a melee or ranged weapon. So when in a battle you can't move him/her away if they are getting pounded, nor can you have them cast specific spells (like the mages), nor can you equip them with anything, but you can give them potions. And yes, I think six is it, but I haven't finished the game so I could be wrong, maybe there are others later on in the game.

[Obsidian the Black]

It is better that you dont have to control them I think, then you dont have to worry about them because even if they die they are revived for free, i think it is easyer.

[Paladon Sator]

Whoa! Only one henchman at a time? When they die, do they pop right back up(that would be pretty lame)? Or do you have to carry their lifeless body to a temple? Anyway, i'm thinking for this game, you'd want a character with a lot of different skills so you'll be prepared for anything. Thanks for helping me decide.
Greg

[Nerull]

Originally posted by Paladon Sator: Whoa! Only one henchman at a time? When they die, do they pop right back up(that would be pretty lame)? Or do you have to carry their lifeless body to a temple? Anyway, i'm thinking for this game, you'd want a character with a lot of different skills so you'll be prepared for anything. Thanks for helping me decide. Greg

No, you don't have to carry them back to the temple. They automatically vanish and reappear at the Temple of Tyr for that chapter, ready to go. Pretty lame, if you ask me. There should be a greater penalty (have to pay money to get them back, etc.).

[Ladyzekke]

Well for me, I'm glad you can easily pick up your henchman at the Temple of Tyr for free when he/she dies. As I've said many times, my henchmen like to run in the middle of a crowd sometimes, even if I command "stand your ground". Irritating cause they always die, but because of the easy pick-up feature, it is just that, irritating, not rage inducing LOL. If I had to pay to get my henchman back every time he/she died, I most likely wouldn't use one at all except for temporary excursions. I'm a hoarder with the GPs LOL [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[DraconisRex]

Yeah, it's lameish, but it beats having to pay for reviving them everytime they run into a crowd I've just targeted with an uber-spell... (I play hardcore DnD, not the easier "Normal"=wimpy setting.)

But I find it's easier if you just solo. I fired my good buddy Grimjaw in Chapter 2. Tired of him runninging into my spells.

[nightshift001]

in regards to henchmen i found it most dissapointing that you may only take on one at a time......coming from tob and bg1 it is quite limited ......especially in the non equiping aspect.........just a thought....im dissapointed
nightshift001

[AndyG]

It's pretty much a given that your non-melee henchmen will die in every big fight, so they better make getting them back free. I wouldn't mind paying for them if I had a way to make them back off when they're being beaten on by the big bad guy. As it is, they attack anything that moves the moment they see it.

[Memnoch]

I honestly don't see the limited control of henchmen as a bad thing. Maybe this is just a case of misaligned expectations? You guys have to remember that NWN is more about roleplaying a single character - it's not a tactical RPG like the Infinity Engine games were, where you control up to six characters in tactical combat and were more like the "overall guiding spirit" of your party.

NWN's emphasis is on multiplayer and the henchmen are just there to help you in singleplayer campaigns. They're also pretty much put together the way they are in PnP D&D, where you control your own character and influence your henchmen, but they have a mind of their own.

Besides, I think it adds wonderfully to the unpredictability of the game when you have henchmen that decide to go racing wildly off to chase someone, or get in the way of your spells. Gives you one of those "d'oh!!" moments and you will quickly love them or hate them. Sometimes the scripting isn't perfect, but overall I think Bio did a good job with them. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Just my [img]graemlins/twocents.gif[/img] .