Idea for a protagonist and parties from BGI - ToB

[krunchyfrogg]

Just looking for a few opinions here.

I'm looking for a party that will have a good continuity between all of the games, and will be pretty balanced. I also want to be able to get a really good reputation, without worrying about people leaving (so no Evil guys).

Here are my thoughts:

BGI: I plan on going through the game with Jaheira, Khalid, Minsc, Dynaheir, and Imoen. Why? Basically because this is the way BGII starts out, and I think it's a pretty balanced party. Looking at it, there is one class missing, however. That is Cleric.

I'll play a Dwarven Cleric from the start. Clerics have a chance at two (maybe three, but not for a "good" guy) tomes that improve Wisdom. That's awesome for a Cleric. If I can improve my 19 CON to a 20, I'll also regenerate!

SoA: Well, I'm going to pick up Imoen, Minsc, and Jaheira right from the start. I figure (after adding Yoshimo, and replacing him with Imoen at the appropriate time), I'll also have Keldorn (what good party can pass him *and Carsomyr* up?) I'll have one more slot open, and I'll fill it with a backup Mage, most likely. I don't know yet if I'll go with Jan, Aerie, or Nalia (kind of making Imoen the backup). Probably Jan, as Aerie's Cleric skills aren't really needed, and Nalia annoys me.

ToB: That 6th backup mage might (not sure yet) take a hike in favor of Sarevok. Sarevok is great for the storyline, and I don't want to drop Minsc, but I don't know if that'll be too many tanks and not enough magic.

So, what do you think? Will this plan work? Will my parties be good enough to make it through the entire BG saga?

[Lord]

That sounds like a good plan. However, Imoen can excell in being a mage more than Jan, Nalia, and Aerie because she's dual classed, not multi-classed. However, Jan, Nalia, and Aerie also have uses that Imoen does not.

[krunchyfrogg]

Yeah, my point in including one of those characters (Nalia, Jan, or Aerie) is to serve as a backup mage (one is useful in BGII), as well as to cover my Mage duties for Chapters 2 and 3.

I fully exect Imoen to be my main Mage (unless I pick up Nalia, in which they'll both be excellent spellcasters).

[Nerull]

Actually, I've done this party through SoA before (played a human berserker dualled to cleric, but essentially the same thing). What I did was go with 5 characters (Minsc, Jaheira, Imoen, Jan, and myself). Then added Sarevok into the 6th slot when we got him (never finished the game, though...had system problems that corrupted all my save files). I then went back (without BGT or BGTutu) and played through with that same party (except I was playing a ranger/cleric), even dualling Imoen at the same point as she dualled in SoA. It is a good party to play through with.

I know you are thinking that this is tank-light, but don't forget that you can fight up front as well (you can wear all the heavy armor, and can cast buffs as well). Jaheira can tank as well with good armor (Ankheg plate in BG1, Red Dragon Scale in SoA). In fact, you could go with just the 5 (or even 4, if you go get Imoen right away and ignore Jan...just do enough quests to go to Chapter 4, and have Yoshimo instead of Jan). I've finished the game with a party of 4 before, so quite do-able.

[Odruith]

Why not add Aerie instead?

Her mage/cleric skills are quite nice as she can cast both mage and cleric buffs and offensive spells.

[teardropmina]

I've done the same thing last summer (before I got around to download and play BGT). Trying to keep coherent with the storyline of the game: with Jaheira, Khalid, Minsc, Dynaheir, and Imoen in BG/ToSC, and into SoA/ToB, I keep Jaheira and Minsc add Mazzy and Aerie to the mix. My PC was a F/M.
It seems a bit odd that there's no cleric in our BG/ToSC adventure, but we surivied just fine.
I didn't pick up Sarevok in ToB, since I couldn't let one of our long-time comrade rot in the pocket planet. Playing Standard SoA/ToB, that group was more than adequate, and also capable of handling most Tactics mods in SoA (except for chessing our way out of the SoA final battle ) and all improved battles in ToB but the Acension final battle (not yet beat that one ~_~). At any rate, my point is that any kind of combination may (or should)work walking through BG/ToSC and standard SoA/ToB.

[Skunk]

Originally posted by Nerull: Actually, I've done this party through SoA before (played a human berserker dualled to cleric, but essentially the same thing). What I did was go with 5 characters (Minsc, Jaheira, Imoen, Jan, and myself). Then added Sarevok into the 6th slot when we got him (never finished the game, though...had system problems that corrupted all my save files). I then went back (without BGT or BGTutu) and played through with that same party (except I was playing a ranger/cleric), even dualling Imoen at the same point as she dualled in SoA. It is a good party to play through with. I know you are thinking that this is tank-light, but don't forget that you can fight up front as well (you can wear all the heavy armor, and can cast buffs as well). Jaheira can tank as well with good armor (Ankheg plate in BG1, Red Dragon Scale in SoA). In fact, you could go with just the 5 (or even 4, if you go get Imoen right away and ignore Jan...just do enough quests to go to Chapter 4, and have Yoshimo instead of Jan). I've finished the game with a party of 4 before, so quite do-able.

I did this too.
I duel classed a beserker to Cleric at level 7 (immediately as the game started) and allocated 2 points to 2 handed weapon and 4 points to staff (later to become 5 after my cleric reached level 8) - and he ROCKED as a melee fighter all the way through to the end of TOB.


With TOB though, I think that it's better (and more interesting) to have multi-classed charactors.

My last game was with a party of four:
Melee - Multi-class Fighter-Druid (Protagonist)
Melee - Keldorn
Thief/mage and Archer - Jan Jansen
Cleric/Mage and Archer - Aerie

The druid spells of Insect Plague and Creeping doom can really disrupt an opposing party (and all but disable their mages) and Iron skin, negative plane protection etc. etc can all be helpful to buffing your charactor before a major fight.

Keldorn (apart from being a great tank after aquiring gloves of dex and Carsomyr) can also cast Dispel magic and true-sight - absolutely invaluable skills in a mage-ridden battle.

Jan Jansen (apart from being a great thief), can be useful if used to buff up charactors and provide general mage support in his own right. Equip him with a firetooth crossbow (can be bought from Watchers keep without entering) + bracers of archery (Druid Grove) and he becomes pretty mean in battle without casting a single spell. Equip him with elven chain at the end of SOA and his armour climbs too.

Aerie's combined cleric/mage skills are just brilliant towards the end of SOA (it goes without saying just what you can do with the combination esp. with contingency type spells) and if you equip her with the Sling of Everard and give up the Helm of Balduran to improve her Cleric based THAC0 (she can wear it because she is a cleric), she makes a fine archer too (when not busy casting offensive spells), and a great healer after battles.

Of course, always keeping to a four party team (esp. multi-classed) charactors *is* a challenge in the early part of SOA - but that just makes it more fun. You can even take Imoen back in the party without losing too many exp points if you want...