Excited about this game!

Hey Everyone! I just got the game this week end...BG2 will follow this! Well, I am really need of some rookie help. My main character is a Druid. I have made it to Freindly Arm Inn with 3 other characters. I'm not quite sure what I should be doing. I have saved early and often here so I won't get killed again. A group of people have been kicking my butt.
This is very much different than Wizards and Warriors play format. I could have kicked those bears butt if I could get the hang of this. I just avoided them instead. I did get some monkey looking things though. Any suggestions would be great, and thanks in advance!
Conan

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[JR Jansen]

Use teamwork. If you have a certain amount of people in your party, use them. Fighters should be set in the first slots of your group. Spellcasters and thiefs behind them. Use your fighters to block the way so that your spellcasters can get their spells out. And do not hasitate to use spells. If you run out just rest and they will have regained their spells. Use ranged weapons also. It is beter to at least hit your opponent once or twice before said opponent is in melee range.
Spoiler cominng up

Good spells to use are spells that effect movement in any way. ie grease, web and seeing as you are playing a druid entangle. i killed ogres with two people. Just me and Imoen. Entangled the ogre and then let him have it with arrows and bullets.

JR

Nunc ut nunquam

[Rand Al'Thor]

SPOILER
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You shall get Khalid and Jaheira at the friendly arm inn
At the stairs in front of the inn one mage will try to kill you
You have two peolple with you from the landway,you picked them up
just let them die,you will not need them
let Imoen have a bow,and your druid should use magic rock spell and entangle

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So says the Lord of Terror,and so it is written.

[Melusine]

Rand al' thor, that depends on whether Conan is playing a good or an evil party. If you play evil, Montaron and Xzar are quite good NPCs. But I think you are right in assuming that for a first time through, a good party is probably your best bet.

Good post on tactics, JR Jansen! I'm sure it will be very helpful.
And I'd like to add my voice to the choir of people who advise you to use Entangle, it's the most useful low lewel Priest spell in the game! I have been able to kill way too powerfull adversaries simply by casting and recasting Entangle on them and then....lots of patience and lots of ammo

I love the feeling in BG1 that you are out there in an amazingly dangerous world, and you are still so weak...
To quote someone else on the Forum:
In BG2 you go: "Yet another dragon...? ~sigh~"
In BG1 you go: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!! A kobold!!!



Just play along, enjoy the game, rest lots, save lots (in different slots) and you'll manage perfectly. And if you have any questions, just ask!
Good luck!

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Melusine, High Queen of Fluffies, Archbabe of the Order of the Holy Flame and the Laughing Hyenas, &
Official Entertainer Elf of the BG2 Bar

Your voice is ambrosia

[Wulfere]

Melusine is right, you will need to use tactics alot to get you through the stages of this game. If you follow the advise here you should be ok, but save, save, save, save. I can't stress that enough. Eventually you will find a pace and set of tactics you prefer. But I will offer some ..make sure you have at least one cleric or druid. Make sure some of your party members have bows or missle weapons. This is a big help, hitting enemies from a distance increases your chance of survival a great deal.
But MOST of all...
Have fun.
Good Luck and great gaming


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[sylent]

Originally posted by Melusine: I love the feeling in BG1 that you are out there in an amazingly dangerous world, and you are still so weak... To quote someone else on the Forum: In BG2 you go: "Yet another dragon...? ~sigh~" In BG1 you go: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!! A kobold!!!

I couldn't agree more.
No matter what, I don't think BG2 could capture that whole feeling, of being vulnerable, and getting excited about killing something like a dire wolf, or an ogre.
Chow 4 now

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"Watch your back"

Thanks again everyone! I cast entangle on a bear but must not have worked. It charged us and got us all!
I will be playing neutral siding with neither lawful or evil if this is possible. I choose a Druid just for this reason. I think I got some good roles with her. I'm not at home now but will catch you all up with that later. She has a charisma of 17, I do remember that. Are these going to be able to be raised later in the game? Hope so.
The formations are important here I see. Being a Druid I should be in the secondary ranks. I will use range weapons! I can see that right now. I must experiment with what the game gives me to use. She can't use arrows but slings and knives should be damageing enough when I entangle something for now...I hope..I also choose a Druid because she can learn high level spells with less experience in the later levels. Well, so far so good. Thanks again and you all will see me here telling you of my victory's and defeats!

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[sylent]

Potential Spoiler warning:
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ok, now maybe I am getting confused, but your main character is a female druid right?
She just sounds a lot like Jeheira, who is a female, True Neutral Druid, with a Charisma of 15 (I think). Have you encountered her yet (Jeheira that is)?

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"Watch your back"

[Lavindathar]

Originally posted by sylent: ok, now maybe I am getting confused, but your main character is a female druid right? She just sounds a lot like Jeheira, who is a female, True Neutral Druid, with a Charisma of 15 (I think). Have you encountered her yet (Jeheira that is)?

POSSIBLE SPOILER

Id advise you Conan not to take Jaheria, but that means that you cannot take Khalid. So I would advise you take Minsc or Ajantis.





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