Reading all of it from the beginning, it appears that almost every class makes sense to at least some people. And that if a class is cosnsidered a calling rather than a given profession, you can pretty much justify any choice, and attribute fast increase in power while leveling during the game to extreme circumstances and, possibly, divine background.
However, there seems to be a loose consensus that druid and ranger don't fit (i disagree, as i said earlier), and that an arcane caster, possibly multi or dual classed to fighter/thief is preferable. Also that a cleric is not without problems (i hadn't even thought of the AO non interference decree, is it really so?).
I also realised that the sorceror choice, even though it seems obvious to me now, was not available in BGI. It only became available in BGII, an now in BGEE. That's probably why i never tried one. I always imported my BGI character (usually mage). So, maybe the question should be: Should the player be any non available in BGI class, like sorceror or wild mage, or have a kit?
I usually play a thief, and my reasoning is because of the heritage and the entrapment inside the walls.
The heritage will give you some less-than moral feelings, but instead of turning to murder or something so extreme, you just kind of... take what you want.
The character is trapped within the walls throughout their entire life, even though I'm sure they WANTED to leave - especially with their heritage, which makes them far too powerful to be locked away. But, since Gorion knows how valuable and wanted you are, he isn't going to let you wonder off, or even take you anywhere with him. Thus, the character starts to feel trapped and is teaching her/himself how to sneak around and pick their way out when the time comes.
Of course Gorion takes you away before your thieving skills are high enough to escape, but that's okay.
They don't really talk about it till near the end of the second game,mostly Cyric shows up and the solar tells him not to interfere because of AO's decree, but he banishes her and says he just wants to chat with the PC for a bit and doesn't intend to do anything. Then he goes on about divine politics for awhile, eventually going off on a All-about-me tangent for awhile, before asking the PC if he can choose the next challenge, since he's the one who stands to lose more power if the PC becomes a god and reclaims Bhaal's portfolio, and the PC agrees, which allows Cyric to bend the rules a little (still can't intervene directly), and summon in some of his favored assassins to fight in his stead.
Then finally, at the very end, when the big bad is ranting out their limitless power and how it's impossible that they can be losing, the solar shows up and puts a stop to the fight saying that all had come to pass in accordance to the terms AO had agreed to uphold concerning the bhaalspawn, and that the winner was decided.
I don't think initial class decision is that big of a deal. I'm assuming age is assumed to be around young adulthood, so up until this point everything has been "childhood". You start at level 1, and your "journey" hones whatever skills you've chosen.
With that mentality, any choice can be more or less explained.
Mage? Gorion/others tutored Charname as a child.
Ranger? Perhaps archery helped kill boredom within Candlekeep, and the containment lead to the love of roaming the outdoors after finally getting out.
Fighter/Warrior? Hell, anyone can fall into that role.
Admittedly druid is a bit more difficult to explain than the other classes available, but like a couple posters already mentioned, it is Candlekeep--If you are going to find base knowledge on a class/profession, it is one of the better places to do so.
Fighter/Thief Multiclass because hes unnaturally strong (I say its because of his bhaalspawn blood) and thief skills from hanging around Imoen. The girl rubs off on ya. lol
It doesn't. Which is why most of the other races don't really work. Halflings only live a little longer then humans so they'd be alright, humans are what the statement assumes, and half-orcs are about the same as humans, they actually mature slightly faster actually.
Bard: Filled with books and knowledge, plus a father who's a powerful mage in his own right. You pick up books and learn about the arcane when dad has time to help you out. You also spend some time with the guard, required as gorion always wanted you to have some proficiency with weapons, but at night you retire to your room and sing softly to yourself the stories you read that day.
Mage: Your father is a powerful mage and once you display some talent, takes you as an apprentice as well.
Sorc: Enough people in the thread have already convinced me.
Cleric: Probably not a kitted cleric, although I could see helm working. Sure its a temple of Oghma, but Helm is also God of Guardians, Watchers and Protectors, so likely some of the guard worship him at least before each shift.
Thief: This one is actually loads of fun. Sneaking around the library looking for more books after hours. Picking locks on library doors (or your own door) so you can get out and sneak around some more.
Fighter: Your father drove you crazy but you found comfort when you'd go out and drill with the guard weapon in hand.
Ranger: I really enjoyed how someone else explained their ranger earlier. You help with the various stabled animals or birds who make their home around the keep trying to heal them up.
Monk: Well there are enough of them around all right
Barbarian: Sort of like the fighter, except you didn't enjoy the discipline the guard tried to instill in you either. You saw no need for learning tactics and the like, always saying that it was better to rush right up into your enemies face and start swinging with all your fury. You were headstrong and refused to listened to their wisdom. (Note: this character prolly wouldn't even have 10 wisdom and yet could be really fun).
Probably a magic-using class makes the most sense, considering Irenicus talks about "unlocking power" and that sort of thing. It also would justify high Int/Wiz, which I figure is essential in defeating Sarevok's brute strength, and totally reasonable since you've been tutored by an old-as-dirt mage in the country's largest library. So, what race can you be? Well, anything, really, because Bhaal certainly wasn't a racist http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Bhaalspawn . As for CHARNAME, anything but full-blood elf makes sense to me, because it would be ridiculous to assume that Aerie and Jaheira would be gushing over a child. An ELVEN CHILD no less. Now that I mention it, a half-elf start for a male might make the most sense, your elf-like features making you seem studly to Aerie despite your age, and it would maybe remind Jaheira of a younger Khalid.
You can still headcanon around little things like never leaving the keep, though. There isn't a DM to scream at you.
Comments
Knowledge is power.
With power you can be whatever you damn well feel like...
Reading all of it from the beginning, it appears that almost every class makes sense to at least some people. And that if a class is cosnsidered a calling rather than a given profession, you can pretty much justify any choice, and attribute fast increase in power while leveling during the game to extreme circumstances and, possibly, divine background.
However, there seems to be a loose consensus that druid and ranger don't fit (i disagree, as i said earlier), and that an arcane caster, possibly multi or dual classed to fighter/thief is preferable. Also that a cleric is not without problems (i hadn't even thought of the AO non interference decree, is it really so?).
I also realised that the sorceror choice, even though it seems obvious to me now, was not available in BGI. It only became available in BGII, an now in BGEE. That's probably why i never tried one. I always imported my BGI character (usually mage). So, maybe the question should be:
Should the player be any non available in BGI class, like sorceror or wild mage, or have a kit?
The heritage will give you some less-than moral feelings, but instead of turning to murder or something so extreme, you just kind of... take what you want.
The character is trapped within the walls throughout their entire life, even though I'm sure they WANTED to leave - especially with their heritage, which makes them far too powerful to be locked away. But, since Gorion knows how valuable and wanted you are, he isn't going to let you wonder off, or even take you anywhere with him. Thus, the character starts to feel trapped and is teaching her/himself how to sneak around and pick their way out when the time comes.
Of course Gorion takes you away before your thieving skills are high enough to escape, but that's okay.
Mage, or Fighter dualled to Mage. (Multi-class Fighter/Mages have never really appealed to me, though--the lack of proper armor annoys me.)
Then finally, at the very end, when the big bad is ranting out their limitless power and how it's impossible that they can be losing, the solar shows up and puts a stop to the fight saying that all had come to pass in accordance to the terms AO had agreed to uphold concerning the bhaalspawn, and that the winner was decided.
With that mentality, any choice can be more or less explained.
Mage? Gorion/others tutored Charname as a child.
Ranger? Perhaps archery helped kill boredom within Candlekeep, and the containment lead to the love of roaming the outdoors after finally getting out.
Fighter/Warrior? Hell, anyone can fall into that role.
Admittedly druid is a bit more difficult to explain than the other classes available, but like a couple posters already mentioned, it is Candlekeep--If you are going to find base knowledge on a class/profession, it is one of the better places to do so.
Oh my god, I've just realized that doesn't sound old to me anymore....
Bard:
Filled with books and knowledge, plus a father who's a powerful mage in his own right. You pick up books and learn about the arcane when dad has time to help you out. You also spend some time with the guard, required as gorion always wanted you to have some proficiency with weapons, but at night you retire to your room and sing softly to yourself the stories you read that day.
Mage:
Your father is a powerful mage and once you display some talent, takes you as an apprentice as well.
Sorc:
Enough people in the thread have already convinced me.
Cleric:
Probably not a kitted cleric, although I could see helm working. Sure its a temple of Oghma, but Helm is also God of Guardians, Watchers and Protectors, so likely some of the guard worship him at least before each shift.
Thief:
This one is actually loads of fun. Sneaking around the library looking for more books after hours. Picking locks on library doors (or your own door) so you can get out and sneak around some more.
Fighter:
Your father drove you crazy but you found comfort when you'd go out and drill with the guard weapon in hand.
Ranger:
I really enjoyed how someone else explained their ranger earlier. You help with the various stabled animals or birds who make their home around the keep trying to heal them up.
Monk:
Well there are enough of them around all right
Barbarian:
Sort of like the fighter, except you didn't enjoy the discipline the guard tried to instill in you either. You saw no need for learning tactics and the like, always saying that it was better to rush right up into your enemies face and start swinging with all your fury. You were headstrong and refused to listened to their wisdom. (Note: this character prolly wouldn't even have 10 wisdom and yet could be really fun).
Drawing blanks for paladins and druids =(
Druid = Books are power and learning from books can help alot to understand the world.
Imagination!
So, what race can you be? Well, anything, really, because Bhaal certainly wasn't a racist http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Bhaalspawn . As for CHARNAME, anything but full-blood elf makes sense to me, because it would be ridiculous to assume that Aerie and Jaheira would be gushing over a child. An ELVEN CHILD no less. Now that I mention it, a half-elf start for a male might make the most sense, your elf-like features making you seem studly to Aerie despite your age, and it would maybe remind Jaheira of a younger Khalid.
You can still headcanon around little things like never leaving the keep, though. There isn't a DM to scream at you.
@Nukenin