I'm only going to rate the BG1 characters. BG2 guys have far more lines and personality, and I wouldn't feel right judging them on the same standards. Haven't put Rasaad in the party yet, so he's also absent. Anyway!
Rank 1 - BFFs
1. Branwen - I have no idea what it is, but I absolutely love her. Nice portrait, pleasant voice, and very handy in a fight. She puts comraderie above all else, and stays with you 'till the end. Also, she will smack Edwin into place if they're in the same group. 2. Imoen - She my little sis, so I gotta love her. She'll always stick with me, no matter what my path is, and she never picks a fight with my crew. So sweet and innocent (and then BG2 happens). 3. Coran - Joins you with a proposition to get rich! What's not to love? Crazy dex, and an awesome voiceset make me dig him. 4. Kagain - I just love the idea of a lazy-ass stingy dwarf who decides that sticking around with you is less of a hassle than finding some stinking old caravan. Total meatwall. 5. Viconia - A drow that's evil? How novel! Decent in a fight, but I still prefer Branwen.
Rank 2 - Fun to have around
6. Dorn - I'm liking him so far. Evil sonuva***** with a sadistic streak, but smart enough to not get himself killed. When he's in the group, there will be blood. 7. Khalid - I just feel sorry for the guy. His fear is adequately explained by his wife's utterly demanding nature. And it sounds like he frequently ends up going on suicide runs so people can just take Jaheira along. His voiceset is hilarious. 8. Xzar - Hilariously funny, and a decent enough guy to give you potions to get started. Even more hilarious when you make him a cleric, and the party's health rests on his shoulders... 9. Safana - Like Coran, she's giving you a good reason to put her in the party. A charming lady who knows how to get what she wants. Fitting that she ends up with Coran 10. Xan - I never get tired of hearing his lines, and I find it hilarious how in almost all my games something utterly random and unfortunate happens to him. Just last game, my main character wandered off when Mulahey used Rigid Thinking, and chunked Xan like there was no tomorrow...
Rank 3 - Eh
10. Minsc - I do like his hamster obsession. Seriously though, I see a lot more hate for him than love, and the people who hate him all seem to say it's because everyone loves him. Oh well. He's a bit funny, and strong in battle, but yeah, sometimes a bit irritating. 11. Dynaheir - No idea why I like her voice so much. I think she's been bumped up a bit because of the inexplicable number of times I've been saved by her Slow Poison 12. Alora - She's just kind of... there. Good aligned, yet trying to rob a museum. 13. Faldorn - Her picture makes me giggle. 14. Montaron - A bit on the rude side, but he makes a great duo with Xzar. They complete eachother. 15. Shar-Teel - Unrealistically sexist, but she gets bonus points for smacking the **** out of Eldoth. 16. Yeslick - The most I can say about him is that he's a dwarf. 17. Garrick - He exists?
Rank 4 - On the annoying side
18. Ajantis - Self-Righteous fool, which would usually annoy me a lot more, but the lines you say when you first meet him are hilarious. That's right, he gets bonus points for how easy it is to abuse him (that's why Khalid is up there as well :P) 19. Neera - Her voice and dialogue is a bit grating. She'd be a lot worse if it weren't for the fact that she realizes how dangerous she is. 20. Jaheira - "Yes, oh Omnipresent authority figure?" I just dislike breaking the 4th wall every third line. She's also kind of a total ***** to her husband. Yay for domestic abuse? 21. Quayle - Why is he even in my party? He just joins because... why the hell not? 22. Tiax - Even more difficult to figure out than Quayle. 23. Skie - Ditzy girl with a thing for bad boys. Yeah, pass. 24. Eldoth - I do like the idea of evil bards, but he's kind of a pain in the ass to be around.
Rank 5 - I have the urge to hurt these people
25. Kivan - "Don't bother me!" Leaves for good whenever you want to re-organize the party. Voice doesn't do anything for me either. 26. Edwin - Absolute asshole who thinks he's better than everyone, won't give me a single good reason to help him out, and requires that I kill someone for no reason other than he told me to. Complete and utter pain.
@Buttercheese- Have no idea what his accent is in the English version. I just can't place it. But holy crap you were right he has like the sexiest voice ever. I only wish I understood German better, if I did, maybe I could find the German version of the games and play them. . -c .
4. Khalid-Khalid is just adorable, okay? And he's a lot braver than most people give him credit for. I mean, just look at him--they guy's absolutely terrified of everything and yet he keeps on fighting. I have actually only had Khalid suffer from morale failure once. Got a lot of respect for this guy, stutter and all.
I agree he's adorable, but I don't think he's particularly brave. I just think he's more afraid of (disappointing) Jaheira than he is of the monsters :P
Well, you could just wait for BG2:EE to happen, since you can change the voicesets in there But if you really want to use them now, I could mail you a copy of my game folder, that way you could extract the voice files with Near Infinity. But that would be A LOT work. And my game is also very highly modded, some of the voices have been everwritten with the english ones (such as Xan and Kivan).
3. Yoshimo - He's a bounty hunter, and they are AWESOME. My only regret is that his intended quest line was cut short. You were supposed to eventually get the option to get him back..still don't why they didn't just include some lines for it at the end of his current questline..less epic then intended, but it would get the job done.
I would've been pissed if there was a way to save him. Yoshimo sticks out in my mind as a great character because he is pretty likeable, making his tragedy all the more poignant. If BG2 had pulled that videogame "best ending/outcome" crap it would've been meaningless.
And just to stay on topic:
Best: Xan, for having the only realistic outlook on life in the Forgotten Realms, and for a liberal definition of the word "dagger."
Worst: Safana and Ajantis, for having lame gimmicks AND being completely uninteresting.
@Buttercheese That's okay but thanks for the offer. Question for when I get BG:EE in a couple weeks though--does it let you change the voiceset language in there?
Rank 1(My favs) Xan (The best!) Alora (Happy happy joy joy) Edwin (The definition of evil mage) Imoen (Good stats and good fun) Dynaheir (Her voice is damn fine) Montaron (I like his bio)
Rank 2 (Super cool) Aerie (I think she is awesome, albeit naive) Kagain ( A great soundset) Quayle (Do you hear buzzards? Jan Jansen (I'll do it for a turnip!) Jaheira (One badass bitch) Mazzy (I feel like she would be a good friend in real life) Yoshimo (Would be a fav if he hadnt... well you know) Xzar (Crazy crazy crazy)
Rank 3 (Regular cool) Garrick (He suits his class) Kivan (Love him in NPC project) Ajantis (Evil member in MY party?? I think not!) Minsc (Over rated but good) Coran (Id like him more if he wasn't as douchey) Khalid (He'd be awesome if he didn't suck so bad) Tiax (How can you dislike Tiax?)
Rank 4 (Alright I guess) Faldorn (I dont like pure druids, but nice voice) Viconia (She is helpful to have around but bitchy and bossy) Yeslick (I dont like his voice but he seems like a nice guy) Valygar (A nice guy but bad stats) Dorn (He doesnt seem all that evil to me) Sarevok (Id like you more if you didnt kill Gorian)
Rank 6 (Not my cup of tea) Shar-Teel (You hate men too much) Safana (manipualitive) Neera (stubborn, naive, not that good)
Rank 7 (I hate these folk!) Cernd (Weak and lame) Haer'Dalis (I hate your poems) Anomen (I wish you could talk to Shar-Teel) Branwen (I hate your voice and the things you say)
@Buttercheese That's okay but thanks for the offer. Question for when I get BG:EE in a couple weeks though--does it let you change the voiceset language in there?
Theroeticaly yes. The voice sets are going to be added in a future patch, but the voice acting was very very bad in the german version of BG1.
@Buttercheese That's okay but thanks for the offer. Question for when I get BG:EE in a couple weeks though--does it let you change the voiceset language in there?
Theroeticaly yes. The voice sets are going to be added in a future patch, but the voice acting was very very bad in the german version of BG1.
I am okay with that as long as I get to hear what Xan sounds like. Because I really liked the way he sounded in that one clip, but the sound quality on it was terrible so I could barely hear it. Besides, I can always switch it back if I don't like it. Besides, it will probably help me to learn the language and stuff. . -c . I'm trying to teach myself but it is not going well.
Xan's voice is ok. But the racording quality is kinda bad. Here, another .zip file. This time with some Xan lines: http://g2f.nl/0je6b0a
To be honest, I never really learned english in school. Sure, I did have english lessons for six years, but I really started learning after I got my own PC and started playing videogames in english. Also watching movies help, writing stuff on the internet. Practice. Breeding over books doesn't really help. Learning by doing as they say
excellent idea for a thread, @LadyEibhilinRhett, kudos to you...always interesting reading others well thought out opinions on characters we think we know so well, can make you see a whole other side to them if they're persuasive enough!
Tier 1: Persons of eeeeeeexcellence. Xzar. just brilliant. insane necromancers rule! he was really brought to life by the NPC project mod, added terrific dialogue, quest and all-round loopy behaviour that made it nigh impossible to leave him behind. Can't wait for this mod to be compatible with the EE. Mazzy. i just think she's really cool, a member of a much overlooked race who said "screw it" and decided to do whatever the hell she wanted to do and ignore those who says she can't. Nalia - much derided aristocrat who i really like, i think she's one of the most interesting NPCs in BGII with good skills, i like her personality and plus, she owns a freaking castle. A castle!
Tier 2: You like me, you really like me Coran - mad bow skills, decent fighter, terrific outlook on life, will never die wondering. everything an adventurer should be. Haer-Dalis - he's a whole lot of fun, a very well written bard, and he does the impossible task of making Aerie smile. For this, he ranks high. Neera - high rank for a newbie, but wild mages are my weakness. my best PC was one, so i thought this chick better be damn good. and lo and behold, so far, she is. Neera and my PC laisha would get on famously together...for about 10 minutes...before one blew the other up trying to cast magic missile or something...
Tier 3: "Friends fight together....la la la la" Kagain: for an evil mercenary dwarf, this guy's really good. he always seems to end up quite fond of my PC even though they're different alignments and he's an abolute fighting beast. cool personality that i really like. Cernd. this guy has a tough break, but i liked his backstory, and a guy who can slip nature metaphors into every thought gets my vote of confidence. Rasaad - monks are another of my faves to play, so again, i thought this guy better deliver. so far he's been pretty cool, nice decent guy who can kick your face off if you push him. Tiax - ok, he can get repetitious after a while and as far as skills go he's pretty much dead last, but i can never resist insane diabolical religious fanatics. life would be dull without him Skie - ok, to be honest, i've never used her in a vanilla game...but i eventually tried her with the NPC mod and i really didn't understand the hate, she seemed quite nice and cool and developed really well, got along well with everyone and hardly ever whined or complained...i'm interested to see if i have the same reaction once i pick her up again but i rank her pretty high so far. Yoshimo - he's smart, funny and can dance on the head of a pin. what else do ya want? Valygar - again, i was quite fond of him, he and Mazzy make a great team for me, despite her slightly snotty attitude towards him. good backstory as well. Faldorn: if she came earlier in the game, i think Faldorn would get a lot more love. I enjoy her company in the party, although i was really annoyed at the caricature they turned her into in part II. Great divine spellcaster. Viconia - yeah yeah, drow cleric, everyone loves her, you know the drill...always used her at the start, but i tend to leave her more often than not now...nothing to do with her, just diversity gets more interesting and challenging than grabbing her yet again.... Keldorn: confession time. i really don't like paladins. i find them a massive pain in the ass, and have never played, or considered playing one, and rarely have them in my party...yeah yeah Mazzy, but halfling, not counted, so there. But this guy comes close to changing my mind. Wise, good-hearted, even a littl soulful, a man who has made mistakes and is willing to confront them. A really good well written character. Alora: seldom used her at first, but her personality is cool and she's fun to have around, can be turned into a reasonable enough thief with some help. Dorn: my, but he can talk...only a little cliched, so far he's been fun. and nice to have a hitherto unrepresented race and class around for NPCs. Branwen - good, solid cleric. i really wish her story had been fleshed out a little more, i like her and think she could be a lot more interesting then the game makes her out to be. Shar-Teel - yeah, ok, her man hating is a little over egged, but i actually really liked having her around, thought she was kinda fun.
Tier 4: yeah you can stay...if you cook our dinner. Garrick - friendly enough, but shallow, vague, no good bard songs or stories. get some life experience man! Eldoth - vain, egotistical, thinks he'd god's gift...like looking in a mirror...like skie, never picked him up in vanilla BG, so my experiences of him are a little coloured i think...not half as repellent as i thought he might be - he wasn't really that demeaning to Skie, just told obvious lies...and his lore and poison arrows are excellent. Safana - hmmm...a little bland, really not sexy, kinda annoying...needs a good pirate setting to make her come to life i think... Imoen - fun to have around, in BG1 at least. far too depressing in BGII. still, good skills and very useful. like some of her slang, too. Xan - emo poster boy for the pointy eared set. cool blade. pity you can't hit an mammoth with it. fun, in small doses. Edwin - hmmm a tale of 2 games for me...couldn't stand the whiny poser in game 1...game 2 he's terrific, a lot smarter, funnier, wicked and a total blast to have along. although, again, with the npc mod, he and xzar do have some terrific banter which makes him a lot more fun to have in bg1...maybe he should be higher... Jan - oh come on, who doesn't like a good turnip soup?
Tier 5: Oh, if you MUST.... Ajantis. meh. virtuous young shining pala..zzzzzzzzzzzz Minsc - kinda funny if you're in the mood. very damn annoying if you're not. Quayle - ditto. Yeslick - who? oh yeah, the dude in the mines, right...yeah...sorry about drowning you a few times...no hard feelings? Khalid - actyually, i think coming in early in the game hurts him, like coming in late does for Faldorn or Alora...he's not a bad guy, but there's only so much apologising and nervousness you can take early on when every fight is a struggle for survival... Sarevok - only played TOB twice, so can't really vouch for him, but i really would have preferred he stay dead after i spent all those weeks trying to kill him. Montaron - playing evil parties lately, i admit he's started to kinda grow on me...like a fungus... Aerie - winsome wispy whiny wingless....you're nice, but please stop...you're giving me a headache.
Teir 6: Stay Away!! Jaheira - bossy, annoying, snipy, kinda useless. Dynaheir - hey. you got captured by a group of fuzzy creatures that i wiped out their whole little civilization. where DO you get your superiority complex from? Korgan - dwarven stereotypes r us. kagain was great. this guy is just a boring brute. Anomen - to be fair, he's quite a complex character and it's good to play out his story...but man this guy grates my cheese. did he HAVE to be quite sich a dick? really? i mean REALLY? for the only male romance option, he's terrible. as a flawed npc, he's interesting...but interesting doesn't mean i want him around. stupid wannabe paladin.
ugh...i just realised how long this post was...apologies to all who bothered to read...
10. Minsc - I do like his hamster obsession. Seriously though, I see a lot more hate for him than love, and the people who hate him all seem to say it's because everyone loves him. Oh well.
We're a very small group, it's just that we're opinionated and annoying very vocal.
(-Rank 1: Really freaking love these characters.-) 1. Montaron - He may be a halfling, but a deadly one for sure. You wouldn't want to piss off this guy. 2. Ajantis - Young and naive knight, to whom I can relate easily. 3. Kivan - Quiet, with inner struggle for revenge. 4. Xan - I really like his pessimism, it's a little bit over the top and of course his moonblade. 5. Imoen - (BG1) Positive and cheerful little sister. (BG2 - Rank 4) She gets annoying as a plot device. 6. Branwen - Brave and strong willed. 7. Sarevok - Even his presence creates an uneasy atmosphere, also his redemption. (-Rank 2: I am very fond of these characters.-) 8. Khalid - I never understood why people hate him, he's pure fun and a great companion. 9. Jaheira - (BG1) The opposite character of Khalid, they create an interesting couple. (BG2 - Rank 5) I didn't like the idea that shortly after her husband's death she started to hit on PC. 10. Xzar - Reminds me of a mad scientist, has some great lines. 11. Skie - She is just so adorable. 12. Safana - Her manipulative attitude is so obvious, she always makes me smile. 13. Keldorn - Wise, and insightful mentor. 14. Valygar - Similiar to Kivan and I like his bias towards magic. 15. Coran - His interaction with Safana is great, the adventurer archetype. 16. Minsc - (BG1) Got a bit of tired of him, but I still like to have him around. (BG2 - Rank 6) In my first playthrough of BG2 I kicked him out after some time, because I couldn't stand his shouting. (-Rank 3: I like these characters.-) 17. Dynaheir - I always wonder how someone so intelligent can put up with Minsc. 18. Edwin - (BG1) I like his reaction when you meet him with Dynaheir in your party and when he's talking to himself in general. (BG2 - Rank 4) Got kind of boring, besides the scroll quest. 19. Alora - Having her with Edwin is pure gold, the opposite of Xan. 20. Eldoth - His interactions with other NPC are great (especially Xan and Shar-Teel) and I like the quest for "rescuing" Skie. 21. Shar-Teel - She grew on me in my recent playthrough, her smack talking is fun and she has quite interesting backstory. 22. Yoshimo - His banters never disappoint, a bit sad ending. 23. Nalia - I like her character development and attitude. 24. Aerie - Similiarly to Ajantis she is very naive, so I understand her viewpoint. 25. Garrick - The Holy Grail reference seals the deal, most of the time he dies in a funny way. 26. Yeslick - I like his backstory and banter with Kagain. (-Rank 4: I have slightly positive feelings toward these characters.-) 27. Viconia - I started to like her in general, maybe in a future playthrough she will stay for a bit longer. 28. Kagain - Greedy mercenary and has absolutely hilarious responses to other characters, especially Yeslick. 29. Anomen - I don't know how I managed to have him for the whole game, but somehow I got used to him and his annoying comments. 30. Mazzy - Seems cool, but didn't impress me so far. 31. Neera - Haven't played BG:EE yet, but I like her concept. (-Rank 5: My feelings toward these characters are completely neutral.-) 32. Quayle - Has some funny lines and banter with Tiax, but gets a bit boring. 33. Tiax - I kind of liked him at the beginning, but he gets repetitive. 34. Faldorn - She's ok, I think. 35. Cernd - A bit bland. (-Rank 6: I have mildly negative feelings for these characters.-) 36. Dorn - Nice concept, but a bit stereotypical evil character. 37. Rasaad - I don't like monks that much in general. 38. Haer'Dalis - Go away. 39. Jan Jansen - Please die. (-Rank 7: I dislike this character.-) 40. Korgan - Stereotypical evil character to the point that it's insulting to the player's intellect.
Excellent thread @LadyEibhilinRhett, after I post mine I plan on reading many of the posted opinions. @Quartz has inspired me to write reasons why I dislike/like these characters, so I think I will.
I'll put it in a spoiler tag so it isn't a huge wall of text for those who aren't interested. The highlights: My Favorites:YOSHIMO!!!, Rasaad, Khalid, Sarevok, Viconia My "I feel Neutral": All of the Druids My Least Favorites: Eldoth, Haer'Dalis, Ajantis, Shar-Teel, Skie, Korgan, Tiax, and QUAYLE!!!
(-Rank 1: Really freaking love these characters.-) 1. Yoshimo: I freaking love this guy. He is fun to fight alongside, great voice acting, and he is a very friendly individual. If someone can point me to a mod where you can still use him after the big plot event, please tell me as that is one of the few things I am most interested in changing about the game. 2. Rasaad: He fits the quiet –polite-monk perfectly, he is willing to joke around, and he is the only monk (a very fun class). But perhaps the best part? He is still playable regardless of the fact that his stats aren’t epic or maxed out; he is just that cool. 3. Khalid: I have the utmost respect for this gentleman, as he is willing to be wed to such an annoying woman (and they love each other, for some odd reason). He is also a very righteous fighter, enjoys his Callishite buddy Rasaad (which makes me like him even more), and always compliments my high reputation. 4. Sarevok: Amazing villain, always gave me the chills when I was 7-15 years old and playing the game. As a party member, his redemption is one of the only rewarding aspects of ToB IMHO. And c’mon, look at those stats! 5. Viconia: Great romance, and redemption is a great quality. I never understood why they put her as neutral evil: yes she was evil, and she is a drow, but she really is trying to fit in. (-Rank 2: I am very fond of these characters.-) 6. Imoen: Through thick and thin, she will stay loyal to you regardless. She is always useful to a party, she has awesome pink hair, and she is main-plot-important in BG2, so I almost always save a spot for her on my team. 7. Jan Jansen: Very funny, very useful, and often gets a spot on my team. I wish he didn’t have quite so many unique items and maybe they were combined into one, but his unique bright color scheme makes up for that. 8. Montaron: What a little punk-ass. And yet he is still awesome. Regardless of how often he comments about shanking you when you least expect it, he will respect you if you aren’t a complete goodie-goodie. He reminds me of the Dread Pirate Roberts: “Good night ye CHARNAME, sleep well, I’ll most likely gut ye by the morn’.” 9. Valygar: Underrated character IMHO, as I think he has a lot of potential (I recently fell in love with the stalker kit, it is the most fun class I have ever played). He is a cool ranger. Supposedly his Katana didn’t backstab in BG2 properly? Regardless, I gave him a better katana anyways. 10. Garrick: He makes it feel like life really is glorious. The perfect naïve, noob, level 1 bard. His voice acting is perfect for the character, but he is pretty crappy in combat. (-Rank 3: I like these characters.-) 11. Kivan: Haven’t used this guy much, but so far I like him. Great with bows, and he has my second favorite of the original portraits (for what that is worth). 12. Branwen: Very fun cleric, represents a strong warrior woman way better than Shar-Teel. My one complaint? Not enough backstory/banter, but I suppose many of the BG1 NPCs suffer from that. 13. Kagain: Awesome tank, and he definitely feels like the Lawful Evil version of Roger Murtaugh (“Once I have enough money, I’ll be too old for this sh**.”) (-Rank 4: I have slightly positive feelings toward these characters.-) 14. Coran: Seems like a cool guy, I wish you could get him just a bit earlier. 15. Edwin: Yes, I understand that he is THE best mage in the game. No, that doesn’t make me respect him as anything more than an insane (yes, talking to yourself that much is pretty crazy) RED WIZARD (I HATE THESE GUYS), that has his usefulness so I guess I can use him. He is definitely one of two Red Wizards I can stand to look at though (for the other, see NWN2: MotB) 16. Xan: As much as I jest about how obnoxious this guy is, he can still be very useful and can still make the obvious even MORE obvious. I recently paired him with Garrick for a truly bipolar experience: “Life is SO hollow…” followed by “Life is GLORIOUS”. 17. Mazzy: Glad to see a Halfling that isn’t a thief. I hope that in BG2:EE, they make her a paladin like she should be. All I’m saying is, they broke the rules for Dorn… 18. Minsc: While not one of my favorites, he can still be useful. The hamster jokes were awesome the first time I played, and I definitely think that the only reason he is a ranger is because of the Hamster. Move him over to a berserker or a barbarian for sure. 19. Dorn: Neutral Evil is pretty appropriate. My biggest complaint is that he considered Kagain, the LAWFUL evil guy, distrustful instead of the backstabbing Montaron and the PSYCHOTIC Xzar. 20. Xzar: I used to hate this guy before EE. After seeing many posts about how good he can be, I gave him a try. He is still annoying sometimes, but all in all I appreciate him in my party. 23. Yeslick: He can be useful, and his voice makes me giggle. (-Rank 5: My feelings toward these characters are completely neutral.-) 22. Cernd: I just wish that Shapeshifter was fixed. Once that gets fixed, I will move him either up or down—I refuse to use him when he doesn’t work as he should 23. Jahiera: HOW ANNOYING. She becomes redeemable in some ways in BG2, but a little more irritable in other ways. I almost always end up using her, but only out of habit. I say completely neutral for her because the Pros and Cons balance each other (like a druid. See if you can catch my pattern of who is completely neutral for me O.o) 24. Faldorn: I have always had a fascination with shadow druids….she disappoints in that regard. Dread wolf: Yay! Pretty crappy stats and not very useful: Nay! Recurs as a villain in BG2: Yay! Doesn’t even get a portrait to remind you when QUAYLE gets one for a brief moment: Boo! (-Rank 6: I have mildly negative feelings for these characters.-) 25. Dynaheir: Meh, just wish she didn’t have to be paired with Minsc. Only good (alignment, not skill) wizard in the game FORCES you to pair up. 26. Safana: I don’t see what the huge attraction is. I don’t think her portrait is that attractive, and her voice is decent. I just don’t think she is that great of a thief. 27. Alora: A stereotype Halfling thief, yay! You don’t get her until so late…boo! 28. Keldorn: I respect you old man, but can you PLEASE rely on someone other than me to deal with your marital issues? Intelligence 12, Wisdom 16, you can figure it out bro. 29. Anomen: A bit arrogant, but the low Wisdom reflects that. Stats aren’t amazing, and I really wish that Branwen as a dualed fighter cleric would be here instead (then again, she was only a pure cleric *sadface*) 30. Neera: Wild Magic is not for me. It is frustrating. She isn’t all that bad except for that (and the slightly annoying repetitive combat lines). 31. Nalia: Will you PLEASE stop being so annoying? You are borderline Rank 7, but that spot is reserved for some others. 32. Aerie: While not as bad as many people think, she is still pretty annoying. She is just miserable and depressed. If Minsc is in the party, I could chalk her up around rank 23. (-Rank 7: I dislike this character.-) 33. Eldoth: Your stats aren’t good, and you aren’t good. Evil bards with an interesting portrait and a cool potential quest should be more worth it I feel. 34. Haer’Dalis: Tiefling? Really? Keep giving me unplayable races as party members. Better, make them Blades so I can’t use their lore. BETTER, make them hit on women but be crappier at it than Coran. 35. Ajantis: Kind of a tool. I respect him for what he is: A squire (noob) paladin that you meet around level 1. He fits, I just think he is a mega-tool. 36. Shar-Teel: From what I understand, she is a b****. I will still try her out, and decide for myself. 37. Skie: I don’t like her portrait, I don’t like her stats, I don’t like her craptastic usefulness, andI don’t like her. 38. Korgan: Why the hell can’t you be cooler? Kagain and Yeslick were prime dwarves. Hell, even ARKANIS is a better character than you. In an evil game, I would purposely recreate my Neutral Evil Dwarf Fighter from my first PnP D&D game EVER (Angus the Dour, with 18/80 rolled strength) and suggest him to anyone wanting a decent Axe fighter. 39. Tiax: I hate that I have to hear your voice, I hate that I have to see you in spellhold. I hate that you are the worst thief and a crappy cleric, I hate that I have to see you in front of the Flaming Fist Headquarters all the time. Most of all, I HATE YOU. (-Rank 8: I may occasionally deny this character's existence.-) 40. Quayle: Who is this? Sorry, I stopped caring once he opened his mouth. Realistically, I can’t think of a single thing I like about this guy. Not one. And then in BG2, when I want Aerie in my party or the 18 Charisma ring, I have to be reminded that he does exist when they briefly flash his portrait.
In all seriousness, does anyone know of a mod that allows Yoshimo to be available after the main plot incident? I miss him so much.
EDIT: I generally don't use Coran that much so I don't know much about him, and when looking at a walkthrough it said he is a half-elf. Is he full Elf or half-elf?
Yeah, initially Jaheira was a little better in the rankings, but I couldn't resist the irony. And the druids truly are fairly meh. Plus, i remembered that I dislike her portrait and her dexterity in BG1. Glad that I am not the only one who dislikes Korgan btw.
1: Minsc 2: Jan Jansen 3: Xan ( Kind of a childhood favorite simply because of his moonblade. ) 4: Sarevok 5: Dorn 6: Edwin 7: Tiax 8: Kagain 9: Viconia 10: Amonen 11; Khalid 12: Jaheira 13: Neera 14: Monty 15: Aeries (Even though she can be a bit whiney during Bg2) 16: Yoshimiro 17: Imoen 18:Korgan
My list is really short as I tend to reuse some npcs over and over again. My BG EE 1st playthru is my first time I am attempting a non-minsc party. He is just so fun to have around but this time round I opted for an evil party.
My LE gnome T/M, Kagain, Dorn, Viconia, Edwin, Neera: Shes my wildcard and since I rescue her she does owe me is my reasoning and shes neutral so she doesn't care... Alright when I first encounter her in Beregost and heard her voice I fell for her and added her. She's been pretty entertaining so far and i love wild surges even if sometimes they bite back.
Comments
I will list seven and seven only, in no particular order, save that Tiax rules:
Tiax
-rules over Minsc, Mazzy, Keldorn, Viconia, Imoen, and Jan.
Honorable mention to Valygar for putting up with being Mazzy's reluctant squire.
Rank 1 - BFFs
1. Branwen - I have no idea what it is, but I absolutely love her. Nice portrait, pleasant voice, and very handy in a fight. She puts comraderie above all else, and stays with you 'till the end. Also, she will smack Edwin into place if they're in the same group.
2. Imoen - She my little sis, so I gotta love her. She'll always stick with me, no matter what my path is, and she never picks a fight with my crew. So sweet and innocent (and then BG2 happens).
3. Coran - Joins you with a proposition to get rich! What's not to love? Crazy dex, and an awesome voiceset make me dig him.
4. Kagain - I just love the idea of a lazy-ass stingy dwarf who decides that sticking around with you is less of a hassle than finding some stinking old caravan. Total meatwall.
5. Viconia - A drow that's evil? How novel! Decent in a fight, but I still prefer Branwen.
Rank 2 - Fun to have around
6. Dorn - I'm liking him so far. Evil sonuva***** with a sadistic streak, but smart enough to not get himself killed. When he's in the group, there will be blood.
7. Khalid - I just feel sorry for the guy. His fear is adequately explained by his wife's utterly demanding nature. And it sounds like he frequently ends up going on suicide runs so people can just take Jaheira along. His voiceset is hilarious.
8. Xzar - Hilariously funny, and a decent enough guy to give you potions to get started. Even more hilarious when you make him a cleric, and the party's health rests on his shoulders...
9. Safana - Like Coran, she's giving you a good reason to put her in the party. A charming lady who knows how to get what she wants. Fitting that she ends up with Coran
10. Xan - I never get tired of hearing his lines, and I find it hilarious how in almost all my games something utterly random and unfortunate happens to him. Just last game, my main character wandered off when Mulahey used Rigid Thinking, and chunked Xan like there was no tomorrow...
Rank 3 - Eh
10. Minsc - I do like his hamster obsession. Seriously though, I see a lot more hate for him than love, and the people who hate him all seem to say it's because everyone loves him. Oh well. He's a bit funny, and strong in battle, but yeah, sometimes a bit irritating.
11. Dynaheir - No idea why I like her voice so much. I think she's been bumped up a bit because of the inexplicable number of times I've been saved by her Slow Poison
12. Alora - She's just kind of... there. Good aligned, yet trying to rob a museum.
13. Faldorn - Her picture makes me giggle.
14. Montaron - A bit on the rude side, but he makes a great duo with Xzar. They complete eachother.
15. Shar-Teel - Unrealistically sexist, but she gets bonus points for smacking the **** out of Eldoth.
16. Yeslick - The most I can say about him is that he's a dwarf.
17. Garrick - He exists?
Rank 4 - On the annoying side
18. Ajantis - Self-Righteous fool, which would usually annoy me a lot more, but the lines you say when you first meet him are hilarious. That's right, he gets bonus points for how easy it is to abuse him (that's why Khalid is up there as well :P)
19. Neera - Her voice and dialogue is a bit grating. She'd be a lot worse if it weren't for the fact that she realizes how dangerous she is.
20. Jaheira - "Yes, oh Omnipresent authority figure?" I just dislike breaking the 4th wall every third line. She's also kind of a total ***** to her husband. Yay for domestic abuse?
21. Quayle - Why is he even in my party? He just joins because... why the hell not?
22. Tiax - Even more difficult to figure out than Quayle.
23. Skie - Ditzy girl with a thing for bad boys. Yeah, pass.
24. Eldoth - I do like the idea of evil bards, but he's kind of a pain in the ass to be around.
Rank 5 - I have the urge to hurt these people
25. Kivan - "Don't bother me!" Leaves for good whenever you want to re-organize the party. Voice doesn't do anything for me either.
26. Edwin - Absolute asshole who thinks he's better than everyone, won't give me a single good reason to help him out, and requires that I kill someone for no reason other than he told me to. Complete and utter pain.
Have no idea what his accent is in the English version. I just can't place it.
But holy crap you were right he has like the sexiest voice ever. I only wish I understood German better, if I did, maybe I could find the German version of the games and play them. . -c .
And just to stay on topic:
Best: Xan, for having the only realistic outlook on life in the Forgotten Realms, and for a liberal definition of the word "dagger."
Worst: Safana and Ajantis, for having lame gimmicks AND being completely uninteresting.
That's okay but thanks for the offer. Question for when I get BG:EE in a couple weeks though--does it let you change the voiceset language in there?
Except Cernd.
Xan (The best!)
Alora (Happy happy joy joy)
Edwin (The definition of evil mage)
Imoen (Good stats and good fun)
Dynaheir (Her voice is damn fine)
Montaron (I like his bio)
Rank 2 (Super cool)
Aerie (I think she is awesome, albeit naive)
Kagain ( A great soundset)
Quayle (Do you hear buzzards?
Jan Jansen (I'll do it for a turnip!)
Jaheira (One badass bitch)
Mazzy (I feel like she would be a good friend in real life)
Yoshimo (Would be a fav if he hadnt... well you know)
Xzar (Crazy crazy crazy)
Rank 3 (Regular cool)
Garrick (He suits his class)
Kivan (Love him in NPC project)
Ajantis (Evil member in MY party?? I think not!)
Minsc (Over rated but good)
Coran (Id like him more if he wasn't as douchey)
Khalid (He'd be awesome if he didn't suck so bad)
Tiax (How can you dislike Tiax?)
Rank 4 (Alright I guess)
Faldorn (I dont like pure druids, but nice voice)
Viconia (She is helpful to have around but bitchy and bossy)
Yeslick (I dont like his voice but he seems like a nice guy)
Valygar (A nice guy but bad stats)
Dorn (He doesnt seem all that evil to me)
Sarevok (Id like you more if you didnt kill Gorian)
Rank 5 (meh)
Keldorn (mopey)
Eldoth (douchey)
Skie (whiney)
Rasaad (sucky)
Nalia (wimpy)
Korgan (ugly)
Rank 6 (Not my cup of tea)
Shar-Teel (You hate men too much)
Safana (manipualitive)
Neera (stubborn, naive, not that good)
Rank 7 (I hate these folk!)
Cernd (Weak and lame)
Haer'Dalis (I hate your poems)
Anomen (I wish you could talk to Shar-Teel)
Branwen (I hate your voice and the things you say)
I am okay with that as long as I get to hear what Xan sounds like. Because I really liked the way he sounded in that one clip, but the sound quality on it was terrible so I could barely hear it. Besides, I can always switch it back if I don't like it.
Besides, it will probably help me to learn the language and stuff. . -c .
I'm trying to teach myself but it is not going well.
Here, another .zip file. This time with some Xan lines: http://g2f.nl/0je6b0a
To be honest, I never really learned english in school. Sure, I did have english lessons for six years, but I really started learning after I got my own PC and started playing videogames in english. Also watching movies help, writing stuff on the internet. Practice. Breeding over books doesn't really help. Learning by doing as they say
Tier 1: Persons of eeeeeeexcellence.
Xzar. just brilliant. insane necromancers rule! he was really brought to life by the NPC project mod, added terrific dialogue, quest and all-round loopy behaviour that made it nigh impossible to leave him behind. Can't wait for this mod to be compatible with the EE.
Mazzy. i just think she's really cool, a member of a much overlooked race who said "screw it" and decided to do whatever the hell she wanted to do and ignore those who says she can't.
Nalia - much derided aristocrat who i really like, i think she's one of the most interesting NPCs in BGII with good skills, i like her personality and plus, she owns a freaking castle. A castle!
Tier 2: You like me, you really like me
Coran - mad bow skills, decent fighter, terrific outlook on life, will never die wondering. everything an adventurer should be.
Haer-Dalis - he's a whole lot of fun, a very well written bard, and he does the impossible task of making Aerie smile. For this, he ranks high.
Neera - high rank for a newbie, but wild mages are my weakness. my best PC was one, so i thought this chick better be damn good. and lo and behold, so far, she is. Neera and my PC laisha would get on famously together...for about 10 minutes...before one blew the other up trying to cast magic missile or something...
Tier 3: "Friends fight together....la la la la"
Kagain: for an evil mercenary dwarf, this guy's really good. he always seems to end up quite fond of my PC even though they're different alignments and he's an abolute fighting beast. cool personality that i really like.
Cernd. this guy has a tough break, but i liked his backstory, and a guy who can slip nature metaphors into every thought gets my vote of confidence.
Rasaad - monks are another of my faves to play, so again, i thought this guy better deliver. so far he's been pretty cool, nice decent guy who can kick your face off if you push him.
Tiax - ok, he can get repetitious after a while and as far as skills go he's pretty much dead last, but i can never resist insane diabolical religious fanatics. life would be dull without him
Skie - ok, to be honest, i've never used her in a vanilla game...but i eventually tried her with the NPC mod and i really didn't understand the hate, she seemed quite nice and cool and developed really well, got along well with everyone and hardly ever whined or complained...i'm interested to see if i have the same reaction once i pick her up again but i rank her pretty high so far.
Yoshimo - he's smart, funny and can dance on the head of a pin. what else do ya want?
Valygar - again, i was quite fond of him, he and Mazzy make a great team for me, despite her slightly snotty attitude towards him. good backstory as well.
Faldorn: if she came earlier in the game, i think Faldorn would get a lot more love. I enjoy her company in the party, although i was really annoyed at the caricature they turned her into in part II. Great divine spellcaster.
Viconia - yeah yeah, drow cleric, everyone loves her, you know the drill...always used her at the start, but i tend to leave her more often than not now...nothing to do with her, just diversity gets more interesting and challenging than grabbing her yet again....
Keldorn: confession time. i really don't like paladins. i find them a massive pain in the ass, and have never played, or considered playing one, and rarely have them in my party...yeah yeah Mazzy, but halfling, not counted, so there. But this guy comes close to changing my mind. Wise, good-hearted, even a littl soulful, a man who has made mistakes and is willing to confront them. A really good well written character.
Alora: seldom used her at first, but her personality is cool and she's fun to have around, can be turned into a reasonable enough thief with some help.
Dorn: my, but he can talk...only a little cliched, so far he's been fun. and nice to have a hitherto unrepresented race and class around for NPCs.
Branwen - good, solid cleric. i really wish her story had been fleshed out a little more, i like her and think she could be a lot more interesting then the game makes her out to be.
Shar-Teel - yeah, ok, her man hating is a little over egged, but i actually really liked having her around, thought she was kinda fun.
Tier 4: yeah you can stay...if you cook our dinner.
Garrick - friendly enough, but shallow, vague, no good bard songs or stories. get some life experience man!
Eldoth - vain, egotistical, thinks he'd god's gift...like looking in a mirror...like skie, never picked him up in vanilla BG, so my experiences of him are a little coloured i think...not half as repellent as i thought he might be - he wasn't really that demeaning to Skie, just told obvious lies...and his lore and poison arrows are excellent.
Safana - hmmm...a little bland, really not sexy, kinda annoying...needs a good pirate setting to make her come to life i think...
Imoen - fun to have around, in BG1 at least. far too depressing in BGII. still, good skills and very useful. like some of her slang, too.
Xan - emo poster boy for the pointy eared set. cool blade. pity you can't hit an mammoth with it. fun, in small doses.
Edwin - hmmm a tale of 2 games for me...couldn't stand the whiny poser in game 1...game 2 he's terrific, a lot smarter, funnier, wicked and a total blast to have along. although, again, with the npc mod, he and xzar do have some terrific banter which makes him a lot more fun to have in bg1...maybe he should be higher...
Jan - oh come on, who doesn't like a good turnip soup?
Tier 5: Oh, if you MUST....
Ajantis. meh. virtuous young shining pala..zzzzzzzzzzzz
Minsc - kinda funny if you're in the mood. very damn annoying if you're not.
Quayle - ditto.
Yeslick - who? oh yeah, the dude in the mines, right...yeah...sorry about drowning you a few times...no hard feelings?
Khalid - actyually, i think coming in early in the game hurts him, like coming in late does for Faldorn or Alora...he's not a bad guy, but there's only so much apologising and nervousness you can take early on when every fight is a struggle for survival...
Sarevok - only played TOB twice, so can't really vouch for him, but i really would have preferred he stay dead after i spent all those weeks trying to kill him.
Montaron - playing evil parties lately, i admit he's started to kinda grow on me...like a fungus...
Aerie - winsome wispy whiny wingless....you're nice, but please stop...you're giving me a headache.
Teir 6: Stay Away!!
Jaheira - bossy, annoying, snipy, kinda useless.
Dynaheir - hey. you got captured by a group of fuzzy creatures that i wiped out their whole little civilization. where DO you get your superiority complex from?
Korgan - dwarven stereotypes r us. kagain was great. this guy is just a boring brute.
Anomen - to be fair, he's quite a complex character and it's good to play out his story...but man this guy grates my cheese. did he HAVE to be quite sich a dick? really? i mean REALLY? for the only male romance option, he's terrible. as a flawed npc, he's interesting...but interesting doesn't mean i want him around. stupid wannabe paladin.
ugh...i just realised how long this post was...apologies to all who bothered to read...
1. Montaron - He may be a halfling, but a deadly one for sure. You wouldn't want to piss off this guy.
2. Ajantis - Young and naive knight, to whom I can relate easily.
3. Kivan - Quiet, with inner struggle for revenge.
4. Xan - I really like his pessimism, it's a little bit over the top and of course his moonblade.
5. Imoen - (BG1) Positive and cheerful little sister. (BG2 - Rank 4) She gets annoying as a plot device.
6. Branwen - Brave and strong willed.
7. Sarevok - Even his presence creates an uneasy atmosphere, also his redemption.
(-Rank 2: I am very fond of these characters.-)
8. Khalid - I never understood why people hate him, he's pure fun and a great companion.
9. Jaheira - (BG1) The opposite character of Khalid, they create an interesting couple. (BG2 - Rank 5) I didn't like the idea that shortly after her husband's death she started to hit on PC.
10. Xzar - Reminds me of a mad scientist, has some great lines.
11. Skie - She is just so adorable.
12. Safana - Her manipulative attitude is so obvious, she always makes me smile.
13. Keldorn - Wise, and insightful mentor.
14. Valygar - Similiar to Kivan and I like his bias towards magic.
15. Coran - His interaction with Safana is great, the adventurer archetype.
16. Minsc - (BG1) Got a bit of tired of him, but I still like to have him around. (BG2 - Rank 6) In my first playthrough of BG2 I kicked him out after some time, because I couldn't stand his shouting.
(-Rank 3: I like these characters.-)
17. Dynaheir - I always wonder how someone so intelligent can put up with Minsc.
18. Edwin - (BG1) I like his reaction when you meet him with Dynaheir in your party and when he's talking to himself in general. (BG2 - Rank 4) Got kind of boring, besides the scroll quest.
19. Alora - Having her with Edwin is pure gold, the opposite of Xan.
20. Eldoth - His interactions with other NPC are great (especially Xan and Shar-Teel) and I like the quest for "rescuing" Skie.
21. Shar-Teel - She grew on me in my recent playthrough, her smack talking is fun and she has quite interesting backstory.
22. Yoshimo - His banters never disappoint, a bit sad ending.
23. Nalia - I like her character development and attitude.
24. Aerie - Similiarly to Ajantis she is very naive, so I understand her viewpoint.
25. Garrick - The Holy Grail reference seals the deal, most of the time he dies in a funny way.
26. Yeslick - I like his backstory and banter with Kagain.
(-Rank 4: I have slightly positive feelings toward these characters.-)
27. Viconia - I started to like her in general, maybe in a future playthrough she will stay for a bit longer.
28. Kagain - Greedy mercenary and has absolutely hilarious responses to other characters, especially Yeslick.
29. Anomen - I don't know how I managed to have him for the whole game, but somehow I got used to him and his annoying comments.
30. Mazzy - Seems cool, but didn't impress me so far.
31. Neera - Haven't played BG:EE yet, but I like her concept.
(-Rank 5: My feelings toward these characters are completely neutral.-)
32. Quayle - Has some funny lines and banter with Tiax, but gets a bit boring.
33. Tiax - I kind of liked him at the beginning, but he gets repetitive.
34. Faldorn - She's ok, I think.
35. Cernd - A bit bland.
(-Rank 6: I have mildly negative feelings for these characters.-)
36. Dorn - Nice concept, but a bit stereotypical evil character.
37. Rasaad - I don't like monks that much in general.
38. Haer'Dalis - Go away.
39. Jan Jansen - Please die.
(-Rank 7: I dislike this character.-)
40. Korgan - Stereotypical evil character to the point that it's insulting to the player's intellect.
I'll put it in a spoiler tag so it isn't a huge wall of text for those who aren't interested. The highlights:
My Favorites:YOSHIMO!!!, Rasaad, Khalid, Sarevok, Viconia
My "I feel Neutral": All of the Druids
My Least Favorites: Eldoth, Haer'Dalis, Ajantis, Shar-Teel, Skie, Korgan, Tiax, and QUAYLE!!!
(-Rank 1: Really freaking love these characters.-)
1. Yoshimo: I freaking love this guy. He is fun to fight alongside, great voice acting, and he is a very friendly individual. If someone can point me to a mod where you can still use him after the big plot event, please tell me as that is one of the few things I am most interested in changing about the game.
2. Rasaad: He fits the quiet –polite-monk perfectly, he is willing to joke around, and he is the only monk (a very fun class). But perhaps the best part? He is still playable regardless of the fact that his stats aren’t epic or maxed out; he is just that cool.
3. Khalid: I have the utmost respect for this gentleman, as he is willing to be wed to such an annoying woman (and they love each other, for some odd reason). He is also a very righteous fighter, enjoys his Callishite buddy Rasaad (which makes me like him even more), and always compliments my high reputation.
4. Sarevok: Amazing villain, always gave me the chills when I was 7-15 years old and playing the game. As a party member, his redemption is one of the only rewarding aspects of ToB IMHO. And c’mon, look at those stats!
5. Viconia: Great romance, and redemption is a great quality. I never understood why they put her as neutral evil: yes she was evil, and she is a drow, but she really is trying to fit in.
(-Rank 2: I am very fond of these characters.-)
6. Imoen: Through thick and thin, she will stay loyal to you regardless. She is always useful to a party, she has awesome pink hair, and she is main-plot-important in BG2, so I almost always save a spot for her on my team.
7. Jan Jansen: Very funny, very useful, and often gets a spot on my team. I wish he didn’t have quite so many unique items and maybe they were combined into one, but his unique bright color scheme makes up for that.
8. Montaron: What a little punk-ass. And yet he is still awesome. Regardless of how often he comments about shanking you when you least expect it, he will respect you if you aren’t a complete goodie-goodie. He reminds me of the Dread Pirate Roberts: “Good night ye CHARNAME, sleep well, I’ll most likely gut ye by the morn’.”
9. Valygar: Underrated character IMHO, as I think he has a lot of potential (I recently fell in love with the stalker kit, it is the most fun class I have ever played). He is a cool ranger. Supposedly his Katana didn’t backstab in BG2 properly? Regardless, I gave him a better katana anyways.
10. Garrick: He makes it feel like life really is glorious. The perfect naïve, noob, level 1 bard. His voice acting is perfect for the character, but he is pretty crappy in combat.
(-Rank 3: I like these characters.-)
11. Kivan: Haven’t used this guy much, but so far I like him. Great with bows, and he has my second favorite of the original portraits (for what that is worth).
12. Branwen: Very fun cleric, represents a strong warrior woman way better than Shar-Teel. My one complaint? Not enough backstory/banter, but I suppose many of the BG1 NPCs suffer from that.
13. Kagain: Awesome tank, and he definitely feels like the Lawful Evil version of Roger Murtaugh (“Once I have enough money, I’ll be too old for this sh**.”)
(-Rank 4: I have slightly positive feelings toward these characters.-)
14. Coran: Seems like a cool guy, I wish you could get him just a bit earlier.
15. Edwin: Yes, I understand that he is THE best mage in the game. No, that doesn’t make me respect him as anything more than an insane (yes, talking to yourself that much is pretty crazy) RED WIZARD (I HATE THESE GUYS), that has his usefulness so I guess I can use him. He is definitely one of two Red Wizards I can stand to look at though (for the other, see NWN2: MotB)
16. Xan: As much as I jest about how obnoxious this guy is, he can still be very useful and can still make the obvious even MORE obvious. I recently paired him with Garrick for a truly bipolar experience: “Life is SO hollow…” followed by “Life is GLORIOUS”.
17. Mazzy: Glad to see a Halfling that isn’t a thief. I hope that in BG2:EE, they make her a paladin like she should be. All I’m saying is, they broke the rules for Dorn…
18. Minsc: While not one of my favorites, he can still be useful. The hamster jokes were awesome the first time I played, and I definitely think that the only reason he is a ranger is because of the Hamster. Move him over to a berserker or a barbarian for sure.
19. Dorn: Neutral Evil is pretty appropriate. My biggest complaint is that he considered Kagain, the LAWFUL evil guy, distrustful instead of the backstabbing Montaron and the PSYCHOTIC Xzar.
20. Xzar: I used to hate this guy before EE. After seeing many posts about how good he can be, I gave him a try. He is still annoying sometimes, but all in all I appreciate him in my party.
23. Yeslick: He can be useful, and his voice makes me giggle.
(-Rank 5: My feelings toward these characters are completely neutral.-)
22. Cernd: I just wish that Shapeshifter was fixed. Once that gets fixed, I will move him either up or down—I refuse to use him when he doesn’t work as he should
23. Jahiera: HOW ANNOYING. She becomes redeemable in some ways in BG2, but a little more irritable in other ways. I almost always end up using her, but only out of habit. I say completely neutral for her because the Pros and Cons balance each other (like a druid. See if you can catch my pattern of who is completely neutral for me O.o)
24. Faldorn: I have always had a fascination with shadow druids….she disappoints in that regard. Dread wolf: Yay! Pretty crappy stats and not very useful: Nay! Recurs as a villain in BG2: Yay! Doesn’t even get a portrait to remind you when QUAYLE gets one for a brief moment: Boo!
(-Rank 6: I have mildly negative feelings for these characters.-)
25. Dynaheir: Meh, just wish she didn’t have to be paired with Minsc. Only good (alignment, not skill) wizard in the game FORCES you to pair up.
26. Safana: I don’t see what the huge attraction is. I don’t think her portrait is that attractive, and her voice is decent. I just don’t think she is that great of a thief.
27. Alora: A stereotype Halfling thief, yay! You don’t get her until so late…boo!
28. Keldorn: I respect you old man, but can you PLEASE rely on someone other than me to deal with your marital issues? Intelligence 12, Wisdom 16, you can figure it out bro.
29. Anomen: A bit arrogant, but the low Wisdom reflects that. Stats aren’t amazing, and I really wish that Branwen as a dualed fighter cleric would be here instead (then again, she was only a pure cleric *sadface*)
30. Neera: Wild Magic is not for me. It is frustrating. She isn’t all that bad except for that (and the slightly annoying repetitive combat lines).
31. Nalia: Will you PLEASE stop being so annoying? You are borderline Rank 7, but that spot is reserved for some others.
32. Aerie: While not as bad as many people think, she is still pretty annoying. She is just miserable and depressed. If Minsc is in the party, I could chalk her up around rank 23.
(-Rank 7: I dislike this character.-)
33. Eldoth: Your stats aren’t good, and you aren’t good. Evil bards with an interesting portrait and a cool potential quest should be more worth it I feel.
34. Haer’Dalis: Tiefling? Really? Keep giving me unplayable races as party members. Better, make them Blades so I can’t use their lore. BETTER, make them hit on women but be crappier at it than Coran.
35. Ajantis: Kind of a tool. I respect him for what he is: A squire (noob) paladin that you meet around level 1. He fits, I just think he is a mega-tool.
36. Shar-Teel: From what I understand, she is a b****. I will still try her out, and decide for myself.
37. Skie: I don’t like her portrait, I don’t like her stats, I don’t like her craptastic usefulness, andI don’t like her.
38. Korgan: Why the hell can’t you be cooler? Kagain and Yeslick were prime dwarves. Hell, even ARKANIS is a better character than you. In an evil game, I would purposely recreate my Neutral Evil Dwarf Fighter from my first PnP D&D game EVER (Angus the Dour, with 18/80 rolled strength) and suggest him to anyone wanting a decent Axe fighter.
39. Tiax: I hate that I have to hear your voice, I hate that I have to see you in spellhold. I hate that you are the worst thief and a crappy cleric, I hate that I have to see you in front of the Flaming Fist Headquarters all the time. Most of all, I HATE YOU.
(-Rank 8: I may occasionally deny this character's existence.-)
40. Quayle: Who is this? Sorry, I stopped caring once he opened his mouth. Realistically, I can’t think of a single thing I like about this guy. Not one. And then in BG2, when I want Aerie in my party or the 18 Charisma ring, I have to be reminded that he does exist when they briefly flash his portrait.
In all seriousness, does anyone know of a mod that allows Yoshimo to be available after the main plot incident? I miss him so much.
EDIT: I generally don't use Coran that much so I don't know much about him, and when looking at a walkthrough it said he is a half-elf. Is he full Elf or half-elf?
2: Jan Jansen
3: Xan ( Kind of a childhood favorite simply because of his moonblade. )
4: Sarevok
5: Dorn
6: Edwin
7: Tiax
8: Kagain
9: Viconia
10: Amonen
11; Khalid
12: Jaheira
13: Neera
14: Monty
15: Aeries (Even though she can be a bit whiney during Bg2)
16: Yoshimiro
17: Imoen
18:Korgan
My list is really short as I tend to reuse some npcs over and over again. My BG EE 1st playthru is my first time I am attempting a non-minsc party. He is just so fun to have around but this time round I opted for an evil party.
My LE gnome T/M, Kagain, Dorn, Viconia, Edwin, Neera: Shes my wildcard and since I rescue her she does owe me is my reasoning and shes neutral so she doesn't care... Alright when I first encounter her in Beregost and heard her voice I fell for her and added her. She's been pretty entertaining so far and i love wild surges even if sometimes they bite back.