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Is Dorn Special?

This may have been brought up about 60 times (sorry) but Dorn is a Blackguard and a Half-Orc... if you try to make a Half-Orc Blackguard as your CHARNAME, you can't. Only humans can be it... so I'm just assuming he's unique, lol.
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  • KidCarnivalKidCarnival Member Posts: 3,747
    Yes, he is an "illegal" class (or race, depending on how you look at it). Which is fine for NPCs, I hope to see more unique combinations that are off limits for charnames in BG2.
  • Stargazer5781Stargazer5781 Member Posts: 183
    Yup
  • MadhaxMadhax Member Posts: 1,416
    Plenty of NPCs fit this bill. Aerie, for example, is a Cleric/Mage despite the fact that this is an illegal class combo for elves. Anomen doesn't have the minimum Wisdom required to dual to cleric, even after his boost from his personal quest. Coran has unnaturally high dexterity and illegal mastery in bows (Or at least did once upon a time, I haven't used him in BGEE yet). Plenty of NPCs have higher or lower stats that the max/mins of their class or race.

    The restrictions of race/class combos are sort of silly in 2nd edition, and are fortunately mostly lifted in 3rd edition. In the meantime, while the PC may still have to follow these restrictions, it's fine for some NPCs to break the rules.
  • KidCarnivalKidCarnival Member Posts: 3,747
    I think Coran is still his merry old self. And to complete the list, Kagain's 20 con are also illegal. Wouldn't want it any other way though; NPCs are NPCs, not gimped wannabe charnames without anything special.
    Flashburnneleothesze
  • SilverstarSilverstar Member Posts: 2,207
    Most of the companions are actually unique in some regard... which is great imo. Dorn's no exception there. Really, have a look at the list of available companions in both games and you'll see they come with a plethora of special abilities, items and "illegal" stats.

    The protagonist is actually unique too mind you, gaining all those twice-a-day abilities which last the first game and most of the second.
  • KilivitzKilivitz Member Posts: 1,459
    Aerie is an Avariel, an Elf subrace that the rules as written actually allow to be Cleric/Mages. But the rest of them definitely bend or break the rules in some way.

    Don't forget Haer'Dalis! He's of a race that's not even available for PCs.
    Edwin
  • KidCarnivalKidCarnival Member Posts: 3,747
    To a degree, that also goes for Viconia. You can be an elf and give the paperdoll white hair and black skin, but no-one will treat them differently than any non-drow elf.
  • KilivitzKilivitz Member Posts: 1,459
    Unless you name your character Drizzt. Then Do'Urden will be pissed. No, seriously.
    TJ_Hooker
  • LuigirulesLuigirules Member Posts: 419
    Not to mention Minsc's illegally low wisdom.
  • EdwinEdwin Member Posts: 480
    Kilivitz said:

    Unless you name your character Drizzt. Then Do'Urden will be pissed. No, seriously.

    Yes, seriously. I found this information secondhand and simply thought someone was yanking my chain till I tried it for myself.

    Drizzt is a card carrying member of http://www.lifelock.com/ and very sensitive about identity theft.
    KidCarnivalTJ_Hooker
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  • AnduinAnduin Member Posts: 5,745
    Dorn was glad horsemeat was put in his burgers...
  • WebShamanWebShaman Member Posts: 490
    ^ It is why he does not come with a mount...
  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511

    Not to mention Minsc's illegally low wisdom.

    Technically, it's fine. In 2nd edition you don't loose ranger status if your wisdom somehow falls below the required level, which is what is assumed to have happened to Minsc, as a result of his head wound.
    TJ_Hooker
  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    Anduin said:

    Dorn was glad horsemeat was put in his burgers...

    He thinks they are desidedly lacking in "manflesh" though.

    (Although I don't know, have they actaully tested for human DNA?)
  • WebShamanWebShaman Member Posts: 490
    I don't think they REALLY want to know how much human DNA is in the meat...
  • lunarlunar Member Posts: 3,460
    edited February 2013
    Yeah most NPCs have those quirks and extra bonuses.

    Faldorn summons dread wolves, Quayle casts invisibility via special ability, Tiax can summon ghasts, Branwen can create spiritual hammer, Yeslick can cast dispel magic, Eldoth has poison arrows, Coran and Kagain have illegal stats and Coran has illegal weapon proficiencies, Alora has her rabbit foot, Imoen and Shar-teel can dual class, Safana has charm ability, Viccy has globs of magic resitance, Minsc has berserk and illegal stats (and Boo, how can I forget Boo!?), Dynaheir can slow poison, Edwin is the best mage thanks to his amulet, Neera comes with her dowry err gem bag, Dorn has illegal class, Rasaad has his spiffy boots...Garrick has...um, unless I am horribly mistaken, nothing. Khalid too, although he has lower morale than most, which is his quirk, I suppose. Jaheira has nothing but gets 'Harpers call' spell (and can get a certain other Harper related powerful item) in BG2 at least. Xzar and Montaron are just generaly so awesome that they don't need quirks. Heh.
    ArchaosDinsdalePiranha
  • KidCarnivalKidCarnival Member Posts: 3,747
    The abilty to dual class isn't illegal. Charnames with the same stats can do that, too.
  • JuliusBorisovJuliusBorisov Member, Administrator, Moderator, Developer Posts: 22,713
    Why nobody likes Garrick?

    I find him not bad at all. His most important bonus is that he's available to be included into the party since the very beginning of the game when everyone is at the 1st level.

    So you get a bard - a high lore ability and free pick-pocketing skill - very soon so that it can save you money and spells.

    Of course, it's a very minor pro but there're no any other ways to have a bard at the 1st level except when the main character is a bard.

    As a bard though, he's decent enough. He'll help you from the start in contradistinction to Eldoth who'll be available much later.

    And he has a fine voice:))))
    Oxford_Guy
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    edited February 2013
    Garrick is definitely a useful character. If you stop and reflect on getting the best possible use out of him, he's actually a great asset. He's not as powerful a spellcaster as a mage or sorcerer, 'tis true. But all the other things that he brings makes him well worth having along.
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    Lemernis said:

    Garrick is definitely a useful character. If you stop and reflect on getting the best possible use out of him, he's actually a great asset. He's not as powerful a spellcaster as a mage or sorcerer, 'tis true. But all the other things that he brings makes him well worth having along.

    I agree, and his low Int (for an arcane caster) isn't a real handicap, as you can just make him glug Potions of Genius before batch scribing scrolls. I still think Eldoth is better (better Str, Con and Cha and can make posoin arrows, Eex can be fixed with gloves) but you can't pick him up until much later, which makes Eldoth much less useful.
    JuliusBorisov
  • FafnirFafnir Member Posts: 232
    The lack of bards with good stats in BG is a real shame. I think this would be an excellent subject for a mod.
    Oxford_Guy
  • DelvarianDelvarian Member Posts: 1,232
    Fafnir said:

    The lack of bards with good stats in BG is a real shame. I think this would be an excellent subject for a mod.

    Download the Keto mod, she is not overpowered, but not shabby either, good banters as well. (This mod is for BG2)
  • smeagolheartsmeagolheart Member Posts: 7,963

    Not to mention Minsc's illegally low wisdom.

    this is RPable as due to the head inj.. inj.. injury.

    Oxford_Guy
  • RedWizardRedWizard Member Posts: 242
    The race/class restrictions are absolutely nonsense in 2e anyways. Especially when it comes to paladins and bards.
    Besides, most npcs have unique stats/abilities. And if I could, I would rather have Dorn as a pure fighter since his blackguard class only serves to set him back in BG1 to me.
  • KidCarnivalKidCarnival Member Posts: 3,747
    edited February 2013
    Between Garrick and Eldoth, things are pretty balanced. Garrick is available early and he's neutral, so he fits in many parties, roleplay-wise. His stats aren't awesome, but also not bad enough that there are no ways to work around it (i.e. potions, like @Oxford_Guy said). Garrick also has a mini quest with Silke, and gets the rare chance to have an opinion on charname's actions - not every NPC can claim that.
    Eldoth comes much later, is evil and hence no good fit for some parties. His ability is nice but weird. How would someone with 12 dex even become proficient with a long bow? Can be fixed with gauntlets, but in many evil parties, Kagain as tank benefits more from them. The scimitar prof is nice; an evil party has enough rp reasons to kill Drizzt or steal from him. But spear? What the hell, Eldoth? Other than Garrick, Eldoth also gives a shit if you do his quest. He'll stay and never complains even if you go nowhere near Skie. That's convenient, but I prefer NPCs to follow through with their conditions.

    All in all, both have their pros and cons and entertaining voicesets.
  • DJKajuruDJKajuru Member Posts: 3,300
    I think he is too nice - shar teel, montaron and even xzar are more threatening than him.
  • EudaemoniumEudaemonium Member Posts: 3,199
    Dorn basically butchers people for fun and *because he can*. He only gives you the time of day because you're worthy of his attention. I kind of like the fact he's moderately nice to those he considers to be his equals.
  • FafnirFafnir Member Posts: 232
    Delvarian said:

    Fafnir said:

    The lack of bards with good stats in BG is a real shame. I think this would be an excellent subject for a mod.

    Download the Keto mod, she is not overpowered, but not shabby either, good banters as well. (This mod is for BG2)
    I know, I was talking about BG1. Keto aside, vanilla BG2 already has Haer'dalis, who is on a whole another level than his BG1 counterparts.

    Garrick and Eldoth are very much playable and have interesting quests, but are anything but high-tier... and come on, Eldoth, why do you even make poison arrows if your Dex sucks, I can't give you gauntlets every time. >:C
  • scriverscriver Member Posts: 2,072
    @KidCarnival -

    The abilty to dual class isn't illegal. Charnames with the same stats can do that, too.

    To dual from fighter to cleric you need at least 15 STR and 17 WIS. Anomen only has 12 WIS, which is why his dualclass is his special "illegal" thing.
    Oxford_Guy
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