Ugh... Level Up Changes and NPC Minimum Level When Acquired

Melicamp

I was unpleasantly surprised when I went to Nashkel and discovered that upon picking up Edwin, he was level 2 instead of level 1. This is despite the fact that while my main character had leveled, I had yet to level up (she still showed level 1). In the old game, you were considered your previous level until you applied the changes. Now it seems its based on EXP total. I guess its intended... blah!

Awong124

I might be wrong, but I think all of the original NPCs except Imoen only join at levels 2, 4, and 6. I don't think they ever join at level 1. Because I usually get Kivan and Ajantis when my PC is level 1, but they are always already at level 2.

Nifft

Jaheira and Khalid are both level 1 if you find them early enough, though Jaheira is most of the way to level 2 in both of her classes.

atcDave

Most the NPCs I've picked up are level one. Only Ajantis is level two. But I am usually done recruiting before I hit level two.
But I've never taken Edwin, so I have no clue there.

Melicamp

Awong124 said:

I might be wrong, but I think all of the original NPCs except Imoen only join at levels 2, 4, and 6. I don't think they ever join at level 1. Because I usually get Kivan and Ajantis when my PC is level 1, but they are always already at level 2.

Many can join at level 1, some don't (ex. Shar-Teel is level 2 even if picked up at level 1) but Edwin certainly does. In fact, I went back to an earlier save before I got the "+" sign on my screen to level up, and sprinted to Nashkel and he was level 1.... but if you get the "+" its over. I kind of wish it could be changed back, but I'll see what others think.

Here's a link to Dudleyville which is outdated, but it shows what level the NPCs are depending on what level CHARNAME is when you pick them up.

http://www.forgottenwars.com/bg1/good.htm

Anyone know what level Dorn starts at, and if it changes? I know that

Baeloth

is level 6, regardless

Zarakinthish

Dorn will start at first level if you are the same. The other creature files available for him start him at two, four, and six.

Pecca

After some experimenting I figured, that it is not the charname's level only that is taken to calculate newly picked NPC, but something like average level of the entire party (not figure out precisely yet). I tested this with khalid and Jaheira. For example if charname is lvl 1 and K and J both lvl 2, then Edwin is still lvl 1. However if charname is lvl 1 and they both lvl 3, then Edwin is lvl 2. Other than that, you're for all intents and purposes still your current level until you level up.

Erg

There is a great mod called "Level 1 NPCs" for BGtutu and BGT that allows, among other things, to recruit NPC at level 1 but with enough XP to immediately level up to the level they would normally be. Currently AFAIK it is not compatible with BGEE.

This mod is extremely complex, so it will likely require a lot time and effort to be made compatible, and I don't even know if someone is working on it at the moment.

In the meantime, I'm working on a similar but much simpler WeiDU mod for BGEE. It will be much less versatile than "Level 1 NPCs" (e.g. no possibility to choose class, kit and initial abilities/proficiencies for each NPC) and the NPCs will not be level 1, but whatever minimum level they normally have in BGEE (e.g. Edwin will always be level 1, Viconia level 2, Alora level 4, etc.). However, they will have the appropriate equipment and (for mages) known spells at the time you recruit them and eventually enough XP to immediately level up.

I may consider adding some of the other features later on. You know, baby steps :-)

I will post the mod in the Modding section as soon as it is done (tentatively in a few days).

TJ_Hooker

@Erg the mod you're working on sounds almost identical to the "ToB style NPCs" component of BG2tweaks, which works with BG:EE. It simply sets each character to their lowest available level, and if you have enough xp that they would normally appear at a higher level, they immediately gain enough xp to level up to that level.

Fenghoang

What TJ_Hooker said is true. I think the NPCs you recruit end up being 1 full level or so under your current char level, but they're recruited at their minimum level and you can level them up manually. Basically, it works like how Dragon Age:Origins and NWN2 handles NPC levels. You just can't modify their class, kits, or whatever like you can with the Level 1 NPC mod.

Erg

@TJ_Hooker @Fenghoang

Thanks for telling me. No need to post my mod then. However, for me it was useful anyway to work on it as learning experience :-)

Melicamp

Pecca said:

After some experimenting I figured, that it is not the charname's level only that is taken to calculate newly picked NPC, but something like average level of the entire party (not figure out precisely yet). I tested this with khalid and Jaheira. For example if charname is lvl 1 and K and J both lvl 2, then Edwin is still lvl 1. However if charname is lvl 1 and they both lvl 3, then Edwin is lvl 2. Other than that, you're for all intents and purposes still your current level until you level up.

Dude you're awesome - Thank you.

mjs

Awong124 said:

I might be wrong, but I think all of the original NPCs except Imoen only join at levels 2, 4, and 6. I don't think they ever join at level 1. Because I usually get Kivan and Ajantis when my PC is level 1, but they are always already at level 2.

you are wrong

xzar, monty, kagain and garrick (just off the top of my head) are lvl1 NPCs

pretty sure khalid and jahiera are too

AHF

TJ_Hooker said:

@Erg the mod you're working on sounds almost identical to the "ToB style NPCs" component of BG2tweaks, which works with BG:EE. It simply sets each character to their lowest available level, and if you have enough xp that they would normally appear at a higher level, they immediately gain enough xp to level up to that level.

Is this BGEE compatible?

TJ_Hooker

@AHF well there isn't an official EE release for it AFAIK, but it works. You just have to prepare BG:EE for mod installation as detailed here: http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/6950/player-how-to-getting-mods-to-work-on-bgee/p1

After that just install BG2 tweaks as you normally would. I have the ToB-Style NPCs component installed, and haven't encountered any problems, although I haven't really played much since I installed it.

AHF

Thanks, @TJ_Hooker. I may do that at some point down the road if no one re-releases it for EE. I suppose I could always just blunt force it through SK as well.

Erg

@TJ_Hooker

Thanks for bringing to my attention the ToB-Style NPCs component of BG2 tweaks. I've checked @CamDawg script and I've noticed a difference between his mod and mine regarding how memorized spells are handled.

My mod assigns to casters the appropriate known spells (based on their actual XP instead of their current level), but doesn't change the memorized spells (still based on their current level instead of XP), whether "ToB-Style NPCs" gives them also memorized spells based on their current XP. I prefer the first approach, because I believe they should not be allowed to cast higher level spells until you manually level them up and rest.

I'm curious about what other people think about this. Unless there are very good reasons to implement memorized spells the way ToB-Style NPCs does, I may consider to release my mod anyway, because of this and other minor differences.

CamDawg

ToB-style NPCs is made wholly redundant by Level One NPCs, but that's not yet BGEE compatible.

Vintrastorm

@Camdawg not yet? Does this mean that it is under development?

CamDawg

Not as far as I know, but I suspect an updated WeiDU is going to make a lot of things suddenly compatible.