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Seemingly unable to recruit characters

KairosKairos Member Posts: 6
in New Players (NO SPOILERS!)
My party, led by a neutral character, seems unable to recruit any new characters past the original six in the party (leader, Jahira, Khalid, Ajantis, Imoen and Kagain). I can't even get a conversation going with Viconia (whom we rescued), Xan, whose blade we have, or even Minsk. I've tried opening conversations with all the characters, and even dropped Kagain briefly in order to avoid the evil taint, but we consistently get the bum's rush from other possible recruits. Can this possibly be a bug? Please help, this is a real pain!

Comments

  • GallowglassGallowglass Member Posts: 3,356
    What's your reputation? Some NPCs won't talk to you if your rep is too low. But I can't see why no-one would talk to you, that seems very odd.
  • KairosKairos Member Posts: 6
    Reputation is 12 (average).
  • JalilyJalily Member Posts: 4,681
    edited March 2013
    Viconia, Xan, and Minsc will not join you if your reaction adjustment (which is based on both Charisma and reputation) is not high enough.

    Try speaking to them with Imoen or Ajantis.
  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    Kairos said:

    Reputation is 12 (average).

    And your Charisma?
  • KairosKairos Member Posts: 6
    Jalily said:

    Viconia, Xan, and Minsc will not join you if your reaction adjustment (which is based on both Charisma and reputation) is not high enough.

    Try speaking to them with Imoen or Ajantis.

    The leader's charisma is abysmal - a mere 7. However, Minsc's response to both Imoen and Ajantis is "Minsc has nothing to say to you". I certainly don't remember this being a problem when I played the original BG. If they have changed the ground rules, I'm screwed, as I'm already at the Cloakwood quest stage and certainly don't fancy starting over again... At the moment, 50 per cent of my load capacity is taken up by unusable spell scrolls I've been lugging about in the increasingly vain hope of finding a magic user who will give me the time of day...
  • GallowglassGallowglass Member Posts: 3,356
    edited March 2013
    Rep 12 and a high-CHA speaker like Imoen or Ajantis ought to have no problem.

    Is it possible that you spoke to these various NPCs earlier, while passing through, and rejected them at that time with the intention of coming back later to accept them? Some NPCs won't offer again if you didn't accept them the first time (although off the top of my head I can't remember which ones).

    What happens when you talk to anyone else? Not a joinable NPC, just random Commoners and suchlike. Do they also refuse to speak to you?

    As for your inventory-full of scrolls, you can store them in a container somewhere - a barrel, chest or whatever. So long as they're in a container, you can always come back for them later and they'll still be there. (Just don't forget where!) Also, there's one (but only one) quest which gives as its reward a scroll case, a very useful item which enables you to carry tons of scrolls, all in one inventory slot.
    This quest is given by Firebead Elvenhair, whom you first met in Candlekeep, when you meet him again in his home in Beregost.
  • KidCarnivalKidCarnival Member Posts: 3,747
    I don't remember Imoen's stats, but Ajantis should have high charisma; easily enough to talk to any NPC. I'd say you have a bug if it's not the reputation either. If you are in Cloakwood, you might give it a last try and have whoever has the highest charisma iniate dialogue with Eldoth. He's evil and probably no long term solution for you, but he can use scrolls and cast (though he's a bard, not really an option as only arcane caster).
  • GallowglassGallowglass Member Posts: 3,356
    @KidCarnival - Imoen has 16 CHA, much more than enough to get a response from anyone.
  • KidCarnivalKidCarnival Member Posts: 3,747
    Then she's in the same range as Ajantis. Either should do, but if they got no reaction from Minsc, it's more likely a bug though.
  • KairosKairos Member Posts: 6
    Many thanks for all the responses. Given that this does look like a bug, what choices do I have? An iPad doesn't have the flexibility of a computer, and as far as I know there's no way of isolating and preserving my save files, should I opt to erase and reload the application (don't know whether that's even possible!)...
  • KidCarnivalKidCarnival Member Posts: 3,747
    No idea if there is a way to store your savegames, but it's probably not really worth it if the savegames are bugged anyway. If you are in Cloakwood now, all mages you left behind and were unable to recruit are way behind in levels. Of the late game NPCs you meet after Cloakwood, only one is an arcane caster and he's multiclass and neutral (with Ajantis and Imoen, I assume you want a good aligned mage, or at least a neutral one whose personality fits with good - the one you haven't met doesn't, imo).
    It sucks that you'll lose all the progress, but I'd say a bug report and reinstall is the way to go.
  • Jackkel_DragonJackkel_Dragon Member Posts: 103
    Out of curiosity, did you change Imoen/Ajantis to party leader (1st slot on the right UI element) before talking to potential recruits? I'm not 100% certain, but I think the leader's CHA is used (not the speaker) when talking to characters affected by CHA reaction adjustments.
  • JalilyJalily Member Posts: 4,681
    Jackkel_Dragon said:

    Out of curiosity, did you change Imoen/Ajantis to party leader (1st slot on the right UI element) before talking to potential recruits? I'm not 100% certain, but I think the leader's CHA is used (not the speaker) when talking to characters affected by CHA reaction adjustments.

    No, that's only true for buying stuff.
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