@zanathkariashi Nice! I like you're interpretation of events. Completely the opposite to me, but convincing none the less.
@kidcarnival Aye, well I never overly saw much use for clerics in BG1 - don't hate me The healing is good and all, but I ultimately only kept them around for raise/resurrection spells - which if I remember correctly, you don't get in the first installment... might be wrong though. I only really keep Dynaheir around for the 'canon' party.
However, I am not a fan of the class in general. I'm probably playing them wrong but I never considered them much fun.. over time I have built up a strong bias against the class - so much so that I don't even see it anymore in character creation!
@EntropyXII I dual Xzar to cleric because it fits his mage specialization. He gets earlier access to skeletons and generally feels more "necromancy". I have nothing against clerics in general (and have a fighter/cleric charname sometimes), but I rarely have a pure class. Xzar takes less patience; he only needs one tome and gets his levels back in time for Cloakwood Mines. Dualing Dynaheir was a lot metagaming, parking at desired level, rushing for second tome, leaving maps untouched to get levels back... Maybe I didn't do it right, but it seemed more complicated and had less payout (Xzar with 3 tomes beats every other cleric for wisdom/extra spells).
F*** ANY sort of "canon." It's a role-playing game.
Read my previous comments dude, I wasn't asking about an official canon, but asking what is canon to everyone else. As in "If wizards of the coast asked you to write the BG novels, what would you write?"
I am well aware there isn't a canon, i'm simply curious as to other peoples ideas on the matter of how they believe the protagonist should be.
"If wizards of the coast asked you to write the BG novels, what would you write?"
In THAT case, I would write about a Beholder who doesn't know he is a Beholder and thinks of himself as a paladin of Helm.
Everyone can already play their canon in the game, so a writer telling them the same story again is not needed. I'd write something that would never be possible in the game, but offer some lulz. It's not that the competition took the job more seriously.
But to me, if they were to ever make Baldur's Gate: The Movie, I've always thought that CHARNAME would be a Human Chaotic Good Fighter->Mage.
Human for audience relatability, romance options and to not have to deal with the weirdness other races experience of being fully grown at 20 years of age.
Chaotic Good purely for audience pleasing. He's a good guy! And a rebel! A man seeking the greater good fighting against the establishment! That's like the protagonist of half the movies released in the past couple years.
Fighter->Mage because it means that he kicks some serious tail in close combat, but over the course of the adventure slowly develops magical ability (I know, I know, discovering innate magic ability would make him a Fighter->Sorceror. We're dealing with 2e, here, people, work with me).
The movie would also likely feature a heavily sexualized Imoen, an extraordinarily sexualized Tamoko who repeatedly attempts to seduce CHARNAME, Khalid and Jaheira being merged together into one character to make things easier, and a straight-to-DVD sequel which features Irenicus as a bumbling villain who is consistently thwarted by the zany antics of Boo and his animal friends.
@CaptRory but certain classes are not only about training, don't you agree? A Barbarian could hardly become that kind of warrior living in a monastery. How could you be trained as a Druid spending most of your time inside walls? The same goes for a Ranger.
Not that I'd be in favor of limiting race/class choices because of that. I just think that if it were necessary to establish a canon charname, I'd go for a less contrived background.
I think they do a pretty decent job of giving background stories for all of the available classes in vanilla BG. I have played a Ranger most often and I believe you get the in-game biography that you've always felt drawn to nature and the outdoors and long to venture outside the walls of Candlekeep. Given that you start as level 1, you don't really need to have had a ton of experience in your class other than a "calling."
Based on the available NPCs in vanilla BG, and the canon party of BG2 intro, I think it's likely that the CHARNAME was neither a mage nor a thief. First, you can't walk two screens w/o tripping over a thief NPC, so why would the CHARNAME need thieving skills? Second, the canon party includes both a full mage and a dualled mage (by the start of BG2), so probably not likely that CHARNAME would have been a mage. Similarly, you have a fighter, a fighter/druid AND a melee ranger, so it's unlikely CHARNAME would be a fighter.
I've always assumed the canon CHARNAME to be a bard. CHARNAME is assumed to be the default "face" character, meaning high charisma is preferred, and many of the responses suggest high intellect and good sense of humor. All the major roles are filled by the canon party (with Jaheira healing), suggesting CHARNAME is a hybrid class. There are no decent NPC options for the bard class from the vanilla BG list, every other class has at least one or more solid choices.
But to me, if they were to ever make Baldur's Gate: The Movie, I've always thought that CHARNAME would be a Human Chaotic Good Fighter->Mage.
Human for audience relatability, romance options and to not have to deal with the weirdness other races experience of being fully grown at 20 years of age.
Chaotic Good purely for audience pleasing. He's a good guy! And a rebel! A man seeking the greater good fighting against the establishment! That's like the protagonist of half the movies released in the past couple years.
Fighter->Mage because it means that he kicks some serious tail in close combat, but over the course of the adventure slowly develops magical ability (I know, I know, discovering innate magic ability would make him a Fighter->Sorceror. We're dealing with 2e, here, people, work with me).
The movie would also likely feature a heavily sexualized Imoen, an extraordinarily sexualized Tamoko who repeatedly attempts to seduce CHARNAME, Khalid and Jaheira being merged together into one character to make things easier, and a straight-to-DVD sequel which features Irenicus as a bumbling villain who is consistently thwarted by the zany antics of Boo and his animal friends.
Exactly. A Hollywood film about Baldur's Gate would be an abomination. Although I might actually suffer through it if Wallace Shawn was cast as Tiax.
I've always assumed the canon CHARNAME to be a bard. CHARNAME is assumed to be the default "face" character, meaning high charisma is preferred, and many of the responses suggest high intellect and good sense of humor. All the major roles are filled by the canon party (with Jaheira healing), suggesting CHARNAME is a hybrid class. There are no decent NPC options for the bard class from the vanilla BG list, every other class has at least one or more solid choices.
My thoughts exactly.
A bard is just so more fitting : lore (risen in a library), a little thievery (Imoen can show him some tricks), a little magic (Gorion is a mage and can teach the basis), and able to wear a weapon (training with the guards).
And with the Rogue Rebalancing mod, all bard kits (even the kitless bard) are good alternatives for a character that can stand on his own.
It will probably be my next character in BGEE (was my first when I played BG years ago), when all great mods are available (SCS, UB, BG1 NPC Project...).
From a powergaming point of view, a dual fighter 7/druid 9 would be a good choice : grandmastery, dual weapon, scimitars are the best weapons available in BG1, there is 3 tomes of wisdom so 21 is reachable...
Lore wise, a fighter in Candlekeep which later, after spending so many times in the wilderness, and after some meetings with the druids in Cloackwood, decides to become a druid himself, seems also very plausible.
Another good choix to try for a next game, with the Faith of Faerun mod installed of course. ;-)
Based on the available NPCs in vanilla BG, and the canon party of BG2 intro, I think it's likely that the CHARNAME was neither a mage nor a thief. First, you can't walk two screens w/o tripping over a thief NPC, so why would the CHARNAME need thieving skills? Second, the canon party includes both a full mage and a dualled mage (by the start of BG2), so probably not likely that CHARNAME would have been a mage. Similarly, you have a fighter, a fighter/druid AND a melee ranger, so it's unlikely CHARNAME would be a fighter.
I've always assumed the canon CHARNAME to be a bard. CHARNAME is assumed to be the default "face" character, meaning high charisma is preferred, and many of the responses suggest high intellect and good sense of humor. All the major roles are filled by the canon party (with Jaheira healing), suggesting CHARNAME is a hybrid class. There are no decent NPC options for the bard class from the vanilla BG list, every other class has at least one or more solid choices.
Interesting. I like this idea. I have yet to play a bard class - I have always been put off them for whatever reason. Mostly being that if you choose to play your game legit, and as the best bard subclass (blade, IMO) - Haer'dalis is still much than your main character (short sword specialisation). That is simply metagaming on my part though. I might give this a shot, in the name of roleplay.
Any suggestions on subclasses? human? half elf? I know practically nothing about bards unfortunately.
Half elf for pickpocket bonus? Bards can't dual, so human is only relevant for roleplay reasons. I personally prefer Jester, but that's a matter of playstyle. Jester makes a great crowd control caster and feels more bard-y than a Blade. Skalds are too passive; all you ever do is sing; no other advantage. It's not a bad kit, but it gets boring to play. Blade and Jester are more versatile.
@KidCarnival I like Blade because I like the idea of being a dancer, perhaps more than a story-teller. I am still hoping that 'Bladesinger' is added in the next update as an elf only bard subclass. Not very bard like I know, but being one of my earliest PnP characters, I keep hoping. Hey if they can add Dwarven Defender, why not?
Comments
@kidcarnival Aye, well I never overly saw much use for clerics in BG1 - don't hate me
However, I am not a fan of the class in general. I'm probably playing them wrong but I never considered them much fun.. over time I have built up a strong bias against the class - so much so that I don't even see it anymore in character creation!
I am well aware there isn't a canon, i'm simply curious as to other peoples ideas on the matter of how they believe the protagonist should be.
Everyone can already play their canon in the game, so a writer telling them the same story again is not needed. I'd write something that would never be possible in the game, but offer some lulz. It's not that the competition took the job more seriously.
@KidCarnival Ed Greenwood will give you a call shortly to discuss your interesting proposition... -sneaky face-
You don't have ears.
Human for audience relatability, romance options and to not have to deal with the weirdness other races experience of being fully grown at 20 years of age.
Chaotic Good purely for audience pleasing. He's a good guy! And a rebel! A man seeking the greater good fighting against the establishment! That's like the protagonist of half the movies released in the past couple years.
Fighter->Mage because it means that he kicks some serious tail in close combat, but over the course of the adventure slowly develops magical ability (I know, I know, discovering innate magic ability would make him a Fighter->Sorceror. We're dealing with 2e, here, people, work with me).
The movie would also likely feature a heavily sexualized Imoen, an extraordinarily sexualized Tamoko who repeatedly attempts to seduce CHARNAME, Khalid and Jaheira being merged together into one character to make things easier, and a straight-to-DVD sequel which features Irenicus as a bumbling villain who is consistently thwarted by the zany antics of Boo and his animal friends.
I've always assumed the canon CHARNAME to be a bard. CHARNAME is assumed to be the default "face" character, meaning high charisma is preferred, and many of the responses suggest high intellect and good sense of humor. All the major roles are filled by the canon party (with Jaheira healing), suggesting CHARNAME is a hybrid class. There are no decent NPC options for the bard class from the vanilla BG list, every other class has at least one or more solid choices.
A bard is just so more fitting : lore (risen in a library), a little thievery (Imoen can show him some tricks), a little magic (Gorion is a mage and can teach the basis), and able to wear a weapon (training with the guards).
And with the Rogue Rebalancing mod, all bard kits (even the kitless bard) are good alternatives for a character that can stand on his own.
It will probably be my next character in BGEE (was my first when I played BG years ago), when all great mods are available (SCS, UB, BG1 NPC Project...).
From a powergaming point of view, a dual fighter 7/druid 9 would be a good choice : grandmastery, dual weapon, scimitars are the best weapons available in BG1, there is 3 tomes of wisdom so 21 is reachable...
Lore wise, a fighter in Candlekeep which later, after spending so many times in the wilderness, and after some meetings with the druids in Cloackwood, decides to become a druid himself, seems also very plausible.
Another good choix to try for a next game, with the Faith of Faerun mod installed of course. ;-)
Any suggestions on subclasses? human? half elf? I know practically nothing about bards unfortunately.