do most of your import your character from BG1 into BG2?

doctordog

trying to decide if it's worth finishing BG1 (nearing the end of quests in the city) so I can import my character into BG2. overall, I'm not astoundingly satisfied with her -- she's a multi-class mage/thief with quite a limited number of spell slots and heavy emphasis on steal/pickpocketing who is quite prone to dying.

will there be a lot of room for interesting growth in BG2 or better to start with a fresh canvas?

Lord_Tansheron

BG2 is almost a full reset. The one important feature that you do get to carry over however is any tomes you used on your main character. If you want to keep those stat bonuses, you'll have to either import the character, or manually edit it to reflect the changes.

As for your pick... if you plan on playing vanilla BG2 (i.e. without difficulty-enhancing mods), then you can fairly safely pick whatever class you enjoy most. Mages tend to rule the world in BG2, but you're safe there.

Still, you can probably expect a good deal of getting used to the new demands and options of high-level combat. Things get quite a bit more complex compared to BG1, but it'll likely not be your character's fault - it just takes some getting used to.

Corvino

It depends a bit if you're playing BG1 unmodded, BG:EE or BG trilogy/Tutu.

If you're playing BG1 unmodded then importing into BG2 unmodded means you keep your class and stats, but get to reallocate proficiencies and thief skills.

Thief/mages become pretty useful in BG2, though having a high find traps is a priority.

SharGuidesMyHand

In the past, I had usually treated the games as two separate entities, because:
1. My favorite class for BG2 is a barbarian, which wasn't available in unmodded BG1.
2. BG2 starts off with pre-determined "fates" for the NPCs in BG1, which are usually far different than they had been in my actual playthrough.
3. The style of gaming is much different - BG2 is largely predicated on casting and dispelling magic, and classes that were very useful in BG1 are often hugely nerfed in BG2 (and vice versa).

As others have said, mages and thieves are both a must-have in BG2, so your character might have the potential to be very useful there - and there's plenty of great magic items to steal/pickpocket as well. Although as Corvino suggested, you may want to consider allocated more points to find traps.

XerxesV

Some characters are better for BG1 even if they won't do well in BG2. If you like paladins or mages they are good for both games. I find bards very boring in BG1 so I start them fresh in BG2 when they are more interesting.

I think your character sounds like fun for a total play through, but you'll already have access to two thief/mages in BG2, so you might want to start with a rare kit for variety.

Freche

Kind of depends, if I finish BG1 I usually carry the character over to BG2. But sometimes I just start with BG2 and then I don't import anything.

Permidion_Stark

I've never started BG2 with a character I haven't exported from BG1. (This is because I always want to start at level one. I hate the idea of starting a character who has already got six or seven levels of experience)

Shin

Like Permidion I never play BG2 without first having played through BG1 and exporting (or just play BGT). It's strictly RP/continuity reasoning for me, wanting to take my character all the way from Candlekeep to ToB.

atcDave

I also always play through BG1 first. A couple times I've used three or four original characters together in BG1 that I broke into two or three teams for BG2. But I can't bring myself to just create a new character in BG2.

BelgarathMTH

Yeah, me too, on this topic. I am a huge believer in "earning your powers", in the D&D world.

I just *can't* get into a character who is started out from creation to be a high-level, superpowered character.

So, I always play any character I want to play in BG2 through BG1 first - so that I can connect with that character, and have an immersive history with that character, and to feel like I have earned every power I have with that character.

reedmilfam

doctordog said:

trying to decide if it's worth finishing BG1 (nearing the end of quests in the city) so I can import my character into BG2. overall, I'm not astoundingly satisfied with her -- she's a multi-class mage/thief with quite a limited number of spell slots and heavy emphasis on steal/pickpocketing who is quite prone to dying.

will there be a lot of room for interesting growth in BG2 or better to start with a fresh canvas?

The fact that you're not happy with her sort of begs the question of why you would want to finish with her. I can promise you that her mage powers will become more and more amazing as you go, though; through BG2, wizards become king and she'll definitely become the fearsome thing you want her to be. That is, if you like using spells.

Lord_Tansheron

belgarathmth said:

Yeah, me too, on this topic. I am a huge believer in "earning your powers", in the D&D world.

I just *can't* get into a character who is started out from creation to be a high-level, superpowered character.

So, I always play any character I want to play in BG2 through BG1 first - so that I can connect with that character, and have an immersive history with that character, and to feel like I have earned every power I have with that character.

Given that you can reach lvl40 in ToB, I'm not sure that starting SoA with level 7 is that big a deal. It might seem high if you're used to BG1, but the two games play quite differently, and level 7 is really nothing in BG2 - certainly not "superpowered".

Keep in mind that level progression in BG2 is a bit over the top if you compare it with PnP. Not sure you can even get to lvl40 in PnP without an apotheosis...

Night_Watch

i did once, when i heard about the pantaloons. so worth it XD

BelgarathMTH

@Lord_Tansheron, I consider the ability to shoot energy projectiles out of my fingers, or the ability to put 4-16 enemies to sleep with but a wave of my hand, to be a superpower. A very strong superpower, when you consider that a mere first level mage can do both of those things.

I consider the ability cause a bleeding wound to heal and close with a single touch, to cause any enemy to fall into a coma at a single word, albeit for only a few seconds, and to disappear from sight instantly and at will, to be quite a fascinating set of superpowers. Especially since, with a little practice, I would have the power to cause 1-3 enemies to freeze in their tracks, unable to move, and to nullify the powers of another superpowered individual, or to instantly nullify any poison upon touch, to be supepowers. Especially since any 1st to 3rd level cleric can do all of those things.

I even consider the ability to make locks open as though by magic, to become invisible at will, to disarm any trap, to take any item from another person's possession by touch, and to see through any illusion, to be superpowers. Especially since any thief can do all of those things, although, not very well without a lot of practice.

The ability to face any opponent in hand to hand combat, and take hit after hit without falling, to be able to lift and carry three times or more your own weight on extended hiking and maneuvering, is a superpower, or at least, it will be with some practice, for any first level fighter.

I don't identify with a character that I don't start at first level. Levels 1-10 are the really important ones for character development. Starting anywhere but level 1 just feels like cheating to me.

ZanathKariashi

Technically.....anything above lvl 10 is just icing. Except spell-casters, most classes get the bulk of their benefits by 9 or 10. And even spell-casters are already extremely powerful. It's very possible to go through BG2 and ToB with BG1's level-cap without issue, even using Ascension.

Higher level spell-casters just get more options, but nothing really you couldn't compensate for by a change of tactics, using consumables, or the like.


Though yes, I always go through BG1, unless I'm working on a specific proof of concept that no one in their right mind would actually attempt to play out, since I consider the tomes a part of the PC's development, rather then just items available to use especially since they aren't carried over unless they're used on the PC.

doctordog

reedmilfam said:

The fact that you're not happy with her sort of begs the question of why you would want to finish with her. I can promise you that her mage powers will become more and more amazing as you go, though; through BG2, wizards become king and she'll definitely become the fearsome thing you want her to be. That is, if you like using spells.

well, I feel like a lot of the limitations were level-induced: i.e., she never became powerful-enough a spellcaster to have a sufficient number of spell slots (or justify the inability to carry armor).

but I thought perhaps that with more room to grow in BG2, I could cultivate her into a better character and was wondering precisely how much of the character is carried over.

FWIW, i'm playing the bog-standard BG1 w/ out mods

kamuizin

Import give you:

The stat bonus that you give to your main char (through tomes).
Golden Pantaloons.
Another 2 special items that you get on your character in the moment you import it*.

*these items are based on what is with your main char if you import the character for a new game in BG2:EE or what you have in your party gear or inventory if you import your final save. The list can be found here. Thanks to @Shandyr for share the link.

SharGuidesMyHand

EDIT: Ignore - wrong thread.

Corvino

I only created a "fresh", unimported BG2 character once. It was a monk, back before Tutu or BGT, so I could see how it worked. He never made it out of Chateau Irenicus. I later ran a monk through Tutu (painful) and did it properly.

dwilliams1966

Yes I always import my character. Not only that, but my OCD prevents me from starting a new BG2 game without first playing through BG1 again and importing the character. I need mental help.....

Shin

@dwilliams1966 I'm the same way, every BG2 run has to be preceded by a BG1 run. So if I realize in BG2 that I want a different kind of character, that means an extra playthrough of BG1 as well.

Corvino

Shin said:

@dwilliams1966 I'm the same way, every BG2 run has to be preceded by a BG1 run. So if I realize in BG2 that I want a different kind of character, that means an extra playthrough of BG1 as well.

This has arguably ruined BG1 for me. I actually want to play BG2, but to get there I feel compelled to run through BG1 first. It's a great game, but I often find it a means to get a character to BG2 rather than an enjoyable experience in itself.

Shin

@Corvino I can partially agree. While I don't see BG1 as a chore but rather enjoy playing through the early, formative stages of my character's adventuring life; I have come to view it as a kind of prelude or introduction to BG2, where things really get serious. An appetizer, if you will.

CoM_Solaufein

Not at all. Never imported. I do my character editing when I first start BG2.

JuliusBorisov

Gallowglass

Like a lot of others in this thread, I play a character through BG1 first. Also, I tend to agree with those who regard BG1 as the prelude, and BG2 as the real game.

@doctordog - press on with your Thief/Mage. She'll be awesome later on.