Can someone help me out with info?

Evv

Okay.. Last time I played BG I was a little yet, yet it's my favorite game of all time. Sitting with tears in my eyes playing it again :P

Now.. My main character is a mage. The question is.. Should it be human or elven? Which is most powerful "best" for the mage class? I'm a lore guy and I think it would be most fair to be elven since it's their craft so to say.

Another question.. The armor calculation in game..
The higher armor a item has the better.. Right? Minsc is wearing a armor with: +5 armor (3 vs. slashing 7 vs crushing) - what ever all that means.. On the UI it says: Armor Class: 5.

How can I tell which armor to wear for each character? Chain mail vs plate vs leather and so on? I just found another armor, mail of the dead +2

Can anyone help me out here?
Thanks!

LOVE THE GAME BTW ! AWESOME JOB!
Cheers

Heindrich

Welcome to the forum.

1) If you play as a pure mage, I think an elf is technically a little better than a human, but the difference is minor.

2) I wrote the below and then realised it might be confusing. So to put it simply, for both AC and THAC0, lower numbers are better. If you wanna learn why... click the button.

BG is based on AD&D 2nd Edition rules. I don't play D&D, but thankfully the combat rules are quite simple and is based on just 2 stats. AC (Armour Class) and THAC0 (To Hit Armor Class 0). Say ur Character's THAC0 is 10, and his enemy has AC 0, it means he needs to roll a 10 (on a 20-sided dice) or higher to hit the enemy. If your warrior's THAC0 is 5, it means he needs to roll 5 or higher, and if his THAC0 is 15, then u need to roll 15 or higher. Thus the lower the THAC0 the better.

Now, in the above scenario, if ur enemy's AC was 5, u add 5 to whatever u roll, so now if ur warrior THAC0 was 10, u only need to roll a 5 or better, if ur THAC0 was 5, u almost always hit (1 is always a miss, 20 is always a hit), and if ur THAC0 was 15, u need to roll 10 or higher. Again, lower AC is better.

Certain types of armor are better or worse vs certain types of weapons. In ur example, Minsc's armour is AC 5 in general, but AC3 (better) vs slashing attacks, AC 7 vs crushing (worse).

Each class of armor shares the same strengths and weakness (I think) and has a base AC, which can be modified by an enchantment level. So the Mail of the Dead is Chainmail Armour, with +2 enchantment. Now... rather confusingly the '+2' in this case is a bonus, so it actually reduces the AC of the armour by 2, compared to what standard chainmail.

Different classes have different armour limitations. For example mages cannot wear any armour, Fighter/Mages can wear armour, but cannot cast spells if they are wearing armour. Thieves can only wear leather armour. Typically you wear whatever armour your characters are able to wear, and strong enough to wear, that lowers their AC as much as possible. By the end of the game, u shud be in the negatives.

Evv

I see.. So all I have to do is to make sure the armor and THACO is as low as it can get?
Ohh boy.. I just made a human mage.. Jesus! *cries*

Evv

I think I got it now.. Minsc is donw on 0 armor now and a THACO of 10 while Jaheira is armor 7 and THACO 17 lol. Thanks again for your explanation. Was really helpful!

Heindrich

Cool, you're welcome. Yes, it means if Jaheira tried to hit Minsc, she'd need to roll 17 or better. If Minsc tried to hit Jaheira, he'd need to roll 3 or better. Clearly, Minsc is the better fighter. Thankfully Jaheira has spells that can help her out, so it all works out

By the way, the most important tip I can give u, which isn't always clear/obvious... I highly recommend that you stick with Imoen, and when she levels up, make sure to improve her Find Traps skill, until it is 100. You will need a skilled Trap finder/disarmer...

Also, if roleplay matters to you, u might wanna know that there is a 'canon party' for BG 1. It consists of

Imoen, Khalid, Jaheira, Minsc and Dynaheir

. Some people don't care about it, but I think the beginning of BG 2 makes better sense if u stick with that party, or at least travel with them for significant parts of the game.

Evv

Aye thanks for the tip! Really awesome indeed. Ohh about Imoen.. I remember back in 2000 I didn't like her. Way to emotional for me although I absolute LOVE Aerie. As for a theif class hmm.. Maybe Jan? Really cannot remember who I had back in the days lol.

I think my party will be:
Me( mage)
Keldorn
Minsc
Aerie
Jan

Heindrich

Oh, u are playing BG 2? Well in that case my canon party thing is kinda irrelevant. Although I would strongly recommend u play BG 1 first if u haven't done so, or completely forgotten the plot.

Regardless, BG 1 or BG 2, you always need a good thief that can disarm traps.

Evv

Completed BG1 a few years back. Didn't like it to be honest.. Perhaps the graphics back then! However, I absolute love BG2 My Favorited game of all time. Imoen or Jan.. Tough choice lol

MrBungle

Welcome Have you considered the Gnome Illusionist for a main character? 19 intelligence is pretty sweet and you get an extra spell per level and some great saving throws. I do not miss the inability to cast necromancy spells all that much. Gnomes are also fun from a roll playing perspective. Mazzy Fenton is probably the best fighter in the game. Jan is a good enough thief with a few potions. As you can see I have a thing for playing gnomes. There is very good info on play it hardcore site whether you choose to play hardcore or not..