Two quick noob questions.

JasonPogo

Ok so dose your alignment matter much to anything? Like can you make a Chaotic Evil character then just be a goody goody the whole game and use good characters or will that not work?

Also my characters say things like its time to rest now... What are the advantages and disadvantages to sleeping other than healing and replenishing mage spells?

Heindrich

Alignment does have a few gameplay effects, but it is related to Reputation.

In general, when you do something Good and Heroic, your reputation increases. When you do something selfish and Evil, your reputation decreases.

If your reputation is Low, Good characters will refuse to join your party, or leave if they already in your party. Also most merchants charge less for goods the higher your reputation, and if your reputation gets really low, you will be attacked by guards when you enter cities, and merchants refuse to sell to you entirely.

If your reputation is high, merchants offer discounts, but Evil characters refuse to join your party, or will leave.

Some of the NPCs have specific enmities with other NPCs, normally of opposing alignments, and there is a chance they will randomly fight each other to the death even if your reputation isn't extreme enough to force one of them to leave yet.

If your reputation is incompatible with your character's alignment, I think he loses his class bonuses, but I've never seen this in effect.

Heindrich

If you do not rest, your characters suffer penalties in combat. It becomes increasingly serious the longer they are tired.

Time4Tiddy

When you see the little fatigued icon on the character portraits, they are getting penalized. It starts as a -1 to hit and damage and a +1 to damage taken and increases every 4 hours w/o rest. If a character has high Con they get a bonus to fatigue and may not see the penalties as quickly. They will all start complaining when the icon appears.

Eck4343

It should also be mentioned, at least for BG2, that your alignment affects what kind of special abilities your main character gets. Good alignments tend to get more healing and strength buffs, evils get more offensive damage special abilities like laroch's minor drain etc. But it's not super critical, since none of these abilities are that powerful in the grand scheme.

Heindrich

Eck4343 said:

It should also be mentioned, at least for BG2, that your alignment affects what kind of special abilities your main character gets. Good alignments tend to get more healing and strength buffs, evils get more offensive damage special abilities like laroch's minor drain etc. But it's not super critical, since none of these abilities are super powerful.

Ah yes, I forgot about that. It is relevant for BG 1 too. In fact it is arguably more relevant for BG 1 cos in BG 2... spoilers.

Draw Upon Holy Might is a very good ability that you get if u are good. I think it is better than evil alternatives (Vampiric Touch?)

Time4Tiddy

Actually the abilities are based on your reputation, not your alignment. It's only if you start a new character in BG2 that they are based on your alignment. If you get the dream with a rep 10 or higher, you get the "good" ability. If you get the dream with a rep of 9 or lower, you get the "evil" ability.

It is possible to have a Chaotic Evil character with a 20 rep and all the "good" dream abilities and a full party of good NPCs. The only things that your alignment affects are one or two minor quest outcomes and a couple people who attack you on sight.