How would the story unfold if Elminster had joined the party?

Hadriel

I was taking a huge dump just now and I came to think upon this subject. How much of a faceroll would the game be if Elminster had joined the party right when you meed him outside of Candlekeep's walls? I'm interested to see what you guys think about this one.

ShapiroKeatsDarkMage

The game would have been broken.

Jean_Luc

If Elminstroll joined the party it would be game over man, game over! :P

Tanthalas

If Elminster decided to meddle even more I guess we'd have people like Manshoon and other power houses suddenly interested in what we're doing.

immagikman

BG1 with Elminster in the lead.....
Step 1. All the women would get naked
Step 2. Several associated Ed Greenwood characters would appear
Step 3. all the evil Bhal Spawn would be turned into toads
Step 4. There would be some planes walking
Step 5. Various and Sundry Elminster Foes would make appearences and then depart after being outwitted.
Game Over.

Twilight_Fox

Hm, Elminster Aumar the Choosen of Mystra;

2rd edition: Str 13, Dex 18, Con 24, Int 24, Wis 18, Cha 17
3rd edition: Str 13, Dex 18, Con 24, Int 33, Wis 18, Cha 17

Cleric Spells: (4/4/3)
Mage Spells: (4/6/6/6/5/4/5/3/3/3/1/1/1/1)

2rd edition: Wizard lvl29

3rd edition: Fighter lvl1/Rogue lvl2/cleric lvl9/Wizard lvl24/Archmage lvl5

It can be funny with the gauntlet of ogre power, a full plate and dual maces. ^^

immagikman

I liked 1st Ed. more than 2nd and 3rd

lmaoboat

Maciak87 said:

This is probably the most obnoxious opening post I've ever read on this forum.

You must have missed the guy who thought Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 enhanced was referring to the Dark Alliance games, and when was later told about the PC games, insisted that the Dark Alliance games were among greatest co-op console games of all time, and that it would be way for profitable to remake them instead.

Awong124

Get Drizzt and Cadderly to join as well.

Schneidend

Maciak87 said:

This is probably the most obnoxious opening post I've ever read on this forum.

Most obnoxious OPENING post, though. You're still top dog for most obnoxious posts in general, Maciak.

Mornmagor

immagikman said:

BG1 with Elminster in the lead.....
Step 1. All the women would get naked
Step 2. Several associated Ed Greenwood characters would appear
Step 3. all the evil Bhal Spawn would be turned into toads
Step 4. There would be some planes walking
Step 5. Various and Sundry Elminster Foes would make appearences and then depart after being outwitted.
Game Over.

Don't forget the permanent Edwina on your party!! :P

Hadriel

Maciak87 said:

Mistaking a radically differentiating opinion from being obnoxious is unfair. Besides, I didn't call anyone a Nazi.

Either you contribute to the thread by staying on topic or GTFO. Your attack with regards to me having a great idea on a topic discussion while sitting on a toilet is something I find deeply offensive and as such should have reported you for harassment. I gave you a pass, make it count.

Anyway, I am thinking that if Elminster would have gotten involved as the party leader, we wouldn't have many obstacles along the way. I am no expert with regards to the Forgotten Realms, but there should be at least 5 people who could give him a run for his money right? Could the "Five", Demogorgon, Khelben, Irenicus or any of the dragons take him on? Any ideas on what would be his limit before he would definitely fall?

BollywoodHero

Best ideas come to you when you're on the can. Quality of ideas are directly proportional to size of dump. True story.

ShapiroKeatsDarkMage

Elminster would bang Amelyssan to death.

Twilight_Fox

Considering that sarevok is lvl 16-17?
Bringing a Wizard lvl29 in your team with godly stats and spells is like God_Mod_On. ^^

Quartz

Hadriel said:

I was taking a huge dump just now and I came to think upon this subject.

It's key details like this that you can't miss.

immagikman said:

BG1 with Elminster in the lead.....
Step 1. All the women would get naked
Step 2. Several associated Ed Greenwood characters would appear
Step 3. all the evil Bhal Spawn would be turned into toads
Step 4. There would be some planes walking
Step 5. Various and Sundry Elminster Foes would make appearences and then depart after being outwitted.
Game Over.

Well, step 1 sounds good anyway.

Tanthalas said:

If Elminster decided to meddle even more I guess we'd have people like Manshoon and other power houses suddenly interested in what we're doing.

In all honesty though I agree with this. Other people of power and consequence would get involved.

JediMindTrix

Was this a serious question?

Medillen

Moreover, Elminster will have too big an impact of charname. This quest is also an inner discovery journey. Little step by little step, you gain confidence, and you can become *good* overcoming your initial "badgage". If you are struggling, his very presence can disturb you in a wrong way (banging jaheira or any female around). Thus, it really is better for everyone if he doesn't act... at all. He does give a good advice. Which is quite nice from him.

(I still find the idea of outer power more important though ^^)

ShapiroKeatsDarkMage

Twilight_Fox said:

Considering that sarevok is lvl 16-17?
Bringing a Wizard lvl29 in your team with godly stats and spells is like God_Mod_On. ^^

Sarevok is level 15.

immagikman

I based my assessment on how things would play out on having read every Elminster Novel Ed Greenwood ever published and a couple of non-elminster stories to boot.

Tanthalas

Hadriel said:

Could the "Five", Demogorgon, Khelben, Irenicus or any of the dragons take him on? Any ideas on what would be his limit before he would definitely fall?

I doubt Khelben could do anything to Elminster. From the novels it looks like Elminster could run circles around him.

CoM_Solaufein

Game over man, game over.

Dazzu

Hadriel said:

I was taking a huge dump just now and I came to think upon this subject.

I'd hate to sound crass, but I think this exactly the be all end all of the discussion, and exactly what E would do to everything.

LadyRhian

@Hadriel Khelben is also a Chosen of Mystra. And quite the martinet, according to FR Lore. Only his consort, Laeral, makes him better to be around.

Schneidend

Dazzu said:

Hadriel said:

I was taking a huge dump just now and I came to think upon this subject.

I'd hate to sound crass, but I think this exactly the be all end all of the discussion, and exactly what E would do to everything.

Wait, he'd take a dump on everything, or he'd think up a spell that killed all of his enemies WHILE taking a dump?

elminster

I can guarantee it would be a wild ride.

LadyRhian

Elminster joining the party would be an "Instant win, Game Over" button.

Bjjorick

immagikman said:

I liked 1st Ed. more than 2nd and 3rd

i never played 1st edition, maybe i'm too young, not sure, but i understand what you mean, i grew up with 2e and love it. it honestly doesn't make sense to me that if someone has a game in mind that they want to make, they have to use current edition rules, especially if it's a trilogy and the first two games used the previous addition. I do wonder if that's why ToB was rushed? So they could get it out before 3e came out and ruined everything?

Schneidend

Bjjorick said:

immagikman said:

I liked 1st Ed. more than 2nd and 3rd

i never played 1st edition, maybe i'm too young, not sure, but i understand what you mean, i grew up with 2e and love it. it honestly doesn't make sense to me that if someone has a game in mind that they want to make, they have to use current edition rules, especially if it's a trilogy and the first two games used the previous addition. I do wonder if that's why ToB was rushed? So they could get it out before 3e came out and ruined everything?

And people wonder how edition wars get started. Off-handed comments about how somebody's favorite edition is the worst and "ruined everything," that's how.

LadyRhian

@Schneidend Eh. I still prefer 2nd over anything else. I found the adding of special abilities like Feats to be problematic. To me, it smacked of powergaming creeping in. I can accept 2e's flaws along with its good points. It's much harder for me to do that with 3e, even though I did end up getting into it... very eventually. I have most of the 3e books, but given a choice, 2e will win for me every time. And 4e just lost me completely as a gamer. I'm not saying this to set up "Edition Wars", just as a personal preference. If BG3 uses a 4e Ruleset, I won't buy it. I'd have to see what a 5e looked like before making a decision on whether or not I'd buy a game using that ruleset.

Schneidend

LadyRhian said:

@Schneidend Eh. I still prefer 2nd over anything else. I found the adding of special abilities like Feats to be problematic. To me, it smacked of powergaming creeping in. I can accept 2e's flaws along with its good points. It's much harder for me to do that with 3e, even though I did end up getting into it... very eventually. I have most of the 3e books, but given a choice, 2e will win for me every time. And 4e just lost me completely as a gamer. I'm not saying this to set up "Edition Wars", just as a personal preference. If BG3 uses a 4e Ruleset, I won't buy it. I'd have to see what a 5e looked like before making a decision on whether or not I'd buy a game using that ruleset.

Having personal preferences is fine. You like 2nd, while I like 4th. That's cool. It's when people start calling somebody else's edition names that feces suddenly becomes ammunition. This forum is more about BG than D&D in general. This isn't the place for edition wars.

I never even played 2E tabletop, and I love Feats, but I also love the Baldur's Gate franchise, and D&D in general is just plain great.