Aerie, just because what OP wrote in the brackets made me smile. She's so darned cute when she says that "faster than.." line, I can forgive her more high-strung moments.
I pick him largely for sentimental reasons. He was in my first playthrough of BG2 and has been in almost all of them since (other than a solo and a playthrough with only a fighter/mage and Viconia). I even bring him along when I play a cleric because I can't turn him down. :P I've played the chaotic neutral path with him once for RP reasons, but when he gets the stat bump from passing his test he's a pretty good cleric who can also take a beating and lay down the law on some miscreants with the Flail of Many Heads. And I just like him as a character. He's an arrogant jerk sometimes, but it's really just insecurity and his shitty childhood.
Viconia is a close second for me. She's been my cleric for all of my BG playthroughs and one of my BG2 playthroughs. Her magic resistance is pretty useful and her high dexterity makes her really hard to hit once you're able to boost her strength enough that she can wear full plate. But again...I also just like her character.
I never understood the love of Branwen, I must say. Mechanically, she was nothing exceptional. As for her writing... Well.. I know that none of the BG1 NPCs had much, but literally all she did was say that fighting was fun, and not nearly with as much idiosyncrasy as Shar-Teel or Minsc did. She's super dull, if you ask me.
I trust Viconia will win by a long shot here, being marvellous as she is.
My utter disdain for Aerie should be treated as a -1 vote for her, so great it is. :P
Xzar. Always Xzar. He makes so much sense as a dualed necro/cleric. I've posted several times how I see his development from a necromancer to a "godless" cleric, searching insights about life and death in the divine. It's the most natural dual development possible to me. Mechanically, he's the best of all worlds. Tomes make him surpass every other cleric in BG1, and his stats also outshine the others - enough strength to carry a shield (and before dualing, to use throwing daggers), good dex, still better con than Viconia.
Branwen in BG1 and Anomen in BG2 land on rank 2 and 3, but no cleric will ever push Xzar off his throne.
Having only played Baldurs Gate 1 up to now, it's a close call between Branwen and Yeslick for me. I love me dwarfs, but Branwen just got her almighty battle cry in her favor!
I suppose I'd best keep my opinions to myself, hm? Although I will say that some of you rivvin show yourselves of good taste and wise sensibility; Shar kjorl d'jal.
Viccy! She is of a different race, hated and persecuted (always sympathized with these traits). She is wild and bold, which is very nice actually (few women, especially video game NPCs, are so daring, honest and straightforward with themselves and others). Also, she is the only one premade CLERIC NPC that can become of neutral alignment. Most of the times, i go for her.
I voted Vicconia, but I could have just as easily voted Anomen.
Anomen seems surely at the first glance a jerk, but I like how he changes for the better if you help him to become a knight. In particular if you have both anomen and Keldron in the same group, its really cool to notice the change in his character from the most arrogant SoB to this loyal and trusted friend.
And Vicconia is just full of mystery and has a rich backstory. Its intresting how judgementall whole forgotten realms is. Not judge a book by it's cover is not a popular saying there.
Viconia, although I prefer to use her primarily as a spellcaster and keep her out of combat. Anomen is the most powerful of the lot, but personality-wise he's a bit hard to take.
A great character with perhaps the most inspiring battle cry ( especially in comparison to Viconia in BG1 - Viconia´s shady whispers and the occasional "the light, it burns" leave me in a mood where I ´d hope to play some uber assasin, actually not failing my stealth and being sure that whenever I am waylaid by enemies I could in my defence just chill out and deal with it in some other fashion than desperately running in circles and trying, in vain, to hide in shadows) and whose portrait reminds me of Valeria from the great movie Conan the Barbarian.
Comments
Viconia is a close second for me. She's been my cleric for all of my BG playthroughs and one of my BG2 playthroughs. Her magic resistance is pretty useful and her high dexterity makes her really hard to hit once you're able to boost her strength enough that she can wear full plate. But again...I also just like her character.
I trust Viconia will win by a long shot here, being marvellous as she is.
My utter disdain for Aerie should be treated as a -1 vote for her, so great it is. :P
Mechanically, he's the best of all worlds. Tomes make him surpass every other cleric in BG1, and his stats also outshine the others - enough strength to carry a shield (and before dualing, to use throwing daggers), good dex, still better con than Viconia.
Branwen in BG1 and Anomen in BG2 land on rank 2 and 3, but no cleric will ever push Xzar off his throne.
* Imagination wins! *
Aerie (my romance for good CharN )
Viconia (my romance for evil CharN )
Anomen seems surely at the first glance a jerk, but I like how he changes for the better if you help him to become a knight. In particular if you have both anomen and Keldron in the same group, its really cool to notice the change in his character from the most arrogant SoB to this loyal and trusted friend.
And Vicconia is just full of mystery and has a rich backstory. Its intresting how judgementall whole forgotten realms is. Not judge a book by it's cover is not a popular saying there.
I do not understand how people find him annoying. My definition of annoying is Neera
A great character with perhaps the most inspiring battle cry ( especially in comparison to Viconia in BG1 - Viconia´s shady whispers and the occasional "the light, it burns" leave me in a mood where I ´d hope to play some uber assasin, actually not failing my stealth and being sure that whenever I am waylaid by enemies I could in my defence just chill out and deal with it in some other fashion than desperately running in circles and trying, in vain, to hide in shadows) and whose portrait reminds me of Valeria from the great movie Conan the Barbarian.