Should I skip BG 1 to BG2?
This has been going on in my mind for quite a while now. I have been playing BG1 for two days and I still can't grasp the experience. The party members annoy me, the villains are too hard to kill, and the exploration is just not that engaging to me. Every time I go to the Nashkel Mines my whole groups gets ambushed and killed. I try to gain experience but that eventually led me to get killed over and over again. I REALLY WANT TO ENJOY IT! But I just can't.
Before I started playing the game, I felt the need to play around with BG2 first. I was so intrigued with the game since I was able to have conversations with my companions, cast lots of spells, level up, and so forth. After watching the scene with Irenicus killing a bunch of fighters and mages, I felt that it was necessary to continue my journey by just playing the sequel.
Should I play through the first one first or not?
Before I started playing the game, I felt the need to play around with BG2 first. I was so intrigued with the game since I was able to have conversations with my companions, cast lots of spells, level up, and so forth. After watching the scene with Irenicus killing a bunch of fighters and mages, I felt that it was necessary to continue my journey by just playing the sequel.
Should I play through the first one first or not?
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i would recommend you to head straight to the friendly arm inn, as Jaheira and Khalid can be good additions to help your early game survivability. they are both good for tanking and up close combat and can help your charname survive. i also recommend you look around the areas you go to as you can find some easy quests and good rewards. in beregost I can think of a tavern where you talk down a commoner and earn exp as well as the quest for the bard Garrick, which is a bit harder, but you only face one enemy so it isn't too bad if you finish the battle fast, and gets you more exp and a +1 quarterstaff. most of the time if I make sure I do everything I will be level 2 by the mines and be able to take some arrows
and about arrows, bows rule BG1. get ranged weapons for the party and they will have a much easier time surviving. after I realized that on my first playthrough I got through the mines easier by shooting down the kobolds from a distance rather than walking up as I get pelted by the beasts
See? They shouldn't have fixed Firebead Elvenhair abuse exploit... If the man could start the game at level three, he wouldn't die at Naskel Mines at all...
I personally LOVE BG1 and the whole thing of bringing up a character from Level 1. And quite frankly, if you give it a chance BG1 story is quite good. But..... not everyone is into that.
Your post suggested to me that you don't want the experience of fiddling around with ultra low levels and being one shot killed by some random arrow, which happens A LOT in BG1. You want a bit more latitude in casting spells and a few more hit points to start out with. All of which you get in BG2. You will still have some really tough battles, but, you aren't getting killed by Kobolds and zero level nobodies.
It is true that you get more of a sense of what spells and abilities do in BG1 as you get to see and use all of the low level stuff to full advantage just to survive, but that doesn't mean you can't learn it in BG2. And if you are more about the mid-high level experience, you will probably enjoy BG2 more. Then, once you are finished, you may choose to go back and play BG1.
Both are excellent games and it is hoped that you will enjoy both, but if you are finding the low level blues are souring your experience, switch to BG2 and give that a whirl. The few spoilers that you get won't ruin your experience, much. The plot is fairly straight forward. You may miss out on some of the inside jokes and not really understand who some of the cameos are, but again, these won't detract from your experience and may encourage you to get back to BG1 someday.
One final note, as others have said, you can get over the level 1 hump pretty simply merely by fully exploring every map on your way south and then running a few of the Fed-Ex quests prior to going into the Nashkal mines. I generally am level 4 before I go in there, and that gives you a whole lot more to play with. But if you'd rather skip having to do that, BG2 is absolutely a valid approach.
While BG1 might be hard, it's still quite simple fights. The wolf is faster than you and can deal 8 points of damage, then you look at your own health and take a potion if needed. It's simple and mainly focused on damage numbers. The kobold will fire an arrow which will do 3-5 damage or can critical for 10 if you're unlucky. If you're unlucky then you just reload and try again. You'll get more health and better armor which makes it less complicate and you won't die instantly.
In BG2 you won't even be able to damage some enemies, they will have spell protections or even be completely immune to your attacks. A mage can in a few seconds instantly kill one of your party members, and then put confusion/panic and other status effects so you can't even control your own party. Many fights in BG2 you'll have to fight with half a party as you won't be able to control the rest. You'll die a lot and sometimes instantly without a warning, you won't be able to touch some people and your entire team will end up dead in 10 seconds if you do one of the harder fights.
You'll be able to follow stuff in BG1 and even though it's hard, you'll be able to understand it all. You have 20 health, the gnoll deals 6 damage which puts you down to 14 health. In BG2 you'll have 120/120 health and everything is fine one second, the next second you're dead or have been turned to stone which is also an instant death.
Play BG1 first to learn the system, you'll save yourself a lot of frustration by doing this. The only reason i would tell people to play BG2 back in the day was because of the graphic and completely different gameplay. With BGEE it's the same gameplay and graphic, so there is no reason to pick BG2 over BG1.
Skipping BG1 "because it's too hard" is a pretty... well, whiny reason to not play it.
And as other people said, if you found BG1 hard, wait until you get to BG2 and it's mages.
When I first played BG1, it was on EasyTutu with a Monk on Core rules.
I had no experience with other Infinity Engine games nor ADnD at all.
My first BG2 ToB run was with the Ascension mod. I raged, I got mad but I won and I still love it and would do it all over again.
I knew that it was hard but it was really rewarding. That's the thing about challenge.
And if by enjoying it you mean, "I want to steamroll through everything like in Skyrim" then BG is not the game for you.
If you decide to suck it up like all of us did, especially me, since I had no experience with it, then you'll find that it is a really awesome game and it's half the fun and story of the BG Saga.
Not everyone is a purist at heart like I am. Not everyone NEEDs to start out at Level 1 to be worthy. If they don't let em try BG2. Yeah, their gonna die a lot, maybe even more than in BG1, but if they learn. And there is nothing in BG that they will learn that they can't learn in BG2.
Just saying, if they aren't enjoying BG1, trying BG2 instead (or first it is to be hoped) might be a better solution than dropping the series entirely.
Never did the OP say that they're playing a wizard and dying to rats.
BG1 is the training wheels of what is to come. How to use the spells effectively and which ones to memorize, what some rules mean and how they work, what class combinations work.
BG2 might start a bit higher level but they'll still be killed, maybe not from rats or wolves but from much serious threats in various ways.
If the difficulty is preventing them from enjoying the game, then BG2 will make it worse since they're in even deeper waters now.
And like I said, BG is famous for being challenging. If someone expected a casual RPG cakewalk and cannot enjoy the game otherwise, then this game is not for them.
If they can get through the difficulty and learn, then they will find that it was worth it.
Not only does BG1 server as training and getting to know the rules but it will make you appreciate BG2 even more with the more technical battles and detail.
Oh, and yes, in my eyes, it's definitely harder to start with a multi class in BG1, a lot of the fun in that game is to enjoy the increase in power, which takes a loooot longer when you have to level 2 classes!
Play the version you have the most pun with. You can always go back and play the other with anew appreciation.
When you start in the wilderness, have Imoen join. Follow the gravel road, get the potion from Xzar, (dump Xzar&Montaron after grabbing their stuff) grab the diamond from the tree. Go to High Hedge directly south. Travel by the edge of the map in High Hedge to go east. Pick Kivan if you wish, he starts out at lvl 2 and is hefty with a composite long bow. Go to Beregost.
Dump Imoen and Kivan from your party. (So your pc can get some easy xp) Go Feldepost's inn, calm down Marl. (900 xp) Buy Fate of the coin book from Feldepost, give it to Firebead for easy xp. Pick Kivan&Immy again. Help Neera. Attack the enemy red mage with Kivan+Imoen and your pc to foil his spells. Have Neera join. Buy a composite arrow (for Kivan) and arrows from Taerom, sling+bullet for Neera, at least 20 arrows+1 if you can. With the diamond and other stuff you should be able to.
Have Neera memorise two sleep spells and rest in Jovial Juggler. Dump Kivan&Immy in the street, go to spider house left of Jovial, enter and exit and immediately run to left. Spiders will follow, have Neera sleep them and kill them all for easy xp. Loot the spider house. Get Kivan&Immy back.
Go south, follow the road and kill two Ogrillions. (Kite and have Kivan shoot them, or use sleep) take their note, go back to Beregost and give the note to Mirianne in the right houses for easy xp and ring of princes.
Go to High Hedge, enter the mage's home and lure a flesh golem outside. Never attack golems in melee they will crush you. Once outside, kite the monster and have Imoen&Kivan shoot +1 arrows at it. Repeat for the other golem. Easy 4000 xp.
If Imoen lvls up invest in open locks. (Unless your pc has better open locks score) have her steal everything from Beregost manor's locked chests in the upper room. Have her steal the magical bastardsword from Taerom's chest at night so the shop is empty. (it sells for 1500 gp!) Go south of Beregost, follow the road to south, go to south map, follow the right edge of the map down south to avoid dangers to go to Nashkel. Once in Nashkel, grab the Ankheg plate from the secret hole, have Imoen steal everything from Nashkel manor (there is Samantha chick in the upstairs who will leave with her boyfriend if you pick right dialogue optons.) You'll have a few potions and a wand by now from thieving. Talk to Noober repeatedly for easy xp. Go to Carnival, buy red&violet potions from the exotic merchant, have Imoen lockpick two chests in his tent and steal all the potions, and leave the tent asap lest the guards be summoned.
Buy the necklace of missiles and scroll of protection from petrification from a merchant. Go back to Beregost, go east to Temple area. In the right edge of the Temple area, blast the vampiric volf pack with Necklace of Missiles. Have one character blast one missile and immediately give the necklace to another party member and have him blast one too. This will kill the most other wolves and wound Vampiric ones, kite them and shoot them with arrows+1, lightning wand or wand of magic missiles. Easy 6000 xp or such.
Go east to Mutamin's garden. This is THE place to build some major levels if you know how to. Go a bit north to have Korax the ghoul to join you. Dump everyone from the party, gulp an invisibility potion (stolen from manor) and lead Korax to basilisks. Have him attack basilisks and your character should always stay invisible and observe. Alternatively, if your pc is good at attacking, use the scroll of protection from petrification on yourself and aid Korax in killing the 'silks. Each gives 1400 xp and soon you will gain a few levels by yourself. At the center of the map Korax should paralyse Mutamin the mad mage asap and kill him, then kill the Greater basilisk too for a whopping +7000 xp. When all basilisks are cleared (there are a few more in the south portion, theystand in between some giant skeleton remains) have the npcs rejoin you, you should be 2-3 levels higher than them now.
Go to High hedge, sell stuff and buy wand of sleep. Now you can go to friendly arm inn and get Khalid&Jaheira if you wish. Drop other low level npcs before entering the inn and Jaheira and Khalid will spawn at high level (since you sre high level too) North of the FAI is Ankheg farm, use wand of sleep and sleep spells liberally to kill each and every one, loot the Ankheg lair, get the wand of fire (very powerful!) give the body of his son to Farmer, talk to him again and give 100 gp politely for more xp. Take the quest from the fishermen in the west and go north to Baldurs Gate bridge area to do Tenya's quest for even more xp.
You now have a good leveled up character, some good wands and potions. Game should be easier from now on.
Play BG1 blind and no-reload and with SCS.
(But study the manuals and spells etc. at length.)
It will take you a year to get through the game, but you will feel two inches taller when you do!
(Wish I could do it again for the first time.)
BG is already a hard game and pretty unfriendly to beginners unfamiliar with the game engine and D&D. SCS is designed for veterans who know the game inside out, and have played it so many times that they can no longer be surprised by anything the standard game can throw at them.
The OP is clearly struggling with the core game as is, so it is totally insane to ask him to study the game in detail before playing it, just to have a chance of beating it on SCS. And you suggested no-reload on top of that!?
I felt proud plenty enough finishing my first playthrough blind on Core Rules with minimum reload and some roleplay restrictions. SCS does not appeal to me in the slightest and I would never recommend it to a beginner. No-reload (or limited reloads) does interest me, because I want my choices, actions and mistakes to have consequences, but I will probably never play SCS cos I have no interest in metagaming and powergaming just to stand a chance.
I strongly recommend that you stay away from spoilers, ask for help if u get stuck on specific things, and "learn as you play". For example I read about the spells 1 level at a time as my spellcasters reached the levels in my first playthrough. Discovering your own strategies is one of the most rewarding aspects of this game. For example my new favourite in my second playthrough is Web+Spider Spawn, which I never thought of doing in my first playthrough.
Also I don't know which multi-class you chose. But if it was Fighter/Mage, then rest assured he/she will become an absolute powerhouse eventually. Multi-class characters are generally solid choices.
From what you described as your personal preferences, I completely agree with what @the_spyder said. I have very similar taste, and also enjoy the feel of the party and the banter more than the grind em out huff and puff of the first game. I actually started BG1 many times but never finished it until after I had beaten the second game AND its expansion twice, and then again just Shadows of Amn. I was still a terrible player too (and still kinda am).
BG1 is HARD. Very difficult first time around. If it is frustrating it won't be fun.
However, there is something to be said about playing the story out from start to finish. A couple suggestions:
1. Turn the difficulty slider down. Don't feel guilty about it. Games are for enjoyment. That is why they are called games.
2. Look online for help. Try to avoid big spoilers, but get some ideas on how to approach battles with some sort of strategy. It can be surprisingly helpful, and I would never have beaten the game without some help along the way.
3. If you really want help without spoilers, just come here. People on this forum are super duper helpful and seem to enjoy giving pointers. Heck, message me any time you like. I'll try to give a quick hint here or there!
Also, (this is a bit more complicated) if you like the banters and interactions, try to install the BG1 NPC Project. It is a mod of the game that adds a lot of dialogue and character interaction with the NPCs. It makes the first game feel more like the second game in terms of depth and is very well done. You can find it here http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/9744/the-bg-npc-project/p22
I highly recommend it. 10/10
I'd suggest playing a fighter / priest multiclass: that character will be strong till the endgame, have a high survivability and you can gradually learn about the magic system. Since you get all spells automatically you don't have to worry / metagame where to find the best mage spell scrolls etc.
Pick up the characters in the beginning dungeon and you are good to go!
Once you come out of the dungeon explore the area and stick to the quests in the city.
I would suggest, if at all possible, that you defeat BG1 first. It can be hard, yes. But the more you play, the easier it'll get. It isn't that hard a game, and despite what some people might say, even on insane difficulty (and you should probably be playing core rules, if not below), you don't need 'the best party' or 'the best gear'. Just play it slow and careful, and carry friends with you. As you go on, you'll eventually find the game easier and easier till you finally defeat it.
And since the only rats in the game are in Candlekeep (that I recall), I'd have thought that alone would have been a key that it was a metaphor.
As for the rest, I don't "Think" that the OP was as worried about dying as much as about the humiliating single hit death at the hands of something like a Kobold or a Xvart or gibberling (I could be projecting here). These menial monsters (or the 'Rats' in my metaphor) are so pathetic, that to die at their hands can be frustrating. And to be one shot killed in any event can be humiliating.
And yes, BG1 is introduction to the game world. However, there is nothing that you "HAVE" to learn in BG1 that you can't learn in BG2. The game introduces itself quite adequately enough for even a novice to pick it up.
I used to have this DM who would variably ask us to "Roll" up 5th-7th level characters for some adventure he had cooked up. It is a perfectly valid play style. And for someone that doesn't want to have a pathetic 8 hit points and a single spell (or if you don't like the wizard reference, three proficiency points and crap armor), starting in BG2 is perfectly valid.
You can make a fighter in BG1 with 18 STR, CON, DEX and then buy a splint mail + large shield at the start of the game and you should be able to handle most of the game without a problem, after getting a level or two you're close to unstoppable. Find a certain ring at the start and trade it in for a full plate, you'll be fine for the rest of the game.
BG1 is easy when you play it as a fighter or some kind of archer. BG2 is brutal to you and will beat you down and then maul your ass no matter what class you're playing.
Both games are easy once you figure out the AI and have a little bit of metagame knowledge. But if you're going into the games with no information, you'll have an easier time in BG1. Just finding Kivan or Khalid + Jaheira will make the game much more comfortable. Doesn't matter who you have in your party in BG2 if you go into the wrong fight (Or any fight with a high level mage) you will die several times and you'll be fighting these early on.
That's another thing with these games as well, in BG1 the difficulty will ramp up and you won't fight that hard battles before the end of the game. In BG2 you'll be able to walk into a lich right from the start, or a hard adventure party (Sewers, Temple district) which you'll have close to no chance at all to beat.
BG1 can be beaten with brute force, a fighter with a full plate in front and some archers in the back, you're pretty much fine for the rest of the game.
BG2 won't let you just brute force through the game, you'll have to figure out arcane and divine spells even if you're not going to use them yourself. You need to know what they do when you fight enemies, so you'll know how to prevent them. You need to figure out what weapons you need to be able to hit what golems, how to kill dragons, how to protect against mages. You need to learn how to breach a mages defensive spells and then which enemy to attack first. There are so many things you need to figure out a plan for how to deal with.
And let's not forget arcane spells. In BG1 it's pretty much offensive spells all the way with a spell or two to control the enemy (Sleep, Charm, Hold). In BG2 you'll be chaining spells with spell triggers, contingencies and sequencers. You'll have to remove the enemies magic resistance and lower their saves before dealing damage to them, not to mention you'll need to know how to protect yourself.
Not to mention how much stronger some of the items (tomes) in BG1 make you.