The real interesting NPCs are the ones that some people love but others hate (Anomen, Jan Jansesn, Imoen and Aerie as well as Minsc and Jaheira to a lesser extent). ...
In most places, I'd expect Minsc or Imoen to top the list, although it's a hard thing to really gauge. People who don't like something are usually more vocal about it than ones that do.
Now me, my fav is Yeslick. Yup. Yeslick. He always seems to get overlooked for some reason. But everything about him is great. His helmet, his beard, everything. There are just no mere words adequate to describe how truly wonderful he is.
Now me, my fav is Yeslick. Yup. Yeslick. He always seems to get overlooked for some reason. But everything about him is great. His helmet, his beard, everything. There are just no mere words adequate to describe how truly wonderful he is.
I think part of that (him being overlooked) is that in the original you come across him in a rather inconvenient place and if you reject him he is gone. Thankfully in the EE he goes to an inn in the docks area of Baldur's Gate so you can always pick him up later. He also is acquired late in chapter 4 so that probably doesn't help.
The real interesting NPCs are the ones that some people love but others hate (Anomen, Jan Jansesn, Imoen and Aerie as well as Minsc and Jaheira to a lesser extent). ...
I never heard of anyone admitting to love Anomen.
Really? (big grin) Then let me be the first!
I have to admit, I do like him better these days (now that there are other romance options.) He *does* have some redeeming qualities, and he sure can turn undead like a mother--
In most places, I'd expect Minsc or Imoen to top the list, although it's a hard thing to really gauge. People who don't like something are usually more vocal about it than ones that do.
Now me, my fav is Yeslick. Yup. Yeslick. He always seems to get overlooked for some reason. But everything about him is great. His helmet, his beard, everything. There are just no mere words adequate to describe how truly wonderful he is.
I fully agree with Yeslick! He was my first boy crush when i was a young snapper back in the days.
@Ravenslight, I love Anomen as well! Have never done (completed) the romance, but I (and consequently my Charnames) find him hilarious initially: "Now, my campaign against the Hillgnasher giants, that brought the blood up!". As the game evolves, so will he as a character and more so than most NPCs. I find it hard to go the LG path with him though, love CN Anomen.
@Ravenslight, I love Anomen as well! Have never done (completed) the romance, but I (and consequently my Charnames) find him hilarious initially: "Now, my campaign against the Hillgnasher giants, that brought the blood up!". As the game evolves, so will he as a character and more so than most NPCs. I find it hard to go the LG path with him though, love CN Anomen.
I have gone the romance path with Anomen many times, always LG. I would love to see the CN side of him but just can never bring myself to make him fail. Maybe we should swap notes.
Well in truly good-aligned parties I also can't bring myself to have him fail. It's sadistic to have failed CN Anomen around in a party with Mazzy, Keldorn, Aerie and the likes. My Undead Hunter just recruited him and will guide him on the path of light. Serene the CG Beastmaster who's without party members after the game glitch you read about I think, will also recruit him and hopefully romance LG Anomen. In a party of morally more flexible companions, which I generally find more interesting to play, I definitely prefer CN Anomen. Whereas LN Anomen identifies himself a lot with his position/profession as a (pseudo-)Paladin, something I generally dislike in people, CN Anomen is more relaxed IMO, doesn't care about status etc.
Whereas LN Anomen identifies himself a lot with his position/profession as a (pseudo-)Paladin, something I generally dislike in people, CN Anomen is more relaxed IMO, doesn't care about status etc.
So... he's basically more chaotic, haha.
I can never go the CN route with Anomen. I like the idea of it, and I do like the end result, but even my neutral aligned characters are going to flip out when he starts murdering innocent girls, so there's that.
I do like the character in general, though. (Aside from the handful of *absurdly* callous comments he has. Totally not cool, Anomen.) I generally like the LG version, but there are some parts where I'm still frowning at him. He's got at least one banter in ToB with Valygar where he's like, "I will listen to your problems and try to be compassionate because it's my knightly duty." If you only care because you think you have to, you're doing it wrong.
I get annoyed when he's used as a punching bag in ToB, though. He's grown by that point, one way or the other. There's really no excuse to have Jan be spouting such absolute filth at him. To me, it's always felt like character bashing by Bioware itself.
I can never go the CN route with Anomen. I like the idea of it, and I do like the end result, but even my neutral aligned characters are going to flip out when he starts murdering innocent girls, so there's that.
Charname doesn't know and has no reason to expect that Anomen will be murdering an innocent little girl though. He/she witnesses the crime, is unable to prevent it, and may condemn it (as a neutral/good aligned character).
I get annoyed when he's used as a punching bag in ToB, though. He's grown by that point, one way or the other. There's really no excuse to have Jan be spouting such absolute filth at him. To me, it's always felt like character bashing by Bioware itself.
Now this interesting. CN Anomen is generally a respected comrade in arms in ToB in my parties.
Yeah he is. On the flipside identifying oneself with their profession isn't necessarily lawful, but boy do Paladins do this a lot.
Yeah. Paladins are a bit of a special case, though. I mean, it's *not* a normal profession. It's a religious calling, and if they don't keep it in mind and behave appropriately, they're going to lose it.
(Not gonna lie, I'm in love with the paladin class. The nobility, the tragic flaws... yum. Not thrilled with the way they're handled half the time, since I think law vs. good is a false dichotomy, but forever love.)
I can never go the CN route with Anomen. I like the idea of it, and I do like the end result, but even my neutral aligned characters are going to flip out when he starts murdering innocent girls, so there's that.
Charname doesn't know and has no reason to expect that Anomen will be murdering an innocent little girl though. He/she witnesses the crime, is unable to prevent it, and may condemn it (as a neutral/good aligned character).
Oh, I know. I'm not saying going down that route in the first place doesn't make sense, because I'm all for vigilante justice in Athkatla. But as soon as he killed Surayah, I'd boot him immediately, and then I'd never get to see the CN path anyway! So I usually just make him LG instead.
I get annoyed when he's used as a punching bag in ToB, though. He's grown by that point, one way or the other. There's really no excuse to have Jan be spouting such absolute filth at him. To me, it's always felt like character bashing by Bioware itself.
Now this interesting. CN Anomen is generally a respected comrade in arms in ToB in my parties.
It might just be the Jan banter, actually. I can't find any others, but that one is just really, really uncalled for.
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Now me, my fav is Yeslick. Yup. Yeslick. He always seems to get overlooked for some reason. But everything about him is great. His helmet, his beard, everything. There are just no mere words adequate to describe how truly wonderful he is.
ahem.
As the game evolves, so will he as a character and more so than most NPCs. I find it hard to go the LG path with him though, love CN Anomen.
In a party of morally more flexible companions, which I generally find more interesting to play, I definitely prefer CN Anomen. Whereas LN Anomen identifies himself a lot with his position/profession as a (pseudo-)Paladin, something I generally dislike in people, CN Anomen is more relaxed IMO, doesn't care about status etc.
I can never go the CN route with Anomen. I like the idea of it, and I do like the end result, but even my neutral aligned characters are going to flip out when he starts murdering innocent girls, so there's that.
I do like the character in general, though. (Aside from the handful of *absurdly* callous comments he has. Totally not cool, Anomen.) I generally like the LG version, but there are some parts where I'm still frowning at him. He's got at least one banter in ToB with Valygar where he's like, "I will listen to your problems and try to be compassionate because it's my knightly duty." If you only care because you think you have to, you're doing it wrong.
I get annoyed when he's used as a punching bag in ToB, though. He's grown by that point, one way or the other. There's really no excuse to have Jan be spouting such absolute filth at him. To me, it's always felt like character bashing by Bioware itself.
Sorry for being late to the party, but I was modding more than I checked the forums the last days.
I love you Crevs
(Not gonna lie, I'm in love with the paladin class. The nobility, the tragic flaws... yum. Not thrilled with the way they're handled half the time, since I think law vs. good is a false dichotomy, but forever love.)
Oh, I know. I'm not saying going down that route in the first place doesn't make sense, because I'm all for vigilante justice in Athkatla. But as soon as he killed Surayah, I'd boot him immediately, and then I'd never get to see the CN path anyway! So I usually just make him LG instead. It might just be the Jan banter, actually. I can't find any others, but that one is just really, really uncalled for.