Favorite player character (Charname)?

Trianglehead

To preface this, apologies if this type of discussion has been done before (or to death, rather).

I was just wondering, what is everyone's favorite main character? This favoritism can stem from any number of reasons; I just want to know who they were, and why they were your favorite. From what I can gather, a lot of people have completed these games many, many times, and I just want to know which character stands above the rest.

To start off, my favorite character that I've created is Zaine, my human Shapeshifter. I've crafted a bit of a story for him (my own interpretation of the events leading up to and of BG1), and it's this extra aspect that makes him "jump" out of the game and into my mind, even when I'm not playing. He does not have excellent stats, and I definitely do not consider him a druid at all, but it's this uniqueness and that it's *his* story that really makes me care about him.

Anyway, that's (briefly) why Zaine is special to me, and I'd love to hear your stories, as well.

Silverstar

Marius (me), Human Sorcerer or more spesifically Red Dragon Disciple since EE. I love the pew pew that is magic. It hits the target and does its damage, no potentially flailing arms around for 4 rounds before a single hit goes in. There's also flashy glowy lights and cool sound effects. Pew pew! Magic is like lasers but in fantasy settings. I'm not sure of the particular reason, but it was after playing a Conjurer in the original first BG that I decided wizards are the coolest class archetype in fantasy RPGs and they've usually been my mains ever since.

I'm also quite fond of paladins, spesifically D&D's, so my second-most-favourite character in the infinity games is Sir Marius (still me), Human Cavalier.

DJKajuru

My favorite character is Zephyr, a human mage. Apart from intelligence and wisdom, he doesn't have the strongest atributes, but that's what makes him interesting. He's a classic mage in blue robes, who uses magic with versatility and cares deeply for his friend Imoen. His neutral good aligment makes him behave a little less "rebellious" than other characters I've played before, but once a character becomes alive you can't change his essence.
@Trianglehead , I'm sure that shapshifters must be quite exotic and interesting to roleplay. I've always wanted to play an enviromentalist neo-druid type.

@Silverstar , you mentioned being fond of Paladins, I gotta say that playing Lawful Good characters is very difficult for me!

rufus_hobart

Confession time: I never actually managed to complete BGI Vanilla ;-( (hides immediately from the scorn of @Quartz‌ ) Came close a few times, but the first time I finally gave Sarevok a beating was using BG Tutu. Then did it again with another character, and both of those characters beat BGII.

So yeah, in my mind, they're my two quintessential Charnames that I think of when i think of BG. The characters in question? A Chaotic Neutral Female Half-Elf Wild Mage and a Lawful Good Male Human Monk.

So yeah, thanks for that, Beamdog, in making my only two successful Bhaalspawn effectively disposable. ;-)

Dice42

I've mentioned mine on this forum before.
She's a half elf ranger, good neutral, named Nadriel. She's based on a character from a story I'm writing, but she quickly became my favourite Charname to use in multiple games purely because she was the first Charname to complete BG1. Add that to the fact she made the ending awesome! (She dived in when still half injured to save Imoen from Sarevok, that diving swipe killing him.)

I have recently created a second favourite though. This one originate from Skyrim, she's Evil Neutral who I like because I've fleshed her character out more than any other video game RPG character I've made before. She's not necessarily evil, but lusts for power and will do anything for it. Therefore her party can only contain those she believes (if maybe wrongly) that she can control.

Silverstar

DJKajuru said:

Silverstar , you mentioned being fond of Paladins, I gotta say that playing Lawful Good characters is very difficult for me!

It isn't a terribly easy alignment to play within the confines of a linear CRPG, no. You work with the tools at your disposal though and if you consistently perform good deeds, keep your promises and actively avoid deception/theft/evil actions you're pretty much being as Lawful Good as the game mechanics and story permits, imo. It's one of my least favourite alignments really. If I could be a Chaotic Good paladin I would, but no such luck.

InvictusCobra

I've only completed the saga once, but used a few kits for the majority of BG2 and one until ToB (a bug made me too lazy to restart). As he was my first character, I made a Cavalier named Siegfried who didn't have a real background, since the first character I make in an RPG is always "me". He's been my favourite so far due to being that first character who did everything (he also romanced Aerie) and wanted Redemption for everyone.

Amelyssan included.

sarevok57

my favourite character is anyone who can use a two handed sword effectively, for some weird reasons, when it comes to rpg games, the two handed sword is just my weapon of choice, nothing silly like cloud's sword from ffvii but a good ol' 5-6 foot long blade to slice through your enemies, so if i play a single player game i will make a human beserker skilled with two handed swords and just dominate in melee, slicing and dicing through baddies, but even with all the mincemeating im doing my character is still a good character at heart and is a little like minsc in terms of becoming a hero, when i play pen and paper dnd, i always make a warrior type class with a two handed weapon ( sometimes even a dire mace which i think i like a little better than two handed swords) and become a hero of the land and get my own stronghold or castle and become a ruler, so having the de arnise hold really helps make that come true when i play through SoA

Blackraven

My current favorite is Ánhaga, a male Half-Elf Lorekeeper of Oghma/Mage, my intended protagonist of a novelized playthrough I've been working on in the past few weeks (without too much progress, due to time constraints). I intend to post his story on the forums as a work in progress I'll probably freely edit, starting with a Chapter 1 once completed.

deltago

Dualled cleric thieves are my favourite to play. They can be very versatile and easy to role play - for me atleast.

I completed he trilogy multiple times with slight variances to this build. The first time as a swashbuckling cleric dual wielding flails (I'll let you guess which ones) to my new 1.3 build a shadowdancer cleric of Shar.

Apocrypha

Arcane casters and thieves, really. I'll play other classes (except pure fighters--I just find hitting and nothing else boring), but honestly who doesn't love flinging around epic spells, assassinating from shadows, or even combining that with fighting for a bard?

Frond

Mine would be Sheffield Gull, the loveable, smart-mouthed, halfling Bounty Hunter. I love rogues, and a huge thank you to Beamdog for making soany hilarious responses for the new NPCs quests. He was also the leader of my IWD Tutu playthrough and I loved that he could end conversations (when you know you just entered a very hostile environment) with "I guess I'll be going now." So many good times.

"Time for a bit of a rough and tumble!"

Silverstar

Frond said:

could end conversations (when you know you just entered a very hostile environment) with "I guess I'll be going now."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oq-p0ysCF6E

Frond

@Silverstar‌

Awesome. I laughed.

OzzyBotkins

Fenton Kinkaid Male Halfling Chaotic Good Swashbuckler

Vitor

Oberon is an impetuous elf that sworn revenge to the killer of Gorion. In the beginning he was guided by Jaheira and Khalid, friends of his foster father, but he part ways from them after the events of Nashkel Mines. He grew his strength in rage and, disposed to do anything to achieve his goal, he gathered powerful allies as Edwin, Branwen, Kagain, Viconia and Coran. He murdered his brother, Sarevok, in a bloodbath battle, nailing Varscona on his chest to satiate his thirst for vengeance.

(I haven't used any Manual in BG1, because I like the idea of settled vallues of AD&D 2nd Edition. And, as you can see, he was already an outstanding talented character. I really tried to make a younger brother of Sarevok that would be at his same landing place. But I never wanted to surpass his Strength of 18/00, for example).

Without another reason to live, Oberon roamed the Sword Coast for some time, so one day he was captured by the mad mage Jon Irenicus, interested in his cursed bloodline. After escaping his captivity, he wouldn't hesitate to kill him if he had the chance, but he would not seek it as it was in the case of Sarevok. He just wanted Imoen, his beloved childhood friend back. He needed powerful allies to retrieve her from the Cowled Wizards, so he aligned with Aran Linvail. He judged that, as an older and more solid organization, the Shadow Thieves was more powerful than the new and creepier band led by Bodhi. It was not a choice based on principles.

In the midst of all this relentless pursuit for Imoen back, a feeling bloom between Oberon and Jaheira. They strengthen themselfs from their losses. He also helped his friend Nalia and became a benevolent and proud Lord of the De'Arnise Keep. With gold and power enough to face his quest, he went to Spellhold to rescue Imoen. He fell in the web of tricks of Irenicus, and was captured again just before seeing what that rascal did with Imoen. He twisted her mind so much that Oberon wanted his head on a pike. The avenger was alive again.

He had to face his inner demons to survive the nasty experiments of Irenicus. He chose to sacrifice youth to achieve knowledge. But what is the passing of time for an elf? He just got more dangerous, because he still had rage, but now he had wisdom as well (*In this momment I edited him in EE Keeper, and gave him the improvements in Wisdom and Intelligence of aging stated in the PHB).

Well... It's been a long post and you know the rest of the story (It's enough to say that he failed the test of greed in the Nine Hells, and now wields Blackrazor).

Now I'm playing Throne of Bhaal with BP Ascension installed. Oberon recruited Sarevok, because he could be a powerful weapon. He indeed made Sarevok swear a loyalty oath to ensure that he would never betray him. Oberon will never like Sarevok, because he killed Gorion. But he doesn't hate him anymore. He's not either a menace anymore, so should his services would not be required anymore, he would be free to go as he will.

atcDave

I think my all time favorite would be Diomedes, a paladin-cavalier. He stands out to me for being the first character I beat the saga with way back in the day. Of course he started unkitted in the original BG. Then he became a cavalier, started dual wielding long swords, and romanced Aerie. Good memories.

More recently my favorites have been Sarah, a half-elven neutral-good fighter/cleric. I've finished the whole EE saga with her, and dang was she awesome!
I'm also thoroughly enjoying Jenny, a neutral-good half elven (hmmm, rut maybe? nawwww...) fighter/cleric/mage. I'm late in BGEE with her now. Fun character with a full party; she's behind in levels but versatile. Its just a whole different balance than some of my other favorites.

Honorable mention goes to a husband/wife team of paladins I played. Amyntor and Brademante. No kits. Only score bonuses as rolled were a 17 constitution for him and a 16 dexterity for her. Now THAT was a challenge!

GemHound

I think my all time favorite hmmm, my first assassin, It's been about 4 or 5 years now though so I don't remember his name, wait I think he is on the Bioware forums.

http://forum.bioware.com/topic/124374-baldurs-gate-1-no-reload-challenge/page-195?hl=+gem++hound#entry7678332

That page has him killing Sarevok though.

Edit: His name was Firecam. He died while escaping Ust Natha through the Drow Horde.
Edit2: Turns out it was only 2 years ago. :O

Vitor

sarevok57 said:

my favourite character is anyone who can use a two handed sword effectively, for some weird reasons, when it comes to rpg games, the two handed sword is just my weapon of choice, nothing silly like cloud's sword from ffvii but a good ol' 5-6 foot long blade to slice through your enemies, so if i play a single player game i will make a human beserker skilled with two handed swords and just dominate in melee, slicing and dicing through baddies, but even with all the mincemeating im doing my character is still a good character at heart and is a little like minsc in terms of becoming a hero, when i play pen and paper dnd, i always make a warrior type class with a two handed weapon ( sometimes even a dire mace which i think i like a little better than two handed swords) and become a hero of the land and get my own stronghold or castle and become a ruler, so having the de arnise hold really helps make that come true when i play through SoA

Have you ever read or watched Berserk? Something tells me that you're going to love it.

LordRumfish

Well, some characters you play the game with, and some you end up writing an entire epic saga about ( http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/22604/verakas-saga-spoilers-bg-ee-only/p1 ). If you've been around the forum a while you have probably already met Veraka, but this image is a screenshot of her just before she was ready to buff up and kick in Sarevok's teeth (as jesters go, she is a bit violent and unforgiving). Something about her really clicked with me, I have always enjoyed the juxtaposition of humor and a dark or even fatalistic story combined together (have you ever seen the movie version of "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" for instance?). I shamelessly had the difficulty set to "Normal" instead of "Core" and I regret nothing, it was a blast.

I also talked about Veraka and her party in a bit more depth in this thread: http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/22442/poetic-parties-a-discussion-for-those-intense-rpers#latest

GemHound

@LordRumfish I remember Veraka from a challenge a while back.

MERLANCE

The first one has to be the most memorable. My first BG1 character was a Paladin with 18/00 strength, 10 dex, 9 con. Probably like 10 int, and Im pretty sure he had 13 wisdom and 18 charisma. So not great stats.

Of course, this is back in the days before auto rollers, or me having a complete understanding of D&D rules (though it wasnt the first D&D computer game I played, that was the Eye of the Beholder series. I had also played, ick, Descent to Undermountain). I just saw that 18/00 strength and went with it.

There is one up side to having bad con: Claw of Kazgaroth!

Anyways, beat BG1 with him, I dont quite remember my party, but Im almost positive I had Garrick (a paladin needs a bard to sing of his deeds!) and Xan (wow this guy has a moonblade! He must be special).

BG2 comes along a few months later, imported him, made him a Cavalier. Romanced Aerie. Left Jan stuck in the bowels of Spellhold to take Imoen. Dual wielded bastard swords, Jhor the Bleeder and the Searing Blade. Had Keldorn in the group, got him to throw his wife in jail (well it was the LAWFUL thing to do).

Eventually, ToB came out, didn't become a god.

Aaaaaand thats all the details I can remember about my first/favorite playthrough.

kcwise

It's been a long time and too many replays to count but in the old days I started nearly every RPG as either a paladin or a ranger if possible. My paladins were almost always named Sterling Silver, while the rangers were named Fletcher Bo.