Random feedback from the first time player
baal80
Member Posts: 7
Hello!
After (finally) finishing this awesome game yesterday for the first time, here is my random and completely subjective feedback. Don't take it very seriously, however maybe someone finds it useful
1. Always go for the mage first.
2. Inventory management gets very boring very fast - on my next playthrough I will definitely provide myself with a bag of holding.
3. Quick save is your friend.
4. Go. For. The. Mage.
5. Money is pretty much useless (I think I've only bought the Dagger of Venom for Imoen during the whole playthrough).
6. Healing potions are good, other potions you can get by without.
7. Wands are useful.
8. You *will* trigger the trap on your last step.
9. Don't be shy to rest often.
10. The game can be frustrating at times - in such cases just Alt+F4 and count to ten (or nuke the mage!)
11. I don't like the music, and in general I love fantasy music themes (TES, Guild Wars, World of Warcraft)
12. I feel I have only scrubbed the surface of the game. I plan to dig deeper after playing through BG2:EE which I also bought and plan to start playing soon.
13. Seriously - GO FOR THE MAGE!
edit: clearly, I can't count
After (finally) finishing this awesome game yesterday for the first time, here is my random and completely subjective feedback. Don't take it very seriously, however maybe someone finds it useful
1. Always go for the mage first.
2. Inventory management gets very boring very fast - on my next playthrough I will definitely provide myself with a bag of holding.
3. Quick save is your friend.
4. Go. For. The. Mage.
5. Money is pretty much useless (I think I've only bought the Dagger of Venom for Imoen during the whole playthrough).
6. Healing potions are good, other potions you can get by without.
7. Wands are useful.
8. You *will* trigger the trap on your last step.
9. Don't be shy to rest often.
10. The game can be frustrating at times - in such cases just Alt+F4 and count to ten (or nuke the mage!)
11. I don't like the music, and in general I love fantasy music themes (TES, Guild Wars, World of Warcraft)
12. I feel I have only scrubbed the surface of the game. I plan to dig deeper after playing through BG2:EE which I also bought and plan to start playing soon.
13. Seriously - GO FOR THE MAGE!
edit: clearly, I can't count
Post edited by baal80 on
16
Comments
The last one has saved me dozens of times.
But if you had issues with mages in BG1 then I'm interested to see how you find BG2! Definitely either use a mage yourself or get a couple of NPC ones because you need to understand the spell system thoroughly to take on BG2 mages.
Like @decado I’m a fan of using the autopause settings.
In my playthroughs, I often find myself saving up to buy the nice mage robes and fancy arrows. Love me some fire and acid arrows.
In BGII the Robe of Venca is especially nice.
As for the music… My heart skipped a beat here! lol I adore the music.
Go for the mage first!
I fully agree with autopause - I had it configured to autopause on enemy sighted, didn't know you could have pause on trap detected, thanks for the tip!
As for BG2 mages, I've read that they are even more overpowered... look like I'm in for a treat! I definitely need to look into DnD magic system more...
And as for the music, I just couldn't get into it and I switched it off quite soon, which helped the immersion. I might've been spoiled by other games, as I mentioned - I simply love creations of Jeremy Soule!
edit: oh and btw, I played a (boring) Dwarven Defender - figured out it would be the easiest for a newbie. Still, Sarevok hit like a freaking truck and I had to kite...
Go for the Mage first!
Like that one.
Gods help me, I love inventory management. I might be a little OCD though.
On a slightly more serious note, Glad you enjoyed.
For the most part, money is pretty much just a place holder. It isn't entirely useless as there are several items worth buying. Plus it actually shows as a 'reward' of sorts, so it has value. But yeah, after a certain point, you have so much more than you need that it is just kind of crazy. Expect that to continue in BG2:EE. Although there you will find actual use for some (small portion) of it.
And by all means, go for the mage first.
A tactic that I find works well is to have your thief scout the area while hiding. Have him stand behind the mage in the enemy party and strike from behind. Really this is the best use of Backstab I have found in the game. No matter how subtle a wizard, a blade between the shoulders will cramp his style.
Rule 1. Geek the mage first.
Rule 2. GEEK THE MAGE FIRST.
Rule 3. There's no such thing as a milk run.
if you want to use physical weapons on a mage and they aren't getting through, use breach to get pass,
if you want to use spells on a mage and they aren't getting through use ruby ray of reversal,
if a mage cast any illusionary spells, cast true sight
so basically you only need 3 spells to take down any mage; breach, ruby ray, and true sight, even on my play throughs i only use breach and true sight ( my teams are usually pretty weapon heavy) there are lots of dispelling type spells in bg, but those 3 pretty much do all you need
The inventory management isn't so bad - especially with EE. You just need to get A.) the scroll case, B.) the potion bag, and C.) the gem bag. Especially the gem bag. Then you just put those 3 thingies in your leader's inventory (or if you get the boots of speed whoever has those on) and then you just blaze around and throw most of your lewts into those bags and forget all about it. But, that's because it used to be so much worse. I remember going on long trips (Cloakwood/Nashkel) where I knew I wouldn't have access to stores - and arrows/bullets used to only stack to 20! 20! That means your entire inventory was basically arrows all the way down - then you'd have to wear all those rings and necklaces and forget all about them until chapter 6 when 20 GP doesn't mean anything to you anymore lol. But on the whole I mostly don't notice it at all - couldn't really be easier (except perhaps having more slots - but that'd make it worse pry lol).
I'm one of those freaks that prefers the art style and music of BG to BG2 - I think it's only 1/2 nostalgia goggles.
This game can really trounce you sometimes, I like that - it keeps me honest. I've even found that a lot of the cheesier tactics I used as a kid aren't even as effect as taking a straight up fight with a brain that's a decade and some older lol. Try out insane difficulty if you like encountering that frustration (WHAT THAT KOBDOLD DID 22 damage to me!?).
Money is fairly useful because there's plenty of potion venders (which delay the intervals between having to nap in dungeons and make some fights easier). I never really used potions when I first started, but eventually you'll see there are a few that can totally alter encounters - especially the really hard fights. The main thing money is used for is buying some of the better armors, a few odd weapons depending on what you picked, ammo, spells, potions, scrolls, and potions again. I'm perpetually broke in all of my games because I'm OCD about buying fancy arrows and fancy potions.
Lastly, I've replayed this game 1-3 times a year since it came out. It's a little ritual I do. I find something new every time. It's pretty amazing lol.
Also I like Auto Pause - Weapon Broken/Unusable(or whatever)... Only until you get magic items, wondering why your fighter getting spanked to see him fighting with his dusters is not kool. Before EE though this was even more important for Arrows running out.... but 80 80 80 lasts a while so.....
14. Go for the Cleric second.
Casting Hold Person is fun. Getting it cast at you is not.
Full plate armor (if you want it early)
Dagger of Venom
Robe of Good/Neutral Arch Magi
Same if you want special ammo and get a lot of spells early game.
A good tip for a very different experience in BG1 is to install SCS (Sword Coast Stratagems) and go for the smarter AI components and tougher end battles. Silke is a whole new ballgame after that