Roleplay-oriented players: Full saga run and canon party

Nihilus

Do you feel compelled to at least spend some time with the canon party members (Imoen, Jaheira, Khalid, Minsc & Dynaheir) in the first game so that the beginning of the second game makes sense?

Trianglehead

For me, personally, Jaheira, Khalid, Minsc, and Dynaheir died during the course of the first game. When I continued into the second game, I avoided taking any of the already dead characters to keep the narrative that I was weaving coherent, and that included Minsc and Jaheira in those cells. Even though I the player could see them, my shapeshifter could not see them because they had died months before in Nashkel.

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TheGraveDigger

What about the EE ones? Rasaad is a real stinker in BG1, and Neera is just damn annoying! But... I try to use and abuse everyone a little bit, then ditch them when it feels right.

I'm sick of Imoen, so I march her right back to Candlekeep and leave her at the gate... the other "canon" characters don't stay around much longer.

Nimran

Occasionally, yes. Mostly not, though.

abacus

Depends on my alignment. If Charname is good, then I really struggle to pick anyone else.

Although I usually keeper them into other classes...
Minsc becomes a Barbarian, Dynahier a Sorceress, and Khalid becomes either a Bard, a Fighter/Mage or a Fighter/Cleric (depending on balance).
And if Charname is a tanky class, the Jaheira might become a straight Druid.

So I take some liberties.

SharGuidesMyHand

I voted for "other" because, although I feel compelled to spend time with the so-called "canon" party members, it's not because of their connection to BG2 - it's because of their connection to BG1 itself. Jaheira and Khalid were friends of Gorion and it was his wish that you reach out to them, while Minsc and Dynaheir are associated with one of the most noteworthy subquests of the game. Typically, they will all spend some measure of time in my party during the early stages of my playthrough, but they almost always get replaced by the more efficient NPCs that I meet along the way (although if Minsc gets killed at some point, I will sometimes keep Dynaheir all the way through the rest of the game).

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Alexisisinneed

It's very rare for me not to take Imoen and Jaheira. I take Jaheira for her druid spells and main healer as Vicky or Aerie will cover the other divine spectrum. Then I take Imoen because Imoen. But now I feel really obligated to take Neera because she just seems to cheer up my pc who down because of all the torture and foster father dying and stuff.

DJKajuru

In case I haven't picked Dynaheir in BG1, then I would just ctrl+y minsc in BG2, and pretend he is just some random dead guy.

Imoen is forever - her participation in the story is too strong to leave her behind.

Jaheira is forever, also . Her subquests are too interesting to pass up.

Darigaaz87

I always played the game with the canon party, not only for RP , but also because I like them a lot. I also play with the pre-built character Aidan, because for me he is the true hero of the story (at least for a good party).

The real problem comes when I want to play a neutral/evil oriented character, since I would totally skip those NPCs (apart from Imoen) and go questing with others, but since I end up starting BG2:EE with the same group, i feel uncomfortable to play a different party. Someone should do something about this.

shawne

Not really - when I RP Evil characters, I do have that introductory conversation with Jaheira and Khalid at the FAI, and Minsc at Nashkel, so I can at least say "we've met" without committing to the idea that they were ever actually in my party (and really, Irenicus has been messing with everyone's minds anyway by that point, so I don't take what anyone says at face value). I use Jaheira and Minsc to bust out of the Chateau, dump them at the Copper Coronet, and that's that.

kcwise

When I originally played BG I almost never deviated from the canon party. I grew attached to the characters I met along the way, and I just happened to run into the canon party the first time before meeting anyone else. From a storyline perspective (particularly since I like playing good characters) it didn't make sense to ever abandon Imoen. Khalid and Jaheira were like extended family. Minsc and Dynaheir were not necessarily as hard to send on their way, but Minsc and Boo were just too fun to leave behind.

Since picking up BG:EE I've branched out quite a bit more, trying various character combinations, and even (gasp!) playing a few evil characters. Still, in good play throughs I try to leave Imoen with some good equipment and a few gems at the Friendly Arm Inn to be looked after by Khalid and Jaheira. I also usually try to leave some spots free to reunite Dynaheir and Minsc before sending them off on their own adventures. It wouldn't be right to leave old friends alone on the Sword Coast!

shawne

For inter-game continuity, an all-female group can also get by with minimal turnover: you do BG1 with Jaheira, Imoen, Viconia, Neera and Dynaheir; Dynaheir dies at the start of BG2; then you get the gang back together, with Aerie (or Mazzy) as the new fifth.

spacejaws

It all depends on which character Im roleplaying. If I'm playing a good character who could be considered canon (a human fighter/ranger/paladin) then im more inclined to go for the canon party and generally play the game canon without power playing etc (heading for objectives, not going to areas without good reason.)

demented

Yes and no. I've never played with the cannon party and don't think I ever will. Minsc and Dynaheir are just far too annoying for my taste. Jaheria, however, is one of my favorite BG NPCs so I'll often take her along.

I would be pretty ambivalent about Imoen if it wasn't for the fact they shoe-horn her into BG2. When you're playing a good aligned character it's difficult to realistically RP a way of leaving her in some gods forsaken dungeon.

bob_veng

i don't like thinking about canon this and canon that as i feel that it was up to the developers to properly connect the two games, not me. i just view them as separate games. i never import characters either. i only played BGT several times.

JuliusBorisov

I think that any player has his own "canon" party. It shouldn't be Imoen, Jaheira, Khalid, Minsc & Dynaheir in every case - for each of us due to one reason or another the very first party was different.

Personally, I *would spend at least some time with the "canon" party members in the first game, but I think that it's not obligatory. For e.g., if you think Xzar and Montaron are your canon party members instead of J&K, then go for it! You meet them at the very first location, even before coming to the FAI.

DJKajuru

I agree with @bengoshi , we should play BG1 with any party that suits us.

Life is not fair, though. So I would add that , even though you may love your xzar-montaron-kivan-kagain-Xan party , they are going to leave you at the end of the game and pursue their own quests, and you're gonna have to find new allies to help you rescue Imoen from the claws of a certain archmage.

Caradoc

Depends.

In bg1 usually solve the nashkel mine quest with Jaheira, Imoen and Khalid. It kind of makes sense to solve the mystery together. Sometime after that, likely after freeing Dynaheir and doing few other good deeds, me and imoen will continue our journey and leave rest of the gang in Berengost.

After all Jaheira has some harper business to take care of and Minsc must also continue his own quest with Dynaheir. So it makes sense to seek new allies.

So when i'm playing a good alligned character, Imoen is the only one I keep in my party all through the bgee. She is just plain awesome as a mage-thief and storywise it would be really difficult to justify leaving her behind.

As for evil parties...

I usually keep her in party untill i find a more suitable thief and that happens quite soon :P. Then its bye bye for good old Imoen.

Oudyn

I go full canon party if good.
If evil it's normally, Jaheira and Khalid are kept until Viconia joins. She and Jaheira have a falling out. (desperation causes them to rejoin in BG2) Minsc is betrayed in favor of Edwin (Somehow does not remember it... he was drugged. Easy to mistake two sarcastic mages). Imoen is dumped somewhere safe. She ends up being captured too... How convenient! A pawn that trusts me. What a foolish girl.

artificial_sunlight

If I play good, Yes. Neutral or evil no.