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Your favorite arcane spell slinging NPC

SmilingSwordSmilingSword Member Posts: 827
edited July 2015 in General Discussion (Spoiler Warning!)
I'm at work and it's boring as HELL, so humor me, who is your favorite and why?

Add your least favorite in the comments, because reasons.

I left out Baeloth and the bards because Beamdog's ballot is baselessly bitty.
  1. Your favorite arcane spell slinging NPC39 votes
    1. Xan
        5.13%
    2. Edwin
      33.33%
    3. Imoen
      20.51%
    4. Dynaheir
        0.00%
    5. Nalia
        0.00%
    6. Xzar
        2.56%
    7. Neera
      10.26%
    8. Quayle
        2.56%
    9. Aerie
      15.38%
    10. Jan Jansen
      10.26%

Comments

  • SmilingSwordSmilingSword Member Posts: 827
    It used to be Xan, now it's Jan.
    Imoen is close second because there are so many good banter mods revolving around her. I think she has more banter than any other NPC in the NPC project and there is of course the awesomeness that is the Imoen Romance.
    But hell Jan's funnier and he wrecks Annoyamen whenever he gets a chance so he will forever be my favorite tiny extremely long winded mage.
  • DragonKingDragonKing Member Posts: 1,979
    Personality wiae its between Neera and Dynahier. Spell sling wise, none surpasses me!
  • ShinShin Member Posts: 2,344
    Instinctively Edwin, though the BG1 NPC mod manages to bring both Dynaheir (romance included) and Imoen to life in such a great way that I'd have to split it with them.
  • Brer_RabbitBrer_Rabbit Member Posts: 159
    God I wish I could have mods on my mobile BG... I'd love for Dyna to have more than a few lines to her.
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    Jan is more powerful overall, but Edwin is the better spellcaster. More importantly, Edwin's lines are funnier. It's nice to know you're giving him grief all the time.
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,317
    edited July 2015
    SmilingSword said:

    It used to be Xan, now it's Jan.

    Polls like these remind me of the time the renown turnip peddler Snorkey Needlenose was announced as a newly elected member of the town council of Gullykin.

    Few believed a gnome could ever rise to such a prestigious rank. It was after all only luck that Snorkey was present during the villages Great Transformation, an event that saw a benevolent and powerful sorcerer transform the halflings in the village into a mix of humans and gnomes.

    Of course this by itself was rather controversial. Many amongst gnomekind didn't take kindly to these new compatriots. In time most grew to accept it, though whispers regarding familial heritages continued for many years to come.

    Snorkey took up the leadership shortly thereafter. With humans and gnomes now living hand and hand the opportunities for business were endless. The village became a thriving hamlet, tucked far away from Beregost and other inhabited towns and villages, with only the shadowy figure of Durlag's Tower and the remnants of Firewine Bridge to remind visitors of the regions rich history.

    All was well at first, but deals soon turned sour. Traders became angry at the cost of doing business in the village and others were driven out by a pair of monstrous griffins. Though many gnomes still inhabit it to this day the village has never fully recovered. Even still, that didn't stop ol'Needlenose from peddling turnips well into his later years.
    Post edited by elminster on
  • SilverstarSilverstar Member Posts: 2,207
    Why isn't Elminster on the list? :confused:
  • MetallomanMetalloman Member, Moderator, Translator (NDA) Posts: 3,975
    She is versatile.

    Least favourite... Quayle. Too SMRT for me.
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    Elminster never casts any spells in the BG series.
  • SilverstarSilverstar Member Posts: 2,207
    semiticgod said:

    Elminster never casts any spells in the BG series.

    Ah. Was under the impression he fights back if attacked. Never attacked him, so wouldn't know.
  • GallowglassGallowglass Member Posts: 3,356
    Really it depends upon who else I have in my party.

    In general, however ... Imoen is in more of my parties than any other arcane caster. She's our li'l sis, and (at least in BG2) is central to a substantial part of the plot, so I usually like her for roleplaying reasons. Also, Imoen covers the essential Thief skills without needing to use up another party slot for that, yet she also cuts the mustard as a full-on primary Mage ... two key roles covered by a single NPC means that I also like her for powergaming reasons!

    As for least favourite ... I'm not sure that I have one. I quite like all of them, and I sometimes use all of them, depending upon who fits in with the rest of the party.
  • DJKajuruDJKajuru Member Posts: 3,300
    So nice and vulnerable.
  • ButtercheeseButtercheese Member Posts: 3,766
    Edwin, ultimate tsundere husbando material :B
    Baeloth, Xzar and Xan as runner ups.
    But truth be told, I love them all ~
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,317
    edited July 2015
    semiticgod said:

    Elminster never casts any spells in the BG series.

    Except his amazing ability to turn foes into chickens, summon a cow to hit someone, and obviously his ability to teleport away I believe you are correct in that he doesn't cast anything.
    :)
  • dockaboomskidockaboomski Member Posts: 440
    Here's my master list, in order of how easily I accommodate them into my party. I cannot play BG2 without Jan.
    1. Jan
    2. Quayle
    3. Xan
    4. Xzar
  • ArcalianArcalian Member Posts: 359
    Baeloth!
  • TuthTuth Member Posts: 233
    Xan was always my favourite spellcaster for his personality, background and I even like his specialisation. For his personality I prefer much more grim aspect of his voice in Polish version, as if he truly believed that our doom is inevitable. This coupled with the story of his Moonblade makes him really stand out, wielding such a powerful and unique weapon and still thinking that we all gonna die always made me wonder. Maybe he knows/sees something that we're unable to notice. Thanks to his spell school I learned to appreciate spells that not only do damage, disabling the enemies is as important, if not more than shooting fireaballs.

    The least favourite would be Edwin, though he's probably the most powerful spellcaster. Being powerful doesn't make him fun to play in the long run. He becomes quite boring after a while. His attitude can get on my nerves at times, but coupled with Alora it gets so much better. So, he's not particulary awful, just least favourite out of the spellcasters in Baldur's Gate.
  • ifupaulineifupauline Member Posts: 405
    good pure innocent girl for the win
  • NimranNimran Member Posts: 4,875
    If she wasn't my character's sister, I would download the romance mod.
  • FrozenCellsFrozenCells Member Posts: 385
    I almost picked Nalia. She's kind of a bad ass. But she doesn't glow like a moonblade.
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