I try and use only one of each as I have had rare issues with containers switching stuff within them to other NPC's with the same type of container.
If you have two IDENTICAL containers. All the contents are available to everyone who has that container. That is why some mods have a variety of gem bags, potion bags and the like. I'm glad that I've got one installed. It is part of CdTweaks: ~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #182 // Unique Containers -> Unique icons and names: v4 That mod would eliminate the problem that you are talking about @Zaghoul.
You don’t need high strength and/or multiclassing to backstab effectively in BG1. There’s an opinion floating around that you need those things to be effective, but I disgree with it.
I solo no-reloaded BG1 and SoD with a Shadowdancer recently (stupidly died in Irenicus dungeon) and she was a female halfling with 17 strength. She had no trouble landing those backstabs at any point in the game, even at lower levels or before DUHM. And there was no save scumming from my part, because no reload.
F/t or half-orc thieves are objectively better (only during the very start for half-orc, though) but they’re by no means required.
@Wise_Grimwald Huh. I've been using that one myself but I haven't updated to the newer versions of CDTweaks yet. I remember V2 and 3 having some issues so stuck with V1, but maybe that's been ironed out now. I'll have to update whenever I get round to a new installation. Thanks.
It might just be faulty memory on my part, but I definitely got the sense that backstab damage got nerfed at some point down the line, as I started noticing shockingly low damage rolls on certain backstabs, to the point where I became a lot less interested in them because the variability in damage was just so extreme.
So with that in mind, the only fighter/thief I've got running right now relies on high strength and grandmastery just to make sure the DPS is up to snuff. Of course, a big part of this build was also my realization that specializing in daggers is the most efficient use for your weapon proficiencies, giving you a 2 APR ranged option by default, plus a slew of different enchantments to choose from.
Corwin from SoD makes perfect sense as a ranger. Many people forget that rangers aren't just woodsmen. They are trackers, scouts, and protectors. Being able to track suspects in an urban environment is a fantastic skill to have, especially to detect evidence at crime scenes. Srealth is also paramount for staking out locations or following suspects undetected. The ranger skillset translates wonderfully to urban areas.
I agree, i think each npc characters class fit them very well, and i am against giving official NPCS a kit just for a gimmick. Minsc is far more unique as a berserking hamster loving, unstealthy ranger than a generic barbarian.
Valygar is fine as a stalker, since he worked in the army as a scout, and his arcane blood give him some innate magical abilities wether he likes it or not.
For some reason it seems the majority of BG players love kits for the variety, and i agree it can be a great tool in roleplaying, but too much kits is just a chore for me, and most of the time i forget their unique abilities anyway, so i am quite fine with single classed thieves and clerics for most of the time.
I agree, i think each npc characters class fit them very well, and i am against giving official NPCS a kit just for a gimmick. Minsc is far more unique as a berserking hamster loving, unstealthy ranger than a generic barbarian.
Valygar is fine as a stalker, since he worked in the army as a scout, and his arcane blood give him some innate magical abilities wether he likes it or not.
For some reason it seems the majority of BG players love kits for the variety, and i agree it can be a great tool in roleplaying, but too much kits is just a chore for me, and most of the time i forget their unique abilities anyway, so i am quite fine with single classed thieves and clerics for most of the time.
I totally agree, in fact when I create a character for BG or IWD I only add a kit of it fits the background I'm thinking of.
@ThacoBell I agree with you, Corwin is a great ranger and an excellent party member to have tactically even if I'm not a fan of her in general. Although I must admit she is beginning to grow on me, I think everything would be solved by making her Lawful Neutral instead of Lawful Good...she's too hellbent on the rules and the rules alone to be Lawful Good. Even LG makes exceptions sometimes, but LN never does.
I may have already said this, but I think Mellisan is a great villain. She's by no means on par with Irenicus or Sarevok and I won't argue that out of all the major villains in the series she is by far the worst, but that doesn't make her a BAD villain, it just stands as a testament to how good the other villains are.
I'm not counting Caelar, because I believe Hephernaan, Belhefit and Irenicus are the real villains of SOD
It would be so much more fun if all robes and armors, belts and gloves, rings and amulets and especially helmets were specificly created for a given race. Because it makes little sense that half-orcs can wear the same suit of full plate a halfling can wear. Or rather... it makes no sense at all!
So you'd have to buy one type of armor a numerous time to equip NPC's of different races accordingly - thus spending way more gold at merchants. And as we all know: inventory management is like the true goal of the IE games anyway.
It would be so much more fun if all robes and armors, belts and gloves, rings and amulets and especially helmets were specificly created for a given race. Because it makes little sense that half-orcs can wear the same suit of full plate a halfling can wear. Or rather... it makes no sense at all!
So you'd have to buy one type of armor a numerous time to equip NPC's of different races accordingly - thus spending way more gold at merchants. And as we all know: inventory management is like the true goal of the IE games anyway.
Actually I wouldn't mind that, I always enjoy shopping. Would enjoy a bit more "SIMS" in BG, different suits of armour, different designs/colours, more variety in the shops.
But not equipment drops, nothing more frustrating than finding the hard earned goodies are of no use to you.
@Wise_Grimwald By the time I've killed Firkragg, I know what my party is going to be. If I'm not a Paladin or Keldorn isn't already in my party, it's being sold.
The exception was my New Party Challenge, I kept it around just in case and low and behold, Mazzy died so Keldorn got his +6 Holy Avenger.
(The following is my own opinion and not Beamdogs - I have no power to make this change)
Carrion Summons could really be a 5th level mage spell without having any significant effect on gameplay (but it would open up their use in BGEE). They basically are similar to sword spiders but with much weaker attack (1d2 crushing as a normal weapon vs 2d6 piercing as a +1 weapon) and no immunity to web. They have a similar AC and health to phase and sword spiders (slightly better AC than phase spiders, but less health than both). They also have worse saving throws than both.
The only thing they have going for them is paralyzing enemies - which lasts 42 seconds - but they lack the hasted movement of sword spiders, the phase ability of phase spiders, the web immunity, the ability to hit enemies immune to normal weapons, and the high damage. Either way they probably shouldn't be a 6th level mage slot.
The spell actually doesn't appear in printed 2E as well. It was basically just made for BG2.
(The following is my own opinion and not Beamdogs - I have no power to make this change)
Carrion Summons could really be a 5th level mage spell without having any significant effect on gameplay (but it would open up their use in BGEE). They basically are similar to sword spiders but with much weaker attack (1d2 crushing as a normal weapon vs 2d6 piercing as a +1 weapon) and no immunity to web. They have a similar AC and health to phase and sword spiders (slightly better AC than phase spiders, but less health than both). They also have worse saving throws than both.
The only thing they have going for them is paralyzing enemies - which lasts 42 seconds - but they lack the hasted movement of sword spiders, the phase ability of phase spiders, the web immunity, the ability to hit enemies immune to normal weapons, and the high damage. Either way they probably shouldn't be a 6th level mage slot.
I think they were also don't actually appear in printed 2E as well. They were basically just made for BG2.
Agree on this.
I would also note that carrion crawlers appeared back in 1st edition AD&D back in the late 70's. I fought them back then in PnP as a wee lad. Not sure about this spell though, it may be a BG2 invention.
Comments
It is part of CdTweaks:
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #182 // Unique Containers -> Unique icons and names: v4
That mod would eliminate the problem that you are talking about @Zaghoul.
I solo no-reloaded BG1 and SoD with a Shadowdancer recently (stupidly died in Irenicus dungeon) and she was a female halfling with 17 strength. She had no trouble landing those backstabs at any point in the game, even at lower levels or before DUHM. And there was no save scumming from my part, because no reload.
F/t or half-orc thieves are objectively better (only during the very start for half-orc, though) but they’re by no means required.
So with that in mind, the only fighter/thief I've got running right now relies on high strength and grandmastery just to make sure the DPS is up to snuff. Of course, a big part of this build was also my realization that specializing in daggers is the most efficient use for your weapon proficiencies, giving you a 2 APR ranged option by default, plus a slew of different enchantments to choose from.
Valygar is fine as a stalker, since he worked in the army as a scout, and his arcane blood give him some innate magical abilities wether he likes it or not.
For some reason it seems the majority of BG players love kits for the variety, and i agree it can be a great tool in roleplaying, but too much kits is just a chore for me, and most of the time i forget their unique abilities anyway, so i am quite fine with single classed thieves and clerics for most of the time.
I agree with you, Corwin is a great ranger and an excellent party member to have tactically even if I'm not a fan of her in general. Although I must admit she is beginning to grow on me, I think everything would be solved by making her Lawful Neutral instead of Lawful Good...she's too hellbent on the rules and the rules alone to be Lawful Good. Even LG makes exceptions sometimes, but LN never does.
I may have already said this, but I think Mellisan is a great villain. She's by no means on par with Irenicus or Sarevok and I won't argue that out of all the major villains in the series she is by far the worst, but that doesn't make her a BAD villain, it just stands as a testament to how good the other villains are.
I'm not counting Caelar, because I believe Hephernaan, Belhefit and Irenicus are the real villains of SOD
So you'd have to buy one type of armor a numerous time to equip NPC's of different races accordingly - thus spending way more gold at merchants. And as we all know: inventory management is like the true goal of the IE games anyway.
Would enjoy a bit more "SIMS" in BG, different suits of armour, different designs/colours, more variety in the shops.
But not equipment drops, nothing more frustrating than finding the hard earned goodies are of no use to you.
Ahh the bittersweet tears the first time this happened to me.
By the time I've killed Firkragg, I know what my party is going to be. If I'm not a Paladin or Keldorn isn't already in my party, it's being sold.
The exception was my New Party Challenge, I kept it around just in case and low and behold, Mazzy died so Keldorn got his +6 Holy Avenger.
Carrion Summons could really be a 5th level mage spell without having any significant effect on gameplay (but it would open up their use in BGEE). They basically are similar to sword spiders but with much weaker attack (1d2 crushing as a normal weapon vs 2d6 piercing as a +1 weapon) and no immunity to web. They have a similar AC and health to phase and sword spiders (slightly better AC than phase spiders, but less health than both). They also have worse saving throws than both.
The only thing they have going for them is paralyzing enemies - which lasts 42 seconds - but they lack the hasted movement of sword spiders, the phase ability of phase spiders, the web immunity, the ability to hit enemies immune to normal weapons, and the high damage. Either way they probably shouldn't be a 6th level mage slot.
The spell actually doesn't appear in printed 2E as well. It was basically just made for BG2.
Edit: Fixed based on Aerakar's post below
I would also note that carrion crawlers appeared back in 1st edition AD&D back in the late 70's. I fought them back then in PnP as a wee lad. Not sure about this spell though, it may be a BG2 invention.