I fail to understand what the attraction is to making brand new NPCs for BG2:EE when they already have credible and interesting characters in their arsenal from BG1 (all listed above).
Probably has to do with voice sets and quests. Say they added Kivan to BG2, but because of contract issues that meant he only used his BG1 audio responses and had no sidequests of his own. I think that'd be disappointing for the fans.
New NPCs make it easier to write fresh romances, interactions, and sidequests. Pretty much adding everything that everybody loved about the game the first time around.
I was torn between Eldoth, Skie and Xan. I eventually went with Eldoth because Skie is incredibly annoying and there's already plenty of arcane casters in BG2 without Xan added in.
It'd be nice to get a Bard in there (as Blades, while awesome, differ significantly in function from Bards and the other kits IMHO).
Yeslick: in BG2 there's only 3 clerics, 2 of which kinda suck at cleric stuff. Also, there's surprisingly few dwarfs/gnomes/halflings. Bg1 was much more race-wise equilibrated in this aspect.
It was a toss up between Skie (because hey, thief!) and Kivan. But I base my choice mostly on story potential. Kivan and Tazok have unfinished business, so to speak, and it would make a nice sidequest to end his vendetta once and for all. But in the end I always found Skie to have so much more story potential. Her potential inclusion would really have to contain Eldoth as well. There's a good character arc buried there, and it demands Eldoth as well as Skie. Love, betrayal, loss, character growth. The potential is all there.
I'd like a Dual-Classed Thief Shar-Teel. There is a shockingly low number of evil NPCs in BG2. Not even enough to have a full party, and there are no evil thieves at all (1 mage, 1 cleric, 2 fighters including S in ToB). Dorn is likely going to be brought forward, so that's another fighter but still no thieves at all!
Stats are not really an issue, since all the imported NPCs got stat boosts, so they could just do that. I'd quite like Eldoth too, but Shar-Teel wins overall for me (but as Dual-Classed, not a straightforward fighter).
While I love the BG1 NPCs, a lot of them are already in Amn, (even more in BG2:EE, since the new trio carries over) and it would be really strange if even more suddenly decided to migrate south. They are not birds, after all. Note that all the returning joinables are either imprisoned with you or on the run from their past (Edwin) or racism (Viconia) so it makes sense for them to be where they are. What reason would Yeslik, Alora or Kivan have to leave their homeland and travel (ever so conveniently) to the land you've been kidnapped to? That aside, meeting new people is a part of being tossed into a new place, and I enjoyed meeting and getting to know all the new guys like Yoshimo and Valygar. I believe that the Beamdog team said they have plans to add even more new NPCs to the second game, and I'll be happy to meet them and make friends (or enemies) with them too. If after a few playthroughs I decide that's not enough after all, well, that's what the mods are for.
Casting resurrection on this thread ... I may be making this up, but I vaguely remember there being rumours that Shar-Teel was planned to make an appearance in the fire giant temple in ToB? Is that an urban myth?
Xan, for sure. He was my favorite NPC in BG1, and besides that, BG2 is SEEEERIOUSLY lacking in the Non-Evil Mage Department. It's like every damn mage in that game aside from Edwin is a dual or multiclass and it seriously bugs me. It's like if I want a decent mage for my nonevil party I have to be one myself.
@Nungirl I know there is a Xan romance for BG2. I have no idea how that Mod makes him show up or where it puts him, though.
Simple. You install the mod and it puts him in the game. You can find him near the entrance to the Government district, fairly close to the Council building.
While I agree that it would be strange for some NPCs to return in the second game because they would have little to no reason to go to Amn, I can think of at least a few that would fit in Amn and it wouldn't be too weird.
1-Alora. Her sweet nature can't keep her completely out of trouble in her line of work forever. After a while, she may find herself having to skip town, especially if she lets her curiousity get the better of her and ends up messing with someone who shouldn't be messed with. Even if she doesn't get herself into trouble, the lure of a new place with new mysteries and all those new locked doors with who knows what behind them could be enough to draw her to travel.
2- Eldoth. Most bards tend to be of the traveling type, and Eldoth would fit the stereotype more than usual. We already know from his character description that he had to flee Waterdeep after his shenanigans involving Piergeiron's daughter. It's not too far of a stretch to assume his scheme with Skie will end much the same way sooner or later and he'll be forced to move elsewhere again.
3-Kivan. Kivan only went out to the area around Baldur's Gate to avenge Deheriana. His character description in BG1 clearly states he is from the forest of Shilmista, WHICH IS IN SOUTHERN AMN. He could very easily be passing through Athkatla on his way home at the time of BG2. So, not only would it make sense for him to be in Amn, by your own logic it would make no sense for him not to be.
4-Xan. His superiors could have easily sent him out on another mission to investigate disturbances in Amn. This could be a concern to him as both a Greycloak and a Moonblade wielder because said disturbances could threaten the nearby elven city of Suldanesselar. As those who hold Moonblades are supposed to be the protectors of elvenkind, we can see how this would concern Xan. We can link Suldanesselar and Evereska because Prism saw Ellesime, the queen of Suldanesselar on the outskirts of Evereska. Therefore we can conclude that Evereska and Suldanesselar likely do keep up some relations, and they are probably on good diplomatic terms if the Queen herself felt secure enough to visit.
5-Kagain. I could easily see him traveling down to Amn if he saw a chance to make some money down south.
6-Skie. She clearly wants to get away from home, even if she's really whiny once she does. Now if Eldoth's scheme falls through, chances are he's not going to drag her with him since she's no longer useful to him. But I wouldn't rule out Skie going after him like some pathetic, lovesick puppy.
7-It's possible for Yeslick to go to Amn. After all, after his clan was all but wiped out, he went all the way to Sembia to make a new life far away from all that. Unfortunately once he met Rieltar and let slip about the Cloakwood mines, where he used to live, Rieltar dragged him back there and started working on those expansionist plans. From what I understand, the few survivors of Clan Orothiar have scattered, and Cloakwood is really kind of abandoned. I don't think he'd want to stay in there alone. He'd probably want to go as far away as he could from those bad memories. Either that, or to go look for the survivors of his clan.
In fact, the only ones I can really think of who have no reason to go to Amn are Branwen and Shar-Teel. Branwen is definitely predisposed to travel, yes, but there's really no reason for her to go to Amn as opposed to anywhere else. And, honestly, she doesn't even have any strong motive for traveling anywhere in particular. She could show up there, but instead of having definite motive it would just be like hey. been travelin' around. Seen any good battles around here lately? As for Shar-Teel, I doubt she'd be going anywhere, because that would mean giving up her campaign against the Flaming Fist. There are a few others I can think of who really wouldn't have a strong reason to go to Amn, but as they actually show up there in minor cameos the point is kinda moot with them.
BG2 is in very short supply of evil characters. If you want to play an evil party, you might be tempted to use a thief, so that the general lackage of real thieves in the game is addressed. However, you can't take the evil path of following Bodhi, if you are on the quest by Roenal Bloodskalp. She has a problem with people taking the side of the thieving guild, in any case. Stupid bloodsucker, wasted the opportunity to get such a good mole into the guild.
I'd like to see either Safana or Skie (or better: both) return, so that evil parties can have some thief that can go along with them without being of the exact opposite alignment. Shar-Teel might be a decent character to return too, but if I had to choose it would be Safana and Skie.
Edit: great, just now I noticed Skie was an actual option on the poll.
Comments
I know it's impossible (for reasons I don't want to spoil for anyone). But she really captured the whole regal, dignified, mage-like quality.
New NPCs make it easier to write fresh romances, interactions, and sidequests. Pretty much adding everything that everybody loved about the game the first time around.
It'd be nice to get a Bard in there (as Blades, while awesome, differ significantly in function from Bards and the other kits IMHO).
Ok, it's just the tutorial, but you get my point XD
But in the end I always found Skie to have so much more story potential. Her potential inclusion would really have to contain Eldoth as well. There's a good character arc buried there, and it demands Eldoth as well as Skie. Love, betrayal, loss, character growth. The potential is all there.
Stats are not really an issue, since all the imported NPCs got stat boosts, so they could just do that. I'd quite like Eldoth too, but Shar-Teel wins overall for me (but as Dual-Classed, not a straightforward fighter).
That aside, meeting new people is a part of being tossed into a new place, and I enjoyed meeting and getting to know all the new guys like Yoshimo and Valygar. I believe that the Beamdog team said they have plans to add even more new NPCs to the second game, and I'll be happy to meet them and make friends (or enemies) with them too. If after a few playthroughs I decide that's not enough after all, well, that's what the mods are for.
While I agree that it would be strange for some NPCs to return in the second game because they would have little to no reason to go to Amn, I can think of at least a few that would fit in Amn and it wouldn't be too weird.
1-Alora. Her sweet nature can't keep her completely out of trouble in her line of work forever. After a while, she may find herself having to skip town, especially if she lets her curiousity get the better of her and ends up messing with someone who shouldn't be messed with. Even if she doesn't get herself into trouble, the lure of a new place with new mysteries and all those new locked doors with who knows what behind them could be enough to draw her to travel.
2- Eldoth. Most bards tend to be of the traveling type, and Eldoth would fit the stereotype more than usual. We already know from his character description that he had to flee Waterdeep after his shenanigans involving Piergeiron's daughter. It's not too far of a stretch to assume his scheme with Skie will end much the same way sooner or later and he'll be forced to move elsewhere again.
3-Kivan. Kivan only went out to the area around Baldur's Gate to avenge Deheriana. His character description in BG1 clearly states he is from the forest of Shilmista, WHICH IS IN SOUTHERN AMN. He could very easily be passing through Athkatla on his way home at the time of BG2. So, not only would it make sense for him to be in Amn, by your own logic it would make no sense for him not to be.
4-Xan. His superiors could have easily sent him out on another mission to investigate disturbances in Amn. This could be a concern to him as both a Greycloak and a Moonblade wielder because said disturbances could threaten the nearby elven city of Suldanesselar. As those who hold Moonblades are supposed to be the protectors of elvenkind, we can see how this would concern Xan. We can link Suldanesselar and Evereska because Prism saw Ellesime, the queen of Suldanesselar on the outskirts of Evereska. Therefore we can conclude that Evereska and Suldanesselar likely do keep up some relations, and they are probably on good diplomatic terms if the Queen herself felt secure enough to visit.
5-Kagain. I could easily see him traveling down to Amn if he saw a chance to make some money down south.
6-Skie. She clearly wants to get away from home, even if she's really whiny once she does. Now if Eldoth's scheme falls through, chances are he's not going to drag her with him since she's no longer useful to him. But I wouldn't rule out Skie going after him like some pathetic, lovesick puppy.
7-It's possible for Yeslick to go to Amn. After all, after his clan was all but wiped out, he went all the way to Sembia to make a new life far away from all that. Unfortunately once he met Rieltar and let slip about the Cloakwood mines, where he used to live, Rieltar dragged him back there and started working on those expansionist plans. From what I understand, the few survivors of Clan Orothiar have scattered, and Cloakwood is really kind of abandoned. I don't think he'd want to stay in there alone. He'd probably want to go as far away as he could from those bad memories. Either that, or to go look for the survivors of his clan.
In fact, the only ones I can really think of who have no reason to go to Amn are Branwen and Shar-Teel. Branwen is definitely predisposed to travel, yes, but there's really no reason for her to go to Amn as opposed to anywhere else. And, honestly, she doesn't even have any strong motive for traveling anywhere in particular. She could show up there, but instead of having definite motive it would just be like hey. been travelin' around. Seen any good battles around here lately?
As for Shar-Teel, I doubt she'd be going anywhere, because that would mean giving up her campaign against the Flaming Fist.
There are a few others I can think of who really wouldn't have a strong reason to go to Amn, but as they actually show up there in minor cameos the point is kinda moot with them.
"You monster."
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I'd like to see either Safana or Skie (or better: both) return, so that evil parties can have some thief that can go along with them without being of the exact opposite alignment.
Shar-Teel might be a decent character to return too, but if I had to choose it would be Safana and Skie.
Edit: great, just now I noticed Skie was an actual option on the poll.
8- CHARNAME - He/She could easily be kidnapped by some crazy amnish wizard and start a whole new adventure.
9- Imoen - Fun and playful as she is, any creature of darkness could steal her soul and bring it down south...
oh, wait...