Who to accompany my Cleric/Ranger in a party of 2? *spoilers*
Kneller
Member Posts: 438
I'm doing a siblings only run (Charname, Imoen, Sarevok), but I'll want to bring along some kind of thief until I get Imoen back. I'm tossed between Jan and Yoshi.
Yoshi - His biggest draw for me is that he is more integral to the plot. When his betrayal happens in Spellhold, it packs more of a punch if he's been with the party the whole time. Also, it ties up well as he leaves as Imoen enters. However, with Jan, I would basically feel obligated to drag him around until we get back to Athkatla.
Jan - His biggest draw is that I like his character. He is probably my most favorite NPC in the game. Plus, he will give me some mage power to hold me over until I get Imoen back.
Yoshi - His biggest draw for me is that he is more integral to the plot. When his betrayal happens in Spellhold, it packs more of a punch if he's been with the party the whole time. Also, it ties up well as he leaves as Imoen enters. However, with Jan, I would basically feel obligated to drag him around until we get back to Athkatla.
Jan - His biggest draw is that I like his character. He is probably my most favorite NPC in the game. Plus, he will give me some mage power to hold me over until I get Imoen back.
- Who to accompany my Cleric/Ranger in a party of 2? *spoilers*28 votes
- Jan42.86%
- Yoshimo57.14%
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Comments
It's nice to hear you eager, for once. It's not every day that a gnome finds himself in the middle of the Abyss fighting an avatar and talking to a solar, you know. I haven't done that for at least a year, now... although to be honest, the last time was only in the company of Aunt Patty and we all know what a puchover her Larry was... and it's nice to see that my tribulations in this party are recognized.
Anyway, it was during the Time of Troubles that I'd run afoul of some Banite cultists who accidentally mistook me for Bane's earthly avatar. Don't ask. Maybe they didn't have a picture I wasn't sure what to think, myself, and resolved to spend more attention towards my breath in the future. It wasn't long before I was worshipped by thousands on a regular basis. They made good stew and the constant chanting wasn't unpleasant, so I decided to play along. No one grows turnips under threat of eternal torment quite as well as a Dreadmaster, and I'll stand by that statement to this day.
Well, it wasn't long before the whole Time of Troubles thing was over and suddenly little old worshipped me found myself up in the heavenes before the Overfather, Himself. Seems they were short of death gods at the time, and it didn't seem like such a big gig, so I took him up on his offer. Plus, the dental plan was extraordinary.
Being a god isn't what you'd expect, though, Sune was all over me from day one...I hear she developed a thing for turnips about a decade ago. She just wouldn't leave me along! There were parties at all hours of the night. Lliira would get plastereed and fall into the tiny pond and eventually Torm would start a brawl with somebody. Did you know what it's like to have Helm pounding on your door at three in the morning? I could never get any sleep at all. If it wasn't one thing it was getting slapped by Umberlee or hit on by Loviatar. All night long...and in the morning, all the gods would be in a foul mood. Terrible.
I couldn't find anything good about the experience at all. No wonder Ao kicked them all out. He probably had to catch up on his housekeeping, of all things. Well, after all of that I was more than happy to let Cyric have the job, eager puppy that he was. Left it behind me for a turnip farm and a nice pension, and gladly...although I eventually traded the pension for some stock in a spelljammer trading cruiser, which was a bad decision but all us mortals arn't immune to that, of course. Lost the farm, too, in a game of checkers to Uncle Fibbert. But that turned out all right, as the turnips got a bad root that year and Uncle Fubbert died of too much intestinal gas. Poor man.
Anyhow, I hope all my experience has been of some help. Ummm... feel free to accept others opinions. Ummm... no need to stare, now. Move on, move on.
My favourite characters in BG2, Yoshimo and Jan.
What a dilemma!
Excellent humour against the Kara-Turan charm.
Maybe if you try to decide also taking abilities into consideration, the wizard part of Jan will outweight. After all, it's Athkatla and magic there rules.
In a 2 party with charname divine caster an arcane one is very useful, more summons, haste, invisibility. dispelling and debuffing and more, that against large groups of enemies and strong bosses can make the difference. I see many situations where also in an unmodded game Jan can be the key to the victory and yoshi only the problem of keeping him alive, without a shield of strong fighters a single class thief has little else from hiding to stay alive. Can be very strong soloing and in the situations where he can use at best his rogue tricks, but when i can not he has nor the HP of a fighter or the protections of a mage.
Jan's potential in the late game make possible a afterthought after rescuing Imoen about the siblings only run.
So I vote for Jan, even if in duo Yoshimo can reach a high level and it can be an interesting thing to see.
For story as well as for parting moments.
If you have Jan with you, the moment Imoene joins you, it will be extremely difficult to make the decision to drop Jan. Many will be tempted to keep Jan in party since underdark shall be a place that magic is greatly used and Imoene alone will be tougher. Many will end up retaining Jan.
A second option is to take Jan because he is better, and let him be chunked in the battle in Spellhold or on the way out. You could prolly make it work out RP wise. That way your charname never have to actually drop him from the team actively.
The RP question of what to do of Jan is real, have him chunked is not the only possible solution, he can also be dropped just before because he had some urgent turnip business in town, he don't lack resources and can easily find a way to leave the island.
Maybe it's too much but poor Yoshimo take my revenge for Saemon too
What about taking Jan, as you like his character and he covers both the classes of Imoen.
And dropping him right before leaving for S., because he can not leave the town for a long time having to attend at his turnip business, and choosing Yoshi as a temporary replacement.
Yoshi's plot saved, no one to drag until you get back in town, every problem you had in the first post solved, everybody happy.
No, the last one is NEVER possible
I really like Yoshi's vocals and feel kinda grieved that the only semi Asian NPC in the series gets such a poor sendoff. But his story as a plot element is not all that compelling.
The looming threat of Jon Irenicus which still overshadows the action is such a menace that it makes Yoshi's betrayal/doom kinda like
.... "Crommmm !!!!"......drinks potion of Giant Strength.
I am also thinking that your playthrough plan does not require abandoning Jan in Spellhold as would be the case if you were playing with a full party. Keep him until you get to the Elves. Jan would probably love it there for a few years at least. A business opportunity at least. Turnips rule!!
I've posted a fair number of polls before, but this is the first that has really been neck and neck.
Edit: Side question, I'm not the type to carrying around two suits of armor. I usually go with one thing and stick with it. Now, is it worth using leathers so I can use my stealth (but sacrifice AC), or go with the toughest armor I can get because it's just me and I need to be able to take a beating?
but if I chose a dwarven fighter/cleric, I would put the heaviest armor possible
*whistles and runs
On that note, what are the viable options for invisibility (as per the second level spell, not the shorter duration imp. invis. 4th level spell). All that comes to mind are:
Potions
Ring of invisibility (2 rings, 1x/day each)
Staff of the Magi (with UAI for Yoshi)
This is all that comes to mind.