YOU choose my next playthrough!

Pteran

I'm currently playing through IWD EE right now and having a lot of fun. However, some of the dungeons are long and I'd like to keep playing BG during my breaks. I'm finally (probably lol) going to upgrade my BG games to 2.0+ and I'm hoping that all my mods (as few in number as they are) will continue to be compatible.

With 2.0 basically wiping everything and creating a fresh install, this is the perfect time to start a new run. But I've been playing for 15+ years, and I can't settle on a PC...I would like you guys to suggest my character and party members for me!

I'm open to all race/class combos, even "illegal" ones. Because mods are great and remove those restrictions for me Gnome Paladin, Dwarf Enchanter, Half-Orc Bard...whatever you can come up with! Also I'm not looking for a power gaming party, just something fun and entertaining. Who's gonna give me a good laugh? The intraparty banter is one of my favorite parts of the BG games, so the more the merrier!

Please make your case as to why you'd suggest that race/class combo or those party members (I have no restrictions on alignments, mixes are cool with me). My hope is that not only will I have a grand time with this forum inspired party, but that others will get ideas for their next runs too!

deltago

Might as well go as new as you can go:

for a full playthrough: (BG-SoD-SoA-ToB)
Half-orc Shaman
Dorn
Baeloth
Viconia
Edwin > Eldoth
Imoen > Skie

majority of the above characters have different types of roles in SoD and BG2. Having two half-orcs and two drow waltz around the coast destroying bounty hunters on both sides of the law seems like fun to me. I find Eldoth and Skie add a lot to the end game of BG that other NPCs don't.

comebackhome

My pick is a multi classed Fighter/mage (Elf) --> EE keepered into a Dwarven defender/mage as your main tank using either flail/axe/Warhammer + shield depending on your preference. Neutral evil alignment.

mashedtaters

I think you should be a paladin who falls to his own lust for power partway through the game (you decide when). After he becomes fallen from reputation dropping below 6 eekeeper him to a blackguard and change his alignment to evil. Then his previous good party members can turn on him (or even better, you turn on them!) and you have to get mostly new, evil party members. Perhaps you can even "bully" some of the more weak-willed personality party members (such as aerie) into sticking around anyway, having to bear your turn to evil in the hopes that one day you will repent.

But you won't. Muahahahahahahahabahahah!!!!!!!!

Pteran

@deltago Do I need SoD for the Shaman to be available? Or does that come with 2.0?

@comebackhome Couldn't I just go with a Dwarf F/M and Keeper the kit on? I played a ton of F/M in the past, but never with those weapons so that would be new for sure.

@mashedtaters That actually sounds like a really fun idea. I like the thought of my PC "turning to the dark side" so to speak. He embraces his Bhaal essence, loses his Pally abilities and gains the Blackguard kit instead. The logical point to me would probably be in Hell. As for his original kit, I'd probably start as a Cavalier. They're the ones most geared towards fighting demons and their ilk, so for him to fall and embrace the darkness seems like the ultimate blow.

I'm liking these ideas so far

semiticgoddess

@Pteran: Shaman comes with 2.0. SoD is not needed.

I would strongly recommend trying out a Shaman if you're looking for something new. It's not a conventionally powerful class from what I can tell, which may be an issue for you, but it is an excellent support character, and would be rather strong in BG1. Bear in mind that it has a mage's level progression, not a druid's, so it will gain levels slower than you might expect from a druid-type class.

comebackhome

Pteran said:

@deltago Do I need SoD for the Shaman to be available? Or does that come with 2.0?

@comebackhome Couldn't I just go with a Dwarf F/M and Keeper the kit on? I played a ton of F/M in the past, but never with those weapons so that would be new for sure.

@mashedtaters That actually sounds like a really fun idea. I like the thought of my PC "turning to the dark side" so to speak. He embraces his Bhaal essence, loses his Pally abilities and gains the Blackguard kit instead. The logical point to me would probably be in Hell. As for his original kit, I'd probably start as a Cavalier. They're the ones most geared towards fighting demons and their ilk, so for him to fall and embrace the darkness seems like the ultimate blow.

I'm liking these ideas so far

Sure, I just did it that way because it went funny sometimes.

Word of advice, use/download item revisions MOD so you can still spell cast while wearing heavy armor. Makes and amazing tank. Make sure you multiclass too.

Pteran

Ok well now I'm in a bit of a bind. I've downloaded the most up-to-date versions of the mods I want to use, and I upgraded to the latest patch. The trouble is that I'm not 100% sure on the order I should install the mods. Obviously I'm running the risk of wonky bugs popping up using this many mods, but I'd like to minimize that as much as possible.

@subtledoctor @semiticgod @bengoshi You guys seem really knowledgable, could you suggest an appropriate order for these?

BG1:

Improved Archer
Monk Overhaul
The Picture Standard (better resolution portraits for a ton of NPCs)
Cosmetic Revisions (takes out the colors from most basic gear, so it uses your character colors instead)
BG1 NPC (plus the accompanying music pack)
BG1 Unfinished Business
Tweaks Anthology
Item Revisions
Spell Revisions
Rogue Rebalancing
IWDification
Infinity Animations (as I recall this is necessary for a couple spells added by IWDification)
More Style for Mages
SCS

BG2, in addition to the above mods that are applicable:

NPC Kits
Wheels of Prophecy

If it's stable, I'd love to add Ascension too, but I'm not current on the state of the mod.

Also I'm having an issue using custom portraits. Only about half of them are showing up at character creation, and the rest I'm just flipping through blacked out portraits. They all worked just fine on v1.3, and I double checked the sizes and they aren't too large. Was there some big change to the way the game handles custom portraits that I'm not aware of?

JuliusBorisov

@Pteran I would copy the @subtledoctor 's post here: "Short answer: very very late.

Google "BWP v15" and download the very long .pdf file that demonstrates the install order for ~300 mods."

Also, you can check the WeiDU log here - https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/737561#Comment_737561

magisensei

Well if you don't mind illegal characters how about a halfling ranger (stalker)/mage. I always thought it a bit odd that other races could not be rangers - as some must live in woods and forested areas.

The halfling r/m would ride her oversized wolf or tiger patrolling the forests looking for unnatural creatures and poachers (usually humans) and as such favored enemies would include humans. With proficiencies in short bow, daggers for dual wielding, and spears/halbred/staff the halfling should be amazing. The mage spells will enhance the characters strength and protection - because as a mage you wouldn't be able to use any armor besides magical robes. Being a short race gives the bonuses to saving throws and really a halfling mage that is capable of melee, sneaking up on foes and blasting them away and then ducking around the corner to hide is always something fun to have. And as a mage you can even get a familiar to help you along. .