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Ajantis or Yeslick?

dstoltzfusdstoltzfus Member Posts: 280
in Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition
So my party is:

Thief/Mage (multi) charname
Imoen
Garrick
Branwen
Ajantis
Coran

I initially planned for Yeslick to be my main tank and I picked up Ajantis right before the bandit camp (because I figured I could use the extra muscle up front). Now that I'm in the Cloakwood Mines, I kind of don't want to give up Ajantis. His personality seems to meld well with the party and Branwen is doing a fine tanking job.

I know Yeslick is probably the smart choice, but I'm open to hear why I should keep Ajantis. Also, Branwen is staying...at least I think so...

p.s. is the game easier since the latest updates? I'm playing on core, but things seems way easier than I remember before the expansion.

Comments

  • mf2112mf2112 Member, Moderator Posts: 1,919
    I would ditch Garrick personally, ...on level 3 of the mine. :)
  • mf2112mf2112 Member, Moderator Posts: 1,919
    dstoltzfus said:

    I'm trying new combos. Garrick has been very useful actually since bard song is fixed. He's not worthless with a crossbow, he's wielding Chelsey Crusher with that nice polearm distance and using wands/scrolls. Plus good old lore bonus. Sometimes I have him play a song when my party is going through a grind :smiley:

    I know what you mean, I do play bards but Garrick is kind of a running joke here. They can be effective when used well. Back to your original question, I would keep Yeslick since I love multiclass characters and in BG1 they aren't that far behind the single classers. Fighter and Cleric are both very useful and he does both pretty well.
  • TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    Ajantis's bastard sword proficiency will make your life a whole lot easier when you face a certain shapeshifter.
  • BelfaldurnikBelfaldurnik Member Posts: 212
    edited June 2016
    It is still possible to pick up Ajantis when arriving at Friendly Arm Inn. Then he will be level 2. Branwen is a bit higher risk because of random encounters and a longer way to her.
  • JumboWheat01JumboWheat01 Member Posts: 1,028
    The main reason to keep Ajantis is because you can snag him so bloody early in the game, but since you waited for so long, you're probably better with Yeslick. Not only is he essentially a paladin, but he actually has better heals he can use more frequently, and Draw Upon Holy Might to turn his dwarven badassery into EXTREME DWARVEN BADASSERY.

    Plus he's a dwarf. Dwarf = awesome.
  • rapsam2003rapsam2003 Member Posts: 1,636
    Belfaldurnik said:

    It is still possible to pick up Ajantis when arriving at Friendly Arm Inn. Then he will be level 2. Branwen is a bit higher risk because of random encounters and a longer way to her.

    I mean, he already has both...so that's not the point...

    OT:
    Yeslick is probably the better option, really. He has "Dispel Magic" as a special. He has better heals. He has better wisdom, better constitution. Plus, Yeslick doesn't tend to be "Lawful Stupid" to the same degree that Ajantis is.
  • PK2748PK2748 Member Posts: 381
    Thief/Mage, Imoen and Coran? I'd drop Imoen and take Yeslick
  • magisenseimagisensei Member Posts: 316
    half a cent:

    There is no need for 2 clerics - keep either Yeslick or Branwen. Branwen is single class so she levels faster which means more spells; but Yeslick makes a slightly better support fighter.

  • BelfaldurnikBelfaldurnik Member Posts: 212
    rapsam2003 said:

    I mean, he already has both...so that's not the point...

    I hear you, but it doesn't change a thing. Planning ahead for Yeslick to become the main tank is meta-gaming. If doing that, the plan could have included Ajantis as the early tank and getting to know him. That would have given plenty of time to think about the party and decide on who is least important. Imoen as a plain thief perhaps? Or has she become a mage already? What is Garrick's role? Just singing during combat and casting a few spells? Or also stealing?

    Or perhaps the party is complete already and Yeslick would not add much? A frontliner trying to cast always bears the risk of being interrupted. Also, Yeslick would need the dexterity gauntlets just like Ajantis if becoming a tank.
  • dstoltzfusdstoltzfus Member Posts: 280
    I do plan my party, but it certainly isn't metagaming. It's more of a "I want to experienced certain npcs in a story" sense. I did pick Ajantis thinking in a meta sense, in that I needed some frontline muscle for the task ahead, but any reasonable charname would have done same (albeit not quite in the same cold way). It's just that Ajantis has turned a bit more useful and pleasant than I had anticipated for my group (despite his lawful good leanings, which is moot since Yeslick is the same!). I've never had a paladin as a serious role since real vanilla BG with (an eventual) fallen one through BG2, so having Ajantis may be interesting.

    Yeslick is way better on paper. I have a concern that his personality may not gel as well (I suppose it's all personal, as interaction is rare in vanilla characters) and...

    You know? Fuck it, if it bothers me so much about Ajantis and Yeslick when I planned Yeslick somewhat from the beginning, maybe Ajantis is the way to go. The difference is not game-breaking.

    @Belfaldurnik the idea of interruption for the tank is a real concern. Branwen is always a worry with her buffs (I do not pre-buff unless I intuitively scout and the situation is very obvious). I anticipate in a few levels that Ajantis might have the health pool that would take the role as well. Further, Yeslick suffers from at least 2k xp penalty at this time from everyone else, and my charname is going through the game naturally (i.e. not taking large breaks to "level" rather than take on the mission at hand).

    As for concerns about my party...I am not "meta-gaming" other than trying to experience vital npcs with a role-playing context. The final composition was merely a colorful mixture that was both the npcs that I didn't play with a lot, and those that would follow from the story and match my charname's personality. I am loving Garrick and the warrior of Tempus (although, it is too bad that she didn't get more details). Imoen is a must for story purposes, and Coran just filled things out.

    I think I will run with Ajantis, as i have less experience with the paladin class and he's grown on me. The new changes have Yeslick staying in Baldur's Gate, yes? That would make me feel somewhat better.

    @rapsam2003 I actually don't see a lot of Ajantis "stupid lawful" in my play, though it's not hard to have crazy high rep, even with fairly neutral-minded players and the lack of npc and/or interaction depth.
  • mashedtatersmashedtaters Member Posts: 2,266
    @dstoltzfus
    Good choice. Yeslick and Ajantis are both very useful.
    The cool thing about Yeslick is that he is a powerhouse utility character that can fill two roles if you want. You could easily ditch any of your characters for him and not really change you play style that much. But role-playing is just as good a reason to not allow him on board. Does Charname really want to ditch one of his long-standing companions for some ruined, captured dwarf? No matter how useful? Maybe not.
  • rapsam2003rapsam2003 Member Posts: 1,636
    edited June 2016
    dstoltzfus said:

    @rapsam2003 I actually don't see a lot of Ajantis "stupid lawful" in my play, though it's not hard to have crazy high rep, even with fairly neutral-minded players and the lack of npc and/or interaction depth.

    If you play with Ajantis and an evil character long enough (*cough* Viconia *cough*), then Ajantis will actually fight the evil character. Note: Keldorn does the same in BG2.

    In 2E, Paladins generally tended to act Lawful Stupid, and Chaotic Evil characters tended to act "Chaotic Stupid". To this day, a lot of players still treat both Lawful Good and Chaotic Evil (or even Neutral Evil) as if those alignments are a "X Stupid". Many DMs won't allow Neutral or Chaotic Evil in their games, because people just don't know how to play those two alignments.

  • GallengerGallenger Member Posts: 400
    Ajantis can make a great tank - Yeslick can be either the main cleric for a party or a front-line tank depending on your needs - he's even more fun if you yourself are already a single class (or dual) cleric. He's also LG so if you're playing a super-nice guy party and you aren't a cleric it always felt like the best fit to have him in the group. Another factor with Ajantis is that he has 17 CHA so you get the best store discounts with him as your party leader (or at least the guy who started the conversation with the vendor) - it's also possible to boost his charisma using items you'll find later in the game to even higher levels giving you even better discounts and reaction adjustments for rewards. Which could be a positive or a negative - with AJantis you'll end up in the too-much-money-garry-gibson situation a lot faster.
  • ArizaelArizael Member Posts: 263
    Ajantis has better stats and more raw-fightng power. Yeslick has cleric spellcasting and innate dispel magic, that puts inquisitors in shame. Problem is, that Yeslick does quite asks for meta gaming. I did SCS RP Yeslick run and fighting trough the mines with only five characters, lacking the shieldbearer fighter type, and than taking on Daeveron with wounded and tired party and unequiped Yeslick was one of the most frustrating experience ever.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    I never quite understood leaving a spot open in a party all the way through mid to late game. If you have a specific character in mind to fill the spot, why not have a temporary party member to avoid gimping yourself?
  • mf2112mf2112 Member, Moderator Posts: 1,919
    thedamages said:

    I never quite understood leaving a spot open in a party all the way through mid to late game. If you have a specific character in mind to fill the spot, why not have a temporary party member to avoid gimping yourself?

    More XP's to go around to the rest of the group for my usual reason. :)
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    mf2112 said:

    thedamages said:

    I never quite understood leaving a spot open in a party all the way through mid to late game. If you have a specific character in mind to fill the spot, why not have a temporary party member to avoid gimping yourself?

    More XP's to go around to the rest of the group for my usual reason. :)
    I suppose, though I always play with an ever rotating team of six and never really had a problem hitting the level caps and BG and SOA.
  • mf2112mf2112 Member, Moderator Posts: 1,919
    thedamages said:

    mf2112 said:

    thedamages said:

    I never quite understood leaving a spot open in a party all the way through mid to late game. If you have a specific character in mind to fill the spot, why not have a temporary party member to avoid gimping yourself?

    More XP's to go around to the rest of the group for my usual reason. :)
    I suppose, though I always play with an ever rotating team of six and never really had a problem hitting the level caps and BG and SOA.
    I don't always play completionist games, but when I do... :) it is always with a full party. Sometimes I go through quick and skip things though so I can short myself a bit.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    mf2112 said:

    thedamages said:

    mf2112 said:

    thedamages said:

    I never quite understood leaving a spot open in a party all the way through mid to late game. If you have a specific character in mind to fill the spot, why not have a temporary party member to avoid gimping yourself?

    More XP's to go around to the rest of the group for my usual reason. :)
    I suppose, though I always play with an ever rotating team of six and never really had a problem hitting the level caps and BG and SOA.
    I don't always play completionist games, but when I do... :) it is always with a full party. Sometimes I go through quick and skip things though so I can short myself a bit.
    I am a compulsive completionist, I can't help it :neutral:
  • JumboWheat01JumboWheat01 Member Posts: 1,028
    thedamages said:

    I never quite understood leaving a spot open in a party all the way through mid to late game. If you have a specific character in mind to fill the spot, why not have a temporary party member to avoid gimping yourself?

    Well in Yeslick's case, you'd be leaving that spare party member in the bottom of a mine you're just about to flood, unless it's an EE companion. And I don't think they'd survive that.
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