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A few more questions

ArbitraryNerdArbitraryNerd Member Posts: 14
in New Players (NO SPOILERS!)
Hi all,

Playing through BGT for the first time and had a few questions:

Is there a way to set specific party formation? I know of the quick selection buttons, but I don't know how to make it so my tanks are in the front of the formation as opposed to anyone else -- this is especially a pain when I want my thief to be checking for traps.

Are there any easy to get magical items to get early on? Specifically in the form of weapons? I've just cleared the mines, though I've done little else (which concerns me that I've advanced to ANOTHER chapter already...).

Is there a list of which characters that will stay with me from BG1 through 2? Or would they all because I'm using Trilogy? I doubt it, so I'd like to choose characters I can level up the entire way. I'm playing a "good" playthrough, if that helps. I'm using a couple Mod characters atm simply to help through some of the more difficult parts, but I'd like to ditch them asap (meaning I'll need a new Tank and Mage).

I feel like I'm forgetting something else... But for now that's all.

Comments

  • ryuken87ryuken87 Member Posts: 563
    Early weapons:
    Varscona long sword +2 - From Greywolf on Nashkel Mines map.
    Dagger of Venom +2 - Sold in Beregost.
    Warhammer +2 - Bassilus, map SW of Beregost.
    Short sword +2 - Zargal, same map.
    Composite Long Bow +1 - Sold in Beregost.
    Light crossbow of speed - Sold in Beregost.
  • ArbitraryNerdArbitraryNerd Member Posts: 14
    Where is Greywold on the Mines map? Inside, or somewhere outside?

    And thanks for the list, I'll work towards these today.
  • kamuizinkamuizin Member Posts: 3,704
    edited October 2012
    1° - Yes. Right click with the mouse in any of the quick party formation options, that will open a table with all the party formation kinds that the game support. Select any of the suggested formations and that one will replace the slot which you right clicked.

    You can also left hold click any character from your party (including Main Char) and drag him up or down to adjust the party position in the selected party formation.

    2° - Well, yes.

    http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/75251-baldurs-gate/faqs/2456

    This guide should help you with any doubts if you don't mind consult a walkthrough.

    3° - The official characters that are carriable AND joins your party in BG II are:

    Imoen
    Jaheira
    Minsc
    Viconia
    Edwin
    ??? - If you're new there's also another character from BG that joins the party in the Throne of Bhaal expansion, but i will let you discover it later :), he's not joinable in BG by the way.

    The following characters appears in BG II but doesn't join the party anymore

    Coran/Safana (yes, they became a couple in BG II)
    Garrick
    Ajantis
    Faldorn
    Quayle
    Xzar
    Montaron
    Tiax


    Edit: In the south part of the Naskhel mines exterior you will find Prism, agree to help him and Greywolf will appear after that, kill him and in his corpse you find the sword.
  • CaptRoryCaptRory Member Posts: 1,660
    Don't worry about hitting new chapters quickly. If you focus on only the plot-important bits you can speed through the game. Just relax and explore and you'll be good. ^^
  • ArbitraryNerdArbitraryNerd Member Posts: 14
    What level should I be when I hit Baldur's Gate? Other than a Mod character, everyone is level 2 (I think Imoen just hit 3).

    As to the mod character, I'm looking to replace him (he's level 6 but can't wear armor...). Who makes the best tank for a good character? My character is a Beserker, which I guess could work, and I have Minsc as a Ranger, but he seems excessively frail.
  • CaptRoryCaptRory Member Posts: 1,660
    Ajantis makes a good tank with the Dex Gloves. I have him setup in my game with Warhammer and Shield with Crossbows as a ranged backup, but if you get him early he can do anything.
  • DrugarDrugar Member Posts: 1,566
    @ArbitraryNerd
    Kagain or Khalid are good tanks (Kagain is an evil dwarf found in Beregost in his shop, Khalid comes with Jaheira in the Friendly Arm Inn). Slap Full Plate on them and a Large Shield (the smithy in Beregost or Nashkel has a Large Shield +1, if I recall correctly. It's pricy though) and your Armour Class should be set for a while. Kagain has 20 (!) constitution so he has a bucket of HP but terrible Dex and he's evil. Khalid has good dex, good Con but mediocre Strength so people tend to dislike him as a frontliner. Take your pick.

    After the Nashkel Mines is a good time to explore around a bit. Save Dynaheir for Minsc, explore the coastline, do the Ulcaster and Firewine ruins, then get on with the main plot. There's no set level for entering Baldur's Gate but I'm guessing you'll be level 4-5ish soon enough if you wander about a bit. Nothing threatening into Baldur's Gate once you get in there anyway, so level's not an issue. Getting there, however, is. Good luck!
  • moody_magemoody_mage Member Posts: 2,054
    I would be highly surprised if it is even possible to get into Baldur's Gate at level 2, there is a lot of tough content which would easily put you a couple of levels over that even if you only followed the basic plot line.
  • ArbitraryNerdArbitraryNerd Member Posts: 14
    It seems strange -- level 1-2 took forever, but already almost everyone has hit level 3. I went with the paladin for the tank and am bombing around looking for things. Thanks for the tips all!
  • CaptRoryCaptRory Member Posts: 1,660
    You're welcome~

    Yeah I think the problem is... you're so squishy at first level that you just have such a hard time fighting things. Once you hit level two you're a little better off and it goes quicker.
  • kamuizinkamuizin Member Posts: 3,704
    If you want to rush level at the game start, just after you finish the Friendly Inns Arm, go for the area north of it (south of the Baldur's Gate Bridge), there you will find tons of Ankeghs, they're extremly hard to kill but if you get the way to kill them, you get 964xp points per Ankegh, there are at least 10-12 ankhegs outside and 10 ankhegs inside the Ankheg cave.

    Remember also, the less party members you have, the faster you will level up, unless you want to play with Xzar and Montaron (the first NPCs besides Imoen joinable), i advice to not take them for example.
  • CaptRoryCaptRory Member Posts: 1,660
    If you get all your NPCs as soon as you can, you get to choose how they level up. Rogues don't spend their points on silly skills and you can pick where those weapon proficiencies go.
  • reedmilfamreedmilfam Member Posts: 2,808
    Ah, the squishyness of level one characters! Not fun.
  • ShinShin Member Posts: 2,344
    There's also a selection of mods that lets you level up your NPCs from scratch and assign proficiencies/skillpoints regardless of when they join you.
  • FishFish Member Posts: 38
    ArbitraryNerd said:

    It seems strange -- level 1-2 took forever, but already almost everyone has hit level 3. I went with the paladin for the tank and am bombing around looking for things. Thanks for the tips all!

    In BG1, most of the XP comes from the "screens" for every screen you enter make sure you attempt to exit on all four sides. Most of the screens won't become available until you "touch" them. Your paladin with 5 other party members should be level 5 to 7 before going into BG. Make sure you clear "all the black" off each screen. If you load the map on each screen you will see which areas you actually completely cleared.

  • kamuizinkamuizin Member Posts: 3,704
    Fish said:

    ArbitraryNerd said:

    It seems strange -- level 1-2 took forever, but already almost everyone has hit level 3. I went with the paladin for the tank and am bombing around looking for things. Thanks for the tips all!

    In BG1, most of the XP comes from the "screens" for every screen you enter make sure you attempt to exit on all four sides. Most of the screens won't become available until you "touch" them. Your paladin with 5 other party members should be level 5 to 7 before going into BG. Make sure you clear "all the black" off each screen. If you load the map on each screen you will see which areas you actually completely cleared.

    WTF!!??

  • FishFish Member Posts: 38
    @kamuizin sorry if I missed the mark on that one. I wasn't sure if @ArbitraryNerd had intended to be at low level before entering the city. It seems he may be trucking up to BG. Sorry to be an ass; trying to help.
  • kamuizinkamuizin Member Posts: 3,704
    It's not that, you don't gain xp by travel over the land or find new places, only by finishing quests and killing things, every xp point that you gain (except the extra 10% hidden) are displayed on the screen.
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    ryuken87 said:

    Early weapons:
    Varscona long sword +2 - From Greywolf on Nashkel Mines map.
    Dagger of Venom +2 - Sold in Beregost.
    Warhammer +2 - Bassilus, map SW of Beregost.
    Short sword +2 - Zargal, same map.
    Composite Long Bow +1 - Sold in Beregost.
    Light crossbow of speed - Sold in Beregost.

    There's also a +1 Two-handed Sword that's quite easy to get early on, but I don't want to give away too many spoilers...
  • FishFish Member Posts: 38
    kamuizin said:

    It's not that, you don't gain xp by travel over the land or find new places, only by finishing quests and killing things, every xp point that you gain (except the extra 10% hidden) are displayed on the screen.

    Gotcha, my sentence sucked. What I meant was you need to kill the monsters distributed across the screens and so need to go to each screen and clear them.

  • reedmilfamreedmilfam Member Posts: 2,808
    @ArbitraryNerd - You can drag characters into the order you want. Put tanks at the top, so they will be in front of most formations.
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    reedmilfam said:

    @ArbitraryNerd - You can drag characters into the order you want. Put tanks at the top, so they will be in front of most formations.

    But put the character with the best Charisma at the top when buying things from stores - bigger discounts!

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