Randomised Party Challenge

PicklePepperPiper

Heya, forum. I'm a sucker for randomised playthroughs of this game, and thought the rules I use might interest some of you who have yet to explore certain class/character combinations. If anyone would like to join me in this challenge, I'll happily maintain a Hall of Fame style list for those who complete it. It's not necessarily difficult (depends what kind of party you end up with) - certainly not Ascension/SCS/LoB/No-Reload difficult, but still fun and really encourages different play styles.

RULES

Party
All party members, and party composition, must be randomised.

This is done by first determining the size of the party (randomly generate a number between 1-6), and then determining the split between custom characters and NPCs (If I rolled a 5 previously, I then generate a number between 1-4, the ensuing number denoting number of NPCs). In the game I'm going to launch this challenge with, I rolled a 3 for party size, with the split being CHARNAME + 2 NPCs.

All custom characters are randomised by the method you see fit, though I (in the interest of being as diverse as possible with classes) like to roll for class first, race/gender second, alignment third. If using my method, generate a number between 1-59 and refer to this list:

1 – Fighter
2 – Kensai
3 – Beserker
4 – Wizard Slayer
5 – Dwarven Defender
6 – Barbarian
7 – Ranger
8 – Archer
9 – Stalker
10 – Beast Master
11 – Paladin
12 – Cavalier
13 – Undead Hunter
14 – Inquisitor
15 – Blackguard
16 – Cleric
17 – Priest of Lathander
18 – Priest of Helm
19 – Priest of Talos
20 – Priest of Tyr
21 – Druid
22 – Totemic Druid
23 – Avenger
24 – Shapeshifter
25 – Shaman
26 – Mage
27 – Abjurer
28 – Conjurer
29 – Diviner
30 – Enchanter
31 – Illusionist
32 – Invoker
33 – Necromancer
34 – Transmuter
35 – Wild Mage
36 – Sorcerer
37 – Dragon Disciple
38 – Thief
39 – Assassin
40 – Bounty Hunter
41 – Swashbuckler
42 – Shadowdancer
43 – Bard
44 – Blade
45 – Jester
46 – Skald
47 – Monk
48 – Sun Soul Monk
49 – Dark Moon Monk
50 – Fighter/Thief
51 – Fighter/Cleric
52 – Fighter/Mage
53 – Mage/Thief
54 – Cleric/Mage
55 – Cleric/Thief
56 – Fighter/Druid
57 – Cleric/Ranger
58 – Fighter/Mage/Thief
59 – Fighter/Mage/Cleric

In my playthrough, CHARNAME was rolled as 48, or a Sun Soul Monk. Rolled a female, and out of necessity have to be human and LG (though I've since updated my install to allow any race/class combo, as I'd like to graduate some of these random characters to 3.5e).

Ability scores can be done however you like, random or otherwise. (For what it's worth, my rule is indefinite rolling, but to simply limit the extent to which I can adjust the scores - cannot not increase or decrease a score by more than 3. Subsequently, a roll of 90+ might be useless if you're playing a priest and it gives you a single digit in WIS initially.) I've now since moved on to using the first roll I get without reassignment of points (though I will roll again if INT is below 9 for characters that aren't supposed to be... simple).

Skills, spells, proficiencies etc. all up to you to decide if you would like to randomise them. For now, I'm choosing, because I haven't had a lot of experience with all the classes and I don't want to gimp myself more than I have to. Went with darts and S/W/N longswords for my SS monk. Randomise appearance, voice, portrait, name etc. if you want. I'm not

After all your custom characters have been made using any randomising process you like, time to roll for NPCs. Couple of house rules:

• First, roll for NPCs for the BG1 portion. If any of the characters persist throughout SoD or SoA/ToB, you *must* retain them in your party for the whole show.
  
• If you roll someone who doesn't stay over from BG1, use that character slot to roll for an NPC introduced by SoD, and then again in BG2. (In the case of someone who is *ahem* in BG1+BG2 but not available in SoD, you'll simply use a SoD NPC as a place holder. And again, the ToB-only NPC should have a place holder throughout the SoA portion.
  
• Pairings cannot be split. If I have two slots left, and I roll Xzar, I *must* also enlist Montaron. If I have only one slot left and I roll half a pair, I have to roll again.
  
• If, and only if, a party member is "chunked" (killed beyond resurrection) you must roll again to fill their spot. If, by some awful chance, you burn through all the un-paired NPCs but have a slot left, you are permitted to randomly pick a paired NPC, so long as you (through console, or cheesy leave-inside-a-building trick) disrupt the pairing.
  

The following list is the one I use (I have omitted Wilson, as he's difficult to get to if you haven't picked up one of the EE NPCs - I also consider Imoen/Yoshimo to be linked, as the latter acts as an interim, but up to you how you want to play that):

NPCs (BGEE)

1 – Ajantis (BG1)
2 – Alora (BG1)
3 – Branwen (BG1)
4 – Coran (BG1)
5 – Dorn Il-Khan (All)
6 – Dynaheir (BG1, SD)
7 – Edwin (All)
8 – Eldoth (BG1)
9 – Faldorn (BG1)
10 – Garrick (BG1)
11 – Imoen (BG1, SoA)
12 – Jaheira (All)
13 – Kagain (BG1)
14 – Khalid (BG1, SD)
15 – Kivan (BG1)
16 – Minsc (All)
17 – Montaron (BG1)
18 – Neera (All)
19 – Quayle (BG1)
20 – Rasaad yn Bashir (All)
21 – Safana (BG1, SD)
22 – Shar-Teel (BG1)
23 – Skie (BG1)
24 – Tiax (BG1)
25 – Viconia (All)
26 – Xan (BG1)
27 – Xzar (BG1)
28 – Yeslick (BG1)
29 – Baeloth (BG1, SD)

NPCs SD

1 – Corwin
2 – Glint
3 – M’Khiin
4 – Volghiln

NPCs BG2EE

1 – Aerie
2 – Anomen
3 – Cernd
4 – Haer-Dalis
5 – Hexxat
6 – Jan
7 – Keldorn
8 – Korgan
9 – Mazzy
10 – Nalia
11 - Sarevok (ToB)
12 – Valygar
13 – Yoshimo (SoA)

My monk is in a party with Edwin and Yeslick... I won't check for SoD or SoA/ToB NPCs until I get to that bridge.

Difficulty
The standard issue for this challenge is Core Rules and Minimal Reload (reload only allowed on CHARNAME death and bugs). Feel free to adjust up or down to suit your play style - would love to see No Reloaders give this a whirl.

Mods
Standard issue would probably be vanilla - however, I highly recommend installing Item Randomiser, at least for the BGEE component. Feel free to mod away - just make sure you account for any additional NPCs, and any mods that allow you to change NPC classes/stats. This includes EE-Keeping.

HALL OF FAME

BGEE + ToSC
In progress
PicklePepperPiper, Core, Reloads Allowed
Mods: NPC Project, Happy Patch, Remove all race/class restrictions, Item Randomiser & quest packs
Tali, F Human LG, Sun Soul Monk
- Edwin
- Yeslick

SoD

BG2EE SoA

BG2EE ToB

PicklePepperPiper

Update 1
Tali is doing well - fast monk leveling and a few easy quests get her to level 3 before picking up Edwin. Dynaheir is dispatched stealthily, without engaging gnolls (or, for that matter, the ogres on the bridge). Have been relying heavily on monk stealth to get around, subsequently all points have been going there. Did quite a few quests around the place, leveling Tali to 5 and Edwin to 4 before taking on Nashkel Mines. Mulahey was taken out by a blind spell and magic missiles/ranged weapons after Tali had dealt with the minions (buffed by a potion of defense).

Cheesed the Bandit Camp a little bit - had an invisible Edwin run in with a potion of absorption, loot chest, recast invisibility and run back out. Also cheesed to get robe of evil archmagi - Baeloth carries a free set which I picked up after killing him in cold blood (Edwin's idea). Cloakwood was traversed entirely invisible (will come back to all the side quest stuff later), but the boots of speed were considered a necessity, so Edwin dropped two webs on the group outside the Mine, whilst Tali rained down necklace of missiles.

The whole of Cloakwood mines was done through stealth without engaging any enemies in battle (except a few necessary guards). Recruited Yeslick, then thought I'd bail to do some quests and get better gear before taking on Daevorn. Unfortunately, NPC Project Yeslick kicks up a stink if you don't flood the mines soon, so had to go back and cheese it up a bit more.

Brute-forced our way through the battle horror traps, and snuck the whole party around behind Daevorn and the battle horrors. First waited for some of Daevorn's buffs to expire, then used a few more charges of missiles necklace to take out a few of his mirror images and the battle horrors. Charmed his apprentice, who got off quite a few magic missiles before Daevorn cast horror on him and he ran off to meet a grisly end with a few slimes. Tali's stealth dropped at an inopportune time, allowing Daevorn to cast hold person on her, but Edwin quickly blinded him and pummeled him with MM. Yeslick finishes the job by casting command and giving the evil wizard a good whack with a war hammer.

Spent the rest of the session hopping around the world map getting good gear for Yeslick, namely the ankheg plate and gauntlets of dex. Next order of business is to attend to as many possible side quests before hitting up Baldur's Gate - though I'll stop by Sorcerous Sundries to pick up a Knock scroll.

No reloads just yet, one character death - Edwin got crit hit by a skeleton whilst on the hunt for a skull in the Melicamp quest. But it's been surprisingly smooth sailing thus far.

-PPP

PicklePepperPiper

Decided to restart this playthrough, with a couple of significant differences. Mainly because it was just a bit too easy, and despite my method of assigning ability scores I had definitely min-maxed.

So, new Tali the Sun Soul Monk, with the following ability scores (decided that I was going with the first one that had an INT score above 9 (because anything less than that, I just don't see being able to talk very well)):
STR 14
DEX 10
CON 16
INT 12
WIS 12
CHA 12

No reassignment of points at all. That DEX score is murder. Still, gauntlets of dex, right? Nope - I was also a bit tired of my meta-gaming, so installed Item Randomiser. When I went to pick up the gauntlets, they had turned into a small shield +1. Ouch.

Have basically caught up to my first game. It's taken much longer to get there, as I'm having to actually explore areas to try find good gear. Daevorn's archmagi robe has been nerfed to an adventurer's robe (cries), and no boots of speed or gauntlets of dex yet BUT I did pick up Takkon's Gift (gauntlets of 18/00 STR) in Cloakwood. So there's a silver lining!

Tali is much squishier in this iteration, so I've been avoiding melee almost entirely. Lucked out with finding wands of fire (no necklace of missiles in Nashkel carnival) so have been able to handle mobs pretty well. Burning through consumables like no tomorrow.

But far out. This is by far the more fun game. Having a blast.

P.S. Have totally abandoned the minimal reload aspect, and am save-scumming like mad.