Chosing NPC for best banter and "story experience"

Smoothgoal

Hi guys,

I'm a relatively new to the BG games. Got the EE editions just recently.

So how exactly to choose NPC for best story experience?

I'm just finished at chapter 4. Before that, I've cleared every available location so far(Durlag tower included) and I'm running with the Cannon NPCs(Jaheira, Misc, Imoen... etc). But my problem is that those NPCs are starting to annoy me for being too silent - they don't comment on anything i do beside reputation gain/loss. I literally don't remember them to talk, outside of their personal quests, more than 1-2 times in total. I like to theory craft, so i already have a max level character that I "solo" with(leave my party behind) and running on Insanity(also thinking of installing SCS to Up the difficulty). So i need a party that would contribute to my "story" somehow. The cannon party didn't contribute anything to the story for the whole chapters 2, 3 and 4(well beside that the druids attack me because of Jaheira). So i hope you understand they i'm starting to look at them more like a burden than anything else.

So what can you guys recommend, stick with the same party for the whole game and hope that they'll have a few conversations later? Or ditch 1-2 of them every time i meet a new NPC, to complete the new NPC's personal quests? Or something else?

I'm starting to think that i don't understand the NPC bantering system.

The question also applies for SOD/BG2SoA/ToB, so any help would be good here as well. Especially because there are romances in BG2.

Edit. I tried to look for an answer for this, but didn't found a answer for it. Most discussions go into "which NPC is more powerful".

Bigfish

Look up the BG NPC Project. It apparently introduces a bunch of banter, although I've never used it myself.

WarChiefZeke

Shar Teel- Has main story connections

Kivan- Has main story connections

Viconia- will be with you in all games and is one of the rare characters in BG1 who without the NPC Project (Which you should get) has banters with another NPC while in your party, specifically Kivan.

Tiax is funny.

So is Edwin.

AstroBryGuy

WarChiefZeke said:

Shar Teel- Has main story connections

Kivan- Has main story connections

Viconia- will be with you in all games and is one of the rare characters in BG1 who without the NPC Project (Which you should get) has banters with another NPC while in your party, specifically Kivan.

Many of the NPCs have "main story connections": Imoen, Montaron, Xzar, Jaheira, Khalid, Branwen, Xan, Skie also have main story connections. Even Dynaheir and MInsc do as well (did you ever wonder what Dynaheir's mission on the Sword Coast was? )

All of the NPCs have *someone* they banter with - except Imoen.

Ajantis - Xan and evil NPCs
Alora - Edwin, Garrick, Minsc
Branwen - Tiax, Shar-Teel
Coran - Safana
Dynaheir - Minsc, Edwin
Edwin - Alora
Eldoth - Shar-Teel, Xan
Faldorn - Jaheira
Garrick - Skie
Imoen - None
Jaheira - Khalid, Xzar
Kagain - Yeslick
Khalid - Xzar, Montaron
Kivan - Viconia
Minsc - Dynaheir
Montaron - Xzar, Khalid
Quayle - Tiax
Safana - Coran
Shar-Teel - Eldoth
Skie - Eldoth
Tiax - Quayle, Branwen
Viconia - Kivan
Xan - Eldoth
Xzar - Montaron
Yeslick - Kagain

So, there are groups with the most banters:
Eldoth, Skie, Xan, Shar-Teel (and Branwen or Garrick)
Quayle, Tiax, Branwen, Shar-Teel, Eldoth
Edwin, Dynaheir, Minsc, Alora
Jaheira, Khalid, Montaron, Xzar

Then there are some really good pairs:
Coran - Safana
Tiax - Quayle
Kivan - Viconia
Kagain - Yeslick

[Deleted User]

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Zaghoul

Run, don't walk, to the BG1NPC project. Hard to imagine playing without it. Other modded improved friendships are great as well. Coran, Xan, all the romances in BG1NPC inject a great deal more info as well.
Being able to click on all NPC's and ask questions is a major step up from vanilla BG.

Neera gets her butt smoked more often than not before I can evaluate her improved banter mod. Wouda been nice to have her keyed as Dorn is so she can always be picked up if desired.