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Favorite Joinable Ranger in the BG Series?

LadyEibhilinRhettLadyEibhilinRhett Member Posts: 1,078
edited November 2012 in Archive (General Discussion)
  1. Favorite Joinable Ranger in the BG Series?175 votes
    1. Kivan
      42.86%
    2. Minsc
      46.29%
    3. Valygar
      10.86%
«13

Comments

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    edited November 2012
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • drsahldrsahl Member Posts: 65
    Quartz said:

    I know Minsc is going to win, because this community loves him for some godawful reason...

    But Kivan. He is not only fun due to being an Elven Clint Eastwood and having an intriguing backstory, but his stats are excellent and he is, hands down, one of the best fighters in the game. Hell, you ask me, he *is* the best.

    I agree that many like him for "not the best reasons" myself included.. but I just think its about personality and what you did in your first game... I am very tainted from my first playthrough so many years back.. I still pick up edwin no matter what my combo is etc.. there is juts some people I can't miss in my setup..

    As for Minsc it makes for fun stuff irl aswell for me.. since my gf always comes to click on boo.. she loves the sound for some reason :D

    I don't really care about who is best in terms of stats etc... so well.. Kivan is fun aswell and surely a good fighter... but well.. pitched up it would still be Minsc for me.. for a "godawful reason" in your opinion most likely
  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    I take back my "godawful reason" statement. Minsc is probably the only super-popular NPC who is picked up for a good reason, now that I think about it. People like his personality.

    Imoen. Why does everyone pick her up? Good stats.
    Edwin. Why does everyone pick him up? Good abilities.
    Viconia. Why does everyone pick her up? Good stats.
    Minsc. Why does everyone pick him up? He's "funny."

    So I take back my statement. I don't understand how he's funny, but at least people pick him up 'cuz of that, instead of "lololol he is da best!!1"
  • MungriMungri Member Posts: 1,645
    I've always prefered Kivan. Never even tried having Valygar, I just kill him and take his blood (wait, Chaotic Neutrals arent allowed to do that? Hush, dont tell anyone I'm actually Neutral Evil!).
  • deltagodeltago Member Posts: 7,811
    Voted Minsc, but it is more a vote for Boo. Minsc is nothing without Boo.
  • drsahldrsahl Member Posts: 65
    Quartz said:

    I take back my "godawful reason" statement. Minsc is probably the only super-popular NPC who is picked up for a good reason, now that I think about it. People like his personality.

    Imoen. Why does everyone pick her up? Good stats.
    Edwin. Why does everyone pick him up? Good abilities.
    Viconia. Why does everyone pick her up? Good stats.
    Minsc. Why does everyone pick him up? He's "funny."

    So I take back my statement. I don't understand how he's funny, but at least people pick him up 'cuz of that, instead of "lololol he is da best!!1"

    I've never picked up someone for stats and I don't really care about class either (I really don't at first) my main concern is personality and how well they suit the party's need...

    Well I am happy to see you don't find my reason godawful then :D
  • CaptRoryCaptRory Member Posts: 1,660
    I love Minsc. And, realy it was more of a coin flip for me. But "Elf Clint Eastwood" stole the vote.
  • ARKdeEREHARKdeEREH Member Posts: 531
    edited November 2012
    Minsc and Kivan were both among my favorites when I first started to play BG1, but I think I played Minsc more. Eventually I stopped playing both of them when I went a more neutral/evil route. In BG2 I rarely use Minsc, but I do sometimes use him for inventory space in the beginning of the game. I've only ever used Valygar to get me into the Planar Sphere and usually dump him once I'm in or shortly thereafter. Other times I bypass that quest entirely simply because I don't like him very much as an NPC, yet don't really want to kill him either.

    I never play NPCs that I don't like as people. Their stats can be excellent but if I don't like their character I will not use them. If they have developed personalities that I can respect and/or find interesting I will have them in my party even if I don't like their stats. Stats are more or less irrelevant in the long-run anyway as there are plenty of items throughout both games that can enhance them.
  • sandmanCCLsandmanCCL Member Posts: 1,389
    THE POLITICAL SEASON IS OVER, STOP GIVING ME MORE POLLS TO FILL OUT

    WARGARBLE
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,316
    I like Kivan just because you can get him very early on, he's a great archer, and he doesn't have a bone to pick with anyone who potentially can join your party. Plus I've just never really been big on Valygar.
  • CaptRoryCaptRory Member Posts: 1,660
    elminster said:

    I like Kivan just because you can get him very early on, he's a great archer, and he doesn't have a bone to pick with anyone who potentially can join your party. Plus I've just never really been big on Valygar.

    Plus he has fun dialogue with Viconia. They love to antagonize eachother but I've never seen them fight.
  • MungriMungri Member Posts: 1,645
    edited November 2012
    Now, I'll have to do a Kivan, Viconia and Coran playthrough for my third game after my full evil party and solo thief / mage.

    Or more specifically, Kivan, Viconia, Coran, Neera and the new monk. That will be fun :)
  • JaxsbudgieJaxsbudgie Member Posts: 600
    Why were we allowed to vote for none when it came to the Bards and not for these guys?
    I don't like any of them! Any class that requires you to be good is an automatic no for me.
  • MungriMungri Member Posts: 1,645
    edited November 2012
    I'm just curious that if you try to accurately play a Chaotic Neutral character, are you allowed to kill just one person if it would be a benefit to you, or does that make you Neutral Evil?

    Because I always kill Valygar as I never want to have him waste a party slot in my group for the planar sphere quest.

    I tend to always play CN, but if I kill Valygar, I dont think thats meant to be allowed.

    Actually you can be Lawful Neutral and kill him because you were instructed to by the red wizards, but then it would be Chaotic to enter the sphere yourself without turning in his body / blood to the red wizards.
  • BrudeBrude Member Posts: 560
    elminster said:

    I like Kivan just because you can get him very early on, he's a great archer, and he doesn't have a bone to pick with anyone who potentially can join your party.

    Kivan really, really hates Viconia and the feeling is mutual. It's worth having them both in the same party for the banters alone.

    Gotta agree with @Quartz. Kivan is hands down the best fighter in the game. If he's not in the party, the DPS noticeably drops. In any group comp I put together, Kivan alone is responsible for upwards of 40% of the kills every time (2.5 APR and low thac0 FTW).

    I also like Valygar. First time I picked him up, I had no experience with the Stalker kit. I had a blast playing it, and Valygar alone pretty much doubled my appreciation for the ranger class. That said, I still wish Kivan was in BG2.


  • KaxonKaxon Member Posts: 156
    Quartz said:

    I take back my "godawful reason" statement. Minsc is probably the only super-popular NPC who is picked up for a good reason, now that I think about it. People like his personality.

    Imoen. Why does everyone pick her up? Good stats.
    Edwin. Why does everyone pick him up? Good abilities.
    Viconia. Why does everyone pick her up? Good stats.
    Minsc. Why does everyone pick him up? He's "funny."

    So I take back my statement. I don't understand how he's funny, but at least people pick him up 'cuz of that, instead of "lololol he is da best!!1"

    Well, I can't speak for others, but personally I take Imoen because she's basically your sister (and then in BG2 you find out that she's *actually* your sister), so it seems like pretty much any good or neutral aligned PC would want to take her. And I keep her because I like her voice set.

    Anyway, on the original topic, I love Minsc but I also like Kivan. Valgyar's personality seemed kinda boring to me but I've only used him for the planar sphere quest and never beyond that.
  • KaxonKaxon Member Posts: 156
    As for Viconia, it seems like everyone likes her because she's "OMG hawt". Personally I'm not a big fan of her.
  • PantalionPantalion Member Posts: 2,137
    Perhaps ironically I forgot that Minsc was a Ranger, I always think of his class as a Fighter/Berserker.

    For actual rangery-ness, Kivan is by far the best.
  • ShinShin Member Posts: 2,345
    I like Minsc as much as most BG players, but feel I have to give some props to Kivan due to the awesome writing of him in the BG1 NPC Project mod and the follow-up in BG2 for him, 'Kivan and Deheriana'. It makes him really feel like a friend or brother to my PC, someone who truly cares about your well being and what you're going through, and it has pretty much become the canon for me.
  • mjsmjs Member Posts: 742
    kivan, i stumbled upon him up on my first ever run, before i knew about the canon party. in this same run i also picked up minsc, but i delayed getting to dynaheir so he berserked and i never knew how good he was till i played BG2.

    then on my 2nd playthrough i went to pick up kivan again and couldn't find him for AGES
  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    edited November 2012
    Kivan currently in the lead? This forum is especially hopeful today!!
    Gotta agree with @Quartz. Kivan is hands down the best fighter in the game. If he's not in the party, the DPS noticeably drops. In any group comp I put together, Kivan alone is responsible for upwards of 40% of the kills every time (2.5 APR and low thac0 FTW).
    Yup that's been my experience too. Even with an epic front liner like Kagain, Kivan still hogs 40%+ kills. He's a killing machine!

    The only one who can possibly rival Kivan is Coran. But Kivan gets an extra 1/2 APR long, long before him; and their THAC0s are so good that Coran's slightly better THAC0 doesn't make all that much difference, I'd rather have the 3 APR thanks. :)
    elminster said:

    I like Kivan just because you can get him very early on, he's a great archer, and he doesn't have a bone to pick with anyone who potentially can join your party. Plus I've just never really been big on Valygar.

    Agreed. Kivan is super close to the start, and despite his 8 Charisma people seem to compliment him a lot and he doesn't meddle in others' affairs, with the only exception being Viconia. Thankfully, they never come to blows so it's not a problem.

    When I have a main character who I am going to dual-class, and I want to make things as painless as possible, I pick up Kivan and he single-handedly babysits my PC until I get my class back. Hahaha!

    It will actually be really interesting to see how Kivan plays in BG:EE, what with Ranger dual-wielding capabilities. I know he's primarily an archer, but he hands out some good hurt in melee too... he goes PERFECT with Drizzt's weapons, and his armor of course too so he can still stealth around. :3

    I would also like to point out that the minimum Constitution for a Ranger is 15. Kivan has a 14. They must've nerfed him because he was too damn epic. I like to say that it's a result of being tortured by Tazok.
    EDIT: I'm full of sh** there, you can have an Elven Ranger with a 14 Con it's bare minimum.
    Post edited by Quartz on
  • MungriMungri Member Posts: 1,645
    edited November 2012
    Well the thing is that Kivan is far better specified for a Ranger, Minsc is actually far better specified for a fighter. I always used to play BG2 with a mod installed that changes him into a Berserker. Its funny how he is always going on about his Berserker strength, but he is a ranger.

    Lore wise, it kind of makes sense that after he lost all his wisdom from a head injury, he should have lost his ranger powers, but still could have maintained a bond with his animal companion boo. I also strongly suspect that he became a raging berserker psychologically only after losing his ranger state of mind from his injury.

    I really would also like Kivan to be modded to an Archer, he can keep his 17 dex for balance and not becoming too overpowered state, but with his avatar he should really be an archer.
  • Permidion_StarkPermidion_Stark Member Posts: 4,861
    Kivan gets my vote. I generally take him along to listen to him and Viconia bickering. I always get the feeling they are either going to start fighting or making out but they never quite get round to doing either.
  • SenashSenash Member Posts: 405

    Imoen. Why does everyone pick her up? Good stats.
    Edwin. Why does everyone pick him up? Good abilities.
    Viconia. Why does everyone pick her up? Good stats.
    Minsc. Why does everyone pick him up? He's "funny."
    Imoen is my little sis, who needs my protection,I cant just leave him. She's also my best childhood friend.
    Edwin is hilarious! As I said in the mage poll, one of the funniest characters to have around. Love him!
    Viconia is an evil damsel in distress, not by nature, but more like because of her upbringing, and because of being shunned by society and being discriminated. But still she tries to have a normal life. You gotta respect her. (Ok, she's also hot......)
    And Minsc... Boo. Butt kicking. Righteousness. You always need something crazy. And Minsc is that crazy in the series. But I admit, kivan is badass too.
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    Kivan. Of course.

    MInsc really oughtn't have been a Ranger imho. He should be a Berserker, I feel.
  • DJKajuruDJKajuru Member Posts: 3,300
    edited November 2012
    Moody Kivan kicks ass!
  • mch202mch202 Member Posts: 1,455
    Kivan and Minsc are canon in any of my party so I just did ini mini miny moe between them
  • XaenorXaenor Member Posts: 34
    I like both Kivan and Minsc and always pick both of them, but Kivan's my favourite of the two. He's just too damn good with that bow of his.

    Valygar doesn't really stand close to these two, though. Maybe because he wasn't in the first game.
  • reedmilfamreedmilfam Member Posts: 2,808
    Minsc rocks. Kivan's a good supporter for killing, but, as a character, boh-ring!

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