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Recommend/evaluate me mods!

BrutaleBentBrutaleBent Member Posts: 36
Hey mates

Got to play some of Siege of Dragonspear during the summer holiday, and found it very fun - so I ended up buying the BG series.

Played the series ages ago when they were released, unmodded - as a CG human fighter, with a 2h sword, bonking people on the noggin til they died, core difficulty, without that much thinking on spells. Was a great game still.

As a sidenote; I remember I somehow also ended up screwing up my Aerie romance and for some reason got Viconia in BG2:ToB - which in the end was very satisfactory too.

I've in my later years since playing it, become aware of the awesomery of spellcasting in BG/BG2 (apparently too advanced for my 17-18 year old self), and planning to make this full playthrough as a Berserker 9 or 13, then dualclass to mage.

Party setup will likely be:
CHARNAME
Imoen/Nalia
Boo and his trusty human, Minsc
Jaheira
Aerie
Viconia
(Also open to suggestions in this regard)

Anyways, on to the real topic - There's now a ton of mods available, some almost bugfree too. Seeing this is a huge maze of available mods, I'm just making this thread, for recommendations of good, thoroughly tested, (mostly) bugfree mods, and evaluation of already planned mods. Also, please let me know if you happen to know listed/suggested mods below are either bugged, conflicting, otherwise bad news or just gonna suck the fun/challenge out of the game. :)

So far, what I'm planning to install:
Tweaks Anthology v3 (Containers, PnP tables, autolearn spells, shapechanger fix, grandmastery for multiclass, true grandmastery, etc etc and some QoL changes)
Unofficial Item Pack 2.7 (some good items, missing SoD items and removal of free action ring hindering speedy boots)
Golem Construction for Spellcasters (seems like a solid addition)

The maybe list:
IWDfication (for more spells - but unsure about this one, as it seems not updated)
Ascension (Idea is very great, but on the fence, since I read it's hard to get to work properly)
The BG1 NPC Project v22.8a (For more actual interaction in BG:EE, and music pack too, but not updated recently - maybe a good thing?)
Banter Packs v15 (For BG2, from pocket plane group - but again, too likely to bug?)

Wishlist:
More spells! (Don't mind spells being somewhat OP either, as long as I'm gonna be on the receiving end too.)
More summoning spells!
Potential bugfixes not yet fixed.
Better AI from the enemy. Though, they did seem smarter in SoD than I remember in the old BG games, but might just be me.
Items, that are not too OP.
I might not know I even want somthing, so surprise me! ;)

Lastly, I hope to see some suggestions/input here and that I posted this in the right section. :)
JuliusBorisov

Comments

  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    The AI is indeed smarter in SoD than the rest of the series, SoD's AI was based on SCS. I don't use a ton a mods so I may not be the best to recommend a bunch, but whatever you install, MAKE SURE IT IS IN THE RIGHT ORDER. Install order is everything with these games.
    BrutaleBentUnderstandMouseMagic
  • lefreutlefreut Member Posts: 1,462
    edited November 2019
    ***
    Post edited by lefreut on
    BrutaleBenttbone1Gusinda
  • PaulaMigratePaulaMigrate Member Posts: 1,201
    edited August 2017
    The best new experience you can now get for the trilogy is to play it as one continuous game with installing the EET mod http://gibberlings3.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=27752.
    After that, you make your selection of mod choices from here http://gibberlings3.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=27741#entry240673.
    You get the same sophisticated enemy AI for the whole game, you can develop your PC and NPCs from Sword Coast to ToB, arrange your journey through all three parts of the game with one worldmap, one GUI, one ruleset etc, etc.
    The mods from your wishlist are supported and many others as well - even some that you do not find for the vanilla games.
    BrutaleBent
  • BrutaleBentBrutaleBent Member Posts: 36
    @ThacoBell Thanks for the heads up on the install order, hadn't even come across that, nor thought of it. :sweat:

    @lefreut I'll try your mod, and then without - see what I like best, looks good though. ;) UI is kinda "outside" install order, right?

    @PaulaMigrate Soo, after checking it out, that's probably what I'm gonna end up doing - specially if it's really newbie user friendly, as advertised. Thanks for that.
    ThacoBell
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    edited August 2017
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
    BrutaleBentArdul
  • RaduzielRaduziel Member Posts: 4,714
    @subtledoctor was quicker about the b_spells recommendation. I use it and it is awesome. Had a couple of bugs from start but @Grammarsalad is an awesome guy who fixes bugs very fast.

    Liches, vampires, this sort of thing are actually a problem in BG2EE. Maybe something from my mod gets your attention.

    Subtledoctor was humble. I think that everyone should use the sphere system from Faiths and Powers. It just adds a great flavor to the game and makes every priest unique.

    If you decide to use something from my mod, just make sure to install it after everything but mods that alter the proficiency system (what apparently you won't use).

    BrutaleBent
  • Lord_TansheronLord_Tansheron Member Posts: 4,211
    For any more experienced player, I recommend SCS, Item Revisions, and Spell Revisions. My personal sine qua non mods, but definitely not for the faint of heart. IR and SR in particular I like because many of the vanilla spells are too swingy, and many of the items too good. These mods try to bring things to a much more balanced level, both in terms of overall power and in relation to each other so you don't feel gimped for choosing something other than the two uber weapons etc.

    Oh, and, play on Legacy of Bhaal difficulty, of course.
    BrutaleBentArctodusArdul
  • PaulaMigratePaulaMigrate Member Posts: 1,201

    @ThacoBell Thanks for the heads up on the install order, hadn't even come across that, nor thought of it. :sweat:

    @lefreut I'll try your mod, and then without - see what I like best, looks good though. ;) UI is kinda "outside" install order, right?

    @PaulaMigrate Soo, after checking it out, that's probably what I'm gonna end up doing - specially if it's really newbie user friendly, as advertised. Thanks for that.

    For large installs with possibility of mod dependencies and conflicts where install order is crucial, the BWS tool has been helpful in the past. But be fast, apparently that tool is falling apart now daily before our eyes due to neglection.
    ThacoBellBrutaleBentKusel
  • BrutaleBentBrutaleBent Member Posts: 36
    Thanks for the input mates.

    @Lord_Tansheron I like it periodically hard, not continously frustrating head-to-the-wall hard. :P

    @subtledoctor @Raduziel Gonna give B_spells a shot, even if it doesn't add IWD Wizard spells yet. ;)

    @PaulaMigrate Does that mean it's as likely to screw it up as I am, if only fatfinger modding myself? :open_mouth:

    Anywyas, even though I haven't decided on EET/BWP or just doing the games, standalone and importing - I'm considering modding BG1 only a little, and BG2 somewhat heavier - Would installing mods following these rule of thumb from the SCS page, be badong?

    The Ascension mod
    The BG2 Fixpack
    Mods which change the spell or item systems
    Mods which add new quests and similar game content
    Mods which add new joinable characters
    Mods which tweak aspects of gameplay

    Which leads to:

    BG1 mods and install order:
    The BG1 NPC Project v22.8a
    Tweaks Anthology v3

    BG2 mods & install order:
    Ascension - From here.
    Banter Packs v15
    B_spells
    Unofficial Item Pack 2.7
    More Style For Mages
    Golem Construction for Spellcasters
    Tweaks Anthology v3
    SCS
    LeUI

    Does it look even remotely sensible?
  • PaulaMigratePaulaMigrate Member Posts: 1,201

    Thanks for the input mates.

    @Lord_Tansheron I like it periodically hard, not continously frustrating head-to-the-wall hard. :P

    @subtledoctor @Raduziel Gonna give B_spells a shot, even if it doesn't add IWD Wizard spells yet. ;)

    @PaulaMigrate Does that mean it's as likely to screw it up as I am, if only fatfinger modding myself? :open_mouth:

    Anywyas, even though I haven't decided on EET/BWP or just doing the games, standalone and importing - I'm considering modding BG1 only a little, and BG2 somewhat heavier - Would installing mods following these rule of thumb from the SCS page, be badong?

    The Ascension mod
    The BG2 Fixpack
    Mods which change the spell or item systems
    Mods which add new quests and similar game content
    Mods which add new joinable characters
    Mods which tweak aspects of gameplay

    Which leads to:

    BG1 mods and install order:
    The BG1 NPC Project v22.8a
    Tweaks Anthology v3

    BG2 mods & install order:
    Ascension - From here.
    Banter Packs v15
    B_spells
    Unofficial Item Pack 2.7
    More Style For Mages
    Golem Construction for Spellcasters
    Tweaks Anthology v3
    SCS
    LeUI

    Does it look even remotely sensible?

    Yes.
    BrutaleBentThacoBell
  • RaduzielRaduziel Member Posts: 4,714
    @BrutaleBent You can use B_Spells in BGEE too.
    BrutaleBent
  • The user and all related content has been deleted.
    BrutaleBent
  • lefreutlefreut Member Posts: 1,462
    edited November 2019
    ***
    Post edited by lefreut on
    BrutaleBent
  • BrutaleBentBrutaleBent Member Posts: 36
    Thanks for all the help/input mates - I'm ready to start my playthrough tomorrow!
  • CamDawgCamDawg Member, Developer Posts: 3,438
    edited August 2017


    The BG2 Fixpack

    Fixpack is already integrated into the EEs.

    I can't believe that Unfinished Business, Almateria's Restoration Pack, and Quest Pack haven't been mentioned yet.

    edit: And since we're talking BGEE too, BGQE.
    Post edited by CamDawg on
    RaduzielAndreaColombo
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    If that is all the mods you want to start with, I'd pass on BWS for now. Its essential for EET and other mega mods, but IMHO it makes smaller installs like what you have listed more complicated.
  • AndreaColomboAndreaColombo Member Posts: 5,524
    Wait, nobody's gonna say aTWEAKS and Rogue Rebalancing?

    Then *I'm* gonna say those. Those are great!
    ronaldo
  • The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • AndreaColomboAndreaColombo Member Posts: 5,524
    Bit of a stretch, but a case could be made for aTWEAKS's providing better A.I. (which it does, among other things) ;)
  • PaulaMigratePaulaMigrate Member Posts: 1,201
    edited August 2017
    Bugfixes are here
    https://github.com/BiGWorldProject/BiG-World-Fixpack/archive/master.zip
    This is mostly for mods that have not yet been updated to fix them inside or for older stuff that may never get fixed. Does not contain those new mods that are still very active. It also fixes some long lasting vanilla bugs that never got fixed.
    I've no idea if it is still updated these days but it still is pretty useful for bigger mod installations.
    Kusel
  • Necromanx2Necromanx2 Member Posts: 1,246
    edited August 2017
    @PaulaMigrate, in what install order place would https://github.com/BiGWorldProject/BiG-World-Fixpack/archive/master.zip go? At the end of all installs?
  • The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • PaulaMigratePaulaMigrate Member Posts: 1,201

    @PaulaMigrate, in what install order place would https://github.com/BiGWorldProject/BiG-World-Fixpack/archive/master.zip go? At the end of all installs?

    It has to be done after you have unpacked all mods in your game directory, but before you actually install any of the other mods.

    Because it doesn't patch your hand, it actually patches other mods directly.
    Exactly.
    Caution with mods that come packed as self-extracting exe files. Run them outside of the game folder first, then move the mod folder and setup.exe to the game folder, otherwise they start to install prior patching.
    Kusel
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