New to Neverwinter Nights (Move if in Wrong Board, Instructions Not Clear)
ZaramMaldovar
Member Posts: 2,309
Hey, I'm thinking about buying Neverwinter Nights and I'm going in Blind so I'd like some spoiler-free advice on how to play the game.
Also unfamiliar with any edition other than 2nd, so some advice on that would be nice as well.
Also unfamiliar with any edition other than 2nd, so some advice on that would be nice as well.
1
Comments
There's really no "rules" as to how to play the game. Make a character you think you'll like and jump right in.
The original campaign is... ok. Not exactly stellar but not awful. It's also completely separate from the expansion campaigns which are interconnected.
You are intended to play the OC with one character (levels 1 to about 20ish), and play through all the expansion stories consecutively with a different one (Shadows of Undrentide will take you from 1 to about 11ish, the bridge module should take you from 11ish to about 15ish, and Hordes of the Underdark should take you from 15 to somewhere around 27ish).
Arcane spellcasters will have a tougher time early on with their lower HP and limited spell allotments. Something as simple as a straight up Fighter will likely have an easier time early on. A divine spellcaster like a Cleric can be a nice middle ground if you want some magic to go along with physical combat.
The OC is super lax about where and how often you can rest safely. The expansion storyline is a bit more strict but not so much that its problematic.
The real value in NWN is that after you play the OC and the Xpac stories, there's a plethora of downloadable player made content going back years. Some of it is actually great... and some of it... isn't. There's also the player made persistent worlds (sort of like mini mmo's) that have their own rules and mechanics and settings.
-There is no party control, and the AI is very bad. There are four commands you can access by pressing "V", and I recommend putting them on your action bar.
1) Stand Your Ground - Makes the companion freeze before he runs off and aggros the entire map all at once, or walks into traps.
2) Follow - Makes the companion move along behind you without breaking off and attacking enemies two blocks or two rooms away.
3) Guard Me - Cancels either 1 or 2 above and makes the companion attack whatever is nearest to you.
4) Attack - Cancels either 1 or 2 and makes the companion attack whatever is nearest to him or her.
-Stats don't work the same way as in BG. Only even numbers provide any bonus. 12 is +1 bonus, 14 is +2 bonus, etc. One exception to the even number rule is Dexterity - most classes are going to want at least 13, because it unlocks the Dodge line of feats, which is very helpful to any character.
-Armor limits Dexterity bonus. Plate only allows a +1 bonus to AC from Dexterity, most medium armor allows +2, and only light armor allows any higher.
-You want armor class and saving throws as high as possible, not as low as possible.
-Thac0 is gone. Instead, attacks are governed by Base Attack Bonus (BAB) plus all other bonuses. You want your BAB as high as possible if you're fighting in melee.
-Spell saves are adjusted by Difficulty Class (DC). DC also governs rogue skills - for example, a trap has a DC to disarm. If you play an offensive caster, you want to take feats that get your spell DC's as high as possible, so enemies will have a hard time saving against your spells. An offensive caster also needs "metamagic" feats, for example "Empowered Spell, Maximized Spell", and other casting related feats like Spell Penetration and Improved Spell Penetration.
-The feat "Combat Casting" does nothing unless you activate a mode called "Defensive Casting". With Defensive Casting activated, you get the +4 bonus to concentration checks advertised by the feat, but it also forces a d20 roll every time you cast, which gives you a chance to roll low and fail the spell even when you're not under attack. I never bother with the feat, and instead just keep my Concentration skill maxed, which is usually enough to very rarely suffer spell interruption. I'm often surprised how many otherwise experienced players take Combat Casting on their casters and don't understand how it works. I've seen streams where they take it and then never even activate Defensive Casting.
-Archery and ranged weapons are "meh" in Neverwinter Nights. They do puny damage and require several feats to use effectively. Archery builds aren't impossible, and people do them, but don't make a ranged character expecting to dominate the game like you would in BG.
That's just a few basic tips off the top of my head.
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/188666-neverwinter-nights/faqs/51549
Just a warning since it is an FAQ it will obviously have spoilers.
I'm always happy to help where and when I can!