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NPCs that you always take with you

RigelRigel Member Posts: 252
in Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition
Hello - since I came back playing BG one year ago, I have already done several playthroughs, and it seems that I tend to always take specific NPCs with me, whatever the class/race of my character.
Do you have as well NPCs that you will always take with you ?
For the moment, I have always played Good aligned party (without mods at the moment) and here are my must-take NPCs:

BG1

- Imoen usually I dual class her in mage if I play a thief or later when I arrive in BG
- Branwen - I love her
- Xan - in BG1 enchantment spells are strong and I love his personality
- Recently, I always take Alora when I get to BG

SoD

- Schael for the romance
- Glint

BG2

- Aerie, always
- Mazzy

Comments

  • ilduderinoilduderino Member Posts: 773
    edited February 2020
    Unless I am running a full mod party, I always take Imoen and Mazzy. It feels very wrong to leave Imoen out at any point for story reasons (I have never done it), I like her, she has good stats and she fills two possible party roles. Mazzy’s role can be covered by others, but she has good stats and is just an awesome character.

    It is also a very rare BG run where I don’t take Yeslick, great character, stats that are great with items and he covers two roles nicely. He used to be someone I took every time but you have to use another healer early hand or rush Cloakwood which is annoying. BG needed a good cleric that is recruitable early on and BG2 needed a good cleric that isn’t annoying.

    I generally don’t take Aerie if I am romanceble for her because it is essentially “I’m sorry your wings were chopped off ... whoa where did that baby come from?!” - unless you are a complete ass to her.
  • monicomonico Member Posts: 571
    I don't play much with NPCs nowadays, and I don't remember which NPCs I always took with me, but I know for sure that those I NEVER took were Khalid & Jaheira. I hated them (especially Jaheira).

    In BG2, if playing good/neutral, I often ended up with Jan Jansen, I just love his banter. The rest vary from party to party, but I like Mazzy, Valygar, Haer'Dalis and Minsc.
    I don't like Jaheira, Keldorn or Anomen (well, I don't like stubborn religious people I guess). Never liked Rasaad either, probably for the same reasons.

    If playing more evil, Korgan is hilarious, I also love Edwin (not for his spellcasting, but mainly to make fun of him when he gets transformed into Edwina).
  • Cabal82Cabal82 Member Posts: 76
    Same old story, every time: BG1: Khalid, Jaheira, Minsc, Dynaheir, Imoen. Charname: Cavalier. BG2: Jaheira, Minsc, Imoen, Aerie, Yoshimo and later Sarevok. SoD: I played it just once, but ended with same party as in BG 1, if possible.
  • ShangerooShangeroo Member Posts: 84
    For BG1: I always take Coran to get an archer and Viconia, regardless if I'm playing a good party or even a paladin. Unlike Keldorn, my inquisitor charname can overlook her drowness because of her hotness.
    For SOA: Corwin because I like having an archer in the party, Viconia
    For BG2: Mazzy - I like having an archer, Sarevok - I like having someone who can have grandmastery with the Ravager +6, I don't always take Viconia here because it depends on which romance I want to have in the playthrough.
  • DJKajuruDJKajuru Member Posts: 3,300
    BG1 - Imoen is the only "must have" for me, the other four members I decide based on romance/balance/class etc. My favorite romance os Dynaheir's from npc project ao there's usually a big chance I'll bring her along.

    BG2

    Yoshimo/Imoen/Sarevok -Because they add so much to the story.

    Characters I wouldnt/cant romance but are nice to bring :
    Jaheira - Great addition to the story+ nice sidequests.
    Nalia- She's kind of underestimated by most players, but I love her background, personality and class abilities.
    Jan-Incredible banters and interjections.


    Characters I would romance :
    Viconia - I love her but tbh I'm exploring other romances now. Nevertheless, viconia brings up nice conflicts in the story/the party/ charname's romantic life.

    Aerie- Another great romance and nice addition to the story, being Minsc's new witch and such.

  • RigelRigel Member Posts: 252
    Yeslick is great - the problem is that you get him late, and that personally I really like Branwen (By Valkur's strapping buttocks!"!").
    I usually take Coran as well, but I sometimes swap him for Alora. Coran is a killing-machine and I like his banters, but Alora is ... Alora.
    @DJKajuru I realy like Nalia as well - I take her and sometimes swap her for Imoen after Spellhold but I would like to make a playthrough with both of them. And since I take Aerie as well this would be 3 casters + PC + two fighters (Mazzy and Keldorn usually). But are Nalia and Imoen's thief skills good enough or do I need an other thief (if PC is not a thief?).
    @Shangeroo how do you manage to have Viconia in a good party (because of the reputation which increases very quickly ...?)
    @monico Yes Korgan is great but since I play good party it is a bit complicated. Same thing for Kagain in BG1 - I usually take him as my fighter until the reputation gets to 18 (ÿou buncha chumps !).
  • AyiekieAyiekie Member Posts: 975
    It's very hard for me to pass up Neera no matter what game or alignment I'm running, since she can fit any party comp and I find her delightful. Otherwise, I try to change things up playthrough to playthrough.
  • RigelRigel Member Posts: 252
    I love her accent ... ït's me raised and born in the thicket ..."

    I have never made a whole playthrough with her perhaps I will make a fighter dwarf character and have a romance with her (I think she is the only one who would accept dwarf as a mate, no ?)
  • ShangerooShangeroo Member Posts: 84
    Rigel wrote: »
    Yeslick is great - the problem is that you get him late, and that personally I really like Branwen (By Valkur's strapping buttocks!"!").
    I usually take Coran as well, but I sometimes swap him for Alora. Coran is a killing-machine and I like his banters, but Alora is ... Alora.
    @DJKajuru I realy like Nalia as well - I take her and sometimes swap her for Imoen after Spellhold but I would like to make a playthrough with both of them. And since I take Aerie as well this would be 3 casters + PC + two fighters (Mazzy and Keldorn usually). But are Nalia and Imoen's thief skills good enough or do I need an other thief (if PC is not a thief?).
    @Shangeroo how do you manage to have Viconia in a good party (because of the reputation which increases very quickly ...?)
    @monico Yes Korgan is great but since I play good party it is a bit complicated. Same thing for Kagain in BG1 - I usually take him as my fighter until the reputation gets to 18 (ÿou buncha chumps !).

    For BG1 and SOA, I would have her wear the Helm of Opposite Alignment. But prior to getting that, if my reputation gets to high, I go to that one Tavern near the Flaming Fist Headquarters where this one paladin will attack you if you have any evil party members. You can kill him to get -3 reputation, thus you should be able to maintain an 18 reputation or lower pretty easily.
  • Very_BigSwordVery_BigSword Member Posts: 222
    edited February 2020
    I mix my parties a lot because I aim for interesting banter/relationships that I have not seen before, and also trying to balance classes and alignments with my charname concept of the moment. But there are a few functionally superb characters that I struggle to pass up.

    Good: Kivan and Coran are amazing NPCs that always perform very highly
    Neutral: Xan because enchanters are really strong, cool personality/backstory/weapon
    Evil: Kagain and Edwin the uber-specialists, Shar Teel has excellent stats and versatility

    Favourite power parties:
    Kagain, Dorn, Shar-teel (dual to thief), Edwin, Xan, Fighter/Cleric charname (Dw) or
    Kagain, Dorn, Viconia, Edwin, Xan, Fighter/Thief charname (Dw) or
    Kagain, Dorn, Tiax, Edwin, Xan, Fighter/Illusionist charname (Gn)

    Baeloth is a really good substitute for Edwin or Xan also.
  • AyiekieAyiekie Member Posts: 975
    Rigel wrote: »
    I love her accent ... ït's me raised and born in the thicket ..."

    I have never made a whole playthrough with her perhaps I will make a fighter dwarf character and have a romance with her (I think she is the only one who would accept dwarf as a mate, no ?)

    Neera, Dorn, and (in SoD) Corwin, Glint and Safana are all the options for dwarf males, IIRC.
  • ZaxaresZaxares Member Posts: 1,329
    Despite my best efforts, I always wind up playing the same Bhaalspawn (Lawful Good Human Mage), and taking the same companions with me on my adventures.

    For BG1, it's Imoen, Ajantis, Branwen, Kivan and Yeslick. (I would LOVE to squeeze Alora in here too, but alas, Imoen is already my party thief and NO WAY am I dropping her. :P I would also bring Jaheira instead of Yeslick, but I can't split her from Khalid and for roleplaying/storyline reasons I won't deliberately get him killed before BG2.)

    For SoD, my party consists of Corwin, Safana, Viconia, M'Khiin (my favourite out of the new SoD companions), and the last spot goes to whoever I'm bringing along for quests. If unfilled, it goes to Rasaad (I would prefer a pure Fighter for this spot, but the only one available is Khalid, and again, there's no room for both him and Jaheira.)

    For BG2, my final roster is Imoen, Aerie, Jaheira, Viconia and Minsc/Sarevok. I'd love to bring Jan along as well (he just has the most hilarious interactions with the others), but alas, it seems that the mighty Gorion's Ward can only tolerate 5 others in his presence, no more. :P
  • Cabal82Cabal82 Member Posts: 76
    I play evil party for the first time (after all these years, played BG right on its first release). BG 1 Charname: human male swashbuckler, chaotic neutral, Shar Teel, Viconia, Edwin, Kagain, Baeloth. SoD: playing now, just started. BG 2 plan: Viconia, Korgan, Edwin, HaerDalis, Sarevok
  • RigelRigel Member Posts: 252
    I play now a neutral Necromancer who likes creepy companions ... so I have Kagain, Shar-Teel, Imoen (of course), Viconia and Baeloth. First time that I manage an almost evil party and I need to acknowledge that it is really fun. Shar-Teel is amazing, and frightening. Her voice is perfect: I love the veiled threat laced with humor in her "Really ?".
    Evil characters seem to be more intelligent on average than good ones.
    Let's check

    Elmor (PC Necromancer) Int 18
    Baeloth Int 19
    Imoen Int 17 (OK she does not count she is not evil)
    Viconia Int 16
    Kagain Int 15
    Shar-Teel Int 14

    far away from Minsc, Yeslick, Jaheira (not Khalid, he's pretty smart as well).

    @Cabal82 what is your evil party in SoD ? Which fighter can you have until you get Dorn ?
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