NPC equipment

Rigel

How do you manage NPC equipment ? Do you do it realistically or not ?
I mean - until now, I was giving equipment to my NPC like if it was a loan - when I was reforming the party, I would strip them from it to give it to a new NPC, or sell it. Now, I am trying (trying coz it is not that easy from a gaming point of view) to be more realistic - if I have Khalid and Jaheira with nice Ankheg plates and I decide that they need to quit my party, I won't take their equipment and leave them with it.
Same thing at the end of BG. After the separation with my companions, I just keep my own equipment and do not take what would be good to give to my new NPS (for example the hands of brawling that would fit to Schael - if Branwen or Ajantis had them he keeps them).
This makes the game a bit different but pretty interesting - for me all the equipment management is a very important part of the game and I try to do it "realistically".

monico

Easy: I don't take NPCs

ThacoBell

I always leave npcs with equipment when they leave the party. I think of it as severance pay. I do keep unique magic items, but I usually leave them with some generic magical equipment.

Very_BigSword

This is an interesting point where SOD is in the mix. If you had an NPC in the party in BG and they also appear in SOD, they will have the equipment that you left them with when removing from party. Naked level 2 Khalid does not do very well in the bridge battle!

I'll usually drop NPCs with a decent armor eg splint or better for a warrior, a basic melee weapon and missile weapon with token ammo. Unless I know absolutely for sure I will not encounter them again.

Zaxares

In BG1 I tended to strip my party members of the choicest magic items, due to the higher dearth of magical items in that game. In SoD onwards, however, I used to "collect" party members, equip them with magical gear that my current party couldn't make use of, then drop the party member back at "base camp". This was how Anomen wound up wielding the Defender of Easthaven, the Limited Wish Full Plate +2 etc. etc. even though I never brought him with me aside from doing his Knighthood quests. :P

murmandamus

Funny. I thought bout it several minutes go and planned making thread about it and then i noticed it is alredy on board.

Never before gave it thought but now it is quite wierd to give certain equipment to npc and then take it baack when kicking out of party when we find more suitable companion. As equipment cost it is logical that they would be against stripping them and giving inferior equipment for goodbye or even leving them with nothing. The evil individuls and especilly Kagain would rect direct hostile to it. I wolnder if i should try to keep them given equipment or give them at least equally good one. Also Before leving i think they should take their part - ( ie 1/6) of gold if traveled for some time and at least certain amount if for short time. I need to think bout making this my home rule this playthrough.