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Self imposed rules

PaladinsareLG9PaladinsareLG9 Member Posts: 2
I'm wondering what other players use to keep the game more interesting / challenging. I've been playing BG for (God help me) a couple of decades now but I wanted it to feel more like a PnP experience. So some of the self imposed rules I have are:

1. I play on core rules but only take random HP increases every other level. On even level ups I roll randomly and odd max. This keeps me from being overly disappointed if I get a bad roll.

2. If a companion dies but are not whacked I raise them but they are out of the game. If they have a counterpart they are also out of the game to assist in that NPC's 'recovery'.

3. 40 arrows or 60 bullets max per character. This makes me have to engage enemies close up even at low levels which is quite fun.

4. I don't swap armor around. A suit of armor fits one character only.

I've got a bunch more but want to hear from you all.
JuliusBorisovBlackravenBlackbɨrdArvialost1AerakarFenrirWolfgangerZaghoul
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Comments

  • PaladinsareLG9PaladinsareLG9 Member Posts: 2
    Yes I definitely add my own biography to suit the CHAR I'm playing, but alignment in this game unfortunately means so little. I generally start out as NG just because I've had Gorion's moral input on my upbringing but when exposed to the real world, I act accordingly.
    ConwanArviaFenrirWolfgangerZaghoul
  • RidcullyRidcully Member Posts: 164
    OCD rules: or more accurately CDO rules :)

    Scrolls can only be scribed in alphabetical order
    ArvialroumenFenrirWolfganger
  • BalladBallad Member Posts: 205
    Like someone already said, my rules depend on the Charname I am playing. Lately, I've been trying to play more in the spirit of my Charname's class and alignment. For instance, My LG Paladin Charname does not condone any stealing / pickpocketing / breaking into houses and refuses to take quests from lawless/disingenuous agents (like the thieves guild of Baldur's Gate).

    In general, I feel like most people only stay true to their alignment to the extent it benefits them. As soon as going another route would yield better rewards, they're quick to make an exception. I've definitely been guilty of this as well. It can be outright painful to forgo pickpocketing the halfling in Ulgoth's for his ring of free action or gnoll-cheesing Drizzt, but when I manage not to, there's a sense of moral satisfaction I cannot quite rationalize.
    ArviaKatzerchenFenrirWolfgangerZaghoul
  • TaylanTaylan Member Posts: 76
    edited January 2021
    I don't use any really strict rules right now (not a constantly repeating player like y'all anyway, so vanilla is still fun for me), but I hate cheesing fights or really doing any kind of unrealistic meta-gaming, with the one glaringly obvious exception of saving/loading a lot. :D

    So for instance before I installed SCS, I would try not pre-casting anything before going into battle, because "my characters couldn't have known they were about to get into battle." I pre-cast now since enemies do the same on SCS.

    No cheesing also means no abusing webs and fireballs for instance, although after having like literally a dozen unused explosive oils/potions in my potion case and 3-4 wands of fire in my inventory, I started using them much more liberally, just not via kiting and stuff. I just reached the maze at the end and still have almost a whole character's inventory full with wands... I should probably increase the game's difficulty settings further to really force me to use all that stuff. Also have tons of powerful potions left over. Same with scrolls.

    No unrealistic meta-gaming also means no constant resting, especially if my character is up to an important task. E.g. I just had to make the difficult choice of resting in the maze because the fight with the greater doppelgängers and Sarevok left me quite depleted. I justified it by thinking that Sarevok probably has to rest as well!

    Oh, I make an exception for thievery though. Imoen's gotta clear out every house she can find. She just can't help it. :P And for that I do abuse the fact that opening a "guarded" container then quickly exiting the room allows you to escape punishment even if you waltz right back in to do the same thing for the next container.
    BlackbɨrdArviaFenrirWolfgangerZaghoul
  • RhythmMachineRhythmMachine Member Posts: 12
    Wow... I'm playing again after enjoying the original version 20 years ago, but from the looks of your rules you're all a few steps ahead of me. My rule is "don't reload more than 10 times unless I die more than 10 times". So far, I'm sticking with it.

    Okay, so I sometimes stretch it to include having a lock-pick or pcik-pocket fail, too.

    Or other things.

    Other than that, I'm very strict with it.
    ArviaSkatanFenrirWolfgangerZaghoul
  • ArviaArvia Member Posts: 2,101
    Wow... I'm playing again after enjoying the original version 20 years ago, but from the looks of your rules you're all a few steps ahead of me. My rule is "don't reload more than 10 times unless I die more than 10 times". So far, I'm sticking with it.

    Okay, so I sometimes stretch it to include having a lock-pick or pcik-pocket fail, too.

    Or other things.

    Other than that, I'm very strict with it.

    Those are mostly rules of people who have been playing for ages and want extra challenges or entertainment. There's no "better" or "less valid" way to play, this is not a competition. So, enjoy the game in whichever way you see fit, and if you ever get bored with it, you can find inspiration here how to spice it up again :wink: .

    Besides, limiting reloads is already quite a challenge if you haven't played the game for 20 years.
    JuliusBorisovSelerelFenrirWolfgangerZaghoul
  • xiaoleiwenxiaoleiwen Member Posts: 186
    I have considering a playthrough with no own pre-buffing for certain battles (when you are in a place that cannot expect a battle to come) before trying SCS. But I'm not sure whether it will be more fun if I just go for SCS.
  • DyrmazDyrmaz Member Posts: 7
    edited March 2021
    I always add or remove my own rules in what matches my charname and his alignment.
    Some staple rules are:

    -no min max no power gaming. Always core difficult sometimes max HP rolls (neera for example)
    -try to roleplay as much as possible. for example when i play druids,rangers i will not fight animals.
    -no cheese no metagaming knowledge
    -roll the dice and live with it. I do switch some points in charackter creation but no 18,18,18,3,3 stats.
    I always try to make the attributes like NPCs or a real human being.

    -I view NPCs as real human beings in my rp
    -dont rotate gear and armor, why should i wear the armor of another person?
    -specific gear for specific npcs... minsc no plate armor for example.
    FenrirWolfgangerZaghoul
  • DyrmazDyrmaz Member Posts: 7
    Thank you for your input! I like to limit Mages to their special for example Xzar mains Necromancy spells, Edwin Conjuration etc.
    FenrirWolfgangerZaghoul
  • LelandGauntLelandGaunt Member Posts: 83
    Absolutely, sticking to the spellcasters' specializations as much as possible instead of just picking the best of the best can also greatly enhance the whole experience and make your mages more unique. With Edwin in BG2 that was rather easy, lots and lots of overpowered conjuration stuff all over the place, but Xzar in BG1 was really more interesting in that regard, because most of the low level necromancy spells didn't seem to be so superstrong and at times just a little more tricky to utilize. I haven't really used most of the illusion school yet, bit will do so soon with Jan...
    KatzerchenFenrirWolfganger
  • DinoDinDinoDin Member Posts: 1,567
    - Haste: after first realizing how strong that one is, I basically used it all the time. Now I see that rest-spamming after every other fight just because Aerie's feet hurt is also pretty lame.

    Love the additions to this thread. Yeah, this made me realize that I'm the same, even though I don't have a strict no-haste rule. I'll definitely burn haste scrolls and potions, but almost never memorize on mages. Mainly because it does encourage rest-spamming. And the game experience feels alot more fun without rest spamming.
  • ROLLROLLROLLROLLROLLROLL Member Posts: 21
    -No reload. Permadeath.
    -One, and only one time in the entire game, use of Raise Dead. Only at Song of the Morning Temple.
    -With CONstitution penalty -2.
    -Need to carry the body.
    -Arrows 3x20, only in the proper stack. No mule. Proper gear.
    -Rest in Inn. Or, only if "Fatigue" status. 8 hours.
    -Group leveling. Wait to level each member at the same time.
    -Average HP + CON bonus (If Cleric, I take 4 HP. If Edwin, I take 2 HP, + 2 CON bonus = 4)
    -No fast travels. Areas by areas. Avoid nothing.
    -Never memorize twice the same spell.
    -Can fail to learn scrolls.
    -If companions are archers. Then alright. But not charname.
    -No abusive roll during character creation, except more points in CHARISMA (just to unlock quests).
    For exemple, Ajantis roll is 88. And this character have this highest total of all companions. Median number is 82. So, good stats must be at maximum:

    STR: 16
    DEX: 18
    CON: 10
    INT: 14
    WISD: 16
    CHAR: 15

    total: 89
    After all, character is Bhaalspawn. No need for some random guy.

    +

    H.A.R.D.C.O.R.E R.O.L.E P.L.A.Y.I.N.G

    yes, also no ankheg, winter wolf pelt...

    FenrirWolfgangerZaghoul
  • ROLLROLLROLLROLLROLLROLL Member Posts: 21
    OF COURSE AVOID: bag of holding, gem bag, potion case, scroll case, ammo belt...

    But those stupid things only appears in Enhanced Edition.
  • ROLLROLLROLLROLLROLLROLL Member Posts: 21
    And NEVER auto-pause when ennemies on sight...

    This is one of the most common cheat people use. And even, if this one look pretty innocent to others cheesing strategies; abusing pauses is terribly powerful.

    Remember ambush ? When you get surrounded by bandits-archers ?
    Even no-reload players admit that in this precise (and unique) case, they sometimes reload if the fight turn bad.

    Well, if yourself are AUTO-PAUSING, it means you're doing the same ALL THE TIME, in EVERY SITUATIONS AND FIGHTS.

    -During the entire game, you'll automatically start the fight.
    -You'll inflict damages to opponent before they even look at you.
    -Mages and casters of any kind will be interrupt in most case...

    Look. You're playing with a party of 4 (including yourself). You have auto-pause when ennemies on sight.
    The ennemies are a group of 5 + 1 caster.

    Before even starting the fight, you can put down 2 or 3 of them and badly injured the others.
    Cast sleep or Command, shooting arrows...

    In your group of 4, half have 2 APR. One have 1 APR. The last one 3/2.

    You will start with 8 attacks in advance.
    If every attacks inflict (let's pretend 6 damages), then 8x6 = 48 HP

    And this number is a small one.
    FenrirWolfganger
  • ArviaArvia Member Posts: 2,101
    OF COURSE AVOID: bag of holding, gem bag, potion case, scroll case, ammo belt...

    But those stupid things only appears in Enhanced Edition.

    Interesting that you mention containers. For me they're one of the great additions made by the Enhanced Edition. Everyone can decide what to do about it, they're not forced on anyone. You, for example, can decide not to use them. I on the other hand love them, because I prefer to find my challenges in strategy and roleplaying restrictions, not inventory management.
    DinoDinStummvonBordwehrFenrirWolfgangerZaghoul
  • ROLLROLLROLLROLLROLLROLL Member Posts: 21
    I consider inventory management a huge challenge, and strategy as you said...

    Making tough decisions to KEEP SOMETHING OR TO THROW IT AWAY is one of them.
    No need to think about anything vital for your survive if you just have to put everything inside an infinite bag. Especially if this bag completely annihilate any notions of weight.

    Traveling without any disadvantage to be overload is not role-playing for me.

    "yee, let's ride the Sword Coast over and over. I don't care, I have a magic bag, to carry thousands of potions in it. And another for every stones, gems, scrolls. And a belt with infinite arrows"

    Have you ever heard this question: "What 3 things would you take on a desert island ?"

    For me, this is role-playing.
    Thinking carefully about what you have. Especially when what you have; you won it.

    Looting dead ennemies is much more strategical. You have to make choices. Things, that you cannot carry with you. Because, no empty space for it. Because it's too heavy. Some of your companions are tougher. Their strength make them more valuable to your group.

    It's a pain sometimes. You have to let things behind.
    Losing someone of your group also mean: What from his stuff do I really need to carry myself now ?

    Imagine, you're on a warzone. It's a very important point for every soldier. My gear. How to preserve it. How to make the best use of it. How to be cautious.

    Believe me, when you travel from Beregost to the Cloakwood mines; after running out of arrows, it's such a relief to get some arrows on the dead body of a kobold.

    Well, if you can travel with billions of arrows and other stuff. You probably never think about it.

    FenrirWolfgangerConjurerDragon
  • ROLLROLLROLLROLLROLLROLL Member Posts: 21
    I'm new to this forum.
    But this is not the first time that this question come to my mind.
    Before I go further with you;

    are you in some way relative to Beamdog, or any content to Baldur's Gate ?
    I mean, are you working for them ?
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