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your normal order of completing bgee

Does anyone else like to pretty much complete every other accessible map before going to Nashkell? By complete I mean kill everything you want to kill and complete all the quests you're going to complete?

I've not got much bg1 experience (have a tonne of bg2 time). Wondering if this way to play bg1is normal...

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  • TressetTresset Member, Moderator Posts: 8,262
    Sort of... I usually complete every map before going to Cloakwood. This includes Durlag's tower.
    jesterdesu
  • BillyYankBillyYank Member Posts: 2,768
    I usually assemble my party early, then go straight for Nashkel. After the mines, I clear all the maps, starting in the South and working my way North. I leave Firewine alone until I get to Gullykin and save Durlag's tower for after Candlekeep. Oh, and I usually clear out the hobgoblins on the FAI map before I head South.
    YupImMadBroAerakar
  • GallowglassGallowglass Member Posts: 3,356

    Does anyone else like to pretty much complete every other accessible map before going to Nashkell? By complete I mean kill everything you want to kill and complete all the quests you're going to complete?

    I usually do the exact opposite!

    I start by filling my party as quickly as possible, because any opponent can be dangerous to a level 1 character, so my initial party almost always consists of Imoen, Jaheira & Khalid, Xzar & Montaron. I then don't go anywhere except where necessary on the way to Nashkel, I often don't even (yet) explore the areas through which I'm passing (except a little of Beregost), just follow the road. The point, of course, is that Jaheira & Khalid and Xzar & Montaron all want to go there, but won't abide one another's company for very long, so I rush them there before they fall out and fight.

    After reaching Nashkel (and speaking to the Mayor to complete the "quests" for both pairs), then I'll backtrack and explore the areas along the road, and swap out the companions whom I don't intend to keep for other companions along that route, probably explore more of Beregost, and generally get on with the game. But only after Nashkel.

    Wondering if this way to play bg1is normal...

    I don't know if anyone has ever conducted a systematic survey of what sequence of play most people prefer ... but I suspect that most players go to Nashkel quite early, since that's what the journal entries (and various NPCs) urge you to do. Probably most players don't rush to Nashkel as quickly as I do, though.

    I guess that the norm may be to proceed fairly soon to Nashkel, but explore the areas through which the route passes (perhaps especially Beregost), and maybe a couple of the nearer side-areas and side-quests, and maybe re-arrange your companions somewhat as you go.

    I used to do it the "normal" way (if indeed it is actually so), but then (being a completionist) realised that I could only complete the "quests" for both Jaheira & Khalid and Xzar & Montaron if I first met the Mayor of Nashkel with all of them in the party at the same time, so I adopted my current strategy of hurrying to Nashkel before doing much else.
    jesterdesu
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,315
    edited November 2015
    I normally cover most of the areas around Beregost when I'm first in that region (with the exception of Ulcaster and the eastern part of the temple area). When I'm first in Nashkel I do all the places to the south and west of it. Once I've gone through the mines I'll do everywhere in the centre and south of the world map except for Durlag's Tower. I'll do the bandit camp, cloakwood, then Ulgoth's Beard, the Ice island, werewolf island, then Durlag's Tower. Then anything else I haven't already done in Baldur's Gate along with chapters 5-7.
    jesterdesu
  • YupImMadBroYupImMadBro Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 347
    BillyYank said:

    I usually assemble my party early, then go straight for Nashkel. After the mines, I clear all the maps, starting in the South and working my way North. I leave Firewine alone until I get to Gullykin and save Durlag's tower for after Candlekeep. Oh, and I usually clear out the hobgoblins on the FAI map before I head South.

    100% the same.
    BillyYank
  • lroumenlroumen Member Posts: 2,508
    I do everything different each time. It keeps the game appealing. and it happend that I have to backtrack once in a while if I get an offhand quest and need to explore areas off the beaten path (like brage, prism, bassilus, ogre quest, perdue, gurke, etc).
    I will miss quests in some walkthroughs vut I am past the completionist and more into role play nowadays.
    AerakarGallowglass
  • jesterdesujesterdesu Member Posts: 373
    I generally solo so get level 2 by just completing non-fighting quests in beregost, then go straight to mutamins for some east xp.. Currently level 7 (pre-nashkell) and was wondering if possible to hit cap before the mines...
  • MeyahiMeyahi Member Posts: 143
    Usually I just rush through the game grabbing tomes but since I've installed SCS I'm starting to do sidequests because of how hard the Mulahey fight is. I'll keep you posted.
    jesterdesuJuliusBorisov
  • GemHoundGemHound Member Posts: 801
    edited November 2015
    I usually piece together my party as I go along, if I even take a party. I'll skip the Tarnesh fight and go straight to Beregost, and then sometimes I'll head out east and get Korax to tank the basilisks if soloing, or I'll go down the road to Nashkel if playing a party, where I'll immediately enter the Cloud Peaks region and clear them out all the way to the Gnoll Fortress, including the Xvart camp(I would do this after basilisks as well). I would also pick up Bragefast, and then go straight from Nashkel to the mines. Once Mulahey gets thoroughly chunked, I would go and fight both of the mercenaries, and clear out all the areas to the east of Nashkel and Beregost except for Durlag's Tower, working my way up the map.

    Then I would clear out the areas west of Beregost, and then go to the Friendly Arm Inn for the first time while travelling to the bandit camp. After the bandit camp I would clear the Cloakwood mines, and then after those mines: I would fight my way into Baldur's Gate. At this point I would also clear out the levels above ground in Durlag's Tower. I would next do everything in Baldur's Gate, then Candlekeep, and then only after Candlekeep would I go and play the rest of ToTSC as I find ToTSC far more harder than Candlekeep. I would start with Shandalar's quest, then do the rest of Durlag's Tower, but not kill Aec'Letec, and then I would go to Balduran's Isle. Upon return from there I would kill Aec'Letec and then reenter Baldur's Gate.
    JuliusBorisovjesterdesuAerakar
  • VitorVitor Member Posts: 288
    Before going to Nashkell Mines, I don't like to make very few small sidequests... Maybe the house of spiders in Beregost, or completing the quest of the Ogre's girdle in the friendly army inn. I like to complete Nashkell Mines under Lv. 2 or 3, so it get more thrilling (I get there with Jaheira, Khalid, Montaron, Xzar and Imoen. After completing Nashkell Mines and returning by the long route to Nashkell, I disband all the party members, and start a new party, as if charname is saying: "I'll follow my own way").

    So, after completing Nashkell Mines, I start to form a new party with Minsc, Edwin, Branwen and Kagain. So, I go in a complete quest for the Gnoll's Stronghold, braving all the areas in the way. Minsc get killed when charname fullfill his deal with Edwin, and then I return to the main plot line quest. (Viconia joins in later)

    When I'm about to enter Baldur's Gate, or to revisit it, I complete almost all the other sidequests in the game, including TotSC
    jesterdesu
  • BelgarathMTHBelgarathMTH Member Posts: 5,653
    edited November 2015
    I usually go to the FAI for Jaheira and Khalid, then head to Nashkel as quickly as possible. Upon meeting Minsc, I usually decide that Dynaheir's rescue is more urgent, and I move that way, doing a few battles and quests in the wilderness as I bump into them. After rescuing Dynaheir, I return to Nashkel and finish the mines. Then I get Tranzig, and decide that we need better gear and xp before tackling a bandit organization, so I explore all the surrounding wilderness and do everything there.

    Then, it's bandits, Cloakwood, Davaeorn, ankhegs, Baldur's Gate City. Maybe a trip to the top floors of Durlag's Tower, but never the whole thing because I hate that dungeon. Candlekeep and catacombs. Ice Island and Werewolf Island. Return to BG City and finish the game.
    jesterdesuJuliusBorisov
  • SeldarSeldar Member Posts: 438
    Candlekeep => Friendly Arm Inn => Beregost (for Kagain most of the time) => Nashkell (of course I do all the quests I can complete level 1-2) => Here sometimes I'm moving to the Gnoll Fortress, exploring the areas then I go to the Mines.
    And then I travell until I reach a good level for the Bandit Camp...
    jesterdesu
  • jesterdesujesterdesu Member Posts: 373
    Ok, have reached level 10 before doing Nashkell... Now I know it's possible I'm going to consider whats been said here and side quest a lot less. I think this might link well into my true neutral, somewhat live and let live type of play (only the worst of the worst and the best of the best need eliminating), meaning I can just target those filth that deserve it the most (like that nasty little noble who wants you to kill an innocent polar bear).

    I think I'd still hit 6 or perhaps even 7 fairly comfortably pre-nashkell.
  • JustLeftJustLeft Member Posts: 76
    I always go to Nashkel mine early but make sure to buy The One Gift Lost, makes dealing with groups a lot easier early especially in SCS.

    After finishing the mine do every side areas until Bandits camp except for ToSC. First time I did SCS, Bandits Camp was the hardest place. Second time was much easier with Stinking Cloud and Fireball.

    Head for the Cloakwood Mine after, aside from the Spiders area, Cloakwoods are a lot easier. After that head to Baldur's Gate and do every quest and then head to Ulgoth Beard before talking to the Duke.

    Finish Ice island, Durlag's Tower and finally Werewolf Island. After that none stop main quest.
    jesterdesu
  • TuthTuth Member Posts: 233
    It all depends on the party composition that I decide to have, or roll. If there's someone in Cloakwood, or Baldur's Gate city, I'll try to get to them quite early if possible. This means doing most sidequests either after completing Nashkel mines, or even after entering Baldur's Gate. I usually do the TotSC locations after the return to Candlekeep, though I'm currently playing without the expansion.

    Other than that the usual route looks something along: Candlekeep -> Friendly Arm Inn -> Beregost & High Hedge -> Nashkel & surrounding locations -> Mines -> do all the available locations (apart from Durlag's Tower) -> Bandit Camp -> Cloakwood -> Baldur's Gate & all the sidequests -> Candlekeep -> TotSC -> the remaining quests in Baldur's Gate & finish the game.
    jesterdesu
  • meaglothmeagloth Member Posts: 3,806
    He, I save all the side quests for dead last. In my most recent playthrough I had the doppelgänger battle in the ducal palace then decided it was time to go to ulgoths beard. I didn't explore most of the other areas till iPad gotten to BG city and to be honest durlags tower is a bit of a chore on iPad mini and I usually skip it.
  • marcellusmarcellus Member Posts: 22
    What @lroumen said is the best way to play BG. If you approach it as a completionist, you'll be so ready for the game to end when you get to Baldur's Gate that the best parts of the story and content will feel like a chore. Since the game calls for replaying, don't be afraid to leave stuff for your next playthrough, you know? If you always do everything, there will be no real reason to continue after you grab that last tome.
    AerakarKilivitz
  • DJKajuruDJKajuru Member Posts: 3,300
    Friendly Arm> Beregost and Kill Bassilus> Nashkel /Mines > Ulcaster and Firewine> The Sirines around the coast > Larswood , Peldvale and Bandit Camp > Couldpeaks and Gnoll Stronghold > Cloakwood> Baldur's Gate > Candlekeep> Final Chapter > Ulgoth's Beard and Ice Island > Durlag's Tower > Werewolf Island> END.
    Aerakar
  • AerakarAerakar Member Posts: 1,016
    @marcellus, I agree with you intellectually, but I still cannot not complete every area. I have tried (saving throw roll to not complete an area at -6...roll...miss), but it just never seems to stick.
    JuliusBorisov
  • I ended up skipping most of Durlag's Tower and the entire Werewolf Island in my trilogy runthrough. I mainly did the first basement level of the tower so I could get my party a few extra levels and start off my Fighter/Illusionist at 7/7.
  • DragonKingDragonKing Member Posts: 1,977
    Priority

    1. Party members
    2. The mines
    3. Random ish.
    Aerakar
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