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Your Favourite NPC Dynamics

Hey everybody!

One of my favourite parts of BG2 is the spontaneous interaction between the NPCs, which is why on every playthrough I attempt (to the best of my ability) to create a combination of NPCs different from on previous playthroughs so I can see as many of their interactions as possible.

Personally, I believe that BG2 really benefits from its era, and the sparing use of interaction between its NPCs. In more recent games where voice acting and NPC interaction are critical parts of the gaming experience, it's refreshing to go back to a time where less truly does seem to be more. The infrequent interactions often aim to be funny, and they are almost always intelligent and informative, giving the player what they need to understand the power dynamics between the NPCs without over-explanation or [frequent] descent into childish humour.

I'm interested to hear what you guys consider to be the most memorable of these interactions. So, the point of my post is to ask this:

Which party dialogues did you enjoy the most, and why?
  • Keldorn & Cernd are among the most memorable to me. Throughout SoA they don't offer much in the way of humour, but I think they are a valuable duo to witness - particularly if you are very into the RP and storytelling aspects of the game. SoA sets up a series of philosophical discussions between the pair for us to stew on, lulling us into a comfortable pattern before the pair's final exchange in ToB, which proved to me one of the most hilarious in the entire trilogy for those of us who love some subtext.

  • Along the same lines, Jaheira & Valygar have an interesting exchange in ToB through which Valygar rebukes Jaheira's presumption that they should be on friendlier terms owing to their mutual identities as Nature-oriented adventurers.

  • Haer'Dalis also has an interesting point of view on Yoshimo's effortful camaraderie with the other members of the party, should you ever choose to have them both on the same team.

I'm sure I can come up with plenty more, but I've already crossed the border into tl;dr territory.

Looking forward to hearing from you guys!
ThacoBellArtonabooinyoureyesJuliusBorisovmashedtaters

Comments

  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    Minsc and Mazzy are great together. Minsc sincerely tries to compliment her, but comes across as racist. Mazzy gets mad at first befrore realizing that he has no idea what he is really saying.

    Minsc and Sarevok is pretty great too.

    Really, Minsc + anyone.
    booinyoureyesJuliusBorisovFenghoangmashedtaters
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    Mazzy has great moments with almost everyone where she attempts to mentor them.
    recklessheartJuliusBorisovFenghoangmashedtaters
  • tbone1tbone1 Member Posts: 1,985
    edited March 2018
    If you like Jan (not everyone does, but those people are what is clinically known as "buffle-headed"), take him along. He is great with Minsc, but pretty good with most others. I particularly like his story about And the Dung Orc and one particular interaction with Viconia.
    ThacoBellJuliusBorisovmashedtatersDetectiveMittens
  • booinyoureyesbooinyoureyes Member Posts: 6,164
    edited March 2018
    Keldorn and Korgan have an odd mutual appreciation for eachother's prowess in battle

    I also really love Yoshimo sneaking into the library to find a special poem he'd like to discuss with Keldorn

    I really enjoy Aerie becoming Minsc's new witch

    Jan and Minsc are also great

    Finally, I was touched by Keldorn's appreciation of Mazzy, and his supportive attitude toward her. I just love paladins.


    Underrated: Imoen and Sarevok!
    ThacoBellJuliusBorisovFenghoangmashedtaters
  • booinyoureyesbooinyoureyes Member Posts: 6,164


    Keldorn & Cernd are among the most memorable to me. Throughout SoA they don't offer much in the way of humour, but I think they are a valuable duo to witness - particularly if you are very into the RP and storytelling aspects of the game. SoA sets up a series of philosophical discussions between the pair for us to stew on, lulling us into a comfortable pattern before the pair's final exchange in ToB, which proved to me one of the most hilarious in the entire trilogy for those of us who love some subtext.

    How interesting! I've never experienced the two of them together (I generally don't take Cernd) but now I have to try it.

    I always imagined that Keldorn, given his noble background, had the Amnian/Faerun equivalent of a classical liberal arts education. I'd love to see how they interact.
  • BleriotBleriot Member Posts: 31
    Just go beyond the vanilla cast. Almost all banters added by mods are more remarkable than those stereotypes, even if those are better than silent companions.
    If you go for mod added highlights, the list will be very very long.
  • recklessheartrecklessheart Member Posts: 692
    edited March 2018
    @booinyoureyes
    Keldorn & Korgan are a great dynamic for demonstrating how good and evil can co-exist for a common cause, I agree! A mutual respect between them was a much nicer angle than the obvious one of good vs. evil.

    There's a chance I am misunderstanding you re: Keldorn's background, although I think the game gives plentiful evidence that he is probably one of the more regressive, traditionalist NPCs. He is evidently from money, and even small comments like expressing his satisfaction at how well the servants have kept the Firecam Estate; or how he speaks to and dismisses his daughters very promptly (it is the woman's domain to raise daughters), suggests that he is quite content with his cultural background provided he can weed out the overtly evil elements of Amnian society.

    Edwin & Nalia suggest in dialogues with Keldorn and/or Anomen (don't remember which), that The Order of the Radiant Heart has been involved in brutal action against other nations reminiscent of that undertaken by European empires as they colonised the rest of the world. The suggestion being that just because it is a Good-aligned organisation does not mean that it is not overcoated in a political agenda. Yes they do good deeds, but they do 'good' as it is recognised by the nation & religion it concerns. It is a 'good' thing, after all, to slaughter a foreign culture that refuses to convert to the accepted religion of the invading country, because the end result will be more Torm-worshipping people and less worshippers of other deities who mightn't be as Lawful or as Good.

    Anyway, I'm off on a rant that nobody asked for. Sorry! To loop back: yeah, the dialogue between Keldorn and Cernd is cool. It's more philosophical and leans in to the kind of discussions I've just sneak attacked you with, where they discuss the fact that they are both of the most code & ethics-heavy classes (Paladin & Druid), and how their codes seem in many ways to be mutually exclusive. Iirc, they will even hold the party up immediately upon arriving in Suldanessellar for a location-specific interaction.

    @ThacoBell
    Mazzy & everybody is great, I agree! I haven't had her in a party with everybody, but I can't recall any of her interactions I didn't enjoy. She's surely one of the best NPCs a D&D game ever invented. I particularly enjoyed her foreshadowing of 3E when she speaks to Aerie in ToB. Perhaps one of the few reasons to take Aerie anywhere, really..! >:)
    Post edited by recklessheart on
    booinyoureyesFenghoangmashedtaters
  • Humanoid_TaifunHumanoid_Taifun Member Posts: 1,055
    @recklessheart You mean besides the fact that Aerie is the fastest cleric in the game?
    Having an instant Sanctuary is nice when she's personally in trouble, but spells like Doom, Zone of Sweet Air, Sunray and Implosion can benefit your entire party at improved casting speeds.
    Glyph of Warding, Bolt of Glory and Flame Strike have seriously long casting times. Being able to put them into triggers and contingencies is making them much more viable.
  • booinyoureyesbooinyoureyes Member Posts: 6,164
    @recklessheart Very interesting post! But... how does it relate to me thinking that Keldorn had a classical education?
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    @recklessheart I don't think the game gives any evidence the Radiant Heart is in the business of genocide. It doesn't mesh at all with Torm's portfolio or Keldorn's disposition. If they were on the old colonial "convert or die" mentality, Athkatla would be a permanent warzone and every temple would be in ruins. As it stands, all the temples to various deities being in close proximity seems to be working quite well (except Talos/Lathander relations).
    booinyoureyesmashedtaters
  • KhyronKhyron Member Posts: 624
    I seem to remember Korgan and Edwin being quite hilarious together.

    Edwin shows some kind of respect (as much as Edwin can respect anyone) towards Korgan's martial prowess.. and it somehow ends up with Korgan explaining how a good chop with an axe and proper follow through can lead to you have innards and guts all the way up to your shoulder.. and Edwin get's sick/nearly throws up due to the graphic explanation..

    Unless i dreamt this.. it's been years and years since i had them together.
  • Cabal82Cabal82 Member Posts: 76
    Anyone has all these banters in doc file? I had them once in some walkthrough, but lost it and never found it again..
    booinyoureyes
  • Mantis37Mantis37 Member Posts: 1,169
    Viconia and Minsc have my favourite banter:

    VICONIA: "Minsc, that tattoo on your face... does it have tribal significance, or did some nursery's finger-painting class assault you with blue pastels?"
    MINSC: "I do not like the tone of your voice, dark elf! The face I have is the face the ladies love! Boo loves Minsc's face too, don't you, Boo? Don't you? Yes!"
    BOO: *squeak*
    Raduziel
  • AttalusAttalus Member Posts: 156
    Heh, interesting. I never have let Korgan or Edwin (or Haer'Dalis or ...) in my party, nor wanted to. Glad everybody is enjoying them, though.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    edited March 2018
    Korgan is a lot of fun and is worth at least one run with him. He gets along surprisingly well with a lot of npcs (defninitely have Mazzy as well if you decide to try him out).

    Speaking of Korgan. Him and Imoen have a fantastic banter in which they have an insult fight. Its hilarious.

    There is another one that surprised me when I first saw it. Its a variation of thw banter where Korgan insults and forces Aerie out of the party. If the banter does not trigger until ToB, when Korgan starts his insult barrage, rather than backing down and later leaving the party, Aerie fires right back at Korgan. Korgan is impressed and tells Aerie that he was trying to toughen her up and is proud fo her.
    FenghoangJoenSo
  • DhariusDharius Member Posts: 651
    Never tried Cernd and Keldorn, or Nalia and Anomen together but they sound interesting.

    Anomen and Jan together is a good laugh - two people who have to work together but just don't get on. Jan isn't really that subtle in letting you know what he thinks, he just takes a long time to spell it out :)
    ThacoBell
  • mashedtatersmashedtaters Member Posts: 2,266
    I like Edwin and Viconia together. Edwin is constantly hitting on Viconia, and Viconia acts like Edwin can’t handle her.

    Edwin and Jaheira are fun as well. They constantly criticize each other’s organizations and motives for everything they do.

    And then of course Anomen and just about everyone else. He’s pretty fun.
    UnderstandMouseMagic
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