8 replies to this topic

[Sammi Somara]

Hey I recently installed BGII on my new computer and I've been playing it again for the first time in like ever.

I don't remember any mods I used to have though. Right now I pretty much have Kulyok's Xan installed and that's about it. Can anybody tell me some neat stuff to put on here? Also, possible party suggestions? I'm looking to put in some party members I've never had before. For example this is the first time I've EVER had Edwin on my party in BGII. I remember he was pretty cool in BGI though so he's there now. He's still pretty cool. I love his asshole-ness. Um anyways. Suggestions would be nice. Yeah. I wanna have a new experience this time around.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Suggestions would be nice. Yeah. I wanna have a new experience this time around.

The basics first, what is your Bhallspawn's class/classes and Kit?
Do you intend to role play your alignment, say I am a paladin, and will hack Edwin when he leaves cause he is unhappy etc.
And what's your general approach to a fight? Say: I pre-buff the boss fights and melee everything I contact with. Or summon a lot and use them to soak up the damage, while you do a fancy dismemberment of the hardest target in the area?

And which do you use, the BG2 Fixpack, or the BDash-WeiDU fixpack, and make sure you use the latest one...

[Sammi Somara]

Suggestions would be nice. Yeah. I wanna have a new experience this time around.

The basics first, what is your Bhallspawn's class/classes and Kit?
Do you intend to role play your alignment, say I am a paladin, and will hack Edwin when he leaves cause he is unhappy etc.
And what's your general approach to a fight? Say: I pre-buff the boss fights and melee everything I contact with. Or summon a lot and use them to soak up the damage, while you do a fancy dismemberment of the hardest target in the area?

And which do you use, the BG2 Fixpack, or the BDash-WeiDU fixpack, and make sure you use the latest one...

Eh, I don't bother with the fixpacks. The mods never gave me any trouble without em, and neither did the vanilla games.
I'm a chaotic good sorceress. Playing the same character I always do. My next playthrough will be with someone different.
I'm roleplaying my alignment fine. My Bhaalspawn tolerates evil characters but she'll actively try to "change" them. This is probably why they usually leave.

[Azazello]

Suggestions would be nice. Yeah. I wanna have a new experience this time around.

...
And which do you use, the BG2 Fixpack, or the BDash-WeiDU fixpack, and make sure you use the latest one...

Eh, I don't bother with the fixpacks. The mods never gave me any trouble without em, and neither did the vanilla games.

My kind of player...


As to suggestions, without more info we're shooting in the dark as to what to suggest. It's like you've gone into a restaurant and asked the waitron "What should eat?" or "What's good here?"

My guess would be that you might like some NPC mods. See Infinity Engine Modlist > BG2 NPC Mods

[Jarno Mikkola]

Eh, I don't bother with the fixpacks. The mods never gave me any trouble without em, and neither did the vanilla games.

My kind of player...

Well, if you do not wish to experience the game as it was originally intended, then perhaps no, but the romances and few of the creature .bcs(AI components) are really badly messed up, for example...

[Cal Jones]

I don't use fixpacks either unless a mod specifically calls for one - but then I only install it reluctantly (because, well, it fixes one or two things I don't want fixed...)

I've played a whole bunch of mods, mostly over the last 18 months or so, so let me know what you'd like. More quests? Romance? Tactics mods?

I do a clean install each time I play through rather than adding layer upon layer of mod and resulting in a nasty, sticky mess. Take a look at the quick reinstall method here: http://www.shsforums...showtopic=12512

I have played with Ascension a lot as it adds a few things to ToB, but it does make the final battle insanely, stupidly hard and for the last few games I have done without it and not missed it at all.

I like to play with certain elements of Unfinished Business (PPG) - I generally install the Kalah & What He was Promised, Gorf the Squisher fix (if taking Mazzy), Item Restorations, Corrected Character Names and Biographies, Restored Bhaalspawn Powers, by David Gaider (but only if Ascension is not installed, since Ascension also does this), and Throne of Bhaal Minor Restorations. If I'm taking Valygar I sometimes add the Suna Seni quest. I've played Minsc's Boo quest once but don't usually take Minsc these days. The two extended quests (Illithium and Pai Na) are both a bit dull so don't bother with those. I've done the restored hell minions, encounters and so on which are all fine too. Restored Minor Dialogues has been known not to play nicely with other mods - I don't know if this is fixed though. Restored Crooked Crane is OK as well unless you have a mod which features the Crooked Crane, in which case it may cause issues.

Aside from that, I personally like the following quest mods: Assassinations (PPG) - good for an evil or mercenary character; Tales of the Deep Gardens (SHS) - a strange but rather interesting quest with nice new areas; Dungeon Crawl (PPG) - silly but fun, at least once, Romantic Encounters (G3) - small encounters (some adult material) for those looking for no strings attached fun, and Fading Promises (SHS) - a small, ongoing quest involving the ghost of a paladin.
Longer Road (SHS) is also good though ToB only - being based around Jon Irenicus. It has a *lot* of immersion killing typos but it does add a whole new dimension to ToB and is worth at least one play. It's tough to redeem him, though.

I also like the following romances: Sarevok (SHS) - rawr! ToB only, of course... Edwin (SHS) - romance your favourite red mage, Angelo (G3) - can you redeem your former enemy? and Nathaniel (SHS) - pretty much the only full romance for a gay male PC - it's not cliched. I also really like Xan (PPG) - he's only romanceable by an elf, and I hate playing elves, but he also has a fully developed friendship track for any other character who wants to take him along. He's just about the most complete mod NPC out there, with full voicing, interjects, several quests and an extensive PiD.
The Kivan romance (G3) is also nice though not everyone will agree with the author's characterisation of Kivan - but I liked it, for the most part. He's a character I always took in BG and miss him in BG2. Even if you don't want to romance him, he's good to have a long and there is a subplot involving his dead wife.

The extended friendships for Yoshimo, Mazzy and Viconia (all available here at SHS) are good as well.

I'm sure there's some stuff I've forgotten but the above are a nice selection. However, I wouldn't try them all out in one game. I can repeat play BG2 ad nauseum so I've been through the game umpteen times with different mods and combos of characters - typically I'll have a mod romance, UB and one or two quest mods in place per playthrough and that's enough not to cause nasty mod on mod bugs.

[Jarno Mikkola]

I do a clean install each time I play through rather than adding layer upon layer of mod and resulting in a nasty, sticky mess. Take a look at the quick reinstall method here: link

Did you actually looked what you linked to, cause it says to use the Baldurdash, which is a fixpack. None supported fixpack...

Now, the only way of making it absolutly sure you have a clean install is to make one(a full install from the CDs and then patch it to v2.5.26498), copy it to another folder, and then use that as your clean backup... just saying.

Edited by Jarno Mikkola, 10 November 2009 - 01:00 AM.

[Cal Jones]

I don't use the Baldurdash, obviously.
That aside, that method's never let me down yet.

[Midnight]

Hey I recently installed BGII on my new computer and I've been playing it again for the first time in like ever.

I don't remember any mods I used to have though. Right now I pretty much have Kulyok's Xan installed and that's about it. Can anybody tell me some neat stuff to put on here? Also, possible party suggestions? I'm looking to put in some party members I've never had before. For example this is the first time I've EVER had Edwin on my party in BGII. I remember he was pretty cool in BGI though so he's there now. He's still pretty cool. I love his asshole-ness. Um anyways. Suggestions would be nice. Yeah. I wanna have a new experience this time around.

"playing it again for the first time"? hehe, sounds like me. Anyhoo, I assume you played bg2 long ago and have come back to give it another go. If not, I would suggest playing it stright through with no mods (other than the official patch, and the b3 fixpack v.. If your looking for some mods though, the quality ones Ive seen so far are the g3 tweekpack, dungeon be gone, banterpack (for more chatty npc interactions), unfinished bussiness, item pack, item upgrade v.37, and one or two (at most) npc mods. I suggest no more than 2 custom npcs for 2 reasons. They sometimes trip over each other in an attempt to say/do stuff, and also, you will enjoy their interactions with the vanillia npcs more I think(unless you have compatable custom npcs that work with cross mod npc interaction). Sounds like your going for the "evil" group route with edward; np. I would suggest then -Edward, Yoshimo, Korgan, Viconia, Yourself, and the last spot saved for quest npcs or whoever ya like. I havent tried any of the evil custom npc mods -yet- but Im sure some other readers here can point you to some. Some of the better "good" custom npcs are Saerileth, Fade, Tashia, Kelsey, and Keto. Hope that helps some. -Midnight