18 replies to this topic

[Lysan Lurraxol]

I'm running a complete playthrough of the saga during breaks from the pain of revision, and I've just hit SoA. I'm something of a completionist and like seeing as much content as possible, which given the amount of NPCs available in SoA is making deciding on party makeup is becoming a real headache.

I'm wondering how most people deal with this: how do people tend to make up their groups? Do we tend to mix and match NPCs, frequently changing the party make-up, or decide early on who we want in the team and stick with them? And what do people think the optimal approach is?

[Jarno Mikkola]

Power gamer at heart, so I always go with what feels right, choose 4-5 permanent members and use the rest until better things comes along, or the missions are done.

In the dream megamod, I already know what to pick up, what their classes will be etc. so they become the most OP party ever, as they all have custom kits, they never run out of spells, they have 3 tanks, 2 divine casters, 3 mages and 2 rogues, a familiar and a wolf, and a little dog time to time. Yes, I kinda use the old NPCs, but with Level 1 NPCs, everything is possible. Hurray Minsc the Conjurer.

[Ipsissimus]

I normally keep Yoshimo/Imoen, Aerie, Xan, and Valygar around, and swap out other characters for quests. And I normally plan out my party, basing my decisions on my PC's class and alignment.

[Kulyok]

I like a permanent BG1-BG2 party: Imoen, Jaheira, Khalid, Kivan and Xan.

In BG2, Khalid is not available, obviously(why, by the way? It's been ten years - no Khalid mod yet? I'd play it!) I do a BG2 run with Minsc or Valygar or Anomen instead of Khalid. And Sarevok in BG2. Really, there are too many good NPCs out there - besides, new mods are great to try now and again(I tried Kelsey, Keto, Gavin, Amber, Finch, and others multiple times - Kelsey most of all, probably). Now that Ajantis is available, a BG2 noble party is also charming: Anomen, Nalia, Valygar, Keldorn and Ajantis. And I love my first ever BG2 party: Imoen-Yoshimo-Imoen, Jaheira, Minsc, Aerie and Anomen.

[Lollorian]

To effectively mix-n-match, you'll probably wanna keep atleast 2 slots free for rotation (for NPC pairs, or the odd temporary NPC who joins just for that single huge quest )

I played my last BWP game with the canon good party (Imoen, Jaheira, Khalid, Dynaheir, Minsc) and realised I missed a boatload of stuff So, I'm thinking about just Minsc and Edwin (and prolly Sarevok) as the perma-members, everyone else ... meh Basically, when you have to choose content v/s and easier game, go for the content

[Eric P.]

My games are successful and enjoyable when the party consists of as few BioWare NPCs as possible. I like to take in as many mod NPCs as I can, going for an effective balance of classes. I've discovered a soft spot for Aerie, so she's an exception to the rule for me, and I like Viconia (especially as a Nightcloak of Shar), but can't always fit either or both into a party. I also frequently use at least one of my own custom characters in the party as well as the main character.

That said, it might be more interesting to have two mod NPCs, two BioWare NPCs, and keep a slot "flexible" for any short-term/quest NPC you might want to include, depending on what you're doing in the story.

Happy playing,
Eric

[Crazee]

I used to stick to the same party members throughout the entire game. I don't recommend it.

Recently I've started mega role-playing, which involves using the cheat console to force the game to let me tell the story I want to tell. For instance, recently during the slavers quest, I changed my PC and Nalia's avatar/paperdoll (if that's the right word) to human nobles. They distracted the guests and guards while the rest of the party snuck in the back and freed the slaves. Anyway, my point is - I can now remove my PC from the party, allowing truly mind-boggling scenarios. In my most recent play-through, my wimpy bard went from Candlekeep straight to Beregost. He stayed there with Garrick (creating beautiful music) while Imoen went off in search of Jaheira and Khalid. The three of them (and Kivan) went and saved the mines while Garrick and PC were whiling away the days visiting the pretty temple and visiting different taverns to perform. I had a blast.

So yeah, I recommend switching party members like crazy. If you have a stronghold, you can always just leave people there, and then pick and choose the right team to bring with you, role-playing wise. Maybe Nalia needs to stay at the keep and help with some minor administrative matters and Viconia is still recovering from a particularly nasty broken rib, meaning you take Valygar, Minsc, Yoshimo and Jaheira with you to Trademeet.

[berelinde]

How in the world did you manage that one? Unless you're selecting specific party members and traveling by way of the console exclusively, most major area transitions require you to "gather your party and venture forth."

Also, there are a few places where the game will break if Player1 isn't present.

[Jarno Mikkola]

How in the world did you manage that one? Unless you're selecting specific party members and traveling by way of the console exclusively, most major area transitions require you to "gather your party and venture forth."

Also, there are a few places where the game will break if Player1 isn't present.

Easy, you just force the 'player created character' out of the party. With activated cheat keys: CTRL+K while the cursor is on top of the character. Easy.

[Galsic]

I like my 3 frontliners/2 healers/2 mages/1 thief minimum formula and I always plan my party based on that (at least in BG2). Beyond that, I make sure to fit in one or two mod NPCs.

I don't have that completionist need to see as much content as possible, so it's pretty easy for me to maintain a stable party, especially if I don't plan to assemble Crom Faeyr.

[Crazee]

How in the world did you manage that one? Unless you're selecting specific party members and traveling by way of the console exclusively, most major area transitions require you to "gather your party and venture forth."

Also, there are a few places where the game will break if Player1 isn't present.

Easy, you just force the 'player created character' out of the party. With activated cheat keys: CTRL+K while the cursor is on top of the character. Easy.

Yeah. It doesn't work perfectly, but it's fun to experiment with the idea. In the example I described, Khalid was assumed to be the main character, even after the PC was back in the party and Khalid was mooching about elsewhere. It was a little jarring, but I got over it. So much potential for fun! I toyed with the idea of taking on the bandits with just Kivan and a couple of invisibility potions.

[smoky tune]

i also tend to plan my party for the next game, as well as approximate order of quests to complete and locations to visit. it allows all characters be equally experienced. and i don't like to waste xp rotating party members. personal characters' quests are not worth much experience so i don't bother.
a base for every party is classical and remains unchanged: tank, mage, cleric and thief.
the good thing about BG is that some characters can play different roles depending on what you want him to be. for example, bards can be support mages, damage dealers or even tanks. some characters can carry out 2 functions at the same time. all that makes numerous variants of parties.
planning a party in my case is not that simple matter. for the last several times i played with tactical mods onboard so it forced me to carefully select each character considering his class, stats, weapon profficiencies, starting position, relations with others.
f.i i do not like Aerie much (yes, she is lovely, kind and such a cutty, but she is of little use as cleric and mage to me) and i never get her in my parties, but she was in my last one only because of her relationships with Haer'Dalis which i was curious to see. and again i concluded that i don't want her in my parties - as a multiclass she doesn't get high level spells, and those available to her lose their usefulness as party progresses towards ToB. i guess she is perfect for roleplaying purposes - a subtle, fragile creature, full of romantic dreams and... well, she is worth writing a novel abour her. let's get back to our sheeps.
thus my full party usually consists of:
1st frontliner - tank. his main
2nd fronliner - damage dealer
healer (one good priest is quite enough)
head mage with access to high level spells
assistant mage without high level spells but with second profession
thief
as a conclusion i'd like to say that the best party in terms of convenience of management is that of 3 persons. with that i can play without pauses except for the most difficult battles.

[princesspurpleblob]

I like having 2 heals, 1 rogue, 2 mages and 2 warriors in my group.

So here is my most favourite formation:

PC (cleric), Anomen (cleric/warrior), Keldorn (paladin), Kelsey (sorcerer), Yoshimo (rogue) replace with Imoen later (rogue/mage), Tsujatha (mage) = 2 heals, 1 rogue, 2/3 mages, 2 warriors.

Or:

PC (mage), Anomen (cleric/warrior), Keldorn (paladin), Jaheira (fighter/druid), Minsc (ranger), Yoshimo (rogue) replaced with Imoen later (rogue/mage) = 2 heals, 1 rogue, 1/2 mage, 4 warriors.

[berelinde]

I've always got 1 mage, 1 healer, 1 rogue, and 1 tank in the party. I prefer that those four be single-classed because multi-classed characters tend to lose too much XP on skills that are duplicated elsewhere. I'll rotate the other 2.

I just completed SoA with a party that included a sorcerer PC (mage), Gavin (cleric), Yoshimo/Imoen (rogue), Haldamir (tank), Anomen, and Valygar.

[Choo Choo]

My usual party is Minsc, Jaheira, Anomen, Xan and Yoshimo/Imoen. Now that I'm trying out Gavin, I had to let Xan go... man, do I miss my gloomy little elf.

[Ipsissimus]

For me, usually Nalia or Aerie, Auren or Sarah, Jaheira, and Xan if I'm roleplaying; Korgan, Viconia, Edwin, and Haer'Dalis if powergaming, and I always have Yoshimo/Imoen. I normally play a fighter/mage specializing in crossbows, which works surprisingly well, though a fighter/thief with boots of speed is a lot of fun. All depends on playing/roleplaying style, I suppose.

Edited by Ipsissimus, 27 April 2010 - 09:34 AM.

[xdeathplanetx]

Mmmmm I like to plan my party to don't loose xp
Basically what I do is this:

PC(mage),Anomen,Minsc(a party with-out Minsc is NOT a party), Yoshimo/Jansen/Imoen the other 2 are not important just take a free slot for the NPC quests and I suggest to try someone you never had in the party.

This maybe off-topic but...
Belinda i didn't knew that Gavin mod arrived till the end of SoA I knew that for now it ended with BG1, has been done an up-date to the mod?

[berelinde]

Yes, BG2 Gavin is out now. It's got full SoA content, but no ToB content at present.

[Elan Morin Tedronai]

For BG1 I pick up the NPCs that were left in Irenicus' dungeon:

Thomas (Paladin)
Minsc (Ranger)
Khalid (Fighter)
Jaheira (Fighter/Druid)
Imoen (Thief, dualed to Mage at level 4)
Dynaheir (Evoker)

Not a bad party, but not the best overall. As mods I use only UB. For BG2 I make these changes:

Thomas (Cavalier) - PC
Anomen (Fighter/Cleric) - decent fighter and good cleric
Minsc (Ranger)
Nalia (Mage/Thief) -> Imoen (Mage/Thief) - since Imoen is missing in the early to middle stages of the game. After I rescue Imoen I ditch Nalia in favour of her.
Viconia (Cleric) - the best cleric ever, combined with Girdle of Stromnos she is killer machine. Beside the romance is very good.

My ToB party looks like this. Can't wait to make UB for ToB. Would love to play an "original" game.

Thomas (Cavalier) - PC
Sarevok (Fighter) -  The interaction is awesome in Ascension mod. And by far the best fighter.
Minsc (Ranger) - At late stage of the game is one of the best fighters, best equipped with Two-Handed sword or Halberd.
Viconia (Cleric) - probably the best Cleric in the game. Crom Fayr makes her fantastic. But generally due to low health it is best to equip as a range-attacker.
Imoen (Dual Mage/Thief) - the second best mage after Irenicus and the best thief. I use Ascension mod to boost Imoen's effectiveness in ToB.
Irenicus (Mage) - I use The Longer Road by Dorotea, because I really damn love Irenicus in my party. By far the best mage in the game. Too bad he can't do that spell which he does against the Cowled Wizards.