New Player Questions after reading docs and forums Options

[dante2377]

To give people background, I've been playing BG2 since it came out and have played with a ton of content mods (NPCs, items, quests, etc) - things like Item Upgrades, The Undying, questpack, etc. But I haven't played with any tactical mods or with much tactics to be honest - Breach/Pierce Magic/True sight and then wail away with overpowered weapons.

I've spent the past couple days reading the FAQ, readme txt files, the stickied threads, and many of the threads on the first 6-7 pages of this forum. After all of that, I have a few questions:

Rather than blowing away my current install (Vanilla+G3+various content mods), I was just going to do a second installation in a different directory (c:\games\IABG2 or something like that). Does anyone know off the top of their head if I'll run into issues (registry issues, other pointers that could messed up, etc) - I've never run the game with different installs.

I usually start BG2 with the official BG1 cap (161k xp) or sometimes uncapped bg1, so ~237k XP. Is IA designed for your character to start with 89k or 161k starting XP? If I start higher than 89k will it throw off the IA experience?

I typically use Dungeon Be Gone and see that it's supported here. I see the note about waiting for the randomization text to finish before zapping off. My question here is - am I going to miss any content (I assume whatever items are randomize will show up in the piles at the exit)? I didn't see anything in the "Tactical Content" file, but thought I should ask. Does DBG give the correct amount of XP for IA (the regular version gives 100k XP to party, I'm not sure if this is changed in IA).

I see people discussing the Bioware NPCs with different classes (Cernd as Auramaster, Minsc as Berzerker, Imoen as Sorcerer, etc) - is this the standard Level1 NPC mod? shadowkeeper? Or does IA change NPC classes as part of the mod?

If I start a multiplayer game for more than 1 character created by me, should I move the save game from mpsave folder to save folder and play it in single-player mode (like I do now in vanilla games)? In either case, should I install that "fix" listed in one of the stickied threads in case the player-created extra character gets Imprisoned?

After reading throught the various threads on party composition, particularly for new IA players, I thought of using this party:

Vagrant (protagonist)
Berzerker
Valygar
Anomen
Nalia
Sorcerer/Imoen

is 1 full-class cleric enough? Should I replace someone with Jaheira?

I am aware to mix up the fighters' individual weapon proficiencies between the 3 physical damage types.

thanks in advance!

[Frazurblu]

Welcome Dante and good luck with your 1st run through. That is a great party composition for a first run.

With the Vagrant protagonist I usually go with Axe , Flail and Short sword, like you suggest, as it covers all damage types. You can come across good versions of these weapons relatively early on and either upgade them later or find new/better ones in the mid to late game. I always leave the longsword for later because there really isn't a good longsword option (compared to Axes) in the early game but perhaps too many good ones later. Also because the Vagrant can put only 2 points into proficiency/weapon there will be plenty of time to add it later (usually after Spellhold).

You could use Clubs instead of Flails as there are Boss Clubs available early on. I usually leave Clubs to either Valygar or my custom Swashie/Cleric , Ranger/Cleric etc. as I plan on getting the Flail of defending and wounding much later on for my Vagrant. Having said that I see that you have Anomen in your party and he has 5 points in Flails so you can go either way. There are 2 great Flails available early (well one is a Morning Star but its the same proficiency).

Also don't forget about Daggers (you don't have to be a thief) as there are some very cool ones to be had and you get to use Firetooth as a missile weapon for free.

This post has been edited by Frazurblu: Jun 12 2009, 09:49 PM