Baldurs gate enhanced edition 1 & 2 first playthrough

[bakes0310]

Now that BG3 has a release date and the temptation to play it is massive. I decided to give the original ago as BG3 references the previous games and also they are meant to be very good games.

I have played a fair amount of RPG games like neverwinter nights, pillars of eternity and various modern RPGs. Looked up a beginner's guide to get my understanding of the D&D 3.5 rules like THAC0 etc.

Decided on a human fighter/fighter that specialises in long swords and sword and shield. I believe I rolled quite well and have my stats at strength 18/16 Dex 18 cont 18 int 8 wis 8 charisma 18. Like I mentioned this is my first ever go at BG so I hope my build will be okay.

I only played a few hours so far but I seem to be surviving okay, quick save is a must before any fight for me, is that normal?

I have a party of 6, which I don't think I've played an RPG that has that big of a party. my ranged fighters seem to be quite important in my party as they seem to do the most damage while my main character takes the hits.

Currently heading to the friendly arms Inn, I've killed quite a lot of enemies and done all the side quest I can find. But I'm still level 1 along with the rest of my party, is this normal not to level up fast even the early levelling?

 

[Hudzy]

Quite normal unless you know the specific places to get bigger XP early, but I wouldn't recommend it for a first time. The first few levels can be brutal but are part of the experience. Quick saving is also normal.

As you've noted, ranged damage and kiting is very good in BG1.

Long swords will see you through to the end of the game and nearly always have a good option available. Shields are useful, although a lot of people will suggest that the points allocated to them are wasted compared to maybe a backup blunt weapon or ranged weapon, or dual wielding.

Honestly though, if you've got experience in similar titles, you probably won't need to worry about being entirely min-maxed unless you're playing on the hardest difficulty.

 

[bakes0310]

Quite normal unless you know the specific places to get bigger XP early, but I wouldn't recommend it for a first time. The first few levels can be brutal but are part of the experience. Quick saving is also normal.

As you've noted, ranged damage and kiting is very good in BG1.

Long swords will see you through to the end of the game and nearly always have a good option available. Shields are useful, although a lot of people will suggest that the points allocated to them are wasted compared to maybe a backup blunt weapon or ranged weapon, or dual wielding.

Honestly though, if you've got experience in similar titles, you probably won't need to worry about being entirely min-maxed unless you're playing on the hardest difficulty.

Thanks very informative, looking at my stats that I rolled would you say they are quite good?

Am I right in saying if my roll on strength landed on 18/00 is that the best, I'm not far away from it so I'm hoping that won't hinder my progress too much.

 

[loftie]

If you enjoy your time in BG1&2 don't forget to look at Icewind Dale. IWD1 has an EE version, 2 couldn't be done unfortunately, however I believe GoG sells it.

Strength, IIRC, all 18s are the same from a damage perspective, the secondary number tells you any additional weight capacity you get, with 00 being the highest 18 you can roll. You can be a half orc and have 19 strength however.

 

[Hudzy]

Thanks very informative, looking at my stats that I rolled would you say they are quite good?

Am I right in saying if my roll on strength landed on 18/00 is that the best, I'm not far away from it so I'm hoping that won't hinder my progress too much.

18 is the highest for a non-warrior class. For warriors, the /xx represents a range of additional melee damage, thac0, and carry capacity from 01 up to (1)00 being the best.

The difference can be fairly meaningful, but all of them are beaten by 19 strength anyway, and there will be opportunities to increase your strength. I don't want to spoil too much there.

Your stats are basically perfect for a warrior, so long as you had no intention of dual classing later to a mage or cleric.

 

[bakes0310]

If you enjoy your time in BG1&2 don't forget to look at Icewind Dale. IWD1 has an EE version, 2 couldn't be done unfortunately, however I believe GoG sells it.

Strength, IIRC, all 18s are the same from a damage perspective, the secondary number tells you any additional weight capacity you get, with 00 being the highest 18 you can roll. You can be a half orc and have 19 strength however.

I have heard of Icewind dale, is the second one worth playing aswell?
Are they both on D&D 3.5 rules, so I can basically play it like Baldurs Gate?

 

[shroomz]

I was curious to try bg and bought the same a while back, and found it a bit more than I could get my head round. Can you link the d&d guides you read? I played it blind which was probably partly why I came unstuck; that and if I remember correctly I might have accidentally attacked a guard and found out what happens.

 

[bazzabear]

My biggest, simplest, tip for BG is a control which wasn't well communicated in the original game supplies eleventy billion years ago when I first played it:

Holding the tab key highlights items on the ground and places which can be searched.

This is invaluable for checking whether you've missed anything - especially on an early map (from memory - one north from the Inn) where there's one of the best pieces of armour in the game just sitting in a hole in a field.

 

[bakes0310]

My biggest, simplest, tip for BG is a control which wasn't well communicated in the original game supplies eleventy billion years ago when I first played it:

Holding the tab key highlights items on the ground and places which can be searched.

This is invaluable for checking whether you've missed anything - especially on an early map (from memory - one north from the Inn) where there's one of the best pieces of armour in the game just sitting in a hole in a field.

Doh missed the armour, any chance I can get back there as im locked out by a guard?

 

[bazzabear]

If you haven't reached toe Friendly Arms Inn yet, then you haven't got to it. But you can definitely find it I think - it's just in a field on a normal map, no way of getting locked away from it.

To be honest - this is all from 30 year old memories. You'd probably be better doing a google for Ankheg armour rather than trusting my directions!

 

[Bubo]

I have heard of Icewind dale, is the second one worth playing aswell?
Are they both on D&D 3.5 rules, so I can basically play it like Baldurs Gate?

I have literally just finished a playthrough of Icewind Dale EE including the addon expansion. It is a different game to BG in that you have to create your full party from scratch, there are no companions NPC's which you pick up through the game. The main downside to this is that you don't get any party banter whatsoever in the game, or any companion quests etc, so for this reason is inferior to BG. It is basically a big dungeon crawl of combat. But if you check out the mod scene there is a mod to add fully voiced and bantered NPC's which puts of back on a level with BG and I played it with this and enjoyed it. There is not so much replay value of course but I think my one playthrough is going to be enough. Overall it was a worthwhile experience. I also think the D&D rules used in the BG games are actually the 2nd edition, which I believe are quite different to 3.5, though I am by no means an expert in D&D.

 

[SPG]

Yes they use the 2nd addition (which far superior to any addition after it)

Try crown of the magistar great game and also based on DND but 5th addition.

 

[loftie]

I have heard of Icewind dale, is the second one worth playing aswell?
Are they both on D&D 3.5 rules, so I can basically play it like Baldurs Gate?

I honestly don't know, but I believe there are differences between them, but possibly only IWD2. Generally I don't recall doing much different in IWD or BG tbh, i.e. gear party, solve quests, get loot. I played IWD2 ages ago, so don't know how well it'll run on modern systems, think I was still on XP at the time. I remember enjoying them, but @Bubo makes good points about party banter.

 

[Subzero85]

Think only the first icewind dale is on steam, believe it is more action focused, but i remember the snowy setting and soundtrack being very good.

 

[bakes0310]

I'll look into Icewind dale when I'm finished with the BG trilogy, I'm guessing baldurs gate games are quite short for an RPG.

Anyway I played a few hours today and made some very good progress with going from level 1 to level 3 along with most of my party. Met a few more companions along the way, had to choose between who to take or leave at the inn.
I found a paladin who is super useful with his minor heal spell, I think he's definitely going to stay the duration. But it seems my party consists of 3 ranged attackers and 4 close range attackers, which seems to work quite well.

Made a couple choices I'm undecided on if it was right but I killed a dark elf who may end being my companion, but I was getting the vibe she was an evil companion and I'm trying to be good.

 

[bakes0310]

If you haven't reached toe Friendly Arms Inn yet, then you haven't got to it. But you can definitely find it I think - it's just in a field on a normal map, no way of getting locked away from it.

To be honest - this is all from 30 year old memories. You'd probably be better doing a google for Ankheg armour rather than trusting my directions!

I found some gold pantaloons that don't look that special haha.

I have also found the angst material to craft the best armour for a druid but it cost silly monies and I don't have a druid in my party.

 

[jimjam81]

Doh missed the armour, any chance I can get back there as im locked out by a guard?

Their ring of wizardry is hidden in a tree on friendly arm inn map, south part of the map. Tab will show where it is.

Ring of protection +1 hidden in a rock on junction map below friendly arm inn. North west part of map.

Ankheg armour, which is some of best armour in game is located in one of the town maps. In a field on left hand side of map.

Quite a few other hidden items too that tab highlight shows.

The best weapons you can steal with high pickpocket, +5 Schmiter, +2 longbow, but this May of been patched out of BGEE,You can pickpocket other good stuff though from some named characters.

Keep the pantaloons on your main character, there is one pair you collect in Bg2 and another in throne of Bhaal. Nice but if crafting can be done if you get all 3.

 

[Bubo]

Bit late for you now but this is how I play the BG games nowadays whenever I get the urge for a replay.

Enhanced Edition Trilogy

Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition Trilogy (EET) is a modification for BGII: Enhanced Edition that merges the whole saga into one game and provides continuity between the events of Baldur's Gate, Tales of the Sword Coast, Shadows of Amn, Throne of Bhaal and the Siege of Dragonspear expansion.

www.gibberlings3.net

Merges BG1, BG TotSC, SoD, BG2:SoA and BG2.ToB into one massive seamless game world and epic combined playthrough, and is quite easy to install and get going. All areas remain accessible throughout, such that you can store items on a BG1 map and pick them up later during BG2 and other fun stuff. You still play the games in order as you would normally, but as I say, you can go back to previous areas if you want and that. You can even add the Icewind Dale areas if you want. I think there is a mod project ongoing where you could play Icewind Dale with a party of BG1 chars if you wanted, that part of the mod is still in development though, I think.

 

[bakes0310]

Played a bit more last night, managed to win the hardest fight in the game so far with 4 wizards. They would keep casting a spell that confused most of my party which made them run off randomly leaving one or two companions to face the wizards alone. After about 6 tries I got lucky and they cast it quite badly and only affected 3 companions. Got some nice loot from them but they didn't seem to have anything on them to suggest they are part of a quests. Who knows maybe I'll end up talking to someone who wants me to kill them and I'll get the reward straight away.

Also came across a druid who was a bit mad who I killed with the help of his 'friend' who after a bit of questioning actually drugged his friend to act like that, so I killed him aswell.

 

[loftie]

Bit late for you now but this is how I play the BG games nowadays whenever I get the urge for a replay.

Enhanced Edition Trilogy

Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition Trilogy (EET) is a modification for BGII: Enhanced Edition that merges the whole saga into one game and provides continuity between the events of Baldur's Gate, Tales of the Sword Coast, Shadows of Amn, Throne of Bhaal and the Siege of Dragonspear expansion.

www.gibberlings3.net

Merges BG1, BG TotSC, SoD, BG2:SoA and BG2.ToB into one massive seamless game world and epic combined playthrough, and is quite easy to install and get going. All areas remain accessible throughout, such that you can store items on a BG1 map and pick them up later during BG2 and other fun stuff. You still play the games in order as you would normally, but as I say, you can go back to previous areas if you want and that. You can even add the Icewind Dale areas if you want. I think there is a mod project ongoing where you could play Icewind Dale with a party of BG1 chars if you wanted, that part of the mod is still in development though, I think.

Dammit - requires SoD