Assumed BG2 Party

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It's all about redemption? Man, you're making it sound like Star Wars now!

Imoen is Princess Leia and you have to save her from the Death Star Asylum.

 

mm.. reminds me of the fact that when you install Tales of the Sworth Coast expension pack for bg1 you can load the game with a pre-made party after the bg story line.. and the where:

PC
Jaheira
Imoen
Viconia
Edwin
Minsc

(pretty strange party due to alingments and the fact that edwin wants to kill minsc his witch..)

 

@Adelon:
Mmm-hmm. And I don't believe it's coincidence that those were the only five NPCs to survive the transition from BG1 to BG2 as NPCs. But I don't think they're canon.

One thing I think we can all agree on is that Korgan and Edwin would not fit into a good-aligned canon party. Viccy and Sarevok, on the other hand, can be redeemed to a certain degree.
Something else to think about if you think the PC should have been wizardly...

 

/meekly raises hand

I did. I did with a PC pally, too.

Bad HB. Don't sully Leia's hair Danish with the gooey sweetness of Heya, it's me, Imoen!

 

Okay, I'll bite. Who did you take with you your first time through BG2, kuemper?

 

I am sadly with Keumper. I took basically the canon party through. Imoen is basically automatic. The note lead me to Jaheira and Khalid. I go down and find Minsc. He forces me to go over and get Dynaheir. It was such a straightforward thing to put together. I slaughtered Edwin in my very first game. didn't even know I was picking the right choices to make him attack me.

As for Your being railroaded into the Copper Coronet. I could well be wrong and I'm sure somebody will correct me since I don't even pay attention anymore but does that not kick in only after you try to leave the Promenade. Running into Aerie is before you leave the area unless you rush out of the area. I have to go out of my way to avoid Aerie's quest considering there are like 3 people around the tent that all tell you there is a problem.

Perhaps you don't need to keep her. Viconia is a much better Cleric. There are a couple that could do better as mages. But you have to be after the best or really want to check others out even on your first time through to do that.

My first party was litterally the ones you get out of Irenicus Dungeon. then Aerie on top of that and finally Anomen because somehow I spoke to him before Nalia. Probably a fluke that i did.

 

I can definitely see the argument for Minsc, Jaheira, Yoshi/Imoen, Nalia, Anomen (at CC); I just see a slightly higher probability of Aerie (plus, you go there before you've even heard of the CC). But for a female PC, I'm sure they wanted to make Anomen very conspicuous (even giving him pink armor)...

As for the TotSC party, take a look at the "Abdel" character who's PC (you can read more about Abdel in one of the links in my first post in this thread, as well as Tal's visceral reaction to Abdel)... However, Edwin claims to not even remember you in SoA, so so much for that...

To tell you the truth, my first run through BG1 was with a Pally taking the canon BG1 guys... and my first run through SoA as well (tho not completed til later; the Aerie romance, which I entered by accident, gave me the heebie jeebies). My party then IIRC was Minsc, Jahiera, Nalia/Imoen (dumped Yoshi, and sadly left Nalia to die in Spellhold, oops), Aerie, and Anomen...

Edit: Heh, looks like there are more of us out there who fell into the Aerie trap. Perhaps we should start a support group, Aerie Anonymous ("My name is Bion, and I took Aerie on my first run through SoA...)

 

Hey! I take Aerie every time - as a conscious choice

 

Truper, the first step towards healing is admitting you have a problem...

 

Like this: "I´m Tardazor, and I took Aerie AND Anomen in my first run of SOA!!"

The problem is I take to Aerie in the actually too.

 

I too took the canon party my first time through BG1. As has been stated, you automoatically get Imoen, you are strongly encouraged to go to the Friendly Arm Inn, where you meet Khalid and Jaheira. Based on Gorion's personal recommendation of them, it seems pretty logical to take them along too. One of the first places you go after the FAI is Naskel, where you meet Minsc, and he directs you directly to Dynaheir. The only diversion I had for this in my initial party is I picked up Branwen at the Naskel fair prior to finding Dynaheir.

 

First time through BG2:

PC pally (Undead Hunter)
Anomen
Jaheira
Minsc
Jan Jansen/Imoen
Nalia

I was of the notion (and still play the same today) of gathering the NPCs I want for the entire game asap. The exception here was Jan, whom I dumped for Imoen. I didn't find Yoshimo that necessary and told him to wait for me at the CC. How was I supposed to know he was a linch-pin in the Irenicus-steals-my-soul plot?

 

I don't know if there is an assumed 'full'party although I'll give you Minsc and Jaheira as they are the most in depth NPCs and you start with them. Imoen has the inside track also as she is your sister and you have to rescue her.
As to the two remaining spots , I think they are a matter of chance and/or dependant on your main characters occupation and alignment because most tend to play good parties the first time through.
On my 1st SoA outing (I presume we are playing the game for the first time when we discuss this question ) I played a straight mage and started of course with Minsc, Jaheira and Imoen. I replaced Imoen with Yoshimo , picked up Aerie right away and after having Nalia and Haer'Dalis in the group for 'try outs' picked up Valgyar in Umar and never looked back.
If I had not done the Circus Quests I might have picked up Anomen in the Inn and if I had not been a mage I may well have stuck with Haer'Dalis or Nalia.
There are of course those who don't get a fair shake first time through because they are too hard to find at the begining. I missed Korgan (I must have been blind although you must approach him - he doesnt introduce himself to you like Nalia or Anomen do) and Kelldorn (as well as the Unseeing Eye Quest!) entirely on my first run through. Cern'd doesnt really stand a chance what with Trademeet being one of the later areas to open up and Jaheira already a fixture , Mazzy has a similar problem. Edwin takes a bit of earning as does Haer'Dalis - many groups often have their magic users sorted out at that point and may not want to try out a bard first time through. Viconia , though easy enough to locate is usually not considered because she is Evil - a point which also hampers Ed and Korgy's chances (although they are the strongest NPCs available in their respective occupations).As to Jan - well he is an acquired taste Valgyar can be tough to get early on but I went to the Umar Hills early on.
In conclusion I think that an 'assumed party' would have to include the original four from Chateau Irenicus with Yoshi replacing Imoen who in turn replaces Yoshi. A strong argument can be made for Aerie who (as has been mentioned) can be added right away , is "good" and being a cleric/mage is very handy. The sixth member of the group should be the next NPC they meet that fits. After Waukeens Promenade the party is prompted to the slums and ,after their talk with Gaelan ,to the Copper Coronet , where the first person they meet is .... Anomen.
This would seem to be the 'assumed party' unless the PC is a cleric too or feels that with Jaheira and Aerie already in the party a third cleric is a bit much. Then it would have to be Nalia who brings a quest with her and is an attractive option for a group who just lost their wizard.

 

Maybe you could be able to import your BG2 party... But that would give the developers a LOT of of extra work, being forced to share their work between every NPC. It would also in many cases stop you from picking up new NPC:s, since you would just want to play with you're old party.

Sorry if this post is considered off-topic

*EDIT*
Fixed some spelling