Best party for my elven Stalker

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Okey, listen up BG2 people. As we all know this question has been ask many times before. But that will not stop me from asking it again. Which NPC should make my party?

I know everybody says that you should just play and learn as you go, but I have ONE big problem. I´m a perfectionist. Its really annoying actually. When I have started playing, picked up Yoshimo, done the circus tent and picked up Aerie, I am not happy. If I shouldn´t have Yoshimo I really didn´t even have to pick him up then would I. I could have just gotten out of there without him. So that my exp would go to me.
In due respect to the storyline I always feel like a powerplayer if I do not take with me Minsc and Jaheira. I am also planning to take with me Imoen when that time comes.

So could you guys help compose a good "good" part that will be fun to play, and will be fairly good as well.

Have thought about having Minsc and Keldorn as tanks and my elven stalker in addition. Perhaps Jaheira and Anomen could be my clerics, and my backup fighters. But it is the thief and mage spot that causes my head to burst. Should I use jan? Nalia? (Everyone says she is so enoying). Or perhaps Aerie? But keep in mind that I will replace one with Imoen, which one in that case?

[ July 18, 2003, 17:53: Message edited by: Blackthorne TA ]

 

1. Minsc is a great tank and a good fun character - dual wielding Hammers and Maces.
2. Keldorn is a good fighter and great anti-mage person - with a big sword. Anomen is the other decent fighetr you could put in this slot - use hammers or maces.
3. Jaheira has access to some really cool druid spells. I also like to tank Jaheira sometimes as she has fairly good HPs and with a good belt she can kill with the best of them.
4. Mazzy is a great ranged support, probably the best archer in the game.
5. Nalia is probably the best Good Mage you can get in BG2. She is a poor thief, but was never meant to be that. She is a better mage than Imoen becuase of the extra XPs and spells she can gain before you get Imoen back.
6. Yoshimo is a great thief until you get Imoen back. You can also use this slot to try out all the NPCs and do their quests. Then pick up Yoshi head to spellhold and grab Immy.

 

Minsc and Keldorn sounds like a good combo up front. Jaheira is a great back up fighter with her low AC and Iron Skins. I usually use her as ranged support though - with the Sling of Seeking and a strength enhancing item she is great.

I'd go with Jan as back up mage and utility thief - great lock picking/disarm traps/pick pockets. Maybe replace him for Imoen later on? She needs some items to compensate for her not to brilliant thieving skills...

I wouldn't take Anomen along - if you feel you need another healer then take Aerie because with a PC Stalker, Keldorn, Minsc and Jaheira you really don't need more punch. And Aerie is a great back up mage.

 

Minsc, Keldorn, Jaheira and your stalker are all fine.

As for your final two spots, you have to ask yourself really what you're looking for in a party. If you want to be able to use theif HLA as you get further into the game, then I would take Jan and Nalia, and drop Nalia after acquiring Imoen. The beauty part about that switch is that Imoen and Nalia have identical classes and identical proficiencies, so you just transfer everything from Nalia to Imoen.

If you don't care about thief HLA's, then I would recommend taking Nalia and Yoshimo, and dropping Yoshimo once you acquire Imoen. Your party then will have two powerful mages in it.

Nalia is a somewhat annoying character because of her personality, but as far as being a mage is concerned she's fine. In fact, she'll probably be better than Imoen, as you will have her for the entire game, when Imoen will be gone for a while. Nalia will probably be about 2 level ahead of Imoen, so you will actually use her to cast high level spells (as she will acquire them first).

The other thing if you take Nalia and Yoshimo and then replace Yoshimo with Imoen is that you will have a "good" party as your requested. Jan is Chaotic Neutral, and although he will never leave the party because of it's reputation, technically he isn't a good character. Really the same applies to Jaheira. She's true neutral. If you want an all good party, I'd take this:

You
Keldorn
Minsc
Anomen
Nalia
(Yoshimo) and then switch with Imoen

If you want a little more healing, this one will also work fine:

You
Keldorn
Minsc
Anomen
Aerie
Imoen

This setup gives you two characters capable of casting cleric spells, as well as two characters capable of casting mage spells.

 

You
Minsc
Keldorn
Jaheira
Aerie
Nalia switch with Imoen

Great party.
I usually have both Nalia and Imoen and leave Keldorn out but above should work great aswell, maybe even better.
But I like spells

 

Here my choices,

For ass kickers(warriors),

Minsc:dual-wield crom faeyr(good for ass kicking) and flail of ages(free action is nice... or maybe go for answerer long sword)
Keldorn: wield Holy avenger(I guess you know the advantages yourself...)

To me, the 2 of them + you should be more than enough for fighting sword to sword combat.
--------------------------------------------------
For finger wrigglers(spell caster and the likes)

Jaheira: you people said it for me already!
Jan: he is too fun and very useful...
Nalia: spells

with these 3 characters combine with the above ones, I hope its what you can call good...
I the power-gaming type who goes for the better character even if it mean he/she is evil so I not really skilled in choosing a (for the good of all goodly folks!) party.

[ July 18, 2003, 16:28: Message edited by: Skywind ]

 

You could take Viconia as she is an awesome Cleric. You can justify her being in your party because you have rescued her and you are obliged to protect her - even minsc has asked you to.

Be careful taking on Aerie, with Minsc, as if you keep her too long and then get rid of her you may find Minsc leaves as well. If you want to keep her then Minsc will be happy.

I don't feel you could justify taking on Edwin under any circumstance as his quest(s) are fairly evil oriented.

With Keldorn and/or Mazzy in your party then I think you HAVE to side with the thieves and not the vampires. (Please correct me if I'm wrong). So this may affect your decision somewhat.

I've noticed that not many people have spoken in support of Mazzy. She is a single class fighter so can have high proficiencies. She can be an awesome fighter, but may need a belt to help her.

 

this is slightly but what is HLA its something i feel that i already know just cant quite grasp.

 

HLA=High Level Abilities, which aren't available in Shadows of Amn, only ToB. As such, they aren't discussed in this forum.

 

thanks death rabbit( i cant beleive i couldnt remember that )

 

I think I have found a party I can live with now. Nothing is like some fresh norwegioan mountain air to gather ones mind.

Me (Stalker)
Minsc
Jaheira
Opional NPC /Keldorn
Aerie
Jan/Imoen

or

Me (Stalker)
Minsc
Jaheira
Optional NPC/ Anomen
Nalia
Jan/Imoen

I have decided to use Jan until I get Imoen. So the two slots I am thinking about is the mage spot (Aerie or Nalia) and the Tank/Healer spot (Keldorn or Anomen). What do you think?

 

You know...I think you should take:
Keldorn
Minsc
Jaheira
Imoen
Mazzy (her proficience with Short Bows makes her an excellent "archer")
Good luck!!

 

Nalia will end up with more higher level spells than aerie. However, in TOB aerie will gain many more HLAs - see TOB forum.

 

But what about Keldorn and "Tha sword"?
Can I sucsesfully mix Keldorn and Nalia or Anomen or Aerie?

 

Sorry..I didn't understand your question...you mean choose one of these three: Nalia, Anomen and Aerie??

 

Keldorn will work happily with any or all of the three. I think there's some dialog antagonising between Keldorn and Anomen, but they will work fine together.

Keldorn has no real spells so is definitely a front-line character. Also, one of the best anti-mage NPCs in the game.

I would choose either:
Jaheira + Anomen + Imoen --> heavy divine
Jaheira + Aerie + Imoen --> equal divine/arcane
Jaheira + Nalia + Imoen --> more arcane

As you are a stalker, why not take Keldorn instead of Minsc? With the belts that are available, ther is no real advantage of Minsc over Keldorn. With his skills and sword Keldorn will be far superior.

Then, take Anomen as well. Anomen can make a good backup tank if need be, so he is worth keeping. Wield FoA or Crom.

So a new party suggestion:
PC (Stalker)
Keldorn
Anomen
Jaheira
Nalia
Imoen

You have 4 fighter classes, 3 tanks, 2 priests, 2 mages, 1 thief, 1 backstabber.

If you still want Minsc then try

PC (Stalker)
Keldorn
Minsc
Jaheira
Aerie
Imoen

Keeps the arcane/divine spells balanced. I always believe in a backup priest and a backup mage - both achieve this.

 

So, you want Jaheira, you, and Minsc? That leaves three slots open, here's some suggestions:

-Anomen, as he is a good fighter and Sir Anomen is a good fighter AND a good cleric. Minus the attitude...
-Cernd is powerful with the ease-of-use, but you already have Jaheira, so you don't need him.
-Viconia could be used if you want, but you are an elf. And a goody-good, so you probably don't want to take her, darthiir.
-Mazzy is a nice warrior but isn't meant to be a frontliner, have her in the back to hurl missiles.
-Keldorn is a good frontliner armed with Carsomyr, and his anti-magic abilities is very handy.
-Korgan could be considered, but if you want to play good then he'll want nothing to do with ye, ye cowardly lilywhite longlimb.
-For mages, take either Nalia or Imoen, if you don't like Jan. Or take Nalia/Imoen and Jan.
Or you could take Edwin, but as with Korgan, he'll want nothing to do with you if you play the goody two shoes. (Foolish simians! Giving to beggers?! Bah!)

Off topic, but @Bard: Wow, you're one of the few people I've seen NOT bashing Nalia when they talk about her...and I agree with your viewpoints. Nalia isn't meant to be used as a thief till the end of her days.