POLL: Canon BG2 Party (some SoA spoilers)

Remove all ads!

@ Felinoid: You're the only one who decided that the protagonist had to be a half-elf, and it looks like that is based on the correct age range (which a human fits as well) and the ability to multiclass, which a Paladin doesn't have anyway.

 

I see <charname> as an F/T of some description, probably dual-classed. Definitely CG alignment, though: "they will be of good and evil, but chaos will follow them wherever they go" is - I believe - how it's put in BG1. Which rules out Pally. Definitely good, though. It's so much easier (and materially more rewarding, strangely) to do all the quests the "good" way. I'd also tend to think of them as human rather than anything else, as the game seems designed with human as the "default" racial choice, with half-elves second favourite (all romances are available only to humans and half-elves).

Of course, I feel that someone ought to mention the BG books and Abdel... Ok, the books are awful (allegedly - I haven't read them and never will), but as he's pretty much this type of character it seems likely that's not too many miles away from how <charname> was initially envisaged. Of course, not even the BG designers liked him (did you see the stats they gave him in the TotSC Expansion save? He had about 7 INT and 6 WIS! ), so how far you want to see that as your template is up to you, really.

And I definitely think <charname> would be male, because they knew who they were pitching the game to (the predominately young male computer gaming audience), which is best shown up by the 3:1 ratio of male:female romance choices.

Of course, just to add insult to injury, they decided to make that 1 option Anomen!

Ladies, if I were you I'd be starting a women's movement about that choice...

 

Human starting range: 16-19 (that's 15 + 1d4)
Half-elf starting range: 16-21 (15 + 1d6)
Halfling starting range: 23-32 (20 + 3d4)
The rest are even higher.

EDIT: That's right, Magpie; elves top the list at 105-130 (100 +5d6).

[ September 06, 2005, 22:50: Message edited by: Felinoid ]

 

It always makes me chuckle that in NWN, the starting age for an elf is 120 years, but in BG2 Imoen will always insist on only being a couple of years younger than <charname>... She looks good for 118 human years, no?

 

Does the game say that the protagonist is exactly 20 years old?

 

It says (I believe) something about you being in your "twentieth year". Which is when you're 19, really, so either human or half-elf could apply.

 

Aged 19 or 20 would be young but not that young in a medieval setting. If your average life expectancy is around 40 you're no longer a kid at 20.

 

Also, I don't think using the starting ages from the PHB is canon in the BG world. What I'm trying to say is that most P&P characters aren't the offspring of deities, so you can fudge a few things here and there.

 

Though I agree that you can fudge with age (to an amazing degree, in fact), I don't think 'fudging' has much place when talking about canon. Intent would be based on the actual rules, with fudging being how you can deviate from the original idea.

Besides, you can't honestly believe a paladin fits with the BG2 storyline; you have to severely bend the law to complete SoA. Even BG1 is a stretch unless you roleplay strictly. A demipaladin-like character would fit in much better, and the trade-off of a deeper connection with your chosen god (more spells) for slower advancement is an easy one to make.

 

AD&D 2e Player's Handbook canon and Baldur's Gate canon are two different things, that's my argument.

I do agree that it's difficult to roleplay a Paladin in BGII (but I think it's much more feasable in BGI).

EDIT: I don't think my previous post came out the way I meant it to. I didn't mean to say that races mature at different rates than listed in the PHB, I meant to say that the protagonist isn't necessarily at the listed "starting adventurer" age. The protagonist doesn't choose to start his or her adventure, it's forced on him or her by Gorion.

 

Okay, let's try this again: *Intent would be based on the actual rules, with fudging being how you can deviate from the original idea.* The game comes from the rules; it's basically an adventure pack that you can play on your computer. For it to be anything else would eliminate the necessity of Wizards/TSR's involvement. As such involvement comes with a pricetag, it's very likely that the producing company would not ask for it without cause. Hence, it is 2e. That's my reasoning anyway.

Yep, fudging. Canon is intent of the designers, not "what could be".

 

personally, I think the pc should be a mage, since gorion is a mage and even imoen who started out as a thief becomes a mage in the end, as for the last spot my vote is either for aerie or viconia

 

Yeah, I understood you. I just disagree. Don't get a superiority complex.

 

come to think of it...if you listen to the SoA theme long enough, you'll hear Viccy's Romance theme. Maybe Viccy is supposed to take the slot? Then again, the beauty (and confusion!) of this all, is that ALL the female romance NPC's have logical reasons why they should be the "sixth" member

as for the PC's class...I don't think Gorion would object if the PC attended Paladin academy and come home during spring break, so a Paladin type PC wouldn't be so bad

 

@Klorox:
Likewise. I'd say thinking your point of view doesn't need any explaining speaks of a bigger complex. I was fishing for some reasoning, but if you have none past "It could work", then never mind.

The question when considering canon is not "What could they have done?" but instead "What would they have done?" If you've got a reason for why a paladin would fit better than an F/C, I'd be more than happy to hear you out, provided you tell enough of your explanation that us "superiors" can follow it.

 

First off we should look at the sex of the protaginist. If the protaginist is female the person who should be with the group is Anomen since he is the only male that can be romanced. If the protaginist is male than the last member should be Aerie because she can be your romance and she also become Minsc witch. I never really have taken Aerie because I have never been found of her stats or her abilities, etc... I would rather create my own Cleric/Mage and bring that person along.

As for my protaginist what race and class should he or she be? I believe either a Ranger - Stalker or a Figther/Thief. I say either of these because they both offer the ability of backstabing which is essential for assassin. And since you are a spawn of the Bhaal, previous an assassin, either one of those classes make perfect sense or even a F/M/T. The race could be halfing, 1/2 Elf or a human.

[ September 08, 2005, 19:30: Message edited by: Silver Knight ]

 

@ Felinoid: I don't think there needs to be an explanation. I'm not trying to say that a Paladin is a better choice than a F/C. I'm trying to say that it's an equally valid one.

@ Silver Knight: I don't think a romance is "needed" to enjoy the BGII game (but it does make it more interesting). I think there was only one romanceable make because more gamers are male, and probably prefer playing male characters.

 

I think an absolutely "canon" party is difficult to envisage - the designers did, after all, design the game to be played in any number of different ways. You could argue for a good canon party and an evil canon party at least. Of course, that seems out of step with the start of SoA, but doesn't rule out turning to the darkside during the course of the game.

I think Silver Knight made good points for the PC's class - also, the idea of a "lovable rogue"-type as hero is a staple of many stories, and seems to fit in with <charname>'s humble upbringings in Candlekeep more than an Archmage (in spite of all the scrolls knocking around - I get the feeling he wouldn't have had much access to magic) although talent for the Art would tie in with the Godspawn aspect. I can definitely see sorcerer, though - the description of the class practically begs it! Wild mage too. (I have to try one of these one day... )

Of course, however, certain things seem out of place with what we *know* about the canon storyline, elf or dwarf PC being one of these, owing to age inconsistencies. I also find it difficult to see the PC as a cleric or paladin. Ranger is fine, imho, because it would fit in with the PCs sense of wanderlust, staring out at the world from the cloisters of Candlekeep. Maybe druid, too, but this seems more of a stretch, somehow. Bard could work too (Candlekeep is the home of lore! ), but I think some F/T combo works best. See SK's post for race choices.

For the party, it seems clear what the canon BG1 party is. For BG2 the choices are more open. Any of the romance options are viable, (or all 3!) as are the leftovers from the BG1 canon party. I have a liking for this, though:

• PC (CG Human male F/T)
• Minsc
• Jaheira
• Yoshimo -> Imoen
• Viconia (because no good romance is complete without a love triangle!)
• Edwin

i.e. All the BG1 survivors, with Yoshi as a stopgap. Somehow this makes sense to me, not least because this lot seem to have the most entertaining dialogues. Also, I could swear that Edwin's written as though he's the misfit in a predominantly Good-aligned party. Jaheira's probably the principal love interest, but I'm undecided on that, to be honest.

Just my two penneth.

 

@ Magpie: I agree with that Edwin line, he really does seem like he's written that way. I just think it's funny that two of your party members might kill each other!

Also, of a very interesting note: The party you detail above are the same NPCs in the TotSC default party. The protagonist in that party is a Human Fighter though.

 

Has anyone actually read the books of Baldur's Gate? I believe those could answer many of our questions.