When to get Imoen

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I usually favor going for Imoen early, instead of doing the Chapter 2 quests. The exception is if I'm playing an evil party and have no intention of bringing her with me once I get there. Then I say let her rot for all I care - I'll do all the chapter 2 quests first and get there when I'm good and ready.

However, if I'm playing a good party, I feel that the PC would try to go there as soon as possible. Given that though, there are several other NPC's that make demands of you as well. For example, if I take Nalia along, she isn't going to appreciate me taking a few weeks off to go to Spellhold while her lands are under seige, so I usually do the De'Arnise keep first.

What quests do you do before getting Imoen? For me (in order) I do the Copper Coronet and the associated slavers in the slums, the De'Arnise Keep, which usually also requires me to do the Harper Hold. After that, I'm off to Spellhold.

 

I usually wait till I have done all the Chapter 2 quests first. Don't as ke why, that's just always how I've done it

 

Most times I haven't bothered with Imoen in the party because on my first run through the game, when I rescued her from Spellhold she was a bit behind everyone else level-wise and as I had Edwin in the party I already had a better mage than she'll ever be.

Only once have I gone to Spellhold asap and this was just to see if Imoen had any other dialogues or quests associated with her if you rescued her early enough. I never noticed any so since then I haven't tended to bother with her.

 

Further to my posts above. I have only ever actually considered doing the quests early is when I installed the Imoen romance mod. But I stopped playing pretty much as soon as I got out of Jons dungeon because of boredom.

But I think I will try going to get her earlier now

 

I usually do all quests that can be done before going to Spellhold and picking up the girl.

 

I do most Ch 2 quests first as well.

 

It all deends on the party layout I have.

Being an XP whore, if I plan on using Imoen (especially if she's going to be my main mage), I leave ASAP.

If she's going to be in the party, but as a backup mage (I've done it w/ Nalia as my main mage, Edwin or Protagonist work as well), I won't rush out there to save her.

If I don't want her in the party, I finish all the quests in Chapter 2/3.

 

long time ago since i picked up imoen at free will. her pestering voice and muchtomuch childish dialogues drove me insane from the very beginning, maybe since bg1.

that said, i do all other possible stuff besides the mainplot before i leave to spellhold.

 

When I first played it, I ran staight to her...gotta save Immy!

This second time though, I'm trying with the Imoen romance mod, which said to take my time. So, I've kinda taken a lot of time. maybe more than I shoulda. I just did all the quests that interested me, and left the others till later.

 

In some ways it doesn't make much sense to do any of the quests. If you're good that is. Because good people would rush off to save Imoen as soon as they could. Upon returning you're trying to save that elven city who's name I'm not bothering to look up. As such with people dying you really don't want to waste your time getting Helm a new statue.

That said, question for those who leave early...how goes the battle with the thieves/vampires. Is it easy? Hard? I've only ever left after doing everything so I don't really know how its level adjusted.

 

I do everything I reasonably can before getting Imoen, and that includes the first two levels of Watcher's Keep. My thesis is this -- Irenicus captured me with ease outside Baldur's Gate -- I'm going to need all the euipment and skills I can get before tangoing with that guy again! As for leaving Watcher's Keep early, well, I go into Level 3 and pick up a few things, but after a couple run ins with heavy hitting demons, I decide that I'll need some more skills before tackling THOSE guys!

I hate the fact that Imoen is separated from the party for so long -- I cut her loose to find her own way out because I figure she's faced enough danger with me -- I'll let her lead a relaxing life in relative safety Her lack of XP gaining with me is what does it -- I've surpassed her in skill and she would get hurt if she stayed with me.

 

Question: If you add her into your party, and then drop her from your party in the Spellhold dungeon, does she make it back to Amn, or have you lost her (as you lose any character you drop to add her to your party)?

 

she is lost then, as she is a soulless (and mindless imo) creature unable to escape.

 

I know that if you drop her in the dungeon, she tells you that she will find her way out and goes to the Copper Coronet.

As for when I get Imoen, she is one of the last things on my "to do" list - regardless of party structure or alignment. I try to do my PC stronghold quest as soon as possible as well as Nalia's since that yields a good deal of gold and decent XP. From there, it's quests like Imnesvale, Trademeet, Windspear Hills, etc. Really anything that can be done before heading to Spellhold is done.

 

I don't think it's necessarily more realistic, or expected that a good character should rush off to save her asap. Remember, as far as you know, she an Irenicus are both simply prisoners of the local mage militia (ie. Cowled Wizards). You don't know that ole Jonny boy is gonna take over spellhold. Effectively, what you're looking at doing to springing your little sis from a mage's prison. Frankly, that being the case, it seems to me that it makes 'more' sense to take your time, plan properly, gather the right equipment, and really just do everything you can to make sure your jailbreak is successful.

The point is, tho having played the game before we all know what happens, and for that matter we all know the reputation of Spellhold even before Jonny takes over. But, in game, you don't know that stuff until you're there anyway. All you know is that she's been arrested by the Cowled Wizards.

 

I do all the quests, cause i know i will have hard battles before me, so i need to get some good items, find good companions for me, and fully prepared for tough times

 

I tried to do all the quests in Athkatla, but left everything outside (Except the keep, Nalia kept whinin') till later.
I can justify getting resources and allies etc. in the city, but trecking 3 weeks across the countryside to kill some ogres doesn't really seem like an urgent or relevant distraction...

 

I do as many quests as possible.

 

I have always done as many quests as possible before I get Imoen as well. But for a change, I'm just getting my 2 strongholds (mage and fighter) and going to get Imoen, then coming back and doing all the quests I can find to beef up her XP.

 

I do every quest possible. The dragons, the demi-lich, even the Twisted Rune. I also keep Jaheira with for two main reasons: quest experience and Ring of Wizardry. I know I can get the ring from the Planar Sphere, after I take control over it, but I like to keep my pupils alive. I try to gain all the experience possible, so the sixth NPC place in my party is taken by all the NPCs which give you experience. When all that can be done is done, I leave for Spellhold. Then I take Imoen with me (I have the sixth slot free), but only for a short period. After Bodhi is defeated and she regains her soul (and the party gains the experience), Imoen leaves. The experience devided to five is better then devided to six.