Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - General Who else is playing through BG1, 2, ToB atm?

It has been a few years, so I am reacquainting myself with Baldur's Gate in preparation. Just started chapter 3 or BG2.

For those who are doing likewise, a question:

What character are you playing now and what do you anticipate playing when BG3 releases?
I tend to remake the same characters over and over again as much as I can in all of the RPGs I play, but when we have a sequel with a new protagonist I feel obliged to try something else.

In BG 1 and 2 I am playing my head canon Bhaalspawn (and I am trusting that Larian is sharp enough to never mention the name Abdel Adrian in their game and shatter this for me), a neutral good, half-elf fighter (berserker) named Alumyr. I am not usually a fan of straight melee characters, especially berserking ones, but something about the idea of my character constantly trying to control an almost overwhelming persistent sense of rage for his entire life - which turns out to be the product of his unique bloodline - and that it is this forbearance which actually trains him to eventually reject this heritage is just so thematically appropriate. Berserking is also great against Kangaxx, and I like getting his ring early.

For BG3, right now I am edging towards a Drow (maybe half Drow) Warlock. Perhaps give him one level of rogue in the full release. Just going full edginess.

Already made a "revival tour" of BG trilogy last summer when the first news about bg3 came. I have to say that I didn´t remember exactly how the old games were, I had them coloured by my memories, but still, the games aged very well and they´re still some of the top CRPG games ever.

Played my iconic half-elf cleric-ranger over the entire story, with the classic Immy, Jaheira-Khalid, Minsc-Dynaheir and Viconia. I added Jan, Keldorn and Edwin to the lot later.

I think I´m gonna try the origins characters first, for a change. It´s a refreshing change and I´m used to play characters with a predetermined background in many games like the Witcher, DA2, MassEffect, Greedfall, etc
Possibly Wyll, the warlock. Warlocks are very fun to play. I hope BG3 include interactions with your patrons.

For my first custom character, I´ll try a high-elf or a drow, I hope to see some unique dialogues in the Underdark and the surface for those races. Possibly a Lore bard(sage).

I play the old BG +- every 2 years.
The last time it was with a drow ranger specialized in scimitar

Still not sure I'll play BG3 but if I do, probably my classic human fighter for the first game.

¿?

How do you play a drow in the BG trilogy? a mod?

No, the last time I played +- 6 month ago was the EE on Nintendo Switch so no mod. Elf + dark skin I guess.

What elf subrace is the default? In BG1,2 etc and NWN you only get to pick Elf as a race, but which subrace is it meant to represent? I think it's Moon Elf, most common and most tolerant of other races. Fairly vanilla compared to the other Elven subraces that specialise in certain playstyles.

On my last playthrough I played an elven wizard. My first character in BG3 will probably be a drow priestess of Lolth.

In AD&D there were no differences between subraces IIRC, including elven subraces, so you can play an elf of any origin when choosing your race (Drows and duergar are labelled as monster races)

NWN uses 3-3.5 rules so there are subraces and many more playable races like drows, tieflings, aasimar, etc.

I did a full BG playthrough before Pillars2 released. I am good for now.

I have no clue when BG3 will be released, nor what games will be available at the time.

I plan to do a complete run of BG 1 + BG 2 + ToB before BG3 early access too.

i dont realy have the time to play lenghty CRPGs at the moment, especialy after i already had to put my current pathfinder playthrough on hiatus, but my tastes changed.

I used to play evil wizards or sneak characters almost exlusiveley back in the day.
These days i stick to fighters and paladins.
i guess i still like the summoning route but 5e doesnt have a great option for that

Choose Baeloth's portrait and your elf will be dark skinned.

Playing now a Fighter/Assassin through that marvelous EEKeeper mod, which also allowed me to change my PC appearence to that of a Thief instead of always looking like a fighter. My other favorite builds are Kensai/Thief human, Fighter/Thief elf and Fighter/Mage elf.

Never understood why Beamdog didn't implement being able to multi class into a kit if you start unkitted. As far as I know you can do that on the PnP and was a thing that players requested during development.

For BG3 I'm planning a Drow or Wood Elf sniper, most likely Assassin/Battlemaster which is the same as my tabletop character. I play a Drow, but it depends on how they'll be implemented in the game. Up to now there is no Dex bonus, as if Drow was not considered an Elf.

I used DLTCEP and EEkeeper to change the BG-series bard into a 1E Illusionist as best I could. Having the Shades spell to make an illusory Clay Golem turned out to be quite awesome in ToB. So until "BG Keeper III" comes out, I think I will go with a Transmuter if it actually follows the 5E PHB.

You can choose the illusionist arcane tradition as a wizard at level 2, but I do not know if that´s what you´re looking for.
http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/wizard:illusion

Casually playing BG2 since a couple weeks, personally. Had totally forgotten how much of a linear dungeon crawl it becomes from chapter four onwards most of the time. I still like the first game better, even though the second has better quest design (and naturally due to the level caps, a tad more complex combat).

BG1 feels like a world to explore, whereas BG2 is more like a heavily guided D&D theme park tour. ToB I never rated much at all, except for the ending.

BG2? I think you are free to explore all the zones in any order you want (or not) or pick the quests at any moment you want (or not) until you come back to the main quest to rescue Imoen. Of course, when you pick the main quest again in the last third of the game goes straight to the ending, but even so, you can visit other places and go whenever you want after the Underdark before going against Irenicus.

BG1 has more plot and physical barriers and plenty of almost-empty maps. There are more NPCs and subquests only in Athkathla than in the first 4 chapters of BG1 combined. Still a fantastic game, tho.

Maybe you did all the subquests before going to Spellhold and you have nothing else to do?

I recommend BG1.

I played all of BG2 (Enhanced Edition) but high level AD&D is just too technical and playing low levels is always more fun I find.

That said, BG2 has a lot of confrontation with Mind Flayers in the underdark, so there is a superficial link with BG3.

( As for BG2: Throne of Baal, I don't think it is even worth mentioning. )

I strongly disagree. You have way more ways to deal with problems and fight far more interesting creatures on BG2. also, BG2 is more a mid level campaign than a high level campaign. You don't fight Liches and Dragons on BG1.

Anyway, is good to check also Icewind dale 1/2 and planescape torment.

I feel exactly the same way. I love how open BG1 feels. There are several maps that you never really have any incentive to explore aside from your own curiosity, and I find something very compelling about that. In BG2 you are told to go to X and then X appears on your world map and you fast travel there. In BG1 you need to travel all of the maps in between where you are and X, so there is a sense of exploration about your journeys.

Of course, the way BioWare did BG1 is quite cost ineffective, so it makes sense that they changed their design philosophy. Still, I very much prefer these aspects of BG1.