Originally Posted by Milkfred
You didn't need to roll anything to, say, get Saemon Havarian to help you out. How many dialogue options were gated by your mental ability scores, do you think? We'll say across both games. Come on, don't be shy.

Originally Posted by Yawning Spider
And surely you know that Diplomacy didn't even get a set of rules until Dragon Magazine #169.

But hey, if I were caught out like that, I would try to cherry-pick a criticism and reorient my argument too.

Fact is this is a suitably shallow reply given your lack of contextual knowledge, especially considering the thrust of your last post was that BG1&2 didn't reflect the ruleset they were based on as accurately as BG3 (which is laughable) and not that there were a small number of mental stat checks.

But simply because this is kind of funny, and I have nothing better to do right now, here's some:


An incomplete list from BG2:
Cyric's Avatar in the pocket plane challenge room:
Cyric: Now, then. Let's get trivial matters out of the way first. Do you know who I am?
You seem... familiar somehow... (Wisdom less than 8, Intelligence greater than 13)
You're... the current god of murder? ( Wisdom between 8-16)
Yes. You're Cyric, reigning god of murder. (Wisdom 17+, or player is a cleric)

Yakman in the Watcher's Keep portal level:
Yakman: Yakman used to sleep, long time ago. But it get cold, so cold. Frozen Yakman! Demons come, and it get cold. No sleep make Yakman go crazy, Yakman knows. Crazy Yakman!
Maybe a heal spell will help restore your sanity? (Wisdom 15+, or player is a cleric)

The wraith shade of Gorion in Yaga-Shura's mom's temple
Gorion: You are a disappointment. You were supposed to be so much more, . You were supposed to be something greater, and yet in the end, you murdered even me!
Gorion would never say these things. You are not he! (Wisdom 12+)

The beholder in the Sahuagin city
Spectator: I assume he was talking about this chest, though. And that means I can't let you open it... or do anything to it... even if I'm not guarding what's inside.
But that doesn't mean you can't open it, right? Then I could get what's inside without touching anything. (Wisdom 13+)

Elven gate guard in Suldanessellar:
Elf: No! No, go away! You... you're just another illusion, trying to trick me! I won't open the gate, I won't!
All of the illusions have been of horrible creatures... I am not a creature of any sort. Why would they create an illusion like me? (Wisdom 15+)
Illusions exist through belief. Stop believing in them, and they no longer exist. You can try the same with me, but I assure you I am quite real. (Intelligence 15+)
You're just going to have to trust me, friend. I'm here to help, not to fight. (Charisma 15+)

The "dragonslayer" in one of the tents in Trademeet:
Wilfred: Too bad I was by myself at the time. I could only gather as much gold as I could carry. Still, it was enough to make me plenty wealthy. Plus, it was a good deed, which is my forte.
You don't look like someone who could single-handedly slay a dragon! What's the real story here? (Wisdom 15-16)
I'm wise enough to see right through your story, Wilfred. You're lying. (Wisdom 17+)

There's also a "Reaction adjustment" which is based in part on your CHA score. In BG1 at least, this impacts a large number of NPC reactions, including that of party members who can join your cause:
https://baldursgate.fandom.com/wiki/Reaction


Again, it doesn't matter, because this was only tangential to your original point, but it is really funny.