Your favorite IWD2NPC is.../NPC you miss....

[Domi]

You can simply make her as you imagine her to be and just say: "people who are unhappy - please get yourself a copy of Dale Keeper"

 

Heh, I kind of do want a starting point. The way I see it, is that the character has a calling, but she or he adapts to the best of his or her abilities to the realities of the adventure and responds to the party's needs developing certain skills. I think it's a fair approach under 3ED, the one that does not take away the beauty of multi-classing, but also allows a bit of class flavoring (though not as overwhelming as under 2ED).

 

All I can say is that I agree that you should make whatever characters you want to make and then people can manipulate or develop their class as they see fit.

 

That's the advantage of IWD2 system, that's for sure.

 

Is it bad that I'm wondering which NPCs put together would form the ultimate dysfunctional party?

 

Hmm, depends on what kind of dysfunctional you are looking for. I think that my classic party that started the whole thing, ie Nord, Hildury, Jaemal, Salomeya and Diriel or Nikosh forms a pretty dysfunctional party. The idea to start with was (for the party of six, sans PC) that the Chimera's outcasts are opposed by a party of outcasts.

[Ladile]

Hehe, I was thinking of dysfunctional in a snarky/sarcastic way (it makes me laugh), rather than in a violent way, if that makes any sense. My current (and first playthrough) consists of a half-elven PC ranger, Jaemal, Rizdaer, Valeero, Salomeya, and Nikosh. I'm thinking that Salomeya must be essential for any dysfunctional party.

 

I like the party of outcasts vs. The Chimera train of thought. I remember being pleasantly surprised during one playthrough with an aasimar party leader where Sherincal (or was it Madae?) actually commented on it.

[Kulyok]

I'm actually wondering if you'd like to make a small quest/cameo with these characters for BG series. (Not joinables: Diriel won't have anything to do with the Bhaalspawn, I guess, so...). Just a daydream.

[berelinde]

That might be fun. What's the time offset?

 

Jaemal is out, I guess

 

But the elves would certainly still be alive and well, and Peony, since gnomes are long-lived, and likely Salomeya.

[Domi]

I'm thinking that Salomeya must be essential for any dysfunctional party.

 

Oh, she is.

 

half-elven PC ranger, Jaemal, Rizdaer, Valeero, Salomeya, and Nikosh.

 

An interesting configuration, I didn't play it this way.

 

I looked into the time-line difference, when I was thinking about adding BG NPCs to the cast as mules for functionality. The lag is too large:

 

IWD2 - 1312

BG - 1367-1370, ie 55 years

 

Diriel - can make a cameo (~250-280 yo)

Hildury - dead (75-95 yo)

Jaemal - dead, no question, he dies within 10 -15 years of the end of the IWD2

Nikosh - (~85-95 yo) quite old, but I had once an alternative character for BG2 build omn the same premise (Relique Hunter Kit), Petrush Bracegirdle, whose main attraction instead of romance was taking PC on various antique hunting escapades; I went as far as making a kit, and between Grunker (CoM) and myself we had two or three of his mini-quests written. It was fun, but more than I can manage at the time, so, no mod.

Peony - (~75-80 yo, unless I am totally off on when gnomes reach the age of maturity) can make a cameo, but will be a high-level mage, which will be weird with her personality

Prachi (75-80 yo ) - dead, or still in the BR monastery, quite old

Nord (105-110 yo) - long dead

Rizdaer (300-350 yo) - his road led him elsewhere, possibly dead

Salomeya (135-140 yo) - very old half-elf, possibly dead, can make a cameo, but I'd rather do Safana to be honest, because Safana belongs to BG world

Valeero (85-90 yo ) - dead or quite old.

[Kulyok]

And it's Diriel again! But since he's supposed to be with my IWD2 character, seeing him in BG2 might... raise doubts? On the other hand, it's not as he isn't going to make some of his journeys on his own, gathering followers in Amn, perhaps, or striking alliances with like-minded elves in Tethyr. Ah, Diriel...

[berelinde]

Am I the only one that thought of "The Last Hero?"

[Simbul]

Salomeya (135-140 yo) very old half-elf, possibly dead

Aren't half-elves supposed to live for about 180 years? I even remember a half-elf in FR universe who was about 300 years old, and she wasn't really ancient (although she could have used potions of longevity).

[Domi]

Yes, about 180-200, that's what I thought, so I figured it made her old In any case, as I said, Safana belongs in BG series, Salomeya belongs in Waterdeep.

 

I dunno, I am just not into that idea that everything should be for BG2. The cast imo belongs to the IWD2 story and it's up for the IWD2 protagonist to meet and greet them.

[Morthond]

Diriel could make a nice cameo within Kulyok's Xan mod, as part of that elven-supremacist group...but more relevantly, I'm slowly trekking my way through IWD2 and I may give some feedback within time.

[Domi]

Heh, nope, I am just not interested in doing anything for BG2.

 

My modding pile at the moment is

 

An undisclosed BG1 project

Bishop Romance - NWN2 OC with a looming "add Bishop to NWN2 MoTB" thinggie ('cause by whatever quorky reason I am kindda not interested in romancing a blue-skinned cannibal).

IWD2NPC, V2 which is mainly Diriel's Romance thankfully

A Deathstalker, NWN2 (finally! It's been half-written for months now)

3 competing ideas for a small mod in NWN2 (Knight Errant, Warder's Death, A Bolt of Silk) and

the big project for NWN2 when I feel confident in my ability to code, The Heir.

IWD2NPC, 2 extra characters.

 

Seeing that all of those project come with their NPCs, pieces of dialogues, random ideas and what not, I am about hitting my limit on multi-thinking. Heh.

[CrazeeFFan]

Brilliant mod, Domi. You are a genius for making this.

 

Yeah, now that's outta the way...

 

I voted Other for what was missing in my party. I want a rogue who isn't Niklos, who, quite frankly, makes my eyes twitch and makes me want to play as a rogue myself every time I play just to avoid him. For some reason, I can't stand the guy, so as far as I'm concerned, I'd love to have some more variety in that department.

 

And as for my favourite character? Well, it might shock people, but I am actually in love with your super awesome Hildury. Honestly, I can now understand why people liked Minsc so much in BG2. I mean, personally, he drove me up the wall because he tried to be funny, which ended up not being funny. But Hildury, *sigh*, she was just so endearing, just like Minsc is supposed to be, but she actually achieved that for me. She's by far my favourite character and it kind of annoys me that I have to have Sir Nord with me if I really want to enjoy her fully. It just ain't them same without them together, even though he kind of bugs me. It's no problem though. She's Just. That. Awesome.

 

If you haven't picked up on it, I'm really opinionated about my characters, and I'm normally really hard to please, so good job, Domi.

 

Just my two cents

[berelinde]

I wouldn't argue with that in the slightest. I adored Hildury. But then I also loved Sir Nord.

 

The first time I took IWD2 out for a test drive, I had the PC, Sir Nord, Hildury, Salomeya, Jaemal and Nikosh. It was a lot of fun, although Nikosh did wear on me a bit. But Nikosh's banters with Hildury absolutely made the game for me. All in all, that party was very entertaining.

[CrazeeFFan]

Was it by coincidence that you started with almost the exact same party as the Sir Nord's Company?

 

And I quite agree. Although Nikosh was annoying, to say the least, some of his banters were really good. Just because he drove me nuts, doesn't mean I can't appreciate good, quality writing when I see it.

 

And I'd just like to add that I really enjoyed Salomeya as a character. It was a nice, different take to the Chaotic Evil character BioWare normally/used to ( ) pump out. Sure, she was a nasty piece of work, but a really interesting character nonetheless. Plus, some of her interjections really added a lot the story.

[berelinde]

Was it by coincidence that you started with almost the exact same party as the Sir Nord's Company?

 

No, it was no coincidence. When I played it first, or as much of it as I could fit amid modding, it was alpha 1 or alpha 2, so some of the characters weren't as fleshed out as others. I picked the set that had the most content at the time. If I'd had a 7th party slot, I would have included Diriel, too.

 

But don't let that admission detract from my previous statement. I thoroughly enjoyed playing with that party! I'll probably do so again, next time I play IWD2.