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Char. Creation, Cheats, Romances, Miscellaneous
At the start of the game you will have to create a character to play with. The following gives some tips on on that issue. The document has been made by a frequent visitor of the RPGFools forums and a fan of Baldur's Gate II.
Character creation for Baldur's Gate II
by Michael M. Christensen
This is a guide how to create your main character in Baldurs Gate 2. The guide is based on knowledge of the game, and it may be considered cheating by some, but then again you wouldn't read this guide, if you didn't want any help in the first place. This guide may not prevent you from starting the game all over again after a few hours in the game, but it may help you to prevent making the obvious wrong choices, when creating your character. You only have to create one character, and you will pick up 5 other NPC group members out of 16 possible on your way. You can however play a multi-player game and create all 6 characters and control them all.
This may not seem important, and it isn't, when it comes to abilities and classes, but when it comes to romances and flirting it really makes a difference, and there is a good amount of romances in the game between your main character and the other NPCs. Also the local people of the opposite sex will sometimes flirt with you. To make it absolutely clear: You have to choose a male main character if you like the female NPCs and local people to be attracted to you and visa versa. It can be tempting to choose the opposite gender, because you want to look at something nicer, but you will then probably don't like the sort of romances coming to you!
Choose whatever portrait you like for your character from the available portraits. You can also import custom portraits which need to be placed in the Portraits folder in the install directory. You can get some on internet. See the links section to find some locations.
Again this may not seem so important, only to how your character will look like. But the different races have different possible maximum starting ability scores. Humans have the average starting maximum of 18 in any ability, Some other races may have an ability going up to 19 at the cost of another ability only going to 17. In the 2nd AD&D rules, this makes a big difference on the derived abilities. Ex: A change from 18 to 19 in strength is giving you the ability to do much more damage points in melee combat. A change from 18 to 19 in intelligent will give the wizard possibility to add more spells to his magic book. But also to consider is the special abilities connected unique to a specific race.
Humans
They get a maximum of 18 in all starting abilities. No race special abilities. Can only be dual classed, and not multi-classed. Paladins must be humans.
Preferences: Paladins, Druids, Bards, Rangers, Clerics, Monks
Dwarves
They get the maximum start ability of 19 in strength, but only 17 in charisma. Have Infravision, and natural resistances to magic and poison.
Preferences: Fighters, Barbarians
Elves
They get the maximum start ability of 19 in dexterity, but only 17 in constitution. Have Infravision, and natural resistances to sleep and charm magic.
Preferences: Rangers, Thieves.
Gnomes
They get the maximum start ability of 19 in intelligence , but only 17 in wisdom. Have Infravision, and natural resistances to magic. Preferences: Mages, Sorcerers.
Haflings
They get maximum start ability of 19 in dexterity, but only 17 in strength. Highly resistant to poison and magic.
Preferences: Thieves.
Half-elves
They get a maximum of 18 in all starting abilities. Infravision, and limited natural resistance to charm sleep spells. Only race to multi-class with 3 classes.
Preferences: Rangers, Clerics, Druids, Monks, Bards.
Half-orcs
They get a maximum start ability of 19 in strength and constitution, but only 17 in intelligence and charisma.
Preferences: Fighters, Rangers, Barbarians.
Abilities are determined by rolling dices. The character you are creating is assigned a random value to each ability.
Strength
This determines your encumbrance, melee hit chances and deal damage numbers. Max this ability for all classes. Except mages and sorcerers can do with at least 14 points to still be able to carry some stuff.
Constitution
This determines your number of hit points, and resurrection possibilities. All melee characters should have a maximum constitution, the rest can handle down to 15 points.
Dexterity
This determines your ability with missile weapons, your natural armour class, and the thieves special abilities are directly related to dexterity. So all thieves and missile using characters should max the dexterity, but the other characters shouldn't go under 16 to keep a good natural armour class.
Intelligence
Determines your ability with wizard spells, and to identify items. All wizard spell users should max this one out. All other characters can set this one to minimum. You only need one person to identify your items, and why not the wizard.
Wisdom
Determines your ability with priest spells, and your resistance to magic. It also gives some bonus to identify items. I recommend to max this one up to 18 for every character alone for it's magic resistance. Magic is very important in the battles of Baldurs Gate 2, and your opponents will use a lot of it. So the more magic resistant the better.
Charisma
Determines others reaction to your character. Set this to minimum for all classes. You will very early in the game find an item that will give you max charisma. Many of the NPCs also got a good charisma. And only one character with a good charisma will do.
You may have to reroll your characters abilities a few times, to be able to get the recommended points to each ability, but it's absolutely possible without to many rerolls.
Well, this choice is really up to you, and no class is better than the other, your choice should depend on which character type you like. If I should recommend a class, it would be the "fighter" class, and only because they get the most interesting "stronghold quests". Without revealing to much, it's a series of main character specialised quests, and they depends on your main characters class. But then again it's only a small amount of quests, compared to all the quests in Baldurs Gate 2.
This again is a choice between tastes, but here I would like to make some recommendations. Note that only single classed characters get to choose a kit.
Fighters
In the fighters class all 3 kits are very interesting, and it's a really tough decision. I got no special recommendations here.
Berserker: They can temporary boost there hit-points, and do more damage, but they can't use missile weapons. Most people can live with the restriction "no missile weapons" And the ability to a temporary more lethal fighter is a fairly good trait. The fighter will however need some quiet time after his berserker rage, because he will get dizzy for a while.
Wizard slayer: Magic resistance boost and spell disruption is very good traits in BG2, but the restrictions of using magic items except weapons and armour are also very hard to do without.
Kensai: High speed, and combat bonuses is great, but no armour, gauntlets or bracers is cold. He can't use missile weapons either.
The 3 ranger kits are very different, but I only would recommend the "Archer" kit. The beastmaster is better suited for the druids. And the thief assassin makes a deadlier backstabber than the stalker.
Archer: Bonuses to missile weapons, and called shots (sure hits). Restrictions: No metal armour, and only proficient level in melee weapons. Excellent traits if you want a missile weapon expert.
The 3 kits for the paladin seems not that different, but I still would recommend the "Cavalier", because his restrictions are the less important. The "inquisitors" restriction with no "priest spells", no "lay on hands", no "cure disease", no "turn undead" removes all the traits specially for a paladin! . The "undead hunter" only has the restriction: No "lay on hands", but the special abilities are better for the "cavalier".
Cavalier: Bonus to hit demons and dragons, immune to fear and poison, 20 % resistance to fire/acid. Restrictions: missile weapons. The best traits for the paladin.
3 very alike kits for the clerics, and they all come with no restrictions. No recommendations here.
Talos: Lightning bolt, and storm-shield spells.
Helm: True sight, and seeking word spells.
Lathander: Hold undead, and boon of lathander spells.
I will recommend the shapeshifter kit, the shapeshift to a werewolf is a powerful minion, and the no armour restriction don't matter if you change to a werewolf. The "avenger" also got good shape changes but the restrictions of -2 to both strength and constitution are to steep in my opinion. The "totemic" kit prevents shape change, and I think that it is the main idea with the druid.
Shapeshifter: Shape change into werewolf. Restrictions: No armour, and no shape change into any other form.
The 3 thief kits are very different, but all recommendable.
Assassin: Use poison, and combat bonuses. Restrictions: Penalty to thief skills. The deadliest backstabber.
Bounty hunter: Special trap setting. Restrictions: Penalty to thief skills. Powerful traps that can do a lot of damage.
Swashbuckler: Combat bonuses. Restrictions: No backstab. Makes a good fighter with thief skills without multi-classing.
The main function of the Bard is identify items (Lore skill), and helpful songs, and the "blade" kit limits both of these traits. The 2 other kits are better.
Jester: Songs confuse enemy instead of giving bonuses to allies. No restrictions. The confuse enemy song is a good trait, however the more powerful enemies are immune to that.
Skald: +1 to hit and damage, song gives combat bonuses to allies. Restrictions: weaker pick pocket ability. The best bard kit.
It's not really a kit more a specialisation of spells, or should we say the ability to memorise more spells in trait for prohibited learning in one school. Its only a matter of temperament.
I can't really recommend any multi-classes, because of the experience limit of 2950000 points, which is easily reached in BG2, and the last levels for single classes are mostly very important. These last levels you won't get if you multi-class you character.
Only human characters can dual class, and it has its benefits. We know the experience limit is 2950000 points, but all classes will reach there highest level before this number. A druid will reach it's maximum level 14 at 1500000 points, making the rest of 1450000 points useless to him. But if you start out as a wizard or a fighter they can reach level 13 with 1450000 points and then you can dual class to a druid, and still be able to reach his maximum level 14 and make both classes active. A fighter can start out as a thief a let him get to level 10 before dual class him to a fighter, and still be able to reach maximum fighter level 19. A wizard can get a level 9 cleric or level 9 fighter or level 13 druid or level 11 thief/bard before dual classing to a wizard, and still be able to reach maximum wizard level. Of course you have to consider the restrictions for each class, because they mostly will apply to both classes.
No preferences, it's only a matter of temperament, it will however affect your start reputation. The more "good" your character is the better your reputation. The reputation decides the reactions of some local people to you and it also can affect prices in shops.
Affects your skills with weapons. The first 2 points in each skill really makes a big difference, the next 3 points only minor advantages. But which weapon should I choose:
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Paladins:
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Two handed weapon
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Others:
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Axes: +
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Bastard swords: % %
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Clubs: %
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Crossbows: +
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Daggers: +
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Flails: %
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Halberds: +
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Katainas: +
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Long bows:+
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Long swords: + + +
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Maces: +
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Scimitars: % %
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Short bows: %
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Short swords: %
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Slings: +
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Spears: +
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Staves: +
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Two handed swords: + + +
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War hammers: + +
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The weapon choice is made regarding the weapons found in the game. Also remember to put in some points in the "two weapon" skill or "weapon/shield" skill if you have intention to use these combinations.
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