I mean, I played on highest difficulty using NPC characters and the only trouble I ever had was when using Intelligence as a dump stat made my party leading Paladin a dead man walking against Illithids. So the way as I see it, minmaxing an entire party removes the fun of NPC character dynamics and the challenge in the game.
One of the better ones causes enemies to follow you when you leave a room; no more running in, blasting the crap out of them, running out before they retaliate, then hiding and grabbing another quick spell the next round so you can do it again.
As far as the Paladin vs. Illithid thing though, the simple answer is to change your party order as needed. Really, the only time you NEED a high charisma party leader is when shopping.
Honorbound and honored to be Bonded to Mahtaliel Sedai
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!
LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!
LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
Baldurs Gate Enhanced Edition: Edit 2 with added video & launch delay
- 07/09/2012 09:48:16 PM
2708 Views
!!!!!
- 07/09/2012 10:49:47 PM
1350 Views
I played the hell out of BG2, but only played BG1 once
- 08/09/2012 06:07:15 AM
1452 Views
BGI is a lot more fun because a lot more challenging, IMHO.
- 08/09/2012 02:33:17 PM
1326 Views
*revelation*
- 08/09/2012 05:45:28 PM
1281 Views
You need not be behind them to assassinate (the high level thief ability.)
- 08/09/2012 06:04:31 PM
1317 Views
ahh yes i remember, every hit is a backstab for 30 seconds or something.
- 08/09/2012 07:07:12 PM
1384 Views
Right; it is pretty much an instakill, considering the multipliers at the level it becomes available
- 08/09/2012 09:03:47 PM
1274 Views
fireballs are so epic in BG1
- 08/09/2012 05:41:34 PM
1325 Views
I disagree about it being the only good third level spell;lighting bolt and haste are also excellent
- 08/09/2012 06:26:08 PM
1430 Views
Yeah, I loved Lightning Bolt.
- 08/09/2012 06:44:59 PM
1257 Views
it was such a liability
- 08/09/2012 07:11:36 PM
1308 Views
Bouncing is what makes lightning bolts great, because you get to hit people more than once.
- 08/09/2012 08:59:10 PM
1243 Views
There's an unfortunate Wizard in the Firewine Bridge Ruins...
- 09/09/2012 12:58:18 AM
1340 Views
Oops. 
- 09/09/2012 01:43:23 AM
1335 Views
- 09/09/2012 01:43:23 AM
1335 Views
that's why BG1 was so awesome. exploration=rewards
- 09/09/2012 09:09:22 AM
1305 Views
For sure; it made additional playthroughs fun even after beating the game.
- 09/09/2012 04:48:40 PM
1393 Views
Also, FB and Skull Trap are also almost interchangeable until 10th level, but ST damage is uncapped.
- 09/09/2012 02:02:17 AM
1818 Views
Multi-player was actually pretty simple if you just used it to create your whole party.
- 08/09/2012 02:19:35 PM
1299 Views
well yeah, because there was no connection to figure out
- 08/09/2012 06:59:49 PM
1410 Views
Right; I was never a big multiplayer fan anyway, but customized parties were nice
- 08/09/2012 08:53:45 PM
1416 Views
Where's the fun in having a customized party and losing all the character interaction, though?
- 09/09/2012 04:03:10 PM
1390 Views
I dislike most of the BG NPCs anyway, so I do not much feel the lack.
- 09/09/2012 04:45:12 PM
1500 Views
Re: I dislike most of the BG NPCs anyway, so I do not much feel the lack.
- 10/09/2012 01:23:44 PM
1342 Views
Suggestion since you're not using the NPCs anyway...
- 15/09/2012 11:34:28 PM
1406 Views
That is a good thought; I never played IWD.
- 16/09/2012 03:31:01 AM
1300 Views
Where did you think I just got it? 
- 16/09/2012 04:39:43 PM
1247 Views
- 16/09/2012 04:39:43 PM
1247 Views
How would I know you just got a game released in the late nineties?
- 17/09/2012 06:57:19 PM
1243 Views
- 17/09/2012 06:57:19 PM
1243 Views
Re: How would I know you just got a game released in the late nineties?
- 17/09/2012 11:08:09 PM
1424 Views
- 17/09/2012 11:08:09 PM
1424 Views
I still like GURPS' character points best.
- 17/09/2012 11:40:12 PM
1295 Views
Heh, I'm not surprised.
- 18/09/2012 01:47:55 AM
1288 Views
If you want to avoid hyperspecialization, avoid classes.
- 18/09/2012 07:36:43 AM
1505 Views
I've never played GURPS, so I don't know how its system works.
- 18/09/2012 03:32:21 PM
1379 Views
I recommend it, but it is a bear to run.
- 19/09/2012 03:37:19 AM
1728 Views
Re: I recommend it, but it is a bear to run.
- 19/09/2012 08:35:24 AM
1339 Views
It is the difference between "what if...?" and "whatever...."
- 19/09/2012 10:58:31 PM
1384 Views
Re: It is the difference between "what if...?" and "whatever...."
- 20/09/2012 12:31:10 AM
1304 Views
AD&D cannot avoid one-sided encounters without restricting epic characters to epic encounters.
- 24/09/2012 05:53:39 AM
1607 Views
Re: AD&D cannot avoid one-sided encounters without restricting epic characters to epic encounters.
- 24/09/2012 07:03:39 AM
1293 Views
Things are a little different if you are the GM, yes.
- 24/09/2012 08:33:23 AM
1537 Views
Re: Things are a little different if you are the GM, yes.
- 24/09/2012 07:24:51 PM
1420 Views
My point is no one should be at any level.
- 25/09/2012 01:23:21 AM
1531 Views
Re: My point is no one should be at any level.
- 25/09/2012 03:41:42 AM
1544 Views
I know no more about AD&D 3rd Ed. than I retain from skimming the book a few times in a store.
- 25/09/2012 05:16:49 AM
1341 Views
Re: I know no more about AD&D 3rd Ed. than I retain from skimming the book a few times in a store.
- 25/09/2012 06:05:39 PM
1458 Views
Re: [Insert relevant subject line here.]
- 26/09/2012 08:12:05 AM
1483 Views
Re: [Insert relevant subject line here.]
- 26/09/2012 05:48:34 PM
1339 Views
Re: [Insert relevant subject line here.]
- 27/09/2012 10:26:16 AM
1959 Views
Re: [Insert relevant subject line here.]
- 27/09/2012 05:23:13 PM
1277 Views
I did not realize how awful classes were until liberated from them.
- 28/09/2012 12:49:14 AM
1413 Views
Re: Things are a little different if you are the GM, yes.
- 24/09/2012 08:45:05 PM
1274 Views
I thought Yrrth a perfectly fine game world; obviously anything less generic requires some effort.
- 25/09/2012 12:14:09 AM
1327 Views
GURPS and TV Tropes are a natural fit, so I will throw in a link to their page on it.
- 19/09/2012 03:50:37 AM
1389 Views
I can't speak for IWD I, but II is okay on the story front so far.
- 18/09/2012 06:36:16 PM
1243 Views
I've still only played about 4 hours of BG1
- 08/09/2012 03:59:49 PM
1347 Views
If you have not yet, you should look into the Weidu mods.
- 08/09/2012 06:12:20 PM
1232 Views
But what's the point in playing the game if you don't use the NPCs?
- 08/09/2012 06:47:38 PM
1248 Views
Not having a bunch of potentially useful but AI ruined incompetents constantly fumbling.
- 08/09/2012 08:55:53 PM
1377 Views
Yeah, but optimising the whole group sounds ridiculously easy.
- 09/09/2012 01:03:51 AM
1240 Views
Well, there are always mods for that.
- 09/09/2012 01:37:42 AM
1194 Views
For talking to pretty much anyone, really.
- 09/09/2012 03:20:29 AM
1294 Views
True.
- 09/09/2012 03:46:24 AM
1299 Views
Well, I usually don't have thieves in my party.
- 09/09/2012 04:56:21 AM
1246 Views
there wasn't a good enough thief option in bg2/ToB
- 09/09/2012 09:15:21 AM
1181 Views
I noticed that also; another argument for creating a party via MP even if you move it back to SP.
- 09/09/2012 11:45:12 PM
1297 Views
Just how many thieves do you even need?
- 10/09/2012 06:22:58 PM
1278 Views
You can get by with half a thief, yeah, but it forces you to forego maxing out some thief abilities.
- 10/09/2012 06:47:48 PM
1259 Views
Any suggested parties for beginners? *NM*
- 10/09/2012 01:13:38 AM
703 Views
I am completely stoked about it.
- 10/09/2012 07:07:09 PM
1321 Views
TotSC made BGI a LOT more fun.
- 10/09/2012 07:46:03 PM
1205 Views
all the kits/races/dual wielding etc will be available in bgee
- 11/09/2012 09:02:35 AM
1224 Views
Ah; nice.
- 11/09/2012 06:57:14 PM
1350 Views
i'm not sure they were even state of the art at the time
- 12/09/2012 09:26:05 AM
1242 Views
Remember, BGI was released only about two years after Doom.
- 13/09/2012 12:05:11 AM
1304 Views
If by "two" you mean "five," then yes. DOOM was released in 1993.
- 13/09/2012 03:22:58 PM
1269 Views
Ah, 1998. The golden year. Ocarina of Time. Starcraft. Half-Life. *NM*
- 13/09/2012 04:16:21 PM
718 Views
That just reminds me of how sad it is that StarCraft died this year 
. *NM*
- 13/09/2012 11:55:28 PM
696 Views
. *NM*
- 13/09/2012 11:55:28 PM
696 Views
Fair enough; I was thinking of Doom in terms of when I started playing it and Doom II (1995.)
- 14/09/2012 03:56:50 PM
1371 Views
I don't mind the graphics in it
- 12/09/2012 04:38:47 PM
1300 Views
Good, me neither, but I have heard others criticize them.
- 12/09/2012 11:51:16 PM
1198 Views
I used the PS3 web browser as my primary browser for about 3 months
- 13/09/2012 01:13:22 PM
1241 Views
*nods* I suspected as much, but had no first hand experience confirming it.
- 14/09/2012 04:03:15 PM
1296 Views
I'm going to ask this here rather than start a new topic as its somewhat related.
- 10/09/2012 07:42:32 PM
1256 Views
And it now has been delayed till Nov 
*NM*
- 15/09/2012 03:52:41 AM
694 Views
*NM*
- 15/09/2012 03:52:41 AM
694 Views
On another note, shame on all of you for not telling me Jon Irenicus is Ra's Al Ghul
- 15/09/2012 04:19:21 AM
1285 Views