Baldur's Gate - New Player Guide

Baldur's Gate is a complex game. It's based on the Dungeons & Dragons advanced 2nd edition ruleset (quite old) which involves many things that players might not be accustomed to, such as the spell system, rolling dice to determine the outcome of game actions, the way time flows in rounds and turns, and many other mechanics that can be confusing for new players.
The purpose of this video is to try and guide new players in some areas they might be struggling with by providing an explanation of game mechanics and UI, tips on how to work with the multiple game systems as well as some recommendations I think are best for people trying out the game for the first time(s).
Note: This video is recorded using Baldur's Gate 2 to exemplify, but what is being shown here applies exactly in the same way for Baldur's Gate 1.
There's a lot of stuff to cover so the video ended up a bit long, so I encourage you to explore the timestamps in order to quickly access the information you might be looking for:
00:00 Introduction
01:37 Character creation
02:07 Character creation (Races)
03:47 Character creation (Classes)
06:13 Character creation (Alignments)
08:51 Character creation (Abilities/Stats)
17:52 Character creation (Skills/Proficiencies)
20:33 Character creation (Pure vs Multi vs Dual class)
22:29 User Interface
37:24 Inventory
47:00 Combat stats (AC, THAC0, Saves)
54:37 Real Time with Pause
58:40 Spell casters
01:00:16 Spell casters (Learning mage spells)
01:02:40 Spell casters (Memorizing spells)
01:03:37 Spell casters (Recuperating spells - resting)
01:05:37 Spell casters (Casting spells)
01:06:46 Spell casters (Innate spell casters)
01:07:57 Spell casters (Spells slots / Spells per day)
01:09:20 Reputation
01:12:22 Party composition
01:22:37 Party AI
01:35:43 How to Thieves
01:41:22 Game time (Rounds and turns)
01:49:08 Dice rolls (attack, damage, saves rolls)
01:57:05 Weapons
02:02:26 Conclusion
For some more advanced topics I suggest looking into this playlist: • Baldur's Gate - Alhoon... where I have some more guides available :)
There's also complete playthroughs of BG1, Siege of Dragonspear, BG2 and Throne of Bhaal already available in the channel in case you want to see how I handle certain situations in the game (these are modded playthroughs for extra difficulty and tactical challenges but the core game and quests are the same):
BG1: • [BGEE #00] Baldur's Ga...
SoD: • [BGSoD #1] Siege of Dr...
BG2 (with ToB): • [BG2EE#01] Baldur's Ga...
As always, if there's anything else you want to know or just want to say hi, leave a comment and consider subscribing if you like this content :D
Thank you for watching!

[@KnightspaceORG]

TWO HOURS of tips on how to play the game. Man, i love old crpg's

[@CoredumpedGaming]

:D Complexity can be a lot of fun!

[@megamastah]

Two hours, 12 turns then?

[@kevinsongxin2551]

The upside is that you know also know how to play D&D 1st/2nd edition

[@Valdrex]

Man your BG guides are such quality. I imagine you put a ton of time and effort into these. They're greatly appreciated!

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you very much for your kind comment :D I tried to put in everything I remembered and thought would be relevant! I'm just afraid it might be a bit long for most people and scare the new players away :p

[@JeffPiascik]

@@CoredumpedGamingIt’s not a concern with the length because you do a great job of using the time stamps in the description, so we can just skip around as needed and only watch the parts we need. You nailed it.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

@@JeffPiascik thank you for the feedback :) happy to hear it's useful!

[@malkinadelacroix7095]

@@CoredumpedGamingbest guide around, thanks so much.

[@Scyther007]

Absolutely amazing guide for an absolute beginner like myself. Bought the game after watching the new dungeons and dragons movie and was completely overwhelmed by sheer number of things you get to take care of in the game. Tried other guides but they were all confusing as hell, thankfully stubled upon yours and man i totally loved it. Thank you soo much for this excellent, in depth yet easy to follow guide.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you so much for your kind words sir! I am very happy to hear it was helpful. Baldur's gate is an amazing game and you're in it for a fresh new experience so enjoy :D

[@anttkd5730]

I bought the enhanced editions of this and 2, like 9 months ago, yesterday i decided to finally dive into the how of it, and here u are. Perfect timing. Literally perfect

[@CoredumpedGaming]

:D Best of luck to you friend and I hope you enjoy Baldur's Gate! Feel free to drop by and let me know how it's going and also if you have any questions!

[@MarcelloLins]

What a FANTASTIC tutorial. Seriously. If you're a new player just like me, just watch this video. Your experience with modern games, no matter how extensive it is, will NOT help you in this game. There are so many rough edges and sharp corners in this game, given its age... you will likely get frustrated for not understanding the mechanics and will end up missing out on a great game. This tutorial helped me get into BG2 with the confidence I needed to at least get going and finish the game on my own

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you very much for the kind words! Very happy to hear it was useful :)

[@Messihaz]

Oh man. Your custom portrait at 24:50 killed me.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Ah, a fellow man :D I have also made Solid Snek runs as well (noticed your portrait eheh)

[@Messihaz]

@@CoredumpedGaming haha I'd love to watch a playthrough of that. Hey btw just wondering if you're into the Pathfinder games and would consider making a similar guide for them like this one?

[@CoredumpedGaming]

@@Messihaz yeah I do love the pathfinder games, just finished my first last aztlanti run yesterday actually ahah training to get a playthrough in the channel at some point. Now I'm trying to figure out a good idea for wrath of the righteous, I finished it once before with a sorcerer lich and am looking for something different this time. These games are super complex and I spend a lot of time in the char creation screen and restarting xD Once I get a better hang of the system and do my playthroughs, guides of this sort will also be something I want to do :D

[@lionidas4902]

Just a little correction: the weapon unusable option for the pause game feature is not for when a weapon isn't being effective against an enemy, it's about when a character can't use their weapon anymore, like when the weapon breaks or a bow that's out of arrows. It's pretty good to have it active, since if a character runs out of ammunition, you can change the item properly or it will sometimes even use punch if not equiped with a melee weapon

[@CoredumpedGaming]

I see... I must have misremembered this, it's been quite a long time since I've used it. Thank you for the correction!

[@lionidas4902]

@@CoredumpedGaming no problem, and nice tutorial tho

[@danielbaker648]

These videos are absolutely phenomenal - thank you for providing these gems of knowledge and insight!

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you kind sir! :D

[@JimmyBeamerBear]

Man underrated channel. It’s so hard to find good guides for this game. Well, this was the only one I found haha

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thanks (I guess :p)! It's always nice to find more people interested in Baldur's Gate or even cRPGs in general. Welcome to the channel :)

[@JimmyBeamerBear]

Sorry for the previously harsh comment

[@DieBieneFranz]

Exactly what I needed, and very well explained!! Better than any guide video on YT I found. Thank you so much man!

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you kind sir! Glad to hear it was useful :D

[@TheHyena-ru8bz]

I've been wanting to play this game my whole life. Just bought a laptop and started playing and was so confused. This video is a life saver! Thanks! liked and subscribed

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you very much good sir :D glad to have been of help. You are in for a fantastic game! If you have any questions feel free to let me know and welcome to the channel :)

[@seanmoreno16]

The “find traps” ai trick is so clutch. Thanks.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

I can't live without it. *literally* xD

[@alcachi]

This guide is amazing! You have done a wonderful job explaining everything new players in a very approachable way. Thanks for all the effort preparing this guide!!

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you kind sir, very glad to hear it was useful :D

[@ChaoticOrder883]

Been looking for a true break down. This is very good for new players. 100% relieved my confusion on my character class. Thank you.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Very happy to hear that :D thank you!

[@Thaumogenesis]

2 hours guide? You really took the Dav pill.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Maaan... and I initially thought this was going to be a quick one, but then I just started remembering more and more stuff xD

[@kamp3la1]

Based and bearded boomer-pilled

[@mrtrainee]

Super useful! Thank you so much for this! Very informative and encompassing so much of the basics that many others barely even glance over!

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you good sir :) pleased to hear this was helpful!

[@jordon2074]

I've wanted to get into this for a couple fo weeks now and this has helped an insane amount Thanks dude

[@CoredumpedGaming]

My pleasure friend! Happy to hear this was helpful :D Best of luck for your runs!

[@user-zt9ji6do1k]

So how about making a video with tips for grizzled BG veterans? Things like, you know, how to beat restartis, how to pick up milfs in Ust Natha and such.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

For milfs in Ust Natha I believe all you have to do is murder her daughter's colleague, gift her with an eyestalk of an elder orb, the blood of an elder brain and kuo-toan blood, then you help her summon a demon and grant her massive power. Easy, that's how you get a matron you'd like to frolic with :D

[@luketelvanni2339]

hey Coredumped hope you're doing well, awesome video, watched some parts I was interested in, really informative. great job buddy

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Hello friend! Doing fine, thank you :D Bit busy with work, but still trying to bring the goodies to the channel! Thank you very much for the support :D

[@AtariCrypt]

Brilliant video. I’m new to BG so appreciate this :)

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you for your kind comment! Hope it was useful :D

[@Aerie925]

I’ve been playing this game for years, but I learned some new things about the game mechanics that I wasn’t aware of. Right on! ✊🏽

[@mattepac]

Good to see the BG wisdom being spread, keep it up mate!

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Always! Thank you :D

[@TheDarkWizard666]

Thanks for this guide mate, this is great and very much in depth, really helps.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Glad to hear it was helpful :D Have fun in baldur's gate!

[@nate2729]

Thank you for your hard work and effort on the video, I just picked up BG1 and 2 and now I don't feel intimidated! Have a great day good sir

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you kind sir :D Always happy to hear these videos are helpful! Best of luck and have fun in the amazing journey that is Baldur's Gate

[@johngleeman8347]

5e was a such a huge boon to archers. Dexterity for attack and damage means they are Single Attribute Dependent like melee characters now. I honestly think it would have been really cool if every stat had a percentile value when at 18 Would make the character sheet look so meticulous and allow for more granularity with different characters. XD

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Oh god please no! Then all the time I spend rolling for stats would be increased tenfold XD Regarding dexterity damage scaling, I totally agree, I think it would make a lot more sense as they would be a lot more fun to play since you feel you are doing real damage and be a lot more viable!

[@daviddoyle7103]

Brilliant tutorial. love the channel.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you very much good sir :D Hope you enjoy!

[@alexscheleider2210]

This is just perfect. Ive bought Baldurs Gate for my ps4 yesterday and will start playing tonight. This is my first crpg experience, very excited! Thanks a lot for your amazing work (and your perfect timing! :D)

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Hey :D Very happy to hear that! If this will be your first crpg experience, you are starting with the best of the best! I hope the video is helpful and wish you the best of luck and fun to your adventure :D If you have any questions or just want to share how your journey is going, feel free to drop by!

[@alexscheleider2210]

@@CoredumpedGaming just got out of the Naskhel mines. I'm playing a Cavalier on Normal and some encounters have been very difficult. I've spent near an hour on Mulahey. Ended the weekend while being attacked by some strangers outside. They killed me a couple of times, are way stronger than me so I plan on just avoiding them for now. My party is currently the 2 of gorion's friends, Imohen, an archer I found in the woods and Xan who I just met.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

@@alexscheleider2210 no shame in leaving difficult encounters for later it will feel good to have revenge when your party is stronger :D Having a mage in the party will be a nice addition, I recommend having him learn the sleep spell, it helps a lot in the early game. Quick save a lot, keep learning and kicking butt :D

[@skellon3728]

Haven't played BG or BG2 in ages and been watching this as a refresher....thanks so much for doing these vid, they are so helpful....

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you friend! Always happy to hear they are useful :)

[@FarmerWidmo]

Just when I started playing the game :) Thanks, man, the guide helped clear up some things.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you sir, very happy to hear it :D Best of luck for your game and have fun!

[@dancross4592]

I’ve been thinking about jumping back into Baldur’s Gate lately, and your guide is such a helpful (re)introduction to the game! Thanks for all of your hard work! :)

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you very much! I'm very happy to hear it's been helpful :D If you do jump back into it (you should eheh) feel free to drop by and let me know how it's going!

[@dancross4592]

@@CoredumpedGaming I will! Just for the sake of ease, I tend to make a Human Warrior, but have always wanted to branch out to other classes/races for some variety. I may just take your love of the shorter races and make a Halfling or Dwarf of some kind. :)

[@CoredumpedGaming]

@@dancross4592 shorties forever :D If you enjoy fighters, the dwarven defender (fighter kit for dwarves) is a beast of a tank. But you have a lot of choice if you feel like something different as well :D dwarf fighter/cleric or fighter/thief are my favourites eheh

[@dancross4592]

@@CoredumpedGaming I ended up rolling a Dwarf Cleric! It's been really fun to branch out and try new classes. Thanks again for your help and suggestions! :D

[@CoredumpedGaming]

@@dancross4592 happy to hear it friend :D dwarf cleric is a very good and fun choice. Have fun!

[@amankhan3362]

first I was really skeptic about watching such a long video in order to learn how to play an old game but now I know why a detail guide for this game is so long. Thanks for creating such an awesome video now I can enjoy Baldur's Gate even more.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you good sir :) always happy to hear it was useful! Have fun in Baldur's Gate and feel free to drop by and let me know how your adventure is going :D

[@SteveK-ny1nr]

I just downloaded the game (PS4) your video did teach me a lot, thanks! I am still not sure about how combat works, but I have the feeling that you have it covered in an other video! Thanks a lot for your help

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Glad to hear it was helpful :) I cover some of the more important mechanics of combat in this video, but you can also check my playthroughs in the channel for extra info on how I do things as I progress through the game, I always try to keep them informative. Have fun in your new adventure through Baldur's Gate :D

[@williamrafaelabdalla6379]

Thanks for your videos on how to install mods in Baldur's Gate 1 and 2, about additional mods (Spotlight Video) and this tutorial on how to play Baldur's Gate. I want to venture into this world but the fear of not understanding the game and not being able to get the most out of the experience was big, but your content so far has been impeccable. Thank you very much from the heart.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you very much for your kind words good sir :) happy to hear they were helpful and to know that someone else is going to get to experience these awesome games :D have fun friend, feel free to drop by and let me know how your adventure is going!

[@LordHighTorturer]

This is a real top tier tutorial, thanks a ton!

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you friend :D glad to hear it was useful!

[@meluckycharms321]

Very comprehensive, thanks!

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you very much good sir, glad to know it was helpful :)

[@beets5369]

So helpful! 🥺✨ This is my first BG game-and introduction into DnD 🙈 you helped clear up a lot of my questions 👀

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Happy to hear it was helpful :) Definitely a lot to learn about these games, especially if it's your first time with them. Best of luck and have fun!

[@bretbare9334]

Thank you for the GREAT guide. I am new to Baldur's gate this so helped. your the man!

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you kind sir :D Happy to hear it was useful!

[@MrZakXero]

Good stuff man. I’ve been playing for a couple of months now and I swear these games are addicting. No reload runs are just so damn fun to do. I still need to install SCS though so I haven’t gotten the full experience

[@CoredumpedGaming]

If you're going to get addicted to something, you can't get any better than Baldur's Gate, welcome to the club :D I would suggest only installing SCS after finishing the unmodded games to get to know the true Baldur's Gate experience and also get a familiar with the game, but once you feel ready, definitely go for SCS, it's very much worth it! Thank you and have fun!

[@jakal13]

That was really helpful

[@damienmanners6337]

Silence and feeble mind - though you might want some breach or spell thrust gets past the defenses. Though having your thief distracting the wizards first and summoning monsters or animate dead as the wall that absorbs the 'confusion, dominate, hold, fear spells. Having intelligence relatively high to help deal with illusion magic onto of wisdom for priest/druid/ healer. Dispell should be in quick hot keying. I think you are doing the game three or more times to get them to highest level.

[@hannwaters]

Holy crap thank you so much for this. Every new player guide I looked up gave general tips, mostly around class selection. What I NEEDED to actually jump in was like your UI and stat explanations! Explaining the right click to quick slot spells, THAC0 explanation, etc.! Truly a wonderful, detailed guide that is helping ease me into the game!

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you kind sir :D very glad to hear it was useful to you! If you have anything else you might want to know and isn't in the guide let me know.

[@Akatharie]

I was gifted the original game when it first came out. Within 2 hours I was addicted and now playing again to enjoy all the new features of EE and some new to me mods since the last time I played (about 6 years ago). This is excellent and informative. I enjoy the challenge of playing as a half-elf Fighter/Thief/Mage - it is such fun.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Yeah, Baldur's Gate is my favorite game of all time. Every few years I get an urge to play again and create like 7 characters before I decide which one to take ahah

[@Akatharie]

@@CoredumpedGaming Only 7? LOL😄

[@denisgoodman4492]

Great Guide, very useful for beginner in BGEE

[@youngimperialistmkii]

I just started playing this game recently on PS4 pro. I've been playing D&D since the late 90's. But I have not played AD&D in well over 20 years lol. So this guide is a godsend.😇

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you very much sir! I'm happy to hear it is being helpful :)

[@stevek3627]

Very good tutorial. You speak very well. Not down to us like some others do

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you good sir! Happy to hear it was helpful :) Everybody is new to these games at some point and they are by no means obvious or particularly familiar in the way they work. Some of the best around though once you understand them :D Enjoy Baldur's Gate!

[@jamesalec1321]

I was having a problem with casting spells. I memorized them, rested, and nothing showed up under the moon and stars. I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. And then I ran across a statement from someone that if my mage had armor on, it wouldn't cast spells. Sure enough, I had stuck leather armor on him. So I removed it, and I can cast spells now. :) ...in case others might have the same issue. Also, you have the best guides on BG, and as a newbie, I am listening to them several times over to get your lessons stuck in my mind. Great stuff.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you very much good sir :D and worry not, that happens to everyone, even in my latest playthrough I uploaded to the channel with a bard I spent a good 20 minutes confused as to why I couldn't cast spells and I had forgotten that I had armour on :p A very good note and useful for new players indeed! Thank you for pointing this out :)

[@SirLallington]

This is effin awesome for a newbie like me, thank you so much 😎

[@CoredumpedGaming]

My pleasure friend :D happy to hear it was helpful!

[@SirLallington]

@@CoredumpedGaming it’s literally everything I needed to know to enjoy the game 🤩👊

[@mateuszpk5511]

If you want something a bit wild but very versatile. FIghter/Mage bower elf is amazing!

[@GhostKeeper-NL]

Amazing video. Just excellent 🙏🙏🙏

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you good sir :) Happy to hear it was useful!

[@HeyitsWaltair]

Great video. You know your stuff.

[@dannyb9209]

Feel like this will come in handy x I've just bought the enhanced edition in preparation for 3 and just looking at the menu psyched me out 😂

[@MorphTW]

Comment for the algorithm. Keep up the good work!

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you kindly good sir! :D

[@seanmoreno16]

Great content and explanations. Do you have any tips on how to handle surprise attacks while you are fast traveling. I haven’t found how to best deal with being surrounded by Ettercaps lol

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you! And welcome to the channel :) It really depends on the type of ambush you get. For ettercaps, honestly, the best approach is to just run to the north side of the map and exit. If you really want to fight them, I would take all of my non-frontliner characters north and just keep the fighters holding them off while your backline is shooting from afar and/or spell chucking. I always like to have at least 1 or 2 "Slow Poison" memorized on my cleric(s), so make sure to cast it in case your fighters get poisoned (Antidote also helps, naturally).

[@autocareslucho]

When i heard the accent i knew the guide was going to be fire 🔥

[@SniperCecil]

Will you make a guide like this of pillars of eternity? Your guides are the best on KZbin

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Hello and thank you so much :D Yes, I plan on doing similar guides for Pillars once I'm finished with the game :)

[@kiraalldredge48]

I watched my dad play this game growing up and I've always wanted to play. I bought the game recently and realized i had no idea how any of it worked. This video is a godsend! Now to fulfill that childhood dream! 😂

[@CoredumpedGaming]

This makes me so happy! I'm sure your father will love to hear that (hopefully he's still with you). My daughter (Coredumpini) is now 1 month old and it would make me so happy if one day she would like to experience some of the things that brought me such joy :D Feel free to ask any questions you may have and know that I also have in the channel full playthroughs of all Baldur's Gate games should you wish to see a specific area or require help in any specific case. I hope you have an amazing time with these games, make your father proud :D

[@Multivac22]

I've played these games lots of times.. (IWD BG, Planescape Torment...Solasta, Pathfinder...etc), and I already knew everything you said here, but I watched it anyway while cooking and eating, just for fun and because I was curious. It is actually a great and super complete guide for begginers man, thanks very much. I just subscribed! I have an unrelated question, where are u from?

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you very much! I am very happy that you liked it :D I am from Portugal, my accent makes a lot of people curious eheh I prefer when they say I sound thayan or like Edwin however :D Welcome to the channel!

[@WillianMates]

Really nice videos man, returned to the game afther like 20 years, SCS seens a really great thing to revitalize the game. Would like to see you make a video about the companions and would be really good another run, maybe not reading and just going shorter about what to do on the hiest dificult of SCS. Thanks for the work.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you sir :D I do have another run (only of BG1 currently) up in the channel with a skald using scs on highest difficulty, no reloads and double damage on

[@WillianMates]

@@CoredumpedGaming good stuff, maybe SoA in the Future (my favorite by far)?

[@CoredumpedGaming]

I will be looking into taking the skald through SoA yes, just not sure when I will have the time for that

[@WillianMates]

@@CoredumpedGaming Good man!

[@maxmuller6730]

great content 👍

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you very much good sir :D I hope it proves helpful!

[@roguenbauld]

Amazing material. Open the gates for whoever is afraid of "old school" AD&D. Gratz Core!

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you very much kind sir :D Looking forward for more pathfinder from you ^^

[@Dan-uf2vh]

For any non-cleric non-druid character, Wisdom is the better dump stat than charisma. Although, the 18 cha ring can be put on, this frees up a slot. Morale CAN have an impact, occasionally reactions happen and you also get store discounts.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Yup, wisdom really does not nothing for non-cleric, non-druid characters. I didn't go too much in detail about dumping stats because I don't really consider that to be something a new player should really concern themselves with, but I agree with you regarding wisdom.

[@jameshill2450]

@@CoredumpedGaming I think you meant wisdom in the video because that's the stat you were dumping on the character, but you kept saying Charisma.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

@@jameshill2450 This sounds very much like something that I would do by accident xD Thanks for letting me know!

[@nielsleot7039]

Great content man. I've played the game alot. I still can't really figure out magic honestly, it tires me a bit, usually I have another mage thief with me and ID stuff. Love clerics and rogues.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you very much! Magic is a complex subject in Baldur's Gate for sure, that's also what makes it so much fun for me :p I put up a guide a few weeks ago discussing magic in depth, especially how to deal with enemy spellcasters, maybe it can help clear up some questions - kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZeUaZSYZpyBjLc There are also some mods that can help a lot finding out what enemies are buffed with - kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZa2pqmGjdCEjqM Hope it helps and welcome to the channel :D

[@SkyFly19853]

Thank you for this guide. ✅✅✅✅

[@CoredumpedGaming]

You are very welcome good sir, I hope it proves helpful :D

[@SkyFly19853]

@@CoredumpedGaming sure, and I enjoy character creation for this kind of game including Icewind Dale. 😊

[@aaronsound]

thanks a lot!

[@ricmotta2495]

Very informative. There is a clear difference between Hide in shadows and Move silently though it makes no difference if you level both. You can raise only hide in shadows and disappear at will as long as you don't move (I used this in Roleplay on a character...it was an interesting change of pace and strategy). You can have only move silently raised and walk behind a mob and not be noticed without turning on stealth. Sound plays a well defined but small role in both stealth and the game.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Hum, are you sure about move silenly there? I know the way that hide in shadows works (just like you said) but I was under the impression that move silently was only for when you were already in stealth, so if you moved while in stealth you had a better chance to not get revealed while walking around. I wasn't even aware of any mechanic for not being noticed while out of stealth.

[@ricmotta2495]

@@CoredumpedGaming aye, but with only one button to activate both, the only way to prove it is to get revealed after successfully sneaking by non hostile. In other words, pretty much useless except to prove it exists.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Very interesting, really had no idea about that. I love learning these things, so thank you very much for that :D

[@ricmotta2495]

@@CoredumpedGaming Most welcome. This was my first game with a sound card, played the first 2 years without it.

[@tropik5724]

This is my favorite game of all time and I just started playing this again made a Barbarian gonna go with evil party also installed Sword coast stratagem and some other to make it harder cause its way to easy if you been playing this before.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

A Barbarian is a very solid choice! In case it's the first time you are playing with SCS, I can recommend this video I created for "Understanding SCS mages and how to beat them" - kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZeUaZSYZpyBjLc Best of luck for your Barbarian run and welcome to the channel :D

[@Aerie925]

I love the Baldur’s Gate games! BG2 is my absolute favorite. Yay! I normally always play human fighters, but I recently discovered that I like the Skald class.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

My favourite games as well :D Skald is a fun and at the same time kind of weird class, but one that I have enjoyed playing. I actually did a playthrough of BG1 with some challenge rules with a Skald for the channel - kzbin.info/aero/PLg9GM2jv_YxfMjnNbJ0JQWkIeyaHJfwQ6

[@Aerie925]

@@CoredumpedGaming BG1EE is the game that I started using the Skald.

[@youngimperialistmkii]

I would love to see you cover other crpgs as well. They have become my favorite genre of video games since I played POE and DOS.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

The good thing about the enhanced editions for these games is that this guide pretty much applies to both Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale. Although Planescape Torment is a bit different. Did you have a particular crpg in mind?

[@youngimperialistmkii]

@@CoredumpedGaming Baldurs Gate 3 is one I'm sure you plan to cover. Pathfinder Wrath of the righteous is comming to console in September. Giving me a chance to play. A guide to that game. Along the lines of this one. Would be amazing.🏰🗡🐉

[@CoredumpedGaming]

@@youngimperialistmkii oh for sure I will make a playthrough of BG3 for the channel when it comes out. Pathfinder wrath of the righteous... oof. I think a guide for that game is beyond my capabilities xD I have played and finished the game but I spend like 2 days (not even exagerating) creating my character... My biggest advice for that game is: "do not increase the difficulty". I find it to be poorly balanced and it just makes everything very frustrating. If I ever lose a big chunk of my remaining sanity and decide to start a playthrough to upload to the channel I'll make such a guide though :p

[@allmyinterests5139]

I love and play(ed) lots of RPGs - but the newer ones. Mostly because I am relatively young (28 years) and the oldest RPG I grew up with was Skyrim. I always missed something though, I could not really tell what it was but these RPGs were at the same time really addictive but also very frustrating which always bothered me. Through the BG3 hype I came in touch with old CRPGs and finally decided on getting started with them. I bought BG1EE on Steam last week and began playing mostly blind. And what can I say - I really enjoy it! I love the oldschoolish 2d graphics which I find so timeless, no need for wannabe photorealism. But also I really enjoy the fact that this game is addictive but at the same time, instead of frustrating you, after 2+ hrs I am just like "meh, ok thats enaugh for today" and just move on. That is so extremely relaxing, never had this with any game, I finally can switch off while playing a game instead of having a new source of stress through it. What impresses me most is, that this game is super deep (considering its a 1998 game). Thats the reason why I eventually decided to no longer play 100% blind and watch a guide, but I am still playing in my own pace without worrying too much for efficiency. I find this guide to be a really good one as you give valuable tips and tricks but no "optimal path" which I really like, modern gaming is way too concerned with min maxing and all that crap. Thank you very much for helping me and many others on getting started in this awesome journey of Baldurs Gate and I suppose CRPGs in general. Cheers!

[@CoredumpedGaming]

First of all, welcome to the channel :D and, even more importantly, welcome to the awesome world of cRPGs! I'm happy to see that people who grew up on more modern games can still appreciate these awesome oldies, I know that for a lot of people just the graphics or the UI is an immediate turn off and they don't even bothet trying out these games (their loss :p). I think one of the best things that came out of BG3, besides a good game of course, was a lot of interest in other cRPGs. You touch a lot of very good points in your comment and I just want to stress out a few: I think your mindset approaching these games (or any game really) is the correct one - going in to explore things at your own pace, trying out stuff, see what you like, what works, etc. instead of just copying some meta hyper-tuned builds or walkthroughs that don't allow the player to truly experience the game for what it is, especially games such as these where you have so much freedom of what to do. You're in for a truly great adventure which I hope you'll love and take your time with, and, that if you like these games, make sure to try out some of the other great ones and some of my personal favourites in Pillars of Eternity and Pathfinder (playthroughs and guides for both in the channel in case you want to get some idea of what those games are like). Best of luck, have fun! Come back and let me know how your adventures are going :D

[@allmyinterests5139]

@@CoredumpedGamingthank you! Yeah lol, the graphics seem to be an issue for many, though I really like their charm tbh. I have a thing for oldschool isometric graphics, for example I really like the graphics of the older Age of Empires or Stronghold games. Of course nothing wrong with better graphics but for me personally these oldschool 2d graphics are the most timeless. Ill let you know! 😁

[@barker262]

G’day Core, as a future video idea, making a how to use video of the editors ee keeper and near infinity, might get some views. I’m aware of both but, other than some very basic editing, have no idea what they are capable of.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

This could be a good idea to help people who aren't familiar with it. Although my use of those programs is not very much in depth. Thank you for the suggestion!

[@yuriel9699]

First of all, thank you for this awsome video. After playing BG 3 as an Open Hand Monk, I'm willing to give BG 1, 2 Enhanced Edition a shot. From what I've understood, playing monk in those games is a pure pain. Yeah, I know that they can become OP in the late game, but what about early/mid game? What modds would you recommend (if there are any), that can turn Monk, first time playthrough, from "Annoying, because of poor class design" into "Not so bad". Also, what kind of mods are usually recommended for a first timers? I've seen your previous videos about modding, but wanted to confirm if, maybe, something changed. When it comes to party composition, I would want to run something like: Monk (Main Character), Paladin or Fighter/Thief (for traps, etc.), Sorc and Cleric. Basically, the same setup I'm using in my co-op playthrough of BG3. Thank you in advanced for your responce =)

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Hello, welcome to the originals! In my opinion monk is quite painful to play both because they are quite squishy and because they don't really have a lot to do besides auto attacking for the most part. This mod is highly regarded as a very nice improvement to Monks but I believe it's mostly late game stuff - forums.beamdog.com/discussion/33618/mod-monk-overhaul. Honestly, for a first timer I would play the game as is, without any difficulty enhancing mods. At most I would consider Tweaks Anthology as they add a lot of quality of life improvements (just ignore the components that change things you don't understand yet). If, however, you want to experience the game improved by mods, then all the mods in my mod installation guide are recommended. They add challenge to the game without warping its essence. Be warned though, that SCS does add a lot of difficulty. Also, in BG1 and BG2 you can have a party of 6, not just 4. If you do want to play with only 4, then you can do so as well (experience is spread through the party members so with only 4 they would level a bit faster than with 6). An additional consideration for a first timer is to not go with a Sorcerer. You are locked to only the spells you pick on levelup which can be confusing as you don't know the game or the spells yet and unlike BG3 you cannot switch them later and there is no respec option in the game. Mages are very powerful as well and they give you a LOT more versatility to get to know the spells and how they interact. If you are interested in modding and SCS, check out these videos and see if you like what is being discussed as a consideration for using difficulty increase mods: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZa2pqmGjdCEjqM (timestamped for the fight so you can see how SCS plays with spell casters) kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZeUaZSYZpyBjLc (a guide on how to handle enemy SCS mages and their defenses) Enjoy!

[@nereqla]

Thanks a lot.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

My pleasure :) hope it was helpful!

[@G-42]

Alignment also dictates how much items cost. If you're LG all the items are cheaper. CE they become super expensive. However playing as a CE character you get a lot of free items off the enemies and bbegs you come across, as they match your alignment. Otherwise you are spot on.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Humm, are you sure about this? I think only reputation affects store prices. It is true that depending on your chosen alignment your starting reputation may be higher (good) or lower (evil), but I was not aware that the alignment itself changes prices. Charisma will also affect store prices, so if you are playing for example a Lawful Good Paladin (where I believe the requirement is 17 charisma at char creation) you would have the highest starting reputation + the boost your charisma gives you. Comparing that with a 9 charisma chaotic evil character for example would account for a big difference in store prices by default. I do think that a good character with X charisma and Y reputation should see the same prices as an evil character with the same X and Y. But please correct me if I'm wrong (can't test it at the moment).

[@G-42]

My bad. I should have clarified. Alignment dictates where your reputation starts. LG gives you a higher rep where CE gives you a lower one. You are correct good sir.

[@michailzorzos1354]

Are you thinking about making BG2EE mod reviews? (of all types, quest, tweaks etc)

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Hi, I have a video detailing all the mods I always play with here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqHYnpqsbp6Sn6s and a mod spotlight video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZa2pqmGjdCEjqM for some really cool extra mods that I've started including in all my runs as well :D Usually when I find something exciting to share I make a video for it (mods for example).

[@marzx13]

Some spells cause damage to only good or evil aligned characters. 2:45 Maybe some comment about alignment and the impacts to party members and the challenges of having a low reputation on reactions and store prices etc.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

I talk about those things in specific sections (Alignment and Reputation). Damage to specific alignments is something I forgot to mention indeed, thanks for that!

[@taterbake1932]

Also the alignment effects your party composition, if using specific companions

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Alignment does not affect the party composition. Reputation does however once it reaches the extremes, so if you are playing as good and your reputation goes to 18-20 I believe evil companions start complaining and leave. The reverse is also true, if reputation goes too low, good companions abandon you as well. But you can be lawful good (for example) and still keep your reputation in the mid tier to keep anyone you want in your party.

[@taterbake1932]

​​@@CoredumpedGamingodd, seeing as how specific good characters attempt kill some evil ones. Like alignment can cause conflict aside from reputation, from what I can tell.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Certain characters have a tendency to dislike each other. Something like Korgan and Aerie. There are times where they annoy each other so much that it ends up in a fight to the death. It's usually opposite alignments that have these interactions, but the main character alignment doesn't play into it. At most (unproven) your charisma score can help prevent these conflicts.

[@taterbake1932]

@@CoredumpedGaming ahh, see I was meaning as a whole party with the companions. Why I mentioned party composition instead of character interaction lol but I do apologize for the misunderstanding

[@User_Un_Friendly]

Using/abusing the potions that increase intelligence (Potion of Genius, etc) will allow you to memorize spells way above your level. 😈

[@CoredumpedGaming]

True indeed. That belongs in an advanced section :p

[@User_Un_Friendly]

@@CoredumpedGaming True. Most people will save those scrolls until their mages are ready to cast those spells. Which, is of course, best. However, to minimize the risk of losing a possibly irreplaceable scroll, (drop) using a potion to improve intelligence is still a good idea. 🤓

[@CoredumpedGaming]

@@User_Un_Friendly Oh, for sure. I 100% agree!

[@jameshill2450]

You can also do it with strength to equip some items you wouldn't normally be able to use. One of my first characters was an archer, and I didn't realize I was going to need 18 Str to use the best bows. But (if you don't mind some minor "cheating") I could switch on Story Mode for a moment, which sets all your characters' Str to 25, then equip the bow and switch the difficulty back. The gear won't fall off as long as you keep wearing it. You could do the same with potions, but the difficulty setting is way more convenient.

[@User_Un_Friendly]

@@CoredumpedGaming Unless you like to live dangerously…a level 7 Wild Mage can cast a memorized level 9 spells using NRD…though unless you’re Save-Scumming, you’re going to give your party sex change, or petrify yourself. 🤣

[@KingLich451]

Cool video.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Thank you very much kind sir :D

[@mr.authentic2505]

Thanks bro

[@CoredumpedGaming]

You are very welcome friend! Hope it helps and welcome to the channel :D

[@ChloePricesNumberOneSimp]

I just started BG1 hoping to work my way up to BG3. But I'm completely new to this series and genre as a whole. Do spells learned by one mage be used by another from the spell book? I ask this because I have a mage in my party that I soon plan to replace with another. I don't want to feed scrolls to my current mage just to see the spell book empty for my next more permanent mage.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Hello and welcome to Baldur's Gate :D No, spells learned by one mage are not shared to others. They would need to learn them as well.

[@ChloePricesNumberOneSimp]

I see. Thanks for the quick and clear response.

[@DaChester1]

I have Baldur’s Gate Enhanced Edition 1 and 2 on PS4. Can I use your guide aswell? Or is there any difference in playstyle as a magic caster? Any info is welcome. Thx

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Hi, I would expect the playstyle to be the same on console as it is on pc, so this guide will still apply :)

[@leespiderpod]

Would you recommend playing using the core rules or normal settings?

[@CoredumpedGaming]

For a new player I would suggest the default difficulty setting. Not sure if it's core or normal at this point :p

[@LabelRider_113]

Is there a way to turn off the dialogue every time I click for them to move, without losing important story dialogue?

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Sure thing. Options > Sound > Command / Selection sounds (just turn those off). Any story dialogues will still play out normally. You can also disable Battle Cries and Movement Sounds if you wish (in that same options screen).

[@skrrrt1233]

boas mano (topei logo q és tuga pelo sotaque), quando joguei bg1 pela primeira vez notei umas cenas que não gostei e dropei o jogo mas queria voltar a jogar pra passar 1 e o 2 pra jogar o bg3 com conhecimento da lore. primeiro não consegui descobrir quase nenhumas side quests pra subir de level, pelo que ia pras missoes principais under level (pelo menos era a sensação que tinha) e era frustrante, segundo, parece que o jogo é pouco intuitivo principalmente na parte do combate (parece que não está nada a acontecer e são só barras a descer, principalmente as magias). gostava de perceber se o jogo é mesmo assim ou se estou a fazer algo de mal, e gostava de alguma dica, se puderes responder agradecia bastante que curtia mesmo de acabar o jogo que de parte de história e lore interessou me bastante.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Boas, BG1 e 2 valem muito a pena jogar, mas são realmente jogos que vão ter um look & feel muito mais antiquado que o BG3. Em relação a ser pouco intuitivo, não sei bem se diria isso, mas tem de facto o sistema de D&D que requer alguma dedicação para perceber e ganhar o hábito das suas mecânicas. Este guia por exemplo tenta explicar essas mesmas mecânicas para facilitar pessoal novo a entrar no jogo. Se gostavas de ter uma ideia de como acelerar um pouco a experiência que ganhas no BG1 para não ficares tão preso nos niveis iniciais, podes ver este guia que fiz para o BG1 precisamente para esse propósito - kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4Srqayqh9ieadE Vê se ajuda e qualquer coisa apita.

[@skrrrt1233]

@@CoredumpedGaming vi um pedaço do video e parece ajudar bastante pelo menos no early game, em relação às side quests vi no reddit que, com o botão de highlight, os npcs com realmente um nome costumam dar side quests (não sei se é verdade), esqueci me de referir também em relação aos items na loja, parece que não há muita variedade e não há muita progressão (por exemplo em outros jogos, normalmente as lojas vendem items mais fortes conforme os nivel do personagem) e mais uma vez não sei se é realmente assim o jogo ou se fiz algo de mal. ultima coisa não tão importante, se há mods que recomendas? e obrigadão pela ajuda

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Ora, por pontos: 1. A funcionalidade de highlight ajuda muito. Por norma se encontras um NPC que não tem um nome único (ou seja, algo estilo "peasant" ou "commoner") eles só te dão info genérica que não vai ser relevante para nada. É só se quiseres ouvi-los a falar das suas vidas ou a falar da aldeia/cidade/etc. 2. Items nas lojas depende. No início do jogo os items mais poderosos tendem a estar com inimigos que os deixam cair quando os derrotas e/ou escondidos pelo mundo. As lojas que encontras cedo no jogo não vão ter nada de muito especial, até pq se tens tido atenção à história, percebes que há uma crise de ferro e isso está a prejudicar o supply de armaduras, armas, etc. Também por essa mesma razão que por vezes armas comuns se partem durante o combate, tanto as tuas como as dos inimigos. Mais tarde, à medida que avanças no jogo e especialmente quando chegas à cidade de Baldur's Gate, vais começar a ver coisas bem melhores à venda. 3. Baldur's Gate 1 e 2 são jogos que ganham imenso mesmo com mods. Tenho este vídeo a mostrar os mods que eu recomendo e como os instalar - kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqHYnpqsbp6Sn6s - sendo que é a tua primeira vez a jogar o jogo, talvez não te recomende os mods "Ascension" e "SCS". São mods espectaculares, mas acrescentam bastante desafio e dificuldade ao jogo, algo que não recomendo a um novo jogador. Se ainda assim decidires instalar, o próprio mod SCS tem settings de dificuldade que podes ajustar ao teu gosto.

[@skrrrt1233]

@@CoredumpedGaming boas outra vez, gostava só de agradecer outra vez, acabei hoje o baldurs gate 1 e curti muito do jogo e consegui faze lo muito pelas tuas dicas, um abraço e continua com os bons videos

[@Fuzz_Aldrin88]

New to the bg series as a whole. Found this guide extremely helpful. But when I saw the weapon titled "defender of easthaven" I fucking lost it because I grew up minutes from a town called "East Haven"

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Ahah it's a sign! You are destined to wield this weapon my friend :D Happy to hear the guide was useful, best of luck and have fun in your BG journey!

[@Fuzz_Aldrin88]

@@CoredumpedGaming loving it so far. Going custom party (controversial choice) and mage protagonist (arguably stupid choice for a first run) but I'm enjoying spending most of my time protecting my mage 😂😂😂

[@CoredumpedGaming]

I would say mage for a first playthrough is an amazing choice! Sorcerer is the dangerous one since you are limited to the spells you learn each level. With the mage you can just learn all you want from scrolls and experiment :D As for the companions, well, to each their own, but I do agree with the consensus that having story companions adds a lot to the game. Either way, happy to hear you're liking the game, feel free to come back whenever and let me know how it's going :D

[@Fuzz_Aldrin88]

Yeah I figured that out lol running it on easy mode made filling the spellbook cake since there's no failure to write a spell. So as I level I'll have all the spells I need. Surprisingly challenging on a touch screen, even on easy mode. Auto save is a life saver since I forget to quick save often.

[@franciscocadete4]

Olá amigo belo video de tutorial, ajudaste me bastante. Não copnsegui notar que eras tuga como eu XD Pelo sotaque ahah

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Sotaque trai sempre :p É sempre bom de ouvir que o guia foi util! Boa sorte para o teu jogo :D

[@Kar-wm5on]

Hmmm, pretty sure Shamans do not get extra spells from Wisdom

[@CoredumpedGaming]

My bad, you are absolutely right. Shamans are like a "druid sorcerer", for some reason I felt they gained extra spells from Wisdom but they do not. Thanks for bringing this up.

[@MasterNinjaXz]

So wait, do none of the "this ability is important to ... __ " matters? Like I just started a ranger character, Im basing some knowledge off my 5e experience idk if even numbers are what matters but my statline is 18/85 STR/ 16 Dex/ 18 Con/ 5 Int/ 14 Wisdom/ 6 Charisma. Does that seem okay? idk ANYTHING about 2nd edition

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Those stats are fine. Charisma plays a role in certain interactions as well as store prices but for the most part it is not that necessary and you have more than one way to increase your charisma in both games. Int would only really be meaningful for a very specific and quite rare enemy in the game, which if you're coming from BG3 you know those tentacly friends quite well :p The most important stats for your ranger are in the right place and you'll do quite well!

[@jerryjunior4396]

Just started playing bgee i play elf archer my archer just level up what stat need to level up

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Hello :) Are you talking about weapon proficiency?

[@NerdHerdForLife]

God I thought I explored well but my guys weren't so well equipped when I beat BG for the first time the other day.

[@NerdHerdForLife]

I just realized this is BG2.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Eheh the guide is made in BG2 yes but applies to both games

[@dr.karmichaelandjones]

I can't stop laughing at you calling them The Shorty Races 🤣

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Shorty races are best races :D

[@lignjoslavakagreenre]

corebro, what's that mod "psi warrior"?

[@CoredumpedGaming]

www.gibberlings3.net/mods/kits/morpheus-kitpack/ :D

[@iTunsiscool26]

At 11:27 you say that 00 means 100 which is the best you can get, but on my character I rolled an 18/06. Is that even better or worse?

[@CoredumpedGaming]

That is worse, you rolled a 6 out of 100. This isn't something you need to stress about or spend hours rerolling to get a better result, but naturally the more you get, the better

[@iTunsiscool26]

@@CoredumpedGaming Ahh, damn. Give me some of your luck on these rolls 😂

[@mategal3782]

Is this guide for BG1 or BG2? I'm totally new to crpgs and wanted to start with BG1.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Works for both my friend :) You're in for the best games of all time, enjoy!

[@mategal3782]

@@CoredumpedGaming Thank you :)

[@peterkee354]

Can grease be combined with fireball for discount napalm?

[@CoredumpedGaming]

You're thinking Dragon Age Origins aren't you ? :p Sadly no, it doesn't do any kind of combo.

[@peterkee354]

@@CoredumpedGaming I probably am thinking of that. Knew the idea had to come from somewhere. Thank you.

[@towarsgame3968]

I wished I saw the video before beginning and search the whole internet for tips and tricks 😅

[@CoredumpedGaming]

All knowledge is good for us! If the video was still useful to you I am happy :D

[@AruwakEM]

Space Hamsters confirmed.

[@aylictal]

Question, you stated @13:35 that mages and sorcerers only need 16 constitution that nothing more helps them, what about a dragon disciple?

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Same thing for dragon disciples. You can take into account the constitution points they gain with their levelups if you want to min max the attribute scores at character creation. But yeah, 16 con is the most that can benefit a sorcerer, any more points do nothing for him

[@aylictal]

@@CoredumpedGaming thank you. i was confused because they're an oddball with a different d6 hitdie instead of d4. a lot of these rules are hidden, but im kinda used to that sorta thing as im a huge pathfinder junkie too lol. i was also under the impression that if someones constitution score hit 20 then they got natural regeneration which the dragon disciple could do?

[@CoredumpedGaming]

@@aylictal oh yeah there's a lot of info that isn't really shown properly or easily in these games. I am trying to improve my knowledge of pathfinder currently lol to do a proper run of kingmaker + wotr, I can waste days looking at the character creation and still completely mangle my character xD Edit - sorry, missed your question below, yes, at 20+ CON you get health regen but it's incredibly slow. It's not useful in combat at all, it's just something that if for example you travel from one area to another and the travel takes a long time e.g. a couple of hours, you would reach the other area with a good chunk of your hp healed up. At 20 con you get 1hp/60sec and then every additional point in con after 20 decreases the time for the regen, so 1hp/50sec at 21 CON and 1hp/10sec at 25 CON.

[@aylictal]

@@CoredumpedGaming haha yup, wotr makes it even harder with the mythic stuff put in which is more important than even your base class really (or rather, your mythic better determines what base class(s) you should shoot for). mythic is kinda like HLA's sorta in this game, but much more restrictive where you cant get everything like you seemingly can in this game. the main reason for all my questions is im heavily weighing on whether i should go base sorcerer or go for the dd kit. dd kit seems a lot more forgiving and they dont lose out on too much i feel. would you recommend it? are there any item restrictions where say a base sorcerer could wear something but a dd couldnt?

[@CoredumpedGaming]

@@aylictal no restrictions. Anything a base sorcerer can use the dd can also use. I would definitely recommend the dd kit. It gives a lot of good stuff for very little loss. Go for it, you won't regret it.

[@destroso]

As someone who played AD&D 2e in the 90s but never this game, my biggest question is: should I create the whole party?

[@CoredumpedGaming]

I would say that this is very subjective. If you want to minmax a lot and have the most efficient party ever while not caring too much about story or companion quests, then creating custom characters may be the way to go (never done it myself) as you can decide on their stats, classes etc. and have a perfectly tuned party for your liking. The downside to that though is lack of personality. You'll be missing out on all the banter, companion quests, their interactions with certain other NPCs or events you find as you go along. Companions also usually have something that makes them unique in a way that you would not be able to get from custom characters, such as personal items, impossible proficiencies, etc. You pretty much cannot make a better wizard than Edwin for example due to his necklace alone (and certain companion items like in this example you can't wear on anyone else). Going back to the efficiency topic which I believe would be the only reason to go full custom, I don't find this to be a big issue in Baldur's Gate. There are a lot of companions to choose from with many different classes, and items throughout the game will pretty much take care of any of their shortcomings. So, bottom line, in my opinion, unless you really want to play with very specific classes that are not available as companions in the game, you should go with story companions. They really add a lot to the whole experience. Some of my favourite characters of all time in any video game come from Baldur's Gate, they are really really well done.

[@destroso]

@@CoredumpedGaming thanks for the well thought out response, I really appreciate it

[@ozgurbeyazt940]

is Korgan sufficient as the only warrior?

[@CoredumpedGaming]

It depends greatly on your playstyle and the rest of your party. Normally I like having at least 2 frontliners. Korgan is a big favourite of mine and then I would have someone like Haer'dalis, Anomen or Jaheira as well. But you can also do well with just Korgan and a good backline to support him.

[@ozgurbeyazt940]

@@CoredumpedGaming thank you. would Haer'dalis, Anomen and Jaheira have sufficient damage output on Insane difficulty for some deadly foes in later game?

[@sewnmind1786]

Im not sure why I'm watching this. I've been playing since I was 6 years old. Guess I just like listening to people talk about it.

[@CoredumpedGaming]

Ahah I understand you completely, I do the same thing with other games that I am already familiar with :p Normally I like to see if the person speaking actually knows what he/she is saying and maybe learn some new stuff in the process