Baldurs Gate 2

[The.Donut]

Hello there.

 

It's that time of year again when I'm feeling the tug of nostalgia...so I'm going to be revisiting Baldurs Gate 2. However, it has been many a year since I last played it and, every now and then, I see glimpses of MOD talk around.

 

So I hereby throw this challenge unto ye, the Obsidianites:

 

What MODS should I download, install and play through BG2 again with, if at all any?

 

Answers should be placed in an envelope and sealed with the juices from sweated cabbage leaves. Ta.

[Deraldin]

Are we including Throne of Bhaal?

[GreasyDogMeat]

Heh, when I feel the 'tug' I go all out and play every IE in chronological order.

 

Icewind Dale - Heart of Winter - Triales of the Luremaster

Icewind Dale II

Planescape Torment

Baldur's Gate - Tales of the Sword Coast

Baldur's Gate II - Throne of Bhaal.

 

It usually takes me about half a year to beat them all.

 

Unfinished Business, G3 Tweaks (for all of the games, makes it more convenient), and a fix pack are usually all I install for BG 2.

[The.Donut]

Are we including Throne of Bhaal?

 

Aye, that we are.

 

Heh, when I feel the 'tug' I go all out and play every IE in chronological order.

 

Icewind Dale - Heart of Winter - Triales of the Luremaster

Icewind Dale II

Planescape Torment

Baldur's Gate - Tales of the Sword Coast

Baldur's Gate II - Throne of Bhaal.

 

It usually takes me about half a year to beat them all.

 

Unfinished Business, G3 Tweaks (for all of the games, makes it more convenient), and a fix pack are usually all I install for BG 2.

 

I tried playing IWD2 straight after I finished BG2 but I just couldn't get into it...

 

What does Unfinished Business do?

[metadigital]

Linkies

[Pop]

What MODS should I download, install and play through BG2 again with, if at all any?

I remember the Fade CNPC mod being particularly well written (it only goes to the end of BG2, reportedly they're working on ToB content, but I wouldn't hold my breath). Dark Ritual adds a bit of fun, but can really unbalance the game in your favor. Unfinished Business restores some cut content, not a lot, but it's certainly worth the few bugs it introduces into the game. Also, there are some CNPC behavior and dialogue mods out there too.

 

I don't have linkies atm, but Dark Raven might. She's usually around here complaining about something.

[Guard Dog]

If you play as a male PC I'd reccomend the Saeralith mod. In a new romancable NPC that was really well done. Link below...

 

Saeralith

 

Dark Raven actually made the "Chosen of Mystra" mod I think. Never tried it but I'm sure she'll link it. It won't be long before she sees this thread.

Edited June 10, 2007 by Guard Dog

[CoM_Solaufein]

The top four mod sites with good mods.

Chosen of Mystra

Gibberlings3

Pocketplane

Spellhold Studios

 

Some mods that you should install before any other mods that fix bugs and returns cut content are Baldurdash and Unfinished Business.

[roshan]

I believe Baldurdash has been superceded by a newer, more complete fixpack.

[Tigranes]

.... I DONT BELIEVE IT, I FORGOT TO BACK UP MY MASSIVE STOCKPILE OF BG MODS.

 

Well, from memory..

• Baldurdash: General fixpack (or whatever better version roshan is talking about)
  
• Unfinished Business: Attempts to find things that Bio planned but didn't implement, and 'completes' those quests. I.e. the kidnapping of Boo, or more background on Suna Seni / Valygar.
  
• Avenger's Thief mods: I believe had some gameplay implementations as well as stronghold fix.
  
• Ease-of-Use: Weimer. Some things, like infinite stock arrows, are nice; others are a bit munchkin.
  
• Tactics *or* Improved Battles: two things that make a lot of battles harder, personal preference for whichever.
  
• Improved Banters: Adds lots of new banter.
  
• If you use Ascension, check out Turnabout, which lets you call up allies of your own in the Melissan battle. Also Redemption, which has Irenicus as a PC and charts his 'redemption'.
  
• Check out the Three Gecklings website, Pocket Plane Group, etc.
  

Gah, I had like 15 more, I can't even remember now.

[aVENGER]

Avenger's Thief mods: I believe had some gameplay implementations

 

Which have been recently updated. If you plan on installing my Rogue Rebalancing mod, make sure you get the latest version from here.

 

as well as stronghold fix.

 

Nope, that's a different mod from a different author. BTW, before installing any other mods, I'd highly reccomend getting the latest ToB patch and the G3 BG2 Fixpack (which is now the de-facto standard for any BG2 installation).

[SteveThaiBinh]

If you like BG2 for the characters and NPC interaction, it might be worth having another look at BG1 with the Tutu mod and the NPC Project. I really can't stress enough how much this improves the playing experience by adding banters, interjections and romances throughout the game. If you like that kind of thing. Oh, and get Finch the hero/librarian too.

 

For BG2, my understanding is that the BG2 Fixpack version 3 replaces any previous fixpacks including Baldurdash. Don't install the option about shapeshifters, though, because it causes a killer memory leak in Nalia's castle.

 

For interesting NPC mods, I recommend Kelsey, Keto, Solaufein, Nathaniel, Saerilith and Tsujatha (not all at once, obviously). I'm very tempted to try the Xan BG2 mod, but it's a matter of finding the time. I'm currently playing through with a male PC, with Kelsey romancing

Imoen

and beta-testing Nathaniel TOB. It's great fun.

[The.Donut]

Well this certainly has been an eye opener...so many mods...so little time

 

I'm going with the G3 Fixpack and Unfinished Business (as, from what you have all posted, it seems these are essential) alongside Xan, Kelsey, the Banter Pack and the Quest Pack from Pocketplane...

 

Phwoar...this should be interesting.

 

Cheers for the links by the way.

[Wistrik]

Regardless of which mod you choose to install, I recommend always installing the BG2 Fixpack by G3. It supercedes Baldurdash (both flavors), incorporates several other fixpacks (Extremist's SOA fixpack, Juggernaut Golem, etc.), and provides hundreds (if not thousands) of newer fixes, big and small. It is an ongoing project currently at version 3.

 

Whatever you download, I strongly suggest checking the documentation for recommended installation order (if any) and warnings of mod conflicts (there are a few).

 

Be aware that some mods are rather old by current standards, and their authors are either no longer active in the community, or are not willing to update their mods. If you're running with ToB installed, I recommend only downloading NPCs with SoA+ToB content, otherwise you will have a silent partner through ToB.

 

Edit: you beat me. I forgot UB; it's not a fixpack but it does restore some interesting content.

Edited June 11, 2007 by Wistrik

[Deraldin]

I really should try BG2 again. The last time I played a lot of these mods that are being mentioned weren't out yet.

[Tale]

I should try BG1 again. I'm dying to play through as a Chaotic Neutral Wild Mage. I've seen romance mods for good and evil, but what about the insane neutral?!

[Tigranes]

Uggghh, fine, fine, fine!

 

*reinstalls*

[Musopticon?]

I've not actually ever gone through Suldanesslar. I have a party consisting of Me(sorcerer) Jaheira, Viconia, Imoen, Khelgar and someone other(probably Edwin judging from the party alingments) there right now, but I've always been bored around there. I don't think I've ever finished an Infinity game.

 

 

Should I?

 

No, I'm not asking whether I should go play play play play!!!11 all my Infinity games right now, but whether I should just get BG 2 over with, because I've been stuck there for so long.

Edited June 12, 2007 by Musopticon?

[Tale]

Yes.

[Lare Kikkeli]

Yes. I'm currently playing BG1TuTu with the sword coast stratagems and BG1 banter and romance mods. It makes BG1 feel all fresh again. I'm planning on taking my Swashie/Mage through the whole trilogy.

[Tale]

I don't understand all these "harder" mods! Some of the bosses were hard enough already. Most specifically the end bosses. And by "hard enough already" I mean absolutely ridiculous for a guy who plays a thief and builds his party using characters he likes and not some requisite need for two fighters, two mages, two priests and **** the thieves or whatnot.

[Tigranes]

Tale, I could go through vanilla SOA with a solo mage and didn't have too much trouble (except for some specific encounters). I'm not saying this to brag (oh wow, X is better than Y at a single player RPG!!!!), but it can get too easy. Hell, I usually only take 4 party members, and this time I don't think I'm even going to have a melee tank-style character at all. Cleric, Thief, 2 Mages maybe. Or maybe a Stalker instead.

 

I'm trying Sword Coast Stratagems as well, apparently it has some nifty stuff like enemies calling each other for help. And spellcasters using buffs more sensibly, being prepared for fights, etc. It's not only harder but more 'realistic', i.e. you can't surround people, set traps round their feet and then talk to them to initiate combat anymore.

 

Also got (in Tutu) NPC Project, Grey Clan major quest mod, FinchNPC, and a couple of minor things - should be fun.

[taks]

thief was not one of the classes i recall being good to solo BG2. mage had a few issues in places, cleric was easiest, IIRC.

 

i found some of the mods a bit too hard. not impossible, but just hard enough that i'd have to reload here and there which i got to hating.

 

taks

[Lare Kikkeli]

I don't understand all these "harder" mods! Some of the bosses were hard enough already. Most specifically the end bosses. And by "hard enough already" I mean absolutely ridiculous for a guy who plays a thief and builds his party using characters he likes and not some requisite need for two fighters, two mages, two priests and **** the thieves or whatnot.

 

 

I agree that the boss battles are hard enough, but when you remember where everything is the game can get a bit boring. Sword Coast Stratagems adds more enemies and changes their position. It makes the game fresh again, at least for me. I'm not going to install the crazy BG2 tactics compotents that REQUIRE you to cheese Simulacrum or Wish to win.

Edited June 12, 2007 by Lare Kikkeli

[Tigranes]

Oh, some of them were crazy, they were. Can't remember if it was tactics or Improved Battles version, but there was one modded incarnation of Tor'Gal (the Troll boss below De'Arnise Keep) that was.. uh, impossible to kill for my party. I'd debuff him as much as I could, then set up a little round-robin of everyone whacking him with magical weapons and healing each other, but he was like a freaking werewolf on crack - healed something like 5-10hp / round and I actually fought him for over 10 minutes and ended up with no potions left and him still at Uninjured.

 

The 'Unnerfed' dragon bhaalspawn in TOB was pretty bad too, and try the 'restored' Illasera if you can't dispel her instant unlimited invisibilities while she fires bleeding piercing arrows.

 

Anyway, it's all about smarter and sensible enemies, not ridiculously difficult.