NWN2 Original Campaign

[LibraryOgre]

So, I'm playing this, and I have realized I'm incapable of playing pretty much anything other than a bard who turns into a dragon disciple. I want to be able to do everything, and picking up Able Learner and a huge intelligence lets me do that. I am happy with my choices.

But I do wonder.

How do things change if the main character is a druid? Elanee's Circle of the Mere being destroyed is kind of a big plot point.

What about a monk? Khelgar wanting to be a monk is a thing, but if the PC is a monk, it would seem to short-circuit that quest.

[tyckspoon]

It basically doesn't, IIRC, outside of maybe a couple of dialogue options that can give you some extra relationship points with the relevant characters? Like you can't just tell Khelgar 'Cool, I'll teach you how to punch things' - he still has to resolve his personal quest line so that he feels like it's ok to commit to being a Monk now (he's more useful as a Fighter anyways, his stats are all wrong for Monks.)

[Kish]

Some people's house rules aside, Khelgar needs to change alignment before he's eligible for the monk class.

[Keltest]

It basically doesn't, IIRC, outside of maybe a couple of dialogue options that can give you some extra relationship points with the relevant characters? Like you can't just tell Khelgar 'Cool, I'll teach you how to punch things' - he still has to resolve his personal quest line so that he feels like it's ok to commit to being a Monk now (he's more useful as a Fighter anyways, his stats are all wrong for Monks.)

I believe he gets some extra wis points if you commit him to being a monk. Its also possible to give him a combination of defenses that makes him basically invulnerable during the final fight, with the various Ironfist items. I don't know if he can get quite that level of defense as a fighter.

[Calemyr]

Some people's house rules aside, Khelgar needs to change alignment before he's eligible for the monk class.

Been a while since I played the OC, but I think a good chunk of Khelgar's personal quest is him being nudged towards lawful. Chastising him for putting his own interests before the clan, that kind of stuff. Dunno if it's mandatory (it seemed like it was to me), but I know that at very least they provided a route where you felt like it was shoving him across the alignment board before the class change was an option.

[Keltest]

Been a while since I played the OC, but I think a good chunk of Khelgar's personal quest is him being nudged towards lawful. Chastising him for putting his own interests before the clan, that kind of stuff. Dunno if it's mandatory (it seemed like it was to me), but I know that at very least they provided a route where you felt like it was shoving him across the alignment board before the class change was an option.

As I recall, one of the changes he gets if he becomes a monk is his alignment changes to Lawful Good.

[Calemyr]

As I recall, one of the changes he gets if he becomes a monk is his alignment changes to Lawful Good.

Oh, yes, he does become Lawful Good. I just meant that they built in a narrative bridge to support that shift.

I did love Khelgar. How can you not find amusement in a dwarven soccer hooligan who wants to be a monk just because they're better in a brawl?

[LibraryOgre]

Oh, yes, he does become Lawful Good. I just meant that they built in a narrative bridge to support that shift.

I did love Khelgar. How can you not find amusement in a dwarven soccer hooligan who wants to be a monk just because they're better in a brawl?

"They beat me up once! I have to know more!"

I also like Neeshka. "People have been horrible to me my whole life, so when this crazy person seems to care about me, I am going to become fiercely loyal."

[Keltest]

I go back and forth on Neeshka. On the one hand, she's basically loyal to you and as the only companion rogue in the game, she has a lot of valuable skills that nobody else can really replace her for unless youre a rogue yourself. On the other hand, she has a tendency to drag trouble to your doorstep, and she takes offense at the idea of charity.

[Calemyr]

And then there's the combination of Neeshka and Khelgar.

Sure, they trade quips and barbs at every opportunity, but, when Neeshka's on the verge of breaking, it's Khelgar that's supporting her. It's hard to express why him saying "Fiendling..." under his breath as quiet encouragement for her is quite as heartwarming as I find it, but this will have to do.

Honestly, NWN2 has some really solid character moments that sometimes get lost among the D&D cliche storm that it is.

[Ailurus]

I can't help but be nice to Neeshka, both because everyone else has been terrible to her but also because of her ending if you don't get to be really friendly with her.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Love this game so much I've played it a few times!

I do feel your pain, Mark Hall. I find myself taking Able Learner no matter the character because I want to do everything! :smallbiggrin:

I might add that if you DO play a Monk (at least taking 10 levels of the class), you get a little mini-questline if you build a Monastery instead of a Chapel at Crossroad Keep, that can allow you to become Master of the Sun Soul! Though if you do, you miss out on the Warden of the Keep thing.

[LibraryOgre]

Still advancing, though slowly (I only really get to carve out a couple times a week to play). I've cleared the orcs and learned where the Eyegougers are. I'm experimenting with team balance... the problem with being a Bard in a game where party size is set at 4 is that's the WORST place for a bard. I'm jacklegging the rogue role onto myself, which is functional, but bards are best when the party is 3 or less or 5 or more.

[Ailurus]

For the party size, if my memory is working properly I think it goes up to 5 in the party in acts 2 and 3? And if you want to go down the console route, I know there's a command to increase the max size of the party.

[Keltest]

For the party size, if my memory is working properly I think it goes up to 5 in the party in acts 2 and 3? And if you want to go down the console route, I know there's a command to increase the max size of the party.

Kind of. You get an extra slot in act 2, but you need to have Shandra Jerro in it, who is a single class dual wield dex fighter. In act 3 it opens up entirely, but you need to either have Ammon or the gith cleric whose name I can't spell to kill a frequently appearing boss.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Kind of. You get an extra slot in act 2, but you need to have Shandra Jerro in it, who is a single class dual wield dex fighter. In act 3 it opens up entirely, but you need to either have Ammon or the gith cleric whose name I can't spell to kill a frequently appearing boss.
Know that her name is Zhjaeve. :smalltongue:

[Rodin]

Know that her name is Zhjaeve. :smalltongue:

Gesundheit.

[Telarii]

Know that her name is Zhjaeve. :smalltongue:

I hate that the only NPC cleric in the game doesn't join until so late into the game. XD

Every time I play, I have almost the same problem as Mark but in another direction. I feel almost obligated to play Cleric because of the lack of one in the early game. Having a cleric in the party makes dealing with the Undead so much less tedious, and frees up Elanee from having to actually memorize curing spells.

I mean, yes, I could just do a six second kneel to recover everything, but that feels cheesy.

I do love this game though. I love all the companions (except Grobnar). I love the cliches. I love everything about it. It's probably my most replayed game ever. XD