23 réponses à ce sujet

[Phaelducan]

Hey, I'm just about to fire up a Baldur's Gate (don't know why I never played it years ago) playthrough, and I am a little unclear on the process of importing into BG2. I'd like to run both games back to back, and in theory the same character but I couldn't find a clear explanation of how the process works.

Can I make a  dual class Fighter/Mage in BG1, finish it, and then run the same exact character with the same everything in BG2?

Some of the sites I went to described kits for BG2, and the experience cap increasing, but from what I remember from DnD second edition (admittedly a LONG time ago), once you dual class into your second class you can never increase your primary class again.

Since the exp is lower in BG1, I would have probably chosen different dual class level combinations for BG2 but I don't know if that's an option.

So... how does it work? (not opposed to NOT importing if it makes more sense to make a new character for BG2).

[Sparky The Barbarian]

When you are done with BG export your character. Give the file a unique name. Then copy the file from your BG directory (Characters) and paste into the Characters file in your BGII Directory.



At the Character Generation screen in BGII choose Import, then click on your unique file. From there it's just like starting a regular new game.

[Phaelducan]

Right, I get that part, my question was about the actual import itself, rather than the process. Do you get a chance to reset your levels or is it a direct continuance?



Such as, I'd probably dual class at 5 in BG1, but if I could do it with more exp I'd go to at least 7... possibly 13.



If I dual class at 5... will I forever be stuck at level 5 fighter or can I go back and put more exp into fighter when I import?

[Humanoid_Taifun]

You're stuck with your dualclass level.

Why don't you use BGT or Tutu?

[Son of Imoen]

Like Humanoid_Taifun said, you're stuck with the dual-class level. When importing from BG1 to BG2, all stats will remain the same: your classes, level at which you dualed and characteristics. The lvl-cap in BG1 keeps you from advancing once you reach 89.000 (without Tales Of The Sword Coast installed) or 161.000 (with Tales of the Sword Coast). Actually, your xp still is added up after that, it just doesn't show - when you import to BG2, you'll see how much you've advanced beyond the cap.

Decisionwise, that gives you 2 choices about dual-classing:

a. an early dual: dualing in BG1 will imply that you play a dual-class character in BG1, going through the stages of playing class 1, dualclassing when you choose, playing class 2 and waiting for the moment (new class level=first class level+1) you have the abilities of both classes. Check the xp tables and add up the xp for the level of the class you want to dual from + the xp for (the same level+1) of the class you want to dual to, to check when you get your abilities back.

The consequence of choosing an early dual, is your first class levels won't mean much in late SOA and TOB game, though some things will remain of an advantage even if you dualed early, like for instance being able to choose to become proficient and gain mastery in every kind of weapon for a Fighter>Mage.

b. When however in BG2 you want to have a lot of advantages from your first class too and still want to use an imported, not a fresh character, the way to go is playing in your first class the whole way in BG1, keeping in mind you give him 17 in the primary stat of the class you want him to dual to, and postpone dualing 'till you've started BG2.

Final remark: it's unwise to dual-class on your very first runthrough of the game, as you will be stuck with a low-level character in your second class (albeit with lots of hp for a 1st lvl character) from the moment you dual and without the benefits of your first class, untill you got more levels in your second class than you had in your first class - meaning you will have a hard time if you don't know what kind of difficulties you meet in what part of the story. The wise thing is knowing what you will be doing in the game at the time you are in that vulnerable fase. You won't know unless you've finished the game at least once.

Modifié par Son of Imoen, 17 décembre 2010 - 10:39 .

[Humanoid_Taifun]

Son of Imoen wrote...
When importing from BG1 to BG2, all stats will remain the same: your classes, level at which you dualed and characteristics.

Only HP are rerolled for some reason.

[Matuse]

My HP never change on an import.



An option to deal with the dual classing issue is to remove the XP cap in BG1. That will trivialize a hell of a lot of the endgame though. If you want to remain challenged in BG1, it's not a great idea.

[Phaelducan]

That answers that. I'll stick with level 7 Fighter for BG1.



Side question... is it worth it to stick out fighter to 20 for Thac0 of 1 or is better to cut at 13 and add on a spellcasting class?

[Humanoid_Taifun]

Matuse wrote...
My HP never change on an import.

And you're importing from vanilla BG1?

Phaelducan wrote...
Side
question... is it worth it to stick out fighter to 20 for Thac0 of 1 or
is better to cut at 13 and add on a spellcasting class?

One or two points THAC0 don't mean much. Unless you're playing a kensai you should dualclass at level 13.

[oyzar]

Why would a kensai not dual at level 13 as well?

[Humanoid_Taifun]

I didn't mean they shouldn't. It's simply the only kit worth advancing past that point before dualclassing.

[oyzar]

There is something to be said for getting HLAs as well, though ofc then it takes very long time to regain your levels.

[Humanoid_Taifun]

If you want fighter HLAs, multiclass is usually the better option.

[oyzar]

Can't get the kensai bonuses then and still get less level 9 spells.

[Humanoid_Taifun]

"usually"

Hm. One word usually constitutes spam. (now with this addition I should be safe though)

[Phaelducan]

Haven't looked too closely at the kits, was just looking at exp caps so far. On paper, it looks like 8 million exp would generate level 20 in fighter and easily enough to hit 21 in another class. I never played 20+ in 2nd edition, so I'm curious as to the mechanics will translate into a CRPG.



I find that at level 2... even with pretty good Thac0 I miss a LOT, so my kneejerk response is to get the lowest possible base Thac0 by going to fighter 20 before dualclassing... unless there really is no difference in doing that or stopping at 13 for the # of attacks.

[Humanoid_Taifun]

At high levels, THAC0 is nearly meaningless. With Strenth 22 (or higher) and a weapon +5 (or +6) as a fighter you will hit pretty much everything you want to hit (just stay clear of these nasty critical misses).

[Phaelducan]

So not much point shooting for -13 Thac0(ish)? It's been a long time, and I never played epic, but I've played in some delver bashes where -25 or so AC was possible. No idea what ToB is like at high levels though.

[oyzar]

I think the highest AC enemies have like -10 or something and those are rather rare...

Modifié par oyzar, 19 décembre 2010 - 05:54 .

[Son of Imoen]

Phaelducan wrote...

Haven't looked too closely at the kits, was just looking at exp caps so far. On paper, it looks like 8 million exp would generate level 20 in fighter and easily enough to hit 21 in another class. I never played 20+ in 2nd edition, so I'm curious as to the mechanics will translate into a CRPG.

Even without checking the exact facts I can tell you that's a bad idea. Dual-classing works in such a way in 2nd edition, that you become a level 1 character in your new class, with only the abilities of the new class: your Thac0, weapon proficiencies etc. will all be that of a 1st level Mage or whatever class you choose. The only thing remaining is the hp you gain as your old class. The first class will become inactive: so abilities of the first class, like your Fighter class' Thac0 and weapon proficiencies won't come back untill you have exceeded the level of your 1st class with your second class.

Thus: if you dual as a 20th level Fighter to a Mage, you'll be a 1st level advandcing to 20-th level Mage for the rest of the game, untill you've reached level 21 as a Mage, when you'll become a full Fighter-Mage: by that time only for the last battle or so. A very good reason to dual at level 13 instead: you'll be a Fighter-Mage by the time you've reached level 14 as a Mage, so much sooner. Only when solo-ing with the xp cap remove should you attempt to dual as late as level 20.

Note: unlike multi-classing, in case you haven't read it yet, all your xp goes to the active class only: it's not divided in two like with multi-classing. First all your xp goes to your first class and the moment you dual-class the first class becomes inactive and all xp goes to the second class. Even after your first class becomes active again, all xp still goes to the second class.

And only humans can dual-class (like we're talking about in this topic), only non-humans can multi-class.

[Humanoid_Taifun]

Son of Imoen wrote...

Phaelducan wrote...
I never played 20+ in 2nd edition, so I'm curious as to the mechanics will translate into a CRPG.

Dual-classing works in such a way in 2nd edition, that you become a level 1 character in your new class, with only the abilities of the new class: your Thac0, weapon proficiencies etc. will all be that of a 1st level Mage or whatever class you choose.

I'm sure I should let her speak for herself, but I'm still convinced she already knows that.

It's true regardless. With a full party, you will probably collect about 7M to 7,5M XP, which means that you will only reap the benefits from such a high level dualclass in the last few battles (if at all).

[Phaelducan]

Yeah, I knew how dual-classing worked, but not how it would play out in BG2. If you won't hit the exp until that close to the end, I won't bother. Should have done Multi-class I suppose.



Side question... what are the tangible benefits to importing? What does it recognize in the save file?

[Humanoid_Taifun]

The advantage to importing are improved attributes (you get to raise each attribute in Baldur's Gate 1 one time, only for Wisdom there are 3 opportunities) and items. A select number of items can be imported into BG2 as well.

Link for item list with spoiler warning

[oyzar]

You also get possible higher experience than what you start with in BG2. If you plan to play with a non-full party it is possible to play with high level dual like you describe, but for most people dual at 7 or 13 will be best.

The biggest advantage is that you actually get a backstory for your character though...

Modifié par oyzar, 20 décembre 2010 - 10:03 .