Just how annoying is Anomen?

[Incertainty]

Originally posted by Aqua-chan
And that's the deciding factors for all NPCs. Don't take other people's opinions to be the only way you analyze an NPC.

Especially not Fable's.

One hundred percent true (well I'm not giving an opinion that last bit though ); but there's not much else for me to do at the time... something happened to my computer a couple of weeks ago, and the only things that are currently functioning is Internet and Word/Paint/... As it is, I'm restricted to playing at a friend 'till I get myself a new computer (he's wrecked for good), which should be at least another month.

[fable]

O Fortuna, indeed, Incertainty. Sorry to hear that.

For the rest, many people have commented in this forum on Anomen's great abilities as a tank, and I truly found him effective in one of my play-throughs. I think the reactions to his "personality" would be more measured if his dialog, frankly, were better *after* his passed test. But it's the only party NPC dialog in the game that strikes me as unsuccessful and awkward-sounding, this "I am suddenly such a wise Grasshopper" conversion of his. Matters aren't made any better by the retention of his old annoying exclamations, which should have been removed from his script.

[UncleScratchy]

Originally posted by Incertainty
You serious? There is not a single NPC in the game I like more! Pretty decent fighter, healer, incredibly interesting character and dialogues (is there a single character with a more troubled, tortured mind and tough-but not so tough attitude?), without a doubt the most interesting romance with interesting side-quests, friend from the original game, her Harper pin,... The list goes on and on. What could there possibly be that is not to like about her?

You are reading into my statement something I did not say. I said she was irritating, not that I didn't like her as a party member. Of course she's a good NPC and her side quests add a lot to the storyline. I almost always have her in my party, especially if its a small party where she can level up quickly. What makes her irritating is when you get to a high reputation and she incessently complains about maintaining the balance. By the way, I also think Aerie is irritating. Of, course in BG1 Jaheira is totally useless except as a healer and complainer.

[Incertainty]

@ Scratchy: I suppose you're right... but hey, she's a druid, what do you expect? My reputation doesn't usually go that high though... I've had her complaining a few times yes, but I guess she more than makes up for this in other areas, no? Cheers to that!

[Coot]

Jaheira is probably the npc that's most connected to the pc and the main storyline - right after Imoen, of course. She's been with him/her from the very beginning, was a close friend of Gorion, she lost Khalid thanks to main-villain Irenicus and the whole Harperplot ties right in with the whole Bhaalspawn affair.
I have to agree with Uncle S. though: in BG1 she's as useful as... well, as any other druid.

[Aqua-chan]

Aww, you know I have a puppy-dog admiration for you, don't you, Fablulous? Your opinions always matter to me.

Back on topic, I replaced Jaheira woth Faldorn in BG1. Frankly, I never noticed a difference. But in SoA is just is no equal replacement for her in class or in character, simply because she is well developed and scripted. I have gone a party without her a few times simply because, but I have a mediocre respect for her.

Incertainty - Sorry to hear about the computer bum. My computer always gets a virus right about the time I'm about to finish a game and near the climactic end of the story, and it's starting to get old. Don't feel left out.

[kopywrite]

Originally posted by UncleScratchy
What makes her irritating is when you get to a high reputation and she incessently complains about maintaining the balance. By the way, I also think Aerie is irritating. Of, course in BG1 Jaheira is totally useless except as a healer and complainer.

Its the curse of neutrality, even with a rep. of 10 a neutral character isn't happy. The way the game works its impossible for them to be happy at all and I doubt they even had 'happy' comments written for them. Maybe someone's hacked Jaheira to neutral good and suddenly she starts chirping about how wonderful everything is when your reputation goes high enough...but I doubt it.

[Coot]

This probably illustrates how computer-stoopid I am, but will changing her alignment (using SK) make a difference? Oh. Didn't think so.

[kopywrite]

It would stop the moaning though. Personally it doesn't bother me, she's one of my faves as she is. But then again I like Nalia too...

I'm sure one of the components of Ease of Use stops all alignment/reputation related gripes anyway.

[Coot]

I've never used Ease of Use, but any program or patch that will make alignment or reputation issues go away is popular with me.
The whole alignment/rep thing in BG never made any sense.

[kopywrite]

Might be worth a shot then. You can install each component individually so even if you want to run a mostly unmodded game, inter-party harmony can be yours.

[VonDondu]

Originally posted by kopywrite
Its the curse of neutrality, even with a rep. of 10 a neutral character isn't happy. The way the game works its impossible for them to be happy at all and I doubt they even had 'happy' comments written for them...

I don't think the problem is with the alignment system. Instead, I think the problem is that the Reputation system is flawed beyond repair. Why do evil NPCs dislike being popular? Why don't you ever become popular for doing things that fit the Neutral perspective of life? Druids are supposed to have a minimum Charisma of 15, which implies that they are supposed to be well-liked and influential, but how can they be so charismatic if their actions are always middle-of-the-road? It just doesn't make any sense to me. (Not to mention that we usually end up with obnoxious Druids like Jaheira and Faldorn whose Charisma is 15 only because they couldn't be Druids otherwise, which makes that particular stat requirement nonsensical to me).

Originally posted by kopywrite
Maybe someone's hacked Jaheira to neutral good and suddenly she starts chirping about how wonderful everything is when your reputation goes high enough...but I doubt it.

I always change Jaheira's alignment to Neutral Good when I keep her in my party. That way, at least she says "our actions are good, we serve the greater balance" instead of "now that we've just done something good, we need to get caught robbing a store to maintain balance".

[Coot]

Well, the complaining aside, Jaheira is obviously not a neutral character. I think she's more like lawful good.

[kopywrite]

Originally posted by VonDondu
I always change Jaheira's alignment to Neutral Good when I keep her in my party. That way, at least she says "our actions are good, we serve the greater balance" instead of "now that we've just done something good, we need to get caught robbing a store to maintain balance".

Does she actually say that? As in they recorded a 'happy' comments for her and the other neutrals along the lines of 'now I know why travelling with you was always such fun'...? If so, what does Jan say?

I don't think the problem is with the alignment system. Instead, I think the problem is that the Reputation system is flawed beyond repair.

That's what I was trying to say...neutral characters are cursed by the reputation system within the game as they can never be happy with what's going on. Reputaions of 8-12 should prompt their happy comments; you could also argue that they should leave a group with a reputation of 20 as they do when it sinks to 1.

[kopywrite]

Originally posted by Coot
Well, the complaining aside, Jaheira is obviously not a neutral character. I think she's more like lawful good.

I'd say she was more neutral good than lawful good as Von D. says (thinking how she reacts in the harper quest for instance).

In Unfinished Business, she does have a chance to display her true neutrality though, in the restored spider quest.