6 PCs Vs. 1 PC/5 NPCS

[[-Mortician-]]

ok folks, what's your opinion? do u prefer to make all 6 characters yourself, or do u like the idea of having character interactions with the 5 other NPCs like in BG1/2. I personally enjoy the variety that NPCs provide to my game. What do you all think?

[/-\lastor]

Well first of all: There arent any NPC's in ID2 you've gotta make the party all by yourself.
Anywayz I prefer to make the party myself, I like customizing and making backgrounds for the characters, but I liked the NPC discussions in BG2 very much, it's a shame they wont be featured in ID2.

[[-Mortician-]]

i'm aware of that, i just wanted to know which you prefered. IWD/BG =) hehe

[[-Mortician-]]

btw i agree, making my own set of characters is very rewarding. I get to put ALL my character ideas into the game, and maximize my gaming experience. (it also lets me stop the voices in my head...........at least for a little while........hehehehehe)

[fable]

I prefer finding characters and getting 'em to join me--especially if they have their own quests, agendas, etc, and appear to make their own decisions during the game.

[Mianna]

I like the NPCs a better idea...I just installed the solaufein romance to my computer and can´t wait to get to Underdark.

[Astafas]

NPCs all the way.

[[-Mortician-]]

you gotta love the NPCs in BG2. "Squeaky wheel gets the kick!!!!" oh man, Minsc just makes my day lol. But surely you can't deny the allure of being able to make all 6 characters in your image. I for one hated the thief NPCs in BG2, so it would be nice to make my own in Icewind Dale 2. Only time will tell though hehe

[hwttdz]

I think a combo of the two is a good compromise. I like to create more than one character because I have a few ideas for really colorful characters, with stories and all. But the characters in the game, npc's, can have better stories because they have quests based around them and all. So I like to make a few maybe two or three and have maybe two or three npc's join my party.

[Ambiorix]

Better add the NPC's. Dialogues, subquests, romances and all. They add enormous colour to the game. After all, you can still decide to play with your own characters if you wish.

Or do what I did in BG II: change the NPC's with Shadowkeeper to the class and attributes of the characters you would have created yourself. So I tried different combinations of races and classes, all the time using the personalities of the NPC's of BG II. That's not cheating, is it?

[EPKJ]

I much prefer 5 NPC's. This lets me identify with my character and regard the others as friends. I am disappointed that Icewind Dale and its sequels have left this out.

[Mianna]

Yeah tell me about it...I´d like to have 5 NPCs as well. Icewind Dales don´t have this huge colourful world filled with happenings and quests so they could have added at least a few NPCs to make the game more colourful, but I guess that the huge world and 3e rules will keep us interested in the game for a long time...I do hope so cos´ I´m going to order the game right when it´s released and I always have to think very carefully what I buy cos´ I don´t have enough money to buy games that dissapoint me.

[jaxaxe]

on bg2, i sometimes create 2/3 chars and then get 3/4 npcs to join me. my pcs are usually monk, swashbuckler, and sorceror because you don't get any of them in the game and imo they are the best classes/kits.

if only i could make my Sorceror a drow...

[The Z]

Hybrid....I like the idea of two brothers going adventuring, and finding people who want to join them.

[Impaler987]

I don't really prefer one over the other. I loved the NPC interactions in BG/BG2 (especiallly BG2), yet I also loved the full PC party in Icewind Dale. The way I look at it, NPCs were necessary for BG/BG2 because that series was driven more by story, character, and actual role-playing, while Icewind Dale was very combat-heavy, so in that case it was more suitable to create all six party members.