Baldur Gate : Characters
My character keeps getting special abilities, why, what's going on
Characters may start with special abilities (e.g., a Ranger will start with STEALTH, a Cleric TURN UNDEAD, etc.) and gain special abilities at higher experience levels (e.g., a Ranger gains CHARM ANIMAL, a Druid gains SHAPE CHANGE at higher levels). Many of these special abilities are listed in the BG Manual on pages 91-94. In addition, the party leader will gain a special ability after resting at the end of each chapter (during the movie).

I think, but am not sure, that the party leader is the character on the top of the character list at the time the chapter is completed, but not necessarily the character at the top of the list at the time you rest and view the chapter completion movie. I have saved after completing a chapter but before resting, switched party leaders, rested and always the original party leader, not the new one, got the special ability. Since you are also the son/daughter of Bhaal, your main character will gain powers. One of the perks of being a spawn of a deity.

Special Abilities are ones that you can accessed from the main screen through either a specific Bottom Button, or the Special Ability button. The Cleric Branwen, for example, has the TURN UNDEAD special ability which is accessed by a button containing a Skull Icon. Branwen will also gain the SPIRITUAL HAMMER special ability (after leveling) which is accessed through the Special Ability button at the bottom of the screen on the right side. Clicking the Special Ability button will show all special abilities gained by leveling-up and from chapter completion.

END OF CHAPTER SPECIAL ABILITIES: Special Abilities attained by the party leader for completing chapters do not depend upon the party leader's class, but they do depend upon the reputation of the party. Therefore, a dual-classed character should not loose the abilities gained while leader in a previous class. ( Unfortunately, I do not know where good reputation ends and bad reputation begins and have only played a party with reputation 12-20.)

GOOD REPUTATION: The leader of a party with a "good" reputation will gain the following 6 special abilities: Cure Light Wounds, Cure Light Wounds, Slow Poison, Slow Poison, Draw Upon Holy Might, and Draw Upon Holy Might (in that order).

BAD REPUTATION: I have read, but not confirmed, that the leader of a party with "bad" reputation will gain the following 6 special abilities: Larloch's Minor Drain, Larloch's Minor Drain, Ghoul Touch, Ghoul Touch, Vampiric Touch, Vampiric Touch (in that order).

CLASS RELATED SPECIAL ABILITIES: Most are listed in the BG manual on pages 91-94 and are independent of the party's reputation. They are based only on the experience level and the class of the character. Some may be attained at every level-up, others not until a specific higher level is reached.
How can I change my character's name in a single player game in progress?
  • 1st, go into your last single player save game, and export your character.
  • Copy your last save game from the single player "saves" directory to the multi-player "mpsaves" directory. Start the game and choose multiplayer, and load the saved game. Before going into the save game, you have to "lock-in" each character (click on the skulls to the left). Here you can delete your current character (right-click) then "create" a new character by importing the previously exported character. Then you can rename your character as you wish, accept, and lock-in that new character.
  • Now, before continuing to load the game, make sure you go into options, and choose to import character stats, skills, AND items or you may lose the equipment your character had before. Then continue loading the game.
  • Now you are in multiplayer mode at the exact point you left single player. Resave the game and exit. Then copy the game back from the "mpsaves" directory to the "saves" directory and reload as a single player game. There you have it, the same character, different name. Only real difference is that the game now says he/she has been in the party for "0" hours and has had "0" kills.
How do I create the best Character
There is no "best" character, and quite frankly, I don't think than any of us at The Gate House could create the "best" character for someone else, or possibly even ourselves.

Character creation is very important and many players just rush into the game without taking time to consider character creation options. Careful character creation can have a great impact on how the game plays for you. The best answer we can give to this question is for you to plan to spend significant time studying the charts, tables, and other information we have provided in our Character Creation page. Print them out and study them! Since this information is neither complete nor well organized in the BG game manual, we have spent a lot of time trying to provide detailed, well organized, character creation information and in some instances, have included items from the AD&D 2nd edition rules. So, please don't ask us "how do I create the best character". Creating "your own" character and playing him/her is what BG is all about. Remember everyone plays the game differently with a different style, what might be right for one may not be correct for another.
Hit Points when Leveling Up
Table 3a, on page 139 of the game manual, shows the expected hit point increase for each character type when 'leveling up' (plus any bonuses due to Constitution per table 1, p134). "Mild Cheat"- Save before 'leveling up' your character, then restore and try again if you are not satisfied with the result.

How many hit points do you get? Check out our Constitution Adjusted Level-up Hit Point Tables
Minsc Complains that I'm not saving Dynaeir
From the time you allow Minsc to join your party you will have 10 days to rescue Dynaheir. If you do not, Minsc will become enraged and attack you. Dropping Minsc prior to 10 days, then finding Dynaheir (after 10 days) and returning to Minsc (with Dynaheir in your party or even as leader) still resulted in Minsc attacking (this was my experience - anyone else?).
My Ranger or Paladin has Fallen, What can be done?
When your party's reputation falls too low, your Ranger and/or Paladin will become "Fallen", lose all his/her special abilities and become a Fighter. Rangers require a reputation of at least 4, Paladins at least 6. A "Fallen" Ranger or Paladin cannot regain his/her previous status even if the party's reputation later goes above the minimum limit.
AI Scripts - My Characters don't fight the way I want them to
NPC's combat actions are controlled by their assigned AI script. Characters you create have no AI script. To change a character's AI script, from the main screen; a) select a character (click on the face portrait on the right hand side of the screen), b) select RECORD (the Head Icon on the left side of the screen), c) select CUSTOMIZE, d) then select SCRIPT. This will give you a window showing NONE, and several named AI scripts with their descriptions. If you want to conduct all your characters' combat actions, select NONE. Otherwise, select a suitable script from those available.
I Have a Pair of NPC's, how do I get rid of ONE of them
The NPC's Khalid & Jaheira, Dynaheir & Minsc, and Montaron & Xzar seem to be inseparable pairs once both members are in your party. Generally if you dismiss one, the other will also leave.

The one exception seems to be with Khalid & Jaheira. If your party's reputation is 20 and you dismiss one, they both leave. But then if you ask Khalid to rejoin the party, being Neutral-Good, he will. But Jaheira, being True-Neutral, will refuse. So you can get Khalid without Jaheira.
One way to get rid of an unwanted member of an NPC pair is to allow him/her to be killed off. Just take away his/her armor and weapons, put him/her out in front in combat, and he/she will soon be history. The other half of the 'pair' doesn't seem to mind.
Another suggestion is to kill off the unwanted character, just attack him/her and do the job yourself. Not having tried this, I don't know if this has any effect on your party's reputation or if the surviving partner will cause any problems.
The following has been suggested. Move your party very near the edge of the current map sector, dismiss one of the pair, after confirming the dismissal quickly PAUSE, click on the map edge to leave the area, the RESUME the game. In this way your party will leave the map sector before the second character has a chance to leave the party. This seems to work, sort of. I have tried this with Khalid/Jaheira, dismissing one or the other and quickly departing the area. As long as I do not re-enter the map area where the dismissed party member is, everything is just fine and the remaining member stays with my party. But if I go back to the map area where the dismissed party member is, he/she will seek out the party, and as soon as he/she talks to the party, the other member (of the pair) will leave the party. In addition, I have discovered that I am not allowed to REST the remainder of the party either in the wilderness or in an Inn in the same map area where the one dismissed party member is still looking for his partner.
This from a kind emailer: It's quite easy to get rid of one of a pair. Take for example, Jahiera. Send her into a building (or cave) by herself. Switch back to your main character and dismiss Jahiera from the party. That's it! Khalid won't leave unless Jahiera can give her little speech to the main character, which she can't do if she is inside and he is outside. Just be sure to pick a building that you do not need to enter again.
Can my Ranger use two weapons at once
No, in Baldur's Gate no character may use more than one weapon at once. Each character has from 1 to 3 ready weapon slots, but only one can be used at any given time.
What weapons can my Thief use for Backstab
It has been reported that a Thief, or Multi-Classed Thief can use Daggers, Short Swords, and Long Swords for backstabbing. I have tried the first two, have not tried the long sword.
How do I keep Kagain from leaving my party
I have read that: Kagain will join your party if you agree to help him find a missing caravan. The caravan quest cannot be sloved. As soon as you pick him up travel one map north (any other direction and he will end up leaving the party) and he'll say something about forgetting the caravan and will stay with you forever. If Kagain has already left your party, you may(?) find him later in the Jovial Juggler in Beregost and he will rejoin. (NOTE: All of this is from newsgroup posts as I have no first hand experience with Kagain and cannot confirm any of it).
How do I get both Dynaheir and Edwin in my party
An emailer writes - Do not talk to Edwin when you arrive at Nashkel. Talk to Minsc to get the rescue Dynaheir quest. Save Dynaheir from the Gnoll Stronghold. Return to Nashkel, save, talk to Edwin. He will get into an argument with Dynaheir, but will eventually join your party without having to kill her. Now you can "enjoy?" hearing Edwin, Dynaheir, and Minsc constantly argue.
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