Does anybody ever take the "not till much later" NPCs?

I generally don't take the later NPCs. I get attached to my party the longer I travel with them, so it usually doesn't feel right to ditch long time party members for some newbie later on. I also tend to do just about every single side quest, so by the time I get late into the game, my party members are usually far more capable/experienced than those I meet later on.

I might temporarily add such a person for a particular quest that they are tied to, but it's usually a temporary arrangement.

I usually have Minsc, Jaheria, Khalid and Imoen every time I play. I vary on the final party member, but whoever it is I'll try to get them added as soon as possible. Consequently, I usually continue with Jaheira and Minsc into BG2. But I don't usually bring Imoen because by the time I get her back, I'm attached to the team I played the game with up until that point. I pretend that I'm just keeping Imoen out of harm's way... not that I'm abandoning her to her fate. I realize that Yoshimo is the appropriate alternate character in the meantime, but I was so hurt by... what happened with him... during my first runthrough that I can't bear to travel with him anymore.

 

1+ on the Yoshi thing!

I too have the tendency to keep the firsties in my party.
Immy is always with me, and no matter how much I tried an all-new or few of the welll made NPC mods- or different party altogether.

I still end up with the good 'ol' gang.

 

I sometimes take the later NPC's. Only the first 3-4 members of my party are permanent, and these can be any of the early NPC's. These are my core members.
The 5th-6th slots are reserved for NPCs who best round off the party. These can be anyone from Montaron/Xzar to Tiax/Quayle. Depends on whether I need more firepower or comic relief.

 

I always save room for Tiax. When he rules all, I want to be seated beside him.

 

I used to shuffle my parties a lot more, I have an aim at the end for what I want my party to be and until I can get to that point I play around with the slots, sometimes keeping NPCs in the party for a few days at a time, sometimes until they die, or if a clear conflict of interests arises

I tend to play BG1 with tutu now though so I think I have the component that moves some of the NPCs around installed. I also have the banter packs installed so it's easier to shuffle the party around as arguments arise or you learn more about people in an RP setting.

 

I've done that! Mainly because I was playing as an evil party and wanted Eldoth so I took Skie as well (I know there are ways round splitting up the pairs, but I prefer to role play as much as possible). Stats-wise Skie's the 2nd best thief after Imoen, but she had very few points in Open Locks when I got her so I was forced to rely on Knock spells until Chapter 7 when I'd managed to get that skill to a reasonable level.

Most of the time though I'm too attached to my party by Chapter 4/5 to take any of the later NPCs. I've never really used Yeslick, Faldorn or Alora and I've only used Skie, Tiax, Coran and Quayle once each.

 

Frankly, I normally make custom parties and don't really bother with the NPCs. I attach maybe one to my custom party to see what that one's romance is like, or if I'm still missing a role in my party (for instance if a character is to dual in BG2), I will add someone to fill that role.

And if I wasn't playing Tutu with the banter pack installed, I would probably not even bother with even those NPCs.

 

I mostly go with Imoen or Safana, Jaheira and Branwen, Dynaheir, an Ajantis or Shar-Teel.
And Kivan, of course. I am set in my ways, i guess. I don`t think i have ever tried any of the "later" npcs at all. Not even Yesslick.

 

With Tutu, I get them earlier if possible, though Yeslick you still have to wait for. I play without that mod as well though. I do like using all the NPCs. Especially Quayle. I/C is a nice combo. I usually replace a Branwyn/Gavin/Finch type with Quayle once I find him. Skie and Alora are not necessary and I like to build my NPCs from the beginning if possible, so I tend to take my thief as early as possible. So it's usually Immy or Monty. Coran is awesome with a Longbow, but too late for me in the Vanilla game. Though the Tutu mod allows for some cloakwood acces to pick him up early.

When running evil or mixed parties, I do like Tiax as well. Summon Ghast is nasty in BG1. I see no one is really mentioning Faldorn. She is another nice pick, though I take her in evil-only parties. I know she is TN, but her ways seem evil to me.

 

Her evil ways and the wicked portrait . It's the same for me, with evil parties I always take Faldorn instead of Jaheira.

I've tried every NPC but like many, I want to get my party together ASAP. The time I get to Baldur's Gate, the late NPCs just don't feel right. I once played with Eldoth and Skie though and it's was quite fresh and entertaining. Coran is an option in a Kivan-less party.

But in most runthroughs, I'll end up picking the good ol' guys.

 

I'll sometimes take Alora on a temporary basis when I dual Imoen to a mage. I often encounter her right about the time I'm getting ready to dual her, so it's convenient.

Might I also point out this mod found on Sorcerers Place?
http://www.sorcerers.net/Games/BG/index_mods.php
Filipe_FR’s All NPCs at the Beginning 812kb Download
This mod changes the location of most of the NPCs so that you can recruit them at the beginning of the game. Included in the download are the BG/TotSC and DSotSC versions of the mod, as well as a readme with screenshots of the new NPC locations.


Using this mod makes it much easier to make use of those later NPC like Quayle, Tix, Alora, etc.

 

My core party in BG2 is always Minsc, Korgan, <charName>
WildMage-Spellweaver, Viconia. With places saved for Immy and some on and off Dude-ette, when the need arises. Mostly Yoshi!

I found this combination cool!

-.-.-.-.
When playing BWS and have an Assassin as <charName>, then I pick
Kivan
(my first time with him, and hes quite nice written. In BWS he's an Ranger-Archer Kit)
Shar-Teel (dito. Used to have Kagain, but he's no Korgan.)
Immy,
Viccy.
And on and Off dudes.

Immy Duals at lvl 7, and sometimes someone fills up till she learns the new trade. The more Rouge-ish party has some tuff moments, but the Assassin kit is nice, and delivers some mean back-stabbing. Which helps lots.

If Playing WildMage, then I switch Kivan with Faldorn.

One day I really have to try one of those all mod-npc partys. Just to see how it goes.

 

I've always wanted to give the banter pack a try, but I don't like the idea of Tutu - I like my BG1 to play like BG1 not BG2. Is it possible to get a version of it for the vanilla version?

 

It's a pity that so many of the characters become available only after you've completed a majority of the game. While it IS possible to rush to BG itself with a lowish-level party, it's just too much metagaming at that point.

So, I fully support (and always install) the Tutu mod component that brings the oddballs to somewhere a bit more accessible.

 

On the BG1 NPC project page, it says it's only for Tutu and BGT, unfortunately.

 

^ Ah well, I suppose I could give Tutu a try. Thanks anyway

 

I've never had Faldorn, Eldoth, Skie or Quayle in my party and I'm not sure that I've ever will. I usually gets attached to my party and want them together for as long time as possible. The only one of these that I'm somewhat interested in bringing with me would be Eldoth but...

 

You did see my post about an alternative for the vanilla game, right?