Just getting into this game, really enjoying it so far (it hasn't really aged that much at all). I was just wondering if anyone had any advice or tips on things to avoid? I know older RPGs have a tendency to show no mercy unless you know what you're doing.

Save often and use different save game slots.
Definitely make and keep a save when first entering Baldur's Gate and Durlag's Tower.

When you see a whole lot of statues ... Make sure to have some kind of petrify protection. It's nasty!

Explore everything, and order your party to travel from every border of every map, even if you don't actually want to leave yet; you'll uncover a plenty of new locations that way.

DO keep a cleric in your group. Seriously.

And... I don't know ... Hit evil things until evil things decide to die?

Get a character that can use "Charm Person" or any other similar spell. It's my favorite way to fight multiple bosses (as long as there's at least 1 human there). I also recommend Entangle and Sleep. If you have a party full of low level characters that can't take most enemies head on (melee), your spells are your best allies.

Oh yes, entangle and a group of archers is a fantastic way to take on a bunch of enemies. Even a big one.

Unless of course your enemies are archers, then basically you will die just as quick



If i was playing through the first time,, I would grab xar and monty and go right to the freindly arm inn, and pick up your other 2 party memebers.. talk to all the people in the freindly arm.. and start doing quests.. goto beregost, and go into every building you can talk to everyone, and save often.. do the quests they give out in that town, then head to naskal and the mines..

Basically what im saying is try taking the direct path with the story to start with.. and lvl up a bit doing that before you start wandering around on those side maps.. the ones along the road north and south arnt to bad, but still can have some major surprises.. personally though, goto the mines, then follow the main story, to a specfic spot, and then listen to where they send you..

Id stick to that as much as i could before doing exploring off the main root. Once you get to the big city you should be high enough lvl to handel some bigger exploring.. Besides many of the quest you will get then are ones that will send you specifically to the side locations you have skipped.



Grab branaween, she is a great party member.

always have some antidots on you.. and if money permits grab some health potions. (not the blue ones, the pinkish/purple ones, these are a big heal and cure poison, get a few for each party member, before you get to cloakwood. (trust me its worth the cash, *wink )

always detect traps, in buildlings, opening chests, dungeons, even outside in some areas.. If you find one you can bet there are more

Stealth is your friend and scouting is hugely important.. get a theif up around 80-90% asap

knowing whats ahead is highly important to for strats, being able to detect traps instealth, using disarm and pausing quick, then poping back into stealth (using pause so you can do it fast as possible) Is key.

AOE stuff effects you as well as enemies.. dont be tossing AOE spells on your party..

Charm is a great tide turner... Dire charm as well.

summon.. (but dont go crazzy with this, it can quickly become an exploit)

If you wanna try to collect a lot of party members, always keep the 5th slot open.. many are one shot, so if you pass, or leave a party memeber at that time they are gone for the most part.

Another thing, if your low lvl and dont want a party member at that time, just dont talk to them.. talk to them later, they will be higher lvl basically matching yours. (for a list, check out the web for all joinable party members)


thats about all i can think off the top of my head

When you finish the prologue, head east to the map with the big signpost and just north of the path you find yourself on there is a tree stump with a +1 ring of protection. Okay so it's not the greatest of help ever but i always like to pick that sucker up.

You get hold of some potions of speed early on, which though useful if you sell you should be able to grab some early plate mail suits for your party. And a bounty hunter can be found south of Nashkell who owns a very nice magic sword.

If we're talking about pixel hunts, when you get to Nashkel, look through the farming fields in the SW very closely. It's just one pixel, but if you can find it, you'll be glad you did.

Entangle saved my life many times. Notably when I managed to take on Davaeorn with a level 3 - 4 party by entangling his two trap-summoned battle horrors (overpowered enemies ftw!). This bought me enough time to kill the wizard and get to chapter five. :) I kind of regret not being able to go back and get my revenge but I know I'll be getting enough of the battle horrors to the south, in Durlag's Tower.

Right before entering the mines, I charmed one of the melee bosses and "forced" him to fight the others for me. It was an easy fight mostly because I charmed one tough son of a she-dog :) He took all the others out except for one spellcaster. Which was no match for my Khalid/Ajantis afterwards. I can't recall exactly, but I don't think I used any spells on the spellcaster.

Also in the woods on the south part of the map for the friendly arm inn, that double first level mage spells ring is amazingly useful at low levels and pretty damned handy at high levels too.

My recommendation is ranged weapons. Ensure that everyone has them and as much ammo as you can carry (the BGtweaks mod has an ammo stacking mod that allows you to carry more than 20 per slot, I don't go on quests without at least 200 rounds per character). Not only do ranged weapons let you hit melee enemies before they hit you, the hit staggers them briefly and so it takes longer to get to you, sometimes that little bit extra is the difference between being alive and being tomorrows wyvern poo

Yeah, reckon I'll probably have to restart. I think I've worked myself into a hole. Doesn't matter though because the game's so much fun.

Thanks for the help!

Before creating your character look at the stat tables in your manual to see how to distribute your stat points effectively. Don't create a character with 14 in all stats, he will be as weak as a character with 8 in all stats. Only the extreme values do make a difference.

Definitely give your character the racial dex maximum and at least 16 con (take the racial con maximum if you have fighter,ranger or paladin levels).

Export your character before starting again, that way you can start with a bit of XP and it'll make the journey to level 2 and hit points in the double figures a bit faster

*spoilerwarning*

Ring of Wizardry (9000gp) beside a tree southeast in Friendly Arms inn area, give a good boost to purchasing stuff early on, letting player not ahve to reload that much.. or use it on your party wizard, yet you can always buy it back at a later date when money isnt an issue anymore

Also, along the lines of pixel hunting, there is a diamond in the fork of a tree in the first map after Candle Keep (the one where Gorion gets whacked). It is in a tree along the north side of the pathway (I think right at a bend to the right, iirc), between where you meet the merchant and where you meet Monty and Xzar. Not as major as what others have pointed out, but it is a free 500gp early in the game ;).

I know what helped me early on is using missile weapons and kiting the first area with Imoen (not Monty or Xzar) for decent experience. Just make sure to stock up on arrows for Imoen (and whatever you plan to use for a missile weapon) before leaving Candle Keep. This method may take a little bit of patience, however, since level 1 characters generally can't hit the broad side of a barn :P.