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[neotemplar]

I installed nothing fancy just the basics for my first play through to avoid confusion.  Also how about Durlag's tower?  That place seems pretty awful.  (I beat that Sirene map, yay con book).

[ed boy]

Feel free to give it a go - the most harm that can come is that you have to reload a bit. I would reccomend going to ulgoth's beard first, though, as there are a couple NPCs there who tie into durlag's tower.

A word of warning - make sure that you have a lot of inventory space, and have stocked up on your consumables. Most of the levels you can leave at any point to sell your loot, but the lowest dungeon level you cannot return to, and have to do in one go, so make sure oyu have the supplies for it and you can carry everything that you take.

[neotemplar]

Ok big question should I ditch Imoen for Coran?

[ed boy]

I won't make a huge amount of difference, but coran has slightly better stats.

[neotemplar]

Wow... just wow...  I met a Hamadryad..
It charms...teleports...charms...teleports...entangles...teleports.

Geez I'm glad it was alone, or that could have been bad.  Really bad.

[DeKaFu]

I've never played this game. I don't own this game. I don't even know how to go about obtaining this game.
Regardless, if I was going to play the series, would it be best to install the expansions from the start, or wait until I'd beaten the game? Talking about both 1 and 2 here.

[Jreengus]

Well I used to love Tutu but then I discovered that I can only sell 1 batch of ankheg shells rather than dropping them and selling them one at a time for massive profits like you can in regular BG. It's just not worth being a half-orc barbarian if I can't make tons using an exploit.

[Earthquake Damage]

Regardless, if I was going to play the series, would it be best to install the expansions from the start, or wait until I'd beaten the game? Talking about both 1 and 2 here.

Install the expansions before playing.  In BG1, the expansion areas are available from the start IIRC (but so are most areas, really).  In BG2, one expansion area is available before you beat Shadows of Amn, though I'd avoid it until at least Chapter 6 unless you know what you're doing (being a newbie, you won't).  The rest of Throne of Bhaal comes after you beat BG2.  Note that you can install and play Throne of Bhaal after beating Shadows of Amn, but I don't think you can play Tales of the Sword Coast after beating BG1.  So definitely install TotSC before playing BG1.

Also, the Baldur's Gate Trilogy mod (or Tutu, but I prefer continuous play to separate installs) probably isn't a bad option for your first playthrough.  You'll get the improvements of the BG2 engine as you play through BG1 (plus a few graphical changes, though there are mods that restore those to their BG1 versions), including the immensely useful TAB key (highlights containers so you can see where all the hidden stuff is -- and some of it is well-hidden).

[neotemplar]

Well I used to love Tutu but then I discovered that I can only sell 1 batch of ankheg shells rather than dropping them and selling them one at a time for massive profits like you can in regular BG. It's just not worth being a half-orc barbarian if I can't make tons using an exploit.

I'm running it pure, all expansions no mods for my first time through.  Also I bought the armor instead of selling shells.  It helps immensely protecting cotton candy Ajantis.

As far a guide dang it optional items I consider them incentive to replay the game later.


Ok if I leave Yeslik in the mine he won't drown will he?

[Jreengus]

So I started a solo sorcerer too, I'm doing well but I can't get at the +1 constitution book, those damn sirines use improved invisibility to become immune to magical missile then it's just a case of me eventually failing my save against dire charm and bam! Game over movie.

Also being a sorcerer is hard, so much time spent trying to decide which spell to get. Any advice on spells and which order to grab them in?

[Earthquake Damage]

Also being a sorcerer is hard, so much time spent trying to decide which spell to get. Any advice on spells and which order to grab them in?

I usually make long-term spell choices, which hurts me in the short-term.  Detect Invisibility (2nd level spell) is great early on, but gets overshadowed by later options.  Also, summoned monsters are awesome in BG1.  In BG2 they're hit-and-miss and highly mod-dependent.

Don't forget that sorcerors can cast from scrolls.  You may have difficulty finding enough, though.  Also, hoard potions and spell-casting items (the horn of blasting, various figurines, and so forth) you can use if you don't already.  They can come in handy when you least expect it.  But yeah, definitely try using scrolls (esp. since scroll-casting can't be interrupted).

I haven't played BG in a long while, and I only ever played through BG1 once (several starts, though ), so I can't help much with specifics.  Sorry. 

[ed boy]

So I started a solo sorcerer too, I'm doing well but I can't get at the +1 constitution book, those damn sirines use improved invisibility to become immune to magical missile then it's just a case of me eventually failing my save against dire charm and bam! Game over movie.

Also being a sorcerer is hard, so much time spent trying to decide which spell to get. Any advice on spells and which order to grab them in?

Have a look at this for a spell guide. Here's a rough reccomendation list. Very important spells have a I, ones that have great cheese potential have a C.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

LVL1
-Magic missile
-Chromatic orb
-Identify
-Shield
LVL2
-Mirror image
-Knock (I)
-Vocalise (I)
-Web
LVL3
-Fireball
-Melf's minute meteors
-Remove magic (I)
-Skull trap
LVL4
-Stoneskin (I)
-Improved invisibility (I)
-Minor sequencer
-Minor globe of invulnerabiltiy
LVL5
-Breach (I)
-Spell immunity (I)
-Spell shield
-Animate dead
LVL6
-Contingency (I)
-Death spell
-Mislead (C)
-Protection from magic weapons (I)
-True sight (I)
LVL7
-Power word, stun
-Project image (C, C, a thousand times C)
-Spell sequences (I)
LVL8
-Abi-dalzim's horrid wilting
-Spell trigget (I)
-Simulacrum (C)
-Maze
LVL9
-Chain contingency (I)
-Shapechange (I if you're solo)
-Wish (If you have good wisdom)
-Spell trap (I)

The improved invisibility does not make the sirines immune to improved invisibility. It makes them become partially visible when they do something offensive. This means that they cannot be targetted directly with spells. There are a couple ways round this:
-Don't use spells - smack them with weapons (though you get a thac0 penalty for doing this)
-Dispell their invisibility somehow
-Use area of effect spells

[neotemplar]

Ok I got to the main city.  Are there any good shops? I can't find any wand have 57k gold.

[ed boy]

Ok I got to the main city.  Are there any good shops? I can't find any wand have 57k gold.

In the southwest corner of the city there is a mage with another ring of wizardry.
Doing the flaming fist quest advances the main plot, and if you go too far it becomes awkward to do some of the sidequests. I would therefore reccomend doing all the sidequests you can before doing the flaming fist quests.
Don't be afraid to break and enter - lots of houses and something in them
If you want a wand, the most likely shop is sorcerous sundries, in the SE corner of the city.

[Ochita]

...
The game is really, really unfair...