Baldur's Gate 1 Ruleset
For Baldur's Gate 1 Original, BioWare implemented TSR's Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition ruleset faithfully, from the basic races, classes and to-hit roll (THAC0 - AC = to-hit), down to the nitty-gritty of armor modifiers versus weapon type, weapon speed factors, spellcasting times and racial saving throws modified by Constitution.
Dual-classing was also implemented.
However, Gnome Illusionist triple classes, elven 90% resistance to Sleep and Charm (and Half-elven 30% to the same) was omitted, as was Ranger tracking and dual-wielding. Tracking would have been an interesting and helpful mechanic in a campaign which is largely exploratory and based on survival (at least in the early stages when resource management can be an issue). The omission of dual-wielding is more understandable since its implementation would require thousands of extra frames of animation to be drawn. There does not seem to be any reason to omit gnome triples.
Baldur's Gate Chargen
In AD&D 2nd Edition and therefore Baldur's Gate 1, we don't so much as build a character (see: cRPG Builds) as choose a class template and level it. With the exception of dual-classing, the nature of the character does not change from its template as it levels; it just gets more powerful or capable.
A Fighter, for example, will always be a Fighter, and will auto-gain THAC0 and saving throw reductions as well as +HP and +ApR. But in D&D 3rd Edition and RPGs based thereon such as IWD2, NWN and ToEE, along with BAB and other basic auto-gains, that Fighter can mix in different classes as well as choose between a selection of skills and feats offered by each class chosen.
Thus, there is much more flexibility and potential in a given character, though there is also the potential for a lack of focus in the role the character plays in the party.
For players new to Baldur's Gate, the eight-step character creation process is straight-forward enough, providing they're not trying to do anything fancy like dual-class or find a portrait for a female dwarf. You choose your gender, race, class, alignment, abilities, skills, appearance and name. Pretty simple, though I've never really warmed to randomly rolling and re-rolling the six ability scores and then adjusting them; it's tedious and usually results in an obscenely OP character, if you're patient. For a more sensible approach, I much prefer the point buy system as seen subsequent RPGs, which I linked to above.
 |
| Chargen |
Anyway, you're sort of expected to consult the tables in the manual for relevant ability score modifiers before accepting a roll, because the chargen itself won't tell you, for example, that, for your warrior, Strength 18/00 results in a +3 THAC0 and +6 damage adjustment. Then again, does the average player really need to know things like that? Probably not, but knowing "lower THAC0, AC and saving throws are better" and that "a round is six seconds real-time and a turn is ten rounds, or sixty seconds" -- Baldur's Gate combat system -- is beneficial at the end of the day. Thus, BG comes from the era of, "What does such and such mean?" → "RTFM, fool".
In my opinion, BioWare succeeded in "rolling the dice" automatically for the player, yet also allowing serious players to find out exactly what's going on by turning on to-hit rolls in the feedback window, and by paying attention to the right-hand scroll on the Character Record panel.
Protagonists begin at first level in Baldur's Gate (0 XP). By killing monsters and completing quests, they gain experience points. When they gain enough XP, they can "level-up" or gain a level. As the PC and his or her companions gain levels, their power and flexibility increases.
Experience points are capped at 89,000 in the original campaign. This equates to 7th-8th level, depending on class. In the TotSC add-in expansion, the experience cap was increased to 161,000, and this equates to 8th-10th level.
Experience points are capped at 89,000 in the original campaign. This equates to 7th-8th level, depending on class. In the TotSC add-in expansion, the experience cap was increased to 161,000, and this equates to 8th-10th level.
What does that mean, though? It means that each class is going to feel enough growth and development within the level range. Most notably:
- ApR enhances Fighters,
- Skills enhance Thieves and
- Spell level & Spell slots enhance Mages
Next up: Baldur's Gate Gameplay.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.