Dark Side of the Sword Coast is the best mod for Baldur's Gate 1. Best of all, it runs on the original BG1 engine.
I don't recommend installing mods on your maiden run. Only install mods if you have experienced the original already.
The following mods were added to my BG1 installation: the original version, as released and patched by BioWare in 1998-99 (v.5512).
I installed BG1 from CDs bought when the game came out. Modded to the max, the game runs flawlessly on my Windows 8.1, 10 and 11 PCs. There is no slowdown whatsoever.
I installed BG1 from CDs bought when the game came out. Modded to the max, the game runs flawlessly on my Windows 8.1, 10 and 11 PCs. There is no slowdown whatsoever.
Best Baldur's Gate Quest Mods
There are six quest mods available for the original BG1+TotSC (1998-99). Quick rundown of what each quest mod adds or modifies:
- Dark Side v1.04: 60 areas, 252 creatures, 66 dialogues and 428 items
- Dark Horizons v2.10: 47 areas, 174 creatures, 45 dialogues and 251 items
- Grey Clan v1.9: 11 areas, 105 creatures, 58 dialogues and 47 items
- Stone of Askavar v2.1: 9 areas, 30 creatures, 9 dialogues and 48 items
- Drizzt Saga v1.0: 27 areas, 97 creatures, 34 dialogues and 93 items
- The Vault v5.0: 1 area, 96 creatures, 28 dialogues, 92 items, 4 quests
BG1 Mod Installation Order
- Patch TotSC 5512
- Dark Side
- Dark Horizons / Drizzt Saga / Stone of Askavar / Grey Clan (order doesn't matter)
- Optional: BG Tweakpack
The Tweakpack allows you to thug-out all enemies in the game with a broad-brush approach: Maximum HP Creatures. Additionally, in order to make the game more difficult, one could install the Item Randomizer as its Mode 2 installation is compatible with BG1 providing TotSC is installed. However, this can conflict with some of the above mods even if installed in the correct order. It's fine for unmodded 5512, though.
BG1 Fixpacks
No fixpack is authoritative or 100% tested and guaranteed to be rock solid. I never install fixpacks unless they are required by other mods. Also, some mods are not compatible with fixpacks (DSotSC).
- aVENGER's Racial Traits Fix. Gives Elves 90% resistance to Sleep and Charm, and Half-elves 30% resistance to the same. In BG1, this fix makes Elves pretty strong.
- The Baldurdash Fixpack was the first fixpack compilation. It's mainly about typos, quest mods and blatant exploits, though it may also fix rare CTDs.
- Dudley Fixes 1-5 requires the above two fixpacks to be installed. It is most notable (in my opinion) for stat fixes pertaining to Baldur's Gate Companions.
- Plainab's Fixpack includes Baldurdash fixes and adds more fixes of its own.
Global Variables Extender BG1
BG1:TotSC global variables are capped at 1024. This may cause problems when many quest mods are installed. If you have any problems, try installing the Global Variables Extender.
Near Infinity & DLTCEP
BG1 can be self-modded easily through Near Infinity and DLTCEP. You can edit any unhardcoded file, export it, and then add it your override to see its effects, in-game. Command-line WeiDu is also powerful and IESDP is a good resource for modders. Savegames are edited with GateKeeper.
EasyTutu allows us to run BG1 in the BG2 engine. The problems associated with playing BG1 in the BG2 engine are manifold, as shown in BG1 vs BG2. In short, it is game-imbalancing, bug-inducing, and changes the nature of BG1. I do not recommend it.
Even thugged out with SCS BG2, EasyTutu is much easier than the original BG1 because the BG2 engine is much more accomodating or casual than the original BG1 Infinity Engine. I solo'd Tutu SCS with a dual-wielding Barbarian BG2; that's how easy it is. Seriously, what a joke.
EasyTutu
EasyTutu allows us to run BG1 in the BG2 engine. The problems associated with playing BG1 in the BG2 engine are manifold, as shown in BG1 vs BG2. In short, it is game-imbalancing, bug-inducing, and changes the nature of BG1. I do not recommend it.
Even thugged out with SCS BG2, EasyTutu is much easier than the original BG1 because the BG2 engine is much more accomodating or casual than the original BG1 Infinity Engine. I solo'd Tutu SCS with a dual-wielding Barbarian BG2; that's how easy it is. Seriously, what a joke.
That said, if you're up for a laugh or just want to experiment, here are my old installation instructions which have been proven to work with original BG1 and BG2 installations:
Install BG1 + BG2 and patch them, as you usually would.
Install BG1 + BG2 and patch them, as you usually would.
Run BG1 once. Save a game and exit.
There is no need to configure BG1 because you will be using BG2's config for EasyTutu NOT BG1's config.
Configure and run BG2 once. Save a game and exit. Tip: Starting a ToB game is quicker than starting an SoA one.
Install EasyTutu_ToB
Install EasyTutuHotfixes-20110604 (hotfix for the Beregost bug)
Install EasyTutuDegreenifier-v4
Install EasyTutu Spawn Randomizer (this is no substitute for the original spawning system)
Tutu GUI
Install TutuGUIv18 into Tutu folder (restores the superior BG1 "stone" GUI)
Note that TutuGUIv18 is NOT compatible with Improved GUI. Thus, you will need to make a choice on what is more valuable to you: original aesthetics or added functionality and on-screen info.
Improved GUI 5.3
BG2 Improved GUI 5.3 is bugged.
- Colorize icon of not memorized scrolls
- Hide 'Write magic' button for already known spells and for opposition schools
- Show Hit Points on NPC/Party ('tab' pressed) -> All NPC + Party
- THAC0 and Damage info on Inventory screen -> Default background picture
- Weapon Damage info on Record screen
- Dark portraits on party when dragging not allowed item + Yellow Border if Char too far for Item Transfer
- Journal with folding quests -> Original text area (recommended)
- Show Character's active effects on right mouse click -> Casted spells + show remaining time only for spells cast by Party (recommended)
- Extended Items/Quest/Spell messages
- THAC0/Saving throw/Damage extended text -> Type of damage + THAC0 + Armor Class + Damage/Saving throw calculation
- Highlight Active Zones/Points -> Pushable actions + Information plates + Transitions/Exits + Door Entrances/Enters
- Fast Load/Save ProgressBar Screen
- Innate/Ability/Spell Description Screen on Right Click (includes Icon/Item Abilities/Tooltip fixes and Innate/Ability text update by Prozh)
- Disable Portrait Icons Added by Class Abilities/Equipped Items
- New Spell Selection Overlay Menu
- Additional Character Information on Record Screen (intoxication, fatigue, luck, casting speed, THAC0 specialization bonus) -> Show always
This can actually be a difficult decision to make because playing BG1 with the BG2 UI is disgusting! Then again, playing BG1 in the BG2 engine is already extremely disgusting. :P
Install 1pp_v2.70_windows into Tutu (BG1-style paperdolls + half-orc, legacy shields etc., install all)
Install 1pp_avatars_v3 into Tutu (avatar fixes, install all)
1PP 4.2.0 for Tutu
The updated 1PP 4.2.0 works fine instead of the above two older 1PP mods. You mainly want 1PP 4.2.0 for Core paperdolls, Avatar fixes, Softer Spell Effects, Core content patches, Legacy Shields and Core updates and item patches.
Core paperdolls (main component), Extended palette entries -> Compatibility install only, Avatar fixes, Female Dwarves -> Separate Avatars for Female Dwarves, Thieves Galore -> BGII - Unique Thief Avatars, Softer Spell Effects, Core content patches, Consistent spell and scroll icons, Spell tweaks, Restored flame sword animations, Legacy Shields, Additional Shield Animations, Wizards' Staves, Additional Helmet Animations, Core updates and item patches, Improved projectile effects, Fixed animations for solars and elementals, Miscellaneous content fixes.
Do NOT install the GUI additions of 1PP if you want to use Improved GUI or TutuGUIv18!
Install Tutu_sounds_v4 into Tutu (restores the superior BG casting sounds and combat sounds)
Tweaks Anthology Tutu
I recommend BG1-Style Weapon Proficiencies, True Grandmastery & Remove "You Must Gather Your Party..." Sound.
CDTweaks v9 example: Remove Helmet Animations, Change Viconia's Skin Color to Dark Blue, Weapon Animation Tweaks, Reveal City Maps When Entering Area, Add Map Notes, Alter Weapon Proficiency System -> BG-Style Weapon Proficiencies, Without Weapon Styles (the bigg), Change Grandmastery Bonuses -> True Grandmastery (Baldurdash), Identify All Items, Remove "You Must Gather Your Party..." Sound (Weimer), Increase party movement speed outside combat -> By 150 percent.
To make Tutu more tactical as it pertains to movement, install BG1 Movement Speed component of Tweaks Anthology followed by Heavy Armor Encumbrance: Movement Speed component of Item Revisions.
Install D0Tweak_v20 into Tutu for:
- Summoning Limit Removal - removes the BG2 summon cap of max 5 summons &
- Ghreyfain's BG1-Style Summoning Spells - tries to change the BG2 Monster Summoning spells to be more like the original BG1 ones.
SCS BG1
34.3 components example: Include arcane spells from Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition, Include divine spells from Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition, Standardise spells between BG and BG2 -> Introduce BG2 spell scrolls into BG1, Faster Bears, More realistic wolves and wild dogs, Improved shapeshifting, Ease-of-use party AI, Cosmetic change: stop Stoneskins from changing the caster's colour, Initialise AI components (required for all tactical and AI components), Smarter general AI, Better calls for help, Smarter Mages, Smarter Priests, Potions for NPCs, Improved Spiders, Smarter sirines and dryads, Slightly smarter carrion crawlers, Smarter basilisks, Improved doppelgangers, Tougher Black Talons and Iron Throne guards, Improved deployment for parties of assassins, Improved kobolds, Improved Ulcaster, Improved Balduran's Isle, Improved Durlag's Tower, Improved Demon Cultists, Improved Cloakwood Druids, Improved Bassilus, Improved Drasus party, Improved Red Wizards, Improved Undercity assassins, Improved Carsa/Kahrk interaction, Tougher chapter-two end battle, Tougher chapter three end battle, Tougher chapter four end battle, Tougher chapter five end battle, Improved final battle, Improved minor encounters.
The Bigg Biff
You can biff your override with the_bigg_biff. Note that you cannot mod further after biffing your override because it compresses about 20,000 files, so don't biff the override until you're happy with the install.
Generalized Biffing can increase framerates (decrease lag) and reduce loadtimes even if you have an SSD, tons of RAM and a super-CPU.
ToBEx Tutu
ToBEx BG2 aka Throne of Bhaal Extender. You can install ToBEx at any time. The main reason to install ToBEx is for Action:Attacks Are All Genuine=1, which removes purely cosmetic swing animations from attack sequences (TobExTweak.ini located in TobEx_ini folder). cf. Baldur's Gate combat system.
See also: BG2 Improved GUI. Note that Improved GUI requires ToBEx.
Widescreen Mod for BG1 Original & Tutu
Order of installation doesn't matter except that the widescreen mod should be installed after TutuGUI v18.
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