What are the exact effects of Charisma in the game? I know of one quest where it helps to have high charisma (one of the thief stronghold quests) are there more of these things?

And what are the exact price changes because of high or low charisma? Is their a maximum Charisma after which it's essentially useless to have a higher score?

I would imagine that a character with 25 charisma would be soo charismatic that everyone falls in love with him/her and give her stuff for free! Any thoughts?

the higher charisma you have, the better prices on items you'll get (buying and selling).
you'll also need better charisma as a leader.

High charisma is also a requirement for becoming a paladin. IIRC, it's also a requirement for bards.

Prices, some people won't talk to you if you got low (like the one with Edwin's documents), if you're a Bard (or Druid IIRC) 15 cha is minimum. If you're a Paladin I believe it's 17 or it could be 15, not 100% sure. Other than that, I can't come to think of anything in BG2. With Nymfs Cloak, Blade of Roses, Ring of Human Influence and Friends spell though, you can go with low cha and equip those items when you're gonna buy, sell etc. a little cheesy mayby.

IIRC, group-morale is also dependend on charisma. If the character in the first slot has high-charisma, it lessens the chance of people panicking and running away in battle.

High Charisma will help you convince people to let you enter some areas. Otherwise they will deny it. I learned this in the Copper Coronet & with some fellows of Brynlaw.

A Charisma of 20, for example, will lower the price for the Girdle of Hill Gigant Strengt (the one available in Adventurers Mart) from 14.400 or so to 12.300 GP.

If you're a Paladin I believe it's 17 or it could be 15, not 100% sure. It's 17....

Am I the only person that has never seen charisma lowering the prices of items? Reputation does, but I've had characters with cha 9 and cha 18 both get the exact same prices.

I've noticed a difference but only when the change in Charisma is really extreme. I had a fighter with a Charisma of 3 who got the ring from Kalah that boosts Charisma to 18. This made quite a difference in item prices.

So, to answer your question, not a whole lot.

Just make sure it's above 10 and your laughin'.

If you have it less than ten, then your up **** creek without a paddle. Even Lehtinen won't let you in his 'back rooms'. All sorts goes awry.

If you have exceptional charisma, you get some fun dialogue options. In my current game I talked to the guy with Mae'var's documents (I forget his name) and I could choose to have my female mage (CHA 21) say, "Are you sure a man like you couldn't do a little favor for a woman like me?" He just handed over the papers, no charge. :cool:

16 gets you into SpellHold without any troubles.

I had a charisma of 18 (from Kalah's ring) but never managed to convince the pirate lord to let me into Spellhold.

If you're playing a male protagonist and romancing, you need to have a fairly high charisma to talk your way out of Phaere's seduction.

If you have Yoshimo or Minsc in your group, and a medium to high charisma, you can easily convince the pirate lord to sentence you to Spellhold. The dialogue between Minsc and the Pirate Lord is hysterical.

Spelladonna - IIRC , I had a cha of 9 once, and was romancing though as soon as I said that the Spider Queen wanted to keep me a virgin (or something like that) she stopped her seduction?

Spetznaz
Then you must have had a high Int.
You can talk yourself out of Phaeres grasp (Int) or convince the Drow by turning your full charismatic personality on her. :)

If I am not mistaken the pirate lord Desharik is only swayed by someone with Cha of at least 20. 18 is not enough. Otherwise you will need the help of Minsk or Joshimo.