I haven't played BG2 in about 3 years, and even then I never got further than about 20 hours in (I just couldn't resist restarting with a slightly different character whenever I thought of one. . .). I'm currently playing BG1+TOTSC, and I'm about to finish it and start BG2. I really don't remember much story from BG2, but in BG1 I HATE Imoen. I'd really like to avoid using her in BG2, both because I want to play a thief/mage, making her redundant, and because she's so annoying. So can I get away with not using her, or will the story really suffer without her? I want the story to be as robust as possible, but if she does nothing more than add her innane comments to the events as they unfold, then I'm leaving her in spellhold, or killing her outright. Thanks in advance for your input.

She's an optional NPC just like all the others.

She's significantly less annoying than in the first Baldur's Gate. But... well, let's just say that it would be a tad taboo to romance her, all right?

Sentimentalist that I am, I can't bear to abandon her. Damn you, Neutral Good alignment.

dont want to spoil your fun ... do you know the storyline from elsewhere (you never finished the game yourself) ?

anyway you dont need to have her in your party.

She's not a must have unless you feel attached to her from the story itself, but she ends up being quite a good character and she is one of the most well developed NPCs that has a real personality and a life "in game". And as mentioned before, she is way less annoying than in BG1, in fact she's a whole different person...

After you get to her, she is not needed anymore (she is basically just a big surprise).

So yes, you can kill her if you want.

[ February 25, 2004, 11:28: Message edited by: GI ]

she's a whole different person... Only a bit ;) Liked both of them, though. :D

Once you are out of Irenicus' Dungeon, you don't need her anymore.

She's only important to the point of her rescue. She is unnecessary and unneeded beyond that. Admittedly she is annoying but even I, an avid Imoen basher, don't kill her (not that the thought hadn't crossed my mind). Rescue her from Spellhold and send her on her way.

Imoen is like having peas with a roast meal... you don't have to have peas with a roast meal, but it just feels that bit more complete with peas. Of all the NPCs that have plot importance Imoen comes top, with Sarevok second, Yoshimo 3rd and behind him your love interest.

At least in my opinion.

Imoen in BG1 was an ugly, annoying woman with no personality or importance to speak of. In BG2 she changed into a far more intriguing personality, with good looks and obvious significance to the story.

Perhaps you remember enough of BG2 to know you still hated her there. But in my case, her transformation in BG2 made her so much more interesting she became a must in any BGx game I play. I think I've played only one game where I didn't invite her in. The game just seems so empty without her husky voice and comments, and without the ballet of her and the protagonist fighting alongside each other and saving each other's butts in combat.

I did not hate her that much in BG2, but after her constant brilliant BG1 interjections such as "Aren't you a Queer fellow", and "You're all a bunch of Buffle heads", I had to pass up her offer to " 'nick a whole purse of fun." My main reason for dimissing her now is that I do not need two thief/mages, but I really really want my protagonist to be one. So as long as I won't miss parts of the story without her, she's gone.

BTW: I hate ALL the NPC's you're assumed to have used, with the exception of Minsc of course :) . In BG1 I let them all die, or I just kick them out. Why can't Coran get dragged into the dungeon? :(

I quite like Imoen and have never found her that irritating. However, saying that I don't have her in the party that often. Most times when I've reached Spellhold I've had a full party who I've grown quite attached to so kicking one of them out to make way for Imoen just doesn't seem worth it.

I find that Yoshimo "leaving" gives me a perfect space for Imoen...

It was most likely designed that way, to give you added incentive to take Imoen with you after you rescue her from Spellhold.

It was most likely designed that way, to give you added incentive to take Imoen with you after you rescue her from Spellhold. I remember reading that somewhere. That's also why Imoen is basically the only thief NPC.

Bioware wants you to take Imoen with you.

How ironic, then, that she is such a crappy thief.

I concur. I use Imoen as my main magi more often then not.

BTW, much less annoying then in BG1. And the pink hair is a nice touch as well.

Imoen the only thief NPC? What about Yoshinmo? Granted, you only get him up to Spellhold but if you leave that till as late in the game as possible you can keep him in the party for 90% of SOA.

I usually alternate between using Nalia and Yoshimo as my thief, but I make sure I take Yoshimo with me to Spellhold so I have room for Imoen. The first time I went through I didn't even take a thief because CHARNAME fulfilled that role, so I had problems fitting Imoen in.

From a roleplaying point of view, CHARNAME always takes Imoen because she's CHARNAME's sister, just the way I always take Sarevok.

From a roleplaying point of view, CHARNAME always takes Imoen because she's CHARNAME's sister, just the way I always take Sarevok. But what if CHARNAME is a Fighter/Mage, romancing Aerie a Cleric/Mage, and Jan Jansen a Mage/Thief is also coming along? She really isn't needed is she?
:confused:

A widely unknown fact (or so it seems) is that when Imoen, gets proficient in long swords, scimitars and 2 weapon style and the Angurvadle for 22 strength, and improve hastes her self by the time she's level 25-30 she can actually make a decent melee character with protections, I've seen her with Thac0s of as low as -3 without tensors, so don't discount her as a fighter, at the very least she makes effective melee bait but can still defend herself, and with spells, items (cloak, boots of elvenkind, shadow armour and others) you can make her a fair back stabber, she even has a good HP when compared to Jan or Aerie.

Shes more Mage then anything else though and anyone that thinks she's not a good theif either, don't give her a chance and an item or potion or they just don't like the fact she can't use thief traps, but mages can easily replicate the traps with their spells anyway, considering all this the only more versatile NPC is Jan and possibly Jaheira, but she's a better spellcaster then both of them and as mages get more powerful so does their importance

@Aces:

He said from a roleplaying point of view. You don't dump your friends in real-life either because someone who's better at your mutual hobby, football, comes along. Imoen is good enough to be obviously handy in the party. Even if she was a whole lot weaker, from a roleplaying point of view she'd still be under the threat of being killed by someone hungry for her power, or another bhaalspawn. And any "normal" character who would be bound to her by friendship since childhood, and/or because she was your sister, would definitely want to protect her.

Note also that from a roleplaying point of view, I know of no adventure where teammates were picked up only for power. Realistically such a motivation is a suicide, as most power usually belong to those who watch out for themselves only.

@Casey

You can make just about any character in the game a "decent melee character" by using the right items and spells on them. The point is that while they would become decent in melee, they would lose in what they're really good at... and at the same time those true melee characters would be nothing but normal / good because of the loss of items that they should have. Sure, when you're past the point where each class has their optimal items and placed in a situation where you no longer have the items required for some remaining characters, then you can make calculations on what's the best middleground between the character's natural abilities, and the new ones granted by the items. Such as, if there are no mage items to boost the powers of a mage, but there are so powerful melee items the mage can use but no-one else really needs anymore. Then if the character gets stronger in overall with the items, than without, you could start making plans towards using them.

Very rarely though you can do that much good by using a character for something they were not born to do.

I find Imoen a very interesting character in the game, apart from her seeming knack of getting herself into a sticky situation.

But there are obviously better thieves and mage NPCs in the game. I suggest using Jan or my favourite NPC, Edwin. Edwin has a good selection of spells that dwarfs Imoen. And don't rule out Haer'dalis and the ever resourceful Nalia out of the equation.

If you are out to complete the tale in a good way, take her. The rest, if you don't her, take Edwin!

How ironic, then, that she is such a crappy thief. I've completed the entire game with Imoen as my only thief and, without any potions or items, I found that she could disarm any trap that is disarmable and that she was able to pick any lock that can be opened. I fail to see how that makes her a crappy thief.

You tell 'em Rastor! Imoen is me lil' sis! She rox. Basically, shes a mage that can wield a bow competently and can pick locks and disarm traps no problem. Can't fault it.

(btw Rastor, hows the Kitanya mod coming along? :) )

I always think Imoen is a competent thief and she's a decent Yoshimo-replacement for her opening locks ability. The few times she fails, I just use the Knock spell.

I always keep Imoen after I rescue her. Not only is she intesting, she's CHARNAME's sister and best friend. And, really, she did follow CHARNAME out of Candlekeep, so in away, CHARNAME is responsible for her being out there.

My party is usually:
CHARNAME (almost always a drow mage/thief now that I have the subrace mod installed)
Imoen
Valygar
Mazzy
Whoever I am romancing
NPC Mod installed

My typical Character is anything I can get away with (Fighter, Thief, Cleric, depends on my mood when its made) of NG alignment, so I take Imoen out of Roleplaying principal. That, and I find her more interesting than Nalia.

Admittedly off-topic:
Ryu, I couldnt help but see the words 'sub-race mod' in there. You dont by any chance have an URL to that, do you? :p

Cant let Imoen stay back.

off all persons, she is the one i like the most (well she and keldorn hehe).