NPC's.

NPC's should be an asset to the party and bring skills and items the party needs. If NPC's are going to be a part of the game they need to be help, not a liability and added expense. NPC's aren't much help if all they can do is soak-up XP and loot. I know some people would prefer to have all PC's and not bother with NPC's. An NPC should be a strong, helpful member of the party. I just think the NPC situation is some what lacking. It could stand some improvement, which is hopefully coming with the new mods.

 

The only NPC I ever get is Fruella, so I can get her killed to steal her cleaver. I marry Meleny, get the sword for my dowry, and never speak to her again, so I don't have to take her with me.

 

I'm actually playing with Zaxis as a level 11 bard! He's great, he can charm any monster and has a dominate person spell when he reaches level 11. His inventory is messed up but now it's full so no more worries.
I have Darley who is extraordinary under her demon form.
And finally the ultimate weapon (he can take on big fights by his own, and has 250HP at level 9): Oohlgrist.
NPCs are great!!!

 

I don't know which version of TOEE Savonarollo is playing but in my version (original game plus three official patches only, no mods) NPCs suck big time. Exceptions are Elmo and those other NPCs that don't loot everything and overload themselves in their insatiable greed. Honestly how can you play with the NPCs that one finds when most are so greedy that they weigh themselves down, become encumbered, and still grab for more ? Did you realise that when NPCs fill up their inventories with loot they don't stop looting. No, they keep looting but dump the excess loot onto PC inventories, secretly, taking over these PC inventories one space at a time (at least this is how it is when I play TOEE). When you open a PC inventory and find an object, or jewel that when you try to sell or drop instead produces the message 'NPC will not drop this item' then you will know what I am talking about. A PC can have a pile of jewels or crossbow bolts, go to transfer, drop, or sell them, only to discover that a greedy NPC has secretly dropped a jewel or crossbow bolt onto the pile (because his/her own inventory sheet is full) and so captured the whole formerly PC owned pile ! I know this, I saw this happen. I had a PC with over a thousand crossbow bolts, and I had a greedy NPC. The gredy NPC looted some crossbow bolts but had no room on its inventory so it dumped the bolts onto a PC inventory on top of that PC's own pile of crossbow bolts and so captured control of the entire pile, over one thousand bolts instantly lost to that greedy NPC. I know this because I went one time to transfer the pile of bolts from that PC to another PC only to get the message 'NPC will not drop that item'. When greedy NPCs drop excess loot onto PC inventories one space on that PC inventory is now permanently lost. When a greedy NPC dumps a few jewels or bolts onto a pile owned by a PC that NPC gains control of the entire pile, the PC loses the lot.

NPCs are thus a real pain in the proverbial. I understand that the co8 mod fixes this, but since I have read that there are many other bugs with this mod that are unresolved I have not downloaded it. I hope one day the NPC looting problem will be fixed and with a mod/patch that is not itself bug ridden. Until then I will avoid taking NPCs into any party I use, Elmo and possibly Serena excepted. I hate the looting problem that most NPCs create, and I think that, until its fixed, bug free, hiring NPCs generally is a waste of time and a pain in the neck to be generally avoided. This is how I see things, others may disagree.

 

Where exactly did you hear the co8 patch is buggy? The official patches certainly fix far less.

 

In my opinion the game only became playable when I added the Co8 patch.
The PC level as NPC patch is also marvelous, it should change your mind about NPCs (I just got Oohlgrist to level 10 and he has 250HP, even the fire Balor couldn't take him out).
Next I will apply Livonya's patch (ty and it should fix the only anoying thing I find with NPCs, the fact that they sell the equipment we give them (I hated transfering those robe out and back to their inventories).

 

The game is much more difficult if you don't use the npc's. Elmo is very essential up thru the moathouse. Burne is essential for the temple. He gobbles up the money and treasure, but his fireball spells make it worthwhile. The co8 mod and temple.dll work great. I think you are missing a lot stuff, but to each his own.

 

yeah the last patch was great. but npcs are still a pain, most of them are either useless or annoying if not both. ive never tried burne or rufus, i used elmo a couple of times he is alright. ive never gotten Oohlgrist to join me, he gave me his belt and lets me pass without a fight but thats it, oh well. the only one i like, after he gets fixed up a bit, is taki but he is late in the game. i will try some again after Liv gets her new mod up and running to see how they are improved , 6 pc 2 npc most likly

 

Unless you're playing solo or a small Ironman party, I must disagree. I have a party of three (A fighter, a cleric and a wizard), and though some large battles require a little more strategic thinking than others, I have never needed one NPC yet. And with such a small party, they get hurt more often, and I finally get to use all those potions I've been hoarding.

 

Yeah I have the idea of confronting Zugg with Ted & Ed still alive some day
;-)

 

I make no claim at being a skilled crpg player, but I'm having a hard time accepting some of the comments I've seen. I guess there are some really high skilled players out there who can do the things they mention. For me anyway, I have a tough time without the npc help. I always use Elmo and Burne. With masterworks items and crafting you can build a powerful character. At 11th level Elmo, Burne, and Fruella are real powerhouses. I really like craft wonderous item. Getting all the way thru the game down to the big fight with the demoness without losing someone and having to use raise dead is reaaly tough. I haven't made it yet.

 

Doesn't Burne leave the party when he reaches level 8?
I thinK Rufus does so.