Good RPGs

[ReluctantSamurai]

I've not played any mods or adaptations, just BG, BG2 and the expansions

The mods can add much more flavor to the game...or unbalance it. One has to be careful with their use. Case in point for adding flavor: the Tactics Mod---the tactics used by bosses are greatly improved. Firkraag is a good example. The standard tactic of buffing up beforehand and sending in summoned fodder first no longer works because the wily old dragon will have an immediate buffing sequencer that fires upon starting combat (including Haste), his first spell is Dispel Magic (cast at a very high level) that strips off all your buffing, and his second spell will dismiss all your summons. Nothing is worse than standing in front of an angry red dragon with no magical defenses and his complete attention focused on you because all your summons are gone :-(

The obvious one is BGT (Baldur's Gate Trilogy). It allows you to play all three (BG, SoA, and ToB) as one continuous game (well BG, BG TotSC, and SoA because ToB allows you to import your NPC's anyways). You get to keep NPC's along with their exp, skills, and weapons from one to the next.

The Ascension mod, among many other things, completely changes the ending to ToB. Instead of the standard bash-fest with Mel, you get to fight all five Bhaalspawn........at the same time! And if you're of good alignment, you have the option of recruiting Balthazar to fight on your side...as a 7th party member. But there are consequences...Mel gets the services of.......big, bad, Jon Irenicus and his vampy sister Bodhi. The 'mother-of-all-battles' so to speak. Great fun...and frustration.

Another problem with NWN was that for the most part you can loot and pillage with impunity.

There was a mod called "Honor Among Thieves" that was specifically made for rogue/thief characters. It had exceptionally good scripting, and some novel ideas. Your rogue had to infiltrate a notorious assassin's guild to retrieve some extremely rare magical items that had been stolen from a powerful mage (who gives you your initial quest, and some additional help as the plot progresses). There were two factions within the guild led by guild-masters who gave you quests...the assassins and the thieves. At some point, after a power struggle breaks out, you had to make a decision to side with one or the other, with consequences for your decision.

The city layout, and implementation were novel, and brilliant, IMHO. At night, as you walked the streets, random muggers/assassins would appear and harass the city guard and local citizens. You had three choices: you could just watch; you could assist the 'bad guys'; or you could join in on the side of the guard. All these had alignment consequences, so you had to roleplay your character.

Shops were only open during business hours. No more popping in at some ungodly hour to sell your stack of loot, and they had a limited amount of money to barter. To get magical items identified, you had to bring it to...a mage, of course! What would some brawny smith know about magic, anyways?

When given thieving missions, you had to follow directions...exactly. If you alerted the guards in any way....mission over. If you killed anyone, or stole any items not on your list of 'to do's'....mission over (and of course there were some very tasty items to test your resolve). You had to get in, do what was required, and get out...in the spirit of BG's Yoshimo: "All the world is blind to my passing".

Very much fun. I still play that one, occasionally......