Early on in the game, you will learn that you will need to raise the staggering amount of 20,000 (and later dropped to 15,000) to help Imoen. While this is not recommended for people to do, since playing through the entire game, side quests included, is a good deal more enjyable, you can skip all that and get on with the story, if you want.

The fastest way to get 20,000 is to help Nalia rescue her keep. It's recommended for further play the other quests are done for more items and money, so things are not as difficult in the future.

One thing that you will want to do when you play this game is the completion of everything. The amount of gold you need and such does not matter, you will want to do every available quest in the entire game before moving onto Spellhold.

The reasons for it go on, but the main ones are:

Money - While you don't have a desperate need for it, money can get you a lot of things, from loose lips to battle ready equipement. If you have enough, you can easily get what you need without having to resort to other means.

Experience - A lot of guys you are going to face are tougher than what you had to handle before. The higher the level your characters are, the more they can handle, especially if they have additions that are increased along the way.

Knowledge - Game knowledge on your part is essential. The more quirks in your characters you find, especially how they work together, the better you can use them to your advantage. Make sure that each and every one of these little guys has their stats imprinted in your mind, so instead of sending a cleric with high HP into battle, you send the fighter with slightly less HP but a higher defense.

Respect - Respect can gain you a lot of things, I feel. Don't forget that.

Items - There are tons of items, let alone people, in this game that have magical propeties or shattering stats that would be immensely useful in any persons hands. Letting the chance of using these pass by is a danger to yourself.

So go on, and complete the game. It's worth it.

One can never have enough extra-dimensonal storage space. In your travels, you are going to come across a number of spell sheets and gems, and they take up space in your inventory. It is best to invest in things which will allow you to carry more weapons, allowing for more alternatives in a fight and possibly, more importantly, more plunder.

Try and get as many things like Gem Bags as possible, since they will allow you to carry more while only taking up one slot.

At the early stages of the game it can be frustrating having your main character or primary few characters at low levels. There is a simple yet effective technique to ensure you gain levels as quickly as possible early in the game, which is as follows:

When you complete a quest disband all party members so the your main character and maybe one other character are all that remains in the party. Your main character will then get all/more experience from the quest. This means you can level up quicker, giving your main character that extra edge in the early stages of the game.

When your player currently has either on them, casting of haste will speed it up. If you intend to use haste, make sure that the enemy does not have you poisioned, or the damage you take will be massive.

Press CTRL-I to talk to party members. sometimes you must hold CTRL + I

If it doesn't work then you are in the wrong place and/or wrong time.

Athkatla is the city in which you will eventually end up in. While the city itself is large, sooner or later you will have to leave to handle the quests that take place outside the city.

The way you leave the city (otherwise, everything is greyed out) you need to go to the City Gates sector, and walk through the city gates. After then, all locations on the map, including the ones you could find but couldn't transport to, are available.

It's highly recommended that you buy them, as the Cowled Wizards will follow through on their threat if you intend to use magic on any of the normal maps in the game. For example, using magic to kill on the street in the Slums will get their attention.

In the government sector, you will find a man close to the front door of the main government building, willing to sell you a liscence for 5,000. Don't worry if you think it's too much -- magic is a useful addition, and the combined quests can easily repay it several times over.

Early on, during character creation, I learned the magic of fireball. Fireball is one of the attacks that mages have within the game that has splash damage, allowing it to do damage to several enemies at once.

Such enemies as Gibberlings and Goblins attack in groups of perhaps six to ten, making destroying them, while easy, and annoying task, especially with your wrath not taking them all out at once.

An easy way around this is to pick up the fireball spell early on in the game. This spell, if targeted for the centre of the group, can kill all members of it with one shot, even at level four. Remember, though - splash damage is not exclusive to the enemy.

Cost Rep - lvl
1500 1
1200 2
1000 3
1000 4
500 5
400 6
200 7
300 8
400 9
500 10
700 11
900 12
200 13
500 14
2000 15
2500 16
5000 17

The above is a short list of how much reputation will cost. In essence, add the total amount the number each time. To test it, I recommend Quick Saving before donating, just in case.

Keep in mind that just because an area appears safe doesn't mean it will stay safe for long. While it is unlikely you will encounter a roaming enemy worth worrying about, many enemies will attack you while you rest, sapping up your strength and forcing you to try and rest again if you want all your mage spells ready for combat.

It's best to to sleep in a town, especially in an inn... the room does not need to be expensive.

To get any of the cheats working in BG2, you must edit the "baldur.ini" file found in the game folder. Create a backup of this file before procedding, just in case.

Change AC of selected character - Ctrl + 1

To unlock the console :

My computer >>
Program Files >>
Baldur's Gate (some may have installed it elsewhere. Regardless, find the file) >>
Find "baldur.ini" or "baldur" >>
Under system programs, make a new line >>
Add "Debug Mode=1" >>
In game, press ctrl + space to activate console

This cheat can speed up the game immensely by allowing you to kill who you want, go where you want, join who you want, talk to who you want, and heal who you want.

CTRL J jump to specific location
CTRL Y Kills the selected character*
CTRL Q Joins the selected character**
CTRL R Heals/Raises the selected character

*Will not kill important enemies
**When used with certain enemies, especially important ones, this will assuredly crash your computer.

CluaConsole:CreateItem("dwplat01")
CluaConsole:CreateItem("dwchan01")
CluaConsole:CreateItem("dwchan02")
CluaConsole:CreateItem("dwsw1h01")
CluaConsole:CreateItem("dwsw1h02")
CluaConsole:CreateItem("dwclck01")

If you have 2 mages, make them cast Enchanted Weapon (if possible) both at the exact same time, then, when the spell is finished you can make all the enchanted weapons you need!

Get an item of any value (high value works faster). Make sure the item is in the possesion of an imported character. Make a multiplayer match but don't let anyone else join. Import the character into all of the slots in the character arbitration. Then load up the game. Have all of the characters drop the item and then save. Go to the character arbitration and repeat. Whenever you're ready, have one of your people pick up the copies of this item and sell them. This is also good for cloning good items. be careful not to delete or save over anything!

Open the console (ctrl + space) and type in CLUAConsole:CreateItem(\"killsw01\"). You will get the sword .

The code is killsw01 and it is a +2 sword but once equipped it does 1000 damage a hit and puts your armor class down 10. It also gives you magic resistance and special powers like haste.

Create Items

clck05 - Cloak of Balduran
blun25 - Mace of Disruption +2
arow06 - Arrows of Detonation
misc3f - Jade Hound
misc3j - Bronze Horn of Valhalla
misc3k - Iron Horn of Valhalla
misc5x - Harper's Pin