Guide and Walkthrough (PS4) by chris-williams (4)

Comprehensive guide and walkthrough for Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, covering character creation, classes, chapters, companion quests, items, and more.

This is a guide and walkthrough for Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, originally created by chris-williams and updated on 11/25/2025. It was a FAQ of the Month winner in November 2020.

The guide is structured into several sections, starting with an introduction that discusses the game's mechanics, copyright, and acknowledgments. It then moves into character creation, detailing attributes and races. Class overviews are provided for Warriors (Fighters, Barbarians, Rangers, Paladins), Arcane Spellcasters (Mages, Sorcerers, Mage Spells), Divine Spellcasters (Clerics, Druids, Monks, Shamans, Cleric Spells, Druid Spells), and Rogues (Thieves, Bards). Information on Strongholds and Companions, including a companion listing, is also included.

The walkthrough for the game proper is divided by chapters. Chapter 1 covers 'Finding a Way Out,' including Irenicus' Dungeon and Waukeen's Promenade. Chapter 2 involves 'Exploring Athkatla' with its various districts and Mae'Var's Guildhall, as well as exploring areas 'Beyond Athkatla' like de'Arnise Hold, Trademeet, and Umar Hills. Chapter 2 also details 'Companion Quests' for characters such as Anomen, Cernd, Edwin, and Jaheira.

Further chapters include 'Picking a Side' (Chapter 3), 'Effecting a Rescue' (Chapter 4) involving Brynnlaw and Spellhold, 'Finding Your Way Back' (Chapter 5) through the Underdark, 'Staking a Claim' (Chapter 6) with a return to Athkatla and Bodhi's Lair, 'Taking Back What's Yours' (Chapter 7) in Suldanessellar and Hell, 'Besieged' (Chapter 8) in the Pocket Plane and Saradush, and 'Companion Quests (ToB)' for Neera and Rasaad. The final chapters cover 'The Bhaalspawn' (Chapter 9) in Amkethran and Abazigal's Lair, Watcher's Keep, the 'Finale: The Throne of Blood,' and the 'Appendix: True Lord of Murder.'

Additional sections cover Items (Mundane, Magic Weapons, Magic Armour, Equipment and Consumables, Crafting) and Trophies.

The introduction notes that Baldur's Gate II is a vast and deep CRPG, building upon its predecessor. It acknowledges plot inconsistencies but emphasizes the engaging world. The Enhanced Edition is discussed, noting its improved compatibility with modern systems but also highlighting issues like instability, frequent crashes (especially during saving), and worsened pathfinding. The new content in the Enhanced Edition is critiqued for its awkward integration, tonal differences, and departure from the player-centric design of the original.

The walkthrough itself is described as large, with initial sections serving as references. The main walkthrough follows the game's chapter structure. Due to the open-ended nature of Chapter 2, city exploration is presented sequentially, while major external quests are in a separate section. Companion quests, generally short, are also presented separately.