Which factions do you usually join in Gothic 1 and 2?

[eric__s]

Hey, what camps do you usually join in the Gothic games? I've been replaying them lately and thinking a lot about their subtext and why I enjoy them and was just sort of wondering how other people play.

I usually join the New Camp in Gothic 1. They have the coolest fort, the most interesting characters, I like their attitude and that they reject the social hierarchy of the Old Camp. Instead of remaining prisoners, they've taken ownership over their situation by trying to escape. By contrast, the Old Camp perpetuates its imprisonment by accepting its role and digging ore for the king. In Gothic 2, I've never joined anything but the Mercenaries. I think a big reason is that a lot of people from the previous game (Gorn, Lares, Wolf, others) are in it and there's a sense of continuity in joining them. There are no recognizable or even likable characters (except Milton) in either of the other camps.

Also, do you feel like there's a natural progression of factions between games? The Old Camp becomes the Militia, the New Camp becomes the Mercenaries and the Sect Camp becomes the Monastery? This is something I've been thinking about and haven't made up my mind on yet.

I'll elaborate more on some of my ideas about what the camps represent in a while but I'd like to see how you all play first.

 

[bloodlover]

I've always joined the mercenaries in Gothic 2 but that was mostly due to me playing a character focused on bows (big mistake there since the combat gets really boring really fast).

A good question would be: Why join different factions, except seeing people from the previous game?

 

[Borelli]

When i played G1 i joined the swamp camp because they said something about combining magic and weapons (didn't turn out to be any more true than the other camps) and because they were(for fantasy at least) weird. Now sure, crazy cultists are not uncommon in fantasy, but pot smoking swamp dwelling ones are. My second choice would had been the new camp but aside from being contra old camp they are not that special.

 

[1451]

In Gothic I joined the sect camp. Smoke weed, hang around, have strong templars to beat swamp sharks. Atmosphere was also to my liking, trees, mist and silence.

In the second installment I joined the dragon hunters, general Lee served a just cause and he earned my respect and my support even in the third game when I helped him kill the coward king.
Dragon hunters had a nice looking armor and I think the strongest two handed sword.

As for the rest of the factions and the reason I did not join them, as already mentioned the old camp was a bunch of thugs, the new camp was ok but boring overall. Plus the overall ice theme was not to my liking.

The greedy monastery thugs asked for gold and a sheep in order to allow you join them, I would never accept that.
Militia was corrupted to the bone, the righteous paladin were likeable characters but I would never help the servants of the king(yeah I know they said they were warriors of Innos but still).

 

[Explorerbc]

A bit off topic here, but I just started playing gothic 1 a few days ago. How far can you progress in quests from one camp before you reach a point where the others won't accept you ? I am guessing you can do various reputation quests for all 3 before your initiation to one.

So far I've only been to Old Camp, and I can't really explore that much since even the crappiest of enemies kill me in two - three hits, so it seems convenient to finish all my quests here first. The New Camp sounds like the one I'd rather be in, with their plan of escape and all, but I don't know much about it yet

 

[eric__s]

A bit off topic here, but I just started playing gothic 1 a few days ago. How far can you progress in quests from one camp before you reach a point where the others won't accept you ? I am guessing you can do various reputation quests for all 3 before your initiation to one.

So far I've only been to Old Camp, and I can't really explore that much since even the crappiest of enemies kill me in two - three hits, so it seems convenient to finish all my quests here first. The New Camp sounds like the one I'd rather be in, with their plan of escape and all, but I don't know much about it yet

You can do all the quests for each of the camps. Once Thorus lets you into the castle and tells you to see Gomez, you should stop there. For the other camps, you can just ask if you're ready to be a member.

 

[Shadenuat]

In first Gothic I've met an ogre or somethin on a bridge and got beaten up, run away and jumped in a river to survive. River washed me onto shores of swamp camp, where they greet me with some free weed. Naturally I joined those dudes

In G2 it's the Monastery always. I just can't get enough of mopping floors. Seven times

 

[Hobo Elf]

I rotate what factions I join each time I play so I'm never playing the same faction twice in a row. I like them all and they all feel unique from each other, but I think the Monastery in Gothic 2 is a little bit higher up the list if I have to pick one. I just love the whole arc of a magic-user in Gothic 2. You literally start by cleaning floors and in the end you are making fire rain out of the skies to purge your enemies; but it's not just the end reward that's fun. I liked the idea of going through life as a novice in a monastery. It was a novel and real cool idea.

Boy do I want to play Gothic again now.

 

[Black_Willow]

I don't have a favourite faction in Gothic I. As for Gothic II, I only played as a mercenary or militia men, and I liked the militia -> paladin route more. Paladins have a great looking armour and quite powerful (although pretty basic) spells.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

New Camp then Mercs. On the first run, yeah.


Mostly because

 

[Aeschylus]

Also, do you feel like there's a natural progression of factions between games? The Old Camp becomes the Militia, the New Camp becomes the Mercenaries and the Sect Camp becomes the Monastery? This is something I've been thinking about and haven't made up my mind on yet.

Sort of. The Old Camp becomes the bandits in the expansion, not the militia. I'd say it's actually kind of hard to draw direct parallels from the factions in 1 to 2, except New Camp -> Mercs. Which is fine, since the setting and situation is different.

And I've played all the factions as I'm unhealthily obsessed with the games, but in general the Militia in 2 is probably the worst one to join from a meta-game perspective as it cuts off some other non-faction quests.

 

[Excidium]

Fuck I voted wrong


New Camp and Mercs 4 lyf

 

[LibertyRansom]

Only played Gothic 1. Joined the Swamp Camp people based on their promise that they had powerful magic and they seemed like chill bros. Turned out I was fraudulently induced.

Swamp camp membership had the worst magic in the game and would not let you progress past lvl4(?) spells.

Was pretty pissed. Should have known swamp hippies had sub-par reading and writing skills.

 

[Whisky]

Only played Gothic 1. Joined the Swamp Camp people based on their promise that they had powerful magic and they seemed like chill bros. Turned out I was fraudulently induced.

Swamp camp membership had the worst magic in the game and would not let you progress past lvl4(?) spells.

Was pretty pissed. Should have known swamp hippies had sub-par reading and writing skills.

Hey, man. They might not have much magic, but they've got maaaaaaaagic maaaaaaaaaan. Dang, I need a cheeseburger.

I originally joined the Old Camp, because it seemed cool, these guys making their own civilization in their original prison, plus Diego was there and he's a bro. I think I like the New Camp more now though.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

There's a bro in every camp.

 

[eric__s]

Also, do you feel like there's a natural progression of factions between games? The Old Camp becomes the Militia, the New Camp becomes the Mercenaries and the Sect Camp becomes the Monastery? This is something I've been thinking about and haven't made up my mind on yet.

Sort of. The Old Camp becomes the bandits in the expansion, not the militia. I'd say it's actually kind of hard to draw direct parallels from the factions in 1 to 2, except New Camp -> Mercs. Which is fine, since the setting and situation is different.

I think the connection I've made isn't one of personnel continuity but ideology and structure. The Old Camp and Paladins represent authority and status quo, the New Camp and Mercenaries represent freedom and mobility and the Sect Camp and Monastery represent spiritual pursuit. These are associations that have been in my mind since I was 13 or however old I was when I first played the game and right now I'm trying to figure out how valid they are. I'll elaborate on them in a little bit!

 

[Grinolf]

A bit off topic here, but I just started playing gothic 1 a few days ago. How far can you progress in quests from one camp before you reach a point where the others won't accept you ? I am guessing you can do various reputation quests for all 3 before your initiation to one.

So far I've only been to Old Camp, and I can't really explore that much since even the crappiest of enemies kill me in two - three hits, so it seems convenient to finish all my quests here first. The New Camp sounds like the one I'd rather be in, with their plan of escape and all, but I don't know much about it yet

There are two NPC in the Old Camp who will help you to get into two other camps. You could abuse them and kill with their assistance as many enemies as you could pull to them. But be careful, since there are enemies against which even they are helpless.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Can't see much wrong with that comparison.

 

[Gozma]

I played G2 (no NotR) first and went mercenaries on my first playthrough for videogame reasons (I think because it was the most straightforward path build-wise for someone that didn't know the game). With NotR you have all the expansion content you can do where your sect choice makes very little concrete difference (they can all get the pirate armor) and everyone gets buckets of scrolls so sects are pretty homogenized anyway and I think I just pick not-mercenary at random.

G1 though somehow got me to think of the decision like I was an actual person in the gameworld, so I joined the sect camp because it seemed like the least bully-asshole faction with the most human lifestyle.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

A bit off topic here, but I just started playing gothic 1 a few days ago. How far can you progress in quests from one camp before you reach a point where the others won't accept you ? I am guessing you can do various reputation quests for all 3 before your initiation to one.

So far I've only been to Old Camp, and I can't really explore that much since even the crappiest of enemies kill me in two - three hits, so it seems convenient to finish all my quests here first. The New Camp sounds like the one I'd rather be in, with their plan of escape and all, but I don't know much about it yet

Yeah, if you're at the very beginning, you can get some armor by the mine near the new camp to help a bit.

 

[ghostdog]

I think it was new camp and militia the fist time, but eventually I've tried them all, and they're definitely all worth a playthrough.

 

[Sranchammer]

I join no faction.

 

[SoupNazi]

New camp and mercenaries the first runthrough, but I've played both Gothics 7 times, so I ended up trying them all out. Dragon Hunters are the best.

 

[Grinolf]

Old Camp looks like the best choice for mages. They gain access to magic chapter later than cultists, but fire magic are much more stronger than the weed ones. And since the swords are useful even for mages, points that were spent on them during first two chapters aren't lost. Also Fire Mages could later choose to become a Water Mage also, gaining access to two magic schools in the same time.

 

[Excidium]

Not sure why you'd be anything except melee in Gothic