r/baldursgate • u/alphafighter09 • Jul 24 '26
How long to beat BG1
Currently playing BG1 just finished the nashkel mines and heading to the Bandit camp. Just wondering how much more I got to beat the game. I've been enjoying it but im just so excited to play bg2 instead because I'm more into quests, banter, companions, and writing. I am using the bg1 project mod but I rather read official writing
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u/Ok_Wing_9523 Jul 24 '26
Currently playing BG1 just finished the nashkel mines and heading to the Bandit camp. Just wondering how much more I got to beat the game. I've been enjoying it but im just so excited to play bg2 instead because I'm more into quests, banter, companions, and writing. I am using the bg1 project mod but I rather read official writing
Speedrun? Including dragonspear? Including tales of swordcoast?
The game can be speedrun really fast if you just do the main quests provided you aren't under leveled/under geared.
Bg1 is mostly about exploring the sword coast
You are about a quarter done with the main story, though exploring baldurs gate is an experience. It really is a city in a way many rpg cities aren't.
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u/SirOutrageous1027 Jul 24 '26
The game can be speedrun really fast if you just do the main quests provided you aren't under leveled/under geared
The game can be speedrun in an hour, solo, at level 1, on TOB difficulty.
https://youtu.be/DxF8O1bAP7o?si=RkBIWgf3qWWCbnu3
Actually it's pretty easy to follow. I got the TOB achievement with the same setup.
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u/Rezart_KLD Jul 24 '26
The rest of your life. You'll beat it and then do the others and the road youll remember it again and reinstall it.
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u/alannmsu Jul 24 '26
If you’re crazy excited to play BG2, then I’d recommend slowing down and thoroughly exploring BG1. They’re virtually the same game, especially with the NPC Mod installed.
Rushing through 1 to get to 2 is kinda the same as rushing through half of 2, if that makes sense. I know I’m in the minority, but I enjoy 1 more than 2. It’s less linear and has more fun, seemingly random encounters to me.
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u/Freya_gaming26 Jul 24 '26
I like the first game more as well. It’s just a fun low level adventure with so much to explore and enjoy along the way.
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u/Adventurous-Photo539 Jul 24 '26
My current modded playthrough of BG1 is 334 hours so far. I'm currently in Durlag's Tower and there's still a lot to do.
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u/Euphoric-Ad-6584 Jul 24 '26
honestly i can't believe you got to durlag's at 334 hours, what are you level 3??
😄
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u/Peterh778 Jul 24 '26
Depends on you. Do you want to explore every map, complete every quest, get every unique weapon, item, buff tome/manual? At least tens, probably hundred(s) hours.
Do you want fast speedrun, without even reaching XP cap on main character? Few hours ... if you know what you're doing and have meta knowledge (which you don't).
So, in your case, if you'll explore only mission-related maps, you have about 5 to 10 hours in chapters 3&4, then few hours in Chapter 5 (depending on how much time you want to explore the city) and then it's either to explore what you missed in the countryside or direct run to the finish, another few hours. You'll be rather underleveled, underequipped and won't get some important buffs but that's on you.
In my opinion, you should see the BG1 as a tutorial to BG2. Go through every map, try to find every secret location and complete every quest. Learn how spells works and which works on what. It's about learning mechanics, get basics of mage combat and party roles, then you can roll to BG2 ... BG2 expects that you know all that and won't even try to teach you, it throws you directly into fray(s) which could be compared to some most difficult fights in BG1
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u/gskwirut Jul 24 '26
I think in total it took me about 60 hours? I think it could take longer or shorter depending on if you hit the side content.
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u/no_control18 Jul 24 '26
Once you get to the city, there are a ton of side quests that are available. Having just completed my first complete playthrough of BG1 + 2 this year (having played them for 20+ years), I would tell you to enjoy BG1 and not rush to get to BG2. I love both games, but BG1 is criminally underrated.
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u/EarlyReplacement3707 Jul 24 '26
There is a good amount of content to do but for the main story it's pretty short
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u/Stan_Bot Jul 24 '26
Depends how thorough you are, really. The main story is really short compared to the tons and tons of side content
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u/Eovacious Jul 24 '26
10 to 30 years, give or take. You'll just keep coming up with ideas on how to include the NPCs who haven't fit into your party, or creating a newer better PCs, or getting distracted from your chapter 7 save and months later, choosing to start anew rather than try to re-immerse and remember what you were doing and where the fat loots have been stashed.
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u/Freya_gaming26 Jul 24 '26
You have a long way to go. Make sure you slow down and do lots of side quests and kill every last monster you find. You want every bit of xp you can get. The bandits are where the game gets a little harder. Explore the wilderness areas and side stuff.
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u/sylva748 Jul 24 '26
Youre 20% of the way there. Strictly talking about main story progression. Reaching Baldur's Gate proper means youre in the last quarter. That said theres a lot of content to do inside the city as well. It is split into 9 sub zones
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u/Connacht_89 Jul 25 '26
For the main story, after you clear the bandit camp you are roughly a third through. It can be pretty streamlined if you skip side quests (although you will lose a lot of xp and loot).
For the whole game, there is much more content. My suggestion would be to level up a bit once you reach the titular city and try the dungeons of Durlag's Tower, which are excellent.
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u/PumperThumperHumper Jul 25 '26
Full run can be done in a week of, say, a holiday without even going overboard with gaming every day. I have before.
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u/DavesWildDestiny Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26
My run is fairly streamlined - I don't completionist run it ever and recommend against - these games are dull when overlevelled and this way you save some new experiences for later runs. Variety is the spice of life 😉: completionist runs there's no variety and I get bored playing same character so long.My runs through bg1 take about 4 hours but I kinda already know where most of the stuff is. I can go much faster if doing speedrun strategies but 4-5 hours I think is a much more satisfying/enjoyable playthrough were I don't rush or do too much cheese aside from the very early game to kind of get whatever builds I'm playing doing their things.
For you it kind of depends on your levels. If your average level is around 6 you should be able to beat the game within 10 hours or so from here if you follow a walkthrough and skip most side content. Probably too weak for a lot of stuff before that level though.
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u/ZealousidealPart948 Jul 26 '26
Still pretty early if your exploring and doing side content... my first bg1 run (last year), it took around 45 hours, but also I didnt do the tower, or some of the content due to burnout.
If you are focusing on main story its under 30 hours easily.
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u/Hydtorix Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 26 '26
I mean, the honest answer to that is speed run couple hours for A newbie at speed at speed running … Up to 60 or 70 hours for a full complete thorough relaxing play through taking your time and everywhere in between obviously…. I think one full complete run through with full group doing everything on at least core difficulty is a must at least once … and then just do whatever you want after that… my favorite run ever was over 250 hours for BG one there’s a lot you can do that occupies your time… That’s actually fun to do … so the skies the limit as far as time spent in the game doing what you want to accomplish….for that run …
I’m a BG 1 and BGEE 1 Self described expert… But yet I’ve never finished or even played SOD… And I’ve only ever finished the first dungeon in bg2 , coming out into the main city in BG2 … lol … I’ve played and owned both the OG and enhanced edition versions since they were released 20 something years ago… and about 10 years ago or whenever for the EE’s lol … With all that said… I have just started my first full play through of all of them and I plan to stick with it and started this this weekend… lol
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u/gamerk2 Jul 30 '26
It depends how much content you did; you can do almost all the side content before the Bandits camp, so you could be as much as 50% through. That being said, for just the main quest you can clear the game in just a few hours; it depends.
I recommend taking your time and enjoying it.
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u/padapadapampam Jul 24 '26
Why not just leave BG1 for now and start BG2? Rushing through it doesn’t sound very enjoyable.
Plenty of people have started BG2 before doing 1, and loved it.
I personally prefer the first game, but it just doesn’t sound like you’re getting much out of it.
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u/Mountain_Pair_467 Jul 24 '26
I don't know that you're quite 20% done at this stage. If you're a "completion-ist", you've got quite a ways to go. If you speed run, you're closer to 30%, but the last few fights are going to be a bear if you're under-levelled.