Questions About The Zhentarim

[are you.. open-minded?]

I have three questions. I think the Zhentarim are kinda not nice people and am considering killing the ones in the hideout in Act 1. I have never gotten into Act 3 (I have the be-overwhelmed-and-restart curse) and am curious about some outcomes.

Question 1: If I kill the Zhents in the hideout, will this ruin my relationship with Roah in Act 2, and the Zhentarim I will meet in Act 3, automatically starting combat with both parties?

Question 2: Do you actually deliver the Iron Flask to the Zhents in Act 3? Can I tell the ones in Act 1 "yeah I'll do your delivery" and then proceed to open the shipment for giggles? I know a lot of people like to do a pokemon battle with the flask, but I'm assuming it sells for quite a bit too. If I accept the quest but kill the people in the hideout, does this automatically complete (fail) the quest? Just wondering if it's worth it to do the full questline for them or if I should just sell/do shenanigans with the flask.

Question 3: Is Oskar not a nice guy either? I've heard he isn't a very nice guy. Maybe not Baelen mean, but still not great. I am also wondering if it is worth it to save him, or if someone in Act 3 will be happier with him gone.

[Kernest]

1: I haven't actually done it myself, but AFAIK anything that happens there does not affect Roah.

2: You can deliver it, but all you receive is a few words of thanks. I don't recall if there even is a penalty to not delivering it. I think the quest auto-completes when you agree to deliver it to Baldur's Gate, and there's not even a marker of who to deliver it to.

3: Oskar is more or less innocent. He might not be Mr. Rogers or anything in terms of being nice, but he's not outright evil either, as long as he's himself (this will make sense in Act 3).

Saving him makes sense because it leads to a quest in Act 3.

[Raz]

Originally posted by Driving:

Question 1: If I kill the Zhents in the hideout, will this ruin my relationship with Roah in Act 2, and the Zhentarim I will meet in Act 3, automatically starting combat with both parties?

No. Roah and the Zhent's at Waukeen's Rest are basically two different cells of the group and aren't aware of the other. Least, there is zero information the two are in contact which does make sense; Roah is working with Absolute Cultist yet the Zhent Caravan gets slaughtered by Absolute Thralls.

I slaughter the Zhent's every run because all I am surrounded by is experience points and dead men.

Question 2: Do you actually deliver the Iron Flask to the Zhents in Act 3? Can I tell the ones in Act 1 "yeah I'll do your delivery" and then proceed to open the shipment for giggles? I know a lot of people like to do a pokemon battle with the flask, but I'm assuming it sells for quite a bit too. If I accept the quest but kill the people in the hideout, does this automatically complete (fail) the quest? Just wondering if it's worth it to do the full questline for them or if I should just sell/do shenanigans with the flask.

The quest is completed once you either deliver it to Zarys or agree to deliver the chest. It completes right then and there. You can turn it in to a Zhent in Act 3 but there won't be any reward or exp because the quest is already done likely because the Zhents in Act 3 lose contact with Zarys whether you kill her or not (The Shadowcurse or Cultist on the road probably kill her and her crew) so Act 3 Zhents chalk it up as a lose.

Question 3: Is Oskar not a nice guy either? I've heard he isn't a very nice guy. Maybe not Baelen mean, but still not great. I am also wondering if it is worth it to save him, or if someone in Act 3 will be happier with him gone.

He is an idiot. Nothing like Baelen, not even close. Just an idiot with his head so far up his ass it causes problems.

[belgix]

1) No it won't affect your relationship with Roah in Act 2. The battle against the Zhentarim in
Act 3 is avoidable if you kill the Zhentarim in Act 1 but it's pretty tricky to get this outcome. Depending of your action with Roah & Minsc (when you free him), you may be forced to ally with the Nine-Fingers -OR- Roah may ask you to pick your side, the Zhentarim or the Guild. The "may ask you" depends if you killed the Zhentarim previously or not and if you spared Minsc.

3) Saving Oskar or not it's up to you. Saving him will trigger Free the Artist quest but there is no real consequence not saving him and treat him as a slave. It's a nice long quest in the city. If you kill him (or get killed in the battle), you will miss some content (and a painting of you).

What I did?I killed the Zhentarim in Act 1, saved and released Oscar to get the quest, spared Minsc but I was forced to help Nine-Fingers. The Zhentarim turned hostile on me because Roah didn't survive my initial attack on my attempt to free Minsc.

[Raz]

Originally posted by belgix:

1) No it won't affect your relationship with Roah in Act 2. The battle against the Zhentarim in
Act 3 is avoidable if you kill the Zhentarim in Act 1 but it's pretty tricky to get this outcome. Depending of your action with Roah & Minsc (when you free him), you may be forced to ally with the Nine-Fingers -OR- Roah may ask you to pick your side, the Zhentarim or the Guild. The "may ask you" depends if you killed the Zhentarim previously or not and if you spared Minsc.

3) Saving Oskar or not it's up to you. Saving him will trigger Free the Artist quest but there is no real consequence not saving him and treat him as a slave. It's a nice long quest in the city. If you kill him (or get killed in the battle), you will miss some content (and a painting of you).

What I did?I killed the Zhentarim in Act 1, saved and released Oscar to get the quest, spared Minsc but I was forced to help Nine-Fingers. The Zhentarim turned hostile on me because Roah didn't survive my initial attack on my attempt to free Minsc.

I have never, in a single one of my playthroughs, been forced to side with Nine-Fingers despite killing the Zhents in Act 1. I have brought Minsc with me and Roah always tells Minsc to stfu and let the adults in the room speak.

[Kernest]

Originally posted by Raz:

I have never, in a single one of my playthroughs, been forced to side with Nine-Fingers despite killing the Zhents in Act 1. I have brought Minsc with me and Roah always tells Minsc to stfu and let the adults in the room speak.

No, he's saying he killed Roah in the sewer during the Minsc fight.

Therefore no Roah to tell Minsc to shut up at the guildhall.