Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - General Non Tadpole Companions

Has there been anythought of adding non tad pole companions? Why are the only people willing to help off the ship?

Hopefully they will add them! 🤞

While the system isn't in Early Access companions act as playable "origins" - see this early gameplay demo where Sven plays as Astarion. Like being Godwoken in D:OS2, tadpoles are being used as motivation for everyplayable character and will most likely be central to the plot of the game, as well as its mechanics.

There is interest in community for non-origin/non-tadole companions, but it's unlikely to happen outside perhaps recruitable merceneries, or camp followers like Scratch, Owlbear cut, Helsin or Volo.

This topic/suggestion/request has been a recurrent one. This might be the earliest thread. There has also been various threads requesting [Insert Character Name] to be a Companion (often the Druid Halsin, the Bard Alfira, the Cleric Minthara, ...)

For what it's worth, I am completely in favour of having Companions that are non-tadpoled, non-Origin Characters.

(But I agree with Wormerine that it's unlikely to happen ... in fact it is likely that we hear nothing about this from Larian and that we will find out on release that there are indeed no non-tadpoled Companion, so this post is probably worth nothing.)

I would not say its so unlikely ...
I mean mercenaries are confrimmed since day 1 ...

Basicaly all we would need is to add some names (Nettie, Alfira, Aradin, Halsin, etc.) to potential Mercenaries list and we would get exactly what we wanted. O_o
Dont we?

I certainly haven't tried all games but mercenaries have "a definition" in cRPG. Larian has never said they would be different in BG3 than what we're used to.
Nettie, Alfira, Aradin and Halsin couldn't be call mercenaries. They would be companions, exactly what OP and many of us are asking for.

I can't speak for everyone. Generally when I hear companion, I think: conversations, them commenting during conversations with NPCs, quest - so like current tadpoled companions.

Do you mind telling me?
Clearly i didnt know.

I see ...
Well i was thinking more about bare minimum ... this would be closer to ideal experience.

I for myslef still hope for origin companion per class ...
If we dont get that non-origin companions (with their own coments, conversations, and side quests ... but not with so strong ties to the main plot) would also be nice ...
But if we dont get even that making certain NPCs mercenaries would be acceptable for me ... not great but at least acceptable.

While I have no need for anybody I met in the game outside the obvious to be a companion (certainly not Halsin, this enormous barrel-chested master of self-rightousness), a/some non-tadpole companion/s would be a great addition because it would open some nice possibilities for roleplay, considering the probably different interests and priorities and moral inclinements. I want to have a hot male loinclothed woodelf or halfelf Barbarian and an even hotter female human Cleric (of Selune? or better a Monk, for diversity) who could rival Shadowheart and irritates/bores the party with moral-rich sermons.

I am sure it's coming. It is a core element of D&D - companions, and adventures.

The "she-devil" by the river, hunted by 3 paladins actually hinted at joining later.

Rest assured it's coming...

The "she-devil" ... is named Karlach ...
And she is one of long datamined Origin Characters. :-/

She also have tadpole, so ...

Mercenaries are usually characters fully created by the player. Name, sex, class and so on... you create them in the character creator, exactly as your main character.
They don't have anything to say and don't have any story. They're just bland character you can "recruit" to create a fully or partially custom team.

I can't be sure but I guess mercenaries in BG3 will be the same characters we had when we were able to create our full team through multiplayer.
Tadpoled + "a few things to say".

I'm curious what will happen if she is dead. As in my game, hehe. Nothing? Some repercussions in Baldur's Gate?

I gues the same that will happen when you kill Astarion, Shadowheart, Gale, or Lae'zel (who can be storywise killed in multiple ways by the way) ... i dont think i have seen any story way to kill Wyll, only when you attack Grove and he is not recruited, then he is one of defenders ... but level 1 so, no bigy.

I presume there will be some minor change in the future, just as if you kill Zevlor ...
Next in comand will simply asume his position, and the story continues.

My personal gues tho, is that we would need at least single Origin companion alive at end of Act I.
Bcs i strongly believe that their personal story will be our starting point for Act II.
But thats just me guessing.

This sounds to me like custom characters ... wich was also confrimmed, but as far as i remember (and it is possible that im misstaken, its has ben some time) they were mentioned separately.

This on the other hand would be exactly what i would expect ...
I didnt play DoS, but i heared there was Mercenaries aswell ... so if anyone could tell us how they were done there, that would be probably most acurate description.

The only game i have ever used any "mercenaries" if that is even possible to use for them, would be Diablo II. but nobody was extra talkative there.

But yeah, that is what i would expect ...
Basicaly void character that is only fulfilling role of desired class in matter of combat.

Still i believe even that would be (a little) better usage for Nettie than just left here in the Grove without any futher usage.
As i said its my personal "at least" or "the bare minimum" ... surely the more she would ne integrated to the story (at least story of first Act), and therefore the closer she would get to proper companion ... the better.

I admit it, it simply pisses me off that she is talking about how existencialy imporant is for the whole Grove to find Halsin ... and then she gives you vial of superstrong poison to kill yourself, wish you good luck, and go take care about some stupid bird.
I simply NEED to take her with me in search for Halsin, even if she would be just silent follower without any personality.

A small remark.

Minsc is one of long datamined origin char too, will he also have tadpole? Especially considering the small amount of good food(in his skull)

he definitely has. the comic called Mindbreaker is a prequel to the game. The Absolute cult and mind flayer had made appearances.

LARIAN you gotta make Minthara a companion. I beg of you! I have dark elf fever. And the only cure.... is MINTHARA. I need more characters for my villain play Thru.