Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - General What's your guess on the companions' special skills?

It was mentioned in another thread. But I think it can make a thread of its own, so I hope Qoray wouldn't mind my stealing his question.

Anyway, we have Astarion's vampire's bite, and apparently Karlach is going to have something burning. If our companions, like in BG1 & 2, do have their own unique skills, what do you think it would be, and do we even have sufficient clues for every or at least some of our companions?

Personally, I don't really have a guess, but I'd love to hear your opinions.

I wouldn't assume that every companion will have an unique ability. Astarion and Karlach have them because of unique backgrounds. But not every companion necessarily has to have some unique ability.

Wyll haz rapier.

If Halsin indeed turns out to be a werebear, he might also get a special attack.

Why werebear? He is a druid, he is supposed to be able to do that anyway.

That's not a unique ability. Rapiers are a type of weapon that some races and classes have proficiency in from the start of the game. Drows, Bards, and Rogues all get rapier proficiency from the start of the game.

Indeed, I think you are right on this. And it also makes sense because Larian said they were trying not to make people playing customised characters feel out of place, as some people did in DOS2(I don't really have a source for their note, it's just a vague memory, so correct me if I'm wrong).
In this sense, it is reasonable to avoid going to hard on making each companion "mechanically special", if I'm expressing the idea right.

I don't mind at all, in fact, I think it is really nice you asked
That would not even have been necessary


Gale has the netherese destruction orb in his chest, so maybe he gets some ability that uses that, similarily to Karlachs infernal rage, because of her heart.

And for shadowheart, there was a recent thread that showed a buff called "Demonspirit Aura", that we can't really explain yet and might have something to do with Shar
https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=858094#Post858094

So the only ones really missing are Laezel and Wyll. I think it is highly likely that each companion will at least get a minor special feature to make them more interesting

In the Panel From Hell, during the sex scene. Halsin turns into a bear while being "excited". He mentions the beast taking control. That usually happens if you have the "Were" trait.

I know where this is coming from, it just does not make sense to give Halsin that background when he is already supposed to be able to turn into a bear because of his class. Especially as werebears in D&D are also good and thus there wouldn't even be a conflict with his normal personality.

This would only make sense when they scraoped and copy pasted Helia because of Halsin thirst, which imo would be bad from Larian.

Unless he became a werebear before becoming a druid and not having to learn wild shape. Maybe being a druid is to help him control himself better but he can still lose control when overly excited.

It still would be redundant and add nothing to this character.

In BG2 there is a druid subclass that is based on being a werewolf, replacing general shapeshifting. The companion Cernd has this subclass: Cernd

Not really redundant, it would actually makes sense if you consider how he looks and based on his recent dialogue.

1. Shadowheart. Some sort of mysterious magic we don't know about yet.
2. Astarion. A vampire spawn with at least one special ability (bite).
3. Gale. A magic orb in his chest that he may learn how to control.
4. Karlach. An infernal heart that makes her burn.
5. Wyll. A magic eye called a sending stone that may be able to do interesting things.
6. The Dark Urge. I think it goes without saying that the Dark Urge experience is going to have something... extra.

I haz turn into slayer now?

It would also make sense as to why he didn't just turn into a tiny spider and crawl his way out of the prison.