Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Story & Character Discussion Helia the halfling werewolf bard

I decided to make this thread, since it seems that a few people are sad, that Helia was scratched.
I really loved the character concept and from the lines, Chubblot (I think, it was him - or HarbsNarbs) has datamined, she had some interesting dialogue.
I hope, that if we get an ultimate edition or an addon/DLC (since it seems, that Larian isn't really against it anymore), that Helia will be restored.
Not only do we need a bard, but also one of the smaller races as a companion imo.

+1

I imagine her personal story arc will be if she can cure her lycanthropy or she finds a way to master it. Definitely interesting dialogue options with Shadowheart, Astarion who might try to bite her or Druids who can offer dome guidance/advice. Maybe have her storyline connect with that group of Werewolves who tried a coup a few years ago in Baldur's Gate.

It would be so interesting to see. I guess, she was scratched for either Halsin/Minthara or Durge. While I do think, Durge is a good addition, especially as a bridge between the old and new games, I don't think, they should have scratched Helia for that, they both have their merrits. I'm not going over my opinions about Halsin and Minthara again in detail - they were last minute additions and at least for Halsin I can say, it shows.
Still I think all of them could have had a place in the rooster, if the path for Helia was already there.

It didn't grab me when I just heard halfling werewolf, but red riding hood bard is a different story. I think I could get into that.

Not having a shorty companion character feels off for a D&D game. There are many places in the game where I think hmmmm should probably have a dwarf or a halfling in the crew, but you look around, and nobody. Not even among the camp companions. Just feels very odd.

Even if I wanted more from the Halfling implementation specifically (smaller models, distinguishable from the gnomes by something other than ear shape etc) they still did a ton of work. But then without a companion I probably don't experience it. We never really heard about how many players made runs as Dwarves or Gnomes or Halflings, but I think it would be skewed anyway, just from the lack of voice sets and models and not having any companion to play off or introduce those races. Anyhow, yeah, seems like an easy one.

On the PC interface when you go to select an origin the visual balance of the screen is currently pretty off. Like it looks as if there is a missing character which should be there among the origins but who isn't. Leaving that space empty makes me think they might yet pull something off. If they did an update that had some more phenotype options for bodies, a voice set for dwarves, and few options for the halflings that would be cause for rejoicing, and then an extra companion would sorta spotlight all that.

For the other companions, I think framing it as a choice there is never good. I'm happy with all the companions they added because I think what the game is missing is companions for party comps and rp flavor. The more there are the better it works, at least to a certain point. Durge not being a companion doesn't exactly build out that aspect, so a cool option might be to just loop him in somewhere too. One of those empty pods. To complete the concept and really fill it out, there could potentially be a Jaheira or Minsc origin as well, and that could also be mechanically fun as a way to skip ahead to either act 2 or act 3 with those characters. We get a little preamble for them, and then start halfway into the action at whatever their earliest recruitment point would have been. Or backload them to level 1 if we want I suppose. Doesn't really matter there, I'm mostly just thinking of it in terms of having those portraits up in that launch display hehe. I might actually have an easier time exploring the Origin system with a returning fav like Jaheira or Minsc if that was an option, like a Tav but with those voice sets and dialog options. Dungeon act skipper built in would be convenient as a bonus option. But yeah, least having 1 Halfling would be something.

I'm a proud halfling and gnome player, my first playthrough is a halfling bard in honor of Helia. That was set for me and I love my little girl.
The camera ankles are implemented well and I had only one or two shots, where it wasn't fitting so far ( I 'm in act 3).
One of the playthroughs I have lined up will be a gnome artificer, a character of mine from one of my DnD campaigns. There is a really nice artificer mod out, that I will install for that.

About voices: we don't really need another voice sets for the small races, the ones, that are there are fine. I hate the squeaky voice trope tbh. Maybe a more gruffy one for a dwarf, it seems a lot of people are asking for that.

I'm sad that the small character was scratched for the potential conventionally 'hotter' characters as companions. I mean, have them there, but have the small ones there too.

I agree, it is strange to play a D&D game without a companion from the small races. Tolkien made them the main characters of his works with good reason back in the day.

Helia could have been a great addition, just think of the interactions between her and Astarion. I don't remember, if there is a vampire- werewolf rivalry in DnD like in WoD, but they probably would have bond over being different and not always in control of their actions.

She could have worked well in that group dynamic. I heard, she was supposed to be on the more good spectrum, but I think she could have been more pragmatic about it, like Gale.

I really hope, she will be included in a future update, because it does look, that people dig the concept. There was quite a bit of discussion about it over on Reddit and people liked the idea.

Offtopic:


Do you have a Link to the Artificier mod pls. I had recently tested a mod with a Goblin. But there were some dropouts and not only graphically. But I fear other small species are affected as well?


The Goblin was not lying in it.


There is a large gap between the taut arm and the Short Bow.

Only half or less of the hair options were available during character creation. Armors don't change appearance (I could deal with that). But Lae'zel had zero movement rate and weapon skills were no longer available.

Back to topic:

Yes maybe Larian still needs time for Helia.

I'm currently at work, but I can look it up in the evening, when I'm back home.
It is on Nexus and called Artificer class.

I so far had nearly no problems with the smaller races, there is even a special view, when you look up at people, that are currently talking. It is imo very well done.

I'm not sure about your spoiler tag, I think, that is tied to SH backstory, but she might have had some special interaction with Helia about it. And I really want to see it.

It's such a gap there is no small ancestry companion!
and just, A WEREWOLF COMPANION
we have a vampire companion so union rules are pretty clear about the need for a werewolf.

Halfling bard though? Idk it sort of feels the obvious choice? Bards/rogues, happy little halflings who do happy things? Maybe it'd work and I think werewolf goes a good distance but I worry the combo would mean, companion who is personality-wise dog?
But, hey lets have her I'm sure Larian have a good idea for the character and we need a small NPC and a werewolf, werewolf!

Helia was a werewolf? Interesting, if 5e is like 4e there would be some problems with Selune followers. I'd have to do some digging but in 4e I had a paragon path (pretty much equal to a prestige class for level 11) called Silverstar. They gain bonus vs werewolves and creatures with lycanthrope.

I'm pretty sure, there would have been a twist. If I learned one thing, than none of the Larian companions are happy go lucky. I mean, the most cheerful one is Karlach and she has one of the most tragic stories in a group full of tragic stories. So I'm sure, she wouldn't have been the cheery halfling bard ( and btw, that is the job of my cheery halfling bard )

She's a werewolf, sure, but she's actually a wolf that was cursed with halflingism by a hag, as a joke.

Lotus Noctus: artificer

Hope, the link is working.
Btw, my halfling was lying normally in the pod and I tried it with a gnome too, she was lying normally in there too. I think your bug is because goblins were never supposed to be player characters and have missing animations.

Yes I had already found it and tested it. The classes themselves are fun, but there were another bugs again. I think mods are not for me or need quite a while until they run smoothly... Thanks anyway.

Maybe she was removed when they realized this is BG3 and not The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Who would want to camp with that crew? And with The Mummy hanging around to rez you.

Sooo, we can have the vampire spawn, the tiefling with the hell machine, the guy with the magic bomb in the chest and the warlock turned demon, but we draw the line with a werewolf? Not very likely. It seems more likely she was scratched for Halsin and Minthara and that makes me sad. By all means have those two in, but have Helia there too. We have enough elves and humans and 'normal' sized companions, we could do with a bit more variety in that department, not to mention one of the iconic fantasy races.

To be fair, there is no shortage of gnomes, dwarfs and little people in general throughout the game though. We don't have any half orc companion, or dragonborne either, but we can create and play one. Even not recruitable you have interaction with characters such as Mol and Hope that represent the short people well I suppose?

We as players crave more content. More content is always nice, but sometimes things get scratched in the creative process in favor of other things.

Mol is a tiefling child - not the same. And inetracting with dwarves, halflings and gnomes isn't the same as having a party member of those races. We have elves, humans and in-betweens in abundance and di get yet another elf and a drow.
Plus Helia sounds like a great concept. As fa as I know, neither Halsin nor Minthara have much storyline in act 3 (I mean, Halsin certainly does not and Minthara I don't recruit, because I prefer the tieflings alive), so why not a halfling werewolf bard trying to come to terms with her condition - alongside, not instead.

I'd much prefer an evil goblin companion to be honest.
Heck recycle the Helia idea and make them a werewolf goblin friend. It would be sick, and one more reason to play evil than just Minthara. As for the class, maybe a ranger? We already have 2 druids with halsin and jaheira, so why not making it 2 rangers with goblin werewolf lad and minsc?

I dunno man, I really think we need another evil party member over anybody else.

Gamers have this mentality of "yes please, both"... but reality of things is we can't always have the cake, the cheery on top and so on. So we didn't get this Halfing bard, what did we get in stead?

If you have Halsin in your party, he seems to inject himself into a lot of things though. Particular lewd ones....