A. Looking at what you've seen druids do. A fairly common druid shape shifted into a bear, if you killed Kadga you'd see her as well shape shift, fought Nettie shapeshift. All these forms are from druids that can't help you, because their not strong enough. .....
Not going to quote all the text, but lol, here we go:
a. Well, again, healing and fighting are diff things, but surely you don't expect Halsin to single-handedly kill every goblin in the temple? If we are judging Minthara&co. by the same criterion, how come they're so weak that they can't succesfully attack the grove. EVEN with superior numbers. The way the battle plays out if you side with them is that YOU, the player char, get rid of everyone in the grove. Minthara and her gang contribute almost nothing ...which may be a gameplay thing more than anything else, (or maybe i was that lucky) but still... Not exactly an inspiring display of power, is it?
And Alright.. lets roll with the 'Halsin is a weakling'. Would it not be more lucrative to keep him around as opposed to keeping Minthara and co. around? You know, to ensure that your opponent/rival (in your example Halsin) is easier to eliminate if the need ever arises? Why keep the 3 goblin leader around if they are overall a bigger threat to you?
Would it not be easier to use Halsin, 'cash in' the favour?.. have him serve u?.. since you saved him and all?
b. They have to prove they're useful. OK, but why would you waste time and effort, if you DON'T KNOW if they're going to be useful at all? At that point you're operating under the assumprion that surely if i help them they help me. But why would they help you in return? Why would they not, being the evil guys, use you and then throw you away?
Again, since Halsin is a 'good guy' you can trust that he at least, is going to hold his end of the deal. Which means you have higher chances of getting what YOU want.
c. If you don't want Halsin's help or don't want to help him - fine. You know what you can do? Kill Minthara and talk to her corpse. She'll tell you where to go next. She'll point you to moonrise tower or whatever the name.
d. Evil has to be appealing, otherwise nobody would choose the evil path. If i have to do the same amount of work, or arguably MORE work, to be evil, then why would i? Why would anybody?
Unless as stated above they're 'delusional or suicide cultists'
thanks I was thinking the same thing lol
A. No but he should been able to get away, by some reasoning. After all the 3 at the gate did, and they're not especially powerful seeming. So someone more powerful in theory be able to do so. For instance bears run faster then humans so goblin bowling. Evil leaders don't show up for all the fights, one they are softening up the grove, 2 the goblins were a hunting party and came across the Adventurers and Halsin so again leaders wouldn't be with them. As to assualt on the grove as my character isn't there (character I'm using for this view) she wouldn't know. Though if this happened they would again have proven useless leading her to react to their uselessness in whatever way she deems necassary. Being drow it will probably be very creative, and very painful. Yet one objective was served a longer objective. Keeping a region destabilized for easier Drow raids, or for you to take over. 2. deny enemy fortifications, and increase in power. 3. the joy of hearing innocents scream. 4. Knowledge that I need to seek elsewhere to remove/learn about this tadpole. As you see like in real life she changes her views, and plans as more information is provided. Which is what your character would do. Though many of the others have dropped out of the discussion, still it's showing alternate ways that could be written in, and improved.
1. The problem with Halsin isn't just him, it's the stability of the region he would give. The fortified druid grove, the access to trader, and other things that he would be virtue of being alive give to the forces of good. With Min and Co. alive good would have to fight for that stability, which would take time, and fight for that foothold. Drawing forces from other places, drawing resources from strong holds, which makes them easier to get at since the resources are no longer behind walls, and as heavily guarded.
2. Since Min and & Co are evil they are more inclined to share similair beliefs for example raiding farms, or monastaries, or druid groves. Hunting down heros, making life miserable for people in general. Which can aid you if you plan on operating in this area. Which draws more attention large forces of goblins rampaging around the country side, or you going about your business? If they showed they are weak then keeping them around and subjegating them later on is a valid option. If they showed how weak they were by letting you do all the heavy lifting. All the better you now have proof that they are not currently a threat. Make an example out of one if need be, keep the others cowed, and destabilizing the area. Again if it's where your basing your operations. If not simply leave, they'll still be distractions, still drawing attention away from you. Which is always a good thing.
B. All ths can be said about Halsin as well, it's the crux of it all. The uggg are they useful, or are they not. You don't know if they are going to be, and not even sure if Halsin will be. yet in the long run as per 2 Min and goblin forces are useful simply by existing then Halsin is. The next part is another one of those uggg are they going to play me, or not. Yet there is the tadpole, which like with your companions forms a bond perhaps. A way to get your foot in the door, futher things you can run into will affect the view, or plan. For instance most of my views are just in Druids Grove since I'm only using one character to keep the view focused. Or I would be typing pages. The fact you do know Halsin is a good guy is a strong point in favor of going with him. Yet it weakens if your going to use this area for BoO do to previously mentioned statements. Again something to take into consideration, is how long one is planning on staying there.
C. It's always an option though think you killing them will adversely affect the difficulty of rolls that would be forthcoming. Could just leave them all to their own devices.or again side with halsin. Depending again on your character. One of mine who's evil may end up siding with Halsin not for (rewards, etc) just because he's not wholly evil, more neutral and just wants the damn bug out of his head. Also he dislikes goblins and they are kos for him, generally he just dislikes everyone. Even the fools he's traveling with, but they may know something he doesn't. there are other reasons but not going into detail.
D. Or they are planning for the long road. Maybe a return to this part of the area, and they want it to be destabilized. maybe they are working to simply create chaos and goblins do that very well. This part is moving onto the whole discussion of lawful, neutral, or chaotic evil. Which is a more narrowed view.
True it has to be tempting to play evil, but the same goes for good. If everyone is simply choosing the good path then there won't be feed back for all aspects of the evil path. If everyone is focused simply on rewards, and ease of path. Then the longer ones won't get feedback. Evil is often times not rewarded by other evil people. It is in games a reward to break out of the normal path, to go 'crazy' and do things differently. To try and be that slimey, sleezeball noone wants, and stick it to the face of good. or to be that murder hobo, or delussional physchopath, or whatever. That in and of itself can be rewarding. Not having to worry about the moral issues, simply (though I admit sadly) being evil for the sake of evil. With just your and mine conversation it's givin a brief peak in somethings that can be added to the game. Then further discussed, on how to go about it. Rewards and immedaite gratifications are self evident in my opinion. Larian should already know this, yet what are different ways of going about it in adding more things. maybe a created stronghold for the pc, or letting them take over for Min, or letting them use the grove as a BoA and tying the grove into the camp function, or the goblin base into the camp function, etc. having a hero show up, and running into the players etc. Something besides immediate reward on quest completion. Which is why I tend to play the devils advocate.
