I don't buy the "you have to be special" bit when I really think about it. for the majority of Baldur's Gate (I'm not entirely sure until when, but I know for sure it is only after you reach Baldur's Gate) the MC is a blank slate with nothing to draw people to him and nothing special about him whatsoever, and yet people are drawn to him. In Baldur's Gate, it's done better (since each companion joins for a different reason, some are really cool like Shar-Teal) but what reason is there for them to stay? most of them leave only if you did something that they really really don't like, but it's not so easy to make them leave in my opinion.
