I only want good-oriented and honorable companions, and I need at least five of them because I will only be playing the game with a mod that increases party size to six. Someone already mentioned Eder. Yes I love Eder. In both PoE games Eder is my always-in-the-party companion. In PoE1 I also similarly loved Sagani and she was always in my party too.
I don't care at all about my companions being "nuanced" or "flawed" because that's what's "realistic." If I wanted any of that, I can get that from real life. I play my cRPGs to get away from real life.
I loved Eder as a companion in PoE 1&2. Without any doubt, he was my favorite companion. I enjoyed the character development, the conversations we had, and the interactions he had with other party members. It didn't feel unnatural or forced. It felt real.
Eder was also my auto include. Every time. And the only one.
This is what also Larian should understand. Maybe they do, but so far creating an immersive setting hasn't been their strong suit. I can't imagine Eder eating pigs heads while shoving hook horrors 15 meters off a ledge either.
Relatable characters give credibility to everything. They get more emotional response.
You need someone grounded so that the more fantastical characters are also believable.
I would prefer many more grounded companions to be able to have some control over the balance while also having classes and personalities I actually like. I would prefer the fantastical to be the minority in my party.
