Hope you mean knocking them out and using them in later conversation with Minthara about "what shall we do with prisoners" ...
Bcs that sounds like the only acceptable option IMHO.
We've listed the options above already.
Its an ENEMY MILLITARY CAMP ... you are not suppose to be welcomed here, you are barely tolerated, and you even should be happy about how tolerant they actualy are.
They cant welcome you with smiles, maybe except that vendor, but he welcome your coins, not you personaly.
And there is simple reason for that: If you can be any minute ordered to kill someone, you really dont want to friend him.
And if you give attention there, surely you noticed that Goblins were allready raiding whole zone around ... and their leaders plan to raid everything else soon, and whole army knows that.
They can be still acting decent enough towards potential allies, even if short-term ones. If you look at their leaders, they let you to talk to themselves (and they are mentioned to be smart), yet average goblin is somehow instantly very hostile? You could reason this as them simply being stupid, but their leaders would surerly discourage such behavior, as obtaining potential allies/recruits/followers is something that helps to win. Deciding to join the goblins during the first attack on grove could be the reason for them to treat us better, or simply having an interaction during the first dialog, when we enter the camp; that we simply show them who they should respect via strength (kinda like the Novice Crusher Goblin).
The reason why Minthara is initially polite towards us, is because she sees us as useful. It becomes genuine politenss later and only if we side with the Absolute and we treat her well.
I dunno what are you talking about, i knew what is going on. :-/
It didn't seem at first that they are completely unaware of having the tadpole, or that there is anyone within them, who could be an actual ally for the player.
Its as friendly as it can get ... if anything they should be a little more suspicious.
Since once you pass the first gate, even if you passed it by killing everyone ... rest of the camp is treating you as friend, really odd. :-/
They should definitely get more "friendly" if you manage to show them, that you are stronger than they are, or just because you took their side during the conflict somehow (Sazza/first encounter)
As for being suspicious, not so sure, the average goblin is not that smart. Leaders think that you are a true soul, so again no reason for them to distrust you.
The interactions mentioned by you, are probably unfinished version of how it will be in final version. It's not logical for them to not ask for your identity multiple times (although only first time there should be a DC or we could recieve something that we show to others, that we can pass, like a ring with a signet/amulet/whatever) or to suddenly make everyone friends, because the guards at the front of the camp are dead.
That is completely different situation.
I think, that we should be able to read a little more via Wisdom/Intuition checks, about their intentions. It doesn't have to be obvious, just being easier for an average player to understand.
People start the quest on both sides, just to think that "the evil side sucks for now, so I will side with the druid grove" because at the beginning indeed the evil path isn't very interesting, although luckily it does change later.
After all, a little investigation has to be performed by us to find out where is Halsin and what happened to him, not to mention having more than 1 way of solving the problem of the invasion that is coming soon. Meanwhile when we side with Goblins, we can end the entire "quest", within... 1 min? And then just the siege part remains. It's too simple.
Then im affraid you dont ...
- you can talk your way in (probably hardest one, especialy if you dont have Cha-based protagonist)
- you can tadpole your way in (automatic sucess)
- you can sneak around
- you can fight trough
- and as you mentioned, you can be lead inside with Sazza, or being allowed automaticly to enter if you are Drow.
None of those options are easy or without some kind of disadvantges, except being a drow or helping Sazza.
- Multiple dice rolls for talking your way in, aren't easy and are much more likely to fail than succeed.
- Tadpoling you way will have severe story consequences later, it's already hinted. Nothing is for free.
- Sneaking is going to be mega time-consuming, will have to be well planned and also potentially involves skill checks. It's not easy either.
- FIghting your way in resulted in the camp being hostile for me, although you have mentioned that it didn't happen to you. Might be bugged, even if you have to only defeat the front-side guards, it's still harder than just selecting few options to talk or beating beginner area enemies.
I dont see either why or how is that suppose to be a problem ...
You talk, you may get info ... you dont, you dont. Simple consequences. O_o
Because initial interactions, or just going straight for the "good" side, results in her being shown as generic villain. You learn nothing about her past,feelings, reasoning, logic, etc. Game basically tells you to kill the Goblin leaders, encouraging to not even bother to talk, even for strategic/tactical reasons.
We could for example pretend that we side with her, by doing some side quest, just to make the drow leader start to trust us, so that we can convince her to attack from the secret tunnel, straight into our trap.
The whole knockdown/capture mechanic would also fix this problem, if we join the good side. We could still learn more about the Cleric of Absolute, while playing on let's say our first playthrough on good side. If game would show it more, that she isn't shallow, people would see possibly more of a reason to stick with side other than tieflings/druids. Sadly, for now, only players who decided to play the "evil route" actually know that the drow leader isn't boring or cartoonishly evil.
Potentially interrogating the rest of the Goblin Leaders could tell us more as well, but Dror or Priestess Gut have little reason to appear in later acts as someone important. This isn't the case for Halsin or Minthara, who should have the most interactions, if we manage to capture them. We've listed the exact actions and choices above already.
Additionally Halsin, is since the beginning is shown to be someone interesting. Lots of characters tell us about him, his powers, abilities, skills etc. Even his initial dialogue reveals more about him, presenting him as someone worth of respect.
Edit: One good way to justify our player character gaining the respect of Goblins (enough respect to enter the camp and be treated a little better) could be, due to us obtaining the Symbol of Absolute, which the members of cult would carry with themselves. It could be looted in dead bodies of cultists, given during the first interaction between goblins and tieflings, obtained via persuasion at the gate, when talking with guards or we could simply force one of guards at the front gate to give it to us, via Intimidation check.
