I definitely consider them a reward, along with the companion interactions before and afterwards. This is the stuff I play RPGs for. This is what gets me invested. If one set of perfectly reasonable roleplaying decisions results in character development and world building and drama and suchlike while the other results in [crickets], I'm going to be very disappointed.
We don't know what the consequences down the line will be, yet. That is my point. If there are indeed none, then yes, I'd agree it is bad design. But if every character gets the dreams, that would make some storytelling content static. I'd rather have more dynamic content. E. g. a different outcome with the real Daisy if my character never interacted with dream Daisy.
I'm glad people are discussing this. It isn't so much about EA/ Act 1 as it is about the overall game. I say, "Larian. If you indeed have plans for Acts 2 and 3 where by not using the tadpole you are greatly rewarded, then yes! That is what we want. However, if you are not going to greatly reward us for not using the tadpoles, then you need to reward us more. You don't have to change Act 1 as long as you are going to do something later on."
I personally LOVE the idea of meeting the real dream person if you do not use the tadpole powers. I was actually hoping for that by the end of Act 1 when I was first playing through it. I was quite disappointed when I didn't. Even if the character is not necessarily who I think they are, I wanted to meet them. But then, again, that could be what they are planning for Acts 2 and 3.
SPOILER!!!
I was hoping the person who was living in the tower in the Underdark WAS the dream person. I got to the end of the tower and thought, "Ah man! I was hoping after all this that I'd at least meet the person or see their portrait on a wall or something." But no. No dream person unless I give in to the tadpole.
I was also wondering if the Absolute might actually BE your dream person, but they call the Absolute a SHE regardless of whether you choose a woman or man as your dream person. So that doesn't seem to fit. Either way, I thought it would be very appropriate for the Absolute to be your dream person since wouldn't it technically be the Absolute who is messing with you in your dreams? Larian could still pull this, though, explaining that the Absolute is neither male nor female and thus taking whatever form he/she wants. Thus, to many, the Absolute is a female, so they call her a SHE.
