Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback The reason people love Halsin so much (deservedly)

Are there locations a few km away in the game? As far as I can tell, the entire game takes place within one square km.

I think we're supposed to pretend that the Act 1 map is in reality much larger. Otherwise, it's ludicrous that the goblins couldn't find the Druid Grove which is literally a 1-minute walk away from the Blighted Village.

Instead of having separately zoned areas (such as in BG1&2, Pathfinder Kingmaker) where you fast-travel between them, Larian games combine multiple separate areas into a single map for convenience I guess? Less loading times?

Its not because he is a barrel-chested beefcake - although that doesn't hurt. Its because Halsin is literally the first person you meet who is actually concerned for your well-being AND what we call a well-adjusted person.
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Then you meet Halsin, the first person in the ENTIRE game who is focused on the bigger picture, gives you good advice, shows actual concern for your well-being...and yes he is a giant hunk of man. But its so NICE just to have an honest, respectful conversation with a normal person...who can turn into a bear sometimes. I found myself thinking, I would gladly trade every single one of these idiots to just go off adventuring with Halsin. Like, if someone offered me half of an opened mustard packet for the lot of them I would take the deal.

(1) He is the classical hero/monomyth. Normal guy, desires to defend his home/grove. This is the familar starting point of stories which makes it easy to relate to him.
(2) He is a manly man. No amount of education will ever change the sexual preferences of women (& men) And that's a good thing.

The classical storyline/monomyth is a normal person starting at his home. He does not want to go on an adventure, it's his home or family that is being threatened. And throughout the story, this normal person has to rise to the challenge & become a hero.

Did you read the book Rath wrote with the extra Balsin character?

I believe people love Halsin so much simply bcs Chubblot did so good job with his promotional materials. :P

Halsin doesn't work here as he is anything but normal. He is a high level Druid who has seen his fair share of conflict and is not shy about taking things on directly.

Yes, he is only "normal" in comparison to the other companions. He is no vampire, Githyanki and has no demonic pacts. He is just a "normal" elven(?) archdruid

Did I say that I would like to see a peasant girl or common hunter for a change?

Sorry I was conflating Normal with ordinary - which of course he isn't ordinary.

No problem, your point is entirely valid. He isn't really normal or ordinary, even the most 'normal' guy we come across is still quite extraordinary

Just imagine you come across a peasant girl in one of the destroyed villages. She is scared to the core & pleads you not to leave her alone. So, you take her along to deliver her to some relatives in Baldur's Gate. In the beginning, she is maybe just a decent cleric or rogue, far too naive to be in an adventuring party and constantly botching things she has to do. But she grows stronger and more competent, getting some nice healing talents or becoming a crafty cutpurse, similar to Imoen. & when you finally arrive at Baldur's Gate, you have to decide whether you leave her with her relatives or continue traveling together.

There, that's a story. It might not be earth shaking, but it doesn't have to be. Stories can be normal. There don't need to be extraordinary.

No problem, your point is entirely valid. He isn't really normal or ordinary, even the most 'normal' guy we come across is still quite extraordinary

How about that deep gnome?
Or whole group of adventurers leaded by Aradin? (Including that poor guy who was tortured)
Or Marina's brothers?
Or those fishers.

I mean, there are many ordinary people, they just dont seem to desire foolowing us to almost certain death.

Zevlor says when you first meet him that monsters have been appearing around the grove and the druids blame the tieflings for it. So the grove was in danger. Halsin even knew that because he'd already had to kill one tadpoled drow. Halsin didn't consider the refugees a problem, but he took them in and then left the grove, meaning they had no advocates outside of Rath and Nettie, who couldn't sway the rest of the druids who seemed to hate the tieflings. When Aradin said "we're looking for the Nightsong" Halsin said "cool lemme abandon my grove and come with you" and lo and behold the random adventurers Halsin decided to team up with left him for dead at the first sign of trouble.

Nah Halsin is buff but his story is just as dumb.

It makes me think of Dungeon Crawl Classic, an old skool rpg where you start with 3 level 0 characters that are basically just peasants with a dumb peasant job and at the end of the first adventure you level the survivor.

How about that deep gnome?
Or whole group of adventurers leaded by Aradin? (Including that poor guy who was tortured)
Or Marina's brothers?
Or those fishers.

I mean, there are many ordinary people, they just dont seem to desire foolowing us to almost certain death.