Wow, such a great discussion!
And Shadowheart has the top, for good reasons that all have been covered. ! can kinda see where the end goal is for each of the NPCs and all I can say is look out! When the other shoe drops about her past and how your character's influence over her completing her mission for Shar that she was programmed for, buckle up! It's gonna get really good.
Wyll is the classic redemption story that your PC gets to help on the backside thereof. You do realize that when we catch up to his patron, more than likely at the Towers, she will be the boss fight of Act 1. And how he is such a "playa" when you have Shadowheart and Lae'zel in the party at the same time, loads of fun.
Lae'zel Is, currently, the only beat stick we have, but I do agree, her story is pretty amazing! Looking forward to fighting a Dragon Rider in Act 2. And her banter with Shadowheart is enjoyable.
Gale was an auto include most of the time, especially when deliberately playing an evil party, you need his ability to learn clerical spells. Now a days, I don't even activate his intro and leave that way point undiscovered. The fact that he doesn't even have a tadpole, but seems to know everything about them, how he already understands how a devil thinks, his willingness to read the Thayan tomb, I'm pretty sure I know who he really is. We'll see if I'm right when the curtain lifts in Act 3.
Astarion is an absolute waste. I whiny wantabe vampire, seriously getting some bad flashbacks to Twilight. The only rare occasion I take him is when I don't take Shadowheart, who has the Urchin background and I don't create a rogue/take a background with sleight of hand. Personally, I betray him to the Hunter to help get on Lae'zel's good side. Oh, and we get to fight a vampire lord in BG when we get there with him in the party. No thanks.
