To add to what MelivySilverRoot already provided about getting a fixed party after act I, Minsc is a romance option according to the datamined stuff. There's even voice recorded lines for the post-grove battle party where other party members refer to it-this is in the Chubblott videos.
Thank you for the sources.
like to think this was early in development and even them don't really knew what the plan is.
Well, in DOS2, everyone you didn't choose just got killed off in a cutscene when the BBEG blasted them with a spell. I know folks have speculated that it might be ceremorphosis taking them over suddenly like we see with the woman on the nautaloid, and/or some sort of scenario where they get mind controlled and you have to fight them. Whatever the situation, a hard cutoff capping Act I does not sound so great for anyone you didn't pick considering the circumstances.
I'd like to think they are reconsidering this too, considering how controversial it has been. But we have zero indication so far in regards that this position having changed, so it's still something hanging above the heads of the party members unless Larian Reverse-course and IMO something worthy of concern.
