Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - General Which party members will you bring along on your first playthrough? (Includes datamined companions)

I don't think anyone has actually tried to gather data on this on a community level before. Again, this poll includes datamined companions, turn back if you are averse to spoilers! (Though I get the impression you'll meet everyone within the first hour of the game after full launch anyway, simply because of the origin concept alone.)

Up to 4 options are allowed in this poll for the people who intend to use the Origin system. For everyone rolling custom MCs, I think you can still only vote 3, or use the fourth slot as a flex vote if you're undecided on who your final main party member will be.

Notes on the datamined companions:

- Karlach is now assumed to be a Barbarian, not a Paladin as previously predicted.
- Minsc is a Human Ranger who has a strange hamster accompanying him named Boo, for those unfamiliar with his role in past BG games.
- Helia is a Werewolf Halfling Bard. She was datamined earlier on in the EA, but there are now signs indicating that she has been scrapped. I am including her in this poll in case she is still set to be a companion in the final game.

I also have two secondary polls in regards to classes for people intending to play with custom MCs and a choice of Origin character for those using that system, which would be interesting to compare with the companion poll.

(I hope I haven't forgotten anything this time.)

Which party members will become the core of your party for your first playthrough? multiple choice, up to 4 choices
	Astarion - Vampire Elf Rogue
	Gale - Human Wizard
	Helia - Werewolf Halfling Bard
	Karlach - Tiefling Barbarian
	Lae'zel - Githyanki Fighter
	Minsc - Human Ranger
	Shadowheart - Half-Elf Cleric of Shar
	Wyll - Human Warlock
Votes accepted starting: 19/11/22 10:42 PM
View Results

If you are playing with a custom MC, which class will they be? single choice
	Bard
	Cleric
	Druid
	Fighter
	Monk
	Paladin
	Ranger
	Rogue
	Sorcerer
	Warlock
	Wizard
Votes accepted starting: 19/11/22 10:43 PM
View Results

If you are planning to use the Origin system, which character will you choose to play as? single choice
	Astarion
	Gale
	Helia
	Karlach
	Lae'zel
	Minsc
	Shadowheart
	Wyll
Votes accepted starting: 19/11/22 10:44 PM
View Results

(Copied this from the previous thread, in case the other thread is deleted)


It's the same with me, so I chose from the companions I already know (as companions; unfortunately, the first encounter with Karlach was quite short. But I like her and could very well imagine her in my party).

I think in my first playthrough, I will play a High Elf bard (or a sorcerer), and I would take Shadowheart, Astarion and Wyll along. But I had a really hard time to commit to an answer. If I could, I would choose all of them

I don't see Alfira as an option, so I'm not voting for the first poll.

IIRC Alfira and Halsin were never confirmed or datamined to be playable at any point, as much as I would love to have them in my party.

I would like her as a possible companion, too. I do not think she will be, but I hope we will at least meet her again. It is very nice that we have at least one additional dialogue with her at the (Tiefling) party. (And the cutest/funniest animation of someone who is a bit tipsy I have seen in a game until now)

Deleted old post per Saito's request

(And gave my own votes! )

@Saito, I wish you'd included a "None of them" option for the first and third polls.

I had considered it, but I figured that comparing the amount of votes from the second to the third poll was enough to compare how many people were using customs VS origins, and including that option for the first poll isn't an interesting prospect when any kind of custom companion system outside of exploiting multiplayer hasn't been confirmed (especially for act 1). Oh well.

I really can't vote for any of those - I didn't get my hands on all classes, as reaction reword is supposively to happen, so what I would want to play in 1.0 will probably change. There is also multiclassing that I didn't even start to consider, though I am likely to stick to single class unless I play enough of Solasta before BG3 release to start feeling adventurous. Similarly, I can't speak for the party if I didn't meet the remaining companions. And party composition will depend on whom I decide to play as. I can only say that there isn't anyone I am dying to have in my party, and Astarion is the only one I defnitely don't want around.

My 1st playthrough; Drow Ranger accompanied by Shadowheart, Lae'zel and Karlach.

If I were to play an Origin, it would be Shadowheart or Lae'zel as they're both amazing to me, but I opted for Lae'zel as I'm interested in seeing her dreams of Queen Vlaakith and her personal story.

Halsin is missing from the poll!🐻🐻🐻

I don’t know enough about the 3 not in EA to know if I will take them or not, so I voted for the party I currently take: Gale, Wyll, and Shadowheart.

I will play a sorcerer.

Not currently planning to play an origin character.

As the game currently stands, I will not be bringing along the companions I find the most interesting (Lae'zel and Karlach) because they are better as melee fighters and I both dislike melee combat and find it pointless so far.

I will most likely have Astarion and Gale and either two custom characters (ranger and sorcerer) or maybe Shadowheart instead of the sorcerer, but I don't really want to use her because it feels like she is "expected" to be in our group.

Don't really plan on playing an origin character, but if I got really bored I would try any of the ones I could play ranged, except for Gale because I do not understand romantic obsession and could never properly roleplay someone with this issue, and Minsc because I find him annoying. Wyll I would only try if there were options to play without the overly inflated ego.

Picked Shadowheart, Lae'zel, and Asterion for companions. Wyll just doesn't do anything for me, don't know anything about Helia yet to have an option on her. Minsc worries me, despite my fondness for him in he original saga....I just sorta... wish he wasn't a party member for various reasons. Gale or Karlach might make it in, they seem interesting, but I kinda wish their backstories weren't so....epic. It's kinda a turnoff. But I do kinda like their personalities/designs.

For class? Cleric. Along with Paladins, being tied to a religious faith (many of which are rather interesting) just gives a lot of roleplay flavor that I adore. I like spellcasters more than martials, so cleric wins out over paladin, but only just. Opposite end is Warlocks. Never liked their introduction to FR, and they just always felt a little shoehorned into the setting to me. Probably part of the reason why I ignore Wyll, come to think of it.

Playable Origin character? I'd pick Lae'zel. She feels the most 'blank slate' of all the Origins, despite her otherworldly background. She's a real fish out of water, but also young and inexperienced. Pretty much a blank canvas ready to play however you want.

I will play a bard, multiclassed to sorcerer or warlock.
Companions I probably will take with me ( though I guess you can just change around?) are Karlach, Shadowheart and Helia. If Helia is really replaced ( which would be stupid, since then we don't have any companion from a small race) , then hopefully we will get Alfira and Halsin as companions.

I don't play premade characters in a rpg, where I can make my own character, so no origin character for me.

Bard with Shadowheart and Lae'zel for my first two runs, one good and one evil swapping in temp characters to cover the 4th slot and for story as the mood strikes

For my first playthrough I'm planning to run a tiefling warlock. I voted that Shadowheart, Lae'zel, Karlach and Gale would be in my core party, but I can see swapping Gale or or Lae'zel for Wyll depending on my mood/playthrough.

Honestly I have no idea.
This is the most unlikeable cast of RPG characters I habe ever encountered, especially if the rumors about some being scrapped are true.

I kinda expected that by now with several new classes being implemented there would have been at least one new companion of those classes.

But we do not know. For some reason Larian is very tight lipped about what they do while other developers like Owlcat feed you a steady stream of information.

I plan on doing multiple plays of the game - though in my first one my character will likely lean more toward the 'chaotic good' or 'chaotic neutral' side of things.

So that being said I will probably take Shadowheart and Lae'Zel given that I think their banter is amazing and Lae'Zel will be a great foil to the choices that I make. I also think that I am probably going to play a Bard and Fighter/Cleric seems like a solid compliment to Bard. After that I will likely examine the other companions that are introduced and pick one of them.

- Astarion is the one companion I have almost zero interest in. I can't remember a companion in a video game I have cared about less than I have cared about him... and I imagine even if I play through the game 3+ times he will likely not be tagging along.
- Gale's story could be pretty cool - but I'd like to avoid his item consuming stuff during my first play through. That seems like something that would be great for a second run.
- Wyll is interesting in that he will likely have a completely unique patron, which should be fascinating to interact with. But his volatility also seems better suited for a second play through to me.

Fair enough. It's why I only voted for Minsc in the first poll, even though I don't like him much, and for nobody in the third poll.

I will only take with me good or good-leaning neutral companions who are also not annoying/aggravating to me.

And I will NEVER play the so-called origin companions as my PC as I fundamentally reject the very idea of the PC not being my own creation.

Thanks Lyelle

I don't have much to add with the second poll, I'm still not even sure if I'll be playing an origin character or not my first run. If we are losing characters after Act 1, that would be a big point in favor of playing an origin character though.