Originally Posted by The Red Queen
Originally Posted by kanisatha
Yup. And as an aside, I can't really count Jaheira and Minsc here either. If I want to play with them in my party I can always fire up BG1. For a new game I want fresh, new companions in my party and not some old retreads.

Out of interest, would you not use Minsc and Jaheira in BG2 for the same reason, or does the fact that it follows almost immediately on from BG1 excuse it? I’ll admit that I’m not yet a total convert to the idea of having them as opposed to new characters for my party in BG3, but the thing that partly reconciles me to it is the fact they’ve already been “retreads” in the second game and I can see the appeal of having at least a character or two who can be a companion for every series entry and perhaps help bring the series together by highlighting elements of continuity and bringing to life BG history. Plus there’s an opportunity for richness of interaction with these that wasn’t available in original games, and certainly not BG1 (Jaheira admittedly did get more companion content in BG2 than, I think, any other party member).

Personally, I’m willing to wait and see whether Minsc and Jaheira will fully justify the way they are included in the game as more than fan service. It could still go either way for me.
Well, the first two games are, as a matter of fact, continuous, especially if you're also playing the BG1 expansion. However, I tend to get tired of Minsc by the second game, especially as the second game has so many more options for companions. Jaheira is a bit more complex because she tends to be the only romance option in BG2 that even remotely interests me. And FYI, I am this same way with the DA and PoE games, and don't like using the companions from the first game into the later games (with the occasional exception, for example Eder in PoE 'cause he's the bro! :))