Personally, I am not in favour of designing companions to be physically attractive romance options. I think they need to be compelling and interesting characters first, who are going to work in the party even if not romanced. And if they're cool characters then I reckon folk will fall for them even if they're not "pretty" by conventional lights. Look at Garrus in ME. Though I'll admit I never quite understood that, but not because of his looks. And all that said, attractiveness is extremely subjective anyway, and I think the original super-tough Karlach looks pretty hot!
And a reminder for anyone who needs it that both this forum and Larian's games are for everyone, regardless of sexuality, so let's make sure we're neither being dismissive nor talking disrespectfully of either LGB+ gamers or people who want to see LGB+ content in games. Amongst the latter of whom I'd count myself, as I'm definitely be playing gay, bi (and trans and cis male characters) as well as straight cis women like myself. I'll admit I do tend to default to the latter but for me one of the brilliant things about roleplay is being able to put ourselves in the shoes of characters with different sexualities, genders, ethical frameworks and experiences of race from our own.
And I would also disagree that there is anything necessarily gay about Astarion (or indeed Karlach) and can see them working as romance options for all genders, but would advise anyone who is not able to discuss that point sensitively and respectfully to avoid it entirely at least on these forums.
I never said anything about GLBT characters, I mean plenty of Lesbians and Bi folks prefer cute feminine women. I used to read alot of Afterellen stuff during the fun Lost Girl era, I remember Boobs O'Clock on the sight for Bo.
Honestly I might settle for being able to remove the horrifying scars from Karlach.
I assume all the characters are bi for maxium choice.
But we dont want compromise. >:] We want our badass Mama Karlach back!
Minthara look was changed several times, so it fits people prefferences ... why not Karlach?
Originally Posted by Omegaphallic
Because the vast majority of players don't want a romance option that is horribly scarred?
I dont remember anyone asking ... Also curent dialogue suggest otherwise.
Please dont represent your own opinion as opinion of any theoretical majority.
Originally Posted by Omegaphallic
Honestly she still is too horribly scarred.
So ... Even if you were right, they didnt actually fixed anything ... just pissed bunch of people who liked her as she was ...
Am i reading it corectly?
Originally Posted by Tuco
I'm kinda hoping modders will find a way to swap the old one back into the game.
+1!
Normally I'd agree to not represent my opinion as representive of the majority, but sadly in this case there is no doubt in my mind I'm right about this. I'm fine with you disagreeing with that.
It occurs to me that we might have some room for customization so we both get what we want, more scarring or less scarring I hope.
Speaking of which, it's almost unsettling how much better the original datamined character model for Karlach looked:
...compared to what we are getting:
I hope that is just a difference between PC and Playstation.
As for original topic: I'm hoping Alfira.
Excellent. I'll add unlike Helia, Alfira actually appears in the Baldur's Gate city trailer, and as you mentioned has her own unique outfit, and actually appears in the game unlike Helia.
Yes folks datamined her early on, but she disappeared like Warforged, with not a hint of a return unlike Karlach and Alfira who is at least present.
They can change Alfira's story to include a tadpole, its not that hard, they had to change Minsc, Minthara, a d Halsin's stories to make them none origin Companions.
Speaking of which, it's almost unsettling how much better the original datamined character model for Karlach looked:
...compared to what we are getting:
I hope that is just a difference between PC and Playstation.
As for original topic: I'm hoping Alfira.
she has been shown a lot with just character assets as her face. so definitely not her.
I don't think her face is one of the custom character face right now is it? I know her outfit is unique.
I still think it could be her, maybe I'm just dreaming, but she was as popular as Minthara and Halsin roughly for possible companionship.
Minsc had the tadpole in his story, they changed it to get rid of it, so they can even easier add a tadpole to Alfira's storyline.
Does anyone else think her name kind of sounds Calishite?
Plus her voice is so lovely, we could get more songs from her as Origin character.
yes her face is one of the female tiefling face assets. you can create her appearance exactly the same. her outfit isn't exactly unique as multiple versions exist in the files. she has no class and any combat ability.
There was some data mined voice files from here at moonrise tower IIRC…
From Chubblot. I know there was one when she says how cute Boo is and having his own ballad.
I've listened through her voice lines so I know what's up.
tiefling didn't make it to Baldur's gate easily. They get attacked by the cultists near the shadowlands. half of them got killed and the rest were either taken to Moonrise tower or like Alfira, Bex and Rolan got to flee with all the children. they encountered Jaheira with her harpers and stayed in an abandoned inn, shielded from the shadow curse by Ketheric Thorm's daughter, Isobel, a Selune Cleric.
Probably, I think she started out as a cleric, then was changed to a paladin when she became a potential party member and Karlach was re-imagined as a barbarian.
Speaking of which, it's almost unsettling how much better the original datamined character model for Karlach looked:
...compared to what we are getting:
I fail to see the difference between both models. I think the equipment combined with the lighting makes a world of difference there.
Both have too much scarring.
The new model is a vast improvement. She is supposed to be a badass barbarian, not a prissy glamour model! Too much scarring?! You try fighting demons for hundreds of years. Look as good, you will not.
If not Helia... then maybe a bard, monk or sorcerer (based on current origins/ companions). Race: no idea, but we have humans and elves, now one tiefling so something different. Guess: gnome.
Would this character also have to be a potential companion? I'm thinking that the EA companions all have some sort of 'Mr or Mrs Big' behind them - Mystra, Shar, Toofy McVampire, Wyll's fiendy friend and the Lich-Queen of New Orleans.
The gnome from the windmill? What class is he, maybe the artificer that folks are wanting? As a smallfolk he would tick the diversity box there.
I would like to see Helia, too, or Barcus. I think we definitely need a smaller companion in our party as well.
I know that some changes would have to be made so that Barcus could be a companion. He didn't seem to be infected when we've met him in early access. But maybe the interaction we've had with him is not the final version, and he has a tadpole as well - he could have been kidnapped when he was searching for his friend Wulbren. I know, that are a lot of ifs.
I would like to see Helia, too, or Barcus. I think we definitely need a smaller companion in our party as well.
But maybe the interaction we've had with him is not the final version, and he has a tadpole as well - he could have been kidnapped when he was searching for his friend Wulbren. I know, that are a lot of ifs.
If he is telling the truth or if he is telling the full story.