Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Story & Character Discussion Who is your favorite companion in BG3?

I've only just completed Act 1, so here's my opinion at the moment.

Shadowheart is very interesting and her story beats even improved since EA.

Karlach is just a cool person to hang around with, finding joy in just existing. She is the Varric of the group.

Lae'zel, I feel, has become a touch more personable since EA. She reacts well towards assertiveness, not just being a jerk. She is like Worf turned up to 11.

Wyll is kind of bland. He has his major story moment with Karlach, but otherwise doesn't intersect with the main story much and his personality feels kind of one-dimensional. I expect he might have a bit more to do in Act 2.

My stock in Gale has gone way down. I liked him in EA, but less now. He left me after I fumbled trying to find a magic item for him to eat. It seems like you can't access *his own* inventory to find items. Well, I was keeping the one I wanted to give him in his pocket.

Halsin seems cool, but I haven't had much time with him yet. I haven't been able to invite him to join my party even though he is hanging out in my camp.

Minthara will have to come by a different playthrough. I killed her and looted her clubbing attire from her corpse.

I haven't met Jahiera and Minsc yet.

One thing that really hurts my experience is how the companions so rarely have a conversation ala Mass Effect. You remember right? When the cutscene would show companions going back and forth about a topic/what we were going to do/etc. With BG3, it's almost always me talking to <insert_companion_here>, and no one else is around. Everyone just stands in their assigned areas in camp and never interacts with each other. They say a sentence when a new companion joins, but other than that, the only time they communicate with each other is out in the world with the little 2 - 3 liner quippy conversations.

idk, that's really affected my enjoyment of individual companions. I can't say I have a favorite, although Lae'zel and Astarion simply sit in camp unused. I finally went back and picked up Shadowheart just after leaving Act 1, so we'll see if she's any better.

All that said though, Wyll, Karlach, and Gale are enjoyable for the most part. Gale's 'issue' isn't nearly as obnoxious as I was expecting. I have a feeling Larian put a limit on that to avoid people getting really annoyed.

The dialogue happen on the road it seem....

So less Mass effect and more Dragon Age.

Yes, but the conversations are 2 short sentences per companion at most, and occur infrequently. Very lacking.

Yea, take the situation in Mass Effect with Wrex. You have 2 - 4 companions all part of the same scene. Wrex is angry, trying to talk to you, you're trying to talk to him while communicating what to do with Ashley/Kaiden at the same time, and then BLAM, Wrex could get taken out.

Another example, you come across Joker and EDI just chatting in the cockpit, you can be part of the conversation as well, it feels like a team. BG3 doesn't have that feeling at all so far, but I just started Act 2, so maybe it changes?

I had a scene with Shadow Heart (In camp) where Gal added something. Same with Wyll and Karlach. And Astrion....

I've had those same conversations, but they were all for very specific plot points in the companions story line. Astarion for 'coming out' if you will. Wyll and Karlach for obvious reasons. And those were all mostly 1 - 2 line reaction comments on what a specific companion just revealed to the party. Other than that though, none of it (that i've seen at least) feels organic. idk, maybe I'm just not getting the same conversations as other people.

I haven't had time to play much yet, since I was away and came back today, but I have a suspicion, that I will love Karlach. From EA, Shadowheart was my favorite

Shadowheart is bae

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I will say I liked her ever just so slightly more in the first early access builds where she was more quippy and gave you shit for trying to hump her leg like a lost puppy. She was hilarious

Contrary to popular opinion, Astarion.

Minthara I wont be getting for a long time as I still keep restarting, on my 3rd attempt now will try to not restar again. Minthara gets killed and her BDSM outfit goes on my character.

I didn't had a scene with multiple companions yet, but sort of a 3 person banter during exploration.

Haven't got far, but Gale and Shadowheart seem to agree with me the most, and I really love shadowhearts voice. Astarion is a murderhobo, but his voice actor should get a reward, saw a talk with him on YouTube seems like a very driven guy, gamer himself, and they based his game looks on the real guy, he said he'll cosplay astarion one day for lols

Shadowheart. My kindhearted main char wants to save her from the bad goddess. And of course sleep with her. Not sure what has priority ... (that's a lie)

It doesn't hurt that Shadowheart is of the strongest class, too. From the rest Gale is always in my party, I like him. Wyll was the third companion, but I was more fond of him when he was the dubious hero of the EA. Now that he is a real hero I lost some interest. I don't like nobles and horns too, so maybe he will be replaced as soon as I get another companion with a minion (Minsc? I'm not sure I like him, let's see). The rest of the companions I ignore.

I like Karlach and wyll, they also synergize well with my good gnomish evoker and agree with most of my decisions. I gave wyll the sleigh of hand skill.

Karlach is a great tank with the bear wildheart subclass, wyll starts slow but becomes good at level 5.

Shadowheart is also in my party but she might get replaced by a later companion(preferably someone that can also heal).

Act 2 character stories and events have been altering my appreciation for some characters. Lae'zel is so well-written and well-acted she jumps out of the screen, and with another character - won't spoil it here - there was a camp event that turned into an unexpected little flirt, and it was so gracefully done that it made me consider them for a romance in spite of never having thought about it before. These characters can draw you in.

In early access it was Lae'zel and Shadowheart.

But now... Karlach! Such a ray of pure sunshine. Radiates such joyful energy, love being around her

Am so happy with all three in my party, they're all amazing!

My first complete run is a Dark Urge pursuing Minthara with Shadowheart and Astarion, and the dialogues with Minthara... top tier stuff, my favourite at the moment.

Too early to tell. I haven't finished the game. The cast so far is okay, not an amazing cast like Mass Effect 2 and I really wish there were more human females. Or little people. Why are there no halflings/hobbits, gnomes or even dwarves in the party? Did we really need a githyanki AND a tiefling? Lae'zel was enough. That's what I'd change in BG4, some more traditional fantasy fare.

So far I really do like the new Wyll, I like Gale, Lae'zel and Halsin. I am actually agonizing over who I will kick out when Jaheira and Minsc come along. And I am really looking forward to joining Minthara, her assault on the grove was an amazing fight. I hate how you can only get the coolest Drow Matron ever if you aid a bunch of racist goblins. It will be worth it.

I really hate Shadowheart's cringy voice and her faux goth personality. I hate everything about Karlach too, good thing you can kill her.

Oh no, don't call her a cat!

Karlach all day every day.