Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Story & Character Discussion SPOILER - Companions, romances and cheating

Oh boy! I don't even know where to start with this.

After finishing 2 full playthroughs I decided to do one more quick/cheat run before the 2nd or 3rd patch drops and hopefully fixes the main issues this game has. And with that third playthrough I decided to go with Shadowheart.

And what can I say about Shadowhert? The character is intriguing and fun. That is if u mainly follow the main/her story because if u decide to go off-road you'll be hit with a totally different and might I say contradictory character.

What I'm trying to say is that Shadowherat feels as if she was written by two different people. And why do I say that?

Well within her story she is portrayed as someone who is rather insecure in her faith (trying so hard to prove herself to her goddess) and her past, she's stubborn and most importantly she is somewhat selfish.
She is portrayed as not wanting to share (playing a second fiddle to someone - her words) and not wanting to be shared. Her whole romance is this sickly sweet story (if you go the reject Shar route) about finding love and wanting no one else.

But the problem arises when you decide to explore other things that are not connected to the main/her story.

And how did I come across this weird little situation that at lest to me made no sense? I ended up getting few party banters in act 3 where Shadowheart was actively flirting with other companions even tho she was professing undying love to my character.

At first I tought it might have ben a bug/false flag reading so I hopped on the internet and was shocked even more to see that this character that was not into open relationships/poly (Her words, she straight up rejects the proposition of sharing) was suddenly down for a incestuous foursome and even a poly relationship with Halsin.

I really don't care if there are options within a game (DA:O has Leliana/Alistair threesome with Isabela but for that to happen you need to harden them and it makes sense) but at least make them make sense. How the hell does a character go from no way in hell to yea lets do it without any changes throughout the story. (It would make sense if it was exclusive to the 'evil' Shadowheart that fully commits to Shar because in that version she straight up rejects any kind of a lasting relationship and is only looking for 'hookups' so to speak - Shar is the most important thing in her life)

The more I explore this game the more of these inconsistencies/bugs (or straight up silly scenes that again make no sense) pop up.

Oh you like Kalarach? Well tough shit, here's an unfinished ending.

You like Astarion? Here's a scene that ruins a moment because Larian thought it would be funny to make a joke out of Astarion burning in the sun.

I honestly could make multiple threads on the things that irritate me about other companions but I think those are already covered (looks at Minthara/Kalarach threds)

I really like this game but god damn, from main story issues to characters not having their stories finished or just behaving contradictory to the established stances is really becoming annoying.

I had exactly the same impression about Astarion's romance, as if I were talking to 2 different people. The biggest WTF moment was the final conversation (after the dock scene). It seemed to me that during the conversation at the cemetery, Tav and Astarion reassured each other of their feelings. During the final conversation, Astarion's surprise that Tav wanted to continue the relationship and his question if that's what Tav wanted was a complete mismatch.

So having freed herself from the clutches of a spiteful jealous God, she should be entirely devoted to you and not even look at anyone else?

Stop being so possessive.

I’m kidding, but I don’t think it’s that weird. She’s been repressing all such feelings her whole adult life.

As funny as your response is I don't think I can agree with it.

My main issues comes from writing, it seems as if Larian is more concerned with giving players choice even if that choice/variety comes at the expense of the story/writing. (They need a poly option so pick two random comps that are down for it Astarion/Shadoheart. Give players choice to kill companions but then give no alternatives or those alternatives suck/are unfinished/ story just falls flat because that comp isn't there etc.)

Same with Astarion, his willingness to share also stops making sense at one point. Yeah sure, he's flirtations and isn't willing to get attached due to his history but after dealing with Cazador (not the vampire lord choice) he changes so the poly scene just comes of as weird to me.

But ignoring my issues lets look at the whole picture .I don't think many people would be happy if they ran into banter (many of them haven't) mid romance (or even after finishing it) where their romance partner straight up flirts with others. (Shadowheart has a post sex scene banter with Halsin talking about swimming and wanting to ride him - use him as a flotation device)

I've seen people restart playthroughs for less XD

(the twins - Halsin - Shadowheart - Astarion scene is optional and you need to go out of your way to get it but the banter really comes of as weird and not fitting to the character/characters)

I think they just wanted to have poly options (but not ones that would make romance scenes with the origin characters conflict with each other). Since Astarion and SH are both really popular, they decided to make them open to it. I agree that it seems kind of OOC for SH (at least without a little more development of the idea) and even Astarion (he actually doesn't enjoy the foursome even if his quest line is resolved, and is insecure that the PC may be going for Halsin because they are taking a break from physical intimacy).

And that's the thing isn't it? They needed poly options because of variety? and instead of developing it they went with picking two popular characters and slapping that option even if it makes no sense.

I sound like a parrot repeating myself but Larian keeps making these mistakes with their stories. They establish certain things (romance and non romance) and after they are finished with it they decide to add new stuff because they thought it was funny or because it would be cool to have that option without even thinking if that addition will fit/make sense.

To go back to the DA:O example. Yo have two similar companions Lelian and Zevran, both assassins/spies that use/used their bodies to get to their targets but one (Leliana) left that behind. While Zevran is open and talks about sexualy experimenting, Leliana is opposed to it unless you make certain decisions within the game and harden her and only after that she goes back to a more open outlook at life and sex. While in BG3 those things just pop up out of nowhere. (again contradicting previously established story)

So my hope is that Larian (at least with this, I have other complaints with the BG3 story that are not romance related) with the release of their patches/definitive edition do change how companions behave. If you pursue a romance with Shadowheart and go the route of rejecting Shar/and her fully committing then there should be a hard lock against her flirting/being interested in others but if you go with accepting Shar/or changing her mind in regards to open relationship then you should have an option to do that.

Same with Astarion, If you pursue an open relationship after finishing his story there should be a hard lock against opening it (him just saying no and then you as a player decide what you want to do - break up or not) because like you said he obviously is uncomfortable with it.

(I was surprised by Kalarach tho on my first playthrough. Where despite her unfinished state she does take a stance against certain things that don't fit here character)

Either way it seems that the whole player sexual companions is yet again causing issues (for me) when it comes to the writing and making companions just puppets dancing to the tune of the player without having any agency.