Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Story & Character Discussion Halsin Let Down *SPOILERS*

At some point they decided to change him from being someone who was -




To the, "Hah, this guy's a sex pest and we're gonna imply he's polyamorous because he was a sex slave, isn't that fun?" and I genuinely do not understand why. Outside of the fact that they seem to have changed a lot of the companions to directly appeal to the worst part of the fandom who only want this game to be light erotica, rather than actually coherent companions who are their own people.

I was very much expecting this and don't understand why it didn't happen. Just one little scene, Larian? Please?

I never played EA or anything so my first exposure to BG3 was when it dropped for PS5 not even a month ago and so it's really disappointing hearing how everyone wanted Halsin in and all they did was provide the dumpster fire we all have seen.

Light erotica type stuff I'm fine with, honestly I love some of the scenes with the characters because I was definitely a romance book girl growing up and always welcomed more grown themes. The lack of depth in his character after Shadowfell is just sad though.

Like Halsin is the DREAM GUY for a lot of people as it's been seen on forums, reddit, TikTok and more... Yet that character I grew to enjoy so much just diminished post Shadowfell. There was no more of this wise aged Druid who knew what he wanted and stuck to his morals while also caring for others and their wants/needs.

As of this afternoon I just gave up on my 1st play through. I made it to Baldur's Gate but after seeing what I'd be in for with him as my chosen love interest I just didn't have the desire to keep going. I'm giving it a 2nd go now with the Dark Urge and maybe a different romance will start up and I won't have to be heartbroken about the ending of the game. (I already have grievances about the ending as a whole from what I've seen, but that's a completely different complaint for a different thread)

I'd argue that he's still there - it's just that he's mostly only there outside of romance-related stuff. If you just turn him down quickly but gently (and aren't romancing Shadowheart, and don't bring him along on brothel-related activities), I think his character remains strong and consistent. It's also not so bad if you're the type who does want to double up with him and Astarion or Shadowheart.

As I said elsewhere, I still love him, he's always a welcome part of my group. I'm even willing to romance him again... now that I've got some good headcanon to work with and some definite ideas about which dialogue choices/places to avoid.

Karlach, Halsin, Jaheira, and Minsc should never have been companions IMO. There just wasn't enough time to flesh them out before launch (they were all initially intended to be just quest NPCs). I applaud Larian for trying, but I feel it was a bit too ambitious.

Let's hope they continue to work on them (and Wyll) for the Definitive Edition.

Yeah that's what I've been doing in the 1st play through of mine, just me and Halsin. I never really was fully engrossed in Shadowheart or Astarion so I've never really tried anything with them past Act 1. Because of that I haven't had to deal with the really weird or creepy stuff.

I just know the ending from spoilers is going to hurt me and I wish my Tav and Halsin had more connecting moments via cut scenes/dialog. Maybe they'll add a patch with at least a more gratifying ending for Halsin and I can go back to my 1st play through happily smitten with my beefy boi druid lol.

Fingers crossed they keep working on them. Karlach at least feels more fleshed out in the beginning Acts and can join the party straight away. Wyll too from what I know(but I haven't used him as much so I could be totally off the mark).

Larian Studios your game is soooo good, please flesh out these characters!!!

Tbh, I find Karlach and Jaheira both a delight and am glad, they are in. But yeah, Halsin and Minsc are unnecessary. I mean, they made Minsc and Boo entertaining and fun to have around, especially his dialogue with Nine Finger, but he comes too late to actually make sense. Jaheira has a lot of content and dialogue in act 3 actually.
Halsin, well I said my part about that already.

Halsin should've been tadpoled, just like Minthara is. That'd already have helped making him fit in more as companion. Right now as it stands he's just that guy that suddenly wants to tag along for no reason except being horny for you and whoever you romance, he doesn't even like the city. His story inclusion ended at Moonrise Towers. Nightsong as paladin or Volo as a bard would've made just as much sense then. Volo could've even joined in act 1 already.

As for the other two, I still can't shake the feeling that Jaheira and Minsc having so much dialogue in act 3 is part of the reason that the rest of the companions feel so empty there (with the exception of Karlach who still, or almost only, has a decent amount to say in act 3). Opportunity cost and all that. I would've actually preferred if the Stone Lord was as much of an asshole as everything leading up to it leads you to believe. Even better if he weren't tadpoled, just a pure evil character that saw the chaos as a chance to try overthrow the more neutral Nine Finger.

That's the one thing I never got - They could have tadpoled him or at least given him the mark of the absolute when he was captured.

I definitely feel like after his capture having him end up with a tadpole as well would have allowed his integration into the group as a companion so much more in depth.

I wish he would have been more involved in the story than he currently is.

Unlike those other 3 Halsin wasn't a planned to be a companion from the start, also he's redundant AF, we lost our Halfling Werewolf Bard companion because of him, he's only here as companion because of popular demand.

Please don't remind me of Helia - I'm still mourning. And for what? A creepy druid, that no one seems to like anymore.

For sure I would rather have Halsin than Helia! Halsin just needs a better romance, bug fixes, and to be a companion earlier!

I'll prefer Helia tbh. Halsin would need a total rewrite to work

I personally don't know anything about Helia since the game just released to PS5 and this is my first time playing/seeing BG3, but there are definitely a lot of folk who enjoy Halsin a lot even outside of the romance aspect so I'm happy he's there. I'm just disappointed with his writing.

I truly believe there is so much potential in him to not be redundant, creepy or weird but due to the path the writers took he's really getting what I feel is undeserved hate. It's like thinking up an amazing idea for an invention but using all the cheapest parts and taking short cuts to create it. Then bam in the end you have a hallow shell of what could have been something really flipping good.

Helia was never in the game. She was a scrapped character people found through data mining during EA.

Yes, I mean when you make rape culture a part of his personality there will be some (well deserved) pushback. Harvey Weinstein may be a really good producer with a great personality to people who knew him as a friend , but that doesn't really matter when you take the other things into account.

Edit: I am of course aware that it's probably not intentional, but as long as they leave it as it is, that's the story we are presented with.

A character that engages in victim-blaming when rejected by implying that it's Tav's fault for leading them on. That persists trying to have sex with Tav after they have clearly communicated that they do not consent to it, and assumes that people want to have sex with them despite what they say and communicate. I am sorry for making this an uncomfortable discussion about the serious issue of rape-culture, but it is not acceptable in any shape way or form to me!

You have to call them out on this. You can't make excuses because he has so many other sweet moments and pretend that everything is perfect as long as you get your happy romance ending. Re-writing the scenarios where he doesn't respect consent and becomes an outright toxic presence must be the first priority!

Yes, yes and yes!

This, so much. Halsin has become one of the creepiest characters, I ever encountered, the only one worse has to be Skadge from the bounty hunter story in SWTOR, who outright tells you, he is a rapist. Halsin comes directly after, exactly because of what you are describing. He has all the makings of a 'nice guy', who gaslights you, blames you for leading him on, tries to worm himself in your relationship with someone else, after you said no. He is one of the most toxic companions I have encountered so far.
I was really happy for the Halsin fans, when he was announced, despite being not really interested in his character myself and wanting someone from the small races as last companion. But seeing, how even his fans want a rewrite, I think, he should get a total overhaul to make him work. He really is nothing but a bad internet meme at this point. And I thought, his fans had it rough, when everyone made fun of the bear sex scene, but hoo, boy- those were the good times.