Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Story & Character Discussion Halsin Romance, Expectations and Obligatory Poly

No, makes no difference what you say (except if you say yes). A user in a different thread tested all the options and they lead to the same outcome. Even more messed up that he clearly confirms that he understands and will not pursue it further, and then goes on to pursue it in a much more disturbing manner together with your partner.

Has to be a bug! Or it is my game that bugged out (patch 3 was very tough on flags) and the "progression" of Halsin's romance never happened. He was a good boy after the solid "no" and the only thing that confuses me is why he always has that dialogue option "How am I holding up?", same with SH.
Have to admit, I do not understand why SH has that never-disappearing line either. Guess the writer simply loved it.

I saw the datamined dialogue - it's not a bug, but poor character design. Even asking about his age is flagged as flirting. It's absolutely absurd. And it make Halsin come of as the worst sort of entitlement.

He was/is such a great character. They put effort into him, so the content that is there they could have made good instead they made him everything they were trying to avoid with Astarion.

I would speak of double standards, but since these issues only occur with characters written by the lead writer (Halsin and Shadowheart) in this toxic degree, I think the writer and lead, who was so concerned with the portrayal, got overruled. This is pure speculation of course.

Not listening! La la la! fingers in ears

Seriously, I'm just never picking those lines again. Ever.

It's even kind of concerning or uncomfortable when you haven't found out (going through the brothel) what he really means when he says that line

Wow, this just keeps getting better. In a completely horrible way.

No question, the best way to start the solo Halsin romance is with no questions. When he asks, just say yes! And just say no to drow twins!

Yeah that's what I did, just wanted to ignorantly ignore everything I found out pre-romance. But I did chose the "many lovers?" option and uh didn't need his past history but guess that's what I get. I only know what I've been sharing through watching other people play and just loading an old save file literally going through every dialogue option with the stuff I've been too afraid to find out in my actual playthrough.

It's disgusting. Did he like being a slave? Omg, they just destroyed the character. I'm waiting for people to say that slavery is normal. Just open your mind...:)

It's beyond me how they could even think of this scenario. Making being a sex slave for several years into a joke and a fond memory? I'm sorry, but what the F is wrong with these people? Had they properly adressed it, given Halsin a chance to heal or whatever, it would have been a different thing, but this...this is just wrong in so many ways.

I wonder if Astarion has any special dialogue with him having both had that experience, I doubt there is but it would be interesting. It's really surprising how much effort went into portraying how Astarion's captivity effected him as a person and his ability to interact with others and then Halsin is just.... the posterboy for stockholm syndrome.

Is he meant as a cruel joke towards all the fans? Make him desirable on an emotional level, but ultimately unattainable and filled with underlying traumatic issues and toxic behaviour towards people he cares about.

With the lack of response from Larian regarding all of the feedback and criticism that surely has come to their attention by now, it's starting to seem like he was meant as nothing but a cruel joke. Why else wouldn't they acknowledge the criticism and come out and tell us that it was unintentional and that they're looking into it?

I don't think it was the slightest bit unintentional. Of course I could be wrong, and I hope I am because that means a better chance of changes, but I think he really was intended to be a high libido, too kinky to torture, free loving to the extreme, stereotype of the way many gamers approach sex in games. Possibly because the writer(s) thought he'd be too boring otherwise? I dunno. I think there's also a serious and good faith attempt at poly representation here, which is certainly a rare thing. And maybe it's all gone exactly the way the writer(s) intended; they must have anticipated some outcry, but who knows if it's been enough or of the right type to bother them in the slightest.

My favorite theory so far is still that Halsin is someone's OC. If I looked at him through the scope of a smut fic his personality makes more sense to me. Funny theories aside, I do think they need to correct the way poly is handled. Good faith or not it's kind of a mess in my opinion.

The only 'real poly' options are a Halsin trio.

Despite setting up a system for monogamous/poly characters, monogamous characters still do not react or care if you sleep with
The two characters they chose out of everyone for a Halsin trio are the two I would never introduce to poly. Shadowheart literally does not have her memories for most of the game (and seems to be very committed to the PC in her romance path). Astarion was a sex slave who's afraid to lose the only person who he cares for. I honestly think Gale having a fuck it, moment (also he can be persuaded to join in with the twins with a persuasion roll so it doesn't seem that far off for him) or happy-go-lucky and touch-starved Karlach being open makes more sense to me.

Considering the writer wrote a similar character before, it seems like he is testing the waters until he gets it right. The one part he can't get right is the mutual respect and openness towards compromise on both sides.

Both attempts have been an ultimatum on the part of the character, instead of what true poly and RA - respect, compromise, and open two-way communication.

The openness to compromise part is... well, it's going to be tricky, I think, because if part of Halsin's purpose as a character is to positively represent polyamory/relationship anarchy/etc., then any compromise (as I believe we've seen expressed by some folks in this very thread) can and will be viewed as a betrayal of that purpose, as a diminution of the representation he's supposed to be. Reducing minority representation in any way in order to appease the majority is often a bad look, no matter the good intentions behind it. I'm not saying you're wrong, to be clear - you have good arguments. But the writer(s) just might not be open to them.

Not at all. The work that goes into poly relationships that are healthy are so extensive. Some even create written agreements and guide lines for how to interact with others and how they need to act (and inform) their other partners.

There is even rules for when they meet new partners and much more. Compromise is a part of that.

Some RA are actually in relationships and some are monogamous, because it is very fluid. More than any types of relationships these are the types that deal with compromised.

A compromise for Halsin would be:

"I accept that you are poly, and I am fully on board with accepting that. I hope you would be willing to compromise for me and understand that I am monogamous, so while I will be with you, I at present don't have a desire to romantically or sexually engage with others. In addition, I am fine with taking things to grow naturally and not labelling our relationship, but I would like a commitment towards shared dreams and goals, towards a shared future. This all with the understanding that things can change, and then we take things as they come."


But Halsin is portrayed like the most ultimate extreme, and twisted towards toxic behaviour that lacks nuance and actually conflicts with the rest of his character.

The fact that Halsin says that the relationship is fluid, but then puts these restrictions on it means that it is jn fact not fluid.

I understand that there will be limitations to what you can do in the game in terms of content, but then it would have been better not to implement it in this extreme.

Especially when you add him specifically as fan service, and use him to promote how much player choice matters - and then only give you a yes or no option.

I don't think this would be a "betrayal" of the representation, but an extension of the nuance of it.

This best comparrison I can think of his if you had a, let's say gay male character, and then allowed him to not just romance other gay menm, but pansexual men, transgender men and non binary. That is, in my opnion, not a betrayal of the character being gay, but just ads nuance.


That being said, you're likely right and they will just entirely ignore it, us and just focus on everything, but addressing this, because they have put themselves in this shitty situation.

I just don't understand why they used Halsin for this representation and not a character like Lae'zel for example.

Agree! They shouldn’t have gated a romance put in by fan request!

The RA just makes much more sense for her. The poly with Halsin isn't a big issue for me, but the RA seems completely off when you look at everything else about his character. At worst it looks like his poly and RA is not a personal preferrence or choice at all, but a commitment issue.

I don't understand either, unless, like I said above, they thought Halsin was too boring and this was a way to "spice" him up a bit.

Which is unfortunate for me, because I like boring. All my characters talk Gale into being Dekarios rather than "of Waterdeep" and choose to sleep with him in beds. They fully intend to help Astarion turn back into a completely ordinary elf. My favorite romance in Stardew Valley is Harvey. Dull dull dull.