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

For me, thinking about this in the whole context of other companions being revised alongside Halsin, if dev time for other characters goes into expanding poly options, and other characters go from open to mono to open to poly in rewrites, I won't feel any kind of way about Halsin getting opened to a mono/poly or mono only RP track with his dev time. I'll be interested to see how it's handled. What edits like that would say to me is, that the romance style decisions of the characters aren't identities and preferences so much as time limitations with development before release. I still hope we get more origin overworld lines, a cutscene would make me melt, and any other voiced one-on-ones would be amazing, but if it's both mono and poly character choices getting RP expansions in rewrites, my heart is happy!

I think it'd require too drastic of a rewrite. You can already see how horribly inconsistent it is for the characters they did retcon just to fit Halsin's poly. I'd prefer they focused on more companion content in act 3, not complete rewrites of the earlier acts. And just get rid of Halsin's romance until an expansion. It clearly doesn't work as it is and would take far too much effort to solve. Give him a reason to even exist in act 3 instead. Stuff a tadpole into his brain or something.

Oh, I completely forgot about night orchid and mushroom. Alas, it is unique situation for particular character. Would be cool to have the same interaction with others too.

Larian would have to rewrite Halsin, then he would be like the others and that would be bad. The game is finished and he was introduced like this. Sorry, but Larian apparently cares about minorities, what would it look like if they flipped the only poly? He needs some improvement, but he shouldn't become like the others.
The best way is when he says or shows in Act 1 or 2 that he might kiss someone or so.
And at the end we can go with him, that would be nice. That would be a good improvement without breaking it.

I think we are exaggerating how much work it would actually take. An entire rewrite and redefining is entirely unnecessary.

I would love them to give him more content, but that is a seperate issue.


This is what I would do ifI was his writer.


Act 2

(Restructure this sentence between his current bones, so polygamy is discussed in act 2)

Tav: "You didn't mention lovers."
Halsin: "I am 350 years old. Of course there have been lovers. As varied as nature itself, and without limitations. Finding the balance within such relationships can be challenging, and is not for everyone, but I have found that it brings me joy. But I have found with age that I have become more particular about my lovers, and the complexity of emotion when more than two individuals are involved."
Tav: "You don't believe in monogamy?"
Halsin: "It has its place, but it is not for me--" (The rest of that line continues as per usual, but it has been moved from act 3 to act 2).

Act 3:
Love confession:
This conversation starts as per usual.

Halsin: "If we do this ---" (line plays to the end)
Tav options:
(all the current options would apply)

New option: "I remember you saying so. I am willing to respect your nature, and I will not bind you, but I only want you. I hope you can accept that difference too."
Halsin: He smiles a little, though clearly nervous. "I can, but you should know you are all I want. But I exist in fluid relationships, where connections evolve and grow. It changes with seasons, and each spring we decide which plants to regrow and which to change. It would be against my nature to promise you forever, but I am invested in joining our efforts and making the wilds we share grow and thrive. I only ask that we not put limitations on what we are, but allow for it to evolve, without the social constructs that civilization would force upon us."

Tav:
1. Takes his hand in theirs. "Then yes... You can share in my heart."
2. "I am sorry, Halsin. I need something more defined."

Halsin: Normal replies

Drow twins:
The conversation about the Underdark should trigger before they agree to the orgy.

Halsin: "More than interested if you are, but I would like to discuss something with you first. At camp perhaps?"

At camp he tells the story about the drow.

When they approach the drow again, Tav can then once again confirm with Halsin before engaging in it.

There should be focus on after care.

Whether or not to join the drow, you should get this scene later.

Halsin: "Tell me more of your experiences.."

Tav:
1. "My first experience was when..."
2. "I am not ready to talk about it yet. Can we just lay here?"

You see them stargazing from a distance before it fades to black.

Ending:
It plays out as it normally wants, but at the end there is a new option.

Tav: "Our ideals are alike, my love. I want to help the refugees and orphans too. Would you be comfortable with me helping you build this new settlement?"
Halsin: Smiles broadly. "My heart... I should have known. With your support and wisdom, I know we would all benefit from your pressence. Me most of all."


My notes: This way he stays true to his identity, but his preferences are expanding and he is willing to find compromises without compromising himself. By leaving the discussion here, headcannons can fill in the blanks of the rest.

This allows for people to seek more nuanced than now, and would solve a lot of his problems that are romance specific.

I'm for consistency, Halsin was introduced that way, it's his personality, he doesn't have to be like the others.
That makes me think of Dragon Age, hmm... there was cute Dorian, a lot of girls wanted him, but there was something right? And he is just an example. So you see the developers don't have to do anything.
Your example actually didn't affect the game, but for other reasons, it was already dead.

Do you think that is the case for what I wrote above? (Asking for constructive feedback)

As long as he stays true to himself, I just want to be able to go with him.

Not to sound callous, but if he isn't stirred away a little from his strict and ridgid behaviour, you won't be able to. He is written right now to resist such a thing at any cost.

Therefor the compromise above. He is still RA and he is still polyamorous, but there is more nuance and understanding of finding balance in values.

I understand, a relationship, it shouldn't exclude others.
But when it comes to relationships, he's already against it...
You wrote it well with his and your nature, but you also have experience with it.

Which is why, if he isn't made more nuanced and actually fluid, then you won't/shouldn't get the option to go with him.

And I don't think this actually fits Halsin's personality or nature. I think it was put there for convenience when there are more than one romance and they shouldn't be conflicting with Astarion, Karlach or Shadowheart.

But you just hit the nail on why Halsin's romance is unsatisfying: If he is not made more fluid (ironically), then Tav will never and should never be allowed to go with him if you want to stay 100% true to the current limited and extremely flawed writing.

Maybe there's another reason why Larian does this...
I remember Halsin said something about Shadow Druids and that maybe they were right...
It was about refugees and the city?

Your example is just the kind of conversation I'd like to have. Just feeling like he's honest from the start about what he wants and then being willing to at least listen to Tav and compromise a little without changing his nature would truly make difference for me.

If you take the current ideation of Halsin, he will never under any circumstances have you with him other than allow those visits.

I am willing to eat my shoes if him leaving by default wasn't simply to make the ending easier and "consistent" with the shoehorned in Polyamory.

The shadow druid and refugees are remnants of cut content.

I'm gonna give everyone here my 2 coppers, though I reckon this might be a controversial take on the situation.
I think his polyamorous shtick was shoehorned into this game for fanservice. It's phony and feels empty, without purpose. It's meant to be a fun diversion while you focus on the "real" romances (Astarion etc.) Mind you, not a fun diversion for your Tav, but for the player.
Halsin is not real and doesn't have feelings. Yet the people who he is supposed to represent are. And they (as far as I've read) are not happy with how this is handled. C'mon, a 350 year old big boy elf who can't say the word "relationship" because the term is too civilised... thanks, but no thanks.
I would have wished for him to be a run-of-the-mill mono romance, and this is the core of my opinion.
No idea why they decided to put multiple tropes and kinks into one character while forcing others to participate even though it also makes 0 sense for them (literally everyone you can involve in a poly relationship either has trauma, or it goes against who they are as a person.)
I understand others might not feel the same, but this is my viewpoint of the situation and I'm glad we have a forum where we can discuss such topics and hope for feedback from Larian.

It's ok, he's poly and no, you won't be forced. He's so in the game now and that's how it is, but he should be open to a relationship. Not every companion has to be the same and it is not against his nature to be poly.
He is 350, has no wife or children (that he knows of).

There is no stereotypical poly. They are people who are different.

Yes, he definitely feels like he was never written nor intended to be a proper romance. He's not supposed to be the only one, just a side-piece. At least that way he sort of works, but I think it's a real oversight not to consider the option that players will reject everyone else for Halsin. He was implemented late development as a lover on the side, and other romances therefore had to be altered to fit this scenario, which have resulted in too many weird outcomes that doesn't work well.

Actually, if you listen to Wyll's banter about marriage, his talk of children and family, it sounds like it is something he regrets not having.

They don't have to be mono to get it, I just want to make it clear there is not one form of poly and a Halsin wouldn't fit.

And that is because his representation of poly is shittily written. It's why it doesn't make sense.