Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Story & Character Discussion Shadowheart Romance and the Hidden Fetish - (Spoilers inside)

Just remember though, her being okay with it in the first place doesn't make any sense anyway, so no point trying to make sense about the rest of it.

She talks about cobwebbed loins if you talk to her about Halsin, however that's exactly what she has at that point, because you don't sleep with her for the entirety of act 1 and 2, and still haven't when this dialogue pops up. She even says "have your fun, perhaps I'll have mine". She literally hasn't slept with you yet and the dialogue is already indicating you both sleeping around with others.

In one of the options she also says "I'm glad that understanding is noticed, it hasn't always been with others", implying she's been the one asking for poly before in previous relationships. Which, according to all dialogue in the game, she's never had, just casual. And that "other" ironically is her herself, in act 1 and act 2.

She won't even act upon your relationship when you find out she's into you when she admits it if you do anything with another companion in act 2, and wants to break up with you for the exact same thing you'd do with Halsin. Yet with Halsin, it's a-okay and she's open to sleeping around. Complete 180 from her act 1 and act 2 writing.

It's just bad writing. The triggers where he forces himself in need to go when you don't accept him, done deal. Just see the rest of it as the inconsistency that it is.

Yes it's very inconsistent but at the same time again she doesn't speak this way unless you bring up the notion of poly shit yourself meaning she's very content with just you.
I'd like all the inconsistencies removed such as that but you have to be diplomatic with this poly people because they'll jump down your throat for even suggesting wanting you character and Shadowheart to be exclusive so I highly doubt they would change anything about that conversation to appease those weirdos. So to me when you romance Halsin and bring it up with her and her reaction to that is not as relevant as the brothel thing where you have no say in anything.

So, are you guys having fun in the Halsin thread? LMAO

I don't want to see you guys getting banned so do watch out.

That warning is too late for portionbeans, I’m afraid. Continued rudeness and insulting language about others after there have already been warnings and a timeout isn’t going to end well. They’ll be taking a longer break this time.

But it’s good advice, nevertheless. It’s perfectly possible to discuss this topic without taking digs at others or being nasty about anyone’s real life preferences, so let’s do that.

Halsin thread is running wild lmao. Anyways wanted to bring this interesting convo in game regarding Shadowheart/Halsin situation now that I loaded my earlier saves at around his "proposal" in act 3 early.
I think there is no option to break up with Shadowheart if you already told Halsin that you will talk to her about his "proposal"(You can only end your relationship with her without talking to her, so telling Halsin right away that will result in break up with her. Halsin will propose you to talk to her anyway and you respond I dont need to its over). Even if you say that you want Halsin and there is no place for "us" to her - she still wont breal up and says that she can manage. It can be interpreted in 2 things really:
1. She is really into your character and she doesn't want to lose your character.
2. She is really into Halsin I guess, to the point that she is fine being in "cuck" position for now.
Or both perhaps? Ye, thats might be a bit of exaggeration, but you get the point.
Or Halsin thingy is just a last moment addition lmao.

Devs themselves said Halsin was not planned as companion, he was added later in development cycle.

They've decided to give in to the horny fanbase instead of keeping a firm hand and go to better writing. Sadly to see them deciding that.

*Ahem*

16 pages of storm in a teacup = clearly these fews lines of romance touched some of you

As I wrote in Halsin thread. Larian could at least "compromise".

It should be called out that the companions are all quite shallow and forgetable compared to many other RPGs and that Larian in order to distract from that seem to have specifically designed them for rule 34 and simping/thirsting which many fans seem to gladly indulge in considering even here most posts about the companions are about who has sex with whom.

This is not a good development for rpgs in general.

Yes, I think that the little erotic sex fantasy side stories are what they are and there for that audience, they really don't play a big part in the grand scheme of things. No one ever really cared about consistency in porn, so why expect it from porn within a game?

Details matter.

Did you refer to my post?

Yes they do of course. But I think that once the decision is made that sex fantasy side content was to be included, you have kind of already taken the decision to throw consistency out the window. I can see other things taking higher priority than pouring all your energy into making your porn side content consistent.

Play it your way, with inconsistent erotic side content if you want and without it if you want.

But of course they need to address where these two playstyles clash and one of them intrudes upon the other.

Edit, and if you find my passionate investment in some regards while being rather carefree in other regards confusing. Let me clarify, I don't care or bother that much with the sexual fantasy stuff thay I can generally just ignore being in there. But if it is to be there, it better be consensual and a character that is generally regarded and written as "good" should not embrace toxic attitudes (it would be different if it was Minthara, context matters). Happy horny is fine, problematic sexual predator horny is not. Young people will be playing this game, regardless of it's mature rating and they should not be mislead into thinking that certain behaviours are ok and just fun. The real world matters too.

Inconsistency is inconsistency. Small details matter a lot, they create immersion and make game memorable. Larian are well aware of this, that is why they put so much attention to them and thats what makes their game special.
And yes, this situation aroudn Halsin/SH caught me off guard and that is why I found this thread and that is why I am here in the first place.

I respect how you feel about it and your perspective makes sense too.

We are still on the same side, even if we have slightly different angles from where we see the problems.

Personally I do not see any "greater scheme of things". The sex fantasies are the great scheme and the companions were designed for that, including the elven supremacy.
Honestly, the cast of BG3 reminds me more of a visual novel dating game cast than companions for a RPG. And the only character in BG3 that might make any "Top X RPG character" lists is Raphael, but none of the companions.

Its no coincidence that all discussions about the BG3 characters are about sex and that NPCs got upgraded to companions because of thirsting. Larian planned to make sex a central attribute for their companions to get away with otherwise mediocre personalities and stories.

So don't blame the fans for thirsting, they are just doing what Larian designed the companions for.

Details about everything pretty much. Reactivity based on player's choice. And inconsistency in details around Shadowheart/Halsin/act3 is 1 of the complaints in this thread, no?
I genuinely like companion stories, idk what are you talking about. But of course you are allowed to have your opinion.

They are certainly lacking in content, I'll agree on that. But act 3, where the romances should blossom so to say, in general is lacking on origin companion content, not just romance-specific. Add all the missing or wrong triggers for the content that does exist and suddenly you have a very bare bones experience.

I would disagree that they're forgettable erotic sex fantasy side stories. If anything, isn't that what people are arguing against here, with the Halsin/Shadowheart/Astarion scenario turning it into that if you indulge (or even just acknowledge Halsin's existence as a non-campbound companion)?

Both Shadowheart and Astarion have very tragic yet wholesome stories, especially if you romance them. And you can 'unfix' both, leading to your romance's downfall. And while Astarion uses sex as a tool in act 1, Shadowheart can in fact have no sex scene depending on your choices, and otherwise gets a very late one.
Wyll doesn't even have a sex scene and yet what you get for his romance is memorable. It just needs more content. A lot more.
Lae'zel's romance turns into a lovely story if you ignore the sex out of the blue at the start. Though she's the only one that does that, so it's acceptable.
Karlach's is a story about knowing and accepting upcoming loss and making the most of the situation at hand. If you want to, you can avoid sex with her and have it be a caring relationship instead.
Gale I'm not entirely sure. His romance bugged out for me in my playthroughs so far. I know his non-romance scene in act 2 is great, though, as a heart to heart moment between friends.
Minthara's romance start very much feels like a "good job on being evil, enjoy your reward to compensate for the losses" sex scene in act 1, I agree on that.

The only time I feel like most companions are thirsting is around halfway act 1, where you have to turn them all down. Some would've preferred it if it were more player driven who you start romance with, but people do enjoy it when the companion isn't just interested in you if you show interest in them first. It's not bad for them to have some autonomy.

Halsin is pretty much the only one that's suddenly all about sex in act 3 and has no other content besides. And even then, it's not much to begin with. You get one scene, you get him forcing himself into the drows scene, and that's where it ends. The act still has like 30 hours left at that point. So he does fit that description perfectly in act 3. But not during act 1 and act 2.

I am not talking about the sex connected to the origin romances as side content. I am talking about sex with drow sex workers, devils, demons and mindflayers. They don't matter to the story at all and are just fully optional little erotic side adventures.