Originally Posted by Gray Ghost
Originally Posted by MarbleNest
Honestly for me, Halsin in Act 1 feels like he's barely there. I didn't pursue any flirtations or romance triggers with him at all, since my first playthrough is for Astarion - but it's like after I talk with him at the grove and then the party, and the morning after, he never has anything to say at all until I guess Thaniel in Act 2. Which feels as disappointing as everything else, tbh, considering how much interaction you can have with everyone else just in Act 1 alone.

Originally Posted by AmayaTenjo
Him being "poly" was the excuse, not the reason. And it shows.

It does feel like there was some kind of disconnect from what people wanted/expected. I don't want to assume malicious monkey's paw curling, but as horrid as this all is, I wouldn't put it off the table either. Ultimately, Halsin just feels disappointing in most respects, and maybe that's simply a result of him being added as a companion/"romance" from fan demand rather than actual planning. I don't know.

I'm the same, I played through EA a bunch and never actually understood why Halsin got so much love. He was always just there, and there was a contingent of people who adored him for no reason I could see. No one during that time ever really talked about his character either from what I saw. Even when I explicitly asked, the explanation was kind of lackluster to me for explaining why he had so much love. He had like, 5 minutes of dialogue in EA and it was never enough to make me interested in him. Maybe Larian thought the way I did and just assumed people liked him because he was sexy, so they leaned into that.

To be clear: I don't dislike Halsin, per se - and I do recall quite enjoying his character, back when I first met him during EA a couple years ago. He came off as this very responsible, protective, but good-natured father-figure type who could crack a joke here and there when the mood struck him. I can easily see how he became popular for some folks, for certain - and it wasn't just because he is quite a handsome (and burly) elf.

That said, I didn't progress much past the goblin camp/afterparty during EA - so I had assumed, with Halsin staying at camp, that even before being made into a companion, he might have some interesting talks with you and branching dialogue trees... but, well. The morning after, after exhausting all he had about Moonrise and the like (and bringing up the "sorry if I was too forward" thing, which... feels weird to say, if you didn't flirt with him? but w/e), I'd expected as we continued our journey towards Moonrise, that he would have more to say or add as we went. But from the afterparty up until meeting the guy talking about Thaniel in Act 2, he just sort of. Stood around camp. With only the same prompt each time I talked to him, and almost no remarks about what we'd done or where we were at the time.

I don't know if it was always like that. If so... disappointing, tbh. But if it's only like that specifically when you don't flirt with or try to "romance" him, that's even worse to me.

Originally Posted by AmayaTenjo
Originally Posted by MarbleNest
Originally Posted by AmayaTenjo
Which I do not understand because as I said before, you can talk to him a little before the whole Thaniel thing. There is some bits and pieces there, and theyre good and interesting, I do not understand why they diddnt just expand on it, they just made up new shit.

Honestly for me, Halsin in Act 1 feels like he's barely there. I didn't pursue any flirtations or romance triggers with him at all, since my first playthrough is for Astarion - but it's like after I talk with him at the grove and then the party, and the morning after, he never has anything to say at all until I guess Thaniel in Act 2. Which feels as disappointing as everything else, tbh, considering how much interaction you can have with everyone else just in Act 1 alone.

Your correct in he doesnt have much to say after the party, I just really felt like what little he did was very meaningful and good insight into his character. He was clearly not fulfilled being the Archdruid, as he tells you that he isnt going to miss it, its too much people management, and he wants to simply enjoy nature again. Again that thing he says about people who seek out positions of power, are probably not the best people for the job. This tells me hes humble, dutiful, wise, and gives us insight into his values.

Perhaps I didn't go through the proper dialogue trees, but I don't really recall much in the way of him not feeling fulfilled as the Archdruid, nor wanting to get back into nature again or too many people to manage? He just said he had unfinished business with Moonrise, and that the grove needed a fresh perspective in the form of a distant archdruid, or some such.

Which, don't get me wrong - still a nice convo! But either you read far more into all of what he said than I did, or I went through a different dialogue chain!

Originally Posted by AmayaTenjo
Plus his excuse to not drink with me at the party made me laugh. That whole exchange was amazing. The back and forth teasing and Halsin gently turning you down because he is a gentleman but implying he also kinda wants to hang out with you. I need to see drunk Halsin.

Again, there really wasn't much there during that convo when I went through it. But, I wasn't flirting with or trying to bed him; I think I chose the dialogue about him getting out and enjoying the party some too, but that was it. I wasn't planning to romance him, and I tend to keep to the roleplay of whatever character I'm playing (which, for this first playthrough, is a redeemed Durge chaotic neutral drow).

Which, while I enjoyed what I did have from him during the party, this brings back up the issue of Halsin seemingly being just sort of... there, if you aren't trying to flirt with or romance him. And I just don't think that's really good handling of any character, for them to only have a lot to say if you pursue a relationship or sex with them.

Originally Posted by AmayaTenjo
Originally Posted by MarbleNest
It does feel like there was some kind of disconnect from what people wanted/expected. I don't want to assume malicious monkey's paw curling, but as horrid as this all is, I wouldn't put it off the table either. Ultimately, Halsin just feels disappointing in most respects, and maybe that's simply a result of him being added as a companion/"romance" from fan demand rather than actual planning. I don't know.

For me I really think this was purposeful. Based on what someone posted before about his writer saying bUt ThInK oF tHe FaNaRt seals the deal for me. He was added as a sex meme, written as a sex meme, and they slapped the poly/SA victim labels in there to try and justify his deviant behaviour, which in and of itself is very disgusting.

Which is incredibly gross and tone-deaf if it truly was intentional. I expect better from Larian and their writers, and both Halsin and his fanbase deserved better than this mess.

Last edited by MarbleNest; 10/10/23 01:36 AM.