This comment from me was mainly commenting on the false claim of him being a self-pitying loser. Which you conflate with him simply commenting once about being punished for not listening to Mizora. Which is a WILD misinterpretation.
Once...
You mean twice?
He complains about being punished by Mizora in Act 1 and again when sent to retrieve the asset in Act 2 (Where he goes deeper into self pity saying he'll just end up being turned into a blob)
This is exactly what I mean when I commented about your head-canons. He mentions Mizora only once after she leaves her three camp appearances and when she's captured (since she directly addresses him every time) and never in-between at any other time other than when Zevlor directly asks him why he looks different all of a sudden in Act 1. And rightfully so, because she's directly being a nuisance for him in each appearance. He mentions his father, because 1.) he's his father and 2.) like in the Florick scene in Waukeen's Rest in Act 1 that kidnapping the Grand Duke would only serve the purpose of destabilizing Baldur's Gate. Which would be bad FOR EVERYONE LIVING THERE.
'Seeing the forest for the trees,' as the saying goes.
He has in-camp noted dialogue for Mizora (With the special scene where he gets turned into a devil) and then he mopes about how it sucks he got punished with dialogue options prompting you to tell him to get out of the pact (Which he readily agrees to but says it will be difficult)
He has in-camp noted dialogue for his father, because it's his father. He makes it clear that it his father IMMEDIATELY upon the first time he is mentioned by anyone in the game.
He then has in-camp noted dialogue for Mizora again in Act 2 when she appears to get you (Not specifically him unless he's in the party) to rescue Zariels asset. Where as mentioned, he mopes about Mizora.
Because the whole "going off and searching to play the hero" thing takes a HARD backseat because he and everyone else believes that they're on borrowed time, because of the tadpole, and they're trying to find a cure. There's limited chances for him to "go off and search to play the hero" along the way, because you go to the Shadow Lands for all of Act 2, where 99% of everything is dead. Then it's Act 3 and saving the city/Sword Coast.
Really?
My PC didn't have ANY trouble running off and saving the Tieflings. Running off and saving the Deep Gnomes. Running off and saving the Harpers. Running off and saving the Tieflings and Deep Gnomes (Again).
We're all on the same borrowed time. Why is he just focused on his dad and Mizora?
- Where he was and what he was doing when you initially MEET him or when he's inside the grove afterwards? Did you need him to tell you to help the Tieflings, to demonstrate his concern for them, when he's already DOING that? "Reaching."
He's not demonstrating concern for them much is he? He helps them at the gate (Though that could just be him helping the scouts). He's helping one single child when you talk to him.
But what then. Does he tell you he wants to help the Tieflings when he joins you? Does he mention he has any care for what happens to them when he's going with you instead of protecting them? No he just mentions he's hunting Karlach.
- Or how he gets enraged if you do the non-heroic thing and betray the Tieflings, on the grounds of them being innocents?
Ahh, yes. Now he's on a similar hero level as... Karlach. Who is by no means, portrayed as a hero.
- Or his angry concern for Karlach as being an innocent target to Mizora (whether you kill Karlach or not it's the same remark).
It's his one moment of defiance, which is commendable.
- Or when he shows concern for Mol at Last Light Inn when she forms a pact with Raphael?
Again, same level of hero as Karlach.
You seem really hung up on him wanting to rescue his own dad (while ignoring that he was the only companion to remark on how his absence would be bad for all of the city) for some reason. The same with harping on his few instances of mentioning Mizora, only once after she makes an appearance (outside of when I mentioned when Zevlor directly asks about his new look.) These aren't valid points/critiques, no matter how many times you return to them.
Yes, because he mentions them multiple times. In specific noted in-camp dialogue that's hard to miss because of the "Someone in camp wants to talk to you" warning when trying to rest.
It changes the way the character is portrayed because it's putting these self focused dialogues as prominent character development points instead of portraying him as the hero he's trying to be.
In my opinion it'd have been better character development and writing if:
Upon recruitment, he conveys that he would like to see what you can do to help the Tieflings. Make him interject when Khaga tells you "The viper must strike". Showing that he does want to help the Tieflings even if he is following you.
After saving Florrick having it not be mentioned that Duke Ravenguard is his father. Instead, he shows concern about the fact that he's been taken by the cult and could have taken more people.
After the first confrontation with Mizora. Instead of cursing her out and immediately jumping to dialogues about getting out of the pact, he's more relieved that he's still has his power and can still help those in need.
After reading the note about Duke Ravenguard being held in Moonrise, he becomes more anxious about freeing prisoners from Moonrise. Again still not letting on that it's his father. So he still looks entirely dedicated to helping those in need.
After reaching Last Light Inn and finding out that Tieflings have been captured he makes it known that reaching Moonrise is a bigger priority, not because he specifically needs to rescue his dad, but because there confirmed multiple innocents being held prisoner.
After Mizora tasks you with freeing the asset. Instead of again, cursing her out and then crying about becoming a blob. He reacts that he still wants to free the asset because of something along the lines of "No-one deserves that fate" with an aside that the "Asset" might be like him or Karlach, not inherently evil but working for Zariel in some fashion.
Upon freeing Mizora, instead of whining about having 6 months left of his pact, he rallies himself to make the most of his powers for this remaining 6 months to help whomever he can.
Then, upon the culmination of Act 2 when Duke Ravenguard gets infected, he lets on that he's the Duke's son. But didn't want to bring it up because he didn't want to take the focus away from saving other innocents. Thus making the line about "You shouldn't keep secrets from me Wyll" meaningful, because he's been keeping this fact secret since Waukeen.
Something along those lines would better portray him as a hero archetype, rather than a self pitying loser. As it will show multiple times, how his resolve alows him to go above his unfortunate circumstances and think of the good he can do. Rather than slamming the player with "Noted dialogue" about how everything sucks repeatedly and making it seem like he mostly cares about his father and Mizora.
But that's just me and my take.
