As I recall there were a few ways to do it, the simplest being a pathing choice, e.g. rescuing Dynaheir before recruiting Edwin, which was fairly straightforward. Then with a high enough Charisma and reputation management you could keep most parties together and avoid the party break banters or kick the can on it via save scum. Many classes required the high CHA anyway, and with rolling for stats that was hardly a stretch, plus you got the tome to boost it. The game also incentivized an alignment/reputation swing a bit, since the dream abilities gained would key off that. Even a goodly character might dip in rep just get minor drain as an interrupt, or horror for crowd control, likewise a villain might swing the other way for Draw upon holy might. For mechanical reasons I mean, rather than story reasons. There were plenty of characters that didn't get along, Shar Teel and Eldoth hate each other, Viconia can't stand Kivan etc, but they drew that all out a fair bit even in the vanilla game before ToSC. Then like probably one of the earliest Weidu mods would have been the one that prevented the party breaks so players could have fun with it and game out the more unlikely pairings. I don't think BG3 needs to be BG1 in all respects, but it was just as likely for me to have Jaheira with a crew of Villains or Viconia on team goodness. There was also the helm of opposite alignment which was in from the getgo, but unlocked with ToSC, which was also fun. Anyhow, not to dive in too hard on this one, all the feedback seems pretty valid, and I definitely latched on cause of the BG1/2 mention there. I just balk a bit at the idea of Minthara never getting out, which I feel was the situation at least until the last patch. Sure similar things would happen in BG1 where the companions introduced only in later chapters, in the city or right before tend to get short shrift there. Moonrise isn't all that long to wait, but then for me the early portion of the game is the most entertaining, so it's a bit of a bust. If there were more companions along the way at each leg of the journey, but it's pretty front loaded here. I wish some of the Halsin/Minthara stuff was reversed. It feels like we should be able to join her on the march overland with the army, or perhaps she delegates that to the Goblin leaders and comes with us through the underdark. Sure it's maybe predictable that we'd want the Drow companion around for that, but I mean, isn't that also kinda the point sometimes? lol Then maybe the Arch Druid meets up with us again at Moonrise, after he does some arch druid stuff to clean up the mess at the grove, I don't know hehe. I think it's intended to increase replay ability, but I thought it was more fun to have MInthara around on a normal run, since it just felt like there was more to do with her there. Not to hang up on that one overmuch, just my impression.
ps. still the most notable absence for me compared to BG1/2 is the complete lack of a shorty companion. It would be different if we had one of these Duergar or a Deep Gnome or a Goblin as a companion, just to fill in some gaps. A wicked bard couldn't hurt hehe. Maybe a backup rogue or another standard brawler if that's too hard to make happen. The priests are well represented here, though it tilts pretty hard towards Moon worship for all concerned. I could have gone for something a bit more left field on balance. We don't have a villainous mage really, even Gale at his worst still feels like a pretty stand up dude. A sorcerer would be a nice counterpoint, cause Durge is an origin, but we don't have a Dragonborn companion. Still I think we need more shorties before that. I like Philomeen or Thulla among the Gnomes. I think someone with a bit of a crazy streak would fit the bill nicely. You know, like at least they managed to break out of the mines right, so they've clearly got some adventuring chops hehe. If Astarion's default is Arcane trickster, maybe Thulla is just more of a regular Thief. Or if Shadowheart is default Trickery domain, maybe Philomeen as the default Light-em up Domain, or an Ironhand War cleric? We're also missing a Monk. If they're ever going to give us a Monk, to do it right they need to have another Monk who can be the first Monk's nemesis, I mean right? Like it's not really going to feel wushu enough without that duo. I don't know, I just want them to be additive rather than subtractive with this stuff, or to focus on adding things rather than changing what's already there too much. With the acclaim it's already received and all the rest, just seems like it will get harder and harder to sort it all out without getting under somebodies skin. Sometimes I get attached to the last version, over whatever the latest iteration in the perpetual redux, whereas if they do an actual Expansion thing, then they can just expand and add on top. Plus I just want that to see that giant dungeon with the extended crew! haha
Last edited by Black_Elk; 28/01/24 03:47 AM.
