Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Story & Character Discussion Problems with Halsin's character, advances, LI and general character interactions, etc.

I think I have said it before somewhere in here, that the best but most expensive option would be every character being monogamous and polygamous, depending on what the player wants. In this specific case I just wanted to show a "cheap" way to add at least the monogamous option to him. I would be really pleased if Larian adds way more diversity and the companions also being polyamorous, meaning they also date others and Tav could even see it somehow.

Honestly it wouldn't change anything since he doesn't date anyone except Tav and settles down with Tav in the epilogue when solomanced. So basically you are against it, because it can "supress" his potential of seeking out other partners in the future hypothetically? I mean can't you just choose him for "poly" path so it stays true if thats an issue for you.

This line isn’t good if romancing Halsin only. Why is he deciding who Tav sleeps with? Shouldn’t that be Tav’s decision?!!! I think it should be changed to the following: H: I only want you. What do you want?

Then there could be a variety of responses to pick including wanting only him, too, to wanting to sleep with other people.

This, this, this!!!! This is ideal
My suggestion was only to try to work with whats already there because I dont believe Larian will change it that much, if at all

Judging from all the comments on here, I think we can agree that most of us want to have the same changes and there are enough possible ways to do it, as we made several suggestions, be it new ones like from Icelyn or "cheaper" changes like AmayaTenjo or I said.

Still I don't see Halsin being changed much.

EDIT: I might be wrong, but I feel a bit like Larian added stuff to Halsin (beside the epilogue) that wasn't fitting for him or the opposite from what the majority asked for is, like expanding the SA story or the cuddling with the drow twins (aka hookers). Can only speak for Discord/forums though, but I feel like they are mostly listening to the twitter folks, as they are the ones they tried to reach with all their obvious marketing. Now that we know that a certain writer could be aware of this thread: Please, consider our feedback (at least the one that can be done cheap as we mentioned) or let us know that you are not willing to.

I think I'd agree for "cheap" changes regarding SH/Halsin interactions, aka moving Halsin's swimming banter to only Halsin's active romance(+SH obviously) and removing disapproval message in Sharess caress. But now I think it's more right to actually split Shar and Selune reactions for her overall(like different reactions to Halsin's romance proposal to Tav/Durge for Selune, different reaction to Mizora for Selune, different dialogue and scene in Sharess caress, especially with Halsin in the group).

Exactly, Larian had so much potential storytelling and reactions in their hands for SH, after she changed to Selûne. I mean, it's not like she just changed her haircolor, she now follows a different goddess and she more or less fights against what was a huge part of her life. Well, I still don't see us getting any more of that, maybe just some fixes for Halsin but I don't really expect that.
But if there is any hope to have, it's based on patch 6, as that added some changes - at this point, I'm just hoping for a reason to play BG3 again, as I haven't had that feeling in months.

Halsin stays that way, I'm sure, VA, authors said bye. He is the only poly character, Larian certainly won't change him because of the people here so that he becomes like the others, everything he says about relationships is clear, it would be such a stupid thing to write so that the people here get "their husband".
He doesn't have to "try it out", he sees it in other people every day.
The problem here is that people don't care about poly and a real relationship is only possible for them in mono...

So you confirm that Halsin's love is not real, right? Like if he is faced with Minthara-like or Wyll-like "ultimatum" that you love him, but you don't share, he would say "nah, im good"?
Pretty sure people ask to be able to ask him that in the first place. Sure they can write it so he declines this offer... or not, depends on how truly he loves Tav.

I didn't mean anything like that and it's not written there.

How can someone read so many posts and still fail to understand what has been said?
No one asks Larian to take away your poly Halsin, why don't you just get it? People are asking for another path being added, just like the Selûnite path is a path different to the Shar path or like AA is different to spawn Astarion. You know that a game can offer different ways to play, right? Halsin can still be "poly" in your playthrough. Talking about poly relationship, any relationship needs commitment, be it a monoship or a polyship, just because you have a big guy that shoves his d*** into many holes and one of them is yours doesnt make it a polyship. Gosh.

Also, the sees it every day so he doesn't have to try it? Nice, so if I just watch enough people eating Wagyu beef then I know how it tastes and don't have to try it out - wow, life can be so cheap, nice!

Don't get me wrong, your statement would be fine if anyone would've asked for his poly path to be removed completely, but, just in case you read over it several times, no one asked Larian to do so. ADD isn't equal to REMOVE.
And just face it: Many people were asking for a change, be it on the forums or on Discord. It's not like people are asking for some rocket science, they just want something to be added.

As I said before, Halsin isn't the one being poly (yes, he claims to be, yet he doesn't act like he is, he is just with the Tav), it's just the Tav who could live in a polymance. It's him who wants to dictate his rules on you yet he never lives by his rules himself.
So please tell me, what would you lose if Halsin just tells the Tav he loves them und that he doesn't need anyone else? Please, enlighten me with what I fail to see.

How often? Others have already written the same reasons, unfair, wood elf background/lore (claim nothing for themselves, aren't jealous or anything), against his nature and his speech about relationships, but that doesn't count for anything. Whatever, I don't want to repeat myself.

Mono would be exactly that, why else wouldn't you want to share or be open? Because you want to possess, because you are jealous, which is exactly what Halsin is not and of course he is poly, he doesn't have to show it exactly in the game, he says it and he is open to everyone.

It's just a game! Also, if you want to talk about lore, then why don't you write feedback about how Lae'zel should be polyamorous as that's how Githyanki live? Oh I get it, because she isn't hot for you, right.

As for his nature: Then it isn't against his nature that he clearly says he just needs the Tav? How is that in any way possible if it's against his nature? As for the wood elf background, it's not like that is something that makes it impossible, as Ed Greenwood said that the lore is more like a guide but it's not set in stone and I'd wager that his words have some weight to it. So based on what you say, every being has to live like the majority of his race and/or culture does, otherwise you are not willing to accept said being. I don't know, sounds like your point of view only consist of prejudice and stereotypes.

But why am I even talking to you, it seems you are not willing to understand others or to make a compromise.

Again: No one wants to take away poly Halsin from YOU, YOU can have him in YOUR playthrough as poly as you want him to be but adding another option doesn't necessarily mean that YOU have to use said option. It's for OTHERS.

Also, no need to repeat yourself, we all got your point (on both accounts), you just can't accept other reasonable opinions and that's all we are asking for (not like we are hoping for him to become a dragon or w/e).


So what you are basically saying is, that everyone who lives in a monoship does so because they are jealous and want to possess someone. Which would be like 84% of the US citizens between 18-44 or 80% of the Britons based on a study from December 2023. Yeah, that makes sense. Also if you see it just as possession, then you should rethink your values. It's more about being able to plan in a long run. Somehing that Halsin says in some way later in the game, like he doesn't want to roam anymore but settle down (with the Tav), so how does that fit into the whole "polyship" (which really isn't based on what can be seen in the game)?
And that one is on Larian, they wanted to add "polyship" but in such a cheap way that all you see about it is the Tav having 2 companions to romance at the same time and Halsin claiming he is polygamous, yet he never shows that. It's just done so the Tav could have sex with Halsin while being in a relationship with the most loved male or female companion.
If someone tells you, they are a photographer yet you never see them with a camera or never see a picture they shot, how can you still be sure and defend they are a photographer?

Again. Is there anything wrong of adding an option to tell him something like that: "I love you and I want to be with you, but I am mono, I don't like to share or be shared" and have him(or rather writers) to respond to this. Would be good testament.

This would be fair, if Halsin saw anyone else, but he doesnt and only insists Tav does so its moot. I have nothing to be jealous of. Id still be upset by his fluid comment even in a polyship, because its still supposed to be a RELATIONSHIP.
Why does he get to choose to only be with Tav, "I only want you.", but Tav MUST see other people to facilitate his "poly" lifestyle?

The fact of the matter is this: He is not "poly" because hes a wood elf, or because its an important aspect to his character, or because representation and diversity. Its because Larian needed an excuse to sell him as a sex toy to thristy people. Thats the way he was marketed, and thats exactly what happened. Which is fine. But the market of consumers that wanted him added from EA, wanted him as a typical romance and were not asking for this.

Adding in a mono path is not unreasonable, and if they had added one by default no one would be whining about how it means he isnt being true to his "poly nature", you just wouldnt play that path.

100% this. It's all about marketing and the Tav being able to have a sex toy beside the ongoing monoship. If it was about representation, they would've added a poly path to every companion (plus adding Halsin's mono path officially).

I can't say I'm surprised that this topic is still being disused. Who knew that injecting out of character writing into a story would lead to people not liking it? Not, me

But I won't get into it since I'm pretty sure that I've made my stance clear as to what I think about Halsin and his unwanted involvement with Astarion/Shadowheart.

I just want to point something out that I find rather funny. Certain (lets say, more lively) parts of Halsins fanbase have been bringing up LORE as defense for his behavior and a counter argument for him not being a candidate for a mono option.

But no one ever has the issue with respecting the LORE, when it comes to Halsin looking like a steroid abuser and having body hair (both things LORE inaccurate concerning elves)

(not to mention the lore butchering surrounding the Illithids or turning Shars cult into a sex cult where they and I quote 'sleep in dormitories so they can have orgies' but hey, respect the LORE right? lol)

You can tell Halsin you're monogamous and don't share his nature. It's just that it doesn't result in him changing his entire personality for the player. It instead results in both of them realizing they are fundamentally incompatible people and the relationship progressing no further. Which is how it should work. Halsin is polyamorous and does not want a monogamous relationship. The player in this case is monogamous and does not want a polyamorous relationship. There is no point in progressing further.

Yeah, that's true. Good point. The current way they handle things shows emotional maturity from both parties.

The solution for those excited about exploring his storyline is to RP a character who is up for ENM and shares his nature. Like how the solution for those excited about exploring the storylines of the monogamous characters is to RP a character who does monogamy.

It's gross how so many people in this thread are once again describing the polyamorous character being polyamorous as a sex-crazed marketing scheme by Larian and not, as many polyam people and people who practice ENM have joyfully claimed him, representation. Can we get a mod in this thread like in the last one keeping those statements from overwhelming the discussion once more like they did in the previous, closed thread?

Halsin seems perfectly happy with my monogamous Tavs. You could say, "Yes, but he's going to want to move on in the future" - but it's equally possible that never happens. The door is open for both interpretations.