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.

What you post only reinforces our opinion. Larian can't twist the intended stories because of "certain people" to preserve the strange sensibilities of "certain people".

The intention was for people to put themselves in the shoes of their characters in an "interactive romance". Whatever your opinion is about them, that's on you.

More than that, Larian also wanted to reflect reality, we can read it.

Yes, sadly, lesbian couples being fetishized by creepy older men who make inappropriate advances is a very accurate reflection of reality. But somehow I doubt this is the reality that Larian wanted to use Halsin as a character to reflect, since Shadowheart is not locked to only lesbian relationships and it seems like uncharacteristic intentions for someone like Halsin.

To me it makes more sense as something that falls under the aforementioned stuff that's just there for some shits and giggles and fanfic shipping, that happens to lead to unintended interpretations to some people due to their previous experiences.

I meant it in general, the lesbian card and the mono card don't work, everyone is bi and banter doesn't make anyone a poly.
And it doesn't matter what some people interpret or what someone thinks fits or doesn't fit, someone else doesn't care at all.
That's the story, period.

Larian has already written the lion's share of romance in the game to please “certain people”. Fanfic fans, “pain researchers"... In the thread about the sexualization of the game Flooter did a good analysis of this lecture, highlighting all the points that clearly show which “certain people” the characters' stories were distorted to please. Halsin in EA wasn't originally intended to be “lust bait”, it could have been a much more likable and interesting character. He was twisted.

I don't know what audience you represent, and whose opinion validates what was posted, but the feelings of players who want a deep monogamous relationship with their favorite character are definitely not “ strange”. Personally I completely understand Shadowheart fans who don't like this situation with her and Halsin, I too would be extremely uncomfortable with something like this in a romantic relationship in my game. Players who are fans of classic RPGs, not fanfics I believe, are exactly the main audience for RPG games. And to find myself in a world where I'm afraid to just buy a game if there's a possibility of a romantic relationship in it, because at any moment I could be faced in that game with sudden infidelity, “toxic relationships”, “disappearing spark” and other joys of the “new word in video game romance” (although not that new, some games have done something like this before and players hated it) I wouldn't really want to be honest.

They boast about Halsin being the poly option in their post and marketing.

Him actively hinting at the threesome is what makes the banter apart of the poly aspect.
IMO the biggest mistake Larin made was making the horny meme bear the only poly option.

They also over estimated how many people would like Halsin hitting on them.
They really should have gone for Ambiamorous as that is technically poly as well as mono and you don’t risk excluding anyone from the most popular characters in the game.


I have read a lovely post on Reddit from a poly person perspective.

They are more knowledgeable than I am and they went in depth about which characters they think would make good candidates for the poly options in game.

Halsin unfortunately comes across as a sex pest when you’re not interested in him.

The problem with silent protagonist is that people can get so absorbed they don’t have time to quick distance themselves when they encounter an uncomfortable situation.

Larain should have made the PC fully voiced if they were planning to shove a banter that is sexual in nature including the player by an NPC that you can turn down multiple times.

Halsin comes across as a creep to heterosexual woman as well due to the overly flirtatious nature when you just talk to him in camp.

If you’re willing I want you to imagine a character that you find absolutely repulsive.

Now picture that character flirting with you after you told them you’re not interested.

Now try to imagine that same character inviting you and your LI to a three some with them.

That banter is invasive the easiest option would be to remove the banter but a lot of poly people like it so it would be nice to lock it behind a poly relationship.

Larian wanted fun things like that in their story and that's how it ended up in the final game, period. Halsin was an NPC without any form of romance in EA.
It's their game, take it or leave it. lol

Just saying, Dragon Age: Origins has done orgies much better and in a more respectful way to your character than BG3. I hate the idea of orgies, but if one were to put a gun to my head ask me to choose, I'd pick that over BG3 every single time.

I've skimmed over this thread and, while I might be Halsin's #1 Hater (I already disliked him in EA, which I felt was unheard of back then) and I dislike the Drow Twins dialogue in general, I don't get most of the issue being discussed here.
There are certainly a lot of issues with Halsin's writing, most of them caused by the influence of catering to fanservice via the memeing that went on Reddit during EA and the lack of development he got beyond that.

That being said, I don't see how Shadowheart was inconsistent here. She's certainly the most timid of the romances when it comes to her scenes, or used to be before Wyll was rewritten, but when it comes to her dialogue since act 1 she's always been quite flirty (Thinking of her reaction to Tav licking toes or the Abdirak scene). It's certainly not something that bothers me about her characterisation, compared to, say, her weirder epilogue lines that take me out a bit of the game.

I'm not sure if I saw it on this thread or another one, so excuse me if I'm mixing them up, but I also have to clear the misconception that Corcoran only wrote SH for Act 3.
I recently watched this sort of interview stream he conducted with Jennifer English where he talked about how in the earlier stages of EA he was envisioning her as a femme fatale, which is quite far from the final product, and how he originally wrote her as an elf, but that had to be changed because of Astarion's origin bite scene and how she required to be asleep for that, which elves can't be. (There are some pictures of this early full elf Shadowheart around, for those interested! It's just her earlier head mesh with pointier ears.)

Also, I saw someone talk about a scriptwriter and the stool convo as proof Corcoran wasn't her initial writer: from my understanding, a scriptwriter for Larian doesn't actually write the script as we understand it, but organises how the coding of the dialogue branches work. Basically, they handle the more technical aspect of translating what the writer wrote into the game. I might be wrong in my understanding of this job, though. The stool conversation is a very short acknowledgement that you sat on her stool, so I assume it was just a cute idea the scriptwriter suggested.

Yes, I completely agree. For me, the character became repulsive for the reason you pointed out. Also because of the mocap it's like the characters are looking right at you, their looks and facial expressions are more realistic than in non-mocap games. I really hate the way Halsin looks at me at the party (he was sitting at Orin's place for the entire third act, and I did Orin's quest the very last one to get rid of his presence in the camp). When someone stares at you like that, like Halsin does, you want to adopt a fighting stance, or at the very least, keep a decent distance from him, and not let him get any closer than blade's length away. Gale and Will don't have any problems - Gale doesn't bother Tav at all if she refuses to “watch magic”, and Will asks her to dance once and, after refusing, settles down. They act normal afterward, like friends, no nasty looks or anything. Halsin looks at Tav as if he wants to perform an act of a sexual nature with her, this can be uncomfortable for a female player. If Halsin would banter only in poly relationships, calm down after rejection, and the writers wouldn't try to “shove” him to the player even in the epilogue (in the epilogue there are a lot of flirtatious remarks from Tav towards him, with other companions this is not observed), and would look only at those who have an romance with him with such a look, the druids in the grove would be safer.

The writers really do push Halsin on us with the forced flirty responses after the battle at moon tower.


Halsin never makes it to the epilogue in my play thrus and probably never will until they stop forcing him onto the player and stop forcing the player to flirt with him.

It’s really annoying that we have to resort to this just so we can feel comfortable at camp.

I am not too fond of Halsin the companion (he is fine as an NPC) but his behaviour has been changed with the latest patch, for example the "glad to be had" line upon recruiting him after Thaniel's quest has been replaced with something less flirty. He also does not proposition you if your approval is neutral, which it now automatically is if you don't take him along for Thaniel's quest. So all in all, he has become quite harmless if you just let him chill in camp and just chat about ducks with him.

Some of his suggestions still trigger at minimum approval. Though I suppose hatefucking is a thing too and we don't want to leave the option to explore that kink out since we have checked every other box.

But I agree that there really isn't much sense to torture yourself by actively bringing a character that you dislike along, just so you can get upset by him. If I don't like naughty bear I can just put him in the timeout tent and he doesn't bother anyone.

Did you try that mod that reveals what flags get triggered? I remember seeing almost all his dialogue options being considered as flirting at one point.

Oh, and also when asked, “What else do you need?” (not verbatim), he replies: “Not what, but who!”, even though before that you kissed your beloved in front of him. He only made it to the epilogue with me only because I never kill companions, but in the following playthroughs, exclusively Minthar?. It's a shame, because at first he doesn't cause any animosity when you play without spoilers, and in EA he was meant to be a fairly normal character who was supposed to have a wife and child.

It was never once said that EA Halsin had a wife and child, and I find it weird that that's being touted as what it takes to be a "normal dude."

I’m referring to when asking him to join the team instead of join me like all the other companions it’s I need you by my side.

I didn’t take him to retrieve Oliver I left him at camp because I hate him at the current stage and I don’t interact unless forced to.

Act3

Options when interacting with him if you ignore him unless forced to speak after the party to tell you about moon rise and to get him to retrieve Thanel.


1.Have you heard from Thaniel ?
2.How am I holding up on your estimations ?
3.I feel like I haven’t gotten to know you properly
4.I need you by my side ( insert multiple sick emojis here)


Tav response are even more flirtatious after the fight at moonrise.

Also if you select getting to know him in act 2 he will accuse you of treating him like a lover.

It’s impossible to interact with him in act 2 without triggering romance and him hitting on you.

I had him at very low approval and he still had the banter with Shadowheart asking for a threesome.

The price of admission to climb mount Halsin is to be in a relationship so now what was once a sweet slow burn romance feels cheap and nasty because it feels like shadowheart just locking Tav in so she can climb Mount Halsin and make Tav watch.( inster sad unimpressed emoji )

It doesn’t help that Shadowheart and him don’t flirt unless she is romanced because it now feels like she’s only with Tav so she can Bang halsin.( insert crying and laughing emoji)

It can also feel like shadowheart is pushing to open the relationship with that banter. Sad face

They could have easily avoided the whole self instert situation if they just toned down the horny aspect had the join me instead of the I need you by my side option.

They basically force the guy on you every chance they get.

I didn’t start Hating Halsin until act2 when he accused me of treating him like a lover when all I did was try to get know him.

Classic “nice guy” behaviour and no you don’t want to be known as the “nice guy”.

When a woman says “nice guy” it really means the creep we are scared of and whenever we are nice to them they think we want to fuck them but the reality is we don’t.

“Nice guy” keeps hitting on you when you tell him you’re uncomfortable with his advances he will respond with the exact same accusation Halsin does.

This happened to me in all play thrus on

Xbox X v4.1.1.5022896


Unfortunately I can’t upload videos here and for some reason I can’t upload videos to YT at this time.

I find him absolutely repulsive visually as well as personality because of how forced he is.

"I need you in my party. Will you travel with us?" or something along those lines is Astarion's and I generally take Halsin's in the same spirit.

The banter with Shadowheart does only play out if Halsin is in your party, doesn't it? And unless she makes several mount Halsin comments, that one is tied to accepting the poly relationship with him. All of which are things that do not come up, if you just leave him in camp. So a lot of this reads like outrage over things that could happen if you brought a character you don't like along.

And that is not me saying that some of those things weren't badly handled and could be improved, but the outrage over something that you do not even encounter if you do not bring a character you do not like along, is a bit disproportional. As ninja wrote:

Totally agree with both. I mean, I'm glad Halsin is Orin bait, so that I don't have to be afraid to loose an important companion or an innocent kid and her cat. Thanks,Halsin, for taking one for the team - that is my stance.

And let's face it: what did people expect would happen after all the Halsin thirst threads? Of course he is only a sex object, because that was the spirit of those threads. And I know, some wanted him "for his character", but to be honest, there wasn't much about his character to work with to begin with. He was supposed to be a quest tool and ally and that was it. You can't make something out of nothing.