Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Story & Character Discussion Favourite characters and storylines

Another one - sorry, I'm on a run right now.
What are your favourite characters (doesn't have to be companions, sometimes, one just clicks with a random character) and what storylines/quests/areas you like the most?


I have a bunch of characters, I love - outside of our four legged freinds (Scratch, Owlbert and Us) , those are probably a given with most of us

From the companions, I really love Gale, Karlach and Jaheira. They are so chill and fun to be around. I found a big appreciation for Wyll lately and use him a lot in my playthroughs.
Gale gives really nice good friend vibes. His scene in act 2, when you can help him through a panic attack is so reliable. ANd he is a total bookworm, which I can rely too.
Karlach is just so fun to be around and I just love to have her in the party.
Jaheira is Jaheira - I loved her in BG 1&2 and I think, she got even better in BG3. She seldom leaves my party as soon as she is recruitable.

NPCs I really love:

Barcus
He is just an all around great character and I wish, he could have been a companion (along with the artificer class). I love his development and story a lot.

The Hearthflame sisters
Hope has to be saved in every playthrough, I do. I adore her. And I do like Korrilla. I want to know more about those two and what happened, that they got involved with Raphael. (And I think, Korrilla is one of the prettiest female characters in the game)

Arabella
She is my favourite out of the tiefling children, though I like them all. It's sad, we might never know, what becomes of her, but her storyline is great and her inetractions with WIthers are the best.

Gandrel
I don't know, I just like him, he is pretty wholesome

Omeluum
Our chill mindflayer neighbour. I wish, he could be our ally in the end against the Netherbrain

Florrick
I'm a bit lowkey in love with that voice

Aylin and Isobel
My favourite lesbian couple. I was so happy, when those two joined my camp. I especially like Aylin, over the top as she is.

Abdirak
First time I saw him, I thought 'Yay, a fellow gothic'. I just like him, chilling in his bdsm corner and warning us that the goblins have blood on their mind ('Honey, we are the reason, they have blood on their mind '). The voice actor is pretty versatile. When I heard, what other character he voiced, I couldn't really believe it. That guy has range for sure.

Rolan and his siblings
Love those three as a team and always make sure to keep them save.

Favourite baddies
Auntie Ethel is great, love every conversation with her.
Raphael is good too, teh voice acting of course is top. I just hate, that he was kind of underused, the deal didn't seem that impactful and the whole Haarlep thingy was just juvenile imo.
Ketheric: great build up and good character.
Gortash: I like his involvment, I don't like, how he is implemented. I love the idea of one of the the Chosen being a powerful political figure , who is versed in intrigues and getting people to do what they want, but I don't like , that this is underused with Gortash and that he is in fact totalyl missable outside his boss fight. Like with Wyll, he should have more impact in Baldurs Gate. Still Jason Isaacs is good as always.

Areas

Underdark is just so pretty, I love just running around there. And teh music, when you first enter it is so peaceful.

I honestly love the whole of the Shadowcursed Lands. As a Lovecraft and general horror fan, I love the vibes there, even after all teh playthroughs. That part is creepy and dangerous and I'm here for it.

I know, most people hate it, but I love the Iron Throne - love the setting, the steampunky feeling and the quest.

The swamp in act 1 - same as Shadowcursed Lands: I love the creepy uneasy feeling. And of course Ethels quest is just so much fun.

House of Hope: I kind of liked Raphael in my first playthrough before doing HoH. It really hammers home, how bad he is (I meanyes, duh, devil, but he comes across as pretty chill before). Speiking with Hope nad finding all the lore tidbits there are my highlights. Seeing how the debtors are treated really brings home the fact, that you don't want to be endebted to a devil ever. It's nice and creepy.

I love some of the camp sites too: Underdark, Grymforge, act 1 default are all really nice. I also like the harbour camp in act 3, though I sometimes use the Elfsong room.

Honourable highlight mention: the bardsongs. I love, that my bards can just play instruments and those songs are so pretty.

So what are your highlights - characters, quests, areas, classes etc?

You can't expect me to choose which of my sweeties is my favourite child! (But it's Lae'zel )

I also like Wulbren. Writing and characterising an unsympathetic character that is still very believable like Wulbren takes a lot of skill and I respect and appreciate how they pulled that off. His involvment is also nicely tied into the story.

Oh, Fylimar, no need for excuses. Far from it, thank you so much for providing the forum with discussion topics that deviate from the one or two points of contention that otherwise seem to gobble it up at times. (And the new bunny is adorable too.)

My favourite character, to nobody's surprise, is Gale. Not just because I simply like him, but because I deeply appreciate the way he is written. He is the only one of our dear tadfools who instead of having a fancy set-piece or dungeon to his name, has a fully developed friendship plot and even his romance to me feels most deeply rooted in friendship. He also offers the most flexibility within his conversations. Along with the usual extra nice and extra awful options (and they are really awful in his case), you are generally given lines that reflects difference stances on a topic - or are just fun banter. You can tease him, you can even have productive arguments with him that get resolved amicably.

As an example, there is a scene in act 1 in which you can peak into his mind to learn his deep, dark secret. In the aftermath, you are given the chance to feel guilty about your behaviour and confess to your transgression, resulting in a heated argument during which you both explain your positions and get to understand each other better. It is such a rewarding scene and such a great example of how you can use conflict to forge a stronger bond. (Bae'zel approves.)

As one of the less-than-seven-percent who like to play Origins as Avatars, I am also so very happy about the attention Gale's writing pays to Origin-Avatars. Everyone has their own little concept of harmony during the magic lesson, and he finds a way to compare them to Tara as well - Astarion has Tara's sharp tongue and teeth, while Shadowheart has her pragmatic streak. His player-dialogue (which I think is the best written in the whole game) is very easy to read in the voices of the other three beach-gremlins. There's always a line that sounds like Astarion, Shadowheart or Lae'zel (if you add a chk!) so it's a pleasure to have him around as an Origin-Avatar because he allows me to feel like my character - unlike a lot of the other dialogue choices the player is given.

Then there's the whole complex system through which the fate of the Crown is resolved, which isn't some weird one time persuasion check, but an up and down during multiple conversations, which eventually shape his opinion. What you say matters and he (sort of) remembers your position on the subject. It's also a nice twist that you only discover the fruits of your decisions at the very end of the game - with possibly heartbreaking moments if you didn't take care to prepare his ascension properly.

There's so much more I could say about him, how I love the sincerity his voice acting adds to the sometimes very overboarding, poetic dialogue. How I love that his plot treats a crisis of faith as a romance. How I love that his worst villain is himself and that he can patch things up with Mystra. But this has gotten out of hand already, so making it short: Gale is my favourite travelling companion.

Lae'zel is not far behind though and her and Gale's conversations are just so deeply wholesome and interesting, they are both a pleasure to have around.

Gandrel is a fav of mine too. I find it always very impressive if the writing and line delivery can convey a rudimentary sense of personality for a character with such minimal screen time.

More on places and such at a later date.

Anska: yeah, I wanted to get some discussions going that are not about how bad the game is or which expression characters should have in certain situations.

I have to try that with Gale, that sounds interesting.

I generally like the Gur people. I have a Gur character myself and just like their culture. Uma is a great character too.
Generally I think this game is full of strong female characters.

I'm sure nobody is surprised that my favorite is Astarion and his Ascension storyline. But I will have to say I really like Minthara as a character (I'm sad about the fact that her story is lacking so much though). Shadowheart is really great, and her storyline is really good. I loved finding out the mystery of her scar, it was a really well done story.

Of the lesser characters I really like Rugan from the Zentharim, I do not think I've seen him mentioned before (although I'm sure somebody have). His part is short but the acting he delivers with the face animations still stand out vividly to me.

The best big bad is Ketheric for me. I'm also one who feels so sorry for him and his whole family. It might have something to do with how much he looks like my dad though.

@anska Gale comes in really high for me too. At first I felt like his obsession with Mystra would be a bit of a red flag, but when you play the romance path with him you get to really process that and move on to a much better place with him.

Rugan still owes me a f***** drink at the Elfsong Tavern!

(I liked his story too, just sad that we didn't get to follow up on it in act 3)

There is a big Rugan fancrowd at Reddit, I don't think, I have sen him mentioned here. He is hard to keep alive, if you come from the cave. It's easier from the front.

I know, I would have loved to meet up with him there. I know he is a bit shady (being Zentharim and all), but he seems like an interesting guy. I can imagine him presenting some kind of scheme to Tav in the tavern with a quest of thiefing, double crossing and intrigue. Maybe it could have tied into some political stuff too.


If you knew how many reloads I have done to try and keep those two alive...

Oh yeah, Rugan and his friend are really annoying to keep alive. Nowadays I just approach from the front. The fight is harder, but those two won't enter combat that way.

Really? I never knew. In any patch I started the fight, all of the gnolls immediately aggro on me alone and leave the two in the cave alone. I thought that was the intended behavior. It's very reasonable, since the party might seem easier to access for the gnolls.

My favourite character is Gale. I find him really entertaining and relatable. I like this anecdotes, and I think he's hilarious. I was unfamiliar with Faerûn, so having him there to give background info was great. If you get the adventurer version of his romanced epilogue, there's class specific and Origin specific lines showing he's learning about his partner's interests. For example, he's learning music with a bard, or if you're playing as Lae'zel, he'll learn your language.

Astarion has a strong arc, and I like his little camp scenes. They really help flesh out his character, and they fortunately aren't locked behind romance.

Lae'zel also has a strong arc, and I love how poetically she speaks, and how mature she is, especially for her age. I'm very fond of her banter with the other companions. Her conversation with Shadowheart about burying the axe is delightful. I had heard not to judge her before the creche, but her act 1 banter with Gale is actually very respectful, so I got to see some of her good side before that.

I adore Jaheira. She has a great sense of humour, and is a great mix of tough and compassionate. Highly competent, but still flawed and willing to admit her mistakes. She had me at "Hello."

Some side characters with little screen time also have really strong writing. Barcus, Rolan, and Mayrina can have shockingly good arcs. I feel so proud of them by the end.

Tara has been a joy for my Gale playthrough. I only wish she reacted to more plot points.

Raphael is the greatest Disney villain of the last decade.

I know the artist's quest is unpopular, and I was frustrated with bugs and pathing issues myself. However, I actually get choked up when the ghost explains why she did it. The line and the voice acting really got to me.

I really like exploring the Arcane Tower in the Underdark. It has some really cool things hidden away inside.

Gale is funny... He's the only character who has a funny dialogue with you if you talk to him wearing Haarlep's underwear.

That is such a good detail. If you play as Gale and trigger the "In case of death" quest, Lae'zel comments that Gale is improving her vocabulary once he's back among the living. So Gale learning her language, feels like a reference to this. The Origin specific lines, which I have seen from Gale's romanced epilogue, are all very thoughtful and keep the shared stories of the characters in mind. As Astarion you can be a bit self-conscious about having dragged him into your weird lifestyle and he'll ease your worries.

I also didn't have much of a problem with Lae'zel early on, you just have to get used to how blunt she is but she is a team player right from the start. If you don't let her bully Zoro, she waits until after the conversation to tell you her opinion of it - which is good conflict resolution - and she never rises to Shadowheart's attempts to goad her. Shart otoh is the one I really don't like in the beginning. Depending on how you save her, she can be very sweet to you right from the start, while trying to drive a rift between the other companions. I do not like that at all.

Poor Rugan, I feel I owe him a drink at this point because I have made his life truly miserable once or twice.

I do like the "save the artist" quest too, it's surprisingly deep for what starts out as a silly side-quest and can have some very interesting resolutions depending on how you deal with the situation. It's just a shame that the portrait is bugged - and that you can't offer it as a gift to Astarion.

The Arcane Tower is a favourite place of mine too. I like the design, the puzzle and the reflection it offers on your companions. Lenore must have been in a very similar state as Gale during his year alone and the story about the Sharran, the vampire and the wizard who used to be friends but then succumbed to power isn't a very subtle reference either.

Act 2 is my favourite in general. I do love the bleakness and its horror elements, but I most of all love how it is constructed around a theme. Everyone in act 2 deals with their faith and their relationship with the gods and in the end - at least on a good run - the faith in yourself and your friends.

Shout out for LAe'zel, who might not have been to diplomatic school, but she and Karlach are the only companions being totally honest with you from the start. And when lae'zel can't give you an information, she gives you a reason. I really respect that with those two, but especially with Lae'zel, since for her, sharing like that is a new thing, given how strict gith culture is.
I also love, how she opens up throughout the game. I'm romancing her now with my tiefling lady and she is already warming up to the notion, that she might actually feel something for my character. And tries very well to justify it by saying, that I'm the most capable and formidable among our companions (my girl is a wild sorceress and has summond more stuff to hinder us by accident, than I can count, so I call bs, dear Lae'zel).

I never was interested in githyanki before, but Lae'zel made me rethink. ANd now I have three gith playthroughs going.

I also like Voss as a character and Orpheus too.
And in the gith creche, the young gith boy, who sectrely admires Orpheus. And the crazy scientist and the quarter master, who reminds me of Monk with her phobia for dirt and sperms

Wulbren is lowkey the best written and most realistic villain. Yes, Raphael is flashy and Ethel funny, and the three Stooges have their simps, but Wulbren is your everyday villain, who starts out wanting teh right thing (stopping Gortash and retaining right of free speech as he explains at one point to you), but he looses his humanity along the way. If you read his diary in the Underdark, you see a glimpse of the person, he once was.
I also think, that Wulbren is the only villain, that is redeemable.

I'll add you a Kagha. I feel the most terrifying villains are the ones that are the more normal ones, the ones you look at and think that in some twisted reality, you might have ended up just like them. Poor Barcus who holds out hope until the end.

Right, I forgot about her - yes, she is in the same category than Wulbren. And tbh, she is the second most interesting druid character in the game - after Jaheira of course.

I think, Barcus might be the means for Wulbrens salvation in the future. I totally can see the m reconsile and come to terms.

Barcus and Wulbren are just so wonderfully interweaved. They enchance each other as characters and add so much depth to their respective stories.

I would love for Astarion to react to the painting or the statue. I love Astarion's mirror scene, but I wish we could be more creative when trying to help him with it. My first reaction to the mirror scene was wanting to get Gale to cast a modified mirror image for Astaion.