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.
