Lae'zel: I was like 'ok, girl' , when she started berating me about everything and started ignoring her in my first playthrough (back in EA), but I love her now. SHe is one of the best companions writing wise.
SHadowheart: she was my favourite in EA and now I find her a bit overrated and sometimes too much. I like her, but all the hype drove me away a bit.
Karlach: I thought, I wouldn't like her, because I'm not a fan of barbarians, but she is my absolute favourite characterwise now and I don't even change her class.
Astarion: I like him well enough, but as with Shadowheart, I'm more pushed away from him by all the media hype. He is a good character, I don't just think he is better than the rest. So it is more the fact, he is shoved at you everywhere. And yeah, sometimes I want to punch him a bit for his lack of empathy. It gets better later on, but at the beginning I just want him to shut tf up tbh.
Gale: I didn't like him much in EA, but now he is another favourite of mine. He is such a great character. I like him being ambitious, but kind hearted at the same time. And he is very easily swayed from his god path with good arguments. I actually like that. He is intelligent, so instead of persuading him, you just point out the flaws and he is like 'Ok, you're right'. It's ok to have persuasion roles for companions that do think, it's their destiniy, like Shadow with becoming a DJ, but I find it refreshing, that it's different here.
Wyll: I like him more after his rewrite, I just think, he needs more content. He is another favourite of mine, being the genuine good character. I also love, that they made him a fiendlock and then have him be lawful good. It's much more impactful as if he would have been a paladin for example.
Jaheira: She was always perfection for me in all three games. She is awesome and I never really changed my opinion about her.
Minsc: Didn't like him at all in BG1 &2, but actually find him more bearable in BG3, still never will be my favourite. SO slight change between games.
Halsin: I was annoyed, when he was announced as companion, because I wanted Helia the halfling werewolf bard, not another elf and anotehr druid. I gave him a fair chance, but I find him creepy and bland and so he is mostly forgotten in camp. And stays there for the purpose of a certain quest. So it changes from being neutral towards him in EA - I liked him for what he was: a damsel in distress and a questgiver, but nothing more - , to being annoyed that he became a companion, to being outright bored by him.
Minthara: nothing much to say: she is evil, which was expected, and hilarious, which I didn't expect. I don't have a strong opinion towards her. SHe is ok, but I don't go out of the way to recruit her. So I would say, nothing has changed. I was not surprised, she became a companion, since the Minthara stans were pretty active during EA here, but I would have preferred one of the goblins (Sazza) or that half orc lady from Moonrise as a cultist companion
