Personally I don't take that banter so seriously and more like a playful joke and Shadowheart teasing him a bit. But, I don't dismiss those who take more offense to it, especially if you have rejected Halsin and told him you are not interested to which he has given the mature response that he won't press the matter. Then I can certainly understand that it feels disrespectful having him and Shadowheart talk about him joining next time like you are not even there. I honestly thought this was going to be adressed when they announced there would be a platonic path for Halsin. To me a platonic friend does not initiate conversations with his friend's partner about being part of their intimate activities. It has been a repeated request and feedback from players that they would like to have this banter behind a romance flag for Halsin. Though I don't really care either way, I rarely have Halsin out of camp and I kind of shrug at that banter anyway, I think it's a fair request. It doesn't ruin anything for those who want a poly romance with Halsin and Shadowheart since it's still there if you reciprocate Halsin's advances and it makes Halsin more consistent on his word for those who reject him. But I don't know what goes on in the development room, maybe the flags aren't as easy to apply as it seems, seeing as how a bunch of them didn't work at all before and now we have the opposite issue that the companions will infinitely repeat banter about romances and even comment on romances that haven't even happened. So maybe not touching them is the better way to go at this point, at least we know what we get and how it can be avoided if we don't care for it.
I really wish I could see it that way too. But I fail to see this as playful teasing now, since I know it goes way beyond that and she actually craves for sex with him, my blissful ignorance is gone. And yeah, you are absolutely right that a platonic friend would never pry, but also a partner, who genuinely care for you and respects you, would never be so enthusiastic about it all of a sudden, especially since you have never been interested in it. I begged for them to put that banter behind the flag. Sadly, it didn't happen. But I hope some changes will happen in the upcoming patch, fingers crossed.
Originally Posted by raysneak
I can understand the difference in Shadowheart's character between Act 1、2 and Act 3. In Act 3, her personality feels a bit out of character to me. However, in my second playthrough, I staying loyal to her and not talking to the drow twins or accepting Mizora, that was the kind of romance I was looking for. Still, I left Halsin at the camp to be kidnapped by Orin, simply because I feel like he has no connection to Act 3.
Additionally, after installing Really Shadowheart from Nexus, I’m very satisfied with it:)
I have heard a lot of good things about that mod. But I am afraid that if I will use this mod, I wouldn't be able to play co-op with my friends, and also, thoughts like "It's not the way it was intended" would steel might creep in.
Originally Posted by Trantion
I haven't pursued a romance with Shadowheart, nor have I brought Halsin into act 3, so I don't know what you're actually talking about. The most I got is Shadowheart commenting that Halsin is nice to look at.
I'm gathering that part of it is that although you've turned down Halsin, you've found Halsin and Shadowheart talking about him joining you? If so, I'd agree that's probably inappropriate (probably because I haven't seen the details for myself) and I'd support that being changed. Now, when something happens in a video game that seems 'wrong', I tend to take one of two views. I can interpret it as a bug and ignore it, or I take it absolutely literally and use it to build my interpretation of the world (the real world isn't always predictable).
But if the point is that early in the game Shadowheart says she prefers monogamy, and then later on she tells you she's interested in polygamy, then I don't see any problem with it from a character design perspective. Part of the point of the companions is that you don't know everything about them. They all have secrets that they keep from you at the start of the game, so maybe she just didn't want to talk about it then. Or maybe her preferences changed over time: Extra Credits did a video talking about how much more interesting it would make a game if an NPC could start a relationship with either the player or another NPC:
If this really affects you, I'd suggest having a think about why. I had something kind of similar in my earlier game: I was playing a shy, awkward character with a story arc about her gaining in confidence as people start turning to her as a hero. It was clear that she was a good match for Wyll, and late in act 2 he asked to dance with her. Then, the option to kiss came up and I stopped to think for a while, before deciding she was still a little too shy to take the active step to kiss him, and she briefly looked away. Even though this fitted the character, and at the time I believed that there would be another opportunity later in the game, I actually felt guilty for the next few days that I'd denied this person, who does not exist, her chance at love! Especially when Withers started poking at it... And yes, this did make me think about things. In the end, I did post on the forum that it would be nice to be able to start a romance in act 3 if you failed to do so earlier in the game, but what happened to my character is just part of her story, too. I see it as a statement on missed opportunities; I'll leave it up to you if you want to put your own interpretation on what happened with Shadowheart
If NPCs would hook up when you are not involved that would be fine. If you're not involved - you're not involved. But what happens in Shadowheart romance route is that you're involved a lot, you gradually build something beautiful together slowly, brick by brick, never once I got the hint from her on willingless to let anyone in, on the contrary. The only reason I could think of her to have this sudden change and these feelings towards the other is that the protagonist wasn't good enough for her, no matter what lengths you went for her. And that's the part of the story, very bitter one and hurtful for a faithful protagonist.
