Minsc and Halsin were and remain tier 2 non-origin companions. Minsc comes far too late and I'm not really into comedic companions, though I could see myself including him in a sillier run. I found Halsin not compelling as a companion compared to his npc roles in the story in Acts 1&2.
Yeah, I rarely took Minsc out and didn't feel like I was missing much. I'd talk to him in the Elfsong most evenings and hear any updates to his thoughts, and I got all of his background, and that was fun; but rarely actually had him in the party. Except that I specced him as a gloomstalker ranger, and used him when I wanted a max stealth party.
