Astarion. My favourite and always in my party.
I like the snark. I like how he disapproves, and voices it, of some of my choices. Never thought a group of disparate people should agree on everything, that wouldn't make sense. I always think Astariona choices, especially in Act 1, aren't so much evil as much as 'I'm not a hero, you're not a hero. why are we doing heroic things instead of dealing with the tadpoles, get back on track girl please'. His VA is superb and its difficult to not admire the real emotion put into the character. He's the male character I always romance and yes - I usually ascend him because the one time I didn't was entirely due to me trying to persuade him or sway his decision and I made an effort in all subsequent playthrough to not do that any more. His decisions belong to him after all - not me.
Never had any reason to change my opinion on him.
Lae'zel. One of my favourite characters. Originally I suppose I found her a bit too aggressive especially towards the tieflings in Act 1 but these days I find her interrogation scene funny as hell.
As with all companions after my first playthrough I never try to change or sway their choices as I believe they should make whatever choices feel right to them but probably due to the way I personally play the game she always goes against Vlaakith. A strong character arc. She's always in my party as she is such a capable fighter and I also value her disparaging remarks in much the same way that I value Astarions - both of them make me giggle and both are very good judges of character in their own ways. Fiercely loyal even before her arc change and probably because I interact with her so much I seem to get her softer comments from early game with no effort on my part.
. My opinion of her improved half way through my first playthrough and I haven't had any reason to change my mind since.
Shadowheart. I like her well enough and she's often the 3rd companion in my group. Originally I liked her more than I do now although that's not to say I dislike her as I don't.
She's just as verbally unpleasant and judgemental as Astarian in Act 1 which I find amusing. I almost always class change her to be something other than trickery domain as I find her underwhelming in a fight otherwise. Usually go Life as the spells fit a healer cleric. She always feels a bit on the bland side to me and some of her endings feel like they don't fit her personality. I always try my hardest to pick options in dialogue which tell her to go with what she really believes rather than what I might want so we tend to go against Shar and kill her parents as that seems to be her default.
Jaheira. I like her very much and always have,
she's often with my party in Act 3 because she has a lot of interactions - often amusing ones especially in her home. VA again is excellent and I enjoy having her around. I like that she isn't romanceable (and has a back story from the previous games that makes it unlikely she would be) which makes her a friend with no hidden sexual agendas unlike everyone else but Minsc and Withers. She has a good lot of sarcastic repartee and can take a joke which I really like.
Gale.
Unfortunately my first impressions of Gale were formed before they turned down his 'my girlfriend dumped me and I'm sex starved' thing'. It was so bad that I restarted and left him in his portal for three playthroughs as I ended up intensely disliking him. I'm glad they turned it down I really am but I still haven't really gravitated towards him. I do prefer his current default over what I originally saw but I treat him as a acquaintance and to be honest he's seldom in the party because he can be so pompous sometimes that I stop listening.
My opinion of him is improving slowly with later playthroughs.
Halsin.
I like him very much in Act 2 and obviously take him with me to do his personal quest stuff with Oliver. Sadly though I leave him in camp to be the required kidnap victim in Act 3 because he's not well fleshed out in Act 3 and honestly I'm not sure why he's even there. If I avoid all sexy talk with him (which I always do) he's pleasant company with some interesting insights but I get all of that from chatting to him in camp and don't need him to take up a party slot.
My opinion hasn't changed.
Wyll.
Sigh. Umm he's in my camp. I only take him with me when we're doing his Ansur quest. I even rescue his Dad without him. Not fond of Warlocks and my opinion of him actually went down after his big reveal because I can't help but think of him as a bit of a dimwit for running off alone to some random hillside just because some invisible bint whispered in his ear in the middle of the night. Think his Dad should have taken a break from morality tales and taught some critical thinking skills.
I think my opinion of him went down since first playthrough.
Karlach.
Another one I tend to leave in camp except when plot or Dammon requires her presence. I appreciate that her VA has done a good job but she just doesn't hit home with me. Too much of a one note character a bit like Wyll and I'm honestly not fond of the dialogue with her which tends to feel out of place and too 'our world modern'. The constant fidgeting around that she does annoys me. I stop Wyll killing her for reasons at the end of the game and not because I want her around in the meantime, which is rather sad and I suppose means I changed his mind, although as he seems to have no agency on anything else it makes no difference.
First playthrough I enjoyed her more than I do now.
Minsc. Well he's in my camp. Never too sure what to do with him as by the time he appears in the game I already have my party preferences all sorted out and don't really want to mess about unnecessarily. I quite enjoy his 'off the wall' takes on things though. Not changed my mind on him at all. Except I think its a shame he's so late to the party.
Minthara.
I appreciate her VA did a good job but to be honest I very seldom want to have her in my party and usually kill her in Act 1. The character doesn't click with me at all, may be down to her not being recruitable at all in my first few playthroughs. I did have her recruited in one playthrough but we didn't gel.
I haven't really changed my mind on her.
