|
|
|
addict
|
addict
Joined: Aug 2023
|
To be fair, the same is true for all of BG3's cast besides Lae'zel. (Karlach's being a Tiefling is only relevant in that it gives a reason why she could survive in Avernus and the burning heat of her Infernal Engine heart - Beyond that, she could be anything).
Heck, even the Emperor being an Illithid feels kind of phoned in, even if it makes it into story it doesn't have any real relevance to the character (Especially given his stance of not being interested in becoming human again, so it's not as if his transformation has given him something to overcome...). Like, they could have literally have kept him as your Guardian throughout the entire game and nothing would really change for his characterization (If anything it might have improved things because then the choice between Emperor and Orpheus would be less ridiculously one sided, because instead of being a decision between Mr Evily McEvilface and Mary Sue, one of the characters is just a plain old adventurer who helped you out instead of an evil mastermind manipulating you for their own purposes)
It's one of the disappointing aspects of BG3's writing.
Though, DOS2 was much better in that regard. Fane being an Eternal, The Red Prince being a Lizard, Beast being a Dwarf and Sebille being an Elf were much more integral to their characters and stories (Of course, Lohse and Ifan both being human was, as is typical, completely irrelevant)
So it's not as if Larian cannot write race relevancy into characters. They just opted not to for BG3 outside of Lae'zel. There are some minor relevances to for example Wyll being human because Ravengard is already established as a noble house of humans and Halsin and Minthara provide some lore relevant interactions to their race, but they are generally so underdeveloped that it doesn't add much.
|
|
|
|
|
|
member
|
|
member
Joined: Feb 2024
|
We had that with a certain male druid elf, who basically was just a romance without story. When you eventually arrive in Baldur's Gate together, he's maybe a bit like Sandy Cheeks, out of his element but still part of the gang. Most druids would even suffer debuffs, if staying in urban areas for too long. In the first two acts he is quite heavily involved in the story, though. I'm looking forward to Larian's take on scaly folk. If I remember correctly, Dragonborn were introduced into D&D during 4e, with no context given and a description saying they just happen to resemble the dragons to whom they are not related, however. Typical WotC-slop. The continent/scenario they came from only existed in 4th edition and was apparently completely retconned away for 5e. There were several draconic races in 2e and earlier, even ones available as player races, but they weren't native to Faerûn. So, while I did enjoy some of the dragonborn NPCs on the humorous side, I'm quite glad they weren't overdone in BG3. Now I hope the BMG brings back puzzles!
|
|
|
|
|
|
old hand
|
|
old hand
Joined: Jul 2009
|
We had that with a certain male druid elf, who basically was just a romance without story. When you eventually arrive in Baldur's Gate together, he's maybe a bit like Sandy Cheeks, out of his element but still part of the gang. Most druids would even suffer debuffs, if staying in urban areas for too long. In the first two acts he is quite heavily involved in the story, though. I'm looking forward to Larian's take on scaly folk. If I remember correctly, Dragonborn were introduced into D&D during 4e, with no context given and a description saying they just happen to resemble the dragons to whom they are not related, however. Typical WotC-slop. The continent/scenario they came from only existed in 4th edition and was apparently completely retconned away for 5e. There were several draconic races in 2e and earlier, even ones available as player races, but they weren't native to Faerûn. So, while I did enjoy some of the dragonborn NPCs on the humorous side, I'm quite glad they weren't overdone in BG3. Now I hope the BMG brings back puzzles! Just being in a city is no explanation why his character boils down to "fondly remembering being a drow sex slave". He was never intended to be a companion and go into act 3, but EA players thirsted for him, so Larian gave them what they wanted. Dragonborn came from 3E were they were humanoids transformed into dragonborn by the god of good dragons as holy warriors against evil dragons, then got retconned into dudes that sometimes got born from dragons because reasons, which got retconned into something something dragon servitor race. But WotC stopped caring about that anyway as their new main target group are people that came because of Stranger Things and Critical Roll who do not care at all about story and role playing. Which is why WotC now introduces a Marvel like multiverse so they can justify anything they want and ignore any established lore. And Larian didn't care much either about D&D or BG lore. The slop only gets sloppier.
Last edited by Ixal; 2 hours ago.
|
|
|
|
|
|
member
|
|
member
Joined: Feb 2024
|
Thanks for the context! I played with the blinds down, so I wasn't aware of the retcons made to him. Sure, it would have made sense for a druid to stay behind in Reithwin to make sure everything returns to natural balance. I was still glad to have him around for Act III. I mean, you don't have to drag him along, do you?
I also didn't know dragonborn went back that far! If they originated in a different campaign setting, it does make more sense that their Torilian pendants felt forced and being their own bubble. They sound a bit like a simplified version of Dragonlance's Draconians, which were created from the eggs of dragons by the followers of Takhisis/Tiamat. In the original lore they're usually evil-aligned and not available as a player race.
|
|
|
|
|
|
old hand
|
|
old hand
Joined: Jul 2009
|
The only not Forgotten Realms specific information was dragonborn being literally born from dragons.
In the FR they had the transformed holy warriors and went directly to dragon servitor race that arrived with the spellplague in 4E.
|
|
|
|
|
|
member
|
|
member
Joined: Feb 2024
|
Well, for dragonborn I only had the information from BG3, I think. Despite no ancestral links to the mighty creatures, these dragonborn share the charcoal colouration and fizzling, acrid breath of black dragons. They do have their fans, so fair game. I'm just glad they were as rare as they were.
|
|
|
|
|
