Larian Banner: Baldur's Gate Patch 9
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Joined: Oct 2020
stranger
OP Offline
stranger
Joined: Oct 2020
Okay, sooo....I know this game's premise is intense--The characters are having a hell of a time, lamprey in their brain and looming worse-than-death condition and all...but is anyone else finding the companions to be intensely unlikable? I honestly don't care for any of the companions in particular; they're either full of themselves or bitter as HELLLL (yeah, I'm looking at you Shadowheart and Lae'zel). I don't expect sunshine and rainbows in this game, but can just ONE of the companions be fun to talk to without a snide comment? And uh...are there any positive interactions between the characters, because every single one I've heard has been either super hostile or super catty.

I really do appreciate the psychological nuance Larian put behind these characters, especially considering the situation they're in--but for fuuuck's sake, at the end of the day this is a game to enjoy, not battle-of-the-bitches in a sorority house.

So, anyone else feeling cold around the campfire?

Joined: Oct 2020
P
member
Offline
member
P
Joined: Oct 2020
Unfortunately this forum kind of buries some things like this, but there are some other threads about this. Apparently, Larian thought the evil or evil-leaning companions would be less popular picks, and therefore ONLY implemented those in order to get better early feedback.

Joined: Aug 2015
S
enthusiast
Offline
enthusiast
S
Joined: Aug 2015
Too bad they went with evil=asshole and made characters with so few redeeming qualities that none of them would be missed if removed and replaced.

Joined: Jan 2018
W
veteran
Offline
veteran
W
Joined: Jan 2018
And more companions are coming, including the ever effervescent Minsc, so I wouldn’t be too concerned with this, though I personally like the companions.

Joined: Oct 2020
enthusiast
Offline
enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2020
Nah everything has to be Grimdark(tm) these days. This is actually a topic that is discussed quite often but the last time we had a thread about it it got locked. You can find it if you'd like to read the 7 or so pages of discussion but I won't link to it as it did get locked and I was partially responsible.


I am here to discuss a video game. Please do not try to rope me into anything other than that. Thank you.
Joined: Oct 2020
O
journeyman
Offline
journeyman
O
Joined: Oct 2020
I was expecting Alfria to be a companion, but since the game doesn't implement the Bard class...yet...

I actually don't find all the companion's too objectionable. I do find the "back/other" stories for some of them to be a bit...unfortunate and, well, not good aligned. At least the ones in my party. But, they aren't objecting too much to me being a do-gooder, at least up to this point. They ha a couple issues early on apparently, but they're okay with me now.

Joined: Jul 2014
Location: Italy
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Jul 2014
Location: Italy
Gith companion aside, which is admittedly a bit overly aggressive and (like many of their races) spectacularly narrow minded in her focus toward her next goal, I can't really say I'm feeling all this "hostility from the other companions" everyone and their dogs keep bitching about.

Last edited by Tuco; 19/10/20 09:53 PM.

Party control in Baldur's Gate 3 is a complete mess that begs to be addressed. SAY NO TO THE TOILET CHAIN
Joined: Oct 2020
G
stranger
Offline
stranger
G
Joined: Oct 2020
Gale is good-aligned and is actually quite charming. Wyll is essentially a good person but who went down a dark path due to a combination of trauma and narcissism. Shadowheart I didn't get to talk to too much because of bad dice rolls but she seems like a girl who has been given a raw deal many times in her life and therefore has difficulty trusting people and who puts a wall up between herself and others and turned to Shar to find a sense of belonging. Lae'zal is an alien from a society of bored militaristic fascists who is harsh and cruel but who probably will have an interesting arc as she faces realities about the culture she is from (no spoilers). Don't know much about Astarion since I kicked him out if the group when he revealed he was a vampire. I'll check him out in my next playthrough.

Last edited by gish; 19/10/20 09:57 PM.
Joined: Oct 2020
addict
Offline
addict
Joined: Oct 2020
Originally Posted by Drakarra
Okay, sooo....I know this game's premise is intense--The characters are having a hell of a time, lamprey in their brain and looming worse-than-death condition and all...but is anyone else finding the companions to be intensely unlikable? I honestly don't care for any of the companions in particular; they're either full of themselves or bitter as HELLLL (yeah, I'm looking at you Shadowheart and Lae'zel). I don't expect sunshine and rainbows in this game, but can just ONE of the companions be fun to talk to without a snide comment? And uh...are there any positive interactions between the characters, because every single one I've heard has been either super hostile or super catty.

I really do appreciate the psychological nuance Larian put behind these characters, especially considering the situation they're in--but for fuuuck's sake, at the end of the day this is a game to enjoy, not battle-of-the-bitches in a sorority house.

So, anyone else feeling cold around the campfire?


Did you try to save Shadowheart on the ship. If you do, she treats you better, she still has an attitude but she's a lot nicer to your character. Depending on your dialogue choices your companions do open up to you. Also, I realized that in some situations you have what is called a "trigger dialogue" option (where you have to pick a dialogue option before the next one, this is a bit tricky), where you will get and extra cinematic or more dialogue options for that particular situation. In my playthroughs, Shadowheart, Gale and Astarion have been the most open with me, most likely because of the dialogue options I choose.

Joined: Mar 2019
addict
Offline
addict
Joined: Mar 2019
Originally Posted by Tuco
Gith companion aside, which is admittedly a bit overly aggressive and (like many of their races) spectacularly narrow minded in her focus toward her next goal, I can't really say I'm feeling all this "hostility from the other companions" everyone and their dogs keep bitching about.

Agree

Joined: Oct 2020
journeyman
Offline
journeyman
Joined: Oct 2020
Sorry but I'm not feeling the hostility from the companions at all, more like they are frustrated than anything with the Tadpole things imo. I also quite enjoy the evil companions and I'll definitely be using them a lot.

Joined: Sep 2020
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Sep 2020
Nope every companion other than Lae'zel is nice to me.

Last edited by DumbleDorf; 20/10/20 07:21 PM.
Joined: Oct 2020
Location: Sigil
member
Offline
member
Joined: Oct 2020
Location: Sigil
Not really. I mean they all start edgy and negative, but I found that later on they mellow down depending on if you treat them nice or not. If you try to save Shadowheart for example she is much more civil, and I think Lae'Zel's writer also said in his stream that he will adjust Lae'Zel's reaction according to the time you've spent together on Nautiloid (since the tutorial was implemented later on before her dialogue was revised).

I do like that you're not expected to act as a doormat when they are being insulting, i.e. you can insult Lae'Zel back for her nose remark and she will not disapprove.

Last edited by Arideya; 20/10/20 07:28 PM.

"There are three things that are strength incarnate: there is love of life, there is fear of death, and there is family. A family that loves death would have a strong pull indeed." - Tamoko
Joined: Oct 2020
journeyman
Offline
journeyman
Joined: Oct 2020
I could do without the whole "chick fight" -dynamics between Shadowheart and Lae'zel and I'd prefer it if the former was more aware of herself and not take her problems out on the PC, but IMO otherwise my problem is that the current companions aren't "hostile"(meaning focused, headstrong, frustrated, independent etc.) enough.

Edit: They should also definately introduce more 'tender loving care' -type of relationship options(romantic or friendships). Now the closest thing to that kind of utopian aspect of relationships are the tadpole mindfuck -bodyhorror sequences, which plays out like a cynical joke.

Last edited by IdPreferNotTo; 20/10/20 07:44 PM.

The promise of being led to death is reason enough to follow.
Joined: Sep 2020
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Sep 2020
Originally Posted by Arideya
Not really. I mean they all start edgy and negative, but I found that later on they mellow down depending on if you treat them nice or not. If you try to save Shadowheart for example she is much more civil, and I think Lae'Zel's writer also said in his stream that he will adjust Lae'Zel's reaction according to the time you've spent together on Nautiloid (since the tutorial was implemented later on before her dialogue was revised).

I do like that you're not expected to act as a doormat when they are being insulting, i.e. you can insult Lae'Zel back for her nose remark and she will not disapprove.


What part of Wyll or Gale are edgy or negative?

Even Shadowheart is positive unless you pester her too much with personal questions.

How trustful of people would you be if you just escaped a mind flayer ship with a tadpole in your brain? Its also true to the lore that Clerics of Shar are very secretive, she is perfectly in character and normally nice to everyone except Githyanki unless you try getting too personal with her.

Last edited by DumbleDorf; 20/10/20 08:28 PM.
Joined: Oct 2020
Location: Sigil
member
Offline
member
Joined: Oct 2020
Location: Sigil
Originally Posted by DumbleDorf


What part of Wyll or Gale are edgy or negative?

Even Shadowheart is positive unless you pester her too much with personal questions.

How trustful of people would you be if you just escaped a mind flayer ship with a tadpole in your brain? Its also true to the lore that Clerics of Shar are very secretive, she is perfectly in character and normally nice to everyone except Githyanki unless you try getting too personal with her.


True, I should have stated that I was thinking more about the usual suspects - Shadowheart, Lae'Zel, and Astarion.
Both Wyll and Gale are friendly from the start.

Heck even Astarion's meeting conversation can go civil if you agree to his ruse and pass a Perception check to notice the knife before he manages to jump your character.


"There are three things that are strength incarnate: there is love of life, there is fear of death, and there is family. A family that loves death would have a strong pull indeed." - Tamoko

Moderated by  Dom_Larian, Freddo, vometia 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5