Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - General Who would you recruit from Act 1 NPCs? (some spoilers)

I absolutely do not see Halsin as a companion. His role in the story is NPC leader and mentor, not adventuring companion. There can not be a level 4 "Archdruid" or "First Druid of Emerald Grove". I don't care how cool or hot he is as a character, everyone needs to play the part that's written for them.

The only way I could see him as companion is BG3 level 10+ end game if his circle is destroyed or overtaken.

Counsilor Florrick would make more sense as a companion than Halsin even though she has her own responsibilities as well.

Minthara seems like the obvious first pick, IMO. Pretty much the only reason to choose the evil path right now. And the way you bleed companions in Act I if you go the evil route, I think you could really use some route-specific companions to fill in the gaps left.

Aside from that I think both Kahga and Nettie would make for nice druid companions. Nettie being Halsin's apprentice would be a good choice for him to follow you along and see that his interests are represented, and If you sway Kahga from the Shadow druids route she could be a good pick to follow along also since she's either banished or in Halsin's eyes has to redeem herself. I like Halsin, but it seems weird to me that he'd run away from the grove again so soon after it almost fell to ruin in his absence over a few hours. Make much more sense IMO for him to send a proxy.

The Tiefling Bard-I know a lot of people already like her, but there's even a line of dialogue (that most people probably don't see) that she has where she muses becoming an adventurer.

Sazza. If she doesn't die in a crossbow-accident or get fed to spiders she's kinda in a bit of limbo. I liked her. Would be neat to have her as a camp companion.

Windmill gnome (can't remember his name atm) He graduated to camp follower in the last patch. Perhaps being a full companion is in his future?

Abdirak. How else am I going to renew that amazing buff he gives out? But in seriousness, he's a really memorable guy with a pretty unique look and a really intense personality. Him as a camp follower would be pretty neat. Don't think he'd work as a companion though.

Here ya go! Gotta have Florrick right! And tossed a few more in there...

Don't get sad bottom row, its ok! We know you'll still have top billing in the end lol


hehehe

I think its safe to say opinions will be wildly divergent, but the fun part is that it's just an EA novelty idea. Surely not every bit cast member would make the cut, and of course some would already have their Act 2 narrative requirements that might make them not a candidate at all in the finals. But it's not like it has to be all perfected for the final game to work for now. Just something entertaining to keep us busy during EA. But also to actually do something in a way that allows the collecting of some telemetry. Just to see who peaked interest and who players responded to, and find out who our EA Boba Fetts are? lol

Doesn't have to be all Highlander where "There can be only one!" Might as well just try anyone who works and see who the fan favs truly are heheh

Yeah, the characters in this game really are done well. The writing is great, and the voice acting is top notch. One of the things I love about Nettie, for instance, is that she exudes a sense of gravitas.

*

I was just thinking of another goblin I love. I don't know her name, but she's one of the goblins there with Crusher, like she's in his fan club. In the cut scene, she says something like, "Oh, you got him good!"

There's so much character and personality buried in that one line.

Oh! I almost forgot! Smacking forehead!

The Mask of Vengeance! The half-drow with the warhammer. And, well, the other masks too, but she interested me the most. And I'd love more story for her and her companions.

In fact, I would prefer good written characters with lots of cast scenes, personal history, quests and drama, and not just cannon fodder in my party. I think it would be really interesting to add such unique personalities as Omeleum to the party, maybe some other races that cannot be created in the editor. Like Sten Qunari in Dragon Age Origin, it was cool.

Maybe some Aasimar or some demon. It seems to me that Laezel would be more popular if it was NOT possible for the main character to play as Gith. She would have a charm of mystery, something different

Yeah I tend to agree. There's a certain charm to rolling with an option not strictly allowed in regular PC char creation. Also explains the Gobbo popularity. I think that might be an advantage over a Mercenary type merchant system, since characters already included in Act 1 have some story ins and unique flair. If some narrative conceit could be devised for why the char gets respec'd to further bring it into the story that would be fun. Like after you do whatever persuasive antics are required to convince the character to enlist. After that initial Q "What would it take? To drop all this and join us on this Quest!" the NPC plays hard to get with their thing, their true motivator. Their hearts desire. But once that's achieved the Char can join up, and be respec'd as a PC.

Perhaps there is a powerful artifact which exists, that grants a narrative power over these NPCs - the mind trick! Which in piratical EA terms transforms the NPC into a PC. When that happens some things can be respec'd at the more normal PC level, so an Om might still key off the standard point buy, but nevertheless remain an Om. At least in the look and the flavor.

Based on the information gathered, perhaps that signals to the developer that this NPC might be a good one to develop further. The fun is that they all at least have some characterization suggested whether by their looks or their one liners. Even some of the monsters, at least the ones that aren't insta hostile towards you could work in that way. The price of admission might be rather steep.

Like I don't know what it takes to get an Om, or a rando Gith on patrol to actually be persuaded enough to come along for the ride. But that's their fun invention prompt. What would it take? And then we get that to explore that, in the EA context, with some sense of reward and variety.



Lae'zel, Shadowheart, Astarion, Gale and Wyll all disapprove of the idea- in a rare moment of complete unanimity.
But what will your PC do?

Same for Wyll, really. MC feels like a watered down version of them, and no one feels nearly as unique as they should. Shame 'cause warlocks are pretty cool, and dipping into paladin for redemption is always fun.

Anyhow, i'd say Lakrissa (the thiefling archer?) and the leader of the kids. The latter is my kind of antagonistic, playful ribbing kind of thing, and i want to adopt her or something, while the former is one of the few characters in the EA who feel both capable and average.

Minthara for sure. Best NPC in act 1 for me.

The owlbear cub. ALWAYS.

Second choice would be any druid (that is not Kadga). Alfira would be my third choice. After that... I don't know, maybe the cleric of Loviatar (... he is a cleric, right?). Maybe Vol(v)o?

I like Gandrel (the monster hunter) too! And the three tieflings that are arguing whenever they should help the refugees or not! c:

Yeah very true. You definitely miss out on something when walking in someone else's shadow. I rather like the idea that standing next to many of these NPCs, the Player might feel rather more important in driving the story as opposed to just receiving it. But also not going so far that the story-ins are just eliminated and disappear, which is sort of what going all custom party or custom mercs would feel like. Having seen how mercenary type systems tend to work lately, and recalling how full custom tended to play (the old gold boxes say or IWD style) I'd think its actually more engaging if the player is given some props to work with. These NPCs already have some charm working in their favor, such that it'd feel more engaging to try a different class or whatever, as one of them. The Extras, the bit players, the indispensables!

They are sort of like in-between, not a total blank slate, not a fully developed character of the sort we see from Origin Companions, (or say the Lead stars/romance-type Companions of a BG2 or DA) but exist really more like prompts in this reimagining of what an EA experience could be.

They're serviceable templates because they're not fully spec'd out, but they're also a bit better than just Rando Pre-Gen Named Chars at a launch screen, which is another thing we see done in other games that's a little unsatisfying. Instead our bit players have just enough characterization to give an actual impression to work with and some gameplay oriented motivation or incentive to dig deeper, just from a collectors vibe. If customization within some reasonable parameters was on offer they could create the same flexibility in terms of class or builds that players like to test and tease out.

Also whatever challenge type rating is needed to make them function (strong or weak enough) as an NPC in the main campaign, that needn't necessarily translate into what attributes etc are available to them once recruited and graduating to Adventurer. The narrative for a Halsin or a Minthara getting knocked down a peg, or someone else getting bumped up, could be easily devised and explained away as party of the recruitment magic - the old mind trick working like lvl drain basically to put them just right for the experience. But they'd then have a way to get all the build variety on display at the appropriate scales.

It could be used as a vehicle to deliver plot webs too, that are simple on the face of it (basically one offs), but once strung together would make the whole thing more like a tapestry of competing goals. It's really more of an aesthetic choice here right. That one thing you liked about something in their look or their sound, the first impression, the delivery. Building off that gives the player ideas for characters and party comps and makes the whole process more endearing, more than just a second Custom main character could ever feel.

Here's an example... say for some reason Zorru is my favorite. Or I've just got a Zorru itch I need to scratch, cause I've gone that far down the line in EA hehe.




ps. Oh for sure the 3 arguing Tiefs! How could I forget! We'll need another row here soon! hehe

Eliette. 😏


Or Qudenos... YEE



Or best of all:


👹

I honestly want more options, especially from under-dark (drow, svirfneblin, flumph's, and duergar to name a few). And they don't necessarily have to be evil or good (neutral aligned personality's would be more adaptable to various party make ups). I definitely l want more female options as well to interact with. As my primary theme character I make will be a true neutral based alignment, and most occasions a drow or wood elf (unless they bring in Shadar Kai as an option then I would play that). I don't mind some color in the personality's, but defiantly not the extreme drama queens that are currently available as "origin" characters. As I am just not a fan of those in their current incarnation.

Wow Qudenos!?

Ok now that is a genuine challenge, but perhaps still workable!

How about...




Yeah!!! the whole Underdark crew has so much promise too, fully!

Blocked!!! 😜

Yeah that's definitely an affront to Nature right there! 😮
And also...


heheh

Ok. Ok. Jk. Jk. 🤣

Ok... Here's another. Auntie Ethel. Lol. I want her in my party so she can constantly mock my enemies.

Auntie Ethel is the best, I agree (after Scratch of course).

But, you can bypass all of those stiff requirements, as long as you're a red dragonblood sorcerer and you pursue the romance option instead

... Linna, my little halfling, thinks she's going to need some more spells before attempting this.


I mean... even if it's coming from a dragon, that's still a lot of effort to go to for a bit of tongue -*smacked*