Tieflings in earlier versions of D&D were depicted as trending towards evil and reveling in destruction (like a certain bard in BG2). This was attributed to their fiendish ancestry, and their inability to resist (or willingness to follow) their innate evil predispositions. Their more recent depiction as occupational thieves and organized criminals is a "politically correct" revision of them as victims of non Tiefling prejudice, which forces them to live in the high crime areas of Humanoid cities, corrupted by non Tiefling criminal influence. Larian's writers have promoted them to "noble outcasts" and oh so fashionable victims. As part of this overhaul, they relentlessly smear Druids of all "races" and ethnicities except Arron and Halsin, because the Druids, too, are supposedly victimizing the noble and suffering Tieflings.
I would disagree on the tiefling bard. Yes, he had destructive and self-destructive tendencies but he was no evil and not geared towards enjoying causing pain and etc. Actually, he was pretty fragile soul, if I recall correctly.
I can not talk about other editions of D&D but in other systems (namely the Pathfinder which is based on 3.5) they are also not inherently evil. Meaning you can not really blame 5e for not being overly harsh for one of the more interesting races to play.
On the druids: you have a choice there. My guess is that when the full game is released you will have the option to slaughter every single tiefling regardless of gender and age. Talking with the druids shows they are split between helping the refugees and keeping the intruders of the grove's peace away. Unless Kagha has some kind of a change of heart, there is no hope for the tieflings under her rule. I would say the fault is mostly with her and she is the one who is pretty negatively portrayed. Halsin on the other hand is one of the most likeable characters.
Originally Posted by Natureboy
THAT IS why Tiefling children are unkillable. Larian's writers want you to like and support Tieflings, and hate and kill their enemies. They likely have an extended storyline coming up involving Tieflings that continues after the player reaches Baldur's Gate. The discussions I've seen on the internet don't even mention that the Tiefs have made enemies of the Druids who saved them from slaughter by goblinoids and humanoids by stealing compulsively and repeatedly from their saviors.
Nothing of what I have seen in the game supports the fact that Larian has a pet you can not touch (except for the talking skeleton but he likely has excellent lore reasons not to be killable; and he is very helpful). It is a bug without doubt.
Killing the druids is entirely optional. A more ruthless character will do it. However, it is clear not all the druids are bad so it is an alignment choice (good vs. neturalish or evil).
Originally Posted by Natureboy
Goblins, though given more dept and complexity in BG3 than in earlier D&D based CRPGs, are still ugly, filthy, irredeemably evil subjects for mass killing to keep their rapidly multiplying hordes from increasing out of control. This is the first CRPG I've player that actually includes (very cute but still maliciously evil) Goblin children, who are nevertheless remarkably scarce in the camp and the Shattered Sanctum relative to the supposedly rodentlike fecundity of their elders.
Well, they are evil judged by their actions (plunder, cruelty). Whether all of their members are irredeemable is beyond the scope of the game. You are under no obligation to slaughter every single goblin, you simply need to remove their leaders. You are forced to kill (some of) the goblin children, though. If you go against the tieflings, a similar fate expects the tiefling children. It is a cruel world. And I do not mind darker fantasy settings. Most of the players do not, either
Originally Posted by Natureboy
I'm also a hobbyist non venomous snake keeper who coexists with wild American Black Bears, Canadian Lynx, Bobcats, and Coywolves, and other potentially dangerous wildlife, none of which have any remaining equivalents in the wild in Larian's Germany because rhey were systematically exterminated centuries ago. This means that their writers' perspective on 'real world' Wolves, bears, etc is based on what they see safely confined in zoos or in entertainment mefia, NOT on their wild counterparts! Vipers do exist in Germany, in the fotm of the fairly rare Adder (Viper berus).
"Reality" is a product of surroundings based experience, and subjective perception!
The seat of Larian is Belgium, which to my knowledge is not great in biodiversity, sadly. But that does not mean it's bad to have friendly beasts. But I mean... I do not think we should be that strict towards wildlife portrayal. No viper would kill a child in seconds. There are no owlbears and etc. and animals do not talk in our world. Personal opinion, of course.
A final note: supporting the goblins does lead to the slaughter of both the tieflings and the druids. Goblins enjoy the process, no doubt but they only succeed because of their leaders.
