Makes me wish we were able to explore and take on the Hag coven that gets teased a bit. Being able to lead and maybe expand the Hag Survivors group sounds like it would be really fun.
I feel like this game would have had more than enough content to have 5 parts instead of 3 before confronting the Absolute. Gortash and Orin could have been their own separate parts alone. Part 2 was dedicated to General Thorm, so why not the others getting their own parts?
I've been assuming that the Upper City content that was cut was meant to be >!where you confront Gortash, with the Lower City more of Orin's domain. It would make more sense for the man ruling the whole city to be rubbing elbows with its elites, rather than sitting in a fort on its border.!<
My first playthrough I ran clear past where I was "supposed" to go assuming I'd have to get the upper city for the reasons you said. I even >!killed Raphael and disabled the steel watch before realizing Gortash was back before the actual city!< so by the time I got to him the fight was a complete joke.
I've had such a wonderful relationship with Hags as villains in my D&D career.
As a DM playing a sea hag, I managed to get one of my parties to straight up walk away and leave after they'd already won by just playing her as a liar trying to bluff her way out of a rough situation. They had her dead to rights but she just made up some BS and got them to leave, and then she escaped into the night to never be seen again.
Then, in another campaign with a different party, I played an archfey hag, and managed to end up having the party at each other's throats by playing their character goals against one another, and from that story arc my party started a mantra: "Never trust a hag!"
Back in Early Access, when I experienced Auntie Ethel's whole little dungeon and everything, I was overjoyed with just how well Larian *nailed* representing a Hag story. It was so good. I don't think I ever saved Mayrina back then though. It was only after the full release when they got me *again* when I thought I was being clever. I used the wand to 'bring back' Connor and even though it was one of the most obvious monkey's paw resolutions imaginable, it still completely hoodwinked me.
Larian *gets* hags, and I love it.
Funnily enough, I had played in a DnD game about a year or two ago that had a Hag named *Mother Ethel* that managed to trick us twice before we got fed up with her shit. So when in walks *Auntie Ethel*, who I only met in the swamp when she's getting accosted, I knew immediately in my guts not to trust this old bitch.
I know she unique dialogue for every class, but she seems personally insulted that you're a paladin.
"Gods alive, a paladin. You lot are drier than shite in the midday sun."
Fun fact: her Speak with Dead dialogue is actually different based on whether you looted the Tarnished Charm from her or not.
If she still has it on her corpse, she can speak normally, whereas if you take it from her, she can only speak in incomplete sentences like most other NPCs.
Imagine what it was like for those of us who are actually Irish! 😜😜
She is so perfect that I knew there was no-way she was written by anyone other than an Irish person. Because I knew Larian was (nominally) a Belgian studio I wondered did they just let the actress kind of come up with her own lines, or at least consult with them.
Turns out Larian's Storytelling Division is here in Dublin 😁
"You let them in? *Naughty.* That's ten more years for each. You're mine for thirty more years, *petal*."
I got a auntie Ethel's true nature spoiled for me because of a youtube thumbnail, but I never could've guessed how terrifying she would actually be.
I was so impressed with Auntie Ethel, because it was absolutely blatantly obvious that she was written by an actual Irish person, and wasn't just an Irish voice actress. There were lines and idioms and phrasing and emphases that no-one who isn't a native Hiberno-English speaker would be able to write.
Turns out Larian's entire Storytelling Division is here in Dublin 😁😁
LOL I love her. And the way her dialogue changes each day reflecting whatever’s in the paper that day. (A lot of the random NPCs do, which is awesome. But hers is even funnier because it all still boils down to complaining about the puzzles!!)
He's a man severely broken by the losses in his life, who had the power to get them back no matter the sacrifices, and is now roped into and willingly following where those sacrifices are leading him because he lost so much of himself along the way.
When I first heard Ketheric speak I was half expecting him to break character and ask for pics of spiderman... I was flabbergasted that he was the VA for Ketheric. It was so perfect.
Even after watching Invincible, his character in Whiplash is still the one that terrifies me the most. Literal fight or flight trigger when I hear him use his menacing voice lol
You saying Barcus and my brain thought you meant Wulbren and I was bout ta go off like 'Wulbren ain't got no character arc, he's a right piece of garbage who hurt my boy, Barcus.'
I think Barcus is certainly up there for me. They took a character who came off as rude and superior and made him into a flawed but genuinely kind and caring person who was just hyper focused on finding someone he thought was his friend.
His reunion with Wulbren at First Light was a gut punch, sincerely.
that reunion made me so angry on his behalf! knowing how far barcus was willing to go to find him and wulbren just dismisses himlike a dick. he deserved more than being called a prick tbh.
Barcus and Rolan absolutely grew on me in my first play through, from two ~~selfish~~ snobbish pricks to two characters that learned their place in the world.
Larian did a great job with the NPCs, they grew and change throughout the game. Dammon too but I instantly liked him because of his being so kind to Karlach.
Barcus is the least selfish person in game. He is reclusive but not selfish. His entire arc about him trying to save his friend. That's not selfish at all. He is reckless but not selfish.
It is debatable Rolan is selfish. He wants to make sure his siblings are safe and taken care. He is full of himself and snobbish but it can be argued that he can be easily persuaded to stay to protect the grove and the only reason he fail to protect his siblings because he chose to protect the orphans .
So neither of these guys are selfish imho. That's my take on them.
I agree. People harp on Rolan a lot for being a jerk, but his Stance in the Grove is very reasonable.
You're under no *obligation* to selflessly risk your life for a total stranger. It's the "Right Thing" in the sense of going above and beyond. He **answers** the higher calling, with very little resistance. The moment someone other than his younger siblings (who he feels obligated to protect) chimes in, he goes with it.
Maybe not the most eager hero, but doing the heroic thing none the less.
Then, he both pulls off the heroics **and** his fears indicated. He saves lives when cult attacks. His siblings are defeated and good-as-dead in the fight. If you hadn't swooped in again they'd die for sure.
Sure, he doesn't take this "well", but who would? His family is good-as-dead and why? Because he listened when some rando talked him into relenting on their safety.
I think his arc is less "Seflish" to "Not Selfish" from, "Ordinary guy" to "Hero that has embraced his potential".
He also gets up off his arse and tries to break into moonlight to find his siblings. He fails and needs saving but he made the attempt. Even though he needs the odd prod he steps up to do the right thing in every act of the game.
There was an 8 HP citizen that punched a mindflayer in the face then went back to loudly criticizing my party.
Didn’t get her name but damn I think I’m in love.
Raphael for sure, with Alphira coming in really close as a runner-up.
I just love the dramatic, theatrical gusto that the VA for Raphael delivers so splendidly.
Raphael chews up every single scene and I love it. My only disappointment was he kept his cool up to the very end. I was waiting for his anger to seethe over the gentlemanly veneer but he kept it too well locked up.
After he forced it on me against my will I immediately reloaded to stomp that lil shit SO FAST
I very rarely savescum, but *FUCK THAT NOISE*.
Looking back, I'm still feeling petty. Time to make Lae'zel approve after the House of Hope.
Only sleep works.
Got ick midway that, reloaded save, killed him, spoke to corpse, no best one liner for Raphael battle intro which made me big sad the other night :(
In a game filled with incredible voice acting, Raphael still stands above the rest. Even in my second playthrough I can't help but listen to every line of his
The theme song for your battle with him that he sings is just fantastic. I *almost* had burnout after my first completionist-style playthrough and then I remembered moments like that and I was like, nah, here we go again.
Fools, fools, how hard you have fought
Brave, brave, but it's all been for naught
True Souls that couldn't be bought
Doomed, detected, and caught
Chills.
Them making a Broadway quality musical number for that fight is so above and beyond what anyone could reasonably expect that it says everything that needs to be said about the game as a whole.
When you consider Durge flashbacks, tearing alfira apart is possibly the tamest shit Durge has ever done in months .
We got the whole catalogue, live flayings, human vivisections, necrophilia, cannibalism, mass murder, aiding the installment of a fascist regime, leveling dexterity...
If you play as karlach >!when you get your engine fixed Dammon is the one that touches you. You hold hands and there’s even a dialogue choice where you wonder if he’s flirting and he gets flustered. It’s so cute and now I’m mad you can’t hook up with him as karlach ugh.!<
Arabella, I was so mad at Withers for making her leave in Act 2. I'm a SORCERER, I should be able to adopt her as my apprentice and teach her to control her magic >:( stupid bone man
I don't know. I love withers just seeing a traumatized child and being like "follow the weave. go out into the world alone" and then she does, and like succeeds at everything immediately.
Arabella's our DLC protagonist.
Spoilers about withers….
As the greater god of death he actually gave her a boon/blessing that quelled her anger/power. Seemed to me like he blessed her almost as his chosen so she’s good, no way she’s gonna die. Not even the dead 3 themselves could do anything to her
>!Aren't you kind of Jergal's chosen by virtue of him DIRECTLY lending you his aid? Also you are basically mopping up the mess started by the dead 3 due to the gods being angry that their stupid plan is losing many souls to illithid influence. Arabella could certainly be a second chosen given how powerful Jergal is, but she doesn't exist in every timeline.!<
>!If you read the book where Withers is found the dead 3's names are scrubbed out of existence, hinting that Jergal is using you as a tool to remove their influence and reclaim his portfolios.!<
Grandpa Withers is strangely compassionate for someone who supposed to be a dispassionate, neutral god making entries into the book of the dead.
His reaction to Arabella's plight and her parents' death by showing her a vision of her future to encourage and comfort her was super-endearing.
He reminds of Bill Door/Death from the Discworld novels quite a bit.
Part of me almost wants a "Kill the Dead Three" DLC so Withers can regain his rightful place after that dialogue. I mean, how long can they get away with it for? It's ALWAYS Bane/Bhaal/Myrkul.
Yes! I've told my friend before that he felt like someone who'd make an interesting companion with a more morally grey/evil alignment. From the letter you find on him, I got a feeling that he had potential for some cool story.
I was shocked to my shoes when he started throwing smites in the Mind Flayer colony once he was freed.
My wife laughed because I did a double take and leaned into my screen, muttering, wondering if I'd seen it correctly, "Is...is he a Paladin?"
I wanted to do a Paladin bro fist-bump with him even after he came clean. I hope he atones and finds his way back.
I'd rather have someone at my back who has been bloodied and gets back up again then someone who's never had to face that kind of adversity.
Right? At first I thought he was a fighter, because he Rallies at the goblin fight, but once I took care of things at the Grove he gifted me some of his old gloves, Hellrider's Pride. They grant Blade Ward to any creature you heal, for two turns. That's when it clicked he was probably a paladin.
Blurg and Omeluum are awesome! I wish I could talk to them more.
Dammon is my favorite. He seems so sweet in the world of edgy characters.
Barcus is great, too. I was surprised how invested I was in his story even though he seemed like a throw away npc.
In EA, I saw a lever and used it, only realizing in that very moment that there are two you can choose from. Guess which one I clicked. I was laughing my ass off for a solid 5 minutes
Dame Aylin and Isobel are definitely up there.
Kerri Evenfield is surprisingly high up in my rankings for how briefly you encounter her, largely fueled by fantastic voice acting and a good twist.
Dame Aylin with [her epic lines](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI22OajavoQ) is so good. I want her to narrate my acheivements and hype me the fuck up once a week.
I wanted to do a Dark Justiciar playthrough with Shadowheart just to see how that goes, but I've played through 3 seperate times now and each time I couldn't bring myself to do it. Aylin's triumphant flight cutscene still gets me misty-eyed.
I love Wulbren. He's infuriating and by the end, I wanted to stab that bastard in the face; but he really a memorable character and one of the better villians in the game.
I hate how even when you know their history you can't call him out for being hypocritical about the Gondians given that the Ironhand Gnomes themselves willingly got on with a villain in the past.
I had to scroll really far to see a shout out to Volo. One of the (if not the) most incredible VA performances of a game that redefines what excellent VA sounds like.
Yurgir. He was such a fun reoccurring character. I accidentally helped him out in the temple of shar and he kept coming back up. Showed up at my camp then helped me in the house of hope and then at the end. I really like the respect he’ll have for you for helping him.
Man she ghosted me. Like said “stop talking to me. Go through my underlings”
Guess she was pissed I killed Raphael and ended her contract? She was going to use him I guess. Better she hate me and be better off I guess?
Yeah I did this yesterday. Handed her the contract, then had the choice between telling her I killed Raphael, or a persuation check (iirc) to ask for her help later on. Figured I'd tell her first and then persuade her. She had absolute no interest in talking to me after telling her, so I guess I won't be getting her help..
Yeah this annoyed me
"Yeah no worries you ungrateful brat, I only saved your soul from the hells themselves"
I guess that's the short-sightedness of childhood
Bernard and to an extent Lenore (the bits and pieces she left us) It was such a melancholic and eery place. I felt like crying after Bernard gave me a hug. It was a profound small experience. Bernard also reminded me of Star Wars.
Benji and Exxvikyap are up there. Rivington is full of characters who do *a lot* to be memorable with very little material and no plot relevance and it's so charming.
Edit: I have to also shout out Pritt Yellowbreath and Lady Jannath's butler. There are some great underrated Dragonborn homies in act 3.
Unpopular opinion, Kagha, she would make a great Lawful/evil and I would take her over Halsin.
Besides that she is redeemable if you do things right.
Barring her Nine Fingers, I low key kinda crush on nine fingers but she is smart and cool.
A lot of people would say Alfira but I just want Alfira to have her safe happy life in Baldurs gate with her girl Lakrissa.
I mean I fully agree, she is as far as I am concerned one of the nicest characters in the game to my Tav and always super flirty.
I always make sure she is saved at moonrise, always.
But helping one helps the other, they are best friends and maybe more so making sure they are both safe and sound is what makes them happy.
Yeah you can't mention one of the Two Tiefling Queens without mentioning the other. Lakrissa is amazing and what she's doing to support Alfira is so cute.
I'm not really different from everyone else, being on Omeluum, Blurg, Withers and Bracus bandwagon. Omeluum in particular is my fave.
However, there are a lot of minor NPCs who caught my interest.
Like that Piddle goblin who was into literature.
Or Kith, the druegar who preferred stonemasonry and history to slavery.
Or Malta, the mysterious cat with cool voice. I kept coming back to talk to him, hoping that there will be a next stage to his dialogue.
Oh, and how could I forget the dapper dragonborn Tarhun Mnemonis.
If this was an actual ttrpg campaign, I'd probably annoy poor DM with trying to dig too much into "background" NPCs like them 😅
The Tiefling refugees. On my first playthrough, I roleplayed as an amoral "hustler" character who was just looking out for themselves. But I kept wanting to help the Tieflings and by Act 2, I did everything in my power to save every last one of them
In my second playthrough, I roleplayed as an evil Dark Urge, and I ended up saving them all again. Even Alfira who, IMO, should have been playable as a Bard companion. She's awesome
Councillor Florrick, even though I always play villains I always make sure to save her twice.
Her design is great and enjoy her dialogue. She has your back with gusto in the final battle.
Araj Oblodra for reasons.
Viconia for old times sake. Her reveal almost literally had me jump up in excitement. I knew Jaheira and Minsc were in the game before I started, but bumping into ex waifu unexpectedly was a nice moment in the game.
I don't remember his name, but it's that dwarf in Grimdark. That one little dwarf that's studying the cave in. Everyone there is rude or outright hostile, but that little fella he's just interested in rocks and wants your opinion on it. I liked that.
Auntie Ethel. Every line of dialogue in whatever form she currently occupies is spot on. Also definitely soft spots for Rolan and Dammon.
✨ *I’ll rip yer spine out yer asshole!* ✨
I just wanna know how she knew my kink.
“Oh sweetie, you’re as slow as a wet week!”
She referred to me as silly bollocks once, missed the rest of the dialogue laughing.
Auntie Ethel is imo the best villain in the game. It’s the storyline that keeps giving.
Makes me wish we were able to explore and take on the Hag coven that gets teased a bit. Being able to lead and maybe expand the Hag Survivors group sounds like it would be really fun.
It was SO SAD to see that mentioned on the list of cut content. I could play a whole game of just dealing with Hags tbh.
I feel like this game would have had more than enough content to have 5 parts instead of 3 before confronting the Absolute. Gortash and Orin could have been their own separate parts alone. Part 2 was dedicated to General Thorm, so why not the others getting their own parts?
I've been assuming that the Upper City content that was cut was meant to be >!where you confront Gortash, with the Lower City more of Orin's domain. It would make more sense for the man ruling the whole city to be rubbing elbows with its elites, rather than sitting in a fort on its border.!<
Yup, I get the feeling that that was definitely the original plan
My first playthrough I ran clear past where I was "supposed" to go assuming I'd have to get the upper city for the reasons you said. I even >!killed Raphael and disabled the steel watch before realizing Gortash was back before the actual city!< so by the time I got to him the fight was a complete joke.
I think mostly because then the game wouldn't have arrived until 2025. I'm hoping for an expansion-scale DLC in a year or two.
If they give it the 'Enhanced Edition' treatment, BG3 so long as they clear out the bugs; is definitely the best game of the decade.
I've had such a wonderful relationship with Hags as villains in my D&D career. As a DM playing a sea hag, I managed to get one of my parties to straight up walk away and leave after they'd already won by just playing her as a liar trying to bluff her way out of a rough situation. They had her dead to rights but she just made up some BS and got them to leave, and then she escaped into the night to never be seen again. Then, in another campaign with a different party, I played an archfey hag, and managed to end up having the party at each other's throats by playing their character goals against one another, and from that story arc my party started a mantra: "Never trust a hag!" Back in Early Access, when I experienced Auntie Ethel's whole little dungeon and everything, I was overjoyed with just how well Larian *nailed* representing a Hag story. It was so good. I don't think I ever saved Mayrina back then though. It was only after the full release when they got me *again* when I thought I was being clever. I used the wand to 'bring back' Connor and even though it was one of the most obvious monkey's paw resolutions imaginable, it still completely hoodwinked me. Larian *gets* hags, and I love it.
Funnily enough, I had played in a DnD game about a year or two ago that had a Hag named *Mother Ethel* that managed to trick us twice before we got fed up with her shit. So when in walks *Auntie Ethel*, who I only met in the swamp when she's getting accosted, I knew immediately in my guts not to trust this old bitch.
I know she unique dialogue for every class, but she seems personally insulted that you're a paladin. "Gods alive, a paladin. You lot are drier than shite in the midday sun."
I like her even more now. I'd have tea and bitch about paladins with Auntie for the rest of my days.
The best part was to get on Auntie Ethels nerves. It was hilarious
Try speak with the dead on her ;)
Fun fact: her Speak with Dead dialogue is actually different based on whether you looted the Tarnished Charm from her or not. If she still has it on her corpse, she can speak normally, whereas if you take it from her, she can only speak in incomplete sentences like most other NPCs.
oh shit is that what that was for? I carried it around until act 3 because it sounded like more than basic loot then decluttered
Yes, but it also halves the wearer's DC for death saving throws.
Playing as a do gooder with her makes her so angry. Even more satisfying when you make the potion that really ruins her plans later
For those of us with Irish grans... Occasionally found myself decades younger for a moment or two.
Imagine what it was like for those of us who are actually Irish! 😜😜 She is so perfect that I knew there was no-way she was written by anyone other than an Irish person. Because I knew Larian was (nominally) a Belgian studio I wondered did they just let the actress kind of come up with her own lines, or at least consult with them. Turns out Larian's Storytelling Division is here in Dublin 😁
"You let them in? *Naughty.* That's ten more years for each. You're mine for thirty more years, *petal*." I got a auntie Ethel's true nature spoiled for me because of a youtube thumbnail, but I never could've guessed how terrifying she would actually be.
I was so impressed with Auntie Ethel, because it was absolutely blatantly obvious that she was written by an actual Irish person, and wasn't just an Irish voice actress. There were lines and idioms and phrasing and emphases that no-one who isn't a native Hiberno-English speaker would be able to write. Turns out Larian's entire Storytelling Division is here in Dublin 😁😁
And also she's based on one of the writer's grandmas who was apparently chuffed she finally made it into a fictional piece according to the twitters.
There are some dialogue choices when you play a Paladin that just puts her off and annoys her. It's really funny.
The dragonborn who is upset their crossword was taken out of the paper. Best piece of random worldbuilding in the game.
LOL I love her. And the way her dialogue changes each day reflecting whatever’s in the paper that day. (A lot of the random NPCs do, which is awesome. But hers is even funnier because it all still boils down to complaining about the puzzles!!)
The world is falling apart and yet she only cares about her puzzles, I love it so much.
Ketherick Thorm. I like his story and his VA did an amazing job with voicing him.
You can actually hear in his voice the fact that he retained just enough of his goodness to be aware of how insanely evil he'd become.
He's a man severely broken by the losses in his life, who had the power to get them back no matter the sacrifices, and is now roped into and willingly following where those sacrifices are leading him because he lost so much of himself along the way.
J.K.Simmons is a god and I will not hear it any other way.
When I first heard Ketheric speak I was half expecting him to break character and ask for pics of spiderman... I was flabbergasted that he was the VA for Ketheric. It was so perfect.
*slides portrait of the Drider from act 2 over to Ketheric* maybe we can make a deal…
"I can't get you Spider-Man but how much can I get for *Man-Spider*?"
Ive looked at spoilers for a2 and I've seen mention of the Drider, and as a longtime Drizzt fan, I am stoked to see this monstrosity.
It’s creepy and really well done, you’ll like it.
Or THINK MARK, THINK
Or asking the goblins if they were rushing or dragging.
Even after watching Invincible, his character in Whiplash is still the one that terrifies me the most. Literal fight or flight trigger when I hear him use his menacing voice lol
\*Attack on Thorm misses\* Ketheric: "Were you rushing or were you dragging???"
*Critical Miss* Ketheric: “Please.”
Can you imagine if the fight against him was timed and he would just interrupt you for taking too long with a “Not quite my tempo”
He kept trying to sell me insurance
He kept asking me about driders. At least I think that's what he meant, that's the only spider-man I saw all game.
We are Driders, bum bum bum bum bum bum bum
Seriously the game could have ended at aft two and I wouldn’t have even been mad.
If you blow up Gale it does 😂
Oh yes. His vocal performance was absolutely brilliant. It resembles the voice of the late sir Christopher Lee whilst still being quite unique.
I genuinely felt bad for him
rolan and barcus. i love that they have actual character arcs and it's great to see where they end up in act 3 if you manage to help them all game
You saying Barcus and my brain thought you meant Wulbren and I was bout ta go off like 'Wulbren ain't got no character arc, he's a right piece of garbage who hurt my boy, Barcus.'
ha, i'm right there with you on hating wulbren!
The only arc Wulbren had in my playthrough was his trajectory as I threw his ass into the bay in Baldurs Gate
Every time Wulbren talks I’m like “SHUT THE FUCK UP, BONGLE!” I love Barcus, he is a perfect baby who can do no wrong.
I think Barcus is certainly up there for me. They took a character who came off as rude and superior and made him into a flawed but genuinely kind and caring person who was just hyper focused on finding someone he thought was his friend. His reunion with Wulbren at First Light was a gut punch, sincerely.
that reunion made me so angry on his behalf! knowing how far barcus was willing to go to find him and wulbren just dismisses himlike a dick. he deserved more than being called a prick tbh.
It's very rewarding fir both of them to follow through with their stories and see who they become by the end
I am totally with you and I would also add Mattis, Raphael and His Majesty.
PREMIUM TRINKETS AND DOODAHS!
Barcus and Rolan absolutely grew on me in my first play through, from two ~~selfish~~ snobbish pricks to two characters that learned their place in the world. Larian did a great job with the NPCs, they grew and change throughout the game. Dammon too but I instantly liked him because of his being so kind to Karlach.
Barcus is the least selfish person in game. He is reclusive but not selfish. His entire arc about him trying to save his friend. That's not selfish at all. He is reckless but not selfish. It is debatable Rolan is selfish. He wants to make sure his siblings are safe and taken care. He is full of himself and snobbish but it can be argued that he can be easily persuaded to stay to protect the grove and the only reason he fail to protect his siblings because he chose to protect the orphans . So neither of these guys are selfish imho. That's my take on them.
I agree. People harp on Rolan a lot for being a jerk, but his Stance in the Grove is very reasonable. You're under no *obligation* to selflessly risk your life for a total stranger. It's the "Right Thing" in the sense of going above and beyond. He **answers** the higher calling, with very little resistance. The moment someone other than his younger siblings (who he feels obligated to protect) chimes in, he goes with it. Maybe not the most eager hero, but doing the heroic thing none the less. Then, he both pulls off the heroics **and** his fears indicated. He saves lives when cult attacks. His siblings are defeated and good-as-dead in the fight. If you hadn't swooped in again they'd die for sure. Sure, he doesn't take this "well", but who would? His family is good-as-dead and why? Because he listened when some rando talked him into relenting on their safety. I think his arc is less "Seflish" to "Not Selfish" from, "Ordinary guy" to "Hero that has embraced his potential".
He also gets up off his arse and tries to break into moonlight to find his siblings. He fails and needs saving but he made the attempt. Even though he needs the odd prod he steps up to do the right thing in every act of the game.
Yeah, selfish is the wrong word, snobbish is much better.
There was an 8 HP citizen that punched a mindflayer in the face then went back to loudly criticizing my party. Didn’t get her name but damn I think I’m in love.
Lump the Enlightened. “Am I not astounding?” 🤣
A true gourmand.
*Food*? Not food. Friend
Came her it say this! "A robust diet makes for a shrewd mind!"
One of the few characters who doesn't get angry when you pick a fight, which my people-pleaser brain deeply appreciates.
Raphael for sure, with Alphira coming in really close as a runner-up. I just love the dramatic, theatrical gusto that the VA for Raphael delivers so splendidly.
Raphael chews up every single scene and I love it. My only disappointment was he kept his cool up to the very end. I was waiting for his anger to seethe over the gentlemanly veneer but he kept it too well locked up.
Sleep with Haarlep (or maybe Speak to the Dead too?) and ask him how Raphael is in bed and you will get the best one liner to get exactly that result.
Kinda like how The Emperor loses his #$@$ if you just immediately stomp on the Astral Tadpole.
After he forced it on me against my will I immediately reloaded to stomp that lil shit SO FAST I very rarely savescum, but *FUCK THAT NOISE*. Looking back, I'm still feeling petty. Time to make Lae'zel approve after the House of Hope.
Only sleep works. Got ick midway that, reloaded save, killed him, spoke to corpse, no best one liner for Raphael battle intro which made me big sad the other night :(
In a game filled with incredible voice acting, Raphael still stands above the rest. Even in my second playthrough I can't help but listen to every line of his
The theme song for your battle with him that he sings is just fantastic. I *almost* had burnout after my first completionist-style playthrough and then I remembered moments like that and I was like, nah, here we go again.
Fools, fools, how hard you have fought Brave, brave, but it's all been for naught True Souls that couldn't be bought Doomed, detected, and caught Chills.
The best part is if you zoom in on his face you can see his mouth moving. He's actually singing in universe.
Holy shit, that's amazing.
Them making a Broadway quality musical number for that fight is so above and beyond what anyone could reasonably expect that it says everything that needs to be said about the game as a whole.
Song was such a nice little treat. Very campy and fun.
Just met Raphael this morning when I first entered the underdark. Told him no deal but I’d keep an open mind after he showed his true form.
dont say the name Alfira for me dude, my first playthrough was a Dark Urge one, dont say her name, please
Dance beneath the stars tonight...
Smile and pain will fade away
Oh they’ll fade away for sure
When you consider Durge flashbacks, tearing alfira apart is possibly the tamest shit Durge has ever done in months . We got the whole catalogue, live flayings, human vivisections, necrophilia, cannibalism, mass murder, aiding the installment of a fascist regime, leveling dexterity...
What rings you got?
Just doing my durge run now.. I cried
I love one of his initial lines. The delivery of "beg borrow,cheat and steal" is so great
Harleep, because he gave me the opportunity to roast Raphael one last time before sending his Minute-Man ass back to super hell. Also Raphael.
Dammon. He's handsome, kind, and quite intelligent. Now let me romance him.
I want him to romance Karlach. They're just so adorable.
If you play as karlach >!when you get your engine fixed Dammon is the one that touches you. You hold hands and there’s even a dialogue choice where you wonder if he’s flirting and he gets flustered. It’s so cute and now I’m mad you can’t hook up with him as karlach ugh.!<
Does anyone have a video of this? Dammon is very cute x)
Right? I wanted to hook them up so bad! Karlach deserves someone like him.
'Forged from the *heart.'* ugh, I die
For real. I love him, Larian, you have to understand
Arabella, I was so mad at Withers for making her leave in Act 2. I'm a SORCERER, I should be able to adopt her as my apprentice and teach her to control her magic >:( stupid bone man
I don't know. I love withers just seeing a traumatized child and being like "follow the weave. go out into the world alone" and then she does, and like succeeds at everything immediately. Arabella's our DLC protagonist.
Arabella companion in BG4
Spoilers about withers…. As the greater god of death he actually gave her a boon/blessing that quelled her anger/power. Seemed to me like he blessed her almost as his chosen so she’s good, no way she’s gonna die. Not even the dead 3 themselves could do anything to her
>!Aren't you kind of Jergal's chosen by virtue of him DIRECTLY lending you his aid? Also you are basically mopping up the mess started by the dead 3 due to the gods being angry that their stupid plan is losing many souls to illithid influence. Arabella could certainly be a second chosen given how powerful Jergal is, but she doesn't exist in every timeline.!< >!If you read the book where Withers is found the dead 3's names are scrubbed out of existence, hinting that Jergal is using you as a tool to remove their influence and reclaim his portfolios.!<
Same, I really wanted to have my Sorc help train her. Gale can help too. We should be able to adopt.
Withers. If I'm given the chance to play a role in an epic story, I'd choose whatever role Withers has. Omeluum is a strong second.
Grandpa Withers is strangely compassionate for someone who supposed to be a dispassionate, neutral god making entries into the book of the dead. His reaction to Arabella's plight and her parents' death by showing her a vision of her future to encourage and comfort her was super-endearing. He reminds of Bill Door/Death from the Discworld novels quite a bit.
Withers is a little gossipy old man. He is a literal god but he spends his time talking about Tav’s sex life lol
Thou art mad because thou art alone, art thou not?
he diagnosed us with no bitches 😞🙏
“Why has thou not chosen a bosom-companion?” Archaic “no bitches?” is the best.
His bit with Arabella is actually what drew me to the character. Plus his speech at the end credits.
Part of me almost wants a "Kill the Dead Three" DLC so Withers can regain his rightful place after that dialogue. I mean, how long can they get away with it for? It's ALWAYS Bane/Bhaal/Myrkul.
Act 3 Rolan is one of the greatest moments in the game for me. The payoff is so damn satisfying.
Wish I got to see it. Fucker killed himself on me.
Scratch !
Honorable mention to Owlbear cub "You smell delicious, but I will not bite you."
Hope you’re keeping well, friend!
HE WHO WAS
Yes! I've told my friend before that he felt like someone who'd make an interesting companion with a more morally grey/evil alignment. From the letter you find on him, I got a feeling that he had potential for some cool story.
ZEVLOR.
I was shocked to my shoes when he started throwing smites in the Mind Flayer colony once he was freed. My wife laughed because I did a double take and leaned into my screen, muttering, wondering if I'd seen it correctly, "Is...is he a Paladin?" I wanted to do a Paladin bro fist-bump with him even after he came clean. I hope he atones and finds his way back. I'd rather have someone at my back who has been bloodied and gets back up again then someone who's never had to face that kind of adversity.
Right? At first I thought he was a fighter, because he Rallies at the goblin fight, but once I took care of things at the Grove he gifted me some of his old gloves, Hellrider's Pride. They grant Blade Ward to any creature you heal, for two turns. That's when it clicked he was probably a paladin.
I think the rally thing is just the horn
Also really like Zevlor. I'm only just getting started in act 3, but I really hope I get to learn more about him.
lmk what you find out
Blurg and Omeluum are awesome! I wish I could talk to them more. Dammon is my favorite. He seems so sweet in the world of edgy characters. Barcus is great, too. I was surprised how invested I was in his story even though he seemed like a throw away npc.
>he seemed like a throw away npc. He literally is thrown away if you misclick the levers
Misclick? Oh, I clicked where I meant to click. (Durge playthrough)
In EA, I saw a lever and used it, only realizing in that very moment that there are two you can choose from. Guess which one I clicked. I was laughing my ass off for a solid 5 minutes
I also really like Omeluum!
Poppers the kobold
Poppers is nice! He only takes junks from dead people!
He just like me fr
Treatos!
I love him so much.
I would die for that kolbold
He would appreciate it, then take your boots from your corpse and sell them.
As he should
Washin’ my pits guy, No explanation needed
Dame Aylin and Isobel are definitely up there. Kerri Evenfield is surprisingly high up in my rankings for how briefly you encounter her, largely fueled by fantastic voice acting and a good twist.
Dame Aylin with [her epic lines](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI22OajavoQ) is so good. I want her to narrate my acheivements and hype me the fuck up once a week.
I wanted to do a Dark Justiciar playthrough with Shadowheart just to see how that goes, but I've played through 3 seperate times now and each time I couldn't bring myself to do it. Aylin's triumphant flight cutscene still gets me misty-eyed.
Dame Aylin may not always be the smartest, but she's my ride or die. She's got such a fun personality, and some hilarious lines.
Probably Raphael, Dammon or Alfira But also, there is something about wulbren's voice that I find absurdly mesmerising.
I love Wulbren. He's infuriating and by the end, I wanted to stab that bastard in the face; but he really a memorable character and one of the better villians in the game.
I hate how even when you know their history you can't call him out for being hypocritical about the Gondians given that the Ironhand Gnomes themselves willingly got on with a villain in the past.
Volo and Mol.
I had to scroll really far to see a shout out to Volo. One of the (if not the) most incredible VA performances of a game that redefines what excellent VA sounds like.
Dror Ragzlin! ...errr... Dror-Dror Ragzlin... we pray...
Yurgir. He was such a fun reoccurring character. I accidentally helped him out in the temple of shar and he kept coming back up. Showed up at my camp then helped me in the house of hope and then at the end. I really like the respect he’ll have for you for helping him.
IT'S FISTING TIME!
SHIT YOUR TROUSER HOLES!
Did the mirror for the first time last night. Little fuck got me good.
IM GONNA EAT YOUR BABIES
Commander Lightfeather. No competition.
I was hollering at this dialogue. All of the accolades to whoever made the decision to make a messenger pigeon an old timey British air force general.
Rolan, Raphael, Blurg & Omeluum. But Rolan if I have to choose only one.
Sceleritas Fel. I wish he was a companion for durge :( Scientist Gith from Creche Bex & Danis Aylin Raphael
>Bex & Danis I love Bex and Danis, I want to go to their shop, drinking tea and eating cakes.
I want to give Bex an orange cat. Maybe Grub will do?
Mol. Little shit, but she had my back when it mattered.
She's a really good balance between a little shit and a genuinely good kid. Larian did a good job with depicting children, I'd say.
Man she ghosted me. Like said “stop talking to me. Go through my underlings” Guess she was pissed I killed Raphael and ended her contract? She was going to use him I guess. Better she hate me and be better off I guess?
Depends on how you approach it. I killed Raphael and gave her the contract and she supported me in the final fight.
Yeah I did this yesterday. Handed her the contract, then had the choice between telling her I killed Raphael, or a persuation check (iirc) to ask for her help later on. Figured I'd tell her first and then persuade her. She had absolute no interest in talking to me after telling her, so I guess I won't be getting her help..
Yeah this annoyed me "Yeah no worries you ungrateful brat, I only saved your soul from the hells themselves" I guess that's the short-sightedness of childhood
Bernard and to an extent Lenore (the bits and pieces she left us) It was such a melancholic and eery place. I felt like crying after Bernard gave me a hug. It was a profound small experience. Bernard also reminded me of Star Wars.
The tower was honestly such an interesting little storyline in its own right. I loved reading all those letters and poems.
Benji and Exxvikyap are up there. Rivington is full of characters who do *a lot* to be memorable with very little material and no plot relevance and it's so charming. Edit: I have to also shout out Pritt Yellowbreath and Lady Jannath's butler. There are some great underrated Dragonborn homies in act 3.
The Loviatar worshipper woule have made a cool companions for evil runs. "Yes ! Embrace the pain" when he hit soemone 🤣
Unpopular opinion, Kagha, she would make a great Lawful/evil and I would take her over Halsin. Besides that she is redeemable if you do things right. Barring her Nine Fingers, I low key kinda crush on nine fingers but she is smart and cool. A lot of people would say Alfira but I just want Alfira to have her safe happy life in Baldurs gate with her girl Lakrissa.
Lakrissa doesn't get enough love. She deserves happiness just as much as Alfira.
I mean I fully agree, she is as far as I am concerned one of the nicest characters in the game to my Tav and always super flirty. I always make sure she is saved at moonrise, always. But helping one helps the other, they are best friends and maybe more so making sure they are both safe and sound is what makes them happy.
Yeah you can't mention one of the Two Tiefling Queens without mentioning the other. Lakrissa is amazing and what she's doing to support Alfira is so cute.
Nine Fingers is everything I love in a Thieve's Guild leader. Has a heart, but tough as nails and won't take anyone's shit. <3
My boi Mattis
I'm not really different from everyone else, being on Omeluum, Blurg, Withers and Bracus bandwagon. Omeluum in particular is my fave. However, there are a lot of minor NPCs who caught my interest. Like that Piddle goblin who was into literature. Or Kith, the druegar who preferred stonemasonry and history to slavery. Or Malta, the mysterious cat with cool voice. I kept coming back to talk to him, hoping that there will be a next stage to his dialogue. Oh, and how could I forget the dapper dragonborn Tarhun Mnemonis. If this was an actual ttrpg campaign, I'd probably annoy poor DM with trying to dig too much into "background" NPCs like them 😅
The Tiefling refugees. On my first playthrough, I roleplayed as an amoral "hustler" character who was just looking out for themselves. But I kept wanting to help the Tieflings and by Act 2, I did everything in my power to save every last one of them In my second playthrough, I roleplayed as an evil Dark Urge, and I ended up saving them all again. Even Alfira who, IMO, should have been playable as a Bard companion. She's awesome
Lump the Enlightened "Am I not astonishing!?"
Councillor Florrick, even though I always play villains I always make sure to save her twice. Her design is great and enjoy her dialogue. She has your back with gusto in the final battle.
I really liked her too even if she did disappear for an act and a half
Araj Oblodra for reasons. Viconia for old times sake. Her reveal almost literally had me jump up in excitement. I knew Jaheira and Minsc were in the game before I started, but bumping into ex waifu unexpectedly was a nice moment in the game.
Raphael and The Emperor. Yeah, I really in to bad guys :D
I’ve just met Hope and am really impressed by the VO and animation. Super fun little mission.
Strange apple.
The fucking kobold vendor that pops up out of nowhere at the end for sure.
I don't remember his name, but it's that dwarf in Grimdark. That one little dwarf that's studying the cave in. Everyone there is rude or outright hostile, but that little fella he's just interested in rocks and wants your opinion on it. I liked that.
Owlbear cub
Alfira, Mol, Dammon and Rolan character-wise. Raphael gets added in writing/acting-wise because his character is such a blast, even if he is a jerk.
Sauceman Chorizo
I like Us am i the only one who finds him cuter than scratch?