Baldur's Gate Baldur's Gate 3 Early Access Thread [GAME RELEASED, GO TO NEW THREAD]

[rusty_shackleford]

How do you explain that 1% thing then?

The massive majority of people never got to the romance because it's at essentially the end of the early access after you've done most of the content.

 

[Sailor Woedica]

Gale lewks like a Hemsworth brother so it's not totally surprising.

 

[hell bovine]

I'm in the 1% camp, but Gale would be my guess as to who the fangirls would go for. And while I think straight guys aren't such a minority as you make them to be, I think female gamers are more likely to try romances in cRPGs.

How do you explain that 1% thing then? I'm also not saying they are a minority, just not such a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuugely overwhelming majority that one would think or would try to pawn off.

Huge majority over what? Looking at the news, Shadowheart was very close. That is two npcs that I'd label as the typical straight option. Which to me implies that you have as many girls playing as you have guys.

Or it might be also the easiest romance not to screw up. Jaheira's was notoriously buggy in BG2, from what I recall. At this point the next step is going to be your character having to fend off npcs with a broomstick, because players will complain about romances being "too difficult", and so the devs will want to make sure you can't fail in your dating simulator.

 

[Lacrymas]

Huge majority over what? Looking at the news, Shadowheart was very close. That is two npcs that I'd label as the typical straight option. Which to me implies that you have as many girls playing as you have guys.

Yes, that's what I'm also saying. I'm saying that it's surprising the vast majority aren't straight guys. Let's say for the sake argument Lae'zel is at 30% (less than Gale and Shadowheart, the most romanced), that leaves the other tiny percentages to Astarion and Wyll. That means that straight guys are at most 60ish%, which is surprising, not as overwhelming a majority as one would think. I don't believe Lae'zel is at 30%, though, she doesn't strike me as popular among the normie straights.

Or the other possibility is that very few people make it to the end of the EA, where the romance takes place (although we don't know what they think of as "romance" in this context. Is the sex scene that?), so we don't have a way to extrapolate demographics like this.

 

[Varnaan]

Jaheira's was notoriously buggy in BG2,

What kind of alignment would fit a Jaheira romance anyway, considering Khalid just died, she's a bitch and a harper.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

I'm going to guess that only bigger fans made it to the end of the EA which includes fangirls. They likely make an overall tiny portion of the actual playerbase.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Jaheira's was notoriously buggy in BG2,

What kind of alignment would fit a Jaheira romance anyway, considering Khalid just died, she's a bitch and a harper.

The alignment that wants to fugg your aunt

 

[Shinros]

Or the fact the women are unappealing in the game. One doesn't like you asking basic questions and the other wants to dom you unless you pass an intimidation check and acts confrontational every conversation. Also you have to reach near the end of the EA to get the scene in the first place. Leaving mainly, fangirls and gay men who are ultra fans of the characters who decided to reach the end.

 

[Varnaan]

Jaheira's was notoriously buggy in BG2,

What kind of alignment would fit a Jaheira romance anyway, considering Khalid just died, she's a bitch and a harper.

The alignment that wants to fugg your aunt

Oh say can you see...

 

[Lacrymas]

Shadowheart is the second most popular, so the theory of she being unappealing doesn't seem to hold water in this specific context.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Shadowheart is the second most popular, so the theory of she being unappealing doesn't seem to hold water in this specific context.

I can see why a lot of men wouldn't be interested in Shadowheart, I'd assume it's the reason RPGs with romances usually have quite a few to pick from.

 

[Lacrymas]

To the point they'll choose Lae'zel or the men over her, though?

 

[rusty_shackleford]

To the point they'll choose Lae'zel or the men over her, though?

Lae'Zal is just an even more extreme version of Shadowheart's personality, equally as much of a turnoff to those people.
They're looking for someone like Aerie or Leliana.

 

[Shrimp]

I imagine the companion romance rates might also be slightly affected by how frequently they are included in the player parties.
Shadowheart is both a cleric and the first companion most players come across. I imagine she's significantly more likely to be included in a player's party compared to someone like Lae'Zel or Wyll who are found later on in the early access.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

I imagine the companion romance rates might also be slightly affected by how frequently they are included in the player parties.
Shadowheart is both a cleric and the first companion most players come across. I imagine she's significantly more likely to be included in a player's party compared to someone like Lae'Zel or Wyll who are found later on in the early access.

Good point. I wonder how many people didn't bring Gale along with them?
A wizard(or similar arcane caster) is nearly a necessity in any party, and unless you're playing a wizard yourself...

 

[Joseph Stalin]

So, what's the issue with their being some lingering Bhaalspawn around? Even in ToB when you defeat Amelyssan, Solar only says that the overwhelming majority of Bhaal's essence is possessed by you. Having 100% of it wasn't necessary, hence Amelyssan proceeding with the ritual.

That's because some moron writing "A Murder in Baldur's Gate" stated that Abdel and Viekang were the last two Bhaalspawn, not taking into account:
1. Imoen
2. Sarevok (?)
3. Any and all survivors from Saradush.
4. Bhaalspawn from other regions in the world and/or other Player Characters (Bhaalspawn were a playable kit/background in PnP).
5. And most importantly - FUCKING CHILDREN of Bhaalspawn, who are automatically Bhaalspawn themselves, which means that the essence of Bhaal can be replicated.

I hope, really do, that Larian put the ALL THE BHAALSPAWN ARE DEAD line for the same purpose CHARNAME'S biography had YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT YOUR FATHER. A giant foreshadowing. And if the leak I posted before is true, this may be the case.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

1. Imoen

I see nothing that would contradict Imoen being dead.

 

[d1r]

I want to see Imoen in Baldur's Gate 3, tbh.

And also

Spoiler

Shar-Teel

 

[Heroic Liberator]

I want to see Imoen in Baldur's Gate 3, tbh.

And also

Spoiler

Shar-Teel

I'd like to see Sarevok, but it ain't happening.

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

Joseph Stalin I understand now. Another consequence of canonizing glorified fan fiction, it appears. Imoen gives up her essence if you take her to the throne. She would also be dead by BG3 if you didn't take her, though she could have had a kid I suppose. Her children would be diluted, if we take a traditional view of heredity. Sarevok no longer had any essence after PC killed him, even after being resurrected. Saradush doesn't really have survivors other than (potentially) Viekang. The city gets razed and butchered by Yaga Shura's army. Still, it's fine to assume that not every Bhaalspawn ended up in Saradush. It seems like a really dumb oversight.

 

[d1r]

Joseph Stalin I understand now. Another consequence of canonizing glorified fan fiction, it appears. Imoen gives up her essence if you take her to the throne. She would also be dead by BG3 if you didn't take her, though she could have had a kid I suppose. Her children would be diluted, if we take a traditional view of heredity. Sarevok no longer had any essence after PC killed him, even after being resurrected. Saradush doesn't really have survivors other than (potentially) Viekang. The city gets razed and butchered by Yaga Shura's army. Still, it's fine to assume that not every Bhaalspawn ended up in Saradush. It seems like a really dumb oversight.

Do wonder what the Bioware devs think about this book. Seeing their story getting so brutally raped by some massive moron, who should have kept writing horny fan fiction for himself.

 

[Chippy]

I want to see Imoen in Baldur's Gate 3, tbh.

And also

Spoiler

Shar-Teel

I'd like to see Sarevok, but it ain't happening.

At this point there seems to be nobody that can write to the quality of David Gaider in BG2, and nobody is interested in using the original writers of BG1. So I'm glad none of the original characters are being sodomized by BG3. I know Minsc was popular (took years for him to grow on me) at which point I realised he was a uniquely written character - and I'm pretty confident that nobody has been able to write him as well in the two or so games and comics I've seen him placed within after BG1 & 2.

Better if they just leave the characters where they are really. Somebody mentioned Viconia being a drow dom in BG2: well she can take out the whip and cat 'o nine tails to my BG character any day of the week if I had to choose between her writing quality in BG2 to Amber fucktard Scott, or any other modern writers I've seen today.

 

[Joseph Stalin]

1. Imoen

I see nothing that would contradict Imoen being dead.

Bhaalspawn are biologically immortal, or at least very long lived. So her dying of old age is unlikely, considering that:
1. She's younger than Abdel.
2. She's a mage.

EDIT: Baldur's Gate I, Volrath, during CHARNAME'S first conversation with Imoen. She states that she's younger than you.

 

[Volrath]

1. Imoen

I see nothing that would contradict Imoen being dead.

Bhaalspawn are biologically immortal, or at least very long lived. So her dying of old age is unlikely, considering that:
1. She's younger than Abdel.
2. She's a mage.

Where is this stated?

 

[Joseph Stalin]

Joseph Stalin I understand now. Another consequence of canonizing glorified fan fiction, it appears. Imoen gives up her essence if you take her to the throne. She would also be dead by BG3 if you didn't take her, though she could have had a kid I suppose. Her children would be diluted, if we take a traditional view of heredity. Sarevok no longer had any essence after PC killed him, even after being resurrected. Saradush doesn't really have survivors other than (potentially) Viekang. The city gets razed and butchered by Yaga Shura's army. Still, it's fine to assume that not every Bhaalspawn ended up in Saradush. It seems like a really dumb oversight.

1. There is no indication of children having a "diluted" essence.
2. You meet Bhaalspawn outside Saradush (the goblin, kobold etc.). Also, as you've stated yourself, it's impossible for EVERY Bhaalspawn from the entire continent to converge on a single city.
3. Sarevok gets a small piece of Bhaal's essence from Imoen. He states outright that it isn't enough to fuel his former powers, but still.
4. Where did you get that info that Imoen gave away her essence. Does anyone have a screenshot? I can't for the life of me remember this.