Aramintai

Companions seriously lack an innate priest, only Xoti is an option. I hope she's more likable than Durance was, I only had him in my party because there was no other options. I'm not really into multiclassing, but I guess someone will have to take that role if she's gonna be annoying. Also, why Ydwin, the pale elf was chosen as the last companion? Weren't people asking for a dwarf companion?

While I agree that not everybody should be into the Watcher regardless, I wonder what this particular bit actually means. I've seen this argument brought up before, but it's never really made sense to me. I mean, what does a person's background and story have to do with their sexuality? Well, you can argue but a lot of gay people say that their sexuality was developed by their background - with whom and how they lived. So if a character tells something about their past life and lovers in that vein it helps with fleshing out that character as gay. What doesn't help is when it comes out of the blue like some characters in BioWare games - they never even thought of themselves as such but if the almighty protagonist says he\she wants them in same gender relationship they they just eagerly go with it, like puppets. P.S. I liked how a gay character was presented in this upcoming game - Torment: Tides of Numenera. A rogue by the name of Tybir - he's nonchalant about being gay and talks about his past and his lover and that *actually* leads somewhere - later you will be able to meet his past lover and help resolve his personal quest. And it was not about the protagonist at all for a chance. There needs to be more stories like that.

That's what I was thinking as well. I hope writers are not gonna come here for any inspirations like they did on BioWare forums and just write what they see fitting the story.

Open your mind dude. Leave your preconceptions when dealing with fiction. There are literally millions of examples in fiction about authors tweaking expectations, or manipulating real world phenomena either cuz it enchances their vision of their work, because they feel it's worth exploring, or simply because they want to **** with you. I bet the lions really threw off your immersion too then, right? I'm sorry but I can't help it when the game is breaking immersion by lowering my suspension of disbelief below zero, like DA2 did with everyone being bisexual, or into protagonist in general. That's not realistic, no matter what fiction this is (unless of course it's some porn fiction) and more often that not makes people see those characters in a less serious, cartoonish light. I'm sure writers want us take companions seriously, so if they really want to make someone LGBT it has to really fit that character's background and story. Making everyone LGBT will never accomplish that and companions will just become a laughing stock like in DA2.

Not that I give a damn about the sexual orientation of people in general as long as they play nice, but I do give a damn about statistical arguments. So I ask you this. In a fictional world with magic, dragons, and lion companions. Do you really find it prudent to use statistics of the real world to justify a position, limiting the creative freedom of OE to make the game as they see fit? I think it's rubbish. THANK YOU! Jeez, was having an arguement over something similiar irl over something quite similiar (race representation in fantasy, in regards to the Thousand Kingdoms Trilogy). People are all ok with there being all manner of of liches, gods, and alchemy, but as soon as you bring in actual real life issues they get one one's case about being an "Ess-Jay-Double U" Because levels of suspension of disbelief when it comes to magical creatures and real life issues are completely different. We all know magical creatures do not exist so that level is pretty high, but if some things exist in the real world and are brought up in the fantasy world then that level is much lower because we immediately project our existing real life assumptions on that issue. So yeah, LGBT are not some magical creatures from the book, they exist irl, so naturally people make preconceptions about them based on real life, lowering suspension of disbelief on the matter.

Not that I give a damn about the sexual orientation of people in general as long as they play nice, but I do give a damn about statistical arguments. So I ask you this. In a fictional world with magic, dragons, and lion companions. Do you really find it prudent to use statistics of the real world to justify a position, limiting the creative freedom of OE to make the game as they see fit? I think it's rubbish. Considering PoE world's takes a lot of things from real history, yes. I hope ropekid sticks with that principle. I stand by what said, so I'm not going to argue about it. Well, I hope he does that aswell, since I love that setting. And that was my point excatly. Josh takes what he wants from history. Not just what is based in statistics. The likelyhood of you running into like 5? dragons in central Europe in the middle ages was pretty low. That's the creative freedom. If he wish to add more gays, lakes, or lions than history has to offer, that's his and OE's choice. And it shouldn't be dismissed because it's not statistically sound. It kinda defeats the purpose of a "fantasy" game. Well, statistics of the real world should still apply to any fantasy world - if the majority of people there were gay then they'd all have died out by now . So it's ok to assume that majority of people in a fantasy world should be straight and by that logic inexplicable condensation of LGBT in a party "a la BioWare" should be seen as unrealistic, fantasy world or no. Also, I understand BioWare made everyone playersexual in horrible DA2 to keep the same amount of companions (cuz making them is expensive), but available for any gender, that's just cheap. Let's hope Obisidian cares more about their characters integrity. Another bad example of making a character LGBT just because\to make point\to check that checkbox was in Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear - writers put a side character there with whole big story about her being transsexual...and it didn't bring any value to the story, as this wasn't a companion or her being trans was going to lead somewhere. So, imho, pointless expressions about being a snowflake should not be in the game unless they lead to something.

But Maneha won't be in PoE2, at least not as a companion. And Pallegina didn't seem to care about her remarks.

I agree that Eder is probably a given, because EVERYONE loves Eder. I'm hoping for Aloth, because I roleplayed my elf rogue Watcher having a soft spot for him in Pillars 1. It would be interesting to see how Islmyr affects a potential romance plot... my Watcher told Aloth to harmonize with her, but that means they would be having a threeway... Lol, my Watcher is also a rogue elf and I too have high hopes for Eder and Aloth being romanceable and available for female Watchers. And I'm sure something hilarious will come where Iselmyr is concerned, too bad I told Aloth he doesn't need her to be strong. Perhaps she'll still be around to lesser extent. As for who's gonna be LGBT I honestly can't say, aside from some joke remarks in PoE1, none of the characters really expressed themselves in that vein (or about anything). Maybe Pallegina? She has a guy's mentality, being risen as a brother of the Order. But I'm not sure why LGBT is a must have, in these SJW days if there won't be any in the game it would actually be refreshing.

I've always found late BioWare games a joke when it comes to romances because of ridiculous condensation of LGBT characters in a character roster. I mean, really, make a dozen random selections of the same amount of people in real life and chances of getting even one LGBT among them are still pretty slim. So in the game it feels like I'm in a zoo seeing rare creatures all in one place. Also, I wonder, has anyone at BioWare made any statistical reports as to how many gamers actually played through LGBT romances? Are they really popular or there are just some few very vocal fans?

I think first and foremost writers should not look at what the fans want for inspiration, but make something of their own. Because you can never please everyone and trying to do so results in ****ty romances like in late BioWare games. It's like in every SJW movie nowadays - there always must be a black character, a gay character, a cripple and a fat guy. Screw that, making something great should not conform to the masses. So, if devs are reading this - do what you want with companion relationships, make your own version of what you think fits the game. I'd be content even if it's a minor thing like in PS:T.

So, in spite of haters and skeptics, relationships and romances seem to be in? I hope devs will come up with something good and interesting. Thanks to everyone who kept asking and nagging, now PoE2 can truly compete with BG2 on all fronts. Can't wait to see the game Also, here's an interview about this confirming everything: https://www.pcgamesn.com/pillars-of-eternity-2/pillars-of-eternity-2-companion-guide

I can already see it now - a whole new Builds section of this forum with tons of overpowered builds doing ridiculous damage. These multiclassing&subclasses features seem like a very complicated endeavor that will never be properly balanced.

Never liked this split health/stamina feature, but I understand that it was there to make injuries feature viable. If they go with simple health bar personally I'd be glad.

I'd prefer after, didn't like how high level White March was put into the game - you can go there and not be trampled around the time of Act II ending, but there was no real incentive to do so because main story urgency spurs you on to Twin Elms, but White March is on the other side of the map. So if it absolutely must be in the middle of the story it must make sense to go there.

I don't get why people automatically assume that if there will be romances everyone will start screaming they want to romance everything that walks. I haven't seen any of that in most recent game that announced this - DOS2. I'm sure most of the people who want romances will be content with 1-2 options for males and females. And as for all those LGBT\trans\asexual\whatever requests - most of them are made by very vocal minority of actually straight people wanting to try something queer, which can easily be ignored in favor of what the majority will actually want to play - straight romances.

Personally, I don't like this because my characters' classes are usually tied to their backstory as I see it. But in some games after seeing some ridiculous numbers some multiclass combos can do I start to feel that my character's build is inferior and feel pressed to change both class and headcanon. And all of this is happening because of poor balancing - every class or multiclass should feel as powerful as the other, imho, but when some of them greatly overpower others it pisses me off.

I haven't played any tabletop AD&D but have played lots of AD&D CRPGs and I must say I always preferred 2nd edition to 3d edition. It's more simple, clean and easy to plan on. Never liked 3d edition with no attributes ceiling and all that ridiculous multi-classing leading to some crazy overpowered builds like, for example, Bard/Red dragon disciple/Pale master in NWN. The only two things in 3d edition, imho, that were a good new addition were prestige classes and active abilities for melee/ranged classes. So I'd say my most favourite game concerning editions is Baldur's Gate 2 which uses 2nd edition rules but also has kits (that became prestige classes in 3d ed). Feel free to bash it, but it's my video game player opinion. As for PoE, it already has active abilities for melee\ranged classes, so that's covered. If they add 2nd AD&D edition style multi-classes with kits aka. subclasses I'd be very happy.

The question was definitely raised at least once in the Twitch chat, but as far as I know Josh never got to it (or tactically ignored it I guess). Well, nothing new, I guess. With how frequently it was asked everywhere they're ignoring it on purpose.

I've missed that Twitch stream, did anybody ask about romances there?

I don't think I like this addition as it clashes with normal protagonist's and companions' portraits. What if I use (as I'm sure many other people as well) a custom portrait? How can I make a watercolor version of it for the dialogue? If you really set on doing this either paint all NPC's portraits normally or make some options in the game to choose what type of portrait (normal or watercolor) will be used in dialogue by the protagonist AND companions.

Yes, but that was ok when you first meet them. But after that you know they've all leveled up and now in PoE2 they're back to level 1 somehow. Explanation given only for the protagonist. Is it too difficult to put them in the stronghold as well, or write a few lines of text in their dialogue as to what happened to them?

Huh, they're not even gonna explain why companions gonna drop in levels as well: http://jesawyer.tumblr.com/post/156540200006/hi-josh-as-we-already-know-at-the-beginning-of

There isn't. I didn't think so, and that throws a wrench in the works as far as I'm concerned. Isn't interracial relationships one of the fundamental aspects of the Aedyr Empire? Also, IIRC there was some sexual tension and jealousy when Aloth's mother had a relationship with a human lord. Elves and humans can't interbreed in this setting. But that doesn't mean they're not trying, lol. Aloth's mother had this thing with local human lord, which didn't stop his father from being jealous: http://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/Aedyr_Empire#Haemneg

Tell that to the developers who made halflings, gnomes, dwarves, etc. playable races in the first place. If the developers are going to go through all the trouble to make halflings, gnomes, dwarves, etc (or orlans, dwarves, aumaua, and godlike in the case of PoE) playable in the first place, might as well make them romanceable while they're at it. Seems stupid to let them go adventuring same as elves or humans, but then arbitrarily go "no, no romance for you" when it comes to that particular game feature. This is exactly why devs won't do any romances, so please whet your appetite a little bit. Making romances for all races and genders will be waaay to much work, leave it BioWare. But a few romances restricted to some race\gender a-la BG2 is feasible to do.

Probably gonna be sucked away as well, just like it was in BG2 when the villain drained most of protagonist's soul. Damn, PoE2 plot's so familiar