(spoilers) Are the companions worth it?

[Sephie]

Long story short, I uninstalled and unintentionally erased my save games so I have to start over.

 

I had only completed the map that includes half the first major city and northwest of it.

 

The thing is, the companions mean nothing to me. Their missions mean nothing to me. Their dialogues I just wanted to skip, nothing to look forward to. They don't even talk that much. The opposite of BG2, where I wanted to do multiple runs just to get different companions at least once. 

 

Does it get better? Will I miss something great if I just make my own group? I only got the fighter, wizard, hunter, priest and chanter. Is there any reason to even get them, like do their quests offer anything exceptional? Can't I just get them 1 by 1 and complete their quests, then leave them and have my cake and eat it too?

 

On the other hand, I don't know the game and classes that well to create a great party with great stats, I'll have to look into it. At first I wanted to play with npcs first and learn the game and classes, then make the group I wanted.

 

I really, really don't want to play with npcs again, but if it's worth it down the road then I will. 

 

So basically I am asking for reasons to change my mind. 

 

Thanks for reading. 

 

 

 

[Sephie]

I guess if there was something to say to defend a companion run it would've been said. 

 

My own group it is. 

[bobthe]

You've only given the community a few hours to respond. Don't rush to conclusions.

 

What you get out of the companions depends on what you want to get out of them. It sounds like you're concern is not about how well they are designed from a combat perspective (not well in general) but more about their side quests and inter-party banter. I can definitely say that the banter picks up mid game onwards. I'm not sure where exactly you stopped because there is no map that includes half of a city. Defiance Bay is 5 maps and the rest (until the end) are all single-map towns. My friend and I had a similar concern about a lack of inter-party banter but we both agreed it does pick up substantially a bit into the game. One important note: you only hear banter when your characters are on-screen. It took me a while to realize that by watching their overland movement on the region map popup view or by leaving my view centered on where they are going and not tracking their movement with the camera I was missing out on a LOT of banter.

 

As for side quests, I don't know what to tell you. They have side quests...but you know that. You didn't really provide much info on why you don't care about them so it's hard for me to justify them for you. What do you consider "exceptional"? They're somewhat interesting. Certainly more interesting than the non-story for a user-generated companion. Plus you get some XP for them and they can take you to areas you might not otherwise go.

[Sephie]

I stopped in Defiance Bay, explored 2/5 maps of it. 

 

About their quests, it's not like you can't make them in a run and then leave them. 

 

Like with the fighter and the hunter, go there, do that, talk to him...you can just do it when you explore all these places, you don't have to have them with you all the time. Now some, like the Priest or the wizard, may need a lot of rests or days spent together to make progress and trigger dialogues, but again those characters mean nothing to me. I don't care what that annoying Priest thinks we can learn from eachother unless you get stats or something. I just don't care. The only banter I even remember is that one guy wants to pet the fox...that's it. Do they say anything else, or it's just like the fox thing. 

 

Why I don't care...they're just not interesting. Can you really compare the wizzard with Edwin? Can you compare the hunter to Viconia? I don't even remember their names and mention them by classes! 

 

I am thinking maybe it's better after the expansion, they will improve all of those rpg elements and npcs will be worth recruiting then. The game is very colourless to me companion wise. Maybe because I compare it to BG2. 

And while I don't see anything interesting rpg wise as far as your group is concerned, I can play 6 more classes and build them myself as I want them, and that is interesting. That's why I want my own group, even if they won't talk like that, I feel I won't miss anything. 

 

Exceptional is like those dialogues they had in BG2, comment when you talk to others, your companions and among themselves or all together. Their comments depending your reputation etc. 

 

About the areas, I intent to explore everything and about the exp, you can get it when you pick them up for their quests only. 

 

You say they banter more, does the quality improve or just they talk more of the same one liners popping above their heads? 

[bobthe]

I think you and I are just very different audiences. I'm not sure who those other characters you referenced are but I am assuming they're from the BG series, which I found terribly boring and never even managed to get all the way through either game. I'm not sure why people keep comparing PoE to BG...it's much more reminiscent of Torment to me (which was a wonderful game).

 

Yes, the banter picks up more than the wolf petting line. I believe that was actually the very first banter line I remembered hearing. It picks up after that. But if you don't care about the characters then you probably also wouldn't care about the banter. There's no "benefit" from it aside from finding it amusing (which I do) and adding some minor character development. The nature of the random banter is primarily just for amusement though.

 

The companions do make comments during dialogue with non-companion NPCs and they do depend on reputation (I believe). What they say during other NPC interactions is more meaningful than the banter but I admit it does not seem to have any real effect on the game.

[Sephie]

Thanks for your input. 

 

I am not going to pick them up, unless for when I am about to do their quests. It's better if I see them as deep npcs that can join you while you help them with their problem, than shallow companions. 

 

I too think the game is more Planescape Torment and Neverwinter Nights than BG2, and like you with BG I tried quite a few times to play Planescape Torment but I couldn't go through with it. I think it was a major mistake that they didn't base their game on BG2, and I lost all hope a game like that will ever be made again, but it is what it is. If PoE can't do it, noone can. RIP. 

 

On my way to the build section of the forums, so I don't mess up the stats of my group

[VioletShadow]

I guess it's a matter of taste then. I found most BG2 companions to be incredibly annoying    but I'd recommend getting to know Durance and Kana at least. Their dialogue and backstories are interesting plus they are useful in combat. 

[Corylea]

 

One important note: you only hear banter when your characters are on-screen. It took me a while to realize that by watching their overland movement on the region map popup view or by leaving my view centered on where they are going and not tracking their movement with the camera I was missing out on a LOT of banter.

 

This is important; I missed a lot of party interactions before I realized it.  Now if I use the map to send them someplace, I pause, click on where I want them to go, then go back to where my characters are before I unpause again; I hear a lot more party banter that way.

 

Edited April 7, 2015 by Corylea

[Katarack21]

I was asleep, so I'll respond now.

I don't get it. I just don't understand how you could think any of the things you apparently think about the companions. I love the companions in this game. I love all their personalities, I love all their little comments and interjections, I love their quests. I wish the were more reactive--that Eder would respond to Durance, etc. But I really do enjoy them, and find the writing amazing and the whole atmosphere of the game improved with their presence.

[PaniPonura]

I'm not that long into the game, but I have some opinion on the companions:
- I really like Aloth. Yup. PoE version of Xan, and Xan was cool (a bit cooler than Aloth, but Altoh is still ok)
- Eder is fine as well

- Pallegina - now one fine lady

- I can't stand Durance. Kicked him out on 2nd day

- I should find Sagani interesting, but I don't. I keep her for the quest

- I grew used to Kana. At first he annoyed me, but now, he's ok

- I never had the Wailing Mother of the Druid in my party, so I don't know about them.

As to the characters in BG. In BG 1 I only really liked Xan, the female mage held by gnolls (gosh, forgot her name!), and Anomen. Others were really... Meh. In BG 2 well... I liked the ranger with the necromantic ancestor. I really don't remember any of them... Oh, I hated Jaheira, Minsc and Imoen (you should've hear Imoen in POlish version, you'd hate her too!)

Plus - I really appreciate the opportunity to create my own companions. I made a cool elven priest. If only they offered more interaction...

[LadyCrimson]

As to the characters in BG. In BG 1 I only really liked Xan

Xan was the man! Or Elf. Or something.

 

And nice to see someone else who doesn't like Durance's yakkityyak. I've kept him in my original save because I wanted a Priest/have had him long enough to just put up with it, but in my other saves I create my own Priest if I want one.

[bobthe]

I agree that Durance is annoying as hell. He also seems to have some contradictory stances on things and I generally get the feeling that he's a bit insane.

 

I also absolutely hated Aloth initially. When I first encountered him it was very late and I was just about to go to bed. During that initial encounter I really just didn't realize that he might be

possessed

so I assumed he was just a huge di.ck (really? they censor **** this but not "hell"??) who liked to make trouble and then lie about it. I honestly alomost reloaded to right before I got him since I had just saved to skip getting him completely. Now that I know more about his backstory he's grown from "detested" to "i really just don't care but he's useful in my party".

 

Eder is more boring than a wood post but he gets the job done in combat. I call him "unflavorful generic fighter man".

 

Honeslty I didn't really care for any of the companions personalities or backstories. The wailing MILF wasn't bad. Chanter-dude grew on me but I didn't have much of a chance to get to know him because I dropped him for another companion (combat just wasn't lasting long enough to warrant a chanter).

 

I also wish there were more options for companions. I don't care so much about their backstories and sidequests (generally speaking not specific to these characters), so the fact that I don't like some of the companions doesn't bother me much. But it would have been nice if there were, for example, at least two different wizards with different builds and spellbooks. Same for the other classes. It would have been nice to have some more options for pre-built NPC builds across the classes. The ability to make your own is a very nice touch too but that effectively removes a lot of the immersion in the game world.

Edited April 7, 2015 by bobthe

[bootsnpots]

I like Kana a lot. My first playthrough i decided he was way to ugly and he could just hang out at the keep where i found him. This playthrough tho I picked him up cuz Chanter was one of the only classes I hadnt experimented with and I'm actually liking his dialogue. Hes not always just throwing out his opinion, even if its harsh or unfitting to my own approach. Hes knowledgeable and can provide you with additional lore and historical information in lots of the conversations.

 

Besides that it really just depends whether you want a customized party or if you want your companions to have back stories. I will say that there are a few twists and turns in some of the companions stories, nothing that really affects anything though (as far as i know). Just extra story. Ill probably play through with each companion once, but once i know all their stories and have done their quests I doubt Ill ever grab one again unless a couple years from now I'm feeling sentimental when I get to gilded vale.

 

And i like Eder! He's got the laid back country guy routine going. Some of the dialogue my male orlan cipher had between him made it feel like adventuring with a friend, that would put down some ale with me and have my back if i got too drunk and tried to box an amaua at the bar.

[Wulfram]

I think it's best to just keep the ones you like and drop the ones you don't.  There's nothing terrible you miss from not having someone with you

 

You could always cheat to get the stats of the companions more to your liking

Edited April 8, 2015 by Wulfram

[Quillon]

I didn't like companion interjections being no more than references for the PC character, not effecting the NPCs' reactions/quests at all. Now that I finished my first playthrough I have no desire to get all the companions again cos it won't be a different experience if I take a companion on a quest which I hadn't brought with me in my first playthrough.

 

Was this design choice for freedom in companion selection? If so why Durance and Grieving Mother's quests requires you to travel with them till their quests are finished? Or was it too much additional work to make companions effect the story other than their own quests?

 

Anyway, this really took away from replayability of the game for me.

Edited April 8, 2015 by Quillon

[TrashMan]

Who can forget the discussion between Minsc and that pirate king?

[Exyll]

I like the companions, - I'd probably still be using them if I didnt glance at their stats page, most of them are horrible and that irks me to no end.

I made my own versions of them and while I miss the banter running around everywhere, I like efficient combat much much more and now I can really focus on the main story.

I'll probably use them on my replays