Least Liked Companions

[Luckmann]

I played Durance's voices and non-quest comments in an audio player. The only thing I can't stand is his attitude towards other party members. He seems happy when other party members are knocked out or die. And he's chilling in the back row saying prayers while they're getting their faces smashed or guts cut open. No basic solidarity from that guy.

My only gripe with Durance, really. It makes no sense, either. Yes, he's a gruff survivor, but in battle-mode, you'd expect him to act more or less on instinct, being an old warrior, and actually display a lot of battlefield solidarity, even if he'd go back to his brooding I-hate-you-all and my-goddess-is-a-whore-that-abandoned-me afterwards.

[Crucis]

 

I played Durance's voices and non-quest comments in an audio player. The only thing I can't stand is his attitude towards other party members. He seems happy when other party members are knocked out or die. And he's chilling in the back row saying prayers while they're getting their faces smashed or guts cut open. No basic solidarity from that guy.

My only gripe with Durance, really. It makes no sense, either. Yes, he's a gruff survivor, but in battle-mode, you'd expect him to act more or less on instinct, being an old warrior, and actually display a lot of battlefield solidarity, even if he'd go back to his brooding I-hate-you-all and my-goddess-is-a-whore-that-abandoned-me afterwards.

 

 

I have a couple of gripes with Durance.

 

One is that between his voice and his portrait, one would think that he should be a dwarf, but he's not.  And honestly, the companions could use some more diversity in its game races, particularly when one such character practically SCREAMS "dwarf".

 

And the second one is that for a priest who was powerful enough once to have been one of twelve to have created a magical weapon to supposedly kill a god's avatar, why does he start at such a low level?  This seems like a significant logical contradiction story-wise, one that could have slightly been mitigated by moving him to a location where you wouldn't find him until later.  Of course, being a priest (with all that entails), I suppose that it makes sense to have a Companion priest available early on.  But the lingering contradiction remains.

 

 

 

 

[Yria]

And honestly, the companions could use some more diversity in its game races, particularly when one such character practically SCREAMS "dwarf".

Of eight companions we can get, five are not humans, and that is in the region that is mostly populated by folk. Those five represent every other race there is. What more diversity do you need?

[Crucis]

 

And honestly, the companions could use some more diversity in its game races, particularly when one such character practically SCREAMS "dwarf".

Of eight companions we can get, five are not humans, and that is in the region that is mostly populated by folk. Those five represent every other race there is. What more diversity do you need?

 

 

A dwarf that actually looks and sounds like a dwarf. 

[nakno3]

 

 

And honestly, the companions could use some more diversity in its game races, particularly when one such character practically SCREAMS "dwarf".

Of eight companions we can get, five are not humans, and that is in the region that is mostly populated by folk. Those five represent every other race there is. What more diversity do you need?

 

 

A dwarf that actually looks and sounds like a dwarf. 

 

 

none of the companions are "classical archetypes" .. they all have their kind of mental problem or are at least very Special/unusual... maybe you havent realised it yet, but you are playing a bunch of exotic psychos

[perilisk]

Eder, GM, and Durance were all great, though Durance is the one that continues to get better as the game goes on. At any rate, his comment at Noonfrost seals the deal for me.

Hiravius has more depth than it would appear, and in his defense, if you gave the same character concept to Bio, I would have murdered him after about five minutes. "[benevolent] Spare companions obnoxious joke character."

I like Kana and Sagani well enough, Kana for his attitude, Sagani for demonstrating the difference between down to earth and dull.

So... that leaves Pallegina and Aloth. Of the two, Aloth does at least have some plot relevant character development, so that leaves Pallegina with the short straw.

[b0rsuk]

 

I played Durance's voices and non-quest comments in an audio player. The only thing I can't stand is his attitude towards other party members. He seems happy when other party members are knocked out or die. And he's chilling in the back row saying prayers while they're getting their faces smashed or guts cut open. No basic solidarity from that guy.

My only gripe with Durance, really. It makes no sense, either. Yes, he's a gruff survivor, but in battle-mode, you'd expect him to act more or less on instinct, being an old warrior, and actually display a lot of battlefield solidarity, even if he'd go back to his brooding I-hate-you-all and my-goddess-is-a-whore-that-abandoned-me afterwards.

 

 

I'd simply expect him to act in his good interest. He complains when badly wounded, after all. Why does he expect others to help him with an attitude like that ? I could even understand he's happy when Eder dies (he calls him "Eothasian"). But he's going to be cut to pieces if he doesn't help others. He just sounds like a backstabber. Come on, at least pretend they're tools and meatshields. Otherwise, he doesn't sound like he has suicidal tendencies. So why ? Eder returns the favor by proposing that the dargul on the tower feeds on Durance, but that could easily be a joke.

[qualiyah]

 

 

I played Durance's voices and non-quest comments in an audio player. The only thing I can't stand is his attitude towards other party members. He seems happy when other party members are knocked out or die. And he's chilling in the back row saying prayers while they're getting their faces smashed or guts cut open. No basic solidarity from that guy.

My only gripe with Durance, really. It makes no sense, either. Yes, he's a gruff survivor, but in battle-mode, you'd expect him to act more or less on instinct, being an old warrior, and actually display a lot of battlefield solidarity, even if he'd go back to his brooding I-hate-you-all and my-goddess-is-a-whore-that-abandoned-me afterwards.

 

 

I'd simply expect him to act in his good interest. He complains when badly wounded, after all. Why does he expect others to help him with an attitude like that ? I could even understand he's happy when Eder dies (he calls him "Eothasian"). But he's going to be cut to pieces if he doesn't help others. He just sounds like a backstabber. Come on, at least pretend they're tools and meatshields. Otherwise, he doesn't sound like he has suicidal tendencies. So why ? Eder returns the favor by proposing that the dargul on the tower feeds on Durance, but that could easily be a joke.

 

The thing I didn't get about Durance is that, from the very beginning, I couldn't see why any sane person would actually join up with this guy. In our initial conversation what I learn is that he (a) is completely insane, (b) is the greatest possible enemy to Eder--whom I adore and actually want in my party--to the point of having actually hunted down and killed any members of Eder's religion that he could find, and © wants to travel with me so he can "judge" me and decide if I too should be murdered. Charming!

 

What kind of nut says, "Okay, sure, come along then"?? I mean, I did, because I wanted more party members, but in-character this act made zero sense, and nothing ever occurred later in the game to change that.

 

If this was Baldur's Gate, he and Eder would get into a fight to the death at some point. But the game has too few companions to spare for that.

[perilisk]

Overall I'm going to go with Aloth. He has potential, but his "dual personality" thing got resolved very quickly and him being a Leaden Key member seems to come...late and no one seems to really care. You have one conversation with him about it and then it's water under the bridge, despite it being the faction you've been fighting since Act 2 that's done all this bad stuff. I guess they wanted to avoid a Yoshimo situation, but it's so underplayed I kinda wonder why it's there at all.

 

Probably because it just makes him seems so pathetic that no one had the heart to want him gone. I mean, the guy is so completely devoid of direction that he just latched onto the first person that seemed like they might have A Plan, even if it was to tangle with the very people he had wanted to meet. Aloth would never betray you, because that requires having some sort of actual will of your own.

[Luckmann]

 

 

I played Durance's voices and non-quest comments in an audio player. The only thing I can't stand is his attitude towards other party members. He seems happy when other party members are knocked out or die. And he's chilling in the back row saying prayers while they're getting their faces smashed or guts cut open. No basic solidarity from that guy.

My only gripe with Durance, really. It makes no sense, either. Yes, he's a gruff survivor, but in battle-mode, you'd expect him to act more or less on instinct, being an old warrior, and actually display a lot of battlefield solidarity, even if he'd go back to his brooding I-hate-you-all and my-goddess-is-a-whore-that-abandoned-me afterwards.

 

 

I'd simply expect him to act in his good interest. He complains when badly wounded, after all. Why does he expect others to help him with an attitude like that ? I could even understand he's happy when Eder dies (he calls him "Eothasian"). But he's going to be cut to pieces if he doesn't help others. He just sounds like a backstabber. Come on, at least pretend they're tools and meatshields. Otherwise, he doesn't sound like he has suicidal tendencies. So why ? Eder returns the favor by proposing that the dargul on the tower feeds on Durance, but that could easily be a joke.

 

 

Edér and Durance doesn't seem to have near-enough banter, certainly not as much as you'd expect, given their opposites (and it's therefore extra funny that both are extremely popular characters).

 

I noticed yesterday that when Durance goes down, Edér just says "...did it just get quiet here?" or something to that effect. It's hard to notice, because it's such a matter-of-fact way to pose the question. Like augh, finally, he shuts up.

 

Sometimes I get the vibes that there was supposed to be a lot more banter from Durance. He doesn't come across as very preachy, especially not towards the other characters, yet they complain about it here and there. It would be amazing if he actually held sermons to them whenever possible.

 

 

Overall I'm going to go with Aloth. He has potential, but his "dual personality" thing got resolved very quickly and him being a Leaden Key member seems to come...late and no one seems to really care. You have one conversation with him about it and then it's water under the bridge, despite it being the faction you've been fighting since Act 2 that's done all this bad stuff. I guess they wanted to avoid a Yoshimo situation, but it's so underplayed I kinda wonder why it's there at all.

Probably because it just makes him seems so pathetic that no one had the heart to want him gone. I mean, the guy is so completely devoid of direction that he just latched onto the first person that seemed like they might have A Plan, even if it was to tangle with the very people he had wanted to meet. Aloth would never betray you, because that requires having some sort of actual will of your own.

 

Damn. I wish that was conveyed slightly better or earlier, really. It wasn't all that clear to me until the bridge. When you put it that way, I feel feels for Aloth now. D:

Edited April 28, 2015 by Luckmann

[b0rsuk]

In the initial conversation, Durance actually says something that he won't bother other party members much. He just cares about the watcher.

[Kenji]

Edér is too chill to be disliked...

 

Watch out for the eventual Obsidian fanservice to the Edér/PC romance requested by fangirls!

[Dadalama]

Edér is too chill to be disliked...

 

Watch out for the eventual Obsidian fanservice to the Edér/PC romance requested by fangirls!

I hope not. I have never liked romance options in games.

[Madhava]

I voted Aloth, although truthfully, it's a close call between Aloth, Kana, & Hiravias.

 

Aloth('s primary personality) seemed rather weak to me, and also, I dislike managing a large number of back-row NPC casters.  Kana was likable but bland, i.e. forgettable... although I do love me some chanters.  Hiravias, I honestly never gave a chance.  His voice was like nails-on-chalkboard to me.  He basically ate a colon, and then got sidelined forever.  And it was never quite clear to me, exactly why Hiravias wanted to join the party in the first place.

 

As for whom I liked... Durance was fantastic, with great dialog & a great backstory, although it's understandable that his attitude makes him unpalatable to some.  Grieving Mother was rather unique; she had me suspecting her to be a Tyler-Durden-figure, what with how the rest of the team couldn't quite see her.  And the dialog with sacrificing Grieving Mother to the Skaen pit/blood ritual is just pure gold (although I reloaded after doing this, because GM was consistently a key member on my team).  Eder is everyone's drinking buddy (also, second chance armor = very helpful).  And Pallegina is not nearly as arrogant as her portrait looks.

 

Sagani is the only one whom I've no opinion on.  Like Hiravias, I didn't give her much of a chance.  But I didn't find her annoying; I just didn't need/want a ranger on my roster.

[nakno3]

The thing I didn't get about Durance is that, from the very beginning, I couldn't see why any sane person would actually join up with this guy. In our initial conversation what I learn is that he (a) is completely insane, (b) is the greatest possible enemy to Eder--whom I adore and actually want in my party--to the point of having actually hunted down and killed any members of Eder's religion that he could find, and © wants to travel with me so he can "judge" me and decide if I too should be murdered. Charming!

 

What kind of nut says, "Okay, sure, come along then"?? I mean, I did, because I wanted more party members, but in-character this act made zero sense, and nothing ever occurred later in the game to change that.

 

If this was Baldur's Gate, he and Eder would get into a fight to the death at some point. But the game has too few companions to spare for that.

 

 

Actually i had this problems with all first companions .. even Eder was kinda cheeky stoic and cynical in a dumb kind of way.. so from a roleplaying point of view, you would just leave him standing there and travel on, cause why keep talking to a rude fed up farmer.. just because nobody likes him in that village anymore? ...

 

... eventually i faced the fact, that i needed Eder and Aloth.. and when i got used having those kind of characters in the group, it wasnt a big step to just collect the others in without much thinking, like Durance, even if they are all somewhat psycho.

Edited April 28, 2015 by nakno3

[jools1980]

Woooooah! What's with the hatred for Hiravias? Personality-wise, I will concede that he's a bit of a doorknob-with-an-attitude (inb4 famous Druidic rap lineup, D.W.A.), but functionality-wise, he's a one-man army. Buff, debuff, heal, aoe's, melee, you name it.

 

"Better call Hiravias".

 

Well, I was bored so that last line of mine gave me an idea and here, I drafted up a billboard thingie...

 

[falchen]

I didn't like Grieving Mother, her writting was too image heavy if that makes sense, just too heavy on the symbolism and metaphors, what really got me was how the first conversation you have with her has a quiz, like someone wanted to make sure you don't skim over all that stuff. Doesn't help that she has the least plot involvement and no banter with other companions, it's like she's not even part of the party (i know there's a reason for that but they could have played with the idea of a strange woman hanging around everyone ignores, instead of just...ignoring her).

[dododad]

Who voted for Eder! I demand an explanation!

[Crucis]

I didn't like Grieving Mother, her writing was too image heavy if that makes sense, just too heavy on the symbolism and metaphors, what really got me was how the first conversation you have with her has a quiz, like someone wanted to make sure you don't skim over all that stuff. Doesn't help that she has the least plot involvement and no banter with other companions, it's like she's not even part of the party (i know there's a reason for that but they could have played with the idea of a strange woman hanging around everyone ignores, instead of just...ignoring her).

 

It occurs to me that I skipped over GM in my previous comments.  I've been playing her in my current party as a replacement for Aloth, and for the most part, it's worked out quite well.  I like her abilities, and how her paper doll on the inventory screen looks.

 

OTOH, I gotta say that I don't particularly like her personality and personal "quest"/story.  Her "quest" is far, far too grim.  I won't say that it's actually boring, per se, though the fact that her "quest" is nothing more than a small number of grim conversations with the PC isn't exactly exciting.   It feels more like the PC is dragged into playing the role of shrink for GM, to help her resolve her mental problems.  Just friggin' great.  Maybe it is boring after all.  And too freakin' grim.  And her portrait is pretty darned grim too.  (Actually, it would have been a nice touch if the devs had a second portrait for her that replaces the first one after you resolve her quest and make her a much happier person.  It's sorta bites that the eventual "happy" GM remains stuck using the grim GM portrait.

 

I won't say that she's my least liked character, particularly since I haven't played Hiravias beyond picking him up and dumping him in the stronghold, and thus don't have much idea what his personality is like (other than rude and raunchy, I think) or what his quest is like.  I will say though that I do kinda wish that the devs had used a more upbeat cipher, rather than one who's so freakin' grim.

[Ineth]

Watch out for the eventual Obsidian fanservice to the Edér/PC romance requested by fangirls!

 

Only girls?

[Luckmann]

37 people are objectively wrong.

[Jimmysdabestcop]

Had to change my vote to Kana. Worst companion quest ever and probably worst companion ever. After 1st playthrough I never even bother talking to him again. I just leave him at the wall, like sorry bro laters. But love me some chanters. just not him.

 

Eder is kind of the man. Love the voice acting. I feel like his quest isn't good in the beginning but in the end it comes around. Only wish his story was say as strong as Durance and GM. I think by far Eder is the best voice actor.

[Crucis]

Had to change my vote to Kana. Worst companion quest ever and probably worst companion ever. After 1st playthrough I never even bother talking to him again. I just leave him at the wall, like sorry bro laters. But love me some chanters. just not him.

 

Eder is kind of the man. Love the voice acting. I feel like his quest isn't good in the beginning but in the end it comes around. Only wish his story was say as strong as Durance and GM. I think by far Eder is the best voice actor.

 

Really?  In all the games with companion NPCs and all the quests related to those NPCs, Kana was the worst?  Over the top much? 

[Jimmysdabestcop]

 

Really?  In all the games with companion NPCs and all the quests related to those NPCs, Kana was the worst?  Over the top much? 

 

 

Haters gonna hate. And I have a mean Hate one for Kana. Crap I should go grab him to drop into the pit. YES!!!

[constantine]

WHOAH ! Vote results based on 200+ votes show that 'least liked' companion choice is evenly distributed among companions, meaning that there is no such thing as a really bad companion among the rest, but who you don't like is a matter of personal preference.

 

HOWEVER, Eder has got a *single vote* of least-likeable companion, meaning that the guy is ok (or better) for the vast majority. Congrats Eder ! :D