Companion-based Reactivity: Personality Clashes
As with factional rivalries, personality clashes are pre-coded and out of our control. No amount of reputation or reaction will keep companions in the party if they are coded to break ranks and duke it out. There are a few personality clashes or fundamental differences in companions that end in bloodshed, but some do not (possibly due to oversights), such as Kivan vs. Viconia, and Faldorn vs. Jaheira.
Let's take a look at three personality clashes that end in violence, shall we?
First up, we have the Noble Dwarf versus the Greedy Dwarf; namely, Yeslick versus Kagain. Yeslick, formerly of clan Orothiar, represents the classic Tolkien dwarf in that he wants to right wrongs and see poetic justice done.
Yeslick offers sage advice to the party during their adventure. He's one of the best companions for a Good party to have around. It's sort of a pity that we have to wait until Chapter Four to get him.
Kagain, on the other hand, runs a shady mercenary company that has been affected by the banditry plaguing the region. His goal in life is to become stinking rich, and he believes the only thing better than gold is more gold. He sounds pretty reasonable here, though:
But his audio-only stuff reveals his avarice:
• Do gooders always make me wanna vomit.
• Waiting around ain't gonna make us any money.
• I like it here, where the gold grows.
• Shaddup and show me the money.
• Altruistic moron!
This dwarven rivalry is amusing. I certainly had a laugh while writing this. Mainly because Yeslick keeps alluding to Kagain's greed and selfishness.
That third line in the above screencap repeats fairly often, sounds very funny to me, and it really pisses Kagain off:
This next one is the best exchange. It's also the last straw:
Only hammer and axe can settle this once and for all.
Second, we have Bard Eldoth going up against Grunt Shar-Teel. The former is the best trash-talker in the game, and he gets under the skin of many companions as a result, but getting under Shar-Teel's is a big no-no.
The build up continues:
And the culmination invariably results in an Eldoth "chunking":
Indeed.
Thirdly, Tiax and Quayle are both insufferable, but I'd say Quayle takes the cake.
Quayle is just so annoying and insipid:
And so Tiax snaps:
Thus, the two diminutives with the biggest egos ever seen on the Infinity Engine, go medieval on each other. It's very funny to watch this after hearing their carry-on for so long.
Ok, this next one is a little different:
Being a paladin, Ajantis doesn't like Evil-aligned companions:
His honor is his life, and he'll eventually unsheathe his sword for the glory of Helm:
The difference being that he and his target don't break out of the party. This means the player can simply select Ajantis and move him away in order to reset him. A pity.
Lastly, we have clashes and fundamental differences in companions that don't end in violence, either by design or due to oversight.
Xan and Ajantis certainly have their differences. This one is indirect in that Xan interjects when Ajantis complains about Evil party members:
Eldoth and Garrick bardic rivalry:
There is no way Garrick is Chaotic Neutral. He is far too reasonable and level-headed.
Eldoth is dismissive of Skie:
The elven rivalry that involves Viconia and Kivan does not end in bloodshed, but it seems that it could have:
It is also a pity that Yeslick and Kagain - who hate elves - don't fight with them (or any elven companion).
Technically factional but barely explored, the same is true for the Faldorn/Jaheira rivalry. Nature's Servant was raised by more tolerant Druids of the Tethyrian forest, whereas Faldorn is a fanatical Shadow Druid who rages against all who threaten the Great Mother:
On more than one occasion, she challenges Jaheira's more balanced beliefs:
She also tries to provoke Jaheira through Khalid: Jaheira, your choice of a mate suits your weakling nature. But in what is probably an oversight or lack of time in the dev cycle, Jaheira doesn't respond to any of this.
Note that the Shadow Druids of the Cloakwood forest do not attack the party if Faldorn is a member. This is the same as the Red Wizards not attacking if Edwin is a member.
Conclusion: Baldur's Gate banters are basic. As with Jagged Alliance 2, they don't spell everything out and explain everything. It is enough to hear the voices and read the text, to grow to love, hate or be indifferent to the companions. Everyone will have their favorites based on the minimal interactions and voicesets alone. I didn't like how Shadows of Amn and Throne of Bhaal handled banters: while some expansion of character is welcome (indeed, arguably needed), BioWare went way overboard and managed to make many of the companions tiresome, annoying and long-winded (the new ones and the old). Also, forcing a canon party on the player went against the spirit of the original Baldur's Gate. But I've already written about this in BG > BG2.
Coran and Safana:
(They get together in the sequel - both as non-party members - but it doesn't last.)
| cRPG Blog | 1. Reactivity Baldur's Gate | 4. Factional Rivalry Baldur's Gate |
| cRPG Reactivity | 2. Reputation Baldur's Gate | 5. Personality Clashes Baldur's Gate |
| Baldur's Gate 1 | 3. Reaction Baldur's Gate | 6. Companions Baldur's Gate |
I suspect that most of the people playing Baldur's Gate today are doing so with a lot of meta-gaming knowledge and thus have become accustomed to planning out their party in advance, thus losing out on triggering a lot of companion fights. A pity, as they could be quite amusing.
ReplyDelete