So just who is Raphael?

[ThievelNoe]

We know he's a devil, but what's his real identity?

[EvilDonut]

a ninja turtle

[Suralle]

Raphael in verse is one of the archangels. An angel or devil in disguise to hinder or help human kind.

[bullse]

He is a Cambian. What is his long term purpose? Dunno. I can wait though to find out.

[Corridian]

Raphael is a Cambion. One of his parents was a full on Pit Fiend plus plus, and a human / human like race. There are games in the past both table top and computer where you can play one of these bad asses, as well as Tieflings and or Assimars. The devils running all over the mind flayers in Averness were Cambions and some imps for fun.

As for what this named Cambion is all about... guaranteed on a non evil play through it will not be anything beneficial. If you're all about being a LE dude, then you can work with him I am sure. I am looking forward to being a Lolth Loving Drow Ranger, and watching my Spider bind him up so I can use him like a whiney ♥♥♥♥♥.

[Gozo]

Well, in my last run, the dude didn’t even show up lol!
But then again, after the last hotfix, a lot of scenes ran from me....

[BW022]

No idea. Some devil or cambion who is interested in 'helping' you get rid of the tadpole for some thing. Beyond that... have to wait and see.

Story-wise, he doesn't seem like a good inclusion. The opening is already pretty fantastical for low-level PCs. Generally you want to avoid these things at the start since it makes players feel like they are on a ride rather than actively participating in crafting their own story. However, the tadpole is a really effective (if heavy handed) device for getting the party together, and giving you a clear goal/direction. Fine. However, I would be wanting to ground the story as much as possible after it.

After the opening, I wouldn't have massively toned down any fantastical or overpowered stuff. The theiflings, gyth, several of your companions, etc. have already got me asking where in the heck in FR did we crash? On top of the tadpole/absolute plot... it isn't really working for me. Rafael (a super-powered devil-type) is just more. In a PnP game, most players would be tuning out. It feels more like we are along for the ride than writing our own story. In BG1 you were a normal person in a normal world with a larger plot swirling around you. Few things in BG3 feel normal.

[Wolfenschrekker]

Originally posted by BW022:

In a PnP game, most players would be tuning out. It feels more like we are along for the ride than writing our own story. In BG1 you were a normal person in a normal world with a larger plot swirling around you.

This. No one is going about their normal business. No one just happens to be *living* here. The entire place is at war/in strife/burning down/etc. It's a bit much.
BG3 is by no means the only rpg that suffers from this though; it's a result of a decade of people whinging about games having too much fluff and things taking too long, etc.
Farmer Joe who wants you to kill 6 wolves that are harassing his sheep, and Tavernkeep Robert who needs you to pick up some more pumpkins from down the road, are the guys that make the world feel real, not edgelord uber demons...in the first few hours of gameplay at least anyway.

[ThievelNoe]

This is just my opinion, but this game is awesome. The story is very intense and compelling. In fact, I couldn't stop playing the EA edition for about three days straight. The devil or whatever Raphael was tempting you had enough mystery in it to make the whole story interesting. Someone is watching with keen interest in what you do in the game--and just what this person's motivations are and his connection to the implanted tadpole have yet to be revealed. I found the party in conflict thing very challenging and a good test of your diplomacy and leadership ability. I loved the characters of Lae'zel, Shadowheart, and Gale. All we're interesting with their own hangups and quirks, but generally underneath it all well meaning and good company. Plus, you just get this feeling of purpose in the game. You want to get rid of that tadpole, even if the EA edition {spoilers} doesn't allow you to do so and leaves you hanging. And then there's that romantic dream twist with the tadpole as your central love interest, which was a very weird and yet entertaining event which made me even question what this whole story was really about, and if my objective really was to remove the tadpole was really the correct choice. Was it a parasite using me and in love with me or was it something else entirely--and why was I chosen to have it implanted in my head when it's in some kind of stasis? This story hands down beats the hack and slash, shallow type stories that I'm used to in some of the older AD&D Video Games. It may be a bit buggy and incomplete, but I think it's a excellent and talented work of fiction. I hope we do get to see Avernus that was previewed in the mini-movie. That place looked hellishly cool.