Clarification on companion respec

[harrisone16]

So even though the devs (kinda?) tried to clarify what would happen if you respec companions, I am still a bit confused. I get that you can change their classes but it's not clear if it will or won't change their stories (or get rid of them all together). For instance, if I change Shadowheart to a wizard or a rogue will certain conversations just not happen? Or will the happen and it just be like she's still a cleric. Also what if I change her to a war cleric but keep her worshiping her goddess? I am guessing some of these questions won't be answered until launch but I'm trying to plan a party so if anyone knows, please clarify!

[DeadBeat61]

Previously they'd stated that if you respec a companion, the story will still treat them as though they're using their canon class. The most recent community update seems to contradict this entirely. Who knows at this point?

[ahsanford]

Yeah, WolfheartFPS posted a video about this.

You can change class and stats 100%
You probably can't change race or appearance (we'll see)

Larian told him if you change class with (say) Gale to be a Paladin, his personal quest things will still show him as a Wizard -- and his story will remain super wizardy.

So some pre-canned cutscene or plot writing things will non-sequitur if you dramatically reboot a companion. I'll pay that price to have someone other than Astarion in the party to open locks.

This came up in DOS2 quite a bit because respec was so easy. I stopped using one character (with some Bard-like backstory) and converted her into a mage. Then near game end after a major questline for her is settled, she busts out into a long song cutscene as if she never left bardhood.

So they are trying to balance flexibility with a consistent story, it would appear. Can't blame them for that.

- A

[harrisone16]

Originally posted by DeadBeat61:

Previously they'd stated that if you respec a companion, the story will still treat them as though they're using their canon class. The most recent community update seems to contradict this entirely. Who knows at this point?

Ya that's why I;m confused. Honestly I hope it's the former; i totally get why it would be tied in but part of the fun of a game like this is making your ideal party. I think it would be cool if respecing was maybe locked behind a quest or like a relationship. Maybe you have to get Wyll to like you a lot and then he would agree to become a bard? I really only think of Shadowheart and Wyll (maybe Halsin?) as really being locked in for story reasons anyway.

[Jason Eroge]

yea this got even more confusing lol

[harrisone16]

Originally posted by ahsanford:

Yeah, WolfheartFPS posted a video about this.

You can change class and stats 100%
You probably can't change race or appearance (we'll see)

Larian told him if you change class with (say) Gale to be a Paladin, his personal quest things will still show him as a Wizard -- and his story will remain super wizardy.

So some pre-canned cutscene or plot writing things will non-sequitur if you dramatically reboot a companion.

This came up in DOS2 quite a bit because respec was so easy. I stopped using one character (with some Bard-like backstory) and converted her into a mage. Then near game end after a major questline for her is settled, she busts out into a long song cutscene as if she never left bardhood.

So they are trying to balance flexibility with a consistent story, it would appear. Can't blame them for that.

- A

I watched that vid too, my confusion comes from the community update released today which says "Keep in mind that certain Origin stories are closely intertwined with their characters' respective classes. If you’re opting for a non-cleric Shadowheart or a Wyll without his warlock pact, this will undoubtedly influence your roleplay options in dialogues and the overall narrative for these characters. But their stories will instead be yours to create." Which seems to imply something else...

[ahsanford]

Originally posted by Maronchan:

I've been discussing this with another player. I see 3 options:

1 - Keep the Origin as is.
2 - Keep 1 level of Origin and respec the rest.
3 - Lost the Origin completely in SOME characters (e.g. Shadowheart, Wyll, Gale).

Origins that are tied to the Class, will lose the Origin if you completely respec them (aka, lost all the dialogue/quests about their Origin)
Others, like Astarion or Lae'Zel, can be fully respec-ed without issues for their Origin.

They won't blitz a companion's entire backstory -- they spent so much time/money/effort on developing it.

But can you change Shad's priestess of shar into a priestess of selune for funsies? Yes, but I'm guessing she'll talk/act like a Sharran every chance she gets.

- A

[Hollow-Enigma]

Originally posted by Maronchan:

I've been discussing this with another player. I see 3 options:

1 - Keep the Origin as is.
2 - Keep 1 level of Origin and respec the rest.
3 - Lost the Origin completely in SOME characters (e.g. Shadowheart, Wyll, Gale).

Origins that are tied to the Class, will lose the Origin if you completely respec them (aka, lose all the dialogue/quests about their Origin)
Others, like Astarion or Lae'Zel, can be fully respec-ed without issues for their Origin.

I suspect they might have like some pop up thing for if you were to change certain things while respecting that will warn you that the origin quest will stop or something.

[harrisone16]

Originally posted by Maronchan:

I've been discussing this with another player. I see 3 options:

1 - Keep the Origin as is.
2 - Keep 1 level of Origin and respec the rest.
3 - Lost the Origin completely in SOME characters (e.g. Shadowheart, Wyll, Gale).

Origins that are tied to the Class, will lose the Origin if you completely respec them (aka, lose all the dialogue/quests about their Origin)
Others, like Astarion or Lae'Zel, can be fully respec-ed without issues for their Origin.

This would be really frustrating, but I do understand why they would do it. Kinda makes me feel like Pathfinder where you are stuck with certain characters if you want a good fighter and you have to sacrifice prowess for a character you just like (looking at you Sosiel).

[ahsanford]

Originally posted by Hollow-Enigma:

I suspect they might have like some pop up thing for if you were to change certain things while respecting that will warn you that the origin quest will stop or something.

+1. I could see this happening specifically for Wyll or Gale. Shadowheart, Karlach and Astarion are more plausibly class-agnostic. (Shad in another role can still be a 'follower' of Shar rather than a Cleric of Char, right?)

- A

[Cooperal]

I imagine all of their dialogue would stay intact if they are NPC origin characters. They will narratively remain oblivious to their own class change and conveniently react the same to every event under all circumstances.

However as a player origin character you would probably lose out on class-specific choices in dialogue. Wyll for example would lose the option of picking dialogue which starts with Warlock in square brackets.

[Hollow-Enigma]

Originally posted by ahsanford:

Originally posted by Hollow-Enigma:

I suspect they might have like some pop up thing for if you were to change certain things while respecting that will warn you that the origin quest will stop or something.

+1. I could see this happening specifically for Wyll or Gale. Shadowheart, Karlach and Astarion are more plausibly class-agnostic. (Shad in another role can still be a 'follower' of Shar rather than a Cleric of Char, right?)

- A

IDK, wouldn't make much sense for Shar to send less than one of her most loyal of followers. And what's more loyal than a cleric.

Also think i read somewhere that subclass was important too, which would apply to Shad

[Jinxster]

Originally posted by harrisone16:

So even though the devs (kinda?) tried to clarify what would happen if you respec companions, I am still a bit confused. I get that you can change their classes but it's not clear if it will or won't change their stories (or get rid of them all together). For instance, if I change Shadowheart to a wizard or a rogue will certain conversations just not happen? Or will the happen and it just be like she's still a cleric. Also what if I change her to a war cleric but keep her worshiping her goddess? I am guessing some of these questions won't be answered until launch but I'm trying to plan a party so if anyone knows, please clarify!

No their stories wont change they will be treated as they are their original class based on their story but will be whatever class u change them to in combat.

[Cy]

Would be nice if Larian had a dedicated community team to answer questions like this...

[ahsanford]

Originally posted by Cy:

Would be nice if Larian had a dedicated community team to answer questions like this...

All the more reason we get a warning on respec-ing class / subclass of some companions. It's a logical 'you're crossing the rubicon if you change this' sort of heads up.

- A

[ahsanford]

Originally posted by Maronchan:

Better than in DOS2 where you get nothing, turn Lohse into a fighter and then there's all this "bard" story. Not jarring at all...

Do you want a jarring event that you willingly opt in for or do you want to bench a very cool companion personality / story because they just so happen to overlap with your type of character in the party?

It's an impossible choice, right?

I choose the former above, because I get it -- they had to script each companion's story with a class in mind. If if did it, I know what I signed up for, so find it way less jarring. And now I can (just spitballing) bench Laez'el because I think she's way too abrasive / too 'one note' and now I can shoehorn both Wyll or Gale into the lineup because one of those two is now a frontline fighter.

That's flexibility that I can appreciate.

- A