Playing evil feels... lonesome

[Damphair]

In this particular game I am struggling with playing as an evil character, the Dark Urge origin made me shiver from returning to it after the Alfiera cutscene. Once I finally got through it and got to act 3, I lost all interest. My party camp was shallow, it felt empty. My companions were only there because of our aligned self-interest.

That is perfect for an evil playthrough, I just cannot go through with it somehow. In both BG1 and BG2 I loved playing an evil campaign, mostly because I wanted the companions Viconia, Edwin and later in EE Dorn. However I am struggling to make an evil campaign in this game. It is enjoyable and satisfying when you really let your madness shine through (especially as the dark urge), but damn does it feel lonely.

I'd think I'm missing some more evil companions to consolidate our adventures of madness, but for the first time in my RPG-playing life I enjoy playing a goody two-shoes paladin or monk much more than the slayer. Might be my preference or something that comes with age. What are your thoughts?

[victorvnv]

Originally posted by Angra:

I think this is just a reflection of not being evil ourselves. It is really hard to play one and pretend.

It is unfathomable to me someone with a Dark Urge acting that way (I know they exist) and I can't put myself in their shoes. The evil decisions I think they would make ends up feeling forced, unrealistic and cartoonish.

So, usually, I end up trying to resit it. Or be more selfish than evil (i.e. you are on your own Zevlor instead of I am going to murder you all for the absolute).

When I actually sided with Minthara, Zevlor's reaction felt soul crushing. The voice acting in this game is good enough to transmit emotions. I felt depressed after that.

Yea killing the thieflings felt really bad, from zevlors reaction to going in one of the hideouts where you have to slaughter a bunch of them with like 7-8 hp and they didn’t even fight back.

And all those kids as well, just didn’t feel good , also the goblin camp party where all companions were sad and depressed except Minthara .

[Jonny McJonerjon]

Recruit Astarian, Minthra, and Laezel. Astarian actually encourages you to embrace the dark urge. Replacing Gortash is actually an end game option I believe. You can respec your team if you really don't like their classes. If you just want to kill everything on sight that's not a very smart way to be evil.
I'm alternating a good and evil campaign. They are both great.

[lynx]

Strange. Just found this topic on the first page... And it resonates with me. First neutral/good playthrough was just awesome. The game is a masterpiece despite flaws we all know. But the second walkthrough (have not finished) with the Act I grove massacre to recruit Minthara... And some other characters wiped out (Karlachs headless body is still chasing me at my camp). I am just feeling lonely and depressed and I don't want to move on. There is definetly lack of evil companions (who are not depressed... Evil duergar bard would be awesome!), may be even not hirelings, but someone to fill your camp. Larian thinks about new content - this is definetly they should do!

[Damphair]

Originally posted by Angra:

I think this is just a reflection of not being evil ourselves. It is really hard to play one and pretend.

It is unfathomable to me someone with a Dark Urge acting that way (I know they exist) and I can't put myself in their shoes. The evil decisions I think they would make ends up feeling forced, unrealistic and cartoonish.

So, usually, I end up trying to resit it. Or be more selfish than evil (i.e. you are on your own Zevlor instead of I am going to murder you all for the absolute).

When I actually sided with Minthara, Zevlor's reaction felt soul crushing. The voice acting in this game is good enough to transmit emotions. I felt depressed after that.

I felt that as well. I tried to play the dark urge as repressing their emotions to not become a completely ridiculous avatar of murder just for the sake of carnage, and I liked the options you had for repressing it. Still I tried to play true to a neutral evil character, but the choices in this game that go towards the evil role made me feel sad and empty.

In BG2 I did not really care, I could ditch Imoen and slay Jaheira without a second thought, maybe it was the archvillain Irenicus that made me push so far or also the companions that followed me, like Viconia, Korgan, Edwin. I think we lack some companions that are naturally evil-aligned that would follow me not because of fear, but loyalty and mutual respect.

The only truly evil-aligned companion we have is Minthara. Lae'zel follows her devotion as a Githyanki, either for her queen or her prince depending on what truths she uncovers. Shadowheart is a lost lamb, whatever choice you guide her through. Astarion's story is a revenge novel (which is pretty good). Gale wavers between redemption and becoming the very thing that his folly already lured him of once, but he is never an evil characer, only ambitious and too stupid to be the archwizard he claimed to be.

[Damphair]

Originally posted by lynx:

Strange. Just found this topic on the first page... And it resonates with me. First neutral/good playthrough was just awesome. The game is a masterpiece despite flaws we all know. But the second walkthrough (have not finished) with the Act I grove massacre to recruit Minthara... And some other characters wiped out (Karlachs headless body is still chasing me at my camp). I am just feeling lonely and depressed and I don't want to move on. There is definetly lack of evil companions (who are not depressed... Evil duergar bard would be awesome!), may be even not hirelings, but someone to fill your camp. Larian thinks about new content - this is definetly they should do!

I feel exactly the same. Whenever they'll release the mod creator kit I'm gonna have a try at making some of my own followers.

[lynx]

More content for evil characters!

My suggestions:
- tiny baby beholder that would help you in the final battle (leaving the owlbear cub for good characters)
- Cheerfull duergar bard in your camp (or even hireling) who would like heavy metal music (well, some fantasy analogue) and stupid mature jokes
- Idiot goblins (to replace tieflieng kids\good playthrough)
- Someone evil from Act II to help you in the final battle and stay at your camp like Nightsong and Isobelle
- True Soul Nere from Grimforge... (I don't know what happens to him in Act II if he is alive, I have not reach Moontowers during this run). he is an psychopath idiot, but he easily can be turne into more deep character. We had Edwin in BG 2


- Your suggestions?

[Damphair]

Originally posted by lynx:

More content for evil characters!

My suggestions:
- tiny baby beholder that would help you in the final battle (leaving the owlbear cub for good characters)
- Cheerfull duergar bard in your camp (or even hireling) who would like heavy metal music (well, some fantasy analogue) and stupid mature jokes
- Idiot goblins (to replace tieflieng kids\good playthrough)
- Someone evil from Act II to help you in the final battle and stay at your camp like Nightsong and Isobelle
- True Soul Nere from Grimforge... (I don't know what happens to him in Act II if he is alive, I have not reach Moontowers during this run). he is an psychopath idiot, but he easily can be turne into more deep character. We had Edwin in BG 2


- Your suggestions?

I love your idea about the duergar bard, however goblins are not gonna make it as they are considered as monstrosities and would conflict whenever you'd enter a civilized settlement.

I liked Nere and hoped I'd see more of him after act 1. But all the other True Souls and Balthazar saw him as a failure, I'd make a good character arc of him to ''redeeem himself'' or claim vengeance against the absolute when he'd be free because of the prism. But that'd be to close to Minthara's storyline. I'd be funnier to have a crazy Zhentarim Necromancer out to challenge Lorroakan for some reason (Xzar stererotype).

However the first character I'd myself add would be a half-orc cleric/paladin of Tempus. Chaotic Neutral or somewhat that would align easier with an evil party than a good one. Someone you'd find somewhere in act 2, not tadpoled but sent on a holy quest to eradicate the cult of the absolute or somewhat. Strict and orderly, very disciplined and not one for massacre without divine reason.

[Mewsha]

Hmm I'm having a different experience, but my character is less of a true soul villain that kills everything in sight and more of a selfish character that always puts themselves first.

I personally don't go for Minthara. When I'm evil, the loot I get matters most to me, and the goblins offer nothing, which is a shame. I wish there was a way to convince her to join your squad and drop the goblins, even if that means alienating Haslin. Either that, or the rewards for picking the goblins need to be much better than they are currently.

You could argue they're good minions to have, but I don't even agree with that. They're much more exciting to fight as well compared to slaughtering refugees and a fractured Druid circle on the brink of collapse. They're not really worthy opponents.

Haslin I can take or leave. The shadow curse quest is both boring and buggy. I also found it pretty confusing but maybe that's just me?

My love interest is Astarion, and he seems to enjoy my chaotic evil choices. I have an urchin background, so my character is helpful toward Mol and her crew because they grew up similarly, but otherwise I'm pretty ruthless.

It hasn't alienated Shadowheart either, who is also in my squad and who my character is close to. She's apathetic toward my evil choices, sometimes preferring them because they're practical. She seems to only care about becoming a Dark Justiciar, and if you support that you generally have her approval. It's probably not the healthiest outcome for her character, but it aligns more with my character's arc that she becomes that so we've bonded over it.

The weird thing is I haven't alienated Karlach yet. I mainly keep her around because she hits like a truck when built as a Berserker, but she almost always disapproves of the things I do and yet she still wants to keep traveling with me. That may change soon though.

[Fatal]

Yea it sucks that there is only like one "evil" companion. They could of made a goblin companion for evil players.

[The Ghost]

it is because the only way to play the game is to be a good boy. Align with the tieflings in act 1, save the inn in act 2 and if you feel .choose from one out of three ending choices in act 3. The best thing about being evil in EA was Minthara, and she has no content post act 1.
So don't be evil. You get nothing in return. That is why it feels so empty. We have been yelling for three years in EA for Larian to fix the absolute idiot evil route, they chose to ignore it.