Why is there no consequences for using tadpoles?

[Kamu Da Finka]

Even if it was a purely visual affect, DoS2 had that as you had to hide the Undead's face or risk being attacked. I'm sure that'll be a mod at some point, but what a strange oversight by Larian. At minimum, Lae'zel should immediately turn hostile towards you.

[Razorblade]

Your appearance does majorly change if you get into the tier 3 Illithid Powers.

[Doomvora]

Because then people would complain.

I do think there should be some consequence like having to eat a companions brain every few nights or something

[Kamu Da Finka]

Originally posted by Razorblade:

Your appearance does majorly change if you get into the tier 3 Illithid Powers.

It changes, but nobody in town is going to attack you. In DoS2, you'll be attacked if you show your undead face and have to obscure your appearance via disguise self or by wearing a helmet. That's a minimum expectation here, but really there should be consequential actions for the story and ending too.

[Action Man]

My guess is Larian wanted people to use the tadpoles, but negative consequences would make more players angry (or players more angry) than not having consequences for it.

[Rumar]

If enough people want consequences perhaps it'll make its way into an enhanced edition, should there be one.

[Rommel]

Originally posted by Shamu Camus:

Even if it was a purely visual affect, DoS2 had that as you had to hide the Undead's face or risk being attacked. I'm sure that'll be a mod at some point, but what a strange oversight by Larian. At minimum, Lae'zel should immediately turn hostile towards you.

We don't know....hmm maybe ask the people who made the game? Yeah that sounds logical
don't you think?

[Rex is back, baby!]

There's two consequences.
!
1.) Black veiny aesthetics.
2.) Increases wisdom DC to pass checks the more you use it, so eventually you cannot resist SPOILER save for a natural 20.

[Kamu Da Finka]

Originally posted by Rex:

There's two consequences.
!
1.) Black veiny aesthetics.
2.) Increases wisdom DC to pass checks the more you use it, so eventually you cannot resist SPOILER save for a natural 20.

But if nobody reacts to it/the story doesn't change, it is inconsequential. Volo replacing your eye for the permanent detect invisibility false eye is even disliked by your party - that's a minor consequence (you'll take the better eye obviously), but still something.

[Noctoculus]

Because they rushed the release and cut half the content.

[Okat]

It's honestly my only major gripe with the main story. Everything logically points to using the tadpoles as potentially extremely risky. The stated purpose of the player's quest is initially to get rid of the parasites. Most of the companions require a skill check to convince them to use the tadpoles. One would think there would be consequences to risking an illithid taking over one's body.

I'm sure it's something the dev team discussed extensively, but I feel refusing to use the tadpoles should be rewarded at least narratively. As it stands, there is no reason not to engage with the tadpole mechanic - the player loses out on the mechanical advantages without seeing any meaningful narrative or gameplay development for what is ostensibly a major choice repeatedly emphasised by the game.

[Kamu Da Finka]

Originally posted by Okat:

It's honestly my only major gripe with the main story. Everything logically points to using the tadpoles as potentially extremely risky. The stated purpose of the player's quest is initially to get rid of the parasites. Most of the companions require a skill check to convince them to use the tadpoles. One would think there would be consequences to risking an illithid taking over one's body.

I'm sure it's something the dev team discussed extensively, but I feel refusing to use the tadpoles should be rewarded at least narratively. As it stands, there is no reason not to engage with the tadpole mechanic - the player loses out on the mechanical advantages without seeing any meaningful narrative or gameplay development for what is ostensibly a major choice repeatedly emphasised by the game.

Yep. Purely for RP reasons, I'm not using the tadpoles, but you can consider giving Astarion a few (though the Illithid powers are stupid OP and may trivialize the game) as I'd imagine he sees more benefits of the parasites due to him being able to exist in sunlight while being afflicted by vampirism and free of his prior enslavement. If anyone is eager to explore their benefits, that's the guy as they've dramatically increased the quality of his life.

But RP wise for my PC Gith Bard that's opposed to them and presently going for a good run? Yeah, they'd be opposed to using them anyway.

[Proxy]

ill only do tadpole on a solo run

[Kamu Da Finka]

Originally posted by Proxy:

ill only do tadpole on a solo run

Evil Durge Sorc/Mage/Lock tadpole run is totally sensible. The abilities basically make you a Warhammer Psyker. Hell, Gale already actively references The Warp which makes this seem like an intentional shared universe easter egg.

https://warhammer40k.fandom.com/wiki/Psyker

Yes, the Imperium of Man is also evil - literally everyone is blatantly awful in that Universe sans the T'au.

[Remus12]

It's an RPG, everything isnt about min/maxing. Sometimes you just play a good character that doesn't wish to dabble in the darker powers. They have an overall arc that the game needs to go storywise. There are some points where if you make a certain choice it is "game over" and you start from the last save.

They could have done the same here, but also it would just take even more time to have everyone in Act III reacting to you using worm stuff. It would have complicated things even further.

[Spookymancer]

There were severe consequences back in early access. You could even get a non-standard game over if you used too many.

That's what the "down by the river" song is about, by the way. The tadpole luring you into a false sense of security. Then one day your character has a pleasant dream of floating down a river in a peaceful meadow...

Congratulations, you are now a mind flayer and have gotten a non-standard game over.

It was pretty sweet.

Anyway they took the whole system out before release, and now we have the Guardian.