Foolish to dump Alfira as recruitable companion

[Napoleon Wilson]

Why on Earth did they change this. I want a Bard in my party, but I don't want to play it. Yeah yeah,...rebuild another companion blah blah. Except it ruins experience to change the class of companion characters to something else. Why not just make her the companion she was clearly meant to be. Great character, great romance option, great look, unique class, it just feels so capricious to remove her.

[Scheneighnay]

Originally posted by JustinGayme.TTV:

I only read your title and i agree 100%. In early access i was SURE she would be playable. She has some of the best charisma of any non playable charaacter n the game (pun intended).

Im aware she does have a role in the dark urge playthrough but only as a plot device.2

I think it's also just the general rule of "if they have a unique outfit they're important" and she had a unique outfit but was seemingly unimportant so it seemed more likely she would pick up a sword in act 2 instead of dying off screen.

[Seraphiel]

Alfira was never recruitable early access so they didn't "remove her".

Originally posted by Scheneighnay:

Originally posted by JustinGayme.TTV:

I only read your title and i agree 100%. In early access i was SURE she would be playable. She has some of the best charisma of any non playable charaacter n the game (pun intended).

Im aware she does have a role in the dark urge playthrough but only as a plot device.2

I think it's also just the general rule of "if they have a unique outfit they're important" and she had a unique outfit but was seemingly unimportant so it seemed more likely she would pick up a sword in act 2 instead of dying off screen.

She doesn't die off-screen in Act 2? That's only if you ♥♥♥♥-up.

You can meet her in the city in Act 3.

Originally posted by Philogosten:

She also has probably the best voice acting in the game. Most of the voice acting in the game ranges from 80s english dubbed OVAs to Runesmith

lolwut, BG3 has some of the best voice acting across the board of any game I have played.

[Scheneighnay]

Originally posted by Seraphiel:

Originally posted by Scheneighnay:

I think it's also just the general rule of "if they have a unique outfit they're important" and she had a unique outfit but was seemingly unimportant so it seemed more likely she would pick up a sword in act 2 instead of dying off screen.

She doesn't die off-screen in Act 2? That's only if you ♥♥♥♥-up.

You can meet her in the city in Act 3.

Originally posted by Philogosten:

She also has probably the best voice acting in the game. Most of the voice acting in the game ranges from 80s english dubbed OVAs to Runesmith

lolwut, BG3 has some of the best voice acting across the board of any game I have played.

Not my fault all the refugees all died in the span of 6 seconds to like 2 low-tier demons, can't carry them that hard.

Come to think of it maybe it never was an option to escort them past the goblins because that was like a goblin-level threat.

[Izlude]

Originally posted by Seraphiel:

Originally posted by Scheneighnay:

I think it's also just the general rule of "if they have a unique outfit they're important" and she had a unique outfit but was seemingly unimportant so it seemed more likely she would pick up a sword in act 2 instead of dying off screen.

She doesn't die off-screen in Act 2? That's only if you ♥♥♥♥-up.

You can meet her in the city in Act 3.

Originally posted by Philogosten:

She also has probably the best voice acting in the game. Most of the voice acting in the game ranges from 80s english dubbed OVAs to Runesmith

lolwut, BG3 has some of the best voice acting across the board of any game I have played.

Errr what games did you play then? Like if you are comparing it to Skyrim...that game uses the people that code and stuff as the voice actors so its always bad. This game they seem to have wasted money on names like JK Simmons but then he phone in his performance almost as hard as Keifer did for mgsv.

[Seraphiel]

Originally posted by Philogosten:

Errr what games did you play then? Like if you are comparing it to Skyrim...that game uses the people that code and stuff as the voice actors so its always bad. This game they seem to have wasted money on names like JK Simmons but then he phone in his performance almost as hard as Keifer did for mgsv.

What games have better voice acting? Cannot really think of any. BG3 even edges out Witcher 3 for voice acting quality.

Maybe RDR2 might just about beat it?

[Razorblade]

As far as I remember, Alfira was never meant to be a companion; Helia the werewolf chick was supposed to be the Bard companion.

[Izlude]

Originally posted by Seraphiel:

Originally posted by Philogosten:

Errr what games did you play then? Like if you are comparing it to Skyrim...that game uses the people that code and stuff as the voice actors so its always bad. This game they seem to have wasted money on names like JK Simmons but then he phone in his performance almost as hard as Keifer did for mgsv.

What games have better voice acting? Cannot really think of any. BG3 even edges out Witcher 3 for voice acting quality.

Maybe RDR2 might just about beat it?

Borderlands 1 and 2. Dark Souls 1-3, Elden Ring, Dragon Age Origins, Dragon Age 2, every Ratchet and Clank game, Half of the AC series. Funny enough the only game I can think of that has worse voice acting than Baldurs Gate 3 is MGSV. That infamous "WWHHHOOO" line delivery will never leave my head.

[smellibear]

Originally posted by Philogosten:

vaguely british accented Edward Cullen"

Spike. Astarion is Spike from Buffy. Stop making me feel old!

[Izlude]

Originally posted by smellibear:

Originally posted by Philogosten:

vaguely british accented Edward Cullen"

Spike. Astarion is Spike from Buffy. Stop making me feel old!

He acts nothing like Spike, Spike is actually cool. Astarion is Edward.

[Larry]

Originally posted by Orion Invictus:

Did Larian say she was actually meant to be a companion, or did you just want her as one?

Dunno but they did cut one or two companions and rejig a few others like Minsc. He was supposed to be an early companion not someone who shows up far later in the game.

They also didn't finish off Karlach's companion quest until after launch so they definitely didn't flesh out the companions... Plus the companion romances are bugged. They're too forward, can't be told off until later in the game and they break each other's romance interactions. Also, the companion standing has very little standing on the game as a whole.

We'll likely get a Definitive Edition a year down the line that will include all of this stuff... but still, this game is amazing as is with the caveat being the companions are the weakest part of the game when in camp dialogue.

[ᚺᛟᚾᛊᛁᛖᚷ]

In my playthrough, Alfira was instrumental in getting the 'Shove Off' achievement.

And then Quill Grootslang joined my team for a short while...

[paladin765]

Originally posted by Philogosten:

I would prefer Alfira over almost every companion that is in the game. A singer/songwriter who is struggling with her music is pretty relatable. Her dialogue is even a lot better than the companions. Instead Larian is like "no, you cant have her but you can have vaguely british accented Edward Cullen"

She would have been an excellent member of the party.

[Seraphiel]

Originally posted by Philogosten:

Originally posted by Seraphiel:

What games have better voice acting? Cannot really think of any. BG3 even edges out Witcher 3 for voice acting quality.

Maybe RDR2 might just about beat it?

Borderlands 1 and 2. Dark Souls 1-3, Elden Ring, Dragon Age Origins, Dragon Age 2, every Ratchet and Clank game, Half of the AC series. Funny enough the only game I can think of that has worse voice acting than Baldurs Gate 3 is MGSV. That infamous "WWHHHOOO" line delivery will never leave my head.

I fundamentally disagree with everything you are saying (except MGSV being meme-level bad). Like, Dark Souls voice acting is hilariously bad.

BG3's voice acting is god-tier.

Originally posted by Philogosten:

That infamous "WWHHHOOO" line delivery will never leave my head.

It has played on your mind LIKE A DAMN FIDDLE!

[Nox]

Originally posted by Napoleon Wilson:

Why on Earth did they change this. I want a Bard in my party, but I don't want to play it. Yeah yeah,...rebuild another companion blah blah. Except it ruins experience to change the class of companion characters to something else. Why not just make her the companion she was clearly meant to be. Great character, great romance option, great look, unique class, it just feels so capricious to remove her.

You get her as a companion if you play Dark Urge.

[steelcoresoviet]

My scorching hot take is: Bards are a lot of fun, and a useful component to round out a party. But a 4 man party can't be rounded out, it's down to bare essentials.

Alfira is doomed by her own game's design.