Act III strategy -- any way to stall the start of Orin shenanigans?

[ahsanford]

[spoilers, no marking, beware, etc..]

I'm on my second playthrough -- I've just arrived in Rivington.

I know how to handle Orin, but I'm trying to have a second playthrough that allows me to handle both bosses as late as possible without losing a companion.

Is there some kind of strategy to stall Orin from her murder contest, kidnapping, etc.? I recall last playthrough that some interesting NPCs got killed before I ever met them (tied to her list) and the kidnapping kind of forces you to go all in to her dungeon and deal with her -- even though I hadn't explored much of the Lower City.

So can I stall the start of whatever timers get her going? And is this about not talking to someone, avoiding specific areas or quests, etc.?

Thx,
A

[Orion Invictus]

Don't go into the sewers. Don't interact with any NPCs from Rivington until after you've been to the Lower City. I think that's it.

[ahsanford]

Analogy of what I'm looking for: my last playthough I just didn't read the poster saying that the counsellor florrick would be executed in 5 days and that timer never started.

Is there a similar 'trigger'...

Finding one of the grisly murders
Reading the list
Going to a specific part of the map

...that I can just avoid until I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and address Orin in earnest?

I just hate how it forces my hand to kill her first. (And no, I'm not going to sacrifice the kidnapped person or just jump Gortash in the opening of Act III).

- A

[ahsanford]

Originally posted by Orion Invictus:

Don't go into the sewers. Don't interact with any NPCs from Rivington until after you've been to the Lower City. I think that's it.

Wait, something as simple as talking to the (replaced) Blacksmith in Rivington may actually be how I'm starting this process?

- A

[ahsanford]

Originally posted by Orion Invictus:

Don't go into the sewers. Don't interact with any NPCs from Rivington until after you've been to the Lower City. I think that's it.

I knew of the sewer trigger (last time), so I avoided it, but she still ended up coming to camp above the bar and told me she took someone then. So I'm not sure how much time skipping the sewers actually bought me.

- A

[Orion Invictus]

Originally posted by ahsanford:

Originally posted by Orion Invictus:

Don't go into the sewers. Don't interact with any NPCs from Rivington until after you've been to the Lower City. I think that's it.

Wait, something as simple as talking to the (replaced) Blacksmith in Rivington may actually be how I'm starting this process?

- A

That is exactly what triggers Orin replacing those NPCs, yes. The first two or three (from a specific list) that you speak with in Rivington turn out to be her, regardless of which ones you speak with.

Entering the sewers is also what triggers the kidnapping scene.

[Orion Invictus]

Originally posted by ahsanford:

Originally posted by Orion Invictus:

Don't go into the sewers. Don't interact with any NPCs from Rivington until after you've been to the Lower City. I think that's it.

I knew of the sewer trigger (last time), so I avoided it, but she still ended up coming to camp above the bar and told me she took someone then. So I'm not sure how much time skipping the sewers actually bought me.

- A

I've never had that happen to me, didn't even know it was possible.

[ahsanford]

Originally posted by Orion Invictus:

That is exactly what triggers Orin replacing those NPCs, yes. The first two or three (from a specific list) that you speak with in Rivington turn out to be her, regardless of which ones you speak with.

Entering the sewers is also what triggers the kidnapping scene.

I'm also reading that attending the coronation (and Gortash telling you she's infiltrated your camp) starts that timer as well. The funny part is that I skipped that deliberately until I wanted to start focusing my attention on Gortash late in Act III.

So:

Don't go to the coronation (early in the act)
Avoid specific NPCs Orin can morphs into (which = the murder list in the later quest, right?)
Don't go into the sewers (at least one specific part of them)

...and the kidnap timer won't start? Did I get that right?

- A

[ahsanford]

Originally posted by Orion Invictus:

I've never had that happen to me, didn't even know it was possible.

Yep. Yenna and her cat moved in, and Lae'zel put a dagger to her throat. When I figured it out and called her bluff, Lae turned into Orin, who told me that she had taken Lae prisoner --> clock starts.

- A

[Orion Invictus]

Originally posted by ahsanford:

Originally posted by Orion Invictus:

That is exactly what triggers Orin replacing those NPCs, yes. The first two or three (from a specific list) that you speak with in Rivington turn out to be her, regardless of which ones you speak with.

Entering the sewers is also what triggers the kidnapping scene.

I'm also reading that attending the coronation (and Gortash telling you she's infiltrated your camp) starts that timer as well. The funny part is that I skipped that deliberately until I wanted to start focusing my attention on Gortash late in Act III.

So:

Don't go to the coronation (early in the act)
Avoid specific NPCs Orin can morphs into (which = the murder list in the later quest, right?)
Don't go into the sewers (at least one specific part of them)

...and the kidnap timer won't start? Did I get that right?

- A

Probably? Seems I didn't know as much about the situation as I thought.

Originally posted by ahsanford:

Originally posted by Orion Invictus:

I've never had that happen to me, didn't even know it was possible.

Yep. Yenna and her cat moved in, and Lae'zel put a dagger to her throat. When I figured it out and called her bluff, Lae turned into Orin, who told me that she had taken Lae prisoner --> clock starts.

- A

Wow, that sounds REALLY cool. Now I gotta see that.

[ahsanford]

That's nothing. See how Gale's capture goes, wow:

https://bg3.wiki/wiki/Rescue_Orin%27s_Victim

Bags o spoilers here, of course, but also a pretty concise trigger list.

- A

[TamTroll]

give money to the girl who lost her mother at the entrance of rivington, then let her stay at your camp when she shows up.

She's the one who got kidnapped for me, so I've still got all my companions.

[Solidus2kill09]

she starts to kidnap your companion suddenly when you arrive into the lower city, there are many triggers one of these is the "emperor's hideout" event but she can do it anyway in your camp.

Just deal with her and go to kill her, unfortunately larian in current state of the game is forcing players to do the Bhaal homicide quest first for "climatic purposes".

I think it's going to be one of the first thing they will change in the definitiive edition

[Raelic]

Uh... I don't think a lot of this is right except not going into the Sewer.

You can actually do all the murder targets, but Cora gets attacked. If you do that one, she'll get attacked and the attacker will try to leave. Just don't kill him. And after that don't go to Figaro.

Councilor Florrick is timed, but you can rescue her pretty easy. I think there's like 4 mobs you have to kill to rescue her? And they're just normal guards. Councilor Florrick will for sure be executed if you ignore the warnings. You also must have saved her previously or she won't be available to be executed at all. This is also assuming you haven't dealt with the Steelwatch which aggros the entire fort.

You're safe to talk to everyone in Rivington. You will encounter Orin, but that doesn't trigger the kidnapping scene. I'm 100% sure on this as I just did it for my tactician playthrough and long rested many times to make sure I had no events queued up.

IMO and from my experience, catching the murderer either at Cora or Figaro or going into the Sewer for that encounter are the only things that trigger the next part.

The Emperor's hideout, so long as you don't continue past the room with all his stuff, is another one that I'm 100% sure doesn't trigger it.

[ahsanford]

Originally posted by Solidus2kill09:

unfortunately larian in current state of the game is forcing players to do the Bhaal homicide quest first for "climatic purposes".

Love Act III being open ended and flexible, with this being the lone exception. I may build my Act III playthrough this time about killing Orin as dead last as I can, but to do this may require me to walk on eggshells.

- A

[Raelic]

Originally posted by Solidus2kill09:

Just deal with her and go to kill her, unfortunately larian in current state of the game is forcing players to do the Bhaal homicide quest first for "climatic purposes".

This isn't true either.

Even if you do trigger the kidnapping, you're still not forced to do it.
Gortash's hand is actually a trump card at the Tribunal so there's benefit to doing it first.
I usually save Orin for last because of the obvious next location.