Best Patch 7 evil plan to keep companions / NPCs around as long as possible

[ahsanford]

Of all the playthroughs I've done, I've never played as an origin character. And Patch 7 is out, so let's get evil. Done and done.

But I've had a lot of beefs with BG3 being hollowed out in Acts 2 and 3 because so many companions and NPCs leave or get wiped out.

Without getting TOO complicated (e.g. turning people into sheep between acts to keep them in your party), what are the best major decisions you can do on an evil run to keep non-evil companions and NPCs around for more of the game?

Feel free to spoil basic issues of recruitment being impossible, NPCs getting cleaned out -- but try to be kind on the rest. I have avoided reading about Patch 7's new endings.

Thx
A

[ahsanford]

Further: I'm not going to cheese the game -- kill Karlach and Wyll and resurrect them after the Grove, etc.

I'm just curious if Patch 7 made it possible to go evil and still:


Keep Wyll
Keep Karlach
Save some of the Tieflings (Dammon perhaps) or Ironhand folks

Stuff like that. I'm wondering how Patch 7 may have either built some understanding into the evil path such that relatively good companions will stay with you, or if it's the same as it was with Patch 6.

And I'm curious how it may have changed Minthara recruitment (vs. the prior evil way, you don't get her until well into Act 2).

Thx
A

[ahsanford]

And last bit, need to pick who I'll play as an origin character for this evil playthrough.

Was presuming I'd pick one that normally leaves if I sack the grove, so Karlach or Wyll.

But is there anyway to save Dammon to look at my heart if I choose Karlach origin and go evil?

- A

[PlanktonHatesTheWorld]

For evil runs I usually Evil Durge kill Gale, then behead Karlach.

I'll use Astarion and Shadowheart (learning her towards Shar instead of Selune) and Lae'zel until I can recruit Minthara. Then I'll replace either Shadowheart or Lae'zel (depends honestly on who I had in my party last playthrough) with Minthara once I've finished recruiting her.

Then do evil things.

[ahsanford]

Thx. Not going Durge.

Trying to keep as many good people in the game as long as possible. For instance, playing as origin Karlach is one way to keep her in the game if you sack the grove.

Seemed like it was a trade in all my prior playthroughs. Go evil -- again, not Durge, just evil -- and the Grove decision took an epic cast of people off the board and offered very little in return for acts 2 and 3. Is that still that case?

I know there are evil endings and great campaign-ending moves you can do now do, but is the run-up to that still going to be less interaction / less stuff in acts 2 and 3 like it always has been?

- A