Is Minsc a pointless companion?

[Hi.standard]

After 2 playthroughs, one good and one evil. I I randomly think about my favorite characters and how some I love the same and some I hated I liked more the second time around.

Notable characters that surprised me

Laezel - seems ♥♥♥♥♥♥, and kind of is, but you can have a whole range of emotions and shes definitely the most ride or die of them all.

Astarion - Similar to Laezel in my opinion , fairly down for whatever, but also has a good story, although overall I do find him a bit too whiny.

Bunch of other characters, I think everyone is pretty decent, I actually used Haslin probably the least of them all.

But the topic, In both my playthoughs, I got Minsc so late in the game, I feel like what is the point of even having him as a companion? And I cant imagine anyone grew a significant bond with him in what time you have left by the time you get him.

[アンジェル]

Originally posted by Hi.standard:

Is Minsc a pointless companion?
After 2 playthroughs, one good and one evil. I I randomly think about my favorite characters and how some I love the same and some I hated I liked more the second time around.

Notable characters that surprised me

Laezel - seems ♥♥♥♥♥♥, and kind of is, but you can have a whole range of emotions and shes definitely the most ride or die of them all.

Astarion - Similar to Laezel in my opinion , fairly down for whatever, but also has a good story, although overall I do find him a bit too whiny.

Bunch of other characters, I think everyone is pretty decent, I actually used Haslin probably the least of them all.

But the topic, In both my playthoughs, I got Minsc so late in the game, I feel like what is the point of even having him as a companion? And I cant imagine anyone grew a significant bond with him in what time you have left by the time you get him.

Like Boo and Jaheira (and one more dead guy) I consider him fanservice nostalgia.

Even without them the game would have the same great feeling.

Unless you traveled with them in Baldur's Gate 1+2 there is no meaning in having them in Baldur's Gate 3 aside of being confused about him.

[Metallicus]

He is useless and comes so late in the game that there is no point.

[ahsanford]

Minsc/Boo are fan service. 100%. Love 'em, but yeah, they were cartoony and basic -- and that's exactly what they were in BG2.

Jaheira? Less so. She provides some really solid counsel:

1) She's the grown up who has done this before and has valuable perspective to offer
2) She's a harper and everything in the city has an angle she has opinions about
3) Going to her house in BG was one of the more unexpected surprises in the game
4) Someone who didn't play BG2 could still benefit from her dialogue

So she doesn't have a growth/event arc like Act I characters, but I thought she was really well written.

- A

[wtiger27]

Originally posted by Metallicus:

He is useless and comes so late in the game that there is no point.

Agree.

I also don't like his dumb jokes. Only got him to my camp in one play run. Won't waste my time doing it again.

[belgix]

Originally posted by アンジェル:

Like Boo and Jaheira (and one more dead guy) I consider him fanservice nostalgia.

Jaheira is not that bad and she a quite playable and enjoyable character when exploring the city. Minsc and Halsin are quite pointless IMO, one comes too late in the game, the other, well in my case useless (because Orin took it early in Act 3 so I only got him available in my party for a couple of long rests).

[Kamuizin]

As a long time player of BG1/2, i’m sad they put old BG characters in BG3. It’s hard to make justice to them and apart Jaheira, the others are seriously out of character.

Special point for Viconia.

[ahsanford]

Originally posted by Kamuizin:

As a long time player of BG1/2, i’m sad they put old BG characters in BG3. It’s hard to make justice to them and apart Jaheira, the others are seriously out of character.

Special point for Viconia.

Dude. Spoiler that s---.

Come on.

- A

[アンジェル]

Originally posted by Kamuizin:

As a long time player of BG1/2, i’m sad they put old BG characters in BG3. It’s hard to make justice to them and apart Jaheira, the others are seriously out of character.

Special point for Viconia.

She left so little impression, I already forgot she was ingame the same person as in Baldur's Gate 1+2

[Ixal]

Minsc is only there because Larian promised him for fanservice.

He was intended as an Origin as datamines showed, but then Larian axed all additional origins and because they had to use Minsc, shoved him in the back with the least effort spend possible.

[White Knight]

Minsc is simply awesome! All of us who were here from the beginning appreciate seeing him.
Also, at a certain point in the story, I lost access to one of my front-line tanks, so I respecced Minsc into the BARBARIAN he thinks he is, to take her place.

[アンジェル]

Originally posted by White Knight:

Minsc is simply awesome! All of us who were here from the beginning appreciate seeing him.
Also, at a certain point in the story, I lost access to one of my front-line tanks, so I respecced Minsc into the BARBARIAN he thinks he is, to take her place.

Boo > Minsc

That put aside, the problem is his "screentime". He simply appears far too late to leave an impactful memory aside of being fanservice. I would have wished him and Halsin would have switched places in regards of timing of appearance.

[Kamuizin]

Originally posted by ahsanford:

Originally posted by Kamuizin:

As a long time player of BG1/2, i’m sad they put old BG characters in BG3. It’s hard to make justice to them and apart Jaheira, the others are seriously out of character.

Special point for Viconia.

Dude. Spoiler that s---.

Come on.

- A

Why would i need?

Minsc being a joinable companion is so much spoiler as Viconia being in the game and he’s in the thread title. I didn’t point where she is or what she’s doing.

[ahsanford]

Originally posted by Kamuizin:

Minsc being a joinable companion is so much spoiler as Viconia being in the game and he’s in the thread title. I didn’t point where she is or what she’s doing.

Minsc was broadcast, telegraphed and trailered before launch. He also shows up on lists of recruitable companions, quests, etc. It's obvious at some point he's going to be in the game.

A certain Sharran? Not at all. In my first playthrough that person's name never came up until it was a mic drop moment in Act III. Please let others have that moment!

- A

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

I don't care for that idiot, but you do you Boo.

[Chaosolous]

IDK, haven't really used him yet.

Every playthrough I pick 3 companions and that's it. I don't use anyone else.

Minsc hasn't been on the list yet, neither has Jehera.

The later act companions are underwhelming IMO, only by comparison to Act 1 companions. By comparison to other games, they're still decent.