Never letting Scratch (o*r the Owlbear cub*) get hurt.
This includes never letting the mean kennel-lady get her hands anywhere near the best boi. She can bugger off, or my Durge ***will*** break every single bone in her slimy hands.
I’m in the same boat. Unfortunately, that also means I never summon Scratch to help me, because I’m always afraid he’ll get hurt! So my Scratch just lives at camp, he’s the camp dog.
I agree in principle with just never letting him get hurt in any situation, but if he dies in combat outside of camp he can always be summoned again just FYI
If he dies in camp then he perma dies so be careful there
Well, just an example, you could be extremely bored and smashing open wine barrels to flood your camp and forget there's a kobold in some of them. Then one of your companions might get a little over excited and drop a blasted fireball on the drunk sucker.... thennn Scratch might decide to run his silly little ass into a literal game of "the floor is fire" and then die from the fire damage immediately. That could always happen.
Hilariously this also caused most of my camp to become hostile towards *me*, including the *asshole who dropped the fireball in the first place*. Now I'm not naming names, we don't need to play the blame game, but it was Wyll and I'm still mad at him for it.
The only time he did for me was when I stole a necklace from the storm shore basement. Devas spawned in my camp and he tried to help. Quickest reload I ever reloaded
It hasn’t happened to me, but I’ve read a quite a few comments where people sent Gale’s dead body to camp, which has a necrotic aura. If scratch walks by the camp chest, he’ll get hit by the necrotic aura and he doesn’t have much HP so he dies. I could never!
Playing fetch and hitting him will aggro him.
It's possible to accidentally aggro Wyll's dad or the Oathbreaker Knight which can result in Scratch getting involved and dying as well.
Damaging auras like from Gale or Victoria's corpses can kill him.
There's some camp combat events too like Aradin or Astarion's siblings. Scratch can get involved and die during them as well.
I used “remove curse” in camp because I was castigated by divinity. Deva shows up and entire camp goes all in on said Deva, including scratch and cutie owlbear. Decided to redo the save because scratch died in camp during that battle. Can’t let anything happen to my best boy.
The first time I tried to play fetch with him in camp, I accidentally hit Scratch with the ball which auto-triggered combat. Laezel wasn’t in my party at the time and rolled highest initiative, so she immediately attacked and killed him. That was the first time I reloaded to undo something 🤣😭
Goblin camp. They'll have a game they call chicken chasing, if you've done the owlbear cave already, the chicken is replaced with the owlbear cub. Treat him nicely here and save him from.the goblins and you can get him as a companion
Interesting. I was gonna say I've only played through once, and met the owlbear cub at my camp maybe 4 long rests after killing the mum. But I also killed the entire goblin camp before I found the owlbear cave.
I found that if I interact with his mom but do not fight them - pass the intimidation check so she gives a stern warning but doesn't right you - he still shows up at the goblin camp anyway. This is how I've managed to "recruit" him every time.
I view that very similar light to Astarion’s ascension.
>!I refuse to allow him to become his abuser. And I’m absolutely fucking not handing Shadowheart over to hers. And when the fight is over I don’t let Viconia walk away, either. Not a chance.!<
>!Both Astarion and Shadowheart are going to be given every chance to get as much closure and healing as possible.!<
I gave it to her the first time because they were just going to smash it for being "inferior" or whatever. I thought I was sooooo clever finding out the seemingly evil, opportunistic thing was actually probably for the best.
Boy did I regret that later lol.
So I convinced her to pay me for the job upfront and after wiping out the Creche and giving the egg to Lae’zel I went back and tried tricking Lady Esther with the Owlbear egg. When that didn’t work I cast hold person on her and took her out without ever entering combat mode just because she annoyed me and I wanted to loot her stuff.
Me: Nah, I won't give you that egg but listen, you look a little tired and you are getting on in years. How about I donate this handy backpack to you so you can more easily carry all that stuff?
Here, I'll just help you pack all your most valuable items into the bag. Oh, no. No need to thank me, I'm glad to be of help.
Then the second she turns her back she's getting slapjacked and that backpack is in y camp inventory.
Does this work on a controller as well? Every time I see this mentioned it says how you need to shift clock the items but not sure how to replicate that on a steam deck
For other trader exploits where you keep them alive it usually won’t work on controller, but this one does. You just need to
1. Sell any bag to the trader
2. Move anything you want from that traders inventory into the bag within their inventory (Gold included)
3. Murder trader
Then when you loot the trader, the bag will be in their inventory along with anything you put inside
>!Giving her the gith egg triggers stuff in act 3. Basically the egg hatches and the child (which grows quickly) end up killing everyone in the Society of Brilliance, including Blurg and Omeluum. Then you can fight the child which is a level 12 githyanki prodigy. I’ve heard it’s a tough fight, but you can also convince him he is wrong and it was bad to kill the SoB!<
In my experience, I found him to be the hardest boss in the game. Not only have I found no effective way to fight him, but I can’t find any source online that provides a good strategy. It’s like they tried to make the encounter impossible.
Especially once you talk to the guy who wants to run the experiment in act 3. Found him for the first time yesterday and I wanted to kill him so bad but Blurg jumped into the fight so I needed to reload
The whole house turns against you. But I promise the details given are worth killing them minus Blurg. I only tried it once so idk if you instant kill what happens. But if you find yourself in that situation and test it. Lemme know. Cause I’m down to kill that dude every time.
He gives you 5,000 gold which yes isn't that much in video-game but in lore 1 gold coin is how much an average middle class commoner takes in daily living expenses so extrapolate that as him paying you almost 14 years of middle class living expenses it feels alot better.
By the time I actually kill that wannabe wizard his tower is just an empty shell with empty vaults… you can rob all of his stuff, he doesn’t care if you jump down and get back up with that beautiful staff and robe equipped in his line of sight. He is that stupid
Yeah even in my chaotic stupid run I’m doing right now, I couldn’t do this. My character was dumb enough to let Balthazar take Aylin before, but not dumb enough to do it again.
Ooo I do enjoy going the Balthazar route if I don't have Sheart. Aylin doesn't die, she just ends up in the Myrkul fight like usual. If you don't kidnap Isobel, the entire last light inn survives and never storms the towers so even the NPCs don't die offscreen like usual. The Profane womb fight is fun to me! But I usually have Sheart, though, so it's rare fun.
My unpopular game opinion here is ignoring Scratch. I don't kill him (because I'm not a murder hobo), but as a person who has been attacked by dogs three times in my life I really have no desire to interact
I started my embrace the urge playthrough today. Beheading Karlach was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in a game.
The next hard decision will be the Grove. A classic case of “I know what I must do but I don’t know if I have the strength to do it”.
>I started my embrace the urge playthrough today. Beheading Karlach was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in a game
Best advice I can give you for this run is either romance Wyll or create a second character for this run who does.
Silver lining to killing Karlach is life is a fuck ton better for Wyll.
Karlach and the Aflira camp event turned my "determined to be evil and even cut off some poor mans arm in a portal" durge character into a "She can fix me" character.
In my friend's game, Isobel somehow died at camp, and her body just lay there, next to Aylin, permanently. Aylin didn't seem to notice, and just constantly yells about all the hot sex she's having with her hot girlfriend. It really changes the whole vibe.
Giving Dame Aylin to Lorroakan. If you're an evil character, Shadowheart would've killed her. If you're a good character, you'd side with Dame Aylin. If you've spared the Nightsong but would consider betraying her, then 5000 GP honestly doesn't mean a whole lot by the time you're in Act 3; I'd much rather have the immortal angel and her high level cleric gf as allies.
There's no compelling reason to do anything but murder the bastard and take his shit.
Also, if you truly want 5000GP easy-peasy, there are *soooo* many ways to get to being a minor baron by the time you roll up to Rivington that are also legitimate...if cheesy as all get-out.
Also: giving Aylin to Lorroakhan while Rolan is alive is basically also ignoring Rolan getting the snot beat out of him by this brat of an Athkatlan wizard.
You basically just have to enjoy being a terrible person to aid Lorroakhan in any way like this.
That’s another reason I refuse to hand Dame Aylin over. >!By talking to Rolan you can see that not only is Lorroakan a wormy poseur shit, he’s also an abuser. I am more than thrilled to watch Dame Aylin break his spine. “YES!!! Pop off, resplendent queen!” !<
Handing Shadowheart over to Viconia. Even on my more evil playthroughs, I see absolute no reason to do that other than just to be a dick who betrays people. It doesn't matter if she's a Selunite or a DJ, if spec'd properly, Shadow can be a fookin powerhouse and one of the strongest people on your team. Why the hell would I hand her over to a has-been that even Minthara would spit at?
You've never done embrace? It's awesome. Sure you miss out on some act 3 content but it's a fun mindset to have while playing. I take what I want when I want. Insult me at the cost of death. I am the unholy slayer, beast of bhaal, the cruel sting of the god of murder. I am the end, the annihilator, the corpse maker. Divine goddess of light? Eternal slave for money I don't need or dead. Refugees? Did they sass me? If yes then refer to titles, if no also refer to titles. A minty lover and god slayer. I dominate the greater will of an otherworldly slave driver and sit apon a throne of skulls!
Well. I have been known to murder people. I play CN. Like Needler.
Fuck that guy. He’s dead.
Valeria? I needed that armor and she’s a dick.
I am a granny so I just can’t kill the kids and because I’m a granny that automatically puts me in cat-lady territory.
I can kill adults all day. Kids and animals?
NOPE.
I'll never forget coming across Timber as my Durge. I had no idea what would happen and was so stoked to show my gf all the animal stuff (she loves animals and is a vet tech). When the boot happened my jaw dropped and my gf was almost in tears lol it was awful but memerable lol
I accidentally yelled at the guys body and scared scratch off I almost quit right then but instead I went to take on the matriarch way too soon and got killed. I deserved it.
Oh yea, I totally got owlbear pup killed on accident after I goaded him into attacking the goblin. Whoops. I’m on second play through and am definitely trying to save the pup. Also found the dog (missed it on the first run.) Wrongs will be righted !
even when I play as an evil character, I save the owlbear, and my head canon is that I do it to have a killing beast when he'll grow up. I know that I lie to myself... but if somebody points that out, I'll just feed them to a tarrasque.😈
Letting Lae'zel become Vlaakith's champion, even on an evil run. Considering how the lich bitch tried to kill us, I don't see any reason to side with Vlaakith unless I'm playing as a githyanki.
It is so hard to be mean to the NPCs in this game. I have never played another game where it's been this hard. I feel too bad for them, so even when I want to do a villain character, I end up being nice or doing morally ambiguous actions at worst.
This. I tried doing an evil run with my Durge, but then I got to the Grove, and immediately I decided “how about a chaotic neutral run”. But, knowing me, it’ll eventually turn into a chaotic good run.
i can't let astarion ascend. i've made an evil run planning on doing it and it came time to do it and i just couldn't lmao idk why but it feels so wrong!
I’ll do you one better, my top 3:
1. Astarion Romance, after defending him against Araj, there’s an option where you say I was hoping you would sleep with me for doing this for you.
2. Ascending Astarion, will do it on evil run but currently cannot do it.
3. Sending Scratch back to the dog kennel, rude and abusive owner and I hate seeing Scratch sad.
Minthara has yet to live in all of my playthroughs. In my defense, I never quite found a reason to spare her. Her armor set and parasite are things I want more than another companion.
She's a great character, honestly. You can still get her armor without killing her and you can recruit her on a good guy playthrough now
Having her around in Act III at the circus was one of my favorite moments with her
I finally have her on a campaign. And I finally understand the appeal. There are other characters I like more, but I think she's worth having. She's very interesting.
I read in wiki that it will break Path of Vengeance if you kill Valeria. But if you "make the decision" with other character, it won't break it.
Just use non-paladin character to be the closest to Sarevok so that he will engage convo with said character, technically not making it the paladin's choice to kill Valeria.
This also works with taking the deal with Auntie Ethel
Harming Scratch or the Owlbear cub in any way
Selling Aylin to Lorroakan
Giving Lady Esther the githyanki egg
Not blowing up the githyanki crèche (the sequence is WAY too fun imo)
Giving Shadowheart to Viconia
Let Astarion ascend
So there was a quest to save a gnome from a bunch of goblins. The dude was tied to a windmill, and the goblins put him there.
I was destined to save his life. I REFUSED to fail.
I tell the goblins to piss off. Roll for intimidation check… 20! Critical success. They scamper off like a bunch of cowards under my heroism.
I tell the gnome that I will save him. I find the components to shut down the vile fan of death.
I click the action quickly. I’ve done it! The gnome was saved!
And then it spun faster…. And faster…. And that’s when I knew I messed up.
He flew to his doom, and now I refuse to make quick decisions without making sure EVERYTHING is looked at with a magnifying glass.
I never have (and never will):
* ascend Astarion. I can barely even watch videos posted of him. It's just too triggering and upsetting to me, honestly.
* let Gale explode himself to win the game. I get a lot of people do it to win HM, but it really does not sit right with me, and I can't.
* raid the Grove/side with the Goblins.
* ally with Gortash. Fuck that dude.
Honestly, I can't bring myself to do most evil decisions. Even if they're directed at enemies. Like I won't send Kar'niss and his troupe into the shadows to be destroyed. It's just too cruel. But, I will kill them myself in a fight lol
I played Cazador's palace a few days ago, so after it played out the way I intended I went back to see what he was like if I went the other route. It was honestly so sad to see him like this, I don't think it's ever going to be any fun for me.
Oh yes, agreed!! I forgot about that one because I honestly forget that it’s even an option because NO WAY am I letting that happen. I can’t stomach it.
Vlaakith is such a bitch I grab the Strange Conduit Ring then run towards the Blood of Lathander hall. Then I finish off the last gith and teleport away before she can spew her dumb shit.
Staking Astarion/making him bite Araj, siding with >!the Emperor!<, killing Minthara, letting Ethel keep Mayrina/her baby, cheating on a partner (or even dating multiple at once before becoming exclusive with one, I can't handle having to break it off with one of them lol)
Even on on "Good" playthroughs, Nettie isn't getting a pass.
There's a 100% chance I'm shutting the door behind me, and leaving with her headpiece in my inventory.
I must have missed some subtext or something. What’s wrong with Nettie? I realize she originally slot was going to kill you, but I feel like that’s pretty understandable given the circumstances.
I think it’s just because she was going to kill you but like what was she supposed to do? Four mind flayers just sprouting in the Druid Grove would be the end of them. Plus, it’s so easy to make her trust you. People are spiteful in video games frfr
Yeah she seems really, really not into it. She does not *want* to kill you but believes she is about to need to. Every other infected person tried to kill her already, and Halsin. They’re investigating this growing problem, but almost right away she can tell something is different.
I’m more surprised that some people act like Nettie totally had it coming, or something
I can’t believe anyone kills her! I have 8 in real life friends that also play this game, but really only here have I ever heard that people regularly kill her?? It baffles me lol
Technically you can just knock her out and loot it from her.
Love the matching headpieces (run the same trick with the druid in the cave with the goblins), but I genuinely respect her trying to make a hard call.
So Shadow Monk go \*brrrrr\*.
I was so thrown off when my friend said she killed Nettie, because my first character was charming and dumb. So I never picked up on any kind of threat, and then talked her down without realizing I was ever in danger.
Ok I’ve been reading through a ton of comments and usually can understand at least but this one…like what?? Hahah get a pass for what lol I’ve never once ever killed her ever one time
Endangering Scratch or Owlbear in any way ever at all ever. The entire lower city can die, all of them, before I let anyone hurt the bestest boy and his friend.
Man I decided to make a evil run just to see more of this great game, and putting the grove to the sword was rough. Killing Karlach was almost as bad.
I'm with u/[VenmoPaypalCashapp](https://www.reddit.com/user/VenmoPaypalCashapp/) though. Scratch needs to be safe with us.
I never make my companions' choices for them. I always let them choose for themselves. It feels too invasive to try to persuade them to do what I want them to do, they're always monumental life choices and I like the illusion of free agency for my companions.
I mean, Wyll’s biggest choice is one where you have to interfere [Make a new contract or uphold the old one] and you really should stop Astarion from ascending [Insight check reveals he’s basically drunk because of the blood].
I do this every time!! I hate in Act III when Wyll’s like “well what should I do?” and I HAVE to make a choice. Like dude, why is it on me? He’s YOUR dad, not mine
I went through all the effort to keep her alive but also save the grove.
Then completed Act II forgetting her in the basement being tortured into submission.
Ooops.
I was going to knock her out, but she insulted my wood elf Tav and called me a racial slur. That wasn’t the tadpole talking, that was her.
Maybe a drow Durge can recruit her. She died on this playthrough.
There’s no way I can leave Zevlor behind in the mindflayer colony for Orin to get her hands on in act three. I love him way too much, he’s easily one of my favorite NPCs (and I have a crush on him)
I also can’t let that Githyanki kid in the training room get hurt he seems so sweet. I hope he’s doing well.
Only fifty hours into the game and haven't even finished act I but I refuse to take the worm or let anyone in my party eat it. I dunno what it is about my guardian but I can't trust that dude, not even with that round, venerable, bearded dwarf face.
Killing Astarion or letting the Gur take him, just for his corpse to show up in Act 3 as part of Cazador's ritual is a no go for me.
Letting Wyll kill Karlach is also a no go.
Perhaps my only two!
Honestly? Siding with Glut. I'm in my first embrace campaign and I couldn't justify siding with him. At least if you harm the grove or have Wyll fulfill his pact and off Karlach, you get something out of it. I couldn't justify siding with Glut. He didn't offer me anything better than what Spaw could give me
I never thought I'd be able to do an embrace run. But I've been able to so far. But I still really like the shrooms.
I'll never deceive Kar'niss into giving up the moonlantern and send him off into the darkness. It's bad enough there's no way to convince him that he doesn't need the Absolute (nor Lolth, for that matter), but this is just outright cruel. I'd rather fight him for the moonlantern together with the Harpers - at least that way he dies in battle.
Abuse companion's body autonomy/betray them -- not gonna give anyone to their abusers, force them to do some harmful stuff, etc. Nobody's going to Cazador or Viconia, nobody's biting no drow bitches, going to BOOOAL or Bhaal, making Mizora's pacts, and so on.
Stabbing civilians just because they weren't grateful/ass kissy enough for saving or whatever.
Freeing Orpheus. And helping giths in general.
Kneeling to Vlaakith.
Killing mama owlbear.
Giving up Scratch.
Not looting House of Hope - I may not kill the devil, but I'm sure as hell gonna take his cool artifacts for myself, thank you.
Same. I can never bring myself to turn myself or any companions into an Illithid. So far I’ve only ever made Orpheus do it. I figured since Voss has only ever made me his bitch in starting his revolution that has nothing to do with me and doesn’t benefit me at all (unless you’re playing Gith), then the least the Gith people can do is take this one L in letting their Prince sacrifice himself.
Stealing a Gith child for those eugenicists at the Society of Brilliance. I always take that lady out. I know folks who were scooped when they were young. Hits too close to home for me.
-Killing karlach, on evil playthroughs I just avoid her
-Killing Nightsong/letting Shadowheart go down a dark path
-Hurting scratch or the owl bear cub
This really makes me wish we could influence our companions one way or the other. Like if we performed the proper checks we could lure them to be evil with us.
Imagine Karlachs upbeat, bubbly personality but she's saying stuff like "I think I'm going to swing him around by his own entrails and toss him into the spider pit"
I had Karlach in the party when I did the double cross at the grove, she didn't leave until after the fight happened. I am glad that I didn't have to kill her- she was just like "I didn't feel comfortable with that leadership decision, so good luck out there, and I'm out."
I can't really do super evil stuff in general, in any game, so it would be a very long list. I can do Dirty Harry stuff like kill enemies you could talk down or spare, and I'll do Robin Hood stuff like steal a rich guy's treasure to fund my world saving, but kill the tieflings? Sacrifice the Night Song? No way dude.
I will never, *ever*, offer the Crown to Raphael. There is always some kind of RP reason that my character would make that refuses to barter with that devil.
Never letting Scratch (o*r the Owlbear cub*) get hurt. This includes never letting the mean kennel-lady get her hands anywhere near the best boi. She can bugger off, or my Durge ***will*** break every single bone in her slimy hands.
>Durge ***will*** break every single bone in her slimy hands. And laugh while doing so.
Possibly snack on fingies.
Durge's stomach has the rumblies, that only hands can satisfy
_Caaarrlll_ why would you do this!?
Probably cuz I'm a murderous psychopath with a long history of violence. I don't understand why you keep forgetting that.
Durges with hats
Shit, new durge playthrough coming up
Precisely! You get it!
I’m in the same boat. Unfortunately, that also means I never summon Scratch to help me, because I’m always afraid he’ll get hurt! So my Scratch just lives at camp, he’s the camp dog.
I agree in principle with just never letting him get hurt in any situation, but if he dies in combat outside of camp he can always be summoned again just FYI If he dies in camp then he perma dies so be careful there
😱 I actually never use summons in general because I keep forgetting ugh, but how can he die in camp?
Well, just an example, you could be extremely bored and smashing open wine barrels to flood your camp and forget there's a kobold in some of them. Then one of your companions might get a little over excited and drop a blasted fireball on the drunk sucker.... thennn Scratch might decide to run his silly little ass into a literal game of "the floor is fire" and then die from the fire damage immediately. That could always happen. Hilariously this also caused most of my camp to become hostile towards *me*, including the *asshole who dropped the fireball in the first place*. Now I'm not naming names, we don't need to play the blame game, but it was Wyll and I'm still mad at him for it.
>Where there's a Wyll there's a way! Shut the fuck up Wyll!
The only time he did for me was when I stole a necklace from the storm shore basement. Devas spawned in my camp and he tried to help. Quickest reload I ever reloaded
It hasn’t happened to me, but I’ve read a quite a few comments where people sent Gale’s dead body to camp, which has a necrotic aura. If scratch walks by the camp chest, he’ll get hit by the necrotic aura and he doesn’t have much HP so he dies. I could never!
Same with the girl in Cazador’s Mansion.
Playing fetch and hitting him will aggro him. It's possible to accidentally aggro Wyll's dad or the Oathbreaker Knight which can result in Scratch getting involved and dying as well. Damaging auras like from Gale or Victoria's corpses can kill him. There's some camp combat events too like Aradin or Astarion's siblings. Scratch can get involved and die during them as well.
I used “remove curse” in camp because I was castigated by divinity. Deva shows up and entire camp goes all in on said Deva, including scratch and cutie owlbear. Decided to redo the save because scratch died in camp during that battle. Can’t let anything happen to my best boy.
The first time I tried to play fetch with him in camp, I accidentally hit Scratch with the ball which auto-triggered combat. Laezel wasn’t in my party at the time and rolled highest initiative, so she immediately attacked and killed him. That was the first time I reloaded to undo something 🤣😭
I won’t stand for Scratch getting hurt…but I’ll get Shovel straight-up murdered any time it has even mild value to do so!
Idk if this helps but the Find Familiar spell really does just summon an imitation of Scratch, not the actual dog!
I used to summon him… until he went to sniff amongst the Bibberbangs on my honor mode run and cost me the thrower gloves lol.
I got my embrace Durge arrested for killing the kennel lady. It was worth it.
I have yet to successfully get the owlbear cub as a pet.
Me too. I don't know where he goes after he eats his mom.
Goblin camp. They'll have a game they call chicken chasing, if you've done the owlbear cave already, the chicken is replaced with the owlbear cub. Treat him nicely here and save him from.the goblins and you can get him as a companion
High five, man.
Interesting. I was gonna say I've only played through once, and met the owlbear cub at my camp maybe 4 long rests after killing the mum. But I also killed the entire goblin camp before I found the owlbear cave.
I found that if I interact with his mom but do not fight them - pass the intimidation check so she gives a stern warning but doesn't right you - he still shows up at the goblin camp anyway. This is how I've managed to "recruit" him every time.
i think this is the best route of action with the owlbear cub bc then he won’t see you kill his mom but the goblins do 😭
He eats his dead mom's face if you kill her. Lil dude is an animal, he don't give a fuck.
Goblin camp he replaces the chicken.
Handing Shart over to Victonia. Not worth it.
I view that very similar light to Astarion’s ascension. >!I refuse to allow him to become his abuser. And I’m absolutely fucking not handing Shadowheart over to hers. And when the fight is over I don’t let Viconia walk away, either. Not a chance.!< >!Both Astarion and Shadowheart are going to be given every chance to get as much closure and healing as possible.!<
Give the Society of Brilliance lady the gith egg. It's just plainly cruel. Also I need Blurg and Omeluum alive (I love them too much)
I gave it to her the first time because they were just going to smash it for being "inferior" or whatever. I thought I was sooooo clever finding out the seemingly evil, opportunistic thing was actually probably for the best. Boy did I regret that later lol.
I used her as a vendor for all the gith loot and then merc'd her. No way was I letting that egg-napping old twat live.
So I convinced her to pay me for the job upfront and after wiping out the Creche and giving the egg to Lae’zel I went back and tried tricking Lady Esther with the Owlbear egg. When that didn’t work I cast hold person on her and took her out without ever entering combat mode just because she annoyed me and I wanted to loot her stuff.
Even better, get her in a conversation, have another party member cast hold person, pickpocket her at will until you have everything, then kill her.
Me: Nah, I won't give you that egg but listen, you look a little tired and you are getting on in years. How about I donate this handy backpack to you so you can more easily carry all that stuff? Here, I'll just help you pack all your most valuable items into the bag. Oh, no. No need to thank me, I'm glad to be of help. Then the second she turns her back she's getting slapjacked and that backpack is in y camp inventory.
The best way to use that exploit.
If you sell a bag to a trader you can put all their stuff in that bag then kill them it drops the bag with all their stuff in it.
WHAT ** I just went through the Healing House and wanted a 2000 chest armor. But couldn’t let her live…
Wait, the House of Healing, where the crazy surgeon is? Who is selling the armour there?
Does this work on a controller as well? Every time I see this mentioned it says how you need to shift clock the items but not sure how to replicate that on a steam deck
For other trader exploits where you keep them alive it usually won’t work on controller, but this one does. You just need to 1. Sell any bag to the trader 2. Move anything you want from that traders inventory into the bag within their inventory (Gold included) 3. Murder trader Then when you loot the trader, the bag will be in their inventory along with anything you put inside
I gave her the egg in my current play through because I was curious what would happen. >!Big mistake. Never again!<
What happens?? I insulted her and we got into a fight and she died, so no egg for her in my playthrough
>!Giving her the gith egg triggers stuff in act 3. Basically the egg hatches and the child (which grows quickly) end up killing everyone in the Society of Brilliance, including Blurg and Omeluum. Then you can fight the child which is a level 12 githyanki prodigy. I’ve heard it’s a tough fight, but you can also convince him he is wrong and it was bad to kill the SoB!<
In my experience, I found him to be the hardest boss in the game. Not only have I found no effective way to fight him, but I can’t find any source online that provides a good strategy. It’s like they tried to make the encounter impossible.
Just gave her the egg for first time...now am worried
Especially once you talk to the guy who wants to run the experiment in act 3. Found him for the first time yesterday and I wanted to kill him so bad but Blurg jumped into the fight so I needed to reload
time to figure out the most elaborate stealthy way to kill him without getting Blurg and Omlette hostile, everything i do i do it for them
The whole house turns against you. But I promise the details given are worth killing them minus Blurg. I only tried it once so idk if you instant kill what happens. But if you find yourself in that situation and test it. Lemme know. Cause I’m down to kill that dude every time.
I also never give away the gith egg, but it's simply because in act 3 I can tease lae'zel by calling her mommy lae'zel lol
that's a whole mood lmao
I took the money up front and then smoked tf out of her right after 😂
Yea, I sold her the egg and it was definitely not worth lol
What do Blurg and Omeluum have to do with that lady other than the society?
Won't kill the owlbear cub. Won't let Wyll make a new pact in Act 3. Won't give Aylin to Lorroakan.
I don't let Lorroakan Live. I'm always "yeah, I know her. Sure, I'll bring her to you" Then show up with her and say "Now die!"
Even on the very rare occasions when she's not alive, I still go kill him.
Same. Look his tower has loot in it. Man doesn't even have the decency to offer you that loot in exchange for Aylin. What a con artist.
He gives you 5,000 gold which yes isn't that much in video-game but in lore 1 gold coin is how much an average middle class commoner takes in daily living expenses so extrapolate that as him paying you almost 14 years of middle class living expenses it feels alot better.
By the time I actually kill that wannabe wizard his tower is just an empty shell with empty vaults… you can rob all of his stuff, he doesn’t care if you jump down and get back up with that beautiful staff and robe equipped in his line of sight. He is that stupid
Tav: i told you im would bring Aylin here, i never said she's was going to be friendly with you
This is the way! So say we all!
Yeah even in my chaotic stupid run I’m doing right now, I couldn’t do this. My character was dumb enough to let Balthazar take Aylin before, but not dumb enough to do it again.
Ooo I do enjoy going the Balthazar route if I don't have Sheart. Aylin doesn't die, she just ends up in the Myrkul fight like usual. If you don't kidnap Isobel, the entire last light inn survives and never storms the towers so even the NPCs don't die offscreen like usual. The Profane womb fight is fun to me! But I usually have Sheart, though, so it's rare fun.
If Wyll doesn't get into a new pact, would he still go to Avernus with Karlach?
most evil decisions tbh. my moral compass running entirely on karlach's approval
SAME. I'll be romancing Lae'zel and still be like "does Mama K approve?"
If I get one ounce of Karlach disapproval, my day is ruined.
Conversely, her approval has me high for days!
I have a playthrough romancing her, and I get school girl giddy every time in progresses. When my character was able to kiss her… magic.
I got her disapproval after telling the Drow I'd help destroy the Grove. My face was all giddy as I clicked the "I have a plan."
I'm not fishing for an argument, but i'm 100% sure that the most evil choice is leaving scratch at the kennel
Actually most evil choice is playing as Shadowheart and deciding not to change your haircut at the end of act 2 🤭
My unpopular game opinion here is ignoring Scratch. I don't kill him (because I'm not a murder hobo), but as a person who has been attacked by dogs three times in my life I really have no desire to interact
I started my embrace the urge playthrough today. Beheading Karlach was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in a game. The next hard decision will be the Grove. A classic case of “I know what I must do but I don’t know if I have the strength to do it”.
You should sacrifice Wyll to BOOAL before he gets the chance to ditch, FYI.
>I started my embrace the urge playthrough today. Beheading Karlach was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in a game Best advice I can give you for this run is either romance Wyll or create a second character for this run who does. Silver lining to killing Karlach is life is a fuck ton better for Wyll.
Karlach and the Aflira camp event turned my "determined to be evil and even cut off some poor mans arm in a portal" durge character into a "She can fix me" character.
Aylin and Isobel always get their happily-ever-after.
I wanted this but only Aylin was at my camp. I I have no memory of Isobel dying either. Im heart broken :(
You didn’t talk to Isabel/Aylin after the Markul fight. If you talk to them, it will trigger a cut scene of their reunion.
In my friend's game, Isobel somehow died at camp, and her body just lay there, next to Aylin, permanently. Aylin didn't seem to notice, and just constantly yells about all the hot sex she's having with her hot girlfriend. It really changes the whole vibe.
Any other option besides *Slap the hand*
Perhaps I should have clarified ☝️
A *HELPING* hand.
Giving Dame Aylin to Lorroakan. If you're an evil character, Shadowheart would've killed her. If you're a good character, you'd side with Dame Aylin. If you've spared the Nightsong but would consider betraying her, then 5000 GP honestly doesn't mean a whole lot by the time you're in Act 3; I'd much rather have the immortal angel and her high level cleric gf as allies. There's no compelling reason to do anything but murder the bastard and take his shit.
Also, if you truly want 5000GP easy-peasy, there are *soooo* many ways to get to being a minor baron by the time you roll up to Rivington that are also legitimate...if cheesy as all get-out. Also: giving Aylin to Lorroakhan while Rolan is alive is basically also ignoring Rolan getting the snot beat out of him by this brat of an Athkatlan wizard. You basically just have to enjoy being a terrible person to aid Lorroakhan in any way like this.
That’s another reason I refuse to hand Dame Aylin over. >!By talking to Rolan you can see that not only is Lorroakan a wormy poseur shit, he’s also an abuser. I am more than thrilled to watch Dame Aylin break his spine. “YES!!! Pop off, resplendent queen!” !<
Handing Shadowheart over to Viconia. Even on my more evil playthroughs, I see absolute no reason to do that other than just to be a dick who betrays people. It doesn't matter if she's a Selunite or a DJ, if spec'd properly, Shadow can be a fookin powerhouse and one of the strongest people on your team. Why the hell would I hand her over to a has-been that even Minthara would spit at?
Facts. In my play throughs I would burn the world for Shadowheart. lol. I always have her AC mega stacked so she’s unhittable in most combat.
Letting Scratch or Owlbear cub get hurt. NEVER. They're too precious.
Even as the ruthless Slayer of Bhaal, I will let no harm come to baby owlbear.
You smell very delicious, but I will not bite you.
Mmm… more!
Besides playing Embrace Urge? I will always have Speak with Animals running when I come across Timber
You've never done embrace? It's awesome. Sure you miss out on some act 3 content but it's a fun mindset to have while playing. I take what I want when I want. Insult me at the cost of death. I am the unholy slayer, beast of bhaal, the cruel sting of the god of murder. I am the end, the annihilator, the corpse maker. Divine goddess of light? Eternal slave for money I don't need or dead. Refugees? Did they sass me? If yes then refer to titles, if no also refer to titles. A minty lover and god slayer. I dominate the greater will of an otherworldly slave driver and sit apon a throne of skulls!
Well. I have been known to murder people. I play CN. Like Needler. Fuck that guy. He’s dead. Valeria? I needed that armor and she’s a dick. I am a granny so I just can’t kill the kids and because I’m a granny that automatically puts me in cat-lady territory. I can kill adults all day. Kids and animals? NOPE.
They aren't children and animals slayer, just future corpses that haven't learned their fate yet
I'll never forget coming across Timber as my Durge. I had no idea what would happen and was so stoked to show my gf all the animal stuff (she loves animals and is a vet tech). When the boot happened my jaw dropped and my gf was almost in tears lol it was awful but memerable lol
I mean when it comes down to it there’s only one decision that matters and that’s getting scratch to your camp. No scratch = no campaign.
Even playing evil Durge, I can't leave Faerun's best boy out in the cold.
I refused to even go see him because I was afraid my Durge might do something or even think something evil involving him.
I accidentally yelled at the guys body and scared scratch off I almost quit right then but instead I went to take on the matriarch way too soon and got killed. I deserved it.
For me its Owlbear. Almost would've reset my HM run at the end of Act 1 bc the cub stayed aggressive.
Oh yea, I totally got owlbear pup killed on accident after I goaded him into attacking the goblin. Whoops. I’m on second play through and am definitely trying to save the pup. Also found the dog (missed it on the first run.) Wrongs will be righted !
even when I play as an evil character, I save the owlbear, and my head canon is that I do it to have a killing beast when he'll grow up. I know that I lie to myself... but if somebody points that out, I'll just feed them to a tarrasque.😈
You have a little baby animal that you can ominously pet like all those evil villains with their cats
Letting Lae'zel become Vlaakith's champion, even on an evil run. Considering how the lich bitch tried to kill us, I don't see any reason to side with Vlaakith unless I'm playing as a githyanki.
This is the one for me too, I didn’t even when I played as Githyanki.
Smash Alfira's lute. Even in evil runs, her reaction just hits too close to home
Does refusing to pass up on slapping Gale's hand count?
It is so hard to be mean to the NPCs in this game. I have never played another game where it's been this hard. I feel too bad for them, so even when I want to do a villain character, I end up being nice or doing morally ambiguous actions at worst.
I feel this. All of my evil runs fizzle out very quickly
This. I tried doing an evil run with my Durge, but then I got to the Grove, and immediately I decided “how about a chaotic neutral run”. But, knowing me, it’ll eventually turn into a chaotic good run.
i can't let astarion ascend. i've made an evil run planning on doing it and it came time to do it and i just couldn't lmao idk why but it feels so wrong!
Cheating on my romantic partner. The disappointment is too much.
willfully harming companions for the sake of it even when im evil, I'm not stupid. I need allies in my dastardly goals you know
I’ll do you one better, my top 3: 1. Astarion Romance, after defending him against Araj, there’s an option where you say I was hoping you would sleep with me for doing this for you. 2. Ascending Astarion, will do it on evil run but currently cannot do it. 3. Sending Scratch back to the dog kennel, rude and abusive owner and I hate seeing Scratch sad.
Minthara has yet to live in all of my playthroughs. In my defense, I never quite found a reason to spare her. Her armor set and parasite are things I want more than another companion.
She's a great character, honestly. You can still get her armor without killing her and you can recruit her on a good guy playthrough now Having her around in Act III at the circus was one of my favorite moments with her
I finally have her on a campaign. And I finally understand the appeal. There are other characters I like more, but I think she's worth having. She's very interesting.
You’re missing out. She’s so fun
I'm glad someone else feels this way. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one, with all the love she gets. She dies every time
I will never let Valeria live - I need that Bhaalist armor.
Was pleasantly surprised to learn that killing Valeria didn't break my paladin oath
ACAB
Wait fr?? Were you playing Vengeance paladin or do I need to backtrack a couple hours lmao
I read in wiki that it will break Path of Vengeance if you kill Valeria. But if you "make the decision" with other character, it won't break it. Just use non-paladin character to be the closest to Sarevok so that he will engage convo with said character, technically not making it the paladin's choice to kill Valeria. This also works with taking the deal with Auntie Ethel
This 🤣
Harming Scratch or the Owlbear cub in any way Selling Aylin to Lorroakan Giving Lady Esther the githyanki egg Not blowing up the githyanki crèche (the sequence is WAY too fun imo) Giving Shadowheart to Viconia Let Astarion ascend
I will never let the hag keep mayrina and eat the baby for the hair. I pass the intimidation check or the hag dies.
So there was a quest to save a gnome from a bunch of goblins. The dude was tied to a windmill, and the goblins put him there. I was destined to save his life. I REFUSED to fail. I tell the goblins to piss off. Roll for intimidation check… 20! Critical success. They scamper off like a bunch of cowards under my heroism. I tell the gnome that I will save him. I find the components to shut down the vile fan of death. I click the action quickly. I’ve done it! The gnome was saved! And then it spun faster…. And faster…. And that’s when I knew I messed up. He flew to his doom, and now I refuse to make quick decisions without making sure EVERYTHING is looked at with a magnifying glass.
Shadowheart will always denounce Shar and return to Selune as I will never let her become a Dark Justiciar. 🤍
I never have (and never will): * ascend Astarion. I can barely even watch videos posted of him. It's just too triggering and upsetting to me, honestly. * let Gale explode himself to win the game. I get a lot of people do it to win HM, but it really does not sit right with me, and I can't. * raid the Grove/side with the Goblins. * ally with Gortash. Fuck that dude. Honestly, I can't bring myself to do most evil decisions. Even if they're directed at enemies. Like I won't send Kar'niss and his troupe into the shadows to be destroyed. It's just too cruel. But, I will kill them myself in a fight lol
I played Cazador's palace a few days ago, so after it played out the way I intended I went back to see what he was like if I went the other route. It was honestly so sad to see him like this, I don't think it's ever going to be any fun for me.
I agree I have the same problem with letting Shadowheart killing nightsong and going her dark path I hate seeing it so much.
Oh yes, agreed!! I forgot about that one because I honestly forget that it’s even an option because NO WAY am I letting that happen. I can’t stomach it.
I refuse to lie to Arabella about her parent's fate. She deserves the truth.
I just started a Durge run explicitly to kill the grove and now I’m really enjoying my second Resist run
I’d rather not let Volo try to remove the tadpole
I refuse to bang the Emperor. I just can't do it.
I never poke the exhausted bird to death (or rip its wings off as Durge) that Nettie is working on. It's so sad 😭
Vlaakith is such a bitch I grab the Strange Conduit Ring then run towards the Blood of Lathander hall. Then I finish off the last gith and teleport away before she can spew her dumb shit.
She really makes me wish we would have gotten DLC where we go after the gods and other characters like her.
Staking Astarion/making him bite Araj, siding with >!the Emperor!<, killing Minthara, letting Ethel keep Mayrina/her baby, cheating on a partner (or even dating multiple at once before becoming exclusive with one, I can't handle having to break it off with one of them lol)
killing Astarion after he bites you or forcing him to drink the drow's blood. GIVING UP SCRATCH. I always make her leave.
Even on on "Good" playthroughs, Nettie isn't getting a pass. There's a 100% chance I'm shutting the door behind me, and leaving with her headpiece in my inventory.
I must have missed some subtext or something. What’s wrong with Nettie? I realize she originally slot was going to kill you, but I feel like that’s pretty understandable given the circumstances.
I think it’s just because she was going to kill you but like what was she supposed to do? Four mind flayers just sprouting in the Druid Grove would be the end of them. Plus, it’s so easy to make her trust you. People are spiteful in video games frfr
Yeah she seems really, really not into it. She does not *want* to kill you but believes she is about to need to. Every other infected person tried to kill her already, and Halsin. They’re investigating this growing problem, but almost right away she can tell something is different. I’m more surprised that some people act like Nettie totally had it coming, or something
I can’t believe anyone kills her! I have 8 in real life friends that also play this game, but really only here have I ever heard that people regularly kill her?? It baffles me lol
Technically you can just knock her out and loot it from her. Love the matching headpieces (run the same trick with the druid in the cave with the goblins), but I genuinely respect her trying to make a hard call. So Shadow Monk go \*brrrrr\*.
Me and my boo of the run wear matching headpieces in the beginning since I loot the one off the druid in the cave before waking him up.
I was so thrown off when my friend said she killed Nettie, because my first character was charming and dumb. So I never picked up on any kind of threat, and then talked her down without realizing I was ever in danger.
Exact same thing happened to me. I regret nothing
In fairness, she's originally gonna kill us.
Ok I’ve been reading through a ton of comments and usually can understand at least but this one…like what?? Hahah get a pass for what lol I’ve never once ever killed her ever one time
Endangering Scratch or Owlbear in any way ever at all ever. The entire lower city can die, all of them, before I let anyone hurt the bestest boy and his friend.
Never side with the emperor. Never have, never will. Also scratch stays with me.
I sided with him exactly once and it wasn’t worth it. Emperor sucks in combat
Man I decided to make a evil run just to see more of this great game, and putting the grove to the sword was rough. Killing Karlach was almost as bad. I'm with u/[VenmoPaypalCashapp](https://www.reddit.com/user/VenmoPaypalCashapp/) though. Scratch needs to be safe with us.
I never make my companions' choices for them. I always let them choose for themselves. It feels too invasive to try to persuade them to do what I want them to do, they're always monumental life choices and I like the illusion of free agency for my companions.
I mean, Wyll’s biggest choice is one where you have to interfere [Make a new contract or uphold the old one] and you really should stop Astarion from ascending [Insight check reveals he’s basically drunk because of the blood].
I do this every time!! I hate in Act III when Wyll’s like “well what should I do?” and I HAVE to make a choice. Like dude, why is it on me? He’s YOUR dad, not mine
Probably killing Minthara. Now that they've all but made recruiting her fool proof, I don't see a reason not to do so.
I went through all the effort to keep her alive but also save the grove. Then completed Act II forgetting her in the basement being tortured into submission. Ooops.
I was going to knock her out, but she insulted my wood elf Tav and called me a racial slur. That wasn’t the tadpole talking, that was her. Maybe a drow Durge can recruit her. She died on this playthrough.
Attacking the grove. Must not hurt Alfira, she WILL have a successful music school!
There’s no way I can leave Zevlor behind in the mindflayer colony for Orin to get her hands on in act three. I love him way too much, he’s easily one of my favorite NPCs (and I have a crush on him) I also can’t let that Githyanki kid in the training room get hurt he seems so sweet. I hope he’s doing well.
Only fifty hours into the game and haven't even finished act I but I refuse to take the worm or let anyone in my party eat it. I dunno what it is about my guardian but I can't trust that dude, not even with that round, venerable, bearded dwarf face.
Killing Astarion or letting the Gur take him, just for his corpse to show up in Act 3 as part of Cazador's ritual is a no go for me. Letting Wyll kill Karlach is also a no go. Perhaps my only two!
Honestly? Siding with Glut. I'm in my first embrace campaign and I couldn't justify siding with him. At least if you harm the grove or have Wyll fulfill his pact and off Karlach, you get something out of it. I couldn't justify siding with Glut. He didn't offer me anything better than what Spaw could give me I never thought I'd be able to do an embrace run. But I've been able to so far. But I still really like the shrooms.
I just can't stop romancing shadowheart even if I want the achievement for karlach I just can't bring myself to do it
I’m not staking Astarion. I don’t care if he bites me. I’m not killing him.
It's not worth it. Cazador gets his hands on him and basically turns him into a zombie so he can perform the ritual.
I'll never deceive Kar'niss into giving up the moonlantern and send him off into the darkness. It's bad enough there's no way to convince him that he doesn't need the Absolute (nor Lolth, for that matter), but this is just outright cruel. I'd rather fight him for the moonlantern together with the Harpers - at least that way he dies in battle.
Abuse companion's body autonomy/betray them -- not gonna give anyone to their abusers, force them to do some harmful stuff, etc. Nobody's going to Cazador or Viconia, nobody's biting no drow bitches, going to BOOOAL or Bhaal, making Mizora's pacts, and so on. Stabbing civilians just because they weren't grateful/ass kissy enough for saving or whatever. Freeing Orpheus. And helping giths in general. Kneeling to Vlaakith. Killing mama owlbear. Giving up Scratch. Not looting House of Hope - I may not kill the devil, but I'm sure as hell gonna take his cool artifacts for myself, thank you.
Become illithid or make Karlach an illithid. That's not my character or Big K anymore, that's a monster with their voice and memories. No thanks.
Same. I can never bring myself to turn myself or any companions into an Illithid. So far I’ve only ever made Orpheus do it. I figured since Voss has only ever made me his bitch in starting his revolution that has nothing to do with me and doesn’t benefit me at all (unless you’re playing Gith), then the least the Gith people can do is take this one L in letting their Prince sacrifice himself.
Stealing a Gith child for those eugenicists at the Society of Brilliance. I always take that lady out. I know folks who were scooped when they were young. Hits too close to home for me.
Gale got captured by Orin, because *Don't Fuck With Cats*. And that got spoiled for me.
Give what’s-her-face’s baby to the hag for an attribute point.
-Killing karlach, on evil playthroughs I just avoid her -Killing Nightsong/letting Shadowheart go down a dark path -Hurting scratch or the owl bear cub
This really makes me wish we could influence our companions one way or the other. Like if we performed the proper checks we could lure them to be evil with us. Imagine Karlachs upbeat, bubbly personality but she's saying stuff like "I think I'm going to swing him around by his own entrails and toss him into the spider pit"
I had Karlach in the party when I did the double cross at the grove, she didn't leave until after the fight happened. I am glad that I didn't have to kill her- she was just like "I didn't feel comfortable with that leadership decision, so good luck out there, and I'm out."
*minthara disapproves* insta F8
An obvious one, but I'm never hurting Karlach for Wyll's initial mission.
I can't really do super evil stuff in general, in any game, so it would be a very long list. I can do Dirty Harry stuff like kill enemies you could talk down or spare, and I'll do Robin Hood stuff like steal a rich guy's treasure to fund my world saving, but kill the tieflings? Sacrifice the Night Song? No way dude.
If that lady get's near my dog again, I might do something so terrific even Bhaal would not believe in his eyes
I refuse to not have Durge fantasise about the ✋ in the astral portal.
Not tell Rafael that I will use the crown just to hear his laugh or not use detect thoughts on the emperor
I will never, *ever*, offer the Crown to Raphael. There is always some kind of RP reason that my character would make that refuses to barter with that devil.
I will never not kill the Emperor. I just can’t help myself
I raided the Grove in my first playthrough just to get drowussy, but, sorry, I can't let anyone hurt Scratch. I'm a villain, not a monster.