Mentally Stable/Healthy Party Members
Zante
Member Posts: 15
This is about putting together a group of mentally stable characters, not crazy people who excel in their respective fields of combat and/or magic.
This rules out...
Minsc, due to his "h..h..head wound" (despite being awesome as a person)
Xzar, who very rarely has anything coherent to say
Most evil characters are ruled out, I suppose that means we're looking at a more neutral party.
etc...
Stable:
Rasaad seems to be a well-adjusted individual who, despite his childhood trauma, has learned some valuable lessons about life.
Yeslick, he acts as a dwarf should, so any eccentricity is weighed against those standards.
Jaheira?
Kagain, though he's evil (lawful mind) he seems realistic.
Any others?
This is probably going to be a subjective topic. : p
This rules out...
Minsc, due to his "h..h..head wound" (despite being awesome as a person)
Xzar, who very rarely has anything coherent to say
Most evil characters are ruled out, I suppose that means we're looking at a more neutral party.
etc...
Stable:
Rasaad seems to be a well-adjusted individual who, despite his childhood trauma, has learned some valuable lessons about life.
Yeslick, he acts as a dwarf should, so any eccentricity is weighed against those standards.
Jaheira?
Kagain, though he's evil (lawful mind) he seems realistic.
Any others?
This is probably going to be a subjective topic. : p
2
Comments
Just that sanity seems to be a rare commodity in this realm!
So putting Minsc in charge might mean having a lower than average stress threshold which non-sword wielding party members act as a multiplier against.
"Mage, why you not use sword!"
Imoen, Rasaad, and Yeslick are probably the least inwardly troubled without also having other major personality issues.
Garrick is happy-go-lucky and amusing but Chaotic Neutral, and his description indicates that he's naive and gullible. Even though he has 14 Wisdom (huh ?), his description sounds like he's actually foolhardy. You'd be inclined to forgive his poor judgment at times because of his Cha, though.
Alora is super-happy, but she's evidently overcompensating big time. As a Chaotic type she might risk doing something that could get the party in trouble from time to time, eg, pickpocket and get caught.
Kivan is sort walking wounded re: his loss and revenge quest, but he seems deadly effective despite that. He's not a happy person but he'd be a rock, I think.
Dynaheir isn't necessarily the most likeable going from her lines (although Cha 12 is high normal), but she would be dependable and doesn't seem obviously screwed up.
Kagain, while selfish at heart, could nevertheless be trusted because he is Lawful. He would be bound by his word.
Branwen has something to prove, so that would actually give me pause.
Jaheirra and Khalid both have substantial issues. Ajantis actually gets into fights with NPCs.
Coran would be mentally stable
Kiavan is revenge driven so not stable
Branwen is sane
Tiax , well he ended up in the asylum need I say more?
A case can also be made for Montaron. He says he is a loner and wants to be left in peace, but he doesn't snap and stabs the party in the back. He also lacks the hunger for power some other evil NPCs have and obeys his orders despite being teamed up with a fruitcake he can't stand. If nothing else, he clearly has an effective way of anger management. (Not sure how you define "stable", but unlike Kagain, Montaron also isn't prejudiced against a species - Kagain doesn't like elves.)
Garrick comes off as a bit naive or idealistic, but his wisdom says that's not really the case. It's probably just a quirk that comes from being a bard who actively collects tales of heroic deeds. If you hear about so much badassery and awesome, you probably can't help but to think of the world in a more idealistic way. He doesn't compare these tales to himself and gets "OMG I'm so worthless" breakdowns, so all in all, I'd say he's stable, too.
Alora is maybe a bit *too* happy, but not traumatized and not suffering from any mental illnesses. But then, she's a thief, so she'd be a kleptomaniac, like all other thieves. (Except Safana, I think she's a different brand of thief and rather manipulates than steals.)
True art is dramatic and angsty.
Baeloth is chaotic evil, so I don't think he is really fully sane/stable. I agree that an entertainer can be larger than life, but he is bordering on megalomania.
Edwin-talks to himself loudly (schizo or divided personality disorder) has superiority complex and megalomania with a touch of narcissism
Tiax-God complex, delusional and psychopath. schizotypal personality?
Quayle-has superiority complex and paranoid aspects.
Alora-mania with kleptomancy issues. may be putting on a cheerful mask (aka:stepford smiler)
Imoen-a lighter version of Alora.
Xan-chronic depression, melancholy
Khalid-high anxiety, panic attacks
Jaheira-controlling and bossy behaviour/persona, passive-agressive aspects.
Viconia-hints of anti social behaviour (but she is a drow, it is their norm?)
Kivan-depression, with obsession of vengeance.
Coran-erotomania, seeks thrill and danger, has a lot of adventures with the other sex, hints of mania
Xzar-schizo with psycopath behaviour
Montaron-sadist, anti social behaviour
Safana-histrionic personality disorder
Minsc-imaginative friend (sorta, his hamster, does Boo really talk to him?) or he is mirroring his inner thoughts by using his pet, has manic episodes, uncontrallable rage when angered, childish intelligence-reasoning
There are some that are obviously off, such as Xzar, Tiax or Minsc with his Intelligence that would be mental retardation in modern standards, but the rest is most likely normal or has what psychologists call "accentuated personalities". Just because you like to have affairs (see Coran) doesn't make you a sex-addict and bipolar. And if Xan were really chronically depressed, he wouldn't be an adventurer - he would be sitting at home all day and most likely hardly be able to even make himself dinner. I'd also say it's very difficult to diagnose anti-social behaviour in people that are basically mercenaries and make a living out of fighting and killing. It's their job, and while some may find it fun and actually be anti-social (which would mean they turn on their comrades as well, which Viconia or Montaron don't do), you can't just say "armed thug equals psychopath". A certain desensitization and according one-liners (such as in the case of Montaron) may just come with the territory.
But yeah, maybe I'm taking this too seriously
By those standards, it's not just BG NPCs that are insane, but everybody in real life too!
Curiously, you have left the violently man-hating Shar-teel OFF your list. Hmm, I wonder what that could mean...
A mental illness also doesn't equal an unstable person. The lawful evil NPCs are still able to play by the rules and will be more predictable/reliable than a chaotic good NPC.
On the other hand, I interpret Montaron is not just a mercenary with a tough facade, he really enjoys cruelty and harming others. (his alignment and general behaviour) Xzar and Edwin definitely have some psychiatric ilness. And also Tiax and Quayle, too. And ofcourse, Minsc. These five are the most derranged and mentally ill IMHO. (though Edwin is quite stable, maybe thanks to his lawful alignment, he still has his issues) You can add Shar-teel to the list for her...peculiar behaviour against males general.
Still, Dynaheir comes off as a sophisticated, well learned and mannered lady on a mission. Branwen is hot-tempered but not 'axe-crazy kill them all' blood thirsty way, she is just priestess of a war god. Yeslick is a very stable and simple guy, despite his tragic past. Ajantis is self-righteous and can be a bit of a bigot, but it comes with the paladinhood, I guess. Garrick and Skie are just very green and unexperienced, they are quite oblivious if a touch stupid. Eldoth is a manipulative bastard, but not excessively cruel or psychotic. Oh yes I forgot Shar-teel definitely has some daddy issues. Faldorn is very obsessive with nature, all druids should be obsessing about nature but she takes it to another level (cue her BG2 appearance)
An adult still acting like that, such as Montaron, is typically considered as not quite right up there.
Xzar and Minsc are obviously a bit more unstable than the rest, and Viconia a bit self-destructive with the way she constantly mocks and goads everyone. But for the most part they're all somewhat predictable.
Come on, you can't be in a hole full of human bodies and leave with your mind unspoiled.
Of course, I don't actually see Jaheira as True Neutral. She's totally Neutral Good.