The Bhaalspawn's agency is up to player interpretation, imo. Really you could consider every moment where it seems like charname is being manipulated as just a ruse in a long chain of Xanatos gambits culminating in godhood. If you're of the opinion that every dialogue in the game needs to be taken at face value and canon, you might as well go all the way and only accept Abdel Adrian as the one true Bhaalspawn.
An idea Metalloman gave me some time ago was to change the final battle so you face the Lord of Chaos Arioch, and that made me thought of actually giving all of Bhaal's essence to Arioch (or maybe him killing you to gain power)... That would be fun... And probably dangerous.
In regards to endings, I always thought that there should have been a 'Side with the Drow against the Elves' for SoA. It just seems like such a straightforward choice for an Evil-aligned character would make, honestly I'm kinda surprised there wasn't such an option. I can't imagine it would change the endgame much-you'd still need to track down and take out Bodhi, and then confront Irenicus in Suldanessellar (just fighting the elves in addition to the thugs and demons working for Irenicus you would normally face.)
In regards to the end of ToB, I think it would be interesting to if your success as a god was determined by the game keeping a running tally over the series on which churches & clerics & faiths you interacted with and if your were helpful or not. Save Viconia in BG II? Anger Beshaba and please Shar. Kill everyone inside the temple of Umberlee/Helm/Lanthander/Talos etc? That god's not going to be your ally if/when you ascend. I think some quests in ToB where you have the option of currying the divine favor of X god or goddess or Y Demon lord or whatever in order to have a shot at being a successful god(ess) would be interesting, and would have been a good way to add content to the generally content-challenged ToB.
The 'politics' of the FR pantheon are pretty complicated, it's a shame they didn't seem interested in the bhaalspawn (with the exception of Cyric and whoever that Solar worked for)
In regards to endings, I always thought that there should have been a 'Side with the Drow against the Elves' for SoA. It just seems like such a straightforward choice for an Evil-aligned character would make, honestly I'm kinda surprised there wasn't such an option. I can't imagine it would change the endgame much-you'd still need to track down and take out Bodhi, and then confront Irenicus in Suldanessellar (just fighting the elves in addition to the thugs and demons working for Irenicus you would normally face.)
Perhaps, but could you be more persuasive than Irenicus when talking to the drow? He offered Suldanesselar on a plate , and you?
In regards to endings, I always thought that there should have been a 'Side with the Drow against the Elves' for SoA. It just seems like such a straightforward choice for an Evil-aligned character would make, honestly I'm kinda surprised there wasn't such an option. I can't imagine it would change the endgame much-you'd still need to track down and take out Bodhi, and then confront Irenicus in Suldanessellar (just fighting the elves in addition to the thugs and demons working for Irenicus you would normally face.)
Perhaps, but could you be more persuasive than Irenicus when talking to the drow? He offered Suldanesselar on a plate , and you?
And the player character can take out the local Beholder, Mindflayer, & Kuo-toa leaders, as well as take out the local cult of Ghaunadaur and remove their Solaufein problem. It's a pretty good bargaining problem IMO. The player by that point has proven themselves much more directly useful to the Drow by that point than Irenicus-by that point you are practically their right hand (wo)man, and with the added promise of killing off the nearby Silver Dragon and assisting in the assault on the surface elves, I think it would not be too unreasonable for them to see the value in aiding you.
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In regards to the end of ToB, I think it would be interesting to if your success as a god was determined by the game keeping a running tally over the series on which churches & clerics & faiths you interacted with and if your were helpful or not. Save Viconia in BG II? Anger Beshaba and please Shar. Kill everyone inside the temple of Umberlee/Helm/Lanthander/Talos etc? That god's not going to be your ally if/when you ascend. I think some quests in ToB where you have the option of currying the divine favor of X god or goddess or Y Demon lord or whatever in order to have a shot at being a successful god(ess) would be interesting, and would have been a good way to add content to the generally content-challenged ToB.
The 'politics' of the FR pantheon are pretty complicated, it's a shame they didn't seem interested in the bhaalspawn (with the exception of Cyric and whoever that Solar worked for)
that's the point. Everyone's rejoicing and partying that the bhaalspawn wars are over then just rain all over that parade