If you could design a companion, what would they be?

Sirdent

So after reading a few posts on party diversity, party balance, and which companions they like or dislike or miss from the base game, I thought it would be interesting to see what kinds of characters people would like to see added to the list of possible companions.

For me, I would like to see an evil thief, maybe a swashbuckler as I liked that kit. I felt playing through as an evil, low reputation party, I didnt want either of the thieves available. Also, I liked the idea brought forth on the diversity in the party forum on getting a bearded female dwarven defender. Not sure on an alignment for her though, good aligned parties seemed balance, so maybe a neutral character? Though I havent played through a neutral group yet (finished good, almost finished second play through as evil).

Who knows maybe someone at beamdog ends up reading this and thinks your character is a good idea for some downloadable content in an upcoming patch

Ithual

A Goliath Ranger using Longsword/Ax and Shield with a dog companion that fights beside him. He'll be neutral good but very taciturn.

Permidion_Stark

Neutral Good Human Female Thief

Strength 9
Dexterity 18
Constitution 16
Intelligence 17
Wisdom 11
Charisma 16

Cheerful disposition

YupImMadBro

Ithual said:

A Goliath Ranger using Longsword/Ax and Shield with a dog companion that fights beside him. He'll be neutral good but very taciturn.

I was actually thinking an evil Ranger that is very similar, but no companion.

kanemi

A female aasimar, fighter probably, that you have to rescue from one of the evil planes like Avernus. There would be an interesting backstory about how she got there. Since you would be visiting one of the evil planes, you would probably have to have it later on in the saga, probably at least at BG2, but that would be good as well, since you could then tie her into a previous installment.

Autocrat

I feel like any new companion should probably use an unrepresented kit, class, or alignment combo. This is assuming the character would span all entries in the series, i.e. from BG1 through ToB, similar to Rasaad, Dorn, and co.

If I could choose, I'd probably go for one of these:

A chaotic good Uthgardt wizard slayer. Wizard slayers deserve some love (though SoD was a huge improvement in that regard).
A neutral pure-class cleric of Helm or Tempus or something. It would be nice to have a counterpart to Viconia for good-aligned parties.

Rawgrim

A noblewoman fighter in her 40s

Lawful Neutral. Harsh and completely without mercy. Posh matrony voice.
Human.

Str 17
Dex 16
Con 17
Int 13
Wis 11
Cha 15

O_Bruce

I am thinking about dwarven Wizard Slayer. He should use daggers and darts, because these are quick weapons, excellent against mages, and also axes, because it's kinda traditional weapon for dwarfs.

He should be intelligent, sly and quite charismatic for a dwarf. He also should have high constitution and strength, but neither should be perfect scores. His alignment should be either lawful neutral or lawful evil. The character would be a mercenary, more being hired by CHARNAME than following CHARNAME.

Kogorn

We really need more dwarves...a dwarven defender would be perfect.

This would be a male dwarven defender

Lawful Neutral

Str 17

Dex 16

Con 20 (read the tome)

Int 10

Wis 14

Cha 12

Would start with an exclusive +2 shield with the following ability: wielder gains a 2-layer stoneskin cast upon them when they suffer a critical hit. The ability does not stack.

Ithual

YupImMadBro said:

Ithual said:

A Goliath Ranger using Longsword/Ax and Shield with a dog companion that fights beside him. He'll be neutral good but very taciturn.

I was actually thinking an evil Ranger that is very similar, but no companion.

Haha! This is who I am currently using in 5e PnP

Sirdent

Hadnt really thought about races outside of the norm, would love a duergar or a half dragon if going into the realm of nonstandard races.

Ithual

A Human Cleric of Tyr would be good, Dragonborn Paladin or even a Warforged!!

Sirdent

kanemi said:

A female aasimar, fighter probably, that you have to rescue from one of the evil planes like Avernus. There would be an interesting backstory about how she got there. Since you would be visiting one of the evil planes, you would probably have to have it later on in the saga, probably at least at BG2, but that would be good as well, since you could then tie her into a previous installment.

I was thinking more about for this expansion, theres a lot more options in the main portion of BG1 and in BG2, its much harder to have a good or evil party in this campaign.

Sirdent

Ithual said:

A Human Cleric of Tyr would be good, Dragonborn Paladin or even a Warforged!!

BG series is before the 4th ed storyline. Though I do like the Dragonborn, halfdragon would be more inline with 2nd ed era.

DetectiveMittens

Gnome Illusionist/Thief
Chaotic Neutral

Strength 9
Dexterity 17
Constitution 15
Intelligence 16
Wisdom 14
Charisma 10

I can see him now...

(quite literally)

Rawgrim

****! 4th edition.

Edit: Thought that 4 letter word I wrote would get censored by itself.

Kogorn

DetectiveMittens said:

Gnome Illusionist/Thief
Chaotic Neutral

Strength 9
Dexterity 17
Constitution 15
Intelligence 16
Wisdom 14
Charisma 10

I can see him now...

(quite literally)

Would this character be a detective by any chance???? With a magical set of mittens? :P

DetectiveMittens

Kogorn said:

Would this character be a detective by any chance???? With a magical set of mittens? :P

No, although he would also be an inventor.

rapsam2003

Sirdent said:

Ithual said:

A Human Cleric of Tyr would be good, Dragonborn Paladin or even a Warforged!!

BG series is before the 4th ed storyline. Though I do like the Dragonborn, halfdragon would be more inline with 2nd ed era.

Actually, the BG series is BEFORE the 3E storyline. That's why BG uses 2E rules.

Anyway, I would prefer some kind of "odd" companion. A race/class combo that isn't well-represented now. Something like a deranged female Fey'ri ( http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Fey'ri ) bard with a jester kit, who is chaotic neutral. This character would go between 2 basic "moods", the 1st being kind and sweet (sappy even), and the 2nd vindictive but sensual. Would definitely be a PG13 character.

Kamigoroshi

Name: Loreley
Gender: Female
Race: Halfing
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Sigil Faction: Sign of One
Class: Acolyte of the Skin (see spoiler below)

ACOLYTE OF THE SKIN: The temptation of power drives some people to extreme lengths, regardless of the consequences. Replacing your own skin with that of a living Baatezu or Tanar'ri is a goal that most couldn't even conceive of, let alone consider. But this ghastly fate is exactly what some spellcasters seek in their desperate quest.

The Ritual of Bonding is a blasphemy that was long ago eradicated from most arcane libraries, but a few legible copies survive—or at least references there to—along with promises of great power. Spellcasters who happen upon such documents can choose to destroy or ignore the find, but the temptation has already accurred. Those who give in can eventually stumble upon the complete ritual, usually through extended contact with one or more summoned fiends who are akk too eager to share their terrible knowledge.


Advantages:
- 1st level: -1 bonus to AC.
- 2nd level: 60-foot infravision.
- 3rd level: +1 bonus to Dexterity.
- 4th level: Gains 20% innate Fire Resistance.
- 5th level: May use Fiendish Glare once per day.

FIENDISH GLARE: The Acolyte of the Skin can unnerve opponents with a ferocious glare once per day. Glaring affects any creature he can see within 100 feet. Opponents must succeed a Paralysis/Poison/Death saving throw or suffer a -2 morale penalty to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws for 10 rounds. A creature with 50 or fewer hit points is also stunned for 3d4 rounds, one with 51 to 100 hit points is stunned for 2d4 rounds, and one with 101 to 150 hit points is stunned for 1d4 rounds. A creature with 151 hit points or more is not stunned, but still suffers the -2 morale penalty if it fails its saving throw.

- 6th level: -1 bonus to AC.
- 7th level: May use Poison as a spell-like ability once per day.
- 8th level: +1 bonus to Constitution.
- 9th level: Gains 20% innate Cold Resistance.
- 10th level: -1 bonus to AC.
- 11th level: May use Poison as a spell-like ability twice per day.
- 12th level: Gains 20% innate Acid Resistance.
- 15th level: May use Glare of the Pit once per day.

GLARE OF THE PIT: The Acolyte of the Skin produces fiery rays from his eyes. He can project two rays (one from each eye) with a range of 100 feet. A ray that hits the target deals 8d6 points of fire damage.

- 16th level: May use Summon Nabassu once per day.

SUMMON NABASSU: Once per day the Acolyte of the Skin can call upon the assistance of a Nabassu. The summoned creature does the Acolyte's bidding, but automatically returns whence it came after 1 hour has passed. The fiend cannot use its own summon ability while being called upon.

- 18th level: Gains immunity to "Charm" spells.
- 20th level: Becomes immune to non-magical weapons.


Disadvantages:
- Alignment restricted to any non-good.
- Incurs a -2 penalty to Reputation.
- Reputation can never exceed 12.

Familiar: Armpi the Imp
Preferred Magic School: Conjuration, Enchantment.
Likes: Reading, haggling, and beaverage.
Dislikes: Chains, cells, Cowled Wizards and non-alcoholic drinks.
Last Known Location: Spellhold Asylum

Strength: 7
Dexterity: 14
Constitution: 15
Intelligence: 17
Wisdom: 6
Charisma: 13

Background: Born in the Hive Ward where all the unwanted dregs of Sigil gathers, Loreley quickly understood from a very young age that it takes far more than muscles to thrive in this hellish neighbourhood. More than battle prowess, more than lightning fast reflexes... Loreley seeked to aquire a far more greater power - arcane magic!

However, even after years of (purely theoretical) studying under dozen of mages, she couldn't even do one single candle trick. It was quite the dilemma... almost as magic itself hated to go even near her. Even though it was clear as day that her quest of becoming an arcane spellcaster was in vain, she never gave up her dream to someday master the arcane arts.

One fateful day, feeble-minded and tired from her magic lessons, she went to the Smoldering Corpse Bar to grab some much needed beaverage. There, she met a peculiar symphatic Baatorian berk. After drinking some couple of rounds of Lady Pain on the Rocks with him, she tipsily
said:
"You're a are great pal! You hear me? Big, strong and emiting magic like other berks sweat. Guess there's no way in hell that a halfling like me could ever be like that."
"Well, why don't you become a Baatezu then?" said the Baatorian with a wicked grin on his face.

After successfully binding a living Baatezu to her own skin (and surviving the ritual), Loreley was finally able to cast magic for the very first time in her life! O frabjous day! Calooh! Callay!! Sadly, at the very same day she lost her equilibrium and fell right into a portal which was somehow connected to the head office of the Cowled Wizards of Amn. Somehow they didn't take a liking to her and threw Loreley into one of the empty cells of the Spellhold Asylum. Life sucks!

Loreley was probably my fondest NPC idea I had way back in 2013. Most likely due to three main factors:

1. We simply do not have female, *evil* shorties. And no, M'Khiin doesn't count (being TN and all).
   
2. The Acolyte of the Skin was one of favourite prestige classes in PnP. (Second only to the Oozemaster.)
   
3. Because I just adore her silly, Planescape infused backstory.
   

Sirdent

I understand love for old characters and remember the oozemasters and AoS prestige classes as well, had some fun with them as well. My old characters are why I wanted duergars and half dragons. Played a Duergar barbarian named Ey Yu just because thats what people would say to him to get his attention that did not know and refused to learn/spend skill points in common. On the second near total party kill he was the only survivor and only one to last to round 4 against a red dragon that the party had learned about near the beginning of the campaign and told to stay away from, and for some reason thought they could kill, he managed to escape with his life after being imprisoned, tortured, impregnated (never tell a red dragon you would do anything for your freedom) and a few months of gaesed servitude he managed to escape. A campaign later I got to play the daughter and she was crazy evil and hilariously fun

Autocrat

While I love duergar, I think the presence of Korgan sort of fills the "evil dwarf fighter" role. A duergar cleric or psionicist would be super neat, though.

NightRevan

rapsam2003 said:

Sirdent said:

Ithual said:

A Human Cleric of Tyr would be good, Dragonborn Paladin or even a Warforged!!

BG series is before the 4th ed storyline. Though I do like the Dragonborn, halfdragon would be more inline with 2nd ed era.

Actually, the BG series is BEFORE the 3E storyline. That's why BG uses 2E rules.

Anyway, I would prefer some kind of "odd" companion. A race/class combo that isn't well-represented now. Something like a deranged female Fey'ri ( http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Fey'ri ) bard with a jester kit, who is chaotic neutral. This character would go between 2 basic "moods", the 1st being kind and sweet (sappy even), and the 2nd vindictive but sensual. Would definitely be a PG13 character.

Kind of reminds me a little of Trance Gemini from Andromeda reading that description a little

Philhelm

Lothar
NG Human Male Priest of Lathander
15 Str / 10 Dex / 16 Con / 13 Int / 18 Wis / 15 Cha
Where's a generic, good Cleric when you need one? Make him reminiscent of Peter Cushing, whose portrayal of Van Helsing in the Hammer Horror movies was partially responsible for the creation of the Cleric class (they needed a character to combat Sir Fang, an overly powerful vampire PC, hence one of the Cleric's signature abilities is Turn Undead).

GhavGrim

I'd like a Minotaur.
http://animal-dream.com/data_images/minotaur/minotaur2.jpg

Barbarian class.
Grunting voice-set.
Secret recuitable NPC -
Have him hostile when encountered unless you have a specific quest item on you at the time...
...perhaps only if you have a druid in your party?

Philhelm

Ithual said:

A Human Cleric of Tyr would be good, Dragonborn Paladin or even a Warforged!!

We don't take kindly to such debauchery in Baldur's Gate.

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The user and all related content has been deleted.

Francois

We need more non-playable races or combinations.

A hill giant dwarven defender. Raised by dwarf, thinks that he is just a very big dwarf.

An alu-fiend shadowdancer.

A gnome blackguard with illusion spells instead of divine.

Schneidend

Rawgrim said:

A noblewoman fighter in her 40s

Lawful Neutral. Harsh and completely without mercy. Posh matrony voice.
Human.

Str 17
Dex 16
Con 17
Int 13
Wis 11
Cha 15

I think what I was going to suggest would make a great combination with yours. Same personality, alignment, and concept, older matronly noble, but make her a dwarf, with the Defender kit. Bam. Perfect.

jankiel

A pure human female evil thief for BG2 to get rid of that shitty vampire companion that makes no sense.

TheArtisan

I've got a lot of concepts that are shelved at the moment. These include:

BG1

- a 50-60 year old war veteran who was your weapons instructor in Candlekeep, joins later on at a higher level than the rest of your party but gains less experience.

- a timid half-doppelganger thief with an extremely strong survival instinct that travels with a band of full-blooded doppelgangers who treat her like garbage and joins you when you kill them all.

- a half-elven cleric of Mystra to address the game's lack of early joining male clerics.

BG2

- a female neutral good dwarf assassin (plot reasons). Personality is a mix of a gender-swapped Varric and Garrett.

- a half-ogre fighter/mage, former apprentice of Sythillis who deserted with Madulf and crew.