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The Group Limit isn't canon

ChroniclerChronicler Member Posts: 1,391
in General Discussion (Spoiler Warning!)
There is no in game reason why you can only have five companions at once, and every piece of in game dialogue seems to indicate you have adventured with every possible companion, though not necessarily all at the same time. The group limit seems to be a gameplay mechanic rather than a genuine facet of the story.

Pretty much any fight in the series could've been just you, on your own, or it could've been you with sixteen or more friends. It's largely up to the player's imagination.

Comments

  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    I really wish group limit was moddable. Or at least that we had a mod that includes all the quest interjections of joinable npc we've met.
  • ChroniclerChronicler Member Posts: 1,391
    ThacoBell wrote: »
    I really wish group limit was moddable. Or at least that we had a mod that includes all the quest interjections of joinable npc we've met.

    Dragon Age Origins has something like that. There's a dog who takes up a companion slot, but there's a mod that turns the dog into a pet, while apparently allowing the dog to retain its full abilities.

    Always seemed crazy to me. The idea that this one full fledged party member is now just a freeby who doesn't count towards your total. Like could they do that with anybody?
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    @Chronicler Big fan of that mod. The dog may be targeted because it lacks actual quest and party banter, so gets left out of a lot of parties otherwise.
  • RaduzielRaduziel Member Posts: 4,714
    edited October 2019
    ThacoBell wrote: »
    @Chronicler Big fan of that mod. The dog may be targeted because it lacks actual quest and party banter, so gets left out of a lot of parties otherwise.

    You monster!

    Seriously now, I like the party mechanics of Dragon Age - instead of roaming through Ferelden like an hermit you can easily access and manage your party from pretty much anywhere - and npcs level up even when out of the party.
    Post edited by Raduziel on
  • Mantis37Mantis37 Member Posts: 1,174
    There are some extra companions that act like familiars, such as Afaaq and Korax (I think). The open source engine Gem RB has also played around with the number of companions.
  • RaduzielRaduziel Member Posts: 4,714
    AFAIK nothing was able to overcome the party limit in a reliable way.

    And with the pathfinding being as it is I don't think that having a party larger than 3 is viable.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    Mantis37 wrote: »
    There are some extra companions that act like familiars, such as Afaaq and Korax (I think). The open source engine Gem RB has also played around with the number of companions.

    That's not remotely equivalent. I want to have more than six of the standard npcs in the same party. I want to get more banters and interjections. I have no cares for extra glorified familiars.
  • jasteyjastey Member Posts: 2,671
    @ThacoBell I think "act like familiars" is meant with regard to the game mechanics. Afaaq the Djinn has banters and interjections afaik.
    There is my Solaufein mod for BGII, he can also follow in 7th party member mode with full banters and interjections (for late BGII, obviously).
    And, since we were talking about dog companions, there would be also Grey the Dog (currently in beta with content for BG1) which can also follow as a 7th party member with full interjections and "banters" and quests.
  • ZaxaresZaxares Member Posts: 1,325
    Yeah, I loved that mod for DA:O too. :) No Mabari Left Behind!

    Going back to the original topic, obviously the party limit is there for game design/balance issues, but logically there would indeed be nothing stopping Gorion's Ward from bringing more than 5 companions. If I could, I'd probably bring an expanded party of 10 in the games as follows:

    BG1:
    - Myself (Wizard)
    - Imoen
    - Ajantis
    - Branwen
    - Kivan
    - Yeslick
    - Khalid
    - Jaheira
    - Garrick
    - One spare spot for quests (ultimately filled by Alora)

    SoD:
    - Myself
    - Corwin
    - Safana
    - Viconia
    - M'Khiin
    - Khalid
    - Jaheira
    - Glint
    - Rasaad
    - One spare spot for quests (ultimately filled by Neera)

    BG2:
    - Myself
    - Imoen/Yoshimo
    - Aerie
    - Jaheira
    - Viconia
    - Minsc (replaced with Sarevok in ToB)
    - Rasaad
    - Mazzy
    - Valygar
    - Jan Jansen
    - One spare spot for quests (ultimately filled again by Minsc)
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