I agree his epilogue isn't to my liking. In contrast, I like Viconia's tragic epilogue and all the romance character's non-romanced epilogues as they have their own struggle to overcome.
Heard a song on the radio this morning which made me think of the Jaheira romance. I can imagine my evil charname addressing Jaheira and her Harper friends:
"You want me to change? F U!, F U and you and you I hate your friends and they hate me too"
I'd consider Rasaad's romance as the best if it didn't end in a complete diabolus ex machina. He gets it even worse than VIconia.
I agree. Based upon my understanding of Realms lore, Shar is pretty much as bad as it gets, turning families on each other via sleeper cell type operations, she exists to destroy hope and create misery, and she literally almost succeeds at ending the world - it never occurred to me that siding with Shar worshippers would have a positive outcome but in the EE a fairly balanced approach of being dubious towards Shar followers is made out to be revenge fuelled religious zealotry
I'd consider Rasaad's romance as the best if it didn't end in a complete diabolus ex machina. He gets it even worse than VIconia.
I agree. Based upon my understanding of Realms lore, Shar is pretty much as bad as it gets, turning families on each other via sleeper cell type operations, she exists to destroy hope and create misery, and she literally almost succeeds at ending the world - it never occurred to me that siding with Shar worshippers would have a positive outcome but in the EE a fairly balanced approach of being dubious towards Shar followers is made out to be revenge fuelled religious zealotry
I typically encourage Rasaad to take over the monastery for a couple of reasons. Primarily, it frees me from having to dismiss him from the party, since he's not a bad buy, he's simply not typically right for my parties. However, also because I think the idea of those two goddesses being two sides of the same coin makes sense.
Jaheira is an insufferable nag.
Neera is a selfish brat and *
Viconias ending sucks and feels forced, but otherwise good.
Aerie is.. so much baggage, but overall the least annoying.
Anomen is a dude.
Dorn is a dude and *
Rasaad is a dude and *
Hexxat is dead.. imagine being intimate with a corpse, animated or not.. and *
* The voice overs for all 4 Beamdog NPC and especially the other NPC's included in their story is so bad i wanna stab my eardrums.
Especially the first encounter with Neera in the bridge district.. it's so horrendous it makes me angry it's even there.
The quality delivered makes me dislike and avoid these chars like the bubonic plague
Oh, no! I love me some boyband material boyo, with glittering skin and a brooding expression.. a dead one, to make it better.
If i had to make a choice, i'd take werewolf any day of the week.. despite you know.. a very real danger of being torn to pieces. I bet you werewolves smell better than animated corpses.
seriously, all 3 females DISGUSTS me deeply, why? 1st Jaheira: like... seriously? her hubby barely died so either she keeps hidden reason she felt better after his death and then she plays hypocrite all the way AND her suspicious comments toward you all the way like.... why she's even in the party while she does not trust you? ugh! then saint Aerie all poor girl but while rescuing Viconia she was all into letting her die (awful racist) she plays coy while saying disgusting stuff when gets angry at Viconia and Jaheira.... she's all fake type to me, aaaaand Viconia with her pureblood obsession and games about 'you flirts with me or you are weak' (roll my eyes) so I choose Anomen, he's pompous but he grows most along the way and he is honest, puzzled, lost at some points but he is really best romance in game to me.
I will always vote Jaheira when it comes to the vanilla (plus EE) romances.
1. I don't do evil, so that literally rules out Dorn/Hexxat.
2. Male PCs, so that rules out Anomen/Rasaad/Dorn again/Hexxat again.
That leaves Aerie, Jaheira, Viconia, Neera.
Neera is too flighty/whimsical. Good friendship material, terrible romantic commitment material.
Aerie has enough baggage she wouldn't get off the ground even WITH wings (although I am sympathetic, I'm not romance-level sympathetic). Plus, I like sticking Aerie with Haer'Dalis, she seems to respond better to him even without my involvement. I wish there were MORE NPC-NPC romances, there's quite a few Imoen-X ones, but very few others.
Viconia is a very close contender, certainly my second choice. I like her character growth in late SoA/ToB. I rather give her a Friendship mod though.
So Jaheira. Plus she's canon, you know.
The real question for me, is which between Jaheira and Tashia, my favorite mod Romance. In many ways they are very similar, their previous SO has just either died or effectively died by going powermad, and you have to pick up the heartbroken pieces.
I think of this as a "Who wants to be a millionaire" question. The question is:
How do you get a girlfriend? Do you:
a) Befriend a crippled virgin with chronic depression and help her find her will to live
b) Comfort your buddy's widow by helping her start and win a mini war with the CIA, and saving her life twice
c) Find the most racist/sexist woman you know, who has literally no concept of monogamy and love, and change her entire personality. Only save her life once though
d) Meet a girl, tell her she's pretty, buy her a drink and hold her hand
Hey I ain't judging, 15 year old me would unironically pick (a)
I love the idea behind Viconia's romance, but sans mods its execution remains a bit shallow and too sex-centred for my liking. Jaheira's is a deep, wonderfully written relationship, but it works better as a friendship than a rebound romance - I hold Khalid too dearly in affection.
I know he was wildly unpopular back in the day, and somewhat deservedly so considering how he was basically forced on female Charnames. I certainly would never want to date the cad in real life, but come to think of it Anomen actually has the most realistic character development and genuine romance of the vanilla NPCs. Shoot me.
Always had a soft spot for Jaheira, ever since the original game. To me her romance has the best arc, considering what happens to her at the start of the game. As someone mentioned earlier, she actually thinks about your future together.
I have to admit, I haven't played any of the Enhanced Edition romances, though from the conversations I had with those I've met, they don't really seem all that appealing.
I can't comment on the romances for female Charnames, because I normally romance modded female NPCs.
While I started several times, I yet have to finish the whole game as a male or evil character.
My first complete playthrough ever... oh, I was so close kicking Anomen more than once. If he hadn't been the only cleric (Jaheira I kept as well, of course, but her spell selection is slightly different) fitting into a good party AND the only romance option for females.
I felt my CG elven ranger was going out of character for not telling this braggart to just shut up... but then, I learned more and more about his background, and after his quest was finished he actually became likeable and kinda cute, a true gentleman.
As for Rasaad, liked him from the beginning. One of the most loveable lawful stupid characters I have encountered. As a monk, he needs to be lawful, but for me it feels like he is acting more like NG. Sometimes very wise, then again his insecurity strikes back. His shyness is really cute, even though it can be annoying at times. Haven't finished BG2 and ToB with him as my romance yet, but what was there in BG1 and SoD I really liked so far. Which is why I voted him.
My favorite romance ever was from another game (Valen Shadowbreath from HotU).
I also liked Aarin from NWN, because of his pirate background. Neither the lawful stupid, nor the big baddie, but something in-between.
Which had given me hope that game developers had finally gotten that women don't necessarily want to romance either a knight in shining armor or a bad guy.
Completed Aerie's once a long time ago and did not like it. And I hate Anomen as a character.
So it's a close call between the other 2.
I think teenager me would have voted for Viconia but adult me sees the Jaheira one is just better written all around.
I have yet to give a go to any EE romance. Seems like the consensus is Rasaad et Neera are the ones to try?
Comments
"You want me to change? F U!, F U and you and you I hate your friends and they hate me too"
so sayeth the wise blackbear
I agree. Based upon my understanding of Realms lore, Shar is pretty much as bad as it gets, turning families on each other via sleeper cell type operations, she exists to destroy hope and create misery, and she literally almost succeeds at ending the world - it never occurred to me that siding with Shar worshippers would have a positive outcome but in the EE a fairly balanced approach of being dubious towards Shar followers is made out to be revenge fuelled religious zealotry
I typically encourage Rasaad to take over the monastery for a couple of reasons. Primarily, it frees me from having to dismiss him from the party, since he's not a bad buy, he's simply not typically right for my parties. However, also because I think the idea of those two goddesses being two sides of the same coin makes sense.
Neera is a selfish brat and *
Viconias ending sucks and feels forced, but otherwise good.
Aerie is.. so much baggage, but overall the least annoying.
Anomen is a dude.
Dorn is a dude and *
Rasaad is a dude and *
Hexxat is dead.. imagine being intimate with a corpse, animated or not.. and *
* The voice overs for all 4 Beamdog NPC and especially the other NPC's included in their story is so bad i wanna stab my eardrums.
Especially the first encounter with Neera in the bridge district.. it's so horrendous it makes me angry it's even there.
The quality delivered makes me dislike and avoid these chars like the bubonic plague
I imagine you are not a fan of the Twilight novels then
If i had to make a choice, i'd take werewolf any day of the week.. despite you know.. a very real danger of being torn to pieces. I bet you werewolves smell better than animated corpses.
Hexxat's a cutie tho
Damn right she is!
Do you romance yourself when you play?
1. I don't do evil, so that literally rules out Dorn/Hexxat.
2. Male PCs, so that rules out Anomen/Rasaad/Dorn again/Hexxat again.
That leaves Aerie, Jaheira, Viconia, Neera.
Neera is too flighty/whimsical. Good friendship material, terrible romantic commitment material.
Aerie has enough baggage she wouldn't get off the ground even WITH wings (although I am sympathetic, I'm not romance-level sympathetic). Plus, I like sticking Aerie with Haer'Dalis, she seems to respond better to him even without my involvement. I wish there were MORE NPC-NPC romances, there's quite a few Imoen-X ones, but very few others.
Viconia is a very close contender, certainly my second choice. I like her character growth in late SoA/ToB. I rather give her a Friendship mod though.
So Jaheira. Plus she's canon, you know.
The real question for me, is which between Jaheira and Tashia, my favorite mod Romance. In many ways they are very similar, their previous SO has just either died or effectively died by going powermad, and you have to pick up the heartbroken pieces.
Hell no.
How do you get a girlfriend? Do you:
a) Befriend a crippled virgin with chronic depression and help her find her will to live
b) Comfort your buddy's widow by helping her start and win a mini war with the CIA, and saving her life twice
c) Find the most racist/sexist woman you know, who has literally no concept of monogamy and love, and change her entire personality. Only save her life once though
d) Meet a girl, tell her she's pretty, buy her a drink and hold her hand
Hey I ain't judging, 15 year old me would unironically pick (a)
I know he was wildly unpopular back in the day, and somewhat deservedly so considering how he was basically forced on female Charnames. I certainly would never want to date the cad in real life, but come to think of it Anomen actually has the most realistic character development and genuine romance of the vanilla NPCs. Shoot me.
I have to admit, I haven't played any of the Enhanced Edition romances, though from the conversations I had with those I've met, they don't really seem all that appealing.
I can't comment on the romances for female Charnames, because I normally romance modded female NPCs.
My first complete playthrough ever... oh, I was so close kicking Anomen more than once. If he hadn't been the only cleric (Jaheira I kept as well, of course, but her spell selection is slightly different) fitting into a good party AND the only romance option for females.
I felt my CG elven ranger was going out of character for not telling this braggart to just shut up... but then, I learned more and more about his background, and after his quest was finished he actually became likeable and kinda cute, a true gentleman.
As for Rasaad, liked him from the beginning. One of the most loveable lawful stupid characters I have encountered. As a monk, he needs to be lawful, but for me it feels like he is acting more like NG. Sometimes very wise, then again his insecurity strikes back. His shyness is really cute, even though it can be annoying at times. Haven't finished BG2 and ToB with him as my romance yet, but what was there in BG1 and SoD I really liked so far.
My favorite romance ever was from another game (Valen Shadowbreath from HotU).
I also liked Aarin from NWN, because of his pirate background. Neither the lawful stupid, nor the big baddie, but something in-between.
Which had given me hope that game developers had finally gotten that women don't necessarily want to romance either a knight in shining armor or a bad guy.
So it's a close call between the other 2.
I think teenager me would have voted for Viconia but adult me sees the Jaheira one is just better written all around.
I have yet to give a go to any EE romance. Seems like the consensus is Rasaad et Neera are the ones to try?
Dorn creeps me out, Neera is far too annoying, aerie is a kid, jaheira should be a grieving widow.
So viconia and hexxat are it. Both are immoral though. Too bad hexxat only likes girls.
Dorn and Neera I can barely stand just keeping in my party.