Shadow Thieves - "These guys aren't telling me everything, but they seem to be quite honest with delivering me to my eventual goal. I could use their help, unfortunately." Vampires - "Wow, these guys are completely treacherous, snake-like, and douchebags."
Gee, I wonder what any sane character is going to pick. Mind you, if your character is insane, then by all means side with the Vampires. I'm just explaining why I voted the way I did.
Aran Linvail and some of the other Shadow Thieves (remember Narlen Darkwalk?) are actually quite likeable characters. Perhaps a little bit too likeable - I imagine the members of such an organisation would be pretty unpleasant if they existed in real life. But that's what we have fantasy for.
The only reason Bodhi gives to join her is that she's charging less. And right when she's about to give you the offer, the Shadow Thieves price is lowered to match, anyway.
Aran Linvail and some of the other Shadow Thieves (remember Narlen Darkwalk?) are actually quite likeable characters. Perhaps a little bit too likeable - I imagine the members of such an organisation would be pretty unpleasant if they existed in real life. But that's what we have fantasy for.
Hm, the Shadow Thieves are merely wanting in on the cake that the privileged classes have the lawful right to squeeze out of the poor. One could argue that it's only fair to even out the economy a bit. Not that I want to support stealing, just pointing out that they are not necessarily worse than anyone else in the hamster wheel, trying to get his piece of the pie.
I agree, though, that criminal organizations are often (always?) an ugly business, and the concept of thieves is romanticized in games like these.
Unless I was playing a pants-on-head Evil character with a Minsc-level Wisdom, I'd like to think they'd figure that the creepy night-stalking terror whose minions keep turning to mist when I murder them might, might not have their best interests at heart.
Plus come on, it's the Shadow Thieves, they might lose a gang here and there, but if there's a shadowy organisation you want onside it's gotta be the organisation that spans 90% of the Sword Coast.
I'm not fond of the choice of having to "choose the lesser of two evils", as presented by SoA. I often use the Alternatives mod to avoid the issue, which also gives me the pleasure of destroying both the thieves and the vamps.
But, if I must choose, I hate vamps! As in, I consider them ultimate evil corrupters, tempters, Faustian dealmakers, sell-your-soul-to-the-devil, give-in-to-your-darkside, succumb to their sex appeal and commit murder every night forever so you can be with your Maker, horrors!
In the Dracula fantasy, I play Van Helsing. In the fantasies of Buffy and Angel, I am Buffy, and in Twilight, the Vampire Diaries, True Blood, or Anne Rice, I make up my own character who destroys the vamps at will. In Twilight, or especially in True Blood, I would probably be one of the wolfies. I would enjoy playing BG as a wolfie, if that class had special attacks against vamps. Ironically, as implemented, BG wolfies are probably about the most helpless class you could play against vamps.
Sometimes, I am tempted to play a cleric just for the fantasy of epic level Turn Undead, where I can activate my holy symbol and make vamps of Bodhi's level and below explode just by looking at them.
Vamps are unnatural, horrible, abominations. They are symptoms and symbols of everything that is wrong in the world, including in our real world.
Um, yes, so, I reluctantly choose the Shadow Thieves.
The way I see the Shadow Thieves that they offer a balance in things against other entities in the world of Faerun, I kind of reluctantly support them because of that.
Eh, depends on my CHARNAME, and if I have Alternatives installed, but most times than not, I'm siding with the shadow thieves. Mostly because I don't think Xan or Kivan would like it if I sided with Bodhi. Which is why they aren't there when I do an evil party.
I think I sided with Bodhi for my first playthrough and after that with the thieves. I think it has a lot to do with meta-knowledge; knowing that she's eventually gonna try to kill me (twice if I remember correctly) just makes me want to tell her to kiss my ass everytime she asks for my gold.
During my first playthrough, I figured the Shadow Thieves weren't being completely honest with me and were using my party for their own gain, but I wasn't sure if they were going to betray me in the end. I thought Bodhi and her vampires would most likely turn on me (CE undead vs the living--it's only a matter of time), so I picked the more predictable (and less "moral") path, making sure Viconia always had a few Negative Plane Protection and Lesser Restoration spells ready.
Plus, they're spooky vampires and their lair is hidden underneath the city graveyard. I liked that.
Later, when the Valen mod came out, it was even more reason to side with them, although I admit she was very overpowered (as long as there's no sunlight).
I alternate between them. Some games I side with one and some games with the other. However, I usually tend to side with the Shadow Thieves. In my current game I actually intended to side with Bodhi, but then she didn't show up to her own meeting so I went with the Shadow Thieves again instead.
Depends on the character. Though ironically, siding with the vampires actually creates the best outcome as you destroy both organisations' headquarters, severely damaging two evil organised crime organisations.
Correct me if I'm wrong but don't you get necklace of power from the shadow theifs?
You'll get it anyway after you kill Aran Linvil.
I'll side with thieves because vampires are creepy. Also, you can betray the thieves later. Even if the special thief shows up, kills everyone in the party and apparently immune to cltr-Y, he can be killed by shapechange->mindflayer->devour brain.
Correct me if I'm wrong but don't you get necklace of power from the shadow theifs?
You'll get it anyway after you kill Aran Linvil.
I'll side with thieves because vampires are creepy. Also, you can betray the thieves later. Even if the special thief shows up, kills everyone in the party and apparently immune to cltr-Y, he can be killed by shapechange->mindflayer->devour brain.
You can also avoid being killed by him by casting Death Ward on your characters.
The first time I played I sided with Bodhi, because I assumed that if a character had a portrait they could be a party member. When I discovered that this was not the case, and this vampire wouldn't join me, I forever sided with the Shadow Thieves.
Comments
Vampires - "Wow, these guys are completely treacherous, snake-like, and douchebags."
Gee, I wonder what any sane character is going to pick. Mind you, if your character is insane, then by all means side with the Vampires. I'm just explaining why I voted the way I did.
The only reason Bodhi gives to join her is that she's charging less. And right when she's about to give you the offer, the Shadow Thieves price is lowered to match, anyway.
Bodhi is just nasty and unlikeable.
I agree, though, that criminal organizations are often (always?) an ugly business, and the concept of thieves is romanticized in games like these.
Plus come on, it's the Shadow Thieves, they might lose a gang here and there, but if there's a shadowy organisation you want onside it's gotta be the organisation that spans 90% of the Sword Coast.
But, if I must choose, I hate vamps! As in, I consider them ultimate evil corrupters, tempters, Faustian dealmakers, sell-your-soul-to-the-devil, give-in-to-your-darkside, succumb to their sex appeal and commit murder every night forever so you can be with your Maker, horrors!
In the Dracula fantasy, I play Van Helsing. In the fantasies of Buffy and Angel, I am Buffy, and in Twilight, the Vampire Diaries, True Blood, or Anne Rice, I make up my own character who destroys the vamps at will. In Twilight, or especially in True Blood, I would probably be one of the wolfies. I would enjoy playing BG as a wolfie, if that class had special attacks against vamps. Ironically, as implemented, BG wolfies are probably about the most helpless class you could play against vamps.
Sometimes, I am tempted to play a cleric just for the fantasy of epic level Turn Undead, where I can activate my holy symbol and make vamps of Bodhi's level and below explode just by looking at them.
Vamps are unnatural, horrible, abominations. They are symptoms and symbols of everything that is wrong in the world, including in our real world.
Um, yes, so, I reluctantly choose the Shadow Thieves.
Plus, they're spooky vampires and their lair is hidden underneath the city graveyard. I liked that.
Later, when the Valen mod came out, it was even more reason to side with them, although I admit she was very overpowered (as long as there's no sunlight).
Looks like I'm definitely in the minority here.
Uh, hey, @Mortianna! C'mere. I need to show you some cool new treasure I found.
"Be right there!" *casts Stoneskin and Protection from Good*
That is all.
What was that Valygar? Those sister-stealed bastard cowled wizards set you up? Maybe I should listen to your full story and reconsider....
Oooooo...that wasn't pretty.
I'll side with thieves because vampires are creepy. Also, you can betray the thieves later. Even if the special thief shows up, kills everyone in the party and apparently immune to cltr-Y, he can be killed by shapechange->mindflayer->devour brain.