Feedback: Companion pairings ruining my drive to play again.

Question

I feel absolutely insane, but I can’t do it. I genuinely despise the background pairing system and it’s making it impossible for me to play a new run. I want to try for a different ending and a better romance, but I’m preemptively annoyed and can’t. I made a new character and can’t get more than 10 minutes past the title card.

Lucanis was my first run’s romance, and it was disappointing. So disappointing that I dread seeing Lucanis and Neve at the Lighthouse, or taking them out in a pair, knowing I’ll have to hear their relationship organically develop in a way that Rook isn’t capable of doing. I don’t want to see Lucanis doing more for and talking about his relationship with Neve more, and all with an initiative/openness that he never had with Rook. I hate knowing that when I lock in my romance with Emmerich, I’ll be subjected to watching Rook’s commitment scene with Lucanis play out, but for Neve instead, as if Rook/Neve are entirely interchangeable. It’s so immersion-breaking I want to physically cringe. Add in the flirt lines they’re both given in Lucanis’ quests, along with the “no time for romance with you” warning, and I’m struggling to give this new run a chance.

I don’t know if anything can be done about it, but I’ve heard similar complaints about Taash/Harding’s banter making players feel bitter about the relationship building they’re allowed that Rook isn’t. It seems like such a small issue, I know, but it’s literally the only thing stopping me from playing again.

Can we get clarification on if there’s a way to prevent it besides just…ignoring the big exclamation point? Does that even work? Has anyone successfully had an intended pairing remain platonic through a run, or do they always hook up if you talk to them?

pattealriot · Answer

With Neve and Lucanis, I completely understand what you’re saying. After doing his romance, and being completely baffled & disappointed, I could not look at him / Neve the same anymore. They basically start flirting as soon as they meet and their chemistry builds more than Lucanis’ and Rook’s even when choosing the flirty options. It is so bizarre and off putting and they continue to flirt even in party banter after.

They always hook up, always flirt, Rook is the awkward third wheel always if you try to romance Neve and Lucanis. The writers wrote these characters to romance each other, not Rook. If you play the other characters romances and then romance Lucanis, it is jarring. Lack of context and content.

with Taash & Harding I did not get that tbh. Maybe one very small instance of Taash being maybe flirty with Harding. Nothing even close to the outright disrespect of Neve and Lucanis.

dexiderp · Answer

I have never been so annoyed with a background pairing in the history of BioWare games, and I’m going to include DAO with the surprise Alistair/Morrigan misery in that pool. The way they did this is my worst nightmare, as someone that has always been very “meh” about the spares pairing off.

I feel like an actual crazy person, but the anti-romance of Act 2, unavoidable shipping of the two in the story missions, and knowing what I know about the Act 1 choice has ruined Neve as a character for me entirely. The second she showed up in my new run I was already sick of her. 🥲

willowsle · Answer

Same. I have my new playthrough ready and I wanted to romance Davrin, but I'm not touching it till a mod comes out to block Lucanis/Neve. I'm so incredibly upset I have to watch companions have a better romance than me. I paid for the **bleep** game, NOT NEVE!

libelleigh · Answer

Considering they have failed to even acknowledge the feedback they have been getting. I’ve decided to uninstall the game and move on.

I hope they do decide to fix this. I’m just not very hopeful due to the absolute radio silence here.

wyllravengard · Answer

&nbsp;I'm with you, but I'm doubting they decide to fix anything.&nbsp; I really don't understand it though, because they have another game they will want people to purchase in a couple of years and given how this one has gone, there might not be as many willing to give it a try.I also moved on ... back to BG3 in fact, but now that the modding community is getting the tools to work on some things, I'm back trying to play again.&nbsp; Granted that right now it's just cosmetic things - armors, or lack thereof, etc., but at least it opens up some things that were also frustrating beforehand.&nbsp; I was really getting annoyed about how hard it was to find the transmogs that I wanted to use over my armor.Sadly, some of the things we all are complaining about might not be able to be fixed by modders, unless there are some hidden dialogue in the asset files that didn't make it into the game.&nbsp; But, nonetheless, at least there are some folks trying to fix some of the things - more than I can say for the outfit that put this game out.So far, I only have a romance going with Davrin far enough to compare to what I'm hearing about Lucanis' romance, and others... and at least there has been nothing with other companions that takes Davrin's attention away from Rook.&nbsp; Though, I am very ticked off by the lack of interaction - I was just at the lighthouse after a quest and Davrin was standing over near Assan - I was able to walk to and pet Assan, but Davrin just looked around as if I wasn't even there... this is the kind of crap people are complaining about.&nbsp; Other times when we get back to the lighthouse, he is always in somebody else's room and we can't interact.&nbsp; Just maddening.Oh well... so much for all the hype about the game from this wonderful studio before the release... at least before the release we all had hope.&nbsp; Right now, there is no hope, because everybody knows they aren't going to fix anything.I suppose I just need to quit complaining and find a way to make sure they know they aren't getting more of my money in the future unless they fix the present!

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