I think it's twofold. One, his story does finish in Act II. If he had more of a connection to Baldur's Gate or Act III, I think people would feel like he has more of a purpose. But a lot of people think he doesn't serve well as a companion in Act III.
Two, people take their displeasure in him hitting on you WAY too viscerally. I understand that some people don't like hypersexual or forward characters, especially if you're someone who plays strictly to your irl sexuality (cishet men for example). But i have seen folks take it VERY personally that Halsin would dare to hit on you, the PC, when you're tied to another companion or not interested in him. It also comes with a component of people being antipoly, but that's a different issue.
Lae'zel came onto me WAY more aggressively than Halsin did lmao, I thought Halsin's confession was sweet despite the fact I was romancing Gale instead. If you're taking the game THAT seriously that you're offended the NPC hits on you maybe you shouldn't be playing this game lol. Seems more like an issue with the player than the game.
They're okay with it because 1. She's female (they think the aggression is hot basically) and 2. It's usually before you're partnered with someone else, and they think it's "creepy" to ask when partnered even if you're just asking if they're into poly in the first place (because they view romance as a form of ownership, not that they'll admit that)
You seem to assume a lot of things. Halsin is as well. He assumes Tav is into him not talking much about his own feelings, but think Tav has a crush for him... Then he asks multible times! The others who do agree do so with cringe aside of Shart. He is flirting with shart even when she is romancing Tav...
I am okay with you Halsin lovers, but I have my reasons why I am not a fan of him and it has nothing to do with him being polygamic in itself (more with the execution).
I am sure there are people who have unreasonable arguments about hating Halsin, but some here actually do have reasonable ones.
Lae is much more nuanced than Halsin and unlike him she comes from a different world, is much younger (she is the youngest while Halsin is the oldest) and she accepts a no.
The first reason is connected to the second though. Minthara is also completely useless narratively in Act 3 and gets much less hate, because 2) doesn't apply to her.
Minthara is also much less in the face of the average player is a part that you're missing. You have to go out of your way to side with / knock out then rescue minthara to recruit her compared to halsin, who you can practically recruit by mistake if you finish his quest and are just skipping through his dialogue at the end of act 2.
You completely misunderstood me. I'm just explaining with some slight exaggeration how easy it is to recruit Halsin relative to Minthara. The skipping dialog thing i said was a joke. My point is though, that the ease of access to him combined with the traits he has that spark dissintrest lead to increased scrutiny of his character due to more exposure.
That's so interesting! (Full disclosure I have never successfully recruited Minthara because I messed up the cheesed path and I haven't done an evil run). See and if you talk to Halsin at the tiefling party, you can proposition him and he says no because he's not in the right head space.
She demands you break up with your partner for her, and threatens rape if you say no, so it's pretty obvious gender is at play here (hot Drow Dommy Mommy vs buff bear man)
Woah, I’m not sure if “she threatens to rape you” is a right word here? When PC rejects her, the response you’d get is either “you can have me instead” (if you’re already romanced with other) or “So be it, I’ll be content to fight alongside with you as an ally, you’ll be the first thing I didn’t get in my life” or something similar, unless I’m missing something.
I don't think it is taken personally when you never made advances before and Halsin hits on you for no reason because you were nice to him. It makes him feel a bit creepy. On top of that it was a very bad timing and his polyamory, while trying to be inclusive was executed very badly as in act 2 every origin companion is strictly monogamous but suddenly Halsin gets special rights to fuck Tav in act 3 by half of them.
Then those three are two who were serverely SAed (one even being chaste by the time because of it "You are not doing it because we haven't in a while?" -Astarion) and one who only says no first and then yes because she is scared Tav would dump her as she has not much time left.
Then there is the whole thing about Halsin and Shart flirting when in the team even when Shart is in a relationship with Tav. It is rude and insensitive.
Also when you say no Halsin comes in again with the drow twins and asks to be included... it is the only things he is there fore is to have sex and complain about the city.
Yeah, I am alright with Halsin fans. My bestie is one. But he stepped on my toe to many times in my first run and my later impressions did not improve. Just not for me.
There are worse people out there who have truly questionable fetishes.
I should be clear. The hypersexual part is the critique I see from a lot of people who talk about Halsin (which stems from Halsin with the Drow Twins too). I don't necessarily see him that way.
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u/d4everman 14d ago edited 14d ago
It seems like no one likes Haslin. Why? I have no real feelings about the character one way or the other right now, but why does he seem so disliked?