I don't like any of the partymembers... [minor spoilers]

[Karacan]

I'm having an issue with Avadon, and it's becoming a major turn-off for me.

 

I like the new mechanics (though I hope for even more varied skill-trees or classes in the coming versions).

 

I like the politics going on (though I hope that my choices have more branching impact in the future titles ).

 

But I really, really dislike my party-members.

 

Nathalie is a prissy tart. For someone with so much Intelligence, she is downright stupid. "Ooooh, why did Avadon not prevent me from going out on my own when I was leaving for a suicide quest without telling anyone? It's their fault!" Really? I mean, seriously? Wow. Two people have snuck out already on their own, and it didn't end too well for them. And now it's Avadon's fault for not chaining you up in your room? Let me remedy that...

 

Sevilin is a whining poser with a lack of personality replaced by a fake code of honour he so desperately clings to that I wince every time he talks. He alters between slap-worthy insecure whining and an "I'm so much better than you, because I have LAW on my side, you worthless savages"-attitude that makes me want to throw him to the next ogre as a meal.

 

Jennel is the most surprising character to dislike. I didn't expect to dislike her. But she also suffers from a "I'm better than anyone here, my ways are the best, yadda yadda yadda"-complex. Her constant whining gets on my nerves when I was hoping for a calm, collected druid-ess. Like nearly every other shaman you meet.

 

Shima is a ninja. I'm a pirate. Pirates don't like ninjas. I never take him along, because I really don't like the character class. Not because of its abilities, which seem to be awesome, but because of "I don't like ninjas".

 

 

I suppose I'm three quarters through the game, but the utter dislike for my partymembers makes me play less and less. Which sucks a bit, because I would love to see how the story evolves and ends.

 

That's not to say the characters are badly written. But their personalities make me want to punch them repeatedly, and I'm not masochistic enough to solo-play my sorceress.

 

 

I'll definitely try Avadon 2 at one point, but during the demo I hope the companions (and I have no doubt there'll be some) will be either more appealing, or giving me a greater choice of modifying my team.

[Randomizer]

When you reach the end you get told why you are stuck with that group of whining loser.

 

A solo play sorceress on torment is doable for almost the entire game except a few optional fights. A solo shadowwalker or blademaster is even easier.

[Karacan]

Interesting. Do I get a chance to execute/tartslap them personally?

 

That'd be motivation to go on playing!

[Jerakeen]

No, but you can speak sternly to them and refrain from helping them. Of course, that will cost you their loyalty.

[Superba]

Sorry to be on the other side :-)

I love them all for similar reasons. At first they are so busy with themselves that I feel safe they have no time to plot against me. Then I like to be surrounded by people so different (and crazy), makes me feel the only one who knows what is going on (not true but self reassuring) and this is a good reason to give them directions. But I remember the first time Shima fled I was really crossed, for sure I wanted to send him back to the Honorable Forge :-9

Sorry again, I take all this a bit personally.

[Dark.Fenix]

i do actualy like the new "personality" of the team.

 

in AV u acted as a whole, not individualy, even if sometimes u fealt as being just 1 person on dialogs the truth is that there were 4 ppl there.

 

in avadon u are u, and its to u whom are the orders given, u then have to put up a team, make them follow orders, help them, put up/deal with their personal problems (tho slaping them would be a good option).

 

each of ur partie members have their own backstory and that brings something to the story.

 

i liked when nathalie runs and jennel in my party says somthing like "this is stupid, why should we chase some spoiled brat" and i said "didnt u just did the same a while back" "that was diferent.. i... *stays silent*"

 

 

but i get ur point, sometimes it feels like ur the only mature/grown up/non stuburn person there. still it is something diferente from what i was used to.

 

 

also at the start if u chat with them u will notice that they are all from diferent "countries" and each countrie thinks they are better then the others, and so do they, thus while some of them eventualy end up having little argument fights between them.

 

u are the balance in the midle of a hurricane, the eye of the storm, that prevents them from murdering each other while they sleep (or so i like to think of myself)

[Tcheedchee]

I neither see it as negative as Karacan, nor as positive as Dark. Fenix.

I'm also annoyed by the attitudes the party-members display, and I especially dislike Natalie, who I avoid taking with me, although the sorceress has nice traits. I also dislike the other's attitudes, but I can just about stand them.

 

What I really hate is, that some of the dialogue options, which are offered to me are almost as arrogant and self-centered as the attitudes my companions display.

Also it occurs to me, that the story doesn't really seem to differ very much, no matter, which options I choose. The outcome rather often seems to be that if I decline certain choices, I just fail to complete a quest. Or I stumble on fragments of quests, which havn't been completed in the 'classical' way (of killing all opponents right away). For instance

Click to reveal..

have I stumbled onto the highest initiate of Moritz'Kri, when I returned to Moritz Tower in search of the 'cook books' requested by Leira. I had sent her away during the first encounter with her, when I was hunting Moritz'Kri. But the text-window told me the same old text, it told me the first time. She wanted to fight me to save Moritz, as if I hadn't already sent her away during the first encounter. No realisation whatsoever, that I could only return, if I had already defeated Moritz.

Was that a bug or badly checked fragment of the story?

 

I can imagine how difficult it must be, to plot and write all the branching variations, that spawn as soon as a storyteller offers more than one option. Even if they are just small detours of the main plot. But I get a bit upset about the pretence of offering a story with individual story-lines depending on the players decisions. That doesn't really happen.

 

Otherwise it's still a lot of fun to play the game, as it was to play all predecessors, which I've played, because most of the time, there is enough humor and generally a critical attitude towards a lot of stupid things one encounters in Avadon. Actually most people in Linaeus seem to be a bit self-centered and stupid.

So why not my companions and my own character too. It's just a game.

Just spare me Natalie!

[Jerakeen]

That's a bug; I encountered it too and e-mailed Jeff about it.

[elchipeo]

Originally Posted By: Karacan

Interesting. Do I get a chance to execute/tartslap them personally?

That'd be motivation to go on playing!

actually, there is one situation where you can sacrifice them all avoid getting your ass kicked. its kind of a shitty thing to do though. especially if you did all their personal quests.

[madrigan]

The companion NPCs are all rigid, obsessed narcissists. But I can overlook that. The only one I really don't like dealing with is Nathalie, because I think she's crazy. Arrogant, belligerently nationalist, possibly psychopathic, poor impulse control, her inborn talent must really be huge because I don't see how she stopped complaining and plotting long enough to learn any spells. She is too young to be so bitter, I find her very unpleasant despite her intelligence and ability.

[Marak]

There's actually a story reason that all your Party Members have major flaws. Don't want to spoil it but, near the end of the game, you can find out WHY they all have these issues that you end having to deal with (or not). If you like, here's a only-sorta-spoilery summary:

 

Click to reveal..

After the final Castle Verbeaux questline, you'll have a little chat with Heart Miranda that explains a great deal. She's easy to miss when you return to Avadon, so be sure to seek her out and keep her chatting.

[Shadowplay]

Nathalie is the youngest of the bunch, probably 19-ish. while the rest are probably in their late 20s and early 30s. Yes, Nathalie is rather arrogant because she does have talent and probably got sent to Avadon a decade or so ahead of everyone else and so nobody knows what to do with her. She's also probably more than a bit ignorant of both her own limits and others' opinions. All of Lynaeus appears to be culture-inflexible, arrogant, and selfish. Not surprising for a confederation of feudal powers that are constantly bickering.

[Death Knight]

Wait a second, You can solo with a shadowwalker or blademaster? On normal or on tricky? If that is true what are the advantages. If you get more exp then i will ditch everyone right now

[Lilith]

There's no real advantage to it. It's possible to beat the game with a solo Shadowwalker even on Torment, but it's something you do for the extra challenge, not for any benefit.

[Randomizer]

You can do almost all the game with a solo Shadowwalker, Sorceress, or Blademaster on torment difficulty. The only fights that you can't do are optional and don't prevent you from finishing.

[Txgangsta]

Nathalie is 17.

[Denizen of Terrestia]

Why the Sevilin hate?

He isn't that bad.. he is correct about a lot of things, and actively supports a written law system

[ĐªгŦĦ Єяŋϊε]

he is just waay to self-righteous to listen to

[Superba]

Sevilin is the only one loyal to rules, and supports the Stone Code, in fact he is actually the only one which accepts a "no" without later consequences, if you forbid him to kill his main target.

[A less presumptuous name.]

Actually, every character, including Sevilin, has the same response if you refuse to help them or let them complete their vendetta mission. They refuse to help you in the optional challenge ending.

[Superba]

I may be wrong, I played a lot of playthroughs and tried many character answer options, but still I remember Sevilin back in Avadon telling me I was right to prevent him to kill the bandit now he understands the law is more important than his persomal revenge (with different words).

[radiojonty]

Originally Posted By: Karacan

Nathalie is a prissy tart.

Really? I think she's a hottie. :-)

[A less presumptuous name.]

Originally Posted By: Superba

I may be wrong, I played a lot of playthroughs and tried many character answer options, but still I remember Sevilin back in Avadon telling me I was right to prevent him to kill the bandit now he understands the law is more important than his persomal revenge (with different words).

Regardless of what the character says after the quest, he will not help you in the challenge endgame unless you help him complete his vendetta.