Baldur’s Gate 3 – Playthrough 12 – Bits and Pieces and Nudity

I finally got you to read one of my BG3 posts, didn’t I?

Don’t worry. This isn’t “bait’n’switch.” The images are there. You can start frantically scrolling down the page to find them, if you want. It’s not as if I can stop you.

However, maybe there’s something worth reading before you get there. Take it slow. If I bore you, you can always start speed-scrolling.

This post, like the similar one I did for playthrough 11, consists of smaller topics that I couldn’t fit in any of the others in this series.

Naoise

A couple of posts ago, I asked the question: With all the other romance-related activities I had Amaranth do, why didn’t I have her visit Naoise Nallinto?

The answer has to do with what Naoise says and does. Even though I’ve taken a more relaxed view on spoilers since I started this series, there are some things I’d rather leave as a surprise.

What I’ll say is that she offers a choice of experiences to only one character who visits her during a playthrough. If you’re playing a Tav, you’ll always see the same choices. But if you’re playing one of the game-provided characters (e.g., Gale), you’ll get an extra option unique to that character.

This is from one such individual choice, from playthrough 7.

If you’re doing multiple playthroughs as I did, I strongly advise you to have different game-provided characters speak with Naoise. That will let you see the range of choices, and become familiar with how Naoise speaks with them.

For this playthrough, I decided to have her speak with Minsc.

How Naoise reacts is hilarious, but only in context. I laughed because I’d seen how she reacted to eleven other characters prior to this. If you decide to ignore my advice and shove Minsc in front of Naoise on your first playthrough, you won’t find it funny.

Minsc agrees! Don’t make him engage with Naoise until at least your fifth playthrough, perhaps more.

I’ll add that it takes a bit of planning to put Minsc in front of Naoise. She’s located in a place that one typically visits before meeting Minsc for the first time.

In this playthrough, I rushed ahead, added Minsc to my party, then took the now-complete group back as far as I could so I could hear Minsc’s banter.

Minsc: Minsc has never trusted places such as this. Too much of a wizard’s power can be simply packaged and picked up.

Minsc: Well, picked up by all but Minsc. When he touches the many delicate little jars, oh how the wizards shout and stare!

Gale: Fear not, Minsc. You have a wizard at your side who positively encourages such curiosity. You’ll fit right in.

Minsc: Obliged, wizard. Should we find our way to a weaponsmith, Minsc will rough you up a little – so that you too can fit in.

I only did this because it was my 12th playthrough. I had the explicit goal of seeing as much of the dialog as I could. If you’re not doing something similar, give yourself a chance to become familiar with the game’s variations.

Don’t spoil it for yourself. You want to enjoy the moment, the same way Mizora enjoys tormenting Wyll.

Then you can rest on your laurels, content that you’ve seen how Naoise gives everyone a special treatment.

Statues

If a character has enough gold, they can commission a statue of themselves.

It doesn’t have to be one of your character. You can have any member of your party talk to Boney and tell him what kind of statue they want.

It wasn’t until playthrough 10 that I noticed that the name of the statue depends on which character ordered it.

From playthrough 9. A Tav or a Hireling gets a generic title.

From playthrough 11. Yes, it’s a nude statue, but it’s not what I referred to in the title of this post. Be patient!

Boo wonders why Minsc gets a statue, but he does not.

You’ve already guessed: Now I have to get a statue made of all the other characters to see their names. Four down, seven more to go!

Astarion blanches at the thought of seven more playthroughs just to see more statues.

Cats

In a previous post, I set a goal: To get a screenshot of all the cats in the game, taken during a single playthrough. Here we go:

That’s all the cats, but some special folks demanded attention:

You can pet Scratch (see the end of this post), but as far as I know Tara the Tressyk is the only cat-like creature you can pet.

“I’m not a cat! Keep them away from me! Go away!”

Boo the Miniature Giant Space Hamster is not a cat either. But he has no fear, merely faultless justice.

My cats Jiku and Shuba often like to watch me play BG3.

I might try to take a picture of all the dogs in the game in a future playthrough. This would be tricky, since a couple of the dogs tend to run away quickly before you can speak with them.

The moral, as always, is to keep Speak with Animals active.

What about Scratch? We’ll get to him in just a bit.

Three Bards, no waiting

There were three Bards in the party. It seemed natural to recreate a reduced version of a Barding It video. These videos includes sweeping movements of the video camera. If you have vertigo, please consider skipping it.

Here’s the Three Protectors Band playing Bard Dance: Moana on violin, Larrana on lyre, and Curly Joanna is the flutist. Boo conducts.

As long as I’m posting videos, here’s another one I made. In two of the campsites, there’s a spot where you can stand and listen to a vocal version of I Want to Live. I make a point of listening to the song at least once per playthrough, usually more. I recorded this during a party at the campsite.

Alfira and Lakrissa kept talking through the performance. A Bard should know better. Alfira, there’s nothing you can say that will excuse this.

Just us girls

I went over the stages of modifying character appearance in my first BG3 post. I’m sure you’ve forgotten, so here’s a reminder.

At one point in the adventure, Amaranth wanted to check on something in the Goblin Camp. They’d already slain all the enemies in the camp. It was empty. Since there was no danger, there was no need to take everyone.

Shadowheart suggested that group be “just us girls.” Amaranth agreed; why not?

They headed to the Goblin Camp, armored for action. But there was none. They’d already defeated anyone who could challenge them.

They realized they could remove the restricting armor and just hang out in their camp clothes.

It was such a relief to be out of the male gaze. They could sunbath without being ogled.

Lae’zel asked, “Have you ever bathed in the blood of your enemies?” The others hadn’t, so she showed them how.

Scratch was there to protect them as they headed back to camp.

Scratch is such a good boy!

I’ll round out this post with pictures of all the characters as they pet Scratch.

Scratch likes to fetch things to give to you.

Apart from a tribute to such a nice puppy, the reason for this photo gallery is to show the characters smiling. In general, it’s rare to see your own character smile, much less any of the others. The only reliable way to see a smile is to pet Scratch.

My next BG3 post will be the last one on playthrough 12: Wrapping up.