Halsin doesn't care about Shadow Druids

[@fluffernutter6633]

Kagha and the 20 druids at her command hid from a pack of like, 9 goblins. Like woman you could literally storm the goblin camp with 20 bears what are you worried about??

[@mercedeswalt6621]

I kinda think it was more of an excuse to slaughter some Tieflings.

[@hijackingcat42069]

Havw you ever sided with the goblins, cause there are far more when you raid the grove

[@fluffernutter6633]

@@hijackingcat42069 True, but even if there were 100 goblins I would still bet on the 20 or so druids, all of which can turn into bears.

[@CinnamonRoll5816]

If simply bears are enough to fend off some outnumbering goblins, imagine what they could do with some Owlbears at their side

[@maskydoo7871]

There wasn't even a single druid up there defending the gate. Bunch of cowards, all of them.

[@SayaCeline]

"We were swarmed with Goblins!" Girl there were like four....and they all died...so literally nobody back at the goblin camp knew where the grove was

[@grondhero]

There were 12 including the pack animal and bugbear, but yeah. No extra attacks after that.

[@vishnu79]

​@grondhero There's also the bugbear inside the Grove, up by the telescope. There's another 5, I think, in the secret tunnel that are torturing the gnome druid and trying to figure out how to bypass the traps, also, and if you listen to them talk to each other before engaging them, they'll mention that (paraphrasing here) "the drow knows the weapon is in the Grove, we just gotta figure out how to get in and we can go back and tell her where it's at and how to get in, and she'll reward us". Lastly, there's Sazza, who got caught trying to sneak in. Clearly, there's been some scouting going on, on the goblin's part, before we arrive. The thing with the attack at the gate was the last warning. What came after was going to be a full-on assault as soon as Minthara got her troops in order.

[@grondhero]

@@vishnu79 The bugbear assassin by the telescope was unknown to the others until you kill it (if you kill it; it's possible for it to assassinate the tiefling girl and escape if you're slow or come up the other direction), the ones in the tunnel are _unknown_ because it's a *_secret_* tunnel and if they knew they were in there, they'd have rescued their fellow druid. Scouts are not 'swarms' of goblins. Individuals are not swarms. Maybe we have different play throughs, but I have gotten this scene without Minthara attacking the grove.

[@dino3965]

If only the goblins could find the camp they were looking for that was a 3 minute walk away straight down the road

[@mr.alpaca2663]

​@@grondhero Yeah, but their point is that Kagha's fears were right. She was afraid that now that the goblins mounted an attack the others would know where they are. She doesn't have proof of this (despite it being a sensible assumption) and it is confirmed to the player by the bugbear infiltrators. While Kagha went way too far and was far to quick to sacrifice others, her fear of being attacked were not unreasonable at all

[@DerekWong967]

The shadow druids pretending to be mice nearby: *squeak*

[@snazzyfeathers]

Lmao the quicksave at the end

[@PaperDoll1551]

Right? 🤣 You ever get so pissed at an enemy you drop a save before you sort them out?

[@Leisurelee53]

Lol if npcs could see the little spinning circle in the corner "What.. uh.. whaddya doin there, buddy?"

[@ElongatedZee]

I was literally coming here to comment about this bruh now I gotta do this and fight her I didn't get this my first time around

[@peternrdstrm]

Kagha: is a part of a massive plot to take over the grove Halsin : 😴😴😴 Kagha: kills child Halsin:🤬🤬🤬

[@LuunnaGaia]

in fairness, the shadow druids' MO seems to mostly be "shit ourselves and do nothing" this might be a lack of lore understanding on my part but at a quick glance id probably shrug and move on too

[@g0lddustt29]

@@LuunnaGaia Shadow Druids are isolationists, they basically want to keep all concepts of modern civilization out of their circles & live like actual jungle people. More or less. Where as Halsin basically is trying to make the grove into a big restoration committee for the Shadow Cursed lands.

[@LuunnaGaia]

@g0lddustt29 that's fine, I'm referring to their actual impact on that world. which appears to be nothing thus it makes halsins underwhelmed reaction about their attempted coup kind of self-evident

[@allhandsondik7803]

He's a true Druid. He doesn't truly care who leads the grove, he doesn't really even believe in leaders, he's more worried about the innocent lives that are lost in the process. Nature's gift squandered, and honestly he's based for that.

[@archsteel7]

@@LuunnaGaiaIt depends. These ones are honestly pretty tame for Shadow Druids, they’re the isolationist variety. There are other more extreme shadow druids who believe that civilization in general should be set back a bit. The kind to go full Poison Ivy and try and overtake entire cities with nature. But those are the sorts of Shadow Druids who end up being the Big Bad for their campaigns as opposed to side quests. Or, at least they do until it’s revealed they were actually being manipulated by a green dragon or something because Forgotten Realms is allergic to letting the true final boss be mortals.

[@AtomicTankGirl]

When a PC quick saves in conversation with the option to attack, you're fucked.

[@cindervox9961]

Originally i talked Kagha into turning on the shadow druids but then i learned about the item you get when you kill her. Its a necklace that grants 1d4 poison to the wearers weapons after healing them. So squishy vamp bastard gets it every time now. If you turn her against the shadow druids you get a staff and title, but it's not as good tbh.

[@trevorsreya8277]

You can get it all regardless of whether you save Kagha or not. If you saved Kagha, you can still force a fight with her and knock her out to get her necklace. If you kill Kagha, you can still get the staff and title from Rath as long as you're a druid at the end of the quest, but that part is a bit buggy. On two different playthroughs where I kill Kagha, and have SH as a druid talk to Rath, 1 playthrough he gives me the staff and title, the other playthrough he doesn't.

[@leyrua]

The staff doesn't even protect you from Jahiera in her cutscene at Last Light. Which is a huge disappointment, to be honest.

[@iterationfackshet1990]

Poison sucks ass tbh

[@robertkarp2070]

Asterion is not squishy. Don't use him for toe ot toe melee, he's not made for that. He's a backstabber and ranged weapon user. Same goes for Shadowheart, she's a Cleric not a warrior, use her for a healer, not melee. Melee is last resort. That necklaces is not very useful. There's a ton of necklaces that are for more useful.

[@iterationfackshet1990]

@@robertkarp2070 clerics can be very tanky, although they’re better support characters. It’s best to put alert on a cleric to gain a ton of initiative and so they can’t be surprised and buff the party at the start of a fight. You want your rogue to stay out of combat to pick off low health enemies as not to be drawn into combat and be forced to use turns. This is why it’s actually best for a rogue to be a gloomstalker/assassin multiclass instead of a thief since thief’s extra bonus action only counts in combat. Sure this removes the rogue’s damage during fights but that isn’t really going to matter since the rogue isn’t going to one shot someone. You want your caster and melee to be doing the most damage, and usually your melee is the player.

[@mellowjr3525]

The cheeky little quicksave lmao

[@nicolaszan1845]

Halsin's voice actor did a fantastic job

[@krzlcve]

I feel dizzy, I played through the whole of Act 1 with no mention of shadow Druids… this game is so complex and intertwining my god 😅

[@JailShanker]

In the area where you first meet kagha, if you go in the first room on the left, theres a hidden chest that starts this quest :)

[@ologracz1110]

It's a very small quest. You find two notes, then confront Kagha and three weak shadow druids. It also does not change anything - since there is no timer on the ritual, it does not matter if you stop it or not. You still want to find Halsin anyway, who will stop it.

[@gamester512]

@@ologracz1110 Not quite true. Certain actions will result in the ritual being completed and the Grove becoming totally sealed off and permanently inaccessible. I've never allowed it to happen myself, but it _can_ absolutely happen if you make the wrong choices. There are several ways it can play out: You stop the ritual, the ritual is completed and the Grove is permanently sealed off, or you instigate a fight between the Tieflings & Druids (which I believe ultimately results in the Tieflings killing all of the Druids and also stopping the rite, though not without casualties).

[@ologracz1110]

@@gamester512 I specified a time limit. Does the ritual complete on its own, given enough long rests? Otherwise, I don't see your point.

[@jdavis7993]

​@@ologracz1110 No, rite only completes if you leave to mountain pass or shadow cursed lands without killing the goblin leaders.

[@JachymorDota]

It takes Halsin longer to make a bowl of cereal than him griefing about you utterly devastating the grove, that guy just wants out of the responsibility.

[@icedteabee]

he's so hot when hes angry...

[@Zakaarus]

halsin I’ve been bad, also cavorting in the shadows… you should make sure I don’t “backslide” by crushing me with natures fury pre emptively

[@anonthe-third2367]

If nature's fury is his ass count me in ​@@Zakaarus

[@Zakaarus]

fr fr resisting the urge to backslide so he’ll slide on my back

[@combinecommando001]

The Shadow druids don't sound as bad as the Haunted One druid I once made for a DnD campaign. A kenku druid of the Circle of Spores who took its core belief that death and decay are essential parts to the cycle of nature. He took it to the NTH degree, in his head, it was necessary, no, VITAL for him to spread decay and rot wherever he went to, to speed the process of life unto death for life to sprout anew, in a more, shall we say, interesting way. The nice voice in his head told him to do that, the Father of decay wanted him to spread his gift and boy did he.

[@kompatybilijny9348]

So Tzeentch demon turned to Nurgle?

[@combinecommando001]

@@kompatybilijny9348 who knows! he would only answer by bobbing up and down and going "wuewuewuewuewuewuewue" which would spread more spores

[@Random_Tech-Priest]

Bro the voice in his head is literally just Nurgle💀

[@kalebb1226]

Grandfather Nurgle loves you!

[@EmXena315]

Damn, this must be when you get Halsin back to the Grove, but you never convinced Kagha what she was doing was wrong. She's like a bitter child.

[@JailShanker]

naw you go through the entire kagha questline and never confront her in the end.

[@Lalasquad360]

@@JailShankeruhhh, no if you find her secret chest in her room and then read the letter inside you can find the location of a secret meeting spot for her and Shadow druids. You can confront her and the shadow druids hiding in the circle will attack; you can try to persuade Kagha to see the error of her ways and join you

[@Creshosk]

@@Lalasquad360 You can skip the chest in her room. Pass a perception check on the tree where you find the second note and pick up the questline from there.

[@Lalasquad360]

@@Creshosk That works too but the letter does mark where it is which will help new players who dont know where

[@TheGoldSerpent]

Is no one going to talk about Halsin's God arm 🤣

[@Jenna_Talia]

The fucking autosave when attacking appeared in the dialogue lmao

[@Somerandompokemon]

Halsin.. he really is too good for this world.

[@linkfan6555]

I had no idea about the shadow Druid stuff at all and I’m in act 3 currently. Oof

[@JailShanker]

In the area where you meet kagha, if you go in the first room on the left, theres a hidden chest that starts this quest :)

[@Cinnabunnnn]

@@JailShankerthank you!!

[@shadowcat1606]

@@Cinnabunnnn I've also read somewhere that you can get it if you're a druid yourself and talk to Kagha about what's happening at the grove (the Rite of Thorns, her treatment of Arabella, etc). Druidic Insight can let you notice that something's off about her behaviour, also triggering the quest to investigate her further.

[@krzlcve]

@@JailShankertysm!

[@Suzanne_sf]

thank you for this. I didn't do it this way. Larian just has so many dialogue paths. youtube put the game as DAI not BG3.

[@raydaveed]

I'll love an epilogue in the grove (or similar paradise) as a beautiful wedding with halsin. 🥺🌼 Like we can be polyamorous and still get married. 😂

[@kurokaze511]

Yeah this is where I pretty much stopped caring about the Halsin character. specifically the lines "She'll not backslide. this is no time to lose a promising druid." number one, why wouldn't she backslide since now she knows that the worst thing that'll happen is a stern talking to and lowering of rank that won't actually effect her influence in the Grove at all. Also the fact that he considers her a promising druid after she wanted to kill a child really makes him seem like the type to choose what's convenient over what's right. completely useless for a hero playthrough.

[@JailShanker]

couldnt agree more

[@abcdefghij337]

This is in the weird timeline where you never confront Kagha about the Shadow Druids and never convince her of the error in her thinking. She redeems herself pretty quick and accepts Halsin’s punishment with grace. If the conclusion feels weird, you probably missed something.

[@bobmcbob49]

Halsin doesn't even care if you kill all the druids

[@silverphoenix3108]

Yeah he only cares if the Grove itself gets destroyed or overun by goblins. If you just side with teiflings, but not the Grove or goblins and all the druids die as a result but the grove remains standing and safe, there's specific responses for it you can talk to him about it if you go down this route (i killed khaga for zevlor and all hells broke lose), and some of his responses seriously made me have to re-evaluate his character. It actually explains a lot about him. Haslin is not a 'good aligned' character, and he isn't meant to be. He cares about the balance of nature and the protection of the grove first and foremost, even over the cost of countless lives. When I questioned him about, his main response boiled down to that the Grove is more important then we can understand. The circle can be rebuilt with new druids, but the grove can't. He's far more lawful neutral than good. It's not that he lacks backbone, it's that he sees it as a necessary sacrifice. Of course he doesn't *want* his own people to die, but he simply cares more about the grove than he does them. If the Grove gets destroyed but haslin lives though.... well let's just say he goes absolutely feral. He also doesn't like kids getting killed either, it seems, but it's still not as big of a deal to him as the grove. At least, this is the impression I get from doing act 1 9 times. I haven't actually got past the mountain pass/underdark on any playthrough even at 90 hours, I'm having way too much fun replaying act 1 xD

[@madamefluffy4788]

Halsin is entirely too forgiving. Finds out Kahga planned to imprison a child (who could have died in the process), was working with Shadow Druids, planned to kick the tielfings out of the grove, despite the goblin threat AND was planning to perform a ritual that would have closed off the grove from the rest of the area/Faerun - and he STILL gives her a chance after all that?! Why are people supposed to like him, again?

[@JailShanker]

no idea, the guy has ZERO backbone. It comes across as a person who doesnt stick up for themselves and just goes with the flow. he needs to be more assertive for sure.

[@madamefluffy4788]

@@JailShanker I think the only time he is actually assertive (when it comes to Kahga) is if Arabelle is killed by Kahga's snake when the child tries to run away. It takes the death of an innocent child for Halsin to actually do anything about Kahga horrible actions.

[@abcdefghij337]

He embodies nature too well for people. Nature doesn’t have some magical will of it’s own. Dirt is passive. Trees don’t fight back when you chop them down. The tides will do as they always have, impassive to your buildings. But I maintain that this isn’t the intended ending. If you reform Kagha, Halsin’s actions will be more understandable .

[@Deadpan_Snarker]

"Planned to imprison a child" And? Do thiefs no longer have to be punished? Kids should get a pass to do whatever they want? Arabella literally stole from people who gave her shelter she is a piece of shit no matter what and should just be allowed to walk to steal something again? With no repercussions? Kagha did nothing wrong and if anything he is far too harsh on her and she is absolutely right: the grove needed a leader, he bailed on them, and she was left to deal with a bunch of ungrateful tieflings and goblins that could attack at any moment to slaughter everyone, so she did as she saw fit.

[@itsabingo8712]

0:42 Halsin wants kiss pls

[@kadirr8974]

I know this doesnt belong here but a quick side note: If you meet Gale for the 1st time and start talking to him he will ask if you are a Wizard or something like that. If you are a druid he´ll be like "That aint the same I study Magic." Leaving you to feel like a total idiot :D Thought Id mention that.

[@Chrisp-gn9bv]

im pretty sure thats all the spellcasters exept wizard

[@CouchCit]

Aww damn how do I get that dialogue with Kahga?!? I'd love for her to talk to me like that and get the opportunity to kill her...

[@JailShanker]

Spoilers below you need to do the shadow druids questline, but never confront her about it.

[@WAZZA1235]

Lol...i've played act one over 6 times and have never even heard of a 'shadow druid' or any plot to take over the grove. All I knew was that the druids were afraid of the goblins so they wanted to isolate by using the rite of thorns. How the hell do you uncover this plot or whatever?

[@JailShanker]

Damn thats crazy dude! To start this quest, in the area where you first meet Khaga, go into the first room on the left. Tucked away behind a wall in the back of that room is a chest. Read the letter inside and it will start the questline.

[@Mediados]

You know, keeping her around is idiotic. She will probably poison half the druids, get the other half on her side and then get off on some shit snake allegory.

[@raylikesgames]

What happens if you kill her? Other than her being dead of course.. does the Grove/Halsin turn on you?

[@JailShanker]

yeah they will 100% mob your shit

[@Asri_]

Spoliers: I got the Shadow Druid info, returned and exposed he before rescuing Halsin. The failed the checks with her. There was a fight with the grove split -- Rath and some on my side, Kagha, the Shadow Druids and some others on her side. After Halsin was rescued he blamed himself for the Shadow Druids getting a foothold.

[@raylikesgames]

@@Asri_ Thanks but I meant after this specific moment/conversation.

[@zacharyhernandez912]

The worst part about halsin is you cannot kill him twice

[@RaDeus87]

My Kagha was way more chill and accepted her fate, might have something to do with the Shadow druids trying to kill her down in the mural room.

[@JailShanker]

Yeah it def seems to be the best outcome for her.

[@Velisatra]

I think it depends on if you convinced her she was wrong with the two speech checks after confronting her with the evidence from the nook in the tree down in the swamp which the stuff in her locked chest pointed to.

[@aonirsplayground6224]

if you change her mind she's waaaaaaaaaaaaaay more lenient and accepts her fate willingly, but the fact is that if you talk around there's plenty of druids who were more than fine and still are with doing the rite, unsure on the shadow path but shows they're not all for/against it.

[@matthewwhiteside4619]

If you reveal the Shadow Druids and don't turn Kagha, 2 of the druids side with her. If you turn Kagha those 2 get to keep on being the sort of shitheads that would side with Shadow Druids. Killing Kagha and exposing those 2, allowing you to kill them 2 is the best outcome, in my opinion.

[@MrLaz0rz]

@@aonirsplayground6224 They weren't "more than fine" they were varying levels of new and wanted to defend their religion/ideology. They hadnt had time to ponder the meaning of balance like the several hundred years halsin had.

[@grimshock6983]

Me: uh Halsin she called you a fool and was going to kill a bunch of by people. She also seems less apologetic from when we killed the shadow druids. Halsin: It is alright nature has told me it has plans. Me: O-k, is that the nature you were smoking earlier?

[@Garbagecant24]

I want some nature

[@seeinred]

2:28 I have a feeling Kagha won't live long enough to see it :D

[@grant5758]

Why does Halsin have the power of the sun in his arm?

[@JailShanker]

its a feature :0

[@logan9042]

If you are playing as the darkurge and want to help the tieflings you can knock out Alfira and the new bard will show up. You would want to do this on a warlock playthrough for the robes Alfira rives you after rescuing the tieflings from moonrise.

[@demonderpz7937]

Who is Alfira?

[@logan9042]

@demonderpz7937 she is the tiefling bard that is over by the harpies. She gives you a reward for rescuing the other tieflings from moonrise in act 2. As the dark urge you kill her. If you knock her out before she joins your camp (nonlethal melee damage) another npc will join your camp and be killed in her stead. You can then get the charisma robes.

[@demonderpz7937]

That's weird, when I met her as a dark urge I didn't kill her on impulse and helped her make a song. I was unaware this interaction existed, should I be attacking and knocking her out?@@logan9042

[@irgendwer3610]

that save before attacking LMAO this gave me Skyim flashbacks

[@shauncrome7100]

Cant help but notice you have Wyll in your party. Wearing the infernal robe, that you get for killing Karlach. Am i mistaken

[@JailShanker]

you are not, she had to go

[@cloudy978]

I could never make this choice. Even if I barely use her it's not worth killing her ToT. And tbh this robe is kinda dog.

[@TheKolboShow]

@@JailShanker the hell did Karlach ever do to you

[@JailShanker]

@@TheKolboShow it was my durge playthrough >:)

[@Goremize]

I love how you can see the missing idol. What's interested me is that for some reason, the games literately best ring in the entire game is locked behind you stealing that and giving it to mol, and that being the only way to get the games best ring

[@cloudy978]

Not the best ring in the game Imho. It's still really good especially consodering how early you get it. I suppose it's that good because it comes at the cost of normally triggering a conflict killing druids or tieflings. But because there are many ways to steal the idol without those events triggering it's like that.

[@Goremize]

@@cloudy978 I mean, I wore it on someone through the entire game. You can get it at the start of the game almost and its hard to ever replace, and even if you do it just goes on someone else. Honestly unless you use mods the base game has like hardly any good rings For sure that there is that whole risk, but its very easy to steal it and not cause a riot, honestly I think the hardest part is getting past Mol's AI, as sometimes she just breaks. Like she did for me in my honor run where she decided to go to the guards and tried to say I was abusing kids to get them to kill me. Not caring about the kids I did rescue she's just there...

[@LaPtaVerdad]

Mol ai kills me I stole the idol and she bugged in two different playthroughs And in my durge play she hated me because i pulled the other girls arm xD

[@Goremize]

@@LaPtaVerdad Yeah, the ring is awesome but unless you save scum around her bugs its hard to get for sure even if you only do what you are supposed to. So makes sense as to why its as strong as it is, because it takes a lot more then just stealing the idol successfully haha

[@crunkers_]

She was really sorry in my playthrough. Accepted her punishment with humility.

[@trapeye3464]

my first play, I want support kaga, but end up rescue halsin, I regret everything

[@serronserron1320]

Does the right of thorns corrupt the land or something like that? It does make tactical sense especially when you're outnumbered by a larger Army that will destroy you. From what I understand it just creates a large thick wall of thorny plants that's very difficult to break through. I don't agree with throwing the refugees out but for the few that keep stealing things and threatening the lives of the druids, they should be exiled.

[@JailShanker]

If the Rite of Thorns is completed, a wall of thorns envelops the grove and youre unable to enter it again.

[@serronserron1320]

@@JailShanker The shadow druid did nothing wrong

[@robertboxwell]

The thorns excrete poison everywhere. If not the land at large it definitely ruins the grove. Similar thing happens if you remove the Silvanus idol.

[@efaristi9737]

The problem of the Rite is that it cut you off completely from the outside world. And such complete isolation often lead to self-destruction. If you're a druid and succeed the check, you learn that very few circles actually survives the Rite of Thorns. Not to mention the Tenants of Silvanus is to preserve nature, sure, but also bring balance between it and civilisation or so i think.

[@JailShanker]

I didnt know that, thanks for that info :) @@efaristi9737

[@Joe-bob]

Wait what happens next

[@JailShanker]

they all attack you, you fight your way out, grove closes permanently.

[@VoltageCowboy]

You know after this part, you go and kill all of the druids and Halsin won’t even know lol!

[@str8forthakill]

Ironically, the absolute best outcome of this charade is being Dark Urge and urging the snake to kill the kid. Complete the investigation, kill the shadow druids in front of khaga and spare her. Then you kill all the goblins, return with halsin whom thouroghly chews her out way more harshly, and later at camp you let the parents overpower her and then talk them to spare her. And she actually turns into a good person! All it cost was a single dead tiefling. To get the best outcome, the kid must die.

[@GunSinMovies]

she also regrets her actions and promises to improve if you just expose her connection to the shadow druids before rescuing Halsin

[@BioMatic2]

@@GunSinMovies withouth needing to kill a child

[@williamkinser7063]

Liking this to save it for me to try on my next playthrough. 👍

[@literalgarbage8014]

Yeah no, my conscience would never allow it

[@vladimirthegreen6097]

It's actually my outcome but except one thing I wasn't play dark urge