Why Alfira Would Have Been A Better Companion In Baldur's Gate 3 Than Halsin

Summary Datamined cut content suggests Alfira was at one point planned as a full companion in Baldur's Gate 3.

Alfira would have been a better alternative to Halsin as a companion, whose role in the game is rather limited despite his prominent role.

Alfira has better potential contributions to the party, and fits into the game's full narrative across all three acts more naturally than Halsin.

Following the tradition of some of the best RPGs, Baldur's Gate 3 allows players to recruit and travel with a host of companions to build a team taking on any enemy. However, there is one character it appears could have been joining the party to take on the Absolute. As more mods are created for the game, more details are emerging about potentially cut content from BG3, including a certain bard who was meant to play a larger role.

[Warning: Spoilers for Baldur's Gate 3.]

There are plenty of companions to recruit in Baldur's Gate 3 and even some temporary characters who might join the party's camp for a while. Each brings something different to the table both in terms of backstory and class abilities, making it easy to create balanced parties when completing quests. With 10 main companions, any group leader certainly has their hands full with all the competing personalities, but that number was almost higher according to data hidden in the game's files.

4:08 Related All 10 Baldur’s Gate 3 Companions, Ranked From Worst To Best Baldur's Gate 3 has 10 amazing and intriguing companion characters for players to travel with, get to know, and add to their adventuring party.

Alfira Would Have Provided Unique Class Features To A Baldur's Gate 3 Party

BG3 Has No Bard Companion

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Evidence provided by the mod OIO - Overexplained Interaction Options, created by Nexus Mods user xmas214 shows that Alfira, the tiefling bard first encountered in the Druid Grove, was at one time destined to have a bigger part in the story and could have been planned to be a recruitable companion. Alfira is a popular character, and would have made a great companion for any planned BG3 DLCs. In fact, she might have even been a better choice than fan favorite Halsin due to her unique class and its features.

Halsin Suffers From Lack Of Act 3 Content In BG3

Halsin's Companion Quest Ends In Act 2

There is no denying Halsin is a great character who brings a lot to the party and the overall story of Baldur’s Gate 3. From the moment he was met in BG3’s early access, he proved incredibly popular, so much so that he was promoted to full companion and romance option. However, despite Halsin’s charm, the role he plays when he does join the party fully steps on the toes of another companion, leading to him sitting on the sidelines for many Act 3 adventures, wasting his potential.

Halsin, just like Alfira, is met in Act 1 and ties in well with the story arc of that act. Once rescued, he will join the party camp, but it isn’t until his personal quest is completed in Act 2 that he will become a full companion. At which point, Halsin’s story content stops, leaving him with little to do with the plot of Act 3. This problem is further compounded by his class, which can leave him a spare part in favor of the more plot relevant Jaheira.

Jaheira and Halsin can be recruited to the party at around the same point in BG3, but where one's story is ending, the other’s is just beginning, leading to many swapping one druid for another. As the numerous plot threads converge in Act 3, and with active party space being limited, it makes sense for many to prioritize those companions with personal quests. The result is that Halsin is often left at camp in favor of Jaheira in the case where a druid is needed.

Alfira Is A Better Fit Across The Entire Game

More Gameplay & Story Opportunities

Alfira would have been a much better fit for the party overall, firstly because she would be able to fill a gap in the party make-up as a bard. There are no bard companions in BG3 with other classes or their core groups represented. Gale and Wyll cover the spellcasting angle, but bards provide unique buffs, alternative healing options, and class features that give them better odds when making skill checks.

Data mining also revealed that another bard companion was cut from BG3. According to the data, a halfling werewolf bard named Helia was going to join the party on their adventures after being rescued from the Goblin Camp in her wolf form. It appears she was replaced by Halsin early on in development despite over 700 voice lines being recorded.

But it goes beyond what Alfira would bring to the table as a bard, as her character links well to the storyline across all three acts. Meeting her in Act 1, Alfira immediately stands out from the other tieflings, and it’s clear that a lot more thought has gone into her design. From her face and hair to her clothes, Alfira stands out and helping her with her song is the perfect jumping off point for recruiting her.

Helping Alfira finish her song by choosing to play with her will require the character to pass two Performance checks (DC 15 and 10) but if successful, the character will gain proficiency with musical instruments if they did not already have it.

Once in Act 2, Alfira could have provided a more personal incentive to rescue the tieflings in Moonrise Towers and provide a different point of view to Zevlor’s actions. Her upbeat personality would also have provided some much-needed lighter moments in the oppressive atmosphere of the Shadow-Cursed Land. This area could have been a turning point for her from naive novice adventurer into a more heroic, confident role. There could also have been some opportunities for conversation with a Dark Urge character about the death of Quil, who takes her place as the Dark Urge’s victim if Alfira is incapacitated.

Related Baldur’s Gate 3 Ending Explained (& What Choices Can Change It) Baldur's Gate 3 can end in a number of different ways, but the overarching plot will generally remain similar between different endings.

Unlike Halsin, Alfira also has better links to Act 3 of BG3, continuing with her connection to her fellow tieflings. In-game, if she survives to Act 3, Alfira can be found at the Elfsong Tavern and will tell the party she plans to open a school for bards. Had she been a companion, her personal quest could have concluded with the party helping her lay the foundation for her school or perhaps help her fellow Elturel tieflings find a more permanent home in the city.

Unfortunately, having Alfira as a companion is something that will never happen now, with Larian Studios confirming that it is stepping away from Baldur’s Gate 3 with no further content planned. Of course, there is always the chance that some clever modder will find a way to make Alfira a full companion. Until then, all players have is the idea of what could have been and the desire to learn more about the cheerful tiefling.

Source: xmas214/Nexus Mods