#shadowheart can have Selune and Shar blades for this one

[bg3-brainwormed]

Fun fact, I have only ever used 1 Wyvern toxin (goblin camp’s booze) and 3 basic poisons in this particular BG3 run so far. I am about a 1/3 of the way through Act 3. Not even the fancy arrows. No scrolls. Not a single soul coin has been used. Why? Simple. I want to use fucking everything on the one and only Cazador Szarr. I want to bring him to the bring of death, heal him, and then kill him again. This is both normal to want and possible to achieve.

Having held Daylight spells in reserve since the start of Act 2 is not at all an overreaction. Giving Karlach 10 soul coins at once is not at all a terrible idea. Specifically giving Astarion proficiency in maces/dual wielding so he can use Lathandar’s Blood + Sussur Knife is a totally sensible decision. Everything is fine.

[flame-o-gal]

For those who play DnD and Baldur's Gate 3

If you could give companions (and npcs) different classes/subclasses from other sources, what would you give them?

Read bellow

Lae'zel: Battle Master fighter fits her fine but I'd multiclass her with Drakewarden Ranger. Favored enemy? Also a magical dragon pet?

Karlach: Barbarian also fits her, but Juggernaut? Hello? Best for a Barbarian on front lines of a war on higher levels

Shadowheart: First of all, I wouldn't keep her as a cleric, but a paladin. She doesn't have the wise energy that comes with cleric. She's a devotion paladin. BUT if I want to pick a cleric subclass for her, twilight is a cool thing. Not dark as Shar and not light as Selune. She's the middle line. The only trickery cleric I can get behind to work is Jester by Laura Bailey.

Jaheira: Druid is cool, ranger is better (for her) I see her as a resourceful and more dynamic flexible like a ranger is both in utility of a fight and nature. Either Beast master or Primeval Guardian.

Halsin: He's fine where he is. Moon druid is good for him. I thought of giving him Blood hunter order of lycan and have him turn into a were-bear but I think blood hunters are a bit too harsh and aggressive for him.

Gale: Evocation wizard is cool, but for Gale I go for Chronurgy (thanks critical role) Gale wants to fight his goddess one way or another, give him the power to manipulate time. It's something that out of books and he'll fullfil the prodigy type.

Astarion: I thought Blood hunter? But he's not a fit for subclasses. Have a vampire dealing radiant damage is a funny image tho, ngl. But keeping him a rogue, and make him swashbuckler. They're charisma build rogues and he's a charismatic asshole.

Wyll: he's a warlock, his story is a warlock, so fiend pact of blade he stays for me... But! Hear me out. Palock. Paladin warlock. Paladin of redemption. Unless you have him kill karlach then he's Paladin of conquest.

Minsc: ... Gee fuck! He's a challenge for me bc I love rangers and he has the sweet baby barbarian vibe for some reason but he's not a barbarian either. I keep him as he is bc he confuses me.

Dame Aylin: mommy is paladin coded, she's best for Paladin of glory. Or ancient. Have it your way.

Isobel: Cleric of light, sure... Multiclass her with druid of stars

Ketheric Thorm: Paladin of either devotion (bc obv devoted to Myrkul for his debt) or conquest bc of the fear and intimidation he rules with.

Enver Gortash: Yes yes I'm gonna say it... Artificer. Either Mechanism or armorer, but I go far to say he can be a bard too. Bards harness the power of their words, they are jack of all traits, and can have expertise in many tools. It's not a written rule to have all bards as musicians. Lawyers can be bards, artists can be bards.

Orin the red: She's tough for me tbh. To pull tricking and passing as someone else you need high charisma. She doesn't have sorcerer or bard vibe, not rogue or warlock either. Blood hunter (heh) profane soul needs pact with higher entity (Bhaal) and I think this class can suit her. I'm open to criticism on this take.

Durge: I won't choose sorcerer for them. I find gloom stalker Ranger better fit for a serial killer. But sorcery, sure... Evil devine soul and when redeemed durge (spoilers) dies and Withers brings them back, it's up for debate to loose the sorcery or be other subtypes.

Share your takes.

[rosymourning]

The Beating Heart - a Shadowheart Build

"My faith will guide me."

Shadowheart is a Life Domain Cleric, curing her friends and allies of whatever ails them. This build is a pure support build, with an emphasis on healing and on-heal effects.

[check out my other builds!]

Gameplay Notes

Pretty much a utility healer through and through. This build can have insane survivability if you keep Sanctuary up during fights, which is doable as a pure support. Even when your party is at full health, so many items have helpful on-heal effects (Bless and Blade Ward, essentially) that it may be helpful to throw out a Mass Healing Word regardless. This is a great build to cast Warding Bond with as well.

The build feels like it comes online really early in the game (like before the Tiefling/Goblin party...), and it stays relevant throughout. Stronger items and taking feats help, but the primary benefit comes from good Channel Divinity scaling. It's simple, but effective, and probably a large part of the reason Shadowheart is such a popular companion.

Stats and Leveling

Final build: Level 12 Life Domain Cleric

Shadowheart’s (default) stats: STR 13 / DEX 13 / CON 14 / INT 10 / WIS 17 / CHA 8

Level 1 - Cleric (Life Domain) Level 1

Cantrips: Guidance, Sacred Flame, Resistance

1st Level Spells [Command is useful throughout the entire game]

Level 2 - Cleric (Life Domain) Level 2

Channel Divinity [the best one in the game, in my opinion]

Level 3 - Cleric (Life Domain) Level 3

2nd Level Spells

Level 4 - Cleric (Life Domain) Level 4

Feat: War Caster

Cantrips: add Thaumaturgy

Level 5 - Cleric (Life Domain) Level 5

3rd Level Spells [Spirit Guardians is great even though the build isn’t optimized around it]

Level 6 - Cleric (Life Domain) Level 6

Blessed Healer [a better version of the Ring of Salving]

Level 7 - Cleric (Life Domain) Level 7

4th Level Spells [I don’t love any of the 4th Level Spells and mostly use this for upcasting]

Level 8 - Cleric (Life Domain) Level 8

Feat ASI+ DEX>14, WIX>18

Level 9 - Cleric (Life Domain) Level 9

5th Level Spells

Level 10 - Cleric (Life Domain) Level 10

Divine Intervention [obviously SUPER powerful, I usually use mine in the House of Hope]

Cantrip: add Light

Level 11 - Cleric (Life Domain) Level 11

6th Level Spells [Heroes’ Feast is awesome]

Level 12 - Cleric (Life Domain) Level 12

ASI+ WIS>20

Items

Armor - Adamantine Splint Armour (1 Grymforge)

Melee Weapon -

Selune's Spear of Night (2 Nightsong)

Viconia's Walking Fortress (3 House of Grief)

Ranged Weapon - n/a

Amulet - Amulet of Restoration (1 Myconid Colony)

Helmet - Wapira's Crown (1 Emerald Grove)

Ring 1 - The Whispering Promise (1 Emerald Grove)

Ring 2 - Ring of Salving (1 Myconid Colony)

Gloves -

Hellrider's Pride (1 Emerald Grove)

The Reviving Hands (3 Stormshore Tabernacle)

Boots - Boots of Aid and Comfort (1 Goblin Camp)

Cloak - Vivacious Cloak (2 Grand Mausoleum)

Lore and Flavor

Moreso than any other character, Shadowheart's narrative begets a major respec at the end of Act 2 (previously, I build her like The Dark Justiciar), and it's not just a new hairstyle: "The Shadowheart I thought I was would never have even dreamed of defying the Lady Shar. I'm a stranger to myself." This build technically works from the moment you can respec into it... but why would you rob yourself of the true power of her character growth? The items with on-heal effects still fit her character throughout Act 1 and 2 without the full respec, so you're only missing the (albeit very potent) Channel Divinity Heal that Life Domain Clerics get. Worth it, in my opinion.

Onto the lore itself. The strongest (if not only) piece of identity that Shadowheart maintains throughout the entire game, regardless of narrative choices, is her skill as a healer. Part of that is inherent to being a Cleric, of course, but we know Shadowheart is considered a skilled healer even compared to other Sharran Clerics thanks to this note in the House of Grief. My allegiance to Life Domain reflects this natural skill as a healer as well as the fact that Life Domain is actually a domain of Selune (Light Domain is not, unfortunately). If we had a Twilight Domain in game, I would be tempted to make use of that as well.

A note about The Blood of Lathander: This is a very powerful item in Shadowheart's hands. If you can get over the fact that it's another deity's relic, then it's a great main hand weapon. I personally go back and forth about it, and decided not to include it here, prioritizing Selune's Spear of Night instead.

[check out my build disclaimer for info about how and why I don't min/max or completely optimize builds, prioritizing lore and vibe instead]

[feraldames]

―  [ V ] ITAL HEADCANONS TO KNOW ABOUT AYLIN .

This is a quick bullet point list of important headcanons to know about Aylin. All of Aylin's headcanons can be found on her sideblog, MoonsRequital.

���　Aylin is soulmated to Isobel. Aylin will never have another love, nor will she ever seek out another love. Their hearts are intertwine and have an empathetic connection and it stays linked no matter the distance. They can feel each others hopes and pains, know when the other is in danger and empowered when close together.) ◈　Aylin's wings are huge, spanning about 20 feet from tip to tip. She also has more ethereal feather attributes. this includes feathers on her cheekbones, on her shoulders, against her wrist and ankles. ◈　All of her golden scars are marks made by Shar's blessed blades. Aylin bleeds silver blood, but the gold scars are tainted based off of the blades. These scars hurt the most on the nights of new moons or if she is in a room with no moonlight and no natural light (like a fire or a moonmote). This is Aylin's cursed that balthazar and the Dark Justiciars have put on her. ◈　Selune has naturally chosen Aylin as one of her Chosen. This also includes Isobel and Shadowheart, though Selune may have more Chosen that Aylin is unaware of

[thessalian]

Faerun!Alisaie vs The Nightsong

And, eventually, the Shadowfell

Balthazar: Ah, great, you opened the way! General Thorm will be greatly pleased. Now let's get you back to the General--

Aylin: GET FUCKED.

Alisaie: Um ... how about 'no'? We only more or less went along with your bullshit because we weren't in the mood to kick your ass at the time. If she's what causing Ketherick Thorm's immortality--

Aylin: NOT BY CHOICE; THEY'RE ASSHOLES.

Alisaie: Yeah, we figured that because shadow curse and captured tieflings and a whole lot of other shit I've had to clean up for the last week or so, but thanks for the confirmation. Anyway, if she's causing Thorm's immortality? She's not going anywhere with you.

Balthazar: I told you that you'd regret raising a weapon to me-- *urk?*

Alisaie: *has already stabbed him while he wasn't looking* I dosed my coffee with an Elixir of Vigilance this morning, asshole!

Balthazar: I ... will... *raises hands to cast*

Wyll: Ah-ah-ah; I don't think so. *Counterspell*

Balthazar: I ... have ... Haste ... so... *raises hands to cast*

Gale: I think not. *Counterspell*

Balthazar: ...the fuck?

Alisaie: ELFSONG TAVERN SAYS HELLO, YOU RANCID PILE OF LUNCHMEAT! *finishes him off immediately*

Gale: ...It would have been so convenient if his undead soldiers had gone down with him, you know...

Alisaie: *basically an adamantine Cuisinart*

Wyll: But we get to watch this... Oop. We have casters. *Eldritch Blast*

Skeleton Caster: *is yeeted into the void*

Stabnation: *ensues, and is way easier with the main threat eliminated after only one round*

Aylin: Huh. I'm next, I suppose, Wannabe Justiciar?

Shadowheart: My Lady says--

Aylin: Your 'Lady' speaks bullshit, and sees you as a disposable tool. Also, there's a lot you don't remember, and you don't need her to get it back. Because she wouldn't quite give the truth to you anyway.

Shadowheart: ...wut...

Alisaie: Shadowheart ... Shar doesn't want you to have anything but her. You saw what happened with Vlaakith.

Shadowheart: Are you saying I'm like Lae'zel?!?

Gale: Erm. Vlaakith not the only one turning her ... let's be kind and say 'worshippers' into suicide bombers. Or literally suicide bombs, but--

Wyll: *elbows Gale* Shutupthisisnotaboutyou!

Gale: ...Shall I conjure up some popcorn?

Wyll: ......You can do that?

Alisaie: *sigh* Ignore those two. I'm saying that the gods work in their own interests, and ... I didn't want to lose you by forcing you not to do what Shar wants, but ... I don't want to lose you to Shar either. I think you deserve better.

Shadowheart: Than a god?

Alisaie: Gods don't make good partners.

Gale: *literally conjuring popcorn to share with Wyll* Don't mind me! I'll just be over here! Being a living example of the point the Swordswoman of Song is making!

Wyll: 'Swordswoman of Song'?

Gale: It's got the same syllables as Blade of the Frontiers, and fits fairly well. Did you have something better?

Wyll: The Battledancer.

Gale: ...Oooh. That's good.

Alisaie: Just ... ignore Statler and Waldorf over there. She stripped your memory, Shadowheart. What if the things she's made you forget ... are the things that prove she's not a one to give your entire life to? I want you to have a life, Shadowheart. You deserve that.

Shadowheart: There's ... less advocating for yourself here than I expected. Or maybe hoped for.

Alisaie: Hey. Look. I said I was going at your pace; I meant it. If you love me, like me as a friend, or never want to see me again, I still wish you an actual life, not an empty time in service of death.

Shadowheart: ............... *yeets spear into the void*

Aylin: Good for you. Don't worry; you won't lose any of your powers. Selune's got your back. Now, I'll tell you what I know after we kick Thorm's ass. *becomes Angelic Winged-Glory Paladin; hauls ass away*

Shadowheart: So ... okay ... I've been literally excommunicated. By the actual god herself. But ... look, I've devoted everything to Lady Shar and you've been right there, and from the beginning of all this you've been more there for me than my faith has. I didn't want to commit to anything because I already had my fanaticism thing going on and I didn't want to distract from that... But you said you wanted me to have a life. Could ... it maybe be with you?

Alisaie: I promised, didn't I? At your pace. I won't say I've been waiting. I will say that I've been at your side, and I will be for as long as you let me be, and my hand's right here, whenever you want to take it. So yeah, I think it could.

Gale and Wyll: *burst into applause, scattering popcorn all over the Shadowfell*

Wyll: Fucking finally!

Gale: Now kiss!

Alisaie: OUT OF THE SHADOWFELL AND INTO THE KICKING OF THORM-ASS BEFORE I YEET YOUR ASSES INTO THE VOID!

Shadowheart: Not two minutes ago I thought I'd never smile again and now I'm laughing, a bit. You are full of surprises.