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Are you kidding with Skadge?


Karai

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I decided to finish story on my BH, whole Belsavis I'm looking forward to finally killing Skadge. I finish last mission and:

I'm going with you

No, you are not

Yes, I am

Okay

 

Seriously? This game has some serious identity crisis, first it screws game mechanics like lack of day/night cycle becouse of story. Than it screws story becouse of game mechanics, meaning you have to get all your companions even when it doesn't really makes sense.

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During Beta you could kill off Companions. Came with a big warning box and everything.

 

BioWare decided that was a bad idea in an MMO (where multiple Saves, etc. like a single-player game aren't possible), messed with Crew Skills, etc. and backed off from it.

 

Many, many class storylines have obvious hiccups and repercussions from this, places in the plot where it makes almost no sense why a Companion is forced onto your Crew, or your character suddenly takes control away from your input and seemingly makes a decision for you, or a plot point falls very flat.

 

Some other examples

 

(SPOILERS ABOUT COMPANION AND CLASS STORIES SO DON'T COMPLAIN BECAUSE LOOK AT THIS GIANT RED TEXT)

 

(P.S. SPOILERS ABOUT COMPANION AND CLASS STORIES)

 

(DID I MENTION I'M GOING TO SPOIL MANY CLASS AND COMPANION STORIES?)

 

 

  • When Quinn betrays your Sith Warrior crew, you have the option to unleash the nine gates of hell upon him. ... And then you suddenly go "I changed my mind, I'll spare you. But don't do this again!"
  • Taris, Bounty Hunter. You have the option to leave Torian to die in order to successfully capture Jicoln. But the decision means nothing, because whether you patch him up or not, he miraculously "gets better".
  • Kaliyo's storyline finale. You find out she's been betraying and selling out Imperial Intelligence for... well, years. Your options are basically "Oh well!", a stern glare, or "Eh, water under the bridge". Nowhere is the expected "Execute her".
  • Finale of Belsavis. Skadge has been tormenting and harassing you the whole time. He insists on joining your crew. Your options are: "OK", "Sure," and "OK".
  • Finale of Tatooine for BH. Gault is like "How about you don't kill me, and we just lie and deceive the entire Mandalorian Great Hunt crew?" Again, your options are: "Sure", "OK", and "OK".
  • Agent, finale of Alderaan. Vector reveals his Kilik hive is going to take over the Alderaanian house that you just spent the whole planet securing the loyalty of. If you refuse, Vector just kind of goes "... Okay" and poof, betrays his Hive.
  • Agent, finale of Hoth. You're ordered to go kill Temple to keep her silent. Even if you say "OK, sure" ... Hunter suddenly "LOL YEAH RIGHT AS IF I TRUST YOU TO DO THAT, PSYCH!" and then assigns her to your crew. It's like... uh... what?
  • Inquisitor, Tatooine. Revel gives you a bunch of lip at the conclusion. You're basically forced to take him on your crew, instead of just snuffing his life out now that he's no longer useful.
  • Inquisitor, Taris. At the end, the ghost threatens to kill Ashara if you keep provoking him. Doing so accomplishes nothing because the plot just kind of forcibly steers away from that direction no matter what you say.
  • Inquisitor, Xalek. He completely brazenly violates Korriban tradition, Harkan offers to dispose of him, and your options are: "No, I'll take him", "No, I'll take him," and "No, I'll take him."
  • Jedi Knight, finale of Chapter 1. Kira is being taken over by the Emperor. You're given the option to destroy her, to prevent the Emperor gaining another body. If you select it... the game goes "No!" Like literally, Kira just tells you: "No." And then the plot proceeds as if you had no input.
  • Jedi Knight, finale of Chapter 3. You're warned that one of your companions is in extreme danger, and you have to risk turning away from the assault on the Emperor to save them. If you say "Nope, can't" ... nothing happens, because someone else saves them.
  • Smuggler, Nar Shadda. You're forced to intervene to save Bowdaar instead of watching him die in gladiatorial combat.
  • Smuggler, Hoth. You have no option to kill or abandon Guss Tuno.

 

END OF WALL OF SPOILERS

 

In basically all of these cases, you can tell there was originally supposed to be a decision / consequence involved, which has been very awkwardly written out and re-plotted around in a way that feels very anti-climactic / frustrating / on-rails.

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That's because the people playing the beta were too stupid to be left with the option to kill companions. They killed them off then whined that the decision was final. I mean... WHAT THE **** PEOPLE?
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That's because the people playing the beta were too stupid to be left with the option to kill companions. They killed them off then whined that the decision was final. I mean... WHAT THE **** PEOPLE?

 

Pretty much this.

 

Now, if Bioware would give us the option of redoing the class and companion mission conversation cutscenes that might provide a viable workaround and killing companions could be re-implemented. Offer more ship droids to replace each missing companion. :) Regret killing Skadge? Re-play the BH class story and re-acquire him that way.

 

It won't happen, but OP, that's essentially why you're forced to take on companions your character would just as soon shoved out the airlock. The best way to deal with it is the suggestion forums and creating your own little headcanon that somehow works it all in and makes some semblance of sense. Or ignoring said companion altogether and pretending they don't exist or you bundled them up in a burlap sack and tossed them over a bridge into a raging river like a sack of kittens...like I do with Broonmark, Skadge, and Jaesa.

Edited by eldefail
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That's because the people playing the beta were too stupid to be left with the option to kill companions. They killed them off then whined that the decision was final. I mean... WHAT THE **** PEOPLE?

 

Now that they have purchaseable companions that can fulfill tank/healer, and a questable DPS companion, maybe it's time to revisit companion deaths. There should be significant gating to go with it - something like "you must have Treek AND HK available on This Particular Toon in order to kill off X", and/or a costly Bounty Contract (millions of credits, or veeeery expensive in the CM). Even include a huge walkthrough or explanation that there ain't no comin' back. That way only those that are serious, and know the consequences, will do it, and you don't get "aw crap, I killed my healer/ crafting monkey!?!?" whining.

 

I also completely agree with OP. Skadge a.k.a. Mr. Pudding, really has no place tagging along. Almost all other companions have a believable reason, even ones like Ashara whose reasons make NO sense. But Skadge, the jerkwad who messes up a contract and bullies himself onto my ship, doesn't get a flamethrower to his pudding face???

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The beta testers complained because if you killed Quinn you lost your only healer at the time and were SOL.

 

If the companion system was designed with 'function mod' that you could swap between comps then permanently killing companions would be less of an issue. Basically you'd take a 'healing mod' and give it to Broonmark and poof he's a healer. Or slot a 'melee tank' mod into Vette and bam she's a melee tank.

 

Sure they'd have to generalize a lot of their animations and unique abilities but it would've incentivized people to use more of their companions. If Pierce could heal I'd use him a lot more. Personality wise he's way above Quinn. I can't remember the last time I saw anyone using him or Broonmark.

Edited by Projawa
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If Pierce could heal I'd use him a lot more. Personality wise he's way above Quinn. I can't remember the last time I saw anyone using him or Broonmark.

 

I'm using Pierce atm. I have him decked out in DPS gear and stance and some of his big threat skills off because I'm the tank but he does pretty well like that on CZ and Oricon.

 

There are so many companions I would have never invited on my ship or would have spaced later: Skadge, Broonmark, Xalex (sp?), Corso but most of all Quinn. It is literally years since he betrayed me but I still want to make him scream every time I see his annoying face.

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but most of all Quinn. It is literally years since he betrayed me but I still want to make him scream every time I see his annoying face.
It's the mole.

 

It ruins every convo he appears in.

 

I just get by without heals. :cool:

 

Also I just realized how ironic it is that Quinn has a prominent mole. Well-played, writers. :p

Edited by SW_display_name
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There are some douches as crew members but Skadge is easily, by far, the most repellent and aggravating companion. I too was waiting to kill him. Instead, he got himself a position with your crew. WTH :mad:

I doubt I'll ever get the +10 presence for completing his story line.

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There are some douches as crew members but Skadge is easily, by far, the most repellent and aggravating companion. I too was waiting to kill him. Instead, he got himself a position with your crew. WTH :mad:

I doubt I'll ever get the +10 presence for completing his story line.

 

You'd be surprised. He's really just a big softie. A sick, psychotic softie. :)

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You'd be surprised. He's really just a big softie. A sick, psychotic softie. :)

 

I walked around with Skadge on my Mercenary on Voss, Corellia and Makeb.

 

Quite honestly, I couldn't back then remember the last time I had laughed as much while traversing the landscape with a companion. Dude is absolutely and utterly hilarious. :D

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[*]Inquisitor, Xalek. He completely brazenly violates Korriban tradition

 

 

Why would the Inquisitor care? You walked into the Dark Temple in broad daylight, under witnesses, and killed your master, causing one of the members of the Dark Council to want you dead. I'd say the traditions of the Sith Academy, especially under the Overseer who tried to make your own life a living hell, are the least of your concerns.

That said, the Inquisitor is pretty braindead at times. Never comes up with their own clever schemes. :rolleyes:

 

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Why would the Inquisitor care? You walked into the Dark Temple in broad daylight, under witnesses, and killed your master, causing one of the members of the Dark Council to want you dead.

No, I walked into the Dark Temple to help my Master perform a ritual, and she tried to kill me, so I defended myself. It's up to the player whether they found this fabulously amusing or horrifying.

 

Additionally, that has nothing to do with the Academy, because the rules of the Academy apply while you're an aspirant after which there's a whole other sense of 'etiquette' in the Sith world — kind of like the difference between what's acceptable on college campus vs. what's acceptable in the workplace.

 

Mr. Red Twi'lek succeeded at the task and was qualified to be my Apprentice. I liked him. Then Xalex murders him in cold blood so he can go "MASTER I ACTUALLY WON."

 

In a game where you can choose how LS or DS you are, forcing me to go 'Ha ha ha, you're so adorably evil!' isn't cool, and I suspect the original intent was to allow you that very decision.

 

My Sin would never have accepted Xalex onto her ship after that, because she was a devout Sith traditionalist (which made the conflict with the like-minded Thanaton that much more poignant for her — they had basically the same goals and beliefs, but were hopelessly at odds).

 

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I walked around with Skadge on my Mercenary on Voss, Corellia and Makeb.

 

Quite honestly, I couldn't back then remember the last time I had laughed as much while traversing the landscape with a companion. Dude is absolutely and utterly hilarious. :D

 

It's so refreshing compared to every other companion. He's big, stupid, ugly and a homicidal maniac. It's the perfect formula for hilarity.

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Now, if Bioware would give us the option of redoing the class and companion mission conversation cutscenes that might provide a viable workaround and killing companions could be re-implemented. Offer more ship droids to replace each missing companion. :)

 

I would kill to have your proposed "replace companions I don't get along with, with droids" option.

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I would kill to have your proposed "replace companions I don't get along with, with droids" option.

 

Yeah. The companion "role" kits thing would cover the loss of a tank or healer companion, but not the crew skill bonuses. At least this way you could just purchase a replacement that becomes available only after its counterpart companion has been offered in the class story. Maybe make it so Treek or HK or other companions can work this way?

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Anyone who wants to get rid of Skadge is more than welcome to trade me for Risha.

 

I'd hurry to take me up on this offer - not because supplies are going fast, but because...

 

 

I will murder this heartless, gutless, spoiled, self-centered, EVIL little bîtch before too long. Anyone who tries to romance this bîtch is a bîtch themselves for putting up with the whole "take-over-your-ship-and-your-life-while-stringing-you-along-with-some-Dubrillion-Duke" thing she's got going on.

 

 

I'm comfortably certain the writer of Risha's personality had a really bad relationship at one point. But anyway - look me up if ya wanna trade. -bp

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Now that they have purchaseable companions that can fulfill tank/healer, and a questable DPS companion, maybe it's time to revisit companion deaths. There should be significant gating to go with it - something like "you must have Treek AND HK available on This Particular Toon in order to kill off X", and/or a costly Bounty Contract (millions of credits, or veeeery expensive in the CM). Even include a huge walkthrough or explanation that there ain't no comin' back. That way only those that are serious, and know the consequences, will do it, and you don't get "aw crap, I killed my healer/ crafting monkey!?!?" whining.

 

I also completely agree with OP. Skadge a.k.a. Mr. Pudding, really has no place tagging along. Almost all other companions have a believable reason, even ones like Ashara whose reasons make NO sense. But Skadge, the jerkwad who messes up a contract and bullies himself onto my ship, doesn't get a flamethrower to his pudding face???

I agree that this issue should be revisited for the reasons you've specified, but why do the companions have to die. Yes, in some instances in the stories as they exist killing the companion is the only option. But there are some options like skadge where you could simply leave the companion behind (saying something to the effect of, "nuh uh, you ain't joinin' my crew!!! TFB A-hole!"); they still exist so you could go back and get them if you wanted. And that would involve a new quest line.

 

Even ones where killing the companion is the only logical method this could work:

 

- you shoot skadge in the head, leaving him for dead. But oh no you want him back. You go to Belsavis and find that someone found him still breathing (brain dead) and has him on life support. You learn that a criminal scientist has experimental technology and procedures to replace a humanoid brain (he was convicted of multiple murder when he performed humanoid trials and failed every time). So you have to track him/her down and get him/her to perform the surgery on Skadge. And OMG it works :D

 

 

- or you kill Kira in that part of the JK story, but she does a Darth Vash/Khem Val thing (from the SI story) and invades another body.

 

The list goes on. The point is that killing companions is not necessarily an end all.

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Skadge kind of makes sense, if you think it would be worth it to have a huge, stupid brute of a friggin' character on your crew. Everyone needs one, if only to intimidate the truly stupid-er people you bump into so often. Plus he's big enough you can get him to haul all your bounties around after you capture or kill them -- a chore that Gault in particular would be glad to give up.

 

But he has to learn his place. The only thing he understands is brute force, remember. So the devs should've written in some epic "bust up your jaw so you know I'm stronger than you, always" beat-down between the hunter and Skadge before he made it onto the ship. I wouldn't care how stupidly he plays at being all scary and threatening afterwards, so long as he really did know he's not the toughest of the tough in my hunter's world.

 

That's my own humble consideration on the subject, though.

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Skadge kind of makes sense, if you think it would be worth it to have a huge, stupid brute of a friggin' character on your crew. Everyone needs one, if only to intimidate the truly stupid-er people you bump into so often. Plus he's big enough you can get him to haul all your bounties around after you capture or kill them -- a chore that Gault in particular would be glad to give up.

 

But he has to learn his place. The only thing he understands is brute force, remember. So the devs should've written in some epic "bust up your jaw so you know I'm stronger than you, always" beat-down between the hunter and Skadge before he made it onto the ship. I wouldn't care how stupidly he plays at being all scary and threatening afterwards, so long as he really did know he's not the toughest of the tough in my hunter's world.

 

That's my own humble consideration on the subject, though.

 

I like the idea of beating Skadge into submission lol. This kind of approach could really work for all those companions that by all rights ought to have been killed instead.

 

 

Like a certain Sith Warrior companion. Killing him isn't the only option. Subjugating/blackmailing him into submission is another. He owes you not only his life now, but the continuation of his now illustrious and prestigious career. An additional dialogue to reflect this would perhaps suffice if Bioware doesn't want companions actually killable or rejectable.

 

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True.

 

More malicious options vs. Companions rather than trying to force all of them to feel like your "buddy" (which just makes your character seem emotionally-unstable / fake / insane) would be tolerable, like other Class Story / game-plot decisions you're sort-of nudged into by necessity of where the devs want the plot to go.

 

A side-a-logue to put Skadge firmly in his place (either through violence or noble grit), to smack Ashara into understanding her place as a Jedi flunk-out sleeping on benches in the Sith world, etc. would do a lot to make certain Companions feel less-ludicrous to certain character / alignment designs.

Edited by SW_display_name
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That's because the people playing the beta were too stupid to be left with the option to kill companions. They killed them off then whined that the decision was final. I mean... WHAT THE **** PEOPLE?

 

While I find this hilarious, there should be the option to get replacement healer/tank companions if necessary. Maybe some sorta generic replacement companions (droids?) that could be given to any archetype that decides to execute person X from their crew. Come to think of it, elegant way to solve this problem would be to make the ship droid easily modifiable for any role.

 

There are some companions that I really did want to kill off during the storyline.

 

Skadge kind of makes sense, if you think it would be worth it to have a huge, stupid brute of a friggin' character on your crew. Everyone needs one, if only to intimidate the truly stupid-er people you bump into so often. Plus he's big enough you can get him to haul all your bounties around after you capture or kill them -- a chore that Gault in particular would be glad to give up.

 

I agree, my BH likes having Skadge around.

Edited by Karkais
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