What Triggers Barik's Romance?

[Carefull]

Good folks, I cannot getthe additional options to show in Barik's conversations on the Spire after removing his armor.

I am playing a Female character that joined DIsfavored and never wavered from being loyal to them, destroyed Scarlet Chorus and peacefully transitioned Barik's loyalty from Ashe to Archon of Tiers.

Is there anything I can fix in any file with Global variables to get the scenes? I really wanted to see it in the game! Utube is nice and all, but...

 

[Dsingis]

There is a romance option for Barik? O.O
Call me surprised, I didn't even know that.

 

[Flame13223]

No idea I kinda hated him bc I played with the Vendrien guard and he kept bitching non-stop about everything.

 

[Estelindis]

I would love to know this as well. I played a full Disfavored game in which I had max loyalty/favor with Barik, Graven Ashe, and the Disfavored. I never killed a single Disfavored enemy the whole game through, always expressed respect for Ashe, showed empathy to Barik, etc. Yet the romance seems blocked. My character gets Barik out of his armor, expresses interest in him, but when the bathing encounter comes up he says: "The armor was but one of the many things that separate us. Archon." I even tried replaying the whole sequence from the start of his personal quest and leaving him out of the party whenever the game would let me (as he disapproves of the effort to get him out of his armor as soon as Tunon forbids it), but this made no difference.

This is so hard to understand - the number of hoops I seem to need to jump through is nuts. Except for the fact that I've seen someone post the romance on YouTube, I'd think it's impossible. Why wouldn't this story branch be designed in a reasonably accessible manner?

I love the game, but it seems like the DLC just isn't of the same standard. I already had to reload several hours of progress twice in Bastard's Wound, once because of apparently doing quests in the "wrong" order or not realising some branches would open up if I talked to a particular not-previously-chatty NPC at a particular time, and another time because of examining murals before an NPC told me to do it. Do I just have to accept that they released this product unfinished and seem content to leave it that way, or is there some way I can actually play this romance?

To be honest, it's especially frustrating because I got the base game free on Twitch Prime and I loved it so much that I then went and bought the full version plus DLC, because there wasn't a way to just buy the DLC via Twitch. But the DLC is so buggy that I might as well have just enjoyed my free game. I saw all the bad reviews on Steam but went ahead anyway because I wanted more of this world and characters.

 

[Flame13223]

I would love to know this as well. I played a full Disfavored game in which I had max loyalty/favor with Barik, Graven Ashe, and the Disfavored. I never killed a single Disfavored enemy the whole game through, always expressed respect for Ashe, showed empathy to Barik, etc. Yet the romance seems blocked. My character gets Barik out of his armor, expresses interest in him, but when the bathing encounter comes up he says: "The armor was but one of the many things that separate us. Archon." I even tried replaying the whole sequence from the start of his personal quest and leaving him out of the party whenever the game would let me (as he disapproves of the effort to get him out of his armor as soon as Tunon forbids it), but this made no difference.

This is so hard to understand - the number of hoops I seem to need to jump through is nuts. Except for the fact that I've seen someone post the romance on YouTube, I'd think it's impossible. Why wouldn't this story branch be designed in a reasonably accessible manner?

I love the game, but it seems like the DLC just isn't of the same standard. I already had to reload several hours of progress twice in Bastard's Wound, once because of apparently doing quests in the "wrong" order or not realising some branches would open up if I talked to a particular not-previously-chatty NPC at a particular time, and another time because of examining murals before an NPC told me to do it. Do I just have to accept that they released this product unfinished and seem content to leave it that way, or is there some way I can actually play this romance?

To be honest, it's especially frustrating because I got the base game free on Twitch Prime and I loved it so much that I then went and bought the full version plus DLC, because there wasn't a way to just buy the DLC via Twitch. But the DLC is so buggy that I might as well have just enjoyed my free game. I saw all the bad reviews on Steam but went ahead anyway because I wanted more of this world and characters.

Yeah I've encountered some pretty weird situations in Bastard's Wound too, overall not my favourite storyline, I was kind of annoyed that even though I played Vendrien Guard and openly opposed Tunon and Kyros the story still made me choose options where I say things like I am an agent of Tunon and stuff...I very clearly wasn't...

Its also annoying that the game pushes you to keep Barik/Verse despite you being a Vendrien guard player and those to being enemies from the beginning...Its very hard to get rid of them completely even if I choose not to bring them along at the beginning I have to meet them at the Court of Tunon...

 

[Estelindis]

Yeah I've encountered some pretty weird situations in Bastard's Wound too, overall not my favourite storyline, I was kind of annoyed that even though I played Vendrien Guard and openly opposed Tunon and Kyros the story still made me choose options where I say things like I am an agent of Tunon and stuff...I very clearly wasn't...

Actually, I think the only reason the Rebel Fatebinder doesn't get assassinated by Bleden Mark early on is because they either pretend to be the agent of Tunon and Kyros or really sincerely are working for Tunon and Kyros. Either the Rebel Fatebinder acts like they're helping the rebels as a way to achieve the peace of Kyros (maybe 'cos they think the Chorus and Disfavored can't do the job) or they act like they're infiltrating the rebels with the intention of eventually betraying them - either stance of course can be betrayed later. But openly defying Tunon and Kyros from the very start seems like a quick way to earn a knife in the dark.

Its also annoying that the game pushes you to keep Barik/Verse despite you being a Vendrien guard player and those to being enemies from the beginning...Its very hard to get rid of them completely even if I choose not to bring them along at the beginning I have to meet them at the Court of Tunon...

I'll have to try that in my next playthrough. I am attempting to get maximum variation between my plays but it still never occurred to me to simply not recruit a companion. I suppose the justification would be that Tunon wants some oversight and/or protection of the Fatebinder. I am very curious just how this works out if I try at every opportunity to distance my character from them.

I'm not saying you're wrong to object to this presentation of the companions in a rebel playthrough, but to me the game does a pretty good job of making disparate approaches somehow all make an amount of sense. Like, even in a playthrough where my character does the worst possible things to the Disfavored at every opportunity, there's still justification for Barik being in the party, because my character can make him her unwilling vassal after her shoves her in anger (after she sides with the Chorus pre-Vendrien's Well). One single instance of losing his temper in a very small way and his life is completely out of his hands. If he refused to serve her, presumably he would be subject to Tunon's justice, but by going ahead and serving her he just helps to orchestrate his own misery. It's truly an excruciating situation for him to be in.

 

[Flame13223]

Actually, I think the only reason the Rebel Fatebinder doesn't get assassinated by Bleden Mark early on is because they either pretend to be the agent of Tunon and Kyros or really sincerely are working for Tunon and Kyros. Either the Rebel Fatebinder acts like they're helping the rebels as a way to achieve the peace of Kyros (maybe 'cos they think the Chorus and Disfavored can't do the job) or they act like they're infiltrating the rebels with the intention of eventually betraying them - either stance of course can be betrayed later. But openly defying Tunon and Kyros from the very start seems like a quick way to earn a knife in the dark.

Early on yes you argue that the Disfavored and the Chorus are incompetent and Kyros is infallible the fact that the edict did not result in your death proves that you have done Kyros's will (conquered the Tiers in the name of Kyros) however by the time I get to the Bastar'd wound I have had a second meeting with Tunon telling him to fuck off. In fact I already had multiple armies under my control at that point.

I'm not saying you're wrong to object to this presentation of the companions in a rebel playthrough, but to me the game does a pretty good job of making disparate approaches somehow all make an amount of sense. Like, even in a playthrough where my character does the worst possible things to the Disfavored at every opportunity, there's still justification for Barik being in the party, because my character can make him her unwilling vassal after her shoves her in anger (after she sides with the Chorus pre-Vendrien's Well). One single instance of losing his temper in a very small way and his life is completely out of his hands. If he refused to serve her, presumably he would be subject to Tunon's justice, but by going ahead and serving her he just helps to orchestrate his own misery. It's truly an excruciating situation for him to be in.

I'm actually impressed that the game even has a lot of these options to begin with but they could refine it a lot further. Also, you can recruit Ebb, Lantry, Sirin, Kills-in-Shadow and have a normal team without having a Disfavored or Scarlet Chorus spy in your team. I mean Verse is actually fine, she joins you because you are strong and cuts ties with the Chorus but Barik is WAY too loyal to Graven Ashe.

One thing I deeply miss is convincing Graven Ashe or the Disfavored to stand with me in the Rebel alliance part. Seeing as how Graven Ashe's daughter is with the rebel alliance and so is his grandson whom I saved by the way, and Graven Ashe and the Disfavored used to be rebels back in the day I find it odd that I cannot re-ignite his rebellious spirit or at least get the Disfavored after killing Ashe considering you can still side with the disfavored in many instances and have a high reputation with them despite being a rebel just by carrying yourself with honor and siding with them against the Chorus from time to time.

I know you can convince Graven Ashe to step down and give you command if you go for a full Disfavored playthrough but I honestly wish you could have that with a rebel playthrough as well. You can already convince Tunon to side with you when you're a rebel if you argue well enough (I tried both endings, convincing him to join you and killing him in an epic fuck you to Kyros and both are pretty satisfying).

 

[Estelindis]

One thing I deeply miss is convincing Graven Ashe or the Disfavored to stand with me in the Rebel alliance part. Seeing as how Graven Ashe's daughter is with the rebel alliance and so is his grandson whom I saved by the way, and Graven Ashe and the Disfavored used to be rebels back in the day I find it odd that I cannot re-ignite his rebellious spirit or at least get the Disfavored after killing Ashe considering you can still side with the disfavored in many instances and have a high reputation with them despite being a rebel just by carrying yourself with honor and siding with them against the Chorus from time to time.

I know you can convince Graven Ashe to step down and give you command if you go for a full Disfavored playthrough but I honestly wish you could have that with a rebel playthrough as well. You can already convince Tunon to side with you when you're a rebel if you argue well enough (I tried both endings, convincing him to join you and killing him in an epic fuck you to Kyros and both are pretty satisfying).

I couldn't agree more. It seems very clear that the lives of the Disfavored are the most important thing to Ashe, closely followed by his personal honour. He's a proud man but bent the knee in the first place because it was the only way to save his troops. There are plenty of instances in the game where he prioritizes protecting his soldiers over achieving the goals of Kyros, and lots of hints and clues that he might be doing more (like the suggestion of him trading rebel prisoners for Disfavored ones). So in theory he'd be ripe for an alliance even in a rebel game.

The trouble is not so much that Ashe is unwilling to step down in a rebel playthrough... but that we have no way of letting him in on it earlier than chapter three. Once we turn to the rebels in chapter one, the story puts us in conflict with the Disfavored many times, and it's usually not possible to advance the plot without killing lots of Disfavored. Ashe simply won't forgive this, no matter how personally interested he might be in a rebellion against Kyros that could actually succeed.

As much as I personally would love to get the Disfavored on our side in a rebel playthrough, I think it makes some sense that matters unfold the way the game indicates. Until the Fatebinder gains the ability to cast their own edicts, any rebellion against Kyros is realistically doomed. In the long run, no one can win against Kyros if Kyros alone can inflict the power of the edicts. So if we did actually try to approach Ashe earlier and interest him in getting on our side, he'd reject our suggestion and fight us, not because he's deeply loyal to Kyros in his heart but because he thinks (not unreasonably) that only Kyros can win. And once we get to the point where the Fatebinder can cast edicts, Ashe would be blinded by the number of Disfavoured the Fatebinder has slain.

Perhaps, nonetheless, there could be some way of writing Ashe so that he could realistically bend the knee to a rebel Fatebinder in chapter three. After all, he yielded to Kyros who had certainly caused more of his soldiers to die than the Fatebinder ever did. But, at that point, what's the difference between Kyros and the Fatebinder from his point of view? Perhaps nothing more than the fact that the Fatebinder is right here, with the power to slay Ashe if he doesn't cooperate (which causes many Disfavoured to die or lose purpose), but Kyros is far away. Maybe that should've been enough.

 

[Flame13223]

and it's usually not possible to advance the plot without killing lots of Disfavored.

Actually you can minimize disfavored casualties a lot...hell you can completely ignore any disfavored soldiers if you start your alliance in the right place where the disfavored arent (Forge-bound for one, you only fight mercenaries there) and then if you go to Stalwart you can avoid disfavored and face bane mostly and the inner stalwart guard. And you save Ashe's daughter and grandson if you outsmart the edict...that has to count for something...especially since in Chapter 3 Ashe's daughter does make an appearance only to leave and roam the land I guess bc her storyline goes nowhere...

 

[Estelindis]

Actually you can minimize disfavored casualties a lot...hell you can completely ignore any disfavored soldiers if you start your alliance in the right place where the disfavored arent (Forge-bound for one, you only fight mercenaries there) and then if you go to Stalwart you can avoid disfavored and face bane mostly and the inner stalwart guard. And you save Ashe's daughter and grandson if you outsmart the edict...that has to count for something...especially since in Chapter 3 Ashe's daughter does make an appearance only to leave and roam the land I guess bc her storyline goes nowhere...

I did this on my rebel playthrough and still ended up killing a lot of Disfavored. I avoided facing them wherever possible, as I was playing a diplomat who thought she could work with them, but even minimizing casualties compared to a full anti-Disfavored run leaves a lot of them dead. I had Ashe at max favor (or close enough to it) and it still didn't make a difference.

 

[Flame13223]

I did this on my rebel playthrough and still ended up killing a lot of Disfavored. I avoided facing them wherever possible, as I was playing a diplomat who thought she could work with them, but even minimizing casualties compared to a full anti-Disfavored run leaves a lot of them dead. I had Ashe at max favor (or close enough to it) and it still didn't make a difference.

Yup I did the same in one playthrough and indeed, nothing. Which is sad. Honestly I thought saving his daughter would somehow turn him towards us but nope he just doesn't give a damn.