Okay, I'll try and keep it low-spoiler, but I'll give you names and how you should act around them.
* Seelah and Ember: Encourage them to keep doing what they do, and support their endeavours.
* Camellia: The loading screen is right that sometimes you can't save everyone, but it doesn't tell you that sometimes you shouldn't.
* Lann and Wenduag: You can only pick one of these two, and one will make it pretty clear that their plan ends badly for a lot of people. Don’t lose your temper. The one you do choose should be encouraged to meet with someone from their past, and helped to embrace their new role.
* Nenio: When asked about friendship, play along. A quest of theirs will give you a mask; if you take it at all, get rid of it without putting it on.
* Daeran: This one is complicated. The best outcome involves building up their trust, and convincing a cynic to believe that you've got their back. If you can, subtly allow someone to know you know a secret, but let them deflect. During the big moment, side with Liotr: if Daeran doesn't attack, trust that things will turn out okay.
* Woljif: Tell them to be wary of strange powers, and to trust their friends. When the big moment comes, encourage them to stick to this path.
* Sosiel: Make sure they believe that the person they're searching for is fundamentally good, but a victim of tragic circumstances. During the big moment, say "Let's go home."
* Regill: This one is pretty clear about their moral codes and you can get a bit wrong and keep them. That said, don't negotiate with or accept gifts from powerful demons, and when you're around their buddies, try to do what they would.
* Greybor: Don't judge their profession, pay them plenty.
* Arueshalae: Don't be flirty, don't be evil.
* Irabeth: Don't lose your temper (good advice in general), and encourage where you can. In a place called Iz, remember that objects and information can be replaced and recovered; people cannot.
* Anevia and Galfrey: If Irabeth is okay, they will be too. Galfrey can be trusted with the particularly valuable notes if you're on a lawful and/or good mythic path.
* Hulrun: Keeping them alive will help later on, but it's understandable if you don't want to. You can do it without killing anyone by showing them the artifact from the caves. The real tip is to avoid any discourse on this sub about them.
* The Hand: They have your back. Do your best to make sure they think this is the right decision. In a place called the Ivory Labyrinth, don't trigger the boss fight until you've found an item with 'heart' in it's name.
* Nocticula: Your goals align, but that doesn't mean you should accept everything they offer.
* Storyteller: Man wants his notes. Look everywhere.
* Halaseliax: They turn out to be right, even when it seems dumb.
* Areelu: impossible to say without spoilers, but also impossible to miss the big choices.
* You: This game has a concept of mythic paths. Angels, Azata, Gold Dragons, and Legends tend to treat people better than the others. The rest is up to you.
* Minagho: Do what feels right to you; most beats are hard to miss. There is one Ankou in this game, be sure to hear them out rather than killing on sight.
And while we're at it:
* Staunton: You can't save someone who doesn't want saving. Also, blood runs thick, even when you don't want to spill it at all.
* Nurah: Be observant, and remember that you don't have to be a trickster full-time to play the odd cosmic prank.
It taints any ending you may get in a bad way. I don’t know if it taints the secret ending though.
I don’t know how to hide my text so SPOILERS ahead.
Basically you get part of the ending saying that the commander couldn’t or wouldn’t get rid of the cursed mask. Then you start disappearing for days at a time and returning with no memory of where you’d been.
You can put the mask in the storage chest and it has no effect then. If its in inventory or being worn, thats a different story. In general, don't accept a demon lord's gifts.
I’ll be real, I‘ve played too many Paradox games and usually give DLCs a couple of months to cook before I play them. I’m only in act 3 on my first playthrough with that DLC so don’t feel qualified to answer.
Someone who has finished it can feel free to chime in here.
Also note that following the Aeon path in this way will result in bad outcomes for many others (not for directly related reasons, but because of the nature of the path), so don't choose Aeon for just this.
Really, don't choose it at all if you want a happy outcome for everyone, that's not what it's about, even if Staunton gets saved on its route in an incidental manner.
Sort of like how the unique Trickster ending technically gives the best outcome for Regill but I wouldn't recommend taking it for that purpose.
>Areelu: impossible to say without spoilers, but also impossible to miss the big choices.
For this, I’d say “keep an open mind, don’t be so hasty to ignore the opportunity for expanding your knowledge” as a decent-ish summary.
I get where you’re coming from, but for a first playthrough, it’s hard to say what you’re saying with no spoilers while keeping >!Anevia and Irabeth!< around.
The former is is a real one. They’re ride-or-die (albeit, with >!Irabeth!< not you) and know everything. It’s possible to keep everyone, but you kinda need a guide to pull it off. I made a judgement call here and if the options were keeping >!the power couple intact or getting the secret ending!< the former is both easier and more feel-good.
One minor reminder, to save some unnecessary pain: the object you're referring to with Galfrey is NOT the Covenant of the Inheritor. That thing is very useful and IIRC you don't get it back if you hand it to her. Furthermore I don't think there's any benefit to giving it back to her.
Seelah’s ending is still good if you choose the more lawful options, essentially turns her into a better paladin idealistically speaking. Camellia isn’t worth saving (sorry Camellia fans)
Personal morality creeping in on Seelah. Given that Ioemedae's followers tend to have a stick up their collective asses, (cough, Hulrun, cough) I made a judgement call that someone looking for the happiest endings would prefer the more idealistic, optimistic, knight-errant Seelah over the truly lawful paladin Seelah.
Camellia's arc managed to surprise me throughout most of the game [(full, spoilery, details here)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Pathfinder_Kingmaker/comments/144jzqx/people_who_like_camilla_please_explain_to_me/jngencx/?context=3) so I was deliberately vague because it made a good story. I fully agree though.
Admittedly I have a soft spot for lawful characters, so that’s personal preference, I felt Camellia warranted a warning since her outcomes can explicitly make other characters endings more depressing.
A note on Galfrey, since there are arguable two powerful items.
She can and should be trusted with the one with very questionable origins.
The other can be returned to her, or kept to put to work against the demons. Either is fine. you can actually return it to her any time you like.
A quest of theirs will give you a mask; never put it on.
I'd go even further - some things shouldn't be picked up and carried with you, even as trophies.
Specifically, >!if you have the Mask of Nothing anywhere in your inventory at the end of the game and don't get the ascension ending - which overrides it for obvious reasons - you will get a bad ending yourself. Whether you wear it or not is irrelevant; you can keep it in your inventory the entire time and still get its bad ending, or wear it every moment from the point where you get it and drop it right before the end of the game to avoid its bad ending.!<
I was more curious about the other things one shouldn't pick up, but mentioning the mask, isn't it kind of weird that the idea with the bad ending is that you put it on and it takes over? Kinda weird you can wear it like nothing before the end. Lol
>Daeran: This one is complicated
Daeran is, for me, the best written character out there in the series. Se him for the first time and hated him. Got him into the gang after a couple of runs, and then... then you start getting glimpses of him at rest-time interactions.
Don't get me wrong, the guy's an @ss. But several interactions, with ember particularly, and with Regill of all people, powerfully hint at him actually learning to care for his buddies; and that his attitude is really a mascarade to keep people away from him because of background reasons.
Haven’t finished the game but Daeran is definitely my favorite. I think the self-awareness he has paired with his flaws makes him fun to interact with.
> Nenio: When asked about friendship, play along. A quest of theirs will give you a mask; never put it on.
If you're referring to the mask at the end of their quest, then it's probably better to just never even take it in the first place. >!Just having in your inventory causes the bad ending, where the KC becomes Areshkagal's servant.!<
Yes. >!If you choose to reject Areshkagal's offer and beat them, but loot the mask off them anyway, then the ending reveals that Areshkagal had the last laugh as the KC eventually succumbs and tries on the mask, disappearing for days at a time with no memory of what happened.!<
My wholesome halfling azata cleric of Shelyn did it for me. Literally the world is ending and everything is chaos but there is this little ray of sunshine who keeps everyone hopeful and inspired singing songs and throwing colourful light spells to demons and healing the world. I can’t tell you how wholesome it was to roleplay this character. I’ll post a photo too so u can get the vibe
https://preview.redd.it/tmz25pw5ez4b1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6837b1c50774d3389224b8bf514a50e856d7cdc6
The player might not be happy, if managing a group of school children bickering while the world burns isn’t your style. Not hating, just being open about that caveat.
I assume by everyone and everything, you mean your party and people you care about. In which case, Angel or Azata are good choices. Fair warning: You can't make everyone happy, and redemption isn't possible for everyone.
There is no "best/Golden ending," but plenty of happy endings. The one that's the happiest is the True Azata ending. No spoilers, but it's basically the Chaotic Good path. Feel free to lower the difficulty down as much as you want to enjoy the game. :)
As for recruiting everybody you can and getting their best endings, just take things slow. In Act 1, once you get to the surface, be sure to grab the companion being imprisoned in the tavern basement, the one held by crusaders in the Market Square, and the one in the party house. You'll find all the others pretty organically. Each companion has loyalty missions that they will come to you with, just be sure to complete them, be kind and understanding towards them, and they'll all get their happy endings.
if you want happiness, I dunno if playing a game about killing people and demons left and right and being drenched in gore 24/7 is a good choice, unless you like that stuff
Also, like one of the prompts in loading menu said: "You can't save everyone". People will die, sacrifices will be made.
Take Azata mythic path and spread joy.
Ranadiel has guides for the effects of many choices. Links are in the sidebar.
Get well soon and take care of yourself.
Best ending for companions and NPCs without having to make sacrifices yourself: Angel of Salvation
Best ending for the world as a whole, and most companions and NPCs: True Aeon
Agreed. I wish I had went into the game blind and finished it first time. My only advice would be to stick with your character and don’t let your mind wander around to things like “hmmm I bet if I make a new character it’ll be even more immersive than the one I have 100 hours on”
This is not a happy game to play. It is brutal and horrific, it includes scenes of torture, death, trauma, it's not a game i'd play if i wanted happy vibes. It also has ticking time for certain things so not good for anxiety either.
Maybe try another game? Stardew valley, slime rancher, my time at portia/sandrock, those are probably better games for this purpose.
You can’t save everyone but with Azata I really felt I was making a positive change to the people and demons affected by the world wound. My party was Selah Sosiel Ember, The repentant character you meet during the game, Wenduag (axe throwing damage dealer could not do without) and often a character you can recruit in the pub in act 3.
I worked hard to support and nurture the characters around me and went for the secret ending.
But you can’t save everyone and there were quite a few sad outcomes along the way.
Looks like you got good answers. I'll just say you picked a really good game for helping get a little relief from these kinds of struggles and hopefully help process some negativity.
Don't play on Core unless you like savescuming a lot. Good luck in your crusade against the Worldwound.
The angel path is straight road and leads to a happy ending.
Azata gets many flavors of happy endings and I prefer those to the Angel despite the lack of content.
Azata secret ending is my absolute favorite but can be frustrating because even one mistake blocks it. I failed to get it the first time because I missed one conversation
Azata mythic run on an easier difficulty, make sure you have good diplomacy (try for 50, a little less is okay) and be an all round decent person. You get a great mythic story line and a pretty cool dragon follower. look up a guide to romance the wholesome succubus waifu for maximum Azata experience. (Yes I forgot how to spell her name)
Oh forgot azata mythic has a pretty busted ass boss for the end of it. (Even on easier difficulties he is completely busted.) Get any and all high AC counters and dispell spells. Or just cheat, I did it.
I don't recommend playing this game if you want a happy trip as the start and middle is very dark. Instead, I recommend starting a kingmaker playthrough. It is generally joyful and bright.
If you follow your heart and are willing to talk, things will turn out okay
Regarding the game, there are other comments that explain stuff better than I can
True Aeon ending. There's literally no better outcome. (in terms of everything turned out great for everyone)
But as was mentioned, to get it you'll need to do some not happy things (not bad or evil but serious and harsh). But it'll be worth it in the end tremendously. But if you want it to be warm throughout... Then yeah, i suppose Azata'll fit you better.
OP specifically asked for "the happiest possible ending for everyone and everything" and guidance on how to get it.
And what can be better than >!literally preventing this whole mess and saving hundreds of thousands of lives, preventing tragedies, broken families and traumas. !
While I agree that True Aeon has the most positive ending, not only is it a bit rougher to get there, and bittersweet in one notable fashion, alot of the Mythic aspects are more interesting if you go through the other paths first for comparison.
Someone else gave a good non-spoilery overview of many characters. One thing I want to add though is that while many people recommend Azata, I think Angel is better and easier for a feel-good story. Specifically, a neutral good angel of mercy. I would even say you don't need a walkthrough if properly roleplaying as a neutral good angel. Just follow your heart, and everything should fall into place.
Azata is great too, but...It has a lot less "feel good" moment. Though, arguably, the reason Angel feel good moments are so satisfying is when you know only as an angel you can do all that.
Okay, I'll try and keep it low-spoiler, but I'll give you names and how you should act around them. * Seelah and Ember: Encourage them to keep doing what they do, and support their endeavours. * Camellia: The loading screen is right that sometimes you can't save everyone, but it doesn't tell you that sometimes you shouldn't. * Lann and Wenduag: You can only pick one of these two, and one will make it pretty clear that their plan ends badly for a lot of people. Don’t lose your temper. The one you do choose should be encouraged to meet with someone from their past, and helped to embrace their new role. * Nenio: When asked about friendship, play along. A quest of theirs will give you a mask; if you take it at all, get rid of it without putting it on. * Daeran: This one is complicated. The best outcome involves building up their trust, and convincing a cynic to believe that you've got their back. If you can, subtly allow someone to know you know a secret, but let them deflect. During the big moment, side with Liotr: if Daeran doesn't attack, trust that things will turn out okay. * Woljif: Tell them to be wary of strange powers, and to trust their friends. When the big moment comes, encourage them to stick to this path. * Sosiel: Make sure they believe that the person they're searching for is fundamentally good, but a victim of tragic circumstances. During the big moment, say "Let's go home." * Regill: This one is pretty clear about their moral codes and you can get a bit wrong and keep them. That said, don't negotiate with or accept gifts from powerful demons, and when you're around their buddies, try to do what they would. * Greybor: Don't judge their profession, pay them plenty. * Arueshalae: Don't be flirty, don't be evil. * Irabeth: Don't lose your temper (good advice in general), and encourage where you can. In a place called Iz, remember that objects and information can be replaced and recovered; people cannot. * Anevia and Galfrey: If Irabeth is okay, they will be too. Galfrey can be trusted with the particularly valuable notes if you're on a lawful and/or good mythic path. * Hulrun: Keeping them alive will help later on, but it's understandable if you don't want to. You can do it without killing anyone by showing them the artifact from the caves. The real tip is to avoid any discourse on this sub about them. * The Hand: They have your back. Do your best to make sure they think this is the right decision. In a place called the Ivory Labyrinth, don't trigger the boss fight until you've found an item with 'heart' in it's name. * Nocticula: Your goals align, but that doesn't mean you should accept everything they offer. * Storyteller: Man wants his notes. Look everywhere. * Halaseliax: They turn out to be right, even when it seems dumb. * Areelu: impossible to say without spoilers, but also impossible to miss the big choices. * You: This game has a concept of mythic paths. Angels, Azata, Gold Dragons, and Legends tend to treat people better than the others. The rest is up to you.
Good summary of the effects of the main choices.
Good list but lacks Minagho. :)
* Minagho: Do what feels right to you; most beats are hard to miss. There is one Ankou in this game, be sure to hear them out rather than killing on sight. And while we're at it: * Staunton: You can't save someone who doesn't want saving. Also, blood runs thick, even when you don't want to spill it at all. * Nurah: Be observant, and remember that you don't have to be a trickster full-time to play the odd cosmic prank.
I’d add that you need to throw the mask away from the quest with Nenio. Even having it in your inventory at the end is bad.
What does it do?
It taints any ending you may get in a bad way. I don’t know if it taints the secret ending though. I don’t know how to hide my text so SPOILERS ahead. Basically you get part of the ending saying that the commander couldn’t or wouldn’t get rid of the cursed mask. Then you start disappearing for days at a time and returning with no memory of where you’d been.
It doesn't taint the secret ending. The mask is powerful, but it's not quite that powerful.
You can put the mask in the storage chest and it has no effect then. If its in inventory or being worn, thats a different story. In general, don't accept a demon lord's gifts.
What about Ulbrig?
I’ll be real, I‘ve played too many Paradox games and usually give DLCs a couple of months to cook before I play them. I’m only in act 3 on my first playthrough with that DLC so don’t feel qualified to answer. Someone who has finished it can feel free to chime in here.
What Ankou? I've evidently forgotten or missed something lol
>!There's one in act 4 that was hired to assassinate you, and you can convince them not to and give info on who hired them!<
I vaguely remember that, thank you for jogging my memory. Looks like it's time for another playthrough
Staunton can be saved, but only on the Aeon path.
Also note that following the Aeon path in this way will result in bad outcomes for many others (not for directly related reasons, but because of the nature of the path), so don't choose Aeon for just this. Really, don't choose it at all if you want a happy outcome for everyone, that's not what it's about, even if Staunton gets saved on its route in an incidental manner. Sort of like how the unique Trickster ending technically gives the best outcome for Regill but I wouldn't recommend taking it for that purpose.
A happy ending is one in which she suffers.
>Areelu: impossible to say without spoilers, but also impossible to miss the big choices. For this, I’d say “keep an open mind, don’t be so hasty to ignore the opportunity for expanding your knowledge” as a decent-ish summary.
Maybe it's my distaste for her kind of character, but Vorlesh is the one person I'd say doesn't deserve a happy ending, not after what she did.
I get where you’re coming from, but for a first playthrough, it’s hard to say what you’re saying with no spoilers while keeping >!Anevia and Irabeth!< around. The former is is a real one. They’re ride-or-die (albeit, with >!Irabeth!< not you) and know everything. It’s possible to keep everyone, but you kinda need a guide to pull it off. I made a judgement call here and if the options were keeping >!the power couple intact or getting the secret ending!< the former is both easier and more feel-good.
One minor reminder, to save some unnecessary pain: the object you're referring to with Galfrey is NOT the Covenant of the Inheritor. That thing is very useful and IIRC you don't get it back if you hand it to her. Furthermore I don't think there's any benefit to giving it back to her.
Ooh, yes. The object in question is a book.
Well. Dammit. I learned that one the hard way then...
Seelah’s ending is still good if you choose the more lawful options, essentially turns her into a better paladin idealistically speaking. Camellia isn’t worth saving (sorry Camellia fans)
Personal morality creeping in on Seelah. Given that Ioemedae's followers tend to have a stick up their collective asses, (cough, Hulrun, cough) I made a judgement call that someone looking for the happiest endings would prefer the more idealistic, optimistic, knight-errant Seelah over the truly lawful paladin Seelah. Camellia's arc managed to surprise me throughout most of the game [(full, spoilery, details here)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Pathfinder_Kingmaker/comments/144jzqx/people_who_like_camilla_please_explain_to_me/jngencx/?context=3) so I was deliberately vague because it made a good story. I fully agree though.
Admittedly I have a soft spot for lawful characters, so that’s personal preference, I felt Camellia warranted a warning since her outcomes can explicitly make other characters endings more depressing.
A note on Galfrey, since there are arguable two powerful items. She can and should be trusted with the one with very questionable origins. The other can be returned to her, or kept to put to work against the demons. Either is fine. you can actually return it to her any time you like.
A quest of theirs will give you a mask; never put it on. I'd go even further - some things shouldn't be picked up and carried with you, even as trophies.
Like what? Spoil me please
Specifically, >!if you have the Mask of Nothing anywhere in your inventory at the end of the game and don't get the ascension ending - which overrides it for obvious reasons - you will get a bad ending yourself. Whether you wear it or not is irrelevant; you can keep it in your inventory the entire time and still get its bad ending, or wear it every moment from the point where you get it and drop it right before the end of the game to avoid its bad ending.!<
I was more curious about the other things one shouldn't pick up, but mentioning the mask, isn't it kind of weird that the idea with the bad ending is that you put it on and it takes over? Kinda weird you can wear it like nothing before the end. Lol
It’s specifically the Mask, but I was trying to keep things somewhat unspecific for OP to avoid spoilers.
This read like the prophesies from the oracle of delphi. I love it
>Daeran: This one is complicated Daeran is, for me, the best written character out there in the series. Se him for the first time and hated him. Got him into the gang after a couple of runs, and then... then you start getting glimpses of him at rest-time interactions. Don't get me wrong, the guy's an @ss. But several interactions, with ember particularly, and with Regill of all people, powerfully hint at him actually learning to care for his buddies; and that his attitude is really a mascarade to keep people away from him because of background reasons.
Masquerade indeed. Daeran is the best written character hands down.
Haven’t finished the game but Daeran is definitely my favorite. I think the self-awareness he has paired with his flaws makes him fun to interact with.
Well done you
> Nenio: When asked about friendship, play along. A quest of theirs will give you a mask; never put it on. If you're referring to the mask at the end of their quest, then it's probably better to just never even take it in the first place. >!Just having in your inventory causes the bad ending, where the KC becomes Areshkagal's servant.!<
Is this true even if they go with violence?
Yes. >!If you choose to reject Areshkagal's offer and beat them, but loot the mask off them anyway, then the ending reveals that Areshkagal had the last laugh as the KC eventually succumbs and tries on the mask, disappearing for days at a time with no memory of what happened.!<
Technically you can keep both wenduag and Lann but it usually doesn’t happen
My wholesome halfling azata cleric of Shelyn did it for me. Literally the world is ending and everything is chaos but there is this little ray of sunshine who keeps everyone hopeful and inspired singing songs and throwing colourful light spells to demons and healing the world. I can’t tell you how wholesome it was to roleplay this character. I’ll post a photo too so u can get the vibe https://preview.redd.it/tmz25pw5ez4b1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6837b1c50774d3389224b8bf514a50e856d7cdc6
Go azata, happy people all around
The player might not be happy, if managing a group of school children bickering while the world burns isn’t your style. Not hating, just being open about that caveat.
Regill, in the corner, wearing a "we saved the world" party hat, trying his level best to be dignified.
I assume by everyone and everything, you mean your party and people you care about. In which case, Angel or Azata are good choices. Fair warning: You can't make everyone happy, and redemption isn't possible for everyone.
There is no "best/Golden ending," but plenty of happy endings. The one that's the happiest is the True Azata ending. No spoilers, but it's basically the Chaotic Good path. Feel free to lower the difficulty down as much as you want to enjoy the game. :) As for recruiting everybody you can and getting their best endings, just take things slow. In Act 1, once you get to the surface, be sure to grab the companion being imprisoned in the tavern basement, the one held by crusaders in the Market Square, and the one in the party house. You'll find all the others pretty organically. Each companion has loyalty missions that they will come to you with, just be sure to complete them, be kind and understanding towards them, and they'll all get their happy endings.
if you want happiness, I dunno if playing a game about killing people and demons left and right and being drenched in gore 24/7 is a good choice, unless you like that stuff Also, like one of the prompts in loading menu said: "You can't save everyone". People will die, sacrifices will be made.
Take Azata mythic path and spread joy. Ranadiel has guides for the effects of many choices. Links are in the sidebar. Get well soon and take care of yourself.
Best ending for companions and NPCs without having to make sacrifices yourself: Angel of Salvation Best ending for the world as a whole, and most companions and NPCs: True Aeon
Imo you should just play without getting spoiled, making mistakes is part of the game after all
Agreed. I wish I had went into the game blind and finished it first time. My only advice would be to stick with your character and don’t let your mind wander around to things like “hmmm I bet if I make a new character it’ll be even more immersive than the one I have 100 hours on”
Particularly, a lot of story points are more dramatic if you didn't do everything right.
This is not a happy game to play. It is brutal and horrific, it includes scenes of torture, death, trauma, it's not a game i'd play if i wanted happy vibes. It also has ticking time for certain things so not good for anxiety either. Maybe try another game? Stardew valley, slime rancher, my time at portia/sandrock, those are probably better games for this purpose.
Ooo, yeah, Stardew Valley has gotten me through some serious life crises.
Path to the best ending (True Aeon) isn't exactly daisies and warm feelings. Just go Azata or something
You can’t save everyone but with Azata I really felt I was making a positive change to the people and demons affected by the world wound. My party was Selah Sosiel Ember, The repentant character you meet during the game, Wenduag (axe throwing damage dealer could not do without) and often a character you can recruit in the pub in act 3. I worked hard to support and nurture the characters around me and went for the secret ending. But you can’t save everyone and there were quite a few sad outcomes along the way.
Looks like you got good answers. I'll just say you picked a really good game for helping get a little relief from these kinds of struggles and hopefully help process some negativity. Don't play on Core unless you like savescuming a lot. Good luck in your crusade against the Worldwound.
The angel path is straight road and leads to a happy ending. Azata gets many flavors of happy endings and I prefer those to the Angel despite the lack of content. Azata secret ending is my absolute favorite but can be frustrating because even one mistake blocks it. I failed to get it the first time because I missed one conversation
Azata mythic run on an easier difficulty, make sure you have good diplomacy (try for 50, a little less is okay) and be an all round decent person. You get a great mythic story line and a pretty cool dragon follower. look up a guide to romance the wholesome succubus waifu for maximum Azata experience. (Yes I forgot how to spell her name) Oh forgot azata mythic has a pretty busted ass boss for the end of it. (Even on easier difficulties he is completely busted.) Get any and all high AC counters and dispell spells. Or just cheat, I did it.
I don't recommend playing this game if you want a happy trip as the start and middle is very dark. Instead, I recommend starting a kingmaker playthrough. It is generally joyful and bright.
If you follow your heart and are willing to talk, things will turn out okay Regarding the game, there are other comments that explain stuff better than I can
Start Kingmaker. It is possible to have positive ending for everyone
Don't play the game and start therapy and go out and touch the grass.
True Aeon ending. There's literally no better outcome. (in terms of everything turned out great for everyone) But as was mentioned, to get it you'll need to do some not happy things (not bad or evil but serious and harsh). But it'll be worth it in the end tremendously. But if you want it to be warm throughout... Then yeah, i suppose Azata'll fit you better.
While I completely agree with the True Aeon ending, the path of getting there might not be that happy-go-lucky.
OP specifically asked for "the happiest possible ending for everyone and everything" and guidance on how to get it. And what can be better than >!literally preventing this whole mess and saving hundreds of thousands of lives, preventing tragedies, broken families and traumas. !
While I agree that True Aeon has the most positive ending, not only is it a bit rougher to get there, and bittersweet in one notable fashion, alot of the Mythic aspects are more interesting if you go through the other paths first for comparison.
Someone else gave a good non-spoilery overview of many characters. One thing I want to add though is that while many people recommend Azata, I think Angel is better and easier for a feel-good story. Specifically, a neutral good angel of mercy. I would even say you don't need a walkthrough if properly roleplaying as a neutral good angel. Just follow your heart, and everything should fall into place. Azata is great too, but...It has a lot less "feel good" moment. Though, arguably, the reason Angel feel good moments are so satisfying is when you know only as an angel you can do all that.
There a secret good guy class called Swarm. Highly recommend.
Play it with headphones on, the music will LIFT you
I have really struggled getting going as well. I just became KC and I have probably invested upwards of 40 hours in the game already.
Use disintegration spell on Camellia. Back-hole works too.
Bro play bugsnax, you can’t be sad playing bugsnax.
The game is 100+ hours long If you'll be depressed and anxious after so much time you should visit a doctor