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Baldur's Gate III | OT | Bear in Mind, Your Choices Have Consequences

FoxMcChief

Gold Member
GOT DAYUM


6ngYPir.jpg
Great game of the year on Xbox.

I’m starting to really understand the systems in the game. Gale is pissing me off with his affliction. I can’t wait to fuck the green chick. She’s already sweating for it.

I’m playing as a Druid on Explorer, as Balanced mode had me save scumming too much in battles. I figure the easier the game is, the more playthroughs I can do. I’m already thinking about which class I want to play next, and then finally that Dark Urge character. I can probably get 3 playthroughs in on Easy before I’m done with one on Balanced.

I originally started off as a rogue, the fighter, and now am a Druid. Being a bear is awesome in battle, and changing into a cat to go into small cracks to access secret areas is cool.

I do wish that I could “trust the dice” more, but the save scumming is needed at times. It is cool that you can quick save in mid-conversations.
 

FireFly

Member
Generally yes…but take it too far and it can also mean a lot of people hate you, as well as a lot of quests can’t continue further. Basically don’t do it as a first option as rule of thumb if you want the story behind things.
The XP you get from dialogue checks that avoid a combat encounter should be the same or similar to the XP you get from the encounter itself. There was a pre-release interview where Larian said they were trying to avoid penalising dialogue heavy playstyles. That doesn't account for engaging vs avoiding combat or attacking NPCs. Though killing NPCs can also fail quests, so deprives you of XP that way.
 
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FoxMcChief

Gold Member
Also, like Starfield, this rpg is buggy as fuck. I’ve definitely run into more bugs with BG3 in a fraction of the time.

I’ve run into an instance where I load a game and it loads my character inside the map and can’t do anything. I had to restart the game because it kept doing it for every game save.

Another is that the sound doesn’t work until I reset the game.

Characters disappearing after I talk to them.

Then just weird traversal glitches like companions getting stuck or my character getting stuck.

But all the numerous bugs aside, still a great game.
 
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adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Also, like Starfield, this rpg is buggy as fuck. I’ve definitely run into more bugs with BG3 in a fraction of the time.

I’ve run into an instance where I load a game and it loads my character inside the map and can’t do anything. I had to restart the game because it kept doing it for every game save.

Another is that the sound doesn’t work until I reset the game.

Characters disappearing after I talk to them.

Then just weird traversal glitches like companions getting stuck or my character getting stuck.

But all the numerous bugs aside, still a great game.

Yes.

I also had the progress loss bug, fortunately I only lost 15~ minutes.

Now, I let the game sit and take its merry fucking time to sync cloud-saves before I quit at the end of a session.
 
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FoxMcChief

Gold Member
Yes.

I also had the progress loss bug, fortunately I only lost 15~ minutes.

Now, I let the game sit and take its merry fucking time to sync cloud-saves before I quit at the end of a session.
The saving is weird though. I do give the game extra time after I see that “save successful” message. Then I quit out of the game, give the Xbox a moment before turning it off (sleep)
 

nowhat

Member
A few days back I started "The Dark Urge" run, using an oathbreaker paladin character (seemed appropriate).

Holy fuck. I don't usually play an all evil character in RPGs, because it's just not me, but as there's an origin story and I'm supposed to be such, why the hell not. And the game delivers in spades. The amount of extra narrator lines and dialogue choices is not something I expected. And behind those choices, if you take them... is some dark shit. So far I've been mightily impressed. And I've already finished the game twice before.
 
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The XP you get from dialogue checks that avoid a combat encounter should be the same or similar to the XP you get from the encounter itself. There was a pre-release interview where Larian said they were trying to avoid penalising dialogue heavy playstyles. That doesn't account for engaging vs avoiding combat or attacking NPCs. Though killing NPCs can also fail quests, so deprives you of XP that way.
Yeah that’s sort of what I meant; short term you get slightly more XP from combat than dialogue resolutions, but it basically evens out like you said when you add the extra quests and quest steps you miss. But going through some quests you can sneak through avoiding fights of hostile creatures and basically giving up XP, unlike the dialogue resolutions, but you can sometimes get a better outcome story wise but not really getting you any more XP or any more quest steps.

Like in the
Hag’s lair
for instance.
 
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FoxMcChief

Gold Member
You can get two druids, as companions. Bard is where it’s at jack of all trades on rolls, advantage in most conversations with enough charisma, can pull triple duty in combat (dps, cc and support), and the best part has the most extra dialogue.
I’m going to go bard on another playthrough.
 
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I’m going to go bard on another playthrough.
Same, I’m planning the next already 😆

Did it as a Gnome this time just to see the romance scenes with the size difference, and they actually tailored it to the size of the character very well while at the same time not making the smaller races look like adolescents (which would be disturbing), yet at the same time still making them somewhat attractive with the right settings (the one facial setting and subclass for Halflings seriously looks like a hobbit version of Scarlett Johansson with the right hair).…and it’s so damned cute; all of the main companion characters all have a sweet kneeling animation before they kiss ‘tiny’ Tav 🥹
 
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adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Just did the
Aunty Ethel
boss fight.

God damn, I hate how frequently I'm just straight up missing attacks, sigh. At a point it stops being fun or strategic and just makes me want to save scum the hell out of it.
 

Mister Wolf

Member
Just did the
Aunty Ethel
boss fight.

God damn, I hate how frequently I'm just straight up missing attacks, sigh. At a point it stops being fun or strategic and just makes me want to save scum the hell out of it.

You got to start using ways to get the enemy in a state of Disadvantage and yourself in a state of Advantage. The simplest is to have a Cleric cast Bless on yourself or Bane on the enemy.


 
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adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
You got to start using ways to get the enemy in a state of Disadvantage and yourself in a state of Advantage. The simplest is to have a Cleric cast Bless on yourself or Bane on the enemy.

I guess having a party with almost all physical oriented party members will have its disadvantages.
 

Mister Wolf

Member
I guess having a party with almost all physical oriented party members will have its disadvantages.

Yes. Add Shadowheart and respec her to a better Cleric archtype. Trickster is worthless. Life, Light, War, and Tempest domain are great. Life, Tempest, and War can even wear Heavy Armor.
 
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skit_data

Member
Been playing since the PS5 launch and really really taking my time. I'm at 150 hours and I only just started Act 2 (or at least I presume it is, because I have pretty much explored every possible part of the map and now I'm heading for Moonrise tower after having forged myself some mighty fine adamantine equipment. I did restart the campaign at one point though, because I initially started it in split screen with a friend and he just ran around fucking up questlines and starting all new ones so I had no idea what the fuck had happened and why xD

I've barely vistited this thread due to the fear of getting spoiled but I'll probably be back because I've decided to just play with a little more intent of actually getting somewhere because I've mostly been fucking around trying out all wierd possibilities from a build/combat/travesal perspective. It just keeps on giving.

I recently realized Gale can learn spells permanently via spell scrolls, which made him go from a relatively useless muncher of nice items to an all around beast of a support/dmg dealer. Like I wrote earlier, it's ridiculous how BG3 just keeps throwing unexpected and cool stuff your way.
 
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shoplifter

Member
I have to say I'm super happy with how they've handled utility spells. Rather than leaving the Wizard class to be a damage dealer/buffer, they've gone full on classic Swiss army knife by making things like
wizard locking boss doors shut, grease, mage hand to manipulate the environment/items, etc.
useful in the game, and every time I've tried utility spell, I've been pleasantly surprised that the result worked how I'd have expected it to in a tabletop game.
 
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Doom85

Member
Question about Gale

Will he always need to consume a magical item?

No, after he’s consumed a 3rd magical item, he won‘t require anymore. IIRC there is a story reason for this but I can’t remember specifically.

Definitely worth keeping him around if you care about the character stories. Trust me, you’ll find a ton of magical items throughout the game, and even within Act 1 there’s a few you won’t get much use out of probably so losing three of your choosing is no big deal.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
No, after he’s consumed a 3rd magical item, he won‘t require anymore. IIRC there is a story reason for this but I can’t remember specifically.

Definitely worth keeping him around if you care about the character stories. Trust me, you’ll find a ton of magical items throughout the game, and even within Act 1 there’s a few you won’t get much use out of probably so losing three of your choosing is no big deal.

There's no shortage of magical items, I have like 8 in my inventory right now that i'm keeping for that express purpose.
 

FoxMcChief

Gold Member
No, after he’s consumed a 3rd magical item, he won‘t require anymore. IIRC there is a story reason for this but I can’t remember specifically.

Definitely worth keeping him around if you care about the character stories. Trust me, you’ll find a ton of magical items throughout the game, and even within Act 1 there’s a few you won’t get much use out of probably so losing three of your choosing is no big deal.
It feels like I’ve given him 5. I’m still super early, and did just do the conversation with him where he revealed what’s wrong with him by placing my hand on his chest.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Reached the
Underdark
.

Tried to go through the mountain pass but the game told me that my party is woefully underleveled.

Well .. shit .. not sure how much I can power-level, since I've seemingly fought all the enemies on the map.
 
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Mister Wolf

Member
Reached the
Underdark
.

Tried to go through the mountain pass but the game told me that my party is woefully underleveled.

Well .. shit .. not sure how much I can power-level, since I've seemingly fought all the enemies on the map.

You took the best route. If you go through the mountain pass to the shadowlands you miss out on the underdark and another area. You do want to go over to the mountain pass entrance area though as that is where Lazaels creche is located.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
You took the best route. If you go through the mountain pass to the shadowlands you miss out on the underdark and another area. You do want to go over to the mountain pass entrance area though as that is where Lazaels creche is located.

Yeah, at least two quests are pointing me to go to the Mountain Pass

The Creche one and the 'find the Duke' one from the burning farm quest line.

I'm guessing I'll be going through the overhead mountain pass sooner or later.
 

Mister Wolf

Member
Yeah, at least two quests are pointing me to go to the Mountain Pass

The Creche one and the 'find the Duke' one from the burning farm quest line.

I'm guessing I'll be going through the overhead mountain pass sooner or later.

I headed over there and did the creche stuff. Then I went through the underdark to get to the Shadowlands.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Oh my god. This fucking
Spectator
boss.


This mother fucker just keeps taking turns after turns.
 

calistan

Member
Oh my god. This fucking
Spectator
boss.


This mother fucker just keeps taking turns after turns.
Where did you find that? I googled it and I'm not even sure I saw him on my playthrough, despite trying to take every possible route.

This game is just so great. I persuaded a friend to buy it, and now he's telling me all this stuff about his adventures and I'm itching to start it all over again. But it took me 143 hours the first time!
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Where did you find that? I googled it and I'm not even sure I saw him on my playthrough, despite trying to take every possible route.

This game is just so great. I persuaded a friend to buy it, and now he's telling me all this stuff about his adventures and I'm itching to start it all over again. But it took me 143 hours the first time!

Underdark from the Temple. Very near the start of the Undertark area.
 

calistan

Member
Well, that really doesn't look familiar. But apparently there are a couple of them much later, in an area I definitely cleared, so maybe I was a high enough level by then that they didn't really register as super tough enemies.

The way different players can experience the same game in such different ways is amazing, I can't think of anything that compares in that way.
 
Well, that really doesn't look familiar. But apparently there are a couple of them much later, in an area I definitely cleared, so maybe I was a high enough level by then that they didn't really register as super tough enemies.

The way different players can experience the same game in such different ways is amazing, I can't think of anything that compares in that way.
Just from memory but I think the beholder looking dude might not appear unless you remove the curse on any of the dark elves that have been turned to stone in that area

Oh my god. This fucking
Spectator
boss.


This mother fucker just keeps taking turns after turns.

I don't remember a specific strategy for this guy, just the usual stuff. Split people up before u start the fight, try to have spellcasters or archers in a high ground advantaged position, that kind of thing. focus him down with your most powerful moves, if it doesn't work, roll the dice again but be luckier this time.
 

gtabro

Member
Why do redditors never believe facts when there's literal visual evidence? Kind of a rhetoric question, we know what Reddit is like really, the memes speak for themselves. Sadly Swen Vincke is not on the title screen...

 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
The Underdark is this games version of The Fade from Dragon Age Origins.

End, you fucking area.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Alright, game, check this shit out.

If I'm playing the game in the quote unquote story difficulty mode, don't make me reload 5 times just to pass a 10 dice roll.
 

Mister Wolf

Member
Alright, game, check this shit out.

If I'm playing the game in the quote unquote story difficulty mode, don't make me reload 5 times just to pass a 10 dice roll.

Aren't there dice roll options that makes the even easier? I'm not exactly sure.
 
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adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Aren't there dice roll options that makes the even easier? I'm not exactly sure.
There is an option called Karmic Dice which is supposed to help you from getting a series of fail rolls, but that shit ain't working for me.
 

amigastar

Member
I already started as a Fighter > Champion, already a good number of hours in. Maybe next play through a few years later.

Also, the story mode difficulty could be a little more easier lol
I've played the game on Normal difficulty and got problems in ACT 3 but on Story mode it's pretty easy now i have to say. I don't know how people can play this game on hard.
Also i haven't romanced with anyone. Don't have a problem with it just wasn't in the mood for romancing.
 
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There is an option called Karmic Dice which is supposed to help you from getting a series of fail rolls, but that shit ain't working for me.
It also prevents a streak of success rolls, averaging out possibilities so that with each failure success becomes more likely and with each success failure becomes more likely. I don't think it's a good box to check
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
It also prevents a streak of success rolls, averaging out possibilities so that with each failure success becomes more likely and with each success failure becomes more likely. I don't think it's a good box to check

Fuck that option, unchecking it from now on.

Is there a point of no return before Act 1 is over and will I be given ample warning, so I don't miss things?
 
Fuck that option, unchecking it from now on.

Is there a point of no return before Act 1 is over and will I be given ample warning, so I don't miss things?
Yeah. A message will pop and warn you when you're going to new places if you want to try to go back and finish off quests. The mountain pass is actually a reasonably large area with a fair bit to do, sort of like the underdark, and you can go backwards from there. Some really good weapons and some merchants selling some really useful gear in the mountain pass also.
 
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