Baldur's Gate Baldur's Gate 3 RELEASE THREAD

[Swen]

Bing copilot knows of bg3 (sources seem ...):

Spoiler

Ranking CRPGs is a very subjective task, and different sources may have different criteria and opinions. However, based on the web search results I found, here is one possible list of the top 10 CRPGs of all time, along with a brief description of each game:

- **Baldur's Gate 3**: A modern masterpiece that adapts the Dungeons and Dragons ruleset and setting to create a rich and immersive fantasy world. Developed by Larian Studios, the same team behind the Divinity Original Sin series, this game features a deep character creation system, a branching storyline, and a dynamic combat system that allows for a variety of strategies and tactics¹.
- **Planescape: Torment**: An old-school classic that explores the weird and wonderful multiverse of the Planescape setting. You play as the Nameless One, an immortal being who wakes up in a mortuary with no memory of his past. As you journey through the planes, you encounter bizarre creatures, factions, and philosophies, and uncover the secrets of your own identity and destiny².
- **Disco Elysium**: A recent gem that combines a noir detective story with a unique skill system and dialogue mechanics. You are a disgraced cop who has to solve a murder case in a city plagued by corruption, unrest, and political intrigue. Your choices and actions shape not only the outcome of the case, but also your own personality, beliefs, and mental state¹.
- **Divinity Original Sin 1 & 2**: Two excellent games that offer a vast and detailed fantasy world to explore, with a rich lore, memorable characters, and a turn-based combat system that rewards creativity and experimentation. You can play solo or co-op, and create your own custom characters or choose from pre-made ones with their own backgrounds and quests¹.
- **Dragon Age: Origins**: The first game in the Dragon Age franchise, and arguably the best. It is a dark and gritty fantasy RPG that lets you choose from six different origins, each with their own story and impact on the world. You can recruit and romance various companions, and influence the fate of nations and factions through your decisions¹.
- **Fallout: New Vegas**: A post-apocalyptic RPG that takes place in the Mojave Wasteland, where you are a courier who gets shot in the head and left for dead. You can explore the vast and diverse landscape, interact with various factions and characters, and shape the future of the region through your actions. The game offers a lot of freedom and customization, and has a great sense of humor and atmosphere².
- **The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt**: The final chapter of the saga of Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter who is searching for his missing adopted daughter, Ciri, who is being hunted by a powerful enemy. The game is set in a massive and beautiful open world, filled with quests, characters, monsters, and secrets. The game also has a compelling story, a dynamic combat system, and a rich lore³.
- **Pillars of Eternity 1 & 2**: Two games that pay homage to the classic CRPGs of the past, such as Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale. They are set in a original fantasy world, where you are a Watcher, a person who can see and interact with souls. You can create your own character and party, and explore a rich and complex world, with a deep story, lore, and choices².
- **Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic**: A sci-fi RPG that takes place in the Star Wars universe, thousands of years before the movies. You are a Republic soldier who becomes a Jedi, and gets involved in a galactic conflict between the Republic and the Sith. You can travel to different planets, meet various characters, and choose between the light and dark sides of the Force².
- **Mass Effect 2**: The second game in the Mass Effect trilogy, and widely considered the best. It is a sci-fi RPG that follows Commander Shepard, a human soldier who leads a team of elite operatives against a mysterious threat known as the Collectors. You can customize your character, recruit and bond with your squad, and make decisions that affect the fate of the galaxy³.

I hope this list satisfies your curiosity. Of course, there are many other great CRPGs out there, and you may have your own favorites. What do you think of this list? Do you agree or disagree with any

Source: Conversation with Bing, 31/01/2024
(1) 15 Best CRPGs of All Time (2023) - Pro Game Guides. https://progameguides.com/lists/15-best-crpgs-of-all-time/.
(2) The Best CRPGs And Why You Need to Play Them - TheGamer. https://www.thegamer.com/crpgs-best-games/.
(3) The 23 best CRPGs of all time - Wargamer. https://www.wargamer.com/best-crpgs-of-all-time.

BASED, Copilot putting 3 Larian games in the top 10 best crpg's

HATERS GONNA HATE AND SEEEEEEETHEEE!!!!

Edit:

I'm literally shaking right now

 

[Mortmal]

Bing copilot knows of bg3 (sources seem ...):

Spoiler

Ranking CRPGs is a very subjective task, and different sources may have different criteria and opinions. However, based on the web search results I found, here is one possible list of the top 10 CRPGs of all time, along with a brief description of each game:

- **Baldur's Gate 3**: A modern masterpiece that adapts the Dungeons and Dragons ruleset and setting to create a rich and immersive fantasy world. Developed by Larian Studios, the same team behind the Divinity Original Sin series, this game features a deep character creation system, a branching storyline, and a dynamic combat system that allows for a variety of strategies and tactics¹.
- **Planescape: Torment**: An old-school classic that explores the weird and wonderful multiverse of the Planescape setting. You play as the Nameless One, an immortal being who wakes up in a mortuary with no memory of his past. As you journey through the planes, you encounter bizarre creatures, factions, and philosophies, and uncover the secrets of your own identity and destiny².
- **Disco Elysium**: A recent gem that combines a noir detective story with a unique skill system and dialogue mechanics. You are a disgraced cop who has to solve a murder case in a city plagued by corruption, unrest, and political intrigue. Your choices and actions shape not only the outcome of the case, but also your own personality, beliefs, and mental state¹.
- **Divinity Original Sin 1 & 2**: Two excellent games that offer a vast and detailed fantasy world to explore, with a rich lore, memorable characters, and a turn-based combat system that rewards creativity and experimentation. You can play solo or co-op, and create your own custom characters or choose from pre-made ones with their own backgrounds and quests¹.
- **Dragon Age: Origins**: The first game in the Dragon Age franchise, and arguably the best. It is a dark and gritty fantasy RPG that lets you choose from six different origins, each with their own story and impact on the world. You can recruit and romance various companions, and influence the fate of nations and factions through your decisions¹.
- **Fallout: New Vegas**: A post-apocalyptic RPG that takes place in the Mojave Wasteland, where you are a courier who gets shot in the head and left for dead. You can explore the vast and diverse landscape, interact with various factions and characters, and shape the future of the region through your actions. The game offers a lot of freedom and customization, and has a great sense of humor and atmosphere².
- **The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt**: The final chapter of the saga of Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter who is searching for his missing adopted daughter, Ciri, who is being hunted by a powerful enemy. The game is set in a massive and beautiful open world, filled with quests, characters, monsters, and secrets. The game also has a compelling story, a dynamic combat system, and a rich lore³.
- **Pillars of Eternity 1 & 2**: Two games that pay homage to the classic CRPGs of the past, such as Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale. They are set in a original fantasy world, where you are a Watcher, a person who can see and interact with souls. You can create your own character and party, and explore a rich and complex world, with a deep story, lore, and choices².
- **Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic**: A sci-fi RPG that takes place in the Star Wars universe, thousands of years before the movies. You are a Republic soldier who becomes a Jedi, and gets involved in a galactic conflict between the Republic and the Sith. You can travel to different planets, meet various characters, and choose between the light and dark sides of the Force².
- **Mass Effect 2**: The second game in the Mass Effect trilogy, and widely considered the best. It is a sci-fi RPG that follows Commander Shepard, a human soldier who leads a team of elite operatives against a mysterious threat known as the Collectors. You can customize your character, recruit and bond with your squad, and make decisions that affect the fate of the galaxy³.

I hope this list satisfies your curiosity. Of course, there are many other great CRPGs out there, and you may have your own favorites. What do you think of this list? Do you agree or disagree with any

Source: Conversation with Bing, 31/01/2024
(1) 15 Best CRPGs of All Time (2023) - Pro Game Guides. https://progameguides.com/lists/15-best-crpgs-of-all-time/.
(2) The Best CRPGs And Why You Need to Play Them - TheGamer. https://www.thegamer.com/crpgs-best-games/.
(3) The 23 best CRPGs of all time - Wargamer. https://www.wargamer.com/best-crpgs-of-all-time.

BASED, Copilot putting 3 Larian games in the top 10 best crpg's

HATERS GONNA HATE AND SEEEEEEETHEEE!!!!

Edit:

I'm literally shaking right now

No need to, enshrouded is incline on every aspect, and it's good PC gaming gameplay—true PC gaming. BG3 held the first place for much longer than expected.

 

[Rhobar121]

Bing copilot knows of bg3 (sources seem ...):

Spoiler

Ranking CRPGs is a very subjective task, and different sources may have different criteria and opinions. However, based on the web search results I found, here is one possible list of the top 10 CRPGs of all time, along with a brief description of each game:

- **Baldur's Gate 3**: A modern masterpiece that adapts the Dungeons and Dragons ruleset and setting to create a rich and immersive fantasy world. Developed by Larian Studios, the same team behind the Divinity Original Sin series, this game features a deep character creation system, a branching storyline, and a dynamic combat system that allows for a variety of strategies and tactics¹.
- **Planescape: Torment**: An old-school classic that explores the weird and wonderful multiverse of the Planescape setting. You play as the Nameless One, an immortal being who wakes up in a mortuary with no memory of his past. As you journey through the planes, you encounter bizarre creatures, factions, and philosophies, and uncover the secrets of your own identity and destiny².
- **Disco Elysium**: A recent gem that combines a noir detective story with a unique skill system and dialogue mechanics. You are a disgraced cop who has to solve a murder case in a city plagued by corruption, unrest, and political intrigue. Your choices and actions shape not only the outcome of the case, but also your own personality, beliefs, and mental state¹.
- **Divinity Original Sin 1 & 2**: Two excellent games that offer a vast and detailed fantasy world to explore, with a rich lore, memorable characters, and a turn-based combat system that rewards creativity and experimentation. You can play solo or co-op, and create your own custom characters or choose from pre-made ones with their own backgrounds and quests¹.
- **Dragon Age: Origins**: The first game in the Dragon Age franchise, and arguably the best. It is a dark and gritty fantasy RPG that lets you choose from six different origins, each with their own story and impact on the world. You can recruit and romance various companions, and influence the fate of nations and factions through your decisions¹.
- **Fallout: New Vegas**: A post-apocalyptic RPG that takes place in the Mojave Wasteland, where you are a courier who gets shot in the head and left for dead. You can explore the vast and diverse landscape, interact with various factions and characters, and shape the future of the region through your actions. The game offers a lot of freedom and customization, and has a great sense of humor and atmosphere².
- **The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt**: The final chapter of the saga of Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter who is searching for his missing adopted daughter, Ciri, who is being hunted by a powerful enemy. The game is set in a massive and beautiful open world, filled with quests, characters, monsters, and secrets. The game also has a compelling story, a dynamic combat system, and a rich lore³.
- **Pillars of Eternity 1 & 2**: Two games that pay homage to the classic CRPGs of the past, such as Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale. They are set in a original fantasy world, where you are a Watcher, a person who can see and interact with souls. You can create your own character and party, and explore a rich and complex world, with a deep story, lore, and choices².
- **Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic**: A sci-fi RPG that takes place in the Star Wars universe, thousands of years before the movies. You are a Republic soldier who becomes a Jedi, and gets involved in a galactic conflict between the Republic and the Sith. You can travel to different planets, meet various characters, and choose between the light and dark sides of the Force².
- **Mass Effect 2**: The second game in the Mass Effect trilogy, and widely considered the best. It is a sci-fi RPG that follows Commander Shepard, a human soldier who leads a team of elite operatives against a mysterious threat known as the Collectors. You can customize your character, recruit and bond with your squad, and make decisions that affect the fate of the galaxy³.

I hope this list satisfies your curiosity. Of course, there are many other great CRPGs out there, and you may have your own favorites. What do you think of this list? Do you agree or disagree with any

Source: Conversation with Bing, 31/01/2024
(1) 15 Best CRPGs of All Time (2023) - Pro Game Guides. https://progameguides.com/lists/15-best-crpgs-of-all-time/.
(2) The Best CRPGs And Why You Need to Play Them - TheGamer. https://www.thegamer.com/crpgs-best-games/.
(3) The 23 best CRPGs of all time - Wargamer. https://www.wargamer.com/best-crpgs-of-all-time.

BASED, Copilot putting 3 Larian games in the top 10 best crpg's

HATERS GONNA HATE AND SEEEEEEETHEEE!!!!

Edit:

I'm literally shaking right now

How many games stay this high for so long? That's half a year.
Another thing is that it's SP without any DLCs and microtransactions, which means that the only income is the sale of the game itself.
Most people who were going to buy the game already bought it anyway. Now there are people left who don't care or are waiting for discounts.

 

[MerchantKing]

Bing copilot knows of bg3 (sources seem ...):

Spoiler

Ranking CRPGs is a very subjective task, and different sources may have different criteria and opinions. However, based on the web search results I found, here is one possible list of the top 10 CRPGs of all time, along with a brief description of each game:

- **Baldur's Gate 3**: A modern masterpiece that adapts the Dungeons and Dragons ruleset and setting to create a rich and immersive fantasy world. Developed by Larian Studios, the same team behind the Divinity Original Sin series, this game features a deep character creation system, a branching storyline, and a dynamic combat system that allows for a variety of strategies and tactics¹.
- **Planescape: Torment**: An old-school classic that explores the weird and wonderful multiverse of the Planescape setting. You play as the Nameless One, an immortal being who wakes up in a mortuary with no memory of his past. As you journey through the planes, you encounter bizarre creatures, factions, and philosophies, and uncover the secrets of your own identity and destiny².
- **Disco Elysium**: A recent gem that combines a noir detective story with a unique skill system and dialogue mechanics. You are a disgraced cop who has to solve a murder case in a city plagued by corruption, unrest, and political intrigue. Your choices and actions shape not only the outcome of the case, but also your own personality, beliefs, and mental state¹.
- **Divinity Original Sin 1 & 2**: Two excellent games that offer a vast and detailed fantasy world to explore, with a rich lore, memorable characters, and a turn-based combat system that rewards creativity and experimentation. You can play solo or co-op, and create your own custom characters or choose from pre-made ones with their own backgrounds and quests¹.
- **Dragon Age: Origins**: The first game in the Dragon Age franchise, and arguably the best. It is a dark and gritty fantasy RPG that lets you choose from six different origins, each with their own story and impact on the world. You can recruit and romance various companions, and influence the fate of nations and factions through your decisions¹.
- **Fallout: New Vegas**: A post-apocalyptic RPG that takes place in the Mojave Wasteland, where you are a courier who gets shot in the head and left for dead. You can explore the vast and diverse landscape, interact with various factions and characters, and shape the future of the region through your actions. The game offers a lot of freedom and customization, and has a great sense of humor and atmosphere².
- **The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt**: The final chapter of the saga of Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter who is searching for his missing adopted daughter, Ciri, who is being hunted by a powerful enemy. The game is set in a massive and beautiful open world, filled with quests, characters, monsters, and secrets. The game also has a compelling story, a dynamic combat system, and a rich lore³.
- **Pillars of Eternity 1 & 2**: Two games that pay homage to the classic CRPGs of the past, such as Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale. They are set in a original fantasy world, where you are a Watcher, a person who can see and interact with souls. You can create your own character and party, and explore a rich and complex world, with a deep story, lore, and choices².
- **Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic**: A sci-fi RPG that takes place in the Star Wars universe, thousands of years before the movies. You are a Republic soldier who becomes a Jedi, and gets involved in a galactic conflict between the Republic and the Sith. You can travel to different planets, meet various characters, and choose between the light and dark sides of the Force².
- **Mass Effect 2**: The second game in the Mass Effect trilogy, and widely considered the best. It is a sci-fi RPG that follows Commander Shepard, a human soldier who leads a team of elite operatives against a mysterious threat known as the Collectors. You can customize your character, recruit and bond with your squad, and make decisions that affect the fate of the galaxy³.

I hope this list satisfies your curiosity. Of course, there are many other great CRPGs out there, and you may have your own favorites. What do you think of this list? Do you agree or disagree with any

Source: Conversation with Bing, 31/01/2024
(1) 15 Best CRPGs of All Time (2023) - Pro Game Guides. https://progameguides.com/lists/15-best-crpgs-of-all-time/.
(2) The Best CRPGs And Why You Need to Play Them - TheGamer. https://www.thegamer.com/crpgs-best-games/.
(3) The 23 best CRPGs of all time - Wargamer. https://www.wargamer.com/best-crpgs-of-all-time.

BASED, Copilot putting 3 Larian games in the top 10 best crpg's

HATERS GONNA HATE AND SEEEEEEETHEEE!!!!

Edit:

I'm literally shaking right now

Like Wasteland 3 and Skyrim making it on an AI generated list of best crpgs, you really have to be suspicious when Witcher 3, Ass Effect, KOTOR, and Dragon Age make it on the list.

 

[Late Bloomer]

Another thing is that it's SP

huh?

 

[Rhobar121]

Another thing is that it's SP

huh?

I always forget that there is co-op in this game. Still, I doubt most players use it anyway.

 

[Orud]

I'm literally shaking right now

Could it be, Swen? Could the haters be right? Where is BG3 in the top 10, Swen, can it be that no one likes BG3?

 

[processdaemon]

I could care less about the achievement, it's just the only un-modded way to play the game at a decent level of difficulty.

If you die in honour mode you have the option to continue playing under the same rules without any save limitation (but without the achievement of course). I only found out when I died in my first honour mode run, they should really make it clearer that that's an option.

 

[Tuco Benedicto Pacifico]

Are you guys already talking somewhere of the rumor doing the rounds today about how Hasbro is apparently trying to sell the D&D IP?

https://pandaily.com/hasbro-seeks-to-sell-ip-dnd-and-has-had-preliminary-contact-with-tencent/

 

[raeven]

Are you guys already talking somewhere of the rumor doing the rounds today about how Hasbro is apparently trying to sell the D&D IP?

https://pandaily.com/hasbro-seeks-to-sell-ip-dnd-and-has-had-preliminary-contact-with-tencent/

holy shit wut

.... I wonder how this would affect the promised plans to release an irrevocable OGL of D&D this year.

They even said they'd be releasing previous editions of D&D under OGL as well.

Also, fucking tencent??? wtf???

 

[Abu Antar]

I hope they sell it, but not to freaking Tencent. I guess they buy it, and have Larian be one of the studios making games for it.

From my understanding, Larian were offered to buy the rights, but they cannot afford it. Tencent is a partial owner of Larian, so they kicked up the purchase up the chain.

EDIT: Also, if Tencent buys the rights, I think the OGL will be screwed.

 

[raeven]

ok looked into this a little more - the rights in question are for D&D videogame adaptations, for for D&D itself. WotC will keep doing their thing, and I wouldn't imagine this would have any effect on the OGL timetable really. Videogame companies don't care about protecting a ruleset.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

Obviously I'm not jaded enough for the codex though as liking anything from the last decade is basically frowned upon here...

Only a portion of the Codex consists of people fixated on the period 1997-2004 and unable to appreciate any CRPGs released either earlier or later. Most of the rest us enjoyed the period of hemi-semi-demi-incline that lasted from 2012-2018, as well as the recent trend of good squad-based tactics games and Tactical RPGs.

That's a reasonable, nuanced, and well-articulated position.

Am I still on the codex???

 

[Crichton]

I just finished a 2nd playthrough and it was once again an interesting experience;

1st playthrough
Gale Origin (respecced to Swords Bard)
Only used Shadowheart, Laezel and Karlach (Paladin)
Karthillid ending

2nd playthrough
Dark Urge Origin (Dark Elf Cleric of Selune [Light])
Recruited all NPCs; mostly used Shadowheart (Bard), Laezel and duergar hireling (paladin) or Jaheira (Moon Druid)
Glorious Gale Martyrdom Operation ending

Positives:
- It seems like they cleaned up an "NPC horniness" counter somewhere, because even with everyone recruited, I only had Karlach hitting on my character. I don't know why this was so fucked up for so many people initially; if this shit is going to be included at all, it should always be player-initiated.
- Some of the NPC content that I ignored the first time is actually worthwhile. I enjoyed the dragon encounter in Wyll's quest (made killing the tentacled faggot even more satisfying) and I really enjoyed bringing along Jaheira and Minsc to gut the retired porn star. The only thing more fun than killing the used-up old hag is hearing a nicely-preserved Jaheira taunt her first.
- I approve of the new camp inventory interface; not having to swap people out to transfer items is a life-saver.
- A couple chapter 3 bugs that I noticed the first time were cleaned up (Halsin was no longer T-posing on the altar and the Gondian gnome guy correctly realized that I'd saved his daughter)
- Being able to de-uglify the hirelings is handy.
- Shadowbards Vicious Mockery taunts are more entertaining than any wall of text.

Negatives:
- Some bugs/glitches persist; I was able to get the Gale thermonuclear ending without turning anyone into an ithillid, but only after getting the super-duper tadpole from the Fagperor and getting that glitched cutscene where it appears that Orpheus turns your chracter into an ithillid. There appears to be no way to proceed without the tadpole, even though you never use it.
- I like the new Karlach ending, but it really needs some build-up; I can recall basically zero interactions between Wyll and Karlach in camp once he admits he shouldn't have targetted her.
- Mizora is just another stupid NPC you give less than one fuck about, but can't be rid of.
- The Withers afterparty thing was total cringe; just play some ending slides and roll the credits.

Dark Urge:
This was a nice feature for a 2nd playthough, particularly the Act 3 stuff with Orrin and the extra dialog with Jaheira and Minsc. Larian was also right not to make it the default, introducing Bhaalspawn mental effects simultaenously with tadpole mental effects is just as bad as the Watcher/Awakened thing from Pillars. Playing as a good character with a high will save, you really did get feel like you were fighting possesion. Winning the duel with a Cleric without snorting Paplo Escobar levels of consumables was also a challenge for me. I got lucky on the third try and one of those Ghouls from the dark codex paralyzed her with a lucky hit.

I don't imagine I'll try another playthough unless they add true full-party creation in the enhanced edition, but this is clearly Larian's best work and a worthy addition to the canon.

 

[kangaxx]

Are there any good mods for this game yet? Half of the ones on Nexusmods look to be bizarre cosmetics aimed at perverts.

 

[Stoned Ape]

I just started act 3 and I'm starting to have a hard time believing what the game is trying to tell me. It's like each of the acts was written by different people without having contact with each other. It really feels like at some point they had several drafts for the main plot and for whatever reason they decided to merge them to create this kind of flesh golem with each of the plot parts stitched onto the game's engine. At this point there are too many inconsistencies, irregularities and holes in the plot to continue taking it seriously.

While the gameplay parts are very good, I'm not sure they can make up for the mess of the plot/writing.

Apparently that's pretty much what happened. The Emperor was patched in late to fix a problem with the original concept of the guardian (which wasn't supposed to be him in the earlier drafts). Unfortunately, adding him opened up a whole other mess of inconsistencies which perforate the timeline and make no sense if you actually try to piece things together.

It's better to just ignore the Act 3 story and just enjoy wondering around the city and solve quests until you reach the endgame.

 

[Swen]

I just finished a 2nd playthrough and it was once again an interesting experience;

1st playthrough
Gale Origin (respecced to Swords Bard)
Only used Shadowheart, Laezel and Karlach (Paladin)
Karthillid ending

2nd playthrough
Dark Urge Origin (Dark Elf Cleric of Selune [Light])
Recruited all NPCs; mostly used Shadowheart (Bard), Laezel and duergar hireling (paladin) or Jaheira (Moon Druid)
Glorious Gale Martyrdom Operation ending

Positives:
- It seems like they cleaned up an "NPC horniness" counter somewhere, because even with everyone recruited, I only had Karlach hitting on my character. I don't know why this was so fucked up for so many people initially; if this shit is going to be included at all, it should always be player-initiated.
- Some of the NPC content that I ignored the first time is actually worthwhile. I enjoyed the dragon encounter in Wyll's quest (made killing the tentacled faggot even more satisfying) and I really enjoyed bringing along Jaheira and Minsc to gut the retired porn star. The only thing more fun than killing the used-up old hag is hearing a nicely-preserved Jaheira taunt her first.
- I approve of the new camp inventory interface; not having to swap people out to transfer items is a life-saver.
- A couple chapter 3 bugs that I noticed the first time were cleaned up (Halsin was no longer T-posing on the altar and the Gondian gnome guy correctly realized that I'd saved his daughter)
- Being able to de-uglify the hirelings is handy.
- Shadowbards Vicious Mockery taunts are more entertaining than any wall of text.

Negatives:
- Some bugs/glitches persist; I was able to get the Gale thermonuclear ending without turning anyone into an ithillid, but only after getting the super-duper tadpole from the Fagperor and getting that glitched cutscene where it appears that Orpheus turns your chracter into an ithillid. There appears to be no way to proceed without the tadpole, even though you never use it.
- I like the new Karlach ending, but it really needs some build-up; I can recall basically zero interactions between Wyll and Karlach in camp once he admits he shouldn't have targetted her.
- Mizora is just another stupid NPC you give less than one fuck about, but can't be rid of.
- The Withers afterparty thing was total cringe; just play some ending slides and roll the credits.

Dark Urge:
This was a nice feature for a 2nd playthough, particularly the Act 3 stuff with Orrin and the extra dialog with Jaheira and Minsc. Larian was also right not to make it the default, introducing Bhaalspawn mental effects simultaenously with tadpole mental effects is just as bad as the Watcher/Awakened thing from Pillars. Playing as a good character with a high will save, you really did get feel like you were fighting possesion. Winning the duel with a Cleric without snorting Paplo Escobar levels of consumables was also a challenge for me. I got lucky on the third try and one of those Ghouls from the dark codex paralyzed her with a lucky hit.

I don't imagine I'll try another playthough unless they add true full-party creation in the enhanced edition, but this is clearly Larian's best work and a worthy addition to the canon.

BASED! Another great review from an oldschool codex member!

Haters mad!

 

[Haplo]

There seems to be some interesting build potential related to the combination of the Resonance Stone (aoe Psychic vulnerability), the summoned Shadow Blade that deals Psychic damage, items with Psychic damage riders (like Strange Conduit Ring) and some abilities that either directly cause Psychic damage (like Shadow Strike) or inherit weapon damage type (like Sneak Attack, Menacing Attack and other BM Maneuvers, Colossus Slayer, Blade Barrage, Whirlwind, bard or barbarian moves).

A bit late game (Resonance Stone is near the of end Act 2), but interesting synergies and high damage potential...
I've not been a fan of the fact that in order to deal competitive damage in Act 3, one is basically forced to wear the Bhaalist Armor and/or use Bloodletter and other Piercing weapons.
This just might be an alternative.

 

[Yosharian]

It sucks and isn't worth the penalty

 

[Haplo]

It sucks and isn't worth the penalty

I don't know, doing about 70 damage per hit, potentially plus monk Flurries, therefore many attacks per round, sounds pretty good to me.

Or dropping some Psychic bombs as a ranger and/or Assassin.

 

[Yosharian]

Shadow Blade is complete ass because it requires concentration.

The other damage boosts really aren't worth the disadvantage on WIS saves.

 

[Late Bloomer]

I just finished a 2nd playthrough and it was once again an interesting experience;

1st playthrough
Gale Origin (respecced to Swords Bard)
Only used Shadowheart, Laezel and Karlach (Paladin)
Karthillid ending

2nd playthrough
Dark Urge Origin (Dark Elf Cleric of Selune [Light])
Recruited all NPCs; mostly used Shadowheart (Bard), Laezel and duergar hireling (paladin) or Jaheira (Moon Druid)
Glorious Gale Martyrdom Operation ending

Positives:
- It seems like they cleaned up an "NPC horniness" counter somewhere, because even with everyone recruited, I only had Karlach hitting on my character. I don't know why this was so fucked up for so many people initially; if this shit is going to be included at all, it should always be player-initiated.
- Some of the NPC content that I ignored the first time is actually worthwhile. I enjoyed the dragon encounter in Wyll's quest (made killing the tentacled faggot even more satisfying) and I really enjoyed bringing along Jaheira and Minsc to gut the retired porn star. The only thing more fun than killing the used-up old hag is hearing a nicely-preserved Jaheira taunt her first.
- I approve of the new camp inventory interface; not having to swap people out to transfer items is a life-saver.
- A couple chapter 3 bugs that I noticed the first time were cleaned up (Halsin was no longer T-posing on the altar and the Gondian gnome guy correctly realized that I'd saved his daughter)
- Being able to de-uglify the hirelings is handy.
- Shadowbards Vicious Mockery taunts are more entertaining than any wall of text.

Negatives:
- Some bugs/glitches persist; I was able to get the Gale thermonuclear ending without turning anyone into an ithillid, but only after getting the super-duper tadpole from the Fagperor and getting that glitched cutscene where it appears that Orpheus turns your chracter into an ithillid. There appears to be no way to proceed without the tadpole, even though you never use it.
- I like the new Karlach ending, but it really needs some build-up; I can recall basically zero interactions between Wyll and Karlach in camp once he admits he shouldn't have targetted her.
- Mizora is just another stupid NPC you give less than one fuck about, but can't be rid of.
- The Withers afterparty thing was total cringe; just play some ending slides and roll the credits.

Dark Urge:
This was a nice feature for a 2nd playthough, particularly the Act 3 stuff with Orrin and the extra dialog with Jaheira and Minsc. Larian was also right not to make it the default, introducing Bhaalspawn mental effects simultaenously with tadpole mental effects is just as bad as the Watcher/Awakened thing from Pillars. Playing as a good character with a high will save, you really did get feel like you were fighting possesion. Winning the duel with a Cleric without snorting Paplo Escobar levels of consumables was also a challenge for me. I got lucky on the third try and one of those Ghouls from the dark codex paralyzed her with a lucky hit.

I don't imagine I'll try another playthough unless they add true full-party creation in the enhanced edition, but this is clearly Larian's best work and a worthy addition to the canon.

BASED! Another great review from an oldschool codex member!

Haters mad!

Hahah I figured you would like that review. The first positive talks about companions being horny. The second positive talks about a negroes questline. Yep, it's BG3 alright.

 

[Swen]

I just finished a 2nd playthrough and it was once again an interesting experience;

1st playthrough
Gale Origin (respecced to Swords Bard)
Only used Shadowheart, Laezel and Karlach (Paladin)
Karthillid ending

2nd playthrough
Dark Urge Origin (Dark Elf Cleric of Selune [Light])
Recruited all NPCs; mostly used Shadowheart (Bard), Laezel and duergar hireling (paladin) or Jaheira (Moon Druid)
Glorious Gale Martyrdom Operation ending

Positives:
- It seems like they cleaned up an "NPC horniness" counter somewhere, because even with everyone recruited, I only had Karlach hitting on my character. I don't know why this was so fucked up for so many people initially; if this shit is going to be included at all, it should always be player-initiated.
- Some of the NPC content that I ignored the first time is actually worthwhile. I enjoyed the dragon encounter in Wyll's quest (made killing the tentacled faggot even more satisfying) and I really enjoyed bringing along Jaheira and Minsc to gut the retired porn star. The only thing more fun than killing the used-up old hag is hearing a nicely-preserved Jaheira taunt her first.
- I approve of the new camp inventory interface; not having to swap people out to transfer items is a life-saver.
- A couple chapter 3 bugs that I noticed the first time were cleaned up (Halsin was no longer T-posing on the altar and the Gondian gnome guy correctly realized that I'd saved his daughter)
- Being able to de-uglify the hirelings is handy.
- Shadowbards Vicious Mockery taunts are more entertaining than any wall of text.

Negatives:
- Some bugs/glitches persist; I was able to get the Gale thermonuclear ending without turning anyone into an ithillid, but only after getting the super-duper tadpole from the Fagperor and getting that glitched cutscene where it appears that Orpheus turns your chracter into an ithillid. There appears to be no way to proceed without the tadpole, even though you never use it.
- I like the new Karlach ending, but it really needs some build-up; I can recall basically zero interactions between Wyll and Karlach in camp once he admits he shouldn't have targetted her.
- Mizora is just another stupid NPC you give less than one fuck about, but can't be rid of.
- The Withers afterparty thing was total cringe; just play some ending slides and roll the credits.

Dark Urge:
This was a nice feature for a 2nd playthough, particularly the Act 3 stuff with Orrin and the extra dialog with Jaheira and Minsc. Larian was also right not to make it the default, introducing Bhaalspawn mental effects simultaenously with tadpole mental effects is just as bad as the Watcher/Awakened thing from Pillars. Playing as a good character with a high will save, you really did get feel like you were fighting possesion. Winning the duel with a Cleric without snorting Paplo Escobar levels of consumables was also a challenge for me. I got lucky on the third try and one of those Ghouls from the dark codex paralyzed her with a lucky hit.

I don't imagine I'll try another playthough unless they add true full-party creation in the enhanced edition, but this is clearly Larian's best work and a worthy addition to the canon.

BASED! Another great review from an oldschool codex member!

Haters mad!

Hahah I figured you would like that review. The first positive talks about companions being honry. The second positive talks about a negroes questline. Yep, it's BG3 alright.

 

[Haplo]

Shadow Blade is complete ass because it requires concentration.

The other damage boosts really aren't worth the disadvantage on WIS saves.

Enemies get the mental Saving Throw disadvantage too, though.

Shadow Blade would be ass... were it not for the Resonance Stone easily providing aoe Vulnerability to double the Psychic damage.
And you can stack quite a bit of Psychic damage. That can be further doubled on a crit... or even made into aoe with something like Conjure Barrage or Whirlwind.

 

[Mortmal]

Are you guys already talking somewhere of the rumor doing the rounds today about how Hasbro is apparently trying to sell the D&D IP?

https://pandaily.com/hasbro-seeks-to-sell-ip-dnd-and-has-had-preliminary-contact-with-tencent/

I've read it too, and couldn't care less. It's a franchise I loved, but I don't find myself engaged in the new content they write. The best adventure on 5E is still Curse of Strahd, a 30-year-old remaster of a classic. The media is used as propaganda against white old men of a certain age. Their Discord is full of inanity, with a bot censoring everything you say. Some guy even got warned for using the wrong emoji in an answer, and I'm not even kidding. The RPG group I joined on Facebook, mostly people of a certain age too, never mentions 5E. They are all playing indie stuff, classics like Call of Cthulhu, and various OSR games. So, from soulless corporations like Hasbro to soulless corporations like Tencent, that won't change much except much less wokeness and much more monetization.