Baldur's Gate Baldur's Gate 3 - tips, tricks & helpful information

[Haplo]

I do like the fact that Larian have decided to make it so that the somewhat boring and stolid 5e rules can be spiced up by bits and sets of gear. That's definitely in the BG tradition, and the CRPG tradition generally - being able to build around oddities you find. Much as I actually like the PoE games, that's the one thing Sawyer definitely got wrong. Balance is good, sure, but a fair bit of the fun in these games is figuring out some weird OP combination from gear + build combo. The pleasure of discovery and the pleasure of figuring out how to make an awesomebutton out of what you discover.

There are plenty of those in the PoE games, there's just not memes that trivialize the game with everything else being a waste unless you work really hard at it and need to because you're doing some insane challenge.

Yeah, actually itemization in PoE WM and particularly Deadfire shits all over 99% of other crpgs.

It's nice to read that BG3 is solid in this regard, although I fear the Devs went a little overboard: had a nice debloated system -but overcompensated with overly OP items.

 

[Desiderius]

As with Wrath game isn't designed around people finding them all. Which ones do you consider OP? Seems like a nice mix of multi-dimensional effects, at least so far.

(Dungeon Delver isn't working so another playthrough on hold)

 

[Grunker]

I do like the fact that Larian have decided to make it so that the somewhat boring and stolid 5e rules can be spiced up by bits and sets of gear. That's definitely in the BG tradition, and the CRPG tradition generally - being able to build around oddities you find. Much as I actually like the PoE games, that's the one thing Sawyer definitely got wrong. Balance is good, sure, but a fair bit of the fun in these games is figuring out some weird OP combination from gear + build combo. The pleasure of discovery and the pleasure of figuring out how to make an awesomebutton out of what you discover.

There are plenty of those in the PoE games, there's just not memes that trivialize the game with everything else being a waste unless you work really hard at it and need to because you're doing some insane challenge.

Yeah, actually itemization in PoE WM and particularly Deadfire shits all over 99% of other crpgs.

It's nice to read that BG3 is solid in this regard, although I fear the Devs went a little overboard: had a nice debloated system -but overcompensated with overly OP items.

The biggest lie the Codex ever told was that Deadfire had bad itemization. That shit is sick

 

[Yosharian]

So Swords Bard has a flourish ability which allows the player to target two enemies and hit them both by expending a bardic inspiration die.

However in BG3 you can just target the same monster repeatedly

Somebody realised that by exploiting this and the item Helmet of Arcane Acuity, which boosts your spell DC by 1 every time you damage an enemy, you can gain ridiculous amounts of spell DC

Then you use the Band of the Mystic Scoundrel to cast Hold Monster with a bonus action, and boom any target in the whole game (that isn't immune to paralyze anyway) is instantly paralyzed and will start getting critted to oblivion, and they can't escape because the spell DC has reached 20 billion from all the flourish spam

This isn't true, not sure where you got the information. College of Swords bard's flourish is a melee AoE, like Cleave, it doesn't let you hit the same enemy multiple times.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/15kthg9/ranged_swords_bard_by_far_highest_single_target/

 

[Yosharian]

"that's not true!"

"Pics or it didn't happen!"

Where the fuck do these idiots keep coming from

 

[lukaszek]

oh wait, frienzied throw gives stacking debuff, just like strike. Even though skill does not mention it

It’s mentioned on wiki.

is this as pnp intended/bug/larian wizardry?

 

[Yosharian]

oh wait, frienzied throw gives stacking debuff, just like strike. Even though skill does not mention it

It’s mentioned on wiki.

is this as pnp intended/bug/larian wizardry?

They seem to have changed a ton of balance issues without telling anyone

Must have dropped in the recent hotfix

 

[gurugeorge]

I have no idea what you meant.

Obviously

Killing stuff that's weak to physical damage (and some stuff that isn't) is not all that hard, nor is generating advantage for your attacks - that's something every party can accomplish - SH can Channel her Divinity into AoE advantage. There's nothing broken about that. Phys resist is also pretty common, Tiefling guy has gloves that give it on getting healed, or SH can just put a Ward on.

What do you do against things that attack your mental saves? Doesn't mean the class is weak either, it's a blast, but the word broken is way overused. If killing stuff is breaking your game try cutting down on reloads and taking/using some of the abilities that can prevent them.

I do like the fact that Larian have decided to make it so that the somewhat boring and stolid 5e rules can be spiced up by bits and sets of gear. That's definitely in the BG tradition, and the CRPG tradition generally - being able to build around oddities you find. Much as I actually like the PoE games, that's the one thing Sawyer definitely got wrong. Balance is good, sure, but a fair bit of the fun in these games is figuring out some weird OP combination from gear + build combo. The pleasure of discovery and the pleasure of figuring out how to make an awesomebutton out of what you discover.

There are plenty of those in the PoE games*, there's just not memes that trivialize the game with everything else being a waste unless you work really hard at it and need to because you're doing some insane challenge.

* - Arcane Archer Wizard can use Ranger side to jack up spell accuracy for crits and ability rank ups you don't need as caster to get pet fully operational. Use spell bow attax as extra casts so can use other casts for buffs.

Actually I realized after I posted that, that I should have said that they did much better with POE2 re. that, yes there are some cool things there.

 

[lukaszek]

throwing returning weapon -> any way to not have it replace main hand weapon?

 

[PapaPetro]

throwing returning weapon -> any way to not have it replace main hand weapon?

Keep it in your offhand slot.
Most throwning weapons are versatile (except for the Returning Pike).

On a side note, Tavern Brawler is an OP feat for throwing.
The bonus str damage is untyped and will bypass mostly anything.
Also works with unarmed strikes for monks.

 

[Cyberarmy]

There's a cape that creates 2m of fog on a disengage action which blinds everyone in that area. There's also a ring that makes you immune to blind. You are also heavily obscured in fog, which enables a number of obscured buffs, including a spicy crit helmet. I haven't tested that, but I think you should be able to disengage, hide and sneak attack in the same round.

Dunno, seems like you can stack enough synergies here to make this worth more than an improved extra attack.

I'm using that items for my ranger/thief Astarion, it work wonders. Especially if you combo it with Hunger of Hadar for far away enemies.

 

[PapaPetro]

There's a cape that creates 2m of fog on a disengage action which blinds everyone in that area. There's also a ring that makes you immune to blind. You are also heavily obscured in fog, which enables a number of obscured buffs, including a spicy crit helmet. I haven't tested that, but I think you should be able to disengage, hide and sneak attack in the same round.

Dunno, seems like you can stack enough synergies here to make this worth more than an improved extra attack.

While you're at it with the 2m fog cloud, you may as well design around being CC guerilla and pick Martial Adept feat for more options in the thick of shit.

 

[Urthor]

Alright.

If Baldur's Gate 3 is hard. How to make it not hard.

#1: Press Shift-C to stealth entire party. Then, press Shift-Space before combat to engage turn based mode with party stealthed and enemies unaware. Buff, reposition, win.
#2: Click on the character portraits in the bottom left of the screen during dialogue. Reposition party members during dialogue to win ensueing combat. Win.
#3: See 1) + prebuff. The key to BG3 is that 5E's ruleset is extremely balanced in a head to head fight, however the surprised initiation mechanics are insanely generous, so you'll just win.
#4 Understand that some classes, casters in particular, are just a bit shit until level 5 and 6. Physical attackers and Warlocks for the minion spawn will get you through the hardest part of the game, levels 1-4.

See if those help. I'm still working on a few different things, top of my todo list is how to make Shadowhearts debuffs like Blind actually stick on enemies. Just missing mechanics that'll allow those rolls to be passed. Rogue/Ranger gameplay and wizard gameplay seems straightforward.

Zombies are an *excellent* win more button I find. Ditto straight buffing barbarians.

 

[notpl]

"that's not true!"

"Pics or it didn't happen!"

Where the fuck do these idiots keep coming from

Well, okay, but you said nothing about ranged attacks. It is a college of swords bard, it's perfectly understandable for its use of bows to be wonky, as such a thing is heretical.

 

[Jermu]

some1 mentioned that wizard dip got nerfed is this true? cant check now but hope its correct

 

[PapaPetro]

#2: Click on the character portraits in the bottom left of the screen during dialogue. Reposition party members during dialogue to win ensueing combat. Win.

This is a good one.
Reminds me like in the movies when you're mid conversation and bunch of gangsters sashay into the room casually screwing in silencers.

[Me about to "finish" a discussion with an NPC]

 

[Urthor]

#5: Minor illusion is genuinely the best skill in the game. Distract, reposition, turn based, buff, enter combat, it's by far the best ability IMO.

 

[Raghar]

Is anybody claiming the game is challenging? Anyone in this thread that is?

Seems like a strawman. The game’s biggest detractor for me is the low difficulty

I remember certain goblins that were making pincushion, because nobody implemented reaction shots/cantrips.

 

[PapaPetro]

Is anybody claiming the game is challenging? Anyone in this thread that is?

Seems like a strawman. The game’s biggest detractor for me is the low difficulty

I remember certain goblins that were making pincushion, because nobody implemented reaction shots/cantrips.

Tactical difficulty is a hell of a lot easier than Unfair from WotR.
Theorycrafting builds was a necessity for the latter.

 

[Raghar]

Is anybody claiming the game is challenging? Anyone in this thread that is?

Seems like a strawman. The game’s biggest detractor for me is the low difficulty

I remember certain goblins that were making pincushion, because nobody implemented reaction shots/cantrips.

Tactical difficulty is a hell of a lot easier than Unfair from WotR.
Theorycrafting builds was a necessity for the latter.

Oh yea, solo unfair builds...
Use the Trickster legendary path and observe...

I preferred to play WotR without abusing mechanics. But yea in WotR stuff is insane even on somewhat normal difficulty. Because certain solitary monsters are coming in packs...

 

[Orud]

WoTR is more tedious than difficult. No game should emulate its idea of 'difficulty'.

 

[Rhobar121]

The idea of "designing" by Owlcat is to add a million AC to every enemy in the game and call it a day.
This is the only reason why they use 1e pathfinder instead of 2e which is significantly better. If they changed that then they would have to actually start designing the fights.
Owlcat's "variety" is the placement of a cutscene that teleports your party to the center of the arena and then surrounds them with a bunch of enemies (without autosaving). Of course, in such a situation, if you don't win the initiative, all enemies will attack your main character.

 

[Gradenmayer]

Str/Wis Open palm Monk with rogue dip and brawler feat can one turn anything with right items. Monks do like 300 damage per turn.

You can also go for 4 elements for AoE coverage, since they get better version of fireball that covers most of the screen and wipes out even powerful trash mobs.

Items for this class are kind of disgusting- they add new type of damage that procs per hit and monk/rogue hits 6 times per turn.

 

[Rhobar121]

Str/Wis Open palm Monk with rogue dip and brawler feat can one turn anything with right items. Monks do like 300 damage per turn.

You can also go for 4 elements for AoE coverage, since they get better version of fireball that covers most of the screen and wipes out even powerful trash mobs.

Items for this class are kind of disgusting- they add new type of damage that procs per hit and monk/rogue hits 6 times per turn.

I knew it would be op but this much?

 

[CHIN00K]

Somebody realised that by exploiting this and the item Helmet of Arcane Acuity, which boosts your spell DC by 1 every time you damage an enemy, you can gain ridiculous amounts of spell DC

You don't need a special flourish ability to break the game using that helm. That helmet is the most overpowered item in the game. My war cleric had around +10-15 DC by round 2 of the

Spoiler

raphael

fight without even trying to boost it. Was then able to cast hideous laughter on the boss with 100% success chance and he was permanently cc'd. Deafeated the toughest boss in the game with a level 1 spell.