Baldur's Gate Baldur's Gate 3 Pre-Release Thread [EARLY ACCESS RELEASED, GO TO NEW THREAD]

[Ontopoly]

It depends on what you are using Viconia for. If it's for healing, Faldorn is actually the best for that because she gets 5th lvl spells and Call Woodland Beings. Insect Plague and Iron Skins are nothing to sneeze at either.

Using healing in a BG game lol nigga chill. There is like 5 battles in the games that last long enough for you to need healing. Healing is useless for most of the game,it waste time that your cleric could use for doing damage. Also most healing spells are garbage,even a generic health potion is better.

I pretty much never bothered with healing in battles until I got the heal spell. All the lower healing spells didn't seem worth it.

 

[TemplarGR]

WTF! If there is no threat of death, then this statement


has no legitimacy ... I thought you were cool for a second

There is always the threat of death in Skyrim, if you don't play well, you die. In Skyrim your stats matter, but your skill as a player matters too, you can always lose even balanced battles if you are not careful. So the "there is no threat of death" thing, is a myth. The difference is that in pseudo-incline games like Cuckmaker, your skill matters little, because everything is stats and dice rolls, AND the battles are imbalanced as fuck unless you are playing on story-mode. Your opponents get pretty huge stat boosts. When a battle relies on stats and stats alone, and your opponents get severe stat boosts, then that is not "threat of death", that is simply "savescum until the RNG favors you". It is like playing dice in a casino. It is tedious and a huge waste of time, and just because you lose constantly and repeatedly doesn't mean you are having a quality CRPG experience, it means you like to be abused.

The big issue with CRPG design is that if you make the game easy, you make it boring, if you make it hard, you make it tedious. So there is a fine line between those 2 extremes that most crpgs fail at, so they compensate with other things, for example Skyrim compensates with a huge world and LARP possibilities plus a huge variety of builds you can try, or Witcher 3 compensates by having a really good story and well written characters. On the other hand trash crpgs like DOS or Cuckmaker have nothing to compensate you with.

 

[hell bovine]

You give her the Girdle of Fortitude activable, with some magic rez amulets and a decent shield, and she can tank. Give her a STR enhancing item, and she becomes an angel of death.

Each of the "girlfriends" is strong in her own way. If you want "overrated" think Nalia.

Sure, you can use Viconia to tank in unmodded game. But see how far you can tank with her when an SCS mage drops a planetar next to her. The difference is that you can use Nalia, admittedly not the best mage, but still a mage, in both cases. Offensively it's not even a contest, because arcane magic is bonkers in BG2.

And I'd not give a str-enhancing item to a single-classed cleric who a) can enhance str with spells and b) doesn't have the apr to make much use of that anyway. A waste of a good item, is what it is.

 

[Cryomancer]

Apparently seeing a giant, intimidating creature you have never seen before in a secluded nook in the forest, poking it with your limp dick, and then getting killed for your stupidity in Gothic would be "unfair".

Yep. When i played Gothic 1 for the first time, i died like 666 times only to reach Swamp Camp... Gothic 1 was the first game that i saw where a pack of wolves is dangerous to a low level peasant with poor quality weapon, no armor and no access to supernatural powers... Gothic 1 has a amazing sense of progression. Even your moveset changes when you pay for someone to teach you one handed fighting.

--------------------

always lose even balanced battles if you are not careful. So the "there is no threat of death" thing, is a myth. The difference is that in pseudo-incline games like Cuckmaker, your skill matters little, because everything is stats and dice rolls, AND the battles are imbalanced as fuck unless you are playing on story-mode.

Do you know that more action games tends to focus way more on player skill than on character skill? And that PFKM is not a ARPG? The ability/spell usage, positioning, etc plays a big role on kingmaker, but the combat of kingmaker is not action focused.

Also, Skyrim is extremely easy. I killed a Giant at lv 4 as a high elf by dual casting firebolt and using the daily high elf power to regen magicka.

PS : I never needed to save scum on kingmaker. And i don't consider myself a good player.

PS 2 : I also enjoy more action focused RPG's, but Dragopn's Dogma combat is extremely superior to Skyrim, doesn't matter if is ranged, magical or melee combat. Dragon fights are also superior on it.

 

[hell bovine]

It depends on what you are using Viconia for. If it's for healing, Faldorn is actually the best for that because she gets 5th lvl spells and Call Woodland Beings. Insect Plague and Iron Skins are nothing to sneeze at either.

Thing is, the best way to heal in BG1 is to drink from that cursed goblet while wearing Kiel's helmet. (though tbh I don't bother with healing in BG1)

 

[User0001]

There are no unfair situations unless you go looking for them, like going to hit a giant when you are lvl 5 or something

 

[Efe]

Don't get me started on summoning limits on elder scrolls games. You cant ever get that powerful necromancer feel.
Disappointing like NWN2 warlocks.

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

Nearly all Baldur's Gate companions were far from optimized, I’m not sure what the fury is about. They were obviously attempting to make plausible characters, not murder munchkins.

Most evil companions in BG1 were ridiculously good, the cherry on top was Edwin who was a better mage than the PC. From the good companions, Coran had an illegal dex score of 20.

Several evil do have better stats, but are far from optimal--they just tend of have a good essential stat. The evil characters like Viconia having 18 WIS, Edwin having the cheat amulet, and Kaigan having an illegal 20 CON are examples. Otherwise they are unremarkable. Tiax's stats are so bad they have him the special ability to summon Ghasts. Coran's illegal DEX and proficiency are also good examples, but he's Chaotic Good. BG1 has a large cast of NPCs (25 of them--excluding EE), and the majority of them are not optimal at all. See Mike's RPG Center, as reference. It's entirely OK for NPCs to be sub-optimal, particularly when it makes them more believable.

 

[AwesomeButton]

When I first pirated Skyrim in 2011 killing giants outside of Whiterun was one of the first things I did. Made me feel like Garrett again, for a few minutrs. It was hilarious how they couldn't reach me. Hilariously dumb game this.

 

[Cryomancer]

Don't get me started on summoning limits on elder scrolls games. You cant ever get that powerful necromancer feel.
Disappointing like NWN2 warlocks.

You can, with MODS. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Cheb+Gonaz+skyrim

Skyrim is a bad game? No. Skyrim is a bad RPG? Yes. But mods can fix most skyrim problems. Summon limit? Mods fixes it. Lackluster spells? Mods fix it. No polearms? Mods fix it. Weakling dragons? Deadly dragon fixes it(...). Even if Larian destroys necromancy on BG3(they din't said anything and i asked about it on AmA), mods will fix it. Same with warlock reworked for nwn2.

One thing that i really wish that Larian will NOT change is "action" time to drink potion. Being able to just press a button and have the potion insta teleported to your belly at full health not only makes zero sense but also destroy all tension of the combat.

 

[NotSerious]

Nearly all Baldur's Gate companions were far from optimized, I’m not sure what the fury is about. They were obviously attempting to make plausible characters, not murder munchkins.

Most evil companions in BG1 were ridiculously good, the cherry on top was Edwin who was a better mage than the PC. From the good companions, Coran had an illegal dex score of 20.

Several evil do have better stats, but are far from optimal--they just tend of have a good essential stat. The evil characters like Viconia having 18 WIS, Edwin having the cheat amulet, and Kaigan having an illegal 20 CON are examples. Otherwise they are unremarkable. Tiax's stats are so bad they have him the special ability to summon Ghasts. Coran's illegal DEX and proficiency are also good examples, but he's Chaotic Good. BG1 has a large cast of NPCs (25 of them--excluding EE), and the majority of them are not optimal at all. See Mike's RPG Center, as reference. It's entirely OK for NPCs to be sub-optimal, particularly when it makes them more believable.

From memory, Edwin was hard for a PC to beat.

 

[hell bovine]

In BG1 yes; Eddie is the best mage. But in BG2 you can make a PC sorcerer who'll ascend long before endgame.

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

NotSerious Edwin’s amulet gave him bonus spells beyond what the character could attain, 2 per level. This put him 1 cast per level beyond a PC specialist mage. It’s no matter. pC can be wildmage and wear amulet of power. Far superior.

 

[Lacrymas]

Nearly all Baldur's Gate companions were far from optimized, I’m not sure what the fury is about. They were obviously attempting to make plausible characters, not murder munchkins.

Most evil companions in BG1 were ridiculously good, the cherry on top was Edwin who was a better mage than the PC. From the good companions, Coran had an illegal dex score of 20.

Several evil do have better stats, but are far from optimal--they just tend of have a good essential stat. The evil characters like Viconia having 18 WIS, Edwin having the cheat amulet, and Kaigan having an illegal 20 CON are examples. Otherwise they are unremarkable. Tiax's stats are so bad they have him the special ability to summon Ghasts. Coran's illegal DEX and proficiency are also good examples, but he's Chaotic Good. BG1 has a large cast of NPCs (25 of them--excluding EE), and the majority of them are not optimal at all. See Mike's RPG Center, as reference. It's entirely OK for NPCs to be sub-optimal, particularly when it makes them more believable.

Edwin being an Evoker, having an INT score of 18 and possessing that amulet of his make him pretty remarkable, seeing how a PC mage can't have that. One might argue a PC mage can have 18 DEX and STR, but the advantages are minimal compared to extra slots. Yeah, you don't need the spell slots, but you don't need the reduced AC either. I'm also not comparing them to the PC, only Edwin can beat an optimized character of the same class, but the evil companions are much better compared to their good counterparts. Xzar can be given a tome of wisdom and be dualed to Cleric.

 

[Yosharian]

Edwin being an Evoker, having an INT score of 18 and possessing that amulet of his make him pretty remarkable, seeing how a PC mage can't have that. One might argue a PC mage can have 18 DEX and STR, but the advantages are minimal compared to extra slots. Yeah, you don't need the spell slots, but you don't need the reduced AC either.

I like it when companions have a unique power that the MC, or custom companions, can't have.

I'm really tired of this trend of making companions that are just statistically/mechanically weak.

 

[Iluvcheezcake]

Nearly all Baldur's Gate companions were far from optimized, I’m not sure what the fury is about. They were obviously attempting to make plausible characters, not murder munchkins.

Most evil companions in BG1 were ridiculously good, the cherry on top was Edwin who was a better mage than the PC. From the good companions, Coran had an illegal dex score of 20.

Several evil do have better stats, but are far from optimal--they just tend of have a good essential stat. The evil characters like Viconia having 18 WIS, Edwin having the cheat amulet, and Kaigan having an illegal 20 CON are examples. Otherwise they are unremarkable. Tiax's stats are so bad they have him the special ability to summon Ghasts. Coran's illegal DEX and proficiency are also good examples, but he's Chaotic Good. BG1 has a large cast of NPCs (25 of them--excluding EE), and the majority of them are not optimal at all. See Mike's RPG Center, as reference. It's entirely OK for NPCs to be sub-optimal, particularly when it makes them more believable.

Edwin being an Evoker, having an INT score of 18 and possessing that amulet of his make him pretty remarkable, seeing how a PC mage can't have that. One might argue a PC mage can have 18 DEX and STR, but the advantages are minimal compared to extra slots. Yeah, you don't need the spell slots, but you don't need the reduced AC either. I'm also not comparing them to the PC, only Edwin can beat an optimized character of the same class, but the evil companions are much better compared to their good counterparts. Xzar can be given a tome of wisdom and be dualed to Cleric.

Afaik, Edwin was a conjurer

 

[Lacrymas]

Edwin is an exceptional case, though, I can't think of another companion in an RPG who is strictly better than the PC of the same class.

 

[Cael]

Edwin is an exceptional case, though, I can't think of another companion in an RPG who is strictly better than the PC of the same class.

Try making a Fighter/Thief of Coran's calibre.

 

[Lacrymas]

It depends on what is allowed. Multi-class, you are right, but a dual-class Fighter/Thief would be better eventually.

 

[Incendax]

Viconia isn't impressive for her stats (though 18-21 Wis is nothing to sneeze at). It's her MR which is easy to cap, making her laugh at many non-summoner enemies.

And she can use beneficial spells with no problem in EE. She's not a better cleric, she's a better cheater.

 

[Lacrymas]

She has 18 WIS only in BG2, she has 15 in BG1.

 

[Cael]

Personally, I prefer NPCs that don't have massive mental deficiencies. Ajantis, Xzar, Montaron, Eldoth, Edwin, Tiax and that SMAT gnome all automatically rule themselves out of contention simply because they are all impressively fucked in the head.

I find Khalid, Minsc, Xan, Allora and Shar-Teel amusing, the latter only if the PC is male (otherwise, she joins the impressively fucked in the head above). They get a free pass.

The rest are fairly normal, insofar as any adventuring type can be considered normal...

 

[fantadomat]

The strongest chick in BG2 is the pigeon elf chick. She does have amazing offensive power lol,later on could nuke a lot of shit. It takes quite some time to level her up,but it does deliver. LoL just checked what other forums/player think about her and had a good chuckle,they were bitching that she wasn't high enough level when they skipped half the side content in the game lol.

 

[hell bovine]

Edwin is an exceptional case, though, I can't think of another companion in an RPG who is strictly better than the PC of the same class.

In BG1. In BG2 only if you narrow the "same class" to "conjurer", because the wild mage ist the most powerful specialization (the ee removed some of the cheese, afaik), and the sorcerer the most powerful arcane caster.

 

[Cael]

Edwin is an exceptional case, though, I can't think of another companion in an RPG who is strictly better than the PC of the same class.

In BG1. In BG2 only if you narrow the "same class" to "conjurer", because the wild mage ist the most powerful specialization (the ee removed some of the cheese, afaik), and the sorcerer the most powerful arcane caster.

I wonder if it is possible to have a fighter/sorcerer multiclass with shadowkeeper...