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

[Gyor]

And levels are dumb and harmful as mechanics more often than not.

I prefer WoD system; no char/class level BUT you have skill/attribute and discipline level. But levels are not THAT bad.

I also prefer milestone leveling over combat leveling.

levels aren't part of the lore, they're part of the mechanics.

Levels serves to measure how strong something is. Is not just "mechanic" Eg, a lv 20 class X reached the peak of what he could learn on "class X", a lv1 is a complete novice. That said, Strahd was near the peak capabilities of a necromancer specialized mage on 2e and in halfway in 5e.

AD&D 2e was also never good.

Chronicles of Darkness 2e is better then WoD.

 

[Cryomancer]

And levels are dumb and harmful as mechanics more often than not.

I prefer WoD system; no char/class level BUT you have skill/attribute and discipline level. But levels are not THAT bad.

I also prefer milestone leveling over combat leveling.

levels aren't part of the lore, they're part of the mechanics.

Levels serves to measure how strong something is. Is not just "mechanic" Eg, a lv 20 class X reached the peak of what he could learn on "class X", a lv1 is a complete novice. That said, Strahd was near the peak capabilities of a necromancer specialized mage on 2e and in halfway in 5e.

AD&D 2e was also never good.

Chronicles of Darkness 2e is better then WoD.

IDK. Never played much Chronicles of Darkness BUT Ravenloft - Domain of Dread was so much better than anything modern exactly because 2e had high lethality. The low lethality of 5e kinda destroys all sense of dread. Fight Strahd when he can insta kill you, teleport on low health, summon hordes of magically enhanced and hard to turn undead, take control over your party members, cast contigency and limited wish, maze and so on is a far more dread experience than fighting him when the worst thing that he can do is cast a cloudkill(5e cloudkill which is far less nastier than 2e) few other spells per long rest...

Talking about ravenloft, anyone here played Ravenloft: Strahd's Possession?

About BG3, i would rather 2e but lets be real. WoTC is not like Paizo. They will never license a game in a previous edition. You guys don't know how much i an happy that PF:WoTR will gonna be pathfinder 1e and not 2e. ToB is inferior than SoA exactly because BioWare had to rush and make ToB before they lost the license, so is kinda unfinished(but still great "ending" to bhaalspawn saga)

Ending on quotes because we don't know if Bhaalspawn descendants will appear on BG3.

 

[RPK]

Talking about ravenloft, anyone here played Ravenloft: Strahd's Possession?

yeah. great game for its time. There's a thread on here about it

 

[Xamenos]

Ending on quotes because we don't know if Bhaalspawn descendants will appear on BG3.

They'll have to retcon the canonical Bhaalspawn ending as shown in the "Murder at Baldur's Gate" 5e adventure. It wouldn't be impossible, or even especially difficult, but I wouldn't count on it.

 

[Lacrymas]

The low lethality of 5e kinda destroys all sense of dread.

First of all, 5E isn't all that different in terms of numbers from the other editions. The spells and items do basically the same amount of damage. The difference between the versions of Strahd is his level and access to spells, which was a good move for everyone involved. Second of all, you can homebrew whatever you want. Since there are no video games based on 5E, I'll have to assume you've played PnP to speak with such authority and you should know this.

The amount of 5E experts in this thread is astonishing.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

What does this have to do with them screwing Gygax out of his royalties?

1. Gygax would have created a 2nd edition AD&D if he had maintained control of TSR.
2. TSR still paid Gygax royalties on all D&D products, whether AD&D 1st edition, non-advanced D&D, or AD&D 2nd edition.
3. Dave Arneson was deprived by Gary Gygax of royalties on all products bearing the name Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.

Q: Not to start a gripe session or anything, Gary, but do you mean that the revisions in 2e were doneto basically make things in AD&D less Gygaxian?

Gary: It was done so as to remove my name and have a “derivative” game for which no royalties were payable to me per agreement. to save 2.5% they wrecked the company…

 

[Elex]

First of all, 5E isn't all that different in terms of numbers from the other editions. The spells and items do basically the same amount of damage. The difference between the versions of Strahd is his level and access to spells, which was a good move for everyone involved. Second of all, you can homebrew whatever you want. Since there are no video games based on 5E, I'll have to assume you've played PnP to speak with such authority and you should know this.

The amount of 5E experts in this thread is astonishing.

Considering that curse of strahd is one of the most deadly 5e campaign, for example strahd in the campaign have 100 extra HP that don’t appear in the statblock because they are coming from an external stuff, and a lot of extra power/advantage based on where you meet strahd all written in the adventure.

 

[Incendax]

5E Strahd is missing the almighty level drain, which made countless players piss their pants. But he can still kick the ass of almost any party unless they make him lose his shit with Ireena.

 

[Saravan]

Part two:

 

[Ontopoly]

Looks everyone, we have Volvo. This is definitely Baldur's Gate 3

 

[Saravan]

Interesting tidbits (Part 1 and 2 combined)

- Number of times you can use short rest is capped in between long rests, to avoid it being spammed.
- Level up screen (or the ability to level up) will be available during long rests.
- Current idea for reactions is for the player to decide, at the start of their turn, which reaction they want to trigger. Explains further that they want to avoid "pop-up" screens to stop gameflow. Talked a bit more in length in Part 1 about trying to shave off seconds here and there in turn-based combat to keep the combat feel faster (e.g. animations).
- Not having the relevant skills can result in missing out content of importance and not just flavor stuff.
- Death should be punishing and resource-heavy, there won't be resurrection scrolls everywhere (but will be in EA for playtesting purposes).

(Eagerly awaiting how Ontopoly will spin these concepts as bad).

 

[Elex]

Well if people die more than one-2 time in a 5e campaign there is two option:

The IA is set as “sadic DM that focus downed character”.

Or

The player is trash.

 

[Ontopoly]

- Number of times you can use short rest is capped in between long rests, to avoid it being spammed.

I thought the team takes a short rest between ever combat? So you just can't control how many short rests you can take while it's capped? Or did they change that, or am I just understanding wrong?

Explains further that they want to avoid "pop-up" screens to stop gameflow.

Turn based game worrying about gameplay flow...

- Death should be punishing and resource-heavy,

Every game ever has said this and yet we have dark souls fans claiming to have mastered it(It hasn't, death has 0 meaning in that game). This is just empty pr talk to help rpg gamers jerk themselves off. Worse case scenario all of us autistic cunts will just save scum.

(Eagerly awaiting how Ontopoly will spin these concepts as bad).

At the end of the day I don't have to spin anything. Every body describes their game as the second coming and talks about what they intend for it to be like rather than what it will actually be like. It's Larian, the game will be another Larian game. Larian fans will love it, not saying much there though.

I'd like to see how you could possibly spin anything they have shown us to make it seem like they were inspired by the bg series at all. All this game is is a soulless name grab, and Swen is the thief who snatched it with the help of Mike Mearls.

 

[Elex]

in part two of the interview (4:25) he say level cap is not decided, but more levels make stuff more and more complicated: he make the example of wish spell.

reaction: you decide the reaction at the start of the turn.
the vampire will take damage in running water but not in still water.

 

[Saravan]

- Number of times you can use short rest is capped in between long rests, to avoid it being spammed.

I thought the team takes a short rest between ever combat? So you just can't control how many short rests you can take while it's capped? Or did they change that, or am I just understanding wrong?

That's how you want to understand it because it helps your narrative, like everything else about this game. In the interview during Part II as the developer is talking about short rest mechanic you see a gameplay sequence where the player has to choose short rest as an option. The developer goes further to explain that you can't simply spam the short rest button to instantly heal fully, instead the number of uses are capped and replenished once you do a long rest.

Turn based game worrying about gameplay flow...

Or it could possibly be that a developer recognizes the main weakness of a turn-based system - as opposed to RtwP - in which the latter is able to maintain a better gameflow so they try to diminish its effects by shaving off seconds that add up, if done right. It's funny to see guys like you bring up TB-games that you like and go "look, here they try to shorten animations to speed things up, that's how it should be done" but because it's Larian who does it you of course spin it as something bad.

Every game ever has said this and yet we have dark souls fans claiming to have mastered it(It hasn't, death has 0 meaning in that game). This is just empty pr talk to help rpg gamers jerk themselves off. Worse case scenario all of us autistic cunts will just save scum.

I agree that one shouldn't make conclusions until you see how it's implemented in the game, but you take the liberty of drawing those conclusions whenever you want to draw a negative one regarding literally any concept that is still in development. So of course, when it's a positive sentiment you naturally resort back to the same fallacy you commit elsewhere.

At the end of the day I don't have to spin in. Every body describes their game as the second coming and talks about what they intend for it to be like rather than what it will actually be like. It's Larian, the game will be another Larian game. Larian fans will love it, not saying much there though.

I'd like to see how you could possibly spin anything they have shown us to make it seem like they were inspired by the bg series at all. All this game is is a soulless name grab, and Swen is the thief who snatched it with the help of Mike Mearls.

This is not my game, nor am I a fanboy, there are plenty of games I look forward to even your beloved Pathfinder WotR. I'm just highlighting your hypocrisy.

 

[Swen]

As you can see, we at Larian are very progressive and hire people form impoverished areas like eastern europe and even Bulgaria.

 

[Ontopoly]

This is not my game, nor am I a fanboy, there are plenty of games I look forward to even your beloved Pathfinder WotR. I'm just highlighting your hypocrisy.

There's no hypocrisy, you just seem to be lumping me in with every anti turn based person you know then making it seem like I agree with everything they say. I'm a very consistent person. My opinions are:
1. Larian sucks
2. Swen sucks
3. BG3 should never be made
4. mike mearls is in on it

 

[User0001]

Interesting tidbits (Part 1 and 2 combined)

- Number of times you can use short rest is capped in between long rests, to avoid it being spammed.
- Level up screen (or the ability to level up) will be available during long rests.
- Current idea for reactions is for the player to decide, at the start of their turn, which reaction they want to trigger. Explains further that they want to avoid "pop-up" screens to stop gameflow. Talked a bit more in length in Part 1 about trying to shave off seconds here and there in turn-based combat to keep the combat feel faster (e.g. animations).
- Not having the relevant skills can result in missing out content of importance and not just flavor stuff.
- Death should be punishing and resource-heavy, there won't be resurrection scrolls everywhere (but will be in EA for playtesting purposes).

(Eagerly awaiting how Ontopoly will spin these concepts as bad).

This is all incline. Everyone can suck it. I am all shill Larian Cultistor for this.

 

[Thac0]

in part two of the interview (4:25) he say level cap is not decided, but more levels make stuff more and more complicated: he make the example of wish spell.

reaction: you decide the reaction at the start of the turn.
the vampire will take damage in running water but not in still water.

This is pretty big for our speculation here, since they can just pull the campaign to level 11-15 if they cant find a satisfying endboss for a level 10 troupe.
I still think they should go with lvl 12, level 7 spells are no joke. Forcecage, Magnificent Mansion, Simulacrum, Teleport are all big stuff. Level 6 (characterlevel 11) has some iconic spells you want in there such as Finger of Death and Chain Lightning.

 

[The_Mask]

Every game ever has said this and yet we have dark souls fans claiming to have mastered it(It hasn't, death has 0 meaning in that game). This is just empty pr talk to help rpg gamers jerk themselves off. Worse case scenario all of us autistic cunts will just save scum.

Having 99 humanity *means* something, dammit! *smashes fist on table*
It improves your resistances. HOW DARE YOU!

Spoiler

Also... everybody save scums. Even people that don't admit it.

 

[Yosharian]

in part two of the interview (4:25) he say level cap is not decided, but more levels make stuff more and more complicated: he make the example of wish spell.

reaction: you decide the reaction at the start of the turn.
the vampire will take damage in running water but not in still water.

This is pretty big for our speculation here, since they can just pull the campaign to level 11-15 if they cant find a satisfying endboss for a level 10 troupe.
I still think they should go with lvl 12, level 7 spells are no joke. Forcecage, Magnificent Mansion, Simulacrum, Teleport are all big stuff. Level 6 (characterlevel 11) has some iconic spells you want in there such as Finger of Death and Chain Lightning.

Yeah some of those level 7 spells are just beyond broken, Forcecage in particular is just incredible

 

[Ontopoly]

Every game ever has said this and yet we have dark souls fans claiming to have mastered it(It hasn't, death has 0 meaning in that game). This is just empty pr talk to help rpg gamers jerk themselves off. Worse case scenario all of us autistic cunts will just save scum.

Having 99 humanity *means* something, dammit! *smashes fist on table*
It improves your resistances. HOW DARE YOU!

Spoiler

Also... everybody save scums. Even people that don't admit it.

I save scum proudly and will admit it to anyone who asks. You ever see a man save scum his way through an RTS?

 

[Harthwain]

Interesting tidbits (Part 1 and 2 combined)

- Number of times you can use short rest is capped in between long rests, to avoid it being spammed.
- Level up screen (or the ability to level up) will be available during long rests.
- Current idea for reactions is for the player to decide, at the start of their turn, which reaction they want to trigger. Explains further that they want to avoid "pop-up" screens to stop gameflow. Talked a bit more in length in Part 1 about trying to shave off seconds here and there in turn-based combat to keep the combat feel faster (e.g. animations).
- Not having the relevant skills can result in missing out content of importance and not just flavor stuff.
- Death should be punishing and resource-heavy, there won't be resurrection scrolls everywhere (but will be in EA for playtesting purposes).

(Eagerly awaiting how Ontopoly will spin these concepts as bad).

Sounds reasonable enough. Are the long rests capped somehow or are there ill effects for overusing it (similar to how Pathfinder did this)?

 

[Thac0]

Interesting tidbits (Part 1 and 2 combined)

- Number of times you can use short rest is capped in between long rests, to avoid it being spammed.
- Level up screen (or the ability to level up) will be available during long rests.
- Current idea for reactions is for the player to decide, at the start of their turn, which reaction they want to trigger. Explains further that they want to avoid "pop-up" screens to stop gameflow. Talked a bit more in length in Part 1 about trying to shave off seconds here and there in turn-based combat to keep the combat feel faster (e.g. animations).
- Not having the relevant skills can result in missing out content of importance and not just flavor stuff.
- Death should be punishing and resource-heavy, there won't be resurrection scrolls everywhere (but will be in EA for playtesting purposes).

(Eagerly awaiting how Ontopoly will spin these concepts as bad).

Sounds reasonable enough. Are the long rests capped somehow or are there ill effects for overusing it (similar to how Pathfinder did this)?

From what we have seen from the trailers they are not capped, but they only become available on screens that are cleared of enemies. There might be a timing system on top of this aswell.

 

[Saravan]

Interesting tidbits (Part 1 and 2 combined)

- Number of times you can use short rest is capped in between long rests, to avoid it being spammed.
- Level up screen (or the ability to level up) will be available during long rests.
- Current idea for reactions is for the player to decide, at the start of their turn, which reaction they want to trigger. Explains further that they want to avoid "pop-up" screens to stop gameflow. Talked a bit more in length in Part 1 about trying to shave off seconds here and there in turn-based combat to keep the combat feel faster (e.g. animations).
- Not having the relevant skills can result in missing out content of importance and not just flavor stuff.
- Death should be punishing and resource-heavy, there won't be resurrection scrolls everywhere (but will be in EA for playtesting purposes).

(Eagerly awaiting how Ontopoly will spin these concepts as bad).

Sounds reasonable enough. Are the long rests capped somehow or are there ill effects for overusing it (similar to how Pathfinder did this)?

From what we have seen from the trailers they are not capped, but they only become available on screens that are cleared of enemies. There might be a timing system on top of this aswell.

They should consider some sort of timer or cap on long rests as well. Resource requirements for a long rest is also an alternative. I think making sure enemies in the near area are cleared is a good start but it could be abused to circumvent the short rest limits. This is probably something that will require the EA to playtest.