Baldur's Gate Baldur's Gate 3 RELEASE THREAD

[Zed Duke of Banville]

A Sequel only in Name. A mutt-level RPG Game.
A prime example of Dark Ages computer-gaming.

Lilura1 on Baldur’s Gate 3

And yet the original Baldur's Gate 3 still has much better gameplay than BG1&2.

 

[KeAShizuku]

https://www.pcgamer.com/games/baldu...re-daily-users-in-2024-than-its-release-year/

Baldur's Gate 3 defies the laws of physics by being a single-player RPG with more daily users in 2024 than its release year​

Baldur's Gate 3, pound for pound, has had more daily users in 2024 than in 2023, which feels a little bit like setting a coin spinning, going on holiday for a week, and then coming back only to find it still whirring away on your table.

That's as per Michael Douse, Larian Studios' director of publishing, who revealed some numbers on X today. According to him, Baldur's Gate 3 had 3% more daily peak concurrents, 20% more daily active users, and a 61% bump in daily Steam Deck users—in the second year of its release.

This is staggering, quite frankly, because Baldur's Gate 3 is not technically a game that's meant to be played for so long. You might see that kind of year-on-year growth out of a live service game, or an MMORPG after a new expansion pack release, but Larian's natural 20 doesn't have a whiff of any of that in it. It is objectively a game that's meant to be played for 100-something hours, lauded, loved, and put down for the occasional revisit. I feel like Kronk in Emperor's New Groove, staring at a graph and going "Well, ya got me, by all accounts it doesn't make sense."

Douse theorises that this is basically due to the recent mod support, adding to those numbers the kind of deep insights you'd expect out of a head of publishing, such as "mods are good" and "mods are very good"—he's not wrong.

While I agree with that assessment, it should be pointed out that Baldur's Gate 3's official mod support only arrived in September of this year. I'm sure another boon was Honour Mode, which released late 2023 but had players, myself included, going back for more playthroughs into early 2024 for the bragging rights of golden dice (which I snagged, thank you very much).

There are also statistical explanations—technically, Douse is measuring half a year of 2023 compared to almost a full year of 2024, since Baldur's Gate 3 came out in August last year, buoyed by a steadily-climbing cloud of early access hype. On the other hand, it released to over 875,000 players on Steam, a number that wouldn't dip below 200,000 players until the end of the year.

Honestly, maybe I'm just trying too hard to explain these natural forces. Baldur's Gate 3 feels like a gigantic milestone—an evolution of the CRPGs of yore that perfected a formula then pushed it just a little further. As a result, it's got a ton of different endings, and a story that's been slowly polished to a mirror shine with things like a new epilogue and evil endings hooking players back in. It's a 100+ hour long RPG, sure, but you might go in for a second breakfast of epic fantasy—especially when there's not much competition scratching the same, choice-based itch. Mods are good, yes, but so's Baldur's Gate 3.

id argue Dragon Age did the party dynamics MUCH better. BG3 is a weird Frankenstein that still has too many DOS2 elements, like every party member being the main character, and the worst camping system ever created. its certainly not an evolution or a polished story

Bioware party banter is legendary.

 

[Fedora Master]

https://www.pcgamer.com/games/baldu...re-daily-users-in-2024-than-its-release-year/

Baldur's Gate 3 defies the laws of physics by being a single-player RPG with more daily users in 2024 than its release year​

Baldur's Gate 3, pound for pound, has had more daily users in 2024 than in 2023, which feels a little bit like setting a coin spinning, going on holiday for a week, and then coming back only to find it still whirring away on your table.

That's as per Michael Douse, Larian Studios' director of publishing, who revealed some numbers on X today. According to him, Baldur's Gate 3 had 3% more daily peak concurrents, 20% more daily active users, and a 61% bump in daily Steam Deck users—in the second year of its release.

This is staggering, quite frankly, because Baldur's Gate 3 is not technically a game that's meant to be played for so long. You might see that kind of year-on-year growth out of a live service game, or an MMORPG after a new expansion pack release, but Larian's natural 20 doesn't have a whiff of any of that in it. It is objectively a game that's meant to be played for 100-something hours, lauded, loved, and put down for the occasional revisit. I feel like Kronk in Emperor's New Groove, staring at a graph and going "Well, ya got me, by all accounts it doesn't make sense."

Douse theorises that this is basically due to the recent mod support, adding to those numbers the kind of deep insights you'd expect out of a head of publishing, such as "mods are good" and "mods are very good"—he's not wrong.

While I agree with that assessment, it should be pointed out that Baldur's Gate 3's official mod support only arrived in September of this year. I'm sure another boon was Honour Mode, which released late 2023 but had players, myself included, going back for more playthroughs into early 2024 for the bragging rights of golden dice (which I snagged, thank you very much).

There are also statistical explanations—technically, Douse is measuring half a year of 2023 compared to almost a full year of 2024, since Baldur's Gate 3 came out in August last year, buoyed by a steadily-climbing cloud of early access hype. On the other hand, it released to over 875,000 players on Steam, a number that wouldn't dip below 200,000 players until the end of the year.

Honestly, maybe I'm just trying too hard to explain these natural forces. Baldur's Gate 3 feels like a gigantic milestone—an evolution of the CRPGs of yore that perfected a formula then pushed it just a little further. As a result, it's got a ton of different endings, and a story that's been slowly polished to a mirror shine with things like a new epilogue and evil endings hooking players back in. It's a 100+ hour long RPG, sure, but you might go in for a second breakfast of epic fantasy—especially when there's not much competition scratching the same, choice-based itch. Mods are good, yes, but so's Baldur's Gate 3.

How is this relevant to the game itself?
It isn't. Not news.

 

[Ryzer]

https://www.pcgamer.com/games/baldurs-gate/baldurs-gate-3-defies-the-laws-of-physics-by-being-a-single-player-rpg-with-more-daily-users-in-2024-than-its-release-year/

Baldur's Gate 3 defies the laws of physics by being a single-player RPG with more daily users in 2024 than its release year​

Baldur's Gate 3, pound for pound, has had more daily users in 2024 than in 2023, which feels a little bit like setting a coin spinning, going on holiday for a week, and then coming back only to find it still whirring away on your table.

That's as per Michael Douse, Larian Studios' director of publishing, who revealed some numbers on X today. According to him, Baldur's Gate 3 had 3% more daily peak concurrents, 20% more daily active users, and a 61% bump in daily Steam Deck users—in the second year of its release.

This is staggering, quite frankly, because Baldur's Gate 3 is not technically a game that's meant to be played for so long. You might see that kind of year-on-year growth out of a live service game, or an MMORPG after a new expansion pack release, but Larian's natural 20 doesn't have a whiff of any of that in it. It is objectively a game that's meant to be played for 100-something hours, lauded, loved, and put down for the occasional revisit. I feel like Kronk in Emperor's New Groove, staring at a graph and going "Well, ya got me, by all accounts it doesn't make sense."

Douse theorises that this is basically due to the recent mod support, adding to those numbers the kind of deep insights you'd expect out of a head of publishing, such as "mods are good" and "mods are very good"—he's not wrong.

While I agree with that assessment, it should be pointed out that Baldur's Gate 3's official mod support only arrived in September of this year. I'm sure another boon was Honour Mode, which released late 2023 but had players, myself included, going back for more playthroughs into early 2024 for the bragging rights of golden dice (which I snagged, thank you very much).

There are also statistical explanations—technically, Douse is measuring half a year of 2023 compared to almost a full year of 2024, since Baldur's Gate 3 came out in August last year, buoyed by a steadily-climbing cloud of early access hype. On the other hand, it released to over 875,000 players on Steam, a number that wouldn't dip below 200,000 players until the end of the year.

Honestly, maybe I'm just trying too hard to explain these natural forces. Baldur's Gate 3 feels like a gigantic milestone—an evolution of the CRPGs of yore that perfected a formula then pushed it just a little further. As a result, it's got a ton of different endings, and a story that's been slowly polished to a mirror shine with things like a new epilogue and evil endings hooking players back in. It's a 100+ hour long RPG, sure, but you might go in for a second breakfast of epic fantasy—especially when there's not much competition scratching the same, choice-based itch. Mods are good, yes, but so's Baldur's Gate 3.

id argue Dragon Age did the party dynamics MUCH better. BG3 is a weird Frankenstein that still has too many DOS2 elements, like every party member being the main character, and the worst camping system ever created. its certainly not an evolution or a polished story

Bioware party banter is legendary.

Bioware was reddit before reddit is a thing.

 

[cvv]

Finished, 130+ hours.

So people complain profusely about the 3rd act and I've done my share of bitching too but now looking back... it might be my favourite, even accounting for the recency bias. It certainly has the most memorable moments, fights, story twists and choices, even though trundling through the city or slogging through the sewers isn't as much fun as 1 or 2. I especially loved the episode with Raphael, breaking into his hidey hole and then fighting him, trying to escape. Most epic fight of the game, in my book. Also gathering allies and then using them in the final battle... schweet. The only thing I didn't like about the endgame was getting to the brain stem, when there is a new batch of baddies dropping down every turn. I just invised Astarion and ran through, ain't nobody got time for that shit.

In the end I turned into a full illithid, dominated the brain and became all powerful, making my teammates my bitches. Vincke tried to pass it off as a bad ending but what does he know.

And this time around even the renowned Larian writing is far from the previous jaw-dropping retardery. The overall story isn't exactly a masterpiece but overall it's notably above the current industry average.

My only major complaint is the game is just too long, even for people who enjoy it. Oh and even tactician is maybe too easy, for the most part, especially compared to previous Larian games where Tactician was a straight-up autism simulator.

Not my favourite RPG, as I'm not the biggest isometric fan, but grate gaym nonetheless, can't really justify giving it anything less than 10/10.

 

[Swen]

Finished, 130+ hours.

So people complain profusely about the 3rd act and I've done my share of bitching too but now looking back... it might be my favourite, even accounting for the recency bias. It certainly has the most memorable moments, fights, story twists and choices, even though trundling through the city or slogging through the sewers isn't as much fun as 1 or 2. I especially loved the episode with Raphael, breaking into his hidey hole and then fighting him, trying to escape. Most epic fight of the game, in my book. Also gathering allies and then using them in the final battle... schweet. The only thing I didn't like about the endgame was getting to the brain stem, when there is a new batch of baddies dropping down every turn. I just invised Astarion and ran through, ain't nobody got time for that shit.

In the end I turned into a full illithid, dominated the brain and became all powerful, making my teammates my bitches. Vincke tried to pass it off as a bad ending but what does he know.

And this time around even the renowned Larian writing is far from the previous jaw-dropping retardery. The overall story isn't exactly a masterpiece but overall it's notably above the current industry average.

My only major complaint is the game is just too long, even for people who enjoy it. Oh and even tactician is maybe too easy, for the most part, especially compared to previous Larian games where Tactician was a straight-up autism simulator.

Not my favourite RPG, as I'm not the biggest isometric fan, but grate gaym nonetheless, can't really justify giving it anything less than 10/10.

Yup, I doubt the idiots here have even played act 3 completely before spouting their crap. It's a great act, also it improved a lot with the latest patches; more endings, no more bugs and better performance.

 

[Hydro]

it might be my favourite

Telling you, this fellow’s opinion can go straight to the trash bin

 

[Blutwurstritter]

Are the content patches done by now, and are there any recommended mods?

 

[Heroic Liberator]

So is there a proper mod yet that unlocks appearance customization when playing as one of Larians' donutsteel OCs instead of Tav / DU?

 

[Infinitron]

New subclasses on the way: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1086940/view/4461474037375172735

Community Update #30 Photo Mode, Cross-Play, and 12 Subclasses Coming Next Year

Like an aged mentor in an inspiring 1980s film montage, we’re filled with pride seeing all the mods you've been crafting and using since the release of our official mod tools in September. In just under three months, you've uploaded more than
3,000 mods
, downloaded over
70 million
, and created a spell to turn your enemies into cheese.

For those of you looking for an introduction to using mods, head over to Larian: Channel From Hell where Aoife will break things down and shine a spotlight on a few choice recommendations. While we’ll be wrapping up our feature-heavy updates for Baldur’s Gate 3 soon, this is not yet the end for our mod tools. With the continued support of mod authors in the community testing out new features, we have big updates still to come - including adding even more functionality to let you tell your own stories.

But before we bid Faerûn adieu in search of stranger shores, we have one more major patch waiting around the corner. Arriving next year, this update will introduce some of the most eagerly awaited features to BG3:
cross-play
, and
photo mode
, along with
12 new subclasses
.

Let’s take a look at what you can expect to see in Patch 8!

Cross-Play
Whether you’re joining PS5 players from your PC, or jumping into a game with Mac users from your Xbox, Baldur’s Gate 3 multiplayer will soon feature full cross-platform progression, including cross-play - just as the gaming gods intended.

Once the update is live you’ll be able to invite your friends to join your cross-play lobby directly, regardless of platform and find available multiplayer lobbies with friends on other systems using the Larian Network.

Subclasses
Patch 8 will introduce a new way to play your favourite class, adding one new subclass for each of the existing Bard, Barbarian, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Fighter, Monk, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock and Wizard classes in the game.

Expect new abilities, animations, VFX, summons and cantrips, and unique voiced dialogue lines for the Oathbreaker Knight with written reactivity for Oathbreakers, along with a touch of homebrewing on certain actions to enhance your role-playing experience.

Bard - College of Glamour

As a College of Glamour Bard, you’ll find you have the power to heal friends and command enemies in equal measure. Cast
Mantle of Inspiration
to bestow your allies with 5 temporary hit points. And should an enemy attack while it is cast, they’ll find themselves
Charmed
. Play your hand correctly and you’ll be able to use this to your advantage with
Mantle of Majesty
. Target Charmed enemies and you can command them to flee, move closer, freeze, drop to the ground, or drop their weapon.

Barbarian - Path of Giants

Opt for the Path of Giants, and your newfound giant strength will make it easier for you to yeet friend and foe alike. Forget chugging potions to pump those muscles, these Barbarians benefit from the
Giant’s Rage
passive that grants both strength and size - allowing you to deal additional damage with Throw attacks. Pockets weighing you down? Not for you and your increased carry capacity!

Cleric - Death Domain

As a cleric of death, you’ll find a few dark new tricks up your sleeves - from spells that specialise in necrotic damage to three new necromancy cantrips. This includes
Toll The Dead
, a cantrip that causes 1~8 damage when your cleric rings the bell of impending doom - a number that scales if your target has already been damaged. We’ve also added the homebrewed ability to explode nearby corpses, damaging enemies.

Druid - Circle of Stars

These Druids look to the stars for answers, accessing powers beyond those offered through the classic wildshapes. Taking on one of three
Starry Forms
for their power - the constellations of the Archer, Chalice, and Dragon. Each one favours a different play style and strategy - the Archer dealing radiant damage with astral arrows, the life-giving Chalice restoring hitpoints to you and others nearby, and the wise Dragon, allowing you to deal damage with an added bonus to constitution rolls. The Starry Forms offer not just a celestial aesthetic, but practical, powerful options to enhance your role as a healer, fighter, or strategist.

Paladin - Oath of the Crown

You’ve been sworn to uphold the principles of law. Stay true to your oath and you'll be rewarded with the power to aid your allies and disrupt your foes. Guide your companions in battle with
Righteous Clarity
, taunt enemies with strategic interrupts, and keep your party standing strong with
Divine Allegiance
, absorbing their damage while restoring their health.

Fighter - Arcane Archer

Mastering the dual arts of magic and marksmanship, the Arcane Archer subclass offers unique skills on top of new shooting animations. Banish foes to the Feywild, removing them from the battlefield for a turn, or unleash Psychic damage that forces enemies to make a Wisdom saving throw or be blinded until the start of their next turn.

Monk - Drunken Master

Putting the brew in homebrew, as the Drunken Master, you have the ability to consume alcohol straight from your inventory, as well as drink from bottles you see around the Sword Coast, in order to recover Ki. By sharing the bottle with your enemies using
Intoxicating Strike
, you’ll generate a buff towards your Armour Class and your Chance to hit Drunk targets. Drunk enemies are also susceptible to the Drunken Masters' other abilities, like
Sobering Realisation
- which sobers up drunk targets, dealing physical and Psychic damage.

Ranger - Swarmkeeper

The Swarmkeeper subclass provides Rangers with three kinds of deadly swarms to assist them in combat. The
Cloud of Jellyfish
deals extra lightning damage - potentially shocking your enemy.
The Flurry of Moths
deals Psychic damage, giving you the potential to Blind your enemy. The
Legion of Bees
deals piercing damage and forces the enemy to make a strength-saving throw or be knocked back 15ft. Each swarm also has the ability to provide you with teleportation capabilities!

Rogue - Swashbuckler

This Rogue subclass introduces a range of new actions fit for the piratical life. Play dirty by tossing sand at enemies to
Blind
them. Flick your weapon at a target to
Disarm
them. Or use your new
Fancy Footwork
passive while meleeing your enemy to ensure they can’t make opportunity attacks against you for the rest of your turn.

Sorcerer - Shadow Magic

As a Shadow Magic Sorcerer, you deal in a form of magic that makes you deadliest in darkness. This subclass gives its sorcerer
Superior Darkvision
, as well as the ability to
Shadow Walk
between places of dim light or darkness. It also lets you call forth the perfectly homebrewed
Hound of Ill Omen
to harass your foes, and use
Strength of the Grave
to prevent you from being downed - ideal for those attempting Honour Mode runs.

Warlock - Hexblade

Hexblade Warlocks make a pact with an entity from the Shadowfell that manifests in the form of magical weapons. Curse your enemies and force their souls to do your bidding. Slay any enemy that isn’t generally an element of nature, construct, giant blob, or already dead, and you’ll be able to raise their spirit from their corpse for ten turns. This new summon can deal necrotic damage and will rip away a chunk of your enemy’s soul to provide your Hexblade Warlock with healing.

Wizard - Bladesinging

The Bladesinging subclass merges swordplay with wizardry. Expect new spellcasting animations when casting spells with your weapon, a new Bladesong ability to grant you supernatural speed, agility, and focus, plus gives you a bonus to any Constitution saving throw you make.

Photo Mode
Finally, you can stop using pictures of fish you’ve caught on your dating profile and start snapping photos with your Hound of Ill Omen. Photo Mode is coming to Baldur’s Gate 3 in Patch 8!

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Photo Mode is a little like a photo booth that lets you set up pretty much any shot you’d like. This new feature introduces a whole slew of options to let you customise and edit your in-game photography, with various levels of freedom depending on whether you’re using it while adventuring, or during combat, dialogue, and cinematic scenes.

Camera Settings

Toggleable from the HUD, located near the minimap, or by using the hotkey binding (F9 on PC, and by pressing both analog sticks at the same time on console), you’ll get to choose which character you want to take centre stage, determine their best side, and adjust the camera position to suit.

As long as they’re in your party while you’re adventuring, you’ll be able to line up your scene perfectly - including summons and those in a Wild Shape! For all budding virtual photographers, you can also turn on the camera reticle and composition grid to make sure you’re lining up the perfect shot.

Lens Settings

Determined the angle and sorted the positioning? You’ll be able to jump over to the Lens Settings where you can play around with the Field of View, Exposure, Depth of Field, and Focus.

Scene Settings

NPC ruining your shot? Toggle off either Playing, Party, NPC or Enemy characters.

Now you’re ready for your close-up! Or, if you’re feeling creative, set the scene for a full-on Faerûn musical - choose a set facial expression, plus a range of over 40 static and animated poses, each with multiple variations to help give you the perfect layout.

Internal playtesting for Patch 8 is already well underway, and we wanted to highlight just a couple of the great shots our playtesters have been grabbing using photo mode, and how they’ve chosen to edit them!

Post Processing Effects

While you won’t be able to adjust your party or play around with lens and camera settings during cinematic scenes and dialogues, you’ll be able to colour-grade your shot and experiment with contrast, saturation, highlights, brightness and vignette.

Morphic Pool, by Celia Medvescig, Playtester


Frames

Add flair to your scene with a range of different frames and letterboxing to nail those cinematic shots.

Crèche, by Michael Simard, Playtester


Stickers

Choose from over 300 stickers and add up to 30 to your scene, including emojis, icons, blood splatters, textures, objects and items, and of course, cat ears.

In your hands soon, you’ll be able to take role-play to the next level with unique combinations of poses, stickers, and frames. We can’t wait to see what absolute nightmare fuel you come up with.

A romantic moment between custom characters, by Helena Van de Veire, Playtester

Patch 8 Stress Test
With your feedback and support, our last patch brought some big changes to the game with just two bug-fixing hotfixes post-release. That’s a win in our books, and we’re looking to do the same again for Patch 8. So let’s talk stress testing!

What are we stress-testing?

This time, you’re invited to join us for a period of stress testing, where you can jump in and try out the new subclasses, explore Tav’s best angles in photo mode, and play with friends together on other platforms. Yep, this stress test will be available to those on Xbox and PlayStation, as well as PC!
Why do we need to stress test Patch 8?

The goal is to go beyond our internal testing and help us catch things before they can become an issue once a patch has been released.

Along with all of the newness coming in Patch 8, we’ll also be integrating a large selection of bug fixes and polishing up cinematics, including ensuring Shadowheart’s hair dye no longer washes away when she takes a dip with her romantic partner. We’ll be sharing more on what’s been fixed in a future update!

When does the stress test begin?

We’re looking to begin testing in early January, and you’ll have the opportunity to register your interest before then. Things will be done a little differently this time ‘round, so we’ll be back with Community Update #31 to take you through what’s being tested and how you can take part!

Don’t wait up pookie, we’ll chat with you soon.

Best Community Support Nomination At The Game Awards 2024

We are deeply honoured by all of the awards that Baldur’s Gate 3 has been nominated for, and it goes without saying that our latest nomination for Best Community Support once again at The Game Awards 2024 has our hearts squeezing.

You’ve fuelled us with your questionably horny fanart, delusional tyrant fanfiction, and delightful array of mods, and we can’t wait to see how you bring this passion to our future games.

If you would like to support us at this year’s The Game Awards, you can vote for Baldur’s Gate 3 as Best Community Support before December 11th by clicking here. Watch the awards ceremony live on December 12 at 7:30pm EST on The Game Awards YouTube and Twitch channels.

A Very Larian Christmas

With December on our doorstep, we’re once again bringing back a little advent surprise, featuring a series of little treats for both the naughty and nice.

Keep an eye out later in December, for puzzles to earn rewards you'll cherish and remember!

 

[MerchantKing]

A Sequel only in Name. A mutt-level RPG Game.
A prime example of Dark Ages computer-gaming.

Lilura1 on Baldur’s Gate 3

Didn't Lilura1 write an entire article on how "RPG Game" is redundant nonsense?

 

[Dishonoredbr]

New subclasses on the way: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1086940/view/4461474037375172735

Community Update #30 Photo Mode, Cross-Play, and 12 Subclasses Coming Next Year

Like an aged mentor in an inspiring 1980s film montage, we’re filled with pride seeing all the mods you've been crafting and using since the release of our official mod tools in September. In just under three months, you've uploaded more than
3,000 mods
, downloaded over
70 million
, and created a spell to turn your enemies into cheese.

For those of you looking for an introduction to using mods, head over to Larian: Channel From Hell where Aoife will break things down and shine a spotlight on a few choice recommendations. While we’ll be wrapping up our feature-heavy updates for Baldur’s Gate 3 soon, this is not yet the end for our mod tools. With the continued support of mod authors in the community testing out new features, we have big updates still to come - including adding even more functionality to let you tell your own stories.

But before we bid Faerûn adieu in search of stranger shores, we have one more major patch waiting around the corner. Arriving next year, this update will introduce some of the most eagerly awaited features to BG3:
cross-play
, and
photo mode
, along with
12 new subclasses
.

Let’s take a look at what you can expect to see in Patch 8!

Cross-Play
Whether you’re joining PS5 players from your PC, or jumping into a game with Mac users from your Xbox, Baldur’s Gate 3 multiplayer will soon feature full cross-platform progression, including cross-play - just as the gaming gods intended.

Once the update is live you’ll be able to invite your friends to join your cross-play lobby directly, regardless of platform and find available multiplayer lobbies with friends on other systems using the Larian Network.

Subclasses
Patch 8 will introduce a new way to play your favourite class, adding one new subclass for each of the existing Bard, Barbarian, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Fighter, Monk, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock and Wizard classes in the game.

Expect new abilities, animations, VFX, summons and cantrips, and unique voiced dialogue lines for the Oathbreaker Knight with written reactivity for Oathbreakers, along with a touch of homebrewing on certain actions to enhance your role-playing experience.

Bard - College of Glamour

As a College of Glamour Bard, you’ll find you have the power to heal friends and command enemies in equal measure. Cast
Mantle of Inspiration
to bestow your allies with 5 temporary hit points. And should an enemy attack while it is cast, they’ll find themselves
Charmed
. Play your hand correctly and you’ll be able to use this to your advantage with
Mantle of Majesty
. Target Charmed enemies and you can command them to flee, move closer, freeze, drop to the ground, or drop their weapon.

Barbarian - Path of Giants

Opt for the Path of Giants, and your newfound giant strength will make it easier for you to yeet friend and foe alike. Forget chugging potions to pump those muscles, these Barbarians benefit from the
Giant’s Rage
passive that grants both strength and size - allowing you to deal additional damage with Throw attacks. Pockets weighing you down? Not for you and your increased carry capacity!

Cleric - Death Domain

As a cleric of death, you’ll find a few dark new tricks up your sleeves - from spells that specialise in necrotic damage to three new necromancy cantrips. This includes
Toll The Dead
, a cantrip that causes 1~8 damage when your cleric rings the bell of impending doom - a number that scales if your target has already been damaged. We’ve also added the homebrewed ability to explode nearby corpses, damaging enemies.

Druid - Circle of Stars

These Druids look to the stars for answers, accessing powers beyond those offered through the classic wildshapes. Taking on one of three
Starry Forms
for their power - the constellations of the Archer, Chalice, and Dragon. Each one favours a different play style and strategy - the Archer dealing radiant damage with astral arrows, the life-giving Chalice restoring hitpoints to you and others nearby, and the wise Dragon, allowing you to deal damage with an added bonus to constitution rolls. The Starry Forms offer not just a celestial aesthetic, but practical, powerful options to enhance your role as a healer, fighter, or strategist.

Paladin - Oath of the Crown

You’ve been sworn to uphold the principles of law. Stay true to your oath and you'll be rewarded with the power to aid your allies and disrupt your foes. Guide your companions in battle with
Righteous Clarity
, taunt enemies with strategic interrupts, and keep your party standing strong with
Divine Allegiance
, absorbing their damage while restoring their health.

Fighter - Arcane Archer

Mastering the dual arts of magic and marksmanship, the Arcane Archer subclass offers unique skills on top of new shooting animations. Banish foes to the Feywild, removing them from the battlefield for a turn, or unleash Psychic damage that forces enemies to make a Wisdom saving throw or be blinded until the start of their next turn.

Monk - Drunken Master

Putting the brew in homebrew, as the Drunken Master, you have the ability to consume alcohol straight from your inventory, as well as drink from bottles you see around the Sword Coast, in order to recover Ki. By sharing the bottle with your enemies using
Intoxicating Strike
, you’ll generate a buff towards your Armour Class and your Chance to hit Drunk targets. Drunk enemies are also susceptible to the Drunken Masters' other abilities, like
Sobering Realisation
- which sobers up drunk targets, dealing physical and Psychic damage.

Ranger - Swarmkeeper

The Swarmkeeper subclass provides Rangers with three kinds of deadly swarms to assist them in combat. The
Cloud of Jellyfish
deals extra lightning damage - potentially shocking your enemy.
The Flurry of Moths
deals Psychic damage, giving you the potential to Blind your enemy. The
Legion of Bees
deals piercing damage and forces the enemy to make a strength-saving throw or be knocked back 15ft. Each swarm also has the ability to provide you with teleportation capabilities!

Rogue - Swashbuckler

This Rogue subclass introduces a range of new actions fit for the piratical life. Play dirty by tossing sand at enemies to
Blind
them. Flick your weapon at a target to
Disarm
them. Or use your new
Fancy Footwork
passive while meleeing your enemy to ensure they can’t make opportunity attacks against you for the rest of your turn.

Sorcerer - Shadow Magic

As a Shadow Magic Sorcerer, you deal in a form of magic that makes you deadliest in darkness. This subclass gives its sorcerer
Superior Darkvision
, as well as the ability to
Shadow Walk
between places of dim light or darkness. It also lets you call forth the perfectly homebrewed
Hound of Ill Omen
to harass your foes, and use
Strength of the Grave
to prevent you from being downed - ideal for those attempting Honour Mode runs.

Warlock - Hexblade

Hexblade Warlocks make a pact with an entity from the Shadowfell that manifests in the form of magical weapons. Curse your enemies and force their souls to do your bidding. Slay any enemy that isn’t generally an element of nature, construct, giant blob, or already dead, and you’ll be able to raise their spirit from their corpse for ten turns. This new summon can deal necrotic damage and will rip away a chunk of your enemy’s soul to provide your Hexblade Warlock with healing.

Wizard - Bladesinging

The Bladesinging subclass merges swordplay with wizardry. Expect new spellcasting animations when casting spells with your weapon, a new Bladesong ability to grant you supernatural speed, agility, and focus, plus gives you a bonus to any Constitution saving throw you make.

Photo Mode
Finally, you can stop using pictures of fish you’ve caught on your dating profile and start snapping photos with your Hound of Ill Omen. Photo Mode is coming to Baldur’s Gate 3 in Patch 8!

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Photo Mode is a little like a photo booth that lets you set up pretty much any shot you’d like. This new feature introduces a whole slew of options to let you customise and edit your in-game photography, with various levels of freedom depending on whether you’re using it while adventuring, or during combat, dialogue, and cinematic scenes.

Camera Settings

Toggleable from the HUD, located near the minimap, or by using the hotkey binding (F9 on PC, and by pressing both analog sticks at the same time on console), you’ll get to choose which character you want to take centre stage, determine their best side, and adjust the camera position to suit.

As long as they’re in your party while you’re adventuring, you’ll be able to line up your scene perfectly - including summons and those in a Wild Shape! For all budding virtual photographers, you can also turn on the camera reticle and composition grid to make sure you’re lining up the perfect shot.

Lens Settings

Determined the angle and sorted the positioning? You’ll be able to jump over to the Lens Settings where you can play around with the Field of View, Exposure, Depth of Field, and Focus.

Scene Settings

NPC ruining your shot? Toggle off either Playing, Party, NPC or Enemy characters.

Now you’re ready for your close-up! Or, if you’re feeling creative, set the scene for a full-on Faerûn musical - choose a set facial expression, plus a range of over 40 static and animated poses, each with multiple variations to help give you the perfect layout.

Internal playtesting for Patch 8 is already well underway, and we wanted to highlight just a couple of the great shots our playtesters have been grabbing using photo mode, and how they’ve chosen to edit them!

Post Processing Effects

While you won’t be able to adjust your party or play around with lens and camera settings during cinematic scenes and dialogues, you’ll be able to colour-grade your shot and experiment with contrast, saturation, highlights, brightness and vignette.

Morphic Pool, by Celia Medvescig, Playtester


Frames

Add flair to your scene with a range of different frames and letterboxing to nail those cinematic shots.

Crèche, by Michael Simard, Playtester


Stickers

Choose from over 300 stickers and add up to 30 to your scene, including emojis, icons, blood splatters, textures, objects and items, and of course, cat ears.

In your hands soon, you’ll be able to take role-play to the next level with unique combinations of poses, stickers, and frames. We can’t wait to see what absolute nightmare fuel you come up with.

A romantic moment between custom characters, by Helena Van de Veire, Playtester

Patch 8 Stress Test
With your feedback and support, our last patch brought some big changes to the game with just two bug-fixing hotfixes post-release. That’s a win in our books, and we’re looking to do the same again for Patch 8. So let’s talk stress testing!

What are we stress-testing?

This time, you’re invited to join us for a period of stress testing, where you can jump in and try out the new subclasses, explore Tav’s best angles in photo mode, and play with friends together on other platforms. Yep, this stress test will be available to those on Xbox and PlayStation, as well as PC!
Why do we need to stress test Patch 8?

The goal is to go beyond our internal testing and help us catch things before they can become an issue once a patch has been released.

Along with all of the newness coming in Patch 8, we’ll also be integrating a large selection of bug fixes and polishing up cinematics, including ensuring Shadowheart’s hair dye no longer washes away when she takes a dip with her romantic partner. We’ll be sharing more on what’s been fixed in a future update!

When does the stress test begin?

We’re looking to begin testing in early January, and you’ll have the opportunity to register your interest before then. Things will be done a little differently this time ‘round, so we’ll be back with Community Update #31 to take you through what’s being tested and how you can take part!

Don’t wait up pookie, we’ll chat with you soon.

Best Community Support Nomination At The Game Awards 2024

We are deeply honoured by all of the awards that Baldur’s Gate 3 has been nominated for, and it goes without saying that our latest nomination for Best Community Support once again at The Game Awards 2024 has our hearts squeezing.

You’ve fuelled us with your questionably horny fanart, delusional tyrant fanfiction, and delightful array of mods, and we can’t wait to see how you bring this passion to our future games.

If you would like to support us at this year’s The Game Awards, you can vote for Baldur’s Gate 3 as Best Community Support before December 11th by clicking here. Watch the awards ceremony live on December 12 at 7:30pm EST on The Game Awards YouTube and Twitch channels.

A Very Larian Christmas

With December on our doorstep, we’re once again bringing back a little advent surprise, featuring a series of little treats for both the naughty and nice.

Keep an eye out later in December, for puzzles to earn rewards you'll cherish and remember!

This game needs badly some new subclasses. I had no reason to replay this game because the character building was lacking interesting options beyond chesee bullshit.

 

[vota DC]

I truly hate the Larian - every NPC is really a PC waiting for the chance thing, meaning that whatever you create is just some dickhead if you don't pick an out of the box guy.

I didnt play BG3, can you at least murder all the party members and hire a full hireling party?

One Is unkillable once joined. You can kill him only before, anyway you can skip him.

 

[MerchantKing]

New subclasses on the way: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1086940/view/4461474037375172735

Cross-Play
Whether you’re joining PS5 players from your PC, or jumping into a game with Mac users from your Xbox, Baldur’s Gate 3 multiplayer will soon feature full cross-platform progression, including cross-play - just as the gaming gods intended.

Once the update is live you’ll be able to invite your friends to join your cross-play lobby directly, regardless of platform and find available multiplayer lobbies with friends on other systems using the Larian Network.

Consoles were always a mistake

Bard - College of Glamour

As a College of Glamour Bard, you’ll find you have the power to heal friends and command enemies in equal measure. Cast
Mantle of Inspiration
to bestow your allies with 5 temporary hit points. And should an enemy attack while it is cast, they’ll find themselves
Charmed
. Play your hand correctly and you’ll be able to use this to your advantage with
Mantle of Majesty
. Target Charmed enemies and you can command them to flee, move closer, freeze, drop to the ground, or drop their weapon.

So a bard with command? Lore Bard already can do that. Lore Bard is still better.

Barbarian - Path of Giants

Opt for the Path of Giants, and your newfound giant strength will make it easier for you to yeet friend and foe alike. Forget chugging potions to pump those muscles, these Barbarians benefit from the
Giant’s Rage
passive that grants both strength and size - allowing you to deal additional damage with Throw attacks. Pockets weighing you down? Not for you and your increased carry capacity!

I'm sure this subclass being added has nothing to do with appealing to size fetishists.

Cleric - Death Domain

As a cleric of death, you’ll find a few dark new tricks up your sleeves - from spells that specialise in necrotic damage to three new necromancy cantrips. This includes
Toll The Dead, a cantrip that causes 1~8 damage when your cleric rings the bell of impending doom -

A good addition

a number that scales if your target has already been damaged. We’ve also added the homebrewed ability to explode nearby corpses, damaging enemies.

A bad addition. Larian needs to remove these nonsense gimmicks. Not add more.

Druid - Circle of Stars

These Druids look to the stars for answers, accessing powers beyond those offered through the classic wildshapes. Taking on one of three
Starry Forms
for their power - the constellations of the Archer, Chalice, and Dragon. Each one favours a different play style and strategy - the Archer dealing radiant damage with astral arrows, the life-giving Chalice restoring hitpoints to you and others nearby, and the wise Dragon, allowing you to deal damage with an added bonus to constitution rolls. The Starry Forms offer not just a celestial aesthetic, but practical, powerful options to enhance your role as a healer, fighter, or strategist.

Meh.

Paladin - Oath of the Crown

You’ve been sworn to uphold the principles of law. Stay true to your oath and you'll be rewarded with the power to aid your allies and disrupt your foes. Guide your companions in battle with
Righteous Clarity
, taunt enemies with strategic interrupts, and keep your party standing strong with
Divine Allegiance
, absorbing their damage while restoring their health.

This is what a Paladin is supposed to be in the first place. Upholding the principals of Law and Good. They really should get rid of the other oaths as all these subclasses are unnecessary.

Fighter - Arcane Archer

Mastering the dual arts of magic and marksmanship, the Arcane Archer subclass offers unique skills on top of new shooting animations.

A fighter subclass that's not immediately replaced by another class that does its job better?

Monk - Drunken Master

Putting the brew in homebrew, as the Drunken Master, you have the ability to consume alcohol straight from your inventory, as well as drink from bottles you see around the Sword Coast, in order to recover Ki. By sharing the bottle with your enemies using
Intoxicating Strike
, you’ll generate a buff towards your Armour Class and your Chance to hit Drunk targets. Drunk enemies are also susceptible to the Drunken Masters' other abilities, like
Sobering Realisation
- which sobers up drunk targets, dealing physical and Psychic damage.

Technically Drunken Master is already printed in a 5e book and it's version seems more interesting

"You also gain proficiency with brewer's supplies if you don't already have it."
Something Larian doesn't have in their game. No proficiencies required for crafting. Solasta did this better.

"At 3rd level, you learn how to twist and turn quickly as part of your Flurry of Blows. Whenever you use Flurry of Blows, you gain the benefit of the Disengage action, and your walking speed increases by 10 feet until the end of the current turn."
This seems more useful tactically than whatever flat buffs they give you as it allows you to make a hit&run character since you get disengage for free allowing another dimension to play other than exploiting Larian's naive gimmicks. Hit Chance is nice and AC isn't the most useful thing that matters. It's a shame that it will have to be used through Larian's retarded gimmicks. Throwing a bottle of beer at someone will not make them drunk. They actually have to drink it. Larian should stop trying these gimmicks

"Starting at 6th level, you can move in sudden, swaying ways. You gain the following benefits.

• Leap to Your Feet. When you're prone, you can stand up by spending 5 feet of movement, rather than half your speed
• Redirect Attack. When a creature misses you with a melee attack roll, you can spend 1 ki point as a reaction to cause that attack to hit one creature of your choice, other than the attacker, that you can see within 5 feet of you.

Which is more thematically appropriate for a martial arts character.

"Starting at 11th level, you always seem to get a lucky bounce at the right moment. When you make an ability check, an attack roll, or a saving throw and have disadvantage, you can spend 2 ki points to cancel the disadvantage for that roll."
I would rather have that then magically making someone sober after they got not-drunk from having a bottle of booze thrown at their feet with none of the booze making it into their digestive system.

Ranger - Swarmkeeper

The Swarmkeeper subclass provides Rangers with three kinds of deadly swarms to assist them in combat. The
Cloud of Jellyfish
deals extra lightning damage - potentially shocking your enemy.
The Flurry of Moths
deals Psychic damage, giving you the potential to Blind your enemy. The
Legion of Bees
deals piercing damage and forces the enemy to make a strength-saving throw or be knocked back 15ft. Each swarm also has the ability to provide you with teleportation capabilities!

Meh. The options in the official books are better as they're not just status effect gimmicks.

Rogue - Swashbuckler

This Rogue subclass introduces a range of new actions fit for the piratical life. Play dirty by tossing sand at enemies to
Blind
them. Flick your weapon at a target to
Disarm
them. Or use your new
Fancy Footwork
passive while meleeing your enemy to ensure they can’t make opportunity attacks against you for the rest of your turn.

HUR DUR POCKET SAND. The Swashbuckler mod does it better as it doesn't add a bunch of retarded gimmicks.

Sorcerer - Shadow Magic

As a Shadow Magic Sorcerer, you deal in a form of magic that makes you deadliest in darkness. This subclass gives its sorcerer
Superior Darkvision
, as well as the ability to

Useless in game BTW.

Shadow Walk
between places of dim light or darkness. It also lets you call forth the perfectly homebrewed

Homebrew is always the last thing Larian should be doing as it's usually just stupid gimmicks

Hound of Ill Omen
to harass your foes, and use

Not Homebrewed unless they're making changes to add stupid gimmicks that don't belong in crpgs.

Strength of the Grave
to prevent you from being downed - ideal for those attempting Honour Mode runs.

Not homebrewed either.

Warlock - Hexblade

Hexblade Warlocks make a pact with an entity from the Shadowfell that manifests in the form of magical weapons. Curse your enemies and force their souls to do your bidding. Slay any enemy that isn’t generally an element of nature, construct, giant blob, or already dead, and you’ll be able to raise their spirit from their corpse for ten turns. This new summon can deal necrotic damage and will rip away a chunk of your enemy’s soul to provide your Hexblade Warlock with healing.

If it adheres to what the Hexblade mod already does it will be a good addition.

Wizard - Bladesinging

The Bladesinging subclass merges swordplay with wizardry. Expect new spellcasting animations when casting spells with your weapon, a new Bladesong ability to grant you supernatural speed, agility, and focus, plus gives you a bonus to any Constitution saving throw you make.

Yet another strong subclass that renders the current fighter subclasses pointlessly weak in comparison. If they stay true to what it should be, the blade song will do

"Starting at 2nd level, you can invoke an elven magic called the Bladesong, provided that you aren't wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield. It graces you with supernatural speed, agility, and focus.

You can use a bonus action to start the Bladesong, which lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are incapacitated, if you don medium or heavy armor or a shield, or if you use two hands to make an attack with a weapon. You can also dismiss the Bladesong at any time (no action required).

While your Bladesong is active, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1) [13 (mage armor) + 3 INT + 3 DEX = 19 AC with mage armor at level 2 compared to the heavy armored fighter/paladin who gets 17 when they pay out for a suit of +1 chainmail, and then at level 4 with auntie's hair, if Dex or INT is 17, it will be 21 AC; +1 robe is 20 AC at level 2 and 22 AC at level 4, something most martials have to wait until the city of Baldur's Gape to get close to. With +2 AC bracers, the ring, the boots, and the cape, it will be 23-25 AC at the end of ACT I and 28 AC at the beginning of ACT 2 unless some of those slots go to something else. ]
• Your walking speed increases by 10 feet.
• You have advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks.
• You gain a bonus to any Constitution saving throw you make to maintain your concentration on a spell. The bonus equals your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest. [twice at level 2, thrice at level 5, four times at level 9; with how easy it is to exploit long rest why even run armored martials anymore? Great way to break the game]"

"Starting at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Moreover, you can cast one of your cantrips in place of one of those attacks."

Already stronger than Eldritch Knight in the first place, why not give this to EK too to make EK better? Syncs well with the cantrip items for free weapon damage buffs. Shocking touch+firebolt into a melee attack?

"Beginning at 10th level, you can direct your magic to absorb damage while your Bladesong is active. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to expend one spell slot and reduce that damage to you by an amount equal to five times the spell slot's level."

Yup. Extremely strong. If using a pure class, it's 20-25 damage reduced if you don't need those high level spell slots for anything.

 

[Hydro]

A Sequel only in Name. A mutt-level RPG Game.
A prime example of Dark Ages computer-gaming.

Lilura1 on Baldur’s Gate 3

Didn't Lilura1 write an entire article on how "RPG Game" is redundant nonsense?

Yes. But BG3 is indeed a RPG Game.

 

[Hydro]

Man with this new instagram (or whatever piece of shit that is) mode this game is nearing perfection. Right RPG bros?

 

[MerchantKing]

It's quite interesting to note that the instagram photo mode is just another way to make current year corporate stock photos but in the game. It's quite retarded and tasteless really. But that's considering how tasteless and generic the "cover art" is. DOS2 was a tasteless gimmick game that rewarded you for ignoring the actual tactical rpg while spamming barrel effects and they still couldn't understand that it wasn't appropriate in this game yet still added it anyways in a toned down version. BTW, barrelmancy is a viable strategy in BG3. Just as viable as it was in DOS2, missing the entire point of what D&D is supposed to be about; crushing your enemies, seeing their loot sprawled out before you, and hearing the lamentations of their minions while the mechanical direction should not be these retarded gimmicks but attempting to further simulate and adding mechanical depth to adventuring.

 

[Desiderius]

Man with this new instagram (or whatever piece of shit that is) mode this game is nearing perfection. Right RPG bros?

Idk man, I don’t know how to use any of that shit anyway.

Sounds like I’ll have some fun subclasses to try out once the cut content is modded back into the third act sometime next year.

 

[Heroic Liberator]

Sounds like I’ll have some fun subclasses to try out once the cut content is modded back into the third act sometime next year.

Is there significant stuff in the game files left unimplemented that the modders can tweak and put back in?

 

[Swen]

Ayyy Musk could be buying Hasbro.

 

[shimadamada]

A Sequel only in Name. A mutt-level RPG Game.
A prime example of Dark Ages computer-gaming.

Lilura1 on Baldur’s Gate 3

And yet the original Baldur's Gate 3 still has much better gameplay than BG1&2.

Preach brother!

 

[shimadamada]

New subclasses on the way: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1086940/view/4461474037375172735

Cross-Play
Whether you’re joining PS5 players from your PC, or jumping into a game with Mac users from your Xbox, Baldur’s Gate 3 multiplayer will soon feature full cross-platform progression, including cross-play - just as the gaming gods intended.

Once the update is live you’ll be able to invite your friends to join your cross-play lobby directly, regardless of platform and find available multiplayer lobbies with friends on other systems using the Larian Network.

Consoles were always a mistake

Bard - College of Glamour

As a College of Glamour Bard, you’ll find you have the power to heal friends and command enemies in equal measure. Cast
Mantle of Inspiration
to bestow your allies with 5 temporary hit points. And should an enemy attack while it is cast, they’ll find themselves
Charmed
. Play your hand correctly and you’ll be able to use this to your advantage with
Mantle of Majesty
. Target Charmed enemies and you can command them to flee, move closer, freeze, drop to the ground, or drop their weapon.

So a bard with command? Lore Bard already can do that. Lore Bard is still better.

Barbarian - Path of Giants

Opt for the Path of Giants, and your newfound giant strength will make it easier for you to yeet friend and foe alike. Forget chugging potions to pump those muscles, these Barbarians benefit from the
Giant’s Rage
passive that grants both strength and size - allowing you to deal additional damage with Throw attacks. Pockets weighing you down? Not for you and your increased carry capacity!

I'm sure this subclass being added has nothing to do with appealing to size fetishists.

Cleric - Death Domain

As a cleric of death, you’ll find a few dark new tricks up your sleeves - from spells that specialise in necrotic damage to three new necromancy cantrips. This includes
Toll The Dead, a cantrip that causes 1~8 damage when your cleric rings the bell of impending doom -

A good addition

a number that scales if your target has already been damaged. We’ve also added the homebrewed ability to explode nearby corpses, damaging enemies.

A bad addition. Larian needs to remove these nonsense gimmicks. Not add more.

Druid - Circle of Stars

These Druids look to the stars for answers, accessing powers beyond those offered through the classic wildshapes. Taking on one of three
Starry Forms
for their power - the constellations of the Archer, Chalice, and Dragon. Each one favours a different play style and strategy - the Archer dealing radiant damage with astral arrows, the life-giving Chalice restoring hitpoints to you and others nearby, and the wise Dragon, allowing you to deal damage with an added bonus to constitution rolls. The Starry Forms offer not just a celestial aesthetic, but practical, powerful options to enhance your role as a healer, fighter, or strategist.

Meh.

Paladin - Oath of the Crown

You’ve been sworn to uphold the principles of law. Stay true to your oath and you'll be rewarded with the power to aid your allies and disrupt your foes. Guide your companions in battle with
Righteous Clarity
, taunt enemies with strategic interrupts, and keep your party standing strong with
Divine Allegiance
, absorbing their damage while restoring their health.

This is what a Paladin is supposed to be in the first place. Upholding the principals of Law and Good. They really should get rid of the other oaths as all these subclasses are unnecessary.

Fighter - Arcane Archer

Mastering the dual arts of magic and marksmanship, the Arcane Archer subclass offers unique skills on top of new shooting animations.

A fighter subclass that's not immediately replaced by another class that does its job better?

Monk - Drunken Master

Putting the brew in homebrew, as the Drunken Master, you have the ability to consume alcohol straight from your inventory, as well as drink from bottles you see around the Sword Coast, in order to recover Ki. By sharing the bottle with your enemies using
Intoxicating Strike
, you’ll generate a buff towards your Armour Class and your Chance to hit Drunk targets. Drunk enemies are also susceptible to the Drunken Masters' other abilities, like
Sobering Realisation
- which sobers up drunk targets, dealing physical and Psychic damage.

Technically Drunken Master is already printed in a 5e book and it's version seems more interesting

"You also gain proficiency with brewer's supplies if you don't already have it."
Something Larian doesn't have in their game. No proficiencies required for crafting. Solasta did this better.

"At 3rd level, you learn how to twist and turn quickly as part of your Flurry of Blows. Whenever you use Flurry of Blows, you gain the benefit of the Disengage action, and your walking speed increases by 10 feet until the end of the current turn."
This seems more useful tactically than whatever flat buffs they give you as it allows you to make a hit&run character since you get disengage for free allowing another dimension to play other than exploiting Larian's naive gimmicks. Hit Chance is nice and AC isn't the most useful thing that matters. It's a shame that it will have to be used through Larian's retarded gimmicks. Throwing a bottle of beer at someone will not make them drunk. They actually have to drink it. Larian should stop trying these gimmicks

"Starting at 6th level, you can move in sudden, swaying ways. You gain the following benefits.

• Leap to Your Feet. When you're prone, you can stand up by spending 5 feet of movement, rather than half your speed
• Redirect Attack. When a creature misses you with a melee attack roll, you can spend 1 ki point as a reaction to cause that attack to hit one creature of your choice, other than the attacker, that you can see within 5 feet of you.

Which is more thematically appropriate for a martial arts character.

"Starting at 11th level, you always seem to get a lucky bounce at the right moment. When you make an ability check, an attack roll, or a saving throw and have disadvantage, you can spend 2 ki points to cancel the disadvantage for that roll."
I would rather have that then magically making someone sober after they got not-drunk from having a bottle of booze thrown at their feet with none of the booze making it into their digestive system.

Ranger - Swarmkeeper

The Swarmkeeper subclass provides Rangers with three kinds of deadly swarms to assist them in combat. The
Cloud of Jellyfish
deals extra lightning damage - potentially shocking your enemy.
The Flurry of Moths
deals Psychic damage, giving you the potential to Blind your enemy. The
Legion of Bees
deals piercing damage and forces the enemy to make a strength-saving throw or be knocked back 15ft. Each swarm also has the ability to provide you with teleportation capabilities!

Meh. The options in the official books are better as they're not just status effect gimmicks.

Rogue - Swashbuckler

This Rogue subclass introduces a range of new actions fit for the piratical life. Play dirty by tossing sand at enemies to
Blind
them. Flick your weapon at a target to
Disarm
them. Or use your new
Fancy Footwork
passive while meleeing your enemy to ensure they can’t make opportunity attacks against you for the rest of your turn.

HUR DUR POCKET SAND. The Swashbuckler mod does it better as it doesn't add a bunch of retarded gimmicks.

Sorcerer - Shadow Magic

As a Shadow Magic Sorcerer, you deal in a form of magic that makes you deadliest in darkness. This subclass gives its sorcerer
Superior Darkvision
, as well as the ability to

Useless in game BTW.

Shadow Walk
between places of dim light or darkness. It also lets you call forth the perfectly homebrewed

Homebrew is always the last thing Larian should be doing as it's usually just stupid gimmicks

Hound of Ill Omen
to harass your foes, and use

Not Homebrewed unless they're making changes to add stupid gimmicks that don't belong in crpgs.

Strength of the Grave
to prevent you from being downed - ideal for those attempting Honour Mode runs.

Not homebrewed either.

Warlock - Hexblade

Hexblade Warlocks make a pact with an entity from the Shadowfell that manifests in the form of magical weapons. Curse your enemies and force their souls to do your bidding. Slay any enemy that isn’t generally an element of nature, construct, giant blob, or already dead, and you’ll be able to raise their spirit from their corpse for ten turns. This new summon can deal necrotic damage and will rip away a chunk of your enemy’s soul to provide your Hexblade Warlock with healing.

If it adheres to what the Hexblade mod already does it will be a good addition.

Wizard - Bladesinging

The Bladesinging subclass merges swordplay with wizardry. Expect new spellcasting animations when casting spells with your weapon, a new Bladesong ability to grant you supernatural speed, agility, and focus, plus gives you a bonus to any Constitution saving throw you make.

Yet another strong subclass that renders the current fighter subclasses pointlessly weak in comparison. If they stay true to what it should be, the blade song will do

"Starting at 2nd level, you can invoke an elven magic called the Bladesong, provided that you aren't wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield. It graces you with supernatural speed, agility, and focus.

You can use a bonus action to start the Bladesong, which lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are incapacitated, if you don medium or heavy armor or a shield, or if you use two hands to make an attack with a weapon. You can also dismiss the Bladesong at any time (no action required).

While your Bladesong is active, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1) [13 (mage armor) + 3 INT + 3 DEX = 19 AC with mage armor at level 2 compared to the heavy armored fighter/paladin who gets 17 when they pay out for a suit of +1 chainmail, and then at level 4 with auntie's hair, if Dex or INT is 17, it will be 21 AC; +1 robe is 20 AC at level 2 and 22 AC at level 4, something most martials have to wait until the city of Baldur's Gape to get close to. With +2 AC bracers, the ring, the boots, and the cape, it will be 23-25 AC at the end of ACT I and 28 AC at the beginning of ACT 2 unless some of those slots go to something else. ]
• Your walking speed increases by 10 feet.
• You have advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks.
• You gain a bonus to any Constitution saving throw you make to maintain your concentration on a spell. The bonus equals your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest. [twice at level 2, thrice at level 5, four times at level 9; with how easy it is to exploit long rest why even run armored martials anymore? Great way to break the game]"

"Starting at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Moreover, you can cast one of your cantrips in place of one of those attacks."

Already stronger than Eldritch Knight in the first place, why not give this to EK too to make EK better? Syncs well with the cantrip items for free weapon damage buffs. Shocking touch+firebolt into a melee attack?

"Beginning at 10th level, you can direct your magic to absorb damage while your Bladesong is active. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to expend one spell slot and reduce that damage to you by an amount equal to five times the spell slot's level."

Yup. Extremely strong. If using a pure class, it's 20-25 damage reduced if you don't need those high level spell slots for anything.

Did you actually ever play BG3? You keep saying fighter is useless when in reality it's easily one of the strongest classes. Specifically an eldritch knight archer is probably the strongest build in the game.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

Ayyy Musk could be buying Hasbro.

No point in Musk buying Hasbro, but there is a purpose to acquiring the entire D&D IP (and everything else from TSR, preferably), wresting it away from Seattle-based Wizards of the Coast after a quarter-century of decline. He could then set up a new TSR for based designers to make Dungeons & Dragons great again.

 

[MerchantKing]

Did you actually ever play BG3?

Yes.

You keep saying fighter is useless when in reality it's easily one of the strongest classes. Specifically an eldritch knight archer is probably the strongest build in the game.

I haven't once said its useless. It can be useful. I've only said it's weaker than everything else that does its job especially when looking at how the game works and how powerful all the class features for all the other classes are.

 

[Infinitron]